There are laws regarding data encryption, at least when it comes to PHI (personally identifiable health data). I work with health data every day, and we encrypt the hell out of everything because of HIPAA.
The reason you don't see more press articles about encrypted data being stolen is that companies are not required to announce incidents to the press provided that the encryption is strong enough. My company encrypted all our laptops nationwide precisely so that if one goes missing, we're not obligated to call a press conference and jump into a shitstorm like this one.
And if you're interested in topology, Hatcher has some very high quality introductory texts available for free. They aren't all finished yet, but the first is being used for the introductory graduate courses at Wisconsin.
I heard on NPR that coffee contains a substantial dose of antioxidants and other goodness. Of course, that might just be the voices in my head telling me what I want to hear, but there is an article in a real journal to back me up. And some propaganda by the "British Coffee Association."
Fish need oxygen. That's why most tanks have the little bubble things. If you want to keep the water ion-free, you'd better grow some anaerobic bacteria or something. Though those might not be as impressive at trade shows.;)
I think the concern is over what happens when analog signals are no longer broadcast in parallel, when manufacturers stop building analog boxen, and when analog VCR's are about as common as gramaphones. How will you tape the game during that coding binge then?
It is interesting that adding "value" in the form of a plethora of features and bundled programs has become a "disincentive" or "problem" for software vendors like Microsoft. It seems to me that this activity becomes problematic when the extra components are not included in "good faith"--i.e., out of a genuine desire to make a better product, rather than to undercut the competition or advance some other goal.
Think of it this way: legislators here in Minnesota have attached an amendment to an appropriations bill introducing a waiting period for abortions. The appropriations bill has to do with funding medical care for the elderly, among other things. Whatever you think about the abortion issue, attaching unrelated amendments to bills in the hopes of advancing unrelated goals feels somewhat underhanded. The legislators are not acting in good faith.
This is the problem I see Microsoft's actions: they are using their ability to bundle software to advance goals unrelated to the functionality of the main product they are selling.
I also have a very light load of spam, much less than my coworkers or fellow students. Besides luck, what seems to work for me is to enter fake addresses whenever I install programs, from web browsers to realplayer to word processors.
Same goes for setting up online accounts; unless they send you a confirmation email that must be responded to, just make up an impossible address.
This would be enough to keep me from buying one.
And what happens when the PS2 becomes obsolete? Is Sony going to keep running their authentication servers forever, or will there come a day when no one can play the games they purchased for this console? "Sorry, why don't you go drop $500 on a PS4?"
No thank you.
Slashdot Mirror
There are laws regarding data encryption, at least when it comes to PHI (personally identifiable health data). I work with health data every day, and we encrypt the hell out of everything because of HIPAA.
The reason you don't see more press articles about encrypted data being stolen is that companies are not required to announce incidents to the press provided that the encryption is strong enough. My company encrypted all our laptops nationwide precisely so that if one goes missing, we're not obligated to call a press conference and jump into a shitstorm like this one.
My cat has an RFID chip implanted under her skin in case she gets lost. Maybe you could get it to read that?
And if you're interested in topology, Hatcher has some very high quality introductory texts available for free. They aren't all finished yet, but the first is being used for the introductory graduate courses at Wisconsin.
I heard on NPR that coffee contains a substantial dose of antioxidants and other goodness. Of course, that might just be the voices in my head telling me what I want to hear, but there is an article in a real journal to back me up. And some propaganda by the "British Coffee Association."
>>Eventually science will catch up
;)
Kurt Godel might have something to say about that...
Fish need oxygen. That's why most tanks have the little bubble things. If you want to keep the water ion-free, you'd better grow some anaerobic bacteria or something. Though those might not be as impressive at trade shows. ;)
I got a Sams's Club phone card for xmas, and it had a license agreement that stated (in those extra-legally-bindy caps):
:(
"YOUR DISPUTE WILL NOT BE HEARD BY A JURY OR IN COURT AND MAY NOT BE PART OF A CLASS ACTION."
Seems like this sort of thing is becoming quite standard. I noticed one earlier poster had the same clause on a gift card.
rampantgerbil
I think the concern is over what happens when analog signals are no longer broadcast in parallel, when manufacturers stop building analog boxen, and when analog VCR's are about as common as gramaphones. How will you tape the game during that coding binge then?
oh, wait, they've got penguins down there... :-P
It is interesting that adding "value" in the form of a plethora of features and bundled programs has become a "disincentive" or "problem" for software vendors like Microsoft. It seems to me that this activity becomes problematic when the extra components are not included in "good faith"--i.e., out of a genuine desire to make a better product, rather than to undercut the competition or advance some other goal.
Think of it this way: legislators here in Minnesota have attached an amendment to an appropriations bill introducing a waiting period for abortions. The appropriations bill has to do with funding medical care for the elderly, among other things. Whatever you think about the abortion issue, attaching unrelated amendments to bills in the hopes of advancing unrelated goals feels somewhat underhanded. The legislators are not acting in good faith.
This is the problem I see Microsoft's actions: they are using their ability to bundle software to advance goals unrelated to the functionality of the main product they are selling.
I also have a very light load of spam, much less than my coworkers or fellow students. Besides luck, what seems to work for me is to enter fake addresses whenever I install programs, from web browsers to realplayer to word processors. Same goes for setting up online accounts; unless they send you a confirmation email that must be responded to, just make up an impossible address.
This would be enough to keep me from buying one. And what happens when the PS2 becomes obsolete? Is Sony going to keep running their authentication servers forever, or will there come a day when no one can play the games they purchased for this console? "Sorry, why don't you go drop $500 on a PS4?" No thank you.