Posts by smudge

Because you need more than just a programmer to build and sell systems and products?

Re: Don't open unexpected attachments

Seriously - why should it ever be a user's job to protect the company from this?

You know, that speaks volumes about your attitude to your job and your employer. I'd even speculate that it exemplifies your approach to life.

"Take some responsibility? No way!"

I'm very glad that you will never be in my team.

Re: _BM

Have you actually worked for them? That is *so* accurate!

I once worked on a major programme in which IBM were the prime contractors. The IBM managers spent all their time passing the buck, and ensuring that they weren't responsible or to blame for anything.

I was part of the assurance function, and I quickly learned how to silence a meeting room full of senior IBM managers. Just ask "Who's going to pick this one up?".

Re: This isn't just a spade...

Can't we just call a spade a spade anymore?

If you want. I'd call it a f__king shovel.

Re: Turtlenecks, boybeards...

Of course all had boybeards in those days, given average life expectancy of 18 yrs.

Not so. As you say, that may have been *average" life expectancy, but infant and child mortality - right up until recently - was hideously high. Survive your childhood, and you had a good chance of living to a ripe old age.

Re: Here Is The News

But was it ever answered whether androids DO dream of electric sheep?

It's years since I read the book, but my conclusion was that the emphasis in the title is not on "do", but is on "electric".

People can afford electric animals, but dream of being able to own flesh-and-blood ones, like themselves.

So what do androids dream of? Electric animals, like themselves? Or flesh-and-blood animals, because they aspire to be human?

Clever title when you consider it.

Re: Anyone got their auditor's phone number?

Except, of course, that they will have that evidence ready long before the auditor rocks up.

Now, if a previous audit had identied the problem and told them to deal with the risk, that would be more useful. Especially if they decided to accept the risk :)

Cuba and America have only recently re-established diplomatic relations after decades of sanctions, and I don't understand why it would be of benefit to Cuba to piss of the Americans again.

So who would want to piss them off? (Yes, I know - who wouldn't? - but I'm being serious for a change.)

I would start off by checking where the North Korean embassy is.

Re: As an interesting aside ..

Me: 'I would love to give you the password but this laptop belongs to Cabinet Office'. Can I call the office please and I am sure they will help you?'

And you had written permission to take a laptop with HMG encryption out of the country?

Re: Lightbulb moment?

It's lightbulbs all the way up.

Re: 3 years of supported apps?

Where does is say that? All I can see is that use of the core apps is free for the first three years.

What El Reg's report doesn't say - but the Autotrader one does - is that Entune uses your own smartphone to connect, so a contract with unlimited data is recommended. You have to register your phone with Entune. I assume you can register more than one phone, for when a vehicle is used, separately, by different drivers.

There are other car systems - eg BMW's - which have their own SIM.

Last I heard it was supposedly to be tested on the Northern M6 in 2016.

Where's it been?

Stopped at Tebay and liked it so much it stayed there.

Re: Generous police

If only there was a quick way of washing the entire submarine, inside and out...

I knew someone would say that. IANA forensic scientist, but I'd be surprised if a short sinking would remove all traces from him and from the sub - even if the sub had completely filled with water.

Re: Brexit

Sadly I had no vote, becase Cameron reneged on his election promise to remove the 15-year limit on expat voting. I'm sorry you feel that I wasn't a suitable person to be "let loose" with a vote, democracy is hard to live with at times, isn't it.

Let's get this straight.

You have lived outside the UK for more than 15 years. Presumably in France.

And yet, if you had had a vote, you would have voted for the UK to leave the EU.

Why? And why do you think you should have had a vote?

Re: limited resources

But they do appear to have Obi-Wan Kenobi in the middle at the front. (It was clearer on TV).

Re: Human Laws

How about the AI just has to obey all human laws of the country it is currently in as if it was a human?

There is currently little consensus about which country an international hacking incident should be tried. Where did the offence take place?

So who's going to tell a distributed, international AI which country it's in?

It's not only the designers who were f*ckwits.

To be accurate.

Re: Give that man a cookie

... tabloid readers who might be foolish enough to vote for her.

Hopefully there are not too many of them. Her majority in the GE was 346, which in itself is a strong comment on a senior minister. And which should rule her out of any leadership contest when support for the Maybot ends - the Tories would surely not take a risk on having a leader with such a thin majority,

Re: What if...

... What happens next? Employee has refused a legitimate order (legitimised by the warrant) so can be fired

I knew that would be a response.

I specifically said "what if all the individuals at a telco on which a warrant has been served refuse to co-operate?" I think it's quite likely that some small ISPs might take that stance. In which case it would be unlikely for an employee to be fired for following what is in effect company policy.

I am not a lawyer, but if I were defending an employee who had been fired - or the company board who had been charged with not implementing the warrant - my argument would be along the lines of "You can't compel someone to do something solely because they are an employee of a company, when they couldn't be compelled to do it if they were not. Even if it's legal."

I'm thinking on the hoof here, so I'd be interested in any examples, from anywhere, that either support or don't support that argument.

Re: I would do it...

Last week I saw the Yesterday channel's "Impossible Engineering" programme about it.

When can I start?

Re: wrongo

"But I'm sure if it facilitates matters with getting funding sign off there will be a "USS Donald Trump"..."

The USN probably needs a target ship for practice.

That'll be their excuse for painting it orange.

Re: The perfect solution

Marvin.

Re: What now?

Well it did say "next-generation network (NGN) broadband experience", not "service".