Why is it that manufacturers of electronic equipment want clients to keep on purchasing new parts rather than go out of their way and remedy malfunctions through repair? I read from a website (I forgot the site address) that Elitegroup Computer Systems of Taiwan designed their laptops with so many hidden screws that it will discourage an owner from doing repairs himself. This is another vote for the one China policy. I was so pissed off that I told myself not to buy another Taiwan made product in the future.
About four months ago, my laptop croaked on me. Well, it actually beeped on me. I turned it on and it made three long beeps with no screen. This prompted me to visit the authorized repair center to have it checked even though it is four months beyond is warranty.
Three beeps from the BIOS of my ECS laptop means base memory error.
Before taking the laptop to the authorize technicians, I consulted our office technicians first. I was advised to try to remove the memory module, use a soft eraser to clean the gold contact, re-seat the module firmly and try it again. The beeping is still there.
Unfortunately, when I brought the laptop to the authorized service center, I was told the problem with the beeping sound can only be remedied by purchasing a new mainboard since the problem was not the memory module but the DIMM receptacle. A new mainboard or shipping the laptop to Taiwan for repairs will cost me half the price of the laptop.
Disappointed, I went home. There, I tried to open the laptop by myself. I did not have a digital camera at that time so I was not able to document it for you. Alas, I cannot solve the problem.
I turned to our office technicians for help and they obliged me. Sadly, they too cannot repair the mainboard.
A few days ago, I chanced upon an advertisement of a repair center. The ad says that they can repair mainboard problems that the machine's own authorized repair center cannot. They say that since the manufacturers of the laptop is a business establishment, they prefer the clients to buy at a larger sum rather than providing affordable repair solutions.
So I tried this one. I will find out soon enough if their batting average on repairs is good. :)
Showing posts with label technical. Show all posts
Showing posts with label technical. Show all posts
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Friday, August 24, 2007
Choosing a career
On August 28, the Department of Education of the Republic of the Philippines will be conducting its National Career Assessment Examination to all public and private 4th year high school students.
The NCAE is aimed at assessing the possible career tracks of each student. This will help guide students at the course they will likely to succeed in.
Most Filipinos dream of having at least one child finish college. Due to the large number of families in the lower income bracket, the hopes are left with the eldest child. They either finish their degrees draining up most of their families resources or they skip college and immediately go to work.
Most popular professions are: entertainers, actors, dancers, physical therapists, nurses, doctors, and teachers. Most of those try to get into the arts are disappointed not because they lack talent but because there is a lot of competition and there are just too many others with even better talents. As for those trying to get into the medical professions, they are not simply cut out for the medical field and end up dropping out of college after a short stay.
Children have a lot of career options in mind. Parents too have career options for their children. Which among these options should they choose? I know this dilemma personally because I had lots of career options myself. I thought of becoming a lawyer, a priest, a successful entrepreneur, or a soldier. I even dreamed of a career as Global Dictator!
With the results of the NCAE, students and parents can better decide on what career path to choose where the child will likely to meet success. If the results point to a career in arts, the student may enroll in an art class or a certificate course in the arts in any university. If the results show that the child has a capacity in academics, that child may take up any course in college based on the result of sub-domains in Science and Mathematics. Other career options are for the student to take up technical-vocational courses or an entrepreneurial course.
Most people fear that the NCAE may become an obstacle to a college degree. This is not true since there is no law passed providing the exam this authority. DepEd plans to make the NCAE as such in the future anyway.
For those who think that college is the only way to success, please reconsider. Although a college degree is needed to be employed or promoted, most company policies I have read also considers equivalents to a degree.
The Technical Educations and Skills Development Authority of the Philippine Government offers certifications for technical-vocational course graduates. A National Certification Level III (NC3) I thinks is equal to a college degree. Following this trend, NC4 and NC5 are equivalents of a masters or doctoral degree.
So kids, troop down to your schools on Tuesday, August 28 and take the test. Who knows, you may end up having a higher position in a company compared to someone who took the college degree you have dreamed of.
The NCAE is aimed at assessing the possible career tracks of each student. This will help guide students at the course they will likely to succeed in.
Most Filipinos dream of having at least one child finish college. Due to the large number of families in the lower income bracket, the hopes are left with the eldest child. They either finish their degrees draining up most of their families resources or they skip college and immediately go to work.
Most popular professions are: entertainers, actors, dancers, physical therapists, nurses, doctors, and teachers. Most of those try to get into the arts are disappointed not because they lack talent but because there is a lot of competition and there are just too many others with even better talents. As for those trying to get into the medical professions, they are not simply cut out for the medical field and end up dropping out of college after a short stay.
Children have a lot of career options in mind. Parents too have career options for their children. Which among these options should they choose? I know this dilemma personally because I had lots of career options myself. I thought of becoming a lawyer, a priest, a successful entrepreneur, or a soldier. I even dreamed of a career as Global Dictator!
With the results of the NCAE, students and parents can better decide on what career path to choose where the child will likely to meet success. If the results point to a career in arts, the student may enroll in an art class or a certificate course in the arts in any university. If the results show that the child has a capacity in academics, that child may take up any course in college based on the result of sub-domains in Science and Mathematics. Other career options are for the student to take up technical-vocational courses or an entrepreneurial course.
Most people fear that the NCAE may become an obstacle to a college degree. This is not true since there is no law passed providing the exam this authority. DepEd plans to make the NCAE as such in the future anyway.
For those who think that college is the only way to success, please reconsider. Although a college degree is needed to be employed or promoted, most company policies I have read also considers equivalents to a degree.
The Technical Educations and Skills Development Authority of the Philippine Government offers certifications for technical-vocational course graduates. A National Certification Level III (NC3) I thinks is equal to a college degree. Following this trend, NC4 and NC5 are equivalents of a masters or doctoral degree.
So kids, troop down to your schools on Tuesday, August 28 and take the test. Who knows, you may end up having a higher position in a company compared to someone who took the college degree you have dreamed of.
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