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Re: In todays light hearted look at the (non-political) news
Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2026 10:09 pm
by MrLongbeard
Yorick wrote: Thu Jul 09, 2026 8:11 pm
MrLongbeard wrote: Thu Jul 09, 2026 12:51 pm
Horse wrote: Thu Jul 09, 2026 11:38 am
Also, never give your child a name they will struggle to spell.
And that's aside from the issue of phonetic Irish names ...
Also avoid hyphens, apostrophes, umlauts etc etc, even in the 21st century 99% of computer systems can't cope with them
Proper software can
I've yet to find one that can handle my surname, although it doesn't help that people will tell my I've spelt my forename and surname incorrectly, FFS it's my name, I've had it for 53 years I know how it's spelt
Re: In todays light hearted look at the (non-political) news
Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2026 10:37 pm
by Yorick
MrLongbeard wrote: Thu Jul 09, 2026 10:09 pm
Yorick wrote: Thu Jul 09, 2026 8:11 pm
MrLongbeard wrote: Thu Jul 09, 2026 12:51 pm
Also avoid hyphens, apostrophes, umlauts etc etc, even in the 21st century 99% of computer systems can't cope with them
Proper software can
I've yet to find one that can handle my surname, although it doesn't help that people will tell my I've spelt my forename and surname incorrectly, FFS it's my name, I've had it for 53 years I know how it's spelt
I was a programmer 15 years. It was dead easy to validate any input information.
Every character has an ASCII value.
Must employ idiots nowadays.
Re: In todays light hearted look at the (non-political) news
Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2026 10:52 pm
by Horse
Yorick wrote: Thu Jul 09, 2026 10:37 pm
MrLongbeard wrote: Thu Jul 09, 2026 10:09 pm
Yorick wrote: Thu Jul 09, 2026 8:11 pm
Proper software can
I've yet to find one that can handle my surname, although it doesn't help that people will tell my I've spelt my forename and surname incorrectly, FFS it's my name, I've had it for 53 years I know how it's spelt
I was a programmer 15 years. It was dead easy to validate any input information.
Every character has an ASCII value.
Must employ idiots nowadays.
Here's another where the possibility never occurred to the developers:
We have a five digit home phone number. Put it into a six box field ... Computer says "No". Can't argue, just put a zero on the end.
Re: In todays light hearted look at the (non-political) news
Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2026 8:56 am
by Rockburner
Yorick wrote: Thu Jul 09, 2026 10:37 pm
MrLongbeard wrote: Thu Jul 09, 2026 10:09 pm
Yorick wrote: Thu Jul 09, 2026 8:11 pm
Proper software can
I've yet to find one that can handle my surname, although it doesn't help that people will tell my I've spelt my forename and surname incorrectly, FFS it's my name, I've had it for 53 years I know how it's spelt
I was a programmer 15 years. It was dead easy to validate any input information.
Every character has an ASCII value.
Must employ idiots nowadays.
It's more the case that
A) software devs often assume these problems are already solved by the libraries/packages they use to shortcut the development process, because they don't have the time/budget to write raw code each time. (This is assuming the company involved is not just buying in a 3rd party SaaS system and branding it)
B) Edge cases are weird, always have been.
C) ASCII isn't not enough anymore, with non english names needing to be supported. If you're not fully supporting utf8-mb4 then you'll lose characters.
D) lots of packages come with default configs that don't match up, and if you have a non utf8 setting for the encoding anywhere, (from network settings, server host, web server software, code libraries, db settings, etc etc), then bang goes any proper character handling.
E) Most devs now are specialists in one area, not responsible for the entire stack.
None of this in insurmountable, but it all boils down to a complete lack of caring from upper management. They just want it built fast, and ignore problems.
Re: In todays light hearted look at the (non-political) news
Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2026 9:01 am
by gremlin
Rockburner wrote: Fri Jul 10, 2026 8:56 am
None of this in insurmountable, but it all boils down to a complete lack of caring from upper management. They just want it built fast, and ignore problems.
That's what I said to öM╠└\ãpJ═ just the other day.
Re: In todays light hearted look at the (non-political) news
Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2026 9:36 am
by Druid
MrLongbeard wrote: Thu Jul 09, 2026 12:51 pm
Horse wrote: Thu Jul 09, 2026 11:38 am
Also, never give your child a name they will struggle to spell.
And that's aside from the issue of phonetic Irish names ...
Also avoid hyphens, apostrophes, umlauts etc etc, even in the 21st century 99% of computer systems can't cope with them
My daughter has a Welsh name which includes an a with a circumflex - â. She lives in England and it has caused her some trouble in the past but no major problems, it often gets input as a plain lower case a. The biggest issue is people not pronouncing it correctly

Re: In todays light hearted look at the (non-political) news
Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2026 10:14 am
by Taipan
You all think you've got problems!
Re: In todays light hearted look at the (non-political) news
Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2026 10:29 am
by Count Steer
Rockburner wrote: Fri Jul 10, 2026 8:56 am
Yorick wrote: Thu Jul 09, 2026 10:37 pm
MrLongbeard wrote: Thu Jul 09, 2026 10:09 pm
I've yet to find one that can handle my surname, although it doesn't help that people will tell my I've spelt my forename and surname incorrectly, FFS it's my name, I've had it for 53 years I know how it's spelt
I was a programmer 15 years. It was dead easy to validate any input information.
Every character has an ASCII value.
Must employ idiots nowadays.
It's more the case that
A) software devs often assume these problems are already solved by the libraries/packages they use to shortcut the development process, because they don't have the time/budget to write raw code each time. (This is assuming the company involved is not just buying in a 3rd party SaaS system and branding it)
B) Edge cases are weird, always have been.
C) ASCII isn't not enough anymore, with non english names needing to be supported. If you're not fully supporting utf8-mb4 then you'll lose characters.
D) lots of packages come with default configs that don't match up, and if you have a non utf8 setting for the encoding anywhere, (from network settings, server host, web server software, code libraries, db settings, etc etc), then bang goes any proper character handling.
E) Most devs now are specialists in one area, not responsible for the entire stack.
None of this in insurmountable, but it all boils down to a complete lack of caring from upper management. They just want it built fast, and ignore problems.
A couple of times I was involved with the procurement of software packages (health and energy) and USA products were in the frame. Even something as simple as 'Title' (Mrs, Mrs, Sir, Baron etc) generated a raft of change requests never mind names with ^ or ' + umlauts, cedillas and hyphens. More often than not workarounds rather than changes were pushed at us. 'Brigadier-General doesn't fit in the 'Title' field? Call him BrigGen' sort if thing. All the packages resisted changes and having to get into version management and, if you were a big beast like SAP it was 'here's the product' and that was that.
Re: In todays light hearted look at the (non-political) news
Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2026 11:23 am
by Rockburner
Count Steer wrote: Fri Jul 10, 2026 10:29 am
Rockburner wrote: Fri Jul 10, 2026 8:56 am
Yorick wrote: Thu Jul 09, 2026 10:37 pm
I was a programmer 15 years. It was dead easy to validate any input information.
Every character has an ASCII value.
Must employ idiots nowadays.
It's more the case that
A) software devs often assume these problems are already solved by the libraries/packages they use to shortcut the development process, because they don't have the time/budget to write raw code each time. (This is assuming the company involved is not just buying in a 3rd party SaaS system and branding it)
B) Edge cases are weird, always have been.
C) ASCII isn't not enough anymore, with non english names needing to be supported. If you're not fully supporting utf8-mb4 then you'll lose characters.
D) lots of packages come with default configs that don't match up, and if you have a non utf8 setting for the encoding anywhere, (from network settings, server host, web server software, code libraries, db settings, etc etc), then bang goes any proper character handling.
E) Most devs now are specialists in one area, not responsible for the entire stack.
None of this in insurmountable, but it all boils down to a complete lack of caring from upper management. They just want it built fast, and ignore problems.
A couple of times I was involved with the procurement of software packages (health and energy) and USA products were in the frame. Even something as simple as 'Title' (Mrs, Mrs, Sir, Baron etc) generated a raft of change requests never mind names with ^ or ' + umlauts, cedillas and hyphens. More often than not workarounds rather than changes were pushed at us. 'Brigadier-General doesn't fit in the 'Title' field? Call him BrigGen' sort if thing. All the packages resisted changes and having to get into version management and, if you were a big beast like SAP it was 'here's the product' and that was that.
Yup. And the less done "in house", meaning more 3rd party libraries/packages/software brought in: the more there is of that limitation of "catering only to the lowest common denominator"
Re: In todays light hearted look at the (non-political) news
Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2026 11:49 am
by MingtheMerciless
Don't talk to me about getting software corrected or improved.......
The last firewall update our supplier did locked us out of our network for over 3 hours. Luckily nobody called us for a life saving event. The idiots did both the online server and the hot standby at the same time.
We want a black as opposed to our current unpleasent bright light grey back ground (we had it on the old system). The colour palette exists. Our supplier wants a £1,000,000 per site to do this. Gouging of the highest order.
Re: In todays light hearted look at the (non-political) news
Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2026 6:03 am
by ZRX61
Got a fire going here...
904B…E. Avenue Z and Jesus Canyon Rd…reported brush fire…law enforcement and FD enroute code 3
UPDATE: #SummitFire…large smoke column visible from miles away…San Bernardino FD sending a 1st alarm brush response
UPDATE 2: E79 in area, having access issues
UPDATE 3: SBcoFD not sending response…fixed wing and multiple copters enroute…E79 trying to make access at E 248th Street East and Fort Tejon Rd
UPDATE 3: still trying access fire…from a distance fire appears to be at 7-8 acres in moderate to heavy brush…there is an immediate structure threat
UPDATE 4: BC17 requesting a 2nd alarm brush response do to multiple homes in immediate threat…Cal Fire send a brush response
UPDATE 5: (1:18pm) Air Attack requesting the 3 closest air tankers of any type…fire burning to the east
UPDATE 6: (1:38pm)…BC17 states structure impact in 20 minutes
UPDATE 7: (1:39pm)…evacuation warning issued for region LAC-E107
UPDATE 8: (1:44pm)…2 structure protection groups in place..CHP on scene and assisting with evacuations
UPDATE 9: (1:54pm)…3 additional fixed wing tankers inbound
UPDATE 10: (1:57pm)…moving Incident Command Post to 248th Street East and Pearblossom Highway…requesting CHP for traffic control
UPDATE 11: fire at 45 acres…structure threats persist…residents on 228th Street East and 248th Street East requesting assistance evacuating
UPDATE 12: (2:04pm) Air Attack requesting a VLAT (very large air tanker) and 3 more of air tankers…structural threat is imminent
UPDATE 13: (2:07pm) Intel76 is mapping the fire at 395 acres in medium to heavy fuels with a rapid rate of spreads…potential of 1,000 acres in the next hour…mandatory evacuation notice issued for LAC-E107…Air Attack reports structures are being impacted by fire
UPDATE 14: (2:21pm) evacuation warnings issued for zones LAC-E127-C and LAC-E1340
UPDATE 15: (2:26pm) no VLATs available…Copter 22 enroute replacing Copter 18 which is having mechanical issues
UPDATE 16: (2:29pm) fire at 600 acres with a rapid rate of spread…structures have been impacted by fire per Air Attack
UPDATE 17: AC5 requesting Strike Team 1152 and 7 additional strike teams
UPDATE 18: (2:37pm) fire has made it in to the forest…Air Attack requesting a no diversion order for all aircraft on the #SummitFire due to imminent threat to life and structures…requesting two additional air tankers for a total of 10 air tankers
UPDATE 19: fire is spotting on the right shoulder of fire…structure threat continues on left shoulder and head of fire
UPDATE 20: firefighters working to keep fire west of 263rd Street East which would take the fire into much more densely populated neighborhoods
UPDATE 21: (3:04pm) fire at 620 acres with a potential of 1,000 acres in the next hour…fire in grass and light fuels with a rapid rate of spread
UPDATE 22: per Air Attack fire approximately 1.5 mile from Mountain High…requesting evacuation warnings for the area
UPDATE 23: (3:18pm) fire at 1,380 acres…Air Attack reiterating the imminent fire threat to Mountain High West and requesting units to the area
UPDATE 24: (5:55pm) Fire at 2,271 acres with 0% containment
UPDATE 25: (9:09pm) fire is now being mapped at 2,676 acres, 0% containment and all evacuation orders and warnings remain in effect See less
Re: In todays light hearted look at the (non-political) news
Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2026 1:04 am
by ZRX61

- RyanAir.jpg (152.76 KiB) Viewed 105 times
Re: In todays light hearted look at the (non-political) news
Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2026 8:49 am
by Cousin Jack
Correction.
Ryanair have issued ALL passengers on the flight a £45 mask deployment charge.
Re: In todays light hearted look at the (non-political) news
Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2026 2:27 pm
by ZRX61
oops....
https://ktla.com/news/california/video- ... -arrested/
May have to rethink my ZX11 Warp Factor Stupid runs on the local freeway...