Feb 2009
Forgot your SU password? Don't panic
27/02/09 13:23 Filed in: Technology
Ever typed in an SU password when you first setup the machine, only to totally forget what it is six months later.
Yeah, me too.
In fact, that just happened.
So what I ended up doing was using the following neat bit of code.
If you can log in to OS X with an “Admin” type account then you’ll be lucky enough to sort the problem out with the following.
First, open a Terminal window. Terminal is an terminal command line program that lives in Application -> Utilities
Once you got that going, then type in the following command.
sudo passwd root
You be asked to type in a new password and then confirm it.
AND THAT”S IT!!
You’ve set a new root / su password. Now wasn’t that easy enough?
By the way. It’s always best to create an “Admin” account that’s not your active account. Then create a “User” account for all your normal work. When you need to install heavy duty software, then you can simply use the Admin account or simply type those credentials into OS X. The benefit of which is that by default, you machine is running a more secure environment. Plus, if you DO trash your user profile. You can just log in as the Admin, delete it and start again.
Yeah, me too.
In fact, that just happened.
So what I ended up doing was using the following neat bit of code.
If you can log in to OS X with an “Admin” type account then you’ll be lucky enough to sort the problem out with the following.
First, open a Terminal window. Terminal is an terminal command line program that lives in Application -> Utilities
Once you got that going, then type in the following command.
sudo passwd root
You be asked to type in a new password and then confirm it.
AND THAT”S IT!!
You’ve set a new root / su password. Now wasn’t that easy enough?
By the way. It’s always best to create an “Admin” account that’s not your active account. Then create a “User” account for all your normal work. When you need to install heavy duty software, then you can simply use the Admin account or simply type those credentials into OS X. The benefit of which is that by default, you machine is running a more secure environment. Plus, if you DO trash your user profile. You can just log in as the Admin, delete it and start again.
Sodding pigeons!
27/02/09 10:37 Filed in: Personal
I’m being annoyed to hell by two sodding pigeons.
They are either attempting to get amorous or constantly scrapping over the same branch. With one flapping to new tree and the other giving chase.
It’s so annoying I’m contemplating buying a gun and shooting one of both of them. Of course, this would mean getting my passport, driving licence and then driving to my nearest gun store (20 miles) where I would only be able to purchase an air-rifle. Fill out the necessary paperwork, perhaps I need a written statement from my local police station saying I’m off good character and then wait 24 hours in order to pick up said rifle with ammunition. I would also, of course, being a good chap insist on having the correct locked area to hold the rifle to avoid it being stolen or played with. With the ammunition being held in a separate but equally secure location.
But it would be worth it!
UPDATE: I just shouted at them, and they flew off. It was cheaper and less hassle.
They are either attempting to get amorous or constantly scrapping over the same branch. With one flapping to new tree and the other giving chase.
It’s so annoying I’m contemplating buying a gun and shooting one of both of them. Of course, this would mean getting my passport, driving licence and then driving to my nearest gun store (20 miles) where I would only be able to purchase an air-rifle. Fill out the necessary paperwork, perhaps I need a written statement from my local police station saying I’m off good character and then wait 24 hours in order to pick up said rifle with ammunition. I would also, of course, being a good chap insist on having the correct locked area to hold the rifle to avoid it being stolen or played with. With the ammunition being held in a separate but equally secure location.
But it would be worth it!
UPDATE: I just shouted at them, and they flew off. It was cheaper and less hassle.
Don't you mean something else?
27/02/09 10:31 Filed in: Personal
Can somebody explain to me this. Why is it that when two aircraft travel too close to each other, but don’t hit each other, it’s called a “near miss”? Surely that means they collided. If you nearly miss something that you actually hit it. In the same way that if you nearly caught something, you dropped it.
Look at it this way, if you “nearly avoided being burned” you got burned. Right? So why is the idea of two planes, or cars or whatever, getting too close, described as a near miss.
On the same line. Why is it “birth control”? Surely contraception is implemented somewhat earlier than the actual “birth”. I mean “birth control” is what exactly, holding baby in longer? Surely it should be “conception control”.
Rant over.
Look at it this way, if you “nearly avoided being burned” you got burned. Right? So why is the idea of two planes, or cars or whatever, getting too close, described as a near miss.
On the same line. Why is it “birth control”? Surely contraception is implemented somewhat earlier than the actual “birth”. I mean “birth control” is what exactly, holding baby in longer? Surely it should be “conception control”.
Rant over.
That Glenn at Logitech is a nice looking fella
25/02/09 13:43 Filed in: Personal
There is something endemic about computer adverts. Put bluntly, its eye candy. For some reason IT companies are under the impression that nothing sells IT kit more than an attaching it (either metaphorically or literally) to an attractive (usually young) woman.
Case in point. Here is the “Thank you” for registering our Harmony 515 Universal remote.
With the possible exception that Glenn Rogers is both a very happy person and a transsexual, what on earth has she got to do with the bit of hardware I registered?
Can I just add, if Glenn Rogers is both happy and transsexual, that is great. Because otherwise I’m left with the impression that Logitech is just one a long line of male chauvinistic organisations. Perhaps I ought to start to listing of scans of some of the worst offenders. What do you think?
Case in point. Here is the “Thank you” for registering our Harmony 515 Universal remote.
With the possible exception that Glenn Rogers is both a very happy person and a transsexual, what on earth has she got to do with the bit of hardware I registered?
Can I just add, if Glenn Rogers is both happy and transsexual, that is great. Because otherwise I’m left with the impression that Logitech is just one a long line of male chauvinistic organisations. Perhaps I ought to start to listing of scans of some of the worst offenders. What do you think?
My climate conversation with Marcus Brigstock
24/02/09 17:14 Filed in: Personal
In March last year I had a bit of an email banter with erudite comedian Marcus Brigstocke, picking him up on some the conflicts on his CO2 opinion.
In a sketch he performed on “The Now Show” he talked about being terrified by a Polar Bear swimming within 200 metres of him; only to later make comments to the effect that they would drown without ice.
The email exchange went something like this; I include the full emails, with amendment made for privacy ONLY.
It all boils down to this email.
In a sketch he performed on “The Now Show” he talked about being terrified by a Polar Bear swimming within 200 metres of him; only to later make comments to the effect that they would drown without ice.
The email exchange went something like this; I include the full emails, with amendment made for privacy ONLY.
It all boils down to this email.
CO2 where science meets science fiction
24/02/09 16:55 Filed in: Personal
Could somebody tell me why CO2 continues to be the blame-all “pollutant” and driving force to climate change in “popular” science? Actually, that’s not really a question. It’s more a rhetorical statement, because I’ve a scientific background and the level hockey science being banded as “fact” in climate change is extraordinary.
I should point out that I do have a scientific background. So I’m not just having an ill informed rant.
But what does make me rant is the statements of absolute truths being banded by the media (BBC, ITV etc) that is both ill informed, misleading or at worst, a bloody lie.
Case in point, BBC reported that Polar Bears are “close to extinction”, quoting Al Gore’s eco film as fact. However, if they had taken the time to look at reports created by scientists studying Polar Bears, they’d have found another picture.
Most amusing this week is the sad story of the loss of the CO2 ODO detector in what appears to be a faulty bit of rocketeering by NASA. You might have missed the key element, but at the bottom of the story is the little admission that “scientists” (as though they are a single block of people) are at a loss to understand where 20% of the CO2 goes. Really? Because you’d imagine any scientific projection that includes atmospheric CO2 and its interaction with the climate as a whole, might be a little inaccurate given a 20% discrepancy.
I should point out that I do have a scientific background. So I’m not just having an ill informed rant.
But what does make me rant is the statements of absolute truths being banded by the media (BBC, ITV etc) that is both ill informed, misleading or at worst, a bloody lie.
Case in point, BBC reported that Polar Bears are “close to extinction”, quoting Al Gore’s eco film as fact. However, if they had taken the time to look at reports created by scientists studying Polar Bears, they’d have found another picture.
Most amusing this week is the sad story of the loss of the CO2 ODO detector in what appears to be a faulty bit of rocketeering by NASA. You might have missed the key element, but at the bottom of the story is the little admission that “scientists” (as though they are a single block of people) are at a loss to understand where 20% of the CO2 goes. Really? Because you’d imagine any scientific projection that includes atmospheric CO2 and its interaction with the climate as a whole, might be a little inaccurate given a 20% discrepancy.
My History in Computing
23/02/09 16:12 Filed in: Personal
I’ve decided to start a little personal history of computing. No, nothing that’s extraordinary or thought provoking.
It all starts here.
It all starts here.
Kind of remind you of something?
22/02/09 12:26 Filed in: Technology | Personal
If you’ve read my blog before, you’ll have no doubt spotted the points over time where Alan Sugar has turned up on TV and prompted me into a 5 page monologue on how much of a twerp I think this guy is.
If it’s not dismissing ideas as being unsuccessful because they are “Disney-like” (Disney make more money per day, than Amstrad did in the year he said this; he’s spouting on about his business genius while watching the fortune he made selling (somebody else’s) cheap computers diminish over time, whilst supporting the decreasing market for Sky boxes. Amstrad, it should be noted, don’t DO Sky HD. Sky+ is their only business now.
So it was no surprise to find that there was yet another “also like” product that graced the Amstrad shelves; until finally being put out of our misery some time back. Not that this stops it appearing regularly on “The Apprentice”.
Behold! The Amstrad, it’s a phone, it’s an internet station, it’s a game machine... er device.
The Amstrad E3 or E-m@iler Plus!
Now, I don’t know about you. But while on the phone, I can think of nothing better than playing an old Sinclair game whilst browsing the internet via a 56k modem.
Especially when it comes to the highly competitive rate of;
Now there’s value.
But at least it appeared original.... except....
Behold! Apple patent filling “User Interface for All-in-One Office System”. Filled on November 16th, 1995.
The fax-top-phone combines a mini-computer (think eMate), telephone, fax machine and MODEM in a single box.
Now all this isn’t without precident. Remember when Amstrad beat Apple to the first PDA type device by a matter of days. Apple blaming itself for holding back release in order to iron out all the bugs in the software (something that didn’t stop Amstrad, you should note).
Of course, pre-dating EITHER device is this.. OK monstrosity by ICL.
Powered by a Motorola 68008 processor (16 big CPU, 8 bit bus!! I ask you!!) it was basically a Sinclar QL clone with two microdrives (i.e. mini tape drives) an integrated MODEM and phone. Screen display was separate and of the old school HUGE monitor variety.
And the date of production? 1985, ten years before Apple and nearly twenty before Amstrad. Still, it IS an ugly old brick.
All of which goes to prove, there’s no such thing as a new idea.
If it’s not dismissing ideas as being unsuccessful because they are “Disney-like” (Disney make more money per day, than Amstrad did in the year he said this; he’s spouting on about his business genius while watching the fortune he made selling (somebody else’s) cheap computers diminish over time, whilst supporting the decreasing market for Sky boxes. Amstrad, it should be noted, don’t DO Sky HD. Sky+ is their only business now.
So it was no surprise to find that there was yet another “also like” product that graced the Amstrad shelves; until finally being put out of our misery some time back. Not that this stops it appearing regularly on “The Apprentice”.
Behold! The Amstrad, it’s a phone, it’s an internet station, it’s a game machine... er device.
The Amstrad E3 or E-m@iler Plus!
Especially when it comes to the highly competitive rate of;
- Email at 20 pence each, and
- Internet access at 5 pence per minute
Now there’s value.
But at least it appeared original.... except....
Behold! Apple patent filling “User Interface for All-in-One Office System”. Filled on November 16th, 1995.
The fax-top-phone combines a mini-computer (think eMate), telephone, fax machine and MODEM in a single box.
Now all this isn’t without precident. Remember when Amstrad beat Apple to the first PDA type device by a matter of days. Apple blaming itself for holding back release in order to iron out all the bugs in the software (something that didn’t stop Amstrad, you should note).
Of course, pre-dating EITHER device is this.. OK monstrosity by ICL.
And the date of production? 1985, ten years before Apple and nearly twenty before Amstrad. Still, it IS an ugly old brick.
All of which goes to prove, there’s no such thing as a new idea.
A Hyundai WHAT?!
20/02/09 17:14 Filed in: Personal
OK. Simply question. Has anybody, EVER seen one of these?
Hyundai Grandeur
A £26,825 gigantic Korean attempt at Lexus. 3.3 v6 petrol engine and 17 mpg around town. Nice!
Hyundai Grandeur
A £26,825 gigantic Korean attempt at Lexus. 3.3 v6 petrol engine and 17 mpg around town. Nice!
PLEASE PLEASE Buy a Saab
20/02/09 14:54 Filed in: Personal
Does this smack of desperation? I think so.
Stratstone have this offer to purchase a Saab 93 Convertible.
Purchase a brand new Saab 93 Convertible.
Get a 15% discount and......
Get a Harley-Davidson Sportster for FREE.
Now, I don’t know about you. But that’s not an appealing offer. I can only presume this is the base Saab 9-3 Convertible, so it’s a double whammy. Two over priced and under powered vehicles for the price of one (or -15% to be exact).
That’s almost as bad as Broadspeeds BOGOF offer for the Kia Magentis Talk about a double whammy. Bad enough you’ve bought a Kia Magentis, but to end up with two of them.
How could you cope?!
Stratstone have this offer to purchase a Saab 93 Convertible.
Purchase a brand new Saab 93 Convertible.
Get a 15% discount and......
Get a Harley-Davidson Sportster for FREE.
Now, I don’t know about you. But that’s not an appealing offer. I can only presume this is the base Saab 9-3 Convertible, so it’s a double whammy. Two over priced and under powered vehicles for the price of one (or -15% to be exact).
That’s almost as bad as Broadspeeds BOGOF offer for the Kia Magentis Talk about a double whammy. Bad enough you’ve bought a Kia Magentis, but to end up with two of them.
How could you cope?!
Just deserts? Or what do you expect..
19/02/09 23:43 Filed in: Personal
I found this interesting video on YouTube.
Now what’s really wrong with this “police” man.
He’s doing 130 mph on the motorway, flashing his lights and he comes up on the blind side of the articulated vehicle. Think about it, it’s a sweeping left hand bent and he moves from lane one to three. Now the fact he’s not got his sirens and blue lights on, really shows what a complete ***** he is.
Apparently there was “no need” to put the lights on. Really? I think the result really puts pay to that little concept.
He then claims he could see it coming and coming. But if he’s as good a driver as he thinks he is, why didn’t he just pass the lorry on the left? I’ve certainly found myself in that situation and have been forced to do the same. [update] Admittedly not at 130 mph.
The second video shows him crossing the chevron areas with no regard for moving traffic.
I love the idea that he thinks he “controlled it the best he could”. Clearly he totally looses it and was just very lucky.
Bless.
Oh, one minor point. I’ve never cause a road accident in the 20 years or so I have been behind the wheel. But I’ve been hit twice by police vehicles. One was a van that jumped the red light and hit the side of my car. The GATSO camera proved he jumped the light and didn’t have blue lights on.
Next was a motorway police car who rear ended me because the driver was filling out his paperwork. All caught on the internal camera.
So I’m not particularly enamoured with police drivers. Bottom line is this, they are just people; and people make mistakes.
Now what’s really wrong with this “police” man.
He’s doing 130 mph on the motorway, flashing his lights and he comes up on the blind side of the articulated vehicle. Think about it, it’s a sweeping left hand bent and he moves from lane one to three. Now the fact he’s not got his sirens and blue lights on, really shows what a complete ***** he is.
Apparently there was “no need” to put the lights on. Really? I think the result really puts pay to that little concept.
He then claims he could see it coming and coming. But if he’s as good a driver as he thinks he is, why didn’t he just pass the lorry on the left? I’ve certainly found myself in that situation and have been forced to do the same. [update] Admittedly not at 130 mph.
The second video shows him crossing the chevron areas with no regard for moving traffic.
I love the idea that he thinks he “controlled it the best he could”. Clearly he totally looses it and was just very lucky.
Bless.
Oh, one minor point. I’ve never cause a road accident in the 20 years or so I have been behind the wheel. But I’ve been hit twice by police vehicles. One was a van that jumped the red light and hit the side of my car. The GATSO camera proved he jumped the light and didn’t have blue lights on.
Next was a motorway police car who rear ended me because the driver was filling out his paperwork. All caught on the internal camera.
So I’m not particularly enamoured with police drivers. Bottom line is this, they are just people; and people make mistakes.
Why video games make terrible movies
05/02/09 11:43 Filed in: Personal
I read last week with some horror (I know, I’m catching up) that there is to be a live action movie version of Bioshock and worst of all, Gore Verbinski will be directing. Eeek
You might know Gore Verbinski from such average middle of the road hits as “Pirates of the Caribbean” whose success owes more to the people staring in it and superb marketing, than actual delivery from the film. The fact that he went to make two dismal sequels only goes to show how effective this can be. Pirates 4? Well, that could be a different matter.
Oh, and don’t get me started on Star Wars. Because I ALWAYS thought every film other than “Empire Strikes Back” was rubbish. So the new ones couldn’t have been that much worse!
I digress.
Games made into movies have a terrible reputation that almost reflects back
You might know Gore Verbinski from such average middle of the road hits as “Pirates of the Caribbean” whose success owes more to the people staring in it and superb marketing, than actual delivery from the film. The fact that he went to make two dismal sequels only goes to show how effective this can be. Pirates 4? Well, that could be a different matter.
Oh, and don’t get me started on Star Wars. Because I ALWAYS thought every film other than “Empire Strikes Back” was rubbish. So the new ones couldn’t have been that much worse!
I digress.
Games made into movies have a terrible reputation that almost reflects back
Camelot, lost forever?
04/02/09 17:29 Filed in: Personal
Anybody who has visited Camelot in the last few years will have two overriding thoughts. The first one, is less than polite. The second being, “How does this place stay open?”.
Well, the reality of the later thought has finally set in.
In 2005 I reviewed Camelot on the excellent site ReviewCentre. I stand by all my comments, some of which appear to be apocryphal in the 20/20 of hindsight.
The list of problems Camelot had was extensive. But I can’t help but think that so much of those issues could have been rectified with a combination of a little money and stronger management. By which I mean the staff, on the whole, really didn’t give a crap. Which is why simple DIY jobs never got finished and the whole place had a rather... lesser atmosphere than it really could have.
What was worse is that golden opportunities for extra revenue were squandered. For example, you could walk miles between places to grab a snack in Camelot, where a simple and inexpensive booth could have netted extra revenue.
The over feeling I got from the place was “We can’t be bothered” which basically made everyone in the park feel the same way. My only hope is that;
a) Lancashire council BLOW THE PLACE UP.
b) Somebody with deep pockets comes along and starts a fresh.
Neither of which seem very likely. So it will soldier on under a ‘new’ management (same as the ‘old’ management) concern in the same ‘Doomed to failure’ way as Southport Pleasureland.
The basic problem is this. Unless you have some heritage to keep you going (as in Blackpool) you are going to have to compete with the likes of Alton Towers and European parks like Disneyland Paris or Port Adventura. Especially if you want to charge the sort of prices that are going to keep the place open.
Just to put this into context, for the price of three visits to Camelot; you can purchase an annual pass to Alton Towers... for a family of four.
To be blunt. I’m sorry for the people who have lost their jobs. Though I can’t help but think that if they all worked harder then maybe this wouldn’t have happened. But l can’t say I’m sorry to see Camelot go. I’d rather spend 80 minutes driving to either Alton Towers or Blackpool than drive the 20 minutes to Camelot and endure a day of disappointments.
Hopefully, Camelot will disappear in time. Like its namesake.
Before I do go... just as an aside. If you ever wanted a better example of how terrible Camelot was. I can’t even be organised enough to close down its own website or post a message to say they have gone into receivership. Even Southport’s Pleasureland managed that!
Well, the reality of the later thought has finally set in.
In 2005 I reviewed Camelot on the excellent site ReviewCentre. I stand by all my comments, some of which appear to be apocryphal in the 20/20 of hindsight.
The list of problems Camelot had was extensive. But I can’t help but think that so much of those issues could have been rectified with a combination of a little money and stronger management. By which I mean the staff, on the whole, really didn’t give a crap. Which is why simple DIY jobs never got finished and the whole place had a rather... lesser atmosphere than it really could have.
What was worse is that golden opportunities for extra revenue were squandered. For example, you could walk miles between places to grab a snack in Camelot, where a simple and inexpensive booth could have netted extra revenue.
The over feeling I got from the place was “We can’t be bothered” which basically made everyone in the park feel the same way. My only hope is that;
a) Lancashire council BLOW THE PLACE UP.
b) Somebody with deep pockets comes along and starts a fresh.
Neither of which seem very likely. So it will soldier on under a ‘new’ management (same as the ‘old’ management) concern in the same ‘Doomed to failure’ way as Southport Pleasureland.
The basic problem is this. Unless you have some heritage to keep you going (as in Blackpool) you are going to have to compete with the likes of Alton Towers and European parks like Disneyland Paris or Port Adventura. Especially if you want to charge the sort of prices that are going to keep the place open.
Just to put this into context, for the price of three visits to Camelot; you can purchase an annual pass to Alton Towers... for a family of four.
To be blunt. I’m sorry for the people who have lost their jobs. Though I can’t help but think that if they all worked harder then maybe this wouldn’t have happened. But l can’t say I’m sorry to see Camelot go. I’d rather spend 80 minutes driving to either Alton Towers or Blackpool than drive the 20 minutes to Camelot and endure a day of disappointments.
Hopefully, Camelot will disappear in time. Like its namesake.
Before I do go... just as an aside. If you ever wanted a better example of how terrible Camelot was. I can’t even be organised enough to close down its own website or post a message to say they have gone into receivership. Even Southport’s Pleasureland managed that!
Manchester faces ID Cards
01/02/09 16:04 Filed in: Personal
Just weeks after having their plans of toll charging kicked out, Gollum faced Wacky Jacqui Smith has stated plans to put trial ID cards in Manchester.
For some extraordinary reason she appears to be under the impression that, “people can’t wait for the ID cards”. Now normally I’ve kept my blog as a place free of all offensive language. But after reading this the only word that sprang to mind was bollocks. In fact, it was absolute bollocks because out of all the people I know, personally and through work. I don’t think I know a single one of them who;
a) Thinks the National ID is anything more than a new tax collection scheme for a Government obsessed with waging war and blaming other people for the current financial crisis and;
b) Believes it offers anything at all in terms of extra security or convenience.
Her major selling point is that it would allow people to open bank accounts and travel abroad (presumably just in Europe). Which is odd really, because we already have a bit of documentation for that... it’s called a passport. And you can open a bank account armed with a birth certificate. I presume most people opening a bank account will have been born.
But what about security? Well, if we take the case of the London bombers (if you entirely believe that story) then every single one of the bombers would have been entitled to an ID card. EVER SINGLE ONE. So quite how our “security” is going to be improved, that’s a good one.
Actually, sensing that the “security” element has had its day, or rather, nobody in the right mind is going to believe it; J.S. is going for the “convenience” strategy. Now Alex Jones (he of the insane rhetoric and ranting) suggests that ID cards will get into favour with the public because the “Government will make it trendy”. Really? I mean is he serious?
Pity we aren’t being offered a referendum on this one! Maybe we will... Or has Greater Manchester council already worked out how that will go...
For some extraordinary reason she appears to be under the impression that, “people can’t wait for the ID cards”. Now normally I’ve kept my blog as a place free of all offensive language. But after reading this the only word that sprang to mind was bollocks. In fact, it was absolute bollocks because out of all the people I know, personally and through work. I don’t think I know a single one of them who;
a) Thinks the National ID is anything more than a new tax collection scheme for a Government obsessed with waging war and blaming other people for the current financial crisis and;
b) Believes it offers anything at all in terms of extra security or convenience.
Her major selling point is that it would allow people to open bank accounts and travel abroad (presumably just in Europe). Which is odd really, because we already have a bit of documentation for that... it’s called a passport. And you can open a bank account armed with a birth certificate. I presume most people opening a bank account will have been born.
But what about security? Well, if we take the case of the London bombers (if you entirely believe that story) then every single one of the bombers would have been entitled to an ID card. EVER SINGLE ONE. So quite how our “security” is going to be improved, that’s a good one.
Actually, sensing that the “security” element has had its day, or rather, nobody in the right mind is going to believe it; J.S. is going for the “convenience” strategy. Now Alex Jones (he of the insane rhetoric and ranting) suggests that ID cards will get into favour with the public because the “Government will make it trendy”. Really? I mean is he serious?
Pity we aren’t being offered a referendum on this one! Maybe we will... Or has Greater Manchester council already worked out how that will go...
