Posts by Peter G Green

Windows code-signing tweaks sure to irritate software developers

So we're back to hardware dongles... It's like the 1980's all over again :-)

Want a Windows 10 update? Don't go to Microsoft ... please

This was the "VERY FIRST" thing I disabled after installing Windows 10 in July 2015. It'd better not get enabled again...

Is Windows 10 ignoring sysadmins' network QoS settings?

Re: @Peter G Green

I didn't say it was perfect. With the way I set up Windows 10 (which is "Minimal" and that should actually be an install option), I actually prefer it to Windows 7. I still prefer Windows XP where everything just worked and feel that both Windows 7 and Windows 10 could learn lessons in usability from Windows XP, but I think Windows 10 is a fine OS.

<Divergence> For any old-timers who use SUBST on local drives for development purposes, has anyone found a Windows 10 method of getting SUBST to work in both "Normal" mode and "Elevated" mode at startup? This is one of the other caveats of Windows 10 use :-) </Divergence>

Re: And still people want to use this POS?

While there are a couple of caveats with using Windows 10, overall, once you've stopped the persistent reporting back to MS (try this AntiBeacon tool: https://www.safer-networking.org/2015/spybot-anti-beacon-privacy-protection-tool/), uninstalled all the apps you'll never use (Sway, Sport, Candy bl**dy crush) and sorted your privacy settings, it's actually pretty good to use.

OK, I'd still prefer a more stripped down version of Windows (ala XP) but you have to move with the times and Windows 10 is a return to form after the disaster that was Windows 8.

I don't feel it deserves the rant you've posted.

Is that light at the end of AMD's dark tunnel, or God sparking up a cig?

I've been waiting for 3 years for a replacement for the 28nm AMD cpus. If Zen doesn't perform (and it needs to be within a sensible percentage of Skylake performance) then I feel this may be the end of AMD. And that would make me sad...

Star Wars Battlefront: Is this the shooter you’re looking for?

I don't really understand the negativity this game is receiving. Yes, underneath the shininess, it's still Battlefield, but with the odd exception (the DL-44 which has just been nerfed) they got the balancing pretty well sorted. The game's presentation is absolutely fantastic, no long loading times, quick player matching. Running around chasing droids in droid run (which I feel it one of the better game modes given the limited number of players allowed) is great fun.

I'm no youngster, but at least I can top the leaderboard occasionally during the game. But, for me, the stand out feature has got to be the forest level of Endor. The lush scenery simply takes your breath away. If you have any interest if gaming and you love Star Wars, you'd be mad to avoid this game.

And I don't like DLC either, so I simply won't buy any. There'll be plenty of people doing the same, so the original levels will always have plenty of player. And there will inevitably be a "Game of the year" edition in due course.

WIN a 6TB Western Digital Black hard drive with El Reg

Wow, this VR is great, but why the hell does that tree have an ear!!!

Microsoft replaces Windows 10 patch update, isn't saying why

Actually, you're disabling the ability of apps to use various elements of the OS (camera, contacts etc). So I'm right, you're wrong [BIG RASPBERRY] :-)

Having detested Win 8 (Win 8.1 was just as bad) I approached Win 10 with a healthy does of skepticism, but after giving the preview a quick going over before the Win 10 release I decided to give it a go on a non-essential laptop. While it's not as consistent as Win 7 (various settings are on different styles of screens, just pick one and go with it MS) it's livable with.

Once you've disabled all the privacy settings, got rid of OneDrive and the awful telemetry stuff, uninstalled the default Apps, then there's actually quite a lot to like. I don't like that you can't uninstall certain Apps (Cortana, XBOX etc) without resorting to Powershell (and some not even then). But perhaps the wishes of the majority may actually allow these to be uninstalled at some future point.

With this first laptop install going well, I've since done upgrades followed by clean installs and straight-forward upgrades on numerous laptops and PC's and not had a hitch at all. So kudos to MS for the upgrade routine.

All in all, I'm happy with it, the clincher for me was the free upgrade to their last OS. Last OS? Well, perhaps not as I don't see MS cutting off a major source of income, but we'll see.

To those who are sitting on the fence, I would say, either use a non-essential PC or build up an old one and give it a whirl. There are plenty of pages showing you how to lock the new OS down, or you may not even care. Either way, I'd give it a try.

Samsung's PCIe flash card: Slim, speedy, and just nibbling power

Mass production in Sammy's foundries beings

Or

Mass production in Sammy's foundries begins

If the former I'm worried about this beings, they may need help...

It's 2015 and a RICH TEXT FILE or a HTTP request can own your Windows machine

Re: Flash Player - or a Prayer?

Call me an old fuddy duddy, but the last good version of Office was 2003. Still using it, still works. Turn off macros and enjoy fast document processing. It installs in seconds, takes very little time to configure, everything is where it should be. I got off the whole "You Must Upgrade Your Office Software Every 2 Years" train many, many years ago :-)

PS. I will now wait for replies calling me a fuddy duddy. I know, I asked for it..

AMD stops shipping chips as bloated channel begs 'Please, no more'

APU's are all well and good, but where are the 22nm CPU only wafers? I've been waiting for 3 years for a new CPU only product from AMD.

I've built a number of AMD A8-7600 PC's for friends and relatives with R9 270's purely because they were the cheapest quad core CPU's offered on FM2+ and coupled with dedicated gfx cards, actually make decent budget gaming PCs. The Athlon 860K is the new contender in that arena, but they seem to have forgotten about the enthusiast crowd. I'd happily pay a decent price for a 22nm AMD CPU - 8 core product. But I don't want to replace my 32nm Phenom with another 32nm FX8, seems a bit pointless...

ASA slaps Ebuyer AGAIN - this time for ignoring regulator

Never had a problem with Ebuyer and am happy to recommend them

When DABS were bought (and immediately ruined) by BT in 2006, I turned to Ebuyer as an alternative supplier. I've had a huge number of orders of varying values and had no problem at all with their returns service or customer service department.

The problem I feel is that people only notice service when it's bad and there will have been problems for some customers. But the "majority" of service from Ebuyer is good or at least satisfactory, at least in my experience. The margins for IT tech suppliers are so lean (and we all benefit from lower prices) so you can't really knock them for trying to limit their returns to the genuine problems.

I recommend Ebuyer to everyone I know. And no I don't work for them or anything related to that. I just like Ebuyer as a supplier and wanted to balance all the other posters who have had problems...

PS. DABS have improved of late, which can only be a good thing.

Far Cry 4 review: It's a far cry from Far Cry 3

Re: Need to re-play Far Cry 3

Little annoyances, like being at the bottom of a large caldera, in a lake, at night, knowing you have a torch on your weapon but being unable to switch on. Fumbling around in the dark until you very nearly give up and increase the brightness on the TV so you can actually see the hand in front of your face.

But I only just got it on Steam at the weekend (£5 for deluxe version) and I love it :-).

Running the Gauntlet: Atari's classic ... now and then

Not wasted. Better than going out, getting drunk and fighting. We had many a very sociable day playing Gauntlet, Stunt Car Racer, Midi Maze etc. And it all ended without a trip to A&E. Well, usually :-)

Followed quickly by "FFS [insert name of stupid friend here], stop shooting the F**KING food !!!".

How practical is an electric car in London?

Re: How to improve the range of electric cars.

Glad to see you're "really" contributing to the discussion...

Re: Electric cars work fine for me

Depends of the deal you get... I picked up a brand new Nissan Leaf on lease for £10K total cost of 3 years (7K miles pa). The battery lease doesn't come into it. So I'm saving well over £100pm in fuel, cheap to insure, no road tax, cheap servicing.

Nissan have even set up a lifetime offer for owners of Leaf cars so they can "borrow" an ICE car, rent free for up to 2 weeks per year. Good enough for a long trip or a few weekend trips.

I agree, they're not for everyone, but mine is great. Takes getting used to, but if your driving habits can stand it, I'd go for electric.

Waiting gamer slams no-show show: E3 – was that it?

Re: Action Quake 2

Oh yes, many an hour was spent on AQ2. Tokyo (small map), action city, Jungle2 etc :-) /me wipes his teary eyes :-)

Astronomers spot hint of first EXOMOON, possibly

Re: That's no moon...

Damn, beat me to it :-)

Visual Studio 2013: 50 Shades of Grey not a worry for MONSTER dev TOOL

Visual Basic 7. Get rid of all the .NET rubbish and give us something useful for a change.

[And yes I still have to develop in VB6. Why? Because it's just too good to be abandoned.]

Ultimate electric driving machine? Yes, it’s the BMW i3 e-car

Re: Fast?

Bexhill pensioner? Me? Hardly... I'm a hard working, 44 year old Software Developer. I've only had to use my wife's car (for longer journeys) twice in 8 months. Electric cars are much more useful than Jeremy Clarkson would have you believe.

And I'd look at the 0-30 time too. Fast enough to annoy some boy racer who was driving very aggressively recently at some traffic lights.

I've owned a Nissan Leaf for the past 8 months, and I can definitely say that you will all be driving electric cars in the next decade. It's fast (enough), comfortable, quiet and reliable. The only issue they need to address is the range. Living with the hills as I do, the quoted range of 100 miles is reduced to 60 miles. If you run the heater (there is no "waste" heat to pump into the place where the meaty bits reside) this range is reduced further still.

Making the car lighter as BMW have done can only be a good thing, and I genuinely hope the range improves once new battery technology we keep hearing about (a battery the size of a current 9v battery with enough power to start your car!!). It's the ONLY bugbear I have about my electric only car. And no, I'm not a "green to be seen" driver, my last car was a 520d, it's purely a cost saving measure given the price of fuel at the moment. I've reduced my monthly fuel cost from circa £130 per month to £40 a month on my electric bill.

You very quickly get into the routine of plugging your car in and charging it overnight. I haven't been to a garage (for fuel or problems) since I bought the car. It's fantastic and if your driving needs are met, I wholeheartedly recommend you at least consider an electric car.

I've sat in and played with the BMW i3, and I can't say I liked it. Nor was it easy to get into the rear seats, but I think with the experience they've gained from making the i3, BMW will make a serious day to day car that is purely electric. Once people start buying electric cars, the economies of scale will kick in and the cars WILL be cheaper. Come on all you lovely techy early adopters, jump in, it's great :-).