* Posts by M Gale

3500 publicly visible posts • joined 22 Apr 2007

Wales: We'll encrypt Wikipedia if reborn gov net-snoop plan goes live

M Gale

Re: Can more people

By using GPS, you are supporting a system that is designed specifically to kill people with precision-guided bombs.

Obviously, the only answer is to destroy your TomTom, get rid of your phone and go back to paper maps for everything.

It was back in 1791, whilst planning defences to repel any invasion, that the Government realised the South Coast of England needed to be comprehensively and accurately mapped. So it instructed its Board of Ordnance – the defence ministry of the day – to carry out the necessary survey work.

OH, OOPS.

M Gale

http://www.freenetproject.org/

I hear they are looking for content that doesn't come from paranoid schizophrenics, peadophiles and /b/tards.

Anyone wanna help?

M Gale

Re: SSL

Bloody useless when the root certificates are owned by businesses that can be leaned on by governments.

Self-cert perhaps, but then how do you tell the browser's "I don't know this certificate" warning from a man in the middle trying to snoop?

Nokia apologizes for faking Lumia 920 ad

M Gale

Re: Small gyros

Not a challenge at all. Go look up the Blade mCX and mCX2 micro helicopters. Gyros aren't just spinning metal things, and solid state gyros can be incredibly tiny.

Ballmer predicts 400 MILLION Win 8 Surface and Lumia fumblers

M Gale

"after testing windows 8 i will not be buying it for my desktop"

You'll have a choice?

New Nokia Lumia mobes fail to inspire investors

M Gale

Re: "nearly tripled it's market share"

What, from one phone to three?

Going Android wouldn't mean ONLY producing Android phones. Nokia could have produced a range of Android, Windows Phone, and Symbian phones, and creamed off the profit from whatever sells the most. Instead they got the Flop to burn their platforms for them, and look at where they are now. Worse than an also-ran, they're an also-ran with contractual obligations to stay an also-ran.

At least, until Microsoft buys them, strips their assets and dumps the remains in the bin.

New deals for Virgin Sim punters

M Gale

Still doesn't match Three's One plan.

Granted Three don't have the best signal, but they still have the best data service by far and they can still maintain a signal all the way through a 15 mile bus journey.

Come on, rest of world. Catch up, why don't you?

Qubes OS bakes in virty system-level security

M Gale

Re: Users

Someone from Invisible Things is welcome to tell me I'm wrong, but their project doesn't appear to be made for Average Joe or Jane. That said, as a preconfigured, locked down box in a webcafe or library for example, it might well provide the sysadmins with relief from headaches created by distinctly average (or even nefarious above-average) users.

M Gale

Re: "Based on Xen, X Window System, and Linux"

Huh. T'was an honest question, if somewhat provocative, and I get no replies but some kind of pavlovian downvote. Microsoft hates Linux, is currently waging (a losing) patent war against it, and Qubes OS is partly based on Linux. Just to really rattle the hornet's nest, they are working on Windows compatibility.

So.. when does the demand for a hundred bajillion dollars for violation of 235 patents appear on the doorstep of Invisible Things Lab?

M Gale

"Based on Xen, X Window System, and Linux"

So how long until Microsoft starts with the threats?

PCs get touchy ahead of Windows 8 launch

M Gale

Re: Hmm

After watching a misbehaving Firefox tab bring the whole UI to a juddering halt that wouldn't even respond to a ctrl+alt+del until 10 minutes later, I have to wonder how far in the future you hail from?

M Gale

Starts at £750.

Is that all?

The dead reanimates as HP ships Open webOS beta

M Gale

Re: proprietary -> opensource -> dead

<ahem />

Sharp's slim screen factory 'flogged to death' by Apple

M Gale
Facepalm

Re: Integrated Costs

"Why does everyone assume that everything they own must be repairable."

Go away, sit in a dark room somewhere for a while, come back and re-read that sentence.

Then slap your face with your palm.

I've just repaired someone's MG ZR, literally just yesterday. It would have cost them a shedload of money to get a broken keyfob replaced, without which the ECU would point-blank refuse to start the car. It took me 10 minutes with a soldering iron on some broken battery contacts, and 30 seconds pressing a reset-my-shit button sequence on the keyfob while stood next to a blaring car alarm. Cost effectively nothing.

I'm sure you'd rather this person just go to a dealership and get raped for a new dongle by people quick to spot, and apply taxes, to idiots.

Ubisoft: 'Vast majority of PC gamers are PIRATES'

M Gale

Re: DRM fault's

"what does that tell you NOW?"

It tells me that most ISPs use dynamic IP addresses.

M Gale

Re: Pft.

"But you're not just reading. You're POSTING. And last I checked, that REQUIRES an account with credentials like an e-mail address. Guess what else requires a few credentials and an e-mail address. I recommend you actually TRY to start a Steam account and walk a virtual mile in my shoes before sneering at Steam's success."

No thanks. Anyway, noticed how I don't need to do anything to use The Reg? It also doesn't cost anything to post, doesn't come with an insidious DRM mechanism, and the Reg doesn't demand I log into them in order to check Slashdot or Techcrunch. I suggest you actually try huffing jenkem before sneering at it, or does that argument not work when I use it?

"Warranties, newsletters, other useful stuff"

So.. something I get by law anyway, and spam. Well that's useful.

"Exactly. These days, the DRM's on the DISC, too! Ever heard of activation limits? The Spore controversy? This whole Ubisoft business? These all involved PHYSICAL COPIES."

Physical copies that I have not bought because they are just as retarded as Steam.

"two words: OFFLINE MODE."

Two words: ONLINE ACTIVATION.

Two more words: CAPS FRENZY.

M Gale

Re: And at the same time...

You're right, that's exactly what I did (or rather didn't) do: I have no Steam games, because I have no Steam account, I have no Internet connection that can cope with downloading that much shite, and neither would the mythical hotel wifi connection. If I want a "social experience", I'll go outside.

I'd like to buy lots of games, but unfortunately I can't, due to virtually every game in the shop requiring Valve's malware. What I do find amusing though, is that I have played several Steam games minus Steam, thanks to a friend with a torrent client. No, no I don't download them, partly because I'm not a pirate, and partly for the same reason I wouldn't download them over Steam - but that doesn't extend to friends with 50mbit connections. I'd love to know how Steam is preventing anything except me from buying a lot of peoples' games, there.

"No internet connection? You need to login long enough to get the game files onto your PC, then just start in offline mode, done."

Uhm, with no Internet connection? What part of "this game requires online activation" don't you understand?

Fuck Steam, and fuck anybody who will only release their games with that bilge infecting them. But hey, feel free to go moan about everyone else's DRM component except for Valve's. If my toys are not as simple as "install, play", then they are not fit for purpose and go back to the shop. See that word? Toy. Not nuclear launch code.

M Gale

And at the same time...

...in this fictional hotel with its fictional PC and fictional Internet connection, do you really think this fictional PC will have hard drive space for the games? Do you think I have patience to wait all night and all the next day to download a game when I could install from a DVD or SD card in minutes?

Yes. Fictional. Mythical, even. Certainly not real.

M Gale

Re: Pft.

As I said, score one for consistency, commentards.

It's DRM that means I can't do all the things that people are saying that Steam allows me to do. Somewhat funked-up logic there, to say that being able to install a game on more than one machine is a carrot. Installation media? How big are SD cards these days?

Yawn. More downvotes from clueless fuckwits. Nice fetish of yours! Does that red button feel good? In the meanwhile, games continue to be hacked and pirated, and DRM continues to get in the way of legitimate customers.

Oh, and accuse me of being a cheat as well if you like. And a pirate. Whatever gets you through the day, mateys.

M Gale

Re: They just don't get it, do they.

DRM is ruining PC gaming.

There I fixed it for you.

M Gale

Re: Pft.

"So you make a Steam Account. Big F'n deal."

No I don't.

"You make a similar kind of account to post here to El Reg."

No, I don't. Now if there was one company that handles logins for virtually every tech site out there, and if you want to post comments on any tech site then you have to deal with that company regardless of how shit their security is, and that company can then delete all of your posts over a server burp... in fact no, it's not even like that. I don't need to create any account to read El Reg. Your example, like the rest of your post, is, to put it politely, flawed.

"Don't want to post your credit card details? They have PayPal for that, or just use an online shopping card."

Why post anything? It's a toy.

"In return, it doesn't really matter which computer you use, just sign on, answer the "new computer" second authentication factor (which uses your e-mail), and you can download and play games just as you did on the other machine."

Or insert the disk, and play the game. DRM prevents me from doing that.

"Not a bad tradeoff if you ask me."

So making things more sucky for me, in return for absolutely no benefit whatsoever, is a good trade-off?

M Gale

Re: Pft.

So I can buy a Steam game on a disk and play it without creating a Steam account and activating it?

Didn't think so.

Valve, Ubisoft, EA.. same shit, different stink. Amazing how the downvotes rack up if you dare criticize the One and Holy DRM System though. Score one for consistency, commentards.

M Gale

Pft.

T'was Steam and its model of "you're a criminal, prove us wrong" that persuaded me that PC gaming was going down the crapper. Still don't have a Steam account, and will never have one either.

If it's not as simple as "install, play" then I am not interested. Definitely not interested if you want me creating an account with some malware service so I can play with a toy.

Remove shitty DRM, and I might start buying stuff again. Until then, Ubisoft can take their bullshit figures and stuff them where the sun doesn't shine and angels fear to tread.

LOHAN turns up the heat on Vulture 2 motor

M Gale

Just a thought

You sure you need to epoxy the element to the engine? It seems a little permanent. Wouldn't TIM compound and duct tape work just as well, and be removable?

Plus, well, duct tape.

M Gale

Re: Solar

The article talks about 2.24 watts of power at 12v, with a comfortable margin for increasing the levels if needed. I'm guessing the amount of power required to keep things from freezing is going to be tested before the launch, and I'll hazard a guess that even with the best insulation, it'll be hard to keep the temperature within design parameters at only that power level. At least, not when sharing company with a whole bunch of dry ice in a bucket.

Another thing to think about is the risk of the heater making things a little too toasty near ground level where it's likely going to be a lot warmer. Single thermistor, one relay and a routine in the onboard computer to check temperature every few seconds, perhaps?

M Gale

Re: mission creep?

Any chance you can make the motor eject itself or be on an external pod? Even more weight savings, and every gram counts for a glider.

M Gale

Re: Solar

Assuming (and this is a big assumption) that the operating power levels end up being 10 watts, that's a rather large solar panel to be carrying up. Even just a couple of watts will be something on the order of suitcase sized.

That said, there's no clouds up that high, and I'm guessing this thing will be launched in Spain rather than Cloudsvill^Wthe UK.

M Gale

Couple of old laptop batteries, or a broken fondleslab or two. Enough capacity to get you into the stratosphere with the heaters on. No need for extra sensors, timers, or faith in the insulation. Job done.

Password hints easily snaffled from Windows PCs

M Gale
Trollface

Linux has a "registry".

It's just called "/etc" and is spread amongst a bajillion and one files.

Cue pedants and irate flamers in 3, 2, 1...

Everything Everywhere flogs 4G hand-me-downs to Three

M Gale

Re: £145 a year for the Beeb is a bargain!

You want it, you pay it. And mine, too.

Only on El Reg could you turn a thread about mobile spectrum into an argument about the TV tax.

Sony PlayStation Vita sales crawl

M Gale

Re: Its a great system

Mega CD seemed to pick up somewhat after its initial glut of shit "full motion video" 16 colour Simple Simon-esque games. In fact I'd say Core Design almost singlehandedly rescued that console with awesome titles like Soulstar, Battlecorps and a very snazzed-up Thunderhawk. Biggest problem was more that you had to buy two consoles that were very much not cheap. Hyping everyone up with the "Megadrive 2", only for it to turn out to be a smaller, more crappily-made version of the original didn't help either.

Now the 32X, that was badly supported and died after what seemed like about five game releases. Plus, you had to buy two consoles to use it. Three if you wanted to play the couple of 32X CD games that game out. Seems Sega never learned from the whole "you have to buy two consoles" thing.

Neither, it seems, are Sony.

M Gale

Re: Have smartphone; DS gathering dust

Have smartphone. Have tablet. Have 3DS.

Use all of 'em.

I like physical buttons. Then again, I like making phone calls, and accessing the Internet on the move.

Three extends data use with Sim-only tariff tweak

M Gale

Re: Downloading torrents or the like

There are torrent apps available on Google Play.

Brits obey mobile ads, says mobile ad biz

M Gale

Re: Firefox beta

Ever tried to read a paragraph while the text is busy re-wrapping because an advert has decided to start rolling out all over the place?

Obviously, you haven't. Try reading The Register without an adblocker some time. They're one of the prime culprits, these days. In fact it was this very site that persuaded me that enough was enough and it's time to run ABP.

Team Reg, give yourselves a pat on the back.

M Gale

Re: "All the cool kids are doing it"

I didn't think that was a brand of car though.

Is that like the key of the same name?

Hong Kong tycoon sues Google search for defamation

M Gale

Re: What Iwant to know is

Oh, I think the article he's complaining about is pretty specific. [PDF]

Question is, how in hell are Google liable?

AntiLeaks group claim responsibility for WikiLeaks attacks

M Gale

Re: Who really cares how allegedly secret documents are leaked ...

Exactly this.

I'm wondering if these Antileaks fellers can keep up a DDOS against WIkileaks, every USENET server on the planet, the Freenet project, all the various torrent trackers, AND someone walking around sneakernet-style and giving people USB sticks?

Somehow I doubt it.

Google to skew search results to punish PIRATES

M Gale

Re: Find content from legitimate sources...

The BBC should make it easy for anybody in the world to buy a BBC license.. and abolish the TV tax.

Don't see that happening though.

Snap suggests Apple out to 'screw' hardware hackers

M Gale

Re: Universal screwdriver

You know how small 0.5mm is, right?

Of course if you really think half a millimetre is too big a groove, you could go for anything down to 0.01mm. That's a hundredth of a millimetre in plain english. In the words of the site, "as fine as the antenna of an aphid".

Still a problem?

M Gale

Re: Universal screwdriver

Have you seen how small the bits are on a Dremel? Or any similar non-branded miniature power tool set for that matter.

I don't think it'll be a problem. 0.5mm milling bit, perhaps?

Australia on path to social media regulation

M Gale

Because banning black jokes...

...makes racism disappear.

Except it doesn't.

Seriously, I'd rather people be able to quite publically declare, if in a roundabout fashion, "I am a grade A wanker, please ignore me." UK "hate speech" laws are fucked up, and it's a shame to see Oz go the same way.

But hey, you can still take the piss out of ginger kids as much as you like, right? That's still funny, isn't it?

Oooh-la-la! 'iPhone 5' bares all, strokes tiny nano-SIM in pics

M Gale

Re: Consider

Could be a good or a bad thing.

Good version: Being able to join a different provider at the touch of a button. Being on multiple networks without having to swap SIMs around or go for dodgy hacky dual and quad-sim adapters.

Bad version: You think you've seen a network-locked phone? You ain't seen nuthin' yet.

LOHAN's fantastical flying truss sprouts tail

M Gale

Re: Launching into the wind.

Not that this is exactly the same thing, but I've found that launching smallish rockets at a slight angle into the wind causes the rocket to act like a weather vane too. Rather than getting blown back, the nose seems to tilt into the wind and fight against it. Of course, this could also be a good reason to put any kind of primitive guidance onto the thing during the rocket burn, if only to stop a directional wind from causing LOHAN to blast more sideways than upward. Once the rocket is going fast enough (which won't take long), I'm pretty sure whatever is on the tailplane, in conjunction with the onboard autopilot, will be enough to keep the nose pointing toward the sky.

Just my tuppence worth.

Android app DRM quietly disabled due to bug

M Gale

Re: Just a minute -- are we the bad guys?

If you want to remote control my machine, to decide when and where the software that I bought can be run and how.. if you wish to have my machine dependant on your servers in order to work properly.. if you think that I have an unwarranted sense of entitlement simply because I want what I paid for to work without interruption.. if you think you have any rights to the product whatsoever after you have sold it..

Then yes, you are the bad guy, and you can take your unwarranted sense of entitlement to my money and fuck off.

Foldable NFC keyboard could tempt Android users

M Gale

Re: Security?

I seem to remember UK.gov making that claim about the RFID in the spangly new radio passports that they forced everyone into getting.

Then those cheeky chappies at NO2ID find out that the range is a few centimetres.. IF you are being nice, and ONLY using standard equipment that follows laws on radio emissions and the likes. Otherwise you can get a range of anything from a couple of metres up to about 90 feet or so.