Since he's already said he's in the UK, is it that much of a stretch to just assume that over here we call them brake pipes? A quick google search will confirm that, with UK based retailers selling brake pipes.

But if you have a dumb phone, WhatsApp isn't an alternative anyway, so you're stuck.

I never saw the attraction anyway. I've been using email on my phone for the same function - push email works well enough that it's more or less instant, you can attach pictures (straight from camera with most modern phones) and it's automatically archived for reference. I can't really see the point in using WhatsApp.

From the first entry in their FAQ, "What is CentOS Linux?":

They don't use the branding, but they are completely open about building from Redhat provided sources.

It may be true that good engineers don't have to become managers because they get the benefits (usually financial) while being able to remain technical.

However, bad engineers don't make bad managers. The best boss I ever had worked his way up from programming. He was a completely hopeless programmer, but he recognised good talent and was a fantastic man manager. He sought out a quality team to work for him, and insulated us completely from the politics coming down from above. If anyone in the team cocked up, he'd never place blame in public, just discuss it one to one. He trusted the team, and we trusted him.

Management is just such a different skill set it can't really be compared.

There was a land bridge at the time - in fact until quite recently.

Hinduism? Shinto?

And what about Windows? Is that Scientology?

The transit is a van. Equivalent to the Econoline in the US, as far as I can tell, with both passenger and cargo versions.

Interesting point. So far it's not a problem - he's 70 next year and physically stronger than me (that's the IT lifestyle for you!) and doesn't have trouble with fine motor action. My grandfather did computer courses at the local library in his late 80s, maybe 90, and he did suffer from arthritis but still managed.

At this point I'm more worried about the software limitations. He may decide he wants to write a letter, and a tablet would be a pain for that (and printing - again, any cheap printer will do with a PC but there's more to consider for tablet compatibility). I just don't want to hit a point where he's frustrated at having spent his money on a tablet that can't do what a laptop would do for around the same sort of money.

I'm in the same situation with my dad. He's finally decided that there are too many things that really need internet access, such as shopping and booking holidays. After much discussion, we've decided that a laptop would be better for him. Tablets are great for browsing, but as soon as you need to do things a proper keyboard wins. OK, that's partly my preference as well, but I don't want him to hit a limitation.

He may also want to do some basic photo editing. He likes photography, and has been getting by with a printer that has a card slot for his SD cards. The ability to do basic edits and back up his photos will be useful.

And yes, I'm going Windows for him. I can't justify the cost of a Mac, and his peers all have Windows so they can swap advice. For someone who hasn't used it before, Windows 8 is fine - he won't have that learning curve of everything being different.

Happened to me but what's worse is it that the spark plugs had only ever been touched by the main dealer as part of a routine service (as required to maintain the service history). So even the "trained" junior mechanic managed to screw it up. Spark plugs actually popped out while driving, stripping the thread in the process.

I wouldn't trust them to fix it, but the little local garage round the corner rebored and inserted a new helicoil and replaced the spark plugs, all for about £130. Next day, whereas the main dealer wanted to charge twice that and do it the following week...

With senility, in various forms, it's no longer you suffering. You are not you any more. The memories, thoughts, experiences are all gone. You are just an animal. An empty physical shell. Probably sitting in your own shit.

No, I'd rather die. The trouble is I can only make that decision for myself while I'm still physically capable of implementing the decision, even though at that point I have some quality of life left.

Oh come on. Just. No. Suffering from which you recover, even partially, is one thing. Suffering of a largely senile old man? How can that be important?

The cat has more dignity because it isn't made to suffer.

I saw both my grandparents go through it, confused, in pain and - in their lucid moments - praying for the end to come.

Unless you want to run your own server, internet available, it's a way to have access from wherever you happen to be. Web interface, phone... whatever, wherever.

I use gmail, download all of it to my PC inside Thunderbird for archiving, and get the best of both worlds. Permanent local copy, plus ready access to incoming mail on my phone when I'm out.