* Posts by Paul Crolla

5 publicly visible posts • joined 3 Mar 2008

'What's the point of me being in my office, just because they want to see me in the office?'

Paul Crolla

Re: Contract clauses

Got something very similar in my UK contract. Is the traditional basis of that clause not that you should get a bonus if you put in the extra work, though depending on the size of the bonus it is easily wiped out by working an hour extra per day?

Socket to 'em: It's the HomeGrid vs HomePlug powerline prizefight

Paul Crolla

Re: I've often wondered about the security of powerline devices.

The most effective thing to do is to insert an isolating transformer between your installation and the public grid. Another method is to wrap the incomer around a metal toroid which will block the higher frequency components.

Non-obviously it is possible to couple from one set of cables to another, so your neighbour could put a transmitter on their side of the wall and turn the power up...

Brits won't get PSP price cut, says Sony

Paul Crolla

Forgive me if I'm a numpty....

However 1 Euro buys 122.2 Yen (google rate for simplicity), 1 GBP buys 138.6 YEN

So in Yen the UK version costs 18016Yen and the Euro version 14058Yen giving a 28% difference in price. Since the VAT rate is fairly similar throughout the Euro zone roughly 18-21% and the UK is 20% there doesn't seem to be any sensible reason for the difference....

Jules Verne creeps up on ISS

Paul Crolla

Re: GPS in space uh?

Having a quick scan of the web, GPS satellites orbit at 12000 km, which is a geostationary orbit, ISS is at approximately 340km (max of 440km). Therefore, probably with a little adjustment, GPS could be used.

Ballmer deploys greenery in CeBIT charm offensive

Paul Crolla
Gates Horns

33 times less power than XP

Is that because it works 33 times less than XP?