Category Archives: Thoughts

NSA

Find it hard to believe people are really shocked about the whole NSA thing. Really? You’ve worked in tech for that long and it’s a shock?

I’ve seen enough “extra super privs” commands on routers and the like to realise this isn’t new.

I guess it’s the shock of it being exposed maybe, but really? This sort of stuff has been happening for years.

EFB Ey?

To be clear – I’m not trying to pick on anyone here. It’s just an amazing example of the confusion around UFB.

[24/10 10:44] <USER> @NZ_ISP can you please tell me the CIR on 100/50 business fibre?
[24/10 11:10] <@NZ_ISP> @USER My understanding is that it’s 10Mbps down, 2.5Mbps up (that’s for your plan). ^CP
[24/10 11:12] <@USER> @NZ_ISP OK. I think the support team are using that as an excuse. Hitting a wall at 35mbit, but they’re saying that’s OK.
[24/10 11:19] <@NZ_ISP> @USER That’s obviously well above CIR, but we want to make sure you’re getting as fast a speed as possible too. ^CP
[24/10 11:20] <@USER> @NZ_ISP I can’t break 35mbit with multiple streams from multiple fast NZ servers. There’s definitely an issue there.
[24/10 11:26] <@NZ_ISP> @USER I’m only passing on what our engineers have checked out – like I said, I’m having them check it again. ^CP
[24/10 11:28] <@USER> @NZ_ISP Thanks. I’ve emailed prem support again with more pretty pictures.

[24/10 15:24] <@kiwibrew> @USER if multiple streams saturate a connection, it’s a TCP tuning / receive window issue, not the circuit @stevebiddle @NZ_ISP
[24/10 15:29] <@USER> @kiwibrew Tell me more. Anything I can adjust at my end to enhance this?
[24/10 15:29] <@USER> @kiwibrew Err, it’s upload that’s not going as fast as it should too, btw.
[24/10 15:33] <@NZ_ISP> @USER The ticket is in a closed state so yes, you’ll continue to get those messages if you keep sending emails. I’m having them check…
[24/10 15:33] <@NZ_ISP> @USER …into it again though. ^CP
[24/10 15:34] <@USER> @NZ_ISP I think we’re at a stalemate anyway. I maintain 70% of advertised speed isn’t good enough. You maintain that you only promised me 2.5
[24/10 15:34] <@USER> @NZ_ISP As a side note the ONLY speed mentioned on the contract I signed was the 100/50. Hope you’ve got proper UFB contracts by now?
[24/10 15:36] <@NZ_ISP> @USER So would you like me to leave this ticket closed then? ^CP
[24/10 15:37] <@USER> @NZ_ISP You’re aware your customer is unhappy with the service you’re providing. Up to you if you re-open or leave it.
[24/10 15:38] <@kiwibrew> @USER Perry has some good resources here: http://wand.net.nz/~perry/max_download.php Also check http://nzbt.org.mz for limiting factors
[24/10 15:42] <@NZ_ISP> @USER Just had a chat with the team and they’ve let me know that the speeds are at an acceptable level for us and Chorus. You’re more…
[24/10 15:42] <@NZ_ISP> @USER …than welcome to have a chat with your account manager if you have any more concerns. ^CP

My Thoughts on Fyx

Everyone’s got a comment about Fyx!
Here’s mine:

My analogy is that it’s like you all work in the pizza business. And you’re all discussing a rival pizza company because they’ve put a blinking LED on their pizza.

Sure, you can’t eat it. Or maybe you can? But maybe for a few weeks before everyone goes “You can’t eat LEDs, it’s not legal!!!”

So you all go on and on and on about the flashing LED on the pizza. Is it legal? Is it not? What happens if you EAT the LED? Will you have to be rushed to hospital? Will you be OK? OMFG!!!! OMG!?!?! Is it LEGAL to put an LED ON A PIZZA? PULL IT OFF!! But what if I can’t pull it off? Will I get sued? LOOK! LOOK AT IT FLASH!

They’re selling pizza. But you’re all OMFG about the flashing LED that may, or may not, come with the pizza. You’ve told all your family. Your friends. You’ve got just the best and smartest opinion about the legality of selling a flashing LED and you’ve told everyone you know about it.

And now, horror of horrors, you’ve found out the pizza DOES NOT come with a flashing LED. That’s it. They’ve officially called it. No more flashing LEDs.

Now you’re left with a normal, boring pizza. One you’ve not even tried but you know know you probably hate it.

Oh and there’s one marketing company behind it all that can’t stop laughing.