* Posts by Ben Holmes

257 publicly visible posts • joined 17 Jul 2007

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Red Hat wraps AWS in OpenShift containers for easy consumption

Ben Holmes
Happy

The OpenShift Online platform based on OpenShift version 2 (which used a bucketload of Ruby) has been deprecated.

The whole thing has been moved wholesale to Docker and Kubernetes, which is much saner.

https://www.openshift.com/

JAXA confirms ASTRO-H breakup

Ben Holmes
Unhappy

The solution is obvious...

...needs more struts. In this scenario, it's probably best to revert the launch to the Vehicle Assembly Building and try again.

Ex-GCHQ chief: Bulk access to internet comms not same as mass surveillance

Ben Holmes

I suspect...

The article doesn't make clear who made the second statement, care to clarify?

...Mr. Typo McBlooper.

This is based on extensive trawling I've carried out of El Reg articles over the years.

Einstein's brain to be picked by satellites

Ben Holmes

Re: Unexpected Science

Sounds like every session of Kerbal Space Program I have...

Visitors no longer welcomed to Scotland's 'Penis Island'

Ben Holmes

Re: Shades of the Welsh bilingual policy

It's the same approach that lead to the two union bars being called 'Bar 9 Bar' and 'The Joint' though. If it ain't broke...

Space Commanders lock missiles on Elite's Frontier Devs

Ben Holmes
Pint

Re: You tell me,

Irrelevant. Once promised, it wasn't their call to make anymore.

Not in the slightest bit irrelevant. If the developer feels that adding a promised feature would ultimately have a net negative impact on their product/project then it's absolutely their call to make. It may have been poorly communicated, but that's what it seems like here.

If you're a KS backer then maybe - just maybe - you have a right to be upset about that one thing. But if that's all you were looking for in the game you should've saved your money and bought it retail when you knew the launch day feature set.

You go into KS projects because you hope to see them come to fruition, but that doesn't give you any sort of right to your money back if the scope of the project is changed. Hell, you should expect to never see your money again. And if the project delivers (and Elite Dangerous has delivered in spades) then that's great. You got something for your investment.

However, Kickstarters are not risk-free enterprises. And the sooner this sinks in, then the better of KS projects will be.

Ben Holmes
Pint

Re: You tell me,

Sounds like a sound judgement of development effort required by a guy who knows his product inside and out to me.

Was it a shitty call to make? Sure, a lot of people will be disappointed by it. But I'd rather this than have FD try to half-arse the development of the offline feature. Better to not have it at all than to have something that proves clunky, difficult to maintain, and inevitably (probably) a bigger PR nightmare than the abandonement of the offline feature itself.

Keep doing what youre doing Frontier. The game is coming along just fine.

Ben Holmes
Happy

Re: It's worse than that

I concur. Frontier have done an amazing job of delivering Elite. There's so much scope to this game, it's unbelievable.

I'm looking forward to getting stuck in. Just have to get this whole pesky 'work' thing out the way first....

ICANN HACKED: Intruders poke around global DNS innards

Ben Holmes

It's OK though, because apparently ICANN have Sterling Archer - codename Duchess - handling their security if the article image is anything to go by...

SpaceX breaks ground on first commercial spaceport in Texas

Ben Holmes

Re: Aw yeah.

I can't help it. Every time I see 'KSC' my brain translates it as 'Kerbal Space Centre'.

Look out, SpaceX! Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin boffins tapped for US rocket launches

Ben Holmes
Mushroom

You jest, surely...

"ULA will remain the most cost-efficient, innovative and reliable"

Didn't need to read the rest of the article - the punchline was in the second paragraph.

Nearly there! LOHAN Kickstarter pot o'gold breaks £29,000

Ben Holmes

Re: 5k

"Well done, that man!"

Gender-agnostic benefactor, surely?

Yosemite Siri? Apple might plonk chatty assistant on your desktop - report

Ben Holmes

Disability Access

If it's not hobbled, I could see this being useful as a tool for those with disabilities to interact with their computers.

IF it's not hobbled.

Boeing to start work on most powerful rocket ... EVER!

Ben Holmes
Coffee/keyboard

Sweepstake

Given the sheer volume of skepticism in this thread around this thing, we should have an El Reg Official Sweepstake. With our dear Vultures as book keepers, we could all put down when we think this thing will fly, as dates working backwards from the projected first launch - because let's be honest, it sure as shit isn't going to fly early.

I'm optimistic. I'm going for 3 months behind schedule.

Escape key because there isn't really one when you've got that amount of potential energy strapped to your backside.

Ben Holmes
Mushroom

Re: Boeing huh?

Oh, I don't know - perhaps a risk-averse government department who, whilst fully aware that Boeing, Lockheed et al have a nasty habit of swallowing up the tax dollars, also know that these guys have a track record of actually building heavy-duty spaceworthy vehicles.

It would also be political suicide for NASA to go out and do something like Commercial Crew programme with something like this. It's just too much money NOT to have it funnelled back into some Senator's back garden.

Explosion, because it's Rocket Science, innit. And there's no Kerbal icon available.

AV for Mac

Ben Holmes

Re: Wrong

Seconded. It took me chuffing ages to get rid of the Search crap that came down with the latest install of uTorrent I did. Yes, it was my fault for being a bit click happy through the install screens, but my god that stuff wouldn't let go. Hijacked the Search functions in Firefox and Safari, and it wouldn't let go of Safari for love nor money.

Never again.

Microsoft to release epic Xbox One update in June

Ben Holmes

FWIW, Thief is actually quite engaging. Sure, you can mission through the main plot if you like, but there are little side missions and things to keep you occupied if you go look for them.

I have also been struggling with the game content of the XBone, but Thief was a good buy for me. Won't be everyone's bag of course.

Will also probably pick up Wolfenstein though - that looks fun.

Apple fanbois make it 'official', hook up with Internet of Fridges Things

Ben Holmes

@Wize

I dunno - how does "poops and giggles" sound?

Our MOM's LATEST EGGS: 'Looking GOOD', chuckle Indian space boffins

Ben Holmes
Thumb Up

Jeb's still stranded on Duna from the last time I tried to slap together a probe. One of these days I'll rescue him.

Martian MOM LAYS another EGG in SPACE - but it's not big enough

Ben Holmes

Re: Looks familiar.

Depends if you let MechJeb handle all your rendezvous maneuvers or not :-)

iPhone 5S: Apple, you're BORING us to DEATH (And you too, Samsung)

Ben Holmes
Thumb Up

Re: @cambsukguy

I don't know why you're being downvoted. As someone who has just reached the end of his contract with an iPhone 4S, I'm seriously considering a jump to WP8 (Lumia 925). I found your write up really useful to read, and if anything, cemented for me that in that general if I made the jump, I wouldn't really be losing out on any of the functionality I take for granted with iPhone and iOS.

So thanks for that. I appreciate it, even if no-one else seems to!

Forget Mars: Let's get someone on the Moon – NASA veteran

Ben Holmes

'eventually'

And there folks, is your problem right there. Nothing on this scale will ever be done again because

1) It can't be done in one political cycle

2) The direct benefits to those in power in the short term are not readily quantifiable.

An so the endless cycle of underfunded grandstand projects such as SLS continue, whilst NASA slips further and further into obscurity.

I love NASA, I really do. But the budget stranglehold placed on them is laughable. The fact that they get so much out of their meagre handout is amazing, and the missions they run are a constant source of fascination to me. BUt will they ever do anything as big as the moon landings again? I doubt it. The will is there, but the cash...the cash dried up years ago.

iPhone rises, Android slips in US, UK

Ben Holmes

I've had iPhones for the last 4, 5 years or so. My contract's up next month on my 4S, and I find myself seriously considering a Nokia Lumia 925. Why? Because it's a bit different, the majority of the apps I genuinely use (as opposed to downloading once and never touching again) are still present and I like the hardware.

The only other option I'm thinking of is sacking off the whole upgrade process altogether and just moving down to a SIM-only contract, because I can't see Apple releasing anything in the near future that would be a worthwhile upgrade path from where I'm at now.

From Russia with no love: Prez Putin dubs Ed Snowden 'unwanted gift'

Ben Holmes
Facepalm

The sociology professor, who works at Umeå University, said that Snowden had made a "heroic effort at great personal cost" by revealing the existence of a shadowy US surveillance network

It's not shadowy. It's a surveillance network. That's the whole damn point.

Radiohead's Thom Yorke pulls his own music off Spotify

Ben Holmes
Thumb Up

Merely a gesture

The problem with protests like this - and Godrich's reference to it as a 'meaningless' protest highlight this accurately enough - is that not enough people will undertake such actions to make a difference. Yorke pulling his material isn't going to make a damn bit of difference. It might make him feel better for not supporting the model, but everyone else will continue to get bent over the desk and screwed six ways until Sunday for as long as Spotify deem worthwhile. Yes, their royalties are pathetic. Yes, artists know this. But it still remains a valid way to get exposure.

Ironically, the established artists are the ones most in position to do something about this. What would be so bad about a return to the eCommerce store hosted on an artists website? They're the ones with enough of the accursed 'market penetration' to get word out to fans that they'll only be retailing / streaming via their own websites.

Meanwhile everyone else will use Spotify et al as the exposure platforms they should be.

Ubuntu 13.10 to ship with Mir instead of X

Ben Holmes
Unhappy

Re: Fragmentation

> Survival of the fittest is surely best? lots of projects and the best one gains traction and the others fade out.

Except it doesn't quite work like that, does it? You end up with a bunch of evangelists pushing their favourite dead technology at just a loud enough volume that people still pay a smidgen of attention.

And nothing ever dies.

Oh please, PLEASE bring back Xbox One's hated DRM - say Xbox loyalists

Ben Holmes
Facepalm

Icon says it all. There are no words.

US public hate Snowden - but sexpot spy Anna Chapman LOVES him

Ben Holmes
Black Helicopters

I find myself torn on the subject of Snowden.

On the one hand we have an individual who has essentially forfeited his personal liberty in aid of the common good - that is, the exposing of government programs which routinely track and hold communications data regardless of who you are or where you're from. he has highlighted the most important point for me here - not whether or not any laws were broken, but the fact the they didn't NEED to break any laws to accomplish what they set out to do.

On the other hand, we have someone who was entrusted with national secrets, classified information on delicate subjects, and was deemed responsible enough to keep those secrets. And he betrayed that trust. I don't care what your personal beliefs are, when you're dealing with the affairs of a nation state and you've been trusted to do a job, you do that job without expressing whatever political viewpoints you may have.

What i guess I'm saying is that it's not black and white. Snowden's actions define a whole new murky shade of grey, and I'm not sure how to objectively view it all.

Upturned boat sails to Shed of the Year title

Ben Holmes
Happy

Re: Nothing to contribute

Yacht are you lot talking about?

REVEALED: Google's GINORMOUS £650m London Choc Factory

Ben Holmes
Windows

Meanwhile...

...Microsoft concentrate on building a rod for their own back?

Chinese 'nauts return to Earth after vigorous space coupling

Ben Holmes
Thumb Up

Congratulations...

...to the Chinese on this one. They are progressing in admirable leaps and bounds.

Hopefully private industry's moves to commercialise space-based resources will lead to similar efforts in the West. I'm looking at you, SpaceX...

'Do the right thing and tell on a pirate' - software bods

Ben Holmes

Re: Why are they using taking up police time?

I thought copyright infringement was a civil offence?

Mint 15 freshens Ubuntu's bad bits

Ben Holmes
Meh

Re: mint - linux year of the desktop?

Hasn't almost EVERY year since about 2001 meant to have been 'the year of the Linux desktop'?

Leaked docs: GCHQ spooks secretly haul in more data than NSA

Ben Holmes
Go

Re: Is anybody really surprised...

I had similar thoughts. With a name like that, I'd be really p*ssed off as a tax payer if they weren't intercepting communications.

AXE-WAVING BIKER GANG SMASHES into swanky Apple UK store

Ben Holmes
Happy

@Symon

'Rozzers' is also an acceptable synonym.

Apple: iOS7 dayglo Barbie makeover is UNFINISHED - report

Ben Holmes
Angel

"What on earth is going on?"

If we hit that bullseye, the rest of the dominoes should fall like a house of cards. Checkmate.

Apple said to be 'exploring' 5.7-inch iPhone

Ben Holmes
Happy

Re: er, why not the iPad

Because not even the most rabid fanboi would want to hold 10 inches of shiny shiny against the side of his head.

There's looking 'cool', and then there's just looking 'like a dick'.

KEEP CALM and Carry On: PRISM itself is not a big deal

Ben Holmes
Happy

Re: You're not as special as you think you are.

Surely "Inf Oops" would be a better label, given the circumstances?

Ben Holmes
Meh

You're not as special as you think you are.

Given the numbers involved, PRISM is clearly targeted at specific individuals. When you're doing something on that type of budget, in that kind of business, you want to know specifics. You don't trawl through reams of information looking for snippets that MIGHT be interesting. That would be a complete and utter waste of time and budget.

The fact that mechanisms are in place to allow law enforcement agencies to get comms data from providers is neither appalling, nor surprising. The comparison with RIPA here is appropriate. I would be more concerned if law enforcement agencies DIDN'T have access to this type of data.

It's my own personal view that this whole episode is just a mountain-out-of-a-molehill type of event. It maybe unpopular with those who like to make a song and dance about it, but whatever.

Students outraged: Computer refuses to do any work for entire week

Ben Holmes
Meh

Re: heads need to roll

*cough* Logica *cough*

YES, Xbox One DOES need internet, DOES restrict game trading

Ben Holmes
Stop

Re: Big. Deal.

You trust British Telecom to provide a 24/7 internet connection?

Dream on.

Ben Holmes
Facepalm

Re: hmmm?

"Software isn't physical product, it's virtual product."

Tell that to the software devs who spend their lives creating the games/utilities/operating systems that you use on a daily basis. Real man hours are put into creating these things. Where there is effort, there is a cost.

Just saying.

So, who ought to be the next Doctor Who? It's up to YOU...

Ben Holmes
Happy

Engledict Humperbatch?

Raspberry Pi DUMBS DOWN to target world+dog

Ben Holmes
Happy

Re: "Please Select Your OS Choice:"

Or click the scroll wheel. For 'tis a button too.

P.s. Good OS choice. Well done.

Apple releases Mountain Lion, Safari updates

Ben Holmes
Unhappy

Re: Does this improve performance

Personally, I was looking for some updates regarding CoreAudio. The latency on a new MBP with an i7 in is just laughable. Not a massive deal, as it's not my main music machine, but it would be nice to be able to faff about with recording stuff while on the road, so to speak.

Soyuz brings new crew to International Space Station

Ben Holmes
Happy

@Parax

Trying to light an olympic torch in space would be a Very stupid thing to do. Without convection fire is a remarkably different beast.

...and without Oxygen, fire is nothing at all.

Bill Gates: Corporate tax is not a moral issue

Ben Holmes
Thumb Up

Well said...

...that man.

I had a rant on this very subject in another part of the forum a little while back, but Mr. Gates here put his argument across far more succinctly than I could. Let's see if the bottom feeders politicians will actually listen this time...

Schmidt: Don't like our tiny tax bills? Google this... 'Change the law'

Ben Holmes
Unhappy

Try as I might...

...I just can't get mad at the companies who operate like this. If I were a shareholder in a company, I'd want them to do as much as humanely possible to maximise the return on my investment. These people aren't breaking the law. They're maximising profits by not pandering to the weasels we so regularly employee in the House of Commons.

Yes, this may well be reprehensible to us, but it isn't illegal. And all the naivety of people who call for these companies to 'follow the spirit of the law' and 'do the right thing' are clearly no longer living in the real world.

As long as the loopholes exist, they will be utilised. Unfortunately HMRC appears to have neither the resources, nor the inclination to close the loopholes, and until we see a complete overhaul of the clusterfuck that is our bloated tax system, then they aren't going away. And people like Margaret Hodge can bitch and whine about it all they want, but they're the ones who have to do something about it.

Sorry. Rant over.

First, the bad news: EA bags Star Wars games rights

Ben Holmes
Unhappy

Re: Did he not .....

Unfortunately for your average Star Wars fan, whilst EA may well be moronic and useless, they also have a wallet that's more capacious than an Elephant's scrotum.

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