* Posts by Gio Ciampa

503 publicly visible posts • joined 26 Jul 2008

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Capita hops on UK's years-late, billions-over-budget Emergency Services Network to keep legacy system alive

Gio Ciampa

EE only?

Of course if we had a proper "National Grid" of mobile bandwidth availablility (which the telcos could rent by the mega/giga/terabyte of use)

a) we'd not be tied to one provider for critical systems like this

b) the system would provide some handy income into the Treasury

(been I while since I had this rant...)

S20 Ultra 5G: Samsung unfurls Galaxy flagship with bonkers 108MP cam, 6.9-inch display

Gio Ciampa

Re: It may not be a full resolution image...

The image appears to be in WEBP format (at least, that's what "Save As" says) so would have been (re)compressed beyond all recognition of the original...

Gio Ciampa

Re: The real question I want answered...

Knowing Samsung, it'll be whenever the next flagship gets released ... so 12 months

Privacy activists beg Google to ban un-removable bloatware from Android

Gio Ciampa

Re: yeah but

"If you didn't build it yourself how well do you know the person who built it for you?"

At some point, you have to trust someone - be that the team behind Arrow (my current 10-based ROM), though Cyanogenmod / Lineage in the early days, all the way to Google for the AOSP source in the first place... none of which I know personally, but trust to create something suitable for my needs. (I wasn't suggesting installing any random junk, by the way)

"It's not a simple task to build Android to run on something, nor is it simple to figure out how to flash it unless the bootloader is very accommodating."

Agreed on the build process...

...the flashing process, however, is not as arcane as once it was given that there are PC-based tools that will (bootloader permitting) automate the tasks required, reducing it to the few button clicks needed to download a suitable file, reboot the handset into the proper state, and then flash the new/updated ROM ... from memory this is exactly what the Kies Manager did for Samsung handsets back in the day (but it's been a while since I last owned one) - or iTunes for iOS devices.

The Project Treble initiative should make the process simpler still (or that's the impression I get from https://developer.android.com/topic/generic-system-image/ ) given a suitable (modern) handset. Whether it'll exist in the long term is one for the bespoke/generic debate I guess.

Gio Ciampa

Re: yeah but

"Even if you're running Android 10 with the Jan 2020 security patches, are you sure the rom creator is backporting all the kernel patches to whatever version that phone needs for all the drivers to work?"

I can't help your trust issues - I could build the ROM I'm running myself if I chose to, but even then you'd probably want to know if I've audited every line of code thoroughly.

"What I think Lorribot is referring to with "2-3 years away" is Google's efforts to get Android working with vanilla kernels so in theory a single rom would work on every device. If this every happens it'll be brilliant but I'm not holding my breath."

Vanilla kernel? It's Linux under there, how "vanilla" do you want? Oh... I can replace the kernel separately also, by the way, as per any Linux-based OS.

The "one ROM fits all" solution also exists ... it's called Project Treble (admittedly a bit flaky on devices that weren't designed with it in mind, but since when did a generic solution work better than a bespoke one?)

Gio Ciampa

"people cannot run whatever version of Android they like"

I am ... not my fault if someone picks a manufacturer that blocks the ability to do so.

Gio Ciampa

"2-3 years away from that"

It exists now - that's what the base AOSP code is all about.

Google add their proprietary code to form "proper" Android (as people understand it) - the handset manufacturers add their stuff on top.

Go search the XDA board for your device - I'll wager there are plenty of AOSP-based OS variants available... the fact that (more often than not) the handset manufacturer makes it difficult (or impossible) to remove the bloat isn't Google's fault - they're just the obvious target (not that I'm saying they are entirely innocent by the way)

Case in point - my Moto G5 Plus: Motorola were savvy enough to a) use a fairly unencumbered version of the 7.0 Nougat base (the odd bit of bloat aside admittedly) so there's very little to remove as per the article, and b) make it easy to unlock the handset so that newer versions of Android can be flashed (it's currently running a version of Android 10 with the January 2020 security patches, built a few days ago - and with a bunch of Google apps installed because I chose to do so...)

We’ve had enough of your beach-blocking shenanigans, California tells stubborn Sun co-founder: Kiss our lawsuit

Gio Ciampa

Re: Not quite right

'This is obviously some strange meaning of the words "not long" that I wasn't previously aware of.'

(with the usual apologies for paraphrasing...)

Dell slathers on factor XPS 13 to reveal new shiny with... ooh... a 0.1 inch bigger screen

Gio Ciampa

Re: That price..?

https://www.dell.com/en-uk/work/shop/cty/pdp/spd/xps-13-7390-laptop/bnx73924

10th Generation Intel® Core™ i7-10510U, 8 MB Cache, 4 Core, up to 4.90 GHz

Ubuntu 18.04, Linux

Intel® UHD Graphics with shared graphics memory

16 GB, LPDDR3, 2133 MHz, Integrated

512 GB M.2 PCIe NVMe Solid-State Drive

£1,159.00 (Ex. VAT @20%, free Delivery)

Latitude 9510 lappy has a speakerphone so you can tell the conference call all about your 30-hour battery

Gio Ciampa

Re: Specs look Ok

"Louise the Luggable" as we named ours, back in the day...

Labour: Free British broadband for country if we win general election

Gio Ciampa

"The competition pretty much decides who send you bills and who you shout at when it doesn't work."

What competition? Where I live its Virgin or Nothing!

OPPO's Reno 2, aka 'Baby Shark', joins the deepening pool of high-spec midranger mobes

Gio Ciampa

Re: Lexicon otions

For Audis... literally in my (old car's) case - the dent in the boot that resulted in a write-off had a clearly visible logo...

Pencil 15 Jan 2020 in your diary: That's when Microsoft hopes you'll be at the cutting Edge... Chromium style

Gio Ciampa

IE mode

Anyone opened a book on when it'll be "persuaded" to run the same old crap IE always let you do in the past...?

UK culture sec hints at replacing TV licence fee, defends encryption ban proposals and her boss in Hacker House inquiry

Gio Ciampa

"gigabit speeds for all by 2025"

Will Virgin have been persuaded to allow other providers to use their cables by then...?

...or OpenReach persuaded to lay cables in competition where currently there is none...?

...or will Morgan be on the board(s), raking in her share of the profits from their monopoly positions?

Hands off our phones, says Google: Radar-gesture-sensing Pixel 4 just $999 with a 3-year lifespan – great value!

Gio Ciampa

Re: Pre-order a Pixel 4?

"wnd 'flagship' handset in a row stopped receiving updates within 2 years of purchase"

Guessing Samsung...

£99,999, what's your emergency? Paramedics rush to OAP's aid after shock meter reading

Gio Ciampa
Facepalm

Re: My provider

Did they not even point out that 2057 isn't a leap year...?

HP printer small print says kit phones home data on whatever you print – and then some

Gio Ciampa
Pint

Re: polluting the well.

I would add more - but they're complaining about the Unicode beer glass character it seems...

COBOL: Five little letters that if put on a CV would ensure stable income for many a greybeard coder

Gio Ciampa

"That some today reckon the event was a bit of a damp squib"

Indeed so... I've lost count of the "Y2K" == "Project Fear" equivalencies I've seen posted lately

Auditors bemoan time it takes for privatised RAF pilot training to produce combat-ready aviators

Gio Ciampa

Lockheed-Martin also (part) control our Trident "deterrent" so we may as well go the whole hog...

Good news Flash lovers! Microsoft won't be disabling it by default (so long as you use IE or old Edge)

Gio Ciampa

"As with Chrome, Flash will need to be enabled on a site by site basis"

Is that a once-only setting, or (as Chrome seems to insist) once the first time you visit a site in any given session?

Dixons hits back at McAfee's £30m antivirus sueball: Your AV didn't work on Windows 10S

Gio Ciampa

Re: Windows 10S...as useful as a chocolate teapot

Ah yes ... One For All and its "works with every brand" promise...

...until you read the small print which adds the "every brand that uses IR remotes" caveat...

(which my Sharp Aquos doesn't ... no prizes for guessing how I discovered this anomaly...)

1Gbps, 4K streaming, buffering a thing of the past – but do Brits really even want full fibre?

Gio Ciampa

Re: I would make the move...

Zen customer here.

The building I'm in has FTTP (or I assume so as someone dug up the car park when they were doing it)

Unfortunately... that "someone" was Virgin, so no Zen Fibre for me...

(Cue my traditional "National Broadband Grid" rant in 3... 2... 1...)

UK taxpayers funded Grand Theft Auto V maker to tune of £42m – while biz paid no corp tax and made billions

Gio Ciampa

Re: Woo

Bored now... go feed yourself, troll...

Gio Ciampa

Re: Woo

Rockstar employed 2000 people in 2018

Are you seriously telling me that they earn enough to pay hundreds of millions in tax?

Come off it...

Gio Ciampa

Re: Woo

"The point being income tax being higher than corporation tax."

Utter bollocks!

Corporation tax at 20% on several £billion is hundreds of £millions ... I'll wager that the employees (bar the CEO) don't even earn anything near that amount ... let alone pay it in income tax.

Enjoying that 25Mbps internet speed, America? Oh, it's just 6Mbps? And you're unhappy? Can't imagine why

Gio Ciampa

Re: "near 100% fiber rollout in UK"

Sorry... I do have a choice... Virgin or Nothing!

Gio Ciampa

Re: "near 100% fiber rollout in UK"

"at least we have a choice in ISP"

So have both OpenReach and Virgin run a fibre connection to your cabinet/property?

Not here they haven't (OR "don't have plans yet" to do so) - so tell me where the choice is if I want fibre broadband?

Apollo 11 @ 50: The long shadow of the flag

Gio Ciampa

Re: The most expensive dick swinging contest in history

Stopped reading roughly around the "Anonymous Coward" point...

...either put your name to your claims, or just don't bother posting...

UK government buys off Serco lawsuit with £10m bung. Whew. Now Capita can start running fire and rescue

Gio Ciampa
Facepalm

Re: MoD payed Serco £10M to avoid problems?

Ex (or current) Government ministers on the board?

Amazon: Carbon emissions from our Australian bit barns aren't for public viewing

Gio Ciampa
Coat

Re: Not really sure...

*EASILY*

Go on then...

(Mine's the one with the Physics Degree in the pocket...)

UK's Openreach admits 50k premises on 'gigabit-capable' FTTP network can't get gigabit speeds

Gio Ciampa

Ah... so that's who Zen uses for the fibre installs... (I have an ADSL account with them)

Shame that the nice new shiny (ish) fibre to my place was installed by Virgin, or I'd have switched by now...

(cue my traditional "national fibre grid" rant in 3... 2... 1...)

Former UK PM Tony Blair urges governments to sort out online ID

Gio Ciampa

Re: Yeuch...

They overbid - plain and simple...

Gio Ciampa

Re: Yeuch...

It was National Express (and later on, Virgin/Stagecoach) who walked from the East Coast Main Line contract ... what public entity was "breaking" it?

Gio Ciampa

Re: Yeuch...

"Rail is nationalised. The franchise is private and since there are complaints of high prices that requires more trains and that requires more rail. Contracts are being cancelled because the rail investment isnt happening and costing the private companies who would otherwise provide more service."

We could have plenty more rail, if we weren't spaffing hundreds of billions on HS2 instead...

...or bailing out the likes of National Express, Stagecoach, Virgin et al when they decide they somehow can't make any money so want to parachute out of their contract...

ReactOS 'a ripoff of the Windows Research Kernel', claims Microsoft kernel engineer

Gio Ciampa

Re: Shades of SCO saga

Your point is valid, but how often in reality do you remove the SD card from your phone?

(In my case, only if I'm totally wiping the phone and want to do likewise with the card so I can reinstall whichever OS from a clean slate)

It's just as simple (if not more so) to join the two together with a USB cable, and let the devices figure out between themselves how to transfer files - the only obvious difference I can think of might be the transfer speed achievable (though is that even an issue these days with the speed of current USB subsystems?).

Good news: NASA and Homeland Security just passed their government IT exams – and we really mean *just*

Gio Ciampa

Re: Uses for a Homeland Security Report

"putting up hundreds of Secret Service agents at every Trump-owned golf course in North America", surely?

RIP Dyn Dynamic DNS :'( Oracle to end Dyn-asty by axing freshly gobbled services, shoving customers into its cloud

Gio Ciampa

Re: Bastards

Ditto here - looks like I quit paying Dyn just in time...

Eggheads have found a positive link between the number of racist tweets and the number of racist hate crimes in US cities

Gio Ciampa

How did they determine location?

Whilst IP address is (probably) sufficient in most cases - how many reported the location of their ISP instead of their physical one?

I'm usually reported as being either in Maidenhead (ISP) or Central London (VPN), as opposed to deepest darkest Wiltshire...

March 2020: When you lucky, lucky Brits will have a legal right to a minimum of... 10Mbps

Gio Ciampa

Re: Semantics

What does "design stage" mean? Surely they know how to install a piece of cable by now?

Gio Ciampa

Re: you can't have both

...and if you don't want to be tied to one company for all eternity, because they can't/won't share their installs with others...?

Gio Ciampa

Re: What does it mean when they say "BT or KCOM"?

"If so, isn't that anti-competitive?"

Definitely! In my case - if I want fibre instead of ADSL - I have to sign up to Virgin Media...

Competition? What competition?

Musk loves his Starlink sat constellation – but astroboffins are less than dazzled by them

Gio Ciampa

Re: Debunked?

I fear "highly accurate" may not be the case...

They're designed to take avoiding action (from each other, and other objects) so unless the ephemeris tables are updated in pretty much real time, then you're not going to know where the hell they are with any great certainty.

Ofcom to Openreach: Thou shalt prise open thy network for firms targeting biz customers

Gio Ciampa

Re: Huh?

"Has Access To" really means "Virgin have laid the cables"

Not "Any ISP can supply ultra-fast" but "Virgin have you by the short and curlies if they choose to"

Where's the Monoplies And Competition Commission when you need it?

Tim Peake's Soyuz lands in London after jaunt around the UK

Gio Ciampa

Re: Scarier than Manchester?

"Farage" and "working" in the same sentence...?

I'll wager his attendance record for however long we're still a member will be (as before) almost non-existant.

Gio Ciampa

Re: Manchester

I'll wager that has only been done so that both the "Manchester" football teams can claim to actually be inside... (as opposed to Trafford, and wherever the Etihad is)

Gio Ciampa

Re: Scarier than Manchester?

What about "Imitation American Cheese" (as referenced in an episode of Top Gear)?

Pushed around and kicked around, always a lonely boy: Run Huawei, Google Play, turns away, from Huawei... turns away

Gio Ciampa

Re: Go Sailfish

All very well if you have a supported device...

...the website mentions 4 Sony handsets (8 if you count the dual-SIM variants I guess), and that's it.

Titan-ic disaster: Bluetooth blunder sinks Google's 2FA keys, free replacements offered

Gio Ciampa

"If the attacker also knows the victim's username and password"...

...they're buggered anyway, surely?

Banhammer Republic: Trump declares national emergency, starts ball rolling to boot Huawei out of ALL US networks

Gio Ciampa

Fail Huawei, Fail Huawei, Fail Huawei

Surprised nobody spotted the earworm generator...

...Enya fan perchance, Thomas?

Daddy, are we there yet? How Mrs Gates got Bill to drive the kids to school

Gio Ciampa

Re: Slave box on a toytown estate

The first P should be Perpetual surely?

After you spend 3 years "paying" for a vehicle ... you hand it back, pick a new one, and start the cycle all over again...

(Does anyone have any figures relating to the percentage of vehicles handed back vs paid off?)

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