* Posts by Greg Williams

45 publicly visible posts • joined 29 May 2007

World of Warcraft then and now: From Orcs and Humans to Warlords of Draenor

Greg Williams

Re: What you talkin bout Lewis?

Subscriptions always peak around new expansions, this time was no different, and the fall off shortly afterwards will be no different either.

On average, subscriptions ARE flagging - no doubt about it.

Too 4K-ing expensive? Five full HD laptops for work and play

Greg Williams

Also consider...

The Asus V Nitro range - very reasonable core i5 machine with 8GB, GeForce 840m (enough for occasional gaming) and with 1080p IPS screens. Just set one up for a mate and was quite impressed with it. Also has an M2 slot along with a built-in hybrid HDD so you can easily slot in an SSD for cheap.

Apple stuns world with rare SEVEN-way split: What does that mean?

Greg Williams

In my (somewhat dubious) opinion, I believe that the high share price in a quid pro quo effect actually provides value to the company in the sense that the high share sticker price gives the company a 'premium' feel (which is of course pretty much all Apple trades on with its products also).

By splitting them as they have they essentially make the company 'feel' cheaper even if this is obviously not the case.

Daddy EMC pushes past VMware, muscles into Microsoft Hyper-V shops

Greg Williams

Good business sense.

EMC may own VMware, but that doesn't mean the 'are' VMware.

Why would they shoot themselves in the foot and not compete in the Hyper-V market storage-wise?

Krakoom! OCZ flies into the ground. Time to salvage the engines and look around

Greg Williams

Re: It's not really a surprise

I think it's definitely a case of YMMV - I have owned 3 OCZ SSDs and also installed them in laptops/PCs belonging to multiple friends and family members - not one single failure yet.

One did have a firmware bug on delivery, but flashed it straight away and it's not missed a beat since.

I have, however, had one dead Samsung and one dead Intel... so... maybe I just got lucky, and you got unlucky :)

WAR ON PORN: UK flicks switch on 'I am a pervert' web filters

Greg Williams

Re: Gesture politics at its worst

Long and slippery you say? Careful there... that's a paddlin'.

Galaxy S4 way faster than iPhone 5: Which?

Greg Williams
FAIL

Re: Fast?

Yeah, ok... Just did this on a full 1080p with my HTC One, cropped and saved, from after the point I made the selection to when it was actually cropped and ready to save, it took... oh, no idea - too fast for me to actually time it.

Maybe you had a dud?

Microsoft: YES! You can have your desktop back again for FREE!

Greg Williams
Stop

Re: OK, getting a bit sick of the whining...

"They didn't try something new, they were doing something that users didn't want, that users said they didn't want."

The same thing happened with Vista. The feedback on that was rather fanatical and foamy-mouthed, but the released it anyway. And yes, that turned out to be a flop, like Windows 8 - but then it was refined into Windows 7, which was a fantastic OS and still the OS of choice for many of us here whilst still fundamentally being very similar and including many of the changes that Vista introduced.

So perhaps after some refinement, Windows 8.1/9 will become the next Windows 7?

The fact of the matter is that change pisses off everyone, especially the first revisions of that change. Eventually though, maybe it will in future iterations become a gem.

Ultimately, people are being very impatient and prone to overreaction - especially when you consider that you can turn off Metro via other methods anyway.

I'm not, as I said, a huge fan of Windows 8 - but I DO see potential there. A diamond in the rough perhaps? We'll see.

Greg Williams

Re: OK, getting a bit sick of the whining...

their*

;)

Greg Williams
Flame

OK, getting a bit sick of the whining...

Look, for God's sake... they tried something new. They tried to change what was the status quo and do something different.

OK, fair enough, for desktop use it was less than successful, but it certainly wasn't all bad. I'm dual booting with it myself and whilst there is definitely a learning curve before you come to terms with it and get used to it - you DO get used to it. Yes, I do still prefer Windows 7.

The biggest problem I see here is that most of you whining on about having something forced down your throats and bitching on about Windows 8 would be the same people who would wring there hands and keen with dismay if they release something that isn't much different from the last version.

I will always respect the company that tries something significantly different, but fails as opposed to the company which cowardly releases the same shit with a slightly different visual sheen to it.

Review: Asus PadFone 2 phone-tablet combo

Greg Williams

One thing to remember...

You are then able to use the mobile data plan from your phone - this alone makes it a hugely appealing device.

Yes, you could normally just use hotspot from your phone, but this is much more elegant.

I'm contemplating one just for that reason alone.

Apple 'less innovative' at laptops than Lenovo

Greg Williams

Re: In the end

You are referring to the CPU design only for the initial Macbook Air.

The design of the second-generation MBA was however another story.

Greg Williams

Re: In the end

From what I understand, the Macbook Air was actually co-designed with Intel anyway to set the design language for the Ultrabook standard which Intel was trying to set in motion. I don't think Apple really deserve that much credit here other than perhaps some of the less important 'shiny' touches.

The tapered, thin shape is a natural answer to the form factor in that at the rear things have to be thicker, but not so necessary at the front. I wouldn't say Asus et al. copied it, merely that they came to the same conclusion.

I will admit that as a piece of PC-Hardware kit, I love the Macbook Air but, as I despise Mac OS, I would be running something else on it anyway from the time it was delivered. That is of course all assuming I could swallow the price, which I cannot.

Greg Williams
FAIL

Besides the obvious vocabularly issues, you forget that there are examples out there from other manufacturers, such as Asus for example, which are available with 1600 x 900 and 1920 x 1080 screens in their 13 inch ultrabooks.

Scrunched Street View spymobile spied in India

Greg Williams
FAIL

Re: Was this one of their...

Hrm.

Was your sense of humour surgically removed and replaced with heavy doses of smugness and self-righteous delusions of grandeur?

I mean... you're commenting on a semi-humorous article on The Register. You're not providing peer review in a scientific journal.

That high horse... best come down off it before you break your fool neck.

Google Nexus 7 Android tablet

Greg Williams

Re: "the Nexus survived 32cm fall onto a wooden floor"

""the Nexus survived 32cm fall onto a wooden floor"

The reviewer's table is only 13 inches tall?"

Have you never heard of something called a coffee table?

Skinny 15in MacBook Pro launch tied to Intel 'Ivy Bridge'

Greg Williams

Doubtful...

Given the current 15 incher has a 1440x900 display and it has been that way for a while, I doubt they will go to 1920x1200.

Anyway, screw the resolution, I can live with 1280x800 too, just give me an IPS panel with good brightness/contrast and uniformity/colour reproduction.

The resolution is less important to me personally so long as it is not TOO low.

Apollo 17 Moon landing: Shock revelations

Greg Williams
Thumb Up

And this is why I love the Reg...

Pure class.

Apple MacBook Airs to get new, superfast 19nm Flash

Greg Williams
Thumb Up

Horses for courses

Put the handbags away people.

I am the very opposite of a Mac fanboy. I hate many of their products, hardware and software, but at the same time there are a few that are very good.

The MBA is one of them. The negative point with the current model is of course the slow CPU which will be fixed with the Sandy Bridge update. For its intended niche it does the job admirably

Regarding the wireless vs. wired debate, I can see the point of having ethernet, but only in situations where I want to transfer a LOT of stuff over in one bang and these machines simply aren't really intended for that. They have very little storage anyway and for whatever you want to transfer the wireless-n is just fine. It is in every conceivable situation faster than your broadband connection anyway, so...

Gigabit ethernet in this situation is just not required.

I will be getting one of these when the refresh comes out and putting Win7 on it simply because I love the hardware itself (can't stand MacOS).

Apple confirms white iPhone 4 on sale tomorrow

Greg Williams
FAIL

Well...

... you make it sound like El Reg is horribly biased against Apple though?

In reality, they have rather frequently awarded their products high review scores. That they also turn around and say when something is stupid/crap is called 'remaining objective' and judging each element on its merits.

Now cut down on the troll juice.

Samsung UE55C9000 55in LCD 3D TV

Greg Williams

RE: No wall mounting?

"If you want to wall mount it, this base can be removed and fitted to the back of the set."

I mean, come on... this was right at the beginning of the article. It's not like it was buried in the later pages. Make an effort.

Chillblast Fusion Juggernaut gaming PC

Greg Williams
Thumb Up

Re: Re: FSB

Specified by Intel for 200-400MHz, sure... but then Asus have always ignored such trival matters.

I have this case myself as the basis for my home-built. Lovely thing, except that because the whole thing is porous, the sound containment isn't the best, and airflow isn't quite as controllable as it could be. Dust is also a bit of an issue. It looks better than you think though... nice black block, quite sleek-looking and understated. I don't want something that looks like it came from the set of Dr. Who. Also very cheap for what it is.

Not a bad price, no... depends on the warranty care though, otherwise may as well build yourself.

AMD mugs Intel in backstreets of Paris

Greg Williams
Thumb Up

@ Mark C

The important thing here is that you were honest.

Kudos.

Deutsche Post issues Rudolf Hess stamp

Greg Williams
Boffin

RE: Pfennig Black / Aryan

Schwarz to be more accurate still? Nice try though. However, as someone noted earlier, surely Pfennig Weiß would be more suitable. Perhaps even Pfennig Kaukasisch...?

HP Proliant USB key riddled with worms

Greg Williams
Flame

Well... there's a potential new tactic...

For someone wanting to spread a trojan, start a botnet etc...

Buy a pile of USB sticks on the cheap, load em up with the malware, and sell them even cheaper on FleaBay... make a bit of a loss but if, as many of them are, they're doing it for a profit in the long run, then it's just an investment.

Just put some nice 'demo' files on the sticks...

Northrop: battlefield rayguns to demo this year

Greg Williams

RE: Reflecting back

Hah... just had an incredibly amusing mental image of a missile with cats half-inched from the MoT stuck all over it.

Peter Jackson to lord over 'Rings' prequels

Greg Williams

Just because it's one book...

... doesn't mean that two movies are not justified. Remember that quite a lot was cut out of LotR and it was more of an action-type soaring drama. The Hobbit, as someone else mentioned, is closer to being more of a traditional fantasy adventure film.

If you made one film only, it would be somewhat condensed, and would not live up to the book in my opinion.

World of Warcraft spykit gets encrypted

Greg Williams
Flame

Doesn't bother me at all.

So long as Warden has been competently written, doesn't impact upon the performance of my PC, and sticks to scanning for specific things in order to reduce gold farming etc. then it's fine by me. Completely. If it strays outside of this, then I would say there's a reason to be upset.

I can see the reason they're doing it, and to be honest, any idiot could. Some people start frothing at the mouth at any slight indication of an 'invasion on their privacy'.

Do you go out on the warpath with a piece of 2x4 when a local copper walks past on his beat? if he looks at your house for suspicious activity is he visually molesting you? If he radios in that someone is loitering on your property and calls for assistance has he breached your rights?

I realise fully that the metaphor has limitations, in that he's not on your property, he's the law and Blizzard is, well, Blizzard... but at the same time, he's doing the same thing really. Presuming that Warden does stick to it's brief. Don't forget part of it's intended use is to also look for Trojans... not necessarily exploits used by the PC owner themselves.

I can see what is firing people up about this, but it's a pile of steaming arse biscuits and people need to get over it.

I'm hardly a pro-Blizzard fan... they drive me mental sometimes with crappy support, bugs a-plenty and unfathomable game decisions, but I can at least stay objective.

Apple's Leopard leaps into action

Greg Williams

Re Why

... and not to mention the fact that OSX's stability comes wholly from the simple fact that the platforms it will be installed on are limited and controlled. They do not have to handle the billions of combinations of hardware available in the x86 world so compatibility is a cinch.

I'd love to see what would happen to smug ol' Apple if they WERE having to support their OS on the rest of the world's x86 machines. I'm betting it would fall over horribly in terms of stability.

I'm thinking that is the major reason why the OS is not available to all...

eBay employee 'torpedos' fraud trial

Greg Williams

@ Jasgon Togneri

Trust me, just dealing with German eBayers INSIDE Germany can be a hassle :) Never mind outside it...

But then, I've never had a nasty experience with anything bought here yet. Some memory I bought from the US site was another matter though.

It's very much a case of caveat emptor and using common sense anyway... the same would apply to going to a car boot sale or street market really. With large purchases I only deal with people close enough to me that I can go and see it, test etc, pick it up and pay cash.

If they refuse to allow in-person transactions, walk away. Simple.

To summarise, some people are almost asking to be ripped off.

Hypersonic hydrogen airliner to bitchslap Concorde

Greg Williams
Flame

@ Anonymous Coward, with reference to terminal redesign...

As I recall, with the advent of the 747, many airports also had to make considerable terminal changes to accommodate it's size.

Now, that was a US plane wasn't it? Well, well...

But I suppose it's okay when the rest of the world has to make changes to fit in with US requirements, like in every other element of life.

As someone from the US, I would consider it to be particularly brave/stupid of you to go on about a government forcing it's will on the rest of the world...

AMD three-core Phenoms to ship March 2008?

Greg Williams

Also @ Kevin

Wouldn't it be interesting to find out how many Core 2 Duo CPUs are failed Quad parts?

I'm betting at least a fair amount... some probably have 3 cores that COULD function but Intel choose not to offer such an SKU. Perhaps it's not the case at all, but would be interested in finding out...

Cheap PS3 won't help Blu-ray, claim HD DVD backers

Greg Williams

Not so unusual...

... that they included the add-on drive for the XB360 because it is entirely that, an add-on. People who buy this add-on drive definitely want it to watch movies, as it is otherwise not required to play games. They cannot say that the Blu-Ray drive included in the PS3 will be definitely used to watch movies however, so it makes sense.

MS makes, sells 65nm 'Falcon' Xbox 360s

Greg Williams

But surely...

... if it is a 65nm part, the word 'Canada' wouldn't be the only change? Wouldn't the die size be significantly smaller?

MS confirms Halo 3 Limited Edn box scratch bug

Greg Williams

Well it's free yes...

Except for the postage charges of course. If mine was working, last thing I'd want to do is post it off to be replaced.

I'd be marching to the desk at the retailer. Surely they have a responsibility as the retailer to replace defective goods?

Apple coughs up G4 refunds to dissatisfied Danes

Greg Williams

To E...

... if that is indeed your REAL initial...

Firstly, just how many rungs do you need to climb to the top of your soapbox?

He bought a laptop, it went bad... and? It happens all the time, with all vendors and all manner of products. From the most reputable to the most shady every manufacturer will produce duds, so to call him an idiot because he had had ONE bad experience and bought another from the same company is just ridiculous. I could even say idiotic?

Extended warranties are actually a very good idea. Hardware goes wrong, fact of life... does it not make sense to be covered for the eventuality?

Your post was merely abusive for the sake of being abusive. Just because you're bitter for whatever reason, don't bring it to this site.

Sony unveils PlayTV telly tuner for PS3

Greg Williams

Yes, but...

... if you buy a Humax or other freeview box, then it won't fit in with the natty PS3 component colour scheme will it? Can't be having that.

If it DOES sell in the price range quoted above, then it's just a joke, pure and simple. Even if you can watch TV on it, recording is really out, as the HDD on the PS3 isn't really big enough to make it viable long term. Maybe the odd program here and there. If they'd support external hard disks.... ah, but then they wouldn't suit the natty colour scheme either. But then Sony could bring out their own PS3 external hard disks! But then they'd be stupidly priced too... hrm... no... can't see a way out of this one...

Email has workers tearing their hair out

Greg Williams

Yes, but...

... previously it was the big 'In' pile of paper causing the stress. No real big change I think.

Rufus fights back

Greg Williams

Sense and sensibility...

To Mr. Will Leamon... the truth is that I will be much more irritated if you use 'ya'll' in a whiney, nasal voice than if you call me a syphilitic donkey molester... but maybe that's just me :)

Regarding rude customers... been there, done that. Can't say I've ever cried about it, but I damn well reserve the right when off the phone to hurl some choice insults at their (very far away) back. It's called a release valve... if you don't open it from time to time the results will not be pretty.

Somebody mentioned above about putting an even more professional air when the customer gets rude. I concur. Why sink to their level? Some have said that people have the right to get annoyed and they're not surprised etc... I have had some shameful experiences with vendors, service providers etc. in the past, and yet whilst calling THEM, I have not once questioned their IQ and sexual orientation, nor have I implied that they were in any way born outside of a legally recognised marriage.

Just my $0.02c, which isn't even worth that.

Neverland director to helm Bond 22

Greg Williams

Hey Alan

Is it your job to read the Register news site, completely miss 'the BBC reports' in an article, and then redundantly make a snide comment about the article coming from the BBC?

Macs are more secure: official

Greg Williams

Mac OS X on PCs? Well, then we'd see how smug they'd be...

Regarding running Mac OS X on PCs...

The only reason MacOSX is so 'stable' is because Mac OS X only has to run with specific, well-controlled hardware configurations.

Can you imagine what would happen if it was thrown out to the wolves, so to speak, in the open-platform PC arena???

Their 'super-stable, secure' OS wouldn't be worth a damn, and Apple would fall flat on it's face in what would be one of the world's most memorable IT-Industry disasters in my opnion.

Dell begs gamers for forgiveness with free boards

Greg Williams

RE: MS OEM License breach

I believe that this only applies to the system builder licenses. The OEM copies sold by Dell will work just fine and legally so with the new mainboard, as it is a 'replacement part' for an existing machine, also provided by the OEM, therefore not breaching the license whatsoever.

If I'm wrong, let me know, but...

Missing German doctor reappears after 22 years

Greg Williams

The incredibly amusing thing is...

It seems that some people have missed an important point.

... why do you think that the name 'Dovecot' was chosen for the email server software? I highly doubt a cot with a carved likeness of a dove on the headboard was what they had in mind.

Was it possibly because of imagery? Messages pigeons flying in and out, as in times of yore? Maybe?

Most importantly, get over it. People also make typos. This does not mean they have the IQ of an octopus, it means they missed a key on the keyboard perhaps. This situation is made all the more funny of course because he did NOT mis-spell 'dovecote' as 'dovecot', but just used an alternative spelling method that you, yourself were completely ignorant of, whilst trying to be clever at the same time.

It amazes me how people can leap up and down and vent forth such vapid nonsense whilst attempting to assert a position of correctness, completely undermining any slim possibility they may have had in life for people take them seriously.

Most importantly, get over it. People also make typos. This does not mean they have the IQ of an octopus, it means they missed a key on the keyboard perhaps. This situation is made all the more funny of course because he did NOT mis-spell 'dovecote' as 'dovecot', but just used an alternative spelling method that you, yourself were completely ignorant of, whilst trying to be clever at the same time.