Posts by JaitcH

Dictionaries: A history of langages

Whilst new technology might be needed to handle the volume of data, dictionaries are special. They are a historical record.

Another benefit of paper is their survivability. How many dictators, including Hitler and MAO Tse-Tung, started off their revolutions by destroying libraries yet some records survived.

Electronic versions leave us more susceptible to such characters - a simple flip of a switch and all is gone.

Be careful in Bangkok International - dumb UK passport checkers on duty

The last place you would want to get stuck like this is in Bangkok.

Many travellers going to the UK have their documentation referred to UK types who think they know all about documents. In fact a couple of the females are over-weight (and ugly). They are the worst of their type - small minded people with impressive power.

I had occasion to meet them when my passport was referred to them and they weighed their decision. To cut matters short, I rummaged through my baggage and produced another passport (I have them from three countries) which happened to be British which resolved the matter.

These obnoxious characters do a good business in 'holding' travellers who then have to put up at some unsavoury hotel, chosen by Thai Immigration, with appropriate bribes paid for the business, whilst these loud mouthed UK people do their checking at a pace that resembles a snail.

Never depend on your governments when travelling as they take every holiday of the UK and their host country and never are around on weekends,

Microsoft too proud to admit theft again?

Microsoft, like Apple, has a long history of stealing others I.P.

The name "Internet Explorer" was stolen, then I seem to remember that a hard disk technology was the subject of a dispute. And they had trouble with Open Software.

I guess i4i didn't want to sell out to Microsoft, as others did, which is good for them. They obviously have some pride in their product, as well as moral integrity.

Just Apple copying previous peoducts

Bamboo has had a touch pad out for sometime, so once again Apple is late to market and still not as good as Bamboo. Also, more expensive. The slate/dove colour with show marks, too.

Next they will applying for a patent.

The only gesture that fits is a clenched fist with the middle finger extended.

So much for the world's largest democracy

Interesting how the government ,through it's prosecutors, seems to be more interested in fixing the leak than ensuring the integrity of their voting systems which is what many of the U.S. states did when the Diebold machines were found to be insecure.

Hard to beat paper.

In Canada voting often employs paper forms which are then scanned for tabulation. This means the original document remains intact in the event of challenges.

It is refreshing to hear the magistrate put the Elections Commission's feet to the firs in requiring them to tell him if the machines are secure.

No problem, they can still rip industry and the general public.

They might have stopped, in the US, the "taint" pf the government procurement process with illegal kickbacks but HP continues s usual elsewhere.as well as in industrial applications.

When the founders were alive, HP was a beacon of fair dealing and honesty. Pity the board and management doesn't know HP's history.

Most likely so Jobs could prevent porn

Given Jobs declared prurient view point and his wish for users to conform to his dictates it was likely included to see what His software was being used for.

If not, this also demonstrates Apples poor quality control routines, again.

Nothing really fell, they just reduced consumer fraud, a little

Given these pitiful speeds that alleged technologically advanced Western nations supply the exorbitant, blatant consumer overcharging has been reduced A LITTLE.

Seoul, Korea, 100 MBytes, people. THAT is high speed.

Also remember that HUGE tracts of land have NO SERVICE in the West yet other countries can deliver 20 Mbytes in small villages some 50-100 kilometres from middle sized metropolitan areas. Start using pole mounter DSLAMs and stop using 'too far from the exchange/central office' as an excuse for poor service.

Time, again, to change U.S. patent law. to serve the public, not 'pigs'

The problem lies in the U.S. Patent office in that is manned bu less than intelligent examiners or he rules it is governed by are too lax.

What shear stupidity is: "Alerting users to items of current interest"? I don't think a search engine alerts anyone, it simply provides indexed tags. Alerting sounds more like an alarm clock so when a time point is reached it alerts you. How does Google 'alert' a user when the user initiated the requested search.

Then you get Apples 'let us do it all over again" where the try to patent common practices or even others ideas.

The United Nations should establish a conference so every patent office is using the same criteria.

Amd what of motorcycles?

There are more than 4-wheeled vehicles on the road and what is useful to them might not be so useful to motorcyclists. As a recent adopter of motorised two-wheeled transportation, my perspective has changed considerably.

I challenge anyone to come to Ho Chi Minh City/SaiGon and tame the 3.8-million+ motorcycles and scooters. Our average daily road kill in SaiGon is 3/day and VietNam's annual national road kill is 13,000. It simply isn't practical.

Mission accomplished? (Ticket home)

I guess his wish came true; out of a time wasting job and into a useful one.

NATO is so dumb, digging up some arcane rule whilst millions, nay billions of dollars, euros or pounds are wasted. There should be a fixed ratio of foot-soldiers to a general established to stop all this bull.

It's amazing how many companies trip up over GPL

Have all the Android manufacturers conformed? I don't think so.

On another point, if a product is shipping the software should be mature enough to release.

A BA Miracle? Not even Speedbirds can land on water!

Having worked on Met Office Weather Ships, formerly based in Greenock, Scotland, the chances of even BA (British Ar*eholes), another rotten flag carrier, likely couldn't make it as so much information is needed by the pilots including surface wind speed and direction, wave height and direction.

And what the hell are they using automated announcements for? Is this another crew reduction scheme by little Willy Walsh?

In any event, it's cheaper to fly AirAsiaX to Bangkok and onward by another LCC or, for people with more money, take Thai to Bangkok, have a clean-up break, then a quick flight on to HKG. If you want to fly non-stop nothing beats Cathay. They all make BA cabin service look terrible, which it is!

Some 'Dream' with more ptches than Windows

Remember all the hyperbole, and smirks, by Boeing executives when they said the Airbus 380 was the wrong way to go? Well the 380 is in service whilst the Boeing Dream remains firmly on the ground.

They had to patch this and that, even strengthen the damn thing and the FCC is indulging them whenever possible. The FAA changed the flying range from land for Boeings two-engined 777 so they could fly further from airports and thereby cross the Pacific.

I wouldn't want to fly this quilt-work aircraft until they have made at least 50, and none have crashed.

You cannot trusst net-based encrytion

Trusting any web-based system for confidentiality because between the Plod/government on one side and you ob the other the Plod will always be accommodated.

Using encryption at both ends is much more less likely to be detected/intercepted or decrypted. It's what the FBI does, as well as other government agencies, using software.

Colonel Sellin: Your new assignment is ....

Fort Greely, Alaska.

Fort Greely is an Army base used for cold weather tests as Greely is located in one of the coldest areas in Alaska. The base is named after Adolphus Greely, an Army officer, who explored the Arctic despite no previous experience in exploration in the Polar regions of the world.

Good luck with your new posting!

Google and it's offspring will be the winners

Given that Android OS is starting to rip, leaving Apple and Jobs choking on it's dust, is unlikely to do anything than use WebM. Then, as an earlier poster pointed out, the audience will also determine the winner and given that YouTube has such world-wide support it will undoubtedly force adoption, too.

Jobs, and Apple, are not known for their largess and people simply won't believe that Jobs is passing up another opportunity to milk the public. Jobs can let the iPhans play in his walled playpen with all of it's restrictions in which H264 will be a perfect fit - for iPhans only.

Damn me, more bloody prior art!

Seems like Apple is trying to patent yet more prior art.

I recall memory chips having stacked sub-chips piggy backed inside the outer chip package.

Some analog devices I dealt with at one time were actually a number of interconnected sub-chips which were all covered with the device packaging.

So what IS the difference, other than they are pinching other peoples ideas, AGAIN?

Very interesting technique, now PR departments we have to learn the patter

Since most companies and government ministers have professional hired mouthpieces that either prepare statements or even taken on the presentation in person, they will have to learn the new speech techniques for otherwise their falsehoods will be too apparent.

Possibly Plod could use these analytical tools, as well.

Given Britains association with the history of the computer...

it is very sad that some British entity is unable to supply the computing wherewithal for this program.

Such a sad commentary on Britain's slide into production banality.

US skies over-crowded with piloted aircraft; we don't need remote controls!

Already, as any passenger using domestic US flights knows, the skies over the U.S. of A. are filled to such an extent that they are nigh on unable to fly any more aircraft. Additionally the Washington, D.C., area is a restricted zone following the incidents in 2001.

To think that the military have added unmanned glorified toys to the mix is unbelievable. All we need is one of these things to bring down a large passenger aircraft; there are already enough incidents involving general aviation (aka private aircraft).

Southeast Asian Cell Companies Actually Help Customers

I use carriers in 5 S-East Asian countries and I have found they actually do go out of their way to help customers effect economies.

Our SIM prices are USD$0 (free) even with pre-paid accounts; telephones are unlocked; poor service area are boosted with low power repeaters after surveys.

Our corporate cell supplier, a government owned entity, even gave us SMS access from our computer network and we are also able to get our user location by cell numbering at no cost. Number assignment is by customer choice at no charge. Incoming texts are free and the Internet access for smart-phones is superb. Oh, the rates have just been reduced 15%, too!

Canada, as JCL said, is a rip although a recent addition to the carrier mix is upsetting the status quo. The two major carriers charge $50 for a SIM that costs them $0.50; the new carrier gives the SIM free AND permits number selection.

Different cultures obviously have different interpretations for 'service' and 'fair dealing'.

iPhans are like no other purchaser, tunnel visioned with blinkers

iPhans are not actually buying the tablet or telephone, they are buying any concept to which a worm-eaten Apple symbol is affixed.

The pad sales weren't intended for useful or practical purposes, they were for people who were intent on keeping up with the 'Joneses' created by Apple publicity. Even those who were given these Apple creations - news and financial show hosts, etc. - obviously didn't have practical uses for them as was seen from their on-screen activities.

Even though the Apple pad is a knock off of pads released in late 2009, it still has less functionality and inter-connectivity than the earlier pads/tablets that can show videos/movies, have 3D screen displays, USB and SD connectors and, some, even have telephone capability.

In fact, nothing better demonstrates the slavish buying habits of iPhans than the technically failed Lemon 4. Here is a product that has been proven by independent test authorities NOT to work properly, in fact there are well over 12 documented defects, even Jobs and Apple have admitted it doesn't perform properly to the extent they are GIVING AWAY glorified rubber bands to make them more functional.

This means that any Lemon with a rubber band is a failed unit and yet iPhans happily wave them around not realising what they are saying about themselves. HOW SAD IS THIS? It's like saying "I am so stupid I bought a defective product".

Sorry, Mr. Wang, you are mistaken - iPhans might be a minority, but you will not persuade them to buy anything else.

This 24/7 work habit spreading to emerging economies

Although our head office is in Indochina (GMT +7), we have representative offices in Europe as well as Toronto (GMT -5) our intra-office communications are, in the main, text-based, with occasional voice communications when urgent.

Until about a year ago we were just as guilty as most of taking our work home but then there was a minor revolt in our Europe office at which point in time we revamped our communication practices.

All inter personnel communications are routed through our office servers which are programmed to re-direct all out of hours calls to voice intercept (voice mail) where the messages are stored until the next business day. When our staff are not working, through national holiday or annual vacation, no messages are delivered.

We acquired a twin SIM adapters for our GSM devices with one SIM being for office related communications and the other for personal communications.

Although this regime took effect it required some individual discipline which was reinforced by server programming.

Now all personnel from senior partners to the office staff are able to enjoy personal time free of interruptions to pursue personal activities. It is surprising jut how many clients understand our company policy.

North America led this invasion into personal time and it has slowly spread around the world.

Unless people get real breaks from their work, their quality of work will suffer. Travel time, by road, rail or air, is an ideal resting period - not an extension of working hours - particularly since concentration is so difficult.

Try partitioning your life, it will benefit yourself, your family and your employer - which was what our European employees demanded. We managed without instant communications throughout the industrial revolution and most of the demand these days cannot be rated as 'essential'.

Seems the charges are excessive

The tracking service is little better than that offered by Spot emergency beacons and an annual service charge (satellite/web site based) is way, way less than £50 per month.

Perhapps hey should re-negotiate their contracts.

It's heartening to know that Britain actually makes something ...

along with Cornish Pasties and Peas Pottage since they no longer have domestic manufacturing as they once did in Morris, Leyland, Plessey, Marconi, etc. Even screw, nuts and bolts are imported.

Even my Wellington Boots have 'Made in China' on them, as do 'Saville Row' suits (most are made in ShangHai nowadays).

Let's hope some some overseas conglomerate doesn't buy up ARM Holdings and that it continues with it's technological prowess. A British winner.

Will they make it to Afghanistan before the Americans leave?

Given the time-lines involved with military procurement, will this latest Pentagon wet dream make it to theatre before the much vaunted pullout or will the Americans go looking for another war to use them in?

Perhaps the Taliban will capture a few and turn them into flying improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and send them back to whence they flew.

iPhans Standby! Your 'great' leader is making another Appearance

This is Good News for iPhans as they can arrange to be positioned under, or near, a suitable AT&T mast, their multi-hued iLemons glued to their ears, holding their collective breaths for The Word.

No doubt The Word will not include any news as to when Jobs will fix Lemon 4 defects, iOS defects, etc. as an earlier The Word declared they did not exist and iPhans always believe The Word from the lips of their Leader, Brother Job.

So people need persuading? Fit Time Of Us meters

When Time Of Use metering reaches your meter cabinet all the incentive needed will be there, particularly when the data is presented in real time by the service provided by Google.

When you live in a country with high electricity bills, permanent rotating brown outs and power outages there is even more persuasion!

Besides, LED's can be used to produce effects never attainable with fluorescent or incandescent technology. Being lower voltage and lower current, new house wiring will cost less, too.

Pathetic - and they call themselves 'secure'

Can't be because they have no budget for free software like AVG or Spybot.

Maybe they should put a warning on every laptop saying this is United States Government Property and any unauthorised software running on the equipment will result in the arrest and imprisonment of the software authors.

This should scare them off.

Not in China, Myanma/Burma or VietNam

Thankfully the governments of these countries have wisely decided that their citizens need not waste their time on this web site although they can still Twit or IM.

We have our very own social site in VietNam and very popular it is too, if you can read and write Vietnamese.

There again, SMS/texting is busy, busy, busy (we have very, very cheap rates, here in VN).

"A" for initiative; "G-" for intelligence

People should learn that Facebook has more leaks than the US Government, who no doubt has at least moderator rights to FB, and is even worse due to their lack of concern for privacy.

Dumb equivalents

What is an Olympic sized swimming pool?

Expressed in gallons or litres it's pretty meaningless, which also applies to cubic yards or metres to a lesser extent..

Best, I think, would be to describe a three dimension volume.

Three hundred Eiffel Towers stacked one on top of the other is another dumb representation.

What is a secret? What's in a word?

The U.S. typically, and dramatically, stamps everything 'Secret' which is their minimal ating.

When I was flattening the paving in Catterick, Yorkshire, with my Army issued boots everything had a minimum of 'Classified' which was followed by 'Restricted', and so on.

So one mans secret is another's not so secret.

The 'secret' that needs leaking is what the Americans are doing in Menwith Hill 'spy' base near Harrogate in North Yorkshire, run by the gun-toting National Security Agency (NSA) of the United States and whether their secrets are shared with the British Government.

My RFID thingy quit working ...

after I cooked the passport in a microwave oven along with a mug of water.

No remote reading for me, hands on only. The funny thing is UK immigration tries scanning it a couple of times then lets me pass on by, whilst muttering something derogatory about technology.

Considered jusgements better than hurried local court rulings

This is a good ruling as the senior courts are more immune to local pressures.

Search engines simply make on-line material easier to research as opposed to generating the original material. They serve the same purpose as indexes and directories ... based on paper.

Better to amuse himself with pictures than the real goods

Sorry, the fact that someone has pictures doesn't make him a practitioner.

Many teenagers, of both sexes, view pictures that might be disturbing but it doesn't meant they will go our and ravish someone of the opposite sex in a similar way.

I remember at a public school in Wiltshire they conducted sex education lessons between the last examination of the summer term and departure for summer holidays. No teachers were allowed to be present and the person conducting the various 'grades' of education - attendance determined by age - held nothing, and I mean nothing, back.

Over the years I have recalled this part of the curriculum and realised how fortunate we were to have been taught about the various aspects rather than going out and experimenting on our own.

Personally, I am of the opinion that it is far better that people of such inclinations satisfy their needs from a computer graphic display than from real practice.

I teach teenagers English (as a second) language and some of them are really beautiful and, dare I say it, which cause improper thoughts on occasion. It doesn't mean I am either tempted or would even succumb to my temptations - and these children are perfectly safe, from me.

Likewise with this unfortunate teacher - has he ever touched a student or a minor under the age of majority?

iPhans eat your hearts out - your pad is old technology!

IPhans who lined up outside Job's chapels tp buy the latest Apple toys are about to learn what REAL pads/tablets are capable of doing.

And given the recent advances in rooting Android, with V3 about to be released, the Apple product will suddenly appear to be even more sadly lacking.

So much for early adoption!

Keytool shipping must be high: Did TSA issue a waiver?

The Keytool is available in HongKong for under USD$1 - guess the shipping to the West must be high or someone is making a HUGE profit.

The U.S. Homeland/TSA has issued waivers for some of these one-piece mini-tools - not the pliers though1

WHAT ABOUT TONER CARTRIDGE REFILLERS?

In Canada returned 'name' cartridges attract quite a premium as they are refurbished and refilled.

Is Lexmark after copy cartridges only or after the toner powder refillers?