Posts by shaunhw

Windows Server to get twice-yearly updates, plus stable and fast-moving branches

Is Windows server software going to be like Windows 10 has become ?

One spends hundreds of pounds on new server software for some really expensive but older hardware you'd like to keep using. It works fine. One is really happy. Then they shove out some OS update or other, you don't need at all, and then you find that your very expensive custom legacy app (correctly written using only fully documented APIs) no longer works on it and/or your legacy hardware is no longer supported, so you have no choice but to roll back. Then find this rolled back version is only going to be supported for another 18 months!

Time to buy new hardware which is even more expensive, or time to consider using something like Linux and get used to it ?

MS are on record saying that old legacy FS filter drivers will be blocked by default, then possibly blocked completely, so one has to "move away from them!" It seems to be as if they are on some sort of strange suicide mission.

Block stuff and deprecate APIs by all means ... But only do it in absolute brand new new versions of the OS. That means Windows 11 or something to me. It's how it was with 2000, Vista, Win7 etc.

Windows 10 is becoming a joke (and a nuisance) for this kind of thing in my opinion. You pay for windows 10 update, for your old Win7 laptop and then on the next version such as "Creators " then your hardware or custom software no longer works and you roll back to 18 months of support at most... Is server going to be like this as well ?

I remember being taught that one important job of an OS is to help protect against programs not working in future versions...

I think everyone using currently sold windows versions should have the option to move to a long time servicing branch to ensure support for the OS they have, which is currently workimg fine. That ought to mean ten years, from first release too, not a measly two or three years.

I remember MS updating Win 2008 server once, and it blue screened. A complete re-install was the only fix we could do. They don't seem to be able to pull this continuous updating off, in any reliable and satisfactory way at all.

Pains us to run an Apple article without the words 'fined', 'guilty' or 'on fire' in it, but here we are

A bigger one ?

They should put a proper quarter inch jack on it with gold contacts. Then I might get one. I never did like those flimsy 3.5mm things...

BBC detector vans are back to spy on your home Wi-Fi – if you can believe it

Re: Once upon a time detector vans existed

What if the charger is battery powered?

What if the battery powered charger was charged at this location?

What if the battery is replaced by a capacitor, and is charged and discharged very quickly?

I just posted on that one too.

Have two internal batteries or capacitors....

Re: Why does the BBC still exist as a license-funded organisation?

"Well, I for one, like my publicly funded free-to-air broadcaster."

Then you pay for it.

I like to drink beer and socialise rather than sit watching television, but I don't expect YOU or the state to pay for it.

Powered only by its internal batteries...

Hmmm..

Patented "internal" power supply circuit for "TV licence get around" for impoverished university students and others:

Have two "internal batteries" in the unit, and then charge one up, whilst watching TV or iPlayer with the other. When the charge drops, automatically switch them around... Does the frequency of switching between stored power sources count for anything ? If not you could run at several thousand cycles per second then! There's one thing which is clear - The power for the viewing would be "only by its internal batteries".

Come on Samsung/Apple get implementing it!

I am sick of the BBC bully boys. In this day of so many options, we should not have a TV tax...

And yes I do have a licence.

Google doesn’t care who makes Android phones. Or who it pisses off

Be careful what you wish for!

When you do get an Android update, it might be the case that you wish you hadn't.

My HTC 1m8 soon two years old:

First major update - Texts got stuck "pending" and wouldn't transmit. This apparently only happened on EE's network, and even though they sold me the phone on contract, they didn't care, and just said it wasn't their responsibility. Eventually it was fixed with a minor update after about three months,during which I had to use my old Samsung Galaxy S3.

Second major update - This was less serious, but messed up my phone settings big time, and I still hate what I've ended up with, though I've managed to find a skin to make it more accetable. Imagine, hard to change brilliant white phone screens for a phone that is answered in the middle of the night! Complete with horrible new emojis which look like they were drawn by a five year old. You can't even roll the thing back either.

Never mind the bugs still never fixed since day one, which put the touch screen back on when the phone is near your face, so you end the call or turn on mute with your cheek!

Be careful what you wish for. I'm no Apple fan, but at least they take responsibilty for everything, OS, hardware, 3rd party app quality (though people should be able to install whatever they wish from elsewhere, on their OWN devices) but the fiasco with HTC and android has made me wonder if I will return to Apple. I did have Apple 3G, and 3GS phones before getting HTC desire HD, Samsung S3, then the disasterous HTC 1M8.

I am starting to detest Android even more than I derested Apple and their control freakery.

Microsoft offers pay-as-you-go data SIM for Windows 10 devices

Just enough data to...

Just enough data to install those enormous wretched Windows 10 updates every month, and perhaps a couple of emails and web pages left over if one is lucky...

I know you can make it a metered connection.. If you know it is there and how to do it of course...

E-cigarettes help save lives, says Royal College of Physicians

What outrage would be felt if they banned or heavily restricted these things, and all the young people started smoking real ciggies, to satisfy their addiction to nicotine ?

People who want to control and regulate us are generally the wrong ones to do it. Clearly that applies here.

Microsoft to hike certification exam prices

They ought to get their own people to take them, maybe we wouldn't have so many stupid bugs in Windows 10 then.

Followed by the people responsible for the wretched UEFI bug ridden firmware, with most of the new computers breaking the standard, and maybe the trades descriptions act as well.

Somehow right now it seems to me to be a bit like a quack awarding medical qualifications, given the unforgivable problems people have had with Windows and Office over the years and the fact that they take ages to fix them, if they ever do.

My windows 10 SP 4 for example - the onscreen keyboard not appearing at logon requiring a reset, the disappearing Windows Store apps now thankfully resolved after months of denials and buck passing.

Websites take control of USB devices: Googlers propose WebUSB API

Re: @Donn Bly.

A driver doesn't have to be present for a device driver for Windows Update to install one from scratch. Windows Update can install a driver for a newly connected device with no existing driver installed, if it has one available. Windows will search for it. But for newly released hardware it is unlike it will have one. For others it might be the ONLY source for one!

Dont's get too enthusiastic

Like most things developed like this, UEFI for example, I bet it'll be a complete fiasco.

Amazon kills fondleslab file encryption with latest Fire OS update

Let others provide the encryption then!

They should provide an documented API, pre boot support etc. to allow third party full device encryption to be installed. Currently this isn't possible on IOS or Android but they would have a good excuse, if they couldn't decrypt such data wouldn't they ?

Apple should consider this possibility too.

Google to snatch control of Android updates from mobe makers – analyst

The Marshmallow is a bit off...

Marshmallow stinks, at least on a HTC 1m8 where the thing now defaults to brilliant white on the phone and keyboards. Try using that in the middle of the night when someone calls you, when you are on call. A phone call to HTC was met with "Not us gov'ner!" So I asked: "Can I roll it back then please ?" "Not possible!" came the curt reply. A custom keyboard solved some of it but it wasn't as friendly as the default one, now blindingly bright. A custom third party skin solved the brilliant white phone screen. But HTC didn't advise me of these possibilities. Don't the designers of these new OS versions, think things through nowadays, or are they really that obtuse ? They didn't use to be that's for sure.

Updates ? Judging by this Android "one way street" and the problems with Windows 10 I had on my Microsoft SP3, such as the vanishing "store" apps when run on a local account for too long, updates seem to be now something best avoided I think. If it ain't broke and all that!

Windows 8.1 always worked fine on the SP3, but I couldn't roll that back from W10 either after a hardware exchange. Back in the day when they had to pay to duplicate millions of OS discs they certainly took a lot more care.

Microsoft's Nadella: Congratulations on 12 months of not being Steve Ballmer

Re: But

Microsoft are much worse lately in my opinion, trying to force the crap that is Windows 10 (still in BETA in my opinion) on everyone.

I wanted to use a local account on two Microsoft Surface pros (3 and 4) and both regularly lost their windows store apps, one by one in no particular order. No one knows why and it still happens. It's known about, remains unfixed so I am not alone with this. Even the start menu disappeared one day, along with the "Action Center"...

( I'm sure I've seen this somewhere else in a different earlier OS, name beginning with "A")

... so much for bringing back the Start Menu.

Yes they did bring back the Start Menu, but it's not a patch on the "proper" one from Windows 7 and previous.

Windows 7, was Vista fixed properly and what Vista should have been. I thought Microsoft had learned something. No such hope. Yes they've been giving Windows 10 away, but like a sore thumb or a pain in the posterior, that's what it represents. A complete pile of crock.

Have Microsoft fixed this problem with disappearing "Windows Store" apps, on their flagship hardware running their flagship OS ? Nope. I would have thought this would have been at the top of the list to deal with. It started off with that ridiculous 1511 update which was stupidly equivalent to a windows 10 re-install, and hasn't stopped since. Even the store app stops working along with the start menu. Windows 10 was OK (ish) before that update.

The only solution I've found is to use system restore. But then it's hard to install anything on the machine. Maybe I should just pretend it's Windows 7, after putting a 3rd party start menu on it. The sad thing is, that I actually LIKE some of those store apps. Not for SERIOUS use you understand but some of them are handy. But when "One Note" (yes I gave it my MS account details) stops working without notice, along with "Photos" it's time to give up I think. Meanwhile in my office my Windows 7 i5 dev machine now well over three years old rolls on and on since the day it was bought, without any issues whatsoever.

Software as a service ? I question that Microsoft is even competent to provide such a thing when so many updates break so much. Windows 10 1511 update also broke two of our creations, when Win32 DefineDosDevice API function started to behave in a seriously undocumented way by returning error 6 when called from a service. Last I checked it wasn't fixed. We had to write a work around in the kernel and so far so good.

But Windows 10 is (in my opinion) a mess and will break an app favoured by you in due course.

As for me, I'm seriously considering embracing Linux.

As for Mr Nadella, well I've seen Microsoft get more arrogant and less capable under his leadership, and if I had any shares it would be a priority to get rid of them as soon as possible.

Even the tech support guy I was talking to, told me he still has Windows 7 on his machine at home. Now why on earth would that be ? Now Microsoft are somehow persuading the CPU manfuacturers to make sure Windows 7 and before aren't supported, well before the end of life of Windows 7.

Isn't that (or shouldn't that be) a matter for the chip manufactures ?

Has Mr Nadella anything to do with that too ? I suppose with his $millions he can afford to make a mess. Some of us can't afford to live with that mess though.

Sorry about the rant. But Windows 10 is the pits. Worse even, than Vista, Worse than Windows ME.

Top VW exec blames car pollution cheatware scandal on 'a couple of software engineers'

I'm not trying to deflect blame from the vehicle manufacturers, but I can't believe these "regulators" didn't ensure the emissions were properly tested under real driving situations. The vehicles obviously passed their completely inadequate tests with flying colours to begin with. Was that all that was actually required ? It was all the regulators required to accept the vehicles were up to standard.

So don't the regulators and authorities deserve some small amount of blame here for failing to make their tests a little more foolproof ? I am sure this wouldn't have been rocket science by any means, and they clearly also failed their part in this fiasco.

Microsoft offers Linux certification. Do not adjust your set. This is not an error

Never mind Linux.

Given the widespread problems caused by Windows 10 and its subsequent updates, Microsoft ought to get their staff to do some of its courses... Or maybe they did already, hence the chaos.

Australia threatens to pull buckets of astronomy funding

Re: Chris Pyne

"

There is no benefit to them and theirs in public science - not enough payola for the managers in that field.

"

Quite right, but these blood suckers should remember that without science and research there'd be no modern industry and no money for them.

None.

Audiophiles: These Wi-Fi speakers have a stereo drift of less than 25μs – good enough for you?

I've got an idea - Fibre optic cables directly to ones earlugs.... Hardly any delay then ...

Microsoft tries to trademark 'Mod' in the US

Microsoft Crap ?

Microsoft Retro ?

Microsoft NotWindows ?

Microsoft SinclairSpectrum

Petition Against UK Communications Censorship

Re: Petition Against UK Communications Censorship

At least they'll read it and know how people feel.IE That they AREN'T happy about this. It's been in the top six (and usually at number one or two) petitions for many days now.

It's not just about the adult material. It's about what comes next and what else will be filtered. It's about precedent, and the future possibility of not being about to opt out. A slippery slope concern really.

I am sure I can speak for many people. We know how these repressive governments work and we don't want it.

WAR ON PORN: UK flicks switch on 'I am a pervert' web filters

It could even be fun....

Maybe we should all have these filters turned on for a while...

Then we can find out how easy it is to get around the stuff, and then complain bitterly to the government, and in particular Mr Cameron for the stupidity of it all. Especially when you can no longer look for the "blue tit birds" when taking an interest in ornithology.

"Mr Cameron you mean I've STILL got to watch what my children do online ?"

The shmuck.

How to survive a UEFI BOOT-OF-DEATH on Samsung laptops

Crash dump Disk file anyone ?

They should have written the crash data to the UEFI FAT32 disk boot partition not the NV-Ram. Using NV-Ram is simply dumb and NOT what it is for.

Microsoft: Welcome back to PCs, ARM. Sorry about the 1990s

In fact with RT Microsoft seems to be trying to create the same kind of tightly controlled environment for ARM based tablets, as iOS, where everything will come either from Microsoft, or via their "Store" and nowhere else.... Certainly it seems that independently built desktop apps won't be allowed for sure, even from the Store.

Why is that ?

I hope it is a dismal failure. I certainly won't buy one that's for sure.

Pretty soon it seems we may have to rely on Linux for the freedom to run exactly what we want on OUR hardware. Thank goodness it is there for us.

It's a pity the original Linux licence didn't prevent it being used to be morped into repressive, highly controlled touch screen operating systems.

Re: RISC OS, which bore little resemblance

Re Acorn file paths.

IIRC

Instead of names like HardDisc4

:0, :1 etc. could be used for floppy disks.

:4, :5 etc. could also be used for hard drive devices as I recall, as well as the device names or name of the individual floppy disk. If you didn't have a needed named floppy in the drive, then you'd be prompted to insert it.

But you could also use <Obey$Dir> for the path of your app just clicked on, and just go down from there for your own resources in your app folder.

All easy peasy actually.

Fond memories of Acorn

Acorn's Archimedes series of machines were wonderful all rounders and so easy to work with. Some of the games we converted (for example Pacmania which I did myself) were by far the best versions in fact. For games players, we supported it like no other games company did, converting a such a of major Amiga titles, such as the Lemmings series (which I also did) etc. I often wonder if it wasn't for our efforts on the platform, the format might have died a lot earlier, along with the Arm processor. What we achieved certainly made it a more acceptable computer for the kids to own.

Perhaps phones might have all have had intel devices in them and still be big and fat if it wasn't for us lol!

Salesforce CEO Benioff: Win 8 is 'the end of Windows'

Slow - and possibly unreliable.

It'll take just a few major nework outages, and loads of people sat there doing very little, and some angry bosses to bring the "cloud" into disrepute.

Even MS themselves had serious problems when they decided to implement MSDN in the cloud under Azure in the UK and retreated backwards. Meanwhile we couldn't download anything for days.

Bring your own device isn't so good either. Doing things in a web browser (if that's the plan) can be tortous at times, for example typing this message under MS IE 9 is awfully slow, and a game of "guess where the cursor is now", often has to be played.

Only the most rudimentary tasks can be done on a tablet anyway. Regarding the benefits of touch only devices - I think we have a case of mass delusion here along with hardware and OS vendors desperate for something new to sell.

Touch typing on a glass screen ? Much easier to connect a keyboard... Are you trying to click on that text web-link with your finger and keep hitting the one above it ? Connect a mouse and you can be much more precise about where you click. Oh er - What have we got now, but a bog standard computer! Touch screen web browising is a horrible experience, even on dedicated touch screen OS. I have to blow up the screen to press links, and eveb then no tactile feedback is present. Awful really,

We shall see of course.

Integrated storage hardware is DEAD, software firm says

Re: So everything is going to be stored in thin air is it ?

Did I read the article ? Yes of course so I'm not sure what you are saying here. The implication I got is that there is a perception that companies making storage hardware might fail because of use of the cloud and similar setups. But an individual's or company's gigabyte of data, won't be stored in raindrops, but will still need to be on a physical hard drive (or other mass storage device) located somewhere on the planet, hopefully well backed up too, So someone somewhere will still have to make those storage devices. Let's hope too, that these "cloud" companies using that hardware can and will take better care of that individual's gigabyte, than will the owner of that data who saved it in the "cloud" for a "rainy day" goodness knows where and hoped the "cloud" company never went bust until that day came.

Let's also hope that internet companies connections become much faster, more reliable, and they stop whinging about data download "fair" useage otherwise the "cloud" will become a a bit of an unusable joke.

Undoubtedly there could in the distant future be less demand for enormous hard drives in home and corporate user's computers, with all the unused space often on them, but I think we are a long way off, at least here in the UK. Perhaps this perceived lack of demand for hard drives will cause server farm storage to be rather more expensive making the clould less attractive ?

In the mean time I'll keep my gigabytes locally on my own hardware and back it up myself if its all the same to anyone. It's the only way I can be certain it's really safe and secure. I wouldn't blame anyone else for taking a similar approach either.

So everything is going to be stored in thin air is it ?

So, who is going to manufacture the storage devices the servers need to implement the "cloud" ?

Oh, of course, they can store their data in "the cloud" too can't they!

Along with the servers which their "cloud" provider use.., And so on....

Hmmm.. Someone somewhere has to keep making some kind of physical bit storage device, unless they really can now store data in fluffy looking white coalesced raindrops up in the sky, along with the pie up there in "the cloud" .....

eBay frets as right to resell comes under scrutiny

Re: There is a difference...

If you can't resell something, then it has zero value as an asset, so would people really pay a lot of money for something which was immediately rendered worthless after purchase ?

Wouldn't they be mad really to purchase an item with such restrictions ?

Imagine buying a car, which you couldn't resell because of the licensing conditions of the sofware in the on-board computer! Or that top of the range flat screen television you bought on impulse.

It sounds like some of these companies just want to have their cake and to eat it as well.

Pure greed,

Asus Transformer Pad Infinity 64GB Android tablet review

It's a shame about ASUS diabolical customer service though. I have a transformer TF101 and the screen got faint brighter screen blobs for NO REASON whatsoever. They had it back and refused to repair it, as they said it was CUD (Customer Induced Damage) and returned it, and they didn't charge me for the return carriage (Some guilt perhaps ?) as they normally would if it is the customer's fault.

Well I'd done *nothing* to cause this, and remember that the unit had crashed whilst on charge and had overheated. I told them this but it made no difference. PC world were no better after I complained and protested to them.

Futhermore my mother's ASUS laptop virtually fell to bits at 14 months old. One of our ASUS desktop machines here at work failed after a week, an ASUS laptop we have won't produce any sound after Windows is installed under the EFI BIOS rather than standard MBR. I have had nothing bit negative experience with ASUS and diabolical ineffective customer service. Buy their products at your peril in my opinion.

I wouldn't by a 13 amp mains piug made by ASUS now.

_

Ice Cream Sandwich still a no-show for most Android users

Slow down a bit please Google.

They should slow down a bit. Our Android devices (especially phones) are noq becoming obsolecent before one has even taken them out of the shop or received delivery of them.

Perhaps they should fix bugs and make minor improvements to existing OS versions for longer.

As for ICS running on Android 2.3 hardware, will someone please tell that to HTC for the benefit of DesireHD owners like me ? OK I got a Samsung Galaxy S3 now, but I still have the HTC too. I'd better get used to having it languishing around as no one else would want the 18month old now prematurely obsolescent thing. Which of course is the LAST HTC made device I shall ever buy.

Microsoft: It was never 'Metro,' it was always 'Modern UI'

About as modern as an old Ford Poplar

If their so called "ModernUI" was the defacto standard in use right now, and someone came up with the multi tasking multi window desktop, it would be hailed as completely revolutionary. It's therefore only "modern" in the sense that it is new and even that's debatable. It has nothing whatsoever to offer the PC user in my humble opinion.

Even on existing tablets (iPad, and Android) which have been designed for touch, tasks such as web browsing are completely tedious. Simple operations such as clicking on web links with ones finger is diabolicial and error prone, and it's usually necessary to blow up the screen to accomodate your fingers first. The only reason I use it at all, is because I am too lazy to go and boot up the PC just for a quick bit of web browsing in the morning before work.

If the mouse had not been around and we were all fumbling like that, surely someone would have invented it. It too would have been hailed as revolutionary

"ModernUI" is a step backwards. There may be things which could be done, but "ModernUI" certainly isn't it.

Are they really so desperate for something new and revolutionary, they have to go backwards to some kind of none windowing window scheme ?

Add the infernal thing if you really must, but PLEASE don't cripple PC desktop use because of it. Allow people to set up *their* computers as THEY want. Booting directly into desktop with startmenu and all, if necessary.

Forcing this thing on people is ludicrous, and completely arrogant.

Samsung fails to stall Galaxy Nexus sales ban

Re: This whole patent thing is a joke..

"

'slavishly copy' Apple

"

Anyone who thinks Android does that, knows less than NOTHING about them, and has never used one.

The lawyers whoever they were should stick to doing house conveyencing if they can't tell the difference between an Apple and a Samsung Android device.

I dumped my extremely boring iPhone 3G, and then my 3GS two years ago, because the iPhone 4 was FAR too expensive PAYG when I went to buy one. I was extremely surprised when I realised exactly how much MORE Android and the hardware had to offer for so much less.

I could afford the 4S, but it didn't offer any kind of value for money. So I bought an HTC desire HD and NEVER looked back. I've now got a new Samsung Galaxy S3 and it's a fabulous thing indeed and nothing remotely like an iPhone.

Apple need to get their act together. Their OS front end is so completely boring and distinctly old fashioned and far too expensive for what it is. When they add widgets etc. which they surely wiill, will they then be slavishly copying Android I wonder ?

What about a graphic equaliser Apple ? None of your presets suit my ageing ears.

PowerAmp on Androild has a superb one, and so does the Galaxy S3 native.

Now Windows 8 goes into the ring to face Apple's iOS

Another Windows Vista ?

I saw the w8 preview today, and it is awful, especially for desktops.

They've depricated the desktop to some kind of startable app, and given priority to that snotty green coloured array of rectanglular graphics (Arg!!!!!). Touching the start button takes you out of the desktop. To shutdown the computer is completely tortuous requiring navigation to hitherto never seen places. Why can't the user configure the desktop to take prioroty and have the usual start menu options as before ? The Arg can be called up when needed by desktop/mouse users. It could have a seperate button on the taskbar once in the desktop

I have lots of visions in my head regarding what a modern OS should look like, and this isn't it.

How about having a "Tablet zone" section in the OS, which you can start up first if you want ? Or call it up from the desktop ?

As an Asus Android tablet owner, I do like it, but I am becoming increasingly aware of the limitations of tablets without keyboards. Even with my Asus keyboard, I can't be serious about it. Good for emails and that's about it. It certainly not a device for serious computing work, and none of them are. Windows should not deprecate the desktop therefore. In anycase how can it be Windows unless it has Windows ?

w8, Wait! I hope we are waiting a long time, and they consider carefully what they are doing with this. Faciitys for tablets are fine, but it must not take over in the desktop environment.

Apple wins (another) Samsung Android injunction in EU

Scrolling is the same on Honeycomb I thought.

@x4zYYvb3

"The Galaxy Tab running Android 3.0 does not have the offending photo viewing interface"

I don't understand that. I've Android 2.3 on HTC Desire HD and Android 3.2 on Asus Transformer Tablet and the scrolling in the HTC gallery app seems identical to the Asus. (Also applies to V 3.0 and 3.1 which didn't change this AFAIK)

Whilst we are on the subject - I had 2 iphones before the HTC, 3G and 3GS (my wife and daughter now have them) and I don't miss them at all. There's nothing I could do on them, that I cannot do on the HTC, and the OS is stable and runs for weeks and weeks on end continously.

I remember also the Apple 3G crashing now and then. I was going to get the iPhone 4, but worked out that 2 years 3G service with internet access at 3GB/Month was much cheaper than buying the iPhone 4 as pay as you go!

There's plenty I CAN do with the HTC that I could not do with the Apple. View flash web sites, for example. Install what I want. Write my own programmes easily, and give then to my friends to install on thier android phones. The same applies to the Asus, versus an iPad.

The only phone I would currently consider now would be a Galaxy S2.

As for these software patents, well they are ridiculous, and I always beleved they were not allowed in Europe, especially such trivial ones as the one that Apple did succeed with.

Looking round the internet it appears that a lot of Apple fans have been upset by recent actions by Apple. I am sure they belived that Apple didn't need to take action against such trivial matters, and would continue to try and lead the market by innovation, rather than incrimination and bully boy tactics, and I would agree with them. Having no competition is no good for anyone, dedicated Apple users included.

IBM PC daddy: 'The PC era is over'

What really is a tabet ?

An iPad, and to a lessor degree Android tablet, is a simply a computer, without a keyboard, with an (in my opinion) inferior locked down operating system with a slower processor. Anyone who thinks a tablet can replace high end PCs in all applications isn't living in the real world. I own an Android tablet, have seen the heavily controlled, jobsworthian, unflashy, holier than thou iPad and wouldn't give up my PCs if I got the tablets for free. Even the Android device (Asus transformer with keyboard) now bores me to death and appears as if it was nothing more than a novelty rather than anything really useful. I sometimes use it for web browsing downstairs or a cursory read of my emails, but never for anything serious.

Many people still need a proper operating system and a proper computer with all the proper peripherals.

How odd that people think an intrinsically inferior, and generally more expensive device will unsurp the PC. It will have to get much better before that happens.

on MY computer or tablet:

1: I want to be able to install whatever I want on it.

2: I want supported FULL access to the operating system, including the kernel if necessary.

3: I want keyboards, printers, mice, external monitor and all other devices that make the use easier.

In Asda the other day, I saw a windows laptop with Win7 premium64 bit for £287... Compare that with a tablet ? Is touch screen really that important. Soon all laptops will have them, and probably detachable screens as well with some kind of decent OS (not locked down rubbish PhoneOS) optimised for touch screens.

It should be noted that to develop anything for the current populiar tablet devices one still needs a PC, or for iPad, a Mac. It's not a proper computer then, otherwise it would be able to host the development environment it needs, for itself!

I was never a big Windows fan (I loved the Acorn RiscOS in its time) but wouldn't be without it, in favour of iOS, or Android alone.

Even for simple jobs, sending an email on the computer with a decent keyboard, (or writing this response) is far faster and easier using a decent computer with a proper keyboard.

The freakonomics of smut: Does it actually cause rape?

What we need is our rightful freedom to make our OWN choices on this.

The issue is about whether the porn helps cause, or prevent rape. I firmly believe the latter is the case. The evidence is clear enough from countries who have allowed it for decades with hardly any censorship whatsoever. It's been broadcast on TV1000, Filmnet (now Canal+) and many other European satellite and cable channels for nearly 25 years, whilst we in this country have been firmly subject to the pathetic censorship of the ITC and then Ofcom after it, for no justified reason whatsoever in my opinion, other than they dare not allow a more liberal regime, because of the backlash from the politicians or readers of the Daily Mail. Either that, or high profile individuals in these organisations have used their positions, to impose their narrow minded restrictions on what should be available to the rest of us. If the channel is encrypted and has to be deliberately requested, I don't see a problem. In Europe, if you subscribe to most movie channels, then the porn often comes with it. Eleven years ago, back here, the BBFC allowed much more explicit R18 videos to be sold in licensed sex shops, and then the stream of prohibitions on sale of the European dedicated porn channel's smart cards (available to UK subscribers) suddenly stopped with the exception of Extasi which showed violent porn which wouldn't be passed even at BBFC R18. So you can watch it, if you get a "foreign" card, and the equipment along with a dish pointing at a different satellite from the Sky one. IE you have the cash to spare. Ofcom still have the power to proscribe the sale of such "foreign" porn smart cards, but won't because they are scared of a legal showdown given that equivalent R18 material IS allowed, and such material can be FREELY bought via mail order from other countries, (customs no longer sieze R18 equivalent videos and pictures imported from elsewhere) but R18 cannot be not supplied that way from within the country! Despite the lack of proscription orders the past few years, Ofcom will not allow explicit porn on any of "their" licenced channels. Why ever not when they won't/daren't proscribe the foreign ones and be consistent ?

Personally I believe that to be subject to such government mandated censorship, without HONEST justification of harm (and in all the years they've never been able to properly provide that justification) well that is just as insulting, belittling and degrading as any argument of objectification of those women depicted, who are after all, legally free to make their own choice. If for some reason they are not, and are forced into something, well that should be dealt with most severely but as a completely seperate issue.

Incidentally we did not need explicit porn for such objectification of the ladies. Expressions of such as "fancy having to wake up at the side of that!" unpleasant and nasty they are, were used long before hard porn was available anywhere here. In fact any porn to speak of hardley existed years ago. But "Phwoooarr I'd like to xxxx that!" was probably MORE commonly used thirty five years ago than it is nowadays. No one of course mentions the objectification of men, which of course also happens. Overall objectification of this kind has reduced, not increased in the past few years.

But we now increasingly find that the censorship imposed on us all these years might even be harmful as well. To add injury to the insult already imposed by the narrow-minded censoring classes.

I don't think we need "open porn", we just need to allow it to be freely available to those who want it, without them having to feel shame and guilt.

The government's censorship campaign, where online porn is to be turned off, until specifically requested is likely to cause more than a few problems and domestic arguments and strife IMHO. Many people who want it, aren't going to ADMIT to anyone, they want it. even if they DO want it. Censorship needs doing at the computer level, not at the network level. And people should censor their OWN kids, not expect others to do it for them. It is interesting to note that even the Daily Mail readers don't want this for fear of greater censorship once the mechanisms are in place.

This new coalition regime spoke of freedom, and even created a web site, for us to tell them what freedoms we wanted, which they then ignored. It is clear they don't know the meaning of the word, unless it applies to rich bankers and the like.

No, we don't really need "Open Porn" as such. What we do need is the rightful freedom to choose to watch the stuff using the channels and media so freely available to our fellow Europeans and for the government to respect that right. If it wants to restrict it, it should put up (ie show the real harm) or simply SHUT UP.

Prove the harm properly before restricting others please.

Again, there's only a lack of dignity because people seem to make it so by their loud condemnation.

As for sex trafficking, some of the articles on the Melon Farmer's web site and many other places online reveal the truth that it's long been known that the levels of such trafficking are hyper inflated by those with a vested interest in maintaining and perpetuating this myth.

This article asks people to take an honest look at the truth behind this issue. I certainly wish they would do so, because I think some restrictive approaches do far, far more harm than good.

I agree that some prostitution is caused by drug addiction. I believe that would be better solved in trying to deal with the user's addiction and the ridiculously unrealistic drug policies we have in this country, rather than the prohibition of prostitution.

Some people really don't seem to be able to get their heads around the fact that many people really do want to do this kind of thing willingly. The debate really is about pron, and that assertion especially applies to that. In all the consensual pron I've seen, there's little (in fact no) evidence to suggest that people are not involved on their own volition. People should look at the girls. Look at their complexion; look at their hair; look at their teeth; these aren't the kind of features found in girls on heroin or street girls. These are girls involved willingly who discuss their choices openly in many on screen interviews. However let's not let a few true and honest facts get in the way of people's desire for repression of others eh ? I can tell them that many others are completely sick of people with their kind of censorious attitude.

As far as I remember, one of the very few people to complain bitterly about her involvment was Linda Lovelace. One out of many thousands then.

Don't people understand that if pron was so damaging to JUSTIFY the kind of sanctions and censorship that some (a minority IMHO) folk appear to want imposed on others, then it would be OBVIOUS, like the harm of drink driving is OBVIOUS; like the harm of speeding is OBVIOUS; like the harm of smoking is now OBVIOUS; all these things and many more we've learned in the last fifty or so years. But the debate about porn RAGES on and on simply because the harm IS NOT so obvious. People should therefore be free to decide for THEMSELVES how much they involve themselves as participants or viewers of so called "adult" material. Our country is supposed to be a free one. I accept many people take a moral position and that is their right. However it is not their right to try and impose it on everyone else for no justified reason. Especially so, when it seems that MORE harm might actually be PREVENTED rather than caused. But some people will use any flimsy argument to refute that evidence, and even resort to untruths, myths and blatent lies. I've been involved in this debate for twenty years now, and I have not seen any evidence to justify strict censorship or other sanctions. All I've ever seen from those in favour of censorship of this kind, is fake science, myths, lies; undue repression and other tricks. I don't say trafficking doesn't exist at all. I also say that it is completely APPALLING and the full force of the law should apply to those involved in it. But I maintain that the levels have been grossly exaggerated by those who have a vested interest. Even then that's no justification to prohibit those willingly involved. There's also been too many cases of such people FORCED to clean or work as waitresses and all kinds of things but these jobs we don't prohibit because of this do we ?

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Just a job, not something to be villified by sanctimonious prigs.

But isn't it exactly this kind of vilification (of those people in the sex industry), by sanctimonious self righteous prigs, that causes them pain and social ostracism in the first place ? If people didn't condemn their work so much, and tried to understand it instead, then the folks doing it would not feel so bad about it. If they do feel bad that is. Many don't.

I don't believe that most of them are forced into anything. Some people are "forced" sweep roads, to clean toilets and the rooms of other people's houses and work places, for very little money not having the chance to consider such a career move either. Some people would genuinely rather work as well paid prostitutes than have to do the job of a impoverished scrubber. Is such a choice really so hard to understand ? I'd rather be sat on a sun drenched beach supping a beer or two every day, than sat in a dreary office trying to earn a crust or two.... Perhaps I'd sell myself if it was worth it, but nobody would want me, especially my gender and at my age :-(

Oracle: 'Google owes $2.6bn in damages'

What is Java based on anyway ?

If Oracle are arguing about its rights to the Java language -

The Java language looks almost identical to C, with bits (such as pointers and structures missing) and classes added which are similar to C Plus Plus.

Are the "C" like syntax constructs prior art ? I think they are.

How much of Java can Oracle own, given that much of it is so "C" like ?

All of it ? '

The few bits of the language which are different ?

The bits which are missing like pointers, #defines and structures ?

Just the added classes (the main difference IMO) which look a little C++ like ?

Can you take complete ownership of something in the public domain, so subtly changed, having removed a few bits from it here, and added a few other bits there whilst leaving it recognisably similar ?

McKinnon battles renewed Obama-era extradition push

Asperger's: Would you really know that ?

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blaming his aspergers is a load of bollocks.

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You wouldn't write that if you had a son with Aspergers as I do.

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Left in the street more like.

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just 'cos you forgot to lock your front door does not give anyone the right to wander in and have a good nose around you stuff!

"

More like them leaving a bag of stuff lying in the street with a flimpy lock on it, and not expecting anyone to look in it.... The internet is a public space. Anyone wanting a private area within it, must be responsible for the security of that space. Gary's actions might well have been a crime here but with a much lessor penalty. Considering all the facts then he should be tried here. The government should tell the Americans to let it be, or risk damaging relations between the two countries. We are NOT the 51st state of the US, and they are partly to blame because they failed to secure their systems. Even if they were legally and morally correct, there's no doubt that they were asking for trouble if their security was so lax.

Who knows what people might do (look what happened to Sony) if they continue to push this and I would have little sympathy to be honest. Gary was wrong, I don't doubt it. However the US could admit that they weren't entirely blameless because of their lack of security.

The US are embarrased that's all, but someone has to pay the price.

In my opinion, the US government was deeply embarrased by their lack of security.

I too am unaware that Gary caused any real damage, apart from making the US government look complete fools. For that they seem to want him to pay a heavy (and unacceptable IMHO) price.

Behind Apple's record sales are signs of desperation

Apple's products or the baggage that comes with them ?

"can't tell the difference between a Samsung & an Apple phone."

I can tell the difference between a HTC desire HD phone and an Apple 3GS phone though.

I've had both (and a 3G before that) and the HTC Droid wins hands down for me. Oh and er, I don't have to have the permission of Apple to run certain software on MY phone, or browse Flash based web sites or certain emulator programs which might use MY battery and electricty up a little faster.

In my opinion some people including myself are fed up with Apple, because:

1: They paid top wack for an Apple product which is then treated for all the world as if Apple still owns the wretched thing. At least that's how I felt.

2: Apple won't allow/implement standard connections such as memory cards and usb ports and other devices on their iPhone/iPad hardware

3: Everything has to go through that infernal iTunes software, (which I completely detest) which is almost impossible to understand for a first time PC user as the interfaces so Apple like (on a PC), rather than using standard Windows gadgets understood by Windows users. I am amazed how many none computer literate people have iPhones. However all those I have asked tell me that they needed a lot of help to get started with iTunes, often from the kid next door. Even I had to ask my son how to get my music on the things and I've been programming for 25 years!!!

I don't doubt that Apple hardware is superb. It's everything else which goes with it, that irritates me.

I'd like an Apple iPad with external (micro)SD card slot, USB connecter and Android Honeycomb installed on it please. Now that would be something and could sell in vast quantities. I'd have had one already I think.

Otherwise for me, the higher end Android phones/tablets win hands down.

'Porn lock' heralds death of WikiLeaks, internet, democracy, universe

Who really wants this ?

It's clear by the comments here, and on the Daily Mail web site, that hardly anyone wants this.

As for the government, they'd do well to remember that *we* are supposed to be the masters, not them, and to consider what happened to John Major after "Back to Basics".

There could well be a censored feed made available to the ladies of "SaferMedia", and their ilk but would they pay the cost of it ? NO they think WE should pay, even though there are perfectly good solutions out there.

My solution for my (now 17 and 19) children (when they were younger) was to install VNC on their machines, so their mother and I could randomly remotely look in to see what they were up to. If they disabled it, they would face instant disconnection. They knew too, we could look at their cache and history etc.

We never had a problem but we were alwayts honst with them. They knew when we were looking as the VNC icon turned black on their computer.

If you don't understand all this stuff, either learn, or keep the family compute where you can see it!

UK.gov may cut BBC licence fee in 2012

Sell it off

The government are always looking for things to sell off. As they are hard up, the BBC will do nicely

So why not sell the BBC on the proviso that it has to be operated from within the commercial sector and the licence fee abolished.

Those who want advert free "qualitiy" TV should pay for it. Why should others subsidise your viewing ?

Extreme pr0n suspect has his internet access suspended

The animals... well

"Won't someone* please think of the animals"

Yeah,

We'll have them for dinner. Roast lamb sounds good to me...

Voice crypto fails spark astroturf claims

In defence...

I'll make no bones about this. I work for SecurStar's British subsidiary developer, I own a very small shareholding but my opinions expressed here are MY own not SecurStars.

At the end of the day were the flaws exposed REAL ?

http://news.techworld.com/security/3211618/accusations-fly-over-voice-encyption-hack/

"

As far as they go, the tests do appear to find a legitimate weakness in the programs under test even if a connection to one of the companies involved would represent a huge conflict of interest and discredit them in the eyes of the security community. Pietrosanti is certainly correct to say that researchers are normally keen to be identified with their testing, something ‘Notrax' has avoided doing so far.

"

I do not currently know if anyone within SecurStar did this or not We are in the UK and quite "divorced" from other German parent company activities such as PhoneCrypt which we have had no involvment in whatsoever..

No doubt I will get to know. Having said that, if a flaw has been exposed in a competitors software, then surely it will now get fixed ? It WILL get fixed won't it ? Would it have got fixed before ?

I do know that Wilfried Hafner is passionate about security, and IS a gifted hacker. After nine years working for this company, (nine wonderful and happy years I might add) I never cease to be amazed when he refutes some of my own ideas, regarding things we should do with the software we develop, or the bugs he has found in the past. If he indeed did find the Phone encryption security problem and he went public with it, under the company banner what would people think then ? Would it be worse still ? Should he have just kept completely quiet ? It is certainly not his voice in the Notrax video (which I have now seen) that's for sure.

What really needs to happen FIRST of all, is that the companies concerned need to review the assertions made, and if necessary address the flaws in the software, however they've been identified.

In any case. personally if there was a serious issue with our software, then I would *expect* competitors to try and make some milage from it. At the end of the day, isn't that what business is all about ? It's one of the reasons I am not a business man and never could be I am simply not 'hard nosed' enough.

In the longer term, I am sure their products will be fixed, and that can ONLY be to the advantage of their customers however the flaws were revealed. The authors of the software concerned should make it a priority to fix the problems instead of bleating on how horrible the company is. If indeed the company is at all responsible.

Perhaps Wilfried did try and make some milage out of these flaws I honestly do not know. He is a good hacker and has often found issues of this kind. BUT he is, at the end of the day, a business man as well.

--

Now, ask me about my iPhones, (3g and 3Gs) my 09 reg Ford C-Max car with Sony CD/Radio and USB connection, and how neither iphone works anymore with the car's USB port.. On the older iphone I could play the tracks back via the console, until OS 3 was installed. The thing won't even recognise the 3Gs phone at all.

Ask me who, of the four companies concerned (including the garage) really even cares about my problem, instead of just playing pass the parcel instead of helping me get it sorted. That's bad and horrible practice as well, but we consumers simply have to put up with it.