Re: Not an ISO 3166 code
Yes, and the employment related to same.
Aye right, as they say.
Using Scotland as a nuclear waste dump is totally worth it if it brings in a few jobs, eh?
Posts by Ross K
688 publicly visible posts • joined 14 Feb 2011
YES: Scotland declares independence ... from the dot co dot uk empire
Tuesday 15th July 2014 11:44 GMT 
Re: Not an ISO 3166 code
if Mr Salmond wants independence he should get it. All of it. Everything. Get his own country code, his own TLD, his own bailout fund for RBS...
And in return, the "rUK" can take its nuclear detritus back from Faslane, Hunterston, Chapelcross, Dounreay, Vulcan, Rosyth, etc, etc?
Seeing as we're giving things back to their rightful owners, y'know?
US freemium mobile network eyes up Europe
Russian MP fears US Secret Service cuffed his son for Snowden swap
Tuesday 15th July 2014 12:51 GMT 
(Extra)Ordinary Rendition
Secret Service agents arrested Seleznev Junior as he was boarding a plane in the Maldives and put him on a plane to Guam, where he is currently being held.
I was going to sarcastically write "Is that a thing now?" but fuck it...
Is anybody surprised anymore?
Where's the 'Stop this train, I want to get off' icon?
Japanese artist cuffed for disseminating 3D ladyparts files
Test drive Microsoft Azure & meet Mark Russinovich
What's that burning tire smell? It's Microsoft screeching away from the No-IP car crash
Saturday 12th July 2014 12:07 GMT
Re: If only...
Tortuious interference with contract?
It might fly - IF you were a paying customer.
The No-IP ToS is here: http://www.noip.com/legal/tos
(Caps are their doing, not mine.)
No-IP SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL WARRANTIES RELATED TO THE ServiceS, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION: 1) ANY WARRANTIES CONCERNING THE AVAILABILITY, ACCURACY OR CONTENT OF INFORMATION, PRODUCTS OR ServiceS; AND 2) ANY WARRANTIES OF TITLE OR WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THIS DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY APPLIES TO ANY DAMAGES OR INJURY CAUSED BY ANY FAILURE OF PERFORMANCE, ERROR, OMISSION, INTERRUPTION, DELETION, DEFECT, DELAY IN OPERATION OR TRANSMISSION, COMPUTER VIRUS, COMMUNICATION LINE FAILURE, THEFT OR DESTRUCTION OR UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO, ALTERATION OF, OR USE OF RECORD, WHETHER FOR BREACH OF CONTRACT, TORTIOUS BEHAVIOR, NEGLIGENCE, OR UNDER ANY OTHER CAUSE OF ACTION
In short: get lost, valued customer
Thursday 10th July 2014 18:52 GMT
Re: If only...
@ NP-Hardass
I know that i'm using them as a free service, but I'd like to see No-IP offer me some compensation for the down time (obviously Microsoft would be responsible). Upgrade to premium service for a couple of months or just disable the nagging login requirement for a little while
That right there is what's wrong with this planet.
Everybody's got such a huge sense of entitlement, even if they're getting something for fuck all.
Pay for a fixed IP you cheap bastard.
'The writing is TOO SMALL': MPs row over Parliamentary move to Office 365
Adobe Flash: The most INSECURE program on a UK user's PC
Thursday 10th July 2014 16:23 GMT
Isn't it great...
...that they've included an auto-updater now so Flash can patch itself twice or three times a week without bothering you too much.
Just like the Java Updater, more useless shite sitting in the system tray and consuming resources is just what we all need.
I know Apple users have to update Flash regularly too, but what do linux users do? Has Flash been abandoned on that OS or is it still soldiering on bravely?
UK's emergency data slurp: IT giants panicked over 'legal uncertainty'
Thursday 10th July 2014 13:52 GMT
Oi Clegg, You Having A Laugh?
Clegg promised that "civil liberties would be properly considered" under the new law and claimed that Brits will "know more than ever before" about what access the police and spooks have to our online data.
They will do the bare minimum the ECJ requires them to in terms of civil liberties, or less when nobody's looking.
It's also doubtful that Brits seeking to "know more than ever before" will get anything other than the standard "Sorry, we can't discuss that for national security reasons" when querying cops or spooks about their activities.
Call girl injected Google exec with heroin, drank wine, left him to die – cops claim
Snowden leaks latest: NSA, FBI g-men spied on Muslim-American chiefs
Thursday 10th July 2014 11:57 GMT
Re: Muslim-Americans?
Point taken, but it wouldn't take a lot of propaganda effort to poison that. Subtly asking the question "are you Muslim or American?" would do the trick.
Kinda like the "Who do you support, Rangers or Sellick?" question that Glaswegians are fond of asking in order to determine your religious persuasion?
Man FOUND ON MOON denies lunar alien interface
Wednesday 9th July 2014 15:23 GMT
Buzz Aldrin may have stood on the surface of the moon, but neither that nor anything else gives him the right to state that as fact. That's pure opinion, conjecture... and the hard evidence is completely against it.
So what are you suggesting? That we were made by a bloke called God one Sunday afternoon? That Jesus partied with the dinosaurs?
I would say that life here on Earth hasn't evolved ENOUGH in some cases...
ICO probes BBC after secret British army unit's info LEAKED
Friday 4th July 2014 08:17 GMT
Re: A leak of information?
@Alan Brown: I know that state-sanctioned murder goes on everywhere. Mossad are amateurs compared to some other players out there BTW.
This article referred to one particular murder squad in Northern Ireland, which is what I was referring to. Whether or not you see MRF operations in Northern Ireland as domestic or international probably depends on your political leanings
Amazon sues former employee who took Google cloud job
Thursday 3rd July 2014 14:50 GMT
I've always had a problem with contractual terms such as this;
You do read an employment contract before you sign it, yeah? Some people don't until it's too late.
If you have a theoretical or moral problem with a non-compete clause, you can:
a) negotiate with the other party to remove it from the contract before you both sign, or
b) decide not sign the contract
Thursday 3rd July 2014 11:30 GMT
Re: Can't see the gray area here
In the UK, your company can put whatever they like in to your contract regarding no-compete clauses, and you are largely free to completely ignore them - your right to pursue legal employment outweighs the contract provision.
Uh, not true in the slightest.
Unless the non-compete clause is way too onerous or restrictive (as decided by a court), you will be bound by the contract you signed. Courts can, and will, enforce non-compete clauses where there is a legitimate business interest.
There is plenty of case law on the subject which I'd suggest you look up before giving flawed advice like "you are largely free to completely ignore them".
Linux turns the crank on code for cars
Thursday 3rd July 2014 10:55 GMT
Re: Huh? Ransomware?
You've got a great imagination - I'll give you that.
Well, there is already ransomware for Android, and that's Linux isn't it?!
Ah yes, Simplocker - downloaded from fake Google Play sites and removable with a factory reset.
Oh do please explain to me how you see users installing untrusted apps to a car computer that's NOT running Android with access to fake Google Play sites. I would love to benefit from your knowledge in this area..
Wednesday 2nd July 2014 10:34 GMT 
Huh? Ransomware?
"Also a car system would be a rich target for cryptolocker type malware; "You wanna drive this car then you're gonna have to pay". That kind of threat doesn't work so well for, say, a set top box; we'd just throw it away. But we won't throw away our car just like that."
The beardy types will be spluttering their coffee all over their terminals at the thought of ransomware on linux.
From what I can make out though, the plan is for linux to control the non-essential stuff like nav, climate control, bluetooth - not the stuff that's critical to making a car move. Unless I read TFA wrong I don't see any mention of a car's ECU running linux?
Tesla have been doing this for a while now so linux in a car is hardly earth-shattering news.
And I won't mention Apple CarPlay.
Cisco okayed for UK government comms
Who gives a F about privacy? New scorecard rates US pols on spying
Saturday 28th June 2014 12:32 GMT
Re: Greenpeace Blimp?
What does this stunt achieve for them, beyond establishing that they are fond of flying, which actually we already knew about.
I could tell you similar stories about other so-called charities - "Do as I say, not as I do."
They should have made that guy cycle home. On a bike with no saddle.
Windows Server 2003 end of life: Plan your WS2012 migration now
Drone's drug airdrop mission ends in failure for Irish prisoners
EXPOSED: Massive mobile malware network used by cops globally
Wednesday 25th June 2014 09:20 GMT
Re: Warrantless search for $500?
In many countries, usage of this tool requires a warrant. If it is being used illegally, will that invalidate convictions?
Aww, that's cute. You think law enforcement agencies worry about warrants.
Just in case you've been on holiday in Antarctica or on Mars for the last few years, you might want to read up on that Edward Snowden guy and the company he worked for.
Microsoft to release epic Xbox One update in June
Firefox biz Mozilla makes Beard new interim chief executive
Misco Shared Services Centre drone brands customer 'insane'
Monday 14th April 2014 10:52 GMT
Must be a slow news day
If a customer service person calling you insane is the worst thing that happens to you this week, you've got a pretty easy life.
Build a bridge and get over it.
On the subject of websites and pricing mistakes, perhaps the author of the article should have pointed readers to their "partner" for all things legal: Out-Law.
They've got an interesting page on the topic:
http://www.out-law.com/page-429
it would be a reasonable expectation that customer services would be fluent in English and conversant with UK law (sorry, English or that of "the other place") irrespective of where the call centre happens to be based.
@bilat29: You kidding, right? You expect a call centre worker to know the law? I'm happy if they can speak to me in English without a 2-second delay. 3 - you hear me?
Windows hits the skids, Mac OS X on the rise
Saturday 15th March 2014 16:25 GMT
Re: In Other News, Linux Is Still A Nonentity...
And almost everyone in that number chose to install Linux, either on a clean machine or dual-boot. That percentage is a massive figure given that most people have to accept what they are given, can generally only buy PCs with Windows pre-installed or don't know/care anyway. The figure probably represents ~~20 million users.
What does choice have to do with it?
So what if linux is installed on 1.76% of the planet's desktops?
It's a nonentity, as I already wrote.
I don't see how someone choosing to install it makes it worthy in some way.
Are you saying it could have been something™ if it wasn't for the evil Gates and Jobs foisting Windows and OS X on the people with "low technical skills", those incapable of choosing to install linux?
Saturday 15th March 2014 15:37 GMT
Re: "free" OSX - what are we smoking today?
Well, OS X upgrades are free. And one's original copy of OS X comes bundled with a computer, so it doesn't have an explicit price, even if that computer clearly bears a premium price tag.
Not what the AC was saying...
If you bought an iMac which came bundled with Leopard, you aren't entitled to a free upgrade to Mountain Lion. You also can't do a free upgrade from say Lion to Mavericks as Mountain Lion is a prerequisite.
The only exception to the free upgrade idea is Mountain Lion -> Mavericks, and I think most would describe that as an update rather than an upgrade.
So can you explain how "OS X upgrades are free" as you say?
Saturday 15th March 2014 15:09 GMT
Re: In Other News, Linux Is Still A Nonentity...
An ad hominem argument implies that I was attacking a personal trait of yours.
Were you upset at being accused of being a virgin basement dweller, or of being a demented fanboi?
Or both?
BTW I had chose not rise to your comment that you're "happy that there are not many people with low technical skills using Linux", as if you and other linux users were some kind of ubermensch..
Argumentum ad hominem.
(Informal logical fallacies...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad_hominem)
Also, citing anything using a wikipedia link is the last refuge of the feeble-minded.
Now that's an ad hominem... TTFN.
Saturday 15th March 2014 14:17 GMT
Re: In Other News, Linux Is Still A Nonentity...
Actually, Linux NOT having a huge market share is a good thing for me.
I am happy that there are not many people with low technical skills using Linux, as that means that I am not targeted as often by malware that would target the less canny.
Two things:
(1) Malware isn't written for linux as there is no return on investment for the writer. Virgins living in their parents' basement generally don't have credit card numbers, or any other valuable information, to steal.
(2) I guess I don't need to put a positive spin linux's dismal market share as the fanbois appear to be too deluded/demented to care.
Saturday 15th March 2014 13:32 GMT
OSX is pretty much a no-brainer and within a few hours most people would have no issue with the differences. It has a great (and critically easy to use) backup system, full disk encryption, remote desktop (without needing premium versions) and free.
Free, who told you that? Oh, you mean you burnt a copy of a friend's install disk?
That's the great thing about OS X, no pesky serial numbers or WGA...
Mavericks is a free update to Mountain Lion - which had to be bought and paid for through the Mac App Store. $20 was the price I believe.
Lion? That cost $30
Snow Leopard was $30 also.
Leopard was $120-130
Saturday 15th March 2014 13:06 GMT
In Other News, Linux Is Still A Nonentity...
Linux's market share stood at 0.62 per cent as 2008 came to a close, and has risen to 1.76 per cent as of this month.
Wow! Linux desktop market share TRIPLED from nothing to still-nothing in only five short years.
Gotta put a positive spin on it for the linux fanbois...
Elon Musk slams New Jersey governor over Tesla direct sales ban
Saturday 15th March 2014 14:30 GMT 
The "Free" Market, Eh?
Just reading about this on Wired.
Traditional dealers don't want to see the erosion of the after-sales "service" revenue, such as oil changes, etc.
Telsa apparently presents a future where cars can diagnose their own problems, and download software patches as necessary. A mechanic, sorry - technician, who scratches his arse and says "hmm, it'll take a few days to get that part" doesn't appear to figure in this plan.
Apple flops out latest OS X Mavericks beta, hopes sound+graphics sorted
Friday 14th March 2014 19:33 GMT
I went to a music gig where one of the artists had to swap places with another because he was using Windows 8 and he couldn't do his set until Windows had finished installing updates.
For real? That's the kind of bullshit I'd expect from a linux evangelist.
There are so many things wrong with that story I don't know where to start.
A "creative" type using Windows 8? Sorry, a "creative" type using Windows full stop?
A bad workman blames his tools; this artist doesn't check his machine in advance of a gig to make sure everything still works?
Did I express my surprise at a "creative" type using Windows already? Oh yeah...
Biting the hand that feeds IT
