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This week we received a plethora of failed text substitutions. I'd like to find a pithy name for this sort of error; suggestions in the comments here will be welcomed.
But before we dive into those typical errors, repeat contributor Valts S. has shared a classic blunder: "White text on white background. Who among us hasn't done this in our lives? :)"
From our readers this week, we have a couple of mixed numbers. David B even gets a twofer.
Trainspotter Daniel notes "The LIRR now has the technology to pass 9 minutes with only 5 minutes of waiting!" They're apparently doing something nonobvious about scheduled versus expected times in one context, but not in another. Maybe the readers can figure it out.
Joseph H. is a little salty about vapid adverts. "Vacation planners long ago figured out that the Great Salt Lake didn't make for great resorts. They must be referring to the up-and-coming land cruises across the desert plains of Utah. Definitely that. No other possible explanation."
We had to stretch just a little bit to make a purely Microsoft-themed column this week. Gone are the days when it was trivial to make BSOD jokes and rail at Outlook Express. But they still give us material for some lolz now and then.
Well-rested reader
Michael W.
remarks
"After waking up my laptop from a long period of slumber
and logging in I am greeted by the attached error message
on my desktop: You'll need the Internet for this.
Which makes me wonder what do I need the internet for?
The dialog has no title and it's not clear if it's connected
to any other open windows. Whatever the ''this'' is supposed
to reference to stays shredded in mystery providing no context
whatsoever. But I guess it's at least a step up from those
''Internal Error'' message dialogues.
And yes, of course a solution can be googled for, but alas most
of those pages will tell you how to fix a network connection
problem but also mostly won't tell you to what application
or use this dialogue relates to (apparently it's Windows 365 subscription related)"
Obviously, you'll need the Internet to post it to Error'd!
Sometimes the spark just isn't there.
For instance, Eric R. is just not that into Chemical Engineering. "Looks like I'll still be missing your articles, then, huh?"
Frequent flier Carlos quickly quipped "I’m waiting for my plane to take off from Washington-Dulles to Chicago-Midway. Just enough time to watch Innerspace."
Today JP wrote in to proudly unsmirch the Finnish reputation. "Some time ago, you blamed the Finns for strange patterns on Valts's weather map. I am delighted to report that the *real* culprit is revealed when carefully examining the Finnish Meteorological Institute's weather map of the whole of Europe." I stand corrected, JP.
Sharp-eyed
Jeremy P.
goes a little meta, and we like little em meta.
"Seen on a well known web site that publishes technology snafus.
I just think that if you are going to redact a company's name from
a screen shot, you should probably also react the URL of the page from which the screen shot was made.
Whether you publish this or not, I'd be grateful if you would tell me how many other people have also submitted this one."
Only you, Jeremy. I'm not sure what that says about the
readership of that website you're talking about. It
must not be very popular.