Posts by Robert Armstrong

Samsung shows 'designed for humans' handset

Poor build quality is a Samsun tradition

Looking forward to getting rid of my Galaxy S. After 18 months it is a broken down mess. Won't buy Samsung phones again - shiny and nice when new but when the touchscreen stops working you are SOL.

Christmas stockings attract a Touch or two

Not pointless to me

Why would a wi-fi enabled music player be pointless? It actually makes it easier to use to transfer things like a music file. Now as far as the games and watching video, I don't do that with music players, I plug them into my car audio system and can enjoy over a weeks worth of music on a single device.

I have 6 portable music players, I had a Digital River mp3 player before there were iPods. But the competing user interfaces are crap when compared to Apple even on a Windows box. The players from ALL brands I owned have worked very well. However, I just replaced my 1st generation 10GB iPod with a 5th generation iPod Nano with 16GB. The Apple device provides the easiest way for me to do what I want, it is far more intuitive and easier to use than WMP with Sansa, Sony or Zune. I rip most of my music from the thousands of CDs I purchased in the past 20 years, so I in 8 years I spent less than $200 at the iTunes store. Some people prefer single purpose devices, other like multi-purpose, with Apple you can have either.

Happy New Year!

Microsoft forbids changes to Windows 7 netbook wallpaper

Bring back MS Bob!

Actually, MS just made my Netbook buy decision much easier, looking forward to Android...

Google boffins unveil 'What's Up?' CAPTCHA

I'd prefer a dongle

And Paris would too....although she and I are thinking of different kinds.

Facebook in Pirate Bay block Fail

Exercise in futilty

They will never block this....

piratebay dot org

and people will know exactly what to do.

FB jumped the shark and is now moving towards a more mature state of bankruptcy -- both financially and intellectually.

Google chief lectures newspapers

Google's new tagline

"There is no doubt that certain websites are best described as parasites or tech tapeworms in the intestines of the internet."

Eric Schmidt is the perfect CEO for the parasitic Google plus he looks like a tapeworm with glasses. Coincidence? I think not!

Oops: Microsoft wonk hits Live Messenger red button

If you cannot build a better email service...

then be an email service, I say.

Scientology spokesman confirms Xenu story

I thought Xena was a warrior princess....

Wot? Xenu you say...is that Xena's brother or some such?

The Boss bitchslaps Ticketmaster

Buy tix at the box office and avoid the Ticketmaster ripoff

Thankfully, in my town you can go to the box office of the venues and purchase a ticket and not pay the fees that TicketBastar...errr TicketMaster charges. For example, a $25 ticket to a show at the Fillmore in Denver will cost $38 if you buy through TicketMaster, at the box office which if open on weekdays as well as the evening of the show, the cost is $25 plus my time. Since I live nearby, my cost to do this is maybe $1 above the ticket price compared to the $13 added to the ducat that I would pay for the privilege of buying from the monopolist.

But I live in Denver, if I had to drive an hour each way from the suburbs then I might purchase online to save time and energy costs. Monopolies are never good for consumers but until the artists and their management refuse to allow venues to use TicketMaster as their exclusive distributor then nothing will change.

Apple gives QuickTime new version number

I've always found a new version number fixes everything

Thankfully the media player from the fine folks who make the Jesus phone will no longer smote our systems with substandardness and consternation.

Where's Wally Vista SP2?

Why not give everyone who bought Vista a copy of 7 and get over supporting both?

If 7 is Vista lean and mean with more toothsome wholesomeness than Vista then why support both Vista and 7? Just give those of us bold enough to take Vista on a reward for spending $300/copy for Ultimate a copy of 7 and then MS only need support 7. Seems like a good way to say thanks to those of us who use Vista and who have put up with a lot of crapdoodle when Vista first launched. It would be a win for MS since they would no longer need to support Vista.

Satyam boss 'invented' thousands of staff

This is nothing more than a communication problem

Many believe in reincarnation and staff accordingly. There may indeed be only Satyam 40,000 livng and breathing employees rather then 53,000. But are we counting those who died and came back to the job once reincarnated? I'm thinking not....

I'm with Paris on this one because we both like sloppy seconds in life.

Microsoft prods and probes Office 14

A glorious time to be alive

Another product that no one seems to really be looking for. It's not as if the last 3 or 4 versions of MS Office do not work or that OO is such a dog, nope, it's really all about the ribbon. You know you like it, you just can't admit it, can you? Perhaps you need to spend a quiet weekend alone with the ribbon and you too will know the awesomeness that is in store for those who submit. Hail to the great Microsoft, may the ribbon rule us all!

I'm down with Paris on this one, and Paris with ribbons really knows how to go down....

Record industry refused Jammie Thomas appeal

@ Andy Barber

So sad to be you, Andy, isn't it?

You can't refute the fact that the Grateful Dead made lots of profits on concert ticket sales and the GD allowed people to record the live shows on their own kit at no cost. The GD never went after those who shared their recordings. They realized that their fans enjoyed sharing the concert recordings and even set up sections where people could sit near the soundboard to tape the shows.

Since he can not refute the facts,what does Andy do, he creates a strawman, the stoned hippy, and then attacks the straw man while ignoring the facts. Very good, Andy, are you an attorney or government stooge or are you just naturally ignorant?

Seagate layoffs coming?

What does a brand mean anymore?

Seagate, Quantum, WD, HP and Maxtor have all pooped all over the sheets on me. They typically buy similar products from the same factory, so is it any wonder when they all die? Brands are just marketing agreements....

So I'll sit on the chaise with Paris since neither of us like those wrinkly old hard drives, but we will bang with enthusiasm for SSD!

Cloud computing lets Feds read your email

@James Butler

I live in Colorado, USA, James. Nice try. Bin Laden has won the war on terror, hasn't he? All communications and movements monitored for our safety, right Jimmy Boy? Nothing to fear from corrupt politicos and corporations that have no respect for things like civil rights, the presumption of innocence or freedom.

All your email belong to us

Ain't Cloud Computing grand? No SLAs, no security, no nothing. You get what you pay for. And with the US legal system resembling that of Stalinist Russia, privacy is nothing more than a quaint notion.

I'll hang with Paris, she loves to bare it all and is worth every penny.

US customs: Yes, we can seize your laptop, iPod

Bow down to your new Overlords

Freedom is no longer an option. America is a cauldron of fear. I love my country and never thought we would roll over so easily. Osama Bin Laden and his ilk won the war, we play by his rules now.

Paris because she knows to roll over with the best of them.

Yahoo! shoots DRM servers, swallows keys to tunes

Reality is a b1tch

The reality of DRM is exactly what Peter Ramins says, you are renting music.

When you rent something, your rights are secondary and the EULA which most people never read does state that Yahoo can change the terms at any time without your consent. This is why I only buy non-DRM music, either on physical media or dl from amazon and emusic.

The rental model is not a bad idea to have access to tracks, but as we are seeing time and time again, it is not permanent.

I'm going to hang out with Paris since she is just like reality, and I love my b1thces!

Dell offers 'Windows Vista Bonus' to frightened customers

I would like a new 1966 Ford Mustang

A shiny red convertible from the glory days of Ford, but they don't make the 1966 Ford Mustang anymore, maybe I should call Dell? I don't think the drivers will be a problem.

Microsoft can do what they please with XP, if they don't want to sell it then they don't have to. And anyone who wants something other than Vista has many excellent choices.

I'm with Paris because she always likes to drive with her top down, especially in a convertible....

Yahoo! email! fans! get! more! domains!

I have 7 or 8 yahoo mail accts that are fairly useless

They are like condoms just not as sticky after you are done with them.

Just like Paris....

Firefox 3 downloads hit 7m despite server FAIL

Give me Netscape 3.0 or give me....

pointy sticks right into my eyes.

I'm with Paris, we are way, way too busy to download right now.....

Apple under the gun to master the iPhone's 'second album'

I never had to change the oil on my cellphone

So why does the iPhone require fresh oil every 3,000 miles?

Potty-mouthed hackers steal comcast.net keys, go for a spin

All your DNS belong to us

He who throttles others may get throttled himself.

At least, that's what Paris told me last night....

Firefox developers tinker with new security protections (finally)

Who decides whom to trust?

"The idea is to enable websites to define security policies that the browser enforces."

What if the security policy on a given website allows for direct malware injection or a script that redirects to a malware site that is "approved" by the referring website?

Not exactly the security policy I have in mind but I am not too worried about me. If there was such a plug-in I would probably not trust it very much.

Mobiles help UK malls track shoppers' every move

Why is it...

Why is it that we humans are compelled to turn everything into a marketing opportunity? Can't a fellow have a walk around town and mind his own business without being tracked by marketing folk? Don't the marketing drones understand the word no? As in, No thank you I am not interested. Look at all the companies such as Google who make billions that are built on the quicksand of "marketing opportunities". What happens when people stop buying? I would love to find out. I already ditched the AT&T mobi, maybe I will get a prepaid phone that I keep in the glove box of the car switched off there is an emergency...I think that's the only thing I can do at this point. Just say no to carrying a tracking device.

Rootkits on routers threat to be demoed

All your route belong to us

This was inevitable. Perhaps I will take down my routers and use Windows Server as my router....as I know Paris would.

CBS saves CNet from activist investors

All your CNET belong to us

CBS buys CNet.

HP buys EDS.

Comcast buys Plaxo.

Blockbuster buys Circuit City.

Microsoft buys anything not nailed down to the floor.

With all these buyers, who says innovation is dead. Why I do. If your business is a loser then just buy another loser and the problem will be solved.

OK. HP is not really a loser...my bad. I think Itanium is great, really I do...

Time for you to me to buy a Guinness.

No scientologists were hurt in the creation of this message.

Hyundai and Kia's latest pitch to US drivers - Windows

Cell phone and MP3 players

The software allows for hook-up of an MP3 player or iPod and hands free use of a cell phone. There is no interface or application that affects brakes, drive train, steering or any other essential function. Thank God.

But if you want to act fearful and foolish then please go right ahead and enjoy your hyperbole.

Cheers!

Warning sounded on Microsoft and Google's health records landgrab

""Philosophically and politically, I am skeptical of the concept of paternalism."

Windows phone home?

Microsoft is quite paternal. And I don't trust them to safeguard anyone's data, ever read their EULAs for any of their products. Anything that happens is your fault. So a company that takes no responsibility for their actions is the last entity I would trust my medical records to. Same goes for Google.

Back to the bunker, cheers!

You'll learn to love mobile TV

Then Death to the Kitty I say!

I tried mobiTV for 60 days using AT&T. It was not worth the price to me to subscribe ($9.99/month) so I dropped the service. The cellphone form factor was the deal breaker. The content was decent but the screen was too small and picture quality was degraded due to changes in the ambient lighting around me, it was difficult to see the broadcasts clearly at times. I believe that an ad supported, free to consumer mobiTV market has a chance to resonate with the general public if there are larger screens that can be packed onto a cellphone device, otherwise, it is a niche for commuters and geeks. MobiTV is not a must have application for me.

Here kitty, kitty, time to.....

DNS lords expose netizens to 'poisoning'

Lords of the DNS?

Are these Lords in Parliament?

Or be they Irish?

Do they march in parades in the USA on March 17?

Pray tell...

Google's cookie crumbles under scripting attack

Is this a feature?

Or is it Web 3.0?

Move over Storm - there's a bigger, stealthier botnet in town

So if we turn off the default setting in Windows that hides "well known" extensions?

I know most do not want to be bothered seeing all those 3 character file extensions that MS Windows versions for many years now turn off by default. Whenever I set-up a PC, I always turned off the default setting that hides the extension allowing exe, doc, png and other fine file extensions to be fully observed. Even then, I had users still click on those attached pictures in email that fascinated them so. I even pointed out to those fine folks that the file they clicked on had .exe in their email client and was contrary to the training and reminders we send out quarterly to all who use our network. Given that the most egregious violators of our simple "Do not click on stuff in email" policy were senior management, I could not follow my manager's recommendation to take them all outside and shoot them although I was very willing to execute his order.

Back to the bunker for some haggis and single malt, cheers!

China promises censor-free Olympic media

All your camera belong to us

Doesn't matter much to me since I won't be watching the shamfest. I got to shampoo my hair and cut my toenails that fortnight....with Paris of course....

Google's riches rely on ads, algorithms, and worldwide confusion

There is nothing there

Google does nothing. There is no value add. A bigger scam than Microsoft Office for sure.

Putting on my sunglasses and heading towards the door.

Analysts call for secure Facebook access for workers

Facebook is sooo 2007

Who wants Web 2.0? What we really need is Web 3.0!

What can be more productive than networking with complete strangers who have absolutely nothing to do with the workplace. Brilliant!

Has Ballmer read this yet?

Forget Yahoo, the real value is how many friends I will never meet or know personally while "earning" my weekly pittance doing something resembling work.

And to think, the uptick in gear sales for network routers and capacity, what's with all you naysayers, it's good for the economy and job security!

AOL buys a friend for $850m

It's official

Social networking has jumped the shark.

May Web 2.0 die a slow and painful death!

Anti-trust committee checks out Windows 7

So is Windows7 the Ultimate Vista?

I went for the Ultimate and all I got was Vista?

Will Dell and HP have Windows7 compatible boxes or is Intel planning to continue bribing MS to claim my 486 box is Windows7 capable?

Google eyes Cleveland medical records

The shark has just been jumped

Google will be to on-line to privacy in medical record keeping as "Little Boy" was to Hiroshima. The carnage will exceed our expectations and recovery will take far longer than anyone could ever imagine. Let the lawsuits begin!

Critics chuck MS 'friendly worm' plan on the compost heap

Why not use Bit Torrent?

No need for Microsoft pure worms, use the delivery system that millions are using to distribute software and other bits successfully for many years -- Bit Torrent. A highly efficient way to distribute patches, updates and new products and it costs very little, next to nothing, to set up a torrent and let it rip. Granted, the Hivemaster Ballmer!!!! can! not! control! it! but! the! Monkey! can! still! dance!!!!! But! will! Comcast! throttle! the! Monkey!!!!! and! his! Worms!!!!????errrrr!!! Torrents??!!!

Google cheers anti-Comcast legislation

A pox on both houses I say

As a former Comcast customer, I have recovered sufficiently from the horror to state I am free, free at last. My DSL bandwidth is mine, reliable, not shared, and I spend $15 less per month for service with no "special pricing" that expires after 6 months, have greater bandwidth up and down which I gleefully use unthrottled.

I am all for net neutrality.

I think Google has jumped the shark and the rot is setting in as it does for all who strive for monopoly. Google is becoming very much like the borg aka Microsoft in their assumptions that what is good for Google is good for everybody. Google's 404 page hack is just another example of the hive mentality that knows what's best for us without ever asking. And don't get me started about the fascists who run Facebook....

Cheers...

Chinese firm sets legal dragons on Microsoft

All your font belong to us

There will be a fair trial and then they'll be hung.

Hackers go after Excel

They have no shame

Having supported MS OS and apps for over 17 years I appreciate the annuity income. Installing services packs, anti-virus, anti-spyware and patches has paid off my house and car and thanks to Billy G and that Ballmer monkeyboy I expect the cash to keep rolling into my pocket.

I know I can rely on Microsoft to continue to screw the pooch aka customer for as long as the sky is blue and the grass is green. That's what makes America great!

OpenOffice is not a bad option but it is not suitable for the 5% or less who actually use the advanced features of Excel. But for those who want to do a quick budget analysis OO's spreadsheet is fine.

Vista sets 2007 land-speed record for copying and deleting

Network shares that are unavailable slowed my Vista down to a crawl

On my home net I have 2 XP boxes, a Mandriva box and a sparkling new shiny Dell Vista box. 4 modern PC all of them, none over 3 years old and all run very well. Everything has worked well on Vista except when I found some issues with extreme slowness.

I found that Vista will boot quite slow if a shared network drive that it is permanently mapped to is unavailable. I had mapped to drives on the 3 non-Vista boxes and could transfer files fine but I never tried more than a GB of transfers. I found that when I powered down the other systems and only bring the Vista box up it took almost 5 minutes to boot which was not typical. I also found that once Vista did boot, it took up to 1/2 hour to open the My Computer icon so I could my drives. Yet when I powered the other 3 non-Vista systems up the My Computer icon opened instantly when I clicked it, which is typical on the XP boxes as well.

So I removed the permanently mapped drives on the Vista box from the non-Vista systems I had powered off. I then rebooted and Vista booted normally, yes still slower than XP, but it was normal for Vista. And once booted up, I could click on My Computer and it opened instantly as one would expect.

The lesson I learned, permanent network connections that are unavailable make Vista slow to a crawl in ways one would not ever expect. Perhaps some who are experiencing odd copying behavior may have a permanent network drive mapped that is unavailable. Check that out, maybe my experience is unique but I doubt it.

Cheers!

Microsoft accuses kids of bullying Santa into sex chat

Pizza, it's not just a food anymore

It's a lifestyle choice.

Giant athletic todger defends Pennsylvania

Is this what you mean when you say...

It's a real cockup?

Half of computer users are Wi-Fi thieves

Obviously, all companies that provide wireless network devices are aiding and abetting

A clear cut conspiracy. All companies who build network gear and all those who sell these criminal devices are part of this vast criminal enterprise to steal that which is given away by the punter who can not or will not secure their access point. Anyone who uses Wi-Fi outside of their home is guilty and no punishment is enough to fit this egregious affront to all civilized peoples.

And of course, those who do encrypt must have something to hide and, therefore, are guilty of heinous crimes as well.

Guilty, guilty, guilty I say!