That kind of message can indicate a site error as much as an actual refusal of access, probably more so.
Mohave Greenie
4 years ago
What page were you looking for? I suppose it could be geoblocked for some reason.
PJF
4 years ago
CORONAVIRUS AID, RELIEF, AND ECONOMIC SECURITY ACT (‘CARES ACT’)
IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT SERVICES
If that’s what you were looking for, it’s a PDF file. Check your browser / pdf reader.
Steve
4 years ago
Tim, I recently sold a car, so had to notify the authorities. Rather than send the tear-off strip from the V5c in the post, I thought I’d give the DVLA website a go, since it’s now the 21st century or something.
Should be easy and convenient, I thought. And to be fair, it was, apart from one tiny snag.
It closes at 7pm.
A website.
Closes at 7pm.
A website on the internet won’t let you submit a form after 7pm, because why? Mibbe the computer joined a union. Mr Patel’s shop will still cheerfully sell me Pot Noodles and Razzle at 9pm, but click “send” on an electronic form on the information superhighway at that ungodly, not to mention unBritish, hour of the evening? Madness.
Tim the Coder
4 years ago
Perhaps the US Dept of the Treasury decided to do away with all those expensive servers and move their web site “to the cloud” (obligatory arm waving).
This is very popular.
Perhaps some of the servers underlying that ‘cloud’ service are in…..Russia, or the Ukraine.
Using the cloud has the advantage of making maximal use of really expensive computer hardware, in what used to be called ‘renting timeshare’. But that was the 1960s. Harry Palmer, spies, evil Russians, miniskirts. Oh dear, seems we have 3 of those still, and the one missing is the one worth keeping.
An additional advantage is that it doesn’t matter what applications you have from what vendors, they all run on the same VM layer. So a flaw in that and you can take out the whole lot with one vector. Don’t laugh, it happened to us.
You just love cloud computing, don’t you Palmer?
Oh yes Sir. I just love cloud computing.
PJF
4 years ago
That file I mentioned might not be the specific one as there are several pdfs under files/136
Steve, I dabble in property and the Land Registry website used to be closed at the weekends. My wife handles that side now so I haven’t checked recently. I get the feeling that filling in a form just causes a printer to churn it out in the DVLA offices and it needs someone to type it into the ultra secure computer system which isn’t connected to the internet for reasons.
rhoda klapp
4 years ago
I’m renewing my driving license with the DVLA online service. The site says don’t bother to even ask unless you’ve waited ten weeks, and it’s OK to drive on the expired license for a year..
I sneeze in threes
4 years ago
Steve, it’s not a real website but a mechanical Turk and he’s gone home for the day.
jgh
4 years ago
Steve: When I lived in Hong Kong and was trying to get a mortgage to buy my place in the UK, it turned out my bank turned off their fax machine outside office hours. I had to stay after work for an hour to catch them.
jgh
4 years ago
New Harry Palmer series started on ITV at the weekend. I was amazed that it was so well made that it was actually compelling watching.
As a Roads Nerd I found myself keeping an eye out for correct pre-Worbouys road signage. 😉
Tractor Gent
4 years ago
jgh: Yes, I liked the 60s vibe on that. Looks like they’ve really tried to do a proper job. Trouble is, as you demonstrate, it tends to prompt one to look for anachronisms.
As for the DVLA, I hit the 7pm brick wall but reclaiming a ‘cherished’ plate preparatory to changing vehicles happened more or less instantaneously the following day and I could re-fit the old plates stored in the garage for 10 years. I’ve got the post-70 3-year change coming up in a couple of months. I think I’ll kick it off tomorrow.
Chris Miller
4 years ago
@jgh – fax machines
Back in the day, fax spam was a thing. If you left a fax machine with a ‘public’ number on overnight, you were likely to arrive next morning and find the out-tray filled with pages and pages of ‘advertising’ material (on expensive fax paper). That’s why they were often switched off.
BniC
4 years ago
I submitted an online form to DVLA a while back for a replacement license and when I didn’t get it rang them (torturous experience) only to find out they wouldn’t process it unless the form was signed and I was supposed to have printed it and sent them a signed copy as well. They offered to print it and send it in the post for me to sign and return by post.
The Companies House website also used to close overnight and weekends, but last time I tried it the search function was working out of business hours not sure about any other functions
That kind of message can indicate a site error as much as an actual refusal of access, probably more so.
What page were you looking for? I suppose it could be geoblocked for some reason.
CORONAVIRUS AID, RELIEF, AND ECONOMIC SECURITY ACT (‘CARES ACT’)
IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT SERVICES
If that’s what you were looking for, it’s a PDF file. Check your browser / pdf reader.
Tim, I recently sold a car, so had to notify the authorities. Rather than send the tear-off strip from the V5c in the post, I thought I’d give the DVLA website a go, since it’s now the 21st century or something.
Should be easy and convenient, I thought. And to be fair, it was, apart from one tiny snag.
It closes at 7pm.
A website.
Closes at 7pm.
A website on the internet won’t let you submit a form after 7pm, because why? Mibbe the computer joined a union. Mr Patel’s shop will still cheerfully sell me Pot Noodles and Razzle at 9pm, but click “send” on an electronic form on the information superhighway at that ungodly, not to mention unBritish, hour of the evening? Madness.
Perhaps the US Dept of the Treasury decided to do away with all those expensive servers and move their web site “to the cloud” (obligatory arm waving).
This is very popular.
Perhaps some of the servers underlying that ‘cloud’ service are in…..Russia, or the Ukraine.
Using the cloud has the advantage of making maximal use of really expensive computer hardware, in what used to be called ‘renting timeshare’. But that was the 1960s. Harry Palmer, spies, evil Russians, miniskirts. Oh dear, seems we have 3 of those still, and the one missing is the one worth keeping.
An additional advantage is that it doesn’t matter what applications you have from what vendors, they all run on the same VM layer. So a flaw in that and you can take out the whole lot with one vector. Don’t laugh, it happened to us.
You just love cloud computing, don’t you Palmer?
Oh yes Sir. I just love cloud computing.
That file I mentioned might not be the specific one as there are several pdfs under files/136
If it’s one of these:
https://home.treasury.gov/data/other-programs
they all worked for me.
Steve, I dabble in property and the Land Registry website used to be closed at the weekends. My wife handles that side now so I haven’t checked recently. I get the feeling that filling in a form just causes a printer to churn it out in the DVLA offices and it needs someone to type it into the ultra secure computer system which isn’t connected to the internet for reasons.
I’m renewing my driving license with the DVLA online service. The site says don’t bother to even ask unless you’ve waited ten weeks, and it’s OK to drive on the expired license for a year..
Steve, it’s not a real website but a mechanical Turk and he’s gone home for the day.
Steve: When I lived in Hong Kong and was trying to get a mortgage to buy my place in the UK, it turned out my bank turned off their fax machine outside office hours. I had to stay after work for an hour to catch them.
New Harry Palmer series started on ITV at the weekend. I was amazed that it was so well made that it was actually compelling watching.
As a Roads Nerd I found myself keeping an eye out for correct pre-Worbouys road signage. 😉
jgh: Yes, I liked the 60s vibe on that. Looks like they’ve really tried to do a proper job. Trouble is, as you demonstrate, it tends to prompt one to look for anachronisms.
As for the DVLA, I hit the 7pm brick wall but reclaiming a ‘cherished’ plate preparatory to changing vehicles happened more or less instantaneously the following day and I could re-fit the old plates stored in the garage for 10 years. I’ve got the post-70 3-year change coming up in a couple of months. I think I’ll kick it off tomorrow.
@jgh – fax machines
Back in the day, fax spam was a thing. If you left a fax machine with a ‘public’ number on overnight, you were likely to arrive next morning and find the out-tray filled with pages and pages of ‘advertising’ material (on expensive fax paper). That’s why they were often switched off.
I submitted an online form to DVLA a while back for a replacement license and when I didn’t get it rang them (torturous experience) only to find out they wouldn’t process it unless the form was signed and I was supposed to have printed it and sent them a signed copy as well. They offered to print it and send it in the post for me to sign and return by post.
The Companies House website also used to close overnight and weekends, but last time I tried it the search function was working out of business hours not sure about any other functions