The Technology Vent and Rant Thread - Page 43

BetterRed · 06-13-2019, 11:29 PM

Software that names its components in multiple locations, thus encouraging the use of different names for the same thing in different locations - especially if it results in the said software not functioning - no names no packdrill.

BR

Hitch · 06-14-2019, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BetterRed

Software that names its components in multiple locations, thus encouraging the use of different names for the same thing in different locations - especially if it results in the said software not functioning - no names no packdrill.

BR

Similar kvetch: WHY does Adobe install its products in two different places? Why is it both in Program Files and Program files (x86)?????? WHY does it do that, d*mmit?

And why did Adobe tell me that I could run Acrobat DC and my Acrobat Pro X at the same time on the same computer--which has turned out to be completely untrue????? GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Hitch

BetterRed · 06-14-2019, 09:41 AM

I can try answering the first one, it's because you have installed the 32bit and 64bit versions of the same software, which by default will install in Program Files (X86) and Program Files respectively - that's an MS doing. But maybe Adobe installs both just because...

There are times when having the ability to have both is quite handy - e.g. to install an earlier version of the 32 bit edition when you think something has gone adrift in the latest version of the 64 bit edition.

I have the luxury of being able to avoid Adobe software - on the rare occasion I do need something from them I install it in a VM, use it, and uninstall it. For me, the history of AcrowBat-from-hell and Flash-back crashes left an indelible blot on their copybook.

BR

Hitch · 06-14-2019, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BetterRed

I can try answering the first one, it's because you have installed the 32bit and 64bit versions of the same software, which by default will install in Program Files (X86) and Program Files respectively - that's an MS doing. But maybe Adobe installs both just because...

There are times when having the ability to have both is quite handy - e.g. to install an earlier version of the 32 bit edition when you think something has gone adrift in the latest version of the 64 bit edition.

I have the luxury of being able to avoid Adobe software - on the rare occasion I do need something from them I install it in a VM, use it, and uninstall it. For me, the history of AcrowBat-from-hell and Flash-back crashes left an indelible blot on their copybook.

BR

I actually know that, but damn, it's a pain in the butt when you want to uninstall something. I had Acrobat Pro X. When I dl'ed the latest CC, Adobe INSISTED that Acrobat DC would not overwrite Pro x, and wouldn't interfere. WRONG. Suddenly, I had a "trial" for XI on my computer, X had been uninstalled or d/c'ed, and my head is doing the exorcist dance. I tried to uninstall XI, but now, X won't run again. It's incredibly annoying.

Hitch

BetterRed · 06-14-2019, 08:04 PM

You just reminded me why I avoid Adobe software to the maximum extent possible.

You also had me reaching for the WTF button, I read your Roman eleven as X1, it's a search tool I use.

I ran into a similar nightmare as you have with Adobe when I upgraded from Regular Office 2016 32 bit to Office 365 64 bit. After doing the soft-shoe two-step shuffle with MS support for a day and half, it became obvious that the upgrade to Office 365 script didn't cater for simultaneously moving from 32 to 64 bit and the 1st and 2nd line support hadn't a clue what to do about the consequent shambles.

So, after securing my collection of macros, addons, templates, customisations etc I exorcised all things Office with scalpels, shovels, picks and miscellaneous WMDs, then did a fresh install of Office 365 64 bit and a restoration of my stuff. Been good as gold ever since. To their credit someone from the Office Factory did contact me, but I'd fixed it by then.

BR

BetterRed · 06-23-2019, 10:14 PM

Wasn't sure whether to post this here or in the "Add a good joke..." thread

The sidebar panels (Navigation, Thesaurus, Editor, Lookup etc) in Word 2016 irritate me. It's not obvious which one has focus, and AFAIK: a) there's no keyboard way of cycling though the panels, and b) there's no way to close a panel via the keyboard.

So I decided to send feedback with suggestions on how they might fix it, the result was :-

Click image for larger version

Name: Annotation 2019-06-24 111046.jpg
Views: 214
Size: 181.9 KB
ID: 172081

Tried a quick repair, same result. Then discovered the similar buttons in Onenote, and Excel do the same, but the one in Outlook tells me MS have outsourced Feedback collection to UserVoice and then takes me to the UV site.

That's one way to reduce the bug count - cripple the bug reporting facility

BR

Dylrob · 06-29-2019, 07:54 AM

I have repeatedly unsubscribed to things on this forum when I don't mean to. Always on my iPad or iPhone of course... Touch just doesn't have the precision of a pointer.

cc_in_oh · 06-29-2019, 09:45 AM

Apparently when I bought a Fire HD10 last year, it somehow became my default download device (replacing Kindle cloud reader). So now the HD10 has the hundreds of free books I've acquired since then. Not only do I have to delete them one by one, but after each delete I have to wait until the book list refreshes with one more title before I can get the menu to delete the next one. Surely there must be a better way?

John F · 06-29-2019, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cc_in_oh

Apparently when I bought a Fire HD10 last year, it somehow became my default download device (replacing Kindle cloud reader). So now the HD10 has the hundreds of free books I've acquired since then. Not only do I have to delete them one by one, but after each delete I have to wait until the book list refreshes with one more title before I can get the menu to delete the next one. Surely there must be a better way?

Does this help:

http://in5stepstutorials.com/amazon/...dle-ebooks.php

cc_in_oh · 06-29-2019, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John F

Does this help:

http://in5stepstutorials.com/amazon/...dle-ebooks.php

Thanks - I reset to cloud reader when I noticed the change. What I need help with is clearing the books off the HD10 without taking all day. We never read on the tablet so never noticed the books piling up there.

If it was my phone, I think I could just uninstall/reinstall the Kindle app to clean up. I could do a factory reset on the HD10 but my wife would kill me...

Greg Anos · 07-19-2019, 06:58 PM

You have to wonder at the intelligence of people. . .

I'm an old dinosaur - mainframe COBOL. I'm between contracts, with 1 to 2 years to go before retirement.

A contract I worked for 2 years ago, at $50 an hour. The team who does the guts coding and rewriting of the US Medicare system. (The contract that made H.Ross Perot a billionaire, in the 1960s.) It is a cost plus contract. It has been since the 1960s.

Legal requirements to work for the job - US Citizen or Green Card. All mainframe. Have to pass the equivalent of a security screening to work on it. Data cannot leave the country, under any circumstances. Subject to HIPPA law. (You leak data, you got to the pokey - it's a felony.)

Given all of that. I just saw a contract company trying to get candidates for Programming training class for that environment.

Requirements - Bachelors Degree in a technical subject. GPA 3.0 or greater.

PAY - $16 to $18/Hr.

Somebody is missing something between their ears - and it isn't me. . . . .

FizzyWater · 07-19-2019, 09:49 PM

Aren't teachers of all kind typically underpaid? Maybe college professors differ, I don't know.

Toxaris · 07-20-2019, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward

You have to wonder at the intelligence of people. . .

I'm an old dinosaur - mainframe COBOL. I'm between contracts, with 1 to 2 years to go before retirement.

A contract I worked for 2 years ago, at $50 an hour. The team who does the guts coding and rewriting of the US Medicare system. (The contract that made H.Ross Perot a billionaire, in the 1960s.) It is a cost plus contract. It has been since the 1960s.

Legal requirements to work for the job - US Citizen or Green Card. All mainframe. Have to pass the equivalent of a security screening to work on it. Data cannot leave the country, under any circumstances. Subject to HIPPA law. (You leak data, you got to the pokey - it's a felony.)

Given all of that. I just saw a contract company trying to get candidates for Programming training class for that environment.

Requirements - Bachelors Degree in a technical subject. GPA 3.0 or greater.

PAY - $16 to $18/Hr.

Somebody is missing something between their ears - and it isn't me. . . . .

Hmm, $50 an hour for an experienced COBOL programmer doesn't sound like a lot.

Greg Anos · 07-23-2019, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toxaris

Hmm, $50 an hour for an experienced COBOL programmer doesn't sound like a lot.

Roughly the going wage. JAVA programmers here get $60-$70 USD here, more in Austin Texas.

$50/HR works out to $90-$100 thousand a year, depending on holiday and sick/vacation time. (40 hrs a week, for 50 weeks, is 2000 hours a year. 2 weeks for client holidays, (52 weeks a year - 2 = 50 weeks) 2000 x $50 = $100,000 YR (minus how much time you miss for sick leave or vacations, plus any overtime you work.)

But you have to understand the cost of living here in Texas. I can buy a 220 sq meter used house (nice, all brick) for $300,000 at less than 5% interest. Monthly payment is circa $1,800 a month. (cut out the mortgage and taxes insurance are around $8,000 a year.)

It's not what you earn, it's what you keep. That's why everybody and his dog seem to be migrating to Texas. . .

latepaul · 08-03-2019, 05:55 AM

I love my Kobo devices (I have 4) but why oh why is it that of all the USB devices I own they are the only ones that will only work if plugged directly into the computer?

And by computer I mean two different laptops. I mean 3 different USB hubs and one laptop dock. I mean a variety of different cables.

I never have this issue with any of my 3 Kindles or other devices.

06-13-2019, 11:29 PM	#631
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 20,568 Karma: 26954694 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	Annoyance Software that names its components in multiple locations, thus encouraging the use of different names for the same thing in different locations - especially if it results in the said software not functioning - no names no packdrill. BR Last edited by BetterRed; 06-14-2019 at 01:45 AM.

06-14-2019, 08:04 PM	#635
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 20,568 Karma: 26954694 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	You just reminded me why I avoid Adobe software to the maximum extent possible. You also had me reaching for the WTF button, I read your Roman eleven as X1, it's a search tool I use. I ran into a similar nightmare as you have with Adobe when I upgraded from Regular Office 2016 32 bit to Office 365 64 bit. After doing the soft-shoe two-step shuffle with MS support for a day and half, it became obvious that the upgrade to Office 365 script didn't cater for simultaneously moving from 32 to 64 bit and the 1st and 2nd line support hadn't a clue what to do about the consequent shambles. So, after securing my collection of macros, addons, templates, customisations etc I exorcised all things Office with scalpels, shovels, picks and miscellaneous WMDs, then did a fresh install of Office 365 64 bit and a restoration of my stuff. Been good as gold ever since. To their credit someone from the Office Factory did contact me, but I'd fixed it by then. BR Last edited by BetterRed; 06-14-2019 at 08:07 PM.

06-23-2019, 10:14 PM	#636
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 20,568 Karma: 26954694 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	MS Word Bug Wasn't sure whether to post this here or in the "Add a good joke..." thread The sidebar panels (Navigation, Thesaurus, Editor, Lookup etc) in Word 2016 irritate me. It's not obvious which one has focus, and AFAIK: a) there's no keyboard way of cycling though the panels, and b) there's no way to close a panel via the keyboard. So I decided to send *feedback* with suggestions on how they might fix it, the result was :- Tried a quick repair, same result. Then discovered the similar buttons in Onenote, and Excel do the same, but the one in Outlook tells me MS have outsourced Feedback collection to UserVoice and then takes me to the UV site. That's one way to reduce the bug count - cripple the bug reporting facility BR

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06-14-2019, 09:41 AM	#633
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 20,568 Karma: 26954694 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	I can try answering the first one, it's because you have installed the 32bit and 64bit versions of the same software, which by default will install in Program Files (X86) and Program Files respectively - that's an MS doing. But maybe Adobe installs both just because... There are times when having the ability to have both is quite handy - e.g. to install an earlier version of the 32 bit edition when you think something has gone adrift in the latest version of the 64 bit edition. I have the luxury of being able to avoid Adobe software - on the rare occasion I do need something from them I install it in a VM, use it, and uninstall it. For me, the history of AcrowBat-from-hell and Flash-back crashes left an indelible blot on their copybook. BR

06-29-2019, 07:54 AM	#637
Dylrob Murderous Mustela Posts: 10,141 Karma: 47366760 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: The other land of schnitzel and beer Device: iPad M1 Pro, Kindle Paperwhite	I have repeatedly unsubscribed to things on this forum when I don't mean to. Always on my iPad or iPhone of course... Touch just doesn't have the precision of a pointer.

06-29-2019, 09:45 AM	#638
cc_in_oh Bob's my uncle Posts: 930 Karma: 17008060 Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: NE OH Device: Kindle	Apparently when I bought a Fire HD10 last year, it somehow became my default download device (replacing Kindle cloud reader). So now the HD10 has the hundreds of free books I've acquired since then. Not only do I have to delete them one by one, but after each delete I have to wait until the book list refreshes with one more title before I can get the menu to delete the next one. Surely there must be a better way?

07-19-2019, 06:58 PM	#641
Greg Anos Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,248 Karma: 35000000 Join Date: Jan 2008 Device: Pocketbook	You have to wonder at the intelligence of people. . . I'm an old dinosaur - mainframe COBOL. I'm between contracts, with 1 to 2 years to go before retirement. A contract I worked for 2 years ago, at $50 an hour. The team who does the guts coding and rewriting of the US Medicare system. (The contract that made H.Ross Perot a billionaire, in the 1960s.) It is a cost plus contract. It has been since the 1960s. Legal requirements to work for the job - US Citizen or Green Card. All mainframe. Have to pass the equivalent of a security screening to work on it. Data cannot leave the country, under any circumstances. Subject to HIPPA law. (You leak data, you got to the pokey - it's a felony.) Given all of that. I just saw a contract company trying to get candidates for Programming training class for that environment. Requirements - Bachelors Degree in a technical subject. GPA 3.0 or greater. PAY - $16 to $18/Hr. Somebody is missing something between their ears - and it isn't me. . . . .

07-19-2019, 09:49 PM	#642
FizzyWater You kids get off my lawn! Posts: 4,220 Karma: 73492664 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Columbus, Ohio Device: Oasis 2 and Libra H2O and half a dozen older models I can't let go of	Aren't teachers of all kind typically underpaid? Maybe college professors differ, I don't know.

08-03-2019, 05:55 AM	#645
latepaul Wizard Posts: 1,264 Karma: 10203040 Join Date: Dec 2011 Device: a variety (mostly kindles and kobos)	I love my Kobo devices (I have 4) but why oh why is it that of all the USB devices I own they are the only ones that will only work if plugged directly into the computer? And by computer I mean two different laptops. I mean 3 different USB hubs and one laptop dock. I mean a variety of different cables. I never have this issue with any of my 3 Kindles or other devices.

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