Friday, October 22, 2010
Line graphs that loop back to the beginning?
Do you have a line graph where there is an unexpected straight-line chord joining the first and last points - like this?
If so, then perhaps you've appended the data set to itself. That's what caused this problem, and it took me a while to spot it.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
D-link DWL-AP900+ : nice Access Point, shame about the Power Supply
I've just had the third of these units pack in because the power supply has failed. The spec makes it difficult to find an exact equivalent affordably - 5V dc is common, but 2Amp is the challenge. So all three units have gone in the bin. What a shame.
In case this helps anyone: the plug has a diameter of around 4.5mm and centre is positive. The original has part number GPSA 0500252 or JTA0302D-C (I have failed specimens of both)
In case this helps anyone: the plug has a diameter of around 4.5mm and centre is positive. The original has part number GPSA 0500252 or JTA0302D-C (I have failed specimens of both)
Saturday, October 02, 2010
Norfolkline - a refreshing example of Customer Service
How wonderful to find a company who resist the temptation to take advantage of vulnerable customers when they make a mistake.
Firstly, well done to Norfolkline for allowing Dover-Dunkirk customers to travel one crossing earlier or later than their booked crossing without financial penalty. How much less stress that brings to the drive to the port when compared to the alternative "deviate from our terms and we'll have a lot of money off you" approach that seems to apply to their rivals.
(The nasty gotcha in most companies' amendement terms is that whilst there might only be a £20 change fee, they then charge the current ("walk-up") fare for the new crossing - which could be vastly more than the advance fare you paid for the original crossing).
But secondly, well done to them for correcting an error of mine, at no charge. Booking different companies for England-France and France-England meant that I made two one-way bookings. And for my Norfolkline booking, I clearly forgot to change the Dover-Dunirk default to Dunkirk-Dover. So we had a booking for a boat in the wrong direction.
We realised this on the autoroute, 30 minutes before our reporting time at Dunkirk. A few minutes on the phone to Norfolkline and they had changed the booking to the right boat, without charge. Thank you Norfolkline.
And thirdly, well done to them for getting us on our scheduled crossing even though we reported with 22 minutes to go (rather than the contractual 45 minutes).
And a nice, clean, boat too.
All in all, a good experience.
Firstly, well done to Norfolkline for allowing Dover-Dunkirk customers to travel one crossing earlier or later than their booked crossing without financial penalty. How much less stress that brings to the drive to the port when compared to the alternative "deviate from our terms and we'll have a lot of money off you" approach that seems to apply to their rivals.
(The nasty gotcha in most companies' amendement terms is that whilst there might only be a £20 change fee, they then charge the current ("walk-up") fare for the new crossing - which could be vastly more than the advance fare you paid for the original crossing).
But secondly, well done to them for correcting an error of mine, at no charge. Booking different companies for England-France and France-England meant that I made two one-way bookings. And for my Norfolkline booking, I clearly forgot to change the Dover-Dunirk default to Dunkirk-Dover. So we had a booking for a boat in the wrong direction.
We realised this on the autoroute, 30 minutes before our reporting time at Dunkirk. A few minutes on the phone to Norfolkline and they had changed the booking to the right boat, without charge. Thank you Norfolkline.
And thirdly, well done to them for getting us on our scheduled crossing even though we reported with 22 minutes to go (rather than the contractual 45 minutes).
And a nice, clean, boat too.
All in all, a good experience.
