http://rantalert.blogspot.com/Often outspoken, usually irrelevant. Anything that I come across that irritates me, I'll post here. I'm no ordinary geek though - graduate in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence, sees the importance of inter-communciation between Engineers and Creatives and will only use Mac OS X for development.ennoreply@blogger.com (Komrade)Thu, 21 Apr 2011 11:26:59 PDTBlogger http://www.blogger.com31125This is an XML content feed. It is intended to be viewed in a newsreader or syndicated to another site.http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RantAlert/~3/iRrZzsZTylw/multi-touch-interactions.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Komrade)Sat, 18 Feb 2006 03:19:06 PSTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420197.post-114026154625269078Go take a look at some work done at New York University on changing the way we interact with our computers. Oh, and the videos are distributed using the NYU's Coral CDN network – which I've always thoughts was an excellent free CDN concept.0http://rantalert.blogspot.com/2006/02/multi-touch-interactions.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RantAlert/~3/lKxl842KGaE/mac-apple-pc-microsoft.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Komrade)Sun, 12 Feb 2006 17:01:59 PSTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420197.post-113979251942091829So - Microsoft have launched the beta of it's .mac style service. For several years now Apple has been offering a service called .mac available for users of Mac OS X based machines. This has combined backup/file storage, bookmark storage and other useful synchronisation so you can keep your important stuff online, it also has some web storage for some websites (mainly seems to be used for perso...0http://rantalert.blogspot.com/2006/02/mac-apple-pc-microsoft.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RantAlert/~3/iYTlpvEI8LI/ribbons-rather-than-menus.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Komrade)Sun, 05 Feb 2006 07:53:11 PSTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420197.post-113915421290969393 I simply cannot believe I missed this discussion, Microsoft trying to improve the usability of their Office applications by using a 'ribbon' style idea. As Microsoft Office applications become more and more bloated with functionality that only gets used by power users, you'd think that it might be better to really look at the functionality set and consider removing some of it. With so much fun...0http://rantalert.blogspot.com/2006/02/ribbons-rather-than-menus.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RantAlert/~3/a9e_mlHESx8/moving-towards-google-powered-web.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Komrade)Sun, 05 Feb 2006 07:03:05 PSTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420197.post-113915178483701867 I'm really not sure if using Google as a distributed proxy style thingy will actually 'accelerate' the web. Maybe I need to find out more about it... but from first impressions this seems to be a combination of proxy technology and a content distribution network (CDN). Maybe this explains why Google was recently buying up all that dark fibre? Take a look and see what you thin...0http://rantalert.blogspot.com/2006/02/moving-towards-google-powered-web.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RantAlert/~3/Tbt7eqguMKc/pay-peanuts-get-monkey-hosts.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Komrade)Sat, 21 Jan 2006 12:33:38 PSTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420197.post-113785779252324990There's been a lot of coverage in UK newspapers and on the BBC Technology site about Alex Tew and his Million Dollar Homepage being allegedly 'held for ransom'. Now, according to the various articles, Alex received an email suggesting that if he didn't pay a quantity of money someone would initiate a Distributed Denial of Service attack. This would be the ransom then. Apparently he didn't, and ...0http://rantalert.blogspot.com/2006/01/pay-peanuts-get-monkey-hosts.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RantAlert/~3/UM2S8jXXZ6k/lock-up-your-mac.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Komrade)Mon, 26 Dec 2005 04:22:28 PSTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420197.post-113559673361832339Another rant about BBC Technology news - this time, I found an article posted on 2005-12-23 entitled 'Give Mac Explorer to the people'. Strap line - "As Microsoft drops the Mac version of Internet Explorer, technology commentator Bill Thompson offers a modest proposal." Ok - first things first - Microsoft officially dropped Mac Internet Exploiter several years ago (2003 actually), the only thi...3http://rantalert.blogspot.com/2005/12/lock-up-your-mac.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RantAlert/~3/ZmUHG6RWC_Q/apples-podcast-chart.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Komrade)Tue, 02 Aug 2005 18:08:16 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420197.post-112290799378863569According to this recent article, the BBC are under the impression that Apple's iTunes Podcast chart is the thing to watch to see which Podcasts are popular. According to them... "While no definitive podcast chart has yet been established, Apple's Top Subscribed Podcasts chart is seen as a good indicator of each show's popularity." So, can I just ask - 'seen' by whom? Apple's Podcasts chart is ...0http://rantalert.blogspot.com/2005/08/apples-podcast-chart.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RantAlert/~3/iUaxtYo_CFo/i-can-do-design-me.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Komrade)Fri, 01 Jul 2005 03:17:00 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420197.post-112020953487629888 What better way to celebrate Britain's Presidency of the EU by displaying a flock of sheep swans. That's right, according to this report, the team at 'Johnson Banks Design' was paid £30,000 to do this. (just over $53,000 USD) Apparently it's to symbolise leadership and the countries pulling together. To me it just promotes a presidency where everyone else rides in the slip-stream of other...0http://rantalert.blogspot.com/2005/07/i-can-do-design-me.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RantAlert/~3/XdOjTYPP0D0/microsoft-tries-to-hijack-rss.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Komrade)Sat, 25 Jun 2005 06:37:37 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420197.post-111970639413207488Microsoft are hijacking the RSS format... or at least that's not what they would say. In a recent talk to Gnomedex, and posted on their Blog they explain that IE 7 will have auto-discovery support for pages that present an RSS feed. Just like Mozilla/Firefox/Safari does right now. However they then went onto explain that they are also extending what you can do with RSS. [Anyone get a sinking fe...0http://rantalert.blogspot.com/2005/06/microsoft-tries-to-hijack-rss.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RantAlert/~3/NDIGv5wgecI/technology-news-andor-political.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Komrade)Sun, 19 Jun 2005 03:05:32 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420197.post-111917553290132692You decide - Bill Thompson's latest blog entry appears on the BBC Technology News website. Basically it's a rant about Bob Geldof, using the media hype surrounding the eBay + live8 ticket touts issue. Whilst many have commented on the outspoken nature of Sir Bob, and I myself think he is taking things a little too far, to have this listed on the Technology part of the site strikes me as a bit...0http://rantalert.blogspot.com/2005/06/technology-news-andor-political.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RantAlert/~3/Tuo-JuUa2SU/ethernet-over-power-novel-idea.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Komrade)Tue, 14 Jun 2005 00:53:11 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420197.post-111873559136681427I'm just not entirely convinced that 'features' should appear on a 'news' website, especially when they cover a subject that is several years old. I'm talking about the article 'Home network on electricity wires' that made it's way onto the BBC Technology News page today. Ethernet over Powerlines has been around for quite a few years, I know I've spec'd it for clients/friends before now. You c...0http://rantalert.blogspot.com/2005/06/ethernet-over-power-novel-idea.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RantAlert/~3/b7-ZZXxLsJY/true-redundancy.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Komrade)Thu, 12 May 2005 01:09:08 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420197.post-111588534856226642Nature's article covering self-reproducing robots (and also covered on the BBC Technology news) is exciting news. Although the actual abilities of the robots are severly reduced, it doesn't matter, the idea is at least prototyped and working. The robots (can you use a plural where things are 'cloned') look rather like a worm, able to activate spare parts they find littering their environment. T...0http://rantalert.blogspot.com/2005/05/true-redundancy.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RantAlert/~3/q-aUzWwt4MU/bbc-opens-up.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Komrade)Thu, 12 May 2005 01:02:04 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420197.post-111583626789143769Hey, just noticed that the BBC has opened up the usage policy on RSS Feeds from their websites. "But in reality, said Mr Clifton, policing all sites in any substantial way would be restricted." 'It is only right we build in some safeguards so that if they appear on sites we feel are completely beyond the pale, we can act; although we can't ever claim we are going to be watching every use of it,...0http://rantalert.blogspot.com/2005/05/bbc-opens-up.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RantAlert/~3/xtrCdUG-QCQ/top-of-security-pops.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Komrade)Thu, 05 May 2005 02:41:25 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420197.post-111528608500090626The independent team at SANS, just issued their top 20 list of security risks on Windows and Unix. BBC Technology news also reported on this. Seems like they both missed the Number 1 Security risk - Users. (and I'm including myself in that) If it weren't for Users, lots of exploits simply wouldn't happen. Since it is down to the Application providers to fix the security problems in their softw...0http://rantalert.blogspot.com/2005/05/top-of-security-pops.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RantAlert/~3/nt_B7PZYyNw/wheeee-weee.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Komrade)Sat, 30 Apr 2005 08:29:28 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420197.post-111487496848442536Art installation draws attention to consumer waste. This has just been installed on the South Bank, London. My view - artistic, and draws the attention nicely to the problem. Top marks to those who thought this one up.0http://rantalert.blogspot.com/2005/04/wheeee-weee.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RantAlert/~3/safTdVVHFLI/google-maps-uk-seems-to-be-coming.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Komrade)Tue, 26 Apr 2005 03:53:03 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420197.post-111451278345102134Looks like Google is starting to roll out UK maps. Go to the Google Maps page, and search for 'London, W1' (or similar). It also works with full UK postcodes.0http://rantalert.blogspot.com/2005/04/google-maps-uk-seems-to-be-coming.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RantAlert/~3/OXH1DJFtrfY/bugs-in-firefox-no-surely-not.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Komrade)Mon, 25 Apr 2005 12:51:13 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420197.post-111445205004023292Just reading Bill Thompson's recent posting for the Radio show 'Go Digital'. He quotes the company Secunia - who said: The Firefox open source browser is full of bugs, some of which are rather serious... In fact the little red button that tells you a "critical" update is available appears almost weekly, sending users off to the website to get the new version and fix yet another bug or security...2http://rantalert.blogspot.com/2005/04/bugs-in-firefox-no-surely-not.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RantAlert/~3/7MxcWE_W5B8/bailout-for-ex-employees-at-rover.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Komrade)Sun, 17 Apr 2005 06:33:02 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420197.post-111374478280137558Something that has really wound me up, and I know it sounds kinda harsh - so please don't hate me for it. Why is it that a standard redundancy situation turned into a political spin crisis? I'm talking, of course, about the recent MG Rover group trip-and-fall. Having followed the news reporting, I found it unbelievable that the spin placed on the situation by the Media and the Politicians turne...0http://rantalert.blogspot.com/2005/04/bailout-for-ex-employees-at-rover.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RantAlert/~3/L4JaqDsVl7s/google-maps-us-only.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Komrade)Sun, 17 Apr 2005 06:17:07 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420197.post-111374382742912880Another BBC News article that is basically a press release, at least the writer hasn't really looked around at the other Map / Aerial Photography crossover websites. Like the UK's Multimap (which is my favourite mapping tool for UK maps) - take a look at the Albert Hall in London and notice that there is an overlay map as you move your mouse over the photography - something that Google Maps doe...0http://rantalert.blogspot.com/2005/04/google-maps-us-only.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RantAlert/~3/szp_MFxyCqk/metablog-microsofts-ieblog-starts-to.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Komrade)Mon, 11 Apr 2005 07:29:47 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420197.post-111322966005272345I've been reading Microsoft's IEBlog off and on, yes... I admit it. I suppose it's supposed to be the Microsoft Developer's editorial newsletter-style blog, targeted at Web Developers and such like. Around the start of March 2005, a new posting about possible improvements to the standards support of IE6 began. The poster, a developer at Microsoft within the IE team, seeks input about possible...0http://rantalert.blogspot.com/2005/04/metablog-microsofts-ieblog-starts-to.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RantAlert/~3/_lFkTjiwGGg/geek-speak-more-acceptable.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Komrade)Wed, 06 Apr 2005 07:45:19 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420197.post-111279871995295448I see today that 'Geek speak' is being criticised. I'm not sure that's fair - why not criticise any other non-familiar register. The definition of a register is: any of the varieties of a language that a speaker uses in a particular social context. Hence 'Geek speak'... and further a Geek isn't necessarily related with the innards of the computing community - a Geek. (In fact there is quite an ...0http://rantalert.blogspot.com/2005/04/geek-speak-more-acceptable.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RantAlert/~3/tyY9IOhefPY/blog-random-sentence-short-story.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Komrade)Thu, 24 Mar 2005 02:37:42 PSTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420197.post-111166066269868001Just thought I'd link to this here - a friend of mine has a great idea for a blog: Random Sentence Short Story Challenge0http://rantalert.blogspot.com/2005/03/blog-random-sentence-short-story.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RantAlert/~3/MPM24ENOJQ8/how-to-make-stupid-headline-and-not.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Komrade)Fri, 01 Apr 2005 13:16:35 PSTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420197.post-111165907264120188BBC's done it again - on their Technology News website an article entitled 'How to sell your self for a song' explains how, lo-and-behold, many computer users will happily give out personal information. Also, lacking any reasonable pictures to go with the story, the BBC has opted for a picture of a dog with the title - 'Many of those questioned [in the survey] revealed pet names too'. I mean - ...0http://rantalert.blogspot.com/2005/03/how-to-make-stupid-headline-and-not.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RantAlert/~3/tcnhTNql8kk/if-you-are-going-to-fix-something-fix.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Komrade)Tue, 15 Mar 2005 08:27:34 PSTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420197.post-111090358057395345Today, BT publically announced that it's trials of an add-on piece of software to allieviate the problem of the 'modem dialler scam' problem. This is where a computer user downloads a piece of software that swaps in a new dialler for the internet with one of it's own - usually tied to an expensive premium rate phone number. It should be noted that this is aimed at Windows users. Great - wonder...0http://rantalert.blogspot.com/2005/03/if-you-are-going-to-fix-something-fix.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RantAlert/~3/QvAkjqa6LoE/3g-radio-broadcasts-why.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Komrade)Mon, 07 Mar 2005 08:55:22 PSTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420197.post-111021431653747671This news report at the BBC Technology News website says Virgin Radio claims that "it will be the first station in the world to offer radio via 3G mobiles." The article goes on to describe the situation where a codec is used, and basically - we're talking about radio being streamed as per usual Internet Radio stations (including Virgin Radio). This very situation was raised by myself in a meeti...0http://rantalert.blogspot.com/2005/03/3g-radio-broadcasts-why.html