b.cognosco

I bought a new computer today. It's one of those build-your-own things and it will be a while before I get all the parts together, but I've had it with buying ready-made PCs. I got a nice Gigabyte motherboard with built-in RAID, an AMD XP2200+, 1GB of DDR PC2700 RAM and a swell all-aluminum case.

My current hard-drive munching Micron PC is in the throes of eating its fifth -- yes, fifth -- hard drive in the 2.5 years that I have had it and I've had e-friggin-nuff. There is something seriously wrong with this steaming pile of Micron PC feces and I can't begin to figure out what it is. I've never had a computer that just ate the damn drives. It doesn't matter what IDE channel, whether it's the onboard controller or a PCI card, whether it's the original drive or one added later.

This stinking Micron PC yard sausage has been eating drives since the original 20GB WDC drive failed six months into my ownership. I should have sent it back to Micron when the original drive died, but I didn't. Micron had declared bankruptcy and I just knew it wasn't worth the hassle. So I bought a 20GB IBM drive -- which died almost exactly a year later.

IBM sent me a replacement. A few months later I bought two more IBM drives. They both failed, one month apart and almost exactly one year after purchase. IBM has so far sent me one replacement, with one more on the way. Now I've gotten two severe disk write errors on the oldest 20GB IBM drive (that was warrantied about a year ago) in the past week. I've had to run disk scan and remap bad sectors both times. It's just a matter of time until it dies for good.

I give up. This smoldering pile of Micron PC putrefaction is a disgrace. I will never spend another red cent with Micron PC or with any affiliated company.

Hopefully, I'll have better luck with the new box. At least I'll know what components are in it. More details as I get it together.

Scott Walker's Leading Economic Indicator Goes Up

5:42:36 PM

comment []

Congratulations to my friend Scott Walker, who has just rejoined the ranks of the fully employed. After taking a year out to work with me at an unsuccessful Silicon Valley venture and then a lengthy, forced sabatical Scott got back on at his old company in a better situation than when he left. Goes to show some folks recognize talent when they see it.

More importantly, Scott's new employer has enough new work in their pipeline they needed his help. Since they work in brand asset management for BigCos, this must mean they're getting ready to loosen up a bit on the purse strings. We can't read too much into it, but it is a welcome sign.

Congrats to Scott and may the trend continue.