Slashdot Mirror
Portables Without Cameras?
crankyspice writes "I work routinely in environments where a camera cannot physically be present (e.g., federal court), which really limits what I can carry with me. For instance, I'm a Mac guy, but there's no way to order a MacBook without a built-in webcam (which I've never used on the machines I've owned that have had one). Ditto the iPhone. I'm left with a BlackBerry 8830 and the bottom rung of the [W|L]Intel portables. Even then, when I ordered a Dell Mini 9, I had to wait more than a month because I specified no webcam when I placed the order. This is a relatively common (government, law, sensitive corporate environments) requirement; what have other Slashdotters done? Disabling the camera with a script or somesuch won't convince the $12/hour security guard that there's no camera. How can one easily find portable devices without a built-in camera?"
Reminds me of when I worked for the Saskatchewan government. Every piece of hardware has a "Property of GOS" sticker on it, with an item # and barcode. The various people (Crown prosecutors, etc.) who needed to disable the camera on their provided phone/blackberry/etc. would simply have that sticker over the camera lens.
upon the advice of my lawyer, i have no sig at this time
There's someone who's implanting a camera to replace a glass eye. With the singularity and associated transhumanism, this will get more complicated.
Usually the problem isn't how dumb the guard is. Most guards just aren't permitted to think anyway.
More than once I have asked "why do you have this rule or that" and gotten the response: "Because the boss must be on crack or something".
As for the cameras issue. That is legit. Not only do courts sometimes deal with cases where identities must be protected (I.e. It's bad enough little Sandy has to testify against her Daddy for molesting her, but putting her picture on the net would make it a whole lot worse) but there are other "institutions" that have vested interest in being photograph free. I.e. Many titty Bars ban Cams to protect the day jobs and church membership of part time strippers as well as the Senate seat of tonight's #1 tipper.
As for cam less devices. Nothing wrong with having a low end device. I.e. In a courtroom, You don't need a high frame rate or surround sound. Even my lowly old Dell Latitude D620 is overkill for legitimate courtroom usage.
Phones are a bigger problem. It's getting real hard to find phones with Email, 3G and WiFi without a built in Camera.
I'm shocked nobody has capitalized on this to release "Cam-less mods" for those Blackberrys where the cam can be hidden and crippled by changing the user removable back panel for one without the lens opening.
--= Isn't it surprising how badly I spell ?