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Comment Re:Removing all IBM Equipment and Software (Score 1) 76

i remember when i worked there, how crazy irritating their software was. AIX needed a million patches every time you wanted to do anything, and the patch process seemed to be designed to inflict pain. WebSphere was a smelly pile of shit then too, complexityfor the sake of it (this was the mid 90's). Thank god for linux and open source is all I can say!

Comment Law of unintended consequences (Score 1) 114

Since Trump started his term by (at least appearing to) treat staunch allies as almost enemies, I have expected many unintended consequences. I am in a way looking forward to seeing them unfold over time (more entertaining than the media these days). I expect this to be the amongst the first of many.

Comment Re:Poor savings habits strike again! (Score 1) 211

So, your assertion doesn't carry much in the way of precedent. There are literally myriad laws designed to protect individuals from the asymmetric resources stacked up against them. If each individual had the same resources as a major corp with which to fight their temptations, then I would agree. But individuals don't. Societies have generally decided that the callous "you're on your own and by the way, we're going to arrange an enormous number of resources that work with your psychology and against your long term interests to undermine your efforts" is not what is wanted nor good. Take for example financial services - there's a long history of exploiting individuals for profit using techniques which have been outlawed (for example ponzi schemes). Presumable you're based in the US where there's a strong theme of "regulations always bad", and "individuals are on their own and should take responsibility" - not all countries of cultures agree with that point of view and I would suggest that human history and progress doesn't support that POV either. Anyway, comment already too long, stop.

Comment Re:Poor savings habits strike again! (Score 1) 211

you're ignoring the elephant in the room. The entire consumer society was designed to encourage people not to save. Banks spend literally billions encouranging the opposite - to take on credit card debt to buy the shiney things, pay 20% of your income in interest every month but that doesn't matter so long as you have the shiney things. Its another example of corporate irresponsibility. Then you blame the individual for falling for it?

Comment Re:With what tech base? (Score 1) 65

As with all statistics .. there is far more to the picture than you suggest.

Google's AI research is done in London, for example. Just because the companies are listed on the US stock exchange and their headquarters are in the US, doesn't in any way show where the actual work is happening.

The UK suffers from a cultural snobbery towards technology that tends to direct UK capital away from such investments, it does not suffer from a shortage of high quality research (both commercial and private), funded from abroad, or for that matter talented individuals.

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