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Search: Posts Made By: iain
Forum: Computers and the Internet 18th March 2005, 08:53 AM
Replies: 19
Views: 1,147
Posted By iain
Pretty much as much or little as you want. ...

Pretty much as much or little as you want. DamnSmallLinux fits on under 50MB and gives you a working graphical environment, web browser etc.

If you're willing to sacrifice a graphical...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 11th March 2005, 08:08 AM
Replies: 31
Views: 2,875
Posted By iain
I've got one of those. Until I read your posts...

I've got one of those. Until I read your posts it never occured to me that it was anything out of the ordainary. Oh well, you live and learn.
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 18th February 2005, 06:55 AM
Replies: 43
Views: 1,298
Posted By iain
Don't base your morality on evolution. Evolution...

Don't base your morality on evolution. Evolution is a biological process, not a moral one. Don't confuse what it with what should be.
Forum: General Skepticism and The Paranormal 18th February 2005, 02:48 AM
Replies: 7
Views: 1,090
Posted By iain
Could be worse. I got an email asking if I...

Could be worse. I got an email asking if I wanted to renew my membership of a pay-porn site. My wife saw it, so much explaining was to be done. I was never a member in the first place, so I guess...
Forum: Computers and the Internet 18th February 2005, 02:24 AM
Replies: 6
Views: 1,044
Posted By iain
Guess I've just been lucky. :)

Guess I've just been lucky. :)
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 17th February 2005, 07:21 AM
Replies: 23
Views: 1,576
Posted By iain
I have a reliable source who tells me that Hitler...

I have a reliable source who tells me that Hitler regularly ate food and drank water. I will never touch these evil things again.
Forum: Computers and the Internet 17th February 2005, 07:17 AM
Replies: 6
Views: 1,044
Posted By iain
I've had NTL for about 18 months and been quite...

I've had NTL for about 18 months and been quite happy with them. Service isn't great, but it isn't terrible either and it's got better.
Forum: Computers and the Internet 16th February 2005, 04:32 AM
Replies: 32
Views: 1,817
Posted By iain
As a non-programmer who dabbles, I found it hard...

As a non-programmer who dabbles, I found it hard to get my head round Perl (too inconsistent and confusing) and C (never got pointers) but finally found Python - a good language that makes sense and...
Forum: Computers and the Internet 16th February 2005, 04:25 AM
Replies: 5
Views: 559
Posted By iain
I've just been shopping around for a decent...

I've just been shopping around for a decent mid-priced laptop and finally settled on an IBM thinkpad R50. It isn't the sleekest thing around but it's ideal for my needs.

For one, it's solid. My...
Forum: Education 10th February 2005, 07:03 AM
Replies: 32
Views: 2,335
Posted By iain
I do something similar to remind myself in my...

I do something similar to remind myself in my occasional forays into perl and python.

I sort of agree with you. I think, though, that this was too easy. For a start, there was never any question...
Forum: Education 10th February 2005, 05:10 AM
Replies: 32
Views: 2,335
Posted By iain
I can remember getting grade A in GCSE Physics...

I can remember getting grade A in GCSE Physics (the English exam you take at 16) whilst needing almost no real understanding of the subject.

We got a sheet with all the equations on so I didn't...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 10th February 2005, 04:54 AM
Replies: 3
Views: 1,097
Posted By iain
I finished the book, The Ancestor's Tale, a...

I finished the book, The Ancestor's Tale, a couple of days ago and I can thoroughly recommend it. It covers different ground to his other books, in the main, and I learned lots of new things.
Forum: Computers and the Internet 9th February 2005, 08:38 AM
Replies: 11
Views: 764
Posted By iain
Good point, I'd missed that. No idea, really. ...

Good point, I'd missed that. No idea, really. The only things I can think of are
1. Beanbag's making some mistake when turning on WEP and some other setting gets changed too.
2. There's an error...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 9th February 2005, 05:42 AM
Replies: 10
Views: 1,258
Posted By iain
There was a nice little joke I heard on the...

There was a nice little joke I heard on the Garrison Keiller Radio Show, something like this.

A woman's driving along when she comes across a guy doing 40mph. She can't easily overtake so she...
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 9th February 2005, 05:33 AM
Replies: 30
Views: 2,289
Posted By iain
Oo - a new word for me : contraindicated. Now...

Oo - a new word for me : contraindicated. Now I've just got to find somewhere to use it :)
Forum: Computers and the Internet 9th February 2005, 05:05 AM
Replies: 11
Views: 764
Posted By iain
That still doesn't explain why you are having...

That still doesn't explain why you are having connectivity problems with WEP enabled - it should work fine.

I assume that you've enabled WEP on your router and put in a password. You've then put...
Forum: USA Politics 7th February 2005, 08:04 AM
Replies: 32
Views: 1,487
Posted By iain
I'm not sure about that. In France and Germany,...

I'm not sure about that. In France and Germany, a percentage fee from any art sold goes back to the artist. The idea is that artists often sell works cheap, especially early works, that later...
Forum: History, Literature, and the Arts 4th February 2005, 07:33 AM
Replies: 12
Views: 1,486
Posted By iain
I think one of the early chuch councils...

I think one of the early chuch councils (somewhere around 200AD maybe) decided which gospels would be included in the NT.
Forum: Computers and the Internet 3rd February 2005, 06:46 AM
Replies: 14
Views: 554
Posted By iain
Don't drop it, even a short distance like out of...

Don't drop it, even a short distance like out of your pocket.

Oh, sorry, too late :eek:
Forum: General Skepticism and The Paranormal 2nd February 2005, 07:06 AM
Replies: 8
Views: 1,149
Posted By iain
Nuff said :D Sky One : Good for...

Nuff said :D

Sky One : Good for entertainment; probably not your first choice for factual programming (and owned by that nice Mr Murdoch, of course).
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 2nd February 2005, 06:25 AM
Replies: 9
Views: 1,293
Posted By iain
I saw an interesting creationist piece the other...

I saw an interesting creationist piece the other day on these lines. It used the standard techniques : taking misleading and out-of-context quotations along with things that are just plain wrong to...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 2nd February 2005, 04:52 AM
Replies: 37
Views: 1,949
Posted By iain
I'm sure the psychics around the world are...

I'm sure the psychics around the world are longing for him to die. Every year they must look around for dead cert predictions to make and every year they must think "surely the Pope can't last...
Forum: USA Politics 26th January 2005, 08:31 AM
Replies: 19
Views: 1,650
Posted By iain
It would only be fair if they were stabbed and...

It would only be fair if they were stabbed and hung themselves, in retribution. As the Bible says - "an eye for an eye..."

Artists - kill the lot of 'em, I say.
Forum: USA Politics 26th January 2005, 06:33 AM
Replies: 112
Views: 4,372
Posted By iain
I think you should sue for every penny. You...

I think you should sue for every penny. You should also get the government to pay for a CofE vicar to come to your house and conduct an act of worship for you, 200 days a year for 9 years to make up...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 26th January 2005, 05:18 AM
Replies: 63
Views: 2,432
Posted By iain
As long as you paid your $75 fee, obviously. For...

As long as you paid your $75 fee, obviously. For $250 you could be a Grand High Wizard of the Order of Neo-Darwinians.
Forum: USA Politics 26th January 2005, 05:12 AM
Replies: 112
Views: 4,372
Posted By iain
Following the British example, I do think...

Following the British example, I do think atheists should consider supporting the US becoming a Christian nation like us.

In the UK
- State (public) schools are legally obliged to have a daily...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 25th January 2005, 09:03 AM
Replies: 63
Views: 2,432
Posted By iain
Nothing wrong with questioning accepted...

Nothing wrong with questioning accepted scientific notions. If the only reason you ask a question is to catch your teacher out, that's fine as long as you don't confuse "my teacher can't answer this...
Forum: Computers and the Internet 25th January 2005, 06:51 AM
Replies: 26
Views: 1,739
Posted By iain
VOIP is increasingly coming to normal telephones....

VOIP is increasingly coming to normal telephones. There are quite a few services in the UK that offer this : you need a broadband connection first.

You then get a VOIP router than plugs into your...
Forum: General Skepticism and The Paranormal 24th January 2005, 06:44 AM
Replies: 7
Views: 923
Posted By iain
I think that was the one, but that was in the...

I think that was the one, but that was in the Spring of last year. They were going to get together in the summer/autumn in the US and conduct joint experiments with an agreed protocol to figure out...
Forum: General Skepticism and The Paranormal 24th January 2005, 05:47 AM
Replies: 7
Views: 923
Posted By iain
What happened with Wiseman's being watched research?

I only remembered the other day that Richard Wiseman and an American investigator were going to run joint tests on their studies into whether people could detect they were being watched.

I never...
Forum: Computers and the Internet 21st January 2005, 08:35 AM
Replies: 4
Views: 864
Posted By iain
Not only is it possible, it's been happening for...

Not only is it possible, it's been happening for years. SETI is an example of a distributed parallel computing network.

The main feature of normal parallel computing is that a central system can...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 21st January 2005, 06:07 AM
Replies: 123
Views: 4,707
Posted By iain
Re: A question for atheists here.

If we're talking about the Christian God; I probably would but I would need to understand a bit more about God than just the fact of his existence. Just because something is powerful and exists...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 21st January 2005, 05:35 AM
Replies: 11
Views: 865
Posted By iain
Another question in the poll asked "If you had to...

Another question in the poll asked "If you had to say, which religious faith would you describe yourself as belonging to." In response to this question, 87% identified themselves as being...
Forum: General Skepticism and The Paranormal 21st January 2005, 05:18 AM
Replies: 20
Views: 1,432
Posted By iain
In the UK, Blasphemy only refers to the Christian...

In the UK, Blasphemy only refers to the Christian religion/god. Other religions have no equivalent legal protection.
Forum: Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology 21st January 2005, 02:17 AM
Replies: 14
Views: 1,601
Posted By iain
This week's New Scientist has an article about it...

This week's New Scientist has an article about it :
Forum: USA Politics 21st January 2005, 02:10 AM
Replies: 14
Views: 1,156
Posted By iain
I saw the documentary when it aired in the UK. ...

I saw the documentary when it aired in the UK. It is very interesting and definitely worth a look. It certains presents a convincing argument that the NeoCons inflate the danger of terrorism to...
Forum: Computers and the Internet 21st January 2005, 02:00 AM
Replies: 41
Views: 2,162
Posted By iain
Hopefully this is getting easier. When I...

Hopefully this is getting easier. When I encounter a site that doesn't work with Firefox (or, even worse, blocks Firefox though it might work if they let it try) I drop them a short, polite, note...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 20th January 2005, 07:05 AM
Replies: 11
Views: 865
Posted By iain
Under half of Brits believe in God

From polling data taken in December 2004 :

(1981 adults across Britain, results weighted to reflect the profile of all adults).

Do you believe in God?
Yes : 44%
No : 35%
Don't know : 21%
...
Forum: History, Literature, and the Arts 20th January 2005, 03:39 AM
Replies: 3
Views: 824
Posted By iain
The investigators are portrayed as...

The investigators are portrayed as ultra-conscientious scientists who know what is happening but just can't publish for some reason (e.g obscure programming error, discovery that a witness was led...
Forum: General Skepticism and The Paranormal 20th January 2005, 03:35 AM
Replies: 20
Views: 1,432
Posted By iain
Strange as it seems today, four hundred years ago...

Strange as it seems today, four hundred years ago the idea of normal people discussing politics at all was seen as a worrying and bad development.
Forum: USA Politics 19th January 2005, 05:33 AM
Replies: 33
Views: 1,512
Posted By iain
Surely saying art should be entirely original is...

Surely saying art should be entirely original is like saying science should be. No-one suggests that Einstein's genius was less because he was building on what had been done before; or that Darwin...
Forum: General Skepticism and The Paranormal 19th January 2005, 05:21 AM
Replies: 20
Views: 1,432
Posted By iain
Re: Blasphemy laws

To be fair, none of the Christians I have heard have suggested that God does need protecting.

Their concern is more than they (christians) should not have to be offended in that way. I guess...
Forum: General Skepticism and The Paranormal 19th January 2005, 05:17 AM
Replies: 18
Views: 1,080
Posted By iain
Quite a nice write-up of a BBC report on EVP here...

Quite a nice write-up of a BBC report on EVP here (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/reports/misc/evp_20050107.shtml)
Forum: USA Politics 18th January 2005, 08:12 AM
Replies: 17
Views: 1,221
Posted By iain
George Bush will be declared the winner; but...

George Bush will be declared the winner; but cynics will come up with feeble reasons why the vote must have been rigged like "he wasn't standing as a candidate".
Forum: Computers and the Internet 18th January 2005, 08:08 AM
Replies: 41
Views: 2,162
Posted By iain
I've used both a lot and did actually pay for...

I've used both a lot and did actually pay for Opera once (in my last days as a Windows user). They are both excellent browsers but, for me, Firefox has fewer quirks and a cleaner interface.

Where...
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 13th January 2005, 04:35 AM
Replies: 15
Views: 1,334
Posted By iain
God cares about us so much he gave his only son...

God cares about us so much he gave his only son etc. etc. etc.

I think the general get-out for all these sorts of queries is that your reward comes in the afterlife in Heaven.
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 12th January 2005, 04:27 AM
Replies: 41
Views: 1,941
Posted By iain
I still don't understand what you mean by "exist...

I still don't understand what you mean by "exist in the abstract sense".
Forum: Religion and Philosophy 12th January 2005, 04:26 AM
Replies: 41
Views: 1,941
Posted By iain
Crossbow. I agree - this is just another way...

Crossbow.

I agree - this is just another way of phrasing the age-old question of why a loving God allows suffering. The answer seems to involve a lot of shuffling and in some cases pointing to a...
Forum: General Skepticism and The Paranormal 12th January 2005, 03:24 AM
Replies: 74
Views: 2,372
Posted By iain
Thought for the Day on BBC Radio 4's "Today...

Thought for the Day on BBC Radio 4's "Today Programme" is becoming unbearable.

After two weeks of listening to people tell us that it really is OK for a loving God to all the tsunami (and the...
Forum: General Skepticism and The Paranormal 11th January 2005, 11:35 AM
Replies: 74
Views: 2,372
Posted By iain
I've just heard a very amusing interview with the...

I've just heard a very amusing interview with the head of a Christian organisation. They published senior BBC executives home addresses and phone numbers on their website; then acted surprised when...
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