* Posts by Andy

21 publicly visible posts • joined 5 Apr 2007

Google's AOL stake walks the plank

Andy
Paris Hilton

Who is AOL?

I use AOL maybe 10 years ago. As for google as my homepage, no thanks. How long before AOL disappears I wonder?

Deception of 'up to' broadband speeds exposed

Andy
Linux

@ Andrews & Arnold/Anon coward

Glad to hear they are extremely penguin friendly. I was thinking about O2, but it looks like AAISP are going to be a strong contender. I like what I see on their website. No minimum term , just 30 days notice. They obviously have faith in their products. And if they do, then so do I.

Virgin - yeah crap download speed. Seems to go up and down on a random basis. this last week it has been really crap. Even the missus has complained.

As for the "up to..." claims, we need someone with balls to kick the ISPs up the a**e. The dodgy ones anyway. My speed? 2Mbit/s. And Virgins new 50Mbit/s ads? Ho! Ho! Ho! Trades Description Act?

EFF reveals vastly expanded search policy at US borders

Andy
Paris Hilton

Maybe somewhere else next year

I like Canada, maybe there next year. Went there in 2006, loved it. America already booked for this year, so can't cancel that. So either Canada or maybe somewhere in Northern Europe, Norway maybe (for the cod fishing). Just have to tell 'er indoors...

Paris, 'cos I'd rather tell her:)

eBay: don't come on our US site without protection

Andy
Paris Hilton

How long before ebay backtracks?

They tried it in Australia and it didn't work, so maybe the Americans will stand up and say No to this. I wonder how long before they try it in the UK? There is always ebid.net.

Paris - 'cos I would like to bid on her:)

Euro guidelines will allow Bluetooth spam

Andy
Coat

@ Paul Bristow:Bill Hicks said it best

I agree 100%. Marketeers, go fuck off. Preferably to somewhere where you can't get back from. We don't want your ads. Stick them where the sun don't shine.

Mines the metal lined one. No signal getting through that!

US utilities plot remote switch off

Andy
Coat

Control - not good.

This is not good, letting companies control what's in your home. Switching electrical devices on and off, what next, changing the tv channel so you see certain adverts? However, low power light bulbs - good idea. Helps keep our energy bills down a bit. Yes, we should all try and use less electric to try and help save the planet. The thing is this climate change was going to happen sooner or later, we have just brought it all forward a few years. Didn't we come out of a mini ice age a few decades ago -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Ice_Age

Surely after an ice age it is going to get warmer? And now the leccy companies want us all to roast in the summer (and freeze in the winter). Let's hope it doesn't happen over here in blighty.

Mines the one with the personal nuclear reactor in the pocket.

Google deigns to comply with a privacy law

Andy
Paris Hilton

Bye bye google

Having read this article and also the comments posted by people on www.iii.co.uk concerning phorm (yes, it's still going on but the share price is below a tenner right now, roll on the death of phorm!) I have deleted my youtube account (might not make any difference but I won't be on there any more, not that I went there much anyway) and my googlemail account will be going very soon.

As for privacy on the internet, there is less and less of it. Perhaps this is the beginning of the slow decline in internet usage. Maybe all this privacy stuff will get more and more people thinking about what they actually do when they are on the net. Then again maybe not.

Paris 'cos she ain't got any privacy.

Opera update fixes stability bugs

Andy
Thumb Up

faster than firefox for me at least

We all have our own preferences, that is why we have choices. I used Opera way back before Firefox was even thought of. I am trying to use it more at home because it is so much faster than firefox which does seem to hang now and again. (I switched to firefox at some point because I thought it was better). This is on Linux. Maybe I just need to remove it completely including my settings and install from scratch. Opera does not seem to work with googlemail, at least for me. But then I'm getting rid of it due to privacy reasons (read some of the comments on www.iii.co.uk on phorm and you will understand. Probably). I do like the latest version of Opera. It is very fast. I am impressed. It takes a lot to impress me.

Dell offers 'Windows Vista Bonus' to frightened customers

Andy
Paris Hilton

@William

I don't claim to be a power user, but I have enough knowledge/experience to deal with windows. My OH bought one of those PC's from Aldi, with Vista preinstalled. If I had not been there I don't think she would have had a clue what to do with it. Yes, she has used computers before, mostly Linux and w2k. But for all those that have not had a computer before, this could be a nightmare. I tried to set up the wireless network. What a pain in the a##e! w2k and xp did ok, but vista did not want to know. I did read somewhere that vista won't connect to wireless if the SSID is not being transmitted, even if you manually add it. So it is connected to our LAN via wire.

Me? I use Linux, specifically Slackware. I find it easier to use and work with than windows. I use windows at work but only because I have to. I have also used it at home right the way back to 3.1.

And one other thing about Vista - I am not the only one to notice that even if the computer is not running any apps, it seems to be constantly thrashing the hdd. I am trying to convince her to go back to W2K or XP. It should be faster but I have to make sure I can get the necessary drivers. Either that or Linux. NO I'm not a fanboi, I use what I want to use and respect that fact that everyone is entitled to use whichever OS they prefer. The right tool for the job.

Paris. I bet she doesn't bother about her OS.

Sweden ushers in bugging for all

Andy
Paris Hilton

The end is nigh...

for privacy, democracy and civilisation as we know it. This is not the start, it has already been happening without our knowing about it. 1984, about 24 years late, but we are getting there. Last one to leave the planet turn out the lights...

Paris - well, she hasn't got a lot of privacy has she?

Red Hat scurries away from consumer desktop market

Andy
Paris Hilton

@Another install anecdote

Had that problem as well. Tried to install Xp on a new mobo, need SATA drivers. Had to use win95 machine to get the drivers off cd onto floppy. Yes floppy! Now, some machines these days don't come with a floppy drive installed. Screwed or what! Mine does have one.

Linux on the other hand (Slackware, my fav), installs no prob. Doesn't that say something? Maybe m$ should get that sorted, add SATA drivers to their install CD/DVD.

And as for Slackware, edit /etc/inittab to change the runlevel and install the Nvidia driver. Piece of cake. I find Linux easier to use/tweak.

As for Redhat not doing the desktop right now, that's their choice. They are good at the server stuff so they are sticking with it, with what they know. I am sure they will get a desktop version out in the future, when the time is right.

Paris, 'cos I bet she gets tweaked.

BT and Phorm secretly tracked 18,000 customers in 2006

Andy
Pirate

Data dumps

I am on VM and I am now running tcpdump and wireshark and dumping all packets to file now. If anyone is going to the plod about this then you will need hard evidence, or at least something that looks like it. Perhaps a letter from bt stating that you were part of a trial (that didn't happen, at least not until they got found out) then you have a case.

As for Vm, I am looking at other ISP's. If my money isn't enough for them (£18 for 2MB, the M package) then it's time to go elsewhere. O2 look good, I have an O2 PAYG phone so £5 off for me. Only £7.50 for up to 8MB, unlimited usage (fair usage policy). Even the 20MB is only £15, cheaper than what I'm paying now. I am just trying to find out if they are going to use Phorm or anything similar.

Perhaps the only way to get something done about Phorm is to get big business behind the movement. I am sure there are plenty of business's out there who have people working form home, most if not all should be using encryption of some sort, but if some of the data is not encrypted then there could be commercially sensitive data being sniffed by Phorm.

Bones, 'cos that is what should be happening to Phorm. Can't we get a gun or bomb symbol on here? Cos that is what Phorm needs.

Only Ubuntu left standing, as Flash vuln fells Vista in Pwn2Own hacking contest

Andy
Paris Hilton

@Pierre:@matty (Tough Buntu)

I use Slackware 12, I am not too old to use Ubuntu. I choose to use Slackware, it is my choice of distro. That's the good thing about Linux - choice. I did use Kbuntu, but it was not to my liking. I have heard Slackware described as the hardmans Linux.

I have also used SuSE (7.1, 8.1, 9.1 and 10.0, then ditched it, too bloated), mandrake (a long time ago), Gentoo (v fast performance, you learn a fair bit about Linux when installing it), Fedora (didn't stay on disk for long). And I still have my original Slackware CD's from '96 and '98. I remember compiling the kernel from source and editing a script to get my modem working.

And, yes I have used windows, various versions. Still do, at work. Have to.

Slackware should mean "for those who aren't afraid (to get their hands dirty)".

Paris - she probably gets dirty whenever she wants to.

Mozilla CEO blasts Apple for putting security of the internet at risk

Andy
Paris Hilton

UPdates and choices

Surely, people should read what is on the screen. If they don't then it is their fault. If users don't have the nouse to search in the menus of their application (eg FF) and find the check boxes for tuning on/off automatic updates, then they need to take computer lessons. You are not allowed to take a car out on your own until you pass a test. You have to be taught how to use it. Should be the same for computers. That's why there are so many computers out there with viruses and trojans on them, plus all those that are in botnets. If the users had enough intelligence they would make sure their computers were clean.

You just don't click on popups any more. Or ads. Unless you really trust where they came from... No telling where they came from or whether they are cosher or not. So when these updaters pop up on screen people should read what they say. If it has an option for updating software (safari) you haven't installed, either you deselect it, or maybe it did sneak onto your computer without you knowing. Or maybe, just maybe, it is something else pretending to be that software (safari). And yes, it's bad timing, with that phorm thing going on right now.

Apple should change the updater so any software you don't have that is available in the updater is shown as available as new software and is unticked by default.

Paris, because she will probably click on install anyway.

Phorm agrees to independent inspection of data pimping code

Andy
Thumb Down

Re: They can look at the PHORM code but what about the ISP?

Yes, the ISP needs looking at. How are they going to guarantee that because you have opted out your traffic will go nowhere the phorm servers? Perhaps a traceroute might work? The ISPs will not be able to prove your traffic goes nowhere near the phorm servers cos they aren't going to divert your traffic. Too much like hard work and it will cost them money.

Net think tank: Phorm is illegal

Andy
Gates Halo

@Ben part 2

If we don't opt in (don't know anyone who will) and our http GETs go through to a phorm server in one of BTs data centres then that is illegal and BT should be taken to court and have their ass kicked big style. Plus compo for the users affected.

BillG cos even he ain't that bad.

Andy
Paris Hilton

@Ben

But even if BT own much of the backbone, it will be in their data centres where the phorm servers/hardware are and if I am with someone else, say Zen, they will have their own data centre surely and so my http GETs won't go anywhere near BT's phorm servers? I don't know much about networks but this is how I would imagine it is set up. Perhaps someone could enlighten me?

As for the opt out cookie, it shouldn't be a cookie. It should be an opt in and if you don't opt in then your net traffic goes nowhere near phorms server.

Paris, cos she can come and get me any time:)

Andy
Linux

Use Konqueror if it's not supported:)

So all those using Linux can use Konqueror. Or, when KDE 4.0 is out, Dolphin:)

Phorm appear to be in discussion with other ISPs both here and abroad, according to this :

http://www.iii.co.uk/investment/detail/?display=news&code=cotn:PHRM.L&action=article&articleid=6611046

We need a page somewhere that lists all those ISPs that don't give a damn about their customers. Maybe a section on El Reg?

VM now have a webwise page :

http://www.virginmedia.com/customers/webwise.php

Here is an extract :

Webwise will help provide you with a safer and more relevant online experience by helping you avoid scam emails or websites, as well as making your online experience more relevant through advertising that matches your areas of interest.

According to that, it will also protect us from scam emails. Well how are they going to do that unless they are sniffing our emails?! I for one will be leaving vm, as will the missus seeing as we share the connection. I will have to get her another email

address. Maybe gmx.com - no spam there.

Why do the ISPs assume we want ads thrown at us anyway? oh yeah, to make them more money. Maybe this is why vm have dropped their prices and upped the speeds at the same time. They knew they were going to rip their customers off by flogging their surfing habits and making money out of them.

There is one other thing to consider - sometimes we forget a password and it is emailed to us and we happen to use webmail to view it. Oh look! They can see my password that I got emailed to me. And they say they will ignore passwords. Or we get a link to a page to change a password. Get out of that one then Kent "the lying b***tard" Phorm.

Just checked that investors site, here is the latest posting :

http://www.iii.co.uk/investment/detail/?display=discussion&code=cotn%3APHRM.L&it=le&action=detail&id=3962215

Briefly, it says it is looking good in the USA (for Phorm), looks like AT&T will be signing in a couple of weeks and revenue will soon be coming in from the UK ISPs.

So it looks like the 3 traitor ISPs are going to be starting their sniffing very soon. Well that is what it is, sniffing our packets.

We don't want ads so phuck off phorm. And up yours vm!

Tux because I use Linux Konqueror is not supported:) Yes, I also use windoze, but Linux is my OS of choice.

Cops seek 179mph net vid biker

Andy

Stupid

As soon as I saw that vid, I knew they were stupid. Started off by overtaking on solid white lines, in front of oncoming cars and on a bend. Stupid or what! I have ridden bikes since I was 16, had bikes from a C50 up to a ZRX1100. I didn't do stupid things like they did. I may have gone a little bit fast here and there, but in those days there wasn't as much traffic around. I agree, they should be done for overtaking on solid white lines and on a bend. And no, I don't think it was mph, more like kph.

The bike might be an import so that would explain the speed. I don't think they were doing 170mph+ in those conditions, more like 170kph. Too wet. I think the back wheel would have spun in the wet when accelerating hard. Yes, I've done that and I know what it is like.

It's like the young kids on bikes in the summer wearing shorts and t-shirts. Really stupid.

Dolly Parton's theme park shells out for more silicon

Andy

Another way of tracking us

Looks like another way of tracking people. Perhaps in years to come we will have a chip injected into us and that will have all our details on, including bank account details so we just walk past a scanner to pay for something. Not for me, I like my privacy.

WEP key wireless cracking made easy

Andy

Why use wireless?

Why use wireless when wired is more secure? And less hassle.