eBabble

We’ve dropped the cost for the Budget PC to $750 CDN including a 19″ LCD and UPS.

PC Build: Budget System $750 CDN

I was a subscriber to Windows IT Pro magazine since it was Windows NT. Recently, as have quite a few print publications, Windows IT Pro and their publisher Penton started soliciting their subscribers with a ton of crap, all from them (at least no third parties, but PC World did that to me) offering white papers, seminars and such. They provided an opt out at the bottom of the email, which I used since they are a well known publisher. I then received this email:

Dear IT Professional –

You recently requested to opt-out of Windows IT Pro mailings. We have accommodated your request but we would like to ask you a few questions about your decision.

Please click on the following link to complete the survey. It should only take two minutes of your time.

Thank you in advance for your feedback. The information you provide is invaluable in making sure we meet the needs of our subscribers.

———————
You received this email because you have an existing business relationship with Windows IT Pro, a division of Penton Media. Periodically, we will inform you of special Penton-related shows, products and other offers that we believe you will find helpful in your business or career. To STOP receiving promotional e-mails from Windows IT Pro, please click here: http://privacy.penton.com/default.aspx?C=1&P=45010&Q=3 . Or you may opt out by emailing privacy@penton.com.

Windows IT Pro | Penton Media | 249 W. 17th Street | New York, NY 10011 | Privacy policy: http://www.penton.com/Pages/PrivacyStatementSH.aspx

Obviously they didn’t get it when I indicated I didn’t want any more of their emails. Opting out doesn’t mean you’d like to receive more emails about why you opted out: it means DON’T SEND ME MORE EMAILS!

A new eBabble Weakly looking at Windows Home Server CTP and my new test platform.

eBabble Weakly 2007/04/30: Backup

I’ve (re)started my weekly column into all things electronic.  The first post is available now: my bizarre attempt at subscribing to Microsoft TechNet.

eBabble Weakly

I just installed my second Nvidia SLI configuration, and experienced the same setbacks.  My first rig used dual eVGA 7800GTs, and I just upgraded to eVGA 7900GT KO Superclock models.  I used the eVGA Nforce 4 SLI motherboard for both; it handles SLI a little different than the rest by having three PCI-E 16x slots.  Use the middle slot if you have one video card, or the outer two if running SLI; no fussing with anything.  I had one card running without issue.

After installing the second card and shuffling the first the PC refused to boot.  Various screwing around did nothing for me but increase my blood pressure, so I unplugged it and left for a few hours.  I plugged it back in and powered up the PC without incident.  While booting I consulted the manual and found that video output is handled by the second card in SLI, which I had my monitor connected to from my previous SLI experience.  Rebooting found no video signal, so I moved it to the top card.  There was Windows XP, and the Nvidia drivers were letting me know I was set up for dual display, but did I want to enable SLI?  I tried to enable it, but my resolution was at 800×600 and the dialog box was appearing on the second phantom monitor, which I finally right clicked around for and cleared up.  I clicked through and enabled SLI, which asked for a reboot.  I rebooted, but only after moving the monitor to the second video card as the manual stated.  Rebooting brought me to another blank screen, so I swapped again and found the Nvidia driver asking me if I wanted to enable SLI.

After recovering from my overwhelming deja vu I clicked through and rebooted.  This time I left the monitor where it was and of course rebooted to a blank screen so I moved the monitor to the second video card and everything was finally there, but at 800×600.  What a pain.

I’ve decided to test out eBabble based on Wordpress, since the site is a one man show and I’d like to post from anywhere.  Slowly but surely I will integrate eBabble into this format and eventually get rid of the current format.