Jerome's I.T.

08/12/2024

Hello any and all, this isn't IT related, just posting here because it has wider reach. If you see fallen trees or branches, the quickest way to let the councils know is through the FixMyStreet online reporting tool (link attached). Click on the 'Report' button and you can put a map pin and photo on there, and it gets assessed and passed to the highways crews almost immediately depending on severity. You can also view active reports to see if it's already been recorded.

This is much faster than bothering the emergency services with it, who only need to know if there is an imminent danger (e.g. a tree fallen on a blind corner or major junction). In most cases they will just record it and pass in on to the council crews anyway. Our police and fire services are stretched thin in this big county of ours, so if you see a situation that just needs some highways lads with chainsaws to come clear a road, post it on here first. They will assess and prioritise it accordingly.

N.B. if there is an accident or injury, or an imminent risk of one, you should of course contact the emergency services first. FixMyStreet is not an emergency service.

Stay safe!

https://fixmystreet.lincolnshire.gov.uk/reports/Lincolnshire?zoom=0&lat=53.13108&lon=-0.23134&filter_category=Fallen%20tree%20or%20branch&status=open&sort=updated-descrc

21/03/2024

Hello all! As some of you already know, I have resumed IT work on a part-time basis. As before my departure, it is callout work covering Louth & villages.

I worked for a company in tree surgery for a year, then went self-employed with it. After some trial and error I've found the best balance is in doing both tree work and IT work, so I intend to keep doing both. It's about a 50/50 split, so I'm available for IT work 2-3 days a week.

I realise that this may seem odd given my previous complaints about how computer work was affecting me, but working on a callout basis (rather than from an office) and doing tree work alongside it has solved most of the health issues with IT work for me.

I still have concerns about how computers and the internet can affect peoples' lives (with things like internet addiction, social media harassment, repetitive strain injury, isolation, and so on). But really, me quitting IT did not help that situation. If I'm in the trade, I do at least have the occasional opportunity to offer advice and resources to people who are having those kinds of problems.

I continue to recommend the two companies I diverted people to in my absence - Diamond Media UK in Cleethorpes (01472 354444) and Michelle at Lincolnshire It Limited (01522 246008). I am extremely grateful for the help they've provided to many of you. They offer excellent services that extend beyond my own comfort zone or skills in some areas (such as Mac/tablet/phone repairs and fine soldering work) and I encourage you to consider them if I am unavailable (read: up a tree) or unsuited to a particular task.

18/12/2022

Hello all. As many of you already know, I retired from IT this year and am now a tree surgeon. I had hoped to keep the IT business going on a part-time capacity, but the new career took off faster than expected.

For those with transport, I am recommending Diamond Media in Cleethorpes as the nearest, best tech shop for repair, upgrade and service work. I have used them before and found them excellent. They even do certain kinds of work I avoided, such as fine soldering and phone/tablet repairs. They do not offer tuition services or callout work - two gaps in the market in this area that I'm keeping an eye on. If you have positive experiences with any tuition or callout IT businesses around Louth, let me know!

I would like to thank all of you for many years of patronage and support, and to also pay my respects to the late Tim Newman (of Horncastle Road's Only PCs), a man whose selflessness and guidance made Jerome's IT possible in the first place.

I am sorry for inevitably leaving some of you in the lurch. If my new career doesn't work out I may return to IT work in the future, with some changes, but this is unlikely. The move was necessary for both practical and ethical reasons (a more in-depth explanation is available in the Google Doc linked at the end of this post, for those who are curious; fair warning, it is lengthy and biased).

Merry Christmas. Take care of yourselves and each other.

Jerome

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BTLCwz9qnmsNpn8DLikPTGbKeESwfwgqmOoFspyuUlE/edit?usp=sharing

02/06/2022

Jerome's IT is now a call-out business! I will be doing collections, deliveries and on-site work by appointment. The exact area and prices will be fine-tuned over the next few weeks but provisionally it's Louth/Fotherby/Tathwell/Legbourne/Manby/Grimoldby, with a call-out fee of £36 including up to half an hour on-site, then £24 per half hour after that. I may go further afield with additional per-mile prices depending on demand.

Questions, comments and feedback are very welcome - just message the page here, or send a text/whatsapp/email to [email protected] / 07934459508. Wish me luck!

14/12/2021

Hello all!

Many people have been asking about gaming PCs as christmas presents for children and grandchildren. Unknown to most outside the gaming and IT communities, we're currently in the middle of a global graphics card shortage. The reasons for this are too complicated to explain fully here, but it is unlikely to abate in less than a year, as things stand.

It's therefore almost impossible for small businesses to get hold of graphics cards for any reasonable price, and so I am not doing gaming builds at the moment. Instead, I'm recommending people use Scan:
https://www.scan.co.uk/3xs/custom/gaming/pc

Their prices are excellent and they actually have graphics cards in stock (one of the perks of being one of the UK's biggest IT distributors). They build up your machine for you and send it out ready to use. They also have options to add screens, keyboards, mice and to upgrade components. The 'Scan Gamer' £850 build has an option to upgrade from a GTX 1650 graphics card to an RTX 3060 for an extra £280, which is expensive by normal standards but in the current crisis is actually a good deal if you need the extra performance.

My standard advice, however, is to just buy whatever build you can afford for now, and if the child in question needs more performance for more demanding games in the future, a more powerful graphics card can be bought and installed easily once the shortage is over (currently estimated somewhere in 2022-2023).

Bear in mind that most prebuilt gaming PCs are ordered in the Christmas rush, so despite their best estimates, any shop is likely to struggle and you may receive it after Christmas. Believe me when I say: in the current market, anyone is lucky to receive a gaming PC at all, and it's a blessing that Scan are able and willing to leverage their market position to offer PCs with graphics cards in them.

Best of luck, and Merry Christmas!

Cost-effective stylish tower PCs. Perfect for enthusiasts and professionals on a budget. Our gaming PCs, computers and gaming Laptops customised and designed for gamers by gamers, built in the UK by our award winning 3XS team.

15/09/2021

I am often asked if it's worth installing updates when prompted to on a smartphone, tablet or computer.

A vulnerability has just been uncovered on iOS (iPhones and iPads) that potentially allows the author of a malicious file to execute code on the phone or tablet without the user doing anything, as long as they can somehow get the file onto the device (e.g. as an email attachment). The vulnerability is fixed by the latest iOS updates. [1]

This vulnerability is probably not quite as dangerous as it sounds, because iOS does place restrictions on what executed code can do, so it isn't a free pass for a hacker to wander about your device - once the exploit is used to get a foot in the door, they still have to somehow find novel ways to exploit the device further, which is increasingly difficult. [2] But this is still a serious vulnerability, and it does highlight the importance of staying up-to-date.

People who are skeptical about installing updates often recall the occasions in the past when updates have stopped devices from working, reduced performance or erased data. These incidents are real. But the worst-case scenario when an update goes wrong is just an accident by the manufacturer, usually easily repaired, and cannot defraud you. The worst-case scenario when choosing not to update is an attack by someone who is actively trying to scam or blackmail you.

By definition, the worst consequences of not updating are much more severe than the worst consequences of updating. And the chances of an update causing problems are very small, and decreasing all the time as software development practise becomes more refined and transparent. [3] [4]

So on balance, I recommend installing updates as soon as you see them.

[1] https://www.forbes.com/sites/kateoflahertyuk/2021/09/13/ios-148-update-now-warning-issued-to-all-iphone-users/

[2] This is called secure by design, and is the same reason that Windows, Android, wireless routers, etc. are all safer than they used to be:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secure_by_design
This development philosophy is also the reason that VPN companies are gradually stopping claiming that their VPNs make you 'more secure'. It used to be true, but it isn't true any more, because everything from operating systems to browsers has become so much more secure by design that a VPN now makes no difference in most cases, and they risk false advertising lawsuits by claiming otherwise.

[3] When I first started working with computers, software updates were so unreliable that tech-savvy people would do full system backups before installing them, or disable them altogether, and half my time was spent repairing the damage done by them; now, updates occur more frequently than ever before, but problematic updates are so rare that they make headlines when they do occur - generally once a year or less, and in very specific and uncommon scenarios. An infamous 2018 Windows 10 update erased customer data, for instance - but only if the user had manually redirected their user folders, something that only a handful of tech enthusiasts know about or bother to do.

https://www.howtogeek.com/fyi/microsoft-explains-why-windows-10s-october-2018-update-was-deleting-peoples-files/

[4] The most infamous example of updates affecting performance was with early iOS devices, which slowed down terribly after updating to a newer version of iOS. After many complaints and legal rumblings, Apple admitted that they'd "reduced performance on older devices to prolong battery life" (read: encourage you to buy a newer device). Due to the huge backlash against the practise, they no longer do this, and it has set a general precedent among developers that releasing an update that makes a device run worse is a really bad move.

Apple has released iOS 14.8, an urgent iPhone update that all users should install now.

13/08/2021

PSA: you can forward scam texts to 7726 to report them to your provider.

20/07/2021

Printers come in two types: inkjet and laserjet.

Inkjet printers are the most anti-consumer device in the world. They're engineered to waste your money. The printer is cheap; the inks are outrageously expensive. Laserjets are much more cost-effective, reliable and fair, but they are priced more honestly: the printer is several hundred pounds, and after that, the toner is cheap.

I have been trying to convince people that it's worth investing in laserjet for a long time. Their response is usually "I don't print enough to justify it", but this logic plays right into the inkjet scam: inkjet printers are even worse if you only use them occasionally, because they dry out, perish and break faster. Most "occasional" printer users who choose inkjet end up spending hundreds of pounds over a few years, going through an expensive cycle of wasting ink on diagnostics, giving up, buying a new printer, and throwing away all of the old printer's inks.

Printer manufacturers know you'll do this: they engineer the situation. They make the printers cheap, make them unreliable, make the inks specific to each model, make the inks expensive and then design the printer to only accept THEIR inks.

They WANT you to throw away your inkjet printer every 18 months and buy another one. They rely on you to think of the cost right now, but not of the cost in 1, 2 and 3 years' time. Owning an inkjet is the most expensive choice of all, but the cost is distributed over time.

Ironically, despite being the most expensive option, inkjet is the worst experience by far - they are harder to use, have more issues, and produce the worst print quality. My last two inkjets printed about 1000 pages (badly) before dying; in total they cost me about £120 per year for hardly any printing. My laserjet was £150 up front, but it has printed about 2500 pages so far and costs about £20 a year to refill.

Inkjets are also a nightmare environmentally. Printers and inks are extremely hard to process as waste. They are complex and difficult to separate, and contain noxious chemicals and elements that are hazardous if put in general waste - which most people will, because it isn't at all obvious how to dispose of them. Almost everyone I know has thrown an inkjet printer into landfill at some point.

For a while, I recommended buying the cheapest inkjet you can, and using off-brand replacement inks until it broke. Even this option, though, is quite bad value now, because the printer manufacturers are finding ways to make sure you don't use off-brand inks. It's also still really bad environmentally, even if the costs aren't as bad, because you're throwing away lots of printers and toxic, unrecyclable ink cartridges. And the print quality will still be poor.

If you need to print at all, I strongly recommend either paying the extra to buy a laserjet or paying a local print shop to do your printing for you. Getting normal amounts of printing done at shops will save you money, and will be much higher quality. For people who print a lot, a laserjet will also save you a lot of money, and will also be higher quality.

Printer companies are ripping us off, and it's high time we did something about it. Join me in starting the revolution.

19/03/2021

This is an extremely important video and I encourage everyone to watch it, even if you don't think you're a potential target of fraud - someone you know may be targetted. Online fraud is a massive global business and their tactics are VERY clever. Don't just watch this for your own sake: it needs explaining to as many people as possible, particularly older or vulnerable people who would be more inclined to take a phone call or email at face value.

Never trust a caller.
Never assume an email is genuine.
Never follow a caller's instructions to allow them access to your computer.

Large companies like banks, shops, insurers, etc. will never email or call you regarding refunds or transfers. They'll never require you to withdraw or send money. If in doubt, contact the bank or company separately to check.

I glitterbombed my way up the scammer chain of command. Come join me in my Creative Engineering class!! https://Monthly.com/MarkRoberIf you suspect that you...

06/11/2020

Just a heads-up for desktop customers: the BenQ GL2480, which I commonly recommend as the best budget monitor on the market, is currently on offer for £98 on Amazon (normally £120). If you were planning to buy a cheap 1080p 24" monitor for office & web use, now's a good time.

And no, they're not paying me to say this! If only. I'm just sharing the info. I spend a lot of time researching and recommending good value hardware choices, so if this kind of post is useful to you, let me know in the comments below and I'll start putting them up here more often.

BenQ GW2480 24 Inch 1080p Eye Care LED IPS Monitor, Anti-Glare, HDMI, B.I. Sensor for Home Office - Black

17/07/2020

BUYING A WE**AM SINCE LOCKDOWN

Just a quick update for people. Webcams are now extremely scarce and overpriced. Here are my basic observations:

1. Wait if you can.
If you don't need a we**am urgently, just wait another 2 months. It's a lousy time to buy one. Use a phone or tablet to get by if it's just for the odd family call.

2. Get a decent, modern one from a real brand.
There are tonnes of no-brand Chinese we**ams flooding Amazon and eBay. These will often be crap. People are also selling extremely old we**ams on eBay for up to £30 - these will definitely be crap. Ideally, get a Microsoft or Logitech.

SPECIFIC MODEL RECOMMENDATIONS:

The Logitech C920 was the industry go-to, but it's way too expensive now (should be £60; is now over £120). I'm keeping an eye on it, but it hasn't dropped below £120 in months.

The Microsoft Lifecam Cinema (model 1393) is really good, my personal favourite, and sometimes turns up on eBay for £30-40. It's worth up to £50, but no more than that. Currently over £70, so not worthwhile.

The Microsoft HD-3000 is okay, not great - a budget we**am. It's worth maybe £25-30. Don't pay more than that for one.

The Logitech C270 is another budget one, also worth £25-30. Don't pay more than that.

At time of writing, the Microsoft HD-3000 is available on eBay-Argos for £26.

Keep an eye on the Microsoft Cinema, if you see one for £40 or so, go for it.

If you DO buy a cheap Chinese no-brand one, don't pay more than about £25, regardless of reviews and claimed features, because it's unlikely to be worth more than that. Use Amazon if possible, because the buyer protections are really good and you can get your money back if it's rubbish.