Posts by Keith 72

Samsung mocks Apple lawsuit in SuperBowl teaser ad

Re: Even if the average fan doesn't get it

This ad's going to go down a treat. Look at how agitated the AC fanbois are just from the snippet of the ad. Hilarious!

Help us out here: What's the POINT of Microsoft Office 2013?

Re: There is no point.

Here's one reason to upgrade to Office 2013 - you can finally ask excel to open A NEW WINDOW! This feature should have been implemented many versions ago. But I'm happy as I no longer have to open multiple instances of excel to get one spreadsheet on one monitor and a different spreadsheet on the other.

So: 6,500 Win 8 laptops later, how are BT's field engineers coping?

Re: Very good indeed

If you spend most of your time in a front end app then you'd experience very little of the Win8 new experience pain, but you'd gain better power management and faster startup and shutdown times over XP.

Microsoft's Intel-powered Surface Pro to launch in February

Win 8 Registry Improvements

Microsoft can't move away from its dependency on the registry because of all of the 3rd party apps that use it. However, the win 8 registry now automatically defrags the hives as they're loaded and keys are organised according to usage frequency. These factors reduce the disk and memory footprint of the registry and will improve its performance.

‘Anonymous’ hacks Oz Uni’s email to protest bulk iPad buy

Re: hard to argue with what the anon guy said

This anon crusade was a pointless, juvenile and selfish act of a self-righteous, egotistical arsehole.

I'm not a fan of Apple products and I'm very happy with my Android phone. I don't own a tablet, nor feel any particular desire to. However, if my kids get presented with a "free" iPad when they start university then I'm sure they'd be delighted.

I can think of many advantages for a university's IT department in having one device to support for so many users. And they are, unarguably, very user friendly devices. These things cut costs considerably, so the initial cost isn't the only factor. The Apple choice may have been simply because of prestige, but it could also have been because they deem them a better fit with their existing equipment or their staffs knowledge.

I'd agree that tablets are rubbish input devices, but there's plenty of scope at a university for using them from newsletters, timetables, contact information to distributing course notes, presentations, tutorial notes & questions, past papers and endless other material that would normally be shoved around on paper. So another cost saving.

It sounds quite ideal to me for a student to do their work on paper, a desktop or laptop with the slab being used as a question paper or handbook.

Chinese spacecraft JUUUUST avoids smashing into Toutatis

Re: Go Chinese!

It would be brilliant if there were more international co-operation evident. NASA recently released (http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/asteroids/news/asteroid20121214.html) a radar video of Toutatis tumbilng through space how much cooler would have been if it could have shown Chang'e-2 whizzing about too, although I guess scale might be an issue.

Data cops: Facebook privacy plans must be 'modified'

Re: Baaa baaa baaa!

Sounds like you have an idea for a valuable app there...

Re: Baaa baaa baaa!

Pretty obviously. Doesn't stop the bleating crowd from posting it to their timelines though does it?!

Baaa baaa baaa!

In response to the new Facebook guidelines* I hereby declare that my copyright is attached to all of my personal details, illustrations, comics, paintings, professional photos and videos, etc. (as a result of the Berner Convention).

For commercial use of the above, my written consent is needed at all times!

(Anyone reading this can copy this text and paste it on their Facebook Wall. This will place them under protection of copyright laws.) By the present communiqué, I notify Facebook that it is strictly forbidden to disclose, copy, distribute, disseminate, or take any other action against me on the basis of this profile and/or its contents. The aforementioned prohibited actions also apply to employees, students, agents and/or any staff under Facebook's direction or control. The content of this profile is private and confidential information. The violation of my privacy is punished by law (UCC 1 1-308-308 1-103 and the Rome Statute).

*Facebook is now an open capital entity. All members are recommended to publish a notice like this, or if you prefer, you may copy and paste this version. If you do not publish a statement at least once, you will be tacitly allowing the use of elements such as your photos as well as the information contained in your profile status updates.

Surface sales 'modest' so far, Ballmer modestly admits

Re: Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay to expensive

I know... too many 'a's and one too few 'o's.

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay to expensive

You need the keyboard to justify the Surface experience over a tablet IMHO, but that bumps the entry price up to a crazy £479.

Microsoft and Skype to axe world's most popular IM client early 2013

Re: Folk still using IM clients?

I can chat to my facebook friends from skype. Neat huh - it looks like I'm working!

N00bs vs Windows 8: We lock six people in a room with new OS

Re: Charm bar thing....

I totally agree. But still, deliberately exposing newbies to it without letting them watch the video just stinks of a "journalist" skewing the story to try and spin it his way.

Re: Windows on a Mac as a test?

In a VM no less. What a f**king waste of time. The author's clearly trying to show that Win8 sucks by confusing n00bs. Duh. Grow up El Reg.

How about trying the effect of these users with a new laptop running Win8. Will they be totally baffled? Not unless they skip the welcome video.

No more article ratings?

And I was finally going to commend an article by Lewis!

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/09/28/salt_marshes_fight_global_warming actually reports findings without totally biased opinion spoiling it. I've no problem at all with articles about scientists finding yet more variables that make climate prediction science such a difficult challenge.

Facebook given 4 weeks to FULLY SATISFY Irish data commissioner

Maybe they'd settle for some pictures of Kate sunbathing topless?

Ah no, they've already seen those.

Microsofties to get Windows 8 Surface tabs

Re: bit late

Many of MS employees will have been running Win8 since long before developer previews. Get over the freaking start button, it really isn't a big deal.

HTC's 4G patent beef could get iPhone 5 BANNED in US

"Presumably"?!

"Presumably iPads and iPhones have to be imported *into* the US because they are made and assembled in China."

Well that's the standard definition isn't it? It's made in China, so it's imported into the US. The Apply logo doesn't equate to made in the USA.

Amazon to create 5,000 UK jobs in Kindle Fire hire

Nice one!

I'll have a new Kindle Fire for Christmas please Santa.

Windows Server 2012: Smarter, stronger, frustrating

The de-dup isn't useful for the VMs you are running - they'll all be rehydrated when you run the VMs. It's great for libararies of VMs though.

VMware desktop virt refresh lets you run Windows 8 everywhere

Why bother?

Windows 8 has Hyper-V.

NASA: WE'VE FOUND Four-toed NON-HUMAN FOOTPRINTS

Why doesn't someone hack into NASA's computers to find out?

Oh... yeah, because they'll try and extradite you to the US to spend the rest of time in jail.

Windows 8: Download it, then speak YOUR brains

Re: trying it now

I am trying the RTM version now. This is the first time I've run it on tin, I've tried the previews in VMs before and I'm very impressed. I don't usually trust upgrades, I like to do a clean install instead, but this upgraded my Win7 to Win8 very smoothly. I have to log in now using my MS live account to get into my old Win7 account, but that's ok. My Win7 installed games work fine after the upgrade, so why Win8 would force game devs onto Linux is beyond me. Mind you, I'd like to see more games on Linux, so who cares?!

Maxivista doesn't work on Win8, so I'm back to two screens. Hopefully they'll get that sorted out, because Win 8's better than Win 7 on multiple screens - a taskbar on each screen and different desktop backgrounds - so I'd prefer to be using 3 screens.

I've got Hyper-V on my laptop which is awesome and will be a real productivity boost.

Do you disable keyboard access too while you're at it? What security issues are of concern soley with touch input?

Chinese man blows off hands, builds new pair

Hoax?

This can't be real. They're hardly rudimentary - he seems to have control of all his fingers. From his elbow?! Get outta here. Having looked at the photos I'd guess that his right arm has been lost but his left it fine...

First tranche of Windows 8 released via MSDN and TechNet

Re: OK devs, here's your chance to get it right

If you've left it until now, then you'd better get your bloody skates on.

'$199' Surface tablets: So crazy it might work, or just crazy?

If you can do remote desktop and it has a mouse...

... then sign me up!

Arctic ice panics sparked by half-baked sat data

If the ice *has* gone by the end of the decade...

... then waiting until it's gone, to be sure we have enough data, doesn't really seem worthwhile!

Doctor Who to unwrap new sidekick in Christmas TV special

Sod the Olympics

Doctor Who's something that's probably worth watching in HD.

Lenovo iPad-smiting Windows 8 slate slips out

The price isn't what determines if it's a competitior to the iPad, it's what the device can do. As this is Atom based Win8 it's effectively a laptop without a keyboard. If it were ARM based then it would really be just a consumer device (i.e. toy) just like the iPad.

Windows 8 'bad' for desktop users - Gartner's one-word review

When most folk get a new PC or laptop there's invariably some drop in productivity anyway (unless they're using it purely as a thin client) so unless they've upgraded the OS for the hell of it, I don't think there's much additional productiviy loss there.

There's a lot of good stuff new in Win 8; faster boot time and storage spaces are a couple of upsides that work for me.

As it'll be installed on new PCs and laptops soon enough, many will experience the shock and horror of something new that's different to what they're used to. But only a moron will still be struggling after a day or two. I personally find it very pleasant to use (just discovered IE10 has a spell check built in, about time too) and to a casual, over the shoulder, user it looks like I'm using Win 7 - because for 99% of my time that's the experience I'm having.

I'll give myself a thumbs up to counter all the thumbs downs I'll get from the aforementioned morons...

IE9 Flash problems with El Reg?

Re: IE9 Flash problems with El Reg?

Everything appears to be working fine now. Thanks!

IE9 Flash problems with El Reg?

Am I the only one that's having regular problems reading the register using IE9 (from Windows Server 2008 R2)? It very regularly hangs up IE with the whole thing going to the "(Not Responding)" mode. I have no problems with other sites.

The only third party toolbars or browser extensions I have enabled is for Shockwave Flash Object from Adobe. If I disable this then your site seems to work correctly, but obviously I don't want to disable Flash, I'm not on an iPad!

Microsoft posts first-ever quarterly loss

bing's RSS desktop theme is a much appreciated waste of money!

Their photo's are so good, I feel embarrassed every time I pick up my camera. But obviously, they're not going to make any money on them and I doubt that they work terribly well at advertising their search engine.

Microsoft picks October 26 for Windows 8 launch

Re: I'm thinking of buying a new PC

They'll probably just offer a free upgrade to Win8, so I shouldn't imagine it'll be a window of opportunity to get a bargain.

Re: Oh God

I'll find the Storage Spaces functionality very useful.

What's with all the Vista comparisons?

Vista sucked because of excessive minimum requirements, poor performance and compatibility problems with peripherals because they'd rushed it to market without adequately preparing the ecosystem. Windows 8 is not going to have those problems. It's got a new user interface. Oooh. Get over it. You can either embrace it and possibly like it, or you can take a couple of easy painless steps to work around it and move on.

'Amazon plans iPhone-killing Android mobe' – report

What about the Kindle Fire?

Google's Nexus release will do well in the UK because Amazon can't be bothered to push the Fire outside of the US.

If they're considering going after the iPhone will that be in the US only too?

No one watches TV, Nielsen, and you know it

Advert Free TV

I subscribe to BT Vision because their on demand services are ad free. I will only pay for a service that is ad free, which is the reason I have never subscribed to Sky.

I always PVR TV as I hate watching ads. It's a shame really, as many of them are very entertaining. I guess the worst thing about ads is their repetition.

But ad breaks do serve a useful purpose, they are usually at the end of a "chapter" so as not to be too jarring and they give folk left in the room some entertainment whilst others do the ubiquitous TV watching necessities of visiting the toilet, putting the kettle on, getting another beer, etc. Often we fast forward ads and then hit pause until we're all back in the room. Perhaps someday these pauses will get auto-filled with ads.

Maybe they should have skippable VOD ads with YouTube like ratings - which will give the content provider data on viewing figures and possibly reward viewers by giving them options about how often they see different ads and letting them never see the bad ones ever again.

Charge of the Metro brigade: Did Microsoft execs plan to take a hit?

Start Menu Workaround

A quick hack to get most of the start menu functionality when running Win 8 is to add a new Toolbar to the taskbar and have it point to the folder "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu". Then just remember when you're running your day to day apps to pin them to the taskbar and you can probably do a whole days work within the "Desktop app" without resorting to the pointless (unless you can point) metro start nonsense.

Elementary my dear Watson. Not. ;-)