"The hackers are apparently using a botnet to make up to 5,000 attempts a day at various unsecured portals into the NYPD's files."
So, can someone explain why NY's finest have "various unsecured portals" which give access to their files?
Please tell me it's just sloppy editing, (again)...
I thought that everybody serious these days, (CIA, FBI...) had at least two internet portals - a 'public face' for external users and wannabee hackers and a private one protected by *very* state of the art stuff. Of course, most of the real stuff would be on secure intranet.
Thanks for that - but note I said 'produce', which is correct IMHO. Nobody is their right mind would buy & drive & Hummer, of course, so the mileage calcs are ingenuous.
As I said in my parent, buy a small diesel - best of all, second hand - if you want to save the planet and your cash. Then run it on old cooking fat from your local restaurent that would otherwise be tipped in the drains or expensively shipped somewhere to be recycled.
I'm a Gandhi loving, walking and public transport (though a Prius would be O.K. if I had to drive),
Somewhat offtopic, but the Toyoa Prius - whilst a clever piece of kit - is actually much worse for the planet than a 'normal' small car. Takes more energy to produce than a Hummer, just for starters... Buy a small, locally-produced diesel if you want to save the planet...except you're SOL because Detroit don't make one you'd actually want to buy.
Oh, BTW, before I get flamed to hell, I'm a big believer in our need for alternative energy solutions but...let's get the facts straight.
A lot of 'casual' (non tech.) users are likely to be put off by the increasing application of EU directives against sharing/copyright theft. (The ones that the boys from PB were hammered under).
As EU Govs. progressively try and vote these into law, (a recent attempt in France was defeated at the last minute), users are going to find it harder to use file-sharnig services without getting cut off by their ISP, or worse.
I was coding in portable building, (looks like a shipping container), in high summer. No a/c, no breeze... I was working with two cute and VERY well-endowed female coworkers who decided to skip bras and wear the smallest cut-away T shirts possible. Oh, and thin summer mini-skirts.
They might just as well have been naked.
Now you try and debug a financial application written in uncommented RPG3 in that environment...
Wow, does your organization really operate this way?
Well, none of my clients do; It's a joke based on a pastiche of personally-observed horrors. Funny thing is, in all cases, the client had outsourced IT to 'big names'. Reassuring, eh?
Having said that, I'd admit to a few backup/restore and/or upgrade horrors of my own. When I was younger, of course...
The Million Dollar question will be whether the fact that XP upgrades to Windows 7 requires a clean install will prove to be Microsoft's undoing.
The Million Dollar answer is "no". Because when you upgrade a corporate desktop, you don't upgrade in place. You create an image and you reimage your desktops en masse.
Whereupon: 1. You discover all the hidden defects in your backup system. Users start to line up outside your office asking where their data is/went. Extra anguish is demonstrated by people who stored all their passwords in the PC, (typically x:\windows\impossibllylongungessablepathname\password.txt) and nowhere else. "The shortcut was on the desktop", they wail... 2. The queue grows, as 'power' users realise that all the 'special' apps and tweaks they've managed to do/install over the years, (despite policy), are absent from their newly-reimaged PC. 3. Calls from remote offices start to come in, as their local apps don't work anymore. CIO feverishly scans 'approved software' list. 4. The CEO drops in to enquire as to why he can't sync his *insert name of obscure device here* with Outlook/Notes anymore. Hasty searches reveal no updates for the sync software. CIO starts updating profile on LinkedIn. 5. Engineering and Marketing call in asking why they can't scan / print / the output "looks funny". Search for updated drivers reveals none. 6. CFO drops by to ask "how much is ths mess costing?" CIO attempts to commit suicide by swallowing iPhone.
Come to think of it, nah, there's absolutely no reason why big corps should not upgrade right away.
Yes, it's a significant fine, and should make the Ms boys take notice and change, as they say they will in the article.
Also, FTA, "employees of Microsoft and the retailer in question had agreed on at least two occasions on the resale price of the software package"
Urm, that's what they were hit for; illegal price fixing. Of course, you could argue that such things go on al the time, and are perhaps of themselves not particularly evil, but that's not the point: they're illegal, so if you're a big MNC and you get caught, you're gonna take a big hit. As you should.
Now that ast bit...hmmm..nobody 'must have' IE and/or WMP bundled with their machine. Compelling alternatives exist. Unfortunately, by their past practises Microsoft have shown themselves to be rather too aggressive in their exploitation of their quasi-monopoly. Therefore it is reasonable to supervise them more closely. Compare with Intel - they are just as dominant, but are much more careful about stuff like this and consequently have far fewer problems.
Why do we need GoogleUpdater anyway? OK, you could make a case that security updates, especially for 'critical' apps like Chrome, should be 'pushed', but what's wrong with doing that the way other people do, namely checking for an update when you run the program?
Indeed. So many of the useful things we now enjoy were based on either observing the natural world, or using things from pretty much directly (many medecines). It's distressing that we are destroying so many natural habitats, and associated species, that could some day be really helpful.
As yeah, they're often interesting and pretty, too...
Ah yes, but then the sysadmins, playing with their shiny new Deep Packet Inspection toys, might well pick you up and *wham* you get a nice little interview with Catbert.
Sounds interesting: "The numbers of T regulatory cells dropped over time, and the immune systems returned to normal in about two weeks. By that time 80% of the mice had accepted the grafts of insulin producing cells as their own."
OK, so it's for cells in mice, not organs in humans, but still if they can reduce or stop using the rather toxic immuno-supressive drugs now required, that would be big progress.
Expecially in the light of the expanding scope of transplants, (limbs and even the whole faces now...)
Indeed. Sounds like a sound plan. Force Google to remove your content, and stop spidering it again, then watch as - like your paper readership - your online readership slowly drops to zero.
IMHO, probably just a sad ploy to try and stongarm Google into sharing some of their ad. revenue aka YouTube...
As per the MAAFIA: Failing Business Model + Lack of talent & imagination = Sue somebody
I thought, (as much discussed here), that Ms's 'strategy' for netbook OS was XP, (since Windows Mobile seems pretty much DOA, now having a smaller market share than Symbian, Blackberry and even iPhone - even before you add Linux and increasingly Android).
So, whilst XP is perfectly functional today, and they'll be doing security updates, it's still not a great message to OEMs and end-uers, is it?
I've never made a list, but it's typically older, low-end consumer stuff and 'exotic' or 'no name' peripherals. Crap multifunction printers from Brother and Lexmark spring to mind, (you can get 'em to print, but forget about the scan and/or integrated fax) plus non-basic USB devices such as SIP phones that link to Skype, some Webcams, remote control receivers, TV tuners. Unfortunately, people tend to get emotional about all these crap devices that are usually easy and cheap to replace...plus, if they've got lots of them it's no longer cheap.
You'll have fun getting some old and/or very new graphics cards / integrated graphics on laptops to work to their full capabilites. Don't get me started on wifi, (especially on laptops...)
Now I invite you to navigate to the page you linked to - where's the big red button marked 'Worried newbie? Click here to download/do online scan now'.
Links to that button should be all over the net. They're not. Why?
Disagree. Windows security issues are a major concern for Microsoft's customers, and hence to them. Apple, BSD/*x and FOSS boosters, (and yes, I'm one) regularly point out how much more 'secure' their platforms are. (Of course, as debated endlessly here and elsewhere, that may be as much a function of market share as inherent design, although few informed people would seriously challenge the latter).
Of course, it's not just the OS, it's the apps. Ms makes a lot from selling 'Office' too, which has its own vulnerabilities.
So, since the competition is 'free' (*x & Ooo) and more secure, yes, I guess they do give a damn.
rect - if it runs in Wine, it'll run in FreeBSD (a supported platform).
And you can churn your own butter at home instead of going to that fancy supermarket. The original post should have read like this:
People don't care. They just want it to run their favorite game and accounting software simply and without having to undertake compatiblility testing or perform major settings changes. BSD doesn't do that.
Nope. Linux in its various flavours neither. But that's not even the major issue - driver suppport is. I don't mind fiddling around to get Win apps to work under wine, but if half the customer's devices don't work, well, then that's a major issue.
Yes, I know that 'enterprise' quality peripheral support is really very good, but a lot of devices that people want to use- in large organisations & small - just can't be installed and/or work correctly/as expected/to thir full potential.
Slashdot Mirror
http://news.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=09/02/01/1259203
Still, it's open source and the DoD - what's not to like?
"The hackers are apparently using a botnet to make up to 5,000 attempts a day at various unsecured portals into the NYPD's files."
So, can someone explain why NY's finest have "various unsecured portals" which give access to their files?
Please tell me it's just sloppy editing, (again)...
I thought that everybody serious these days, (CIA, FBI...) had at least two internet portals - a 'public face' for external users and wannabee hackers and a private one protected by *very* state of the art stuff. Of course, most of the real stuff would be on secure intranet.
OK, OK, just me being naÃve again...
Thanks for that - but note I said 'produce', which is correct IMHO.
Nobody is their right mind would buy & drive & Hummer, of course, so the mileage calcs are ingenuous.
As I said in my parent, buy a small diesel - best of all, second hand - if you want to save the planet and your cash. Then run it on old cooking fat from your local restaurent that would otherwise be tipped in the drains or expensively shipped somewhere to be recycled.
I'm a Gandhi loving, walking and public transport (though a Prius would be O.K. if I had to drive),
Somewhat offtopic, but the Toyoa Prius - whilst a clever piece of kit - is actually much worse for the planet than a 'normal' small car. Takes more energy to produce than a Hummer, just for starters... Buy a small, locally-produced diesel if you want to save the planet...except you're SOL because Detroit don't make one you'd actually want to buy.
Oh, BTW, before I get flamed to hell, I'm a big believer in our need for alternative energy solutions but...let's get the facts straight.
What's insightful about this? If I make stuff up that I can't prove, does that make me insightful?
New here, eh?
A lot of 'casual' (non tech.) users are likely to be put off by the increasing application of EU directives against sharing/copyright theft. (The ones that the boys from PB were hammered under).
As EU Govs. progressively try and vote these into law, (a recent attempt in France was defeated at the last minute), users are going to find it harder to use file-sharnig services without getting cut off by their ISP, or worse.
I predict a growing interest in TOR and IRC...
Thanks for the link, which I was also aware about.
Interesting, but as they say...
"Please bear in mind that ReactOS 0.3.8 is still in alpha stage, meaning it is not feature-complete and is not recommended for everyday use."
A laudable effort, but I'm still getting better results with *x and Wine for the moment.
I was coding in portable building, (looks like a shipping container), in high summer. No a/c, no breeze... I was working with two cute and VERY well-endowed female coworkers who decided to skip bras and wear the smallest cut-away T shirts possible. Oh, and thin summer mini-skirts.
They might just as well have been naked.
Now you try and debug a financial application written in uncommented RPG3 in that environment...
Wow, does your organization really operate this way?
Well, none of my clients do; It's a joke based on a pastiche of personally-observed horrors. Funny thing is, in all cases, the client had outsourced IT to 'big names'. Reassuring, eh?
Having said that, I'd admit to a few backup/restore and/or upgrade horrors of my own. When I was younger, of course...
The Million Dollar question will be whether the fact that XP upgrades to Windows 7 requires a clean install will prove to be Microsoft's undoing.
The Million Dollar answer is "no". Because when you upgrade a corporate desktop, you don't upgrade in place. You create an image and you reimage your desktops en masse.
Whereupon:
1. You discover all the hidden defects in your backup system. Users start to line up outside your office asking where their data is/went. Extra anguish is demonstrated by people who stored all their passwords in the PC, (typically x:\windows\impossibllylongungessablepathname\password.txt) and nowhere else. "The shortcut was on the desktop", they wail...
2. The queue grows, as 'power' users realise that all the 'special' apps and tweaks they've managed to do/install over the years, (despite policy), are absent from their newly-reimaged PC.
3. Calls from remote offices start to come in, as their local apps don't work anymore. CIO feverishly scans 'approved software' list.
4. The CEO drops in to enquire as to why he can't sync his *insert name of obscure device here* with Outlook/Notes anymore. Hasty searches reveal no updates for the sync software. CIO starts updating profile on LinkedIn.
5. Engineering and Marketing call in asking why they can't scan / print / the output "looks funny". Search for updated drivers reveals none.
6. CFO drops by to ask "how much is ths mess costing?" CIO attempts to commit suicide by swallowing iPhone.
Come to think of it, nah, there's absolutely no reason why big corps should not upgrade right away.
Since WinCE (who came up with that?) is DOA, XP is Microsoft's only 'strategy' for netbooks. Don't seem them killing it for a while...
Actually now would be a great time for a Windows XP compatible operating system.
Indeed. There's loads of projects that try and make linux look like XP, for example:
http://www.instantfundas.com/2008/03/make-linux-look-like-windows-xp.html
Still waiting for an 'official' (K)Ubuntu remix, tho...
You started well, but faded...
Yes, it's a significant fine, and should make the Ms boys take notice and change, as they say they will in the article.
Also, FTA, "employees of Microsoft and the retailer in question had agreed on at least two occasions on the resale price of the software package"
Urm, that's what they were hit for; illegal price fixing. Of course, you could argue that such things go on al the time, and are perhaps of themselves not particularly evil, but that's not the point: they're illegal, so if you're a big MNC and you get caught, you're gonna take a big hit. As you should.
Now that ast bit...hmmm..nobody 'must have' IE and/or WMP bundled with their machine. Compelling alternatives exist. Unfortunately, by their past practises Microsoft have shown themselves to be rather too aggressive in their exploitation of their quasi-monopoly. Therefore it is reasonable to supervise them more closely. Compare with Intel - they are just as dominant, but are much more careful about stuff like this and consequently have far fewer problems.
Why do we need GoogleUpdater anyway?
OK, you could make a case that security updates, especially for 'critical' apps like Chrome, should be 'pushed', but what's wrong with doing that the way other people do, namely checking for an update when you run the program?
Indeed. So many of the useful things we now enjoy were based on either observing the natural world, or using things from pretty much directly (many medecines). It's distressing that we are destroying so many natural habitats, and associated species, that could some day be really helpful.
As yeah, they're often interesting and pretty, too...
Ah yes, but then the sysadmins, playing with their shiny new Deep Packet Inspection toys, might well pick you up and *wham* you get a nice little interview with Catbert.
Sounds interesting: "The numbers of T regulatory cells dropped over time, and the immune systems returned to normal in about two weeks. By that time 80% of the mice had accepted the grafts of insulin producing cells as their own."
OK, so it's for cells in mice, not organs in humans, but still if they can reduce or stop using the rather toxic immuno-supressive drugs now required, that would be big progress.
Expecially in the light of the expanding scope of transplants, (limbs and even the whole faces now...)
Indeed. Sounds like a sound plan. Force Google to remove your content, and stop spidering it again, then watch as - like your paper readership - your online readership slowly drops to zero.
IMHO, probably just a sad ploy to try and stongarm Google into sharing some of their ad. revenue aka YouTube...
As per the MAAFIA: Failing Business Model + Lack of talent & imagination = Sue somebody
Sell their shares...
I thought, (as much discussed here), that Ms's 'strategy' for netbook OS was XP, (since Windows Mobile seems pretty much DOA, now having a smaller market share than Symbian, Blackberry and even iPhone - even before you add Linux and increasingly Android).
So, whilst XP is perfectly functional today, and they'll be doing security updates, it's still not a great message to OEMs and end-uers, is it?
I've never made a list, but it's typically older, low-end consumer stuff and 'exotic' or 'no name' peripherals. Crap multifunction printers from Brother and Lexmark spring to mind, (you can get 'em to print, but forget about the scan and/or integrated fax) plus non-basic USB devices such as SIP phones that link to Skype, some Webcams, remote control receivers, TV tuners. Unfortunately, people tend to get emotional about all these crap devices that are usually easy and cheap to replace...plus, if they've got lots of them it's no longer cheap.
You'll have fun getting some old and/or very new graphics cards / integrated graphics on laptops to work to their full capabilites. Don't get me started on wifi, (especially on laptops...)
Because the media are just as bigoted as you in hating Microsoft
Don't hate Ms - check my posting history. Still think they could do a lot more on security, tho'.
Thanks, I was actually aware of all that stuff.
Now I invite you to navigate to the page you linked to - where's the big red button marked 'Worried newbie? Click here to download/do online scan now'.
Links to that button should be all over the net.
They're not. Why?
Disagree. Windows security issues are a major concern for Microsoft's customers, and hence to them. Apple, BSD/*x and FOSS boosters, (and yes, I'm one) regularly point out how much more 'secure' their platforms are. (Of course, as debated endlessly here and elsewhere, that may be as much a function of market share as inherent design, although few informed people would seriously challenge the latter).
Of course, it's not just the OS, it's the apps. Ms makes a lot from selling 'Office' too, which has its own vulnerabilities.
So, since the competition is 'free' (*x & Ooo) and more secure, yes, I guess they do give a damn.
Mod up. XP64 works as advertised, although driver issues are real and nontrivial in some cases.
rect - if it runs in Wine, it'll run in FreeBSD (a supported platform).
And you can churn your own butter at home instead of going to that fancy supermarket. The original post should have read like this:
People don't care. They just want it to run their favorite game and accounting software simply and without having to undertake compatiblility testing or perform major settings changes. BSD doesn't do that.
Nope. Linux in its various flavours neither. But that's not even the major issue - driver suppport is. I don't mind fiddling around to get Win apps to work under wine, but if half the customer's devices don't work, well, then that's a major issue.
Yes, I know that 'enterprise' quality peripheral support is really very good, but a lot of devices that people want to use- in large organisations & small - just can't be installed and/or work correctly/as expected/to thir full potential.