Here’s something I AM glad about

When I was learning how to develop web sites, everyone in that business was bedevilled by the need to cater for Internet Explorer’s woeful and deliberately proprietorial lack of support for Web Standards. Every time you coded a web site, you had to make sure it worked on all the most popular web browsers AND, in addition, jump through various bizarre coding hoops to ensure that it displayed properly in the most common browser, the free-gratis take-it-whether-you-want-it-or-not-IE. 10 years later, this is still a problem. Yes, Microsoft knows about it but it does nothing to fix it.

As a Mac user and someone who always tries to have a Micro$oft-free computer, that really pissed me off, but I complied in the interests of the people who would eventually be using my web sites.

Nowadays, I’m really pleased to hear, most people in the business know that it is best to code for all of the other web browsers than to code for the deliberately and willfully non standards-compliant Internet Explorer.

As is their wont, Micro$oft tried to force the entire Internet to mould itself around it’s proprietary browser, with no consideration for standards and quality. In this instance, although not in the PC OS one, it failed. And for that, I am immensely thankful.

Bad Service and a Bad Attitude

I ordered a Xmas gift for my 75 year old Mother from sandras-online.co.uk and they sent me two cotton nightdress type things by mistake. I emailed them saying that the item, although it had arrived in time for Xmas, was not what I had ordered.

I just got an email back from Caroline, trying to sound posh by saying “myself” instead of “me”, and who was immediately and strongly on the defensive. She said:

“I cant understand how you have got nightdresses. (I do – you made a mistake, Caroline) This item was packed by myself and I recall packing a Lady Olga Dressing Gown. (Oh really? I suppose I must be lying then)

Please can you describe them to me as no white nightdresses were purchased on the day of your order. (No way! I suppose I must be lying then!)

I would like to add that you did order after our deadline for Christmas Delivery.” (And what does that have to do with the price of fish?)

Now, nowhere in my mail had I criticised them for not delivering in time for Xmas. I was really pleased that the parcel had arrived in time for Xmas. But what pisses me off about this mail is the completely unnecessary attitude, the “I didn’t do this” so you must be lying attitude. The “I’m perfect”, so you must be lying attitude. The “no white nightdresses were purchased on the day of your order” so you must be lying attitude.

She distinctly RECALLS packing a nightgown, therefore I must be lying; and NO white nightdresses were purchased on the day of my order, therefore I must be lying.

Sandras-online state the following “When you buy from us you can expect excellent communication”. Yup, they really do state that.

Caroline then goes on to say “*If* we are at fault here…” Let’s face it, she is genuinely and truly expecting me not to be able to come through on my claim that they made a mistake and be able to return these two items to them!

There is no need at all for that kind of attitude when you’re working in customer service. This is my first purchase from sandras-online and, purely because of Caroline’s defensive email, it will also be the last. She then obtusely wished me a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. As if that would make up for her implication that I am a pathological liar

I should say, in case any of the sadists who read this are thinking of flocking to sandras-online, that the items I received by mistake were of staggeringly poor quality and I am seriously considering telling them just to keep the nightgown I originally ordered.

Madonna

I’ve gone right off you, I have.

Going Dutch

I have finally – FINALLY – began to learn Dutch seriously now, doing some every day and determined to continue until I’m fluent. I’ve been learning the language by a process of osmosis for over 3 years now and it’s time I had a more useful vocabulary.

I’ve always found learning languages quite easy, but, now that I’m older, it isn’t as easy as it used to be. But then, neither is anything. ;p

I’ve found the following sites useful in my studies:

• Taalklas
• ETV
• Kennisnet
• ETV-Doe Maar Gewoon
• Online Dutch Grammar Course