Someone didn't pass math class. The $40k number is farcical for several reasons. First, an 80GB iPod can hold movies, pictures, and audio, not just music. Video takes up much more space than any music track. Secondly, it assumes that all multimedia that the iPod holds must be purchased; it doesn't take into account home movies, pod casts, pictures, my buddy's band, my kid's first choir concert, etc., which all can be utilized by an iPod and cost me nothing.
But let's just say it is completely full of music. I rip songs typically at 192 bitrate, which typically produces a 5MB song. Let's say a typical album has 13 songs on an album, which IMO is an underestimate. For an 80 GB iPod, that is roughly 1260 albums, and as the previous link shows an album typically costs $10. By my math, that only adds up to $12,600 if the entire iPod is full of music.
I hate it when people over inflate estimates for shock value.
Hello,
I have always been very curious to see if voting would ever happen across the internet in the US. The ideas discussed by Schneier on identity theft, two-factor authentication, etc. got me thinking about how this could affect the whole possibilty of voting online. Two factor authentication may not be the ultimate solution, but the idea of using public and private keys may have some viability in the solution.
Since there are several public "keys" that most state agencies already use today to validate users, I started pondering the possibility of using those keys to create a private key to allow individual authentication for voting purposes. Below are my musings. This is strictly intended to start generating some discussion, feedback, issues, concerns, etc.
--
Voting Electronically:
Person requests ability to vote electronically (similar to voter registration) online.
IP address of requesting registrar logged.
During request to vote electronically: person gives Legal Name, SSN, DOB.
Person told current mailing address on record w/ State (some agency - State Tax?).
Person requested to verify current address:
- if correct address: person will get sent unique key for logging in to vote
- if incorrect address: person will need to correct current address w/ agency prior to getting mailed the key. In person / fax of legal drivers licence / etc.
- once correct address - person re-requests e-voting - all is confirmed - then mailed unique key to verified physical address.
- person can request unique key up to 3 times then denied e-voting for current year.
The unique key could be an MD5 hash w/ various attributes, including name, SSN, etc. Some WORM compliant magnetic media use MD5 hash algorithms today to form unique identifiers for documents, so this seemed like it might be fitting.
At the time of voting. Person still has oportunity to vote electronically or in person. If voting electronically, person goes to voting website and logs into https: gives all valid information: Legal Name, SSN, DOB, and mailed key. All validated, person votes. IP address loged of voter.
After polls close. All e-votes compared to physical registration area for voter or absentee ballot. If duplicate vote exists, physical location takes precedence and e-vote not counted.
Other checks and balances can be put into the registration and voting process that would flag potential fraudulent registrations or votes. These flagged items would be followed up and confirmed or denied by an individual or committee.
--
This obviously doesn't address any possible issues with the security on the backend of the data, but it does seem to give at least a starting point for a viably possible authentication solution to e-voting.
Defining inexpensive is definitely relative. The price of disk has come down drastically, and the amount of information manufacturers can squeeze onto a couple of platters keeps growing. But there are multiple manufacturers that are targetting the SMB market.
EMC has recently announced the AX100; which will support 15 320 GB SATA drives. Fully populated it comes in roughly under $10k.
HP has released the MSA 20, which supports 14 250 GB ATA drives. I don't remember what the pricing comes in at, but it comes with a SCSI to ATA RAID card, so you don't have to mess with Fiber Channel.
There are a bunch of other options out there from smaller companies. Iomega makes a NAS that is reasonably priced, if you are looking for just file storage. Nexxsan makes an ATA solution, but it seems pricy to me. You can even go to Gateway's website and configure a 3T box for about $8500.
Personally, I would recommend consulting a VAR (value added reseller) who focuses on Storage, (go figure, I work for one). They should be able to help you narrow down your options, find out what your specific needs are and suggest a couple of solutions that make the best fit.
Slashdot Mirror
Someone didn't pass math class. The $40k number is farcical for several reasons. First, an 80GB iPod can hold movies, pictures, and audio, not just music. Video takes up much more space than any music track. Secondly, it assumes that all multimedia that the iPod holds must be purchased; it doesn't take into account home movies, pod casts, pictures, my buddy's band, my kid's first choir concert, etc., which all can be utilized by an iPod and cost me nothing.
But let's just say it is completely full of music. I rip songs typically at 192 bitrate, which typically produces a 5MB song. Let's say a typical album has 13 songs on an album, which IMO is an underestimate. For an 80 GB iPod, that is roughly 1260 albums, and as the previous link shows an album typically costs $10. By my math, that only adds up to $12,600 if the entire iPod is full of music.
I hate it when people over inflate estimates for shock value.
I have always been very curious to see if voting would ever happen across the internet in the US. The ideas discussed by Schneier on identity theft, two-factor authentication, etc. got me thinking about how this could affect the whole possibilty of voting online. Two factor authentication may not be the ultimate solution, but the idea of using public and private keys may have some viability in the solution.
Since there are several public "keys" that most state agencies already use today to validate users, I started pondering the possibility of using those keys to create a private key to allow individual authentication for voting purposes. Below are my musings. This is strictly intended to start generating some discussion, feedback, issues, concerns, etc.
--
Voting Electronically:
Person requests ability to vote electronically (similar to voter registration) online.
IP address of requesting registrar logged.
During request to vote electronically: person gives Legal Name, SSN, DOB.
Person told current mailing address on record w/ State (some agency - State Tax?).
Person requested to verify current address:
- if correct address: person will get sent unique key for logging in to vote
- if incorrect address: person will need to correct current address w/ agency prior to getting mailed the key. In person / fax of legal drivers licence / etc.
- once correct address - person re-requests e-voting - all is confirmed - then mailed unique key to verified physical address.
- person can request unique key up to 3 times then denied e-voting for current year.
The unique key could be an MD5 hash w/ various attributes, including name, SSN, etc. Some WORM compliant magnetic media use MD5 hash algorithms today to form unique identifiers for documents, so this seemed like it might be fitting.
At the time of voting. Person still has oportunity to vote electronically or in person. If voting electronically, person goes to voting website and logs into https: gives all valid information: Legal Name, SSN, DOB, and mailed key. All validated, person votes. IP address loged of voter.
After polls close. All e-votes compared to physical registration area for voter or absentee ballot. If duplicate vote exists, physical location takes precedence and e-vote not counted.
Other checks and balances can be put into the registration and voting process that would flag potential fraudulent registrations or votes. These flagged items would be followed up and confirmed or denied by an individual or committee.
--
This obviously doesn't address any possible issues with the security on the backend of the data, but it does seem to give at least a starting point for a viably possible authentication solution to e-voting.
Thoughts? Thanks.
Defining inexpensive is definitely relative. The price of disk has come down drastically, and the amount of information manufacturers can squeeze onto a couple of platters keeps growing. But there are multiple manufacturers that are targetting the SMB market.
EMC has recently announced the AX100; which will support 15 320 GB SATA drives. Fully populated it comes in roughly under $10k.
HP has released the MSA 20, which supports 14 250 GB ATA drives. I don't remember what the pricing comes in at, but it comes with a SCSI to ATA RAID card, so you don't have to mess with Fiber Channel.
There are a bunch of other options out there from smaller companies. Iomega makes a NAS that is reasonably priced, if you are looking for just file storage. Nexxsan makes an ATA solution, but it seems pricy to me. You can even go to Gateway's website and configure a 3T box for about $8500.
Personally, I would recommend consulting a VAR (value added reseller) who focuses on Storage, (go figure, I work for one). They should be able to help you narrow down your options, find out what your specific needs are and suggest a couple of solutions that make the best fit.
Hope this helps.
GL,
- C
Hypothesis:
...Sorry, I'll get off my soapbox now ...
...
;)
(My PhD is in Mechanical Engineering)
Second paragraph ends:
Third paragraph is longer than the second
Conclusion:
PhD = excessive verbage for simple statements.