* Posts by Youngdog

341 publicly visible posts • joined 9 Nov 2007

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Apple iTablet a (virtual) certainty

Youngdog
Thumb Up

Yeah what Giles Jones said

Where Apple go others follow. I was a Nokia Boi for years due to the fact that within 10 minutes of getting a new handset I could use it with my eyes closed - same buttons, menu layout etc.

When my last contact expired I rushed down to my nearest CW to take a look at the latest offerings from Nokia and lo and behold - touchscreen/icon driven GUIs all round!

Why waste my time with an iPhone knock-off when I can enjoy (and I do mean enjoy) owning the real McCoy? So yes I did it and shelled out for an iPhone 3Gs - and I would NEVER go back. Why? Three words. End. User. Experience. The thing is a) friggin' sweet to use b) just as reliable as any other phone I've used and c) constantly amazing me with genuinely useful applications to download.

Now to the tablet. There is DEFINITELY a market out there for this thing. You are looking at (potentially) a DVD Player, Browser, remote control/media centre, eBook reader and games console in ONE sexy, useable unit that doesn't require a minimum level of technical expertise to master.

Unlike most IT professionals who hang around here and know their way around the NT Registry and don't get intimidated opening up a PC most people in this world don't want to understand how it works to use one. Your average Joe/Joanne just wants nice shiny icons that tell him/her what it does, an interface that is a genuine pleasure to use and the ability to download new apps without piddling around without having to rely on PC World/vendor helpdesks. Done, done and DONE.

And since when did the app store become a bad thing anyway? Half the time this site is running stories covering the latest M$/Mozilla/Adobe vulnerability/bloatware instance. With the App store you have a genuine attempt to impose some standards plus the democracy that comes with ratings and reviews. Also ANYONE can develop for the iPhone and profit from it with the product price genuinely pegged to its quality and desirability due to market forces. Sure, this isn't the freeware utopia the open-source party were after but it sure beats a handful of complacent companies taking 80-90% market share and abusing their position by selling us crap for the rest of time.

I would buy this thing in a second. The irony being I would earn the money to do so by supporting Wintel systems/architecture!

US State Dept. workers beg Clinton for Firefox

Youngdog

Don't forget leverage

It is hard to get a vendor to take ownership of problems you are having when you pay fuck-all for the product - and that makes suits (who live in a world of SLAs and deliverables) nervous!

ECJ: One meeting can count as market-rigging

Youngdog
Joke

One meeting?

Just goes to show that judges really are out of touch. Anyone with any experience with modern management knows that the first meeting is used to discuss what the subject of the second meeting should be.

This in itself is a bit of a waste of time as the answer is usually "When do we have the 3rd meeting?"

All we need to do is discover a way to power PCs using hot air and these tw@ts might actually be able to justify their exitence!

Rumor rubberizes iPhone 3.0

Youngdog
Happy

@AC - Hee hee

One of the benefits of having an El Reg account over AC is that you are putting yourself out there and willing to be judged for your views - no matter how twat-like and disagreeable they are!

Can I assume from your post that you do actually own/rent one? So will I. One day. When it is cheaper. And the hardware improves.

And for your information my twattish activities are certainly not confined to posting here!

Youngdog
Thumb Up

Never be the first..

..and never be the last to dive into new technology.

I hope those suckers in the UK on O2 with an I-Phone v1/v2 won't be able to upgrade to the new handset without a surchage.

That will teach them to put stylistic coolness ahead of practical considerations.

The Sun points bazookas at MoD killjoys

Youngdog
Thumb Down

Lack of common sense here

"The viewing of adult content is inappropriate in the working environment”

But getting your limbs blown off by a roadside bomb or dying in some god-forsaken dustbowl is perfectly acceptable?

And this is not an invite to debate as there is no discussion required.

If any HR pen pusher or equal rights officer thinks their opinion on this matter, er, matters then try making it an informed one by signing up for a two year stint and experiencing what our boys and girls (who, incidentally, couldn't give a monkeys what their XY chromo colleagues bash one out over) have to go through when REALLY serving their country's best interests.

Wacky Jacqui defends Michael Savage ban

Youngdog

Is she serious?

"I refuse to extend that privilege to individuals who abuse our standards and values to undermine our way of life."

It is a shame we can't extend that approach to the greedy trough-hoggers that supposedly run this country. Its breathtaking hyprocrisy such as this that will push voters away from mainsteam politics and into the hands of extremists.

As her bosses we really should consider firing her arse..

Fox terminates The Sarah Connor Chronicles

Youngdog
Thumb Down

This has caused outrage..

over on the boards at AICN.

http://www.aintitcool.com/talkback_display/41107

Sign up today and YOU TOO can discover the joy of being insulted by an illiterate teenager!

Actually, there ARE some boards over there that are populated by decent folk - you just have to know where to look.

no mods, swearing is compulsory and bannings are a regular occurrence.

To summarise my post there (don't read if you watch but haven't seen it all) - this programme was just getting good but series 2 finale was a great conclusion to the story. All of Sarah's efforts were in vain and a lot of innocent people died for nothing. It turns out that John never WAS that important and the future resistance was born anyway with someone else taking the lead.

Police want new remote hard drive search powers

Youngdog
Thumb Up

Fine by me

Go ahead - let them. If we have learn't anything at all about the Plod and IT it is that they couldn't pour piss from a shoe if the instructions were on the sole.

It will take them twice as long and cost twice as much as they think it will to implement and even then it won't work properly.

I think a few of us here have experienced how many new 'points of failure' get added to the mix through outsourcing

Number 10 doubles as 'House of Flying Nokias'

Youngdog
Thumb Up

Hooray! Private Eye day!

New issue has a great quote from Gordon Brown on page 3 regarding the email smear scandal.

"I take full responsibility for what happened. That's why the person who was responsible went immediately"

Youngdog
Unhappy

After watching In The Loop...

..and seeing what spin doctors do to fax machines this seems tame. Would any psychologists out there reading El Reg care to offer any insight on what this behaviour suggests is going on in the old broon noggin?

My take is that either he is frustrated at himself for not being able to express his feelings in words or he is frustrated with other people for not thinking/behaving 'on his level'.

These arslikkers at No. 10 with Nokia shaped bruises on their heads may be the lowest of the low but if a husband did this to his spouse (or vice versa) it would be domestic abuse.

This should not be taken lightly

Wacky Jacqui spanked by husband

Youngdog
Happy

@Eddy Ito

Preachfisted

Daisnaid (pronouned dayz-nade for do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do)

Kismited (kismet - smited)

or perhaps my favourite

Karmarinated

Youngdog

In Soviet Britain..

..people don't screw to adult movies.

Adult movies screw YOU!

(works best with a comedy Brezhnev accent)

Youngdog
Happy

People in glass houses......

I don't think anyone really has the right to condemn the mad witch just because her husband has watched a few grumbleflicks and charged them to expenses ( a victimless crime eh Jacqui?). But on the other hand that is OUR money he spent. But since when is having more front than Southend a crime?

Hmmmm, this really is a tough one. There is only one answer - I think we need to call a session of the COURT OF PUBLIC OPINION!

Honestly, you could fit the credibility of this governemnt in a thimble and STILL have room to spare.

I do hope this is the straw that breaks the camel's back

Jacqui Smith pulls in another TV psych in violence probe

Youngdog
Happy

People in glass houses......

I don't think anyone really has the right to condemn the mad witch just because her husband has watched a few grumbleflicks and charged them to expenses ( a victimless crime eh Jacqui?). But on the other hand that is OUR money he spent. But since when is having more front than Southend a crime?

Hmmmm, this really is a tough one. There is only one answer - I think we need to call a session of the COURT OF PUBLIC OPINION!

Honestly, you could fit the credibility of this governemnt in a thimble and STILL have room to spare.

I do hope this is the straw that breaks the camel's back

Astroboffins probe mysterious 'blazar'

Youngdog

@GC

Nice one Garret - thanks for replying.

Hope you have a good weekend

Youngdog
Paris Hilton

@ Garret Cotter

Mate - what is a 'dormant supermassive black hole'? Either it IS a singularity with a large enough gravitational field to draw in even light or it isn't. My astrophysics is a little rusty but I don't recall coming across them in New Scientist. I'm not having a pop but genuinely intrigued.

Paris - pulling anything nearby, irresistible attraction etc etc

US woman attacks missus with sperm-filled syringe

Youngdog
Gates Horns

Oh come oneWhitter...

...If they arrested everyone who got drunk and chased lesbians around with syringes full of fresh semen this site would be a lot quieter.

No?

Just me?

I'll get my coat - its the one with the dubious stains on the pockets

Bill - because he's been trying to do the same to us for years

Boffins finger reason for non-aligned cows

Youngdog
Flame

Good old Occam

Or perhaps, Dr Begall, you are wrong and there is no such thing as cattle alignment. Who knows why Cows face one way. Perhaps they like to catch the sun. You certainly don't see the effect with pigeons (proximity perhaps?) You have don't have to look at any fields to see the BS here

Lights out, Britons told - we're running out of power

Youngdog
Stop

This country is a joke

Our lives are ruled by thieves and liars. The punchline? We just roll over and take it. Our Continental Cousins would have started burning sheep by now and yet all we do is grumble weakly in between general elections that we probably won't vote in. I've always enjoyed visiting The Reg and reading Private Eye but lately I haven't been laughing as much. The Government works for the public. The Police work for the public. Terrorism and Financial Meltdowns are just a smokescreen for the biggest act of non-consensual group sodomy ever witnessed in history. Our lives and our country have been sold out by yes-men to a gang of greedy sociopaths. DNA databases, Green taxes, anti-terror laws - soon it will be mass unemployment and power cuts. I just hope it is very long, hot summer.

Mines the one with the New Model Army album in the pocket

Doc-in-chief targets 'passive drinking' with price hike

Youngdog

In my best Daniel Day-Lewis voice..

Passive Drinking Eli! Passive drinking my Boy!

If you have a beer and I have a beer and I have a straw and my straw reaches across the room and starts to drink your beer. I drink your beer!

I DRINK IT UP!

Ex-Star Wars boffins build mosquito-blasting raygun

Youngdog
Happy

Funniest thing I've read all day

"they killed their first mosquito with a hand-held laser in early 2008"

That's some markmanship. I can only assume the little mite was pinned down somehow. Probably by 2 other scientists with handhelds providing a cross-fire

The mental image of two white coat clad scientists leaping around a field shouting "There it is - shoot it! Oh no its flown over there!" will keep me chuckling well into the afternoon.

Apparently after the first kill it does get easier - I have it on good authority that after a certain amount it is easy to become densensitised to the point where they will keep on doing it 'just to see the expressions on their faces change'

National Express to 'ban' trainspotting

Youngdog
Unhappy

Gated barriers in Leeds - an apology

I, and many others I'm sure, do have to take some responsibility for this. When I was a destitute student in Leeds back in the early 90's I used to cut the dates out of old Metro cards and stick them on my latest one to form new expiry dates. NEVER got caught. It is only now looking back with deep shame that I realise I was just a smart arse little tosser who ruined it for everyone. I do feel better now I’ve got that off my chest though!

3D laser maths models of women's bodies produced

Youngdog
Paris Hilton

What a waist...

Pun intended. So "a truly accurate 3D mathematical picture of the female form has thus far been lacking" ? So glad the top boffins of our day are tackling the really big issues - I can't believe we have managed so far without one! I mean for 10,000 years plus we have been shuffling around in ill fitting garments resembling empty crisp packets tripping on our trouser hems and wrinkling up our baggy shirts

1) How many women have bodies that actually conforms to a mathematical standard?

2) How is this going to prevent anyone buying ill-fitting garments?

3) What happens when someone loses/gains the odd few pounds

I don't think japanese bespoke tailors will be committing seppuku with their scissors just yet

Drunk sorority girls quaff booze 'to impress boys'

Youngdog
Paris Hilton

Students get drunk at uni shock!

In other news

Bears refuse to defecate without adequate canopy shading

Pope denies rumour of recent protestant conversion

Anyway, I thought uni girls got drunk to make the experience of sleeping with men like me almost bearable.

The 'proof' that the underlying reason for the drinking was to impress blokes seems vague. All I see is research into what women think men want. If they only knew that all men really need is for them to say 'yes - I will sleep with you' they would save themselves a fortune in beer tokens. Maybe the huge floating M$ advert WITH NO 'x' BUTTON got in the way of the articles stunning insight

Paris, obviously

Speeding, driverless Nissan finally stopped by US bombers

Youngdog
Pirate

Hans re: Navy High and Dry?

The Spanish have their Naval Admiralty based in Madrid.

Obviously they ever really recoved from the whole Drake/Armada incident

Apple tells iPhone vendors not to reveal sales figures

Youngdog
Pirate

@ AC Re: Apple Bashers

I don't know if you live in England but I do and everyone I know uses text messaging on their phones - and I do mean EVERYONE. Even my old dear (gawd bless 'er) who is in her sixties and got her first phone 2 years ago texts me to let me know what she is up to. I phone rocks? You spent how much to get 'a reaction'? How old are you? 12?

Drink rats' milk, suggests battling Heather Mills

Youngdog
Mars

Paul McCartney.....

...has broken his dignified silence to comment that he thinks that Heather maybe 'unbalanced'

He goes on to say sliding a couple of beermats under her left foot usually helps

IF YOU LAUGHED AT THAT THEN SHAME ON YOU - YOU ARE A WICKED, WICKED PERSON!

I think her latest publicist watched the same Simpsons episode as JP and is pulling her leg - DOH! THAT PUN WAS NOT INTENTIONAL - STOP GIGGLING AT THE BACK!

Woman finds boyfriend dead in catflap

Youngdog
Mars

Positional Asphyxia

I genuinely thought that 'Positional Asphyxia' was a euphemism used by police after accidentally over-restraining prisoners with their truncheons. Now we have a case that happened outside of a custody cell I might have to rethink my ACAB views. This is a sad story and a waste of life - shame the poor sod didn't get the help he needed before it was too late. Let this be a warning to men drinking to the point of unconsciousness over women they claim 'they cannot live without' - those words may prove very fateful!

Tesco punts Xbox 360 bundle for £33.24

Youngdog
Mars

You all must be sick of me by now but...

An update to the Postal Contract law referred to higher up the thread - word at the time was that Tesco was hoping to (mis)use it...

"The Postal Rule states that the contract is formed once acceptance of the contract has been sent, i.e. when the confirmation email was sent by Tescos. In addition, The Postal Rule is an outdated law (dating back to late 1800s give or take) and as such has very little statute in the modern world, particularly when it comes to electronic transactions as The Postal Rule set up to account for situations where substantial delays were expected between the sending and subsequent delivery of contractual terms.

Richards, P, The Law of Contract, ed7 (2006, London: Pearsons) construes providing an acknowledgement screen as an acceptance of contract and holds more precendant than the Postal Rule.

In short; 'A contract is said to come into existence when acceptance of an offer has been communicated to the offeror by the offeree.' With specific reference to the Postal Rule, 'As a rule of convenience, if the offer is accepted by post, the contract comes into existence at the moment that the acceptance was posted (Adams v. Lindsell (1818) 106 ER 250)'. Note the date of 1818. But even then they talk about the acceptance of the contract, not fulfillment of it. Acceptance as far as I can see constitutes the emails. Fulfillment of the contract would be the posting of the goods themselve, which they claim should be acceptance of the contract."

Stick THAT in your pipe and smoke it!

Youngdog
Mars

RE: Richard Branson

I feel violated by the bearded one! Doubt this is true though - sounds more like Branson's own perculiar brand of self-publicising. If it is a marketing ploy it has failed miserably - the biggest place I've seen this story is the sky news website so we have hardly set the world alight. The only practical upshot so far is that some people have had their cynicical world-view well and truly reaffirmed while others think tesco are sh*ts. I fall into both camps.

Youngdog
Mars

PS. Richard Branson

Beardface honoured his customer orders? My mate was fobbed off with an email from Virgin over his order. I will tell him to check this....

Youngdog
Mars

I'm back baby!

Seems I spoke to soon about rolling over on this one!

'K' found this on http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=5978958001

(clears throat) begin quote:

"Here's a copy of what I sent them - I suggest everyone else do the same. They'll crack under the pressure as they're legally not on solid ground and they know it. The letter they sent out is to see how many people complain and they can settle on the sly with anyone who makes a fuss, standard procedure...

Anyway, copy and paste this into your own letter/email to them:

Dear Sir/Madam,

Your terms and conditions do not at any point make reference to non-provision of goods due to inaccurate product details.

In addition, since you accepted payment for the items, the contract was formed and you are under obligation to provide the items described for the price listed. If you are in any doubt as to whether or not this is the case, I urge you to read The Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002, SI 2000/2013, which incorporates Directive 2000/31/EC.

As such I look forward to receiving the items ordered in a timely manner.

Yours sincerely"

Quote ends

If anyone has ordered ONE unit and still feels aggrieved by Tesco's attitude PLEASE DO TRY THIS!

Youngdog
Unhappy

Re: yes, but.... By Michael

You are right Michael (hangs head in shame) - I think we can stick a fork in this one now - it's done.

See you here next time!

Youngdog
Mars

RE: Thieves trying to defraud Tesco AC: 05:18 GMT

Thats a bit harsh Mr C! In England such behaviour is regarded as opportunism and is widely admired (Del Boy anyone?) And anyway, it's quid pro qou - Tesco play the same game and make a lot of money out of it! In fact you should be defending me! Perhaps Julius Ceaser should have considered that other piece of latin wisdom 'when in Rome......'

Youngdog
Mars

come on tesco!

Do we really think that NO ONE from tesco is aware of this thread?

My advice to tesco?

suck it up!

Put your hands up and admit fair cop guv loud and clear - turn it around so YOU don't come away looking bad . Say you are concerned about xmas disapointment, that you always put your valued customers first or ANYTHING!

Just honour the ones you have already taken the money off! WHATEVER!

And just for the record - how many xboxes did I personally order?

none

zilch

nada

zero

I got a wii 2 weeks ago (but thats another story!)

Yes I sent the mails. Yes I rang the numbers. I informed everyone I could about this and my team alone hoovered up nearly 50. We're now just looking for deals on wrapping paper off e-bay.

The point is this - I haven't got myself worked up about this for anything as petty as greed. I can honestly say that my anger at tescos over this does not have a vested interest. How many of those execs at tescos can honestly say that while they were pulling their hair out today over this and getting called in to the bosses office to explain the situation?

All I know is that this stinks and a lot of families will have a much merrier xmas with an xbox under the tree.

Tescos - I await your response

Youngdog
Mars

Oh really?

'Unfortunately, there was an error in the product details at the time that you placed your order, the Wireless Entertainment Pack does not include an X Box 360'

That's funny - we found out off e-buyer today that you CANNOT buy this bundle WITHOUT the console! Apparently these bundles cannot be split as the vendors get them as a whole unit from the suppliers

This stinks

Watch out for a 'TESCO - Where's my Xbox!' banner behind the goal at the Watford game tomorrow

Youngdog
Mars

K's revenge - consumer power!

It seems that Tesco are now resorting to mis-using existing contract law relating to postal contracts to squirm out of this one;

http://www.e-consultancy.com/news-blog/364560/major-retailers-in-xbox-price-mishap.html

In response to Tesco's furious back pedalling 'K' has formed a forum to try and get Tesco to face up to their responsibilities!

Facebook users can find it here;

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7202406620

Youngdog
Mars

RE: UK contract law ... by AC 10:11GMT

Good point but if the low low price was a result of Tesco automatically undercutting the competition then I cannot see how it can be called a mistake. The price they posted was a genuine response - if Virgin stood by their price of £35 you can bet Tesco would have entered a lower bid as they seem to be obsessed with undercutting rivals - that IS a reasonable expectation for consumers familiar with Tescos to have! Also it was possible to buy the new H.P. book from Tesco's when it was first released for a FIVER. Almost a 75% saving on the RRP! You could say they aleady have form....

Youngdog
Happy

Thanks Mike Richards!

Just been informed by one of my crew that (according to their credit card company anyway) their payment has been accepted by Tesco's - this is going to be interesting......

Youngdog
Mars

My recollection of events

I am proud to state that me and my mates were on to this from the off. At about 11am our desk got a tip-off that the Virgin Megastore website was selling xbox bundles for £35. Considering Virgin are in the middle of being sold off at the moment this could have been a genuine mistake or a disgruntled employee - we will never know! We managed to get 2 before experiencing technical issues when one of my team (lets call him K) banged xbox into a couple of price comparison websites and bingo! Up popped tesco's - at the rather unusual price of £33.43. It took about a second for the penny to drop. It was obvious that Tesco were using an automatic price checker system to search the net for the cheapest price, take 1p+5% off and then repost the price as their own. Although Virgin were foolish to post their price they did pull it very quickly. Tesco, however, are very much the fool who followed and I'm sorry but they deserve to lose out on this one.

I work in the financial markets and although I cannot get specific there are routines in place inside trading software that are dedicated to pulling spurious prices for bonds and options out of the market if they get hit. After the first trade, bang, it's pulled. If not we could be taken by anyone and could face losing a fortune. It's a free market - why should Tesco be any different?

Their system was working perfectly and I'm pleased top say that me and my mates spent the rest of the day ringing everyone we knew and telling them all about it. It is not often that we the average joe get a chance to clean up and imagine little jonny's face when he gets an xbox instead of a bike for christmas. It's tescos obsession with undercutting competition that got them into the situation. Stuff'em

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