Posts about Daily Links

Links for 13 September 2010

Published on 13 September 2010 in , , , , ,

I never seem to manage to keep these up to date these days. Does it matter? Do you care? Is anyone even reading… iPlayer, iTunes succumb to Web2.0rhea – The Register "Apple's iTunes merely needs the option to hide its half-baked social network. For the BBC, the next version of iPlayer should be designed by people who've never used Facebook or Twitter, and don't have an iPhone. Incredible as it may seem, they not only exist, but are the real majority." The Register makes a compelling argument, and as a colleague of mine said… "Watching TV with the family. Isn't that social?" Berney Arms – diamond geezer Ever since I read about this bizarre station in the middle of Norfolk, with its complete lack of road access and a path that goes to the local pub, I've wanted to visit it (and the pub). Now Diamond Geezer's been there and frankly I want to visit it even more (and the pub). Open Source Release of MHEG+ Toolkit – BBC Internet Blog: A couple of years after it was first mooted (whoever said the BBC was slow to do anything?) the MHEG+ toolkit we use in BBC Red Button to build... View Article

Links for 13 August 2010

Published on 13 August 2010 in , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hmm. Methinks this is less Daily Links and more monthly links! Giant Chinese ‘straddle bus’ drives over traffic Bonkers idea or genius new way at tackling congestion? You decide. Call to improve password security – BBC News Apparently we need to make passwords longer because shorter ones will be easily cracked. But frankly sod the cracking – people already struggle with passwords and if we make them longer, then people are going to struggle to remember them. Case in point – me. Halifax recently changed their online login requiring brand new "memorable data". They then pick three letters. The data they had me use is so long that to get the three letters I have to write down the password on a Post It note… It really is time the password died and something easier to use took its place. Why the US keeps minting coins people hate and won’t use – BBC News Apparently in the USA they're making dollar coins people won't use because they prefer notes. Personally I can't imagine still having a pound note in the UK – my wallet would just be full of paper… What makes a place worthy of World Heritage status? –... View Article

Links for 14 July 2010

Published on 14 July 2010 in , , , ,

8-Bit Cities Ever wondered what Google Maps would look like on a ZX Spectrum? What? You haven't? What planet are you on? You're a disgrace to the species dude, a disgrace to the species. London Reconnections: West Ashfield (Part 1): Models Great and Small Part one of a fascinating insight into one of the tube's hidden tube stations – the one that sits in an office block somewhere near West Kensington. A must read for any Londonder! Absolute Radio to launch fifth digital service – guardian.co.uk Will Absolute Radio Extra work? Is DAB ready for a "red button" style service? Will radio manufacturers be rushing out to add red buttons to their set? Time will tell. London Underground cooling budget cut by £10m – BBC News The video report here is especially interesting as it mentions that the Central, Bakerloo and Piccadilly lines are the worst for heat, but that most of the money spent on cooling projects this year will go on the Victoria Line. Well I'm sure it makes sense for someone. Also included is a PDF of the tube "heat map" showing the places that you really don't want trains stuck in a tunnel – pretty much... View Article

Links for 8 July 2010

Published on 8 July 2010 in , , , , , ,

Haven’t done this for a while for various reasons. Most of which revolve on me not seeing any links I like. And then what happens? Four come along at once! BBC Mind The Gap: Bike hire etiquette: No animals allowed I'm not a cyclist myself, but I'd like to be (especially if I had a slightly shorter commute) but I can't help but notice that huge swathes of road near where I live have been painted blue. It's Boris's Cycle Superhighway, and it all looks rather pointless – a cycle lane merely painted blue. As can be seen in the report on the BBC London Mind the Gap Blog, there's certainly been a few problems. Still praise where praise is due – mirrors at traffic lights to help with HGVs blind spots are a very simple and a very good idea. Bashing the BBC: The peculiar rage inspired by the BBC – The Economist "Here is a curious paradox about British conservatives. Challenge them to defend grand British institutions, from the Royal Family to the House of Lords or the lack of a written constitution, and they argue passionately about the dangers of tampering and meddling with things that evolved... View Article

Daily Links for 10 June 2010

Published on 10 June 2010 in , , , , , , , , , , ,

For some reason I haven’t got round to posting links recently so they’ve been sitting around in Delicious just waiting for me to get my backside in gear. So here goes… Why don’t more restaurants do this?- 90 Percent of Everything What? Put on the bill the cost per person? Bonkers. It'll never take off… Old and resistant to change? Why embeddable fonts make me nervous… – Martin Belam’s currybetdotnet blog "I'm sure there were people complaining that the introduction of <font color="blue"> in HTML 3.2 would unleash anarchy…" Well it did. For a bit anyway. That crass and overly commercial cycle hire logo – MayorWatch "I’m sure we’re all very grateful to the shareholders of Barclays for spending some of their marketing budget on slapping their logo all over the bikes and uniforms of staff but frankly this new roundel (pictured) brings crass commercialism crashing down to whole new levels of bad. […] Allowing the roundel – a true icon of London – to be absorbed into a glorified advert like this is pretty crass. Sadly, in order to show you how bad it is I need to display it on the site otherwise it wouldn’t get screen space."... View Article

Links for 25 May 2010

Published on 25 May 2010 in , , , , , , , , , ,

GTmetrix – Website Speed and Performance Optimization For all the web developers out there in the hood, this is quite a nice tool that helps you optimise your website for faster loading. Judged on the results, this site isn't too bad already although it's given me some ideas to help just shave away a little at the speed, and you'll start seeing the results as I slowly replace some of the almost unmaintainable code that's running this site at the minute. Don't expect it to make a drastic change to the way you view Planet Bods, but overall it will make some small differences. 6 Music closure ‘defies belief’, says music industry | Media | guardian.co.uk "The BBC's own charter makes crystal clear that the corporation is specifically tasked with stimulating creativity and cultural excellence. It defies belief, therefore, that the BBC is proposing to close a radio station that excels at doing exactly this, particularly when 6 Music's audience is growing in leaps and bounds and virtually the entire UK music community is united in support of it." Boris Johnson urges Londoners to grow food in coffee cups – Wimbledon Guardian Pah. Rubbish. An old hiking boot is much... View Article

Links for 17 May 2010

Published on 17 May 2010 in , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

London’s ‘new Routemaster’ design unveiled – BBC News Apparently Boris thinks it's "iconic" and "beautiful". I think it looks like a bizarre red curvy box. It's certainly not a Routemaster. Given how much the thing is costing London, perhaps it should be really called "Boris's Folly" instead… Photo of a Bristol VR And to show you my inner bus geekiness (a mis-spent youth spent riding the wheels around Tameside), the so called "New Bus for London" has a body quite clearly based on the 1960s Bristol VR… Wimbledon estate agent’s porn site prank ‘went wrong’ – Wimbledon Guardian In the dark world of estate agents, one company bought a domain name with the name of another company and set it to redirect to hardcore porn. Given the very poor image many people have of estate agents, it's perhaps not the best way to represent your profession… BBC 6 Music’s audience rises 50% – The Guardian One of those "Well who would have thought it? Oh yes, I am being sarcastic…" moments. 6music has some proper publicity, LOTS of people find out what it does, and ratings increase. Shame BBC management couldn't be bothered to promote it properly BEFORE trying to... View Article

Links for 4 May 2010

Published on 4 May 2010 in , , , , , ,

Which is the oldest political party still standing? – BBC News Ever wanted to know? Well BBC News reveals. Not surprisingly it neatly sidesteps the fun of the original Tory and Whig parties which, ultimately, are the ultimate are the root of the modern Conservative party and indeed the Liberal Democrats. The Joy of 6 " The Joy of 6 is a platform for the entire UK music community to come together to publicly demonstrate its support for BBC Radio 6 Music. The website showcases strong messages and pleas from a range of artists, songwriters, managers and performers. Our aim is to persuade the BBC Trust not to approve the BBC’s proposal to close a wonderfully unique and eclectic station that contributes so much to British music culture and the diversity of the UK music industry. Supporters are invited to post links to the videos and messages contained on this website to personal pages on social networking and other websites. " Election 2010: What influence do newspapers have over voters? – The Guardian Interesting piece from Roy Greenslade which contains a table of the way which newpaper encouraged its readers to vote, and who, of course, won it. Who on... View Article

Links for 30 April 2010

Published on 30 April 2010 in , , , , , , , , ,

BBC debate was a cross between Songs of Praise and Over the Rainbow – The Guardian Charlie Brooker's hysterical take on the final leadership debate. Controversial plan to move officers out of Mitcham police station – Wimbledon Guardian I love the fact that there may be a real police station (well I guess more of an office really) opening up not far from the fictional Sun Hill station. In fact they could just buy the Bill studios and save themselves some money! Absolute Radio settles trademark fight with Absolut vodka – guardian.co.uk Yes, cos I'm always getting vodka and a radio station confused. Just last night I popped into my local and was amazed to be given a small radio set with my cola… Hulu ‘abandons UK plans’ after broadcaster talks collapse – Telegraph After the demise of Project Kangaroo, the worry was that we'd simply written away the hope that the UK would offer any major catch up TV service, and had basically handed everything other to the Americans. It seems that day is slightly further away than it was before. Although we shouldn't count our chickens before they've hatched… BBC’s 530 days of repeats in a year –... View Article

Links for 26 April 2010

Published on 26 April 2010 in , , , , , , , ,

I keep forgetting to post these, so I hope you’re not forgetting to read them! First off… the Doctor… Doctor Who fans angered by trailer for Over the Rainbow – BBC News Frankly an example of EVERYTHING that is wrong with modern broadcasting, and a prime example of EXACTLY the kind of thing the BBC SHOULD NOT be doing. EVER. This incident made me embarrassed and sad to be a BBC employee. BBC Complaints On an unrelated note, if you’ve ever wondered how to lodge a complaint to the BBC… Doctor Who: The Adventure Games: first episode, The City of the Daleks, revealed – guardian.co.uk And now a happier Doctor Who story. A fascinating insight into how the Doctor Who adventure games were built, showing how involved the TV team got in putting the games together. Elsewhere, trains seem to be a bit of a feature… Aslef to bid to run East Coast mainline for no profit – BBC News Apparently the train union Aslef wants to run the East Coast Mainline, which has not exactly had a good time of it of late thanks to GNER and National Express bidding too high and not being able to make it... View Article