Yes, but remember IBM. Once they were the Evil Empire - and they have since reinvented themselves, actually embracing Linux.
Ain't saying that Microsoft will have to do this to survive (there are WAY more fans of Windows than of, say, OS/2), but in a worst case scenario for them, that's how they'd be best able to come out shining.
Microsoft, if this is much more than conspiracy theory, is blowing it out their hole.
If there's a new USB standard by Microsoft that's back compatible with everything, one of two things will happen: it will be ignored (ergo, nothing will happen), or it will be adopted, ergo it will be reverse-engineered or otherwise documented, then redeveloped for Linux, then - guess what - included in the Linux USB modules, if not the base kernel itself, probably sprinkled with holy penguin pee within a few hours of the release if the intellect of the Linux dev people is any indication.
Gotta admit, though - Cringely has really outdone himself.
Look, I figure it this way. If we really, really want to stick with an electronic voting system, we need to authenticate using a standard issue identification card, disconnect the card from the vote, and code something together using something along the lines of perl, FooSQL, and some seriously heavyweight encryption - and then stick it onto a bunch of diskless workstations set to run LOAF on a character display, with some CIA type encryption on a spare hard disk for the box to continually save its state onto in case of a failure. Box dies, boom, still got your ballots. Wire it up to a printer so people can get an authentic vote record on a piece of dead tree. It's fast, and if done right, it won't suck.
Yes, I said a character display. As in, not a GUI. It's much simpler to have a person press 1 if they want to vote for, say, David Duchovney than having people fart around with a GUI, unable to double click the "foot pedal", and besides, it tends to require more code for a GUI than for a character display.
The only problem I forsee with this kind of system is that, no matter how well you market it, people will associate "identification card" with "lack of confidential ballot" - or, in some extreme cases, the whole 666 thing. I suggested scanning an ID card in order to authenticate the user, and every state in the nation has an identification mechanism like a drivers' license. And there are other issues with that too (costs $12 just to get an ID card here in California). So there's a bug already.
Until then, go back to paper. I rather liked my punch card ballots we had up until the 2002 gubernatorial election here in California.
No, for the same reason you don't always know if the person next to you has been shuffling their feet on the carpet in preparation to ESD on you. You can't necessarily just look at someone/something with the naked eye and tell if it's electrically charged, and if you're seeing arcs around you, it's too late - or you're in a faraday cage.
Well... devils' advocate, it is expensive to cover postage on those (A CD or DVD costs $.60 to mail), but you make a point, their act of being particularly nasty over email is a spectacularly good way to lose customers.
Hope you reminded them of this.
He answered my question, and that's kinda cool. But, his answer makes me want to RE Rhapsody to find out what the stream is. I've heard it's WMA, and I believe that there is a player for that now; as such, if I can RE it, I'd be happy to pay for a Rhapsody sub again.
If this gets off the ground, there's going to be somebody out there who creates a bridge to the rest of the world from this otherwise proprietary network. It's the same thing they did with FidoNet, UUCP, and many other store-and-forward networks that were (or, as exists with Fight-o-net, still) out there.
Holy moses, a suit is coming to ask the geeks for advice on how to interact with geeks. This is apparently one of the signs of the return of Christ.
Wit aside, buy some decent coffee for them. Like other suggestions, traditions can't be enforced.
Now, not being anything IT related, my thought would be to just let your IT department do their job. The job seems to require much sitting around doing nothing interspersed with flurries of hair-wringing activity; your staff is idle most of the time, but must be there when (not if, but when) something happens that's bad.
And having said that, maybe have a department meeting. Ask them what they want to see in a department, no holds barred, see what they think. If it agrees with company policy and comes off as harmless, yeah, go for it.
On point three, postage has always been free to the customer, leaving Netflix to pay the bill due to the BRM envelopes they use. My wife and I always try and help them offset it a bit by stuffing 2 or 3 discs in the envelope at a time (we use the 5-out program).
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Would be highly appropriate to issue one, but alas, he hid behind anonymity, the coward.
Please note that the time listed is GMT+1 - adjust accordingly. Seems England "celebrates" daylight savings time as well.
Mr. President? Is that you, posting here, on slashdot?
I know some of these young whippersnappers would be impressed with my father's 8-track player.
Ain't saying that Microsoft will have to do this to survive (there are WAY more fans of Windows than of, say, OS/2), but in a worst case scenario for them, that's how they'd be best able to come out shining.
Curiousity, how feasible is it to remove the nuclear substances from the bomb and use them as reactor core fuel in a nuclear power plant?
n(prime)% of all statistics are made up on the spot.
If he screwed you on your taxes, call the IRS and your state tax board as applicable.
Either way, note the spelling of 'screwed'. No A.
If there's a new USB standard by Microsoft that's back compatible with everything, one of two things will happen: it will be ignored (ergo, nothing will happen), or it will be adopted, ergo it will be reverse-engineered or otherwise documented, then redeveloped for Linux, then - guess what - included in the Linux USB modules, if not the base kernel itself, probably sprinkled with holy penguin pee within a few hours of the release if the intellect of the Linux dev people is any indication.
Gotta admit, though - Cringely has really outdone himself.
There's much joking about God getting back at Florida for the elections four years ago. But you know what? Now I'm thinking it's more spammers.
The accused seems to be well versed in the basics of politicking. Let's see how far this goes....
Yes, I said a character display. As in, not a GUI. It's much simpler to have a person press 1 if they want to vote for, say, David Duchovney than having people fart around with a GUI, unable to double click the "foot pedal", and besides, it tends to require more code for a GUI than for a character display.
The only problem I forsee with this kind of system is that, no matter how well you market it, people will associate "identification card" with "lack of confidential ballot" - or, in some extreme cases, the whole 666 thing. I suggested scanning an ID card in order to authenticate the user, and every state in the nation has an identification mechanism like a drivers' license. And there are other issues with that too (costs $12 just to get an ID card here in California). So there's a bug already.
Until then, go back to paper. I rather liked my punch card ballots we had up until the 2002 gubernatorial election here in California.
No, for the same reason you don't always know if the person next to you has been shuffling their feet on the carpet in preparation to ESD on you. You can't necessarily just look at someone/something with the naked eye and tell if it's electrically charged, and if you're seeing arcs around you, it's too late - or you're in a faraday cage.
If I had mod points, I'd mod you up.
Well... devils' advocate, it is expensive to cover postage on those (A CD or DVD costs $.60 to mail), but you make a point, their act of being particularly nasty over email is a spectacularly good way to lose customers. Hope you reminded them of this.
Well, you did say fantasy. Code up your D&D world and have fun. =^_^=
...to pwn them all, it seems. Thanks for the pointer.
A buffer overflow can be used to execute arbitrary code
He answered my question, and that's kinda cool. But, his answer makes me want to RE Rhapsody to find out what the stream is. I've heard it's WMA, and I believe that there is a player for that now; as such, if I can RE it, I'd be happy to pay for a Rhapsody sub again.
Well, if you're on cats, this photo of an ocelot kitten will act as an effective paralytic.
If this gets off the ground, there's going to be somebody out there who creates a bridge to the rest of the world from this otherwise proprietary network. It's the same thing they did with FidoNet, UUCP, and many other store-and-forward networks that were (or, as exists with Fight-o-net, still) out there.
Yes, but not everyone uses (P)GP(G). Lookout comes to mind immediately, as do many public webmail facilities.
Holy moses, a suit is coming to ask the geeks for advice on how to interact with geeks. This is apparently one of the signs of the return of Christ. Wit aside, buy some decent coffee for them. Like other suggestions, traditions can't be enforced. Now, not being anything IT related, my thought would be to just let your IT department do their job. The job seems to require much sitting around doing nothing interspersed with flurries of hair-wringing activity; your staff is idle most of the time, but must be there when (not if, but when) something happens that's bad. And having said that, maybe have a department meeting. Ask them what they want to see in a department, no holds barred, see what they think. If it agrees with company policy and comes off as harmless, yeah, go for it.
Might I suggest asking your labor department what your rights are?
On point three, postage has always been free to the customer, leaving Netflix to pay the bill due to the BRM envelopes they use. My wife and I always try and help them offset it a bit by stuffing 2 or 3 discs in the envelope at a time (we use the 5-out program).