The Vent and Rant Thread

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

It is my understanding on the key cards that the locks must be connected to the system to read the key card. No system, no way for the lock to read the card.

If that were true, NO ONE could get into their rooms for that entire time. Somehow, I doubt that was the case from the description that Bilbo1967 posted. Yes, _changes_ would require the system to be up. And I suppose at least some systems might work that way. But if I were designing it, I'd choose to have the authenticator required for changes, but the actual unlock handled locally based on what was downloaded to the lock. That's a far more stable and fail-proof system. Intelligent design avoids 'single point of failure'. A bad lock could fail _that lock_. But if all your locks require verification against a single server...

[Bilbo1967]

Well, I know that the system hadn't failed to the extent that key cards wouldn't work, or even be programmed (several people who were pre-booked with allocated room numbers got key cards processed as I watched - and, no, I have no idea why they were different to most other people there). It was the booking in / room allocation system that was down hence, as they explained to me, they had no idea which rooms were free so couldn't allocate us one.

I'm proud to say though, that I didn't get angry with the individual staff involved - I'm pretty sure that they were having as bad an experience as I was, and it wasn't their fault. Proud, because I was starving hungry and I'm seriously not renowned for my patience in those kinds of circumstances.

I do think that the hotel processes should include some kind of manual work-around for this situation though. It was "the system" or nothing. As a software quality consultant, I'm well aware that total dependence on IT systems isn't a foolproof plan!

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Bilbo1967

Well, I know that the system hadn't failed to the extent that key cards wouldn't work, or even be programmed (several people who were pre-booked with allocated room numbers got key cards processed as I watched - and, no, I have no idea why they were different to most other people there). It was the booking in / room allocation system that was down hence, as they explained to me, they had no idea which rooms were free so couldn't allocate us one.

I'm proud to say though, that I didn't get angry with the individual staff involved - I'm pretty sure that they were having as bad an experience as I was, and it wasn't their fault. Proud, because I was starving hungry and I'm seriously not renowned for my patience in those kinds of circumstances.

I do think that the hotel processes should include some kind of manual work-around for this situation though. It was "the system" or nothing. As a software quality consultant, I'm well aware that total dependence on IT systems isn't a foolproof plan!

Waaaaaale,

Back in the day, to use that overused term, we did. We still had the old room boards, with cards. And yes, from what you've described, that would be the room allocation system, which is ALSO tied to housekeeping--so that they'd know that a room was empty, cleaned and thus, available.

In the olden days, we'd pull out the old card board--think of a big, flat shoe hanging bag, kinda. You put cards in that said "occupied," cards that said "empty and cleaned," cards that said "empty" (implicitly uncleaned), etc. We did it all by hand.

But it's been...wow. Major system were put in, for most of these, in the bulk of hotels, in the 80's. It's been a while, I'd guess, since most hotel employees have had to use "The Board." ;-)

(In fairness, I should mention, "The Board" for a major hotel--like, for example, a Fairmont Princess, with over 600 rooms, can be simply overwhelming to manage by hand.)

Hitch

[wodin]

Originally Posted by DMcCunney

...
The front desk could not access their system to check in customers, and that was only the tip of the iceberg. The elevators weren't running, and people already checked in on upper floors had problems. The phone system was disrupted, varying between "You can't call into or out of the hotel at all" and "You can only call the main hotel number. Direct dialing of specific extensions doesn't work."

And the failure knocked out the feed from the hotel's ISP, so Wifi and Internet access were out.

Power was back by Friday, but all of the other problems that occurred in the wake of the power failure weren't finally fixed until Saturday evening.
...

Imagine what would happen if a solar kill shot or an EMP attack took out the whole grid.

[Rumpelteazer]

Why do the two new cinemas have such similar names? I just booked my ticket for the midnight premier and only when I checked the direction did I find out the midnight premier is at the further cinema instead of the one within walking distance. The film doesn't end until 2.30am, but there isn't any public transport at that time of night. Cycling isn't an option, even if it's less than 5km; to get there you not only have to go over a bridge which is high and long, but the route is also through a not very safe part of town. I already paid for it and you can't get money back, so I'll email tomorrow to get the ticket exchanged for a showing at a time when I can get there with public transport.

[Hitch]

Whyyyyyyyyyyy is it that to this day, at least 2x weekly, a client sends me a form (this means, a blank table inside an RTF or Doc/DOCX file) that's still blank?

Why? Why can't they comprehend that if you type in the freaking thing, YOU HAVE TO EFFING SAVE IT, before you send it back? WHY?

{sigh}

Hitch

[Toxaris]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Whyyyyyyyyyyy is it that to this day, at least 2x weekly, a client sends me a form (this means, a blank table inside an RTF or Doc/DOCX file) that's still blank?

Why? Why can't they comprehend that if you type in the freaking thing, YOU HAVE TO EFFING SAVE IT, before you send it back? WHY?

{sigh}

Hitch

(sorry...)

[doubleshuffle]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Whyyyyyyyyyyy is it that to this day, at least 2x weekly, a client sends me a form (this means, a blank table inside an RTF or Doc/DOCX file) that's still blank?

Why? Why can't they comprehend that if you type in the freaking thing, YOU HAVE TO EFFING SAVE IT, before you send it back? WHY?

{sigh}

Hitch

I have a feeling the answer might be related to the reason why my frozen pizza has a sticker telling me to remove the plastic wrapping before putting it in the oven. (Can't you put a sticker on your document somewhere? )

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Whyyyyyyyyyyy is it that to this day, at least 2x weekly, a client sends me a form (this means, a blank table inside an RTF or Doc/DOCX file) that's still blank?

Why? Why can't they comprehend that if you type in the freaking thing, YOU HAVE TO EFFING SAVE IT, before you send it back? WHY?

{sigh}

Hitch

What is save?

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by doubleshuffle

I have a feeling the answer might be related to the reason why my frozen pizza has a sticker telling me to remove the plastic wrapping before putting it in the oven. (Can't you put a sticker on your document somewhere? )

Or why an iron says do not use on the clothes you are wearing.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Toxaris

(sorry...)

I forgive you, but...not easy today. I have an elderly pastor, ALSO, that cannot follow the instructions to upload his file to our Hightail, even though we provide a) text instructions, b) image instructions, and c) a video that shows you how.

Originally Posted by doubleshuffle

I have a feeling the answer might be related to the reason why my frozen pizza has a sticker telling me to remove the plastic wrapping before putting it in the oven. (Can't you put a sticker on your document somewhere? )

There is. So to speak. There's an instruction saying "type in it, SAVE it, and then send it back to us." Unfreakingbelievable. Really

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

What is save?

Yup, you iz qualified to be one of our clients.


Hitch
(Who's grouchy today....)

[crich70]

I'm getting annoyed at a cookie maker. I bought some windmill cookies made by Steenstra at my local grocery the other day. It says on the package that 1 serving has 10 g of carb but for one serving it has 16g. Not helpful at all. Is 16g .5 cookie? 1 cookie? 2 cookies? I found what I thought was their website and tried to send them an email but when I clicked on submit I was asked for my user name and password. Talk about a joke. I don't work for the company. I'm a consumer for crying out loud. And what good does it do to tell us 1 serving has 10 grams of carb if we don't know how big 1 serving is? The amount of carb is useless information when you don't know how many cookies are in a serving. There is a mailing address on the box at least so I will have to use the snail mail method. Sigh.

[crich70]

Originally Posted by Hitch

I forgive you, but...not easy today. I have an elderly pastor, ALSO, that cannot follow the instructions to upload his file to our Hightail, even though we provide a) text instructions, b) image instructions, and c) a video that shows you how.

There is. So to speak. There's an instruction saying "type in it, SAVE it, and then send it back to us." Unfreakingbelievable. Really

Yup, you iz qualified to be one of our clients.

Hitch
(Who's grouchy today....)

Sounds like he's from the same generation as my mom. She can't even figure out how to turn a computer on.

[crich70]

Originally Posted by CRussel

If that were true, NO ONE could get into their rooms for that entire time. Somehow, I doubt that was the case from the description that Bilbo1967 posted. Yes, _changes_ would require the system to be up. And I suppose at least some systems might work that way. But if I were designing it, I'd choose to have the authenticator required for changes, but the actual unlock handled locally based on what was downloaded to the lock. That's a far more stable and fail-proof system. Intelligent design avoids 'single point of failure'. A bad lock could fail _that lock_. But if all your locks require verification against a single server...

Couldn't that also make it easier for someone to unlock all the doors at once for theft? I mean if they could get access to the system and send a master unlock command or something.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by crich70

I'm getting annoyed at a cookie maker. I bought some windmill cookies made by Steenstra at my local grocery the other day. It says on the package that 1 serving has 10 g of carb but for one serving it has 16g. Not helpful at all. Is 16g .5 cookie? 1 cookie? 2 cookies? I found what I thought was their website and tried to send them an email but when I clicked on submit I was asked for my user name and password. Talk about a joke. I don't work for the company. I'm a consumer for crying out loud. And what good does it do to tell us 1 serving has 10 grams of carb if we don't know how big 1 serving is? The amount of carb is useless information when you don't know how many cookies are in a serving. There is a mailing address on the box at least so I will have to use the snail mail method. Sigh.

I googled windmill cookies. It said a serving was 3 cookies.