Open thinking. Sustainable living
Enjoying life with music and information technology whilst campaigning for the environment and a sustainable economy.

Digital Restrictions Management

Posted Fri, 04/27/2012 - 20:43 by trevox

For years, I used the slogan "Better By Design" for my systems analysis work. Some products now are "Defective By Design".

They use Digital Restrictions Management (DRM).

Day Against DRM vertical banner

Power Cut Causes Radio Blackout

Posted Sun, 04/22/2012 - 08:21 by trevox

A widespread power outage hit the Kintyre, Mid-Argyll and Islay areas on Saturday 21 April 2012. Lasting from 20:10 to 22:25 approximately, it caused Argyll FM to go off air, affecting the studio and all three transmitters

Radical pruning

Posted Thu, 04/19/2012 - 00:02 by trevox

... of Social Media links deemed necessary to isolate any which may have offended Twitter's policies. The six classes left are:

  • Blogs > Web pages
  • Blogs > Twitterfeed
  • Twitterfeed > Twitter
  • Twitter > Facebook & LinkedIn
  • Twitter > Web pages
  • Twitter >< iOS (Apple)

Yes, MySpace, SocialToo, Digg and StumbleUpon are all out of it, for the time being anyway.

Ferrari F1 car is a dog?

Posted Sun, 04/15/2012 - 11:22 by trevox

That's what David Coulthard called it today at the Chinese Grand Prix. They finished 9th and 13th after qualifying 9th and 12th - not at their best for sure, but not dogs in my vocabulary. Perhaps I mis-heard.

That said, it was great to see racing maestro Ross Brawn's Mercedes car win in the hands of Nico Rosberg, leading home the Mercedes engined McLarens of Jensen Button and Lewis Hamilton. The next five cars home were all Renault powered, including both the Red Bulls and both the Williams machines.

Cars which I might call "dogs" would not make it through qualifying.

Effectiveness - the true bottom line?

Posted Fri, 04/06/2012 - 09:09 by trevox

So, now we know what six-figure sums Boris and Ken earn (Boris Johnson and Ken Livingstone, two candidates for Mayor of London, see http://bit.ly/HyWkZ5). That may be interesting, but many commentators seem to be acting as though remuneration is the only "bottom line", and high pay is being spun as a negative.

Humpty Dumpty or Nasty Numpty?

Posted Thu, 03/15/2012 - 09:07 by trevox

How times and terms have changed. Twenty years ago, the term "partner" almost invariably referred to a business partner. If one meant, say, dancing partner, it had to be said explicitly.

The third time it's enemy action (Twitter Phishing attacks)

Posted Sun, 03/11/2012 - 16:08 by trevox

Scots Trad Singer @BarbaraDymock has had her Twitter account hacked more than once recently, and I'm reminded of what Goldfinger said to James Bond: "Once is happenstance, twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action".

Then I received a notification on my mobile phone, purportedly coming from @BarbaraDymock and directing me to a web page at "iitvvitter dot com". The page was a forgery of a real Twitter page which reads "Your session has timed out, please re-login".

Rhythmic Radio

Posted Sat, 03/10/2012 - 23:45 by trevox

Tune in for a sneak preview of Big Fat Party Anthems tonight at midnight on Argyll FM (106.5, 107.1 and 107.7).

The show's presenter Tommy Martin says:

Jubilee - time for Direct Action on Rural Economies?

Posted Sun, 02/19/2012 - 18:28 by trevox

The forthcoming Diamond Jubilee has reminded me that it was at the time of the 1977 Queen's Silver Jubilee that I first understood the need for "ordinary people" to become involved in determining their own future, if necessary taking direct action within the law.

Grandad, what does Boxing Day mean?

Posted Mon, 12/26/2011 - 12:25 by trevox

This question came from our 5 year old granddaughter. I had to admit I'd forgotten and that we'd need to look it up on the Internet.