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User: bradvoy

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Comments · 19

  1. Re:BroadBand HamNet on How Ubiquiti Networks Is Creatively Violating the GPL · · Score: 1

    In the short term it shouldn't have much effect on BroadBand HamNet because the BroadBand HamNet project replaces Ubiquiti's proprietary software with software based on OpenWRT. In the longer term this could help BroadBand HamNet. If this results in Ubiquiti releasing the source to their software, that could make it easier for the OpenWRT and BroadBand HamNet developers to add additional features/performance/reliability to their builds that target these devices.

  2. Re:Better yet on Listen To a Microsoft Support Scam As It Happened · · Score: 1

    I was expecting him to say something along these lines, but I got the impression that he didn't have enough technical knowledge to ad lib something like this and it wasn't in his prepared script.

  3. Which computer? on Listen To a Microsoft Support Scam As It Happened · · Score: 4, Informative

    I received one of these calls a few weeks ago. After the scammer informed me that my computer was compromised but he was going to help me solve the problem I thanked him for his help and asked him which of my computers was infected. He seemed surprised by the question and said, "You have more than one computer?" I replied that I have several and surely he must be aware of that because he had just described the extensive monitoring Microsoft was doing. He said it didn't matter which one; just go to one of them and follow his instructions to get rid of the infection. I said that surely I need to go to the one that is infected to clean it, but he again claimed it didn't matter which one I went to. I pushed the point that if his monitoring was able to detect an infection then surely it must be able to identify which of my computers was infected. He started becoming beligerent, almost shouting that it didn't matter which computer had the infection but that I needed to go to one of them immediately so he could help me clean it. At this point I called him a liar and asked how he felt about lying to and stealing from people. He really started yelling at that point, and I just hung up. I haven't heard back yet.

  4. Re:Why do they take so long to load? on Microsoft Announces Office 2016 and Office For Windows 10 Coming Later This Year · · Score: 1

    I've never seen any version of Word or PowerPoint since 2003 take anywhere near that long to load except when there are one or more slow-loading addins installed. Check your list of addins and disable or uninstall any you don't use.

  5. Re:Half of slashdotters have had this idea... on Germans Can Get Free Heating From the Cloud · · Score: 1

    I work for a company that creates applications that store and process our customers' data in the cloud, so I'm biased. But in the vast majority of cases our customers' data is much more secure in our systems than it used to be when they stored it on their own on-premise systems. Most of them are medium-sized businesses with IT staffs that are competent but don't have training or much time to spend focusing on security issues. As a result most of their in-house systems have nowhere near the level of security that our systems have.

  6. Re:It's the passenger choise to listen or not on Flight Attendants Want Stricter Gadget Rules Reinstated · · Score: 1

    ... there are a number of well documented cases of aircraft ditching and people inflating life-jackets inside the aircraft and people needlessly ending up drowned.

    Would you care to provide a citation to one of these well documented cases?

  7. Re:bailing water at this point, ms. on Microsoft Dumps 1,500 Apps From Its Windows Store · · Score: 1

    ...from a store few used and even fewer knew existed ...

    You're suggesting that some used the store without knowing it existed. An impressive achievement.

  8. Re:It's about time! on Man Shot To Death For Texting During Movie · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Shooting some for anything is never justified

    Wrong. If someone is posing a clear and present danger to me or my family, and if the setting is such that shooting him doesn't pose a danger to others in the vicinity, then shooting him would absolutely be justified.

    Obviously that wasn't the case in this incident.

  9. Re:Microsoft seems not to understand. on Microsoft Takes Another Stab At Tablets, Unveils Surface 2, Surface 2 Pro · · Score: 2

    Same here. I've used an iPad and an Android tablet in the past, but my Surface Pro is far more useful because it runs Office and all my other Windows apps and yet is as portable as other tablets. There are only 2 problems with it: 1. The battery life is much shorter than an iPad or Android tablet. The Surface Pro 2 should be much better in that regard. 2. It costs too much. I got mine for free, but otherwise I wouldn't have bought it. Microsoft is NOT solving that problem with the Surface Pro 2; they're going with the same pricing as the original. It needs to be at least $200 less.

  10. Re:Chromebook? on Ask Slashdot: Protecting Home Computers From Guests? · · Score: 1

    I have a nephew who has very poor judgement. The first time he asked to use one of our computers to check Facebook and his email I was very concerned that he would download malware. Then I remembered the Chromebook and handed it to him. Problem solved. It let him do everything he wanted to do and prevented him from causing any problems. Now every time he comes over he asks if he can borrow "that cool laptop that goes directly to the browser".

  11. Portal on Learning Rocket Science With Video Games · · Score: 1

    Portal is the game that first got my son really thinking about concepts like conservation of momentum, even though he didn't know that's what he was thinking about.

  12. NetDocuments on Business-Suitable Document Authentication System? · · Score: 1

    Take a look at NetDocuments. It's SaaS, so you don't have to maintain servers, and sharing documents between multiple offices is trivial. It includes digital signature functionality.

  13. 4 8 15 16 23 42 on Old Operating Systems Never Die · · Score: 3, Funny

    There's this island somewhere in the Pacific where they still use Apple II's to keep the world from ending. From the screenshots I've seen they don't appear to be running the old Apple OS on them, though.

  14. NetDocuments on How To Manage Hundreds of Thousands of Documents? · · Score: 1

    Take a look at NetDocuments. It's a SaaS (Software as a Service) document management system. It handles millions of documents, can be accessed from anywhere, and is relatively inexpensive compared to maintaining your own servers.

  15. Final confrontation between Gandalf and Saruman on ROTK:EE Trailer Released · · Score: 1

    Does Saruman shoot first in this version?

  16. Re:Can someone explain? on Internet Televison Content Coming of Age · · Score: 1

    Because they don't want to offend their local affiliate stations by bypassing them. The local affiliates argue they shouldn't be bypassed because they add valuable local content such as local news. Of course they also add local advertising which is where the local affiliates make their money.

  17. Re:A Challenge on Rehabilitating Damaged Laptops · · Score: 1

    Slackware requires 16MB of RAM and 50MB of disk, at least for the current distribution. This laptop isn't even close. You suggested getting an older distribution. Any idea what the hardware requirements are for older distributions? Thanks!

  18. A Challenge on Rehabilitating Damaged Laptops · · Score: 1

    I have a REALLY old laptop that is still in pretty good condition except that the battery is dead (have to use it with the AC adapter). It has a 386sx processor, 5 MB of RAM, and a 40 MB hard drive. It's currently running Windows 3.11.

    Can I do anything useful with this? Someone suggested using Knoppix to make it into an MP3 player, which sounds interesting, but the minimum requirements of Knoppix are beyond this machine. I keep telling the kids that they should use this laptop to write school papers, etc. but they want to use the newer machines in the house so they can simultaneously chat via MSN Messenger while doing their homework.

  19. Re:The whole grid is vulnerable! on Power Grid Insecurities Examined · · Score: 1
    The local power company recently constructed a new substation near my neighborhood. Although the conditional use permit allowing them to build it stipulated that the external lights all had to be controlled by motion sensors, the utility initially turned on 5 big, bright floodlights 24x7. When I complained to the utility that they were causing severe light pollution and were violating the terms of their conditional use permit, they claimed that the Department of Homeland Security was forcing them to keep the lights on all the time to deter terrorists.

    After I stopped laughing I pointed out that there is no critical infrastructure dependent on this substation. There aren't even any businesses served by it. It just services a quiet suburban residential area. It would be a boon to homeland security if terrorists targetted this substation instead of spending their time on a target that would cause real physical, economic, or other damage.

    After a few days and a few more arguments, they finally concluded that the Department of Homeland Security wasn't requiring that the lights be on all the time after all. The motion sensors have been activated, so now the substation is only lit up when deer run by.