Posts by bombastic bob

RIP: Microsoft finally pulls plug on last XP survivor... POSReady 2009

Re: Wow. close to 40 year of MS OS's going end of life

except that, prior to Vista and 8/10, upgrading was DESIRABLE. And it was an actual UPgrade.

But when your alternative is Win-10-niic... you keep what you have.

Re: Great business plan

just WHAT is so "outdated" about XP?

*crickets*

(I do NOT consider the Sinofsky/Larson-Green aka 2D FLATTY McFLATFACE user interface to be 'modern' nor 'an improvement' - and XP could have kept its appearance and UI specifics while the kernel and built-in applications were improved for security, with less effort etc., for another 10 years at least)

Re: Great business plan

Anti-trust isn't/wasn't socialism, it's government oversight [there's a difference]. Banking regulation isn't socialism, either. Socialism is what the OTHER Roosevelt (FDR) wanted, as well as one of the WORST presidents this country ever had, Woodrow Wilson (what he did with income and estate taxes, for starters).

And to prevent thread decay, I'll stop now [after correcting the big blunders].

Re: Always

more like "always a P.o.S." (for Win-10-nic anyway).

Re: ReactOS (as the new XP)

wtf is "Win-10-nic"

A reference to windows 10 as the Titanic. It's a term I did not invent but I nearly always use, when referring to Windows 10, because, in all too many ways, it's like the Titanic, damn the icebergs, full speed ahead! Why else would Micro-shaft continue with the slurp, the ads, the 2D FLATTY McFLATFACE, and so on, unless they were completely CLUELESS as to how much those "features" are HATED ?

ReactOS (as the new XP)

this has a good potential for becoming "a thing" but still isn't close to being ready for use by anyone other than an experimenter...

Too bad, because if they got SERIOUS about it, it could compete with windows. Maybe it could sell for HALF the price of Win-10-nic [including new computer installs], support indefinitely, remain open source, and keep the 3D SKEUOMORPHIC look. Who knows it could even run various start menu plugins and skins so that it looks like your favorite windows version, or even "theme" like Win-10-nic for the hardcore 2D FLATTY McFLATFACE advocates...

Yeah, "dream on", right?

When I consider my brief exposure to the world of paid Wine developers, and realized they're just hiring the wrong people due to the project management just NOT having a clue as to who the best people ARE, and consider ReactOS's close ties with the Wine project, I see a likelihood of it being a lot of 'academically arrogant' engineers who are focused on dotting the 'i' and crossing the 't' and using all of the right key words and tricky phrases [like that's who they're looking for], and NOT hiring people who are literally HACKERS that are willing and likely to come up with unique solutions to problems... and maybe work for 80 hours per week on salary simply because it's interesting, and GET THINGS DONE.

[such hackers are the kinds of engineers, as I understand it, that made the Windows OS work to begin with, but not any more 3 decades later, which is why we have Win-10-nic]

Windows Subsystem for Linux distro gets a preening, updated version waddles into Microsoft's app store

Re: DrXym - how is this better than Cygwin?

"I was not aware of any application development targeted for Linux desktops"

There is a LOT. It is too easy in the windows world to *feel* as if EVERYBODY _ONLY_ does Windows... which is part of the reason why Win-10-nic is what it is.

GTK and Qt applications can be made to run cross-platform, including OS/X. Similarly, Java. DBMSs that aren't SQL Server are often written for Linux FIRST, then adapted to windows later. Similarly, web servers and other server applications. Linux first, then windows [and only if it makes sense].

When you include Android and iOS, UNIX-like operating systems are #1, windows is #2. pun intended.

Re: how is this better than Cygwin?

"You do need to be on a 64bit version of Win10 or Server2019 though."

And this _is_ the dealbreaker... (I assume Win-10-nic 'Home' also cannot run it?)

re-compiling for cygwin already happens, as it has its own package manager in the form of the 'setup' utility.

Running native Linux applications is interesting, but less of a 'thing' with me. I would consider overall usability to be the number 1 feature. I messed with SFU/SUA/Interix years ago, and it just couldn't perform better than Cygwin.

I would expect WSL to be similar, regardless of the bell/whistle/shiny factor.

(that and I can run Cygwin on a Win7 box)

how is this better than Cygwin?

I just have to ask... how IS this better than Cygwin? (in practice, not theory)

because, last I checked, Cygwin did not require "the store" (which, last I checked, requires a valid 'microsoft logon' and everything that goes with it), and ALSO works on 'home' versions (and 8, and 7, and XP, ...). Picking package options in Cygwin _IS_ a little tedious, but once you're used to it and have it set up on ONE box, you can theoretically CLONE the install to others by simply copying the directory to other machines and re-running the setup [to get the shared libs in place, mostly].

And there was ALSO an X server that ran ok on XP and 7, though I forget which one... Xming perhaps?

And WSL requires '10 Pro', right? Yeah, thought so...

It's raining patches, Hallelujah! Microsoft and Adobe put out their latest major fixes

why would anyone STILL use Adobe reader?

last I checked, the Adobe reader kept asking me to REGISTER IT with an E-MAIL ADDRESS...

So, with at least 2 decent alternative PDF readers out there (that I know of), neither of which VIOLATE YOUR PRIVACY, _WHY_ would anyone want to install Adobe's PDF reader? That especially when taking into consideration Adobe's piss-poor security track record.

So instead I uninstalled it.

Well done, you!

Free online tax filing? Yeah, that'll soon be illegal thanks to rare US Congressional unity

Re: Minor correction

Yeah, about that, as I just filed mine.

I'm for reforming the entire system, so you can file on a postcard:

a) how much did your household earn?

b) how many people in your household?

c) deduct $xxxxx for each person in your household

d) multiply the difference by XX%

e) how much did you already pay

f) if overpaid, here is your refund amount

g) if underpaid, send us a check for this amount

(you'd then staple relevant forms to the back, like for business owners, capital gains, W2s for wages, and so on, and then just mail it in, which for most people would be a single regular stamp and envelope)

pretty simple, really. Gets rid of 'progressive' tax rates, 'preferred status' tax rates, yet still protects low income earners from having first $xxxxx taxed at all, and it taxes ALL forms of incomes the same, has NO deductions, and would only take a few minutes to file it. No using the tax code to control citizens' behavior, either, or to punish SOME people while rewarding others (i.e. targeted tax cuts and so-called 'progressive' rates nor different rates for married vs single, or deducting home purchase interest, which REALLY SUCKS for people who can only RENT for whatever reason, like houses are just TOO EXPENSIVE to own, like in Cali-Fornicate-You).

An online IRS form could eliminate the need for TAX SOFTWARE, too. It could be free for EVERYONE.

But yeah, fat chance, because (quote from article): "Instead, the America's 140 million taxpayers would be obliged to use fee-charging software from one of the companies that dominates the extremely profitable tax-filing market" [and their lobbying efforts]

the whole income tax thing has been a GINORMOUS RIPOFF from the beginning.

The Reg takes a trip over the New Edge. Mmmm... New Coke with extra fizz

Re: User agents

simple check here: https://www.whatismybrowser.com/detect/what-is-my-user-agent

I'll check back and maybe add something snarky to an existing web page, for grins, based on the user-agent

I'd also be interested in whether or not the 'micro-shaft logon' is in any way transmitted in the request headers. Spitting this information back as web page content might have interesting results

Re: MS Account

"Avoid like the plague!"

And, with some difficulty, NOT USE IT AT ALL, especially for something with 'admin' capability on YOUR computer. (Not Micro-shaft's computer, which is why I emphasized it)

Re: MS or Google, or both

the big problem here comes from the text surrounding this quote from the article:

"if you're using a Microsoft account"

Guaranteed that everything you do will, in some way, be tracked for marketing purposes. Because they CAN.

I already assumed "the 2D FLATTY FLATSO McFLATFACE" because, Chrome _AND_ Micro-shaft, but I was mostly curious about the initial reception.

So what does "New Edge" do for you that Chrome does NOT ? Other than, NOT be Firefox, that is... (because Chrome vs Firefox post-Australis is no real choice at all)

Mozilla SHOULD DISTINGUISH ITSELF from this by actually BEING DIFFERENT, that is, being NOT a 2D FLATTY McFLATFACE 'Australis' version...

"Classic Firefox" UI anyone? EVERYONE?!!!!

Town admits 'a poor decision was made' after baseball field set on fire to 'dry' it more quickly

Re: Burning question

Peter Principle. heh.

Re: Bah!

Actually, in Cali-Fornicate-You right now, gasoline is approaching $4/gallon again. Reason: new taxes, special formulation requirements, and the usual refinery problems [all caused by state government regulations, many of which are based on false science like 'oxygenate' in gasoline and special formulas that have no effect on computer-controlled engines].

It's an unfortunate part of living in the state where gasoline prices are 25% or more higher than everywhere else in the USA, and consumption is probably highest due to the average length of daily commutes. If it takes you one hour each way by CAR, think TWICE that on public transit...

Then again, in UK I guess fuel prices are even higher than here... [similar problems too I bet]

[crude oil prices are not the main driving factor of Cali-Fornicate-You fuel prices - if they were, then fuel would be cheaper than ever here]

Re: 24 Gallons!

"So they did what? Took 5 or 6 trips to the filling station with a single can or did they go whole hog and ring up the $70 worth of gasoline in one go? "

My guess, a siphon tube and the principal's SUV

Re: Grass?

As I recall, baseball infields (the runner areas between bases) are usually coated with that clay-like material that looks a bit like cat litter. Probably similar to that 'quick dry' compound someone already mentioned.

The center around the pitcher's mound, and the outfield, would all likely be grass-covered though. but most of the running takes place on a clay like material.

or in the case of baseball, hot dogs

Re: Burning question

surprisingly effective I'm sure. gasoline doesn't have tetra-ethyl-lead in it any more, so should burn away completely, though it's possible that any MTBE additive might affect ground water at some point.

But you know, the solution to pollution is "dilution", right?

[given that it is regular practice with some industries to have an effluent tank for potentially hazardous waste, which is then tested and diluted to 'safe' levels before discharging it into the sewer systems, this is actually more reality than just a joke - being that the solution to pollution is *LITERALLY* 'dilution']

out here in Cali-Fornicate-You, the gummint back in the 90's had voters approve the use of MTBE as an "oxygenate" in fuel to a) increase its price, b) cause a tiny percentage of engines to run cleaner, and c) require a ton of special fuel formulas that change between winter and summer so that gasoline prices would be as 'volatile' (pun intended) and dependent on specific refineries as possible. Yes, it's a scam, since nearly all cars have computers now, so MTBE really doesn't do ANYTHING except the side effect of POLLUTING GROUND WATER if it leaks out of tanks at gasoline stations... which happens often enough that for a long time you'd see a lot of gas stations suddenly fenced off so they could dig up and replace the underground tanks, which were leaking, and get rid of the contaminated soil, etc. making fuel prices EVEN HIGHER. Yeah, gummint... and the fault of MTBE, "voted in" in the 90's and NEVER repealed...

but without the MTBE (or possibly worse additives), gasoline would burn off and any remaining vapors would just dissipate.

Re: Idiots

Consumer fireworks are legal in most places in the USA, just not in 'tinder box' areas like most counties in the state of Cali-fornicate-you. In short, too many field fires result from home fireworks usage. But I think I can tolerate not having sparklers vs not having neighborhoods go up in flames from a canyon brush fire...

Last time I drove through South Carolina, there were major fireworks outlets everywhere. And a lot of counties in northern Cali-fornicate-you still allow consumer fireworks to be sold around July 4, last I checked. You can't make your own legally, though. Darwin awards, etc. [that's why] though I'm sure that anyone with a large box of matches (and time to waste) could theoretically make *something* capable of burning the hair off of your face.

[when I was young I used to like to make hydrogen balloons and light them - they make a nice 'boom' like a cannon - using household chemicals like drain cleaner, etc. - once singed the hair off of my wrist with a rather big one though, 2 feet or so in diameter, even using fireplace matches to light them]

Re: Temperature vs Power

So the article suggests using a leaf blower to fan the flames... however if you combine leaf blower with a heat source, you now have something *resembling* a hair dryer, usable on grass Clothes dryers are often gas-fired and so the concept is good so long as you can keep the burner's exhaust temperature low enough to avoid actually catching things on fire. (In the movie 'Spaceballs' Princess Vespa had a comedically ginormous hair dryer...)

Or maybe the kids will just have to learn how to play "wet".

[I would expect a 'field dryer' to take the form of an attachment for one of those riding mowers, at any rate]

Fake Google robocallers hit with $3.4m fine – but it turns out that the joke's on you

Re: Appropriate punishment

"a baseball bat to the back of the head should suffice."

such a 'clue bat' strike is too kind, too lenient. How about public evisceration instead?

Re: Appropriate punishment

how about we just make the names and identities/addresses/phone-numbers of these <insert extreme pejorative here> *PUBLIC*.

I have received at least 10 of these "your google listing" B.S. calls over the last several days... fortunately, I shut off the ringer on my phone years ago. Unfortunately, I still hear it over the speaker when the answering machine picks up.

(rendering our phones useless for their intended purposes - THANKS ASSHATS!)

BT Tower broadcasts error message to the nation as Windows displays admin's shame

Re: Wait until it gets hacked.

I'd almost expect a 'LOLdicks' ASCII art... or better yet, tits.

left paren, zero, Y, zero, right paren

(getting my coat)

Re: "A technical issue"

I thought the 'fucking nightmare' was Win-10-nic ... ah well, I need to get my terms sorted

well, you know what "they" say... "nobody ever got fired for going with Microsoft"

heh heh heh heh

Prepare yourselves for Windows 10 May-hem. Or is it June, no, July?

Re: Updates

lucky you. the only icon I see relevant to my download-time experiences [when win-10-nic was first released] is a big fat middle finger

Re: 'no alternative' = 'who cares about quality'

well, nowadays I'd have to agree with ignoring the "get it done" part, considering 1809 among other things...

The industry, unfortunately, is apparently in the process of becoming dominated by arrogant, elitist, "academic" types. 'Academic arrogance' is a thing now. Specifically, it is those who *FEEL* as if a degree is required in order to engineer software, which is really more of an ART than a science. Seriously, once you're beyond the basic programming and structure and math classes, it's a matter of having talent or lacking it.

conducting "programming tests" that focus on 'academics' rather than 'ability to program' is a part of this.

Unless, of course, you're "one of them". if you wonder why the WINE project is in the state it is in, it is [in my view] because of _THIS_ sort of thing. And I am not convinced that the STEAM people being behind a new WINE port would in any way help it. It's more of a management-style problem.

I can't say it's bad to see more windows games playable on Linux. I just fear that WINE (or a fork of it) will continue being MIS-managed in the same *kinds* of ways, which [in my opinion] boil down to a) academic arrogance, b) focusing on the wrong things, and c) not actually getting things done in a timely manner.

The past predicting piss poor performance. And the Windows 7 'end of life' window is NEXT YEAR...

Re: Such vitriol for something that costs virtually nothing...

so many things wrong... can't downvote enough

Re: Microsoft intends to chow down on its own dog food

well, considering how dogs WILLINGLY eat their own vomit... and their own poo...

'no alternative' = 'who cares about quality'

On a related note...

recently I had a bit of insight into the people who are (currently) pushing the hardest for the development of the Wine project, which most definitely has the potential of providing an alternative to Win-10-nic.

However, it's WORSE than 1809, in my opinion. My experience attempting to install DevStudio 2010, even following the instructions for the various hacks, and using 3 different versions (including 4.4's bleeding edge development version) was _WORSE_ than a dismal failure. and uninstalling didn't even work [I had to delete the tree and manually remove desktop menu items under 'Wine'].

But, without going into details, the people running the show appear to be clueless as to the _kinds_ of people that could get Wine up to speed, specifically PAID developers. Apparently they have no shortage of a budget, but their selection process is (quite literally) PICKING THE WRONG PEOPLE. They need a "get it done" attitude, and NOT a "cool beans" + "academia" attitude...

This is where Micro-shaft has significant advantage over open source projects. Being a for-profit company, they focus on "get it done" and profitability, though their shortcomings of NOT paying for testers is blatantly showing its ugly head these days... [I blame their management for NOT focusing on quality, above all else]

I think the only way the Wine project could POSSIBLY compete with windows is if *I* were running it... but I need money to live on in order for THAT to happen, otherwise no time to devote to it.

" I will stick with marking my internet connection as metered"

That doesn't seem to be possible within a VM or with a wired connection... has that changed at all?

Re: This is Microsoft

"something stupid like mandate the update for everyone on day 1"

They _*DEFINITELY*_ exhibit the behavior of a top-down dictatorial government, don't they?

Re: Microsoft should think again - we don't need your outdated 'persuasive approach', it's 2019.

"Do they take their work home or vice versa?"

Not sure what you mean about the 'vice versa' unless they're living in the office...

from the article: "employees encouraged to put the code on their own personal devices. We'd have to admit to a certain amount of surprise that this wasn't the norm."

Taking their work home would, in fact, be a VERY good idea!

Those who produce the OS _ABSOLUTELY_ should be USING the thing!!! on a DAILY basis!!!

This reminds me of something that happened with me, long ago...

While the company was downsizing and re-organizing, the material control department (for which I was doing custom IT kinds of things) consolidated into the corporate materials department, and moved to a different part of the building. The building next door, slightly downhill on a terraced landscape, was where the minicomputer (with ginormous laser printer) was. Departments had been consolidated, and there was a massive pile of computer output generated every week. And it suddenly became MY duty to go get it all from the other building. Well, after bringing SEVERAL dollies' worth of boxes of paper back on a Monday, uphill even, guess what happened? I did an in-depth review of who needed what report. I canceled half of them (at least one was using up a box of paper on its own, every week), modified several more (to generate less paper), and significantly reduced the computer work load in the process. The IT manager _LOVED_ me after that, and even had one of her guys bring the reports for us, which was now only half-a-dolly's worth (and not so bad, now). I think the reason I had to do it was because it was a big PITA for the operations staff to deliver them all... and I still wonder if that was all done on purpose? [yeah just tell XXXX to do it, see how long things go before he fixes things - 2 days]

NOW - apply that same kind of logic to Win-10-nic - *MAKE* the Micro-shaft employees that are responsible for that piece-o-something to DAILY USE IT, and see just how long those irritations last...

well, I can *ONLY* hope I guess!

Want to hang out with criminals but can't be bothered to download Tor? Try Facebook

Re: $50 an hour??

no, $50/hr is what a junior programmer, IT, or tech should be earning (in Silly Valley), actually. If you're lucky you won't have 1.5 hour [each way] commute and NOT have a room-mate.

Unless you're a "homeless" person, in which case you can pitch a tent and defecate on the street... and the cops won't arrest you.

Is it any wonder that FB appears CLUELESS about crime via their services? If that company's execs have the *KIND* of mentality that accepts the public defecation and illegal activity, yet PUNISHES certain kinds of political speech, we can expect "more of same" indefinitely.

'Silly Valley' indeed

Re: But Facebook checks all the posts!

Fa[e]ceb[itch,ook] can go around SHADOW BANNING politicals it doesn't agree with, but doesn't do SQUAT about all of the illegal activity regularly conducted via their network... Even when swatted at with a CLUE BAT? and getting their NOSES rubbed in it?

Say it AIN'T SO!!! [heh I'm totally not surprised]

whack-a-mole indeed, with many of the moles surviving multiple solid whacks, it seems

Facebook ad platform discriminates all on its own, say boffins

Re: Measuring racial ad delivery

"Not very accurate way to determine race and I am am quite sure race is more complex than black or white."

It's the fact that this is being DONE that seems offensive to me...

Re: Maybe it's not discrimination at all.

although there IS men's makeup out there, most men don't need to cover up the lines, wrinkles, and scars, nor enhance their lips or eyes, to make women want them. [I could go on and talk about having hundred dollar bills hanging out of your pockets, being the big spender, dressing in expensive clothes, driving a BMW or a Mercedes or a Rolls or a Jaguar, and so on, but I won't. I don't need to go there. Heh]

'cosmetics' in stores _includes_ specialized face/body wash though, as I recall. I haven't worked in a store for decades, but that one had a YUGE cosmetics department... yeah it's a major moneymaker! And you always seem to find 'that sort of thing' in or near the cosmetics department.

There seems to be a small market for men's makeup for politicians and actors and rich people who want to look 'camera worthy' all of the time. Lots of presidents have used makeup for this purpose, including Reagan, Clinton, and probably Trump. I suppose you could consider it to be more like 'stage makeup' but who knows. So I guess there's a market for it. Just not a big one.

Re: Maybe it's not discrimination at all.

although I agree that certain products (like cosmetics) probably are affected by sex and race, the assertion here is that racial or sex stereotypes are driving the ad placement... and possibly denying certain opportunities to women or members of minority races. The example I'm thinking of is the advertisement for janitorial jobs primarily to black people. That's a *little* degrading at the least, don' you think?

I think the solution may be simple: don't declare your sex nor race online. Always answer "I do not identify myself" or "other" or "not specified". Then the discrimination will STOP.

aka if you want a color-blind society, we have to STOP focusing on 'color'. Best way to do that: don't give them the info in the FIRST place.

(recently I had the opportunity, on a google or apple related thing, to specify my 'gender' as something OTHER than male or female. I chose 'other' and wrote in 'hyper male', using 'he' as a pronoun. heh)

Prince Harry takes a stand against poverty, injustice, inequality? Er, no, Fortnite

Re: Thanks Harry

Over here across the pond, we have our 'royals' too. It's just that membership in THAT club has less to do with lineage and more to do with "being in the club". Names withheld to avoid political arguments in this thread.

At least there's an opportunity to work your way up, get lucky, and sort of 'join them', but who'd want to? Yeah, THEM.

Re: Thanks Harry

"because of his extensive life experience"

A big thumb-up for the snark, which I read between the lines.

Re: Everything old is new again.

worth pointing out, life itself IS violence. The constant competition and struggle for dominance within our own sphere, mastering our own destinies, getting hired INSTEAD of some other applicant, buying the sale items BEFORE the store is out of stock, jumping in line BEFORE it gets too long, passing people on the highway who don't *FEEL* that your time is worth them moving out of the way, and so on.

It's a rat race. And the rats are winning.

And WHAT do we want to teach our young'unz? That ASSERTING yourself is WRONG? That STANDING UP to bullying is WRONG? That FIGHTING for what is RIGHT is WRONG? That the world is nothing more than 'safe spaces' and 'participation trophies' and '1+1=3 is ok as long as you FEEL GOOD about it' ??? There are NO winners anymore because it means there ALSO has to be LOSERS?

* W R O N G *

The world is a violent place. Just look at nature and what animals do to one another. Civilized society limits that violence, but cannot eliminat it. The "daily struggle" for survival is STILL there, and the ones who are MOST aggressive, MOST competitive, and MOST assertive, are the ones who WILL SUCCEED. And NOT being able to cope in a VIOLENT world puts the next generation at a SERIOUS disadvantage...

Two Arkansas dipsticks nicked after allegedly taking turns to shoot each other while wearing bulletproof vests

Outlaw drunken operation of a firearm... that's an interesting point.

I wouldn't consider that to be "infringement". It might improve gun safety.

Re: It's hard to think of anything more boneheadedly stupid...

at least he didn't toss gunpowder into a BBQ and light it (repeatedly) until, the final time, a heated coal remained and sparked the powder while dumping it into the BBQ, blowing up into the face of one of the 2 men, and severely burning the other. Yeah, this really happened, from what I've read. And considering that one of them was (quite possibly) a competent engineer at a well known software company (or perhaps both of them), it doesn't take Arkansas or Hillbillies to win a Darwin award...

(And I don't know if alcohol was involved, but it probably was)

Re: Testing in the real world

a) make torso out of ballistic gel

b) strap vest onto it

c) ready on the right, ready on the left, ready on the firing line

d) commence shooting!

e) examine ballistic gel torso afterwards

Re: Definite Darwin Award winner in the making

this sounds like a lot of fun (as long as beer is involved)

A patchy Apache a-patchin: HTTP server gets fix for worrying root access hole

it's generally possible to use firewall+nat rules to re-direct port 80 to 8080 [and vice versa for the return traffic] for communications that appear to be on port 80 to the outside world...

might also be useful for running in some kind of jailed or VM process, where you actually listen on localhost but re-direct incoming ports accordingly. And yeah you could run it NOT as root.

(since it's an obvious thing, probably already being done in many places)

icon, because, obvious thing is obvious

what if NOT running apache as root?

pretty much what _I_ was thinking. I think the default for the 'ports' version on FreeBSD runs apache as 'www' and not root. It uses the 'httpd.conf' file to specify.

it looks, though, that the main process that calls all of the worker bees still runs as 'root' by default.

I expect you could still run the main process NOT as root... not sure what you'd win/lose by doing that.