Done yesterday (20110826 Fr)

[mdlbear]

0826 Fr
  * up 6:30; W=198; drugs, nose, teeth, dishes, laundry, exercise
  @ dmmaus: Origami notes
  @ Study shows powerful corporations really do control the world's
    finances (wcg)
  @ NYC.gov Goes Down When We Need It Most: Here Are Some Alternative Info
    Sources | TechCrunch 
  @ Climate Change May Not Cause Hurricanes, But It Can Make Them Much
    Stronger : TreeHugger 
  @ Skywalkers in Korea Cross Han Solo @vixy
  : work:  Cool!  (ME) Rich Dr. Pepper-testing our tablet.  Yes, it's spill
    resistant. 
  * 3-mile walk by airport.
  & Just had an interesting conversation about whether a correct
    implementation of a poorly-thought-out requirement is a bug.  I claim it
    is.  Brian claims it isn't.
  * Pick up van.  $693, including $82 for the wiper blades.  Their own
    estimate, attached, came to $614 ($45 for the wiper blades).  But they
    didn't give me that until after I'd paid.  NOT HAPPY.
    -> The overage came from replacing the wiring harness, to the tune of $73
       plus tax, rather than simply fixing the connector.  Still not happy.
  * buy: better plastic serving spoons (we have Calphalon now) (Zanotto's,
    along with salad fixings, apples, and broccoli)
  @ Consumer's Guide To Automotive Repair In California 
  @ The New Apostolic Reformation: The Evangelicals Engaged In Spiritual
    Warfare : NPR (catsittingstill) 
  * 15min: lowered coathook that holds my shoulder-bag.  Now basically
    shoulder-height, and (barely) reachable from my chair.
  @ HP TouchPads Slated For Return To Best Buy? | TechCrunch 
  * washed the worst of the bedding:  Colleen's sheet and the bottom quilt 
  * bed 11:30ish

Not the greatest of days. Work on the van came to $100 over their original estimate. While I can forgive them for the wiring harness that didn't get factored in, I am *not* going to forgive them for the fact that replacing the wiper blades cost double their original, computer-generated estimate. And of course nobody called me for authorization on either of them. The latest estimate I got and authorized was for $614.

10:03 ETA: Ford cheerfully refunded the difference. I am satisfied.

In other news, Irene is ripping up the East Coast -- be safe out there, ok? Welcome to global warming. NYC.gov Goes Down When We Need It Most: Here Are Some Alternative Info Sources | TechCrunch

Work was mixed: I got a fair amount of coding done, and some nice conversations, but one not-so-nice conversation about whether a design requirement with unexpected bad consequences constituted a bug. Sorry, "We just implemented the spec we were given" doesn't get you out of having to think about whether the spec might have been wrong to begin with, or whether customers are going to run into the same problem I did.

I did a fair amount of puttering, in addition to the usual dishes and three loads of laundry (two loads is more usual).

Some links in the notes; the most important has already been mentioned above.

Comments

[bubbleblower]

whether a design requirement with unexpected bad consequences constituted a bug

I say it is, but it's not a code bug. It's a bug in the specs. So if someone on the coding team becomes aware of the problem, they have a responsibility to file a bug against the specs even if at the same time they're forced (by scheduling constraints, etc.) to write code to the specs as given. They might, however, want to keep possible fixes in the back of their minds for if and when management revises the specs.

[mdlbear]

That's pretty much the way I see it, too. I think "it's in the spec so that's the end of the discussion" is a very dangerous attitude.

[idea-fairy.livejournal.com]

The overage came from replacing the wiring harness, to the tune of $73 plus tax, rather than simply fixing the connector.

My first thought, had it been my car, especially back when I was doing more actual hardware tinkering, would have been to just fix the connector. My guess is that replacing the harness would be a lot more work, since it would have to be unplugged and replugged wherever else it connects to. That alternative might not have even occurred to me. I might have replaced that one connector if the broken pins were hard to reach, but not the whole harness.

But I can see the dealer's side of it. They may not be set up to crimp or solder or whatever is needed to repair the break. They may occasionally cut and splice wires when installing after-market stuff, but there they have been trained on what to expect and how to do it, and may even have the exact twist-on connectors right there in a kit, so they don't have to try to figure out which ones to use.

Also, if some wires broke once, other wires in that harness may be about to break. Thinking in terms of warranties and such, it makes sense to replace the harness, even if it's more trouble. And it may also mean more profit for them.

Perhaps I should also insert an analogy about how walking three miles to school through snow every day kept the kids physically fit. Are mechanics losing basic mending skills?

But be that as it may, I agree with you about the cost estimate.

[mdlbear]

I've never known a dealer to just replace a connector; they always replace the harness.

It wasn't just the harness, though; they also gave a low estimate on the wiper blades.

[callibr8]

The cr@p on the wiper blades is inexcusable, and I'm glad the *company* realized that, even if that dealership didn't.

I forgot to remind you about the loose door seal on the passenger side sliding door. Did that get handled, or is it something you'll need to get someone else (I really really hope!) to take care of?

[mdlbear]

Actually, it was the service advisor at the dealership who called for a refund as soon as I pointed out the estimate.

I forgot about the door seal. *puts rubber cement on shopping list* There's a nice repair place just on the other side of I880 that I'll probably be using in the future. I already use them for smog checks.

[oshorneoo7.livejournal.com]

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