Category: Friends - Clive Gray Enterprises

Honesty

11/27/2015

This is a little rant I'm afraid. I know it's basically my fault BUT!!!!!

Sometimes when at clients premises, I have to use a series of rescue/installation discs to resolve an issue.

Sometimes, it can take quite a few hours to sort out the multiple problems people allow to accumulate on their computer before seeking professional help. A lot of which is helped along by the 'bar room fixers' who know absolutely sod all in real terms about much at all.

They don't know what the real problem is because they've not seen it and clients rarely know how to describe the problem fully anyway - not that there's anything wrong with that, I don't expect it.

The client then goes and mis-follows the wrong advice they've been given and make an even bigger dogs breakfast of the whole thing and after they've totally screwed their computer, they call me.

Now to the point of my rant.

After I've spent hours sorting out the cock-up, I put my things back in my bag (or so I think) and head off home. Some days, or even weeks, later I open my bag looking for the discs to find that I've accidentally left at my clients.

The annoying thing is the client, who now has a full set of service and recovery discs that I've paid for, and doesn't have a clue in hell how to use them, hasn't had the decency to ring me and let me know I've left them. This has happened every time I've done it.

I now have to go through the time and expense of getting a new set of dics together.

ONE THING YOU GET FROM ME IS HONESTY, IF YOU CAN'T RETURN THE FAVOUR THEN YOU DON'T DESERVE THE SERVICES I OFFER.

I will work out where I left them and that person will have a heavy bill next time they call me!

It just goes to show, there's a lot of really dishonest immigrants out there.

Countdown

6/16/2014

Hi everybody,

I have to go to the UK next week so will be unavailable except for remote service or advice.

I will be away from Monday 23rd June to Friday 27th inclusive.

Thank you for your understanding.

Clive

Over 90% of all Android phones are hackable - easy peasy

7/6/2013

I bet you didn't know that, did you! I wonder how many of you out there have been doing your on-line banking using some Android App, or other in blissful ignorance.

Me? Never! Android is the most targeted mobile operating system on the market - just like Windows is the most targeted operating system on PCs.

Ahhh, you reply, I've got my anti-virus program in place to protect me!

That is good, says I but the way this works by-passes your anti-virus programs protection system.

The best of it is, this vulnerability was discovered some 4 years ago in Android 1.6 (Donut) and has been carried over into every version since.

Basically, the flaw exposed in the Application Packages (APK) allows a hacker to add malicious code into an already signed App without changing the Apps signature so the App still reads as genuine and safe.

It is effectively like giving the hackers the keys to your device. They can steal all your data, accounts, passwords and run any App on your phone without your knowledge.

Google were notified of this vulnerability in February (which begs the question why were they kept in the dark for so long) and have reworked the Google Play store so it rejects any Apps that are vulnerable to the flaw. Any infected Apps already on your phone will no longer get updates from Google Play Store.

What this means for you is that any App you downloaded before this month COULD (not IS) be infected. The only ways to ensure your phone has no infected Apps is to download and install your Android operating system from the Android archives (only for experienced users) or uninstall all your Apps and reset your phone to factory defaults (assuming this hasn't been infected).

How do I keep myself from being infected?

Keep away from those 3rd party app providers - only download from a trusted source - make sure you've got that in your settings be careful of emails and don't plug in any USB device from your friends (this also means don't plug your USB device into a friends phone). Basically the same advice you give to anyone with a computer.

Don't have nightmares folks!

All registered trade marks acknowledged.

Holiday Update

4/7/2013

Hello everybody.

Please be advised that we are starting to get booked up for April, so if you think your PC has a problem, or you're considering taking up one of our other services then please contact us now or we may not be able to get you sorted before we go.

You might even miss out on our FREE telephone install offer available for this month only if you don't get in now! Check our Special Offer page for more details.

Please don't leave it until the last minute and miss out.

Holidays

1/14/2013

Just a quick post to let everyone know we will not be taking calls from 5th May 2013 until 21st May 2013 inclusive as we will be on holiday. We will be open for calls again on the 22nd May.

We are having a well earned break, not having done so for over 2 years. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

We will, of course, still be monitoring our telephone networks and will be in a position to remedy any problems should there be any.

I want a free VoIP number - 'just like skype'

9/2/2012

Well, I hear many things but this is taking the mickey a bit.

I was asked if I have voip numbers for the Netherlands, which I do. This person wanted me to give them a number for free 'like skype do' so their friends and family can call them for free because skype don't do Netherlands numbers?!?! She uses skype because they're the cheapest and the quality is better than voip (oh yes?).

What does she think I am - don't answer that!

Oh, she seemed to think that once she has a voip number, it will automatically ring her landline telephone, not quite sure how that works, nor was she but that's what she wanted. She wasn't interested in how it actually works or what's involved but she believes it won't cost her money. Well she's on a quest because she refuses to listen.

Don't get me wrong, it can be done but not without it costing money because without the voip account (which IS free) the call has to be forwarded to a landline/mobile, which is the same thing as making a phone call and phone calls cost money.

Firstly, I'm not a charity and she is not a charity either. If I was supplying numbers for a charity I would be happy to offer a discount but I need to make a profit.
Secondly, she wasn't interested in using my voip service because she has used, and had bad experiences with, the service from the 'free' voip ..... (voipcheap, voipstunt .....) range of companies so she knows all about it - not.
Thirdly, skype do not offer free numbers of any sort.
Fourthly, skype is not the cheapest . My rates are generally cheaper than skype and you don't have to pay a connection fee or add vat either (see below).
Fifthly, I have a customer who constantly looks out for the best/cheapest deal around and he has always been a skype addict for years, until he tried my service - saves him money and is better quality, see testimonials.

Call rate comparison - 30 minute call

Call destination

UK landline

Orange UK mobile

skype

€0.72

€7.30

Clive Gray Computers

€0.23

€3.21

So there we have it, Skype is really cheap - Whooooppppssss, no it isn't, is it? Get over it!
Don't be fooled by all the hype or your friends who'll tell you skype's the best thing since sliced bread. It isn't!
Skype is now owned by our friends at Microsoft so that tells you everything.

prices correct as at 2/9/2012
Brand names and trademarks in this article belong to their respective owners - not Clive Gray Computers.

Brotherly love

8/19/2012

As some of you will know, we have recently moved into a nice detached house (we rent so we can move as and when we want to, and we always get a good price).
Again, as some of you will know, we have cats. We are also aware that some people don't like cats so BEFORE we decided to move in, we spoke with our neighbours to be to see if they have an issue with cats. "Oh, we have a few cats that pass through the place" says he. Not satisfied with his answer, I pointed out that we have cats and asked if he had a problem with that. "Oh no" says he so we went ahead and moved in.
Guess what, it turns out that he was lieing through his teeth (assuming they're his). It turns out both he and his wife HATE cats with a vengeance.
The two times our cats have dared to set paws on their property, they both lashed out at us with so much verbal abuse it really took me by surprise, demanding that we keep our cats off their property. Asking how we are supposed to do that, they bawl and shout at us to keep them locked up in the house!!
Is it our fault they make their property inviting to cats? Is it our fault they make little or no attempt to keep animals off their property? We have put screening up to deter the cats from going into their property but cats will get there if they want to.
This is a retired couple who have nothing better to do and obviously believe the world revolves around them.
They are not prepared to discuss how we can work together to reach a satisfactory conclusion, all they can do is shout and bully so it seems I will have to put them in their place. Norman & Betty beware!

Brotherly love, it don't exist on this urbanisation - and that comes from the letting agents I've subsequently spoken to.

Trojan virus warning

6/2/2012

It has been brought to our attention by a customer that there is a trojan virus currently doing the rounds. It comes in the form of a supposed warning from the police about illegal downloading etc. and asking for a payment into an account.

Please DO NOT open anything to do with this. Delete it immediately should you come across it.

Beware friends bearing gifts - A Cautionary Tale

11/27/2011

This posting isn't exactly related to my business but it might help someone out there so I'll try to keep it short.

I had a mate, for this story we'll call him Dave. Dave had been a mate of mine, or so I thought, for many years but little did I realise there was a much darker side to him.

Knowing I was going to sell my house he came up with a wheeze of an idea. He would get it valued, totally refurbish it from top to bottom, inside out and we would then split the profit between us. Sounds great so we agree terms and he creates the contract. There were a couple of, what appeared to be, very minor issues with the contract but he's a mate after all and we did agree everything and the contract more or less represents what we agreed.

Work completed, house valued and price duly manipulated by Dave on the basis you can always lower the price but you can't increase it. This is one of the main keys of the scam!

The house is advertised as agreed and suddenly, BANG! House prices slump as we hit the global recession. Dave now decides this is the time to start pressuring me for 'his' money out of my house but not at the verbally agreed rates, oh no!! This is why the CONtract seemed a little odd, he worded in such a way that he could rip me off at any time he so desired, and rip me off he did, BIG TIME.

As it transpires, not only was I grossly overcharged for the work Dave carried out but the quality of his workmanship is described as 'incompetent' by the builders who are now having to remedy his bodges. It seems that not only was Dave incompetent in his workmanship, he also used the wrong or insufficient materials all over the place.

As I see it, Dave knew what he was doing, he deliberately and intentionally bodged the job because it wasn't on his own property, he deliberately worded the contract to rip me off and he deliberately and knowingly made fraudulent expenses claims. Following this experience, I believe Dave would rip off his own family if he thought he could make money out of it - just to prove a point.

Due to the quality of Daves work, we now have tradesmen in remedying all his bodgery - and at cheaper rates than his!

Moral of this story is, if you're going to 'get into bed' with anybody, including friends, on a money making scheme, make sure there's a contract in place, it represents exactly what you have agreed and the contract is prepared by a solicitor. If any form of construction work is involved, make sure it's carried out by tradesmen and not 'honest John' down the road. If they don't agree, forget the whole idea, it's not worth it!