Windows of missed opportunities

FROM MY CORNER .... with Ann Brunswick

In the past week it was necessary for me to purchase a new desktop personal computer for home use. The new system came with the latest Microsoft operating system Windows 7 already loaded and ready for use, well almost.

Unfortunately, when I tried to connect to the internet via my existing broadband modem, nothing happened. Oh, it must be a matter of simply re-installing the modem drivers from the disk it came with when purchased a few years ago. The disk was inserted and I worked my way through all the steps, but all to no avail. The same happened with my existing printer. Reloading the drivers from the printer’s original disk achieved nothing.
To cut this story short, a trip to a nearby IT retailer with my credit card resolved the problems. I knew that was the fastest way to resolve the problems when my eyes fell on the bright blue sticker on the modem’s box on the shelf saying “Supports Windows 7”
So, I am now the owner of a new modem and a new printer purchased for several hundred dollars apiece. One wonders what response might be forthcoming from Mr Gates of Microsoft fortune if a letter of complaint actually reached his desk. Maybe: “Oh, you wanted to use Windows 7 and actually connect to the net with your existing modem and use your old printer? Gee, we never thought anyone would want to do that!”
Now I won’t go on about how even the new modem was so difficult to install. Oh bugger it, I will. The instructions inside the package, of course, said to simply insert the disk and follow the instructions. Which is exactly what I did, but nothing happened.
In the end it was a matter of ringing my ISP (one of the few to whom the word “service” in ISP actually does apply) and having one of their tech-heads walk me through several steps that simply did not appear on the prompt screens generated by the disk. Within no time I was up and running and searching the world wide web again. I did remark to my ISP representative that every time it was necessary for me to install a new modem, the so-called “intuitive” steps on the disk never actually achieve what they claim they will.
He told me, in a very knowing voice, that it was a common problem. Quite an understatement, one would think.

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In my previous column I remarked upon the inevitability of rail commuters facing fare hikes following the public float of Queensland Rail’s coal haulage business. My argument – shared by many others, I hasten to add – was that selling off QR’s profitable minerals’ haulage business would bring to an end the ability to use those profits to subsidise inevitably uneconomic passenger services.

One who agreed was Dusty Miller of Spring Hill who emailed: “If you have a look at the annual report of Translink for 2009/10 you will see that the income of $1,207 million was essentially: user charges $304 million, grants and other contributions $898 million, interest $5 million.
“I made some enquires and learned that the state government pays subsidies of about $3 for each $1 collected as fares. This applies to all public carriers in Queensland and costs the government well over $1 billion a year.
“It would seem that to relieve the government of these subsidies ALL fares would have to go UP
by about four times! Or maybe, triple would do if QR, the buses and ferries became more efficient!”
Well said, Dusty. Once QR National is floated we – the paying passengers – will surely miss the $200 million in profits it poured into government coffers each year.

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This coming weekend the Liberal National Party will use its state council meeting in Cairns to reveal the party’s new motto. Apparently the call went out from party heavyweights for members to make their own suggestions for a suitable motto for the party that was create through the merger of the Liberal and National parties in 2008.

A newsletter sent to LNP members said the chosen motto would “further unify, strengthen and encourage our membership and appeal to Queenslanders more broadly”. Given the state of the current government of Anna Bligh, the LNP may need a only a very simple motto such as “How Much Worse Could We Possibly Be?”.
Unfortunately for readers of this column, the closing date for submissions was last Friday. Still I am sure they would welcome late entries.