New frontiers in technical support:

Having a little fun with your customer

ND, I have a question. I know you'll be building for reliability, but what does one do when a hand-built computer does break? Would a local repair shop be able to fix it? I am a hardware dummy and do need professional support.

Hi-- I need some quick Excel toubleshooting.

I have a table with the headers Scene (a number) sub-scene (a letter) and Actor. I need them sorted by actor, and then within actor by scene and subscene.

I go to the sort menu, sort ascending by actor, then scene, then subscene.

It is all working perfectly except there are about 6 rows that will not sort properly. I have a scene series (just under one actor) going 2, 6, 10b, 14b, 7 8 9a 9b 9c. I also have two actors who are sorted perfectly, except scene 6 is at the end. I have highlight the column and changed it to "number" . I cleared the formatting. I retyped the numbers. I cut and pasted the numbers from someone else where the sort was working. They persist in sorting oddly!

Any ideas (

(x-post in Natter)

2, 6, 10b, 14b, 7 8 9a 9b 9c

I hate to say it, but mixing numbers (2, 6, 7, 8) and strings (10b, 14b, 9a, 9b, 9c), and then sorting is never going to end well.

One thing to check, though, is whether there's something in the actor or the scene columns that could be messing up the sort. Even an extra space somewhere could do it.

10b, 9a, etc. are not numbers. Or is the a,b,c the subscene and in a different column?

t edit semi-x-post.

I put the a b and c in a different column, so theoretically it should be OK.

I think I have solved it, though, filling the sctor's name down. I think there might have been a space in front of them.

Microsoft supports the OS so any software issues can usually got through a software vendor. The machine will most likely have an Intel Motherboard and processor so there's support directly through them for faulty parts. if anything really acts up I'm happy to help troubleshoot and track down a bad component. As long as you are comfortable pulling something like a CD drive or video card repairs are pretty simple.

Another 2c: Given the poor state of customer support from pc vendors these days, I doubt you'd be giving up much.

Also, if you had to go to a local repair place, they'd probably have an easier time with an ND-built box than they would with something from a big vendor that uses all kinds of weird vendor-specific parts. Last time I opened up a Dell, I may have cried.

Also, if you had to go to a local repair place, they'd probably have an easier time with an ND-built box than they would with something from a big vendor that uses all kinds of weird vendor-specific parts.

No kidding. Handbuilt machines are so much easier to deal iwth.

Handbuilt machines are so much easier to deal iwth.

Unless you're at a certified place. I used to work at an IBM/Compaq shop, and if the machines were under warranty, repair was usually replacement, and was a snap to get parts in and out.