| Re: Keyboards again [message #399811 is a reply to message #399775] |
Thu, 10 September 2020 15:58   |
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Originally posted by: JimP
On 10 Sep 2020 16:24:59 GMT, Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid>
wrote:
> On 2020-09-09, Andreas Kohlbach <ank@spamfence.net> wrote:
>
>> On 8 Sep 2020 21:26:45 GMT, Charlie Gibbs wrote:
>>
>>> Does anyone remember when there was no such thing as LED blue,
>>> because nobody had figured out how to make them? Then they
>>> were available, but horribly expensive - your typical 25-cent
>>> red or green LED cost $6 in blue.
>>
>> Wasn't that just "recently", like early 2XXX?
>
> That sounds about right. I don't remember the exact date.
>
>> I seem to recall the same is the case for white LEDs.
>> Today almost every new car has them as front light.
>
> They're also taking over as street lighting in many places.
> We replaced the failing 70-watt high-pressure sodium wall packs
> in our hangar complex with 25-watt LED units. Although the
> unit price is over twice as much, I calculate they will pay
> for themselves in 10 years in electricity savings alone (and
> aside from the infant mortality issues, they'll hopefully still
> be going strong after those 10 years).
>
> Figuring out how to make high-powered LEDs was a game-changer.
Not quite in the same ballpark of power, but I bought a nice 5 watt
white LED flashlight a few months ago, and it is rechargable. On sale
for about $20.
--
Jim
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| Re: Keyboards again [message #399904 is a reply to message #399498] |
Sat, 12 September 2020 02:20 |
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Originally posted by: Thomas Koenig
Dave Garland <dave.garland@wizinfo.com> schrieb:
> I remember reports of a competition where
> a 10-key adding machine operator couldn't keep up with a proficient
> soroban operator. I suppose that's still true, if there are any
> proficient abacus operators left these days.
It would be interesting to see how that would work in competition
with, let's say, a bar code scanner at a supermarket cash register.
These don't work perfectly either...
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| Re: Keyboards again [message #399910 is a reply to message #399904] |
Sat, 12 September 2020 08:27 |
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Originally posted by: maus
On 2020-09-12, Thomas Koenig <tkoenig@netcologne.de> wrote:
> Dave Garland <dave.garland@wizinfo.com> schrieb:
>> I remember reports of a competition where
>> a 10-key adding machine operator couldn't keep up with a proficient
>> soroban operator. I suppose that's still true, if there are any
>> proficient abacus operators left these days.
>
> It would be interesting to see how that would work in competition
> with, let's say, a bar code scanner at a supermarket cash register.
> These don't work perfectly either...
Bar code readers are fascinating devices. I had one, but it has
disappeared somewhere while I was in hospital, bar codes contain data
like recommended prices (different from what is on the supermarket
packet), and so on.
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| Re: Keyboards again [message #399913 is a reply to message #399910] |
Sat, 12 September 2020 09:07 |
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Originally posted by: Bob Eager
On Sat, 12 Sep 2020 12:27:31 +0000, maus wrote:
> On 2020-09-12, Thomas Koenig <tkoenig@netcologne.de> wrote:
>> Dave Garland <dave.garland@wizinfo.com> schrieb:
>>> I remember reports of a competition where a 10-key adding machine
>>> operator couldn't keep up with a proficient soroban operator. I
>>> suppose that's still true, if there are any proficient abacus
>>> operators left these days.
>>
>> It would be interesting to see how that would work in competition with,
>> let's say, a bar code scanner at a supermarket cash register.
>> These don't work perfectly either...
>
> Bar code readers are fascinating devices. I had one, but it has
> disappeared somewhere while I was in hospital, bar codes contain data
> like recommended prices (different from what is on the supermarket
> packet), and so on.
I used to set an assessment for students. They had to read a bar code in
real time, i.e. detect the transitions, work out a threshold for wide/
narrow based on averaging and the total transit time, reverse the scan if
necessary, and generate a correct result.
It was all interrupt driven and in 68000 assembler. Most managed it.
--
Using UNIX since v6 (1975)...
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK:
http://www.mirrorservice.org
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| Re: Keyboards again [message #399929 is a reply to message #399518] |
Sat, 12 September 2020 17:40 |
Dan Espen
Messages: 3867
Registered: January 2012
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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Well, my new Logitech G815 arrived today. Took me a half hour to get
the Linux software installed, mainly because the author was set up to
use some kind of Arch installer I wasn't set up for. I never did get
that to work. Instead I found a Fedora based repository and installed
the software in under a minute from his repository.
Then I took a look at the new keyboard and unlike the pictures I saw
before this one has the 2 lights labeled CapsLock and NumLock.
Indeed there is no scroll lock LED and attempts to toggle it do nothing.
However, this command:
g810-led -k logo ff0000
Turns the Big letter G red.
and
g810-led -k logo 000000
turns it off.
Out of the box, the keyboard puts on a light show with keys changing
color constantly.
This command sets all the keys to 1 color:
g810-led -a 0077ff
Keyboard feel is good. Looks great too. My biggest problem right now is
that the G5 key is on the lower left and I keep hitting it instead of
Ctrl. The default setting of G5 is F5 which is compose an email in
Emacs. It has a unique key code so I'll fix that very soon.
Now all my keys are lit properly and I'm happy.
--
Dan Espen
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| Re: Keyboards again [message #399932 is a reply to message #399929] |
Sat, 12 September 2020 18:04 |
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Originally posted by: J. Clarke
On Sat, 12 Sep 2020 17:40:15 -0400, Dan Espen <dan1espen@gmail.com>
wrote:
>
> Well, my new Logitech G815 arrived today. Took me a half hour to get
> the Linux software installed, mainly because the author was set up to
> use some kind of Arch installer I wasn't set up for. I never did get
> that to work. Instead I found a Fedora based repository and installed
> the software in under a minute from his repository.
>
> Then I took a look at the new keyboard and unlike the pictures I saw
> before this one has the 2 lights labeled CapsLock and NumLock.
>
> Indeed there is no scroll lock LED and attempts to toggle it do nothing.
>
> However, this command:
>
> g810-led -k logo ff0000
>
> Turns the Big letter G red.
>
> and
>
> g810-led -k logo 000000
>
> turns it off.
>
> Out of the box, the keyboard puts on a light show with keys changing
> color constantly.
>
> This command sets all the keys to 1 color:
>
> g810-led -a 0077ff
>
> Keyboard feel is good. Looks great too. My biggest problem right now is
> that the G5 key is on the lower left and I keep hitting it instead of
> Ctrl. The default setting of G5 is F5 which is compose an email in
> Emacs. It has a unique key code so I'll fix that very soon.
>
> Now all my keys are lit properly and I'm happy.
Very good. Never occurred to me to use the G light.
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| Re: Keyboards again [message #399934 is a reply to message #399904] |
Sat, 12 September 2020 20:02 |
Andreas Kohlbach
Messages: 1456
Registered: December 2011
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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On Sat, 12 Sep 2020 06:20:30 -0000 (UTC), Thomas Koenig wrote:
>
> Dave Garland <dave.garland@wizinfo.com> schrieb:
>> I remember reports of a competition where
>> a 10-key adding machine operator couldn't keep up with a proficient
>> soroban operator. I suppose that's still true, if there are any
>> proficient abacus operators left these days.
>
> It would be interesting to see how that would work in competition
> with, let's say, a bar code scanner at a supermarket cash register.
> These don't work perfectly either...
Since you also appear to be from Germany, remember the 80s and early 90s
at ALDI? They were so "advanced". Before bar code was used cashiers in
other stores read the price from the label and typed it in. No way to
take track of how many items were still in stock. At ALDI the poor (and
bad paid) cashiers had to remember a three digit code for every item or
look it up from a table o a sheet of paper if they didn't. Type it in and
the register would show the price but also subtract one product. Must be
painful to learn up to 999 items with their code. And you could still
make a mistake and sell a bottle of pricey sparkling wine for 99 Pfennige
(a Pfennig was 1/100 of a Deutschmark).
As everybody else they changed to bar code scanners in the mid 90s.
--
Andreas
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| Re: Keyboards again [message #399940 is a reply to message #399934] |
Sun, 13 September 2020 03:05 |
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Originally posted by: Thomas Koenig
Andreas Kohlbach <ank@spamfence.net> schrieb:
> On Sat, 12 Sep 2020 06:20:30 -0000 (UTC), Thomas Koenig wrote:
>>
>> Dave Garland <dave.garland@wizinfo.com> schrieb:
>>> I remember reports of a competition where
>>> a 10-key adding machine operator couldn't keep up with a proficient
>>> soroban operator. I suppose that's still true, if there are any
>>> proficient abacus operators left these days.
>>
>> It would be interesting to see how that would work in competition
>> with, let's say, a bar code scanner at a supermarket cash register.
>> These don't work perfectly either...
>
> Since you also appear to be from Germany, remember the 80s and early 90s
> at ALDI?
> They were so "advanced". Before bar code was used cashiers in
> other stores read the price from the label and typed it in. No way to
> take track of how many items were still in stock. At ALDI the poor (and
> bad paid)
From what I've read, ALDI pays more than other supermarkets
(whatever that means), but they have far fewer people who are
expected to do all jobs, so their overall labor costs are lower.
> cashiers had to remember a three digit code for every item or
> look it up from a table o a sheet of paper if they didn't. Type it in and
> the register would show the price but also subtract one product. Must be
> painful to learn up to 999 items with their code.
Remembering up to 999 (or 1000?) codes is certainly something that
not everybody could do well, so I suspect a certain qualificiation
was needed.
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| Re: Keyboards again [message #399942 is a reply to message #399940] |
Sun, 13 September 2020 04:24 |
Ahem A Rivet's Shot
Messages: 4843
Registered: January 2012
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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On Sun, 13 Sep 2020 07:05:44 -0000 (UTC)
Thomas Koenig <tkoenig@netcologne.de> wrote:
> From what I've read, ALDI pays more than other supermarkets
> (whatever that means), but they have far fewer people who are
> expected to do all jobs, so their overall labor costs are lower.
That matches their job adverts and what I see in the shops, they
also advertise that they pay high (for supermarkets) and expect hard work in
return. I notice that a high proportion of the staff are first generation
immigrants - the group usually most willing to take that deal for the sake
of giving their children a good start in the society their parents have
chosen.
--
Steve O'Hara-Smith | Directable Mirror Arrays
C:\>WIN | A better way to focus the sun
The computer obeys and wins. | licences available see
You lose and Bill collects. | http://www.sohara.org/
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| Re: Keyboards again [message #399943 is a reply to message #399934] |
Sun, 13 September 2020 05:37 |
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Originally posted by: Bob Eager
On Sat, 12 Sep 2020 20:02:34 -0400, Andreas Kohlbach wrote:
> On Sat, 12 Sep 2020 06:20:30 -0000 (UTC), Thomas Koenig wrote:
>>
>> Dave Garland <dave.garland@wizinfo.com> schrieb:
>>> I remember reports of a competition where a 10-key adding machine
>>> operator couldn't keep up with a proficient soroban operator. I
>>> suppose that's still true, if there are any proficient abacus
>>> operators left these days.
>>
>> It would be interesting to see how that would work in competition with,
>> let's say, a bar code scanner at a supermarket cash register.
>> These don't work perfectly either...
>
> Since you also appear to be from Germany, remember the 80s and early 90s
> at ALDI? They were so "advanced". Before bar code was used cashiers in
> other stores read the price from the label and typed it in. No way to
> take track of how many items were still in stock. At ALDI the poor (and
> bad paid) cashiers had to remember a three digit code for every item or
> look it up from a table o a sheet of paper if they didn't. Type it in
> and the register would show the price but also subtract one product.
> Must be painful to learn up to 999 items with their code. And you could
> still make a mistake and sell a bottle of pricey sparkling wine for 99
> Pfennige (a Pfennig was 1/100 of a Deutschmark).
>
> As everybody else they changed to bar code scanners in the mid 90s.
They still have to use codes sometimes, when bar codes are wrong or
missing. They seem to hold the 'current' ones in theor heads, and have
sheets of paper too.
--
Using UNIX since v6 (1975)...
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK:
http://www.mirrorservice.org
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| Re: Keyboards again [message #399944 is a reply to message #399940] |
Sun, 13 September 2020 05:38 |
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Originally posted by: Bob Eager
On Sun, 13 Sep 2020 07:05:44 +0000, Thomas Koenig wrote:
> From what I've read, ALDI pays more than other supermarkets (whatever
> that means), but they have far fewer people who are expected to do all
> jobs, so their overall labor costs are lower.
My son is a deputy manager for Aldi, and they do pay better than other
supermarkets.
--
Using UNIX since v6 (1975)...
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK:
http://www.mirrorservice.org
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| Re: Keyboards again [message #399949 is a reply to message #399940] |
Sun, 13 September 2020 11:34 |
scott
Messages: 4237
Registered: February 2012
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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Thomas Koenig <tkoenig@netcologne.de> writes:
> Andreas Kohlbach <ank@spamfence.net> schrieb:
>> On Sat, 12 Sep 2020 06:20:30 -0000 (UTC), Thomas Koenig wrote:
>
>> cashiers had to remember a three digit code for every item or
>> look it up from a table o a sheet of paper if they didn't. Type it in and
>> the register would show the price but also subtract one product. Must be
>> painful to learn up to 999 items with their code.
>
> Remembering up to 999 (or 1000?) codes is certainly something that
> not everybody could do well, so I suspect a certain qualificiation
> was needed.
PLU codes on fruits and vegetables in the US are four digits. The
clerks have most of them memorized after a fairly short period of time.
Now that we have self-checkouts, I've memorized a couple: 4011 - banana,
4077 - white sweet corn, 3616 - Apple (Envy).
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| Re: Keyboards again [message #399950 is a reply to message #399940] |
Sun, 13 September 2020 11:53 |
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Originally posted by: JimP
On Sun, 13 Sep 2020 07:05:44 -0000 (UTC), Thomas Koenig
<tkoenig@netcologne.de> wrote:
> Andreas Kohlbach <ank@spamfence.net> schrieb:
>> On Sat, 12 Sep 2020 06:20:30 -0000 (UTC), Thomas Koenig wrote:
>>>
>>> Dave Garland <dave.garland@wizinfo.com> schrieb:
>>>> I remember reports of a competition where
>>>> a 10-key adding machine operator couldn't keep up with a proficient
>>>> soroban operator. I suppose that's still true, if there are any
>>>> proficient abacus operators left these days.
>>>
>>> It would be interesting to see how that would work in competition
>>> with, let's say, a bar code scanner at a supermarket cash register.
>>> These don't work perfectly either...
>>
>> Since you also appear to be from Germany, remember the 80s and early 90s
>> at ALDI?
>
>> They were so "advanced". Before bar code was used cashiers in
>> other stores read the price from the label and typed it in. No way to
>> take track of how many items were still in stock. At ALDI the poor (and
>> bad paid)
>
> From what I've read, ALDI pays more than other supermarkets
> (whatever that means), but they have far fewer people who are
> expected to do all jobs, so their overall labor costs are lower.
Publix also pays higher. I have seen their employees shelf stocking
throughout the store. Doesn't look like someone is assigned to a
particular section.
--
Jim
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| Re: the dangers of socialism, not Keyboards again [message #399952 is a reply to message #399950] |
Sun, 13 September 2020 13:50 |
John Levine
Messages: 1405
Registered: December 2011
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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In article <82gslf59kuu09sl12199tjcf8ncldgku8h@4ax.com>,
JimP <chucktheouch@gmail.com> wrote:
>> From what I've read, ALDI pays more than other supermarkets
>> (whatever that means), but they have far fewer people who are
>> expected to do all jobs, so their overall labor costs are lower.
>
> Publix also pays higher. I have seen their employees shelf stocking
> throughout the store. Doesn't look like someone is assigned to a
> particular section.
Publix is owned by its employees and has been since the 1930s. It is
consistently profitable, wins awards both for being a good place to
work and a good place to shop, and has a strong commitment to the
communites where its stores are. Just goes to show what happens if you
let the workers take over.
Aldi is actually two different privately owned chains, Aldi Nord with
red signs and Aldi Sud with blue signs. In 1966, when the founder
died, he divided the company in half and gave half to each of his two
sons. The Aldi stores in North America are Aldi Sud. Trader Joe's
belongs to Aldi Nord. Aldi has a repuation for paying well and making
staff work hard.
Here in upstate NY the largest supermarket chain is family owned
Wegmans, with a reputation for pretty good pay and very good employee
relations.
--
Regards,
John Levine, johnl@taugh.com, Primary Perpetrator of "The Internet for Dummies",
Please consider the environment before reading this e-mail. https://jl.ly
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| Re: the dangers of socialism, not Keyboards again [message #399954 is a reply to message #399952] |
Sun, 13 September 2020 14:35 |
Andy Burns
Messages: 416
Registered: June 2012
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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John Levine wrote:
> Publix is owned by its employees and has been since the 1930s. It is
> consistently profitable, wins awards both for being a good place to
> work and a good place to shop, and has a strong commitment to the
> communites where its stores are. Just goes to show what happens if you
> let the workers take over.
Similarly the John Lewis/Waitrose partnerships in the UK, but they're on
the ropes ... low bonuses in recent years, closing some of their newest
branches before covid and deciding to permanently shutter some major
ones post-covid.
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| Re: the dangers of socialism, not Keyboards again [message #399955 is a reply to message #399954] |
Sun, 13 September 2020 15:33 |
John Levine
Messages: 1405
Registered: December 2011
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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In article <hs7747Fk643U1@mid.individual.net>,
Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> wrote:
> John Levine wrote:
>
>> Publix is owned by its employees and has been since the 1930s. It is
>> consistently profitable, wins awards both for being a good place to
>> work and a good place to shop, ...
> Similarly the John Lewis/Waitrose partnerships in the UK, but they're on
> the ropes ... low bonuses in recent years, closing some of their newest
> branches before covid and deciding to permanently shutter some major
> ones post-covid.
John Lewis' problem is the same problem that all department stores
have. People just don't shop at them like they used to, with COVID
being the last straw.
I gather that Waitrose (their supermarket chain) is doing fine.
--
Regards,
John Levine, johnl@taugh.com, Primary Perpetrator of "The Internet for Dummies",
Please consider the environment before reading this e-mail. https://jl.ly
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| Re: Keyboards again [message #399956 is a reply to message #399950] |
Sun, 13 September 2020 16:01 |
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Originally posted by: JimP
On Sun, 13 Sep 2020 10:53:35 -0500, JimP <chucktheouch@gmail.com>
wrote:
> On Sun, 13 Sep 2020 07:05:44 -0000 (UTC), Thomas Koenig
> <tkoenig@netcologne.de> wrote:
>> Andreas Kohlbach <ank@spamfence.net> schrieb:
>>> On Sat, 12 Sep 2020 06:20:30 -0000 (UTC), Thomas Koenig wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Dave Garland <dave.garland@wizinfo.com> schrieb:
>>>> > I remember reports of a competition where
>>>> > a 10-key adding machine operator couldn't keep up with a proficient
>>>> > soroban operator. I suppose that's still true, if there are any
>>>> > proficient abacus operators left these days.
>>>>
>>>> It would be interesting to see how that would work in competition
>>>> with, let's say, a bar code scanner at a supermarket cash register.
>>>> These don't work perfectly either...
>>>
>>> Since you also appear to be from Germany, remember the 80s and early 90s
>>> at ALDI?
>>
>>> They were so "advanced". Before bar code was used cashiers in
>>> other stores read the price from the label and typed it in. No way to
>>> take track of how many items were still in stock. At ALDI the poor (and
>>> bad paid)
>>
>> From what I've read, ALDI pays more than other supermarkets
>> (whatever that means), but they have far fewer people who are
>> expected to do all jobs, so their overall labor costs are lower.
>
> Publix also pays higher. I have seen their employees shelf stocking
> throughout the store. Doesn't look like someone is assigned to a
> particular section.
The people who work in the deli, or produce, or meat, don't work in
other areas that I have seen.
--
Jim
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| Re: Keyboards again [message #399959 is a reply to message #399949] |
Sun, 13 September 2020 16:54 |
Mike Spencer
Messages: 997
Registered: January 2012
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) writes:
> PLU codes on fruits and vegetables in the US are four digits. The
> clerks have most of them memorized after a fairly short period of time.
>
> Now that we have self-checkouts, I've memorized a couple: 4011 - banana...
One of my father's favorite riffs on someone who was numerically
illiterate was an allusion to the putative number, forty-leven. So I
was entertained to see 4011 appear on every banana with the
introduction of PLU numbers.
> ...4077 - white sweet corn, 3616 - Apple (Envy).
Last time I was looking into it, there was a bit of a flap developing
in the PLU domain because apple breeders were developing so many new
and distinct varieties that it was threatening to exhaust the 4-digit
standard. Dunno. There are 80 apple varieties in the PLU list on my
HD and 79 tomato varieties.
--
Mike Spencer Nova Scotia, Canada
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| Re: Keyboards again [message #399962 is a reply to message #399498] |
Sun, 13 September 2020 19:54 |
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Originally posted by: Bob Eager
On Sun, 13 Sep 2020 19:20:13 -0400, Andreas Kohlbach wrote:
> On 13 Sep 2020 09:38:21 GMT, Bob Eager wrote:
>>
>> On Sun, 13 Sep 2020 07:05:44 +0000, Thomas Koenig wrote:
>>
>>> From what I've read, ALDI pays more than other supermarkets (whatever
>>> that means), but they have far fewer people who are expected to do all
>>> jobs, so their overall labor costs are lower.
>>
>> My son is a deputy manager for Aldi, and they do pay better than other
>> supermarkets.
>
> My info was from the wife of a friend who knew a cashier at ALDI. But
> this info that they are bad paid is from the 1980s and also second hand
> (friend of wife of my friend). In the 1980s there were AFAIK no ALDI
> stores in the UK. According to Wikipedia they expanded in the UK in the
> 1990s, while they opened stores in the US in the 1970s already.
Yes, it may well be different in the UK.
After all, look at the differences in pay in restaurants. In the UK, they
are paid quite badly. In the US, they are paid very badly and expected to
make it up in tips.
--
Using UNIX since v6 (1975)...
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK:
http://www.mirrorservice.org
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| Re: the dangers of socialism, not Keyboards again [message #399968 is a reply to message #399955] |
Mon, 14 September 2020 02:46 |
Andy Burns
Messages: 416
Registered: June 2012
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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John Levine wrote:
> I gather that Waitrose (their supermarket chain) is doing fine.
They closed 18 stores in 2018-19, including some they'd purpose-built
only recently, and which as far as I could see had decent customer
numbers. To add insult to injury, several of them have re-opened as
Lidl stores.
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| Re: Keyboards again [message #400044 is a reply to message #399944] |
Tue, 15 September 2020 14:44 |
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Originally posted by: maus
On 2020-09-13, Bob Eager <news0073@eager.cx> wrote:
> On Sun, 13 Sep 2020 07:05:44 +0000, Thomas Koenig wrote:
>
>> From what I've read, ALDI pays more than other supermarkets (whatever
>> that means), but they have far fewer people who are expected to do all
>> jobs, so their overall labor costs are lower.
>
> My son is a deputy manager for Aldi, and they do pay better than other
> supermarkets.
>
My daughter interviewed for Lidl (same difference, AFAIK) and they reputably
pay well, but work hard. In the stores, if comething needs doing, anyone handy
does it. Good idea, I think.
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| Re: Keyboards again [message #400045 is a reply to message #399498] |
Tue, 15 September 2020 14:47 |
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Originally posted by: maus
On 2020-09-13, Andreas Kohlbach <ank@spamfence.net> wrote:
> On 13 Sep 2020 09:38:21 GMT, Bob Eager wrote:
>>
>> On Sun, 13 Sep 2020 07:05:44 +0000, Thomas Koenig wrote:
>>
>>> From what I've read, ALDI pays more than other supermarkets (whatever
>>> that means), but they have far fewer people who are expected to do all
>>> jobs, so their overall labor costs are lower.
>>
>> My son is a deputy manager for Aldi, and they do pay better than other
>> supermarkets.
>
> My info was from the wife of a friend who knew a cashier at ALDI. But
> this info that they are bad paid is from the 1980s and also second hand
> (friend of wife of my friend). In the 1980s there were AFAIK no ALDI
> stores in the UK. According to Wikipedia they expanded in the UK in the
> 1990s, while they opened stores in the US in the 1970s already.
AFAIK, again, the store split somewhat recently, to Ald Nord and A.Sud.
after the brothers died. I was once told that the familly were
Sudetenlanders originally
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| Re: Keyboards again [message #400050 is a reply to message #400044] |
Tue, 15 September 2020 15:29 |
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Originally posted by: gareth evans
On 15/09/2020 19:44, maus wrote:
> On 2020-09-13, Bob Eager <news0073@eager.cx> wrote:
>> On Sun, 13 Sep 2020 07:05:44 +0000, Thomas Koenig wrote:
>>
>>> From what I've read, ALDI pays more than other supermarkets (whatever
>>> that means), but they have far fewer people who are expected to do all
>>> jobs, so their overall labor costs are lower.
>>
>> My son is a deputy manager for Aldi, and they do pay better than other
>> supermarkets.
>>
>
> My daughter interviewed for Lidl (same difference, AFAIK) and they reputably
> pay well, but work hard. In the stores, if comething needs doing, anyone handy
> does it. Good idea, I think.
>
In my local Lidl, if there are queues at the tills, even the
store manager will man another checkout.
In my local Sainsburys, if there are queues at the tills, the
supervisors just carry on doing important things such as
shuffling their pencils.
Lidl is much cheaper than Sainsburys and I only patronise
the latter if there are things that I cannot get from the former.
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| Re: Keyboards again [message #400063 is a reply to message #400050] |
Tue, 15 September 2020 17:21 |
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Originally posted by: Bob Eager
On Tue, 15 Sep 2020 20:29:18 +0100, gareth evans wrote:
> On 15/09/2020 19:44, maus wrote:
>> On 2020-09-13, Bob Eager <news0073@eager.cx> wrote:
>>> On Sun, 13 Sep 2020 07:05:44 +0000, Thomas Koenig wrote:
>>>
>>>> From what I've read, ALDI pays more than other supermarkets (whatever
>>>> that means), but they have far fewer people who are expected to do
>>>> all jobs, so their overall labor costs are lower.
>>>
>>> My son is a deputy manager for Aldi, and they do pay better than other
>>> supermarkets.
>>>
>>>
>> My daughter interviewed for Lidl (same difference, AFAIK) and they
>> reputably pay well, but work hard. In the stores, if comething needs
>> doing, anyone handy does it. Good idea, I think.
>>
>>
> In my local Lidl, if there are queues at the tills, even the store
> manager will man another checkout.
Same in Aldi. They always have a till further from the doors open, and
that person has the responsibility of calling someone 'off the list' if
queues get too long.
--
Using UNIX since v6 (1975)...
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK:
http://www.mirrorservice.org
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| Re: Keyboards again [message #400074 is a reply to message #400050] |
Tue, 15 September 2020 21:49 |
Peter Flass
Messages: 8375
Registered: December 2011
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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gareth evans <headstone255@yahoo.com> wrote:
> On 15/09/2020 19:44, maus wrote:
>> On 2020-09-13, Bob Eager <news0073@eager.cx> wrote:
>>> On Sun, 13 Sep 2020 07:05:44 +0000, Thomas Koenig wrote:
>>>
>>>> From what I've read, ALDI pays more than other supermarkets (whatever
>>>> that means), but they have far fewer people who are expected to do all
>>>> jobs, so their overall labor costs are lower.
>>>
>>> My son is a deputy manager for Aldi, and they do pay better than other
>>> supermarkets.
>>>
>>
>> My daughter interviewed for Lidl (same difference, AFAIK) and they reputably
>> pay well, but work hard. In the stores, if comething needs doing, anyone handy
>> does it. Good idea, I think.
>>
>
> In my local Lidl, if there are queues at the tills, even the
> store manager will man another checkout.
>
> In my local Sainsburys, if there are queues at the tills, the
> supervisors just carry on doing important things such as
> shuffling their pencils.
Nothing annoys me more than to have a big line waiting for one cashier
while one or two more employees are behind the counter doing whatever, that
they apparently can’t interrupt to serve customers. Some places will have
people jump in when necessary, and I always think better of them for it.
I know nothing about running a store, but it seems to me that waiting on
customers should have priority over other tasks, which can be done when
you’re not busy.
--
Pete
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| Re: Keyboards again [message #400079 is a reply to message #400074] |
Wed, 16 September 2020 02:56 |
Ahem A Rivet's Shot
Messages: 4843
Registered: January 2012
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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On Tue, 15 Sep 2020 18:49:14 -0700
Peter Flass <peter_flass@yahoo.com> wrote:
> I know nothing about running a store, but it seems to me that waiting on
> customers should have priority over other tasks, which can be done when
> you’re not busy.
If you are ever in a small shop in Germany expect a quite
different attitude - you can almost feel as though you (the customer) are
an unwanted interruption in the business of keeping the shop perfect.
--
Steve O'Hara-Smith | Directable Mirror Arrays
C:\>WIN | A better way to focus the sun
The computer obeys and wins. | licences available see
You lose and Bill collects. | http://www.sohara.org/
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| Re: Keyboards again [message #400085 is a reply to message #400074] |
Wed, 16 September 2020 05:16 |
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Originally posted by: gareth evans
On 16/09/2020 02:49, Peter Flass wrote:
> gareth evans <headstone255@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> On 15/09/2020 19:44, maus wrote:
>>> On 2020-09-13, Bob Eager <news0073@eager.cx> wrote:
>>>> On Sun, 13 Sep 2020 07:05:44 +0000, Thomas Koenig wrote:
>>>>
>>>> > From what I've read, ALDI pays more than other supermarkets (whatever
>>>> > that means), but they have far fewer people who are expected to do all
>>>> > jobs, so their overall labor costs are lower.
>>>>
>>>> My son is a deputy manager for Aldi, and they do pay better than other
>>>> supermarkets.
>>>>
>>>
>>> My daughter interviewed for Lidl (same difference, AFAIK) and they reputably
>>> pay well, but work hard. In the stores, if comething needs doing, anyone handy
>>> does it. Good idea, I think.
>>>
>>
>> In my local Lidl, if there are queues at the tills, even the
>> store manager will man another checkout.
>>
>> In my local Sainsburys, if there are queues at the tills, the
>> supervisors just carry on doing important things such as
>> shuffling their pencils.
>
> Nothing annoys me more than to have a big line waiting for one cashier
> while one or two more employees are behind the counter doing whatever, that
> they apparently can’t interrupt to serve customers. Some places will have
> people jump in when necessary, and I always think better of them for it.
>
> I know nothing about running a store, but it seems to me that waiting on
> customers should have priority over other tasks, which can be done when
> you’re not busy.
>
Many years ago (Pye TMC, Malmesbury) I helped behind the lunch time
club bar (in return for a couple of pints) and despite that we were
volunteer club members ourselves, the chap in charge ran it like a
business, and if there were people waiting to be served, we had to drop
everything else and serve them. Washing glasses and restocking the
shelves had to wait.
After I had moved on, the place was taken over by the Yanks (Lucent)
and the bar was shut down to stop there being alcohol on the premises.
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| Re: Keyboards again [message #400086 is a reply to message #400074] |
Wed, 16 September 2020 05:55 |
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Originally posted by: maus
On 2020-09-16, Peter Flass <peter_flass@yahoo.com> wrote:
> gareth evans <headstone255@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> On 15/09/2020 19:44, maus wrote:
>>> On 2020-09-13, Bob Eager <news0073@eager.cx> wrote:
>>>> On Sun, 13 Sep 2020 07:05:44 +0000, Thomas Koenig wrote:
>>>>
>>>> > From what I've read, ALDI pays more than other supermarkets (whatever
>>>> > that means), but they have far fewer people who are expected to do all
>>>> > jobs, so their overall labor costs are lower.
>>>>
>>>> My son is a deputy manager for Aldi, and they do pay better than other
>>>> supermarkets.
>>>>
>>>
>>> My daughter interviewed for Lidl (same difference, AFAIK) and they reputably
>>> pay well, but work hard. In the stores, if comething needs doing, anyone handy
>>> does it. Good idea, I think.
>>>
>>
>> In my local Lidl, if there are queues at the tills, even the
>> store manager will man another checkout.
>>
>> In my local Sainsburys, if there are queues at the tills, the
>> supervisors just carry on doing important things such as
>> shuffling their pencils.
>
> Nothing annoys me more than to have a big line waiting for one cashier
> while one or two more employees are behind the counter doing whatever, that
> they apparently can’t interrupt to serve customers. Some places will have
> people jump in when necessary, and I always think better of them for it.
>
> I know nothing about running a store, but it seems to me that waiting on
> customers should have priority over other tasks, which can be done when
> you’re not busy.
>
=+ for Institutions, generally. Seeing senile patients wallowing in dirty
nappies while staff gossip is not nice.
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| Re: Keyboards again [message #400095 is a reply to message #400074] |
Wed, 16 September 2020 12:25 |
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Originally posted by: JimP
On Tue, 15 Sep 2020 18:49:14 -0700, Peter Flass
<peter_flass@yahoo.com> wrote:
> gareth evans <headstone255@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> On 15/09/2020 19:44, maus wrote:
>>> On 2020-09-13, Bob Eager <news0073@eager.cx> wrote:
>>>> On Sun, 13 Sep 2020 07:05:44 +0000, Thomas Koenig wrote:
>>>>
>>>> > From what I've read, ALDI pays more than other supermarkets (whatever
>>>> > that means), but they have far fewer people who are expected to do all
>>>> > jobs, so their overall labor costs are lower.
>>>>
>>>> My son is a deputy manager for Aldi, and they do pay better than other
>>>> supermarkets.
>>>>
>>>
>>> My daughter interviewed for Lidl (same difference, AFAIK) and they reputably
>>> pay well, but work hard. In the stores, if comething needs doing, anyone handy
>>> does it. Good idea, I think.
>>>
>>
>> In my local Lidl, if there are queues at the tills, even the
>> store manager will man another checkout.
>>
>> In my local Sainsburys, if there are queues at the tills, the
>> supervisors just carry on doing important things such as
>> shuffling their pencils.
>
> Nothing annoys me more than to have a big line waiting for one cashier
> while one or two more employees are behind the counter doing whatever, that
> they apparently cant interrupt to serve customers. Some places will have
> people jump in when necessary, and I always think better of them for it.
>
> I know nothing about running a store, but it seems to me that waiting on
> customers should have priority over other tasks, which can be done when
> youre not busy.
The ones I see doing mostly nothing will suddenly act like they are
stocking bags or doing some inventory behind the checkout. But that
doesn't resemble the goofing off they were doing.
--
Jim
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| Re: Keyboards again [message #400098 is a reply to message #400074] |
Wed, 16 September 2020 13:42 |
Charlie Gibbs
Messages: 5313
Registered: January 2012
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
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On 2020-09-16, Peter Flass <peter_flass@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Nothing annoys me more than to have a big line waiting for one cashier
> while one or two more employees are behind the counter doing whatever, that
> they apparently can’t interrupt to serve customers. Some places will have
> people jump in when necessary, and I always think better of them for it.
>
> I know nothing about running a store, but it seems to me that waiting on
> customers should have priority over other tasks, which can be done when
> you’re not busy.
If two or more cashiers are available, one should be reserved for simple
transactions. What annoys me is being stuck behind someone who brings
a shopping cart into the express line, runs back into the aisles for
things he or she forgot, nit-picks every item, and argues over change.
It's enough to make me return my bananas and jar of peanut butter to the
shelves and walk out.
Which reminds me of my second peeve: people who don't return items
to the shelves but drop them in random locations around the store.
Especially if it's the last unit of something I'm looking for.
--
/~\ Charlie Gibbs | Microsoft is a dictatorship.
\ / <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> | Apple is a cult.
X I'm really at ac.dekanfrus | Linux is anarchy.
/ \ if you read it the right way. | Pick your poison.
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| Re: Keyboards again [message #400105 is a reply to message #400098] |
Wed, 16 September 2020 14:03 |
Niklas Karlsson
Messages: 265
Registered: January 2012
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
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On 2020-09-16, Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> wrote:
> Which reminds me of my second peeve: people who don't return items
> to the shelves but drop them in random locations around the store.
> Especially if it's the last unit of something I'm looking for.
Bonus points if it's frozen or refrigerated items being left out in the
open.
Niklas
--
If only some company did make a spray-on product that would keep Sun away from
you. By which I mean Fha and its braindead minions. Of course, ScotchGard
doesn't really keep Scottish people away from you, although I suppose it does
keep scotch from staining your clothes. -- Steve VanDevender on 'SunGard'
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| Re: Keyboards again [message #400112 is a reply to message #400098] |
Wed, 16 September 2020 14:57 |
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Originally posted by: JimP
On 16 Sep 2020 17:42:53 GMT, Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid>
wrote:
> On 2020-09-16, Peter Flass <peter_flass@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>> Nothing annoys me more than to have a big line waiting for one cashier
>> while one or two more employees are behind the counter doing whatever, that
>> they apparently cant interrupt to serve customers. Some places will have
>> people jump in when necessary, and I always think better of them for it.
>>
>> I know nothing about running a store, but it seems to me that waiting on
>> customers should have priority over other tasks, which can be done when
>> youre not busy.
>
> If two or more cashiers are available, one should be reserved for simple
> transactions. What annoys me is being stuck behind someone who brings
> a shopping cart into the express line, runs back into the aisles for
> things he or she forgot, nit-picks every item, and argues over change.
> It's enough to make me return my bananas and jar of peanut butter to the
> shelves and walk out.
>
> Which reminds me of my second peeve: people who don't return items
> to the shelves but drop them in random locations around the store.
> Especially if it's the last unit of something I'm looking for.
Or people who put frozen food in a non-frozen food area. They should
have to spend time doing something they don't like... preferably
putting things back where they belong.
--
Jim
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| Re: Keyboards again [message #400115 is a reply to message #400112] |
Wed, 16 September 2020 15:08 |
Niklas Karlsson
Messages: 265
Registered: January 2012
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
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|
On 2020-09-16, JimP <chucktheouch@gmail.com> wrote:
> On 16 Sep 2020 17:42:53 GMT, Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid>
> wrote:
>> Which reminds me of my second peeve: people who don't return items
>> to the shelves but drop them in random locations around the store.
>> Especially if it's the last unit of something I'm looking for.
>
> Or people who put frozen food in a non-frozen food area. They should
> have to spend time doing something they don't like... preferably
> putting things back where they belong.
You're too kind.
Niklas
--
"The POP3 server service depends on the SMTP server service, which
failed to start because of the following error:
The operation completed successfully." -Windows NT Server v3.51
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| Re: Keyboards again [message #400119 is a reply to message #400074] |
Wed, 16 September 2020 17:03 |
usenet
Messages: 556
Registered: May 2013
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
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On Tue, 15 Sep 2020 18:49:14 -0700, Peter Flass <peter_flass@yahoo.com> wrote:
> gareth evans <headstone255@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> On 15/09/2020 19:44, maus wrote:
>>> On 2020-09-13, Bob Eager <news0073@eager.cx> wrote:
>>>> On Sun, 13 Sep 2020 07:05:44 +0000, Thomas Koenig wrote:
>>>>
>>>> >From what I've read, ALDI pays more than other supermarkets (whatever
>>>> >that means), but they have far fewer people who are expected to do all
>>>> >jobs, so their overall labor costs are lower.
>>>>
>>>> My son is a deputy manager for Aldi, and they do pay better than other
>>>> supermarkets.
>>>
>>> My daughter interviewed for Lidl (same difference, AFAIK) and they reputably
>>> pay well, but work hard. In the stores, if comething needs doing, anyone handy
>>> does it. Good idea, I think.
>>>
>>
>> In my local Lidl, if there are queues at the tills, even the
>> store manager will man another checkout.
>>
>> In my local Sainsburys, if there are queues at the tills, the
>> supervisors just carry on doing important things such as
>> shuffling their pencils.
> Nothing annoys me more than to have a big line waiting for one cashier
> while one or two more employees are behind the counter doing whatever, that
> they apparently can't interrupt to serve customers. Some places will have
> people jump in when necessary, and I always think better of them for it.
>
> I know nothing about running a store, but it seems to me that waiting on
> customers should have priority over other tasks, which can be done when
> you're not busy.
IOW, "I'm completely ignorant, but I'll spout off anyway"
Never mind compulsary military service -- I think every citizen should be
required to work for a few months as a retail clerk or in a similar service
capacity, preferably during a period that includes the holiday season.
Now THAT would be a good education for a lot of people.
You're right, you know nothing about running a store. There are many tasks that
employees must perform besides waiting on customers, and they are expected to
complete them during their shift, no excuses. One thing about working in a
retail environment: you are CONSTANTLY being interrupted. It can be difficult
to complete any mildly complicated task or even to remember where you left off
before getting pulled away to do something else. You have no idea what those
employees behind the counter are doing, what priority their management has
assigned to their tasks, whether one of them might be on their break, or showing
the other how to do something. It might even be a management decision to have
only X checkouts open, or a certain number of employees on the floor despite
waiting customers, because they have limited personnel and other things must be
done, so having customers endure a short wait is an acceptable trade-off.
You really want to learn something about how "the other half" lives? Sign up
for a holiday retail job at any of the big-name stores in your area. They've
already starting their seasonal hiring campaigns, so they're ready to accept
your application and their standards are quite relaxed. If you had that retail
experience, I think you'd be a lot more patient and understanding about the
employees, instead of thinking you should be the absolute center of attention
whenever you walk into a store.
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| Re: Keyboards again [message #400121 is a reply to message #400115] |
Wed, 16 September 2020 17:48 |
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Originally posted by: JimP
On 16 Sep 2020 19:08:09 GMT, Niklas Karlsson <anksil@yahoo.se> wrote:
> On 2020-09-16, JimP <chucktheouch@gmail.com> wrote:
>> On 16 Sep 2020 17:42:53 GMT, Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid>
>> wrote:
>>> Which reminds me of my second peeve: people who don't return items
>>> to the shelves but drop them in random locations around the store.
>>> Especially if it's the last unit of something I'm looking for.
>>
>> Or people who put frozen food in a non-frozen food area. They should
>> have to spend time doing something they don't like... preferably
>> putting things back where they belong.
>
> You're too kind.
>
> Niklas
Should I have saids lashes ?
--
Jim
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| Re: Keyboards again [message #400122 is a reply to message #400119] |
Wed, 16 September 2020 17:53 |
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Originally posted by: JimP
On Wed, 16 Sep 2020 21:03:14 GMT, usenet@only.tnx (Questor) wrote:
> On Tue, 15 Sep 2020 18:49:14 -0700, Peter Flass <peter_flass@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> gareth evans <headstone255@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>> On 15/09/2020 19:44, maus wrote:
>>>> On 2020-09-13, Bob Eager <news0073@eager.cx> wrote:
>>>> >On Sun, 13 Sep 2020 07:05:44 +0000, Thomas Koenig wrote:
>>>> >
>>>> >>From what I've read, ALDI pays more than other supermarkets (whatever
>>>> >>that means), but they have far fewer people who are expected to do all
>>>> >>jobs, so their overall labor costs are lower.
>>>> >
>>>> >My son is a deputy manager for Aldi, and they do pay better than other
>>>> >supermarkets.
>>>>
>>>> My daughter interviewed for Lidl (same difference, AFAIK) and they reputably
>>>> pay well, but work hard. In the stores, if comething needs doing, anyone handy
>>>> does it. Good idea, I think.
>>>>
>>>
>>> In my local Lidl, if there are queues at the tills, even the
>>> store manager will man another checkout.
>>>
>>> In my local Sainsburys, if there are queues at the tills, the
>>> supervisors just carry on doing important things such as
>>> shuffling their pencils.
>
>
>> Nothing annoys me more than to have a big line waiting for one cashier
>> while one or two more employees are behind the counter doing whatever, that
>> they apparently can't interrupt to serve customers. Some places will have
>> people jump in when necessary, and I always think better of them for it.
>>
>> I know nothing about running a store, but it seems to me that waiting on
>> customers should have priority over other tasks, which can be done when
>> you're not busy.
>
> IOW, "I'm completely ignorant, but I'll spout off anyway"
>
>
> Never mind compulsary military service -- I think every citizen should be
> required to work for a few months as a retail clerk or in a similar service
> capacity, preferably during a period that includes the holiday season.
> Now THAT would be a good education for a lot of people.
But I have worked behind the counter. The people I mentioned were
goofing off. They weren't doing other tasks. I've run a cash register
during a high school student lunch rush ( 100 plus students every 30
minutes for 2 hours) at a Burger Chef, been a part time janitor when
most of the places I cleaned would not get out of the way ( they were
just sitting there smoking cigarettes and drinking coffee ), repaired
computers being interrupted by people who wanted me to stop working on
that one, and fix their typically fictional problem with their
computer. They just wanted someone to pester.
I'm glad I'm retired and don't have to put up with that anymore.
--
Jim
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| Re: Keyboards again [message #400123 is a reply to message #400119] |
Wed, 16 September 2020 17:55 |
Niklas Karlsson
Messages: 265
Registered: January 2012
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
On 2020-09-16, Questor <usenet@only.tnx> wrote:
> You really want to learn something about how "the other half" lives? Sign up
> for a holiday retail job at any of the big-name stores in your area. They've
> already starting their seasonal hiring campaigns, so they're ready to accept
> your application and their standards are quite relaxed. If you had that retail
> experience, I think you'd be a lot more patient and understanding about the
> employees, instead of thinking you should be the absolute center of attention
> whenever you walk into a store.
Hear, hear!
Niklas
--
Nowadays, I assume that the shinier something is, the more it sucks.
It's much quicker overall.
-- Lawns 'R' Us
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| Re: Keyboards again [message #400146 is a reply to message #400119] |
Thu, 17 September 2020 03:20 |
|
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Originally posted by: maus
On 2020-09-16, Questor <usenet@only.tnx> wrote:
>
> You really want to learn something about how "the other half" lives? Sign up
> for a holiday retail job at any of the big-name stores in your area. They've
> already starting their seasonal hiring campaigns, so they're ready to accept
> your application and their standards are quite relaxed. If you had that retail
> experience, I think you'd be a lot more patient and understanding about the
> employees, instead of thinking you should be the absolute center of attention
> whenever you walk into a store.
> a
>
> re cumpolsary militart service.
>
> No Military anywhere wamts to enlist 'damaged' young people into their
> Army. The history of such units in any Army is disastrous, from the units
> That the German Army used in Byelorussia during the war, to the US units
> that committed the massacre at MyLai. Films like 'the Dirty Dozen' are
> Bull****
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