Slashdot Mirror

If you're a small fish and stupid enough to get caught but are an individual they may not bother with a lawsuit and just bar you from online services like software updates and other things. Probably the main reason why they introduced Office 365 as an online based service. I'm sure they'd love to have a Windows 365 (and only a Windows 365), but due to latency (laws of physics) and bandwidth issues of the internet infrastructure that's simply not feasible for many tasks that are usually done on Windows.

If you're a bigger fish and are stupid enough to get caught they may sue like in this case, where a software reseller sold product keys they didn't legally obtain. https://www.arnnet.com.au/arti...
All while reselling legally obtained product keys may not get you into trouble at all, depending on where you live (EU for example).

Windows ME, Vista, Version 8 - Microsoft has been having problems here and there with Windows for some time. In 2015, Nadella combined their hardware efforts with the Windows Universal Platform, allowing for cross platform applications [1]. Things didn't go as hoped. While Windows 10 is popular, overtaking Win 7 by February 2018, overall PC sales has been declining. In fact, they have been losing ground for the last 6 years, with a 2.8% drop in 2017 [2].

Consumer Reports stopped recommending the entire line of Surface PCs in 2017 due to hardware concerns. These days CR rates the Surface Pro 4 positively, but they still claim Microsoft is less reliable than most brands, and Apple is the most reliable laptop brand [3]. BTW, if you're interested, Windows can be installed on a Mac with OS X's dual booting Boot Camp. Best of both worlds.

Now, Terry Myerson, the leader of the Windows and Devices Group, is leaving Microsoft. With his departure, Microsoft is creating 2 new teams that will prioritize Microsoft's cloud and artificial intelligence products. Perhaps this is an effort to appease investors [4]. With Myerson's departure and this re-prioritization, it's no surprise Windows applications like Mail are having problems. I expect more trouble across the Windows spectrum. Microsoft's head is in the clouds, and their application platform is in the sunset, rear window.

[1] https://finance.yahoo.com/news/why-microsoft-ceo-satya-nadella-182823659.html

[2] https://www.zdnet.com/article/windows-10-vs-windows-7-has-microsofts-newest-os-just-reached-a-turning-point/

https://www.arnnet.com.au/article/632157/2017-saw-pc-shipments-decline-six-years-straight/

[3] {May be Paywalled} https://www.consumerreports.org/products/laptop/microsoft-surface-pro-4-384902/overview/

[4] http://money.cnn.com/2018/03/29/news/companies/microsoft-restructuring-windows/index.html

Yes

there have also been multiple proofs of concept that don't rely on hardware implants, like this one.

We had advisories from "concerned" police that Apple's service was potentially life-threatening.

Not ruling out the advisories may have been overblown, but yeah... that's a fiasco alright.

I gave links to both. First he wrote on his blog in 2003:

Dubya has nominated another caveman for a federal appeals court. Refreshingly, the Democratic Party is organizing opposition.

The nominee is quoted as saying that if the choice of a sexual partner were protected by the Constitution, "prostitution, adultery, necrophilia, bestiality, possession of child pornography, and even incest and pedophilia" also would be. He is probably mistaken, legally--but that is unfortunate. All of these acts should be legal as long as no one is coerced. They are illegal only because of prejudice and narrowmindedness.

He also said this in an interview:

DR: So is child pornography not a good enough reason to censor the Internet?

RS: Certainly not, certainly not a good enough reason. There are videos I’ve seen that shocked and disgusted me, but I don’t want to censor them. I do not advocate censorship just because I or you find them disgusting. ...

But those who simply redistribute [child pornography] are in the same position of people who redistribute the collateral murder video. They’re not participating in the crime and there are a lot of films that depict murders except nobody really got killed. And there are a lot of films that depict the harm of animals except none really got harmed so if somebody was really torturing an animal, we would stop it. But depicting that without actually doing it we consider okaybut there’s no need to censor depictions of that.

And finally, he wrote on his blog in 2006:

I am skeptical of the claim that voluntarily pedophilia harms children. The arguments that it causes harm seem to be based on cases which aren't voluntary, which are then stretched by parents who are horrified by the idea that their little baby is maturing.

Children can't legally or emotionally consent to sex; there's no such thing as "voluntary pedophilia."

To be honest, it's surprising that more people don't know about Stallman's positions on these issues. You'd think such controversial positions would be more widely reported.

Probably a lot of normal people's reaction to Reddit's policy change is "You mean sexual imagery of children wasn't already against the rules? How is that not firmly established from day one?" Unfortumately, the Reddit admins' bizarre six-year acceptance of child porn on its site is reflective of an overall lax attitude in online geek communities. Rather than seeing themselves as what they actually are--just nerds running computers--they like to perceive themselves as freedom fighters battling all forms of censorship in the world. This lack of practically toward obviously illegal stuff leads to a lot of eye-opening attitudes toward issues of sex and gender. For crying out loud, Reddit's statement actually refers to this new rule as a "slippery slope," as if it's somehow more difficult for them not to censor legitimate information if they can't have a subreddit named /r/preeteen_girls devoted to underage photos submitted by creepy Facebook stalkers.

The lax attitude toward this sort of thing even comes from community leaders like Richard Stallman, who wrote on his blog that "[P]rostitution, adultery, necrophilia, bestiality, possession of child pornography, and even incest and pedophilia ... should be legal as long as no one is coerced. They are illegal only because of prejudice and narrowmindedness." And he told an interviewer that people who redistribute child pornography are "not participating in the crime" and so shouldn't be censored. Hell, even bringing this up on Slashdot risks copious downmods from Stallman fans (it's happened in the past).

There has to be a line drawn between OMG-FREEDOM-AT-ALL-COSTS and posting sexual pictures of children. Living in a civil society requires some level of protection of the innocent. Reddit should shut the hell up about slippery slopes and do what it should have done six freaking years ago.

splitenz writes:

"Hoping to unify the growing but disparate market of NoSQL databases, the creators behind CouchDB and SQLite have introduced a new query language for the format, called UnQL (Unstructured Data Query Language — .PS). It has Microsoft's backing."

Then, FTA (right at the bottom of it):

This version of UnQL has no relation to an identically named unstructured data query language proposed by a University of Pennsylvania researcher over a decade ago, Phillips said.

I know it's slashdot, but c'mon. Just looking at the linked postscript file shows you a major WTF discrepancy. First the paper is from 2000, and then that paper's query language is based on algebras that do not resemble Codd's relational algebra at all. And that runs counter to this, also FTFA:

Like SQL, UnQL was built on the foundation of relational algebra, Phillips said.

The news are great. The coverage blows. It would pay to read the stuff that is being submitted as a story... just sayin...

In Australia a State Government used a ridiculously expensive "off the shelf" SAP payroll solution that turned into a complete disaster. A year later and staff still aren't being paid properly. Lots of finger pointing between IBM, SAP and Corptech who is the State Government's IT corporation. They paid $40M for software that didn't work, and still doesn't work.

Take that number in. $40M. Ridiculously overpriced even if it did work, but this doesn't even do that. Payroll isn't rocket science. A few competent programmers locked away for 6 months could do better. Far too much money is thrown at so-called 'enterprise software'.
http://www.itnews.com.au/News/218348,ibm-under-fire-for-qld-health-bungle.aspx
http://www.arnnet.com.au/article/351650/ibm_says_queensland_health_sap_failure_its_fault/
http://www.zdnet.com.au/qld-health-sap-woes-lead-to-cash-advances-339302381.htm
http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2010/05/07/215335_gold-coast-news.html
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/qld-health-pays-hefty-price-for-sick-payroll-system/story-e6frgakx-1225813063057
http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/351608/updated_qld_govt_blames_ibm_health_payroll_bungle/

This is ignoring the obvious fact that the current international internet infrastructure most certainly cannot take a network with even a few million australians connected at 100 mbit, even if they only use 1% of their connection. Total international bandwidth available in Australia is about 1 terabit (theoretical peak capacity for currently deployed infrastructure - not actually operational connectivity, and brining the full capacity online won't be cheap at all)

There is a new cable in the making from AU to US capable of 5Tbps, and that does not even include the existing connections that can be upgraded.

You are incorrect.

I'd sooner just buy a smaller PC without the bays. Heck, why doesn't anyone make a single piece keyboard like the old Atari 800, or C=64, or Amiga 500?

Um, wasn't there a story about this just the other day?

Oh yeah, here it is:
Commodore 64 Primed For a Comeback In June on 2010-03-24 14:09
Posted by timothy on 2010-03-24 14:09
from the new-use-old-number dept.
angry tapir writes "The Commodore 64 is getting a makeover, with a new design and some of the latest computing technologies, as the brand gets primed for a comeback. The revamped computer will be available through the Commodore USA online store, which is set to open June 1. The computer will be an all-in-one keyboard, with Intel's 64-bit quad-core microprocessors and 3D graphics capabilities."

PS: here's an image of the new thing:
http://www.arnnet.com.au/slideshow/340148/commodore_64_awakes_from_slumber_makeover/?image=2

They did it to stop 'premature unnecessary debate', apparently.

They don't want any facts or public opinion getting in the way of something they have already decided on and that serves nobody else but themselves.

http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/no-minister-90-of-web-snoop-document-censored-to-stop--premature-unnecessary-debate-20100722-10mxo.html?rand=1279849637950
http://www.arnnet.com.au/article/354283/government_stifles_debate_web_browser_history_retention/

Like they were popular enough already with the manditor filter? And comming up to an election I have to ask, WTF?

Um, Xenophon is against the filter, and has publicly stated this several times. I don't agree with everything he says by a long shot, but he's definitely not a crackpot like Steve Fielding or Tony Abbott. Further, independents can often be a good thing, primarily because they don't toe the party line and are more likely to vote based on their personal beliefs than what will get them a promotion to the front bench. I'd rather politicians who vote for what they believe in (even if I disagree) than vote for what earns them a larger salary or a nicer job. I'd say his electorate and who they vote for is a fair indication of whether he is being a tosser. Considering how difficult it is to get elected as an independent, without the massive financial and human resources you'd have at your disposal as a member of one of the major parties, I'd suggest he by definition has to be quite in tune with them. You might want to check the actual policies and standpoints of members of parliament before unleashing abuse on them.

A recent interview with Xenophon: Q&A: Xenophon on ISPs, Telstra and the cloud.

The separation of Telstra's wholesale and retail divisions has been discussed heatedly for many years, long before the change of government. The previous administration was happy to let it stand, which made Telstra investors happy but pissed off Telstra customers as well as competitors, not to mention holding back innovation. You only have to look at the number of times Telstra has lost in fights with the ACCC, the courts and even the government to see why this was a mistake.

The only group of people who are opposed to Telstra being split are the (unlucky) shareholders. Pretty much everyone else who has had to deal with Telstra are unhappy with their service and pricing, their treatment of retail customers and wholesale customers.

I'm not saying that the government's NBN plan is well-thought-out or anything, but Telstra's joke of a proposal and their juvenile "change the law to suit us or we take our toys and leave" attitude is even worse for the competitive landscape and the general Australian public. A split can't come soon enough.

So how is life at Telstra these days?

Nice try, mate.

My comment about Optus/Singtel related entirely to the fact that Singtel is the Singapore government owned telco and Singapore certainly has no scruples about censorship which means that Optus participation may have a different corporate goal.

To be fair, Telstra, Internode and iiNet are on record as objecting to this proposal and all have refused to be sucked into this debacle and are not participating. Telstra's public comments have been generally to the effect that trying to censor the internet would be like "boiling the ocean"

The gap between MySQL and Oracle is huge and not likely to be closed anytime soon.

Technology leaders in big companies aren't as into all the open source gossip as the slashdot crowd are and I wouldn't be surprised if many of them didn't even know there were MySQL forks or what that meant.

They would rather go with a MySQL that is named MySQL and has a big company like Sun or Oracle, the leading db vendor that also owns the only sane database engine for MySQL, than some noname fork. Even if it was started by the MySQL founders and all the developers went to it. If all the MySQL developers go to a fork, well then Oracle developers will take over.

What's more concerning is IBMs partnership with EnterpriseDB, which is based on PostgreSQL.

If you want an open source database that closes the gap with Oracle, use PostgreSQL.

Sun should have never bought MySQL. Instead they should have put more effort into PostgreSQL. Sun has had some big wins with Solaris and Postgresql in the past and offer support for it on Solaris.

Must be tough since Oracle is an important part of Sun's business but Oracle has done things that could be considered as stabbing Sun in the back too.

Sorry to double post.. this is a good article on it too.

If I was migrating away from Oracle, MS SQL Server wouldn't be my first choice. Postgresql would. Given the choice between a free version that is similar to the original vs a product that is very different that I need to pay for it's a no brainer. Also take into consideration that for some database applications you're going to need some serious horsepower. You're limited in the number of procs you can have in a Windows system. Last time I checked, once you get past 8 processors Windows doesn't scale as well. Even linux doesn't do as well as Solaris, AIX or HPUX past a certain number of procs.

Oracle's RAC seems to be a better solution than MSSQL's approach. PostgreSQL (and EnterpriseDB) are working on a more RAC-like approach.

This is a good story about a company that successfully moved from Oracle to Postgresql. Basically, they had 2 database systems running Oracle, a data warehouse and an OLTP system. They moved their data warehouse over to Postgresql running on Solaris 10, then they used the licenses they no longer need for the data warehouse to boost the computing power of the OLTP system.

"Vista Sales Strong, Higher Than Expected "

Then someone had better tell Ballmer. He's been saying forecasts were over-optimistic:

"Ballmer's comments came during a conference call with financial analysts in which he repeatedly hammered home the theme that sales forecasts for Windows -- Vista in particular -- have been "overly optimistic."

http://www.arnnet.com.au/index.php/id;7680622;fp;1 6;fpid;1

Obviously, Ballmer thinks people's "expectations" were "overly optimistic"; now we're being told they were overly pessimistic. There's a disconnect somewhere.

I submitted that article yesterday but it wasn't accepted--must be my crummy authoring skills.

On a related topic, mother board sales have been falling and a lot of people are blaming the impending release of Vista.

Microsoft's Linux Lab is currently working on a solution. "WILO" (Windows Loader) 1.0 should be released shortly after Vista hits shelves in 2009.

Same researchers announced some vulnerabilities in MD5 and SHA-1:

See:
http://www.arnnet.com.au/index.php/id;1503863220;f p;512;fpid;710205681
Researchers have discovered a flaw in the MD5 algorithm that is used to provide a unique signature for data.

Xiaoyun Wang, a Chinese expert, and three colleagues have discovered the flaw in the hash function algorithm, which is used in applications, such as EMC's Centera content-addressable file store. The flaw was revealed at the Crypto 2004 conference.

Also:
http://www.rsasecurity.com/rsalabs/node.asp?id=273 8

* The hash function collisions recently discovered have minimal practical impact at this time due to the limitations discussed further. It is not clear that these research results can be turned into practical exploits on most typical uses of these hash functions, so there is no immediate need to replace hash algorithms.
* As a precaution, applications using a legacy hash function described as vulnerable should upgrade to the NIST-approved SHA1 or SHA2 family of algorithms (RSA Laboratories suggested a migration to SHA1 in 1996).
* Applications using SHA1 do not appear to be at risk, but conservatively, developers may also consider planning an upgrade to the SHA2 family in the next few years.

Dell is slamming this sale. Here's the article:

Dell slams expected IBM-Lenovo deal

Here is a quote I love from the article:

Dell attributed his competitors' problems to outsourcing.

"It's been a long time since our leading competitors actually made a computer," he said. "They have outsourced manufacturing computers a long time ago, but Dell continues to invest heavily in the manufacturing and design of computers."

At least Dell doesn't think outsourcing is all it's cracked up to be. Even seems to think it caused IBM's downfall in the market was because of this.

No Life on Mars, But Many Bugs

Three Minutes With Mike Deliman

Out-of-memory problem caused Mars rover's glitch

MarsNews.com :: NewsWire :: Mars Exploration Rovers :: Archives

Red Rover's master coder

More articles, for the more article inclined.

heres another source I found: DVD recorder prices fall as production surges in Taiwan

But it apears that they are already cheap if you know where to shop.

Don't buy counterfeit Nokia batteries then

Disallow connections to TCP port 81 through your network firewall. Blocking outbound port 81 connections stops computers on your network from downloading the worm from outside. Blocking inbound port 81 connections means that even if you do get infected you will not pass the virus on to others.

Oops, spoke too quickly. CA actually did know they were getting Linux licenses, but they didn't pay extra for them.

(links gleaned from Google News) I'd submit these into the story submission but my submissions have 99% rejection rate.

SCO's proof bogus, Linux advocate says The creator of Linux, Linus Torvalds, said he was not surprised by Perens analysis. "It sure as hell looks like its BSD-licensed and has been around forever," Linus said. "This was what we claimed was the likely source of any common code in the first place: BSD code and various vendor stuff." ...

...and, hold onto your seat because...

SCO Preparing Legal Action Against Customer Talking to ComputerWire, McBride added SCO is identifying Linux users for possible litigation. He said SCO had for the last month gathered information on Linux users, and identified about 10% of the total Linux servers sold last year. McBride added that he expected that figure to rise to 40% over the coming weeks before SCO would take action. ...

How is this bug more of a bummer than how gnuftp was compromised and potentially more damaging? Oh, don't hear people moaning about that on here now do you...?

Do you not read the newspapers?
When the GNU ftp site was compromised did it affect any DMVs?
Did the cracking of the GNU server cause disruption at entire school districts?

In case you missed it, look here
or here
If you follow the first link you'll see that even Cisco's VoIP customers are affected by Blaster, not just WIndows users.
I'd call that more of a bummer than the GNU compromise.

ms and sun "licensed unix from sco" - i think they gave sco some money to play with without getting their own hands dirty.

Of course its a conspiracy, what else could it be? Sun doesn't have any products that lack anything, like, say, drivers that Cald^H^H^H^H SCO would be in a strong position to provide by license. And everyone knows that Microsoft can't have more than, what, one or two products directly related to Unix that having source code from SCO would be useful to help improve, or for which a license would help remove any doubt about IP rights.

They are just pretending to improve and sell their products to meet Wallstreet expectations when everyone knows its just a plot to undermine Linux. Linux will still crush them and rule all. Go Tux!!