Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Specmaster]

Thank you Apple, my iPad Air is now becoming a brick because you no longer support it, suddenly overnight with zero warning I might add, Outlook no longer works on it. It worked fine yesterday until I had to change the password and now diddly squat. Turns out although the OS was only updated about 4 weeks ago to iOS10 iOS12, it now needs iOS12 iOS14 to run Outlook 

Why are you blaming Apple for something Microsoft did? It would have been Microsoft who chose to make Outlook require a particular minimum version of IOS, not Apple.

Yeh, too late, bd already pointed this out to me.

[cyclin_al]

Thank you Apple, my iPad Air is now becoming a brick because you no longer support it, suddenly overnight with zero warning I might add, Outlook no longer works on it. It worked fine yesterday until I had to change the password and now diddly squat. Turns out although the OS was only updated about 4 weeks ago to iOS10 iOS12, it now needs iOS12 iOS14 to run Outlook 

That's not really Apple's fault that one. It's 8 years old and iOS 12 has still been receiving security patches for critical stuff.

What happened was Microsoft decided they don't want to target iOS12 any more and set their app as baseline iOS14. And why they did that, looking at adoption trends, 77% of users are on iOS 14 now, 100% of iOS 13 users can install iOS14 which accounts for another 16.5% of users. Only 5.4% of people are on iOS12 and that's not even specific to their app but the entire platform. So basically Microsoft said fuck spending XXX to support you. Go whine at them 

If that's also an original Air, I bought one each for the kids when they came out (new). They lasted 6 years and were replaced with latest ones then. Got £110 back each for them then. So ~229 for 6 years of computing each was a pretty good investment. £3.20 a month approx

 


Edit: possibly new (cheaper) ipads coming out today as well.

Or maybe it was this security patch?
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/apple-citizen-lab-spywear-security-patch-1.6174215

[Specmaster]

We’re probably going to use them as body armour when we take our colony back from you

I'll gladly let you invade if you promise to do one simple thing. You Brits did it in 1812 but not well enough. Please raze DC back to a true natural swamp it once was rather than the putrid swamp it is today.

Provide them enough Earl Grey and they will do ANYTHING! 

No, I draw the line on the Earl Grey or any other tea they wish to bring. We'll need to have a Chesapeake Bay Tea Party. 

We'll give you two options, Option 1 is either you accept our tea with good grace, or Option 2 we come, invade you, take back our colony and then we have our selves a Chesapeake Bay Coffee Party, your call 

[mnementh]

Thank you Apple, my iPad Air is now becoming a brick because you no longer support it, suddenly overnight with zero warning I might add, Outlook no longer works on it. It worked fine yesterday until I had to change the password and now diddly squat. Turns out although the OS was only updated about 4 weeks ago to iOS10 iOS12, it now needs iOS12 iOS14 to run Outlook 

Ummm okay... so somehow, your ~8 year old iPud is still running and hasn't died a puffy death from antique LiPo syndrome... and it's Apple's fault that Outlook changed its API and no longer supports a 6-year-old mobile OS...?

Seriously... tablets are not PCs... unlike PCs which have a chain of HAL and UI standardization going back at least a decade... every time a new tablet is designed, the OS has to be written/compiled for the hardware set. Just how many decades do you expect a manufacturer to support a hardware and software product with that level of generational customization on a product which has a reasonable usage life of ~6 years due to the power source?

You're hating Apple for not being a PC again. 

And to put it in perspective, this^* was the last Windoze Tablet PC that actually worked correctly; ie like a PC and like a tablet:



mnem
^* okay, slight dramatization. but only slight.

[Cerebus]

Or maybe it was this security patch?
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/apple-citizen-lab-spywear-security-patch-1.6174215

Not news, expect for the 'news' media. That one's been public knowledge, at least in the 'security community' for some time. Not the sort of thing that has a scheduled Apple public announcement set up weeks in advance, only 'product' causes that kind of event.

[AVGresponding]

The humor kindof died quickly when I realized we just had a man Morlock holding what is supposedly the highest office in the free world tell people to inject bleach as preventive against COVID. It's sad when current real life manages to out-fucked-up history so gravely.

mnem
Maybe we should send him it it a lifetime supply...?

While I've no time for that orange buffoon, I don't like to see people misrepresented. I have seen the raw footage, and that isn't what happened. He asked one of the science bods that since bleach kills germs, could we inject it into people to cure them.

I was quite impressed that they managed to answer him without losing their shit.

[mnementh]

I'd rather be near a well maintained nuclear weapon than near one of the Cobalt sources that you can find scattered around university campuses or one of the Technetium sources that you can find in many a hospital.

While I agree with you 100%, I still find this classic picture appropriate:   

(Dunno if it's "nucular" or not, but, it looks the part! )

It might be just the angle that the photo was taken at, but that photo sure looks faked or staged to me, I doubt if that bomb had cleared the door, it looks to close to the side of the doorway to me.

The edge that the forklift toppled from is a metre or two from the door. The ramp behind the forklift gives it away. So the missile could easily be lined up to make it out the door.

McBryce.

Yep, not fake, I've seen the original USAF safety report it came from. Drivre could not see edge and went out too far trying to make sure the tail of the weapon cleared the door. Should have had a banksman.

Whenever I see a mishap like this... it makes me wonder just what the mandated post-event inspection consists of. I imagine a stack of books each approx 6" thick...

I mean, it has to be a lot more involved than say... the inspection process for crash-costing a head-on collision on a car, for example; which is pretty extensive if done correctly.

mnem
 

[Specmaster]

Thank you Apple, my iPad Air is now becoming a brick because you no longer support it, suddenly overnight with zero warning I might add, Outlook no longer works on it. It worked fine yesterday until I had to change the password and now diddly squat. Turns out although the OS was only updated about 4 weeks ago to iOS10 iOS12, it now needs iOS12 iOS14 to run Outlook 

Ummm okay... so somehow, your ~8 year old iPud is still running and hasn't died a puffy death from antique LiPo syndrome... and it's Apple's fault that Outlook changed its API and no longer supports a 6-year-old mobile OS...?

Seriously... tablets are not PCs... unlike PCs which have a chain of HAL and UI standardization going back at least a decade... every time a new tablet is designed, the OS has to be written/compiled for the hardware set. Just how many decades do you expect a manufacturer to support a hardware and software product with that level of generational customization on a product which has a reasonable usage life of ~6 years due to the power source?

You're hating Apple for not being a PC again. 

And to put it in perspective, this^* was the last Windoze Tablet PC that actually worked correctly; ie like a PC and like a tablet:



mnem
^* okay, slight dramatization. but only slight.

Point already made by bd, but.... either way that surely does mean its the beginning of the end for my nice iPad Air as there are already many apps and games that I used on it that will not now run as they are incompatible with iOS12. I doubt that I'll be spending any money getting a replacement for it either, not even another Android tablet, I think I've had it with their short life cycle and will use my phone instead, that way I only have to keep 1 device updated and not 3 as I currently have., Likewise with my laptops, when they finally give up the ghost, I shall just use my PC and phone.

[mnementh]

The humor kindof died quickly when I realized we just had a man Morlock holding what is supposedly the highest office in the free world tell people to inject bleach as preventive against COVID. It's sad when current real life manages to out-fucked-up history so gravely.

mnem
Maybe we should send him it it a lifetime supply...?

While I've no time for that orange buffoon, I don't like to see people misrepresented. I have seen the raw footage, and that isn't what happened. He asked one of the science bods that since bleach kills germs, could we inject it into people to cure them.

I was quite impressed that they managed to answer him without losing their shit.

It is my understanding that he used the publicity from that event later on and actually doubled down on the "inject 'em with bleach" theme in person at a number of rallies before his handlers were able to effectively muzzle him on the subject.

If I'm wrong in that, mea culpa. It doesn't make the entire thing any less horrifying.

mnem
 

[Specmaster]

Or maybe it was this security patch?
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/apple-citizen-lab-spywear-security-patch-1.6174215

Not news, expect for the 'news' media. That one's been public knowledge, at least in the 'security community' for some time. Not the sort of thing that has a scheduled Apple public announcement set up weeks in advance, only 'product' causes that kind of event.

Hmm, could be, oh well, have to wait and see if there is a patch for this flaw forth coming or not.

[Specmaster]

The humor kindof died quickly when I realized we just had a man Morlock holding what is supposedly the highest office in the free world tell people to inject bleach as preventive against COVID. It's sad when current real life manages to out-fucked-up history so gravely.

mnem
Maybe we should send him it it a lifetime supply...?

While I've no time for that orange buffoon, I don't like to see people misrepresented. I have seen the raw footage, and that isn't what happened. He asked one of the science bods that since bleach kills germs, could we inject it into people to cure them.

I was quite impressed that they managed to answer him without losing their shit.

It is my understanding that he used the publicity from that event later on and actually doubled down on the "inject 'em with bleach" theme in person at a number of rallies before his handlers were able to effectively muzzle him on the subject.

If I'm wrong in that, mea culpa. It doesn't make the entire thing any less horrifying.

mnem
 

Well whatever, it is and was a stupid suggestion / question coming from the so-called leader of the free world we all expect far better from someone in his position. Such statements / questions should never be uttered / asked in public, it just showed him to be the stupid idiot we all knew he was.

[mnementh]

Thank you Apple, my iPad Air is now becoming a brick because you no longer support it, suddenly overnight with zero warning I might add, Outlook no longer works on it. It worked fine yesterday until I had to change the password and now diddly squat. Turns out although the OS was only updated about 4 weeks ago to iOS10 iOS12, it now needs iOS12 iOS14 to run Outlook 

Ummm okay... so somehow, your ~8 year old iPud is still running and hasn't died a puffy death from antique LiPo syndrome... and it's Apple's fault that Outlook changed its API and no longer supports a 6-year-old mobile OS...?

Seriously... tablets are not PCs... unlike PCs which have a chain of HAL and UI standardization going back at least a decade... every time a new tablet is designed, the OS has to be written/compiled for the hardware set. Just how many decades do you expect a manufacturer to support a hardware and software product with that level of generational customization on a product which has a reasonable usage life of ~6 years due to the power source?

You're hating Apple for not being a PC again. 

And to put it in perspective, this^* was the last Windoze Tablet PC that actually worked correctly; ie like a PC and like a tablet:



mnem
^* okay, slight dramatization. but only slight.

Point already made by bd, but.... either way that surely does mean its the beginning of the end for my nice iPad Air as there are already many apps and games that I used on it that will not now run as they are incompatible with iOS12. I doubt that I'll be spending any money getting a replacement for it either, not even another Android tablet, I think I've had it with their short life cycle and will use my phone instead, that way I only have to keep 1 device updated and not 3 as I currently have., Likewise with my laptops, when they finally give up the ghost, I shall just use my PC and phone.

Yeah, sorry... I inadvertently added to the dogpile.

Nonetheless... this is the way tablets and phones are made now. If we continue to rail against it; all that's going to happen is we miss out on some really cool gadgetry that does in fact help us out just by being so damned convenient.

mnem
we are in the "model T" stages of on-your-person personal computing.

[Specmaster]

@med6753, UPS did deliver my parcel today after all, it was even very well wrapped up and double boxed to boot. Its joined the end of my repair queue as it was sold as not working and although it does sometimes light up, none of the controls operate. On the bench at the moment is the Tek TDS210, still awaiting the delivery from RS of those replacement BNC sockets that were dispatched Monday and I'm still waiting 

[SoundTech-LG]

Just spoke with the 7854 user who last used it about 5 years ago. No issues. It has 2 dual Vert PlugIns for 4 ch. It has 2 dual timebase modules slightly different. If they decide I get it, I'm on it!!!

[AaronLee]

More TEA,
Put a silly  offer on a Fluke 25, £21 including postage and it was accepted 
I really needed a 11th (or is it 12th?) Fluke.

Edit, Checked the list. Up to 12 Fluke meters 11, 16, 25 x2 89V, 8022A, 8022B, 8060 x3, 8920A, 8922A.

That was probably the one I was humming and hawing over. Thank you for saving me 

Got my TM501 chassis. Better condition than it looked but stinks of electronic death. Will clean it out and check it over before powering up.

Seems like Fluke 25's are to you guys like a carrot is to a horse. Dangle it in front of you and you'll follow it everywhere. 

Only Flukes that interest me are the old Nixie tube benchtop ones. Portable Fluke DMMs with the yellow cases - nope. Old benchtops with LCD or even LED displays - nope.

[mnementh]

Hey, ain't there supposed to be glue with those dowels? 

Not necessary on this particular thing. The frame is screwed together at the corners. These are clamped in place by the rest of the frame.

Joy to Ikea stuff is you can turn it back to its component parts again if you need to move it 

OK, makes sense. But who would want to go through the agony of assembling it twice? 

Now that is the relevant question. 

mnem

[mnementh]

Around 1970 a schoolfriend put his fobwatch against the school's Geiger counter. It was more radioactive than the school's most radioactive source, and was sent to Harwell to be destroyed.

Must buy a Geiger counter and put it against some LoSalt (60%KCl) sometime.

You need a sensitive GM tube and a scaler to do that realistically. There is a lot of self shielding in lo-salt. I can supply a tube and PSU/pulse amplifier that will drive a std universal counter if you are interested.....

You could probably use the KCl as it's own scintillation salt and just get away with a properly dark room and a good photomultiplier tube. It probably wouldn't be as good as a purpose made scintillation crystal, but I bet you'd get something.

LOLOL... 

Where else  but the TEA would you hear such a conversation spoken in earnest as enablement, not just for dramatic effect...?

mnem
 

[bd139]

Quick TM501 session. It's duff. Woohoo. I am happy finally.

Did quick checkout. No fire risks. Couldn't measure ESR on any caps. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

So after some digging and testing, all three of the main sprague cans are open or short



I think the CR30 and CR32 have been nuked as well by C35 going short.

Apart from that it's in fairly good condition but dirty so will refurb.

Inside the slot...



Blue bastards



Negative DC volts. FAIL



Positive DC volts. Also FAIL

[xrunner]

Quick TM501 session. It's duff. Woohoo. I am happy finally.

Did quick checkout. No fire risks. Couldn't measure ESR on any caps. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

So after some digging and testing, all three of the main sprague cans are open or short

Yes my friend I remember it all very well (showing new caps). 

Also a couple of 2K resistors replaced as well here.

[bd139]

It looks almost pathetic with those little capacitors in it 

[xrunner]

It looks almost pathetic with those little capacitors in it 

Yea new stuff is better made and can be smaller. I run into that "look" issue a lot. 

[Cerebus]

Or maybe it was this security patch?
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/apple-citizen-lab-spywear-security-patch-1.6174215

Not news, expect for the 'news' media. That one's been public knowledge, at least in the 'security community' for some time. Not the sort of thing that has a scheduled Apple public announcement set up weeks in advance, only 'product' causes that kind of event.

Hmm, could be, oh well, have to wait and see if there is a patch for this flaw forth coming or not.

Came out yesterday.

[mnementh]

Here on the job, I have the possibility of being the new owner of a Tektronix 7854, with cart, 4 plug-ins, all original manuals, programming kybd, and other stuff inside the cart drawer. Unknown operational status, but nice shape. Am I crazy to want it? I am already out of room. 

You have to ask? Yes, you are crazy to want it but we're all crazy here so just go and get it. Out of room? So am I but that hasn't stopped me.

IMO you'd be crazy to leave it, but I'm not wrapped all that tightly.   

-Pat

@SoundTech-LG -

Welcome to the nuthouse. Help yourself at the neverending taco truck; their BEC are stellar.

mnem
*toddles off to find a way to move a shed across town*

[DH7DN]

Here on the job, I have the possibility of being the new owner of a Tektronix 7854, with cart, 4 plug-ins, all original manuals, programming kybd, and other stuff inside the cart drawer. Unknown operational status, but nice shape. Am I crazy to want it? I am already out of room. 

You have to ask? Yes, you are crazy to want it but we're all crazy here so just go and get it. Out of room? So am I but that hasn't stopped me.

IMO you'd be crazy to leave it, but I'm not wrapped all that tightly.   

-Pat

@SoundTech-LG -

Welcome to the nuthouse. Help yourself at the neverending taco truck; their BEC are stellar.

mnem
*toddles off to find a way to move a shed across town*

Wait a minute... am I cured? 

[Neomys Sapiens]

I asked for better entertainment - here it comes! A tank car with 25t of Chloromethane (UN 1063) derailed and tipped over at the railroad shunting yard. Full turnout. Or maybe I should say fullest turnout. No ignition yet.