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Ask HN: Software you hate but can't replace?

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Re: Ask HN: Software you hate but can't replace?

#71
post #57

Zoom. Sick of this app hijacking the audio channel of my Bose headphones when I'm not in a call.

As much as they try to hide the fact, it is actually possible to join a Zoom meeting in your browser. That way you don't have to install a sketchy app with root privileges and directory traversal bugs.

This is what I do. It's only a couple clicks deep and works as well as the native app. Definitely preferable to having that junk on my machine.

Re: Ask HN: Software you hate but can't replace?

#73
post #53

This may be too broad, but instant messaging. I only ever use it as a clipboard to share snippets or screenshots with people, but email is so much better to communicate. In person meetings can't be replaced by text, sorry. I use a shared album for pics and video.

I hold the exact opposite opinion. I hate in-person meetings, or voice call meetings or video call meetings because there's no written record of anything unless you're also transcribing, in which case you're not concentrating or thinking.

Oh, I'm always taking notes whether work or business. I have notes that go back to 2005 on my home computer dealing with rental payments, college transcripts, gas payments and bills when calling up 1800 numbers for support, etc. It isn't that I don't trust my memory, it is just that if I am being pressured to do something it is a lot easier when I can look at the outcome/promise from the previous conversation.

Re: Ask HN: Software you hate but can't replace?

#74

Zoom. Sick of this app hijacking the audio channel of my Bose headphones when I'm not in a call.

Don't get me started on zoom... How about making an app that actually work on Linux ? That doesn't take 200% CPU when you're in a meeting. The same on windows, it's such a badly optimized application with memory leak all over the place... I hate it with all my guts.

It's not better on macOS. Bugs I encounter regularly: webcam not working, memory leaks, CPU usage maxed out.

Re: Ask HN: Software you hate but can't replace?

#75
post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Lack of granular settings for notifications, wonky integration with the desktop client, groups, your id is your phone number. There isn't much that's wrong per se, but when compared to e.g. Telegram it's much worse.

There are very good reasons why your I'd is your phone number

There may be good reasons why your ID can be your phone number but I've never heard a good reason why your ID must be your phone number. Do you have any?

Re: Ask HN: Software you hate but can't replace?

#76
Signal. I dont like having to tie it to a phone number. I would much rather use email (eg wire) if I need to pick one or the other, but a random session id (eg session, torchat) is much better. I also dont want to be limited to only using it on a mobile device. (Yes I know theres a "desktop client" but it has to be linked to your phone anyway, so it defeats half the point of having a desktop version and it also uses electron, which imo is trash.) I also am put off by the fact that they work so closely with Facebook and other Big Tech companies. Call me paranoid but it raises red flags.

The alternatives I've explored include session, and wire. Session probably would be a great alternative, or at least it seems so superficially. But the user base is extremly small, it still uses electron and they dont seem to release updates very often. It's also essentially just a fork of signal, so you might as well just use that for a few reasons that I'll omit for brevity. As for wire, theres a lot to be desired. But the main complaint I have is that theres no way to put a lock on your session the way there is with signal. I emailed them about it, and they told me they had "no plans to implement such a lock out at this time". I also have issues with it not sending and receiving messages properly. And so on, as such...

Re: Ask HN: Software you hate but can't replace?

#77
post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I quit Facebook in the latter half of the 2000's. Some of my family and friends suddenly stopped inviting me to things. I think anyone you lose because they have to send you a text message or email instead of a facebook invite/whatsapp message isn't really worth having as a friend. Especially if the reason you ditch Whatsapp is for ethical/moral reasons.

I admire your steadfast adherence to your principles, but as far as I'm personally concerned, there's no way it's a +EV play to be somewhat of a PITA to everyone else, on the basis of a position that would be percieved on the other end somewhat like "weird computer man yells at cellphone software".

It really wasn't a big deal. I saw Facebook to be a negative influence. I made a decision to abandon it. Some of my acquaintances were jerks about it, some were not. The jerks self selected out of my life. Worked great, to be honest.

Re: Ask HN: Software you hate but can't replace?

#78
post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I hold the exact opposite opinion. I hate in-person meetings, or voice call meetings or video call meetings because there's no written record of anything unless you're also transcribing, in which case you're not concentrating or thinking.

Oh, I'm always taking notes whether work or business. I have notes that go back to 2005 on my home computer dealing with rental payments, college transcripts, gas payments and bills when calling up 1800 numbers for support, etc. It isn't that I don't trust my memory, it is just that if I am being pressured to do something it is a lot easier when I can look at the outcome/promise from the previous conversation.

That's what I meant! Having a written conversation about X means the notes are all already there for you. I've worked with so many people, both colleagues and clients, who use phone calls / in-person meetings as a way to essentially pass the buck while hiding any evidence that that happened. An auditable paper trail is preferable to me in every way.

Re: Ask HN: Software you hate but can't replace?

#79

Web browsers. But I'm not sure if I hate either the web browser or Javascript.

I hate it all. Every web browser is either chrome or firefox, or it's irrelevant and buggy. Java & Javascript are trash. Just having a couple tabs open sucks up more resources than everything else on the system combined. What is that? How is that acceptable? (By extension, this is also a major part of why I hate electron)

Re: Ask HN: Software you hate but can't replace?

#80
post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are very good reasons why your I'd is your phone number

There may be good reasons why your ID can be your phone number but I've never heard a good reason why your ID must be your phone number. Do you have any?

It majorly cuts down on spam, by a huge amount.
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