Chewy509
Wotty wot wot.
I think he means the CCC - Catalyst Control Centre. (which needs .NET 2).
Companies that have burnt...
- Thread starter Chewy509
- Start date
I think he means the CCC - Catalyst Control Centre. (which needs .NET 2).
time
Storage? I am Storage!
Which ISP are you with? I hate them all, but am currently with Internode.
Telstra doesn't play nice anymore; ISPs have trouble reselling their service for a reasonable price.
Telstra doesn't play nice anymore; ISPs have trouble reselling their service for a reasonable price.
Tannin
Storage? I am Storage!
Chewy, I reckon you are screwed. Hold your breath and wait for the NBM, mate, not much else that you can do.
It seems that, counting Merc's list I quoted, I cited Symantec twice! Oh well, they certainly deserve it. For a little while there, they seemed to be making an honest, best-effort attempt to cut down on the bloat and improve system performance. But recent indications are that this policy is fading away again - I'm starting to see Norton crippling system performance once more. This leaves me without a #10, but that's OK, Dell can have that spot.
Chewy, the appalling ATI driver suite insists on making it as inconvenient as possible to do simple tasks like change screen resolution. You can buggerise about through the control panel and just ignore ATI's pox-ridden control program (which isn't a bad idea, actually) but that is hardly responsive or customizable. Alternatively, you can load their terrible, bloated, slow, useless damn control centre, and wait for an eternity, and then buggerise about even longer with sub-menus and slow loading before you get to do the one and only simple task that you want - indeed, the one task you ever, ever want, which is change resolution. This should be an instant-on, hover-select-click function. With decent brands of video card, it is.
Short answer: ATI are a horrible, horrible company. They have had more than a decade to get stuff like this right, and their crud drivers are only getting worse, not better. I had sort of hoped that the AMD takeover would have an impact, but it seems to have achieved nothing. Adobe are more responsive to simple customer requirements than ATI.
Out of all those companies mentioned, however, I'd have to rank Apple #1 with a bullet. Thankfully, I don't have to deal with their over-priced, over-pretty, under-performing products in any way shape or form these days, so that's OK.
It seems that, counting Merc's list I quoted, I cited Symantec twice! Oh well, they certainly deserve it. For a little while there, they seemed to be making an honest, best-effort attempt to cut down on the bloat and improve system performance. But recent indications are that this policy is fading away again - I'm starting to see Norton crippling system performance once more. This leaves me without a #10, but that's OK, Dell can have that spot.
Chewy, the appalling ATI driver suite insists on making it as inconvenient as possible to do simple tasks like change screen resolution. You can buggerise about through the control panel and just ignore ATI's pox-ridden control program (which isn't a bad idea, actually) but that is hardly responsive or customizable. Alternatively, you can load their terrible, bloated, slow, useless damn control centre, and wait for an eternity, and then buggerise about even longer with sub-menus and slow loading before you get to do the one and only simple task that you want - indeed, the one task you ever, ever want, which is change resolution. This should be an instant-on, hover-select-click function. With decent brands of video card, it is.
Short answer: ATI are a horrible, horrible company. They have had more than a decade to get stuff like this right, and their crud drivers are only getting worse, not better. I had sort of hoped that the AMD takeover would have an impact, but it seems to have achieved nothing. Adobe are more responsive to simple customer requirements than ATI.
Out of all those companies mentioned, however, I'd have to rank Apple #1 with a bullet. Thankfully, I don't have to deal with their over-priced, over-pretty, under-performing products in any way shape or form these days, so that's OK.
ddrueding
Fixture
Good to see you again, Tannin.
I would argue two points with you.
1. Using anything but the built-in Win7 setting for "screen resolution", which is in the right-click menu on the desktop, is a waste of time.
2. nVidia's control panel is no better than ATI's. Perhaps your familiarity with nVidia's way is biasing you?
I would argue two points with you.
1. Using anything but the built-in Win7 setting for "screen resolution", which is in the right-click menu on the desktop, is a waste of time.
2. nVidia's control panel is no better than ATI's. Perhaps your familiarity with nVidia's way is biasing you?
My girlfriend's mother runs her own business and was trying to switch from their local cable/phone over to Verizon FIOS for both internet, TV, and phone. She decided to not go with them and even though she canceled the service order, they had already ported the phone from Verizon telephone to Verizon FIOS. Since it caused a problem in the system they couldn't easily put the number back to Verizon telephone. Without exaggeration, it took them over a MONTH to get her business turned back on and working again. Anyone who tried calling it got a number disconnected message the entire time. A month...now that's customer support. She called them constantly to fix the issue but they passed the buck and ran her around in circles with this. She's had the same business line for over a decade, so it's well know by her clients.
No equipment needed to be replaced or fixed, they just needed to route this through their own damn system but some how couldn't figure it out. Verizon customer service is and was useless. I've had the same experience in my area with my recent week long outage that I ranted about in another thread. As much as I want to hate Comcast like the next guy, their customer support system has been so much better for the few problems we've had. I'm not suggesting people use Comcast services, but when compared to Verizon FIOS, they've been better.
I hate those with a passion. I'm a .NET developer and I know it has its place but I think their CCC implementation is slow and awful. Poor use of .NET IMHO.
For controlling screen resolution, yes, but for everything else it performs way better than ATIs control panel. I'd rather not use either, but I get less heartburn when I open the nVidia control panel when compared to the ATI control panel.
Chewy509
Wotty wot wot.
I'm not going to name them, as they have been honest the whole time with the problem. The only BS part is the time it'll take to fix the issue.
Being a core router that's the problem I can sort of understand the time needed to fix, but 4 mths for a fix is a little too long in my book.
timwhit
Hairy Aussie
Isn't the rival company in Office Space named Internode? Terrible name.
Tannin
Storage? I am Storage!
Hi Dave. 
1: Why on earth would I want to use Win7?
2: Nvidia controls (a) load vastly faster, and (b) have a nifty little two-click thing that sits on the taskbar and lets you switch between most-used resolutions. Or they used to - I've been stuck with this ATI rubbish for a fair while now, getting hard to remember.
1: Why on earth would I want to use Win7?
2: Nvidia controls (a) load vastly faster, and (b) have a nifty little two-click thing that sits on the taskbar and lets you switch between most-used resolutions. Or they used to - I've been stuck with this ATI rubbish for a fair while now, getting hard to remember.
timwhit
Hairy Aussie
Hey Tony, nice to see you around. Is this a short stay or a long term visit?
Tannin
Storage? I am Storage!
G'day Doug. How's tricks?
How's tricks?
Tannin
Storage? I am Storage!
And Tim.
Probably long-term, though time is always an issue for me.
Probably long-term, though time is always an issue for me.
ddrueding
Fixture
Hi Dave.
1: Why on earth would I want to use Win7?
2: Nvidia controls (a) load vastly faster, and (b) have a nifty little two-click thing that sits on the taskbar and lets you switch between most-used resolutions. Or they used to - I've been stuck with this ATI rubbish for a fair while now, getting hard to remember.
1. Because it is easier and faster to install, administer, and use?
2. Looks like you need a faster computer. Neither takes any time at all for me
Tannin
Storage? I am Storage!
1: nope.
2: I have a late-model Thinkpad.
In more detail, I avoid Win 7 for a couple of reasons:
1: The UI sucks. Big-time. Microsoft's decision to remove the super-efficient, simple, effective classic interface is a deal-breaker. I despize having to buggerise around with extra steps to achieve something I used to be able to achieve with a single click. Vista is superior, FFS, and one should never be able to say that of an OS.
2: The administration is needlessly different, and I can't see any point in learning a whole batch of new crap when I already know the old crap. With any luck, I will never need to learn it.
3: The only real advantage of Win 7 for me would be the 64-bit version, and that breaks a number of my most-used apps. Yes, there are workarounds, but if I'm going to buggerise about with all that stuff, wouldn't it make more sense to switch to Linux while I'm at it?
4: But that is a big step. Not just now, maybe in a few years.
5: See 1.
2: I have a late-model Thinkpad.
In more detail, I avoid Win 7 for a couple of reasons:
1: The UI sucks. Big-time. Microsoft's decision to remove the super-efficient, simple, effective classic interface is a deal-breaker. I despize having to buggerise around with extra steps to achieve something I used to be able to achieve with a single click. Vista is superior, FFS, and one should never be able to say that of an OS.
2: The administration is needlessly different, and I can't see any point in learning a whole batch of new crap when I already know the old crap. With any luck, I will never need to learn it.
3: The only real advantage of Win 7 for me would be the 64-bit version, and that breaks a number of my most-used apps. Yes, there are workarounds, but if I'm going to buggerise about with all that stuff, wouldn't it make more sense to switch to Linux while I'm at it?
4: But that is a big step. Not just now, maybe in a few years.
5: See 1.
ddrueding
Fixture
For a trench guy you seem awfully averse to change. Different and bad are not the same.
1. Little to no messing with drivers.
2. Very few updates after SP1 if installed.
1. Little to no messing with drivers.
2. Very few updates after SP1 if installed.
ddrueding
Fixture
Trench = tech. And my phone sucks.
Tannin
Storage? I am Storage!
Mate, I don't especially mind different. But I'm damned if I'll waste any of the precious days I have on this planet learning different when it is no better, and double damed when, as is the case in this instance, it is actually worse.
If I have to, and when I have to, not before - because I absolutely hate wasting time.
Errr ... who cares about the updates? They are automatic anyway. Do them once, never again. Well, not until your next reinstall, that's about every three years in my case. Putting on all the updates takes about one minute of my time - because I do something else while they download and install, of course. I just have to click "next" or "I agree" a few times.
If I have to, and when I have to, not before - because I absolutely hate wasting time.
Errr ... who cares about the updates? They are automatic anyway. Do them once, never again. Well, not until your next reinstall, that's about every three years in my case. Putting on all the updates takes about one minute of my time - because I do something else while they download and install, of course. I just have to click "next" or "I agree" a few times.
Tea
Storage? I am Storage!
And you are posting on Storage Forum?
Ha! You've been back ten minutes and I've caught you telling naughty fibs already!
Stereodude
Not really a
Vista is preferable to Win 7? I've heard it all now.
Tannin
Storage? I am Storage!
Obviously, I don't mean that Vista is superior to Win 7 taken overall, SD, merely that in this one regard Vista (and also XP, 2000, NT4, ME, and 98) are superior insofar as all of these offer the user a faster, fewer-clicks-per-task UI, which Win 7 does not offer. And when you get right down to it, the finer points of a UI are amongst THE most important things there are, when you are discussing computer systems The finer points of the UI, let us remember, these days constitute the major tangible differences between a Mercedes-Benz and a Ssangyong. Yes, there is other stuff too, but it is the care and attention with which the designers have matched up the human-machine interface which sets the quality product apart.
ddrueding
Fixture
I suspect you build more systems than I do. The automatic driver detection and download alone is worth it.
time
Storage? I am Storage!
1.8GHz Athlon
Time to load CCC first time: 11 seconds
Time to load CCC subequent times: 2 seconds
2.6GHz Athlon X2
Time to load CCC first time: 6 seconds
Time to load CCC subequent times: 1 second
3.1/3.3GHz i5
Time to load CCC first time: 2 seconds
Time to load CCC subequent times: <1 second
--------------------------------
Preferences -> Enable System Tray Menu
Number of clicks to change resolution: 2
(Right-click on tray icon, navigate to Set Desktop Area, left-click on resolution)
--------------------------------
Create a CCC profile for each resolution, including hotkey.
To switch resolution, activate profile by pressing hotkey combination.
Response time: < 1 second
Time to load CCC first time: 11 seconds
Time to load CCC subequent times: 2 seconds
2.6GHz Athlon X2
Time to load CCC first time: 6 seconds
Time to load CCC subequent times: 1 second
3.1/3.3GHz i5
Time to load CCC first time: 2 seconds
Time to load CCC subequent times: <1 second
--------------------------------
Preferences -> Enable System Tray Menu
Number of clicks to change resolution: 2
(Right-click on tray icon, navigate to Set Desktop Area, left-click on resolution)
--------------------------------
Create a CCC profile for each resolution, including hotkey.
To switch resolution, activate profile by pressing hotkey combination.
Response time: < 1 second
Tannin
Storage? I am Storage!
Not these days, Dave. At least I doubt it. I'm retired now, more or less, and usually only go into the office two days a week. So I'm not really talking about the building and installing side of stuff - ATI, Nvidia, who cares? You stick the driver CD into the drive and click "install everything". Well, mostly. Sometimes you have to un-tick "install Norton Pox", or (if you forget) uninstall it afterwards, but that's a detail.
Having said that I'm only commenting as a user, I could, however, add that, even now, you are still far, far, far more likely to see a machine in the workshop having trouble with an ATI card than Nvidia. But - credit where it's due - ATI stuff is vastly less troublesome than it used to be. Hell, I don't mind selling ATI based boards or cards now, and I used to refuse point-blank because it was often more trouble than the damn things were worth to me.
All that aside, my main point is that the CCC is absolutely bloody hopeless, and it is a mind-bogglingly stupid company that still inflicts such pain on its users.
Having said that I'm only commenting as a user, I could, however, add that, even now, you are still far, far, far more likely to see a machine in the workshop having trouble with an ATI card than Nvidia. But - credit where it's due - ATI stuff is vastly less troublesome than it used to be. Hell, I don't mind selling ATI based boards or cards now, and I used to refuse point-blank because it was often more trouble than the damn things were worth to me.
All that aside, my main point is that the CCC is absolutely bloody hopeless, and it is a mind-bogglingly stupid company that still inflicts such pain on its users.
Tannin
Storage? I am Storage!
Oh, and I forgot to mention the asinine additions ATI driver software makes to your registry - a big, ugly "run ATI control centre" on every bloody folder right-click menu, FFS! It doesn't get any more stupid than that. And to get rid of it, you have to hack the Windows registry - even more evidence of pox-headed stupidity on their part (if any more were required, which it isn't).
I actually should re-sort my top-10 worst list - ATI wouldn't pip Apple for top worst-of-all spot, but I reckon they would go top 5, no worries.
I actually should re-sort my top-10 worst list - ATI wouldn't pip Apple for top worst-of-all spot, but I reckon they would go top 5, no worries.
Tannin
Storage? I am Storage!
CCC = Catalyst Control Center - ATI's Pox-ridden video driver interface, Lunar.
time
Storage? I am Storage!
Does anyone know what the person-who's-not-speaking-to-me is on about?
Sol
Storage is cool
Windows 7 is a lot less frustrating once you realize that using the mouse is almost a backup way of getting around. If you know what something is called then you don't have to worry about where to click or how many times just hit the windows key, type a couple of characters of the name and there you are. Once you get used to it it actually is superior to finding your way around the control panel.
CCC used to annoy me in XP, in Windows 7 I've never had a problem with it, it's been stable and not noticeably slow and hasn't ever required my to install .NET before I could install my video drivers. (And I've not noticed any CCC context menus anywhere)
But even in XP I did what Lunar does, just install the driver and not install CCC at all. It never made any difference even for games.
CCC used to annoy me in XP, in Windows 7 I've never had a problem with it, it's been stable and not noticeably slow and hasn't ever required my to install .NET before I could install my video drivers. (And I've not noticed any CCC context menus anywhere)
But even in XP I did what Lunar does, just install the driver and not install CCC at all. It never made any difference even for games.
Tannin
Storage? I am Storage!
Wow! You mean that, after only 16 years to think about it, they finally actually came up with a useful task for the bloody Windows bloody key? Farnarkle me! I'm going to run out and buy a lottery ticket!
timwhit
Hairy Aussie
Well Tannin, you are no less crotchety in retirement.
timwhit
Hairy Aussie
Yes, I've made the switch to Linux and haven't looked back, except at work; but it will be a cold day in hell before we switch to Linux on the desktop there.
tazwegion
Learning Storage Performance
It was always handy to "opt out" of a running application, at least that's what I've always used it for...
The various distrobution flavours do offer a nice (and viable) alternative for the masses to Microsoft, even the tradionally challenged ATI graphics driver support in Linux has improved somewhat...
Bozo
Storage? I am Storage!
Back to companies that have burnt you...
Just had Supermicro board #5 die. Worked fine for a few hours and now all it does is beep. Still waiting for two boards to return from Supermicro repair. They will go straight to the trash can when they arrive.
I still have 9 in service. Got my fingers crossed...
Just had Supermicro board #5 die. Worked fine for a few hours and now all it does is beep. Still waiting for two boards to return from Supermicro repair. They will go straight to the trash can when they arrive.
I still have 9 in service. Got my fingers crossed...
Stereodude
Not really a
It looks like Newegg is trying very hard to get on my bad list. I bought 5 2TB Hitachi 7k3000 drives from Newegg on 4/12/2011, 2 were bad and I RMA'd them. They sent back 2 replacements on 5/6/2011. One of those 2 replacements was bad. I want to RMA it and they're telling me that it's outside the return policy. Their return policy, plain as day, is 30 days from the invoice date. The 2 drives have an invoice date of 5/6/2011. Today is 5/20/2011. I'm a bit unclear how they're outside of their return policy. :scratch:
They're getting a big :tdown: so far.
They're getting a big :tdown: so far.
That does stink. I've found myself trying to find and buy whatever components I can from Amazon these days even if it's a few dollars more. So far their return policy and customer service has been fantastic compared to Newegg.
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
I blame it on the IPO.
sechs
Storage? I am Storage!
And since I have to pay sales tax, it seems like their prices are never competitive any more.
Amazon plus Prime is pretty killer.
Amazon plus Prime is pretty killer.