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User: eionmac

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Comments · 218

  1. Re:Is that ever true? on Soyuz Lifts Off Again, Delivers Globalstar Satellites · · Score: 1

    Sometimes a 'combination' suits best. E.g. public as in UK National Health Service (NHS), at least gets majority of care to most folk (no one out of the net as in USA) while private health care is available for those who are money rich/time poor to get quicker service or major cosmetic health not in NHS. The balance is very difficult to strike (all UK governments left or right leaning have problems withh balance, and 'idealist socialists have problems with private element), but it avoids the non-availability or health care to the poor.

  2. Soyuz-2-1b 3rd stage engines failed on Soyuz Lifts Off Again, Delivers Globalstar Satellites · · Score: 1

    Soyuz-2-1a The "a" is important, it was Soyuz-2-1b 3rd stage engines that failed.

  3. Re:We got rid of the aristocracy on Arise SIR Jonathan Ive · · Score: 1

    Knights (Sir XXXX) are NOT and never were aristcrats, Very basic mistake. USA President and members of Congress ARE aristocrats (words means 'those who rule!)

  4. Re:On a sidenote: on Arise SIR Jonathan Ive · · Score: 1

    [My english is better than most other people's german, so please point out mistakes politely. Thank you.]
    should read as:
    [My English is better than most other people's German, so please point out mistakes politely. Thank you.]
    While English does not Capitalise many Nouns as German does, it retains initial capital letters for Countries, Languages and proper names,
      {Großbuchstaben für Länder, Sprachen und Eigennamen}

  5. Re:Design Matters on Arise SIR Jonathan Ive · · Score: 1

    It is "Sir Jonathen", knights never are addressed by their surnames.

  6. Re:Keeping a secret on What Life Was Like Inside the Hexagon Project · · Score: 1

    8500 folk worked inside Bletchley Park, with upwards of 4000 odd 'feeder' outworkers. secret kept for 30 years. even wive/husband pairs did not tell each other what they did at Bletchkey Park.

  7. not "discovered" . trader told bank of problem on UBS Rogue Trader Loses $2 Billion In Unauthorized Trades · · Score: 1

    BBC has just announced the bank did not discover the error or problem. The trader told bank about problem. So no bank checks or audits were in any way involved until after the problem was known to bank.
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14943084

  8. Re:It's for signatures on Why the Fax Machine Refuses To Die · · Score: 1

    1. fax is accepted in court, and if as always when setting up double signature contracts, a fax from one machine to another witha signature is immediately faxed back witha countersignature (done both ways so two originals, two replies) with proof in a) Telephone bill, b) fax header and time and each party having other's fax and its countersigned original you have "acceptable" and case law accepted standard of proof.
    2. Each signatory is standing at fax output machine when they almost act at same time and resend countersigned document.
    3. If necessary each can have a witness sign at same time. (Not possible to prove a witness pushed computer email transmit button with claimed sender!)

    4 Yes fax signatures can be 'spoffed' or "forged" but if sender was in building at time of sending and you have a second witness signature you have good evidence for a court.
    Email, even with digital signature cannot duplicate the dual signature & witness situation as it is a single machine event sent with no proof of actual delivery to recipient as no individual bill for transmission as a recorded event. The old fashioned phone line is still useful.

  9. Marry the boss's daughter on Ask Slashdot: Best Second Major For a Mechanical Engineer? · · Score: 2

    After 50 years in ME and other things, clarify what you want.
    - for reward in cash, marry the boss's daughter , take control of business. This needs understanding of business, economics and law, that is a lot more than a second major. Part time study for life required.
    - for reward of doing things , get a job, develop job, maybe lower pay but very satisfying and do voluntary work to help others, again part time study for life required.
    It does not stop at 'formal learning.

  10. Re:A fork for old machines on Linux Support Fades For 3Dfx Voodoo, Rage 128, VIA · · Score: 1

    1. Always update the existing licenced Windows (XP usually) on the old machine before donating it.
    2.Then dual boot with Puppy Linux. so it has a usable system if windows gets corrupted at destination with no real time anti-virus anti malware support. Do not donate unuseable equipment.
    3. Attach a Pupply and Windows rescue disc to machine.

  11. Re:A fork for old machines on Linux Support Fades For 3Dfx Voodoo, Rage 128, VIA · · Score: 1

    Puppy Linux I use this on macines built circa 1998.1999. Better tnan 'squeezing' a large GUI distribution like ubuntu, OpenSUSE, Debian etc

  12. Re:A fork for old machines on Linux Support Fades For 3Dfx Voodoo, Rage 128, VIA · · Score: 1

    Puppy Linux suits old stuff.

  13. Re:Blackawton ? on 8-Year-Olds Publish Scientific Bee Study · · Score: 1

    The author is "the class" that did the project at Blackawton Primary School , hence Blackawton P. S.
    "Blackawton" is the village name in Devon, England (and some locals have that as their surname)QUOTE "Blackawton Primary School reflects the small village it is situated in. It combines a strong sense of community with a high degree of individualism. We strive to learn in community."UNQUOTE
    Their posted school site says it all.

  14. Re:Stupid action on MasterCard Hit By WikiLeaks Payback Attacks · · Score: 1

    Can not take money elsewhere, if as happened my local store (in UK) found itself unable to process mastercard payments on 20101208, so back to 'coins'. Lost revenue to store was 98% compared to 2% to Mastercard. Odd way to attack mastercard by destroying local stores' turnover.

  15. technicians on RIG not BP staff on Modeling Software Showed BP Cement As Unstable · · Score: 1

    Oh! technicians on rig were not BP staff, I understand, but drilling contractor's staff. To override a BP purchased supply may take liability away from BP.

  16. http://www.cat.org.uk/ on How To Build an Open Source House? · · Score: 1

    http://www.cat.org.uk/

    sorry, I posted anonymously by error.
    Data on sustainable houses and buildings available from C AT, Centre for Alternative Technology, with examples built already on their mountaintop in Wales!

  17. Re:Fire that marketroid! on Google Introduces, Then Scraps, Bing-Style Background Images · · Score: 1

    I concur. Extremely bad form by Google

  18. Re:in 2010 WIFI is just like any other service on HotelChatter's Annual Hotel Wi-Fi Report 2010 · · Score: 1

    Email spam from hotels, gets the hotel put on my blacklist. Then as I do not get replies to booking forms,they drop from my usage.
    One hotel however asked to send me 'an annual email update" and that I accepted. Better and clever marketing, as it works and I do not find offensive or filling my email in box. They went on my 'use this hotel list'.

  19. Re:Britain (FREE WiFi) on HotelChatter's Annual Hotel Wi-Fi Report 2010 · · Score: 1

    1. I stay occasionally in London, I have no 3G or other mobile access on Laptop. I moved from one hotel to another in Hounslow area where I have used hotel for many years, as the older one, now family owned, has free WiFi in Lounge and reception area.
    2. Yes, free WiFi is a filter, and I now use it.
    3. I have same free WiFi in two-family owned old hotel in rural Galloway where I also occasionally go.

  20. Re:KNOPPIX from knopper.org (DVD and CD versions) on Good, Portable "Virtual" Linux Distro? · · Score: 1

    Confirmed. My experience is Knoppix for hardware problems . However latest version with DVD may not run some very old hardware (screen resolutions etc)so use both version 5 and version 6 If 6.x works OK, if not downgrade to version 5.
    My circa 1998 HP set (Athlon 1000, 0.3MB Ram works ok on version 5 but not on version 6 (very old graphics card problem).

  21. Re:How about a bootable CD Knoppix on Good, Portable "Virtual" Linux Distro? · · Score: 1

    1. Get them to use a bootable CD/DVD first Try Knoppix for hardware problems, it is best I know for irregular hardware. Reason to avoid a destroy Windows HD by trying to get a USB linux first off (very easy to do).
    2. Once familiar with Live CD continue with Knoppix or move to regular CD/DVD of Ubuntu,SuSE or Mandriva.
    3. Then and only then have them make a biggish USB Linux persistant system and crash or mode to heart's contents.
    4. Slackware for knowledge but it is a hard slog!
    5. You want students to get results not put off by failure/risking their own laptops, unless you use old cheap laptops hose them and load any system including Puppy etc.

  22. 90% no proved signature. How done at present? on Business-Suitable Document Authentication System? · · Score: 1

    How and what needs 'proven signature' usual ratio is 90% unproven signature, 10% or less needs proven signature.

    How do you prove at present?
    Do you check every signature against a secured proven typical signature mandate card? If not then you do not need to do it electronically as you do not do it manually. Ask 'boss' how he proves his signature on any document he signs!

    Old Comecon Banks used to have a photograph taken at point of signature for 'foreign exchange' and appended it to logged file (also took fingerprint) much office filling but good proof for any court case thereafter. Do you need this standard of proof?

  23. Re:PGP + really any collaboration software on Business-Suitable Document Authentication System? · · Score: 1

    'machine generated digital signature' PGP or gnupg or OpenGPG or digital signature does not prove 'a specific human' signed or authorised a document as it is the controller of the machine that did it. (Pass words are often shared to avoid 'a busy' person problems e.g secretaries sign. As in old days where a person not the King was 'keeper of privy seal' and sealed with a 'spare King's seal' on behalf of King.
    Biometric sealing by digital signature tied to fingerprint works (unless fingers chopped off or plastic image taken) but is not 100% secure. The old human problem that to prove actual signature and signer it must be witnessed by another proven person who knows signer to achieve at least one degree of proof.
    For email gnupg or OpenPGP or such like is adequate as long as you believe or can prove
      the sender is the logged in person. Document signing digital signature systems that are published outside the organisation need the dig sigs to be publicly available on a named server (used for export control documents by some governments)to activate and prove.

  24. Re:Not very Linux friendly... on Does Your PC Really Need a SysRq Button Anymore? · · Score: 1

    This would make me unable to use the computer, as I also dual boot all machines with a Linux distro , even with Knoppix from USB key.

    "esc" and' sysreg' are useful.
    'delete' key why I use it many times per day as quick removal of emails that do not need my attention, sent from colleagues who believe the cc button line with many addresses indicates they think!
    This allows me to do real work without the garbage.

  25. Re:This is shocking! on Code Used To Attack Google Now Public · · Score: 1

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8463516.stm

    German government warns all against using MS Explorer, any version.