the Help Desk Blog: 08/01/2007

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

URLs from 8/28/07

Secret Life of Steve Jobs

New Lego Kit "Young Woz and Jobs Playset" August 29th release

Slow access to another computer on a wireless network:
--try a speed test
--try war driving software to troubleshoot wireless connections

Resetting Windows XP Password

Clean Install of Windows XP

Adding Second monitor to new iMac

Pro Tools (audio editing software) will not run on my New Intel iMac
--Gearslutz.com
--Macrumors.com
--DigiDesign.com
--More DigiDesign.com

Dell Inspiron 5300e -- replaced mother board -- won't boot (gives 2 beeps)
--Bioscentral.com/beepcodes/
--Kropf.net
--Winforums.com
--Envytech.co.uk

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

URLs from 8/21/07

Free or cheap antivirus programs recommended by listeners:
--Avast
--AVG

PC World Anti-Virus Reviews

Entourage (Outlook) messages not showing up even though alert comes through:
--Sometimes the messages get moved automatically into the local inbox, not the Exchange inbox.
Click here for more info.

Refurbished iPhones on Apple Store

Mac or PC Rap Video

How to uninstall Norton Antivirus
--method 1
--method 2

Google earth -- does is cause a problem with sleeping Mac OS?

Netgear - Wirelessly printing to Netgear connected printer

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Should you use off-brand or refilled printer cartridges?
--On our 8/14/07 show, the statement was made that this is OK. Listeners Lee from Clayton and Bob from Centerville strongly dissent from this advice. Bob points out that Consumer Reports disagrees ("Cheap Inks Don't Pay" is the title of a section in their July 07 issue). Lee, who has serviced printers for 10 years, says:

It might be folly to replace a printer because it costs less to buy the replacement cartridges. It depends on the printer. Often the printer comes with starter cartridges. I have a friend who thinks he is saving by buying new printers. He is a good enough friend that I've never pointed out that the cartridges that come with that particular printer has about 1/4 the ink as the replacements.

The cost of a cartridge tells you nothing about the cost of printing. You need to know the cost/yield ratio of the cartridge. This information is available on line. I know that the Office Depot web site has the yields of all the ink and toner cartridges it sells in the product specifications of the product. There are other sources. Be aware that these data are based on industry standards of coverage and density. They should be used for comparison purposes only. However, I've found them to be very accurate and maybe a bit conservative.

One popular printer takes a black cartridge that costs $35 and has a yield of 200 pages. A competitor offers a similar machine that has a $20 cartridge with a 700 page yield.
Non-OEM cartridges will not void the warranty of your printer. However, if the cartridge damages your printer, furniture or carpet (not uncommon) that must be covered by the vendor of the third party cartridge. Check your vendor for their warranty. Quality and customer service of non-OEM cartridges varies widely.

Stores that sell both OEM and non-OEM cartridges make 3 to 4 times as much profit margin on the third party cartridges over the original manufacturer. They will push the non-OEM cartridges.

Canon and Epson printers are particularly susceptible to failure from use of third party ink and cartridges. Their print heads (jets) are built into the printer rather than the cartridge and if the ink clogs the heads you are pretty much dead in the water.

I simply tell my inquirers to not use anything but Canon cartridges in Canon printers. They have a 2 picoliter ink droplet rather than the 7-9 picoliter droplet of the competition. 100% of the Canon printers I've seen with clogged heads have owners who admit to using third party inks.

And last, I advise my subscribers, "Save money by buying your coffee at McDonald's rather than Starbuck's, buy day old bread and drive a Prius rather than a Hummer, but don't try to go cheap on ink."