* Posts by Number6

2293 publicly visible posts • joined 10 Jun 2009

Linux kernel dumps 386 chip support

Number6

486?

I assume the 486 still scrapes by? There are still products using 486-compatible processors on the market, I've used some recently. It would be somewhat annoying if Linux no longer supported those, but I haven't used a 386 CPU for many years (despite having a couple of old DOS 386 machines in the loft).

Parliament to unleash barrage of criticism on Snoopers' Charter

Number6

Re: New crime would be needed

It's actually quite scary how much of what we know as the law can be 'adjusted' by a minister issuing a regulation. At the tail end of the previous government, I saw a great example of blank-cheque legislation, where the Bill proposed a framework but left it to the Secretary of State to fill in the details later.

What's worse is that most of it goes through on the nod, with minimal scrutiny in Parliament. Much of it is published and MPs have 40 days to object, assuming they even notice it, with only some of it requiring positive assent from Parliament. If it's "all fines shall go up by the rate of inflation" then that's probably not unreasonable, but imagine the "significant degree" being significantly moved on a good day to bury bad news.

Use a Mac? For actual work? Evernote Business has arrived

Number6

Re: Something doesn't add up

Those with paranoia levels above the threshold should just avoid anything in the cloud. Encrypted links to your own servers on your own premises is the way to go. You don't necessarily stop the government gaining access, but it's much harder for them to do so without your knowledge.

Ready for ANOTHER patent war? Apple 'invents' wireless charging

Number6

Efficiency

So how much of the power radiated by the transmitter is actually received and used for charging, and how much is sent off into space? The point of the close-contact stuff is that it allows fairly tightly controlled fields to improve the efficiency. If something is a couple of metres away then much if the radiated power is going to be absorbed by everything else in the room. I guess it'll help keep you warm in the cold season.

Number6

Splashpower

Anyone remember Splashpower? They probably did it several years before Apple's patent application, although Amway ended up with their portfolio.

Home Sec: Let us have Snoop Charter or PEOPLE WILL DIE

Number6

From the other side...

So people will die if we don't get the new laws. How many are going to die as a result of them?

Freedom has a price. Lack of freedom often has a higher price even if it's not obvious until it's too late.

LOHAN's mighty orb launch live NOW

Number6
Joke

On the bright side...

You do appear to have gotten the kit into geostationary orbit.

Troll sues Apple for daring to plug headphones into iPhone

Number6

Re: USPTO

For some value of profit. How much does it cost to set up and print a single book? You can have a copy but it might cost you several hundred quid because you're the only one who's expressed interest in getting one and that's the cost to the copyright owner.

Many things are no longer made because they are no longer profitable. How does one make them 'freely available without spending more money on them?

I agree in principle that it's frustrating when what you want is no longer available, but that's why copyright (except in the US, which is likely to extend copyright each time Mickey Mouse reaches the end of the current period) is limited in duration so that eventually it becomes public domain.

Number6

Re: I am sure

It's a short-sighted approach from Apple (and others). This one costs less than $3m to settle, but the trolls will come back with another little one a bit later. It's like paying the Danegeld, they'll come back for more each time.

Investing the money to try to bankrupt the troll in legal fees in a court case might be more cost-effective in the longer term.

IBM insider: How I caught my wife while bug-hunting on OS/2

Number6

Re: Thanks for the memory

I always remember it as needing the memory requirements of Win95 but with the stability and performance of NT, which at that point I think needed 16MB to do anything. When I managed to get my OS/2 machine upgraded from 8MB to 16MB it was really good. The real memory hog was running Win3.1 apps on it, that was on the edge for 8MB.

The company at which I worked at the time originally switched to it because one of our applications was using a DOS extender (remember those) and was suffering serial port performance issues. A switch to OS/2 text mode (it would run happily in 4MB in text mode) and minimal tweaks to the application to turn it into a native OS/2 app, and it was great. This would have been around the time Win95 came out and we all know how good and stable first releases of anything can be. We couldn't wait for the stable version.

I've still got my Presentation Manual Programming manual on the bookshelf.

Facebook: Give us your credit card and pals' addresses as GIFTS

Number6

Re: use prepaid cards

Most companies don't have a reputation for screwing up when it comes to personal details, or it's a genuine cock-up. Facebook have introduced too many features that have defaulted to 'everything public' for that to wash. Once, perhaps, but either they're demonstrably incompetent to keep making the mistake, or they're genuinely happy to pass on personal details (probably for a fee). There's already the issue of what information is made available to app developers, and I'm sure many people are unaware of exactly what in their profile gets passed on.

There's also the point that for many on-line companies, their business is merely one of providing a specific service or product in return for cash, so they're not routinely handling data in the same way that a social networking site does, especially one that wants to make money. The users are the product.

Number6

Why would I give Facebook my credit card details? Given the way they spray personal information around, I wouldn't trust them.

35 US states petition for secession – on White House website

Number6

Invite them back

We could always invite them back into the British Empire.

Virgin Media vid misery blamed on unnamed peering network

Number6

Radio, too

I listen to BBC Radio on-line (VHF FM reception is awful here) and that's been dropping out a fair bit too.

BOFH: Can't you just ... NO, I JUST CAN'T

Number6

Daft Rules

Of course, if management does impose a truly daft rule or procedure, you can usually get it removed by sticking rigidly to it any time it gets in the way of something they want to do. That's worked since before computers were commonplace.

Number6

Re: F***ing brilliant

I've been there, worked for a company where the sysadmin had everything nailed down. I couldn't fault the procedures or restrictions because I'd have done something similar if I'd been in charge. However, his defaults were totally unintuitive to me and I kept bumping into things because I'd learned something slightly different. The development team did usually manage to talk him into granting admin access to their machines though, because otherwise he'd have been buried under a stream of requests for specific bits of software that were necessary for the job. The 'standard build' isn't always helpful.

Are you an IT pro? It's no longer safe to bet your career on Microsoft

Number6

SourceUnsafe

I had the misfortune to work somewhere that used SourceSafe once. We (i.e. the people who had to use version control) finally managed to persuade the sysadmin to set us up with a Linux box on which I had admin rights. I installed CVS and found a lovely script that would check every revision of every file out of SourceSafe and into CVS complete with the log entries, effectively replicating the entire history. Bliss! Left it running over a weekend and we never had a repository-induced snafu after that.

EXTREMELY RARE never-seen-alive WHALES found (briefly) alive

Number6

Oh no, not again!

Was there a bowl of petunias on the beach as well?

Yahoo! will! ignore! 'Do! Not! Track!' from! IE10!

Number6

Re: Europe

I'd say it works both ways. Defaulting to tracking also obscures what the user might think, especially as most users probably aren't even aware of its existence. at least defaulting to DNT means their data is (or should be) protected, hence the desirability of making these things opt-in. Much stuff only works due to inertia and ignorance because people don't realise the implications or that they can opt out.

Ideally there needs to be a start-up page to explain it (without the 'enhance your user experience' positive spin the marketing industry always use), although even then most people wouldn't bother to read it.

Looking at it from a selfish perspective, Microsoft should pick the default that benefits me the most - I don't want to be tracked (not that I use IE anyway) so if their option cause people to ignore my wishes then they've picked the wrong one.

Microsoft Surface popped open, poked, prodded

Number6

Re: betting on linux to rule the worlld

It might not rule the visible world, but an awful lot of what's hidden is running on Linux. Most home routers run a flavour of Linux, even my TV looks like it might understand Linux, too (it comes with a GPL licence). I've seen the in-flight entertainment on a 747 do a Linux reboot, too. Android is a specialised form of Linux, and I suspect much of Google's infrastructure started there, so most people are interacting with Linux even if they don't realise it.

In general it's getting on with running the world without making a fuss or eating your documents.

The hoarder's dilemma, or 'Why can't I throw anything away?'

Number6

Only one?

Without looking too hard, I have at least eight boxes of cables. One is full of IEC mains leads, two are labelled 'network' and mostly contain cat5 cables, although I think there's a 10BaseT to 10Base2 converter in there too, and a PCMCIA ethernet adapter for an old laptop. One has all the cables commonly found inside PCs, one is helpfully labelled 'misc' and the rest are a mystery.

British car parks start reading number plates

Number6

Confuse the system

I've often wondered whether it's possible with one of these places to drive in, park, cover number plates, drive out, remove cover from number plates, park somewhere else with plenty of people/CCTV to see your car, drive back to the first car park, cover number plates, enter, uncover number plates, drive out.

The system at the car park would then decide you'd been there all day and presumably cough up a charge notice which you can then challenge with the evidence that your car was elsewhere for most of that time.

It might also be interesting to not return and see if it gets confused by the lack of an exit record.

For those with real lives, carry on as normal.

Metric versus imperial: Reg readers weigh in

Number6

Both

It has to be both. If I'm doing any sort of serious calculation then it's SI because the units are set up nicely for that. If it's for everyday quantities then it has to be Imperial because the units are more conveniently-sized.

It's always fun knowing the more obscure Imperial units, too, such as the definition of an acre (how many people know that it's one chain by one furlong?)

Of course, it doesn't help that the US has some different volumetric measurements to confuse things, such as 16 fl oz to a pint instead of 20 (which is why their gallons are smaller, still being defined as 8 pints). To add to the fun, the US fl oz isn't the same as an Imperial one either.

Don't panic, but UK faces BLACKOUTS BY 2015

Number6

Two fingers

I think we should stick up two fingers to the EU and keep the power stations operational. Wind power is not going to ever replace older, more traditional methods of generating power, not least because of the annoying tendency for wind to stop blowing at times of peak demand (there is recent historical data to back up this assertion). All it will take is a significant power outage in the depths of winter for people to demand that Something Must Be Done.

Perhaps we should put in new nuclear AGR plants adjacent to all the existing and former nuclear sites, then we could turn off some coal stations.

Apple threatens to ruin peace worldwide with voice-controlled iMacs

Number6

OS/2

I remember in the days of OS/2 Warp which had speech recognition and we used to joke about people sticking their head into an office, shouting "format c! Yes" and running away.

I wonder if Siri recognises "Prior Art!" ?

Worker dumps council staff's private data in supermarket skip

Number6

Outsourcing

It sounds to me like the information was outsourced very well.

New rule on blood-soaked metals in mobes is POINTLESS

Number6

No Tantalum

For most small bits of electronics, ceramic capacitors are supplanting tantalum anyway. They have the added advantage of being less prone to exploding if unhappy. This has been encouraged by the supply situation, tantalum capacitors are not cheap and go through periods where it's difficult to get hold of them, so alternatives are preferred.

Apple's patent insanity infects Silicon Valley

Number6

Encourage Innovation

Patents were originally intended to encourage innovation by providing inventors with a bit of control over their ideas (and so give them chance to make some money) in return for making them public.

I would argue that the current patent regime, especially the US flavour, coupled with lazy patent offices that grant patents with minimal checking and let the legal system do their work for them, is stifling innovation Therefore, the system should be abolished or some other restriction placed on exploitation of patents.

Phone-flingers flock to Finland for World Championships

Number6

Star Competitor

We should have sent Gordon Brown over to compete, it's probably what he's best at, according to stories that came out when he was PM.

Vodafone and pals can't kick the habit of cheap mobe prices

Number6

Re: Truth is...

I still have my Nokia 6210 from 10-11 years ago and it still works. Indeed, it's connected to the network at the moment and is used as a loan phone for foreign visitors.

However, my current phone is an HTC Wildfire S, bought non-contract because for my level of usage that's easily cheaper than any phone bought on a long-term contract. Its predecessor was a Nokia E71 that also still works. The guy in the phone shop tried to sell me the phone insurance so I pointed out that I was replacing a phone I'd had for three years and so I tend to take care of my phones. He saw the point I was making :-)

It's nice to have a phone that isn't locked to a network and isn't full of the telco's favourite crap apps, although I'd happily uninstall half of what comes as standard on an Android phone (I assume Facebook and others must pay to have their apps permanently installed) even when it isn't branded.

Deadly pussies kill more often than owners think

Number6

Re: Mine brings back fleas

We're finding more fleas this year and have just switched from Frontline. On the plus side, one of the cats was curled up on a hard surface and I noticed several fleas staggering round in circles close to him, so presumably the new flea-juice has worked.

If anything we've had less carnage in the garden this year, the number of rodent carcasses is much reduced over previous years so either they're eating more or catching less. If the latter then perhaps I'm feeding them too much and they don't feel the need to top-up.

Using copyright to avoid Freedom of Info law? Ha, ha, NICE try!

Number6

Commercially sensitive

Perhaps the way to reduce the number of get-out attempts is to add a non-negotiable clause to all government contracts, be they at national or local level, that requires all of it to be published, preferably once the contract has started (or been awarded), and at the latest, when it has finished. Those who object to the details being made public can simply not bid for government contracts.

The copyright one is harder to deal with, given that the copyright owner may be an individual or private company, although it by publishing the results of an FOI request, any subsequent requests for the information can simply be referred to the first one with minimal costs incurred. Obviously if it's not available to the public then this is more difficult to do.

Euro NCAP to mandate auto-braking in new-car test

Number6

New Cars?

I bought a new car back in 1999 and I've still got it now. Bits are starting to wear out, but I think I've had full value from the purchase. However, no electric windows, no sunroof, no ABS, which is probably why it's still going.

Lords call for the end of TV transmissions

Number6

What about audio?

I'd like to see them offer audio feeds too, for those of us who want to listen but don't need to waste bandwidth on video. Also useful at work where it's possible to wear headphones to listen while working, and not take a big bite out of the company internet bandwidth when doing so.

Virgin Media nukes downloads after SuperHub 'upgrade'

Number6

OK while it works...

As with many large suppliers, VM is fine while it's all working, it's when you have to deal with customer support that it falls apart. It's (fortunately) been a long time since I had to speak to them but there are elements of comedy about the whole process.

I had a complete failure of TV and broadband. To me, that suggests a fault in their network. I called up the overseas support line and discovered that I could only report one at a time. I chose TV on that occasion. I went through all the useless 'power cycle your cable box' stuff, knowing full well that it was futile. Having exhausted the script, we agreed a date for an engineer visit[*] and the droid asked me if I wanted to be put through to the broadband people to report that fault. I'd lost the will to live by this point and declined. A few hours later it all mysteriously started working again and I got a call from a Scottish chap who seemed to know what he was talking about, noted that I'd got the visit booked and offered to cancel it if I no longer needed it because the network fault had been fixed.

Then they scrapped the useful usenet support groups and dumped it all on a crap web forum, which I've never bothered to visit.

[*] Another peeve shared by many, I'm sure, where they can't say when during the day it's going to happen so you end up sitting at home all day. If pushed they will sometimes manage to say morning or afternoon.

Big biz 'struggling' to dump Windows XP

Number6
FAIL

Standards

Let this be an object lesson to all, especially Microsoft, as to why standards, and sticking to them, are important. IE6 was an evolutionary blind alley, taken by MS when it was fighting for browser market share and now it's paying the price (along with all its customers who've got the IE6 apps).

Skyhook offers 'Always-On' background STALKING feature

Number6

This is why...

I don't enable social media apps on my phone. I don't want to be tracked, and it's bad enough that half the crap that comes pre-installed is probably doing so in ways I can't prevent, passing data without my consent.

All phones and apps should have an easily-findable "Do not share personal data" button to prevent anything that the user didn't explicitly initiate from being sent.

iPhone 5 poised to trounce Android, devastate BlackBerry?

Number6

Carphones

The iPhone is the XR3 of the phone industry.

It costs $450 in marketing to make someone buy a $49 Nokia Lumia

Number6

Re: Please don't insult OS/2

I'm still running an OS/2 virtual machine, mainly because I haven't yet gotten around to re-writing a bit of software I wrote many years ago. At the time it was quicker to just set it up on a VM and because it works so well it's near the bottom of the priority list of jobs.

As for Windows phones, I prefer to avoid them.

US deploys robot submarine armada against Iranian mines

Number6

All in one go

Clear the straits of shipping, drop a couple of nuclear depth bombs and the shock wave will probably encourage all the mines to join in the general explosion. Added bonus of also disrupting the minelaying effort by sinking the minisubs. Further added bonus of effectively dredging the channel. Downside is the 'nuclear' part,

Number6

Re: cut cable?

Especially when Chuck Norris isn't on your side.

Shuttleworth: Why Windows 8 made us ditch GPL Linux loader

Number6

Re: Boot Loader Locking

I'd say that if Microsoft want to produce their own hardware (or pay someone else to do it and stick an MS logo on the outside) then they're perfectly free to ask for secure boot, in the same way that Apple operate a closed shop.

However, I would consider it to be anti-competitive to then turn around and insist that all hardware made by a manufacturer has to be similarly encumbered 'or else'. They could always ask for an API call in the BIOS to see if secure boot is enabled and so refuse to run Windows 8 on the hardware if it isn't.

Did your iPhone 'just stop working' - or did you drop it in your BEER?

Number6

Re: Errm...

How old is a Sony Ericsson P800? Ten years old? I have one of those and it's got a little moisture-sensitive patch inside.

Review: Samsung Chromebox

Number6

Too much!

If it was closer to £100 I'd consider getting one and flicking that switch so I could install Linux instead. As it is, I don't need something costing £280 for that, plenty of cheaper options.

ITC denies Apple an emergency ban on ALL HTC PHONES

Number6

Re: Before anybody asks...

I remember doing early Computer Telephony Integration in the early 90s, we probably did this sort of thing. I even designed the ethernet interface that went on our PABX product at the time so it could talk directly instead of via a separate PC with an ethernet interface.

Number6

Re: Once again missing the interesting part of the story...

I'd happily uninstall the GMail client on my Android phone, along with 90% of the other stuff that I'm stuck with but never use.

Don't patents last for 20 years? So only another four to go on that one. Or is US patent duration as elastic as their copyright's?

Apple are just upset that some people are shipping phones better than theirs, and that some of us wouldn't buy an iPhone or iPad anyway because we don't want to be locked in, especially when they have this sort of attitude.

Leap second bug cripples Linux servers at airlines, Reddit, LinkedIn

Number6

Re: Yeah...

OK, maybe it did bite me. I woke up on Sunday morning to find my main machine with all four cores at 100% and hitting 80C and tripping alarms. The main machine runs Mint 12 but it's running a VirtualBox instance of Centos 6. I wonder if the time bug caused it? I had to reboot the whole shebang, just restarting the VM didn't fix it.

Number6

Re: Paging Bob Vistakin

I have vague recollection of an OS/2 time bug that crashed ATMs across the world at the same time. If you're going to screw up, you might as well do it in a high-profile manner and make it worthwhile.

Anyway, highly-polished turd, if you please.

War On Standby: Do the figures actually stack up?

Number6

A bit low...

Because I have computer gear on at home 24/7, my standing load is about 650W. It used to be around 900W but the wonders of virtual machines and swapping one bit of hardware for something more efficient has brought that down.

It confuses the hell out of my electricity supplier, who has never managed to estimate my annual consumption because they seem to assume a certain ratio between summer and winter and that doesn't hold true for my house. Of course, random firings of a 7kW kiln also spike the results, so I'm afraid I've long given up worrying about the odd ten watts or so.

Mobile device enslavement a plague on British workers' health

Number6

Mobile-free zone

My house has very poor mobile reception and too often I find that I've missed a call because the mobile was put down somewhere with no signal. Sad, isn't it.

Because my last few jobs have been with multinational companies, I do occasionally dip into work email during the evening if I know that someone in the US is having problems, although that's my choice and they can always wait for the following day if I've got something better to do. On the upside, if I need to nip out to the shops during office hours, I'm free to do so. If it's a balanced exchange then everyone gains, it's only if the give and take are mismatched that it becomes a problem.