Rants

So, when I was trying to fix the previous theme update I discovered a misspelling that resulted in the code not working correctly.

I was more than a little frustrated, since the piece of code in question had been resulting in a problem for several months that I’d not been able to figure out to fix.

Ok, yes it was a minor issue, the blog not appearing the correct width.  Not the end of the world, but frustrating.

So I attempted to contact the theme developer to convey the incorrect spelling in hopes that later updates would have it fixed.  Several days, and one update, later, and I’ve gotten no response.

So, I have occasionally seen someone claiming to be the theme developer responding to questions about the theme on the help forums, so I posted, a rather frustrated “correct spelling is not to much to ask” post.

Apparently I’m wrong.  Correct spelling IS to much to ask.  Infact I’m a horrid person for demanding it.  The fact that the code DOESN’T WORK with the incorrect spellings is irrelevent.  I’m a horrible person and I need to go away now.

Not sure why I expected any other reply, since of the several times I’ve posted there asking for help I GOT help exactly once….

SPELL OUT THE WORDS DAMMIT.

Reading a comment or message online from someone who insists in typing like they’re texting: “r u sur?” drives me bonkers.  Yes when I’m texting I’ll often spell that way, but that has more to do with the phone keypad than anything else….I don’t care if you’re commenting from your phone, if its going into general circulation where most people AREN’T then spell like an adult!!

Ok, first off I’m not throwing stones at anyone, after all I’m the one who, after exactly one year of blogging and less than 5000 hits picked up and moved to a paid service rather than deal, so please don’t take this as a hit at anyone who’s still on Blogger, or who’s moving off Blogger, or quitting blogging because of Blogger….

I really do understand WHY Google made changes, afterall technology keeps changing, and its certainly not the first time significant change has been required to keep up.  I also understand that trying to keep around the old interface permanently for those of us who don’t like change would be cost prohibitive.  I get that I really do.  What I don’t understand is what Google DID.

The changes they made are extremely frustrating for people used to the old format, they didn’t just put a new wrapper on things, they re-arranged and changed the heck out of it.  Options aren’t anywhere close to where they were, and some options have disappeared entirely.  And then there’s the compatibility issues…..every time I turn around the media is talking about how more and more people are using portable technology to browse the internet.  Ipads and other tablets, tiny laptops like the Eee Pc, mobile phones, and although I never tried the new interface from my smart phone, I used it quite a few times from my Ipad.  It sucks.  Some things outright don’t work, other things only sorta work, and to top it off, Blogger isn’t even friendly towards using Ipads to COMMENT on other peoples’ Blogger blogs.  And yes, I submitted feedback reports on it several times (once the feedback button worked anyway, it didn’t even work for a while).   Tam has griped several times about how it doesn’t work with her Eee pc.   I’d be interested to hear how the Kindle Fire’s browser handles it, not to mention some of the other more portable browsing options.

I don’t get it Google.  I know you said a while back you were going to tighten the compatibility requirements so that folks on old browsers were going to have to upgrade to get things to work.  I even understand why, but to neglect to ensure compatibility on some of the most popular portable browsing setups??  Are you TRYING to drive away customers??

I really can’t think of any OTHER reason for this law.

I mean really.  This would make it ridiculously easy to get the personal information of anyone else you “meet” online.  Just claim their post or comment is offensive.  Presto, instant home address, name, etc for the person in question.  And this is going to STOP violence and bullying how??

….do you really have to have a party every weekend, and occasional weekdays?

The folks across the street (the ones who’s dogs I’ve called animal control on twice, dog count is now 3 btw, since, you know, they were controlling their original two ever so well), have had a party pretty much every weekend since the weather turned nice, and are having ANOTHER one today.  I know they have 4 kids but really?

Now if it was a couple cars of people enjoying the grill and playing with the dogs I’d probly not even notice (well, till Apollo alerted to them slamming their car doors anyway).  But no, we’re talking 6 or so cars in the driveway and at least that many parked on the side of the street, street’s not THAT wide, and the stereo cranked so that I can hear the lyrics clearly 100+ feet away inside my house with all my windows closed and my TV on……Why yes, I’m annoyed, how could you tell?

Yesterday afternoon I took the dogs out to the run and opened up the attached shed for shade for them and a place to sit out of the sun for me.  I then stepped back out of the shed (to go get my ipad to read on).  The step down is taller than standard, and I was taking it on the move.  My left food hit the ground and rolled so I hit the ground on the outside of my foot with all my (not inconsiderable) weight. 

I had to stand still for a couple minutes before enough of the pain subsided that I could stand it.  And subsided it did, I could walk on it quickly enough, and it never really did swell up, but this morning the outside of my foot, my ankle, calf and knee all hurt.  And still hurt.  Its more stiff hurt than “tore something” hurt.  But its definetly put a hitch in my walk….