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The Weekly Round-Up: 02.02.07
'Hey fool - quit your jibber-jabber!'

By silicon.com

Published: Friday 02 February 2007

Where to begin this week? How about with the biggest launch from Microsoft in five years? Or what about Norwich Union bringing call centre jobs back from India? Or how about Mr T, of A-Team fame, becoming an unlikely spokesman for the IT industry?

Or how about news that the floppy disk has now been consigned to history?

That's right, this week saw a milestone in the history of home computing and therefore, where else could the Round-Up begin than with the news about those outdated and unwelcome disks... or Microsoft Windows Vista, to give it its full name.

Bill Gates, possibly making the most of the last days of his Microsoft summer and running up his air miles in the process, was even in London this week, en route from Davos to Edinburgh, to attend the launch - the first of its kind to take place with him outside the US.

Our man on the ground at the Vista launch tells us the event was the epitome of precision and tight planning - everything scheduled right down to the very last minute.

For example the itinerary included one session which began at 12:37.

Not 12:36, note, or even 12:38 (heaven forbid).

Because, of course, if there is one thing Microsoft is known for it's its timekeeping. (Chuckle.)

Predictably and very much true to form the timing went out the Windows and the whole event ran well behind schedule (much like the long-awaited software it was promoting).

Also attending the launch were indie-pop band The Feeling who played a few tunes for the thronging crowd within the British Library. Apparently they're quite 'hot' at the moment but the Round-Up is not familiar with their work, for shame.

Perhaps while staying in the UK Gates may have come up against the same problem many business travellers encounter at UK hotels - extortionate charges for internet access.

And even if you're the richest man in the world £50 for internet access is going to hit you hard in the old pocket-book - not least of all because of the weak dollar which will be a double whammy for Bill.

This is why silicon.com has launched its Fair Wi-fi campaign this week to iron out some of the iniquities in the industry which still sees business travellers hit with outlandish and entirely unjustifiable charges for internet access.

You can find out more here.

(And while you're in a business travel frame of mind... any chance we could interest you in a survey?)

Not everybody was as over-the-moon about the release of Vista as Gates this week.

The Green Party for starters have certainly thrown their ethically sourced wooden toys out of the papoose.

The more sandal-inclined end of the political spectrum has raised concerns about the landfill effect of Vista and has blamed Microsoft's operating system for forcing consumers to ditch IT equipment in favour of more whiz-bang models which can cope with the increased system requirements of the new OS.

A spokesman for the Green Party said: "Vista requires more expensive and energy-hungry hardware, passing the cost on to consumers and the environment. This will also further exclude the poor from the latest technology and impose burdensome costs on small and medium businesses which will be forced to enter another expensive upgrade cycle."

(If you want to hear more about the launch of Windows Vista or more likely you are intrigued about the aforementioned Mr T 'putting the T into IT' then you're going to have to check out this week's Weekly Round-Up podcast. Thousands of listeners have already realised that a second dose of the Round-Up on a Friday can only be a good thing. If you're not among them, then what are you waiting for? You can also download and subscribe to the podcast via iTunes - just follow this link.)

Back to the environment and the Round-Up really must stress there is no excuse for any kit ending up in landfill - especially if it's still fully capable of running everything bar Windows Vista.

The best option for anybody wondering whether they should chuck their PC in a skip/river/whale's mouth would be to speak to UK charity Computer Aid International which will take PCs that are far from end of life (even if their owners have their hearts set on a younger model) and they will fully refurbish them and send them to community projects in the developing world where they can still make a major difference.

These computers can help bring about a huge change to the quality of life of school children and can dramatically assist in closing social and economic divides.

Which all sounds like a great cause, doesn't it?

Especially for an IT industry increasingly looking at how it can mitigate its impact on the environment.

silicom.com certainly thinks so, which is why, even as you read this, one member of the team - our intrepid managing editor Will Sturgeon - is travelling to Kenya to report on the work of Computer Aid International.

While in Kenya, Will is also undertaking a 400km cycle ride in aid of the IT industry charity and this is your opportunity to sponsor him and two colleagues from CNET Networks UK, publisher of silicon.com.

You can find out more about the challenge here.

And you can sponsor them and the excellent work of Computer Aid International here.

Go on, you know you want to. And let's face it, what else are you going to give your money to, Comic Relief?

Frankly the Round-Up would pay good money not to see Lenny Henry on our televisions ever again... and as for news readers doing song and dance routines, don't get the Round-Up started.

In fact, a special mention now for one of the excellent sponsors of the Kenyan expedition - in fact the main sponsor - Ricoh, a company which can't do wrong for doing right at the moment when it comes to the environment and its corporate social responsibility. Ricoh this week announced plans to offset customers' carbon emissions via an innovative fruit tree-planting scheme in the developing world which also aims to provide jobs and produce for local people.

But enough of this worthiness, the Round-Up is starting to sound like the well-intentioned love child of Prince Charles and Sting.

So moving on quickly, to get away from the mental image of that particular chimera, BT this week issued a press release outlining some of the 'hilarious' enquiries their helpdesk staff have to handle from members of the public using the company's remote assistance service.

Some of them were indeed very funny while others made the Round-Up fearful of the kind of people at large in our society.

Of course there was this classic - which has been cited in dozens of lists of this kind:

Advisor: "Press any key to continue."
Customer: "I can't find the 'Any' key."

Matron, pass the constraints.

But the Round-Up's favourite was undoubtedly an enquiry which began: "I keep getting inappropriate pop-ups on my computer and don't want my wife to think that it's me."

The poor guy, clearly his machine has become infected with some kind of pernicious adware which keeps exposing him to pornography. His concerns that his wife might think it was a result of his own grubby habits is easily understood. He must be genuinely concerned.

But help is at hand. The BT helpdesk worker, who can actually remotely access customers' machines, reassured him: "I will remove them for you."

Only to be asked by the customer: "How do I get them back when she is not in?"

Dirty boy!

Another customer complained that: "My 14-year-old son has put a password on my computer and I can't get in."

"Has he forgotten it?" asked the helpdesk worker, which seemed a reasonable enquiry.

But no.

"He just won't tell me it because I've grounded him."

Proof that the future - which will be controlled by technology - will also belong to the kids.

Anthony Vollmer, head of home IT propositions at BT, said these humorous tales of helpdesk woe "have certainly raised a smile".

However, the Round-Up can't help thinking that won't wash when used as a means to placate any staff who might push for better pay and conditions. ("What do you want more money for? We have a laugh, don't we?")

Vollmer added: "What they highlight is a real demand for a service like BT Home IT Advisor."

No. What they highlight is that some people probably still need help getting dressed in the morning and really should not be allowed online because they are going to be a danger to themselves.

Suddenly, when reading this story alongside all the coverage about identity theft this week, the penny dropped.

People are stupid. Who would have thought?

In other call centre news this week Norwich Union has indeed announced it has brought a number of jobs back to the UK from India after some reported problems for customers making insurance claims.

Norwich Union says it is still committed to its offshoring strategy but media reports suggest a buffer was required between customers and Indian call centre workers when it came to making claims about intricate central heating systems - which may not be such a daily concern for many people in India.

The move has done little to win over UK consumers who deserted the insurer over its move to workers in India. One told silicon.com the 150 jobs which have been repatriated is "a tiny fraction" of the 7,800 jobs that have effectively gone the other way.

And finally, can the Round-Up once again point you in the direction of the Weekly Round-Up podcast, which also includes news of some statistics that have come to light this week claiming to reveal the top search terms on the internet.

Ask yourself, which of these really sounds like the most searched for term... 'Hillary Clinton' or 'Sex'?

You can find out here.

And one final piece of business, as is customary these days - it's caption competition time…

Read the winning entry to last week's competition here.

And check out this week's picture here.