Posts by Rob

Tech support chap's boss got him out of jail so he could finish a job

Re: $50

So what you are saying is that you BOFH'd it!

AI agent seemingly tries to shame open source developer for rejected pull request

Re: 24/7/365 automated harassment and bullying

Proper fruitcakes are all over the place, they are called politicians now, I wouldn't recommend eating one though!

Nitrogen ransomware is so broken even the crooks can't unlock your files

Re: I doubt that will worry them.

So your saying that Trump is the leader fo the gang if the standard line is to decry the journalists as lying.

Commodore Amiga turns 40, headlines UK exhibition

Ah, great memories. Makes me want to pull my A1200 out to see if it still works and fire up Stunt Car Racer, had a great soundtrack! Loved that game before I then got addicted to the Bitmap Brothers and the stuff they churned out. Not sure I have the will power to do another round of Cadaver though, felt like I was playing that for years.

‘I nearly died after flying thousands of miles to install a power cord for the NSA’

Maybe with the exception of the brief flipping through the air in the car crach.

Frozen foods supermarket chain deploys facial recognition tech

Re: Iceland has violent crime ?

Totally agree about the quality of the food, but they do sell Greggs Stake Bake's and a nice range of Catherdral City cheesy products.

Mysterious leaker GangExposed outs Conti kingpins in massive ransomware data dump

Re: GangExposed

I think your hard left liberal views have created a situation that didn't need to be, trying being more centrist :-)

AWS forms EU-based cloud unit as customers fret about Trump 2.0

On paper it seems like that but checks and balances will kick in. If he issued an order to cut off a lot of organisations that pay money to the likes of MS and Google, do you think those businesses will allow that amount of damage to their proifts. That sort of bad press will ripple across the planet and the organisations can't survive on just the US market, they are now just as reliant on their foreign customers to survive, if Trump hurts too many of them in one go, I'm fairly certain that the likes of MS and Google will take it too court to stop the damage to their business model.

Trump thinks he is the be all and end all and that was enforced because his early executive decisions weren't challanged quick enough, now the judicary branch of the US Government has woken up a bit and is doing what it should, which is checks and balances on the executive branch. This is how the founding fathers set out their constitution, they could forsee the chance of corruption and tried to limit it as much as possible hence the 3 branches to keep each other in check.

Not saying it's perfect but that was the original idea when they formed their constitution.

NASA keeps ancient Voyager 1 spacecraft alive with Hail Mary thruster fix

Re: If only...

We want no muffins, no toast, no teacakes, no buns, baps, baguettes or bagels, no croissants, no crumpets, no pancakes, no potato cakes and no hot-cross buns and definitely no smegging flapjacks.

China turns on ‘minors mode’ that ensures kids only see wholesome socialist content online

You missed of the category of parent that just doesn't care and is happy the digital device is entertaining their child so they don't have to.

How to leave the submarine cable cutters all at sea – go Swedish

Re: U-235, shorely?

Ah the Gripon, if I remember correctly that is the only jet in the world that has come close to being in strike range of an SR-71 when operational.

UK's Darpa clone faces tough test next spring as government considers future funding

Re: Wads for the Boys...

I've yet to find out where the profit from DSTL goes. Seeing as it's projects are seeded by taxpayers money, once it's developed and sold to someone else does any of that profit feed back into the public coffers?

Nolanverse Batmobile leaps barrier between film and reality – but it'll cost you

Would love one, but will have to wait until after I have saved up for a reproduction, that is street legal, of the TRON2 bike (fully EV apparently, needs the costume to go with it though).

'Newport would look like Dubai' if guy could dumpster dive for lost Bitcoin drive

I'm clearly a horder as I'm struggling to figure out why you would throw out a working blank harddrive, which according to the report is what he thought he threw out.

Schools bombarded by nation-state attacks, ransomware gangs, and everyone in between

Re: Attackers

Much cheaper than that, just threaten to kill or incarcerate the students family so they do as they are told. That seems to be the SOP of those sort of state actors.

Keir Starmer says facial recognition tech is the answer to far-right riots

Re: Buy Shares In Hoodies.....ASAP......

They have a law for that too now. If a dispersal order is granted for an area it also includes not covering your face. So if you are in a dispersal order zone with your face covered, expect to get your collar felt and no doubt a copper will pull out their phone to do FR at that point.

Former Fujitsu engineer apologizes for role in Post Office IT scandal

Re: Jenkins was complicit in the cover-up

None of them seem to care that their actions (or lack thereof in some cases) caused so much stress to individuals they took their own lives. Ultimately they are responsble for people dying, I don't know how much more serious it can get before they need to show some genuine remorse and apologise and I mean genuinely.

If Britain is so bothered by China, why do these .gov.uk sites use Chinese ad brokers?

Re: There is absolutely no reason

The DVLA don't bother with stuff like that because they have already sold their database of our details to 3rd parties. Nothing covert there, they went straight for the juggular.

CERN seeks €20B to build a bigger, faster, particle accelerator

Re: Best name?

Kep it simple, FHHC for F***ing Huge Hadron Collider

Nostalgia for XP sells out Microsoft's 2023 'Windows Ugly Sweater'

I'll stick to getting a Jim'll Paint It version which is a fair bit cheaper and more entertaining.

Tesla Cybertruck no-resale clause vanishes faster than a Model S in Ludicrous Mode

Thanks, that has just helped my brain. Everytime I look at the Cybertruck I keep thinking it reminds me of something, now I know I was thinking of Captain Scarlett. If you are involved in a crash with a Cybertruck keep a look out for 2 circles moving across the ground and listen out for a disembodied voice.

PhD student guilty of 3D-printing 'kamikaze' drone for Islamic State terrorists

Re: The cops also reportedly discovered at the home an IS application form,

Stop, you lot are making me spray coffee over the entire desk. Got visions of ISIS terrorists in a training camp being taught how to do a dynamic risk assessment before strapping a bomb to their chest.

Lawsuit claims Google Maps led dad of two over collapsed bridge to his death

Re: Were there no signs indicating that the Bridge was out?

This is the bit I'm struggling with. The locals have been complaining about it for so long and nothing was done by Google on their maps or the authorities. Round here at least one resident (me or someone else) would have taken matters into their own hands and built a barrier to block the road for the safety of others because we know the big corps or the authorities were too slow and there was a clear danger present.

EU gives its blessing to reopen data pipelines to the US

Re: "limits to the access US intelligence agencies have to EU citizen's data"

My point was that regardless of whatever protections EU law tries to put in place the NSA listening stations will disregard those laws and take what they want anyway. There will always be nefarious actors in those spaces that do whatever they want, laws and policies can try to help but until we have digital tools that are effective, the average effort of data protection will always be up against it. It's still the wild west in technology and data circles as we develop stuff quicker than we can control it by giving them decent and fair check and balances and the right tools to help enforce those checks and balances.

But if attacking me makes you feel better, then crack on.

Re: "limits to the access US intelligence agencies have to EU citizen's data"

The NSA have listening stations all over Europe and a very large, capable one in Yorkshire. They are taking whatever data they want/need anyway so this is all just a show for politics. The average European citizen can see that the politicians are doing something about it, regardless if it is a chocolate teapot.

Google Street View car careens into creek after 100mph cop chase

Can't wait to use streetview in this area, will feel like I'm in hyperspace in the millennium falcon or similar.

Sci-fi author 'writes' 97 AI-generated tales in nine months

Re: We are surrounded by morons..

I wouldn't be surprised if ChatGPT is the new 'Bitcoin', a fad that rumbles on for ages that gets over hyped and takes a long time for people to realise it isn't what they expected it to be. Borderline solution looking for a problem and no-one has looked at the mid to long term future of it that ends up keeping it niche.

Attackers hit Bitcoin ATMs to steal $1.5 million in crypto cash

"My only guess would be something to do with putting ads on the machine, but then why on Earth would that let you anywhere near the Admin console."

I think you've highlighted the common problem. Crypto money is a gold rush and as such companies are rushing to get involved and not taking the time to develop their software to the point of better security. I agree why on earth would you want to upload videos, if it is for Ads I would be running a seperate bit of software to serve adds to this system but that would require time to build and develop and cut into their first profit earnings.

How the Internet Archive faces potential destruction at the hands of Big Four publishers

Ditto, I love the fact that I can reminisce on some old copies of Sinclair User magazine, used lto love the cover artwork when I was a kid. Can't beat the covers that feature the kamikaze bear.

UK tax authority nudges net 'influencers': You may owe us for those OnlyFans feet pics

Re: Customer?

It's a protection racket. You pay them, they keep the law courts away from you (regrading your income, other crimes require a different gov department)

Crypto craziness craps out – and about time too

I second that motion.

Adobe confirms UK looking into its $20b Figma deal, EU probe 'expected'

Re: That's a lot of money

Getting a large user base hooked on your drug means you can make changes to the market as a dominent player. Adobe will more than likely want a sizeable stake in the standards of media files, the things that will be required for the many Metaverses that will no doubt spring up from various corps wanting to control that emerging market.

Look like Bane, spend like Batman with Dyson's $949 headphones

Ditto, my wife and bought into the sales pitch and thought we'd give one of his cordless uprights a go, complete bag-o-shite. Can just about run for 20mins before running out of charge and has no where near the amount of power as the cordless Shark that we repalced it with, which is way better value for money and works really well.

BOFH: The Boss has a new watch – move readiness to DEFCON 2

Re: Savages, savages I say!

Is this in reference to the a previous commentard talking about stroking sensitive areas?

Foldable smartphones crawl to one percent of global market share

Re: Multiple parallel folds

I'm fairly sure I read an article way back about this is where Samsung's R&D was with screen tech before the fold and flip came out. They had developed a paper thin screen that could be rolled up. They are looking at the future where screens are paper thin and can be easily applied to things like walls etc.

That R&D tech is what brought about the fold and flip phones, although the first fold phone from Samsung wasn't really technically released due to hinge problems. I'll see if I can find the article.

Re: The modern flip-phone

I just upgraded to the Fold 4 and I wasn't sure if it was the right move. After a few months of use now I totally love it. Far less of a proble to fit it in my pocket and sit down than the S22 Ultra I had before.

I thought the foldable screen would just be a gimmick but has outstripped my expectations by a huge amount.

I think this will be my future upgrade route, a sterling improvement over the Note models I used to purchase.

BOFH: You want presentation layer, but we're physical layer

I had an instance of this once. I took the 'obvious rules' logic, the laptop was their personal property but they were making out it was essential for work and insisted we investigate and fix the problem, so I wiped it and loaded one of our corporate images on as per our SLA and policies. I don't think they appreciated that our image was one version of windows behind what they had installed and locked into our group policy, I think my manager at the time took on the task of releasing it from our corporate controls with a quiet word about what is brought in to be fixed to the wider org.

Windows 11: The little engine that could, eventually

Re: Sliding down the hill - backwards

Advertising? what advertising, I haven't seen any in my win11?!?

Win11 on my laptop is the leanest it's ever been and most stable. I know it can be quite subjective depending on the machine but I'm finding it the best version of windows so far. If a restart is required then it is usually scheduled for when I'm not using it. I have more problems with O365 and it's updates than I do Windows.

UK spy boss warns China hopes Russia will help it take over tech standards

Re: The war in Ukraine is a devastating blow to the image of a mighty Russia

One aspect Putin overlooked is that since the annexe of Crimea, which showed the Ukraine army to be severly lacking, Ukraine has been training it's army since 2014 in a live fire situation as they have been rotating units through the frontline in the Donesk region. There is no better training environment than a live one, especially when the opposing force is using Russian hardware and tactics.

Ukraine always knew something was coming down the line from Russia and they have been preapring since 2014. Now add in that the Russian forces mostly consist of poorer ethinic conscripts from the other parts of Russia which Putin deems expendable, not only does he want to rebuild the USSR but he gets to do ethnic cleasning at the same time.

Something 4,000 light years away emitted strange radio bursts. This is where we talk to scientists for actual info

Re: Lizards

Don't be so ridiculous, the lizard people would be far more comptent at running the country.

At this point I would welcome any evil overlord to rule us, they seriously can't be any worse than the carbon based twats we currently have.

Scam, pyramid scheme, environmental disaster: Vivaldi boss shares his thoughts on crypto-coins

Re: Wall Street?

Gold mostly, hence why banks shift large pallets of them around occassionally to other banks or reserve stores.

BOFH: The vengeance bus is coming, and everybody's jumping. An Xmas bonus hits me…

Ah the folly of youth, there's always something to learn.

Merry Christmas Simon, looking forward to a bumper 2022 filled with rolls of carpet and bags of lime.

Boffins find way to use a standard smartphone to find hidden spy cams

I'm sure the NHS will see a sharp rise in shark bites on the arse in females, less so with males as we tend to use the front pocket and we're unlikely to put a creature with sharp teeth near our bollocks.

Labour Party supplier ransomware attack: Who holds ex-members' data and on what legal basis?

Putting all the obvious GDPR, data breach shennigans aside for a sec. I'm appalled that they went to an American firm to design their website!

We always bought local with public money, sometimes casting the net wider if local industry didn't have the skills but always in the UK. It's WordPress for fcuk sake, you could throw a piece of paper (unfolded) and hit any number of designer and developers for WordPress.

Typical. Museum of London Docklands display would be ready to set sail were it not for no-show cast member

Ah the heady days of Director

That brings back memories, I think I can still remember some Lingo.

The joys of building interactive CD's!

In Hancock's half-hour, Dido Harding offers hollow laughs: Cake distracts test-and-trace boss at UK COVID-19 briefing

Re: "......worst death toll in Europe"

I don't think you've fully grasped how much normal folk hate Cummings. The witch hunt started years ago and was intensified when he released the Brexit lies. He designed and ran the Brexit campaign to leave, he's the reason Boris is in power. He has too much sway and is a self serving c**t, he needs to go!

The immovable object versus the unstoppable force: How the tech boys club remains exclusive

Re: Hmmm...

"Why aren't there more female bricklayers? Do the same impediments apply?"

I think this where the comment in the article applies about the need to run for a generation tilted in the opposite direction. Classic barriers that have been around for too long will be the main reason we don't see more female "bricklayers", we have to spend time getting rid of those barriers and then seeing how many women want to be bricklayers before we can truly say that women aren't interested in being bricklayers, that all takes time.

We've started along the path of trying to remove those barriers (I think some sectors of industry need to try harder or at least start), provide more opportunities and eventually we will be closer to a more balanced workforce at all levels in regards to gender.

Whistleblowing saboteur costs us $167m bellows Tesla’s accountant

Check your numbers...

... there's 2, one in the US and one in the UK.

UK's GDS head Kevin Cunnington leaves to tell world+dog how (not) to do digital

Re: If this...

2 of those mentioned were actually delivered by the DVLA before GDS was even created. They would like to say that GDS was responsible but all they did was bolt them into gov.uk once it was launched. HMIRC dealt with online self assessment before GDS and gov.uk came along.

10 PRINT Memorial in New Hampshire marks the birthplace of BASIC

WOW...

... I still have that book that features on the article thumbnail. Couldn't bear to get rid of it, fond childhood memories.