Questions from the masses
It’s been a while since I raided the mailbag for some material. Let’s see if we can clear up some questions.Q. I received a new PC for Christmas and it came with Windows XP Media Center 2005 on it. I am not fully sure what this is capable of versus normal Windows XP and the PC didn’t come with a manual. What did I get with this?
A. I firmly believe Dell and a few others are pushing Windows Media Center edition because it has not sold very well on the open market and Microsoft is giving them some incentives to get rid of it. If you never touch the Media Center parts of the operating system it will work just like Windows XP. If you decide to connect your computer to a TV source (cable TV or satellite) then you can train your computer to work sort of like a Tivo. Windows Media Center has the ability to record television programming, so it’s important to have a big hard drive.
Q. I am upset with Dell’s Web site. I ordered a computer from the Web site and when I went back to check an hour later they were giving away a free flat-panel monitor, which I paid $170 for. When I complained I got nowhere.
A. Dell offers a dynamic Web site that adjusts “special offers” based on what the company has in stock. You will find 19-inch monitors offered on special when the company is running low on 17s or 15s offered when 17s and 19s are low. I don’t think you got ripped off, however, as I tend to think (but have no evidence to support) that the overall system price does not change. So while the flat-panel monitor is offered as a free upgrade, the overall cost of the system is adjusted to pay for it. The think about Dell is, just keep refreshing the site every day until you find the offer you want.
Q. Like you, rebates are driving me insane. I think they are getting more complex and more annoying. Did you fall for this one? (Link attached.)
A. Yes, when I received my new Nikon digital camera I was offered a “free” Epson printer that ended up being four separate rebates totaling $180. They required copies of the UPC codes of both the printer and the camera, copies of the sales receipts and four separate mailed forms, which then required serial numbers of both devices. My recent rebate for Dlink was denied because the company claimed I missed the “postmark by” date (I didn’t) and I never received a rebate I applied for from a Symantec product. (Because many rebates are amazingly mailed as postcards it is a wonder any are received at all.)
Until the attorneys general of the states get some backbone we will be stuck with this junk.
Q. You were wrong when you said the end of Microsoft Internet Explorer for the Mac was just announced. That announcement was made a long time ago.
A. Yes, about 500 Mac aficionados brought the incorrect verb to my attention. (It’s nice to be loved.) The point remains, if you’re using IE for the Mac, you should switch to Firefox or Safari.
WEEKLY WEB WONDER: There are lots of answer sites out there. One of the better ones is AnswerBag (www.answerbag.com) which lets you ask and answer questions on nearly any topic under the sun.
James Derk is co-owner of CyberDads, a computer repair company, and computer columnist for Scripps Howard News Service. His email address is jim@cyberdads.com
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