Your pet peeve, technical or otherwise.

[paulca]

Actually, upon a bit of research, the UK has some laws against it, including US companies targetting UK customers, but from what I'm seeing it's not enforced enough. Same with telemarketing phone calls also and general nuisance calls. Could consider speaking to my local MP about this, as well as the other issue also.

It's slippery.  While GDPR is supposed to allow you control over your data, and thus the right to asked, "Where the hell did you get my email address from?" and even "Please remove that from your records.", marketing agencies who acquire your email address from other legitimate datasources, captured off websites you visit, from other marketing companies, social media etc. etc....  are okay to have it and they can use it for "reasonable unsolicited marketing contact." 

There was a case recently discussed elsewhere as an example.  Person A had fallen out with Company X and raised a GDPR erasure request which the company responded had been completely.  3 weeks later they recieved a marketing email from company X and was enquiring if this was a case for GDPR dispute.

Turns out the likely answer is "no".  If Company X reacquired Person A's email address from another legitimate marketing data source "a new", then it was not in conflict of the request for removal.  Request for removal does not prevent re-acquiral.  If you want that you would need a court order (I don't honestly know).

[Squarewave]

I don't mind a bit of marketing, or an impromptu email, just so long as they're honest with their intention and do not try to mislead people into thinking it's a conversation they're already involved in.

[PlainName]

I don't mind a bit of marketing, or an impromptu email

Like a lot of things, scale is important. The odd email from the shop down the road is nothing, but the same odd email from every company in the country would be.. annoying. Likewise, once is fine, once a year is hitting the radar, once a month is pushing it, once a day...

[SiliconWizard]

Actually, upon a bit of research, the UK has some laws against it, including US companies targetting UK customers, but from what I'm seeing it's not enforced enough. Same with telemarketing phone calls also and general nuisance calls. Could consider speaking to my local MP about this, as well as the other issue also.

It's slippery.  While GDPR is supposed to allow you control over your data, and thus the right to asked, "Where the hell did you get my email address from?" and even "Please remove that from your records.", marketing agencies who acquire your email address from other legitimate datasources, captured off websites you visit, from other marketing companies, social media etc. etc....  are okay to have it and they can use it for "reasonable unsolicited marketing contact." 

There was a case recently discussed elsewhere as an example.  Person A had fallen out with Company X and raised a GDPR erasure request which the company responded had been completely.  3 weeks later they recieved a marketing email from company X and was enquiring if this was a case for GDPR dispute.

Turns out the likely answer is "no".  If Company X reacquired Person A's email address from another legitimate marketing data source "a new", then it was not in conflict of the request for removal.  Request for removal does not prevent re-acquiral.  If you want that you would need a court order (I don't honestly know).

GDPR is a polished turd.

This concept of "legitimate interest" is particularly uh, interesting: https://www.gdpreu.org/the-regulation/key-concepts/legitimate-interest/

[RJSV]

We have a similar mode of operation, with traditional scam-like marketing, where a hand-scrawled 'note' is placed in mailbox, or on front door:
   "We replaced the windows, for your neighbor, 'Karen', and noted some aging on your house...".

That gets things on a less stranger and more like (your neighbor) used our product, and recommends for you.

   Leaving little notes, maybe not outlawed, but still in same spirit, as the unwanted email thing;
Likely a 'shrug and ignore' level of concern.

Hint:   (You need to always take into account the country and local conditions, comparatively, for crimes, on the seriousness scale.)

[Circlotron]

When your pc has 4 motherboard SATA connectors and 3 power SATA connectors. 

[paulca]

Lying electronics because "lying to the children".

My oven lies.  If you set it to 200C and watch it preheat, as it gets to about 195C it will jump to 200C and lock there.  While you have 200C set it will report to be 200C.

Of course it's not 200C.  Shortly after it past 195, 196... it continued to climb all the way past 200C to about 205/206C before the residual heat in the elements ran out.  It will then cool over the next 10 minutes or so to 195C again before the elements kick back in.  While they warm up it may fall even further.

Why does it always say 200C then?

Lying to the children.  Not wanting to confuse the little old lady.  Just lie to her instead and say it's 200C, absolutely 200C, always 200C sir, yes mam!

Grrr.

"Tell me the temp and get out of my face with your pampering, hand-holding, nonsense!"

[paulca]

Actually, upon a bit of research, the UK has some laws against it, including US companies targetting UK customers, but from what I'm seeing it's not enforced enough. Same with telemarketing phone calls also and general nuisance calls. Could consider speaking to my local MP about this, as well as the other issue also.

It's slippery.  While GDPR is supposed to allow you control over your data, and thus the right to asked, "Where the hell did you get my email address from?" and even "Please remove that from your records.", marketing agencies who acquire your email address from other legitimate datasources, captured off websites you visit, from other marketing companies, social media etc. etc....  are okay to have it and they can use it for "reasonable unsolicited marketing contact." 

There was a case recently discussed elsewhere as an example.  Person A had fallen out with Company X and raised a GDPR erasure request which the company responded had been completely.  3 weeks later they recieved a marketing email from company X and was enquiring if this was a case for GDPR dispute.

Turns out the likely answer is "no".  If Company X reacquired Person A's email address from another legitimate marketing data source "a new", then it was not in conflict of the request for removal.  Request for removal does not prevent re-acquiral.  If you want that you would need a court order (I don't honestly know).

GDPR is a polished turd.

This concept of "legitimate interest" is particularly uh, interesting: https://www.gdpreu.org/the-regulation/key-concepts/legitimate-interest/

Agreed.  It's pretty much a blank cheque.  Doesn't stop with marketing either, employers leverage that clause a LOT so they can store all manor of stuff about you without conscent and share it with processors.

The other "blank cheque" nature of GDPR is that implicit and explicit consent when aggregated reveal that as a "law" or set of "laws" GDPR is a wet paper cannon.  It's not backed by much.

This basically means you can take every "shouldn't" from GDPR, turn it into a clause in the privacy policy and associated documentation and turn it into a "Perfectly fine."

"Customers should note that we will record every single thing you do on our website and sell it to whomever we want.  By continuing to use these services you agree to these terms."

[Kim Christensen]

Why does it always say 200C then?
Lying to the children.  Not wanting to confuse the little old lady.  Just lie to her instead and say it's 200C, absolutely 200C, always 200C sir, yes mam!

Because the average idiot will think that the oven is broken when they see that the temperature isn't rock steady. So they "lie" to everyone.

[paulca]

Why does it always say 200C then?
Lying to the children.  Not wanting to confuse the little old lady.  Just lie to her instead and say it's 200C, absolutely 200C, always 200C sir, yes mam!

Because the average idiot will think that the oven is broken when they see that the temperature isn't rock steady. So they "lie" to everyone.

Here's another pet peeve.

"Would someone please think of the village idiot?"

Lowest common denominator intelligence sizing will result in a negative feedback loop causing a total loss of intelligence in society.  Debate me.

[Bryn]

Because the average idiot will think that the oven is broken when they see that the temperature isn't rock steady. So they "lie" to everyone.

Or, in the case of the oven of my house, my dear mother will think it's not working when its dial is at the "oven light on" setting I keep telling her to turn it at the "six o'clock position" if she wants to cook the bloody dinner in it!

[tom66]

Lying electronics because "lying to the children".

My oven lies.  If you set it to 200C and watch it preheat, as it gets to about 195C it will jump to 200C and lock there.  While you have 200C set it will report to be 200C.

Of course it's not 200C.  Shortly after it past 195, 196... it continued to climb all the way past 200C to about 205/206C before the residual heat in the elements ran out.  It will then cool over the next 10 minutes or so to 195C again before the elements kick back in.  While they warm up it may fall even further.

That reminds me of my old cars...

My Peugeot would show the 'real' tachometer value.  That meant when you were idling the tacho would bounce around 700-800 rpm, as is pretty normal for a small diesel engine.

My Focus on the other hand would lie.  The tacho would stay rock solid around 900 rpm, even if you lugged the engine.  Only when it dropped below 500 rpm would it suddenly 'snap' to this correct value, but by which point you'd probably stalled the car.

This was not helpful when I was trying to explain clutch control to the other half, when teaching her to use a manual.

I would guess that Ford changed it because "people don't like when the tacho moves slightly, they think their car is broken"...   

[Xena E]

Why does it always say 200C then?
Lying to the children.  Not wanting to confuse the little old lady.  Just lie to her instead and say it's 200C, absolutely 200C, always 200C sir, yes mam!

Because the average idiot will think that the oven is broken when they see that the temperature isn't rock steady. So they "lie" to everyone.

Here's another pet peeve.

"Would someone please think of the village idiot?"

Lowest common denominator intelligence sizing will result in a negative feedback loop causing a total loss of intelligence in society.  Debate me.

Rewarding mediocrity in society will eventually destroy it.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idiocracy

The film is supposed to be comedy but it's so accurate it's fucking frightening.

[mendip_discovery]

Lying electronics because "lying to the children".

My oven lies.  If you set it to 200C and watch it preheat, as it gets to about 195C it will jump to 200C and lock there.  While you have 200C set it will report to be 200C.

Of course it's not 200C.  Shortly after it past 195, 196... it continued to climb all the way past 200C to about 205/206C before the residual heat in the elements ran out.  It will then cool over the next 10 minutes or so to 195C again before the elements kick back in.  While they warm up it may fall even further.

Why does it always say 200C then?

Lying to the children.  Not wanting to confuse the little old lady.  Just lie to her instead and say it's 200C, absolutely 200C, always 200C sir, yes mam!

Grrr.

"Tell me the temp and get out of my face with your pampering, hand-holding, nonsense!"

Well I don't care until you provide a survey data in line with AMS2750.

Problem I have is customers that would get itchy at the idea of the oven that isn't within 0.5°C of the stated temp even though the oven is big enough to drive a car into and is about 40 years old.

...and yes I have been tempted to do my own oven but I know that would mean I end up buying a much better temperature controller (eurotherm) and relocating the probe etc etc.

[Circlotron]

Because the average idiot will think that the oven is broken when they see that the temperature isn't rock steady. So they "lie" to everyone.

Or, in the case of the oven of my house, my dear mother will think it's not working when its dial is at the "oven light on" setting I keep telling her to turn it at the "six o'clock position" if she wants to cook the bloody dinner in it!

Sounds like my mum who would turn the gas heater on and dial it right up to 7 (max) until the room was at the desired temperature, then dial it down to 4 or whatever. The fact that the flame was only ever full blast or pilot light depending on whether the room was under temp or over temp never got any traction with her.

And don’t get me started on digital kitchen scales… She would put something on the scales and it might show 326 grams, take it off then put it back on again and it might show 325 grams. That was totally unacceptable! Much better to use the five decades old mechanical scales that had the pointer way in front of the scale so there was heaps of parallax error, besides unknown accuracy.

[RJSV]

   Ditto for WIND SPEED.

At Davis Instruments, we endlessly debated whether to include a 'tenths' digit, while the wind gusts were multiples, and often fast changing, with gusts.   Even far more than the changes in temperature, which has a form of inertia.

[SiliconWizard]

It's like for clocks. They keep changing the numbers that are displayed.
And I've been told that time didn't actually exist.

[Xena E]

Because the average idiot will think that the oven is broken when they see that the temperature isn't rock steady. So they "lie" to everyone.

Or, in the case of the oven of my house, my dear mother will think it's not working when its dial is at the "oven light on" setting I keep telling her to turn it at the "six o'clock position" if she wants to cook the bloody dinner in it!

Sounds like my mum who would turn the gas heater on and dial it right up to 7 (max) until the room was at the desired temperature, then dial it down to 4 or whatever. The fact that the flame was only ever full blast or pilot light depending on whether the room was under temp or over temp never got any traction with her.

Colleagues that get into work and it's chilly in the office so turn up the heating full blast... and supplement that with portable heaters that seem to appear, that are definitely not company sanctioned...

Then the sun comes through the massive windows adding to the warmth in the room, so they turn the settings to AC!

Then two minutes later one of the Einsteins think that isn't working quickly enough that they open said windows ...

So, windows open, AC on, portable heaters still running.

    

[Siwastaja]

Lying electronics because "lying to the children".

My oven lies.  If you set it to 200C and watch it preheat, as it gets to about 195C it will jump to 200C and lock there.  While you have 200C set it will report to be 200C.

Of course it's not 200C.  Shortly after it past 195, 196... it continued to climb all the way past 200C to about 205/206C before the residual heat in the elements ran out.  It will then cool over the next 10 minutes or so to 195C again before the elements kick back in.  While they warm up it may fall even further.

Why does it always say 200C then?

Because otherwise the manufacturer and sales organization drowns in unfounded complaints. No sensible person likes that kind of lying, but try designing a product and putting it in market, and soon you will start understanding and feeling sorry for the designers who have to put time in designing various lie-to-customer algorithms, and as side effect, make products worse for everyone else.

And don’t get me started on digital kitchen scales… She would put something on the scales and it might show 326 grams, take it off then put it back on again and it might show 325 grams.

This is exactly why some digital scales (for weighing human beings) store some latest values in internal non-volatile memory and round any new measurement close enough to some of the previous numbers. This alleviates the neurosis some people have over their weight and small changes thereof, so it's beneficial to the users. Except those who try to use the scales for purposes they are not designed for, e.g. weighing some objects.

[Kim Christensen]

The whole oven temperature thing comes from the old days, when recipes used terms like "Bake in a moderate oven". People's desire for 1 degree precision in oven temperature is kind of ridiculous.

Oven temperatures Wiki link

[PlainName]

We used to be fine with meters measuring to 0.01V, but now anything less than 0.000001 is rubbish. Speedos showing roughly speed (and deliberately over-reading) were fine once, and now we get digital 1mph precision.

I suspect the use of 'moderate' for oven temperature was because they didn't have better precision, or a way to describe it, then. Nowadays we get instructions giving 10C difference depending on whether it's a fan oven or not, and those do make a difference.

[paulca]

That "this" is no longer funny.  It's reality.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=BKorP55Aqvg

[vk6zgo]

Lying electronics because "lying to the children".

My oven lies.  If you set it to 200C and watch it preheat, as it gets to about 195C it will jump to 200C and lock there.  While you have 200C set it will report to be 200C.

Of course it's not 200C.  Shortly after it past 195, 196... it continued to climb all the way past 200C to about 205/206C before the residual heat in the elements ran out.  It will then cool over the next 10 minutes or so to 195C again before the elements kick back in.  While they warm up it may fall even further.

Why does it always say 200C then?

Lying to the children.  Not wanting to confuse the little old lady.  Just lie to her instead and say it's 200C, absolutely 200C, always 200C sir, yes mam!

Grrr.

"Tell me the temp and get out of my face with your pampering, hand-holding, nonsense!"

In the real world, the food being cooked doesn't give a stuff whether it is 195C or 206C, it is "near as dammit" to 200C"!
Some processes are approximate, so there is no point in "going to the barricades" over a "swing" of 10C or so, no matter how much it upsets anal EEs.

[paulca]

YouTube and second hand commentary videos.

For example, this morning YouTube has suggested 3 different videos with Douglas Murray speeches and debates.  However, none of them are from any outlet where it's the full speech/interview/debate.  Instead it's always some dumb parrot right winger giving his commentary and interruptation over what Douglas was saying.

Another example are videos about Bettleguese nova or James Webb telescope findings like:

"Niel degrass explains why out universe is .... insert 100% BS rubbish."
"James Webb reveals physics is all wrong."

Yet, no videos are suggested from Neil Degrass himself.

It's an epidemic.  Well, the current epidemic of miss-interrupted and miss-communicated science on social media is well known.

[helius]

For example, this morning YouTube has suggested 3 different videos with Douglas Murray speeches and debates.  However, none of them are from any outlet where it's the full speech/interview/debate.  Instead it's always some dumb parrot right winger giving his commentary and interruptation over what Douglas was saying.

There are quite a few channels that seem to do very well exploiting the suggestion algorithm and human psychology to grab clicks, without producing their own content. They steal a video involving a high-profile commentator and add an attention-grabbing thumbnail with tabloid-style headlines. A number of Fox News / TCmedia videos have received that treatment. These aren't small channels: they get millions of views. A number seem to be based in Turkiye.