Off Topic Thread 4.0

Clegg · 18-04-2020 04:08PM

thomond2006 wrote: »

Completed it mate.

Great game, it lived up to the long wait.

It's fantastic isn't it?

Not finished yet but nearing the ax of the game, I think. They've nailed the gigantic scale of Midgar and Shinra HQ especially.

Stheno · 18-04-2020 04:11PM

Panda Killa wrote: »

When restrictions are lifted...and people try to return to normal...that's when people will die.
Thee are a few report's on line of pubs not opening until next year....and tbh... yeah..I'd agree with that.
But it also means no GAA, rugby, football, concerts in the timeframe either (behind closed doors games is a different matter)
The next 6 months are going to be very bleak indeed

I dont think a lot of people understand that easing of restrictions is just that, an easIng

I dont expect to go near my office for a few months at least

Squidgy Black · 18-04-2020 04:36PM

Stheno wrote: »

Sorry I got the reply button too quick

Should have added " and look ok ng to do so indefinitely rather than being in the office?"

I've been half-jokingly telling my boss I'm not going back into the office until 2021, but at the same time sort of serious about it. I've no reason to be in the office as a developer, can do absolutely every element of my job remotely, so will try stretch it out as long as I can even if it's only a day or two in the office at the start to satisfy management for in person meetings etc.

I think there'll be a general shift in how companies view remote work after all this. Companies who were hesitant or dismissive of remote work have been forced to go nearly 100% remote and are probably seeing the same level of productivity from their staff, as well as management seeing the benefits of it on a personal level first hand. My place used to be very reluctant when it came to WFH, the most you were allowed was a day a week that had to be agreed by management, all meetings were done in person and nobody used conference calls at all, and even then a lot of systems were locked down and couldn't be accessed over VPN etc because the security team were overzealous, but they've been forced to change it all now.

Former Former · 18-04-2020 04:45PM

I put all my suits and work shirts in the attic today.

It felt oddly good

18-04-2020 05:12PM

Stheno wrote: »

Anyone else hear wfh now?

Squidgy Black wrote: »

I've been half-jokingly telling my boss I'm not going back into the office until 2021, but at the same time sort of serious about it. I've no reason to be in the office as a developer, can do absolutely every element of my job remotely, so will try stretch it out as long as I can even if it's only a day or two in the office at the start to satisfy management for in person meetings etc.

I think there'll be a general shift in how companies view remote work after all this. Companies who were hesitant or dismissive of remote work have been forced to go nearly 100% remote and are probably seeing the same level of productivity from their staff, as well as management seeing the benefits of it on a personal level first hand. My place used to be very reluctant when it came to WFH, the most you were allowed was a day a week that had to be agreed by management, all meetings were done in person and nobody used conference calls at all, and even then a lot of systems were locked down and couldn't be accessed over VPN etc because the security team were overzealous, but they've been forced to change it all now.

My team is based in the US and Canada. Only three of us are in Ireland. I've been used to conference calls for a long time now. My line manager in Ireland doesn't fully understand what I do and is only my manager for legal reasons. I was wfh 3/5 days per week before all this. This hasn't been much of a change at all for me.

I can't say I agree with the productivity side of things... I do work in spurts but would probably stick to task for longer in the office. Also the ability to tap someone on the shoulder for help should not be minimised. Writing an email or slack message isn't the same. Although setting up ad hoc conference calls isn't that far off. People need to get over the formality of that and treat them like a tap on the shoulder.

Squidgy Black · 18-04-2020 05:22PM

[Deleted User] wrote: »

My team is based in the US and Canada. Only three of us are in Ireland. I've been used to conference calls for a long time now. My line manager in Ireland doesn't fully understand what I do and is only my manager for legal reasons. I was wfh 3/5 days per week before all this. This hasn't been much of a change at all for me.

I can't say I agree with the productivity side of things... I do work in spurts but would probably stick to task for longer in the office. Also the ability to tap someone on the shoulder for help should not be minimised. Writing an email or slack message isn't the same. Although setting up ad hoc conference calls isn't that far off. People need to get over the formality of that and treat them like a tap on the shoulder.

In my last place on my team I was the only dev in the Dublin office with everyone else up North or in London so I guess I'm probably a bit more used to just communicating through Skype by IM or just ringing people and doing screenshares if stuck on anything.

I think it terms of productivity it all depends on the person. I've pretty much replicated my office setup here at home (albeit slightly nicer!) and still wear my noise cancelling headphones for most of the day for concentration, I find there's actually too many distractions in the office compared to home, the only main one being keeping myself sat in the chair.

18-04-2020 05:41PM

The internet is my biggest distraction so I've gone to great lengths to stay productive. My current is I add a bunch of my favourite sites to the hosts file under 127.0.0.1. The time it takes me to undo that is enough time to stop the impulse.

mfceiling · 18-04-2020 05:41PM

Panda Killa wrote: »

When restrictions are lifted...and people try to return to normal...that's when people will die.
Thee are a few report's on line of pubs not opening until next year....and tbh... yeah..I'd agree with that.
But it also means no GAA, rugby, football, concerts in the timeframe either (behind closed doors games is a different matter)
The next 6 months are going to be very bleak indeed

Pubs, restaurants, matches etc won't really annoy me.
Concerts are a bummer. I was geared up to see Fontaines DC in the iveagh gardens this summer but I'd say that's off.

The one killer for me is the holidays. More than anything I look forward to that 2 weeks in france or Italy. We go all out with a nice villa with our own pool and eat out every night. I work hard and save like mad for this every year. Not having that this year is going to be a king size pain the arse.

18-04-2020 05:41PM

Haven't laughed this hard in a while

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0FJKpyK3Zk

Stheno · 18-04-2020 07:28PM

mfceiling wrote: »

Pubs, restaurants, matches etc won't really annoy me.
Concerts are a bummer. I was geared up to see Fontaines DC in the iveagh gardens this summer but I'd say that's off.

The one killer for me is the holidays. More than anything I look forward to that 2 weeks in france or Italy. We go all out with a nice villa with our own pool and eat out every night. I work hard and save like mad for this every year. Not having that this year is going to be a king size pain the arse.

We didnt get away the past two years and were planning 5 days in Portugal and a week in Malta

For mean that means lots of sun, and I literally spend hours eating out, reading and just watching the world go by

Theres always next year I suppose

Panda Killa · 18-04-2020 07:48PM

mfceiling wrote: »

Pubs, restaurants, matches etc won't really annoy me.
Concerts are a bummer. I was geared up to see Fontaines DC in the iveagh gardens this summer but I'd say that's off.

The one killer for me is the holidays. More than anything I look forward to that 2 weeks in france or Italy. We go all out with a nice villa with our own pool and eat out every night. I work hard and save like mad for this every year. Not having that this year is going to be a king size pain the arse.

Yeah...I was supposed to be in Barcelona over Easter....and Pearl Jam in Berlin the end of June.... Dermot Kennedy hasn't announced cancellations yet... but it's only a matter of days I'd say

b.gud · 18-04-2020 08:13PM

[Deleted User] wrote: »

The internet is my biggest distraction so I've gone to great lengths to stay productive. My current is I add a bunch of my favourite sites to the hosts file under 127.0.0.1. The time it takes me to undo that is enough time to stop the impulse.

Really like this idea might give it a shot to help as the odd time I can really easily get sidetracked

jacothelad · 18-04-2020 08:30PM

vienne86 wrote: »

One thing in our favour in Ireland is that we are good at connections. Meet someone abroad on holidays, for example, and more than likely you will quickly find some friend/relative in common. Now that we have several hundred deaths and several thousand infections, there is a good chance that most of us are being touched in some way by the disease - last week, I heard of one death through a friend, and discoverd it had taken place in a care home where my mother lived for eight years. This morning I heard of two deaths who are relatives/friends of good friends of mine. A friend with whom I have stayed for Heineken Cup matches in the UK is just recovering from Covid.

I am bored out of my tree being stuck at home, but somehow having heard of these cases, I feel more determined to stop feeling sorry for myself and to double down with my tiny efforts to help the cause. I doubt I am alone thinking this way at this stage.

The mother of my best friend of 50 years will be 100 in less than 3 weeks. She has been diagnosed with Covid 19. 11 days in.

It is so dispiriting to see those of that age group who have lived through so much in their lifetime. The great Depression, WW2, rationing, poverty and then the murderous vermin who pollute N.I., possibly succumb to a disease partially unleashed on them by the inept, deluded cretins in the Tory party.

Neil3030 · 18-04-2020 10:16PM

jacothelad wrote: »

The mother of my best friend of 50 years will be 100 in less than 3 weeks. She has been diagnosed with Covid 19. 11 days in.

It is so dispiriting to see those of that age group who have lived through so much in their lifetime. The great Depression, WW2, rationing, poverty and then the murderous vermin who pollute N.I., possibly succumb to a disease partially unleashed on them by the inept, deluded cretins in the Tory party.

Best wishes to her Jaco, and it sounds like she's cut from some fairly strong stuff, as you say, with all she's lived through.

Neil3030 · 18-04-2020 10:21PM

Anyone who may need to lighten their mood, Andrew Cuomo clearly ran out of his last f**k, and absolutely uncorked on the fruit-seller in chief. This isn't politics, it's a masterclass of irony:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NelaVkZRpeY

Cuomo in full Mafioso mode wrote:

"You want me to say 'thank you'? Thank you for doing your job. Thank you for participating in a modicum of federal responsibility in a national crisis. Thank you for having the federal government participate in a federal emergency."

sydthebeat · 18-04-2020 10:45PM

Neil3030 wrote: »

Anyone who may need to lighten their mood, Andrew Cuomo clearly ran out of his last f**k, and absolutely uncorked on the fruit-seller in chief. This isn't politics, it's a masterclass of irony:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NelaVkZRpeY

Its amazing to have a governor like cuomo be able to a speak for over 15 mins, and quote numbers and facts off the top of his head, without stumbling, or using lily gilded adjectives....

... And just compare him to that orange oaf

swiwi_ · 18-04-2020 10:56PM

Lockdown means time to watch films.

Rio Bravo with Marion Michael Morrison and Dino Paul Crocetti is a pretty decent watch.

18-04-2020 11:24PM

swiwi_ wrote: »

Lockdown means time to watch films.

Rio Bravo with Marion Michael Morrison and Dino Paul Crocetti is a pretty decent watch.

I was reading earlier that there is a new Dune coming out. Now I'm watching Dune.

Later I'm going to see if I still have Dune2 the PC game.

Sonic Tanks.

Dave_The_Sheep · 18-04-2020 11:52PM

Deleted User wrote: »

I was reading earlier that there is a new Dune coming out. Now I'm watching Dune.

Have re-read Dune many times over the years, but that first read was something special. The book just builds and builds and builds to this incredible crescendo.

(sandworm riding vengeance is the best vengeance)

.

19-04-2020 10:43AM

Dave_The_Sheep wrote: »

Have re-read Dune many times over the years, but that first read was something special. The book just builds and builds and builds to this incredible crescendo.
(sandworm riding vengeance is the best vengeance)
.

The movie itself is barely competent but it has a lot of charm and they lay the sci fi on heavy. I've never gotten through the space folding scene without having to have an auld tug.

Clegg · 19-04-2020 10:46AM

I've high hopes for Dune. After Blade Runner 2049 I'll watch anything Dennis Villeneuve releases. It's one of the best films I've ever seen. Complete flop at the box office, but the world needs more big budget, high concept sci fi movies.

Synode · 19-04-2020 10:48AM

Dune audio books are great.

I'm halfway through S2 of Altered Carbon on Netflix. Not as good as the 1st season but still decent

19-04-2020 10:49AM

The UK media has really turned on the government in the last 24 hours. Very heavy criticism.

Hard to know if it will penetrate the cult mentality, calls to resign will grow now but I could envisage the Tories insisting they need to stay in the jobs until they 'get brexit done'.

swiwi_ · 19-04-2020 11:06AM

Clegg wrote: »

I've high hopes for Dune. After Blade Runner 2049 I'll watch anything Dennis Villeneuve releases. It's one of the best films I've ever seen. Complete flop at the box office, but the world needs more big budget, high concept sci fi movies.

Thought that blade runner was terrible. A real letdown after the original.

jacothelad · 19-04-2020 11:08AM

Deleted User wrote: »

The UK media has really turned on the government in the last 24 hours. Very heavy criticism.

Hard to know if it will penetrate the cult mentality, calls to resign will grow now but I could envisage the Tories insisting they need to stay in the jobs until they 'get brexit done'.

The Tories set themselves up with a raft of scapegoats right at the outset of their inaction. 'We are following the science,' they say. No doubt thay planned it well if things went belly up thay had people to blame....and blame they will. They are a vindictive bunch of fools. It should also be noted that the science they choose to follow was far from Unanimous. They choose to follow the particular science that meant they had to do nothing...mainly because they are unable to understand or give two fecks about it. One leading epidemiologist stated that when he heard their 'herd immunity plan' he seriously thought it was satire.

Public Health England - which seems to be run by Dumb an Dumber - have shamefully asked front line staff to re-use protective gear thus callously opening up these heroes to even more danger. Remember, these clowns were approached by the Government's own Animal Testing Agency that informed them BACK IN JANUARY -that they could do 40,000 Covid 19 test per week. PHE basically gave them the middle finger.

A number of companies in the private sector approached PHE to tell them they could produce huge quanrtities of PPE,,,,,,again -basically told to go fu*k themselves while the government sent almost 300,000 items of PPE to China.THe NHS is almost out of PPE. No doubt we will see Matt Handjob appearing on t.v. spouting his usual lies and fantasies. It seems he is despised and held in comtempt by his officials. Reprtedly only Dominic Wab is even more reviled. This is hard to believe when sniggering fool, Priti 'merdeforbrains' Patel and Alok 'Wind and Urine' Sharma are also 'Ministers' .They are ministers in the same way that I am the Principal Dancer in the Royal Balle.

QuasiBoJo is a vacuous fantasist who doesn't have a days work in him.

19-04-2020 11:11AM

swiwi_ wrote: »

Thought that blade runner was terrible. A real letdown after the original.

I thought the new one was better. I watched the old one about 5 years ago and didn't really see what the fuss was all about.

jacothelad · 19-04-2020 11:14AM

Deleted User wrote: »

The UK media has really turned on the government in the last 24 hours. Very heavy criticism.

Hard to know if it will penetrate the cult mentality, calls to resign will grow now but I could envisage the Tories insisting they need to stay in the jobs until they 'get brexit done'.

The Tories set themselves up with a raft of scapegoats right at the outset of their inaction. 'We are following the science,' they say. No doubt they planned it well if things went belly up they had people to blame....and blame they will. They are a vindictive bunch of fools. It should also be noted that the science they choose to follow was far from Unanimous. They choose to follow the particular science that meant they had to do nothing...mainly because they are unable to understand or give two fecks about it. One leading epidemiologist stated that when he heard their 'herd immunity plan' he seriously thought it was satire.

Public Health England - which seems to be run by Dumb an Dumber - have shamefully asked front line staff to re-use protective gear thus callously opening up these heroes to even more danger. Remember, these clowns were approached by the Government's own Animal Testing Agency that informed them BACK IN JANUARY -that they could do 40,000 Covid 19 test per week. PHE basically gave them the middle finger.

A number of companies in the private sector approached PHE to tell them they could produce huge quanrtities of PPE,,,,,,again -basically told to go fu*k themselves while the government sent almost 300,000 items of PPE to China.THe NHS is almost out of PPE. No doubt we will see Matt Handjob appearing on t.v. spouting his usual lies and fantasies. It seems he is despised and held in contempt by his officials. Reportedly only Dominic Raab is even more reviled. This is hard to believe when sniggering fool, Priti 'merdeforbrains' Patel and Alok 'Wind and Urine' Sharma are also 'Ministers' .They are ministers in the same way that I am the Principal Dancer in the Royal Ballet.

QuasiBoJo is a vacuous fantasist who doesn't have a days work in him. He is a congenital liar and egomaniac with the political talent of a burst boil...I despise him and his coterie of crooks.

The fallback position of these incompetent, grasping Tory feckwits when challenged is bluster, slogans, wild promises, lies and evasion.

stephen_n · 19-04-2020 11:16AM

jacothelad wrote: »

The Tories set themselves up with a raft of scapegoats right at the outset of their inaction. 'We are following the science,' they say. No doubt thay planned it well if things went belly up thay had people to blame....and blame they will. They are a vindictive bunch of fools. It should also be noted that the science they choose to follow was far from Unanimous. They choose to follow the particular science that meant they had to do nothing...mainly because they are unable to understand or give two fecks about it. One leading epidemiologist stated that when he heard their 'herd immunity plan' he seriously thought it was satire.

Public Health England - which seems to be run by Dumb an Dumber - have shamefully asked front line staff to re-use protective gear thus callously opening up these heroes to even more danger. Remember, these clowns were approached by the Government's own Animal Testing Agency that informed them BACK IN JANUARY -that they could do 40,000 Covid 19 test per week. PHE basically gave them the middle finger.

A number of companies in the private sector approached PHE to tell them they could produce huge quanrtities of PPE,,,,,,again -basically told to go fu*k themselves while the government sent almost 300,000 items of PPE to China.THe NHS is almost out of PPE. No doubt we will see Matt Handjob appearing on t.v. spouting his usual lies and fantasies. It seems he is despised and held in comtempt by his officials. Reprtedly only Dominic Wab is even more reviled. This is hard to believe when sniggering fool, Priti 'merdeforbrains' Patel and Alok 'Wind and Urine' Sharma are also 'Ministers' .They are ministers in the same way that I am the Principal Dancer in the Royal Balle.

QuasiBoJo is a vacuous fantasist who doesn't have a days work in him.

So I’m guessing you didn’t vote for the Tories then? :pac:

I think we have made some serious mistakes here. Though compared to the things that are now coming out about the UK’s handling of it. Our ministers and the HSE look like geniuses. From ventilators, testing, PPE and public health strategy, it seems the UK has gotten everything wrong they possibly could.

Bazzo · 19-04-2020 11:20AM

Thoroughly enjoyable read jaco, don't be afraid to give them both barrells

sydthebeat · 19-04-2020 11:23AM

I can see this crisis a being a focal point in the future against populism and the "cult of personality" type leadership.

It will be very easy for the boring, pragmatic politician of the future to point to trump and bojos mishandling of this crisis and say, that's what you get when you elect politicians based on populism.

Their absence of leadership and 'blame others' reactions are so telling

Off Topic Thread 4.0

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