Reg Hardware

* Posts by Rich

322 posts • joined Wednesday 4th April 2007 21:38 GMT

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Rich

Needs a quirk mode  

In Companies to be Bob the Builder with Firefox 3.5

So that SAP and all that legacy crap will display properly. That's the main job of a browser in most corporates, the Internet is just an extra.

Rich

Enough, really  

In Data-sniffing trojans burrow into Eastern European ATMs

"A secondary menu also allows the person to force the machine to dispense all its cash."

I mean, isn't that enough without all the fluffing around.

Rich

Blanket man next  

In Her Maj honours NZ wizard

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(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Hana)

Not to mention cammo lady...

Rich

@mindbrane  

In Cisco joins Dow, as GM jettisoned

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Sorry, you just failed your Turing Test.

Rich

Quoting Tojo  

In Summer debut for Judge Dredd computer smart-rifle

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"When will people learn that it's not technology that wins wars but brains, daring and a bit of luck"

That's a quote from Japanese Prime Minister Hideki Tōjō, August 5th, 1945.

Rich

Try using a map/chart  

In Worldwide GPS may die in 2010, say US gov

As Mr Page would no doubt tell you, nobody got any sort of commerical or military shipping ticket without learning to navigate the hard way (dead reckoning, compass bearings, stars, radar).

Rich

Where?  

In NZ Telecom in 'deep' with Apple

Christchurch! Sheep and bogans. TCNZ is run out of Wellington and Auckland.

Rich

Americans *do* eat rabbits  

In Taking a first bite out of Wolfram Alpha

I had rabbit in a New York restaurant once. It was yum.

The system is obviously being populated with incorrect axioms already.

Rich

Like!  

In Watchdog bans Natasha Richardson ski helmet ad

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"a car driving off the edge of a high building to the tune of "Layla" by Eric Clapton?"

Classic! That'd make me buy one of their shitty cars...

I object to ski helmets anyway. Unless you are racing, doing huge air or very gnarly off-piste, you don't need one. But because more people are getting them, you've got all these semi-oblivious people hurtling about with plastic clubs attached to their heads, forcing others to get helmets to protect themselves. Plus one day we'll get made to have them, in the same way as bike helmets.

Rich

So it's a crime to waste time at work  

In Court upholds 'hacking' charge against smut-surfing worker

So the US didn't abolish slavery after the Civil War then..

Rich

Are we talking slow or fast zombies  

In London cab & bus trials for satnav speed-governor kit

Coat

It's an important distinction, really?

http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/916040

Rich

Constant functions  

In An unthinking programmer's guide to the new C++

Just to be constructive for once, I like the way you can make functions constant. Handy in embedded programming where you want minimal codesize and readability.

Rich

Firefox is open source  

In Site schools world+dog in browsing history pilfering

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The guys who built StartPanic.com could stop whinging, download the source and make a fix. (Like making it impossible for script to discover link highlight states).

Rich

What people said  

In Microsoft blocks dirty dozen apps from mobile store

You can load any app onto a Windows Mobile device, and that isn't changing, so they can run open source or commercial apps that do anything you want.

However, they or the operators do have a switch to change that. I doubt Microsoft will, because it'll bring on court cases - individual operators can (and I think have, believe T-Mobile locked their phones down). But with so much of Windows Mobile market share in enterprises, they need to support the loading of arbitrary enterprise apps or drive this away.

Rich

IT overloading  

In Unicode bloat blights SAP upgrades

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A terabyte disk costs a few hundred bucks. That's enough for 4000 unicode chars on everyone in the UK.

It's hard not to include that this is another instance of the IT industry making a huge meal of a very simple problem.

Rich

Further correction  

In How to turn votes into tax free cash

Callaghan's last date for an election was October 1979 (5 years after October 1974). He lost a motion of no-confidence in March after losing the support of the SNP. Had this not happened, he could have voluntarily called an election that spring, or waited until the early autumn.

Rich

Charter flights  

In Home Office 'ring of steel' fails the pig plague test

Doubt the pax lists are ever very accurate. They'll have the people who booked, minus those that met Mexican guys and stayed in Cancun, plus the people the reps sold cheap tickets to in the pub, etc, etc.

Rich

He could always talk to the Koreans  

In Branson mothership bottom smacked in 'touch & go' incident

The Huge-Dong 3 or whatever it's called seems to be close to working. They could blast rich people into space on that..

Rich

It was devolution  

In Facebook vote a 'massive con trick' says privacy advocate

Not independence that was on offer.

Rich

It's a subscription model each way  

In BBC Trust moots new licence laws to cope with net

If they have ISPs monitor whether people watch the BBC content and demand payment, then only those who watch the content will pay.

That's the same model as encoding the feeds and giving subscription keys to anyone buying a license, or in the traditional world, making it an paid option on Sky, etc.

Either way, they only get pounds from those who actively want the service.

Or, they just get the government to pay them out of general taxation, like the (Australian) ABC.

Rich

Would you guys mind?  

In A Geeks Guide2 ...Hacking

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If I order a copy using a credit card number that isn't my own?

Rich

In the olden days  

In How gov scapegoats systems for man-made errors

In the 70's, my skool had 800 kids and one school secretary who handled all the admin without benefit of computers. Not sure why they need them now?

Rich

That is very clever  

In UK operation patents DVD lockdown

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One of the few patents that actually deserve to be granted.

It might not actually work in the real world, but it's a really elegant solution.

Rich

Interesting  

In Oracle and HP proposed joint Sun dismemberment deal

That it would be ok for Oracle to kill the only free database option? Can you imagine the comments if Microsoft was trying to acquire Firefox..

Rich

Don't panic Mr Mainwaring  

In Firefox exploit sends Mozilla into 'high-priority fire drill' mode

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Don't Panic! Fix Bayonets! They don't like it up em Mr Mainwairing, they don't like it...

Rich

If he doesn't get a job  

In Kiwi telecom inks contract with convicted hacker

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What's he gonna do for the rest of his life? Twoc cars? Hack cash dispensers?

There's this concept of *rehabilitation*. Anyway, the judge rightly thought that making work for a few geeks wasn't up there with violent crime, and gave him the lowest penalty available (conviction and discharge) that would stop the 'merkins from extraditing him. (Double jeopardy and that).

Rich

Pr0n  

In Microsoft's Silverlight for mobile to muscle iPhone

Deep zoom eh?

It'll be the tool of choice for mobile pr0n..

Rich

Tory aircraft  

In DARPA orders hypersonic Nazi Doodlebug engine

SLAM/Pluto *was* a Tory aircraft. The reactor was called the Tory.

Interestingly, it produced 30,000lb of thrust according to the reference, which isn't very impressive by modern standards (the Rolls Royce Trent that takes you on your holidays manages at least 53000lb).

Rich

+1 to Charles  

In Nature security breach prompts password reset

Exactly Charles.

Bank sites and anything else that accesses money should use two-factor authentication. Making people generate obscure passwords and change them every 5 minutes is less secure, not more.

For a bunch of sites (like Nature), the password is securing their data, not mine. So they get a very simple password - if they try to force me out of this, chances are I won't use the site at all.

Rich

Not just mics  

In Ofcom plots out wireless mic future

You also have radio pickups on guitars and stuff.

I think you can engineer around the latency, but it's an expensive hobby for short run equipment - much easier to use an old fashioned analogue radio.

Rich

Wrong terminology  

In Israelis develop 'safe' plutonium: good for power, bad for weapons

Americium isn't a rare earth, it's an actinide.

Rich

"than other codes"  

In Developers more 'satisfied' with PHP than other codes

Is this sun-speak or something? It's a programming *language*.

Rich

Range of 80's Suzuki motorcycles  

In DARPA orders 'Katana' monoblade nano-copter

Katana was used for Suzuki's "futuristic" range of high-end bikes in the 80's:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzuki_Katana

Rich

Or worse?  

In Cambridge security boffins slam banking card readers

Coat

What, you're harmlessly taking a hundred quid out the cashy and a chainsaw springs out and takes your legs off at the knees?

Rich

Giz a job  

In Ryanair trades blows with 'idiot blogger'

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I so want a job there. I'd love to be able to just call customers out as wankers, particularly the sort of pedantic twats that spend their time seeking niggles and security holes in websites.

If I could give Ryan a tip, they could put some code in the site that detects Firefox/Macs/Linux and throws up a message:

"F..k off. Our passengers don't want to fly with sad geeks like you. Stay at home and play on your computer, or get IE6 like a normal chav".

That should get them a bit more publicity.

Rich

If the troops weren't in someone elses country  

In Gadget-buying Taliban 5th column in Blighty - shock!

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They wouldn't have the people who live there trying to kill them.

Rich

Certificates  

In Hacker pokes new hole in secure sockets layer

"the tool uses a proxy on the local area network that contains a valid SSL certificate"

You'd have to identify yourself to get such a certificate, right?

Rich

I think they modified GSM  

In Airline pilots told to switch off mobile phones

I believe the GSM system was modified many years ago to deal with high-altitude/high-speed devices attempting to connect.

Apparently (GA) pilots here in NZ use phones quite a lot, sometimes with unfortunate consequences:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10552399

Rich

There are countries other than the US  

In US gambling capital bans iPhone card counter

Where maybe they allow casinos, but don't give them special legal protection against those wanting to even up the odds. Then again, if you tried on card counting at Sun City Victoria Falls you'd probably be fed to the (conveniently close by) crocodiles.

Rich

I've never had a problem  

In Wanna see how to use Win 7 UAC to pwn a PC?

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I've never acquired any malware in a way that could be prevented by UAC.

My machine is patched and running antivirus and spyware checkers, I've got a firewall - moreover I know what an executable file is and how to assess the risk. I turned off UAC on my Vista box, coz I don't want two or three warnings every time I install software.

Of course, if Microsoft really wanted to secure things, they could move to the iPhone/XBox model - everything has to be tested and approved by Microsoft before it will run. I think that would create much wailing and complaint, though.

Rich

Not the point?  

In Time to axe Microsoft's Zune

Isn't the reason for stuff like the Zune just a holding action to keep Microsoft in the market in case anything comes from that direction to threaten the core OS business? Same with MSN, Windows Mobile, XBox, etc, etc.

Bit of a waste of money though, but it isn't that much money that's being thrown away in terms of MS overall profits. (Online services and devices together lose USD2.7bln. The rest of the business makes USD20bln.)

Rich

Back in the day  

In Iron Maiden axe cut ribbon on 'rock’n’roll' hotel

Happy

When IT was fun, I used to stay in the Paramount in New York on my regular trips. It was great, Comme des Garcons clad hotel staff, amazing totty, cocaine fueled drug binges (for others, allegedly).

Made up for spending my day trying to sort out HDLC datalink interfaces at JP Morgan.

(Tried staying in the Royalton once. Real log fires in the rooms. Too snotty though, and accounts banned us from staying there after they got the USD350/night bill. The Paramount came in cheaper than shiteholes like the Marriott, so that was fine with the beancounters).

Rich

Mac IIe's were good machines  

In 25 years of Mac - the good, the bad, and the cheese grater

Especially with the CPM plug in card.

I had a Powerbook 170 when I worked briefly in marketing. That trackball was the biz. I don't understand why it was the first and last machine to have one.

Rich

Yeah, right  

In C dominated 2008's open-source project nursery

So basically, their PR department, which compiled this press release, doesn't know the difference between C, C++ and possibly C#.

Rich

You would have to  

In Airline ticket receipt scam spreads malware

- Not have a virus checker running in your email chain or PC

- Not have a mail rule that bans ZIP files with EXEs (ok, these are annoying)

- Ignore all the warnings that any recent system shows about running an EXE.

Rich

@David S  

In DHS deploys undercar Kraken tentacle-bombs

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I read that as DHSS too.

But all you really need to deal to chavs is a landmine designed to fit under cars of regulation rideheight, but be set off when a lowered Vauxhall Nova or similar passes over it.

Rich

Tiny?  

In Addonics NASU2 micro USB NAS adaptor

75x30x25 isn't tiny. The size of a USB key would be tiny. The size of a plug would be really tiny.

Also, given it needs powering, wireless would be cool.

Rich

I reckon a shotgun would deal to one of those.  

In Brit forces get hoverstare ducted-fan droid

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You can just see some of the posher bits of the army putting an order in for a brace of Purdeys.

Rich

What about other workers  

In No military mobile bill-waiver from O2 and Virgin

What happens if you're going abroad to help people rather than kill them?

If the MoD wants, it could offer to pay its people for things like mobile phone contracts.

I'm more inclined to get my phone from Virgin & O2. I wonder if any Middle Eastern operators give you a contract holiday if you go off to join the Taliban.

(Also, for those demanding that people "support our troops", could I mention that this is a global site. Note everyone reading this is a subject of the New British Empire).

Rich

Plenty of pros around  

In Wikimedia taps mystery sugardaddy for advisory board

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In a typical 5* Mexican hotel..

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