>"Windows and Macs are not affected by the vulnerability."
Oh, cute comment in the summary. Here, let me fix/expand that for you...
"MS-Windows and MacOS are not affected by THIS vulnerability but are affected by many, many thousands of others, plus this obscure and unlikely-to-be-exploited security issue has already patched in Linux over a month ago."
Or you can fix it on any Linux system with a simple kernel variable change: 1) Open/etc/sysctl.conf, with an editor, such as vim. 2) Enter the line: net.ipv4.tcp_challenge_ack_limit = 999999999 3) Save the file. 4) Use the shell command "sysctl -p" to update the configuration.
Sounds neat and could be useful.... but like so many advances...
Next up, car records state of all the lights and records what you are doing near every one of them (or uploads it to Audi or whatnot) and reports you to police or makes data available to police. Combine that with GPS data about where you went, how you were driving, where you were going/coming, how fast you were going, how many people were in the car, if you were touching the radio, etc, etc. Don't laugh... it is coming. And sooner than you think. And it is not tin-foil hat territory.
Any "security" system that requires disclosing my cell/mobile phone number is an instant and total FAIL. And I am certainly not alone about protecting that which would become the single most annoying device ever (if/when compromised/harvested by marketers).
I find it fascinating how many business and sites now seem to think they have an absolute right to know our cell/mobile phone numbers. Not home, not work, but specifically cell/mobile. I usually have to lie to them and either put in my work number or make up a number. Obviously that won't work if they are trying to use it for text verification.
>"It was quick, it was easy to use, and important for this day and age, it didn't have Flash."
Flash? I never minded Flash. It was easy to disable. And with extensions, it was easy to delay or remove objects too. Restrict animated GIF, and life was good for many years.
Now with all the Javascript animation, it is impossible to limit or stop useless and annoying animation that is incorporated into just about every website and all over it. And I am not talking ads.
Some of us desperately want browsers to add some type of animation limitation or control.... if it is even possible.
>"Apparently it took two days for Adblock Plus to come up with the workaround, and only a fraction of that time for Facebook to disable it."
That's because Facebook knew Adblock would immediately adapt. I am betting Facebook has a dozen changes lined up and ready to roll to counter Adblock.... we just have to see who runs out of ideas first.
1) Don't sideload apps unless you REALLY know what you are doing. You can't even officially DO that on iOS. So if you treat Android like iOS and don't change the default to NOT sideload and ignore all the warnings, then you are probably just fine.
2) All mine are Nexus and likely to be updated quickly.
I would hardly call cruise control a type of auto-pilot. Auto-pilot requires the car to steer. Controlling speed is nothing in comparison.
Once the car is doing the two things that require the 99% of the drivers attention- steering and speed, almost no "driver" will be able to keep their attention available "at a fraction of a second's notice". Just human nature. It would be like watching paint dry.
>"Last year, an organization called New Yorkers Against Gun Violence started a campaign to get Apple to replace its version of the pistol emoji."
This is really just so sad.
Oh, there is an "explosion" emoji on my Android- I suppose that should go. And the bomb one too- that is far scarier than a gun. And the one of fire- fire is dangerous and bad. Better throw in the lighting one. Oops, just found one of a knife- that is a no-no. Snakes are scary, make that one a toy snake, somehow.... well, still scary, just make it go away. Wow, there is a syringe- oops, that could be drugs, that should go....
And I receive useless robocalls from the City about what THEY think are "important" notices (which are not) and found out they refuse to have a way for citizens to opt out (and remember, I have an UNLISTED NUMBER). I finally determined the City uses a third party system and went to THAT company and they said the City didn't pay for an opt-out option! But because I was making so much noise, they manually took my number out of the system.
I can't stand robocallers and I think their use should be not just illegal but criminal. If it takes a few "welcome" systems with it, so be it. Why? Because every single one would claim they have a relation to you or you some how "opted in", making enforcement a joke. Use Email lists instead.
Nuke Anything Enhanced- a GREAT way to hide/remove stuff you don't want to see, especially useful before printing. Also useful for getting rid of distracting animated junk while you are trying to read. https://addons.mozilla.org/en-...
Of course, I also use Adblock Plus, and Classic Theme Restorer, and a few others.
>"It should be illegal for them to ignore the federal do-not-call list, and for them to call cell phones period. The First Amendment doesn't say I have to provide anyone a platform at my expense or my inconvenience."
Exactly. Except it should be illegal for *ALL* robo calls to *ANY* phone, including land lines. This has nothing to do with free speech, it has to do with invading my privacy, wasting my time, and being an unnecessary annoyance. They can send through the US mail if they want to contact me. People have to pay money for an unlisted number and this totally borks that.
If it keeps up, I will have to find some system that will screen calls and challenge the caller before it will even ring through.
>"So? I consider destruction of the two party system more important than voting for someone I dislike a little less."
While I agree with your sentiment, realistically, voting for a non-Republicrat will not damage the two-party system at all.
And don't get me wrong; many times I have voted for a non-Republicrat.... along with like 1 or 2% of other people, just out of protest. But I didn't fool myself into thinking it made ANY difference.... it just made me feel a little better.
>"As long as we have first-past-the-post, winner-take-all elections, it is one's rational self-interest to vote strategically against the party they least want to win, rather than for the party they most want to win"
This. +1
Our system makes it essentially IMPOSSIBLE for any non Republicrat to win in major elections. Until we change the voting system to something *SANE* that allows voters to RANK the candidates, we can't really change anything else. We end up voting AGAINST the major party we don't like instead of FOR the party we might want.
Imagine what would be possible if voters this year had the ability to RANK candidates from all the parties. People could rank some other party first with ZERO fear they are throwing their votes away. The outcome might be shocking.... especially if we knew we could do this a long time ago and drummed up more candidates.
the "iphone" is the most popular product of all time!!!! It is the best thing since sliced bread! It solved all the world's problems! It changed the world! Nothing else existed before it and everything about it was brand new and innovative! The article reads like distorted wet-dream fanclub marketing propaganda, completely ignoring reality and everything that lead up to it and happened after.
Anyway, go Samsung! Nice to have quality choices in a far less walled-in environment.
>"What you, Slashdot readers, think Netflix's next move will be? Or do you think the company will soon become just another name in its respective category?"
I don't know what it WILL do, but I know things it NEEDS to do.....
1) We are all sick of cable. Netflix needs to secure all programs they can with quality networks such as NatGeo, History, etc, and offer a micropayment plan- charge for what we want actually see. I would gladly pay $0.50/hr or more per hour of entertainment and have that money go to support what I like to watch. ZERO money from me going to ESPN, Golf channel, Goldfish channel, etc, etc.
2) They need a model to also allow downloads in a DVR-like mode. Things ready-to-watch with no sucking of prime-time bandwidth, and with smooth and instant trick play, whether there is an Internet connection at that time or not.
3) Lay off the gimmicks (4k, 3D, etc) and concentrate on content.
4) Searchable library from the website. It is stupid to try and hide what you have or don't have.
5) Never, ever try to introduce commercials or ANY forced content into your streaming or you will quickly alienate most of your customers in a way that could destroy your company very quickly.
>"The Tesla car involved in a fatal crash in Florida this spring was in Autopilot mode and going about 10 miles faster than the speed limit," "Was Going 74 MPH In a 65 Zone,"
Um, so what? That is about normal. Is this supposed to be shocking or something?
>"Iris scanning is increasingly being used for biometric identification because it's fast, accurate, and relies on a body part that's protected and doesn't change over time. "
Not really. It is a rather stupid biometric, especially when something exists that is far better in just about every way....
There is only one safer and practical biometric I know of- that is deep vein palm scan. That registration data cannot be readily abused. It can't be latently collected like DNA, fingerprints, and face recognition can (and possibly iris scans). You have to know you are registering/enrolling when it happens. You don't leave evidence of it all over the place. When you go to use it, you know you are using it every time. And on top of all that, it is accurate, fast, reliable, unchanging, live-sensing, and cheap. If you must participate in a biometric, this is the one you should insist on using.
But we also need to realize that IT IS NOT EVERYONE'S BUSINESS WHAT WE ALL DO, where we go, what we buy, who we talk with, WHO WE ARE. The first step in securing freedom is privacy and often means anonymity. When you are identified and tracked, you are losing your freedom, whether you realize it or not.
What is really needed is cable plans that allow selection of just the channels the person wants, or a Netflix that includes commercial-free programs from all the different channels and you can subscribe to what you want there, or have a micropayment system of paying for what you watch.
At that point the consumer gets what they want and companies are rewarded for what is actually being watched. It infuriates me that my money goes to companies like ESPN, BET, Discovery, etc when I have ZERO interest in their offerings.
But having a proprietary/unfriendly/unsupported separate streaming service for every content provider is no good solution. Who wants to pay 30 bills, try to find platform support for 30+ providers, or deal with all the different UI's for every "channel"? Yuck
TiVo supports video on demand, encrypted channels (cable card), and SDV (tuning adapters)- I don't think a "PC" can do that, certainly not SDV when last I checked. Plus, that price was for lifetime service and also extended warranty, and with a REALLY nice RF remote and UI. Actually not an unreasonable for how much I use and enjoy it.
Oh who knows, maybe the article is wrong. Maybe CBS will change their minds and OTA it, maybe they can work out some other deal. It just certainly sounds like a really, really bad plan.
The Netflix deal for the entire world except USA and possibly Canada just seems like the ultimate slap in the face.
Slashdot Mirror
>"Windows and Macs are not affected by the vulnerability."
Oh, cute comment in the summary. Here, let me fix/expand that for you...
"MS-Windows and MacOS are not affected by THIS vulnerability but are affected by many, many thousands of others, plus this obscure and unlikely-to-be-exploited security issue has already patched in Linux over a month ago."
Patch: http://git.kernel.org/cgit/lin...
Or you can fix it on any Linux system with a simple kernel variable change: 1) Open /etc/sysctl.conf, with an editor, such as vim. 2) Enter the line: net.ipv4.tcp_challenge_ack_limit = 999999999 3) Save the file. 4) Use the shell command "sysctl -p" to update the configuration.
Sounds neat and could be useful.... but like so many advances...
Next up, car records state of all the lights and records what you are doing near every one of them (or uploads it to Audi or whatnot) and reports you to police or makes data available to police. Combine that with GPS data about where you went, how you were driving, where you were going/coming, how fast you were going, how many people were in the car, if you were touching the radio, etc, etc. Don't laugh... it is coming. And sooner than you think. And it is not tin-foil hat territory.
Any "security" system that requires disclosing my cell/mobile phone number is an instant and total FAIL. And I am certainly not alone about protecting that which would become the single most annoying device ever (if/when compromised/harvested by marketers).
I find it fascinating how many business and sites now seem to think they have an absolute right to know our cell/mobile phone numbers. Not home, not work, but specifically cell/mobile. I usually have to lie to them and either put in my work number or make up a number. Obviously that won't work if they are trying to use it for text verification.
>"It was quick, it was easy to use, and important for this day and age, it didn't have Flash."
Flash? I never minded Flash. It was easy to disable. And with extensions, it was easy to delay or remove objects too. Restrict animated GIF, and life was good for many years.
Now with all the Javascript animation, it is impossible to limit or stop useless and annoying animation that is incorporated into just about every website and all over it. And I am not talking ads.
Some of us desperately want browsers to add some type of animation limitation or control.... if it is even possible.
>"Apparently it took two days for Adblock Plus to come up with the workaround, and only a fraction of that time for Facebook to disable it."
That's because Facebook knew Adblock would immediately adapt. I am betting Facebook has a dozen changes lined up and ready to roll to counter Adblock.... we just have to see who runs out of ideas first.
It is an arms-race.
>"Chalk one up for iOS"
Um, no.
1) Don't sideload apps unless you REALLY know what you are doing. You can't even officially DO that on iOS. So if you treat Android like iOS and don't change the default to NOT sideload and ignore all the warnings, then you are probably just fine.
2) All mine are Nexus and likely to be updated quickly.
I would hardly call cruise control a type of auto-pilot. Auto-pilot requires the car to steer. Controlling speed is nothing in comparison.
Once the car is doing the two things that require the 99% of the drivers attention- steering and speed, almost no "driver" will be able to keep their attention available "at a fraction of a second's notice". Just human nature. It would be like watching paint dry.
>"there's still no substitute for an attentive human driver, ready to take control at a moment's notice."
That would be utterly useless. Try "at a fraction of a second's notice". And that simply won't happen once one is in any type of autopilot mode.
>"Last year, an organization called New Yorkers Against Gun Violence started a campaign to get Apple to replace its version of the pistol emoji."
This is really just so sad.
Oh, there is an "explosion" emoji on my Android- I suppose that should go. And the bomb one too- that is far scarier than a gun. And the one of fire- fire is dangerous and bad. Better throw in the lighting one. Oops, just found one of a knife- that is a no-no. Snakes are scary, make that one a toy snake, somehow.... well, still scary, just make it go away. Wow, there is a syringe- oops, that could be drugs, that should go....
And I receive useless robocalls from the City about what THEY think are "important" notices (which are not) and found out they refuse to have a way for citizens to opt out (and remember, I have an UNLISTED NUMBER). I finally determined the City uses a third party system and went to THAT company and they said the City didn't pay for an opt-out option! But because I was making so much noise, they manually took my number out of the system.
I can't stand robocallers and I think their use should be not just illegal but criminal. If it takes a few "welcome" systems with it, so be it. Why? Because every single one would claim they have a relation to you or you some how "opted in", making enforcement a joke. Use Email lists instead.
>What do you use?
One I have not seen mentioned that I like is:
Nuke Anything Enhanced- a GREAT way to hide/remove stuff you don't want to see, especially useful before printing. Also useful for getting rid of distracting animated junk while you are trying to read. https://addons.mozilla.org/en-...
Of course, I also use Adblock Plus, and Classic Theme Restorer, and a few others.
>"It should be illegal for them to ignore the federal do-not-call list, and for them to call cell phones period. The First Amendment doesn't say I have to provide anyone a platform at my expense or my inconvenience."
Exactly. Except it should be illegal for *ALL* robo calls to *ANY* phone, including land lines. This has nothing to do with free speech, it has to do with invading my privacy, wasting my time, and being an unnecessary annoyance. They can send through the US mail if they want to contact me. People have to pay money for an unlisted number and this totally borks that.
If it keeps up, I will have to find some system that will screen calls and challenge the caller before it will even ring through.
>"Scintillating response. I'm so impressed."
It was all the response it was worth.
>"So? I consider destruction of the two party system more important than voting for someone I dislike a little less."
While I agree with your sentiment, realistically, voting for a non-Republicrat will not damage the two-party system at all.
And don't get me wrong; many times I have voted for a non-Republicrat.... along with like 1 or 2% of other people, just out of protest. But I didn't fool myself into thinking it made ANY difference.... it just made me feel a little better.
>"As long as we have first-past-the-post, winner-take-all elections, it is one's rational self-interest to vote strategically against the party they least want to win, rather than for the party they most want to win"
This. +1
Our system makes it essentially IMPOSSIBLE for any non Republicrat to win in major elections. Until we change the voting system to something *SANE* that allows voters to RANK the candidates, we can't really change anything else. We end up voting AGAINST the major party we don't like instead of FOR the party we might want.
Imagine what would be possible if voters this year had the ability to RANK candidates from all the parties. People could rank some other party first with ZERO fear they are throwing their votes away. The outcome might be shocking.... especially if we knew we could do this a long time ago and drummed up more candidates.
http://fairvote.org/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
But, But, But.... according to this earlier today: https://apple.slashdot.org/sto...
the "iphone" is the most popular product of all time!!!! It is the best thing since sliced bread! It solved all the world's problems! It changed the world! Nothing else existed before it and everything about it was brand new and innovative! The article reads like distorted wet-dream fanclub marketing propaganda, completely ignoring reality and everything that lead up to it and happened after.
Anyway, go Samsung! Nice to have quality choices in a far less walled-in environment.
>"It's because cannabis smoke isn't harmful like tobacco smoke and that's the reason why smoking tobacco in public is regulated.
Um, sorry, you fail.
>"What you, Slashdot readers, think Netflix's next move will be? Or do you think the company will soon become just another name in its respective category?"
I don't know what it WILL do, but I know things it NEEDS to do.....
1) We are all sick of cable. Netflix needs to secure all programs they can with quality networks such as NatGeo, History, etc, and offer a micropayment plan- charge for what we want actually see. I would gladly pay $0.50/hr or more per hour of entertainment and have that money go to support what I like to watch. ZERO money from me going to ESPN, Golf channel, Goldfish channel, etc, etc.
2) They need a model to also allow downloads in a DVR-like mode. Things ready-to-watch with no sucking of prime-time bandwidth, and with smooth and instant trick play, whether there is an Internet connection at that time or not.
3) Lay off the gimmicks (4k, 3D, etc) and concentrate on content.
4) Searchable library from the website. It is stupid to try and hide what you have or don't have.
5) Never, ever try to introduce commercials or ANY forced content into your streaming or you will quickly alienate most of your customers in a way that could destroy your company very quickly.
>"The Tesla car involved in a fatal crash in Florida this spring was in Autopilot mode and going about 10 miles faster than the speed limit," "Was Going 74 MPH In a 65 Zone,"
Um, so what? That is about normal. Is this supposed to be shocking or something?
>"accused the Russian government of orchestrating the release of damaging Democratic Party records"
Oh well... the truth will set you free.
Somehow, I don't think the Russians are scared of HIllary.
>"Iris scanning is increasingly being used for biometric identification because it's fast, accurate, and relies on a body part that's protected and doesn't change over time. "
Not really. It is a rather stupid biometric, especially when something exists that is far better in just about every way....
There is only one safer and practical biometric I know of- that is deep vein palm scan. That registration data cannot be readily abused. It can't be latently collected like DNA, fingerprints, and face recognition can (and possibly iris scans). You have to know you are registering/enrolling when it happens. You don't leave evidence of it all over the place. When you go to use it, you know you are using it every time. And on top of all that, it is accurate, fast, reliable, unchanging, live-sensing, and cheap. If you must participate in a biometric, this is the one you should insist on using.
Example: http://www.m2sys.com/palm-vein...
But we also need to realize that IT IS NOT EVERYONE'S BUSINESS WHAT WE ALL DO, where we go, what we buy, who we talk with, WHO WE ARE. The first step in securing freedom is privacy and often means anonymity. When you are identified and tracked, you are losing your freedom, whether you realize it or not.
>"The driver says him and his daughter were trying"
Him was? Eeek... who wrote this???
What is really needed is cable plans that allow selection of just the channels the person wants, or a Netflix that includes commercial-free programs from all the different channels and you can subscribe to what you want there, or have a micropayment system of paying for what you watch.
At that point the consumer gets what they want and companies are rewarded for what is actually being watched. It infuriates me that my money goes to companies like ESPN, BET, Discovery, etc when I have ZERO interest in their offerings.
But having a proprietary/unfriendly/unsupported separate streaming service for every content provider is no good solution. Who wants to pay 30 bills, try to find platform support for 30+ providers, or deal with all the different UI's for every "channel"? Yuck
TiVo supports video on demand, encrypted channels (cable card), and SDV (tuning adapters)- I don't think a "PC" can do that, certainly not SDV when last I checked. Plus, that price was for lifetime service and also extended warranty, and with a REALLY nice RF remote and UI. Actually not an unreasonable for how much I use and enjoy it.
Oh who knows, maybe the article is wrong. Maybe CBS will change their minds and OTA it, maybe they can work out some other deal. It just certainly sounds like a really, really bad plan.
The Netflix deal for the entire world except USA and possibly Canada just seems like the ultimate slap in the face.