Much like a Tesla, all analogies break down eventually. As many many many people have said - free software is free, in much the same way as a free puppy is free. I prefer to think of it as being free just like being given a free house is free. Imagine that! Being given a free house would solve so many immediate problems. You'd have shelter, warmth, an administrative address, and a stake in the …
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I like my comedies dark but… Fucking hell! I don't think I've ever seen anything so bitter, twisted, and hilarious. What if your dead girlfriend was haunting you and your one-night stand? It is an idea which has been done a few times. Think "So Haunt Me!" but with a lot more blood and sex. No, much more than you're thinking. I spent the entire film like 😲. I'm not great with blood and pain - bu…
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Inspired by Sir Arthur C. Clarke's short story A Meeting with Medusa, this novel, with permission from the Clarke Estate, continues the story of Commander Howard Falcon over centuries of space-exploration, interaction with AI, first contact and beyond. All brought to life by two of our greatest SF authors, Stephen Baxter and Alastair Reynolds. Howard Falcon almost lost his life in an accident…
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James Bond Will Return! OK, but why though? Action movies these days are little more than non-interactive video games. You're not watching an actor perform feats of daring-do, subtly enhanced with cinema trickery; you're watching stunt doubles and cartoony CGI. So you're left to enjoy "witty" dialogue (patchy), nifty gadgets (lacking), and plot tension (mostly absent until the end). Bond hits…
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This is a small proof-of-concept. It relies on PGP - but you could use Keybase, GPG, or any other hard-to-use encryption program. Background Suppose you want to support an artist and give them money. That's easy. Most artists take PayPal, bank transfer, or cash. But how can you prove that you've paid an artist for a specific piece of work? That is, in essence, all an NFT is - the seller…
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I recently read this interesting, and distressing, story of a man who was drugged and robbed. A form of crime which has been going on for centuries. But the 21st Century twist is that the thieves forced him to transfer large sums of money via his phone's banking apps. While under the influence, the victim used his usernames, passwords, PINs, and biometrics to send money to the criminal's…
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My life isn't cool enough for most apps. I'm never wandering through a new city, waiting to be bombarded with special offers. I don't need to meet hot singles in my area. And I can't remember the last time I went to a secret last-minute gig. But I do like eating cheap food! London seems flooded with Instant Grocery apps right now. A dozen different start-ups which will get you a pint of milk…
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I don't understand British movies from the 1960s. They often seem to be completely devoid of coherent plot. Things just happen with little regard for whether they make narrative sense. Much like The Magic Christian, this is a loose series of anarchic sketches strung together on a flimsy pretence. The audience, I think, is either supposed to be bewildered or stoned out of their minds. It quite …
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Last time it was a mid-pandemic trip to a giant shopping mall. This time, a pre-Xmas trip to a youth centre. Glamorous! I always feel slightly boring when I answer the pre-donation questionnaire. No, I haven't been travelling to exotic locations, having sex with multiple strangers in exchange for drugs and money. I could blame lockdown, but it's unlikely I'd be doing those things anyway! Bit of …
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I recently read Future Law - a book of essays about using popular culture to explain technological and legal concepts. One essay looks looks at GDPR issues experienced by Disney® Princesses. I thought I'd try my hand at something similar! So here's my (brief and incomplete) guide to Technical Standards in Star Wars! Where do we see compatibility - and incompatibility - within the Star Wars …
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How will law, regulation and ethics govern a future of fast-changing technologies? Focuses on the practical difficulties of applying law, policy and ethical structures to emergent technologies both now and in the future. Covers crucial current issues such as big data ethics, ubiquitous surveillance and the Internet of Things, and disruptive technologies such as autonomous vehicles, DIY…
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I am in awe of how simple the booster shot booking process was. I visited the site on my phone while in bed and hungover, typed in my NHS number, confirmed a few details, and it listed a pharmacy a 20 minute walk away as having appointments. A couple of weeks later and my 2xAZ was supplemented with 0.5x Moderna / SpikeVax. What a cool name - my inner Buffy fan is very happy to have been "Spiked" …
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