Minor things that bother you

[Max Rockatansky]

When I'm first in line at self checkout and the person who just paid for their stuff still hasn't put their grocery in their bag. As soon as you scan whatever you're buying, you should put it in the bag!!!

Self-checkout.

I am not a checker.  I check out maybe once a week, maybe not even that.  I will never be anywhere near as fast or accurate or good at bagging as someone who does it full time. 

Besides, that's somebody's job.  That person is now on the street.  Do I get the money they would have made when I'm going their job?  No, I do not.

I used to agree, but then I discovered self check out is a good way to bypass annoyingly slow customers.  In particular those who write checks, engage in unnecessary banter with the cashier or get in express lines with large numbers of items.  Besides, the less I have to interact with random strangers tends to be something I view as a win.

I don't even remember the last time I saw someone writing a check in a grocery store.  When checks in grocery stores were a thing, thoughtful people filled out everything in the check except the amount while they were waiting in line, before the cashier even started ringing them up.  It was almost never a source of delay.

Whereas I seemingly run into the elderly person paying for $8 purchase by check seemingly 33% of the time when I go a conventional register at Vons. 

Either way, referring to my comment above the big win is not having to talk to someone I don't know.  The less pleasantries I have exchange with a person I'll likely never see again the better.  I much rather skip the interaction and just move on with my day.

[Scott5114]

^^ I think many spam filters are programmed to pick up key words or phrases.  Meaning misspelled words, intentional or unintentional, get past the filters.

A lot of scam emails intentionally include spelling errors to weed out people smart enough to recognize the errors. Smart people tend to try to do things like call up the IRS directly and ask them what's going on before sending the scammer money. The last thing the scammer wants is the actual IRS sending law enforcement after them.

[jeffandnicole]

I am not a checker.  I check out maybe once a week, maybe not even that.  I will never be anywhere near as fast or accurate or good at bagging as someone who does it full time. 

Besides, that's somebody's job.  That person is now on the street.  Do I get the money they would have made when I'm going their job?  No, I do not.

Did you try asking for an employee discount? 

Part of the problem locally in California is ten cent grocery store bags suck and are hard to pull apart.  About 20% of the time I get lucky and I don't have to fight to separate them.  I get it they are trying to "encourage me"  to use reusable bags but that's not likely to happen if my wife isn't with me.

This whole 10¢ per bag is a crock and a money grab. Ever hear of "Reduce-Reuse-Recycle". I recycle my plastic bags as small trash bags which are quite handy for pet waste. Did any of the legislators own a pet? Plus, you have to remember to put the bags in the trunk and take them to the store with you.

In states like mine where bags are banned, you're forced to use reusable bags. Generally you either get used to it quickly, or you just put the groceries back into the cart, bring it to the car, then put them in the car or bags then.

[Max Rockatansky]

Considering that I have general idea how much retail store bags cost I'm confident in saying that 10¢ bags are definitely not a money grab.  My thought is that if I can't afford 10¢ it would be indicative of either extreme cheapness or extreme financial distress. 

[ZLoth]

Last week, I purchased a Fire HD 8 Tablet, 8" HD Display (2020 release, 10th Gen) from Woot! for $30, and it arrived last night. However, I'm having problems registering the device to my Amazon account. I reset my Amazon password, attempted to and failed to update the firmware, checked the connectivity, switched the WiFi connection from DHCP to static IP address and DNS, and even disabled the One-Time Password. I reached out to Amazon Device Support, and find out that the device was "blacklisted". Amazon Device Support won't remove the blacklisting and has advised me to reach out to Woot! (which is a Amazon company) for further assistance. I have emailed Woot!, and am pending a response. But, yay on non-accurate and non-helpful error messages.

As an update, I just received a email from Woot! telling me that they are sending out a replacement device ASAP, and that I won't be required to return the old one. Just dispose of it. 

The new device arrived and I'm setting it up now.

[D-Dey65]

Oh? Are you on a Android phone or a iPhone?

Android.

Make, model of the phone, and version of the Android OS you are running?
[/quote]
It doesn't really matter. Every phone I've had has had the same problems, even before I was getting "smart phones."

[jakeroot]

It doesn't really matter. Every phone I've had has had the same problems, even before I was getting "smart phones."

What are you trying to connect to? Have you asked people for help?

You seem to be experiencing an unprecedented issue. Intermittent issues with Bluetooth are not unusual, but for it to straight-up not work across numerous devices for years despite your best efforts indicates to me that either (a) someone is messing with you, or (b) your home is built on an Indian burial ground and there are outside forces blocking connections.

[Scott5114]

(c) He's been employed as a medieval knight the entire time and his chain mail is serving as a Faraday cage.

[ZLoth]

(d) Residence is using chicken wire that is acting as a faraday cage.

Connect through Bluetooth on your Android device
How to Pair a Device Using Bluetooth on Android

[hbelkins]

That said, Meijer in our area switched from "normal" lanes for self-checkout (you scan it, then put it on the ramp to go down to the bagging area). Now they have a large corral of self-checkout stations. Sure, there's just one line and you're guaranteed to not get stuck behind someone who is extra slow. But each station only has spots to load 2 bags. Doesn't anyone buy a whole shopping cart load of groceries anymore?

I haven't really patronized Meijer in 13 years, but I always liked that feature of scanning your item and then putting it on a ramp to collect at the end for bagging. The one I frequented in Lexington had that style of self-checkout.

[D-Dey65]

(d) Residence is using chicken wire that is acting as a faraday cage.

Connect through Bluetooth on your Android device
How to Pair a Device Using Bluetooth on Android

Or (e), bluetooth simply doesn't work as well as it promised;
https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/10/tech/bluetooth-technology-headache/index.html

I've tried to connect my cell phones to hands free devices. The first time I tried it, I used some cheap-ass G2 phone and it worked for one day. Once I got it on the road, it never worked again.

I've had smart phones with the same problem.

I've tried to link my Amazon KindleFire to cell phones. They say they detect them, but nothing ever goes from one device or the other.

I recently tried to print an online recipt from my cell phone, and found out I can't do that either.

[JayhawkCO]

(d) Residence is using chicken wire that is acting as a faraday cage.

Connect through Bluetooth on your Android device
How to Pair a Device Using Bluetooth on Android

Or (e), bluetooth simply doesn't work as well as it promised;
https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/10/tech/bluetooth-technology-headache/index.html

I've tried to connect my cell phones to hands free devices. The first time I tried it, I used some cheap-ass G2 phone and it worked for one day. Once I got it on the road, it never worked again.

I've had smart phones with the same problem.

I've tried to link my Amazon KindleFire to cell phones. They say they detect them, but nothing ever goes from one device or the other.

I recently tried to print an online recipt from my cell phone, and found out I can't do that either.

But realistically, Occam's Razor says there's something specific to your phones (or you) that none of your devices work. Obviously there are one off issues that can happen with any device, but you'd have to be the unluckiest person alive to have every single one of your devices to have problems.

[wanderer2575]

That said, Meijer in our area switched from "normal" lanes for self-checkout (you scan it, then put it on the ramp to go down to the bagging area). Now they have a large corral of self-checkout stations. Sure, there's just one line and you're guaranteed to not get stuck behind someone who is extra slow. But each station only has spots to load 2 bags. Doesn't anyone buy a whole shopping cart load of groceries anymore?

Interesting, because the Kroger locations near me did that in reverse order.  With their first self-checkout stations, each one has a little carousel to accommodate 4 of their plastic bags and also a shelf where I can place my cloth bags for loading.  Newer stations have no shelf so I have to fight a bit to get my cloth bags to stay on the carousel.  Yes, I sometimes buy a full cart of groceries.  (Sometimes I give up and pile my items on the carousel after scanning, then load everything into my bags in the shopping cart when checkout is complete.  I hold up the line a couple minutes that way, but too bad.)  Only recently have they installed one or two self-checkout lanes with the conveyor belts and ramps.

[formulanone]

(d) Residence is using chicken wire that is acting as a faraday cage.

Connect through Bluetooth on your Android device
How to Pair a Device Using Bluetooth on Android

Or (e), bluetooth simply doesn't work as well as it promised;
https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/10/tech/bluetooth-technology-headache/index.html

I've tried to connect my cell phones to hands free devices. The first time I tried it, I used some cheap-ass G2 phone and it worked for one day. Once I got it on the road, it never worked again.

I've had smart phones with the same problem.

I've tried to link my Amazon KindleFire to cell phones. They say they detect them, but nothing ever goes from one device or the other.

I recently tried to print an online recipt from my cell phone, and found out I can't do that either.

But realistically, Occam's Razor says there's something specific to your phones (or you) that none of your devices work. Obviously there are one off issues that can happen with any device, but you'd have to be the unluckiest person alive to have every single one of your devices to have problems.

Meh, most of my Bluetooth devices go on the fritz at some point or another and have to be re-paired. But that's not half the time, but maybe 2-3 times a year per device. Either that, or the devices recognize each other, but don't do anything meaningful other than acknowledging each others' presence (but seriously, a PC and iPhone are never going to do anything useful together).

[vdeane]

There's one person who insists on starting every meeting by greeting each and every person on the call with an individual "good morning" and roll call, instead of simply reading through the names and asking people with just phone numbers displayed who they are like is done at every other meeting from every other group.  It's annoying as I'm not an extrovert and would rather just start the meeting than deal with a good morning love fest, yet this person insists on the latter for each and every meeting they're involved with.

Unrelated, but Microsoft changing spell check to be left click when everyone else still uses right click.  I presume they want to make it more like phones.  For that matter, the tech companies need to remember the desktops and laptops are not phones.  They're even insisting on calling desktop programs "apps".

Also, the fact that Outlook online and Outlook desktop don't even use the same category system, despite appearing to at first glace.  Categories set online apply per conversation while ones set on the desktop apply per message, so if you set one online and then go to the desktop, new emails in response will have the category assigned automatically, which can be an issue if you group the inbox by category and expect new mail to have the category of "(none)".

[US 89]

For that matter, the tech companies need to remember the desktops and laptops are not phones.  They're even insisting on calling desktop programs "apps".

I mean, that's short for "applications" , which is what Macs have called the folder where those are stored since before Steve Jobs even dreamed of the iPhone. They even have the file name extension .app.

[vdeane]

For that matter, the tech companies need to remember the desktops and laptops are not phones.  They're even insisting on calling desktop programs "apps".

I mean, that's short for "applications" , which is what Macs have called the folder where those are stored since before Steve Jobs even dreamed of the iPhone. They even have the file name extension .app.

I don't recall people using "app" before the iPhone became big.  Before then, desktop applications were called using the full word.  Thus, I associate "apps" with the toys people install on their phones.

[ZLoth]

There's one person who insists on starting every meeting by greeting each and every person on the call with an individual "good morning" and roll call, instead of simply reading through the names and asking people with just phone numbers displayed who they are like is done at every other meeting from every other group.  It's annoying as I'm not an extrovert and would rather just start the meeting than deal with a good morning love fest, yet this person insists on the latter for each and every meeting they're involved with.

To me, it's more important if that meeting host starts the meeting a minute or so after the stated start time and ends the meeting before the scheduled end time, thus placing high value on the attendees time. I would say "bonus points" for the meeting host in personally recognizing everyone in the meeting within reason.

[JayhawkCO]

There's one person who insists on starting every meeting by greeting each and every person on the call with an individual "good morning" and roll call, instead of simply reading through the names and asking people with just phone numbers displayed who they are like is done at every other meeting from every other group.  It's annoying as I'm not an extrovert and would rather just start the meeting than deal with a good morning love fest, yet this person insists on the latter for each and every meeting they're involved with.

To me, it's more important if that meeting host starts the meeting a minute or so after the stated start time and ends the meeting before the scheduled end time, thus placing high value on the attendees time. I would say "bonus points" for the meeting host in personally recognizing everyone in the meeting within reason.

I'd say the most important quality is to actually have an agenda worthy of a meeting and not easily handled by an email.

[XamotCGC]

Lately I been using Walmart and Kroger crubside pickup for the stuff I need just to avoid the hassle of stores. For groceries I have those delivered though instacart or the service Walmart uses.

[jakeroot]

For that matter, the tech companies need to remember the desktops and laptops are not phones.  They're even insisting on calling desktop programs "apps".

I mean, that's short for "applications" , which is what Macs have called the folder where those are stored since before Steve Jobs even dreamed of the iPhone. They even have the file name extension .app.

I don't recall people using "app" before the iPhone became big.  Before then, desktop applications were called using the full word.  Thus, I associate "apps" with the toys people install on their phones.

The "toys"? I don't think you are appreciating enough the impact that mobile application development has had on the world if you really see mobile phone apps as "toys".

[Hobart]

For that matter, the tech companies need to remember the desktops and laptops are not phones.  They're even insisting on calling desktop programs "apps".

I mean, that's short for "applications" , which is what Macs have called the folder where those are stored since before Steve Jobs even dreamed of the iPhone. They even have the file name extension .app.

I don't recall people using "app" before the iPhone became big.  Before then, desktop applications were called using the full word.  Thus, I associate "apps" with the toys people install on their phones.

The "toys"? I don't think you are appreciating enough the impact that mobile application development has had on the world if you really see mobile phone apps as "toys".

I second this; I received my schedule through a mobile app for White Castle each week, use an app to check my bank account, use two to three different apps to listen to music, and the clock function wakes me up every morning; I have no "toys" on my phone, everything I have on it is used for either listening to music, buying stuff off the internet, or communications.

Granted, I still take issue with calling desktop things "apps", which I acknowledge is a completely semantic issue. I always referred to them and heard of them as either "programs" or by their proper name instead.

[ZLoth]

I don't recall people using "app" before the iPhone became big.  Before then, desktop applications were called using the full word.  Thus, I associate "apps" with the toys people install on their phones.

Right. I'll be sure to refer to my Authenticator used to log into work systems, the 2FA app for logging into personal sites, and the password manager on my phone as "toys". Let us not forget the alarm system or security camera "toys". Oh yeah, that calendar "toy", organizer "toy", and that banking "toy" which I keep track of my finances. Of course, there is that Gas Buddy "toy" as well as that AAA "toy", and when I travel, that airline ticket "toy" which gets scanned at the airline gate.

[Bruce]

For me, apps on desktop refer to applications that are built primarily for touchscreens or with full-screen use in mind, rather than traditional programs. It's a useful distinction.

[JayhawkCO]

Everyone wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning? Not just this thread, but man, people are over reacting more than normal today.