The Cellar / Technology pissing me off today..

**Posted by Flint** 2/04/2025 8:51 pm

Couldn't find a "pissing me off today thread" so here goes..

This ƒucking abomination of a title bar that takes up 3x the amount of space compared to the useful items on it.

This is how few items there actually are (edited to be placed in a single row-- with TONS of space left)

Not to mention, items that nobody asked for-- "tRy tHe nEw oUtLoOk" .. "nOtiFiCaTiOn bell" ..

**Posted by nowhereman** 2/06/2025 8:24 am

I have been using Ama**n Web Services for video storage. Now, I can't login until I choose and set up one of 3 authenticators "for my security", but I can't find help in the support area as to how to do that. Just let me keep using my password, none of this requires high level security Grrrrr.

**Posted by glatt** 2/06/2025 9:25 am

Well, after the iCloud security lapse of the private nudes of those hollywood starlets several years ago, cloud hosting companies want to be sure their security it tight.

**Posted by nowhereman** 2/07/2025 8:50 am

I finally found a video on setting up Microsoft Authenticator. Much easier than I thought, it just generates a code # with your phone that you enter in the login to AWS,

**Posted by Flint** 2/10/2025 2:56 pm

How many hours will I spend today, trying to LOOK AT A CALENDAR in Windows?

You know how you can open a calendar from the date/time in the system tray?
When you need to know the date of a certain day, so you look at the calendar?
The calendar that all of human society has been using for over 400 years?

YOU CAN'T DO THAT ANYMORE, because WINDOWS is BETTER THAN BEFORE!!

People HATE calendars, people NEVER USE calendars, obviously, so Microsoft wisely REMOVED THEM from the screen we stare at all day.

...

AWESOME

**Posted by Clodfobble** 2/10/2025 5:14 pm

I don't know if this is the case for you, but I find that I can open the calendar from the system tray in Windows 11, it's just that it breaks all the time. If I reboot, the calendar starts opening again.

This does not in any way excuse the fact that Windows 11 has some insane bug that breaks the calendar. I'm just saying you might be able to open it after all.

**Posted by Flint** 2/10/2025 7:13 pm

Windows 11 has ruined my whole day.
IT sent an email 5 months ago that they were rolling it out.
Then, two days in advance, an email to my manager who was out sick.
They rolled out Win11 over the weekend to a couple of mission critical computers that absolutely chug on it.

I've been fighting everybody like a Karen, saying stuff like, "must be fixed by the end of the day today!"

**Posted by griff** 2/11/2025 7:18 am

My retirement clock is ticking. I'm pretty done with other people's tech choices.

**Posted by Flint** 2/11/2025 12:32 pm

What are your plans for after? Sit on the porch whittling?

**Posted by griff** 2/11/2025 12:48 pm

My logs are being delivered in June, so I should be wicked busy building through the Summer and Fall, followed by finish work and maybe some whittling. I’m going to focus on the natural world and amuse myself with a sawmill along with my bike, hike, and ski passions.

**Posted by Flint** 2/11/2025 2:37 pm

sounds awesome

**Posted by griff** 2/12/2025 7:08 am

The Cellar » ADK

**Posted by glatt** 2/12/2025 8:43 am

griff wrote:
My retirement clock is ticking. I'm pretty done with other people's tech choices.

I could have written this post.

I'm pretty done with all of it, and I think I might have enough squirreled away to make it work. Not sure.

I spend a lot of time on social media consuming content about retirement. One of the biggest regrets some influencers talk about is that they didn't retire sooner and that life is shorter than you realize.

**Posted by Diaphone Jim** 2/12/2025 12:19 pm

Sort of germane to this thread is getting your end-of-life stuff in order.
Problems from a recent family death without that are proving to be a really unwelcome PITA.

**Posted by glatt** 2/14/2025 11:31 am

Microsoft Teams Audio is the worst.
I can almost never hear it. It never comes out of a speaker I want. Between my cell phone, and the closed laptop under my desk connected to the docking station, and the bluetooth speaker, or my earbuds, and the speakers built into my two monitors, it seems to randomly choose one. It drives me nuts. It all went to hell when they took my desktop phone away and sent my phone calls to Teams instead. Oh, the good old days when I could just pick up a receiver to answer a phone call. At the beginning of every Teams meeting, I have to fiddle with where the sound is coming from. And Teams makes you go though like 5 non-intuitive steps to get to the sound output menu. UGH

**Posted by fargon** 2/14/2025 12:12 pm

They told me back in 1975 that in the future computers would make our lives easier, they lied.

**Posted by griff** 2/14/2025 5:45 pm

TBF, they were right for 25 years, but…

**Posted by fargon** 2/14/2025 6:24 pm

They over did the works, and now the machines have taken over. Nowadays you have to prove that you're not a machine to a machine.

**Posted by tw** 2/14/2025 9:20 pm

What we have become: Encounter with the reception desk.

**Posted by Diaphone Jim** 2/15/2025 4:35 pm

I used to like links such as tw's one to the Economist.
It seems 4/5 require some sort of $$$, even if they are "free" trials.
Credit card now and cancel later. Right.
No thanks.

**Posted by Diaphone Jim** 2/15/2025 4:50 pm

And then, about five minutes later, I got a post from the Economist on my Facebook page trying to push me to sign up. Phooey!

**Posted by tw** 2/16/2025 2:20 pm

The Economist used to be free for a few copies. Demonstrated on 6 Feb 2025 from them is what we have become. Ask and thy shall provide. (Fair use doctrine):

Good morning, Madam. Welcome to Frostings. How may I help you?

Good morning! I’m here for a meeting with Victor Rumbaba.

Is he expecting you?

He is indeed.

Let me just check on the system for you. Can you spell Rhubarb for me?

Er, sure. r.h.u.b.a.r.b.

Typing

I’m afraid that’s not coming up on the system. Can you spell his name again?

Oh, I’m sorry. I thought you were testing my spelling for some reason. That’s r.u.m.b.a.b.a.

Typing

There he is. I’m afraid there is no record of him expecting guests this morning, so I will need to take your details. Can I have some id, please?

Of course. Here you go.

That’s a gym-membership card.

Oh sorry. Hold on. Here’s my licence.

Thank you, Ms Genoise.

Typing

What company are you from?

Battenberg.

Typing

Can you look into the camera?

Sure.

That’s actually my water bottle.

I’m so sorry. Everything here looks like it could be a device.

The camera is just here.

I’m so sorry.

Just stand back a bit. You don’t need to be quite so close. Not quite so far. That’s it. Thank you.

Printer whirrs

Hold on a second. We’ve run out of stickers for the visitor passes. I’ll just radio my colleague. Alpha Bravo Windowcleaner, come in.

Tango Lemonade Delta. Receiving you loud and clear. Over.

Alpha Bravo Windowcleaner, we need stickers for the visitor passes. Do you know where they are? Over.

Tango Lemonade Delta, in the cabinet on the left. The one with the crisps. Over.

Wilco. Over and Out. Let me just load this up for you, Ms Genoise, and we’ll get it printed off.

Tray-opening. Grunting. Printing

Right. Here’s your pass.

Is this ok? I’m just a silhouette on this, you would have no idea it’s me.

Don’t worry. I’ve worked here for 23 years and no one ever looks at the photo.

Why do you need one then?

Protocol. Just stick it somewhere on your jacket. I’ll call up to let Mr Rumbaba know that you are here.

Pushing of buttons

I’m afraid no one is picking up. Let me leave a message. Hello, this is reception. I have Mildred Genoise waiting for you.

Does anyone ever pick up?

Not any more. I’m not even sure people have phones on their desks up there. I sometimes think I might as well be sending interstellar messages to aliens.

So what happens now?

I send him an email saying exactly the same thing.

Typing

Does that work any better?

No.

A cough from behind

Mildred? It’s me. Victor.

Oh hello! We were just trying to get hold of you.

Yes, sorry. I was coming from another meeting outside the building and thought it must be you.

No problem.

Well, one problem actually. Turns to reception. Hello. I left my pass at home. Could you let us in?

I’m afraid not. I’ll need to get someone to vouch for you.

Really? We’ve been on silent-nodding terms for years.

Really. Can you give me the name of a colleague to call?

Er, yes. Try Sam Bundt.

Sound of someone pushing buttons.

No one is picking up. I’ll leave a message. Hello, this is reception. Can you come down to vouch for someone who has lost their pass?

I’m pretty sure we don’t have phones on our desks. I’ll WhatsApp Sam.

Texting sounds

Success! He’s on his way.

I’m afraid you’ll still need to sign in, Mr Rumbaba.

Really? Why?

Protocol. My colleague won’t let you through those barriers without a pass. Who are you here to see?

No one. I’m the person being visited.

Hmmm. This could be a problem.

Do you ever worry that your job might be taken over by a computer?

I don’t think so. You can’t really replace the human touch, can you?

Last edited by tw (2/21/2025 7:39 pm)

**Posted by Diaphone Jim** 2/17/2025 12:00 pm

I read that and wondered WTF does that have to do with the Economist's messing with me.
Now I see that it is the link you posted and am very glad I didn't waste any time doing the signup dance.

**Posted by tw** 2/17/2025 1:28 pm

The Economist simply demonstrates what we have all become.

**Posted by Flint** 2/18/2025 12:41 pm

glatt wrote:
Microsoft Teams Audio is the worst.
I can almost never hear it. It never comes out of a speaker I want. Between my cell phone, and the closed laptop under my desk connected to the docking station, and the bluetooth speaker, or my earbuds, and the speakers built into my two monitors, it seems to randomly choose one. It drives me nuts. It all went to hell when they took my desktop phone away and sent my phone calls to Teams instead. Oh, the good old days when I could just pick up a receiver to answer a phone call. At the beginning of every Teams meeting, I have to fiddle with where the sound is coming from. And Teams makes you go though like 5 non-intuitive steps to get to the sound output menu. UGH

"at the beginning of every [something] I have to fiddle with [something] to get it to work" is the genral theme of today's technology..

I had them remove my desk phone, because #1 I hate making phone calls, but also it was taking up space on my desk, and I had two headsets (one for my computer, one for my phone), so after asking for about two years, I got a soft-phone on my computer. This is great, but.. Cisco Jabber cannot remember that I ALWAYS want my audio to go to my headset. There's no other scenario. My laptop mic/speakers will NEVER be where I take a phone call.

So, yeah, the beginning of nearly every phone call is me yelling into the ether, "HANG ON, HANG ON.." while I fiddle with my audio settings..

UPDATE: this happened to me WHILE I WAS TYPING THIS