* Posts by MrXavia

1548 publicly visible posts • joined 28 Sep 2010

Truck, sweet truck: Volvo's Chinese owner unveils methanol/electric truck with bathroom and kitchen

MrXavia

Re: Methanol as a store of energy for a fuel cell

Warm? No way... it should be cask temperature... around 11-13C, so cool, not warm....

AI algorithms can help erase bright streaks of internet satellites – but they cannot save astronomy

MrXavia

Light streaks are a thing with any long exposure photography, so yes they will cause issues, the solution is for Elon to put telescopes in orbit and let them be used for free.

Microsoft to Cortana: You’re not going out dressed in iOS or Android, young lady!

MrXavia

Re: Yes

I find it faster to type than to dictate, and in car voice recognition is awful, sure my car is old now, but it never worked.... half an hour of trying when driving to get it to set a destination and it could not figure out what I was saying....

MrXavia

I use Alexa, smart lighting is great, because I can turn off/dim the lights without getting up. Alexa is great for reminders/news/weather/radio etc....

Sure I could use a non-voice controlled tech for the same task, and I have some old wifi speakers I still use, but it is much faster to say "Alexa play etc" than it is to get my phone out, open spotify, select the speaker, choose the song etc....

Conveniance is the key, also apart from the Alexa speakers, all my tech is interchangeable zwave/zigbee, so if any company goes tits up, I can swap it out, my only complaint is that smartthings only works properly online when it has the power to do it all offline....

You had one job... Just two lines of code, and now the customer's Inventory Master File has bitten the biscuit

MrXavia

Re: Adding a comment sometimes caused compile failure

It is still valid when you're local machine isn't identical to the server, and don't tell me to use docker, because I do, and had a similar issue with code on a docker instance working locally, but deployed to the cloud it broke.

There's a black hole lurking within 1,000 light years of Earth – and you can see stars circling it with the naked eye

MrXavia

Re: "An invisible object with a mass at least four times that of the Sun can only be a black hole,"

You mean with a dead star inside... because you would still see it unless they were able to prevent any emissions, which I personally think could be possible, a black hole manages it......

Yes, true, fusion reactors don't work quite yet, but, er, maybe AI can help us stop our experiments from imploding

MrXavia

Re: Kaboom!

Well no, because the experiments often work, but not producing more power than it takes to run the experiment, which is why we keep working on it

Can AI-enhanced virtual sports presenters do the job? It's a big ask

MrXavia

Re: To be fair...

I agree, I hate any 'smart' home tech that needs the internet, i want a smart thermostat but they all rely on the cloud!

Not call, dude: UK govt says guaranteed surcharge-free EU roaming will end after Brexit transition period. Brits left at the mercy of networks

MrXavia

True but one charges, then another then another... eventually they all charge...

Although Vodafone already has roam free in 77 countries, there are 28 in the EU so I can't see them adding more charges.

Curse of Boeing continues: Now a telly satellite it built may explode, will be pushed up to 500km from geo orbit

MrXavia
Mushroom

Re: User replaceable batteries

No they must be the same supplier as for the Samsung Note 7

It's cool for Brit snoops to break the law, says secretive spy court. Just hold on while we pull off some legal jujitsu to let MI5 off the hook...

MrXavia

Re: Arbitrary law is reappearing

I think you can justify an operative taking part in some crimes, but yes there is a limit, obviously once you get to the point of a bombing/killing or other serious crime that is when you need the crime to be foiled at the right time

Why can't passport biometrics see through my cunning disguise?

MrXavia

Re: You should see the fun we have...

Two passports is quite common in the UK, many business people have them if they need to travel while applying for visas to other countries.

Absolutely smashing: Musk shows off Tesla's 'bulletproof' low-poly pickup, hilarity ensues

MrXavia

Fired the designers and hired more engineers,aerodynamics have been shown to be not bad

Boeing comes clean on parachute borkage as the ISS crew is set to shrink

MrXavia

Re: "That beast was, of course, hugely expensive and entirely unsustainable in its final form"

And the Falcon heavies are mostly reusable, only the upper stages are not recoverable!

MrXavia
Mushroom

Boeing has damaged its credibility over the last few years with regards to quality and safety.

While I am sure it is completely separate to their aircraft manufacture, it does make you wonder if the company itself has a cultural problems that are putting profit and speed ahead of safety.

787 battery fires,

737 Max crashes,

and now parachute failure.

Heads up from Internet of S*!# land: Best Buy's Insignia 'smart' home gear will become very dumb this Wednesday

MrXavia
Holmes

Smarts must be in the device, not cloudy

This why all smart devices should have the smartness in the device, not on some hosted server.

Boffins blow hot and cold over li-ion battery that can cut leccy car recharging to '10 mins'

MrXavia

Subways are way faster than driving in London, if you drive in central London during the day, you're an idiot or an uber driver....

It's dangerous to go alone! Take Uncle Sam and the Netherlands: Duo join naval task force into China's backyard

MrXavia

I'd love to see spitfires flying from it!

South China waters are red, Brit warships are blue, HMS Sutherland's sailing there

MrXavia

Re: Cake and eat it

Who gets cross? The Daily Fail?

Fairphone 3 stripped to the modular essentials: Glue? What glue?

MrXavia

Yes, I've had to replace the charging port that broke, that was on a Sony phone (Z5 Premium I think)

So this is a good idea.. Honestly I was surprised how easy it was to replace the part.

GIMP open source image editor forked to fix 'problematic' name

MrXavia
Gimp

Re: Eh?

Considering some of the usages of Photoshop, I think GIMP is a very apt name for an image editing program

Electric cars can't cut UK carbon emissions while only the wealthy can afford to own one

MrXavia

If I didn't own a car I'd be stuck in the house, could never go on holiday, couldn't work...

Car ownership isn't an option for anyone not living in a city.

MrXavia
Thumb Up

Re: Personal Ownership

"If the planet needed saving, then yes, but it doesn't."

It's us humans that want the planet to stay the same, not nature!

MrXavia
Unhappy

Re: A bit out of date?

EV's are a great idea but they are also not as convenient or efficient as people think...

It would cost me in my larger (and way more comfortable) than a Nissan Leaf gas guzzler about 11-12p/Mile, and please consider that over half that cost to me is tax you will eventually need to pay when more cars are EV's

I would like an EV, but I worked out it would take me around 300k miles to recoup the costs of switching cars not including running costs and that is only if I switch to a cheap EV like the leaf (assuming costs remained the same), and considering I have only done 30k miles in 6 years that is 60 years of driving!

Sure I will probably go EV when I change my car, but until they reach price parity in terms of luxury versions I will not change ,not because I don't worry about the environment, but because I can't afford to change.

Harvard freshman kicked out of US over OTHER people's posts on his social media

MrXavia
Big Brother

I don't thing even once has a politician I've voted for actually been elected.

I'm pretty sure all the Referendums I've taken part of I've also been on the loosing side..

My MP just regurgitates the Party line for any question I ask of him, even when presented with facts he blindly ignores every word said to him.

I have zero faith in my government, limited faith in our police, some faith in the health service (since they are the only service that seems to be doing anything right.

Talk about unintended consequences: GDPR is an identity thief's dream ticket to Europeans' data

MrXavia

Birth Certificate isn't ID

Utility bills can be used for proof of address, not ID.

Driving licenses are probably the best form of ID as you can share your information with car rental companies, what if you could use the same system to prove your ID to someone?

I personally think the driving license system is where we should start for implementing a countrywide ID, the systems are already in place, all you need is to remove the requirement that your license lets you drive! (fairly easy to do, since it shows the categories you can drive on the back) maybe add a blue license for non-drivers.

MrXavia
Big Brother

I think you mean AI with blockchain using IOT in the Cloud! without the cloud it is totally useless!

1Gbps, 4K streaming, buffering a thing of the past – but do Brits really even want full fibre?

MrXavia
Facepalm

"The only useful scenario of having those speeds is to download a very large video game."

No the usefulness is having a family all using the internet, in my case I have 5 people in my house. I have about 40-50Mbs, and it is too damned slow with all of us using it, one person downloading a game or an update will slow everyone down!

SpaceX reveals chain of events that caused the unplanned disassembly of Crew Dragon capsule

MrXavia

Long term, I don't think they will keep the burst disk idea, it reduces re-usability. but short term it makes sense to get crew dragon flying, it isn't like they are using the Super Dracos for landing, only abort.

Obviously the non return valves/plumbing need re-engineering to avoid this issue in future when they do need re-usability.

How do we stop facial recognition from becoming the next Facebook: ubiquitous and useful yet dangerous, impervious and misunderstood?

MrXavia
Big Brother

I can see many valid uses of facial recognition,

probably the best use is with CCTV footage to track a suspects movements away from a crime, or to help identify a criminal against a database of convicted criminals, basically doing what human eyeballs do now...

But that is why we need legislation restricting its usage, especially use by the police and government, they are much less trustworthy than any private corporation.

I think if you are innocent then you should not have bio-metrics stored in any police database, this includes all situations such as Arrested but released without charge, charged but charges dropped before trial, charged but found not guilty at trial.

And even if found guilty, I think you should be removed from the databases a set time after the sentence has been served.

I even think that it is not generally in the public interest for convicted criminals details to be released to the public, I believe everyone has the right to anonymity. (the daily mail would be upset)

The whole criminal justice system is flawed, it harms the innocent, prevents rehabilitation of criminals, and doesn't address the root causes of crime.

We knew it was coming: Bureaucratic cockup triggers '6-month' delay of age verification block on porno in the UK

MrXavia

"for age verification to come into force as soon as possible to ensure children are protected from pornographic material they should not see."

Do they realise this will not stop kids from seeing porn?

If they want to see it, they will see it..

They'll use a proxy, or a VPN, borrow an older mates age verification, fake their age (plenty of ways to produce a fake ID)

The smart kids bypass it easily, and they show the dumb ones how to do it...

What was really needed was regulations to make it hard to accidentally stumble upon porn, and that is search engine regulation.

Deepfake 3.0 (beta), the bad news: This AI can turn ONE photo of you into a talking head. Good news: There is none

MrXavia

Search results differs by country..... Maybe where he searches that is what he sees?

Akamai CEO: Playing games from the cloud? Seems too expensive to be viable right now

MrXavia
Mushroom

Games in the cloud? what happens when your internet is down? online games lag enough as it is, and they expect this to be practical?

also with the cloud you don't own your games... I hate the steam DRM for the same reason, and mobile games that need the internet to run really piss me off...

Musk loves his Starlink sat constellation – but astroboffins are less than dazzled by them

MrXavia

I've ranted at my council when they changed the street lights, and they added baffles, not that they helped much, apparently safety at night is more important than me seeing the stars!

I suggested turning off the lights so people can learn that they can see at night without lights.... I think council workers have rarely seen a real dark night....

MrXavia

Re: Debunked?

"an algorithm could ensure that the exposure is timed to avoid visual interference "

And that completely wrecks the whole field of amateur space photography, we can't afford that level of control over our systems, often its hours outside in the freezing cold at night with just a camera, a cheap telescope and a camera remote.....

UK Space Agency cracks open its wallet, fishes out a paltry £2m for Brit plans to return to orbit

MrXavia

Re: Dubious Honours

Challenge accepted!

TV - John Logie Baird

Jet Engine - Sir Frank Whittle

Cat's Eyes - Percy Shaw

High Strength Carbon Fibre - Royal Aircraft Establishment

Cash machines - James Goodfellow

3D Gaming (Elite) - David Braben

Thermos flask - Sir James Dewar

Lawnmower - Edwin Beard Budding

Light Bulb - Joseph Swan

Pneumatic Tyre - John Boyd Dunlop

World Wide Web - Tim Berners-Lee

Hypodermic Syringe - Alexander Wood

Telephone - Alexander Graham Bell

Electric Motor - Michael Faraday

Photography - William Henry Fox Talbot

Electronic Programmable Computer - Tommy Flowers

(well maybe we've not abandoned all of these, but they were invented in Britain and are now used all over the world, many we no longer make here)

MrXavia
Mushroom

To get to space yes, but to get to orbit you need to go horizontal really really fast!

The vertical bit is to get outside this thick atmosphere so you can go that fast!

UK's planned Espionage Act will crack down on Snowden-style Brit whistleblowers, suspected backdoored gear (cough, Huawei)

MrXavia
Alien

Anyone who wants to get rid of the ECHR is a traitor to humanity, and is probably a lizard person

Boeing admits 737 Max sims didn't accurately reproduce what flying without MCAS was like

MrXavia

I usually check what plane i'm taking, because different planes mean different layouts etc...

Sure many people will still fly 737 Max, and I bet after the updates and re-training the software will be safe...

But I am more worried about the rest of the aircraft, not the software now, where else did they cut corners to catch up with Airbus for this class of aircraft?

Tesla driver killed after smashing into truck had just enabled Autopilot – US crash watchdog

MrXavia
Big Brother

That's a bit of bad taste..

The Boeing developers would have developed to an exacting spec and would have provided exactly what was asked for.... Don't go blaming them.. I don't know who signed off on this update, but i doubt it was the developers fault.

Even the Tesla developers are not going to be responsible, it will be the management/marketing that push the tech out before it is ready... IF it has been marketed better, as a driving assistant rather than an autopilot then it would have been perfect, because if every time a driver took control it was checked for the reason behind that driver intervention, then the system could be updated to respond to it.

MrXavia

Re: What's the point?

"On the contrary, if you're drifting out of a lane to the point where a gadget has to tell you about it then you very clearly are not paying full attention."

Completely agree with you there, I know round my way there is no way lane keeping tech could be used, the lanes are not wide enough for the car to keep to one side of the marked lanes, there are passing places where needed... and some roads that you need to drive on the other side if you want to avoid loosing wheels in the pot holes....

It's 2019 and a WhatsApp call can hack a phone: Zero-day exploit infects mobes with spyware

MrXavia
Big Brother

Re: Orwell warned of the Telescreen

Yes, but we know Apple/Amazon/Google are listening, and we know they don't care if we're screwing the neighbours wife or murdering someone. they just care that we're using their tech and buying things!

Sure Alexa may record because it thinks it heard 'Alexa', the recording may get transcribed by some poor sod getting paid way too little for the things they have to try and forget all in the name of improving speech recognition... BUT the benefit is that we improve speech recognition.. so unless you can think of a better way to improve computer speech recognition, this is the way it is going to be...

We will all bow down to the AI overlords when they realise humans are petty and mean

MrXavia
Big Brother

OS level security?

The fact this exploit worked on all 3 major (well 2 major one minor) phone operating systems is quite worrying.

Surely they all have differing underlying architecture, and all are supposed to prevent unauthorised app installations (iOS especially) So how can one app allow unauthorised software to run on all 3?

This is very very unsettling! I would certainly like to know exactly how a buffer overflow can cause this! I I am familiar with what a buffer overflow is, but I was under the (obviously mistaken) impression Android/iOS ran Apps in some kind of sandbox to prevent this kind of attack.

Taylor drift: Finally, a use for AI emerges? Cyber-smut star films fsck-flick in Tesla with Autopilot, warns: 'I wouldn't recommend it'

MrXavia

Re: Tesla now, SpaceX next ?

I seem to remember reading about one porn film that used the vomit comet to film zero g sex scenes....

I would not be surprised if some of the ISS crew has engaged in coitus in free-fall, at some point there will need to be a full study done if we're to leave this planet for any length of time.

The peelable, foldable phone has become the great white whale of tech

MrXavia

Re: Like self-driving cars, isn't it?

Lets just take the UK only as an example, its about 1700 deaths a year, with 30 million cars on the road, so actually the problem is actually quite a small problem in the UK.

Compare the UK to other countries and you see the UK is very safe, others are not safe..

The solutions (in the UK at least) are going to be related to road planning, driver education and public transport improvements

MrXavia

Re: Good reasonable and balanced.

I think that is certainly a better idea... with the right hinge it could fold flat also....

MrXavia

Re: Good reasonable and balanced.

I can think of a use case,

I have a fireplace but its slightly too high for a TV above to be comfortable to watch, I would love a TV that sat above the mantle and opened downwards in front of the fireplace (when the fire is not in use)

I've considered projectors but that brings its own set of issues.

Rising sea levels? How about the rising risk of someone using a nuke?

MrXavia

Re: How about both?: Rising sea levels and nuke use

"the UK cancelled a planned new nuclear plant because new off shore wind power is about half the cost per KW/h"

This makes absolutely no sense, nuclear power should be the cheapest available, its certainly the cleanest... IIRC the problem was the international partners pulling out, not the cost...

We should ban all new gas and coal fired power stations, only solar, nuclear, offshore wind, tidal (I.E. Green) power should be allowed, lets keep the gas and coal for domestic use.