Issues are immediately raised; such as applications that use the internet (aka, video games, file sharing), downloading security (required) updates, a meter to monitor the usage at any given time, flexibility to adjust caps when internet applications exponentially grow faster than their static HTML-driven predecessors not even five years ago.

In a recent Zeugma Systems survey, 81 percent of 787 U.S. Customers hate the idea of a cap, including the soaking charges of over-usage. Likely driven by a bad economy and multi-billion dollar companies milking their customers to keep their revenue at steady levels. Time Warner recently removed their newsgroup services (basically the predecessor of discussion boards, forums and even file sharing services) and initiated a test of internet caps in Beaumont, Texas; which ranges between 5 to 40 GB monthly.

Companies are pushing an arbitrary, BS, "mythical 5 percent of broadband subscribers that use 90 percent of available bandwidth" which has some suspecting of additional tiers for significantly higher caps forcing users/companies to double the cost to have these services.

In truth, anything over 150 GB is a ton for the average user. However, several things do not necessarily add to the benefit of the average user; which is in turn consistent that average Joe is Poorman Moe.

The authors perform a single analysis that incorporates three longitudinal studies of aggression and gaming, two performed in Japan, and one in the US. Students were surveyed on the types of video games they played, and then a follow-up survey determined their levels of aggressive behavior several months later. Unfortunately, almost everything else involved in the studies was different. The three surveys targeted different age groups with essentially no overlap, used different measures of violent game content, different measures of physical aggression, and performed the follow-up surveys at different time periods.

And in all honesty, what better way for children to train for the oncoming onslaught of disease-induced zombies than taking a double-barrel shotgun through the living dead’s brain? Then again, if the parents allow kids to play months and months of video games, several hours a day, it’s likely that the parents are a bit too submissive to the child; who goes on a rampage not getting what he wants. Which is, after all, more characteristic of childhood development beyond saving the world from resource-whoring aliens.

I’ve been working on computer support for nearly 10 years now, ranging mostly from software support early, to hardware support and general system maintenance; detailing more than that would really bore you. Generally, I don’t work on personal computers during my private non-working hours time like I used to. Personally, I’ve always had trouble charging my friends and family; a majority of people that looked at me like Jesus Computa-Christ.

Even so, not only do I not care what’s on a computer, I actively avoid anything that didn’t relate to the problem I was fixing. It’s dead-wrong, and nothing of my business. While some experienced technicians say that it’s unavoidable, and that repair technicians will scan your files while repairing that particular computer, I question anyone that defends this. Sure, it happens; it would be naive not to believe that. But it doesn’t mean you’re relegated to that treatment. Furthermore, other technicians that accept this as status quo, continue to hurt the image of computer technicians like auto-mechanics over-charge, or lawyers selling their own children. Stereotypes.

So a bit of advice if you allow another to repair your system. Transfer your sensitive data off the computer entirely, or just delete it. You can’t hide files or protect them with passwords. Most of us are trained and experienced to find them. We crack passwords regularly as a means to servicing customers who forgot the password used to protect files.

At work, a coworker is dealing with a problem on their home computer, related to hardware and power. So he asked what we thought of Geek Squad. To be honest, I’ve never used them so I have yet to recommend them. I decided to take a look.

First thing I found (aka, Google search), was the lack of expertise within the Geek Squad technical department — as per an "insider" which figures as a former employee.

I have found that a majority of their Agents are rather ignorant about real tech work. Most of them only know how to run GeekSquad’s MRI CD and Customizer. Hardly any of them even use ESD (electrostatic discharge) equipment. And don’t believe the BS they tell you when they say “Our floor is specially treated for ESD”. That would only matter if you are wearing heel straps, which they don’t. Their prices are far overpriced. In some cased they charge double what their competitors charge.

The "Insider" goes on to point out that Geek Squad’s crew is primarily experienced with sales and customer service backgrounds. If you’ve ever met a tech, we’re generally bad at sales, though passable with customer service.

Earlier this year, Geek Squad was facing a lawsuit in Hennepin County Minnesota stating that "employees comb through personal files and sometimes copy lewd or other content over to their own personal flash drive."

The Consumerist ran a three-month investigation responding to complaints that ended with the discovery of a "Geek Squad Agent" copying data and porn from someone’s computer onto a "company-issued thumb drive". The piece continues that "according to reports from Geek Squad insiders alleging that Geek Squad techs are stealing porn, images, and music from customer’s computers in California, Texas, New Jersey, Virginia and elsewhere. Our sources say that some Geek Squad locations have a common computer set up where everyone dumps their plunder to share with the other technicians."

It’s clear that if you take your computer to Geek Squad, don’t expect your privacy to be honored.

One instance found a Geek Squad technician videotaping a 22-year old woman taking a shower, via a cell phone. “I couldn’t believe this was happening to me,” Sarah Vasquez said. “I felt embarrassed and dirty because he did this when I was naked.”

Likely in response to the general discovery that since Best Buy purchased Geek Squad that they’ve become the biggest fraud on the market — from my experience as a long-time computer technician — there’s an issue of unionizing.

Even so, the issue isn’t so much about privacy, as it is their terrible customer service and charge happy cha-ching phone rings.

Trouble with scheduling appointments | Unsecured wireless setups | Warranty, no warranty, you pay $130 | Changing Operating System | Worst customer service | Waiting, no fix, $266.43 please | More terrible |

• I bought a piece of software called White Smoke Thursday, it’s a language “fine tuner”; it broke by Sunday.
• Went to Kroger earlier in the week. Here’s a couple of things about going to Kroger, two days before July 4. First off, those damned shopping carts shaped in the form of a race car that fits fifty damned kids. Twice, I had to circle around because mother, father and five kids were choosing between Kraft Macaroni and Velveeta. Yet, for some reason, families feel the need to make grocery shopping a damned family vacation. Second, it’s just better off avoiding the place before a holiday at the same time millions get off work and go to the Mason Kroger.
• Why are people surprised when there’s injuries during July 4? It’s like being shocked that someone got wet because they went swimming.

Time Warner redefined the idea of “upgrades” after their latest software package for their Digital Cable.

• The “guide” is generally much slower.
• When I click “Info” (channel, program, etc…), sometimes it doesn’t fully fade — sits like a Ghost image.
• The playback for DVR comes with horrible visual quality.
• Half the time I access something OnDemand, the box errors out on me (says something about being unavailable). Then the system reboots and I can access it fine. Once, it rebooted three times in a row.
• Sometimes, the box picks it’s own channel. True story, just sitting there watching HBO when I clicked “Guide”, the channel changed to #1. Note: the number one and “guide” are the length of my index finger apart.

Lincoln, Nebraska is actually holding a hearing on the matter. This Charolette blogger points out that it’s actually worse while this Kansas City blog writes:

Above all, though, there was the Navigator debacle. In January I wrote that Time Warner was rolling out a new menuing system for its cable boxes. I quoted a local spokesperson who said Navigator had been developed “so we can be more responsive to our customers.” Famous last words. Since then, customers have flooded Time Warner’s help lines, and my mailbox, with horror stories of sitting down to watch a recorded show, only to discover their DVRs had been wiped clean by the new software. Others were put off by the new menuing system, or driven mad by the three-second response times each time they pressed a button on their remotes, or felt like they were in a car with bad brakes each time they tried to fast-forward through a show … the list went on.

Late last month, Time Warner also discontinued their newsgroups — an older generation of community gathering now known as Discussion Forums and Boards.

Watched “Jumper” this weekend. I really liked the premise of the story, but it’s another book to movie adaptation where most of the important points of the story must be read to be understood. In other words, I liked it, but not enough to learn the back-stories. I have enough to do/read.

Microsoft is always looking for ways to make money. Most PC sellers do not sell a full version of Microsoft Office (just a trial copy) and that’s forcing people to savage for older versions or begging their friendly computer guy for a version. Now they are offering an online version that will, as they say, tap into that market.

This while the average national price for gasoline reached $4.10 on Saturday. The average price in Cincinnati is around $4.03.

When I first joined the WWW, it was late in the 90s. With an old Compaq Presario (386), I was able to fulfill my love for baseball stats printing gobs of pages on my dot-matrix printer. Most sites were text-based and a gif was, at the time, freaking genius.

Now sites are infiltrated with intense graphics, several flash animations, database calls to an internet server internal from the site’s external designation (which means firewalls must examine each package). With more, requires more.

Anyway, Mozilla’s newest version of FireFox should be released sometime today. We’ll get our hands on it soon and test it out.

So I packaged it up, found a UPS store Friday (when I had the strength after an ambush migraine attack overnight), and shipped. So, on June 6, 2008, my Xbox 360 was on its way to get repaired (either for free, or the $100 flat rate, I’m still not sure).

I finally contacted Customer Service and whined, complained, sulked and pouted, but never cursed. Pops told me, when my flight to Minnesota was canceled because of some problem with my plane ticket (while he spoke to the airline’s customer support service) that you can get what you want without cursing or even raising your voice. Sometimes I apply that logic when I play the role of hippy son, other times I don’t when I play the role of spoiled American.

So Microsoft is sending me an empty box so I can ship my broken Xbox 360 with postage already paid for. There’s also the chance that I won’t have to pay based on the issue I’m having is consistent with a global extended warranty. My point here is to document how long it takes from initial contact to receiving repaired/new/refurbished system. But to also share that my future game has hope!

Granted, I’m a sucker. I buy things that I generally like (duh!), but I also maintain a good status quo. It’s why I order cheeseburgers at Chinese restaurants, hamburger helper at Krogers and drink mad quantities of Mountain Dew and Budweiser. A creature of habit, I’ve always been.

But this.

The box (that’s short for computer/technological device for us techies) is out of warranty and Microsoft charges a general $100 fee for repair. I’m not going to pay $100 on a system to repair that I’ve bought twice generally considered to be built poorly. Though they offer free-services provided the repair is included on a lawsuit they lost. Be cautious about purchasing a 360. And if you do, don’t play it much. Otherwise, it won’t last. Good stuff.