* Posts by Cliffwilliams44

772 publicly visible posts • joined 15 Feb 2019

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Apple-backed California right-to-repair bill just a bite away from governor's signature

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Re: Why the exemptions?

I've worked in the Alarm industry. The techs were neither "specially trained" or all that competent!

Any repair was restricted to "whole unit replacement" and that was usually the interface box or the control unit in the closet. Peripheral sensors rarely failed They were most often broken by the occupants.

Re: Game consoles, I have to agree with the makers here. The last thing we need is the explosion of new "hardware cheat devices" that can be inserted into a "repaired" console. It's bad enough we have all the M&K and controller mods that give people an unfair advantage and are difficult for the industry to police. It would turn consoles into the nightmare cheating situation that exists in PC gaming, which is why many prefer the console over PC gaming.

Right to repair advocates have a new opponent: Scientologists

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It's a joke, really it is!

Harlan Ellison interviewed by (now defunked Wings Magazine)

Ellison: Scientology is bullshit! Man, I was there the night L. Ron Hubbard invented it, for Christ Sakes!

I was sitting in a room with L. Ron Hubbard and a bunch of other science fiction writers. L. Ron Hubbard was famous among science fiction writers because he was the first one to have an electric typewriter.

Wings: He claimed to have written Dianetics in a weekend, and nobody can deny it.

Ellison: That's true. He wrote Dianetics in one weekend, and you know how he used to write? He used to take a roll of white paper, like paper you wrap fish in. He had it on the wall, and he would roll it into the typewriter and he would begin typing. When he was done, he would tear it off and leave it as one whole long novel.

We were sitting around one night... who else was there? Alfred Bester, and Cyril Kornbluth, and Lester Del Rey, and Ron Hubbard, who was making a penny a word, and had been for years. And he said "This bullshit's got to stop!" He says, "I gotta get money." He says, "I want to get rich".

Wings: He is also supposed to have said on that same night: "The question is not how to make a million dollars, but how to keep it."

Ellison: Right. And somebody said, "why don't you invent a new religion? They're always big." We were clowning! You know, "Become Elmer Gantry! You'll make a fortune!" He says, "I'm going to do it." Sat down, stole a little bit from Freud, stole a little bit from Jung, a little bit from Alder, a little bit of encounter therapy, pre-Janov Primal Screaming, took all that bullshit, threw it all together, invented a few new words, because he was a science fiction writer, you know, "engrams" and "regression", all that bullshit. And then he conned John Campbell, who was crazy as a thousand battlefields. I mean, he believed any goddamned thing. He really believed blacks were inferior. I mean he really believed that. He was also very nervous when I was in his office because I was a Jew. You know, he was afraid maybe I would spring horns or something.

Anyhow, the way he conned John was that he had J. A. Winter, who was a doctor, who was a close friend of John's, and he got him to run this article on Dianetics, the new science of mental health.

Wings: Dianometry was the first article, I believe.

Ellison: Right. And science fiction fans will go for any goddamm thing. They'll believe anything, man, they will believe in the abominable snowman and the Bermuda Triangle, in Pyramid Power, in EST, in Scientology, in the Second Coming, they'll believe in any goddamm thing, they don't give a shit. They go to see Star Wars; they think it is for real!

Power grids tremble as electric vehicle growth set to accelerate 19% next year

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Re: For many of us, hybrids make more sense than BEVs

That's not nice, you are inserting reality into his fantasy world view. That will only cause him emotion distress.

Next you will be telling him that, when all factors are considered, mining, manufacturing, operation, and disposal, that EVs gave a higher carbon footprint than ICE vehicles.

Microsoft to kill off Outlook REST API v2.0 in 2024 – for real this time

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Re: Again...

I don't like Graph at all but the Outlook API was total crap!

Requiring you to go through Outlook to interact with a mailbox, a fact that caused it to be disabled by default, was not really workable.

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Re: Does on-prem Exchange.Server support Grap?

Exchange is not managed through Graph.

Graph allows interaction with individual mailboxes, like the Outlook API did.

The problem with Graph is it's a behemoth with poor documentation and some functionality only exists int he Beta interface and again the documentation is poor which command those are.

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Re: meh

It uses Exchange Web Services, you really think that will continue forever?

Windows August update plays Blue Screen bingo – and MSI boards got the winning ticket

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Re: The problem was not caused by issues in the update?

Apparently the problem was the board was reporting the wriog info for the CPU, something every other board was doing right.

The issue is not Microsoft's not Intel's, it is MSI's and they fixed it.

Microsoft automatically rolled back the patch once it blue screened.

But of course, y'all gotta make a big deal outta nothing!

And MSI is far from perfect, just read their forums to see how many issues their customer have. But be careful you don't complain about them, because they will ban you!

Bombshell biography: Fearing nuclear war, Musk blocked Starlink to stymie Ukraine attack on Russia

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Re: So Musk has NOW entered the Ukranian war.......

Yes, but pushing NATO to the Russian border is extremely stupid and intentional at the same time.

The west wants Russia to return to the "corrupt" state is was under Yeltzin so they can return to the practice of draining it dry. Like they've been doing in Ukraine.

They despise Putin because he put an end to their ill gotten income!

In the end, it is "All about the money!"

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Re: So Musk has NOW entered the Ukranian war.......

Pick a square foot of land anywhere in the world and it will have been ruled over by many different entities. Do they all have claims?

This kind of logic always annoys me. "He who owns the land is he who controls and can defend it NOW." I know that sounds harsh in our 21st century world but it is still as true today as it was 3000 years ago.

Ukraine gave up the power to protect themselves in exchange for protection by other nations. Principally the West. The West failed them.

Cliffwilliams44 Bronze badge

Re: So Musk has NOW entered the Ukranian war.......

Read your terms of service from your internet provider. They can terminate your service for many reason. This, may be one of them.

If you don;t want that risk in your military comms, don't use a private contractor!

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Re: WTF?

Every internet provider has a TOS. Risking nuclear war just might be against the StarLink TOS.

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Re: So Musk has blood on his hands

More nonsense from people who actually thing Ukraine (without direct US/NATO intervention) could ever defeat Russia!

UK admits 'spy clause' can't be used for scanning encrypted chat – it's not 'feasible'

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Re: When it becomes possible

1. A robot must never harm a human, or through inaction allow a human to come to harm.

2. A robot must always obey the orders of humans except where to do so would conflict with obeying the first law.

3. A robot must protect its own existence, except where to do so would conflict with the first or second laws.

These worked out so well.

Cliffwilliams44 Bronze badge

Re: Scanning has no use - no need to wait for feasible

This is because they don;t want to do real police work. Like infiltrating the kiddy porn rings and actually finding them and developing a real case against them.

But this has nothing to do with kiddy porn really, it has everything to do with tracking down their political enemies and eliminating them.

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It can be implemented but then it's not end-to-end encryption, its end-to-middle-to-end encryption and they now this.

That is the goal they want. Whether it is sold to the public as end-to-end or end-to-middle-to-end is the question.

The government will surely want to lie about this, what is stopping them is the tech industry has no appetite for this lie, nor the appetite for the risk they would incur.

They know it can be done because it's being done in China, but China doesn't have to lie, their people know they are being watched.

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Re: Logical fallacy of cracking encryption

They don't want to crack it, they want a government "back door" and they believed they can keep it safe. That's what the industry convinced them of, "that they cannot keep it safe"

Once the global Fascist police state is implemented, they won't have to worry about "keeping it safe"!

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Some of them know it is not "technically feasible".

They are waiting for the time when they have the power to say "You will implement the back door, and you will make your app available where we tell you or we will confiscate your company and you will disappear!"

Which already happened in China! (The model the western Leftist/Fascist want to replicate)

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The answer to your question is: YES

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And the clause in the law will allow them to generate the funding to fund the Security States research into solving the problem.

Will it solve the problem, who knows, but it will also fund a lot of the other nasty things they want to do.

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Why would the international cabal of pedophiles actually want to "protect the children" when they are passing laws to allow the grooming and mutilization of children.

This is all about finding and identifying the "enemies of the state" so they can round them up and silence them.

Does anyone really believe a Fascist state like Canada would use suck technology to "protect the children"?

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It is the Security State that wants this.

Largest local government body in Europe goes under amid Oracle disaster

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Re: I detect an element of extreme bias in that headline. :-0

It may be because Oracle has a history of doing just this with every customer they "con" into using their solutions.

They are truly a horrible company. I speak from experience.

Just saying.

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Another problem occurs in IT. You get new IT management who, when they arrive, want to bring in the "things" they are familiar with no matter how unfit they are.

I remember a CIO that was hired who was obviously an Oracle fan boy who insisted on replacing a vertical solution with Oracle Financials. It was an unmitigated disaster and still is!

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Re: Why customise anything?

Because "one size does not fit all"!

Oracle is famous for convincing entities that their product will be 'fit for purpose' in areas it is not! Be that government or, in my personal experience, construction. It just isn't! Then after getting the contract they try to shoehorn it in with their army of poor consultants who invariably fail to understand or implement the needs of the customer.

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Re: Bid low, change requests cost

It's the same in construction!

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Re: Snafu.

I've worked in IT for a British multi-national company for the last 21 years. (in the US)

In the 00's I was offered the opportunity to apply for a position in the UK, after researching the cost of housing, cost of living, and the salary offered it would have been a 25% realized pay cut! I respectfully declined!

Y'all do not pay well for IT folks. Not at all!

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Re: Great job!

As I see it the biggest problem on both sides of the pond is central government finding to local governments.

In most cases that funding comes with strings attaches, and it is not guaranteed. I for one would rather see an end to central government funding to local government, resulting in a lower national tax and then increase local taxes and keep that money local.

But that will never happen.

Cliffwilliams44 Bronze badge

Re: Easy win but challenging keep.

Pay them well for what? Incompetence?

The level of incompetence among the teaching profession is astounding! Education has become the prime example of the old adage "Those who can do, those who can't teach!" It is widely known here in the US that when young people go into Uni and start failing out of their chosen major, the gravitate into Education.

Re: public service, at least in the US it is nearly impossible to fire someone in public service no matter how much they screw up! Between Civil Service laws meant to protect them ans the Civil Service Unions you need to commit a felony to even be considered for termination.

I have no issue with paying people what they are worth, but paying people more just because they occupy a certain position or profession with no accountability is just more socialistic equity nonsense.

Re: Elected Officials, maybe if your decision that costs the tax payer billions, or (as we see in the US) costs private businesses their livelihood due to lack of enforcing the law, resulted in jail time, we would see these people put more care into their decision making.

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Re: Easy win but challenging keep.

Because there is never any consequence for screwing up, NEVER!

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Re: Compulsory Purchase of private houses

"You will own nothing and you will like it!"

Los Alamos finishes installing Crossroads super to test nukes without a big bang

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Re: Indeed

"Would you like to play a game?"

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Re: Credibility

The "Test Ban Treaty" prohibits nuclear tests in the atmosphere, space, or in the ocean. You can still test underground.

Germany's wild boars still too radioactive to eat largely due to Cold War nuke tests

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Re: Hold the f'ing panic!

But they taste terrible!

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Re: Care?

"Proclaiming something to be "Settled science" also sounds suspiciously like someone trying to shut down debate on a contentious issue."

That is what religions do. Like the Church of Climatology!

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Re: This is actually a devious plan .....

Wild pigs DO NOT taste good, if fact they taste quite bad.

Silicon Valley billionaires secretly buy up land for new California city

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Prisoners

Number Six: Where am I?

Number Two (not identified as yet): In the village.

Six: What do you want?

Two: Information.

Six: Whose side are you on?

Two: That would be telling. We want information...information... information!!!

Six: You won't get it!

Two: By hook or by crook, we will.

Six: Who are you?

Two: The new Number Two.

Six: Who is Number One?

Two: You are Number Six.

Six (running on the Village's beach): I am not a number; I am a free man!!!

Two: [Laughter]

Brain-computer interface and AI helps stroke victim speak through avatar

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Resistance is futile

”We are the Borg. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Your culture will adapt to service us. Resistance is futile.”

Taiwanese infosec researchers challenge Microsoft's China espionage finding

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Control

Without offering detail, the PM argued the issue of cryptocurrencies "requires a highly integrated approach. I believe a global framework needs to be established, considering the concerns of all stakeholders."

We don't control it therefor we MUST control it!

Uncle Sam accuses SpaceX of not considering asylees and refugees for employment

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ITAR is a mine field

If you now anything about ITAR at all you know it is a regulatory mine field. If you think you are good on one clause you may run afoul of another. The best thing you can do is to restrict your activity to the most compliant!

I don't blame Musk and SpaceX for their stance. If the government wants to grant them amnesty from any possible penalties from a possible OTAR violation then many they will reconsider their hiring practices.

Zoom CEO reportedly tells staff: Workers can't build trust or collaborate... on Zoom

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In America office space isn't owned, it's leased. You have a 5 year lease on a building (or floor) that's 90% empty every day. No, you are not getting out of that lease.

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Re: Context is everything

There is a company office 20 minutes from my home, that I rarely go anymore. Because nothing changes for me as all my coworkers are 1000 miles away. The only thing that happened in the office is people there will interrupt me asking for PC help (I have not touched a corporate PC in YEARS) and I have to tell them "call the service desk"!

SO being in the office is more of a productivity killer for me.

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Re: Just... Wow

"remote meeting just don't produce the same sort of interactions as physical meetings"

Nonsense, I've worked on a remote team long before the pandemic. 3 people each separated by 1000 miles. We also have an IP Operations team stretched across the entire US, 1 person in each office. We make it work!

It's not about the location or form of meeting, it's about the people. If they can't work and communicate remotely, they are not doing it in the office without micromanaging.

It's really about the empty real estate they are paying big money for!

Criminals go full Viking on CloudNordic, wipe all servers and customer data

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Re: "Simple Tape"

I worked for a company where the IT manager did the same thing. This is Florida where it can reach 100+ degrees in the summer, 140+ degrees inside a car! Needless to say those tapes were useless!

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Re: All Eggs in One Basket

And what credentials did the black hats use? Obviously one that had full access to everything. Why was there not MFA on those credentials? I'll venture a guess, because they were being used by multiple people and that would be "inconvenient"!

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Re: Offline backups??

It does if no single credential has access to every backup. You certainly should not be using some form of long term access keys to access those backups. It should be an account with MFA.

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God Credentials

So, the miscreants, got a hold of credentials that had access to EVERYTHING! Why is that? Why is there some GOD credentials that someone in the company apparently has daily access to? Did these credentials not have MFA?

Yes we have root credentials for your cloud accounts, no one uses them, no one remembers the password, that is kept in a safe, along with a hardware MFA device.

Yes I know, security is inconvenient, IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE!

Did the companies financial system get whacked? This company should file bankruptcy and shutter their doors as they are obviously too incompetent to stay in this business.

30 years on, Debian is at the heart of the world's most successful Linux distros

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Re: POLL anyone?

I use Fedora every day, as I am an old RHEL guy. It works fine, but you need to understand the release cycle. It is quite fast.

Though, with all the Big Purple nonsense, I am leaning more towards a Debian based distro. Maybe the Ubuntu rolling release as I've had issued with hardware on the LTS version.

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Re: We should distinguish between server and desktop

Outlook for the Web PWA.

I run it ever day on a Linux desktop. It brings everything you need with none of the pain. To me it is more reliable that the Outlook app on Windows.

Unfortunately it is only available with a Microsoft email account!

Stalking victims sue Tile and Amazon for negligence over tracking tech

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Re: Who, you?

1. Handguns manufactured around the world are absolutely safe to operate. If a handgun fails and injures or kills someone, then a law suit is justified. If someone in possession of a handgun uses it to commit a crime, that is not a liability of the manufacturer.

2. Cars are use in crimes all the time, like the SUV used to run down paraders in the US. Is the car manufacturer liable? No.

3. This is a mis-use of the product, stopping that would be difficult. You can certainly fault them for their sleazy advertising though.

Tesla knew Autopilot weakness killed a driver – and didn't fix it, engineers claim

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Money! Most trailer are rented by the shipping company. The majority of drivers in the US are independent contractors. The cost would be passed on and increase shipping rates.

Not saying that's a bad thing but in the US, campaign contributions override safety every time!

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