Posts by Jean Le PHARMACIEN
72 posts • joined Friday 5th August 2011 07:11 GMT
Re: Slightly OT
"Dutch have experimented with 'shared' urban road space"
Yes I've been "subjected" to that 'shared space' in Amsterdam and suburbs as a pedestrian. Not recommended - at all. fine for slowing car drivers but I witnessed horrifying intimidation of pedestrians by angrey; yelling; bell/horn ringing cyclists weaving at speed amongst pedestrians. Cyclists seemed to believe all the space was theirs; as cycles are silent, pedestrians would (out of fear) stop dead and turn to check behind before changing direction - which meant of course all sorts cannoned into them.
Before anyone dismisses being hit by a cyclist - I work in the Hosp sector NHS (critical care). had one fit 65yr old man hit by a cyclist from behind whilst walking his dog. Hit face on the ground- > compromised airway+facial fractures leading to ITU admission and nearly 6 months in hospital. being hit by a cyclist is no joke
Posted in Review: Nokia Lumia 720
Re: Almost perfect
I hate to say it - but you are right regarding the OS - no teenage kid/anyone cares. In my view that explains why people keep buying iOS phones (that is MY OPINION).
Phones look nice; spec sounds good etc but for reasons Dave 15 gives - I will not buy a Nokia while Elop is around. In addition the OS puts me off - my dislike of MS goes back to DR-DOS; Stacker; FoxPro, Sendo......
You may say I'm cutting my nose off to spite my face but in my book it's standing by my principles of not supporting such companies, (yes, Sky/Murdoch are in the same boat)
Re: What a surprise! Linux is STILL not ready for the desktop!
I have a [work issued] HP mini 311; it refuses to hibernate properly and will not awake requiring power cycling - every time. It runs WinXP; conclusion : after 30+ years Windows is not ready for the desktop.
(FWIW: SAME machine runing Linux [stock Ubuntu 10.04] hibernates and reawakes perfectly: Conclusion Linux is ready for netbooks?)
I have many other examples with WinXP and wireless cards - and before you say "bad/misconfigured drivers" - that is EXACTLY what you are bleating about
45Mbs down via Infinity2+copper - small terrace in small town...
Always get 45-43Mbs - still arguing with BT that I SHOULD be getting better (apparently from the BT Wholesale tester I only lose ~2MBS from the cabinet to the house - copper get into house via a f****ng pole as well).
1892 Terrace in outskirts of S Manchester. S'pose I can't complain but as it's 45Mbs exchange->cabinet shurely they can do better (i.e. can I have closer to the 'up to 80Mbs' that I pay for)?
BT say as it's [service] within the tolerance for guaranteed minimum service (50Mbs) they won't do anything ("go away and be grateful")...............
Re: Lime Pie, eh?
No - it will be squarely aimed at the 'Limey' market only [if they're not too busy running after iPhones..]
UK look out!
'World's Smallest Mode'
Shurely shome mishtake?? "mode" for "Mobe"...spellcheck strike again..
Re: Yeah, I feel it to bro.
I've not found in my [general computing] background a wired network adapter that does not work with a basic linux install - sort out the rest after intenet is connected.
Persistent internet connection is a feature of Linux heritage of 'being born via/over the internet'. Perhaps you would prefer the scratched multiple install CDs that are the Windows way? Or mid-way through a Windows install that you need an updated dll not on the CD's - Oh yes - need an internet connection to sort that (and good luck find the right one quickly). Face it - almost any modern OS requires internet access to troubleshoot any number of problems - be that access to readable or downloadable resources.
PS - I've done DOS from 3.1-Windows 3.11-Win95 and been in Linux since 1996. I've needed internet access to download the CORRECT PCI network card driver for Windows 3.11 networking to even start linking machines [1995] so don't get me started on this "need internet access to do XXX" - Winows also has previous
Posted in Twenty classic arcade games
Has to be ... Star Wars!
Ahh the memories of wasted hours [1983) in the Bath Student Union bar trying to 'use the force'. Only got to plant the torp a couple of times.
oddly pints of Wadsworth's 4X didn't help Luke in any form in using the force....
Re: UK: Cyclists already pay for the upkeep of roads, as do pedestrians
" its a tax on vehicle emisions". No it isn't. It's a vehicle tax, the current RATE is based upon vehicle emissions (which is a relatively new concept in the history of the tax). Hint: it's called Vehicle Excise Duty and has gone from being a flat rate (for cars) through banding based on engine size then linking the duty to CO2 emissions. It is NOT a tax on emisions as you will find out when Govt finds a new formula for implementing some policy or other.
You ar right in that all tax payers pay for roads some way or other as chunk of council tax (householders) pay some parts; fuel+income tax+other taxes+national insurance get lumped together for Govt to divy out in proportions they see fit..
Posted in Keyboard, you're not my type
Re: Still the best
My Model M [ '87 version] is also going strong - in daily use - now on PS2 connector + cable - all the insulation cracked and fell off the original. Couldn't find anyone selling the right cable+connector into keyboard so had to splice/solder into remnants of old cable. Excellent afternoons 'farting about' with a good result at the end.
Posted in Why you need a home lab to keep your job
Re: May I also point out
Clearly you have never worked for the NHS. I'm in clinical (non medic) and this 'budget theft' is the the norm. My home lab is for personal education for when I jump the NHS ship (>26 yrs long enough to be dangerous to your health
Xantia's or XMs were a nightmare."
As a longtime and high mileage Xantia owner (4 to be precise); can I say they proved far more reliable than that paragon of German engineering & reliablity ; the VW Golf. My C5 and X-Picasso are similarly trouble free - I cannot believe that I have been SO lucky
Half of the resale price bit is due to Peugeot/Citroen discounting new prices so much.
Brits also never liked the hydropneumatic suspension (best bit ever and around since late '50s). Odd when it seems good enough for Rolls-Royce (most of which is Citroen parts..)
Re: Crappy Ford drivers take note
or have flashing brake/tail lights when the indicators are used............
VED (UK) is geared to Co2 emission BUT DIESELS ARE TAXED AT A HIGHER RATE than petrol vehicles for their actual CO2 emission - it's called 'Government fiddling the emissions rules'.
People use diesel as the engines use less fuel/mile than similar engine size petrol vehicles (even with the skewed VED/CO2 rate banding - still works out cheaper) ; they are particularly suited to long distances at constant speed; produce good torque for a given engine size and historically are more robust than petrol engines.
I think BMW might take issue with your heavy engine / inferior handling comment (heavier engine due to having higher compression than petrol).
Having driven both petrol vehicles (BMW) and diesel (Citroen) to 200,000 miles several times over, I can tell you which ones coped best (hint: not the German thingy even thought they were nice cars).
Re: Incoming!
Cue 25 posts from people using Win 8 pointing out how touchscreen interface will help HMRC improve productivity over existing stellar performance on XP desktops. Oh, er wait....
Re: Another MythTV user
Old HP D530 slim desktops are OK (eBay £30+ a decent Nvidia card) for MythTV - bit noisy though. Better to buy second hand Zotac ION boards w 1-2GB RAM + Akasa Cryto case - can be done for under £100. Work well as frontends (my server is D530 CMT +3GB RAM + 3 tuners and in the basement...) and can happily cope with three / four frontends round the house. Don't forget - SSDs are your frontend friends
Posted in 2012: The year that netbooks DIED
Having a work-issued 11.6in ; I'll second that (from my 10in 2140)
Posted in 2012: The year that netbooks DIED
Re: Still using a 701
From the deck of HMS Ramilies; I salute you sir!
I think you mean 'admirable'
Collects coat........
Posted in 2012: The year that netbooks DIED
Re: not forgetting the VIA options
Buy an extended battery for it - I did for mine and it really was worth it [you can still get them via eBay and some replacement battery suppliers]
Posted in 2012: The year that netbooks DIED
Re: That "Microsoft" experience was so dreadful that it has now killed the entire Netbook market.
Like it!
Neat 'Sendo' reference there [for anyonw lost - just Google 'sendo microsoft mobile phone' and watch the muck fall into place.
Yes MS did 'do' for the netbook - they trashed the whole 10in lightweight laptop idea [by leaning on the OEMs] while they tried to kill WinXP and put us all on Vista.
Those of us who 'got' the netbook ethos will mourn their disappearence [but eBay will probably be a great supply for years]
Posted in 2012: The year that netbooks DIED
NetBooks are dead! Long live the netBook!
As posted by others, these are great devices if you have the right one and the 'limitations' are the reasons why you bought one. I have an HP2140 - near full size keyboard; it's quick enough (max RAM + Xubuntu); excellant for light internet use on the go/writing emails (much easier to write larger emails with a keyboard); watch films whilst on holiday (useful to have ability to link t a larger monitor albeit VGA); decent batery life (4-6hrs depending on task). I would never use or carry a laptop and an ultrabook is too over-specced/xpensive for my needs. The netBook is a perfect smartphone companion when travelling
"smoking the weed........really good s**t considering the trouble"
Can I claim "I see what you did there..." number 2 ?
Yes, the "number 2" qualifies as "I see what you did there..." number 3 before anyone else starts...
Re: I already have a working [MythTV] app...
I'd like to see you try and get to the shops in a remote control car; at least both TiVo and MythTv allow you to record TV programs; the fact that TiVo has satnav is irrelevant
Re: I already have a working [MythTV] app...
Putting it politely, rather than with peevish remarks/sniping, the point is an open source DVR manages to have a web interface to control it's actions whilst Virgin seem to be struggling to get an app out to do the same on a commercial product.
Just to put the record straight, I don't run Arch. I have better things to do with my time.
Are you having a bad day? You do seem rather bitter about something...
Re: I already have a working [MythTV] app...
No the article was about the CAPABILITIES + FEATURES + delivery of the app - not the box it controlled! I cannot have a TiVo as my town has no Virgin cable (or from any company...) but if I HAD a TiVo I would be asking why there is this control interface gap.
"Can it decode Virgin and record cable channels?" is irrelevant as far as discussion of the app goes - if an app can control a box to record FreeView; then if the box is also capable of decoding virgin/cable channels the the app will be able to do that also.
I already have a working [MythTV] app...
It's called MythWeb and I can program my mythbox from my phone/mini tablet to make recordings and see what's already recorded. Mythmote allows me to use the phone as a remote control to the box and stream recording from my MythBox to my phone (thanks to Skifta/DLNA client of you choice).
All works very well
So what HAVE Virgin been doing - unless they've been making a 'superapp' of it all...
Re: The Model M is truly ... (was: mechanical keyboard)
Who downvoted that post! Take six of the best and stand in the corner.
The Model M is THE keyboard. I know - I have two - the don't even die when the original cable desquamates it's insulation (aarrggh an hour or two with a 'new' PS2 connector+cable and figuring out which pins/cable corresponds to the original DIN plug prior to soldering..)
Killed a number of 'expensive' new keyboards but my 'M' keep on going on and on ...and on..
+1 for everything everyone has said above...(even the comments from my wife)
I have those boxes filled with cables; old DVD drives that still work and get used for diagnosing dodgy modern drives; 'proper modem' cards; 60Gb hard drives (for that emergency mythtv frontend); 12v power bricks...it's all there. Even complete P4s (those HP 530 machines REFUSE to die).
And a 1.2Mb 5.25 in drive...(anyone got an edge connector for those?)
There is some hope; I've ditched all but one of the 3.5in drives pulled from REALLY old machines (they read damaged disks where newe drives won't); all the 3.5in disks (unreadable now) ; all the 10baseT cards..All the (broken) CRT monitors)
The newer LCD monitors are being reused as TV replacements as my LCD TV's die (Ha!... MythTv again)
The *spare* IBM Model M keyboard is staying...obviously
Re: Far cry
I think the word you want is * depreciated * not deprecated .....
I know, I know.... just had to do it
Perhaps a "grammar Nazi's" urges should be deprecated
"Free parking in town centres is commonplace in France"
as one person has said - it's not BUT you may find that the 2 hours over lunch *is not counted in the paid-for parking* i.e. is free. having said that - you will find all shops/offices are ususally closed in those types of towns and all you can do is find a place to eat and wiat 'til they open (along with all the ofice /shop staff...)
Also out-of town shopping marts are very common in France and closing down/closed/empty shops in town centres are also very common.
The grass is not always greener in France (speaking as one who has a house there). You may also wish to try the 'gendarmes in unmarked car + lying flat in the back" speed cameras? Or the front -flash speed cameras designed to photo/identify speeding driver? Or "thou shalt not have your sat-nav showing speed camera locations or it's a fine for you.?.....I could go on.
Remember cable installs anyone????
This is a bit hard on BT regarding FTTH. doesn't anyone remember the chaos with cable infrastructure? The damage to road/pavement the endless roadworks?
Not everything BT has runs in nice clear ducts - the copper still works as long as it's been down yonks. Beat them over the head over FTTC, yes but not FTTH. If you look at most of those countries beating the UK; most haven't half the density; age; shear quantity of infrastructure to negotiate compared to the UK.
disclaimer ; I have just had Infinity installed; works great for me but my house is 120yrs old; no nice front garden to for BT to dig up - just a dual carriageway by-pass; public back ginnell to the rear of property and a hefty pine BT pole with ~ 100 ft of copper running to my house!
Anyone surpried?
All I can say is
well colur me shocked...........
Thank god for MythTV
As with earlier comentard, just use MythTV. One retune on the master backend (mine's in the basement) and that is all the "TV's" in the bedrooms; living room and kitchen sorted. Has not messed any recording rules (er yet..) all my presets still recording fine.
There is an investment in time setting up but it is way easier than a few years ago and just think of all those different set manufacturer gui's to fight with on all the sets in the house...Go on - be a geek
white middle aged males....Citro[e]n Picasso type cars
Oh sh*t - that'll be me then next week !!! (except I will remember to spell CitroEn correctly in my accident write-up).
Having driven Citron's (were you trying to be funny and hint at the *nature of the car make*?) for a number of years along with other [more sporty] front wheel drives - the only observation I have is that front wheel drive tend to go spectacularly off-course (er - straight ahead-ish) if pushed too much - without much warning - if you don't know your vehicle well AND have had a few G&T's beforehand....
I learned to drive on rear wheel drive cars (yes, BMW if you want know) and lengthy re-acquaintance with a 28yr old mid-range 3-series indicates cornering I remember - much more grip than a modern front drive wheel MPV - but your nerve will fail before the car does (same bend+weather+road surface).
In short - know your car - know it's limits and know your own limits (that'll be driving skill and the alcohol and time of day)
PS - make fun of Citroen if you will - I've had 1 BMW and 3 Citroen taken to >195,000miles. the Citroens (OK all Xantia's/C5) required no more trips to repair than the BMW and cost far less to run/insure/fuel. Current 'wheelbarrow' is on 145,000 and going well (X-Picasso). Old Beemer on 72.5K (not fully run in..)
First read these in my early teens and loved them [admission - I studied Ancient Greek and Latin to O-Level so unknowingly perhaps, I felt a kindred spirit with the author ]. Have two compilations of these stories and excellent stories they are. Truly creepy and people come to quite a nasty end in many esp 'A warning to the curious'
Must get the Beeb stuff recorded [ now where's my phone and I'll get on to my Mythweb]
retro fitted rocket man "may have to be airlifted" !!
Plllfffftt !!
Mine's a new keyboard AND Nexus S!
"may have to be airlifted to a specialist Australian burns " excellent!
£the existence of this burns unit is heartwarming" priceless
An d from Darwin too! Just too apt.
The guy (or is that Guy? Haha) is lucky to be alive but the report writing deserves a prize
Posted in Sony: Walkman, meet Android
Re: Portable music player?
"less people every year..."
I think that'll be 'fewer people every year' ...unless they are 'lesser mortals''
[dusts off grammar facist jacket and hang it up...]
TXTS is c**p
Sorry Txts don't cut it for me - mut be the only person n the UK sending less than 1 per week on average (some else is using al the other 49..). It's not "instant messaging" so no idea when it was sent (unless sender adds that); sent at the mercy of telco network state. All "conversation" lost if you lose/wipe the phone. Email on the other hand has a trail that can be followed - you can always leave it on the server (so available from multiple devices) and it's no more bother on a smartphone. I've lost count of the times people have 'I sent you a txt' only for it to be dlivered days/weeks later.
Just use email - you know it makes sense (and Twatter can get lost too)
Re: Carphones
What's an XR3??
Oh wait. yes - seem to vaguely remember now...something fast(ish), flash for wannanbee BMW owners, not many survived into their middle years....made by Fix-Or-Repair-Daily..
Re: The last tale...
"Anti-guns advocates up in arms" - pflhhurrgh! Excellent! I salute you sir! [make that a 21 gun salute..]
Posted in Dimming the lights on smart(arse) TV
In my case; the answer is 'yes' and 'yes'. To whit I refused to take it to Cu**rys and be charged £37. Took screwdriver to it to reveal 3 blown caps. 45p from Maplin for 5 caps did it (my soldering is a bit crap so I bought a spare ir two). Now working for 6 months but my second hand Eizo is dying to be connected to the MythBox so it may go 'tut tut' with dome help
Posted in Microsoft: no plans to make own phones
Re: I keep saying it. Why doesn't anyone get it yet? It's only a small word.
Yes I remember Sendo....
Didn't MS do something with their (Sendo's ) intellectual property involving another manufacturer? Hmm, who were they....H*C seems to ring a bell...
You've all forgotten the last Win ARM netbook/tablet...
Whatever happened to the last Win ARM NEXT BIG THING with stylus + keyboard + ports? Yes the Psion netBook Pro?
Win CE was useless on the consumer device; no software available; MS seemed to use the whole OS as a spoiler.
We all saw the complaints from.reviewers ' netbooks are rubbish because the (linux) OS isn't full Windows' and the public are confused.Here we are again only this time its a Windows but not real Windows with non transferable apps. That coupled with MS history with CE for ordinary consumers/users should sound serious warnings and doubts over this.
Lastly, how is it that we all rang the deathknell on 10 in netbooks because they were ' too small' and could not run a proper full OS (Vista/Win 7) yet suddenly 10 in screen tablets with detachable flimsy keyboards are capable enough for.most users? I smell an MS ' its not our idea and product so it can't possibly be viable until we make our own which will be the bees knees even if you don't agree' publicity machine.
Posted in Hauppauge MyTV 2Go
Wot no MythTV?
Not checked this myself as yet but... does this work with (any) Linux flavours? Link to my Android Nexus S? Tuner for MythTV on my netBook (R)? *
* yes netBook seems odd but how about a combined MythTV frontend/backend on your netBook and this device as the tuner component?
Six sounds a little excessive but....
Think (AFAIK) there are 6 digital broadcast multiplexes in UK so if you wanted to record/watch a channel from each then you would need six tuners - very unlikley but possible. I have three in my MythTV box (no cable here - in outer suburb of Manchester, UK so Virgin TiVo is out) and I run out of tuners fairly frequently (mostly because my son's TV has no way to rig to rooftop aerial and set top aerial is a recipe for watching pixel-tv). I suspect I may need 5 tuners min to cope with recording and the fact that 'TV's' round the house are rapidly morphing into 'recycled good quality LCD + mini-PC MythBox' (as the actual TV sets break irrepairably). So a 6-tuner home setup my not be so bad- but only if said box can stream to mutliple clients simultaneously rround the house (hint: MythTv does this already..)
Any minute now....
someone is going to whine on about the licence fee for BBC....
I read all this and say "Thank god for ....."
We have no cable in this (insert small town on outskirts of south Manchester, UK) so no TiVo to skip ads. Refused for 10+ years to support Murdoch in any way so Sky Box is out. My ad skipping is MythTV all the way - it works - and boy, am I glad to free from the shouting idiocy that are adverts...
Re: I had a post-pub toilet malfunction that resulted in a pissy laptop.
pffffttt
Sir, you owe me a keyboard; cup of strong continental roast coffee and/or dishwasher tablets (but then I'll have to take keyboard home..)
This is the Psion you are looking for - don't move along...
Seriously the Psion 3 was the bees knees and as for battery life - modern smartphones - eat your RAM! Def3nder was a real [keypad] trial
Posted in Global chocolate crisis looms
Re: Hmm, advertising?
err...
insight+realist = cynical to others
In other shock news; mammals of the ursine persuasion have been found to excrete remnants of enteral nutritional intake in arboreal surroundings
