Posts by Packet

Crypto craziness craps out – and about time too

Re: Blockchain next..

That's how I treat it - the moment someone mentions blockchain, I immediately move them to the 'I'm dealing with an idiot' bucket

Re: Invalid comparison

I apologize in advance for using you as an example, but you have mentioned just that single facet and discounting the others that are far more important (such as the backing of tender rendered legal by government) - and unfortunately, that has allowed such fads to proliferate. Again, apologies for calling out your example

My favorite new article

I'd gladly buy the author a beer (with real fiat money) for pulling no punches and saying it like it is.

I've often pontificated on the lack of financial education and common sense of the cryptozealots / 'cryptobros' - was there an underlying layer of inherent grift all along, or just sheer zealotry born of ignorance? Doesn't matter - stupid is as stupid does, fool and his money soon parted, etc etc.

Blockchain needs a reason to exist, Boris Johnson tells roomful of blockchain pros

Despite his prior misstep, he's right about the cryptocurrency aspect real world scenario...

I enjoyed reading this article, and as usual, was fascinated by the comments.

Blockchain and "cryptocurrency" have both shown themselves to be solutions in search of a problem.

Refreshing to see the former PM of the UK (despite his prior missteps) point out the obvious - \what's the real use case?' and the need for regulation - I was to a lesser degree intrigued by his off topic meandering into Twitter etc.

I imagine he's not getting invited back there any time soon, even though he said it far more politely than I would have (This Friday, I'm leaning towards something alone the lines of 'I extend to you ungracious greetings, you bunch of charlatans' or some other Shakespearean sounding rubbish)

My Big Coin founder is – you guessed it – a $6m crypto-fraudster

It's getting tiresome...

Hearing about these crypto scams while also listening to the crypto banshees with no knowledge of economics or finance harp on about how they're special.

They're special all right, in a mentally deficient way...

We sat through Apple's product launch disguised as a dev event so you don't have to

Re: The WWDC presentation was no great shakes, but this article is worse

I get that, but then it begs the question - did this article provide value? Was it necessary?

I pointed out some things that to me were worthy of mention.. with 2 of them being after the actual presentation. Is it too much to ask for the author to have provided just a tad more insight?

Re: The WWDC presentation was no great shakes, but this article is worse

Easy there, fella.

At least make it informed snark.

It's not in the bloody browser, it'll be in the wifi settings.

They could definitely tone down on the superlatives - using too much of them sounds just hollow

The WWDC presentation was no great shakes, but this article is worse

Hey Article Writer Person,

You had the luxury of time to wait and provide more insight beyond the WWDC superlative laced presentation.

For instance, you didn't mention that Stage Manager is coming to iPadOS too. Instead you focus on somebody's snarky attack on the feature even though it's not been released yet.

Or that the Fitness app will be available on iPhones without the Apple Watch.

And then there were the new features that didn't get mentioned at WWDC - you will now be able to see your wifi password, third party 2 factor support directly within the browser/settings, etc.

Come on - do better please and thank you

Apple wins Epic court ruling: Devs will pay up for now as legal case churns on

Re: The difference between Apple and 3rd party payment options

I don't pay more for a book or music as another poster mentioned - that 30% take doesn't apply to that.

Unless I'm very much mistaken this morning...

My view: if I create an app platform, I can charge what I like on it, with my payment processor, etc - letting the consumer / developer market decide if they want to sustain it.

Epic's claim is just without merit.

China Telecom booted out of USA as Feds worry it could disrupt or spy on local networks

It just amazes me how much you're willing to give the Chinese a "pass"...

Considering this being a UK based site - have we already forgotten the help provided by the US then?

History matters - the Chinese are a threat, regardless of what happens in the US.

Why you ask - because the western world plays by the rules - the Chinese don't.

You have the freedom to be able to criticize without repercussion - something you would not have in a Chinese run world.

This is not paranoia, this is factual - how the world works.

You've become soft in the western world, thinking anyone in authority will listen to you - try that attitude in China and see how far it gets you

Huawei to America: You're not taking cyber-security seriously until you let China vouch for us

It's all relative and depends where you live and whose values you're allied with.

Now it's not 0 or 100 when it comes to trust either.

Trust someone less, trust someone more. You'd trust your wife, but maybe not your ex.

But you know all this already, comrade...

Love the headline - it reads like something out of the onion.

China cannot be trusted, period.

Everything Apple announced: Tor-ish Safari anonymization. Cloaked iCloud addresses. Cloud CI/CD. And more

Re: Still no paid upgrades in the App Store...

How about just creating a new paid for app? Publishing app2 that is the paid version.

I see a lot of apps doing that.

Also, full agreement on the subscription based models - I don't care for them, as a consumer.

I understand the desire behind them, etc etc - but they should be the exception, not the norm they have become of late

Re: Gotta sell new hardware

The iphone 6 (that came out in 2014) has had security updates to ios 12.x (the last thing it could run) since 2 years ago - with the most recent one just a month or two ago.

the 6S on the other hand (that came out in 2015) will run ios 15.

Elon Musk hits the brakes on taking Bitcoin for Tesla purchases

Re: Prime Bullshit Piled High to Protect and Preserve the Perma Bullshitters Hides

I hit reply and the posting system put my comment where it chose to.

Your idyllic scenario does not have anything to do with creating a new store of value.

All you're doing is using a word salad to make what you're saying seem plausible (hint: it's not working)

So, I'll ask again, how does creating a new store of value prevent the creation of a deficit and/or debt?

Re: What is the point

Ugh you're offending and hurting my economics brain here.

Inflation is a good thing, ffs.

And excluding the world's population to banking? what does that mean? go back to the barter system?

Re: Prime Bullshit Piled High to Protect and Preserve the Perma Bullshitters Hides

Hold it right there - how does your new technology based 'currency' solve deficits and debts?

You aren't - all you've done is create a new store of dubious value

Re: Fantastic Market Opportunities ...... Ponzis to the Moon and Achilles Heel Arrows

I don't think greed limits itself to one side of the political spectrum...

Re: Fake excuse

pump n dump, perhaps

Microsoft bins Azure Blockchain without explanation, gives users four months to move

Oh you Linux zealot.

There is the Mac platform that has the answer for our Joe user - where he can use Outlook, if he so pleases, or not.

AWS going AWOL last week is exactly why less is more in cloud server land

What bugs me is...

1. How much consumer companies rely on 'the cloud' for their products' functionality when shit like this breaks

2. How little their tech people know what has happened resulting in product replacement offers (all at cost to the company) which then doesn't fix the issue

Single-line software bug causes fledgling YAM cryptocurrency to implode just two days after launch

I like this new term "a decentralized finance experiment"

Such a polite way of putting it across.

"financial dumpster fire created by morons" works too

Whoops, our bad, we may have 'accidentally' let Google Home devices record your every word, sound – oops

Bloody Google...

Typical Google.

Just cannot be surprised by this anymore.

Yes, one could argue that privacy laws keep them from doing such things so blatantly, but trying to prove it in today's 'everything is a sodding conspiracy' world where the signal to noise ratio has deteriorated to such a degree, is quite another thing - especially when high-priced lawyers exist and the will to prosecute beyond a fine doesn't, for some bizarre reason.

As I write this long-winded (but ultimately, impotent) expression of outrage, I can already see a possible reasoning, one pointing to incompetence, rather than malice - due to their investment in ADT, these devices start listening and learning when put in 'Guard Mode' - this is not new behaviour.

Alarm systems listen for the sound of glass breaking anyway. And that's what Amazon Echo units do if you turn on 'Guard Mode'. This is an extension of that technological aspect which makes sense - however, the linking of data collection A to B to C and so on, the way an advertising company does - that is concerning.

First rule of Ransomware Club is do not pay the ransom, but it looks like Carlson Wagonlit Travel didn't get the memo

Sir - can you please substantiate your remark?

Else it's rather unhelpful.

Allow me provide you with some information: A sovereign government backed currency means that it has government revenue and taxes, economic data (imports, exports, GDP calculations) to provide the said currency with a preferred (or non-preferred) rate of exchange in the world currency markets

Why?

Wouldn't you rather focus your efforts and criminal proceedings against the actual perpetrators rather than the head of the business who is being forced to make a business decision because of the ineptitude of their IT department?

Someone in IT fucked up - and allowed this to happen, it's that simple. Direct your rage there.

While I agree with you that the point of the blockchain is to have every transaction linked to it - there is also that 'washing' thing done for Bitcoin by exchanges.

I suppose it comes down to how extensive (and how present/available) logs of such activities are.

If the 'washing' does remove/obfuscate the bread crumbs trail, then it's rather more anonymous?

PS: just an opinion on the workings. I still contend that any non-sovereign government backed currency is a scam and waiting to be unloaded onto the next sucker

In the market for a second-hand phone? Check it's still supported by the vendor – almost a third sold are not

Re: Say what you will about Apple...

I see your point - I misunderstood the 'used' / second hand aspect (mea culpa)

So to start afresh, caveat emptor applies here - with the onus firmly on the buyer.

However, the used phone would likely have limited usage scenarios - though from a security perspective, an Apple product would likely be less vulnerable than an Android device.

Say what you will about Apple...

But you have to give them this - they do not sell unsupported phones.

I do find it legally contentious that any manufacturer can sell a phone without any support

The incumbent President of the United States of America ran now-banned Facebook ads loaded with Nazi references

Re: New World Order?

I do hate to be pedantic, but the first amendment to the US Constitution just prevents the govt from suppressing your freedom of speech (among other things).

(and yes, i know there are exceptions for certain scenarios in the world today, like say, yelling 'fire' in a movie theatre, or saying 'bomb' in an airport)

A private (ie, non-govt) company can choose to censor as they wish.

In an attempt to add some seriousness after my initial attempt at levity (which still makes me giggle)

this inverted red triangle is not on the Anti-Defamation League's list of hate symbols.

Link: https://www.adl.org/hate-symbols

Posting here with just one line:

I did Nazi that coming

US Air Force wants to pit AI-powered drone against its dogfighting hotshots in battle of the skies next year

This article/discussion reminds me of Musk mindlessly spouting off a couple of months ago how fighter pilots were obsolete, and drones were the future etc etc.

It sounds great to the latent science fiction fan in people, but reality as it often does, taps one on the shoulder and asks some uncomfortable questions.

Don't take it from me, I don't have any military flying time (just civil) - but pilots interviewed mentioned quite a few pertinent points - some of which you smart folks have already covered in the discussion (be nice if the article had those, eh?)

Some of these points were taking the advantage in choosing to attack at an advantage before getting to a head to head fight, visual verification of friend or foe, jamming, breaking of encryption and subversion of technology, and lastly human ingenuity - the AI-powered drone is learning as well, and in a fluid fast moving situation, recognizing the better option may still be something the human pilot can do faster today.

Yet there are some important ones in the AI-powered drone's favour: faster time to market compared to training a human pilot, no concern about the human loss, going past human endurance, etc.

I do wonder about the scale of operations though - think the number of alien ships in Independence Day vs. the human pilots.

At some point, all these issues get overtaken by technology - so maybe in a few generations, we'd reach that point. Just not today, or anytime soon.

And yeah, the F-35 is an amazing aircraft in terms of what it can do, but to shoehorn it into every bloody role on the planet, is just hurting its' own cause.

Especially, more so, when the cost of the thing is considered (and the bloody bugs). So, it's not the be all end all standard regardless of what its' manufacturer wants air forces to think.

Re: How about a cargo plane

Spooky AC-130 gunships do a great job with their howitzers today supporting troops on the ground.

Evolution to add a laser cannon will eventually show up, I suppose

Amazon declined to sell a book so Elon Musk called for it to be broken up

Re: Tell people what the goddamn guidelines are

Actually, in Canada, a big book store did exactly that with Herr Hitler's Mein Kampf.

They chose not to carry the book as the owner felt it went against her beliefs.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/reisman-bans-mein-kampf-from-chapters-and-indigo/article18419829/

Re: Amazon choosing to publish / not publish seems like a no-win situation

I agree, but I have begun to feel that it's a slippery slope.

I am often reminded of Hall's "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it" bit

Re: Amazon choosing to publish / not publish seems like a no-win situation

Thank you.

This makes it simple to understand then - Musk is so full of shit his eyes are brown

Amazon choosing to publish / not publish seems like a no-win situation

Based on my following of Snoopy from Peanuts getting his book(s) rejected by the publishers, it would suggest to me that publishers can choose what books they want on their banner/platform.

Accordingly, Amazon has the option to say 'yes/no' to what they want.

On the other hand, censorship brings up the entire 'Who guards the guards?' bit.

I'm honestly unsure on this one.

Indian app that deleted Chinese apps from Androids deleted from Play Store

Re: Isn't this what Antivirus / Anti malware software does?

What is the safeguard to prevent this auto running and deleting things you don't want to be deleted?

The design seems flawed

What horrid security Android has to allow this in the first place

I'll say it again - Android is garbage.

How can one user app delete another app?

What sort of exotic root permissions are being given to the app to do this?

And if they can delete the app, then what else can they do possibly without the user knowing?

Building society caught in middle of high street sharing a little too much on TeamViewer

Re: TeamViewer....

Way to miss the point.

Teamviewer did not show typed/saved passwords.

It shows (only to you) the credentials to be used to provide to someone else so they can connect to you.

Naturally, they did not (and can not) plan for some pillock taking a screenshot of that to the entire bloody world

Black horse down: UK banking giant Lloyds suffers an online wobble

Good heavens - what horrid PHB's does that bank have - so much so that they can't even have the currency set to the country they're in.

Just kinda bolsters my accusation up above, you know

You folks really have shit IT infrastructure there in the UK, it seems.

Nice wallpaper you've got there. It would be a shame if it bricked your phone

Fully enjoying the schadenfreude here on the absolute waste matter that is Android

China to test digital version of its currency at 2022 Winter Olympics

Re: Why the uproar ?

It's been 2 days now.

I figured you'd have no response at all to actual facts instead of the horse dung you made up to glorify China and disparage the US.

Where are you, anonymous coward?

Re: Why the uproar ?

WTF are you talking about?

Can you provide some proof of what you say?

As per https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/transferwise/how-to-open-bank-account-france/ and other sites, there's no mention of 'sign papers for the US government'

Re: Why the uproar ?

Yes, the uproar is because of China - and it's rightfully justified.

I agree with you - if the country you're in, any country, decides that you're a person of interest, they can look at your expenses to see what's going on.

However, the question is that measure of becoming a person of interest. If that bar is set incredibly low, as countries like China are wont to do, there you go - welcome to dystopian realities.

'I wrote Task Manager': Ex-Microsoft programmer Dave Plummer spills the beans

Loved reading this - Task Manager was my favourite, NT4 onwards.

And yes, in later versions, it just became unwieldy and in 8 onwards - useless junk taking up too much room. (And what really grinds my gears is you can't have it auto startup minimized in windows 8 onwards)

But at least till Windows 2003, even Windows 7, very very good.

Alibaba Cloud revenue grows 62% – but it's still just a sixth the size of AWS

Re: "why buyers beyond the middle kingdom would consider its offerings"

Very well stated!

(Better than I could)

BoJo buckles: UK govt to cut Huawei 5G kit use 'to zero by 2023' after pressure from Tory MPs, Uncle Sam

Re: Is it wrong to be in favour of this?

Oh look another anonymous coward parroting rubbish.

Fossil fuels are not going anywhere anytime soon - so slow your roll on that one.

One country owning another country's sovereign debt doesn't really mean anything without the political will to actually engage with other means (Clausewitz)

It's a matter of diminishing returns and escalating risk. It seemed like a good idea at first, but at no point does it become 'I say, good lad, we'll take that state and that other one there, then in lieu of payment, thank you very much'.

If you think China cares about climate change, you're rather mistaken.

What they are doing is attempting to use leverage by building out things in other countries (as part of their Belt and Road initiative.

The current world scenario is one of upheaval (long before COVID-19) - and it's exposing rather ugly cracks in the edifices of many a nation (the US included).

Re: Is it wrong to be in favour of this?

Honestly, do you really believe that?

The rights you have available to you in the US are the stuff of dreams in other countries, mate