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* Posts by Tom 35

3040 publicly visible posts • joined 10 Jun 2009

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USB stick with anti-terror training found outside police station

Tom 35
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Branding

> The article states that the USB stick was clearly branded, and it was obvious it belonged to The

> Greater Manchester Police

I have lots of USB sticks branded by Micorsoft, Intel, and assorted other companies. They are all free promo items.

Unless the stick said something like Property of the Greater Manchester Police, if found please return to... There is no way of knowing if this was some free public relations item.

But it could also be a booby trapped stick that someone had dropped there hoping a cop would find and plug into a police computer, so I would use great care checking the contents.

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Cyber-jihadists deface home of teddy bears' picnic

Tom 35
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Translation errors

So a bit like witch then.

Very convenient translation errors, gives you a way to get rid of people you don't like without having to do it your self.

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Bye-bye to bizarro bye-laws, says UK.gov

Tom 35

Bye-bye to bizarro bye-laws,

Hello new bizarro bye-laws.

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Microsoft wins wants right to appeal Word patent ruling

Tom 35
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Good for the goose

If MS think their crap software patents are a good idea, then the same applies to this patent. It's a real company, with real products, not a bunch of lawyers in Texas collecting money for nothing. MS just don't like getting hit by their own stick.

Software patents, and business method patents are crap but as long as Corporations and lawyers back them I don't think we will be able to get rid of them.

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Drunken employee pops cap in server

Tom 35
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Re: RE: oh please!

"areas of the US with the strongest gun control laws that actually have the highest recorded incidences of gun crime."

What came first? Your trying to imply that the gun control caused the higher crime? Gun control laws are a response to high gun crime.

The problem is that if the law is only in one area it's a short drive to get your gun.

In Canada they have strong control on hand guns, and most of the guns used in gun crime come from the US as they only find about 10% at the border.

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Tom 35
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after all the most popular weapon in Rwanda was machetes

That's just because they don't have gun shops (with a pawn shop on one side and a liquor store on the other) every two blocks in the crappier part of town. Rwandans had to put some effort into their evil deeds while Americans don't even have to get out of their cars.

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Sony exec forecasts physical media future

Tom 35

"despite the fact that this is how music has gone"

A track on iTunes is 6-7 MB, you could download that with dialup. A crappy youtube quality TV episode is about 100 MB, and abut 2-3 times that for good quality SD. An HD movie 8-9 GB for crappy 720p xbox download or 20+ for good 1080p with zero extra features (don't expect high quality to even be available).

With most ISPs moving to capped service (and I'm sure if downloads became popular some would think they should get a cut) you would need to buy the expensive plan to get a high enough cap. I'm not going to pay $70 a month just so I can download a couple of HD movies

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Internet, China and Russia destroying US, rock and roll

Tom 35

By their logic

The valve amp should have been banned since it was destroying the Big Band music industry. Then there never would have been a Fleetwood Mac. Poor Disco, no one saved it! They just let it die... the bastards!

How many zillion copies of Rumours did they sell? How many people bought it more then once (LP, CD...). The poor babies!

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Skeletal scanner would ID terrorists from 50 meters

Tom 35

system that would spot terrorists

No, it would only spot KNOWN terrorists that you happened to have an x-ray of (or what ever other boogy man they want to use to sell this). Your not going to have much luck spotting a suicide bomber since they are never repeat offenders (unless they are really bad suicide bombers).

And just how are they going to get what is in effect an x-ray from a distance?

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Google Marketplace DRM broken

Tom 35
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Updates

"Yeah, but the problem with that is simply that not everything can be updated and improved constantly beyond the core product or idea. "

Just look at Acrobat. Adobe keep upgrading it so they can sell upgrades, but they are way beyond what a PDF should be... Video in a PDF? DO NOT WANT. Keep updating a program because YOU need to update it, and not because the program needs to be updated and you end up with a bloated pile of crap.

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Vodafone volte-face on Galaxy S

Tom 35
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So if you have the Vodafone software

You don't get offered the new software, you are stuck with the old software until Vodafone get around to making their "special" version of the software in a week or two (more like 3 or 4, or maybe 8).

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Galaxy S firmware update invalidates Voda warranties

Tom 35
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Don't you just love

Having out of date firmware, that's been crippled to force you to use the service they want you to use, and is covered with "branding"? And if you think they will provide any updates after they stop selling that model of phone (what? buy the new model sucker) your dreaming.

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LG touts 'surprisingly productive' iPad killer

Tom 35
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Sure what ever you say...

So when you mail back that edited word doc it's not going to have all it's formatting in tact right? Even if a Mac user sent you a Pages doc the light version on the iPad will strip stuff it doesn't support, it's not "round trip". Oh you can export to a file share? What a kluge!

Since there is no printer support in the iPad OS, you have to pay for an app just to print something. You can only print documents from apps that are supported by the print app. Yes you can print but it's another kluge to get around Apples idea that no one is going to want to print from their iThing.

I do have an iPod touch (jail broken - bite me apple), and might buy mini iPad if one is produced as rumoured to replace it, but I have no expectations of being able to do any real work on it.

I looked at the iPad but bought a netbook.

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Tom 35
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More then just the keyboard

Locked down data. How do you...

Use one file between two aps on the ipad? Print (there are lots of wifi printers available)? Open an email attachment, edit it, email it back? You can use the camera kit to read some file types from an SD card (photo or video, but not MP3s for example), but you can't write to it.

All this makes it as useful as write only memory for most productivity uses.

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Apple eyes kill switch for jailbroken iPhones

Tom 35
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No, opt in

No, opt out is NOT ok.

It would have to be opt in with full description of what you were agreeing to (not just "protect your phone,,,yes?").

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Single downloads big deal for UK comms industry

Tom 35

Poor record companies

People are no longer forced to buy 8 worthless tracks to get the ones they want. No need to buy a "greatest hits" disc as you can make your own. I expect it has a greater impact on their bottom line then Pirate Bay.

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Dawn raids catch 9 for massive iPhone 'fraud'

Tom 35
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They pay because they are part of the scam

They have no problem taking YOUR money for rippoff calls or bogus text messages as they get their cut. There is no profit in making it easy to block the scammers as long as they are not the ones paying.

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Alleged pirate fingered for filming film at Harrow flicks

Tom 35

Alleged pirate

How did he get his boat into the cinema?

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London tenders for speed cameras

Tom 35
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We have already had that here.

Take a photo of the targets plate and print off a copy. Find a friend with a similar car and tape the copy over the plate. Speed past a few 40k school zone speed cams at 80-90 at 2am. One teacher got hit 7 times in one night.

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Google on defensive as Facebook joins net neutrality fight

Tom 35

AT&T wireless headman...

Ralph de la Vega called the proposal a "reasonable framework."

So it's total crap for consumers then.

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Conroy, Family First isolated on Oz internet filter

Tom 35
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incorrect political opinions

Says who? The people currently in power?

If you want to filter your internet connection there are a few programs to select from, and some ISPs offer a filtered connection as an option.

Or you could supervise your kids [I know radical idea] and even explain to them why some stuff on the net is bad, or why it's a bad idea to post personal info on some random message board...

Just sitting them in front of a computer, even with a filter (a challenge to get past for them) is even worse that sitting them in front of the TV.

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Plane crash kills 'series of tubes' Senator Ted Stevens

Tom 35
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No but she could see Russa from where ever she was

At least that's what it said on her hand.

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Hotmail still not working? Use Chrome to fix it, says MS

Tom 35
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Yahoo

Yahoo mail still support a classic version for people with old crappy computers.

MS could do that too, but I expect they would rather kick anyone still using Win98 in the butt.

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Extreme porn law on the ropes

Tom 35
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But they are not...

They knew that this was not a slam dunk like other cases were it was just an add-on charge to a real crime.

If it got tossed out of court they would look bad, and it could make people see what a crap law it is so much better to run away. The guy was already punished (worse then a lot of people who get convicted of more everyday crimes like robbery or assault) and they still have the law to use the next time they don't like someone.

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Beatles on iTunes? 'Don't hold your breath' says Yoko

Tom 35
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member of the Beatles fanaticism club

Did you read my post?

I didn't say "10 listenable tracks on 6 albums" I said that someone who might buy 6 albums (to get the songs they really want) might only buy 10 tracks if they could choose to ONLY buy what they want. They might buy single tracks that are not on the 6 albums because it is worth it "to them" to pay for the track but not worth it to buy an album for one track.

Where do you get "dislike the Beatles" from? Did you not notice I said that I bought ALL of the original CDs and some LPs? I even have the limited numbered White Album. I must dislike them a lot eh?

Yes it's my opinion, and like it or not it's worth just as much as yours. And there are lots of other people who have their own opinion, they might only like a few tracks, and would never buy an album, and yet their opinion is just as valid as yours or mine.

Speaking of opinion... "The Beatles are to 20th century music what Mozart was to classical composition. It's time to accept that and move on". So I should except your opinion as the word of God? What was that about not a member of the Beatles fanaticism club again?

I'm not even going to fucking touch that "You don't even listen to music, do you" bit. :P

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Tom 35

Bought the original CDs

They are already on my ipod. Could not be bothered to buy the *new and improved* CDs that they released a while back.

I paid once (twice for some I bought on LP) not paying again for MP3s so I don't much care.

I expect EMI don't want to release them as single tracks. Quite a few of the albums include a lot of crap that no one will buy if they don't have to. Instead of selling 6 albums they will sell 10 tracks. They days of fluffing up 3 tracks with a bunch of crap and calling it an album are over EMI.

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Feds admit storing pervscanner pics

Tom 35
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Ass urances

"Yes, it's a big deal, people were "assured" that images would not be stored, and they have been. So yes it's a big deal."

It's worse then that. They didn't just say "we will not do it" knowing no one would trust them not to.

They claimed that they were "not capable of storing images" so even if you don't trust them it's ok because they can't do it.

So they can't say we didn't lie, we had to change our mind because of... Think of the Children... oh wait that didn't sound so good, terrorists... yes that's it terrorists made us do it.

They said that they were "not capable of storing images" and that was clearly a big fat whopping lie.

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Tom 35
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No, some of them

would like that.

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Sky faces competition probe over film rights

Tom 35
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media giants

"Australia and Canada seemed to have produced media giants only Murdoch is worse than any of them."

Canada has several cable TV companies so if you don't like your current cable company you are free to switch to a different one... Since they play nice with each other and NEVER over lap their service your going to have to move but that should not be a problem right?

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Tom 35

including multiple ways to access Sky Movies.

So you have a choice of Sky, Sky or Sky?

Or maybe Spam, spam, spam, Sky and spam? That's not got much Sky in it.

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Stealth fighter in Canadian Wikipedia brouhaha

Tom 35
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Check your history

"They were once on order, then cancelled - maybe the Conservatives can't raise enough back-handers"

It was the conservatives that ordered them (EH101) and the Liberals that cancelled the order paying millions in cancellation fees. Called the EH101 too expensive as you don't need two engines when flying a rescue mission over the ocean. Then ordered a vaporware single engine helicopter that they said would arrive in 2008...

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Tom 35
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Government workers on government computers

Would not be allowed to do this kind of thing.

There is no law or regulation that I can't say the Liberals are a bunch of asshats that cancelled the order for new (too expensive) EH101 helicopters that were to replace our old falling apart Sea Kings (with big contract penalties) and ordered a cheap helicopter that was only in the planning stage (so the price will go way up if we ever do get them, should have been in 2008). I expect the Liberals will do the same thing with the Jets if they get back in. Cancel them as too expensive (they may be) but not order new CF-18s or anything that exists... they will order some new "cheap" jet that only exists as a CG promo video.

I'm not surprised that Canadian defence workers are poking fun at the Liberal though, they like to spend the budget on pork and send people to Afghanistan with WWII weapons and a pointy stick.

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Hollywood claims Aussie ISP promoted BitTorrent use

Tom 35

ISP

So what would the ISP have done if they were Open Office torrents and the customer went over the data limit? The same thing right?

They don't care what the data is (not their job) just that you don't use more then you paid for.

If the ISP is notified of a problem (running a spam bot, or phishing site) then the ISP should have a look and see if it is breaking their TOS or the law.

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DfT denies deliberately misleading on speed cam stats

Tom 35
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Red light money makers

They were going to put a bunch of red light cameras in Toronto, but the contract was cancelled. The contract required the city to shorten the yellow lights so more people would get caught, but Ontario would not change the law that set the minimum length of yellow lights. It was not about safety, it was about making money.

Google "short yellow"

In theory red light cameras should be fine, as Red is Red, it's not like a speed limit that is dependent on road conditions and NIMBI efforts to shift traffic onto a different street... A road posted at 80 is safe at 100 on a sunny day with light traffic, but suicide at 80 in a snow storm but you don't get hit by a camera for that. But as soon as they game the system with short yellow lights they are worse then nothing when people stand on the brake to avoid getting hit with a big fine and points.

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Council's school-snoop-op ruled illegal

Tom 35
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Cost

And how much money did they waste in the three weeks?

Was this the only time they did this?

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iPhone 4: And now we are 3 (Mobile)

Tom 35

Try Canada

The closest to the 30 pound rate (500 minutes + 1 GB data) costs $80 (about 49.50 pounds) and that's the top rate. The $65 plan is only 250 minutes and 500 MB data. Oh and it's a 3 year contract.

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US law to neuter libel tourism

Tom 35

foreign courts’ liberal exercise of personal jurisdiction over Americans

US courts never try to exercise jurisdiction over foreigners right?

And patent tourism in Texas is just fine.

Going after Libel tourism is fine, but they should look at home too.

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Data for 100m Facebook accounts published to BitTorrent

Tom 35
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If the info was pulled from Google

What can Suckerburger say? It was Facebook that decided to spray everyone's info all over the net.

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Bigger than iTunes? Mobile operators lay out their app stall

Tom 35
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I see the light at the end of the tunnel...

Oh wait... it seems to be getting closer...

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Tom 35

Blocked apps

You think Apple is bad for blocking apps that the operator will not like, just wait. I don't have much hope for anything that will compete with the operator. VoIP, GPS maps, Wifi apps...

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Smart meters pose hacker kill-switch risk, warn boffins

Tom 35

We have one

In Toronto they use them to charge more during peak times (more or less all day) and cheaper over night and weekends.

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3D films fall flat

Tom 35
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But...

They can change who shoots first again... :P

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Australian Senate censors print link to cartoon

Tom 35
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My next big trip...

Was going to be Australia, but I've taken a big black marker to my list of places I want to visit, so next up will be Japan.

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Empires built on free code aren't cheap

Tom 35

While the company may not buy as much software...

Maybe they went with free software because they could modify it. It's not like Microsoft have something they could use off the shelf, they would still have to do a lot of coding and it would have to sit on top of the software they paid for since they can't modify it.

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iPhones dialling up premium-rate bills again

Tom 35
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Obviously free applications have to be paid for somehow

Wrong, free apps are free, you don't pay for them... because they are free!

An add supported app is not a free app, you may not pay up front but you pay by being hit with ads.

An ad with a dialler is no better then the old modem trojans and the people doing it need their ass kicked.

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Apple ad-addled OS scheme resurfaces

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Patent

They removed it from the Patent application is not the same as saying they don't want to do it. They may have been forced to remove it due to some one else already having a Patent.

Maybe the stupid unskippable "you wouldn't steal a car" things Hollywood likes to stick on DVDs... :P

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Cross-dresser shags mutt at historic castle

Tom 35
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or worse

Draw a cartoon of it...

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HEY ARSEHOLE: STOP SENDING ME ANGRY EMAILS

Tom 35

After receiving a bad score....

People will reword their email to get a better score. Using @$$H0L3 for example is sure improve your score over the standard spelling.

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Developer slips tethering into iTunes

Tom 35

why the operators want to charge more

If you have a (so called) unlimited phone data plan I can see them saying that you are only paying for on phone data... but if you are paying for a fixed amount of data each month the operator can F.O.A.D. if they think it's fair to charge extra for the same amount of data.

The same for operators that think they should charge extra for VPN data.

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Apple lays claim to expired patents

Tom 35

Texas

Big surprise there.

They should change the state animal to the patent lawyer.

Even if this harms consumers, how is giving a pile of cash to a few lawyers going to make it right?

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