* Posts by MacGuffin

55 publicly visible posts • joined 22 Dec 2022

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UK government using AI tools to check up on roadworthy testing centers

MacGuffin

Some SUVs already have Truck Nuts.

Google exec sees enterprise quantum app on closer horizon

MacGuffin

Event Horizon

might be more accurate than closer horizon as time expands into infinity.

Resulting in Deepwater Horizon.

Trump scrubs all mention of DEI, gender, climate change from federal websites

MacGuffin

Granted

The Federal government can do that with their web sites. The federal government also distributes grants to the States and many other organizations. I imagine before to long those grants will be modified unilaterally that as a condition of accepting the grants, all mentions of DEI be removed from all websites and materials.

The argument may be made that money is fungible, so the grant funds would not be used to support DEI in those organizations. No amount of separation of those funds from their intended purpose will stop accusations that federal money is used to fund DEI in some way, shape or form.

Replace DEI with any other out of favor term you like.

As Trump slugs Canada, Mexico and China with tariffs, industry groups hope trade war weapon isn’t pointed at their feet

MacGuffin

Manipulation?

Imposing tariffs and then pulling them back. Sound like market manipulation.

Let's see if the DOJ charges him with that...../s

You begged Microsoft to be reasonable. Instead it made Copilot reason-able with OpenAI GPT-o1

MacGuffin

This Would be Truly Magical

When I can tell Microsoft's AI Tools to block all images and videos of a selected person or persons in Edge...

THEN I will believe AI is a real thing.

I'll start with Microsoft's biggest AI Tool first.

Trump’s tariffs, cuts may well put tech in a chokehold, say analysts

MacGuffin

Re: That's the point

The chickens will not come home to roost because they will be dead, killed by avian flu.

Apple auto-opts everyone into having their photos analyzed by AI for landmarks

MacGuffin

Don't

"Please don't do that."

"OK. We'll inform you that we are doing it instead."

"Don't Do That! We want you to STOP. We do NOT want informed consent instead!"

"Here's our 'Explanation of Benefits'."

Wash, rinse, repeat....

Microsoft won't let customers opt out of passkey push

MacGuffin

Re: Better security doesn't just stop the scammers

I cannot rely on Apple ID.

Apple ID does not exist anymore.

It is now Apple Account.

Steam cuts the cord for legacy Windows and macOS

MacGuffin

Nothing more borong than a Vacation Slide Show

"which allows players to save sessions and share clips with friends."

Greybeards remember being bored to tears going to friend's homes and being subjected to slide shows of their friend's vacations. Actual kodachrome slide shows, not the infinitely more painful slide decks of powerpoint.

I have no desire (kill me please) to watch someone's clip of a steam session.

Play? Yes. Watch? NO.

All bark, no bite? Musk's DOGE unlikely to have any real power

MacGuffin

Re: Dodgy

Or “doosh”

Uncle Sam may force Google to sell Chrome browser, or Android OS

MacGuffin

and Apple/iCloud

If your AI does the crime, you'll do the time, warns DoJ

MacGuffin

Re: Artificial Xenophobia

Is there a reason the SHOULD work just as well?

MacGuffin

Re: Two tier justice

US President’s AI is already fullly immune. As SCOTUS.

Apple ropes off at least 4 GB of iPhone storage to house AI

MacGuffin

I like the lock down too. For now. I find with each update, ios and ipados get more difficult to use and navigate.

Google files first ever complaint with European Commission against Microsoft

MacGuffin

Re: Weapons and Big-tech

If only we had and endless supply of money rather than the endless supply of stupidity.

CrowdStrike apologizes to Congress for 'perfect storm' that caused global IT outage

MacGuffin

"Pre"defined

"Pre" is sometimes the "prefix" for before. Prewar. Prehistory.

"Predefined rules" might work here because the the rules may have not been defined (before definition).

No Definition? No rules. Nowhere to go.

Fail.

Don't apologize to congress. Apologize to the world.

EU AI Act still in infancy, but those with 'intelligent' HR apps better watch out

MacGuffin

Misguided Innovation

Too often I find that “strangle tech innovation” means there is “concern” that regulation will “strangle” new innovative tech ways to collect fees and lock in subscriptions. The “innovations” are not for the general populace. Most “innovations” I have witnessed are innovative ways to block access, throw up paywalls or siphon off the revenue stream.

An example “innovation” would be transaction fees where your phone and credit card get fees for the “convenience” of not using actual cash. Or “cashless” payments which basically require a cell phone plan to participate. THe cell-plan plan itself is an innovative way to extract funds by by making having a plan mandatory.

Here we go again. And again. Musk threatens to pull Twitter, SpaceX out of California

MacGuffin

Just one final change

TeXla….

Release the hounds! Securing datacenters may soon need sniffer dogs

MacGuffin

Demolition Man Revisited

I may need to rewatch “Demolition Man” tonight. I keep thinking of the quote “Why don’t you shove a leash up my ass?” after Sly is informed he’s chipped.

Elon Musk to destroy the International Space Station – with NASA's approval, for a fee

MacGuffin

Re: Language

“Deplane! Deplane!” Bring back Mr. Roarke’s sidekick, Tattoo..

Samsung teases investment to get into the GPU game

MacGuffin

GPU Packed With Ads

Given their TVs, I'm not sure I would want a GPU that spends most of its time serving up ads and calling the mothership. No worry really. A Samsung GPU may well last as long as their refrigerators do.

Nearly 20% of running Microsoft SQL Servers have passed end of support

MacGuffin

Nothing for the Upgrade

The PFY from tech school working on the hot new SQL server and application/cloud will get promoted out of the project and into manglement within 6 months because of the whizz-bang "skills" in new and shiny.

The grizzled greybeard tasked with updating the obsolete MS SQL DB Server and the accompanying apps because only they have the skills and training will take multiple years because of all the "concerned parties", long after the PFY above becomes their boss.

Feel free to say that does not happen. Please say that does not happen...

Please?

Can AI models trained on human speech help us understand dogs?

MacGuffin

Crotchety

This will only work when AI develops “smell-o-vision” and can crotch dogs.

Samsung takes bite out of Apple over its mega marketing misstep

MacGuffin

The Samsung Avalanche

That being the same Samsung that buries you in an avalanche of ads on their Smart TV hardware? The same Samsung whose “Smart Things” app won’t function without a connection to the mother ship? Whose smart TV also requires a connection to the mothership?

I’ll call that mighty creative for Samsung, but not the consumer.

Microsoft really does not want Windows 11 running on ancient PCs

MacGuffin

Re: What happens when

"need replaced"?

"need to be replaced" or "need replacing"

Healthcare AI won't take jobs – it'll make nursing easier, says process automation founder

MacGuffin

Will AIs Volunteer?

I'm nearing retirement. In my earlier days I enjoyed volunteering in a hospital. I would like to volunteer in retirement, but I simply cannot bring myself to volunteer my time and volunteered wages so that the CEOs of said hospital and health care industry can increase their "compensation". CEO - "I personally got more people to volunteer, saving us costs. Therefore my compensation must be increased exponentially. That and all those denied services and procedures. I should get more now I can utilize AI to deny more without doing it myself. Because I can."

Iowa sysadmin pleads guilty to 33-year identity theft of former coworker

MacGuffin

Retribution?

It will not happen, but I would like to see the judge personally punished for making Woods become Kierans.

I guess I’m just not too particularly fond of judges, especially SCOTUS, at this point in time.

Ex-White House CIO tells The Reg: TikTok ban may be diplomatic disaster

MacGuffin

Stopped Reading

I tuned out at “This is unprecedented”. Next up “existential threat.”

I’m trying to understand the situation and become informed, but the usual cliches being spouted sometimes prevent my reading further.

I probably should read on, but ….

In the rush to build AI apps, please, please don't leave security behind

MacGuffin

Mission Accomplished

One achieves the ultimate security by making sure absolutely no one can use the application.

US task force aims to plug security leaks in water sector

MacGuffin

Everyone's an Expert in Cybersecurity

Here the expert /spokesman in cybersecurity for water has a PhD in Chemistry and no IT experience. That type of mismatch happens often in government civil service.

Microsoft promises Copilot will be a 'moneymaker' in the long term

MacGuffin

Re: Copilot Tattles

I have generated real people using Copilot. It is selective about WHICH real people. No way of knowing just who will offend it.

MacGuffin

Copilot Tattles

I used Microsoft’s AI “Copilot” this morning to try and generate a picture. I entered “Donald Trump on the Titanic”. Copilot then reported my account to Microsoft for violating the terms of agreement. No picture. Just tattling.

Copilot pane as annoying as Clippy may pop up in Windows 11

MacGuffin

And I want it why?

My limited impression on AI and copilot in particular is that both are a solution in search of a problem.

Tesla's Cybertruck may not be so stainless after all

MacGuffin

Re: How characteristically Muskian.

So does “loser”

AI PC hype bubble swells, but software support lags marketing

MacGuffin

Who are they?

"However, analysts now forecast an AI PC boom for 2024"

And just who are these analysts and why are the qualified to make a forecast?

Sorry, scammers: The FCC says AI robocalls are definitely illegal

MacGuffin

No Viable Mechanism

To paraphrase Robin Williams discussing London Bobbies who do not carry firearms chasing suspects:

"Stop! Or I'll yell 'Stop!' again!"

BOFH: Hearken! The Shiny Button software speaks of Strategic Realignment

MacGuffin

Strategery

Fecal Strategery

Ignore Uncle Sam's 'voluntary' cybersecurity goals for hospitals at your peril

MacGuffin

Enter Scotus

“The proof is in the federal rule making process”.

And all one has to do is sue, bring it before the Supreme Court and SCOTUS will roll out the “Major Questions Doctrine”, say the agency cannot make rules and burn the house down.

Affordable, self-healing power grids are closer than you think

MacGuffin

Titanic

“Self healing power grids are closer than you think.”

So are unsinkable ships…

Boffins eyeball computer vision costs, find humans are cheaper for oversight chores

MacGuffin

Remote Sensors

Humans are nothing but remote sensors for AI.

Think about it. We used to fill out forms that were a page or two. With the prevalence of databases and web UIs, we seem to be required (shadow work) to provide far more information for simple tasks. I'm looking at you health care.

Every industry is convinced that their portal is the only one you use or that is important, with little to no regard for all the other UIDs, passwords, 2FA that every person is now stuck with. Store them all on a password maintenance provider which leaves only one site to hack to get all your authentication information.

We're even required to pay for the bandwidth to support ads. Junk mail used to have bulk postage paid be the advertiser. Now we have to pay the equivalent (or more) n bandwidth and subscriptions for the "privilege" of viewing unwanted ads that consume more bandwidth than the articles being read.

Thanks AI!

Working from home never looked better: Leopard stalks around Infosys and TCS campuses

MacGuffin

And Today

“The beast was spotted yesterday”

It remains spotted Today.

Microsoft prices new Copilots for individuals and small biz vastly higher than M365 alone

MacGuffin

GPT should be GTT

GPT= General Pre-Trained Transformer. “Pre-Trained” means before training as in disorganized. Chaos. The “Pre” is redundant.

It should be GTT=General Trained Transformer.

NASA, Lockheed Martin reveal subtly supersonic X-59 plane

MacGuffin

Too Many Words

"External Vision System"

Uh...

Camera?

Expert sounds alarm bells over upcoming NHS data platform

MacGuffin

One Cannot Model Chaos

One wonders if the reason no one has successfully created a usable IT system is because one must have a logical health care system before you attempt to model it. There is no point of modeling rules and regulations where they make no sense to start with.

Programmable or 'purpose-bound' money is coming, probably as a feature in central bank digital currencies

MacGuffin

Re: They call these "savings stamps" or "green stamps"

Knights of the Green Shield Stamp and Shout.....

Cloud is here to stay, but customers are starting to question the cost

MacGuffin

When did it happen?

Wend did “spendING” become “spend”? The same time “computING” became “compute”?

Reminds me. My car needs “washed”. Not “washing”.

Local governments aren't businesses – so why are they force-fed business software?

MacGuffin

Appropriate Acronym

In my line of business, ERP is reserved for "Emergency Response Plan".

It's not an emergency until Oracle is involved.

Can 'Mad Libs for incident response' prevent the next MOVEit fiasco?

MacGuffin

Best Job Title Ever

MFT or Managed File Transfer Tool. Describes my job and what I am for doing it.

Crooks pwned your servers? You've got four days to tell us, SEC tells public companies

MacGuffin

Beware SCOTUS and the Major Questions Doctrine

All one of those hacked companies has to due is file a lawsuit claiming the SEC has exceeded their authority and SCOTUS will decide against SEC under the made-up Major Questions Doctrine.

Google accused of ripping off advertisers with video ads no one saw. Now, the expert view

MacGuffin

Good Old Days

At least when I was getting sh*t-tons of junk snail mail, I could send the junk mail from one advertiser to another using their thoughtfully provided pre-paid mailing envelopes!

I thought it was quite nice of me to share the useless marketing material at their expense!

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