Posts by Jason Bloomberg

Devs sound alarm after Microsoft subtracts C/C++ extension from VS Code forks

Re: Shouldn't have been unexpectected.

If Microsoft have in their license agreement that the extensions can only be used with VSCode then why were cursor finding workarounds and ways to hide that it was their IDE accessing the marketplace?

This. It feels a lot like burglars complaining someone has fitted better locks.

I am sure many commentards here will have 'kicked the doors down' when it has suited them to do so, but I don't think many would be so stupid as to build a business reliant upon doing that or expect it to last.

Europe's cloud customers eyeing exit from US hyperscalers

Re: Some of us have been saying this for years

and roundly laughed at.

48% of Brits were demonised "enemies of the people" for not wanting to abandon the EU and pivot towards America, preferably for the brexiteers an America with a right-leaning Trump-style regime.

I wonder how's that working out for us so far?

Bank of England flirts with offline digital dosh

Politics

Sometimes I think they do this to drive me towards voting for wacko-nutjob extremist parties because they usually do have enough sense to call it out for the bullshit it is.

Tech tariff turmoil continues as Trump admin exempts some electronics, then promises to bring taxes back

Those who have a clue are the ones with eyes-popping out and jaws dropped in shock, wondering why -

Those who don't have a clue are proclaiming "winning", cheering for Trump, who, along with him, say it's all going to plan and have no understanding of the damage they are doing to America.

There are many who believe their countries are too heavily reliant upon America and a readjustment is necessary. I am not sure what they are feeling because they never believed that would ever come about. But here's Trump forcing everyone into that.

I feel mostly bemused by Trump's antics, am taking a HHGTTG approach of "Don't Panic", am holding on to "let's see what the outcome is". It's going to be painful but I am sure we will survive, and the world will be better for it.

Which is ironically what Trump said. Maybe he is a very stable genius, the smartest man in the room!

Re: iPhones

The tariff will only apply to what's imported from China, not any huge mark-up someone like Apple may add. If it's something like -

$500 phone from China + $1000 mark-up by brand owner = $1500 purchase price for the consumer

If 145% tariffs are applied -

$500 phone from China + $735 for Trump + $1000 mark-up by brand owner = $2225 purchase price for the consumer

So not quite as high as a back of a napkin 'RRP times 2.45' calculation would have it. Not for those who have high mark-up.

For small businesses, say someone who imports $20 shoes from China, makes $10 profit per sale, their $30 shoes would need to be sold at $59 to raise the same profit. And there's no opportunity to absorb the full tariff tax.

It's always the small guys who suffer most. And the poorest, who would see shoe prices increase 93%, while an iPhone would only increases 48% using the above figures.

Mapping legend Ordnance Survey releases blocky Britain in Minecraft – again

Off-world

Is there a recommended Minecraft World Viewer which allows walk-throughs of such incredible works to be undertaken without having to install the whole Minecraft game?

China ups tariffs on US goods to 125%, calls Trump's war a 'joke'

It's all pretty simple if you start with the right perspective

The highest thing Trump craves is "respect" - which for him means everyone calling him "the greatest".

So he decided to drop a bomb on every nation in the world to show them who is boss, with a threat that if they didn't kiss his ass, surrender themselves to being Trump's bitch, things will get a whole lot worse.

It has his MAGA base cheering and he really thinks this will make him a winner.

Thank fuck for China standing up to this tyranny, retaliating with 125% tariffs and proclaiming they are now out of this game of tit-for-tat nonsense. Trump is desperate for Xi to call him, but he's not going to. He has taken his phone off the hook, is simply letting Trump stew, getting increasingly annoyed with being ignored, while destroying America more than he's harming China.

That is how you fight terrorism.

Self-driving car maker Musk's DOGE rocks up at self-driving car watchdog, cuts staff

Re: Self-driving is a fallacy

It could never be improved to better than “woefully inadequate”.

I take it this was before AI, Blockchain, and The Cloud.

Trump kills clearances for infosec's SentinelOne, ex-CISA boss Chris Krebs

Re: Youth Demand

"Gandhi" - Missed the edit window and exposed my brain-fart to the world.

Re: Youth Demand

I don't know a lot about Youth Demand, their origins or politics, but they claim to be a "non-violent civil resistance actions” and I don't have a problem with that. I have always supported non-violent direct action because standing around with placards and rhetorically asking "what do we want?" rarely gets anyone anywhere.

The so-called "terrorism" of causing a little inconvenience is something I accept as a legitimate part of democracy, a fair escalation when less disruptive asking and pleading for change has simply been ignored. I see it as something the state has brought upon itself, and the state is ultimately responsible for any harm it may cause. They are no more terrorists than Ghandi was. Though the intent and motive is important; I see 'save the world' very differently to 'send them back'.

It doesn't surprise me that Quakers were hosting Youth Demand members; they are open to hearing and discussing anyone's views, even when they disagree. During the Stop the War actions I attended some excellent Quaker meetings where motives, aims and goals, and plans of action fitted or contradicted Quaker pacifist and other beliefs, and much more. There was some agreement but also agreeing to disagree.

That is the kind of inclusive discussion we need more of on everything. It was far more civilised and achieved far more than shouting insults at one another on social media, issuing rape and death threats at those who won't unconditionally agree with a particular viewpoint.

They can even set up regional offices in local cities where fine upstanding citizens can report friends and family who may be harboring thoughts deemed disinformation.

I have already bought a large quantity of Dylon so I can dye all my white office shirts brown and am encouraging my colleagues to do the same.

I don't even need to keep a list of who has complied and who won't. White shirts are as effective as yellow stars in identifying enemies of the people.

EU lands 25% counter tariff punch on US, Trump pauses broad import levy hike – China excepted

And it seems much of Trump-branded merchandise and election paraphernalia.

Somehow the MAGA morons have convinced themselves it's okay when Trump sells-out America.

TSMC blew whistle on suspected verboten exports to Huawei – that may cost it $1B+

Re: Oh.

Thanks for replying. It's now clearer but I'm still not so sure about 'TSMC having looked at the design, tipped the US off, got punished'. If they hadn't supplied those chips it would appear TSMC are being punished for having done nothing wrong - hence 'doesn't make sense'.

Tipping the US off seems to have triggered the US investigation. That appears to have revealed TSMC had previously supplied Sophgo with chips which needed US approval but didn't have it, and that's what they are being punished for.

It's only the "why are TSMC being punished?" part I have any issue with.

Anyway, onwards and upwards.

And PS, to show I haven't fallen out with El Reg; I have found an early definition of "boffin". It's in the intro immediately following the credits to the film "School for Secrets" (1946) -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGOlwzZ4dNI&t=94

I'm not entirely convinced because my definition of "boffin" would, in its original incarnation, include pipes and white lab coats.

Huh?

I have to say this is one of the most confusing articles I have read on El Reg in a long while. A lot of it seems to just be noise to me.

Rather than TSMC being punished for supplying a front for Huawei, my understanding is they are being punished for supplying an advanced chip design which needs US permission to produce for any company in China.

That Sophgo is judged to be a front for Huawei is just incidental.

But perhaps I'm wrong?

Eight charged with corruption, money laundering, in case linked to Huawei lobbying

As an outsider looking at Chinese culture, it seems like corruption and bribery are a normal accepted, even encouraged, practice.

An Executive Order pausing aspects of the FCPA, issued by Trump in February, appears to be taking things the same way in the US.

Asian tech players react to US tariffs with delays, doubts, deal-making

It appears to be because some sly importer might claim their goods originated there. Not necessary a retrospective justification for what is otherwise inexplicable because it appears that sometimes happens though the levels are said to be minimal.

I would have thought it better to have a list of such countries and just impound goods claiming to be exported from those places.

There really does seem to be a serial downvoter active at the moment.

Trump doubles down, vows to make Chinese imports even more expensive for Americans

Immovable object meets unstoppable force

With neither side able to back down because it will be deemed to show weakness I'm hoping the popcorn supply doesn't dry up.

EU may target US tech giants in tariff response

Re: It's the end of the world as we know it - or not

You must have seriously slept through this regularly repeated conversation. The no benefits argument has died over and over.

You mean the endless bullshit and gas lighting coming from pro-leavers like yourself?

I note you side-stepped detailing even one genuine upside of brexit.

Re: Hmm

The USA raising tariffs means that both the volume and value of your exports to them will drop.

I propose not exporting to America. Let's see how they cope with funding the Golden Age of America and the huge tax cuts which Trump has promised and says will be fuelled by Tariffs when they have no tariff income.

The loss of business in losing America can be made up by doing business with others. And if not, we'll just have to live with it.

I am not in favour of retaliatory tariffs because that's just escalation and harms our businesses and consumers. Let's just stop importing from America, grow home grown supply or import from more friendlier nations.

But placing 1,000% tariffs on American imports would however help bring that about while forcing Trump into capitulation or America into isolation. What's Trump going to do when he discovers others have bigger balls than he does in daring to do that?

What I propose is turning the game around. Trump would like us to think we don't have options but we do.

Re: It's the end of the world as we know it - or not

I am pro leaving the EU (I am sure you know) and dont see it as a downside.

Really? I only see downsides, no upsides at all. Perhaps you could enlighten me on what the upsides are, beyond having things we could have had anyway, and the etherial notions of "taking back control" and "sovereignty"?

The brextremist vision was to pivot from the EU to a more favourable relationship with America. How's that working out?

We are an island nation with less importance to Trump than Greenland, unable to get a trade deal with America unless we accept lowering regulatory standards, accepting the importation of chlorine-washed chicken, hormonally inflated beef, all the other shit Americans have to suffer on a daily basis, and probably having to privatise the NHS so American corporations can own it.

I don't see how accepting that, or rejecting that while being outside the EU, has any benefit for Britain or us Brits, or how being outside the EU is better than having remained a part it .

It's the end of the world as we know it - or not

I hope the UK has more sense than to join in this foot shooting contest but I doubt it.

It is a bit disconcerting that Starmer is running around like a headless chicken, proclaiming "globalisation has failed" when it hasn't, and it can still continue - just without America.

Many are already looking to mitigate Trump's insanity, are envisioning a world where America is treated as a basket case while the rest of the world continues just the same as it has for more than a century.

Even as Trump rages at the world, insults everyone, labels them enemies, says he's going to punish them, or invade them, China is already putting up banners advertising themselves as the friendly and welcoming alternative, the best choice for anyone who wants to switch their relationship.

Having burned our bridges with the EU and China the UK is more fucked than most, has fewer options. For us recession and long term decline is far more likely. Others should be more able to adjust and survive, carry on as they always have.

The world allowed itself to become too dependent on America, got fooled into believing America could be trusted, but this is no worse than a favoured supermarket charging an entrance fee and putting its prices up. You simply go somewhere else. Move on, suck it up. It doesn't take long to forget they ever existed, only remembered for being the cunts they turned out to be.

All it needs is to recognise that no one needs America, that the world is a far bigger place than the US.

This is America's brexit and they will find the world needs them less than they need the world. The EU hardly noticed our departure and there's no reason the world should notice America's departure either. Of course there's going to be some short term pain in that readjustment period, but it will be worth it.

China hits back at America with retaliatory tariffs, export controls on rare earth minerals

Re: All is good!

Nothing less than Trump's removal from office and the GOP from power, will solve this problem.

I am not convinced even that would solve the problem, undo the damage done. The genie is out of the bottle, the world has belatedly realised they put all their eggs in one basket and Trump has nuked it from space. The entire house of cards which could sustain itself while everyone was cooperating has collapsed, and could collapse again any time in the future if rebuilt.

One option is A World Without America, where we reclaim the asylum and put America beyond harms way.

I think that's what going to happen and there is going to be significant readjustment needed to accommodate that - "We have always been a friend of China, we have always thought America was a rogue nation who could not be trusted" - but how do we stop 'Rapture Ready' Trump and MAGA really going off the rails?

Sorry folks; I don't have any answers. The people we would normally rely on to rein things in and restore normality are all as nutty as Trump is.

I can't help but remember that resolving an issue usually involves identifying the problem and removing it.

Windows intros 365 Link, a black box that does nothing but connect to Microsoft's cloud

$349 for what could be done with a Raspberry PI running a RDP client for less than $100

Possibly less than $40 if you don't have high performance needs. As low as $20 if you can push a Pi Zero 2 W into service.

Going the other way, if it were unlocked, could become a NUC or run Linux, it might make a good Pi competitor - but not at that price.

Forget Signal. National Security Adviser Waltz now accused of using Gmail for work

Re: Brains compromised, hypnosis or just really bad people?

What about all the top Dems, their cronies and donors going on about how Joe is sharp as a tack and has never been more engaged?

The difference being they at least knew they were lying, didn't believe what they were saying, weren't stupid enough to think anyone else would believe them?

What amazed me was how remarkably clear and coherent Biden was at his last SOTU address. I'll have an ounce of whatever he's taking.

Cashless society could be why fewer kids are eating coins and sticking things up their noses

Fewer coins

It's making me wonder how kids get handed their pocket money these days.

Signalgate storm intensifies as journalist releases full secret Houthi airstrike chat

Re: They're already

Trump is reported to be seriously "pissed" with Waltz in private, though mostly for having"sleazebag" Goldberg's number on his phone.

It reminds me of Boris Johnson admitting Matt Hancock was "fucking useless" as Health Secretary during covid but refusing to sack him.

That politicians are so shamelessly two-faced, that supporters choose to believe that's absolutely fine, is why we are in such a bad shape.

Panic averted: It was just a bug in Atop after all

Re: Panic not averted, but appreciated

There'd be nothing wrong with openly pointing out that the playground is a deathtrap. There might be something wrong with creating a mob of people that would almost certainly provoke the creature into attacking strangers.

There are tried, tested and proven ways of reporting a potential problem without causing panic or undue alarm. One would have thought Kroll would have known this. Apparently not.

I do believe this tarnishes her reputation but, from the huge number of downvotes in a related article, it seems the commentariat disagree.

NASA rewrites Moon mission goals in quiet DEI retreat

Re: Insane

Criticising the Shithole States of America has always been my guarantee that I will never have to go there.

Re: Insane

It was binding, because the government were explicitly clear beforehand that they would implement the result - would be bound by it.

But a huge part of the problem was no one knew what "leave the EU" actually meant.

Brexiteers lied that it did not mean a Hard Brexit when that's exactly what they were pursuing. It was lies, bait and switch, anti-government protest votes cast in expectation of being purely symbolic, which secured a narrow leave victory.

Credible nerd says stop using atop, doesn't say why, everyone panics

Re: "You might want to stop running atop."

Kroll is a serious security professional who knows what she's talking about as a rule.

It's not looking that way to me from the stuff I have been reading. It looks like she has flushed any reputation she may have had down the pan.

Perhaps this event will be dismissed as 'just a glitch' but I am not so sure.

Museum digs up Digital Equipment Corporation's dusty digital equipment

Hated the 6502. Sorry. I thought the Motorola 6809 was fantastic but my employer was locked into 6800. I never experienced working with a Z80.

I always wanted to get my hands on an Intersil 6100, a PDP-8 on a chip, but never did.

Time to ditch US tech for homegrown options, says Dutch parliament

Re: before they die more slowly.

With a worldwide disaster, we'd be back to a medieval society, trying to rebuild from the ashes.

But 'a world without America' will fall a long way short of that.

I don't know how America will see things once the rest of the world has endured the adjustment, no longer needs America, and the USA is as isolated as North Korea is.

France offers US scientists a safe haven from Trump's war on woke

Re: The UK should be paying attention

"Amusing" isn't the word I would use. It wasn't unexpected as he has always been Tory-Lite and shaped New New New Labour in his Blairite image.

Starmer and Labour only got in because voters wanted tory scum out, and had to choose between Labour, Lib-Dems and the others, and it looked like Labour had the lead when it came to how people would be voting tactically.

It's the only reason I voted for Labour. I'll admit I didn't think the leadership was going to be quite as bad as they have been, are more Alt-Tory than Tory-Lite.

City council rejects inquiry into £130M Oracle IT disaster

The UK government has appointed commissioners and launched a local inquiry

This. How many inquiries do we need?

Another inquiry adds more costs on residents, won't have any additional benefit, and may just drag the whole sorry fiasco out longer.

This isn't Conservatives fighting for residents; it's Conservatives attacking Labour. If the proposal had been accepted they would have delighted in having added to the cost which they would blame on Labour. But they knew it would be rejected and just did it anyway as a 'what have they got to hide?' dog whistle to provoke a pile-on.

Conservatives are more interested in stoking the flames of anger and discrediting Labour than having the problems resolved.

OpenAI asks Uncle Sam to let it scrape everything, stop other countries complaining

The rest of the world has noticed

I did love this from Howard Lutnick, US commerce secretary - "The president has made it crystal clear that he finds this tit-for-tat really abusive and aggravating. He wants these countries to respect him. And all this showed you is that Europe and Canada do not respect Donald Trump".

"Wants respect" - He can go fuck himself. Respect is earned. It is not given in response to economic terrorism and threats against a nation's sovereignty.

Good to hear it's aggravating. Thanks for letting us know what's getting under the man-baby's skin.

Not since Ringo Starr married Yoko Ono have I been so surprised

All my lies and bullshit are already Public Domain so OpenAI are free to take them and use them.

I expect they already have.

Cheap 'n' simple sign trickery will bamboozle self-driving cars, fresh research claims

I once got trapped at a crossroads where the four "no entry" signs had been rotated to suggest there was no way out. I presumed straight-ahead would be the legal route and proceeded slowly in case I was wrong.

I have always wondered how a self-drive vehicle would handle that situation. Hopefully the same way.

Trump says US should kill CHIPS Act, use the cash to cut debt

Re: What Trump talks about

If Europe has to defend herself outside of Nato against invasion by Russia, even if America sides with Russia, they will.

As much as Putin might like an empire I don't believe he really wants to fight for it. I see a negotiated reset to the 2010s when Russia was looking to join the EU more likely.

But the rhetoric in Europe will have to dampen down for that to be feasible.

Peace or war - It's our choice.

Re: What Trump talks about

> Putin wants to restore Russia to its pre-1914 borders, including Ukraine*, Belarus, Poland, Finland, etc, etc. If the US and Europe don't stand united with Ukraine now, it will happen.

I am sure Putin would like to. But given it has taken him three years to annex a sliver of Ukraine -- How long do you think it will take him to secure the rest?

And, if he tries, Nato won't be resisting with one hand tied behind her back.

101 fun things to do with a locked Kindle e-reader

"This technology's glory days may be yet to come"

Perhaps. The current problem for anyone wanting to use e-paper themselves is that anything but the smallest of displays are quite expensive.

It's usually cheaper to jailbreak and hack a working second-hand e-reader to take advantage of their economies of scale and hardware being subsidised through content purchase. But that's not always easy.

E-paper is also a rather niche market beyond e-readers. With most makers choosing or using LCD there is little sign of prices falling so far.

'Cybertruck ownership comes with ... interesting fan mail'

Linger on the sidewalk where the neon signs are pretty. How can you lose?

I gave my first ever full-blooded "from the bottom of my heart" salute to a passing Tesla at the weekend. It really couldn't have been misinterpreted as anything else but the driver looked mortified.

Can't think why.

America's National Science Foundation workers fired in bulk by Trump now reinstated

I believe it's even worse than that and extends beyond the agencies themselves; "those I want to hurt, harm and have suffer".

Even if Trump doesn't truly embrace such hate himself, that he's delivering for those who do in return for their applause and praise, is just as bad.

US Cyber Command reportedly pauses cyberattacks on Russia

Re: Dump America

Even if there isn't a kill switch they can cut off spares and support if you fight back against their new best friend.

There are also tariffs and sanctions which can be applied and that seems to be the Orange Oaf's favoured tactic to getting his way, his Art of the Deal. He can cut off exports and supplies which Europe and NATO members rely upon, particularly LNG these days. He can also coerce those who want to keep their relationships going with America to do the same. Vetoing UN Security Council resolutions isn't terminal but would be problematic for those professing to respect and act in accordance with international law.

Imagine if he ordered Microsoft to brick Windows PCs with the next update, told Google to stop handling searches and analytics, for those designated enemies of America. We have already seen the Tech Bros fold so they don't have to face his wrath.

None of this would be insurmountable but the new world order in the west won't come about quickly nor without a tremendous amount of pain and cost.

The west deluded itself into believing it could never happen, weakened their sovereignty, increasingly put their eggs in one basket, dismissed the risk. Brexit even had the UK abandoning the EU to seek a better relationship with America - ideally with Trump in charge when it came to Brexiteers.

US Dept of Housing screens sabotaged to show deepfake of Trump sucking Elon's toes

Re: Re : email request : all fed employees must list 5 things you did last week

1. Had a good chat with Vladimir

2. Golf

3. Golf

4. Analysed a report from Elon on the amount of fraud and corruption there is amongst employees tasked with welcoming guests at the White House. Studied a more interesting report from Sergey on how it would be beneficial to America, my bank account and businesses, to declare myself king and impose a dictatorship. Sergey says there's good money in doing what Vladimir asks and the Kremlin is fully supportive. They say they can help fix the elections. WINNING!

5. Golf

Rather than add a backdoor, Apple decides to kill iCloud encryption for UK peeps

Re: Without an understanding

Some of the best and brightest have tried to explain to politicians that what they want is 'magical thinking' and isn't possible in the real world.

I'm pretty sure they'll listen to me when I tell them it can be done and ask how much they are paying.

I am also pretty sure Crapita & Co are already way ahead of me and will have a better exit plan for when they don't deliver.

Trump administration threatens tariffs for any nation that dares to tax Big Tech

Re: Ironic

There are far more insane, far-right and ultra-right, media outlets in America than Twitter and Fox News.

We'll be hearing more from those as lying fake news media' get their invites torn up and more Nutjob Nazis are invited into White House and Oval Office briefings.

"You ain't seen nothing' yet".

HP ditches 15-minute wait time policy due to 'feedback'

Re: Irate customers

I imagine they figured out it shows goodwill, better and cheaper to supply a spare than have customers calling support with a sheepish "dropped it on the floor", having to explain why it is so costly to ship a single screw, and the hassle of handling the admin of that transaction.

It is a godsend when you do drop one and have no idea where it catapulted itself to. And an appreciated addition to the 'spare screw' box otherwise.

Odds of city-killer asteroid 2024 YR4 hitting Earth creep upward

1.2%, 1.8%, 2.4%, 2.8%-3.1%

Anyone good at maths want to take a stab at what it will become in 2028?

A couple of days ago El Reg described it as having a "vanishingly small chance" of hitting earth. I didn't accept that then, and certainly not with odds of 1-in-32.

Grok 3 wades into the AI wars with 'beta' rollout

Re: Ye gods

But I am looking forward to asking it "who is the biggest cunt / Nazi / racist in America?" and seeing what it says.

There's a slight chance Asteroid 2024 YR4 could hit Moon in 2032

I don't consider over 2% vanishingly small either.

But what worries me is the chance of a hit has nearly doubled from not so long ago. How much more of that do we need before "vanishingly small" enters the "oh shit" part of the spectrum?