Posts by Russ

Google tosses free texting

SMS cost

I was under the impression that as SMSs are transferred using a control channel that's always open when phones connect to a network, the real cost of sending a text is genuinely zero to the operators - the fact that a phone is connected to a network means its capable of sending and receiving texts for no additional cost above what has already been invested in making the network capable of sending and receiving calls. Sadly I don't see a situation by which operators will ever choose to start charging the marginal cost for an SMS.

Segway shock army to invade Department of Transport

try one for a while before you judge

I've had a fair amount of experience on these things, and am very confident in their safety. Segways should without doubt be legalised, and I wholly support the idea that they be allowed on pavements as well as cycle lanes. People behave very differently on a segway to a bike, as you're ostensibly taking up exactly the same ground space as a pedestrian does when you're on one, in the same vertical position, which means you behave like a pedestrian. @Steve Davies sounds like the guy who ran in to you was a lawbreaking twat anyway, and him being so careless wasn't to do with the segway (if he was willing to skip the country to avoid justice). I say legalise but make sure the law heartily punishes people who use them dangerously.

Boris Johnson bans boozing on London transport

"If we ban harmless things, then harmful things will magically disappear"

A very wise blog post on this issue is here

http://www.johnband.org/blog/2008/05/07/if-we-ban-harmless-things-then-harmful-things-will-magically-disappear/

I'm a law abiding citizen, and this is definitely going to make london a worse place to live for me