windows

Windows is so clear!

Submitted by nando on Fri, 12/12/2008 - 19:25

As many of the readers of this blog know, two years ago I switched from PC to Mac. I bought a Macbook Pro and love it. Since I use a Mac and Mac OS X, I've learned what an easy-to-use, user-friendly, reliable system is. I thought I had all that with Windows... ignorance is bliss...

Here's an example of the things that make Windows such a clear, easy-to-use, user-friendly, reliable platform:

The blue-haired girl got a new antivirus installed in her office PC... I believe it is Virus Scan. Things started going wrong since the new AV was installed. She can't print, and here's the error message from Windows. Do you find anything problematic in the message?

It says: "The printer has not responded yet, but Microsoft Office might continue without information from the printer. Would you like to continue or wait for the printer?" Yes. No.

Hell... Yes or No as options to an "OR" question? Where the hell did these people go to school?

"Would you like coffee or tea?" Yes, No.

I love Microsoft, their clarity, user-friendliness...

And oh, by the way... the freaking HP Laserjet network printer at the office stopped working with my Mac last week... new HP drivers didn't work... reinstalling the printer didn't work... the Software Update from HP didn't work... I just plainly can't print. From the Mac forums, it seems HP is not doing a good job with Mac support... and neither Apple nor HP come up with decent support for the issue. All the PCs in the office print fine. One for Windows.

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Laughing at Microsoft's design flaws. "When it comes to tech, simplicity sells"

Submitted by nando on Wed, 08/13/2008 - 23:38

Yesterday, the blue-haired-girl came back from Tunja. She was invited to be keynote speaker at the Colombian History Conference (Congreso Colombiano de Historia). She presented the Bicentennial project and had awesome responses. The saddest of all: your project is awesome, wonderful, amazing... pitty it comes from the (this) government. Sigh.

Anyway... she listened to a few Ted Talks on the bus on the way back and pointed me to one I hadn't seen: David Pogue, When it comes to tech, simplicity sells. If you get through the lousy song he opened with, you'll laugh like crazy. A few gems:

Someone called tech support at Apple and said the mouse was squeaking. It squeaks when I move it across the screen. Why are you moving it across the screen? Well, it said click here?
More tech. support: I can't turn off the computer. I got an error and I can't restart even if I type 11. Why are you typing 11? It says "Error type 11".
Why do you shut down a Windows PC by clicking a button called "Start"?
Why do you have to scroll down a menu at the shutdown screen when there are only four options?
PalmOne has empoyees in charge of "tap counting". No task on the Palm Pilot can be more than 3 taps away.

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Teclado en Español

Submitted by nando on Tue, 08/02/2005 - 10:18

He encontrado cada vez más escritos de hablantes de español, que por estar en un computador con teclado en inglés atropellan el idioma omitiendo tildes y eñes. He decidido hacer este simple tutorial para que puedan seguir usando sus computadores sin maltratar nuestra bella lengua. ¡Es simple, por favor háganlo! Asumo que su sistema operativo está en inglés y que el panel de control está en la versión por categorías. Si no es así, igual podrán seguir el tutorial con un poco de astucia... apenas un poco es necesario, en serio.

1. Vaya al Control Panel y haga clic en Date, Time, Language, and Regional Options.