Rant of the Day - By no means updated daily
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System-Wide Slack-Off

Posted on Wednesday 4th of January 2006 11:45:37 PM by Maximinus
Ok, so I can understand the need for people to have time off work, especially over the Christmas/New Year period - that's why there are public holidays etc. So, it's only fair that shops etc shut on Christmas Day, and some types of business for other days as well (ie family-run or small businesses, like many takeaway places and dairies). But why do computer systems need these days off?!

I went to send somebody some money using online banking, only to find that for some reason, the system was taking the entire 4-day weekend off, so the payment, even if I had requested it after cutoff on Friday, would not be processed until today (Wednesday) - and the evening, at that - and so the money would not get to the recipient until tomorrow morning. It's an automated computer system, what reason could they possibly have for it to not work on the Monday and Tuesday? In fact, why doesn't it work on weekends normally? It's an automated system, why can't it work 24/7? And why is it that I can move my money between my accounts instantly, at any time of the day on any day, even these days off, yet if I send money to somebody else, it vanishes from my account instantly, but they don't get it until the following business morning (assuming I got in before cutoff)?

Another place I've noticed such slacking off is takeaway places and small food bars etc. There's a great wee shop around the corner from work, which sells pies, sandwiches and more - but they weren't open today, despite it being a normal working day. So, we walked down to the next food place down the road - not open either. There's nowhere else within walking distance to buy food, so we went back to work and ended up ordering pizza - which the WON'T deliver until 4pm, so we had to get a lift down to pick it up! Sure, the two places I mentioned first are probably both family-type businesses, so I can understand them taking a break, but neither, as far as I noticed, even had anything to say when they will be re-opening. And what's wrong with taking Christmas eve through to yesterday (inclusive) off? That's 11 days...
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