* Posts by Peter 39

351 publicly visible posts • joined 25 Jun 2009

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Carriers resisting FCC slug on international cables

Peter 39

15.7 %

Seriously ?? 15.7 per cent of revenue ?? For USF ??

Doesn't sound accurate to me.

US county named 'area of outstanding natural stupidity'

Peter 39

Re: The last tale...

No - they don't teach driver's ed in schools. They used to but that was cut a loong time ago.

Drivers these days learn on-the-road. That's why driving habits here are so poor. Few U.S. drivers would survive a year driving in Germany. Or the U.K. [quite apart from the drive-on-the-left]

Yahoo! fixes! password! leak! vulnerability!

Peter 39
FAIL

User

User, meet open barn door.

Hey Yahoo!, great that you fixed this one. Now post your audit of all your user-credential databases and their level of security. How many were good and how many remain to be fixed?

Apple, Penguin, Macmillan to face feds in court - next year

Peter 39

cooling-off time

My take is that the Feds have realized that they bit off too much with this one. They were probably expecting all parties to settle and now face a challenge.

OTOH, Apple's MFN clause is ripe.

I'm expecting a settlement to be announced in the quiet period after the U.S. elections and before the inauguration. MFN will go away but most everything else will stay as-is.

Microsoft 'hardens' Windows Update from Flame penetration

Peter 39

but wait a minute ...

I seem to recall that if there's an infected machine on your network, then you'll get your Windows updates from that, rather than directly from Microsoft.

So, how does this plan from Redmond get the correct update to you ?? It seems that you'll be requiring some magic fingers-on-the-keyboard somehow.

MySQL's growing NoSQL problem

Peter 39

actually, no.

"That's an amazingly fast shift, and it says a great deal about how open source drives innovation."

Actually, no. It says a great deal about how Oracle ownership drives open-source innovation.

Antitrust probe looms over Windows RT 'browser ban'

Peter 39

"Windows"

Microsoft could have avoided all this if tablet OS was named something other than "Windows".

But that would not do for Redmond, would it?

RIM shares take a bath after uninspiring BlackBerry 10 unwrap

Peter 39

or ...

better - "circling the rim"

Google Street View Wi-Fi data slurper named

Peter 39
Holmes

Huh ?

Huh? What point are you trying to make about SkyHook?

Yes - the SSID and strength database was important to Google, and - yes - it did collect that data deliberately. I'm sure lots of Google managers and engineers were familiar with this and had approved it.

That is NOT the same as the "private data slurp".

Mac Java hole exploited by wild Flashback Trojan strain

Peter 39

not installed by default

I'm not sure whether the agreed transition of Java support for Mac OS X from Apple to Oracle has happened. Apple still supplies it but do we know who does the maintenance?

Regardless of that, the plain fact is that Mac OS X 10.7 Lion does NOT install Java by default. Anyone who wants it can get it, but it's not present unless the user specifically installs it.

HP offers contractors a choice: 5 per cent pay cut ... or 100 per cent

Peter 39

prior art

I think that the HPs actions here have a non-trivial resemblance to the cost-cutting scheme at Circuit City.

And we all know where that led.

Visa shows off data centre 'moat'

Peter 39

pity

Pity that is almost directly in line with the runways at Dulles Airport.

AT&T profiting from Nigerian scammers, DoJ charges

Peter 39

Any way the wind blows money

AT&T seem to have no moral core. No honesty. No "do the right thing"

This is the way their wireless systems operate, and I'm not surprised to find it in their other operations.

If corporations have rights as "persons" to make political contributions (as they do sine the "Citizens United" case") then why can't they go to jail when they break the law?

Verizon unveils offspring surveillance service

Peter 39

almost certainly legal

This is almost certainly legal if the parents are paying for the phone. After all, it's just tracking their own phone. SInce it seems to be restricted to phones on the "Family Share Plan" then I'd guess that the parents are paying for it all.

If the kids are paying then that's a whole different issue.

Eolas falls at first hurdle in bid to tax browser apps

Peter 39

Just the facts ...

The significant thing in OP is that the FACTS cannot be reexamined.

The decision can be appealed on the basis of law such as that the judge misapplied the statutes, inappropriately excluded evidence, etc. But the jury's decision as regards to the facts can not be appealed - it is final.

EU snaps on glove, starts formal antitrust probe of Samsung

Peter 39

dumb

I think the appropriate term for Samsung's activity is

"own goal"

US entertainment lawyer casts doubt on Megaupload case

Peter 39
Facepalm

No wonder

>Why use Ubuntu when you can grab a copy of Windows of a download site?

No wonder you posted that as AC

Apple tops estimates with earnings leap of 118 per cent

Peter 39
WTF?

oh dear

It seems that Apple's profit is more than Google's revenue.

Oh. Dear. Android.

Symantec 'fesses up: 'Code theft worse than we thought'

Peter 39
Pirate

well deserved

If they have been relying upon secrecy of the source code for protection then that's just security-by-obscurity.

That has never been good security policy, and they deserve all the beating they get.

A simple HTML tag will crash 64-bit Windows 7

Peter 39

business as usual

This has all the taste of doing stuff in the kernel that properly belongs in user-space.

Windows has been doing this since forever, and I guess it isn't going to stop. It's not a coding issue, but one of system architecture.

Deutsche Telekom: 'FCC, DoJ didn't give AT&T deal a chance'

Peter 39

upgrade

T-M is supposed to get some spectrum as part of the breakup fee.

I hope it's in ranges that are the iPhone supports. Then I'll think seriously about dumping AT&T

AT&T's megablunder payout revealed

Peter 39

decent pricing

I just want decent pricing and non-gouging on the phones.

There is no valid reason why AT&T can keep phones locked after the contract/subsidy term is up. I had expected that this would change when Verizon became the second carrier. Unfortunately not. I *will* not buy another from AT&T since they refuse to unlock.

UK nuclear: Walking into darkness with eyes screwed shut

Peter 39

Time of secure storage

Alex, if the Romans used uranium as we have done then we'd still have many tens/hundreds of thousands of years to go.

On the other hand, if they used thorium then it would have been safe well before the time of King Arthur.

The Chinese are moving quickly into nuclear power and it's no surprise to me that they've selected thorium for fuel.

Crims prefer old exploits: Microsoft

Peter 39

duh, stupid

Of course 99% of the attacks are old ones. Zombies run forever, y'know

The 1% are the ones that will kill you. 'Cos those are the ones that no-one has seen (except MS when they created them)

Seven lessons from the HP Touchpad fire sale

Peter 39
FAIL

author FAIL

Look, other companies don't adopt Apple's $499 price point because they want to, it's because they can't price higher.

And they can't price lower because their margin on hardware competitive with Apple is close to zero. Apple is killing them on production cost.

If Samsung or HP were able to make an iPad-competitive tablet and sell it for $249 and make a decent profit, do you think that they just got greedy by holding out for $499 ??

So get it through your thick skulls:-

1. Apple has set the tablet specs, in a general way

2. competitors have to have a better product, rather than "just as good"

3. Apple can build 'em cheaper than everyone else

'Major' C++ revision receives standards blessing

Peter 39

OS X

It's true that user-space programming for OS X is typically done using Objective-C.

Have a look into the kernel and you'll find lots of C++, as well as C (BSD origins, after all). The driver model presumes C++.

Ofcom says no to web-blocking

Peter 39
Stop

charge for filing too

There has to be a charge for Mr Record Exec to file complaints. He gets it back if the complaint is upheld.

If you have to put up twenty quid to appeal, how come he gets to file for free??

Truck nuts swing onto US freedom of speech agenda

Peter 39

hhmmm

Almost makes me want to keep pliers and a couple of elastrator bands handy.

SecurID breach cost RSA $66m

Peter 39

bogus

It may have "cost" RSA $66M in direct cost. But is has cost their customers a whole lot more. Many are places that don't officially exist so there aren't going to be claims, are there.

In terms of overall business, my uneducated guess is that it will cost north of $1B. Trust is hard-won and easily squandered. Sorry guys :)

Apple ups Mac Mini spec, lowers price

Peter 39

optical drives

Er - they've ALL lost the optical drive. Not just the server model (which lost it some time ago).

No optical drive on ANY Mini.

Microsoft rolls out One Big Windows strategy

Peter 39
Unhappy

strategy

Longhorn, Cairo etc etc. Microsoft has a history of reaching for it all. Have never delivered on it yet.

So, tell me why it will be different this time. Don't spend time pointing out all the gleam and shine - we've had it all before. Instead, make a convincing argument for excellence of execution.

Microsoft plans to open 75 retail stores in US

Peter 39
FAIL

Problem is ...

Problem is that Microsoft does not understand what business it is in.

You open a whole pile of stores, as Apple has done, because ...

1. you have compelling products that people want to buy, and

2. you're not getting acces to those people.

Microsoft sells primarily to companies, not individual consumers. They're selling we-can-do-it-all infrastructure stuff and Volume Licensing.

Stores in malls are about selling product directly to individuals. To make that work you must have compelling products that those individuals want to touch, try and buy. Sad to say, Microsoft's track record here varies between abysmal and OK. The only "OK" I can recall is Xbox (no flames please - I'm not a gamer) but it seems to have done decently despite the RRoD problems. Kinect is interesting also but I see that as an accessory rather than a product, so I'm not counting it here. For abysmal, the list includes Kin; for bad it's probably Zune.

For Microsoft to open more stores will ...

1. cost a bunch of money

2. expose just how weak their product portfolio really is

Microsoft is trying to generate "Apple buzz" by mimicking Apple's stores. It doesn't work that way. There has to be something that people want to buzz about, and Microsoft just doesn't have it. I'm not sure it ever will but it certainly doesn't look like "soon".

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. But Rule #1 of imitation is that you have to do it better than the original (or at least as well in some circumstances). That won't happen here.

I think that Microsoft's Board or Directors has taken leave of its senses. There's no strategy to follow the success of the Win/Office franchise and they have Steve Ballmer in place to execute. Bad plan, folks. Bad plan.

Data ownership becomes fuzzy in the cloud

Peter 39
FAIL

who knew?

Who knew ??

Anyone who read the contract, that's who.

Next question ...

Oracle wants seal busted on HP's Itanium suit

Peter 39

which Court

Oracle has access to the full content of all these documents so their only reason to push for disclosure is to move the trial from the Court to the public forum.

I have no idea what in the blackey-bits but lets be clear about why Oracle want to wave them about.

Microsoft strategy chief quits Redmond

Peter 39

another chair

Just movin' the deckchairs.

Noting of significance will change until Ballmer is gone.

I understand that Bill is his friend, and also Chairman of the Board. But, seriously, some people on the Board have some common sense. Don't they?

I guess not. Pity :(

Ballmer leaves investors speechless in Seattle

Peter 39

title

Damn the icebergs -- full speed ahead !!

Gov piles pressure on News Corp in BSkyB bid

Peter 39

Useless

The rules will stay for a little while and then Murdoch will change them. He's already admitted that he lied with respect to commitments made during earlier takeovers. Why should this time be different?

This is just a Gov't FAIL - pure and simple. They know who they're dealing with and it's no use pretending otherwise.

Microsoft confirms departure of ID, access boss

Peter 39

Titanic

Seems that the only exec unaffected by the blood-letting is the one who deserves it most.

Beatings will continue until morale improves.

That means you, Steve.

Office 365: Can Microsoft replace Microsoft?

Peter 39
FAIL

MS - they don't get it

In the technology frenzy of today, your leading product will be eaten up before long. Your only decision is whether you will do it with a superior product (possibly disruptive, and lower financial returns) or some competitor will do it (probably disruptive, probably lower financial returns).

This is Microsoft's dilemma. So far it appears that they're hedging their bets on the old scheme. Bad news guys - that won't work. I've lived through a couple of these and in every case they failed. Of course, the PHBs responsible had gone with their bonuses by the time of the implosion (not all that long, actually).

Brit CompSci student faces extradition to US over link site

Peter 39

DNS root servers

There are thirteen and the U.S. controls about half of them now. Not all are physically located in the U.S.

What you're really talking about are servers for places like .com and .net -- these are indeed under U.S. control

Malware abusing Windows Autorun plummets

Peter 39

paradigm shift

contemplate "cloud" and "tablet" and you'll have a start.

It's not so much that WIndows might be displaced on PCs, although some of that will happen. It's more that Windows PCs are no longer at the center of users' experiences.

When the lock on the "clients" goes away, as it is now doing, then Microsoft's lock on the server-client interaction is worth much less than it previously was. You can't automatically sell Windows Server 20xx because it's the only thing that integrates "fully" with Windows "n" (n being some number such as 7, 8 etc).

Those heady days are gone. Steve Ballmer just hasn't realized it yet.

Peter 39
FAIL

why? Why indeed !

"The data raises the obvious question: If automatically retiring Autorun reaped such clear benefits, why didn't Microsoft do it years ago?"

Because there was NO ADVANTAGE TO MICROSOFT for doing it.

It seems that now there is, what with its previously-unassailable OS dominance under threat from various groups that no longer accept the prevalence of zero-day attacks.

Tablets choke disk drive market growth

Peter 39

somewhat inaccurate

Revenue is down, not number of units or storage-volume shipped.

It's mainly that prices are down - HDDs are getting cheaper

Dear Dell and Microsoft: You're not Apple

Peter 39

problem looming

One problem that Microsoft has with the "everyone uses it at home" scenario is that around 50% of college students are choosing Macs.

This, and the "iPhone + iPod halo", will have a serious and long-lasting impact on the Windows-at-work hegemony.

Apple defends iOS devs from patent holder

Peter 39

no lawsuit - dang

It's a pity that Lodsys didn't start with filing suit, as Righthaven did.

Because then Apple could object to any attempt to withdraw the suit and make sure the case was heard and the patent invalidated.

Pity they can't do that. These patent trolls deserved it.

Schmidt: Android will bring DEMOCRACY to the WORLD

Peter 39
FAIL

facial recognition

So good? Meh.

It's not yet good enough to differentiate between a face on a body on the street and and image of Col. Sanders on a signboard outside a KFC.

Cracks me up every time I see that.

HP's beloved 12c calculator turns 30

Peter 39
Thumb Up

ticket

The original 16c is the real ticket.

Still have mine - won't part with it

Microsoft to release Windows thin PC in late June

Peter 39
FAIL

bloatware

So bloatware will now be server-based rather than consuming your local drive?

And this is better than Linux - why ??

Top-secret US lab infiltrated by spear phishers – again

Peter 39
Grenade

solution is simple

The solution is simple. Google did it after being hacked, it's now time for ORNL and others to follow suit.

Ban Windows from any sites/networks with sensitive data

Iran lays blame for Stuxnet worm on Siemens

Peter 39
FAIL

of course ...

Of course, Siemens *is* responsible.

After all, was it not Siemens that chose *Windows* as the OS for their system??

And the Iranians are just as culpable. Did they not choose to buy a SCADA system whose OS was *Windows*.

Do not blame malfeasance for that which can be explained by stupidity.

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