Corona - any cases here?

[Rachael]

I hope all of you stay safe, and that anyone who does get it recovers quickly. ♥

[Redneckerz]

Currently clocking in a month with a long lasting flu that i picked up a week before corona hit the nation. It has been subdued, but i still cough intensely at times and have a filled up nose, along with a painful right lung.

Spoke with assistants prior who advised to just sit it out as this could last up to 6 weeks, but as i am about to start on a new job starting April 1st in a vital branch of service, i called up the doctor. Again, it was advised to just hold it out.

So its a funny situation. I am fine 95% of the day, but its just too much to do much else. I never had symptoms for this long, so cool beans.

[NiGHTMARE]

I'm now working from home, and I have remote access to my office PC so I have access to everything I normally do. It has its positive sides: no more constant interruptions by phone calls and other members of staff coming up to me, the use of my two 30" monitors instead of the two 16" monitors I have at the office, the ability to listen to my own music, etc.

However, on the rather major downside my wife is a Healthcare Support Worker in the NHS and there are at least two COVID-19 positive patients in her ward, so I wouldn't be surprised if one or both us gets it at some point.

[Graf Zahl]

instead of the two 16" monitors I have at the office,.

What kind of work place is that? Using such tiny monitors for work should be illegal.

[NiGHTMARE]

I'm at the same NHS Hospital as my wife, but in the Finance department.

Being a UK public body not only do we have cheap, antiquated hardware but antiquated software too - amazingly as of few months ago do have Windows 10 (only because they were forced to with Windows 7 support being discontinued), but we're still stuck with Office 2010 for the moment.

And that's not to mention the Finance software we use is essentially a Windows '95 era GUI overlay on top of code that dates back to the 80s, which still requires Java and Internet Explorer to function!

EDIT: Oh, and our Pharmacy uses Procurement software which doesn't appear to have received an interface overhaul since at least the time of Windows 3.1:

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[Redneckerz]

That's another thing - Offices, other vital elements (Most often government related) that run on absolute anemic codebases because upgrading it is costly and time-expensive.

As for invoicing, i can understand that part atleast - I am aware of one program that is literally from the DOS era but is still updated, for Cash Registers and POS. This stuff definitely needs no eyecandy.

The above program though, it looks basic, but functional.

[Scripten]

I work in the mainframe industry (yes, the room-sized kind) and we have some really big ticket customers who are still running FORTRAN programs from the 80's. One of the oft overlooked issues from having a 99% uptime and extremely robust backwards compatibility.

[scalliano]

Good to hear you're doing alright, Torm.

On a personal note, I was sent home from work on Monday morning. I don't have COVID, but I am in a risk group (athsma) so they weren't taking any chances. Feck knows how long I'm gonna be stuck here (could be as long a 12 weeks if the NHS advice is anything to go by), but I have Doom Eternal along with a backlog of games and unfinished projects to keep my mind occupied while I'm under house arrest.

[Graf Zahl]

I work in the mainframe industry (yes, the room-sized kind) and we have some really big ticket customers who are still running FORTRAN programs from the 80's. One of the oft overlooked issues from having a 99% uptime and extremely robust backwards compatibility.

It is one thing to run old software because it is robust and proven, but it is a completely different thing to run vital parts of the health care system on outdated and vulnerable technology,. I don't know what's scarier - that coronavirus or the antiquated tools some countries still use trying to fight it - emphasis on 'trying'.

On a similar note - I read yesterday that in Switzerland the reporting cannot be done online - the doctors have to fill in a form on paper and then fax it, so that on the other hand someone can MANUALLY add it to the database. What is it with some countries that they show such a blatant neglect when considering efficiency of something that Must Not Fail.

[Enjay]

instead of the two 16" monitors I have at the office,.

What kind of work place is that? Using such tiny monitors for work should be illegal.

Ahhh, the joys of working for a publicly funded body in the UK. Never mind, we'll be living in the land of milk and honey now that we have Brexit - or so the politicians tell me.

Until recently, at work I only had one monitor tiny monitor. Then I raked through the scrap pile of stuff that was being thrown out, bought an adaptor off ebay and now I have a 16:9 and a 4:3 monitor. Both are smallish, but it's an improvement.

Of course, I too am now working from home so it's 2x24" monitors for me and a decent computer too. Of course actually doing my job, which by its very nature requires face-to-face human contact, isn't exactly ideal this way.

[Tormentor667]

Hello all together from Torm's Corona Quarantine

Just wanted to let you know that I am feeling okay so far, having a little dry cough, my back is hurting, I feel weak and little work makes me feel exhausted but other than that I am fine. No high temperature, no headache, no other issues. I am still not sure if I have the virus but my girlfriend living with me in the same home had a test today so results will be available in 2-3 days. Chances are high that my result would be the same as hers.

What's a bit strange in Germany is that you only get a test if a) you feel really bad, b) you are 60 and older or c) you have been in a risk country (Italy, Austria, China). Otherwise you simply don't get a test but stay at home for 14 days. Officially my quarantine is over on saturday if I don't have any symptoms. Otherwise I need to contact the health center in the next city from home.

Working on Blade of Agony in the meantime and waiting - what else can I do

[Redneckerz]

Working on Blade Isolation of Agony in the meantime and waiting - what else can I do

FTFY

[Enjay]

What's a bit strange in Germany is that you only get a test if a) you feel really bad, b) you are 60 and older or c) you have been in a risk country (Italy, Austria, China). Otherwise you simply don't get a test but stay at home for 14 days.

I guess that's a function of the availability of tests - prioritising those who most need confirmation or who are most likely to actually have it. The vast majority of tests have come up negative and there is only so much testing that can be done.

Glad that it doesn't seem to be hitting you too hard (if indeed it is Corona).

[Jeimuzu73]

I have a case in the apartment where I live, the risk is high knowing that this virus can strike even without symptoms. Hope you get well soon, Torm.

[Graf Zahl]

What's a bit strange in Germany is that you only get a test if a) you feel really bad, b) you are 60 and older or c) you have been in a risk country (Italy, Austria, China). Otherwise you simply don't get a test but stay at home for 14 days.

I guess that's a function of the availability of tests - prioritising those who most need confirmation or who are most likely to actually have it. The vast majority of tests have come up negative and there is only so much testing that can be done.

Glad that it doesn't seem to be hitting you too hard (if indeed it is Corona).

... and what can be determined from the current death rate, Germany's testing ratio must be rather high. But until reliable quick test kits become available there will inevitably be a shortage of processing capability. One has to wonder how many infections there really are in Italy and Spain, it must be a lot higher than the official numbers.