Your pet peeve, technical or otherwise.

[themadhippy]

Microsoft. Again

now it is BT Relay, which is fair enough because BT run the service

Id be looking more at  BT than at microsoft,if its a BT  product they decide what its requirements are and were its available from.

[PlainName]

BT are tossers (the help page is pants and contains not a lot helpful, but  has an embedded video for deaf people to see a sign language version, which turns out to be just a bloke waving his arms about saying exactly the same non-info as on the page! I mean, if you're using a text service presumably you can read the text on the page and don't need a video  of non-text non-speech to see it.)

But Microsoft have form and can remove the app from sources where BT can't. Of course, you'd think that BT could just provide a download link for the various versions, but my guess is that Microsoft have told them they're happy to put the app in their spiffy app store providing they are the sole source.

[Kasper]

When the neighbor parks their shitty beat up car on the street in front of my house instead of across the street in front of their own house. They don't always do it but occasionally do and I can't figure out why. I know they are legally allowed to do so but it still seems rude and I would not park a car in front of their house if the space in front of mine was open. Especially not a beater, they park their nice cars in the driveway.

If that's your worst problem, you are indeed a very happy man, obviously. But it appears you don't really feel like that?

mfro - what a strange reply for a thread about pet peeves.

james_s - That is annoying.  Many of my neighbors use their 'driveway' for storage and treat the street as their driveway.  The worst was one that left their friends car beside my house while I was pruning a tree over it.  They sauntered out to a different car and took that one to get coffee then after they got back they offered to move.  By that point I had already carried most of the branches a few cars away to my truck and squeezed them in between my truck and the other neighbors car.

[PlainName]

Speaking of parked cars...

Around here you get cars parked half up on the pavement (sidewalk for you non-brits). I can see the intention (not block traffic) but all they do is block pedestrians and still block the traffic - even with half a car off the road, the other half means cars still have to move right over to get past. They would be much better to just park in the kerb as normal.

[Kasper]

Speaking of parked cars...

Around here you get cars parked half up on the pavement (sidewalk for you non-brits). I can see the intention (not block traffic) but all they do is block pedestrians and still block the traffic - even with half a car off the road, the other half means cars still have to move right over to get past. They would be much better to just park in the kerb as normal.

Speaking of cars half on sidewalks.  At my new house, one of the guys working on the neighbors house parked half on the sidewalk and got hassled by the city.  I think the city was actually here for other business as they spent some time down the road first and then stopped at the neighbors on their return trip.  Worst part was just before that, I was giving those tradies a hard time for getting concrete on my house so now I think they think I called the city and complained about their parking.  Either way, their mess and music got worse afterwards and they never brought the beer I said they owed me.

[james_s]

Speaking of parked cars...

Around here you get cars parked half up on the pavement (sidewalk for you non-brits). I can see the intention (not block traffic) but all they do is block pedestrians and still block the traffic - even with half a car off the road, the other half means cars still have to move right over to get past. They would be much better to just park in the kerb as normal.

That happens sometimes in my neighborhood too, in the section that has sloped curbs. Equally annoying are people who put out their garbage and recycle bins on the sidewalk instead of placing them on the street like you're supposed to. When I go for a walk I have to walk out into the street to get around the bins.

[RJSV]

WAIT,;   You have 'sidewalks' ?
   Our little town, there outside of Oakland city limits, has some sidewalks, maybe 78 %.  Some spots have spotty asphalt patches, hella trip hazard.
   Long stretches of dirt attract DOGs, being walked, and keepin regular. I often walk with cane-assist, so rather veer into the street.
   BUT, that's OK, I prefer to not drive.

   I guess my pet-peeve, of the day, taking a DOG's Point of view:
   DOG OWNERS:. Let 'MAXXEY' take a leisurely SNIFF, or two...That's how they communicate / connect, socially.  Kind of like Faecbohk (but from the other end).  All joking aside, just let, another 30-40 seconds, and your dog is ready to resume the walk.

[IDEngineer]

100% agree with you about letting dogs have the time to sniff to their satisfaction. Fully 1/3rd of their brain is devoted to smell... that's how important it is to them.

[DrG]

/-
Fully 1/3rd of their brain is devoted to smell...
-/

Are you sure you got the science straight there?

[IDEngineer]

You do have a point. 

And I do love Bernies. And Newfies. But most especially Curly Coated Retrievers.

[Zeyneb]

So what annoys the hell out of me is any statistical graph or chart without a proper legend. Or some explanation in a paragraph what it means.

Likewise I do get very annoyed when people don't introduce a conversation topic properly. Or fail to mention key information so that I can make sense of what someone is saying.

[Circlotron]

So what annoys the hell out of me is any statistical graph or chart without a proper legend. Or some explanation in a paragraph what it means.

I remember some 40 years ago there was a leaflet for this Amway product (aloe vera maybe?) telling you just how wonderful it was, and on the back page was an "analysis" graph with a wiggly trace on it. There was no labels or numbers on the X and Y axes, and what's more, as well as going up and down the trace also went side to side a little. 

[srb1954]

I remember some 40 years ago there was a leaflet for this Amway product (aloe vera maybe?) telling you just how wonderful it was, and on the back page was an "analysis" graph with a wiggly trace on it. There was no labels or numbers on the X and Y axes, and what's more, as well as going up and down the trace also went side to side a little. 

The graph probably just represented the shape of an aloe vera leaf! 

[Circlotron]

When you show people some modern, up to date and technologically sophisticated device that actually works properly, and they say "ahhh... you can't beat the old [technically decrepit and not even remotely comparable object]. The thing they are referring to might have some worthwhile feature e.g. low cost, but generally they imagine their sharpened stick is superior to your new CNC laser because, you know, the electricity might go off.

[Zeyneb]

When you show people some modern, up to date and technologically sophisticated device that actually works properly, and they say "ahhh... you can't beat the old [technically decrepit and not even remotely comparable object]. The thing they are referring to might have some worthwhile feature e.g. low cost, but generally they imagine their sharpened stick is superior to your new CNC laser because, you know, the electricity might go off.

Like by surprise they give an honest response: "Ugh, you hurt my feelings. I desperately put up this coping mechanism and even just looking a little to your system make me realize what a caveman I actually am."

[vk6zgo]

When you show people some modern, up to date and technologically sophisticated device that actually works properly, and they say "ahhh... you can't beat the old [technically decrepit and not even remotely comparable object]. The thing they are referring to might have some worthwhile feature e.g. low cost, but generally they imagine their sharpened stick is superior to your new CNC laser because, you know, the electricity might go off.

Or the other way round, someone shows you a "modern, up to date and technologically sophisticated device" & sneers at your perfectly capable "sharp stick", then, when you try to use the new device for your standard tests, it is incapable of performing them.

Instead of "pulling their head in", they "double down", in effect, calling you a "dinosaur" because you can't see the sterling qualities of their "you beaut" instrument.

This was the scenario with "Reps" demonstrating the early Tek & HP DSOs.
The things were seriously dire at displaying PAL (or any) analog video signals at longish time/div settings (around 5ms/div), due to the  presence of HF components up to 5MHz.
They "aliased like there was no tomorrow", producing a display that looked like an overgrown back yard.

We didn't look at video signals at these time/div settings for fun------it was an important way of determining system performance.

[Circlotron]

This was the scenario with "Reps" demonstrating the early Tek & HP DSOs.
The things were seriously dire at displaying PAL (or any) analog video signals at longish time/div settings (around 5ms/div), due to the  presence of HF components up to 5MHz.
They "aliased like there was no tomorrow", producing a display that looked like an overgrown back yard.

That's why I included the phrase "that actually works properly".

And then there's the situation where neither party will acknowledge that both objects actually have some redeeming features if properly applied to an appropriate situation. For example, vacuum tubes apparently make for great musical instrument amplifiers, but for hifi, well that's a matter of opinion, and I don't mind other people enjoy using them for hifi, but not for me. And then there are those that insist that everything must be 1024 bit 10,000GHz DSP with SiC power MOSFETS and whatever else otherwise it simply isn't good enough. Often neither party will accept that both approaches to amplification have their place in the scheme of things, even if the criteria for choice is simply what you subjectively enjoy.

[SilverSolder]

[...] someone shows you a "modern, up to date and technologically sophisticated device" & sneers at your perfectly capable "sharp stick", then, when you try to use the new device for your standard tests, it is incapable of performing them.
[...]

A consumer example of that is modern, microprocessor controlled car battery chargers...   they refuse to start when confronted with a completely dead battery - you have to jump start the dead battery first (from another battery, or an older "dumb" charger) before the new chargers can get to grips with it...  (The new chargers are much better.  But they are more often than not helpless if the battery is 100% discharged)

[rsjsouza]

[...] someone shows you a "modern, up to date and technologically sophisticated device" & sneers at your perfectly capable "sharp stick", then, when you try to use the new device for your standard tests, it is incapable of performing them.
[...]

A consumer example of that is modern, microprocessor controlled car battery chargers...   they refuse to start when confronted with a completely dead battery - you have to jump start the dead battery first (from another battery, or an older "dumb" charger) before the new chargers can get to grips with it...  (The new chargers are much better.  But they are more often than not helpless if the battery is 100% discharged)

This is a similar scenario that I faced when bought a sophisticated Sony NiMH/NiCD charger many years ago: it was fully independent on its four cells, had a discharge function and a fancy LCD showing the charge display. It was so finicky with the type of battery to be charged that I ended up going back to my older Werlisa with only a pair of LEDs but did the job even on the aging cells. 

[SilverSolder]

[...] someone shows you a "modern, up to date and technologically sophisticated device" & sneers at your perfectly capable "sharp stick", then, when you try to use the new device for your standard tests, it is incapable of performing them.
[...]

A consumer example of that is modern, microprocessor controlled car battery chargers...   they refuse to start when confronted with a completely dead battery - you have to jump start the dead battery first (from another battery, or an older "dumb" charger) before the new chargers can get to grips with it...  (The new chargers are much better.  But they are more often than not helpless if the battery is 100% discharged)

This is a similar scenario that I faced when bought a sophisticated Sony NiMH/NiCD charger many years ago: it was fully independent on its four cells, had a discharge function and a fancy LCD showing the charge display. It was so finicky with the type of battery to be charged that I ended up going back to my older Werlisa with only a pair of LEDs but did the job even on the aging cells. 

Yes, modern designs tend to be more fragile, and increasingly over-engineered...   in these inflationary times, look out for old products being quietly dropped, new ones coming in with new "features" to justify the enormous price increases...

[rsjsouza]

Not only features, but also durability, robustness, etc. Since forever, the "first generation" of a new technology was usually priced at a premium while at the same time being engineered accordingly. As cost reductions are applied as the product/technology matures, the usual first victim is the less prominent feature of durability (robustness). In these covid years, the pressure to accommodate the increased costs in electronics ("chipaggedon") will probably create a few generations of much more mechanically fragile products in the upcoming years...

[Kasper]

Not only features, but also durability, robustness, etc. Since forever, the "first generation" of a new technology was usually priced at a premium while at the same time being engineered accordingly. As cost reductions are applied as the product/technology matures, the usual first victim is the less prominent feature of durability (robustness). In these covid years, the pressure to accommodate the increased costs in electronics ("chipaggedon") will probably create a few generations of much more mechanically fragile products in the upcoming years...

So things will be breaking and getting replaced even faster?  That oughta help with chipaggedon [/sarcasm]

[Nominal Animal]

A pet peeve: this overall race to the bottom.

Things are not made to last, or even to solve any practical need.  They are made to extract profit out of consumers.  Short-term profit and growth is key.  You know, like cancer has.  Somehow we're making societies that encourage humans to become zero-asset consumers.

If you get to build things that last and have a true purpose, count yourself lucky.

The term "zero-asset consumer" I stole from Neal Asher's Owner trilogy, depicting a time when the majority of the population of Earth are "zero-asset citizens" living on social support, with no middle class, and a tiny self-deluding elite ruling the world.

[PlainName]

It's our fault. We are pretty much obsessed with getting the most bang for buck, and even buy stuff we don't need if seems to be a bargain (i.e. a few pennies cheaper). Manufacturers are just pandering to our greed.

[Kim Christensen]

A technical peeve:
4-wire ohmmeters or LCR meters that do not warn the user when the source leads are not properly connected. (open)
ie: They still give you a reading as if nothing is wrong.