Posts by cb7

Linus Torvalds keeps his ‘fingers and toes’ rule by decreeing next Linux will be version 7.0

Re: With 20 digits

You can actually count to 32 very easily on just the fingers of both hands.

You just point to each horizontal line on each finger with the tip of your thumb before moving to the next finger.

I've used my fingers like that plenty of times. I've never used my toes though.

So you could then actually get to 42 if you also used the toes.

Another useful trick is to use the fingers of one hand for 1-16 as described above and the fingers of the other hand to count how many 16's. 16 x 16 = 256.

A bit like counting in hexadecimal but retaining decimal numbers.

Nvidia spends $5B on Intel bailout, instantly gets $2.5B richer

Re: Fakenomics.

My PC is still running a 9 year old i7. My laptop a 4 year old one. Still does everything I ask of it.

Microsoft sharpens the blocking axe for Exchange Web Services

Oh great, more shiny new stuff that does less than the old stuff did, yet costs more.

At this point, Microsoft should be renamed to Majorshit.

Kubernetes kicks down Azure Front Door

Put everything in the cloud. It's more resilient. We won't have to buy and maintain the hardware. Or the software. Someone else will have the headache of keeping it all running.

The cloud is the future.

What could possibly go wrong?

Intel reportedly wants TSMC's help to end its reliance on ...TSMC

I've never come across any information that accurately informs the public why Intel has struggled so much with process node improvements over the last few years.

What's really going on inside Intel's new fabs?

And is all this extra money going to help fix the problems in a timely manner?

Microsoft insists Copilot+ PCs are 'empowering the future' – reality disagrees

Re: +

I'll probably get downvoted to hell for saying this, but apparently Recall runs locally only.

But it does need extra storage space, RAM and the NPU chugging away constantly in the background to run OCR and object recognition on all the screenshots it takes so you can do text searches for stuff that may have been up on screen earlier.

Faced with £40B budget hole, UK public sector commits £9B to Microsoft

Make Microsoft and the other big tech US firms pay their fair share of UK corporation taxes too while you're at it.

https://www.computing.co.uk/news/4134957/uk-lost-gbp2bn-big-tech-tax

HMRC: Crooks broke into 100k accounts, stole £43M from British taxpayer in late 2024

I wonder when they're going to go after the big US tech firms that make £billions here yet pay a pittance in UK corporation tax?

That's £2Bn of lost tax revenue a year. And that was the figure for 2021.

https://www.taxwatchuk.org/seven-large-tech-groups-estimated-to-have-dodged-2bn-in-uk-tax-in-2021/

Pentagon needs China's rare earths, Beijing just put them behind a permit wall. Oops

Re: Krasnov

"I think the last act of Krasnov will be taking a steamy dump on the Oval Office's desk and sticking Russian flag on it."

He has to wear diapers because he constantly leaks loose motions. Good luck trying to stick a flag in that. Unless it's frozen.

Drone maker DJI sues Pentagon over ‘Chinese military company’ label

Life felt a lot simpler and happier when the news wasn't filled with all these nasty stories about spying, oppression and invasions.

Or maybe I just had my head buried in the sand all these years and ignorance is bliss. Sigh!

Beijing reportedly asked Hikvision to identify fasting students in Muslim-majority province

Re: Stranger than fiction

I tried fasting for health reasons once. Went 3 days without food. Drank only water during this time. And took a couple of electrolyte tablets over the period of each day.

I actually felt great and food tasted so good when I eventually ate.

I have no idea how Muslims go a whole day without drinking water. I know I couldn't do that. Or maybe I could, with great difficulty. But I'm glad I don't have to.

After three weeks of night shifts, very tired techie broke the UK’s phone network

I seem to recall call routing to trunk exchanges always had 2 alternates - at least around London.

I'm guessing this was some piddly little trunk to not have any alternates.

Intel sinks $19B into the red, kills Falcon Shores GPUs, delays Clearwater Forest Xeons

Re: Executive Search

I think they're having trouble because there's a dearth of people who understand how to make cutting edge fabs work.

Intel has been struggling with process node improvements for nearly a decade.

They've had yield problems with new nodes time and time again. Which new CEO in their right mind would want to drink from that poisoned chalice?

The only way to fix Intel is to put people in place who can RCA the yield issues and come up with workable solutions.

I'm not sure anyone's doing that.

Microsoft investigating 365 Office activation gremlin

I really don't understand why Microsoft insists on wasting effort to keep re-writing software which already works (mostly) when they could/should instead be investing that effort to add useful new features or streamlining existing ones.

Usually, existing useful features end up getting left out, the software runs even slower than it used to, or worse, critical bugs are introduced to the point where the damn thing becomes unusable.

Examples:

Existing features: Outlook (New) doesn't support .pst's (local archived mail storage files) whereas Outlook (Classic) does.

Gaping holes/bugs in basic useful functionality: A single unified working sync for contacts/calendar between devices and apps - e.g. Android, iOS, Outlook, Teams.

'Skeleton Key' attack unlocks the worst of AI, says Microsoft

LLM's are a dead end.

Because it will be harder to feed them good clean new data going forward now that malicious people know they can poison them.

ASML ships another high NA EUV lithography machine to mystery client

Re: Who wants to make their own chips?

Tesla?

Google?

Amazon?

Cybercriminals are stealing iOS users' face scans to break into mobile banking accounts

My Natwest bank app keeps pestering me to add my face to the biometric approval options.

I know a 25 year old who can unlock his 50 year old dad's phone using face recognition alone.

"You are your strongest password" says Natwest as it nags me again.

Like FUCK OFF ALREADY!!!!

Intel abandons XPU plan to cram CPU, GPU, memory into one package

AMD MI300

"the chip will feature 24 Zen 4 cores... ...six GPU dies and eight high-bandwidth memory modules good for a total of 128GB."

But can it run Crysis?

Intel successfully ships an updated datacenter roadmap

Re: Gentlemen, we have a PowerPoint

That's deliberate. By leaving out the specifics, they can claim they delivered what they promised. Chips that look exactly like what they shipped years ago, just renamed.

Head of Intel Foundry Services resigns just as chip biz gets going

"but most notable is his leadership in standing up our IFS business."

Standing still more like.

World + dog is churning out 5nm or less while Intel is still palming off rebadged 10nm.

https://www.theverge.com/23578430/chip-war-chris-miller-asml-intel-apple-samsung-us-china-decoder

Intel aims for lower-power GPUs as Nvidia pushes pricey energy guzzlers

Whilst Intel's goal is laudable, I fail to see how they're going to deliver given their apparent inability to move manufacturing onto more efficient nodes.

Current nVidia GPUs are on 4nm already

AMD are on 5nm.

Intel are peddling Intel 7 which which is basically 10nm renamed. Yes, yes I know it's equivalent to TSMC's 7nm, but TSMC are shipping volume on 4nm already.

Meanwhile, as an aside, Apple will gain some desktop / laptop market share with their M1/M2 powered machines also at 5nm.

Being one of the 1% sucks if you're a Rackspace user

"you are very likely going to end up with regrets"

Ah yes but the people who architect these deals typically move on before the shit hits the fan, so they definitely don't have any regrets.

Not unless their past catches up with them and people start to realise the cost "saving" they're so proud of ended up ultimately taking the ship down.

Re: I just wonder ..

"if you have the right backup software, it can be done without too much effort"

Which software did you use?

Re: I just wonder ..

"Step 1 - Spin up parallel server instance, different dns name"

How do you know the parallel server instance also isn't vulnerable to the same intrusion that got the first instance?

All you'd be doing is creating an even bigger clusterfuck.

Microsoft have revealed time and time again, the Exchange they host themselves hasn't been vulnerable to the zero days the Exchange they give to others.

They should be sharing best practice for securing Exchange environments (whether that's on-premises Exchange or SP's using it for Hosted Exchange). If they can secure 365 Exchange then everyone running Exchange ought to be offered the same capabilities.

That's assuming of course RackSpace had implemented all the security recommendations they should have.

Rackspace customers rage as email outage continues and migrations create migraines

"On-premise Exchange's days have been numbered for several years"

What are the alternatives?

I support a small business with half a dozen mailboxes on on-premises Exchange 2019. The business owner has an aversion to anything cloud.

Requirements are emails foremost with contacts and calendar functionality across multiple devices close behind.

I took over from a different IT support provider and 2020 was the first time I built and configured a Windows server with 3x VMs: PDC, Exchange and an Application server to take over from their old setup that included Exchange 2010.

Re: Complete incompetence

"After 4hrs of hold time and 3 1/2hrs of tech time still no mail ending up in my new 365 mailbox unless I send it to myself???"

Consider yourself lucky. I just had my callback from Rackspace support after waiting since Friday (today is Tues) only to find it was a robocall and there was no one at the other end.

:-(

The stupidest thing is, it's not even an Exchange issue I need their help with!

After setting up your new mailbox, you have to wait up to 24-48 hours for the changes to propagate across the Internet. Patience you must have, my young padawan.

Rackspace rocked by ‘security incident’ that has taken out hosted Exchange services

Re: Wait how do we know this

"Kevin Beaumont has done some analysis that points to the lack of patching by RS

https://doublepulsar.com/rackspace-cloud-office-suffers-security-breach-958e6c755d7f "

Thanks for the pointer. Shit. That means on-prem is still vulnerable. Bollocks

Separately, I've requested 3x call backs from RS Support so far since Fri (5 days and counting) and have heard nothing.

Last night I tried staying in the queue and the call cutoff after 3 hours and 1 second. Likely EE as was calling the 0800 support no. from my mobile.

The 1st callback did happen, but at 04:30 GMT so I ended missing it as was asleep. Given RS operate internationally, you'd think they'd consider local time across time zones.

My problem isn't even Exchange. It's a user who let their regular RS email mailbox get too full and it now appears to be corrupted.

"Exchange had known vulns that Rackspace appears not to have patched."

Wait, how do you know that?

How do we know it's not a new Exchange vulnerability?

I'm trying to help a customer on Rackspace email and need RS support assistance. I received a callback 15 hours later. Except I missed it as was fast asleep.

No, working in IT does not mean you can fix anything with a soldering iron

Re: Customer pushback

"Well, if you're daft enough to go to Mars without an Amazon Prime subscription"...

I doubt your oxygen supply will last you the 7 months it'll take to get there. Prime or no Prime.

Calls for bans on Chinese CCTV makers Hikvision, Dahua expand

Maybe I haven't looked hard enough, but I haven't really come across any CCTV systems that weren't made in China.

Could say the same about a massive number of other things. But let's stay on topic.

And what if you need to monitor a site remotely?

Bing! Microsoft tests search box in the middle of Windows 11 desktop

Re: Typical MS

MS: Because that's where Spolight search puts the search box on macOS (albeit on top of open apps). But shhh. Don't tell anyone. We don't want anyone to think we've run out of ideas and can only poorly copy Apple now.

Meta to squeeze money from WhatsApp with Cloud API for businesses

Re: "automated quick replies, greeting messages"

As a small business owner who uses WhatsApp business, I find the out of hours automated response feature extremely useful.

It means anyone reaching out to me out of hours will get an automated response informing them of my operating hours. Which in turn means a) I get to switch off from work and b) they get to know I'm not ignoring them and they can expect to receive a response when I'm back at work.

I know from feedback that they do appreciate it.

Microsoft partners balk at new licensing scheme, dent growth

Prices go up, yet basic functions still have annoying bugs/limitations.

Here's a couple:

1. Standard Windows File Open dialog box after eg Ctrl-O in Excel to bring it up, start typing a filename, realise you're in the wrong folder, so navigate to the correct folder. Typing the filename in the filename box doesn't show anything from the current folder until you wipe out what you'd already typed and start again.

2. Right-click a file in File Explorer and choose Sent to Mail Recipient. This brings up the Compose email window as a modal one. This means no other interaction with Outlook until you send the email or close it (good look finding it again in the latter case if you have multiple mailboxes). This can be severely annoying if you need to refer to another email or interact with Outlook in some other way.

I could go on, but I'm sure everyone here has found long standing issues that never get a look in despite there being New Shiny turds emerging with forced regularity.

Intel: Our fabs can mass produce silicon qubit devices

"Intel: Our fabs can mass produce silicon qubit devices"

Intel, how about you pull your finger out of your arse and move on from 10nm already. We don't want 125W CPU's in our laptops. 2 hours real life battery life doing real work doesn't really cut it in 2022 any more.

And while you're at it, how about shipping some of those 12th gen laptop chips. The laptops were supposed to be available in March. We're 2/3s of the way into April and apart from a couple of Dell's, there's nowt.

Details of '120,000 Russian soldiers' leaked by Ukrainian media

In other news

Russians woke up this morning to find themselves unable to access non-Russian websites like Google, YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram, all popular with Russian users.

Parent companies Alphabet and Meta have denied putting any blocks in place for Russian users and said they are investigating the source of the problem.

Source: Imaginary News Corp.

Do not try this at home: Man spends $5,000 on a 48TB Raspberry Pi storage server

Re: '"how far can I push this before it gets silly". A true engineer'

"Part of Today's problems is manglement don't know the difference......"

That's because manglement also have to listen to the bean counters or they'll be out of a job.

They find it's easier to say no than have the hard conversation that says we need more money so we can invest in R&D.

But that involves working out a ROI (Return on Investment) at which point most give up and carry on with business "as normal".

Why your external monitor looks awful on Arm-based Macs, the open source fix – and the guy who wrote it

"enourmously embarassing for Apple"

To feel embarrassed, one has to give a shit. If they gave a shit, they would have fixed the issue already.

Arm'd with ex-Apple engineers from Nuvia, Qualcomm hopes to make Apple M1-matching chips for Windows PCs

Ffs, if you're going to downvote, at least have the spine to put your counter argument across to explain why you think the original post is "off track".

A downvote with no explanation is just childish.

We're all adults here (I hope!). I don't mind being corrected where I'm wrong. Afterall there's only so many hours in the day to keep abreast of everything that's happening.

I still don't understand how Intel managed to mess up their transition from 14nm so badly.

Imagine where we'd be if Intel silicon was running at 5nm

Magnanimous Apple will allow people to fix their iPhones using parts bought from its Self Service Repair program

Definitely sounds like a step in the right direction.

I hope it arrives in Blighty sooner rather than later.

I just hope it's not like Dell/Lenovo/other manufacturers where the required parts are never in stock or if they are, the price puts the cost to repair the device awfully close to the cost to replace it.

There's something to be said for delayed gratification when Windows 11 is this full of bugs

The fact that something as fundamental as the Start Menu or the settings screen can so easily go AWOL on so many machines does nothing to instill any confidence as to the quality of the rest of the OS, even though the kernel itself and most other things are actually quite robust now.

I continue to detest software that doesn't put up meaningful error messages for the end user when it runs out of options to make something work.

Windows Subsystem for Android: What's the point?

"living our commitment to openness," enabling Windows users to run apps "regardless of the technology used".

In that case I'd like to run macOS and iOS apps on Windows too. I won't be holding my breath though.

Intel claims first Alder Lake chip is the fastest desktop gaming silicon in the world

Re: Point

"What is the point of the so called "efficiency" cores"

It makes the chip more energy efficient. Probably not a big deal for most desktop users but a massive deal for laptops.

If your laptop can suddenly go 21 hours on a single charge compared to 9 hours before, that's a major selling point.

Windows 11 Paint: Oh look – rounded corners. And it is prettier... but slightly worse

Everything Microsoft is doing lately just seems to be another example of 'how not to do x'.

So much good design, usability, speed and efficiency has been thrown away it's little wonder we need quad core 5GHz CPU's, SSDs and 8GB+ of RAM just to get the OS out of bed.

I had the opportunity to work on an old EPOS system recently. I was amazed at how quickly it ran on a lowly Socket 478 Celeron, 256MB RAM, a 40GB IDE HDD & Windows XP.

In Microsoft's world, cloud email still often requires on-premises Exchange. Why?

128GB?

Running Exchange 2019 on a VM with 28GB RAM just fine here. Admitedly it's for a small shop with less than half a dozen employees.

The owner prefers paying up front to ongoing subs. Which if nothing goes wrong, does work out cheaper in the long run.

The more interesting question I have is, how come On-Premises Exchange was vulnerable to the zero days discovered earlier this year whilst Exchange Online wasn't?

Biden to Putin: Get your ransomware gangs under control and don’t you dare cyber-attack our infrastructure

Funny how we bomb the crap out of countries that attack our interests but who are not capable of hitting back in a meaningful way, but take a more softly softly approach with larger adversaries.

In any case, why aren't smaller businesses off limits? Ransomware attacks can and do result in many smaller companies going out of business.

Who needs to deal drugs for cash when you can deal ransomware and reap bitcoin? Seems like it's a crime that largely goes unpunished.

What Microsoft's Windows 11 will probably look like

FFS. 6 bleeding years they've had to improve on Windows 10 and this is all they could come up with???

The task bar now look like a flat copy of the macOS Dock. And who gives a flying monkey of the window corners are square or rounded?

Here's a short list of the sort of real issues that need urgent long overdue attention:

- A UI that doesn't suck. Eg active windows that stand out from inactive windows (like they used to in WinXP). A cursor I can actually see on multiple high res screens.

- Give me a slicker way to work with multiple recently used folders.

- Multi windowed control panel (like it used to) - not just a single Settings window that sometimes goes AWOL.

- Better integration with iOS and Android devices now that Windows mobile is a rotting corpse somewhere.

Instead, all we get is more pussying around with stupid minor tweaks to the UI that don't deliver any kind of tangible benefits for the end user. You know, like the ones that make the OS slicker and improve productivity.

Someone please line up and shoot whichever muppets are running the show at MS and replace them with real enthusiastic people who genuinely want to deliver a world class OS.

Apple settles with student after authorized repair workers leaked her naked pics to her Facebook page

Re: In before . . .

Yep. Covers all bases, except there ain't no pussy pics out there worth $5m

ASUS baffles customer by telling them thermal pad thickness is proprietary

I can see why it could become a warranty issue if someone ended up fitting poor quality pads that do more to insulate than conduct...