Posts by Ash

German developers forge Iron from Chrome

Well done!

I will now try out this browser.

Let's hope that Iron gets more market share than Chrome.

'I can see dinosaurs from my back porch'

Teaching religion in science class...

... Is like... Well... Erm....

No, I can think of nothing so stupid.

Kentucky commandeers world's most popular gambling sites

VIrtual home invasion? No

This is like someone in Kentucky phoning your business or sending you a letter to order a product you sell, but the Judge doesn't like your product and takes away your phone number and postal address. Even though neither are even within the same continent as his jurisdiction!

So, who's up for some trade embargo's against the US until they stop trying to dominate the world? I pick China, Russia, and the Middle East to all stop exporting to America. Let's see America become World Police when it can't even get ships in to harbours to extract its' own troops from a war zone.

Man, do I hate that place...

Woman sues EA over 'secret' Spore DRM

@AC (Really Stupid)

"It's going to get to the point where you have to give a DNA sample before you can boot your PC if this all carries on."

Jesus Christ, don't give them ideas! What the hell are you trying to accomplish?!

As for PDF warning and Adobe Reader being a 30MB bloatfest, try Foxit reader. We've just rolled it out over the site and so far absolutely EVERYBODY is in love with ICT Support for it. Now all we need to do is get a refund for that Office 2007 Site License...

RIAA filesharing target Jammie Thomas wins retrial

@Maybe common sense will win after all

Why do we share? So others can benefit from something without having to pay for a whole second identical item. We expect the others to return the favour. "Share and share alike." It's been drummed into us since Primary School.

Secondly, we need to recognise that music is art. Art doesn't have a cost past what materials were consumed / rented / bought to produce it, and that's the bare minimum price. In this day and age, it is entirely possible to (almost) professionally produce an album with about $3000 in equipment. A decent PC with 4-channel audio input, instruments, microphones, and a mixer. If you don't want to outlay the whole lot yourself, you can rent a recording studio once you've had a play with a cheap microphone and Audacity after shifting your home PC into the garage for a couple of hours.

Past this point, distribution has become next to free, thanks to the advent of P2P tech, cloud storage, and social networking. We have the ability to look at THOUSANDS of similar artists' work with a simple google search, or even by looking at a fan's myspace friends.

All we need is to get out of the mindset that an album is a product. It's not, it's an art piece, and art can make a LOT of money for the artist. All that is needed is exposure, and you can get that for free nowerdays just by being good.

You look at Trent Reznor; He made 1.5m on *300* limited edition vinyl records, just because he signed them and put in some custom artwork! The WHOLE album was CC licensed and free to download anyway!

Boggles my mind...

Airline industry refuses to be ID card guinea pig

Don't try it in Education either!

We'll be just as vehemently against the scheme as the Airline industry, if not more so.

Right now, i'd vote Tory just to get this scheme thrown out.

UK.gov 'to drop' überdatabase from snoop Bill

What date is it today?

Has March 32nd come so soon? Are they REALLY serious about this?

Forget the Middle East, you're going to make enemies of your own people.

@The end of most ISP's; You won't see this in the mainstream press; Either Murdoch owns it, or it's govt. controlled. You might hear hear a little mention, but only a "BB increased choco ration from 15g to 25g" MiniTruth garbage.

Developers to get Windows 7 pre beta next month

Veeeeeeeeeeery interesting...

A Microsoft product without the bloat... Will it support more hardware than a 5 year old Linux kernel this time around, though?

The only reason i'd upgrade is to get DX10, and as that's hardly a big step up from 9 i'm in no rush. I'll probably skip Vista; The only MS OS i've never used.

Apple bans App Store heartbreak chatter

Shrink wrap NDA?

A quick reply stating "I do not recognise the authority of an agreement to which I am not afforded the right to choose whether I agree with it or not. I do not agree to your NDA. By the way, the world is not a US Courtroom, no matter what Corporate America thinks. I am protected by Free Speech rights, and I will discuss any matter of PERSONAL OPINION regarding your service which I see fit."

Then, drop the phone and all Apple services and start writing apps for HTC / Blackberry and Windows Mobile.

MS wields price cutlass at Chinese pirates

Office 2007

Why use it?

OO.org beta reads 2007 .***x filetypes, writes to (more widely used) .xxx types, and is free.

Even for the cheaper price, I wouldn't use 2007.

Net Suicide Bill would breathe life into government censorship

Darknet

Start those peers running, folks. We're getting China's internet, now. The only difference is that we don't need a firewall or filter to stop us reading about political scandle; The BBC simply doesn't report it.

In the mean time, let's see if we can't get El Reg banned; DOWN THE ROAD, NOT ACROSS THE TRACKS.

EFF reveals vastly expanded search policy at US borders

Hamachi

- Keep everything on home PC.

- Set up LogMeIn Hamachi VPN software on home PC.

- Wipe laptop (securely) and use restore disk to make it all "i'm not a threat, just a luser"

- Download and install Hamachi at a cafe in your destination.

- Work / play as appropriate over your secure VPN connection.

- Remove Hamachi before return.

Alt solution: Don't go there.

Labour minister says 14 year olds should get ID cards

@Columbus (Terrorism Act 2006)

One man's Terrorist is another man's Revolutionary.

Guy Fawkes was a Terrorist?

Well, I won't be having one

My local pub knows i'm over 18, the school I work at accepted my Extended CRB check and allowed me to work with secondary and primary aged children, and the DVLA (as was) saw fit to send me a drivers license with my address printed on it.

I don't need any biometric ID; Everyone who needs to know who I am already knows, and those who don't know don't need to know.

Either way, you can bet i'll be buying large quanties of superglue to put over my fingertips if i'm ever forced into one. On a similar note, it would probably require force, too.

I won't be having a biometric ID card.

David Blaine does a Benito Mussolini

David Blaine

Attention Whore.

That guy must have ADD.

Police drop BT-Phorm probe

No criminal intent

I hereby demand that all current detainees for the crime of "Vehicular Manslaughter", where the cause of death was accidental, be released, pardoned, and any pending cases of this nature be dismissed with prejudice.

I shall be writing to my local Government representitive, the appropriate 'WatchDog' agencies, and potentially Internal Affairs, should civilian contact be appropriate.

This is totally outrageous and absurd.

Superfluid leak downs LHC for months

Jesus wept...

My IQ dropped about 20 points reading that drivel.

There's tabloid-style, and there's butchery-of-intellect. This was so far into the latter that I think it might have been intentional.

At least, I hope it was.

BOFH: Remote access malarkey

Gencontrol

Is my friend.

Dell offers XP option for £44k

For that money...

... I'd expect 1 Year on-site warranty replacement at least.

Noel Edmonds defies BBC's jackbooted enforcers

TV License

Who needs one?

I've got iPlayer, 4oD, and for everything else there's various websites. I can even rent the DVD boxed set of whatever show I want, watch it, and still be quids-up.

Down with TV Tax!

New Yorkers to pay for RFID in driving licences

@Stevie

Then you'll be wanting a http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/security/910f/

Just one more cost to safeguard your privacy.

Time to grab...

... an RFID blocking wallet!

http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/security/8cdd/

*NB* I don't work for ThinkGeek. In fact, i'm not even American. I just think it's fitting.

Oz pub slammed over 'No Undie Sundie'

Invitation to sexual assault?

Is that even possible? I thought the definition of assault was UNSOLICITED physical contact.

Secondly, why is it only prudes and hippies in positions of power? Why can't we have someone who understands the difference between "adult fun" and "sexual debauchery"? Nobody's having sex on the bar, or doing coke of a bare ass; It's just a stunt to get punters into the bar.

$50 says there would have been 10:1 men to women, though.

Texting worse for drivers than drink or drugs

@Ash

So, there are two of us here. This could make things interesting, as if I were to admit to being a 'stoner' i'd lose my job. My boss reads this site too.

Perhaps I should reg a new account.

McKinnon supporters plan US embassy demo

Every unafilliated party who joins...

... makes the message less clear.

80 people shouting "Keep McKinnon here!" is better than 200 shouting a muddle of "No More Iraq War!" "Better Disabled Access to High Street Banks!" and "Save the Whale!"

World of Warcraft upkeep costs only $200m

That's...

... wonderful, but was there a point?

I'm glad they're making money. It means there will be more content, better service, and decent support for the future.

Wunderkind starts robot-buster weapons firm

We don't need no stinking robot protection!

Kirk to Android: "Mudd always lies. He never tells the truth."

Mudd: I'm lying right now."

Royal Society says goodbye to creationism row vicar

Religion in Science classes

Get your Physics teacher to explain how the soul of a suicide bomber, after being blown into several hundred small pieces (two or three still-twitching, depending on the accelerant) will go straight to Nirvana with eleventy-billionz virgins and all the cocain he could want, or whatever.

If we're going to talk about religion in science class, we should talk about ALL of them, especially the topics with some relevance;

- Air-speed velocity of an unladen skull

- Lateral forces on the tendons in Jesus's hands

- Weight in Newtons of Buddha's beer-gut

I'm sorry if I offend anyone; I just can't take "Religion in Science Classes" as a serious topic of debate.

Street View operatives object to being snapped

1. Post the pictures

2. Be sued.

3. Realise google can't win in court.

4. Have the legal battle go on until you're declared bankrupt.

5. ...

6. !Profit!

US runs warzone man-tracking 'Manhattan Project'

Double tap

You're all wrong. It's when the telecoms agencies get to listen to your phone calls with impunity, and pass on the juicy and interesting calls to the government.

The hat as well, please.

BT's secret Phorm trials: UK.gov responds

Opt in / out

That's grand, but will my data COME CLOSE to Phorm hardware / software if I opt out?

If it's the whole "Tracking cookie which will be deleted every time you close your browser, Mr Security Conscious Person." style of opting out, then it's all rubbish.

Said it before, say it again; Do not want, will leave if it's brought in.

Mitsubishi eyes Middle Earth for 'early' electric car roll-out

Middle Earth?

They're releasing it in Edgebaston?!

Scientists study near-death sensations

Plato's "Republic"

"Lots of good ideas, but never really went anywhere with them."

Sainsbury's punts 'Innocent kids juices' for £2.99

Dear oh dear...

I wondered why they tasted so good.

"Sugar and spice and all things nice" apparently.

Apple 4G iPod Nano

Headphone socket on bottom

Genius idea! Apple marketing haven't cottoned on to this yet, so i'll save them the hassle.

As the author has stated, most people put their iPod in their pocket. I choose a hacket as it has more room (more later on this). This means that when I come to put it down once finished selecting songs, it is always top-first with switchgear facing towards my body. This means the headphone lead faces out of my pocket and allows for maximum length when power-walking to the local boozer.

Secondly, this allows me to reach in my pocket, and INSTANTLY my thumb is on the wheel. Skip a track? Move thumb right and press. Turn up the volume? Run thumb around wheel to suit. Put iPod on shuffle? Run thumb around wheel clockwise one full turn (top bottom of menu) and press center button. All without the iPod leaving my pocket!

A wonderful design for pocket usage, IMHO.

Furse should not resign, she should be sacked

@Alex

I'm not in the sector, but I think I get what's happened.

While you quite rightly say that the same system should be mirrored to the DR site, I believe the point the author was making was that there doesn't need to be the same kit. You can run one on Cisco routers and switches, and one on HP switches. One system can be run on Winblows, the other on Linux.

The input and output would be the same for both systems; Just the underlying infrasctructure would differ, to prevent any issues with the OS / switch kit causing the failure of both sites.

Again, I Am Not A Disaster Recovery Specialist; This is pure speculation.

PA Consulting begs for mercy after data loss axing

Who hired the guy who screwed up?

Fire the guy who lost the data. Then fire the interview board, and his line manager.

That should do it.

Rogue SF sysadmin may cost city over $1m

@Caffeine Junkie

Good analogy with the Site Staff.

Would you let your PHB fix a leaking gas pipe? Service the heating system? Would you even trust him with your (rather expensive) Mikita 18v drill?

There is a good reason these people tell you to Arkell Vs. Pressdram; You don't know what you're doing, and you could very easily break something vital.

This guy did everything right except not hand over the password to the Police. In the UK, that's an instant 2 years prison. I'm not sure how it works over there. That's the crux of the "blackmail" case.

Home Office screws prison data bunglers

The horse

has bolted.

Turn your cannon on your own Government departments, please.

Saatchi to promote foreigners' ID cards

A quick fix

"Mylifemyid has enabled IPS to gain a wide range of personal details from its target 16-25 age group in order to understand how identity issues affecting young people's lives can be whitewashed over and how we can best ensure the identity card helps make our lives easier."

Fixed that for them.

Today is not Hadron Collider Day

"Never let facts...

... get in the way of a good story."

There's a good reason why i've not watched television in over 4 years.

iPlayer is my friend; For everything else, there's alluc.org

Amazon flash mob mauls Spore DRM

@AGirlFromVenus

I sincerely hope you backed up the patches; It takes 4 hours on an 8Mb connection to update from Gold now.

Scientology critics fight YouTube takedown notices

I don't see what all the fuss is about.

Like all bullies, if you ignore them, they'll get bored and go away.

If you are approached by a Scientologist, either in the street, at your home, or otherwise, don't speak to them. Hell, if you want to REALLY rub it in, DO speak to them, but insist that any discussion of a theological basis is going to end the conversation.

Hatred and persecution gives them an enemy to fight, a cause to rally against. Disinterest and apathy are our allies, for once.

Legal digital music is commercial suicide

Two things

Firstly, good read. Getting to this fourth state which you describe will be more difficult than climbing Everest in a hawaiian shirt and bermuda shorts, but everyone benefits in the end. Even the record companies benefit, because they will be free of retaining entire legal firms to sue their customers! :-D

Secondly, has anybody donated any money to the EFF, or similar organisation, recently? Until we get to the point where massive media monopolies can no longer sue-into-bankruptcy distributors of content, they may well need some help keeping the lawyers at bay.

Brit trio convicted for liquid bomb terror plot

The Z in ZOMG!!11eleventyone...

... stands for ZERIOOSLEE.

These aren't terrorists, because i'm not scared. I'm not scared in the least.

London Stock Exchange limps back online

Market confidence rises...

... UK is left out of the loop by a computer issue.

I don't understand how the stock exchange works, but i'm pretty sure a lot of VERY wealthy Brits are going to make some VERY petrified heads roll on this one.

IT? Because they couldn't find theirs.

French firm intros remix-friendly music format

Remix-friendly compressed audio

What is really needed is a format which stores all SAMPLES from an audio track and allows access to each of them independently. THAT is a remix-friendly audio format. You can pull out the lead guitar, bass, drums, vocals, synth... Anything, and mix it yourself with your own samples and audio.

Check out http://remix.nin.com/ for some examples of why this is a phenomenal idea.

Digital divide looms again over superfast broadband for all

We don't need this.

Give us the 1Mb / 2Mb / 8Mb / 24Mb we CURRENTLY have a contract for, WITHOUT the limitations.

We don't use any more than this anyway.

Prison officers slam EDS data loss

@AC "2 _Week_ Strike!"

You WANT all the Prisons in the country to be unguarded for 2 WEEKS?!

I wish somebody would just do the decent thing and make encryption for personal data mandatory when outside of a secure location. That's all it would need. Servers locked in a data centre? No problem, leave them alone. They do get broken into, but it takes some significant doing.

But when a laptop is left on a bloody train full of personal details, or a DVD is mailed out Second Class, that's when this needs to be done.

Is it REALLY so hard? REALLY?

Joost ditches P2P client for the web

What did they expect?

"Hi, We're a small web based company who wants to start sending out TV broadcasts via P2P tech, but we have no content. Can we have yours, please? We have no real money or advertisers... In fact, we don't have many users! Still, could you just send on all your multi-million pound quality content so we can dish it out for free? Ta very much."

"Dear Sirs, Regarding to your prior correspondence, we refer you to the reply given in the case of Arkell v. Pressdram."