"What do you think of this?" written by Tinypliny on estrip.org

Category: i-tech

11/11/14 10:38 - ID#59562

What do you think of this?

(e:Paul)?

Permalink: What_do_you_think_of_this_.html
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Last Modified: 11/11/14 10:38

Category: i-tech

08/25/12 01:46 - ID#56707

Crapple.

Depressing news from the courts today - where jurors think "a rectangle with rounded corners" is worth awarding $1.5 Billion to the eternally thieving Cr-Apple.

For shame.

I swear no crapple product will cross my threshold or get ANY of my money ever. Its WRONG to use legal loopholes and the ignorance of a technically challenged and biased jury to level competition. This is what a bully does. First steal all possible pre-existing designs, then use intensive PR to pass it all off as if you "invented" the entire thing, recruit sheep who clearly have no independent thought and then play these sheep to find in your favor.

Today is a dark day that clearly shows just how backwards the legal system in the US is and how any company, given enough PR efforts can effectively obscure their own shady thieving past to make people believe that they own all of their designs. "Original look and feel"?! What a load of crap(ple).

Apple, I hope people realize how much of a bullying fraud you are some day. You are a disgrace to the future of technology.

(e:Paul), I know you are pretty fond of your new toy but Crapple is now clearly the new Micro$oft. Same rotten techniques and the same loathsome tactics to suppress open-source innovation. I am having some trouble understanding how you can forgive the atrocities that Cr-apple is heaping on the FOSS community enough to buy from them again. I am starting to view them as a feudal cult-following fiefdom of sheep.

There is also a slight ironic edge to all this legal warring that Crapple is heaping in the courts. I read somewhere that the iphone contains many components that are made by Samsung. It could be that Crapple has just bitten the hand that feeds it raw materials. I wonder what the repurcussions would be...

Permalink: Crapple_.html
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Last Modified: 08/25/12 10:06

Category: i-tech

04/08/12 09:02 - ID#56334

I don't have angry birds.

But my appspace is pretty colourful.

Permalink: I_don_t_have_angry_birds_.html
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Last Modified: 04/08/12 09:02

Category: i-tech

04/04/12 02:24 - ID#56320

A page by any other name...

Did you know that a simple page is visualized like this by LaTeX?

But I am convinced M$hitWord must view it like this:

I am seriously so annoyed right now that I need to suffer through Word (in addition to wrestling with LaTeX) just because people haven't even heard of LaTeX. Why do I have to even make a crap Word document when I have already compiled a good enough PDF from tex? Why??

Because of the decades of misthinking and mistakes M$hit has heaped upon the world, that's why.

metalpeter writes at 06:25:44 04/05/12 - Comment #68151: No matter what I was writing or writing for... If I use a computer I have to use the software the place I'm submitting it to uses..... Can't think of another word like program there used to be something I used .... Now if they state what software they use then part of writing a paper is to use what they use.... yeah it would suck if they used some program that was only on macs and didn't work in word but if I knew that going in then that is what I would have to use....

tinypliny writes at 05:39:48 04/05/12 - Comment #68150: Peter, the logic seems to be, if this is what everyone is used to, this is what you should do. I could not disagree more.

First, what everyone uses is for the most part influenced by the inability to learn and adapt to new things that make life substantially easier. Second, what the clueless population uses for 3 page documents without references is not ideal for a 300 page document with several intricacies. Third, given the common final expectation of a precisely typeset PDF (with barbaric margin requirements and whatnots defined by my Uni), expecting me to use Word to reach that goal is frankly the most atrocious directive. Fourth, not everyone uses Word for dissertations and LaTeX is WIDELY used in almost ALL academic circles, just not the somewhat rusty folks in my current situation. LaTeX has been around since 1980 - half a decade before Windows was grafted upon the world! :::link::: What more can I say.

And most importantly, why do you think word integrates well with everything? I have a mile long list of things it does not integrate with - including consistent format, bibliographies, mathematical notations - some of the most important attributes of a really long document.

And quite honestly - they don't even need to know what software I use to produce my documents. If the Uni wants PDFs in the end, then isn't it time people learn to review PDFs and not keep on expecting the .doc$hit? All this non-consistent, repetitive and VERY PAINFUL formatting seems like an infinite waste of time to me. I could achieve awesome professional results using LaTeX with a fraction of this effort I am pouring into definining styles in Word.

metalpeter writes at 04:37:37 04/05/12 - Comment #68148: I don't know all the details.... But from what I understand if you are a company and get a Windows based computer or even a school then it comes with word and that is what everyone knows... All the different software things like say powerpoint and things for slide shows and all that stuff is all integrated....

Now I know that PDFs are common and that at least Adobe makes things so you can read them or download a book or many things in that form...No idea what other companies there are..... But is word works fine to integrate with everything else why even mess with PDF.... Now if one does again I wouldn't know about on Mac's but with Widows based computers at some point they got adobe so if they did do PDFs that is what they would know not this other program.....

Now you might be asking what is my point.... Well if the problem is that this software no one else knows how to use it or integrate it....Even though you love it....Then any project or work should be used on or done on what they use.....

tinypliny writes at 07:02:02 04/04/12 - Comment #68143: What does it take for people to catch up? These are people who almost write for a living and they have been doing it on Word for like what - 15 years? I think the problem is they all have their PAs and admins do all the dirty formatting for them and have forgotten everything about how wretched m$shitword can make your life if you are dealing with anything other than a 2 page doc with multiple content types and bibliographies. And let's not even talk about the lack of knowledge about BibTeX and reliance (and sometimes insistence) on absolutely bottom of the barrel reference software services like endnote and refworks. ugh

Personally, I wouldn't even do a 2 page doc on M$ if left to my devices.

paul writes at 05:53:27 04/04/12 - Comment #68142: Ya it seems ridiculous. You should make it a pre-requisite of all future endeavours that the people are fluent in the technology of the last decade at least.

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Last Modified: 04/06/12 07:45

Category: i-tech

03/23/12 12:09 - ID#56272

If it looks like a troll...

"If it looks like a troll and walks like a troll, it must be Apple."

The company just fell to a new low of what it is to be an ultimate champion in hypocrisy.

It just filed a patent for haptic feedback - a super convenient feature that has ALWAYS been around in Android. No doubt the next step would be some stupid patent office clerk signing off on this and then Apple suing the Android world to get its grubby manicured camouflaged paws on even more profits that is definitely not theirs and then claiming that they came up with the idea to begin with.

Disgusting practices +++

Given these hideous underhand dirty market practices coupled with snooty elitism and a horde of facade-driven ~~sheep~~ creeps, who feel they have inherited some kind of glory by using CrApple products, is it any surprise that even considering buying any kind of CrApple seems revolting?

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Last Modified: 03/23/12 12:14

Category: i-tech

03/09/12 05:01 - ID#56191

Techno'ed out

Maybe it's all a bit too much, but is it?

I currently use:

A laptop with fedora (Heavyduty (for me!) computing, coding and writing)
A laptop with an ubuntu derivative (madbox) (experimentation with linux)
A laptop with a lean modded WinXP (communicating with the non-clued in world. Read: people who don't know what LaTeX and linux are, live in the past and deal with the painful M$hit word.)

A tablet with honeycomb and considering dual boot with ubuntu LXDE. (Heavyduty PDF reading)
A smartphone with Ice cream sandwich (Camera with panorama)
A smartphone with gingerbread (Alarm Clock with fancy tunes.)

At work:
A paleolithic machine with some ancient slow version of WinXP (good for pretty much nothing really, because its so slow and terrible).

I bet (e:paul) has more devices (actually I would love to see your list, (e:paul). :)) and whatnots but what about you all?

tinypliny writes at 10:53:37 03/09/12 - Comment #67866: man! that old madbox of mine is just 512mb, its terrible. They keep saying that some linux runs on low end machines but those flavors are just awful. if you have a low end machine, you are just out of luck. that's all.

uncutsaniflush writes at 10:34:57 03/09/12 - Comment #67865: (e:tinypliny) - I do love music. When I listen to music, I listen to music. That's it. No multi-tasking or using using music as audio wallpaper. I'm old-fashioned. Other than listening to music sometimes when I'm doing computer stuff, I don't like listening to music when I am out in the real world. I find "music" in the sounds I experience as I go through my day.

As to the hex-core, I know it's overkill. But I reckon it won't be obsolete for at least 6 months . It has 6 gb of ram. The pentium 4 3.0 mhz box that (e:leetee) uses has 1.5 gb of ram.

tinypliny writes at 09:43:55 03/09/12 - Comment #67863: Why don't you use your ipod nano? Isn't it a music player?? I thought you liked music?

I have a beat up sansa. I kind of abused it so much, I first broke its clip, then I broke the headphones that came with it, then I bought and broke another pair of panasonic headphones for it, and then some of the screws that held together some other stuff on the sansa came loose and the micro-sd won't stay in anymore, its still holding on somewhat and I continue to beat it up. But yeah, its probably the most used device I have. I guess it should enter this list but it seems just so...you know commonplace and not very smart-web-like.

tinypliny writes at 09:37:29 03/09/12 - Comment #67862: What seemed kind of unbelievable to me was that (e:Paul) and I had a nexus one at the same time! That blows my mind still. Of course, he has moved on to the finest and the greatest now! :)

tinypliny writes at 09:36:06 03/09/12 - Comment #67861: Oh! And I forgot. I also have a non-smartphone Nokia phone somewhere in one of my drawers. I don't know the serial number but its not a smartphone - but you could go on some limited web browser if you had a data plan.

tinypliny writes at 09:33:45 03/09/12 - Comment #67860: you know, (e:paul), I thought you would totally have more!

tinypliny writes at 09:32:54 03/09/12 - Comment #67859: LOL Both of you have more devices than I do so there is more scope for accumulation here. heh

None of my machines is probably as powerful as some of yours (hexcore?! o_O what kind of rigors do you put it through? robotics and floating point computation? ) How much RAM do you have on your machines, (e:uncut)? I am especially curious about (e:leetee)'s box that runs PClinuxOS.

And nexus one is my alarm clock. :)

paul writes at 09:00:10 03/09/12 - Comment #67858: Oh wait I forgot the Dell 1950 server. Oh and in the tech graveyard I have the nexus one, the nokia n900 not phone, an old powerbook duo from the mid 90s and the old server.

paul writes at 08:58:37 03/09/12 - Comment #67857: I have one computer (linux fedora), one phone (android) and one tablet (ios).

uncutsaniflush writes at 06:19:50 03/09/12 - Comment #67856: Here's I was thinkin that Buddy was talkin bout techno music, what a hoser, eh?

I have:

hexcore box Fedora 16 box that also has vmware images of Win98SE and WinXP.

hp pentium 3.0 Mhz box that runs a modded PClinuxos. It's the box (e:leetee) uses.

G3 iBook with Arch PPC.

eee 900A with Bodhi linux

I also have some museum pieces: an original IMac, a Tandy, and a 900Mhz Compaq box.

I have no smart phone. I have one of the last Nokia phones built for voice, the 6030.

I was gifted a 6th gen (I think) Ipod nano that I don't really have any use for.

It's not that I don't embrace new tech. I'm just a cheap bastard.

Permalink: Techno_ed_out.html
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Last Modified: 03/09/12 05:08

Category: i-tech

02/18/12 07:29 - ID#56081

Android Viruses

Traditionally, it has been very tough or very unsatisfactory for virus-creating hackers to target the Linux OSes because the field is so fragmented. There are as many distributions as there are stars in the sky... and possibly more.

I was recently wondering about the situation in Android because the field is somewhat unified with limited number of variants. Anyone who writes an application can get entry into the Android market and peddle their apps. This is great for reaffirming the open source and free nature of the Android operating system but is quite a nightmare in terms of security.

And sure enough, I spotted this article:

I am kind of spooked. I try out random apps all the time and I certainly am one of those people who just says yes to the permissions screen. No one, apart from expert hackers can actually tell whether or not an app is going to cause extensive harm just by looking at them in a cursory fashion. But everyone can definitely pay more attention when it comes to what apps they choose to install.

I am going to start a running list of apps I have on my android devices here, I started this for chrome apps a while back but it has fallen into oblivion. I need to revive that as well. Hacking chrome is somewhat tougher but the basic playing ground is the same. I think, for non-hackers, knowledge about the apps they are using is 3/4ths of the battle against the viruses. The other 1/4ths is resisting temptation to download chunks of the whole marketplace willy nilly.

Permalink: Android_Viruses.html
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Last Modified: 02/18/12 07:29

Category: i-tech

02/17/12 01:38 - ID#56076

Class 2? Class 4? Class 10? What?!

I went to check how much a simple 32 GB micro sdhc memory card was. All these choices and classes tumbled out of the closet.

It blows my mind that someone actually took the time to benchmark all these cards:

Sandisk 16 GB Class 2 Read: 7.5 MB/sec    Write: 5.5 MB/sec
Samsung 8 GB Class 6 Read: 16.8 MB/sec    Write: 7.6 MB/sec
Lexar 32 GB Class 10 Read: 20.3 MB/sec    Write: 8.1 MB/sec

And those numbers don't tell the entire story. Apparently the higher classes have a tendency to burn out faster.

Nothing is simple anymore. I should have known that.

Permalink: Class_2_Class_4_Class_10_What_.html
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Last Modified: 02/17/12 01:39

Category: i-tech

02/16/12 09:44 - ID#56068

Whack that wacom pen stylus!

My wacom stylus has started some crazy erratic behaviour. Its eraser-end works but the pen tip does not. I recently found this "cure" on the internet:

You just whack the stylus against a padded surface (for example, your palm) till it starts behaving. The technique works around 70% of the time. For the 30% of the times it doesn't, even if you are tempted to search ebay and random shady websites for replacements, grit your teeth and whack the stylus a few times more. Chances are, the beating you gave it earlier is not sufficient enough to make the errant stylus realize who is the master here.

Wacom. Whack 'em.

NB: I am really not sure how much more whacking the pen can take. Maybe I should get a replacement.

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Last Modified: 02/16/12 10:26

Category: i-tech

02/03/12 02:44 - ID#56017

The power of internet.

The Susan G. Komen foundation just reversed its miscalculated decision to withdraw funding to Planned Parenthood. Whose victory and war was this? I say, it is Twitter's and the internet's victory over powerlessness and voicelessness as a whole.

I think the power of internet in democracy and public opinion has FINALLY arrived and not a minute too late. The mother (freakazoid) teresa approach that Komen seemed to have adopted was made public on Tuesday. It took just THREE days for the voices across the net and social media to speak up and rise to a crescendo against this ridiculously medieval move by Komen.

I sometimes wish that toxic hag teresa's evil, ignorant, petty and insular mind* that wrecked lives for Irish women and made it hell for many women in India were blown to smithereens by public opinion as strong as this.

The reversal of Komen's recent asinine policy in response to social media and public outcry makes me hopeful that not all causes are lost yet. Given the right power and voice women all over the world can better their lot and fight against barriers that sometimes stifling society and always misguided religions place over them.