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  1. Re:Basics on Security Gatherings for the Little Guys · · Score: 1
    I recommend Counter Hack: A Step-by-Step Guide to Computer Attacks and Effective Defenses by Ed Skoudis as well. I think that besides subscribing to the mailing lists and attending conferences, someone interested in InfoSex should get a few good books on the subjects and start reading. Then, go on e-bay or dumpster dive or do whatever it takes to get your hands on a few old computers. Set up a honeynet on a dsl or cable connection in your basement and log everything. Try things out. Pore over the logs. Watch people attack you, see what they do. Maybe get some friends to try to break in to your honeynet. Learning about InfoSec is like learning about anything: read lots, talk to others interested in the same thing, and get your hands dirty.

    If you really want to get into how software can be compromised, start looking to learn about secure coding practices and learn how to audit code. If you want a job but have no formal training, being a recognized code auditor whose patches have been incorporated into open-source programs is a good way to get a positive reputation.

  2. Re:Cause not stated on No Cap On Life Expectancy? · · Score: 2, Informative
    I suspect the life expectancy for people 60 today is significantly better than life expectancy for 60 year olds 20 years ago, otherwise we wouldn't be seeing an explosion of 65+ year olds (and 80+ and 100+).

    This is due to demographics more than life expectancy. That is, there are more 60+ year olds because 60 years ago people were having more children. Indeed, the number of seniors is bound to increase because of demographics. The boomers are aging, and this is going to create a population such that the majority of people will be older folks.

  3. competition? on BFS Creator Giampaolo Joins Apple · · Score: 1

    When I read this headline the first thing that I thought was that Apple wants to start working on something to compete with Microsoft's plan for a database file store in one of the upcoming versions of Windows, either Blackcomb or Longhorn. Probably Blackcomb. Of course, I'm not suggesting that Apple doesn't have engineers who couldn't do it without this fellow, but at least there is a sort-of-high profile guy they can garner some expertise from.

  4. Re:Planetside on The Lure of Heroinware · · Score: 1
    I like your post. It highlights the power of narrative to shape subjects. The myths that are embedded in our culture do play an important role in shaping our drives for success, since the hero myth show us what it means to be successful. Your penultimate paragraph is particularly noteworthy. I wonder, however, how a person who spends all of her time playing EverQuest is going to become aware enough of her situation even to begin to determine for herself a way through life that, as you so eloquently state, "reinforces their spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being".

    One thing that always gets me about our Western culture is how much it emphasizes personal choice and responsibility for actions while at the same time providing almost non-existant resources to enable truly individual choices. Certainly I am aware of counselling programs, advising services, and even government funded placement and entrepreneurial services but the sad fact of the matter is that these services are often underfunded and underpublicized.

  5. Re:some comments on The Lure of Heroinware · · Score: 1
    Your comment highlights an important problem within our capitalist system. Put simply, the system is blind to the nature of its own force as constructor. Not only people with addictive personalities but people who for whatever reason are unable to support themselves are usually in that position because they can't get themselves out of it. Nobody wants to live on the street. Thus we live in a system which is not responsible for the situation that it often puts people in.

    Consider this fact: in most jurisdictions, minimum wage does not pay enough for someone to earn enough income to live above or at the poverty line while working fourty hours a week. One idea that I had read put forth by a philosopher/economist whose name currently escapes me but which particularly brought a chuckle to my face was that the government should give every person a chunk of money on their 19th or 21st birthday, depending on jurisdiction, and this would allow individuals to choose for themselves how they wanted to enter the marketplace. Obviously, it is a radical idea and there are problems with it but there are many creative solutions lurking about in the minds of geeks like us and others. I suppose that statement would lead me to lament the lack of creative vision in our politicians and bureaucrats. Solving the issues within our society requires vision and creativity. Suggesting that everyone who has trouble coping in a world full of so much shit ought to be left to their own devices seems not to understand exactly what's going on. Of course, I might suggest that there are some people who did end up being kicked out on their asses and those people dusted themselves off and worked hard and are now merely helping the culture to shape subjects in the same fashion that caused these addictive personalities to arise in the first place.

  6. some comments on The Lure of Heroinware · · Score: 2, Interesting
    I'd like to comment on this concept of addiction to computer games, and, indeed, on addiction in general. In particular, I'm interested in where the causes for and, thus, solutions to, addiction lie.

    First, the causes: there seems to be two camps, personified by some other comments to this story. The first response, which I suppose we can call the socio-cultural cause, implies that people become addicted to these games because society has created an environment in which the individuals feel no particular motivation to participate in what we would call normal behaviour patterns. The post in this example has claimed that in fact individuals who are not shown basic respect tend to withdraw to their own space. I think that this is largely true. But to claim that individuals who have so-called addictive personalities should not accept responsibility for their behaviour is also not quite right. Of course, the poster that I have referred to did no such thing but the next poster that I will refer to seems to imply that that is the case.

    So this is the second comment, and it is one that essentially berates individuals with addictive personalities as being weak-minded, lesser people because of their difficulties. This too is the wrong approach. As with everything, the truth usually lies somewhere in the middle. It is probably true that socio-cultural factors have a lot to do with the creation of not only people with addictive personalities but in fact with personalities, period. Many theorists have suggested this and I think it's clear that the evidence bears it out. Put simply, when talking about selves or, if you prefer, subjects, culture is both the constructor and the constructed. The point that I want to make, however, is that in the case of addictions and addictive people, this fact ought to be made aware to them in a proper setting, such as a therapists's office or in the confidence of a close and trusted friend. What I mean to say, of course, is that a person with an addiction problem needs to be treated with respect and understanding such that they may be able to come to realize that, once they are made aware of the elements of the world around them that construct their realities, they can and should choose to alter their outlook and thus alter their behaviour.

    So really my point is just that while personalities are socially constructed they are also able to be reformed by people who become intellectually aware of their situation. This is an important point, and it's the point that, I think, bridges the gap between mosch's point and Chasing Amy's point. Also, I want to suggest that there is a good reason to begin to examine in empirical detail how it is that culture shapes subjects and thus how we need to change our culture to change how subjects are. This would seem to alleviate a large number of our problems, if it could be done.

    Also keep in mind that the addiction that is talked about in the news.com article is pretty serious. It's probably not a good idea to confuse occasional game-playing with real addiction.

  7. question regarding word per minute... on Speed Reading? · · Score: 2, Insightful
    I'm wondering if anyone knows how to find out at speed a person reads. I'd be interested in finding out what my WPM is so that if I choose to improve I am able to track my progress.

    Thanks.

  8. Re:Yeah, Right on Global Warming: Do You Believe? · · Score: 1

    There isn't a person alive on this planet that even remotely has the qualifications to say that ABC and XYZ are affecting our planet's climate in 123 way.

    When you think about it, that kind of causal information isn't the most important thing when it comes to evaluating environmental change, although it certainly would help in slowing the changes that are in fact occurring. There are people who are qualified to point out that some kind of climate change is actually happening, mostly indigenous peoples who have been living at the poles for generations.

    A very good series on global climate change can be found here: Does Humanity Have A Deathwish?.

    The thing that most folks who don't want to come to terms with global climate change always say is that there is no data to suggest that in fact it's us that is causing the climate change, that, in fact, climate change is occurring naturally as part of the earth's cycle.

    But, even if that is true, why should we be contributing to accelerating that natural cycle? Why not do everything we can to slow the cycle to its least possible rate of change? Our generation and even our children's may not feel the effects of climate change, but if you think that your grandchildren (and yes you may be alive to see this happen, but you'll be a senior citizen and as we can see today, nobody listens to seniors) will have the same habitat as we do today, think again....

    As Einstein said, the level of thinking that solves the problems must by definition be greater than the level of thinking that created the problems (paraphrased).

  9. Synchronic headlines...... on Signs of the Apocalypse · · Score: 1

    Go to www.globeandmail.com to see the real, true way our world is going-- doom is on the horizon, for we are the fifth element. Sorry for the offtopic post. I am in the process of getting the series of articles up on freenet-- an indication of their importance! Check it out, under the headline "Death Wish".

  10. Re:Anagram for "rank poole"? on Kubrick's 2001: A Triple Allegory · · Score: 1

    It was a poisoned arrow- that's why the ankle wound was fatal. --CM

  11. Re:The article is misleading on Tito In Space · · Score: 3

    Actually, the ISS can have more than one ship docked at the same time. However I believe that the manouvre is delicate and after the Mir collision a year or two ago they do not want to try it at the moment. I got that from the CBC website so check that out if you feel like it or something. Sorry, I'm too lazy to post the URL. -CM

  12. Re:Good quote on Microsoft Shuts Windows On Bluetooth Support · · Score: 1

    Nice point. Everyone seems to forget what they hate MS for: embrace and extend. What is it about Linux that threatens MS? Security and stability, right? So guess what MS is going to put in their products now? Yeah, that's right-- they're actually working on security and stability. Linux has a _lot_ of work to do if it wants to be on the desktop of Joe Consumer. Mr. T pities the fool who didn't see this coming.

  13. Re:For those asking, "Why bother?" on Iridium Returns From The Dead. Again. · · Score: 1

    I don't think anyone here is going to know or remember an occurance that happened several months ago, when a transport ship carrying Canadian tanks and other military equipment was boarded by the Canadadian military just outside of Canadian waters in the north Atlantic after it refused to come in to port and deliver its cargo because the captain of the ship had claimed that the shipping company had not received full payment. During the media coverage of the event, in Canada, it was revealed that there were in fact several 'shell' companies that had contracted the cargo ship for the Canadian military. I want to use that fact to illustrate the use of supposedly legitimate companies by militaries and governments to contract services for themselves without letting on that in fact the work being contracted is for military use. So, what does that have to do with the current Iridium business? Well, and this is an inductive inference so take it with a grain of salt, it appears to me that in fact the Canadian company that bought the bankrupt Iridium is nothing more than a shell company that will provide the Iridium network's services to Western governments and militaries. But then, you already knew that, didn't you? ;) --CM

  14. Re:Yay! on Sandia, Compaq, and Celera To Build Petaflop Machine · · Score: 1

    I will post under my real name and so I ask you to explain how 'human' life is more important than 'seal' life? They are both living organisms, and I don't think that you can use any kind of measurement to say that one organism's life is worth more or less than another's.

  15. very long term? can you read, michael? on Reactionless Space Drives Taken Seriously · · Score: 2

    According to the article itself, a scientist who is involved in the research that is currently taking place claims that it might be possible to have these propulsion methods in use for sattelite deployment and maintenance within five years, with other applications to follow soon. Five years is not such a long time; why is this technology very far away?

  16. Re:Trust? Not our gov't... on Microsoft Hack a National Security Threat · · Score: 1

    AHA! good point. I would agree with you. I guess this raises the question of whether or not all of this talk about the dangers of hacking is really nothing more than government FUD/propaganda to allow laws that violate the constitution to be passed only so that the government can police the 'net. I think anyone with half a brain can see this point. It does not stand to reason that the military does not have access to the source of the operating systems that control mission critical applications. If that were truly the case, then one could argue that the US military has no idea how to run an effective military. Which would be scary as shit.

  17. Re:Prosperity: social and economic power is critic on Eat Less - Live Longer · · Score: 1
    Unfortunately, there are millions of people that espouse this horrible vision, this is why I dislike the more radical environmental movements, of which Al Gore is a sympathiser.

    Oh please, what nonsense. Have you ever had a real conversation with an intelligent enviromentalist? You make the error of equating environmentally unsound industrial practices with benefits in technology and science. Please tell me why it would be impossible to have environmentally friendly methods of producing everything from primary resources like electricity to tertiary resources like computers? By suggesting that one can not have technological progress and environmentally sound manufacturing processes, you effectively perform a 'strawman' logical fallacy of the representation of those ideas which real, intelligent environmentalists espouse. You seem to indicate that prosperity and a clean planet are mutually exclusive; you are incorrect.

  18. Re:who's left? on 3Dfx No More -- NVidia Purchases Video Card Maker · · Score: 1
    according to matrox, we will not hear anything about their next-gen 3d product until march 2001, at GDC. Considering that is when nvidia will be releasing NV20, the G800 had better pack a cost-effective wallop.

    on an offtopic note, there are rumours that Nvidia's mind-bogglingly speedy rise from non-existence to market leader is because their engineers and tech worked for the military doing integrated 3D chips. it will be interesting to see where the market goes from here, especially once people associate nvidia with providing the punch to the x-box. Regardless of the number of sales of the x-box, it will be a technological marvel.

    as far as prices go, perhaps one of the reasons that nvidia is sitting on their completed nv20 and perhaps even nv25 is so that they can saturate the market right at product launch. that would allow them to bring in lower prices to achieve a higher number of sales out of the gate. it should be interesting to see, no matter what happens. i'm also very interested to see what happens with the 3dfx brand name. could nvidia keep marketing separate products under the 3dfx brand name? if so, what would be the differences between the products sold as 3dfx and those sold as nvidia. interesting indeed. --CM

  19. Re:In a word? on Has The Internet Peaked? · · Score: 2
    yeppers, I concur. I don't think people in the real world (tm) realise just how early is the Internet in its usage patterns. I have a feeling that in one hundred years, when historians graph computer network growth of the later 20th century, the first major peak will be seen here. I think we can see a different kind of growth coming up, from fringe geeky rich-person type technology to uniquitous everyday usage by people in all sectors of society, and, eventually, the world. Expect usage of data networks to increase, not decrease. While the current IPv4 internet may evolve into something else, IP-based data networks are here to stay, and they can only grow. I like the idea of having my own IPv6 address space. ;) Either way, the 'internet' is still growing and it will continue to do so. Perhaps the US will not move as fast as the rest of the world because there is too much emphasis on commercial marketplace service providers.

    Around the world governments (like Canada) are in the process of building high speed FTTN (Fibre To The Neighbourhood) networks to provide every citizen with stable, secure, high speed access to an international IP-based network infrastructure. I, for one, am looking forward to the future of technology. We may be entering a recession, now that Dubya Quayle is in office, but one day there will be unlimited MIPS for all. Until that time, network and computer usage will continue to grow. I know a few luddites whose only excuse for not having internet access or a beefed up computer is that they are waiting until they perfect most technologies (read: handhelds running realtime voice translation based upon new processor technologies). The technology ceiling in our society for clock cycles, bandwidth, and giggage has not been reached, and it won't be reached for at least another twenty years. -- CM

  20. errrr this is not a small discovery... on Quick Granite Formation · · Score: 1

    ok so basically this is sending geologists back to square one in terms of how the earth's structure was formed. hey guess what folk, all that time that we thought it took these rocks to undergo metamorphosis is bullsh*t. this is going to require some major rewrites to highschool geography textbooks.

  21. which ver of dreamweaver? on Integrating PHP & Dreamweaver? · · Score: 2

    Have you any experience with Dreamweaver Ultradev? I would imagine that it would have a much easier time integrating with PHP than good ole Dreamweaver. In fact, I think there are some PHP extensions available for Ultradev. You ought to check it out; I haven't done any particular work with Ultradev and PHP, but I would imagine that it's not too difficult to work with. --CM

  22. Re:Damned Arctic. on Iridium Satellite Breaks Up Over Arctic · · Score: 2
  23. Re:I'm starting to notice a cycle here on Pentium 4 Systems Recalled By Some U.S. Stores · · Score: 2

    you suggest that intel would be better served by coming out with the P3 on a DDR platform, and you are correct. However, you have failed to remember that intel signed a deal with RAMBUS that actually forbids them from marketing a DDR chipset until 2003. it seems RAMBUS had assumed that there memory would be ubiquitous by then, but they were wrong. intel has been sweating ever since they sold their soul to RAMBUS because they thought that it would make them gobs of money. that's what's preventing intel from getting back in the game: they sold their soul to RAMBUS.

  24. Re:Downhill spiral on Sequel To 'Ender's Shadow': ' Shadow Of The Hegemon' · · Score: 1

    yes i'd say that sums up searle's view well. the biggest issue for me vis a vis the nature of consciousness comes into play once we have actually unlocked the machinations of the brain itself, i.e., even with a highly detailed realtime MRI of every single neuron, synapse, neurotransmitters, etc. we still wouldn't be able to derive the subjective states of consciousness. we might be able to poke someone with a sharp stick, watch the neurons fly in response to the stimuli but we'll never ever be able to get a grip on the quale of the experience. when dennett goes and tries to say that we shouldn't count qualia as existing exactly because of their subjuctive nature is ridiculous. they may be subjective, yes, but that doesn't negate their property of being the appearance of reality to the thinker. this, it seems, is what searle was trying to prevent from happening when he argues for the irreducibility of counsciousness.... trying to cut dennett off at the pass, as it were. (btw, we need more philosophy on /.) hehehe. canadaman

  25. Re:Downhill spiral on Sequel To 'Ender's Shadow': ' Shadow Of The Hegemon' · · Score: 1

    i just finished writing a paper on searle vs dennett, man those guys really dont seem to like each other very much at all... :p ... it seems that searle is on the right track moreso, at least for suggesting the irreducibility of consciousness. dennett probably wouldn't agree though. stupid functionalist.