* Posts by Eponymous Cowherd

1596 publicly visible posts • joined 28 Nov 2007

When PR backfires: Google 'forgets' BBC TV man's banker blog post

Eponymous Cowherd
Facepalm

Dear Barbara.....

It would be interesting to see how many hits that 2007 article is getting now, courtesy of the Streisand effect.

Wonder if this was Peston's intention when he wrote that article?

It was an old backwater blog page.Its now linked from a front page news article. I imagine its getting more hits per hour, now, than it's got in the whole of the last year.

Super-snoop bid: UK government hits panic button on EU data retention ruling

Eponymous Cowherd
Unhappy

Re: Help!

And then there's UKIP who want to rescue us from the EU and ECJ "interference" that is the only thing actually protecting us from the "Snooper's charter".

Despair, indeed!!!

Want to tell the world how IT really works? Tell us first

Eponymous Cowherd
Facepalm

Hmmm......

"Senior IT decision makers"?

Kind of like inviting NHS managers to a symposium on the latest techniques in heart surgery.

Android is a BURNING 'hellstew' of malware, cackles Apple's Cook

Eponymous Cowherd

Re: Really?

Leaving aside the fact that Adam and Eve are fantasy characters, it really all depends on whether you prefer freedom to make your own way and make your own mistakes, or live forever in a pretty garden and have everything done for you as long as you obey the rules.

JJ Abrams and Star Wars: I've got a bad feeling about this

Eponymous Cowherd

Re: Feed Abrams to the crocodiles!

I have always thought Star Wars was more like a fantasy tale set in space than a space western. Has all the usual fantasy elements, the Wizard, the boy apprentice, the rogue, the feisty princess, the evil Lord, the faithful servants, the quest, the climactic battle where good triumphs over evil, etc.

Eponymous Cowherd
Alien

Fringe

Let us not forget Abrams' "Fringe"

Sort of like a less believable rip off of "The X Files" with his trade mark make-it-up-as-you-go convoluted subplots and unpleasant lead characters.

Windows Phone Live: An enterprise story

Eponymous Cowherd

Re: Promo

Indeed.

I have concerns about a news site being a "media partner" of an organisation it should be reporting on.

Internet rejoices over Star Wars, um, clapboard pic

Eponymous Cowherd

What?

And miss out on all of those lens flare effect?

Eponymous Cowherd
Coat

If it is another Episode 1 he'll be known as....

Jar Jar Abrams.

We'd switch mobile networks, but we can't be bothered – survey

Eponymous Cowherd

Glad I switched

I switched from Vodafone to Three about a year ago, after 10 years with Vodafone.

Don't regret it one bit. I was lucky if I got any signal at all with Vodafone, and when I did it was usually 2G. I also had a poxy 500Mb data limit.

With Three, for the same amount I was paying Vodafone, I get a signal in most places, It is always at least 3G, and usually HSDPA, 4G at no extra cost, and "all you can eat" data.

So, why did I stick with Vodafone for so long?

Well, every two years, at upgrade time, Vodafone would offer me something decent for the same tariff, or a modest increase. Last year they only offered a Windows phone (not at all interested) and some "landfill" Android devices to replace my HTC Sensation unless I either upped my tariff by something like 30%, of forked out a huge (£150) upfront charge for something I was interested in (a Note 2)

Went to Three and got the Note 2 for no upfront charge and £3 more a month. Goodbye Vodafone.

Apple, Beats and fools with money who trust celeb endorsements

Eponymous Cowherd

Re: @Fihart re snakeoil

Thank you so much for that link. It is well worth reading some of this guy's other articles, they are comedy gold.

Particularly liked the £995 USB cable (I kid you not!!!)

NHS patient data storm: Govt lords SLAP DOWN privacy protections

Eponymous Cowherd

Re: Twats!

Actually they are Lords.

Oh, yeah, right. I see what you mean.....

Chucking cash at sport and broadband starts to pay off for BT

Eponymous Cowherd

Even Sir Tim hates them......

From This BBC Article

"He describes a recent experience where he had to jump through hoops set up by BT - "do you want to set up parental controls? No. Do you want BT's added features? No." before finally getting onto the web, only to be greeted with a BT advert. "If you want me to look at an advert, I will charge an administration fee," he says, to chuckles from the audience."

Ninten-DON'T: Wii U bomb blows Mario Kart giant off track – but new console promised

Eponymous Cowherd
FAIL

Two reasons.

The original Wii had a genuinely new and innovative feature (the controllers) and was cheap enough for people to give it a go without worrying about it (£170. iirc).

The "U" introduces nothing really standout different and is over that magic "hey, why not!" price point.

BT fibre 'availability checker' looks into FAR-OFF FUTURE. Again

Eponymous Cowherd
Unhappy

Savage Gumming

Another telco gets another serious gumming by the toothless ASA over misleading claims.

Pointless.

Shocking 'new iPhone' is also - BZZZZT!! - a Taser-like stun gun

Eponymous Cowherd

Not exactly new

Tasers disguised as phones have been reported for years, including ones disguised as iPhones.

Oh shit!!! I'm beginning to sound like jake!!!

Selfies are so 2013. Get ready for DRONIES – the next hipster-cam-gasm

Eponymous Cowherd

Re: Relatively cheap, was Flash in the pan

The Parrot AR drone is certainly a toy, but a very capable one, and very hackable (which is where my interest lies, rather than taking "dronies").

Having said that, there is a market for drone photography / video (looked into it). Inspection of high structures (bridges, buildings, masts) and more domestic stuff ( panning aerial shots of guests at wedding receptions / parties, etc) and people will pay good money for this.

The difficulty comes when you switch from flying a drone as a hobby (where it is classed as an RC aircraft) and using it as a business, where the pilot must be qualified and certified by the CAA (in the UK). To set yourself up in business with a suitable rig + getting the required training and certification , you are looking at £10k+.

Eponymous Cowherd

Re: @Eponymous Cowherd (was: Boring.)

Oddly, I can SSH to my AR Drone and command it that way, but I largely use QGroundControl / Mavlink.

Eponymous Cowherd

Re: @Eponymous Cowherd (was: Boring.)

If you read what was posted, jake, you will note that I said "aerial photography that can be created by anyone". In other words, by people who cannot put these things together for themselves. Today you can buy an off-the-shelf kit to do this for well under £1k that can produce quite stunning results.

Impressed that your 1980's kit could do everything that a modern quad can do. (maintain a stable hover and frame a shot by itself), though.

Eponymous Cowherd

Re: Boring.

No, aerial photography is nothing new. But aerial photography that can be created by anyone for a modest outlay is new.

Hint: As a silver commentard, you can use the HTML anchor tag in your posts.

Eponymous Cowherd

Re: Flash in the pan

You are looking at the wrong end of the scale. Cheapo toy drones are tricky to fly, but move up to even the relatively cheap (£300) Parrot AR Drone 2, and its more sophisticated avionics make it a doddle to pilot.

Done quite a few "dronies" of friends and family with it. Position it, release controls, and it hovers in place to take your pics. Simples.

Lost artworks by Andy Warhol found on 80s-era FLOPPY DISKS

Eponymous Cowherd

Actually.....

Autodesk Sketchbook Mobile for the Samsung Note range of phones is pretty good and makes good use of the pen.

Vladimir Putin says internet is a 'CIA project'

Eponymous Cowherd
Unhappy

Re: Doesn't matter who "invented" it

"Yes it does, he was British.......... our Tim"

Kind of ashamed that a Reg commentard doesn't know the difference between the Internet and the World Wide Web.

Pirate Bay's 10 millionth upload: Colour us shocked, a SMUT FLICK

Eponymous Cowherd
Unhappy

Re: We flicked through his uploads

The problem with BitTorrent, however, is that you are obliged to make the files available for upload at the same time as you are downloading.

Eponymous Cowherd
Pirate

Shhhhhhh! !!

So, just how do you say 'the mutt's nuts' in French?

Eponymous Cowherd
Coat

Testicul par canem

as we say in ancient Rome.....

Over half of software developers think they'll be millionaires – study

Eponymous Cowherd
Pint

Stick a pony in me pocket....

I'll fetch the laptop from the van.

Broadband Secretary of SHEEP sensationally quits Cabinet

Eponymous Cowherd
WTF?

Re: The needle returns to the start of the song...........

"UKIP are the only real option in the next elections"

You seriously need your bumps felt if you are thinking of voting for them.

Oh, a protest vote is it? Be careful, if enough people do that, you may well end up with what you vote for.

European Court of Justice rips up Data Retention Directive

Eponymous Cowherd

Re: At Last !

ECJ != EU

Torvalds rails at Linux developer: 'I'm f*cking tired of your code'

Eponymous Cowherd

Re: So, let me get this right...

Yes, that was my reading of the situation. In any software a subsystem in debug mode is entitled (even required) to emit as much debug info as it deems appropriate. If the host system cannot cope with that level of information then it is up to the host system (the kernel, in this case) to throttle it.

So, agreed, this appears to be a kernel bug.

Microsoft: Hey, small biz devs – Windows Store apps are for you, too

Eponymous Cowherd

Re: Am I reading this right?

Ah, yes, that seems more reasonable. Please ignore my earlier rant.

Eponymous Cowherd
WTF?

Am I reading this right?

"Finally, customers who don't fit either of these criteria but who want to sideload apps will be able to purchase new sideloading keys through Redmond's Open License program, also beginning on May 1. The new keys will cost $100 apiece, and each can be used to enable sideloading on an unlimited number of devices."

$100 extra to install bought-and-paid-for apps on a bought-and-paid-for computer running a bought-and-paid-for OS?

Fuck RIGHT off Microsoft!!

Say WHAT? ATVOD claims 44k Brit primary school kids look at smut online each month

Eponymous Cowherd

Re: Does not add up! @Eponymous Cowherd

"Realistic *simulations* of rape, yeah, that would be classed as porn in my world, I understand these exist (never seen, never want to see) and I would never want a child to see it, along with a whole lot of other stuff (people can be soooo creative....)

Which is the point I was making.

The trouble is, the same sites that contain "nice" porn (people enjoying sex) also contain content depicting women being forced or tricked ( I.e raped) or treated violently. Yes I know this is simulated (or is supposed to be), but does that really matter when deciding whether you'd want your teenage son watching it?

Eponymous Cowherd
Thumb Down

Re: Does not add up!

"rape != sex. Very, very !="

Where did I say it was?

How about you try to read and understand what was said before replying?

Eponymous Cowherd

Re: Does not add up!

"As an aside, what's the big fucking problem with 15 year old looking at porn? Seriously?"

If its my 15 year old watching a video of a couple enjoying sex, then I don't have a problem.

If its my 15 year old watching a video of a gang rape, then I have a big problem with that.

Not all porn is made equal.......

Dutch doctors replace woman's skull with 3D-printed plastic copy

Eponymous Cowherd

Patient's face rebuilt with 3D printed parts

This guy had his face reconstructed using 3D printed parts.

link

ISPs CAN be ordered to police pirates by blocking sites, says ECJ

Eponymous Cowherd

Re: pirated content

Actually, you aren't allowed to make a backup copy of your dvd collection.

The DMCA and the ECD (in Europe) explicitly outlaw the circumvention of any copy protection systems. You have to circumvent CSS to copy your DVD, and that is a criminal offence.

In the UK you are not even permitted to make a copy of unprotected media (like CDs), though that is a civil offence, not criminal. You can copy CDs for your own use in the US as "fair use".

Perversely, if you buy a knock-off DVD (without protection) then copying isn't criminal as that offence was committed by the original copier.

Copyright law is a huge not-fit-for-purpose mess, which is hugely biased towards big business to the detriment of the consumer.

Eponymous Cowherd
FAIL

Re: In other news...

"Wrong again, Eponymous.

Repeating false statements and interpretations over and over again does not make them right. Change the record."

Seems most people disagree with you, Mr Anonymous Coward. How about you reveal yourself instead of sniping at your betters from behind your AC parapet?

Eponymous Cowherd
Thumb Down

Re: In other news...

"Nowhere in the article does it mention prosecution of the ISPs, simply that they can be instructed to block infringers. Just as taxi drivers can be reasonably expected not to take a booking from bank robbers looking for a getaway driver.

Wrong analogy:

This is like saying taxi firms can be required to not pick up fares from areas where criminals might be operating.

"Hi, Is that ISP Taxis? Can you pick me up from outside of the bank?"

"Sorry sir, that bank was robbed a year ago."

"What about picking me up outside the park gates."

"Sorry sir, drug dealing and prostitution in that area."

"OK. OK. Can you pick me up from my home".

"Yes sir, where would you like to go".

"Can you take me to the cinema".

"Sorry sir, someone was mugged there last week. Can't take the risk that you might be another mugger".

"How about the pub"

"Fight last weekend"

"Zoo?"

"Someone dropped some litter."

".........."

Eponymous Cowherd
Facepalm

Next up.....

Postal services to be required to open and inspect all parcels in case they contain knock-off DVDs / CDs.

Yet again the law-makers demonstrate their singular lack of anything remotely like a clue......

Dear Reg: What is a 'Lag' and a 'Jacksey'?

Eponymous Cowherd
Coat

You have got it all wrong....

A lag is what you get after you have drunk 2/5 of your pint of Australian alcoholic beverage ( though that might be a "ger")

And a jacksie is what I use when I want to change the wheelsie on my carsie.

BuzzGasm: 9 Incredible Things You Never Knew About PLIERS!

Eponymous Cowherd

Pliers, Wiring, No 2.

All you ever need.......

Psssst. Don't tell the Bride, but BBC Three is about to be jilted

Eponymous Cowherd

BBC 3

Aimed at an audience with a mental age somewhere between Cbeebies and CBBC.

Ever get the impression a telesales op was being held prisoner?

Eponymous Cowherd
Facepalm

Re: Not a bad idea actually

Seriously?

You think the mindless tedium and low pay of call centre work is going to encourage drug dealers, burglars, car thieves, etc, to go on the straight and narrow.

I can hear it now. "If this is what honest work is like, they can stick it where the sun don't shine" (or words to that effect).

At best its going to make their current "career" seem more attractive. At worst its going to encourage them to set up their own call centre based scam.

Frenchman eyes ocean domination with floating, mobile Bond villain lair

Eponymous Cowherd

Re: Shurely Shome Mishtake? (Moonraker)

Ah, the lovely Hugo Drax:

"Look after Mr Bond, see that some harm comes to him"

Eponymous Cowherd
Facepalm

Re: Shurely Shome Mishtake?

Karl Stromberg.

Sheesh, these people who can't tell their Goldfinger from their Blofeld..........

NHS England tells MPs: 'The state isn't doing dastardly things with GP medical records'

Eponymous Cowherd

Re: Track Record

Its a moot point. We know this lot aren't above giving citizens a damn good probing and selling the results, and the Labour lot were worse.

Eponymous Cowherd
Big Brother

Track Record

"[Kelsey] said that it was simply not true that "the state is going to do dastardly things" with centrally held GP medical records. "

And, of course, their track record bears this out.

Apple throws sueball at China's patent office over Siri clone

Eponymous Cowherd

Re: Did anyone read the article??

Indeed,

And that works every time when used as a defence when Apple claim one of their patents has been infringed in a US court.

What's good for the goose, and all that.....

Prez Obama cyber-guru: Think your data is safe in an EU cloud? The NSA will raid your servers

Eponymous Cowherd

"Worth noting that the GCHQ are right beside the NSA in all their questionable protectionism."

I think you will find that GCHQ are trotting along behind the NSA wagging their tail and waiting to be told to go fetch in the hope they get a pat on the head and a tasty treat.