I just learned what a "411" is, because #Firefox attempts to educate its users by asking "What's the 411 on 404 messages?"
I knew what a 404 was, but 411... I mean, of course I thought it was an HTTP status code. And it is not. m)
https://www.techopedia.com/definition/31451/411
Not sure how to judge this: Did their attempt to educate backfire because of using some American slang that international users like me don't get? Or is it genius because it educates both ways? :o
@NerdResa I'd be surprised if someone wrote that line without intending the play on words... or numbers, in this case.
I'd sort of guessed at the meaning, but then again I do work a lot with VOIP telephone systems and used to regularly have to purge default USA dial plans out of some equipment and replace them with UK/European ones.
Consider that some children in UK and Europe (even pre-teens) in when asked "how should you telephone for help in an emergency?" are equally likely to quote 911 as well as 112 (or 999 / other country specific numbers)
@lychee Yea, they intended it, but the joke was totally lost on me ^^
@NerdResa are you referring to a blog post or an error message in Firefox?
@david_ross When I open a new tab in my Firefox 60.0.2, on the default "New tab" page there's a sort of bar at the bottom asking me this 411 question and providing a link to some blog post about HTTP 404 status codes, with a similar title: https://blog.mozilla.org/firefox/whats-the-411-on-404/
@NerdResa That bar is called "Snippets" and often has different content depending on the user's regional location. https://snippets.mozilla.com/
I'll flag this as not appopriately 'international'.
@NerdResa This snippet has been made US only via your escalation. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!
@NerdResa 417 Expectation Failed
@NerdResa As other said, I would say it's probably more proof of the dominance of US culture that a dated reference, especially in things English, would be considered by an author likely blissfully unaware of the reference being dated or lost on other English speaking folks.
To follow up on @vfrmedia's comment, Mexico began centralizing emergency services with the number 066. In a few short years, they switched to 911 as the national standard because that's what people thought it already was.
@NerdResa From personal experience, I can say "411" is a 90s urban reference, along the lines of Grey Poupon.
411 was actually a remarkable service that was free to many subscribers of Sprint, the mobile carrier preferred in urban markets. In addition to getting personal listed numbers, it worked like many people use Yelp or Foursquare today, hence the reference. The call was free and the operator would connect you at no additional charge.
As for Grey Poupon:
https://www.vox.com/videos/2016/10/12/13250360/grey-poupon-in-hip-hop
@NerdResa Last thing I'll say about this: When my neighbor's husband had a heartattack, the first thing she did was knock on my door *despite having a phone*.
She said, "My husband needs an ambulance, I can't get him down the stairs, I know you know who I should call since you work with people from Proteccion Civil (a rescue agency in Mexico)."
New record hold time for 911 at 7 minutes, beating the time in Los Angeles I was on hold for 5.minutes.
@NerdResa i'd call that a backfire :P heck, even i didn't know what "411" meant until recently, and probably most of my generation isn't up on it either (who the heck calls a phone number to get information these days?)