Why don't tech support people ever listen to what I say? I need some kind of a badge I can flash that says, I know what you're talking about, let's skip forward to the bit where you give me the freaking driver!

Yeah, I checked the toolbars, the menus, the help file, everything. Couldn't find it.

Supposedly the newest version of Office (2007?) is much better for this sort of thing -- I was talking to our IT guy about it, and he was telling me that something like 80% of the new feature requests that MS gets for Office are for features that already exist, but nobody can find, so for the new version they concentrated on usability instead of adding bells and whistles.

Oh, there's gonna be blood shed.

I'm chatting with Sony support to get the updated drivers for my cd/dvd burner that shipped with my refurbished VAIO. It's evidently not the same drive that shipped with the original models, because I can only find drivers for the DW-D56A, instead of the DW-U56A, which I have.

I told them that at the beginning of the process, but we had to go through the whole thing where I look at a troubleshooting page...which tells me to reinstall the driver. Which I would, if I could, but I don't have it, because it's not online.

Then he sends me a link to the same driver update for the D56A that I already have and doesn't work. I tell him this, but he insists, so I go through the motions, and of course, it doesn't work, because that's not the model I have.

Now he wants me to do a system restore, but I tell him I would prefer to resolve it otherwise, because the unit only functioned partially from the purchase, which means I'll only get it back to the point where cds work (but don't burn) and dvd's don't, which in his own troubleshooting page, tells me requires service.

He insists, and tells me to backup my data & restore. Which I can't do, because, as I may have mentioned earlier, my cd drive isn't freaking working!

Blood. I'm telling you.

Now he wants me to take advantage of a cost saving referral partnership with Data Recovery! I could save 10% just by mentioning Sony!

Oh fer cryin out loud. Try to speak to a tier 2 or 3, you're not going to get anywhere with this guy.

What is the best wireless manager for ubuntu/kubuntu? I have KWireless and something else instaled, but neither of them are holding a stable connection to my router long enough or consistently enough to download a torrent, which is a PITA because that is what I really need the box for. Suggestions?

He ended up sending me to the repair number, 'cause I can't even get the repair ticket initiated me online. They told me I was out the warranty, which is not true, because I purchased it refurbished. So I needed to send in a proof of my purchase in order to find out the length of my warranty. And guess what? Their fax machine keeps dropping my call!

Now I'm back on hold, and I'm very, very cranky! I looked online, and to purchase an external dvd burner from them would cost the same amount I paid for the refurbished laptop!

Okay, I found the internal part on their direct page, for about half of what they sold me the laptop. I could go that way, or I can send it in for service, paying at least $99, but up to $249. Arg.

I'll have to think it over.

Damn it, the only AVI torrent I can find for Heroes S1.17 (the one from two Mondays ago) is this HDTV-FpN version, which actually crashes my Quicktime upon opening. Any clues what to do next? The world of codecs is a closed book to me, and furthermore I'm really annoyed at the fanboyz whose only joy in life is to upgrade to the newest codec as soon as it become available.

This is good for most quicktime ailments: [link]

Okay, now when I try to open the Perian DMG it tells me that it's corrupt.

I'll try rebooting and see if that helps any.