Month: August 2024

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Isn’t that an Interesting Trend?

Over the past couple of days I’ve had something going on with my back. So I’ve been sitting in a straight backed chair or lying on the floor.

This has given me time to be both frustrated and happily doing some reading about upcoming computer stuff.

This led me to investigating various applications for my phone, iPad, and Computer. Some of the new apps look interesting, and some of the older recommended apps might be useful even if I have to pay for them.

Before I load, much less buy an app I look at the reviews. Usually on the Apple App Store the best reviews are presented first. It’s the date you have to pay attention to. That best review might actually be 2 years old.

I’ve found that if I sort the reviews by date an interesting bit of information is often revealed.

Many of the apps show a reduction in the number of stars in the reviews and growing customer dissatisfaction. Which is kind of useful, and also very strange. You’d expect the applications to improve over time.

Sure there might be some glitches and transient discontent when new features are added or when the OS changes. But you’d expect those issues to be really minimal. What I’m seeing instead is very consistent death spirals. It’s like a version of an app stumbles and the app never recovers.

Over time, the comments and ratings get worse and worse until no-one is rating or complaining. So the question is, has the app stopped selling? Are people simply not rating it anymore? Or some combination of both?

When I find an app that has no new ratings for a year or more I tend to pass.

What surprises me, is how many apps fit the criteria for me to pass.

Oh, I’ll check other sources too. If I’ve got my eye on something I’ll check other reviews from publications where the journalist is paid to walk through the application as long as they’re not getting any kickbacks for a good review I’ll tend to trust their evaluation.

I wonder why application quality seems to be dropping. I also am glad to find out that it’s not just me that’s seeing it. I know I’m critical and wonder sometimes if I’m too critical.

In this case perhaps I’m not. If other people are walking away from poorly constructed subscription models where the “Benefit” of regular updates degrades rather then improves an application then I’m right there with everyone else.

All this being said, I don’t have a lot of apps on my phone and when something no longer serves me, It’s gone. There’s a journaling app that I’ve been subscribed to for several years. I like it because it’s available on all my devices.

The Apple Journaling app is really very nice, but it’s only available on my phone and I don’t like typing on my phones keyboard. I’d hoped that Apple would bring the app to iPad and then I’d use the iPad keyboard. Had they done that, I’d have cancelled the subscription to the other journaling apps and figured out how to move my journal entries to the Apple native app.

Apple didn’t, but they have extended continuity to a point where I can interact with my phone using my Mac screen and keyboard. Essentially opening a terminal to my phone. This means that I can move all the journal entries into the Apple’s Journalling app on my phone without having to be limited to the little tiny screen and keyboard.

If this works like it appears it will, then I’ll cancel the subscription to the journaling app and move happily on without spending money I don’t need to.

In this case it’s not that the journaling app I pay for had degraded, it’s that it has become redundant. Day One is still quite nice and it’s syncing across devices is well done.

I suppose I was looking at the apps because with the new Apple operating systems being released in the next few months. I was investigating to see what subscriptions I could get rid of and then trying to determine if I wanted to get rid of those subscriptions.

Fantastical for example, is super nice. It unifies todo, and calendar, into a single application. IOS and Mac at one time did this but someone decided that these functions needed to be divided into two apps that both had to be open, in order to go about my day.

Fantastical stepped in and corrected what was clearly a screw up on Apple’s part. With the upcoming OS releases, they are reunifying ToDos and Calendar and Fantastical’s days may be limited on my systems. Honestly Fantastical’s subscription model is pricy. While I like the application itself, I’d prefer to have only one and the Apple Calendar / todo list would serve my needs jut fine.

Fantastical would still be relevant for all the folks who want their work calendar and personal calendars displayed on their all their devices correctly.

I suppose at heart I’m a computer minimalist.

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Hmm, Looks like California is going to allow Digital IDs

Apple Wallet California state ID hero_inline.jpg.large_2x.Honestly, I’m not sure how I feel about this.

On the one hand, it sounds like it would be really neat if I was in my 20s and still likely to get carded in a bar. 

Being able to wave my phone at a doorman’s phone, or reader and share only my valid age is cool and safer than handing my drivers license to a doorman where he may or may not be taking a picture of all the information on the front of my license.

Back in the day the technology wasn’t there for someone to surreptitiously photograph that kind of information. The doorman or bouncer had a flashlight, could do the math, and decided if you could get in to the place, or not.

Now… holy crap! With the little lit up stations for reading an ID in some bars a camera could easily be embedded in the lamp itself. You might not be safe at all, especially if you’re a woman worried about attracting a stalker.

Having the ability to wave my phone at the TSA guy might also be cool… If I traveled via Air or Train. Typically, I don’t travel in venues that are TSA controlled.

So, for me maybe this isn’t the greatest thing since sliced bread. I’d also like being able to store my Passport data in the Secure Enclave inside my phone.

Again, I don’t do a lot of traveling but, that would be very cool and my passport already has the data encoded somehow within it. I think it would be fairly easy to transfer that data to my phone and negate my having to carry a passport if I went to Mexico or Canada.

Come to think of it I should check the countries that my passport card is valid to use. There are some countries that need the big book and others that accept just the card.

I haven’t heard anything about the State Department looking into digital IDs on phones.

Anyway.

I was thinking about Voter ID too. If you think about it, your phone with Touch ID or with Facial recognition is essentially a portable biometric scanner.

Imagine setting up an authentication scanner at a polling place where you wave your phone at a scanner, the biometrics engage, your ID is confirmed with the State or even the Federal databases. Then you’re directed to the line where you get your ballot.

Talk about security! Automatic cross checks could be run to see if anyone else has attempted to vote on your behalf, with the Biometric data being the authoritative source. 

Part of the set up process requires that you take pictures of the front and back of your driver license. Then you’re instructed to move your head around and send a picture to the DMV. I’m sure they’re collecting multiple facial recognition reference points by requiring that the person move their head around.

So there’s the security part.

AND

It’s also unfortunately, capable of providing advanced facial recognition data to the State which increases their surveillance capabilities.

If the government could be trusted, that wouldn’t be an issue. But the government has demonstrated time and again, especially in recent years that they absolutely can not be trusted to use data, secure data, or destroy data in any responsible way.

California screwed up a few years ago and leaked all the concealed carry applications they’d received. Both approved and not approved. The approval issue wasn’t the big deal, it was that every single application had the individuals address, and occupation. It’s a safe bet these folks had guns in their homes otherwise they wouldn’t have applied for concealed carry.

California painted a target on every single one of these people, with criminals.

I’m not sure that I want to give any government entity more ability to monitor my movements. Further, having my State ID plugged into my phone, creates a direct 1-1 association between my phone and government issued ID.

That could be misused to track me not just via my phone number, but literally all of the identifying numbers contained in the phone.

IMEI, IP, Phone Number, Serial Number, MAC address, you name it, all can be used to precisely track an individual phone.

Knowing that, I’m ambivalent if adding my digital ID is really changing the balance of privacy in any way. All the above information is literally already available. Does the ID really matter?

I suppose it’s going to come down to how / if having the digital ID on my phone helps me. I didn’t activate the COVID-19 exposure tracking function on my phone for two reasons. 1) There wasn’t anyplace that I could or needed to go. 2) It didn’t benefit me.

I was also concerned that it would add government intrusiveness into my life via a machine that I’d purchased. If they wanted that kind of information, then they could pay me monthly for the privilege.

I’m interested in this kind of thing. But I also respect there are a lot of ways to misuse benign data beyond what sharing the information was originally intended to allow.

I think I’ll keep doing research. This rollout isn’t going to happen for probably a few weeks and even then I don’t have to load my ID. I’m curious about it though. 

At this point ya still have to carry your physical ID because in the pilot programs only the TSA might use it, and perhaps a few forward thinking bars & restaurants. It’s not like you can flash your phone at a police officer yet.

I’m not to the point of wearing a tin foil hat but I’ve got a roll of heavy duty foil in the drawer.

Posted on

I know why I’ve never liked being in sales…

I’m going to embellish a bit here because I want to illustrate a point. To do so I’m going to mash a bunch of experiences into one because that will make the point.

For Sale: 2 twin bed frames. 1) Black 1) White. $15 each. Local Sales only, No delivery, No Shipping. Buyer will need to pick the item(s) up.

Seems simple doesn’t it? Oh, but it never is simple.

@transmomma56238: Do you have a pink one?

Seller: No, only what is listed Black or White.

@transmomma56238: I really need pink.

Seller: Then you’ll need to go elsewhere.

@transmomma56238: I’d pay an extra dollar for a pink one.

Seller I don’t have a pink one.

@transmomma56238: Could you paint it?

Seller: Not for a dollar. You can buy one & paint it any color you want.

@transmomma56238: I don’t have the room or paint for that.

Seller: Neither do I. Perhaps you should look elsewhere for what you want.

@transmomma56238: But you have the best price.

Seller: I don’t have what you want, so I don’t have the best price.

@transmomma56238: I’m a single mother of a transgender, autistic, blind, diabetic, child. My little girl is crying so hard that you don’t have a pink bed frame.

Seller: I have a black bed frame  and a white bed frame. That’s it. Take it or leave it.

@transmomma56238: You don’t have to be mean.

Seller: Stating the truth isn’t being mean.

@transmomma56238: I’ll pay $18 for the white one if you paint it pink.

Seller: No. Another buyer is here right now.

@transmomma56238: Don’t sell them the white one I want that one.

@transmomma56238: Answer me!

@transmomma56238: Don’t sell the white one!

@transmomma56238: Where are you?

@transmomma56238: Why aren’t you answering me?

Seller: Sorry, the white one just sold. They paid cash, and loaded it into their truck. It’s gone.

@transmomma56238: You bastard! I’m reporting you to the administrators! I’m giving you a bad seller rating! You’ve upset my child! She really wanted the pink one.

Administrator: We understand that you did not sell a pink bed frame to @transmomma56238 after you agreed to do so. We will suspend your account until you provide good reason for mistreating this buyer.

Seller: I didn’t have a pink bed frame. I didn’t agree to sell one to @transmomma56238. Please review the ad. I’ve included the entire text exchange with @transmomma56238 for your review.

Administrator: Your explanation is insufficient. Pending further investigation and resolution of this matter, your account is hereby suspended.

36 hours later…

Administrator: After review, we have reinstated your account. We caution you to be polite and courteous at all times to potential buyers. Failure to strictly follow our terms of service and community guidelines regarding abuse is not acceptable. We will be monitoring your account for any further Abuse.

@transmomma56238 I’ll take the black bed frame. I suppose I can paint it. But I’ll only pay $10 and you’ll have to deliver it. The Star marks where I am, I guess you’re in California??? I need this by tomorrow.

Seller: Uh… No. During the 36 hour suspension you caused on my account. I sold the second bed frame. I was in fact, updating my account at this moment.

@transmomma56238: You bastard! You knew I wanted one of them! Why didn’t you take the ad down immediately? How dare you disappoint my child like this? I’m reporting you I’ll make sure you never sell anything on this site again.

Seller: I never agreed to sell you anything, contrary to what you thought. I wasn’t able to update the ad, or conduct any further business on this site during the account suspension you caused. Apparently the site administrator believes I somehow abused you, which I did not. The shit is sold, it’s gone, it’s not coming back, you lost out due to your actions, NOT MINE. If you’ve got a problem, I suggest you take it up with the Administrator.

Seller: So, you crazed insane bitch. In the words of Elon Musk… GO FUCK YOURSELF!

Administration: ALERT!!! You have violated our terms of service and community standards your account will be suspended pending further review.

Seller: Clicks [Submit] confirming deletion of account with satisfaction. Spends rest of day placing remaining items previously for sale in large dumpster. 

The above is a complete flight of fancy. However it is illustrative of elements of my online sales experience. 

I’ve run across more flakes than I can count. I don’t understand why people would ask for something you’re not advertising as if you have some back room, or off season Santa’s Elves working to run up their custom order in your garage.

I say what I’ve got, the price I’m asking, and that they’ll have to come and get it. I don’t get what’s so difficult about it. 

Come to think of it, my online dating application experience is pretty much the same. I say what I’m looking for, who I am, and next thing I know, someone is asking me if I can give them a ride to their drug dealer in exchange for a blowjob. Uhh NO! There is no part of that I’m interested in.

Perhaps the issue is with me?

Perhaps the problem is that people are so incredibly stupid and entitled that they think they can get away with anything? Or that they’re so selfish, self absorbed, and shameless, that their “normal” stupidity amplifies my inherent disdain?

In any event, this sort of thing (my disdain for humans in general) is perhaps why I’ve not been in sales in any meaningful way.

Doctor Who Daleks.This is also one of the reasons that humanity should be on their knees every morning and evening thanking God that I do not have a way off this planet or a space craft in orbit. 

I’d make a Dalek, Terminator, or the Matrix AI proud wiping the planet clean of defective humanity if possible, all of humanity if necessary.