Archive for June, 2008

Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard

Posted by David Hurst in Apple, Technology on June 17th, 2008

Apple have announced the new version of OS X (10.6 to be called “Snow Leopard”) is due to launch in 2009, and with this they have given a brief overview of the expected features in the new OS. In a rare move for the computer industry, Apple appear to be focusing on re-writing core portions of the OS in order to decrease its footprint and provide better performance. This is in stark contrast to Microsoft’s policy of increasingly bloating the OS so that it requires ever more powerful hardware. So, here’s a quick summary of the changes (which may not be final yet):

Increased RAM support
The new OS X will support RAM up to a theoretical limit of 16TB. Yes, 16TB! 64 Bit technology always promised leaps like this, and it’s good to see Apple finally implementing them. I can’t see why any user would ever want 16TB of RAM, but it’s nice to know you can.

Better multi-core support
OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard will have core components re-written to make better use of multi-core processors. In fact, the entire system will make use of the available processing power, which should show the end user real speed increases in daily usage.

Open CL
This new technology allows the computer to make use of unused power in the GPU of your graphics cards. GPUs have phenomenal computing power, hardly any of which is being used unless you are playing the latest game. This is a feature that developers will have to implement in their software, but if they do, it promises even better performance from existing technology.

Media and Internet
The new Mac OS X will include Quicktime X, the media technology used for iPhone, presumably also lighter in weight than the current Quicktime. In terms of Internet performance, Apple claim the new Safari will run Javascript 53% faster.

All of these changes amount to what borders on thriftiness from Apple, and frankly I think it’s great. I have an Amiga 1200, of mid-90s vintage. It has a ridiculously slow processor by today’s standards, virtually no RAM, no hard disk and just a low-density 720KB floppy drive. Despite this, the Amiga always had a rich array of games and software that wasn’t so far behind current technology as the figures might suggest. Developers just had to be space-conscious. Their games had to fit on tiny floppy disks, and be carefully optimised. The current trend is nothing like this. Hardware is so cheap, that the developers just demand that you upgrade your hardware to pay for their laziness in development. This is proved by looking at something simple like word processing. Can you type your letter any faster on the current version of Word than you could on the first version? No. And yet you have to have a computer significantly more powerful to run it.

So, I welcome this return to common sense. I’ve paid for two processor cores, I would like my computer to use both those cores at every available opportunity. If I’ve paid for a 200Gb hard disk, I don’t want to find huge portions of it consumed by a bloated operating system. Making existing technology faster through better written software, now that’s common sense computing. Microsoft can keep their touch screen nonsense - Apple are actually listening to what computer users really want.

There isn’t a raft of new features and innovations in this latest version of OS X, but Snow Leopard will include full support for Exchange 2007, and this is great news for people using Macs in a corporate environment with Windows servers. I’ve been waiting for this for ages. Entourage really is crap. I would much rather just use Mail, iCal and Address Book with my Exchange server. The only downside I can see, is that there is no mention of support for Exchange 2003, which is what most businesses will be using. Still, it is progress.

In the computing world of the future, Apple users will compute faster and more efficiently on their existing technology, whilst Windows 7 users wave their arms around in front of their expensive (and newly upgraded) touch screen, wondering why on earth they can’t just use a mouse like they always did.

Here’s the information on the Apple website: http://www.apple.com/macosx/snowleopard/?sr=hotnews

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No petrol left - thanks morons!

Posted by David Hurst in Motoring, Rants on June 16th, 2008

I need to fuel my car, but I can’t. I have enough fuel to get to my job this afternoon, and then I’m stuck. How can this be? As I understand it, it’s only Shell’s delivery drivers that are on strike, and yet the BP and Texaco stations are out of fuel. Shell amounts to between 10% and 17% of the UK supply. Fuel stations typically can last about 4 days on a delivery, and the drivers are striking for 4 days. At best, there should only have been some minor temporary shortages at Shell filling stations.

So why can I not fill my car today? Simple. I can’t buy any petrol because of all the morons who get panicky and go and fill their cars up when they don’t need to. Petrol panic buying was inevitable, as soon as the news stations started saying “if nobody panic buys, then we’ll be fine”. To the average dim-witted moronic UK driver this translates as: “fill up your car as fast as you can… and as many jerry cans as you can find too!”. Most of these pig-ignorant plebs don’t even use their cars. Driving past a petrol station in Taunton on Friday night, as the panic set in, there was a high percentage of older people filling up. The kind of people that use their unfeasibly shiny Fiesta (complete with tartan blanket on parcel shelf) to get to ASDA once per week. They can probably last a whole year on one tank of fuel, but thanks to their greed, I am immobilised.

I thought I was being a responsible citizen, showing due care and consideration for the welfare of others, but this is clearly a flawed perspective. Most people seem to be operating on a me first, me again second, and if there’s any left… that’ll be me please, policy, and there’s just no way to contend with that by doing the right thing.

So, I will wait patiently for the fuel trucks to arrive, then I shall fill up every vehicle I own, and a few gallons worth of fuel cans besides. By creating my own personal petroleum stock pile and generally sticking two fingers up at everyone else, regardless of their need, I too can join the ranks of inconsiderate warts on the anus of humanity, but at least I’ll be mobile.

And of course, the petrol retailers will cash in on this opportunity to fleece the motorist a bit more. Frankly, if a gnat farts somewhere in the vicinity of the petrol supply chain, we end up with another 2p on every litre. All around us, the green campaigners claim that our cars are destroying the planet, and that oil reserves are drying up. Utter nonsense. Cars are a small percentage of UK pollution, and there is plenty of oil left. Oil companies only have the ability to harvest a small percentage of the oil in the wells they discover - the vast majority of it remains.

The motorist in the UK is a soft target, and it’s easy to see why. The kind of people that panic buy petrol when they don’t need it, are either greedy or stupid (or both), and neither category is particularly likely to stand up and protest. Oil is an essential requirement for UK businesses and families, much like food. If there was a famine, would anyone tolerate paying more than 50% tax on their food? Hardly.

WAKE UP! 

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PHP / MySQL Developer vacancy and Website Designer vacancy in Somerset

Posted by David Hurst in HigherSites®, Job Opportunities on June 12th, 2008

Higher Sites is in need of peeps to fill the above roles. A PHP / MySQL programmer and a graphic designer specialising in websites with XHTML. The positions are based in Yeovil in Somerset. Check out www.highersites.co.uk for more information.

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Comet - I know where to go

Posted by David Hurst in Personal, Rants on June 12th, 2008

Regular visitors to my blog will be familiar with my habit of naming and shaming companies that have failed to deliver acceptable levels of customer service. Frankly, I can be a bit of a grumpy old git at times and I do like to have a good rant, but I thought today I would have a change and compliment a company on its fine service.

The company in question is Comet. We decided to replace our separate fridge and freezer with a single fridge/freezer unit, so I duly measured the gap between worktop and wall, loaded the family into the car, and headed off to Comet in Taunton. With my tape measure firmly clasped in sweaty palm, we marched around the wide array of domestic appliances and choose a suitably nice silver job. A quick measurement to check it would fit, and then off we went in search of a black and yellow clad staff member.

The unit was duly delivered on the appointed day, and did not fit into the carefully measured space. It would seem that muggins here had failed to note the door frame sticking out from the wall making the gap too small and generally arsing up my day. What a cock up!

Long story short, Comet are exchanging it for a smaller unit (which is somehow bigger inside), delivering it on Friday and taking the other one away. Net cost to me? Nothing. Despite it being my fault, they are replacing it with no extra delivery costs. What great service! So, if you’re in the market for a domestic appliance, you know where to go…

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Moaning whinging American truck drivers - you should try UK diesel prices on for size

Posted by David Hurst in Motoring on June 6th, 2008

Check out this forum page http://www.dieseltruckresource.com/dev/showthread.php?p=2104460.

Can you believe these American truckers are moaning about paying 62.6p per litre (at current exchange rate 6 June 2008). I bet English truckers would gladly part with various body appendages to get Diesel at those prices. Prices here are topping £1.30 per litre.

How fair is it that a nation that is so wasteful of its fuel can purchase it so cheaply?

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