Posts by Hugh Barnard

In about 1974 (yes, yes) I pointed out that the ICL tape sort program had a switch that left the tapes loaded (accessible). Saved hours on tape batch systems under George II. Was considered a smartass and left, one year or so later.

Truly dreadful company. Also, transferring domains out from 123 is an esoteric and time-consuming task. I've been there. Avoid, at all costs.

Gradual Loss of Control

Actually, I'm more worried about 'trivial' things like this than killer robots. Here's a fairly famous paper from 1983: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0005109883900468

If the next language is genuinely indecipherable and is used to exchange information between power plants, for example, then we need to worry somewhat. I agree that the whole story got blown out of proportion in the non-tech news outlets, but there is a worry there.

Time to think about monoculture. For desktop and web, most modern Linux distributions will work just as well. Push back on equipment manufacturers who embed Windows too, actually Linux or better a BSD flavour would be good business for them.

I'm not suggesting Stallman-esque 'free everywhere', but 'Microsoft everywhere' isn't in anyone's interests except Microsoft itself.

De-Facebook as part of a 'process'

I'm glad that this idea is gradually going mainstream. I removed myself (after about 3 weeks and 300 'friend requests' from people that I didn't really know) about three years ago. I had made the analysis that I didn't want a great big, centralised, commercial thing to know a lot about me. Also, it's a time waster and I waste enough time without extra help, thank you.

Perversely, I'm still using Gmail, but that's gone this year. And I agree with other commentators that Google (and Amazon, for example) are just as dangerous. Also, as I'm a data extremist (calm down SIS, '5' etc. etc., calm down m'dears) I've given up my loyalty cards except for the Co-Op, I consider them to be a bad Faustian bargain.

So I think it's better to see this as a process with de-Facebooking as one step. Up to the individual how far to take it.

Misquote from Wlliam Gibson

"the future is already here" but Gibson:

The future is already here — it's just not very evenly distributed. from: https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/William_Gibson

A much more subtle and interesting idea, in my opinion.

Yes, the NIC level for employment without any benefits, sick pay, holiday pay, constant guarantee of work. Add to that completely confusing and (probably) unevenly applied IR35 'rules'. Finally whilst being squeezed and vilified watch Google, Amazon etc. etc. make sweetheart deals and pay very little tax dwarfing any 'loss' from we, the scumbag contractors.

I'm old and my need for income is pretty minimal, so I'm just not going to work very much now. Let's consider it an example of a self-employed person on work-to-rule. I encourage any others in my position to do the same.

Good introduction, but worth saying that graphs are very general and powerful. For example, some tyoes of zero knowledge proof are graph theory based too: http://tinyurl.com/lq22k44

I suggested at the 'consultation' (I call them insultations now, being patronised to death by Sir Humphrey) that the UK consider P1 data ports on the consumer side as in the Netherlands. This would allow 'us' to have the datastream for analysis, rather than only the suppliers.

If I had simple access to the data, I might consider it. But, as it is, and other commentators have said on this thread, waste of space, waste of money, bad security and no upside for the consumer (I don't count the smiley face 'in home display'). As usual a bit of Crapita is involved too.

GoDaddy, I used to spend quite a bit of time, but made some money, rescuing people from their clutches. People see the prices and the television adverts, but as someone said to me, 20 years ago, 'you got what you paid for'

As the very old story/myth, about the first demonstrations of voice input with 'rm minus r f star', now 'Alex delete all attached volumes' etc. etc. Nice, but need to be a little careful.

AI, Responsibility and Exclusion

Great article. Worse, most of AI, isn't, it's statistical optimisation coupled with a surrender of human responsibility. Thus, the jokes about 'computer says no' are coming true.

But, worse still, the 'predictive abilities' will probably be used to exclude and marginalise, in the same way that districts were redlined (qv) in urban USA. And worse, worse, all the 'optimisation' is sub-symbolic so there's no explanations, just judgements and a total inability to deal well with outliers, like the 2008 crash. Note that one of the big hedge funds has decided to use 'AI' to 'manage' its investments: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/dec/22/bridgewater-associates-ai-artificial-intelligence-management

Canaries

Does anyone have ideas about the legal status of 'canaries' (notices that they have NOT been asked to supply data/logs etc.)?

When a request by the government, GCHQ etc. IS made they 'lapse', thus avoiding provisions made by the government that no-one can be informed. https://riseup.net/ the left-wing provider has used this technique in the past, anyway. Obviously, the problem is not solved, but, at least it's 'signalled'.

It's fair to say that public-owned East Coast mainline was a success, so it 'had to be' re-privatised because of neo-liberal magical thinking. Branson has a lot to lose (NHS contracts, train contracts) from any Corbyn style success and digital video can easily be edited.

I'm not a huge devotee of St. Jeremy, but it's obvious that some of it needs saying/doing, unless, for example you'd like private US style healthcare, be rich or die sickening.

Move Your Money

Well, maybe like all these 'banks' they'd better give up all these 'special offers' [money for switching, cashback, insurance we don't need] and concentrate on core business. As if that's going to happen. Yes, like comment above, I've moved out of PLC banks into Nationwide and now looking at Ecology Bank etc.

When we've all closed our accounts in the casinos, maybe there'll be a few changes.

Consumer Side Raw Data

I agree with the article and with comments here that say that the current set of smart meters are only in the interests of suppliers. For example, we can expect predatory demand pricing and use of big data to rig the energy futures markets, business as usual, in fact.

One thing that is missing from this debate is raw real time data on the consumer side. It's our spend and it's our data. I put this comment into the 'consultation' where, I have no doubt, it was comprehensively ignored by Sir Humphrey and his ilk. Raw real time would enable an eco system of graphing, intelligent control and modelling to build up for the benefit of the consumer [yes, I know, see the little flying pigs] rather than a patronising smiley face LCD display and big data for the supplier.

I tried asking EOn for data logging on my gas meter [electricity is 'easy', just needs a clamp] and was comprehensively blanked. However, I've just asked a smaller supplier for a meter upgrade [from an old U6 type] and a logger and they're listening, at least. If/when I get somewhere, I'll publish the results. Meanwhile to see how the 'ecology' is building up it's worth taking a look at: http://openenergymonitor.org/emon/ for example.

On a more serious note

I live in the East End and [sometimes] work there. There are plenty of kids in Tower Hamlets that could probably use programming as a way into employment, but they're not benefiting from any of this pretentious, not-very-technical froth.

We've actually got a couple of small Linux-based computer rooms into housing estates along Commercial Road. Maybe we should brand ourselves, Roundabout East?