* Posts by Sir Runcible Spoon

5770 publicly visible posts • joined 29 May 2007

Pirate radio = drug dealing and municipal broadband is anti-competitive censorship

Sir Runcible Spoon

Re: If 1984 had a Ministry of Free Speech

More like Brazil

Sir Runcible Spoon
Facepalm

Don't forget, 'pirating' music & films killed the industry stone dead.

Sir Runcible Spoon
Unhappy

Re: Like Boiling Frogs

From where I'm sitting it looks like the water is already at 102 C, the frogs are remarkably dense it seems.

McAfee says cloud security not as bad as we feared… it's much worse

Sir Runcible Spoon

Re: So who's buying all these unsecured cloud instances?

Who is buying all these instances? I don't know if BU people would buy lots of IAAS instances themselves, that is a little too technical for most BU users I know

A number of large companies I've worked for have departments that are run internally like mini-businesses, so they will fund a project for a cloud service and farm that out to an internal (or third party) design team.

Those design teams are constrained by the brief, and budget. If someone (increasingly rare, but it still happens) tries to point out that to do what they want *securely* it will take 'x' more days and 'y' more money. I'm sure you can see where this is going.

Of course, most of the time the techies* ensure they get their security objections noted in writing so that when they are ignored at least it doesn't come back on them.

*Well, the ones** who have been around the block a bit do at any rate.

**Also the ones who can see that 'the light at the end of the tunnel' means 'get off the tracks'.

Sir Runcible Spoon
Coat

Re: Well duh

Isn't fog just a cloud at low altitude?

The best way to screw the competition? Do what they can't, in a fraction of the time

Sir Runcible Spoon
Thumb Up

Re: when you charge more per hour

I might cost a lot, but I'm *great* value ;)

Sir Runcible Spoon

I did a stint once as an account manager for a Global ISP who were going through some dodgy financial issues at the time.

I was given the 'most difficult customer in the world' as one of my accounts. I went along to see him and it was clear in about 5 seconds that this guy hated bullshit more than anything. So I proceeded to explain that some of the issues on his network was down to the really shit routers the company was supplying him.

I eventually worked out a deal where he would upgrade all of his leased lines (recurring revenue) in exchange for our company replacing all his shit routers with Cisco kit. When I presented this to the sales/finance team they went banana's - that is until they realised that the kit cost peanuts and the increased revenue was about £500k/year (which I didn't see a penny of, even though I sold it), and this was at a time when the company was losing accounts hand over fist.

Still didn't stop them forcing me to quit after I got a bollocking in the middle of a crowded office for 'talking' for the last 10 minutes of the day - bloody place was run like a school playground.

Sir Runcible Spoon

Karma

I once worked a contract in the city for a very well known firm, ending up effectively doing two jobs (for two different managers) at once. One of them was always having a go at me for not spending enough time on their projects.

It all came to a head when I was planning a road trip across Italy (during my lunch break) and the manager decided I was a lazy sod and terminated my contract.

About two months later I ended up having drinks with a few former colleagues and discovered that they'd had to hire two contractors to replace me, and neither of them was getting as much done as I did in 1/2 the time :)

Sir Runcible Spoon

Re: Nah.

Speaking of interviews, I landed my most lucrative contract ever even though I was stacked up against people who had 5* the qualifications that I did.

When the hiring manager told me I asked him why he hired me instead of the others - he said that compared to my CV, what I told him during the interview made it clear I had done 10* more than the CV contained, yet when he spoke to the others it was the other way round :)

Some people 'get it' - but not everyone unfortunately.

Yes, Americans, you can break anti-piracy DRM if you want to repair some of your kit – US govt

Sir Runcible Spoon

Re: What's the catch?

Contracts do not supersede the law. For example, you cannot sign away your consumer rights in the UK just by opening a software package where all the details are wrapped in the cellophane, the opening of which means 'you agree to this contract' etc.

About time these shady practices were kicked into the long grass. Now, if only we could sort out planned obsolescence - that should be outlawed too for environmental reasons alone.

Erm... what did you say again, dear reader?

Sir Runcible Spoon
Trollface

Re: More of a "well reasoned if, erm, somewhat stuffy complaint of the week"

Now look here jAKE, hoo are you U calling a NERD!

Unless it's *nix or a password I couldn't give a monkey's about CAPS :P

Sir Runcible Spoon
Happy

Re: Erm

That dialect is a travesty to all clean thinking persons :P

Sir Runcible Spoon

Re: More of a "well reasoned if, erm, somewhat stuffy complaint of the week"

amanfrommars1 is actually quite intelligible when compared to his predecessor.

Sir Runcible Spoon
Coat

"which I assume is the mouth-full-of-potato variant,"

It's spoken with a 'plum' in the mouth, sheesh, these foreeners.

Sir Runcible Spoon
Joke

Re: So he's that incensed about the bastardization of his beloved language ?

"Well, there's always Aramaic..."

[Cam]aaaaarrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhh!!!

Sir Runcible Spoon

Re:Table nailing gangster

Lovely bloke - sound as a pound.

Sir Runcible Spoon
Coat

Re: Forsooth!

I 'goog'ing love the Register comments section :D

Science: Broke brats glued to the web while silk-stocking scions have better things to do

Sir Runcible Spoon
Holmes

!My Generation

My main concern around the most recent generation(s) is that they don't seem to have any unifying identities around which to rally and rebel, like most previous generations did.

Maybe this is a sign of advanced spiritual maturity, perhaps not :)

On the topic of poor vs. rich from the article, it is oft noted that the poor are poor in attitude and a shift to the positive can be reflected with a positive shift in their financial circumstances.

For example, smoking is now *very* expensive, yet I bet the largest percentage of smokers would be from poor backgrounds.

Alexa heard what you did last summer – and she knows what that was, too: AI recognizes activities from sound

Sir Runcible Spoon

Re: Yeah

Of course amazon et all will pish all over their good priniciples and aims, but there's still a small chance to carve out out a niche for privacy respecting alternatives because of these guys/gals work.

Fair point, well made.

Sir Runcible Spoon
Paris Hilton

Re: Not before hell freezes over ...

"Even if it belongs to your significant other and it houses something priceless to him/her, meaning percussive maintenance may well result in lawyers/solicitors?"

Especially then!

Sir Runcible Spoon
Joke

Re: skewing their data - be very careful

"Apologies for the extreme example."

Don't apologise, there's a pretty good chance that whatever we can imagine will be trumped by reality in about 0.2microSheepFartSpeedInAVacuum

Sir Runcible Spoon
Facepalm

Re: Amazon Prime-ed

You've actually provided a useful example - and one that would therefore never happen.

Sir Runcible Spoon
Coat

Re: The title is no longer required.

Not 'Salmon Fishing in Fly's' then?

AI's next battlefield is literally the battlefield: In 20 years, bots will fight our wars – Army boffin

Sir Runcible Spoon
Terminator

Re: "Humans are going to be a lot less visible and we will get used to it."

"Humans will probably be the least effective, and are often the weakest link in the cyber world."

Doesn't it concern anyone else when a phrase like 'humans are the weakest link' is directly correlated to AI driven military hardware?

Shit, how blind/corrupt are these people?

Take my advice: The only safe ID is a fake ID

Sir Runcible Spoon
Coat

Re: Hugh Jorgen

"I used to know someone whose real name is Richard Large..."

He has a wife you know....

Sir Runcible Spoon

Re: Aliases are fun

My Uncle, who'd had a stroke (and consequently a bit lairy at times) was at a weeding of a Mr David Hunt. At full volume across the hushed church he said

"It's a good job his name isn't Isaac".

I laughed like a drain, most everyone else just went pale and shocked :D

Sir Runcible Spoon

Re: A different name for every site?

"That "prefix your email" thing dosnet work for yahoo,"

In the settings you should be able to create a single alias, with multiple variations.

For example - base alias = something@yahoo.mail.com

All the variants would then be along the lines of something-<variant>@yahoo.mail.com

You can have *lots* of variants.

Sir Runcible Spoon
Thumb Up

Re: A different name for every site?

"You would end up with sons called "Opening Batsman" and daughters called "Big Tits""

Thank you for my second laugh of the day :D

Sir Runcible Spoon
Joke

Re: Aliases are fun

" I have three books published on Amazon that are under this name and not my own."

What, Anonymous Coward? How do we know it's really you then?

Sir Runcible Spoon
WTF?

Re: Irish names in Irish or English.

. I have now 12 books of names for people with fresh babies

!! As opposed to...??!

Sir Runcible Spoon
Pint

Re: A different name for every site?

"Glod Glodsonsonson."

Thank you for my first out loud laugh moment of the day :)

Sir Runcible Spoon
Pint

Re: Competition time.

Avast isn't that far aware from Vista either.

Sir Runcible Spoon
Joke

Re: Silly first name.

My Starbucks name is "Tex". Good job no-one there asks for a surname to go with that... I'd answer "Piss".

You could say 'Message' as your surname for Tex :)

Sir Runcible Spoon
Coat

Re: Silly first name.

"I pronounce my own name as Allister."

Have you tried 'Dare, Alice' as your weekend pseudonym?

Super Micro China super spy chip super scandal: US Homeland Security, UK spies back Amazon, Apple denials

Sir Runcible Spoon
Black Helicopters

Perhaps TPTB don't want anyone looking too closely at the *actual* chip blueprints?

AI-powered IT security seems cool – until you clock miscreants wielding it too

Sir Runcible Spoon

Re: In Your Dreams, Sir Runcible Spoon

I am suitably terrified, even though I only studied the barest spattering of what was available at the time of my state sponsored education, although at a bit of a loss as to how learning more about it would lead me to feelings of contentment and satisfaction (I lie, but to admit the truth would be like admitting I believe in Unicorns).

Sir Runcible Spoon
Terminator

Re: William Gibson

I'm pretty sure that the article asking 'does knowledge of AI make you less afraid of it' is a case of taking something obvious and stating it in reverse.

The actual truth of the matter is simple..

The less you know of something, the more afraid of it you are.

(also: Familiarity breeds contempt)

Uncle Sam gives itself the right to shoot down any drone, anywhere, any time, any how

Sir Runcible Spoon
Thumb Up

Re: @jake

"Mīn lyfthærnflota is ful ǣla."

Wonderful use of juxtaposition Jake :)

Now we just need somewhere for the eels to fit in.

It's over 9,000! Boffin-baffling microquasar has power that makes the LHC look like a kid's toy

Sir Runcible Spoon
Joke

Re: LHC = 27Km circle

Perhaps it's two small black holes that are squeezing out electrons like tiddlywinks?

Contractors slam UK taxman's 'aggressive' IR35 tax reforms

Sir Runcible Spoon
Headmaster

@Lost In Clouds of Data

Whilst I find your work laudable, did you have to teach them Northern?

Ah, well, better than now't.

Sir Runcible Spoon
Facepalm

Obvious Prediction comes true

https://forums.theregister.co.uk/forum/containing/3012243 [Thursday 27th October 2016 09:49 GMT]

"What I don't know is if I am somehow deemed to be an 'employee' and wotnot, does the company/agency I am working with have to pay their side of things too? (Such as pension contributions and holiday/sick pay etc.)."

Soft eng salaries soar by 25 per cent – and, oh yes, devops is best paid for non-boss techies

Sir Runcible Spoon

@LucreLout

“The economy works fine. Capitalism has lifted more people out of poverty than have been lifted out by all other ideas combined. ”

Only if you employ checks and balances. At some point, someone has to cough up for all that debt. Spiralling interest payments can bring down governments.

At some point the system will seek balance, whether that’s a worldwide debt erasure, collapsed economic system or the whole world just goes bankrupt I have no idea, but I doubt it will be pleasant.

I have noticed a huge drop in product quality since the 2008 crash, because a lot of quality producers went under. What we are left with now are mostly the bottom feeders of production, lowest common denominator stuff - we’ve gone backwards in so many areas.

What will we have after the next crash? Personally I’m just hoping we can still eat and put on some lights in the evening.

UK taxman told: IR35 still isn't working in the public sector, and you want to take it private?

Sir Runcible Spoon
Flame

MOO

The day HMRC determines that my clients get to tell me what to do is the day I start looking at re-locating my business.

Brit tech forges alliance to improve cyber security as MPs moan over 'acute scarcity' of experts

Sir Runcible Spoon
Joke

Re: Half-life calculated yet?

“It is as critically important a job as it is soul-crushingly pointless. Good luck!”

Damn you, I was perfectly unhappy with my head in the sand until you reminded me.

Sir Runcible Spoon

Re: Sigh.

From what I’ve seen they are having enough trouble defining what cyber security actually is, probably because they don’t realise that it’s a vague term that covers a lot of different roles.

Over the years I’ve attempted to explain what I do in more condensed form so non techies can grasp what I do for a living, but in the in end I have given up and now just say ‘I work in computers’. That seems to satisfy 99% of people as they ‘understand’ that, but obviously is completely meaningless - it’s just a way for them to express their tiny minds :)

Sir Runcible Spoon

Re: If... (oh why bother)

Some CNI is managed by private companies. One in particular pays a pittance for salaried staff, so it has a hard time recruiting specialists/competent people.

Assumng HMRC continues on its path to ram ir35 changes down the throats of contactors in the private sector, I expect this will have a huge impact on the ability to recruit even contractors. Plenty will work abroad once the pay differential becomes meaningful.

Heatwave shmeatwave: Brit IT departments cool their racks – explicit pics

Sir Runcible Spoon

In my experience cold air is usually pumped into the underfloor space, allowing the racks to vent warm air out the top and drawing the cooler air in from below.

Sir Runcible Spoon
Devil

Re: Never seen the managers, project managers and PMAs do work!

Rapid power down of 100+ servers -> Breaker Switch >:)

Sir Runcible Spoon

Re: Wrong Type of Leaves

British businesses should ask how they do it in California.

I believe they use this quaint thing called 'money'. IT Depts. in the UK don't get to see a great deal of that.

Sir Runcible Spoon
Coat

Re: That last picture

Pin it in place with a toolbox and you've got yourself a Spanner Tree!