* Posts by captain semtex

17 publicly visible posts • joined 11 Jun 2015

Year of Linux on the desktop creeps closer as market share rises a little

captain semtex
Windows

Embrace, not replace!

It's been decades since an OS upgrade has mandated a hardware upgrade. By the end of this year, millions of Windows 10 users will find themselves with perfectly good computers, but with an unsupported Windows OS. Many will reluctantly upgrade their hardware because they don't want to loose their favourite Windows app. Many won't know that Windows apps can run under Linux via Wine... and all that new hardware will result in a lot of unnecessary e-waste.

But what if there was a distro aimed at this market... a distro with a familiar Windows look and feel... a distro that embraced running Windows apps via Wine instead of forcing users to find a FOSS replacement? Get these users over to Linux and allow them to run their favorite Windows apps. Once happy with Linux, in time they will naturally explore and discover that many FOSS alternatives are better than the Windows versions.

But having to install Linux and decide which office suite should I install instead of MS Office, which email client looks like Outlook, which media app should I use to replace iTunes, is there even anything on Linux that can replace Fusion 360 or Mixcraft Pro Studio... it's all just too much and most won't even bother.

But a distro with pre-installed tools than embraces running Windows apps insteading of forcing people to replace them... that could be a winner.

'Incorrect software parameter' sends Formula E's Edoardo Mortara to hospital: Brakes' fail-safe system failed

captain semtex
Facepalm

Just because...

"In this instance, an incorrect software parameter that meant the rear brake system didn't activate as intended and the fail-safe did not kick in."

You have to wonder why such a parameter even exists?! It should be impossible for a fail-safe to be disabled, otherwise it's not a fail safe!!

Who was behind that stunning Twitter hack? State spies? Probably this Florida kid, say US prosecutors

captain semtex
Childcatcher

Am I the only one...

...that is wondering what social engineering tactics the kids used to get the info needed to gain access to such high profile accounts? I'm sure it would make for entertaining (and embarrassing) reading.

Parents slapped with dress code after turning school grounds into a fashion crime scene

captain semtex
WTF?

Re: I'd ban North Face clothing.

OMG Hasn't anyone in this thread heard of irony? It's around here somewhere! FWIW teenage girls love pink camo (this year!)

Mini computer flingers go after a slice of the high street retail Pi

captain semtex

New Maplin?

This is awesome news. I've been a big RPi fan from day #1. It's doesn't take too many brain cells to wonder if the RPi store could evolve over time to become how Maplin used to be... an emporium selling electronic parts for makers with enthusiastic, knowledgeable staff... complete with product demos and coding workshops.

I hope this store is a huge success for them.

Tesla buys robot maker. Hang on, isn't that your sci-fi bogeyman, Elon?

captain semtex
Facepalm

Re: Also in the news

That would have made more sense if you said Boston Dynamics renamed Cyberdyne Systems.

Essex drone snapper dealt with by police for steamy train photos

captain semtex

Legal drone snapped rogue drone??

Nice link @Dan 55... but look in the top right quadrant between timestamp 0:36 and 0:54... is that the rogue drone in question??

SpaceX: We'll land on Mars in 2018 (cough, with NASA's help)

captain semtex
Facepalm

Ironic that Musk will land a vehicle on Mars before he delivers all the current Tesla Model 3 pre-orders!!

Apple hasn't announced the new iPhone 5SE and pundits already hate it

captain semtex
Thumb Up

Re: Those who can't, analyse....

"I think the iPhone 5SE really isn't for "developing" markets, but more for users like myself who just prefer a smaller phone."

Exactly. I used to have an iPhone 6. I hated it. So when I tripped over a log on the beach and bent it (I'm not kidding) I was happy to go to an iPhone 5S.

I'm now looking for a replacement for my iPhone 5S (IMHO the perfect phone). As long as the iPhone 5SE has the touch sensor and 32GB then I'll buy it.

Obi: These ARE the 'droids you're looking for

captain semtex
Thumb Up

Awesome...

You guys are on fire today with the headline puns!

Google: Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right, here I am – stuck in the middle of EU

captain semtex
Thumb Up

Kudos to the headline writer

You should win an award for that!

Watch out Sonos! Here's the second coming of Yamaha MusicCast

captain semtex
FAIL

So near yet so far...

23 products... yet they still missed the equivalent of the Sonos Connect: AMP... otherwise I would have been interested (note: receivers are not the same thing).

This allows you to use your own speakers (e.g. in-ceiling speakers). However, the Sonos Connect: AMP is also a costly solution and doesn't support hi-res audio... so I'm exploring a Raspberry Pi with Hifiberry or IQaudio solution instead.

Neil Young yanks music from streaming services: 'Worst audio in history'

captain semtex

Re: Digital quality

Neil doesn't have a streaming service. It's a music download service. You are correct that an hour of uncompressed 24/192 music will take 4GB to download... but once downloaded that's it.

Nevertheless, you make a good point. Streaming services that offer CD quality and greater need to have an offline mode (typically only via premium membership) otherwise their listeners might get a shock when their next internet bill arrives!

Apple Music available on Sonos by end of this year

captain semtex

Available on Sonos today... if you want it!

Take the audio out of an Apple Airport Express (or any AirPlay supported device) and connect to the line-in on a Sonos Connect or Sonos Amp. Voila!

I believe this article should more accurately indicate that Sonos will natively support Apple Music in its app by the end of the year.

Hi-res audio folk to introduce new rules and weed out impure noises

captain semtex
Thumb Up

Re: CD v HRA and "Full HD" v 4K

Forgot to mention that Pono also has a "revealer" option. You can take any of your own existing HRA music and the Pono Desktop app will convert it into 5 different "qualities"... MP3 (Amazon), AAC (iTunes), 44.1/16 (CD), 96/24 and 192/24. You can then play the song and switch dynamically between each quality setting to see if you can hear the difference for yourself (http://www.whathifi.com/news/ponorevealer-lets-you-compare-aac-mp3-and-high-res-tracks).

captain semtex
Gimp

CD v HRA and "Full HD" v 4K

Full disclosure - I love listening to, and discovering, music. I have a moderately good vinyl hi-fi system plus I also own a Pono player and all my digital audio files are in uncompressed, lossless AIFF.

My take on this is simple... if you can hear the difference and are happy to pay for it then go ahead and enjoy.

A simple test... can you hear the difference between a FM / DAB radio broadcast and a CD? More interesting, what about a CD and a vinyl record? If you think vinyl sounds better then you will likely hear and enjoy the difference with HRA. If not, don't worry... it's subtle.

On a similar note, can you see the difference between DVD (480P) and "Full HD" (1080P)? What about "Full HD" and 4K? Personally I cannot... so I will continue to enjoy 1080P and will use the money I save to buy snake oil for my vinyl music and unidirectional USB cables for my digital audio ;-)

Time to face the Apple Music: Spotify looks worried, and rightly so

captain semtex

Couldn't have happened to a nicer company!

I'm not a Fanbois, but Apple Music is music to my ears. I'm a paying subscriber to Spotify simply because it's on all my devices and I had no other real choice. But Spotify doesn't listen to its users. Family pricing was only recently introduced after *years* of complaints, and only to select markets, plus they still refuse to allow the option to block explicit music... one of the most requested options by users.

Apple ticks both of these boxes right out of the gate, plus they have the content, they are creating an Android app and device manufacturers will follow soon.

Had Spotify listened to its users then I would stay with them... but they didn't. So I look forward to cancelling my Spotify subscription and signing up to Apple Music's family plan.