Microsoft is getting a tad worried about "naked PC's" [computers with no OS on it]. According to MS they are a Bad Thing (TM);

"... a risk to your customers and a risk to your business ..." by not supplying an OS [specifically Windows] on a new computer.

Right. How?

"... the software giant is concerned that the sale of base systems may be linked to the use of counterfeit software." and "... technology vendors suspected of installing counterfeit software on PCs before selling them."

OK. Microsoft is concerned about "naked PC's" being sold just in case people load a pirated Windows [or heaven forbid GNU/Linux or BSD] onto them, yet they are also afraid of the vendors loading a pirated copy.

This to me is absurd. Surely it would be better that people [according to MS] buy a "naked PC" and load a legal copy of Windows onto it [or GNU/Linux, preferably] than leave it to the vendor? Ask the vendor to load a legal copy onto the computer or load GNU/Linux or BSD or FreeDOS or whatever.
Can't do that though, MS don't like "naked PC's" either. Ah. I'm stuck now.

Build your own? Or is that naked.

I'll stop listening to MS now. It winds me up.

Snobs last night was OK, it was quite busy but enjoyable. I managed to get lost in the one-way system around it and drove past the exit I needed about 3 times and ended up parking way away from Snobs.

I'm off to work at Newman House tomorrow as Duty Manager which is a bit different to glass collecting, then back to Snobs on Saturday.

Interesting thought about an application for the Air Guitar I wrote about a few months back.

Sign language tutorials.

You watch a video how to sign, then try to mimic the moves on the screen using the Air Guitar software to show where your hands are in relation to the tutor's.
This could be extended to make it a test, like to say "The big brown cow" and see how accurate you are, or as a translator for deaf people to communicate with people who do not understand sign language.

I wonder if the reverse has been done yet, taking speech and converting it to sign language? Or bolting the two together as two way communication. I think that would be cool.

I'm only saying this as I'm watching BBC 1 See Hear about Deaf Student Assistants in mainstream schools, and an assistant was standing in front of an interactive whiteboard that made me think.

I don't want to develop this idea yet [the airguitar code isn't released unfortunately] as mainly I don't want the Uni saying "Oooh, nice money making idea"; I don't believe it right to make money on something that could be useful.

All the adverts for uber-loans [to cover all your existing debt with one affordable loan ... o...k...], to claim compensation [the stupid bloke who fell off a ladder ... er, excuse me if the ladder was unsafe under Health and Safety law *you're* liable] and for insurance [car, house, health, cancer, pets, big toe, bum, hair, ...]; I've now found the worst one of all.

The English Radiator Cover Company.

They sell radiator covers. Made to fit. With a home visit.

WTF? I'm not the best person for home decoration [paint the damned walls and be done with it] but radiator covers? Surely from a heating point of view you'd not want anything in front of the radiator? So we save energy? Why not [if you must] paint the radiator?

Gah the world gets more insane by the day.

April 1st funny: http://www.mafiaa.org/
DRM by extortion

In other news, I've got a trial period job at Snobbs as a glass collector, so I should *finally* have some money to spend, get stuff replaced/bought (laptop HDD, network cable for desktop, sound card, an alarm clock).

Chasewater's management is getting on my tits, continuously complaining about the points not been put in, yet it's ok for them to tell us we're not allowed to use equipment to put it in, refuse to let us to have our own workshop to do the work, and drag their heels over paper work we submit for approval.
Then theres the trackwork they are doing which is nearly 4 months behind schedule. Hypocrites.