Posts by Mark Abbott

The netbook newbie's guide to Linux

Really a newbie guide?

It seems that the people who like and understand the article are used to Linux. Those who don't like or understand the article aren't Linux experts. So it seems that this newbie guide is only useful to non-newbies...

Why on earth are we looking at terminal and command-line stuff for the first article? How about a guide to summarise the differences between the various flavours of Linux used on netbooks? How do they compare with Windows? Why choose Linux over the Win XP version?

Or how about a guide on how and where things are stored (e.g. the equivalent of My Documents or Applications)? How to install new programmes? For example, what's the difference between installing programmes in Linux vs Windows or Mac? Or what's the difference between user and root?

But most importantly, why can't we have at least one newbie guide to Linux that doesn't mention terminal? It just gives people the fear.

Sony revamps e-book Reader with reading lamp

Touchscreen?

If it does indeed have a touchscreen, how on earth does this report not mention it? It would also explain the lack of buttons down the side of the screen like the 505.

One thing I like about the 505 is the fact that there are so many ways of turning the page (there are buttons everywhere) so it will be interesting to see how they've replaced that - presumably with the touchscreen plus the buttons at the bottom.

BBC fixes BT Home Hub auto-vomit bug

BT Denials

This took bl**dy ages for BT to admit there was a problem. Even when it was becoming well documented on BT's own support forums their customer service teams were still denying everything and telling people it must be their computer, filter etc.

With regards to the "tiny number" of people struggling, it was pretty much anyone who didn't have the very latest version of flash plus most Mac users even with updated flash.

It's great that the BBC have done a workaround, even though it's taking ages for them to update the videos on BBC News. This is still a problem because occasionally their videos auto-start and therefore break my router before I have a chance to stop the video.

BT should still apologise because it's their router and because they've been so crap about it.

Tiscali hits 'undo' after bandwidth throttling chokes iTunes

Spawn of the Devil

I'm glad I just switched from Pipex. When I rang them to tell them I'm off they asked why. When I told them it was because they were about to be taken over by Tiscali who are evil, they didn't even bother to argue...