* Posts by Pete

54 publicly visible posts • joined 10 Jun 2007

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New Labour: Chainsaws out, maybe Contactpoint, too

Pete

Strikes me

The other parties were also hit badly with the expenses scandal, would we stand for having someone in power who had his moat dredged, or his servants quarters renovated?

Wonder how Cameron will deal with forming a "whiter than white" cabinet either?

Ford crushes half-price hybrid hoax

Pete

Yes, does seem like a PR stunt

You're not the only overly cynical person here then

Mozilla invites all comers on post-tab future

Pete

Must admit

I work with 20+ tabs open in Opera and find it very easy to work with, plenty of tools to help me find the tab I want and it just remembers them between sessions, including the back button history as well which is very nice.

I do use firefox occasionally and find its tab handling atrocious

Google blames cheeseburgers for destroying the planet

Pete

I think the point

of Alex Wissner-Gross original study included all the energy used between google and your PC, so all those routers etc + your PC and monitor

I also think, although I don't know, that the amount I read on-line rather than getting a paper version of the relevant news by far outweighs the cost of running a PC, after all, I am a programmers and have my computer on 12-18 hours a day regardless of if I am working or taking a news/entertainment break.

Prism Firefox extension hits beta

Pete

sounds like a great way to install viruses

on peoples computers to me

London cab & bus trials for satnav speed-governor kit

Pete

If by having one installed

And if proof was supplied it was on and working at the time, automatically negated any speeding tickets, or better still made the supplier of the device liable for the fine, I might consider one!

Actually, making the supplier liable for mistakes might mean sat-nav suppliers suddenly sharpening up their update policy and making their maps more accurate.

Microsoft’s Silverlight 3 delivers decent alternative to Adobe

Pete

@Matware

You say

"How long has flash been 'Cross Platform' exactly"

and claim 6 months?

I've been using Linux exclusively on my main PC for 4 years now, and used it a lot for at least 3 years before that, flash animations on web sites are not my favourite thing, but there has been a flash player available on Linux for as long as that (7 years if maths is not your strong point).

Where do you get your "6 months" figure from?

Pete
Stop

so

Will it run on linux? will it run in opera? firefox?

I see no clue in this article, if it only runs in IE on Windows then that's a reasonable proportion of people it won't work for, enough so that as a web developer I wont touch it.

But I know there will be a load of web sites available soon that complain if you are not using this system, TBH it sounds great, but without decent support for cross browser and cross platform compatibility it will only serve to fuck things up.

Site schools world+dog in browsing history pilfering

Pete

that is fascinating

it doesn't grab my whole browsing history, what it misses is just as interesting as what it includes, but it does grab sites I opened in distinct separate tabs, I can't quite see the logic behind what it displays and what it misses?

Still, I am quite upset this info is available for them that knows to be able to see,

(for picky buggers I am running the latest V of Opera on Linux)

How gov scapegoats systems for man-made errors

Pete

Someone further back mentioned

That you can export the database for reports etc

So what are the odds they were using a very old export of the database, or possibly they had two copies (one probably unlicensed) and they HAD set the deceased flag, but only in one DB and not the other.

Smacks of user error, the "second database" statement pretty much confirms that I think.

Which desktop Linux distribution?

Pete

I have been

Running mandrake then mandriva Linux exclusively as my desktop OS for around 5-6 years

Not really had any problems at all, couple of driver issues, and sound can cause problems occasionally if the application is badly written.

I now run my own business doing web site design and development and still find all the tools I need to do my work are available. I only resort to wine for running the marvelous ies4linux so I can do those IE specific tweaks and check them.

Emotional arguments do not make Street View illegal

Pete

exactly right

And if Privacy International happens to win against google, it's another nail in the coffin of photographers rights, rights which are already being hammered.

Privacy campaigner vows legal challenge to Google Street View

Pete

Not too sure about this

This could set a dangerous precedent for photographers not to be able to take pictures in public places.

Photographers are being harassed enough without a precedent being set.

Polish Spitfire shoots down BNP

Pete

I for one

Don't believe they had the slightest clue it was a Polish squadron, the Spitfire is so iconicly "English" they just grabbed an image and went with it.

Neil Young posts angry YouTube missive

Pete
Unhappy

Toruble is Neil

It's the difference between how your record company interacts with YouTube and how they interact with radio.

Perhaps if your record company realised YouTube is a very useful resource for publicity and exposure you might get a better deal, it's hardly YouTube's fault now is it

BTW, HUGE Neil Young fan, but I think he's missed the point on this one!

Contractors risk mini-Microsoft-protest

Pete

hmmm

so 2000 contractors didn't turn up to a protest that there might be 2-3000 permament jobs at microsoft?

odd that, isn't it?

Passport RFIDs cloned wholesale by $250 eBay auction spree

Pete

Would you really

Take your passport and driving license on a protest though?

Unless the USA insists you always have your driving license on you, unlike the UK where you can present it later if stopped.

Late bets on new Who hit Paddy Power's pocket

Pete

Wikipedia

Had the information on his page before the official announcement as well, wish I had had the nous to place a bet now.

I'm not sure how long before it was announced they made the changes though.

Preventive policing? Don't even think about it

Pete

I have been

The natural History Museum in London, my girlfriend had her bag searched

she was asked before they opened it, "do you have any knives, penknives or scissors"

In my pocket at the time was a multifunction penknife with all of the above, but because I wasn't carrying a bag, no-one asked me, so I went through unscanned and unsearched!

Security, they had it, but it was a bit pointless really.

(in other news I neither stole anything or stabbed anyone in some sort of psychotic rampage)

North Korea photoshops stroke from Kim Jong Il

Pete

OK so the shadows are wrong

But surely the most obvious, and missed by everyone I have seen comment on this, feature, is the missing line (fold? stitching?) which is obvious behind the soldiers each side of him, but strangely missing from the section of white cloth behind his legs!

When I first saw this story I could see the misaligned shadow but could easily explain that away by thinking that the drop sheet "could" be bulging out just where he was stood.

The missing fold or stitching though, well it's a bit of a giveaway isn't it?

In a way I feel guilty for pointing this out, as I suspect some poor innocent photoshopper will be severely punished for his/her mistake, but I am sure I am not the first, and I am certain I will not be the last, to notice.

Opera scrambles to quash zero-day bug in freshly-patched browser

Pete

@ Steve P

So true, they've copied everything else from Opera, one way or the other, firefox has most of the cool features as extensions though, which makes it a real hassle when you upgrade and find the extensions fail.

And first poster, at least Opera tries to fix bugs as soon as possible, unlike Microsoft who bury their head in the sand and pretend it doesn't matter.

Virgin Media accused of shafting customers on upload rates

Pete

I have been

A happy NTL, then Virgin Media broadband customer for years

I think it depends if you are on their proper broadband or on the crappy BT line broadband you get outside of cabled areas.

Currently I live in an area where there is no cable

Tiscalli is what we're using and it's pants, I have to use OpenDNS as their DNS servers are slow and creaky and as for bit torrent, it just seems to be blocked completely

Tiscalli also went through an odd phase of blocking the Opera web browser, based on the browser ID string as when I masked as IE or firefox it worked fine.

When I am visiting my dad back in VM territory everything is just faster and more seamless.

Gates predicts 'significant' US recession

Pete

And there was that book

The Way Forward came out in 95 was it? first edition had nothing at all to say about the internet, he got that wrong as well.

Should software developers do it for themselves?

Pete

Some managers are very good

But in my experience most are micro managing freaks

I was part of a 2 man team writing software for a major chain

Progress was rattling along, then some muppet decided we needed a manager, previously we reported straight to the board.

He came in and trashed everything we were doing, work stopped (due to complete lack of morale), and we both quit within months.

Pity, as the system was 99% complete, did everything it was required to and was stable.

We were not even able to demo the latest version to the MD as it sometimes crashed, and micro managing freak didn't like , so we had to demo a rollback which was missing a lot of vital features, we knew what the result would be, MD was not happy. If we'd demoed the latest version he would have seen the program nearly ready.

Mines the one with the self employed badge on it.

I will NEVER take such shit from management again.

Virginia de-convicts AOL junk mailer Jeremy Jaynes

Pete

OK I can see the free speech angle

However annoying it is, and I don't believe free speech counts for advertising, does it?

But considering he is using fake email addresses to hide his identity which almost certainly use domain names owned by other people surely there must be some sort of identity fraud angle they can do him on.

Linux desktop freaks out Ubuntu man

Pete

The car analogy is good actually

for 99% of people who simply typ a few documents, browse the internet and use email switching to linux is no harder than learning the new configuration of switches and buttons on a new car, how often have you had a new car and turned the windscreen wipers on when you where turning left because car manufacturers don't have a standard interface?

hardware requirements and hardware support are admittedly a big issue as well, but once you have a linux desktop up and running I think three weeks to get used to it is all most users would need.

Wi-Fi: You old new smoothie?

Pete

weatherspoons

Free WiFi and a pint, can't beat it when you're on holiday in torquay and it's pissing down with rain.

And the speed was pretty nippy as well, I never did a speed test but it felt nice and fast!

Brown's website is Web2.0tastic

Pete

@ Righteously Indignant

And those others saying we didn't vote for Gordon Brown

This is Britain, we do things differently to America, learn about how your country works, we don't vote for Prime Ministers, and I am damn glad we don't, look and the crapfest which is the US presidential race.

As to the site, well, it could do with being done by a professional web designer.

Apart from that, it's OK, for a blog with a default template.

Colchester Hospital sacks manager over lost laptop

Pete

I worked in the health sector

For a private company mind you

If I had been caught putting confidential patient data on anything and taking it out of the office without express permission I would have been sacked on the spot.

Why does a manager need this information on a laptop? I'm betting he copied it without consent thinking he could work with it while on holiday, and was slapping himself on the back for being so clever being able to get around the workplace security to be able to copy it.

typical arrogant management attitude in my experience.

Cable broadband shines in Virgin Media Q2

Pete

@ Tawakalna

I assuem from what you said you are on virgin media ADSL over a BT line service? not a "proper" cable area?

proper cable broadband is damn good, relaible and pretty much always as fast as advertised

if you are not in a cable area then you are at the mercy of BT's antiquated network, no matter who you take your service from.

McAfee: Why we blacklisted SANS

Pete

So how can I find out if my site is on the list?

is there a checker somewhere on McAffee web site? or do I just have to wait until someone using this software tells me?

Opera Dragonfly emerges from pupa

Pete

@ Dave

Well firefox ripped off everything Opera does, so fair game, some of it goes the other way :D

Your personal data just got permanently cached at the US border

Pete

I like the smart card containing your home directory idea

Mount it over an empty one (or one with a few basic files in) and who would even realise that was the deal.

Hand the card to your travelling companion before you get off the plane for additional security, or, if you don't need it on the flight, post it to your hotel or a friendly bod in the USA

Obviously, you would have a backup.

I also thought

Format laptop HD as an encrypted linux file system, with no OS on it, and it only being accessible from a bootable flash drive, which of course you would not have on you. (see above)

Then play the dumb company drone, "I don't know any passwords, all I know is I plug a dongle in when I get to the office and it works" followed by "no I haven't got it with me, company policy says dongle plus laptop never travel together"

Why is Ruby on Rails so darn slow?

Pete

Thing is

He's absolutely right, I've yet to see a ruby on rails app which did anything particularly clever which couldn't have been done faster and just as easily using PHP and MySQL. And as for useability, do you really want to confuse your users by presenting them with some crappy interface your designers/developer thought was "cool" which take so long to load they bugger off to a competitor?

KISS is right, it always will be, and keeping to a standard interface makes your potential customers become real, paying customers.

Malware still malingering for up-to-date anti-virus users

Pete

what a surprise

It won't work with Opera!

Not going to run IE just for the "temptation" of an ipoo nano.

Privacy chief says biometric concessions not good enough

Pete

I think

I might just take up some sort of hobby which means my fingerprints are permanently obscured or damaged, not in a painful way, just in a way which makes it hard for them to read them.

Candle making used to be effective when I was a kid, certainly with regards to ink fingerprint kits. but I suspect technology has moved on.

Any suggestions?

(yes I realise this would cause me no end of hassle, but that hassle goes both ways, it's a sort of passive resistance)

Premium rate watchdog primes 'Miss Bimbo' probe

Pete

Parents reactions are mixed

Could this be a storm in a teacup?

http://www.mumszone.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=60971

Not all parents seem particularly bothered by it.

BT 'security upgrade' causes email headaches

Pete

I had this problem some 5 years ago

With BT business broadband

We had our own domain hosted by another ISP and we had to confirm with BT we were allowed to send email from that domain.

Then all emails sent were routed through BT's servers first, which meant more points of failures

Rent-a-bot gang rises from the DDoS ashes

Pete

So a bit like PHORN then?

tar, brush, I has them

Plastic bag campaign falls apart at the seams

Pete
Pirate

Trouble is

Lord Taverne and Sense about Science have been discredited as paid schills for various people, go do a bit of googling for them.

A quick search turned this up

http://www.monbiot.com/archives/2003/12/09/invasion-of-the-entryists/

\Pirate icon as Sense about Science ride the high seas being destructive about real science

Disintegrating wind turbine caught on camera

Pete

Well it's still safer

Than chernobyl when that went wrong!

Can't see why people are opposed to wind turbines.

Angry investor offers to buy Transmeta

Pete

@ Travis AND Matt Bryant

Nail, Head

exactly on both counts

USA business model, lets try to make money from nothing and pay worthless exec's millions to do so.

hmmm our economy is tanking, wonder why

Email trail from navy man to London 'terror' site goes fuzzy

Pete

@ Steven Knox

"his carefully coded references to violent jihad"

Could also be read as, he was talking about something innocent but we need to hype it up.

the swallows fly south for the winter, code? or am I a bird spotter?

This stinks, but if he isn't extradited they will come and take him anyway, poor sod.

Rogue ads infiltrate Expedia and Rhapsody

Pete
Happy

let me see

I got one of these today actually. it served up a very convincing dialog box that look just like any other Windows XP dialog, telling me that to view content on the site I need to download and run setup.exe

Problem

This dialog box looked nothing like the standard dialog boxes Mandriva Linux produces, so I could immediately see it was fake, and even if I had tried to run the program, I doubt it would have infected me.

When I am forced to use Windows XP I turn off the fancy graphics, luddite that I am, so even using windows I would have noticed the difference.

Obviously apart from the fact I would not have been so stupid to install something from a popup anyway, there are huge advantages to running an OS that is not Windows.

I know, cliche linux fanboy post, but it did have to be said.

Submarine cable cut torpedoes Middle East access

Pete

isn't the old pilots maxim

Please tell me that means all those annoying telesales calls from indian call centres wont get through

Tiscali executes stealth LLU migrations

Pete
Unhappy

isn't the old pilots maxim

why I have such a problem with tiscali and Opera during the evenings

"He also claimed that Tiscali has indicated it wants to place a full block on peer-to-peer applications at peak times in the evening."

As they probably have spotted it has a built in bit torrent client

blocking the browser part is a bit daft though. especially as changing Operas browser ID string overcomes the problem.

EU debates privacy of IP numbers

Pete

How will this affect

Pretty much every forum and guest book system, and many e-commerce systems that store you IP address

Forums and guest books store the IP specifically so they CAN identify a rogue poster in the event the end up in a libel suite, will a privacy policy or T&C statement cover them?

Or alternatively, when someone takes them to court to reveal the identity of someone, will they be able to say, sorry, we just don't store that information anymore, EU rules and all that.

Tiscali hits 'undo' after bandwidth throttling chokes iTunes

Pete
Alert

They were blocking Opera too

I was using Tiscali at a friends house, and during the evening the Opera web browser was being blocked, and MS Outlook behaved strangely as well.

With Opera they must have been relying on the browser ID string, as if I changed Opera to pretend to be IE or Firefox I could suddenly access sites again, change it back and everything stopped. This happened every night between about 6 and 9:30

Most annoying, especially as Opera is my preferred browser on both MS and Linux, and I like to double check any web sites I design in IE, Opera and Firefox before launch.

Researchers share video contact lens vision

Pete

And how often do you lose contact lenses

could be pricey

and "normal" contact lenses have to be thrown away after a while as they get so dirty they become a health hazard.

Cool idea though

Heathrow 777 crash flattens servers

Pete
Thumb Up

isn't the old pilots maxim

"it's a good landing if you can walk away"

so therefore this isn't a crash?

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