* Posts by jason 7

3181 publicly visible posts • joined 11 Jun 2009

PC sales still slumping, but more slowly than feared

jason 7

Re: In my neck of the woods

In my experience customers don't want new machines. They want cheap machines. That means I pick up reconditioned Dell Core i5 machines with Win10 and 8GB for £200.00 a go.

I still sell older C2D machines by the dozen to a lot of businesses.

What do you need to run Office and Chrome? Not a lot.

I get maybe one custom PC request a year and that's from a gamer.

jason 7

2007?

Core 2 Duo chips!

Still perfectly fine for office work even today.

As mentioned, the software hasn't moved on far enough to warrant better hardware in many many cases.

Good luck building a VR PC: Ethereum miners are buying all the GPUs

jason 7

Re: An Exercise in Futility?

Sometimes folks on the forums ask me why I don't do such things.

I just reply that my electricity is funded by me and not Mum & Dad.

jason 7

If you don't...

get on the wagon in the first three months...may as well not bother.

jason 7

Silly prices for 8GB RX480's on Ebay

Been seeing used RX480's going for well over £300 there. I think I paid £250 for mine about 10 months ago.

Brit prosecutors ask IT suppliers to fight over £3 USB cable tender

jason 7

Ha...the B2 Stopwatch holder was mentioned in a Dale Brown book many years ago. The two lead pilots were going up for their first flight in a B2 and one bet the other dinner if "it still had a stop watch holder!"

jason 7

I've mentioned before I used to work for a huge insurance company in the UK. We were paying £300 a time for £30 of ram and had to wait 4 weeks for delivery when Crucial could do the same for next day. With our buying power we should have been paying £3!

I challenged this daft situation with the then head of IT. I got told to "shut the fuck up!" So I guess it was all about back handers.

jason 7

Erm...did somone bother to look in Colin's desk?

He always keeps all those cables and computer bits.

PCs will get pricier and you're gonna like it, say Gartner market shamans

jason 7

Don't want new ones.

I can get clean and tidy Core i5 boxes with 8GB of ram and 120GB SSD for £250.

Save the new expensive box for the guy that thinks he knows about Video editing.

Photobucket says photo-f**k-it, starts off-site image shakedown

jason 7

Re: There's a difference between paying your fair share and extortion

Well for me life is too short and I can't be arsed to do that.

jason 7

Yep

I would be happy to pay $60 a year to just push some pics around but I guess I'll just go elsewhere.

In the week Uber blew up, Netflix restates 'No brilliant jerks' policy

jason 7

Most folks over the age of 28 want the money, not the silly perks.

jason 7

Re: re: it basically means free overtime for the company

Excellent! That's just the type of thing I would have said.

I once in an interview used the phrase "Well a cock-up on your part doesn't constitute a crisis for me!"

The face in front of me went through a kaleidoscope. I'd already decided to back out of that job application so was just enjoying the ride at that point.

jason 7

Re: Jerks need not apply

brilliant jerks or the other name - "playboy millionaire project managers with nothing to lose"

Microsoft admits to disabling third-party antivirus code if Win 10 doesn't like it

jason 7

Re: Heading for Mac Land

I've looked it up a few times.

It's not quite as simple as you say. You need to do your homework still and kludge a few things.

From landslide to buried alive: Why 2017 election forecasts weren't wrong

jason 7

Mandatory voting.

Well why not?

And on a weekend too.

jason 7

I was in London with my Dad when the Labour manifesto* was released. My Dad just said "Huh he just wants to take us back to the 1970's etc. etc."

To which I replied sarcastically, "But Dad, the current system is just working so well for so many of us!"

The fact is that the world now runs on debt. The more debt you have the better. Has Greece been abandoned? No, it's still there. The deeper you look into the world economy and how it's run, basic common sense economics no longer apply.

Until we abandon this evil mutated form of Capitalism that just allows the top 1% to make all the profit instead of everyone involved getting a bite of the cherry, the craziness will just continue.

First step - Get all the money out of politics.

* - Manifestos just go straight in the bin by 7pm Election Day.

Cabinet Office minister Gummer loses seat as Tory gamble backfires

jason 7

Govt go Digital?

I think I would push to keep it all on paper. At least the buggers have to have the balls to break into a building in in the UK to get at the info.

The paper will probably last longer too.

BT considers scrapping 'gold-plated' pensions in bid to plug £14bn deficit

jason 7

One day...

...some poor fool will have to stand up and state that pensions are no longer viable.

Pensions are another factor of life and finance that are slowly making less and less sense. When you look at what's going on in the world and how it works 90% of the worlds finance is a stupid joke. Going forward money, wages, profits etc. just don't make much sense. They were a 'fun' means to an end. It will all have to reverse when the 1% have finally sucked up all the money and then wonder why no one is buying their Big macs and Ford F-150s anymore.

The world seriously needs an economic rethink and reboot.

When 90+% of the worlds 'wealth' is debt...you know its one big joke. Unfortunately, not enough of us are in on it to make any changes.

TRUMP SCANDAL! No, not that one. Or that one. Or that one. Or that one.

jason 7

Trump will be around...

...till the powers that be have pushed a few more nasty Exec orders for him to sign then they can throw him under the bus as they planned all along.

Trump was a real gift. A guy who has zero political experience or ambition other than to tick it off a list. He has no real authenticity or bedrock support in Congress or the Senate. He's not really a Republican or a Democrat. I think the hidden elite realised he was the perfect choice for implementing the biggest range of nasty legislation and theft from the US population that no one established politician would ever dare put their name to.

He can be disposed of with little comeback to the Washington clique. The biggest political patsy ever. He and his parasitic family will in the end probably walk away with a billion dollars though and that's the hard part to swallow.

"Well it was all Trump's doing!"

The revolution will not be televised: How Lucas modernised audio in film

jason 7

Can I just point out also...

...most ordinary fleapit cinemas in the UK were still mono up until the mid 90's at least.

So whatever improvements had been made up till that point would have gone unnoticed by most.

jason 7

Can I just say...

...the name of the film is Star Wars...just Star Wars.

None of this New Hope bollocks.

SSD price premium over disk faaaalling

jason 7

Re: What about now?

Tell me about it. I built a 5820k based rig last year. I bought all new kit apart from the two main 250GB SSDs that I had already.

This time last year it all came to £850.

The same kit today would cost £1000!

I've stopped buying SSDs to upgrade customers machines where possible. I was buying 120GB SSDs for 30-£35 a pop last year but now we are in the £55+ range.

Samsung Galaxy S8+: Seriously. What were they thinking?

jason 7

Too expensive...

...to be interesting.

Sophos waters down 'NHS is totally protected' by us boast

jason 7

The last folks I knew that got hit with Ransomeware...

...got hit via MS Remote Access. They were all accessing one machine remotely as part time staff. They had like 5 digit passwords (groan).

It's 2017 and Windows PCs are being owned by EPS files, webpages

jason 7

Re: Yes, a constant stream of vulns --

Yeah funny but those companies don't operate in my part of the world or 99.9999% of it.

Plus you are probably thinking about CGI/video RENDERING not normal run of the mill video editing.

jason 7

Re: Yes, a constant stream of vulns --

"A Windows 10 Pro OEM license is £12 - surprised you have 'customers'"

I'm not Dell or HP. That and I don't get my license keys off Ebay either.

I sell/build maybe a dozen machines a year, mostly gaming rigs or video editing machines. Most of my work is support or consultancy.

But at the end of the day...folks still wont touch Linux with a bargepole.

jason 7

Re: Yes, a constant stream of vulns --

Indeed. As I have said before I CAN'T GIVE LINUX AWAY!

I tell cash strapped customers they can save £100 on a box if they use Linux. I show them it will do Ebay, Facebook, Word docs etc. etc. but they all say no. They pay the extra £100.

Folks want Windows. Never had a customer take the Linux option.

jason 7

And then if hundreds of millions of users switched and really started pounding Linux or any other...the same would be found I'm sure. Let's be realistic here.

Most modern software and code is pretty crap and built around the philosophy of "Don't worry about it, if a user finds a bug them fix it, if they don't...fine, don't worry about it!"

Virgin Media scales back Project Lightning target in first quarter results

jason 7

I wish...

...they would finish off Norwich after they quit at about 60% capacity.

Would love to get rid of my landline.

Booze stats confirm boring Britain is drying

jason 7

My local newspaper...

...bemoans weekly about another city pub thats been shut for 2+ years being sold up for apartments.

The local CAMRA rep always tries to get them listed as a local benefit whatever but they constantly all make the same mistake.

The fact is it's not 1972 anymore. People have other things to do with their time and money. I cannot afford to be in a pub 3-4 nights a week at £20 a go just for me or £40 if its with mates. I'm 46 and a member of CAMRA but even I can tell that half the pubs in my city are surplus to requirements. Even the pubs that thrived on lunchtime and after work drinking have gone due to changes in staff and work practices. The folks aged 18 to 25 haven't the cash either like they did 20 years ago. The nightclubs are closing rapidly too.

Master of Dredd: Judge inker John Higgins speaks to The Reg

jason 7

Started at Prog 13...

...aged 6!

I think one of my fave Dredd moments was when confronted by a man who could change into a man sized fly if he smelt rooting food. I can't quite remember all the exact dialogue.

Man turns into fly when confronted by Dredd, Lawgiver drawn.

Dredd - "In the name of the Law I sentence you to dea...

Fly Man's Wife (jumping in to try to stop Dredd) "Wait...why is turning into a fly against the law?"

Dredd - (Pausing, quizzical look on jaw) "Hmmm You know, I think you got me there!"

It's Russian hackers, FBI and Wikileaks wot won it – Hillary Clinton on her devastating election loss

jason 7

Yep

Trump was a brick in the pond moment. What it has done is expose the corruption, filth and lies in a way never seen before. It's so blatant now that its fully exposed.

This has made folks that either couldn't see it or didn't want to see it finally admit that something is wrong and it's time for change. People are waking up and realising the politicians haven't been working for them (in fact working against them) for decades.

Clinton was a prime example of that. As long as the money was flowing her way she didn't give a damn. Still doesn't.

Proof is the DNC is trying to do anything to either ignore or quash the progressive movement that wants to get rid of the corporate money in politics. Republicans with a different name.

jason 7

If you want the reasons in a entertaining manner -

Then just visit the Jimmy Dore page on You Tube.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3M7l8ved_rYQ45AVzS0RGA

People don't want corporate paid Democrats that don't work for them and will continue to maintain the staus quo. Clinton was just that.

Platitudes and 'values' won't cut it anymore. Single Payer or GTFO!

Another ZX Spectrum modern reboot crowdfunder pops up

jason 7

Re: It was shit back in the day

Its funny I dont remember any real fanboy type arguing in the playground back in the 80's over spectrum or C64. We enjoyed playing on both machines.

I guess we were a little more mature back then for kids.

What is this bullsh*t, Google? Nexus phones starved of security fixes after just three years

jason 7

Easy...

...I gave up caring.

Worry about it if and when it happens.

Don't install our buggy Windows 10 Creators Update, begs Microsoft

jason 7

Installed it on three...

...2008 vintage machines. All went without a hitch. Yesterday was a 2014 laptop. All fine.

The only issue I've had was upgrading a Windows 7 machine with Office 2010 and Outlook 2013 installed. For some reason it wiped out the Outlook 2013.

Lucky I cloned before it was boned.

Boss swore by 'For Dummies' book about an OS his org didn't run

jason 7

Re: But the real issue is

I thought Hershey was made from dirt.

Drupal sci-fi sex scandal deepens: Now devs spank Dries over Gor bloke's banishment

jason 7

Another case of...

...kids being self appointed SJW types.

"Anything I don't believe in or agree with is wrong and should be destroyed!"

or

"If you don't believe in or agree with me you are wrong and should be destroyed!"

As mentioned on the failed US sitcom Joey.... Maybe we should go take a look in a few folders on their laptops?

Consumers go off PCs as global shipments continue their decline

jason 7

Yawn....

...we know why and we don't care.

Apple’s premium TV plans – the hobby doomed to stay that way

jason 7

When making....

...billions just isn't enough.

Mark Shuttleworth says some free software folk are 'deeply anti-social' and 'love to hate'

jason 7

Re: Interesting

90% of my customers find me via my Google+ page. Why? Cos of the 30+ 5 star reviews my business has.

The joy is that I come up higher than the folks that paid £2+ a go for that search phrase and haven't bothered to get any reviews. Costs me nothing.

Overcharge customers, underpay the serfs. Who else but Uber (allegedly)

jason 7

Uber is just the first...

...in a wave of 'companies' that are out to manipulate younger people who haven't had to fight for better working and pay conditions to say "Hey I think its cool to work like this and I'm cool with being exploited!" so the powers that be can use them to get rid of all the regulations and laws their fathers and grandfathers strove for.

Hail to the new serfdom!

Londoners will be trialling driverless cars in pedestrianised area

jason 7

Saw it on the news today.

Quite frankly it was embarrassing.

You would be quicker to walk than the speed this...Playmobile designed 'pod' travels at. Looked like something Tomorrows World would have covered back in 1983.

Waste of time.

Apple fans, Android world scramble to patch Broadcom's nasty drive-by Wi-Fi security hole

jason 7

Re: At least...

Yeah it's like people saying "I don't know what those poor starving folks in Africa have to moan about, Waitrose had lobster for just £10 last week!"

My 'flagship' LG G4 is about 18 months old and now classed as a dinosaur. It got about 5 updates. Last was 12th August 2016.

The likes of HP/Dell Asus etc. can keep churning out BIOS updates and driver fixes for the dozens of models and products they produce for 3-4 years but Phone manufacturers struggle to go past 6 months.

Laughable.

British biz Imagination Technologies admits Apple may dump its IP

jason 7

So dump them...let te price tumble and then....

...buy them up for half the cost 6 months later.

Probably worth buying £1000 worth of stock just in case.

Trump sets sights on net neutrality

jason 7

What happens when the 1% has all the money?

Don't they realise the top 1% of the 1% will start to leach off the remaining 99% of the 1%.

Trump isn't in that top 1% of the 1%.

I need an ISP that offers IPv6. Virgin Media: Whatevs, nerd

jason 7

Re: An IPV6 address that's really hard to remember.

"How many IPV4 addresses (or phone numbers for that matter) do you remember ? That's what DNS was invented for - so you don't have to remember IP addresses."

You don't do a lot of IT do you?

UK's 'homebrew firmware' Chinooks set to be usable a mere 16 years late

jason 7

Re: Of all time?

Yeah a gong and a nice 6 or 7 figure 'moving on' package.

Always wanted a job whereby you can never be too incompetent to lose.

Walk in on day one, take a shit on your desk and be able retire that same day.

Miss Misery on hacking Mr Robot and the Missing Sense of Fun

jason 7

Watched Mr Robot S1...

After a few episodes I was going "Oh no...don't tell me...please...don't do a (insert movie trope here) on me...noooooo!"

And they did. Lazy.

I watched it to the end but I lost interest.

I too much prefer HaCF even if it does play very fast and loose with computing history. At least some of the characters are likeable.