Posts by Zakspade

AWS flips switch on Euro cloud as customers fret about digital sovereignty

Yes, yes...

Yes, yeas, all very good. We hear you.

But what happens when the US say to the parent company, "Give us access to [EU data]"?

Naturally, parent company will point out they can't comply with said request. So, the US makes it a demand and ties it to, "OK, but be aware that we won't be giving you the 'OK' to [whatever earns $billions] in future."

Is the parent company going to stand its ground, or will t do what Farcebook did when they rolled over and paid Donald Duck 'damages' (why fight it and win when winning means having to operate in a politically hostile financial environment as a result?)

Bond, debt bond: Investors shaken, not stirred by Oracle’s borrowing spree sue Big Red

Bubble

Bubble, innit?

Fujitsu scores place on £984M UK government framework despite bid boycott

Liars. Anybody?

Liars. Anybody?

Techie banned from client site for outage he didn’t cause

Tried to remote onto a server. Failed. Turned out a laptop user in the office unplugged it to plug in their charger... (it was a small office server).

They powered it back on for me, but the dirty shutdown (and the on/off process having been going on for weeks as the user unplugged the server every time they were in the office) had the server come up once more, but unable to read the disks. The RAID controller had failed (I seem to recall).

Cue booking engineer to attend to fix AND perform the restore once fixed.

Turned out the backup device never came back on once the server was initially turned of by the laptop user in the first place - so the server had never been backed up since the day they first charged their laptop from that outlet.

The office (and company) made a formal complaint against me for wrecking their system.

Oh how we all laughed - but it still required me to undergo the formal process - despite everyone taking part - HR included - knowing it was a crock...

Capita tells civil servants to wait for chatbots to fix pension portal woes

Clements of Capita promised "one of the biggest services in the United Kingdom with AI at its core."

Two things. 'Capita' (They ain't known as 'Crapita' for nothing) - and 'AI'

The two worst things I can think of in IT being used together.

Still, as long as those bonuses keep being paid (deadlines were met - just not with a finished or tested product), all will be happy.

AWS raises GPU prices 15% on a Saturday, hopes you weren't paying attention

It's not just an 'IT thing.' Across the world, big business are squeezing every drop of life fluid they can from punters (you and me). This ensures that the $billions they take turn into even more $billions and the figure become even more obscene.

Too often, turnovers, gross and profits are referenced in BILLIONS and I fear that the majority (but probably not the erstwhile readers of The Register) cannot process the difference between a million and a billion.

For anyone who accidentally landed here from a tabloid website, think of it like this:

You win $MILLION. Ignoring investing or interest, you decide to take $100k per year to live on. The initial $1MILLION will fund you for 10 years.

You win $BILLION. Ignoring investing or interest, you decide to take $100k per year to live on. The initial $1BILLION will fund you for 10 thousand years. Or to put it another way - if you decide to give yourself an allowance of $1million per year, you will kit that kitty in ONE THOUSAND YEARS.

How much do the likes of Apple, AWS, Oracle, Microsoft, Tesco, Costco, Walmart, (the list is long) make in profit? From you and me, while we reckon having $30k in the bank makes us rich.

When the likes of AWS screw THEIR corporate customers - trust me, they get their increased costs of doing business from those at the bottom. Us.

The Y2K bug delayed my honeymoon … by 17 years!

VCR

Like many in IT, I worked over Y2K and eyes were peeled in case hard work had missed something.

Our company was fine. We were an IT company that supplied support to clients. Guess what! They were fine as well - because we had managed their Y2K transition.

All was good.

Many (non-IT friends) said in the days after, that it was all hokum and nothing. And a few days after that I realised my 14-day programable VCR couldn't be set because it couldn't handle 2000...

Yes, Y2K bit me - but not where I thought or how.

User insisted their screen was blank, until admitting it wasn't

Solicitors...

To become a solicitor, one has to undergo lots of education... Hmm.

I worked for a company who had a client that was a huge firm of solicitors.

Support call came in. A solicitor had worked on a document ALL DAY. Apparently it was very detailed. They had lunch. At the end of the day, they turned off their PC.

The next day they logged the support call. Their day's work had gone!

Lots of investigation revealed the following

- At no point during the day had they actually given the document a name or attempted to save it,

- At the end of the day, when they shut down their computer, they ignored the prompt to save the document.

Yes, we could have a look for temp files and see whether there was any way to recreate the non-document, but that became DATA RECOVERY (something which our company offered, but at a serious price). The solicitor engaged 'Solicitor Authority' and senior partners and my company folded and said we (me) would attempt to recover the data using 'best endeavours' - which meant doing it as when able while doing normal work (meaning no SLA). Consequently it slipped right down the list of priorities.

Solicitor fuming. He wanted the data NOW. He needed it. It was time sensitive. All the usual.

It has been deemed DATA RECOVERY (rejected by the client) or Best Endeavours.

Naturally, said solicitor didn't want to surrender their PC for me to access as and when i could so as to trawl though it, remotely, because they needed to use it NOW.

Guess what happened... (no, my employer didn't fold again - the data recovery aspect of their business was quite lucrative and they were not of a mind to devalue it).

Welcome to America - now show us your last five years of social media posts

Football

Naturally, football fans will travel to the US and bolster the visitor figures so Trumpet will be able to claim figures are up...

But seriously, it may be worth noting that if one is turned away from the US (refused entry), such things can be reflected in passports. Good luck trying to gain entry into any other country with a 'denied entry' stamp in your passport.

There was a time when certain countries in the Middle East would refuse entry to passport holders with the 'wrong' stamp within from other certain countries. There was never an investigation. 'Wrong' stamp = refused entry. No discussion. No one was interested in why.

A day trip to France on the ferry from Blighty could potentially be interesting if refused US entry...

But then, it is possible that other countries will ignore the ravings of an obviously dysfunctional border control and decide to treat such entry refusals as being acts of gross idiocy.

To solve compatibility issues, Microsoft would quietly patch other people's code

Re: Of course not!

Lucky friend! My Windows kept resetting preferences and file associations after every time I closed the lid and lifted it...

I solved the problem by no longer using Windows. My wife stayed with it and is now using Windows 11. She wonders why I just get on and use my computer and she has to play games to get things to print properly, or save files on our home network without error messages galore, or she keeps being asked to enable this, that or the other after she has turned them off to stop them nagging her...

Researcher who found McDonald's free-food hack turns her attention to Chinese restaurant robots

Tricky

Ooo! Forgive me being vague...

I once worked for a Big Company. Scammers would seek out vulnerable web servers and have them host a dummy site that was mad to look like Big Company. It would ask them (in the voice of Big Company) to input their details etc. It then would pass those details to the criminals.

Our job was to work with the server owners to have them sort their server's vulnerabilities and get them patched. In the process, they could remove the third-party software (scammerware!) and everyone would be happy.

Except...

Sometimes, server owners either refused to accept the word of Big Company (a huge multinational, I add), or they just ignored us. Either way, said scammer site would continue to operate - collecting personal data from OUR customers and clients - who would then complain to Big Company and threaten to take their business elsewhere. So, we had a strong interest in having server owners actually engage with us.

One such server's security was so lax, I decided to just delete the scammer's website folder and have done with it, because the server owner was telling us that we were wrong and they were perfect (I hope they eventually sacked their Head of Security, or webmaster). What I couldn't see, without being a little more heavy-handed, was how the scammer would re-spawn their website every time I deleted the files. After a bit of thought, I realised that as long as the folder and files existed, the respawn wouldn't happen. So, instead I edited the spanner's 'Big Company' look-a-like website to read things like, "We are scammers and not really Big Company and we are only seeking to steal your data and money," and other such warnings, as altered website text.

Job well done! Or so I thought...

When my bosses found out, they were horrified. Here in the - no, I won't say which country - I had left myself open to criminal charges of unauthorised access to a computer system. On top of that (and more importantly for Big Company), any attempt by me to mitigate would surely drag their name through the mud. In addition, there was a big question over THEIR implied authorisation to me regarding breaking said laws.

Our way out? Delete the site and have the thing respawn as the scammer intended and allow the scam to continue - despite the refusal of the server owner to even consider looking at their system.

Basically, what my experience taught me is that hacking (however good), seems fraught with legal pitfalls. While silent/stealthy access of a system to determine a lack of security is possible - progressing beyond that belief into testing precisely what can be done, is deemed a criminal act by some jurisdictions if not done with the permission, or invitation of the owner. I fail to see how such claims can be made without opening oneself to criminal proceedings.

End well, this won't: UK commissioner suggests govt stops kids from using VPNs

Foot in the door

We allowed the idiots to get their foot in the door. Now they are prising their way in. Anyone who thinks our liberty and freedom isn't at risk, probably thinks they really are idiots. No, they just want us to think they are idiots.

What they have done is prised open an opportunity to undermine any hope anyone had of privacy.

Welcome to the New World.

Microsoft kills volume rebates in name of 'transparency'

Re: Good job, M$

It only it were that easy! It probably IS for those of us who know computers (even vaguely), but the reality is that Microsoft knows they have businesses by the short and curlies.

The world is heading towards the moment when it is run by a handful of huge mega-corporations that cannot be controlled and exist only to increase their own profits and wealth and screw Humanity in the process.

Yes, I know, rather dramatic. But consider the point forty years ago.

Back then, they would have been the words of a crackpot.

Twenty years ago: A reckless claim.

Ten years ago: Unlikely.

Now: Look at the evolution of the mega-corp over the last fort years...

Oracle VirtualBox licensing tweak lies in wait for the unwary

Re: All because

Greedy? Perhaps just needy. Gotta finance those expensive wedding venues, somehow...

Trump's budget bill bankrolls $85M Space Shuttle shuffle

Re: A journey into the Gulf of Mexico

I came here to comment on the 'Gulf of Mexico' thing. But someone (you!) beat me to it! :-)

Odd how the ex-British colonies have decided to rename the place after an Italian explorer (Amerigo Vespucci). I suppose the whims of Tango Man must be observed.

Three goes to zero as UK mobile provider suffers voice and text outage

Re: Why No Notification?

And now they will be 'improving' their customer service as they get onboard with Vodafone. Apparently, they are taking on Vodafone's billing and account management methods and procedures - so victims of Vodafone's customer service when billing goes awry will be pleased to know they will no longer be alone when it comes to being shafted...

My wife and I both run our mobiles via Three. Mine went out of contract earlier this year. After the previous outage and the 999 fiasco (on top of my never wanting to be a victim of Vodafone again), I resolved to take both away once my wife's account goes out of contract.

Wife's account goes out of contract in two days (Friday)...

Both numbers will be ported away. Where? Anywhere not associated with Three.

Anyone else in a similar position might want to learn from the mistake we made at the start. NEVER operate his and her mobile accounts with the same network. All it means is that if YOUR phone goes down, so does THEIRS (single point of borkage). We won't be making that mistake again...

My only regret is that their customer service structure is such that it is almost impossible to speak to a living being in order to let them know why we are leaving. Maybe that will sink in if people vote with their feet.

Larry Ellison is still not the world's richest person

I get it

I get the argument that it is wrong to penalise others just because they have been successful. Why tax and financial strip those have made fortunes. However...

...there are fortunes and there are fortunes...

The population of my town is just under 25,000 souls. What was 'earned' (milked from the rest of the population) over the last year would allow for at least $1m to each living human in my town. Said money would allow every family/family unit/individual to live off the interest.

The word OBSCENE comes to mind when discussing the fortunes of those right at the top who have collected and amassed their riches at the cost to those who they exploit.

The Amazon driver who chucks your package over the wall instead of placing it somewhere safe, does so because he/she is under pressure to work harder and faster to maintain the riches of Jeff Bezos. The scammer ads that populate Facebook, are not invisible to staff but are there because they help maintain the riches of Mark Zuckerberg. Your local authority taxes rise because of software/solutions priced to increase the obscene wealth of Larry Ellison.

It doesn't matter how far we are from the fiscal greed that takes place - we all contribute (whether taxes or the cost of goods) to THEIR wealth.

To those fans of 'trickle down economics' that states that wealth-makers create wealth that (eventually) trickles down to us mere mortals through bolstering and boosting economies in general - be advised - it doesn't. The wealth-makers just keep buying bigger baths...

User unboxed a PC so badly it 'broke' and only a nail file could fix it

A place I worked at seemed to think efficiency came with rearranging the office every 8-12 weeks. We tech support guys were told to not move our PCs and leave it to the "Facility Department guys," as, "They know what they are doing," (suggesting that we - the actual tech people - didn't have a clue).

We all know where this is going, don't we? Should I continue? Sorry, I can't stop myself...

Tech support calls covering certain major contracts went somewhat out of SLA. Client-build, test PCs were down. It was a list. Nothing changed for a couple of moves before someone higher in manglement than the amoebas who barked meaningless orders at us during the day, asked an important question: "Who knows the kit better than those who put it together?"

Took a while before anyone heard us though.

Ah, I miss those days.

Computacenter IT guy let girlfriend into Deutsche Bank server rooms, says fired whistleblower

As a former Computacenter employee, I'm surprised to not see their name always in the news in relation to security matters. They operate a rather 'pals-based' model that ensures that it is all about back-scratching, who you know, and who is conducting 'friendships' with whom - rather than adherence to policy, procedure or best practise.

Of course, it works very well (for that level of management) because no one calls it out. Those lower employees who do, are 'let go'...

Still, it must be a tight ship.

AI models routinely lie when honesty conflicts with their goals

Orange is the New Black (Lie - as opposed to little white ones)

"...truthful less than 50 percent of the time..." In context, the suggestion was that it wasn't much more than 50 percent of the time.

Some way to go before it reaches the level of the Orange Man, then?

M365 Family users wake up to notice 'Your subscription expired'

I get it that many users are not tech-savvy, and had a locally run copy of a word processing program fallen over, they'd be just as far up faeces creek without a propulsion device. However, those who ARE capable are not happy.

Solution? Use a local copy. Better still, use a free local copy. I switched to Libreoffice nearly a year ago. There was a period or adjusting to 'ways' that differed. I still have to save the odd document for those who can't manage to open a non-Micro$oft document. I find it odd that a file format based on an open format cannot be opened by an application produced by a mega-corporation that boasts that they use an open file format... One might almost think it was a deliberate attempt to hurt those who desert them.

I also abandoned Windows. I had been part of the Windows Insider Programme and I saw plenty of stuff looming that was, er, not liked. So I jumped ship around 2 years ago.

Never looked back.

EU: These are scary times – let's backdoor encryption!

Idea

Here's a novel idea!

Arrested for X. Request from legal authority TO OWNER for keys/passcodes. Refusal is dealt with by prosecution for the original offence under the assumption that the refusal was because the evidence was there. Maximum assumption (by default) of evidence. The naughty person will be letting the authorities in so as to mitigate and get the charge down!

Currently, I understand the UK has a law whereby refusal to provide a passcode upon lawful demand results in a law being broken should it be withheld. As it stands, it could be 15 years inside Vs 100 weeks of unpaid community service. I'll take the Community Service, thank you!

Get pulled for suspected DUI and refuse to be tested = prosecution as if you were tested positive. Result is the same: ban, increased insurance etc. Basically, you are not going to escape justice by merely refusing to take part in the process.

Imagine the same for access to devices. And the effect upon the rest of us who know that Mr Scummy Bum Spy Person has no authority to demand the pass key? A Big Fat No. No backdoor. No weakening of the model.

Yes, it is probably a bad idea. Or is it?

Payday from hell as several British banks report major outages

You'd think - but you'd be wrong...

You'd think - and I know this is a wild one, so try and go with me on this - you'd think that any huge enterprise that makes £billions and moves £billions, would actually care about their computing structures and spend money on it rather than engage in smoke and mirrors so as to eel out a few more Shekels from punters.

Wouldn't you?

Just me, then.

Banks that email out helpful communications that advise how to guard against online scams etc. One such tip: never follow links in unexpected emails - no matter who they claim to be from.

"Click here to be taken to our webpage outlining further ways to secure your money."

Genuine emails from real banks - obviously run by a management that listens to IT security experts before dismissing them with the Marketing Department's claim that such communications will show customers (victims, saps, etc.) that they really are a caring establishment.

Frankly, given how the banks skimp on computing systems and express mock horror and surprise when things go wrong, I'm surprised anyone trusts them with their money.

Oh, there's no competition? Oh, I see. But what about cryptocurrencies?

Ah, but no real existence there. No branches. No one to talk to if you need to sort anything.

Er, isn't that the exact situation we are facing now with the banks?

- El Reg Reader, living in a town where the last bank standing is shutting its branch this summer...

Ad-supported Microsoft Office bobs to the surface

More, more, more!

So, the $billions of current obscene profit isn't enough?

The solution is to avoid Office. I dropped it in 2023. My current employer is in receipt of feedback from me and another employee - and is aware that ALL of my documents have been generated using the free alternative (although I output them as Office-compatible for my employers - so they can see how other-users-friendly it is).

I don't think my employer feels like lining the pockets of Microshite and longer...

Why did the Windows 95 setup use Windows 3.1?

And yet...

...it is still shite, today.

My daughter's laptop - having been upgraded to 11 from 10 - and my daughter swearing she didn't ask Microshite to do so - has just asked me to provide a 48-digit code to access her data drive after having to reset Windows. It was Windows 11 HOME. My understanding is that BitLocker isn't part of Home in 10 or 11.

I spent years working for Microshite Gold Certified partners. During that time, I was part of beta testing of OSes from Windows 95 through to Windows 7. ALL were used by me and i supplied feedback. In forums I discovered that much of what I provided as feedback was not dissimilar to others. Yet, Windows 11 still has gaffs and quirks that existed in Windows 95. Basically, Microshite doesn't listen to users but ONLY their accountants.

Am I bitter? Hell, yes! Over 160GB of data gone from my daughter's university laptop. Tears. Much of her work is held on university servers, but what was the data held on the 250GB volume? We don't know - and there is the pain.

Guess who was bought a Macbook to finish her university course? A better solution might have been to just install Linux, but while that would work for me, my daughter is 100s of miles away. Tweaking and testing to get it working for her is too hard and the Macbook just works.

Incredibly lazy programming to cut corners and maximise obscene profits at the expense of users. If I were running the world, I'd be looking at breaking up the likes of Microshite and Apple (and don't think you are free to grin, Google). If I were a world dictator, then jail for those who ran/run said companies might be an option (if advisors manage to taljk me out of other options involving interesting instruments...

Why users still couldn't care less about Windows 11

Bye!

I run a file server at home. Being a cheapskate, I repurposed an unused PC. It runs Windows 10 Professional. This household is actually an Apple/Linux household. That will probably have many techies ask why the fileserver isn't Linux, but it just came about because Windows 10 Professional on a PC, 'was there and available.'

A little while back, Microsoft applied updates to the Windows 10 box. It has a lowly processor and no TPM chip - so I tend to let it run and run, knowing it isn't going to be suddenly 'upgraded' to Windows 11.

Unfortunately, the Microsoft-pushed update resulted in the box refusing to accept files from Apple kit. I can share/transfer files from anything to anything, but from Apple devices to that Windows 10 box, it is impossible.

Current (clumsy) workaround is this:

Copy Apple device hosted files to a spare Linux device. Upload from there.

Solution (trialled): Run Windows 11 Professional.

Chosen solution:

Second-hand Intel-chipped Mini-Mac obtained and running headless.

If i hadn't gone for the Mini-Mac, I would have installed Linux on the Windows 10 box.

Whichever way I would have gone, Microsoft were never going to be an option.

Way to go, Microsoft!

Why is Big Tech hellbent on making AI opt-out?

Don't Be Evil

Anyone remember the tag: "Don't be evil?"

Y'know those really annoying and useless AI summaries at the top of Google Searches? Y'know, those atop of the paid-for results. The things that take up space and cause real results to be forced off the huge screen we all have now...

Well, I thought I'd ask Google how to turn them off. After all, if we are being opted in, there must be an opt-out. Somewhere.

I had to ask Google because such an opt-out wasn't something i could find. We are all familiar with Big Players hiding options they would rather users didn't disable, but I can be tenacious in my quests. But not this time. I eventually had to ask.

Google cheerfully told me I cannot turn AI off in the searches, but went on to detail how I could turn AI off on Apple devices...

As it happens, I ditched Google for searching sometime in early 2024. Too many irrelevant results. I found myself having to trawl through results to find what I wanted.Then came along AI summaries. Last straw. A number of alternatives were tried. Searches were done in tandem with Google. DuckDuckGo (for me) came out as far superior. So I am a devoted Duck person these days.

Don't be evil? Google, try this: Don't be stupid...

Microsoft to force Windows 11 24H2 on Home and Pro users

After a career in IT (PCs), culminating in IT (PC) security, I got out and now earn a living with what I earn from writing. A working computer is a must - especially when the 'muse' is at hand. At such times, I don't want or need my train of thought to be broken by a computer telling me I have to update. Going off to make a cup of tea or coffee isn't an option.

So I jumped ship. I no longer use Windows. I no longer fret over what my computer will foist upon me next. No longer do file associations mysteriously change to those preferred by the operating system's creator. No more worries.

It has now been two years and I am secure and watch the mess taking place with detached interest.

Trust me, running away from Windows is something that pays off in heaps.

Broadcom makes U-turn on plan to serve top 2,000 VMware customers itself

Defending Broadcom

Too many Comments are knocking Broadcom and how they have (mis)managed and (mis)priced their offerings.

I'm going to put the record straight and defend Broadcom.

Starting with, er.. Um. Er. Well, you see, er. Ah! No, er.

I'll get back to you with some reasons that prove Broadcom have judged it well.

Probably in early 2025. Or 2026. Or, er...

Microsoft flashes Win10 users with more full-screen ads for Windows 11

Correctly worded ad reads as follows...

Hi, at Micro$oft we want you to get the most from your computing.

As you know, the OS we claimed was the last version (but isn't), is going to abandoned by us and if you continue to use it, you will be at the mercy of ne'er-do-wells.

We want you to dump your hardware and join us and our $Billions, by purchasing Windows 11! We *promise* we won't exploit you.

OR, you can take this opportunity to tell us to cut the cr*p by dumping Windows and switching to Linux or Mac. Basically, anything other than you being held hostage by Micro$oft.

But then, we know we have most of you by the short and curlies, so just give us your money...

Watchdog reluctantly blesses Vodafone-Three merger – with strings attached

Hmm. After suffering the pain that is Vodafone, and jumping ship many years back - then finding myself with Three as they head toward the gutter in terms of customer service - I see that I will be transfering away as soon as my contract is up.

Clues to Windows Intelligence found in Windows 11 builds

>>> With Windows Intelligence, Microsoft is attempting something similar, although "Apple Intelligence" can be handily shortened to "AI".

As many have pointed out already - 'WI' is the Woman's Institute here in Blighty. Yes, cue mobs of angry cake-wielding ladies, protesting outside Microsoft's UK HQ. Who could blame them? Why would anyone want to be associated with Microsoft's attempt to create world domination by computers - whether deliberately or by coincidence?

Besides, who would want such an association when RI (Real Intelligence) is already doing such a fine job of messing things up without AI getting a look-in? Once AI firmly has the reins, we can look forward to some truly monumental cock-ups, such as ordering 10 tonnes of sugar instead of 10kgs when making jam...

Meta faces multiple complaints in Europe over plans to train AI on user data

What personal Data?

Replied elsewhere regarding the whole thing being window dressing on the part of FB...

However, why worry. I use FB. The ONLY correct thing held by Meta is my name. ALL of the data fields are populated with bogus data. Everything. Those who really know me will understand and know my real birthday isn't whatever FB 'accidentally' leaks. No one cares. I'm not enjoying a 'bromance' or in-depth relationship with those FB Friends I have never met in person - so they get whatever data FB gets - although I make no secret that ALL my personal data held by FB is false.

So, if FB ignore their agreement to NOT use my data, who cares? What's that saying? Garbage in = garbage out...

Re: Opt Out Now!

Same here. Took a couple of attempts (link took me to a Holding Page telling me something was broken, before later in the day finally allowing me to lodge my objection).

The thing is: how do I know that FB doesn't ignore me - despite their email telling me that my APPLICATION to opt-out has been accepted and will be acted upon? Exactly - zero way to know and I very strongly suspect the "opt-out" is merely 'window dressing' and PR. Had they looked at it as a serious thing with proper intent, FB would have realised that the very fact of having to opt OUT rather than being asked to opt IN breaks the very laws they claim to be adhering to...

Elon Musk to abused Twitter users: Your tormentors are coming back

Isn't that known as "doing a Microsoft"?

Is he really that naive?

RE the Trump vote...

I used to Follow Musk (I'd rather see what he says rather than the 'filtered-by-the-media' version) - but after finally realising that he has 'lost it' like Kanye West (or whatever he is calling himself this week), I stopped.

Mind you, before I stopped Following him, he announced the vote to allow Trump back. Despite Following Musk, I never saw any such vote or invite. I'm not saying there wasn't one (I'm not wearing a tinfoil hat - honest!), but the way it was run/organised is akin to going to bed on a Thursday night and waking to the radio on Friday telling you the results of a General Election and a government has been formed without you being made aware there was even a vote.

Rather unscientific and a case of acting on the say-so of the few buddy-boys who make 99% of the noise while representing 1% of the Twitter membership.

I don't think Musk is that naive or stupid. Instead, i think he is operating to the Goebbels Principle: tell them what you want them to hear and if you tell them with conviction in your voice, even the biggest lie becomes the truth.

Rest in peace, Queen Elizabeth II – Britain's first high-tech monarch

"As someone who was born in an age where computers were room-sized, the speed of innovation certainly outpaced the institution she was born into."

Er... There were no computers in 1926 - room-sized or otherwise.

That said - who cares? A 96yo mother, grandmother, great grandmother has passed on. Her family are having to deal with her passing. Oh, she happened to be the Queen as well...

RIP

Windows 10 still growing, but Win 11 had another bad month, says AdDuplex

"We will update should the company respond."

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

<pauses for breath>

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!