Big fan of VLC player since installing that - no more codec issues for anything I want to play. Thanks for the app suggestions in the article and in the comments.
I remember seeing a news article about the F-35B and V-22 Osprey melting the deck on carriers and therefore reducing their operating life. Wonder if its been factored in?
I think that catapult and hooks would have at least provided mechanism to allow other countries to reuse the carriers however a comment further up suggested that they will be using drones with a few fighter jets so the likelihood is a lot of predator-like drones, some F-35B's for missions and carrier air support and helicopters;
To be honest, the whole MOD procurement from small items all the way up needs sorting out. Simply too expensive to procure things.
The Commodore 64 is what got me into programming (in basic and assembly) prior to owning an 8086 Intel.
May an evening lost - it all started with writing the programs out of Zzap64. Spent ages writing a battleship one that dropped mines on submarines below.
Lost many an hour to that, Chaos Strikes Back and Bloodwych. This new game looks good although it would be nice if it was free roaming dungeon rather than grid based. Will give it a bash though.
As for those games - look great. Apart from Counterstrike Global Offensive. Looked at the video on Youtube and it looked no different to CS: Source apart from a few UI tweaks. I love CS: Source for the odd 30 minute play, prefer Portal.. however is CS Global Offensive what the devs at Valve are working on? I would really love to finish the HL2 series. It was left on a bit of a cliff hanger at the end of Episode 2.
If you are rating the Virgin Tivo box (which is excellent) then you should also have rated the BT vision and Sky+ boxes.
I have a BT Vision box - one of the original silver ones - and it works great. High definition, On Demand rentals, and very good BBC IPlayer and a pretty sizeable PVR in which I now record most CBeebies for the children.
It does not however do Freeview-HD so am looking at potentially the WD Live box or the Apple TV.
Always fascinated at the level of detail in some science fiction. The one aspect I liked in the new series was the vipers weren't like spitfires but had Newtonian physics and reverse propulsion to enable them to turn around and manoeuvre. Brilliant.
"while the lack of a more affordable machine in the £700-£800 range seems to suggest that Apple is simply turning its nose up at anyone that can’t afford its designer label pricing"
The verdict sums up my feelings about them too. I liked trying them out but the price point for what you get doesn't seem justified.
The glasses give me a headache after a long time (film length). Also, my 3 year old won't wear them and my 5 year old doesn't like "things popping out of the screen". I certainly wouldn't part the hard cash for a 3D TV. It just seems daft that the whole family has to sit in the front room with special glasses just to watch the TV. Also - claims from manufacturers to take 2D and "automatically convert it to 3D" seems a little far - especially when to get depth the 2nd camera would need a different angle.
Perhaps these studio's need to listen to the audiences. We want good films, with decent story/dialogue - not special effects crap with no substance just so something can come flying out of the screen at the audience...
On childrens films, we're off to see Toy Story 3 this week. Asked my son whether he wanted to see the 3D version (which costs an extra £1.50 on the ticket price) he said No. So we'll head an watch the 2D version...
It is/was a fad. Its place is in Disney/Universal theme parks only for quick 10-20 minute shows/rides.
I am one of those people with a slightly weaker eye and get headaches from these sorts of pictures after around 15-20 minutes...
Having been to Universal theme park and seen Spiderman 3D, Terminator 3D and Shrek 3D - I sometimes get the 3D - I sometimes "focus" and end up seeing 2 slightly offset images. Also my young son won't wear the glasses.
Its a fad and will be for films. Please get back to proper decent films (with decent plots and stories) and stop messing about with the fad (and fancy special effects that mean the film fails in 2D).
I drink around 5-6 cups of Clipper Organic Arabica coffee every day. I've noticed that it does help on a morning but has no significant impact during the day. Often tired by home time. I *do* notice a big difference if I have a cup of ground M&S/Costa/Cafe Nero (not Starbucks - which I think is poor coffee as is Nescafe and most other freeze dried instant coffees). With those coffees I notice a definite increase in heart speed and alertness. I don't drink as much on a weekend and have a coffee comedown which can be bad. I once had a week off coffee and noticed less headaches etc so it does have some physiological impact.
My friend can't drink coffee. He once drank a can of Coke and was left wired for 2 days (unable to sleep). He now avoids all caffeine.
Having done 2 website audits against the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) standards - http://www.w3.org/WAI/ - I really don't want an additional set of checks nor see the need for a British Standard when there is already a standard.
Accessibility as it stands can be difficult to implement in full (especially when using screen readers).
I use the (very much cheaper) Sennheiser PXC250 headphones when at work. I used to have Sony headphones and all other sorts and got sick of replacing and went for the Sennheiser ones after trying a friends.
Simply love them - best headphones I've had - good bass response and good upper tones - and fold up nice and small for travel.
I know people who have the higher up HD headphones and they all love them too.
A Google breakup ain't going to happen. To think all that Google have achieved over the years - I remember searching using Altavista and Yahoo. Google is used as a verb here.
Have a HTC S620 Excalibur/T-Mobile Dash. Downloaded the cab - all installed fine. Stuck on the license screen as I can't select Accept as the pointer won't go down far enough....
For £500,000, I will do the advert for them. Really.
FFS - £500,000 this year on a marketing campaign for the identity card which features cartoon fingerprints.
I really don't see the point of a seperate card to the passport etc. TBH - from a technical point of view I would prefer if it was like Sweden where the bank cards have your photo printed on them and job details etc. At least banks have the security infrastructure in place.
Found from http://www.unlockme.co.uk/blacklist.html:
So now that handsets are blacklisted on all networks what do the criminals do to get around this? They find ways to change handset IMEI numbers! Home Secretary David Blunkett introduced a new law making re-programming IMEI numbers punishable by up to five years in jail. This is in the Mobile Phones (Reprogramming) Act 2002. This new law became active on the 4th October 2002 . (this new law does not effect handset unlocking).
Never the less it is possible to change IMEI numbers on certain handsets. So if an individual obtains a blacklisted handset, they can change the IMEI number and the handset will then work again!!
*sigh*
So they never learn. People can just change the IMEI number. After all they have stolen the phone so committing other crimes isn't really going to bother them is it?
I've driven down the same road/track. It is a real track as if you are heading away from Windemere its signposted for Black Moss. Its a very pretty road too.
Its actually got 2 wheel sized tracks that are tarmacced/concrete but takes you through gates etc. You get sat-nav'd if you are driving towards Windemere on the A591 and turn down the B5284. It then directs you to Ings to get back on the A591 even though it's actually quicker to stay on the A591.
Its just that the sat nav (garmin) treats this road/track as National Speed limit as none is applied so since its shorter than staying on the A591. you end up getting directed down it.
If you do it once, you never do it again - or do what I did and set the Sat Nav to only do HGV capable roads.
So - if you (or someone on YOUR connection) illegally download stuff using p2p you get disconnected but in the digital social inclusion plans of Government - everyone should have access...
Is this two different departments/strategies in the government at odds with each other?
Anyhow - don't want to share my connection as this defeats the point of an internal home network unless you can also DMZ other people and apply proxy and firewall for what they are doing.
Don't get it. Surely if they want to make substantial savings then it would be just worthwhile not incurring the costs for research, development and testing which would overrun the project in cost and time.
If they ordered the existing, already development system they could get it out to the existing troops that are on the ground now who could use such systems now...
When we looked at getting a laptop for taking notes and research we went to a local computer store to look over the various laptops/netbooks etc.
I was quite taken with the Macbook 13" MB990 - until I saw the price - at £899.
However also looked at the Netbooks (which were running various linuxes/Windows XP/Vista). Most seemed slow due to the Atom CPU. We decided to go for a cheap dual core in the end and looked at Acer/Random makes and eventually settled for a Sony Vaio which we paid £399 for. It's been a superb laptop (once I uninstalled all the extra applications) and even with an issue can't fault Sony Support who fixed the issue quickly and without any fuss.
Apple need to reduce their prices for entry Macbooks. I would have considered one at around £399-£499 as I think the user interface is generally superb. If they reduced then they would build on the student market.
At least I installed various blockers to avoid it ever happening again. Unfortunately my brother in law had clicked Yes/Accept on the dialog on the page. There were keyloggers and all sorts of crap installed. It took ages to get back off the computer and clean it back.
What is it with idiots who write things like this? *sigh*
I searched for "Swallow" in Google and the top hit was the RSPB article. I'm sure other countries would have similar results.
I also have Safe Searching on in the preferences (which i think is on by default). Either someone has switched those preferences off, or she used a different search engine, or she added some other words that skewed the results and got her the NSFW results...
Perhaps Lars fails, in his old age, to remember how the early Kill Em All and demos were circulated around their city and wider. It was by tape. People copied the tape and sent it about. Thats how I first heard of Metallica in the 80s, and in fact Megadeth and Slayer too. Now it was that free circulation of music that got Metallica the larger, and larger fan base and audiences at the gigs. It got more legitimate records sold - I purchased all originals on Tape and then CD.
I now have iTunes and the vast Internet and whilst I think that artists (new or otherwise) deserve their royalties they need to consider bit torrents as a viable distribution mechanism for their music and the possibility that giving one, two maybe 3 tracks away for free may induce actual real purchases by people. Everyone I know listen to the odd MP3 to sample/see if they like it. Most prefer the physical disk (with booklets etc).
I've been impressed by the use of distribution systems like Steam to deliver protected game content, the use of iTunes to purchase tracks (even more now they are M4A's in most cases) and impressed with the sheer levels of content on the Internet. Perhaps the music industry needs to embrace the technology, change their business models and utilise the bit torrent network to provide quality content to people and extra's (live gigs, demos, bonus tracks).
"A French firm plans to launch a satellite next year that it says will offer the entire UK up to 10Mbit/s broadband, including rural areas that are poorly served by ADSL and cable.
This week, Eutelsat is launching "Tooway" broadband in the UK at up to 2Mbit/s, via an existing satellite."
So which speed is it? The article states 2Mbit throughout. That is not 10Mbit.
On a good point - at least satelitte broadband is getting cheaper.
Well Martin, the IT angle is that when the economy goes bust the first people to bite the bullet aren't the finance managers, nor the senior management teams - nope its the IT staff...
Really good article on something that affects everybody really.
I'm sure that Microsoft brought this out as a Critical Update and most systems have Automatic Updates enabled so I'm surprised that the number is so high. I do think its mad calling it by its patch name and not by a name like "Confiker Patch"
I've ran checks on the home PC's and laptops and we're all patched. Mind you - I use a whole range of spyware protection tools so it probably never had the chance to get on in the first place.
As I understand it, the worm contacted a set of known DNS addresses. Perhaps cutting users off from the internet and providing them with a landing page with all the clean-up tools would allow the non-tech able the chance to fix their machines when its detected that then worm is trying to get to these sites.
I don't particularly watch BBC1/BBC2 or BBC4. I do watch programmes for BBC3 and my children watch CBeebies/CBBC.
If we were going to pay for particular channels instead of an overall fee then what do you reckon that would be? Personally, I could see them charging maybes £5/month for CBeebies and maybe £7 for BBC3 based on other channel packages from the likes of BT Vision, SKY and Cable. In total- it would probably end up costing more in packages than a single license. The only other option would be a set-top box that displayed and upscaled BBC IPlayer. I don't particularly want to watch TV on my mobile (tried it yesterday and its blocky and small) on my HTC S710 nor do I want to watch it on my home PC. I can see the benefit for people with media centres.
Personally, I'd just rather pay the full value of the license for all BBC channels. It would be cheaper than doing them in "packages" like the other pay-per-view subscribers.
I loved the flame that you posted on the other thread. Truely genius and I'm really sure deep down that you do get that annoyed at some of the comments posted.
Register
81 posts • joined Friday 18th January 2008 16:34 GMT
Page:
Thanks for the apps !
Big fan of VLC player since installing that - no more codec issues for anything I want to play. Thanks for the app suggestions in the article and in the comments.
Melted deck
As ever a good article from Lewis.
I remember seeing a news article about the F-35B and V-22 Osprey melting the deck on carriers and therefore reducing their operating life. Wonder if its been factored in?
I think that catapult and hooks would have at least provided mechanism to allow other countries to reuse the carriers however a comment further up suggested that they will be using drones with a few fighter jets so the likelihood is a lot of predator-like drones, some F-35B's for missions and carrier air support and helicopters;
To be honest, the whole MOD procurement from small items all the way up needs sorting out. Simply too expensive to procure things.
Formatting broke in Google Chrome / Windows
If I am looking at any articles under Google Chrome, in Windows, the formatting of the content is all over the place..
It just seems to have started today. Has anything changed and are other people seeing the same problem. IE8 doesn't show any sort of content.
Its only on the actual article view, the main page and comments are OK.
Bufferering
No problem here either. My children have now worked through all the episodes of the X-men cartoons with no issues.
I really like it so far - but it does need more up to date movies - and how come Star Wars, Clone Wars and Transformers films not on there?
Ah - peek and poke...
The Commodore 64 is what got me into programming (in basic and assembly) prior to owning an 8086 Intel.
May an evening lost - it all started with writing the programs out of Zzap64. Spent ages writing a battleship one that dropped mines on submarines below.
happy days.
Dungeon Master...
Lost many an hour to that, Chaos Strikes Back and Bloodwych. This new game looks good although it would be nice if it was free roaming dungeon rather than grid based. Will give it a bash though.
As for those games - look great. Apart from Counterstrike Global Offensive. Looked at the video on Youtube and it looked no different to CS: Source apart from a few UI tweaks. I love CS: Source for the odd 30 minute play, prefer Portal.. however is CS Global Offensive what the devs at Valve are working on? I would really love to finish the HL2 series. It was left on a bit of a cliff hanger at the end of Episode 2.
BT Vision box and Sky+
If you are rating the Virgin Tivo box (which is excellent) then you should also have rated the BT vision and Sky+ boxes.
I have a BT Vision box - one of the original silver ones - and it works great. High definition, On Demand rentals, and very good BBC IPlayer and a pretty sizeable PVR in which I now record most CBeebies for the children.
It does not however do Freeview-HD so am looking at potentially the WD Live box or the Apple TV.
Having seen the Sky+ it has similar.
Erm...
I would have placed loads of other people above Zuckerberg....
Jeff Minter - for all the Llamas
Peter Molyneaux - for Populous
Nolan Bushnell - for the Atari VCS - bringing Pong, Pacman etc. into the home
John Carmack for Wolfenstein 3D
Don Bluth for Dragons Lair / Space Ace laserdisc games in the 80s
Keiichiro Toyama for Silent Hill
Will Wright for Sim City
Sid Meier for well ... Microprose and all the hours lost to F-19 Stealth Fighter
thanks
now know what to be looking for now.
seen both in shop, but can't beat a "real use" review
wow...
really good article.
Always fascinated at the level of detail in some science fiction. The one aspect I liked in the new series was the vipers weren't like spitfires but had Newtonian physics and reverse propulsion to enable them to turn around and manoeuvre. Brilliant.
Where is?
Sabre Wulf on the Speccy - loved that
Chuckie Egg on the BBC
Elite
Virus on the Archimedes
Wolfenstein 3D
Wing Commander
X-Wing vs Tie Fighter
Kings Quest
Ultima
Zelda
Hobbit on the C64
Combat on the Atari VCS2600
Good review
"while the lack of a more affordable machine in the £700-£800 range seems to suggest that Apple is simply turning its nose up at anyone that can’t afford its designer label pricing"
The verdict sums up my feelings about them too. I liked trying them out but the price point for what you get doesn't seem justified.
3D TVs and films...
The glasses give me a headache after a long time (film length). Also, my 3 year old won't wear them and my 5 year old doesn't like "things popping out of the screen". I certainly wouldn't part the hard cash for a 3D TV. It just seems daft that the whole family has to sit in the front room with special glasses just to watch the TV. Also - claims from manufacturers to take 2D and "automatically convert it to 3D" seems a little far - especially when to get depth the 2nd camera would need a different angle.
Perhaps these studio's need to listen to the audiences. We want good films, with decent story/dialogue - not special effects crap with no substance just so something can come flying out of the screen at the audience...
On childrens films, we're off to see Toy Story 3 this week. Asked my son whether he wanted to see the 3D version (which costs an extra £1.50 on the ticket price) he said No. So we'll head an watch the 2D version...
It is/was a fad. Its place is in Disney/Universal theme parks only for quick 10-20 minute shows/rides.
Design flaws...
Its clearly a design flaw. My HTC handset doesn't lose signal if I hold it in my left hand or right hand.
Can see an IPhone 4.1 already.
Headaches...
I am one of those people with a slightly weaker eye and get headaches from these sorts of pictures after around 15-20 minutes...
Having been to Universal theme park and seen Spiderman 3D, Terminator 3D and Shrek 3D - I sometimes get the 3D - I sometimes "focus" and end up seeing 2 slightly offset images. Also my young son won't wear the glasses.
Its a fad and will be for films. Please get back to proper decent films (with decent plots and stories) and stop messing about with the fad (and fancy special effects that mean the film fails in 2D).
Hmm..
People have different sensitivities to caffeine;
I drink around 5-6 cups of Clipper Organic Arabica coffee every day. I've noticed that it does help on a morning but has no significant impact during the day. Often tired by home time. I *do* notice a big difference if I have a cup of ground M&S/Costa/Cafe Nero (not Starbucks - which I think is poor coffee as is Nescafe and most other freeze dried instant coffees). With those coffees I notice a definite increase in heart speed and alertness. I don't drink as much on a weekend and have a coffee comedown which can be bad. I once had a week off coffee and noticed less headaches etc so it does have some physiological impact.
My friend can't drink coffee. He once drank a can of Coke and was left wired for 2 days (unable to sleep). He now avoids all caffeine.
Systems and Websites
Having done 2 website audits against the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) standards - http://www.w3.org/WAI/ - I really don't want an additional set of checks nor see the need for a British Standard when there is already a standard.
Accessibility as it stands can be difficult to implement in full (especially when using screen readers).
Thanks for the quotes page!
Loved the Tramps Like Us episode where Roy gets electrocuted by Douglas's pants and reboots with the Windows startup tune. - classic.
Glad its coming back - one of the good shows on TV.
And the Speech episode with the Internet in a box.
They are all mostly good headphones...
I use the (very much cheaper) Sennheiser PXC250 headphones when at work. I used to have Sony headphones and all other sorts and got sick of replacing and went for the Sennheiser ones after trying a friends.
Simply love them - best headphones I've had - good bass response and good upper tones - and fold up nice and small for travel.
I know people who have the higher up HD headphones and they all love them too.
Hmm...
I want them to arrive. Then perhaps I might get my anti-gravity flying car.
Just chill...
A Google breakup ain't going to happen. To think all that Google have achieved over the years - I remember searching using Altavista and Yahoo. Google is used as a verb here.
Love the CAPS btw.
Good Review
The lack of mouse and keyboard is an issue. You are better off with a £400 notebook PC with a small travel mouse.
I wouldn't use it for calls either. Too big.
Woo hoo!
At last a potential competitor for Opera for Windows Mobile 6.5.... and a hopefully worthy replacement for the Internet Explorer too.
One suggestion to developers - not sure if its a WinMo thing or Opera/IE - but when I close the screen can it kill the process?
I just hope that the browser supports non-touchscreen phones as the last Opera release seems to only work for touch screen phones.
Defeated by a bunch of muppets...
"Just perhaps, in a Star Wars aficionado-pleasing move, DARPA are even mulling the use of mighty walking tanks."
The film at the weekend (Return of the Jedi) showed the AT-ST's being defeated by Ewoks...
Smaller version - Good for battlefield recon though.
Windows Mobile
Still no Windows Mobile support - but good on them for slowly getting around to adding more platforms.
Perhaps I may get to see WinMo Spotify just in time for Christmas.
2012
Pah - oh well gives me chance to wait until the technology has caught up and I can get a DVB-T2 integrated TV or PVR that is cheap as chips.
Non-touchscreen WM Phones
Have a HTC S620 Excalibur/T-Mobile Dash. Downloaded the cab - all installed fine. Stuck on the license screen as I can't select Accept as the pointer won't go down far enough....
The system doesn't support non-touchscreens...
Oh well - back to IE.
@Wii Opera Browser
I got my reimbursement - n the shop it just stated that I could choose a free NES title instead.
I loaded Bubble Bobble... :-) (ah the memories..)
Keep checking for this IPlayer channel and its not there yet.
Peter
Hmm...
Well its IE8, Firefox 3 and Chrome for me on my existing installations and will be on Windows 7 when I install it.
Why lunchtime?
When most people are at work. Why not 7pm.
Not that I would miss 5, ITV3 (don't watch) or ITV4 (don't watch).
Peter
Really?
For £500,000, I will do the advert for them. Really.
FFS - £500,000 this year on a marketing campaign for the identity card which features cartoon fingerprints.
I really don't see the point of a seperate card to the passport etc. TBH - from a technical point of view I would prefer if it was like Sweden where the bank cards have your photo printed on them and job details etc. At least banks have the security infrastructure in place.
So will this affect criminals - really?
Found from http://www.unlockme.co.uk/blacklist.html:
So now that handsets are blacklisted on all networks what do the criminals do to get around this? They find ways to change handset IMEI numbers! Home Secretary David Blunkett introduced a new law making re-programming IMEI numbers punishable by up to five years in jail. This is in the Mobile Phones (Reprogramming) Act 2002. This new law became active on the 4th October 2002 . (this new law does not effect handset unlocking).
Never the less it is possible to change IMEI numbers on certain handsets. So if an individual obtains a blacklisted handset, they can change the IMEI number and the handset will then work again!!
*sigh*
So they never learn. People can just change the IMEI number. After all they have stolen the phone so committing other crimes isn't really going to bother them is it?
@Mike Bell
I've driven down the same road/track. It is a real track as if you are heading away from Windemere its signposted for Black Moss. Its a very pretty road too.
Its actually got 2 wheel sized tracks that are tarmacced/concrete but takes you through gates etc. You get sat-nav'd if you are driving towards Windemere on the A591 and turn down the B5284. It then directs you to Ings to get back on the A591 even though it's actually quicker to stay on the A591.
Its just that the sat nav (garmin) treats this road/track as National Speed limit as none is applied so since its shorter than staying on the A591. you end up getting directed down it.
If you do it once, you never do it again - or do what I did and set the Sat Nav to only do HGV capable roads.
Its a boat...
Or a giant squid.
But cleary - its a boat with either 2 or 3 props on the back just starting up and causing a wake.
And in other news...
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/08/25/p2p_disconnection/
So - if you (or someone on YOUR connection) illegally download stuff using p2p you get disconnected but in the digital social inclusion plans of Government - everyone should have access...
Is this two different departments/strategies in the government at odds with each other?
Anyhow - don't want to share my connection as this defeats the point of an internal home network unless you can also DMZ other people and apply proxy and firewall for what they are doing.
Neat technology...
I like the idea it has different levels of intensity - set phasers to stun!
R&D costs...
Don't get it. Surely if they want to make substantial savings then it would be just worthwhile not incurring the costs for research, development and testing which would overrun the project in cost and time.
If they ordered the existing, already development system they could get it out to the existing troops that are on the ground now who could use such systems now...
Price
This is UK based - but the outcome is the same...
When we looked at getting a laptop for taking notes and research we went to a local computer store to look over the various laptops/netbooks etc.
I was quite taken with the Macbook 13" MB990 - until I saw the price - at £899.
However also looked at the Netbooks (which were running various linuxes/Windows XP/Vista). Most seemed slow due to the Atom CPU. We decided to go for a cheap dual core in the end and looked at Acer/Random makes and eventually settled for a Sony Vaio which we paid £399 for. It's been a superb laptop (once I uninstalled all the extra applications) and even with an issue can't fault Sony Support who fixed the issue quickly and without any fuss.
Apple need to reduce their prices for entry Macbooks. I would have considered one at around £399-£499 as I think the user interface is generally superb. If they reduced then they would build on the student market.
Star Wars (1977)
Where did they drag up the same list of sci-fi movies?
I much prefer Empire Strikes Back to Star Wars. Any fan will tell you the same.
Blade Runner though - good film! Especially the full version (directors cut)
@Neil Kay
Had the same with my mother in law's PC.
At least I installed various blockers to avoid it ever happening again. Unfortunately my brother in law had clicked Yes/Accept on the dialog on the page. There were keyloggers and all sorts of crap installed. It took ages to get back off the computer and clean it back.
What is it with idiots who write things like this? *sigh*
Swallow?
I don't believe it for one second...
I searched for "Swallow" in Google and the top hit was the RSPB article. I'm sure other countries would have similar results.
I also have Safe Searching on in the preferences (which i think is on by default). Either someone has switched those preferences off, or she used a different search engine, or she added some other words that skewed the results and got her the NSFW results...
Distribution Models
Perhaps Lars fails, in his old age, to remember how the early Kill Em All and demos were circulated around their city and wider. It was by tape. People copied the tape and sent it about. Thats how I first heard of Metallica in the 80s, and in fact Megadeth and Slayer too. Now it was that free circulation of music that got Metallica the larger, and larger fan base and audiences at the gigs. It got more legitimate records sold - I purchased all originals on Tape and then CD.
I now have iTunes and the vast Internet and whilst I think that artists (new or otherwise) deserve their royalties they need to consider bit torrents as a viable distribution mechanism for their music and the possibility that giving one, two maybe 3 tracks away for free may induce actual real purchases by people. Everyone I know listen to the odd MP3 to sample/see if they like it. Most prefer the physical disk (with booklets etc).
I've been impressed by the use of distribution systems like Steam to deliver protected game content, the use of iTunes to purchase tracks (even more now they are M4A's in most cases) and impressed with the sheer levels of content on the Internet. Perhaps the music industry needs to embrace the technology, change their business models and utilise the bit torrent network to provide quality content to people and extra's (live gigs, demos, bonus tracks).
Either its 2Mbit or 10Mbit?
"A French firm plans to launch a satellite next year that it says will offer the entire UK up to 10Mbit/s broadband, including rural areas that are poorly served by ADSL and cable.
This week, Eutelsat is launching "Tooway" broadband in the UK at up to 2Mbit/s, via an existing satellite."
So which speed is it? The article states 2Mbit throughout. That is not 10Mbit.
On a good point - at least satelitte broadband is getting cheaper.
@Martin
Well Martin, the IT angle is that when the economy goes bust the first people to bite the bullet aren't the finance managers, nor the senior management teams - nope its the IT staff...
Really good article on something that affects everybody really.
@unlimited
Thats a really good list of names...
Do you think L will be Leapy Lemming?
I tried the release prior to this and it was a bit buggy. Think I'll wait till its properly released before upgrading.
35°C
That is a really good temperature for a graphics card such as this. In the market for a suitable card and I think this may be it...
Mandatory Updates
I'm sure that Microsoft brought this out as a Critical Update and most systems have Automatic Updates enabled so I'm surprised that the number is so high. I do think its mad calling it by its patch name and not by a name like "Confiker Patch"
I've ran checks on the home PC's and laptops and we're all patched. Mind you - I use a whole range of spyware protection tools so it probably never had the chance to get on in the first place.
As I understand it, the worm contacted a set of known DNS addresses. Perhaps cutting users off from the internet and providing them with a landing page with all the clean-up tools would allow the non-tech able the chance to fix their machines when its detected that then worm is trying to get to these sites.
Impressive...
That is an impressive range and one that they can build upon for other cars.
Did they have the air conditioning, radio and lights on as well - that would be a good real world test?
License/Subscription Costs
I don't particularly watch BBC1/BBC2 or BBC4. I do watch programmes for BBC3 and my children watch CBeebies/CBBC.
If we were going to pay for particular channels instead of an overall fee then what do you reckon that would be? Personally, I could see them charging maybes £5/month for CBeebies and maybe £7 for BBC3 based on other channel packages from the likes of BT Vision, SKY and Cable. In total- it would probably end up costing more in packages than a single license. The only other option would be a set-top box that displayed and upscaled BBC IPlayer. I don't particularly want to watch TV on my mobile (tried it yesterday and its blocky and small) on my HTC S710 nor do I want to watch it on my home PC. I can see the benefit for people with media centres.
Personally, I'd just rather pay the full value of the license for all BBC channels. It would be cheaper than doing them in "packages" like the other pay-per-view subscribers.
@Sarah Bee - Dearie me.
Ooh Sarah - you are evil.... :-)
I loved the flame that you posted on the other thread. Truely genius and I'm really sure deep down that you do get that annoyed at some of the comments posted.
Well done - that was a superb April Fool.
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