Rant of the Day v2.

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emjay
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Re: Rant of the Day v2.

#6721 Post by emjay » Sat Nov 12, 2022 12:22 pm

The Royal Mail website for tracking packages is down for a couple of days already. Lookup attempts (if you can get past the 'your cookies are important to us' interrogation) are met with an admission of their failure to keep a basic service running. Some weasel words state "You can still track items via the Royal Mail App."

Well, after dowloading 90+MB of bloatware - yes indeed, the tracking database is alive and well. So what's the deal? The front end page server is dead, hacked, resting on it's perch?

This is the website BTW that for years blocked non-UK ip addresses "as a security measure" thus preventing overseas recipients from tracking their arriving parcels. Now they "protect" the site with the cheapest possible CAPTCHA. Please click all boxes that show a shread of service competence....

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Re: Rant of the Day v2.

#6722 Post by PHXPhlyer » Tue Nov 15, 2022 4:25 am

T Mobile 5G internet is having major problems.
Internet connection is sub-dial-up speed and streaming to Fire Stick or tablet impossible.
T mobile app is useless. It is supposed to show 5G towers for best placement of gateway. Doesn't work.
Will call tech support to rant in the morning and hope to get US based call center in ABQ rather than talk to the late night shift in The Philippines.

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Re: Rant of the Day v2.

#6723 Post by Pinky the pilot » Tue Nov 15, 2022 9:42 am

in ABQ
Isn't that the place where Bugs Bunny said he should have turned left? =))
You only live twice. Once when you're born. Once when you've looked death in the face.

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Re: Rant of the Day v2.

#6724 Post by Hydromet » Thu Nov 17, 2022 2:13 am

I'm caught in telecommunications hell. I've been with the default telecommunications supplier, Telstra, on my mobile since I've had it, mainly because that's who we have the home phone with. I'm on a prepaid plan, and recently, they changed me to a plan that is unsuitable - no ifs, buts or maybes, just "We're changing your plan." The problem is that the new plan has minimal data. I don't use a lot, but this has so little that it runs out before I've used 10% of my calls or SMS.
I've persevered for a while, but it's hopeless, so I've found a better plan with another supplier.
The changeover appeared to be going smoothly, but when I tried to port my number to the new provider, I got a message that the birthdate I'd supplied wasn't the same as the old provider had on file. Got in touch with the new provider who was helpful, but said I'd have to speak to my old provider. Decided it would be easier to go to their local store (it's only a franchise, but have been helpful to SWMBO before). I know they aren't always open "because of COVID" and you have to make an appointment on line. No appointments available in the foreseeable future. The other nearest store doesn't have any appointments available for a week.
I tried to do it through the Telstra app to their chat bot, but it seems that there's no way to speak to a human but to ring them. I tried that and got into an endless round of "press 1 for ..." It looks like I will have to lodge a complaint through the Telecommunications Ombudsman, which will probably be effective but will take some time.
I can't help but wonder at the irony af Australia's largest telco not being reachable by telephone.

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Re: Rant of the Day v2.

#6725 Post by talmacapt » Fri Nov 18, 2022 3:59 pm

Spent a couple of hours this morning trying, and eventually managing, to fix an ageing, albeit younger than me, neighbour's laptop..

The operating system is Finnish Windows 7.

Funny how one forgets where various items are and on which menu.

My rant is, once again, why do Microsoft not let one change the language to English as one can do with Apple, Android and Linux.

Growl!!

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Re: Rant of the Day v2.

#6726 Post by TheGreenAnger » Fri Nov 18, 2022 4:14 pm

talmacapt wrote:
Fri Nov 18, 2022 3:59 pm
Spent a couple of hours this morning trying, and eventually managing, to fix an ageing, albeit younger than me, neighbour's laptop..

The operating system is Finnish Windows 7.

Funny how one forgets where various items are and on which menu.

My rant is, once again, why do Microsoft not let one change the language to English as one can do with Apple, Android and Linux.

Growl!!
Microsoft do allow a language change in Windows 7. Windows 7 Ultimate or Windows 7 Enterprise need one to load the English language pack mind you.

I won't bore you with the detail as you clearly won the battle.
My necessaries are embark'd: farewell. Adieu! I have too grieved a heart to take a tedious leave.

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Re: Rant of the Day v2.

#6727 Post by Pontius Navigator » Sat Nov 19, 2022 5:07 pm

ASDA in UK has a superb deal for you oldies and we not so oldie, unlimited coffee, a bowl of soup and a roll for just £1. No catch.

Well not quite. I asked for just a coffee, "£2.99" .

"What about the £1 deal?"

"You have to have the soup and a roll as well."

"Well I can just leave the soup."

She checked with her supervisor. I had to have the soup but they had run out of rolls.

I got soup and coffee, left the soup on the table.

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Re: Rant of the Day v2.

#6728 Post by G-CPTN » Tue Nov 22, 2022 3:03 pm

Reminds me of dining at a Little Chef years ago with my children.
Son doesn't like tomatoes, so we voted to remove them, however, they wanted to charge extra for 'deletion' from the standard offer.
It took quite a while to convince them of the stupidity of their ways.

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Re: Rant of the Day v2.

#6729 Post by Fox3WheresMyBanana » Tue Nov 22, 2022 5:03 pm

Remind me how that business philosophy worked out for Little Chef? =))

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Re: Rant of the Day v2.

#6730 Post by k3k3 » Tue Nov 22, 2022 6:28 pm

Our son is coming to visit us from Germany in December, it was planned he should travel from LHR to us in Paignton and back again on the train. Mick Lynch just scuppered that plan for the return journey so I quickly booked him a seat on a National Express coach, I think everybody else who planned to travel on that day had the same idea as the website crashed three times, got the booking done on the fourth attempt.

The strike days are 13-14 and 16-17 December, so the railway will effectively be shut down for the whole week.

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Re: Rant of the Day v2.

#6731 Post by OFSO » Tue Nov 22, 2022 6:34 pm

OFSOs to LHR on the 13th. Terminal five to terminal one/two, then the 285 bus to Teddington. Our flat, alongside the Southwest rail line, will be nice and quiet...

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Re: Rant of the Day v2.

#6732 Post by 1DC » Tue Nov 22, 2022 10:23 pm

The National Express coach from Hull to London and on to Heathrow passes through our village after it leaves Grimsby. Mrs 1DC and I gave it a go just before lockdown. You board at 1030 with designated seats and arrive in London just before 1700 with a stop for muggo at Peterborough. A pleasant day out for 9 quid each although the onward journey to Heathrow was an error at rush hour. WE should have got off at a stop on the North circular about 1615 and taken an Uber to Heathrow!

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Re: Rant of the Day v2.

#6733 Post by Woody » Wed Nov 23, 2022 8:49 am

OFSO wrote:
Tue Nov 22, 2022 6:34 pm
OFSOs to LHR on the 13th. Terminal five to terminal one/two, then the 285 bus to Teddington. Our flat, alongside the Southwest rail line, will be nice and quiet...
No trains from T5 to CTA on strike days, underground only option :-o
When all else fails, read the instructions.

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Re: Rant of the Day v2.

#6734 Post by Wodrick » Wed Nov 23, 2022 9:34 am

Woody wrote:
Wed Nov 23, 2022 8:49 am
No trains from T5 to CTA on strike days, underground only option :-o
What is CTA please ?

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Re: Rant of the Day v2.

#6735 Post by tango15 » Wed Nov 23, 2022 9:37 am

I'm assuming Central Terminal Area, though I was brought up to believe it meant Common Travel Area, which is another story altogether...

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Re: Rant of the Day v2.

#6736 Post by OFSO » Wed Nov 23, 2022 9:59 am

Woody, isn't there a shuttle bus?

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Re: Rant of the Day v2.

#6737 Post by Woody » Wed Nov 23, 2022 11:45 am

OFSO wrote:
Wed Nov 23, 2022 9:59 am
Woody, isn't there a shuttle bus?
Only airside, as far as I know :-o

Tango 15 is correct about CTA
When all else fails, read the instructions.

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Re: Rant of the Day v2.

#6738 Post by OFSO » Wed Nov 23, 2022 6:22 pm

The European Space Agency (ESA) has done so many interesting and praiseworthy things, including providing the Orion power module, but gets completely ignored by the media until they announce they are going to offer a one-legged man the chance to go into orbit...

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Re: Rant of the Day v2.

#6739 Post by llondel » Wed Nov 23, 2022 7:03 pm

OFSO wrote:
Wed Nov 23, 2022 6:22 pm
The European Space Agency (ESA) has done so many interesting and praiseworthy things, including providing the Orion power module, but gets completely ignored by the media until they announce they are going to offer a one-legged man the chance to go into orbit...
If he's weightless then lack of a leg shouldn't matter.

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Re: Rant of the Day v2.

#6740 Post by OFSO » Wed Nov 23, 2022 8:32 pm

And if he's legless it won't worry him either. I speak from sad experience.

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