* Posts by John Smith 19

16327 publicly visible posts • joined 10 Jun 2009

NSA: We COULD track you by your phone ... if we WANTED to

John Smith 19 Gold badge
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Re: Saying _we_ don't track you doesn't mean you aren't tracked

"hey don't need to track the phones. They can simply order the carriers to do it on their behalf."

You're beginning to speak fluent civil servant.

Thumbs up for your mastery of the language.

New material enables 1,000-meter super-skyscrapers

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Boffin

A note on elevator safety

In the early 30's the cables went on a lift car in the Empire State Building.

63 floors straight down.

With 1 man on board.

He broke both his legs and probably never got in a lift again but otherwise was completely unharmed.

Those springs at the bottom of the shaft really do work.

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Joke

Re: What about Tokyo Skytree?

" "There are currently only three elevator-equipped structures in the world that top 500 meters""

See that's what happens when you use Wikipedia for research.

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Unhappy

Re: just to troll

"Skyscrapers hell where is my space elevator? We need cables 100's km long not a thousand meters."

No, sorry, not even close.

Proponents of space elevators seem rather coy about the numbers needed for the material because the current SoA is so far below what's needed, although (slowly) they are climbing, no pun intended.

IIRC the standard unit of rope capability for a space elevator is called a "Uri."

'Smart ring' revealed by upstart Chinese mobe-maker

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Joke

But Geak will maintain a "master ring"

One ring to rule them all.

Global tax data exchange plan floated to recoup cash

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Meh

Remeber the difference between "avoidance" and "evasion"

About 5 years for individuals who are caught.

Let me suggest this should is limited to companies

Jeff Bezos did not make £13Bn.

Amazon did.

Fifty, fired and fretful: Three chaps stare down CAREER MORTALITY

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Unhappy

"Give us 15 yrs experience but only cost like someone with 1 year."

It's human nature to want a bargain.

But I really wonder how delusional managers are about this?

Then they b**ch about "Oh we can't find the skills."

It's like some moron who plays with a working chainsaw then wonders why they are falling over.

Badger bloodbath brouhaha brings 'bodge' bumpkin bank burgle bluster

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Happy

"Forget the hacking issue: some of us want to know what is going to happen to all the culled Badgers!

I checked over on the "River Cottage" website and there are no Badger recipes - yet.

[I'd suggest Pâté as suitable for one's first exploratrions of the realm of Badger-cuisine]."

Yeah. This is the important question

What's brock pie taste like? Gamier than cat? Milder than rabbit?

I worked in a Japanese office. The only question about a 4 legged animal is breakfast, lunch or dinner?

John Smith 19 Gold badge
IT Angle

I thought NFU ran their systems on a mainframe running a non standard 4GL

Not quite the usual skillset of the average badger tree hugger.*

*Hug a badger. If you're hard enough.

SCO vs. IBM battle resumes over ownership of Unix

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Happy

Re: I wonder if you could start a kicksterter project

"WHY SO UNSERIOUS?"

Well you can't be too careful with American lawyers.

I would not want to be accused of inciting murder for hire now, would I?

Although you do have to wonder if something were to happen to them who would care?

And as for the suspect pool, that would be in the millions of individuals, not to mention several large corporations.

I can't help recall that line in Enemy of the State "We pay 100s of 1000s of $ to scumbag lawyers like you because of scumbag lawyers like you."

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Facepalm

AC@11:40

"Enterprising lawyers could create a lawyer-version of kickstarter: "Sue4Ca$h.com" - f.ex. A site where people cast money into the pit to sue anyone they think should be sued and perhaps share the potential profit. It could work except the lawyers would inevitably find a way to appropriate all the money."

Oh sweet $deity NO.

Did you have to give them ideas.

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Joke

I wonder if you could start a kicksterter project

To hire a hitman to take all of this scum out.

I am of course joking.

NSA whistleblower to tech firms, Obama: 'Grow a pair!'

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Unhappy

"Being called a traitor by Dick Cheney is the highest honor you can give an American,"

Damm right.

Being given a "loyalty" lecture from the man who arranged through a subordinate who went on to work for the company (because to do it himself would be a "conflict of interest.") the mult $Bn contract to deal with Iraq to his old company (as sole source and in large part cost plus).

The estimated "missing" funds from Iraq is > $13T, that's a 1 and 12 noughts.

Cheyney may not be the biggest (alleged) crook in American political history.

But he's the biggest (alleged) crook I'm aware of.

When to say those three little words: 'I am quitting'

John Smith 19 Gold badge
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Re: Counter offers are career suicide

"The professional will quietly schedule a 10 day vacation for "family matters" and the day before leaving sit down with your manager to give 2 weeks notice. Clearly inform them that it is time for a change, thank them for the opportunity to be their employee, wish them well and leave. Do it just like they would do to you. 4:30pm on a Friday. Schedule the meeting with your boss to discuss open issues in Outlook the day before just to make sure its on his calendar and he will be in the office. No shouting, no yelling. No cursing or threats. Its time to go. Go."

Nice. It's no better than most bosses deserve, and if they don't deserve it (there must be a few who don't) you'll stay in touch with them.

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Unhappy

Re: The only way to get a pay rise...

"I hate the way some bosses only offer more money AFTER you put your notice in."

Actually I got a rise and a session working from home out of the confirmation letter I showed my boss and my usual rule is if I hand in a resignation I'm gone.

The key part was that my manager agreed to allow home working.

His boss proved more difficult to deal with, being what we in the trade call a c**t.

Still got the rise but took a lot longer to get the home working worked out.

I regret not spiking his coffee with Ritalin. I think it would have really taken the edge off his ADHD.

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Meh

Just remeber the definition of "agent"

"One who does not take ownership of goods."

You may think they work for the employer.

The employer may think they work for him.

The work for themselves

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Boffin

Re: My opinion......This author comes off as a spoiled teenager, because its everyone elses fault.

" I don't see any real focus on on what the employee can do to add value to the company and thus solidify their position with the company."

I call "House" on this round of BS bingo.

" No smart businessman dumps an asset that continually brings value to the company.""

Wrong. Internal IT departments are not viewed as "assets" but as cost centres,

If it's a software house I'd refer you to "The Good Wife" S4/Ep21 for a view on how they view their meat devs.

"The first reality everyone needs to understand.....Every company exists NOT for their employees, but because there is a market for their services/products. Businesses are only ongoing entities as long as they are profitable and competitive. "

Wrong again. The only mandate a business has is to make a return for its investors. There is no market for SCO or other patent trolls yet (like cockroaches, but without the fringe benefits of their existence) they exist.

"Employees are hired to add value to the company and any employee that adds value, will grow/advance with the company. "

And has this happened to you? Have you been rewarded for it? Because if you haven't you've just been "stroked" by your management. Responsibility without authority is BS. Responsibility with authority without remuneration is also BS.

"You have to love what you do and where you work. "

You should but IRL that's rare. The ideal employee from (certain) management perspectives is remarkably like the "focused" characters in Vernor Vinges "A Deepness in the Sky."

When a CEO (who in the FTSE 100 collects on average > 100x the salary of their employees. I think the figure is somewhat higher in the US) says that wanting to be able to afford a nice place to live and a decent standard of living for my family without working an 80 hour week is "disloyalty" you know the phrase "We're all in this together" is complete b***cks.

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Coat

Re: Its possible to quit anytime- IF....

"....You're debt free. No credit card debt. no student loans, no car loans, no mortgage (debt = slavery)...

........You're talented. Talent equals natural ability times work put in. So in theory anyone can have talent....

.............You've no family, wife or kids ... Its still possible, but its more difficult..."

"So you never wanted a regular type life?"

"This regular type life, is that your life?"

Mine's the one with a copy of "Heat" on DVD in the pocket.

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Thumb Up

He's smart, knows his subject and is not shy about telling you he does.

Which I suspect makes him about as easy for you to deal with as some of you are to deal with by your respective managements.

You would, perhaps prefer a "smoother," more self effacing presentation? More British self deprecation?

Guess what, so would your management.

But you tell it like it is and your PHB starts blubbing ("Why is the nasty man being so horrid to me?")

So if you agree with what he says, but don't like how he says it, perhaps you might ask yourself if your way is any better?

On the whole I rather like his approach.

Nearly-transparent screen adds solar charge to phones

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Happy

Or in French. P'quoi?

Regardez vous mai visage.

Bothered, moi?

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Happy

License it to Apple and their fortune is made.

The perfect posing tech for the perfect possers phone.

Because who doesn't like to sip coffee in a pavement cafe in the south of France?

And for the rest of us?

NSA PRISM snoop-gate: Won't someone think of the children, wails Apple

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Happy

Re: And I say

"looks like someone forgot to put on their sense of humour this morning!"

Quite so. 3 people's in fact.

I was one of those people who upvoted it.

Actually I was mocking the corporations that played that card.

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Meh

Re: And I say

"Down with those Alzheimer's terrorists! Those who have nothing to hide, have... what... I forgot..."

That's very insensitive and disrespectful to a particularly vulnerable group of society.

Amusing, certainly, but insensitive.

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Unhappy

Re: I am not a terrorist

You are however an idiot.

I'll let the other posters explain why.

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Childcatcher

Re: Really?

"Apple is going with "Won't somebody think of the children?"."

Yup.

Hey, their customers bought the iWhatever off them. It was 2x or 3x more expensive than an equivalent device to do the same thing.

Why shouldn't they swallow that line?

Don't wait to check your parachute until you're out of the plane

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Unhappy

Sounds like good advice.

IRL how many follow it?

Or even think they should follow it?

BBC's Digital Moneypit Initiative known to be 'pile of dung' for years

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Meh

Re: Top & tail

"That automation will usually include some time before and after the program to ensure the top and tail aren't crunched. The BBC storage is therefore a constant size since material is kept for a week in its entirety, unless a programme stream wants to put it on its own podcast. The heavy lifting is done by external internet delivery systems."

I'm guessing the whole programme stream is assembled from lots of different sources (all the pre-recorded standard bits + actual programme itself) under computer control through a very detailed computerized schedule. Does the meta data for the schedule contain the actual start time for the program?

IOW, any chance of an upgrade to the back end production SW that snips off all the irritating crap?

US Supremes: Human genes can't be patented

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Unhappy

Re: Hmmm

" but I know that's a re-coding of the original DNA with some bits deleted. So it surely ought to be as un-patentable as the original human gene."

I think you're presuming that working out which bits to delete is obvious.

While molecular biology sort of looks like computer programming verifying what is and is not doing something within the gene is not obvious.

There is no DNA version of GDB.

John Smith 19 Gold badge
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Michael Crighton's last hurrah? For those of you who have not read "Next"

Part of the theme of the novel is if a corporation owns the patent on a gene a researcher found in your body do they pay you for it?

Or do they (in effect) own you?

The answer (now) is they don't.

Thumbs up for a unanimous and sensible verdict.

Confidence in US Congress sinks to lowest level ever recorded

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Unhappy

Might I suggest that "Approval" does not *necessarily* mean agreement?

The US people approve of people who are committed enough to their country to defend it.

That does not necessarily mean they agree who it's being used to defend the country from

Of course there is that little exchange in "Watchmen"

"We're the last line of defense"

"Who from?"

"Themselves."

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Unhappy

Re: So much needs changing but the ones that can change it...won't.

"Basically you do the job for the love of your country and to make it better."

A noble and beautiful idea.

Lets go back to the 19th century, when only the hereditary rich could afford to take up an MP ship.

You do realize that in the US (which this story is about) virtually all Senators and Congressmen are millionaires (or in some cases billionaires)?

John Smith 19 Gold badge

Re: History repeats

"With the military at 70+% approval ratings, in a country consciously modeled on the Roman Republic (thanks Thomas Jefferson!), what would happen in the U.S. if a general or admiral stood up and said "Like you, I'm tired of endless crisis, what this country needs is leadership, let me move us forward together?" Particularly with the backing of the trustworthy military?"

Never seen Seven Days in May?

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Meh

Re: Binary human

"It seems the end point of a mature democracy when there is no charismatic savior type figure running is a close to 50/50 split of political philosophy even if much of it is of the bumper sticker variety. One doesn't need even an intro course in physics to know that when two opposing forces are equal or close to equal, there is very little movement. When no one gets what they want it is easy to point to the other side as being obstructionist."

Interesting theory.

So how do you explain the British result of a coalition under a first-past-the-post system?

Or are you talking solely about the American experience?

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Meh

USians. Might I suggest....

Robert Heinlein's only non fiction work Take back your government

Forget about the big picture. If you can win in one district or state you start to show an alternative.

The trick is if you do to make the work of the candidate you got elected effective once they get there.

Surprise! Intel smartphone trounces ARM in power trials

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Meh

Intels problem is they are used to living on processor pricing for Server/desktop

So how do you sell an instruction set compatible processor (because that's the core feature people buy Intel for) at 1/10 (or less) than what you pay for a desktop/laptop/server processor without people feeling they are being ripped off?

As a designer you with an Intel processor you cannot.

a) Change foundries. Don't like the shipping delays for your order? SFW.

b) Insert other chips into their processor carrier. Get your own.

c) Add ASIC functions to their silicon. You are joking.

So you pay for more board space, more devices, more assembly and test costs.

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Meh

"secret" benchmark *proves* Intel is superior.

I don't think so.

Exact screen sizes make a difference for a start, backlight brightness as well (and wheather it auto adjusts).

And it's a good point about amps. AFAIK all mobile batteries are proprietary to their phones. So the mfg can set the voltage to whatever they like.

So 1/2 the amps at 2x the voltage = same power level.

Not really a level playing field, is it?

Not just telcos, THOUSANDS of companies share data with US spies

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Unhappy

"given documents granting him or her immunity from all civil prosecutions.. information sharing."

So is is illegal if it was anyone else who they were sharing the data with.

And remember FISA makes a bigshow of demonstrating that it's only foreigners who are to be spied on?

REVEALED: The gizmo leaker Snowden used to smuggle out NSA files

John Smith 19 Gold badge
WTF?

"“Systems administrators.." "..low level, typically have the highest access to systems and data,"

Manage the data sure.

Read the data. Why?

And thumb drives? I thought the NSA had a "Body cavity searches will continue to be conducted at random until further notice" policy.

Facebook turns on frigid Swedish ice-maidens in new data centre

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Unhappy

Re: it's turtles, all the way down ..

I think the take away from this is

Simply everybody's doing cocaine. *

*With apologies to Murray Lachlan Young.

Boffins read memory bits with light

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Boffin

Re: Long term reliability problems?

Depends on the clock frequency.

1Mhz That' 100 million seconds or about 3 yrs continuous operation.

1Ghz (reasonably high performance phone) 100 000 secs a bit over 1 day.

Of course if you run slow and switch in between the game changes totally.

Thanks, NSA: Amazon sales of Orwell's 1984 rise 9,500%

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Happy

Re: Next we find out that the NSA recently bought all rights to "1984"

"Cunning bastards are running a false flag operation to jack up their return on investment!!"

Posted like a true "Marketing Hack."

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Unhappy

Re: Apathy tends to rule these days...

"He seemed to be resigned to the fact that "we know it has been happening for years anyway, and I've got nothing to hide"."

Apathy is the great friend of all authoritarian groups, whatever "political" view they spout.

" and I've got nothing to hide". "

Funny how people say that until you ask them to give you their bank account # & PIN, social security or NI # etc.

And of the kicker

Until The State decides you do.

And if they are not smart enough to realize that they are pretty dumb.

BBC lied to Parliament about doomed £100m IT monster, thunder MPs

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Unhappy

Do you want all your broadcasting created and deliverd by Messrs R Murdoch & R Branson?

That does not sound much fun to me.

Patch Tuesday: And EVERY version of IE needs fixing AGAIN

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Meh

I thought some of those versions were *complete* re-writes from the ground up.

So either a) A faulty software design was re-implemented and perpetuated the vulnerability.

b) Some coder did a copy and paste job on development.

But b could never happen. Do we not have the word of the Turkey Dancer himself on the matter?

What did the Lehman Brothers implosion look like to a techie?

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Happy

A thought on proof reading.

How about you feed the article to some kind of text to speech program and see how it sounds. Human's seem pretty good at visual error correction but aural glitches seem to stand out more.

Shorting the stock of the company you're contracted to. Have to remember that one.

KEEP CALM and Carry On: PRISM itself is not a big deal

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Big Brother

"It's all legal."

So was the Enabling Act.

What it enabled, less so.

We're losing the battle with a government seduced by surveillance

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Unhappy

People were quoting Franklin in their signatures post 9/7, but how about Edmund Burke

"For evil to triumph it is only necessary that good men do nothing"

Anyone remember that?

I've found that once you've convinced people they are powerless, and any effort they make is pointless and they should not even try, that you can make them do anything you like.

So when someone tells you "Nothings going to change, give up, this is the way it is" take a close look at why they say this and what their agenda is.

Because they damm sure have one.

US chief spook: Look, we only want to spy on 6.66 billion of you

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Big Brother

"..only give agents access to their data when "lawfully required to do so""

Those of you familiar with the series "Yes Minister" will recognize that he's not said when that is.

The answer is "all the time."

Remember Americans they only spying on every one else to make you feel safer

You do feel safer, don't you?

Author Iain (M) Banks falls to cancer at 59

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Unhappy

Did not see this one coming

But then I guess neither did he.

<sigh>

NSA Prism: Why I'm boycotting US cloud tech - and you should too

John Smith 19 Gold badge
Happy

Re: Don Jefe Canadians are viewed by the world as timid and weak?

"IIRC, those "meek" Canadians are the only country to have invaded the US and burnt the White House to the ground (in 1814, with a little help from the even more "meek" British)!"

Yes. But "Red Dawn" would not have been much fun if the invaders were from Canada, would it?