* Posts by I didn't do IT.

328 publicly visible posts • joined 16 Jul 2009

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Sony sued for dropping Linux from PS3

I didn't do IT.
Unhappy

You DID have an argument

... until you conveniently validated every complaint Sony has for turning off "OtherOS"...

Sony (apparently) doesn't have a problem with people selling off old equipment to others; heck, how else are people going to be able to afford the latest and greatest of the East? But proudly(?) trumpeting how you pirate the software at all costs simply drops the floor out of the validity of any argument you had.

Sony WANTS to hear more of this from people like you - like the wail of tortured souls of the damned, you fuel the infernal engine of Sony's claims. Please note that Sony will probably decline to suck your appendages and simply pat your belly, since you are rolled over anyway.

What Sony did was NOT ethical and it was NOT fair. You can't throw stones if they are all single sheet paper (pirated) copies...

I didn't do IT.
Unhappy

Re: Microsoft version of history

It seems you have a mordern revisionist version of history as well, or simply incomplete.

First4Internet created it at the *behest and specification* of Sony BMG (http://www.wired.com/politics/security/commentary/securitymatters/2005/11/69601). The programmers do share a bit of the blame, but they were simply the Dr. DRM that hypocondriatic Sony ended up with to finally give them what they wanted... uh... were certifiably in need of.

It is also interesting to note that Sony attempted to foster off attention from this by suing Amergence (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/07/16/sony_bmg_sues_amergence/), its previous Dealer... uh... Dr. DRM for simliar, though less sophisticated, results.

Oddly enough, if I may add, Microsoft has nothing to do with any of this... MS has its own yoke of blame to carry, mind. Sony is just ensuring its is getting to a comfortable tonnage.

Megan Fox not world's sexiest woman: Official

I didn't do IT.
Happy

Ah, Bless, Sarah

Truly you will always be #1 in our... um... hearts.

Beijing security know-how rules irk suppliers

I didn't do IT.
Thumb Down

Please keep to the right

There is no assumption that only US products can be safe that I can see. RSA's name is bandied about, but probably only because they developed the most famous implementation of elliptical (public) key encryption.

As stated in the article, if they want to know the implementation (to see if there are any backdoors), no worries at all - the techniques are publically documented. That would merely be a code review that standards are met and no hanky-panky is taking place.

If, instead, the Chinese govt wants the private (trade secret) *keys* for every product, THEN its just to make sure they can review the contents of everything encrypted in China. THEN it is a matter for concern. The fact that they leave it that ambigous is not promising for good intentions...

I didn't do IT.
Joke

Re: US Requirement

"The good old US of A already have this requirement for any encryption product sold by a US company to anyone outside the US.."

Which - a code review or implementation of a backdoor?

NPfIT ignored NHS culture, says Halligan

I didn't do IT.
Unhappy

Pork Barrel Projects

So, same non-changes on both sides of the pond, eh?

San Francisco's rogue BOFH is guilty

I didn't do IT.
Boffin

Juror writing...

Jurors cannot publish or disseminate any information about trial proceedings or jury deliberations while the trial is ongoing. Jurors are allowed to compile notes during the trial, but they are also supposed to make these notes in the binders or notebooks provided to them by the Court for that purpose. They are not allowed to take these notes from the deliberation room during or after the trial.

However, there is nothing that prevents the jurors from talking about the proceedings or deliberations after the trial is concluded and the Judge has dismissed the jury unless the trial was for some reason Sealed (minor, national security, etc). It has also been known that jurors might write daily details and highlights during personal time if the jury is sequestered during the trial.

There are many, many books out there from jurors regaling us with tales during high-profile trials (OJ, anyone?). Nothing against any red-blooded American making a buck off the misery of others, eh?

Hackers crack Ubisoft always-online DRM controls

I didn't do IT.
Unhappy

Where this will lead...

Is to users having many, many pieces of media, and *gasp* _NO MEDIA PLAYER FOR ANY OF THEM_.

Each one of the pieces will simply be a "license" to view the media on the player or device of choice. Buy up a copy of BlueRay this or HD DVD that, and download the torrent to view conveniently on your PC or through HDMI on your TV, in a format that won't expire, and you could even back up several movies/music/etc at a time to an archive DVD in case the hard drive fails. This leaves the original "license" copy (probably still in the shrink wrap) safely on a shelf and secure - scratch free.

Of course, once this becomes commonplace, DCMA IV will have to come out to squash this as we would no longer buy back catalog on newer media formats, eh?

Global warming dirt-carbon peril models are wrong, say boffins

I didn't do IT.
Happy

Re: Closed Environment

As they are simply using wood and polysheet (from picture and article), then you cannot create a fully "closed system"; ie - no air (N2, CO2, O2, trace gases, etc) in or out.

An actually, the whole point of having it with in the "greenhouse" is to ensure that CO2 is concentrated to the points that the models predict must occur to produce run-away warming.

So, although it is not a closed system, the whole point of the experiment was to see the results of the microbes metabolisms when the level of CO2 rose.

So, yes - your surmise here is exactly what the experimenters thought, and directly opposite of the expectations of this aspect of the climate models. Thank you. You are not swimming against it - you concisely expressed what the tide is trying to explain.

Boobquake fails to destroy planet

I didn't do IT.
Boffin

Statistical Analysis

Ah, my friend. You forgot that she was an *Indiana* college student (we grow'em right round here, eh?) ;)

Her blog also stated that she had accumulated earthquake activity for the days prior and she would continue for the days after, thereby allowing comparisons for seeing if there was *increased* sesmic activity during the, ahem, experiments.

Perhaps not a poker tournament winning heavenly body theorist, but hey - we get what we can!

Kent police bring obscenity charge over online chat

I didn't do IT.
Thumb Down

More Data

With the current enertia to cases like this, I would like to wait and see if the reason that Kent police will not (can not?) comment on the charges is that the images of "children" are, in fact, images of the person being charged; they being underage themselves and that s/he "self-published" online chat (Chat Roulette?!).

Not that this would be indecent exposure, harrasement, or any of the other, commonplace, NORMAL crimes this might be, oh no - gotta use the latest, greatest, shiniest (BIGGEST) stick! Hmm... Kent police using the biggest, shiniest stick they have every time they can - Could that fall under extreme porn?...

Microsoft FAT patent appeal upheld in Germany

I didn't do IT.
Coat

Randolph Scott

They would have denied the appeal for Randolph Scott!

RAN - DOL - PH SCO - TT!!

Picsel US workers sue directors over 'unpaid wages'

I didn't do IT.
Joke

Welcome...

to the joys of the global economy!

No, you as a consumer DO NOT get to benefit from lower prices, favorable currency exchange rates, and DON'T EVEN THINK about buying outside of our precisely defined regions codes for any product. Just because we outsourced for favorable tax and labor reasons doesn't mean they should expect to be PAID for the work they did. What are they thinking?!

That's only allowed for us, you serfs. Now - BACK TO WORK!

I put up the joke icon, but all too often it isn't. :(

BOFH: Forgive and forget

I didn't do IT.
Thumb Up

Part of the plan...

Quite simple, really.

If the PFY is classed as "mentally disturbed" (by the late and tragic accident suffered by his immediate supervisor, natrually), then he has a cop-out for the fraud charges.

Some time in the hospital until he can be realigned to the right of the world (by Simon's standards... hehehe), and he can then return to his job as the money was recovered (most of it) and HR can simply class this all as work-related disability (thanks to that additional CCTV footage, of course). Simon pockets the disability payments, and the PFY can hardly begrudge him that as both are back where they should be.

A masterful plan by the master himself.

Probe uses solar panels to 'surf' Venusian atmosphere

I didn't do IT.
Boffin

12% Efficiency

... which was pretty much normal for "flight rated" tech five years ago...

Course it was boshy. Now, we need to ask IBM to get on it quick with that slurry panel happiness. :)

The iPad will doom humanity to painful bog-roll horror

I didn't do IT.
Boffin

Scots Evolution

As a descendant of the Highlands, I will have you know that the reason nothing is *required* to be worn under the kilt (besides there being no need to constrict God's True Gift), is because we have evolved beyond that. Simply:

1. Set feet.

2. Place each hand on the appropriate hip, gathering the kilt up in the back while doing so.

3. Garner a stern(er) expression, contemplative of doing this reverse-caber.

4. Take a deep breath deep in the diaphragm and exhale smartly and loudly. (Mind any stray droplets from the splash; they tend to scatter as if lambs running from a fire.)

The result passes quickly, leaving our cheeks unblemished and pristine. Now, I'm not saying it smells like roses, but hey, give us another couple hundred years, eh? :)

Ten free apps to install on every new PC

I didn't do IT.
FAIL

Then it doesn't "Just Work"

If it sits there and waits for the tea to be ready before responding to your clicks and searches like it has to make reservations to Siberia - just in case your file is there - then it doesn't "Just Work".

Bloated + Resource Hungry + Normal wage earner's computer = FAIL.

What is the point of the brilliance of the dawn if you are not alllowed to open the curtains to see it?

Facebook farms out 'social graph' to Microsoft and chums

I didn't do IT.
Happy

Registration

I thought that all that was taken care of automatically? Its just a cookie and IP log lookup that is tied to a unique (anonymous) ID. That's all until they can match up the cookie or IP to your login for GMail, etc. and then all that history snaps into place as yours.

Don't worry about logging in - its already taken care of for you. :)

Apple in shock public attack on Adobe

I didn't do IT.
Boffin

MS Practices of Yore

Actually, the lawsuit was also about opening the API's... MS products used unpublished API's which made MS products more efficient, look better, and have more capabilties than was possible with the published APIs.

Apple, by contrast, is simply explicitly locking out non-Apple programs that attempt to use any unpublished APIs that Apple uses in their own products... uh... yeah. Hmmm.

Of course, the only reason it was a viable lawsuit against MS was because of the market share MS had. So, as long as Apple keeps to its little corner of the market place and DOES NOT become overly populare, DoJ doesn't care.

Google Street View logs WiFi networks, Mac addresses

I didn't do IT.

Annnual Automatic Updates

It is my understanding that European countries where Street view is already rolled out will be updated at least once a year, just as they are in the US.

Can only assume that slurping as much data as possible as they go by is some cunning plan to pay for the returfing somehow, eh?

Amazon sues US state on customers' privacy

I didn't do IT.
Black Helicopters

The Swiss and NATO

Does this duty of care still exist if they claim terrorism or "National Socialist (German) Historic Asset" freezes and investigations?, or would it fold under like the financial (and other) records they turned over to the US when their NATO application was threatened?

I thought that incident (and the resulting law changes in Switzerland) was the reason why many financial institutions were transferring operations to Luxembourg...

Security boffins build broadband speed quantum crypto network

I didn't do IT.
Boffin

Unconditionally secure...

What happened to the research on twined particles?

Two particles (electrons?) were paired, causing their spins to match, and any change to one caused a like change in the other, no matter the distance... flip, flop, 1, 0, ...

Not only would this not subject to interception, but was instantaneous. This did not violate faster-than-light because they were paired outside of our distance-laden dimension, or something.

Anyone?

Mystic Met closed Europe with computer model

I didn't do IT.
Pirate

Sorry, that's not under warranty

Like anything else, the airlines do a cost - risk analysis and don't want to:

1) Do more maintenance than normal (overhaul after every trans-atlantic flight for next few days).

2) Violate any remaining warranty on all the engines of any planes servicing those flights.

3) Buy the extra fuel to circumvent the ash clouds, or extra fuel to compensate for any decreased efficiency from any "glazing".

The airline passenger insurance companies have already denied all claims for extra accomodations, meals, and other required expenses for spending extra time in a foreign country: Sorry - Act of God. SOL.

And they can take the moral high road claiming safety is top concern.

Broadband boss: 'The end of freeloading is nigh'

I didn't do IT.
Thumb Up

I also agree

If people really want to watch the TV on the computer (only HD monitor in the house?), then why not use the computer as the DVR?

Record the broadcast over the regular airwaves/cable at the broadcast time while you are out, etc. and then watch it after you crawl back from the pub?

Lord knows, the cable and TV companies could really make some money by having a program/service/website at cheap (.99p / mo) to setup the schedule it, etc. Only issue might be a receiver card, but obviously the broadcasting company would love to sell you one of those as well, eh?

Or - heaven forbid - the broadcasting company has a *secure* torrent to pull those shows available for a week or so after the broadcast date, complete with commercials inline, that you download for viewing through the website/service/etc...

Cyberattack lifted Google password system code, says report

I didn't do IT.
Badgers

Better dogfood?

If the employees not only don't use Google Talk, but also don't use any of the open source "universal" clients (pidgin, etc), and go with MS Messenger... wow. Or was this person trying to maintain an sideband communication channel? Of course, this is assuming that MS Messenger isn't used in China as a matter of course; more money to the Chinese gov to allow passage across the Great Firewall and all that...

However, this does show that while Google employees may be provided a Linux desktop, this one was running Windows - MS does not provide a MS Messenger client for Linux.

Violation of corporate policy? In China? Naw....

Omegle invites you to show world+Facebook your bewbs

I didn't do IT.
Flame

Re: All the preaching

<rant> Can *I* just say that as a parent, and hopefully a responsible one, I'm getting a bit tired of all the preaching on here from all of those who obviously haven't been a parent to the children they have, and think that the community at large MUST take an interest in protecting their obviously darling treasures, because the spawn of *your* loins is SO MUCH BETTER than anything I could have ever donated. </rant>

<MUCH calmer/> There is no one saying that you can or should have 24/7 control of your children. What is being said is that you SHOULD have 24/7 control of your own home and what goes on there.

Computer being used inappropriately by the sprats? Take it away. If they go and do it at someone else's house, your internet won't be cut off my Gamble or Mandelson and it won't be YOUR house they raid. As it would be at another parent's house, THEY are liable and you can sue them - retirement sorted. Either they won't be allowed at anyone's house or they will wise up that some behavior is inappropriate.

"Children will always either mature from your example or your apathy." -me

Microsoft stealth launches 'historic' programming language

I didn't do IT.
Alert

Re: Get involved

"And no, you don't get to whine about The System: either get *involved*, start your own party, or shut the f*ck up. If you're not willing to fight for it, why the hell should others fight on your behalf?"

Unfortunately, any "involvement" you participate in will be used by the people who *ACTUALLY MATTER* to either support their viewpoint or deride an opponent's.

I agree with you: Unless you have the *MONEY* to play the game *NO ONE* will fight on your behalf. So, "shut the f*ck up", bend over and let "The System" have its way with you.

Upshot: Its not a matter of being willing to fight for "it" - Its a matter of being able to *AFFORD* "it".

UK Gov, and privacy invasion without a safety net

I didn't do IT.
Alert

Re: THEIR responsibility

... but I thought the whole point of government was to distribute responsibility to the point that NO ONE can be blamed?

Nine year-old blamed for US school system hack

I didn't do IT.
Heart

Re: Too Old

That's the plan here nowadays...

Hold them back a year or two, and suddenly they are "advanced" for their grade.

Just not their age.

Icon - We are all happy heart people here, eh?

I didn't do IT.
Flame

Missing the point

While true on all counts, the fact that this is today's definition of "hacking" is par for the course.

Someone did something that the original programmer or system builder did not expect (in this case, access by a student). Whether it was the fault of the system security, the school administration, the system administration, or the individual account holder(s) makes no difference.

We have to sensationalize - however else will we steer the course of popular opinion?!

Google opens alphabetti spaghetti with refined spelling in search

I didn't do IT.
Joke

About to search for...

Pr0n torrents, obviously?

Obama 'deep space' Mars plans in Boeing booster bitchslap

I didn't do IT.
Alien

Martian supply depots

Any viable mission to Mars must have one or more supply depots on the planet. This depot must have the materials to create a launch facility, fuel storage and either facilities to manufacture fuel from domestic components or we need to drop fuel to be centrally stored.

At that point, any landing will be able to return the person(s) landed. This material would need to be dropped in stages over time in roughly the same area (within 10 x 10 km area). This would also require the tools, transports, robotic assistants, etc to collect and build all this.

Some assembly required, eh?

Microsoft wants pacemaker password tattoos

I didn't do IT.
Boffin

Re: Enraged Texan

I agree with you. As the vast majority of attacks are automated, the computer itself is not getting its jollies off of targeting a life saving device. All the scripts do is see a new address, attempt to break in, and then run through some pre-ordained movements that might get money information from a normal computer, but also might shut down an implant.

The victim just has the unfortunate luck to get too close to a wifi hotspot and boom... what happens anyway? Does this just make the device a carrier of the virus? Does the patient need to get their heart de-wormed?!

The sad issue here are people this apathetic, to create these fire and forget these systems, hoping that enough is stolen to get them the latest LCD TV or designer shoes for themselves.

Death row inmate claims allergy to lethal injection

I didn't do IT.
Boffin

Not about being "civilized" - Its PROFIT, boyo

Its about how much money can the State and private companies make off of "ciminals" (both real and manufactured). You did know that a state has to pay the federal government a "license fee" to put someone to death on top of the private companies running the prisons, right? And, as the State and private companies can't drag out the payments on a person being put to death (as opposed to the lifetime of residuals of incarceration), the costs usually get higher to penalize the taxpayer, making the more "humane" penalty palatible.

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/costs-death-penalty

That's why it is so much more important to slurp up people and throw them in prisons, even when the State must continually make more and more things illegal. There's a growing market out there employing lots of people - can't let that die! Its much easier to control a society by constantly threatening them with prisons - either the fear of being put in on, or of those people already in them. And a damn sight easier than the remedy for society - true education instead of state run institutions of "learning" that resemble the penal fortresses all too well...

"He who opens a school door, closes a prison. " - Victor Hugo

Thousands wrongly labelled by CRB checks

I didn't do IT.
Grenade

Reason for the Riot

Ah, but employers only get these checks because the (potential?) employee WILL BE WORKING with them, right?

I didn't do IT.
Unhappy

Bring around your copy...

This is probalby a skinflint employer who is having the potential employee do a "voluntary" so that the employer doesn't have to pay for it... Which is itself quite ripe for fraud, eh?

Milkman skewers Google Street View over garage break-in

I didn't do IT.
Happy

Casing...

... or smoking it, one or the other.

Apple's iPad - 'Will It Blend?'

I didn't do IT.
Thumb Down

Re: W'I'ndows

... but it has to be in white plastic, too... Sorry.

iPad security broken in less than 24 hours

I didn't do IT.
Boffin

The Trouble with Appliances

The problem we have here is definitions and language.

Is the iPad an appliance? Let us evaluate...

1. It has a processor with comparable power found in laptops and other "computers".

2. It has memory capacity and built-in "peripherals" to run "applications" that mimic functionality found on "computers".

3. It has non-volitile capacity (quite a bit!) the stores exact files used on "computers", (music, books, etc) bought from same "application store" as used on "computers" (iTunes, etc).

If something walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and looks like a duck, most people would not know the difference as long as "it just works" like a duck.

Also, unlike an iPad, you don't need to agree to an EULA to use your toaster, fridge, stove, or other "appliance"; but you usually do for a "computer"...

I didn't do IT.
Boffin

Exactly

... and those that get the "dead tree" version already get the online one included.

This is about new subscriptions.

IBM tears up open source patent pledge, claims FOSS

I didn't do IT.
Black Helicopters

Change of Captains

Interesting that this comes about after the inditements of IBM higher-ups, eh?

If internet had existed before we were born would we be here now?

I didn't do IT.
Happy

Re: Liam Johnson

I didn't know there *was* a translater for Googlese to English (UK) or (Amer)!

I didn't do IT.
Alert

US 2010 Census

I would also like to add that there are eight (8) people by the name of "Prosha Kling" in the US, as of the latest Census figures (so far).

http://www.census-online.us/search/KLING,PORSHA

Wow...

Buzzed Gmail outs Googly ties of Obama's deputy CTO

I didn't do IT.
Black Helicopters

Now just for the Microsoft link...

"Only Microsoft and Goldman Sachs employees gave more."

But was Sonal Shah counted then as Googler or when she was Vice President of Goldman Sachs?

https://www.changemakers.com/user/3018

Inquiring minds, you know...

Loch Ness Stig blurred into oblivion

I didn't do IT.
Happy

Some say,

... that he is able to warp space and time around himself,

... and that he develops a "masculine" itch around Google Opels.

;)

Apple bins iPhone covers

I didn't do IT.
Boffin

Corundum

I thought the main reason for the amazingly high price (of at least the 1st gen devices) was because they used artificial synthetic corundum (Same material as ruby, sapphire, and emerald - Rockwell 9 hardness) for the screens. It was also supposed to be this reason why they went with capacitive instead of resistive - no need for any resistive coating and corundum was a natural capacitive material.

There was a great deal of dicussion (even here) about the use of synthetic sapphire for iPhone screens: http://iphoneblogger.blogspot.com/2007/03/iphone-to-use-synthetic-sapphire.html

But it seems since then it has been determined that "just glass" was used: http://gizmodo.com/360030/the-iphone-under-a-microscope

Then again, there may be still something else in there - Optical glass is either very pure silicon crystalline (pretty brittle, for a "liquid", and a VERY good electric insulator), or is doped with other material to provide the specific characteristics (refractive index, capacitive qualities(!), etc) required... http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/06/18/apple_toughens_iphone_screen/

LHC boffins crank beams to 3.5 TeV redline

I didn't do IT.
Coffee/keyboard

Reverse... polarity... neutr - Pffft!

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Although I am sure some politician somewhere could give grant money to determine how to reverse the polarity of a particle without polarity.

Facebook stands up to UK.gov's cyberbullying

I didn't do IT.
Alert

All about the money, really

If you think that any "social networking" site would put the privacy (or protection) of their users over the profit potential, you are sadly mistaken. The only time this happens is when there is pressure from some other group - financial, media, or legal, in that order of high to low power.

The very nature of "social networking" means that if it is not open to searching and viewing - it dies.

Dell bars Win 7 refunds from Linux lovers

I didn't do IT.
Boffin

Not Quite RE: Not Quite

... as long as you realize that the "life" of the car is inherently limited to X number of years. After that, support is dropped and you are on the side of the road.

Just slightly better would be, instead of a consumable (which the OS is not), it was compared to the engine of the car (or powertrain):

For the life of the vehicle (determined to be 5-6 years or so), we warranty that the engine installed in your vehicle will operate according to our minimum standards (by they high or not). Any security or functional modification will be done remotely when you connect your car to the Car Live! network. It is recommended you allow the car to automatically connect to the Car Live! network every night at 03:00 (local time) and update as needed. When we degrade support for your version of engine, we will only do minimal security updates. After this "grace" period, we will then no longer support updates to your engine. We provide no warranty that any tire, steering wheel, radio, etc. or other component will work with your engine (unless that manufacturer is also REALLY big and force legal action on us or bribe us to fix something). Any attempt to tweak your engine using anything other than our tools voids this warranty.

BEWARE PIRATE ENGINES!

So, if you can keep it going yourself without their "help", good for you. Just remember that unlike a physical product (like an engine), you can't give it any needed overhauls or replace broken parts after the support life-cycle ends. :(

Muso turfed off train for 'suspicious' set list

I didn't do IT.
Pirate

Jackets...

Makes you wonder what they would do if everyone on a car went the whole hog on "Health and Safety" by all wearing different neon orange, yellow, and green web vests - in the interests of not being lost in the case of an emergency...

Resistance is standing up for YOURSELF _every_ day.

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