Conversation on the telephone this Friday:

Recorded Message: Welcome to Support Services, ATP serving ASUS customers. Please select one of the following options: for support press 1, to arrange pickup of the unit press 2, to ... (2 is pressed)

Recorded Message: Thank you for your call. It is very important for us. Please wait for our next available operator.

(5 minutes passes hearing music as fun as Pour Elise performed by a computer)

Recorded Message: All our operators are currently busy. Please hold and your call will be answered as soon as possible.

(more minutes pass...)

(more minutes pass...)

(more minutes pass...)

(more minutes pass...)

(MANY minutes pass...)

ASUS: Asus UK, how may I help you?

Daniel: Hello, my name is Daniel Rosa and I am an ASUS customer. I have a defective laptop which was supposed to be picked up at my place last Wednesday, but unfortunately nobody came for the second time. Would you help me to understand what happened?

ASUS: Would you tell me your RMA number, sir?

Daniel: XPTO1234

ASUS: Thank you, one moment please...

(almost 7 minutes later...)

ASUS: Thank you for waiting sir. It seems that our courier was unable to reach the address supplied. Would you confirm the address?

Daniel: Yes, it is (My address) Postal Code TW20 0TB

ASUS: Thank you for confirming sir. It seems that we cannot pick up your laptop at this time. Since we tried to get it twice without success we cannot pay again for the courier service to go to the same address.

Daniel: What are you suggesting?

ASUS: We can't pick up the laptop at your address. You will have to provide an alternate address so we can pick it up. Maybe a friend's house?

Daniel: I'm sorry but this is absurd! All couriers deliver things here every day. Royal mail delivers my mail without problems; DHL delivered my world cup tickets yesterday without problems, Parcel Force delivered my bass without problems, why can't your courier find the address?!?!?!

ASUS: I don't have details sir, but our courier uses a GPS. I'm sure he is well equipped to find any address in the UK.

Daniel: But I gave detailed directions how to get here! I even gave my mobile number just in case... and the first time the courier tried to come it said that the place was "closed". This is Royal Holloway's halls of residence. there are 60 people living in Highfield Court and we even have a reception! There is no way it could be closed!

ASUS: I am sorry sir, but the GPS is certainly more accurate than your directions. Also, the courier doesn’t have time to find blocks and knock in your room. It has to pick up packages in 14 cities and certainly cannot find very complicated address. Maybe you can provide a friend’s address with a house number and street name?

Daniel: I can’t believe it! I never asked the courier to come to my room. We have a reception here. A friend had a problem with his Sony Vaio computer a month ago and they picked it up here without problems. Why is that so difficult for you!?!?

ASUS: I am sorry sir, but you have to provide an alternate address.

Daniel: (breathing... taking my time and recovering my patience...) Ok... maybe I can leave my computer in Founder’s reception? You know, Founder's is the main University Building and there is no way your courier would miss it.

ASUS: What is the postal code and address?

Daniel: TW20 OEX

ASUS: I am sorry sir, but the post code TW20 cannot be used for this pickup. We cannot pick it up on the same post code after 2 unsuccessful deliveries.

Daniel: What?! Are you saying you cannot pick my notebook on founders? If your courier can't find founders I want to know the courier company name. This is almost a landmark in Egham!

ASUS: I am sorry sir, you have to give an alternate address...

Daniel: Ok, maybe I can post the notebook to you? I have already spent more than £30 in calls without having my notebook picked up. I think it is easier to send it to you...

ASUS: I am sorry sir, we cannot receive it. We have to pick it up...

Daniel: (counting until 10 silently so I won't course her to the third generation of her family...)

ASUS: Sir?

Daniel: Ok... I'll find another address and call you back.

ASUS: It was a pleasure to help you sir. Thank you for your call!


Well... I have found a friend in Staines to help me with this. But at this time I am wondering about the idea of buying ASUS computers. The notebook is great... service is awful! Btw... help me? When?

Moral of the story is that I am in revision time, without a computer and with a lot of work to do. I'll post more as soon as I have more news.

Btw, below is a photo I took in Infosec Europe, the security exposition that happened in London this week. I was surprised to see a group of Brazilian companies which are willing to explore the Europe by offering their products and services. Nice initiative that I hope goes forward.

C ya!

Hey all,

Got a break from my studies and managed to sort out some features on the computer center. I mean, I found out a way of uploading my pictures from the digital camera to my RHUL temporary drive… that means that I can now post some pics on the blog.

By the way, if you like pictures I recommend you go to my photo website (http://daniel.videopic.net/). I spent a sunny afternoon to picture the spring arrival @ Royal Holloway. The result was an unexpected very nice collection that pictures how beautiful this place is. Especially in spring, where there are flowers blooming everywhere and the sun is starting to shine again. Cool break from studies.

You can see here a small sample, but the complete collection is available over there.

Another interesting news is that my World Cup tickets arrived!!! Brazil and Australia in Munich… it will be an awesome trip to relax after the exams. I expect to have loads of fun with my brother and my sister in law while we “explore” German in World Cup times.

Well. That’s it. Busy times = small posts.

See you later!

PS – I’d appreciate very much comments about the photos… Did you like it? Yes/No? Why?

Hi all!

Sorry to disapoint you, but this is a small and quick post just to update the blog:

Good news:
Played a great game with folks from Oracle last Wednesday at RHUL for one of the guy's "testimonial", as he left the company. Pics as usual @ http://daniel.videopic.net

Studies going slow but steady... exams in 3 weeks

Infosec Europe next week in Olympia

Bad News:
My laptop is STILL here and STILL broken... folks at ASUS are begining to annoy me (don't want to comment on that now as this rises my blood pressure to dangerous levels)

Can't get pics out of my memory card because this ^&^*$%"£()^@ lab doesn't have a card reader that works...

There are probably more bad news, but I will spare you from that. :)

Well.. that's it. See ya! (and sorry for the small post)

That's it! Last post before sending Desmilinguido to be fixed. (For those who don't know, it is the name of my laptop... it is a kind of slang that means a person that is very slim because doesn't eat properly) . I am doing this from an University computer, so there might be missssssspelling on this post.. :P

The courier is expected tomorrow from 9AM to 5PM. As I am a Murphy's friend he will probably show up right in a moment that i will be away... so I can't be away... 8-)

It is a good reason to stay at home studying....

The backup is done since I have bought a 160GB external HDD. Bargain, just £89. (ok, it is a bad joke... everyone knows that there is no bargain for students like me... :P) The brand is LACIE (http://www.lacie.com) , and it has a cool design. Let's hope it works alright as well...

Since the last post I have been studying very much. You know... exams getting closer and the need to get ready. You occasionaly get away a bit to see your friends and get your mind refreshed. I went to a football match to see the new team I support: Fulham! :)

It is a premier league team, and it is on 15th or 16th... but it won over Charlon Athletic 2x1 and that's what matters. The reason I chose it is that this is the ONLY team that I managed to get match tickets... (and of course Chelsea color is Blue and I would never support a Team in blue for obvious reasons - go to http://www.atletico.com.br and find out our rival's colors)

Below follows a pic I took with Marcos Semola, another brazilian security professional that is living in London. He is a Principal Consultant at Atos UK and used to be the head of Atos Brazil Infosec Practice. Besides all professional qualifications (top performer, very competent and intelligent) a good friend who has been providing a lot of good advice and help.

Well... let's go to the photo and.. GO FULHAM!!! GO FULHAM!!! GO FULHAM!!! GO FULHAM!!! GO FULHAM!!! GO FULHAM!!! GO FULHAM!!! GO FULHAM!!! GO FULHAM!!!

Hi all,

Sorry for the long time without posting. Things here are very difficult these days because my laptop broke in Munich. What happened is that we received a GPS for our Wireless training on the SANS Conference (http://www.sans.org/munich06/description.php?tid=343) and it contained a magnet. That tiny magnet was able to burn something in the LCD, probably the backlight, and I can just see a big black screen when I turn on my computer. The solution is to come to the Computer Center at the University and plug an external monitor to my laptop. I can use it alright, but I have to come to the lab every time and mostly use the computer with students around looking what I am doing. The worst thing is talking in skype. As much as I think nobody understands Portuguese, sometime I get “be quiet” looks from other students using other computers. Well… this is no library and there are no requirements regarding noise. As much as I hate disturbing other people I have to talk to my family and Skype is the tool I have.

Talking about Munich: It was EXCELLENT! The training was first class; I made awesome business contacts and had loads of fun. Never mind working/studying for 13 hours a day, I was in need of such a “dedicated” project and I had the old feeling of a “well done project” by the end of it. Just like the old consulting days.

The top moment was the war walking exercise. As you may know, the track I attended was about Wireless Network Security, so we simulated the mapping of wireless signal using a directional antenna and a 200 mW wireless card. It was fun to go out and capture the signal. After that we created a map on the signal dispersion in the vicinities of the hotel. Later there was a competition to find the access points that were “hidden” using only the antenna and the laptop. Would you imagine 25 students with antennas and laptops going around a 5 star hotel lobby after an access point? The guests had a strange look in their faces... lol

The good news is that I found the access points and won the first prize worth 60 euros!!!! It seems that I had a lot of luck on this trip considering the Lufthansa incident.

The bad news is that the weather came from a sunny Sunday to a snowy Wednesday. 2 cm of snow on the ground ruined my mood and made me leave my sunglasses at home…

As I come back and start getting ready for exams, I cool down a little, dealing with small problems that come here and there. The things that are in my mind is the decision about my return to Brazil (that depends on being successful on finding a placement in the UK and sorting out the work permit), my project (which is kind of late) and the exams approaching.

In the end everything will be alright, I know, but we never cease to be a bit anxious when struggling to get there. It is part of life, isn’t it? :)

See ya!

Hi all,

Guten Morgen! I’ve just waken up here in Munich and I am about to go to the SANS conference setup.

It is very exciting as this is going to be my first conference. I’ve chosen the Wireless class in preparation for the GCWN certification. This is a good idea since part of the Security Technologies exam I am about to take for the MSc. at Royal Holloway is on wireless networks. Also, because wireless networks are such a popular commodity in today’s IT services, a good security professional has to be full aware of the threats and the possible countermeasures to this environment.

Ok, no more about the conference for now. I will be able to talk more about this later.

Since the last post I went to Allan Paller’s presentation in London. Allan is a great guy. He is the founder of the Internet Storm Center (link para ISC) and one of the lead professionals in Information Security. Allan is also a great presenter and gave a lecture about “improving the quality of your security presentations”. Awesome! That is the only thing I have to say.

To be able to get in time in the hotel I have slept in Joao’s place in London. Joao is another Chevening that is studying Media and Communications at London School of Economics. He is into Telecommunications Regulations and is a very wise guy. Not only a good friend, but also a great contact for the future in Brazil. Sometimes I think the guys at the British Council made a good job selecting some of us for the scholarship.

Joao is also a very good guitar player. He managed to get a band together with some folks at LSE and is playing samba around London. I came just in time to hear him rehearsing with part of the band. Of course I took a picture! :)

When I came back to Egham I played some football and came back to my studies. The big surprise was after I left for the Airport to come to Munich. When I was in the bus in Staines I remembered that I had left my passport at home. DESPAIR! The flight was going to depart at 17:10 and it was already 14:50!!! (remember that you are supposed to arrive 2 hours before for international flights). Somehow I managed to arrive 45 minutes before departure after running around Staines like a moron trying to find a taxi rank.

Nice surprise, the guy at Lufthansa desk was Brazilian and as he calmed me down, he explained that the flight was overbooked. That means that I had just been upgraded to business class and received a 250 Euro compensation for waiting 3:30 in the Lufthansa VIP room.

What a terrible way to end my Saturday: drinking free beer, listening to music and catching some things up on the internet. While I was flying later on I met some friends who are DJs in the UK. They said that they almost played in Florianopolis once but the party was cancelled. Too bad, friends. I hope you have a chance to go there and not only enjoy the nice place Floripa is, but also to meet the nice people we are. ;)

Anyway, it is better to finish up here, as I have to leave some content up for the next days.

See you soon! (and leave a comment! lol)

PS – The video below was a HUGE success. After posting it I had the biggest number of visits on the blog. I will look into adding more like this and putting more “multimedia” content here. I hope you like!