Posts by Patrician

Europe hits Meta, Apple with €700M in fines for flouting DMA

Re: Cue the snowflake whinging

I really hope everybody stays at home; no protests, no onlookers, only deserted empty streets. As a narcist, Trump would be humiliated much more that by protests.

America's National Science Foundation tells DEI, misinfo studies: You're fired

Re: There are only 2 sexes

Actual literal real world biological people born intersex prove you and the judges wrong.

Americans set to pay more on all imports: Trump activates blanket tariffs

Re: Liberals

That is a really uneducated comment; none of those you listed are "liberals".

Microsoft tastes the unexpected consequences of tariffs on time

Re: The BREXIT Bonus

Can you point out specific ways that they’re not being delivered efficiently now?

China's EV champ BYD reveals super-fast charging that leaves Tesla eating dust

Re: Aaaarrghh

Fuel cells are not the answer; they take electrical energy to produce the hydrogen, that is then converted back to electrical energy to power the vehicle. Losses are incurred both ways; better to cut out the hydrogen "middleman" and use straight electrical.

OK, Google: Are you killing Assistant and replacing it with Gemini?

Re: A new experience

Well, that is the question isn’t it; what about my Nvidia Shield TV, Google TV, Max hub etc? I use assistant on those much more that I do on my phone.

UK must give more to ESA to get benefits of space industry boom, says Brian Cox

Re: spend more

There's always one:-

Key benefits of the space industry, just a very short list:

Communication Technologies:

Satellite communication networks enabling global connectivity

GPS navigation systems for precise location tracking

Improved telecommunications infrastructure in remote areas

Environmental Monitoring:

Satellite imagery for tracking deforestation, climate change, and natural disasters

Monitoring weather patterns and forecasting severe weather events

Oceanographic research and monitoring

Disaster Response:

Rapid assessment of disaster damage through satellite imagery

Communication support during emergency situations

Efficient coordination of relief efforts

Healthcare:

Development of new medical technologies and treatments through space research

Telemedicine applications connecting remote areas to medical professionals

Advanced imaging techniques like MRI and CT scans

Navigation and Transportation:

Precise navigation systems for maritime and aviation industries

Optimized logistics and delivery routes

Development of autonomous vehicle technology

Materials Science:

Creation of new materials with superior properties by utilizing microgravity conditions

Advanced manufacturing techniques like 3D printing optimized for space applications

Scientific Discovery:

Understanding of the universe, planets, and celestial bodies

Research on the effects of space radiation and microgravity on the human body

Exploration of potential resources in space like asteroids and the moon

Economic Growth:

Job creation within the space industry and related sectors

Innovation and technology transfer to other industries

Investment opportunities in space-based services and infrastructure

Apple drags UK government to court over 'backdoor' order

"So we need people to actively use encryption and private messaging as a matter of habit, all the time, not just for exceptional items. Otherwise using encryption will mark you out as a person to be suspicious of."

I use WhatsApp for all messages a phone calls for that very reason and run a VPN on my 4/5G service on my phone.

Trump nukes 60 years of anti-discrimination rules for federal contractors

“workers who are now paid more”

Trickle down economics doesn’t work, has never worked and never will work; wealth stops at the top and goes no further. Fourteen years of Tory government demonstrates that.

Christmas 1984: The last hurrah for 8-bit home computers

Re: The video game crash of 1983

Have a beer for the Mote in Gods Eye reference

Guide for the perplexed – Google is no longer the best search engine

Just tried Perplexity AI and as a search tool it’s pretty useless; searching for, for instance, “nvidia” provides an overview of Nvidia the company, but what I wanted was a link to their website. So not that useful really.

Now Online Safety Act is law, UK has 'priorities' – but still won't explain 'spy clause'

Re: But...HOW?

If the service has no infrastructure in the UK and is just a web service, like FaceBook, UK law will not apply; the website/service could be banned and blocked in the UK but the owning companies would not be subject to UK laws.

Re: But...HOW?

It wasn't; the website/app was banned in Brazil.

Re: But...HOW?

This law is for public relations only and will be impossible to enforce. The majority of the "tech" companies involved are not UK companies and would not be subject to UK laws anyway. Woe betide any government that came between the great unwashed and Facebook!!!

Imagine a land in which Big Tech can't send you down online rabbit holes or use algorithms to overcharge you

Re: Some good ideas but at what cost

I think this happens because "anyone mildly disagreeing with the prevailing orthodoxy" is arguing against LGBTQ civil/human rights in some way.

Unbreakable Voyager space probes close in on a 50 year mission

Re: CVHOAXdtcm

Wow, what a great way to show how little science you understand; you’re correct in that there is no combustion, in space, but rockets do not rely on combustion or thrust for their acceleration in the same way an aircraft does.

The combustion happens inside the engines using a fuel and an oxidant, these two combine to “burn” and cause the gases to expand and its’ that expansion that causes acceleration using Newtons 3rd law of motion; “for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction”.

You can demonstrate this for yourself by using some roller-skates and throwing a house brick behind you; the result will be that you move in the opposite direction to the way you threw the brick.

Huawei's farewell to Android isn't a marketing move, it's chess

Re: Can't understand the apps

But the "few good basic ones" are a different set of a few good basic ones that I need/use; now multiply that difference by the multiple millions and you'll find the need for "gajillions of apps".

NHS would be hit by 'significant' costs if UK loses EU data status, warn Lords

Re: The reality of Brexit...

"they are looking in the crystal ball and guessing"

So are you

Re: The reality of Brexit...

"it was done and not a bad thing"

Care to post all the, measurable, positives the UK has benefitted from since leaving the EU?

Lebanon: At least nine dead, thousands hurt after Hezbollah pagers explode

Re: Conspiracy

They could do the same to any vehicle with smart equipment; doesn't need to an EV to be able to do that.

So you paid a ransom demand … and now the decryptor doesn't work

Re: Hope springs eternal

Have a beer for the Discworld reference

Boeing's Calamity Capsule returns to Earth without a crew

Re: Helium?

They were leaking before it launched though.

Re: What’s the point?

How very short sighted and unimaginative of you!

What is this computing industry anyway? The dawning era of 32-bit micros

Re: Meanwhile, at home...

The joys of a multi-config autoexec.bat; I remember running the below:-

1. Using a QEMM config

2. Using Himem

3. Standard

4. Stripped out bare minimum for Ulitima 8

5. Using unidriver.sys for Sim City 3000 and Transport Tycoon (My graphic card at the time had the capability to run VESA but some games for some reason, just would not detect that capability hence the use of unidriver.sys)

'Right to switch off' initiative aims to boost economy by beating burnout

Re: Hmm

@codejunky

"As much as they choose to work for"

And if all employers are offering similar terms and conditions as they do in the U.S. what happens then?

Re: Hmm

I bet you still believe trickle down economics works too?

Julian Assange to go free in guilty plea deal with US

Re: Embassy

How even minded of you.

Re: Embassy

Sorry that happened but that does not mean that all rape allegations are by, default, true.

Re: Embassy

"Let's call it what it was, it was an allegation of rape"

Exactly, that's what it was; an "allegation" only.

Battery electric vehicles lose their spark in Europe as hybrids steal the show

Re: EV

"the air in cities has never been cleaner"

Does not mean it can't be even cleaner, nor does it mean it shouldn't be cleaner.

Not all hybrids are battery hybrids though.

"Range was also a factor, with non-BEV drivers wanting at least 500 km of range,"

500km is 310 miles; most new BEV's can get that range, so they've got what they ask for....

Venerable ICQ messaging service to end operations in June

Re: Definition of "enshittification"

"from an eBay seller"

Who will almost certainly be a Chinese outlet selling "cheap and awful Chinese items of highly dubious quality".

Brexit border system outage puts perishable goods transport in peril

Re: "dozens of lorries were being held at the government's control post... for up to 20 hours"

"Eh? Are you blaming the power outage or bureaucratic hold-ups? And either of those is brexit?"

The "bureaucratic hold ups" wouldn't exist if not for brexit.

Re: "As is still the case."

"At what point? We were in the transition period since voting leave in 2016 so which bit did you get wrong?"

As we were within the transition period we were still fully subject to all EU regulations.

"Technically yes. In theory. Less so in practice. But it does assume the UK gov being better run than all the member govs and the EU gov."

So you agree with me then?

"That is because we were outside the EU by that point"

As pointed out above, although we were in the transition phase, we were still completely subject to all EU regulations; but we still managed to source our own vaccines and not be a part of the vaccine fund.

Re: Laurel & Hardy in "Nothing but Brexit "

It wasn't happening prior to brexit though...

Re: "dozens of lorries were being held at the government's control post... for up to 20 hours"

The subject of this article is the obvious one.

Re: "As is still the case."

>"vaccine procurement. Also not being part of the covid bailout fund."

We were still in the EU at that time, thus proving that being out or in the EU made no difference; we were always able to procure our own vaccines and not be a part of the fund, but you know that, or should do, don't you?

Re: "dozens of lorries were being held at the government's control post... for up to 20 hours"

.>"I am amused you make up my opinion so you actually have something to argue against but no. I voted leave because it was better for the UK than remaining. As is still the case."

There is plenty of evidence to the contrary now.

You want us to think of the children? Couldn't agree more

Or here's a thought; get parents back parenting. This isn't an IT issue, it's a parenting issue; many these days seem to think that parenting is somebody else's job, the school, the government, the man at the corner shop. Anyone but the parents themselves.

Ten years since the first corp ransomware, Mikko Hyppönen sees no end in sight

"staff are properly educated against phishing attempts"

This is the biggest problem, despite the training users till click links they shouldn't or open attachments....

Elon Musk's latest brainfart is to turn Tesla cars into AWS on wheels

Would this be even legal? The vehicles, computers in them and the power used would be the property of the owner of the car, not Musk?

Politicians call for ban on 'killer robots' and the curbing of AI weapons

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/sep/21/fracking-wont-work-uk-founder-chris-cornelius-cuadrilla

Help! My mouse climbed a wall and now it doesn't work right

My mother, maysherestinpeice, never go the hang of a mouse; this was back in the early 90’s, when she wanted the pointer to go up the screen she would lift it, physically, off the mouse mat. She got better as time when on, but she never lost the instinct to do that and I often watched her starting to lift the mouse up before correcting herself.

Microsoft really does not want Windows 11 running on ancient PCs

Re: Alternative

A Steam Deck handheld is not a PC, although it is impressive what they’ve got working on the platform.

Running Windows games under Wine/Proton works but they don't run as well as under their native OS, I know, I’ve done it; there are audio issues and framerates are lower, and using mods is much more of a complication that on Windows, and they can be very temperamental under that OS.

Re: Alternative

And if you need Sage? And if you rely on some bespoke software that only runs on Windows? And for gaming Steam does not have you covered if the games you want to play do not have a Linux versions; what if you want to play Fallout 4 with mods using the script extender that requires a Windows executable to hook into? Same question for Skyrim, Fallout New-vegas, and there are many more games that do not have Linux versions.

Don't rent out that container ship yet: CIOs and biz buyers view AI PCs with some caution

I can see a case for AI/Co-pilot with marketing types, it will help them send out even more BS than they normally can, and for analysing big data sets such as JWST data; but who will verify the output of that analysis? Another AI model? Code writing possibly but for the average person, day to day, I don’t, at the moment, see a usage case.

(Mind I’ve not the best forecaster to be honest, I spent quite some time stating that I couldn’t see a usage case for the 1st generation of tablets)

Tesla Cybertruck turns into world's most expensive brick after car wash

Re: So much for the resilience of Stainless Steel - Re; 40% TAXES

Michelle Mone would be able to tell you where some went....

Mars helicopter sends final message, but will keep collecting data

Have you watched "Good Night Oppy"? So much dust got in my eyes whatching that....

Post Office slapped down for late disclosure of documents in Horizon scandal inquiry

Re: her credibility for preaching & giving sermons on Christian values

That sound like the one.