Posts by 1Rafayal
355 posts • joined Wednesday 4th May 2011 12:38 GMT
One thing that gets me about this, as a collector of video game consoles and their games, what happens in 15 years time when all these servers that are set up to allow you to play the games you have bought get turned off?
Are Microsoft, or who ever will run these servers, going to keep them up for ever? Or will some sort of command be sent out to allow consoles to play games etc?
I know it might be a silly idea, but I can pick up an Atari 2600 now and play Canyon Bomber with no problems, in fact I enjoy playing this game - how is this going to impact us in the future?
Re: gets my goat
Or, maybe, people just dont need access to all these guns in the first place.
You can downvote me for this, I am just an ignorant Brit.
Re: AND it has begun...
You havent predicted anything.
Android on a stick has been banging around for ages before Dell came out with this.
You can buy the things for about 30 quid off Ebay right now and have been able to for a long time. I have one, and it works very nicely.
Re: Whatever you do, don't show the Win 8 scrreen!
Eadon, you do realise that if you visit Nokia's website you can see a plethora of phones proudly displaying their Windows UI? I am betting you dont, so here is a handy link for you: http://www.nokia.com/gb-en/.
Here is another great link, showing all the Nokia handsets (more or less) http://www.nokia.com/gb-en/phones/all/
Seems to me that each of them are displaying the UI that you hate so much, as well as the Windows 8 button.
I am going to assume Nokia only did this in the last 10 minutes or so, just to enrage you.
Re: @Laurent
I disagree, OpenStack still has some way to go before anyone, including you, can declare it the "industry standard".
Many big technology companies and organisations are hedging their bets right now, choosing to use AWS, Azure and OpenStack all at the same time.
Take NASA, for instance, who use OpenStack as well as AWS and Azure.
Stating that something is the de facto standard only highlights your ongoing ignorance of the field. Had you called it the standard de jour, then you might have been hitting close to the mark.
Re: Gay Patch
"...Jezuz. Off your high horses code warriors. Nobody's asking you to compile and deploy Eadon's posts..."
Thank god.
Regardless, it wouldnt have made it passed peer review anyway. lol
Re: Women Contractors
I have met a fair few guys who have the same fear.
Re: Windows 7 is a poor OS
Eadon, the grown ups are talking at the moment.
Re: Umbrella
oops, sorry!!
Re: Umbrella
There are some complete cowboys out there. Plus, in the long run you will make more money with your own company.
One thing to bear in mind is this, if you are just getting into contracting and dont have your own company, the agency hiring you will be able to advise you what to do next. It is very likely that they will get you on an umbrella until the first renewal of your contract, at that point they will talk to you about setting up your own company.
Again, depending on the size of the agency, they may very well have someone in house who's job it is to help you set up a company.
I am not surprised really, Windows 7 is a good OS and fits in with the Enterprise atm.
Whilst I have no fear of using Windows 8 for myself, I can easily understand the reluctance for business users to take it up. Of course if you are in the business of writing Windows 8 based apps via Visual Studio, then you will need Windows 8 installed to do so. I think that is a bit naughty myself...
Umbrella
You forgot to mention umbrellas. For first time contractors, going through an umbrella is an ideal way to get the business side of things sorted out for you for very little money. They are also pretty good if you dont know how long you want to be a contractor for.
Some people (quite rightly) scared of getting into contracting, so this saves having to get an accountant and set up your own company etc.
If you are starting out, but dont want an umbrella, then you need to make this clear to the agency hiring you, often they have their own in-house umbrella, or have a deal worked out with one. They may try to get you on the books that way to make extra money from you, that is something you need to understand perfectly well - the agency you go through is making money off you. Unless of course, you get a direct contract, I don't know how common that is when working for larger companies.
Interim's are a nice gig to get as well, once you have gotten lots of lovely experience as a work-a-day contractor.
Either-way, is the contractor market back on its feet again? I see a lot of contract gigs pass through my inbox, but they are either fixed price (i.e. crap) or at around £400 per day, which isn't so great.
Re: Windows 8 destroyed the PC>
So the slump in the market has nothing to do with consumption devices, like tablets and smartphones then.
Re: Windows 8 destroyed the PC>
You really dont have a clue, do you?
Are you really blaming the release of Windows 8 for the drop in PC sales?
A lot of comments here mention that they use their tablets/smartphones for consumption of online things, like Facebook. Why go to all the bother of sitting in front of your PC when you can lie on the sofa checking your Facebook on a tablet? Or your smart phone?
If Windows 8 really is the reason why the PC market has slumped and if Microsofts stranglehold on this market is so weak, why isnt the Open Source community doing everything it can to fill the gaps with alternatives? And promote them to the masses?
Penguinistas must be overjoyed to have you as a poster boy...
I will chime in here as well, I use it everyday on my personal laptop. It works OK, it isn't shite.
Re: MS Office 365 Security / Legal / FAIL
I am still LOL'ing at the fact Google tells you that his blog will be harmful to your computer!!!
You even get the same message when trying to load it on Linux, classic!!
Re: I'm sorry?
That isnt really true though is it?
yes, the page about you from 10 years ago may still exist, but the search engine can choose not to display it in the list of results?
Would mean a bit of work on Google's side (and everyone else if this is enacted as law in the EU), but could be done.
Re: Open source lock-in
Ah, can explain the license bit for Oracle and MS, I spent the last week going over the licensing terms for Oracle.... So you can pretty much ignore me on that one.
I kind of agree with you about the freedom that an open source product gives you over a propriety one, having the source available does indeed present you with the opportunity to get out of a dead end, something that an MS product will probably never do. But, this assumes your company has the desire and/or appetite to go down that route.
Take Puppet, for instance. Its a fantastic open source tool, one that I use on a daily basis where I am now and in previous places. However, if it were not for Puppet Enterprise, my company would never have chosen to use this software. Why? Because they wanted to pay money to get them in and set up our POC, dev, test and production systems. My company is pretty big (global), but they didnt want to go and contract a bunch of Puppet consultants in when they could buy in everything they need from the get go. Now, we are beholden to Puppet Enterprise - which is no way a bad thing.
Thats just one example from me with my current place of work. We have no intention of ever ploughing the knowledge we have gained back into Puppet. The tools and processes we have developed will stay with us as our own property. We have come up with (not me) a number of cool things that could help out a number of other Enterprises but this will never get beyond our NDA.
So, I completely agree that open source software is good, and yes it does have a load of positives that put it above closed source apps - but does open source really benefit at the end of the day?
I guess the point I am labouring is this, the open source community is excellent, it should never be disregarded and is an essential source of software and tools for IT in general. But is it fair that the development carried out internally by private enterprise is never shared with anyone else? Puppet has an Apache license, which means that it is defined as "Free Software", I think this means that if I choose to make changes to the source, I dont need to distribute it to anyone if I dont want to.
I suppose the flipside is also true.
This is just my opinion, I am not a staunch advocate for either side, instead I am someone who appreciates what is on offer etc. But I can completely agree why big business may choose not to use open source software, they simply dont relish the thought of having to make any changes they have developed themselves available to the public.
I think you can take away the "Open Source" from the "Lock In", that would be a far more valid statement?
Re: Open source lock-in
If you are locked in just because your design is so complex it makes moving to something new, you are in a whole world of hurt. Moving from one DB provider to another is not a trivial matter, but at the same time it shouldnt be impossible to move from one provider to another.
I have been in situations where the architecture of a product or service was overly complex, making any sort of migration tricky. The idea is to design your software so that the relevant sections can be vertically migrated with as little fuss as possible, however in saying that, it is never that easy.
This means that you might need to complete a load of work prior to getting into the point where you can migrate, which is better off for you in the long run, provided you can allocate that much resource to start with.
Oh, please treat the above as a generic "you", I am not implying that your software is in this state. Its just that I have seen situations like this before and this is how I worked the knot out for myself.
Agree with you on the MSSQL licensing model, it is ridiculous and makes it hard for anyone without the relevant clout in the company wallet to move and expand. The Oracle licensing model is better imho, well perhaps more easier to work with than better.
Re: Linux at Work
I believe he works closely with Colonel Palmer and his five daughters
and there was me thinking it was just a quiet Friday afternoon!!!
Posted in Rackspace fluffs .NET cloud support
Powershell
I actually think it is a good idea to add in Powershell and .Net support. There are a lot of places out there who are using these technologies who either dont want to or unable to adopt a Linux.
It really does even out the playing field. i suppose it also acts like an enabler, if people are in the .Net world and want to peak over the fence, then tools like this give them that ability.
Same goes for smaller projects running in big organisations who predominantly use Java etc. Gives them a chance to interact with the rest of the peeps working with these tools.
Interoperability, can only be a good thing at the end of the day?
Posted in Rackspace fluffs .NET cloud support
Re: "Java == robust + resiliant"
Oh, i wait for the day when this site can return to rational discussion.
This nonsense just drags the site down imho. It is almost like having to read the Daily Mail.
I am surprised that more of the regulars haven't jumped ship.
Posted in Star Trek: The original computer game
Different covers
On the Dragon 32 the cover art was largely the same apart from the title, which was Dragon Trek - no idea why.
Posted in Rackspace fluffs .NET cloud support
Re: "Java == robust + resiliant"
There is no point in even bothering to post a response to him when he is in his "LSE Rant Mode".
He isnt a dev, he didnt work on the project to move over to what is considered a highly modified Linux and he doenst know that his beloved Java makes up a small fraction of the overall system.
He never worked on that project, unlike some commentards here...
Re: As I predicted
OK Eadon, if you are truly gifted with an insight that the best market analysts could only ever dream to possess - what else is going to fail, you know, non-Microsoft stuff.
Or could it be that you simply state, over and over and over again, that Microsoft will fail, regardless of the product?
Re: @Nuked
well, thats a lie.
You also post as eadon2
Posted in Linux kernel 3.9 lands
Re: @1Rafayal
I think their choice is Windows or Linux.
That seems to be pretty clear.
Posted in Linux kernel 3.9 lands
Re: @1Rafayal
largely happy with Windows sums it all up really. I have long believed that the consumer doesnt really care about the OS, as long as it does what they want it to do.
I really think there is an opportunity for some group or organisation to go giving out free distros on a cd or a USB drive though. If there was a larger appetite for Linux in the consumer market then we would quickly see things like iTunes on it etc, well, I would like to think that would be the case.
Posted in Linux kernel 3.9 lands
Re: @1Rafayal
dont get me wrong, Linux has come a long way with regards to installers over the years, in some respects they are way better than the Windows equivalent - the ability to spin it up live off the disc or USB drive is one of them.
As far as the user experience goes, there is still some way to go before the average punter will strongly consider replacing Windows. As Bill The Sys Ad mentioned, people want iTunes etc. If they can get things like that then I dont think they would care one bit about their OS.
At home, there is a whole bunch of things that need to be done to push Linux. In the workplace, its a different matter completely. Will the average home user care about things like disk caching, SELinux, Jboss etc? No, they will probably care about Facebook, Skype, iTunes, Spotify etc
I remember in the mid 90's when PC magazines provided Red Hat on the cover disk, its things like this we are missing in modern times. Maybe some enterprising group will start handing out distros at the tube, train stations etc. That would get people thinking
Re: @ The Resident Phone Licker
You are a boring little person.
I havent restricted myself to an Android or WP device. For all I know some other device will become available in the net few months that catches my eye, if I lie it I may well go for it.
I dont want a BlackBerry, I have one for work. Same goes with the iphone, I got issued with one of them as well. So I literally dont need to consider them as a device.
When you say open, how open do you need a device to be? Especially something as mundane as a phone... I made a point when getting apps on my current Android device, for instance choosing Kindle for books and Comixology for comics - these apps are available on WP, Android and iOS (not blackberry atm I think?).
So I can pretty much move between devices if these apps are available.
And are you honestly trying to say that you are right because WP doesnt have a huge market share? You sure about that, there are no other reasons why WP isnt as popular as the other devices?
Oh hang on, of course you are right, how silly of me to even suggest otherwise. Is it time for the nurse to give you your medication yet?
Re: @ The Resident Phone Licker
Did I mention Android? No, I didnt.
If I were going to be honest, the deciding factor between Android and a Windows Phone will come down to looks and build quality.
Unlike you, I am pretty free - I can choose whatever device I fancy. Whereas you are stuck with Android as your only choice, or perhaps Ubuntu Phone when available.
You see, the consumer has an awfully large amount of power, the average consumer can freely choose any device he or she wants, regardless of your incessant whining
You really need to let the grown ups talk, before butting in with your nonsense.
I would buy a Windows phone over a blackberry or iphone.
So, now you know someone who wants one.
Re: Microsoft the Destroyer
I am so glad you pointed Eadons nonsense over .Net.
He has been told over and over that he is fundamentally wrong. His knowledge of .Net is pretty much zero, I would argue that the same goes for Java as well
Posted in Linux kernel 3.9 lands
@harmony, completely agree with you on that. Without choice, the options available will just stagnate. Linux has caused Windows to evolve and I think the same is the other way around to a certain extent (desktop experience, installation etc).
@spoddyhalfwit, I think the take up of Linux by the regular home user boils down to a few points:
- They dont want to use
- They dont know how to get it
- They dont know how to install it
MS has some advantages, they make a product and let people know all about it and offer help on how to use it. Additionally, there are only a couple of flavours of Windows, Server and not-Server.
Linux, on the other hand, has multiple distros all trying to get attention. You have Mint for instance, which is fine for most users but then you get things like RHEL which has more flexibility but little support for media etc (I chose those two on purpose).
"I see BlackBerry to be the absolute leader in mobile computing - that's what we're aiming for…I want to gain as much market share as I can, but not by being a copycat"
And good luck to you sir!
Re: How to LIE with fake marketing numbers
"Amazon has had worse outages thna Azure...."
Heresy!!!
Re: How to LIE with fake marketing numbers @(the ever charming) Eadon
Yes Eadon, I did read your post - hence my response.
You can be as rude and disingenuous as you like, at the end of the day all of your posts are about the same thing:
- You are right
- Anyone who has a different opinion is wrong
- You hate MS for no obvious reason.
You could pretty much just post one comment and then refer back to it for each subsequent post you make.
I live in hope that one day you may just find reason to post about something new, I guess that day will come when you latch on to some other technology that you feel is a gift from God.
Re: How to LIE with fake marketing numbers @(the ever charming) Eadon
Its so lovely to see your personality shining through this early in the morning Eadon.
If you think Dynamics is not one of the most popular CRM tools then you probably want to have a word with the Internets, there seem to be a large number of recruiters desperately looking for Dynamics devs these days. Especially those with X++ experience, which would lead one to think that there is still a lot of places out there using older versions of Dynamics...
Re: Hate to say this... but...
I disagree, in the EU, if you come up with an idea on company time then it pretty much belongs to them.
That is why it is so important for dev types to not work on their own projects when at work.
If I came up with a fantastic new way of doing something with software whilst on company time and then went ahead and sold it, then the company can legally assert that the whole shebang belongs to them
Of course, the company first has to prove you came up with the idea on their time, which is where the whole things starts to fall apart...
I dont think it is as bad as over in the US though. And lets face it, if you have come up with some ideas whilst at work that you then adapt for your own projects, the whole thing turns into a bit of a farce.
Having said all that, I am probably completely wrong, its all just so confusing...
Re: Internet connection required
"...I hear that there are..."
so you are quoting what could be hearsay? Thats very unlike you Eadon...
There are some ads in the UI, mainly for other games, you can normally see them when you visit the store. Or, if you want to stretch it further, there are tiles in the various parts of the UI that tell you what you could install.
For example, there are tiles that take you to the download of Netflix etc.
I am not sure what you point is with this post, other than the standard "I hate MS bullcrap". Maybe you should try using a 360 before spreading FUD? or at least, get a clue?
Oh, and I think the monthly tithe is about £4, but normally you pay that up front. If memory serves, getting 12 months is cheaper in the long run to getting 6 months. And thats for a Gold subscription. A lot of younger players rely on XBL gift cards from family to keep this up.
Re: XBOX always on INFINITY FAIL
as far as I know, it has been mentioned that the Infinity will need an always on connection, but not necessarily to prevent people from playing second hand games.
I think we need to wait for the official reveal of the device before making any comments about this sort of thing (yes, I am talking to you Eadon).
If MS were to prevent people from playing secondhand games, it would be disgraceful. This would effectively put games out of reach for a group of gamers that cannot always afford to buy the latest games at full price on the day of release and potential affect the ability for some gamers to trade in recent releases in order to buy newer games.
I enjoy buying older games for both the PS3 and 360, you can pick up some real bargains, especially if you missed out the first time round.
Maybe MS are relying on us all to buy games through XBoxLive instead of making our way to the high street to get our games. Oh wait, most of them are going out of business now...
Re: Not out of the woods yet...
I agree, I am due an upgrade now and I am swithering between a Nokia device and an Android device.
I wont be buying an iPhone, simply for no other reason that they dont appeal to me.
A colleague of mine gave me a look at his Lumia and I have to say the device looks great physically and it does have an astonishing camera.
I think I will wait to see if there is anything extraordinary in the next version of Android before I make my choice.
Posted in Ten ancestors of the netbook
You know, I am kind of the same?
I love the old school mini machines/palmtops.
Especially the Psion inspired devices, the keyboard design on the series 5 is a piece of engineering genius IMHO
Posted in Ten ancestors of the netbook
Psion Series 5
Just had to say that.
I actually still use one from time to time, for no other reason but to marvel at it.
I think the Series 5/MX were perhaps the archetypal ancestor to all modern netbooks, smartphones and tablets.
Re: Can someone grow a pair
they think they own, or do own?
Is Motorola Mobility any less evil than Microsoft? And, is Google any less evil for owning patents?
Or is the whole concept of patent trolling the problem here, regardless of who ever appears to be fashionably evil at the time?
I was surprised how much RAM Kubuntu gobbled up.
However, I can tell anyone who cares that Lubuntu is a little life saver.
Posted in Review: Nokia Lumia 520
Re: You're missing the fact that...
yeah they sell, which makes people happy.
I just wonder how much harm these types of devices cause in the long term
Posted in Review: Nokia Lumia 520
Personally, I dont see the point in making 'landfill' devices at all - Android or Windows.
Sure both camps should be trying to concentrate on delivering the best device and experience in class?
Or am I looking through rose tinted spectacles
