I trust md5, gpg and pgp...source is available and many eyes have gone over it. This mickysoft "digital signatures" tab is a proprietary piece of work that must be considered "snake oil" since there is no way to verify that it is not.
As a general rule, I DON'T trust close-source crypto products.
Sometimes thumpers listen to their own CD's/ipods, not broadcast radio. A HERF weapon made from a powerful microwave oven's magnatron and a big parabolic antenna can work wonders! If that doesn't shut them up I squeeze off a few seconds of my car mounted gatlin gun. If they're armored (like some of the gang kids are) I use a sidewinder missle. Since the sidewinders are a bit expensive, I'm currently experimenting with a bumper-mounted railgun. When I'm feeling particually nostalgic, I keep a bazooka in the trunk.
If you're paranoid, just create an account for it and use the tarball binary. I often create separate accounts for "untrusted" software I'm trying out. This is one of the biggest benefits of linux.
Unless I'm missing something in yahoo's interface, yahoo only lets you delete 25 messages at a time. With an inbox packed with spam and multiple groups subscriptions disabled because mail is bouncing, this is quite annoying. Now with 100 megs I'll have to spend a couple days deleting messages once every year or two.
-Michael
There is a good program called DBAN available from dban.sourceforge.net which is linux-based boot disk that does a good job overwriting to at least one of the DoD specs.
I use firefox w/adblock extension. Here is my list of sites (importable into adblock) generating almost all banner traffic, including the annoying flash-based ones. I rigged a few PC's to auto-populate this list from their blocklist every day.
I use the Dvorak keyboard layout, so on top of all the audio processing they'd have to do, they'll have to contend with my uber-high-securiy substitution cipher.;-)
I don't think I've ever seen a better test of bittorrent than that generated by this particular slashdotting. I wish more protocols scaled having a positive performance boost this way!
I too have been using a dvorak layout for about 6 years now and have no desire to ever use qwerty again. Although sometimes touted as being a faster layout, dvorak's main advantage, imho, is comfort. It is very nice to have a even fingering distribution between both hands. With qwerty it is too common to have multiple sequential letters on the same hand. Also, the dvorak layout only requires 1/3 the finger travel as a qwerty layout.
If you're not familiar with dvorak, it's an optimized layout that places all the most commonly used keys on homerow. Remember, qwerty was designed to prevent machines from jamming, not for any sort of efficiency.
Yes, I am seriously being arsey...but management types are getting accustomed to calling any database server a "SQL Server" and this can certainly lead to confusion down the road.
I really do wish mickysoft would rename their flagship database something else. Are they that arrogant that they feel the need for such a generic name? That's about like naming your product "Web Server" or "Network File Server". When someone mentions SQL server, I always have them clarify whether or not they are talking in general terms for some sort of relational backend, or are they referring to microsoft's product. Sometimes they don't even know the difference, but perhaps that is microsoft's end goal.
Dammit! This driver still mis-identifies a VIA KT400 chipset. I'll have to hack the module source, once again. This pisses me off because this VIA KT400 based board is supposed to be linux certified. ATI should concentrate on these "linux certified" boards first. BTW, here is a link to the modification.
Do you remember your monitor's refresh rates and hsync? I recommend backing up your old XF86Config
so you can modify the monitor section back to what your installation detected.
Redhat/Fedora both use the XFS font server. This driver seems to have trouble with it. This isn't that big a deal since I can stick my fontpath info in the XF86Config file, but I'd really rather use XFS then just stick FontPath "unix:/7100"
in the XF86Config file.
Overall, I'm glad ATI is releasing updated drivers, I just wish they'd polish up their installation script and kernel module a tad.
For a perfect demonstration of how BPL will destroy HF communications in BPL areas, view this video linked to on ARRL's BPL site. If you can't download the (~25 meg) file there, I'm mirroring it
We simply cannot tolerate the loss of HF communications. It is a matter of safety and national security. There is also no telling what these signals will do to sensitive medical equipment designed to run on clean 60hz power. BPL may constitute a direct as well is indirect threat to human life.
BPL will also certainly reduce our ability to listen to foreign broadcast on the shortwave bands. Looks like ClearChannel will be the only thing we'll be allowed to hear.
...and we hams will respond by increasing our power to overcome this interference...up to 1.5kw out. Feed 1.5kw into a directional antenna with, say 12db gain, and you've got an ERP of 24,000 watts. In the end, we're gonna probably end up interfering with BPL too, possibly even damaging nearby nodes.
I'm in South Texas and one might ask, why would I care? HF propogation is such that I regularly receive signals from Canada. I suspect I'll notice a higher noise floor at times due to this one BPL installation.
Technically, if you live in Texas and ship something in, (for your use) you are required to pay a "use" tax on it. I learned this when applying for my sales tax permit a number of years ago.
I don't think they have any way of really enforcing it though.
Linux is a techie OS because it works, and works well, and works with minimal fuss. These attributes, as well as a constantly-improving UI will push it into the mainstream. The fact that it is a techie OS should not deter Joe User.
While linux is a strong techie's OS, it's also reached the point of being less of a pain in the arse to install and maintain than windows. Windows is such a pain in the arse to install that, if not for the fact it's usually pre-installed or supplied as a ghost image, most end users would have considerable difficulty installing.
It is possible to have a fully operational Fedora box in as little as 15 - 30 minutes that will keep itself updated. Everything that needs configuration can be done right from the GUI nowadays, from partitioning to building your firewall. You can make a kickstart disk to carry your efforts in package selection to other machines. You need not face an interrogation every damned time you change a major piece of hardware, or a few pieces of minor hardware.
While the techie community is capable of using operating systems that are difficult to install (openBSD, Darwin-i386 + Xfree86), the fact a good OS is easy to install/use/maintain will not drive them away.
I don't care even if zip is using 2046 bit RSA keys...it's fairly easy to crack when all you have is a few dozen bits of entropy derived from a lame password. Remember, why bother brute forcing the key when is's easier to brute force the password used to generate the key. I'd bet most people using zip for encrypting their files choose dictionary passwords. Easy to crack? What do you think?
BTW, the same doesn't quite hold true for PGP/GPG users because they use a key that includes much more entropy than which is derived from the password. Also, the password itself is useless in generating the key. If they choose lame passwords (or none at all), you'd still have to steal their key.
Slashdot Mirror
http://137.229.36.30/cgi-bin/scmag/disp-scmag.cgi? date=20040909&Bx=on
-Michael
I trust md5, gpg and pgp...source is available and many eyes have gone over it. This mickysoft "digital signatures" tab is a proprietary piece of work that must be considered "snake oil" since there is no way to verify that it is not. As a general rule, I DON'T trust close-source crypto products.
I too downloaded it from microsoft and can confirm the MD5 checks. (59a98f181fe383907e520a391d75b5a7 WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe)
Sometimes thumpers listen to their own CD's/ipods, not broadcast radio. A HERF weapon made from a powerful microwave oven's magnatron and a big parabolic antenna can work wonders! If that doesn't shut them up I squeeze off a few seconds of my car mounted gatlin gun. If they're armored (like some of the gang kids are) I use a sidewinder missle. Since the sidewinders are a bit expensive, I'm currently experimenting with a bumper-mounted railgun. When I'm feeling particually nostalgic, I keep a bazooka in the trunk.
If you're paranoid, just create an account for it and use the tarball binary. I often create separate accounts for "untrusted" software I'm trying out. This is one of the biggest benefits of linux.
Packing? Uh, this is Texas. We all "pack" our six-shooters.
Unless I'm missing something in yahoo's interface, yahoo only lets you delete 25 messages at a time. With an inbox packed with spam and multiple groups subscriptions disabled because mail is bouncing, this is quite annoying. Now with 100 megs I'll have to spend a couple days deleting messages once every year or two. -Michael
There is a good program called DBAN available from dban.sourceforge.net which is linux-based boot disk that does a good job overwriting to at least one of the DoD specs.
I use firefox w/adblock extension. Here is my list of sites (importable into adblock) generating almost all banner traffic, including the annoying flash-based ones. I rigged a few PC's to auto-populate this list from their blocklist every day.
I use the Dvorak keyboard layout, so on top of all the audio processing they'd have to do, they'll have to contend with my uber-high-securiy substitution cipher. ;-)
Well, our network is 100% switched on Cisco gear. Every time when our network turns to syrup, we know it's due to hardware failure. ;-)
I don't think I've ever seen a better test of bittorrent than that generated by this particular slashdotting. I wish more protocols scaled having a positive performance boost this way!
If you're not familiar with dvorak, it's an optimized layout that places all the most commonly used keys on homerow. Remember, qwerty was designed to prevent machines from jamming, not for any sort of efficiency.
Golly gee wiz, seems to have compiled just fine under mono on my fedora box.
Uh, wrong thread? Learn read the thread before you post.
Yes, I am seriously being arsey...but management types are getting accustomed to calling any database server a "SQL Server" and this can certainly lead to confusion down the road.
I really do wish mickysoft would rename their flagship database something else. Are they that arrogant that they feel the need for such a generic name? That's about like naming your product "Web Server" or "Network File Server". When someone mentions SQL server, I always have them clarify whether or not they are talking in general terms for some sort of relational backend, or are they referring to microsoft's product. Sometimes they don't even know the difference, but perhaps that is microsoft's end goal.
Do you remember your monitor's refresh rates and hsync? I recommend backing up your old XF86Config so you can modify the monitor section back to what your installation detected.
Redhat/Fedora both use the XFS font server. This driver seems to have trouble with it. This isn't that big a deal since I can stick my fontpath info in the XF86Config file, but I'd really rather use XFS then just stick FontPath "unix:/7100" in the XF86Config file.
Overall, I'm glad ATI is releasing updated drivers, I just wish they'd polish up their installation script and kernel module a tad.
We simply cannot tolerate the loss of HF communications. It is a matter of safety and national security. There is also no telling what these signals will do to sensitive medical equipment designed to run on clean 60hz power. BPL may constitute a direct as well is indirect threat to human life.
BPL will also certainly reduce our ability to listen to foreign broadcast on the shortwave bands. Looks like ClearChannel will be the only thing we'll be allowed to hear.
There already is full NTFS read/write support on Linux. http://www.jankratochvil.net/project/captive/ allows full and safe read/write of NTFS drives/partitions.
I'm in South Texas and one might ask, why would I care? HF propogation is such that I regularly receive signals from Canada. I suspect I'll notice a higher noise floor at times due to this one BPL installation.
I don't think they have any way of really enforcing it though.
I wonder if it is possible to run iTunes on a Linux host O/S, XP guest O/S. I'd suspect it could, but has anyone tried?
While linux is a strong techie's OS, it's also reached the point of being less of a pain in the arse to install and maintain than windows. Windows is such a pain in the arse to install that, if not for the fact it's usually pre-installed or supplied as a ghost image, most end users would have considerable difficulty installing.
It is possible to have a fully operational Fedora box in as little as 15 - 30 minutes that will keep itself updated. Everything that needs configuration can be done right from the GUI nowadays, from partitioning to building your firewall. You can make a kickstart disk to carry your efforts in package selection to other machines. You need not face an interrogation every damned time you change a major piece of hardware, or a few pieces of minor hardware.
While the techie community is capable of using operating systems that are difficult to install (openBSD, Darwin-i386 + Xfree86), the fact a good OS is easy to install/use/maintain will not drive them away.
BTW, the same doesn't quite hold true for PGP/GPG users because they use a key that includes much more entropy than which is derived from the password. Also, the password itself is useless in generating the key. If they choose lame passwords (or none at all), you'd still have to steal their key.