Posts by Giles Jones

Bonkers

Take an already stealable item, make it worth even more to thieves.

Good stuff.

BBC should use standards

This is where their argument falls down, you pay a TV licence and you expect to be able to view the digital content. Freeview boxes aren't all made by one company, if they were there would be an monopoly investigation.

So why can't a system be devised that works for all platforms?

They beam the programming digitally around the country without DRM and at better quality (Freeview) yet on the web they add DRM and lower the quality?

Zimbabwe next?

Only in Zimbabwe could the price of Windows increase faster than it does in the UK.

Flawed

All the enemy needs is thermal imaging or radar and the game is up.

Battery life

Simple, shrink the battery, shrink the capacity. Sure the CPU is low power and lack of disk motor helps, but the ratio of capacity to watt use is probably no different to a normal laptop.

Hold on?

"when will the corporates learn to let people do what they want with their devices once they have bought them?"

When will people who are on a mobile phone contract realise that they don't own the *subsidised* phone until they have paid for it?

Also, games consoles are often subsidised as they are sold at loss on the hope of revenue generated by software purchases. If you are able to run homebrew o the PSP then you won't buy any games.

If you want freedom you buy a SIM free phone, open source games console (or a PC for games).

@Anonymous Coward - Compilers

To answer your question, does the average PC user know what a compiler is?

Mac users are in no way less IT savvy than PC users. Just because they like to spend our time using computers and being creative instead of building computer and overclocking does not mean they don't know anything about them.

I installed Leopard last night and I've had no problems with it at all, I was playing back a music composition in Logic Studio without a glitch (even though Spotlight was indexing my hard disk). Timing and audio stability Windows users can only dream of.

Vista can't even play an mp3 without throttling the network traffic:

http://blogs.technet.com/markrussinovich/archive/2007/08/27/1833290.aspx

Radar guns are flawed

Using radar for this purpose is flawed, you have to point the gun at the right section of the car, the guns need calibration regularly.

Some guns are that bad that they register a speed of 10mph on a stationary object.

Ebay have stupid practices

Someone purchased an item from me on ebay, I was suspicious of the purchase (looked like a stolen credit card), unconfimed address (deliberate spellling mistake?). I refunded the purchaser and relisted. Ebay warned me for doing this?

Basically you have to sell to anyone no matter how dodgy they look, you can't refuse or you may get suspended. No online retailer would send you an item if they thought you were using a stolen card, so why is it different on ebay?

What they mean is...

If HD DVD dies then you'd be stuck with a drive for a dead format. Having external means you can then release a blu-ray external drive.

WM

Actually given Microsoft's reputation Windows Mobile is pretty reliable. There's bugs in it, some annoying ones, it's also slow. But compared to XP or Vista it does typically work and not require reboots.

It is however typical Microsoft, leaves temp files and rubbish in the filesystem which requires a clean up now and then.

How you gonna move the oil for the planes?

Do away with shipping and you get no oil to refine into fuel. So planes are reliant on ships.

Fanboys?

Have you ever asked people why they are there?

Did you know that Apple provide workshops on things such as digital photography, music production, video editing?

This is why people queue up, they get good service and training on how to use their purchase.

I was like you, all dismissive of Apple, then I bought one and I've not looked back since. It's the ideal platform for creative pursuits, Windows is too distracting, unreliable and doesn't perform as well.

WAV or Mp3?

If it's mp3 then this is the end of decent audio quality.

SACD won't take off neither will DVD-audio. We're now stuck with mp3 and it's crummy quality.

They'll ruin the net in the process

This is why we don't want media giants controlling any part of the Internet. It will be transformed into a huge money making tool if they have their way.

Too much emphasis is on money, music publishers should care more about the quality of the music they output and be proud of bringining genuine talent to the masses. But they're just bean counters obsessed with bleeding everyone dry.

I write music, I support those artists who aren't earning a fortune. When the labels can afford to shovel £85 million to one artist for a record deal then you do wonder if they need any more money?

8-Bit encodings

Most news servers do handle 8-bit encodings. Yenc allows for smaller downloads as it uses 8-bit.

As for the RIAA action, they'd be happy if the Internet simply didn't exist. Media caveman who act like the mafia.

People will always copy things, it's better someone downloads an mp3 than steals the CD from the shop.

Why would Apple abandon hardware?

Apple's success is largely about their design, why would they want to make their OS run on a billions of possible PC hardware configurations? it would be a nightmare to test the OS and it would crash.

Apple's hardware is often much better than branded PC junk. My Mac Pro is very quiet considering it has 4 CPU cores. Apple uses a modern BIOS too.

Clove pre-order

In reply to the guy asking where to buy, you can pre-order one here:

http://www.clove.co.uk/viewProduct.aspx?product=9136E4FD-2F3C-4289-84A9-4B96ED813B9D&category=GROUP4

Forget speed limits

How about keeping kids off the roads?

How about teaching people road safety again?

Making roads safer by having railings and proper crossings.

Cars drive along roads, drivers don't deliberately hit people, pedestrians are the ones who often make mistakes.

Why just Wii

I dont see why (when they cost 20 quid) that the XBox or PS3 can't have a wiimote style controller for this game.

It sucks that you have to choose between wiimote or network play.

OS X Leopard

Leopard has this feature but this patent troll knows that Apple have good lawyers.

Sorely needs 3rd party apps

While Steve Jobs likes minimalistic devices, others like the interface but want more features (MMS is sorely missing).

HD-DVD

Having the HD-DVD drive externally mean those who aren't interested in that can save money on the console.

Someone has to say it

"I won't be back"

I've wanted to see a future battle, it's the obvious choice for the next film.

The difference is

You can't build and redistribute your own Windows Mobile OS. You also can't get it for free, there is no freely available phone for developing your own Microsoft custom OS.

You can't simply take the Windows Mobile code, hack it around and improve it then share these improvements.

OpenMoko is a Linux based phone platform which allows anyone to contribute, ideas are taken on board, you can implement things yourself and have them accepted in the project. It's not about if the code is available, it is about if you can do anything with this code without being sued.

Tomtom

With Tomtom trying to buy the rival Tele Atlas there's only so many mapping vendors to buy, therefore Nokia is ensuring they have a controlling hand in the market.

Entirely possible

Facebook can be pretty fiddly at times, I've accidentally done a few things on there as sometimes the links don't make clear what their action will be.

Problems with Vista

1. UK pricing is stupid, we get charged double when it should be half.

2. Too different and too restrictive.

3. Too many planned features omitted.

4. Bloated.

Having had the pleasure of trying Mac OS Leopard I'm glad it's an improved 10.4.

Microsoft has to change stuff around radically all the time. 2000 to XP was obvious, XP to Vista seems like a company trying too hard to innovate and just making the user experience worse.

An upgrade should have only positives, too many negatives with Vista.

Close but no cigar

The newer design is an improvement, but it's still the ugly sister of the ipod.

Microsoft can only win by making the product as easy to use with clear technological and freedom advantages.

Decline

Their decline wasn't helped by them laying off loads of employees in the early 2000s, losing valuable employees with knowledge all in the pursuit of increasing the share price.

I worked there for a while and they laid off all of the web interface experts, the product I was working on would have shipped with really awful inconsistent graphics had I not redrawn them myself (luckily I grew up with DPaint and pixel based graphic apps).

Don't buy Microsoft?

Are you kidding? unless you get a Mac or build your own x86 PC it's pretty to avoid paying the borg tax.

The EU are making some right moves in discussing the practice of OEM Windows licencing. Maybe then people can buy a naked PC easily without the OEM having to report you to Microsoft for suspected piracy (yes, Microsoft encourage that).

I'm happy with my Mac, call me smug or whatever you like. It's the first time I've had a computer I can just switch on and use since the days of the Amiga. Linux and Windows both had their annoyances.

Damages

There can be damages simply because writing software can cost time and money. If someone improves a product you give the code away for which makes it more useful to a commercial supplier of that product then you can argue that if they don't give the code back they have lost you that potential revenue stream.

GPL is a licence, if you don't agree with it then don't use GPL code, simple as that.

We're not talking about someone at home hacking away at Linux for personal use, we're talking about companies passing off the work of others as their own.

Poor Microsoft

They were loving this court action, some say they even helped fund SCO via another company they own.

Looks like they'll have to do their own FUDding from now on.

Microsoft isn't innovative

I hate it when people talk about Microsoft innovation, it doesn't exist.

They are famous for waiting for the competition to release a product, analysising it's failure, fixing the problems and releasing their own. Even Apple does this, they weren't the first to market with an MP3 plater.

800x600 x 2

Don't forget, it's probably 800x600 per screen, one for each eye. Therefore the combined resolution will be greater, not to mention it's in 3D and this will smooth the pixelation.

Why is it a rip off?

Unlimited data transfers and free UK wide wifi access at 7,500 sites?

Sure it's not 3G, Wifi is better than 3G anyway and in a city you'll get Wifi pretty easy.

Their repairs are shoddy too

I remember when the hard disk blew in PC owned by a ex-partner of mine. They insisted it just needed to be re-imaged (re-install Windows). It was plainly obvious this wasn't the case and we told them that smoke had come out of it (a chip on the controller board had blown apart).

When they did fit the replacement drive the engineer was clueless, phoning people up for help all the time. The disk needed a jumper so it was recognised as the master drive, but obviously didn't have one with him and so he bent the two pins together to short them out.

I had to correct all this myself, I would have done it all anyway but it was under and insurance policy.

Linux

They could have gone into Linux and made a fast buck, but this would have required the ability to compete.

SCO have proved they didn't want to compete, just litigate and syphon off cash from others.

They sell Linux

PC World sell boxed Linux, I even (stupidly) bought Mandrake there once.

So if they think it's good enough to sell, why do they treat it like it is some second rate OS which breaks stuff?

Even www.pcworld.co.uk is running on Apache, so they don't mind open source so long as it's making them a buck or two.

Not that glamourous

Pretty much the same as many of the other models.

I've had a few Shuttles and they were fine, the main problem is lack of space for disks. They could at least provide the option to use laptop drives? especially now that these flash hard disks are getting popular.

Core 2 solo

What's the betting that the Core2 solo is a Core2 duo where one of the cores failed quality control?

Victimless crime?

Those who says it is a victimless crime are deluded.

Firstly the growers bypass the electric meter and steal electricity, secondly drug dealers aren't exactly the nicest people around (if they don't respect the law then what do they respect?).

The drug culture has a lot of bad eggs.

Bye bye Zune

There's no way the Zune (if they ever bother to launch it here) can compete with Apple.

Hold on..

Apple will add new features with new firmware.

It runs a proper OS that can have applications programmed for it. While you can't install them at present it may be an option later.

A dumbphone has really small firmware which is fixed and has no programmable API (Java doesn't count).

Only in Scotland

Only in Scotland as Ford stands for Fast only rolling downhill. Would need a pretty big hill to do 140mph :)

If it's anything like Vista...

then Microsoft will have a hard time shifting people from 2003.

Windows 2000 is still a damn fine OS and Microsoft made the mistake with XP of taking a stable OS with minimal clutter and junk then turning it into the annoyance that is XP (out of box experience anyway).

Lets hope the 2008 interface is still nice and minimal.

Linux is getting easier

"Linux is such a cool idea, but again, only technical people can install and use it. If it was pre-installed on all new machines, MS would never have added that DRM crap in the first place"

Dell sell laptops with it pre-installed as do a few others. It's becoming easier to use. Windows can be a pain to get working if the hard disk gets partly trashed. So long as the re-install and configuration process is easy then it's not so bad.