Posts by David Walker

"We truly believe a successful bug bounty program require happy and motivated researchers."

One would think they WOULD be happy and motivated... there are medications for both if not.

click, click, click

The article should be titled "click, click, click… We get paid for clicks". What an incredible non-story. Now the Register does its best to make fun of Apple and publish things that make fun of Apple - mostly pointing out that the devices are used for silly things. And of course the Register focuses on serious IT. As other authors on this thread have pointed out these devices are not competing in the same market as Windows laptops or the Surface. They weren't intended for that. As both an IT person, a teacher of computer sciences and having worked in private and public sector I can safely say that 99.9% of computer users are either doing Facebook, twitter or Instagram. They will get the new iPad and they'll be astonished about being able to see the whiskers on the picture of their pet cat. They'll take their new iPad to work, perhaps even the boardroom, and their compatriots we'll similarly be astonished. "I count 12 whiskers", " I count 14" And so on. The Register's moto is "biting the hand that feeds IT". You seem to forget that there's only one hand mentioned in that moto. As a matter of record I feel obliged to point out the rest of are pointing pictures of cats.

Confused about this case

I've had iPods and never had a problem loading files that didn't come from Apple's store as long as those files were transferred via iTunes. I never had problems adding MP3s to iTunes from a variety of sources and 'services'. I never had problems with rival/alternative formats translated via 3rd party tools so that they could be opened in iTunes and then placed onto the iPod. So then this case isn't about iPods wiping content not sourced from Apple but that iPods couldn't play files transferred directly from rival services - presumably because those files were encoded (encrypted really) using a rival DRM format, decoded by that software and placed (unsigned presumably) on the device. So aren't those other services culpable for choosing to encrypt their files in the first place such that only their own proprietary software was able to upload to the device? On what basis would a software manufacturer be allowed to sue because they aren't allowed to run their proprietary software when its specifically designed to reverse engineer someone else's proprietary hardware? Or even more simply - do hardware manufactures have to ensure they are compatible with what software companies provide or isn't the industry standard the other way around. It is also first and foremost a dedicated consumer device - one of many and many of which have proprietary interfaces. My car has a CPU should I be able to sue because it doesn't run android or Windows 8? Refrigerators need to be liberated as well. I'm pretty sure Apple enjoyed and protected its Monopolistic position with those updates and by wiping off third party data, but they were obligated to ensure their DRM was secure.Demonstrated ability to reverse engineer and then place other content on the device would compromise that. I think they had every right to do it and the device was flexible enough that content from ARTISTS could be consumed without barriers while providing compensation to those folks - the main purpose of the thing. The iPod didn't exist for RP to make money for hacking.

Me thinks me smells the Ecological Fallacy

Pretty much says it. I would like to think that rational people have come to the conclusion that the god hypothesis is indefensible and this is a trend based on evidence (from the internet et al). But somehow I know it is not. After all the internet is about porn. Information is just a side-effect. The study is specious and based on false correlation - unless some boobies are thrown in.

Beep beep beep

Entertain me Google Thrall. I will pay 1000 Quatloos.

Wow non-news

Every software company producing software that requires admin privileges to install and uses cloud services can potentially create opportunities for man-in-the-middle attacks. Even the suggestion of local public keys isn't an answer. These can be compromised since the overall system/application architecture is controlled by Apple, MS, Adobe etc - and with sufficient political and legal pressure these companies can be made to implement measures. ISPs can be compelled to keep logs of transmissions (with or without knowledge of content) at any time. I don't trust any company that says its cipher solution is completely secure. Lastly, current SSL implementations may already be broken - in that event cooperation of Apple et al is superfluous. The real issue here is not Apple's ability or not to access iMessage it is the complete intrusion of governments in the secure free exchange of ideas - all under the premise of public "safety". Russia created the KGB almost 70 years ago to spy on "subversives" but ran out of money - the US just found a cheaper way to implement those policies.

They can start extending this to all sites

Search is only one element of what has become an increasing problem - the Trojanization (yes I made this word up), pretexting or blagging - whatever you want to call it - of advertisements in all manner of webpages. More and more news websites like CNN and The Guardian are fitting adverts right into the main content of the page using similar layout of pictures and fonts to appear as if they are legitimate news articles. Now for the latter example there are links that you can click e.g. "whats this?" that explain they are paid. But I think it is a slippery slope especially for news sites. For radio and TV this was an issue in the past and now very large disclaimers are provided - we need to do this for the web it is a threat to an informed democracy when news is blurred with advertisements. There is also a preponderance of adverts using the CSS layer model to make pop-ups - and not easily blocked (at least not in that good old fashioned "ignore the javascript" way). Some fill the screen and some are marginal almost all have very small input areas to "dismiss" the advert. On touch devices without very precise taps it is easy to be taken to the advert website. More $$ for the host site - but how long before this becomes a route to actual malware. If legitimate sites start using social engineering in the same way as those wishing to host malicious sites, how will we ensure web security. It's time for governments to step in on what are serious threats to the web rather than the proposed bills that create censorship and target legitimate users as if they were criminals. Sadly despite all of this CSS gerrymandering, Google has a near total monopoly on online advertisements and revenue. These strategies don't work - except maybe for Google.

Clearly a sperm

Anonymous coward is correct - it is clearly a giant sperm - although sadly extra flagella are a sure sign of genetic defects. Makes me wonder what the Scots are up to in the lake. Had the same problem with a hot tub in a condo I used to live in - always closed off when the sperm count got too high....

Patent on CSS

At the heart of the current Word document patent is a 2006 patent by Microsoft claiming that they developed CSS - some 3 or so years after the original work was done. Part of this is idea poaching and imitation - something M$ does well since they don't ever seem to have an original idea - and part of this is because companies make frivolous patent claims constantly in the US. Its like playing the lotto. All you need to do is come up with some vague general statement - put it in a patent and wait for someone to actually invent something useful that even remotely matches the patent description. Then go to Texas file an infringement claim and WHAM - instant millionaire since most companies prefer to settle than waste money proving the patent was frivolous in the first place.

Bunch of fucktards.

You are all idiots

El Reg commenters are all tards.

I am really mad! Every BMW is way too expensive. All other cars have four wheels why do they keeps selling theirs for so much money? What a bad business model! I'm going to buy a Ford or a Dodge they are way less expensive even if they aren't BMW. In fact I think I'll make a commercial where I take a teenage girl and her mom and go to a bunch of different car lots like Toyota, BMW and Honda and then good old GM and choose a nice cheap Pontiac and gloat about how much money I save "seems like a lot of money just for the brand."

Fucktards.

Incredible selflessness

Locking out unsafe formats? They invented the binary format used in these files didn't they? MS keeps trying to convince everyone that they are focused on security and I applaud them for their efforts this surely demonstrates their commitment as they clearly are willing to take aim at themselves when necessary to protect my files. Hopefully in the near future they will block pc's from booting XP because of its unsafe operating system structure so that we can all be saved by Vista and Office 2007! Hooray for MS - I'm glad I have a Mac.