* Posts by steeplejack

47 publicly visible posts • joined 8 Jul 2009

The D in Systemd is for Directories: Poettering says his creation will phone /home in future

steeplejack

Re: Good encapsulation, Dr S

I cannot imagine that LP keeps getting his suspended laptop stolen and processed by people who freeze the RAM. So for one man's obsessive theory-based "itch" the rest of the world has to be disrupted.

steeplejack

Re: Good encapsulation, Dr S

piad?

Ding Dong, ALIENS CALLING

steeplejack

Re: Star Trek is already around it.

Although Charles Hall tells of the fact that a fragment of space debris nearly demolished one of the Tall Whites's ships, so clearly shielding doesn't always work.

Police radios will be KILLED soon – yet no one dares say 'Huawei'

steeplejack

Nuremberg Code

In 1947 the Allies established the Nuremberg Code, the first international document to support the concept that "the voluntary consent of the human subject is absolutely essential" for biological experiments upon human subjects. TETRA is formally a biological experiment which does not end before 2018. Sadly, no consent was obtained, nor were the expected biological hazards pointed out to police officers or staff. Even more sadly, there are now many who have developed cancers of the eye, ear, brain, and body where they attach their TETRA set.

Want a customer's call records Mr Plod? No probs

steeplejack

Re: What Regulation of Powers?

If you were to head for any remote outpost, the noise of bloody wind turbines would drive you nuts.

DON'T BOTHER migrating legacy apps to the cloud, says CTO

steeplejack
WTF?

Bullshit alert sounds loudly.

I think the person quoted in the article is really trying to avoid apologising for the Cloud's lack of flexibility and programmability.

Hey, Teflon Ballmer. Look, isn't it time? You know, time to quit?

steeplejack
Mushroom

He called it a risk. But it was worse, a certain failure.

I remember Ballmer near the start of Windows 8 betas saying he was nervous, its a risk, a gamble, one of the biggest Microsoft had taken. When you look at that, it was a stunningly wrong view. For phones and tablets it wasn't a risk, more of a sheer necessity. Writing OSes is what they do, and they just had to crack on with it. But how in the blazes can you balls up the Desktop and call that a risk or a gamble? How can it be anything other than an immediate catastrophe? Did they think the Desktop somehow doesn't matter? It makes you wonder why executives get paid megabucks for being more stupid than a village idiot.

MULTICOLOURED TARANTULAS found UP TREES in Brazil

steeplejack

Re: genuine question

Yes, some of the ground-dwelling tarantulas produce a great deal of silk, as a cross between a mat and a web surrounding their favourite resting place.

steeplejack

Seven missing buttocks could be a story.

They also missed the chance to have seven more heads, or armpits or something.

I suppose you don't really need them, just living in trees.

Arses would be useful, though.

Intel invests millions in social computing research center

steeplejack

I have just read this article twice. What is it on about?

Please can the writer take lessons in plain English.

Tape so does not suck, insists EMC

steeplejack
Facepalm

IT Executives are (very) gullible people.

This is partly because they don't have the ballache of constantly restoring deleted data. A few years ago some sales people (who I would love to shoot) rang around the managers and somehow told them that tape is bad. Then, another batch of execution-by-firing-squad candidates let it be known that Filesystem Imaging was the future of Backup strategy. Anyone with Acronis shares out there? And all the Managers and Executives nodded wisely.

Nah - it aint like that at all. 90% of the time you want Files, not from 12 hours ago, but from 4 days ago. If you're lucky. Not there? Bloody user is wrong again - Try 5 days ago, then a week, then a fortnight. And for good measure, you'd better take account of incremental events.

In case you hadn't realised, I am a non-Executive tape advocate. I don't believe everything Sales people tell me (until I've proved it).

Microsoft: We tried to use Azure ourselves last year, and couldn't

steeplejack
Flame

Architect is a professional person not a verb.

When are the yankee ignoramuses going to realise that you design something?

Microsoft's Surface proves software is dead

steeplejack
Thumb Down

I bet Microsoft won't be giving-away Windows 8.

The "OEM" 32-bit edition of Windows 7 cost £100 from Amazon. Does Matt Asay claim that something similar won't happen with Windows 8?

Microsoft 'mulled Nokia buyout, ran away screaming'

steeplejack

18 months more of dwindle.

Smartphones are a horribly immature market. Immature markets are unstable and virtually impossible for predictions of the future. Basically, in 5 years time a better, more usable, more user-friendly and adaptable kind of device will have emerged.

What we can say however is that several things are dwindling. Microsoft is one. Another is the concept of proprietary anything, except Apple, and Apple aren't for the mass market.

Signs of maturity and readiness to move forward are perhaps seen in Samsung, Google, and Android. But don't gamble on anything!

Number 10 shuts wallet on closed-source IT projects

steeplejack

Free to download, 400 per annum for security patches.

Free software is more expensive to support, but the APIs, quality and performance are MUCH better. And, you are free to alter and share.

The big difficulty is: None of these strong points are of much interest in government or public sector circles.

Shoreditch's sparkle smokescreen leaves BBC journo 'tech-struck'

steeplejack

The trouble with wholeness

is that you're always approaching it. You never actually get there.

I think what Fi Glover has touched on is the intangible... Marketing hype is infinite, as it can be made from nothing.

And Fi, personally I prefer Amazon. And so do 99% of internet shoppers.

Java jury finds Google guilty of infringement: Now what?

steeplejack

The issue isn't copyright. Its the License.

If software is under a proper Free license (GPL) then copyrights aren't a problem. The reason Google got into difficulty is that Java wasn't under a Free Software license.

Ubuntu will hit the big time on Amazon: Here's how

steeplejack
Stop

Rubbish.

Rubbish for two reasons. Firstly, the hyperlink where it says that Ubuntu is doing better than Red Hat as a cloud OS goes to an article that says the exact opposite. Ubuntu have suggested that, and been vigorously disputed. Secondly, the graph here is clearly rubbish created by someone who doesn't know operating systems.

Public sector IT buyers 'hogtied by mess of red tape'

steeplejack

Here's another example of how it works in practice:

1. Being forced to by EVERYTHING from computers to t.paper from 1 supplier.

2. Nothing to trawl, because you are denied any choice. Place order.

3. Be sent the wrong product. Spend a fortnight answering stupid questions to explain why its not what you clearly ordered.

4. Eventually get the expected product.

5. Note that you could have got it 15% cheaper down the road.

Yes folks, GCAT is burning your hard-earned taxes, every day.

NAO: Gov open data policy disorganised and costly

steeplejack

Well OF COURSE its costing money!

Employee time isn't free, is it? Good grief, some mothers do 'ave em.

Microsoft retunes Intune for full Android, iOS app integration

steeplejack
FAIL

White-listing certain apps gives no protection.

The user's device might have numerous other malware apps on it. Once they connect to your network the damage begins.

'Don't break the internet': How an idiot's slogan stole your privacy...

steeplejack

Just understand that Internet means Stadium

The internet is a public place in full view of everyone.

A person on stage in a stadium wouldn't have 'privacy' and a document in view there wouldn't be private or restricted.

Google are the only ones who seem to understand this.

Things like newspaper Paywalls are a sort of corruption which tries to fight against the fundamental nature of the thing.

All data can now be made public - by someone else - with or without our consent. And THAT's what the RIAA doesn't like.

Windows 8: Thrown into a multi-tasking mosh pit

steeplejack
Thumb Down

Steve Balmer is Trashman.

I think MS have blown it with this one, as it doesn't have a single redeeming feature for Desktop use. My guess is that Windows 9 will follow, rapido, and will be a Desktop-centric OS.

The stupid, stupid people should have written at least 2 new OSes, not expect 1 to do for all three kinds of devices.

How a tiny leap-day miscalculation trashed Microsoft Azure

steeplejack
Facepalm

Microsoft always stressed recruiting smart people.

But there's that little saying - "You just can't get the staff these days..."

I always found that when doing arithmetic on dates, it's a good idea to convert to julian day number first, then back to a date afterwards.

if year > 2013 then PC != Personal Computer

steeplejack

Obviously, not everyone will work like that.

There will be those who will continue to work when there is no network connection. These will use 'proper' computers with built-in software and storage! There will also be a few who require confidentiality.

Gartner can shove off into their own smelly little cloud.

Metro breakdown! Windows 8 UI is little gain for lots of pain

steeplejack
Coat

It shouldn't be a Desktop OS, that's what's wrong.

Microsoft are cheapskates. Windows 8 is a cellphone gui, and possibly (though not necessarily) suitable even for touch pad computing. For the desktop, its totally inappropriate. If they wanted a better Windows they should have written the very best they could do FOR THE DESKTOP. I hope they come unstuck over this, because they're taking the P out of the customers by trying to fob us off with rubbish!

Gagging order on G-Cloud suppliers dropped this Sunday

steeplejack

It is IBM, though, isn't it?

I distinctly remember reading on the web that IBM had a big "In" on this...

Peeking up the skirt of Microsoft's hardy ReFS

steeplejack
Devil

NTFS certainly does lose data.

Hope the new error-detection highlights the cases where NTFS loses the entire tail-end of a directory (and all the respective files have disappeared).

Windows 8 to get self-healing 'Storage Spaces'

steeplejack

If it's new Microsoft software, beware of bugs!

I'd be very wary about entrusting my data to any newly-coded filesystem. Its in Beta now, but give it PLENTY of time to get debugged (preferably years, bearing in mind that users lost data with Microsoft Home Server changes).

steeplejack

No problem for me with The Register, but then...

NoScript and AdBlock Plus are present.

Cash-bloated startup takes on data protection giants

steeplejack

I would speculate

that the answer might be "filesystem corruption".

UK.gov to build child army of software coders

steeplejack
Holmes

Follow the money.

I suspect that if you (journalists) delve deeper, you might come face to face with... Microsoft. I heard an identical push for computer education in the States, on this-morning's news. Microsoft WERE behind that push, so I guess they've also been on the phone to the British education minister. In which case, this is just about software sales and raising another generation of Microsoft junkies.

Common brain parasite 'can affect host's actions'

steeplejack

What a life.

I can haz toxoplasma. mmm nice.

Rats! Aargh! Get away from me!

Better multithreading offered by Columbia U researchers

steeplejack
IT Angle

Yeah, but what happens when the circumstances change?

More records, different type of data, different load on the rest of the machine, changes in network environment, etc, etc. I just can't help being sceptical about their claim. And how big are their binaries? What's the performance like? How much longer does it take them to write (and tune) their program? Is it going to be a free and open source compiler?

UK gov invites bids for public sector cloud

steeplejack
Devil

But do they know what they want it for?

The lucky suppliers may find that satisying the application requirements is loose and easy. I doubt whether any have been properly specified. On another aspect, all users must have an ID, and the UK and public sector doesn't have any federated login system or ID. What's the betting we'll have multiple public sector networks (criminal justice, national health, social work, etc) each with different and incompatible id management...

Texan lone star Dell lassoes storage into servers

steeplejack
Thumb Up

Once again, Dell values every customer.

Although 'attitude' wasn't the article's subject, the most important words were probably these:- "plain-speaking with a common touch", "photographs taken with him", "appreciating every customer and channel partner and employee".

These are the things that have differentiated Dell from HP and IBM, and apparently, they're part of the company's dna and ethos. Every customer matters, no matter how small. It's key to success, and poor attitude was the reason why some competitors faded away (or are fading now!).

Dell signals Windows 8 fondleslab range

steeplejack
Facepalm

Where is the evidence that Business wants tablets?

Dell noted that Android tablets had tanked. OK, so why should Windows tablets be wanted? The problems, or undesirability, are with tablets and really not the operating system.

Scottish rats scoff optic fibre, take down broadband

steeplejack
Coat

There's not much that can stop them - rats have been known to gnaw their way up through three inch thick concrete. Many mouths make light work. Cables don't taste too bad - that's the problem - we need cables that taste awful. This icon means "they've shredded my coat".

UK gov needs better data skills to cut spending

steeplejack
Flame

Changes are v. expensive to implement.

The government's cuts mean that all departments have to re-invent the way they work, in an attempt to survive on a smaller budget. While this distraction is going on, less work gets done, ie. productivity suffers badly. But to cap it all, the deep changes are being made without any planning or change-management processes. In other words, a state of dysfunction with broken systems and demoralised staff. Some skilled staff then leave, and can't be adequately replaced.

Smut oglers told to opt in to keep web filth flowing

steeplejack
Pint

Well they are out to get you. I was once a victim of O2's default restrictions and wasn't allowed to see Whisky distillers sites, or airgun sites. I know drinking and shooting probably ain't a great combination, but I am 58 and have so far managed not to kill anyone.

Ellison: 'There'll be nothing left of IBM once I'm done'

steeplejack
Holmes

There seems to be a market here,

for a sensible, customer-focused, value-conscious Unix-linux-and-database company.

Firefox needs heavy hitter Linux power

steeplejack

"Strategic mistake" - I don't think so!

Why should it be a mistake for a company to have its application running in someone else's browser? Quite the opposite - we all want common standards such as HTML, and all companies want to reach the widest audience. Also users shrink away in instinctive avoidance of proprietary software. I think Matt Asay had a brain-fart today (as he often does).

Parliament's expenses body spent £2.2m on IT

steeplejack

The Government/Public Sector refuses to follow its own Policy.

The published policy is that Free Software will be given equal consideration and evaluation and used unless there is some demonstrable reason why it can't be used. But in practice the public sector and all their outsourcing companies are so infested with Windows people that everything gets done in the most expensive and badly-designed way possible.

From messiah to pariah: The death of open source on mobile

steeplejack

Matt Asay misses the point - again.

Free Software is plainly and obviously better for a number of reasons than any proprietary setup can ever be. That will never change. The fact that commercial interests also have an existence and manage to survive in the short term doesn't mean that they are better!

Mozilla plans four Firefoxes in 2011

steeplejack
Linux

Support for Linux is very poor.

Most Linux users run 64-bit o/s kernel and libraries. So there should be a 64-bit Firefox for Linux. But there isn't. Get your act together, Mozilla!

US Wikileaks investigators can't link Assange to Manning

steeplejack

A lot of it kept coming long after Manning was in custody.

It was pretty clear that he wasn't the main source. Actually the quantity has been so great that there must be multiple sources - possibly dozens.

The 3G map Ofcom didn't want you to see

steeplejack
Flame

Name and Shame: Here goes:

Product: Vodafone Mobile Data dongle

Location: Wivenhoe, home town of University Of Essex

3G: unavailable

Vodafone 2G data download speed: 4 KB/sec

Price: £23.50 per month for 18 months