Suckitude: The Legacy of BMW's iDrive

I hate the iDrive in my BMW with a passion. It goes against all common sense. Specifically, a new invention should work the way people think or it becomes a distraction. While you're driving, that's deadly. iDrive is BMW's stupid control-knob which you turn, press, or push/pull in one of four directions to make things happen. My previous vehicle (Acura MDX) had a touch screen so everything is in front of your face. Not on the PASSENGER side of the console. What idiot came up with that?

Why iDrive sucks:
1. Selecting a radio station takes a large number of spins and presses. You can't just "dial" 015 for instance. You dial to Entertainment, then Satellite, then Presets. Or if it's not a preset, you then dial through the entire list. To be helpful, you can select Category, the Rock, and then scroll through the less. Idiotic at best.
2. Dialling the phone encounters the same exact long sequence of events. The thing randomly decides it will or won't work properly with the phone.
3. Navigation, you need to know the address. You cannot look for "Hard Rock" by name. Seriously. I don't know the address of the Hard Rock. So I have to select Navigation, scroll to the correct menu, select Category, then select Entertainment, then select Casino. I assure you I can type Hard Rock faster. Not a choice. Idiots.
5. The voice activation is worthless. I can't say "DIAL" unless I am in the communications menu. Really. So I have to use iDrive to get to the correct menu and THEN say "Dial" -- I kid you not. Worse, even when the address book syncs, it never picks the right name from the list. But wait, there's more. My phone knows that under "First Last" Name there are four phones. Each one has an icon: home, work, mobile, etc. But in iDrive's system, they're all listed as the same so you have to look at EACH one to see which number is stored. Yeah, that helps you keep the eye on the road. Which entry for Dad is his mobile? Horrendous planning. BMW should be shot.

(I like the car. I abhor the iDrive. However I won't get another one when I'm finished with this one. I hate the iDrive that much.)

I am not please hurricane Faye is coming to town. I'll do my shutters tomorrow evening I suppose. I didn't plan on it, but the track is looking for more ominous with the last report.

And Adrian is less reliable than Karen. I'm just going to assume I should always make other plans and then just see him if he's actually available when he says he will be. I think his success to cancellation ratio is well under 50%

WJM is over his first hurdle but the next hurdle is just as bed. I finally got to talk to him at length and he's resigned to the next stage. We all wish him well.

RHPS in one week. Yay.

A Lazy Sunday

First, Robert Lynn Asprin, author of the Myth series of novels as well as the Phule's Company series of novels is dead from natural causes in New Orleans. He died in May in bed whilst reading a Terry Pratchett novel. I just found out when I got my new issue of Locus Magazine.

Second, Adrian is in the doghouse today. After skating it seems his new shoes picked up a large quantity of dog shit. This, alone, is not news. The fact he didn't notice and got in my new car with it, is news. I have used massive amounts of carpet chemicals and, in a few hours, we'll see if you can tell or not, happily you can barely tell there was ever a problem. He's my friend, so murder is probably out of the question. But I figured a little public humiliation will at least make me feel better about cutting the day short to go home and clean up shit stains. However skating and breakfast were fun. And I hope Adrian feels better. I'd hate to kill a sick man.

Third, Erin visited yesterday -- an always fun event. I have given Erin dishes and silverware from my overstock. Yay. If anyone's moving I still have overstock available for a new abode, just ask. I also took her to the office to get hurricane supplies such as lights, batteries, and whatnot. Today she's home awaiting a matters for her new bed which, as of yet, is unused. We also passed a gas station where diesel was $5.39 a gallon -- near the airport of course.

Fourth, I filled out Identity Theft Affidavits for all the credit bureaus today. They'll go out certified return receipt tomorrow.

Fifth, I also have to write I've written my flame of Western Digital and will send that off to them. I am still hating them greatly over my hard drive. Also, I am sending a copy to Apple Computer so they know what kind of shite they sell in their stores. CBL has declined to write a letter indicating what files were on the drive, and I respect their desire. However, a quick perusal of Google has shown me there are massive failures of this drive. They have some sort of QC or design flaw.

Sixth, a special shout-out to Maury who sent me this link about the Room 8 School Cat. I can't tell you why I liked it so much, but I did.

Seventh, I got a copy of my "independent medical evaluation" which is basically accurate but there are some errors. I will be writing have written a correction letter and sending that in as well.

PS: iDrive still sucks ass. I haven't yet written a missive, but I will. Soon. I just have to stop finding new stuff to hate about it. I may never finish. I support the execution of the person who invented it.

Various Stuff

1. No news on fraud.
2. iDrive sucks. It's the one thing about my new car that sucks ass. I really hate it more with each passing day. I like my car but not the iDrive disaster.
3. Chiropractor visit today was helpful.
4. StateFarm appears to be paying doctor's bills through July so need for lawyer is shrinking. Though someone ought to sue Progressive just 'cause they're lying assholes.
5. The "all business class" airline concept is dead. SilverJet, MaxJet, and Eos have all folded. The last one L'Avion was bought today by British Airways.
6. Continental Airlines and two employees are facing criminal charges in the fatal crash of Concorde in the year 2000. The French claim that a chunk of a Continental DC-10 hit the tyre, which burst and sent shrapnel into the Olympic engines causing the fire that brought the plane down. I really like Continental, but I'm not seeing how they'll be found innocent here. Another article is here in the NY Times (thanks Mr. Rice).
7. Fox News has done something that many other REPUTABLE organizations have fired people for. It has digitally altered photos of people who do not support their views and passed them off as otherwise. The full story on Media Matters. It was done on the decidedly un-fair and un-balanced "Fox and Friends" show. Fox News has sunk to a new low. On Wednesday, the network displayed photos that its editors had doctored of two New York Times employees -- reporter Jacques Steinberg and editor Steven Radcliffe. You can see the before-and-after evidence showing that Fox purposefully yellowed Steinberg's teeth, widened his nose and chin, and photo-shopped his ears stick out further.
8. I am going to switch to FF3 later today because the Noia Theme is finally available. I will, sadly, have to switch from Googlebar to Google Toolbar. And, worse, I will lose PrintImage but I am pleased that I can finally make the switch. Beta versions of Googlebar and Favicon Picker were found making me even happier.
9. I'm really hungry. I am no longer hungry, though what I ate was shite.
10. Good luck to Mom who had an especially bad day.
11. I went to Publix and Walgreens today because they'll be closed today.
12. I will take Grandma to breakfast tomorrow.

(EDIT: Edited 8 and added 10+)

Stuff. Fraud. Car. Food. Etc.

1. Thanks to Jay for dinner at PrimeBlue this evening. Never heard of it, but it was a fine meal. Too much food was ordered but we're both at fault.
2. I absolutely am learning to loathe iDrive as it sucks ass. It's clearly the "Microsoft" design philosophy: counter-intuitive at every turn. But I mostly like my car, except for iDrive and Sirius.
3. I am, ONCE AGAIN, the victim of identity theft at my new bank. Same Modus Operandi. Same person. I am not at liberty to disclose how I know this, but he made a mistake. Tomorrow I will be speaking with the FBI. My new bank has been far more helpful than BankAtlantic. They gave me resources, numbers to call, and so forth. This time NO MONEY WAS TAKEN. I caught it quickly. There will be no more posted details at this time. But to the guy doing it: watch your back 'cause you ain't as smart as you think you are.