* Posts by Paul M

28 publicly visible posts • joined 3 Sep 2007

O2 XDA Guide satnav phone

Paul M

Haven't I seen you before?

Haven't gone through all the specs but it looks and sounds exactly like my old XDA Orbit 2 which I swapped for an iPhone (boo hiss!!!)

As much as I liked the Orbit 2 this seems a bit of a backward step for HTC - a 2.8" screen just isn't good enough these days and was one of the main reasons I got rid of it.

And Co-Pilot is at least as good as Tom Tom IMHO.

AMD trumpets HDTV-on-PC chip

Paul M

Alternatively

Provocation ALlemande

EC pressure on Microsoft grows

Paul M

Suggestion for Reg

Can I make a suggestion to the Reg that for any story which is about Microsoft's monopoly position that you attach a boilerplate-style notice mentioning (in large font, boldface, italic and underlined... in parentheses...):

- Apple do not have to remove iTunes/Safari/whatever BECAUSE THEY DO NOT HAVE A MONOPOLY

- Abuse of a monopoly position is ILLEGAL both in North America and Europe, no matter what you might think of it and the law dictates that ation is taken against those FOUND GUILTY OF SUCH ABUSES.

Tha would prevent at least 2/3rds of the most inane comments these stories attract.

No, of course I realise it wouldn't make the slightest difference.....

Next Ubuntu alpha reveals video change

Paul M

(With acknowledgement to...)

"...linux isn't perfect already? I mean, from what I keep reading..."

Of course not silly boy...

Linux is the worst possible choice for an Operating System, apart from all of the others....

Hey, Red Hat - Open-source help still lousy?

Paul M

AMQP

I am curious as to how AMQP tackles the "more specific needs of financial services".

As it only defines a wire protocol but no API companies will still be locked in to whichever vendor's (or in-house) API they decide to program to.

Yes, once they provide a JMS mapping that will provide one option but, you know, not everyone in the financial services uses Java for everything!

'No Office 14 this year,' says Ballmer

Paul M

Re. Decade Boundaries

I've never understood the certainty that some people have in stating that 2000 was the last year of the 20th century etc etc.

In fact, the first year of the Christian era started at 4, not 1. And many other error corrections have resulted in years going walkabout over the millennia. So if we want 2010 to be the start of the next decade it's as valid as any argument you can come up with.

And speaking of these early days, who needs Office 14 - stone tablets are probably less bloated.

Sky hints at 3D TV launch

Paul M

Innovation from Sky??!?

You mean the company that put advanceed television viewing back years by choosing the cheaper PAL standard rather than the digital sound and widescreen-supporting D(2)-MAC that the more forward-thinking countries were adopting?

Even on their own satellite channels the BBC were broadcasting widescreen years before Sky got around to it.

Apple explores auto iPhone audio

Paul M

I'm sure I saw...

... Blaupunkt do this many years ago in an in-car audio system.

Still, it's the US patent office we're talking about here, right?

ASA rules on 'USB Fornication Optimiser'

Paul M

Regarding offending people

I'd have thought wantonly brandishing one's offspring in public would be much more demeaning to those finding it hard to conceive. Can we get children banned from all public places please, just in case, y'know?

How the Google stole Christmas

Paul M

So tell me, Cade...

How many advertisers out there specifically don't want to sell to iPhone users who have deliberately clicked on their ad?

Unlike e.g. Microsoft, noone is actually forced to use Google for anything. If they annoy you then use a different service and stop moaning just because others continue to use them.

And anyway, this whole article is invalidated by the fact that you mention several means by which advertisers can sort themselves out. Doesn't anyone take responsibility for themselves anymore?

Half of Brits abuse apostrophe's

Paul M

Except...

Going by the logic of apostrophes replacing missing letters, we should be spelling the contraction of "will not" as "w'n't" or some such thing. Or "shall not" as "sha'n't".

Go on - add yet another rule to the rules.

Personally I love the complexity of English - it adds texture. Just think how boring languages like, well... most others where specific combinations of letters are always pronounced the same.

iPhone beer maker sues Carling over virtual suds

Paul M

Microsoft Office??? WTF???

So are those posters drawing a comparison between this and MS Office vs OpenOffice claiming that Microsoft owns the copyright on Word Processor software??!?

Autopilot blamed for Qantas plunge

Paul M

Experts!

I always love reading the comments for these types of stories but could I make a request to El Reg? Could you please create a new "I am a genuine expert" icon that genuine experts can use so we the readers can tell that they genuinely know their stuff and are not talking bollocks?

By the way, the imperitive form is "m'aidez". "M'aider" as described by SysKoll is the infinitive.

;-)

Anonymous hacks Sarah Palin's Yahoo! account

Paul M

Re: Not "hacking" as such

Daniel B,

Just because the question says "What is your pet's name?" doesn't mean you have to use your actual pet's name for the response.

Too much money? Bling your iPhone with the $1000 app

Paul M

IEFBR14

Blimey, yes - good one! It was in fact extremely useful *because* it did nothing!

It was also (originally) the only single instruction program that contained a bug! (didn't set reg 14 to zero before branching back).

We really do need an Old Farts icon you know.

Screwgle™ - Google's new ad revenue model

Paul M

What's all this then?

Reg readers showing sympathy for advertisers??!?

Never thought I'd see the day.....

Media police assault takes down legit video website

Paul M

Here's a thought

Although it doesn't say what files MediaDefender (sic) were injecting, if we assume that they were on some sort of entrapment kick and were baiting the "pirates" with copyrighted material then...

- either they don't own the copyright for that stuff and should be charged for making it available for sharing or

- they had permission from the copyright holders to make it available for sharing and hence anyone downloading it was not acting illegally.

Works for me!

IBM gives mainframe another push

Paul M

Re. Really Old Men

Scene: 1993 - A Classroom to learn about the New Apple computers that the company is putting on people's desks. Myself and a colleague, 2 MVS System Programmers are the only students.

Instructor: (Takes us through the basics, how to switch it on etc). "And here is the reset switch in case it locks up on you".

Locks up??!? We stare at each other.......

'Suspicious comment' provokes LAX terminal evacuation

Paul M

There's a much simpler, proven way

After the search etc, as the suspect is just walking away the security guard simply says "Good luck with the jihad" and anyone who turns and says "Thank you -.... d'oh!!!!" is caught!!!

Linux-less Eee PC launched in Japan

Paul M
Linux

Shocked!!!

... that the photo caption mentions nothing about turning Japanese.....

Oh well, Paris Hilton icon instead I guess...

HD DVD player sales share slumps

Paul M

@ But, but , but, but...

May I suggest that this post be taken as the standard Reg definition of satire and that anyone who takes it seriously be forever banned from El Reg's comments pages?

Oh, and HD-DVD is dead, rah rah...

Researchers share video contact lens vision

Paul M

@Also...

Toric contact lenses and others that cope with astigmatism already need to lie in the correct orientation to work. Years ago I had some with a little cutout at the bottom which fitted against your lower eyelid.

And yes, they are even fiddlier than normal lenses.

BBC.com begins commercial push

Paul M

The usual all over again

I can only assume that the people who complain about the TV licence fee have never had to subject themselves to "free" TV in other countries. I have found myself shouting, swearing and throwing things at the television when, after being convinced that there surely cannot be enough time left to slip in yet another ad before the end of the programme -they still manage it!!!!!

Anyway, about the topic in hand, the beeb have been reasonably subtle I think. Having said that, if you don't pay the licence, I can't see you've got much cause for complaint. Except me - although based in London my company's external IP address is based in Germany so I get the ads too......

Singapore Airlines bans A380 rumpy-pumpy

Paul M

@Bob

"But then again your probably French"

His probably French ... what?

BBC spreads free Wi-Fi Cloud over iPlayer delay

Paul M

A Serious Question

I've asked this before but got no answer.

Why is it an issue to have DRM on programmes when downloaded over the Internet when those same programmes were broadcast in the clear at full PAL resolution only a week earlier? Why don't the rights holders care that anyone who wants to take a copy can easily do so using a cheap Freview USB tuner direct to DVD?

P.S. Just seen the "Reserverd for AManFromMars" icon - he he he he he

Mac, Linux BBC iPlayers in the offing, says PM

Paul M

Sorry - I don't get the need for DRM here

Not that I'm too interested in trying out the iPlayer at the moment so maybe I've missed something here but, aren't the BBC only planning on making available programmes that they have already broadcast in the last week or so, in the clear, for free (license fee notwithstanding)?

So why aren't the rights holders up in arms about this given that it's just as easy to buy a cheap DVB-T USB stick and record straight to DVD anyway at full broadcast resolution?

Why is it only an issue when it's downloaded over the Internet?

Texas Instruments stands out with 3D TV

Paul M

3D Content

Of course it would be relatively easy to knock out a 3D version of any CGI film - as long as they kept the backups of course!

I saw Polar Express in 3D at the IMAX which was reasonably entertaining.

TV makers go ape for 100Hz LCDs

Paul M

Re: Do the theaters show films at full 24fps?

Cinemas project films at 48 fps - although the film itself rolls by at 24 fps, each frame is shown twice to avoid flicker which is much more noticeable in a darkened room.