[Monday, September 28, 2009 9:55 AM] -- Automatically generated message:
This is an automated message. Your request has been received by the Technical Support Center and has been queued until a support analyst is available. Support for HP and Compaq desktops and Workstations is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You will receive a response to your support request in 5 minutes or less.
[Monday, September 28, 2009 9:55 AM] -- Automatically generated message:
For reference, your Case ID is 4604000014
[Monday, September 28, 2009 9:56 AM] -- Automatically generated message:
A Support specialist, Rosanna G has been assigned to your case.

[Monday, September 28, 2009 9:56 AM] -- Rosanna G says:
Hello Cem, thank you for contacting HP and for your interest in our Active Chat online support. My name is Rosanna and I see you have a question regarding your Workstation. I'm going to take a few moments to review your information and will message you back very soon.
[Monday, September 28, 2009 9:57 AM] -- Jim Onur says:
sure. thank you
[Monday, September 28, 2009 9:58 AM] -- Rosanna G says:
I would like to confirm your unit is an XW4600 with serial number 2Uxxxxxxxx3. You have onsite warranty until April 7, 2011.
[Monday, September 28, 2009 9:58 AM] -- Rosanna G says:
I understand that you are getting NMI: Parity Check / Memory Parity Error?

Have you tested each stick of memory one at a time?
[Monday, September 28, 2009 9:59 AM] -- Jim Onur says:
no. I have not opened the case.
[Monday, September 28, 2009 10:00 AM] -- Jim Onur says:
the test would take more than a week to complete. as the error takes days to occur. is there any other parity checks that I can use? the BIOS cannot find any errors.
[Monday, September 28, 2009 10:01 AM] -- Rosanna G says:
We can troubleshoot your memory using the following procedure:

1) Shut down the computer and unplug all power
2) Locate the memory banks on your unit
3) Remove all memory from the DIMM slots
4) Install one DIMM

[Monday, September 28, 2009 10:02 AM] -- Jim Onur says:
OK. I just want to make sure that you have understood that the blue screen and the parity error appears after days of usage.
[Monday, September 28, 2009 10:02 AM] -- Jim Onur says:
Not immediately after reboot
[Monday, September 28, 2009 10:03 AM] -- Rosanna G says:
Ok. The NMI: Parity Check / Memory Parity Error is a memory error. we need to test the memory.
[Monday, September 28, 2009 10:04 AM] -- Jim Onur says:
The test you have outlined will take more than a WEEK. as we would have to use one memory at a time, reboot the computer and wait for DAYS for the blue screen to appear, if it does not we will have to try COMBINATIONS of memories, which will take about a month to complete.
[Monday, September 28, 2009 10:04 AM] -- Jim Onur says:
Of course, if this is what we have to do to get the support, then we do not have much of a choice.
[Monday, September 28, 2009 10:06 AM] -- Rosanna G says:
Here is the Link from Microsoft for this error.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315223
[Monday, September 28, 2009 10:06 AM] -- Jim Onur says:
:) I don't think we are communicating here.
[Monday, September 28, 2009 10:07 AM] -- Jim Onur says:
Thank you for your support. We will spend weeks isolating the problematic memory and then give you a call.
[Monday, September 28, 2009 10:07 AM] -- Jim Onur says:
You have been very, very helpful.
[Monday, September 28, 2009 10:07 AM] -- Rosanna G says:
You're welcome. Once again, thank you for contacting HP and have a great day!

Now, I am mostly angry at these idiots. For being idiots. Not the individuals who had to suffer, had to endure this horrible natural disaster. But to the darned imbeciles, who fail to learn from past experiences. This is not the first time a flash flood took lives in Istanbul. And, mind you, by "past" I mean 1995 not 1928. These people, are so dumb that, regardless of what had happened years ago, would still build more structures on the path of the flood escape route, not take any extra precautions and just go on living their lives, from one natural disaster to the other. They will, die, suffer, survive, and NEVER LEARN! That's why I am so angry, that's why I am so bitter. Innocent people will die, because the people in charge will not understand, will not act, and will not actually suffer. The ancient, thousands of years old part of the city will not be flooded, heck, they survived over 2000 years of occupation, war, famine, and disaster. The ancient parts of the city are built on top of 7 hills - for a good reason apparently. It's the modern numskull who is poised and destined to die under fantastic circumstances in one of the oldest cities in the world. Because of lack of foresight, failure to understand and implement.

1995, flash flood takes lives. It is clearly understood that old river basins are the flood escape routes and it is not wise to build structures, especially factories at low altitude, bottom of the hill locations in Istanbul. No matter where, in the case of heavy rain, the valleys and old river basins are flooded instantly. Why? Because the hills are covered with houses, which, like small dams block the flow of water until the water overwhelms them and comes rushing down the slope like an avalanche.

1996, the flood, and all its lessons are forgotten. No new building laws are erected. No new regulations are put forth. Nothing changed. People keep on living

2009. Flash flood. People die, horribly. Trapped in cars, on the roads, in the buildings. Like helpless insects. They curse, they point the finger at the government, at each other. They suffer. But will they learn?

This is a very high-tech building, apparently the head quarters of Vodafone Turkey. It is located in a region, called Ikitelli. This is a remote location, outside of Istanbul (pretty much Ikitelli is to central Istanbul what Whiteplains is to midtown Manhattan; distance-wise). This is where the flood of 1995 took the most lives, ruined lives, jobs. This is where the same play is staged again. With the same ending. This is where the video is taken, through the security camera of a building.

I have been talking to a friend of mine this morning. She works in a mobile advertising agency. She said that Vodafone had called her and said that their services are offline and that they are trying to restore their operations. But for the time being, no phone services in Turkey through Vodafone - due to the recent flood. And I joked. Sincerely. I said "what happened, was their system room flooeded too?"; being sarcastic and funny - because I know, no "modern" system room can be flooded; as any building planner would take that type of problem into account and... nothing. At this point, I know that I am giving way too much credit to Turks.

My prayers go out to the ones who lost their loved ones, needlessly, yet to another natural disaster in Turkey - one which could easily be averted. Not unlike the earthquake of '99.

Just watch and see, what happened to the Vodafone building, to the system room. The smoke you will see is from the fire prevention system.

In case the video is not showing, you can click this link and watch it.

How to purchase an iPhone

I just purchased an iPhone, as a present for my wife. Here's my experience, and here's what I have NEVER heard about before. Maybe somebody had posted it before and I had missed it. I would like to post it here, I hope it helps somebody.

In a nutshell:

1. Price of the phone itself is not negotiable. You pay the device's price, as subsidized by ATT&T
2. Price of the plan is negotiable and AT&T has various discount programs for companies, buildings, municipalities, schools, hospitals. Make sure you ask questions and get sufficient answers from AT&T customer representatives.
3. Go to an AT&T store, they are more willing and able to offer carrier specific help and answer your carrier specific questions, data plan options etc.
4. The Protection Plan. Ah yes, the wonderful wizard of Oz. This, I never heard of before. BUY IT! It's $69.99. What's it good for?
   1. Your iPhone WILL NEED A BATTERY REPLACEMENT. This is quite fun actually. Apple says a typical iPhone will need a battery replacement anytime between 6 months to 1 1/2 years. Brilliant. The battery is inside the device, integrated. You cannot service it yourself. You HAVE TO go through Apple. With the protection plan, it's free. Without it, it's $150. Brilliant.
   2. Your iPhone MAY get dead pixels. This is not a WILL, but a rather nuisiating MAY. So, you are all happy and gay (joyous) enjoying your toy. All of a sudden the screen starts fading out, losing contrast, getting dead pixels. Yeap, you have to get it serviced. There is no timing on this feature, it can happen anytime. With the protection plan it's free. Without it, it's $150. Brilliant.
   3. Your iPhone has a warranty timespan of 90 days (3 months for the math challenged). Drop it, break it, scratch the screen, you will pay the FULL PRICE of the phone, which is > $700, if you don't have the protection plan that is. With the protection plan, you pay $299 (or whatever you paid for your device when you purchased it)
   4. The protection plan can only be bought DURING THE TIME OF ACTUAL PHONE PURCHASE. If you don't buy it there and then, you CANNOT buy it later on. Brilliant.
5. I suggest - if you have it - use American Express when buying your phone. They offer excellent refund services on your purchases. The AT&T store clerk said that a customer who lost his iphone two weeks after he purchased it got a full refund from American Express.

Fastforward Two Hours Into the Purchase...

You are all going to love this. But first: Apple lovers (and PC haters), there is no need to defend, I have been developing software for over 15 years now (including on PowerPC's in late 90s) so I know how these things go down - it sometimes just don't work like you planned it to. PC lovers (and Mac haters) there is no need to attack, this is my experience, and my experience only. It's a mere coincidence, and actually a nuisance that it happened. Still, there is no sin in finding some humor in it.

The unsinkable HMS iPhone 3GS stopped working, about two hours into its life outside its wonderful world of exceptionally well designed black box. The store clerk activated it, put it into its protective shiny girly cover and handed it back to me. I put it back into its box - it is a present for my wife - and wrapped

Met with the wife & friends in a bar, had a few drinks, presented the gift, got the kiss. Wife left for her late night MBA school with her new phone, all happy and gay (joyous). Half an hour later she barged back into the bar, with that look on her face, almost threwing phone to my face yelled "it just don't work". At this moment I cannot help but smile, not to her of course, but the the irony of her choice of words. Having no experience in iPhone-abilities I turned to my friend who is an expert on it sitting across the table.

- No, no, it can't be. Let me show it to you, you must be doing something wrong
- No, it's not working. See I can't turn it on
- Press this, no slide that. Not working? OK let's turn it off and on again
.. smile - me
- How do I do that?
- Press that button for some time, OK see the slider, slide that
- I can't
- Let me. Oh, it must be because of that stupid plastic cover that you put on the screen
- I didn't put it on. The clerk did. It came with that shiny plastic case
- 3GS does not need it. It's like KITT. It has this coating on the screen. The plastic cover is causing all this
- Remove it then
- I'm trying. You do it
- Here. Oh, it's all messed up now. Well.
- Himm. I have never seen this before. Did this thing work?
- I don't know. I mean I called it when the clerk was setting it up and made sure that the plan was activated.
- Sorry, you are correct. I actually showed her a couple of tricks before; it was working then
- Yes, he did. He showed me how to move icons around, airplane mode
- What mode?
- Never mind that. It's not working. I took it to the AT&T store on my way to the school
- Which one, the one I bought it from? Was Mohamed there?
- Who is Mohamed?
- Who?
- Which AT&T store? I bought it from the one underneath the building (Rockefeller Center)
- No, I took it to the one on the street. The clerk said he had the same issue and had his phone replaced twice and the issue still persisted. He said that this is the stupidest phone ever (iphone 3g s)
... smile - me (got threatening looks this time. not smiling anymore)
- No, no that clerk is a jerk. This is an amazing phone, the best phone ever. I've never seen this before. Can't turn it off, can't do anything
- Isn't there a small hole to reset it?
- This is not a CD-ROM drive you dumbnut
- Well, my CD-ROM drive is not the one that cost $400 and ceased working in half an hour.
- Shut up
- I am late for school
- Take it with you. When you go home, do an iTunes and it will pickup some updates and start working
- How familiar
- Shut up
- I am late

I just called AT&T and made sure that the data plan and the rest is activated and that there is nothing wrong with her account. She's at school now. When she gets back I'll put that $70 Apple Protection Plan to use and smile a bit more.

I am sure it will be resolved soon enough.

Hey, I said no fighting...

In the end AT&T customer service solved the problem over the phone by re-creating the plan, dataplan etc. And re-registering the phone - something that the AT&T store clerk had already done during purchase.