Posts by yeah, right.

spelling checkers...

...don't always find the errors. Shouldn't it be "They are taking your back-end database tiers and moving them to the perimeter", not "parameter". Seems to change the meaning somewhat.

Interesting article though.

pedantic

Shouldn't that be Canada.gov.ca, seeing as the USA has appropriated for itself the entire .gov domain instead of using .gov.us

@Rick: yes, the US has more troops. Aren't a lot of them in Iraq right now, busy killing off civilians and creating the deep reserve of hatred that terrorists can mine for recruits for years? This after having lied and mislead every single one of their "allies" in an attempt to get them to go along on their illegal adventure. It is unfortunate that the UK was one of the more stupid nations. Then there's the contingent busy torturing 12 year olds (amongst others) in Guantanamo, Abu Grahib, and other places. Those two alone probably ties down a fair amount of your current resources.

As for the battle equipment not being Canadian: well, yes, because Americans were allowed to buy out the few Canadian companies that used to make the stuff, and the US lobbying has been rather intense to force Canada to buy American, rather than from other suppliers.

After the US government successfully pressured the Canadians to not only dismantle the Avro Arrow (most advanced fighter jet of its time) but destroy the plans (!!), there seems to be a certain lingering resentment against those and other US actions. Maybe that's why Canada doesn't want the US owning everything? After all, with allies like the US, Canada hardly needs enemies.

Transcontinental network links?

I'm guessing that they would need to put datacenters in areas with really good, really high capacity network links. What does that map look like compared to where they've put their centres (China and other such countries not included of course, as they have to put datacenters locally in those jurisdictions in order to be able to comply with local censorship requirements.)

Alternative suggestion

Instead of an orange light, they should allow us to wire 24v to the genitalia of these unobservant idiots. Then when there is something in their blind spot that they haven't bothered to check for at least they'll get a wakeup call.

Might not help, but it would go a long way to making me feel better after I install a swinging thread in front of the sensor.

Funny people

Here's a radical concept. If you don't like it, don't buy it. But if you haven't tried to use it, how do you know you don't like it?

Personally, it's a little underpowered for my tastes. However, the sheer thin of it makes it VERY attractive to me. Not in the "it's cute" sense, but in the "it's practical" sense. I have a limited amount of vertical space in my briefcase when I travel around doing my consulting. If I can shave that much space off, I can fit another 2 shirts and 1 pair of trews and stay an extra week with just my briefcase as luggage. That's a powerful incentive for me.

Still won't get it though. I'm off to Akihabara next month to find myself a real micro-pc. Pity Japan is still mired in the Windows crap though.

surprising

That they aren't already doing this. Don't they already know where the coppers are? Maybe they should incorporate telemetry (heartrate, breathing, etc.) to be able to determine the level of fitness for these guys. "PC 23, you're only moving at 4 kph but your heartrate is at 180. Report to the gym trainer for further instructions at the end of your shift."

Well done

Actually, kudos to Poole for showing exactly where this kind of crap is going. Perhaps their abuse of the process will show others exactly what is really possible with these kind of laws on the books. Between RIPA, the most cameras of any nation, national ID databases, shoot-to-kill orders by unaccountable bureaucrats, and the various terrorism acts that allow due process to be defenestrated, I'd say the UK is well on its way to some form of "police" state.

Not that the semi-literate, Sun reading (well, page 3 or 6 or whereever she is these days), lager swilling yobs that seem to proliferate in the UK seem to give a rats arse.

I like this one...

"Deny access to all non-project staff, including system administrators". I'd love that. Next time the idiot development team wants their code back after they lose it because they came in drunk on Friday and deleted the wrong revision tree in the source control system I'll be able to tell them to stuff it up their arse sideways to me working over the weekend retrieving said information for them.

Works for me. Less work.

That much?

14000 pages to describe a set of API's??? No bloody wonder their software is so shoddy, with bloated, poorly documented and fundamentally flawed APIs like that. Or are these just the APIs they are publishing, and they're keeping the ones that actually work in a closet somewhere?

I'm also one of those glad that it's the EU government doing what the American government should have done 10 years ago. Better late than never to find someone with balls that is willing to put the consumer, taxpayer and voter first.

Permission?

Of course they'll have permission! 'ere guv, you can either give us your fingerprints, or you can spend the next 40 years in jail as an alleged terrorist, and we don't need to go to court for that one. So, do we have your permission to take your fingerprints?

Congratulations ISO

You have successfully trashed a reputation it has taken you decades to build. You have let yourself get gamed, bought out, and scammed by a company that has no intention of actually USING the supposed "standard" they just had your organization approve.

I'm actually saddened at the loss. I used to believe in ISO. Now, I see it's nothing more than yet another incompetent organization that is unwilling to enforce its own rules when faced with controversy.

R.I.P. International Standards Organization.

So much for ISO

If I ever have someone tell me that something must be good because it's "an ISO standard", I'm now going to just laugh in their face. To be willing to rubber-stamp this kind of crap has, for me at least, put their reputation deep into the septic tank. If this is how they do business when they are being WATCHED, I dread to think how they've been doing business when they were able to act behind closed doors.

OOXML will be a "format of choice" for my company over their dead and decomposing bodies. Yes, I've read (much of) the spec. Yes, it's a total and utter pile of garbage with huge patent/copyright traps that all favour one company. It's not a standard, it's just another lockin method.

let me guess

These are the same type of archaeologists who claim that Central American corn was first grown in mountainous desert regions because that's where the oldest corn is found? With no reference to the fact that it actually grows better in lowland wet areas, but of course it also decomposes easier there too.

Until archaeologists look at the facts as they exist and not as they wish them to be, archaeology will continue to be a joke. Until they don't simply follow the lead of the most well funded researcher, archaeology will not deserve to have the term "science" applied to it in any form.

In other words, they don't have a fucking clue, and it is unlikely they ever will. They're guessing, pure and simple, and simply discard "anomalous" facts as unimportant. Archaeologists today don't fit their theories to the facts, they fit their facts to their theories.

Yes, one of my degrees is in archaeology. Why do you ask?

wowsers

Imagine that, Microsoft blaming everyone but themselves for creating an "operating system" that isn't robust enough to make sure the drivers do what they're supposed to do, and no more.

Maybe if they spent less time trying to buy votes for their OOXML debacle (or creating code that deliberately stops the machine from working if you try to run DR-DOS, or maliciously screwing Netscape, or any one of the hundreds if not thousands of shenanigans they've tried to pull off over the years) and more time actually designing something that was a bit more secure they wouldn't have nearly as many problems.

So, is it really Nvidia's fault? Or is it Microsoft that can't provide reasonable and accurate documentation for their O/S, because they're too busy trying to sodomize all potential partners as they desperately try to maintain their fraudulently and even illegally obtained world domination?

But...

I thought the world had already been destroyed, only nobody noticed because the footy was on.

ISO

As some other wag put it:

ISO = I Sold Out

That they've allowed this farce to continue this long says to me that they have no interest whatsoever in the actual technical merits of a proposed standard. All I can assume is that money has changed hands, because if ISO is willing to let its reputation be dragged in the mud like this, I hope they got a lot of money for it.

Oh, and even if Microsoft fails THIS vote, all it's saying is that they'll have to use the "regular" standards track. THAT'S the big lie that Microsoft has been handing out to everyone. All they're voting on is whether it should use the fast track, something it is evidently not ready for. But that's never stopped money from speaking louder than technical merit. So if they fail this vote, they'll still have a crack at it using the regular track. I'm guessing they don't think they have a chance, and I dare say they'd be right.

Um, y es?

Perhaps the effort was put into busting the Mac first because it was the more desireable machine?

Security on most computers these days is a joke.

evidence vs confession.

Unfortunately, in Japan the police are more interested in confessions than in actually securing any evidence. The lengths they will go to in order to secure "confessions" is relatively well documented (just one relatively thorough article on the subject here: http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/05/07/news/japan.php)

So to me, and to anyone who knows about the Japanese legal system, a "confession" isn't really worth that much. I'd rather the police actually have evidence. If they have that, I'd be more confident that they got the right person.

@ JohnA

You can do that? I thought this inter-tube thingy was really secure and you could always tell who did what and with whom. My aunt's hairdresser's 2nd cousin twice removed (but he came back) says that it's all really secure and stuff.

Folks - this article is about them doing this in Japan. Not the USA. So would those crying out about court orders and American laws and shit like that kindly note that no, US law does not apply in Japan or anywhere else. Much as Americans would like their laws to apply everywhere, except when it's convenient for them not to be.

Japan is not completely a "rule of law" country. It's more of a "rule of convenience for those in power" type of country. It's amazing what corporations, the police, and their governments get away with on the "rights" front. Mainly, it seems, due to a under-informed population and a well trained (from pre-school on up) habit of conforming and obeying authority.

sounds obvious

It's a typical "don't call us, we'll call you" type of letter. The application is on file, and they'll get back to said wanna-be developer if and when the bloody feel like getting back to the developer. Until then, go away.

This developer should feel honoured that Apple even deigned acknowledge their pitiful application. Since they obviously don't worship Jobs enough to get into the first round, it would do well to update that shrine and light a few more votive candles.

ps: amanfrommars started out almost making sense, then lost me. I still think it's the Register comments censor coming back from a lashup at the local pub.

echoes

Here was the classic example of how multiple formats and "standards" hurts everyone, especially consumers and business. I'm glad it's finally resolved.

So why aren't people learning from this, and putting pressure on Microsoft to stop yet another format war? ODF is already a standard. Why is OOXML being allowed to continue? It's another HD-DVD, but without any of the benefits.

But no. Instead, we see the Reg pushing the war on what they love to call "freetards", we see shills continuing the cry of "more standards is better", and we see Microsoft corrupting yet another public process while ISO management stays bought as they watch the reputation of their organization get flushed down the toilet.

I can only hope that the lesson given by Toshiba and all its pundits is someday learned by those who think that multiple competing standards for the same thing is a good idea. Because it never has been.

wow

Now this is definitely a prime example of kickbacks galore for well-connected people and companies. I guess no matter which country you go to (US, France, etc.) it's all about kickbacks and pork barrels.

new spirit

In the new spirit of the British way of doing things (what with people advertising panto without innuendo and all), the new Carry On will not contain any innuendo, swearing, sexually suggestive scenes or any of that other claptrap that made Carry On what it was.

Therefore:

Director: John Woo

...

Wrong again.

"Last autumn the majority voted no to adopting it as an international standard file format."

Actually, they voted no to allowing OOXML to be adopted using the fast track procedure, not to adopting it as an international standard altogether. That's also what the upcoming vote is about. If that one goes as it should and they vote no again, then Microsoft will still be able to submit its pile of garbage for the regular adoption process.

all scams

Unfortunately, the whole "tax free" religious thing is a really nice scam that continues to haunt many governments. Some of the towns around here have a church almost on every corner - all not paying property taxes, but all expecting police/fire protection and roads to their door, and all the other things that taxes pay.

I for one am getting tired of subsidizing all the crazy religious nutjobs that I disagree with. If someones religion requires them to own lots of property, that should NOT be a protected "right". Protect BELIEF, not land. Let them pay the same taxes as everyone else. It's time our secular governments got off the pot and gave the heave-ho to these scammers. All of them.

not about ethics

It's not about ethics, it's about political power and toeing the party line. Then they wonder why people don't trust politicians. At all.

peer review

The only possibly secure algorithm is one that's peer reviewed by knowledgeable people who are independent of the creators and their management. Even then, flaws will be found years later. But you'll still have a better algorithm.

Of course, the likes of NXP, Microsoft and others still think they can do better. I certainly hope that these proprietary second-class security attempts are never used to lock up anything really important.

heh

"Convenient" doesn't being to describe this. Not just convenient for the city, but convenient for Lowes. I always mistrust "convenience" of this nature. I hope the local inspector is truly independent...

don't worry?

A government official telling us to trust a government and not worry?

Ok, now I'm worried.

Oh, wait, it's the USA. Does anyone care what they do with their spectrum, other than perhaps being the source of lobbyists for their companies to be able to do the same to other countries. Countries who generally have a better understanding of consumer value?

about time

It's about time that companies who get huge government subsidies were told they can't just take them and run. If you want to live in a capitalist ideal and get to treat workers like crap, to be discarded at will, then don't take government handouts, paid for by the taxes of those very workers.

I for one am sick and tired of those huge supporters of "free market capitalism" invariably being the first ones deep into the government handout trough.

@ Chris C

If the ISP wants to get rid of net neutrality and get people to pay more for different types of traffic, and wants to be able to filter traffic to suit themselves, then they also take on the liabilities of no longer being a "common carrier". That includes, but is not limited to, liability for allowing harmful traffic over their network.

If, however, they agree to be completely neutral to any type of traffic then they should be protected, like the phone companies.

Their choice. Their move.

Actually...

Given the relatively uniform level of ignorance in the comments so far, here's one for you. Straw bale houses are actually approved by many building codes, including some that make British ones look positively unsafe. High levels of natural insulation, mostly fireproof (yes folks, it has been tested. It's more fireproof than a typical wood frame house), and even more earthquake and wind proof than many "mainstream" types of building. Overall, it's an excellent construction method.

Although I have to admit his particular construction looks really shoddy. Not bad for a first effort though.

Expected really.

The US delegation was bought from the start, so no surprises there.

Sad part is, even a no vote will mean that OOXML isn't rejected. It will only mean that it won't be allowed to go through fast track. Then Microsoft gets another kick at the can and a lot more time to buy votes with the normal ISO process.

I wonder how much Microsoft paid for the ISO organization? Or did they just buy some of the key decision makers?

Kidding?

Please tell me you're kidding, right? Pulling my leg? Having a piss? Fiorina? Ms illegal surveillance herself? Is the American public memory THAT short?

Oh. Wait. Yes it is. So it's possible. I guess they really do deserve whatever government gets in. I just hope that the rest of us deserve whatever the Americans decide to inflict on more civilized places.

alternatives...

Or, they punters might decide they're tired of getting ripped off, buy the pretty bling, then unlock/jailbreak it and use it where, when, and how they bloody wish.

Thanks Apple for making crackers and hackers even more popular! I hope you continue, because the tighter you close your fist, the more independently-minded creative types will simply slip through.

Great hardware. Great interface. Lousy way to try to control your share of the market.

libraries?

How will Java developers cope though? There aren't 70 quadrillion java libraries for the iPhone yet.

Stuff like: java.something.somethingelse.youwantthis.thencomegetit.butyou.haveto.work.for.it.function

I mean, if they can't memorize another 500 obtuse library names, can a Java developer really be bothered?

heh

You know, I think the real culprit is El Reg, for trying to pretend to be a "news" provider, when it's just another blog by opinionated, ill-informed, pretentious idiots.

So, when are we going to be able to filter out the opinionated, ill-informed, pretentious idiots we don't agree with, and therefore limit our reading to the ill-informed, pretentious idiots whose opinions match our own ill-informed, pretentious, idiotic opinions?

brouhaha

The current brouhaha with OOXML is only on whether it should be allowed to use the fast track. Saying NO doesn't mean it will never become an ISO approved standard, it just means that it will have to undergo more rigorous review prior to being approved.

Although I guess that given the current state of said proposed standard, that's equivalent to saying it will never be approved.

Only proves...

That you can't trust the Americans. Ever. For anything.

Moral is: don't use .com website names, since the Americans seem to have hijacked them for their own purposes. It was supposed to be international, but then again the Americans are supposed to have "freedom of expression" as well. Too bad they're so mired in their self-important censorship to notice.

Bunch of tossers, their whole government and the minority who voted for them.

typical really

Actually, behaviour like that is quite typical of American designed products. The ones made for the European market by people who understand the concept of "international dialing" work fine. The products I have designed by Americans, who seemingly don't understand the concept of "international" at all, are invariably rubbish. Cell phones, regular phones, computer software - all seem to fail basic usability requirements in an international dialing environment.

So it's not just Apple. It's the US developers who have never travelled anywhere.

nice flamebait.

Kind of predictable really. Microsoft creates O/S that is buggy and insecure, then doesn't publish reasonable APIs for how to work with said O/S. So people fixing problems with the O/S have to reverse engineer "hidden" APIs. Which Microsoft then goes and changes, then blames the 3rd party writers for not following the APIs... which aren't published.

If it were up to Microsoft, there would be NO 3rd party "security software" for Vista, because they want you to use their crap. THAT is the real goal here.

Would someone call me when we ever get a real , secure, properly written operating system that is actually usable by novice users? Because right now there is no such beast. We're stuck with:

(a) an insecure piece of crap from Microsoft with a so-so interface, whose only defence is that it's "popular". Note, however, that McDonald's is also popular, yet I still wouldn't call it food. I wouldn't wish this O/S on my enemy. Nobody deserves this shit.

(b) a slightly more secure but still flawed piece of less smelly crap from Apple, with a very well designed interface but a growing attitude of "we own your machine". Screw them. Still, at least these systems are relatively well designed and built and don't crash too often.

(c) Linux, written by geeks, for geeks, and heaven help anyone who isn't a geek who wants to actually use it for something. No, I don't want to explain to my mother how to edit /etc/something/something_else to add a line to change some behaviour. Great server, lousy desktop for novices.

(d) BSD (Free/Open/Net), secure as a Unix lookalike can get, with same interface problems that Linux suffers from.

(e) the operating system I would recommend wholeheartedly... which unfortunately doesn't seem to exist yet. So I'm left choosing from a slate of less than desirable alternatives.

Difference

If you voluntarily install a piece of trojan malware like Google Toolbar, you have to expect the people who convinced you to do something so stupid to use said trojan to their own ends. That is, after all, its intended behaviour. If I don't want said behaviour, I don't need to install their piece of invasive crap.

However, when I pay my ISP, I expect them to leave my bitstream the hell alone, and not insert or delete things at their whim. To do so is NOT expected or intended behaviour, and if I caught my ISP doing it I'd be very tempted to emulate the BOFH and his EtherKiller and make sure their isolation was up to spec.

As for IE, they do it in their browser already, and you CAN'T uninstall their piece of trojan malware if by some unfortunate circumstance you're stuck using their crap.

Yes, there is a huge difference.

clueless

Utterly bloody clueless comes to mind. THESE are the people entrusted with keeping track of peoples entire credit history?

Be afraid, be very afraid.

Sony?

So that's where the Sony-BMG folks who came up with their root kit went to! I was wondering where those idiots had gone, given recent developments there.

It's good to see they've found their spiritual home, where pirates rule the roost and try to convince everyone that the law is only what they claim it is, not what's actually written.