Grumble Thread

[oddoneout]

In general? That would be annoying, given that reading them in the first place diverts attention from action on screen. Another gripe used to be white subtitles against a white background scene, or black vice-versa, but most subtitlers seem to have learned ways to overcome that.

But not all. Recently I have seen several TV programmes where the subtitles for either foreign or indistinct spoken word have been partially or totally unreadable. Last year a couple of otherwise enjoyable slowTV films were marred by the words not being visible - thin pale flowing fonts against an Arctic background don't work...

[Old Grumpy]

Sometimes subtitles are either way behind or way ahead of spoken words...

[Pulcinella]

Sometimes subtitles are sometimes either way behind or way ahead of spoken words...

Or conk out just when you need them most!

[french frank]

Momentary mental aberration. I updated Monterey on my iMac (which is beyond redemption), and then absent-mindedly - and irritatingly - upgraded my MacBook from Mojave to Monterey (stupidly thought I was updating Mojave) which I had vowed never to do until I had to fork out for a new machine. Wasn't sure what apps would work and what wouldn't, but I certainly didn't want to lose iTunes for MyMusic, nor the desktop app. To mention two things.

I thought I'd managed to get Composers to show in the Music list but I logged out this morning and found it had gone again this afternoon. Now back to a choice of Artists, Albums, Songs &c. Anyone found how to make the Composers list show permanently?

[JasonPalmer]

My stroke of genius is to just listen to radio 3 so i avoid all these hassles.....cackle cackle #simples

[Pulcinella]

Momentary mental aberration. I updated Monterey on my iMac (which is beyond redemption), and then absent-mindedly - and irritatingly - upgraded my MacBook from Mojave to Monterey (stupidly thought I was updating Mojave) which I had vowed never to do until I had to fork out for a new machine. Wasn't sure what apps would work and what wouldn't, but I certainly didn't want to lose iTunes for MyMusic, nor the desktop app. To mention two things.

I thought I'd managed to get Composers to show in the Music list but I logged out this morning and found it had gone again this afternoon. Now back to a choice of Artists, Albums, Songs &c. Anyone found how to make the Composers list show permanently?

Try View
Show View Options
Tick Composers

Then in Sort by, you can choose Composers (ascending or descending).

(But I'm on Ventura so it might behave differently for you; though the principle should be the same!)

[french frank]

Try View
Show View Options
Tick Composers

Then in Sort by, you can choose Composers (ascending or descending).

(But I'm on Ventura so it might behave differently for you; though the principle should be the same!)

Somehow I've now got Composers in a separate column alongside the original one (with just Artists, Albums and Songs). I'm not sure how I got there, but View Options only showed those same three options. it now does include Composers because I have that column open Interestingly, I wasn't upgraded to Ventura yesterday - I assume because the MacBook is too old.

The next problem is why my SuperDuper! external drive won't copy unless it's converted to APFS. Which after a complete day, even after I've drunk a quantity of beverages , it's still going busily backwards and forwards. I may have to erase the disk (hurrah for Time Machine) and convert it manually.

[smittims]

Why are there so many different batteries? I searched for a replacement for the little one in the garage door remote control. It's like an AAA but shorter and thinner. Found a similar one but , although the right length it was just slightly thicker. Eveentiually my O/H got one at good old Wilko's.

And so many different light bulbs! We had a Hoover fridge, excellent except for the interior bulb which is of an unusual size and voltage, unfindable. And two years ago we moved to a new house which has silly little chandeliers (Evelyn Waugh would call them 'electroliers') with even sillier little bulbs about the size and shape of a squashed cigarette end, and with an irritatingly short life. I'm replacing them with conventional bulb fittings as and when they conk out.

[Petrushka]

As a follow on to #923, why are there so many different charger units? I have these things lying all over the place: for mobile phone, laptop, vacuum cleaner, camera, electric toothbrush, electric shaver, garden clippers. The trouble is that these things are different sizes but surely some form of standardization is possible?

[Bryn]

As a follow on to #923, why are there so many different charger units? I have these things lying all over the place: for mobile phone, laptop, vacuum cleaner, camera, electric toothbrush, electric shaver, garden clippers. The trouble is that these things are different sizes but surely some form of standardization is possible?

Agreed, though units with a switchable series of output voltages and a collection of different exchangeable connectors are available, e.g. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wefomey-Uni...zcF9hdGY&psc=1

[Dave2002]

Agreed, though units with a switchable series of output voltages and a collection of different exchangeable connectors are available, e.g. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wefomey-Uni...zcF9hdGY&psc=1

Sure - but then an extra grumble will be when the one you want goes AWOL, or you can't figure out which way round some go and you happen to connect to something which isn't protected against reverse polarity!

[Bryn]

Sure - but then an extra grumble will be when the one you want goes AWOL, or you can't figure out which way round some go and you happen to connect to something which isn't protected against reverse polarity!

All too true but at least they are there for when you either can't find a direct replacement for the dedicated PSU or what you can find is overpriced.

[Serial_Apologist]

Sure - but then an extra grumble will be when the one you want goes AWOL, or you can't figure out which way round some go and you happen to connect to something which isn't protected against reverse polarity!

Do without chargeable equipment as much as possible - I have only the one for the phone: far too much of today's tech merchandise is dependent on batteries, which then go to landfill to pollute subsoil and water courses, probably for generations.

[Bryn]

Do without chargeable equipment as much as possible - I have only the one for the phone: far too much of today's tech merchandise is dependent on batteries, which then go to landfill to pollute subsoil and water courses, probably for generations.

All batteries and single cells* should be sent for recycling. Many shops offer bins specifically for this purpose. Where possible, rechargeable options should be used.

*A battery, as one of my old chemistry teachers stressed, is made up of a number of cells. To refer to a single AA cell, for instance, as a battery is a common terminological error.

[oddoneout]

Do without chargeable equipment as much as possible - I have only the one for the phone: far too much of today's tech merchandise is dependent on batteries, which then go to landfill to pollute subsoil and water courses, probably for generations.

Use of cordless equipment enables working in places where it might otherwise not be possible (wildlife cameras for recording in remote locations for instance), and is also safer for the user compared to having trailing leads. Cutting the grass in my very long but very narrow garden(the grass area is about 150ft long by about 10ft at it's widest) was a horrid job with a corded electric mower, but a doddle and so much safer with the little cordless one.
The failure to deal with the power units once they are finished with is not in itself a reason to do without cordless, but it is a reason to hold government,manufacturers and retailers to account, in order to make safe and sustainable disposal a no-brainer. It is to be hoped that the move to have single power and charger units for a range of tools will help to address that.
I was appalled to read recently that there seems to be no route for dealing with disposable vape thingies(which shouldn't be being produced in the first place in my view), so they go into general waste/landfill complete with their lithium batteries. No only is that a fire and pollution hazard it is a criminal waste of the lithium - an annual 10 tons(or tonnes, I can't remember) apparently, which would make a fair few car batteries, quite apart from the ethics and environmental aspects of the metal's production process.