* Posts by frank ly

6077 publicly visible posts • joined 10 Jun 2009

If this doesn't terrify you... Google's computers OUTWIT their humans

frank ly

Re: OK, safety first...

Ahhh but ...... you know what will happen when the servers realise there is a kill circuit that they have no control over.

Build your own WORKING Sonic Screwdriver... for a UNDER A FIVER

frank ly

Re: Nice !

He did leave, but he left in a TARDIS, so it gets complicated.

WHO was it that TAMED the WOLF? Heel, Rex! No! Aarrghh!

frank ly

Re: It may be a dumb question but ...

Since dogs tend to follow human populations around (or get dragged along), then the modern European dog may well have mixed ancestry and any separate domestication/evolution could have been muddied in the past during the many human migrations.

'Scientists are coming to space with USBs which are infected'

frank ly
Happy

Winter is coming

So is Black Friday.

Goodbye cruel world: Robot 'commits suicide' in KITCHEN FIREBALL

frank ly

Motive

It was looking for warmth and companionship that the humans never gave it and the stove was hot stuff.

Huge Antarctic iceberg: 1 Singapore? 8 Manhattans? This is CHAOS

frank ly

Re: Optional

I live in fear of the TeraJug. It will come one day.

Is it all up for LANDFILL ANDROID? BEHOLD, the Moto G

frank ly

Re: Get nothing for free

I've been using gmail for about 7 years and used that account to sign in to Android for 3 years (2 x HTC phones and now a Nexus 4) and have that account as my google wallet. I've never had any spam from Google. I use AdBlock on my browser and on my Android phone. Is any of this significant or useful to you? You did say it was an Android phone from China?

Nookie becomes, um, a virtual reality for Oculus Rift gadget gamers

frank ly

I watched the video

That was some weird s**t. (Right at the end.) I found the entire situation there, as presented, to be very alienating and depressing.

MIT boffins show off spooky human action at a distance

frank ly
Coat

future scenarios in which “medical imaging ..."

Telemedicalonics

Microsoft fears XP could cause Indian BANKOCALYPSE

frank ly

Don't panic, until we tell you to.

" Microsoft said failure to migrate would mean banks not being able to support biometric readers, ...."

Isn't this about drivers for the readers? If so, the manufacturers had better write some XP drivers; or maybe Linux drivers :)

Europe, SAVE US! Patriot Act author begs for help to curb NSA spying

frank ly

In summary

The government of the USA is incapable of controlling one of it's own agencies or formulating laws that have the originally intended effect. That's probably quite common across Europe as well.

Norks EXECUTE 80 for watching DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES

frank ly

Re: I read this and I think

Especially if it's an illegally downloaded book or TV show.

Makerbot vows to plonk a 3D printer in every one of Uncle Sam's schools

frank ly

@TheFatMan Re: "Instead of waiting for someone to create a product for you .....

I can understand your thinking behind that easy put down, but I'm sure he's right. If you consider how this will probably be used by children and teachers, it will be like the teaching of 'computing' using Word and Excel to teach children 'how computers work'. You don't teach someone how a car works by showing them how to drive it around a quiet urban backstreet.

Denver robocops fit Nasal Ranger to perceive potent pot puffing pollution

frank ly

"... greater than a 7-to-1 dilution rate to be deemed a nuisance"

Shouldn't that be 'less than 7-to-1 dilution ..." to be noticable and therefore a nuisance?

(I'm assuming that 7-1 dilution means 7 parts air to 1 part smelly substance.)

ETERNAL PATENT WAR: Apple and Samsung locked in battle again

frank ly

Re: "The Fruity Firm"

Clichés die if you don't overuse them.

Hyenas FACEBOOK each other with their ARSES: FACT

frank ly

Disruptive experiments

Would it be posible to cause confusion and disruption in hyena society by 'posting' false messages using these bacterial cultures? Would this be an ethical experiment?

MPAA, RIAA: Kids need to learn 3 Rs – reading, writing and NO RIPPING

frank ly

Creative Class

This would be great if the kids were allowed to wear pirate costume fancy dress, complete with cardboard swords.

frank ly

Re: I wonder

Steady on. The USA isn't the 50's USSR. Not yet anyway.

Brit boffin brews INSTANT HANGOVER RELIEF

frank ly

Reality

It will be up to the government to decide if this substance is allowed to be sold to the public. The drinks industry is very wealthy and gives money to the government and also pays lots of taxes and excise duty to the government. Hence, the government will not allow this 'alcohol replacement' to be sold.

Blighty's banks prep for repeated kicks to cyber-'nads in Operation Waking Shark II

frank ly

...tests against physical security,...

How many 'key staff' do you need to gather into a disused warehouse and 'persuade', in order to have access to serious amounts of money. Just wondering.

RETRO-GASM: The Fuze electronics kit for the Raspberry Pi

frank ly

Re: Its Neat!

One possibility would be to use it as a development system to write and debug an application, then port the software to a "down and dirty with the connections" target system.

GoDaddy kicks off gTLD land rush with first domain sales

frank ly

"If multiple parties apply for pre-registration, ..."

This raises many questions and has many possibilities for corruption.

Microsoft advertises Surface, Excel with maths mistake

frank ly

Even if you're careful to make sure they're entered as text entries?

Personal web and mail server for Raspberry Pi seeks cash

frank ly

Re: ?

That was my first thought too, but the Raspberry Pi solution would be much cheaper (not counting your time in setting it up and messing around with it).

Norks unlikely to beat the USA in the death-ray race

frank ly

That diagram

It looks like the sort of thing I used to draw when I was 13. I used to 'design' fully working interplanetary spaceships.

Falkland Islands almost BLITZED from space by plunging European ion-rocket craft

frank ly

Re: When does recycling get to space ?

"Why not boost them into a higher Orbit ....."

Them running out of fuel may have something to do with it. Also, it may be considered more convenient and less dangerous, in the long term, to get them out of the way of anything useful up there.

Google patent: THROAT TATTOO with lie-detecting mobe microphone built-in

frank ly

How good are throat microphones?

Much of the detail of the sound of the sound of the human voice is produced by the shaping of the tongue and the lips and we hear the sounds that come out of the mouth through the air. Does a microphone on the surface of the throat actually sound any good?

World's first 3D-printed metal gun 'more accurate' than factory-built cousin

frank ly

How precise is the initially made article?

"...and polished before use."

Does this 'polishing' involve precision machinery that removes significant amounts of metal? I'm a cynic, I know.

Feedly coughs to cockup, KILLS Google+ login as users FLEE

frank ly

Oh really?

"... login more seamlessly across devices (Android)."

I've always had seamless and permanent 'login' on my Android phone and tablet. Press Feedly icon -> get Feedly. On my PC browsers, I've set Firefox to always remember the appropriate cookies and never had to login again after that. (I have the Feedly add-on button).

This was about having the user give default permission for Feedly to contact the people in their G+ circles, presumably so that Feedly could spam them with "Your friend is using Feedly - so should you." messages.

Horny lovers FOSSILISED in steamy RUMPY-PUMPY session 156m yrs ago

frank ly

Re: Now *that's* what I call

No, it's coitus continuous.

Sail HO! Look out Bay Area - it's the Google Galleon

frank ly

Reassurance?

'...an array of sails “reminiscent of fish fins, which will remind visitors that they are on a seaworthy vessel". '

Fish swim under the suface of the water.

Feedly gets Greedly: Users suddenly HAVE TO create a Google+ account

frank ly

"...vast online empire ..."

I read that as 'vampire empire'. My speed reading abilities need some improvement.

OK, maths wonks: PRIME TIME has arrived

frank ly

The sky fills with heavenly light when angels appear

It always does that when angels appear to me. Just saying.

I survived Spiceworld 2013, heat and all: Here's how I did it

frank ly

Re: tl;dr

I found out what it's about: http://www.thespiceworks.co.uk/

Their Hempseed powder, for making drinks/smoothies might be interesting. Apart from that, its all a bit too 'niche' for my tastes.

Twitter, Facebook and pals keep BEELLIONS from treasury with exec pay tax break – report

frank ly

"Effectively the company is giving away something valuable (a stake in itself) and getting nothing in return, .."

They could have given cash (which is valuable), but this way has advantages for the employee/director.

They do get something in return, they get the services of the employee/director, which must be of value to the company or they wouldn't keep them in employment/appointment.

If the company really does value the ownership of its own shares, it can simply buy them in the open market and run accountancy methods to turn this to its advantage.

The entire point of this process is to reduce the amount of tax paid by the employee/director and the company. It has nothing to do with 'giving people a stake in the company'. If people wanted that, they'd buy shares. It's not 'ordinary workers' who are given these deals, it's directors and high level managers.

Google's Nexus 5: Best smartphone bang for your buck. There, we said it

frank ly

Google Play sold out?

You can get them now on e-bay at amazing prices!

Or wait until the end of January/February when the overexcited early buyers relaise they have an urgent need for money. That's exactly what happened with the Nexus 4.

Thought you didn't need to show ID in the UK? Wrong

frank ly

They lie

"Having initially claimed this was a HM Revenue and Customs matter, and after HMRC pointed out it wasn’t, the Home Office simply said it has no plans to change the regulation."

It's a reflex action. It's in their blood and the marrow of their bones.

A-list celebs, biz barons' privates EXPOSED in limo hire hack – report

frank ly

Just wondering

"... we had to send [the] limousine to the car wash to get it detailed after all the activities during your rental."

So, what were the details of the sexual activity and the sex toy?

Gigantic Apple MaxiPad spotted in China

frank ly

It's 'MaXiPad'

Well, that's my contribution to branding ideas.

Horrific FLESH-EATING PLATYPUS once terrorised Australia

frank ly

Re: I dont need this so early in the morning..

"What cruel archetict of life has imagined such a vial and base thing?"

According to Terry Pratchett, it was created when a group of wizards, from the Unseen University, tried to draw/create a duck during the creation-time of the 4ecks continent. At that time, the act of drawing something actually created it. (The details are hazy in my mind.)

Playtime's over: Next NSA boss may be torn away from US cyber-war effort

frank ly

Reading between the lines

“If you try to break them up [NSA and US Cyber Command], what you have is two teams not working together. ..."

"Splitting the two organizations would result in fights over resources and command decisions, ..."

"This will of course create tensions ....."

So, the people available to take charge of these important organisations are not team players who's concerns are the efficient operation of vital national defense activities. They are immature and self serving psychopaths who are concerned only with their own status and the amount of money and power they can be seen to wield. Well, that's how I read it.

Secrets of Apple's mysterious Arizona sapphire factory: Our expert whispers all

frank ly

re, Alumina -> HPA

Given the market price difference between alumina and HPA, and the likely volumes, wouldn't it make sense for them to make their own HPA? They wouldn't need to make a 'profit' on this stage since their aim is to supply their own saphire crystal cutting operation. It might even make sense to buy up the HPA companies at an early stage to get the expertise in-house.

Cash-blackhole Twitter will shower itself in gold by 2015, investors told

frank ly

"... one of the companies I expect financial probity from (my bank, insurance company, pension fund, etc.) .."

Past idiocy is not a guide to future stupidity. Or is it?

New US Apple factory will make INVINCIBLE sapphire glass for SHINY iThings

frank ly

Re: Ditch the aluminium

I'm waiting for transparent aluminium.

Google Helpout live vids: Helping you help us help ourselves, says web giant

frank ly
Coat

What's the best way to do a Reverse Cowgirl?

On my way now, no need to push.

Big Beardie's watching: Alan Sugar robots spy on Tesco petrol queue

frank ly

Re: This of course complies with all the necessary consents and legislation:

I think it's tawdry and tacky and yucky, but I don't think it breaches DP requirements because it doesn't store any images of the 'target individual' or obtain any personal identifiable data. I may be wrong on that point, so please respond if I am. Even if I am wrong, what harm can it do to me if a machine makes a one-off decision that I'm male and over 50, then decides to show me a Viagra advert?

They could have hired a person to sit and look at their customers and then make a decision about what sex they were and what age range, but it's cheaper, overall, to develop this machinery.

Galaxy is CRAMMED with EARTH-LIKE WORLDS – also ALIENS (probably)

frank ly

Re: BOFFINS: BILLIONS OF EARTH-LIKE LIFE-FRIENDLY ALIEN WORLDS IN GALAXY

While we're on this subject, what are these 'modem' things that are mentioned in several articles? Also, don't get me started on Itanium; it is NOT in the periodic table of elements.

Staying power: The small screen spans of the eleven Doctor Whos

frank ly

Re: Pardon the pedantry...

It's Doctor Who. It's always the same one. His appearance changes as a result of regeneration. Has this been forgotten?

'Only nuclear power can save humanity', say Global Warming high priests

frank ly

Re: Sigh...

"Global Warming is a scarecrow ..."

Some people say that Global Warming is a strawman. I think lots of confusion arises from this.

Apple will FAIL in corporate land 'because IT managers hate iPads'

frank ly

Roll your own Corporate Android?

At first thought (not a deep one I'll admit), it should be possible to take 'open source' Android and re-roll it so that a user has to logon to your-corporate.com instead of google.com and can only install apps by downloading them from the your-corporate apps site. These apps could be copies of trusted standard Google-Play apps, with appropriate agreements regarding payments for premium apps.