* Posts by The BigYin

3080 publicly visible posts • joined 25 Mar 2008

Blogger silences Google ads with death and destruction

The BigYin

Google has ads?

I never noticed. But then I use a proper browser with some proper filters and blockers in place.

If web ads were not so horribly intrusive (animated ads are the worst) then I wouldn't block them.

Government rubbishes ID card hack report

The BigYin
Thumb Down

Two cards?

Have two cards. One fake, so you can get what you want at automated readers. One real for when the State Technocracy Appointed Security Inspectors want to see it.

We don't need cards, we don't need the database, we don't need Labour and their corruption and openly fascist policies.

Apple blueprints warranty Big Brother

The BigYin
Flame

Err...hmm?

Some "abuse" is what I'd call normal wear and tear. A mobile should be able to survive getting dropped. OK, the case may break by the actual "phone" bit should survive. Anyone who builds consumer electronics incapable of withstanding the consumer is an idiot.

My mobile of choice? Lowest-end Nokia that does what I want. Just about unbreakable (they've even been driven over - try that with an iPhone!). Cheap as chips too, so if it does break I don't really care.

I can well accept that false warranty claims must be a headache but c'mon...Apple users are too dumb to change a simple battery? Please. And what will happen when abuse is detected? Will it explode in a ball of flames.

Oh, wait, no; they do that already.

Palm slams Apple, hoodwinks iTunes

The BigYin
Stop

Standards

This is why they are important - no lock-in. So long as an application/device complies with the standards then it will work. If an application or device actively blocks, then it is not in compliance with the standards. And in this case Apple have pulled a typical MS trick.

iTunes won't work with your hardware? Boo-hoo. Drop iTunes then, it's not the only game in town.

Flying 'Motorbike'/Reliant Robin 'to take off next year'

The BigYin

In road mode...

...60mpg (estimated) is reasonable enough. I guess that is inferior Yankee gallon, which makes it 72-ish mpg or about 3.9 l/100km in real money.

Anyways, rip the wings off, lose the fan, the rest of the flight gubbins and that will improve. Probably be light enough to get classed as a motorcycle too. Bit like a C1 for two people.

Hmm...thought....clueless Volvo and BMW driving retards on "two" wheels....*shudder*

Mozilla squashes critical bugs in Firefox

The BigYin
FAIL

Another day another patch

How typical of the freetards. Bug, patch, bug, patch, but, patch...it's enough top make you puke.

I'm staying with MS as they may have bugs but they don't patch as often or as fast!

Hmm...hang on a minute....

Microsoft emergency fix kills bugs in IE, Visual Studio

The BigYin
Thumb Down

@WinHater

That is the fault of FF I am afraid. Why did it let something get installed without explicit user consent? That is a MASSIVE security hole.

And this plug-in is for all users - so it should have demanded explicit consent from and Admin user.

Oh, wait, I forget; Windows user almost always run as Admin.

Taiwan consumer org 'froze' Dell bank account

The BigYin
FAIL

@Bollocks

Another person who has no clue on how the law works in most parts of the world. I despair, I really do.

The price is an "invitation to treat". Go look it up!

(Of course, Taiwanese law may differ. Does anyone know?)

Kit makers trash New York e-waste recycling

The BigYin
FAIL

I don't like the idea

I think, by and large, the corporates have it right for once; any green "gain" will be wiped out by all the trucks chugging around. Home pickup is stupid.

There's so many other things that can be done; freecycle for one. Or adding a converter in the case of TVs (like the first poster said).

But manufacturers really have to work much hard to make their goods easier to recycle and, most importantly repair. And to be repairable for a reasonable price! It is really annoying to have a device (say a TV or laptop) that has a simple fault, you know what you need but for love nor money you can either not but the part or bot get it for a reasonable price.

If my PC blows a widget, almost all the parts are standard and I can simply swap the busted one. Whilst I don't expect Joe Schmoe to tear their TV apart, they should still be designed in such a way that an engineer can quickly, easily and cheaply fix it. But they're not, are they?

TV throws a fit? Chuck it and buy a new one.

Stupid.

Key McKinnon extradition ruling due next week

The BigYin

What did you expect?

It's the BBC! He's not a minority, not female, not obviously disabled, not working class, not a new media wanker, not a pointless eco power source; so as far as the Beeb is concerned, he's as guilty as hell.

But as for the treaty being asymmetric - is that still true? I thought the USA ratified their side years ago. Then again, what the treaty says and what US courts think is not necessarily the same thing.

Cops and ISP in paedophile data mix up

The BigYin

Zulu Time

Give all time in Zulu time using SI notation. No possibility of confusion then.

To the Moon - with extreme engineering

The BigYin
FAIL

No joke

That "joke" is a total myth. Both the Russians and the Americans used pencils at the start. But broken leads and the sharpening would cause graphite shards to float about. A *serious* risk to eyes and electircs. A humble ball point would have done the job perfectly, bar the fire risk.

The company Fisher came up with the "space pen", paying for all R&D. They are used by the Russians and Americans.

If you fall for a simple myth like that, what other crap is your story filled with?

Mac OS X gets rootkit coding manual

The BigYin

Ctrl-H

That's doesn't do it? Or, like with Explorer, there's no "Show teh hidden upload codez" option?

Weird.

Wikipedia's Gallery guy hung up to dry?

The BigYin

What a chump

Ignorance of the law is no defence, and their is no fair use defence here either.

The trial should go ahead to establish precedent. As to the punishment, I don't see much point in destroying the person's life. Have them make a donation to charity or something, and then give Wikipedia a hard kick in the nads for not doing their job.

OpenOffice bug/feature stirs 'horde of angry chimps'

The BigYin

Not a bug?

OK then, I wish to lodge this change request wot I have here. "Dinnae wipe hidden data yah bunch o' fannies".

Community vote for? [Lots of ayes]

Community vote against? [Tumbleweed]

Huzzah! Now I am sure if all the people who want this CR stumped up $5 each they could pay for a professional coder to sort it out and submit the patch (I assume none of them have the skill to do so, which is highly likely). Yes peoples; opensource != free.

The OOo developers can then be told to go and spin on it - the customer is *ALWAYS* right.

And while they're at that, could the sort out the sheer uglinees of OOo rendering and the fact it randomly smegs up all your careful formatting? I want to like OOo, I really do; but it is still only one quarter baked. Luckily for me, I do not rely on it.

Unpatched Firefox flaw lets fox into henhouse

The BigYin

@Chris 29

It's not "easy peasy", it requires registry hacking. It is a serious flaw the FF allowed in install (for all users!) without express consent and it is a further serious flaw that FF gives you no "easy peasy" way to get rid of the .Net pish.

The BigYin

Good.

Two security flaws for MS and Mozilla to address. Let's see who wins, it's a straight race.

Google Oompa-Loompas dream of virus-free OS

The BigYin
FAIL

Idiots

Well, maybe not idiots; maybe just PR puff.

All that will happen is that the viruses/trojans/attacks will mutate to exploit the new architecture or applications.

Make an OS as secure as you like, as tough as you like; but if it has an email application, the Good Times "virus" can still propagate.

TechCrunch dubs Linux a 'big ol’ bag of drivers'

The BigYin
Coffee/keyboard

Doctor!

I agree with Ted! I need help!

GOS is interesting, I don't think it will cause a revolution but is may make MS up their game. Google has the money and bargaining power to actually rival them (unlike the Linux distributors, barring certain niche markets) if they stick to their mays (and a serious competitor like Google could solve quite a few "competition" questions for MS).

I am surprised that Asus is being talked to - I thought they had agreed to drop Linux and go totally MS? Hey ho.

Linux patch sidesteps Microsoft's TomTom patent

The BigYin

Why use FAT at all?

OK, so natively Windows can only read FAT and NTFS. Big deal. Use ext3 (or something*) on your device and when you install the client app for the satnav/whatever, include drivers that will allow Windows to read/write to the file system.

Job done.

Not patent, no trouble.

I do not get why people insist on using FAT when there is just no need. Ot6her file systems are leagues better.

*Make it an industry-wide decision and stick to the same driver set.

Stop ID cards, says Scottish minister

The BigYin
Megaphone

Do you support ID cards?

That questionnaire in full:

1) Do you

a Want to be murdered by terrorists; or

b Support ID cards

2) Do you

a Want paedophiles to run free; or

d Support ID cards

Closed question - wossat?

Safety wonks condemn digital TV satnav

The BigYin
Flame

@MnM

"with a satnav, you have an idea of what's coming up and how fast you can go"

Wow, that's some sat nav you have. I never knew they could see mud, sheep, tractors or other obstacles on the road. There's me using eyeball mark-one and looking our for field entrances, telephone wires, trees, lakes* etc. What a Luddite I am! Gosh, there was me thinking that *I* was responsible for observing the road ahead and adjusting to the conditions, but I really should have been relying on the little box on the dashboard.

Your attitude typifies the problem with drivers in the UK. "Oh, the little gadget said it was fine" as you bounce down a greenlane in your BMW, then need to get rescued by an bemused farmer.

"Always be able to stop in the distance you can see". If you didn't know that, then you need remedial training.

*If you don't know why those items might be of importance when driving...then I despair.

The BigYin
Grenade

The problem is...

...that a large portion of people are unfit to be on the roads in the UK. How the hell they ever passed their tests is a mystery to me.

1) Running red lights

2) Lane hogging

3) Tail-gating

4) Proceeding on amber (even green does not mean "go")

5) Blocking junctions

6) Changing lanes without looking or indicating

7) Using a mobile whilst driving

8) Speeding in urban areas

The list goes on (and these 8 are what I see on my rather short commute - not a cop in sight).

The morons that do the above are the same morons who would probably want to catch up on Easties whilst bombing down the M6. That not the fault of the sat nav, that's the fault of the government for destroying traffic policing, lowering driving standards (the latest figures (not the ones from 2005 some idiot commentard tried to rebut with a while back) show our roads are more dangerous than Spain's these days, and that's not a good place to be) and a complete obsession with speeding as if it was the only ill on the roads. Oh, I forgot to mention the lack on investment in roads repairs and the destruction of our (admittedly pathetic) rail system that simply forces more morons on to the roads.

It's time the bad drivers in the UK were simply removed from the roads and then jailed if caught again. Mandatory eye-tests, highway code and road re-tests, stepped licenses (a bit like they have for motorcycles), skid control, a higher pass standard required etc.

I realise that I may be one of the one who would lose their license, but if my skills are not up to scratch, then why do they let me on the road? Oh yeah - our MPs are too busy fiddling their expenses to give one shit about this country.

People just not that into Blu-ray

The BigYin

My 2p

1) I have yet to see any HD/BluRay movie show a better picture quality than my current, standard TV.

2) Sound is way, WAY more important than picture

3) Too bloody expensive (players and discs)

4) Too much DRM

5) Why waste money on BluRay when 3D is 'round the corner?

I'll probably buy an HD telly once my current one dies, but only because that'll be what I can get; not because HD is any better.

Tories don black cap for ID cards

The BigYin
Flame

Useless flannelling

This is a mere PR stunt an El Reg fell for it. Once the contracts are signed, they will be too expensive to break. Once the Tories are in power they will either "forget" or "have a change of policy due to new information" or some such crap (probably assisted by fat directorships and other perks).

There is simply too much money to be made by MPs in the scheme.

Remember, an MP is their to feather THEIR nest and make as much as they can. Any speech of public service etc is just utter bullshit. Look at Brown. Unelected, unpopular, no mandate and STILL IN POWER!

Then there's the expenses. "No rules were broken". Really? Then THE RULES ARE WRONG! All MP and civil servant expenses should be open to public scrutiny. Period. No exceptions for any reason whatsoever. Failure to disclose should result in summary dismissal.

But that will never happen as MPs will NEVER vote against their own gravy train.

So the ID database will come in, not matter who is in power. People of Britain - Britannia weeps.

Now there's a thought....what if the cards a scrapped by the Tories but the database remains? Just the kind of tactic your expect from the scum of humanity that is an MP.

Team Agni scores e-bike grand prix victory

The BigYin

@Grease Monkey

"they took a successful existing design and stuck electric power in it only to make something that is painfully slow."

So if the first version of anything is not as good as the greatest existing thing, it should never be done? Go get a grip.

Leccy vehicles are not the total solution, but they could be part of the solution. Anything that gets the innovation buds juicing is good IMHO. if you don't like it then either don't follow it or get off your own rump and go an do better.

"EV development was abandoned because IC was so much more effective."

Will it still be that way when petrol costs £3+ a litre? (For any yanks reading, its US$3.7+ a US gallon now, so I'm talking US$11+ a US gallon).

"Yes I know we are constantly being promised a quantum leap in battery capacity and charge times, but it never seems to be forthcoming."

Well if they don't strive and fail from time to time, how do you expect them to get better? Magic pixies? Of course, batteries are not the only way to store the energy. But as none of them can match the energy density of petrol I guess you think they should not be pursued either?

The first IC (and EC for that matter) engines weren't any better than horses and donkeys. Luckily people stuck with them rather than abandoning them like you seem to think they should have.

The BigYin
Unhappy

YOU TOTAL SODS!

I've got the races recorded and was looking forwards to seeing them when I get home. Not much point now! GAH!

Windows 7 to push up netbook prices

The BigYin
Thumb Down

Hmm...

...given the MS and Intell bully-boy tactics ("Sell only our stuff or we will hike our prices to the sky"), will these ARM netbooks ever see the light of day?

MS managed to get Dell to hide/knobble their Ubuntu offering. I expect more of the same.

Which is a shame. MS and Intel stifling innovation and ruining consumer choice. Again.

The BigYin
Thumb Down

Why?

Why do people want a dull desktop OS on a netbook? What is the point?

The screen is too small and all the CPU processing just sucks down the battery life.

ARM chip, SDD drive and the Linux netbook remix of your choice. Job done.

NASA working on 'open rotor' green (but loud) jets

The BigYin
IT Angle

But, but, but....

....jet planes are more efficient and green that trains. El Reg said so!

So why are NASA wasting their time on this?

EC rejects Microsoft's browser promises

The BigYin

@Andy 17

Wrong analogy. No one car manufacturer has 96% of the world market and so that comparison bansed on abuse of a monopolistic position really can't be done. But if you did try, it would go something like this:

No car manufacturer insists that you use its parts (you can get pattern part) or its petrol (do Ford make petrol? No) or that its cars can only run on roads that it has built (unlike MS products, all cars are "standards compliant" in that they call conform to the same sets of rules and pass the same safety tests).

Oh, and car manufacturers often do use competitors engines/chassis/etc as it make economic sense to do so.

Riders line up for world's first e-bike race

The BigYin
Paris Hilton

@Dave S

Way to miss the point.

The race is not zero emissions as there must be emissions during the lead up to, running and dismantle of it. So why tout it as zero emissions when it cannot possibly be so? That was my point. It's PR bullshit and if people go around saying "I am zero emission as I have this here EV" then they will stop trying to lower their emissions and the situation could actually get worse!

As I also said, I applaud and support the technical endeavour. I am looking forward to this inaugural race too. But I am well aware that it is manifestly NOT zero emissions.

@spam

I see. So just because EVs are crap now we shouldn't try? Thank god the Whiteheads, Bairds, Edisons etc of this planet never thought like you do, "Oh look, my flying machine is not as good as a sick sparrow, best give up."

By 1937 motorcycles had had many years of innovation and development.

Paris - as she seems to have more of a clue than you two.

The BigYin
Thumb Down

It's ***NOT*** Zero Emissions

How can it be?

Where did the raw materials to make the bikes come from?

How was the engineering plant powered?

How did the workers get to and from work?

How many toxic chemicals are used in the batteries?

Can the entire bike be recycled?

Where does the electricity to charge the batteries come from?

How to the teams get to the island?

What about the aircraft the TTXGP lot have chartered to fly people over there?

Some simple questions that show up the "zero emissions" lie (seemingly repeated without thought by El Reg it seems). This does not mean I am not excited by the TTXGP, this does not mean that I do not support the innovation and potential advances from such a race, it just means I get wound up by people banging on about "zero emissions" when it is NOT "zero emissions".

The bikes will pollute. Less than a petrol race bike, perhaps, but pollute nonetheless.

Developers take Mac, Linux-friendly Chrome for a spin

The BigYin
Joke

"Unless of course you are a developer...

...or take great pleasure in incomplete, unpredictable, and potentially crashing software."

So that's developers and users of Vista?

Judge backs Halifax in Chip and PIN clone case

The BigYin
Flame

Blameshift

The whole point of chip and pin was to allow banks to duck their responsibility. Now they can blame the victim for any fraud and wash their hands of it.

Was there no video of the transaction? There should have been. That would show if the cardholder or A.N.Other made the withdrawal. If A.N.Other, the police should have been called.

Rather than assist it's customer, the bank would rather do them over and keep their vast, unjustified profits. This is the same behaviour that caused them to screw the world economy. Utter bastards.

Firefox users flip out over sneak MS add-on

The BigYin
Flame

Learning from Apple

Seems that MS is learning from Apple about pushing stuff onto PCs that people don't want.

I am off to find out how to remove the piece of malware right now. And it is malware no matter what the MS fanbois say. I never gave explicit consent for it to be installed (I never even knew of it existence until this story) ergo it is malware.

The utter, utter bastards.

Microsoft, Asus launch anti-Linuxbook campaign

The BigYin

Hmm....

I fired up my hacked-to-pieces Ubuntu laptop yesterday after it had been off for nearly months (I don't need a laptop that much). It updated itself (no reboot) and kept on trucking.

The Windows PC of the other had is doing my nut it. If I have to install the Nvidia drivers one more time I will scream! OK, so that may be Nvidia's fault and not MS's.

There are things about Linux that drive me to utter distraction. It has taken me months to get to my current level with Linux (still a newb) and that may sound terrible, but consider; if you gave someone a Windows CD and a blank PC - how well would they cope? My guess is no better and maybe even worse.

Is Linux better than Windows? Depends on you and your needs. It is chuffin' perfect for me on my lappy.

Is MS crapping its pants about Linux? Looks like it.

Will these ads backfire? I hope so. People who have never heard of it will think "What the hell is MS banging on about? What is Linux? Why are they crapping their load about it?" and a will look Linux up. Some will then convert. As more people convert, Linux will improve even if all those new users do is complain about how obtuse Samba is (and gods, is it horrible); it will get improved based on that input.

Blog homeopathy horror hammers hippy herbalists

The BigYin
Joke

Homeopathy works. 100% fact.

It's always a good idea to be correctly hydrated....

Dutch cat skinner publishes critics' personal details

The BigYin

Invasion of privacy?

What invasion? As far as I can tell from the story, all the information was taken from the public domain (social networking etc) so I can't see any invasion.

If you don't want your personal details spweed to the world - don't put them down the intertubes then!

As for her art - it's base, tasteless and utterly without talent. Bit like Damien Hirst and his ilk really.

Google toys with plug-in free YouTube

The BigYin
Go

@jai

AdBlock and Flashblock are your friends.

Greasemonkey can remove a lot of the cruft as well.

Leaving you just glorious content and do distracting crap. If the ads weren't so intrusive - I wouldn't block them.

Microsoft loses NZ Windows government deal

The BigYin
Thumb Up

@Lionel

"i dont really have any issues with linux except it doesnt just work :("

Then you have selected the wrong one for your hardware, or goosed the install. You can do that with Windows too. Try VirtualBox and install the Linux distro of your choice there, just to learn it.

"I really wish i could just install it on my system play all the games i normally play."

Linux does still lag Windows in the gaming scene it must be said. Some games play very well (better?) on Linux through WINE or similar, others just vanish up their own arse. But then my Windows games don't really run on my xBox either, can't really moan about that.

"Linux please stop making so many different versions"

Linux is not an OS, it is a kernel. To pick one distro, Ubuntu, they make three main "versions"

Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Xubuntu

The only thing that really changes between those is the desktop (to a new user anyway).

There are server/special variant, but you get those with Windows too.

So if you don't want to be swamped with a bazillion versions - just pick on. Anyone. Doesn't matter. Then stick with it. You can always change it later.

As for hardware support - the only big failing I have found is the shocking lack of printer support. Well, let me put that the correct way round. The only big failing I have found is the printer OEMs' shocking lack of Linux support. Some OEMs play nice (they make drivers, release their source or generally help out), others are just sods.

"just stick to 1 and make it usable for everybody. and then get all these people making multiple versions to make drivers instead !!!"

Can't I am afraid. Linux support far too many hardware variants. Got a really old PC you want to use as a (say) firewall/router? Then you need something like EasyPC. TomTom run a Linux distro. PVRs are almost certainly Linux. The utility I used to fix my xBox was Linux based...the list goes on. How can all there needs possibly be satisfied by one distro? They can't.

Now it is daunting when you first start. "OMG...what do I need? Slackware? Debian? Fedora? Mandriva? OpenSUSE? ARGH!" Just do what I did, pick the "Linux for dummies distro" (Ubuntu) and just start. Stick with that one until you know enough to think "I don't like this because of X" and then find the distro that scratches that X-itch. And don't fear the terminal. If you use Windows in any serious way, you will be a regular at the command line or in writing batch files (these are called "scripts" in Linux). I wrote a batch file on Windows to defrag and compress my virtrual machines on a schedule. You could to the exact same with a script and a cron job on a Linux distro.

My Linux laptop is a Vrbis Highscreen Green (yeah, go look that up). German keyboard, ancient ATI graphics card (fixed by me with milk bottle tops - I kid you not), obscure multi-media hardware and it "just worked". Getting Compiz Fusion and other doo-dahs to work took some effort - but these additions are not central to the fact that it booted, displayed, found my wireless, and was rather happy. Samba was a complete sod until I worked out that it wasn't the fault of Samba at all....CheckPoint VPN Client on my Windows box was breaking networking. Once I "fixed" Windows, it all went honky-dory.

I am no Linux expert and I *HATE* the elitist fanboi attitude that you see an awful lot (even here) "Read the man page FFS" is not very helpful when you don't even know *what* man page to look up!

Just remember, your Linux distro is not Windows. What it does it not "wrong", just different. And some of the things it does are, IMHO, "better". There are some Windows things I would like to see copied over, but on the whole Linux is easy enough to work with.

I do feel that I need to go to night classes or something to get the most from it, but that is mostly down to a lack of free time on my part (and a decent reference book - anyone know one?) to learn the ins-and-outs. It took me years to get to grips with Windows thoroughly, but I don't think it will take as long with Linux. Once I find the time.....

Stolen RAF files are blackmailer's dream

The BigYin
Thumb Down

@Dodgy Geezer

"I wonder what you think of the famous security service quote that Saddam Hussein could have weapons of mass destruction pointed at us in 45 minutes?"

I think it was a lie made up by one Anthony Blair for which he should have faced the beak.

It led us into an illegal war (a war with a genocidal psycho, granted, but illegal nonetheless).

Actually, he should have faced the beak over quite a few things.

Just because everyone else does it, does not make it right.

If they can break the law, why can't we?

The BigYin
Thumb Up

The Party of Open Corruption

I wish to form a new party. We will take decisions solely based on what is best for us as MPs.

Manifesto:

All expenses will be open to the public so that they can clearly see how much we are ripping them off. There will be a medal for who can claim the most.

All outside interests will be open to the public so they can clearly see how much we are creaming in other roles. There will be a medal for who can hold the most directorships.

All attendance and voting records will be public so they can clearly see how little work we are doing for such fat perks. There will be a medal awarded to any MP who manages to serve their term without ever showing up.

New policies will be based on who gives us the biggest bung or directorship.

If there is no bung (or it's too small to bothered about) then we will do whatever our constituents want. The constituents can even hold a whip-round to come up with their own bung.

We will, at least, be honest in our dealings; we are in it for the money/power and do not give one damn about the man on the street.

We will be the Party of Open Corruption.

Women coppers eager to drop trousers

The BigYin

@Sarah Bee

The AC is right about one thing - women's sizes are stupid. Why can't you just buy a pair of trousers/skirt with waist X and length Y? Or a blouse with chest X and collar Y? The stupid size numbers are creeping into men's clothes as well. Am I a 42 or a 44? I dunno. Depends on the country. and is just bloody stupid. I know my waist/collar/inseam etc and they won't change unless I do. Much easier.

As to the rest of the misogynistic balls...I think he got the reaction he wanted.

The BigYin
Thumb Down

Police may not be at fault

Having been out buying technical equipment with the g/f we noticed a big difference between men's and women's offerings. The men's would always have enough pockets/loops/whatever. The women's stuff was always "cut for style" and that meant not enough pockets/armour or anything to be of much use. i.e. not fit for purpose.

Buying a suit/dress - yeah, you'd want to look good. When buying technical equipment, looking good is secondary to it saving your life. "Oh, we don't fit armour to the women's trousers as it makes their hips look big." WTF? On my walking trousers I have hee-ooj cargo pockets etc, from the same company and in the same style, she gets pockets barely big enough for a hanky.

Perhaps plod could have been a bit more forceful in their procurement, but they were probably taking advice from the "experts" (clothing makers) and as the g/f and I found out; they're a bunch of numpties. How hard is it so think "Looking good but seriously injured...versus...looking a bit lumpy but dry, comfortable and safe....hmmm...."

Best thing for a female officer to do would be to get male trousers a size or so too big and have a tailor alter. It's stupid, I agree, but at least they'd fit!

Gov 'smart meter' plans: Sky box in charge of your house

The BigYin
Flame

Why consult, the decision has been made

The system will be implemented to maximise the profits of the companies (as that is where MPs will get the cushy directorships etc) and there will be no regard for the public.

Just like every other decision ever taken by any British government in recent history.

"Fuck the public, show me the money!"

Bastards, the lot of them.

Gordon Ramsay breaches f**king broadcasting code

The BigYin
IT Angle

For F's Sake People!

It's hardly unknown for Ramsay to swear. One could say he is renowned for it. In fact, one could go even further and say that he is feckin' famous for it! Given this, and given that the show aired after 2100, simply DO NOT WATCH IT! You bunch of stuck-up, jumped-up, self-important, middle class inbreeds. Jay-zuz wept. The TV even has an OFF button! Go do something less boring instead.

This does not change my opinion of Ramsay (I think he's a total cock), but I will support his right to be a cock to the bitter end. It doesn't say much for Ramsay's lexicographical prowess if all he can do is repeat "fuck" a few times. There's far better ways to berate someone, and it does not always have to involve swearing.

Microsoft: Windows 7 release in August '09

The BigYin
Linux

Windows 7 for Chrimbo?

Fat, new virus hangover for New Years day then.

I'll stick to XPsp3 until that is no longer supported* or it otherwise no longer does what I need. Then it will be "Enter the Penguin". I'm not Linux fanboi, but spending £x00 for a new OS or installing a "free" one is a no-brainer really.

Even less of a no-brainer if Lexmark ever get their bloody act together.

*AFAIK properly patched versions of XP are still under support.

Plod called in on MPs' expenses leak

The BigYin

I'll say offences have been committed

By the MPs! This is just an attempt to hunt down and crush the person who stood up for what was right.

All these MPs found to have fiddled their expenses should be summarily dismissed.

And as for thsoe who said "it was within the rules", it's high time those rules were changed!

Moblin 2.0 Linux goes alpha (again)

The BigYin
Flame

It would be nice...

...to see this get somewhere, but no doubt MS has a plan for killing this.