The Technology Vent and Rant Thread

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Ah Sims 2, you and your glitches.

Spoiler:

Attachment 206709

Time to update to Sims 4.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Helped a friend troubleshoot a Linux distribution (Void Linux) on their new computer and while the OS was stable, the customized packages need a lot more testing. Items such as their Chromium based browser refusing to connect to the Internet with an error message that made no sense to us. I ended up using my laptop to troubleshoot the error which basically amounted to the browser/network stack thinking it was on an open WiFi network and considering that to be a security issue. After a couple of hours, got it up and running and then installed calibre from binary using the command line from Kovid Goyal's site. Got the usual packages needed message, installed them and finally success. Of course, we then ran into issues with calibre's ebook viewer showing a blank screen. Wayland has been around to 17 years and still does not seem ready for prime time.

At that point, I practiced some of my vocabulary words, wiped the hard drive and installed openSUSE since I had the USB stick on hand. So far, that has been a better experience for them.

Your friend needs dump Wayland and never use it ever again. It's garbage.

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Time to update to Sims 4.

No that's a downgrade. Plus the microtransactions and DLC come to thousands of dollars.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Your friend needs dump Wayland and never use it ever again. It's garbage.

Jon, did you bother to read my entire message (you know, the one you quoted in it's entirety) before spitting out your predigested Wayland comment?

[Solitaire1]

Originally Posted by neil_swann80

I might trigger a few people here... but printer ink!

The price, how quickly it dries up, chips in cartridges that prevent third party options and refilling... and did I mention PRICE!

Some multifunction printer scanner units won't even let you scan if there's no ink...

That's the reason I prefer separate devices. To me, in the above situation the User should be able to return the device because it is malfunctioning.

It's the same issue when you buy an all-in-one stereo system. It's convenient until one of the components break, then you have to take the whole thing in for repair.

Worse, I had an component system made by one company. Unfortunately, soon every component of it except for the tuner stopped working properly. Since then, when it comes to audio I intentionally buy a mutt system, with every component coming from a different manufacturer.

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Time to update to Sims 4.

Besides, I already tried it.

[neil_swann80]

Originally Posted by Solitaire1

Worse, I had an component system made by one company. Unfortunately, soon every component of it except for the tuner stopped working properly. Since then, when it comes to audio I intentionally buy a mutt system, with every component coming from a different manufacturer.

I've also had some negative experiences with multifunction AV equipment. Some exceedingly expensive. Much more convenient just replacing a component than having to ship off the entire thing for repair etc.

Also had issues with some $ony digital equipment, not so much with the hardware, but $ony dropping support for various pieces of software and no longer updating drivers etc. Grrrr

[ownedbycats]

Ah, planned obsolescence. Hate to think about how much electronic waste comes from that.

[neil_swann80]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Ah, planned obsolescence. Hate to think about how much electronic waste comes from that.

It all started with the incandescent lamp!

I'm sure some of it is just companies being cheap and wanting to save a few pennies per device to scrape a large profit at volume... but there's a tinfoil hat wearing part of me imagining a deliberately configured component countdown micro-nuke.

[ownedbycats]

Back in the 00s, many many many capacitators prematurely went kaput because the manufacturers were using a cheaper but faulty electrolyte formula... corporate espionage might also have been involved.

[Solitaire1]

Originally Posted by neil_swann80

I've also had some negative experiences with multifunction AV equipment. Some exceedingly expensive. Much more convenient just replacing a component than having to ship off the entire thing for repair etc.

Also had issues with some $ony digital equipment, not so much with the hardware, but $ony dropping support for various pieces of software and no longer updating drivers etc. Grrrr

I agree about Sony when it comes to their software. For their Walkman players they had a music management program named Media Go. It wasn't a fancy program and it had some quirks (syncing was basically not useable) but it was very easy to use. To add music I just connect my player, select the songs I want on my player, and send them. A few seconds later, it was done and I could disconnect my player.

Unfortunately, Sony dropped support for Media Go. They replaced it with a program named "Music Center for PC" and it is a program that I found to be unusable. I ended up returning to MediaMonkey. Now that I've upgrade to Windows 11 I might give Music Center for PC another try if they've upgraded for Windows 11.

When comes to audio equipment, I wasn't referring to multifunction devices. For each component in my audio setup I had a different brand to avoid the trap of proprietary connectors. I might have a Philips CD player, a Harmon-Karden integrated amplifier, a Sony Turntable, and JVC Minidisc Deck.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Back in the 00s, many many many capacitators prematurely went kaput because the manufacturers were using a cheaper but faulty electrolyte formula... corporate espionage might also have been involved.

If that is the one that had multiple manufacturers scrambling to replace motherboards, corporate espionage was definitely involved in the capacitor plague from 1999 to 2007.

[Martinoptic]

Originally Posted by Solitaire1

I agree about Sony when it comes to their software.

Me too. I have one of their camcorders which I bought over ten years ago. It works well but the software to transfer the video to PC has been discontinued. The version I got with the camcorder doesn’t work properly. Bummer.

[neil_swann80]

Originally Posted by Martinoptic

Me too. I have one of their camcorders which I bought over ten years ago. It works well but the software to transfer the video to PC has been discontinued. The version I got with the camcorder doesn’t work properly. Bummer.

Is it too much to ask for Manufacturers when discontinuing software support to allow a path to open source communities to take the helm? Seems like it would help reduce e-waste.

[Solitaire1]

Originally Posted by Martinoptic

Me too. I have one of their camcorders which I bought over ten years ago. It works well but the software to transfer the video to PC has been discontinued. The version I got with the camcorder doesn’t work properly. Bummer.

Originally Posted by neil_swann80

Is it too much to ask for Manufacturers when discontinuing software support to allow a path to open source communities to take the helm? Seems like it would help reduce e-waste.

I tried Music Center for PC again and it was the same as before (sluggish to the point of being unusable). I wonder why Sony abandoned Media Go, which is so much better than Music Center for PC?

I agree that the Open Source Community should be allowed to continue to support abandoned applications. The following illustrates why: Sony used to have a software application named SonicStage that was mandatory to use with the Sony Walkman Digital Audio Players (DAP). Without it your computer couldn't even see the Walkman when connected. If the application was discontinued what were people supposed to do?