Slashdot Mirror
Slashback: Secrecy, Toyware, France
Can't you just see this happening at your workplace? snowbike writes: "The missing hard drives at Los Alamos have been found. Apparently they fell behind a copy machine. It will probably be attributed to the closure and evacuation associated with the fires. Read all about it at CNN. Looks like there is still plenty of heat to go around regarding this--now the UC contract to run the lab is in danger." OK. So a little bit of data went missing. Are you perfect? Are you saying you've never misplaced a floppy, or left a few nuclear secrets behind the copy machine? More coverage can be found at ABC News, at The L.A. Times and at The Washington Post .
This is for your own good. In regards to Xday's discussion of privacy violations in Mattel software, Moses Lawn writes: "I'm an ex-Broderbund programmer that wrote all of the code for this, and I just posted a comment about exactly what it does, how, and why. It's actually pretty benign. (Hopefully my comment wound up in the right place - first-time posting and all.)"
Not a single Earth-destroying collision yet! People are pretty excited at Brookhaven National Laboratory, as RHIC (the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider) just saw its first collisions. There are pictures and a press release here. That page also has links to some animations and more info on how RHIC and its component systems work. RHIC is the new particle accelerator at Brookhaven. Its main goal (among many) is to look for a quark-gluon plasma. This is the result of about 18 years of work, and it will be the premiere facility for high-energy physics research until about 2008.
Tell me again how this makes things easier? snoogans writes "I just received this from my Dell account rep. As deep a hole as Microsoft has dug, do they really need to do this? How can they force all OEM's to implement this BIOS lock thing?
'The contents of the OS media kits that are shipped with Dell systems for Windows 95, Windows 98SE, and Windows NT4 will be changed as of June 1,2000 (New OS media kits are already shipping for Windows 2000 Professional) Systems impacted: All OptiPlex, Dimension, Precision, Latitude, and Inspiron systems. Implementation will be worldwide and include all languages. Why? The changes to the OS media kits are required by Microsoft in an effort to reduce software piracy What is changing (exactly) Dell-branded OS media replaces the Microsoft-generic OS media. Artwork on CD will change from "Microsoft Windows X" to "Dell Product Recovery CD -- Windows XX" In addition to a copy of the OS, the OS media will include a BIOS lock that prevents the OS media from being installed on a non-Dell system. Microsoft requires the BIOS lock to help prevent software piracy. The set-up diskettes have been removed because customers can now boot directly from the CD The functionality of the OS media remains the same -- whenever the user is asked to insert the "Microsoft Windows XX" CD, such as when they are reinstalling the OS or when they are changing the configuration of their system -- they will use the Dell Product Recovery CD The Certificate of Authentication (COA) will no longer be attached to the front of the Product documentation. Instead, it will be on a label affixed to the outside of the system chassis. The COA label should not be removed from the chassis -- the label will tear into small pieces if there is an attempt to remove it and it will become unusable. The product key located on the COA label is a mechanism used by Microsoft to ensure that the operating system loaded on the system is legal - the product key cannot be used by other users to compromise the security of the system. Your ability to re-install the OS from CD has not changed, the Dell Product Recovery CD replaces the functionality available in the Microsoft OS media kits'"
It would be great if hordes of programmers and interface designers worlwide would come up with a freely distributable alternative that was more stable than Windows and obviated the need for such presumption.;)
Blowing their nose in the general direction. MissKitty writes: "Even though I deplore Naziism and have got to wonder about the people who collect this stuff as memorabilia, I was amused that someone had the guts to tell the French Court to push off. Under French law it is illegal to exhibit or sell objects with racist overtones. They were wanting for Yahoo to filter France's access to these things (that came up on their auction site). "Asking us to filter access to our sites according to the nationality of Web surfers is very naive," Yang, co-founder of Yahoo! said. Score one for political incorrectness."
To quote from CNN:
If NEST doesn't have *immediate* access to the information they need, bad things will happen, like cities being atomized or poisoned by plutonium. Encryption would add several failure points to the system, such as losing the key. Furthermore, a single bit error in encrypted data can render it all meaningless. When you're sitting next to an active nuke, "access denied" is *not* what you want to see.
On the other hand, secrecy isn't that important. The information probably didn't include full engineering drawings and instructions for building bombs, just diagrams and instructions needed for deactivating them. Besides which the open literature already tells you how to make a nuclear explosive -- obtaining the plutonium, and precision machining the fissionable core and explosive lenses are the hard parts (not to mention synchronized detonation of the conventional explosives and injection of neutrons).
-- ;-)
Kuro5hin.org: where the good times never end.
Shine on, you crazy diamond.
Here's what you do:
Buy two Dell computers under two different names.
Swap motherboards.
Attempt to reinstall Windows on machine #1 with machine #1's disk.
When it fails, contact Dell technical support and demand a CD that will work.
When it arrives, attempt to reinstall Windows on machine #2 with machine #2's disk.
Repeat until Dell is bankrupt, then purchase their systems at a huge discount.
--
Boris: Did you get the secret plans?
Natasha: Of course, comrade.
Boris: Let me see!
[Natasha hands a sheaf of splotchy blackened xerox paper to Boris.]
Boris: What is this?!
Natasha: I copied secret data from computer parts. They won't know.
Boris: Ayiiii! We burned the hillsides for THIS?!
[
Hey,
This has been discussed quite a lot recently. a Q&A section was recently run in PC Pro. Here's my parody:
Q: Will this stop piracy or simply increase Microsoft's profits?
A: By reducing piracy, additional revenue will be seen by us! Ker-ching Ker-ching! Woohoo! This in turn would lead to us paying higher taxes, but don't worry: Our lawyers are working 24/7 looking for tax loopholes so we can pay as little as possible!!
Q: If piracy is reduced, will we see cheaper licenses?
A: Of course not! Whilst we have just said "By reducing piracy, additional revenue will be seen throughout the industry", we won't pass this on to consumers. We'll carry on nailing you for the highest prices we can, just like always!
Q: Why are you adding another complication to an already complicated licencing system?
A: Our new media policy is genuinely intended to support the 5,500 OEMs who buy genuine products to compete on a level playing field. We are strong-arming them into this policy for their own good (And we wouldn't dream of disregarding their opinions), even if the only people who will see the 'additional revenue' which will be 'seen throughout the industry' will be us.
Q: Is Microsoft passing the buck to OEMs in terms of technical support?
A: We always have! Why should we change now?
Q: Will my OS work if I upgrade my PC?
A: Obviously, the BIOS key isn't overwritten when you flash your bios. We will, however, side-step the massive issue of people actually wanting to upgrade their motherboards but it won't matter! We think you're too dumb to notice!
Q: In the case of a backup partition on the hard disk, what happens if my disk fails or becomes infected with a virus?
A: Well, if you're within your warranty, you can send your system back for repair and wait weeks for it to be returned with all your files comprehensively erased. If you're out of warranty, you will have to go to a Microsoft-endorsed retailer who will nail you with massive charges to actually install what you have already paid for!
Q: Do your proprietary Kerbeos extensions have any purpose except to stop Windows 2000 being compatible with UNIX servers?
A: No, we're profiteering again! What's more, nobody will be able to do anything about it because the only people who have the power to threaten us are ignorant of the facts!
Q: Does Microsoft support the old adage 'The customer is always right'?
A: No, course not. Microsoft supports the adage 'The customer has money. Bill Gates must have this money'. Inkeeping with this adage, we will do whatever we have to to make more money, regardless of whether the end solution is as functional as the one it is replacing.
Q: Does Microsoft hate us all?
A: Only if you haven't got any money left to spend on our products.
Just my $0.02
Michael Tandy
"Goodness me, how unlike the FBI to abuse the trust of the American public." -- The Onion
Blocked all *.fr addresses, directing them to a page saying something like Nos excuses. Ces pages sont actuel bloquées des utilisateurs français pour nous introduire dans la conformité à une décision récente de cour.
Then they could honestly tell the French court that they were making a sincere attempt to comply with the ruling...
Hmm...perhaps they should also include contact information for the case, and a link to an explanation of what their position was.
Cheers,
Ben
My usual seat in the cluetrain is at A HREF="http://pub4.ezboard.com/biwethey.ht
Well as a former memeber of the Army Intelligence Corp I can tell you that this isn't as big of a deal as you think it is. Remember that most likely this whole building is secure. To even get in you will need either a Secret or most likely a Top Secret clearance. And once you are in, you would probably be able to access just about anything in the building with a badge. Its not like X-Files where every door is locked :) I am not defending them for losing it, cause they shouldn't have lost the stuff, but, I think it is being made a bigger deal than it is. The media is probably trying to make money off of this since the russians dont have it. They have to earn a buck too ;) Plus, I mean, think about it, how many floppy diskes do you have laying around that you missplaced. I think the media is overplaying this situation WAY too much.
huh?
I can see it now...
Lab Attendant #1: Oh no! The wildfires are coming closer! We have to evacuate!
Lab Attendant #2: What about the Nuclear Secrets? Shouldn't we take those along?
Lab Attendant #1: Yes, we should definitely save them... But who knows, they might burn up in the fire. Take them out of the secret, underground, highly protected fire-proof room they are in and put them behind the copy machine in the first floor employee lounge!
Lab Attendant #2: My God, that's genius!
Siiigh.
Small potatoes make the steak look bigger.