* Posts by bombastic bob

10275 publicly visible posts • joined 1 May 2015

User secures floppies to a filing cabinet with a magnet, but at least they backed up daily... right?

bombastic bob Silver badge
Meh

Re: Magnets!

I posted earlier about how using a magnet on magnetic media might cause read errors, but it does not properly erase it unless the magnet actually contacts the medium and is moved around...

(so you'd have to slide the entire length of tape along the magnet, basically)

To properly erase something you'd need a bulk tape eraser or similar which would use an AC magnetic field to scramble things up, basically a degaussing coil.

bombastic bob Silver badge
Devil

Re: Two true stories

as for a true story...

During the Win '95 beta [as I recall], I had an application that would format diskettes using a low level format. However, I noticed that using the disk format command only did a VERIFY format, and that my application wasn't low-level formatting through windows (I'm trying to recall details from >20 years ago here), I think the problem was that Win '9x was intercepting the calls and translating them. If the disk had NEVER been formatted, the problem showed up as an inability to format the disk (because it wouldn't low-level format, even when you told it to), and I was trying to work with MS engineers to replicate it so they could fix it. This program worked perfectly with windows 3.1 . (see I _USED_ to _LIKE_ Microsoft and windows!)

I was told that at Microsoft, they were using a large magnet to erase diskettes, essentially drop them into a box between the poles, and they used such 'erased' disks in their tests. But that really wasn't good enough. What I did to erase a diskette was more direct: use the smooth-faced magnet on the back-end of a geek-tweeker screwdriver and carefully rub it against both sides of the exposed oxide surface on a diskette. As it turns out, my erase method was the ONLY way they could successfully replicate (and solve) the problem. Buying "truly blank" diskettes was difficult - they were ALL pre-formatted.

This says a lot about diskettes though... (at least the 3.5" version)

a) a strong magnet isn't enough to erase them unless it's in physcal contact with the disk

b) even then, you have to deliberately move it around to successfully erase the entire thing

c) read errors may still crop up with strong magnetic field exposure, but it's not enough to fully erase the thing.

So all of those old diskettes, if you want them properly erased, you'll probably have to SHRED them, because a format that is NOT a low level format will leave old data behind, and using a magnet may not actually erase the thing.

They did it! US House reps pulled their finger out, voted to restore net neutrality in America!

bombastic bob Silver badge
Meh

net neutrality = class envy

Why one person has the authority to block the "will of the people"

It is by design. The USA has 2 legislative bodies, each with different kinds of representation.

The Senate has 6 year terms and represents the states.

The House has 2 year terms and represents individuals.

The President has a 4 year term and must approve all legislation. However, a 2/3 majority in both the Senate and the House can override a veto.

The entire point is to prevent "tyrrany of the majority" by making it HARD to pass legislation.

Successful congresses learn how to compromise and not do everything "our way or the highway".

If they want 'net neutrality' so bad, they need to craft legislation that does not favor one party over another. Sensible legislation would be approved. What the FCC was doing prior to Trump, is NOT 'net neutrality'.

If this is all about network prioritization and filtering, then that needs to be debated. Personally, I like the idea of having a fast lane that I can pay for, so long as it isn't "butting anyone else out" to do so. So by adapting minimum performance standards, you could allow packet prioritization up to the point where the performance standards of 'regular traffic' still meet those standards. but yeah, once the fast lane clogs up it doesn't help a lot. but the extra revenue for it SHOULD enable the construction of faster pipelines, or else the ISPs and network providers will LOSE MONEY and NOT get revenue for a fast lane that does NOT work...

I'd like to add that socialist "equal outcomes for all" legislation only benefits the very few (elitists, uber-rich, and those in power, who never seem to be affected by what affects everyone else), because the masses will always have their mediocrity, but forcing EVERYONE to have the SAME mediocrity keeps everything mediocre... kinda like if you couldn't pay for UNLIMITED bandwidth on your phone, and because it's NOT fair to a poor person, you MUST have the same plan as the lowest service plan. Because, 'net neutrality'.

Intel shortages, weak-ass consumer spending, 'peak' Win10 refresh. No, global PC market didn't grow in Q1

bombastic bob Silver badge
Devil

Re: Doesnt really have to grow.

another way of saying this: the advancement in software to take advantage of the capabilities of modern hardware, from GPUs to multi-core, is WAY behind. It kinda reminds me of how it took FOREVER for a 32-bit Windows '95 to show up, even when most computers had 32-bit capable CPUs long before that.

Typical 'tricks' to consider, threaded and GPU-based algorithms, but NOT background busywork...

bombastic bob Silver badge
Thumb Up

"there's often no need to upgrade or replace existing computers"

bombastic bob Silver badge
Devil

"still transitioning to alternative mobile systems"

This perception is INACCURATE. It is, however, what the market-droids have been citing for WAY too long.

The truth is simpler: people get mobile and slabs for different reasons than PCs, and the PCs don't need to be replaced (yet) [and the reasons for this were outlined in my previous post]. Simple.

in other words, mobile+slabs are NOT "replacing" PCs. they are really 2 different markets.

bombastic bob Silver badge
Thumb Up

you are correct

Here's what I see as the top reasons why people aren't buying new computers:

a) don't have the disposable income or can't justify it right now [waiting for something to become unusable before buying a replacement]

b) Moore's law isn't giving '50% better' each year in technological growth any more

c) Win-10-nic on EVERY NEW PC [except for a few, and they often cost MORE]

d) Intel's (and to some extent, AMD's) security problems (meltdown, spectre)

e) chipsets with hidden "features" like REMOTE ADMIN that you can NOT easily shut off

In summary: new computers are NOT perceived as being significantly better than OLD ones. Save money, and upgrade/repair the old one instead.

Patch blues-day: Microsoft yanks code after some PCs are rendered super secure (and unbootable) following update

bombastic bob Silver badge
Meh

"these programs which hook undocumented API calls"

back in the 90's, MS got sued over having undocumented API calls that Word and other MS applications leveraged in order to "not crash all of the time". I had just started doing windows development for Windows 3.0 and ran into some of these problems with 'GlobalLock' etc. which could occasionally UAE when you had a bad handle, not necessarily your fault either.

The solution, for me, was to validate the param by using the undocumented 'GlobalHandleNoRIP()' and fail gracefully. At the next dev conference, Microsoft introduced the 'ToolHelp' library [to assist with things they'd been doing internally, cough cough] and DOCUMENT all of those undocumented calls...

[they also separated the applications from the OS as separate 'business units' and complied with 'no information between OS and applications units that is not disclosed to EVERYONE']

So - with respect to 'undocumented calls' - which ones are those again? Microsoft may be forced to DOCUMENT them...

London's Metropolitan Police arrest Julian Assange

bombastic bob Silver badge
Meh

Re: Does he yet have a ticket to the USA ?

"The real reason is that he embarrassed the USA by exposing things and some there want revenge."

with the current DOJ and President Trump _not_ wanting 'revenge', Assange is more likely to become a material witness for other investigations...

(it would be different if Mrs. Clinton had actually been elected)

bombastic bob Silver badge
Mushroom

Re: International Law

yeah about that - there are a LOT of asylum claims that _I_ would like to see terminated... AT THE BORDER!

bombastic bob Silver badge
Meh

Re: Interesting timing ....

"Assange has been linked to Trumps Russia connections"

you mean the NON-EXISTENT connections, right? The existence of both the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny has more credibility...

(fake news)

bombastic bob Silver badge
Devil

"They could have actually spent it catching some real criminals."

uh, bail jumping IS a crime, so it makes him a 'real criminal'.

I'm sure the cops are doing their jobs. Spending too many resources to go after a high profile crime helps to DISCOURAGE criminals, so it all works out. It's unlikely anyone else will try the 'asylum to hide in an embassy' trick. It was like Assange was in a kind of 'jail' for the last few years, am I right?

bombastic bob Silver badge
Devil

Re: Only one charge remains...

"Because he jumped bail and caused a bit of a political mess costing millions in overtime for the plod, they can send him there w guards and probably in cuffs."

Easier for UK to wash their hands of him. agreed.

bombastic bob Silver badge
Devil

Re: final straw?

"He'd hate it much more if it turned out the world doesn't actually give a shit about him."

Yeah, he's a bit like Kevin Mitnick huh? (not in the detail, but to some extent, in the public image 'things')

In truth, having Assange 'available' for extradition to the USA might play out well (for him AND the rest of the world) with respect to D&CDNC e-mails leaked in 2016. Hannity did an interview with Assange a while back regarding this specific thing. And now that "certain investigations" are complete, it's time to open a few *NEW* ones, and Assange COULD be a key witness...

Aside from that, the Manning releases probably weren't a crime so long as Assange was only involved in their release to the world. If he had attempted to influence Manning to break the law, it'd be conspiracy of something-or-other. Most likely the DOJ would grant him immunity to get more information regarding the DNC e-mails, something that is likely to become very important over the next year.

I smell some behind-the-scenes activity. This timing is _very_ suspicious! [then again it's probably best for all concerned at this point, especially the Ecuadorians not having to put up with him any more]

RIP: Microsoft finally pulls plug on last XP survivor... POSReady 2009

bombastic bob Silver badge
FAIL

Re: Rest. In. Peace.

"childishly coloured" you could change that, you know... [like Win 2k appearance in the start menu]

Whereas, you CAN! NOT! CHANGE! THAT! 2D! FLATTY! McFLATFACE! FLUGLY! FLATSO! appearance in Win-10-nic. Or get rid of the ads/slurp/store/start-thing/forced-updates [particularly on 'Home' versions] without some major hoop jumping that doesn't seem to work very well. 'Classic Shell' and other start menu replacements are lipstick on the non-oinky end of the boar. You still have 'Settings' (since Control Panel does less and less these days) to deal with...

and no 'metered connection' option for ethernet, last I checked.

bombastic bob Silver badge
Stop

Re: Hardware requirements

"If the tills go titsup on a Saturday afternoon, you can't log onto an Ubuntu support forum in the hope that some well-intentioned nerd is gonna help you."

Uh, you've heard of COMMERCIAL Linux distros like Red Hat, right?

bombastic bob Silver badge
Facepalm

Re: Hardware requirements

"You need to install windows 10 and an SSD. Or stop using computers."

You forgot to say "get out of the stone age, grampa, and get a MODERN operating system" or something equally pejorative.

(so typical of win-10-nic fans, to be so smug about it)

bombastic bob Silver badge
Unhappy

Re: I just want my Aero-plane

"for me - the kiddy-komputer 2D-ism actually makes it slower to use."

Yes, the taste of bile and "bad feng shui" appearance is distracting in an "anti-productivity" kind of way... like horrible paint colors and "open bay" desk farms.

more reasons to miss XP... [I actually like it better than 7, particularly when the shortcut icons next to the start button don't move around and turn into an application icon whenever I use one of them - most hated 'feature' of Vista and 7]

bombastic bob Silver badge
Unhappy

Re: Wow. close to 40 year of MS OS's going end of life

except that, prior to Vista and 8/10, upgrading was DESIRABLE. And it was an actual UPgrade.

But when your alternative is Win-10-niic... you keep what you have.

bombastic bob Silver badge
Meh

Re: Great business plan

just WHAT is so "outdated" about XP?

*crickets*

(I do NOT consider the Sinofsky/Larson-Green aka 2D FLATTY McFLATFACE user interface to be 'modern' nor 'an improvement' - and XP could have kept its appearance and UI specifics while the kernel and built-in applications were improved for security, with less effort etc., for another 10 years at least)

bombastic bob Silver badge
Meh

Re: Great business plan

Anti-trust isn't/wasn't socialism, it's government oversight [there's a difference]. Banking regulation isn't socialism, either. Socialism is what the OTHER Roosevelt (FDR) wanted, as well as one of the WORST presidents this country ever had, Woodrow Wilson (what he did with income and estate taxes, for starters).

And to prevent thread decay, I'll stop now [after correcting the big blunders].

bombastic bob Silver badge
Trollface

Re: Always

more like "always a P.o.S." (for Win-10-nic anyway).

bombastic bob Silver badge
Meh

Re: ReactOS (as the new XP)

wtf is "Win-10-nic"

A reference to windows 10 as the Titanic. It's a term I did not invent but I nearly always use, when referring to Windows 10, because, in all too many ways, it's like the Titanic, damn the icebergs, full speed ahead! Why else would Micro-shaft continue with the slurp, the ads, the 2D FLATTY McFLATFACE, and so on, unless they were completely CLUELESS as to how much those "features" are HATED ?

bombastic bob Silver badge
Unhappy

ReactOS (as the new XP)

this has a good potential for becoming "a thing" but still isn't close to being ready for use by anyone other than an experimenter...

Too bad, because if they got SERIOUS about it, it could compete with windows. Maybe it could sell for HALF the price of Win-10-nic [including new computer installs], support indefinitely, remain open source, and keep the 3D SKEUOMORPHIC look. Who knows it could even run various start menu plugins and skins so that it looks like your favorite windows version, or even "theme" like Win-10-nic for the hardcore 2D FLATTY McFLATFACE advocates...

Yeah, "dream on", right?

When I consider my brief exposure to the world of paid Wine developers, and realized they're just hiring the wrong people due to the project management just NOT having a clue as to who the best people ARE, and consider ReactOS's close ties with the Wine project, I see a likelihood of it being a lot of 'academically arrogant' engineers who are focused on dotting the 'i' and crossing the 't' and using all of the right key words and tricky phrases [like that's who they're looking for], and NOT hiring people who are literally HACKERS that are willing and likely to come up with unique solutions to problems... and maybe work for 80 hours per week on salary simply because it's interesting, and GET THINGS DONE.

[such hackers are the kinds of engineers, as I understand it, that made the Windows OS work to begin with, but not any more 3 decades later, which is why we have Win-10-nic]

Windows Subsystem for Linux distro gets a preening, updated version waddles into Microsoft's app store

bombastic bob Silver badge
Meh

Re: DrXym - how is this better than Cygwin?

"I was not aware of any application development targeted for Linux desktops"

There is a LOT. It is too easy in the windows world to *feel* as if EVERYBODY _ONLY_ does Windows... which is part of the reason why Win-10-nic is what it is.

GTK and Qt applications can be made to run cross-platform, including OS/X. Similarly, Java. DBMSs that aren't SQL Server are often written for Linux FIRST, then adapted to windows later. Similarly, web servers and other server applications. Linux first, then windows [and only if it makes sense].

When you include Android and iOS, UNIX-like operating systems are #1, windows is #2. pun intended.

bombastic bob Silver badge
Meh

Re: how is this better than Cygwin?

"You do need to be on a 64bit version of Win10 or Server2019 though."

And this _is_ the dealbreaker... (I assume Win-10-nic 'Home' also cannot run it?)

re-compiling for cygwin already happens, as it has its own package manager in the form of the 'setup' utility.

Running native Linux applications is interesting, but less of a 'thing' with me. I would consider overall usability to be the number 1 feature. I messed with SFU/SUA/Interix years ago, and it just couldn't perform better than Cygwin.

I would expect WSL to be similar, regardless of the bell/whistle/shiny factor.

(that and I can run Cygwin on a Win7 box)

bombastic bob Silver badge
Meh

how is this better than Cygwin?

I just have to ask... how IS this better than Cygwin? (in practice, not theory)

because, last I checked, Cygwin did not require "the store" (which, last I checked, requires a valid 'microsoft logon' and everything that goes with it), and ALSO works on 'home' versions (and 8, and 7, and XP, ...). Picking package options in Cygwin _IS_ a little tedious, but once you're used to it and have it set up on ONE box, you can theoretically CLONE the install to others by simply copying the directory to other machines and re-running the setup [to get the shared libs in place, mostly].

And there was ALSO an X server that ran ok on XP and 7, though I forget which one... Xming perhaps?

And WSL requires '10 Pro', right? Yeah, thought so...

It's raining patches, Hallelujah! Microsoft and Adobe put out their latest major fixes

bombastic bob Silver badge
Meh

why would anyone STILL use Adobe reader?

last I checked, the Adobe reader kept asking me to REGISTER IT with an E-MAIL ADDRESS...

So, with at least 2 decent alternative PDF readers out there (that I know of), neither of which VIOLATE YOUR PRIVACY, _WHY_ would anyone want to install Adobe's PDF reader? That especially when taking into consideration Adobe's piss-poor security track record.

bombastic bob Silver badge
Pint

So instead I uninstalled it.

Well done, you!

Free online tax filing? Yeah, that'll soon be illegal thanks to rare US Congressional unity

bombastic bob Silver badge
Unhappy

Re: Minor correction

Yeah, about that, as I just filed mine.

I'm for reforming the entire system, so you can file on a postcard:

a) how much did your household earn?

b) how many people in your household?

c) deduct $xxxxx for each person in your household

d) multiply the difference by XX%

e) how much did you already pay

f) if overpaid, here is your refund amount

g) if underpaid, send us a check for this amount

(you'd then staple relevant forms to the back, like for business owners, capital gains, W2s for wages, and so on, and then just mail it in, which for most people would be a single regular stamp and envelope)

pretty simple, really. Gets rid of 'progressive' tax rates, 'preferred status' tax rates, yet still protects low income earners from having first $xxxxx taxed at all, and it taxes ALL forms of incomes the same, has NO deductions, and would only take a few minutes to file it. No using the tax code to control citizens' behavior, either, or to punish SOME people while rewarding others (i.e. targeted tax cuts and so-called 'progressive' rates nor different rates for married vs single, or deducting home purchase interest, which REALLY SUCKS for people who can only RENT for whatever reason, like houses are just TOO EXPENSIVE to own, like in Cali-Fornicate-You).

An online IRS form could eliminate the need for TAX SOFTWARE, too. It could be free for EVERYONE.

But yeah, fat chance, because (quote from article): "Instead, the America's 140 million taxpayers would be obliged to use fee-charging software from one of the companies that dominates the extremely profitable tax-filing market" [and their lobbying efforts]

the whole income tax thing has been a GINORMOUS RIPOFF from the beginning.

The Reg takes a trip over the New Edge. Mmmm... New Coke with extra fizz

bombastic bob Silver badge
Devil

Re: User agents

simple check here: https://www.whatismybrowser.com/detect/what-is-my-user-agent

I'll check back and maybe add something snarky to an existing web page, for grins, based on the user-agent

I'd also be interested in whether or not the 'micro-shaft logon' is in any way transmitted in the request headers. Spitting this information back as web page content might have interesting results

bombastic bob Silver badge
Thumb Up

Re: MS Account

"Avoid like the plague!"

And, with some difficulty, NOT USE IT AT ALL, especially for something with 'admin' capability on YOUR computer. (Not Micro-shaft's computer, which is why I emphasized it)

bombastic bob Silver badge
Meh

Re: MS or Google, or both

the big problem here comes from the text surrounding this quote from the article:

"if you're using a Microsoft account"

Guaranteed that everything you do will, in some way, be tracked for marketing purposes. Because they CAN.

I already assumed "the 2D FLATTY FLATSO McFLATFACE" because, Chrome _AND_ Micro-shaft, but I was mostly curious about the initial reception.

So what does "New Edge" do for you that Chrome does NOT ? Other than, NOT be Firefox, that is... (because Chrome vs Firefox post-Australis is no real choice at all)

Mozilla SHOULD DISTINGUISH ITSELF from this by actually BEING DIFFERENT, that is, being NOT a 2D FLATTY McFLATFACE 'Australis' version...

"Classic Firefox" UI anyone? EVERYONE?!!!!

Town admits 'a poor decision was made' after baseball field set on fire to 'dry' it more quickly

bombastic bob Silver badge
Trollface

Re: Burning question

Peter Principle. heh.

bombastic bob Silver badge
Unhappy

Re: Bah!

Actually, in Cali-Fornicate-You right now, gasoline is approaching $4/gallon again. Reason: new taxes, special formulation requirements, and the usual refinery problems [all caused by state government regulations, many of which are based on false science like 'oxygenate' in gasoline and special formulas that have no effect on computer-controlled engines].

It's an unfortunate part of living in the state where gasoline prices are 25% or more higher than everywhere else in the USA, and consumption is probably highest due to the average length of daily commutes. If it takes you one hour each way by CAR, think TWICE that on public transit...

Then again, in UK I guess fuel prices are even higher than here... [similar problems too I bet]

[crude oil prices are not the main driving factor of Cali-Fornicate-You fuel prices - if they were, then fuel would be cheaper than ever here]

bombastic bob Silver badge

Re: 24 Gallons!

"So they did what? Took 5 or 6 trips to the filling station with a single can or did they go whole hog and ring up the $70 worth of gasoline in one go? "

My guess, a siphon tube and the principal's SUV

bombastic bob Silver badge
Devil

Re: Grass?

As I recall, baseball infields (the runner areas between bases) are usually coated with that clay-like material that looks a bit like cat litter. Probably similar to that 'quick dry' compound someone already mentioned.

The center around the pitcher's mound, and the outfield, would all likely be grass-covered though. but most of the running takes place on a clay like material.

bombastic bob Silver badge
Devil

or in the case of baseball, hot dogs

bombastic bob Silver badge
Devil

Re: Burning question

surprisingly effective I'm sure. gasoline doesn't have tetra-ethyl-lead in it any more, so should burn away completely, though it's possible that any MTBE additive might affect ground water at some point.

But you know, the solution to pollution is "dilution", right?

[given that it is regular practice with some industries to have an effluent tank for potentially hazardous waste, which is then tested and diluted to 'safe' levels before discharging it into the sewer systems, this is actually more reality than just a joke - being that the solution to pollution is *LITERALLY* 'dilution']

out here in Cali-Fornicate-You, the gummint back in the 90's had voters approve the use of MTBE as an "oxygenate" in fuel to a) increase its price, b) cause a tiny percentage of engines to run cleaner, and c) require a ton of special fuel formulas that change between winter and summer so that gasoline prices would be as 'volatile' (pun intended) and dependent on specific refineries as possible. Yes, it's a scam, since nearly all cars have computers now, so MTBE really doesn't do ANYTHING except the side effect of POLLUTING GROUND WATER if it leaks out of tanks at gasoline stations... which happens often enough that for a long time you'd see a lot of gas stations suddenly fenced off so they could dig up and replace the underground tanks, which were leaking, and get rid of the contaminated soil, etc. making fuel prices EVEN HIGHER. Yeah, gummint... and the fault of MTBE, "voted in" in the 90's and NEVER repealed...

but without the MTBE (or possibly worse additives), gasoline would burn off and any remaining vapors would just dissipate.

bombastic bob Silver badge
Devil

Re: Idiots

Consumer fireworks are legal in most places in the USA, just not in 'tinder box' areas like most counties in the state of Cali-fornicate-you. In short, too many field fires result from home fireworks usage. But I think I can tolerate not having sparklers vs not having neighborhoods go up in flames from a canyon brush fire...

Last time I drove through South Carolina, there were major fireworks outlets everywhere. And a lot of counties in northern Cali-fornicate-you still allow consumer fireworks to be sold around July 4, last I checked. You can't make your own legally, though. Darwin awards, etc. [that's why] though I'm sure that anyone with a large box of matches (and time to waste) could theoretically make *something* capable of burning the hair off of your face.

[when I was young I used to like to make hydrogen balloons and light them - they make a nice 'boom' like a cannon - using household chemicals like drain cleaner, etc. - once singed the hair off of my wrist with a rather big one though, 2 feet or so in diameter, even using fireplace matches to light them]

bombastic bob Silver badge
Devil

Re: Temperature vs Power

So the article suggests using a leaf blower to fan the flames... however if you combine leaf blower with a heat source, you now have something *resembling* a hair dryer, usable on grass Clothes dryers are often gas-fired and so the concept is good so long as you can keep the burner's exhaust temperature low enough to avoid actually catching things on fire. (In the movie 'Spaceballs' Princess Vespa had a comedically ginormous hair dryer...)

Or maybe the kids will just have to learn how to play "wet".

[I would expect a 'field dryer' to take the form of an attachment for one of those riding mowers, at any rate]

Fake Google robocallers hit with $3.4m fine – but it turns out that the joke's on you

bombastic bob Silver badge
Meh

Re: Appropriate punishment

"a baseball bat to the back of the head should suffice."

such a 'clue bat' strike is too kind, too lenient. How about public evisceration instead?

bombastic bob Silver badge
Unhappy

Re: Appropriate punishment

how about we just make the names and identities/addresses/phone-numbers of these <insert extreme pejorative here> *PUBLIC*.

I have received at least 10 of these "your google listing" B.S. calls over the last several days... fortunately, I shut off the ringer on my phone years ago. Unfortunately, I still hear it over the speaker when the answering machine picks up.

(rendering our phones useless for their intended purposes - THANKS ASSHATS!)

BT Tower broadcasts error message to the nation as Windows displays admin's shame

bombastic bob Silver badge
Coat

Re: Wait until it gets hacked.

I'd almost expect a 'LOLdicks' ASCII art... or better yet, tits.

left paren, zero, Y, zero, right paren

(getting my coat)

bombastic bob Silver badge
Devil

Re: "A technical issue"

I thought the 'fucking nightmare' was Win-10-nic ... ah well, I need to get my terms sorted

bombastic bob Silver badge
Trollface

well, you know what "they" say... "nobody ever got fired for going with Microsoft"

heh heh heh heh

Prepare yourselves for Windows 10 May-hem. Or is it June, no, July?

bombastic bob Silver badge
Unhappy

Re: Updates

lucky you. the only icon I see relevant to my download-time experiences [when win-10-nic was first released] is a big fat middle finger

bombastic bob Silver badge
Unhappy

Re: 'no alternative' = 'who cares about quality'

well, nowadays I'd have to agree with ignoring the "get it done" part, considering 1809 among other things...

The industry, unfortunately, is apparently in the process of becoming dominated by arrogant, elitist, "academic" types. 'Academic arrogance' is a thing now. Specifically, it is those who *FEEL* as if a degree is required in order to engineer software, which is really more of an ART than a science. Seriously, once you're beyond the basic programming and structure and math classes, it's a matter of having talent or lacking it.

conducting "programming tests" that focus on 'academics' rather than 'ability to program' is a part of this.

Unless, of course, you're "one of them". if you wonder why the WINE project is in the state it is in, it is [in my view] because of _THIS_ sort of thing. And I am not convinced that the STEAM people being behind a new WINE port would in any way help it. It's more of a management-style problem.

I can't say it's bad to see more windows games playable on Linux. I just fear that WINE (or a fork of it) will continue being MIS-managed in the same *kinds* of ways, which [in my opinion] boil down to a) academic arrogance, b) focusing on the wrong things, and c) not actually getting things done in a timely manner.

The past predicting piss poor performance. And the Windows 7 'end of life' window is NEXT YEAR...

Want to hang out with criminals but can't be bothered to download Tor? Try Facebook

bombastic bob Silver badge
Unhappy

Re: $50 an hour??

no, $50/hr is what a junior programmer, IT, or tech should be earning (in Silly Valley), actually. If you're lucky you won't have 1.5 hour [each way] commute and NOT have a room-mate.

Unless you're a "homeless" person, in which case you can pitch a tent and defecate on the street... and the cops won't arrest you.

Is it any wonder that FB appears CLUELESS about crime via their services? If that company's execs have the *KIND* of mentality that accepts the public defecation and illegal activity, yet PUNISHES certain kinds of political speech, we can expect "more of same" indefinitely.

'Silly Valley' indeed

bombastic bob Silver badge
Facepalm

Re: But Facebook checks all the posts!

Fa[e]ceb[itch,ook] can go around SHADOW BANNING politicals it doesn't agree with, but doesn't do SQUAT about all of the illegal activity regularly conducted via their network... Even when swatted at with a CLUE BAT? and getting their NOSES rubbed in it?

Say it AIN'T SO!!! [heh I'm totally not surprised]

whack-a-mole indeed, with many of the moles surviving multiple solid whacks, it seems