Posts by PJI

Ksh

echo life >/dev/null 2>&1

DC

You can practise RPN on UNIX, using dc(1). At least, it is still on OS X (BSD derived), complete with the man page.

Good service in my experience

I give Apple good marks for service in Switzerland and England.

1. I misused a USB port on my PowerBook in the last month of its guarantee. No details, but I rather think it was my foolishness that did it and said so to the Apple people. They made no remark, simply replaced the whole mother board and charged me NOTHING.

2. With the device by now eighteen months old, no applicable guarantee, I got the oft reported cracked plastic case, where the small, raised notch on the lid touches the case when the lid is closed (I suspect I had been shutting it with a bit too much enthusiasm). Before I finished explaining, the technician told me they replace it gratis, no questions asked and that in one or two cases they had had to do this two or three times. (I note the absence of the offending notches on the new, white MacBooks)

Everyone I know with an Apple machine who has had to get some service (most have had no need) is content with it. So, perhaps most of the moaners are unlucky or just those kinds of people who seem always to have problems with things they buy, people they employ, jobs ....

So, I do not know about Apple's conditions in detail; but I am more than happy with their practice.

Who or what are these ghastly people?

Have they not got children, husbands/wives/partners, private lives?

Is this what 30 years of the denigration of "education" in arts, history, languages etc. have done, as opposed to "training for jobs"?

These people are terrifying, whatever the strict letter of the law may seem to allow. I suggest enforcing on them a strict education regime to cover philosophy, English literature covering books such as Brave New World, 1985 (Anthony Burgess), Animal Farm and 1984, as well as the standard classics, Latin, including the great writings in that language, history since Roman times if not earlier right up to infinite detail of 20th century dictatorial methodology and geography (to give a sense of scale regarding their places in the world), as well as statistics to teach them the use, misuse, fallibility and folly of much of that field. Oh, and no access to computers of any sort. Make them think for themselves. Perhaps the MPs and councillors, our so-called representatives should go through the same, together with a reminder that their job is representation, not mastery, exploitation and control.

These are the same, horrible people who start to describe Britsh people as "African British", "Indian British"....,, "at risk whatevers", the ill and the needy as "clients" or "customers" with a mania for classification and control at all levels regardless of the dangers, in the bold assumption that their views are right and should be acted upon at all costs.

No luxury.

VAT is not a luxury tax. In the UK it is levied on all goods except (think still) food (restaurants charge because of service), books, newspapers and childrens' clothes. A business can reclaim all VAT paid in the course of business provided it is registered for VAT. Over a certain turnover (I do not know how much nowadays) the business must be registered.

Re internet sales: living abroad, I have bought things over the internet from UK firms. They sell it to me free of VAT (I pay the Swiss VAT, 7.2%, when it comes through customs). Buying from Germany I get the same deal.

I am fairly sure that another correspondent is right: they have to provide a full receipt with VAT number and tax if doing business in Europe, in which case one can claim it back if you had to pay it, albeit by a more tortuous route. The Apple shops in UK can print out the correct form; C&E refunded to me the VAT efficiently by direct payment into my bank account, without question when I filled in their form and attached the VAT receipt for items bought in an Apple shop this Spring. I suspect the bit about business use is some sloppy interpretation by a junior employee trying to rationalise what he or she did not understand.

@lolcat:

As Noel Coward said, regarding Americans and English: they have not spoken it for years. It is fun to tease new USA arrivals in Europe: just use words like "fortnight", "shall" or "w*nk" or snigger at their "fanny packs". Try speaking real English in USA and see the blank incomprehension around one. unless speaking a subset, slowly (remember all those remade-for-USA comedies as the language, culture and humour are too foreign, those retitled and even partially translated books). Anyway, you will all be speaking Spanish soon and quite possibly more Indians (from India that is) speak English, of a purer sort too.

re No wonder it wasn't valid

I think a "university" that is so incompetent in its use of grammar is one to avoid, with or without a contract. Mind you, does the ELC, working in Europe, England even, really spell "Center" like that? Teaching English?

@Anonymous Coward Posted Friday 24th July 2009 16:29 GMT

Perhaps I am just old fashioned; easy answer: just hand it in to the Police lost and found bureau or, if he really can "use it", inform the service provider indicated on the device or read the logo on the SIM card or even, shock, horror, go to the nearest shop of that provider and give it to the staff there to inform the owner. Just be decent and do not browse the contents more than necessary to find the owner's number.

However, judging by the nasty spleen vented on these sites, perhaps decency is also out of date.

Pity your and your "acquaintance"'s employers and friends if you are really that dishonest or incapable. Against such people, is any security worth anything, for any device?

It does just work ...

Perhaps it's my fingers being hardened by years of UNIX and my mind being numbed by Windows; but all these Mac-update-crashes ... seem to have passed me by.

My only gripes are that X window managers no longer work (though the rest of the X utilities seem to be fine) since Leopard and Apple supply a wonderful German/French/whatever language version; but they can not manage a British version of their interfaces (grr. Ubuntu and even Microsoft can and those grim American voices, ugh) and that, to me, is a little bad mannered.