Seemingly trivial things that intrigue you

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  • masjer
    masjer Posts: 2,613
    focuszing723 said:

    Mobile phones fifty years old, just ridiculous the evolution in that blink of an eye period of time.

    I still remember my first brick.
  • JimD666
    JimD666 Posts: 2,293
    Late 90's to the early 00's was the only time you'd hear a bunch of blokes bragging about who had the smallest :)

    They're getting larger again.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,396
    masjer said:

    focuszing723 said:

    Mobile phones fifty years old, just ridiculous the evolution in that blink of an eye period of time.

    I still remember my first brick.
    The pain of a low fibre diet stays with you forever.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    I wonder if, with the rise of remote working, the government will put in more regulation around broadband and outages.

    I suspect a provider being down for any material length of time is a lot more expensive than it used to be.
    _
  • First.Aspect
    First.Aspect Posts: 16,963
    rick_chasey said:

    I wonder if, with the rise of remote working, the government will put in more regulation around broadband and outages.

    I suspect a provider being down for any material length of time is a lot more expensive than it used to be.

    Short answer is no. I had unreliable adsl for years, and the best BT could do was a 4g router, to pick up the 4g signal we did not have because we lived fully 12 miles from the capital city where telephonic communication is not profitable. It is an object lesson in what market forces don't achieve, and that's never going to change in the UK.

    So if you lose Internet, buy a data package. Of you don't have phone signal, tough, move to a city.
  • shirley_basso
    shirley_basso Posts: 6,195
    rick_chasey said:

    I wonder if, with the rise of remote working, the government will put in more regulation around broadband and outages.

    I suspect a provider being down for any material length of time is a lot more expensive than it used to be.

    I met with a really interesting business which is making hardware for routers - saying the 2 mins nonsense for them to flip over to 3G/4G (where they have a sim installed) is utter crap for the consumer.

    They are building hardware/software into the router for one (for now) of the major UK ISPs such that if you have their broadband and mobile, it will flip over in 1-2s to your mobile. It's clearly a long game but they are slowing getting there.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    First.Aspect said:

    rick_chasey said:

    I wonder if, with the rise of remote working, the government will put in more regulation around broadband and outages.

    I suspect a provider being down for any material length of time is a lot more expensive than it used to be.

    Short answer is no. I had unreliable adsl for years, and the best BT could do was a 4g router, to pick up the 4g signal we did not have because we lived fully 12 miles from the capital city where telephonic communication is not profitable. It is an object lesson in what market forces don't achieve, and that's never going to change in the UK.

    So if you lose Internet, buy a data package. Of you don't have phone signal, tough, move to a city.
    You're not really selling living in a remote rural place to me...!
    _
  • shirley_basso
    shirley_basso Posts: 6,195
    My in laws (farm in NW aberdeenshire) just had FTTP installed.

    You can easily get 40MB with a good antenna from a 4G internet connection, even if your phone on the same network only gets 1 bar of signal.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Yeah isn’t starlink good for that?
    _
  • pangolin
    pangolin Posts: 6,632
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-65092730

    I find it really hard to imagine being scared enough of squirrels that I would not remove them from my house, nor being so inept at either sealing the house up or finding somebody who could.

    In fairness I have never battled a squirrel.
    - Genesis Croix de Fer
    - Dolan Tuono
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,199
    pangolin said:

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-65092730

    I find it really hard to imagine being scared enough of squirrels that I would not remove them from my house, nor being so inept at either sealing the house up or finding somebody who could.

    In fairness I have never battled a squirrel.

    Ha ha, the squirrels are winning!
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,396
    Terrorised face makes a nice change from compensation face.
  • pangolin
    pangolin Posts: 6,632
    Pross said:

    Terrorised face makes a nice change from compensation face.

    It is a very different face now you mention it! I wonder if they coach them.
    - Genesis Croix de Fer
    - Dolan Tuono
  • webboo
    webboo Posts: 6,087
    pangolin said:

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-65092730

    I find it really hard to imagine being scared enough of squirrels that I would not remove them from my house, nor being so inept at either sealing the house up or finding somebody who could.

    In fairness I have never battled a squirrel.

    I was out running some years ago and a squirrel ran across in front of me and tried to get through a wire mesh fence and got stuck. So I played the Good Samaritan and freed it and for my troubles it sunk its teeth in to my thumb.
    They are best avoided.
  • First.Aspect
    First.Aspect Posts: 16,963
    edited April 2023
    rick_chasey said:

    Yeah isn’t starlink good for that?

    If you are after reliable, then beaming it from space isn't the best option, from what I've read. It is also 2-3 times more expensive than other options, with download limits.

    I wouldn't mind crappy Internet if we actually did live somewhere remote, but 12 miles from the parliament building? How can that be remote?

    Anyway, we have fttp now as well. But still no phone signal, despite living at the top of a hill and being able to see as far as Fife.
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 29,341
    edited April 2023
    First.Aspect said:

    rick_chasey said:

    Yeah isn’t starlink good for that?

    If you are after reliable, then beaming it from space isn't the best option, from what I've read. It is also 2-3 times more expensive than other options, with download limits.

    I wouldn't mind crappy Internet if we actually did live somewhere remote, but 12 miles from the parliament building? How can that be remote?

    Anyway, we have fttp now as well. But still no phone signal, despite living at the top of a hill and being able to see as far as Fife.
    Basic inverse square relationship, no? You keep bragging about how empty and rural it is. You can't have it both ways.
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,396
    rjsterry said:

    First.Aspect said:

    rick_chasey said:

    Yeah isn’t starlink good for that?

    If you are after reliable, then beaming it from space isn't the best option, from what I've read. It is also 2-3 times more expensive than other options, with download limits.

    I wouldn't mind crappy Internet if we actually did live somewhere remote, but 12 miles from the parliament building? How can that be remote?

    Anyway, we have fttp now as well. But still no phone signal, despite living at the top of a hill and being able to see as far as Fife.
    Basic inverse square relationship, no? You keep bragging about how empty and rural it is. You can't have it both ways.
    I live (right) on the edge of the city and have to use Wi-Fi calling as the mobile signal is so bad. By contrast I've been to some very rural areas in the UK with excellent 4G coverage (and others with terrible coverage). Rural areas are less likely to have decent mobile signal as a rule but it doesn't equate to urban areas having good signal.
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 29,341
    Just to put everyone at ease, there are significant parts of South London with no mobile coverage. Put it down to nimbys objecting to masts.
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • First.Aspect
    First.Aspect Posts: 16,963
    rjsterry said:

    First.Aspect said:

    rick_chasey said:

    Yeah isn’t starlink good for that?

    If you are after reliable, then beaming it from space isn't the best option, from what I've read. It is also 2-3 times more expensive than other options, with download limits.

    I wouldn't mind crappy Internet if we actually did live somewhere remote, but 12 miles from the parliament building? How can that be remote?

    Anyway, we have fttp now as well. But still no phone signal, despite living at the top of a hill and being able to see as far as Fife.
    Basic inverse square relationship, no? You keep bragging about how empty and rural it is. You can't have it both ways.
    I have fibre to the door. The cheapest package is 70mbps.

    Scotland's mobile and even radio coverage is very poor. Sure it is hilly, but there are signal blackspots in Edinburgh city centre.

    It is not as bad as it is because it is rural, or because it is hilly. It is as bad as it is because we have a single issue government full of incompetent people who have been so busy with "the cause" for the last 16 years that they've not thought too much about infrastructure.

    Superfast bb roll out has worked quite well, mind you, because it was a vote winner. But it was so far behind schedule that superfast (which at the time they made the policy was 10, and has now gone up to 20 I think) is now just normal broadband speeds.
  • briantrumpet
    briantrumpet Posts: 20,005
    pangolin said:

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-65092730

    I find it really hard to imagine being scared enough of squirrels that I would not remove them from my house, nor being so inept at either sealing the house up or finding somebody who could.

    In fairness I have never battled a squirrel.


    My dead GSD x collie knew that they are vicious b'stards, and are very good at twisting round and sinking their sharp teeth into anything they can get hold of... my dog was a very efficient hunter in his prime, and took no time to despatch unfortunate prey, but squirrels would try to get their own back, and he'd yelp in pain when they bit (I couldn't blame them). He'd still win though.
    https://www.facebook.com/unanglaisendiois
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    edited April 2023
    First.Aspect said:

    rick_chasey said:

    Yeah isn’t starlink good for that?

    If you are after reliable, then beaming it from space isn't the best option, from what I've read. It is also 2-3 times more expensive than other options, with download limits.

    I wouldn't mind crappy Internet if we actually did live somewhere remote, but 12 miles from the parliament building? How can that be remote?

    Anyway, we have fttp now as well. But still no phone signal, despite living at the top of a hill and being able to see as far as Fife.
    My boss got it in lockdown. Was a bit tricky to bed in but since then it's been really great apparently. He's like you; gas and broadband doesn't come out his way.
    _
  • mrb123
    mrb123 Posts: 4,804
    She needs to get a pet pine marten.
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,161
    Hmmm. I’m in a rural location (as defined by CS) with fibre to the nearest box and standard phone cable to the house. Zero outage in 3 years of wfh.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • First.Aspect
    First.Aspect Posts: 16,963
    pblakeney said:

    Hmmm. I’m in a rural location (as defined by CS) with fibre to the nearest box and standard phone cable to the house. Zero outage in 3 years of wfh.

    We had that for about 5 years. Nearest box about a mile away. But 4 1/2 miles of cable. With many connections. Issue was the delayed fibre roll out meant the old infrastructure didn't get upgraded in the gap between policies. So 20+ outages a month for a few years. Only a few minutes at a time but precluded streaming or VPN.
  • Wheelspinner
    Wheelspinner Posts: 6,677
    rick_chasey said:

    First.Aspect said:

    rick_chasey said:

    Yeah isn’t starlink good for that?

    If you are after reliable, then beaming it from space isn't the best option, from what I've read. It is also 2-3 times more expensive than other options, with download limits.

    I wouldn't mind crappy Internet if we actually did live somewhere remote, but 12 miles from the parliament building? How can that be remote?

    Anyway, we have fttp now as well. But still no phone signal, despite living at the top of a hill and being able to see as far as Fife.
    My boss got it in lockdown. Was a bit tricky to bed in but since then it's been really great apparently. He's like you; gas and broadband doesn't come out his way.
    I have Starlink now, since January. It is 10x faster than my previous broadband service, and so far has been faultlessly reliable.

    More expensive, but no data limits.
    Open One+ BMC TE29 Seven 622SL On One Scandal Cervelo RS
  • mully79
    mully79 Posts: 904
    Wheelspinner said:

    rick_chasey said:

    First.Aspect said:

    rick_chasey said:

    Yeah isn’t starlink good for that?

    If you are after reliable, then beaming it from space isn't the best option, from what I've read. It is also 2-3 times more expensive than other options, with download limits.

    I wouldn't mind crappy Internet if we actually did live somewhere remote, but 12 miles from the parliament building? How can that be remote?

    Anyway, we have fttp now as well. But still no phone signal, despite living at the top of a hill and being able to see as far as Fife.
    My boss got it in lockdown. Was a bit tricky to bed in but since then it's been really great apparently. He's like you; gas and broadband doesn't come out his way.
    I have Starlink now, since January. It is 10x faster than my previous broadband service, and so far has been faultlessly reliable.

    More expensive, but no data limits.
    Can you easily connect to Starlink via your mobile while roaming and therefore be permanently connected worldwide ?
  • Wheelspinner
    Wheelspinner Posts: 6,677
    mully79 said:

    Wheelspinner said:

    rick_chasey said:

    First.Aspect said:

    rick_chasey said:

    Yeah isn’t starlink good for that?

    If you are after reliable, then beaming it from space isn't the best option, from what I've read. It is also 2-3 times more expensive than other options, with download limits.

    I wouldn't mind crappy Internet if we actually did live somewhere remote, but 12 miles from the parliament building? How can that be remote?

    Anyway, we have fttp now as well. But still no phone signal, despite living at the top of a hill and being able to see as far as Fife.
    My boss got it in lockdown. Was a bit tricky to bed in but since then it's been really great apparently. He's like you; gas and broadband doesn't come out his way.
    I have Starlink now, since January. It is 10x faster than my previous broadband service, and so far has been faultlessly reliable.

    More expensive, but no data limits.
    Can you easily connect to Starlink via your mobile while roaming and therefore be permanently connected worldwide ?
    Not that I'm aware of. There appear to be two setups options: fixed location (which I have) and a mobile location for people roaming about in caravans or whatever. The antenna/dish is motorised, and when you set it up it moves to get a best fix on the satellites. Once set, it doesn't appear to move at all.

    I believe the mobile setup is a different antenna that picks up a wider array of available satellites. and *does* move about to keep track of where you are.

    The antennas are fairly sizeable. My fixed version is a rectangle about 600*400 mm.

    The mobile version here is a bit dearer than fixed. My speed is typically between 150 and 250 Mb/s.

    HTH
    Open One+ BMC TE29 Seven 622SL On One Scandal Cervelo RS
  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 21,756
    Amazon Fresh.
  • mully79
    mully79 Posts: 904
    Wheelspinner said:

    mully79 said:

    Wheelspinner said:

    rick_chasey said:

    First.Aspect said:

    rick_chasey said:

    Yeah isn’t starlink good for that?

    If you are after reliable, then beaming it from space isn't the best option, from what I've read. It is also 2-3 times more expensive than other options, with download limits.

    I wouldn't mind crappy Internet if we actually did live somewhere remote, but 12 miles from the parliament building? How can that be remote?

    Anyway, we have fttp now as well. But still no phone signal, despite living at the top of a hill and being able to see as far as Fife.
    My boss got it in lockdown. Was a bit tricky to bed in but since then it's been really great apparently. He's like you; gas and broadband doesn't come out his way.
    I have Starlink now, since January. It is 10x faster than my previous broadband service, and so far has been faultlessly reliable.

    More expensive, but no data limits.
    Can you easily connect to Starlink via your mobile while roaming and therefore be permanently connected worldwide ?
    Not that I'm aware of. There appear to be two setups options: fixed location (which I have) and a mobile location for people roaming about in caravans or whatever. The antenna/dish is motorised, and when you set it up it moves to get a best fix on the satellites. Once set, it doesn't appear to move at all.

    I believe the mobile setup is a different antenna that picks up a wider array of available satellites. and *does* move about to keep track of where you are.

    The antennas are fairly sizeable. My fixed version is a rectangle about 600*400 mm.

    The mobile version here is a bit dearer than fixed. My speed is typically between 150 and 250 Mb/s.

    HTH
    Thanks. We still struggle with internet where I live. BT copper network is only choice and 60mb/s is the quickest.
    Semi regular power cuts lose the phone masts/home router so several days a year can be lost working from home.
    Hot spotting of a satellite from a mobile would be awesome and well worth £75 a month. Hopefully it becomes available at some point.
  • orraloon
    orraloon Posts: 13,227
    BBC R2 been playing lots of Queen tracks this evening. What got me intrigued is hearing an early live on t'BBC version of We Will Rock You then immediately followed by the (rather different) version we all know (and love 😊). Takes me back to ma yoof. Old Grey Whistle Test, Seven Seas of Rhye... happy days.

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