Ben CurthoysFeb 4

Grr and argh.

The people who make government websites generally tend to do a halfway decent job of meeting the spec, but they really really need to learn to push back when the spec is FUCKING STUPID.

Having just completed my "Annual Filing" with Companies House - and why is that even a thing, we're not posting fucking vellum to Victorian clerks who scurry up ladders to deposit the sacred paperwork in the appropriate filing cabinet any more - I got a new scary email

Show threadBen Curthoys

Well, that looks important I thought. Better get on that right away, I thought. Luckily my brother and I have already verified our identities, because we had to do it as Directors, and as the PSCs and the Directors ARE THE SAME PEOPLE I can just enter out personal codes and everything will be easy.

But no. For some fucking reason I have to wait for a strictly limited 14 day window AROUND EACH OF OUR BIRTHDAYS before typing in the code that they already have.

Feb 4 at 10:37amPhanpy
Show threadBen CurthoysFeb 4
I do not know how you would code that without just giving up computers and going to work as a itinerant goat herd in the hills somewhere. What do they think is going to happen? That our identities are going to change if we "confirm" them too early? That our identities will go off like a lettuce?
Show threadBen CurthoysFeb 4
I am convinced that Governments doing absolute bullshit like this is the gateway drug to the libertarian -> fascist pipeline.
Show threadéric 🚲 🇪🇺 Feb 4
@bencurthoys
I despair every time I have to interact with these sites. Almost makes me want to give up running a small business.
Show threadRevK Feb 4
@bencurthoys I did ask what would happen if I sent them signed letter with the code, confirming my identity (in advance), would they officially ignore it? They did not reply to that question.
Show threadBen CurthoysFeb 4
@revk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOlKRMXvTiA
Grr Argh

YouTube
Show threadPaul EdwinFeb 4

@bencurthoys W. T. A. F.

Oh, just checked ours. My wife and I both have the same window for PSC verification, which matches the due date for director verification. Very odd.

Show threadJon RibbensFeb 5
@bencurthoys wait until you get to that window and discover that their system doesn’t fucking work and there’s no way to comply
Show threadBen CurthoysFeb 5

@jribbens I've just been through that with the Web Filing - had to pay twice, and they raised the price from £34 to £50 in between the first go and the second go like fucking Ryanair jacking up the prices of a flight you've looked at once before, they assure me that the £50 will be refunded "automatically" but I'll believe that when I see it - so I am fully expecting it to fail.

I seriously don't understand why I can't make a start on it now.