Pant Thread (because we need more panting)

[Brickmack]

When Star Wars the Clone Wars (the movie) first came out on DVD, I got the special edition version that includes the digital copy. I got the copy on my computer, and then a few months ago something went wrong with my computer, requiring a formatting of the hard drive and reinstalling of windows to fix. Fortunately, I had everything backed up, but when I tried to watch the movie, it said that it couldn't play because the offer expired. So I emailed Warner Bros about it (since they were the ones offering the digital copy), waited about a week, and just got a response a few days ago, basically along the lines of "Sorry you can't use the feature you paid for, but there is nothing I can do.". I don't particularly love the movie (it's ok, but not great IMO), and I can easily just stick it in the dvd drive on my computer or watch it on my tv, but I still paid a few dollars extra for the version with the digital copy, and I should be able to use it. I really hate when companies do this crap.

[SecondTalon]

When Star Wars the Clone Wars (the movie) first came out on DVD, I got the special edition version that includes the digital copy. I got the copy on my computer, and then a few months ago something went wrong with my computer, requiring a formatting of the hard drive and reinstalling of windows to fix. Fortunately, I had everything backed up, but when I tried to watch the movie, it said that it couldn't play because the offer expired. So I emailed Warner Bros about it (since they were the ones offering the digital copy), waited about a week, and just got a response a few days ago, basically along the lines of "Sorry you can't use the feature you paid for, but there is nothing I can do.". I don't particularly love the movie (it's ok, but not great IMO), and I can easily just stick it in the dvd drive on my computer or watch it on my tv, but I still paid a few dollars extra for the version with the digital copy, and I should be able to use it. I really hate when companies do this crap.

488.

It's.. almost but not quite to the point where one can communicate solely through linking xkcd comics.

I give it another year or two, and we can replace all communication with stick figures drawn by someone else for the purpose of amusing a reader.

[Steax]

That comic needs to be updated, because things are changing a lot. iTunes music is DRM-free now, but Steam and iTunes' apps aren't. Which is so frustrating.

[farnsworth]

Spoilered for social incompetency.

Spoiler:

So, somebody said something that I thought was offensive, then I bitched at them about it. And then I realized that I had a brain-fart and screwed up the English language, and no offense was intended. Being a native speaker, this is a really dumb mistake. I apologized and tried to explain, but only got back, "quit being so sensitive!" The last time I had a misunderstanding of this scale was 5 years ago. This is a friend I could not afford to lose, and she is only this terse when she's very mad. OH GOD WHY

EDIT: She understood and forgave me after I explained the brain-fart situation. Problem solved. I have a feeling I'll look back at this post in a month and laugh my ass off.

[M.C.]

Stupid Cold Case not being released on DVD.... grumble...

[bigglesworth]

Steam and iTunes' apps aren't.

Steam at least offers you a 'use on any computer' service to go with their DRM.

[Steax]

I think games with DRM are much worse than non-game apps with DRM. Apps eventually die for a reason and become obsolete, but games are always great for the nostalgia value. I probably won't miss not being able to run To-Do App #6462436, but I'll miss Angry Birds when some day the newest and greatest devices stop supporting it.

[Zarq]

And that's why I will not buy digital stuff for as long as I can.

[Jacque]

And that's why I will not buy digital stuff for as long as I can.

Not that you're actually buying it anyway, more or less just renting.

[Zarq]

True. So I don't have to make up a new rule, I can just file it under my "I don't rent stuff*" rule.

*other than housing, of course.

[Jacque]

And beer.

[Ashlah]

Hope you feel better soon

Thank you, advice appreciated Still fighting the cold, but I actually think the stomach issues were because I might have "over-dosed" on vitamin C yesterday... Whoops Didn't know that was possible, but I've learned an important lesson, I suppose.

[The Scyphozoa]

I think games with DRM are much worse than non-game apps with DRM. Apps eventually die for a reason and become obsolete, but games are always great for the nostalgia value. I probably won't miss not being able to run To-Do App #6462436, but I'll miss Angry Birds when some day the newest and greatest devices stop supporting it.

What, no AwesomeNuts reference?

[Felstaff]

AwesomeNuts

The dickens is this? Sounds like the fuel that keeps AngrySquirrel going.

[Xeio]

I think games with DRM are much worse than non-game apps with DRM. Apps eventually die for a reason and become obsolete, but games are always great for the nostalgia value. I probably won't miss not being able to run To-Do App #6462436, but I'll miss Angry Birds when some day the newest and greatest devices stop supporting it.

Happens to PC games all the time regardless of DRM. It's just combinations of DOSBox and others that you can even play things that are particularly old with any semblance of stability.

[Shivahn]

I think games with DRM are much worse than non-game apps with DRM. Apps eventually die for a reason and become obsolete, but games are always great for the nostalgia value. I probably won't miss not being able to run To-Do App #6462436, but I'll miss Angry Birds when some day the newest and greatest devices stop supporting it.

The right way to do DRM is to eventually disable it.

I think it was Neverwinter Nights where one of the last patches they released also made it stop checking for the CD in the drive, which seems to me like a reasonable way to protect your IP without being a douche about it.

[SlyReaper]

Minor irritation of today:
The bin men left my recycling box in the middle of my drive. Before I was able to park, I had to get out, move the box, get back in the car, and park. That isn't the first time they've done that either. You'd think they'd have the common sense to put it to the side of the drive (for example, in the place where I originally left it), but I guess common sense isn't a prerequisite for employment as a bin man.

Also, the pub I had lunch at had run out of ale. I had to make do with a Guinness. Bah.

[roband]

Make do?! I could go for a Guinness about now, actually.

[st1980]

Not quite the same as a real ale though

[SlyReaper]

Minor irritation the second: I wound up my clock this morning and set it to the correct time. I came back this evening and it's 6 minutes fast. What the actual fuck?

[ShootTheChicken]

I wound up my clock

There's your problem.

[Garm]

Minor irritation the second: I wound up my clock this morning and set it to the correct time. I came back this evening and it's 6 minutes fast. What the actual fuck?

Maybe you should stop speeding.

[The Scyphozoa]

AwesomeNuts

The dickens is this? Sounds like the fuel that keeps AngrySquirrel going.

When Steax makes up the name of a fake software he usually brands it "AwesomeNuts".

[SlyReaper]

Minor irritation the second: I wound up my clock this morning and set it to the correct time. I came back this evening and it's 6 minutes fast. What the actual fuck?

Maybe you should stop speeding.

That's what I get for driving at 15% light speed all day (yes, I actually worked out the maths).

[Steax]

AwesomeNuts

The dickens is this? Sounds like the fuel that keeps AngrySquirrel going.

When Steax makes up the name of a fake software he usually brands it "AwesomeNuts".

AwesomeNuts To-Do is way too Nutty for DRM. You see, squirrels don't respect human rights.

New rant: iMessage is cool and all, and today with iMessage for OS X it's become a lot cooler since I can seamlessly travel between them, but now I have three things that go 'ding' whenever someone messages me. There must be a fix.

[Plasma Man]

Switch off the speakers.

[Jave D]

Humans are a pestilence.

[e^iπ+1=0]

Grr, people are forgetful. I wasn't going to go on this fancy dress bar crawl because of a lack of fancy dress. People said they'd lend me things, so now I'm at it. One of the people was supposed to give me the stuff this morning, forgot then, and so said they'd give it to me at the start of the bar crawl, specifically saying they'd be on time. It started about 45 minutes ago and they're not here. The other person just forgot, period. Thanks, guys.

[gorcee]

I once tried to go to a fancy dress event naked. I tried explaining, "no, see, you fancy that I'm dressed!"

It didn't work.

[e^iπ+1=0]

Some of the stuff showed up about three hours late. Still had / am having fun, so *shrugs*.

[Jave D]

Yeah, me not thinking religion is an evil delusion and that God is either non-existent or evil means I'm a "maniac religious convert." Another victory for free thought, asshole. Oh and just because you don't like me doesn't mean I'm the "worst kind of person." I mean there are actual murderers and rapists and violent criminals around and you think because I disagree with you I'm worse? Way to see things in a clear light.

[RollingHead]

I just spent 25 minutes trying to make sense of the result of a problem in my notes from three months ago before realising I hadn't read the first line of text containing part of the data. *headdesk*
My exam is in 30.5 hours.

[Kithplana]

Dear interwebs and the people who host sites on it:

1. Java != Javascript. Since you probably just pasted that JS into your site anyway, let me explain the funny != bit: NOT EQUAL TO. All you should care about is that Java is an add-on to your browser and it was probably why you got that last virus. You will probably never write a single line of Java code. Javascript is built into your browser and is the funny stuff you pasted into your site to make... well, I don't know WHAT the heck it was you wanted to make work with JS, because...

2. You require Javascript for your site to work. While this is not unforgivable in and of itself, depending on your content and target userbase, your site is mostly plain text with parchment or stone backgrounds and it looks like it came straight out of 1996. (Don't get me wrong, sites that look like they came straight out of 1996 often have really interesting information in them. I know yours does. I'm not here to judge your design.) What I am trying to say is that your site really doesn't need Javascript to function properly. And while, if you are still laboring under the delusion that it does, I (a devout NoScript user) don't particularly mind a notice that the site displays best with JS enabled, or even that I "must have Javascript to use this site", as long as I don't actually have to have Javascript to be able to navigate the site in a reasonable manner... one thing is completely unforgivable:

3. You put a meta refresh in (with a timeout of zero) that I can't be bothered to block. With that meta refresh you redirect me to a page (straight out of 1986) simply stating that

JavaScript is turned off in your web browser. It is now required in order to access the data files on this site. Turn Java on and then refresh the page. Thanks.

No. Just no. I might have whiled away a couple of pleasant hours on your site, but not after this gross disrespect of people who choose to browse without obnoxious, flashing, potentially hazardous scripts turned on. Could I turn on JS for your site? Certainly. Will I? No. You have no reason to use JS at all, much less require it. No.

HTH. HAND.

[Steax]

Switch off the speakers.

But it still fills up the notification screen. =/

Dear interwebs and the people who host sites on it:

1. Java != Javascript. Since you probably just pasted that JS into your site anyway, let me explain the funny != bit: NOT EQUAL TO. All you should care about is that Java is an add-on to your browser and it was probably why you got that last virus. You will probably never write a single line of Java code. Javascript is built into your browser and is the funny stuff you pasted into your site to make... well, I don't know WHAT the heck it was you wanted to make work with JS, because...

2. You require Javascript for your site to work. While this is not unforgivable in and of itself, depending on your content and target userbase, your site is mostly plain text with parchment or stone backgrounds and it looks like it came straight out of 1996. (Don't get me wrong, sites that look like they came straight out of 1996 often have really interesting information in them. I know yours does. I'm not here to judge your design.) What I am trying to say is that your site really doesn't need Javascript to function properly. And while, if you are still laboring under the delusion that it does, I (a devout NoScript user) don't particularly mind a notice that the site displays best with JS enabled, or even that I "must have Javascript to use this site", as long as I don't actually have to have Javascript to be able to navigate the site in a reasonable manner... one thing is completely unforgivable:

3. You put a meta refresh in (with a timeout of zero) that I can't be bothered to block. With that meta refresh you redirect me to a page (straight out of 1986) simply stating that

JavaScript is turned off in your web browser. It is now required in order to access the data files on this site. Turn Java on and then refresh the page. Thanks.

No. Just no. I might have whiled away a couple of pleasant hours on your site, but not after this gross disrespect of people who choose to browse without obnoxious, flashing, potentially hazardous scripts turned on. Could I turn on JS for your site? Certainly. Will I? No. You have no reason to use JS at all, much less require it. No.

HTH. HAND.

To be fair, a lot of developers use progressive enhancement that pretty much breaks the site when javascript is turned off. I know mine does. It's still presents the page in a respectable format, and the content is at least accessible, but it breaks a lot of the hard work put into giving the page the visual/experience impact it has. (To be specific, my site uses the jQuery Masonry plugin.)

But yeah, ignorant people like that suck. I can't even visit my carrier's website through my iphone; it automatically redirects to an iphone subdomain that has zero information, and only a set of sponsored apps.

[OBrien]

Either fuck random chance or fuck whatever mystical force that makes tarot cards work because I do NOT need to be reminded of that part of myself right now. I would have much preferred some vaguely optimistic yet obviously bullshit crap to be spouted at me.

Also, fuck you Eastwood, you amoral sack of shit.

[Kithplana]

To be fair, a lot of developers use progressive enhancement that pretty much breaks the site when javascript is turned off. I know mine does. It's still presents the page in a respectable format, and the content is at least accessible, but it breaks a lot of the hard work put into giving the page the visual/experience impact it has. (To be specific, my site uses the jQuery Masonry plugin.)

Yeah, for modern sites I understand, but all bets are off when you've got two framesets in the page and a third (or a duplicate? I was afraid to look too deeply lest I lose my soul) defined, via document.write, in <head>.

Eh, maybe I should be more forgiving. I did some pretty egregious stuff back in the day when I didn't know any better. Those sites have just... long since ceased to exist in that form.

I'm pretty sure a forced redirect would always have been illogical to me, though.

[Amie]

Either fuck random chance or fuck whatever mystical force that makes tarot cards work

I... I just came in here to rant about horoscopes and whatever made them work and I didn't expect to find this and now I'm just... holy shit.

Fuck horoscopes and tarot cards. Seriously, fuck them. Also, fuck people who thought it was necessary to make one for me without my permission and fuck everyone who told me what kind of life I'd never have that lead me into subconsciously believing them.

[Menacing Spike]

Everytime the horoscope talks about my romantic opportunities or relations with my partner, I snicker.

Also:

Today you will meet a three-ton rhinoceros called Desmond.

[Amie]

MS, it's different when it's fed into your brain right from when you're 5 years old.

[Menacing Spike]

There's also the way the brain is structured (overenthusiastic pattern seeking, reason seeking, need for guidance/dependance...), making it easier for those absurd beliefs to prey on it.