Things that irritate me, not in any particular order.

People that defend their errors and/or ignorance by saying it is true, and even "creating" facts to support the claim (i.e. lying or additional ignorant statements).

An otherwise good guy on a forum mentioned he destoyed some LEDs while modifying a project. I discussed a couple attributes of driving LEDs. ". . . red leds use less current than the green or blue..."

Recently someone referred to a part who's model contained "232". Which tied it to the serial data communications standard RS-232. It does provide a serial connection, but impliments none of the specifications of RS-232. The specifications cover voltage levels of the various signal lines, and which pin numbers in the connecter are for each signal. The person who referred to the part was simply quoting the manufacturers model number. I suspect the manufacturer removed the RS-232 capability to allow simpler connection to logic circuits. Change suffix on model number and we have a model number that has nothing to do with what the model number implies. That is the peeve, the specific example less so due to explanation of how it happened.

Misuse of the unit "baud"† for bits per second (bps). Baud is how fast symbols change on the communication channel, like telephone line. Confusion started when baud rate was equal to bps (a 300 bps MODEM is 300 baud on line). But a 9600 bps MODEM is 1200 baud. There are 256 symbols, so each symbol represents 8 bits. 8 bits per baud times 1200 baud = 9600 bps. This peeve is wide spread, making it a "pet".

Is this one just me? I'm out for a walk, no traffic in sight for 20 minutes, I need to cross the road, then there is a bus and two cars from one direction and a car and truck from the other. What the hell? A traffic jam because I wanted to cross? Mind readers waiting just out of sight? Seems to happen all the time except when my route has only right turns.

Given what I used to do for work, this one should not be a surprise; and is slowly getting better. I have never seen a DB-9 connector, lots of electronics catalogs were calling DE-9s as DB-9s based on the DB-25 used for serial RS-232 standard connector (RS-232 never said which 25 pin connector just which pin for each signal). What they didn't realize was the whole model number is discriptive. "D" is the shape of the shell. The second letter is code for the size of the shell. Then the number of pins. Letters after that can be for male or female, straight or right angle, solder or crimp, etcetera. Sizes are apparently in order of creation, not size. The famous DB-25 has 25 5A pins (if I remember the current rating). The more compact serial connector is DE-9 with 5A pins. The old VGA (Video Graphics Array) connector is also DE with 15 1.25A pins. To show there're not in size order, the connector for old PC joystick is DA-15 (5A pins).

You're on a 55 mph road. You see somebody going 65 mph on a perpendicular 35 mph road. They get to the intersection first and turn on in front of you, then they only go 35 mph. Grrr! What was the point? Did they really do that on purpose?

Modern packaging. In particular medical pills and candy. When last in the U.S. the doctor would prescribe 90 days at a time for permanent, or semi-permanent, medication. Small pills would be 90 in a plastic bottle. Large pills 45 in two larger bottles. Here pills come in blister packs. Some with 20 pills in a box, some 28, some 30, some 56. Every week there is an empty blister pack to throw away. Worse, the docter prescribes three boxes at a time, so refill prescriptions aren't needed at the same time.
To sell lower calorie candy bars, smaller bars are wrapped individually. Smaller bars require more wrapping because they have more surface area per volume than a single large bar. Now the candy makers are actually in the wrapper business and the candy is just to promote selling wrappers.

baud†

Baud is a contraction from Baudot. Émile Baudot invented the 5 bit code for telegraphy. Way back when, I was told baud stood for Bit of AUdio Data. It made sense at the time. The teletype machines were rated in words per minute (WPM), and the 5 bit code was called baudot even though it had long been modified to ITA2.

WPM is another silly unit. A "standard word" is 5 characters. With 5 data bits plus 1 start bit plus 1.47 stop bits per character it is a big PITA to calculate the baud rate.

This is meant as a safe way to vent. If you found a bit of humor, that's good too! (As are Insults.)

Created on 06 January 2024, updated 21 February 2024.

To Domain Home.

To Dale's Notebook index.

To Odds And Ends index.