Posts by Ian Ferguson

I ride a motorbike

and I'm not going anywhere near that, no matter how much I like robots!

Re: Smoke and Mirrors

RTFA - it's tar buildup, not dust, that is a problem on the lens.

I think there's a simple answer - bring back console cartridges! Even a two year old bashing NES cartridges against a lego castle can't stop 'em being played - try that with your newfangled optical disks!

Missing the point

Wow, what a bitter article!

Patio heaters *are* inefficient - because almost all of the heat they generate is wasted. A tiny fraction is used if there happens to be someone sitting near one. Comparing them to jumpers and electric lights is a bit silly - the former keeps you warm with no energy output, and the latter are increasingly designed to do their job with as little waste as possible.

The quantity of CO2 emissions may be comparatively small, but it's all about little steps - no one decision will eliminate pollution, it's more that we need to reduce our energy use overall. And yes, that includes motor vehicles too, as you quite rightly point out, they are a major contributor.

I wonder if infra-red radiation heaters may be better outside pubs than gas patio heaters; they are used in zoos to keep animals warm. They are more efficient (as I understand) because they only heat the surface of what is below them, not the air.

Or you could realise you live in the northern hemisphere (to be really picky; the north of the northern hemisphere, I'm sure the south of it is perfectly warm) and sit indoors. Our ancestors invented houses for a good reason!

Awful stuff

The only conceivable reason I can think of for installing RealPlayer is to get BBC News videos - the sooner Auntie realises embedded Flash video is far more accessible and efficient the better.

RealPlayer is filed under 'Avoid at all costs' in the opinion of every techie I know. The only reason it still exists is because of uninformed users.

Missing a trick

Shurely they should call it the EeeTeeVee?

Simpler?

I'm not sure how this is simpler - there were three options, now there appear to be loads of combinations! I can't make sense of 'bolt-ons'. I think I'd do well in a communist society - one type of bread, one type of laptop, one type of mobile phone, one type of truth... etc. Funnily enough, Apple seem to have similar ideas...

As I'm on the existing £35 a month tariff, I would say I'm pleased, but I haven't reached the text/calls limit yet. I suspect O2 have realised giving unlimited data is a bit of a mistake for such a data-hungry, browsing-friendly device. My bills have been resolutely £35-and-a-tiny-bit so far, except for December when I travelled across Europe, fast eating up a £6/mb roaming rate with Google Maps, adding another £10 a day to my travel costs.

So if I wanted them to do anything, it would be to reduce overseas roaming costs, or offer an even cheaper tariff than £35 a month (no, the new £1 a day option doesn't work out cheaper than that, as I'd go way over the daily data limit). But I think hell will freeze over before the operators would allow that kind of customer-friendly nonsense.

What about fraud?

If they gave a rat's ass about combating fraud, maybe I'd start using eBay again. As it is, all they want is more auctions going on, because it means more fees for them - who cares what percentage are fraudulent.

It's a shame; there are plenty of things that I'd happily buy and sell online on the second hand market, but as it is I've gone back to buying stuff new and giving old things away for free through Freecycle; I'm not going to save or make money, but at least I won't be conned.

Hmm

Israel-wide? I assume, as they lay claim to Palestinian land, they'll be providing the same cars and service to the Palestinian people.

*needs a shit-stirring icon*

Babe!

Has he upgraded the Eee babe to a D-cup too?

Shooting them selves in the foot

I bet they've sold thousands more sets since Scrabulous appeared - it's certainly got a new generation enthused about Scrabble. Why don't they licence/buy out the company involved?

Customer support representative has own opinion shock

Personally I think it's quite nice that the support guy expressed his own opinion, and didn't push Dell as the only option. I'd trust his opinion more than a Dell sales guy who tries to convince me that Dell is better than anyone else.

Maybe I'm not capitalist enough?

Hmm

Having looked at his pic, would you trust that guy with your bank details...?

As long as all their customers take their light-hearted tone in as good humour as the posters above, fine. Personally, I would probably have a distinct sense of humour failure at this point.

I would tell you what the iPhone update is like...

...but the cat has just unplugged the USB cable while it was updating the firmware.

After a few choice words and the rapid ejection of the offending feline into our clement seasonal weather, I'll try again.

The supermarkets won't allow it

Sounds great from the customer's point of view, but the supermarkets wouldn't allow this kind of consumer control for simple reasons.

Firstly, the whole point of the supermarket method of shopping - adding multiple items to a cart and then paying at the end - is that the customer can't keep track of how much they're spending, until it is too late. Give them too much feedback and they'll start drawing back their budget.

Secondly, the way supermarkets are laid out is carefully planned to optimise impulse buying. All the useful items are as far away from each other as possible, so the customer has to wander round the aisles looking at shelves. Giving them too much direction as to where things go means they will make a beeline right past all the tempting extra sales.

Thirdly, supermarkets don't like shopping lists; because, again, they want customers to be sidelined by extra items and special offers.

A customer who knows exactly what they want, and sticks to the buying decision made before they even set foot in the store, is no good to the supermarket. Which is, frankly, why they try to make the shopping experience more pleasant to women than men!

Death throes

Personally I prefer the sound of HD-DVD, but I think it's doomed now. Purely because of the rumour mill. If they get bad press, deserved or not, customers will avoid them like the plague.

It's a shame the studios are locked in this pointless battle - especially as it's the last thing they should be doing in the face of declining physical format sales. I suspect the next- next- generation format will be a looooong time in coming, because the makers of these next-gen formats will want to recoup their losses before innovating any more :-(

Re: Whoosh

I wondered too about what happens if an engine fails, but then you could ask the same question about the Chinook. Maybe the Osprey is in fact safer, because it could do an aeroplane emergency landing, as opposed to the Chinook, which can only go down.

This looks fun - roll on the civilian version :-D

Hurray! Internet Fridges

Internet Fridges are almost like a running joke now, it seems tech gurus have been warbling about them for well over ten years. I suspect dear old Bill will realise, on his deathbed, that nobody wants to view photos / do shopping on their fridge. In the meantime, at least he still provides entertainment.

Proof that piracy is not a problem

It wouldn't surprise me if MORE people bought it once they listened to it for free and realised they liked it.

(No accounting for taste, of course)

Media problems

The data-loss problem that governments/businesses are currently experiencing can entirely be attributed to the small size of data media nowadays. A single USB stick or DVD can hold massive databases of customer information, credit card numbers, or classified secrets; and can be placed within a coat pocket, glove box, library book, down the back of the sofa, anywhere likely to be forgotten.

That's where my solution comes in. I will soon be launching my range of unlosable(tm) memory sticks. Each stick contains 16gb of data (more than enough for NATO troop movement maps, adult product customers' credit card details, taxpayer's intimate details) and is embedded within a 150kg block of granite, embossed with your country's flag or logo of your choice. The block is painted flourescent green and a flashing light and klaxon are activated when data is first written to the stick. There are also attachments for optional handcuffs, for permanent connection with the junior civil servant / delivery boy of your choice.

Games

I agree with the above comments that these figures are of dubious value, due to the price differences between the consoles.

What would be much more interesting would be a comparison of the number of games sold per month for each type of console. As games retail for much the same (around £30) across the board, it would be a fairer statistic; and it would have the added value of comparing the amount of use consoles are getting.

I would be interested to see if the Wii loses its lead with these statistics because what we don't know is how many people bought it on a whim (due to the low price) but aren't using it much. I suspect PS3 / Xbox 360 purchasers are more hardcore gamers and will be putting more hours into gaming, translating into more game sales.

Success will be measured by games sold, especially by Sony and Microsoft; as the per-unit licensing fees are their main expected revenue, not profits from number of consoles sold. I know Nintendo allegedly turn a profit on the Wii, but I'm sure they too are expecting the bulk of the income to be coming from games.

Re: ...and the risk indeed!

Following on from your argument; the safety of digital wristwatches is also so far unproved. Has it occurred to you that the electric signals from your watch may be causing leukimeia? I haven't read a SINGLE scientific study which can undoubtedly prove the safety of these death-traps.

On a more serious note, I have a feeling that you and many others are getting confused by double negatives. Scientists are saying that they cannot disprove the dangerous effects of radio signals. They are saying this instead of saying 'there are definitely no dangerous effects' because they are being scientific in their statements because no tests can be 100% conclusive.

Blame the immigrants

Damn cunning - they've even found a way of blaming immigrants for cancer now!

Better than London

Anyone else have the delight of being in central London on the stroke of midnight? I was with the 750,000-strong crowd sheperded into a special viewing area to witness the London Eye fireworks. The first ten seconds of the display were great - but the wind was blowing gently towards the viewing area, and we could see sod all of the next twenty minutes of fireworks.

It sounded like they were good, at least. I notice the TV stations were allowed to broadcast directly across from the eye, so everyone sitting at home had a great view of them.

I'm distinctly unimpressed with the lack of planning from British Airways / London council / whoever put on the display - they couldn't have done much about the weather, but they could have let people watch it from where they wanted to, not be herded into a restricted area. At least the good residents of Seattle could see their manually-launched fun.

re: The price must be high

To Anonymous Coward: For 'bribes', read 'lobbying'. In any other country they'd be called bribes and made illegal, but the US political system has its own little 'democratic' rules to protect American values (ie. he with the deepest pockets)

That's funny

When I was a student about seven years ago, I supplemented my beer money temping - the very first job I was given was data input at Norwich Union. I was plonked down in front of a computer, a manager logged me in, and I was left to my own devices. It quickly dawned on me that I had pretty much unlimited access to the whole customer database - I could look up names, addresses and medical history of anyone who was or had ever been a Norwich Union customer, for the whole two weeks I worked there.

Out of boredom I have to admit that I did look up people I knew, but felt bad about it and stopped, as I could see confidential medical data on them.

I also looked up a few celebrities, including the entire royal family (not sure if was really a customer or whether some joker had added them) but there was nothing juicy.

Good thing I was honest and kept information to myself - but being a completely unvetted temping worker, I could have quite easily done mischief. Especially as due to my data entry work, my access was not limited to reading the database - I could have altered stuff too, if the mood had struck me.

I had kind of hoped that procedures had improved since then - but it doesn't sound like it. If I was being paid more than minimum wage temping pittance, maybe I would have pointed out some of their glaring security holes and tried to get something done about it. Hey ho.

Downhill

So instead of competing in the cinema or DVD world, it's competing with online video - the whole of YouTube et al. Seems to me that's even worse than straight to video.

As long as it's not RealPlayer

I wish BBC News online would catch up with the rest of the world and drop RealPlayer / WMP in favour of Flash-based embedded video. I don't think I've watched a video on their website... well, ever; not for lack of trying.

Perhaps they'll tie it in with the embedded iPlayer. That would be luvverly.

Oh and I really hope this will stop the linux fanboys whining. The BBC were originally just trying something new, and trying to keep it simple while they worked the kinks out; it's only because of a concerted FUD campaign by slashdot types that they've been forced to push the whole thing through before they even know what they'll use it for. Although I'd love to download BBC content to my Mac, I'd rather they did some beta testing and break a few Windows PCs first...

Wow

So I have to buy it from QVC, have to fork out ten times more than a DVD player, have to have a compatible expensive new TV and (worst of all) have to include Hulk and Troy in my disk collection.

That seems like plenty of stick to me, where's the carrot? 'Higher quality' my arse - the number of people willing to watch downloaded/streamed movies proves that people don't want high def content, they want high quality content (ie. well written, well acted, not high budget).

I blame their prices

Despite their moronic claim 'Internet prices to take home today', these three chains are horrendously expensive. It isn't even because of shop overheads - compare them to somewhere like Maplin and you'll see no comparison. DSG need to face it - attempting a monopoly on high street electronics stores is no good when the customer has so much choice already.

I agree with the comment above about their adverts too. From a marketing perspective, they need to stop repeatedly claiming their prices are lowest, as it's farcical... they should instead make the most of their strongest points, that their stores (of each brand) are easily accessible to technophobes.

That's still no excuse for moronic adverts, though.

Tick follows tock follows tick

"We will keep re-shaping our business to take advantage of the immediate and short-term opportunities in front of us"

=

We have no long term plans.

Going 'bang'

I suggest they fire a gun into the air at the same time as pulling the cracker. Same effect, and according to the RAF, safer all round.

P.S. Your 'Remember me on this computer' still doesn't work.

Actually I am a member of Mensa

and as such would like to know what the Linux angle is.

Failing to grasp?

"Katina Schubert fails to grasp the self-regulating mechanisms that work in Wikipedia"

I think that Heiko Hilker fails to grasp the fact that ANYONE can edit Wikipedia articles - and so the people with the strongest commitment to spreading information (or misinformation) are most likely to win out. I wouldn't call this self-regulating - any more than tabloid newspapers are self-regulating.

By the way, Register - the 'Remember me on this computer' box is a great idea but doesn't appear to work - cookies on, Firefox 2.0.0.11 / Win XP.

Dear Reg

I would like to heartily complain about the lack of busty blonde Eeeeee-wielding model on this page. I hope you realise it's the only reason why the Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee is garnering so much attention on this site.

Does she use an iPhone?

Those finger-condoms look just like the ones punted for clean iPhone screen usage.

FFS

Will you stop reprinting crappy 'XXX will cost the UK economy £YYYm... study sponsored by ZZZ' press releases! With the combined cost to our economy of the World Cup, Facebook, long lunches, Christmas boozing, texting, office affairs, bunking off five minutes early on a Friday and junk email, we apparently shouldn't have an economy left, according to this PR fairytale bullshit.

Tell you what, here's another one: Ill fitting bras are costing UK industry £300 BILLION A YEAR in lost productivity! Study sponsored by, I dunno, Wonderbra, for a bit of free publicity.

It's nearly as bad as the BBC and their dumbass reprinting of 'Scientists discover a formula to predict how much toilet paper you will use... sponsored by Charmin' press releases.

Bloody lazy journalists, grr.

Windows Live

We can spend $300,000,000 on a new slogan for an old product. Now think about how much we probably spend on lawyers. Don't badmouth us.

Maybe

Maybe it's because kids nowadays are discovering that there's more interesting things to do in the world than pissing around on the street with an inflated pig's bladder?

I don't have anything against Sport in general, but our national (/international) obsession with football is way out of proportion. Everyone needs to accept it's just another game, no more worth your time or investment than rugby, cricket, snail racing, etc.

On the iPhone?

I wonder if Apple / O2 / Google will be organised enough to get this working on the iPhone? I was most disappointed to find that the Google Maps application doesn't automatically find my location with Cell ID - something even the deathly slow, crappy AA application on my rubbish old iMode phone did.

Oh I see

I thought they were completely free, but I see you have to buy a laptop.

Mind you, I probably wouldn't bother if they were free - can't see an incentive to buy high-def yet.

Thanks reg

Now this article will be copied word for word by some idiot and forwarded to everyone on his/her contacts list, with the addendum FORWARD THIS 2 EVERYONE U KNOW EVEN IF U DON'T CARE ABOUT THEM THIS IS 4 REAL.