There's an app for that.....

[Markverhyden]

Saw an advert for this a couple of days ago. So the next logical, or maybe illogical step, in the mobil device app space goes from finding someone or something you are looking for to having someone tell you live what to do. Onsite consumer work is already at close to break even prices. Don't see how anyone in the US could make a living wage doing this.

Frontdoor Launches Marketing Campaign to Support Innovative New Service Offering

One-Stop-App for Home Maintenance and Repair Launches Nationwide in mid-April Frontdoor, Inc. (NASDAQ: FTDR), the nation’s leading provider of home service plans, today announced a national advertising and marketing campaign to support the launch of the Frontdoor brand, a cutting edge...

news.frontdoorhome.com

 

[Metanis]

So I'm visualizing this el' cheapo do-it-yourselfer calling the service and getting one of those highly qualified <insert stereotypical telephone scammer with heavy foreign accent here> electrical experts to walk him through how to wire up his new 240v clothes dryer to his 208v 3-phase service with only the tools his wife keeps in the kitchen drawer. The "expert" has the guy put his wife on and his first question is whether she's paid his life insurance!

 

[Markverhyden]

So I'm visualizing this el cheapo diy'er calling the service and getting one of those highly qualified east-Asian electrical experts to walk him through how to wire up his new 240v clothes dryer to his 208v 3-phase service with only the tools his wife keeps in the kitchen drawer. The "expert" has the guy put his wife on and his first question is whether she's paid his life insurance!

Home owners insurance as well......

 

[NviGate Systems]

I would imagine they would limit the scope of DIY. They worded the press release very carefully. So essentially, they can help the homeowner do basic troubleshooting but likely will recommend paid services depending on the issue.

I imagine in many states there will be legal limitations as to what they can do, as certain diagnosis or repairs may from a legal perspective require permits etc.

I do however think this may end up being a massive drain on manpower and money even if you limit free vs paid. This program has the potential to be like that moviepass startup that went bankrupt. You can't get around labor and labor, even cheap labor is never cheap.

 

[Markverhyden]

I would imagine they would limit the scope of DIY. They worded the press release very carefully. So essentially, they can help the homeowner do basic troubleshooting but likely will recommend paid services depending on the issue.

I imagine in many states there will be legal limitations as to what they can do, as certain diagnosis or repairs may from a legal perspective require permits etc.

I do however think this may end up being a massive drain on manpower and money even if you limit free vs paid. This program has the potential to be like that moviepass startup that went bankrupt. You can't get around labor and labor, even cheap labor is never cheap.

In the B(as in Business)-School world, specifically retail, it's called a loss leader. Lure the customer in and them get them to pay $$$$ for the good stuff. But loss leaders rarely lead to huge gains in revenues, profits, etc.

As far as legality? I'm pretty sure in all 50 States a homeowner doesn't have many restrictions on what they can do. Obviously certain things require pulling a permit which then triggers an inspection. Someone giving them advice is just that. Someone giving them advice. BUt, as you mentioned, their legal department was all over that. And you can be sure they are well aware of the State by State statutes.

 

[britechguy]

When did casual racism become acceptable here?

I don't honestly think that anyone can consider this observation "casual racism" any more than they can when references are made to the "Nigerian Prince Scam."

The fact is that, at least on our shores, there is a skew toward East Asia when it comes to phone scams. Certainly not exclusively or even close, mind you, but it's common enough it's not racism to make reference to that fact (as it has to do with point of origin, first and foremost) even though a preponderance of the population of East Asia is, indeed, Asian.

I doubt that any of us here believe that the phrase used applies to ALL East Asians, but to a very specific subset. It's part and parcel of a current "whole ball of wax" in the scamming world.

 

[Metanis]

When did casual racism become acceptable here?

Asking for a friend...

Modified my post. Racism was unintended consequence of invoking a common telephone scammer type here in the States.

 

[britechguy]

@Computer Bloke

You're probably correct about our agreement (or the lack thereof).

But I stand by my assessment (which is indirectly reinforced by @Metanis's comment where he notes he's updated his original post). This really isn't about race, except incidentally.

Being a gay man I am sensitive to out-group intolerance, but much of what my own group considers intolerance, I don't. I have little trouble with stereotypes, either, because anyone who has even the slightest bit of common sense knows that they are caricatures where there is a basis of truth (or they'd vanish, and quickly) but where certain attributes are magnified.

Even "tone of voice" from out-group members (which is difficult to impossible to ferret out in writing) can make the difference between simple observation of actual fact, humor, and hate speech.

 

[britechguy]

I'm not sure that changing his target from "anyone from East Asia" to "anyone with a heavy foreign accent" is a huge improvement, but I appreciate the effort. Baby steps.

And, yet, you're not getting the central point that what he describes is very widespread and accurate when it comes to "what the scammers sound like" and you're a target in the USA. If we can't agree that accurately describing a situation, which is telling the truth, without landing in "those people" territory is acceptable, then we can't agree.

That's OK, too. I hold no hatred for any "acceptable target" group that I'm aware of. At the same time, if one of those groups happens to compose "a significant number of {insert demographic not related to the fact that they're a target otherwise here}," mentioning that correlation is not, by necessity, targeting them.

I once spent a tortured time (and to the great amusement "the target" coworker) trying to avoid mentioning the race of the one guy in our area who someone was looking for, that was most easily identified when you hit his cubicle based upon his race. He heard me making this effort, and yelled down over the walls, "You know, it's OK to say, 'he's the black guy three rows over,' because I am, and that's the easiest way to get someone to me."

 

[frase]

Imagine having a standalone droid where the trade can remote into and control it's behaviour to do maintenance etc.

One of the largest scam agencies is run by English and employs only English speaking people based in Malaysia
This is a very interesting documentary, recommended to watch.

 

[gadgetfixup]

I'm not sure that changing his target from "anyone from East Asia" to "anyone with a heavy foreign accent" is a huge improvement, but I appreciate the effort. Baby steps.

For background, I'm a non-obvious immigrant with a European-looking Chinese wife, an African brother-in-law, another brother-in-law with cerebral palsy (and a Paralympic medal - but I digress), children all over the LGB spectrum, teetotal, vegetarian, atheist, and about eight other acceptable-target minority statuses that I can think of just off the top of my head. As you can imagine, I spend a lot of time keeping a low profile - but that doesn't mean I'm happy about it.

You know how (some) people will glance around the room to check who's listening before telling certain kinds of joke? Just because you can't see us that doesn't mean we're not here.

There are no acceptable-target minority statuses in this group. Stop being so sensitive. This is (or was) a tech repair forum. Nobody gives two cares what color you are, your sexual orientation, your relationship status, your religion, your diet, or the handicaps of you or your family. Stop throwing around the word racist.

We have probably half a dozen customers a week walk into our store saying they spoke to "Microsoft" gave access to their computer and the guy that spoke very broken Engish, a guy with a heavy accent, hard to understand, etc. demanded a large amount of money from them and locked them out of their computer. That isn't racist. That's people stating facts and experiences. Repeating those experiences and conversations isn't racist, either.

My wife is Hispanic, she says he / she sounds Mexican all the time, but that doesn't make her a racist. Admin, please install the block member plugin. It is long overdue.

 

[britechguy]

please install the block member plugin. It is long overdue.

Click on the username of any member next to one of their posts and the "Ignore" button is there, and has been there, for as long as I've been here. Use it as you see fit.

 

[britechguy]

the relevant information

We differ on what's relevant. In this case, both are, actually. There is a pattern, and noting that pattern is not anything-ist. It's merely accurate.

If you want anything that mentions any demographic quality to apply to all in that demographic, even when there are other qualifiers, that's really not something I'm willing to take on as my responsibility. Scoping rules do apply.

 

[GTP]

Click on the username of any member next to one of their posts and the "Ignore" button is there, and has been there, for as long as I've been here. Use it as you see fit.

Thats an "ignore" as opposed to "Block."
You can still see that they've posted but you dont see the content unless you click "Show ignored content."
I'd like to actually "block" some members so that they don't show up at all.

 

[GTP]

please install the block member plugin. It is long overdue.

+1

 

[britechguy]

I'd like to actually "block" some members so that they don't show up at all.

I have not seen that feature on any XenForo forum (and I'm on a number of them). And not even on ones with heavy customizations and extra extensions.

I know what you're talking about, though. Going all the way back to Usenet (talk about showing my age) there was what was then called a killfile where if someone were placed in it they didn't "show up at all." That being said, I stopped using any of these features since in virtually all cases there's enough quotation of material to know at least part of what's been posted.

But if there is an actual member blocking function, I certainly have no objections to it being activated. That would likely be something handled by either @Kitten Kong or @Bryce W.

 

[frase]

There is a plugin though is a paid solution.

 

[britechguy]

Microaggressions

I have to say that this wikipedia page does a good job with regard to that term/topic. I particularly like the second and third paragraphs, the second of which I'll quote here, and which echoes my personal feelings about the careless slinging around of that term that occurs far, far too often:

A number of scholars and social commentators have criticized the microaggression concept for its lack of scientific basis, over-reliance on subjective evidence, and promotion of psychological fragility.[7] Critics argue that avoiding behaviors that one interprets as microaggressions restricts one's own freedom and causes emotional self-harm, and that employing authority figures to address microaggressions (i.e. call-out culture) can lead to an atrophy of those skills needed to mediate one's own disputes.[8] Some argue that, because the term "microaggression" uses language connoting violence to describe verbal conduct, it can be abused to exaggerate harm, resulting in retribution and the elevation of victimhood.[9]

 

[britechguy]

identifying that someone has used racial microaggressions is not intended to imply that they are racist.

Although I understand precisely what he's saying, in practice, that's how it virtually always comes across.

I was once called on the carpet by someone who became a very dear friend for using a phrase widely considered to be antisemitic (and I hasten to add this was over 35 years ago). But the way she called me on the carpet started out with, "Brian, I know you well enough to know you never intended to cause me offense, but . . .," and then proceeding to explain exactly what it was that I said that caused offense, and further, why it caused offense. I've never said it again.

Even though the term had not been invented yet, had the approach been one where I was considered to have been intentionally antisemitic, rather than assuming no ill-will, and been accused of "microaggression" or otherwise dressed down the result would have been entirely different.

Diplomacy really does get better results, on the personal front as well as the international relations between nations. At least it does if both sides are willing to assume that the other is not of malign intent and both are willing to listen to the other. And that's true even if complete agreement is not reached. Knowing you've been heard, and your position considered, even if it's not entirely accepted is often way more than one might have privately hoped for.