* Posts by Dapprman

412 publicly visible posts • joined 14 Aug 2008

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Big Blue's GPFS: The tech's fantastic. Shame about the product

Dapprman

Miss running GPFS systems

I'm another GPFS fan, however I also fear looking at the costs. I describe it as the sort of product where if you have the requirements and the financial backers then it is worth it, however if you're missing one of those it's just too expensive.

Back in ~1999/2000 (almsot a decade before I started using it) I remember there were three tiers - a basic very limited free version, a cheap version with no resilience, and the full fat resilient version. Think the first two got dropped as people tried running setups with them then and then complaining that it was a useless sytem when they had a disk failure or a node went/was taken down.

BTW - with experience you can get it up and running rather quickly, it just depends on what additional complexities you want to introduce.

HTC One M8: Reg man takes spin in Alfa Romeo of smartphone world

Dapprman

Any Wireless Charging Options

Yup some one has to ask and yes I am one of those who got a Qi charging pad for their present phone (Nexus 4). Jokes aside I don't regret the pad, however it's a pain looking for a new phone that will use it. Having played a little with the M8 it is rather tempting ....

... so does anyone know if it will wirelesly charge or if there's an official Qi case for it (as Samsung are supposedly brining out for the Galaxy S4 and S5) ? (though it'd be a shame to put a case on some thing that looks and feels the way it does).

Dapprman

Ah the gold old sound of my Busso 3.0v6 engined Alfa 164 used to make me feel happy again after having just splashed out to get yet more electrical gremlins fixed. Never quite had the same sensation when my Desire Z started to play up (after the HTC Gingerbreakyourphonebread update).

Dapprman

Re: MyPhoneExplorer

MyPhoneExplorer struggles on Android 4.3 onwards - been using it since 4.2 on a HTC Desire Z. Main issue for me is it duplicating the address book on your phone or not syncing it properly. It's one of the complaints on their forum but one they seem little interested in fixing (having said that it is free).

Ancient telly, check. Sonos sound system, check. OMG WOAH

Dapprman

To be honest, if audiophiles want to go for wireless streaming then they should be looking at the CM100 (now Sonos: Connect). This is designed to connect in to your stereo system/amp, allowing you to stream while also maintaining audio quality (remember Sonos does support FLAC).

For some reason, while still selling the the latest generation of their original unamped and amped units Sonos hide those on their website and try to push their speaker inclusive units. No issue for the likes of me with no real ear for music quality (or so I claim), but useful for those wanting to expand on existing setups.

Dapprman

Playbar will work without any other Sonos components. The Bridge is just a link in to your network - one Sonos component must then the rest communicate wireless through the mesh network (meaning range is determined by distance between Sonos units, not to the central router). In reality it can be any Sonos unit connected to your network, the bridge is just a cheap method of doing so without having to sacrifice where you want to place a speaker or how you tidy a cable up.

It's big, it's expensive and it's an audiophile's dream: The Sonos Sub

Dapprman

@Steve Todd Re: Sorry, Audiophile and Sonos in the same sentence?

In which case you can plug a CM100 (or is it 120) unamped unit in to your stereo and take advantage of streaming over your decent HiFi system. Leave the play 1/3/5s to other rooms.

Dapprman

Re: have they fixed the horrible lag?

Never had that problem myself, however I know that issue is meant to exist with the Play Bar.

Pay-by-bonk on the blink: O2 loses Wallet

Dapprman

The real problem is people like real cash

Let us not forget there have been previous attempts to move us on to electronic direct money transfers - let us not forget Mondex from the late 1990s (or was it later) - great idea of having your own digital wallet and being able to do direct transfers of small amounts to others without having to go through a banking system (literally an electronic cash wallet for those too young to remember). In theory it was a great idea, but when tested no one wanted to use it and it died.

Who's the best-built bot that makes the US military hot? SCHAFT!

Dapprman

Re: That naming!

You beat me to it. So what's the bets the next one will be called Shinohara ?

HP mounts channel attack on EMC: We're a Bugatti, they're a VW bug

Dapprman

So if this is a true comparison ...

... does this mean HP lose money on each 3PAR array they sell, just like VAG do on the Veyron ?

Sonos and I: How home media playback just gets SO FRUSTRATING

Dapprman

Re: Nice.... but not quite there yet !

To the two above

1. Power supply - Sonos units all plug in to the mains - which is a shame as it'd be nice to have a fully portable unit to take out in to the garden.

2. Mono - nope all devices are at least stereo, however with the Play series you can use a pair as 'stero' speakers - i.e. one covering left and one covering right.

LG’s G2: The phondleslab that wants you to TOUCH ITS BEHIND

Dapprman
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No Qi Wireless Charging

For some reason LG have done a deal with Verizon so onlty their version gets in-built Qi charging. now 4 months ago I'd not have thoguht about this, but since then I've been using a Qi charger with my Nexus 4 and now can not do without it.

Sure LG have said there will be an accessory, but having to use a specific add-on (almost cerainly a case) does part defeat the object

Top architect: The TRUTH about dead Steve Jobs' new spaceship Apple HQ

Dapprman

Re: reminds me

You forgot to add that many of Foster's buildings are badly flawed - main issue being leakage when it rains (including his university library building ....), and sun heat traps.

Shopping list for Tesco: Eggs, milk, bread, tablets (the £60 7in Android kind)

Dapprman

Re: @jonathanb @Steve Foster

Not only are Scottish £1 notes legal tender in England, but you could get them as change in the internal shops of a certain Scottish based bank I used to work for in London. Said notes were used with no problems in the local stores.

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it ... Win Phone 8? No, it's APPLE'S iOS 7

Dapprman

Another Hater Here

While the old wireless hotspot issue appears not to have raised its annoying head at work (where a wifi DC ends your certificate), I've struggled to like it since upgrading my iPad last night. There's just too much visibly wrong with it. Sure I like what they've done to the calendar app and also making newstand an app so I can file it away is also a good thing, but it's just too garish, too obtrusive, poorly designed, in your face.

The old look may have been dated but it just felt right, from first time till I upgraded last night. This is just proof that Jonny Ives might be a great technical designer but he shows little knowledge of user itnerfaces (and/or was stoned when he signed this off).

What sums it up for me is the fact it askde me to give permission for the Weather App to have access to Location Services - however the iPad does not get it ....

Modular smartphones floated by Dutch designer chap

Dapprman

Glad I'm not the only one who remembers an Israeli start up demoing actual prototypes about 5-10 years ago. Was covered here at the time - can't remember much of the details except a combination of ooh nice idea and ooh looks fugly.

US highway agency awards Tesla Model S record safety score

Dapprman
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Re: Yep

There was a nurse who survived all three tests !!! (o.k. the last one did not result in a sinking, but I seem to rememebr reading they still did an Abandom Ship for safety.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violet_Jessop

New blinged-up 'iPhone 5S' touted by Jobs FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE

Dapprman
Alien

Re: I can’t wait, give it a few years…

Could have sworn I saw some one who looked just like Steve Jobbs serving in a take away last week in Lodnon. Some one else told me they saw him in a post office queue in Edinburgh ....

E-reader barons file FCC plea to opt out of disabled-friendly regs

Dapprman

Re: Not everything can do everything

Be interesting to hear what they would be forced to provide. The Kindle already comes with a (some what dull) audio reader and i assume so do the others.

Google Glassholes to be BANNED from UK roads

Dapprman

Re: incompatible

@ Adrian Midgley 1

My main drive - a Citron C6, also has a HUD and it's so instinctive I find myself struggling to find the speedo in my other cars \00/ - I do feel its safer. However, my HUD (nor the ones in other Citrons, Peugots, BMWs and Audis), does not allow me to browse G+, FB, twiter, etc, nor does it alert me to new emails or relevant social network posts.

The key thing is, it is not the fact that it provides some thing useful, it's the fact google glasses will also provide lots of distractions.

Chromecast: You'll pop me in for HOT STREAMS of JOY, hopes Google

Dapprman

Shame it's HDMI 1.4

Did cross my mind this might be a cheap solution for those of us with older TV sets who want the ability to get services such as Netflix (my BD player gives my LoveFilm and BBC iPLayer, but not said Netflix), however I suspect quite a lot out there, like my TV set, only have HDMI 1.3

Now I'm not exactly TV knowledgeable so feel free to tell me it makes no difference.

Star Wars missile intercept fails for fifth year running

Dapprman

Re: Can't they have a word with the Israelis?

Actually the Iron Dome system was meant to have worked remarkably well with very few missiles getting through and hitting human occupied areas. The system is clever enough that on detecting an incoming missile it will calcualte where it will land and if that's waste land, desert, the sea, etc, then it will leave it be and save the missile for the next potential target.

As others have said, it is only a defence against short range missiles (though theoretically also agaisnt SCUD type) and is part of a three tier solution. Middle tier will be the replaement for patriot (which had only about a 50% success rate during the Gulf War), and the third tier a theoretical defence agaisnt ICBMs.

Iron Dome is Israeli tech, not a joint project, however I do understand they are looking to sell it to the US.

Douglas Engelbart, PC pioneer and creator of the mouse, dies at 88

Dapprman

Re: Maybe they will know him now.

I think the problem came about because he did slip in to obscurity as the world was not yet ready for his work. After all just how many of the general world (and a lot of the IT world) have heard of him, or Joseph Licklider. Without the pair of them we'd almost certainly not have the computer aided world we have today.

British Bebo founder buys back social network for $849m profit

Dapprman
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Re: $849m profit????

Out of the $595 they gave chunks of it to their staff and while comapred to the over all total it would not heave been much, many of the original staff became millionaires. A friend of mine who had been there for about 8 months as a mid to senior level techie was given well in to 6 figures (sterling).

Better Place electric car outfit goes titsup

Dapprman

Re: Doomed idea

Almost certainly not helped as well by Ghost declaring that Renault (and Nissan) are dropping out of the pure electric car market and instead ill be looking towards hybrid technology.

Things that cost the same as coffee with Tim Cook - and are way more fun

Dapprman
Facepalm

Re: SU-100 tanks

If you're going to be a pedant then get it right. it's a Self Propelled Gun, genus Tank Destroyer (and no not an assualt un - that's what the SU-122/ISU-122 was).

;)

Mobile tech destroys the case for the HS2 £multi-beellion train set

Dapprman
FAIL

Tim Worstall = HS2 NIMBY ?

Because he sure comes across that way with this piece of reporting.

Ten ancestors of the netbook

Dapprman
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I still occasionally miss my old Psion 3 MX

It was my first PDA, and my jump across from a filofax. i used it for many years, not just as an organiser, but also, through the serial cable, as a terminal. Was perfect for when I needed to go in to a machine room where there was a dodgy terminal or workstation monitor.

Black-eyed Pies reel from BeagleBoard's $45 Linux micro blow

Dapprman

Re: Ahh

Strange, I have distinct memories of it's backers harping on about how they were influenced by the likes of the Acorn Atom and ZX Spectrum and wanted some thing to throw at kids in schools to help influence them in to carrying on the UK tradition for tech thinkers and doers.

The fact it can be used as a half decent PC was purely a side benefit.

Ten Windows 8 Ultrabooks

Dapprman
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I might have to revist the S200

I tried oen in PCW and liked it but was put off by the low hardware spec as I will be wanting to process photos on it ( though it did cross my mind that my present travel laptop is 6-7 year old technology and so probably much slower).

Hardware hacker unifies 15 retro consoles in format frenzy

Dapprman
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When's it going on Kickstarter

I know it's not feasable, but I doubt the price would reduce from what this masterpiece cost, but we can dream :)

Review: Renault Zoe electric car

Dapprman
FAIL

The Electric Car Is Dead !

Sorry guys but, I'll quote the author first

"To argue that the electric car has already failed is farcical. To date only one mass-market EV from an established car maker has been launched in the UK: the Nissan Leaf. Even I’m not fully convinced by the Leaf. I think it’s too big, too ugly and too expensive. A revised, cheaper, longer-range Sunderland-built model will address some of those failings, but I can’t see it changing my essential feelings towards it.

No, in my opinion the only two cars that will fly the flag of the e-car in a convincing manner in 2013 are Toyota’s Prius Plug-in hybrid and Renault’s new Zoe BEV. If in two years’ time global sales of these two are still piss poor then, and only then, will I discuss the “failure” of the e-car."

And now I'll like everyone to do a google ot look for press releases in recent months by Carlos Ghosn. He's the head of both Nissan and Renault. He has been the main driving force behind the pure electric car and the reason why Nissan and Renault sell these where as all their rivals only do hybrids and are only researching hybrids and/or hydrogen power.

So the head of the only main stram manufacturer of electric cars made an announcement a month or two ago. Basically Ghost said that he still liked the concept of a pure EV but as an enterprise it was a failure and as a result Nissan-Renault will now be dropping research in to them and instead look towards developing a range of hybrid cars based upon existing models.

This leaves no major motoring manufacturer in this field, with only Tesla seeming to be developing the technology and they can harldy be considered significant. Oh and don't bring G-Wizz up - no news of any new cars and even their existing one used old tech.

Review: Living with Microsoft's new Surface Pro

Dapprman

Re: Guess I'll got one - it looks great to be used together my camera.

I was also thinking the same thing - also great for processing photos out of the house (i.e. on location or holiday).

@ Dave126 - iPad is useless for DSLR owners due to lttle in the way of options, a reliance mainly on expensive additional cables or wireless adapters (unless you have the latest generation of high end professional cameras - assuming you have access to a wirelss network for connectivity - I still seem to find hotels with either no conenctivity, Internet only in the foyer/louge/bar area, or cable conenction in the room) and no high end photo processing options. With a Surface Pro tablet (or a PC or MAC laptop) you can have full camera control (again missing from the tablet toy apps) and decent processing software.

The truth on the Navy carrier debacle? Industry got away with murder

Dapprman

Re: Lewis misses the point

If the Jutland book is blaming German shells penetrating the magazine armour then it's both out of date and inaccurate. Lots of proof now that many of the ships in Beatties BC squadron had all the doors/traps open between the magazines, powder stores and the guns so they could fire as fast as possbile (Beattie was obsessed with rate if fire and not accuracy as he believed if you fired often enough some shells would hit ...). Net result was that a non-penetrating shell exploding could, and in multiple instances, did result in ships exploding. The RN knew about Beattie's effects (he also penalised crews of slow firing ships) before thae start of the war, plus it came out in the internal enquiry, but was then put under Official Secrets so it would not show that Beattie (who soon after replaced Jelicoe as admiral in a politial manouever) was an incompetant donkey. The British press by that stage, while jingoistic, was also intrisive, hence the blame going on the lack of armour on the battle cruisers.

Think we've some what segued here.

Dapprman

Re: Chocolate Teapot

Good job then that Argentina found a way round all these millitary procurement mistakes as they have made no major investment in the armed forces since the Falklands War, hve not replaced lost aircraft, most their navy (including the CV) is now effectively scrap, and their armed forces makes ours large while also being positioned for the potential restart of a number of border wars.

Phew.

Kickstarter project says open source can blast Death Star costs

Dapprman
Coat

Re: Look at "reverse auction charity shares" for a different angle

Actually just been looking at the CV of a PM who may be suitable for this. A A. Skywalker - he put great emphasis on his people management skills.

US diplomat: If EU allows 'right to be forgotten' ... it might spark TRADE WAR

Dapprman

Re: Yeah......right.......

You beat me to it. SoX - where only the auditors benefit.

Big Blue takes the fight to Xeons with Power7+ entry, midrange servers

Dapprman

Re: untitled comment

Would like to add that IBM have been calling them LPARs since the early mainframe days, before X86 architecture occured, never mind before 'virtual machines' where theorised.

BTW I'm not that old, but I did find myself ebing lectured by an old mainframer some 15 years ago when I asked what an LPAR was.

Report: Over 1.5 million UK drivers will have hydrogen cars by 2030

Dapprman

Re: Been saying for how long?

Mercedes, BMW and VAG have all been long term investors in hydrogen powered tech as well - the only thing stopping them moving forwards is the infrastructure. VW had a production ready golf around 10 years ago.

Samsung demands Apple's iOS 6 source code in patent case

Dapprman
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Re: My guess is...

It was IBM with AIX. SCO were the ones who demanded the source code. If memory serves me correct IBM gave them print outs as no specific format had been requested.

Sorry, Apple-haters, but Cupertinian doom not on the horizon

Dapprman

Re: Bah!

Problem is, if you were correct, then there would be big fluctuations in each direction as shorters and market makers effectively manipulate the market. This would be a daily or even hourly thing.

The reality is that the share price has been in a steady decline for 4 months now, there's been no spikes or dips, so no real shorting. Apple had been a favourate with long term inverstors and investment houses (think pensions) as they have been safe, reliable, and always rising. For the stock to drop over 30% in just four months shows signs of the big players selling and getting out, or at least offloading larger chunks of their investments. A furtehr 10% today shows that Cook's performance has not imperssed the city.

I do not think they will collapse, but I have said for a long time that the stock was seriously over-priced and I think what we're seeing at present is a reballancing towards a more reasonable price, at which point it will level out once more (unless there's a major screw up - successes rarely cause big price rises). Apple with carry on as before and the only peopel hurt will be those who got carried away on god like stock.

Swartz prosecutor: We only pushed for 'six months' in the cooler

Dapprman

Re: Criminals doing criminal things get criminal charges? ABSURD!

@ Ian 62

Actually bankers do go down, even if their actions were legal at the time and the law written after - this was one of the issues on the Natwest Three.

Former CEO John Sculley: Apple must adapt or die

Dapprman
FAIL

Re: Sculley @ Steve Todd

Depends who's version of history you follow. In his semi-biography he was pushed, in Pirates of Silicon Valley (which was considered near canon at the time) he tried a coup on John Scully which failed and then was forced out.

Also Pixar is a very bad example as John Lasseter pointed out their success was because they rarely sawe Steve and as long as they used his NeXT boxes he cared little. Supposedly he visited the Pixar offies less than once a year and never gave input.

Dapprman

@ Piro

Don't let rose tinted glasses confuse you. Sure Saint Steve saved Apple on his return, however part of Scully's problems were down to the fact he was trying to run a fractured company with nervous paranoid workers, all of which was down to the way Steve Jobs ran things in the first place.

(now without poor grammer and spelling mistakes of the last two attempts ... I hope)

Dapprman

Re: Try comparing like with like

Damn want to argue with Steve Todd, but he is right. As much as I see Apple products as expensive, they are actually competitvely spec'ed with their rival offerings.

Dapprman

@Ledswinger

Except very few countries follow the subsidised phone market - we do well out of it in the UK

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