Posts by garbo

Spam and the Byzantine Empire: How Bitcoin tech REALLY works

Re: What it's for

"few governments are actually evil. And most are trying their best to do the right thing, incompetence permitting."

It's not the govts that worry me. It's the evil buggers in the background, controlling the govts.

Experts: Network security deteriorating, privacy a lost cause

Re: Problem Is Much Deeper: Corruption Of Mind

I guess it was a smart move, my leaving the West and heading to the East all those years ago.

Another Lost in Space loon

ICBMs and atomic bombs vaporising your city are nothing compared to a hacker stealing your Facebook (eg) password. After a nuclear attack he won't need cyber protection.

Peak Facebook: British users lose their Liking for Zuck's ad empire

Re: What a small and sad life you lead.

...or did you mean "boor"?

Re: Hotel Facebook

...and you just can't kill the Beast.

Nine-year-old Opportunity Mars rover sets NASA distance record

Over-engineered...

Especially when weight is a serious design factor. I recall the doyen of motor racing theory, Laurence Pomeroy, saying that the "perfect racing car should disintegrate one yard over the finish line." Any farther, it was obviously over-engineered. ;-P

That $1,000 the lad in Lagos needed? Just email it with Google Wallet

Re: Bring bonking functionality to Android?

Bonking? It's what Bankers do. See the connection?

Mac malware found with valid developer ID at freedom conference

Long joke...

The longer a joke goes on, the more suspiciously serious it looks...

Alleged CIA spook cuffed by Russians: US Gmail 'spycraft' revealed

Re: Wrong introduction!

I was there. Had a wild time...I think...

Re: The Gmail account should be set up ...

Surely Hushmail, if you want strong security...

You thought only Google dodges UK taxes? So do all the Brit firms

They don't want to be "cleansed" - they want to stay filthy rich.

Sweden?

Not if your name's Assange...

Google's cloud dumps custom Linux, switches to Debian

Re: Three wins for Debian in a week

"Profit?"

Have you forgot "satisfaction", "pride in work", or even "community benefit"?

Or do your charge friends who come over for a cup of tea?

Linux kernel 3.9 lands

Problem of definitions

MS is a for-profit organisation strong enough to compel/convince OEMs to bundle MS on their machines.

"Linux", bar a few exceptions, is non-profit "community" that generally doesn't give a damn about "getting on the desktop". You can take or leave it. No Linux user loses anything from your not using it.

The plethora of "Distros" (versions of Linux/GNU) is not confusing. It's liberating. You can choose exactly what you want for the job.

Personally, once I've shown friends and colleagues my Linux setup, they go for it. Disregard the propaganda put out by the CLI ranters. Linux is easier, safer, more flexible than MS or Apple. And it's free.

The few for-profit Linux organisations eg Redhat, Canonical, Novell, are increasing market share, admittedly not always on the desktop.

See: http://www.aaxnet.com/design/linux2.html

Game designer spills beans on chubby-fancying chap with his stolen Mac

Re: The blog

What if a policeman's bike was stolen? Would it take any less time or more activity to get on the case? Only joking...

Re: The blog

To be fair, you've never experienced the exhilaration of riding a motorbike. It comes a very close second to riding a horse. And I suspect you've done that, either. Stay inside your Toyota Whatever. It's "safer".

Re: actual theft of a tangible item...

Ah, finally, the reason we have police!

Re: I like it !

Sadly, Q.E.D. - good guys finish last...

Re: Cops? Ha! I had an entire CAR stolen

So, it's a crime to retrieve your own stolen car?

Notebook makers turn to Android in face of Windows woes

Re: Apps

When did you last use Linux? I guess either never or long ago. The CLI can be found and used, as it can on Windows, but there's no need. Everything _today_ is point & click. It will even live alongside Windows - dual boot - if you still need Windows apps. Wonder over to Distrowatch ( distrowatch.com ) and look around. You'll be pleasantly surprised.

Re: Good news

"only a matter of time before they start selling something WITHOUT an OS installed!" Another reason I love Bangkok. Been buying computers for years, dirt cheap, no software installed, then sticking in my choice of Linux. Surprised the "First" World democracies don't offer this option.

Magic mystery malware menaces many UK machines - new claim

Re: So.....

Been running Linux for so long I can't remember - don't you need Admin rights to create a new user on Windows? You certainly do in Linux, which's why malware downloaded by a "user" can't attack the system. No "write" or even "read" (in most cases) rights.

How does this malware gain Admin rights on Windows?

Google Glass will SELF-DESTRUCT if flogged on eBay

Re: What gives ANY company the right...

Yes, a rather crude, intimating (very un-google) EULA. Why not "lease" the device indefinitely rather than sell it. Then the EULA is (more) acceptable.

Netbooks projected to become EXTINCT by 2015

eee-901, still going...

Netbooks may be dying - for those who didn't get the memo - small, cheap, wi-fi, bluetooth, internet, some writing, some simple games, 6 hr battery. My Asus 901, running Mint 14 xfce, does the job perfectly well.

Researcher hacks aircraft controls with Android smartphone

Re: Knew It Was Coming

"With a back door, a parachute and plenty of altitude...." Really?

At 33,000 ft (10,000m), the usual airliner cruising height, the temperature is around -50 C! If you didn't suffocate from hypoxia you'd freeze before you hit the ground. Stick to buses.

The ten SEXIEST computers of ALL TIME

Re: No Psions?

What, no Psion netBook??!! Touch screen, Thinkpad-equaling keyboard, 12 hr battery, in 1999! Still use mine, though for mainly sentimental reasons.

Boeing 787 fleet grounded indefinitely as investigators stumped

Re: Grounded indefinitely

Qantas Airbus 380, yes, but the engine is British - Rolls Royce RB211 Trent 900.

Time has already run out for smart watches

Re: Funny how these things go full circle

Hang on...looking DOWN to find a pocket watch and looking DOWN to read it makes one's head go UP and get shot in the face?

Review: Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 Windows 8 convertible Ultrabook

Re: What a surprise!

I'm afraid you've been reading old stories. Every machine I've had over the past five years running Linux detected wifi out of the box. Even ancient PCMCIA cards can be used with "ndiswrapper" which uses Windows proprietary wifi drivers. The latest Linux distros will handle this automatically. Best to try a FREE linux distro on your machine. No command line, just point-and -click.

US military nails 'best ever' Microsoft deal, brags size does matter

Re: The REAL reason

Or maybe, with so far disappointing take-up, they just have to move W8 any way they can. Hence the "sweetheart" deal for the military.

Divorce lawyer spots increase in Christmas 'text message bustings'

Re: The old addage:

...unless you have a back door.

Re: So sad...

Ayesha, High Priestess of Kuma: "She who must be Overpaid".

The year GNOMES, Ubuntu sufferers forked off to Mint Linux

Re:Bamboo under the fingernails...

Wouldn't that interfere with my typing?

The LINUX TABLET IS THE FUTURE - and it always will be

Re: Android

But is "Linux" trying to compete? Which organization similar to Apple or Windows is pushing Linux? Maybe Canonical but I haven't seen the ads, shows, Balmer-style antics. .

I'd say most Linux users don't care if others use it or not. They choose a distro' then a version then a GUI then change the whole system to suit their particular needs. That's why individuals use Linux.

iPhone tops US market, but trounced by Android in world+dog

Re: Is this sales or shipped?

And incoherent shills at that. More wit needed.

El Reg man: Too bad, China - I was RIGHT about hoarding rare earths

Re: Uhm..

What didn't the Chinese understand? They're no longer a Communist economy (only a Communist state). They did the Capitalist thing - charged as much as the market would stand until supply increased elsewhere, then shut down their own excess supply until demand rises later on. A stupid Communist would still be demanding high prices, still mining the stuff and wondering what went wrong. The Chinese are not. QED

North Korea's satellite a dud, say US astroboffins

Out of Control?

Following the satellite's orbit here:

http://www.n2yo.com/satellite/?s=39026

Can't see the wobble. More US propaganda?

Google Maps becomes Apple's most popular app

Re: Nokia is worse

Is it Bangkok or what? My N8 runs Ovi maps without wi-fi - just GPS satellites - and gets me within 10 meters of my actual location - walking or driving. Google maps demands a wi-fi connection but does no better, and sometimes worse.

Australian Prime Minister: Mayan calendar 'true'

Re: Hearts and minds

>Variously attributed to Churchill, Bismark and Clemenceau

All servants of fascism. They would say that wouldn't they, Mandy.

Stallman: Ubuntu spyware makes it JUST AS BAD as Windows

Re: wtf were Ubuntu thinking pulling this stunt?

Shuttleworth, the businessman, always has the Profit Monkey on his back, whispering, "Not yet, not yet. OK, maybe now you can turn a profit on all your effort and investment." But it would've been nicer to tell everyone first.

Apple share dive scuppers trader's alleged get-rich-quick fraud scam

Re: Terminology

I'd be a happy little trader if brokers were not also traders but it just ain't so.

Broker/traders are "testing" the market all the time (HFT alert) with piddly bids and offers that would not cover commission costs. Why would anyone bid for $5.00 worth of shares, knowing they'd pay $10.00 fees? They'd need a 100%+ sell for any profit. These little bids/offers are probes to test market sentiment. I watch these probes trying to drive prices. For me it's a signal to get out. A sucker play, like losing the first hands at poker to a punter.

These probes can inundate a market and distort it because there's no commission loss. It's a free game .

Caveat emptor.

T+3

I trade actively on the Thai market in real time. I always know the price of any share I'm buying or selling. If you're shorting you can see the price on the screen (and you're guessing it'll fall), and your broker knows you have funds to cover to an agreed lower price/percentage fall and an agreed future buy back time.

If you don't buy back the shares you sold (borrowed), the agreed market price/time is simply deducted from your account. As for cash on the spot, the traditional payment method is T+3 ie you pay for a Buy 3 days later and receive proceeds of a Sell 3 days later. It allows me to to buy in again immediately after a sell.

That said, shorting is a nasty game because it distorts market sentiment - a big buy at the end of the day could be a panicky shorter buying to get out rather than a confident buyer coming in. Confusing. But fun. And profitable if you're sensible and cautious. It pay the bills.

HFT is for the big money boys (who own brokerages and don't pay commission, well except to themselves). An estimated 70% of all HFT trades take less than a few seconds. Scary if you're a day trader (scary anyway), but no big threat for trend traders like me. Again it's market distortion that's troubling.

Assange: Google, Facebook run 'side projects' for US spooks

Re: Monitoring

A pal used to do this years ago on Usenet, adding "terrorist, assassination, explosives" to his sig. Got regular visits from local plod, who eventually gave up. Echelon sees all.

Nokia Lumia 820 WinPho 8 review

Re: Too little, too late

Wall Street Journal? Owned by St Rupert of Murdoch, canonized for his services to Truth...

Amazon's secret UK sales figures revealed by Parliamentary probe

Re: No profit ...!

All the books I've ordered never rattled.

Ten technology FAILS

Re: Secondlife Is still Alive.

"So, go there, join now. I know none of you have lives in the real world. You are here, reading this aren't you?"

But then, You are here, writing this aren't you?

Re: Palm Pilot never tried to be anything more than a digital diary and contacts list.

Still use a Zire 71 as calculator, backgammon and chess player. Tethered to my old SE K750 used to connect to the net, sent email, etc. Even took pix. Superb machine, unbreakable OS.

Apple to settle with Samsung? Korean honcho: 'Fuggedaboutit'

Currency?

Why would a Taiwanese company pay a settlement to a US company in Korean currency (300 billion Won)?

Is there some devilish Oriental arbitrage going on?

Samsung turns screws on Apple, hikes A6 processor price 20%

Re: Wonder how much that price hike brought in?

So, indirectly, Apple will be paying part of Samsung's legal fees in their ongoing court cases? But when Apple passes on the processors' extra costs to Apple customers, then ...iPhone buyers, at least indirectly, will be funding Samsung to make Galaxy phones even better. Thank you. Pleasant twinge of schadenfreude I'm feeling.

Samsung posts record profits as Galaxy sales crush Apple

Re: Samsung more successful than Apple? Apple throwing it's toys out of the pram in the UK Court

Steve is not in his grave. He is in Heaven, sharpening his Thunderbolts.