Hunter Fan Thermostat has a problem! It cannot operate fan properly.

So here is a letter I wrote to the good people at Hunter Fan

Hello. There is a software bug in the thermostat 44860.

According to the retail packaging and the owners manual it is possible to run the fan in the program mode - i.e. the fan will run according to the fan mode that has been selected during the Creation of the custom program (p.43, item 11 of 44002-01 r060607).

In reality, thermostat will not run the fan according to the program. The REFRESH mode, even when selected as the fan mode in the custom program will not ran.

As the ability to use custom fan modes in the thermostat program was purchasing decision factor for me, I was hoping to resolve this issue by calling the technical support. Not so, unfortunately. I was told that the technical writer made the mistake,and that mistake was carried over to the packaging design. I find it hard to believe. As I understand, technical writers use the specifications to create the manual, and so do the software engineers who design the software for the thermostat. It is not like the see it in the dream the night before.

If it was in fact a mistake on the side of the technical writer, why is it even possible {!} to choose REFRESH mode for the fan in the CUSTOM PROGRAM? Obviously it is a software/firmware mistake and from the looks of it, is fixable by literally one line of code.

Alright, let's assume for a moment that it was indeed a mistake on the side of the technical writer (which we already know is simply not true). Does it mean that you don't have quality control? Does it mean that no one is actually responsible for anything in your company? Does it give the right to the tech support to be passive-aggressive on the phone?

Now, I would believe that we are dealing with something unfix able from the software point of view if you were still using mechanical parts mechanically linking the bi-metal to the relay switch, but no - it is actually digital, there is a code involved. When the thermostat starts the fan, or the compressor, when it stops them I hear a click: a command has been send to a switch. Is it really that difficult to put in a line of a code, that would send such a command to a fan switch when the thermostat is in the program mode and the fan is programed to run in the refresh mode? Well, according to your lead designer it is absolutely impossible (from the words of the tech-support person, who supposedly talked to him and relayed all of my concerns to him in just 3 minutes while I was on the second hold). It seems to me it is time for you to either replace tech support personnel, or maybe even your leading designer for you thermostat division with someone a bit more competent. I heard China has plenty of talented engineers. After all, you already manufacture your products in China, shouldn't be much of an adjustment to outsource the Research and Design to the Peoples Republic as well.
I guess it is very naive of me to expect the product to perform the way it suppose to perform. I guess it is not an American way.
Apparently, two biggest fans right now are John and James Hunter. They must be going 1000 rpm in their graves from the shame of what a disgrace of a company their family business has become.

The perfect one

Those of you who know me well enough know that I am a perfectionist.


After long and arduous experimentation, trials and mistakes I believe I am ready to say that I have devised an almost perfect Sugared Candy Pear Martini.


You will need:

1 - 1,5 oz Absolute Pear

0.5 - 1 oz Limocello or other Lemon Liqueur

1.5 - 2 oz sweet and sour mix

1 - 2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon or key lime juice.


Use more or less vodka, limoncello and sweet and sour to regulate candyness of the drink. Generally, more vodka/less limoncello - means less candy.
Put all the ingredients in the shaker with ice and shake vigorously at least 10 times. This will chill the drink through liquid - ice contact.
Serve with a slice of a pear or sugared lemon in a sugar rimmed glass.

Enjoy!

Is Visalus a scam?

While the product they market seems to have some legitimate use, even though not FDA approved, I am rather bothered by the fact that it's a MLM enterprise.
What do you think?

PDF Attachement Spam

During the last few days I have received a couple of the online-pharmacy spam e-mailsinto my g-mail account. Thesee-mails were not filtered out by GMail's spam detecting bots. Essentially, these e-mails were without any inline text, but with a PDF file attached.
My conclusion: Gmail anti spam algorithms aren't aware of PDF files content.

Edit: Adobe has commented on the possibility of PDF spam filter implementation. Read about it on CNET.

Sprint PCS Termination Fee

Sprint PCS Will Not Produce Any Evidence of Contract, Charges Early Termination Fee

So, I got myself an iPhone. Really nice little gadget, plus the reception I get on the AT&T network is so much better everywhere I normally use my cellphone: home, at work, etc. etc. This post is however is not about the iPhone.

Unlike some people I had no problem activating my new iPhone, it worked smoothly and my number of 6 years transferred flawlessly from Sprint PCS network to AT&T network. Here I were, happily enjoying my newly found connectivity until I received a final bill from Sprint PCS with a promise to charge my checking account to the amount of 150 American dollars as an early termination fee.

I have had my phone with Sprint for over two years, and I do not recall changing my plan but I might have done so.
I decided to call them and after a 15 minutes wait I was talking to a guy who told me that supposedly I have changed my plan with them in the December of 2006 and it was then that I have signed a new two year contract agreement with them.
I replied that I do not recall any such thing and that I were not able to access my account info or any of the previous statements on the Sprint web site, and that I would like to have a copy of that contract agreement with my signature sent to me for my records.
The guy on the other end of the line answered that it is not possible, because the don't do that.
I was surprised and I asked him how can I believe that I have actually signed a contract, if they cannot provide me with a copy of one.


His reply was: but we sent you one in the billing statement you received after you have authorized the change.

me Then you would have no trouble sending it again?

him No, sir, no we cannot do that.

me Why?

him Because you changed your plan over the phone?

me Have I?

him Yes, I have a record of it here.

me But you just told me you sent me a copy of a contract with signature. How was it possible if it was a verbal agreement?

him I am sorry I made a mistake.

me So, you do not have any proof?

him You could go to a local Sprint PCS store, they will be able to make a print out for you.

me A print out of what?

him Of an agreement.

me I am not going anywhere, if they can give it to me, you can send it to me.

him No, I cannot do it, sir.


After that I just told him that I am not going to pay anything to them until they will be able to produce a hard copy proving that I have actually signed anything at all.
I am also going to send them a letter protesting a charge. I have already stopped all and any charges to my checking account from the Sprint PCS.

Disclaimer: the dialog posted is not an accurate transcript of the conversation. It is only to the best of my recollection. I am in no way affiliated with either AT&T nor Apple Inc.

iPhone syncing with iSync

I was curious if I could sync my iPhone with iSync. Yes it is possible. There is a trick to it. One must have the status of iSync shown in the status bar and initiate the sync by clicking the status icon and choosing Sync Now. It will sync everything except for music and other iTunes stuff. Interestingly it will not show syncing notification on the iPhone screen.
I came to realize that iSync is used for non iTunes related syncing when, while playing around with the settings if the utility I changed the Protect your Data on your Computer setting from default of 5 percent to any. After that every time I would Sync in iTunes and any info at all has been changed in the contacts, an alert window would pop up asking for a permission to update the contacts on my Mac. Before it would only pop up if the change was 5% or more.

Opps I am late. Apperently it has been already discovered: Link

Mac Os 10.4.3 fixes Canon Raw file compatibility.

Several photography related fixes were included in the Apple's release of the upgrade for its Mac Os Tiger version 10.4.3.
OS level support for many RAW file formats now bug free. I was particularly happy to see support for both CRW and CR2 Canon Raw file formats supported in Finder, iPhoto and the Preview application. Also DNG format now has a better support by Apple applications. I believe that these fixes and new RAW file formats support were added by Apple in order for the new application for the photographers - Aperture, to work correctly, as the Aperture relies on the OS and its image format handling capabilities.