Posts by Doctor Syntax

Remember when Lenovo sold PCs with Superfish adware? It just got a mild scolding from FTC

"But in fact for years it's been my policy to wipe the hard drive and clean install any new PC as part of setting up."

IIRC the problem with this was that if you reinstalled Windows the firmware would just reinstall Lenovo's "enhancements".

"Lenovo said while it disagrees with the allegations"

On what basis? Are they saying they didn't do it at all or that they weren't wrong to do it? I'm not sure which is worse but maybe the latter. Neither interpretation says anything good about them. It would have been far more reassuring if they'd admitted it was wrong. As things stand it labels them as not to be trusted.

Twitter is just randomly deleting people's lists – and no one knows why

Treny word use doesn't necessarily mean what it says

"Twitter has silently, and without warning, deleted reams of lists users have spent months curating."

Curating means taking care of things. Simply building a list of stuff perceived to be important without backing it up doesn't really amount to taking care.

"except they care enough to read an article on a platform they apparently don't use"

You don't get it?

"laughing at people"

That's why we read it.

Re: Give the users a break

"Lists are actually incredibly useful"

If so, why leave them on someone else's computer?

Facebook claims a third more users in the US than people who exist

One of my frequent comments on advertising is that the advertising industry never produces net statistics for its outcomes; they don't measure the number of potential or actual customers put off by persistent pestering.

In response there'll be occasional replies that the industry employs statisticians who thoroughly examine results. Given that the industry doesn't seem to have spotted this one I think I'll stick with my original thought: it doesn't and daren't measure what their activities actually achieve.

"a new channel for regular information on metrics enhancements."

Metrics enhancements. You don't say!

Re: What Is The Point of Facebook ?

"Genuine question - what is the point of facebook ?"

To make money.

Re: "...18 to 24-year-olds..."

"Only the queen only has 2 birthdays. Nobody has more than that."

I've had over 70 already.

Re: Dual accounts?

"Facebook has no mechanism to proceed since Facebook has zero customer service"

What you mean is that it has no product service. You're not a customer.

Facebook's music plans mean you'll never leave Facebook

"Facebook's music plans mean you'll never leave Facebook"

You might not even be there so why would you leave. https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/09/06/facebook_claims_more_users_than_exist/

Microsoft extends free Windows 10 S to Win 10 Pro upgrade offer

"I bought an LG Smart TV that had Skype pre-installed so went out and bought an LG Cam to Skype with my family."

Hope springs eternal.

"a more secure locked down environment would be better if it was a mode you could turn on once your PC was how you wanted it, a simple toggle switch."

That would need to be a hardware switch otherwise all the malware writers would be going for it.

Re: Being forced to use Bing can easily scare any propesctive buyers

"when your only meaningful competition is Google in the thing that Google do best, you're bound to look crap."

BT runs a free hosting service for community groups under some community obligation. Google doesn't find these sites, Bing does. An aspect of search at which Google isn't best. There may be others.

It's official: Users navigate flat UI designs 22 per cent slower

Re: Semi visible text

"now, if El Reg could fix the font size in the edit box for comments"

Tell them that that's why you use so many caps and if the text was a decent size you wouldn't. They'd probably prioritise the change.

Re: A serious question.

And "Cogs".

Yup, those too. What does a cog say to the rest of us? This is a moving part.

Re: The studies were done in the 80s

"Forgetting past studies about flat design is another sign that people in Computer Science need to have a better training in science."

This is all about art-based designers - sorry, Designers. Scientists, computer or otherwise, need no apply.

You're looking at it wrong

Users aren't spending more time trying to understand the page. They're lingering there to admire the cool design.

Re: Fashion victims

"every GUI using it looks like coming from 1982. No surprise it's also inefficient."

Actually the example you linked is efficient. There are relatively few objects systematically laid out, you can navigate them with the keyboard, menus are clearly labelled, there are no extraneous graphics and there's no cause to wonder where you are on the screen. It's everything a modern flat design is not.

"On small screens, a flatter UI can have some advantages because it uses less screen space"

Could have. But my bank with its flat design uses so much white space on its web site that I can't use it without maximising the browser window and they've even taken to adding text hints about where to click as a substitute for a control that might be out of sight. Lunatics and asylums.

Re: Balls

"If you don't know by looking at a webpage where you can click then you should go back to licking windows."

No. The designer should go back to whatever. If the user can't use the interface the designer should be held to account.

Re: Mr Nielsen

"Oooh, lovely text only interface."

It might not be pretty but you don't have to hunt for the functions and that's a win.

I can imagine the flat interface carried over into a self-driving car. Suddenly the car announces you have to take control. You look around and can't find the steering wheel or brake and the accident is fast approaching...

Re: To all that replied.

"Thank you!"

You're welcome.

Re: A serious question.

One gem of the flat style is the so-called hamburger menu. On a reasonable design if you have a link which expands to give a choice it will at least be labelled "Menu" and might even be in the form of a button. Or it might even be a series of first level items on a menu bar - much like our beloved "DATA CENTRE SOFTWARE" etc menu across the top of elReg and each then dropping down to give more choices. With a hamburger menu you get 3 short lines, supposedly a schematised drop-down list but looking equally like a schematised hamburger. This will be lurking in an odd corner somewhere and quite possibly looking much like some of the other irrelevant bits of graphic design on the page.

Re: @artem

"at the time Microsoft desperately wanted to be Apple (as opposed to now, when they desperately want to be Google)"

I thought they wanted to be both of those and Amazon.

Re: Personally

And they'd all be called "!!!!!AAA__Aardvark TV"

A user friendly EPG would establish the user's channel preference by frequency of use and order by that, or at least put the most frequently used few first and the rest in alpha order.

Re: Personally

Upvoted for processing power akin to a small legume.

Kurat võtku! Estonia identifies security risk in almost 750,000 ID cards

Re: "digital government, huh?"

"Perhaps someone would care to explain?"

Let me answer that with another question. Have you heard of "single point of failure"?

UK not as keen on mobile wallets as mainland Europe and US

Re: Define "regularly"

"Personally it just means I only need to carry one thing, after all it's replaced the walkman, books, the camera, the calculator, the diary, the alarm clock, the address book, the Filofax... the library even..."

How convenient ot be able to lose all those in one go.

Re: So?

"earn interest on the money still in your bank account"

At current interest rates? ROFL.

Thousands of hornets swarm over innocent fire service drone

If the drones attract the hornets send them up with a flypaper payload.

Re: Can I get a pinch of salt?

"They live like f*** 4000km+ away from each other."

It's the Mail. Their stock response would be that they're all immigrants here.

Re: "drone was attacked by the hornets while being used [..] to locate the creatures' nest"

"He cemented it up and figured that it was all sorted"

Best thing is to get the insecticidal foam. Either they fail to get through (I've seen them milling around without actually trying to get through) it or they carry it back to the nest. Either way is effective. Then cement it up.

Re: "Scumbags" is understating matters

No, and before you ask, no cane toads either.

Smart meters: 'Dog's breakfast' that'll only save you 'a tenner' – report

Re: I want a smart water meter

"Wyrdness, in all honesty and sincerity, it sounds like your toilet is leaking."

I think you missed the point that his water isn't metered.

Re: It already exists...

"I'd be over £200/year better off. Win."

That can't be allowed. Your tariffs will be changed to ensure you lose.

Re: Benefits - *cough* 1972 *cough*

"For those that didn't vote, then the only sensible interpretation is that those people wanted to go with the majority"

An alternative only sensible interpretation is that they thought it didn't matter anyway because it was only an advisory referendum and would be followed by a binding one if it went in favour of leave.

A further only sensible interpretation is that they thought it was such a damn-fool idea it would have been voted down without their input (a damn-fool attitude in itself but one we see mentioned here from time to time along the lines of "I don't vote because my vote wouldn't count anyway").

Re: Benefits

"but right now we have already left"

No we have not. We have started the process to leave.

Re: Benefits

"Your right. But since the EU did not exist then you are probably remembering a different vote. Maybe something to do with a common market?"

This (apart from "Your") is something on which we can agree. There should have been referenda on Maastricht and Lisbon treaties with a requirement for super-majorities to ratify them. That really should be a requirement for any substantial constitutional change. That undoubtedly leaves a democratic deficit to which it's reasonable to object.

However taking an irrevocable* open-ended** decision without requiring a super-majority is simply piling one democratically bad procedure on top of the rest.

* in practical terms

** the terms of implementing it were and still are not defined

Re: Benefits

" And some now seek to overthrow democracy. What scares me is the nutters demanding democracy is overthrown because we didnt vote their way!"

Democratic decisions are open to revision at intervals of no more than 5 years in the UK and sometimes more frequently than that if things aren't working out well.

Unless we're presented with the results of the negotiation to approve or reject we've been committed to the result of a slim advisory vote (don't forget the advisory bit) with no such ability for revision however badly things work out unless we crawl back to the EU to rejoin on whatever terms they choose to offer (bye by GBP).

Re: Benefits

"Best argument for brexit I've seen so far."

Or at least, offset a little of the cost.

UK.gov unveils six areas to pilot full-fat fibre, and London ain't on the list

Re: I wonder if there might be an option for a third rail in the tunnels?

"Think of the problems shovelling the wring kind of snow out of the tunnels. Not to mention the leaves"

That reminds me of a cartoon when the Channel Tunnel was being proposed. A Tube station entrance with a notice outside: "Delays due to fish on the track at Tooting."

Re: London not on the list

"That may be a possibility somewhere like (say) Huddersfield, but then again it may not."

There seems to be space at s good few stations although the tracks may have been lifted but a few stations run commuter services and don't have scope for passing loops.

Another route which really ought to be looked at is Huddersfield to Sheffield. It's been reduced to single line for the entire length except for Penistone station and a section has been taken out of service altogether resulting in a big diversion through Elsecar. Given that housing plans require more houses to be built in the area it serves and the inadequacy of existing roads for commuting this is another line that ought to be upgraded, at least to its original specification.

Re: London not on the list

In respect of the Manchester / Leeds / York route there are tunnels on it as well, and I very much doubt if there is the headroom to accommodate a 25 kV overhead and the associated pantographs along their lengths; I expect the tunnels would have to be rebored in their entirety. A project like that falls in to the category of "easier said than done".

The solution to that was to propose a hybrid system rather than full electrification which was immediately condemned as being a climb down from the original proposal. If only somebody had given it a few minutes thought before announcing full electrification in the first place...

I see West Yorks is one of the trial areas. Presumably this means that my friend way out on the nether reaches of ADSL will have to wait even longer to get FTTC whilst resources are diverted to cabling up Leeds etc.

"What is to trial, is the technology not well understood?"

Probably the uptake and the economic uplift it's supposed to bring.

80% of IT projects in public sector delayed due to IR35 – report

Re: I think not

"projects that were impacted have converted their resource plans to work in terms of deliverables instead of T&M, which eliminates the IR35 risk."

And what's the effect of IR35 on the cost of the deliverables?

Re: All because the lady wanted 50 million

Please tell me you at least use a spell spill checker on your documentation

It wouldn't have helped. The spelling was right but the words were wrong. Another problem was the lack of capitalisation.

Re: complete hypocrisy on this comments page

"to pay VAT"

Not pay it but collect it, free of charge, on behalf of HMRC.

Re: complete hypocrisy on this comments page

"they only see the mess when their nose is rubbed in it."

Or not even then.