NicholasBohm

@NicholasBohm@mastodon.online

<p>Retired English lawyer with interest in technology and its applications.</p>

For more, visit http://www.ernest.net

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NicholasBohm, to random

@neil

I was very high-tech at Uni: I had a portable typewriter.

1962 - 1965

revk, (edited ) to random
@revk@toot.me.uk avatar

Fuckity fuck fuck.
I did not want to find how good a cruise sick bay is.
I am feeling seriously ill 😟

[Finally managing to keep fever down for now]

NicholasBohm,

@revk

Very sorry to hear it — keeping fingers crossed.

1br0wn, to random
@1br0wn@eupolicy.social avatar

deleted_by_author

    •
    NicholasBohm,

    @1br0wn

    Thus avoiding an answer to the question "What are lies worth?".

    Though of course Dr Goebbels showed us long ago.

    1br0wn, to ai
    @1br0wn@eupolicy.social avatar

    deleted_by_author

    •
    NicholasBohm,

    @1br0wn

    Using AI to enable the less elite professional to perform more elite skills seems to depend on having trustworthy AI.

    Is this not still a pipe dream?

    NicholasBohm,

    @1br0wn @tforcworc

    Some good news of this sort on the (genuine) AI front would certainly be welcome. (To me in particular, I suppose!)

    1br0wn, to random
    @1br0wn@eupolicy.social avatar

    deleted_by_author

    •
    NicholasBohm,

    @1br0wn

    The assumption that most bankers are honest has always served me well. I am far from thrilled that they will be using machines that tell ruthless lies when it suits them, since this makes my assumption impossible to sustain.

    revk, to random
    @revk@toot.me.uk avatar

    At least they are handling unicode / accented characters on postage. (Latest Royal Mail API v4).

    Though I may have found a different bug in the API already 🙂

    NicholasBohm,

    @tpuddle @simon_greenwood @linus @revk

    This explanation of legal tender is incomplete. If you offer legal tender to discharge a debt but it is rejected, that does not leave you free from the debt. The creditor can in fact sue for it; but if you answer with a defence of tender AND you pay sum due on the debt into court, the creditor cannot claim any legal costs against you.

    So it's not that much good to you in the end, just a pain to the creditor.

    revk, to random
    @revk@toot.me.uk avatar

    As opposed to “3am in the afternoon”?

    NicholasBohm,

    @RupertReynolds @mansr @revk

    One of the better April Fool announcement of past years was that the EU would adopt a 25 hour day with 100 minutes an hour. It was utterly convincing.

    neil, to random

    If my wife wants to do something "computer-y" - pretty much anything - she'll reach for her phone.

    If I want to do something "computer-y", I reach for my computer, for pretty much anything other than reading a short message or quick, casual browsing.

    Yes, everyone is different, but I much prefer a larger screen and a physical keyboard for anything but the most trivial of tasks.

    Are you a computer-first person, or a phone-first person?

    NicholasBohm,

    @neil

    Can't do anything serious without a mouse. Phone has no mouse.

    NicholasBohm,

    @neil

    When I first saw a demo of a Xerox WP workstation (1970s I think), the movement of mouse and cursor gave me nausea. But when I much later met the GUI, to my surprise I took to it and found the CLI a pain.

    Shows how various we just are.

    neil, to random

    Everyone else here (law firm panel day for a big organisation) is in a suit.

    I am pleased with my choice of shirt (see earlier CW'd post).

    NicholasBohm,

    @neil

    When you first attended what was then the Law Society's Electronic Law Committee wearing one of Those Shirts, I knew that it would be in safe hands if I retired.

    neil, to random

    deleted_by_author

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    NicholasBohm,

    @neil

    Sometimes you have to force an entry to the burglar alarm. They usually give in without much of a struggle. Then bill your neighbour for your time at out of hours rates. Works a treat!

    dell, (edited ) to random
    @dell@journa.host avatar

    I’m interested to know how the internet, or being on the internet, scares people. What frightens you when you pick up your phone? Doesn’t matter if you don’t think it’s real or rational. I’d still like to know. I’m a writer and you can reach me: dell_cameron@wired.com.

    NicholasBohm,

    @dell

    Nothing scares me at all about being on the internet. But I don't let it on my phone — it's strictly for the desktop and can't follow me about.

    NicholasBohm,

    @dell

    My desktop machine is set to collect from my ISP's server but my phone isn't. It seems simple enough.

    revk, to random
    @revk@toot.me.uk avatar

    Anyone else get slightly annoyed at couriers charging the recipient an admin fee for customs/duty.

    It is just one of many bits of admin getting a parcel from sender to recipient under a contract with the sender. But they charge the recipient, with whom they have no contract.

    I doubt it has a legal basis at all. One reason for this doubt is legislation allowing Royal Mail to make such a charge. If there was a legal basis for such, RM would not need a special law for it.

    I’ll see what DHL say.

    NicholasBohm,

    @alan @revk

    I am told that the mantra for dealing with debt collectors is "the debt is disputed", repeated as many times as necessary.

    1br0wn, to random
    @1br0wn@eupolicy.social avatar

    Whereas where the EU has independent regulators, like the GDPR supervisory authorities, some of them can be a lot more ferocious than the UK’s… (I don’t think the CMA is formally more independent than the ICO, or know why one is so much more ferocious than the other…)

    RT @MehreenKhn
    The CMA’s decision on Microsoft/Activision is another step in making the UK one of the most important players in global mergers regulation, sparking “fe…
    https://twitter.com/MehreenKhn/status/1653339305601912833

    NicholasBohm,

    @1br0wn

    The UK found it politically expedient to comply with what seemed to it rubbish in practice, so opted for the "toothless regulator" solution. That worked better in the short run than in the long, surprisingly.

    1br0wn, (edited ) to random
    @1br0wn@eupolicy.social avatar

    The Church of England apparently thought widening the “homage” paid at the coronation of Charles III from the aristocracy to anyone watching on TV was inclusive. Instead it seems to have crystallised many Britons’ latent republicanism (including mine) https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/may/01/the-pledge-of-allegiance-to-the-king-is-nonsense-and-seems-designed-to-incense-everyone?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

    NicholasBohm,

    @1br0wn

    One of the monarchy's biggest props these days has got to be the fear that without it we shall get Tony Blair as president.

    neil, to random

    deleted_by_author

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    NicholasBohm,

    @neil

    Did you realise this is exactly the same as Mr Punch's advice to those about to get married?

    1br0wn, to random
    @1br0wn@eupolicy.social avatar

    “Banks, insurers and asset managers could face fines of up to 5 per cent of global revenues for financing or underwriting companies accused of human rights and environmental violations.” https://on.ft.com/3LyDexn

    NicholasBohm,

    @1br0wn

    Well, there's irony for you (unless they really meant "convicted of ...).

    neil, to random

    I need to make a (work) decision some point soon and, for once, I am on the fence.

    The UK Information Commissioner’s Office has offered me an occasional seat on its Technology Advisory Panel.

    I guess I should be chuffed, but the overall selection and onboarding experience has left so much to be desired, that I am in two minds whether it is worth me accepting.

    But it might lead to some interesting experiences, and I guess I could always turn down stuff if it was problematic for me…

    Tricky.

    NicholasBohm,

    @neil

    Whoever said that must know a lot of rubbish lawyers. But they really aren't that hard to find — it's the good ones that are hard to find.

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