More converts to Linux

At work we had an auction on a number of older laptops that were replaced by newer machines.  I got lucky and was able to buy a Dell D820 for my wife.  Our tech support people did a great job testing the machines before we got them to ensure they worked and reinstalled Windows XP.  I re-imaged the machine to PCLinux as a dual boot machine.  It didn't take very long and it was running and my wife is very happy that she can now work anywhere in the house using the wireless connection.  I left it as dual boot as she does use Microsoft Publisher now-and-then and this will allow her the option to use the program.  My wife just loves the machine and it appears that her 'old' desktop may be repurposed in the near future as a server for our household.  I figure that we can put the printers on that machine and then share it so it won't matter where we are in the house we can print to the laser or inkjet on demand.

My daughter got a new laptop at Christmas and I was storing her old Compaq desktop.  I re-imaged that machine also to Linux and it will be going to my middle son and his family.  It will be great for them as it is more responsive than Windows XP and more secure out-of-the-box.  I also loaded a number of educational games for my grandson.  Upside is that this saves them money buying a new machine and an older machine gets an extended life in a new home.  Libre Office was installed so they can read and update any of the documents they have on their laptop.

Telemarketing Scammers

Not a linux or PC topic, but, I have been getting a lot of telemarketing companies calling me.  Since I am on the DNCL (Do Not Call list)  I keep telling the telemarketer to add me to their do-not-call list.  Obviously they are scammers and don't add me to their list and continue calling me.  I do a little bit of homework looking up their calls and when I see where they are from it is almost obvious they are forging the caller id information.  Several of the calls came from out west and the location has at most 100 houses and not a call center.  I keep filling in the complaint form on the DNCL web site, but, since caller id is forged it is an exercise in futility.  The last call came from 999-910-0221.  If you know anything about area codes then you know that 999 is an impossible value.  I found a spot on the CRTC web site and I filled in a question on why they have not launched an effort to stop caller id forging.

It is at the point now that I cannot trust the caller id information until I hear the voice on the other end.  If it is a co-worker, family or friend then it is not a problem.  For not-for-profits I keep telling them to send me a pledge form in the mail as I cannot trust caller id anymore and just because the name/number shown is for the charity I cannot believe that!  I never give out my credit card information to anyone over the telephone.

If you are in Canada I would suggest that you send the CRTC a short note requesting that they start a discussion with the telephone companies about this problem.  We are paying for a service, but, cannot trust it as scammers/spammers have hijacked the system and are forging telephone numbers that show on the caller id.  If you are in the USA You may want to check the FTC to see what can be done there.

PCLinuxos 2011 and Flash Crash

A while ago I upgraded Jane's machine to the latest version of PCLinux and then updated all of the software.  When she was surfing sites with Flash it would crash and nothing would work to enable flash.  I did the update to the latest version and it still didn't work.  I eventually found out that Firefox was pointing to the older version within the add-ons manager section (Tools, ad-ons, and then go to the plugin section).  After I disabled the older version of flash and restarted Firefox the Flash pages started to work.