Sometimes recycling ... well, maybe isn't such a good idea.
Topic(s): Miscellaneous Bait
Submitted by: benezzell – Sat, 11/07/2009 – 01:07
On November 4th -- this is 2009 -- an email appeared in my inbox with the subject line reading: Chinese New Year is 2/14/09, Get your orders in NOW!
Huh?
Time travel?
Is there a DeLorian involved?
Or just a typo?
In the text of the email, the correct (or more relevant) information appears as: Chinese New Year is 2/14/10! Get your orders in before December 6th so you aren't delayed!
So, is this a case of linguistic confusion? Doesn't seem likely since the message originates with a company -- a rather large manufacturer of electonic components -- based in Irvine, California ...
So, to further the investigation, I leap into the seat of my own temporal vehicle (I prefer the H.G.Well model), a quick trip back to November 2008 reveals ... yep, you guessed it. The same email -- same subject but a different date in the text -- was sent out a year ago.
The moral? Anyone can make a mistake but, to really foul up, a computer is the essential accomplice.
Comment: GIGO - id10t error
If this is such an important message, to get much needed business in these difficult times, why couldn't the user simply submit it to a second set of eyes before sending it?
Since most recycling starts as garbage, the end result here was the same for lack of processing: more garbage.
One couls make up excuses for this lapse of responsibility, but in the end it is the user's fault!
On a side note, am I the only one who gets spam messages dated from 2038?
asitnik – Mon, 11/09/2009 – 12:40
Comment: No, you aren't
Or to be more accurate, there is a lot of spam "dated" 2038. I don't actually get it, because a properly-configured server will reject messages dated too far in the future (or past), but if you are stuck with a lousy ISP or your ISP is using crapware for a mail server, you'll get spam with outrageously incorrect dates. The spammer's theory is that the newest date shows up at the top of the inbox, so dates in the future will always come to the top.
Of course they will. Sh*t floats.
Morely – Mon, 11/09/2009 – 13:51
Comment: There's a reason why it's that 2038...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Year_2038_problem
asitnik – Mon, 11/09/2009 – 16:34
Comment: The lost art of Proof-Reading...
Remember when proof-reading was taught in school? It's not just a manual form of spell-checking - true proof-reading is checking for spelling, grammar, punctuation and all other errors. Seems like more and more people missed that lesson. Or maybe computers are allowing more and more people to express themselves publicly.
.
As the old saying goes - it's better to be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt.
KirkW – Mon, 11/09/2009 – 15:34
Comment: Lost art of proofreading
I wish that the local paper would make their writers proof read their articles before they were printed. Every day I find an article or two that has mistakes that a decent spell checker and grammar checker would catch.
firesbane – Tue, 11/10/2009 – 14:59
Comment: Chinese New Year Email
I think that you are correct in what you wrote about and yes anyone can make mistakes and typo's. The question how long will the same mistake be happenning?
silvapj – Sat, 11/14/2009 – 02:29
Comment: Recycling
Quote: The moral? Anyone can make a mistake but, to really foul up, a computer is the essential accomplice.
No, someone failed to do a thorough job of proofreading!!