Google, Amazon, signing-in, and geographical weirdnesses

[Carole]

https://www.google.es/maps/@38.7671498,0.1916509,2950m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en-GB

I was asked to Sign in on that link. Sign in,what?  If it didn't work for me then others will have the same problem.

Carole

[Rick]

Sign in,what?

Google. You can get past it, but Google is doing its best to gather as much information about you as it can, which is why I asked whether anyone had other preferred mapping options.

I have found an OpenStreetMap plugin for WordPress that may do something useful. I'll have a pla with it sometime on my test system, and if I can get it to play reasonably nicely then I'll add it to the live website. Please don't hold your breath...

[Mac]

I was asked to Sign in on that link. Sign in,what?  If it didn't work for me then others will have the same problem.

Thats just googles way of telling you its going to put cookies on to your PC, you have probably not used google maps in a while and it needs to obtain your consent to put cookies on to your PC as does EVERY other web site now.

Mac.

[Rick]

Thats just googles way

Indeed. Once upon a time Google had an unofficial motto, "Don't Be Evil". Somewhere along the way they seem to have forgotten the first word... 

[Carole]

you have probably not used google maps

I use Google maps all the time, and have never been asked to sign in before.

Carole

[Rick]

have never been asked to sign in before.

You're probably signed in on google.com or google.co.uk but Mac's link was google.es. Whatever. Google is like that these days...

[Mac]

You're probably signed in on google.com or google.co.uk but Mac's link was google.es

Now thats bizzare......

Obviously the .es is for spain which is where i am currently.
BUT, i always use .co.uk for google, i've just checked and its still .co.uk even the maps are .co.uk  so dont know how they snuck in that .es, sneaky bu**ers.

Its the same with amazon as well, they do like changing me from .co.uk to .es, which I have to be a lot more aware of as I get charged customs for bits and pieces if i miss it.

Mac.

[Rick]

Amazon does the same sort of thing to me, too. Pain in the proverbial...

[ApophisAstros]

Sorry to here that Rick as i have been using Amazon for years and had maybe 2 problems but even then they sorted it out.
Roger
NB. And zero delivery charge as well.
Roger

[The Thing]

I use amazon.fr these days and sometime amazon.de, makes little difference except the stock can be different. Not had a problem and we live in the sticks. When I first lived here I still used .uk but now it's impractical. It's a toss up whether Google delivers my result in French, UK english or american sites 

[Carole]

And zero delivery charge as well.

It's not zero delivery charge as they charge you monthly for Amazon prime.

Carole

[ApophisAstros]

I worked out after that taking 2 years orders i had saved £300 in delivery charge so certainly worth it , in essence that paid for my new Oiii filter , also mostly next day delivery.
Roger
NB so effectively after one and a half orders all others are free that month.

[Rick]

I use Amazon very seldom. It's far cheaper for me to pay a few quid for delivery now and again. Every so often they throw a "Prime free for <short time>" thing at me, and then I get a free delivery or two. Just have to remember to cancel Prime pronto...

[Carole]

Just have to remember to cancel Prime pronto...

....and that's easier said than done.  I won't use Amazon because of the way they trick you into inadvertently joining Prime.  Easy to join, nightmare to cancel, I find it quite immoral.  Maybe it is easier to un-join after the free trial but that relies on you remembering to do it. 

Carole

[Rick]

Maybe it is easier to un-join after the free trial but that relies on you remembering to do it.

Yeah, it's their "oops you accidentally joined Prime (again)" checkout system that's one of my main reasons for avoiding them. However, from time to time it has its uses. One catch is that sometimes it's a "free month", other times it's a "free week", and sometimes it's an "introductory offer" which isn't free. Have to watch out for those and act accordingly...