Your pet peeve, technical or otherwise.

[SilverSolder]

[...]  What was so terribly wrong with USB A that really is Universal???

Not enough opportunities to make money...

[IDEngineer]

The annoying thing is, the charging / data cable it does come with has a USB C connector and I don't have a single thing that it will plug into. Apple want AU$29 for a lightning to USB A cable. $4 eBay ones are useless. What was so terribly wrong with USB A that really is Universal???

Ironically, my 19YO son and I had this exact same discussion the same day that you posted this. I maintained that USB-A is the closest thing to a universal connector that we've seen. They're literally everywhere. When you can get power using the same cable from both a rental car dashboard and a hotel room alarm clock, society has accomplished something. Granted the current capacity may vary but even 5V @ 500mA (the minimum spec) is enough to power 95% of handheld devices that use a USB cable.

So... let's change the connector! Again! Because why not?!?

"The nice thing about standards is that there are so many different ones to choose from." Grrrrrr.

[james_s]

While USB-C does have a few advantages, I'm not a fan either. I have a lot of equipment that doesn't have it so I use USB-A on everything, even the stuff that does have C. The only place I ever actually use USB-C is my employer issued Macbook because there is no other option, and even on that I use converter dongles for absolutely everything but the charger. Pretty much all of my coworkers have a pencil pouch full of dongles, USB-C has been around for years and it has never really caught on because it doesn't offer anything compelling enough to be worth the hassle of switching to yet a different connector. The cables are expensive and fragile too, and some of them support the higher powers and some don't. Devices with USB-C connectors vary in how much of the standard they have implemented too. I hear people touting the ability to insert the connector either way around and I just think "neat but so what?" Am I the only one who never seemed to have a difficulty inserting a standard USB connector the right way around? Couldn't we have solved this by clearly marking USB-A plugs and sockets?

[IDEngineer]

While USB-C does have a few advantages, I'm not a fan either.

I don't care one way or the other, I just hate the constant "connector churn" for no reason other than to brag that they have the newest shiny connector style.

I hear people touting the ability to insert the connector either way around and I just think "neat but so what?" Am I the only one who never seemed to have a difficulty inserting a standard USB connector the right way around? Couldn't we have solved this by clearly marking USB-A plugs and sockets?

In fact, USB-A is marked. Look at the male plug. The shield is formed by "wrapping" the metal and the seam is always on the bottom. Nice and easy. You can even feel for it in the dark if necessary. If you don't have sufficient tactile sense in your fingertips, use a fingernail. It's actually better than many marking schemes; the only improvement would have been asymmetry.

I'm not hung up on USB-A nor any other style. I just hate the constant churn for little or no deliverable. There are very few peripheral devices where a USB-A cable isn't fast enough. Heck, I do backups on external SSD's and they plug into USB-A connectors without causing any noticeable slowdown. USB was supposed to be a replacement for modest speed serial devices... does it really need to support multiple 8K video streams? /rant

[Ed.Kloonk]

I use little red and green self adhesive stickers on the USB A plugs and sometimes on the socket or on the side of the device with the socket so I know which way is 'up'.

[james_s]

In fact, USB-A is marked. Look at the male plug. The shield is formed by "wrapping" the metal and the seam is always on the bottom. Nice and easy. You can even feel for it in the dark if necessary. If you don't have sufficient tactile sense in your fingertips, use a fingernail. It's actually better than many marking schemes; the only improvement would have been asymmetry.

The issue is not the plug but the socket which is often not clearly marked and many are installed sideways or upside down. Still, I rarely have had any trouble getting a USB plug in, and on the occasion that I try to put it in the wrong way it's very easy to just flip it around and try again, total non-issue. The first time I heard that USB-C had an IC in the cable plug I thought it was a joke but it's true.

[IDEngineer]

Pet Peeve d'jour: Can NO ONE create a decent, well-rounded MEMS chip design?

Given the well documented and well discussed Bosch Sensortec availability problems, I'm researching a TDK InvenSense alternative. Not a perfect match at the hardware level (which we can tolerate on the PCB), and a completely different animal in terms of programming interface (which we can accommodate in the firmware). No complaints there.

As with most other SPI/I2C interfaced parts, they use an eight bit address field with one bit indicating read/write. Kudos to them for using B7, which makes things much easier to read (the accursed Bosch part uses B0!?!). There are 111 unique registers in the TDK part, which easily fits in the seven-bit address space of the address byte after B7/RW is consumed.

Easy, right? Just specify the address and crank away! Yeehaw!

Except NOPE. Instead of this very logical approach, TDK created five "Register Banks" numbered 0-4. And they divided up those 111 registers across those five banks. And they duplicated the addresses of just a few. This forces the firmware to set and maintain which freaking register bank is presently selected.

Why? WHY? Why do this? You have 111 registers and 128 discrete addresses. Just map the registers across that space and be done with it. But no, we're back in Intel 80286 addressing school with segment base addresses (read: paging) instead of a nice linear address space.

Can NO ONE create a decent, well-rounded MEMS chip design?

[SilverSolder]

While USB-C does have a few advantages, I'm not a fan either. I have a lot of equipment that doesn't have it so I use USB-A on everything, even the stuff that does have C. The only place I ever actually use USB-C is my employer issued Macbook because there is no other option, and even on that I use converter dongles for absolutely everything but the charger. Pretty much all of my coworkers have a pencil pouch full of dongles, USB-C has been around for years and it has never really caught on because it doesn't offer anything compelling enough to be worth the hassle of switching to yet a different connector. The cables are expensive and fragile too, and some of them support the higher powers and some don't. Devices with USB-C connectors vary in how much of the standard they have implemented too. I hear people touting the ability to insert the connector either way around and I just think "neat but so what?" Am I the only one who never seemed to have a difficulty inserting a standard USB connector the right way around? Couldn't we have solved this by clearly marking USB-A plugs and sockets?

You can actually get USB connectors that can plug in either way - they work surprisingly well, despite being a bit of a "hack".  I use them in my cars, so I don't have to take my eyes away from the road when plugging something in to charge...

[SilverSolder]

Pet Peeve d'jour: Can NO ONE create a decent, well-rounded MEMS chip design?

Given the well documented and well discussed Bosch Sensortec availability problems, I'm researching a TDK InvenSense alternative. Not a perfect match at the hardware level (which we can tolerate on the PCB), and a completely different animal in terms of programming interface (which we can accommodate in the firmware). No complaints there.

As with most other SPI/I2C interfaced parts, they use an eight bit address field with one bit indicating read/write. Kudos to them for using B7, which makes things much easier to read (the accursed Bosch part uses B0!?!). There are 111 unique registers in the TDK part, which easily fits in the seven-bit address space of the address byte after B7/RW is consumed.

Easy, right? Just specify the address and crank away! Yeehaw!

Except NOPE. Instead of this very logical approach, TDK created five "Register Banks" numbered 0-4. And they divided up those 111 registers across those five banks. And they duplicated the addresses of just a few. This forces the firmware to set and maintain which freaking register bank is presently selected.

Why? WHY? Why do this? You have 111 registers and 128 discrete addresses. Just map the registers across that space and be done with it. But no, we're back in Intel 80286 addressing school with segment base addresses (read: paging) instead of a nice linear address space.

Can NO ONE create a decent, well-rounded MEMS chip design?

If you make something simple, the job is done quickly and it will probably work reliably for decades.  Where's the fun (and profit) in that???   -  there's your answer!

[IDEngineer]

It's just so aggravating. Granted I'm not the chip designer, but a linear address space would seem easier to implement than this banked arrangement. Not to mention easier to use by their customers. There must be some architectural reason why this is "better" because it sure looks stupid from the outside... extra work for both designers and customers.

[DrG]

I recently had the misfortune of having to use a phone menu, when I noticed a new "feature" that I found particularly obnoxious. When you would say a response (or key it in), there was a pause during which the system would play a typing sound for a few seconds- you know, clickety-click-click... the sound you hear when someone is typing on a keyboard.

Apparently the sacks of pigshit that decided to go this route believe that humans would be more comfortable hearing those sounds to simulate a human-to-human interaction, or worse, would think that their there was actually a human typing their responses.

Consistent with my evaluation of the intellectual capacity of the creators, this occurred after every response, so for example, if the machine output is "say or enter your seven digit code", I would, literally respond, "or enter your seven digit code"....then "clickety-click-click" for a couple of seconds, followed, by "I don't understand your response...say or enter your seven digit code".

We are all doomed.

[themadhippy]

chucking away stuff thats been sat around ,unused for far too many years (at least 20 in this case ) and  then a few weeks later you find it would have been ideal for your next project.O well time to trawl the second hand world   for a 19" 4:3 crt tv with a scart input.

[Ed.Kloonk]

I recently had the misfortune of having to use a phone menu, when I noticed a new "feature" that I found particularly obnoxious. When you would say a response (or key it in), there was a pause during which the system would play a typing sound for a few seconds- you know, clickety-click-click... the sound you hear when someone is typing on a keyboard.

Apparently the sacks of pigshit that decided to go this route believe that humans would be more comfortable hearing those sounds to simulate a human-to-human interaction, or worse, would think that their was actually a human typing their responses.

Consistent with my evaluation of the intellectual capacity of the creators, this occurred after every response, so for example, if the machine output is "say or enter your seven digit code", I would, literally respond, "or enter your seven digit code"....then "clickety-click-click" for a couple of seconds, followed, by "I don't understand your response...say or enter your seven digit code".

We are all doomed.

Whenever I get a robot, I utter "I want to close my account".

I keep repeating that at every response cue until the thing gives me a human.

[IDEngineer]

chucking away stuff thats been sat around ,unused for far too many years (at least 20 in this case ) and  then a few weeks later you find it would have been ideal for your next project.

You mean I'm not the only person that lives that reality?!?

[IDEngineer]

Whenever I get a robot, I utter "I want to close my account". I keep repeating that at every response cue until the thing gives me a human.

I repeat "moldy mayonnaise". It's not likely to be close to any of the menu responses, so their algorithm will decide I have an accent or something and default to a human.

[james_s]

I recently had the misfortune of having to use a phone menu, when I noticed a new "feature" that I found particularly obnoxious. When you would say a response (or key it in), there was a pause during which the system would play a typing sound for a few seconds- you know, clickety-click-click... the sound you hear when someone is typing on a keyboard.

Apparently the sacks of pigshit that decided to go this route believe that humans would be more comfortable hearing those sounds to simulate a human-to-human interaction, or worse, would think that their was actually a human typing their responses.

I experienced that same thing recently, and I had a very similar reaction. It was almost offensive in the sense that I could not believe they would think I was stupid enough to believe that's a real person typing. I swear if I sat down to engineer an automated phone system with the goal being to be as aggravating to the user as possible I would be hard pressed to do a better job. It really baffles me that companies think these systems are a good idea, the worse they get the more likely I am to just keep mashing zero until I get connected to a human.

[james_s]

chucking away stuff thats been sat around ,unused for far too many years (at least 20 in this case ) and  then a few weeks later you find it would have been ideal for your next project.O well time to trawl the second hand world   for a 19" 4:3 crt tv with a scart input.

Just as I predicted would happen, CRT TVs suddenly became somewhat rare, and now a bog standard 19" CRT TV in working condition will fetch $100+ and rising as a "gaming TV". Vintage light gun video games will not work at all on any other display tech, and a CRT is the only authentic experience for any 80s-90s system. Even a year ago you could have probably got $75 for it pretty easily. The CRTs themselves are increasing in value too, at least the ones that will fit classic arcade monitor chassis.

[IDEngineer]

It really baffles me that companies think these systems are a good idea, the worse they get the more likely I am to just keep mashing zero until I get connected to a human.

Sadly they have become wise to that technique. We have literally reached the point where in some cases it is impossible to connect to a live person. Their menu system circularly routes you back to their finite set of options. Repeatedly pressing zero, or saying "operator", or anything else results in (direct quote) "I'm sorry you're having trouble. Goodbye."

One trick that has worked is to navigate the menu as if you want to sign up, or buy new services (read: give them more money). THOSE options are always well staffed. Once I reach a human, I start describing my problem and they are generally willing to "correct" me with a real phone number that is already past the front-end public "Customer Support" number.

[SilverSolder]

It really baffles me that companies think these systems are a good idea, the worse they get the more likely I am to just keep mashing zero until I get connected to a human.

Sadly they have become wise to that technique. We have literally reached the point where in some cases it is impossible to connect to a live person. Their menu system circularly routes you back to their finite set of options. Repeatedly pressing zero, or saying "operator", or anything else results in (direct quote) "I'm sorry you're having trouble. Goodbye."

One trick that has worked is to navigate the menu as if you want to sign up, or buy new services (read: give them more money). THOSE options are always well staffed. Once I reach a human, I start describing my problem and they are generally willing to "correct" me with a real phone number that is already past the front-end public "Customer Support" number.

The other trick that always gets you to a human real fast, is to attempt to cancel the service.  That gets you to the Customer Retention Department, where all the good deals are!

[IDEngineer]

The other trick that always gets you to a human real fast, is to attempt to cancel the service.  That gets you to the Customer Retention Department, where all the good deals are!

That's a better idea than mine. "If you don't fix [problem] by this time tomorrow, I'm closing my account." I bet they have a special support number that prioritizes such calls because they actually threaten revenue. Great suggestion!

[SilverSolder]

The other trick that always gets you to a human real fast, is to attempt to cancel the service.  That gets you to the Customer Retention Department, where all the good deals are!

That's a better idea than mine. "If you don't fix [problem] by this time tomorrow, I'm closing my account." I bet they have a special support number that prioritizes such calls because they actually threaten revenue. Great suggestion!

They definitely do, and they are the best reps.  I got my cable bill halved, and speed doubled, the last time I tried this, LOL.   I'm having a go at the cell phone company next week...

[joseph nicholas]

People who say "anyways" older than 40.

[james_s]

Sadly they have become wise to that technique. We have literally reached the point where in some cases it is impossible to connect to a live person. Their menu system circularly routes you back to their finite set of options. Repeatedly pressing zero, or saying "operator", or anything else results in (direct quote) "I'm sorry you're having trouble. Goodbye."

One trick that has worked is to navigate the menu as if you want to sign up, or buy new services (read: give them more money). THOSE options are always well staffed. Once I reach a human, I start describing my problem and they are generally willing to "correct" me with a real phone number that is already past the front-end public "Customer Support" number.

Maybe wrapping a note around a brick and throwing it through the window of their office would get you in touch with a real person.

[TimFox]

That’s why these outfits never show their physical location.

[rfclown]

I recently had the misfortune of having to use a phone menu, when I noticed a new "feature" that I found particularly obnoxious. When you would say a response (or key it in), there was a pause during which the system would play a typing sound for a few seconds- you know, clickety-click-click... the sound you hear when someone is typing on a keyboard.

Apparently the sacks of pigshit that decided to go this route believe that humans would be more comfortable hearing those sounds to simulate a human-to-human interaction, or worse, would think that their was actually a human typing their responses.

I experienced that same thing recently, and I had a very similar reaction. It was almost offensive in the sense that I could not believe they would think I was stupid enough to believe that's a real person typing. I swear if I sat down to engineer an automated phone system with the goal being to be as aggravating to the user as possible I would be hard pressed to do a better job. It really baffles me that companies think these systems are a good idea, the worse they get the more likely I am to just keep mashing zero until I get connected to a human.

My family moved to the south (US, Alabama) and I was being shown how to use a cash register (summer job).  I was told to "mash" the button. I looked at my trainer in bewilderment. "Mash" a button? When I "mash" something, like potatoes, it becomes a pulverized mess. I was raised to "push" buttons, not "mash" them. Not a pet peeve, but reminded me of linguistic differences. In Alabama, they also wore toboggans on their heads. Where I was raised, we rode toboggans down a snowy hill. Also, the generic term for a soft drink was "Coke". I've lived in several other US states and had used "pop", "soft drink" or "soda". But in Alabama, when a waitress asked someone what they wanted to drink, a person might respond with "A Coke". To which the waitress would ask, "What kind?", and the person might respond with "A Pepsi"