Jon Grant's Technorama

The EU has woken up. Good!

Labels: DataProtection, DigitalRights

In the UK we have an Information Commissioner Office (ICO) which covers all aspects of online technology. Bizarrely, today I saw that the ICO website in breach of Electronic Communications Regulations 2011

ICO website assigns me a unique cookie when visiting their website.

Ironically, when visiting the Electronic Communications Regulations 2011 page itself!

This isn't the first time the ICO office has made a balls up. The big question is, does this mean they are in breach of the Electronic Communications Regulations they are the guardian off!?

Name: ASP.NET_SessionId
Content: lenzwunililmr2rcnwrexy55

After ICO site assigning me, it gives me a question:

The ICO would like to use cookies to store information on your computer, to improve our website. One of the cookies we use is essential for parts of the site to operate and has already been set. You may delete and block all cookies from this site, but parts of the site will not work. To find out more about the cookies we use and how to delete them, see our privacy notice.

[ ] Tick box, which of cause I did not tick. However, because they already assigned me the cookie, they have asked the question too late!

Labels: DataProtection, DigitalRights, ICO

bitfield endian order should be logical. Just like (1<<20) is logical. We read left->right, and Top->Bottom, therefore struct bitfields should be ordered with MSB first.

Also unions should warn if bitfields exceed the union size ;)

Labels: Coding, Compiler, programming

Labour's Devolution mistake has come up and bitten the Scottish now, they've elected a National Separatist government after the financial crisis.. and they're aiming to split the UK, yuk. That's the worst thing they could do.

What the Scottish people should push for is more powers if they now want to control more at their local level. Separating from the UK would mean they temporarily control their Oil and other money earners, and then collapse when it runs out...

Labels: Politics, UK

I've registered to stop getting my letter box stuffed with Junk Mail, but the postie is obviously unaware, as I am still receiving.

I think it is time that Royal Mail got a grip of this matter, and put in place proper working procedures to default to not deliver people junk mail. I would rather have 1p more on postage stamp if they need funding for this.

Labels: JunkMail

I've noticed that each firm I have an account with (Gas Utility, Electric Utility, Phone, Broadband, Council Tax etc etc) all have paper based systems, but some are piloting switch to paperless accounts. That is they are managed online, and I receive notifications via text or email when something is updated.

Online accounts are fantastic, saves all this snail mail that fills my letter box each day (except Royal Junk Mail).

What we need is a standard open source account management package, saves every utility implementing the same system. Most of it can be common, with only plugin modules specific to each utility. Main features:

• Online account account management and login
• Direct Debit instruction management

In addition, all applications tp progress changes on the account, can be filled in as forms. e.g. Mortgage lender "Additional loan application", or "Change of borrower".

Labels: Future

Note: Name FAT16/32 volumes with dosfslabel

Labels: GNU+Linux