I have an upcoming trip to visit my Mom during the holiday season. Flights, of course, are ridiculously expensive, plus I had to juggle my work schedule. So I made my arrangements a few weeks back. It was a rather unusual round trip where I take different major airlines each direction.
Then a week or so back I went to make a parking reservation at Preflight Airport Parking at BWI, which I've been using probably since 1998. (I've also made trips out of Dulles and Reagan.) Only I couldn't find it. Ir was bizarre; a few Internet queries didn't solve the mystery. There is a hub website for Preflight, but BWI was conspicuously missing without explanation. So I made alternative arrangements. I asked a work colleague who lived here for years and thought it was ridiculous to make reservations anyway and preferred the public lots. Long story short, I noticed today when I did a Google search, there was a promotional ad for Bullseye Parking at the head of the listings, and when I drilled down, I saw a familiar list of promoted amenities (e.g., daily newspaper, bottled water, etc.) and the street address seemed familiar. I still don't know the specifics but it looks like this location got spun off or purchased from the national chain. I don't know how I didn't stumble across it earlier.
The reason I mention parking is because I recall having to give estimates offsetting my flight times for the parking vendor. So among other things, Google automatically put (at least my trip out of BWI) on my calendar, and I've integrated my Google Calendar with my Thunderbird email client. I suddenly realized that I was staring at a 6 AM flight out, and I thought it was more like mid-morning. My Google calendar had the right time, and I double-checked with the airline.
It was fairly clear for some reason Thunderbird was offsetting the time zone for the Pacific Coast, not that unusual for high-tech items like PC's. I didn't query clearly enough to see a solution for my problem. Long story short: if you go to Tools/Options, there's a Config Editor button on the lower right. (You'll see a draconian warning of changing things at your own risk, sort of like when I had Lasik done, they warned of a risk of blindness.) Do a search on zone; (calendar.timezone.local). I then modified Los_Angeles to New_York. I then bounced Thunderbird and now my events had the expected scheduled time.
Then I had a weird experience with American Airlines when I clicked on My Trips and seemed to pull up no flights. It then seemed like I had to query using my name and the record locator, a fairly Procrustean approach, purely for the convenience of its own system.
Sunday, December 16, 2018
Sunday, December 2, 2018
Amazon and Simple Cases of Dubious Usability
I have to admit to a fondness for Amazon devices: I own 2 Echo Dots (the second one was a company Xmas gift last year), a Fire stick for my TV, and a Fire tablet. They are particularly useful in conjunction with Amazon's distinct Prime subscription, which includes, beyond its signature free 2-day shipping on many items, even below certain aggregate minimum purchase thresholds, free reading, video and music subscriptions: there are some limitations to the reading and music services, which can be alleviated by supplemental "unlimited" services. So the Fire stick opens up the option of playing Amazon content on my flat-screen TV; the Echo Dot gives me on demand access to literally thousands of songs, including most Beatles' hits. (I have a significant person music collection, but it's simply easier and more convenient to ask Alexa, Amazon's natural language interface, than to pull out my own CD's and play the track). Still I manage to hit on strange gaps not included with the basic service; Alexa will play a sample clip and plug the unlimited service, e.g., Derek and the Dominoes' classic "Layla" and Neil Diamond's "Solitary Man". Alexa itself is fairly remarkable in terms of recognition; it's rare for me to have to repeat myself. For example, I had a minor issue getting it to play the Bangles' classic "Eternal Flame".
This led to a couple of unexpected minor usability hassles, one involving the affiliated location of the devices and a recent change in my WIFI password.
The WIFI issue actually surfaced first, but let me discuss the location issue first. (It had been some time since I had used my devices, and I have other ways of getting information or music, like weather on my cellphone or playing Youtube videos. So I asked Alexa what the temperature was, and it said 60 degrees. OK--I knew that wasn't valid for north Maryland, so I asked Alexa about the location, and as I had suspected, Alexa thought I was in southwestern Arizona.
Now there were a number of reasons this bothered me or contradicted my expectations. For one thing I left Arizona nearly 18 months ago. I had changed my address with Amazon at that time, and Amazon had fulfilled numerous orders at my current address. I expected that Amazon would have synced/propagated my address to my devices. Second, Alexa didn't seem to have an ability to modify its own location. I could get the current temperature, but I would have to specify northern Maryland rather than rely on a default. Third, it would seem to me that Alexa could probably guesstimate my location from its own Internet connection.
I vaguely recall doing setups for my Echo Dot via my Fire tablet, which has the Alexa app. (I also downloaded the Alexa app on my cellphone and my PC over the weekend. To me, oddly enough, although consistent with going to Google Play on my cell for new apps, one must go to the Microsoft Store to pick up the PC app. It's odd in the sense I go to Amazon itself to install/update my other notebook utilities (e.g., Kindle and Amazon Music).) I quickly did a search which confirmed I needed to edit the location via settings for the device.
So you to Settings for the Alexa App and go to Device Settings. I then see a listing of my devices, along with network statuses. I notice for some odd reason my tablet shows a status of being offline, although I can see my home cable WIFI on at the top of my tablet. This is a long introduction just to explain there is not a central setting for my device locations, but one must drill down into each device and update its location (scan down to the general device settings). I find the light blue on blue background not as legible as white on blue, you have to touch each address line to edit and then touch save in the upper right corner when you're finished. (I then verified my changes by asking my Echo Dot Alexa for time, temperature, and location.)
Fixing the WIFI password wasn't similar in nature, and this inconsistency was very annoying. Now I also have a Google Chromecast device, which operates somewhat differently; whereas the Fire TV stick comes with a remote which you use to navigate Amazon's menu-driven interface, Google operates by letting you cast PC content onto your TV screen via a menu-drive connection in the Chrome browser (e.g., my licensed video content through Youtube). It would be nice if I could use just one device, but Google and Amazon are content competitors.
I remember being confused by the Chromecast process for modifying the WIFI settings. (This may be an easier process.) I muddled through the process, and it was almost as if Chromecast setup suddenly realized that my PC had an existing WIFI connection and could reuse its configuration.
Now I had come into the reset issue from having had to set up my 5 PC connections. You scan for available network, click on your WIFI network and you have to supply the password, which in my case is usually complex (with special characters) and a pain to manually type. There's usually a less painful way which is to click a button on the top of your cable router (which temporarily opens the device for new connections; my button blinks for several second). So I thought the process would be a similar extrapolation.
Most of the stuff I saw on the topic seemed to rely on doing it via the Alexa app on my Android cellphone. It seems like the app forces you to connect via an Amazon wireless network (WHY? Why can't I simply connect directly to my WIFI network?). The app tells me to be patient--it might take a couple of minutes for the network to be visible on my cellphone list of available networks--which NEVER happens. Another Internet search suggests that I move my cellphone close to my Echo Dot. I finally see the Amazon network. And then I run into a couple of problems with the cellphone app; one was a message to the effect that network connection was too weak for the app to connect (now what do I do?); the other was that Echo Dot Alexa told me it was now connected to my cellphone and to continue the setup, but it was like the app was frozen and wouldn't respond to my touches to continue; maybe it was working but sent no status message to the screen.
At some point, I gave up trying to use my cellphone app (and the PC app seemed to take forever to install from Microsoft Store), so I finally turned to the Alexa app on my Fire tablet, which I had originally used to configure the Echo Dot.. I somehow muddled through the process: I suddenly realized my home WIFI network was appearing on the Echo Dot device status. I'm not exactly sure what I did; it wasn't as if I got a picklist of networks or was asked to enter my WIFI password in the process.
From a usability standpoint; this is unacceptable, especially since Internet access is critical to device functionality. Alexa had absolutely nothing to say other than to constantly gripe that it couldn't connect to the Internet and to check the help section of the app help section. Yeah, right. I couldn't even find a simple explanation on the website on how to update a changed password on my devices other than this: "You can save your updated Wi-Fi passwords to Amazon by re-running any compatible device through its Wi-Fi setup process."
This led to a couple of unexpected minor usability hassles, one involving the affiliated location of the devices and a recent change in my WIFI password.
The WIFI issue actually surfaced first, but let me discuss the location issue first. (It had been some time since I had used my devices, and I have other ways of getting information or music, like weather on my cellphone or playing Youtube videos. So I asked Alexa what the temperature was, and it said 60 degrees. OK--I knew that wasn't valid for north Maryland, so I asked Alexa about the location, and as I had suspected, Alexa thought I was in southwestern Arizona.
Now there were a number of reasons this bothered me or contradicted my expectations. For one thing I left Arizona nearly 18 months ago. I had changed my address with Amazon at that time, and Amazon had fulfilled numerous orders at my current address. I expected that Amazon would have synced/propagated my address to my devices. Second, Alexa didn't seem to have an ability to modify its own location. I could get the current temperature, but I would have to specify northern Maryland rather than rely on a default. Third, it would seem to me that Alexa could probably guesstimate my location from its own Internet connection.
I vaguely recall doing setups for my Echo Dot via my Fire tablet, which has the Alexa app. (I also downloaded the Alexa app on my cellphone and my PC over the weekend. To me, oddly enough, although consistent with going to Google Play on my cell for new apps, one must go to the Microsoft Store to pick up the PC app. It's odd in the sense I go to Amazon itself to install/update my other notebook utilities (e.g., Kindle and Amazon Music).) I quickly did a search which confirmed I needed to edit the location via settings for the device.
So you to Settings for the Alexa App and go to Device Settings. I then see a listing of my devices, along with network statuses. I notice for some odd reason my tablet shows a status of being offline, although I can see my home cable WIFI on at the top of my tablet. This is a long introduction just to explain there is not a central setting for my device locations, but one must drill down into each device and update its location (scan down to the general device settings). I find the light blue on blue background not as legible as white on blue, you have to touch each address line to edit and then touch save in the upper right corner when you're finished. (I then verified my changes by asking my Echo Dot Alexa for time, temperature, and location.)
Fixing the WIFI password wasn't similar in nature, and this inconsistency was very annoying. Now I also have a Google Chromecast device, which operates somewhat differently; whereas the Fire TV stick comes with a remote which you use to navigate Amazon's menu-driven interface, Google operates by letting you cast PC content onto your TV screen via a menu-drive connection in the Chrome browser (e.g., my licensed video content through Youtube). It would be nice if I could use just one device, but Google and Amazon are content competitors.
I remember being confused by the Chromecast process for modifying the WIFI settings. (This may be an easier process.) I muddled through the process, and it was almost as if Chromecast setup suddenly realized that my PC had an existing WIFI connection and could reuse its configuration.
Now I had come into the reset issue from having had to set up my 5 PC connections. You scan for available network, click on your WIFI network and you have to supply the password, which in my case is usually complex (with special characters) and a pain to manually type. There's usually a less painful way which is to click a button on the top of your cable router (which temporarily opens the device for new connections; my button blinks for several second). So I thought the process would be a similar extrapolation.
Most of the stuff I saw on the topic seemed to rely on doing it via the Alexa app on my Android cellphone. It seems like the app forces you to connect via an Amazon wireless network (WHY? Why can't I simply connect directly to my WIFI network?). The app tells me to be patient--it might take a couple of minutes for the network to be visible on my cellphone list of available networks--which NEVER happens. Another Internet search suggests that I move my cellphone close to my Echo Dot. I finally see the Amazon network. And then I run into a couple of problems with the cellphone app; one was a message to the effect that network connection was too weak for the app to connect (now what do I do?); the other was that Echo Dot Alexa told me it was now connected to my cellphone and to continue the setup, but it was like the app was frozen and wouldn't respond to my touches to continue; maybe it was working but sent no status message to the screen.
At some point, I gave up trying to use my cellphone app (and the PC app seemed to take forever to install from Microsoft Store), so I finally turned to the Alexa app on my Fire tablet, which I had originally used to configure the Echo Dot.. I somehow muddled through the process: I suddenly realized my home WIFI network was appearing on the Echo Dot device status. I'm not exactly sure what I did; it wasn't as if I got a picklist of networks or was asked to enter my WIFI password in the process.
From a usability standpoint; this is unacceptable, especially since Internet access is critical to device functionality. Alexa had absolutely nothing to say other than to constantly gripe that it couldn't connect to the Internet and to check the help section of the app help section. Yeah, right. I couldn't even find a simple explanation on the website on how to update a changed password on my devices other than this: "You can save your updated Wi-Fi passwords to Amazon by re-running any compatible device through its Wi-Fi setup process."
Monday, November 12, 2018
Microsoft HUP: A Great but Sometimes Frustrating Deal
Microsoft has a great deal for employees of many corporate customers: its Home Use Program. I stumbled upon this option a few years back as a government contractor. For a nominal fee (say, $15 a product, the products being Office Professional, Project and/or Visio. You may need to initiate the transaction through your work email account.) There are certain licensing restrictions, one being that if you leave your job, you need to deinstall your programs.
(That may explain why after I changed government contractor positions, my software "disappeared". They may have thought I needed to obtain a new license, even though the end client was the same. It's not so much paying an extra $15 for a new license but the deinstallation without notice. I'm used to subscription software, e.g., security, warning me of an upcoming expiration date.
It reminds me of a condo in Normal, IL I had rented while a visiting professor at ISU. What I wasn't aware of was that I was expected to pay the water bill. The owner never forwarded the utility bills, and the water company never mailed or left a warning notice for the occupant. So I had worked out before going to the university to lecture, went to take a shower--and found my water had been cut off. I soon traced down the miscommunication; it still bothers me how the water company would go to the point of shutting off the water without a good faith attempt to contact the occupant; I had no way of knowing the owner was trashing the notices. I had intended to rent an apartment, but a colleague's wife was a broker who was managing the property for the absentee owner.)
But the issues I've encountered have less to do with registration or activation and more to do with usability. The HUP software download has a download link default for a 32-bit install. There's a subordinated 64-bit link. I tried to install the 64-bit version; long story short, I get a message that the software is installed; go to the Start Menu. And--I see no program icons. I don't see a listed application in Window programs. Are there known issues with the 64-bit version? Nothing I can tell from an Internet search. I decide to try the 32-bit version; as the default install, it should be more bullet-proof. Only to find out that it refuses to do the install, because it thinks the (inferred: 64-bit) software is already installed.
So how do I uninstall an application which isn't even listed? I did ;more Internet searching and eventually run across an Activation Troubleshooter. It's a bit dated (I don't see reference to a newer one), but after it's run, I finally see the new (and old) HUP Office products showing up in Windows Programs. I deinstall the old HUP Offie. I try to repair the HUP 64-bit Office, but that turns out to be a waste of time, so I deinstall it, too.
I then try to install the 32-bit version. This time I get program icons in the start menu.
Activation is somewhat obscure because Microsoft by default wants you to register via a Microsoft (live.com). You launch one of the new Office icons. and it should launch an activation screen. You have to look for a bypass link at the bottom of the pop-up (and maybe another bypass link on the bottom of the next screen) before you get to a license input screen. How do you know that the product has been activated? One sign is you'll see Microsoft screen unlock a number of templates, etc. on the spartan application screen. A second is once you open up, say, a blank document. Go to the left/top File menu and click on Account (near the bottom).
(They do discuss the bypass approach but in an obscure way. I was initially expecting it to surface during, not after the install process.)
I ran into a different issue during installation of another product, Visio. To understand the context, when you launch the product install, you get an Office install progress icon in your system tray, e.g., 3% complete. During the Visio install, this icon disappeared. I used the everything search tool to verify lots of Visio files got installed--but not the executable, e.g., visio.exe. I eventually get to a Microsoft/contractor install agent online and start peppering her for manual deinstall processes (including any registry fixes), and the only thing she wants to do is to pass me off to another group: Commercial. (This shouldn't be surprising to anyone who has ever dealt with a help desk.) Literally right at the end of the chat session, I suddenly see the Office install progress icon reappear in my system tray. This time it persists through the remainder of the install. The point is I had almost prematurely deinstalled the product, thinking it had aborted.
(That may explain why after I changed government contractor positions, my software "disappeared". They may have thought I needed to obtain a new license, even though the end client was the same. It's not so much paying an extra $15 for a new license but the deinstallation without notice. I'm used to subscription software, e.g., security, warning me of an upcoming expiration date.
It reminds me of a condo in Normal, IL I had rented while a visiting professor at ISU. What I wasn't aware of was that I was expected to pay the water bill. The owner never forwarded the utility bills, and the water company never mailed or left a warning notice for the occupant. So I had worked out before going to the university to lecture, went to take a shower--and found my water had been cut off. I soon traced down the miscommunication; it still bothers me how the water company would go to the point of shutting off the water without a good faith attempt to contact the occupant; I had no way of knowing the owner was trashing the notices. I had intended to rent an apartment, but a colleague's wife was a broker who was managing the property for the absentee owner.)
But the issues I've encountered have less to do with registration or activation and more to do with usability. The HUP software download has a download link default for a 32-bit install. There's a subordinated 64-bit link. I tried to install the 64-bit version; long story short, I get a message that the software is installed; go to the Start Menu. And--I see no program icons. I don't see a listed application in Window programs. Are there known issues with the 64-bit version? Nothing I can tell from an Internet search. I decide to try the 32-bit version; as the default install, it should be more bullet-proof. Only to find out that it refuses to do the install, because it thinks the (inferred: 64-bit) software is already installed.
So how do I uninstall an application which isn't even listed? I did ;more Internet searching and eventually run across an Activation Troubleshooter. It's a bit dated (I don't see reference to a newer one), but after it's run, I finally see the new (and old) HUP Office products showing up in Windows Programs. I deinstall the old HUP Offie. I try to repair the HUP 64-bit Office, but that turns out to be a waste of time, so I deinstall it, too.
I then try to install the 32-bit version. This time I get program icons in the start menu.
Activation is somewhat obscure because Microsoft by default wants you to register via a Microsoft (live.com). You launch one of the new Office icons. and it should launch an activation screen. You have to look for a bypass link at the bottom of the pop-up (and maybe another bypass link on the bottom of the next screen) before you get to a license input screen. How do you know that the product has been activated? One sign is you'll see Microsoft screen unlock a number of templates, etc. on the spartan application screen. A second is once you open up, say, a blank document. Go to the left/top File menu and click on Account (near the bottom).
(They do discuss the bypass approach but in an obscure way. I was initially expecting it to surface during, not after the install process.)
I ran into a different issue during installation of another product, Visio. To understand the context, when you launch the product install, you get an Office install progress icon in your system tray, e.g., 3% complete. During the Visio install, this icon disappeared. I used the everything search tool to verify lots of Visio files got installed--but not the executable, e.g., visio.exe. I eventually get to a Microsoft/contractor install agent online and start peppering her for manual deinstall processes (including any registry fixes), and the only thing she wants to do is to pass me off to another group: Commercial. (This shouldn't be surprising to anyone who has ever dealt with a help desk.) Literally right at the end of the chat session, I suddenly see the Office install progress icon reappear in my system tray. This time it persists through the remainder of the install. The point is I had almost prematurely deinstalled the product, thinking it had aborted.
Sunday, October 28, 2018
A New Garmin, Other Annoyances and Some Notes on Learnability
Well, if you've read my last few posts, you'll know that I ran into a series of Windows Update issues over the late spring through the early summer, requiring use of the media creation tool to deploy almost every new major Windows 10 patch. For uncertain reasons, this pattern seems to have been corrected over the past 2 months. There have been a couple of failures along the way but they seemed to be corrected without my intervention. However, I have run into a couple of usability issues: for some reason, I'm getting multiple activation alerts a week; the problem is always resolved by checking my digital license, but it's certain annoying, and what makes it even more so is that it seems to take forever to get the activation troubleshooter launched.
I've written multiple posts about my Garmin device. I've had some issues over the years (I've gotten lost in West Virginia just going to the local post office and turning in my cable box: I mean, somehow I ended up on one-lane dirt roads in totally unfamiliar territory). But it worked admirably in my folks' home town of Fall River, MA, which I've only visited (not driving) maybe 4 times since middle school, for my priest uncle's funeral several weeks back. I remember my Mom was hosting a luncheon at an unfamiliar (to me) restaurant after a post-funeral mass stop at the church ceremony. In a straight line, the restaurant wasn't that far away but because of one-way roads, etc., it was the weirdest roundabout drive I've ever been on. Innumerable turns. I thought I was on another West Virginia adventure. But it got me there ahead of multiple siblings in different cars.
However, I haven't seen the device since returning home. It's not in the car, and I haven't found it in my apartment where I usually keep it. I don't know if it slipped out of my pocket on the way from my car, if I misplaced it in the apartment. But I decided to buy a more recent replacement.
I initially had bought my first unit at a factory outlet, and I decided to add to go there first. This turns out to be one of those vendors (including the USPS) who for some reason have some issue with my credit card issuer. This didn't appear at first. I got a receipt/invoice not listing my apartment number. Among other things, I don't post my name on my mailbox or apartment, so I don't know what happens if an unfamiliar delivery driver arrives at my apartment building. (This sort of thing never happens when I buy via Amazon.) The conversation (with an Indian help center person, of course) goes something like the following:
(me): I put my apartment number in my original order form submission.
(he): I know that. But our address validator won't accept that address.
(me): I live here. The post office delivers to that address. I've bought from several other vendors who have no issues with that address. There's obviously something wrong with your address validator.
He's in a state of denial. It's not a case where my card issuer is rejecting the transaction. I know because my issuer never sent a fraud alert, and I saw the pending transaction. So I know if they submitted my address information, it wasn't rejected by my card issuer. So this must be some other validator issue, and I have no idea why they won't accept my address if my card issuer does. (No, it's not a P.O. Box.) Maybe it comes from their delivery partners. But I can't believe that I've having to argue I live in an apartment building, and they need to reference my apartment number.
(him) Oh, by the way, the item you ordered is out of stock. We do have a similar model in stock which simply adds Canada to your lifetime maps subscription, for $5 more.
(me, thinking to myself.) WTF. The site never mentioned it was out of stock/on back order. I don't need Canadian maps. I have no intention of ever visiting my ancestral homeland (Quebec). But is it really worth my time and effort to haggle $5 when a new vs. refurbished model at Sam's Club is double the cost? (I checked on my last trip there recently.)
(me). Fine. Will you email a receipt and a cancellation of my earlier purchase.
By the next day: no interim confirmation as promised. Instead, I've gotten a "fraud alert" telling me my outlet purchase was cancelled, and I should once again call their number to discuss the matter. Hell, no! I basically had a replacement purchase in my cart at Amazon. And, of course, now I'm getting email-spammed from the factory outlet. There is ZERO chance of a future purchase. I've unsubscribed, and if it resumes, I'll filter it at Google.
I got the device from Amazon a couple of days later, charged it up and had the typically large map update loaded. (The first thing I had noticed was the power button, which was on the top left edge of my original unit, was a shallow button on the back of the device.) There was little documentation enclosed with the device, simply a Garmin URL. I then run into an issue finding the manual because my packaging identifies the product version as "5-I"(sans-serifs), instead of "5-1".
The issue was a subsequent update, probably firmware-related after the maps update was done. So I downloaded it, and there was a patch process described something like the following:
"The patch application will require powering your device off and on.
[Now comes a description of using Garmin Express to download and install the patch. Then, and this is the core point of my criticism]:
- Disconnect the USB cord from the Garmin device connector for 5 seconds and reattach it.
It then connects back to Garmin Express which shows me there is one more patch to apply. I do this a couple of cycles before I realize it's trying to download the same patch. Now I'm wondering if I have a defective unit that's not processing patches. It's not telling me something to the effect that the patch has already been installed, but I need to restart my device to finish the installation.
Now maybe it's because of my professional IT experience of having to reboot servers after major installations or upgrades/patches (including Windows) or even having my Android smartphone restarted after Android patching that I decided to manually power off-on my Garmin. And I almost immediately saw messages that it was applying firmware/other patches. I subsequently reconnected my Garmin, and Garmin Express reported after reconnection that the device was up to date.
I have little doubt that the documenters would defensively point out the instructions did talk about the need to restart the device. But the context was unfamiliar. There is no discussion after Garmin Express installs the software instructions to the effect "after finishing the update, disconnect the device, restart it and after it finishes, reconnect the device." This whole discussion of waiting 5 seconds to reconnect the Garmin was rather misleading and confusing.
I've written multiple posts about my Garmin device. I've had some issues over the years (I've gotten lost in West Virginia just going to the local post office and turning in my cable box: I mean, somehow I ended up on one-lane dirt roads in totally unfamiliar territory). But it worked admirably in my folks' home town of Fall River, MA, which I've only visited (not driving) maybe 4 times since middle school, for my priest uncle's funeral several weeks back. I remember my Mom was hosting a luncheon at an unfamiliar (to me) restaurant after a post-funeral mass stop at the church ceremony. In a straight line, the restaurant wasn't that far away but because of one-way roads, etc., it was the weirdest roundabout drive I've ever been on. Innumerable turns. I thought I was on another West Virginia adventure. But it got me there ahead of multiple siblings in different cars.
However, I haven't seen the device since returning home. It's not in the car, and I haven't found it in my apartment where I usually keep it. I don't know if it slipped out of my pocket on the way from my car, if I misplaced it in the apartment. But I decided to buy a more recent replacement.
I initially had bought my first unit at a factory outlet, and I decided to add to go there first. This turns out to be one of those vendors (including the USPS) who for some reason have some issue with my credit card issuer. This didn't appear at first. I got a receipt/invoice not listing my apartment number. Among other things, I don't post my name on my mailbox or apartment, so I don't know what happens if an unfamiliar delivery driver arrives at my apartment building. (This sort of thing never happens when I buy via Amazon.) The conversation (with an Indian help center person, of course) goes something like the following:
(me): I put my apartment number in my original order form submission.
(he): I know that. But our address validator won't accept that address.
(me): I live here. The post office delivers to that address. I've bought from several other vendors who have no issues with that address. There's obviously something wrong with your address validator.
He's in a state of denial. It's not a case where my card issuer is rejecting the transaction. I know because my issuer never sent a fraud alert, and I saw the pending transaction. So I know if they submitted my address information, it wasn't rejected by my card issuer. So this must be some other validator issue, and I have no idea why they won't accept my address if my card issuer does. (No, it's not a P.O. Box.) Maybe it comes from their delivery partners. But I can't believe that I've having to argue I live in an apartment building, and they need to reference my apartment number.
(him) Oh, by the way, the item you ordered is out of stock. We do have a similar model in stock which simply adds Canada to your lifetime maps subscription, for $5 more.
(me, thinking to myself.) WTF. The site never mentioned it was out of stock/on back order. I don't need Canadian maps. I have no intention of ever visiting my ancestral homeland (Quebec). But is it really worth my time and effort to haggle $5 when a new vs. refurbished model at Sam's Club is double the cost? (I checked on my last trip there recently.)
(me). Fine. Will you email a receipt and a cancellation of my earlier purchase.
By the next day: no interim confirmation as promised. Instead, I've gotten a "fraud alert" telling me my outlet purchase was cancelled, and I should once again call their number to discuss the matter. Hell, no! I basically had a replacement purchase in my cart at Amazon. And, of course, now I'm getting email-spammed from the factory outlet. There is ZERO chance of a future purchase. I've unsubscribed, and if it resumes, I'll filter it at Google.
I got the device from Amazon a couple of days later, charged it up and had the typically large map update loaded. (The first thing I had noticed was the power button, which was on the top left edge of my original unit, was a shallow button on the back of the device.) There was little documentation enclosed with the device, simply a Garmin URL. I then run into an issue finding the manual because my packaging identifies the product version as "5-I"(sans-serifs), instead of "5-1".
The issue was a subsequent update, probably firmware-related after the maps update was done. So I downloaded it, and there was a patch process described something like the following:
"The patch application will require powering your device off and on.
[Now comes a description of using Garmin Express to download and install the patch. Then, and this is the core point of my criticism]:
- Disconnect the USB cord from the Garmin device connector for 5 seconds and reattach it.
It then connects back to Garmin Express which shows me there is one more patch to apply. I do this a couple of cycles before I realize it's trying to download the same patch. Now I'm wondering if I have a defective unit that's not processing patches. It's not telling me something to the effect that the patch has already been installed, but I need to restart my device to finish the installation.
Now maybe it's because of my professional IT experience of having to reboot servers after major installations or upgrades/patches (including Windows) or even having my Android smartphone restarted after Android patching that I decided to manually power off-on my Garmin. And I almost immediately saw messages that it was applying firmware/other patches. I subsequently reconnected my Garmin, and Garmin Express reported after reconnection that the device was up to date.
I have little doubt that the documenters would defensively point out the instructions did talk about the need to restart the device. But the context was unfamiliar. There is no discussion after Garmin Express installs the software instructions to the effect "after finishing the update, disconnect the device, restart it and after it finishes, reconnect the device." This whole discussion of waiting 5 seconds to reconnect the Garmin was rather misleading and confusing.
Monday, September 3, 2018
The Absent-Minded Professor
After a recent drive to attend a relative's funeral in another state, I misplaced my Garmin, no doubt leaving it somewhere "safe" again. (I've sometimes had variations on this theme. I also have also misplaced its UBS charge cable, which meant one time I went to use the Garmin, I found it was dead, needing a recharge. So I ordered a much longer third-party supplier replacement cable from Amazon. You win if you guess while I was waiting for the new cable to arrive, I stumbled across the original.) I can and have used Google Maps, but a first use, homeward bound after a vehicle emissions test (long story: I thought I could get it done at another facility and then was directed to a local highway split (and follow a maze of one-way street signs to the facility). My cellphone went silent as, in fact, I drove in the wrong direction.)
An even more telling example was that I had bought a nice wall-pluggable power storage device for USB devices, good enough for multiple charges of my cellphone. It wasn't that expensive, maybe something like $30-50, but expensive enough I didn't want to lose it. I was living in temporary housing at a local hotel waiting for my household goods from SC to arrive at my new residence in Arizona. I remember having it out on the room desk before I checked out. Later, in my new apartment, I searched the pockets of my notebook bag and couldn't find it. I checked back with the hotel, and it turned out I did leave a device behind but it was an older, less capacity, cheaper unit. I began wondering if maybe the maid had stolen it; I never made that claim, but I couldn't explain how the device had disappeared.
In the meanwhile, I bought new storage devices, particularly after a long power outage in Maryland a few months back. So fast forward to a few days back. I own 3 notebook computers as well as a desktop--and, of course, a few notebook bags. I was searching for where I had misplaced the Garmin when I suddenly realized the internal calculator slot in one of the cases wasn't empty--and I know I didn't have a calculator. You guessed it: the missing power bank.
For some reason, Windows Update is choking on every monthly or so cumulative update, and it seems I must have had to resort to Windows Activation troubleshooter at least a dozen times this summer as Windows seems to think my notebook doesn't have a valid license. Not sure what the issue is beyond likely buggy, crappy Windows code. I keep my security software updates, constant scans, etc.
One runs into novel issues all the time. I have a combination printer/flatbed scanner. I had just scanned something to a pdf file recently but when I had to send a fax overnight, I ran into a software issue telling me the printer wasn't on or the USB cable was disconnected (neither true); I tested printer functionality: no problem.
The only thing I could think of was maybe I needed to update my printer driver software and quickly went to the printer vendor website. They had updated the driver earlier this year. And yes, its application resolved my scanner problem.
An even more telling example was that I had bought a nice wall-pluggable power storage device for USB devices, good enough for multiple charges of my cellphone. It wasn't that expensive, maybe something like $30-50, but expensive enough I didn't want to lose it. I was living in temporary housing at a local hotel waiting for my household goods from SC to arrive at my new residence in Arizona. I remember having it out on the room desk before I checked out. Later, in my new apartment, I searched the pockets of my notebook bag and couldn't find it. I checked back with the hotel, and it turned out I did leave a device behind but it was an older, less capacity, cheaper unit. I began wondering if maybe the maid had stolen it; I never made that claim, but I couldn't explain how the device had disappeared.
In the meanwhile, I bought new storage devices, particularly after a long power outage in Maryland a few months back. So fast forward to a few days back. I own 3 notebook computers as well as a desktop--and, of course, a few notebook bags. I was searching for where I had misplaced the Garmin when I suddenly realized the internal calculator slot in one of the cases wasn't empty--and I know I didn't have a calculator. You guessed it: the missing power bank.
For some reason, Windows Update is choking on every monthly or so cumulative update, and it seems I must have had to resort to Windows Activation troubleshooter at least a dozen times this summer as Windows seems to think my notebook doesn't have a valid license. Not sure what the issue is beyond likely buggy, crappy Windows code. I keep my security software updates, constant scans, etc.
One runs into novel issues all the time. I have a combination printer/flatbed scanner. I had just scanned something to a pdf file recently but when I had to send a fax overnight, I ran into a software issue telling me the printer wasn't on or the USB cable was disconnected (neither true); I tested printer functionality: no problem.
The only thing I could think of was maybe I needed to update my printer driver software and quickly went to the printer vendor website. They had updated the driver earlier this year. And yes, its application resolved my scanner problem.
Wednesday, July 11, 2018
It Was a Microsoft Weekend--and Not in a Good Way
I've written a number of rants on Windows Update during the history of this blog. There are a number of ways that Microsoft irks my usability sensibilities. For example, it really doesn't let me know when I've got a problem; it's like it'll fail constantly at least once daily like a broken record for weeks and you don't get so much as a notification that there's a problem going on; it's gotten to the point I do spot checks maybe every 3 weeks just to make sure nothing is going wrong. Not to mention I have 3 backup PC's (two of them resurrected from the dead after my move to Arizona in 2016, the other a desktop which also seemed to die in a WV self-storage center).
I think the desktop was one of the cases where I had to resort to the Windows 10 installation media creation tool. I seem to recall I had to migrate from a Windows 8 system reset but Microsoft had discontinued its "free upgrade" program to Windows 10. Are you kidding? I was already upgraded to Windows 10 when I had to reset my system. Was it really going to charge me for a second license to recover from a Windows 10 failure? I really didn't see anything on Microsoft's website which addressed this issue, but I stumbled across a PC post which suggested Microsoft "knew" (digital key?) a system had been upgraded to Windows 10 and would activate during reinstallation/upgrade.
But my real hell was a red HP notebook I think I bought from Sam's Club in early 2014. I had had an HP notebook I had bought direct, but its hard drive was on life support. I had also been a user of Rollback RX, which basically maintains a history of daily and/or manual system snapshots. I think I ran into a cluster of 4 or 5 factory resets in maybe 4 months, which meant I had to reload my applications from scratch (including Rollback RX). I was suspecting a compatibility issue with Rollback RX and did not install it again. Since then, I haven't had to do another factory reset. This doesn't mean I haven't had Windows Update problems over the past 4 years, but most of them seemed to be resolved by some variation of this script:
I think the desktop was one of the cases where I had to resort to the Windows 10 installation media creation tool. I seem to recall I had to migrate from a Windows 8 system reset but Microsoft had discontinued its "free upgrade" program to Windows 10. Are you kidding? I was already upgraded to Windows 10 when I had to reset my system. Was it really going to charge me for a second license to recover from a Windows 10 failure? I really didn't see anything on Microsoft's website which addressed this issue, but I stumbled across a PC post which suggested Microsoft "knew" (digital key?) a system had been upgraded to Windows 10 and would activate during reinstallation/upgrade.
But my real hell was a red HP notebook I think I bought from Sam's Club in early 2014. I had had an HP notebook I had bought direct, but its hard drive was on life support. I had also been a user of Rollback RX, which basically maintains a history of daily and/or manual system snapshots. I think I ran into a cluster of 4 or 5 factory resets in maybe 4 months, which meant I had to reload my applications from scratch (including Rollback RX). I was suspecting a compatibility issue with Rollback RX and did not install it again. Since then, I haven't had to do another factory reset. This doesn't mean I haven't had Windows Update problems over the past 4 years, but most of them seemed to be resolved by some variation of this script:
net stop wuauserv
net stop cryptSvc
net stop bits
net stop msiserver
Ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
Ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 Catroot2.old
net start wuauserv
net start cryptSvc
net start bits
net start msiserver
Well, I ran into a dead end on primarily 0x800f0900 for MS 1803 update KB4284835. I did the usual SFC and DISM checks; I manually downloaded the patch; nothing seemed to stop the failed patching.
It wasn't just that. A couple of years I worked for a large defense company which participated in Microsoft's Office HUP program. (I'm still eligible for the program.) Basically, if you use Microsoft Office at work, for a nominal fee you could get a licensed copy to use at home. I thought I followed Microsoft's rules for registering the product (not under my hotmail/outlook account but under a license key model). It seemed like just a month ago I was launching MS Word for one of my documents. And then--it's like my Office software just disappeared. None of the product shortcuts were working. Was this correlated to my Windows Update problem? Not sure, but the timing was peculiar. I tried to "repair" Office through installed programs; all it seemed to do is remove Office from my program list. I eventually find my original MS HUP email from after I paid the fee and noticed there was a 64-bit option, but it wouldn't launch because I had a 32-bit version installed. How could I deinstall the software. So I reinstall the 32-bit version (which only seemed to install Word). And I didn't seem to have a link to register the product key. But at least now Office reappeared in my program list, which gave me a second chance to deinstall. I figured the only way I was going to get a registration link was to uninstall and reinstall the product (which seemed to take forever). It finally worked (I reinstalled the 64-bit version) and made sure I applied my product key. But I had never encountered this set of problems before, and I seemed to have issues researching HUP products.
The bigger issue was my Windows Update problem (not to mention my attempts to resolve the issue were met by half a dozen times to activate Windows via running the troubleshooter). And the media tool utility seemed to resolve it, although functionally it seemed to be a streaming type of install (like, say, a Chrome or Norton type of install over the Internet). It seemed to take forever; I was halfway expecting to having to reinstall everything, which I was dreading. At least Microsoft seemed to get this right: it looks like my programs and data seemed mostly unaffected, and it looks like my Windows Update functionality is back to normal--in fact, the latest July updates kicked off while I was writing this post.
It wasn't just that. A couple of years I worked for a large defense company which participated in Microsoft's Office HUP program. (I'm still eligible for the program.) Basically, if you use Microsoft Office at work, for a nominal fee you could get a licensed copy to use at home. I thought I followed Microsoft's rules for registering the product (not under my hotmail/outlook account but under a license key model). It seemed like just a month ago I was launching MS Word for one of my documents. And then--it's like my Office software just disappeared. None of the product shortcuts were working. Was this correlated to my Windows Update problem? Not sure, but the timing was peculiar. I tried to "repair" Office through installed programs; all it seemed to do is remove Office from my program list. I eventually find my original MS HUP email from after I paid the fee and noticed there was a 64-bit option, but it wouldn't launch because I had a 32-bit version installed. How could I deinstall the software. So I reinstall the 32-bit version (which only seemed to install Word). And I didn't seem to have a link to register the product key. But at least now Office reappeared in my program list, which gave me a second chance to deinstall. I figured the only way I was going to get a registration link was to uninstall and reinstall the product (which seemed to take forever). It finally worked (I reinstalled the 64-bit version) and made sure I applied my product key. But I had never encountered this set of problems before, and I seemed to have issues researching HUP products.
The bigger issue was my Windows Update problem (not to mention my attempts to resolve the issue were met by half a dozen times to activate Windows via running the troubleshooter). And the media tool utility seemed to resolve it, although functionally it seemed to be a streaming type of install (like, say, a Chrome or Norton type of install over the Internet). It seemed to take forever; I was halfway expecting to having to reinstall everything, which I was dreading. At least Microsoft seemed to get this right: it looks like my programs and data seemed mostly unaffected, and it looks like my Windows Update functionality is back to normal--in fact, the latest July updates kicked off while I was writing this post.
Sunday, June 10, 2018
A Weird Quirk With Gmail Compose and Contact Groups
I like to use Thunderbird for drafting emails, in part because Thunderbird makes it relatively easy to customize signatures, e.g., with randomized quotes, which has been a topic of multiple blog posts. I have multiple email addresses and was one of the first to apply for a Gmail account. Gmail does have a signature option but it's fairly static meaning I need to change the default or overwrite the quote in my draft email.
Still, the ability to briefly access Gmail at work or (say) my Thunderbird client is down leads me to compose occasionally on Gmail. So this morning I went to draft a minor email to the rest of my family (Mom and siblings). Only to find out 'Family' wasn't available--only certain contacts with embedded 'Family', e.g., 'Hilton Family'. I had noticed this behavior before, but I wasn't sure it was worth my time and attention to fix. I solve problems for a living. After all, it only takes a little time to add 7 contacts to my email list
I did a mini-search within and outside of Google, not really focused on 'Family' per se, but I found puzzling references to delete and/or rename groups, which I didn't see in the context of 'Family'.
So here's what I've basically pieced together. There are certain groups that are fundamentally bundled with Gmail, and Gmail doesn't let you mess with them (i.e., rename or delete). Now personally I don't like how Google handles this ( I would leave the options to name or delete for the purpose of consistency but simply give a visual cue to show the options were unavailable for this group, e.g., greyed out). I subsequently observed that the delete or rename options were available for my own custom groups.
A quick workaround is to create a new group/list/label, say 'myfamily' and then basically copy the contacts from the original 'family' list (e.g., select all the members of the 'Family' group, then click on the group icon. You should get a checkbox list of groups; toggle the 'myfamily' checkbox on). I have found 'myfamily' works in Compose like I expected 'Family' to work.
I still think my seeming inability to use the original 'Family' as expected is a bug, but at least there's a simple workaround.
Still, the ability to briefly access Gmail at work or (say) my Thunderbird client is down leads me to compose occasionally on Gmail. So this morning I went to draft a minor email to the rest of my family (Mom and siblings). Only to find out 'Family' wasn't available--only certain contacts with embedded 'Family', e.g., 'Hilton Family'. I had noticed this behavior before, but I wasn't sure it was worth my time and attention to fix. I solve problems for a living. After all, it only takes a little time to add 7 contacts to my email list
I did a mini-search within and outside of Google, not really focused on 'Family' per se, but I found puzzling references to delete and/or rename groups, which I didn't see in the context of 'Family'.
So here's what I've basically pieced together. There are certain groups that are fundamentally bundled with Gmail, and Gmail doesn't let you mess with them (i.e., rename or delete). Now personally I don't like how Google handles this ( I would leave the options to name or delete for the purpose of consistency but simply give a visual cue to show the options were unavailable for this group, e.g., greyed out). I subsequently observed that the delete or rename options were available for my own custom groups.
A quick workaround is to create a new group/list/label, say 'myfamily' and then basically copy the contacts from the original 'family' list (e.g., select all the members of the 'Family' group, then click on the group icon. You should get a checkbox list of groups; toggle the 'myfamily' checkbox on). I have found 'myfamily' works in Compose like I expected 'Family' to work.
I still think my seeming inability to use the original 'Family' as expected is a bug, but at least there's a simple workaround.
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