forsakenkraken

It's basically every large organisation in the world. I've worked in enough now to understand they're all the same.

I wish I had something useful to say, but that sounds honestly amazing. If you could do wifi at the same time, then that'd be a perfect email/ssh/irc device.

It is pretty nice isn't it. Now can someone please make one with a nice metal case and the ability to run android on it. Then I can basically have my replacement for my much missed Nokia E71.

Just to agree with the OP, I've just gone through a government tender process to buy a piece of software for my organisation. The number of people who could bid on the tender was incredibly limited. We've ended up with a 'solution' where the best and cheapest company was excluded from bidding. Mainly cause they struggled with our byzantine tendering process, that gives us 'best value' according to our procurement team. It's not the only broadly failed IT system that we have which has gone through these processes, so it's not a one off either.

We're currently busy throwing away solid pieces of open source software that have worked well for years in favour of enterprise garbage.

Just to say, this is pretty spot on. Lots of messy data, many different sources of messy data. It's significantly more complex than you'd hope.

I worked in NHS IT for a number of years. I've been in other industries for a while, but I doubt things have changed that much. It's not a funding or business priority issue per se. Tho having said that the NHS is focused on providing the best care to the most people. That does mean that some people fall through the cracks.

Anyway, the data is significantly more fragmented than you can ever imagine. GPs are technically (it's very odd) private companies. They can have a reasonable amount of leeway to do things as they see fit. Which means just at primary care level, there's a massive data quality issue. Then you get on to secondary care (hospitals etc) and there's just as much separation between the different trusts/health boards etc. Then each country, have their own NHS, Scotland, NI, Wales and England.

So it seems like an easy fix, but the reality is miles more complex than you might initially think.

It's expensive? I really don't get that. That solid hardwood dresser that you build yourself, could easily last 100 years. The ikea stuff won't last a fraction of that. You shouldn't compare a store bought dresser with something you make yourself.

Also if you don't want the expense, there's plenty of small things you can make with a handful of tools. Whittling and carving is quite cheap and very satisfying.

That sounds about right. My wifes side is a mining family and several of the men died young, not from accidents, but from lung issues so that potentially colours it a bit. On the tech side of things, I do see a lot of people who want 'better' jobs and there's often a lot of frustration in start-up folks I know that the Senydd just want call center or manufacturing jobs.

I don't think that many people want the mines back tbh. Easy to get and simple jobs maybe, but I don't know anyone who'd want the mines back. Anecdata I know. Wife's family is a mining family and I've lived and worked in South Wales for a while now.

Farming isn't any easier than software I'm afraid. However I live in the countryside and work remotely and I love it here. Just down the road from the chap in the article.

It definitely isn't a term for 'spread'. It specifically refers to meat or fish paste sandwiches. The paste comes in little tins. Meat is most common, but when I was a kid I loved crab paste.

At the same time you basically never have holidays, unless you have family who can look after the farm for a week. Or you say farm chickens, then it's not hard to arrange a few weeks between raising a batch.

Come and visit Wales, specifically Mid-Wales, like say Lampeter, or Newcastle Emlyn. Go to a pub in the evening and have a chat to some of the local farmers, if you buy the beer, they'll be chatty enough.