Posts by andy gibson

Students using ChatGPT beware: Real learning takes legwork, study finds

Nothing new

I remember when Wikipedia came out, the same thing was said.

However, it was much easier to see copied and pasted work because some students left the [1] references in!

No account? No Windows 11, Microsoft says as another loophole snaps shut

Re: No to Win 11 then

A mobile phone is - by way of it's nature - a device designed to be online to some degree.

A computer doesn't need to be

Explain digital ID or watch it fizzle out, UK PM Starmer told

digital is better

Love the use of digital here:

https://car-images.bauersecure.com/wp-images/4721/smart_motorways_uk_digital.jpg

Windows 95 was too fat to install itself so needed help from the slimmer 3.1

Re: Nothing ever changes

https://www.reddit.com/r/whatcarshouldIbuy/comments/1awcg4c/i_swear_all_cars_look_the_same_now/

Japanese city passes two-hours-a-day smartphone usage ordinance

Re: Overreach

When I was a kid I was told that there would be world peace, a more mature mankind with homes on the moon.

Instead we have this:

https://www.reddit.com/r/subway/comments/rkxo31/i_wonder_how_many_people_ate_the_actual_wrapper/

I fear that mankind has taken a turn for the worse (and more stupid) at some point.

What the Plex? Streaming service suffers yet another password spill

Even worse....

Worse still, after a password reset many have found their servers wouldn't connect and were showing offline - you had to "reclaim" your server

Should UK.gov save money by looking for open source alternatives to Microsoft? You decide

Re: Extra option?

This "Falling Down" reference deserved far more likes.

Brit watchdog says public service TV must 'urgently' join Team YouTube

Re: the BBC – affectionately known by Brits as "Auntie"

How many decades ago though? Nobody calls them "Auntie BBC" any more and probably hasn't since the 90s and those awful clip shows

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auntie%27s_Bloomers

GParted: Still the best free partitioner standing – unless you're on a 32-bit box

Hirens Boot CD

Just checked my top drawer - yup the USB stick of "Hirens Boot CD" is still there!

UK Online Safety Act 'not up to scratch' on misinformation, warn MPs

"The Online Safety Act fails to tackle online misinformation, leaving the UK in need of further regulation to curb the viral spread of false content"

Not to worry, Starmer already has that in hand. Anyone remember 2012 and the Doncaster Airport tweet"? Guess who was DPP?

'Twitter joke' case only went ahead at insistence of DPP

https://www.theguardian.com/law/2012/jul/29/paul-chambers-twitter-joke-airport

UK eyes new laws as cable sabotage blurs line between war and peace

Re: SDR talks about cables largely as data conduits

"nobody expects the UK government to achieve much by more legislation."

Didn't you know?

Administration saves the nation!

Red tape is fun!

Red tape holds the nation together!

Critics blast Microsoft's limited reprieve for those stuck on Windows 10

Re: What I’d like to know…

A monthly Windows update that scans the hardware and then either nags you, or disables the machine?

Attack on Oxford City Council exposes 21 years of election worker data

Re: "What's that about storing data for a reasonable and proportionate time?"

"There is an urgent need to know that the people counting the votes are absolutely reliable and honest"

It's just a shame that the recipients of the votes aren't!

Microsoft testing PC-to-Cloud-PC failover for those times your machine dies or disappears

Not an XKCD, but close:

https://frinkiac.com/caption/S02E22/107286

Homer: "The joke's on them. If the core explodes there won't be any power to light that sign."

Logitech's latest keyboard and mouse combo is wired, quiet, and suspiciously sensible

"With wireless devices ruling the roost who, other than gamers, would want such a thing"

Erm, every single school in the UK for one.

LibreOffice adds voice to 'ditch Windows for Linux' campaign

Re: As I've said before

I think you've kind of proven the point by comparing apples and oranges.

With Windows you have one version and that's it - whether you're a home web surfer, gamer, office worker.

because if you're going to compare Linux with car varieties then you're only going to alienate new users further.

UK students flock to AI to help them cheat

Re: Glorified calculators

According to the Guardian exams are "making young people ill"

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2025/jun/11/they-are-making-young-people-ill-is-it-time-to-scrap-gcses

Microsoft rolls out Windows 11 Start Menu updates

Turn off web searching with a group policy or registry edit

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/how-to-disable-search-the-web-completley-in/ea22410a-3031-487f-b5de-5a0113d656c5

Peep show: 40K IoT cameras worldwide stream secrets to anyone with a browser

Re: I was doing this over 20 years ago...

Yep, it was Axis cameras back then

Meta just saved an Illinois nuclear plant that was set to be mothballed

Re: @GoneFission

" it is the gov that dictates the energy types"

More like it is the gov that supports the energy type, based on the Labour donor.

Dale Vance - donates £5 million to Labour. Gets a solar farm approved.

What will UK government workers do with an extra 26 minutes a day?

Re: Indicative of a better way?

How bad are the users?

DARPA zaps popcorn with laser power beamed 5.3 miles through air

Real Genius

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rthHSISkM7A&pp=0gcJCdgAo7VqN5tD

No-boom supersonic flights could slide through US skies soon

Mach America Great Again

Post Office finally throttles delayed in-house EPOS project

Why do I get the feeling....

That Fujitsu will be the winner and the phrase "lessons have been learned" will be prominent?

British govt agents step in as Harrods becomes third mega retailer under cyberattack

M&S Store shopping - no stock at the best of times

Not sure if any other UK reg commentators can say the same, but my local branch of M&S (Southport) have now stopped selling men's suits of any kind.

The assistants say "go to Liverpool, there's more range there". But there really isn't. I'm not some obscure size - just a regular 6 foot 4 bloke.

The only option to buy a simple black suit from M&S is online. Which I now can't

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.