Minor things that bother you

[TheHighwayMan3561]

So apparently Spotify, at least on my phone, needs to connect to a network every couple of days to open up. I downloaded a bunch of music for my Kilimanjaro hike and couldn't play it since I was out of range. What's the point of getting downloaded music if you can't actually use it?

Apple has done this with purchased music too - when you buy music from them you have to do a secondary download to put it on your device, otherwise it will not work if not connected to the internet. I found that out on my Japan flight, and that sucked.

[hbelkins]

So apparently Spotify, at least on my phone, needs to connect to a network every couple of days to open up. I downloaded a bunch of music for my Kilimanjaro hike and couldn't play it since I was out of range. What's the point of getting downloaded music if you can't actually use it?

Yet another argument for physically buying music.


Here's something that bugs me: Apps that require you to have a passcode set up on your phone before you can use them. I already have to enter a username and password to access my flexible spending account app; why should I have to set up a passcode on my phone on top of it?

[hotdogPi]

Here's something that bugs me: Apps that require you to have a passcode set up on your phone before you can use them. I already have to enter a username and password to access my flexible spending account app; why should I have to set up a passcode on my phone on top of it?

One of these had you enter a 4-digit passcode as part of the app (which was most likely to be the same as the phone but you didn't have to have it match). While it had some basic functionality of I forget what, the app's hidden and actual purpose was to collect a study on how frequently each of the 10000 possible 4-digit codes was used.

[JayhawkCO]

So apparently Spotify, at least on my phone, needs to connect to a network every couple of days to open up. I downloaded a bunch of music for my Kilimanjaro hike and couldn't play it since I was out of range. What's the point of getting downloaded music if you can't actually use it?

Yet another argument for physically buying music.

Alas, no room for my Discman in my backpack.

[Max Rockatansky]

This conversation reminds me that I need to find a new MP3 player.  Music Streaming services weren't cutting it for me when I was out running.  I rather listen to my own footsteps than commercials.

[JayhawkCO]

This conversation reminds me that I need to find a new MP3 player.  Music Streaming services weren't cutting it for me when I was out running.  I rather listen to my own footsteps than commercials.

I don't get any commercials on Spotify (when working).

[Max Rockatansky]

My department head regularly sends out emails about who is being promoted and where they are going.  If I know someone involved I'll usually email or text them a quick "congratulations."  I've never felt compelled to do the same via a "reply all" email which reaches one hundred plus people.  I've been batting down inbox pollution from "reply all" emails all morning.

[JayhawkCO]

My department head regularly sends out emails about who is being promoted and where they are going.  If I know someone involved I'll usually email or text them a quick "congratulations."  I've never felt compelled to do the same via a "reply all" email which reaches one hundred plus people.  I've been batting down inbox pollution from "reply all" emails all morning.

I feel like reply all for messages like that are only for teams <= 10 people, and mostly if you want to give someone some shit for getting promoted.

[kphoger]

85% of reply-all messages, whether via cell phone or e-mail, are unnecessary and borderline evil.

[hbelkins]

So apparently Spotify, at least on my phone, needs to connect to a network every couple of days to open up. I downloaded a bunch of music for my Kilimanjaro hike and couldn't play it since I was out of range. What's the point of getting downloaded music if you can't actually use it?

Yet another argument for physically buying music.

Alas, no room for my Discman in my backpack.

That's why you rip the CD to MP3 (or AAC or FLAC or whatever format you prefer) and then load the music on your player.

This conversation reminds me that I need to find a new MP3 player.  Music Streaming services weren't cutting it for me when I was out running.  I rather listen to my own footsteps than commercials.

I don't get any commercials on Spotify (when working).

I do. Of course, I listen to downloaded podcasts, not music, and I don't have a paid Spotify account. But when I'm at the office and am logged in to wi-fi, very often the podcast I'm listening to (which I've downloaded) will randomly be interrupted in the middle for an ad. It doesn't happen when I'm driving and not connected to the Internet.

[GaryV]

Starting road construction in August ... in front of a school. Why didn't they do it while school was on break?

[Rothman]

Starting road construction in August ... in front of a school. Why didn't they do it while school was on break?

Probably delays in design.

[mgk920]

And what happens if you let the music service subscription lapse?  ALL of the 'saved' files go buh-bye.

I'll take an unencumbered .mp3 player any day.

Mike

[vdeane]

And what happens if you let the music service subscription lapse?  ALL of the 'saved' files go buh-bye.

I'll take an unencumbered .mp3 player any day.

Mike

I have VLC on my phone with my music library copied over.  I usually just buy MP3s on Amazon.  It's amazing how many people forget that this is a (DRM free) option - the debate tends to be between streaming vs. CDs.

[JayhawkCO]

And what happens if you let the music service subscription lapse?  ALL of the 'saved' files go buh-bye.

I'll take an unencumbered .mp3 player any day.

Mike

I have VLC on my phone with my music library copied over.  I usually just buy MP3s on Amazon.  It's amazing how many people forget that this is a (DRM free) option - the debate tends to be between streaming vs. CDs.

I just personally like exploring new music. I'm less likely to buy an album outright that I've never listened to than I am to try streaming it or perhaps be exposed to it once something I chose to listen to ends.

[vdeane]

The fact that summer is ending this weekend (at least in terms of weather) even though we're not even to Labor Day yet.  So much for enjoying a nice summer vacation with swimming and whatnot.  Instead it will be an early fall vacation with no interesting leaf colors.

Also the fact that people continue to insist on mailing me things that they already emailed.  No, the paper copy is not "more official".  It's not even primary - or wanted in the first place!  In fact, everything mailed needs to be scanned since the PDF copy is actually primary, so you're just wasting everyone's time, money, and filing space by mailing it.

[Rothman]

The fact that summer is ending this weekend (at least in terms of weather) even though we're not even to Labor Day yet.  So much for enjoying a nice summer vacation with swimming and whatnot.  Instead it will be an early fall vacation with no interesting leaf colors.

Also the fact that people continue to insist on mailing me things that they already emailed.  No, the paper copy is not "more official".  It's not even primary - or wanted in the first place!  In fact, everything mailed needs to be scanned since the PDF copy is actually primary, so you're just wasting everyone's time, money, and filing space by mailing it.

Heh.  The boomer obsession with hard copies was something I obliterated in my office.  Only paper we deal with is required by law (e.g., SLAs).

[ZLoth]

I have VLC on my phone with my music library copied over.  I usually just buy MP3s on Amazon.  It's amazing how many people forget that this is a (DRM free) option - the debate tends to be between streaming vs. CDs.

I'll just put the MP3 into my Plex media service instance on my TrueNAS server so that I can stream it wherever I go. Same with Audiobooks.

[kphoger]

The fact that summer is ending this weekend (at least in terms of weather) even though we're not even to Labor Day yet.

This is a thing that pleases me.  We've been driving without a/c since May of last year.  Just got back from a trip to KC with temps in the upper 90s.  I'm ready for cooler weather.

[1995hoo]

The fact that summer is ending this weekend (at least in terms of weather) even though we're not even to Labor Day yet.

This is a thing that pleases me.  We've been driving without a/c since May of last year.  Just got back from a trip to KC with temps in the upper 90s.  I'm ready for cooler weather.

Yeah. Weather-wise, I very much like it when we don't need either the heat or the AC. Even better if it's nice enough to open the windows (this week hasn't been—while it's 73° as I type this, it's very humid due to rain earlier).

It's supposed to be in the mid-80s here for all of the next week. Not cool enough to turn off the AC, but certainly nice enough to hit the golf course on Saturday without the sun broiling us.

[bugo]

Amazon doesn't have its delivery network set up in many rural areas

I live out in the country, and some packages from Amazon are delivered by them, and some are delivered by the USPS.

[vdeane]

The fact that summer is ending this weekend (at least in terms of weather) even though we're not even to Labor Day yet.

This is a thing that pleases me.  We've been driving without a/c since May of last year.  Just got back from a trip to KC with temps in the upper 90s.  I'm ready for cooler weather.

Yeah. Weather-wise, I very much like it when we don't need either the heat or the AC. Even better if it's nice enough to open the windows (this week hasn't been—while it's 73° as I type this, it's very humid due to rain earlier).

It's supposed to be in the mid-80s here for all of the next week. Not cool enough to turn off the AC, but certainly nice enough to hit the golf course on Saturday without the sun broiling us.

I'm not really a fan of that time of year, mainly because my apartment relies on the HVAC system to dehumidify (especially after I take a shower).  But it's especially annoying at this point because air temperatures in the 60s (and water temperatures in the 50s) aren't exactly conducive to things like swimming or going boating wearing nothing but a bikini (I'll never get why my parents think temperatures in the 80s are hot on the boat, but then, from my perspective, they're massively over-dressed with their long-sleeved shirts and jeans).  It also means that the months I've spent watching what I eat and resisting cravings for sweets were for nothing.

Also, the heat actually feels nice when getting out of the icebox they call an office on Wolf Road.  Doesn't help that I get cold easily (and wear a blanket at home pretty much year round).  I was even running the heat for a couple days in my apartment this week!  My ideal weather is probably partly cloudy, low to moderate humidity, with temperatures in the upper 70s to lower 80s.

This is late September weather - not August weather!

[1995hoo]

I'm not really a fan of that time of year, mainly because my apartment relies on the HVAC system to dehumidify (especially after I take a shower).

....

Even though I like the weather DC has been having recently, I certainly understand your point here as a general matter. Many of us do overlook the importance of air conditioning for dehumidification. I was very much reminded of that about a month ago when our AC compressor died in mid-July and we were without AC for several days. For me it was falling asleep that was the hardest part.

For wintertime, however, we have a whole-house humidifier. On the coldest nights I wind up augmenting that with the humidifier on my CPAP because otherwise blowing room temperature air up my nostrils all night dries out my nasal passages with very miserable results.

As for the swimming comments, I don't swim much these days, primarily because the neighborhood pools get closed so often due to little kids using the pools as a toilet that it's just plain off-putting. (Well, plus when the dermatologist says your biopsy was precancerous and uses the words "squamous cell carcinoma," it really makes you a lot more judicious about spending time out in the sun. I'd rather hit the golf course on the weekend than go to the pool regularly.)