Note: This column represents the opinions
of the writer and as such, is not purported as fact
Sponsor's Message
|
It's time again for your dose of Friday funnies and end of week wierdness
from the world wide web.
Case modding is the art of fitting your PC into a fancy new enclosure so that
it looks really cool. Some people fit transparent covers and neat looking
blue flurescent tubes or have the whole thing chromed but
here's something a little different.
And while we're on the subject of PCs, what do you do if yours breaks down?
Well here's a simple step-by-step guide
to DIY PC repairs. Note: some case modding is involved.
Check Out The Aardvark PC-Based Digital
Entertainment Centre Project
Updated 2-Dec-2002
Are you looking for the perfect Christmas gift for the person who has everything?
Then look no further!
Fire up that browser and order your very own
Origami Boulder
from who else but the Origami Boulder Company.
End of Week Tidy-up
I'm still waiting for Sony to get back to me with their comments in respect
to Wednesday's column.
That edition was promptly
"SlashDotted"
and as a result, has already been accessed over 40,000 times.
It would make sense therefore, for Sony's PR people to act quickly so as to address
the complaints and general dissatisfaction expressed in threads like
this one.
Why Do They Bother?
In my attempts to get some comment from Sony I went to both the
Sony NZ website and the
Sony USA website.
After quite a bit of scouting around, I could only find one online contact
form (no email addresses) so I filled out the form on both websites alerting
them to my column and asking for comment.
It's now three days later and I haven't even received an acknowledgement that
my communication was received.
This is not the first time I've found the websites of big companies devoid
of any sensible or effective contact mechanism.
While most small companies seem to be aware that their website is TWO WAY
communications vehicle for liaising with existing or potential customers,
far too many of the large ones seem to consider their online presence to
be just another shield behind which they can hide.
Which reminds me -- Sony NZ's executives seem, like so many others, to be
the masters of voicemail. None of the people I was referred to for comment
were answering their phones. All I could get was a wall of "leave a message"
responses.
Has anyone else noticed that the larger the company, the more likely it
is that you'll end up being hijacked by a person's voicemail rather than
have them actually take your call?
This is *not* a good look and, when it happens repeatedly, becomes the 21st
century equivalent of saying "we're not interested in your custom -- take a
hike."
Contacting Aardvark
As always, readers are invited to submit their comments on material covered
in this column. If you'd like your comments published here then please
be sure to use this form and select For Publication.
Other media organisations seeking more information or republication rights
are also invited to contact me.
Add Aardvark To Your Own Website!
Got a moment? Want a little extra fresh content for your own website or
page?
Just add a
couple of lines of JavaScript
to your pages and you can get
a free summary of Aardvark's daily commentary -- automatically updated
each and every week-day.
Aardvark also makes a summary of this daily column available via XML using
the RSS format. More details can be found
here.
Contact me if you decide to use either of these feeds and
have any problems.
Linking Policy
Want to link to this site? Check out Aardvark's
Linking Policy.
|
Did you tell someone else about Aardvark today? If not then do it
now!
|
|
| 
= open in new window