Posts by Gavin McMenemy

Three UK: Our MMS prices are up. Get around us with WhatsApp or Skype

And they are trying to cap your data usage too ...

If it still works six months from now, count yourself lucky

Platform Independent

I've worked in IT for 20ish years now. I've never had a problem with my Windows laptops that weren't down to me thrashing the OS to hell and back. Hardware-wise they've all been fine. I had a desktpo PSU blow on me once (like the guy above) but that got a warranty replacement. I've worked with Macs too. They're solid machines and in fact I've no problem with them either... I've never really understood the carping from either camp. Shrug.

If MR ROBOT was realistic, he’d be in an Iron Maiden t-shirt and SMELL of WEE

Dabbsy,

I don't know if we've been watching the same show or now.

I find it hard to define the "hero" of Mr Robot as an attractive young man, given that:

He has serious personality disorder issues that make it hard for him to deal with both reality and other people.

He doesn't live in what I would term an attractive flat (and it's in fact fairly squalid...)

He's a junky

And in fact he's pretty far away from what you would call a punky go-getting young man hacker that you describe.

There are plenty of scenes of him doing nothing but hunch over a keyboard typing (without bing boop noises).

I take your point about him being zit free though.

ps. It's a drama not a documentary. You have to give it some latitude.

Adobe: We REALLY are taking Flash security seriously – honest

Why just Macs though?

Why not Windows or even Linux?

Queen's Speech: Snoopers' Charter RETURNS amid 'modernisation' push

A significant portion of tories should be completely against this.

'Utterly unusable' MS Word dumped by SciFi author Charles Stross

After all that expensive IT training ...

After all that expensive IT training. All that time implementing and designing networks I have probably spent the most time helping colleagues "fix" their Word docs.

Whether it's understanding why a page has broken here...

"Or why all those extra blank pages are appearing... Maybe we need to put in a landscape page here... but keep the table on one page.

Hang on what do all these multicoloured boxes mean (track changes). And why has the style changed inexplicably, why is this bullet list all numbered wrong."

I have spent a LOT of time helping people with Word.

Don't get me wrong. I actually don't think Word is that bad (yes I did just type that) but the problems are: there are tons of ways of achieving the end goal but no one wants to train the end user how to make the best use of Word. And if you suggest some extra training you are often stared at blankly and told "But I know how to use Word". Though the truth is that we just spent some significant time fixing THAT document.

(and yes I still don't think it's their fault)

Exactly. I've read the posts on this thread and it seems many people miss this point.

That dreaded syncing feeling: Will Microsoft EVER fix OneDrive?

Re: Exactly

Actually there is a limit on file path length in Dropbox...

Eh no. Dropbox is actually fairly terrible in many enterprise environments. And their support is terrible if you end up in one of those.

Mind you, OneDrive .... Oh I've been there with OneDrive.

Essentially you're swapping one issue for a dfferent set.

I'm starting to lean more in favour of setting up your own cloud and dealing with Sync that way. Although the VIPs really do like the recognisable names...

Carry On Cosmonaut: Willful Child is a poor taste Star Trek parody

Re: Overrated

I've heard Steven talk and I think he's an intelligent likable guy. But I fear he's trapped in the mammoth doorstopper fantasy cul-de-sac. I think fine world detail is great so long as the story you use it in is equally compelling.

By the way, I am not criticising you for having stayed the course. All I'm saying is that he's just an author who is not for me.

ps. MANY MANY authors need a good editor. He really isn't alone there. There are a few big names, especially in fantasy, who appear to have "outgrown" good editing...

Re: Overrated

No, you're not the only one. Though I think you must have been getting something from those books if you read 10. I binned him after 2...

BitTorrent not to blame for movie revenues, says economist

I'd like to give a shout out to the local cinemas we have in Edinburgh:

Dominion Cinema: Couches with footstools or lazyboys, beautiful listed building and interior, can buy drink on the way in (or bring your own - they don't seem to mind) etc...

Cameo (Picturehouse Cinemas are now owned by Cineworld that is true...): shows a great mix of films. Nice auditoriums. Bar and cafe is good too.

FIlmhouse: if you want Iranian films about teaching donkeys to polka they probably have it on.

But the thing is even outside of them the chain cinemas aren't bad. Even my local vue is relatively pleasant. People are in general ok, although I've had the odd bad experience - you get bad folk everywhere and bad manners are nothing new.

All this might mean I am spoiled but I do in fact like going to the cinema.

UK mobile sales in the toilet: Down by FIVE MILLION this year

Re: Is this really a problem?

Tough!

No really.

Is this really a problem?

Do we really need to upgrade every year for a new handset that doesn't differ significantly from what came before? If no one is buying the handsets would it not make sense for the handset manufacturers to look into real innovation in an attempt to make us see that we should upgrade.

Essentially the market has reached saturation and the devices on offer are much of a muchness. Couple that with longer contracts and the expense of buying handset only and people don't really see much reason for new kit.

And do we REALLY need a new phone every year anyway?

Samsung: Get ready to BEND OVER – foldable fondleslabs 'by 2016'...

I gave up as soon as I saw the oily man giving his best sales pitch on the stage. Good tech, terrible presentation.

A steam punk VDU ?

I don't know if anyone else has mentioned this but...

I find it ironic that the memex has been mentioned in an thread about steampunk given Charlie's well documented disdain for the "genre".

Loathed wiggly-word CAPTCHAs morph into 'fun' click-'n'-drag games

This isn't a new idea. I've seen this before.

MS Word deserves DEATH says Brit SciFi author Charles Stross

He's got a point....

When you interact with publishers (or those acting for publishers) invariably they ask for for .doc format.

And that's a right pain in the bum these days.

However I quite like Scrivener. Write your doc and when you need to send it somewhere it will export a perfectly good .doc if required (although I keep a copy of Office to proof it on ... just in case).

Scottish leader splurged £20k appealing disclosure of EU membership legal bungle

Re: Seems the Daily Mail, Telegraph and YouTube comments sections are leaking...

Yup. The Unholy Turdspurt is splattering it's putrescence all over this comment thread.

Be prepared... to give heathens a badge: UK Scouts open doors to unbelievers

I wonder when they'll finally get rid of the feudal element of the oath too.

Bungie ’bois offered ‘early’ access to post-Halo FPS Destiny

Hm. Good luck to them... I just wish we had more decent single player games.

EU move to standardise phone chargers is bad news for Apple

Finally.

Non standard cables has been a longstanding bugbear of mine. Well done EU!

Should Nominet ban .uk domains that use paedo and crim-friendly words?

Since they changed the domain I've not had as much fun on www.ExpertSexChange.com.

Did a bunch of bankers fax a stranger's sensitive privates to YOU?

Sizable fine? £75k?

I don't think, in banking terms, that £75k is a sizable fine. Especially where customer details are involved.

IT Crowd thesp eyes giant hot-air-filled FLYING SCROTUM

I've paid in

And now I want my ball themed mug.

I hope to have lots of special moments in the office as I walk around telling everyone how hot my balls are in my hand.

PHWOAR! Huh! What is it good for? Absolutely nothing, Prime Minister

They work for you

So I have a suggestion - start writing to your local self serving representatives. It doesn't matter whether they are toeing the party line or not - get writing. Eventually if enough people start making a big enough fuss then your MPs are going to have to start paying attention because they will realise their jobs are theoretically on the line. Hand wringing and venting on sites isn't doing something about it.

I do agree that this is a daft idea. I have already started letter writing to my local MP and sundry representatives.

Author Iain (M) Banks falls to cancer at 59

Transitions and the M

You write " ... and was sufficiently confusing to be released under his literary name in the UK, but with his M moniker in the US."

You are factually incorrect. I asked Iain and he told me:

"It's only 49% SF but it's 51% over there".

RIP Banksy.

The Tomorrow People jaunt back to the airwaves

Looks like generic cr*p

Like a lot of these sorts of shows that feature teenagers (in their 20s) who are improbably good looking and coiffed.

Soylent Corporation prepares to DEFEAT FOOD

Is this not a joke?

It reads like a joke. It sounds like a joke. It even looks like a joke.

Surely the whole thing is a joke?

Microsoft: All RIGHT, you can have your Start button back

"... close the knowledge gap."

That's a phrase which causes me to invoke the "one channel up" hand TV control gesture. It's such a fine piece of management-speak that we should salute it appropriately.

Is the IT industry short on Cobolers? This could be your lucky day

Aren't most CVs full of cobblers?

Google Plus minus Meebo Bar equals Google minus $100m

Re: Can someone do the same thing to the "Ask Toolbar" Please!!!!!?????

That's how I feel about all bundleware. Yes that includes Chrome and certain AV vendors (you know who you are).

If you download a program you shouldn't have to pay attention to the install process on the off-chance that you install some 3rd party thing you didn't actually want.

Hard luck lads, todger size DOES matter: Official

Well in the classical world...

... a small penis was considered to be a sign of intelligence and good breeding. Only those bestial barbarians were well hung.

Not sure where I am going with this other than to point out that eh... penis attractiveness does change dependent on cultural sensitivities. Or something.

Have a "thumbs up"!

Animal Liberation drone surveillance plan draws fire

Re: Daily Mail

No, we're not all right wing loons but that also doesn't mean we think animals rights extremist have carte blanche to do as they will in the name of the animals.

Watchdog warns UK.gov not to create 'them and us' digital divide

Re: Recently made unemployed.

To be fair you can get good net access at your local library ...

Of course that's assuming they haven't all closed "because no one is using them".

That Osbo bloke - he's on your Twitters. 'What a c**k'

Re: Spellchecker???

The search for your alternative results is almost as good as the one the in the article. El Reg missed a trick there.

Ten serious sci-fi films for the sentient fan

Right so... Zardoz?

I know SF author Gary Gibson says its reputation needs rehabilitated but... Zardoz... over Silent Running...

More egregiously... No STALKER?

And you have Close Encounters on there... Whut?

I thought this was a hardcore list?

Other than that it's not a bad list.

I'd also chip in Strange Days.

If you like Gattaca then check out Code 46. It's great.

Also if you haven't seen it yet Robot and Frank is *brilliant*. Funny, moving AND thought provoking. Seriously this film packs a lot in on zero budget and a short running time.

Congratulations, copyright infringers: You are the five per cent

Hm.

"This contrasts with the public, which consistently calls for stiffer penalties for digital rights infringement when it's asked."

This particular line really struck me.

The public doesn't know what it wants.

Ask someone who the pirate is and they will tell you it's someone else ... then turn back to their torrent site and download MP3s because... After all they only do it occasionally so where's the harm in that?

This attitude - which is perfectly normal - effectively undermines your statement. The vast majority of people are incapable of seeing the wider picture.

Is widespread copyright infringement an issue? Without a doubt yes especially if you are a small time (yet popular) writer/musician or whatever.

Although the entertainment industry has upped it's game it is STILL lagging behind what the consumer wants. Why is my selection on Netflix different to the US subscriber? Why is it that we still see geographically staggered film distribution? It's all facepalming stuff. Remove those barriers, do the job properly and people will pirate less.

The problem isn't sticks it's carrots. Like it or not.

BRITAIN MUST DECLARE WAR on Cervinaean menace

Re: Muntjac and roe need thier populations controlling

Post Pub Nosh dathmatch?

Carrie Fisher dusts off THAT bikini for Star Wars VII

Weirdly I'd forgotten how good looking Carrie Fisher was back in the day... I just looked up some pics for research purposes!

Official: Sky to buy O2 and BE's home broadband product in £200m deal

Great

Well BE had become really flaky lately if you wanted to watch anything BBC related so this is the kick I need to leave.

Like a couple of other people have mentioned - I have a zero tolerance policy when it comes to all things Murdoch.

Forget wireless power for phones - Korea's doing it for buses

Whoa wait a minute. Didn't the Daleks need these power strips at first!

Intel's new TV box to point creepy spy camera at YOUR FACE

I agree with everyone here (including those pointing out that it's coming with a shutter).

Putt aside 1984 for a moment it does also remind me of the TV service Stand on Zanzibar...

... no, not a good thing. Count me out.

Still-living, unincarcerated Ted Nugent invited to Barack Obama gig

Re: Let them bear flintlocks

I see you've had a sense of humour failure.

Let them bear flintlocks

I'm pretty sure that's what they had when the constitution was written!

British games company says it owns the idea of space marines

Reg is a bit late to the party. This has been reported widely for the last few days.

Netflix tempts binge viewers with House of Cards pilot freebie

House of Cards?

Isn't this just a "remake" of the original Richardson House of Cards?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Cards_%28UK_TV_series%29

Oh yes ... it is.

So I couldn't possibly comment.

Microsoft tries to sell home Office users on subscription pricing

It was very interesting reading about Word but ...

I actually use Scrivener. Admittedly I wouldn't roll this out around the company but I find I can do just anything I ever wanted to do with it.

I know it's a bit of a left field suggestion for some people now that I've switched I'm very happy. And it's comparatively cheap.

As for the whole Office suite question.

In my company we're being more-or-less forced to upgrade from Office 2003 now because of document compatibility issues with clients. It's frustrating - especially as the staff do not have the technical expertise to understand what is going on.

There's no way we would roll out an Open Office solution to the people here. They just wouldn't cope. I've never found a satisfactory way to rejig a flavour of OO so that it 'looked and behaved" like MS Office - if anyone has a suggestion I'd be pleased to hear it.

Mozilla blocks auto-loading of plug-ins by Firefox

Re: Silverlight?

Yep. And it's deeply annoying.