* Posts by Avi

79 publicly visible posts • joined 14 Jan 2008

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RedFly goes soft

Avi
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Writing and sending SMSs from a proper keyboard?

I've long wondered why it was never possible to send SMSs through the PC via ActiveSync. It seems such a logical extension to the syncing of emails. and the SMS interface is so tied to the Email one that it just looks like they should be treated in the same way.

I know it's because no-one in business uses SMS, but I've spoken to a fair few people who seem to want that feature anyway. Perhaps some people in business do want that feature?

I know that's not really the point of this tech, but I'm struggling to find any other realistic use for it.

Microsoft supplies Interpol with DIY forensics tool

Avi

This is quite hillarious

A forensic-evidence gathering tool from a company renown for its products not being able to read from or talk to anything else.

SLED 11: a distro for businesses, not idealists

Avi
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Retrieved mail from Exchange flawlessly in Evolution?

I don't believe that for a second. I've _never_ managed to do that.

Actually, that's a bit of a lie, the mail's the easy bit to live with. It's the not-quite implementation of everything else that users expect Outlook to do (calendars, public folders etc.) that Evolution just doesn't seem to like doing. It crashes well, though, which I guess is something.

No, I've not tried it on SLES, but I can't see it being an awful lot better.

<standard please-stop-making-linux-look/work-like-windows-i-like-it-because-it's-different rant>

IBM 'in talks' to buy Sun Microsystems

Avi
Coat

Finally! Ultrasparc Thinkpads!

Mine's the one with the Psion Netbook in the pocket.

Channel 4 fails to open archives to Mac, Linux fans

Avi

Much as C4's not one of the channels I miss...

I do wish Project Kangaroo hadn't died.

Samsung NC10 netbook

Avi

No room for a decent touchpad?

So stick a nipple on it, then.

I can't be the only person left who prefers them, can I? Especially on something so diddy.

Silverlight for Linux hits with Microsoft punch

Avi

I can't help but wonder

why, if the OSS one is as good as the proprietary one, they keep the proprietary one?

Delayed Debian plans Valentine's weekend arrival

Avi
Joke

Google Monday?

Who's that then?

Microsoft SKUs Windows 7 clarity

Avi

Trying to copy Linux?

What happened to the days of the Windows Fanboys complaining at the Linux Zealots that as long as there are multiple distros Linux will never make it to the desktop?

Apple prices MacBook Pro battery surgery

Avi

@Jeremy

All laptops need batteries replacing. All replacement batteries cost money. Some replacement batteries cost more money than others.

I don't see what apple's doing that's any different from any other laptop manufacturer. I don't know of any that do free replacement batteries for the life of the product. Do you?

The only bit that I really dislike about this is the difficulty of having a replaceable battery. I tend to carry a spare battery with me as I'm really bad at remembering to charge it. Though I imagine products will be made that are essentially batteries that plug into the power socket.

Microsoft moves Macs closer to PC parity

Avi

I've long wondered about this disparity

Where users of MS on Mac get the more shoddy versions than those using Windows get.

Surely if there's anyone MS should be trying to convince of the high quality of their software, it's the generally-anti-MS mac using crowd?

Tabloid girl's jubs freeze at -130°C

Avi
Coat

@ "it's clearly farenheit" comments

-130F is still -90C...

MSI mobo ditches Bios for EFI

Avi

I might've missed something here

but is the intention really to encourage someone who can't manage to use a keyboard to make changes to their bios?

Is this a good thing?

Three simultaneously cut undersea cables under repair

Avi
Joke

SeaMeWe?

Seriously?

Europe-wide emergency number is go

Avi

*cringes*

"now we can see how the Europe of results can help people in everyday life.”

MPs lost for Word over creaking Microsoft packages

Avi

Well, that'd be a first...

"the lack of compatibility “will be resolved in conjunction with Microsoft”"

Tron sequel already in production

Avi

Tr1n surely?

What with 1, not 2, coming after 0.

Open source fanciers finger Beeb's Win 7 'sales presentation'

Avi
Linux

As a bit of a linux fanboi

I really can't see where the OSC are coming from on this. Unless there's more to it than that video.

Gary Glitter expelled from GCSE paper

Avi
Joke

I totally agree!

And, while we're at it, can we remove the murderers and dictators from the history syllabus?

Lightning to thunder with speed-creep beating V8 roar

Avi

The next ringtone?

Wasn't it only the other week you were talking about what'd be the 'next ringtone'.

McCain 'dead' email ruse punts penis pills

Avi

A bit worrying that this works...

What're they expecting people to think?

"McCain's dead? Better get some Viagra!"

Study clears cannabis of schizophrenia rap

Avi
Coat

Pot-induced schizophrenia?

I've been smoking it for years and we're still fine

Windows 7: One compatibility label, no confusion

Avi

Microsoft wants Windows 7 to able to run on consumers' existing PC hardware.

Does this mean the spec requirements have gone down since Vista, or just stayed the same?

My existing hardware wont run Vista.

Academic avoids extradition over Holocaust denial

Avi
IT Angle

@ChrisW

It *was* the Jewish holocaust he was denying, though.

As in, the process by which a fuckton of Jews were exterminated by the Nazis.

FWIW, from where I'm standing, it's not one group claiming exclusive whingeing rights. It's hardly a pervasive idea amongst Jews that it was only Jews killed by the Nazis, though most notes on the use of the word 'Holocaust' point out that, in common usage, it only refers to the Jewish deaths.

Vodafone pitches Comic Sans as the next Crazy Frog

Avi

Wonder how much it's worth to the operators

for the handset manufacturers to not make this customisable by default?

Wasn't bluetooth similarly stymied (briefly) by the operators in an attempt to push up mms sales?

Apricot drops 'too complicated' Linux from netbook line

Avi

Made this decision to ensure ... a smooth installation of their operating system,"

Versus:

"Apricot believes that this will be a more attractive product offering for their target customers, because as soon as it is switched on, it is ready for use."

Either the customer has to install their OS, and therefore want the easier one to install, or they don't and it's ready out of the box.

You can't have two plus points being that you don't need to configure it to use it and that the configuration required before use is really easy.

El Reg launches Bletchley fundraising t-shirt

Avi
Heart

I was hoping this would happen

If for no other reason than to demonstrate to myself that I, too, generally only donate to charidee if I get a t-shirt in return....

Also, I get an error from my browser saying you've used the wrong Google Maps API key somewhere. This is an old nightly build, though, so it could just be practicing for whatever today's fatal bug is.

Microsoft raises anti-piracy posse

Avi

More realistic numbers please?

Given that it wasn't mentioned in the article, I presume this study wasn't one which noticed that not all pirated software is a potential sale.

Certainly when I was pirating software, if I couldn't have it for free I'd use something else that I could. I've never found myself in a position where it's worth my paying for an office suite, for example.

Virgin Media calls foul on web speed testers

Avi
Joke

Presumably an increase in speedtest accuracy

will be met with a similar one in the accuracy of VM's ads?

Airline industry refuses to be ID card guinea pig

Avi

*votes conservative*

This is reminding me of MS steering people away from Vista...

Windows HPC server courts supercomputing greenhorns

Avi

Self-supporting

"In many cases, these HPC sites know a lot more about Linux and tuning it for HPC than Red Hat, Novell, and other commercial Linux suppliers."

Given their history on the desktop and server, I really can't see this being any different for an HPC version of Windows - you're still going to need to hire someone to actually support it. And that person's still going to be an HPC orientated person (or not very good at their job).

Unless you're the kind of big shop that gets the proper support deals from MS. But, in that case, I'd have thought you'd be equally able to find and hire someone to run whatever other OS you might decide you want.

Tiny tots trial touchscreen tech

Avi
Thumb Down

Keep the old ones

They still work after a couple of years of kids writing their names on them with a pair of compasses...

Microsoft makes another play for UK schools

Avi

MS looking forward to working out a suitable product

Surely implies that currently they're not suitable? So alternatives that work now should be worked out, and at the next review, if they're suitable, they get considered?

I know, I know, logic in government...

Ubuntu lovers slap Canonical over Firefox EULA

Avi

@AC`

Yeah, Mozilla can do what they like. The bulk of the complaints are at what Ubuntu do. And, presumably, Ubuntu can also do what they like.

This is where I think Ubuntu need to be clearer on their aims. I know, that Debian are open sauce to the point of fanaticism. They're vocal and open about it enough that you can't really install it and complain there's no ATi drivers.

Ubuntu's never struck me as being uber-free. It practically tells you to install proprietary drivers (with a slightly exaggerated warning as to the perils of closed source), so I'd expect that if Mozilla demanded a EULA, the most Ubuntu would do is tell people before they accept it.

If they want to appease the oss zealots, they could have an install-time option of 'only free' versus 'everything', and ship Iceweasel for those that want it...

Net-talking toaster to burn news onto bread

Avi

*checks date*

It's nowhere near April...

MS beefs up WinXP Pro's anti-piracy nagware

Avi
Happy

*turns off automatic updates*

It's not like it's a difficult workaround...

Election watchdog makes ID card U-turn

Avi

They can't do that!

I've always loved how open to rigging the system is, and how it seems no-one can be arsed to take advantage of this In any dishonest way...

UK etailer punts bovine coitus thumb drive

Avi

@Michelle

"i can not see how they can have any respect for their customers by still behaving like this??"

Presumption of the possession of a sense of humour?

Mobile broadband: What's it for?

Avi

@William RE: Vodafone Business Users

Having had awful coverage from Vodafone on company phones here, we've recently conducted an informal comparison of Vodafone Business versus Vodafone 'normal' by basically getting a payg vodafone sim and asking people to see if it has any coverage when their company mobile doesn't.

In general, it does.

I'm not overly surprised, though, many of the places the business sims weren't getting coverage were within central London...

Minister warns of national grid hack threat

Avi

"a remarkable number of attempted attacks on our system"

I've seen this requoted in a few places, but nowhere seemed to give a timeframe for the 'thousands' of attempted attacks.

Was there one?

gOS - a Google good OS for your Mum

Avi

The target market mightn't need the configurability

But their slightly-more-techy offspring, siblings, colleagues probably will when they inevitably break it and take it to one of them to fix.

Jeery Jerry loves Vista, y'know

Avi

$10m to say Vista's not crap

How much did Apple pay people to say Macs aren't crap?

Wireless browsers shut out of the Olympics

Avi
Happy

Not having a TV

And so not paying a TV license, I'm still amused that everyone in the UK has access to iPlayer...

Satnav turtle locates cannabis stash

Avi
Happy

Pothead turtle?

Or is this some undocumented ability of all turtles - that of detecting pot from afar?

And aren't turtles normally water-dwelling?

Old timers rattle zimmers at 'Elderly Persons' sign

Avi
Stop

But that's not the point...

How long until roadworks contractors complain that they're not perpetually standing with a spade dug into a pile of earth?

My bike certainly doesn't look like the one on the road signs, either.

The point isn't to accurately illustrate something, it's to quickly warn of it.

A third of Vista PCs downgraded to XP

Avi

Incremental Updates

Having recently come back to Windows, I realise I've been spoilt elsewhere by how transparently things update and upgrade.

The problem, in my opinion, isn't so much the Whole New OS idea, but the Whole New UI idea - I'd be fine with the guts of the system changing completely, so long as when I look for something it's where I expect it to be.

I don't know of anyone who finds the Vista UI easier to use than the XP one (though, admittedly, I've only been asking people who are new to Vista and used to XP). Surely they'd have taken the hint with the amount of people who switched their XP control panels back to classic view?

There are good, strong examples of OSs which manage to be updated without alienating and confusing existing users. If everyone else can do it, why can't Microsoft? Or, rather, why don't they?

Microsoft starts stoking hype for Windows 7

Avi

Let's go in the right direction this time...

A newer OS should, aside from anything else, perform the same job as its predecessor on the same hardware, better and/or quicker.

When you've got that nailed, by all means go about adding optional silly UIs and card games that need graphics acceleration...

Thai court jails 'swirly-face' paedophile

Avi

@ AC

Constructive comments are hardly the norm, are they?

Can't see them being destructive to anyone, either, though. So it's all good.

Suprise at spelling snafu sanctions

Avi

I might be missing the point here....

But I was under the impression that the bulk of the point of the exams and coursework is to demonstrate that not only do you understand the subject matter, but you can explain it coherently?

Which, surely, includes managing at least the grasp of the English expected of a seven year old?

Congestion charge means less traffic, more congestion

Avi

RE Longer buses = Longer Wait

But the bus would sit at the stop for longer waiting for all the people to cram through one door in each direction - it is a noticeable improvement on some routes, too. Much as they do try to kill me on a near-daily basis, I can't help but see the logical basis for the bendy buses.

I just think the 'warning: this bus is 14m long' sign should be somewhere the driver can see it, not stuck to the back of the thing...

There are still some lights that are clearly phased to increace congestion (the crossing south end of Blackfriar's bridge *always* delays those turning right onto the bridge during the evening rush hour, but not outside it), but I can't comment on how intentionally.

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