Examples of brain dead software design

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#3402334 13-Aug-2025 09:01

The 'send later' function on Mac Mail. I scheduled an email to send at 3pm the following day on the assumption that I would be able to disrupt it on my iPhone if needed. It turns out that you can only disrupt the sending of the email on the same device where you scheduled it, hence the lack of physical access to my laptop meant that the email got sent even though I didn't want it to.

TinyTim

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#3402453 13-Aug-2025 21:52

cddt:

TwoSeven:

Data tables in Excel have been there for quite a few years now (2016 and later). You’ll find it under the data tab along with of the power query stuff.

As a long time Excel user I really struggle to see what they are useful for...

I used them a lot for scenario analysis - each row or column is a new set of parameters for a calculation.

As far as I can tell in Sheets, tables are more about formatting than data.

TwoSeven

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#3402634 14-Aug-2025 20:15

cddt:

TwoSeven:

Data tables in Excel have been there for quite a few years now (2016 and later). You’ll find it under the data tab along with of the power query stuff.

As a long time Excel user I really struggle to see what they are useful for...

They are used for slicing and dicing data. When information is in a data table, one can add multiple power queries to slice and dice it. Power query (aka Get and Transform) uses a language called ‘Power Query M’ - one can split columns, combine columns, change data types, do filtering and complex calculations.

when a sheet is open with a data table on it, the queries are visible on the right if the query menu is open. The result of a query can be dropped into the same data table or a different one.

it is very similar to Power BI

As an example, let’s say there is a data source that contains a date time field. In power query, one can split this into a date and a time column, hide the original datetime, then group the time by the date giving a series of times for each day.

if one has a set of time periods (say morning, afternoon and evening) one can then color code the times that fall in each as well as create a count of each for frequency.

the resultant data table can be used as input to a chart.

Software Engineer
(the practice of real science, engineering and management)
A.I. (Automation rebranded)
Gender Neutral
(a person who believes in equality and who does not believe in/use stereotypes. Examples such as gender, binary, nonbinary, male/female etc.)

...they/their/them...

MadEngineer

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#3413846 11-Sep-2025 17:04

Outlook has two buttons right next to each other to attach a file. One is … to attach a file the other is to attach a link

Attach a link does just that. Done

Attach a file prompts if you’d like to … wait for it … attach a file or a link.

You're not on Atlantis anymore, Duncan Idaho.

Behodar

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#3419285 27-Sep-2025 20:17

I can't get over how buggy the Apple Maps app is (Mac OS 15).

I choose "Plan", "Arrive by" and click on tomorrow, the 28th. I click on the Hour field and type 10. It displays 11. I type 10 again. It displays 11. I type 0 and it displays 0. I add a 1 and it stays on 10, but changes the date to the 29th. I change the date back to the 28th and the hour changes back to 11.

bigreddog

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#3419490 28-Sep-2025 17:56

Daylight savings?

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sir1963

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#3419495 28-Sep-2025 18:59

Apple Mail in Tahoe...

Why have the put the "send" button on the RHS of the window.

It has been on the LHS for such a long time its breaking my muscle memory, quite apart from the fact it a longer move via track pad to get to it.

I am rapidly getting annoyed by form over function design.

Apple Books for example gets a face lift and remains functionally garbage

elpenguino

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#3420424 1-Oct-2025 21:13

This peeve is a bit niche but here goes....

Apps on Android are generally good at remembering which language you were using the last time you used that app.

Whatsapp does as well. But it only remembers the last language used in any 'chat'. This is annoying if you are messaging different people in different languages. It should remember which language was used in each 'chat'.

And Excel? My main gripe is when working with long strings of numbers. Excel helpfully rounds off very long numbers - not handy when storing things like SIM numbers.

Most of the posters in this thread are just like chimpanzees on MDMA, full of feelings of bonhomie, joy, and optimism. Fred99 8/4/21

TwoSeven

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#3420753 2-Oct-2025 16:29

I would probably treat the I cid/eid/imsi as strings.

...they/their/them...

Behodar

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#3420770 2-Oct-2025 16:47

Technically this is brain dead documentation design at its core, but I just got a new printer. The printed setup guide tells you how to physically install it, but then directs you to a website for instructions on configuring it. The website directs you to an executable, which requires accepting a licence. The executable does nothing but ask which model of printer you have, then downloads a second executable and asks you to accept another licence. The second executable is just a glorified help file that basically says nothing more than "enable WPS on your router then hold this button for two seconds".

Why not just put that in the printed guide in the first place?!

freitasm

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#3423310 9-Oct-2025 08:52

Not sure if this goes here or in the WTF thread. In any case, the enshitification continues.

"These changes are designed to provide more relevant insights for businesses like yours"

Up until now, the free level had up to 10 competitors. This is being reduced to one for free, and up to nine in paid.

How is reducing a feature giving "more relevant insights"?

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floydbloke

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#3423355 9-Oct-2025 11:29

MS Word. You enter a comment but inadvertently omit to hit ctrl-enter or click the post button. You continue you review, can make edits, work your way down. Time for the next comment, right-click, click on the wee icon and the b*****d scrolls right back up to where you made your last comment and says 'Please post...' in red.

Why not prevent any editing in the first place until you've posted your first comment?

Sometimes I use big words I don't always fully understand in an effort to make myself sound more photosynthesis.

ANglEAUT

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#3425342 16-Oct-2025 11:57

M365: web versions of Office

Just because I opened 1 tab for a shared mailbox / profile, doesn't mean I want all other tab that have got M365 open to also switch to that profile.

Please keep this GZ community vibrant by contributing in a constructive & respectful manner.

Behodar

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#3425701 17-Oct-2025 11:13

Why is Microsoft software always so... so... well, this:

I typed "@Colleague" then pressed Shift-Enter to move to the next line (as opposed to inserting a paragraph break). This inserted a blank line above the line I was on, and moved the caret to there. I removed it (I think it was via Ctrl-Z) and tried again, and that time it worked as expected.

On the second line I typed "1." and pressed Space. The blank line reappeared in the same place as earlier, the "1." moved to the line with the @ text, and "2." was inserted where I'd typed "1."

Behodar

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#3425708 17-Oct-2025 12:02

Me again. Why does Outlook have resize handles on images in the viewer (not the composer) if it doesn't let you resize them?

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