Posts by rhydian

Making the problem go away is not the same thing as fixing it

Re: So, shoot the messenger is still well and alive

"Hmm, AdBlue needs to be topped up (fairly) regularly so is unlikely to be hidden. So I wonder if Ford were also using a similar system to Stellantis - i.e. a hidden fuel additive tank or pouch (Eolys, pat fluid, other names) that the car decides is empty after certain parameters are met (e.g. 100,000 miles travelled / x fuel ups, or somesuch). THat sounds more likely including the price to refill."

This is the answer. Ford used DV4 and DV6 Peugeot/Citroen diesels in the Fiesta, Fusion and Mondeo range in 1.4 and 1.6 capacities, and IIRC they were fitted with an Eolys aftertreement system which as you say needed refilling and recoding with the correct tools.

Halfords suffers a puncture in the customer details department

Re: Is this the same Halford....

"That said, in defence of Halfrauds, their Advanced tools are fantastic. I'll always go to Halfrauds for that, but not much else."

The Advanced tools range is fantastic when you want something good quality enough to stand up to abuse (e.g. scaffolding tube on a spanner) but not so expensive you're afraid of losing it.

Re: Is this the same Halford....

"If that's a reasonable price, you must be using some new definition of the word "reasonable". HINT: If you can't find the, equally as good, Castrol Edge for half the price, you're not trying."

From what I recall Castrol's retail oils are only available in 4 litre cans, as opposed to the 5 litre cans that everyone else sells for about the same price. The only way I can get 5ltr Castrol Magnatec 5w-30 for my Ford is to order it online from a dealer (Vospers parts, they do great value service kits)

To err is human. To really screw things up requires a wayward screwdriver

I did the same...

When changing the exhaust manifold/cat assembly on my old car I had to take the alternator off. Guess who forgot to pull the battery negative and shorted the main alternator feed wire against the 3/8" drive extension?

It very tidily welded the extension, 13mm socket and nut together! Luckily they were persuaded apart and I learned a valuable lesson

'Massive game-changer for UK altnet industry': BT-owned UK comms backbone Openreach hikes prices on FTTP-linked leased line circuits

Re: What a wanker.

"If people need to have a broadband connection they will suffer 500k if they have no choice."

"They charge £500k as it costs £500k. Do you give your services away for free?"

@Maker, you seem to be confusing a 500kbit/sec broadband line (which is the minimum Openreach will supply and still call it "broadband") with a £500k cost, which would pay for five of the most expensive leased line install I've heard of (someone got quoted £100k for a leased line as it invoved digging up six lanes of the M4)

Wham, bam, thank you scram button: Now we have to go all MacGyver on the server room

Re: Coathangers are handy.

"Brits can only dream of that kind of response from Openreach"

To be fair, Openreach doesn't supply PABX switches, that's a BT/BT Business/$Whoever-else service

Virgin Media dumps BT's mobile network to hop into bed with Vodafone

Re: Well that's me looking for a new provider...

I was with Orange/EE, but their pricing for a SIM only 4G connection is ridiculous and their customer service was utterly crap.

Virgin's customer service is also crap, but its much, much cheaper, so its worth bothering with.

Well that's me looking for a new provider...

Pretty much the only reason I went for Virgin Media was their MVNO agreement with EE/BT which meant decent 4G coverage locally (North Wales is rubbish for most networks) but without dealing with EE prices or customer abuse. Also, virgin mobile SIMs would work with EE's signal booster boxes.

You're all set for your long summer vacation. Suddenly a text arrives. It's the CEO. 'Data strategy by Friday plz'

Re: Moral

Not if

A: The language of the text isn't English

or

B: You claim never to have received it

Chinese bogeyman gets Huawei with featuring in EE's 5G network launch thanks to bumbling BBC

Re: Standards have fallen

Don't get me started on Skype audio interviews. I can just about manage to put up with the low quality audio stream, but not when its swapping from low to high quality audio randomly throughout a piece.

Brit broadband giants slammed as folk whinge about crap connections, underwhelming speeds

To defend some of the big players...

<dons flack jacket and tin(foil) hat>

One thing to remember about the big players (Sky, TT, BT/EE, Virgin Media) is that compared to smaller providers such as Plusnet/Andrews and Arnold and the like they're going to have a much higher percentage of non-technical users, and so more complaints.

For example, is the slow broadband speed actually because the ADSL/VDSL/Cable network itself slow, or because J. Doe has plugged their router in to a phone extension that's got a fault?. Are the dropouts because their home wifi install is on the same channel as their neighbour and can't deal with interference?

Note: I'm not saying the big players are blameless (VM has well known contention issues and our local BT Wholesale backhaul was swamped when fibre whent live) but compared to more specialised providers they will have more users who don't have a clue.

Crunch time: Maplin in talks to sell the business

Re: I doubt it'll die completely

Who shops on the high street any more? Even maplin stores are out of town now and have free parking. High street shopping is expensive (either through parking or the four buses it takes to get there) before you start.

As for "need to get a desktop working *now*" I must say I see very few desktops in home service these days, the ones that I do see are either gaming/pro rigs where the owner has their own spares stash or older users who wouldn't know what to do with a power supply to start with. Also, when was the last time someone changed a power supply? At my work I think we've changed one desktop power supply in the last 3 years.

Re: I doubt it'll die completely

"It's not as if Maplin are a Woolworths - where everything they sold could be bought elsewhere. Unless Clas Ohlson expand and extend their range, there's nothing on the high street which directly competes." "

Except that a lot of it can be, for example Screwfix carries lots of basic networking and TV cables and components (e.g. signal boosters or RJ45 crimps) and even more advanced things like CCTV kits.

As for electronics components like resistors etc the only advantage Maplin had was instant supply, otherwise they are massively more expensive than online.

Blighty bloke: PC World lost my Mac Mini – and trolled my blog!

There's a special way to shop at PCDixPhoneWhorehouse...

1: Don't

2: If you have to get a laptop form there (usually a cheap HP laptops for Aunt Mabel) reserve a device online and then send said person in to the shop to collect it, having instructed them not to take *any* add-ons like a warranty or "backup". If you do that the prices for standard HP kit isn't too bad, and as its branded kit the quality should be no different from the same model sold by other retailers.

User rats out IT team for playing games at work, gets them all fired

"Without 'half' an IT dept, how did the company get by? "

Maybe the other half of the department simply carried on as normal with less gaming?

Installing disks is basically LEGO, right? This admin failed LEGO

Re: Genius

"I quote: "oh! I'm used to ISA slots and the components facing the other way" "

What gets me is they always go for the "baffle with bullshit" argument rather than admit a simple mistake.

Re: Not a PC

Running 5A kit on a 30A fuse is essentially the same as not having a fuse at all, as the 5A kit would be on fire well before it pulled enough current to trip a 30A or 32A breaker. Even PA Testing monkeys get taught that!

Yours, PA Testing trained monkey

Hold the phone! Crap customer service cost telcos £2.9 BEEEELLION in 2016

To be fair to the telcos for a (brief) second...

...They do end up taking the blame for issues that might not be their fault. Remember all of a customer's interaction with OpenRetch (missed appointments, crap cables and poor maintenance) goes through them and therefore any blame sticks to them, not Openreach. Also, "slow broadband" could easily be down to congestion on 2.4 GHz in tower blocks/dense housing or similar.

Of course, any billing and upstream networks issues are 100% their problem, and they should sort it.

IT guy checks to see if PC is virus-free, with virus-ridden USB stick

Re: Not work but...

Back in my younger days I'd always try and "rescue" a near-dead Windows install rather than nuke from orbit, but these days unless there's some vital software where the user doesn't have the install media or licence keys any more its a case of erase and rebuild. The only offputting issue is the number of windows updates a new PC needs...

Emergency Services Network to be hit by delays, warn MPs

This does seem to explain why my folks' village...

...which doesn't even have terrestrial TV service (narrow, steep valley) now has a shiny new 4G tower under construction and ready to commission. The site was previously identified for TETRA/Airwave but they never got round to building a tower, but it looks like ESN does actually need one there.

As long as the locals get 4G mobile (which will be better than the 0G coverage they get now!) they'll be happy.

I've got a brand new combine harvester and I'll give you the API key

Re: "I've got a brand new combine harvester and I'll give you the API key"

I'd imagine El Reg was going for this particular beauty...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tb63PdPweDc

Oooh Arrr!

Re: Whats the point of an autonomous tractor?

@Chris G

I remember seeing you could get most of the medium/large Massey Ferguson tractors with data logging type computer terminals about 15 years ago. They Used an SD card for storage I think.

Re: Whats the point of an autonomous tractor?

Self driving combines and tractors can steer a much straighter and truer course than any human operator, and can do so at a reasonably high speed. Its not a big deal if you've got a small field, but in places like the Ukranian Steppes a tractor can travel 10s of miles in one direction sowing seeds, spraying weeds or harvesting grain, and not wasting fuel, seeds or weed spray with "wonky" driving means having to use less spray, fewer seeds and less diesel for the same output.

What's the biggest danger to the power grid? Hackers? Terrorists? Er, squirrels

Re: re: when you REALLY need it?

Many a company has found out that simply switching the power off to the server doesn't replicate a power cut properly. There's always one rack, router, switch or other minor bit of kit (NTE for fibre or EFM lines are usually good bets) that someone's plugged in to the unprotected mains "just for now" that doesn't stay up when the supply goes off.

The other classics are generators that only have enough diesel for a few minutes running (because some berk forgot to wire the fuel lift pumps to the UPS) or having the whole IT infrastructure hooked up the generator, but not the air handling plants...

Sage advice: Avoid the Windows 10 Anniversary Update – it knackers our accounting app

Sage: Newcastle's revenge on the world...

Sysadmin sticks finger in pipe, saves data centre from flood

Re: A few years ago . .

Its not just Generator controls that sometimes get overlooked when distributing UPS feeds.

You'd be surprised how much telecoms termination equipment (Especially fibre) isn't UPS fed...

BT internet outage was our fault, says Equinix

Re: But it is still BT's fault

If I'm paying BT/Plusnet, then I'll blame them if their service isn't working. How am I to know its the fault of Telecity/Equinix/Teh Lizzerds?

Database man flown to Hong Kong to install forgotten patch spends week in pub

So many downvotes for what is a perfectly reasonable point.

I'm a single chap with no kids, so a week in HK would probably be fine with me

But for someone married/with kids, who can't just pootle off for no good reason? I can see how they'd be nonplussed

UK competition watchdog gripes to Brussels about Three-O2 merger

Re: BT+EE

BT was only an MVNO, not an MNO. IIRC BT did buy up some 4G spectrum, and if I was in charge I'd look at how the combination of both BT and EE's spectrum holdings affect competition

BOFH: Sure, I could make your cheapo printer perform miracles

Dummy Mode...

...You can even hear the click sometimes...

Hawaiki cable to go ahead with US$300 million Au/NZ/US build

Re: Laying cable across an ocean

Infrastructure is rarely headline news, until it breaks...

Web ads are reading my keystrokes and I can’t even spel propperlie

Buying car parts is always fun...

Amazon, for some reason, stock genuine Ford car parts, and usually at a bit of a discount compared to Ford dealers.

The problem is that the malgorithm (copyright the commentard from earlier) doesn't quite understand that your average person will only need (for example) one thermostat housing, and only for the car they own at the time, so there's no point trying to sell me either

A: Another, identical thermostat housing to the one I've just bought

or

B: The thermostat housing for another, totally different Ford because I happened to buy one for the car I own

Ebay's junk email is just as bad. Subject lines like "Are you inspired by LUCAS 6A256 TRACTOR IGNITION SWITCH..." don't really work...

Glasgow boiler firm in hot water for cold calls, cops £180K fine

Re: Glasgow boiler firm in hot water for cold calls, cops £180K fine

"Hello, you're after FEP Heatcare? I'm sorry, this is EFP CareHeat. FEP Heatcare was my wife's company"

Osbo slaps down Amazon and eBay – who'll be liable for traders evading VAT

May I suggest you take a look at the Laffer curve?

I beg you, please don't back up that secret directory full of photos!

As mentioned, this is the biggest test of professionalism...

When I do data recovery (both at work and at home) then I will rarely (if ever) go out of my way to look for anything in particular (unless the user has requested a particular file/folder).

However, if I did come across something that was obviously illegal (e.g. opening an image file to check the data was readable and finding child pr0n) then I would report it. Something legal but not my business? Then it isn't my place to judge, tease or generally be an arse so I'll just copy it and say no more.

Re: Unprofessional

"Or you get a builder to build a summer house at the end of the garden: is he supposed to look out for buried bodies or leave a hidden camera in case you plan to use the place to store kidnap victims?"

So imagine this hypothetical builder is replacing a patio and discovers someone who's been Trevor Jordache'd [1] underneath it? Is he meant to just bury the body again?

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uT5T5mBg2BU

Electrician cuts wrong wire and downs 25,000 square foot data centre

"It's called a Lockout Hasp"

Thanks chief, I always wondered what the real name was.

My father works in similar industrial installations and he's supplied with what I can only describe as a swiss cheese padlock. It's a hoop with two plates full of holes to close it, which you then thread a padlock through, locking the isolator in the safe/off position.

If someone else was working on another part of the installation that used the same isolator they'd thread a second padlock in to the plate so that the first person couldn't inadvertently re-start the unit

The problem here is...

...You need to pick your language to suit your audience.

1 in 100 doesn't sound like much to someone non-techical. However if you'd said "if it goes wrong we'll lose £500/£5,000/£50,000" then they tend to sit up and take notice.

Sysadmin's £100,000 revenge after sudden sacking

@ Super Fast Jellyfish

"Rhydian - So perhaps it was the IT Manager (who was also walked out) who was being the dick, not James..."

Or it could be that he'd also signed it off with upstairs, who then threw him out as well.

Sort of a slow motion "you only need to move faster than blame..."

@Hollerith 1, LucreLout

I understand what you're saying, however given this situation I would of course act in a professional manner and answer any questions or queries raised.

However, in this case, where the plan for using a temporary (expensive) ISDN line until a (cheap) broadband line is available should have been known about (and signed off) at least at the next management level up. Therefore it should not be up to James to remind them of it. At the very least accounts should be keeping an eye on it.

Re: James is a dick...

Professionalism is a two-way street...

@Lee D

"he wouldn't be the ONLY person to know about the existence of such a line - hell, accounting should have queried it a LOT earlier!"

Indeed, considering you're talking about a 50k a month spend accounting should really have been on it, but that isn't James' problem.

"Deliberately not telling them when you're AWARE it's going to go unnoticed until it hits the hundreds of thousands is being just as dick-ish as DELIBERATELY making that happen."

Deliberately not telling James that he's up for redundancy as soon as the project's done is also rather dick-ish. If the firm wanted a proper, mature and open debrief then they didn't exactly go about it the right way.

If I were in the same situation I'd keep quiet as well. If, on the other hand the handover was more mature and, quite frankly, pleasant, then I'd not hesitate in mentioning it.

I wouldn't call it revenge...

...As that would involve planning and could be actionable. Having a massive belly laugh at a bunch of feckwits for sacking you and the boss without finding out if there's anything important they should know beforehand is, on the other hand, perfectly fine!

Re: James is a dick...

James owes this bunch of feckwits nothing.

First off, if the ISDN contract was for £50k a month then someone senior should have known about it. By making both James and his Manager redundant in such an abrupt/backhanded way this knowledge was lost.

Secondly, having been marched out of the building in such a way, I would also not be in the most co-operative of moods.

Thirdly, it sounds like the company had their own "cost management" plan in place. Wait until James and the team get the new system up and running, then bin them off to reduce headcount/save money. To see it backfire so amazingly must have been satisfying.

Broadband's frequency hunters denied Freeview patch – for now

Five free HD channels" is a lot less impressive than "14 free...

Try living within range of one of DTT's "filler" transmitters with only three multiplexes rather than the full 8. A pretty paltry selection of channels with only 6 in HD (BBC1/2/3, ITV1, C4).

Many new builds aren't bothering to install an aerial at all, and simply going for sky/freesat from the get go.

One-armed bandit steals four hours of engineer's busy day

Re: hit pump to get it working again

@Doctor Syntax

SU electric fuel pumps had a set of mechanical contact breaker points (like an old distributor) which liked to stick open or closed which stopped the pump running. Quick bash of the top of the pump and you're away.

(for those who are really nerdy, look at the first item on the 2nd page of this: https://www.holden.co.uk/cataloguePDFs/cat10/Fuel_Air.pdf )

Hands up if...

...You've been the one to have to do a long drive to switch a box back on after you got confused between "Restart" and "Shutdown"

TalkTalk claims 157,000 customers were victims of security breach

Re: Even Jeremy Clarkson could tell them they're wrong

As edge_e mentions, Jeremy Clarkson (at maximum arrogance) said "No one can steal money from you with an account number and sort code!", and proceeded to publish his own personal details in his column in The Sun.

Within hours someone had signed him up for a £500 donation to either Cancer Research or Diabetes UK (can't remember which) via direct debit, which is he took in good humour as he changed all his bank details...

Sennheiser announces €50,000 headphones (we checked, no typos)

Re: From the kind of shop that'll sell you....

Yep, I bet you never realised they were directional did you? I plugged one in the wrong way once and my whole router exploded.