A Wee Dram or Three

Micro$haft Does it Again!!

Wednesday morning.........Windows Automatic Updates........."New Updates are Ready to be Installed, Click Balloon to Install"

*Click*......Updates are being installed..........Installation successful.............

Open Firefox..........."Server Timeout".......

Open IE7........."Page Cannot be Found".....

Checked Modem, working fine.

Checked Network Connections....IP Address fine.......showing connected at 100Mbs....

Open Firefox again.......Server Timeout.....

Great!!!!  Micro$haft Security Update is so secure it won't connect to Internet!!!!!!!

Open ZoneAlarm Security Suite,  check Firefox & IE7 are allowed access to internet, OK.

Try lowering Security settings from High to Medium, bingo!!!! I now have internet connection again.

So.....Micro$shaft introduce a security patch which means that, if I want Internet connection, I have to lower my firewall security settings....kinda defeats the object. Ce La Vie!!

!!*&""**&!!

I received a letter from the TV Licensing Enforcement Manager. 

This is an extract from the letter:

Dear Mr. Bromwich,

Some time ago, we were advised that no TV receiving equipment was being used to receive TV programmes at this address, and therefore no TV licence was required.

Our standard practice is to now visit your address to confirm that no type of television receiver is being used there to watch or record TV programmes as they're being shown on TV.  This includes the use of a TV set, digital box, DVD or video recorder, computer or mobile phone.  Our visit should take no longer than a few minutes.

If you are still not using TV receiving equipment at this address, you needn't take any action.  Just expect a visit from us soon. 

*emphasis mine*

Here is my reply:

How many times must I tell you:

• I DO NOT HAVE A TV SET
• I DO NOT HAVE ANY RECEIVING EQUIPMENT WHICH WOULD ALLOW ME TO WATCH TV SHOWS AS THEY ARE SHOWN
• I HAVE NO INTENTION OF EVER AQUIRING OR OWNING SUCH EQUIPMENT
• EVEN ASSUMING I WERE ENTITLED TO A FREE TV LICENCE, THE ABOVE POINTS WOULD REMAIN THE SAME
• I STRONGLY OBJECT TO YOUR ASSUMPTION THAT I AM TELLING LIES

Why is it that you people assume that EVERYONE has some kind of receiving equipment?

I DO NOT NEED TV, I HAVE A LIFE!!

If you need to send someone to see me, then you will have to make an appointment, as I am not home 24/7.

Internet.......Broadband.......AAAAAAAAAAAGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

Been having speed problems with broadband.  Should be getting up to 20Mbs,  been getting 0.7Mbs.

Call ISP Support.

Your modem is fine, we'll tweak the settings from our end.

There, you should be getting around 20Mbs now.

WRONG!!!!!!!!!

Still getting between 0.5Mbs and 1.35Mbs.

OK, We'll send you a new modem.

Modem arrived, set it up at my end, rang support so they could validate it.

Ok, now turn on your computer, wait for modem to synchronise, then try internet.

Modem synchronised, opened Firefox, 404 Page cannot be found!!!!!

Typed different url, 404 page cannot be found.

Checked settings, IP address was 0.0.0.0

OK, We'll send engineer to check lines.
Can't send till Friday!!!!!

Switched on computer tonight (Thursday), woohoo, I have Internet again.

Ran speed test.............1.37Mbs.........

Engineer is due tomorrow around 4pm.

He is not going to be a happy man when I have finished with him!!!!!!!!!!!!!