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Back in the good old days - you know, the 1600s - "computer" was clearly defined as a person: one who calculates, a reckoner, one whose occupation is to make arithmetical calculations.
It seems these days (ie: 1897 and on) they'll randomly assign that term to any old bucket of bolts that can perform a mathematical or logical operation.
WTF indeed! 
"These people looked deep within my soul and assigned me a number based on the order in which I joined."
- Homer
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Before I got to be a Computer Programmer, I spent four years as a Mechanical Engineer. I've never understood why "engineer" got thrown into the mix.
I was happy with "programmer". And fine with "Software Developer". But no... "engineer" is a bit of a stretch. 
I'm with your dad on this.
modified 26 mins ago.
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My main mode of wheeled transportation involves a vehicle built and sold by Hyundai. I therefore subscribe to their "MyHyundai" service which allows me remote access to functions of the car from the comfort of my Android phone.
I pay about US$199 per year for that.
Now the app is telling me that I can't use it because I must first upgrade to the latest version of the app.
But the Google Play store tells me that the latest version of the app is not compatible with my phone. So I either upgrade my phone or I can't use the MyHyundai service at all.
This must be the kind of problem that you get when an application is created by code monkeys.
The difficult we do right away...
...the impossible takes slightly longer.
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Richard Andrew x64 wrote: created by code monkeys
That would be an improvement.
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Can you use MyHyundai services through a web site?
/ravi
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Well golly! I didn't think of that. They do have a website. I'll have to go there sometime soon and see.
The difficult we do right away...
...the impossible takes slightly longer.
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Or designed by the sales team.
A home without books is a body without soul. Marcus Tullius Cicero
PartsBin an Electronics Part Organizer - Release Version 1.4.0 (Many new features) JaxCoder.com
Latest Article: EventAggregator
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Mike Hankey wrote: Or designed by the sales team.
But still implemented by monkeys! 
The difficult we do right away...
...the impossible takes slightly longer.
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Agreed
A home without books is a body without soul. Marcus Tullius Cicero
PartsBin an Electronics Part Organizer - Release Version 1.4.0 (Many new features) JaxCoder.com
Latest Article: EventAggregator
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We all know an infinite number of monkeys will eventually write the complete works of Shakespear, but the same can't be said for sales monkeys.
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At least MyHyundai is not essential, we recently got a notice that our bank no longer supports our current android version and Google play said the latest version was not compatible with our phones. Then the network provider decided to discontinue 3g. And I was becoming pissed off with Samsung so new phones all round in our household.
Never underestimate the power of human stupidity -
RAH
I'm old. I know stuff - JSOP
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It could be considered essential.
One of the things I use it for is to lock the car remotely after it's been serviced because the technicians always park finished cars in their lots without locking them.
So I can make sure it's locked during that window of time of after it's finished and before I show up to get it.
The difficult we do right away...
...the impossible takes slightly longer.
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After two androids from two different manufacturers both received only one security/os update at year one, I finally caved and switched to iPhone.
This was a few years ago when there were lots of scary security issues that were not being patched for my device.
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Has it occurred to you that you are about to get emails to buy a new car?
Charlie Gilley
“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” BF, 1759
Has never been more appropriate.
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My dad a few years ago was all gung-ho about Hyundai's BlueLink app, which let him get some data about his Palisade on his phone (he's not a smartphone guy). It didn't work. Even after a clean install, it always got stuck in a launch/crash/relaunch loop, and I could only get control of the phone back after a full reset. I told him clowns put the app together and the best he could do was to complain at the dealer to pass it on up and wait for a new version of the app. He ended up changing phones (LG -> Samsung), which did work. I guess Hyundai only tests with the most popular brand, even both ran the latest version of Android.
A few years later, he changed his Palisade for a newer year model. He was struggling again with the BlueLink app. It was still linked with his older vehicle, that he traded at the dealer. We could still track where it was, how much gas was left in the tank, turn on the engine remotely, etc.
Try as I might, I cannot find where to unlink from the existing car and link it with the new one.
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Oh my, that's frightening!
The difficult we do right away...
...the impossible takes slightly longer.
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I've been steeped in Microsoft development since my first PC in the late 1980's. And I have not investigated Apple since the Apple ][e came out.
How does Apple spying compare to Microsoft spying? (More, less or the same?)
I'm trying to establish whether my Sister will gain any privacy by switching to a Mac.
The difficult we do right away...
...the impossible takes slightly longer.
modified yesterday.
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I'm not a Mac user (although I own a Gen 5 circa 2010 iPod Nano that I like very much because it offers gapless playback) but it seems you can use a Mac without having to tie it to an Apple ID. But by doing that you won't be able to:
- download apps from the Mac App Store
- use iCloud services (like iCloud Drive, iCloud Photos, etc.)
- sync data across Apple devices
- use Apple Music or access your previous iTunes purchases
- use services like FaceTime, iMessage, or Apple Books
- get software updates through the App Store (you can still get macOS updates through System Preferences
If you're a dev, I expect you'll need an Apple ID in order to use Xcode but am not sure.
/ravi
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Is it possible to purchase Mac application software from third parties?
Don't tell me that the only place to get applications is from the Apple app store?
The difficult we do right away...
...the impossible takes slightly longer.
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I doubt it. Methinks one would be forced to buy them from the App Store.
So unlike the MS Windows ecosystem where there are large numbers of freeware, freemium and commercial apps that don't require you to buy them from the Microsoft Store.
/ravi
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Richard Andrew x64 wrote: Don't tell me that the only place to get applications is from the Apple app store?
The EU has been after Apple for years because of that. Moreso on the phone/tablet/watch than the Mac, perhaps, but it's my understanding they're locking down the Mac more and more with each new version, not the other way around.
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I love my nano... probably one of the sexiest devices Apple has brought to market. When I'm hiking, I would MUCH rather have a nano than a mother flucking E$%$#^%^&$^#RE heavy, pull my shorts down, etc cell phone.
I suppose there might be newer alternatives out there....
Charlie Gilley
“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” BF, 1759
Has never been more appropriate.
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I think it's best to assume that all of these megacorps are sphincters in bed with the NSA.
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I guess a lot depends on the meaning of the word "spying". Are you talking about them accessing data on your machine without your permission? I don't have any proof that any of them do that. Are you talking about them knowing some personal information about you? Yes, they both do that.
In my particular case, it would be impossible for them not to know anything about me as they both send me invoices for services and they take money from my credit card. Do I mind? No, not really. Apple knows my tastes in music and Apple Music proposes a lot of songs based on my preferences. I also like to store stuff on Microsoft OneDrive so I can access it from anywhere. I use many services and companies providing those services have access to some private information. I prefer to think they don't use that information for nefarious purposes.
Mircea
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I think in the grand scheme of things apple will mine your data, but not like Microsoft, Linkedin or google. That said, there is a dark side to apple... darth vader level. Hear my sad story....
so, a few years ago, I started to dabble in Apple stuff. I gave in to the family and signed up for a family plan that gave us "free" apple iphones. Now I honestly don't give a flying elephant about the phone. The camera is useful (I'm from the era where we just don't take an infinite number of pictures of everything) other than that, I get maybe 10 real calls a month and about a 1000 spam.
Next up, I started tinkering with a virtual machine running macOS. This is called a hackintosh, but it's okay, I bought a miniMac to play with as well. The problem is that ALL of these devices Apple coordinates with... so about a year ago, Apple tried to update or backup or attempt to do something useful on my phone. My iPhone is an 11xr - old yes but perfectly functional. Whatever apple did, the phone lost 95% of my contacts. Then Apple synced, and my VM and minimac lost all of the contacts...
helpful like a chainsaw.
Charlie Gilley
“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” BF, 1759
Has never been more appropriate.
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