"John H" wrote in message
...

On Fri, 6 Sep 2013 19:28:13 -0400, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:


That project was a huge success, both for us and the UofR and it put
my little company on the "map" so to speak. Good memories.



Great story, but I didn't see how union involvement helped in any way.

John (Gun Nut) H.

------------------------------

Oh, a union electrician was involved but he certainly didn't help.

The facility administrators, being good do-bees, hired union
contractors to install all the power wiring required in the lab where
the system we built was installed. Without going into boring details,
our system included a very large isolation transformer to power
radiant heaters located inside the vacuum chamber. Without the
transformer, the heaters would arc at certain vacuum levels and they
are commonly used in the industry for this purpose. The transformers
used are over-rated for the heater power requirements, so at full load
they are operating at 75 percent of their rated capacity. The
problem with them is that they get very hot in normal operation. The
one we used with this particular system had a temperature rise rating
of 150 degrees C (above ambient, room temperature). In our system it
measured 118 degrees at full power. That is well within normal
operation.

The system was being run one day, developing the optical coatings
required for the program. A union electrician was in the lab
installing some unrelated wiring and noticed that the transformer was
hot. He made a big stink about it and reported it to whomever he
reports to. Next thing you know, I received a call requesting that I
visit the lab immediately.

I drove to Rochester and met with the project leader. I explained
that the temperature rise was normal and well within the specs for the
transformer. He knew that but said that because the union
electrician had filed a report, the Director of the lab (the big guy)
wanted to talk to me about it.

The Director was a retired Navy nuclear sub commander and was referred
to as "The Captain". He was a gruff SOB and still liked to bark out
orders. He started the meeting by telling me that they were under a
severe scheduling commitment, needed to use the vacuum system and he
wanted it fixed, "NOW".

I explained to him that there was nothing wrong with it. It was
normal operation and showed him the spec sheets for the transformer.
At first he claimed that the electrician who reported it said it
wasn't normal and we got into a bit of a debate about it. He finally
calmed down after seeing the specs but it became obvious that this was
now more of a political issue with the city inspector and all getting
involved. He asked me to "megger" the transformer (this is a
process of applying high voltage to the transformer windings to test
the insulation) and also for additional copies of the manufacturer's
spec sheets, which I did while he conducted further investigation. He
told me I was to remain "on site" until the matter was resolved.

Well, I was in the Navy for 9 years but I wasn't about to take orders
from this guy as a civilian. I told him (politely) that the
transformer was fine, it met all electrical code specs in terms of
ratings. The application was unique due to the system's process
requirements but similar transformers were in operation in many other
systems and I was leaving in the morning. I also told him that since
he felt obligated to pursue it further with his contractors due to
their alleged safety concern, I felt obligated to disable the control
system so the system could not be used until he was satisfied
everything was ok.

That did it. He left, then came back a half hour later and
apologized for the wild goose chase and told me he was satisfied the
system was safe to operate. By now it was 6pm and he invited the
project engineer, me and some of the lab techs to go have dinner and a
couple of beers. Turns out he was a decent guy and we shared a few
"sea tales".

The problem that exists in this kind of technology is that the
National Electric Code doesn't cover many of the unique configurations
required for the design and operation of custom equipment like this.
Just because it's not covered in the Code Book doesn't mean you can't
do it. The requirements of the system and process supersedes the
Codes if they are in conflict. The union electrician, unfamiliar
with the equipment, jumped to conclusions and made a stink about
nothing. He just reads the book.

In article , says...

Dropped my iMac off at the apple store today, and the checkover and
preauthorized repair data generated the following:

Problem Description/Diagnosis

Issue: Hard drive not mounting

Steps to Reproduce: Verified at bar, machine qualifies for HARD DRIVE
repair program for seagate

Proposed Resolution: Replace hard drive under quality program
Cosmetic Condition of iMac: Great no apparent damage

Estimated Turn Around Time: We'll call you in 3 - 5 days

Mac OS Version: 10.8.4
Hard Drive Size: 1000 GB
Memory Size: 8 GB
iLife Version: n/a



Repair Estimate
Item Number Description Price Amount Due
661-5520 Hard Drive, 1TB, 3.5", 7200, SATA $ 226.14 $ 0.00
S1490LL/A Hardware Repair Labor $ 39.00 $ 0.00
Total (Tax not included) $ 265.14 $ 0.00

Apple prices the retail of that drive at three times what you can buy a
similar one from just about anyone, but certainly lowballs the labor
charge, since it is a pain in the ass to open up an iMac sans the proper
tools, knowledge and guts. (all glass on the front, et cetera)
I would have guessed $125 on the drive and $125 labor.

Anyway, they were out of the drives, but more were scheduled to come in
today or monday, so I left the computer there.

No cost to me because of "quality" program.

I buy the cheapest "computers" I can buy. At this point in their evolution it computers are a
comodity and there is no reason to pay more that $250 for the "system" unit. If it breaks,
throw it away and buy a new one. Keep your files backed up with one of the online backup
utilities.

In article , says...

On Fri, 06 Sep 2013 15:49:57 -0400, "F.O.A.D." wrote:

Dropped my iMac off at the apple store today, and the checkover and
preauthorized repair data generated the following:

Problem Description/Diagnosis

Issue: Hard drive not mounting

Steps to Reproduce: Verified at bar, machine qualifies for HARD DRIVE
repair program for seagate

Proposed Resolution: Replace hard drive under quality program
Cosmetic Condition of iMac: Great no apparent damage

Estimated Turn Around Time: We'll call you in 3 - 5 days

Mac OS Version: 10.8.4
Hard Drive Size: 1000 GB
Memory Size: 8 GB
iLife Version: n/a



Repair Estimate
Item Number Description Price Amount Due
661-5520 Hard Drive, 1TB, 3.5", 7200, SATA $ 226.14 $ 0.00
S1490LL/A Hardware Repair Labor $ 39.00 $ 0.00
Total (Tax not included) $ 265.14 $ 0.00

Apple prices the retail of that drive at three times what you can buy a
similar one from just about anyone, but certainly lowballs the labor
charge, since it is a pain in the ass to open up an iMac sans the proper
tools, knowledge and guts. (all glass on the front, et cetera)
I would have guessed $125 on the drive and $125 labor.

Anyway, they were out of the drives, but more were scheduled to come in
today or monday, so I left the computer there.

No cost to me because of "quality" program.



So your Mac blew a hard drive. What's to brag about? I've never had a computer blow a hard drive.

John (Gun Nut) H.

You don't store on your hard drive what Harry stores on his hard drive, if you did your hard
drive would commit suicide too.

In article ,
says...

On 9/6/2013 4:19 PM, wrote:
On Fri, 06 Sep 2013 16:01:52 -0400, John H
wrote:

So your Mac blew a hard drive. What's to brag about? I've never had a computer blow a hard drive.

It is the most common computer failure


only precluded by "user head malfunction" or "the idiot tapping on the
keyboard"..

Wow, what a great alleged technical guru, if you had any real clients,
I'd be sure to pass your wisdom along to them.

In article ,
says...

"F.O.A.D." wrote in message
m...


I'd guess drive failures are the most common problems on computers.

------------------------------------

With "Cloud" storage and solid state memory like high density SDXC
cards, disk drives are probably going to join the ranks of the
obsolete.
Lexan just introduced a 256Gb card and Sandisk has developed one which
makes it possible to manufacture cards with storage capacity up to 2
terabytes.

I don't use more than 25 percent of the hard drive capacities on
either of my laptops.

CD's have already made it to the obsolete bin!

In article ,
says...

"F.O.A.D." wrote in message
m...


Got an email that came in after 11 pm last night from Apple...my iMac
is
ready to be picked up. One of the reasons why I like Apple is that the
company from a customer point of view is run the way companies used to
be run...on the basis of good service and keeping customers happy.
Naturally, there are times when Apple fails but for the most part, it
has done well by me. Yes, that service is reflected in its prices...as
well it should be.

----------------------------------

My daughter works in a dentist's office and she inherited one of those
27" iMac systems (the ones with the computer guts built into the
display) when the office updated their equipment. Mrs.E. saw it
and has been "hinting" around .. i.e. birthday, Christmas,
anniversary, full moon, whatever ... about how much she likes it and
wants one. The only concern I have is I know nothing about Macs
having used PCs all my life and since I am the resident IT department
in our house, I really don't want to get involved with maintaining and
upgrading a computer system that I am not familiar with or use. I
really am not into computers that much.

Software availablity sucks. But, for everyday general use, not so much.

On 9/7/13 8:08 AM, Mr. Luddite wrote:


"F.O.A.D." wrote in message
m...


Got an email that came in after 11 pm last night from Apple...my iMac is
ready to be picked up. One of the reasons why I like Apple is that the
company from a customer point of view is run the way companies used to
be run...on the basis of good service and keeping customers happy.
Naturally, there are times when Apple fails but for the most part, it
has done well by me. Yes, that service is reflected in its prices...as
well it should be.

----------------------------------

My daughter works in a dentist's office and she inherited one of those
27" iMac systems (the ones with the computer guts built into the
display) when the office updated their equipment. Mrs.E. saw it and
has been "hinting" around .. i.e. birthday, Christmas, anniversary,
full moon, whatever ... about how much she likes it and wants one. The
only concern I have is I know nothing about Macs having used PCs all my
life and since I am the resident IT department in our house, I really
don't want to get involved with maintaining and upgrading a computer
system that I am not familiar with or use. I really am not into
computers that much.




Just buy AppleCare when you buy the iMac (new iMacs supposedly are
coming out in the next couple of months). There's a wide range of free
classes plus first-rate phone help from English speaking techs who have
no attitude. Most bigtime software works the same on a Mac as it does on
windows, plus there are easy ways to run existing windows software on a mac.

It takes about two weeks for an experienced windows user to get used to
the differences in the mac operating system. You and your wife will have
the usual couple of days of frustration, and then you'll see how easy it
is to use a MAc

In article ,
says...

On Sat, 7 Sep 2013 11:29:02 -0400, iBoaterer wrote:

CD's have already made it to the obsolete bin!

Storing content on little bits of plastic is going the way of the
buggy whip.
The Blue Ray machine may be the last gasp of that technology and I am
not biting.

Same here, never have. Netflix!

Spinning magnetic media only has the advantage of being cheap but it
is cheap so you can afford redundancy.
There is no reason these days that you are not running RAID arrays for
any data you really want to keep.
I have 2 arrays on this machine alone.
Anything I really care about is mirrored on other machines anyway.

Financial stuff is on a removable drive that is only plugged in when I
am using it, copied to a back up and both stored away.

I bought a 2 terabyte portable drive for all of my work and financial
files, etc. I also have a solid state seagate for daily backup.

UP!Dùng bia tiger nha bác

In article ,
says...

On Sat, 7 Sep 2013 13:24:36 -0400, iBoaterer wrote:


I bought a 2 terabyte portable drive for all of my work and financial
files, etc. I also have a solid state seagate for daily backup.


2 terabytes? They could run the New York Stock Exchange with less DASD
than that. ;-)

We keep and use old files from several years ago. Some design files are
30 gigs or so. Add to that files from others on the design teams, plus
spreadsheets, correspondence, and on and on.