Hm, I didn't realise this would generate so many different opinions...
The kind of solution I was thinking of would be some kind of certificate that I could obtain from an e-commerce site that I already deal with.
This would of course be encrypted so that I , or anyone else, wouldn't be able to tamper with it.
The certificate would contain information about me being a good guy, it's originator etc. I could then pass this certificate to the new site that I wanted to deal with who would then be able to verify this certificate with the originator, thus confirming that I was trustworthy. Preferably without passing around addresses, photos or credit card details. All that really needs to be done is to prove that I'm a good guy.
Now, I've not used PGP yet (and I know very little about security or encryption), but this kind of scheme sounds similar to that, I think. Whereby a third party would be able to authenticate my identity securely.
Perhaps, as e-commerce becomes more pervasive, it would even be possible for the browser itself to initiate a three-way conversation between new sites and ones that you currently use to do all this on the user's behalf.
As the company that I already buy stuff off of already has my details, it would not hurt them to "return" them to me, it certainly wouldn't cost anything. Perhaps a server application could do this, as the information is already being held electronically.
At the end of the day I like all this e-commerce stuff. There's an awful lot of cool gear available over the net that I simply cannot get easily in this country. I believe that it is up to the e-commerce companies to make it as simple as possible to buy stuff off of them, I don't want to worry about proving who I am I just want to get cool gear. I could say that the customer is always right, but that probably isn't true anymore...
Anyone know how to patent stuff like this in the UK? I haven't got a clue.
Anyway, I've got to get back to finishing this pointless Director project.
The only things that I buy online, are those that are unavailable in my country. For instance, there aren't too many anime DVD's readily available in the UK.
That means that if I _really_ would like something, then I have to purchase it from another country.
Even then, I usually look for advertisements on a company in "reputable" magazines, references to them online, and try to find someone else who has bought from them.
Other things, such as books, I usually research online, then go down town to the book shop;-)
I mean like "mobile agents". What you've got are these bumblebees. They fly off looking for flowers and stuff. When one of them finds a particularly good bunch of flowers he flies back to the hive. Now because bees can't talk they need some way of communicating their findings to their fellow cohorts; so they do a special dance. which is actually a form of data communication, and passes on directions for finding the cool flower bed.
I'd like some cool agent software that could behave in a similar way. I certainly don't mean a stupid paper clip, but something that can relate back to me in some kind of efficient way. Either by talking, or prancing around. Even better, it could simply show me what it's found.
All the best films, such as BladeRunner and Aliens, have really dirty displays; with flickering, distortion and "we're losing your signal!" type-effects.
Perhaps manufacturers could follow this lead. Perhaps that's why all the computers in the future do have dodgy displays.
How about a window manager to handle this?
That way the inherent defects in the screen will simply add to the overall effect.
There's a few good points there. In theory people _should_ be hired on their ability, however from experience I've found that this is hardly ever the case. Most of my colleagues were hired because they were either cheap, or they were cheap. Part of the cheapness comes from a lack of certification, and because we do not have certification there is no incentive for the company to have us trained and certified. A certified employee is not viable because he then becomes, less cheap, and more attractive to competitors. Eventually the certified employee will leave for a better paid job, taking all of his experience with him. Strangely enough, the few people we do get in who have a computer-type degree are usually hopelessly inadequate when it comes to using computers, making coffee and generally getting the job done. And they get paid peanuts anyway.
Your boss _actually_ bought the book? Ooh you lucky, lucky git! My boss whacked me over the head with a big stick, and then told me to build a corporate web site. During my lunch hour. I also had to buy my own books, but at least I get to keep them. Some people have all the luck;8)
I've been trying to jump jobs (in Cambridge, England) for a few years now.
The most recent one I applied for I simply mailed them a 3 line summary, and a written description of what I do and know. My various Resume's, CV's whatever, were getting me nowhere.
I actually got an interview on the back of that one. I didn't get the job mind, but I'll probably use that tactic next time.
Slashdot Mirror
He was arrested, because he was a Slayer fan.
Hm, I didn't realise this would generate so many different opinions...
The kind of solution I was thinking of would be some kind of certificate that I could obtain from an e-commerce site that I already deal with.
This would of course be encrypted so that I , or anyone else, wouldn't be able to tamper with it.
The certificate would contain information about me being a good guy, it's originator etc. I could then pass this certificate to the new site that I wanted to deal with who would then be able to verify this certificate with the originator, thus confirming that I was trustworthy. Preferably without passing around addresses, photos or credit card details. All that really needs to be done is to prove that I'm a good guy.
Now, I've not used PGP yet (and I know very little about security or encryption), but this kind of scheme sounds similar to that, I think. Whereby a third party would be able to authenticate my identity securely.
Perhaps, as e-commerce becomes more pervasive, it would even be possible for the browser itself to initiate a three-way conversation between new sites and ones that you currently use to do all this on the user's behalf.
As the company that I already buy stuff off of already has my details, it would not hurt them to "return" them to me, it certainly wouldn't cost anything. Perhaps a server application could do this, as the information is already being held electronically.
At the end of the day I like all this e-commerce stuff. There's an awful lot of cool gear available over the net that I simply cannot get easily in this country. I believe that it is up to the e-commerce companies to make it as simple as possible to buy stuff off of them, I don't want to worry about proving who I am I just want to get cool gear. I could say that the customer is always right, but that probably isn't true anymore...
Anyone know how to patent stuff like this in the UK? I haven't got a clue.
Anyway, I've got to get back to finishing this pointless Director project.
Bye!
The only things that I buy online, are those that are unavailable in my country. For instance, there aren't too many anime DVD's readily available in the UK.
;-)
That means that if I _really_ would like something, then I have to purchase it from another country.
Even then, I usually look for advertisements on a company in "reputable" magazines, references to them online, and try to find someone else who has bought from them.
Other things, such as books, I usually research online, then go down town to the book shop
Yup, that's pretty much what I was thinking...
Aah! no.
I mean like "mobile agents". What you've got are these bumblebees. They fly off looking for flowers and stuff. When one of them finds a particularly good bunch of flowers he flies back to the hive. Now because bees can't talk they need some way of communicating their findings to their fellow cohorts; so they do a special dance. which is actually a form of data communication, and passes on directions for finding the cool flower bed.
I'd like some cool agent software that could behave in a similar way. I certainly don't mean a stupid paper clip, but something that can relate back to me in some kind of efficient way. Either by talking, or prancing around. Even better, it could simply show me what it's found.
Hmmm, this Stilton cheese is *really* nice...
I like that funny little dance that bees do to show their comrades where the best flowers are.
That's pretty far out.
Perhaps agent software could do a funny dance too?
I think he was about to say "with very small cranial cavities", but I could be wrong.
I'd love to go to work by rocket pack!
...Grungy screens?
All the best films, such as BladeRunner and Aliens, have really dirty displays; with flickering, distortion and "we're losing your signal!" type-effects.
Perhaps manufacturers could follow this lead. Perhaps that's why all the computers in the future do have dodgy displays.
How about a window manager to handle this?
That way the inherent defects in the screen will simply add to the overall effect.
(I think I ate too much for lunch)
There's a few good points there. In theory people _should_ be hired on their ability, however from experience I've found that this is hardly ever the case. Most of my colleagues were hired because they were either cheap, or they were cheap. Part of the cheapness comes from a lack of certification, and because we do not have certification there is no incentive for the company to have us trained and certified. A certified employee is not viable because he then becomes, less cheap, and more attractive to competitors. Eventually the certified employee will leave for a better paid job, taking all of his experience with him. Strangely enough, the few people we do get in who have a computer-type degree are usually hopelessly inadequate when it comes to using computers, making coffee and generally getting the job done. And they get paid peanuts anyway.
Your boss _actually_ bought the book? Ooh you lucky, lucky git! My boss whacked me over the head with a big stick, and then told me to build a corporate web site. During my lunch hour. I also had to buy my own books, but at least I get to keep them. Some people have all the luck ;8)
I've been trying to jump jobs (in Cambridge, England) for a few years now.
The most recent one I applied for I simply mailed them a 3 line summary, and a written description of what I do and know. My various Resume's, CV's whatever, were getting me nowhere.
I actually got an interview on the back of that one. I didn't get the job mind, but I'll probably use that tactic next time.
Just getting an interview's hard enough now.
What's this "training" thing?
My company operates on the principle that if you don't know how to do something then you're taken out back and beaten with a large stick.
The people here who do know what they're doing generally have to cover for the ones who don't. Otherwise we all get shafted.
Training, like accidents, only happens to other people.