Panic Stations!

It is meet and right that speaking out against personal nastiness on Usenet should not be hidden away.

you started this xpost, knowing full well the diatribes would be coming at you. And you have failed to do any trimming. FU set. Again.

He doesn't take well to being bollocked. Expect to be on his "Enemies List" now. It's a long list.

So now you're even claiming Gareth's illness is "bogus". You are completely out of order stating that.

You really are a shirt front Steve....bye

Untrue.

And you?

FU deleted, again.

It is YOU who is prolonging the thread about which you protest.

Gareth himself said that his illness was bogus, as did you when the two of you were crowing about how good a troll job it was.

Managed to get her trying to fly out just now, but that now leaves the nagging doubt that she's laid some eggs which will start buzzing around as stingers before too long!

Anyway, to keep this on topic, if there was to be a simple ubiquitous computer for amateur radio purposes, perhaps with an Internet capability, would the Raspberry Pi in all its invocations suit as a much cheaper alternative to the many desktops, laptops, notepads and tablets that are around, the important thing being an intended lifetime of more than just a few years or months?

Amateur radio gear typically ahs a lifetime of 20+ years. although I suspect that with the march of "progress" that rapid obsolescing of computer parts will mean that that timescale may be as little as 5 years these days.

Woe betide anyone buying a car with extensive computerisation!

"Woe betide anyone buying a car with extensive computerization!"

Beyond that, the dealers have jacked up the repair costs to unbelievable levels. Mechanic $25 hr Dealer charges $85 OEM Part cost to retail on line or big box (A Zone, etc) customer $80 Dealer to customer price $280 Read code from vehicle computer $140

It seems that the only new car solution is to buy one that has a long warranty, and very good reliability.

If the car dealers get their way, only they will be able to get the parts needed to repair computerized vehicles.

Very worrying when the electronics in car computers is almost

But modern cars tend to require minimal maintenance.

An annual service is little more than an oil and change of filters (oil, air, pollen etc), and various checks. Even spark plugs seem to last far longer than the old days. Other parts are wear items.

I've a 1999 MX5, kept as it is a special edition, other than 'wear items', ever part is as delivered. Ditto my 2006 Honda CRV, save a headlight bulb. I'm maintained both mainly myself since being out of warranty. If, for some reason I can't fit in the maintenance, I use a small trusted local garage.

We've an RV which I get the same garage to service, purely as my drive isn't level and it won't fit in my garage.

I will also maintain our latest addition to the stable, another 2 seater, when it is out of warranty.

I've a 1999 MX5 LS (Roadster) as well. The A/C compressor just failed last month. The top was replaced under warranty years ago. The Ignition coils were replaced after warranty. (Mazda refused to do a recall that should have been done.) The intermittent coil problem also did in two CAT converters. Front disk brake backplates were replaced under a a non public advisory having to do with poor braking in wet weather. The 5th gear brass syncro failed, and inspection showed that it had a crack long before it failed. Had to borrow tools from the Toyota dealer to work on the tranny innards, as the Mazda dealer didn't have them. At least we both have avoided the engine thrust bearing issue. Mine is turbocharged, 8 injectors, ~220 rear wheel HP at full boost. Highway Mileage is virtually the same or slightly better than stock. A 5th gear ratio change was made that decreased engine RPM by a few hundred at 70 MPH (reduced "buzzing")

But, as you said, the reliability is one of the best out there.

twang...there goes the cam belt...(on some models)

Those MK2 MX5s are nice and shiny on top but thoroughly rotten underneath...the same could be said for some of their owners too.

Gotten to.

Especially when they try to boast about their wealth and conspicuous consumption such as you quoted above?

Do you REALLY weigh 33 stone?