Trivial things that make you annoyed beyond expectations?

[Webbo2]

When I go on the Met office web page, it asks me whether I will accept cookies or not. If I decline it no longer remembers where I requested a forecast for.

 

[Chris S]

I had an application form this morning to apply to volunteer for Age UK

tried filling it in using LibreOffice - no good
tried Google Docs - better - but all the text boxes come up as drawings

It was probably designed by a volunteer

 

[Chris S]

When I go on the Met office web page, it asks me whether I will accept cookies or not. If I decline it no longer remembers where I requested a forecast for.

I think it uses the cookies to remember the input data.

 

[Conrad_K]

I went to a medical consult last week. They wanted a $5 co-pay. My wallet contained three $20s and four $1s. I handed over a $20, and they said they couldn't take that; they had no cash on hand and thus no way to make change.

I told them I could give them the $4 and owe them one, or they could mail me an invoice. After some thought they said not to worry about it, bye.

This sort of thing is happening to me more and more often. I knew something evil was about when I started seeing Coke and candy machines that took credit cards.

 

[Conrad_K]

It's why we have backups. And we do have backups don't we?

I've chased that management cat before.

"We have the most expensive backup software on the market! And it's the fastest!" Then an admonition that I was wasting time by trying to test the software to see if it actually worked.

Unfortunately, I've seen some of those very expensive "backup solutions" that were unable to restore any files. Or could only restore entire drive partitions; not any individual files. Or could only restore to an identical drive. Or took 20 minutes to back up, but more than a full day to restore. Or required booting off a pre-prepared "restore drive" with the drive to be restored to mounted at a specific location. Or was "compressed" in some proprietary format, but the newest version of the software couldn't read the backups made by the previous version. Or... I guess you get the point.

"Backups are nice, but only restores count."

 

[Conrad_K]

What I REALLY find weird (and a bit resource-wasteful), but not really "annoying" is ordering from a table, on an app you had to download from "the cloud" many miles away, then sending your traffic back-n-forth - via the cafe wireless, their router, then more servers scattered round the country, and then - IF it all works - the server standing about 6metres away from you gets your order.

McDonalds' is trying out a new store layout. You download their malware "app" for an Android or Apple phone (no phone, no service!), set up a credit card number or link to Paypal, Stripe, etc., and place your order. In "seating" stores, they push your order through a hole in the wall, sort of like an ancient Automat restaurant. Other stores are drive-through only. No human contact at any point.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

It was probably designed by a volunteer

which is why they need me!!!

 

[matticus]

McDonalds' is trying out a new store layout. You download their malware "app" for an Android or Apple phone (no phone, no service!), set up a credit card number or link to Paypal, Stripe, etc., and place your order. In "seating" stores, they push your order through a hole in the wall, sort of like an ancient Automat restaurant. Other stores are drive-through only. No human contact at any point.

We are praying for your country, Sir. And praying that not all your trends cross the Atlantic ...

 

[Conrad_K]

Taps that turn the wrong way, and usually both then turn in opposite directions. I nearly broke one in a guest house as I assumed it was just a bit tight!

In America, lever "mixer" taps seem to be all the rage. The first time I encountered a lever it took me a while to figure out that it was supposed to move from left to right as well as up and down.

A new irritation is sinks, both kitchen and bathroom. The hardware stores are full of - I expect there's some industry name for them - I call them "waterfall" sinks. The tap part is mounted quite high, and water comes out to hit a small tray, where it then runs out into the sink. The ones I've encountered in the wild seem to be highly restricted, as they just dribble water. I guess the full stream hitting the tray would spray all the surrounding areas at full pressure. They're stupid, ugly, and that much more area to try to keep clean.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I've chased that management cat before.

"We have the most expensive backup software on the market! And it's the fastest!" Then an admonition that I was wasting time by trying to test the software to see if it actually worked.

Unfortunately, I've seen some of those very expensive "backup solutions" that were unable to restore any files. Or could only restore entire drive partitions; not any individual files. Or could only restore to an identical drive. Or took 20 minutes to back up, but more than a full day to restore. Or required booting off a pre-prepared "restore drive" with the drive to be restored to mounted at a specific location. Or was "compressed" in some proprietary format, but the newest version of the software couldn't read the backups made by the previous version. Or... I guess you get the point.

"Backups are nice, but only restores count."

I knew a system once that had a really good backup system
They ran it every night and it backed up the system no problem - they checked it had completed successfully every morning

What they did not do was check the start and finish times - which were 5 minutes apart

and the backup itself failed every night but the command files completed OK - which is what it reported

It was a massive problem when I found it because I was replacing the disks
and to do that I needed a backup - which took most of the night when I fixed it - and had not completed the next morning when they came in expecting the system to have been upgraded and restored

turned out there had been no proper backup of the system for several years

it was not important - it was only the payroll system!!!!

(yes - the one that paid me as well - so I was not letting THAT one fail!!!)

 

[Pblakeney]

You really do need insurance if you're going to Skegness again Blakey. Are you flying to Humberside?

Slovenia and NE Italy. And that's just my cycling holiday. I dare say the wife might want a trip or two later in the year.

Definitely not trivial. The planned holiday extension of her joining me in Venice to tour northern Italy for a fortnight is now cancelled due to cancer treatment. Successful I may add but travel insurance while receiving treatment is a no-no.

 

[Pinno718]

Slovenia and NE Italy. And that's just my cycling holiday. I dare say the wife might want a trip or two later in the year.

Definitely not trivial. The planned holiday extension of her joining me in Venice to tour northern Italy for a fortnight is now cancelled due to cancer treatment. Successful I may add but travel insurance while receiving treatment is a no-no.

Been there got the T shirt Blakey. I had to go through hoops galore to get driving insurance at one stage during treatment. Good luck.

 

[Profpointy]

I knew a system once that had a really good backup system
They ran it every night and it backed up the system no problem - they checked it had completed successfully every morning

What they did not do was check the start and finish times - which were 5 minutes apart

and the backup itself failed every night but the command files completed OK - which is what it reported

It was a massive problem when I found it because I was replacing the disks
and to do that I needed a backup - which took most of the night when I fixed it - and had not completed the next morning when they came in expecting the system to have been upgraded and restored

turned out there had been no proper backup of the system for several years

it was not important - it was only the payroll system!!!!

(yes - the one that paid me as well - so I was not letting THAT one fail!!!)

I've heard more than one instance of that story. We used the term "write-only backups" to describe the outcome

A boss had the rather good phrase "write-only documents" to describe worthless documents produced because the process demanded it but which served no purpose and would never be read.

I was frustrated by us producing excessive documentation for "the change", rather than keeping some kind of "living" design document updated for each change. The latter is harder and more work but has ongoing value. Purely change-oriented documents, whilst necessary up to a point, have little value afterwards

 

[ColinJ]

A new irritation is sinks, both kitchen and bathroom. The hardware stores are full of - I expect there's some industry name for them - I call them "waterfall" sinks. The tap part is mounted quite high, and water comes out to hit a small tray, where it then runs out into the sink. The ones I've encountered in the wild seem to be highly restricted, as they just dribble water. I guess the full stream hitting the tray would spray all the surrounding areas at full pressure. They're stupid, ugly, and that much more area to try to keep clean.

My sister had them fitted in her cottage... I agree with you!

 

[Electric_Andy]

People across the road letting off fireworks