* Posts by Mishak

636 publicly visible posts • joined 16 Apr 2021

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LibreOffice 7.6 arrives: Open source stalwart is showing its maturity

Mishak Silver badge

Trying to help out

I'm currently trying to fix a couple of issues with LO Writer*, but I've not yet been able to get Doxygen to build the documentation so I can try to navigate the code. I don't stand a chance of "getting in to it" without this, as there are lots of files, lots of classes, and no comments (in the bits I've looked at).

* Including one where a pdf export of an A4 (21.00 cm x 29.70 cm) document creates pages that are a bit too big (21.01 cm x 29.71 cm), which means they are rejected by the Amazon Kindle Direct Print service as the pages don't fit when you select A4 stock. This looks like it maybe down to be a representation error due to the use of floating-point (yuck)...

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Office 365 for macOS

I sometimes have to use that.

I get frustrated with some of the bugs in LO, but now realise it could be much, much worse...

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Then answer me this: if true, why can't LO open the latest versions of DOC files??

That works both ways. I have some LO documents with complex layouts that are are complete, unreadable mess when read in to Word, even though it claims to be compatible.

Apple's defense against apps vandalizing other apps still broken, developer claims

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Not sure I get it

A text editor being used to edit a text file is a vulnerability? I use Sublime Text, and it will allow me to edit any file, prompting for authentication if I don't have write permissions.

What I don't like is the way Skype for Business (I have a client who can only use that for web meetings!) changed the settings in FaceTime so that any calls I tried to make (including when handing off to my iPhone) were routed to Skype - and I wasn't asked by the installer if I wanted to make Skype the default.

I agree that API changes to another apps settings and the direct manipulation of another app's files should not be allowed without use approval, so I guess that's what this is really about?

High severity vuln in WinRAR could allow code to run when files are opened

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Yes, but...

Have you ever looked at the source code for 7-Zip?

It may "work", but there's no way I would want to generate the test vectors for it.

It does have some comments, but mainly commented-out code - including things like "if ( some-condition)" being comment-out to make the following block unconditional.

One of the functions is something like 1500 lines long, and includes a number of potentially-infinite nested loops.

Still, it seems to do the job if you can ignore the fact that it may have similar security vulnerabilities ;-)

Western Digital sued over claims of data-trashing SanDisk, My Passport SSDs

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Firmware updates

Do they make it easy to update the firmware, regardless of OS?

Samsung is Windows only (I think).

Crucial is also Windows only, though they do support the creation of a boot image that you can then use for MacOS (Intel only?) - but that only works for internal drives, and not for ones connected via USB.

FreeBSD - probably out of luck.

ISP's ads 'misleadingly implied' existence of 6G, says watchdog

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Turn it off you say?

I'm still waiting for them to turn it on here...

Palantir lobbied UK pensions department for its software to tackle fraud

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Re: "Reduce fraud in the social security benefits system"

However, it is still a lot of money that could otherwise be helping those who desperately need it.

Tesla hackers turn to voltage glitching to unlock paywalled features

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Re: I need heated seats like…

Or use the battery pre-heat feature (if you have one).

Mishak Silver badge

Re: Not persistent, so not a problem

Yep - reducing the state of charge significantly reduce the level of wear on the cells (though they appear to last getting on for 10 years anyway).

Boffins say they can turn typing sounds into text with 95% accuracy

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Adding keyboard sounds to Zoom audio

I'm hoping that only happens when the user is actually typing and isn't on mute!

I really hate it when people are hacking away in a meeting and forget to mute...

First US nuclear power plant built this century goes online

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And don't forget that burning coal release more radiation into the environment than a nuclear plant*.

* assuming it doesn't "have issues".

Creator of the Unix Sysadmin Song explains he just wanted to liven up a textbook

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The C++ Standard includes a limerick

Paragraph 7 of §17.7.3 (Explicit specialization) in C++17:

When writing a specialization, be careful about its location; or to make it compile will be such a trial as to kindle its self-immolation.

The choice: Pay BT megabucks, or do something a bit illegal. OK, that’s no choice

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Grounding the rest of the wires

That probably helped to keep the cross-talk down.

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Don't get me started on # and £

When I'm in the US, #include is read as "pound include". Why's that? Twitter (or whatever it is now) has hash-tags (not pound tags).

I usually throw a spanner in the works by saying "Look guys, my keyboard has keys for # and £ (and also € and $)"...

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Re: 100m goes a long way

Whist x3 may be excessive, there are additional costs if it is let room-by-room, as it is then a HMO (House of Multiple Occupancy) and if has to be licensed, requires a proper fire alarm and additional fire protection, ...

Google's browser security plan slammed as dangerous, terrible, DRM for websites

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If it's from Google...

Is it for anything other than monetisation of "my" data?

FCC boss says 25Mbps isn't cutting it, Americans deserve 100Mbps now, gigabit later

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Re: I'd say more like 50/10 is realistic

* Cloud storage, especially when used for backups.

Apple owes Brit iOS app devs millions from excessively high commission, lawsuit claims

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As a small developer

I would be happy to pay 15% for my sales, marketing and distribution.

Not so happy about 15% for in-app payments though, and I really don't understand why the percentage needs to go up when the volumes are high.

Stolen Microsoft key may have opened up a lot more than US govt email inboxes

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Yep

I'll be pointing this case out to my MP.

Not that I expect any results, as, when I complained about the proposed legislation and the damage it would cause, he just referred my concerns to the department responsible for it.

Bizarre backup taught techie to dumb things down for the boss

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You wouldn't file your important papers in the wheelie bin

Maybe not, but I've had a load of couriers who consider it to be "my safe location".

Still, I guess that's better than the one who though the deep puddle under the neighbour's over-the-road wheelie was better.

Indian developer fired 90 percent of tech support team, outsourced the job to AI

Mishak Silver badge

I can see that kind-of "working"

Customer: "Can you help me with X?"

AI: "Good day, I'm Helpy, your Genuine People Personality* support assistant"

<Line clicks>

AI: "Hello? Hello? Are you still there?"

[A very short chat requiring no follow-up]

*(C) Douglas Adams

Tesla plots entry to Britain's stagnant energy market

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We do need more nuclear

However, current reactors are not very good at load-following, so you need something else to cover the peaks and use them for base-load.

Oracle pours fuel all over Red Hat source code drama

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LOL

Very LOL

UK's proposed alt.GDPR will turn Britain into a 'test lab' for data harvesting

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Re: Subject Rights?

Good question - and I like the way you used it to get them off your back!

Brit broadband subscribers caught between crappy connections and price hikes

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FritzBox!

Zen supply a FritzBox! with there FTTP services, which includes an easy to use VoIP client and a DECT base station, so you can just pair up any existing DECT handsets and carry on as normal.

Doesn't help those with only wired phones though.

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Perhaps there should be a requirement for all the relevant information to be displayed in a standard format, similar to the Key Facts document that is required with mortgages and the like?

Contract duration : X months

Contracted cost: £

Early termination costs: ...

Mid-term price increases: Yes

...

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Re: Connections...

Were you an early adopter of VDSL in your area? This sounds like cross-talk speed reduction due to more people signing up. Vectoring is supposed to help this, but it's never going to be perfect.

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Re: 4G or ADSL backup

Yeah, the signal here is very bad. I could probably get a workable signal if I use something like this

Mishak Silver badge

Speed issues

It would be interesting to see more details of what causes the speed issues that people report. I've helped a few people out in the past, and it usually comes down to:

1) Poor software in the router - "fixed" by a restart;

2) High-density housing, with everyone using high bandwidth on 2GHz channels (they interfere with each other) - fixed by moving to 5GHz (if possible) or trying to find a clear channel (or one with lower power signals).

3) Generally poor WiFi signal within the house - moving the box may help.

A lot of the time, there is nothing wrong with the actual internet connection*.

* my kids do not understand the difference between "WiFi" and "the internet", so claims that "the internet is down" often mean "the WiFi is down" (normally because I'm mean, and restrict the times they are allowed to use it).

Mishak Silver badge

Re: 4G or ADSL backup

A backup plan is a good idea, but we only have FTTP (copper no longer available, no useable 4G signal).

Mishak Silver badge

Whilst they can raise the price

Not all of them do - Zen (18 months) and Aquiss (12 months), for example, have no mid-contract price rises (so "fixed price" is what you actually get).

Ariane 5 to take final flight, leaving Europe without its own heavy-lift rocket

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Relying on close allies isn't such a bad thing

Except that was partly why Ariane was developed. The following is taken from ESAs history of the origins of Ariane:

“The USA was the only Western nation to possess launch vehicles, but the conditions they set for launching European satellites were totally unacceptable," said Charles Hanin, then Belgian minister for science.

"They wanted our satellites to be functional exclusively over the European zone, which of course would have prevented Europe from extending its political and cultural influence around the world and from competing with them on the global marketplace.”

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Re: All of our eggs are going into one basket.

Good question, but, depending on the payload, it would probably be quicker to wait than to switch to another launch vehicle.

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Kind of like...

How the Space Shuttle was retired before a manned replacement was available?

China chokes exports of semiconductor secret sauces gallium and germanium

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Flairs seem to be back in

So maybe the next Flower Power generation are indeed here.

The number’s up for 999. And 911. And 000. And 111

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Why the down vote?

Something like the Carrington Event could take out POTS in wide areas - and, unlike in "the olden times", most equipment is more sensitive than relays, so repairs would be a massive undertaking.

Mishak Silver badge

Re: How about 112 and Advanced Mobile Location?

Yes - I have no POTS, buy my VoIP is registered (UK). However, I use my VoIP via an app on my mobile.

Though I would probably use my mobile to make an emergency call, and would hopefully be able to give my location.

Mishak Silver badge

Satellites are a good idea if:

1) A major solar event doesn't knock them out (it will, and may result in a huge number of emergency calls needed to be placed);

2) Global powers* stop with their continuing attempts to militarise space and accept that blowing satellites up+ is a very, very silly thing to do.

3) They can be secured.

* I'll not name them, but everyone knows who they are.

+ The accidental destruction of satellites is a big enough problem on its own.

Ripoff Vuitton handbag smaller than a grain of salt fetches $63,750 at auction

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I saw something like that "in real life"*

Some poor guy building circuit boards unexpectedly sneezed over a pot of very small surface-mount devices...

* as my kids say all the time...

Now Apple takes a bite out of encryption-bypassing 'spy clause' in UK internet law

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I guess they could also use it to reduce the number of "leaks" from official government devices?

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Re: So, we're back to square one again

Laws can be removed as well, but that never seems to happen in practice, even when a party declares it as a manifesto "promise".

Google asks websites to kindly not break its shiny new targeted-advertising API

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three really dull ones that nobody will be interested in advertising for

I thought you may be on to something, but then I found this

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"show an ad believed to be relevant to the visitor's known interests"

I'll write a script to make it appear that I am only interested in ad-blockers.

Open source licenses need to leave the 1980s and evolve to deal with AI

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How far do you take it?

How of you cope with code fragments that could be "original" or found in many projects?

for ( int i = 0; i < N; ++i ) array[ i ] = 0;

Even if it represents an algorithm to do "X", there could be many implementations of the same algorithm out there.

Some crazy software patent attempts have been made along the lines of "using a loop to search for...".

Missing Titan sub likely destroyed in implosion, no survivors

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Re: Psssst

The report I saw said they passed the information on as soon as they found the explosion, but would not disclose the system through which it was obtained.

Another redesign on the cards for iPhone as EU rules call for removable batteries

Mishak Silver badge

How often do you replace your phone?

Mine is now 7 years old (and has had one battery change), and I'm only now considering replacing it as it now only gets critical security updates.

Mishak Silver badge

Re: standardization of removable batteries would be a great follow up

A lot of the battery packs for tools and laptops (with removable batteries) do use standard sized cells - it's just that getting into the pack to replace them is often a destructive process.

UK smart meter rollout years late and less than two thirds complete

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Re: Give us the data

No, the consumers also benefit - if the operators are not able to spread load over the day, they will need to re-enforce the networks and add more generation so that that peak demand can be satisfied. Guess who would get to pay for that? Is it sensible to have plant idling so that it can kick in only for the evening demand peak? It's much more cost effective to spread the load as much as possible and run plant to maximise its utilisation.

Octopus do allow you to access historic smart data (though it was very slow last time I tried!), and they provide an API to allow real-time access to it.

Edited to add:

BTW - I agree that smart meter do not "save money". However, they can help people to reduce their use by showing them what they're using - for example, I noticed this morning that I had used more overnight than normal, and found that some kit had accidentally been left on in the office overnight!

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Citation required

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