Customer service

While I’m very happy with my crowdfunded GPD Pocket, I do still read the comments from fellow backers on Indigogo. 

Every now and then, someone will leave a tip about a decent accessory, a case, power supply, or usb stick. There’s also the occasional piece of advice about O/S downloads. 

I also enjoy GPD’s responses. For examply, when asked about the non-delivery of a replacement hall sensor, the response was as follows.

At least, I think that’s what it was about. Delivery in general is also a common cause for contact; recipients in Japan and Russia, in particular, seem to be experiencing delay. One backer, from Russia, recieved this reply. 

Glasses

I have several pairs of glasses: 

  1. A work pair
  2. A socialising pair
  3. A light decorating pair
  4. A heavy decorating pair (heavy decorating, not heavy eyewear)
  5. A spare pair

While standing at the bus stop this morning, waiting for my usual bus to work, I noticed that my glasses were a little dusty. 

On inspection, I found myself to be wearing my heavy decorating pair, the garish red ones I’d purchased by mistake. At that very moment, the bus arrived. 

Knowing I couldn’t really wear my red, plaster spattered glasses for work, I returned home to exchange them for something more appropriate. 

Arriving back at the bus stop, I realised I’d set my bag down on the sofa while I found the correct glasses. So a further return to the house was necessary (fortunately, it’s a short walk). On inserting my key in the lock, I discovered that, in my haste, I’d neglected to lock the front door on my (second) departure. 

I’m now on a bus to work, albeit somewhat late. Wondering what else I may have forgotten. 

Windows

For several years we’ve run a Linux/Windows dual boot on the living room computer. I’d rather stick with Linux, but Windows sometimes (rarely) does things which are awkward in Linux. 

Since it’s been a couple of years since the machine was set up with Ubuntu/Windows 7, a clean install was overdue. 

As was a move to a more up-to-date version of Windows. Installing Windows 10 was surprisingly painless, although it was still a lot slower to get up and running than Linux. 

Yes, it did take a while. 

Ubuntu, on the other hand, was really quick. Which was impressive since that included the dual boot setup and the programs that need to be installed separately in Windows. 

Yes, it is fast. 

Another day in the shed

A larger area of wall was tackled today. As with previous sections, the outer wall was in a terrible state. 

So some rebuilding was necessary.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to complete the job. The heavens opened just as I was running low on cement. The rain was so heavy, mixing more was out of the question. 

This presented a problem in that I’d removed a very large piece of stone, exposing the garden of the house behind ours. 

Yes, the black stuff is compacted soil. While I fear that our neighbour’s garden may fall into our shed, I shall try to leave work early enough one day to complete the job. 

While on the subject, the large stone was too heavy to lift. 

And the pile of stone in the garden has grown a little. 

The Queens Head

One of three old pubs in/off our street that’ closed since I moved to Gateshead, the Queens Head was, according to the planning application, to be converted into bedsits. We’d had some concerns that this could result in cut price rentals for local Lambrini drinkers (straight from the bottle, that is). 

However, our fears have now been allayed. 

Relaunch

You’ll have noticed that I seldom mention work here. However, I shall now briefly do so. Various IT releases (for example 1.5 and 403, or 4.03) have recently dominated my working life and I’ve realised that I should adopt a more formal project approach to my home life.

I’m thinking specifically of the shed. While obviously not an IT project, a release approach may enhance the organisation of the work going forward. 

So, thinking retrospectively, my shed project has to date progressed as follows:

R1.0 Chimney

R2.0 Exterior pointing – end wall

R2.1 Exterior pointing/rebuilding – side wall

R3.0 Interior rebuilding – rear side outer wall (in development)

I may shortly produce a Gantt chart.