Say cheese

Got a call from the OS man at Pentax this evening. We still haven't managed to get things up to snuff -- computer still doesn't recognize the digital cam -- but this fellow's bedside manner was so awesome that we're still in a swoon.  He thinks it may be the cable itself rather than anything to do with Iomega's overwriting Pentax's driver (Don't ask us). We're going to have to wait for the geek to make a house call to be sure, if he ever gets back to us (have put in two calls and never heard a word).  Sickening being so dependent upon systems we don't have the least understanding of.

The big guy at Pentax, Mark Davis, recommends getting a USB hub so we can run everything -- camera, printer, CD burner -- at will without having to unplug and plug every time we want to do this or that. Second recommendation is to use a memory-card reader instead of cable.  We have one.  Used it for a few weeks awhile back until it went on the blink.  Instead of connecting the camera directly to the computer, you remove the card and put it into the reader, which is connected to the computer. Sigh. So much technology, so little comprehension.

The big thing we learned from Mark Davis:  If the Pentax lens extends when you plug in and turn it on, the computer isn't getting the message.  We tried it on the other computer and had the same result.  That's why Mark thinks it may be the cable -- or the fitting on the camera itself -- rather than anything to do with overwriting drivers.  Gasp. 'Hope it's just the cable and not the camera itself.  We've treated the little gem with the greatest of care and yet had to send it back to the manufacturer for major repairs twice in its first year.  Is it dem or us?

Comments

[The Prop]

Without commenting on any other aspect of this ("Mac!") I would concur about getting a powered USB hub with 4 or 8 slots in it. They tend to reduce the trouble quotient. Belkin makes a good one.

[Sissy Willis]

Hey, Prop! By sheer luck, I got a Belkin one at Office Depot this morning. Someday I'll tell you the tale of how Bill Gates won my computing heart way back when. Till then, I enjoy the ribbing, as long as you spell my name correctly. :)