Posts by Antron Argaiv

Missing Titan sub likely destroyed in implosion, no survivors

Re: "craft's carbon fiber hull"

Yeah, it's linear. 1 atm for each 10m IIRC from scuba class

Re: AP news

BS in Computer Systems Engineering here...about as déclassé as you can get. It's a real conversation stopper at parties.

Re: "craft's carbon fiber hull"

As did the Aloha Airlines...727?

Many more frequent pressure cycles than the inspection schedule was designed for., IIRC.

Re: A fitting epitaph

Every engineer should know that Feynman quote by heart.

Techie wasn't being paid, until he taught HR a lesson

Re: Unique keys

In the US (surprised it's not universal, or maybe it is), it's a VIN, Vehicle Identification Number. Riveted metal plates in at least two places, and sticky labels on almost anything that could be removed and sold.

Of course, classic and owner built cars are a special case...

My daughter, moving home from graduate school in DC, went to change her license. The numpty behind the counter refused to accept her DC license, because, "we don't accept foreign licenses".

My daughter attempted to explain, but it took a supervisor to clarify that the "District of Columbia" was in fact, a part of the US, and not the same as the country with a similar, but not identical name, where documents are typically in Spanish, because that's what they speak in Colombia.

She left with her license but with confusion as to how some people manage to navigate everyday life.

Re: Not even names

When I retired, they paid me out my unused vacation time. I thought at the time it looked a bit light, but it was the end of the year and I had other things to worry about. A few weeks later, I went back and did the math, and, yes, they *had* shorted me over half what I was owed!

Luckily, or perhaps cleverly, I had taken screenshots of my accrued vacation time on their system, before I left. I sent this, along with a copy of my final paycheck with a polite letter, asking how the amount had been calculated. The balance was in my bank account by the end of the week. I like to thinkmit was unintentional,on their part, but I can't quite figure out how that could be true.

Re: Unique keys

When we bought our first house, the bank had one more thing for my wife to sign. A document stating that she was not [wife's name] of [place she had never lived]. Apparently, someone with her reasonably common name had defrauded them at some point.

FCC questions ISPs' selective memory about data caps

Re: Which century are we in? Data caps on residential connections?...

The president of Concast acknowledged that data caps are not about network performance. They're about revenue. Greed is the only reason they exist. Well, that and many of the broadband networks in the US are legacy cable TV systems, bludgeoned into acting as data networks. They do this...poorly, judged by both economic and performance metrics. Fiber only systems tend not to have caps, and their speeds are higher and at lower cost, but they are newer to the market and not as available. Also interesting...where there is fiber/coax competition, data caps tend not to exist. Comcast tried to put them in after COVID in Massachusetts, but the state regulators told them to shove off with that "stuff", so we still don't have them here. We also have a fairly robust fiber market (which runs faster and cheaper than Comcast)

US Network availability

Fiber 10,000 Mbps 39%

Cable 1,200 Mbps 89%

DSL 140 Mbps 88% <--- this max speed is a bit of a laugh...you need to be in the CO to get it

Fixed wireless 100 Mbps 46%

Florida man insists he didn't violate the law by keeping Top Secret docs

A well written article

I'm not sure anyone has yet remarked upon the excellent wordsmithing of Mr Claburn. Well done, sir -------->

Re: Not a flight risk?

Just barely. IIRC, it's around 4000 mile range.

The explanation that has been given for that issue, goes like this: the people who actually account for all the documents are essentially librarians. They're lower ranking, in general, than the people who read the documents. When the meeting is over, the documents need to be collected. The problem here is that TFG would insist on retaining the documents, and the lower ranking custodian was loathe to insist too strongly, lest decorum be breached.

You get the idea: when the President says, "Imma hang on to this, OK?" the correct answer is, "Sir, you need to return that document to me." but what happens if the document is not handed back? How strenuously does a lower rank insist, and who backs them up? (and what are the consequences on the lower rank's career...TFG was notoriously vengeful)

Re: What About The Current Resident?

...several opportunities, in fact.

Re: What I cannot understand ...

He's got some serious personality defects, to put it mildly. It must have distressed him to have to sit in court and have someone else tell him what he had to do. He's used to being the top dog, and having things his way. I think that's about to end rather suddenly, and I don't think he will handle it well.

Re: as did his aide Walt Nauta

TFG is having problems finding a lawyer to represent him. This could be because:

1. He's a "difficult" client

2. His brand, while recognisable, is somewhat toxic

3. He has a history of "forgetting" to pay invoices

4. There's not much of a chance he's innocent

Re: I can finally admit something

Tricky Dick was a LOT smarter than TFG. Smart enough to know when he was nailed. But it was paranoia that got him to that point.

Re: I can finally admit something

Hey, we all have a relative we tell stories about.

(mine, so far, are interesting, but not criminal...stay tuned)

Clippy designer was too embarrassed to include him in his portfolio

Re: Nuke it from space....

Clippy is the poster child for Microsoft's preoccupation with helpful hints that...aren't.

e.g.: their current fascination with popup green or blue boxes touting some obscure feature that you just *have* to try...or dismiss the box by clicking "got it", before you can continue with what you were trying to do before the damn box popped up.

A toast to being in the right place at the right time

Re: What to do in case of a real fire...or other alarm

i.e.: Pub o'clock!

Google HR hounds threaten 'next steps' for slackers not coming in 3 days a week

Re: if it ain't broke, don't "fix" it

Ah, don't forget the open plan office and hot desking. Two "innovations" that pretty much guarantee my absence from any office that has them.

Microsoft battles through two 365 outages in one day

Re: I despair

Here's what "the Googs" says abut calling outside your organisation with Teams:

"With External Access for Teams, you can add or invite anyone outside of your Teams org who uses Teams, Teams for personal use, Skype (for consumers), and Skype for Business to a one-to-one chat"

I never knew this and I'll bet many of you never did as well.

I have noticed, recently, an increase in pop-ups. Informing me of nifty features I'm not interested in using, and asking me to rate things like ease of use or would I recommend Word to someone. And this is on my corporate, volume licensed and centrally managed laptop.

HEY! Microsoft!

I'm trying to work, here. Go push your surveys to some gamer kid. I'm not getting paid to fill out stuff for you. Of course, since my PC belongs to the company, and they manage the software on it (BOY, do they manage it!), maybe they want me to spend my time filling out that junk...but I think not.

Re: I despair

We're all Teamsy at work. Today I discovered that I cannot Teams call people at the client, because we don't have a license for teams calls outside our organization. So, even though the client also has Teams, and we have lots of Teams meetings together, one on one Teams calls to someone notmin our company requires a special license.

WTF? I thought it was upposed to make communication easier?

Microsoft Windows latest: Cortana app out, adverts in

Re: Microsoft Still Up to the Usual Antics

Are you going to break that to my company? They pay a crapload for all of us to have Windows on the PCs they buy for us, and even more for the software that runs on it.

My *work* PC (enterprise Win10) today asked me to evaluate how likely I was to recommend Word...while I was trying to get work done! My response was not fit for a reputable forum such as this.

I can see this ending badly. All those keystroke monitoring progams evaluating worker productivity? How are they going to handle pop-up ads like these?

(Mint at home)

Cunningly camouflaged cable routed around WAN-sized hole in project budget

10 megabit/s, same as in town

At least he used Ethernet, instead of extending the Token Ring network :-)

ISTR issues, relating to differing Earth conductor potentials between older buildings and the negative effect that had on comms equipment connected between those buildings. Common mode rejection only goes so far, and many RS-232 drivers were replaced when the terminals were in one building and the computer was in the other. Were I in that situation I might have used a fiber bridge rather than hardwiring. I recall at least one instance where someone got a nasty surprise of the voltage variety when grabbing an Ethernet cable (they were supposed to be earthed (grounded) at one end only) due to ground voltage differential

That old box of tech junk you should probably throw out saves a warehouse

Re: PSUs

I bought a nifty device to allow me to control my automatic garage doors over the Internet. It worked a treat until one day, it just stopped working. Wouldn't even reset per the mfr's instructions ("hold this button down for 10 seconds until the blue LED flashes). Turned it off and on again, and it was good for another two weeks. Same thing happened again, and again, it wouldn't reset.

"Hmmm...", I thinks to myself (having designed a few of this type gadget), "processor's off in the weeds and isn't coming back." What could cause that? Well, it's often bad power...and I look at the cheap Chinese wall wart accusingly. Head for the box of wall warts and choose one with twice the current output, from a supplier I trust. Splice in the oddball coaxial power connector and fling the manufacturer supplied wall wart in the bin. No further trouble.

Check the forums...LOADS of folks complaining about intermittent outages. I send a note to the manufacturer's support email, suggesting the take a look at the power supply they're shipping with these units. Get no response (but then, I didn't expect one). I've done my good deed for the day. Post to the forum that changing the power supply might be something to consider (because someone might listen there).

Re: Hmmm

We currently have on in our lab. Separated into 5V, 12V, and "Other". Also a collection of OEM switching supplies from previous projects...mostly 24V.

You would (or would not) be suprised how often we dip into those bins. And IT (we're Engineering...we do designs for clients) knows where to come if they're caught short.

One hand washes the other, and there's never a problem getting more RAM, or a mouse, or a cable, or whatever we need.

Parent discovers the cost of ignoring Roblox: £2,500 and heart palpitations

That's how mine learned. On prototype machines, to boot ("don't stick your fingers inside")

3.5" floppies and MSDOS.

Rigorous dev courageously lied about exec's NSFW printouts – and survived long enough to quit with dignity

Re: Bit puzzled for a moment

A young lady in the altogether, perched on a 4-legged stool, was the image of choice at my secondary school. I may still have the card deck somewhere...

Microsoft decides it will be the one to choose which secure login method you use

New laptop for work

First, it wanted me to enroll in something called "Hello Windows". I managed to get them (work laptop, so locked down) to disable that. Then I was supposed to install some Microsoft 2FA app on my phone. No, thanks (and I have been proven correct here) and my coworkers are currently complaining about the new secondary verification which has recently been introduced.

I purchased my own Yubikey and managed (after a not inconsiderable hassle) to get them to configure it and allow me to use it as my 2FA method instead of the iPhone app (I claimed my phone was too old). Works a treat. Simple, reliable, and all I need to do is remember to keep it with me. It's also much smaller than the iPhone, so easier to carry. Mostly, it just sits in my USB hub.

Cheapest, oldest, slowest part fixed very modern Mac

USB can be...unpredictable.

I suspect (though have no proof) that this is a system timing problem as the OS attempts to enumerate all USB devices, hubs, etc. Some devices (I have a Sades gaming headset) do not seem to respond quickly enough for the OS to consider them present. The headset eventually works, but on boot, the OS (Linux Mint) says it's busted.

My HP Zbook work PC does everything through a USB-3 C type connector...I have a hub-cum-Ethernet to which the external keyboard (through AT to USB adapter), camera, etc are hooked. Every now and then, this hub isn't fast enough, and then I have no keyboard and have to open the laptop and turn it off and on again. But I do like the integrated Ethernet (gigabit, natch). I am not a fan of wifi for use with Teams...my home office is wired only.

Pornhub walls off Utah in age-verification law protest

Re: Us hypocrites

Isn't it frightfully nice to have...

The world of work is broken and it's Microsoft's fault

Re: It's NOT just the applicaitions

Another vote against those damn blue and green pop up "tips" boxes that show up in apps and require you to click "got it" to make them go away.

Don't interrupt what I'm doing to advertise some feature YOU think I should know about. Because interrupting my work like that is going to make damn sure I never use said "feature"

Email: rules/filters

I have been able to reasonably effectively manage my incoming email stream with Microsoft's "rules", which I have always called filters.

Feel good emails from HR reminding me that this is [whatever] week, go direct to Delete, as they all come from a predictable address, and likewise with the rest of the junk mail. Automated messages reminding me to change my password, go to the "Password" folder, so if I see new mail there, I know it's that time. Etcetera.

Use those rules to tame your emails

An important system on project [REDACTED] was all [REDACTED] up

Re: Support of such systems was a nightmare

Sounds to me like on-site (Hawaii) support is what's required here!

// no aloha shirt icon?

BOFH: Ah. Company-branded merch. So much better than a bonus

Re: AHH the good old USB

I'm waiting for that to happen here.

Already they have banned connecting to *anything* on a "foreign" network (e.g. my home network), which makes printing while WFH a bit more challenging (mail a PDF to my personal email (also a no-no), then print it from my home system).

I'm all for information security, but when it gets in the way of me doing my job...

Re: When do people understand that cash rules?

I am eagerly awaiting them, as I have a "Liz" GBP50 Turing note, and want the corresponding "Chuck Buck" note.

// the lack of a Turing icon on this forum is a huge mistake

Re: When do people understand that cash rules?

Peak current? Perhaps not. Average current? It's called a fuse.

Thicker wire, more average current before it melts.

Re: Maglite torch WTCLOI

You should investigate the possibility of converting it to use an LED "bulb".

I have done this to my Maglite, and the increase in lifetime is significant, over an incandescent bulb (as would be expected). Unless you're interested in focusing or the far better IR output of an incandescent bulb, the LED options available are a huge improvement.

As to batteries, I prefer the CR123 Lithiums. More expensive, yes, and an oddball size, also require a new flashlight, but for light when you need it, they are an improvement over alkaline cells, and I have yet to have one leak. The torch/flashlight in my cars has CR123s, since their shelf life far exceeds that of alkalines. LED light sources, of course. Chinese 2xCR123 LED torches/flashlights in aluminum are available quite reasonably at Amazon.

Re: AHH the good old USB

I have on my desk, a nice, small solid metal one with the appropriate size hole, marked "DTSE9". It's 8 GB (yes, I got it several years ago), but it still works. I's about 4cm long, and USB connector width and thickness. I have a short loop of bead chain through the hole, and use that to clip it onto one of those "NOT FOR CLIMBING" carabiner clips.

Ah! It's a Kingston...and they still have it, in 128GB and USB3! https://www.amazon.com/Kingston-Digital-128GB-Traveler-DTSE9G2

Re: When do people understand that cash rules?

I have several pieces of 3Com logowear still fit for purpose. Their strategic management wasn't too perceptive, but their company logowear has stood the test of time!

CB9000 golf shirt FTW

Petrol tins

Re: Acronym-Ignorant

Upvoted for honesty.

Something sadly missing in today's USAian politicians (but some of the are getting very creative...)

Owner of 'magic spreadsheet' tried to stay in the Lotus position until forced to Excel

Re: Very expensive lab equipment

Sadly, Fluke makes very good (if overpriced) multimeters.

This is just someone's clever idea that didn't quite work out the way they planned. (although they still got paid for it, so maybe it did?)

Their proprietary, licensed and not inexpensive app does the data download and calls Excel to display the graphs. "Annoyed" does not quite convey my reaction. We have not purchased any more meters with the logging "feature"

Very expensive lab equipment

...no longer manufactured or supported, of course, but still completely functional and fit for purpose. Think "spectrum analyzer, oscilloscope, etc". These things don't wear out and frequently last a decade or more in active use. If only the control/display software ran on the current version of Windows (development stopped, I think, with XP)

Example: Fluke multimeters with logging capability. Very handy items, EXCEPT for this one thing: their logging data is inaccessible unless you have a PC running Excel. That's right, you can't get the data off the device with just a serial transfer, you need their proprietary, licensed (yep, that'd be a network connection as well) application, as well as Excel. I'll let you guess what Corporate IT's response to that request was. A lab computer, generic user/password and connected to OUR network??? So, thanks, Fluke, your poor proprietary design has made the logging feature of your meters inaccessible. If only you had allowed export of the logging data as CSV, we'd still be using that feature.

Microsoft is busy rewriting core Windows code in memory-safe Rust

Re: "I expect Microsoft to reuse the existing compiler"

Never understood that, or the Microsoft Store, or any of the other consumer stuff that has slowly been showing up on every new laptop I get at work.

BOFH takes a visit to retro computing land

Can anyone help me get the sound working on original TETRIS (CGA/EGA/Tandy graphics, with the Matthias Rust Cessna in the red splash screen) on DOSbox? I distinctly recall 8-bit tunes through the PC speaker, but need to purchase a clue.

Re: Short, shameful confession

They're awfully handy for shopping lists and telephone notes. Folded in half, the fit nicely in a shirt pocket or wallet.