Pauses Café

Was searching for a way to mirror a remote subversion repository through http, for backup purposes.

After struggling with various tools, I found this blog entry. Thanks Thomas!

Failing hardware

My nice 3 years old Samsung ML-1210 laser printer failed. It can print but it cannot grab the pages…
Cost of repairing it 675 NOK + shipping + time to send package/post it. Cost of buying an newer more performant item and get it delivered at the office, 1100 NOK.

OK, what do I do with my almost functioning old printer ? I am sure someone can fix it.

Cost of bureaucracy

Failed RAM module for my laptop…. But it has a lifetime warranty !!!
Good, just need to send it to UK for replacement. So what are the costs ?

• 10 min on the phone to get an RMA number
• 40 min to go to the post office and come back
• 80 NOK for sending the parcel to UK
• 180 NOK to pre-declare the parcel to customs to avoid having to pay Taxes on the item to be returned, OR pay taxes on the item to be returned, i.e. 25% (125 NOK) + 99 NOK fee).

Total: 1h lost + 300 NOK to pay to get a 500 NOK item replaced… Crap. Don’t even understand why I need to repay taxes on an something I already got taxed upon.

Final thoughts

• companies probably never replace small items like that. They just buy a new one. My Dell laptop cost me so much because of the various hardware failures that I could have bought 2 other laptops instead and still end up with less costs.
• it’s easy for Crucial and co to offer lifetime warranty on an item when you know most failed items won’t be replaced…
• it’s not because your dead hardware is worth less than a new one that you should throw it carelessly. E.g. it may contains valuable data.

Talking about the valuable data, now that my future phone is a PC, I wonder what are the measures taken to ensure that our data will be somewhat secure ? Encryption anyone ?