291–300 of 542 posts
One could write an entire series of posts on the topic of situations you would not have avoided.
I think people build custom homes for this reason. Customize it to work the way you want it, and usually use better quality materials and finishes than you get from the typical builder.
But, considering the developers aren't going to charge their ways, I'll remain grateful that there are people who do want to buy the "new" houses (they won't stay new for long, they'll be wrecked after a few years of being lived in) at a premium rather than compete for livable housing.
[1] https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/mortgageshome/article-10... but if you've ever been in one, you'll know what I mean.
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I foolishly bought one off the top of the best-seller list at Amazon a couple years ago. It was like $35 and came with a little card that said "Hey, if you give us a 5 star review and send proof to SHADY_EMAIL_ADDRESS@gmail we'll give you a $25 Amazon gift card!" It did work reasonably well, but if you failed to clean it and fully dry it out within 6 hours of using it, it would get an INSANE mildew smell. Amazon of c…
What were you expecting? They can't fundamentally change what happens when you leave things wet for hours.
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> having ever locked down was stupid, we were always going to end up with endemic covid COVID lock down/shelter in place orders were never intended to avoid endemic disease altogether. They were about slowing down its spread just enough that the healthcare system would remain functional while the disease became endemic. And they mostly worked OK for that.
One of the issues with how it was handled was the handwavy and contradictory information that many governments and public health czars circulated: that handwashing is most important, that masks are effective or not effective or only some kinds are, that the lockdown will be "two weeks to slow the spread" and so forth. It was the public health equivalent of "take two asprin and call in the morning". While there were s…
I always enjoy danluu's blog; one of the few I have bookmarked and go randomly read from time to time. Some random comments on out-of-context snippets: > For example, we tried "buy" instead of "build" for a product that syncs data from Postgres to Snowflake. ... Despite being widely recommended and the leading product in the space, the product has a number of major design flaws that mean that it literally cannot work…
There’s a difference between “plumbing” software and “user” software. If photoshop or autocad become crap something will replace them (the pressure Dan talks about). But most enterprise software is plumbing - that you figure out how to use “well enough” and mostly leave it alone to do its thing. That software has little pressure and often ends up being basically bypassed.
I think it's that you don't notice things that work well. House foundations, light switches, filesystems, silicon manufacturing, water delivery, grocery store logistics, etc etc etc. These are all things that most people never notice because they just work. It doesn't even occur to people day-to-day that these things can fail.
After the fall of the Soviet Union, UK experts flew in to help with the transition, and one of the apparatchiks asked: "We are eager to try this capitalism thing; now tell us: who is in charge of the daily delivery of bread to London?"
Surely it's also a legal distinction? In Australia at least, I believe there can be significant jail time given for breaking and entering.
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Maybe more expensive up front but probably cheaper in the long run!
I have two things in my possession that are wonders of engineering. One hair trimmer and one restaurant kitchen blender/kitchen multifunction machine. Both made in 1987 in East Germany. The blender I bought second hand, and it came with a box of original replacement parts and specifications so detailed that I believe I could probably replace the motor if it ever fails (almost 6hp! Take that, Vitamix!). It makes nut b…
I have things from the 80s that, obviously, have lasted a long time. But I have owned things from that era that have failed and been forgotten about.
Incidentally I bought some boots this year that are expected to last (at a minimum) 10 years, and I suspect they would, but I can't know that until 10 years from now.
Heirloom quality is probably still a thing, but only discoverable when an item actually becomes an heirloom.
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Not every customer can assess the quality of a product. I can judge the quality of a violin, but I can't tell you how long the compressor in a refrigerator will last.
This is why the only signal that customers used to have got removed - a refrigerator that had the same design and components for twenty years is likely well made (if it weren’t people would have found out or changed the parts). But these are rare (one of the few I know of is Speed Queen but I suspect there are others in other industries, mainly commercial/industrial products). Amusingly enough these work best when in…
I think it's that you don't notice things that work well. House foundations, light switches, filesystems, silicon manufacturing, water delivery, grocery store logistics, etc etc etc. These are all things that most people never notice because they just work. It doesn't even occur to people day-to-day that these things can fail.
Foundations are such, 70s-80s had certain style which now has been found to lead to issues like mold if done even slightly imperfectly.
Or water pipes from certain age that have already in 20-30s have started to leak, these being copper pipes...