* Posts by joed

827 publicly visible posts • joined 13 Jun 2013

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This year's H-1B visa lottery jammed full in just six days

joed

catch 22

They'll hire an H-1B worker for 65k but will not give the same chance locals (because someone that wanted to do this at this price can't be trusted). Lower standards (nothing wrong with this) and opportunity of entry job is thus restricted. We'll see results in years to come. For now at least airlines, landlord and lawyers make extra money.

Call the doctor... no, call security. Docs' mobiles are hopelessly insecure – study

joed

not just phones

that doc (?) also needs a surgical mask basic safety guidelines/reminder

Hortonworks fires up Centrica contract: Gassy client to probe users' usage

joed

Re: 2PB and 250 nodes for that?

"They'd be better off using the money they'd save by canning this project to lower bills which'd get them more customers......" - really not a requirement. As if customers had anywhere else to go...

We wrap our claws around latest pre-Build Windows 10 preview

joed

Re: Irrelevant

Cortana - put a stake into her heart by setting it to some MS forsaken country (forsaken or just lucky;)

Egde - useless no matter what

Maps - disabled, more telemetry if anything

Feedback - MS doesn't care anyway

Store - removal of that pesky thing likes to break down the broken system (similarly to removing random metro apps)

Kill fire with fire - block Bing (at least) at your gateway, using Windows firewall works wonders (for now) and so does "grounding" the MS' crap in task scheduler.

Startisback to the rescue (since Windows 8 times) - cheap, efficient and works better than anything MS could ever come up with.

Net neut naught: Netflix throttles its own video

joed

<strike>net</strike>reality

As much as I dislike arbitrary decisions of net operators there's only so much wireless spectrum to share between subscribers. As long as all services are treated equally probably progressive bandwidth "tax" (throttling) is the way to go. Caps are fine (if set to reasonable levels that allow for normal/non-media heavy data usage throughout the billing cycle). Pay to play, just not twice - where both consumer and service provider are asked to pay for the same transfers (while obscuring the true price of the service).

Adobe will track you across all your devices with new co-op project

joed

Re: Something useful?

Unique IDs or not (per site) is no guarantee of not linking them by aggregators/cdn type entities. Blocking 3rd party cookies (and/or flushing this crap every so often), blocking scripts originating outside primary site domain are better ways to do so. So is blocking flash, fonts etc. It may be pain in daily use (for some;)

Microsoft to add a touch of Chrome to Edge

joed

I've found that it's best to firewall the Edge and bunch of essential (for MS self-interests only) services on W10. Then it works like a dream;)

I'm really surprised MS allowed to use Windows firewall for this (as host file is no longer honored for MS' stuff). I bet they'll be fixing this "hole".

Comcast now touts unlimited gigabit service (that you can't get)

joed

Re: Hope you enjoy it, Georgia

They'd sneaked in price increases over time (and using some bogus excuses). That's why I enjoy cloudy future at blasting 3.7Mbps. And I don't give a ...

We’re so over Uber: Italy ponders slapping taxes on workers in the ‘sharing economy’

joed
Joke

you may be surprised but Google has thousands of translator monkeys that have become really good at it. Obviously, employed on sharing economy paradigm and working from their home office in jungle.

joed

Re: A Big Issue.

the Big Issue I can see here is that while the weakest party (workers scraping for extra cash) will get taxed (10%+), the taxes are much less likely to be applied to leaches overseeing the scheme (registered off-shore, tax lawyer and other usual excuses).

Anti-cyber-attack biz Staminus is cyber-attacked, mocked by card-leaking tormentors

joed

Now get ready for free credit monitoring

I consider all the "free credit monitoring" offers sent me by hacked companies/government entities as a bad joke. Someone lost my information and now they suggest sharing this (better yet because updated) information with another business I'd rather have nothing to do with. I guess only to increase the odds of another data leak and make it harder to track to source.

Samsung PC, laptop owner? Better update the update tool

joed

Re: I had a Samsung laptop once...

did it come with a fire extinguisher?

Monster motor breathes fire in Mississippi

joed

so how many mpgs will this be?

joed

Re: I'm barely excited

With all the excitement of science discovery, I'm not so excited about chipping in from my taxes. Surely politicians will find some other worthy spend (like a war) and I bet for future tax increases anyway.

Flash – aaah-aarrgh! Patch now as hackers exploit fresh holes

joed

Re: Jeesh!

@"IE11 updates ok"

sure, it now also updates you (to Windows 10).

joed

Re: Jeesh!

You can't on Windows 8+.

Another brilliant idea by MS.

US taxmen pull plug on anti-identity-theft system used by identity thieves

joed

Re: Can we finnally stop re-inventing the wheel?

the dirty "secret" is that no taxpayer can even file directly with IRS because of a lawsuit by tax preparer businessesscumbags, so most of Americans files with/signs to 3rd party service anyway (exposing themselves to hackers on multiple fronts). Paper and snail mail for me (since I can't avoid IRS system anyway).

Surprise! That blood-pressure app doesn't measure blood pressure

joed

I'd bet that affordable medical services would help more than the app. In lieu of these (at least Stateside), apps/web search has to suffice for many. At least as 1st diagnostic step (and more advanced medical procedures will probably be out of reach anyway). The same applies to other fields, just much less price competition in medical (technically it's all union, no outsourcing etc). Regulations do not allow for "shade tree doctors" - damn you don't, damn you do.

Official: Toshiba pulls out of European consumer PC market

joed

anyone surprised

It's been all too obvious that only sworn Apple church goers will pay the tax premium (though some argue that at least they get their money worth of). The "dark side" of PC market goes by price/reliability/function. Nobody willingly overpays knowing that the vendor label may be the only difference. With equipment that lasts longer than ever (and hardware race that seemingly came to standstill, at least from consumer point of view) and new Windows despised by majority of users it's little surprise that few parts their hard earned cash just for the sake of change.

I'd used to buy (desktop PC) hardware more often but it's just pointless now to do any refresh only to end up dealing with activations or forced upgrade to "customer experience telemetry". And laptops are just useless - overpriced , underspecced paperweight with shiny, worthless touchscreen (that commands premium). Don't get me started about 2in1.

Reminder: How to get a grip on your files, data that Windows 10 phones home to Microsoft

joed

Re: for security minded

too easy with Enterprise version.

It's just an ISO file and likely can be downloaded straight from MS (without much trouble). It'll install. It'll run. It'll just keep remind at logon to activate it, but you can ignore it. It's beta after all and you just keep testing it. I've had 8.1E running like this for ~2 years. 10E is past 6 months mark on another test box. Fire, use, shut down. Running on "metered connection" so possibly not getting updates (but not leaking my limited usage data either). I'd not pay MS for this system - it's just not worth it. Nothing on it out of the box (not that I planned to sign in with MS account just to get "good stuff"). Actually not using any of MS services is another common sense step in keeping your stuff private from MS. If anything at least it'll fragment your data across different services and make bid data work harder to make any sense out of it.

joed

Re: Basically, if you're not a business customer, your're screwed anyway.

Well, lets not forget about class action lawsuits in US. Windows 10 EULA makes it more difficult but I bet there will be some lawyers looking for money to be had (on MS' expense).

joed

Re: there is a way to furtle Home's privacy settings

regedit for home versions of Windows

plus good firewall, rules and likely blocking IPv6 (impossible to mange target moving between billions of IPs)

Yahoo! axes! websites! you've! never! heard! of! and! lays! off! staff!

joed

Re: Good, hope they tank.

It's getting frickin hard to get a free email account without supplying phone # (and soon cc and ssn). And for what - crap like junkmail on yahoo?. Oh well, life goes on and no need to check email. There's no way I'd provide some Internet site with my real creds - these are reserved for real businesses (and even then not given up easily).

Volvo offloads IT biz to HCL, then outsources own IT to.... HCL

joed

Re: Awful Choice

BTW, where does this "do the needful" come from? I've heard it often enough but was too polite to ask. Sure enough language is a barrier, and not always in the funny way (and English is not my 1st language so I'd think I could handle some deficiencies). Even big shops like MS don't bother to set any standards (maybe just down;)

US software biz fined $28 million for bribing Chinese buyers with free vacations, gifts

joed

double standards?

Is this to make sure our businesses looks outside States (surely "lobbying" is permitted internally)? Or (conspiracy alert;) to gain support to military adventures - once a country is annexed the business may be conducted in more business friendly manners (though while done in Iraq, China would be much more difficult case).

Zero. Zilch. Nada. That's how much Netflix uses its own data centres now

joed

Re: Single Source

on the other hand dependency is on both ends. It's the same way a bank relies on viability of its debtors. For small ones they send a repo man but they'll negotiate with ones that are too big too fail (and take significant percentage of revenue with them). I bet that Netfix had some contingency plan - maybe difficult and costly but useful in pricing negotiations.

Let Europeans sue America for slurping their data – US Senate

joed

Re: Feed Our Lawyers

funny, Feds just sued Ferguson for "routinely violating residents' rights and misusing law enforcement to generate revenue". And then they come with this idea where side whose rights were violated can't win yet it'll surely generate revenue on perpetrator's end. Win Win (for our side;)

Microsoft quits giving us the silent treatment on Windows 10 updates

joed

Re: Question...

The problem is that they collect what they want and don't respect user preferences. Someone may come up with more scientific proof but for me it was enough when I found Firefox (not Edge and no Bing) searches in one of telemetry files (and Windows directory has number of these). The system (10 enterpise, off domain so no domain policies yet) had all the possible box unchecked (and few registry and task scheduler tweaks). I had no intentions of sharing my system performance data, much less letting keyloger swipe all my actions.

Don't mention the F word: Adobe releases Animate CC

joed

They can call it however they like

as long as code spat out of Flash Something CC can be blocked by my browser.

Reminder: iPhones commit suicide if you repair them on the cheap

joed

I believe this may not even be legit in states. It's not for cars.

Google to pump free gigabit Fiber into homes of hard-up families

joed

fiber rich diet

and Internet for living

German Chancellor fires hydrogen plasma with the push of a button

joed

Re: That's Bundeskanzlerin Frau Doktor Angela Merkel to you

I could you bring number of historical examples to the contrary (this in regard to sanity being particual virtue of German politicians).

BTW, when she pressed that button I bet she was hoping to execute nuclear option against EPA harassing VAG;)

Windows 10 will now automatically download and install on PCs

joed

they might as well label it security

all manual for almost a year now

Seagate’s triple whammy: Disk numbers, costs, and flash

joed

milking the cow

While inevitable (SSD popularity and lesser pressure on local data storage) HDD makers shot themselves in foot keeping drive prices artificially inflated following the spike caused by Thailand flooding (years ago). Also stagnant max capacities (and ridiculous prices) pushed consumers in other direction.

And where are these Seagate SSD (didn't they purchase controller maker)?

Windows Mobile users suffer backup super-slurp as Redmond forgets Wi-Fi switch

joed

Perfect

The brave few has gotten what they deserved. That will teach them fanboys;).

Will be checking if my test W10 box started downloading updates and submitting pending telemetry over "metered" wireless network.

Safari iOS crashing: Suggestions snafu KOs the Apple masses

joed

not disabled yet?

I've had the setting disabled since the initial setup - cause privacy.

Same applied across all platforms/browsers - until I've decided to use search I'm not searching outside local browser history.

Somewhat disappointed by crashsafari.co bug - it did not crash the phone (maybe because I ran in the private mode).

Stop the music! Booby-trapped song carjacked vehicles – security prof

joed

Re: I hope so

I'd rather had no remote access - for updates or malware alike. Since the CD exploit is barely a link to network code, keeping vehicle systems offline is the easy (and cheap) way out. And all this forced integration of data systems delivers little value to consumers but they end up paying for it. I have no idea why some car buyers fall for this - extra data service fees on top of 72-month payments, all this while far more capable smartphone is in their pocket.

Mozilla slings web push notifications into Firefox

joed

Hasn't it been a plus

that FireFox would only refresh active tab (as opposed to chrome behavior)? No notifications, no bandwidth waste (and possibly security and privacy implications). But as long as the feature can be disabled (and enable per tab only) it'll be OK.

Troubled Toshiba ponders selling chips to save its flash bacon

joed

all in?

In few years when NAND is done for and competition fierce there will be nothing for sale to save the house. Really surprised they'd consider getting rid off analog/industrial/niche product line.

Kentucky to build 3,400-mile state-owned broadband network – and a fight is brewing

joed

they better do this right

"with local ISPs linking up individual homes and offices" - so is it Comcast or ATT? I'm far from supporting established monopolies, but spending public money on the backbone without taking care of rules that led to and enforce lack of competition locally, we may end up with another tax and keep paying big $ to current ISP of your "choice".

Someone please rid me of this turbulent Windows 10 Store

joed

Re: Folklore ?..

I can't recall Find button (and using it). Most Windows users click instead of type (unless there's no other way to accomplish the task) and this used to be selling point of the system. W7 search worked good enough. 8 - was a regression and someone at MS came up with an idea of separate app/file/etc searches with unique but impossible to figure out keyboard shortcuts. Store search has always been a joke (works as good as searching through SharePoint;). Not that I cared - no plans to login with MS account and I'd eradicate Store app from any of my systems if I could. Don't need MS to middle-man programs I used.

AMX backdoors US govt's comms system with Batman-inspired surveillance mode

joed

so who's monitoring that puppet show in the White House?

For pity's sake, enterprises, upgrade your mobile OS - report

joed

DuoSecurity should concentrate on providing their services instead of gathering data on their users. MS syndrome?

Spare a reserved cloud instance, gov? Microsoft's $1bn, 70k charity sales pitch

joed

charitable MS

"non profit" foundations/corporations

who to believe?

New open-source ad-blocking web browser emerges from brain of ex-Mozilla boss Eich

joed

nope

there's nothing better than a browser with cert store separate from the OS. staying with FF/Pokemon

Microsoft's new cross-platform web app framework renamed ASP.NET Core

joed

yet another update to avoid

if only not to support their initiatives (aka GWX payback)

LastPass in 2FA lock down after 'fessing up to phishing attack

joed

Re: Come on MSFT!

Safe/convenient until someone got into your MSTF account. BTW, MSFT keeps keys to your stuff as opposed to LastPass, so "thanks but no biscuit" (I agree with Anonymous Coward's comment above).

Afraid of getting your iThing pwned? Get yourself iOS 9.2.1

joed

OMG

hopefully this is not 2GB for incremental update (image file size at iphonehacks). this thing will slurp my bandwidth for the night. there has to be better way.

Australia considers mass herpes release for population control

joed

Re: Just like the Great Lakes between US & Canada

Ash borer did not need politicians' help (maybe just lack of imagination). Landscapers blowing crap out their trailers along the highway did just fine.

Boffins tentatively fire up grav wave sniffer

joed

who cared for asteroid mining

when you can find "46mm gold/platinum alloy cubes" floating near by

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