* Posts by John Smith 19

16326 publicly visible posts • joined 10 Jun 2009

PICS: Nokia Lumia 930 – We reveal its ONE unique selling point

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Unhappy

"buggy and crufty Windows Phone 8.1 "

Excuse me but then it says "on sale in the US for eight months (marketed as a Verizon exclusive "

TBH what this review seems to be saying is OK hardware, shame about the OS.

So get the phone, dump the OS and you've got quite a decent package?

Programming languages in economics: Cool research, bro, but what about, er, economics?

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Unhappy

Taking the paper slightly seriously for a minute.

If only matters how fast the model executes if it's a) Very big or b)Has to run very often.

The C++ model runs <1sec so the worst cases at about 700x slower run in about 12 mins. IOW. So what?

Now if you're hacking about and trying to figure out what the model should be in the first place (IE It's actual structure, not what the parameter values should be, that can be handled through hacking a parameters file and triggering a reload) then you want to be able to add and subtract elements to it at will. So on that basis maybe something more interpreted is better.

I thought "R" is meant to be quite popular among statisticians (surely one of the heaviest crunching groups of mathematics) yet it's desperately slow to execute.

Hell if you're talking arrays you might as well talk APL. BTW there are 2 IDL's The Interface Definition Language used in large scale web system design and the proprietary data mashing language which I'm only aware of due to the HARRYREADME files at E.Anglia U.

Seems like something that should have died decades ago.

John Smith 19 Gold badge
IT Angle

Re: If this was such a dull & almost-pointless paper ...

". why didn't you choose to write about an interesting one instead? I "

This was the only one he could find with both economics and programming?

John Smith 19 Gold badge
FAIL

"Premature optimization is the root of most evil."

So economists are obsessed with program efficiency?

So much of their thinking becomes clearer.

British cops cuff 660 suspected paedophiles

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Unhappy

Re: @Ross K - for some definition of paedophile...

"God, I wish The Register had some kind of ignore list so I didn't have to come across you again - it's getting kind of tedious."

It does, but I reserve mine for stupid people, not people I disagree with. So far only one poster has managed to consistently post drivel so stupid that ignoring them means I know I'm missing nothing of any interest.

The fact you would use if to ignore anyone's PoV you disagreed with suggests an inability to deal with any other PoV but your own. Not a healthy situation in a modern urban society.

I've found Graham's comments to be quite thoughtful and sensible.

Yours OTOH come across as unbalanced and excessive. The group of people I've seen with those reactions (who'd I'd say are entitled to them) are those who've actually been abused.

Everyone's entitled to their PoV but if that's an experience you've had then let's abandon any pretense your view point is objective, shall we? For you it will never be.

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Childcatcher

Re: for some definition of paedophile...

"Throw the book at child molesters and abusers, but looking at pictures being a crime is a step too far."

Err..

You are aware that in the UK looking at cartoons of underage figures that are a)Cartoons and b)Not human is already a criminal offense.

You weren't.

Well ignorance of the law is no defense.

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Unhappy

Re: See ...

"Am I the only one who wonders about the coincidence of timing:

* government rushes through act for preservation of snooping powers. Ministers cite dangers to this country from terrorism and paedophiles."

Indeed an astonishing coordinated campagn.

Proving the "need" for such spying.

Hey Microsoft: You want to keep hardware partners onside? Stick to software

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Unhappy

Easy come, easy go

You just do the CEO interview and he's out the door.

Own a Cisco modem or wireless gateway? It might be owned by someone else, too

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Black Helicopters

Failure

Or feature.

Depending on who installed it and on whose orders (if any).

NAO slaps down Cabinet Office gov-IT savings claims AGAIN

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Unhappy

91 whole £m.

I am impressed.

How much of this was by simply stopping dumb ass projects from going ahead in the first place I wonder?

YES: Scotland declares independence ... from the dot co dot uk empire

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Happy

Re: Now how about a .wales, .northernireland and .england as well?

"Are you expecting some people to be voting early and voting often?"

Who can say?

While I'm aware Northern Ireland is the formal name of the place I think you'll find Ulster is the one the locals will prefer.

Although I think they'll continue to say "no" for the time being.

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Coat

Now for the die hard Nats can they also have "Scotia" as well?

Just kidding.

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Happy

Now how about a .wales, .ulster and .england as well?

Fair exchange.

Currently Scottish polls are showing 58% against independence and 47% for, but Sean Connery and Allan Cummins are still solidly in favor.

Native Americans KILLED AND ATE DUMBO, say archaeologists

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Coat

This is why it is vital to resurrect such old species, otherwise...

How will we know what they tasted like?

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Unhappy

Re: Lovable Gomphothere

"I take exception to the 'lovable' descriptor though. Humans are terrible at assessing behavior based on looks. Just look at copperhead snakes and whistle pigs. 'Everybody' is scared of the mildly poisonous snake and thinks the whistle pig is cute. That's just stupid. The snake is slow, not really dangerous and wants nothing to do with you. The whistle pig on the other hand wants to tear your face off, is capable of doing so and will lay traps to disable the unwary by breaking their legs to prevent escape while their young feast on your dying, but not yet dead, body. They can also kill a dog almost instantly, but generally have no malice toward other quadrupeds."

This fellow?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groundhog

OTOH Hippos are one of the biggest killers of people in Africa.

There tendency to stay in water means they can mount as effective an ambush as a crocodile and those jaws are powerful, while the lack of a big horn up front leads the clueless to think they are harmless.

They aren't

Can nothing trip up the runaway cash monster that is Intel? Well...

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Unhappy

" we believe that over time we can make [mobility] a profitable business,"

As soon as we've got our pals Microsoft to drop all ARM support.

FTFY.

They won't do SOC's the way mobile mfgs want them and they damm sure won't price them the way mobile mfg's know they can be priced.

Will GCHQ furtle this El Reg readers' poll? Team Snowden suggests: Yes

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Unhappy

Re: You can't have democracy...

"As far as the current government, all you need to know about it, is its choice of PR advisor after coming to power: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Coulson"

But cynicism is the easiest political position to hold.

Change is much harder.

Can it be true? That I hold here, in my mortal hand, a nugget of PUREST ... BLACK?

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Thumb Up

Actually probably going to be used to help *see* other objects.

By lowering the amount of reflected light inside the barrel of telescopes it will lower the error signal hitting the sensor from off axis light sources

By the name I wonder if they are neighbours of SSTL, who've built quite a few space based small telescopes.

D-Wave to bust 1,000-qubit barrier with new quantum compute device

John Smith 19 Gold badge
WTF?

Re: After the Gruppenpest, invasion of the Monoidal Categories!

Icon says it all I think

Diary note: Pluto's close-up is a year from … now!

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Unhappy

Re: Question

"Is it bandwidth-related? "

Yes. low power x narrow bandwidth --> long download time.(even with some lossless compression)

This is a fly by mission. NASA get's 1 shot at this data. It's several Gb at (IIRC) 1200bps.

And the dump from the Kuiper belt will be slower.

Get an EYEFUL OF CURRY for the sake of your brain

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Unhappy

2nd test I've seen for Alheizheimers in a week.

There are roughly a 100 different types of dementia so I'd wonder if this only picks up Alheizheimers or others (that includes alcohol dementia BTW).

BT: Whew, we've been cleared of major privacy breach. Oh SNAP, another webmail blunder

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Unhappy

So link all your BT services together and when their security is f**ked it all goes togther

How many people have the same ISP and email supplier?

UK Parliament rubber-stamps EMERGENCY data grab 'n' keep bill

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Unhappy

""We cannot reject this legislation; it would be wrong to do so.""

Indeed.

Given how much of it came in under Labour.

ISPs 'blindsided' by UK.gov's 'emergency' data retention and investigation powers law

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Gimp

"Clegg has promised a "poison pill" clause that will repeal the legislation at the end of 2016"

Not quite. The clause should be in this Bill. There is such a clause in THE PATRIOT Act for some sections as well.

And when it came time the Con-gress voted for another extension.

Like most of these bills the actual list of stuff that can be slurped is hidden in an appendix or "schedule."

Like the Dark Lords fondness for "Statutory Instruments" this is another handy thin end of the wedge tool for authoritarian governments. Get the basics in first and extend at your leisure.

I doubt the list of items being slurped has ever been reduced.

Rockall pod-dweller Hancock beats solo occupation record

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Happy

"40 days and 40 nights"

I feel a Michael Jackson song coming on.

Joking apart it is a great tale of courage and fortitude.

May: UK data slurp law is fine, but I still need EMERGENCY powers

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Gimp

"wanted to put the UK's position "beyond doubt."

And by that she means the civil servants that tell her what her position is.

"We want it all, 24/7 forever."

Murdoch calls for ISPs to be liable for users' activities

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Unhappy

Is this the owner of the London Times and FT? When you wonder what Rupe's bottom line is

Just look for the bottom line.

The final score: Gramophones 1 – Glassholes 0

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Unhappy

Re: title is too long

"Sadly, iTunes eventually got me to do what it wants."

It's a supplier driven world.

And not just for companies.

Exploit emerges for LZO algo hole

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Black Helicopters

"Discovered in June"

Of what year?

By whom?

UK's emergency data slurp: IT giants panicked over 'legal uncertainty'

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Gimp

So retain *everything* for *everyone* on an ISP for 12 months on 1 warrant

A 9 page document that took 3 months to draft.

I suggest anyone in the UK who can contacts their MP and makes their view known.

No. This does is not an emergency.

The only "threat" is to the Government as Liberty is going to court to see if the GCHQ intercepts are illegal.

The usual fear and panic merchants are out spreading the usual fear and panic.

"Blah blah.. Paedo terrorists are grooming your children..blah blah..mountains of drugs..blah blah.."

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Unhappy

Re: Hasty ??

"No type of 'emergency' legislation should ever become part of any (democratic) country's legal structure. If there's a state of permanent emergency that means the government, any government, has failed, completely and utterly. They are obviously incapable of 'leading' a country using the tools and resources already in place."

And yet that's exactly what happened with THE PATRIOT Act.

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Gimp

Let's see if they do retire it in 2016.

May thought this one up herself?

Surely you jest?

Dead letter office: ancient smallpox sample turns up in old US lab

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Unhappy

"Fair enough."

Just to be clear

I normally aim to avoid employment where the phrase "Work is a great place to go to die" applies.

Be very careful what you sign up for.

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Unhappy

"I salute your faith in mankind sir. Perhaps I've been too long around the wrong sort, but the only reason I can think of that the average lab worker would voluntarily stay with this and wait is so they can maximize the damage claims in the enormous lawsuit they're about to file. I like your thought much better though."

Actually something like that happened at Los Alamos in an experiment they called "twisting the dragons tail."

The instructors fingers slipped and the 2 sub critical parts came together. He pulled the parts apart with his bare hands.

AFAIK all the other people in the room survived. His death provided the one of the calibrations for radiation exposure.

I'm not sure if he'd deduced that if it went critical there was nowhere to run or if he wanted to just get the two pieces apart and was not thinking that far ahead.

People under pressure can do the most extraordinary things.

Everyone's behavior is predicable (to a certain degree) until they stop being predictable.

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Unhappy

Actually more like part of the scenarios to "Quantico"

And not in a good way.

The 50's and 60's were a different time in H&S terms.

Cosmic dust riddle breakthrough: Study tackles stuff of the universe

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Thumb Up

Neat

Thumbs up for taking a new look at something I'm sure a lot of people have looked at and thought a)I wonder why that happens (and thought no more about it) or b)They probably worked this out years ago (but I don't know where to find the answer).

Now there is an answer (well perhaps the start of a fuller explanation?)

IBM's $3bn bet on next-gen computers: Carbon nanotubes, neuro chips

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Holmes

"as we see it is coming to a point where a lot of new innovation is needed"

Handy hint.

When you can measure gate widths in the number of atoms across that gate as no more than a 3 digit number the end is approaching.

If you're talking about density of data your options are pretty limited.

Shrink the gate width.

Well that's already happening.

Shrink the thickness of the chip (and lay several of them on top of each other)

Starting to happen but that IMHO can go much further. But if you think the heat output of current processors is fierce that's just getting started.

"Quantum" computing (how many definitions of this are there?). If 1 atom can have many quantum states then it's carrying out the functions of hardware made up of many more atoms. Can the number of Q states the atom can take up (and therefor "replace" other atoms in a more normal structure by doing so) make up for the huge number of atoms needed in all the peripheral gubbins needed to read and write it? Can you come up with I/O devices made up of just a few atoms themselves?

And of course there's my personal favorite in the tinfoil hat SEL stakes "engineering" the energy level transitions of individual atoms.

No I don't know what that means, but it sounds cool as f**k.

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Joke

Re: how about this for a solution?

"Seems "easier" making chips asynchronous, and avoiding the problems of global clock distribution entirely."

Heresy.

Clockless logic is the work of the Devil and threatens profits. How could Intel expect to make those kind of bonuses when all chips run at their fastest?

Burn the unbeliever.

Dammit, Foxconn: Where's our 1 MILLION-strong robot ARMY?

John Smith 19 Gold badge
FAIL

Frankly not very impressive robots

At least from what I've heard.

Assemble a watch not tricky enough for you?

The Swiss worked out selective compliance SCARA robots about 30 years ago.

When each one needed a PDP 11 to run it.

Unimpressed.

Snowden leaks latest: NSA, FBI g-men spied on Muslim-American chiefs

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Unhappy

Oh did you think there was some kind of "due process" involved.

This is National Security we're talking about here.

What's that? The Bureau of Stats has an API and nobody TOLD you?

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Go

Intriguing.

I'm not sure what to make of this but I think someone will come up with something.

Tracking the rate of National Broadband Network in real time perhaps?

Dear Windows Journal, today I got owned: 29 security bugs swatted

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Meh

"Memory corruption error."f

You mean something that is not a buffer overflow of some description?

How novel.

NSA dragnet mostly slurped innocents' traffic

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Unhappy

Re: And for every false positive ...

"the chances of a false negative *increase*. Not only are these asshats breaking the law, and pissing all over our privacy. They're also making themselves *less* likely to be able to protect us."

I like the phrase (not my own) that roughly goes "Looking for terrorists is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Undirected data slurping now gives you a field of haystacks to search."

IRL of course analogy is a bit dumb as you'd use a metal detector, but what if you're looking for a piece of dyed hay in those haystacks?

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Gimp

Re: A small fly in the ointment

"Today I'm just a tax paying grunt worker whose data would be irrelevant. Tomorrow I might bump into the PMs wife in Waitrose and start slipping her a length while Dave is out at PMQs. So tomorrow, all my data may be relevant."

The creed of every data fetishist in a nut(case)shell.

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Happy

Re: @Matt Bryant

"Either you are an outstanding genius, or unemployed. Most certainly under employed, anyone who is willing to take the time to post so many times as yourself (unpaid as well) combined with being an expert on so much and still hold down a full time job.."

Indeed.

Lightning fast typist? Really good voice recognition system? Fake ID for a group? Trollbot?

I just can't decide.

Printed diode can slurp power from phone signals

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Thumb Up

Clever boffinery but more to the point

This suggests (and I'll put it no higher than that at present) they could print transistors operating in the GHz range.

IIRC the record for printed transistors has been about 14MHz.

Which might explain why those plans for a printable mobile phone had to be put on hold.

Thumbs up for this.

It's alive! Space hackers fire up zombie Sun probe's engines

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Happy

There is also the phrase from Apollo 13

"You sir are a steely eyed missile man."

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Thumb Up

Re: Obligatory xkcd link

"http://xkcd.com/1337/"

Wow. I did not know anyone else saw that movie.

Boeing to start work on most powerful rocket ... EVER!

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Unhappy

"Sadly true. Look at the fiasco that the F35 Lightning II is turning into."

It's only a fiasco if the US actually has to attack somebody who could pose a serious aerial combat threat, which is no one at this point.

Otherwise the arms business can keep doing what it does until the US taxpayer has coughed up enough cash for their profits to justify making a few of them that work.

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Unhappy

Re: Never launch

"No chance this ever sees flight."

It will.

The Con-gress can't have another $10-15Bn handout to NASA p**sed away as CxP did with one Ares 1x launch of basically half a rocket.