...And the year-end celebration event is finally over. Its given most of the people in PA a lot of headache, a lot of new jokes to crack, more experiences to boot and also the realisation of how a ground loop occurs...
But anyway, following the lead of Siyuan and also Eng Yian, I thought its time for me to bring out another contextualisation of the events that has occurred...
With the end of the first utopian year, the monarch decides that its time to wage a war against our neighbouring kingdom to prove how strong we really are. Province PA was asked to conduct large scale intel gathering operation, using both CBs, SoM, SoS and Survey. However, this was met with large scale resistance from the rival kingdom who has casted magic shield, minor protection and greater protection on their provinces in anticipation of Province PA intel gathering attempt. Also, province PA was all by themselves in this information gathering process as others were all trying to get ready for the war that is going to occur
Just as Province PA reports that the intel gathering process has been largely a failure, the monarch orders that the war be declared. Province PA makes a lot of noise that there isn't enough information to substantiate that we will be able to win this war but the monarch doesn't care much and continues on with the assault. The slightly larger province in the kingdoms tries to share their CBs, SoS, SoM and Survey using utopiapimp, but the information was either out of date or inaccurate. Province PA attempts to point this out to the monarch, which the monarch listens but did not attempt to correct anything as it is already too late as war has already been declared. At the same time, Province PA was attacked by a stream of meteor showers...
At the beginning of the war, not all the provinces check the forums regularly, resulting in less then half of the kingdoms taking part in the war. Province SC which is supposed to coordinate the attacking forces are not able to fully execute their plan due to lack of commitment from the rest of the province who are unenthusiastic about the war. Province PA criticise the monarch on what has happened and attempts to get some things done...
In the second final battle that would mark the end of the war, Province SC is finally able to get most of the people there, probably because the rest of the kingdom realises that there is a need to be active or they'll be wiped off the map thanks to intra-kingdom conflicts. At the same time, CBs, SoM, SoS and survey finally starts to yield positive results for Province PA in their information gathering attempt. Province PA is shocked by the information gathered and attempts to control the situation by sending out additional reinforcements to handicap the opponents main attacking forces...
On the eve of the final battle, Province PA was finally able to receive the promised aid that Province SC has announced at the beginning of the war. As the soldiers come in, Province PA realises that there is a need to quickly train them up to be elites. Faced with no other choice, Province PA decides to send them for accelerated training, casting patriotism on themselves at the same time in a hope that they can get the required reinforcements by the time the final attack begins.
On the day of the final attack, Province PA decided to split its forces into three distinct forces, each commanded by its own general. Meanwhile, Province SC starts the main attack long before Province PA forces are ready due to Province SC mentality of having the first strike.is an additional advantage. Province PA first strike team responded after hearing what is happening in Province SC. Province PA sends in the first aid team to prepare the Province SC. However, Province SC somehow cheats the game system and denies the trade balance due to Province PA. Province PA grumbles but does not receive any positive results, this causes Province PA to prepare a retaliation against Province SC after the war is over. Currently this has resulted in meteor shower and thief ops being conducted on Province SC.
During the actual attack, Province PA broke up into three province to better coordinate the attacking forces on the enemy kingdom, while Province SC continues the attack as one main attacking force.
The first attacking province begins the attack on the enemy kingdom and face heavy resistance. However, the rest of the kingdom did not check the forum during this period of time, resulting in the first attacking province suffering from heavy retaliation after the initial failed attack. Even after posting of urgent messages to the other provinces, little help was provided due to the unintelligible communication.
Second attacking province starts to get bombarded by large amount of communique from the Province SC and also from higher command. As second attacking province tries to coordinate what has happened, third province attempts to find out what the heck is going on, casting SoM and SoS on each other. Resulting in large amount of confusion especially on higher command.
Mercenaries that were hired started imposing its own methods of attack that did not take into account what we had planned originally. The mercenaries casted meteor shower on the province that Province PA was attacking, resulting in heavy casualties as the third attacking province begins its weakening attempt on the opponent kingdom.
First attacking province meanwhile runs into big problem as it finds itself on the verge of collapse. Higher command finally gets through the communication blackout with the first attacking province and immediately sends in large amount of aid and at the same time reestablish communication with first attacking province. Province SC at the same time somehow misfires and begins intra-kingdom conflict against the first and second attacking province while war was still begin carried out. First and second attacking province silently fights off Province SC while higher commands notes what is going on and attempts to find out what the heck is going on by casting crystal eye.
Finally the monarch realising what is happening, decides to order for a mutual peace, which was quickly accepted by the opponent who had more then enough fun taking over the honour of the first attacking province. Second and third attacking province falls back and regroups while first attacking province attempts to mop up what is going on the stage.
However, higher command was not very sure of what is going on because thief ops and unsuccessful spell casts are not part of the info provided on the paper. You can read the first battalion accounts on Eng Yian's blog and the second battalion accounts on Siyuan's blog.
Meanwhile, intra-kingdom conflicts has begun, mainly due to the outstanding trade balance issues that Province PA isn't very happy about.
Discmon
Monday, October 22, 2007
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Content then happiness?
I was trying to configure my blog layout this morning, and I am thinking of removing much of the links section on the side(save for the "blogs you should read" section and the "group blogs" section). Incidentally, I also had this sudden strong desire to prune the "blogs you should read" section and replace those blogs there which just isn't as good as what it used to be...
Anyway, that would most likely not happen so soon, as I haven't been reading other's people blog for some time already, but yes, I am sure that once I have the time to sit down in front of my computer, that would happen...
I stumbled onto this a few days back, and I thought it was quite interesting. Just wanted to share it with you guys:
How very true, the one things that everyone pursues in life is happiness. Although we do not directly pursue happiness for the sake of happiness as that is not possible, but we do pursue things in life because it provides us with happiness. Its sort of like, if you want to live happily with lots of money, then you'll be pursuing money since it will provide you with the happiness you need. It's the same if you like video games, you'll then pursue video games to give you happiness.
But I do not agree that we can never be truly happy, as stated in the quote. I feel that it is possible for us to be perfectly happy, and the reason for that is that we are contented with what we have now, and not the other way around, which is we can never be totally happy, but we can be contented with what we have.
Look at it this way, if you are contented with your life already, then what would make you unhappy then? You are already at the apex of your happiness and that's what make you perfectly and truly happy since you do not aim for anything greater then that already. Being contented with what you have is a recipe to be happy, and it isn't a sort of comforting thought that since you are not really happy, but at least you are contented...
Being happy is one of the greatest things in the world. As mentioned, happiness is the immaterial object that people all over the world are trying to obtain through whatever means possible. Many historical events can be said to have its root in happiness. It is because of the need of happiness in their life that poor people work so hard to get out of the poverty cycle, it is because of the need to lead happy life that many people take up arms to fight for a greater future.
The pursuit of happiness is a universal one, but I just wanted to put a point across and that is it is because you are contented with your life and that's why you are happy. Of course, there are many ways to look at happiness and I believe there is such a thing as perfect happiness that is not induced by drugs... even if its for a short period of time...
Are you contented with your life?
Discmon
Anyway, that would most likely not happen so soon, as I haven't been reading other's people blog for some time already, but yes, I am sure that once I have the time to sit down in front of my computer, that would happen...
I stumbled onto this a few days back, and I thought it was quite interesting. Just wanted to share it with you guys:
we can never be truly happy, but we can be content with what we have now.
How very true, the one things that everyone pursues in life is happiness. Although we do not directly pursue happiness for the sake of happiness as that is not possible, but we do pursue things in life because it provides us with happiness. Its sort of like, if you want to live happily with lots of money, then you'll be pursuing money since it will provide you with the happiness you need. It's the same if you like video games, you'll then pursue video games to give you happiness.
But I do not agree that we can never be truly happy, as stated in the quote. I feel that it is possible for us to be perfectly happy, and the reason for that is that we are contented with what we have now, and not the other way around, which is we can never be totally happy, but we can be contented with what we have.
Look at it this way, if you are contented with your life already, then what would make you unhappy then? You are already at the apex of your happiness and that's what make you perfectly and truly happy since you do not aim for anything greater then that already. Being contented with what you have is a recipe to be happy, and it isn't a sort of comforting thought that since you are not really happy, but at least you are contented...
Being happy is one of the greatest things in the world. As mentioned, happiness is the immaterial object that people all over the world are trying to obtain through whatever means possible. Many historical events can be said to have its root in happiness. It is because of the need of happiness in their life that poor people work so hard to get out of the poverty cycle, it is because of the need to lead happy life that many people take up arms to fight for a greater future.
The pursuit of happiness is a universal one, but I just wanted to put a point across and that is it is because you are contented with your life and that's why you are happy. Of course, there are many ways to look at happiness and I believe there is such a thing as perfect happiness that is not induced by drugs... even if its for a short period of time...
Are you contented with your life?
Discmon
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Just imagine...
We're almost finally back to the standard good old days in JC life. Just have to wait a few more days and I'm sure we'll be stuck right back into our daily routine of coming to school, looking at the teacher, doing homework, writing essays criticising the education system...
Yea it goes on...
Anyway, today there was a rehearsal for the year end celebration in LT5, and I think we just came across a joke of the year award nomintation so here we go...
About a few weeks back before the rehearsal, some councillor came to find me and asked me how he could procure a drum set in some way or another. The councillor is calling me as well, PA is helping out to support the event and I guess he got our job scope wrong...
Anyway, I told him that firstly, PA don't provide drum sets (we don't even have one in the first place) and that he could try finding Sebastian's band or even the concert band in NJ for the drum set...
Nothing much was heard about this thing for the next few weeks...
Finally, the day of the rehearsal finally approaches. Within minutes of us setting up the system, the councillors went up to me and asked me the same question again:
"Where can we get drum sets?"
"Ehh, like I told you before la, you can get from Sebastian's band, concert band..."
"Sebastian's one don't have snare drum, then concert band borrow from harmoc"
"Then borrow from harmoc lor"
"But then... harmoc don't want to lend..."
Ok. that's not the joke yet.
Another councillor approaches:
"The band kp, don't want to play le cause they don't have drum set..."
Ehh, wait a second, did I hear... A band without a drum set, then they kp don't want to play because they don't have drum set?
Ehhh... Band that does not have a drum set?
Imagine this:
You get the point don't you?
Yea it goes on...
Anyway, today there was a rehearsal for the year end celebration in LT5, and I think we just came across a joke of the year award nomintation so here we go...
About a few weeks back before the rehearsal, some councillor came to find me and asked me how he could procure a drum set in some way or another. The councillor is calling me as well, PA is helping out to support the event and I guess he got our job scope wrong...
Anyway, I told him that firstly, PA don't provide drum sets (we don't even have one in the first place) and that he could try finding Sebastian's band or even the concert band in NJ for the drum set...
Nothing much was heard about this thing for the next few weeks...
Finally, the day of the rehearsal finally approaches. Within minutes of us setting up the system, the councillors went up to me and asked me the same question again:
"Where can we get drum sets?"
"Ehh, like I told you before la, you can get from Sebastian's band, concert band..."
"Sebastian's one don't have snare drum, then concert band borrow from harmoc"
"Then borrow from harmoc lor"
"But then... harmoc don't want to lend..."
Ok. that's not the joke yet.
Another councillor approaches:
"The band kp, don't want to play le cause they don't have drum set..."
Ehh, wait a second, did I hear... A band without a drum set, then they kp don't want to play because they don't have drum set?
Ehhh... Band that does not have a drum set?
Imagine this:
Imagine a PA crew without microphones and speakers
Imagine chicken rice without chicken
Imagine prawn mee without prawn
Imagine nasi lemak without rice
Imagine a car without 4 wheels
Imagine a TV, without a screen
Imagine a radio, without a speaker
Imagine a newspaper, without news
Imagine a programme, without content
Imagine an exhibition, with no information
Imagine a book, without a single word in it
Imagine a fish, without a gill...
Imagine chicken rice without chicken
Imagine prawn mee without prawn
Imagine nasi lemak without rice
Imagine a car without 4 wheels
Imagine a TV, without a screen
Imagine a radio, without a speaker
Imagine a newspaper, without news
Imagine a programme, without content
Imagine an exhibition, with no information
Imagine a book, without a single word in it
Imagine a fish, without a gill...
You get the point don't you?
Thursday, October 04, 2007
Top 100 things to do while you are in control
Because I'm kinda bored... and since I've been wasting my life in control as our dearest 2359hr has put it, I thought I'll just prove that I've really been wasting my life away. Good news is that I am enjoying every single second of it...
Below is a compilation of the things that we've been doing in control ^^
You can go and poke 2359hr for photos, he's been acting a bit perverted(!)
100. Trying to put the key into the keyhole
99. Holding bets with someone on whether or not you can stuff that key into the keyhole
98. After that, demand for the things that have been placed in the debt
97. At the same time, fake the original bet so that it contains much more then what it used to have
96. We have been promised an xbox360 with one year xbox live subscription
95. Kz, you better do it ^^
94. Taking photos of others without permission
93. Taking photos of them doing all sorts of stuff
92. Taking photo of them trying to stuff the key into the keyhole
91. Taking photo of them using the computer
90. Taking photo of them yawning
89. Taking photo of them doing homework
88. Taking photo of them sleeping
87. Taking photo of them doing random
86. Keep on taking till you are no longer able to take because of some reasons
85. Plugging in your MP3 player into the mixer in the control
84. Complain about the song others listen to
83. Insist that that song is nice and that you everyone should listen to it
82. Setting up the perfect EQ and warning that if anyone touches it...
81. Destroying the perfect EQ intentionally to irritate the person
80. Threatening to put the soldering iron through the xbox if the xbox leaves control
79. Threatening to put the soldering iron through the gulliotine card set if it leaves control
78. Threatening to put the soldering iron through the pingpong tv set if it leaves control
77. Threatening to put the soldering iron through kz
76. Using the soldering iron as a weapon of mass destruction!!!
75. Making control look like a computer lab
74. Ivan's laptop
73. Dhika's unable-to-support-monitor-laptop
72. Mel's brand new laptop
71. ZP's scratched like don't know what laptop
70. Fighting with each other for bandwidth
69. Playing O2jam comparing points competition
68. Owning Dhika at O2jam!!!
67. Watching anime in control
66. Be a Full Metal Alchemist fan like kz
65. Be a saddist and scream "CLASSIC!!" when somebody gets impaled in RE 4
64. Be a saddist and scream "YES! YES! STAB STAB!!" while watching Gundam SEED
63. Laughing in joy while watching the first 7 minutes of Elfen lied (not recommended)
62. Trying to tell others that the anime you are watching is not a gay-gay anime...
61. Trying to convince people that dying is more then just dying...
60. Teaching others about some basic PA stuff
59. Stare in astonishment at the councillors
58. $1000 for 12 intel lights?
57. Burning hellnotes ^^
56. Abusing our system
55. In a good way by producing better quality sound with the central speakers
54. Memorising the distance that the front speakers are away from the delay speakers
53. Trying to tell others that the fader is 100mm long
52. Trying to tell them that Allen & Heath has a 10 degree inclination
51. Trying to tell others what is ringing out
50. Trying to tell others how to create crazy effects
49. Studying
48. Studying till you sleep
47. Studying till you are so bored that you decide to play games
46. Studying while you are doing an event that doesn't require your attention
45. Studying while you are eating dinner
44. Studying fake-ly, by doing event and ignoring your homework completely ^^
43. Kop-ing the PA event rations
42. Accuse others of taking the food
41. PA event rations court case
40. Taking PA items so that you can charge your phone at your seat
39. Be found out by the PA QM aka secretary of state security (according to 2359hr, it is "confirm+chop"
38. Getting owned by him ^^
37. Calling TO toad
36. Writing toad all over the board
35. Start gossiping about each other
34. Gossip about each exco
33. Gossip about the people who started the gossip
32. Gossip war ensues
31. Gossip war draws to a close after the intervention of the end of the day
30. Commenting about current affairs in the control
29. Trying to make fun of the current affairs through mock portrayal
28. Thinking of how to make next year's night trail more exciting
27. Thinking of how to implement elfen lied into next year's night trail
26. Thinking of how to put jigoku shoujo into next year's night trail
25. Make fun of people's hairstyle that looks like Ai Enma
24. Commenting that people change their hairstyle now and then with mock surprise
23. Accuse some people of sabotaging our system by changing things here and there
22. Finding out that the public address system is going "silent hill"
21. Talking about silent hill and how to add it to the night trail for next year...
20. Visiting the military affiars forum
19. Typing your blog post in control for fun and laughter
18. Showing others some lame youtube video
17. Learn about male toilet etiquette from youtube
16. Laugh at the sketch show from youtube
15. A sort of anime dance from youtube
14. Watching anime from youtube
13. Turning on the fan and complaining that its hot in control
12. Banning the entry of certain people into control due to humidity that is created
11. Opening the control door to allow aircon to flow into the room
10. Playing games together
9. Repairing cables and have fun at the same time
8. Threaten the usage of the soldering iron to obtain what we want
7. Tuning the clock so that it is no longer 5 minutes fast
6. Laughing at each other's exploit
5. Commenting on each other's blog and attack them with your own opinion
4. Typing this out
3. Typing this out typing this out
2. Typing this out typing this out typing this out
1. Typing this out typing this out typing this out typing this out...
Did I mention typing this out?
Discmon
Below is a compilation of the things that we've been doing in control ^^
You can go and poke 2359hr for photos, he's been acting a bit perverted(!)
100. Trying to put the key into the keyhole
99. Holding bets with someone on whether or not you can stuff that key into the keyhole
98. After that, demand for the things that have been placed in the debt
97. At the same time, fake the original bet so that it contains much more then what it used to have
96. We have been promised an xbox360 with one year xbox live subscription
95. Kz, you better do it ^^
94. Taking photos of others without permission
93. Taking photos of them doing all sorts of stuff
92. Taking photo of them trying to stuff the key into the keyhole
91. Taking photo of them using the computer
90. Taking photo of them yawning
89. Taking photo of them doing homework
88. Taking photo of them sleeping
87. Taking photo of them doing random
86. Keep on taking till you are no longer able to take because of some reasons
85. Plugging in your MP3 player into the mixer in the control
84. Complain about the song others listen to
83. Insist that that song is nice and that you everyone should listen to it
82. Setting up the perfect EQ and warning that if anyone touches it...
81. Destroying the perfect EQ intentionally to irritate the person
80. Threatening to put the soldering iron through the xbox if the xbox leaves control
79. Threatening to put the soldering iron through the gulliotine card set if it leaves control
78. Threatening to put the soldering iron through the pingpong tv set if it leaves control
77. Threatening to put the soldering iron through kz
76. Using the soldering iron as a weapon of mass destruction!!!
75. Making control look like a computer lab
74. Ivan's laptop
73. Dhika's unable-to-support-monitor-laptop
72. Mel's brand new laptop
71. ZP's scratched like don't know what laptop
70. Fighting with each other for bandwidth
69. Playing O2jam comparing points competition
68. Owning Dhika at O2jam!!!
67. Watching anime in control
66. Be a Full Metal Alchemist fan like kz
65. Be a saddist and scream "CLASSIC!!" when somebody gets impaled in RE 4
64. Be a saddist and scream "YES! YES! STAB STAB!!" while watching Gundam SEED
63. Laughing in joy while watching the first 7 minutes of Elfen lied (not recommended)
62. Trying to tell others that the anime you are watching is not a gay-gay anime...
61. Trying to convince people that dying is more then just dying...
60. Teaching others about some basic PA stuff
59. Stare in astonishment at the councillors
58. $1000 for 12 intel lights?
57. Burning hellnotes ^^
56. Abusing our system
55. In a good way by producing better quality sound with the central speakers
54. Memorising the distance that the front speakers are away from the delay speakers
53. Trying to tell others that the fader is 100mm long
52. Trying to tell them that Allen & Heath has a 10 degree inclination
51. Trying to tell others what is ringing out
50. Trying to tell others how to create crazy effects
49. Studying
48. Studying till you sleep
47. Studying till you are so bored that you decide to play games
46. Studying while you are doing an event that doesn't require your attention
45. Studying while you are eating dinner
44. Studying fake-ly, by doing event and ignoring your homework completely ^^
43. Kop-ing the PA event rations
42. Accuse others of taking the food
41. PA event rations court case
40. Taking PA items so that you can charge your phone at your seat
39. Be found out by the PA QM aka secretary of state security (according to 2359hr, it is "confirm+chop"
38. Getting owned by him ^^
37. Calling TO toad
36. Writing toad all over the board
35. Start gossiping about each other
34. Gossip about each exco
33. Gossip about the people who started the gossip
32. Gossip war ensues
31. Gossip war draws to a close after the intervention of the end of the day
30. Commenting about current affairs in the control
29. Trying to make fun of the current affairs through mock portrayal
28. Thinking of how to make next year's night trail more exciting
27. Thinking of how to implement elfen lied into next year's night trail
26. Thinking of how to put jigoku shoujo into next year's night trail
25. Make fun of people's hairstyle that looks like Ai Enma
24. Commenting that people change their hairstyle now and then with mock surprise
23. Accuse some people of sabotaging our system by changing things here and there
22. Finding out that the public address system is going "silent hill"
21. Talking about silent hill and how to add it to the night trail for next year...
20. Visiting the military affiars forum
19. Typing your blog post in control for fun and laughter
18. Showing others some lame youtube video
17. Learn about male toilet etiquette from youtube
16. Laugh at the sketch show from youtube
15. A sort of anime dance from youtube
14. Watching anime from youtube
13. Turning on the fan and complaining that its hot in control
12. Banning the entry of certain people into control due to humidity that is created
11. Opening the control door to allow aircon to flow into the room
10. Playing games together
9. Repairing cables and have fun at the same time
8. Threaten the usage of the soldering iron to obtain what we want
7. Tuning the clock so that it is no longer 5 minutes fast
6. Laughing at each other's exploit
5. Commenting on each other's blog and attack them with your own opinion
4. Typing this out
3. Typing this out typing this out
2. Typing this out typing this out typing this out
1. Typing this out typing this out typing this out typing this out...
Did I mention typing this out?
Discmon
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Symantec customer service??
I know I still got a chemistry science practical assessment tomorrow, but I don't think that posting a short post here, watching anime, doing some project work stuff, won't really affect my practical tomorrow. Or rather, would it?
But heck, here's a bunch of good news (or bad news to those of you who wants to see me distressed, sad, angry, sick... basically the bad stuff in life). The good news is that my computer is back up and running, fully operational and everything is going smoothly. This is for the record, and for anyone who happens to run into this problem as well...
The problem occurred after usage of Symantec Ghost 2003. What happened was that I tried to use ghost to do a full backup of my computer. The operation was fine and it asked me to restart my computer. After that, it attempted to execute ghost in DOS to execute the image creation process. The screen then became stuck with an hourglass in the middle. Thinking that it was just processing, I left it running for about half an hour as I tried to revise some of my homework.
After deciding that it is not going to do me any good to wait any longer, I decided to restart my computer and then I realised that it just gets stuck in the same place all over again. I tried the other option which gives me the chance to go back to window, but it just stuck there for a much longer time...
After analysing the system after miraculously locating a command prompt, we realised that the entire master boot record of windows xp has been wiped. Ghost prompted that we can use the ghreboot.exe file to get back to windows, but it was to no avail, as it just result in another hanged screen.
In the end, after trying almost all the methods posted on the symantec website, we were on the verge of giving up. We then decided to try to use a diskette to boot into ms-dos and then execute the ghreboot.exe. It finally worked, and I was back to windows in pretty much no time after that. I would like to thank my floppy disk drive that did not fail on me even though I kept it in the drawer for the last 3 years...
Anyway, just a major note: Symantec services suck...
Imagine this highly possible scenario:
After trying out a lot of the DIY methods listed on the symantec website, we decided to call their technical support services and see whether or not there is a chance that they can help us. What we got instead was this reply:
"I'm sorry, we no longer support Ghost 2003. Please either buy our newest ghost software or update your ghost 2003"
[Excuse me, YOUR ghost has wiped out my master boot record, severed my connections with thousands of bytes of data on my computer, destroyed part of my life, and oh yea, made me highly focused for my promotional exams, but I don't need to thank you for that]
"There's no other way, we no longer support Ghost 2003. Please buy the newest version and then try to back up your computer again"
[*coughs* My computer has crashed because of your software. Why would I want to buy a new version of the same software, try to backup another computer and see it crash in front of my eyes? Why? You have made me lost don't know how much amount of data, and now you ask me to buy another one of your software?! So that you can crash it again?! NEVER!!]
Did I mention that after that they also sent an e-mail to us with the slogan:
"We value excellence in customer service"
asking us to rate their customer service...
Did I mention "excellence in customer service"?
I was highly tempted to delete my whole symantec software off my computer and replace it with other software companies anti-virus software after this incident...
Yes, I know that a lot of company policies nowadays is to stop supporting their old software, old system, even old OS, but then again, at least you can look into it somehow, rather then telling me that there is no other option then to say too bad, and move on. This is especially when the fault is directly caused by the software that has been developed...
Customer service is more then just letting your customer hear your smile through the phone, it is about the service that you provide. What you have provided is as good as a phone jail that is depicted in The Sketch Show.
Fastforward to 3:27 left and you'll know what I mean...
Discmon
But heck, here's a bunch of good news (or bad news to those of you who wants to see me distressed, sad, angry, sick... basically the bad stuff in life). The good news is that my computer is back up and running, fully operational and everything is going smoothly. This is for the record, and for anyone who happens to run into this problem as well...
The problem occurred after usage of Symantec Ghost 2003. What happened was that I tried to use ghost to do a full backup of my computer. The operation was fine and it asked me to restart my computer. After that, it attempted to execute ghost in DOS to execute the image creation process. The screen then became stuck with an hourglass in the middle. Thinking that it was just processing, I left it running for about half an hour as I tried to revise some of my homework.
After deciding that it is not going to do me any good to wait any longer, I decided to restart my computer and then I realised that it just gets stuck in the same place all over again. I tried the other option which gives me the chance to go back to window, but it just stuck there for a much longer time...
After analysing the system after miraculously locating a command prompt, we realised that the entire master boot record of windows xp has been wiped. Ghost prompted that we can use the ghreboot.exe file to get back to windows, but it was to no avail, as it just result in another hanged screen.
In the end, after trying almost all the methods posted on the symantec website, we were on the verge of giving up. We then decided to try to use a diskette to boot into ms-dos and then execute the ghreboot.exe. It finally worked, and I was back to windows in pretty much no time after that. I would like to thank my floppy disk drive that did not fail on me even though I kept it in the drawer for the last 3 years...
Anyway, just a major note: Symantec services suck...
Imagine this highly possible scenario:
After trying out a lot of the DIY methods listed on the symantec website, we decided to call their technical support services and see whether or not there is a chance that they can help us. What we got instead was this reply:
"I'm sorry, we no longer support Ghost 2003. Please either buy our newest ghost software or update your ghost 2003"
[Excuse me, YOUR ghost has wiped out my master boot record, severed my connections with thousands of bytes of data on my computer, destroyed part of my life, and oh yea, made me highly focused for my promotional exams, but I don't need to thank you for that]
"There's no other way, we no longer support Ghost 2003. Please buy the newest version and then try to back up your computer again"
[*coughs* My computer has crashed because of your software. Why would I want to buy a new version of the same software, try to backup another computer and see it crash in front of my eyes? Why? You have made me lost don't know how much amount of data, and now you ask me to buy another one of your software?! So that you can crash it again?! NEVER!!]
Did I mention that after that they also sent an e-mail to us with the slogan:
"We value excellence in customer service"
asking us to rate their customer service...
Did I mention "excellence in customer service"?
I was highly tempted to delete my whole symantec software off my computer and replace it with other software companies anti-virus software after this incident...
Yes, I know that a lot of company policies nowadays is to stop supporting their old software, old system, even old OS, but then again, at least you can look into it somehow, rather then telling me that there is no other option then to say too bad, and move on. This is especially when the fault is directly caused by the software that has been developed...
Customer service is more then just letting your customer hear your smile through the phone, it is about the service that you provide. What you have provided is as good as a phone jail that is depicted in The Sketch Show.
Fastforward to 3:27 left and you'll know what I mean...
Discmon
Monday, October 01, 2007
Are you sure that that place is a library?
Just a slight update, my com is still crashed, my data is still stuck on that (goddamn) drive and yea, nothing is really good about my computer situation currently...
The good news is that I have more than one computer at home, and the second good news is that the promotional exams are finally over...
Excellent...
Anyway...
In a fit of after promos exam fever, I decided to go out and go around all over the place. In the end, it landed me between the arcade and the library. Things that happen in the arcade are pretty much always the same for me. There's the cursing towards the monitor, the cheering after the completion of a freaking hard level, the jeering at a really lousy player of a game, the raised eyebrow of shocking revelations of some people's method of playing and racking up that high score and the astonishment associated with totally owning everyone else in the game...
I decided that I should pick up JSP and try to learn it, so I went to the library to borrow books on it and at the same time source out methods in which I can attempt to retrieve the date on my hard disk. And that's when I realised that there are no libraries in Singapore that resembles a library...
Let us all imagine a library, the library of our dreams. It is a sanctuary of peace, quietness and the sound of paper being ruffled as the pages of a book is being turned. It is "supposed" to be a quiet place, highly conducive for the student's to study, for the fiction hungry people to gobble up fiction, for the people-who-have-nothing-else-better-to-do but to sit in the library but read newspaper...Library is a place for all of us to be able to seat back, relax and read some nice books and even do our homework...
So why is it that libraries here are near total opposite of this?
I think we had heard enough of the familiar criticism of parents bringing children to the library. They bring the children to the library in the hopes that they can borrow some books and become "smart" (how they become smart is a mystery to me). The parents sit down on some benches and start talking with their neighbours, immediately turning part of the library into a mock coffee shop. At the same time, the restless kids decided to convert the library into the catching arena. Happily running all over the library and exclaiming "you're it" at the top of their voices...
That's SO normal...
I'll add to the list.
Recently, a bunch of young kids decided to turn the library into a place for a perfect picnic. They entered the library and found a spot near the vending machine located inside the library. They then proceeded to empty out the vending machine using their money and very soon, they had a rather noisy party picnic going on. The noise generated was loud enough to irritate everybody that was on the same floor of the library. Just when you thought things were not going to get worse, they brought on 5 decks of TCG (duelmasters in this case) and proceeded to deck it out in the library very noisily, attracting the attention of everyone.
What a useful way to make use of the library eh?
And it doesn't end there...
People come to the library to study right? Hmm... Well, they do, as long as they don't bring their boyfriends/girlfriends along. Not all of them are like that, some do encourage each other to be better, but these are the not so ideal ones...
Instead of revising and doing their work, they spend more of their time pretending that the rest of the world don't exist and that they are still wearing their uniform. They soon drift off into their own mini world, oblivious to the rest of us. You know, you could just go somewhere else if you want to "mess around". Doing it in the library is as good as asking for the public to write in a letter (and then everything goes on and on)
Lets continue on shall we...
Upon entering the 4th floor of the library, I got this impression that the 4th floor of the library has recently been sold to another company. The 4th floor was amazingly noisy (it was about 4 times the noise level there on normal Saturdays and Sundays). It seems that more and more student decides to have more class outing and picnics there... and I wouldn't even be writing this had I not seen that some people had decided to blast their mp3 players at the maximum volume so that people all around can hear it...
I don't know if this is unique to Singapore, but apparently, the library in Singapore is more of a haven for the exact kind of behaviour that we do not want to see occurring in the library. People being inconsiderate, people not knowing that it is a library, people coming to the library without the correct purpose in mind. It shows how little books mean to us. The books sit on the shelf looking down as the people in the library ignores their presence completely. Is that supposed to be what a library is supposed to be like?
A lot of the things I described has happened on the 4th floor of the library, and yes, its supposed to be a bit noisier there, but at least spare a thought for those who are there really to study. You could do just that little by talking softly instead of screaming, not blasting your mp3 player, not holding picnics there and even just be there for a proper reason...
Recently, the things that are happening on the 4th floor are gradually being spread throughout the rest of the library...
The books are on the shelves, and they are not touched by the people...
Then why do you want to go the library in the first place?
Discmon
The good news is that I have more than one computer at home, and the second good news is that the promotional exams are finally over...
Excellent...
Anyway...
In a fit of after promos exam fever, I decided to go out and go around all over the place. In the end, it landed me between the arcade and the library. Things that happen in the arcade are pretty much always the same for me. There's the cursing towards the monitor, the cheering after the completion of a freaking hard level, the jeering at a really lousy player of a game, the raised eyebrow of shocking revelations of some people's method of playing and racking up that high score and the astonishment associated with totally owning everyone else in the game...
I decided that I should pick up JSP and try to learn it, so I went to the library to borrow books on it and at the same time source out methods in which I can attempt to retrieve the date on my hard disk. And that's when I realised that there are no libraries in Singapore that resembles a library...
Let us all imagine a library, the library of our dreams. It is a sanctuary of peace, quietness and the sound of paper being ruffled as the pages of a book is being turned. It is "supposed" to be a quiet place, highly conducive for the student's to study, for the fiction hungry people to gobble up fiction, for the people-who-have-nothing-else-better-to-do but to sit in the library but read newspaper...Library is a place for all of us to be able to seat back, relax and read some nice books and even do our homework...
So why is it that libraries here are near total opposite of this?
I think we had heard enough of the familiar criticism of parents bringing children to the library. They bring the children to the library in the hopes that they can borrow some books and become "smart" (how they become smart is a mystery to me). The parents sit down on some benches and start talking with their neighbours, immediately turning part of the library into a mock coffee shop. At the same time, the restless kids decided to convert the library into the catching arena. Happily running all over the library and exclaiming "you're it" at the top of their voices...
That's SO normal...
I'll add to the list.
Recently, a bunch of young kids decided to turn the library into a place for a perfect picnic. They entered the library and found a spot near the vending machine located inside the library. They then proceeded to empty out the vending machine using their money and very soon, they had a rather noisy party picnic going on. The noise generated was loud enough to irritate everybody that was on the same floor of the library. Just when you thought things were not going to get worse, they brought on 5 decks of TCG (duelmasters in this case) and proceeded to deck it out in the library very noisily, attracting the attention of everyone.
What a useful way to make use of the library eh?
And it doesn't end there...
People come to the library to study right? Hmm... Well, they do, as long as they don't bring their boyfriends/girlfriends along. Not all of them are like that, some do encourage each other to be better, but these are the not so ideal ones...
Instead of revising and doing their work, they spend more of their time pretending that the rest of the world don't exist and that they are still wearing their uniform. They soon drift off into their own mini world, oblivious to the rest of us. You know, you could just go somewhere else if you want to "mess around". Doing it in the library is as good as asking for the public to write in a letter (and then everything goes on and on)
Lets continue on shall we...
Upon entering the 4th floor of the library, I got this impression that the 4th floor of the library has recently been sold to another company. The 4th floor was amazingly noisy (it was about 4 times the noise level there on normal Saturdays and Sundays). It seems that more and more student decides to have more class outing and picnics there... and I wouldn't even be writing this had I not seen that some people had decided to blast their mp3 players at the maximum volume so that people all around can hear it...
I don't know if this is unique to Singapore, but apparently, the library in Singapore is more of a haven for the exact kind of behaviour that we do not want to see occurring in the library. People being inconsiderate, people not knowing that it is a library, people coming to the library without the correct purpose in mind. It shows how little books mean to us. The books sit on the shelf looking down as the people in the library ignores their presence completely. Is that supposed to be what a library is supposed to be like?
A lot of the things I described has happened on the 4th floor of the library, and yes, its supposed to be a bit noisier there, but at least spare a thought for those who are there really to study. You could do just that little by talking softly instead of screaming, not blasting your mp3 player, not holding picnics there and even just be there for a proper reason...
Recently, the things that are happening on the 4th floor are gradually being spread throughout the rest of the library...
The books are on the shelves, and they are not touched by the people...
Then why do you want to go the library in the first place?
Discmon
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