Posts by bombastic bob

Five Eyes nations stare menacingly at tech biz and its encryption

the genii has been out of the bottle for DECADES

the genii of encryption has been out of the bottle for DECADES.

PGP and its various incarnations is there for anyone who wants to use it.

OR, you can roll your own method, NOT tell anyone else, and just hand the program to whoever you want to decrypt it via snail-mail or some other "untraceable" means [including sneakernet].

It's like "gun control" laws, which are intended to PUNISH THE LAW ABIDING, while doing NOTHING to stop gun violence and gun crimes. After all, if you're a CRIMINAL, you don't OBEY laws. So they don't do SQUAT.

Captain Obvious on pretty much everything implied here. Gummint idiots are just knee-jerk reacting to the FUD, without ANY understanding of the tech, the implications, or the likely results.

Two leading ladies of Europe warn that internet regulation is coming

rules to "clamp down" on [certain] content

yeah, censorship, we know what it is, it sounds all touchy-feely-good when you first start out, then it steamrolls into a steaming pile of fecal matter at some point, becoming *like* "the great firewall" of China.

gummint just DOES that. it's part of its nature to grow to the point of oppression.

no thanks. ANARCHY is a better idea. The only requirements *might* be for log-keeping, but even that is pointless in a world where Tor and "the darknet" exists.

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

Re: Tough Times at Santa Clara

"And who says that 8 Cores in 200sqm marks the best price-performance compromise ??"

is it even POSSIBLE for Win-10-nic to run 8 cores like that? What, with Micro-shaft's ridiculous licensing policies, etc..

Intel should market desktop Linux and multi-core-ready applications to get CPU sales up. Just sayin'.

As for competition, let Micro-shaft emulate all they want. A good native Intel architecture will outperform emulation any day. you can also think of it as "validating the standard".

Teen texted boyfriend to kill himself. It worked. Will the law change to deal with digital reality?

Re: The degree of coercion isn't important

'Suicide is Painless' was performed by Painless the dentist in the original movie, when he wanted to commit suicide because he thought he'd lost his libido. The other doctors fixed him up with a simple sedative, and had him wake up with a couple of hookers (or maybe it was nurses), thus "fixing" the problem. There was a big wake beforehand, where Painless played the title song on the guitar and was the 'live' star of the wake. Having that song become the theme song of the TV show was in many ways 'priceless'.

Re: re: it's a crime to let somebody die if you could have prevented their demise.

actually "Good Samaritan" laws are intended to protect the 'hero' against later backlash from the 'victim' who might have been injured (permanently or otherwise) as a result of the 'heroism'.

Yeah, it happens. Reminds me of the beginning segment of "The Incredibles", yeah. Suing for having your life saved (when you didn't want that).

Maybe walking past is the better choice...

Re: He who has no sin can cast the first stone...

I'm reminded of the "be an hero" de-motivational.

unless there was some kind of coercion or manipulation involved, saying what you want shouldn't be a crime [even if it's to repeatedly tell someone to commit suicide].

otherwise it's "he hurt my feelings, and I wanted to kill myself" *SLAM* go the iron bars!

"That girl is the devil incarnate."

no, THAT would be my X wife [and if I could text HER and get her to off herself...]

/me points out joke alert icon to avoid being investigated unnecessarily. "just kidding". heh. heh. heh.

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

it's NOT the FCC's job - that's why

it's NOT the FCC's job to regulate what goes on the wires, or what the ISPs do with the data.

That would be the FTC, or for Congress to legislate.

Overstepping the boundaries of a regulatory body isn't a "solution" to ANYTHING.

Now, getting Con-Grab off of their collective asses, that's something to do about it!

I fought Ohm's Law and the law won: Drone crash takes out power to Silicon Valley homes

"a white adult male with white hair who fled the scene in a white hatchback car"

/me sings that one show-tune-like theme song from a recent 'Family Guy' episode...

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

Re: a translucent background with blur, tinted overlay

"If it makes that unusable flat 2D design more like the UI in Windows 7"

that would be nice, of course, but the millennial CHILDREN running the show in the Halls of Redmond aren't about to let THAT happen... they *MUST* *CRAM* the 2D FLATSO FLUGLY up our collective orifices! For our own good!

"The rest of us" indeed. Like in the article's title. Totally abandoned, as usual.

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

Meh

today's soap opera, tomorrow's forgotten "fake news" drama.

nothing will come of it. might as well ignore it all, get on with life.

Kaspersky files antitrust suit against Microsoft

Re: Boo Hoo

"how can anyone assume their AV and security software is any better?"

it isn't.

(from about a month ago)

Pop-up Android adware uses social engineering to resist deletion

a special place in hell

for those who write [cr]apps like this

Live blog: Fired FBI boss spills the beans to US Senate committee

Re: Trump had told him repeatedly he was doing a great job.

yeah I think Trump was just being Trump. He wanted a bit of loyalty (i.e. Comey not acting like an 'Obaka holdover', waiting for the opportunity to pounce, leak, etc. like a bunch of others OBVIOUSLY have been) and to Trump, that most likely means NOT obstructing his presidency (instead of 'obstructing justice to please the boss' which is what CNN and the left WANT it to mean). That's how I interpret it anyway. Washington insiders might imply a "nudge-nudge wink-wink know-what-I-mean" even when it's not there, but Trump doesn't speak Washingtonese, he talks like a New Yorker from Queens.

Comey is acting JUST like the classic "disgruntled employee". he got fired for being like overcooked spaghetti, wishy-washier than a laundramat, etc.. He's bitter, and he took notes on his way out the door.

No surprises here, including it being a "non-event".

'Meh' indeed.

Microsoft totters from time machine clutching Windows 10 Workstation

Re: 4 Processors Chips which could be 88 cores, 6TB of RAM...

"Whether you like Windows (10) or not is largely irrelevant."

hah hah hah hah that's a good one.

How is micro-shaft going to FORCE ME to use Win-10-nic? "Micro-shaft Uber Alles" or something?

/me sticking with Linux/FreeBSD with Mate desktop, Android or iOS phones/slabs, and the occasional Mac. When the rest of the world 'gets it', they'll join US.

Re: Desperation

"I find the Windows 10 UI to be a huge improvement over the fake 3D UI of earlier Windows"

of COURSE you do! You refer to those of us who *HATE* "the Metro" 2D FLATSO FLUGLY as "dinosaurs".

Here are some synonyms for you (I know you meant them, right?):

a) refuse to change

b) sticks in the mud

c) won't get on the bandwagon

d) old fuddy-duddy

e) NOT a millenial

that last part is the most important.

If you like 2D FLATSO, you should be able to choose it. Those of us who *HATE* it should be able to choose the OLD interface. Most of us who still have to use windows already DO that, by using 7 (or earlier).

Keep in mind, it was the 3D Skeuomorphic interface that SOLD WINDOWS 3.0 TO THE WORLD. That's where it started. It improved with '95, and went upwards from there. Back then Micro-shaft "got it" and delivered what CUSTOMERS wanted, and not SHOVING UP/INTO OUR ORIFICES what *THEY* want us to have.

In the survey results I've seen, people prefer 3D skeuomorphic to 2D FLATSO by 2:1.

The only reason Win-10-nic has THIS many users at the moment is that MICROSHAFT HAS MADE SURE WE HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE. Except, Linux. Or Mac.

Re: Desperation

"Bin all of that and give me a clean and consistent desktop UI that's designed for a desktop PC please."

and without the 2D FLATSO FLUGLY.

"The Golden Age of Window$ has begun..."

I was thinking "Iron Pyrite" but ok.

Cuffed: Govt contractor 'used work PC to leak' evidence of Russia's US election hacking

Re: so was she a cunning linguist?

we'll probably find out once she's in the iron bar hotel. she'll have plenty of time to pump iron, too (see photo in article).

too many possible jokes to continue. /me self-censors

Re: Dear "The Intercept"

"or was some other identification method used?"

It was probably just good old fashioned police work. With Comey out of the way...

Re: Double Standard

"Why is Hillary still free???"

A scapegoat has already been found? (you know, this 'Reality' chick)

I can only think of a handful of very very bad jokes now.

"Reality" TV/journalism

"Reality" is a bitch

etc.

yeah, "the scapegoat". Will the FBI stop looking, or is it time to see if anything ELSE "smells like a swamp"?

Re: Gotta watch those names, folks

/me quotes from Robin Hood Men in Tights

"It's an Everlast!"

The open source community is nasty and that's just the docs

Re: It's the Internet

"WD-40 is a mixture which contains both volatile solvents and lubricants. "

'WD' means "water displacer" or something similar. If your frozen up mechanical thing is all wet, the WD-40 should loosen it up and/or get all of the water off of it. Then you clean off the WD-40 and use real lubricants.

In the Navy they use WD-40 to assist with "de-watering" electrical/electronic gear that has been flooded. Or, at least they USED to.

Re: Here we go again..

"women who submit code under male pseudonyms get it accepted more often, because apparently to project maintainers gender is relevant"

I call B.S. on that. just because you say it does not make it true.

Re: Well for Linus that's self defence

"Free Software has the problem of a huge influx of bad coders"

you get what you pay for, sometimes.

But the attitudes of many of the developers often reflect "academic arrogance" and "new, shiny uber alles".

Recently I griped about evince changing the UI so that, on a FreeBSD box, it displayed everything with an interface that LOOKS LIKE WIN-10-NIC, never mind that I wouldn't touch Win-10-nic with a 10 foot pole. I despise the 2D FLUGLY FLATSO and THAT is apparently now HARD CODED into Evince. So thanks, gnome project, for diving even deeper into the CESSPOOL of 2D FLATSO FLUGLY and arrogantly ASSUMING that the rest of us actually WANT that. [it could also be Micro-shaft's influence on the gnome project, embrace, extend, extinguish].

I mentioned it in an IRC channel for gnome devs. Even being nice, they're more like "use something else" "go elsewhere" etc. [probably because I mentioned MATE]. No concept at all of customer service. It's more like "take it OUR way or we shove it down your throat". Like Micro-shaft does.

Gay Dutch vultures become dads

Re: @Michael - Great story

"Mother Nature insists on perpetuating species using the old fashioned way."

This suggests 2 things:

a) there's probably no "gay gene"

b) it's probably developmental, though a recessive genetic trait (or combination of them) could also be responsible for "gayness"

there was an experiment done with male homosexual sheep some time ago. The scientists discovered that the area of their brains that was responsible for processing testosterone and aromatase [as I recall] was smaller, like that of a female sheep, in the male homosexual sheep. This could have been caused by a number of factors, from a breakdown of the blood barrier in the placenta [exposure to female hormones], to any number of other environmental or even genetic factors.

The point is, these male homosexual sheep literally had "female brains".

something to consider. Of course I don't know if anyone has been cutting up human brains but MRI and PET scans and other means might be interesting studies.

then again when politics and political correctness get involved, nobody can talk about the science and statistics any more. I prefer to "mind my own business" instead, and let people do what they want as long as it's not in my face and/or offensive.

Re: Great story

One to use when people say homosexuality is "unnatural".

not 'unnatural' just an aberration. And before you start emotion-bombing with ridiculous/irresponsible "*phobia" labels, look up what the definition of 'aberration' is with respect to statics. It is an anomaly that lies outside of the normal bell curve that has a predictable statistical occurrence, i.e. like the "1.8%" of human populations that are reported to be homosexual vs heterosexual.

seriously, some people just can't avoid the political agenda side of this stuff. I prefer to "mind my own business" when it comes to someone's sexuality. I think everyone ELSE should, too.

Performance anxiety: A different take on 'hybrid infrastructure'

Linux/BSD servers, "whatever" workstations

It seems to me that the best hybrid setup would be to use Linux/BSD servers with windows (and other) workstations, well firewalled behind the Linux/BSD servers for intarweb access, with windows running ONLY on those workstations where the business softwar MUST run windows.

properly administered, this kind of configuration has potential for high reliability. A private cloud for 'shared things' can help with that as well.

The biggest problem has been how Micro-shaft (particularly with Win-10-nic) is changing the authentication methods (again) on the network in ways that are ahead of Samba's supported features. When Samba is _BARELY_ able to act as an Active Directory domain controller, Micro-shaft moves the target again with their "Micro-shaft Login", one login to rule them all etc.

Some would say "one word: Kerberos" and they're probably right, but Kerberos has its own issues with timeouts etc. and from what I read about it, can be very irritating.

I'd think that RHEL or CentOS would've come up with a one-size solution for this kind of thing by now...

(go with that, get support)

'My PC needs to lose weight' says user with FAT filesystem

Re: It's been awhile (thankfully!) ...

typing DIR in a DOS box would render the message "Volume in Drive C is FAT"

change the volume name to 'TREADMILL' or "DIET" or 'SKINNY'

problem solved.

Re: SQL => Sequel

'Sequel Server' is IBM's trade name for their database (and I think Micro-shaft kept the stupid pronunciation).

However, "Es Queue El" is the name of the LANGUAGE, the correct pronunciation of the 'SQL' acronym in names like MySQL and PostgreSQL etc.

Every time I hear 'sequel' I want to *cringe*

The first time I heard it, I was taking an OS/2 class (pre windows 3.0) and talking to the prof about doing data analysis. He was (naturally) recommending LAN Manager and "Sequel Server". I couldn't find ANY reference to "Sequel Server" *ANYWHERE*. Had I known to look up 'SQL Server' I would have found it.

Big mistake for IBM to have pronounced it "that way". It doesn't even describe what it does properly.

Retirement age must move as life expectancy grows, says WEF

I plan on working until I'm dead

I plan on working until I'm dead. Retirement seems overrated.

65 is WAY too young for the gummint retirement. It should be phased up to at LEAST 75 in 1 year increments every 2 years. it would take 20 years to get to 75, but by then it would be equivalent (life-expectancy wise) to what it was like in the 1940's when 65 became "the retirement age". This argument has been going on since the 80's in the USA, but _NOBODY_ had the chutzpah to actually DO it.

then you can save things LIKE 'social security' (or its British counterpart, whatever that might be) while also making it available to people who paid into it all those years, etc..

But yeah, NOBODY wants to touch it, because the HOWLER MONKEYS will come out (and downvote) accusing everyone of being "something-phobic" or worse, because, Political Correctness.

Re: So... we should do the opposite...

"Basic income is an interesting idea"

you mean like COMMUNISM, right?

Every time the 'minimum wage' goes up, this is what happens: a) fewer people working in "those jobs" since employers can't afford it, b) every OTHER wage+expense goes up (inflation) to compensate, c) never-ending cycle.

If the "bare minimum" subsistence income is magically declared at "some value", then everyone earning 'that level' will ENDLESSLY WHINE for MORE.

A job is an exchange of "something of value" for work, presumed to be of the same (or higher) value as the "something of value" exchanged for it. Otherwise, it's a giveaway program.

If you want to see ECONOMIC COLLAPSE, then go ahead, DIVORCE the value of work from the amount that is paid, with "subsistence income". You'll see a whole boatload of lazy people laying on their couches collecting said income, NOT working because they really don't have to, and occasionally showing up as a paid protester or wikipedia re-re-editor or blog site "contributor".

Yeah we REALLY need THAT, don't we?

And don't forget - expenses will RISE to match the money pool available to pay them. And so "subsistence" won't be enough any more, and the hands will go OUT, with empty palms UP, expecting MORE. and MORE. and MORE.

Whoops! Microsoft accidentally lets out a mobile-'bricking' OS update

Re: “Today was a great exercise in our whole team coming together to solve a singular problem.”

it's also why 'mandatory updates' are bad.

"See we told you so", Micro-shaft.

(corrected spelling - tiny fonts hard to read - but previous version was funnier without the 'f')

Elon to dump Trump over climate bump

Re: In a Nut Shell

"If Musk withdraws from Trump, Trump will go on Twitter and call Musk names."

heh. I hope so!

Re: @bombastic bob

strange how people imply things that I don't say. whatever...

here, I offer you some light reading on some actual science regarding the CO2 thing:

http://www.greatians.com/globalwarming/greenhouse%20gas.htm

enjoy

Re: Coal stocks fell today

"There are no US jobs in coal. It's a dead industry."

Q: what is the recipe for steel?

A: iron + coal (and a few other things thrown in)

by definition steel is an iron+carbon alloy. how ELSE do you make it? Carbon gotta come from SOMEPLACE, and coal is a convenient source.

also don't forget 'clean coal' tech and power plants. just gotta build 'em.

Re: Coal stocks fell today

"Yet you wouldn't say the same about MS sysadmins finding themselves out of work thanks to UNIX and the cloud..."

they're not being forced out of their jobs because of GUMMINT INTERVENTION, or POLITICAL CORRECTNESS, either. However, Microshaft _SHOULD_ take responsibility for releasing CRAP operating systems... (and eventually they'll have to turn it around or give up).

Re: Whack-a do lobby

why focus on carbon? I have a reasonable suspiction that during the Palaeocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum that atmospheric humidity was very VERY high. Earth swampy much?

And if "all that CO2" only changed temperatures by "that much", we're gonna be JUST! FINE!!!

besides, I'd like some warmer weather than we're seeing right now. You know, being at cos(60) of the estimated maximum temperature swing. That would be about 50% off of maximum for those who believe in global warming.

* I came up with that number based on a peak in 2005 with a 35 year half-cycle and 12 years, about 1/3 of that, being 1/3 of the 180 degrees of the cycle, or about 60 degrees. The current value relative to the peak would then be about cos(60) or 0.5 . If the peak is +/- about 2.5 degrees C, that would be an average worldwide temperature drop of a bit over 1 deg C, or as much as 3F. The difference between a 67F day and a 70F day is enough to make me feel cold. Funny how facts like that all line up so well...

** don't forget, "consensus" among "scientists" forced Gallileo to recant his non-geo-centric model of the universe. Just sayin'

*** As far as I'm concerned, "consensus" means "peer pressure". Not a good way to do SCIENCE.

Re: Surprised?

I like this one better

http://www.greatians.com/globalwarming/greenhouse%20gas.htm

simple. obvious. has references that can be checked.

see conclusion at the end. It pretty much matches what I said.

Re: Coal stocks fell today

" It would be great to see US coal output drop due to no country being willing to import our coal"

I shall bill you for the living expenses of the miners and others that lose their jobs as a result of it. what, not ready to TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for what you want to happen?

I'd rather see these people have JOBS. Let's build some modern CLEAN coal-fired plants along the California/Nevada border and sell cheap coal-power to California. How about THAT ???

Re: Whack-a do lobby

"swayed by the crazy religious groups who think trashing the planet is OK"

yes, everyone who does not agree with the doom/gloom climate change FASCISM is OBVIOUSLY wanting to just *WRECK* the planet, irresponsibly throw trash everywhere, pollute deliberately whenever possible, dump toxic waste into fishing and swimming areas, throw trash all over the beaches (especially glass and hypodermic needles) yotta yotta yotta.

(I can't believe some people might actually think I wasn't being facetious)

/me facepalming

Re: Surprised?

yeah, "follow the money". The elitists get their profits while the rest of us suffer with higher energy costs, fewer jobs, lower wages as a result.

Why must _EVERY_ lefty/liberal solution *ALWAYS* do this? Answer: because they're NOT SOLUTIONS. They're TAKEOVERS.

CO2 doesn't warm the planet. It can't. It doesn't absorb infrared frequencies for normal temperatures. Maybe if you're above 60C or below -48C you might see some absorption. But it's INSIGNIFICANT in between. In other words, it doesn't do SQUAT to world temperatures in "the normal range". And yet, everybody jumps on the propoganda bandwagon of "it's CO2" and "carbon footprint" yotta yotta DESPITE the REAL SCIENCE saying that WATER is "the greenhouse gas" that makes the weather change and nobody's DARING to try and control THAT, not with a planet 3/4 covered with it...

It's JUST! NOT! POSSIBLE! for all of this carbon-credit-crap to even CHANGE anything, let alone STOP natural cycles from occurring.

But don't worry. The planet is cooling back down. It's a 70 year cycle after all. You know, in 1900 it was cold. In 1935 it was warm. In 1970 it was cold. In 2005 it was warm. And now we're on the downward slope of the curve, and picking up speed. You know it's pretty DAMN COLD out there right now, and it's almost JUNE, and I still have bags on the wind driven fans in the roof [which I do to limit their spinning during the winter, saves on heating]. NOrmally they'd be off in the spring and the air conditioner would be BLASTING. but it's freaking COLD out there right now. Go fig, "globl warming"... unless I'm *RIGHT* about the COOLING part of the cycle!!!

Re: Technological welfare queen

I was thinking more "drama queen" but yeah. Leave the Paris Accord, tell Elon "buh-bye, don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out"

It's time these silver-spoon silly-valley liberals learn they're not THAT important

Trident nuke subs are hackable, thunders Wikipedia-based report

Re: Bog Standard Option in US Submarines, too

a couple of years ago I had a chance to visit my old sub while in San Diego, on its decomission tour [it's now split into multiple sections, which will become 2 training units and a 'sail traning unit' for shipyard construction].

The rules were simple and included: NO DEVICES. We were to leave our phones and other electronic devices behind. Only approved devices were allowed on board. [apparently this was the normal rule for the sailors on board, as well] [I'm also guessing the British Navy would have similar rules in place]

So yeah they had "windows for warfare" running (or whatever it's called) on laptops, which appeared to be ruggedized, for things we used to do manually. The electronics had been upgraded, a few archaic pieces of equipment removed, but most of it bore that "70's look" since that's when it was designed. Even the fire control system was the original.

One advantage of 'old tech' like this is that it's not really "hackable". I mean, how many people have access to a Sperry/Univac UYK/7 ? And if they did, good luck getting the program into the box.

"no school like the old school" - yep. And the military seems more than aware of cyber security threats, not allowing "unclean" devices on the sub. I expect the same in the British Navy as well, especially for operational boats [not ones on their way to the shipyard to be cut up into pieces].

Does Microsoft have what it takes to topple Google Docs?

Re: Google Docs great until you need to communicate with other businesses

you might find that LIbre/Open office does pretty much everything that M$ Office does, will import/export "their formats", and last I checked, so will google docs (import/export "their formats").

unless you're doing some kind of exotic formatting, the import/export translation is usually pretty good.

I think it's FUD to suggest that google docs can't be used to communicate with other businesses. Why not just set up a temperary shoar link to the google doc and e-mail it? that's "communicating" isn't it?

and last I checked, your personal google doc storage doesn't cost anything as long as you don't fill it up...

Re: "they don't need to deal with geeks"

I figure as a company owner, I can dictate policy. Then I set up the policy: Linux/BSD workstations, open/libre office, 'google docs' when shared things are needed (but only IF needed), local source repo, github for anything that's open source, and "the Windows machine" (running 7) if anything 'windows' must be used for some reason. And no web browsing from the windows machine. EVAR.

then you purchase Linux versions of everything you need, or use open source versions, etc..

and you hire people that agree with this policy.

It was bound to happen: Amazon launches first grocery store

wait until the grocer unions get wind of it

wait until the grocer unions get wind of it. Over here in the USA, Target and Walmart and other "non-union" retailers offer groceries now, and it's WAY cheaper than Vons/Safeway or the others. And so I've been getting a lot from Target and Walmart lately, though the availability and selection isn't quite as good. I can still go to Vons for things NOT carried at Target, but my grocery bill is considerably smaller than it would have otherwise been, maybe 20 percent or more.

So yeah I welcome the competition. I'm tired of being presented ONLY with expensive brand-named things at the grocery stores anyway... when Walmart's _slightly_ lower quality, half-priced alternative is effectively just as good [except it requires a trip to WalMart, something I don't enjoy all that much]

Pentagon trumpets successful mock-ICBM interception test

let's test something against the next NORK launch

Come on, USA, let's test something against the next NORK launch. Next time Kim Jong "Cartman" Un decides everyone needs to "Respect his AUTHORITAH!" and lobs another missile into the Sea of Japan [hoping to reach Japan I'd gather], it would be *FUN* if the USA lobbed something BACK that blew it to *ATOMS* less than halfway there.

you never know which one is going to have a REAL NUKE on it, so might as well blow them ALL up!

Ransomware realities: In your normal life, strangers don't extort you. But here you are

"leaving all your files and all your backups encrypted."

it depends upon how the files were copied. I don't think such ransomware exists (yet) anyway. If it did, try rolling back your system date... and copying across a net share from a different box running Linux.

"Backup everything important, and keep all backups"

ACK. worth pointing out, a DVD can't be 'encrypted', especially when it's normally kept in a fireproof safe someplace.