Posts by Doctor Syntax

Raspberry Pi sours thanks to mining malware

"If I've done the sums right that turns into about $5/day"

Riches! If you're and 8-yo.

"you would instinctively change the password on first use as you did on that shiny router you bought. You would also have to enable ssh"

These are aimed at kids (my 8-yo grandson for instance). They won't necessarily have basic sysadmin skills. Also, as he did, they might forget the P/W if changed. (Actually in his case it was a different OS with a different default P/W. An OS update appeared to have reset it probably back to the OS default. I'd tarred off his home directory and re-flashed the OS before I realised the default was different.)

You're right in that they'd have to enable ssh. On Raspbian that's done through the same menu as changing the password but unfortunately the two aren't linked.

"recent-ish Raspbian versions warn you every time you login via SSH if you retain the default password."

Also, IIRC, Raspbian ships with sshd off by default. Turning it on is an option in the raspi-config script. It wouldn't be difficult to add a step to the script to require a password change at the same time.

There are probably conflicting requirements here. While we - and, I'm sure, the Raspbian team - know that this would be a Good Thing the device is aimed at youngsters and it's quite likely that they'd lock themselves out by forgetting the password. However, flashing a new card would be a quick fix for that.

Uber board: We accept all recommendations. Any execs left to carry them out?

"The company is also expected to add another woman to its board."

Some minor celeb appointed as "creative director"?

Two leading ladies of Europe warn that internet regulation is coming

Re: The two most powerful women in Europe

"she can't pass any legislation without the permission of Arlene Foster and Ruth Davidson"

She might even have to get her own rank and file to agree.

Jailed fraudster admits running same cold-caller con from behind bars

Re: Fool me once

"As regards further punishment, it would be sweet if some sort of proceeds of crime order could be made against all those convicted to recover the missing £66m, just as they are about to be released from prison."

I'd hope recovery proceeds have already been started. However AFAIK this goes to public funds rather than to the victims. Still, they may have to pay a £15 victim surcharge.

IBM warns itself of possible outages in lab shift screw-up

It looks as if the final implosion is getting close.

Re: "two week outage"

"that's a dig at IBM not Trump"

Downvoted for not realising the two are not mutually exclusive when it comes to digs.

Intel to Qualcomm and Microsoft: Nice x86 emulation you've got there, shame if it got sued into oblivion

Re: Windows HAL

It's a long time ago but AFAICR it wasn't anything to do with the instruction set but with presenting the processor with a consistent API to the hardware. The kernel is still compiled to the native code of the processor but the developer doesn't have to worry about what sort of bus etc that the CPU can see. I'm not sure how this relates to the drivers; maybe their job is to present the HAL API.

Who needs who the most?

Microsoft to Intel: Remember all those chips you sold on the back of Windows? We're going to start releasing the Intel versions of Windows about a year behind ARM before phasing them out altogether. We have some nice ARM to Intel emulators we could licence to you.

Whisky snobs scotched by artificial tongue

"Heck, most of them can't tell the difference between Moet and carbonated grape juice."

Is there one?

Re: Holy s**t 10K-135K Euros a bottle

"But almost all the other distinguishing features are going to need your nose."

That was my reaction. It makes GC sound more realistic as a testing method.

Windows 10 Creators Update preview: Lovin' for Edge and pen users, nowt much else

"The Linux bits? Exciting. .... Everything else? Meh!!"

So just get rid of the everything else.

Re: Fall Creators Update

"Yeah ,like you buy a new car that is exactly the same as the old one?"

As far as the controls go, yes. Don't you? My car has a steering wheel. What does yours have? Handle bars? Tiller? Pedal bar?

Boeing preps pilotless passenger flights – once it has solved the Sully problem, of course

"As long as they train the stewardess on how to hold down the power button for a systems reboot."

Stewardess? That's an easier problem to solve. Catering will be self-service before the pilots go.

So there'll be a pile of Dreamliners on the bed of the Hudson after all the test landings.

Spy commissioners: Did we audit our bulk data sharing with industry? Err... not exactly

Re: Does anyone think it pretty strange there's a "Regualtion of Investigatory Powers Ac" and

The reason there are so many similar Acts is that each one so far has been smacked down when it goes to court so they have to supersede it with a new one. It's a trial of patience.

"Neither commissioner with responsibility for the intelligence agencies, nor their inspectors, has ever conducted a formal inspection or audit of industry in this regard."

The technical term for this is "dereliction of duty".

Donald Trumped: Comey says Prez is a liar – and admits he's a leaker

Re: Sir Humphrey would never have been caught out

"he would without hesitation have declared unreserved and irrevocable loyalty to the Presidency."

No, he would have said something which the President would have believed to have been an expression of unreserved and irrevocable loyalty to the President bu whicht, when examined more closely, and with proper guidance would, in due course, have been seen to have been capable of a different interpretation and, indeed, whatever interpretation circumstances might require as dictated by those same circumstances as they might change. I could clarify it at greater length, of course.

Re: Lies, damned lies and Trumpy's declarations

"The US Constitutional system has lasted for a long time"

What are you studying?

American history.

I see. And what do you do in the afternoons?

Re: @Kiwi Two things..

"If its a bluff then its only as effective as long as you don't know the answer to the question."

It's also only effective if Comey knows his account is different to what actually happened. Give or take the vagaries of personal recollection there are only two people who know what happened and Comey is one of them. If what he said is what he recollects and he's satisfied his recollection is sound then he's not going to be bluffed. If he recounted what happened then why should he worry about tapes unless they're doctored?

Re: Comey: Weird, but it doesn't matter.

"I expect nothing to come of all this except to make America look (more) ridiculous to the rest of the world."

It's always comforting to know that there's someone worse off than oneself. America, we thank you.

Re: A pardon doesn't prevent a trial

"However, the pardon would remove the leverage the special prosecutor would have over Flynn to get him to roll over on Trump - it would be the threat of prison rather than the threat of a show trial that motivates him to sell out Trump."

I've no idea whether this is a realistic situation you're discussing but this would be a total travesty of legal procedure. One doesn't have to be a Trump admirer to see that although I suppose it helps to be a detached bystander.

You know this net neutrality thing? Well, people really love it

"According to the poll, which spoke to 1,000 people split evenly across political lines (and including independents), 73 per cent of Republicans support net neutrality too."

So what? None of them pay lobbyists.

DUP site crashes after UK general election

"the DUP could be the UK equivlant of republicans."

You clearly don't understand NI politics although "loyal to the half-crown not the Crown" had a certain resonance.

Re: DUP - Dud Unelectable Politician (nowt to do with Ulster)

"The alternatives were Boris and Gove"

My guess is that Hammond will elbow the lot of them out fairly soon. And sooner if she sacks him from the cabinet.

Re: Democracy

"Once again, the British public demonstrate that they can't be trusted with democracy."

Far from it. We've placed a curse on all their houses and very well deserved it is too.

Re: Conservatives + DUP = IRA?

"They want a hard Brexit.

They don't want a hard border to the south

They don't want a 'border' with Great Britain."

Reminds me of the old saying. The Irish are in revolt, they don't know what they want and they won't be happy until I get it.

Re: Irritatingly smart-arse comment

"a decent Swedish black metal band"

Of which you need several to hold together a barrel.

"the UK gov't is about to be underpinned by Ulster Unionists"

Ulster Unionists != DUP

Different party.

Afrinic shuts down IP address shutdown over internet shutdowns

"IPv4 addresses are about to become precious"

So drop the policy and just be economical with addresses. Allocate all the governments the same block.

Cabinet Office minister Gummer loses seat as Tory gamble backfires

Re: "And the Labour Party actually got behind the campaign."

"Bought a huge number of people into the party"

Bought? Simple typo or Freudian slip?

Re: None of them would have if it was a two round system

"Super-Kipper is dusting off his action man suit and ready to lead the party again if there is another election."

That wouldn't surprise me. I always said the leadership was a revolving door with Farage in most of the compartments. What would be surprising would be if he found a party to lead.

Re: None of them would have if it was a two round system

"As it stands they assimilated the UKIP vote"

In most of the results I saw last night the collapsing UKIP vote seemed to have been shared out. I think UKIPpers by and large went back to where they came from.

Re: "Ploughs ahead with BREXIT..."

"There might very well be a revolution if she didn't plough ahead with it."

Think about this for the moment.

Remember that the original vote was close.

Now observe what happened to UKIP - their vote collapsed.

Consider what happened in the areas which predominantly voted Leave. The Conservative vote went up but not enough for them to win seats from Labour.

Finally, consider what happened in the areas which predominantly voted Remain. The Conservative vote went down in large enough amounts for Labour to win seats.

May's majority disappeared because of Brexit. The argument that the country was solidly in favour of Brexit was never really valid given the narrowness of the majority. What the current vote seems to be telling us is that that majority probably doesn't exist any more. Electorates are volatile at best and we're now seeing the effect of Remainers who didn't vote a year ago turning out now to do what they can to make their displeasure felt. That's why some of us have been saying all along that a binding vote should require a supermajority to change the status quo and being bound by an advisory vote that produced a fairly even split was wrong.

She'll plough ahead with it if she's left in office out of sheer pig-headedness. If she was replaced by someone who didn't there'd be no revolution. The result tells you that.

Re: the best we could have hoped for.

"I just treated myself to a second cup of tea."

It's probably for the best. Yorkshire tea, I hope.

Re: @ Doctor Syntax

"special advisors"

I think her cabinet are hopping mad about the campaign decisions she took on the advice of her SPADs and without consulting them. As she now has to pay a lot more attention to what her party thinks I expect her special advisers are going to be on a short lead in future and that's assuming they're not ushered out through those gates at the end of Downing St.

Re: What a mess...

" I don't think May will be PM for very long but whoever takes over from her would be bonkers to call an election for at least two years."

In this sort of situation the PM can have an election forced on them without calling it.

Gummer had previously described the government's long-delayed digital strategy as "the most ambitious programme of change of any government anywhere in the world".

I think that should have been "over-ambitious".

Given the other alternatives a hung Parliament seems the best we could have hoped for.

Watch out Facebook, Google – the EU wants easy access to your data

Re: Brexit

"It just gives Brexit fans another reason to leave the EU."

Ignoring the fact that our PM has been keen to do this since her Home Sec days which is why we have Brexit in the first place.

The ECHR might have something to say about this latest proposal.

Record number of non-EU techies coming to Blighty

Re: Well they can't exactly go to France now can they

"Heaven help someone from outside it."

Maybe they're anticipating things a little and treating you as if you're already outside.

ICO seizes phones and computers in nuisance call scam raids

"up to and including gentle slap on the wrist."

They've been handing out much bigger fines recently. The current ICO looks as if she means business. At least if the businesses fold the ICO have something already in their possession to confiscate.

Feeling old? Well, we're older than that: Newly found Homo sapiens jaw dates back 350k years

"Which is, in fact, a relatively modern construct, derived by a certain Bishop Ussher"

One of his successors, now retired, was a working archaeologist in the NI Archaeological Survey before going into the Church. I wish he'd made an ex cathedra comment about that.

Re: is the jaw a really a fossil or is it a bone?

Good question. Basically a fossil is a thing dug up. So if a bone is buried and subsequently dug up it's a fossil bone (although you wouldn't really apply that the bone your dog buried in the garden yesterday). As to physical state - it varies.

Some fossils can be simple casts of soft bodied organisms or plants where the entire organic material leaving a cavity which later filled up with a different type of sediment. I have a cast of a stigmarian axis (horizontal stem of a carboniferous club-moss). Fossil footprints are similar.

The object might undergo some chemical change. It might, for instance, lose most other elements and be reduced to a layer of carbon. A more thorough process might replace organic matter with other minerals.

OTOH in the right circumstances there might be little change. Amber is a hardened tree resin and, as we all ought to know by now, can preserve insects with little deterioration as it blocks out oxygen which would be needed for decay.

Pollen grains, or, to be accurate, their protective sporopollenin walls are very well preserved in organic sediments although we generally describe them as sub-fossil if post-glacial. I encountered one black layer in an archaeological context which consisted of little more than a binding of humic acid (dissolved away in NaOH) and oak pollen.

Paxo trashes privacy, social media and fake news at Infosec 2017

Re: "I supposed we should be cheered by this mass act of selflessness."

"But you do have to wonder how many will remember what they did tomorrow."

I have no doubt that in a few years time it'll be hard to find anyone who'll admit to voting Leave if that's what you mean.

Ex-MI5 boss: People ask, why didn't you follow all these people ... on your radar?

Re: @Aladdin Sane

Do you really think Franklin was likely to express an opinion about a specific matter in terms suggesting a general principle without meaning it to be the latter?

"The various paramilitary groups had pretty much cornered the market on crime"

I was told that at least in the early days - presumably the late 60s and early 70s - most of those involved were already known to the police as local criminals. I sometimes remember that when I read accounts of those involved in the current outbreak.

"Although understandably there were very few foreigners that actually wanted to come to Belfast."

Just before I started work at QUB the department had had a Sikh research student (this would have been early to mid '60s). I often wondered what the population of rural South Down made of a turbaned Sikh peddling round on a cycle with a set of Hiller borer rods tied to the cross-bar.

Tech can do a lot, Prime Minister, but it can't save the NHS

"That's politics for you. GP's were told to reduce waiting lists down to X by the politicians, and they did it."

Sir Humphrey: You told us to reduce the figures so we reduced them.

Re: Outsourcing

"What will this country do once everything has been outsourced?"

Insource it. Then outsource it again. It's the way it always goes over the long term.