Plug finally pulled on Internet Explorer: good riddance!

Posted on June 15, 2022 by ivanmconsiglio

The most annoying web browser in history, Internet Explorer, has today seen its last day of support from Microsoft.

Way back in 1994, Bill Gates had said that he foresaw little commercial potential for the Internet for the following 10 years. I had been bitten myself by the bug while studying and working in the USA earlier in 1991, a time of dial-up modems, AOL reigning supreme as an email box provider, and when Netscape was still a sexy web browser to use (still have its installation floppies buried someplace).

But, oops, how wrong was Gates when he blurted that out at Comdex.

He and Microsoft realised how wrong that stance was eventually, but they weren’t the first to launch a web browser for fledgling web surfers.

The National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign created the first widely used graphical web browser, Mosaic. It was developed by Marc Andreessen and Eric Bina, although despite being the most well-known, it wasn’t the first graphical web browser. ViolaWWW, a Unix browser, was the first Windows graphical web browser, whereas Cello was the first Windows graphical web browser.

Mosaic, on the other hand, was the first browser to allow users to see graphics within website pages. That was a game-changer, to say the least. Previously, pictures could only be shown as independent files in browsers. The first and earliest browser battle was a foregone conclusion: Mosaic was victorious.

When then in 1995, Gates believed that Microsoft needed to provide something to all of the people who were clamouring for a web browser. Gates began stating things like, “The Internet is the most important single development to come along since the IBM PC was introduced in 1981,” and compared it to a tidal wave in May 1995.

Whether it was a tidal wave or not, Microsoft was still unprepared. Spyglass, a commercial version of the popular Mosaic web browser, was chosen as a rapid repair. Internet Explorer (IE) 1 was released in August 1995 as part of Microsoft Plus for Windows 95, a Windows software add-on bundle.

The first version of Internet Explorer was a failure. It also strained relations with Spyglass, which had been promised a cut of Microsoft’s IE earnings. However, Microsoft began bundling Internet Explorer with Windows, resulting in a loss of revenue. In 1997, Microsoft reached a $8 million settlement with Spyglass.

This Spyglass/Mosaic codebase would remain in Internet Explorer until the release of IE7. “Distributed via a licence arrangement with Spyglass, Inc.” was written in the “About” pane of Internet Explorer 1 through 6. Microsoft is said to have innovated with Internet Explorer. It didn’t work out.

Simultaneously, Andreessen took the Mosaic code and converted it into Netscape, the first widely used web browser. Netscape will “convert Windows to a set of badly debugged device drivers,” Andreessen promised.

The threat was taken seriously by Microsoft. In a June 1995 meeting, Microsoft offered that the two firms split the browser industry, with Internet Explorer becoming the exclusive Windows browser, according to Netscape CEO James Barksdale. Microsoft would smash Netscape if it did not cooperate.

During the US Department of Justice’s antitrust lawsuit against Microsoft in 2001, Barksdale claimed, “I had never been in a meeting in my 33-year business history where a rival had so openly implied that we should either cease competing with it or the competition would destroy us.”

Despite this, Netscape continued to be at the forefront of the technological revolution. The big breakthrough came with Netscape Communicator. JavaScript, for example, is likely the most widely used programming language in the world, and it was created by Netscape. But, to be fair, Microsoft had their moments as well. In 1996, for example, Internet Explorer 3.0 was the first browser to support Cascading Style Sheets (CSS).

But the true reason we’re saying goodbye to IE now, long after Netscape has vanished, is because Microsoft used their unlawful PC/Windows monopoly to prevent Netscape from being installed on PCs. Microsoft coerced PC manufacturers into installing the new operating system and browser on all of their machines. There was no significant OS rivalry in the mid-’90s, so the objective wasn’t so much to kill out other PC operating system makers. The idea was to completely demolish Netscape.

The courts were in agreement. The US Department of Justice won its lawsuit against Microsoft because the company’s PC monopoly prevented Netscape from competing with Internet Explorer. Unfortunately, instead of splitting Microsoft up into independent firms or open-sourcing its code, the government handed it a smack on the wrist. And, as Microsoft had threatened back in 1995, Netscape perished.

As a result, many of you grew up with Internet Explorer as your default browser. You had no idea what could have been the alternatives.

After the introduction of IE6 with Windows XP in 2001, Microsoft ceased developing with the browser. What was the point? There was no way for users to leave. They didn’t have any other options. By the mid-2000s, Internet Explorer had a market share of more than 90%.

However, in 2005, Firefox, which was based on Netscape’s outdated coding, became a viable alternative. The ultimate death of IE came in 2008, when Google chose to create Chrome, a contemporary, fast, and efficient web browser (yippee!!).

Microsoft never managed to catch up. Today, Microsoft’s contemporary browser, Edge, is built on the open-source Chromium code base. Except for Firefox, all of the current main Windows web browsers are based on Chromium. Edge has a feature called IE mode that uses the Chromium engine for current websites and the Trident MSHTML engine from Internet Explorer 11 for legacy sites.

And IE? Simply abandoned and let to rot. Despite this, many continue to use Internet Explorer today, … mehh, Lord help them! The Digital Analytics Program (DAP) of the US federal government reports an average of 300,000 Internet Explorer site visits to government websites in the last seven days.

Despite support for Internet Explorer 11 on Windows 10 stopping on June 15th, Microsoft isn’t completely abandoning the browser. In fact, with extended security updates, the IE11 desktop client on Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 (and even Windows 10 Enterprise, version 20H2) will continue to plough on.

Furthermore, Microsoft Edge’s IE mode will be supported until at least 2029. And yes, those dreadful IE-only websites and apps will continue to function for several more years still. So don’t go about removing Internet Explorer yourselves. When Edge comes across an old legacy webpage, it will still use that feature. For the time being, Microsoft has said that IE desktop apps would be gradually shifted to Microsoft Edge.

When will IE be laid to rest for good? We have no idea. Microsoft has been tight-lipped about the situation. Someday, though, you’ll get a Windows Update that completely removes Internet Explorer.

Many, like myself, will earnestly await that day!

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In a blow to Apple, the EU settles on a single mobile charging port.

Posted on June 8, 2022 by ivanmconsiglio
IPhone 12 phones are seen at the new Apple Store on Broadway
in downtown Los Angeles, California, U.S., June 24, 2021.
(Photo: REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson)
  • Apple has tilll 2024 to make changes
  • Company claims that the shift will stifle innovation.
  • Apple’s sales could be boosted by the sale of newer phones.

In a world first, EU governments and parliament agreed on Tuesday to a single charging port for mobile phones, tablets, and cameras, requiring Apple to modify the connector on iPhones sold in Europe by 2024.

After corporations failed to achieve a single solution, the European Commission intervened, claiming that it would make life easier for customers and save them money.

For more than a decade, Brussels has pushed for a single mobile charging connector, sparked by concerns from iPhone and Android users about having to switch between multiple chargers for their smartphones.

iPhones use Lightning cables to charge, while Android smartphones use USB-C connectors.

The corporation had previously warned that the measure would stifle innovation and result in a pile of technological garbage, but did not immediately react to a request for comment.

Despite this, its stock was up 0.9 percent in New York morning session.

According to analysts, the switch might be a sales driver for Apple in 2024, pushing more Europeans to buy the latest products rather than those without USB-C.

“We are pleased that laptops, e-readers, earbuds, keyboards, computer mouse, and portable navigation devices are covered,” said Dr Alex Agius Saliba, a Maltese MEP who led the debate in the European Parliament.

According to CFRA Research analyst Angelo Zino, it may entice buyers to upgrade to a new phone sooner. “Pre-existing customers can continue to utilise the Lightning cable,” he said, “but there may be fewer purchases of older devices on third-party marketplaces.”

Bloomberg reported last month that Apple is working on an iPhone with a USB-C charging port that could be released next year. When Apple announces new iPhones, older models are frequently discounted, resulting in millions of buyers opting for the less expensive models.

According to Jitesh Ubrani, research manager at research firm IDC, if the EU forbids the sale of older models, it risks offending many consumers and forcing them to pay more. According to a 2019 Commission survey, half of the chargers sold with mobile phones in 2018 had a USB micro-B connector, 29 percent had a USB-C connector, and 21 percent had a Lightning connector.

In a statement, the European Parliament stated, “By fall 2024, USB Type-C will become the common charging port for all mobile phones, tablets, and cameras in the EU.” Consumers would save roughly 250 million euros ($267 million) as a result of the agreement, according to EU industry director Thierry Breton. “It will also allow new technologies to arise and mature, such as wireless charging, without allowing innovation to become a cause of market fragmentation and consumer discomfort,” he said.

Laptops will be required to comply with the law within 40 months after its implementation. Wireless charging solutions will be harmonised by the EU executive in the future. Analysts believe that because the agreement encompasses e-readers, earbuds, and other technologies, it will have an influence on Samsung, Huawei, and other gadget makers.

“We are pleased that laptops, e-readers, earbuds, keyboards, computer mouse, and portable navigation devices are covered,” said Dr Alex Agius Saliba, a Maltese MEP who led the debate in the European Parliament.

($1 = €0.9364)

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The desertification of Malta amidst rising air temperatures

Posted on June 7, 2022 by ivanmconsiglio

Since 1952, the air temperature in Malta has risen by 1.54°C.

Malta is an archipelago with numerous gorgeous landscapes, architectural marvels, and enticing beaches, making it a popular tourist destination.

However, there is a danger on the horizon. Malta is experiencing a water shortage dilemma as a result of a lack of groundwater and rising global temperatures.

Parts of the islands are becoming desert, unable to maintain the same level of food production and endangering Maltese daily life.

A switch from semi-aridity to hyper-aridity will see far less naturally occurring freshwater, impacting vegetation, agriculture and domestic needs.
(Photo: Desiree Attard/Shutterstock.com)

In addition, air temperatures in Malta have been continuously rising since 1952, with the mean maximum air temperature expected to rise by 1.54°C by 2020, according to a climate report published by the National Statistics Office (NSO), titled “The State of the Climate 2022”, to mark World Environment Day. According to the report, data analysis indicates that the environment is growing progressively warmer, drier, and more prone to weather extremes.

The mean lowest air temperature climbed by 1.37°C between 1952 and 2020, while the mean highest maximum air temperature grew by 1.20°C. The mean lowest minimum air temperature climbed by 1.67°C throughout the same time period.

Temperature rises can vary dramatically over short periods of time due to predictable, cyclical phenomena as well as difficult-to-predict wind and precipitation patterns.

The global temperature, on the other hand, is mostly determined by the amount of energy the planet gets from the Sun and how much it radiates back into space. According to studies, the quantity of energy emitted by the Sun varies little year to year, however the amount of energy emitted by Earth is directly linked to the chemical composition of the atmosphere, notably the amount of heat-trapping greenhouse gases.

A one-degree shift in global temperature is important since it takes a lot of heat to warm all of the seas, atmosphere, and land masses by that much.

In fact, according to the NSO climate report, the average water temperature in Malta climbed by 1.89°C between 1978 and 2020, with the maximum mean sea temperature increasing by 2.20°C. According to the NSO report, total rainfall in Malta declined by 71.27mm between 1952 and 2020. Furthermore, the average 24-hour rainfall (rainfall intensity) declined by 1.90mm.

The overall number of days with thunderstorms rose by 8.65 days, while the mean atmospheric pressure increased by 0.34hPa. The average duration of bright sunlight per day in Malta grew by 0.08 hours between 1961 and 2020, but the average relative humidity fell by 4.72 percentage points. During the same time period, the average wind speed fell by 0.82 knots, with the north-west wind direction dominating for 57.22% of all months.

Read more:

https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/desertification-of-malta-david-marinelli.740079

https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/life-in-2100-when-malta-has-become-a-desert.893521

https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/life-will-be-tough-in-malta-unless-we-make-changes-climate-action.892435

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Former BON JOVI Bassist Alec John Such Dies At 70

Posted on June 6, 2022 by ivanmconsiglio

Former BON JOVI bassist and original founding member, Alec John Such, has died at the age of 70. It’s unclear how Such passed away, but the band shared the news via its social media channels.

https://www.jrocksmetalzone.com/post/former-bon-jovi-bassist-alec-john-such-dies-at-70?fbclid=IwAR14gLze7F5leX-5vylZg_Oafyx81z_Ysiq9XPZ8hsVEQzSOEUgT2sqg5uw&fs=e&s=cl

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Pink Floyd Is Officially on TikTok

Posted on June 4, 2022 by ivanmconsiglio

Pink Floyd Needs No Education About TikTok as They Join Platform

The group is “Learning to Fly” on the video app

(from Billboard & Rolling Stone)

Is their label forcing Pink Floyd to go viral on TikTok, too? On Monday, the iconic band joined the video platform by sharing generic-ish videos with some of their most iconic songs. But hey, now they’re on the app.

The band used a hypnotic spinning pyramid set to “Breathe (In the Air)” on the social platform to commemorate the pending 50-year anniversary of their seminal album The Dark Side of the Moon, which turns half-a-century old next spring.

Posted just hours later, Pink Floyd’s second video is more straightforward in heralding their arrival on the popular social media platform. Text appears on the screen reading “PINK FLOYD NOW ON TIKTOK” over “Another Brick in the Wall” from 1979’s The Wall. “We don’t need no education/ We don’t need no false control/ No dark sarcasm in the classroom/ Teacher, leave…” the late Syd Barrett intones before the clip abruptly cuts off.

After just one day on the app, the veteran English psych rockers have have amassed more than 7,500 followers and shared two different videos. By Tuesday morning, the group had garnered more than 14,000 followers.

Their arrival on the platform comes as their record The Dark Side of the Moon turns 50. Their first post featured a simple rotating pyramid with the word “Breathe” and “Don’t be afraid to care” appearing above it. (What intern did this?)

“1 of the most successful & influential rock groups,” their bio read.

In April, surviving members David Gilmour and Nick Mason joined Ukranian singer Andriy Khlyvnyuk to release “Hey Hey Rise Up,” a track dedicated to the people of Ukraine, with funds donated to the Ukraine Humanitarian Relief Fund.

“The following that we have as Pink Floyd — the size of the platform. When I spoke to Nick, and he said he was willing to do it as Pink Floyd, it seemed like a no-brainer,” Gilmour told Rolling Stone about their return in the wake of the Ukraine-Russia war. “We want to spread this message of peace, and we want to raise the morale of the people who are defending their homeland there in Ukraine. So why not?”

During the interview, Gilmour added that he’s “hoping to get an album finished at some point” but described the Ukraine-focused track as a “one-off” for the group.

In April, Pink Floyd released “Hey Hey Rise Up,” their first single in almost 30 years — with surviving members David Gilmour and Nick Mason (sans Roger Waters) recruiting Ukrainian vocalist Andriy Khlyvnyuk for the charity track. Proceeds from the song are being donated to the Ukraine Humanitarian Relief Fund.

In protest to Russia’s invasion of its neighbor, the band has also scrubbed all of their music released after 1987 — as well as the entirety of Gilmour’s solo catalog — from DSPs in both Russia and Belarus.

Last month, Billboard did a deep dive around the ongoing auction of Pink Floyd’s recorded masters and other rights to analyze its potential valuation and why potential buyers are eager to get their hands on the catalog.

Is their label forcing Pink Floyd to go viral on TikTok, too? On Monday, the iconic band joined the video platform by sharing generic-ish videos with some of their most iconic songs. But hey, now they’re on the app.
Pink Floyd
(Photo: Koh Hasebe/Shinko Music/GI)
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Some published ENG work

Posted on June 4, 2022 by ivanmconsiglio

Not usually one to blow my own trumpet, but here’s some news bulletin pieces produced with own local on site filming or interviews,… Putting them out here for sake of record, in case they get lost,…

Foreign students studying the English-language in Malta stranded on the Island in quarantine

Arraignment in Court of self-confessed journalist’s murderer.

FRANCE23 VINCENT MUSCAT – Malte quinze ans de prison pour lun des accusés du meurtre de Daphne Caruana Galizia from Media Producer Malta on Vimeo.

Malta general elections, 26/03/2022

Service for AFP-Tv News
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WHAT THE MILITARY REALLY ISN’T: JUST PARADE SQUARE DRILL MARCHING

Posted on June 4, 2022 by ivanmconsiglio
Michael Edward Palin, CBE, FRGS is an English comedian, actor, writer and television presenter best known for being one of the members of the comedy group Monty Python and for his travel documentaries.
When the Sergeant Major, from this scene of Monthy Python’s “The Meaning of Life”, asks his troops if they’d rather be doing something other than marching, he loses all his troops.
The SNCO part is played by Michael Palin, CBE, FRGS who is an English comedian, actor, writer and television presenter, best known for being one of the members of the comedy group “Monty Python”, and for his travel documentaries.

Every time I see this Month Python classic clip (further below), it reminds me of my own basic military training courses (was privileged to have done two, one as a squaddie, and another rather lengthy one as an officer-cadet!), since it takes the comical piss at the core fundamentals, which aim at gelling together a body of men into a cohesive team, into a “band of brothers” if you may wish to call it so.

Much of the drill done today is either ceremonial, or implemented as a core part of training in the Armed Forces. Military discipline is enhanced by drill, as it requires instant obedience to commands.

Foot and arms drill is a crucial part of this process, as its an essential part of the training regimen of any  organized military and paramilitary elements worldwide.

Watch “The Meaning of Life (6/11) Movie CLIP – Would Rather Be Elsewhere (1983)”

“Foot drill” (or “Drill”) stems from time since antiquity when soldiers would march into battle, be expected to gather in a formation, and react to words of command from their commanders once the battle commenced. Drill was often used as a forerunner to great battles; during them it justified itself. It was also utilized after battles, where quick restoration of the corporate unity of an element was required.

Nowadays, drill commands remain used all over the world in all branches of the military, and are generally used with a group of soldiers that is marching during military foot drill or in marching band.

In the Maltese armed forces, the words of command remain in English, identical to the British Army’s drill commands. Drill commands are best given in an excellent command voice. A command voice is characterized by DLIPS: Distinctness, Loudness, Inflection, Projection, and Snap.

Regimental Sergeant Major Brittain, owner of the loudest voice in the 1950s' British Army
Regimental Sergeant Major Brittain, owner of the loudest voice in the 1950s’ British Army. Hear his barking voice in this period newsreel below…

Commands are broken up into two parts: the “precautionary” (i.e. “Squad, single file from the left quick -“) followed by the “executive” (-MARCH). There is a standard pause of two paces in quick time or one full second between the two commands, as well as between all drill movements.

Throughout military history’s great campaigns, drill proved useful when marching formations of soldiers cross-country. For example, officers could form men from an eight-wide route march formation to a two-wide formation for passing through gates and other narrow passages, without losing time or cohesion. Drill was used to efficiently maneuver formations around and through obstacles.

Basic Military Training (or Boot Camp as it’s called in some non-British Commonwealth countries!!) has always at its core drill to instil in the recruits military bearing, discipline, and a sense of accomplishment. It teaches adherence to standards, response to commands, individual coordination, teamwork, esprit de corps (the spirit of the formation/body from an historic perspective), alertness, urgency, confidence, followership, attention to detail, and leadership. It gives a group the ability to render respect, show honour, and uphold tradition. It’s also a form of exercise.

Exhibition drill displays bring out creativity in designing the marching, body movement, and rifle manipulation. All comes from the professional ability of the NCOs on the Directing Staff (DS) to teach the recruits (or Regular soldiers in cases of ceremonial events) the processes of the performance required of them.

Delegation of responsibilities while maintaining ultimate responsibility for the performance outcome. Memorisation of the routine: commands, marching, and (rifle, flagstaff, and/or body) movement. The ability to think quickly to ensure the squad stays within the time limit and physical boundaries and recover from possible mistakes.

Any soldier will admit and concede that military drill has multiple benefits, some intangible and some to be realised possibly years later. All of these benefits come to fruition in battle, that’s why soldiers march in the military, but they also are realised in all kinds of aspects of life in general.

Posted in ARMED FORCES OF MALTA, GENERAL OBSERVATIONS & THOUGHTS, WORLD MILITARY | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

I’m Finally Back to Writing Some Blog Posts Again…

Posted on June 4, 2022 by ivanmconsiglio

An attempt to keep this nook in cyberspace active and busy,…

After yet another pretty long spell writing content for third parties, have decided that it was high time that I return to churn out something for my own little nook here in cyberspace.

So now, whenever or whatever catches my fancy, will endeavour to share here instead of simply reposting it outright to my Facebook wall. Am not such an active aficionado on Instagram or Twitter, and most certainly not on Tik Tok . . .

Thanks for the follow,… see y’all further down the line…

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When the X-Files drops the truth

Posted on June 10, 2021 by ivanmconsiglio

Likely that George Orwell’s novel missed its date mark by a little bit, but many will agree that we’re nearly there . . .

#goverment #nwo #population #control #newworldorder #elite #explorepage #pinealgland #nature #truthseeker #awake #anonymous #conscious #collective #secretsocieties #openyoureyes #mindcontrol #awake #freedomthinker #illuminati #wokebreed #truthseeker #seekthetruth #peoplepower #depopulation #conspiracy #woke #staywoke💥 @wokebreed💥

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Sacha Baron Cohen’s scathing attack on Facebook in full: ‘greatest propaganda machine in history’

Posted on May 17, 2021 by ivanmconsiglio
British actor and comedian Sacha Baron Cohen

The speech given at the Anti-Defamation League (ADL, by the actor and comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, who attacked Facebook and other social media platforms for enabling the proliferation of hate speech and misinformation.

The speech was striking in its sincerity – Baron Cohen appeared as himself, rather than “in character” as one of his satirical personas – and its blistering tone. Describing Facebook as “the greatest propaganda machine in history”, Baron Cohen argued that the company, which does not vet political ads for truthfulness, would have allowed Hitler to run propaganda on its platform.

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