I don't own a Mac...

...but I will be asking my boss for one when this PC wears out so I never have to use this turkey.

Sync rate/BRAS profile and... rebates!

See my earlier comment for the financial idea, but most of you are over complicating the technical angle. It's simple - the maximum you can ever achieve is close to your sync rate (known to the exchange) and, more specifically, your BRAS profile (known to BT). Don't go trying to invent ways of measuring Internet speeds, it's silly.

Rebates!

An idea struck me while reading the comments - how about a rebate system that compensates those who have not received what they have paid for? Perhaps the rebate can be kept back until the end of the contract, giving the ISPs an incentive to actually improve the end-user's experience.

Sync rate

I've long thought that billing should be somehow related to one's sync rate with the exchange. Eith er a direct charge per MB/s sync (per day?) or an average over the month, etc.

But a new idea struck me while reading the comments - how about a rebate system that compensates those who have not received what they have paid for? Perhaps the rebate can be kept back until the end of the contract, giving the ISPs an incentive to actually improve the end-user's experience.

Hmm... zero g effects

Puffy face, nausia, hairdo all over the place, disorientation, dehydration, flatulence, nasal congestion, sleep disturbances. Still feeling sexy dear? Oh...

Popcorn, indeed.

I have a vision of Mr. Ellison flexing his fingers through his knuckleduster while Mr. Page struggles to slip the ropes tying him to his chair.

$50 isn't worth anything?

So, we are not buying at $50 discount - how about trying a $100 discount? Yep, I'd very probably upgrade my 5-year old family PC at that point but I can't justify the money. Heaven knows we need to replace it, but c'mon, the WAF is high at the moment with all this doom and gloom around.

Admittedly, the vendor will probably make a loss at $100, but they'd better shift the stock as it's value is only decreasing anyway. Cut the losses.

To summarise: Discounts would still work but they have to be sufficient to make us want to open our wallets. Money's tight, idiot.

Darwin?

/satisfied

Traditional coverings

I too built balsa planes in my youth and recall doping tissue paper very well. At one point in the '80s, I tried a shrink-wrap plastic covering which was light, very colourful and easy to apply. While these coverings would almost certainly be lighter than normal paper and PVA, I think they might stress the straws too much. Balsa 'gives', straws buckle. If you can afford the weight, go with what you've got.

"Chip and Bin" anyone?

...ignore me if this has already been done. I haven't seen it anywhere yet though.

Mystery?

I wonder if the mysterious latent performance effect is something to do with drive or controller-level caches? I'm guessing, but could re-tried reads cause extra cache to be consumed, thereby reducing the cache's effectiveness on the subsequent run? Additionally, I suspect that many of the successful reads were failures straight off the head but software correction saved them - could this cause more cache (or some other resource) to be consumed and affect a subsequent run? Regardless, the paper is light on cache effects at any level, which I find a little surprising.

Step forward, Secretary of State

I've read the act. Section 33-1 seems to be the problem. Section 33-2 seems to be the solution. The Secretary of State can issue an order clearing up the whole mess in one fell swoop.

Random thought...

They've re-invented the clapometer.

About time, too

Don't most serious organisations in this world require some form of QA process? There's even a specific job title for the printed (and online) media: Editor. This is distinct from the role of Author, in case anyone's forgotten... and Moderaterix, of course.

10% eh?

That would be decimated then...