Photo Credit: Independent

The January transferwindow failed to live up to expectations for a number of different reasons.

Manchester Unitedfinally secured the signature of Bruno Fernandes and Tottenham Hotspur havereplaced Christian Eriksen with Steven Bergwijn and Gedson Fernandes, but thedifficulty numerous different Premier League clubs experienced in attempting torecruit a new forward encapsulated the difficulties of the January market.

United, Spurs,Chelsea and others had all hoped to recruit a new striker, only to struggle torecruit players with the desired profile. Gone are the days when such clubscould pick off the likes of Louis Saha from Fulham or Nicolas Anelka from BoltonWanderers. Now top-flight clubs from around Europe have little incentive tosell their star assets mid-season, particularly if worried by the prospect ofrelegation.

Much has been made ofBarcelonas struggles this window. The Spanish giants wanted to sign a newstriker to replace the injured Luis Surez and quickly began offloading theirdeadwood in order to raise the necessary funds.

Two forwards were offloaded Carlos Prez to Roma and Abel Ruiz to Braga but Barcelona failed to replace them with tentative interest in Evertons Richarlison and Arsenals Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang failing to lead anywhere. Things then went from bad to worse for Barcelona on Tuesday, when it was announced that Ousmane Dembl will miss the rest of the season with a ruptured tendon in his thigh.

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The Haitian Times was founded in 1999 as a weekly English language newspaper based in Brooklyn, NY.The newspaper is widely regarded as the most authoritative voice for Haitian Diaspora.

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The 50 transfer sagas that will define the summer window for Liverpool, Man Utd, Arsenal and more - Haitian Times

The 32- year-old has actually been in great goalscoring type for high-flying Getafe this period, and his launch provision is quickly obtainable for Barca

Barcelona are looking to indication Getafe leading marker Angel Rodriguez outside of the transfer window as they attempt to replace damaged assaulting duo Luis Suarez and Ousmane Dembele.

Barcas efforts to replace Suarez throughout the January window showed useless as a late step for Valencias Rodrigo damaged down, and passion in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Fernando Llorente to name a few stopped working to materialise.

Sources have actually validated to Goal that Angel has actually been determined as the following target, though Getafe head of state Angel Torres Sanchez decreased to discuss the issue.

Angel is thought to have a EUR10 million ( 8m/$11 m) launch provision, and is popular to Ramon Planes, aide to showing off supervisor Eric Abidal, from his time at Getafe.

La Liga clubs can authorize gamers outside the transfer window if a participant of their team experiences a lasting injury throughout the period, yet should obtain dispensation from the Spanish FA (RFEF) to do so.

LFP self-control code short article 124.3 mentions that the anticipated lack for the injury should be 5 months or even more for authorization to be offered.

The transfer needs to occur in between 2 Spanish clubs, so an abroad gamer would certainly not be an alternative.

The injury should have taken place after completion of one of the most current transfer window, indicating it is Dembeles scenario which will certainly be thought about as opposed to Suarez.

The Frenchman has actually endured a torn hamstring, though an anticipated return day has actually not yet been revealed by the club.

Barca would certainly have 15 days to full thetransfer Dembele would certainly not obtain an additional permit to play this period, also if he returns to physical fitness prior to completion of the project.

Suarez, at the same time, has actually undertaken surgical treatment on a major knee injury and might miss out on the remainder of the period therefore.

If an exception is provided by the RFEF, the EUR10 m charge for Angel ought to absent any type of barrier as Barcas assaulting situation deepens.

Quique Setiens side had actually likewise thought about the sort of Gironas previous Middlesbrough ahead Cristhian Stuani, Loren Moron of Real Betis, and also a recall for previous amulet David Villa.

However, it is the seasoned Angel that they will certainly transform to.

Article proceeds listed below

Formerly of Tenerife, Elche and Real Zaragoza to name a few, Rodriguez had a brief spell with Real Madrid B earlier in his job and has actually been with Getafe given that the summertime of 2017.

He has actually been in excellent type this period, netting 13 objectives in 27 video games in all competitors.

Getafe are flying high in La Liga, simply 7 factors behind Barca in 3rd, and will certainly deal with Ajax in the last 32 of the Europa League.

Visit link:
Barcelona hopeful of signing Getafe star Angel outside of transfer window in bid to replace Dembele and Suarez - The Union Journal

Date published: Sunday 9th February 2020 4:00

The January transfer window oftentimes resembles a fire sale, a month-long Black Friday event offering underpriced, often needless, always fleeting items to customers with more money than sense, and quite often, not much of either. Three toasters for 50? Heck, Ill take six; thats toast in every room of the house. To find value and the quality to improve your stock at the right price becomes increasingly difficult in a dull Championship season being adversely affected by the ongoing threat of Financial Fair Play. So step forward West Bromwich Albion, the unofficial winners of the winter transfer window.

Even before the start of the window, there were cracks appearing in the table topping Baggies, who had lost some of their boing boing around the festive period and seen their dual dominance with Leeds United dwindle thanks to runs of two wins in 15 games between the automatic promotion runways-cum-contenders. The fact that Slaven Bilics side were in such a dominant position to begin with stemmed from such a successful summer window where the right mix of Championship experience, exciting youngsters, and foreign flair were brought into the club.

Now unlike almost all of their second tier contemporaries, who were either struck by fear of panic to bring in bodies or fear of FFP to bring in nobody, the Hawthorns side saw where the holes were in their team, and duly went around applying the Polish poly filler of winger Kamil Grosicki, the steel plaster of forward Callum Robinson and the insurance policy of experienced defender Lee Peltier from Cardiff City.

Against one of the toughest home sides in the Championship, not to mention one of the most dangerous sides in the EFL on form in recent months, West Brom made a mockery of the inclement weather conditions to inflict just Millwalls third Den defeat of the season. Peltier didnt have a part to play as he races to fitness but Robinson and Grosicki both looked strong and played their contributing parts in the victory, the Poles quick thinking, fastly taken corner providing the second goal which assured Albion of the victory after replacing fellow new boy Robinson who impressed once more after a man-of-the-match display on his debut.

So, while Leeds allowed themselves to be caught within touching distance by the chasing pack this weekend, West Brom knew three points were imperative in the final Championship fixture of the round to keep the likes of Fulham, Brentford and Nottingham Forest at bay.

While the Elland Road side were adding a man with three goals in 18 months to challenge one of the worst finishers in the division in Patrick Bamford and being shocked at losing their last two games without goal scoring reply, Bilic and his Baggies put excuses to one side and provided a performance worthy of champions that their winter transfer window exploits allowed. Now thats value for money.

Nathan Spafford is on Twitter

Read more here:
West Brom are the unofficial winners of the winter window - Football365.com

Last February, the B.C. Lions signed 11 free agents from other Canadian Football League teams and saw 18 of their own leave for greener and whiter, greener and golder, or double-blue pastures.

They also lost two players to retirement Travis Lulay and Marco Iannuzzi and released kicker Ty Long to pursue his National Football League aspirations.

It was a massive overhaul of their roster, and the daily comings and goings put them at the centre of the free agency periods many machinations. Their Day One signing of quarterback Mike Reilly kicked off proceedings, and the reverberations were felt most profoundly in Ottawa and Edmonton, as former Redblacks pivot Trevor Harris replaced Reilly with the Eskimos. The Redblacks were left to pick up the pieces, plugging in erstwhile Lion Jonathon Jennings to pair with incumbent Dominique Davis.

At the same time, the Saskatchewan and Toronto were making their plays for Bo Levi Mitchell, who eventually spurned a massive offer from the Argos and re-signed with the Stampeders. The Riders re-signed Zach Collaros and grabbed Cody Fajardo from B.C. while the Argos went with James Franklin and McLeod Bethel-Thompson.

There wont be a repeat of the QB derby this year. When Matt Nichols signed a three-year deal with Toronto on Thursday, all nine teams had their starters locked up.

Instead, it appears defensive linemen and wide receivers will move most of the market.

Those two positions have definitely been the most talked about, agent Rob Fry said of league-wide chatter provoked by the negotiating window that opened Feb. 2 and will close on Sunday. It seems the highest numbers being talked about with regards to those players. Youre definitely seeing teams looking to strengthen their D line and theres always a few upper end wide receivers who are difference makers who get higher numbers thrown their way as well.

Reigning defensive player of the year Willie Jefferson is likely at the top of the pyramid this time around. TSN was first to link Jefferson with Toronto, where he would essentially take over the $250,000-plus contract vacated by wide receiver Derel Walker, who could be on the move to the Lions.

The reverberations of a Jefferson signing would obviously be felt first in Winnipeg, as the Bombers would have cap space to replace Jefferson, and they might also lose defensive tackle Drake Nevis.

Elsewhere, Montreals new GM Danny Maciocia made it clear he wants to upgrade the Als D line, and a source said they were one of five teams that inquired early in the negotiating period about Saskatchewans Micah Johnson. The Als registered a league-low 27 sacks last year, so improvement is vital.

So too in B.C. and Ottawa, as they were tied for second low number of sacks at 28, half as many as the league leaders in Regina and Edmonton.

Luckily enough for anyone in the hunt, the free agent class of defensive linemen is deep and talented; Dylan Wynn in Hamilton, Torontos Cleyon Laing, Calgarys Chris Casher and Johnson are in the top echelon.

Walker might set the dominoes in motion at the wide receiver spot, and the Lions are apparently in hot pursuit. There should certainly be a secondary market for players like Dominique Rhymes, DaVaris Daniels and DeVier Posey. There is reasonably good depth at this position also, with the likes of Juwan Brescacin and Naaman Roosevelt available.

If its time to hand the ball to a different running back, how about C.J. Gable, Don Jackson and Terry Williams in Calgary, Cameron Marshall and Chris Rainey?

There are solid options at linebacker where Larry Dean should be first off the board, followed by Don Unamba, Patrick Levels, Justin Tuggle, Micah Awe and Marcus Ball. Headlining the defensive backs will be Ciante Evans, with Anthony Cioffi, Branden Dozier and Richard Leonard in a tightly packed group behind him.

And last but hardly least, a few offensive linemen will be prized commodities for some teams. The Lions, for instance, were a disaster up front at the beginning of last season. They fired line coach Bryan Chiu and his replacement, Kelly Bates, seemed to settle the big men down. Still, they could use an upgrade, and will be able to choose from the likes of Derek Dennis, Justin Renfrow and Ryker Mathews.

This isnt a real strong class of Canadian O linemen at their prime, which we have seen in past years, said Fry. You just dont have a big group of starting O linemen in their mid-20s. In past years, that has been a very highly discussed, higher-priced position.

Last year Sukh Chungh made a pricey move from the Bombers to the Lions, and SirVincent Rogers left the Redblacks to join the Eskimos.

Last year, and for all years prior, players and agents werent free to speak to teams prior to the first day of free agency, though it surely happened. The new CBA opened up the formal negotiating window, and will also offer GMs from each team a 48-hour exclusive negotiating period with their own pending free agents, a period that will expire two hours before free agency begins. Each team will be made aware of any formal offers made by other clubs, and will therefore be able to make informed decisions on contract offers for those players before the market opens on Feb. 11 at noon ET.

I dont think there has been a ton of formal offers throughout the league, but personally I have had a couple for my clients, Fry said on Friday afternoon. It doesnt feel like free agency quite yet. Its been slower communication, with everybody just feeling each other out. Its like a controlled chaos right now.

That said, he views the negotiating window as a league-wide experiment and there are parts of it that he sees as valuable.

I like that it gives my clients the ability if there is interest from a club to have productive conversations, not only with a management staff but also a variety of people on the coaching staff to really get a sense of what that fit will look like, especially if there is not a lot of familiarity in the building for that player. It gives them a chance for open communication about how they are going to be used as a player, what are the facilities like, what is the city like, what is the culture of the building like.

I like that because come February 11th, when things are happening quick, you run out of time to really get into those details. So I feel going into February 11th, my clients have a bit better sense of their priorities in making this decision.

Fry said some teams have approached the negotiating window as a chance to have many conversations with several players and agents, while others have hung back and are loathe to offer any sense of the kind of money they are willing to allocate to certain players.

I still feel like there is a bit of mystery going into February 11th just because it is such a small league and some teams want to be careful how much information they give out.

THE FREE AGENT MARKET

Heres a look at the most likely free agents to move, by position, excluding quarterbacks and kickers because there isnt a large enough sample size:

Defensive backs

Ciante Evans

Frankie Williams (extended by Hamilton)

Richard Leonard

Anthony Cioffi

Branden Dozier

Abdul Kanneh

Jonathan Rose

Garry Peters

Money Hunter

Chandler Fenner

Linebackers

Larry Dean

Don Unamba

Patrick Levels

Justin Tuggle

Micah Awe

Marcus Ball

Cory Greenwood

Solomon Elimimian

Chris Ackie

Sam Hurl

Defensive linemen

Willie Jefferson

Dylan Wynn

JaGared Davis (extended by Hamilton)

Micah Johnson

Cleyon Laing

Chris Casher

Tobi Antigha

Drake Nevis

Shawn Lemon

Odell Willis

Wide receivers

Derel Walker

Dominique Rhymes

Davaris Daniels

SJ Green

Darvin Adams (extended by Winnipeg)

Juwan Brescacin

Rodney Smith

DeVier Posey

Naaman Roosevelt

Nate Behar

Running backs

CJ Gable

Don Jackson

Terry Williams

Jeremiah Johnson

Cameron Marshall

Marcus Thigpen

Tyrell Sutton

Chris Rainey

Mossis Madu

Anthony Coombs

Offensive linemen

Sean McEwen (signed by Calgary)

Derek Dennis

Ryker Mathews

Dariusz Bladek

Philip Blake

Thaddeus Coleman

Michael Couture (extended by Winnipeg)

Tommie Draheim

Josiah St. John

Justin Renfrow

Link:
Defensive linemen and wide receivers driving the CFL free agent market through negotiating window - Toronto Sun

Quotations for a standard silver package:

House type/size

Price

Studio apartment

Dh1,350

1-bedroom apartment

Dh1,650

2-bedroom apartment

Dh2,000

3-bedroom apartment

Dh3,000

4-bedroom apartment

Dh3,500

5-bedroom apartment

Dh4,000

1-bedroom villa

Dh1,900

2-bedroom villa

Dh2,700

3-bedroom villa

Dh3,850

4-bedroom villa

Dh4,800

5-bedroom villa

Dh6,200

* Mr Usta packages with five service providers

* Includes: yearly AC maintenance, checks of electrical fittings & plumbing units, minor repairs, 1 handyman service, 5 emergency call-outs, 10% discount on out-of-scope jobs

* +Dh250 for maids rooms in apartments and +Dh500 for maids rooms in villas

In the middle of the night last month, Dirar Abdallah found the kitchen and bathroom in his three-bedroom Dubai villa flooded with sewage. He had just signed up for an annual maintenance contract in December, spending around Dh5,000, and this was the first real test.

In the middle of the night, if you find someone who comes and does a perfect job for you, then you will not regret a single dirham that you paid for them.

Dirar Abdallah, Dubai homeowner

With emergency call-outs included in his package, he called the company and the team was on-site within 30 minutes. They opened up the main drain line, which was blocked, and after finishing they returned everything including the artificial grass as it was before in a very professional and efficient way, says Mr Abdallah.

Thats priceless for anyone, says the physician who has lived in the UAE for 10 years. In the middle of the night, if you find someone who comes and does a perfect job for you, then you will not regret a single dirham you paid for them ... even if you dont need them for the rest of the year.

When it comes to deciding between an annual contract or paying per visit, Mr Abdallah says there is no contest. In addition to emergency call-outs, his package covers AC cleaning four times a year, electrical and plumbing checks three times a year, pest control twice a year and water tank cleaning once a year.

Experts agree that signing up for an annual maintenance contract will save you money in the long run, as per-hour or per-time services can quickly add up.

You should definitely go for an annual maintenance contract because doing so would be much cheaper than paying for each of these services, says Bana Shomali, founder and chief executive of UAE online marketplace ServiceMarket.

Aside from the peace of mind that annual maintenance packages can give in times of emergency, preventive measures can help avoid future problems. Buying an annual maintenance contract for your home is a bit like regular servicing for your car. Perhaps your car is running smoothly, but you should still periodically change the oil and check everything from your engine to your brakes and tyres.

Annual maintenance contracts are the same, says Ibrahim Colak, founder and chief executive of UAE online service marketplace Mr Usta. Maybe there are very minor problems that can be fixed and you get it done, so you dont pay more later when it becomes a major problem.

Yet Mr Colak says less than 10 per cent of customers on the Mr Usta site which also offers maintenance, home improvement, moving, cleaning, car, business and insurance services buy an annual home maintenance package. The buyers are predominantly landlords who dont want to deal with headaches or owners who have experienced major problems in their homes.

Mainly people need to have a big problem to understand what an annual maintenance contract means, he says. When they dont see the problem coming, they dont want to invest. Its a long-term investment.

The prohibitive costs can be a barrier. Depending on the services included and the size of the apartment or villa, a package can range from Dh1,350 to as much as Dh12,000 a year, or even more.

It is therefore important to comparison shop, decide the services you actually need and work out the best deal before committing to an annual contract. Here we guide you through the process.

There are two ways to get quotes for an annual maintenance contract (AMC): directly from the service provider or through a marketplace such as Mr Usta or ServiceMarket. Both marketplaces were founded in 2013 and offer a variety of services on their websites.

Mr Usta works with five vetted companies to offer silver and gold annual contracts. These are smaller providers looking for extra business, rather than large companies who have their own databases of customers, says Mr Colak.

The companies are first given tier two status and are tested through basic jobs. We talk to customers. We check the jobs and the quality of the jobs, Mr Colak says. If the companies are rated positively by customers and pass tests by Mr Usta, they can get upgraded to tier one.

When we first started Mr Usta, we were an open marketplace and anyone could come to our platform and give a quotation, Mr Colak says. In the last two and a half years, we changed this model we only work with the service providers we are 100 per cent sure of their quality.

ServiceMarket has 18 AMC providers that are also vetted for quality. Customers can see the companies star ratings and reviews before selecting three to receive comparison quotations. Unlike Mr Usta, which offers the same price for the five companies, the providers on ServiceMarket offer their own quotes directly to the client to decide.

Customers can also request quotes from the companies themselves, either by email or phone. They must supply basic information, such as whether they live in an apartment or villa, the number of bedrooms and the number of AC units. They should also consider whether their community has its own service provider.

Mr Ustas packages start from Dh1,350 for a studio apartment silver package up to Dh12,000 for an eight-bedroom villa gold package.

The silver package, for example, includes yearly AC cleaning, preventive maintenance of plumbing units and electrical fittings, minor repairs, one handyman service and five emergency call-outs. The gold package doubles the number of preventive maintenance visits, handyman services and emergency call-outs, and adds on pest control.

ServiceMarket says its contracts range from Dh1,500 to Dh5,000, also depending on the size of the house and required services. The lower end standard package will usually include bi-annual AC cleaning, plumbing and electrical services, as well as emergency call-outs. More expensive packages may include pest control and water tank cleaning; some will even add in windows and pool cleaning.

When booking directly with a provider, the cost also depends on how established the company is.

The more high-end, top-tier maintenance companies that have more certifications, a larger workforce, etcetera will generally charge higher than smaller, newer ones, says Ms Shomali.

It is always worthwhile to ask for a discount and getting several quotes will make it easier to negotiate on price.

Call-out charges for companies outside a contract usually cost Dh150 to Dh200 per hour. That includes just coming to your home to diagnose a problem, which is usually then followed by a quotation for the cost to fix it. Typically, Dubai residents book handyman services six to eight times per year on ServiceMarket, says Ms Shomali.

Basic AC filter cleaning alone costs Dh150 to Dh200 per unit, while more extensive AC duct and coil cleaning costs Dh500 to Dh600 per unit, says Mr Colak. Pest control for a two-bedroom apartment costs around Dh200 to Dh300 and cleaning a small water tank approximately Dh500 while a medium tank costs Dh900.

For a two-bedroom apartment, if you get a silver package, its Dh2,000. If you clean the AC units two times per year, you will pay Dh2,000. But if you get an annual maintenance package, you will get electrical, plumbing, handyman and also 24-hour call-out service, Mr Colak says.

Some service providers offer expensive packages with AC servicing and preventive maintenance four times a year, which can be unnecessary. It is possible to customise packages and negotiate on price accordingly.

For example, a young couple in a small property may want to ask to reduce the number of handyman call-outs they can request in a year, compared to a family with kids in a bigger home, says Ms Shomali.

Air conditioning servicing is a must in the UAE one to two times a year, says Mr Colak. If you dont do it, the air quality will be very low in your home and it will affect your health, too. This is another cost, he adds.

Duct cleaning is more expensive, as it needs a special machine and sanitisation techniques, so it is often not included in annual maintenance packages. This, however, is recommended once a year.

Mr Colak says pest control should be done once or twice a year. Maybe you dont see those bugs, but they are there in the AC ducts or in the false ceiling, he says.

Preventive checks of electrical and plumbing units, as well as water tank cleaning, should be done once annually.

When signing up for an AMC, read the fine print for exclusions. Labour is usually included, but parts are not. The contract will include the scope of work which should list excluded services. For example, one companys proposal had 24 exclusions, such as: picture hanging, painting, home appliance repairs, internal leakages, carpet cleaning, broken window replacement and swimming pool repairs.

Mr Colak says many in the UAE dont sign up because they are betting they wont need all the services, such as pest control, for example. It also depends on the general market environment.

Lately, in the last one to two years, as people are changing their houses more or theyre worried about the economic situation they dont want to invest in a long-term contract, so they prefer to pay when they have the problem, he says.

Mr Abdallah, who signed up for a package as soon as the one-year warranty on his home finished, says he has a friend living nearby who does it the segmented way. But he thinks it is more of a hassle, especially because the provider needs to apply for a gate pass every time to access the community.

I believe always in preventive maintenance for anything in life, he says. To prevent something is better than to act on something after the problem happens.

Updated: February 10, 2020 03:04 PM

House type/size

Price

Studio apartment

Dh1,350

1-bedroom apartment

Dh1,650

2-bedroom apartment

Dh2,000

3-bedroom apartment

Dh3,000

4-bedroom apartment

Dh3,500

5-bedroom apartment

Dh4,000

1-bedroom villa

Dh1,900

2-bedroom villa

Dh2,700

3-bedroom villa

Dh3,850

4-bedroom villa

Dh4,800

5-bedroom villa

Dh6,200

* Mr Usta packages with five service providers

* Includes: yearly AC maintenance, checks of electrical fittings & plumbing units, minor repairs, 1 handyman service, 5 emergency call-outs, 10% discount on out-of-scope jobs

* +Dh250 for maids rooms in apartments and +Dh500 for maids rooms in villas

Read the original post:
How to get the best deal on an annual maintenance package for your UAE home - The National

Episode 3 "How bad is it really?" the Boss asks.

"It's bad." the PFY whispers with some urgency. "It's like the Y2K thing times 10!"

And given that the Y2K thing was a big fat zero, the PFY is technically correct.

"What are we looking at?" the Director asks.

"Well I don't think it's at the level of human sacrifice and dogs and cats living together yet, but it's bad," I say.

"I..." the Boss starts, then thinks the better of it. "What do we do?"

"I don't know. I mean obviously you're going to have to prepare for a world with different Paint and Minesweeper but the rest of it well it's anyone's guess."

"Paint and Minesweeper are gone?" the Boss blurts, no doubt wondering what he's going to be doing to fill in his day.

"Gone. Replaced with 'better' alternatives."

"Isn't there something you can do? Are they hidden somewhere or can they be downloaded?"

"No" I lie. "They'll be gone."

"Can't we just leave things as they are?" he whines.

"What, you mean without support, updates and security?" I gasp.

"I... suppose you're right. But what are we going to do?"

"Upgrades. We have to upgrade everything," the PFY says.

"The users won't like it."

"We're not worried about the users, we're worried about everything else!" I say.

"What... else?"

"The lift controller is a Windows 7 machine," the PFY says.

(It's not.)

"And the aircon that's got a Windows 7 controller."

(Nope.)

"Really?"

"Yep!" the PFY says. "Not to mention the security system, the BMS system, and the drinking water service controller computer."

(Nope, nope, and there isn't one.)

"So what are we going to have to do?"

"My priorities are the underlying infrastructure the users will have to come second in this instance," I say.

"Why did no one know anything about this?" our IT Director asks.

"We mentioned it multiple times. Your predecessors adopted the tried and true Climate Change methodology of ignoring impending disaster."

"What do we do NOW?" the Boss asks.

"For a start you'll need to pay that Windows 10 preparedness consultant's bill," the PFY says, no doubt contemplating the cheque he'll want made out to "Computer Assistance Service Helpline".

"Right," the Boss nods.

"Order these two new desktops >shuffle< to replace the ones that couldn't be upgraded."

"Uh, yes," he says, with a tinge of doubt in his voice, if I'm not mistaken.

"Order these graphics cards, monitors, keyboards and headsets."

"Uh... that's a little excessive isn't it?"

"Sorry?"

"It says here that you want a gaming headset, mouse and keyboard."

"Of course. Gaming gear's built for resiliency. You hardly want your lift crashing into the sub-basement 40 metres per second because a cheap keyboard switch didn't open at the right time."

"Oh... I.. but headsets? Why do those machines need headsets?"

"You mean why would I need a headset to Skype to the PFY to tell him how to reset the security system to let people out of the basement?"

"Oh, I see."

"And why are you getting them delivered to your homes?" the Director asks.

"It's simple" I explain, as if to an idiot "they'll require advanced configuration which needs to be done precisely and sequentially. We can't have people interrupting us when the installation is going on."

"What advanced configurations that?" the Boss asks.

"Hardware drivers, BIOS handshaking, flux capacitor decoupling. Miss one of those steps and you're left with an expensive pile of melted copper and a couple of 3ft beancounters at the bottom of a lift shaft with knees where their hips should be..."

"Ah."

"So obviously we'd do the complete install, swap the computers over after hours and it'll be so smooth it'll seem like nothing happened."

"And how would we KNOW that something had happened?" the Boss asks, the seeds of doubt sprouting blooms of suspicion.

"I guess I could drop the old machines off to you," I say.

"Yes, but how would we know that you didn't pick up a couple of dusty old relics at a car boot sale?" the Boss asks.

"Just tell your wife and sister-in-law not to go car-boot-sale-ing that weekend," the PFY chips in.

...

"I think maybe we should just take a couple of steps back here," the Director says, once the shouting has stopped and the ozone smell of the Boss's impromptu "sedation" has started to waft out the air-conditioning relief vents.

"Hmm.." the Boss says blankly.

"Look, it's simple," I say. "We replace those two desktop machines, then we start to roll out the rest of the infrastructure before moving on to the users."

"Yes, but how do we protect the users meantime?"

"Good point. I think that there's really only one way of protecting the company," I say.

"Replacing every desktop in the building?" the Director asks.

"No."

"Mmmmm mm mnnn?" The Boss drools.

"Probably not," I reply.

"Relying on the antivirus software, spam protection and firewall which already protects us?" the PFY asks.

"Yes but also."

"Oh, clicking on the 'Don't remind me again' text?"

"Precisely."

(See, and no one even had to mention moving to Linux and Libre office.)

Sponsored: Detecting cyber attacks as a small to medium business

Go here to read the rest:
BOFH: Darn Windows 7. It's totally why we need a 1k graphics card for a business computer - The Register

A new restaurant and micropub are among the new business expected to open in Durham city centre.

There have been a lot of changes to the city's outlets on Saddler Street, Elvet Bridge and Silver Street in recent years.

Marks and Spencer, Pret Manger and Kripsy Kreme have closed their doors, but TJ Hughes and M&Co have opened.

The Riverwalk is bringing new restaurants and bars to the city, as well as the North East's first Odeon Luxe cinema.

Here we look at four buildings in the heart of the city and what is happening with them.

Elvet Bridge

This former clothes shop and bank is currently being transformed into a new restaurant.

Located on Elvet Bridge, the 1920 Bar and Grill will operate over two floors and serve up breakfast, lunch and dinner, while there will be a pavement cafe outside.

Plan for the site were submitted by Cetin Koroglu, who also runs the Blue Eye bar, also on Elvet Bridge.

The business recently had an application to sell alcohol until 2.30am over the weekend rejected.

But it was granted a licence to serve alcohol until 1am on Friday, Saturdays and Sundays and midnight the rest of the week.

Saddler Street

This historic building is set to be turned into a micropub and student flats.

Plans were approved for the former shop on 34-35 Saddler Street in August last year.

Formerly known as the 'Estate House', the Grade II listed building dates back to the 17th century and has had a number of uses which includes a confectioner, gunmaker and pub.

Repairs will take place that will aim to enhance the centuries-old building.

There will be a revamped shop front, window replacement and roof works, with student facilities across four floors.

Saddler Street

This former betting shop is expected to be transformed into a bar.

Holmwood Commercial Properties Ltd lodged a change of use application that was approved in July last year.

An application to sell alcohol and food was submitted to Durham County Council at the end of 2019.

As well as selling alcohol, applicant Halil Olmez is also seeking permission to play music and sell late night refreshments.

Looking for the latest news in your postcode? We have launched a brand new website InYourArea.co.uk allowing you to stay up to date with what's happening near you. It also has an app.

Search the latest news, property listings, jobs, planning applications, public notices and more. To get breaking news sent to your phone, download the ChronicleLive app here.

Silver Street

Formerly Pret A Manger, the Silver Street shop was expected to become a charity shop.

Cats Protection lodged plans to turn the outlet into a charity shop last summer.

But, the charity says it will no longer being opening after negotiations with the landlord fell through.

The building has been empty since Pret announced it would be closing its doors in March 2018.

The closure was another blow for the high street after Marks and Spencer announced it would be shutting its Silver Street store.

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Micropub, bar and restaurant: This is what's happening to these vacant shops in Durham city - Chronicle Live

Microsoft's support forWindows 7is officially over, so if you're still running a PC on it, you're doing it at your own risk. You can upgrade to Windows 10and, if you're currently running a licensed and activated copy of Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 Home or Pro, here's how to do it for free.

But, in my own experience making the switch from Windows 7 to Windows 10, my laptop's performance became frustratingly slow. It was a low-end laptop to begin with and, although it met Win 10's system requirements, it just wasn't a great experience. I ended up turning that into a Chromebook for my kids and moving on to a laptop built for what Windows 10 offers.

The end of Windows 7 support is as good a time as any to make the jump to Microsoft's current OS or consider a switch to Mac or Chrome, or even get a laptop with Linux preinstalled. But if you're not sure where to start right now, here are five easy picks to help steer you on your search. You can also head straight to our list of best laptops and desktops; also, here are ourbest gaming laptops,15-inch laptops,two-in-onesandChromebooks, as well as thebest choices for college students,creativesandMacBook Pro alternativesfor the Windows set. Plus, if you just want pure power or battery life, our rankings ofbattery lifeandperformanceare for you.

Acer knows how to put together a solid budget-friendly laptop, and the Aspire 5 is a fine example. A remarkable deal for simple tasks like email, word processing and the like, it's also thin and relatively light for a 15.6-inch laptop. It's available in a variety of configurations starting as low as $400, but can go up to $650 if you wantentry-level discrete graphics for basic gaming and content creation. Our $530 version ably balances performance and affordability. Read our Acer Aspire 5 (2019) review.

This is our go-to recommendation for those in search of a MacOS laptop for everyday basic use. The Air was updated earlier in the year withApple's True Tone display, new processors and a $100 price drop. As Apple's most affordable laptop starting at $1,099, it's not exactly a bargain and you can get a lot morecomputerfor your money if you go with Windows. Regardless, the Air remains one of the best laptops available for battery life, performance and design. Read more.

Though it's relatively thin and light, this 15.6-inch Chromebook is better suited for life around the house. The extra screen real estate not only makes it easier to get work done, but also makes it more enjoyable for entertainment. And if the full-HD display isn't enough for you, there are USB-C ports (one on each side) that support video out, so you can also connect an external display. Read our HP Chromebook 15 (2019) review.

A lot has changed in the world of gaming laptops since Windows 7 was the OS of choice. They've gotten thin and lighter for sure, but they're also more powerful at lower prices, with good entry-level models available for $800 or less. The midrange G5 15 hits this mark with an excellent price-to-performance ratio, build quality and design. Dell's G-series gaming laptops are cheaper than those from its Alienware division, but still capable of playing the latest AAA titles. Read our Dell G5 15 5590 review.

A detachable two-in-one like Microsoft's Surface Pro takes advantage of Windows 10's ability to shift from a desktop to mobile operating system. It hits all the right notes, too, if you're looking for a do-it-all Windows tablet that doubles as a Windows laptop. These powerful laptops feature an eighth-gen Intel Core processor and long-lasting battery life. And becauseMicrosoft released the updated Pro 7, the Surface Pro is available at lower prices, and you can find it bundled with its excellent keyboard and pen. Read our Microsoft Surface Pro 6 review.

Now playing: Watch this: Windows 10 now leads marketshare, Apple issues rare warning

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Windows 7 support is over. Here are 5 mainstream laptops to replace your old one - CNET

Huawei launches the new openEuler OS: will it replace Android and Windows?

Huawei has just released the source code of openEuler, a Linux distribution based on CentOS. Even if Huawei doesnt say it, the fact that the distribution is optimized for ARM and x86 makes it on paper an excellent candidate to replace Android and Windows.

While the conflict between the United States and China is continuous, Huawei is looking for lasting solutions to no longer depend on American software.

We can, therefore, interpret the launch of the openEuler project, with a rather technical press release, as one of the steps that should lead the firm to this objective. The press release explains that the works started on September 17, 2019. But what is openEuler? The project is an open-source variant of EulerOS, itself derived from Linux CentOS, of which 100% of the packages are both optimized for x86 (PC with Intel processor). In addition to ARM64 (architecture used by smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices).

We have the impression that we are facing a serious candidate to replace Android and Windows. But until now, we do not have any information confirmed by the company. So we will keep an eye on the companys news.

It is worth to mention that Huawei has had a rather complicated 2019 year due to the American ban that arrived in May. The company has managed to grow year on year, but the prospects for 2020 are more complicated.

Eric Xu, one of Huawei executives, has published a New Yearmessageto employees in which he states that the company will remain on the Entity List in 2020. The executive adds that Huawei will not grow as quickly as it did in the first half of 2019. The company has achieved sales growth of 18% year-over-year in 2019.

Survival will be our first priority. To this end, we need to remain dedicated, always put our customers first, and keep creating value. Specifically, we will focus on the following four areas: sustaining growth, improving our capabilities, optimizing our organization, and controlling risks.Says Xu.

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Huawei launches the new openEuler OS: will it replace Android and Windows? - Gizchina.com

Shutting down Microsofts Remix3D art repository feels like something more than just ending a project that failed to gain traction. It feels like one of the last gasps of an era when Microsoft wanted to bring creativity to all Windows users.

When we compiled our list of Microsofts 2019 hits and misses, Microsoft The Musical, conceived and performed by company interns, stood out as a breath of fresh air. It said, yeah, we toil away writing code all day, but were more than nerds. Were creative nerds.

Thats exactly what Remix3D represented. Remix3D was part of Paint 3D, an app that lets you create dioramas and other 3D objects. Remix3D was the cloud repository that allowed you to upload your own creations, but also incorporate others art into your own scenes. It was cool, anyone with Windows could do it, and it was free.

The HoloLens, especially, is one of the key products that was lost along Microsofts arc from creativity to productivity.

A few years ago, something began to change. These were days when Microsoft still titled Windows feature updates with their own mission statement: the Creators Update, for example.

Before the Creators Update actually shipped in March of 2017, however,someone at Microsoft began prioritizing productivity over creativity. We still saw a few more fun tools for consumers: The Video Editor appMicrosoft previewed with the Fall Creators Update a few months later, for instance, let you jazz up your kids soccer video bytransforming the ball into a meteor. And like Photos, Paint 3D, and the rest, Video Editor was free.

Behind the scenes, however, Micorosft was quietly beginning to put away the paints and brushes and wood chisels, deciding instead to focus solely on the canvas, also known as Office 365. Heres a white sheet of paper.Draw on it. Color it. Collaborate. Share. Publish. And well charge you an annual subscription to keep doing so.

Microsofts mantra now is that if you cant charge for it, why do it?

In the years since, some elements of Microsofts creative vision for consumers have died of neglect: RIP Capture 3D, Windows Mixed Reality, Groove Music Maker. Others have found a real job. HoloLens, for example, has become less of a gateway to adventure and more of a corporate tool for training sessions and architectural visualizations.

Interestingly, at the same time that Microsoft is shedding consumer creative apps, a small but growing niche of PCs and peripherals, including Microsofts Surface Studioand Acers ConceptD, is rising to address the emerging creator class. These professionals specialize in video, design, and other graphics-intensive tasks. The applications they wield are not cute amusements like Paint 3D, buthigh-end applications from companies like Adobe, where creativity ships with its own enterprise license.

You can understand why this motivated, capital-expenditure-rich user base would be worth pursuing, and why, as a result, less and less attention is being paid to nurturing the creative efforts of individual users. Closing Remix3D has evendiminished the few remaining creative apps within Windows. If you edit a photo within Windows 10s Photos app, you wont be able to add 3D objects to your scene any more, though the menu option remains.

At one time, Microsoft promised, not only could you add 3D objects to a photo or movie, but theyd have actualbehaviors as well.

Were not saying that creativity is dead within Redmond. But its receded from the public eye. Remember when Microsoft and other companies hosted demo days, where researchers would show off their visions of the future? Those days seem long gone. Microsofts home for personal projects, the Microsoft Garage, houses apps like Ink to Code instead of cool experiments like Ear Hockey. Engineering has replaced artistry, and collaboration has replaced creation.

I can almost hear Microsoft employees objecting: Collaboration is creation! Yes, to a point. Jointly developing a planning document to guide a new housing development is both a creative process, and part and parcel of Microsofts enterprise business model. That means more resources todevelop Microsoft Teams than the wonderful, forgottenFresh Paint.

Windows 10s Mixed Reality Viewer was arguably as cool as some of the augmented reality things Snapchat offered...but since none of the kids discovered it (and it required a tablet PC, not a phone) it died on the vine.

Its also hard to separate Microsofts creative ennui from the slow decline of its consumer business, as Zune, Groove Music, Microsoft Band, Windows Phone, and more have fallen by the wayside. Those days with Bill Gates riffing with Jerry Seinfeld? Long gone. The one bright spot is Xbox, which has supplemented its sequel-heavy AAA games lineup with the Game Pass subscription, which puts innovative smaller indie games in front of a mainstream audience.

Theres a lot to look forward to in 2020: Windows 10X, the Surface Duo and Surface Neo, a new Xbox, and more. All of these are platforms upon which creators could thrive. I just miss the days when Microsoft seemed poised to develop a bold, rich, daring ecosystem of first-party creative apps for consumers, before bowing once again to the Office juggernaut.

It wasnt always this way. Closing Remix3D feels like more than just the end of a product at Microsoft. Its the end of a more joyful time.

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Microsoft shuts down Remix3D, and an era of consumer-focused Windows creativity quietly dies - PCWorld