Mega Account Recovery

While attempting to sign up a 20GBs free storage account with Mega (mega.io or mega.nz), I found that I had previously created an account with them.   However, I could not recall my password and was unable to find an account recovery option..  Instead, Mega offered me the option of creating a new account with the same email address, while deleting all files from the previous account.  They assured me that the files would be retained for 60 days in case I recalled my password and required further assistance from their support team.

In my situation, creating a new account and deleting the existing files is not an issue.  However, I can understand that some users may prefer to use a different email address for a new account.  While I personally find this process convenient, I can empathize with those who may find it difficult to part with their important files.

 Let's review their so-called account recovery by losing existing files if any.  At the end, I will also point out a few things about Mega for your reference.

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Go to Mega login page and then click "Forgot your password?" which will forward you to the account recovery page.

Or directly go to the recovery page via this URL  https://mega.nz/recovery,  Then enter your password to proceed.

Before Mega create a new account for you, they would try and help you to recover your account in destructive ways as possible.  

The first one is the recovery key to see if you may happen to have it.  

The second one is to check  if you may still have an active session with Mega such as browser session or app session.  Check all boxes if you confirm there isn't one and then click the NO option to continue.

Then Mega will warn you about the potential risk of this recovery which will lose all your existing files.  However, they also inform you that you will have 60 days to recover your files if you happen to recall your password at a later time.

Finally, you will receive a password link via your email account for account creation if you still insist.  

Use the provided link from your email account for further setup.  Then Mega will give you a final warning. 

As you proceed with "Start new account", you will be presented a new account for access.  That's.

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Technically I believe Mega has a way to reset your password and then recover your existing account without losing files.  Otherwise, how could Mega firmly retain your files for 60 days?  It looks to me that they are able to know which files are associated with your existing account.  Since no account recovery is one of their policies to begin with, they follow the rule by kindly setting you up a new one instead.

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Mega seems to encourage you to do more link sharing with friends and others so that you may indirectly introduce new users to them and then in turn earn commission.   However it is not as simple as it said when you look into their fine texts.  You and your referred users at least make one purchase with them.  See the details.

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For safety, Mega will prompt you to export your recovery key or retest your password to ensure that you can log back in later whenever you attempt to log out.  Of course, if you don't want this reminder,  you can turned it off by checking the box of "Do not show again" in the bottom of this popup below.

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In addition, Mega will impose transfer/download speed limit on files based on your IP usages in the past six hours to prevent their network from being overloaded, especially it is a free account.  I believe that not many people like this restriction but a lot storage accounts do the similar throttle to control the network traffic.  You can read this to find out more about Mega's traffic throttle.

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So far I've only highlighted a few policies that you should be aware when you sign up an account with Mega.  To learn more, please go to Mega and explore yourself.

pCloud only 3 to 4GBs free storage by default

I only used pCloud for its free big file transfer because it can send a file up to 5GBs and doesn't require registration.  pCloud transfer is also stable and fast. And there is no speed limit control for download.  Today I would like to get more free storage so that I can transfer a file beyond 5GBs.  Since pCloud advertised 10GBs free storage, I decided to sign it up.   It turns out that these 10GBs free come with strings attached.  By default, only 3 or 4 GBs are free.

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After having signed up with pCloud,  I was asked for email verification to complete the process so that I could have 3GBs free storage.  

To get more free storage up to 10GBs, the following conditions must be fulfilled.  I'm personally not much interested to get them all.  Instead, I feel to be fooled to sign up.  

The first step is to upload a file to pCloud and it is easy.  

After this step, I have 4GBs free.  That's.  I am unwilling to do the rest.   My purpose to sign up is to send a big file larger than 5GBs.   Now my current free storage is 4GBs even less than the free 5GBs without registration. 

  

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Anyway I will continue to show you the rest of the screenshots of what pCloud ask for so that you get an idea and decide if it is worth to sign up. 

The following are the screens after a file has been uploaded.

Download pCloud Drive onto your PC - add you 1 GB

Install pCloud onto your Android or IOS device - add you 1 GB

Turn on sync for your photo and videos upload from your mobile device - add you 1 GB

Invite 3friends -  - add you 3 GB

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To me, it is not worth to go through this by being a freeloader!

Actions / Conditions	Get	Total
Sign up pCloud account successfully with email verified (default free GBs)	3 GBs	3 GBs
Upload a file successfully to your pCloud account	1 GB	4 GBs
Download, install and use pCloud on PC	1 GB	5GBs
Install pCloud onto your mobile device (Android or IOS)	1 GB	6GBs
Enable auto-upload photos and videos from your mobile devices	1 GB	7 GBs
Invite 3 friends (each one brings you 1GB)	3 GB	10 GB

Review Sav.com and How to Log in their New Help Center

The following is my brief review on Sav.com (near the bottom) and show you how to get onto their new Help Center for request ticket submission.

Issue with Sav Help Center

Sav is migrating their support system to Zendesk.  As an existing customer, I got confused how to submit a ticket for help.  If you are running into the same issue, the following may assist you.

The new Help Center of Sav setup on Zendesk currently is outside your Sav account.  Your Sav credential won't be auto-forwarded to Zendesk.  You need to set up a new Help account on Zendesk before use. The login between Sav and Zendesk are completely separate and independent.  Unlike the past, logging onto Sav doesn't mean you are also on their help system.  Currently you must log in separately for Sav account and Zendesk help system.

As usual, you can proceed to https://help.sav.com/ for help.  If you are an existing Sav customer and it is your first time to use their Zendesk help system, you may encounter the following error after you've provided your Sav credential.  I guess, for security or technical reason, Sav don't migrate your password into Zendesk but your login email.  Thus, you need to set it up yourself.  Unfortunately, the login screen is quite confusing.

Email address / password combination is incorrect, try again

How to submit a ticket (existing customers)

1. On https://help.sav.com/, click "Sign in" link on the right top of the page.
   
   
2. You will be forwarded to Zendesk for login whether or not you've already logged in onto Sav account.
   
   
3. Click "Get a password" link.
   Sav do not directly publish their support email address.  It could be difficult for you to contact them for help when you get stuck the login.  
   
   
4. Enter your Sav login email in the Email box and then hit "Submit.
   
   
5. Check your mailbox.  Zendesk should send you a password link for password creation for your help account setup.
   
   
6. Follow the link found in your mailbox to create your password on Zendesk.  The password could be completely different from your Sav account.
   
   
7. After this step, you should be able to log in Sav Help Center on Zendesk to submit a ticket.
   
   
8. Scroll down the help page or search for "Submit a request." 
   
   
   
9. Click on "Submit a request" to post your help request.
   
   
   
   
   

About Sav

Sav is one of domain registrars.  They offer all-inclusive budget pricing for all cases such as first-time registration, transfer and renewal.  Most importance is that their prices for all TLD domains excepts for .us include free WHOIS privacy protection.  

You may find a good deal by transferring your domain(s) to another registrar for the first year but you may be ripped off in the subsequent renewals.  Unlike most registrars, Sav publishes their price sheet at a glance including the current prices of renewal.

Previously, I used 1&1 which also included free privacy protection.  Since 1&1 was merged with ProfitBricks and later rebranded to IONOS, their renewal pricing are getting expensive.  IONOS also no longer offer toll free number 1-800 in the USA.  Thus, I've gradually moved around my domains from one to another until I use Sav.

Although Sav has the lowest pricing, their support is not available 24/7, and it also intensively relies on their online Help System.  As per my past experience, their support hours are limited within office hours while IONOS (or previously 1&1) do provide 24/7 support via multiple channels.  I am not sure if Sav will have a better support after having moved onto Zendesk.  As of this writing, Sav only provide help/technical support during office hours.

The user interfaces on IONOS are quite clear to guide you every single step.  With Sav, you are on your own and possibly read their online documentation available from their help system.

One more thing, I am not sure when this policy began that Sav now won't allow their customers personally to remove their previous setup payment method.  It means that there will be two or more entries if you switch one card to another.  For security reason, you may want to remove the ones you don't want to use. In this case, you have to submit a request for removal.  It is very inconvenient and I personally don't feel comfortable either.

For any reason, if you still want to get ahold with Sav via email, you can, please see below.  However, if you want further assisting your Sav account, using their online "Submit a request" via their Help System (currently on Zendesk) is required.

Sav Email Contact support@sav.com.

Just renew magicJack for another 5 years

It's time for renewal.   Today I received a 5-year promotion plan offer from email notifications.  This good deal is only for renewal and used once only.  The total charge for 5-year (plan renewal) is $150 order + $13.50 admin = $163.50 plus tax if any.  This exclusive offer is not present on the magicJack homepage.

My experience with magicJack

I have been using magicJack since 2009, and I am happy about it.   My magicJack device over a decade is still working.   A few years ago, magicJack even made its mobile apps available without additional charges.  The app won't require the magicJack device plugging into a computer as long as the Internet connection is available.  It is a very good feature on-the-go without carrying around the magicJack device.  The bad of the app is that it keeps popping up the new feature alert (such as using Bluetooth for communication) when the new feature cannot be auto-enabled due to phone settings.  I hope that this can be improved sometime soon.  

magicJack app can run on a very old android device with at least Android 4.4.  But for Apple devices, it requires at least IOS 13.  It means your devices must be quite modern. 

ExpressZip and Restoring Extract All Option

You may suddenly notice "Extract All..." option is missing  in return for "Extract with Express Zip" when you right-click on a ZIP file on a Windows system. 

ExpressZip is one of products by NCH Software.  It usually comes with any NCH Software product, e.g., video or audio software.   Your system may not have any installation content or trace of ExpressZip including the registry entries.  However, there is usually a registry entry associated with "Extract with Express Zip" command, typically inside a user profile subkey of the HKEY_USERS hive.  Surprisingly the open command for "Extract with Express Zip" is set to using 7-zip command if you have 7-zip installed.

If you are using any product(s) by NCH Software, uninstalling them will usually restore "Extract All..." option but a reboot is required.  Or you may try and go to NCH Software to install ExpressZip, and then uninstall it.

Remove Alibaba PC Safe Service

If your Windows system has the uninvited Alibaba PC Safe Service resident and you want to remove it, the following info may help you to remove.  The service name of Alibaba PC Safe Service is called AlibabaProtect.  It is typically installed under C:\Program Files (x86) directory.  

You won't be able directly to stop AlibabaProtect from running via Services app (services.msc), or kill it via Task Manager or using the "taskkill /f" command.   AlibabaProtect does not show in the list of "Add or remove programs" App (appwiz.cpl) either.  

Under the installation folder (e.g., C:\Program Files (x86)\AlibabaProtect), you may find an EXE to uninstall but the EXE always refuses to run.

This article explains how  AlibabaProtect gets into your system and provides you a working solution to remove AlibabaProtect without the third party or additional software installed.

How or why will AlibabaProtect be installed?

Most likely your system have AliWangWang installed.  As of this writing, AliWangWang is the only online messenger for chatting with China online marketers on Taobao if you are using Taobao Web version (on a PC or laptop). 

You may be able to bypass AlibabaProtect when you first install AliWangWang.  Unfortunately, AlibabaProtect will be still find a way to get into your system without your notice when you do subsequent update/upgrade AliWangWang.

With AlibabaProtect, most people will immediately notice the slowness on the system.

How to remove AlibabaProtect without additional app installed?

Before you start, you must have administrator rights to do the following.

1. Open a command prompt with admin rights
   
   
2. Type   takeown /f  "C:\Program Files (x86)\AlibabaProtect" /r /d y  
   Be sure this command runs successfully. If not, sorry you need to seek help from somewhere else.
   
   
3. Type   sc delete AlibabaProtect  
   Be sure this command runs successfully. If not, sorry you need to seek help from somewhere else.
   
   
4. Reboot your system.  If you don't want to reboot, it will be worth a try of either one option below.
   
   Option 1: End task via Task Manager to kill or stop "Alibaba PC Safe Service"
   or 
   Option 2: In a command prompt with admin rights, do the following:
   
              sc queryex AlibabaProtect  to find out the PID number, then
              taskkill /pid <pid number> /f  (e.g.,  taskkill /pid 11192 /f )
   
   If both methods fail or getting  "Access Denied" error, the only one solution is to reboot your system before going onto the next step.
   
   
5. Up to here, you should be able to remove all files and directories of AlibabaProtect
   Type    rmdir /s /q "C:\Program Files (x86)\AlibabaProtect"  in the command prompt with admin rights.
   

That's all.  Hope the above removal steps may help.  Good luck.

Green Screen on Samsung Galaxy Note 10+

 

Samsung Galaxy Green Screen looks like a hardware glitch.

How can you log in while the phone is non-responsive due to the green screen sitting on-top?  Use a flashlight directly to shine the front camera (the one used for selfie).  Then the green screen will gradually go away, and you should be able to go into the phone for data backup before further fixing it.

 

S Pen keeps disconnecting

Android Phone: Samsung Galaxy Note 10+
Android version: 12

After phone update, S Pen of my phone keeps disconnecting and sending annoying notifications for reconnect, especially when I put my phone to charge.  The culprit is the Air actions of S Pen.  I did the following to disable it and everything is back to normal.  I what causes this.  Air

• Navigate to Settings | Advanced features | S Pen 
• Turn off Air actions 
• Restart the phone to take effect

Like Windows 10, whenever there is an update, there may be issues awaiting for you!

Beware! Google Photos app will delete your photos from your devices even with Back up & Sync disabled

A few friends of mine keep complaining losing their precious photos with Google Photos.  I am using Google Photos almost 5 years, but I have never encountered such an issue.  I always use the Web version of Google Photos for photo management, not the app.  The Web version is accessible via a browser while the app version must be installed before use regardless of on a phone or a desktop. 

To understand the deletion issue, I've recently taken Google Photos on my test run.  How and when are photos on a phone being deleted by Google Photos?  Is there a safe way to manage deletions on Google Photos?  The tests were manually done (1) on an android phone and (2) via the browser accessible to both desktop and phone with a single account.  

My current version of Google Photos app for test is 5.87.0444573954.

What I found is that the culprits of losing photos during deletion is using Google Photos app.  Unlike the Web version, the app always ensure the synchronized (or uploaded) photos deleted from the device(s), despite the option of "Back up & sync" disabled.  The only way to remove photos from Google Photos without removing from the device(s) is to have the "Back up & sync" option disabled first and then use the Web version for deletion.

• Whenever you delete a photo from a device via Google Photos app, the photo associated with Google Photos will be removed at the same time if the photo was uploaded and added into Google Photos before.  In this case, the app will always delete it from the device and Google Photos, despite the option of "Back up & sync" disabled.  

• Google Photos app provides an option for you to delete a photo from the device without removing from Google Photos. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  There is no option for the other way around even though "Back up & sync" option is disabled.  In other words, the synchronized photo must be deleted from both the device and Google Photos.  Before deletion, Google has already provided a warning message (such as Remove from Google account & synced devices?)
  
  
  
  
  

• The only way to remove a photos safely from Google Photos is using the Web version of Google Photos (via Web browser) along with the "Back up & sync" option off.

I am not sure if Google does this on purpose or if it is a bug.   From the deletion message, it may be done by design.  It could be the reason why this issue has existed for a long time. 

In addition, my impression of using Google Photos app is actually handing over full control to Google (i.e., the Google Photos app), and your photos with Google Photos become a main copy, not the ones in your device(s).  Thus, when you delete a photo from Google Photos, the app will ensure to remove them from your device(s) without providing you an option to keep them in your device(s).

If you would like to manipulate photos in Google Photos without affecting your copy in your device, disabled the "Back up & sync" of Google Photos app, and then use the browser to handle the photo deletion.

For me, photos with Google are primarily for sharing.  I do not want Google to manage them in my device(s).  Thus, I will always have "Back up & sync" disabled and continue to use the Web version.

  

 

How to download Whatsapp Profile

The following procedure only works with the Web version.

1. View the user profile picture as usual
2. Right click to "Copy Image Address"
3. Decode the URL
4. Extract the value of "e" key
5. Remove all key-value pairs except for "oh" and "oe" these two keys pairs

The new version of Whatsapp (newer than v2.22.3.76) should be able to let you retrieve the URL directly (step 1 and 2) without  the rest of steps (step 3 to 5).

My current versions are v2.22.7.74 android and v2.22.6.74 iPhone respectively.

Fix Zoom White Screen in OBS

My current OBS Studio Version: 27.2.3 (64 bit)

Using OBS to capture or record Zoom meeting may result in a white screen if you're running it on Windows with the default "Auto" setting for Video Rendering Method.  In this case, the default graphics API used in Zoom for rendering is not suitable for your camera.  

 

Changing the rendering method to either "Direct3D11 Flip Mode" or "Direct3D" should fix the issue.

• For HD video, choose "Direct3D11 Flip Mode"
• Otherwise, choose "Direct3D11" 

Firmware Update Failed on the 2nd Canon with Same SD

Recently I've done firmware update on my two old Canon EOS cameras using the same SD card, specifically, EOS 7D and EOS M3.  I did it to M3 first, then 7D.  But the update failed on 7D due to this error:  "Update file cannot be found.  Please check the memory card and reload the battery and try again."

There are two (2) ways to fix this.

1. Reformat the SD card before copying the firmware file into it for firmware update if you don't mind losing all files.
2. Simply remove or temporally save all  DCIM\CANONMSC\*.CTG file(s) in the SD card to someplace else before firmware update.

I did it with the second approach.  As soon as the camera detected the firmware file, the update went smoothly.

You have not been authorized to use this domain

All of a sudden, about two (2) weeks ago, my blog resulted in error due to too many redirection.  Thus I went to Blogger and played around its settings.  Then the following domain unauthorized error kept popping up, which prevented me from taking away the Redirect domain setting.  

"You have not been authorized to use this domain."

I finally managed to disable Redirect domain by turning off  HTTPS availability first.  Unfortunately, the domain unauthorized error was back and would not go away.  After that, I was unable to alter any settings including  HTTPS availability.  

Today, I simply deleted the original domain associated with Blogger and then rebound it back.  The domain unauthorized error disappears and I can feel free to do any settings change like before.  Hope that such an annoying error won't be back again.  I still don't understand how this error occurred and what triggered it.  It appears to me that it is the issue in Blogger or Google.

In sum, for my case, to fix this domain unauthorized error, I did nothing on DNS but only playing with Blogger settings.  Deleting the already bound domain first and then associating it back fix the issue.

Unable to send mails from my Gmail account via email client

Short answer: Samsung Email App does not meet Gmail Security Requirements
Solution: Disable "Less secure app access" in Google account for continuously using the same email client

Recently I have not been able to send mails via Samsung Mail on my all Andoid phones but iPhone works like a charm.  Samsung Mail is up-to-date; thus no update is needed.  In my Gmail, I received a Critical security alert message regarding the "Sign-in attempt was blocked".  Obviously, it was the main reason why I cannot send mails.

Clicking the given "Check activity" button in the mail will bring me to another message.  I thought answering "Yes, it was me" could help for unblocking SMTP from my phones.  But it doesn't. I need to physically go in my account and then turn off  "Less secure app access" security in order for me to use Samsung Email client to send mails.  It is clear that Google strengthens its security while Samsung Email does NOT meet Google security.  It also explains to me why all Samsung products now keep asking permission to access my Google data which I usually ignore and disregard.

On the other hand, I do receive Critical security alert message about "Sign-in attempt was blocked" whenever I used iPhone to send mails.  But the email was successfully passed through Google SMTP authentication and being sent out.  Does iPhone email client really meet Google security requirements?  If so, why do I receive an alert?  Or is it because the alert will be sent whenever all non-Google apps access Google data?

Less secure app blocked

Google blocked the app you were trying to use because it doesn't meet our security standards.

Some apps and devices use less secure sign-in technology, which makes your account more vulnerable. You can turn off access for these apps, which we recommend, or turn on access if you want to use them despite the risks. Google will automatically turn this setting OFF if it's not being used.

Learn more

If you are unable to send mails via email client for Gmail, you may consider to disable "Less secure app access" security in your Google account, which I guess, it will be applied to all apps.  This setting is unable to be customized for selective apps.  Currently it is one global setting applied to the entire Google account.  For details, you can learn it more yourself.

Enable or disable "Less secure app access":
https://myaccount.google.com/lesssecureapps

How to change the default location for Git Bash on Windows

Setting HOME environment variable in your Windows system can do the trick.  It works for not only Git Bash but also GNU Emacs.  I have used this HOME environment variable for many Linux-like applications since Windows XP and it always works.  The following steps are using Windows 10 as our example.

On Windows 10,

• Type "edit env" at the desktop search box

• Select and open Edit environment variables for your account
• Select Environment Variables... on the "Advanced" Tab of System Properties popup (see the picture below)
• Create either User or System variable; the example below is using User variable
• Enter HOME in the "Variable Name" textbox; the name is case insensitive; thus home, HoMe and the like are the same.
• Enter your path in "Variable value" textbox; the value is also case insensitive. 
• Click OK twice to confirm and exit

Restart your Git Bash.  The home path will be updated accordingly as well as it will be shown in the title of Git Bash window.

Google Photo Collaboration Setting - Let others add their photos & videos

The following is only referring to "Create Link" in Google Photos for sharing.

Recently I've found that there are two issues with the collaboration option.

1. The collaboration option is no longer available in the sharing pop-up dialog. You can only do the setting separately.  It means it needs additional steps to amend the settings.  You are no longer to do this in a single step within the sharing pop-up. 
2. In addition, you can only create one and only one single share link which is either allowing all viewers to add photos or view only.  In the past, you could create two separate links one after another for the purposes; one is readonly while the other can allow people to view and add photos and videos.  

I am not sure if it is a bug in the recent changes (December, 2019) or it is an intent.

How to set collaboration for either "view only" or "Let others add their photos & videos"

By default, the setting is "Let others add photos & videos"  To change it, do the following:

1. Go and access the "More options" icon at the top-left corner nearby your profile picture.
   
   
   
   
   This is applicable to the following two (2) situations
   • When you create an album before adding all photos, you can do the setting immediately.
   • After you have added photos to the album, you can change or amend the settings.
2. Click or select the "Options" menu item to proceed.
   

   New album before adding photos	An album after creation and having photos

3. In "Options" pop-up, locate "Collaborate" section to enable or disable "Let others add their photos & videos".  Note the default setting is enabled.
   
   

Google Maps Platform No Longer Free

Very soon, your Google Maps may result in degraded experience if you don't act now.  Google Maps Platform arrives with pay-as-you-go billing.  To ensure your map in high resolution or no interruption, you must pay unless your usages are at Google "free tier" (monthly US$200 free credit).

Starting on July 16, 2018, to access Google Map APIs, you need a Google Cloud Platform billing account, besides a valid API key,  This change was originally set to Jun 11.  To provide more lead time, the effective date now is on July 16, 2018, next Monday!

To learn about the pricing, see https://cloud.google.com/maps-platform/pricing/

If you are new, go https://cloud.google.com/maps-platform/#get-started to get key and.set up a billing account.

If you have already had a key, see Google Guide for Existing Users.

How to change default currency in PayPal

Log in onto your PayPal account.  At the top, select Wallet.
Then select Details and then wait 1 or 2 seconds for next popup to manage your preferred currencies.

At the popup page, select Manage currencies.

By default, there is a least one currency,  You can add more currencies as wish.

Click the checkbox to select your primary currency and then Make Primary to set default if there are more than one currency to manage.

WeChat Team Official Account is the Official Spam Account

WeChat Official Account 
Screen Name: WeChat Team
WeChat ID: WeChat

I've recently installed WeChat to my phone and been spammed by WeChat official account (WeChat Team) since then.  WeChat Team will periodically spam you with all the unwanted advertisements and promotions (e.g., concerts, restaurants, celebration parties, coupons and etc.).  It is quite annoying.  The worst is that there is no way for you to get rid of it or remove it from your WeChat contact (perhaps uninstalling WeChat app may do the trick).  "WeChat Team" is the default subscription channel when you first installed it.  In order to install WeChat, your cellphone is required, not the email address.  It is different from the past that I heard.

Personally I would like to remove WeChat from my phone.  To keep in touch with people who live in China, WeChat seem to be a good tool except for those spams by the official "WeChat Team".

As per Contact Us at the WeChat official site, the "WeChat Team" account is used for feedback and suggestions.  Sadly, it is actually an official spam account used by WeChat Official.  I have never got a response from them either.  Sending emails via their support email address is also in vain.

Dealing with spams sent by WeChat Official is even more difficult than emails.  Frustrated!

Missing Orders - Order Confirmation (FlexPLM)

FlexPLM: v9.1

My previous post mentioned a serious design flaw in OC which causes confusion on cost sheet identification. There is another issue as bad as this design flaw. Missing colorways happens almost every day. All orders are subject to the colorways being placed in the product plan. Thus, missing colorways in OC means missing orders.

For each valid OC, there must be a [product] plan which consists of quantities (Target Volumes), delivery date (NDC), colorways and etc. Each order is organized per row by colorway (see Sample of Plan). Some colorway rows or the whole plan data could be lost without user knowledge.

At first, we thought that it was a human issue due to colorway/size category deletion for the fact that this customized version of FlexPLM doesn't perform any detection including colorway/size category that may be in use. Missing orders haunts the company since moving onto FlexPLM. Similar to the design flaw issue, it requires daily dedication to keep track of OC plans. Recently we've found that one of causes is leaving page including the browser Back and Forward buttons. If the user navigates to some other pages before the plan is saved and exited, and then returns to plan for editing, the issue of losing plan data will occur. By the time comes, the PO specialist tries to issue and approve the PO but finds missing or no orders.

This missing order issue could happen anytime during OC editing or after completion. Today you find the plan look perfectly in the OC but it may vanish in a few hours, next day or even any time in the future. There is no guarantee that the entire plan data exists until PO creation. We still don't know why the plan data will be gone when no one touches it.

Lesson Learned

Be sure your system could handle the situation of users leaving pages without saving data. Your UAT must include this to ensure data integrity. This problem reminds me of my time working for a marketing research company where the applications always allow people leaving pages and then quickly returning to answer the rest of questionnaires.

 

Sample of Plan - This plan is modified for display only; simply expand it to view the plan.

When the plan data is lost, each order (i.e., the colorway row) consists of yellow exclamation mark or the entire plan is even missing or empty. The following plan won't be seen when the problem occurs.