The Webmaster Blog

Ah, time for my bi-annual or something update on the site. Just wondering if the PC Club bought components are still working for you?

For me a refurbished 150GB Western Digital Raptor hard drive bit the dust. It went from working fine, to terrible noises, and finally no access. I was able to get enough access to recover data, but it went completely dead not long after that. My old 40GB Raptor is still working. It goes to show that for some components, don’t buy refurbished.

My old trusty Linksys Wireless G router gone to cyber heaven. Can’t blame it as I had flashed the ROM to make it a wireless bridge after I upgraded to a Wireless N router (also Linksys). I had it working for 24/7 for over 4 years. Recently, it worked fine and then soon afterwards, I can’t ping it anymore. Bye-bye… you have served me well.

I am still using a 17″ RealSync LCD monitor (full-screen not letter box). It has dual inputs which is great. My main system is a PC built with all PC Club parts. My media center PC contains all PC Club components.

What do you still have that was purchased at PC Club?

Sorry everyone, it has been a while since I updated this site. I wanted to put in more information but life have kept me pretty busy.

Well to make it up… sort of… here’s a little goodie from something I worked on before for PC Club.

Background: We were going head to head with this company called “NewEgg” and the web team brainstormed this interesting campaign called “It’s ALL THAT and a bag of CHIPS”. Chips being both computer chips and potato chips. The goal is to be a bit agressive and poke fun at our competitors. Given a small budget and some magazine space, we created some interesting ads for the online site.

This ad was placed in PC Magazine sometime in 2004.

Standing above the rest. We didn’t want to be too agressive and name competitors here. Can you identify who PC Club was standing above on the ad? (hint look at the table cloth patterns)

There were also some Flash banner ads that were created and placed on various tech sites. Here’s the story board for one of them.

Click on any of the above images to view an enlarged picture.

Overall, this was a fun project to work on. The click-through rates for the banner ads were higher then average, however the compaign was a bit too edgy to continue.

Just passing information on new information:

—

Date: 09/19/2009 (Saturday, mark your calendar)
Time: 6:30 PM
Location:

Asia Buffet
18268 E Gale Ave
Rowland Heights, CA 91748
(626) 581-8292

Please email me back & # of person if you CAN make it (Friday is the due date), so I can forward this list for room reservation.

Sincerely,
Robin

—

Pretty much employees in the LA regions are going. Have other reunion activities you want to announce for your region? Post them here.

Take it for what it’s worth… from the NAOC’s attorney:

ADP has been advised to process the W2’s and 1099 for both companies we anticipate we’ll get them all in this week. I’ll forward the W2’s to the last address we have on file.

So basically wait until the end of this week.

OK, it seems like no one got their 2008 W2s from PC Club. There are various efforts trying to find out who to talk to about it, but no one really knows what is going on.

So instead of waiting, here’s are your options:

http://www.taxgirl.com/ask-the-taxgirl-no-tax-forms/

“If you verify your info and still haven’t received your forms (or if your forms were incorrect), you should wait until mid-February before contacting the IRS (just to make sure that the forms weren’t simply delayed in the mail).  You should contact the IRS by calling 1.800.829.1040.  You’ll need to have your personal info handy, including address, phone number, Social Security Number, your dates of employment and the name, address and phone number of your employer.  The IRS will contact your employer (or the form issuer) with a form 4598, Form W-2, 1098 or 1099 Not Received, Incorrect, or Lost.  You will receive a copy of the form 4598, along with a form 4852, Substitute for Form W–2 or Form 1099–R.  If you still do not receive your form W-2, you should use the form 4852; be sure and allow plenty of time before filing the form 4852.”

http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=201869,00.html

“If your employer or its representatives fails to provide you with a Form W-2, contact the IRS and we can help by providing you with a substitute Form W-2.”

–
The substitute Form for W-2 is Form 4852: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f4852.pdf

Best bet is to call IRS next Monday (February 16) to start the process (especially if you can’t find the last paystub). That way you will have all the documentation needed for your tax submission.

If there are any requests for missing company numbers, (Official company name, employer numbers, etc.) I can try looking into my files for those information.

Note: I am not an accountant so please contact them if you have special requirements or conditions.