2024-10-30

Software Bugs

Software Bugs

For about six months and through several updates, Android Kindle does not correctly display the bottom status line on my phone. It is displayed so that only the top 1/4 of the line is visible. This line gives the page number - important information. Amazon does not care.

Time to see how the other ebook readers are doing. Google - there is no page number line and it won't display the current time. Google seems to think that app screen area is all important. Not for me. I want the phone status line with the time and the navigation bar (the buttons) - ALWAYS.

Nook (Barnes and Noble's ebook reader) - WOW. I can see the Android status line and navigation bar (optional), and the Nook status line. And I can set the paper color - not just choose from a few bad choices. With the navigation bar always displayed, exiting to the home screen is just a button push away. Startup, even if nothing is changed is delayed by about four seconds, with a big refresh symbol in the middle of the screen. You can read the rest of the screen but you can't do anything else. Annoying. Not nearly as annoying as Kindle's issues. I have switched.

Ally Bank, email and text alerts for deposits and withdrawals don't work. It's been almost a month since I opened a support ticket. They won't give me any status on a fix - just "we are working on it". It worked a month ago - compare the two code levels and fix it. I gave up. Now trying US Bank. Things seem to be good but switching twelve automatic deposits and withdrawals is not fun. Most banks with branches offer very low interest rates on savings accounts. US Bank is 4%, same as Ally. And there is a branch near me so that I can get $50 bills instead of the $20 bill that ATMs hand out.

For about six months and through several updates, Google Maps will not adjust the volume after the trip is started. I suspect that you can adjust it while Maps is telling you something, but by the time I've found the volume button on my phone, the message has finished. I just found this workaround. Press the "you" icon (your little photo or initial), then "Settings", then "Navigation settings", then "Play test sound". While the test sound is playing, use the volume buttons to set the default volume. It works! I still can't adjust while driving, but I can get a reasonable volume each time without having to remember to adjust before starting the route. How about naming this option "Set default volume" so people know what it does?

Next day - Maps reset its default volume. I can't hear it. I can't adjust it while driving.

What is wrong with our corporate cultures that this is acceptable? Why do the users accept it? They have been convinced that software bugs are inevitable. But how have they been convinced that the bugs don't need to be fixed.