It is unclear why something designed to pump fuel into a car needs an ad-spewing computer strapped to it, but here we are
- Reference: 1589184906
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2020/05/11/bork/
- Source link:
Americans insist on calling them "gas stations" while those in Blighty prefer the pre-fix "filling" or "petrol". Others might refer to the refuelling locations as "those places with the foulest of facilities and the most inexplicably expensive of Haribo".
Bork, however, has no respect for international boundaries as today's servings demonstrate.
[1]
The first comes from an eagle-eyed Register reader needing to refuel his vehicle in Medford MA, US. We're not entirely sure what operating system and software stack the pump is running, though it appears to be complex enough to need a RemoteDiagnosticsManager.exe.
The buttons and scrollbar put us in mind of a variant of Windows CE, but surely nobody would entrust the movement of a potentially explosive liquid to an equally occasionally explosive operating system?
The need to blast commercials at the unfortunate driver operating the pump is likely the justification for the fully featured operating system, as opposed to something more real-time and specialized. Despite the unhappiness on display, one can still make out an appetising array of greasy delights.
"The pump still worked," said our reader. "Unfortunately, so did the annoying video ads masquerading as news items."
Still, things might be worse.
[2]
Another Register reader sent in this example of a somewhat lower-tech gas pump display illustrating why engineers should never, ever get involved in User Interface design.
Who cares indeed?
We offer no "paymant" for borks, other than the warm glow that comes from inclusion in the hallowed halls of The Register and there is always room for more. ®
Sponsored: [3]Forrester Build a Digital Experience Portfolio
[1] https://regmedia.co.uk/2020/05/07/bork_3_1.jpg
[2] https://regmedia.co.uk/2020/05/07/bork_3_2.jpg
[3] https://go.theregister.co.uk/tl/1936/-8554/forrester-build-a-digital-experience-portfolio?td=wptl1936
The real question is
What happened to Paymant? Why did they stop caring? :(
Re: "paymant cared"
... at which point I would think ... has this system been hacked? Do I really want to trust it with my payment card?
Re: "paymant cared"
Probably, the software contract was awarded to the lowest bidder from India.
Measuring the fuel, communicating that to the tills.
Small computer jobs.
In the US add in “display adverts to customer”.
And then imagine you run IT for shell, or BP - you’re going to want remote diagnostics for your forecourt computers...
In the UK pumps have had adverts for many years. Although you probably don’t take any notice of the add for AA or Direct Line on the back of the nozzle. Or the placards on the pump itself.
Seems logical if the pump has a display panel to extend it there.
T4Media have a service adNozzles that specialise in fuel pump ads in the UK.
Petrol pumps have a horizontal surface for placing the fuel tank cap with keys attached - a surface on which my local Gulf petrol station helpfully taped a tent-shaped advertisment for their loyalty card, leaving nowhere to put one's fuel cap.
I appreciate many vehicles have a hinged fuel cap that stays attached to the vehicle, but it would seem that the advertising team thought that *all* cars have them.
That horizontal surface is designed to ensure a certain percentage of drivers leave their fuel cap behind. I think blocking it is doing us all a favour.
Next time you're filling up, tell the cashier that you left your fuel cap behind on your last visit. They'll probably have a huge box full of them behind the counter!
Huh?
All the vehicles I've owned or hired that had a removable fuel cap, also had a "slot" in the back of the cover to store it while removed.
Of course, some vehicles will have lost the cover, but one assumes fuel pumps are designed for vehicles as-built, rather than after several "incidents".
Re: Huh?
I saw a Youtube comment the other day (don't judge me, please) on a car review - the commenter had never before known what that bracket on the inside of the fuel cover was for. So some enlightenment was achieved.
I put my cap in the handle to hold it open to fill my tank
We've had static paper based adverts, not dancing singing ones...
Logical - and did anyone do a competent cost-return analysis?
... did anyone do a competent cost-return analysis?
Of course not.
Marketing/advertising dicks don't do that type of thing.
Neither do the management idiots who sign off on these stupid ideas.
O.
As one who raises bugs for font issues
That second one is especially painful.
But I keep looking and can't look away.
"engineers should never, ever get involved in User Interface design"
Could be worse - imagine what it would be like if they let a web designer near it.
Re: "engineers should never, ever get involved in User Interface design"
Oh lord Wordpress with 20 css files and 14 different js files with modified plugins that when updated overwrite their customisations!
Re: "engineers should never, ever get involved in User Interface design"
Can't have that expensive cpu sitting around doing nothing. John Maynard Keynes suggested in his proposal for with the Depression, IIRC, that rather than pay people dole it was better to pay some people to dig holes, and others to fill them in again. And that's what a lot of the Internet seems to do these days.
We need more options
These modern days require us to have full touch screens with a multiverse of options. I suggest, that mere commercials are no longer adequate. As an example:
Option 1: do you want sugar with your gasoline?
Option 2: do you want windowwiperwash with your diesel?
Option 3: do you want tireair with your super 100 octane?
Option 4: do you want coupons with your mileage?
Option 5: ok
Then, after the free-form options have been burned into our minds, then we will make them a non-voluntary option and make you click through all of these before any drop of gasoline may flow. I'm sure, that "ok" will find its way up the ladder so we can both be done faster and have our pockets picked in an orderly fashion.
Details!
I want to see the Details!! And one of those Wendy's brekkie things!
I hated the pump ads...
Back when I could still see to drive I'd often encounter those buggers when I tried to refill the tank with petrol. Noisy, annoying, & ignored as much as possible, they were still enough to make me want to "accidently" back my truck over the pump... repeatedly.
My local Shell station was the worst for this with them forcing a 30 second ad on you before it would start to pump the fuel. I complained, they did nothing, so I stopped buying from Shell. Funny how that works, eh? Piss off your customers & they'll choose not to BE your customers any longer.
I found a local Mom&Pop station that did *not* have the ad slinging shite, switched almost entirely to buying my petrol there, & let them know the reason. The lady was rather pleased with my candour & replied that she valued the feedback. Then she gave me a free cookie from the rack. I wonder why they became my favorite station?
*Remembers the cookie & tries not to drool*
=-)p
TL;DR: Ads are bad. Chocolate chip cookies are tasty.
Re: I hated the pump ads...
Some, though not by any means, all, of the pumps have a hidden "MUTE" mode. One of the eight buttons surrounding the screen, when "long pressed" MAY mute the audio for the duration of the sale.
WHICH button it is, or whether it exists at all, seems to be programmable on a by-pump basis. So this may not apply to you, but what else were you going to be doing for the 5 minutes it takes to fill your tank?
And there's always the "shove a sharp object through the speaker grille" approach, but I would never recommend vandalism.
Caring is sharing...
We offer no "paymant" for borks, other than the warm glow that comes from inclusion in the hallowed halls of The Register and there is always room for more.
But given it's "paymant cared" that's displayed, at least it's nice to know someone cares...