The Bitching Thread

[Xelbair]

you want technical solution? find an engineer. you can't afford solutions? deal with it.
you want psychological solution? find an psychologist.

here, i simplified that for you.

[Animeniax]

A solution that cannot be afforded is no solution at all.

And look back at enkoujin's post, his class is about finding real world solutions for real world problems, same as the elevator question. If a "solution" is too expensive to implement, then it is not a solution for the problem presented.

[Ryllharu]

you can't afford solutions? deal with it.

That's an excellent way to get an engineering consulting firm fired from a job, and less likely to get future jobs due to a ruined reputation. Engineers get hired to find solutions, period. That's the whole reason that story keeps getting retold. The best solution is often the simplest, and the cheapest, requiring no technical engineering at all.

Sorry Xel, I can't agree with you here.

One group tells you that you'll have to tear down the entire face of the building to put in a faster elevator with automatic idle floor positions based on a 3 month analysis period of peak times and overall usage. Cost: Millions?, loss of tenants who require elevator for accessibility, etc. Complete in 6 months to a 1 year.

The other group tells you to install mirrors. Cost: $35 per floor, plus one in the elevator. $325 for labor. Complete in one day.

Who do you think is going to get called again, or referred to similar building owners?

edit:
Another real world example: Alaskan roads frequently cracked in the freeze/thaw, exacerbated by the road surface itself transferring heat to the permafrost. What did they do? Nothing fancy, just elevated the road on top of loose rocks that dissipate the heat to the sides rather than into the permafrost.

These aren't crazy technical solutions here.

[fahoumh]

My Blackberry crapped out on me, or at least I think it did, and since I was already kind of pissed off I broke it into pieces in a fit of rage. Now I have to find a replacement because I'm still on a BB data contract and hopefully restore my contacts, passwords, etc. with Blackberry Protect. The worst part was when I realized what I may have permanently lost after losing my temper.

[Animeniax]

I do that sometimes, destroy the object that is probably not really the source of my anger, as I imagine most people do. I almost threw a game controller at my big screen TV before. I'm glad I didn't have to feel the remorse of that.

Should be easy and cheap to get a Blackberry secondhand considering the number of people leaving the platform.

[Buffalobiian]

I broke a USB stick in a fit of laughter one time.

Soon after, I wasn't laughing any more.

[Xelbair]

That's an excellent way to get an engineering consulting firm fired from a job, and less likely to get future jobs due to a ruined reputation. Engineers get hired to find solutions, period. That's the whole reason that story keeps getting retold. The best solution is often the simplest, and the cheapest, requiring no technical engineering at all.

Sorry Xel, I can't agree with you here.

One group tells you that you'll have to tear down the entire face of the building to put in a faster elevator with automatic idle floor positions based on a 3 month analysis period of peak times and overall usage. Cost: Millions?, loss of tenants who require elevator for accessibility, etc. Complete in 6 months to a 1 year.

The other group tells you to install mirrors. Cost: $35 per floor, plus one in the elevator. $325 for labor. Complete in one day.

Who do you think is going to get called again, or referred to similar building owners?

edit:
Another real world example: Alaskan roads frequently cracked in the freeze/thaw, exacerbated by the road surface itself transferring heat to the permafrost. What did they do? Nothing fancy, just elevated the road on top of loose rocks that dissipate the heat to the sides rather than into the permafrost.

These aren't crazy technical solutions here.

Second case would be proposed pretty quickly - seriously - any geo-engineer would recommend something like that asap.

First case? Engineers proposed all possible technical solutions. installing mirrors to prevent people's boredom is NOT engineering solution - but a psychological one. I'm not saying that engineering ones are better - but you aren't seriously expecting engineers to find psychological solution?

@Ani - i'm refering to the example that Ryll posted without regard to Enkoujin's post.

[Animeniax]

Wow, how many years of inactivity at id Software and they returned with Rage?? Terrible, terrible. The game isn't that bad, but it's also nothing special, and nothing like you'd expect from id after a long hiatus. Glad I only paid $5 for it, but still, couldn't they have made a game at all more compelling or original?

[fahoumh]

I broke a USB stick in a fit of laughter one time.

Soon after, I wasn't laughing any more.

Yeah, it's kind of gratifying to destroy something but it's rarely worth the inevitable regret.

I do that sometimes, destroy the object that is probably not really the source of my anger, as I imagine most people do. I almost threw a game controller at my big screen TV before. I'm glad I didn't have to feel the remorse of that.

Should be easy and cheap to get a Blackberry secondhand considering the number of people leaving the platform.

I've never thrown my controller at the tv because it's incredibly expensive but I have broken game controllers. I have become a lot better than I was when I was in my teens when it comes to losing my temper but there are moments here and there.

I've already been looking at used BBs and I think some people are asking too much. How would you define "cheap"?

[Buffalobiian]

Yeah, it's kind of gratifying to destroy something but it's rarely worth the inevitable regret.7

I was watching something really funny on my laptop (sitting in my lap) and I struck my thigh with my hand as I cracked up laughing. The strike landed next to the laptop and demented the USB stick.

There was nothing gratifying about the actual destruction itself (and that 16GB usb stick costed at least $50 back then)..

But looking back.... it was actually pretty funny (the show, and my near-immediate damper) xD

[Animeniax]

Yeah, it's kind of gratifying to destroy something but it's rarely worth the inevitable regret.

I've never thrown my controller at the tv because it's incredibly expensive but I have broken game controllers. I have become a lot better than I was when I was in my teens when it comes to losing my temper but there are moments here and there.

Yeah I've restrained myself from destroying my TV, though I came close. I find I'm worse about it as I get older, as my reflexes slow and what my mind wants to do is betrayed by what my body can keep up with, leading to frustration that leads to stuff getting destroyed. Plus I can afford to replace what I destroy, so that lessens the pain of a moment's indiscretion.

I've already been looking at used BBs and I think some people are asking too much. How would you define "cheap"?

Sorry that was a noncommittal statement. I have no idea what a used BB goes for, I just know they're losing their customer base to the iPhone, Android, and Windows phones, so I imagine the used market for their phones has a decent selection. Maybe used BBs aren't cheap exactly, but not full price either.

[fahoumh]

Yeah I've restrained myself from destroying my TV, though I came close. I find I'm worse about it as I get older, as my reflexes slow and what my mind wants to do is betrayed by what my body can keep up with, leading to frustration that leads to stuff getting destroyed. Plus I can afford to replace what I destroy, so that lessens the pain of a moment's indiscretion.

It's the fact of looking for a stop-gap replacement until my contract runs out in the summer that's more troubling than the cost to replace my phone. Thank goodness RIM has Blackberry Protect, which wirelessly backs up all your contacts, messages, notes, etc., and it backed up on Monday. So when I finally get one it will not be as painful to get back up to my original speed.

Sorry that was a noncommittal statement. I have no idea what a used BB goes for, I just know they're losing their customer base to the iPhone, Android, and Windows phones, so I imagine the used market for their phones has a decent selection. Maybe used BBs aren't cheap exactly, but not full price either.

No need to apologize; I was just curious. I guess because I only need something temporary I think $100 is cheap but the 9780 goes for $150+ and the 9900 goes for $250+. If I were planning to stay with BB they would be a decent deals when compared to a non-contract price but I don't know if I'm going to stay on that (arguably) sinking ship.

[Animeniax]

It's the fact of looking for a stop-gap replacement until my contract runs out in the summer that's more troubling than the cost to replace my phone. Thank goodness RIM has Blackberry Protect, which wirelessly backs up all your contacts, messages, notes, etc., and it backed up on Monday. So when I finally get one it will not be as painful to get back up to my original speed.

No need to apologize; I was just curious. I guess because I only need something temporary I think $100 is cheap but the 9780 goes for $150+ and the 9900 goes for $250+. If I were planning to stay with BB they would be a decent deals when compared to a non-contract price but I don't know if I'm going to stay on that (arguably) sinking ship.

I know what you mean, stop gap solutions sometimes feel like such a waste of time and money that I've caved before and stayed with the service after buying a replacement. If you're not partial to BB and physical keys instead of touchscreen keypads, maybe settle for a cheaper model that will get you by until the contract is over? Though that BB Protect program seems like it could be a lifesaver.

[Buffalobiian]

? Though that BB Protect program seems like it could be a lifesaver.

Same as any other regular backup :P

[Animeniax]

Same as any other regular backup :P

For your phone data?

[Buffalobiian]

For your phone data?

Yeah. I can set my Nokia to backup my messages, photos, music, contacts etc as soon as I plug the phone into the computer.

A few clicks would also have me backing up things like phone settings. If I wanted to be really comprehensive I would do a phone backup, but a regular full backup is overkill for me.

[Animeniax]

Yeah. I can set my Nokia to backup my messages, photos, music, contacts etc as soon as I plug the phone into the computer.

A few clicks would also have me backing up things like phone settings. If I wanted to be really comprehensive I would do a phone backup, but a regular full backup is overkill for me.

Yeah but I think BB Protect probably saves it to a server so you don't have to manually back up your phone to a local PC.

[fahoumh]

I know what you mean, stop gap solutions sometimes feel like such a waste of time and money that I've caved before and stayed with the service after buying a replacement. If you're not partial to BB and physical keys instead of touchscreen keypads, maybe settle for a cheaper model that will get you by until the contract is over? Though that BB Protect program seems like it could be a lifesaver.

I could get a 9900 for $0 but I would have to commit for another 3 years and I don't want to because my contract is up in June or July and I want to negotiate a better plan; I'm in a stronger bargaining position if I'm not tied down.

I would say the full physical keyboard and Blackberry Messenger are the 2 things that really keep me attached to BB. If this BB Protect properly restores my contact list and notes it would be a huge lifesaver.

Same as any other regular backup :P

I used to regularly back up my phone on the computer but then I just got lazy. Plus, I was really starting to loathe my phone because of the increasing frequency of problems.

[Buffalobiian]

Went to the optometrist to change eartips on my glasses. 20 minutes later, realised that the tips were glued to my hair.


I was pretty cool with it all really, and got it fixed with little cosmetic damage to myself as well as the glasses, but thought this little entry is more apt in the Bitching thread than say, the Smile thread.

[Animeniax]

I could get a 9900 for $0 but I would have to commit for another 3 years and I don't want to because my contract is up in June or July and I want to negotiate a better plan; I'm in a stronger bargaining position if I'm not tied down.

With the way the phone market is going, RIM might be out of business before 3 years, so you could get out of the contract that way .

Went to the optometrist to change eartips on my glasses. 20 minutes later, realised that the tips were glued to my hair.

I suggest switching to contacts. You might get a different outlook on life when you don't have to fumble with glasses all the time.