Posts by All names Taken

Security researchers uncover three-year-old 'RUSSIAN SPYware'

Until proven otherwise...

... this is a ruse?

Don't be daft!

Big Ruski threat appears at time of big Ruski threat in a nation not too far (okay Ukraine pronounced Ooo-kra-ine-eh to the initiated otherwise to the historical Brit mind warp) does not make sense.

This may shock you but Russia is a very responsible nation that takes its military and political and economic strengths very seriously.

You don't think it (Ruski I mean) lost many, many, many more lives than the UK, Europe and USA combined in '39 - '45 without some serious reflection during and afterwards? No?

It is probably NSA or GCHQ playing with you.

edit: or Conservative Party in form of Foreign Office playing with you

Thanks a lot, Facebook: Microsoft turns Office 365 into social network

Chide if you must ...

... but MS is still brilliant.

"Yammer buy to "weave social into the work people do every day, combining it with collaboration, email, instant messaging, voice, video and line-of-business applications"

See, it has turned what once used to be called "skiving" or "skiving off" into an excellent, wholesome business opportunity.

Murdoch dumps Microsoft, prepares to Hangout with Google

Makes sense really

Go M$?

No, they do not have the followers required

Go Happl?

Well, yeh but part of the marketing strategy is for upper echelon types and part of the strategy is mass appeal. Happl fails on mass appeal.

Go Handroid?

Yes! Mass appeal fits in with stack em hi, sell em cheap part of marketing strategy no?

UK.gov back-office battle may see British Justice offshored

Copied yet relevant?

Dear Uk (non)Government

Please amend and revise your (un)sivil cervant rules for procurement to cater for the following working methods:

1 - HMG (or lesser bodies it sorta depends) invites bids to provide the following services: blah-blah-de-blah-blah

2 - HMG (or lesser bodies) have budgeted £x spondoolies for the services and this contract will be awarded to bidders aiming to provide HMG and HMG subjects with the best services in the world ever and bidders will need to justify their working methods.

3 - bidders are invited from UK, International limited to EU, International non-EU and some blend or composite of each

4 - feck TUPE. If the present incumbents lose out that is their loss innit?

edit: if HMG (and lesser bodies accessing public dosh) do not do it then they are likely to fall fowl foul of EU and UK procurement principles innit?

edit2: and this extends to all publicly funded services such as NHS, sivil cervices, education, ... , so there huffy-puffy mandarin?

Ah! I get it now!

I was going to suggest we outsource our gobmint, unsivil servantry and any with direct dependence on and direct influence over public monies.

B-U-T I now see the folly of my ways.

It is not for the big people to be outsourced - I mean that would just not do would it?

It is for the big people to outsource the jobs and livelihoods of the little people otherwise there would be mega-disorder in the UK.

I mean, the class structure would become terribly muddy wouldn't it?

The saddest part may be that it is the mere underlings, chiff-chaff of office diaspora that will feel the cutting edge sharpest.

And so the cuts though many will be slight and leave the ever filled flowing with dosh even more secure in cash, dosh, pension and privelege.

This is how it has been, will be and shall be to come for that is your earthling UK (now, if only Scotland had the gall, courage and conviction to show how a nation should be run).

You see, any resource in the UK is used to maintain "class" divisions between the people.

A tribe of tribes divided and all that (look to Europe and UK approach to EU if you need additional proof)?

Sad, but true?

<alternative title> Well, you see…

… in a "closed shop" with working practices the way they are it is very difficult to bring about efficiency changes.

It can get messy.

When it comes to law some of the disaffected might have means, abilities and wherewithal to challenge decisions and that means there is only one real alternative: outsource.

Hopefully by outsourcing (overseas if need be) this reigns in poor practice (well, poor practice from a tax payer point of view, great practice from employee or consultant/commissioned point of view.

That is why state run services should always be commissioned from the private sector (just have a look at the income levels of your local council, regional council, area council, national council, … )

Bill Gates is BACK... as CHIEF RICH human of PLANET EARTH

Sorry. Rant interruption

I know it is sorta, well, ... a bit gauche of me but ...

There always has been a richest person in the world as we know it.

It sorta depends upon the qualifying criteria, access to that criteria and making the information available to the public before/after/in spite of scrutiny innit?

So while it may not have been publicised well in the past (if not, why not?) it sorta existed for like centuries dude?

Brit schools' supplier Tribune Business Systems RUBBED OUT

Procurement amendments

Dear Uk (non)Government

Please amend and revise your (un)sivil cervant rules for procurement to cater for the following working methods:

1 - HMG (or lesser bodies it sorta depends) invites bids to provide the following services: blah-blah-de-blah-blah

2 - HMG (or lesser bodies) have budgeted £x spondoolies for the services and this contract will be awarded to bidders aiming to provide HMG and HMG subjects with the best services in the world ever and bidders will need to justify their working methods.

3 - bidders are invited from UK, International limited to EU, International non-EU and some blend or composite of each

4 - feck TUPE. If the present incumbents lose out that is their loss innit?

edit: if HMG (and lesser bodies accessing public dosh) do not do it then they are likely to fall fowl foul of EU and UK procurement principles innit?

edit2: and this extends to all publicly funded services such as NHS, sivel cervices, education, ... , so there huffy-puffy mandarin?

X-rated Android antics: Motorola's Moto X puts boot in chunky brother

299? Feck that!

Prestigio do far better, far cheaper.

Reasoning: if one wishes to go cheap there are optimal "go cheap" options out there, Moto is not one of those.

Labour calls for BIG OVERHAUL of UK super-snoop powers in 'new digital world'

Dear Labour Party

Just ask the Germans.

They, the country and its citizens I mean, seem to be doing very well indeed - going from strength to strength.

On the other hand here in the UK ... well, 'nuff said?

Apple's Windows XP moment: OS X Snow Leopard left to DIE

Apple does not work like that?

"After all, Mavericks is free. What are you waiting for?"

With Apple (a bit like Windows too?) an update can render some additional kit as useless so (a bit like XP to Vista to … ) an updated OS can mean a change of ecology too hence some prefer to work with older kit.

UK spies on MILLIONS of Yahoo! webcams, ogles sex vids - report

"It is a longstanding policy that we do not comment on intelligence matters"

Does that include cock-ups as well?

Fukushima radioactivity a complete non-issue on West Coast: Also for Fukushima locals, in fact

Storage opportunity

Do you have spare room in your garage or outbuildings?

Would you like to earn xxx per year storing a tonne of water on your property?

Please contact …. for this excellent opportunity to store or buy water from Fukishima Diaichi nuclear power.

Lenovo banks on $1 BEELLION Moto turnaround in SIX quarters

Look out Nokia!

This is the way to take a loss forward into profit.

Linux-friendly Munich: Ja, we'll take open source collab cloud

Got to admire them ...

The whole nation I mean - Germany.

It looks a great place to live.

Software needs meaty cores, not thin, stringy ARMs, says Intel

Shame on intel

Of course most software will be written for x86 ways of doing things - why should it bother intel if the chip-hardware-software ecology blossoms into doing things differently?

Samsung and Apple BEWARE: Huawei is coming to eat your lunch

Shame?

Most of the big brands had excellent opportunity to reach a mass audience but preferred to remain elite? No?

Prez Obama cyber-guru: Think your data is safe in an EU cloud? The NSA will raid your servers

Words to look out for part 2?

When nations spake unto nations

"We must therefore protect our interests in a country that is not ours"

that is when to worry.

(Just like Ruski spakes about Ukraine)

1 lay your own cables

2 don't use any public electronic network (the clue is 'public')

So I suppose anything sent by public electronic network is not secure at all.

Mobile World Congress: It's not about the SHINY SHINY anymore

flocci nosi dood

floccinaucinihilipilification

Chipzilla just won't quit: Intel touts 64-bit Atoms for Android phones, tabs

Erm <cough! innocent whistle>

Intel Atom Processor Z2420

…

Android 4.0

From here:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/prestigio-multiphone-5430-mobile-phone-white-a72lt

and all for 199.99 of your earthling pounds (better grab it (earthling pounds that be) just in case UK Treasury loses its much anticipated future oil revenues no?)

On catch up?

Sounds a bit like petulant me-too-ism to me.

SkyDrive is dead! All hail Microsoft OneDrive! Happy now, Uncle Rupe?

On the other hand ...

Why android tablets cannot access Apple iCloud seems a bit daft.

OneDrive content sent from a Mac can be accessed from an android tablet easy peasy like.

Ouch baby Ouch Ouch Ouch?

O-U-C-H?

That is One silly bit of nomenclature no?

Onedrive as if there are no other drives so the name implodes perception to other similar service providers.

Plus it seems to have an unfortunate dash of megalomania about it if not in reality then at least in virtuality if not imaginary?

Stuff the delays! PM chuffed to have BT's superfast broadband in his constituency

Is it me?

… or is there the delicate wiff of "grab the cash while you can and milk it for all it may be worth?" attitude related to publicly funded projects?

Is this 21st C dood?

I think we have got to face it ....

Maybe US, Ruskies and CChina have it right?

The UK is really a small lump of soil with ever decreasing influence and budgets?

Pricipality UK heer we kommen?

G20 gives Google, Microsoft, Apple et al tax deadline

Re: Downvote me straight away...but.

True, true.

Very, very true and why should UK Treasury want to slurp up all the cash in UK?

pps(3) with apologies

g, m$, happl, star$, ... could all argue that they are not aware of the spirit of the law and can only consider the law as enacted and made, well, law.

If parliament seriously wishes to set precedence so that all will appreciate the spirit of a proposed law even if that is at variance with the actual law when it is actually actualised then perhaps all meetings, discussions, draft proposals, and so forth in the transition from propsed law as an enacted ideal to actual law as passed by parliament should be released into public domain.

(If you heard a swishing noise then it probably was the a**eholes of civil servants squeaking shut at about the same time. Don't be surprise if the topic sort of dies a natural death and sort of withers away even from memory?)

Due diligence doodz

… and it seems our politicos and (un)civil serventia have neither.

On the other hand(s) maybe it is a great way to make a law look effective and earn super spondoolies on the side whether one were Minister, MP, civil servant adviser or private consultant?

Que?

at:

"means of paying rather less tax than the spirit of the law intends"

It sort of depends upon who set the law in a sense and it too has consequences.

For example, who advised Ministers of the levels and specifics of applying the law and were they remiss in their remit? If these were civil servants it will probably be end of story, were they private consultants it could mean getting them in for a flaming public scrutiny session (that will not happen were the individuals civil servants tho').

In either event, if Ministers and MPs consider that the specifics of a law do not meet the spirit of the proposed law or fuller intentions of the proposed law then their first duties are to identify those parties and permit them opportunity to explain why. Also to identify potentially systematic weaknesses that permit spirit of a proposed law to be at variance with the actual law as & when it were made real.

Once that is done then they can go after the likes of g, m$, happl, star$, … and wouldn't their energies be better spent at home sorting out chaos of floods and utilities mayhem?

ps: all recent builds in flooded places were approved so should those making approvals not face litigation for consequential damage? (rather than letting insurance companies pick up the tab innit?)

Battle of Bletchley Park: TNMOC chief calls for review of museums' Mexican standoff

Ego?

Reads like a lot of sensitive egos on the go to me.

Nokia launches Android range: X marks the growing low-cost spot

Nothing lasts forever?

… Implying something is always transient?

(I bet that gets manfrommars going?)

So while low cost and maybe not full functionality may be a means to charge lower prices at the present (and for obvious reasons too) in another few years the race to iPhones and mega pricing might come in again?

If so, who will make better profit margins in the immediate short term to medium term?

(Potential ans: those who can meet market demands swiftly, sharply and cost effectively?

Why? Look at low cost phablets, tablets and … ?)

Mobe operators, need to check your network? There’s an app for that

Wouldn't there be a bit of local interference by having so many phones in so close a proximity (what with shielding and all that).

Microsoft asks pals to help KILL UK gov's Open Document Format dream

Aren't they all using XP anyway?

= makes a "modern" version of Office redundant?

(Setting a standard does make sense tho' otherwise a small proprietary change can make for lots n lots of headaches)

TONGUES OUT if you want to LICK Steve Jobs' BACKSIDE

I feel your pain.

I know it means a lot to you and maybe, you never know, it may be your face and you may be getting licked on the backside.

Maybe the question(s) is(are):

why does Mr Gates invoke such grossness

and

why does Mr Jobs invoke such grossness

My own take: I wouldn't mind earning their tax payments never mind their gross incomes.

IT angle: Gates, Jobs, flame, backside licking

Official: British music punter still loves plastic

Can't say I blame 'em - vinyl seems to have more oomph than digital no?

Nokia to launch low-cost Android phone this month – report

A few hmmms

Hmmm - new boss at Ms

Hmmm - sudden new policy that shifts products probably at low price from much ailing giant

Intel Labs demos crazy-efficient, crazy-fast 'network on chip'

Don't be fulled readers.

All this means is another hot chip, pulling lots of power in an architecture that is probably better served by a network of specially dedicated chips consuming less power, doing stuff more effectively.

Maybe a ruse to obfuscate ARM?

Snowden documents show British digital spies use viruses and 'honey traps'

"All of GCHQ's work is carried out in accordance with a strict legal and policy framework," said the agency in a statement, "which ensure[s] that our activities are authorized, necessary and proportionate, and that there is rigorous oversight, including from the Secretary of State, the Interception and Intelligence Services Commissioners and the Parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee. All of our operational processes rigorously support this position."

Huh. Yeah like

IBM nearly HALVES its effective tax rate in 2013 - report

Here in the UK if I want to buy something with retail value of 1.00 I have to pay 1.20 because we have value added tax (VAT).

In order to pay 1.20 I need to earn it plus 20% income tax plus,say, 5% national insurance.

So in order to buy something with retail value 1.00 I pay 1.20 but have to earn about 1.50 with 0.50 of that going to UK Treasury at Whitehall (civil servants palace of luxury).

Something with retail value 1.00 has to have distributor costs and either import or manufacturing costs.

So you see here in the UK whatever we purchase more goes to UK Treasury than to retailer, distributor, manufacturer or importer and that is one reason why a heavy taxation based country does not do service to its citizens.

It does wonders for its civil service elite (mandarins take note) than it does for the nation.

As a PS: I'd guess that UK parliament influences no more than 20% of money going to UK Treasury.

Whatever guvmint decides Whitehall will use its influence over remaining 80% of Treasury income even if that runs contrary to wishes of the elected?

Usually handing over money to individuals employed by the state with no receipt or invoices for services offered is called a bribe.

It is usually delivered in brown paper bags (or so I'm lead to believe).

Hmmm…

["To promote the long-term success of the company (rather than the interests of, say, the majority shareholder)"]

The company is its shareholders.

The company is not its employees unless those employees are also shareholders.

If the company has employees as shareholders it is usually called a co-operative no?

Don't worry IBM ...

… and Google and Starbucks and … (enter multinational of choice recently flamed by UK for smart tax practices).

I may have a precedence setting solution for you all that may be of interest to finance, legal and (most importantly of all I think) PR departments.

Get the chequebooks ready?

Google will dodge EU MONSTER FINES by 'promoting' rival search services

Ah so

Ah so that's why MoS made Bing!

Kinda wondered why for all these years.

Windows 8.1 becomes world's fourth-most-popular desktop OS

You'd think

(I certainly did at - at least for a while)

that OS distributors

(Yes 'doze, *os and 'nix I mean you)

would realise that the public would catch on to the fact that a new operating system or operating system update meant old hardware was made obsolete forcing one to purchase new hardware in order to keep continuity in working methods no?

Operating system update = hardware system downgrade yes?

Cameron: UK public is fine with domestic spying

the damage Snoden caused?

Que?

Shoot the messenger why don't you Dave?

So the murderer isn't the person who pulled the trigger on the firearm but the one who reported who pulled the trigger on the firearm.

Yeah, right dood

Mobe industry quails as Ofcom floats idea of QUADRUPLING 2G spectrum prices

No, not quite.

The biggest danger is to fall into modes of thinking that accepts and permits taxation as the primary means of procurement and the only form of provisioning.

There are other ways but I'd guess that Whitehall does not seek to acknowledge potential alternatives exist (a self interest event?)

What would be nice is to see total gross income (unadjusted) to UK Treasury over last 10 years with emphasis on greatest increaser and greatest decreaser

University boffins build snoop-spotting snitch app

?

The research was funded by an intermediary organisation fully funded by MickeySoft

?