Posts by James Pickett

91% to 38% brand recognition in a year. Is that a record..?

So how many hovercraft do they own - two?

"Starbucks, which sweats to ensure its coffee-like beverages taste exactly the same"

I suspect that most of the sweating is to do with making a similar beverage from the cheapest ingredients. Computers can't taste things yet, AFAIK.

"Merlin rocket engine"

I remember when Merlin engines drove propellors...

Also, when did VTOL become VTVL?

@Jake

"according to my observation"

You're mistaking mere evidence for computer-enhanced pronouncements from the Church of Climatology. Don't you know that software models trump empirical data these days?

(Huge) pot, meet (enormous) kettle...

"Microwave works in the rain"

I'm not sure mine does...

"You have old apps that only work on XP and/or you can't re-licence for a new OS."

Like some older (but perfectly usable) versions of Sage, for which the only upgrade path is to buy the whole thing again, at full price. Or use virtual XP (e.g. VMware).

If IE10 is the "final release", what will MS supply in future - Chrome?

"decades of climate alarmism have had basically no effect on people's attitude around the world"

If only politicians felt the same way. Sadly, they have spotted a gravy train and jumped aboard, forgetting to check how we (in the UK) can keep the lights on when major power stations are about to be decommissioned.

As it's America, there's presumably no problem in having a gun fitted instead (although I might argue for being able to see what you were shooting at).

"The SPIRE camera was built in Cardiff"

Now, that IS amazing.. :-)

Oxymoron?

"attractive Win 8-powered"

Not something you read every day.

Puppet Labs

I trust Dr Bunsen Honeydew is in charge...

French wonks

I already have a mental picture of Peter Sellers saying 'wernks' and failing to make himself understood...

I doubt that any 'usual scenario' applies to HP. I expect them to write off even more money trying to defend the indefensible and I certainly wouldn't bet against Mike Lynch. Another good Christmas for the lawyers...

I think anything that shows up lazy journalism/PR/excuses-to-start-wars is a Good Thing. Shame Leveson tripped over it, but if even he's not paying attention...

"20-year old girlfriend"

Not sure whether to arrest or congratulate him. Mind you, I bet things haven't turned out quite the way she expected...

You're on a roll lately, Mr O!

Still not sure about John Birt - for an engineer, he used an awful lot of management-speak, but your article has brought him up a notch in my estimation.

"best possible person for this job"

In the same way that Ballmer is/was?

Personally, I enjoy schadenfreude...

"Oz boffin"

Blimey.

"Larson-Green is an ex-programme manager and an interface expert; she worked on Metro and was responsible for the introduction of the Office 2007 Ribbon"

Expert?

"These two looked like they were picked for an outcome...."

Grounds alone for an appeal. Have the judges not been watching the news and wondering whether the Beeb might not be quite as squeaky clean as they like to insist?

I suppose we'll need another tribunal to find out how much this concealment of a guest list has cost!

I'd contribute to a fighting fund, too, although there must be someone in the BBC who could accidentally leave the list in the photocopier...

'length' = 'lengthy', of course.

"Energy Secretary Ed Davey said that the Government would "consider carefully the implications" of the report, and publish a formal response before the end of the year."

Last week, Ed Davey was reported as saying that it was nothing to worry about and that there was still a 4% 'cushion', apparently ignoring the possibility of a large power station having to stop for maintenance and/or believing that wind power will always fill the gap.

Of course, we could ignore the EU and keep those slated for closure open while DECC gets its act together, but as Alan Bennett might say, they won't, will they?

I have the MS compatibility plugin. It doesn't work.

"I think Windows 8 certainly surpasses it."

So, not certain then. Is English Ballmer's first language?

I wasn't so concerned about his survival - just noting that he managed to crash a dragster, a machine specifically designed to go very fast in a straight line, and which rarely crash when driven properly.

"frustrated fanbois"

I'm not sure I feel much sympathy for them, as they're deluded already. The average Mac user is rather more deserving, although they may be deluded as well...

Could be for me. Don't want Apple or Android, so currently have a cheapo ZTE which has good battery life and is LIGHT. Crap camera though!