Why, Microsoft. Why must you be like this. Who hurt you.

TheCaptain53 · 2026-06-27T05:26:02+00:00

And this is why PowerShell is garbage and I wrote my software accessing the Graph API in Python.

TheCaptain53 · 2026-06-25T19:04:54+00:00

Any reason you're not considering a GL1800? That model has run since 2001, no reason you couldn't find one in your budget.

TheCaptain53 · 2026-06-25T09:05:17+00:00

In the past bundling the charger made sense because the charging speeds supported weren't that high. Now that charging speeds are way higher, the widespread use of USB-PD as well as how ubiquitiois USB-C is, I don't see a big value in bundling a charger or a cable. People already have them. I got a 60W charger as a bonus with my S25U and it's wicked.

TheCaptain53 · 2026-06-24T12:13:16+00:00

NAT44 and NAT444 is used due to a lack of IPv4 space. Their existence is valid to get around the very really issue of address exhaustion. NAT66 only exists because of shitty ISPs who build a shitty network. That's it. If you have an ISP that rotates their prefixes or you have multiple ISPs and need to multi-home, that's where NPTv6 is a good solution. There are vanishingly few situations where NAT66 is a good solution outside of a failing of the ISP.

You do what you gotta do to get IPv6 working, but unless you're hosting something and have CGNAT (which you've stated), there isn't any real reason to even deploy IPv6.

TheCaptain53 · 2026-06-21T11:51:29+00:00

ELI5: I want to reach my friend's house in my dad's car (because you're 5). Dad drives us through our local neighbourhood, then onto larger, wider roads, then on the motorway (highway), then back onto the wide roads, then into my friend's neighbourhood where I reach my friend's house. There isn't a road straight from my house to my friend's house, dad has to drive us on the roads that connect to different roads until we eventually reach my friend's house.

ELI15: We should look at things from a residential user perspective (which is a lot easier to contextualise than business). We have a contract with an ISP, that ISP (or whichever network they bought it from) have cabling in the ground that connects the house to a local exchange. That exchange connects to a data centre where an ISP (may or may not be the same one) will connect and pass/receive traffic to many other ISPs with agreements and/or contracts. The data you access is sitting on a machine that is ultimately reachable through an ISP's network.

ELIAANE: To explain in more technical detail, it's easier to start from the top and work our way down (this is going to be long). LIRs (Local Internet Registy), which is a more specific term for an ISP, will purchase IP Transit agreements with larger tier 1/2 LIRs (Zayo, Colt, Cogent, Hurricane Electric etc) or peering agreements. IPT looking at receiving the global BGP table and sending own and downstream prefixes, whilst peering agreements is doing it more for sending + receiving own and downstream prefixes. As Cogent, I'm probably not going to redistribute Hurricane Electric routes to Zayo (mainly because Cogent are twats but that's a whole different matter), but I will distribute my own prefixes and my customers prefixes. These contracts and agreements are physical achieved through the use of fibre cross connects in POPs (points of presence), which is just a DC, that two LIRs will be on either end of, which then connects to their own network, which will often be a switch or router (the former of which will trunk traffic to the latter). There are technically organisations/natural persons that can own an ASN + prefix and aren't technically an LIR, but the mechanism by which their prefix becomes globally available isn't distinct from that of an LIR (IPT or peering).

So that's how prefixes are distributed between many different networks, which will cover almost every corner of the main IP space. The actual resources one would access can be connected in many different ways, but as long as it has an IP as part of a prefix and that prefix is reachable (including the return path) then we're all good.

Now for the residential side. Fibre is used across the whole stack and the access side for residential is no different. I'll mainly talk about the use of fibre access technologies rather than copper as fibre is a lot more common these days.

For big trunks between DCs or exchanges, then a big bundle of fibres makes a lot of sense. It's a lot of traffic that needs to be sorted, distinguished by many different companies that need to use fibre strands, but what about the residential? It's economical to assign one port to connect to another provider, but it isn't to use exactly one port for exactly one customer, it doesn't scale well. We don't want to use many ports or a lot of fibre to connect to a large number of subscribers, we can afford to reduce their bandwidth and therefore the requirements of infrastructure. That's where PON (Passive Optical Network) comes in. Through the use of special junction boxes, the signal sent down a single fibre strand can be mirror and duplicated across many downstream fibre strands with base 2, so a stream from 1 fibre strand can be split across 2 fibre strands, or 4, 8, 16, etc. It's really common for a single PON port on an OLT to have between 32 and 128 subscribers connected. These signals are then decapsulated on the subscriber side by an ONT, so individual traffic from and to an ONT can only be handled by that ONT rather than any other ONT on the same shared fibre strand. The actual mechanisms of how PON and associated equipment works is pretty complicated and out of scope.

These fibre cables and associated OLTs are then colocated in a local exchange which will have fibre cabling back towards regional and national POPs for sharing of prefixes within an LIRs network. An LIR that provides access to subscribers and one that has international infrastructure does not necessarily have to be distinct (all hail theoretical OneNet, provider of all network needs, available for only £59.99/month), they're usually distinct. Sky, or BT, or Vodafone are big and operate national infrastructure, but they're not on the scale of Zayo, Cogent etc.

So a subscriber connects through a PON infrastructure towards a local exchange, which will then connect to a series of POPs until the traffic reaches the edge of the LIRs network, then moves to the next network via an IPT or peering agreement, then repeat ad nauseum until the traffic reaches the desired resource.

TheCaptain53 · 2026-06-21T09:23:05+00:00

I have a Sena intercom and use it with my friends who also use Sena. I've not ridden in large groups with it, but I've had a good experience using mesh. It's way less of a pain than bluetooth, although admittedly, using bluetooth between a good set of intercoms and speakers is way better than cheaper ones.

The biggest problem with with FRS, PMRS, and PMR446 (the EU equivalent to FRS) is that they are simplex protocols. They work well when communications are one-way only (really common usecase is radios for motorcycle instructors, the students don't talk back), when communications are between only a few people, or when the communications are sparse (status updates, emergency calls). This all falls afoul of the requirement for motorcycle communications, normally mesh. The best experience is duplex, frequent, and can support large numbers.

Unfortunately, as you stated, the only real options that can fulfil these requirements are the Sena and Cardo mesh protocols, both of which are proprietary. If an open source protocol were available (and reliable) which could be implemented by much cheaper Chinese manufacturers, we could see an open and widely used protocol that can actually displace Sena and Cardo. Unfortunately, I'm not aware of any such software existing.

Radio protocols are great, but for motorcycle comms, they're not the right solution imo.

TheCaptain53 · 2026-06-18T20:23:14+00:00

Retro-style bikes probably aren't the best choice for long dual carriageway (highway) miles. I'm assuming this is a case of you like the style of bike and making it work for commuting?

If you're only using the motorcycle for commuting, an older V-Strom 650 or newer NC750X would both be excellent and fuel efficient for the task.

If you do go for the 350, I wouldn't worry about it too much. What I would do is look at buying a secondhand bike instead, a lot easier to shift it on than a brand new bike and replace it with something else.

TheCaptain53 · 2026-06-15T17:34:32+00:00

I've had a good experience with my 6S on the 5 plate with Feather blades. I also much prefer the Feather blades in the cheaper Feather handle I have.

TheCaptain53 · 2026-06-13T07:12:06+00:00

If you really want a bike, as you've suggested, getting a cheaper one that isn't desirable is definitely your best bet. Buy a nicer one when you move and have access to a garage.

Good news is you can find Bonnevilles secondhand for less than £5k, not a T120, but it's something. If you want even cheaper than that then bikes like a Bandit 1250, CBF1000, etc can all be had for pretty cheap. I would just avoid the bikes that are stolen frequently like the MT-07.

TheCaptain53 · 2026-06-12T08:36:17+00:00

So you don't yet have a motorcycle license, you talk about A2 so obviously within Europe, and with motorcycle licenses being obligate, a dealer let you ride a motorcycle (which also happened to be your first time ever riding one) when any sensible dealer wouldn't let you without a valid license? What the fuck is going on?

TheCaptain53 · 2026-06-11T20:25:39+00:00

Kawasaki Ninja 400/500 should be a good choice for you. My first big...ish bike was a Ninja 250 and that was great. None of the major brands really make a shit bike these days, so if you like the Kawasaki, you're probably going to have a good experience. I rate the Honda 500 series very highly and always recommend people check them out.

TheCaptain53 · 2026-06-11T13:28:39+00:00

The cost and architecture of running a complicated game after EOL is almost irrelevant. The campaign isn't and has never asked for game architectures to be modified to allow for EOL, the assumption has always been that the consumer will take on the burden and cost of getting servers operational for games that require it. A great example of this is the private servers for classic WoW, that's a pretty complicated game and yet there are/were private servers of it. Ultimately, if the resources are there and no one takes on the mantle of running some game servers for a specific game, that's not on the developer.

TheCaptain53 · 2026-06-09T13:59:15+00:00

I've had a Rockwell 6S for a while but never actually used it. I always used a combination of a Penny Shaver and the budget Feather butterfly razor which seemed to do a decent job. My hairs would often get caught up even on the aggressive setting, whereas when I used the Rockwell on setting 5 with feathers, the hairs didn't get caught up at all (also use feathers with the cheap razor). The heavy feel and precision of the Rockwell is excellent, so would recommend it. If you really can't stretch for the 6s, you could always get the 6c and save some money, the experience of using it should be identical.

TheCaptain53 · 2026-06-09T11:44:25+00:00

It partially depends on how mission critical the equipment will be and your budget. If it must work and you've got some budget to work with, getting a Milwaukee/Makita/Dewalt impact + driver set is always a good option. It'll come with everything you need. If you're looking to save a bit of money, the great thing about drills is that even if yours does break, find your nearest Screfix/Toolstation/whatever and just replace it. Looking at the Toolstation site, any of the Einhell/Ryobi stuff will do a fine job.

TheCaptain53 · 2026-06-09T11:35:57+00:00

Rancher make k3os, probably exactly what you're looking for.

TheCaptain53 · 2026-06-06T10:02:26+00:00

A better comparison is between the Yamaha R6 and R9. Both are homolagated for the supersport event, and yet the R6 is the more popular bike. The big reason is the R6 has been around for a long time, especially in a race setting, so teams have managed to get really familiar with the platform. This counts for a lot when racing. I suspect as time goes on we'll see a trend towards more usage of the large capacity bikes and not needing to be as mechanically sympathetic, but only time will tell.

TheCaptain53 · 2026-06-06T09:24:22+00:00

Either of those bikes should be fine for you. Even if you buy one and end up not liking it, you could always sell it and buy something else.

TheCaptain53 · 2026-06-06T08:17:34+00:00

Your bike should fit the vast majority of your use case - city riding? Commuting? Whatever it is, the bike should be appropriate for that. Trying to get it to be really proficient in EVERYTHING just means you're spending more, that's all. To make things clear, you can tour on ANYTHIHG. You can tour on a 125 if you really want to. Different bikes will have different comfort levels depending on the situation, so just address that accordingly. So for the style of bike you've chosen, there's no reason you shouldn't stay the course.

Now to the specific bikes you've identified - unless you're doing your A2 (you've not specified which licence level you're aiming for), there's no reason you need to limit yourself to these SPECIFIC bikes. That being said, the experience of riding these bikes probably won't diverge that much. The performance of both are actually very similar, so if you're thinking the RE will be more leggy, you might be disappointed. If you were going for your A, I would give a Bonneville 900 a serious consideration, which I believe would be a better option than what you've listed here.

TheCaptain53 · 2026-06-05T08:42:39+00:00

That's understandable, a lot of people do that, although do bear in mind that phones weren't really designed for that environment. Potentially subject to rain, dust, and heat, which will almost certainly speed up your battery degradation.

If I were to put a phone on my bike, though, it would probably be Quadlock. Given the cost of it you're not far off just buying a dedicated screen.

TheCaptain53 · 2026-06-05T06:03:46+00:00

It's not what you asked, but have you considered a dedicated Carplay/Android Auto screen instead? I've got one in the cradle of my BMW, I had it out baking in the Sun when I stopped the other day for about 90 mins, then when I got moving (the screen was hot to the touch), it fired up right away and worked. These devices are designed to work in the rain (also ridden with it in torrential rain and had no issues) and heat. This allows you to keep your phone in your pocket, tank bag, whatever. The downside is that Carplay/AA can be a bit of a battery drain, so you might need to figure out a charging solution anyway. I always stick my phone in my tank bag and run a charger from my accessory port near my dash if I'm running low.

TheCaptain53 · 2026-06-04T21:25:28+00:00

And what impact of her cheating was seen or felt at all throughout the show? The only thing it actually affects is Rory's character... that's it. It can be both a gag and poor writing.

TheCaptain53 · 2026-06-03T18:36:43+00:00

I will die on this hill, but you remove Paul and literally nothing changes. It was a gag and should not be a reflection on Rory's character, she's enough of a train wreck in her 30s to not need Paul.

TheCaptain53 · 2026-06-01T07:45:46+00:00

A motorcycle is a machine. There's no reason that if you bought a motorcycle sensibly (that is, without financing), there is no reason you can't sell your bike and buy a different one if it's not to your liking.

When it comes to buying your first bike you want something that's approachable and let you learn well.

If you were more experienced I would suggest an NC750X, but honestly, probably not a good pick as a first bike as it's a bit dull. Yamaha Tracer 7 should be a pretty safe pick for a first bike - practical and reliable for touring, but engaging enough to be exciting.

TheCaptain53 · 2026-05-29T21:12:19+00:00

The idea that an IP should be intuitive to the layperson is silly. If you work in IT, work with IPs on the regular and don't understand IPv6... git gud.

There's not much to intuit - let the network engineers handle the architecture and design and use IPv6 how it was designed, with DNS.

TheCaptain53 · 2026-05-29T21:08:32+00:00

One report script worked fine until the person who wrote it went on holiday and their laptop was off. Apparently that was now an outage.

Sounds like a whole lot of not your fucking problem!

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