The Technology Vent and Rant Thread

[cromag]

Reminded me of this:

https://theeconomyofmeaning.files.wo...19/01/dino.jpg

[Darqref]

There are times when I dream of negative searching. As in, I *don't* want to see these results.

Most often when I'm looking at ads or coupons for my local grocer. I going to be IN THE STORE. I don't want to see the ads or coupons for things that are delivery only. I'm not even looking for stuff which you have to buy with the pickup option.

Most of the time, those options aren't available. I treasure them when they are.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Darqref

There are times when I dream of negative searching. As in, I *don't* want to see these results.

Most often when I'm looking at ads or coupons for my local grocer. I going to be IN THE STORE. I don't want to see the ads or coupons for things that are delivery only. I'm not even looking for stuff which you have to buy with the pickup option.

Most of the time, those options aren't available. I treasure them when they are.

OMG, I feel this way about streaming and satellite TV. I would kill to be able to rule OUT "reality shows, kids' shows', comedies" and a host of other things. (Romances, Made-for-Lifetime-Women-in-Peril stories)

Why NOT for crying out loud? Because it will reveal just how little content the Netflixes of the world have, that might ever in a million years suit you?

urgh.

Hitch

[Renate]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Because it will reveal just how little content the Netflixes of the world have, that might ever in a million years suit you?

I've never had NetFlix, but I have sometimes punched up YouTube to see if there is anything worth a gaze. Most of the time there isn't. Still, I'm amazed that they keep pushing stuff for which I've never shown the least interest.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Renate

I've never had NetFlix, but I have sometimes punched up YouTube to see if there is anything worth a gaze. Most of the time there isn't. Still, I'm amazed that they keep pushing stuff for which I've never shown the least interest.

I mean, if you think about it, we've all had databases and filters for how many years now? Since at least the mid-80's, even for the tech-challenged? Let's go wild and say "nah, really, it was the mid-90's," and be conservative about how many years it's been. Okay, fine, so ONLY just shy of 30 years.

You can't tell me that using a NOT filter is that damned hard. I suspect what I said, now that I've really given it a nanosecond's thought, inspired by the above post--they have zero interest in letting you know just how little content that they have that might actually appeal to you.

I seriously have scads of "stuff" I'd love to filter out of my searches or even the grid results (half of which, IMHO are ...nearly unusable. I don't know WTH Amazon thinks it's doing with its layout on Roku, but jjjjjjeeeeeezzzzzzzzeeeeeeeee). As I mentioned above, sitcoms could all go. Romances. Lifetime stuff of any stripe. REALITY shows. I mean...oi.

Sure, we're picky. So what? Isn't that why we pay for streaming? For our convenience and enjoyment? Why should I be tortured, forced into scrolling, scrolling, scrolling, trying to find one d*mned show worth watching? Why can't I shorten that considerably by nuking the unwanted results in the first place?

Ugh.

Hitch

[Renate]

Well, video selection is one thing but what really burns my toast is OverDrive.
You can select by a single language, but only individually for each search.
You can't select globally multiple languages.
You can't say, "I only speak N languages, so if it's not 1 of N I don't want to even hear about it.

I'm bilingual (but not Spanish) so I'm always amused when I get served up ads in Spanish.

[cc_in_oh]

I wonder if that's something that could be added to the Calibre OD plugin?

Originally Posted by Renate

Well, video selection is one thing but what really burns my toast is OverDrive.
You can select by a single language, but only individually for each search.
You can't select globally multiple languages.
You can't say, "I only speak N languages, so if it's not 1 of N I don't want to even hear about it.

I'm bilingual (but not Spanish) so I'm always amused when I get served up ads in Spanish.

[HLS]

Like a dumb ass I used my kindle scribe pen to stir my coffee and now it doesn’t work even after it dried out I’m so stupid lol

[Renate]

Originally Posted by HLS

Like a dumb ass I used my kindle scribe pen to stir my coffee and now it doesn’t work even after it dried out I’m so stupid lol

That's like a Wacom battery-less pen?
Unfortunately they aren't really sealed.
And they don't com apart too easily.
Liquids can affect the circuit and I bet that they don't help the resonance either.

I don't know if I would have instantly thrown it into isopropyl alcohol or not.
Coffee is nasty stuff.

[HLS]

Originally Posted by Renate

That's like a Wacom battery-less pen?
Unfortunately they aren't really sealed.
And they don't com apart too easily.
Liquids can affect the circuit and I bet that they don't help the resonance either.

I don't know if I would have instantly thrown it into isopropyl alcohol or not.
Coffee is nasty stuff.

I was too lazy to get up and get a knife or spoon. At least my Samsung stylus is compatible and you can calibrate the side button function as well.

You would think once dry it will work again but no. its dead

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by Renate

I have sometimes punched up YouTube to see if there is anything worth a gaze. Most of the time there isn't.

How can you be so sure? Even if 99.99% of it is crap and 99% of the rest is not of interest, that still leaves a huge number of videos.

I was once looking for an unabridged public domain film that I knew was there bcause I read so on some web site. (I know, but it was true because I eventually found it.) I got multiple hits on the title, but all were excerpts. It was fun to see all the related search strings pop up as I made and refined my search string, especially the desperate and increasingly lengthy ones trying for the entire film (None of those did any better than just the title by itself. I often see similar search attempts for various items on amazon with similar results.

Not counting direct links, I don't need all my fingers to count all the youtube videos that I have watched on my TV, in part becuase the search is such a time consuming and abysmal experience.

[BetterRed]

I switched Firefox to use the Brave search engine the other day… luvvin' it.

It seems to know I don't watch TV, listen to K-Pop, buy junk food etc…. And if I search for a single word I'm probably looking for a definition, translation, origin, or usage - not some footballer who sold his soul for a million pesos a minute.

BR

[Renate]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

How can you be so sure?

I'm quoting my statistics.
I mean going to youtube.com and looking at the tiles they offer you based on their intimate knowledge of you. I can scroll a half dozen desktop screens down and not find anything that's even worth enduring a five second commercial.

There are worthwhile videos on YouTube, but the recommendations won't find them for you.

Here's a good video that will have you saying, "what the flock?"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ycigOdc7FU

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Renate

That's like a Wacom battery-less pen?
Unfortunately they aren't really sealed.
And they don't com apart too easily.
Liquids can affect the circuit and I bet that they don't help the resonance either.

I don't know if I would have instantly thrown it into isopropyl alcohol or not.
Coffee is nasty stuff.

Coffee is nasty. It tastes disgusting.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Coffee is nasty. It tastes disgusting.

À chacun son goût. It's be a boring world if we let crusty ill-tempered old men decide our choice in libations.