what's up?

go, fetch it!

Go, fetch it! That’s sort of what a little piece of software inside the online shop of mine tells to a routine. The routine goes online, fetching a file provided by the European central bank with currency exchange rates. It brings the rates back and the software piece uses this information to present price estimates in $US and Euro on the product details page.

My shop works in Swiss Francs only, but at least – on that single level- we can provide an estimate of how much the product costs.

Go, fetch it! does not always work. On Sunday, there was a changed currency exchange rate file provided and a product that ususally costs 130 $ was suddenly seemingly super cheap, in the range of 20$. I had a few clients telling me that there seem something odd in this exchange rate. And I am grateful for these feedback messages.

One client, however, believed the exchange rate. And was super happy first, and then super disappointed; for which I then was super sorry.

Thinking about it for a while: on a very small scale, this little software feature illustrates how wonderful technology is and how helpful. And how dangerous it becomes if we start relying on it and its computations, without thinking ourselves. The intelligence of machines is not a problem, really. It is human’s tendencies to believe and give up calculating.

Thanks to the team of square.ch this little issue was fixed in a minute, but still: It makes me think.

Today’s picture: a “Go, fetch it!” sketch, done this morning. More sketching tomorrow: Creative Friday, I am soooo looking forward to you.