Posts by Peter R. 1
266 posts • joined Monday 15th June 2009 12:18 GMT
I don't like them app stores very much.
If you buy something from a reteiler, and there is something wrong with it, you take it up witht he retailer.
These app stores trade internationally. When something goes awry, they wave their hands in the air and say 'we're just the distributor. Take it up witht he publisher'. Who promptly points you to the developer.
Additionally, outfits like Valve and EA refuse to trade according to the laws of the country they trade in.
Thirdly, if you do not take being brushed off lightly and kick up a stink, they cut off your account and you loose all your software. And since they trade from abroad you do not have the protection of the law in your own country.
The idea behind it is great. Unfortunately the people running these software stores are a bunch of rip-off artists. To most of us, anyway.
I've learnt my lesson.
I bought a Ford with Microsoft Sync. After 20miles the MS badge fell off. I'll have nothing to do with W8. Too risky and computer stuff is expensive.
Posted in Foxconn plans massive plant in Indonesia
Indeed...
Those pesky Chinese communists are asking all matter of minimum wages, days off and health plans these days.
Doing business in the Peoples Republic is proving to be a bigger hassle than it's worth.
How is a business man supposed to make an honest buck these days without everyone wanting a slice of it for free ?
A bad joke, but a joke nonetheless...
It'll go horribly wrong...
...but they will deny it for months if not years and won't give a sh*t.
Or, in plain English...
We've now spent a gazillion (insert preferred currency here) and have finally achieved a level of certainty that warrants a further multigazillion investment !
Maybe.
A van full of gas and petrol ?
Even at current pump prices it seems some Greeks still have money to burn !
Everyone will love it !
Untill it turns out it's Beta software not supported outside of the US, and a group of Far East or Eastern Block rip off artists find clever ways of fiddling some not-quite-so-tech-savvy old age pensioners out of their har earnd.
Oh yeah, it'll be the talk of the town.
Posted in Apple iMac refresh due Real Soon Now
Re: No real surprise.
IIRC Cook spoke about something going on for Mac PRo users late next year. I do not believe he mentioned the iMac
15" Retina ?That's 2299 Euro to us
That's 2299 Euro to us. Or about 2750$ . For that you get a 5400 rpm HD and a 2.3 GHz cpu. The 2.6 is a staggering 2900+ Euro (or 3500$ +). Complete and utter madness.
Imagine how much the 17 would have cost. No wonder they axed it !
Re: my stupid opinion
Meybe he decided he was best serving the constitution by flogging the documents ? After all, if I -being a stupid foreigner not even deemed fit for a US invasion - understand the vaunted ducument correctly - it is the right - nay, the solemn duty - of every US citizen to remove any government leader that threatens said constitution.
There's an explanation for everything. You just have to choose to accept it. Or not.
You've got two choices...
1. More world
2. Fewer people
Everything else is codswollop. So take your pick.
Might one enquire...
...what was the outcome of the proceedings of eBizz vs. Apple ? You seem to have overlooked that small part.
Re: Finally !
Unfortunately, my own country (Belgium) can be held responsible as the birthplace of this behemoth (Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxemburg concoted a Customs and Excise union in 1944 while our cowardly gouvernments were nursing their sorry backsides from being kicked by das Reich). We've been an 'economic union' since 58.
Only today, this early insight has led to the EU hitting us with a possible 100 million Euro for allegedly 'discriminating' between domestic and foreign financial products (I shit you not) and we're still not clear on that 708 million Euro fine that's been hovering abouve our collective heads since december because our budget was allegedly not up to EU 'standards'.
I'm sure other member countries are doing equally well, but right now I'm to depressed to research it. OTOH, right about now 1000 UKP will buy you a sizeable chunk of Greece, so it ain't all bad !
Oh dear
A rectangular device with a flat screen to display moving pitchers ? I'm sure many IP lawsuits will ensue !
Finally !
The EU is starting to show what they are all about : a collection of money grabbing self serving criminals who make up all sorts of dodgy legislation so they can haul eveyones ass in front of an equally dodgy court so they can slap millions of Euro's of fines on evey country in the world.
Now before you start shouting 'it's always been like this', no it hasn't. They've indeed alwas been meddling criminals, and they've even made life difficult for private enterprise under the clever 'anti-trust' moniker, but apparently these large corporations are too difficult to extort money from. So now they're turning to the tax payer !
Question being : how do we get rid of them ? Anyone any ideas ?
I'll have nothing to do with it.
I've had the distinct displeasure of having used 8 for a few weeks now, and am sad to report the new Metro interface is not growing on me. I decided to just start using it regularly so as not to have my opinion influenced simply because the tech is new and I'm not used to it, but unfortunately I find it clumsy, counterintuitive and generally a pain in the behind.
Whatever Mr. Ballmer think they have achieved (and Mr. Ballmer is not generally known for having his feet securely tethered to mother earth), 8 may very well be technically sound by the time it goes RTM, but using it does not make for a happy user.
Still, if he thinks he can force 500 million copies on the unsuspecting masses, it's up to said masses to prove him wrong.
Posted in Bang & Olufsen Beolit 12
Looked at one of their hifi systems once...
The speakers were absolutely crap. They've got a really good design team, but I honestly wonder if they employ any sound people.
Posted in Diablo III
Has anything changed ?
I remember playing D2. Now details are vague due to my advancing age, I DO however vividly remember standing in a doorway, a big-ass axe in one hand, and revitalisation potion (of which I had many) in the other, a pile of around 250 baddy bodies in front of me and Ithey kept coming ( hack hack hack hack - gloop...rince and repeat).
I'll pass on this one. I just bought Assasins Creed for about 3$ on Steam (oh well). Now that is money well spent !
Re: Joining a little late on this one...
Excessive speed the number one eh ? So, what will be number one if you limit vehicles ? (and, by the way, what will stop a vehicle limited to 70 doing 70 in a 30 zone?) Vehicle mass ? So you're going to limit maximum weight ? After which another vehicle will be the heaviest. Then small tires. Or big ones. Then red cars ? Or yellow ones ? Untill you get to a sunroof or a whip antenna ?
You can prove anything with statistics. Of you want to reduce the number of car accidents you could ban cars. But you'll just end up in The Matrix.
Posted in Siri subtly shifts smartphone allegiance
Try this :
Siri, what's the best black helicoper on the market ?
Cheaper in-sewer-ants ? Oh dear...
This things are NOT made to make things safer, cheaper r in any way beneficial to the user. They are meant to introduce more fine print to the ever increasing number of backdoor clauses in in-sewer-ants contracts so the companies don't have to cough up their cash when required.
I'm -honestly- baffled the AMD processor devision can stay afloat. I don't WANT to see them go, not by a long shot, but they've been on the brink for so long I wonder why the shareholders put up with it. Or is it a giant money laundering opreation ?
Apples strength lies in taking existing products, executing them slightly better than everyone else and charge a premium for the privilege.
Calling them magival and revolutionary also seems to help.
As long as they can keep doing that they're fine. Remember it's the general public that's responsible for their borrom line, not the so-called 'fanpersons'.
Perception is everything. And Apple are bloody good at it.
Re: You bought defective games on Steam ?
Yes, I can list them. But how, exactly, is that relevant to this story ? Or to the fact they do not work properly ? If I tell you will you fix them for me ?
Lost cause, anyway.
Record companies, software companies, games publishers all seem to follow the same flawed reasoning : that every illegaly played copy will convert to a paid copy if the means of playing it illegally is removed.
Secondly they seem to take no responsibility whatsoever in getting their product to the user.
In the case of Crytek, I pre-orderd the Nano edition frome one of their 'distributors' only to find out 3 weeks after launch they were not going to deliver the product because of 'unavailability'. Because they had already separated me from my funds I was offered a 'voucher' for another product. Crytek didn't want to know. Only after enlisting the aid of the legal profession I was reimbursed.
I've bought games on Steam that were defective. Steam, who had taken my money, blankly refused to refund or repair the defective game because they're only the distributor (as they see it). If you persist and vent your frustration on their forums your account is likely to be closed, and you will loose the possibility to play EVERY game you've bought from them, without a refund.
It is the release of terminally flawed software, dismal support and crooked distributors 'EA anyone ?) that is causing people to refuse to pay 50 to 70 Euros for a game instead of waiting to pick it up for a fiver second hand or wait untill it becomes EOL, and NOT the inherent criminal intent of gamers.
As long as they don't understand that they're doomend. And rightfully so.
Posted in Ten... mad materials made into tech
Nothing to see here...
What about something really cool ? Like Pykrete ?
Posted in Microsoft details Halo 4 release
Not for me.
Unfortunately MS deemed PC owners unworthly of the conclusion to HALO. Haven't bought a MS game since. And don't plan to either.
You know you've been dead for many years...
when you remember 'Kick up the Eighties' with an upstart called Rick Mayall
Neither
It just means you have to plug it into a wall socket when you get home. You still have to pay for it.
Dare I say it ?
You're holding it wrong !
Sorry, couldn't resist.
They keep repeating themselves, so I will reciprocate.
The question is NOT : is the climate warming up. This can be easily substantiated with relevant statistics.
The questions ARE, however : do we humans have anything to do with it, if so how much and can we influence it in a significant way by modifying our general behaviour. What would be the result we wish to achieve and is it at all possible.
Re: Try this one on for size...
No, it doesn't liss an important point. It doesn't miss any point. The question is simply to ascertain if the readers of this here facility put a price on their priacy, and if they would deviate from the principle in favor of bettering themselves professionally.
I admire the people who categorically refuse the 'you don't have anything to fear if you haven'r done anything wrong' argument.
But I confess that I can at least imagine selling out the principle of the financial gain is large enough.
Thanks to the people who replied. To the people who downvoted : I'm sad to say I do not understand why you would downvote someone for asking a question. I'm baffled.
Just a friendly warning
Most of the time your decisions in ME end ME2 don't influence ME3 at all, because the game save import feature is defective.
It looks like everyone who bought the previous games through Stream got royally shafted.
I, for one, have told our EA Overloards to go do unspeakable things to themselves and have refused to hand over my money. Just like I refuse to buy ANY Micro$haft game since they decided us PC owners weren't worthy of the conclusion to the Halo saga.
Try this one on for size...
I just picked you to reply to, don't take it personally. It's not the point.
For the sake of argument :
You are a professional and good in your chosen field. You make 50K a year. You are headhunted by another company. They are offering you 100K a year. The caveat is yoou have to hand over your Facebook account. You have such an account, but yu only use it to discuss the finer points of elementary particle physics with peers, so you KNOW you're clean as a whistle.
Do you actually tell them to take a hike and blow of a 50K a year payrise on principle ?
It's just a question. You can change the numbers to whatever you like.
Thanks,
Pete
I too am becoming very dismayed with those silly 'Apple stuf is cr*p* posts.
I have used a great many devices with an equally great variations in OS.
It is true that Apple devices are generally more expensive than the competition; It is also true that they are generally made from better materials and although some have been problematic in the past (like antennagate) it is my experience that they generally work very well and more trouble free than others I have owned.
So maybe the price being a lot higher is the price you pay for it being a little better. The point of deminishing return, so to speak.
What does it really mean ?
Considereing the Chinese government has a long and impressive record manipulating rules, sabotaging foreign competition and falsifying the exchange rates by state interference, how much of it is actually ftrue ?
Good call, Mr. George
You should indeed NOT make more movies. Why, I hear you ask ? Well because the three first ones were very good, the three last ones were dismal, Jar Jar Binks is the product of a deranged mind, the bloke that played young Darth was an affront an the cartoons and merchandising were just insuling.
If that is all you can come up with you should indeed apply your undeniable talents elswhere.
This is an interesting comment. I will ponder it and try to find out if it holds water.
Left ! I said LEFT, you stupid mo....(plane berakup noises ensue).
Pulling the trigger and emptying a mag is only done in movies. Not
That would depend on it's mass and velocity
As of yet we only know it's 'bulk', which suggests volume. 1 Gerald, to be precise.
Dunno about ROW
...but here, the 4s 32 GB simlock free costs 759 Euro's, which equates to about over 1000 USD, and it's not even the most expensive one. And there will be a new one in 6 months. 1K$ for a phone ? I don't think so. In case no one hase noticed in Cupertino : the economy is in the toilet over here.
Posted in Apple gets patent for ‘unlock gesture’
I keep wondering...
Way before pads, touchscreens and evil fruit (and even integrated circuits) existed something called potentiometers. These variable resistance devices came in two flavours : rotary and sliding. The sliding ones, for example, were used in all manner of devices, for instance studio mixing consoles.
While there were many brands of said consoles, I can't remember any instance of one manufacturer sueing another for using 'changing volume by means of a sliding variable resistor', never mind the bloke who came up with said resistor suing everybody for using them without his permisson.
Were PO's in those days much more sensible, didn't anyone think of patenting it or weren't judges prone to being taken for a ride ?
He was right.
At the time, and looking at it from a bystanders point of view, he was bloody right. History, however is written by the conquerers, with only a few sad old men like myself remembering what it was like in those days.
The Dead Man from Cupertino had nicked Woz's money from Atari. Apple had a deal with several whitebox clone makers, and they were selling more than them. Sales were crap, but better than Apples. The Apple IIe was in the toilet. TDMFC was sent packing from Apple. The OS was buggy as hell. His animation company was in the doldrums too, as he was having a big row with Disney over Toy Story. NeXT was a financial headache, and Apple was looking at BeOS to replace it's ailing OS. If the guy from BeOS hadn't wanted silly money, the world would have looked quite different.
Then Toy Story exploded at the box office. The rest is history.
Finally !
First sensible comment in the whole thread?
He got what he wanted...
He wanted to make a dent in the fabric of life on earth. And he did. Some of us may not particularly like the dent he made, but he sure made one.
Posted in Samsung seeks bans on the iPhone 4S
YOU started it !
YOU started it.
We did not start it!
Yes you did — you invaded Poland.
Codswollop
Agreeing on which language to use is not an issue. This is determined by law, i.e. all documents are required to be drafted in the language of the federal state they are used in, and all federal government documents are drafted in 3 languages.
The inability to form a government is the result of the Flemish and Walloon federal states having opposite positions on how to proceed with the federation as such. A lot of it is cultural.
