A database of known good files for Windows is being built by the National Institute for Standards in Technology. It's called the National Software Reference Library and it costs $90 for an annual, agency-wide subscription.
There are some significant problems with their database however:
1. It's huge. They have a single giant flat file with SHA-1, MD5, MD4, and CRC-32 values. Right now the file, when uncompressed, is over 1GB. 2.Over 42% of the entries are duplicates. I found this out by running sort -Uf on it. 3. Many of the files were hashed before installation. The MD5s for these files often change the installation process.
Additionally, there is nothing preventing users from building a ppp, ssh, httptunnel or other tunnel over tcp and completely bypassing the UDP blocks from their workstation. It may even become a part of the software for DialPad or other platforms.
It could, but there's a reason why they avoided TCP in the first place. For phone calls, it doesn't matter if the data gets there two seconds after it was sent (ie. the reliable communication offered by TCP.) The data needs to get there now, or not at all. It's okay to have a quarter-second drop in a phone call.
I also worry that the computational overhead of these protocols, especially ssh, could be problematic for a real-time communication. But hey, processors are getting better all the time...
The old adage says that the Internet interprets censorship as damage and routes around it. While we may not be able to call into Panama using VoIP, will transnational calls that used to go through there be routed around?
What happened to Challenger wasn't a programming mistake, but rather a case of not following policy. The solid rocket boosters were never designed to operate in cold temperatures. The result of working outside of design specs was catastrophic failure, yes, but that wasn't the result of a programming error.
Doing illegal things isn't the only way this could be a problem. For example, let's say I use the Google Browser buttons after reading your web page to execute a search. I may not want you to know that after reading your web page I executed a search for "anonymous STD testing Chicago."
It's not "nasty" per se, but I sure don't need to broadcast that to the world.
Heh, I wish I was making this up. I have the credit card bill to prove my mistake.
During all of my research, I was looking at the capabilities of the Mac (e.g. what software it could run, problems with Apache, etc.) but never tried to use one. Everybody said the interface was great, but I never got the chance to test it out.
My major problem was that I kept losing track of iconified windows. (Apple-Tab doesn't bring you to Windows that are iconified inside of a program.) I had trouble switching between windows in Mozilla and other programs and ended up typing a few e-mails twice as a result. Next, I think the switch from a desktop machine to a laptop wasn't a good one for me. I developed a lot of neck pain during the first few days of use, probably from looking down at the screen for long periods of time. I might have been better off buying a desktop Mac. Finally, there were some capabilities that just don't exist on the Mac right now. I like using GAIM for instant messaging because I can create aliases for my friends and don't have to remember screen names. I couldn't find a program for Mac that let me alias screennames. You may think it's silly, but because I use IM for work it's important for me to have a person's name handy.
I sold the laptop to a friend of mine who was considering back a Mac herself. Apple wasn't going to give me a full refund, but instead charge a $225 restocking fee if I brought the laptop back. Since I was going to lose the money anyway, I sold the laptop to my friend for what Apple would have given me plus $50. She got a discount on her computer and I got more than Apple was going to give me.
I'm a GNU/Linux user and have been since about 1995. I bought a Mac Powerbook laptop a few weeks ago, but ended up selling it after only a few days. Yes, it was sleeker, cooler, and generally nicer to look at than my current hodge-podge of hardware and software, but I decided that it wasn't for me. Yes, right now I have to tinker a little bit to keep things running, but I enjoy that. I realize that puts me in the minority of people in the "Real World," but I can understand how the Apple way isn't for everybody.
Don't get wrong, I think it's a great system, especially for people who aren't computer gurus, but it's not for me. The main thing was that OS X didn't offer me anything "new." There wasn't a compelling reason for me to learn a whole new set of shortcuts and keyboard commands in order to do what I'm already doing.
Interesting, but using the control medium from the previous technology to control the new one is akin to using a set of reins to control your car. It's a good metaphor to transition the old people into the new, but it's not the most efficient way to control the new medium.
We can argue that mp3 players aren't the same as vinyl, and it's true, they're not. But technology, for good or for ill, marches onwards, and you'll be hard pressed to convince a DJ who's just starting it that it's better to lug 10 kilos of records instead of.8 kilos of iPod to the club.
It won't be the same as vinyl, certainly, but the only thing constant is change.
I don't know if you'd consider using Perl, but I've had some good luck with the Fluid Dynamics Search Engine. By default it can search text and PDF documents, and after some work I was able to get it to search the text of Microsoft Word documents too.
I live in the Washington DC area and am a computer crime investigator with one of the federal agencies based here. I also care a lot about this issue and will be attending this meeting. Given my credientials, I should be able to get in without being labeled as "one of those long-haired Linux freaks." (i.e. They might listen to me. Yes, sad as it is, law makers don't speak geek and don't believe anybody who isn't from "their" system.)
If I get the chance to speak at the meeting, I'm debating what I should say:
As a federal agent, enforcing the laws on DRM would be impossibly hard. The bad guys are just going to break whatever system you put out there.
As a law abiding, but busy guy, I like the convenience of downloading music on-line and putting it on my iPod when I go jogging (to stay in shape and help defend America from terrorists. Okay, that last part is implied, but it would curry favor with the types on this kind of panel.)
Forcing everyone to use DRM will stifle innovation as it limits the uses of the music. JXL would never have been able to get an editable copy of Elvis Presley's "Little Less Conversation" to remix into the new cool tune he put out. (Yes, I know JXL went through all of the licensing hoops, but IMHO it's a good example of something that would be denied to ordinary people if DRM is universal.)
Does anybody else have any other ideas? I'm open to suggestions.
Perhaps it's a cover message for text based steganography? It would be the perfect way to hide a message: A lot of people are reading it, obfuscating the recipient of the message, and it looks inoccous enough to slip past the radar screen of everybody. Maybe there's something encoded the spaces? Or maybe a pattern to the characters? Who knows...
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A database of known good files for Windows is being built by the National Institute for Standards in Technology. It's called the National Software Reference Library and it costs $90 for an annual, agency-wide subscription.
There are some significant problems with their database however:
1. It's huge. They have a single giant flat file with SHA-1, MD5, MD4, and CRC-32 values. Right now the file, when uncompressed, is over 1GB.
2.Over 42% of the entries are duplicates. I found this out by running sort -Uf on it.
3. Many of the files were hashed before installation. The MD5s for these files often change the installation process.
A strange game. The only winning move is not to play.
Would you like to play a nice game of chess?
Robot: Please stand by the stairs so that I can protect you.
Robbers: Ahhhhhhh!!!!
Additionally, there is nothing preventing users from building a ppp, ssh, httptunnel or other tunnel over tcp and completely bypassing the UDP blocks from their workstation. It may even become a part of the software for DialPad or other platforms.
It could, but there's a reason why they avoided TCP in the first place. For phone calls, it doesn't matter if the data gets there two seconds after it was sent (ie. the reliable communication offered by TCP.) The data needs to get there now, or not at all. It's okay to have a quarter-second drop in a phone call.
I also worry that the computational overhead of these protocols, especially ssh, could be problematic for a real-time communication. But hey, processors are getting better all the time...
'tis not wise to advocate the violent overthrow of any government. Their ways are not subtle, and they are quick to anger.
The old adage says that the Internet interprets censorship as damage and routes around it. While we may not be able to call into Panama using VoIP, will transnational calls that used to go through there be routed around?
Well, that's nice, but could you please some links to those projects, or at least their names?
What happened to Challenger wasn't a programming mistake, but rather a case of not following policy. The solid rocket boosters were never designed to operate in cold temperatures. The result of working outside of design specs was catastrophic failure, yes, but that wasn't the result of a programming error.
Eh... you can have the ROM personality construct. I'm still waiting for the chick with the razor blades in her fingertips.
cccp-sucks.su?
Are we going to do Turing tests on #hotsex?
Are they going to put Elvis on the iPod? Would that make it even easier to use my iPod under Linux? (And wouldn't it be cool to have Elvis on Elivs?)
Doing illegal things isn't the only way this could be a problem. For example, let's say I use the
Google Browser buttons after reading your web page to execute a search. I may not want you to know that after reading your web page I executed a search for "anonymous STD testing Chicago."
It's not "nasty" per se, but I sure don't need to broadcast that to the world.
Oh my god! They killed Napster! (You bastards!)
If you draw on one, it becomes "art gecko".
Not a troll, just stupid. See my second post about how Apple doesn't give full refunds.
Heh, I wish I was making this up. I have the credit card bill to prove my mistake.
During all of my research, I was looking at the capabilities of the Mac (e.g. what software it could run, problems with Apache, etc.) but never tried to use one. Everybody said the interface was great, but I never got the chance to test it out.
My major problem was that I kept losing track of iconified windows. (Apple-Tab doesn't bring you to Windows that are iconified inside of a program.) I had trouble switching between windows in Mozilla and other programs and ended up typing a few e-mails twice as a result. Next, I think the switch from a desktop machine to a laptop wasn't a good one for me. I developed a lot of neck pain during the first few days of use, probably from looking down at the screen for long periods of time. I might have been better off buying a desktop Mac. Finally, there were some capabilities that just don't exist on the Mac right now. I like using GAIM for instant messaging because I can create aliases for my friends and don't have to remember screen names. I couldn't find a program for Mac that let me alias screennames. You may think it's silly, but because I use IM for work it's important for me to have a person's name handy.
I sold the laptop to a friend of mine who was considering back a Mac herself. Apple wasn't going to give me a full refund, but instead charge a $225 restocking fee if I brought the laptop back. Since I was going to lose the money anyway, I sold the laptop to my friend for what Apple would have given me plus $50. She got a discount on her computer and I got more than Apple was going to give me.
I'm a GNU/Linux user and have been since about 1995. I bought a Mac Powerbook laptop a few weeks ago, but ended up selling it after only a few days. Yes, it was sleeker, cooler, and generally nicer to look at than my current hodge-podge of hardware and software, but I decided that it wasn't for me. Yes, right now I have to tinker a little bit to keep things running, but I enjoy that. I realize that puts me in the minority of people in the "Real World," but I can understand how the Apple way isn't for everybody.
Don't get wrong, I think it's a great system, especially for people who aren't computer gurus, but it's not for me. The main thing was that OS X didn't offer me anything "new." There wasn't a compelling reason for me to learn a whole new set of shortcuts and keyboard commands in order to do what I'm already doing.
Me too. Especially if they can recover from the /.'ing they're going to receive now. (Will they ban /. too?)
Interesting, but using the control medium from the previous technology to control the new one is akin to using a set of reins to control your car. It's a good metaphor to transition the old people into the new, but it's not the most efficient way to control the new medium.
.8 kilos of iPod to the club.
We can argue that mp3 players aren't the same as vinyl, and it's true, they're not. But technology, for good or for ill, marches onwards, and you'll be hard pressed to convince a DJ who's just starting it that it's better to lug 10 kilos of records instead of
It won't be the same as vinyl, certainly, but the only thing constant is change.
I don't know if you'd consider using Perl, but I've had some good luck with the Fluid Dynamics Search Engine. By default it can search text and PDF documents, and after some work I was able to get it to search the text of Microsoft Word documents too.
If I get the chance to speak at the meeting, I'm debating what I should say:
- As a federal agent, enforcing the laws on DRM would be impossibly hard. The bad guys are just going to break whatever system you put out there.
- As a law abiding, but busy guy, I like the convenience of downloading music on-line and putting it on my iPod when I go jogging (to stay in shape and help defend America from terrorists. Okay, that last part is implied, but it would curry favor with the types on this kind of panel.)
- Forcing everyone to use DRM will stifle innovation as it limits the uses of the music. JXL would never have been able to get an editable copy of Elvis Presley's "Little Less Conversation" to remix into the new cool tune he put out. (Yes, I know JXL went through all of the licensing hoops, but IMHO it's a good example of something that would be denied to ordinary people if DRM is universal.)
Does anybody else have any other ideas? I'm open to suggestions.Perhaps it's a cover message for text based steganography? It would be the perfect way to hide a message: A lot of people are reading it, obfuscating the recipient of the message, and it looks inoccous enough to slip past the radar screen of everybody. Maybe there's something encoded the spaces? Or maybe a pattern to the characters? Who knows...
IIRC, This can be done on any system that system that supports adjtimex() . It's very handy, but not really new.