Yeah, who cares about the fact that they are deliberately witholding information that can directly threaten their customers? I'm perfectly happy that my network security matters less to Microsoft than their image does. As long as they get around to fixing whatever the hell the problem was, it's all good, right?
It appears to me that there are two possibilities here:
The IT community is drinking MS kool-aid.
The IT community is absolutely fucking overrun with astroturfers.
it doesn't really matter what OS/platform you choose
How is it possible to look at the last 20 years of computing history and come to that opinion? That's like saying that it doesn't matter if you go to war with plastic swords or machine guns, competent leadership and good soldiering will win the day no matter what tools are used. That's not just bullshit, that's insane!
It is not possible to rationally argue that Windows is anything but a security train wreck. How many dollars have been lost to Windows uber-worms? How many dollars in lost productivity are incurred EVERY DAY due to Windows malware?
In every aspect of life, it is universally recognized that to do anything well, you have to plan very carefully up front and make very carefully considered choices about what to do before you do anything. What is it about computer technology that invalidates that fundamental truth? Yes, it DOES matter what you use. It matters a hell of a lot! You have to choose very carefully in computers, just as you do in medicine, construction, warfare, or any other human endeavor.
First Homeland Security runs Windows which in itself isn't bad if it's properly patched and maintained.
...
Big difference between *nix and Windows? *nix needs techs with a decent amount of computer aptitude.
Well now wait a minute. Windows is OK if it is properly maintained, but those who run Windows are generally less capable of doing so, because they don't have to? That doesn't make any sense.
Rather than trying to figure out which is the chicken and which is the egg in your causality loop there, why don't we admit to ourselves, and most importantly, the rest of the world, that Windows is just inherently insecure? How many more years is the IT community going to pretend that this elephant is not in the room? 5? 10? 20?
when you're at work you don't need to install things (the one thing I think windows makes so much easier than linux)
What are you talking about?
Installing something in Linux (Ubuntu): -run synaptic -click the check mark next to the program you want. -click the install button. -a few seconds to minutes later, your app is installed and ready to run.
Installing something in Windows: -(no built in software management system - anything you install for Windows has to be manually found and downloaded or purchased from a store) -run antivirus against the install media/download file. -run antimalware against the install media/download file. -extract download file, as appropriate -locate install executable on install media, or trust autoplay to run it when you put the disc in. -click yes on license agreement. -click no on special offers. -click no on automatic updates. -click "yes, I'm sure" on special offers -install software. -reboot system (this is always required) -close daily tip screen for the software you just installed. -The software you installed put an icon in the systray - right click to close it. -You don't have the option to close the program, but you can hide the icon. -Close the messenger tool associated with the systray app that is now spamming you for some unrelated product. -Run hijackthis to determine how the systray app is running and to kill it. -At this point, you discover that the software also changed your default home page and changed the menus and added a toolbar to IE. -"Hijack This" successfully cleans out the crap. -You try to run the app - "This application has generated an error and will be closed by Wnidows. An error log is being created." -Thinking it needs the systray bullshit, you uninstall it. -You must then reboot the system. -The systray app crashes on startup because it can't find libraries (I thought I killed that thing) -You attempt to install the software again. -Install crashes - "you have a running copy of $foo. You must close all $foo windows before attempting to install $foo."
...time passes...
-Your PC finally comes back from the IT department, who had to completely reinstall everything because $foo caused some bizarre and insoluble problem.
mod parent up. I personally very much enjoy that April 1 is turning into the Internet's biggest holiday.
Yes, it's silly. We all know it's silly. Telling everyone this does not make you look more intelligent. If you don't like April 1, don't be a fucktwit. Just STFU until tomorrow.
I am confused - do you mean to suggest that not using Powerpoint anymore would be a bad thing? Because as it stands, it looks like a win-win for everyone involved.
The underlying social issue here is that the suits were educated and got most of their business experience before computers came into common use. Things like dress code and the idea that business and technology are antithetical are nothing more than glorified generation gap. And I'm being charitable to put it that way - another way of looking at it would be age discrimination.
This is why I keep my hair cut and styled such that the maximum amount of grey is visible. Dyeing out my grey hair would be murder to my credibility with customers and vendors. On more than one occasion I've been selected as the tech representative for my department explicitly for that reason (and have been told so).
Don't kid yourselves, kids. It's us vs. them. The good news, however, is that this is a self correcting problem.
Microsoft has been working on this since 2002. If they are going to do 60% of the work in the next 9 - 21 months, and they worked on ONLY the other 40% in the intervening time, that most certainly represents a significant increase in productivity - read - scramble. When you consider that they most likely worked at least a tiny bit on the 60%, and that they just *might* be redoing a few things (I know - it is a stretch), it begins to look like an insane scramble. Combine that with talk of a reorg, and it begins to look a lot like insane scrambling on the deck of the Titanic.
As for the point about 98 sucking - I look at it this way - Microsoft is going to need to take until 2007 to get Vista as good as 98 was when it was released.
It reduces the very important and significant ability to run with a less privileged user on *nix systems to a esoteric idea so inscrutable that it can't be expressed in terms other than "what developers call userland".
You and I know what userland means, but the average joe reading that article will feel alienated and belittled by that term. It is my contention that this is deliberate. I could not have found a more insulting and less insightful way to explain the impact of user account privileges on security.
Technically speaking, there is exactly enough trained IT talent in the U.S. market to fill all available positions at the current salary levels.
(emphasis mine)
The problem isn't the availability of jobs, it's the salary levels. Those levels haven't changed much in 6 years, despite a steep increase in measured (energy, food) and non-measured (USF recovery fees) inflation. Only 6 months ago did I finally start making more than I did in 1997. Would you go into an industry where real wages have been dropping steadily for a decade?
If one of my kids were to tell me he wants to do with I do when he grows up, I would vigorously discourage it. I've been doing this professionally since 1995. What does that tell you about the state of the industry?
You like working on things? Become an auto mechanic. You like gee whiz technical stuff? Go to law school and become an IP lawyer. There will not be a middle class in IT when you (or my kids) graduate from college.
OS X and Linux use completely different schemes with kernel extensions and independent programs running inside the user interface shell. The UNIX shell runs independently in what kernel developers call userland.
Sorry. That's as far as I got. If you write up the concept of being able to run the system without root level privileges as the very elist pejorative prhase: "what kernel developers call userland", you are obviously twisting the facts to conform to an agenda.
Re:Glad to see menu editing has been fixed
on
Gnome 2.14 Released
·
· Score: 1
uh, that's cool and all, but how do I add an application icon using that editor?
Why does Australia need such high power weaponry anyway? When was the last time they were attacked by anybody? Are the kiwis that much of a threat they AU has to arm itself with the latest in sophisticated weaponry?
Yeah, it would be like trying to run your business using secret, black box code for your information and decision support systems. Who would allow their company's critical data to be held hostage in this sort of way?
There seems to be some debate about the extensiveness of his programmable keyboard, and whether that truly constitutes botting. Setting that aside, I think the real message to gain from this experience is one of value. If you play an MMORPG, you are going to invest hoards of your life in the game. It is already questionable just what you are gaining from doing this. Now add to it the fact that you are one pissed off admin away from losing everything you've invested in that game forever.
Blizzards actions on this, fair or not, have been reflexive and dismissive. It would have been a simple technical problem to give him a chance to prove his case - call the guy up and say "OK - we've reviewed your situation - I am going to unlock your account for 1 hour right now - I'll meet you in game and you show me how this keyboard works." It will be very obvious if he is telling the truth about how the keyboard works.
I think the message from Blizzard is clear - your contributions of time and energy in our game world are worthless. I think the response should be equally clear - "gee, you're right. Cancel my subscription."
Slashdot Mirror
It appears to me that there are two possibilities here:
it doesn't really matter what OS/platform you choose
How is it possible to look at the last 20 years of computing history and come to that opinion? That's like saying that it doesn't matter if you go to war with plastic swords or machine guns, competent leadership and good soldiering will win the day no matter what tools are used. That's not just bullshit, that's insane!
It is not possible to rationally argue that Windows is anything but a security train wreck. How many dollars have been lost to Windows uber-worms? How many dollars in lost productivity are incurred EVERY DAY due to Windows malware?
In every aspect of life, it is universally recognized that to do anything well, you have to plan very carefully up front and make very carefully considered choices about what to do before you do anything. What is it about computer technology that invalidates that fundamental truth? Yes, it DOES matter what you use. It matters a hell of a lot! You have to choose very carefully in computers, just as you do in medicine, construction, warfare, or any other human endeavor.
First Homeland Security runs Windows which in itself isn't bad if it's properly patched and maintained.
...
Big difference between *nix and Windows?
*nix needs techs with a decent amount of computer aptitude.
Well now wait a minute. Windows is OK if it is properly maintained, but those who run Windows are generally less capable of doing so, because they don't have to? That doesn't make any sense.
Rather than trying to figure out which is the chicken and which is the egg in your causality loop there, why don't we admit to ourselves, and most importantly, the rest of the world, that Windows is just inherently insecure? How many more years is the IT community going to pretend that this elephant is not in the room? 5? 10? 20?
Mod abuse! This comment is not off topic.
What are you talking about?
Installing something in Linux (Ubuntu):
-run synaptic
-click the check mark next to the program you want.
-click the install button.
-a few seconds to minutes later, your app is installed and ready to run.
Installing something in Windows:
...time passes...
-(no built in software management system - anything you install for Windows has to be manually found and downloaded or purchased from a store)
-run antivirus against the install media/download file.
-run antimalware against the install media/download file.
-extract download file, as appropriate
-locate install executable on install media, or trust autoplay to run it when you put the disc in.
-click yes on license agreement.
-click no on special offers.
-click no on automatic updates.
-click "yes, I'm sure" on special offers
-install software.
-reboot system (this is always required)
-close daily tip screen for the software you just installed.
-The software you installed put an icon in the systray - right click to close it.
-You don't have the option to close the program, but you can hide the icon.
-Close the messenger tool associated with the systray app that is now spamming you for some unrelated product.
-Run hijackthis to determine how the systray app is running and to kill it.
-At this point, you discover that the software also changed your default home page and changed the menus and added a toolbar to IE.
-"Hijack This" successfully cleans out the crap.
-You try to run the app - "This application has generated an error and will be closed by Wnidows. An error log is being created."
-Thinking it needs the systray bullshit, you uninstall it.
-You must then reboot the system.
-The systray app crashes on startup because it can't find libraries (I thought I killed that thing)
-You attempt to install the software again.
-Install crashes - "you have a running copy of $foo. You must close all $foo windows before attempting to install $foo."
-Your PC finally comes back from the IT department, who had to completely reinstall everything because $foo caused some bizarre and insoluble problem.
Exactly what part of this is easier?
mod parent up. I personally very much enjoy that April 1 is turning into the Internet's biggest holiday.
Yes, it's silly. We all know it's silly. Telling everyone this does not make you look more intelligent. If you don't like April 1, don't be a fucktwit. Just STFU until tomorrow.
Robert Scoble checked into the story and got a denial from an executive at Microsoft's PR firm
Would that firm be the Iraqi information ministry?
BSD now ships a more recent cut of KDE than Gentoo does. Wow. Never thought I'd see that.
No, this "good riddance" attitude comes from those who understand the long term benefit of using open standards rather than proprietary toys.
I am confused - do you mean to suggest that not using Powerpoint anymore would be a bad thing? Because as it stands, it looks like a win-win for everyone involved.
It's about age.
The underlying social issue here is that the suits were educated and got most of their business experience before computers came into common use. Things like dress code and the idea that business and technology are antithetical are nothing more than glorified generation gap. And I'm being charitable to put it that way - another way of looking at it would be age discrimination.
This is why I keep my hair cut and styled such that the maximum amount of grey is visible. Dyeing out my grey hair would be murder to my credibility with customers and vendors. On more than one occasion I've been selected as the tech representative for my department explicitly for that reason (and have been told so).
Don't kid yourselves, kids. It's us vs. them. The good news, however, is that this is a self correcting problem.
if we don't take some radical decisions, the company is over.
Did he say "the company is over"? Oh, please let it be true! Is it too early to plan the "Microsoft is dead" party?
I can't wait to see a "kick your ass" provision in a shrinkwrap license.
Is there a way to correctly interpret it?
Microsoft has been working on this since 2002. If they are going to do 60% of the work in the next 9 - 21 months, and they worked on ONLY the other 40% in the intervening time, that most certainly represents a significant increase in productivity - read - scramble. When you consider that they most likely worked at least a tiny bit on the 60%, and that they just *might* be redoing a few things (I know - it is a stretch), it begins to look like an insane scramble. Combine that with talk of a reorg, and it begins to look a lot like insane scrambling on the deck of the Titanic.
As for the point about 98 sucking - I look at it this way - Microsoft is going to need to take until 2007 to get Vista as good as 98 was when it was released.
There is a difference between defending yourself against the individual slanderer and attacking the entire forum in which they happen to operate.
It reduces the very important and significant ability to run with a less privileged user on *nix systems to a esoteric idea so inscrutable that it can't be expressed in terms other than "what developers call userland".
You and I know what userland means, but the average joe reading that article will feel alienated and belittled by that term. It is my contention that this is deliberate. I could not have found a more insulting and less insightful way to explain the impact of user account privileges on security.
Technically speaking, there is exactly enough trained IT talent in the U.S. market to fill all available positions at the current salary levels.
(emphasis mine)
The problem isn't the availability of jobs, it's the salary levels. Those levels haven't changed much in 6 years, despite a steep increase in measured (energy, food) and non-measured (USF recovery fees) inflation. Only 6 months ago did I finally start making more than I did in 1997. Would you go into an industry where real wages have been dropping steadily for a decade?
If one of my kids were to tell me he wants to do with I do when he grows up, I would vigorously discourage it. I've been doing this professionally since 1995. What does that tell you about the state of the industry?
You like working on things? Become an auto mechanic. You like gee whiz technical stuff? Go to law school and become an IP lawyer. There will not be a middle class in IT when you (or my kids) graduate from college.
Great post. But I can't bring myself to vote for someone who believes that the first amendment should be reserved exclusively to those who are paid professionally to exercise it.
OS X and Linux use completely different schemes with kernel extensions and independent programs running inside the user interface shell. The UNIX shell runs independently in what kernel developers call userland.
Sorry. That's as far as I got. If you write up the concept of being able to run the system without root level privileges as the very elist pejorative prhase: "what kernel developers call userland", you are obviously twisting the facts to conform to an agenda.
uh, that's cool and all, but how do I add an application icon using that editor?
I just synced. Not there yet.
Why does Australia need such high power weaponry anyway? When was the last time they were attacked by anybody? Are the kiwis that much of a threat they AU has to arm itself with the latest in sophisticated weaponry?
WTF? You ever hear of WWII?
Yeah, it would be like trying to run your business using secret, black box code for your information and decision support systems. Who would allow their company's critical data to be held hostage in this sort of way?
There seems to be some debate about the extensiveness of his programmable keyboard, and whether that truly constitutes botting. Setting that aside, I think the real message to gain from this experience is one of value. If you play an MMORPG, you are going to invest hoards of your life in the game. It is already questionable just what you are gaining from doing this. Now add to it the fact that you are one pissed off admin away from losing everything you've invested in that game forever.
Blizzards actions on this, fair or not, have been reflexive and dismissive. It would have been a simple technical problem to give him a chance to prove his case - call the guy up and say "OK - we've reviewed your situation - I am going to unlock your account for 1 hour right now - I'll meet you in game and you show me how this keyboard works." It will be very obvious if he is telling the truth about how the keyboard works.
I think the message from Blizzard is clear - your contributions of time and energy in our game world are worthless. I think the response should be equally clear - "gee, you're right. Cancel my subscription."
Except that all three examples I just presented are actions of an oligarchy, not a collective.