Posts by andy gibson

Home Office haunted by 25-year-old asylum system

riots

The Southport stabbings kicked off the riots and the thugs attacking hotels in 2024

Although there were a couple of incidents prior to this - protests at a hotel in Standish, Lancashire in September 2021:

https://www.wigantoday.net/news/mp-calls-for-wigan-hotel-to-stop-housing-asylum-seekers-after-incident-involving-schoolgirl-3391661

and then in March 2023 in Knowsley after claims "a man made inappropriate advances towards a teenage girl"

https://news.sky.com/story/knowsley-asylum-seekers-attacked-outside-merseyside-hotel-where-anti-migrant-protests-erupted-12835247

Microsoft is redesigning the Windows BSoD to get you back to work ‘as fast as possible’

BSODs are still a ting?

"How about making sure OS crashes less"

I can't speak for everyone but I've not seen a BSOD in years.

The passive aggression of connecting USB to PS/2

Re: *!$#&@ Bluetooth

I've got a few fairly recently HPs (3 years old) that don't recognise the USB keyboard at BIOS. Luckily the PS2 port works.

4-day work-week pilot due in tech land by early summer

Re: Krystal Hosting

I'm with them too. This was their report on the trial:

https://krystal.io/blog/post/krystal-returns-to-5-day-working-week

Workday talks up AI agents platform that will reap rewards of staff cuts

Re: Sorry, what does Workday actually do?

It provides very irritating adverts on Sky Sports F1 every time there's a break.

The software UK techies need to protect themselves now Apple's ADP won’t

No idea why you've mentioned Molly Russell, her case has no connection with this

UK government insiders say AI datacenters may be a pricey white elephant

"When will government realise they're being conned by Big Business?"

Not conned when said businesses have given donations to Labour.

Like Dale Vince's solar farm approval. It just so happened he gave £5 million to Labour. What an amazing co-incidence!

(For the record I also believe all other political colours had / have / will have their snouts in the same trough)

Copilot+ PCs? Customers just aren't buying it – yet

confusion

What makes it more confusing is where this AI is coming from.

We see daily news reports about big new AI datacentres being built, which lets you believe that its all web based.

So why would you need it on your PC?

Besides which, until AI needs to start being reliable:

https://www.reddit.com/r/facepalm/comments/1i4a97w/water_is_not_frozen_at_27_degrees/?rdt=48785

Also check the google AI result for "calories in 1/8 cup sugar"

To me, its all a bit reminiscent of "3D TVs will be the next big thing, you MUST buy one"!

Why UK Online Safety Act may not be safe for bloggers

is the existing act fit for purpose?

This was in the news yesterday:

Mumsnet targeted with child sexual abuse images

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c93qw3lw4kvo

Not the first time poor moderation of that site has been questioned.

The Online Safety Act threatens fines and / or prison time.

"A Met spokesperson told the BBC it was investigating and no arrests have been made."

Does anyone think there will actually be any?

Asteroid as wide as 886 cans of spam may hit Earth in 2032

Re: Relax everyone

D'you reckon it will return to sender with "NOT KNOWN AT THIS ADDRESS" on it?

Robots in schools, care homes next? This UK biz hopes to make that happen

Robots in schools, the 1980s:

https://www.theoldrobots.com/turtle5.html

Brits must prove their age on adult sites by July, says watchdog

Back to the Kays catalogue for me

As title

It's not just Big Tech: The UK's Online Safety Act applies across the board

Re: Just another example...

"Ok, fair spot. Been some time since I was heavily involved in the legislation aspects of safety."

Then maybe you shouldn't be commenting if your information is out of date?

British Army zaps drones out of the sky with laser trucks

Re: What?

Can't use the word "lessons", it too often precedes "will be learned from this incident"

Microsoft flashes Win10 users with more full-screen ads for Windows 11

never seen an ad

I'm in the UK, using Windows 10 Pro and never seen any ads (for Windows or anything else) or had an update or notification trying to push Windows 11 onto me.

Tech support world record? 8.5 seconds from seeing to fixing

Flicking the power switch on the wall socket on

Flicking the power switch on at the wall socket on is quicker than 8 seconds and I must have done it 40-50 times in my IT support career

Former Facebook lobbyist joins UK comms regulator as non-exec director

Labour have got it all wrong! You're supposed to grant favours for GETTING money from a company, not spending it there!

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/general-election-social-media-campaigns-cost-b2563996.html

UK sleep experts say it's time to kill daylight saving for good

Lighter Later Campaign

I remember the "Lighter Later" campaign from a few years back which wanted permanent BST

https://www.wearepossible.org/lighter-later

AI's thirst for power keeps coal fires burning bright

AI can have all the energy it needs......

....if it gets nuclear fusion working

UK Regulatory Innovation Office vows to slash red tape – but we've heard it all before

Eric Pickles also pledged to get rid of it 2010:

"Breaking free from council red tape. My department wants to free up councils to deliver for the public. I won't be micromanaging or interfering any more"

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2010/jul/06/local-government-public-power-councils

Starlink-branded hardware reportedly found amid wreckage of downed Russian drone

Re: fairly obvious to Starlink if its kit is used on a drone

Hopefully Victoria Wood

Public Wi-Fi operator investigating cyberattack at UK's busiest train stations

Censored Message contents

Not sure why but I had to go to Twitter to find out what the message actually said

India funds Moon lander, space station module, and Venus orbiter

Re: Budget

2015, Downing Street:

PM: "Since we're in austerity, the plebs don't like us giving aid to foreign countries"

FO: "No problem. we'll call them 'business investments'"

Microsoft unveils Office LTSC 2024 for users that remain stubbornly offline

Re: "A device running Office LTSC 2024 need never be attached to the outside world..."

Not sure why you got downvoted, there's monthly patches for all existing MS Office products.

EVs continue to grow but private buyers are steering clear, say motor trade figures

Re: Second Hand?

Agree. I've never bought a brand new car in my life. A second hand ICE vehicle will have some wear and tear, but if the previous owner maintained it - should give me a lifetime of use.

Maybe I don't know enough about second hand EV batteries, but I don't feel that would be the same with an EV.

Perhaps I just need to look at it differently - instead of the cost of engine servicing over a longer term, put that cost towards new batteries?

UK minister recalls two planning decisions which blocked datacenter investment

Re: UK's planning depts are useless and badly in need of reform

Labour are labelling themselves as the party of change. Well they love to change their minds depending which way the wind is blowing:

Ed Miliband, 2015:

Ed Miliband slams Government over 'devastating' sudden closure of Hatfield Colliery after 99 years

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/ed-miliband-slams-government-over-5978358

Ed today:

Labour says it would stop Cumbria coalmine from opening

Ed Miliband vows party will seek to prevent ‘climate-destroying’ plan and if elected would deliver green jobs

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/dec/08/labour-says-would-stop-cumbria-coalmine-opening-ed-miliband

Labour now going on about reversing the ban of onshore windfarms, yet before the ban it was many of their own councils deciding against them:

https://www.theguardian.com/big-energy-debate/2014/nov/28/onshore-wind-power-council-planning-approvals

Labour wins race to lead UK, but few would envy the load in its tech in-tray

A lot of people like to conveniently forget that Brown also planned ten years of austerity is Labour had won (or gone into a coalition with the Lib Dems in 2010)

Two links, just in case there are accusations of BBC bias. Even Labour's friend the Guardian:

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/mar/25/alistair-darling-cut-deeper-margaret-thatcher

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8587877.stm

Switzerland to end 2024 with an analog FM broadcast-killing bang

Car DAB+ figures

"FM receivers in automobiles are nearly completely gone in Switzerland, with 99 percent [PDF] of vehicles sold in the country shipping with DAB+ radios as of 2019."

So you're saying that 99% of cars in Switzerland are from 2019 or newer?

A 2022 report says that the average age of a car in Switzerland was 10 years old.

Radio 3 audience

Can't speak for everyone, but a lot of Classic FM listeners moved to R3 when Classic FM's DAB only signal was turned off. My DAB radio doesn't have an FM mode. When it was sold I was promised I wouldn't need it...........

Battery electric vehicles lose their spark in Europe as hybrids steal the show

Was that data gathered from insurance companies?

I wonder how many have said garage or driveway parked overnight in order to get cheaper insurance?

McDonald's not lovin' its AI drive-thru experiment with IBM

"The letter reportedly offers very little explanation for why the program is ending.":

Bacon ice cream and nugget overload sees misfiring McDonald's AI withdrawn

https://au.news.yahoo.com/mcdonalds-removes-ai-drive-throughs-111349420.html

Microsoft pulls Windows 11 24H2 from Insider Release Preview Channel

Never seen an ad in Windows

Maybe its just me, my location, and the version of Windows I'm pinching from work as part of our volume agreement but:

I've never seen a single ad in any version of Windows

I've never had to create a Microsoft account

Windows 11 tries to escape Windows 10's shadow with AI muscle

reliability of PCs

I can't speak for everyone but my corporate fleet of circa 300 PCs have never been more reliable.

Days of RAM, mobo and PSU failures have long gone and I can count on one hand the only failures have been SSDs - all of which after year 3 of constant daily heavy use.

UK PM Sunak calls election, leaving Brits cringing over memory of his Musk love-in

Re: Disappointing

And more of them, apparently thanks to Brexit and keeping Johnny Foreigner out of our waters!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce9rrpn955qo

Research finds electric cars are silent but violent for pedestrians

Not a new story

2014: Electric cars must make noise, rules European Commission

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/business/electric-cars-must-make-noise-rules-european-commission

Even earlier:

"Calls to ensure electric and hybrids were noisy enough to hear when moving at low speeds began in 2010, and rules to ensure vehicles complied were first drafted in 2016."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-49726841

Really? A sarcasm detector? Wow. You shouldn't have

As always - Simpsons did it first

"They Saved Lisa's Brain"

Season 10 / Episode 22: aired May 1999

https://frinkiac.com/caption/S10E22/1040572

Whistleblower cries foul over alleged fuselage gaps in Boeing 787 Dreamliner

Re: Glad I'm retired

Nooo! Head East to the wonderful Cleethorpes! Even the Guardy says its great now

https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2021/oct/19/gourmet-haddock-and-lilac-skies-a-car-free-break-in-grimsby-and-cleethorpes

Microsoft to use Windows 11 Start menu as a billboard with app ads for Insiders

Re: If you read the Windows EULA carefully, you'll note the words...

Does it depend on version? I've been using 11 Enterprise for about a year and not seen a single ad. The only annoying thing is a few start menu feature that I didn't ask for but can easily delete.

Tired techie 'fixed' a server, blamed Microsoft, and got away with it

Bring back TWEAK UI!

UN: E-waste is growing 5x faster than it can be recycled

Re: Recycling not that easy

That's where the https://www.recycleyourelectricals.org.uk/ website is useful.

Although it lists two recycle sites near me (we used to call them tips BITD) it also lists other places I can recycle.

For example I can take my old mobile to Tesco, Sainsburys, the YMCA and Argos

Re: Or.....

Agree except for the ipad mini bit - mine's all but useless because so many of the apps have been discontinued.

UK awards £1.73M to AI projects to advance net zero goals

I see a lot of negativity about AI.

AI comes up with battery design that uses 70 per cent less lithium

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2411374-ai-comes-up-with-battery-design-that-uses-70-per-cent-less-lithium/

Microsoft drags Windows Subsystem for Android into the trash

Re: Any particular Android apps?

I sideloaded TV and movie apps like Cinema HD and Cyberflix. Much faster and more stable and reliable than websites which offer the same

Uncle Sam explores satellites that can create propellant out of thin air

Just put 4 windmill-type sails on them like they did with Skylab - then do a quick dip down into the atmosphere for them to spin around and charge the battery

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skylab

China breakthrough promises optical discs that store hundreds of terabytes

Re: I thought we learned...

CD+R and CD-R wars!

NHS in Wales bets big on Microsoft with deal worth nearly half a billion

Re: How does anyone not see this as being an obscene amount of money?

because millions to them are like pennies to us.

Like this £122 million just lost, with no clear outcome on where it went

Betsi Cadwaladr health board: £122m fraud probe launched

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-64068921

And concluded, but with no explanation:

https://forums.theregister.com/post/reply/4810265

Windows 10 users report app gremlins after Microsoft update

Windows 10 photo error from 2018

There's been a Windows photo error - file system error (-2147219196) - around for some years

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/wouldnt-open-photos-file-system-error-2147219196/ab8d1194-fc3e-46d4-a28a-fd5d04d91e57

'I’m sorry for everything...' Facebook's Zuck apologizes to families at Senate hearing

bizarre standards

I find it amazing how they can do so little to protect users, but give me a 3 day ban for "breaching community standards" (no warning to edit or remove) when I remarked on someone getting a bargain on a retro sales site with "That's an amazing price, I'd have snapped their hand off for that".

Apparently this age-old UK expression is a threat of violence to them.

Techie resurrects teletext on a vintage BBC Master

There's a nice library of BBC Micro teletext utils here:

https://mdfs.net/System/Teletext/

Eben Upton on Sinclair, Acorn, and the Raspberry Pi

Re: Backwards

Just picking two:

Hardware and software

Define the terms hardware and software and understand the relationship between them.

Boolean logic

Construct truth tables for the following logic gates:

NOT

AND

OR

XOR.

They were doing that in GCSE IT back in 1989