The Daily WTF: Curious Perversions in Information Technology

eViLegion · 2013-06-07 Reply Admin

It's always amused me that in the UK, the AA is a club for drivers, whereas in the US it's a club for alcoholics.

They should merge.

2013-06-07 Reply Admin

At first glance, there's nothing wrong with the AA website - if you add the savings to the cost, to get the amount without the discount applied, then divide by the number of hours, you get a consistent £27 per hour.

Its only after looking at it I realised that if you book 2 hours 5 times, you pay £135 for 10 hours, instead of the published £223. Yes, I can see how that can be considered at WTF. Very amusing indeed. Hysterical, in fact.

fowkc · 2013-06-07 Reply Admin

Nick:
Its only after looking at it I realised that if you book 2 hours 5 times, you pay £135 for 10 hours, instead of the published £223. Yes, I can see how that can be considered at WTF. Very amusing indeed. Hysterical, in fact.

I'm guessing that's what the "lesson prices may vary after initial booking bit" is for. So you probably can't book 5 lots of 2 lessons at that price.

2013-06-07 Reply Admin

"and then retire"

bwahahaha - that pun

2013-06-07 Reply Admin

What if you are neither Hispanic nor Latino?

MeesterTurner · 2013-06-07 Reply Admin

eViLegion:
It's always amused me that in the UK, the AA is a club for drivers, whereas in the US it's a club for alcoholics.

In the UK, it can actually be both of those things!

2013-06-07 Reply Admin

I don't see the WTF about the AA lesson prices. It is obvious that they're calculating one hour at £27, so 10 hours would be £270 at full price, but they're offering them for £223, which is exactly £47 less than regular price. The only slightly weird thing is that they offer two hours for the price of one, so you can't really book a single hour.

2013-06-07 Reply Admin

Ah, I saw it now.

2013-06-07 Reply Admin

eViLegion:
It's always amused me that in the UK, the AA is a club for drivers, whereas in the US it's a club for alcoholics.
They should merge.

And go here

"First pub at motorway services

The pub chain JD Wetherspoon has been given the go-ahead to open its first pub at a motorway service station, despite criticism from road safety campaigners that it will "tempt" drivers to drink."

http://www.itv.com/news/london/story/2013-06-04/first-pub-at-motorway-services/

2013-06-07 Reply Admin

I don't see the issue with the AA prices. The more lessons you buy, the bigger the overal discount will be. For example, 2 lessons give 10% discount, 5 lessons give 15%, and 10 lessons give 20%. Maybe in the US you phrase things differently, but here in the UK, the way the sentence is written makes it obvious what they mean.

eViLegion · 2013-06-07 Reply Admin

Oscar Olim:
I don't see the issue with the AA prices. The more lessons you buy, the bigger the overal discount will be. For example, 2 lessons give 10% discount, 5 lessons give 15%, and 10 lessons give 20%. Maybe in the US you phrase things differently, but here in the UK, the way the sentence is written makes it obvious what they mean.

The sentence is fine...

Its the fact that: for 10 hours, it's £22.30 per hour for 5 hours, it's £20.25 per hour for 2 hours, it's £13.50 per hour

So if you want 10 hours, you'd just be better off buying 5 lots of 2 hours.

2013-06-07 Reply Admin

eViLegion:
Oscar Olim:
I don't see the issue with the AA prices. The more lessons you buy, the bigger the overal discount will be. For example, 2 lessons give 10% discount, 5 lessons give 15%, and 10 lessons give 20%. Maybe in the US you phrase things differently, but here in the UK, the way the sentence is written makes it obvious what they mean.

The sentence is fine...

Its the fact that: for 10 hours, it's £22.30 per hour for 5 hours, it's £20.25 per hour for 2 hours, it's £13.50 per hour

So if you want 10 hours, you'd just be better off buying 5 lots of 2 hours.

Except that the offer only applies to the initial booking, any subsequent lessons are at a flat £27.

2013-06-07 Reply Admin

I spy a bigint in the rebate prices. http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms187745.aspx (Not sure if it's SQL Server or not).

Should we prepare for Hyper-inflation?

faoileag · 2013-06-07 Reply Admin

Greygor:
eViLegion:
It's always amused me that in the UK, the AA is a club for drivers, whereas in the US it's a club for alcoholics. They should merge.

And go here

"First pub at motorway services"

Nothing new with the concept - poeple who don't take the motorway but want to take a break at lunchtime end up in pubs all the time.

No, what would really be a novel concept would be a pub linked to a garage: get your car serviced (or repaired, or tires changed...) and while you're waiting have a nice relaxing pint or two in the pub next door, watching sky sports. And when your car's ready that little device they gave you when you handed over the keys vibrates and makes strange noises so that you know you can now fork out a small fortune and drive home.

devjoe · 2013-06-07 Reply Admin

The rebate appears to be negative 9 quintillion dollars. I say you buy the tires, accept the 9 quintillion dollars they pay you to take the tires, and never submit the rebate.

2013-06-07 Reply Admin

Retire? I see what you did there.

tharpa · 2013-06-07 Reply Admin

I also like that they helpfully tell you that the rebate is available before the rebate.

GettinSadda · 2013-06-07 Reply Admin

faoileag:
Greygor:
eViLegion:
It's always amused me that in the UK, the AA is a club for drivers, whereas in the US it's a club for alcoholics. They should merge.

And go here

"First pub at motorway services"
Nothing new with the concept - poeple who don't take the motorway but want to take a break at lunchtime end up in pubs all the time.

No, what would really be a novel concept would be a pub linked to a garage: get your car serviced (or repaired, or tires changed...) and while you're waiting have a nice relaxing pint or two in the pub next door, watching sky sports. And when your car's ready that little device they gave you when you handed over the keys vibrates and makes strange noises so that you know you can now fork out a small fortune and drive home.

Maybe you don't understand the way motorway services work in the UK. Generally you can only access them by driving along a motorway (freeway). This service station in the story is slightly different in that it is at a junction where you could access if from another road, but it is not somewhere that you would expect to get to without driving there.

2013-06-07 Reply Admin

Not everybody has a specified gender, you insensitive clods!

2013-06-07 Reply Admin

eViLegion:
It's always amused me that in the UK, the AA is a club for drivers, whereas in the US it's a club for alcoholics.
They should merge.

You're not going to get better at something without practice. For both groups.

2013-06-07 Reply Admin

Esse:
What if you are neither Hispanic nor Latino?

I was wondering about that too.

I guess they'll offer special versions of their shows and movies. Cinderella will be named Manuela, a poor mexican girl that wish to cross the US border and find a prince to marry (or any other guy willing to do it) and therefore become a permanent resident. But her cover is blown after midnight due to an anonymous tip by her evil former employer, she's caught and deported.

Sounds reasonable.

2013-06-07 Reply Admin

The Disney application will have "N/A", "Chose not to answer" or something like that in the dropdown boxes.

2013-06-07 Reply Admin

Spencer:
The Disney application will have "N/A", "Chose not to answer" or something like that in the dropdown boxes.

Yes. TRWTF was that one of the boxes wasn't dropped down in the screen shot to prove that there was no "refuse to answer" answer.

If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice!

2013-06-07 Reply Admin

Do we know what's in the drop downs? Disney is usually pretty good about that sort of thing. (According to HRC they do include Gender Identity in their non-discrimination policy, all you needed to do was Google it...)

So I get that a required answer along the lines of "No Answer" is silly... it also doesn't make them insensitive clods.

faoileag · 2013-06-07 Reply Admin

GettinSadda:
faoileag:
Greygor:
"First pub at motorway services"
Nothing new with the concept...
Maybe you don't understand the way motorway services work in the UK.

As far as I can remember, UK motorway services work more or less exactly like their counterparts in the rest of the world. They charge premium prices for conveniences and the food is... edible. You wouldn't go there for a fancy meal out, even if you would live close enough to the back-entrance these things usually have and the next town is a couple of miles away. "Hey honey, it's saturday, what about having supper at the "roadchef" at Durham services?" Highly unlikely.

GettinSadda:
but it is not somewhere that you would expect to get to without driving there.

Like about any rural pub in the UK. Hey, you don't really think they only cater for the locals who live in foot-walking distance, do you? Go to any pub that still closes on a sunday afternoon (they relaxed the law requiring the pubs to close a couple of years ago, didn't they?), and count the number of cars before and after closing time.

In Switzerland the police is on the look-out for sunday afternoon drivers who've had a pint or two too much, but I haven't seen or heard of such measures in other countries. In Germany they occasionally do checks when there is a festival in the area or during the festive season, but I can't say I've ever come across them in England or Scotland.

2013-06-07 Reply Admin

Esse:
What if you are neither Hispanic nor Latino?

I imagine you'll answer N/A or No, depending on what is in the dropdown.

2013-06-07 Reply Admin

uh, that would be crash, not merge

2013-06-07 Reply Admin

faoileag:
GettinSadda:
faoileag:
Greygor:
"First pub at motorway services"
Nothing new with the concept...
Maybe you don't understand the way motorway services work in the UK.
As far as I can remember, UK motorway services work more or less exactly like their counterparts in the rest of the world. They charge premium prices for conveniences and the food is... edible. You wouldn't go there for a fancy meal out, even if you would live close enough to the back-entrance these things usually have and the next town is a couple of miles away. "Hey honey, it's saturday, what about having supper at the "roadchef" at Durham services?" Highly unlikely.
GettinSadda:
but it is not somewhere that you would expect to get to without driving there.
Like about any rural pub in the UK. Hey, you don't really think they only cater for the locals who live in foot-walking distance, do you? Go to any pub that still closes on a sunday afternoon (they relaxed the law requiring the pubs to close a couple of years ago, didn't they?), and count the number of cars before and after closing time.
In Switzerland the police is on the look-out for sunday afternoon drivers who've had a pint or two too much, but I haven't seen or heard of such measures in other countries. In Germany they occasionally do checks when there is a festival in the area or during the festive season, but I can't say I've ever come across them in England or Scotland.

Of course other means of getting there are possible (This applies to country pubs as well as motorway services).

Some country pubs were set up to service the canals which means you can walk there or get a narrow-boat (but no road access).

When I used to belong to a cycling club we regularly used to turn up at Hilton Park and Corley services on the M6 for a tea break. Got some strange looks from the other users of the restaurant!

cellocgw · 2013-06-07 Reply Admin

Obligatory: TRWTF is wanting to work at Disney{world,land,euro,wherever}

2013-06-07 Reply Admin

latino:
Esse:
What if you are neither Hispanic nor Latino?
I was wondering about that too.
I guess they'll offer special versions of their shows and movies. Cinderella will be named Manuela, a poor mexican girl that wish to cross the US border and find a prince to marry (or any other guy willing to do it) and therefore become a permanent resident. But her cover is blown after midnight due to an anonymous tip by her evil former employer, she's caught and deported.

Sounds reasonable.

Obviously a fairy tale. In Real Life, that would end "...she's caught and given free housing, food stamps, drivers license..."

2013-06-07 Reply Admin

eViLegion:
It's always amused me that in the UK, the AA is a club for drivers, whereas in the US it's a club for alcoholics.
They should merge.

I can't stop laughing [sarcastically].

Dude, you're comparing apples and oranges. In US, "AA" is an acronym for "Alcoholics Anonymous" (I'm sure you knew this), but it's also how "American Airlines" like to abbreviate its name. In UK, that "AA" seems to be the name (or a part of it) of that company, with essentially no meaning (I bet the only reason they choose that was to be first in the phone book, slimy bastards).

2013-06-07 Reply Admin

Oscar Olim:
I don't see the issue with the AA prices. The more lessons you buy, the bigger the overal discount will be. For example, 2 lessons give 10% discount, 5 lessons give 15%, and 10 lessons give 20%. Maybe in the US you phrase things differently, but here in the UK, the way the sentence is written makes it obvious what they mean.

"The" Alex is the one in the need of math lessons, I'd say.

2013-06-07 Reply Admin

facilisi:
eViLegion:
It's always amused me that in the UK, the AA is a club for drivers, whereas in the US it's a club for alcoholics.
They should merge.

I can't stop laughing [sarcastically].

Dude, you're comparing apples and oranges. In US, "AA" is an acronym for "Alcoholics Anonymous" (I'm sure you knew this), but it's also how "American Airlines" like to abbreviate its name. In UK, that "AA" seems to be the name (or a part of it) of that company, with essentially no meaning (I bet the only reason they choose that was to be first in the phone book, slimy bastards).

Yeah, it's not like it's an acronym for the Automobile Association or anything

eViLegion · 2013-06-07 Reply Admin

facilisi:
eViLegion:
It's always amused me that in the UK, the AA is a club for drivers, whereas in the US it's a club for alcoholics.
They should merge.

I can't stop laughing [sarcastically].

Dude, you're comparing apples and oranges. In US, "AA" is an acronym for "Alcoholics Anonymous" (I'm sure you knew this), but it's also how "American Airlines" like to abbreviate its name. In UK, that "AA" seems to be the name (or a part of it) of that company, with essentially no meaning (I bet the only reason they choose that was to be first in the phone book, slimy bastards).

Congratulations on your successful correction of my flippancy. I now stand corrected, looking very foolish indeed, and you sir, you look like the very definition of the Greatest American Hero of All Time.

Don't forget to collect this on the way out: [image]

(Note: You have just been schooled in sarcasm)

cellocgw · 2013-06-07 Reply Admin

eViLegion:
Congratulations on your successful correction of my flippancy. I now stand corrected, looking very foolish indeed, and you sir, you look like the very definition of the Greatest American Hero of All Time.
Don't forget to collect this on the way out: [image]

(Note: You have just been schooled in sarcasm)

You appear to have confused "retard" with "cripple." That's really gay.

2013-06-07 Reply Admin

lanzz:
I don't see the WTF about the AA lesson prices. It is obvious that they're calculating one hour at £27, so 10 hours would be £270 at full price, but they're offering them for £223, which is exactly £47 less than regular price. The only slightly weird thing is that they offer two hours for the price of one, so you can't really book a single hour.

For once, comparing apples to orangutans might help. Consider a £4 chocolate is being offered for £1, and a £1000 holiday is being offered for £995. Which offer is "better"?

2013-06-07 Reply Admin

In the US, of course, the drivers' organization is AAA. At least fifty years ago, I saw the statement that AAA-AA is for people who are being driven to drink.

Gurth · 2013-06-07 Reply Admin

Reason:
eViLegion:
So if you want 10 hours, you'd just be better off buying 5 lots of 2 hours.

Except that the offer only applies to the initial booking, any subsequent lessons are at a flat £27.

That's what disposable e-mail addresses are for.

xaade · 2013-06-07 Reply Admin

Nick:
At first glance, there's nothing wrong with the AA website - if you add the savings to the cost, to get the amount without the discount applied, then divide by the number of hours, you get a consistent £27 per hour.
Its only after looking at it I realised that if you book 2 hours 5 times, you pay £135 for 10 hours, instead of the published £223. Yes, I can see how that can be considered at WTF. Very amusing indeed. Hysterical, in fact.

It may be a one time booking discount. Maybe it's a first time members discount.

So if you know you need 10 lessons now, you'll save more money if they never offer the discount again.

However, if they offer the discount for a period of time, instead of once only, then and only then is it a WTF.

xaade · 2013-06-07 Reply Admin

Gurth:
Reason:
eViLegion:
So if you want 10 hours, you'd just be better off buying 5 lots of 2 hours.

Except that the offer only applies to the initial booking, any subsequent lessons are at a flat £27.
That's what disposable e-mail addresses are for.

Not disposable identities.

They'd probably not allow you into the second set of classes until you pay the difference once they realize you are the same person.

At least, I'm saying this under the assumption that you physically show up to lessons and they are in person.

If it's online only lessons, then.... ...... ..... ... ... I can't even come up with something that can communicate to the user how dumb they are.

2013-06-07 Reply Admin

xaade:
Gurth:
Reason:
eViLegion:
So if you want 10 hours, you'd just be better off buying 5 lots of 2 hours.

Except that the offer only applies to the initial booking, any subsequent lessons are at a flat £27.
That's what disposable e-mail addresses are for.

Not disposable identities.

They'd probably not allow you into the second set of classes until you pay the difference once they realize you are the same person.

Indeed, I wouldn't even be surprised if they recorded drivers license numbers (if the lessons are to get better at driving) or some other information to record their checks that students are legally able to participate in the driving lessons.

eViLegion · 2013-06-07 Reply Admin

cellocgw:
eViLegion:
Congratulations on your successful correction of my flippancy. I now stand corrected, looking very foolish indeed, and you sir, you look like the very definition of the Greatest American Hero of All Time.
Don't forget to collect this on the way out: <img removed so it doesn't get repeated repeatedly>

(Note: You have just been schooled in sarcasm)

You appear to have confused "retard" with "cripple." That's really gay.

You appear not to believe that mental disability is a form of disability... therefore you must be homosexual.

2013-06-07 Reply Admin

Someone should probably let Disney's web team know that their form is technically violating federal labor laws.

CAPTCHA: "acsi" Close enough.

2013-06-07 Reply Admin

Zarggg:
Someone should probably let Disney's web team know that their form is technically violating federal labor laws.
CAPTCHA: "acsi" Close enough.

No they aren't. The drop downs will contain something akin to N/A, Do Not Wish to Answer, etc. And they can require a response to the question that response can just be "I choose not to respond." in which case the field itself can still be valued to such an extent.

TL;DR. They can require the field be valued, but not require it be meaningful.

TRWTF as stated is applying to Disney.

da Doctah · 2013-06-07 Reply Admin

facilisi:
In US, "AA" is an acronym for "Alcoholics Anonymous" (I'm sure you knew this), but it's also how "American Airlines" like to abbreviate its name.

It's also a size of batteries.

2013-06-07 Reply Admin

Oscar Olim:
I don't see the issue with the AA prices. The more lessons you buy, the bigger the overal discount will be. For example, 2 lessons give 10% discount, 5 lessons give 15%, and 10 lessons give 20%. Maybe in the US you phrase things differently, but here in the UK, the way the sentence is written makes it obvious what they mean.

Where did you get your numbers?

10 hours: 17% discount 5 hours: 25% discount 2 hours: 50% discount

chubertdev · 2013-06-07 Reply Admin

Before too many random "it's also..." posts.

Automobile Association (England) Ana (Greek: the same amount each) Battery Size Associate in Arts (degree) As Above Architectural Association (London, England) Athletic Association Asian American Bra Size Administrative Assistant Anti-Aircraft Aruba Amino Acid Atomic Absorption Ann Arbor (Michigan) Action-Adventure (movie genre) Appropriate Action Armed Forces Americas Academy Award(s) Addicts Anonymous Anti-Aliasing Acrylic Acid Anaheim Angels (major league baseball team) Asset Allocation Anne Arundel (Maryland county) Acetic Acid Attendance Allowance (UK housing subsidy) Austrian Airlines Arachidonic Acid Auto Assault Attitude Adjustment (Alcoholics Anonymous) Architecture d'Aujourd'hui (French: Architecture Today; magazine) Acronym Attic Arthur Andersen (consulting firm) Adjustment Assistance American Aviation Associate Administrator Assistant Administrator Australian Army Auswärtiges Amt (Exterior Office) Ansel Adams (photographer) All After Active Army Aviation Archive (publication) Axis & Allies (game) Anonymous Access (3GPP) Access Authorization Analysis and Applications (mathematics) Angle of Attack Abdominal Aorta Amon Amarth (band) Authoritative Answer (DNS) Appropriate Authority Appointing Authority Ao Ano (Per Year; Brazil) Accumulated Amortization (accounting) Administrative Assistance (Congress) Angels & Airwaves (band) Animal Aid Acetic Anhydride Asian-African Administrative Authority Action Aid (UK) Automated Attendant Attack Attack! (band) Anxiety Attack Assembly Area Audio Adrenaline (band) Arithmetic Average Acts of the Apostles (bible) Auto Aim (gaming) Anonyma Alkoholister (Sweden) Anti-Armor (US DoD) AUSCERT Advisory (Australian Computer Emergency Response Team) Agent Aika (anime character) Activation Analysis Ad Acta Ansett Airways (Australia) Analysis of Alternatives Approving Authority Arnold Arboretum (Harvard University) Arn Anderson (pro wrestler) Acute Abdomen Anders And Associative Arrays (PERL programming) Administrative Associate Avenue of Approach Anonyme Alkoholikere (Alcoholics Anonymous) Activity Area Andrei Arshavin (Russian soccer player) Account Administrator Andecha Astur (Asturian Nationalist Party) Acquisition Activities Aromatic Amine (chemical for industrial crop production) Assistance Administration Active Application Application Activity Administering Agency (DOL) Aku Ankka (Finnish: Donald Duck) Aberdeen Area (Maryland) Athletics Australia Average Audience Attainment Area (EPA) Atlanto-Axial (joint) Anadolu Ajansi (Turkish News Agency) Attack Assessment Automatic Answer Attribute Authority Academic Administrator Autoanswer Académie d'Architecture (French: Academy of Architecture) Amy Acker (actress) Axis of Advance Austere Academy (Lemony Snicket) Adios Amigo Accreditation Authority Approval Action Arboricultural Association (Hampshire, England) Asian Avenue (website) Application Administrator Authorized Absence Assistant Administration Arithmetical Average Anchor Assembly Absent All (day; attendance record) Acting Appointment Aminoacetone Acupuncture Analgesia Aspect Angle (aviation) Automatic Approach Avro Arrow (aviation) Associate in Accounting Antiquities Authority Adaptive Array Administrative Arrangement Assignment Area (Census) Always Afloat (shipping) Absolute Altitude Applied Aerodynamics (course) Accounting Authority (INMARSAT) Application Association Ablative Absolute Author's Alteration Amount Administered Absolute Abstinence (Alcoholics Anonymous) Area of Action Achievement Age Avian Adventures (bird products) Acronym Abuse Anatomical Adaptation Ancient Adena (Lineage 2 game) Achieved Availability Acquisition Agent Arrival Angle Automated Auction Allah Akhbar (Arabic: God is Great) Audit Agent Aptitude Area Amstrad Action (Amstrad CPC magazine) Archery Australia Authorized Allowance Approximate Absolute (temperature scale) Analog-to-Analog Arithmetic Accuracy Amplitude of Accommodation (ophthalmology) Approved Apparatus Abort Accept (ITU-T) Applicant Assistance (DHS/FEMA) Active-Assistive assessment agent Abbreviated Analysis Amiga Anywhere Anesthesiologist's Assistant Academy of Aphasia Advices of Allowance Acadia Axemen (Acadia Junior High School) Antiochian Archdiocese (United States Eastern Orthodox Church subordinate to the Patriarch of Antioch) Accountable Area Atrophia Areata Ape Alliance Argentum Astrum (Aleister Crowley's Mystical Fraternity) Active Adjunct (Sonar) Agility Addicts (UK dog agility club) Arsenal do Alfeite (Portuguese: Arsenal of Alfeite) Automatic Adjust Alter Aeon (online role playing game) Accountable Activity (US DoD) Austrian Alliance (gaming clan) Associazione Allievi (Allievi Association, Italy) Amarillo Area Office (US DoE) Angle Angle Similarity Postulate (geometry) Ann Arbor Railroad Company (Michigan) Axillary Arch (area near the shoulder) Anderson Analytics, LLC Amigos en Acción (Spanish) Académie d'Alsace Accredited in Accountancy Adam's Army Annulus Air Autos Anciennes Garage (French automotive repair company)

2013-06-07 Reply Admin

faoileag:
Greygor:
eViLegion:
It's always amused me that in the UK, the AA is a club for drivers, whereas in the US it's a club for alcoholics. They should merge.

And go here

"First pub at motorway services"
Nothing new with the concept - poeple who don't take the motorway but want to take a break at lunchtime end up in pubs all the time.

No, what would really be a novel concept would be a pub linked to a garage: get your car serviced (or repaired, or tires changed...) and while you're waiting have a nice relaxing pint or two in the pub next door, watching sky sports. And when your car's ready that little device they gave you when you handed over the keys vibrates and makes strange noises so that you know you can now fork out a small fortune and drive home.

They have a restaurant in Pennsylvania called the Quaker Steak and Lube which does exactly this. I didn't try it. I won't even eat Subway from a gas station. It tastes like petrol.

2013-06-07 Reply Admin

"I'd like to buy a couple and then retire."

Retire! Get it? Re-tire. ROFL.

[sheds tear of joy]

2013-06-07 Reply Admin

I'm guessing that the "optional" questions actually had a "decline to answer" in the dropdown.

Don't Quit Your Day Job

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