Which companies are dead to you?

[prowla]

19 minutes ago, chriswareham said:

 

I recently stopped using a Yamaha UX-96 USB MIDI interface, which I bought over twenty years ago and used with my laptop as my other USB MIDI interface is a bit bulky. I only stopped using it as a friend offered to buy it off me since it seems to have some special functionality when used with a specific bit of Yamaha kit he owns. And my laptop? A 2011 vintage MacBook Pro which has run Linux for the last eight or so years since I bought it. My main music composition tool is a Roland W-30 workstation, which is 1989 vintage (although the floppy drive in it has been replaced with an emulator that uses SD cards).

 

When it comes to computer add ons, look for USB "class compliant" devices. There are standards for things like MIDI and audio that mean compliant devices don't need vendor specific drivers, and will use the generic drivers that come with Windows or Apple's operating systems.

 

(Ironically, the UX-96 I mention above wasn't class compliant as I think it predated the USB standard for MIDI, but Linux has a dedicated driver for it).

Yep - Linux seems to be fine supporting older kit.

Incidentally, I have a couple of VMs on my Linux box running older versions of Windoze for obsolete kit.

[Raslee]

Pirate Bay…their cracks gone downhill! 

[Gasman]

1 hour ago, Rich said:

That's enough B word, thank you. 

 

Apologies for taking the bait, no personal axe to grind on it, just fed up with seeing it linked to everything...

[StingRayBoy42]

On 25/02/2024 at 18:52, SH73 said:

Anything that has tarragon in it, disgusting herb, I'd rather eat a jar of marmite.

Tarragon went out of business, they had to send the bayleafs in.

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

Captain Tom Foundations 

[Downunderwonder]

7 hours ago, TimR said:

 

 

It's not 'a few hours' and if the product is discontinued why would they spend any time supporting it? If an OS update stops something working and it's discontinued you must have had it for a fair few years, time to upgrade to a better, newer interface.

 

This is the same with all computer based electronics. If you're spending a lot of money, buy something that is supported by the latest OS, not just by the OS you're currently running.

If the machine didn't insist on the death to all update all would have been fine. Apple squarely to blame for not allowing a device to mellow in its obsolescence still providing use. They didn't take old Steve out the back and shoot him.

[Woodinblack]

9 hours ago, Downunderwonder said:

If the machine didn't insist on the death to all update all would have been fine. 

 

Why did the machine insist? My music iPad (the one I gig with) doesn't get updates as it has everything it needs on it and it works fine. It will work like that until it eventually dies. My 1994 macbook 160 still works, although it has to be said, the battery life isn't great!

[Rich]

Samsung. I bought my daughter a phone many years ago, it had an alleged warranty on it. The screen cracked through no fault of her own (that is what she told me and she's not a dishonest person), so I got in contact with them to be told that the warranty doesn't cover the screen. I pointed out that it didn't say so in the warranty blurb and was told the equivalent of "well, it just doesn't, tough titty mate". That was the last new Samsung product I will ever buy. I'd consider buying a secondhand one because they do not gain from it, but only if there were no alternatives. 

[Downunderwonder]

2 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

 

Why did the machine insist?

Ask Apple not me. Probably Apple programmed it that way so it could be decommissioned via update at their leisure.

[TimR]

November 2019, there was an issue with GPS satelites that required all GPS enabled products to be updated or lose a lot of functionality, namely future updates and access to iCloud.

 

 

"If you have an iPhone 5, 4, or a cellular-enabled iPad mini, iPad 2 or a third-generation iPad"

 

I suggest anyone who has this issue boycot the US government who own the GPS network and stop using any GPS products or anything that relies on them. 🤣

[TimR]

15 hours ago, chriswareham said:

 

I recently stopped using a Yamaha UX-96 USB MIDI interface, which I bought over twenty years ago and used with my laptop as my other USB MIDI interface is a bit bulky. I only stopped using it as a friend offered to buy it off me since it seems to have some special functionality when used with a specific bit of Yamaha kit he owns. And my laptop? A 2011 vintage MacBook Pro which has run Linux for the last eight or so years since I bought it. My main music composition tool is a Roland W-30 workstation, which is 1989 vintage (although the floppy drive in it has been replaced with an emulator that uses SD cards).

 

When it comes to computer add ons, look for USB "class compliant" devices. There are standards for things like MIDI and audio that mean compliant devices don't need vendor specific drivers, and will use the generic drivers that come with Windows or Apple's operating systems.

 

(Ironically, the UX-96 I mention above wasn't class compliant as I think it predated the USB standard for MIDI, but Linux has a dedicated driver for it).

 

You can buy inline USB-midi interfaces from Amazon for a fiver. MIDI isn't going away, they're still selling it. 

 

I'm talking about hardware that no-one produces any more. 

 

Linux is supported by a load of public domain developers who make money elsewhere. 

 

I'm sure there are people using 20 year old hardware, but as you say, are waiting for it to die. No one should be complaining when it does and they have to pay a lot of money to replace everything, update everything, and learn a new software and hardware interface. Hopefully not the morning they're planning on using it in anger. 

[chriswareham]

59 minutes ago, TimR said:

 

Linux is supported by a load of public domain developers who make money elsewhere. 

 

 

Not true. Most Linux kernel development is by programmers employed by major companies that benefit from it, such as Intel, Amazon, Google, IBM/RedHat and MicroSoft. The latter may be surprising to some, since their ex-CEO once called it a "cancer", but they benefit from people using it on their Azure cloud platform or running it virtualised from within Windows. Most work on the other key elements that make up a Linux "distribution" (the complete operating system built on top of the Linux kernel itself) is also done by commercial developers. As for being "public domain", that is again wrong - and why Steve Ballmer called it a cancer - since the Linux kernel has a license that insists any changes that are distributed in binary form are also available in source code form. True "public domain" software, or even software with less restrictive licenses than the one the Linux kernel uses, can be sold in binary form without providing the source code.

[martthebass]

1 hour ago, Rich said:

Samsung. I bought my daughter a phone many years ago, it had an alleged warranty on it. The screen cracked through no fault of her own (that is what she told me and she's not a dishonest person), so I got in contact with them to be told that the warranty doesn't cover the screen. I pointed out that it didn't say so in the warranty blurb and was told the equivalent of "well, it just doesn't, tough titty mate". That was the last new Samsung product I will ever buy. I'd consider buying a secondhand one because they do not gain from it, but only if there were no alternatives. 

Samsung with me also.  In my case a 50" smart TV.  Not an inconsiderable spend so I was royally p155ed when the screen started to suffer issues at 5yr old, especially seeing as my previous Panasonic had done 10 years and was only replaced as it was a chonky flat screen.  Was informed by their tech support that it was a known issue and the cost of repair would be not far off what I would pay for a new one.

Sony got my money this time around - hope they're a bit better.

[TimR]

17 minutes ago, chriswareham said:

Not true. Most Linux kernel development is by programmers employed by major companies that benefit from it, such as Intel, Amazon, Google, IBM/RedHat and MicroSoft.

 

Elsewhere then. 🤣

 

As in not at Linux HQ.

[prowla]

1 hour ago, chriswareham said:

 

Not true. Most Linux kernel development is by programmers employed by major companies that benefit from it, such as Intel, Amazon, Google, IBM/RedHat and MicroSoft. The latter may be surprising to some, since their ex-CEO once called it a "cancer", but they benefit from people using it on their Azure cloud platform or running it virtualised from within Windows. Most work on the other key elements that make up a Linux "distribution" (the complete operating system built on top of the Linux kernel itself) is also done by commercial developers. As for being "public domain", that is again wrong - and why Steve Ballmer called it a cancer - since the Linux kernel has a license that insists any changes that are distributed in binary form are also available in source code form. True "public domain" software, or even software with less restrictive licenses than the one the Linux kernel uses, can be sold in binary form without providing the source code.

Amusingly, Micro$oft used to take a royalty fee on every PC-based UNIX (SCO & Solaris), because it was part of their deal in producing Xenix.

[BassTractor]

Apple, Coke, Nestlé and others for bringing multinational cynicism to new levels.

Samsung and LG 

for demonstrably having designed their tv printed circuit boards in absurdly complicated ways, thus placing low grade condensators close to very hot transistors so as to bring expected lifespan to a minimum.
Reportedly, these tellies averagely lasted for only four years.

(My own LG telly lasted one year and one day, one day longer than the warranty. My Samsung phone lasted three months. Long story.
OTOH, my 2013 Samsung tablet is still used every day, and it works perfectly.)
 

[Greg Edwards69]

Another vote for Wetherspoons. Try this instead:

 

Neverspoons - Find yourself an alternative pint while also supporting local independent pubs and bars.

Edited February 27 by Greg Edwards69

[ped]

Every time I see this thread title I think it says "Which compressors are dead to you"

 

I've been on Basschat too long.

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

10 minutes ago, ped said:

"Which compressors are dead to you"

The one built into my Ashdown ABM 600 EVO VI doesn't get any use at all.

[Greg Edwards69]

Halfords. I bought a Carerra folding bike from them several years ago - at the time I thought it made sense.  Regretably, I sold my (low end) Claude Butler road bike not long after getting it. Around 7 or 8 months later, one of the folding pedals started getting very loose. I took it back and was told that moving parts are only guaranteed for 6 months! I replied (loudly) along the lines of "are you saying everything apart from the frame has an expected lifespan of 6 months? If so, your bikes are not for for purpose and are dangerous!"

 

They then agreed to replace the pedals free of charge (which took a while to order the parts). A few month later, I was cycling home from work and the right pedal fell off whilst going round a round-a-bout. Scared the crap out of me. I had to push the bike about 2.5 miles home - handily past that same Halfords. I went straight in struggled to stay calm. They looked at it and saw the thread inside the crank arm had cracked - then tried to pull the same crap about the moving parts guarantee. I said, absolutely no! You replaced these pedals, it's your workmanship that nearly caused me to have an accident on a busy round-a-about.

 

They agreed to fix it, again, for free. I then ordered a Specialized hybrid bike from Cycles UK via the cycle to work scheme, and sold the folding one as soon as I could.

[Paul S]

43 minutes ago, ped said:

Every time I see this thread title I think it says "Which compressors are dead to you"

 

I've been on Basschat too long.

 

if you think that is bad, every time I see the thread 'playing in church' my mind says 'farting in church'.  

[Dan Dare]

20 hours ago, Rich said:

That's enough B word, thank you. 

 

 

Yes. Let's keep it light and frothy, with a chuckle or two...

[lozkerr]

2 hours ago, prowla said:

Amusingly, Micro$oft used to take a royalty fee on every PC-based UNIX (SCO & Solaris), because it was part of their deal in producing Xenix.

I have rather too many memories of Xenix. It should have been strangled at birth. SCO was a lot better until the company sued itself into the ground. I used to run a SCO-based Usenet news server as part of my BBS set-up back in the 90s.

 

Never knew Solaris ran on PCs though - I thought it was SPARC only?

[tauzero]

3 hours ago, BassTractor said:

Samsung and LG 

for demonstrably having designed their tv printed circuit boards in absurdly complicated ways, thus placing low grade condensators close to very hot transistors so as to bring expected lifespan to a minimum.
Reportedly, these tellies averagely lasted for only four years.

(My own LG telly lasted one year and one day, one day longer than the warranty. My Samsung phone lasted three months. Long story.
OTOH, my 2013 Samsung tablet is still used every day, and it works perfectly.)

 

The LG TV upstairs in my office is 14 years old and was put up there when I replaced it with another LG TV, which is now 5 years old. The only thing I can fault it on is the Discovery+ app, which is incredibly laggy, but I don't know if that's the smart TV being stupid or a poorly written app (other streaming services work fine).

[chrisba]

1 hour ago, lozkerr said:

Never knew Solaris ran on PCs though - I thought it was SPARC only?

No, Solaris ran ( runs ) on x86 as well. Common code base for vast majority of it, and a pretty similar release cycle.

Still some supported versions, I believe, although it's all owned by Oracle now, who have other fish to fry.
 

( I was a Sun / Oracle for nearly 20 years. Sun was the best company I ever worked for. Oracle definitely weren't )