Posts by Cameron Colley

BBC.com begins commercial push

Scrap the license fee?

Isn't it about time the government stopped aiding and abetting the BBC's demanding money with menaces?

Brown moots register for terrorists, DNA rights for MI5

Why not seve the trouble...

... and place every slightly-geeky male aged from about 13 to 30 on the register? Pretty much every bloke I know who is even remotely technically-minded has owned potential "terrorist instructions" at one point -- from the minor like CGSE chemistry texts, to books on chemical warfare agents and papers on making IEDs.

Hell, some of us still have this kind of literature hanging around, though most of us are more interested in the pursuit of knowledge than killing people in the name of a fairy story.

Mandriva bigwig (nearly) accuses Ballmer of b-word

Re: We all pay for M$ to do this

Unfortunately, there are certain applications, and certain pieces of hardware, that can't be used with Linux, thanks to companies who seem to enjoy kissing MS' arse. Added to that the difficulty of buying a machine without Windows installed and many people, myself included, feel they have no option but to pay for a copy of Windows. I feel more inclined to blame these companies for this kind of situation than MS itself -- after all, a corporation is there to make maximum return on the shareholders investment in the short term, and nothing else.

Luckily, more and more companies seem to be supporting Linux, and the likes of Dell are pre-installing Linux on some machines (admittedly a token, and pointless gesture at present).

Singapore Airlines bans A380 rumpy-pumpy

re: Stupid prejudice from Anton

Strange -- I read Anton's comments as being rather flattering regarding French and their love of love-making. I thought it was the Septics and their prudish nature he was having a dig at.

Perhaps you have a chip on your shoulder? Or should that be a pomme-fritte?

For the record, I'm a stiff-upper-lipped, sexually-repressed Rosbif.

Germany rolls out ePassport II - it's fingerprinting good!

Ah, so now we know...

So it's NXP who are paying backhanders to the government is it?

How just thinking about terrorism became illegal

She, erm _He_, said Jehova!

Surely the "security services" all over the world should be arrested for possesion of terrorist propaganda?

"'... only own it because of an ongoing investigation'?, pull the other one!"

Police aim to stamp out virtual child abuse

Fantasy is just that?

While I find it sick that some people will carry out "virtual abuse", I'm not convinced that it would make them want to do it in real life. As an example (can't believe I'm admitting to this) I once "dated" a vampire on SL, so she was technically dead, but I'm not about to dig up a corpse!

Similarly, I don't try to fly off high buildings in my every day life (well, not while I'm sober, anyhow.

As for the abuse of real children using internet chat of any kind (after all, Second Life is just glorified IRC in that respect) -- I still fail to understand how this can happen, how do you touch someone through a computer? Any parent who doesn't teach their children that out in the world there are people who want to steal from you or hurt you isn't fit to have children -- don't parents teach children "don't talk to strangers, don't get into strangers' cars, don't accept sweets from strangers..." any more? Just how bad are some modern parents that they can't teach their children the difference between fantasy and reality, and the basics of "survival"?

Woman murdered after answering Craigslist ad

Compassion? I've heard of it.

Surely sometimes it is necessary to view events like this without resorting to the emotional responses? I agree that The story merits an appearance on El Reg, because there is an It angle -- but I worry that the mainstream media report stories like this, when the only reason they stand out is "THE EVIL INTERNET!!!".

I think a response of "so what" is justifiable on this occasion -- if I were being really objective I could even suggest that we don't yet know if the woman deserved it, perhaps she was killed because she abused or murdered a member of her assailant's family?

It is not necessary to post "OMG WHAT A TRADGEDY!" to every story of a death you know? You can still be compassionate, and still care for and help your fellow human beings without doing so.

Whois database targeted for destruction

Re: don't open a business on main street to be anonymous

What about private individuals with opinions?

I realise that it is probably possible to find the home addresses or Reg correspondents -- but I'm sure that some will be tough to get. Why? because they don't want every humourless nut-job in the world ordering pizza or builder's skips for them -- or worse.

If you're the owner of a website that's anti-religion, or for animal testing, would you want your home address published for all to see? Honestly?

A lesser example is a forum I happen to be a member of -- where we express out opinions quite strongly on a number of topics. Most of us, the webmaster included, would rather remain relatively untraceable to those reading the site -- this is a site "having a laugh" yet members have received threats of violence, and it is clear that the owner would have had property damaged, at the very least, were his real address published.

Second Life mounts assault on reality

@Ned Fowden

I have, indeed, spent many an hour, and a fair amount of real money, in Second Life. I do so, however, in the knowledge that "Land" is space on a third-party server and that my "possessions" are entries in a complicated database. A quick perusal of the support forums should make people realise that it's not wise to spend any real money you can't afford to loose in Second Life (hell, Linden Labs themselves seem to break things and delete inventory items every now and again).

It has also been noted that Linden Labs don't appear to take copyright seriously -- yet another reason not to treat SL too seriously.

The problem here is that someone is starting to take the flow of virtual money to real money for granted. Now they have attracted the attention of the US legal system, you can expect the possibility of tax on all L$ earned, or worse.

Let's hope this case is dismissed.

While I feel for the creators of this virtual property (I know first-hand how much time it takes to create this stuff) I sincerely hope that the guy is found not guilty. Why? Because this is play money in a play world -- the moment the US legal system gets it's filthy paws involved is the moment the game becomes unplayable. The US has already banned gambling in Second Life, which has taken away an aspect of the game many people seemed to enjoy, now it looks like the currency may be either taxed, or made illegal (read the comments from the linked article -- the arguments make sense) if the US Legal system gets involved. This is supposed to be a "virtual world" where the laws are made by those who live there -- not somewhere else for the US and other countries to impose their industry-sponsored laws.

Yes, I'm afraid I am one of the sad no-lifers who pay real money to play in a virtual world. Perhaps I should be sensible and spend my money on XBox Live or something -- that would be much more constructive...*

*I find the double standards when talking about how people spend their money on "virtual" property a little strange at times. Still, I don't loose any sleep over it (too busy making virtual gadgets).

When antivirus products (and Internet Explorer) fail you

Re:NULL ^= NUL

Perhaps I'm wrong here, but wouldn't (NULL!=NUL) be a more correct way of putting it?

TV-Links man: 'I'm no master criminal'

Re: Another uniformed comment

One of the issues here is that here in the UK it is not an offence to aid and abet "copyright theft" -- so this guy has been charged with some kind of trademark infringement -- basically so that they have something to prosecute him for.

It's marvellous living in a country where the justice system thinks it's acceptable to cause GBH to a pensioner, but completely unacceptable to perhaps allow someone to see something which may mean that they don't pay someone some money, which they may not have paid anyhow.

The moral of this story, and similar (Mr modchip, for example), is that if you want to see a movie, listen to some music, or play a video game -- beat a few old people to death and steal their money. The UK legal system approves of that.

Bike bonk bloke lands on sex offenders' register

New sex crime?

Is this the first case of pedalphilia?

Police tackle crime hotspots with scary warning poster

Good idea, why not go the whole way?

Surely it would be easier to just disband the police force -- or send them all out looking for speeders and "copyright thieves"? All they need do is put up signs everywhere telling you you may be a victim of crime if you stay there.

As for "Ooh, I wouldn't hang around here at this time of night if I were you. Not with a nice phone like that." -- this is already been done, at least in the form of TV adverts telling people not to use their mobile phones in public.

Racist Reg ignores Nigerian helicopter pioneer

Obvious why the story wasn't included...

...the helicopter is the wrong color.

Court convicts 'million pound' modchip man

Re: Read..

Ah, damn, sorry -- that's OK then, obviously. [/sarcasm]

Yes, I read the article, and the comments someone linked to that suggested Mr Modchip is a nasty piece of work.

Of course it's not OK that it's illegal to be paid to do work on someone else's property!

By that logic, it would be illegal to be employed to fit insulation in an attic...

This is a law that says it is illegal to make money from doing a job for someone, to their own property, because the person who sold them the property says so.

Are computer shops breaking the law?

Surely, PC world and their like, who offer to fit CD and DVD writer drives to PCs are breaking the law too? After all, they do this for commercial gain, and the consumer can use the hardware to "steal" copyright material.

Similarly, is it now illegal to tune a car for fuel economy -- as the fuel company will be loosing out?

Seems our legal system really is for sale to allow companies to screw money out of consumers.

More gnashing of teeth after Microsoft update brings PCs to a standstill

Surely Microsoft have every right to do this?

I don't know why people are moaning about this -- Microsoft have a right to do what they like with their property and, thanks to the license agreement you accepted when you installed their software, they have every right to do what they like to your hardware too. You should be thankful that Microsoft let you continue to use their software at all.

If you want someone to blame for this you can blame hardware and software manufacturers for forcing you to install MS's software in the first place and, to a lesser extent, those in charge of academic institutions who indoctrinate their students into the MS world.

Swede with UK betting licence held in Amsterdam for 'breaking' ancient French law

Bang goes that idea!

Well, I had thought The Netherlands to be a free country worth considering as somewhere to emigrate to. Now I see that they're just as willing as the UK to pander to foreign governments and, even more worryingly, foreign governments acting for marketing companies (OK, technically industry lobbying groups).

Legal loophole allows Manhunt 2 to be sold in UK

I wouldn't download that if I were you...

Surely, since this game could teach a person how to commit a crime or, worse, make them contemplate one, it's illegal to link to it or own it?

Heck, if you were to download a "stolen" copy of this you could expect to be sent down for 25 years, couldn't you?

Kazakhstan blocks opposition websites

Transcripts of secret telephone conversations -- could be worse...

...they could be hosting links to content that might be in breach of copyright!

Jailed terror student 'hid' files in the wrong Windows folder

Racism and religious hatred in the system?

So, if a white, christian, person where to be found with this material, a vicar for instance, would they have got off?

I ask because it seems to me that having "an interest in terrorism" isn't an offence in this country, and that linking to websites of questionable individuals to show their tactics and views probably isn't either. So, because of this guy's ethnic background (for want of a better way of putting it) he's suddenly guilty?

If that's not the case, and anyone with this type of material on their hard-drives of websites, even if they're just for information and in opposition, is breaking the anti-terror laws then I'd better give mine the once over with an eraser -- just in case.

If you don't see another post from me, I'll be taking a holiday to a helper country at your expense -- courtesy of our great leaders.

Cops pull plugs on TV-links, claim 'facilitation of infringement'

Re: I'm a goddamned thief, ok?

Good for you, I'm not.

If a CD is not "owned" by a major label, I'll buy it -- I like my music loss-free, and my artists with integrity. Similarly, I'll buy region-free DVDs (I need to because I like the odd film not released in our region and my player would lock out if I changed region too often).

Similarly with TV content, if I did download a show it would be one that's not on in this country -- effectively "time-shifting" in reverse, the shows will be broadcast on channels I have access to anyhow. My TV is broken now, and I'm missing a favourite show, so I downloaded a copy -- if I had a TV I could have legally recorded it, and it's possible still on a watch-again facility now.

Some of us do things that FACT and the RIAA don't want us to do for convenience, not theft. I've not doubt there are people who are into theft out there -- but please don't tar us all with the same brush.

Who makes the laws in this country?

Am i missing something here, or are Gloucester Police working for Trading Standards, who are working for FACT? So, the Police now report to corporation-owned propaganda machines other than the government now? Can I expect a visit from the police if I get into a dispute with a a mechanic over a repair on my car because he happens to be a member of a trade association?

What the hell is going on here? Why are we paying for police to be used as thugs to bully people on behalf of a trade syndicate?

EU plans ban on bomb-making info on websites

Anyone ever heard of a concept called freedom?

I'm sure, when I was in school, they talked about this thing called "freedom" -- apparently my grandparents fought against this bloke called Hitler who wanted to take it away from us, thousands o0f people, lots of them innocent, died in the conflict.

If anyone knows what this "freedom" thing is, and if there's any around now, I'd be interested to hear from you -- from what I remember older folk saying it was a really important thing to have, worth dying for, in fact.

Record labels to ditch CD singles for USB Flash drives

ha... hahaha... hahahahahahahaha... hahahahahaha...

Well, it's finally happened has it? Consumers get to choose the end of reasonable quality music (in the form of CD) and replace it with DRM-ridden dross. What next, albums released in MIDI? Still, with the trash that is pop music I don't suppose it matters.

Personally, I'll stick with artists who release in proper formats and don't use the RIAA to mug children.

How to get colour composite-video from an Apple TV

re: What the Apple TV Isn't

<quote>

Quiet, discreet, simple, high enough quality - plug in and go, set and forget - the Apple philosophy of computers as appliances for the rest of us made real

</quote>

Really? Do you have to put conditioner in your washing machine and remove it again before you can use liquid rather than powder to wash your clothes with? Have to rewire the plug to your microwave before you can heat up supermarket brand beans?

What a strange world Apple fans live in...

RIAA aims lawyers at usenet newsgroup service

It's about time these criminals were brought to justice.

Unfortunately, it's unlikely that the Us "Justice" system will convict the members of the Recording Arse the same way they would another crime syndicate.

Ah, well, looks like I'll only be buying albums by Radiohead, Marillion and those available through the likes of Bleep in future.

Ofcom: no comeback for TV on analogue spectrum

Old fashioned and outdated.

Why not just allocate the spectrum used by TV to spread-spectrum data transmission -- that way anything, from text to 3D graphics and sound can be transmitted using the same medium.

As someone who's television has recently given up the ghost, I can honestly say that there were a few more streaming sites available I wouldn't need a TV at all.

I have to ask though, how did you fail to get a Paris reference into this story -- it was crying out for one!

Digital Switchover: town to lose BBC 2 tomorrow

License fee refund?

Does this mean that the BBC will refund the license fees paid by those who have not upgraded to digital receivers at that time?

DA suppressed Alabama Baptist pastor autopsy

RE: Corrections

Apologies, John, I would just like to state, for the record, that I have nothing against most Americans -- it's just religion I have a beef with -- I would say exactly the same where he a Church of England vicar in the UK or a Catholic Priest in Poland. Oh, and apologies also for the muscle-memory typo of "form" for "from".

Re: Define "perfect" please?

The pay off, aside from one less misguided moron in the world? Well, I'm given the impression that some ministers in the US manage to extract a good deal of money form their parishioners -- so perhaps there's a monetery payoff for all too?

Exploit Wednesday follows Patch Tuesday Word update

Not hard to find the perpetrator.

Surely it won't be hard to track down the miscreant who wrote this piece of malware -- there can't be more than one Mac-using VXer surely?

Americans' interest rates plummet

Where's the Nirvana angle?

Why is the title of a Nirvana album the first word of the article? Am I missing something?

UK ID card service mounts birth, marriage, death landgrab

So what _is_ the answer?

I see some comments suggesting that "we, the people" can do something about this, yet I've never heard anyone mention what.

We don't have to wait for a totalitarian police-state to arrive -- it's already here, as evidenced by such things as people being searched for "looking at police" and this being in accordance with the law -- amongst other things.

So, I ask again, what are we expected to do about it?

*is still waiting for suggestions of an actual democracy to emigrate to*

Who serves who?

I'd like my money back please, and to cancel my payments to the UK Government "fuck the people" fund.

I didn't pay them my subscription fee for them to start compiling a database of everyone's income, TV habits and penis size (well, I pay it because they're extorting it from me, but that's another story). How the hell is this going to help anything?

Ignoring the fact that nowadays you're probably more likely to be locked up for typing a slash in the wrong place in a URL, or shot by the stazi because you're running for a train -- how will this combat "the terrorist threat", or street crime for instance? We already know that a bloke called Ousma Bin Liner wants us all dead, and the brainwashed scum who crashed into the world trade centre had passports -- hell, I'm sure even some of the people who mug old ladies have some form of ID, how come we still have terrorism and crime?

[/rant]

I feel better with that off my chest now, anyone know a country not run by power-mad, self-serving, egotistical, morons that allows immigration?

Fairly realistic flying car offered for 2009 delivery

RE: American units...

<quote>

I don't expect to see stones, pounds and ounces when I look at a US site, so I don't see why UK sites should compromise for Americans.

</quote>

Last I heard the US were some of the only people left in the world that _do_ use pounds and ounces (and other imperial measurements) for engineering -- as far as I know the UK uses SI units. Heck, we only just managed to get away from it being illegal to sell in Imperial units over here.

This emergency alert has been cancelled by Hotmail

Email as a source of alerts.

Surely most people check their hotmail on the web? So, instead of sending out email to alert them of these things, why not publish it on a web site? That way those without ISP/institution-provided email (most people with mobile devices and the like will probably have this) can check the web page -- nicely side-stepping the whole "will it get caught in spam filters" situation.

Apple sued over i-Bricks

Re: Not the biggest Apple fan but....

I agree.

The reason? Well, it's not because I like apple, I'll probably never buy one of their products. The reason is -- these people bought phones knowing full well that Apple tied them down, and could do this if they wanted. This "bricking" of Apple phones just punishes the stupid for thinking they're clever.

Caveat Emptor...

Online gambling law regs revealed

Re:Second Life

Indeed, I suspect many have been hit hard by the ban on gambling. I can, however, envisage the "loop hole" types with "some element of skill" involved becoming more popular if their legality can be confirmed.

You want to learn about Ubuntu?

RE: It's Still Linux

Strange -- because I had pretty much that same problem with Windows XP a while back, but Kubuntu was fine...

Oh, and I think you'll find it's ATI who don't support Linux. Lazy or overly-secretive manufacturers are the cause of almost all Linux hardware problems and many software ones too.

Don't get me wrong, I don't suggest that everyone would immediately wipe Windows and install Linux, but to suggest that because you found it hard to install on your hardware does not mean that everyone else will find it hard to install on their hardware.

Microsoft-loving (former) security czar calls for closed internet

How surprising...

That someone show works for a corrupt organisation wants them to own the internet -- I suspect that people who work for the bunch of criminals who run the UK would like to own the internet too.

I, for one, would rather see a more credible crime syndicate than the US or UK government run the internet, however.

UK police can now force you to reveal decryption keys

Re: multipart keys.

<quote>

What happens when data is encrypted with multi-part keys and the other keyholders are outside jurisdictional reach?

</quote>

Simple, rendition to interrogation. Or, to expand, they simple have someone grab the other person and torture them until they give up the key -- or just ship you both off to South America.

5 years for forgetting your keys?!?!

Hmmm, emigration to North Korea looks better and better...

The War on Terror's professional witness

Surely they only try those who they have no evidence against.

Reports seem to indicate that those who the US have credible evidence against (usually illegally obtained) are simply "expatriated to justice".

Seems that Kohlmann is just brought in to do the media bit and prove that everyone with a slight bit of color to their skin is having an affair with the same duck -- thus providing an excuse for the US to go on walking over everyone's freedom.

FTC fines three men $330,000 for pushing spyware

Ah, so if profit is involved it's ok?

Someone breaks into a computer system out of curiosity, to see if they can, and they get jail time -- someone deliberately inconveniences 15 million people and they're merely taxed on the income.

Seems if you want to get into crime -- make sure the profits are in the millions and the law won't apply to you.

Data for 800,000 job applicants stolen

Another day, another dickhead...

Seems there are still companies out there who employ morons in their IT departments. I could understand if there were a couple of records, either in an "offline documents" folder or as cache, but any more than that and it suggests that GAP have not IT security.

RE: @yeah right

As a "European" I agree largely with what you're saying. The only point I will pick up on is:

<quote>It was your own elected officials who did this, and yet rather than doing something about that (replacing them?) you whinge and moan and say "the US made us do this".</quote>

You mean we should vote for who we want in the way that you guys voted for George W? ;~)

Brain-sucking parasitic killer menaces warming lake waters

Is there a new writer onboard?

Was amanfromMars hired to write the first paragraph of this article?

Adopt this dog or we'll kill it

Re: Not funny

Oh, right, sorry... bbbooohhhoooo, wah wah wah, sob sob sob, wimper...

Is that better? Did that help the situation any? Did I just save the life of a dog? No, didn't think so...