Posts by Glen 1

As Brit cyber-spies drop 'whitelist' and 'blacklist', tech boss says: If you’re thinking about getting in touch saying this is political correctness gone mad, don’t bother

Given the shit they are going to get from the usual suspects, it's not cowardice. It's a minimum effort stand that costs them next to nothing.

Re: Irrelevent

Obligatory Tim Minchin and his views on prejudice.

Xiaomi what you're working with: Chinese mobe-flinger proffers two Redmi Note phablets for UK market

Re: This is more than a little disturbing...

"lot of bloatware and has advertising throughout most of the included apps"

I have a Mi A2 lite.

With the stock software, I haven't noticed any bloatware or ads. (or removed it when first purchased and then forgot). It comes under the "Android One" umbrella, most recent patch 1/3/20 (March this year)

The default install for new Xiaomi kit might have changed since I bought it though. *shrug*

Browse mode: We're not goofing off on the Sidebar of Shame and online shopping sites, says UK's Ministry of Defence

Re: world's biggest English-language news website

"Once you remove..."

You forgot "all grown up"... or was that one of the other shitrags?

Forget tabs – the new war is commas versus spaces: Web heads urged by browser devs to embrace modern CSS

Re: View from the inside

"Your commas are still valid, and I predict it's going to stay that way until the heat death of the universe."

from TFA:

"lab(), lch(), and color(), don't work with commas"

Sooo not valid.

I'm don't do a lot of front end work, but...

IMHO, you shouldn't be calling *functions* in static markup. Helper macros are *maybe* OK, but Its like putting code in a config file.

If you *are* going to call functions/macros in your CSS, they should be consistent with the overwhelmingly de facto language used on the front end. The one that is going to be used to manipulate the markup once it's in the DOM.

Otherwise its inconsistency for inconsistency's sake.

I believe that's called python3 :P

It's like nightmare on em street.

You think you want to know, but then you wish you didn't, as you start having nightmares.

If you're going to get rid of the commas, you should get rid of the brackets as well. ala Ruby.

Its the same sort of (flawed) logic.

Re: Can it do orange?

" only three people in an office in Chelsea "

If one of those 3 is the one signing the cheques for the client...

See also: pixel perfect layout demands on a 8k+ monitor.... The only one in the company, but it's the bosses.

Re: WTF

While a poor artist blames their tools. A mediocre artist can tell the difference between a hammer and a screwdriver.

The fact it needed to be said shows that it is a bad idea.

If I wanted to put up with non-obvious crap like that, I'd use VIM/EMACS

Why should the UK pensions watchdog be able to spy on your internet activities? Same reason as the Environment Agency and many more

Re: @Whitter

"If a schizophrenic insists the world is a particular way because of their medical condition do you agree with them and demand society do so? Or is it a medical condition where we want to help them with their condition?"

That's called religion. If they have evidence, it's called science.

Insisting *the world* is a particular way (with or without evidence), is different from insisting *you are treated* a particular way. Some folk don't like parsnips. I'm not about to send them to "conversion therapy" to convince them they are wrong.

Refusing to call someone by their preferred pronoun is such a petty thing. It's like objecting to BAME people asking to be being treated the same as white folk. There shouldn't *be* a difference, yet here we are.

Re: @Whitter

"Actually that is my point. You don't have to listen, so there is no need for enforcing PC speech."

It depends on the power dynamic. Being the racist/homophobic/wants-control-of-women's-bodys uncle in the corner that people can laugh off doesn't matter. People can chose to not use his businesses as a result. In fact, it's quite handy that they sign post themselves so they can be avoided. *cough*Wetherspoons*cough*

That uncle being the chief of police is a problem. That uncle running for public office is a problem.

When such people are *WRITING/ENACTING THE FUCKING LAWS* thats a *MASSIVE* problem. As you don't get a choice not to listen to laws.

"no need for enforcing PC speech"

You say you have no issue with enforcing harassment laws, Yet @ing people with non "PC speech" is precisely that. As for not @ing and just using it in conversation, see above.

Re: @Whitter

"it doesn't make me a woman"

It doesn't make you female, but with good enough "remodelling", how would anyone tell the difference? Heteronormative behavior can be learned. Or are you of the opinion that women who can't have children (for whatever reason) are not real women? People who have lived most of their lives as women are still not be considered as such by prejudiced... *ahem* people.

As for the nationality vs race thing. 40% of UK doctors are BAME (that's the current PC term in the UK for "non white"). Yet still, there are shouts of "I don't want no furrun doctor" from racists, even if the person was born an raised here. It's *no* different to "I don't want no man in the ladies toilets" when referring to a transwoman.

The irony is the Eastern european migrants - that were such a contentious issue during the EU referendum. They and their children will pass as english born and bred once they pick up the local accents.

Nationality is a just question of paperwork, gender should be also (and *IS*, in the UK since 2005)

Re: @Whitter

"We are talking about a medical mental condition 'gender dysphoria' and dysphoria medical conditions also lead to trans species, race, age and then the idea of 60+ genders etc."

I already answered the 60+ gender part. I answer to the others: If it's not hurting anyone else, what's the problem?

"men and women think differently"

People want different things. A lot of time there is an overlap. (Eg Gay man vs straight women), and that informs our actions. It doesn't imply one is more capable than the other. Wanting different things doesn't imply that those wants are more or less valid than anyone elses. Thus stuff like maternity leave.

"we all pick and choose throughout history from each other"

except not from different genders, according to you.

You compare gender to race, then say that cultural appropriation (ie the main reason identifying as another race is problematic) is bullshit spouted by prejudiced folk... If only you could take that next logical step and apply it to gender. If not, perhaps you should, as you say, "shut up and get lost"

"at their own cost unless there can be some proven medical need"

The "medical need" is that their brain is fine, but their body is wrong. Suffering is a medical need. If there was a surgical solution to PTSD, would you class *that* as a medical need? Is there a "medical need" for antidepressants? (sarc) FFS. Just because there are no/few physical symptoms, doesn't mean it's not real. See also: Body Integrity Disphoria. Especially the Prognosis section

As for funding, that is very much country specific. I know in Canada, there are insurance providers that cover "The final Op", but not the intermediate feminising/masculinizing surgeries. That's not "their own cost" but it *is* covered.

Re: @Whitter

"Is a scientifically and factually identified person with gender dysphoria another gender because their mental disorder tells them so?"

I should point out (as you no doubt have had this conversation before) gender is distinct from biological sex. The "many genders" come from not wanting to label themselves with other people's narrow definitions. What do they call themselves? Whatever the hell they want, what difference does it make? They are still human beings, despite what more conservative folks think. It's like asking a pair of chopsticks which one is the fork? If you have to ask, you don't understand enough to ask the question.

I find it amusing that gender dysphoria is classed as a mental illness (as homosexuality used to be), but believing the voices in someone else's head is called "freedom of religion".

As for the "Identify as race, age, height" question. Its a legit question.

At least with gender dysphoria there are cases where brain scans come back closer to an opposite gender baseline. Can you make a similar case for race, height etc?

There is also the question of cultural appropriation vs assimilation. Are people from mixed race backgrounds *permitted* to choose which culture they identify with more? Or do they just have to live with whatever *you* (as a proxy for society) label them based on their complexion?

Sidenote: People who "identify" as a different hair colour, or eye colour can already do stuff about it thanks to technology, and no one gives a shit. Hell, people get cosmetic surgery, and some people feel its a symbol of status. *shrug*

Gender reassignment surgery should carry no more stigma than a boob job.

Re: @Whitter

"believe they should be free to say it"

Possibly, if your opinion means jack shit - as armchair warriors such as ourselves. People can curate their own echo chamber as they see fit (look at twitter as an example). Just because you're free to say it doesn't mean people have to listen.

However, when it's your job to protect people, (teachers, police, etc) you don't shouldn't get to pick and choose which people. To say otherwise is a return to Jim Crow and its equivalents. If the opposite of Jim Crow is PC, then civilised folk should at least aspire to be a little more PC.

Sidenote: Messaging folk directly (@ing them) with slurs/rape/death threats isn't free speech. It's harassment.

Re: @Whitter

I would need to know more about the case you were referring to.

Don't get me wrong, there is such a thing as taking offence where none is intended.

However, saying things like "Trans women are not women" comes under a similar heading as "Black/Asian people can never be British". It's a shame more racist folk aren't locked up.

Re: @Whitter

"They must be PC and by that I dont mean 'police constable' "

If you mean *not* racist homophobic xenophobic scum, then that's a good thing.

If you don't think that's a good thing... then that says a lot about you. The family of Stephen Lawrence will want a word.

Elevating cost-cutting to a whole new level with million-dollar bar bills

Swipe in?

Swipe? What is this swipe of which you speak?

(See icon)

Round these parts swiping has not been the done thing for over ten years. (Except for where it is eg store gift cards, dodgy atms etc)

IBM Watson GPU cloud cluster Brexits from London to Frankfurt – because GDPR

Re: Checkpoint/restart

Technology has, but people haven't

Europe publishes draft rules for coronavirus contact-tracing app development, on a relaxed schedule

When I say 'Inner City', I don't mean the city centre.

I mean the houses just outside (as in the inner bit, not the centre) That in the UK at least would have been tenements built to house factory workers.

Unless you think those living (possibly renting) in High Crime areas, with low quality housing are secretly rich?

Counterpoint: The cheapest housing is in inner city areas where the population is densest. (high crime, low quality housing) In many cases people live there because it's all they can afford.

In rural areas, the house prices are pushed up by rich folk buying retirement properties or second homes. I would love to live somewhere more sparse (and still commutable to work), but can't afford it.

Re: another nanny state idiocy

"everybody involved has to get RE-ELECTED"

Same goes for the *elected* MEPs. The commissioners are appointed, but they are appointed by the *elected* heads of state, and then ratified by the *elected* European Parliament.

Sidenote: I always find it amusing that Nigel Farage has *never* been a UK MP, despite standing multiple times. He has been an M*E*P, largely down to the fairer voting system used during the European Elections.

What's the word i'm looking for, like goldy and bronzy...

Intelsat orbital comms satellite is back online after first robo-recovery mounting and tug job gets it back into position

Please hold while I change guitars!

A paper clip, a spool of phone wire and a recalcitrant RS-232 line: Going MacGyver in the wonderful world of hotel IT

Re: Common use machines should always use pigtail extension leads for USB

"CPU has a PS2 port"

" first USB port they see, aka one in front of the CPU"

*eye twitch*

This machine-learning upstart trained software to snare online drug dealers. Now it's going after fake coronavirus test equipment peddlers

"won't listen to reason from experts."

Something something Brexit

Linux fans thrown a bone in one Windows 10 build while Peppa Pig may fly if another is ready in time for this year

Re: Windows awoke to discover it had metamorphosed into...

That may have been true for WSL V1. V2 includes a Linux kernel.

Europe calls for single app to track coronavirus. Meanwhile America pretends it isn’t trying to build one at all

Re: USA decide on anything?

Err... as in We (UK) are in a metaphorical glass house in that regard.

Re: USA decide on anything?

"All my US friends think that he's an embarrasment to the country."

As a UKian, one sympathises.

Re: So, Musk bought a thousand ventilators

"I misread that, i.e. 'So, Musk bought a thousand vibrators'

Imagine the surprise on opening the package!"

They would look visibly shaken.

Watch out, everyone, here come the Coronavirus Cops, enjoying their little slice of power way too much

"you're only going to possibly inffect other people if you have the virus yourself and cough, sneeze or dribble on them"

Or near them, or near a surface that they will touch soon after (eg a door handle).

People who don't yet have symptoms touching their face (eg rubbing their nose), *then* touching the door handle. They feel healthy, why would they care? (he says sarcastically)

COVID-19 can spread through aerosols - from sneezing and/or coughing - or from "say it don't spray it" plosive Bs and Ps

Aerosols can very much be airborne. Containing those aerosols (eg with a mask) stops/reduces the spread. Being out of range reduces (not eliminates) exposure - thus the 2m guidance

I get the worry about overzealous police, but being blazé about the dangers will cost lives.

Re: How did we come to this?

" low-lying areas are still dry"

You have a short memory. Climate change is not just sea-level rise.

Remember the flooding?

The linked article is dated about 6 weeks ago.

Re: When people talk about the abuse of petty authority I ask

"selecting politicians on the basis of sex/gender, or colour (any choice of either) without considering whether they have scruples is a baaaad idea."

But they did check. That's how she got the job. Perfectly qualified for the front bench.

They wouldn't have let *anyone* have that job unless they were similarly endowed in the scruples department. Cant have a decent person do it, not when it's their job to know where the skeletons are buried. They might tell someone, leading to open public scrutiny. *Definitely* can't have that.

Re: Reality check

I dunno about crucified, but they'll certainly be very 'cross'

French pensioner ejected from fighter jet after accidentally grabbing bang seat* handle

Ace just couldn't go without saying Goodbye one more time. What a guy!

Google tests hiding Chrome extension icons by default, developers definitely not amused by the change

Re: Now avoiding Chrome everywhere

"mediocre software offerings"

If you know of a better search engine, or better maps software, I'm listening.

I already have alternatives for the rest.

Absolutely everyone loves video conferencing these days. Some perhaps a bit too much

Re: Köln-Paris? Thalys train....

" within 2 hours' travelling time"

Yyyeees, but when it takes an 45mins to get to the station from many places *within* that city, not counting connections at the other end, slippage etc suddenly you have a 3 hour+ journey time...

You'd have to be a masochist to do that as a regular commute IMHO

Edit: I suppose it depends on the level of comfort. 2 hours uninterrupted with a seat vs pack 'em in and pile' em high makes a difference to your viewpoint.

UK judge gives Google a choice: Either let SEO expert read your ranking algos or withdraw High Court evidence

Re: Who trusts Google when money is involved

Bob. It's the caps that give it away.

Love,

Google.

BOFH: Will the last one out switch off the printer?

Re: Boss's hairy throat

I've taken to wearing Hawaiian shirts and setting the background to be a tropical beach.

Here's what Europeans are buying amid the COVID-19 lockdown – aside from heaps of pasta and toilet paper

"inkjet"

There's your problem, right there.

I could be snarky and say it was because its was a HP, but all ink jets seem to be equally terrible. The cartridges dry out more often than I print, and I've never *needed* to print in colour...

Got a brother Mono laser ~10 years ago. Still going strong with very light use.

Fitbit unfurls last new wearable before it's gobbled by Google, right on time for global pandemic lockdown

" there's always the risk they could pop out of pockets mid-bike ride,"

Colour me old fashioned, but in my day, we had these things called "Zips" that were capable of preventing that from happening. Heck, even the more modern "Velcro" would be up to the task.

Your 'fitness' garments don't have pockets? Why on earth did you buy them then?

Official tailored Swift for Windows support promised in 5.3

Re: Why bother?

" language features changing so often it's impossible to keep up, and you can't stick with a single version for too long either because the surrounding tools obsolete older versions just as quickly."

something something javascript frameworks

Planet Computers has really let things slide: Firm's third real-keyboard gizmo boasts 5G, Android 10, Linux support

Re: "deforming shirt pockets"

Good morning, that's a nice TNETENNBA.

20 years later, Microsoft's still hammerin' Xamarin: Bunch of improvements on the way for cross-platform coding toolset

"...experiences such as yours that are very intriguing for somone who has yet to dip their toes into mobile app development, but may soon have to."

As with all things it depends. Much of the low hanging fruit is with webby stuff, which is why you have stuff like react native, ionic, cordova, electron etc. With many (most?) apps being effectively front ends for websites, why make it more complicated? Webby folks are used to designing for a variety of screen sizes (or should be), so there isn't that big of a leap.

Coming from desktops on the other hand has been shown to be less easy. Just look at windows 8.

That said, if you already have a load of C#/ASP code ready to be imported, anyone is going to think twice before trying to re-implement that in javascript. The old saying of "if all you have is a hammer" applies. It also applies to the webby stuff too (performance etc), but that's a post for another time.

That awful moment when what you thought was a number 1 turned out to be a number 2

Not to confused with what left pondians call a check mark (check for short) - which is a tick - like this ✔

Samsung says it has the future of DRAM sorted after success with new EUV process

Re: Oh goody!

You can take my socket 7 motherboard from my cold dead hands!

Re Expensive RAM

It's like housing. A median budget gets you a less-than-median amount of ram.

Britain's courts lurch towards Skype and conference calls for trials as COVID-19 distancing kicks in

Re: https://jitsi.org/

Suggestion: Chromium portable?

Delete when done.

Captain Caveman rides to the rescue, solves a prickly PowerPoint problem with a magical solution

Re: My word...

Lets face it, between the accents, and the amount of time the legit staff have to deal with their equivalent of "cup holder broke off" type folk, Giving a name that has more than 2 syllables is asking for trouble.

Add to that, people taking an anglo name for professional reasons (it's a lot easier to be racist to a CV), or perhaps they are fed up of us mangling their name. I used to work for a chap who was 'Bobby' on all (non-official) correspondence, but had a very different given name. He said it was because people took him more seriously with a western first name - especially when combined with a local accent.

Add to that again how, if they are scammers, they require a made up name. (Legit call centres notwithstanding) So if you were trying to scam, say, a German, calling yourself Hans or Gretta doesn't seem that daft of an idea.