Posts by allthecoolshortnamesweretaken

Re: Acceptable Levels of Accuracy? / Watches with extra functions

HP calculator watch.

Re: Taking the long view?

I wasn't. But in the mid-1980ies I worked with a colleague who had been working on a Zuse in the late 1950ies/early 1960ies. Taught me how to program a Tectronics graphic computer (I forget the name, but they were used in the original Battlestar Galactica movie as props.)

Re: See what happens when you think CSI:Cyber is a series of training films?

I quite like CSI (in a I-watch-it-on-TV-but-wouldn't-buy-the-DVD way), and Star Wars and Star Trek and what have you... but I know nothing of this is real.

Hey, cunsultards need to eat, too...

Re: Resellers no longer offer any added value

Good point, especially the bank analogy. "Who should I trust with my data?" is a question exactly as important as "Who should I trust with my money?".

Re: So what being said is...

"That British bureaucrats spending all their time on Facebook and Twitter at work is a good thing?"

Well, it does gives them less time for screwing things up, so yes.

Admins die hard...

Re: National password

Please, don't give them ideas... I would be prepared to bet* that some of the people in charge would actually go for this...

*provided that you are the punter and I am the bookie

Re: I paid for school by working as an electrical engineer for a sex toy company

Amazing. Any good stories for, say, 'On Call' or the bootnotes section?

Re: Brush up those CVs....

Doesn't hurt having a smattering of philosophy when you're in engineering, physics, chemistry, biology, etc. You know, concepts like ethics and responsibility and stuff...

Re: the "problem" with automation of any business process

That sort of rings a bell...

Re: misc.

You know the rules. Pics or it didn't happen.

Re: "The life of our patients is at stake"

Niven is always worth a read.

Me, I'd rather take my chances with the robot manicure than a self driving car. Far, far fewer parameters to take into account, hence less prone to fuck-ups.

BTW, that reminds me: last week I read "Lock In" by John Scalzi. I can highly recommend it. Anyway, in this future self driving cars are a reality. When a rookie FBI agent gets into a car with his new partner for the first time he wonders why she is disabling the autodrive function. To which she replies that this is a bureau car, and no, you really don't want the autodrive from the lowest bidder.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21418013-lock-in

Re: Elementary Elements

Nope, downvoters just don't like Zappa. That's all.

On a related note: when Rock'N'Rollers (and all other people making their living in the spotlight) start believing they really are like their stage person - thats the moment they get in trouble. Bit like politicians starting to believe their own bullshit.

Re: Training

"Do you also advocate yearly driving tests?"

Yes. For senior citizens over 70. Because someone more senior than citizen, so to speak, hurling two tons of metal around can be very dangerous.

Re: You get what you pay for

A real DIYer would make his own cables... that being said, excellent post, really says it all.

Re: Needs a name

"Given the obvious, phallic shape of the things, the only sensible thing to call them would be an erection of boosters."

Naughty boy. But this is about the going-down-phase, that's like the opposite of erection...

Re: Big 4

"Consultard" - there, FTFY...

Re: "...reportedly exists"

I read that in the headline and started to wonder... talk about unintended clickbait...

Re: Hello Brave New WWWorlds ...... I Kid U Not

Well, the guy that owns Le Livre des Visages announced just the other day that he wants to "dabble" in AI this year. Given the potential (mis)uses that's just as scary as Cheltenham et al doing it.

Sexy is as sexy does.

Re: Nerdium, Geekium, and uhhh... dorks

Obligatory Dilbert

Re: BT mobile historic flip flopping

That might depend somewhat on the accounting rules used - you can probably show both.

Re: expat job risks

"Beware the Worshippers of Stan!"

Re: But

"If you use a web browser to read El Reg then surely you can access gmail, hotmail, yahoo, ...

True. Won't do me much good though, as I don't have an account there or on any service like it...