Re: Clearly
Whatever it is, it'll be Gangnam style..
Posts by Fred Flintstone
3108 publicly visible posts • joined 9 Jun 2009
Page:
Eric Schmidt heading on mystery mission to North Korea
Microsoft says Google trying to undermine Windows Phone
Thursday 3rd January 2013 08:42 GMT 
Re: What's that sound
Bwahaha - dishwasher time for the keyboard, thanks. Hahaha.
My problem is that I don't quite know who to root for. The new monopolist or the old one? The old one was at least not invading everyone's privacy, just "merely" stopping innovation dead in its tracks.
I'll sit this one out, I think. I avoid both - all I use of Google is the search engine (the thing they originally did well), provided I can still find results between the advertising (Start Page is cleaner and less risky, but undeniably not quite as good as "native" Google)..
Facebook fixes 'Peeping Tom' webcam bug - AFTER 5 MONTHS
Anti-virus products are rubbish, says Imperva
Wednesday 2nd January 2013 19:20 GMT
Re: ...spend “is not proportional to its effectiveness”
The AV vendors' solution to malware proliferation seems to be to create anti-malware products that consume all resources on the machine to the point where it is made unusable, presumably in order to impede the spreading of malware.
No, no, that's on smartphones. Do pay attention :)
Merde! Paris Apple Store in €1m armed raid on New Year's Eve
Wednesday 2nd January 2013 11:24 GMT
Re: Further details emerge:
I would have thought the actual stock that wasn't on display would have been caged at the very least
If that's the case you may be looking at an inside job (jobs?). It's likely the joint got thoroughly cased beforehand, and with the number of visitors these stores get it's unlikely the security camera footage will be of any value - if you go at a busy time you're left waiting for long enough to have a good look around.
However, serial numbers are going to be interesting to watch out for..
Official science: High heels make you sexy
Ever had to register to buy online - and been PELTED with SPAM?
Wednesday 2nd January 2013 10:23 GMT
Re: Master of your own domain
I have a rule now that fwds 'their' junk mail back to Swinton.
The only way that will help is if you find out the email address of the MD/CEO and send it there with an explanatory note, or another email address that is in active use. Most companies send from an "no reply" mailbox..
Wednesday 2nd January 2013 10:18 GMT
An exception to the rule - with some help.
Actually, a year ago I did something completely different when I received again UCE from Oracle - I'd already tried unsubscribing so I decided to see what else I could do. I sent a note to whatever legal department I could find that I didn't appreciate being emailed for something I would never use, and was disappointed that an organisation such as Oracle would engage in this activity.
The result was, well, impressive. A lawyer in that department who seems to hate spam as much as I do took this email and went digging, and it emerged the company they were using for mailing lists was not updating its blacklist as directed by Oracle. Given the fairly panicky email I got from the provider to apologise I suspect they must have had their feet roasted.
I was kept in the loop throughout this process by the lawyer, so to me that was a plus for both their legal department and for their approach to marketing - let down by a 3rd party.
Naturally, this is a legit setup, I have no intention to do this with the BUY VIAGRA CHEAP rubbish, but sometimes it is worth just politely asking the question where you may get an answer. If you don't get an answer it's time ye olde blacklist - preferably server based.
It is worth noting that EU Data Protection laws don't just mandate asking for permission to use data for marketing (and must make that opt IN, not opt OUT), they also require companies to keep that data up to date and relevant. The child product emails in the Reg article are thus clear evidence of a company not living up to its obligations, and they can be reported and fined for this. From the client information management strategies I have seen, by far the most important omission is registering the DATE of the entry coming into the system and each element thereof.
However, what I miss in Data Protection rules is an obligation for companies to tell where they got your name from. This creates a problem - as soon as you have made the mistake of registering with a company that stated in a 6 point light grey font on a white background in a page footer that it would resell your data you're on a list that gets sold to all and sundry, and you're condemned to playing a game of whack-a-mole to identify the company that does the selling because only they have the ability to remove you..
It's JUST possible, but Apple MIGHT not make an iWatch in 2013
Tuesday 1st January 2013 19:13 GMT
Re: Consistent
They have built a pretty successful enterprise on the idea of making slow, careful, incremental developments to their existing technology
Hmm, must be a different Apple. That is exactly Apple's problem right now, only small incremental improvement. That wasn't the case with Jobs, there was always something they'd come up with that was actually a decent improvement and it's exactly the lack of that which made the last releases such as the iPhone 5 a disappointment (that, and the idiots writing an announcement speech which was suitable for Jobs, but not for Tim Cook who doesn't really speak in hyperbole).
I don't buy this rumour.
Tuesday 1st January 2013 19:06 GMT
Re: Actually quite a clever move
Nowadays- especially if it had integrated WiFi- you could use your watch as the hub of your Digital life
You'd get about 30 seconds of use out of a battery that fits in a wrist watch.. Having said that, I once saw torches you could charge with a movement that was especially for men fairly well embedded in muscle memory - a watch is at exactly the right place for such an energy source. So that would NOT be hands-free then..
Yup, thanks. Otherwise I'll be here all week..
From post-coital squid to high-res Playboy bunnies: The 2012 'IT angle?!' quiz
The amazing magical LED: Has it really been fifty years already?
Monday 31st December 2012 11:59 GMT
Quite simply, thanks for that.
I know sod all about light *sources*, but I know a lot about colour. For no sensible reason whatsoever I'm one of these rare people that can see colour differences close to 3 MacAdam, and I have worked at one time as a professional colour recipe develope before I got distracted by IT. In short, I see colour differences very clearly which is a fantastic pain in the neck when picking out light bulbs and computer screens but great for matching socks after washing :).
I've always wondered about those new LED arrays, so I'm grateful for the insight in real life use..
Sunday 30th December 2012 09:34 GMT
I don't know why they still make CFL, they should be phased out and replaced with SMDs so they can be made cheaper in greater volumes.
Actually, I can't find it right now, but CFLs are apparently being silently phased out because they are (somewhat ironically) an environmental disposal nightmare waiting to happen - the stuff inside the glass tubes is not good landfill material.
The volume will come. I can already see IKEA come up with far more sensible prices - cheap enough to start replacement programs. And LEDs are *so* much more flexible in deployment..
The year GNOMES, Ubuntu sufferers forked off to Mint Linux
Monday 31st December 2012 11:36 GMT
Re: @Fred (was: On the off-chance any of you missed it ...)
The issue I have is not with Linux per se, I use it for servers and websites and it just works, and I have been doing that for *years*. The issue is that I need a couple of specialists programs to run on a sensible desktop, and no such thing exists for Linux because too many confuse Open Source with Free for everything. As a simple example, there isn't anything usable as a Visio replacement, and I really cannot spend all day doing all this manually. The other problem I have is that the moment I get comfortable with anything (KDE/GNOME), some idiot changes it all and I really don't have time for that (I now run Mint).
That's why I like OSX: I have a Unix based OS under the hood, and a stable platform where people still consider usability as important (it's not perfect, but it's the best so far - naturally, based on *my* needs, I cannot speak for anyone else). I use Omnigraffle Pro which gives me the required Visio capability, but much faster, more usable and more aesthetically pleasing as well. But here too I prefer OpenOffice because I'm familiar with it, and up until now they have resisted the urge to copy Microsoft and destroy usability with this stupid ribbon idea..
All I have now is a VM with Windows XP which takes 30 minutes of updating and patching and downloading virus signatures before it's anywhere near usable - only being switched on for maybe once every 2 weeks clearly shows just how much patching goes on. But that will at least stop now support is discontinued :).
Sunday 30th December 2012 12:27 GMT
Re: On the off-chance any of you missed it ...
I missed that, thanks for the laugh. Reminds me of what went on in alt.sysadmin.recovery when usenet was still free of spam. Someone is trying to revive it, but I have no wish to go near Google groups without a lawyer - there are far too many people who cannot distinguish between black humour and serious intent. Not that I mind - keeps them frightened :).
Sunday 30th December 2012 12:08 GMT
This proves what I have been saying for years..
Regardless of what you do in technology, the moment you forget that what you do has to work in the hands of ordinary users you're on a downwards slope.
This is also valid in security.
Maybe your decision for 2013: listen to the end user? I know it's hard work with some, but trust me on this, it's worth looking at what you do from their perspective.
New WordPress vuln emerges
Rocket 'Grasshopper' leaps higher than tall building in single bound
Thursday 27th December 2012 14:49 GMT
No idle talk
Say what you want, but I rather like the staged, deliberate, "let's keep an eye on as many variables as we can control" approach to basically nuking the established rocket industry.
I wish them the best of luck - it's never a bad thing to shake up an established industry, provided it's done properly and as far as I can see, this is done right. 2013 is going to be very interesting..
European Data Retention Rule Could Violate Fundamental EU Law
Dead Steve Jobs' mega yacht seized by testy Philippe Starck
Saturday 22nd December 2012 11:29 GMT
Re: Jobs family have a problem with pricing?
"Venus was originally costed at €150m, which would have entitled Starck to €9m in total, but Jobs' heirs say the actual cost was €105m"
That's an impressive underspend for a mega-yacht project!
To be honest, I rather suspect their bookkeeper is mildly dyslexic...
Saturday 22nd December 2012 11:26 GMT
Re: I should start designing boats instead of commenting on El Reg...
From the look of that boat you don't even need to be any good at it.
I think "it floats" is enough. Personally, I'm glad this thing will possibly never see another harbour. For someone who has put together very impressive designs, this tub looks like he was compensating for that. Ugh.
'Instagram, you were my favourite app and you stabbed me in the back'
Saturday 22nd December 2012 11:12 GMT
Re: "Legal documents are easy to misinterpret."
There is a basic rule to contracts, which also explains why they are wilfully complex and boring:
The first part gives, the last part takes it away (and then some). Also known as "the devil hides in the small print".
There is one variant which is worse (and I'm impressed companies get away with it), the "implied acceptance" clause of a site's T&Cs which means they simply have to change them to own your house and daughter, because it's up to you to check if they have changed anything.
TSA agrees to review of perv scanner radiation risks
Facebook tests feature to let strangers pay to message you
Japanese firm lifts lid on Android-controlled toilet
Naked Scarlett Johansson pic snatch bloke gets 10 YEARS
Wednesday 19th December 2012 14:45 GMT
Re: A ridiculous quote
Umm - if you think it's right to punish people for being stupid you really need to get your worldview adjusted.
To me, you only beat people over the head when they should know better, it's wrong to punish a cleaner for not being a rocket scientist.
It's a shame it's not listed as a Human Right, but I think we are all entitled to make the odd, possibly stupid mistake, and we should allow for others to do that. Otherwise, let a fault-free idiot throw the first stone - and thus declare himself a liar..
New Forum Wishlist - but read roadmap first
Tuesday 18th December 2012 17:59 GMT
Re: SIlly idea
My inner proofreader has died a long time ago, tortured to death by auto-correct and every other "auto-screwup" that now infests word processing kit, and that trains misspelled words into your muscle memory.
That's where the "teh" problem comes from..
BTW, in that context, thanks for the "edit" button. There are still some auto-correct gremlins infecting OSX that I haven't managed to kill off (the OS has it, the browser has it - it's a game of whack-a-mole to kill it all) so I get last minute "corrections" thrown at me which aren't. With edit mode I can at least try to clean it after the evil deed of posting :).
Tuesday 18th December 2012 17:53 GMT
Re: Proposal to settle brand w*nkers..
But then you'd miss some absolute gems! Plenty of entertainment tucked in some of the fanboi ravings......
Maybe that is what triggered my reaction - there is a declining quality there. I agree that some people would put some effort into those replies, and did so with impressive humour . However, it has descended into bickering of a level that even my 14 year old wouldn't lower himself to, and he's shown some real talent in that direction.
So, quality. Oh well. Maybe it'll just blow over. Or I'm getting old and cranky, but I can fix at least one of those conditions with a beer :).
Morgan Stanley cops $5m fine over Facebook IPOcalypse
Polar drilling effort hits snag: Boffins' search for life put on ice
N. Joseph Woodland, inventor of the barcode, dies at 91
Sunday 16th December 2012 11:33 GMT
Re: I think you'll find circular barcodes are used by some courier companies
I've been repeating elements of payment slips and invoices such as numbers, client reference number and totals as barcodes since the 90s. It speeds up reading in return slips and payment matching, also because it eliminates typos. The nice thing is that you can do this with no or minimal changes to almost any existing software (all that sees is a keyboard entry). I've looked at using OCR-B fonts as well, but that immediately demands a more sophisticated reader.
A little bit of thinking ahead during the design phase goes a long way..
Won't follow Apple Store rules? How 'bout an iTASER TREAT!
Saturday 15th December 2012 17:03 GMT
Re: Routine US Police Occurrence
Normally I'd say you are being a bit melodramatic, but you actually (accidentally, probably) hit on a valid delineation that's used for police weapons.
Nope, not by accident. Thanks for the characterisation - I love it when I've managed to lead someone to the wrong assumptions :).
To summarise my opinion:
(1) good idea to add a stage before the use of lethal force
(2) bad idea to sell it as harmless. "Non-lethal", yes, but FAR too easy to abuse. Hence me deliberately calling it a whip - that carries enough emotional baggage to make people realise the difference between use and abuse. So, the naming is deliberately melodramatic..
Saturday 15th December 2012 08:31 GMT
Re: Routine US Police Occurrence
As I posted above, we need to change the view people and law enforcement have of tasers. Anyone who uses tasers regularly should be given a whip instead, because that's the non-battery using equivalent, only that one leaves marks. But that would at least make abuse easier to classify. Those things are used FAR too often, and they are not non-harmful, only (usually) non-lethal.
Saturday 15th December 2012 08:27 GMT
Re: Frankly, my dear...
Whilst I think the idea of non-lethal weapons is a good one
Actually it isn't (IMHO). A taser is the equivalent of a whip. It hurst like hell and your muscles won't work for a while, but because it leaves no marks it encourages abuse. Law enforcement using tasers on anyone but people about to go violent is in my opinion the equivalent of a wife beater who never hits the face because that would be visible.
If an officer is incapable of restraining a slim and fragile individual without such excessive use of punishment (let's call it by its proper name) than that officer should be retrained or taken off any duties that involve interacting with public.
Police use 24/7 power grid recordings to spot doctored audio
Saturday 15th December 2012 16:51 GMT
Re: Who holds the reference data?
I give that possibly one, maybe two appearances in court before some enterprising hack creates a website where you can download patterns from all over the world.
Having said that, I lack facts here. Until I see a scientific paper that explains how it works this has about as much value to me as the use of an IP address to prove identity. That only works if you have really expensive lawyers, and even then it's dicey.
Polish man mistakes hot iron for mobe
iPad mini to outsell iPad, get Retina Display? iPad to slenderize?
Saturday 15th December 2012 08:05 GMT
Re: 1894
I think that's 1984 for people suffering lysdexia (have it slightly myself, hence being a huge fan of Open Dyslexia). And for the humour impaired, yes, I know I misspelt dyslexia..
Biting the hand that feeds IT
