"Food" too.
Posts by Captain Hogwash
1310 publicly visible posts • joined 23 Feb 2009
America's cyber defenses are being dismantled from the inside
Asia reaches 50 percent IPv6 capability and leads the world in user numbers
4chan, the 'internet’s litter box,' appears to have been pillaged by rival forum
Japan serves Google a cease and desist order over its Android bundling deals
EU gives staff 'burner phones, laptops' for US visits
UK officials insist 'murder prediction tool' algorithms purely abstract
Procter & Gamble study finds AI could help make Pringles tastier, spice up Old Spice, sharpen Gillette
Windows intros 365 Link, a black box that does nothing but connect to Microsoft's cloud

Obviously it's a black box so implementation might be different
But...
MS Guy 1: Azure? Check. Office365? Check. What the suckers really need now is the EdgeBook.
MS Guy 2: The EdgeBook?
MS Guy 1: Yeah. We can drop all this expensive Windows development crap but keep them mainlining Microsoft while piggybacking on a cheap Linux kernel.
MS Guy 2: Ah, I see. We don't need to make the syringe to keep them wanting the drugs.
(Originally posted September 2020)
Privacy died last century, the only way to go is off-grid
UK's first permanent facial recognition cameras installed in South London
No big changes to UK broadband regs, despite no real competition for BT

Re: competition
I think you missed my point. Currently only FTTC is available. But when the fibre goes live (no idea yet when that will be) am I going to be limited by who laid the fibre? In my street it is Nexfibre, so Virgin Media. Two streets away it is Netomnia, so Youfibre. Other parts of town these two and Openreach are all working at the same time. So, as I currently understand it, choice will be different in different parts of a not very big town. Have I got THAT wrong?

competition
There are lots of different operators currently digging up roads and pavements in the town where I live.
But when everything finally goes live, unless I have misunderstood how all of this works, there will be no competition in most parts.
In my street I'll have a choice of one operator. Two streets away there will be a choice of one different operator.
Other parts of town will have a genuine choice but they are pretty small, dispersed areas.
Have I got this wrong?
Time to ditch US tech for homegrown options, says Dutch parliament
RIP Mark Klein, the engineer who exposed US domestic spying ops after wiring it up
How Google tracks Android device users before they've even opened an app
Signal will withdraw from Sweden if encryption-busting laws take effect

Re: governments will just demand a backdoor in the AI system
The backdoors are already there, designed in from the start for the use of Microsoft, Apple, Google, etc.
"your data never leaves your device" they say. It doesn't need to as they can just ask the AI if you have whatever they're looking for before sending round the heavies.
Murena kicks Google out of the Pixel Tablet

This...
doesn't make much sense
"a de-Googled tablet makes more sense than a de-Googled phone. It's now common, even normal, to do contactless payments with a smartphone, use it to store tickets and membership cards, run banking apps, and so on. A device that can't do this, or even makes it harder, is significantly crippled."
in the context of this...
"if you don't mind doing a little extra work to avoid having your data stored for you by giant foreign corporations with questionable records on privacy"
Those of us who belong to the latter group tend not to also inhabit the former.
I am in my seventh year of using e/OS/ on phones and can see no use for a tablet in my life.
The software UK techies need to protect themselves now Apple's ADP won’t
Microsoft boffins promise entire game worlds made from AI slop
Murena boss says customers about to wake up from its cloud storage nightmare

Re: WAG
This gets discussed a lot on their forum. Apparently some work and some don't so if you want to use banking apps then it's pot luck. Personally I'd avoid banking (and most other) apps if the browser can do the job. MicroG is installed so if any app requires Google services than that is how the situation is handled.
Copilot+ PCs? Customers just aren't buying it – yet
UK Home Office silent on alleged Apple backdoor order
Why UK Online Safety Act may not be safe for bloggers
FuriPhone FLX1: A Debian-powered brick that puts GNOME in your back pocket
Microsoft's London 'Experience Center' packs up and goes home
Meta's pay-or-consent model under fire from EU consumer group
Apple Intelligence turned on by default in upcoming macOS Sequoia 15.3, iOS 18.3
AI pothole patrol to snap flaws in Britain's crumbling roads

Re: AI?
I agree. What follows, a conversation I had with MS Copilot, is an example of real AI at work.
Me: How can I best persuade people that they should use Linux instead of Windows?
Copilot: Persuading someone to switch from Windows to Linux can be quite the challenge, but it's all about highlighting the unique advantages that Linux brings to the table. Here are some compelling points you can make:
1. Freedom and Customization
Open Source: Emphasize that Linux is open-source software, which means users can inspect, modify, and enhance the code. This often translates to greater security and adaptability.
Customizability: Linux offers an unparalleled level of customization, allowing users to tweak their system to their exact liking. From the desktop environment to the kernel itself, every aspect can be tailored.
2. Security
Fewer Vulnerabilities: Linux is known for its robust security features and fewer vulnerabilities compared to Windows. It’s less targeted by malware, making it a safer choice.
Regular Updates: Linux distributions often provide regular updates and patches that are swiftly rolled out, ensuring that security holes are quickly addressed.
3. Performance and Efficiency
Resource Efficiency: Linux is typically less demanding on hardware, making it a good option for older machines or systems with limited resources.
Stability and Performance: Linux systems are renowned for their stability and performance. They can run for extended periods without the need for reboots.
4. Cost-Effective
Free of Charge: Many Linux distributions are free to download and use, which can be a significant advantage for those looking to cut costs.
No Licensing Fees: Linux eliminates the need for costly licensing fees associated with proprietary software.
5. Community and Support
Strong Community: Linux has a large and active community
UK aims to fix government IT with help from AI Humphrey

Re: How long until...?
I think they learned last time that the way to introduce that kind of thing is to make it optional until all of the greenhorn kids have signed up and all of the old cynics are dead.
Probably the scheme would be designed in the manner of an eel trap to prevent those kids leaving once they'd been caught.
Brits must prove their age on adult sites by July, says watchdog
Scammers exploit UK's digital landline switch to swipe cash
UK gives Openreach £289M for 4 rural broadband contracts in 'gigabit by 2030' push

I agree. We've just had Nexfibre digging up our pavements who will apparently be opening up to wholesale at some point. But when it goes live it will initially be limited to Virgin Media O2.
What's that? No static IP for residential customers? No discrete ONT? No modem mode on the supplied router? Thanks but no thanks.