Posts by simonlb

Tech support fill-in given no budget, no help, no training, and no empathy for his plight

Re: Universities are the absolute worst for shadow IT

Not at a University, but a few years ago (around 2007) I got a call from a user about a PC stuck in a boot loop. After a couple of minutes conversation with the user I'd established there were no identification labels on the machine - asset tags, PC id etc. - they then mentioned the make and model which was by then a defunct manufacturer which we'd never used. Further dialogue revealed that the user had been told to use this PC for their work when they'd started a year previously, and after I'd asked them the check the back of the machine it wasn't even plugged into the network. After asking them what was displayed on the screen when booting they said, "Windows 98." So this was just a random machine someone had brought in years before and started using and it had become a fixture in the office multiple people had used over the years.

I had to end the call by telling them to speak with their boss as the machine wasn't covered under any support for either hardware, software or user.

Brit government contractor CloudKubed enters administration

Strange Conicidence?

What's that? A company set up during the pandemic (when government oversight seemed to have gone on a holiday) wins a number of government contracts then a couple of years later goes bust? I wonder where the money went? Or even if they delivered anything? Or (allegedly) bought a yacht with the cash? We'll probably never know.

UK businesses eye AI as the cheaper, non-whining alternative to actual staff

AI is the new offshoring, so the costs won't be tangible for a while.

Crypto klepto North Korea stole $659M over just 5 heists last year

Not really, but some of those hit probably don't want to draw any attention to it as they can't provide satisfactory proof of where the money they 'invested' came from.

However, give it time and eventually there will be a mega-heist on one of the crypto companies and a pension fund that will have invested massively in it will lose multi-millions of dollars and go bust. All those peoples pensions will go up in smoke, but no-one responsible for 'investing' it in crypto will go to prison.

Microsoft, PC makers cut prices of Copilot+ gear in Europe, analyst stats confirm

Re: the value proposition of these devices still needs to be communicated more effectively

There is no value proposition to these devices while MS's shit AI is rammed into them for no good reason. No-one asked for it, so why should they pay for it if they don't want it or need it?

At least this price reduction will benefit anyone who just wants a new PC but will only ever run Linux on it.

Tesla recalls 239,382 vehicles over rearview camera problems

Re: will be able to get their car computer replaced free of charge

a shower of sparks explodes from the console in the bridge

Sparks???? FFS! This is where SF programmes fail hard these days. Everyone knows an overload would release the magic smoke from the console. Bloody sparks? Away with you!

But I thought Musk knows more about manufacturing than anyone else alive, so how could this happen? I'm shocked I tell you! Shocked!

Sonos CEO steps down after smart speaker app upgrade hit bum note

Re: "henceforth “always establish rigorous quality benchmarks

“improve the Sonos core experience for our customers, while optimizing our business to drive innovation and financial performance.”

Sonos already have a bad record of bricking 'end of life' devices or disallowing re-registration for ones which have been sold on to other people, creating the completely avoidable problem of creating landfill in the pursuit of profits. Not sure how that can possibly improve any of their customers experience, nor how that is in any way innovative, but hey, it's forcing people to buy more of their shit so that's a win.

For me, any company which issues a press release that links any presumed benefits for their customers with a reference to potential future profits is to be avoided.

Microsoft tests 45% M365 price hikes in Asia-Pacific to see how much you enjoy AI

Perpetual?

But how perpetual is that license, as these days there is no guarantee any more? I'm hoping you are located in a territory where they have some form of consumer protection which might force MS to honour that wording and keep it truly 'perpetual'. Sadly, if you're in the USA, you'll probably be offered the 'forced arbitration' route when MS decide to shaft you.

Mail-out madness as insurer offers refunds to customers in error

Telematics?

the company's take on telematics – YouDrive

Ah, yes, a black box, fitted to monitor your driving and (hopefully) get you lower premiums. The same black boxes which interpret any sudden control input as you trying to avoid an accident because you weren't paying attention or were driving badly. Nothing to do with someone pulling out in front of you / the traffic lights changing to red / someone fixated on their mobile stepping out into the road without looking / a dog running out into the road, all of them causing you to brake sharply and/or possibly swerve to avoid a collision. Or even dictating what time you are allowed to drive your own vehicle and reporting you for driving after 10pm (yes, that is a thing.)

Recording telematics without anything to provide context, such as a camera, is stupid and pointless.

Look for the label: White House rolls out 'Cyber Trust Mark' for smart devices

Re: Reds under the garage door openers!

So it's not about creating an industry standard, inherently secure, vendor agnostic IoT protocol to make all these devices secure by default? Well that's completely missing the target and therefore a massive fail on all levels.

We don't want a 'trust mark', we need a protocol.

As for the data slurping, if the device/appliance/gadget insists it needs an internet connection when in reality is doesn't, boycott the vendor and go elsewhere.

Dude, you got a Dell, period! RIP XPS, Inspiron, Latitude, Precision

"To make finding the right AI PC easy for customers..."

Would that be a PC without Win11 and CoPilot on it? Asking for a friend.

After China's Salt Typhoon, the reconstruction starts now

Re: Verizon...

"The government needs to step in big time, this is a national security issue and should be heavily regulated."

Unfortunately, proper regulation is anathema to late stage capitalism as it stifles innovation makes it harder to milk those juicy profits for our shareholders and pay the execs big bonuses irrespective of how badly the company is being run.

FCC net neutrality rules dead again as appeals court sides with Big Telco

Yes, it's called a Hyperloop.

Jimmy Carter set the solar, space, and environmental pace

Re: A loss no doubt

So, after over eight years, has Trump and his team managed to come up with something to replace Obamacare yet?

Techie fluked a fix and found himself the abusive boss's best friend

And This Is Why We Have Code Reviews

To make sure things like this are picked up.

Meanwhile, Boris fixed the issue but then acquired a slightly poisoned chalice by way of thanks.

Indian police demand Starlink identify alleged drug smugglers

What? No GPS?

Why would a boat require an internet connection to navigate at sea when GPS is already used globally for marine navigation? Or is this a case of the Indian police looking for someone to take the rap for the smuggling operation? I can see why a seagoing vessel may well have a Starlink unit fitted, but the person or organisation that bought it could well have nothing to do with the smugglers and therefore have no liability there as there is no proof of misuse by the owner.

Judge hands WP Engine a win in legal fight with Automattic

Spam anyone?

I can't help wondering if this whole shambles has any connection to the random spam emails I'm receiving on an almost daily basis with a Wordpress account login link that all started arriving around the August/September time frame. It's not a good look for Wordpress in any case.

Digital Isle of Man: For all your connected tax haven needs?

Re: Currency

Yeah, some bastard in a shop in Manchester gave me two Manx pound coins in my change last year and no shop on "the Mainland" will accept them. They are now in the centre console of my car for use in unlocking shopping trolleys at supermarkets. At least they don't discriminate.

Oh, and the Isle of Man is a truly beautiful place and definitely well worth visiting at least once should you get the opportunity.

Re: And also...

That and carbonating various alcoholic beverages, with various degrees of success.

Windows 11 24H2 rolls out to more devices – with a growing list of known issues

Re: switch to something better

Macs are still available!

True, but with an idiot tax a price premium attached.

Windows 11 market share falls despite Microsoft ad blitz

Re: Maybe Microsoft should go back to making just an O.S.

Make an OS which has a simple, usable front-end, with a working search which doesn't default to the Internet, like Win7, then offer two versions: A free version which is full of adverts and telemetry, and a paid for version for a nominal fee, say $30, which has no telemetry or adverts, no requirement for an MS account, and you choose which browser(s) you want to have installed. The free version also has the option to upgrade to the paid version, which then removes all the crapware you don't need.

China starts building world's largest fully steerable radio telescope

Well if it's a radio telescope, couldn't you get it to 'ping' each one of them with a solid dose of microwave radiation as it moves across the field of view and knock them out? Asking for a friend.

Ten years under Dr Su: How AMD went from budget Intel alternative to x86 contender

Has it really reduced the price of computers ?

Well if your motherboard supports more than two generations of CPU then yes, it has, because your upgrade options don't have to factor in potentially replacing the motherboard and/or RAM as well.

Airbus A380 flew for 300 hours with metre-long tool left inside engine

Re: Multi-Fail

This is even more important when the engine you are working on currently costs in the region of $25-million.

That hardware will be more reliable if you stop stabbing it all day

This is why you don't give end users something to test to just 'see how it works' and then roll it out. You need to work with them and see how many different ways they will attempt to use that item then use that feedback to get to a working solution.

At a previous employer, I was asked to be part of the user acceptance testing of the new incident ticketing system which had been under development for about five years. Half of the team doing the testing immediately rejected the application because the part they used had gone from a two step process to something like six steps and having to flip back and forth between two screens as well as duplicating data entry. The part I was testing worked but again required the re-entry of data on two different screens,. However, due to 'security concerns', the new application had to be accessed over a secure connection using an RSA token and a VPN which made login take almost three minutes, and the latency when using the new application was about eight seconds per screen which made it completely unusable, so it was roundly lambasted as being unfit for purpose.

It was eventually fixed and rolled out, but that took nearly another two years and involved the complete removal of the requirement for using an RSA token and the VPN as well as other things to remove the latency and give it adequate performance.

All bark, no bite? Musk's DOGE unlikely to have any real power

"provide advice and guidance from outside of government"

So it's a department to make lobbying easier? What could possibly go wrong?

Microsoft 'resolves' and 'mitigates' Windows Server 2025 update whoopsie

Re: "working with 3rd-party providers to streamline best practices and recommended procedures."

Is there a "best practice" relating to Windows? Asking for an industry.

Unbreakable Voyager space probes close in on a 50 year mission

Absolutely Magnificent!

What a testament to the scientific and engineering genius of those engineers, who would probably been more than happy if these probes only lasted ten years. Let's hope they both reach that 50 year milestone and manage to eke out a few more years after that. Have one of these guys, you deserve it -->

WordPress's Automattic openly tracks websites bailing from rival WP Engine

Just having a number of sites which have left WPE and not providing any other figures for those who have left WordPress, joined WPE or abandoned both of them makes the tracker website pointless and have no credibility. It's just a number and has no meaning. If you want to be taken seriously, you have to provide relevant data to provide the context for what you are claiming. As it currently stands, the tracker website is equivalent to an orange person claiming that, "In Springfield, they are eating all the dogs..."

Tech support world record? 8.5 seconds from seeing to fixing

For the benefit of younger viewers here, on most early PC's the monitor was also powered from the base unit PSU so when users got a newer PC with a separately powered monitor, they had to be told to turn both the base unit and the monitor on.

Microsoft rolls out AI-enabled Notepad to Windows Insiders

Re: As for the generated text, Microsoft uses filtering to prevent problematic content being added.

Rewrite: "Microsoft, fuck off."

Amazon's nuclear datacenter dreams stall as watchdog rejects power deal

Re: Orange Jesus

Is that to go along with his replacement for Obamacare promised eight years ago? Asking for a friend.

Re: CSP?

Amazon should be focusing on removing all the garbage Chinese fake crap from their website instead of tilting at AI windmills. Buying anything from them right now feels the same as using Temu or Shein, but with far higher delivery costs.

Your air fryer might be snitching on you to China

Re: Really?

It was a dumb idea when Bill Gates proposed it nearly thirty years ago, that still hasn't changed.

Hide the keyboard – it's the only way to keep this software running

Re: Sloppy

The word "shit" being a massive understatement.

JPMorgan Chase sues scammers following viral 'infinite money glitch'

Re: Banksters hate being ripped off by other crooks.

these well-regulated and highly profitable organizations

It's because of a lack of regulation they are so highly profitable. The 2008 global financial crisis was caused by numerous banks and other financial organisations promulgating toxic debt which they knew would come back and savagely bite them in the arse sooner or later. Toxic debt which could be created and sold on due to lax regulation. A lot of hedge funds made a pretty penny when it all blew up, they just weren't sure when that would be, but they knew it would eventually.

Nvidia CEO whines Europeans aren’t buying enough GPUs

Yeah, a lower to mid-range GPU should not cost more than the rest of the components used in the entire machine. It's just pure, unadulterated greed.

Musk claims Cybertruck has become profitable at last

Re: "Musk claims"

...because it is usually followed by the phrase, "in about two years."

Sophos to snatch Secureworks in $859M buyout: Why fight when you can just buy?

Private Equity you say?

Time to dump any products you use from those companies listed in the article as there will shortly be changes to the T's & C's that make the service you get worse, the software quality will take a nosedive, any subscription prices with dramatically increase and you can forget about that 'perpetual' license you bought five years ago. It might take a couple of years, but it will happen.

Chinese chipmaker Loongson now just three to five years off the pace on the desktop

Re: Chips

More importantly, are they cooked in beef dripping? Or failing that, lard? We'll have none of that vegetable oil nonsense here.

Re: But the real question is...

Crysis? Nah, you want Doom!

Re: 5 years

I also wish that China would also go up against Nvidia whos graphics cards now cost more that an entire PC...

This. So much this. I know there were wild price fluctuations around the pandemic but it seems like the manufacturers have just said "fuck it" and decided to keep the prices that high because they can.

Server-maker Wiwynn expands $61M lawsuit against X

If you'd read the article, it clearly explains that he did. This also ties in with the numerous other occasions where X/Twitter/MusksEchoChamber will happily accept services and other items from companies under contracts which they took on when Musk bought Twitter, but then say any invoices or debts they incur from those same contracts don't apply to them as the relevant contract was with Twitter and not X. You can't have it both ways, although Space Karen seems to think he can.

Re: "began to default on its payment obligations"

It would be a terrible shame if Twatter X were to subsequently suffer outages after server failures and there being no vendor willing (or able) to provide spares for them.

Not really.

Digital River runs dry, hasn't paid developers for sales since July

2015? What's taken them so long?

Just checked my old emails - Avast AV renewals and an online NVIDIA GPU purchase from a few years ago.

Wouldn't have thought their business model was so precarious, but it sounds like someones been fiddling to extract a lot of the liquid capital from the company. Unless they were taken over by a private equity company a couple of years ago and I missed it, as that is the standard operating model once that happens.

'Newport would look like Dubai' if guy could dumpster dive for lost Bitcoin drive

Crypto Bro Loses All His Crypto Cash

So this guy is trying to hold the council to ransom with legal letters and the promise of 10% of the 'potential' recovery of these fabled bitcoins from a buried HDD which he knowingly threw away. And what if the HDD just isn't there or the data cannot be recovered? Is he going to pay for the all the costs incurred by the council as well as the site remediation costs afterwards? Probably not. He should just accept he didn't pay attention to what he was doing, made a mistake, accept the coins are gone and move on.

Google hopes to spark chain reaction with nuclear energy investment

Re: Nuclear power for everyone?

Standard PWR reactors only use between 1.5% to 2% of the radioactive fuel in their fuel rods before they need removing and sending for reprocessing. A Thorium reactor burns around 98% of the radioactive fuel it's fed, leaving very little waste at all. Estimates state that the current stockpiles of high-level radioactive waste that have been created over the past 70-odd years from nuclear weapons manufacture and 'spent' fuel from PWR's would provide ample raw fuel for Thorium reactors for around 25,000 years. No-one really need to go looking around for fuel.

Windows 11 24H2 disk space hoarding a 'reporting error'

Re: A fix will be available

Who the fuck tests this shit? Seriously, who???