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September

Tuesday, 13th

Back down to around 10 folk here at a time, but it was nice watching it peak to about 145 before I went off to bed.

Belkin QC sticker   or not!
I ordered a Belkin '1200VA Universal UPS w/AVR' and it took almost a month to arrive. As it was on back order for so long from Dabs that, to me, is pause for thought in itself. Anyway, took it out the (pristine) case and box and set to:

• Pausing to admire the V shaped dent in the side,
• then muttering as I tossed assign the deformed RS232 cable and used my own
• … Cussing as the com port isn't detected anyway and reaching for the supplied USB lead
• Finally rolling my eyes in disgust as I plug the leads in and observe the Battrey connection

Needless to say I fired off a few emails to Belkin along the lines of, Oye, wake up!
In case you are wondering, this isn't the first one of these UPS's I've seen - and I'll certainly be buying a few more of the same unit for the kids computers when the house is done so I don't really have a problem with recommending these to others.

I would also like to point out that Belkin got back to me within an hour of sending the report, offering a complete replacement, which I graciously declined as, aside from my pedantic niggles above, it is running like a dream.

Now to harangue Creative over delays shipping the SoundBlaster X-Fi range to the UK…


The following is a dig at managers in general
Having done a few years on lab work and Quality Control I am reasonably inclined to think there's a manager somewhere saying, Look, it'll be fine. Just put the QC sticker on and put YOUR name on the log sheet

*Cough*

Tell me I'm wrong, eh. You rarely get a proverbial pat on the head when it's running smoothly; you are guaranteed a yelling at and reprimand for the least complaint from a customer, but the minute it all goes to pot (because management has ignored everything you have warned them about), it's all hands to the pump, men, (read: cover my back). And all those heinous minor flaws, and far worse? Look, we need to get the order out, let them go!

Want out see your boss's face turn purple and their eyes bug out? Try this:

OK, I'll let them go to the customer, but I am formally recording my objection. Please sign the release papers authorising this

OK, you make an enemy for life, but what can they do? Ah yes, run to their manager and complain that you - as a QC inspector - won't pass defective goods to go out.

I won't name names, but I cost one corporation £50,000 an hour in downtime fines, plus re-run costs, plus factory downtime, plus the cost of flying the goods a few dozen at a time to keep the clients lines running. The manager screamed, he ranted, the abuse was nothing short of gross intimidation. When he finished I looked him straight in the eye and said, I am not passing this junk with my name on it and progressed to toss another several thousands of pounds of components into a skip.

Instead of saying, OK, shut the line down and fix it, the manager wanted to continue production so HIS quota was met and the next manager would sort it. Perhaps not the most sensible decision from the (former shop steward) manager, given it was churning out one every few seconds and they cost about £50 each to manufacture!

I'd personally scrapped several hours production and recommended the destruction of the rest of the run by the time he accepted we'd only let them go out the factory if HE signed for them.

Funnily enough he went ballistic! Then senior managers got involved… and half agreed with me, the rest went to get their managers. So I tossed a whole load more out. So he ordered production to continue, but put them to one side, (and I'll send them out without a signature). Funny how things escalate.

MD: Look, what's the problem?
Me: See that bubble? (This is a good 30 feet away)
MD: What, Where? (Trots closer)
Me: They want US to pass it for [ … ]
MD: You can't send that to them!!!

'They' being a Japanese company that thoroughly inspect every single component. Thoroughly meaning instant dismissal for missing something that blatant, never mind a lorry load. The truly amazing thing is, this was a regular occurrence!

It has long been my belief that in Britain (in large factories) managers get promoted (from the work floor) for one reason - they are bone idle and/or rubbish at their job. You can't sack them, so you promote them and hope they leave from the stress. That's about when everything goes pear shaped!

As a consultant, and having worked in a several large factories before hand, I have developed a healthy loathing for managers and the bigger the company the more levels of these incompetents they have!

Wednesday 7th

Woot, we currently have about a hundred visitors online at any one time. Darn that feels good for the ego.

Actually, I have a very good idea why that is, so I offer a hearty welcome to all my fellow* gamers. When it ships I will go to town with Dungeons & Dragons Online, while we await Neverwinter Nights 2, next summer.

*(Fellow in the generic sense, naturally).


Home front
The house is still a mess with the bathroom half built and bare asphalt on the floors. Notwithstanding mountains of paperwork all around me, I am, by nature, obsessively tidy and all this … *waves his hands about angrily* … is really messing with my head. If it isn't finished in the few weeks I really am going to blow a gasket!