Pearls Before Swine: Cell Phone Updates
https://www.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswine/2025/10/14

Cars and trucks are updating now too. Very annoying.

Lynn


--- PyGate Linux v1.0
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 2025-10-14, Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:

Pearls Before Swine: Cell Phone Updates
https://www.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswine/2025/10/14

Cars and trucks are updating now too. Very annoying.

"OTA software update bricks Jeeps ? while driving

A software update for the telemetry unit has caused Jeeps with hybrid
drives in the USA to fail ? some on the highway."

https://www.heise.de/en/news/OTA-software-update-bricks-Jeeps-while-driving-10751844.html

--
Christian "naddy" Weisgerber naddy@mips.inka.de

--- PyGate Linux v1.0
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 10/14/2025 7:20 PM, Christian Weisgerber wrote:

On 2025-10-14, Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:

Pearls Before Swine: Cell Phone Updates
https://www.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswine/2025/10/14

Cars and trucks are updating now too. Very annoying.

"OTA software update bricks Jeeps ? while driving

A software update for the telemetry unit has caused Jeeps with hybrid
drives in the USA to fail ? some on the highway."

https://www.heise.de/en/news/OTA-software-update-bricks-Jeeps-while-driving-10751844.html

"It's important for devices to have internet connectivity so the
manufacturer can patch remote exploits." - Randall Munroe

--
Mark Jackson - https://mark-jackson.online/
Against the assault of laughter nothing can stand.
- Mark Twain

--- PyGate Linux v1.0
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 15/10/25 14:53, Ted Nolan <tednolan> wrote:

In article <ml852sFtme9U2@mid.individual.net>,
Mark Jackson <mjackson@alumni.caltech.edu> wrote:

On 10/14/2025 7:20 PM, Christian Weisgerber wrote:

On 2025-10-14, Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:

Pearls Before Swine: Cell Phone Updates
https://www.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswine/2025/10/14

Cars and trucks are updating now too. Very annoying.

"OTA software update bricks Jeeps ? while driving

A software update for the telemetry unit has caused Jeeps with hybrid
drives in the USA to fail ? some on the highway."

https://www.heise.de/en/news/OTA-software-update-bricks-Jeeps-while-driving-10751844.html


"It's important for devices to have internet connectivity so the
manufacturer can patch remote exploits." - Randall Munroe

http://columbiaclosings.com/pix/memes/just_say_no.png

That was funny but scary.
Earlier this year the Ford motorcar company was successfully prosecuted
for their illegal recording of all in car conversations without the
knowledge of occupants.

--- PyGate Linux v1.0
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 10/14/2025 6:20 PM, Christian Weisgerber wrote:

On 2025-10-14, Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:

Pearls Before Swine: Cell Phone Updates
https://www.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswine/2025/10/14

Cars and trucks are updating now too. Very annoying.

"OTA software update bricks Jeeps ? while driving

A software update for the telemetry unit has caused Jeeps with hybrid
drives in the USA to fail ? some on the highway."

https://www.heise.de/en/news/OTA-software-update-bricks-Jeeps-while-driving-10751844.html

Yeep !

Lynn


--- PyGate Linux v1.0
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On Tue, 14 Oct 2025 16:14:59 -0500, Lynn McGuire
<lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:

Pearls Before Swine: Cell Phone Updates
https://www.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswine/2025/10/14

Cars and trucks are updating now too. Very annoying.

Do they at least move to the side of the road and shut down the
vehicle while doing so?

Or do they just let the vehicle go merrily on by itself while the
update is being done?
--
"Here lies the Tuscan poet Aretino,
Who evil spoke of everyone but God,
Giving as his excuse, 'I never knew him.'"

--- PyGate Linux v1.0
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 15 Oct 2025 01:53:58 GMT, ted@loft.tnolan.com (Ted Nolan
<tednolan>) wrote:

In article <ml852sFtme9U2@mid.individual.net>,
Mark Jackson <mjackson@alumni.caltech.edu> wrote:

On 10/14/2025 7:20 PM, Christian Weisgerber wrote:

On 2025-10-14, Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:

Pearls Before Swine: Cell Phone Updates
https://www.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswine/2025/10/14

Cars and trucks are updating now too. Very annoying.

"OTA software update bricks Jeeps ? while driving

A software update for the telemetry unit has caused Jeeps with hybrid
drives in the USA to fail ? some on the highway."

https://www.heise.de/en/news/OTA-software-update-bricks-Jeeps-while-dri ving-10751844.html


"It's important for devices to have internet connectivity so the >>manufacturer can patch remote exploits." - Randall Munroe

http://columbiaclosings.com/pix/memes/just_say_no.png

So much for the wired home.
--
"Here lies the Tuscan poet Aretino,
Who evil spoke of everyone but God,
Giving as his excuse, 'I never knew him.'"

--- PyGate Linux v1.0
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On Tue, 14 Oct 2025 21:20:05 -0500, Lynn McGuire
<lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:

On 10/14/2025 6:20 PM, Christian Weisgerber wrote:

On 2025-10-14, Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:

Pearls Before Swine: Cell Phone Updates
https://www.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswine/2025/10/14

Cars and trucks are updating now too. Very annoying.

"OTA software update bricks Jeeps ? while driving

A software update for the telemetry unit has caused Jeeps with hybrid
drives in the USA to fail ? some on the highway."

https://www.heise.de/en/news/OTA-software-update-bricks-Jeeps-while-drivi ng-10751844.html

Yeep !

I haven't owned a car since 1982, and that was what was then West
Germany.

I haven't driven a vehicle since 1983, when I moved home after leaving
the Army.

This sort of thing does /not/ inspire me to resume driving. No matter
how weird the alternatives get. (Currently, I can walk to the stores I
need to get to. And use Amazon for what they don't have. But who can
say what the future holds?)
--
"Here lies the Tuscan poet Aretino,
Who evil spoke of everyone but God,
Giving as his excuse, 'I never knew him.'"

--- PyGate Linux v1.0
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 10/14/2025 7:20 PM, Christian Weisgerber wrote:

On 2025-10-14, Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:

Pearls Before Swine: Cell Phone Updates
https://www.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswine/2025/10/14

Cars and trucks are updating now too. Very annoying.

"OTA software update bricks Jeeps ? while driving

A software update for the telemetry unit has caused Jeeps with hybrid
drives in the USA to fail ? some on the highway."

https://www.heise.de/en/news/OTA-software-update-bricks-Jeeps-while-driving-10751844.html

That sucks.

In my Tesla, it does need WiFi connectivity to download an OTA update,
but I could just park near Starbucks or use the hotspot on my phone
if I didn't want to give it the house WiFi.

It will download updates autonomously, but it won't apply them
until I tell it to. I typically do so at 11:30 PM (which is the
default time it offers). Takes about 45 minutes.

pt

--- PyGate Linux v1.0
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 10/14/2025 9:53 PM, Ted Nolan <tednolan> wrote:

In article <ml852sFtme9U2@mid.individual.net>,
Mark Jackson <mjackson@alumni.caltech.edu> wrote:

On 10/14/2025 7:20 PM, Christian Weisgerber wrote:

On 2025-10-14, Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:

Pearls Before Swine: Cell Phone Updates
https://www.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswine/2025/10/14

Cars and trucks are updating now too. Very annoying.

"OTA software update bricks Jeeps ? while driving

A software update for the telemetry unit has caused Jeeps with hybrid
drives in the USA to fail ? some on the highway."

https://www.heise.de/en/news/OTA-software-update-bricks-Jeeps-while-driving-10751844.html


"It's important for devices to have internet connectivity so the
manufacturer can patch remote exploits." - Randall Munroe

http://columbiaclosings.com/pix/memes/just_say_no.png

What worse is when the manufacturer has features which,
for no reason but reducing cost, cant be accessed by any
means except through the device specific app.

pt



--- PyGate Linux v1.0
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 10/15/2025 12:11 PM, Paul S Person wrote:

On Tue, 14 Oct 2025 16:14:59 -0500, Lynn McGuire
<lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:

Pearls Before Swine: Cell Phone Updates
https://www.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswine/2025/10/14

Cars and trucks are updating now too. Very annoying.

Do they at least move to the side of the road and shut down the
vehicle while doing so?

Or do they just let the vehicle go merrily on by itself while the
update is being done?

My car doesn't apply updates until I tell it to. It will download
them, and let me know they're available, but I have control over
when they're done.

pt

--- PyGate Linux v1.0
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 15/10/2025 17:16, Paul S Person wrote:

On Tue, 14 Oct 2025 21:20:05 -0500, Lynn McGuire
<lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:

On 10/14/2025 6:20 PM, Christian Weisgerber wrote:

On 2025-10-14, Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:

Pearls Before Swine: Cell Phone Updates
https://www.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswine/2025/10/14

Cars and trucks are updating now too. Very annoying.

"OTA software update bricks Jeeps ? while driving

A software update for the telemetry unit has caused Jeeps with hybrid
drives in the USA to fail ? some on the highway."

https://www.heise.de/en/news/OTA-software-update-bricks-Jeeps-while-driving-10751844.html

Yeep !

I haven't owned a car since 1982, and that was what was then West
Germany.

I haven't driven a vehicle since 1983, when I moved home after leaving
the Army.

This sort of thing does /not/ inspire me to resume driving. No matter
how weird the alternatives get.

A car that does the driving for you?

I don't know if any are also offering to go off
afterwards to park or recharge themselves.
Though I suppose that the current autonomous
taxis in some cities must be doing something
like that?

Then again, I couldn't find out what vehicles
run on in the future Mega-City of "Judge Dredd" -
they could be powered from the road - but with
a shortage of apartments (at least perhaps until
a series of catasrophes reduces the population
cumulatively?), they just live in their vehicle.
And with not enough parking space either - these
are literal mobile homes.

Unless I imagined this. Somebody did.

They may have been called mo-pads?

--- PyGate Linux v1.0
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

Paul S Person wrote:

On Tue, 14 Oct 2025 21:20:05 -0500, Lynn McGuire
<lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:

On 10/14/2025 6:20 PM, Christian Weisgerber wrote:

On 2025-10-14, Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:

Pearls Before Swine: Cell Phone Updates
https://www.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswine/2025/10/14

Cars and trucks are updating now too. Very annoying.

"OTA software update bricks Jeeps ? while driving

A software update for the telemetry unit has caused Jeeps with hybrid
drives in the USA to fail ? some on the highway."

https://www.heise.de/en/news/OTA-software-update-bricks-Jeeps-while-driving-10751844.html

Yeep !

I haven't owned a car since 1982, and that was what was then West
Germany.

I haven't driven a vehicle since 1983, when I moved home after leaving
the Army.

This sort of thing does /not/ inspire me to resume driving. No matter
how weird the alternatives get. (Currently, I can walk to the stores I
need to get to. And use Amazon for what they don't have. But who can
say what the future holds?)

We have fairly decent public transit here. And a cab to most places I
want to go is $10, including a decent tip. Or $15 for an Uber.

Transit downtown to the University takes just over an hour, cab back is
twenty minutes and costs $50. Or $40 by Uber.

All in C$.

William Hyde


--- PyGate Linux v1.0
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 2025-10-15 19:47:20 +0000, Robert Carnegie said:

On 15/10/2025 17:16, Paul S Person wrote:

On Tue, 14 Oct 2025 21:20:05 -0500, Lynn McGuire
<lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:

On 10/14/2025 6:20 PM, Christian Weisgerber wrote:

On 2025-10-14, Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:

Pearls Before Swine: Cell Phone Updates
https://www.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswine/2025/10/14

Cars and trucks are updating now too. Very annoying.

"OTA software update bricks Jeeps ? while driving

A software update for the telemetry unit has caused Jeeps with hybrid
drives in the USA to fail ? some on the highway."

https://www.heise.de/en/news/OTA-software-update-bricks-Jeeps-while-driving-10751844.html

Yeep !

I haven't owned a car since 1982, and that was what was then West
Germany.

I haven't driven a vehicle since 1983, when I moved home after leaving
the Army.

This sort of thing does /not/ inspire me to resume driving. No matter
how weird the alternatives get.

A car that does the driving for you?

I don't know if any are also offering to go off afterwards to park or recharge themselves. Though I suppose that the current autonomous taxis
in some cities must be doing something like that?

There have been news stories about idiotic self-driving cars /
robo-taxis that have caused issues. There was one were lots of them all
seemed to congregate in a particular street, often honking their horns,
etc. which annoyed the people living there.

Then again, I couldn't find out what vehicles run on in the future
Mega-City of "Judge Dredd" - they could be powered from the road - but
with a shortage of apartments (at least perhaps until a series of catasrophes reduces the population cumulatively?), they just live in
their vehicle. And with not enough parking space either - these are
literal mobile homes.

Unless I imagined this. Somebody did.

They may have been called mo-pads?

There are trials in various countries of electric cars that are
continuously charged driving along the road, but such a scheme would be hideously expensive and distruptive while roads are dug up to bury the
cables and charging pads, so is unlikely to every happen except in
small specific areas.

Another option being trialled is wireless charging pads in parking spots.

The reality is that the silly greeny push towards electric cars creates
far more peoroblems than they "solve", and don't even solve the ones
claimed anyway.




--- PyGate Linux v1.0
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 10/15/2025 11:11 AM, Paul S Person wrote:

On Tue, 14 Oct 2025 16:14:59 -0500, Lynn McGuire
<lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:

Pearls Before Swine: Cell Phone Updates
https://www.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswine/2025/10/14

Cars and trucks are updating now too. Very annoying.

Do they at least move to the side of the road and shut down the
vehicle while doing so?

Or do they just let the vehicle go merrily on by itself while the
update is being done?

One of the Ice Road Truckers episodes goes into a truck having a
mandatory regeneration issue and limping across the ice at 5 mph.

Lynn


--- PyGate Linux v1.0
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)