Posts by ElNumbre

Assumptions

I assume they'll be able to write off a load of tax payments against it?

Launch the rocket, then write the guidance software...

Amazon are doing some really cool things with their infrastructure but this policy of "launch, then write the software to allow us to control it" is becoming a bit of a pesky habit. Whilst rudimentary tooling is generally available from the get-go, it seems that the useful bits (like a handle for a hammer head) often follow along at a later date. But it seems AWS don't want to (or can't) press the pause button to make sure the tool sets and features do what you might naturally expect them too.

Typo...

I think El Reg means, "ISS 'NAUTS POP OUT TO FIX A RADIATOR... IN SPAAAAAAAAAACE!!"

NuMedia = Badly Designed Infrastructure

What is it with all these new media companies having single data centres?

If your business model requires you to serve web content to customers, then you should prepare for the the worst you can afford. At a minimum buy rackspace or virtual min in at least two DC's geographically seperated from different providers. It's not massively expensive, it's not massively complicated, so why arn't the VC people funding it?

I am quite impressed, once I managed to get it installed. Tablet devices seem to require side-loading as according to the store, they're 'incompatible'.

I've only used it for navigating the menus, starting up iPlayer, and controlling the web-browser, but so far, it seems pretty reliable, functions well and is reasonably clear in operation. My only feedback is that there should be an option to reverse the swipe functionality to make left=right and vice versa, in the same way as other slide navigation works. Or has Apple got a © around that?

Lightwave RF

I'm looking at Lightwave RF for my house - socket control switches are circa £25 per module, and the advantage is that you can more or less use standard bulbs after that.

And there is a kickstarter project called LiFX to bring this type of controllable RGB LED bulb to market using wifi. Thats even more expensive at the moment than the plippy one, but once it reaches mass market, I reckon it should have a more optimal cost.

And this being iOS only? How very 2010 of them.

DaFuq

Anyone know what an "inconstant boyfriend" and if my premiums are at risk because I am one?

I did giggle at the agreesive animals one, but Id of thought an aggressive monkey would be more bizzare than an aggressive seagul. After all, Id of thought the non-native monkey would be more unique than the 'seen even miles from the sea' guls.

Point

I can see their point, but if they're not actively in a specific market, then why not.

I wonder if this extends to the phones employees can use or (until 3 days time) the tablets they can use.

I also wonder if they're doing anything around the 'Corporate Owned, Personally Enabled' which seems to be slowly emerging.

Whitebox Upgrade

Looks interesting, I use the 6100 in a whitebox VM server at home, but the 8xxx range could be a useful upgrade mid-next year once the market has settled a little; especially if Gigabyte release BIOS updates to support the new chippery.

IRL

Just wondering how many people on an annual basis are falsely accused of shoplifting from bookstores.

Id like to get a bit of perspective before I join the pitchfork wielding mob over one (for now) incident.

Back the Council

So how can I back the council on this one?

BT and Virgin have sat on their rears for too long, thinking about maybe installing fast broadband possibly perhaps, rather than actually doing the digging and getting it deployed. And even if this public project does ruin the commercial aspect, there are plenty of area's not covered here which need these services deployed.

Winners

We won, and the moon is our trophy.

Go Earth!

The last picture...

Use main entrance?

As opposed to the back doors?

I would.

Timing...

I note that this occurs just a week or so after Abu Hamza was shipped off to the good ol' US of A.

Almost like they planned this to get rid of the ones the public didn't like and keep the one who they do like, for you know, PR points or something.

Suspicious? Me? Nah, not at all.

Nexus 8?

It looks quite a bit like a Nexus 7 box.

Airspeed Velocity

In relation to Swallows, is that laden or unladen?

Eugh.

Spiders, Wasps and Amber Nectar - Three on my list of my least favorite things.

The other lot...

This still doesn't seem as complex as correctly licensing Citrix servers was when I tried it.

I vaguely remember (it was about 8 years ago) at least 6 set of licences were required, Citrix, Microsoft Server, Windows CALs, Office CALs and various others. I lasted about 2 months.

Specific Content

For me, I can't see this being a big success for 'knowledge' sites - i.e. text resources. Everytime I hit a paywall, I just click the back button and go to the next site listed in Google, which is generally free and has the knowledge I am looking to gleen.

However, for 'media' services, I can see this being a big boon. Particularly for stock photo/video retailers and musicians, provided the prices to the consumer are pitched correctly and the reward net of fees is fair to the retailer.

It will be interesting to see if people adopt a paid-for "quality" internet vs the existing free-for-all (except advertising) model.

The Big Reveal

Yes, they're now flogging the phones, but they've still not pulled the proverbial pricing rabbit out of the hat, nor revealed how G's of data you'll get for your money.

So, still in a holding pattern until this information becomes clear.

Odd Users Again...

Those odd users again....

I think the Android case has been helped with the launch of the Nexus 7; I suspect 'Google' has a better brand that 'Android' to the average layperson. Likewise, the average person probably doesn't care that the Kindle Fire's run Android, but like it for its price vs features set.

I personally am wondering if there will be a market crash in tablets - a large percentage of my friends and associates have tablets (mainly iPad variations) are now either selling them or have passed them to the kids as they don't actually have any use for them. I would actually like to conduct a survey of people buying tablets to ask "what are you actually going to use it for" and see what the responses were.

Not for me yet.

I'm a techy, and waited until the Consumer Preview version was released to test it out, and currently, I don't really see what is so whizz bang about it.

For a start, I don't like ~ (the interface formally known as Metro), it doesn't seem to bring anything new to the table, other than to confuse and annoy. Until Apps have been rewritten/upgraded to make the tiles live, what you end up with is a list of apps in boxes, rather than a pop up/down menu system.

And, once you get past the tiles, it feels like its just Windows 7 underneath with a few things relabelled.

As for the startup/shutdown speed, I hibernate W7 at the end of each day anyway, so first thing in the morning I'm up and running again within about a minute anyway.

So, as yet, I've not yet found the killer feature that should make me buy it.

Prior Art

Isn't this what Google do (although on "server" equipment, rathern than end user computers) to keep their storage dynamic and flexible.

That said, I think this is a truely great idea and whilst I would need to know more detail before I would implement in a real life scenario. When the lowest spec desktop seems to be 120GB these days, then Id say about 80% of that is wasted in an Enterprise environment.

And for their next project, they need to look at shared CPU and RAM...

TCR really is no more...

Not being from the big smoke, I do try and make an effort to get to TCR when I'm in the Capital, but 6 months ago I couldn't believe how much it had changed. So very few tech retailers, and those that are there seem almost more interested in selling phone cases or camera's than computers. MA seem like they're going to be another casualty and if they shut up shop, I don't see much point visiting TCR any more. Sad times.

BES on Vodafone

Our BES and handsets on the Voda network have all gone for an early session down the pub. About 400 handsets. Voda's forum message was basically shout at RIM, their fault.

However, we don't have RIM account managers, we have telco account managers, so they are the ones getting a hot ear.

Today would be a good day to launch a competing phone...

The auto-velocitator

I'm not up on my 'turn of the 20th century' motoring history, but I do wonder if our great great grandfolks had a similar argument when the infernal combustion engine was invented.

Actually, that sets me thinking - in the interests of safety and the whole 'silent running' thing that they've got going on with these electramawhatsits, how about making the jobless run in front of electric cars with a red flag to warn other road users?

Auntie

I notice that the Beeb are reporting on it, saying that 'Hagley' in the West Midlands is showing up as 'Dudley'.

I am now pondering what appears if you search for 'Bell End' which is just down the road from the actual Hagley?

Lube....

I thought it was mineral oil you should use for that sort of thing?

A poor excuse

ODB ports have to be open - yes.

But when it comes to security, it shouldn't be possible to plug and go - the security reprogramming routines should be encrypted with only the unlock certificates installed in stealership computers. Have they not heard of read vs read/write?

Shirley it must be possible to allow the local non-oem garages to be able to access and edit the ECU system settings, but prevent access to the really important bits?