Posts by W

Change the record.

Even if the Linux options do run very marginally better (though no better on battery), the time saved is negated by the time spent fannying around trying to get stuff to work. Assuming that there even is a way.

Bang on all you like about how Linux has alternatives, but there are some glaring holes that even Wine or "the forums" can't sort out.

The so-called "Windows Tax" for having XP on these SCCs runs at around £20. To me, that's a fair price. And the best value for money (for me) is represented by running FOSS (+ a few select others) on XP.

Remember that if your prefered Linux configuration is not available then you can buy the Windows machine, decline to accept MS's T's&C's, install Linux, and claim the cost of the MS licence back.

But, as Lintards are so fond of saying: "You might need to do some searching around in the forums on how to do that." . :-)

Sweet

Practical uses are alittle limited at present, but give it a couple or three years and I can see how this kind of thing would be a really desirable (and practical mass market) piece of kit once they're functionally as useful as a "normal" projector.

The Friday Thing

= one time stomping ground of Ms Sarah Bee.

...what a small world Laaahn'n Meeja is, eh?.

Re: Windows v Linux - AC@14:56

"...compatibility...peace of mind..."

Correcto. Maybe the Linux options do run very marginally better (no better on battery life though). But the time saved is negated by the time spent fannying around trying to get stuff to work. Assuming that there even is a way.

It might not be the optimum hardware for the job, and call me crazy if you like, but ("because I can") I'd be wanting to run AutoCAD 2000 (& Paint.NET & other progs like Inkscape, OpenOffice, Sketchup, Blender, Apache2Triad, &c) on one of these fellas.

No problem at all on XP - I'd be up and running in no time. And stick Avast!, Firefox with the usual Add-ons, Lavasoft Ad-Aware, Spybot Search & Destroy, and CCleaner on to an XP machine and the security benefits of Linux become negligible, too.

Bang on all you like about how Linux has alternatives, but there are some glaring holes that even Wine or "the forums" can't sort out.

The so-called "Windows Tax" for having XP on these SCCs runs at around £20. To me, that's a fair price. And the best value for money (for me) is represented by running FOSS (+ a few select others) on XP.

Remember that if your prefered Linux configuration is not available then you can buy the Windows machine, decline to accept MS's T's&C's, install Linux, and claim the cost of the MS licence back. But "You might need to do some searching around in the forums on how to do that." - as Lintards are so fond of saying. :-)

Tux is quite cute though.

@ Vince

My point was verging on rhetorical, but that's a good quick summary of options that you've come up with. Nice one - I'll be taking a closer look.

And that's the thing. With minimal research and some rational thought, most/many of us who don't care for TV beyond freeview or a landline phone would probably be better off opting for a broadband dongle for each pc/laptop rather than going for a "traditional" deal. You're right: £80 pcm is just too much for mobile+internet for two peeps. I'll very likely be playing T-mobile off against 3 for an all-in package when it comes to renewing my mobile contract.

The first thing the fixed line providers should consider is sacking off the ridiculous £10pcm line rental fee. £10 for just a fixed landline phone, with no calls, just doesn't cut it in today's comms market.

All of the above paint's a poor picture for Wi-Fi (for me, anyway) other than as the glue in a home network.

Question (genuine, non-rhetorical): in the real world, is a connection via a dongle enough to drive the BBC iPlayer? If not, what are the chances that it ever will be anytime soon? Or have I gone cloud cuckoo?

Twatdangled by your own petard?

"You can't really do much about gravity, pretty hard to swallow upwards" - NICHOLAS "cApS lOcK" SAUNDERS

Only if he's actually a bird, a fish, or a snake. As far as I'm aware, Davis Blaine is a mammal.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swallowing

@ b

"they must be making so many of the 15.4" panels that they are the cheapest to buy"

Er, that'd be "economies of scale" then? See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economies_of_scale

@ AC 13:42

You'd think he'd realise, wouldn't you? What with the echo of all those El Reg articles he cut'n'pastes to his otherwise largely empty forum. (That El Reg seems to be strangely happy to promote).

I think we can add Bill to the list of "special" folk that hang around these here parts, along with aManfromMars and Webster Phreaky. El Reg just wouldn't be the same without 'em.

And I miss the days when Mr Mars had his own icon. It's still there, ready for use though @ http://www.reghardware.co.uk/Design/graphics/icons/comment/mars_48.png

Why so sheepish?

The Metro paper today (I know...) didn't give a back story to this - they just said that the sheep were indulging in a spot of rough and tumble and got covered in blue dye. Written as if they bumped into a shelf with pots of dye on whilst fighting. Their website expands on this a little (@ http://tinyurl.com/447xga)

The BBC goes with this "fighting angle" too. As does the Press Association, the Mail, and the Mirror. No mention of boy on boy.

Although the statement that "around half a dozen of the flock of around 60 sheep were completely covered in blue" bolsters the one in ten theory.

Why are the news outlets so sheepish about the "truth" behind this story?

I, for one, welcome our gay, blue, cloud-like overlords.

Bread & Circuses.

I agree with AC@12:28, AC@13:17, and Ken Hagan.

I'd just like to re-iterate the library point, though. As I understand it, every single person in this country has access to a library every single library has internet access. Anyone under approx. 25 will have used internet enabled computers at school. Over 25 and scared of computers? Live with it. Or do one of the copious amounts of free courses. Hint: you're probably able to sign up for one at your local library. Not everything in life can be bought of the shelf at Tesco or Dixons.

And if this scheme is being means tested, should any of the following groups be automatically disqualified...

...anyone with a Sky package with anything more than the Freeview channels?

...anyone more than a 14" portable telly?

...anyone who smokes?

...anyone who drinks alcohol?

...anyone who has spent more than £10 on a pair of jeans?

...anyone who buys Heinz beans instead of supermarket own brand?

...anyone who drinks coffee or tea instead of water?

...anyone with a TV license?

Where do we draw the line? Well personally, I'd be tempted to exclude all of the above groups of people. Personally, I've chosen to spend money on a combination of some of the above, and to abstain from others. And as a result, I've ended up being able to buy a desktop PC and laptop because of my CHOICES when it comes to non-essential purchases. Where's my free big telly cos I've spunked my dosh on a laptop?

The point is this: 99.9% of the country has access to a phone line. An internet ready PC need not cost more than £99.99 at most. A new EEE "laptop" can be had for 150 notes. i.e. less than the cost of a year's TV licence. Thusly, any adult who falls into any of the above category but does not have access to the internet is in that position through choice.

The internet is not an essential utility. Highly desirable to many, maybe, but essential? No. Not like heat and light.

Final word to andy gibson:

"When I was at school I was taught that if I studied hard, went to college and university and got qualifications, I'd be able to afford luxuries like computers.

Now it seems you can be a burger flipper on minimum wage and get these things given to you by the state (along with cheaper fuel bills & house insulation)."

Communications Act 2003, chapter 21, part 4, section 363

"...you pay for the licence to own a TV. Having an old broken TV in the loft with the plug cut off and isn't currently tuned in to any channels isn't a defence either - you have a TV in the house, you have to have a licence. Stupid but true."

No no no no no. You are completely wrong.

The expression "TV licence" is a misnomer, since a TV does not require one (otherwise, they would be issued when the TV is sold). The licensing requirement is for the receiving of live television broadcasts. This includes satellite and overseas broadcasts, as well as domestic terrestial channels. A licence is not required for the ownership of a television, or its use for DVDs, video games, etc.

Letters from TVL/BBC demanding a response have no legal backing. TVL/BBC can ask for a response, but they cannot compel. Their letters can be ignored. A householder's need for a licence arises only if he or she undertakes an activity that is licensable (watching or recording broadcast television); if not, there is no need for the householder to communicate with the licensing authority.

The legislation (Communications Act 2003, chapter 21, part 4) is worded thusly:

Licence required for use of TV receiver:

(1) A television receiver must not be installed or used unless the installation and use of the receiver is authorised by a licence under this Part.

(2) A person who installs or uses a television receiver in contravention of subsection (1) is guilty of an offence.

(3) A person with a television receiver in his possession or under his control who -

(a) intends to install or use it in contravention of subsection (1), or

(b) knows, or has reasonable grounds for believing, that another person intends to install or use it in contravention of that subsection,

is guilty of an offence.

-Sources:

http://www.bbctvlicence.com/Questions%20and%20answers.htm

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts2003/ukpga_20030021_en_34

Nope. Again. Repeat after me:

Benchmark: £250 for XP on >12GB SSD w/ 1GB RAM, 8.9" screen, Atom CPU & 4hrs battery. Keyboards/touchpads being down to personal preference.

901? - Nearly, but needs to shed £30+

Mini 9? - Needs to shed £50+ and manage 4 hours battery life.

Wind / 4211? - 10" screen, but needs better battery life and to offer SSD option.

AA1? - also needs better battery life and to offer SSD option.

Tosh? - Fails on grounds of price, no SSD, and having a fat arse. Basically, it's a big, expensive AA1/4211.

Come on guys - first to reach the benchmark gets my dosh. But be quick! Before integrated 3G and becomes a requirement.

Hoisted by yer own petard?

...the deliberate mistake: the mis-spelling of "Sainbury's" in the title of the article was intentional irony, wasn't it?

"this article really is late on a Friday afternoon after a good lunchtime in the pub level of quality"

Agreed.

Aside from the apostrophe incident, while innocent are overpriced at the best of times, this 'kids' version is daylight robery.

And, as has been mentioed, the image didn't fit the layout either.

Cuh!

Self-inflicted downfalls seem to be in vogue: Will G Brown/Nu-Labour or El Reg implode first?

All well and good

But when is the Aspire One getting a 6 cell bettery and/or what is the battery life of the Mini 9. We need to know.

@ Nipsirc

Agreed.

You wanna go and see a Beatles tribute band? Fine by me.

You wanna save your hard earned by not going? Fine by me, also.

You wanna fight? Go and join a boxing club if you're the big man.

You wanna tarnish the evening I just spent MY hard earned on? You'll wish you hadn't.

What a bunch of juvenile comments. Possibly the worst I've seen on the Reg.

Jolly good stuff

Except the equivalent in XP would go something like this:

Tweak A:

1. Download .exe file.

2. Double click and click OK.

3. Go to Tools...Settings.

Tweak B:

1. Right click > Properties.

2. Go to the Settings tab.

3. Tick the XYZ checkbox.

I want the OS to be as unintrusive and passive as possible. Not a hurdle that I have to jump every time I want to make a minor change. I don't want to faff with registry or .inf files. I pay good money for a relatively robust OS lets me get on with my job by installing whatever software I want. Be it freeware / OSS / paid for / other.

There might well be something very satisfying about building your own house. But you'll spend so much time learning about how to do the building, you'll have no time left for interior design.

Horses for courses. Each to their own, etc.

Chubby crims more likely to leave

ebuyer, too?

Chris Huhne

deserves his props for continuing to pursue this at parliamentary level. He's a ledge.

It's a real shame he failed (by a gnats chuff) to snare the LibDem leadership instead of Nick Clegg and also to pick up from Charlie K instead of Ming C.

Huhne would have been able to carry on the syatematic embarassment of Brown and Cameron in the clinical style of Vince Cable. Give it time though...he'll have his day.

@Ben

Then there's that 6-cell battery you'll be needing....

£230 + £14 + Vista(!) + Cost of Battery = £300+ territory.

Again...

...what is it with the relentless promo of eupeople.net forum thread and it's subsequent approval by the moderator?

I bet...

...that just like every other film that has a "computers scene" there'll be suspiciously little use mouse.

And some dodgy 'zooming in' graphics with a green box & crosshairs, and accompanied by a slide-y high pitched 'science' noise as a screenwipe zoom occurs, followed by the pixelated view re-rendering to reveal the high res close-up.

And a mention of "getting in through the back door portal".

_the drama_

</computers_in_films_cynicism>

"prefer checking my GMail account"

Yup.

£5 on 3-mobile gets you unlimited ("fair use") data. So for £2.50 you can use GoogleMaps,

All-in, I average £25pm and use my phone indiscriminately for calls, texts & data.

Woulda been the same on T-Mobile Web'n'Walk (and I nearly went with 'em) but 3 had the phone I wanted (SE K770i).

Reception is fine, btw. I've started reading the newspaper online on the train to and from work, GMaps has repeatedly proven to be dead useful (in conjunction with quickie web searches for postcodes), and of course, GMail is the icing on the cake.

Only small gripe is with the ubiquitous branded soft key shortcuts.

I lost interest at the bit that said

"the Unbox app is still required to access videos when not online".

That's not "buying". That's still renting. Just with some different licencing T&Cs attached - as the film and music companies are so keen on reminding us.

If you "buy" something, it's yours, to do with as you see fit. Anything else is a lease with conditions.

So no format shifting to PMPs then? Oh well. Maybe they'll get it right next time.

And, yes, it's far too expensive for what is simply some non-resale-able data.

Anyway, what about sorting out the UK MP3 store?

Now available.

As the Inspiron Mini 9.

£300 (280+20 delivery) gets you:

-Atom 1.6GHz

-XP Home

-1.3MP Webcam

-8.9" WSVGA (WLED)

-1GB RAM

-16GB SSD

-b/g Wi-Fi

-Integrated Bluetooth

-4-cell 2200AHr Battery

No options as of yet (Linux or otherwise).

So, to compare (in order of my preference):

1/ EEE 901 (£280, ebuyer) needs to be £30 cheaper. Has n Wi-fi. 6cell 6600mAh beats all comers. 4GB less SSD than Mini 9.

2/ Mini 9 (£300, Dell) seems to have a marginally better keyboard and a nice looking (XPS M1330-esque?) touchpad, but needs to be £50 cheaper. Battery of 4+ hours unlikely? Free delivery puts it in with a shout of the top spot.

3/ 4211/Medion/Wind (£280, PCW) needs to be £30 cheaper, needs SSD instead of 80GB SSD, better battery and it's old touchpad back. Props for the keyboard and 10" screen though. NB: PCWB have put the price up from £235 but are still out of stock so that looks like a gone-er).

4/ Aspire One (£280, dabs) needs to be £30 cheaper, needs a better battery, has 120GB HDD but no Windows SSD option. It's touchpad is small and 'non-standard'. No Bluetooth. Difficult to upgrade.

Looks are entirely subjective, and none are really munters by any score.

Oh well.

HDD, not SSD.

3 cell, not 6?

Sentelic touchpad, not Synaptics?

<£199.99?

Next.

"I count 23 buttons. Why?"

Because it's Sony. And Sony says more buttons = better.

And what about "PRS-505": snappy name, eh? iSuppose iT's iNfinitely better than the iNterminable iName curse though.

How about Bookman? Or Pageman? Or Inkman?

Guess the Apple version will be called the iInk.

Or how about a Sony/Apple collaboration: the iInkman?

Or they could both get together with Nintendo and release the WiiInk.