"John Rumm" wrote in message
...

It might be fun to send them a letter pointing out that inert criminal
activity of your choice is illegal and they could get fined if caught...
Mention you might be turning up to inspect their premiss etc.


How about claiming to write software - and suggesting you may turn up at
their offices to check if any unlicensed copies are in use on their
computers!

The OP asked if he will end up in prison. If he does he will no doubt find
his cell has a TV! Perhaps the court of human rights will consider this to
be a cruel and degrading punishment!

Andrew (who has suffered years of harassment from TV licensing)

geoff wrote:

mind you, it might be worth getting one and having it sitting somewhere
prominent, but with no mains lead or aerial cable. Using, not
possessing, is what you need a license for, lets not forget that.

In fact I think you can actually use a TV without one if you are in the
business of repairing / designing them etc, since you need to be able to
prove them with an off air signal. Should be easy enough to pull off in
your workshop ;-)

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
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| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

Tim S wrote:

And I want to shut down that ancient howling server I built in 2000-ish
that's grating my brain off from behind my head. Got DNS, DHCP, kerberos,
TFTP, IMAP, Web, and Postgres off it and on to two new servers (well, one
new and one recycled desktop) - just printing and exim mail to go...

Did you see:

http://www.fit-pc.co.uk/fitpc-slim-specs.pdf

From 205+VAT (or about £10 more at CPC)

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

Ed Sirett wrote:
AFAIK you must pay the license if you have 'equipment capable of
receiving colour TV broadcasts'. That means you must pay if you have a
VCR or DVD recorder even if you only use it to watch videos or DVDs.

No, you need to actually use it for the purpose of watching or recording
to require a license:

http://tvlicensing.metafaq.com/templ...49VGV9RUGBD7LC

Does iPlayer count as 'broadcast' and therefore any Laptop, PC, games
console, iPhone etc. count as 'equipment'?

I don't think iPlayer counts - you are watching a recording - so its the
"person" making the recording that needs the license.

However watching the news channel live may well.

In fact from the FAQ "Will I need a TV Licence to watch programmes on
BBC iPlayer?

If you use the BBC iPlayer to watch TV programmes at the same time as
they are being shown on TV (live) then you will need to be covered by a
valid TV Licence.

If you use the BBC iPlayer to watch BBC programmes after they have been
broadcast - either to download, or via streaming 'on demand' you will
not need a TV Licence. "

It's all a bit academic as I have and TV and a license. Enforcement
against a deluge of interoperable digital toys is effectively nil.

yup

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

wrote:

I gathr viewing in (near) realtime via the internet is also covered by recent
amendments, hence the talk about computers.

Indeed, but even that has complications... how far do you have to be out
of sync for it not to count?

What about if you watch a recording that someone (with a licence) made
for you off air. No license required typically. Now what if they happen
to be broadcasting a repeat of the program at the same time you happen
to choose to watch your recording?

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

John Rumm wrote:
Ed Sirett wrote:
AFAIK you must pay the license if you have 'equipment capable of
receiving colour TV broadcasts'. That means you must pay if you have a
VCR or DVD recorder even if you only use it to watch videos or DVDs.

No, you need to actually use it for the purpose of watching or recording
to require a license:

http://tvlicensing.metafaq.com/templ...49VGV9RUGBD7LC


Does iPlayer count as 'broadcast' and therefore any Laptop, PC, games
console, iPhone etc. count as 'equipment'?

I don't think iPlayer counts - you are watching a recording - so its the
"person" making the recording that needs the license.

However watching the news channel live may well.

In fact from the FAQ "Will I need a TV Licence to watch programmes on
BBC iPlayer?

If you use the BBC iPlayer to watch TV programmes at the same time as
they are being shown on TV (live) then you will need to be covered by a
valid TV Licence.

If you use the BBC iPlayer to watch BBC programmes after they have been
broadcast - either to download, or via streaming 'on demand' you will
not need a TV Licence. "

Ah. so what if the system imposes a natural half second delay..like all
digital TV does.. ;-)



It's all a bit academic as I have and TV and a license. Enforcement
against a deluge of interoperable digital toys is effectively nil.

yup

"Tim S" wrote in message
...

I've found iPlayer to be poor quality anyway - might as well P2P it, if
it's
a popular show.

You do download it and not just click play?

John Rumm wrote:
Ed Sirett wrote:
AFAIK you must pay the license if you have 'equipment capable of
receiving colour TV broadcasts'. That means you must pay if you have a
VCR or DVD recorder even if you only use it to watch videos or DVDs.

No, you need to actually use it for the purpose of watching or recording
to require a license:

http://tvlicensing.metafaq.com/templ...49VGV9RUGBD7LC


Does iPlayer count as 'broadcast' and therefore any Laptop, PC, games
console, iPhone etc. count as 'equipment'?

I don't think iPlayer counts - you are watching a recording - so its the
"person" making the recording that needs the license.

However watching the news channel live may well.

In fact from the FAQ "Will I need a TV Licence to watch programmes on
BBC iPlayer?

If you use the BBC iPlayer to watch TV programmes at the same time as
they are being shown on TV (live) then you will need to be covered by a
valid TV Licence.

If you use the BBC iPlayer to watch BBC programmes after they have been
broadcast - either to download, or via streaming 'on demand' you will
not need a TV Licence. "

It's all a bit academic as I have and TV and a license. Enforcement
against a deluge of interoperable digital toys is effectively nil.

yup

iPlayer, used via Virgin cable, automatically plays what is on BBC1 when
you first enter it. So it is impossible to view programs without first
having 'received' the current broadcast live, albeit for just a few seconds.

(I *know* it would be very unusual, not to say perverse, to watch *only*
iPlayer programs and yet have cable installed. But it is not entirely
impossible.)

--
Rod

Hypothyroidism is a seriously debilitating condition with an insidious
onset.
Although common it frequently goes undiagnosed.
www.thyromind.info www.thyroiduk.org www.altsupportthyroid.org

In message , The Natural
Philosopher writes
Not these days probably.

They used to detect the analogue IF frequencies but with everyone gone
digital..and RFI stuff being very hot, I doubt the average STB emits
enough to give meaningful results.
Your average STB used to be a nasty emitter of RFI on the HF bands as
did the analogue Sky decoders (28MHz oscillator that leaked massively
and verified across several boxes). Haven't checked for a few years as I
decided a future of dodgy sweaters, bad teeth, pipe smoking, NHS glasses
held together with sticking plaster and BO wasn't really for me (I
decided not to become a radio amateur).


--
Clint Sharp

"John Rumm" wrote in message
et...

What about if you watch a recording that someone (with a licence) made for
you off air. No license required typically. Now what if they happen to be
broadcasting a repeat of the program at the same time you happen to choose
to watch your recording?

That's not a problem.
the law that allows you to make a personal recording doesn't allow you to
give it to someone else.
You have broken copyright so you may as well break the TV license laws too.
(unless it was a recording of a live event.)

On Tue, 13 Jan 2009 22:09:05 +0000, Tim S wrote:

The only special info they have is a list of current licenses and a list of
reception apparatus sold by the bigger traders (you did tell the bloke your
correct address when you paid cash for that telly, didn't you?).

No, not even when I bought a new one just the other day.

It's Customs & Excise you need to worry about - they do have special powers
that make the police look gay, for a limited and specific set of suspected
infringments.

The last one of them got invited into the house and was handed a paint
brush on the night we moved into a house. He was after the previous
owner who had done a runner leaving behind huge debts. We let him go
after he'd finished a wall

--

"Rod" wrote in message
...

(I *know* it would be very unusual, not to say perverse, to watch *only*
iPlayer programs and yet have cable installed. But it is not entirely
impossible.)

I had cable broadband for ages but I did not take *any* TV from them.

(Sky broadband is better and cheaper for me now.
If virgin offer 20+M unlimited without their stupid peak time caps for £10
pm I might go back.)

dennis@home wrote:


"John Rumm" wrote in message
et...

What about if you watch a recording that someone (with a licence) made
for you off air. No license required typically. Now what if they
happen to be broadcasting a repeat of the program at the same time you
happen to choose to watch your recording?

That's not a problem.
the law that allows you to make a personal recording doesn't allow you
to give it to someone else.

You possibly can lend a recording... not sure how much "fair use" is
enshrined in our legislation (less than in the US I believe). Having
said that I am not aware of any civil prosecutions being brought for
technical violation of the time shifting provisions in copyright law.

You have broken copyright so you may as well break the TV license laws too.
(unless it was a recording of a live event.)

Just seems to be another case of poor law resulting from sloppy drafting.


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

John Rumm coughed up some electrons that declared:

Just seems to be another case of poor law resulting from sloppy drafting.

Are you saying that our glorious legislators don't always think things
through.

Oh, it can't be!

hehe

The Natural Philosopher wrote:

If you use the BBC iPlayer to watch BBC programmes after they have
been broadcast - either to download, or via streaming 'on demand' you
will not need a TV Licence. "

Ah. so what if the system imposes a natural half second delay..like all
digital TV does.. ;-)

Indeed, I suppose the broadest interpretation of "while it is being
broadcast" would require that you wait until the program is over before
watching a recording.

But you could easily visualise a block of flats that has one licensed
flat and a pile of media PCs streaming all the muxes to a NAS, with
WifFi or Homeplug access for all the other flats that are then able to
watch the broadcast streams 10 mins behind schedule.


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

Rod wrote:

(I *know* it would be very unusual, not to say perverse, to watch *only*
iPlayer programs and yet have cable installed. But it is not entirely
impossible.)

Well, I could quite see that someone may elect for cable to get decent
net access and not actually make any use of the other services.

(not sure whether one rates Virgin and "decent" for internet access
these days!)

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

John Rumm wrote:
Rod wrote:

(I *know* it would be very unusual, not to say perverse, to watch
*only* iPlayer programs and yet have cable installed. But it is not
entirely impossible.)

Well, I could quite see that someone may elect for cable to get decent
net access and not actually make any use of the other services.

(not sure whether one rates Virgin and "decent" for internet access
these days!)

Don't have much problem with it. Quite reliable. Reasonably fast. But
then I am not exactly a heavy user (in volume terms). Tend to have
transient oddities rather than big problems.

Might not have made it clear, Virgin provide access to a version of
iPlayer within the set top box. So you view it on your television.

--
Rod

Hypothyroidism is a seriously debilitating condition with an insidious
onset.
Although common it frequently goes undiagnosed.
www.thyromind.info www.thyroiduk.org www.altsupportthyroid.org

Tim S wrote:
John Rumm coughed up some electrons that declared:

Just seems to be another case of poor law resulting from sloppy drafting.

Are you saying that our glorious legislators don't always think things
through.

Oh, it can't be!

Its called having you cake an eating it... draft sloppy, and you can
change the interpretation as you see fit later, not only that it keeps
the lawyers in business!



--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

Mike wrote:
On Tue, 13 Jan 2009 22:09:05 +0000, Tim S wrote:

The only special info they have is a list of current licenses and a list of
reception apparatus sold by the bigger traders (you did tell the bloke your
correct address when you paid cash for that telly, didn't you?).

No, not even when I bought a new one just the other day.

It's Customs & Excise you need to worry about - they do have special powers
that make the police look gay, for a limited and specific set of suspected
infringments.

The last one of them got invited into the house and was handed a paint
brush on the night we moved into a house. He was after the previous
owner who had done a runner leaving behind huge debts. We let him go
after he'd finished a wall

Are you saying that they can do just one job well?

Dave

Huge wrote:
On Wed, 14 Jan 2009 14:37:19 -0800, john wrote:

Huge wrote:

It is entirely
possible to detect radio (including TV) receivers by 'listening' for
the local oscillator signal that leaks back up the antenna feed and is
radiated. This is, for example, how radar detector detectors work. The
military go to a great deal of effort to minimise this leakage in their
comms systems, since you do not want your forces detectable by the
local oscillator leakage from their radios.

Since the L/O frequency changes according to the channel being watched,
the assertion that it is possible to detect this is also true.

--
"Please try to understand, the one you call Messiah is a lie."
[email me at huge {at} huge (dot) org dot uk]
It's a neat idea and seeing as I've a sensitive lab' spectrum analyser
racked about 30cm away from the TV aerial (haven't we all), I took a
look.
Nothing, nada, zilch! is coming back out of the aerial.

Ho, hum. I'm just going on what I was told by my friend who designs front
ends for military radios....




Well LO does leak, but a lot less than it used to as better designs with
more stages between antenna and LO keep it to a minimum.

Remember detector vans date from the days of valve sets: valves were
expensive, and using as few as possible was a design goal.

clumsy ******* wrote:
John Rumm wrote:

not only that it keeps
the lawyers in business!

and many politicians are.....

funny that ;-)

--
Cheers,

John.

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clumsy ******* wrote:
John Rumm wrote:

(not sure whether one rates Virgin and "decent" for internet access
these days!)

mine seems to work OK, not impressed with response to support emails
though.

They used to be ok certainly, not had much experience lately. It might
be one's experience varies depending on if you are on the original
virgin network, or one a part belonging to one of the other ISPs they
have swallowed over time.

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

John Rumm wrote:
Rod wrote:

(I *know* it would be very unusual, not to say perverse, to watch
*only* iPlayer programs and yet have cable installed. But it is not
entirely impossible.)

Well, I could quite see that someone may elect for cable to get decent
net access and not actually make any use of the other services.

(not sure whether one rates Virgin and "decent" for internet access
these days!)

I had cable for internet only for seven years. Then BG dug up the road,
cut through the cable and, seven months and many calls and promises from
No-effin Media later, the cable still wasn't fixed. (I recommend
www.moneyclaim.gov.uk it's the only language that will persuade them
they owe you money not you owe them). I have yet to get round to getting
home broadband from elsewhere; I get more done at home that way.


--
djc @work

We've not had a licence for 25 years and still keep on getting the
letters!!! I used to scrawl all manner of abuse on them and send them
back - now they just go straight in the recycling bin.
A few years ago we got 'The Visit'. The guy wanted to see if we had a
TV in the front room. I suggested that we could have a TV in any of
the other rooms but he said that most people have them in their front
room. So he had a look and went away empty handed.

We were even honoured when they did an poster ad campaign a few years
back. The big black poster with white writing... There are 2
households in T****n Street without a TV licence. I was dead chuffed
and then thought... Well who's the other one then?

On Thu, 15 Jan 2009 23:11:54 +0000, Dave
wrote:

Mike wrote:

The last one of them got invited into the house and was handed a paint
brush on the night we moved into a house. He was after the previous
owner who had done a runner leaving behind huge debts. We let him go
after he'd finished a wall

Are you saying that they can do just one job well?

It was a very small wall and just a first coat to disguise the
extremely bad taste in room colours of the previous occupant.

I'd not call anyone from HMCE, the IR or just about any other area of
the civil service as competent in anything.


--

On 15 Jan 2009 10:16:20 GMT, Huge wrote:

On Wed, 14 Jan 2009 14:37:19 -0800, john wrote:

Huge wrote:

It is entirely
possible to detect radio (including TV) receivers by 'listening' for
the local oscillator signal that leaks back up the antenna feed and is
radiated. This is, for example, how radar detector detectors work. The
military go to a great deal of effort to minimise this leakage in their
comms systems, since you do not want your forces detectable by the
local oscillator leakage from their radios.

Since the L/O frequency changes according to the channel being watched,
the assertion that it is possible to detect this is also true.

--
"Please try to understand, the one you call Messiah is a lie."
[email me at huge {at} huge (dot) org dot uk]

It's a neat idea and seeing as I've a sensitive lab' spectrum analyser
racked about 30cm away from the TV aerial (haven't we all), I took a
look.
Nothing, nada, zilch! is coming back out of the aerial.

Ho, hum. I'm just going on what I was told by my friend who designs front
ends for military radios....

Sounds like what I read many moons ago. Quite detailed info on the
operation and technology of the detector vans were published in the
Post Office Engineering Journal - that's when they had things inside
the vans rather than just a roof rack with a Yagi bolted on.

The issue was somewhere from the mid 70's to the mid 80's. Not sure
if a local reference library will still have them and I'll bet no one
has got round to scanning them and putting them online.

--

On Fri, 16 Jan 2009 17:05:45 +0000, Mike wrote:


Sounds like what I read many moons ago. Quite detailed info on the
operation and technology of the detector vans were published in the
Post Office Engineering Journal - that's when they had things inside
the vans rather than just a roof rack with a Yagi bolted on.

The issue was somewhere from the mid 70's to the mid 80's. Not sure
if a local reference library will still have them and I'll bet no one
has got round to scanning them and putting them online.

It was in "British Telecommunications Engineering", Oct 1984, entitled
"Television Detector Vans". I have that edition in front of me, but my
scanner's playing up at the mo... (Of course the article will be
copyrighted anyway!).

The van described looks for local oscillator radiation, using "two
connected and identical fixed aerials, adding in phase the received
signals, produce a polar diagram that is the result of multiplying
together trhe two expressions for their individual polar diagrams;
this gives a multi-lobed pattern, which is dependent upon the spacing
between the two aerials. Electronic adjustment maintains the lobe
pattern for changes of frequencies.
"The aerials used are broadband narrow-beam reflector type, each with
four broadband elements and a panel reflector. Four of these aerials
are mounted on the roof of the vehicle, two facing each side."

There's a panoramic display unit, and recording facilities linked to
take into account vehicle movement as it drives along the street.

Quite complex stuff really :-)

--
Frank Erskine

"djc" wrote in message
...
John Rumm wrote:
Rod wrote:

(I *know* it would be very unusual, not to say perverse, to watch
*only* iPlayer programs and yet have cable installed. But it is not
entirely impossible.)

Well, I could quite see that someone may elect for cable to get decent
net access and not actually make any use of the other services.

(not sure whether one rates Virgin and "decent" for internet access
these days!)

I had cable for internet only for seven years. Then BG dug up the road,
cut through the cable and, seven months and many calls and promises from
No-effin Media later, the cable still wasn't fixed. (I recommend
www.moneyclaim.gov.uk it's the only language that will persuade them
they owe you money not you owe them). I have yet to get round to getting
home broadband from elsewhere; I get more done at home that way.

If you don't stream much you can get 3g mobile broadband for about £10 pm.
You can even get WiFi 3g routers if you want to connect more than one
computer or use linux.

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember John Rumm
saying something like:

In fact I think you can actually use a TV without one if you are in the
business of repairing / designing them etc, since you need to be able to
prove them with an off air signal.

Should be easy enough to pull off in your workshop ;-)

Porn channels?

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember Tim S saying
something like:

OK - I'm not advocating going quite as far as "Falling Down". As far as I'm
concerned, I've met offensive with offensive. If they don't like it, then I
don't care - let them bring it on.

For about five years, from the mid-80s, I had no telly. Didn't need it,
didn't want it. Didn't stop the ******* at the TVLA (or whatever it was
then) sending me letters and eventually, a bloke round to my door.

"I have no telly" I told him on the doorstep.

"I'll just come in and have a look then" said he, preparing to step into
my house.

"Bugger off" I said, as I shut the door firmly in his face.

I heard no more about it.

About two years later I bought another telly and a licence, but had no
further trouble from them on the previous score.

dennis@home wrote:

You can even get WiFi 3g routers if you want to connect more than one
computer or use linux.

A 3G router certainly sounds attractive to keep things simple (cheers, I
didn't know they existed) but it's not actually necessary just to use
Linux. Several of my colleagues use 3G dongles (not sure about cards)
with Linux; I've heard the latest Ubuntus Just Work.

Pete

On Sat, 17 Jan 2009 13:57:32 +0000, Pete Verdon wrote:

dennis@home wrote:

You can even get WiFi 3g routers if you want to connect more than one
computer or use linux.

A 3G router certainly sounds attractive to keep things simple (cheers, I
didn't know they existed) but it's not actually necessary just to use
Linux. Several of my colleagues use 3G dongles (not sure about cards)
with Linux; I've heard the latest Ubuntus Just Work.

Work, yes. Fast, no.

The bloke at work who has 3G internet says it's 'about 3 times as fast as
dialup'.

"PCPaul" wrote in message
m...


The bloke at work who has 3G internet says it's 'about 3 times as fast as
dialup'.


Depends on where you are.

On Wed, 14 Jan 2009 23:01:36 +0000, Tim S wrote:



Crapita are running the gassafe register - are they actually going to
manage people like you (assessments etc)?

Yes, but assessments are and will still be done by other independent
outfits.


Apparently the HSE gave them the job because they were "experienced
with enforcement" i.e Tv licensing. So they'll know just how to chase
down illegal gas work!







--
Ed Sirett - Property maintainer and registered gas fitter.
The FAQ for uk.diy is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk
Gas fitting FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/GasFitting.html
Sealed CH FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/SealedCH.html
Choosing a Boiler FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/BoilerChoice.html

In message , Grimly Curmudgeon
writes
We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember John Rumm
saying something like:

In fact I think you can actually use a TV without one if you are in the
business of repairing / designing them etc, since you need to be able to
prove them with an off air signal.

Should be easy enough to pull off in your workshop ;-)

Porn channels?

Not quite sure how to reply to that ...


--
geoff

PCPaul wrote:
On Sat, 17 Jan 2009 13:57:32 +0000, Pete Verdon wrote:
dennis@home wrote:

You can even get WiFi 3g routers if you want to connect more than one
computer or use linux.

A 3G router certainly sounds attractive to keep things simple (cheers, I
didn't know they existed) but it's not actually necessary just to use
Linux. Several of my colleagues use 3G dongles (not sure about cards)
with Linux; I've heard the latest Ubuntus Just Work.

Work, yes. Fast, no.

The bloke at work who has 3G internet says it's 'about 3 times as fast as
dialup'.

Works to the extent that it does on other operating systems, then, which
is all that was relevant to the point being made.

Pete

In article , PCPaul
scribeth thus
On Sat, 17 Jan 2009 13:57:32 +0000, Pete Verdon wrote:

dennis@home wrote:

You can even get WiFi 3g routers if you want to connect more than one
computer or use linux.

A 3G router certainly sounds attractive to keep things simple (cheers, I
didn't know they existed) but it's not actually necessary just to use
Linux. Several of my colleagues use 3G dongles (not sure about cards)
with Linux; I've heard the latest Ubuntus Just Work.

Work, yes. Fast, no.

The bloke at work who has 3G internet says it's 'about 3 times as fast as
dialup'.


We have a 3G dongle for backup at an out in the sticks location through
a Draytek router which works quite well but /fast/ isn't in it at all..

Despite being 800 metres from a Base station!...
--
Tony Sayer

"geoff" wrote in message
...
In message , Grimly Curmudgeon
writes
We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember John Rumm
saying something like:

In fact I think you can actually use a TV without one if you are in the
business of repairing / designing them etc, since you need to be able to
prove them with an off air signal.

Should be easy enough to pull off in your workshop ;-)

Porn channels?

Not quite sure how to reply to that ...


--
geoff

You just need the correct equipment for the job.

Wanking spanners would be fine.

Adam

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember PCPaul saying
something like:

A 3G router certainly sounds attractive to keep things simple (cheers, I
didn't know they existed) but it's not actually necessary just to use
Linux. Several of my colleagues use 3G dongles (not sure about cards)
with Linux; I've heard the latest Ubuntus Just Work.

Work, yes. Fast, no.

The bloke at work who has 3G internet says it's 'about 3 times as fast as
dialup'.

It's what I've been using full-time for the past couple of years. It was
good in the early months, even at 384kb/s, then it got upgraded to a
nominal 1.8Mb/s (which usually worked out at 1Mb/s steady), but for the
past year it's been total ****, as Vodafone have promoted it to all and
sundry to try and recover some of the money they laid out on the 3G
licence. Overnight, it's still ok and for most of the day it's
acceptable, but come 5pm and it drops like a stone as every bugger gets
home and turns it on.
Thank feck my local exchange is, at last, being BB enabled this year.