Posts by thinking ape

Warning on SolarWinds-like supply-chain attacks: 'They're just getting bigger'

Re: Linux Adoption

My Parents (around 80 years old) prefer linux (mint), and have done so for the last 8 or more years (I forget when they started to use it). They do have their kids to set it up for them

When a new laptop was purchased, they tried windows again, and then quickly, 'can we have linux back please?' Basically, it's stable, doesn't constantly change it's UI, doesn't ask you for constant restarts and 'please wait while we update your...." and they have all the programs they need, even LibreOffice and a Garmin GPS programs via WINE.

So why don't people switch? Marketing. Most people don't even know it exists and they're scared. They stick to what they are used to. If more companies pushed it, and it was loaded by default on hardware (and so was cheaper), people would switch.

However, then it comes to games, and compatibility with random program X, or they have to choose a distro (what is a distro? which is better? where do I click for that?)

How to track equipped cars via exploitable e-ink platemaker

Hobometer

Odometer tampering is overcome by fitting a government issued, tamper resistant odometer (hubometer) directly on to the wheel. This should match your vehicle reading (within a margin of error)

Should open source sniff the geopolitical wind and ban itself in China and Russia?

The issue with 'free speech' is ...

..that there is little mention of the flip side, responsibility.

The free speech advocates keep seeming to claim that you should be allowed to say anything, with no limitations. They fail to remember, that in the USA, it just means the government can't legally lock you up when criticising the government/religion/ideology etc.

It doesn't mean you can say whatever you want without consequences. Start shouting fire/bomb in a crowded place with no good reason

Ditto with open source. We need to understand how our software can be abused, and if it's likely it will cause significant suffering then maybe it would be our responsibility to consider if we release it or not.

Then again, some people are single issue people who don't see the wider picture of how society works and holds together

Google sued for firing staff who claim they tried to follow 'Don't be evil' motto

Re: Politics, not Good

Media bias comparison. There's level of bias, there's also bias vs lies.

https://adfontesmedia.com/

Fact checked by people of all political backgrounds

Java 17 arrives with long-term support: What's new, and is it falling behind Kotlin?

Re: Most of these are "screw the coder" misfeatures

Sealed classes allow better exhaustive switch statement analysis. Also in kotlin you have better delegation support, so instead of extending a class you delegate to it and add your own sauce (aka composition)

21 nails in Exim mail server: Vulnerabilities enable 'full remote unauthenticated code execution', millions of boxes at risk

Re: That's why C/C++ should be ditched

Well it doesn't happen. Changing peoples behaviour isn't going to happen fast. I see it the same way assembly programmers complained about C, that they could do it better etc... and people just had to 'get it'.

I say if there's a technical fix, then use that. You can try to argue with the computer but it will still say no.

People aren't going to change anytime soon, nor are the various forces acting upon them.

Zoom agrees to pay subscribers $25 to put its security SNAFUs behind it

Sure you do

>>>The company released a statement over the weekend, declaring "The privacy and security of our users are top priorities for Zoom, and we take seriously the trust our users place in us."

No you didn't. If you did then this total fail wouldn't have happened.

Seems like a small fine for being totally dishonest.

They grew their user base, made a ton of money, this is just a bit of tax on it. Until companies get ravaged by fines, they are hardly going to do anything about it

End of the day most people just don't care so much it seems, or have little choice (the network effect).

OVH says burned data centre’s UPS, batteries, fuses in the hands of insurers and police

data centres and power factors

Link to a pdf explaining power factor issues in data centres

https://download.schneider-electric.com/files?p_File_Name=VAVR-9EJ262_R1_EN.pdf&p_Doc_Ref=SPD_VAVR-9EJ262_EN

Welcome to the splinternet – where freedom of expression is suppressed and repressed, and Big Brother is watching

The issue of censorship is really about _who_ censures whom? The government surely shouldn't, bar maybe highly illegal activities already carrying jail time. What private companies choose to censor is their own choice. Provided an individual can go setup their own system, what's the issue? What FB censor for example, is their choice. We can go (and probably should) go elsewhere. It's government censoreship that is the issue. And the likes of 'social credit scores' (unless there are plenty of private alternatives not all kowtowing to the government)

After all there probably should be some level of behaviour control (I shouldn't be allowed to go out and start shooting people or setting of bombs off in public places). Where that line is drawn is up for debate. It may be the case we need different spaces (physical and/or virtual) that people can freely go to which enforce a level of behaviour they are happy with.

Personally I'd favour a user supplied 'filter' I can put on feeds of my choosing for example where I can block/limit content I don't care about. That would solve a number of issues people have

Facebook rejects Australia's pay-for-news plan, proposes its own idea: How about no more articles at all, sunshine?

Opening up for competition from others

The less FB becomes relevant, the better. So this might provide an opportunity for others to come up with alternatives.

51 years after humans first set foot on the Moon, a deepfaked Nixon mourns how Armstrong and Aldrin never made it home

Re: of all of the possible choices...they made this one

*some* conspiracy theories have been proven right. That doesn't mean *most* have been, or the *majority* are true. If one can't tell the difference between fact and fiction then life must be very hard indeed. And just because one sometimes get's it wrong doesn't mean one should then automatically believe everything.

*some* drivers are terrible, and *some* people kill, and sometimes we make a bad judgement call. Does that mean all drivers are terrible, and all people kill and we always make bad judgement calls? no. So why are people so eager to prove their pet conspiracy theory right? Probs cose they have no life and don't have anything more useful to do, or it makes them feel special and gives them a sense of identity I suppose.

Critical thinking, one of the most important skills to teach, but almost no school I know teaches it. Heavan forbid the people can think for themselves

IBM's outgoing boss Rometty awarded $20m+ in 2019 for growing revenue 0.1%

Re: Failure of corporate governance

maybe the employees should vote the board in

It's not for doing the job, it's for the creative story telling! Seems to have worked

Open-source, cross-platform and people seem to like it: PowerShell 7 has landed

So they're now pushing the most confusing and worst shell possible? How is powershell still relevant?

There are better crossplatform alternatives

Steve Jobs, executives shot down top Apple engineers' plea to design their own server CPU – latest twist in legal battle over chip upstart Nuvia

Re: CPUs? Apple stopped making servers even though there was a demand

And now GPUs and FPGAs are making inroads. With FPGAs you can more easily customise your hardware to your workloads.

Android dev complains of 'Orwellian' treatment as account banned after 6 years on Play store

Nice christian values

Instead of multiple independent app stores, why not have a few default ones, and then layer on top 'verified by X' trust lists?

Google can run their own trust lists, other third parties (whom one can subscribe to) have theirs. Then when one searches the store for an app, with one's lists applied, only apps which match a verified-by list are shown. If I trust my fiends Joe Smith's trust list (by subscribing to it), then all the apps he reckons are thumbs up are included.

This way no need to deal with multiple app stores (for the developers and the users), only trust lists. This would make it easier for all. The devs wouldn't have to jump through hoops for each app store, the user wouldn't have to add multiple competing stores with duplicate apps, logins etc, the app store moderators wouldn't get so much flak if they decide an app doesn't cut the mustard this time round (as the app is still available).

There could even be incentives in it for google. Some apps could be marked as thumbs up by an automated system for the 'google default' verified-by list. A 'google premium' list could be maintained for those that go through tighter scrutiny and pass a higher bar, which may incur additional costs to the developer (or a higher percentage cut by google). The converse might be true too. Those who meet the default google trust list are hit with a slightly lower google cut.

Of course third parties could also apply this same mechanism. You might pay to access Joe Smiths verified-by list, as he might spend a long time analysing apps and trying to break them, perform security analysis etc.

If one could then also combine lists, say, it has to pass the google defaults, the premium level, Joe Smiths super secure list, and Mandy's performance and good UI list, plus my friends totally unsucky apps list

I think this could cater to the needs of all. In the case of the 'average' punter, the default google list would be applied.

And throwing in a few buzzwords, like block chain, I could imagine a mechanism through which these trust-lists could be maintained. Developers hash, application hash, app version hash, binary blob hash. The app store proper simply stores the artifact and exposes the metadata.

My 2 cents.

SQLite creator crucified after code of conduct warns devs to love God, and not kill, commit adultery, steal, curse...

Christian values from the source

Here are some nice versus. Sure, some are from the old testament which the christians claim has been superseded. Seems the god that created everything, is so wise etc suddenly had a change of heart. Like following a psychopath who sings two different tunes.

Slavery seems ok: “Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the cruel.” (1 Peter 2:18)

Sex slavery is ok too: "When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she will not be freed at the end of six years as the men are. If she does not please the man who bought her, he may allow her to be bought back again." (Exodus 21: 7-8)

So much for equal treatment of woman: “I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent.” (1 Timothy 2:12)

Seems ok to go kill woman and children: "Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.” (1 Samuel 15:3)

More killing: “Happy is he who repays you for what you have done to us – he who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks.” (Psalm 137:9)

And numerous other 'christian values' passages. Think I'll pass. Rather be a better human thanks.