* Posts by The BigYin

3080 publicly visible posts • joined 25 Mar 2008

Google name 'worth $100 billion,' says Strategy Boutique

The BigYin
Flame

Eh?

They made some numbers up.

Multiplied them.

Divided by some other numbers they made up.

And then added a fudge factor.

FFS! And these people get paid?

And, c'mon! ""women in primitive villages [who] would buy their cooking oil from unmarked steel barrels."

Steel barrels? *STEEL* barrels? I hope no one tells the Romans, Greeks et al. There were those heathens dragging their oil around in ceramic containers (amphora - is that the right word?) when, in fact, they should have waited a thousand or so years until someone invented steel. What fools!

God save me from these brain-dead marketing arsewipes. There is only one good thing about marketeers, and that's the fact they are not a lawyers.

Windows 7 — It’s like Vista, only less annoying

The BigYin
Thumb Down

@James Whale

Sure, I'll try it. You going to give me the £160? Thought not.

Microsoft's TomTom patents under scrutiny

The BigYin

@Steve

So people access their SatNav SD cards (assuming such things are used) directly? I rather doubt that. Ergo I still no issue with using ext3 (or whatever), installing a driver to support that with the normal install and telling MS to fack off.

For direct USB/serial connection it's even less of a no-brainer.

The BigYin
Linux

I still don't get it - why use FAT at all?

Sure, Windows natively know FAT. But who uses the command prompt/Explorer to root aorund their SatNav? Surely all users will go via whatever management software is provided with the SatNav.

The answer would appear to be simple (esp. as these units seem to run some Linux flavour) use ext2/3/4, whack a driver in to manage the communications to/from Windows, two fingers to M$. The are some drivers kicking about just now, but I don't think they are feature complete. Can't see it taking the likes to TomTom and their pals too long to sort that one out.

Or am I just being soft in the head?

Mozilla releases final Firefox 3.5 beta

The BigYin

@Bela Lubkin

So your Opera session is more important the corporate security policy? Jesus. If I acted like that I'd be up for the sack, or a written warning at least.

The BigYin
Thumb Up

FF stability

FF crashes for me about once a week. Thing is, I am not sure it actually is FF per se that is crashing. Almost all the sites that cause it to die run flash (YouTube is a big culprit) so I would probably lay the blame squarely at Adobe. Oddly though, FF is much more stable on *nix for me, it's not crashed there once that I can recall.

The other option is a dodgy add-on (it's quite common that they are not coded well).

So if you are experiencing instability, get rid of yer add-ons and see if the problem goes away. If it does, then add them back one at a time and figure out which add-on is the issue. Then complain to the author of *that*.

This is not an issue with IE as it does not support add-ons (well, it does, but they are a total shit to write) and only a moron would stick with IE anyway.

Can't comment on Opera as I do not use it.

Windows 7 gets built in XP mode

The BigYin

@Psymon

"The pimply-faced linux fanbois who think that after writing a couple of VB6 applications they are programming demi-gods."

Seeing as how VB6 is a dead language (or, rather, it should be - horrid bag of shit that it is) that does not, nor has ever, run on Linux....why would Linux "fanbois" be going near it. They're going to be C++ hackers.

I do agree though, people you do not follow standards are a royal PITA. That goes for the lowliest programmer right up to the largest corporation (your spotty oik to MS).

I also feel your hard-coded path pain. Why do 95% of Windows software installers demand to use C: and want admin rights? *sigh*

The BigYin

@Nick Palmer

VirtualBox is pretty good (seamless Windows, 3D Acceleration support...), but it's USB support is utterly appalling. Buggy, unstable and just not worth it. Fortunately the Fodler SHaring system is pretty good and that allows you to side-step the USB limitation to a great deal.

If you really, really need USB support then your best choice is VMWare. It's USB support seems to be very good.

Number 10 doubles as 'House of Flying Nokias'

The BigYin
Thumb Down

If that is true...

...that's it assault. Where are the police?

Microsoft gears up for Windows 8

The BigYin
Linux

Hmm

Sounds an awful lot like what *nix has been doing for years. The more I read about what shit MS is getting up to, the more and more I look at doing a dull swap. All I need is

1) Something "Media Center" like (Myth?)

2) A compatible printer (quite fancy a new Kodak job)

3) VPN support (CheckPoint, pull your bloody finger out!)

Got Jaunty RC installed last night in a VirtualBox image, looks pretty sweet.

Ask.com rehires butler Jeeves

The BigYin

They're still around?

Not used them in *years*. Google come pre-configured with FF and loads of other thing - why would I go to the both of using ask.com?

And having just ried their site, despite the Jeeves character, it looks just like a Google rip-off.

Public rejects Time Warner metered-bandwidth tests

The BigYin
Flame

Hmmm

So how does one know, for sure, what one has used?

For my gas and electricity there is a sealed meter I can keep an eye on.

For my phones I get an itemised bill (number, duration, etc).

For my internet?

- a full list of every URI, size and time accessed?

- or would they simply tot up all the bytes at their end?

- can I trust them to not fiddle the figures? At least the gas and leccy meters are in my house

- what is my own net monitoring disagrees with their figures?

- would there be "off peak" times like there are for many other thing?

Whilst I accept that heavy users cost more than the user with the occasional email, I think they are on to a loser here. That an their prices are WAY too high. At the moment I pay £10 for a circa 40gig limit - that puts their $15 (£10-ish) for 1gig into some perspective.

If net video threatens cable (can't see why it would, cable is a great way to push the intertubes) then they should be moving to embrace and exploit the potential new market; not through up defences to support a dying business model (like the record industry has).

If we believe the hype, we will all soon be on the cloud. We will be using content on our mobiles, netbooks, mp3 players, consoles, set-top-box, pcs, toaster(?); whichever is most convenient. We won't be watching the gogglebox, save for when it is the display device for the content. Hmm...yes, the internet will kill cable TV as we know it; but it will also create opportunities for those this the nouse to exploit them.

Arizona teen's mobile shops him to cops

The BigYin
Boffin

You can always call emergency

"112" (and "999" for those behind the times in the UK) will always work. The phone can be locked and out of credit, but you can still dial them in the UK. Interestingly, my UK phone accepts "911" as well.

This is, I believe, statutory regulation.

Microsoft cries netbook victory against Linux

The BigYin

@ Mark Wolstenholme

The MS EULA states (or, at least, used to state) that you can claim the cost of the unused license back from the retailer. People have done this and there have been cases where it has gone to court.

Is the MS EULA ha changed, then this is a very serious matter.

If retailers are not fulfilling their part of the EULA then this is also a serious mater.

Er Reg - how about buying an XP netbook, slapping some *nux distro on it and seeing if you can claim the MS license fee back?

The BigYin
Gates Horns

@jay019

"I also see they have changed the EULA so we couldnt even get a refund for the crud we didnt want."

Huh, what? You can't claim a refund from the retailer for an unused MS license?

Reg! We need this investigated!

HP bails on massive Wi-Fi patent claim

The BigYin

Obvious?

"The opposition has argued CSIRO's patent is invalid because of the existence of prior art that made the patent claim "obvious" at time it was filed."

If that is true and it holds up in court, can we then chuck out all the crap patents that the USA issues?

MPs battle to save great British pub

The BigYin
Flame

Pubs are failing because...

...they sell shit beer. Go into any pub and the choice is 3 of Stella, Kronenburg, American (fake) Bud, Miller or regional-wank-lager (e.g. Tennents). Plus 1 of Guinness, Heavy or John Smith's. Cider optional. And that's it. In every pub.

I put it to you that most of those drinks are rank piss-water not fit for a dog. So why bother going to the pub when I can go to the supermarket/offy and buy a decent clutch of beers to enjoy at home with friends?

The other thing pubs in the UK get spectacularly wrong is food. It comes out of the microwave and tastes like fermented baby puke. Simple, tasty food (which is all people want from a pub) is not hard to do at all. The rest of the world seems to be able to do it (using local produce too). Why are UK landlords so friggin' useless at it? I blame the likes of "Brewer's Fayre" and "Greene King"

Note: Pub != Bar. A bar is where idiotic trendies with more debt than sense go to look swank, drink, puke and get into a fight. A pub is where normal people would like to go to meet friends, relax, and have a good time if the pub wasn't shit!!

There are a few exceptions of course, but these tend to be out of the way, family run real-ale type things.

Intel trades ownership for popularity on mobile Linux project

The BigYin

Interesting

Will they be expanding this effort to cover other platforms?

‘Unifying standard’ vital for mass-market 3D TV

The BigYin
Thumb Down

Meh

I still have an old, basic telly. Not found the need for HD yet as, quite frankly, I have yet to see any "Ronseal" HD system. *NONE* do what they claim. I can still see artefacts of compression, stepping, lines, flicker and other problems in HD shows - so why bother forking out £1,500+ for a TV that consumes more power and delivers nothing more than what I have now?

3D will be the same. Narrow angles, headaches etc.

Sound is the key. Get decent sound and you become totally immersed. Where are all the Dolby/THX 5.1 broadcasts; hmm?

eBay put Skype on iPhone 'to boost price of NSA backdoor'

The BigYin
Joke

*Strokes beard*

I smell a fishy.....

Cosmonaut bemoans ISS toilet row

The BigYin
Thumb Down

Is space no one can hear you parp.

Of all petty-minded crap. Surely the bill is just totted up and then taken as a split between countries participating (probably based on the number of astronauts going up)? Or would that just be too damned easy?

The money they waste on the squabbles would probably pay for another space-shitter!

Microsoft and TomTom settle 'Linux' kerfuffle

The BigYin
Linux

@Toastan Buttar

I was about to reply that a recent update did need a restart, you beat me to it.

I am sure that some uber-geeks would know which services/daemons/whatever to bounce/drop-and-reload in order to get past some restarts; and Linux certianly needs less restarts than Windows after an update/install.

But sometimes...well...it just needs restarted. usually after the kernel gets monkeyed around with.

[Written by a Linux newb, not a fanboi, not a geek]

Busted! Conficker's tell-tale heart uncovered

The BigYin
Boffin

Good

Does this mean ISPs will now be able to scan for customer's infected PCs and block them from their networks?

The (L)users who did not pay attention to their security should face be made to realise that they have a responsibility to themselves and other internet users to secure their systems. Either that or swap to an OS that isn't riddled with security holes.

Wallace and Gromit get patent-happy at Science Museum

The BigYin
Unhappy

Inventors receive diddly

It's the rights holder who reaps the rewards.

So remember kids; if you invent the next cool thing either shove two fingers to the world and do a Dyson, open source it or be prepared to get screwed over royally by the business types.

Actually, that last one will happen anyway as your idea will be copied and exploited by those who can afford better lawyers than you.

Budvar beats Anheuser-Busch in latest Budweiser battle

The BigYin
Thumb Up

YES!

Budvar is the one true king of beers. Well, of that style of lager anyway.

The Great Pretender tastes how I imagine fermented and filtered cat's piss would taste and should lose the right use the name "Budweiser" name globally in relation to the alcoholic lagered beverage.

If Americans want to find out what a proper lager should taste like, I think it is marketed as "Budstar" or something over there. Either that or check out your local micro-brewery.

All-in-all an excellent decision by the EU.

Novell kicks out SUSE Linux Enterprise 11

The BigYin
Linux

@Vincent

Then you thought wrong. Open Source is, well, OPEN.

Free and Open Source is, well, FREE and also OPEN.

Just because you fail to understand the concept does not mean there is anything wrong with the concept itself.

VMware VMs cost how much?

The BigYin
Thumb Up

Let me get my VirtualBox bill...

...ah, here it is. Heh, big fat zero (personal use) and I can create new images; it's not just a player.

It may have issues (USB support is a shade wonky) but it is sooooo much cheaper that I'll deal with that (I don't really need USB support in my VMs anyhoo).

And as for working with them on a desktop...well hellooooooo seamless windows!

BMW driver follows satnav to edge of cliff

The BigYin
Thumb Down

What a moron

He obviously does not have the wit to drive safely. Jail him and then ban him for life.

EMC saves earth from its own private jets

The BigYin
Thumb Down

Saving the plent is hip

So long as OTHERS are the ones making the sacrifices or paying the price. As soon as these people have to take a personal hit, their attitude changes.

It's the exact same with the lying, hypocritical shits that infest Westminster and the EU. WE pay the new taxes, WE have to downsize cars, WE shiver in the cold because gas costs so much; whilst THEY swan about in their chauffeur driven cars, leave the lights on and have us pay for their swanky luncheons.

China bans YouTube again

The BigYin

Where China leads...

...Australia and the UK will follow.

Are you paying attention?

LibDems want gov action on killer lorries of death

The BigYin
Thumb Down

Not the fault of SatNav

It is the fault of the drivers. 100%, no exceptions.

All truck drivers should know the height of their vehicle.

All truck drivers should be able to read the warning signs that give height and width.

How can the failure of the driver to process those pieces of information possibly be the fault of the satnav?

The drivers should be held liable for the cost of repairs - that might get them to pay attention.

ID cards not compulsory after all, says Home Office

The BigYin
Thumb Down

No change needed

Once the cards exist they will become compulsory in fact, if not in law. All this stuff from the government about the cards not being compulsory is utter twaddle.

Want to open a bank account? You'll need an ID card as the banks use that to cut costs.

Want to open get a load? You'll need an ID card as the banks use that to cut costs.

Want to get insurance? You'll need an ID card as the companies use that to cut costs.

And so on.

Yes there will be other methods of identification, but using them will become onerous (and probably add costs) so people will become compelled to have an ID card or (effectively) become a non-person.

We do not need ID cards, we do not need the ID database; there is nothing to fear. All we need are our MPs brought to book over their dodgy dealings and our police kept in check. That's it. Nothing more.

Police ad urges: 'Trust no one'

The BigYin

Fear

Get the public into a state of fear and they will beg for their freedoms to be removed. They will ignore the fact that they are safer now then they ever have been, it is merely the perception that has changed. I don't even lock my front door - there is no real reason to do so.

Fear over terrorists. Fear over immigrants. Fear of paedos. "Please Mr. Politician, can we all have bar-codes on our foreheads. *I* have nothing to hide and thus nothing to fear, but my neighbour objects - they must be dirty terrorists! ARG! SAVE ME!"

It is a sick, sad world when we must be more concerned about our own police and politicians. The government running rough-shod over the democratic process is a far bigger threat to us than any (almost certainly fictional) terrorist could ever be.

Numbers should be portable, insists Reding

The BigYin

Slamming?

Easy to solve. Offending company pays penalties in 3 amountes

1) To the customer,2 x line rental (for bother and general grief)

2) To the customer's previous provider, 2 x line rental (for loss of revenue and associated costs)

3) And further fine of no. offences x 2 x line rental (for being very, very nawty).

The fines will soon tot-up and the offending companies will go out of business. Hitting their bottom line hard is the ONLY language business and fat cat CEOs udnerstand.

Microsoft claims IE8 is 'a leap forward in web standards'

The BigYin

The score is misleading

Getting 100/100 is not a pass, people.

http://www.webstandards.org/action/acid3/

Zero-G vanishing bone issue solved, says prof

The BigYin

Make them all do judo (or aikido, or ju-jitsu, or...)

The constant hammering into the tatami should see bone loss a thing of the past.

And, with that in mind, I propose the the astronauts spend 30 mins a day in a type of "human washing machine" being bounced around and thus ensuring that their bone structure remains sturdy. Perhaps Mr. Dyson can assist?

Microsoft promises IE web-standards love

The BigYin
Thumb Down

Hmmm....stop IE6 you say?

What someone needs to do is register oh, I dunno, "www.stopie6.org" and offer some scripts, images etc that people can easily incorporate into their site.

This would display a funky "You are using and old, slow, non-standard, insecure and dangerous browser" type image into the page for any using IE6 (or spoofing IE6). Clicking the link would open a new window and take people to "www.stopie6.org" where they can then be directed to the legit MS upgrade and Mozilla et al.

Wait, what, this has already been done? Gosh-a-roonies BatBloke!

Why don't you money web mokneys stop moaning and do something about it? I think they campaign needs some help (blocking users is just stupid.

Lights out, Britons told - we're running out of power

The BigYin
Thumb Down

How about...

...all the council offices, DVLA etc turn THEIR lights out first? How about Westminster turns its lights out? How about MPs put their money where their mouth is?

How about leading by example for once?

Online attackers feed off Norton forum purge

The BigYin

Hmmm.....I have Norton

Came with the PC, 3 year license as part of the bundle. Not caused me too much grief I mjust say, but then I have a beefy system that can probably handle the load (running MCE, VirtualBox and a Norton AV scan is possible). The only thing that winds me up is the "fluff" in the UI. Takes far too many clicks to get at a panel that allows proper control.

Anyhoo, I will be looking for pifts when I get home. And Norton's days are numbered. Once the agreement runs out it will get replaced with Comodo and AVG (or something similar). Or I'll just flatten the PC, go Linux and simply ignore the viruses.

Concerted Linux-netbook effort needed to beat Microsoft

The BigYin

Hmm...possible

If the subsidy is based on the monthly contract charge then if the device is hacked to buggery, who cares? The telco/provider still gets their money. If the subsidy is based on projected network usage, and the device is hacked, then yes; problems are afoot.

But so what - people can unlock their phones and use a different network. Same issue and it doesn't seem to have done anyone any harm. So it could be a goer - the only thing that will stop people is the prohibitive cost. £300 for a SCC, then £30 (or whatever - you going to do a round-up of deal El Reg?) for a data contract over 18 months means....paying at least £47 a month. Ouchie.

I have been playing with Linux of late, and it is very capable (in some ways better than Windows, in other it still has catching up to do). I would like to see it succeed, not out of fandom but because it will force MS to raise their game. Competition is good etc.

Unfortunately I think MS is going to crucify Linux on the netbook unless they find a way to remove MS's strangle hold over the OEMs for licensing etc. Maybe the EU can come to the rescue?

Did TomTom test Microsoft's Linux patent lock-down?

The BigYin
Gates Horns

Why use FAT32?

Reading the comments, I still don't get what FAT is in use. Yes, Windows PCs can read FAT as the lowest common denominator. Whoop-dee-doo. But just about any USB device I have tried to use on Windows has wanted some driver or other to be installed, and a GPS unit is not a "dumb memory stick". I don't think users will freak out if they have to plonk in a CD or somesuch to get it going.

And, as others have said, the GPS unit could hold a dummy CD of its own to bootstrap the process. Whilst this may be technically hard to implement, it would solve the legal issues.

The divers (say for ext3) could be made freely available and, in Europe anyway, the EU could compel MS to pre-install them as part of the monopoly investigation.

Job done.

Eurocrats declare war on e-commerce cross barrier red tape

The BigYin
Thumb Down

This is funny

The EU, which actively prohibits free-trade through the support of price-fixing cartels and establishment of artificial trade barriers, is now bemoaning the lack of free trade. You couldn't make it up if you tried.

How about actually allowing free trade Mr/Ms Eurocrat? Y'know; let me buy CDs/DVDs from where I like and play them where I like. Let me by clothes from where I like. Let companies import what they want from where they want to gain competitive advantage.

But no, all the EU does is trough up barriers to trade and support price-fixing (play.com, anyone?)

Forced retirement due to age can be justified, rules ECJ

The BigYin
Thumb Down

Hmm

So I can be forced out of work at 65, but I'll need to work until I am at least 75 in order to build up a big enough pension that I could live on.

Thanks Labour, you bunch of self-serving incompetents!

Cold-water treatment for Ballmer on Windows Mobile

The BigYin
Thumb Down

@Aristotles nag

I have used Windows Mobile devices. They were all horrible. Truly horrible. Slow and crashed. Never again.

I do not need office apps or other crap on a phone. It's a PHONE FFS! Let it be a phone. The screen is too small for anything else apart from a bit of basic web-browsing. If I want a portable computer, I'll sodding well BUY a portable computer.

I do not use an iPhone or Android; I have a basic Nokia brick and it is great. Cheap to get, long battery life, indestructible and does not crash.

(You will note the pleasing lack argumentum ad hominem)

Firefox update tackles critical memory bugs

The BigYin

@AC - 13:30

(As I was writing this comment, FF crashed)

What is it with Reg readers and the personal attacks? If you cannot construct a valid argument based on facts, don't bother writing a comment. Leave the personal insults in the playground.

As to what *I* have done to cause the crashing...very little. It crashes on different OSs (XP, Vista and Linux), it crashes for my colleagues. I have installed some add-ons (AdBlock, NoScript etc) and, yes, they may be the root of the crashes; but that just screams bad architecture to me. Add-ons should not bring FF down.

Yes, some of the add ons are for the previous version; I can't remove these as FF won't let me. This is yet another issue, along with the memory and CPU hogging

Despite this, it's still better than IE. I just wish that it was possible to have a small and light web browser.

As for Chrome....barf. Google is worse than MS, no way I will run their shit. I even block their scripts and cookies as well as running "TrackMeNot". to try and stop them monitoring me.

Google boss backs subsidized Linuxbooks

The BigYin

@AC - 10:20

"And before everybody pipes in with - but you have a choice, if you don't want to use it install a competitors product. That's exactly the same position as a Microsoft OS. If you don't like the per-installed stuff use someone elses and yet everybody still cries monopoly."

Here is the difference.

If I don't like FF, I can uninstall it completely and use Opera.

If I don't like Nautilus, I can uninstall it completely and use soemthing else.

If I don't like Gnome, I can I can uninstall it completely and use (say) KDE.

If I don't like...you can see where this is going.

If I don't like IE, I can uninstall...err...wait...no I can't. And why does Outlook Express keep popping up, I thought I had removed that. So with MS, you are stuck with what you are given (whether you think you are using it or not).

As to Google mandating Gears etc, you are probably correct. If they block the removal (or restrict installs/usage as Apple do with the i{hone) then we can cry "monopoly". Until then we'll juts have to wait and see.

Oh, a monopoly also require market share. Linux has barely 4% of the market. it will be a long, long time before and Linux distro (no matter how restrictive) and fall under a "monopoly". And given the heterogeneous nature of the Linux world, it may never happen.

Microsoft talks open-source love amid TomTom Linux 'war'

The BigYin
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@AC - 13:25 GMT

I mentioned diddly about MS, I just said you need to do better trolling. As for the various ad hominems, do try harder to think up a cognent argument next time. Sheesh. It's usually the Linux fanbois who are touchy and reactionary....

MSFT shares....well this time last year they were about $27 (down from $34 in Jan), now they are $18. Check your facts in the future.

http://www.google.co.uk/finance?client=ob&q=NASDAQ:MSFT

The BigYin
Thumb Down

@AnonCow - 10:57

If you are going to troll, you'll have to do better than that!

Google's DoubleClick spreads malicious ads (again)

The BigYin
Unhappy

Simple

Block DoubleClick. Works for me! (Praise be to NoScript and AdBlock).

Right up until web designers code their site so that it won't function properly unless the ads are displayed (seen that once or twice).

Hulu's Hollywood overlords force Boxee block

The BigYin
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Urf

The "content providers" simply fail to understand. Maybe some viewers too, but I think it's mostly the "content providers" (what a crap term) who don't get it.

The world has changed. I for one almost never watch broadcast telly (news excepted). The airwaves are just another content stream. The PC "downloads" and stores what i want, I then watch it at my leisure. I still see some adds, but the skip feature does away with them.

I agree with other in that this move will just compel more people to use illegal download.

The "content providers" are idiots.