Conspicuously absent in the article is mention of the inherent security of this communications scheme. The low power of the signal combined with a pseudo random sequencer makes this signal virtually indestiguishable from noise. One needs to be within a couple of *feet* to detect a transmitter.
I know the Pentagon/Nat'l security apparatus aren't especially keen to have devices based on this enter the civilian domain very soon. The FCC will surely play a part in regulating the timetable.
As a curious aside, if alien civilizations are using this type of communication or any other which strives to make its signal indistinguishable from noise to anyone but the intended receiver, SETI will never pick them up.
Because it's integrated into MSN and they have a WebTV box.
Because they got a $50 gift certificate to some online store (e.g. Crutchfield) for joining Passport.
Because they couldn't care less if Microsoft owns their forum posts.
I'm not going to use, sure. For the same reason you aren't.
However, for you to believe that everyone--or even a majority--of people share our technologist values and priorities is silly.
I thought that by definition the average IQ was 100.
----
Off topic aside: I once received a set of puzzles and 'mind' games published by Mensa as a gift. They didn't hold much interest for me, and shortly thereafter I moved. Moving always involves ridding oneself of detritus (like puzzles), so I scheduled a pick-up by the local charitable organization for my box of Stuff That Somebody Might Want.
It was only as they drove off that I realized I'd just donated a collection of Mensa puzzles to the local Association of Retarded Citizens.
Soon every mobile phone service provider in the US will be required to be able to determine a user's whereabouts. The excuse is that they need it for 911 calls. Personally, I'm willing to run the risk that I'll pass out before I can reveal my location to the operator. At least, I am when the alternatives are carrying a tracking device 24/7 or remaining in the telcom dark ages.
Of course, these companies are going to roll that shit out soon enough under the guise of features, to let push ads for the store you're walking past or tell you that Betty674 from your buddy list is in the neighborhood.
This is silly. An IDS like this monitors the nature of the traffic into/on the network, not the content of the data.
It's the difference between the network of infrared, motion, and doorway sensors of a home alarm system and a pervasive network of microphone & cameras.
The Captus product provides a subset of the functionality of EMERALD.
From the SRI EMERALD synopsis:- EMERALD... utilizes lightweight sensors distributed over a network or series of networks... The EMERALD sensors monitor activity both on host servers and network traffic streams. Activity is analyzed by two independent and highly complementary analysis engines - a rule-based expert system which flags activities that match known patterns of unwanted behavior, and a statistical analyzer which flags real-time activity that deviates from the pattern of normal activity.
Captus' IDS component only utilizes a statistical analysis, and only only gathers data from the traffic stream it sees (vs. EMERALD's distributed sensors.)
That's not to say the concepts in EMERALD aren't being used elsewhere. I know ISS' IDS solution has something similar in terms of distributed sensors and central reporting. I'm not sure what methods the use for analysis, though.
First let me say I'm appalled that some of the PC-police modded you down to zero. Your comment is as reasonable as my own.
I applaud your concern, however his post is a 0 because he posted as an AC.
Furthermore, the moderation standards at Slashdot are pretty poor in general, and I think you err in invoking the spectre of the (IMHO mythical) "PC-Police"
By this reasoning, then, you'll be handing yourself over to the authorities for your guilt in the Jasper, TX draggings.
The difference between my point and your scenario is that the people who committed that crime are still with us to take responsibility. Furthermore, I'm not suggesting that each individual transgression rooted in racism in our nation's past be atoned for by individuals today.
What I'm refering to is that white America must now accept some burden for the wrongs of our forebearers (and contemporaries.) What form that burden takes, be it affirmative action or simply an individual's willingness to understand why a black man resents him just for being white, is a matter for another debate
And BTW, the entirity of academia belongs to the "PC" crowd. You know - the people that generate culture for the rest of us? I think that's FAR and above your demand for 10 people.
OK--to suggest that anyone & everyone associated with a university is part of the 'PC crowd' is so patently ridiculous on the face of it that I shouldn't even bother. However, you've failed to answer my "demand", as I asked that 10 people be named, as it's trivial to indict the beliefs of inspecific groups of people because it's not possible to make counter-examples. Of course, in this case (all of academia), counter-examples abound so I won't even bother.
If you take the time, I'd grant that you might find 2 or 3 people of some reputation who are the ideological drones that 'PC crowd' implies. However, the reality is that most of the people you're eager to so label have real, if not sound, reasons for their beliefs. It seems to me that you're eager to rob them of their intellectual self-determination simply because you don't agree. That's just cheap.
OK Alan, put your money where your mouth is. Find me one link to a Salon article that espouses the simple-minded opinion you ascribe to the "PC Crowd". Then tell me a story about how you've suffered from anti-white racism.
For extra credit, name 10 people who command some modicum of respect that belong to this 'PC Crowd'.
I'll never argue that whites aren't on the receiving end of racism. But A)it's usually backlash for racism they've suffered, B)it's rarely (or never) in a way that really matters (loans, promotions, housing, etc.) Deep down, you know this, but it riles you that you're being held responsible for something you had no direct hand in. Life's a bitch, eh?
Why in all the gods' names should I bother learning your interface? ... the intro screen scrolls pathetically slowly
Had you taken 10 seconds to read the 2 paragraph User's Guide, you would have learned that the scroll speed can be sped up simply by holding down your mouse button.
Keep in mind that this is art, and it's intended to be experimental and challenging. If you don't care for that then stick with what you're comfortable with, but don't pretend it's worthless because you don't like it.
But it's nearly impossible to be too biased against MS
Ahhh, I see you're a reasonable man. Taking this idea to its logical conclusion, nearly the whole of humanity should do nearly everything in its power to wipe nearly every trace of MS, its employees, and its products off the face of the earth.
It's important to realize that it is primarily the national leadership of NPR that's responsible for their official opposition. There is considerable support for LPFM within the management of the NPR member stations.
The national leadership of NPR has been coopted by propagandists. That sounds inflammatory and paranoid, but it's true. From the NPR web site's bios:
Kevin Klose, President and CEO:
"Prior to joining NPR in December 1998, Klose served successively as Director of U.S. International Broadcasting, overseeing the U.S. Government's global radio and television news services (1997-98); and President of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), broadcasting to Central Europe and the former Soviet Union (1994-97). Klose first joined RFE/RL in 1992 as Director of Radio Liberty, broadcasting to the former Soviet Union in its national languages"
(http://npr.org/inside/bios/kklose.html)
This guy was running the US's overseas propaganda arms for years before he graduated to the domestic arena.
IMHO, there is still much fine programming on NPR; But the quantity of quality shows is on the decline, and local coverage is certainly suffering. (All Things Considered, All the Time.) Get in touch with your local NPR affiliate and LET THEM KNOW.
Let me respectfully suggest that rather than the national directorship, we should be targeting our concerns at people who might actual listen.
Contact your local NPR member station, tell them what you think, and if you donate tell them that too. (And perhaps retract your support.) They will respond to their listeners, whereas these guys on top already have proven they couldn't care less.
Possibly a lack of commas, more likely Taco failing to decide between 'say' or 'pretend'. Particularly in light of the fact that he typo'd on 0wn3d too.
More evidence of the downward spiral of editorial quality here.
I guess you missed the `Nine-year-old genius Rupert Tollefsen does not exist' part of the correction.
"
Correction
There were a number of errors in the 4/1 cover story on Microsoft's Thought Recognition technology. Robert Warburg, an analyst with the Bay Area venture capital firm Klein & Fairfield, does not, as was implied in the article, exist. Nor does Klein & Fairfield. Microsoft has never employed Vikram Narayan, who does not exist. Workers from Vanstar do not deliver Dell PowerEdge processors and Precision 610 workstations to Building 8 every Monday morning. Microsoft does not keep an account with Radio Shack. Radio Shack does not employ an individual named Scott Roberts. The waitstaff at the Redmond Red Robin does not turn the bar televisions to Pokemon every afternoon. Russell Meyer does not publish the zine Faster Machine, Kill! Kill! Carnegie-Mellon Institute of Technology does not employ an individual named Daniel Rabelli. There is no newspaper called the Soap Lake Tribune. There is no such thing as the Foundation for Online Privacy based in Bethesda, Maryland. The Kansas University Cognitive Science Project does not employ E. Claire Winchell, who does not exist. Nine-year-old genius Rupert Tollefsen does not exist, although the editors would like to thank Andrew Rowny, his mother, Lori Larsen, and his grandmother, Greta Larsen, for lending his presence to our writer, Bruce Barcott, and photographer, Rick Dahms. Seattle Weekly apologizes for these, and other, unregrettable errors.
"
If Microsoft's monopoly collapses, then so does Microsoft.
Puh-leaze. Just like ATT whithered and died?
On your other point, though, you're quite right. No one is going to give up the comfort of familiarity without a really, really good incentive to do so.
WhatEVER. Of course it'll change SOMETHING. No, not everything. Yes, people should do more than just vote in terms of community/political involvement. But to suggest that it won't change anything is a non-voter's cop-out.
Slashdot Mirror
Conspicuously absent in the article is mention of the inherent security of this communications scheme. The low power of the signal combined with a pseudo random sequencer makes this signal virtually indestiguishable from noise. One needs to be within a couple of *feet* to detect a transmitter.
I know the Pentagon/Nat'l security apparatus aren't especially keen to have devices based on this enter the civilian domain very soon. The FCC will surely play a part in regulating the timetable.
As a curious aside, if alien civilizations are using this type of communication or any other which strives to make its signal indistinguishable from noise to anyone but the intended receiver, SETI will never pick them up.
"Your next to last paragraph is literal nonsense, and shame on anyone who responds to it in any way."
Prior restraint!!! Prior restraint!!!
Why would anyone use this 'service'?
Because they perceive it as convenient.
Because it's integrated into MSN and they have a WebTV box.
Because they got a $50 gift certificate to some online store (e.g. Crutchfield) for joining Passport.
Because they couldn't care less if Microsoft owns their forum posts.
I'm not going to use, sure. For the same reason you aren't.
However, for you to believe that everyone--or even a majority--of people share our technologist values and priorities is silly.
What really sucks is that you can't change encryption algorithms within your VPN. Are you sure about that?
Average IQ = 108?
I thought that by definition the average IQ was 100.
----
Off topic aside: I once received a set of puzzles and 'mind' games published by Mensa as a gift. They didn't hold much interest for me, and shortly thereafter I moved. Moving always involves ridding oneself of detritus (like puzzles), so I scheduled a pick-up by the local charitable organization for my box of Stuff That Somebody Might Want.
It was only as they drove off that I realized I'd just donated a collection of Mensa puzzles to the local Association of Retarded Citizens.
Soon every mobile phone service provider in the US will be required to be able to determine a user's whereabouts. The excuse is that they need it for 911 calls. Personally, I'm willing to run the risk that I'll pass out before I can reveal my location to the operator. At least, I am when the alternatives are carrying a tracking device 24/7 or remaining in the telcom dark ages.
Of course, these companies are going to roll that shit out soon enough under the guise of features, to let push ads for the store you're walking past or tell you that Betty674 from your buddy list is in the neighborhood.
"Fuck it, he's dead"
-Dr. Octagon
"pretty much everyone (IMHO) is against something like this"
Which is it... everyone OR your humble opinion???
OMG. Who is moderating this article???
This is silly. An IDS like this monitors the nature of the traffic into/on the network, not the content of the data.
It's the difference between the network of infrared, motion, and doorway sensors of a home alarm system and a pervasive network of microphone & cameras.
The Captus product provides a subset of the functionality of EMERALD.
... utilizes lightweight sensors distributed over a network or series of networks ... The EMERALD sensors monitor activity both on host servers and network traffic streams. Activity is analyzed by two independent and highly complementary analysis engines - a rule-based expert system which flags activities that match known patterns of unwanted behavior, and a statistical analyzer which flags real-time activity that deviates from the pattern of normal activity.
From the SRI EMERALD synopsis:-
EMERALD
Captus' IDS component only utilizes a statistical analysis, and only only gathers data from the traffic stream it sees (vs. EMERALD's distributed sensors.)
That's not to say the concepts in EMERALD aren't being used elsewhere. I know ISS' IDS solution has something similar in terms of distributed sensors and central reporting. I'm not sure what methods the use for analysis, though.
First let me say I'm appalled that some of the PC-police modded you down to zero. Your comment is as reasonable as my own.
I applaud your concern, however his post is a 0 because he posted as an AC.
Furthermore, the moderation standards at Slashdot are pretty poor in general, and I think you err in invoking the spectre of the (IMHO mythical) "PC-Police"
Wrong. Again.
By this reasoning, then, you'll be handing yourself over to the authorities for your guilt in the Jasper, TX draggings.
The difference between my point and your scenario is that the people who committed that crime are still with us to take responsibility. Furthermore, I'm not suggesting that each individual transgression rooted in racism in our nation's past be atoned for by individuals today. What I'm refering to is that white America must now accept some burden for the wrongs of our forebearers (and contemporaries.) What form that burden takes, be it affirmative action or simply an individual's willingness to understand why a black man resents him just for being white, is a matter for another debate
And BTW, the entirity of academia belongs to the "PC" crowd. You know - the people that generate culture for the rest of us? I think that's FAR and above your demand for 10 people.
OK--to suggest that anyone & everyone associated with a university is part of the 'PC crowd' is so patently ridiculous on the face of it that I shouldn't even bother. However, you've failed to answer my "demand", as I asked that 10 people be named, as it's trivial to indict the beliefs of inspecific groups of people because it's not possible to make counter-examples. Of course, in this case (all of academia), counter-examples abound so I won't even bother.
If you take the time, I'd grant that you might find 2 or 3 people of some reputation who are the ideological drones that 'PC crowd' implies. However, the reality is that most of the people you're eager to so label have real, if not sound, reasons for their beliefs. It seems to me that you're eager to rob them of their intellectual self-determination simply because you don't agree. That's just cheap.
OK Alan, put your money where your mouth is. Find me one link to a Salon article that espouses the simple-minded opinion you ascribe to the "PC Crowd". Then tell me a story about how you've suffered from anti-white racism.
For extra credit, name 10 people who command some modicum of respect that belong to this 'PC Crowd'.
I'll never argue that whites aren't on the receiving end of racism. But A)it's usually backlash for racism they've suffered, B)it's rarely (or never) in a way that really matters (loans, promotions, housing, etc.) Deep down, you know this, but it riles you that you're being held responsible for something you had no direct hand in. Life's a bitch, eh?
You answered your own question...
...
Why in all the gods' names should I bother learning your interface?
the intro screen scrolls pathetically slowly
Had you taken 10 seconds to read the 2 paragraph User's Guide, you would have learned that the scroll speed can be sped up simply by holding down your mouse button.
Keep in mind that this is art, and it's intended to be experimental and challenging. If you don't care for that then stick with what you're comfortable with, but don't pretend it's worthless because you don't like it.
But it's nearly impossible to be too biased against MS
Ahhh, I see you're a reasonable man. Taking this idea to its logical conclusion, nearly the whole of humanity should do nearly everything in its power to wipe nearly every trace of MS, its employees, and its products off the face of the earth.
Useful.
Yes, write your rep! And your senator, and the companies that own^D^D^D sponsor them...
Excellent, non-partisan orgs to assist in your civic participation:-
www.smartvoter.org (LWV-CA)
www.opensecrets.org (Center for Responsive Politics)
www.voter.com (private org)
Don't just whore for karma with your political acumen... convince the power brokers!
It's important to realize that it is primarily the national leadership of NPR that's responsible for their official opposition. There is considerable support for LPFM within the management of the NPR member stations.
The national leadership of NPR has been coopted by propagandists. That sounds inflammatory and paranoid, but it's true. From the NPR web site's bios:
Kevin Klose, President and CEO:
"Prior to joining NPR in December 1998, Klose served successively as Director of U.S. International Broadcasting, overseeing the U.S. Government's global radio and television news services (1997-98); and President of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), broadcasting to Central Europe and the former Soviet Union (1994-97). Klose first joined RFE/RL in 1992 as Director of Radio Liberty, broadcasting to the former Soviet Union in its national languages"
(http://npr.org/inside/bios/kklose.html)
This guy was running the US's overseas propaganda arms for years before he graduated to the domestic arena.
IMHO, there is still much fine programming on NPR; But the quantity of quality shows is on the decline, and local coverage is certainly suffering. (All Things Considered, All the Time.) Get in touch with your local NPR affiliate and LET THEM KNOW.
Let me respectfully suggest that rather than the national directorship, we should be targeting our concerns at people who might actual listen.
Contact your local NPR member station, tell them what you think, and if you donate tell them that too. (And perhaps retract your support.) They will respond to their listeners, whereas these guys on top already have proven they couldn't care less.
Possibly a lack of commas, more likely Taco failing to decide between 'say' or 'pretend'. Particularly in light of the fact that he typo'd on 0wn3d too.
More evidence of the downward spiral of editorial quality here.
symantics.. whatever, doesn't matter, your point is moot.
Hmm. What does moot mean, Mr. Webster?
moot adj 1: open to question, debatable
Aha.
DERRRRR...
I guess you missed the `Nine-year-old genius Rupert Tollefsen does not exist' part of the correction.
"
Correction
There were a number of errors in the 4/1 cover story on Microsoft's Thought Recognition technology. Robert Warburg, an analyst with the Bay Area venture capital firm Klein & Fairfield, does not, as was implied in the article, exist. Nor does Klein & Fairfield. Microsoft has never employed Vikram Narayan, who does not exist. Workers from Vanstar do not deliver Dell PowerEdge processors and Precision 610 workstations to Building 8 every Monday morning. Microsoft does not keep an account with Radio Shack. Radio Shack does not employ an individual named Scott Roberts. The waitstaff at the Redmond Red Robin does not turn the bar televisions to Pokemon every afternoon. Russell Meyer does not publish the zine Faster Machine, Kill! Kill! Carnegie-Mellon Institute of Technology does not employ an individual named Daniel Rabelli. There is no newspaper called the Soap Lake Tribune. There is no such thing as the Foundation for Online Privacy based in Bethesda, Maryland. The Kansas University Cognitive Science Project does not employ E. Claire Winchell, who does not exist. Nine-year-old genius Rupert Tollefsen does not exist, although the editors would like to thank Andrew Rowny, his mother, Lori Larsen, and his grandmother, Greta Larsen, for lending his presence to our writer, Bruce Barcott, and photographer, Rick Dahms. Seattle Weekly apologizes for these, and other, unregrettable errors.
"
Wrong!
... the Oxford University Press."
Follow the link, and you'll see:-
"This is the usage of
I see... because I
A) voice a concise opinion
and
B) get flamed
that makes my post flamebait.
If Microsoft's monopoly collapses, then so does Microsoft.
Puh-leaze. Just like ATT whithered and died?
On your other point, though, you're quite right. No one is going to give up the comfort of familiarity without a really, really good incentive to do so.
b0z, recompile with the -DDETECT_SARCASM option.
WhatEVER. Of course it'll change SOMETHING. No, not everything. Yes, people should do more than just vote in terms of community/political involvement. But to suggest that it won't change anything is a non-voter's cop-out.