mystcb

Exactly this, the pressure from everyone, not just the kids themselves, is a lot. We are in a digital world right now, and without "digital access", you become part of the crowd that can get bullied for not being up to date. It is a terrible place to be, and you get torn between the two ends of the scale.

I think there is such an issue with closed platforms as well on top of it all. I wouldn't want my kid on WhatsApp being perfectly honestly, I can't really control to a level where I feel that they would be safe on that platform. While all the adults in her life are on there, means we are limited to the odd platform here and there.

I have an Apple device for her, I have used Apple Configurator and profiles to properly lock down what they can do on the device. Even then its timed and monitored, but then we hit the issue. Half the family are Apple, half the family are Android, and same with her friends too. The only way we have been able to get some semblance of chat is Google Meets, but even then messaging doesn't always work, and she is left with SMS, which for some of the other kids, they don't have a SIM in their device (and probably for good reason). It means that keeping the links up between her and everyone is just like being in an IT support department! But at least I know she isn't going to get to anything bad.

Even at school you hear what the other kids have seen, to a point where the school had to pull in Safegarding because one of their kids basically had unfettered access to YouTube, and started telling the class everything.

The ban needs to happen, because we have set ourselves up for this globally, without the right pressure to the right places, to the platforms themselves, the world has to take other actions, and the pressure continues.

It's always the way that we always wish for the things we can't have, as children I remember my own meltdowns back in the day, over Lego of all things!

It isn't good, at all.

Again, I didn't want my post to say I disagree, its just, there needs to be more done, and this is just a plaster over the issue.. it will help, but over time it will become less and less effective :(

Fair point on the good information; it is always relative to the person.

What I do want to say is that with the unfettered access side, I completely agree with this too. Right now, because of what has happened, it is the only real option we do have, and it does mean that the wrong things get caught in the collateral. Its frustrating when it does, but if its the right thing to do, then it should be. My point was that while we are putting effort into ensuring people are safe, we need to also put effort into sorting the root cause of the problem too, we can't just ignore it. It will fester and continue, so that when that access is lifted because "they are old enough" then whats stopping it happening then, when they are older.

Just wanted to say I don't disagree with what is happening, I just wish there was more work to help with the root of the problem, to start to actually deal with it further down the rabbit hole.

As we have seen with adult verification too, its a cat and mouse game, and right now, the mice are winning.

I agree, it needs to be in collaboration though. We can't rely just on one side to do all the work. It has to be a very good balance otherwise it will feel like we are pushing to hard, or being turned into a nanny state.

I agree, it isn't possible to keep up these days on everything. I know for myself, I have my kid with a phone, but I also happen to use Apple Configurator and provide a massively locked down platform for her. It contains enough for her to call us, emergency contacts, a few very selected games, and fully restricted, and monitored. But this I know is only because I am in the IT world, and do this sort of stuff generally. For general parent #1, they will always struggle, so need the support.

Either way, I do agree with you, it needs a mix, a balance, but we also need to use that regulation to hit the source, not plaster over it!

Probably going to illicit some bad responses, but hopefully here, people might see what I am trying to say.

While I am annoyed a "ban" has to come into play for social media, it seems to be the only thing we can do in the short term, but as a person in the IT industry, I do wonder if we are missing doing an RCA on the issue.

Even as an adult with a child, I can't see us ever letting our kid actually use social media till they understand it, and that comes down to parenting properly, teaching them the right way, and letting them know of the dangers.

However, I see the root cause as these are commercial platforms which enable the person with more money to throw their version of events at all of us, not just kids and adults. I can see that it isn't just the kids we have to worry about, but we have adults in high places who will believe the same thing, and while we worry about the children in this, there are adults who could do serious damage to themselves and others, and people would look the other way.

These days, people need to have different ways to talk to each other. Yes, I know we used to have letters, then telegrams, then everything evolves, but live changes, and information is so much more freely available. Locking people out of good information means that you are essentially stopping them from seeing the wider picture. Moving closer to sensorship.

For me, its frustrating that this the direction we are going in, but it doesn't actually solve the issue. It just passes it along to later on, further time away, for it to then cause more damage later on. How many times have we as IT people left something and had to then deal with the issues later on.

Social media is just that, it isn't good. I try to stay away from it, but in a way it is the only way I do get updates on what happens to my friends, globally. The world is changing, and we need to adapt, but we need to put the right guardrails in the right place.

Personally, I think the blanket ban is not the right thing to do, but in the short term, we have ended up being the only option we can do, and that isn't good. That is why for me, a ban isn't good. It isn't because I don't think it will help, I just believe it doesn't solve the problem itself.

Yeah, I am guessing it's just a placeholder till they get more info. I thought I saw somewhere that internally within Microsoft it's seen as a "Sev 1" with "all hands on deck" - Annoyingly I can't remember where I saw it, so if someone spots it before I do, please credit that person :D

Edit: Typo!

Update 16:57 UTC:

Azure Portal Access Issues

Starting at approximately 16:00 UTC, we began experiencing Azure Front Door issues resulting in a loss of availability of some services. In addition. customers may experience issues accessing the Azure Portal. Customers can attempt to use programmatic methods (PowerShell, CLI, etc.) to access/utilize resources if they are unable to access the portal directly. We have failed the portal away from Azure Front Door (AFD) to attempt to mitigate the portal access issues and are continuing to assess the situation.

We are actively assessing failover options of internal services from our AFD infrastructure. Our investigation into the contributing factors and additional recovery workstreams continues. More information will be provided within 60 minutes or sooner.

This message was last updated at 16:57 UTC on 29 October 2025

---

Update: 16:35 UTC:

Azure Portal Access Issues

Starting at approximately 16:00 UTC, we began experiencing DNS issues resulting in availability degradation of some services. Customers may experience issues accessing the Azure Portal. We have taken action that is expected to address the portal access issues here shortly. We are actively investigating the underlying issue and additional mitigation actions. More information will be provided within 60 minutes or sooner.

This message was last updated at 16:35 UTC on 29 October 2025

---

Azure Portal Access Issues

We are investigating an issue with the Azure Portal where customers may be experiencing issues accessing the portal. More information will be provided shortly.

This message was last updated at 16:18 UTC on 29 October 2025

---

Message from the Azure Status Page: https://azure.status.microsoft/en-gb/status

Updated 16:35 UTC

Azure Portal Access Issues

Starting at approximately 16:00 UTC, we began experiencing DNS issues resulting in availability degradation of some services. Customers may experience issues accessing the Azure Portal. We have taken action that is expected to address the portal access issues here shortly. We are actively investigating the underlying issue and additional mitigation actions. More information will be provided within 60 minutes or sooner.

This message was last updated at 16:35 UTC on 29 October 2025

----

Azure Portal Access Issues

We are investigating an issue with the Azure Portal where customers may be experiencing issues accessing the portal. More information will be provided shortly.

This message was last updated at 16:18 UTC on 29 October 2025

-- From the Azure status page

I'd say, people that need it. Which could be the same for all the other models out there.

To create one model that is great at everything is probably a pipedream. Much like creating a multi-tool that can do everything- but can it? I wouldn't trust a multi-tool to take a wheel nut off a wheel, but I would find it useful if I suddenly needed a cross-head screw taken out of something.

But then I also have a specific crosshead screwdriver that is good at just taking out cross-head screws.

Use the right tool for the right reason. In this case, there maybe a legal reason why someone might need to use it. It might be that this version of a model can create something better that another model can't. It might be that for cost reasons you are within AWS, that it makes sense to use a model at the cheaper cost than say something else.

So yeah, I am sure it will be great for some people, and terrible for others... just the way things go!

Do you still have to quit and restart the entire application after you give the permission?

The funny thing about this, even on Sonoma - I could click the button to allow it, when it said "restart app" I closed the box (or clicked cancel), and it worked anyway. Specifically, I noticed it more on things like Teams/Zoom where I was doing a screen share, it just "worked" - no need to restart the entire application.

Refreshed before typing this because I realised someone might have beaten me to it! - But that's a big difference here - even though the service is gone, you got the refund and still a usable device as a controller out of it...

Spotify has taken something that could be used generically too, and just decided to brick it.

Insert something about product and consumers and how its all just some big money game or something somewhere :D

Uniqlo has something similar to this - they use RFID's on their stock so you can dump it into a bucket at the self-checkout, and it scans everything immediately [1]. You still have someone pop over to check if you are OK, but it is a lot quicker than self-scan or usually waiting for someone.

[1] https://www.rfidcard.com/uniqlo-has-rolled-out-rfid-technolo...

Oddly enough, I am in the UK - and I do have it, but it was already turned off when I went there. I wonder if things have changed, or there are some canary releases of the box... or am I just completely unaware my account isn't considered a UK-based account?

I did a few things in my younger days - I used to like playing MUDs, and one day a few of my college friends wanted to create our own. So we created a fairly unknown MUD called "Faereal" which still happens to be used as my domain name for my personal stuff!

I was lucky enough to have a good friend and neighbour down the road who ran ExNet [1], who provided me with space to host my first server, and oh boy looking back, I am surprised I didn't blow everything up! [2] - Windows 98 connected directly into the internet, with a fairly terrible firewall and some random remote control software I found!.

Eventually, though another MUD, we were donated a more up-to-date box, which ran Linux, and we hosted that MUD and the Faereal MUD for a while, eventually adding in my own DNS server, website hosting (PHP), and that is how I ended up hosting friends websites.

That turned into a hobby where I started to write my own PHP, started helping firstly helping out on a game called "PhaseOne" which was essentially a copy of a game we were all playing at the time called "Planetarion" [3] -- (OMG As I looked for this, its still running!). Part of this code I created a "Team based chat area", which eventually became the primary base for something that has taken over nearly 20 years of my life.

The code became the custom-written forum code behind DDR:UK, a Dance Dance Revolution fan website for the UK, which through the founders we created the "official" Sim Packs for DDR simulators such as DWI [4] and Stepmania [5]. This eventually moved into us working at events such as the London MCM ComicCon [6], where we bought in actual DDR arcade machines, including a Stepmania run DDR Machine that used to sit in the Namco Station in Central London on the South Bank. (I would love to say it was a world first, but there was one group in the US that had a temporary setup... I would like to hope we are the world first permanent money-making one :D)

That got me into running a Japanese Culture Festival called Tokonatsu [7] which got me into learning AWS. This festival has now been running for 20 years!

So all in all, how did this help:

* Interviews, it's a great story to tell, and I always get a lot of fun looks!

* Experience, from hardware, to networking, to early days of internet, software, hosting etc etc. I went thought a LOT of sleepless nights when I was younger sorting this out, gave me a whole bunch of experience that I would never would have had.

* Networking, still talk to a lot of people today, and these people are key for where I am.

Honestly, the owner of ExNet, I couldn't have done any of this, if he hadn't of started me on the right path.

EDIT: Totally forgot to explain where I am now! So with all this, through support tech, manager of of datacentres, through lead engineers, etc etc... I am now the AWS Practice Lead for my company, a Principle Consultant, and I am writing this in the airport on the way back from AWS Re:Invent 2023 :D

So yeah, that is my story! Hope someone does eventually read it :D

[1] https://www.exnet.com/

[2] https://static.colinbarker.me.uk/img/blog/2020/07/faereal-se...

[3] http://www.planetarion.com/

[4] http://dwi.ddruk.com

[5] https://www.stepmania.com/

[6] https://www.mcmcomiccon.com/global/en-us.html

[7] https://www.tokonatsu.org.uk

Is it this[1] that you were looking for at all?

[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33945628

It's currently Re:Invent 2023 [1], where AWS usually "store up" announcements for the week. Meaning a load of product announcements are being released in quick succession. That would explain a higher than usual number of articles and links being put up.

[1] https://reinvent.awsevents.com/

Update to the page says:

--- Starting at 09:00 UTC on 10 Nov 2023, we identified that customers in the leveraging Azure services in Europe may experience increased latency and failures when accessing Azure resources. We are currently investigating to understand the underlying cause and will provide the next update in 60 minutes or as events warrant.

This message was last updated at 10:37 UTC on 10 November 2023

Just spotted - while looking around, seems like the links have returned: (for v7.0.10). Honestly, it was as I was looking at the history to see what happened on the page, it just re-appeared when I went back. (Clicked on the latest version number in the history, now it appeares every time)

https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads

Rackers at Rackspace

Hopefully some additional links too, to show how it evolved from Domain Name Front Running[0]. Moved into Domain tasting (which things like Domain Kitting is related to) [1].

There are posts all the way back to 2011[2] and probably further showing GoDaddy doing this for some time, and even I spotted it when using Network Solutions back in the day [3].

ICANN introduced charges (from the Wiki article) to try and reduce the Domain Tasting element, so I a guessing it is better now), but I (my personal opinion) think that it is still out there, just not as obvious as it once was!

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domain_name_front_running

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domain_tasting

[2] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2326790

[3] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22005265

Ahh good spot, it does seem that the AWS person I am speaking too has a few more bits other than what is shown on the page, they just messaged me the same message there, but added:

"All teams are engaged and continuing to work towards mitigation. We have confirmed the issue is due to multiple impaired network devices in the US-EAST-1 Region."

Doesn't sound like they are having a good day there!

Not sure it helps, but got this update from someone inside AWS a few moments ago.

"We have identified the root cause of the issues in the US-EAST-1 Region, which is a network issue with some network devices in that Region which is affecting multiple services, including the console but also services like S3. We are actively working towards recovery."

As a user, I have zero desire to use some random payment gateway, using Apple makes my life easier, I can reasonably trust Apple not to let someone steal my money, how am I supposed to trust 50 different gateways?

I think this is a fair argument, and I believe also shows that if options are available, that is where us as a consumer have our freedom. I also personally like the ability to quickly pay when needed for things using Apple, but in return - if I was able to pay for it because another offer, or option, or something was presented to me that was easier, I would totally take that that too. However, I can see how that would be a loss for the people writing and maintaining the app and the associated services.

The problem I see is that this swinging at the moment between a single payment gateway and every payment gateway out there is a huge pendulum that is swinging to the extremes of both, neither side actually gets anything good out of it.

It would be lovely in a world where the option was to use Apple + an external, and letting users decide what they feel safe with. Some will be happy going direct with Apple, some would be happier with <insert payment style here>.

I think it is mentioned below, I can see larger companies immediately dropping the Apple method because it loses them the extra profit, and just making the ecosystem harder. People lose faith in paying for services, and then another service comes along, charging 30%, and we are back where we started.

So yeah, IMHO, it is good it is being recognised, but at the same time, its going to be a bumpy ride.

Ahh go on, here is my contribution:

http://www.ireallylikechicken.com/

Spotted it had been bought up before me! https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27608838

But the thread with more comments: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27609027

Not thought about the re-assembly side of things - most of the second hand items I have collected didn't need dismantling - they came as one unit. (At the cost of the annoyance of moving it as a single unit!)

I am sure there are different experiences out there, could also be the circle of friends that do a lot of IKEA "freecycling" meaning I do see a higher quantity of re-used items being moved about.

I know that depending on the type of item as well there is a build quality issue - like Kallax shelving, it is a little more sturdier than the slightly cheaper version, and given I started with Kallax, I have stuck with it - Same with the Billy book cases too!

Although, the Diam Cake you can get from IKEA... that 100% is not going to waste, and 100% no one is getting a "second hand" one from me... there will be none left ;)

But returning back! It could be Apples to Oranges, there are so many products, and in my experience I have seen people stick to the same grouping of products as well, which could see re-use more possible than say another grouping (for any number of reasons).

Who knows, tomorrow the shelf behind me might just fall apart and I will be back eating my own words :)

From a different point of view, I would say that I don't see their furniture as "designed to be disposable", more that there is good marked for re-use through other people.

Spotted a few comments from people saying they have had second hand items (3rd, 4th etc) - and I think that in my head is where my version of "disposable" has come from.

When I no longer want an Ikea product because it doesn't fit, or no longer needed - I will sell it online, and get a new one - for me I have "disposed of it" but actually its been "recycled" to someone that really wants it.

Anecdotally - I have never thrown away any IKEA furniture due to old age or defects. It's always been passed on, or I have received a new one. - Admittedly this is just my POV, and I fully understand people have their own experiences - but I would like to think that in some small part, I am helping with that sustainable process.

IKEA in this case, I am glad that they are at least trying to do something (again not saying other companies don't but we are in a thread about IKEA's recent work!) - and I would like to think that to round of the ring of sustainability that it isn't just the companies that need to input, its the people that use it too.

Maybe I am being too idealistic, but I will do what I can in my small little bubble to be part of that sustainable process!

I realise I got this far and didn't think about the point I was trying to make! - But yeah, from my perspective I don't feel like IKEA design it to be disposable, but I am sure other people have other experiences too :)

It is nice that the iOS version has that, but it a major pain say, if you are asked to reset your phone and restore from backup.

The recent issue with the Apple Watch not syncing health data meant that to get anywhere I had to wipe my phone, I had no where to transfer my Signal data too, thus - all gone.

It's not ideal when dealing with members of your family who really don't want to lose data, and is probably one of the few things that stops me in my own situation going over.

I do understand that in some cases this is actually a feature too, so I am not discounting it - just in my case this specific reason makes it really hard to justify a move over.

Just annoying that there isn't really a viable alternative anywhere at the moment :(

If iOS had that same option of a encrypted blob option then that would have solved my issue with the phone restore!

https://www.redditstatus.com/incidents/qr5vky5kwn3r

This is the specific part on their status page for the outage

UK Gov originally published this as the priority interim list [1] -

* older adults’ resident in a care home and care home workers

* all those 80 years of age and over and health and social care workers

* all those 75 years of age and over

* all those 70 years of age and over

* all those 65 years of age and over

* high-risk adults under 65 years of age

* moderate-risk adults under 65 years of age

* all those 60 years of age and over

* all those 55 years of age and over

* all those 50 years of age and over

* rest of the population (priority to be determined)

[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/priority-groups-f...

Started going down the rabbit hole of links just after posting this, and yes! I had no idea! Just need to work it out! - At the moment I am using the FR24 image they sent out, but I have spotted that the SD Card is in read only mode at the moment and something doesn't look right.

Maybe its a sign telling me to go down this rabbit hole!

Thanks ;)