Posts by MrRtd

Google Chrome calculates your autoplay settings so you don't have to - others disagree

I use Firefox Beta on Android, and uBlock Origin works.

ReactOS 'a ripoff of the Windows Research Kernel', claims Microsoft kernel engineer

Well, Microsoft can clear this up by opening up the code. As long as it's closed-source there really isn't any reason to believe anything they say.

Munich council: To hell with Linux, we're going full Windows in 2020

Re: Politics is nothing to do with it.

Only someone that hasn't paid attention to what's going on here would say it has nothing to do with politics.

New York Police scrap 36,000 Windows smartphones

Re: Why does she still have that job??

In her case yes she is obviously overpaid. But otherwise most civil servants get paid a livable fair wage (at least where I live in Canada). Oh and yes even with a union if you fuck up enough you do get fired. The union just makes sure there is just cause and treated fairly. But I suppose you think big bad unions are so unfair protecting their workers from the whims of managers and negotiating better deals for them than those workers would get otherwise.

Ubuntu 15.10: More kitten than beast – but beware the claws

Re: the window control buttons are on the wrong side

I completely agree. I've tried regular Ubuntu a few times and never really liked it; on the other hand, Kubuntu provides a desktop that I like.

Kubuntu Upgrade 14.10 to 15.04

I decided against doing the dist-upgrade and did a fresh install to avoid much of the messiness going from KDE4 to KDE/Plasma 5. I am expecting the upgrade to 15.10 to be painless experience.

Ubuntu Wily gaggle builds 15.10 beta beachhead

Re: Plasma 5 regressions = features

Or the devs could listen to the users and give them what they want, rather than passive-aggressively pushing users around into alternate and ultimately unnecessary (by some) software by "upgrading" software whilst removing features, when all that needed to be done is maintain existing features that are not broken and used by many.

Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations stalled until November

Re: The TPP can best be served by...

I suspect the reason the US is out of whack with the rest of the world is that many of the multinational corporations that are insiders of the TPP are of American origin, and they want the other countries to submit to their ways which benefit them.

GOOGLE GMAIL ATE MY LINUX: Gobbled email enrages Torvalds

Re: Does not compute!

Who's this Shirley you're talking about? Surely Shirley should have been surely.

KILLER! Adobe Flash, Windows zero-day vulns leak from Hacking Team raid

Re: And this is why...

Besides using ublock an Adblock alternative, I have set Flash as click to activate. Oh, I wouldn't have any problems with ordinary ads, but it's the damn tracking that built into them.

Buh bye fakers? Amazon tweaks customer product reviews system

Re: BS, there is no will at Amazon, tech won't help.

Followed the link you provided, and was not disappointed. Based on a quick look over the reviews by the reviewer Alex, I've deduced that Alex is either a man or a woman, has children which at least one is a daughter, is over-weight, buys many life changing books, has an iphone because s/he buys lots of accessories, into photography, has a dog, into programming with Python, and every review is 4 or 5 stars. A total of 183 reviews since April 2015. Is Alex an amazonian-shopaholic or something else?

Microsoft dumps ARM for Atom with cut-price Surface 3 fondleslab

Re: MS is trapped

It's systemd, not systemD.

Avast there: MEELLIONS of Androiders scuttled by 'adware' game app

Re: Scrabble babble

Several years ago, I had a Samsung Stunt bar phone, I bought EA's Scrabble outright and never had to deal with ads. Nowadays EA is more interested in milking you for your money than selling you an enjoyable gaming experience.

One Sync to rule them all: How Microsoft plans to fix OneDrive

This is one of those web-trends that are useless and user-unfriendly, just adding unnecessary scrolling. Most often the photo's are of no practical use and add nothing to the message. I don't even bother looking at them anymore.

VPN users reckon Netflix is blocking them

Is Netflix contemplating suicide?

Netflix will lose this customer if they start blocking access. The whole reason for my Netflix subscription is because I can access all their content thanks to VPN services.

No doubt the big media companies are behind this, as we all know they are averse to providing easy cheap worldwide access to content including content that should have been in the public domain years ago if copyright laws weren't bastardized.

Couch potatoes relax: Netflix scores big STREAMING TV PATENT win

Re: great, fine, congratulations

Buying a VPN service is relatively cheap and the software is super easy to install and use, then you can enjoy Netflix from any country your VPN service has servers and Netflix operates. I don't think anyone needs to be tech savvy to do this and I'd argue if a person isn't capable of this, they probably shouldn't be using a computer.

Gorilla Glass maker gobbles Samsung's fibre optic biz

Re: Best Known?

For us in our 30's or older, would think Corning is best known for their former household products such as CorningWare, but today's younger crowd especially in IT would think equate Corning with Gorilla Glass.

TPP takes another tiny step forward

I seriously doubt that Canada would withdraw, even if the Liberals or NDP takeover next year.

Microsoft's TV product placement horror: CNN mistakes Surface tabs for iPAD stands

Re: I hate product placement...

Good product placement is when it's done discreetly, practically subliminal. It should never be obvious.

Trolls pop malformed heads above bridge to sling abuse at Tim Cook

Re: Personally

If the Westboro Cult is protesting you, you're most likely doing something right!

Redmond top man Satya Nadella: 'Microsoft LOVES Linux'

Embrace, extend and extinguish

Hey, iPhone 6 fanbois: Apple's bonk to 'Pay' app IS GO

Re: Anybody here use Google Wallet before?

Head over to Reddit, plenty-o-thumbs-down for asking questions.

Adobe CSO offers Oracle security lesson: Go click-to-play

Re: I make flash run as Click to play

Rather than using flashblock, I just changed the settings for the Flash plugin to Ask to Activate. You will also get prompted to activate Flash on sites that have no reason for using flash except for those secret Flash cookies.

Jony Ive: Flattered by rivals' designs? Nah, its 'theft'

This guy is an iDouche.

I've got a new Linux box, how does it work... WOAH, only asking :-/

Ha!

Windows is too hard for Windows users.

Windows 10 feedback: 'Microsoft, please do a deal with Google to use its browser'

Re: Stop. Just Stop.

Firefox doesn't bundle any crap that I'm aware of, do you mind giving an example?

?

But all the other browsers look similar to Firefox Australis, so I don't see what point there was in switching. Plus with Firefox you are able to make it look and act just like the older versions (something I and many others have done).

HP's axe swings AGAIN: 5,000 more staffers for the chop

Makes you wonder what work if any, all of these thousands of workers were doing.

But with more layoffs, the stock should surely go higher. We all know those job creator investors love it when layoffs are announced.

Vanished blog posts? Enterprise gaps? Welcome to Windows 10

I tried out Windows 10 yesterday for a few hours. Aesthetically, it quite boring. Just more flat square blandness (I feel that Win7 was prettier). It was nice to unpin all the Tiles from the start menu, which is a huge improvement over Win8 start screen.

What I don't really like is the requirement of having an online Microsoft account and the defaults are a concern in relation to privacy. I especially hate the "Not recommended" suggestions Microsoft displays when turning off online connectivity for various apps. Then to uninstall pre-installed apps, you wont find them in the usual place (Programs section of the Control Panel), rather you need to go to PC Settings, Search and apps, App sizes. Maybe this will change, but for now it appears somewhat disorganized.

Overall I'm not really that impressed, the default pushes all things "cloudy", which to may appeal to some but not so much for anyone valuing privacy.

NYC, LA mayors hammer Comcast-Time Warner Cable merger

Re: Just Say No

Apparently some mayors and non-profit organizations that received donations from Comcast have written the FCC, stating that they support the merger.

Talk about blatant payoffs. No need for fat brown envelopes when they can legally bribe just about anyone.

GitHub.io killed the distro star: Why are people so bored with the top Linux makers?

So I decided to check what the trends for Microsoft Windows, Windows 7, Windows 8, Andoid, iOS, OS X, Apple and Macintosh. I found that all the Windows' had declines, Apple/OS X/macintosh has steady with slight decline, then iOS is pretty bumpy (presumably due to their hyped up releases), and Android had made gains and seems steady.

So not sure what to take from these stats, but there may be a correlation between the falling sales/interest of desktop/laptops and the raise of mobile devices/tablets, and one thing is for sure and that is marketing is probably one of the weakest areas of any Linux distribution.

EU justice chief blasts Google on 'right to be forgotten'

If you want Google search to forget, you need to have the source altered or removed. Why is it so hard for anyone to understand that Google is the tool to find information, and if the information is there, I expect at minimum that Google provides that information uncensored.

A few years ago, I found some miss-information about myself thanks to Google. I used that opportunity to contact the website and had it removed, which eventually lead to Google forgetting about it.

This is a clear case of shoot the messenger. The EU has got this law completely wrong, and should focus on the source of the privacy concerns.

Americans to be guinea pigs in vast chip-and-PIN security experiment

I don't know about anyone else, but I like my chip-and-pin and contactless cards. Banks and anyone who has worked in retail know that it is rare a signature is accurately verified.

It appears that some US banks are using these cards as an excuse to pass on the fraud costs to the consumer. I suspect they will offer fraud insurance at an additional cost. Remember it's all about reducing their costs and making more money from you.

Microsoft throws old versions of Internet Explorer under the bus

Re: Product to Service

This is true. However going the purely subscription-based model is not ideal for all users or for all software.

I believe there should be a choice between buy once use forever (with a time limited support period) or the subscription model.

Dr Dre's crew gets Beats-down from Apple: 200 jobs to go – report

Re: 200 'mostly in' HR?

"the layoffs will happen in HR, finance and other areas where there’s overlap between the two firms."

Microsoft's Euro cloud darkens: US FEDS can dig into foreign servers

Re: US Tech Companies

I decided to go with a non-free non-USA email provider earlier this year. The email provider I chose seems to value users privacy, based on the research I did.

Android busted for carrying Fake ID: OS doesn't check who really made that 'Adobe' plugin

Could security be handled in a more inefficient manner? Google really screwed up this aspect of Android. Millions of users are left vulnerable because Google left the distribution of security updates to manufacturers and carriers, both of which have an economic interest in not providing updates, oh and lets not forget Google's own ridiculously short Android support term of 18 months.

Indie ISP to Netflix: Give it a rest about 'net neutrality' – and get your checkbook out

This ISP simply wants to charge both ends just like Comcast. The fact is the customers want this content and are already paying the ISP for access. I wouldn't be surprised if there is some underhanded monetary transaction with Comcast as they'll stop at nothing to get their monopolistic way.

Microsoft swings axe at 18,000 bods in its largest ever round of layoffs

Re: Epic Failure = Increased share price.

I always find it disturbing that every time a big publicly traded company lays off a huge chunk of employees the share prices always go up, basically the "market" is celebrating the removal of thousands of jobs.

Brit celebs' homes VANISH from Google's Street View

Re: It's on Bing

Damn Bing maps street view requires the Silverlight plugin. Thanks but no thanks.

Use Tor or 'extremist' Tails Linux? Congrats, you're on an NSA list

"Delete your cache now and put on a tin-foil helmet as soon as possible!" - My God, I thought it was only a tin-foil hat that was needed.

Microsoft thumbs nose at NSA, hardens crypto for Outlook, OneDrive

Thumbs nose at NSA?

Is this some kind of a joke, because as everyone with half a brain knows, this is just security theatrics, as far as the NSA/US Government is concerned.

MIT and CERN's secure webmail plan stumped by PayPal freeze

I see a lot of people saying "don't use Paypal", but none have offered a widely available international solution that is comparable.

Visa and Mastercard could easily offer expanded services that are identical to PayPal, but I am assuming since they haven't yet, that they are not interested in anything besides their core business. Google already is a privacy nightmare so that option is dead. Amazon has a new service, but it too can easily be arbitrary just like PayPal. Interac doesn't have the same online presence and is tied to a bank account rather than being an option like Paypal. So for many people, PayPal is still a major option that cannot be easily ignored.

Google adds 'data protection' WARNING to Euro search results

I feel that the responsibility for removal of personal information lies with the actual websites that have your information. Google just facilitates the search. I am all for the right to be forgotten, but lets deal with the source of the "problem", get the host of said information to delete it. When the source is removed, it will then eventually be removed from Google.

Apple's Irish tax lair to be probed by European Commission

Re: And here I thought

You're quick to assume it's all legal. Unless there is an audit, you cannot be sure.

Redmond is patching Windows 8 but NOT Windows 7, say security bods

Maybe there is a valid reason, or maybe it's intentional. You can never really trust Microsoft's intentions, history has proven that time and time again.

Latest Snowden leak claims NSA bugged ALL mobile calls in the Bahamas

But I read today the US Government is charging some Chinese officials for spying? Do as I say, and not as I do. That's must be the US Government motto these days.

Firefox, is that you? Version 29 looks rather like a certain shiny rival

Classic Theme Restorer is your friend.

Firefox should have really made people aware of the monstrosity they were about unleash upon their loyal users. It was my understanding that Add-ons/Extensions were supposed to enhance your browser not something to restore usability.

Microsoft signs Motorola to Android patent pact – no, not THAT Motorola

What scam software patents are. This is a clear example of the "innovation" it's supposed to create and protect.

Ever since the first couple of Android distributors signed these extortion agreements, it has had a snowball effect. The mafia would be very proud of Microsoft.

This is among many reasons I avoid Microsoft products and services as much as possible.

Ex–Apple CEO John Sculley: Ousting Steve Jobs 'was a mistake'

I doubt Apple would be where it is today, had Steve stayed at Apple right through.