Posts by cmd1806

Microsoft has open-sourced PowerShell for Linux, Macs. Repeat, Microsoft has open-sourced PowerShell

I guess another way to do things isn't a bad idea, but if the main benefit of powershell vs. the "old" Linux way of doing things is that it works on objects then why not just move everything to JSON or XML instead of the plain text used now?

Config files will still be easily human readable/editable, current utilities only need to be updated to read/write whatever format is chosen and, perhaps, a new way of passing arguments to programs implemented (to save all the escaping/argument length issues - maybe some form of shared-memory mechanism). This way any shell can implement features to manipulate the objects since they're just formatted text to start with.

DTDs, or something for the same purpose, could be provided to easily validate the object text and ensure type-safety and such via a simple library which ensures everything is correct and is exposed in the scripting language of the shell.

It's all just serialisation with enforced rules, seems a much better solution all round than having to port all the .Net stuff.

UK.gov wants to fine websites £250,000 if teens watch porn vids

They're doing it all wrong. In 1984 (which appears to be this government's operating manual) porn was produced freely for the proles as a means to keep them occupied.

Have they learned nothing?...

Microsoft rethinks the Windows application platform one more time

Another OS

Makes you wonder if they'd have been better off making a new OS. Maybe make it run on the Xbox One and have a "computer" bundle where it comes with keyboard, mouse etc.

This new OS would do everything they seem to want to do - just run store apps, be more secure, collect usage data etc. and provide a device that could be sold to non-tech savvy users.

They could then have left Windows as it was - legacy software and everything but allow it to run the store apps if you want - just another universal apps target.

I've been recommending Chromebooks (and even tablets) as PCs for people for some time - a lot of people don't need all the legacy stuff (and *will* try to install malware no matter what you tell them) - for those people an "XboxOS" which looked like Windows but was secure would be ideal. And Windows for those that actually need it.

Reminder: iPhones commit suicide if you repair them on the cheap

Secure wipe

Its patently obvious that their excuse is crap:

They provide a way to erase the phone if you're planning on selling it (and the remote wipe functionality) so they admit that they have the capacity to render the device "safe" with no personal information on it but still fully functional.

Yet for some reason they can't just use that if the phone detects that the hardware has been changed?

Someone trying to get the data back from a phone they bought on eBay is much more likely than someone trying to swap out the fingerprint sensor to access the same data...

Testing CarPlay with Apple’s most expensive ever accessory

Holes

Why not just a hole in the dash which you can buy insert-able "plates" for, which will take whatever phone you have and route the USB connection properly (Nokia fixed car kits used to do this - base + adaptor cradle for specific phone model).

As long as you've got audio-out via USB (and in I guess - so you can have a mic fitted in a better place in the car) you don't need any expensive touch screen or any software converting screens into video - you use the phone's screen, mounted in the dash. And, most importantly, you'd be using *open standards*. The phone can even detect it's in the cradle and switch to the special car mode they all claim is needed for safety purposes.

For those who don't want to use a phone in the car make a blanking plate with a clock in it or something that'll fit in the gap.

I have access to Spotify, my personal MP3 collection, navigation and phone calling in my car, all for the price of... £50. £30 quid for the cheap Android phone I got especially to mount in the car (connected to cheap headunit via the aux socket) and £20 quid for the foam, glue and paint to make a mount to fit into a cubby hole in the dash.

Scrapheap challenge: How Amazon and Google are dumbing down the gogglebox

Standards

Why doesn't everyone just get together and create an interface standard for sending video to the TV and input from the TV remote to the interface - you'd only need Play/Pause, Next, Prev, Home, Back, Select, Dpad & 0-9.

If every "smart" TV just had the interface and Google, Amazon et al. made boxes which connect you could mix & match. The TV manufacturers could even make deals to bundle specific boxes.

If you used HDMI as an input you'd only need the control connection back to the box - it would only need 2 wires! Even Bluetooth - this stuff is easy enough to implement...