The trouble with this approach is that it kills the publisher's revenue stream
Are you joking? The Linux fanboy mantra is always "Content wants to be free!" The fact that a Linux magazine is full of content with zero revenue for the publisher or writers must be wet dream for Stallman and their ilk.
It does strongly prejudice against people who are from and/or have traveled to particular countries
Exactly right. I'm as WASP as they come, and I was pulled aside at Ben Gurion when my passport showed entry visas for Egypt and Jordan. While the questions were very serious, at all times I felt like I was dealing with an intelligent, skilled professional whom I immediately respected. I have no such sense when I'm being barked at by some TSA goon.
Yet very little ever makes it to a product. Wonder why?
Because often the 'cool stuff' will be too expensive when it goes to market. Why did the Lisa flop? Because, while in many ways it was cooler than the mac, it was too expensive.
It's no good inventing some cool 3D gaming console - If it needs to retail for $1,499 it's going to fail. Cool stuff needs to meet a magic price point - Even though some people are willing to pay the 'apple tax' they're only willing to go so far...
Are you a lawyer? Because that's generally an urban legend. As long as the police are acting lawfully (e.g. no torture), a lawyer can't 'force' the police to do anything. Where it sometimes works is if the lawyer tells you to be silent and you are - The police may eventually release you once they realize they're not getting anything out of you.
His first mistake (after, of course, uploading the movie) was in not demanding a lawyer present for all interrogations
This is a common misunderstanding.
A lawyer is necessary when you've been charged with a crime and you're going in front of a judge.
You don't need one when you're being interrogated (i.e. before you've been charged). All you need to do is BE SILENT. Do not talk to anyone. Don't say anything.
"Did you upload this movie?" silence.
"Is this your computer?" silence
"If you cooperate we'll make it easier on you." silence
If you do have a lawyer during an interrogation, all he will do is tell you to keep silent.
So I'm trying to remember - In the book do they actually land on the moon? What do they use as a landing craft? Do they walk on the moon...? Read the book a looong time ago...
Well, government jobs tend to be low-paying by definition
Depends whether you're looking at just the salary, or salary + benefits, because it's usually in the benefits area where gov't jobs shine - Lots of vacation, medical / dental, maybe a pension, job security, 35 hours a week... So it depends on your priorities, and where you are in life - Some people would rather earn less and have enough time off to go backpacking in Thailand for five weeks.
People are switching to handheld devices running mainly iOS or Android. In a few years, the average college student may not be using either Windows or MacOS, but instead they will be mainly familiar with these phone/tablet systems.
Do you actually work in the real world? I work in software product management - I create complex documents, flowcharts and work on spreadsheets. I collaborate on UI wireframes. My colleagues in accounting run sophisticated apps. I have friends who are lawyers, others who are structural engineers... Many of us work across two 22" monitors...
How exactly do any of us do this work on tablets or phones? Microsoft OWNS those environments, hands down - From the desktops, to the servers...
The real world isn't twitter updates from your iDevice.
I'm guessing there are plenty of people in the same boat as me who, with one kid and one on the way, one income and very little disposable cash, can't seem to justify a $500 TV purchase
You're bang on - We have two kids (3.5 and 1.25 years old) and a flat-CRT trinitron. Works well and the kids don't know the difference. More important things to spend $X00. Besides, in this age of 'disposable consumerism' why throw the old TV away? I'll replace it when it doesn't work anymore. (And yes, most of my friends with kids have CRTs too...)
It seems to me that if you can simply deny you have it, and get away with it, it must only be very gullible crims who ever get caught by LoJack.
"It depends." If you're the actual crim, stating that you don't have it (with evidence to the contrary) then that usually doesn't work... The police will knock on your door. However, if you bought it on Craigslist, i.e. you're not the actual thief, then, depending on the police in your jurisdiction, this may or may not work.
They don't 'bend the law' - They just do all the legwork for the police. They basically say here's a stolen computer, here's all the forensic evidence proving who the thief is and here's what you need when you go in front of a judge. They do all the (legal) investigative work that holds up in court.
Ok, so the thief steals it, re-installs Windows but never directly connects it back to the internet. He then sells it on Craigslist, and when the person who bought it connects it to the internet, it leads back to a person who didn't steal it.
You still get your computer back.
Or if they really know what they are doing, modifies or flashes an already modified BIOS to the machine and takes out the LoJack completely.
This is extremely difficult to do, and is usually unsuccessful.
Or the most likely - victim tracks down the vicinity where it is reported the stolen laptop is. Gets the technically clueless police department involved who don't understand what you are trying to tell them, and are unwilling/unable to help. This has happened to several of my friends while tracking stolen cell phones.
This is why the LoJack for Laptops recovery team manages the recovery process, not the end user. This is what you're paying for when you buy the service - It's the team of professional ex-cops who work with law enforcement to get your stuff back.
It's trivial to reflash the BIOS to remove that you know.
No, it's not. The code is in the firmware flash that you're downloading from the OEM - So you're just reflashing the same data back into the firmware...
No, it only persists to windows - But the general thief use case that we've experienced is the re-installation of Windows so it can be sold on Craigslist. Re-installing Linux devalues the resale value of the asset.
What happens when the perp wipes the hard drive? Barring some BIOS magic, your software just disappears
LoJack for Laptops has code in the firmware of all of the major laptop manufacturers. The code is dormant, but wakes up when you install the product. Once activated, the code checks for the presence of the LoJack agent on the hard drive and replaces it if it's removed or if it's been tampered with. It will survived an OS re-install, hard drive wipe - Even a hard drive swap.
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What a well-reasoned response, you Anonymous Cowards.
The trouble with this approach is that it kills the publisher's revenue stream
Are you joking? The Linux fanboy mantra is always "Content wants to be free!" The fact that a Linux magazine is full of content with zero revenue for the publisher or writers must be wet dream for Stallman and their ilk.
What makes each category better than another? Just curious...
Even appearances can be a deterrent.
Sure, but is that worth BILLIONS of dollars? That's what it comes down to - Is this money well spent?
It does strongly prejudice against people who are from and/or have traveled to particular countries
Exactly right. I'm as WASP as they come, and I was pulled aside at Ben Gurion when my passport showed entry visas for Egypt and Jordan. While the questions were very serious, at all times I felt like I was dealing with an intelligent, skilled professional whom I immediately respected. I have no such sense when I'm being barked at by some TSA goon.
Yet very little ever makes it to a product. Wonder why?
Because often the 'cool stuff' will be too expensive when it goes to market. Why did the Lisa flop? Because, while in many ways it was cooler than the mac, it was too expensive.
It's no good inventing some cool 3D gaming console - If it needs to retail for $1,499 it's going to fail. Cool stuff needs to meet a magic price point - Even though some people are willing to pay the 'apple tax' they're only willing to go so far...
Are you a lawyer? Because that's generally an urban legend. As long as the police are acting lawfully (e.g. no torture), a lawyer can't 'force' the police to do anything. Where it sometimes works is if the lawyer tells you to be silent and you are - The police may eventually release you once they realize they're not getting anything out of you.
His first mistake (after, of course, uploading the movie) was in not demanding a lawyer present for all interrogations
This is a common misunderstanding.
A lawyer is necessary when you've been charged with a crime and you're going in front of a judge.
You don't need one when you're being interrogated (i.e. before you've been charged). All you need to do is BE SILENT. Do not talk to anyone. Don't say anything.
"Did you upload this movie?" silence.
"Is this your computer?" silence
"If you cooperate we'll make it easier on you." silence
If you do have a lawyer during an interrogation, all he will do is tell you to keep silent.
I'd love to fly an RC plane around a local park with my kids and then offload the video
Here's an extreme version:
http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2010/12/how-a-rc-airplane-buzzed-the-statue-of-liberty-with-no-arrests.ars
That's right! Thanks for the refresher... Now I remember.
So I'm trying to remember - In the book do they actually land on the moon? What do they use as a landing craft? Do they walk on the moon...? Read the book a looong time ago...
He didn't take them to the moon
Homer Hickam (of Rocket Boys / October Sky fame) wrote a now somewhat-dated yet still fun novel about a trip to the moon via the orbiter:
http://www.amazon.com/Back-Moon-Novel-Homer-Hickam/dp/0385334222
Do federal employees get any stat holidays that those in the public sector don't get?
I am 40 years old with almost 20 years experience
Since you're sharing, do you mind telling us how much vacation you get?
Well, government jobs tend to be low-paying by definition
Depends whether you're looking at just the salary, or salary + benefits, because it's usually in the benefits area where gov't jobs shine - Lots of vacation, medical / dental, maybe a pension, job security, 35 hours a week... So it depends on your priorities, and where you are in life - Some people would rather earn less and have enough time off to go backpacking in Thailand for five weeks.
People are switching to handheld devices running mainly iOS or Android. In a few years, the average college student may not be using either Windows or MacOS, but instead they will be mainly familiar with these phone/tablet systems.
Do you actually work in the real world? I work in software product management - I create complex documents, flowcharts and work on spreadsheets. I collaborate on UI wireframes. My colleagues in accounting run sophisticated apps. I have friends who are lawyers, others who are structural engineers... Many of us work across two 22" monitors...
How exactly do any of us do this work on tablets or phones? Microsoft OWNS those environments, hands down - From the desktops, to the servers...
The real world isn't twitter updates from your iDevice.
a subscription-based product that is not even available without paying a fee
A *fee*?!? GASP!
1.Collect Underpants
2. ???
3.Profit
I'm guessing there are plenty of people in the same boat as me who, with one kid and one on the way, one income and very little disposable cash, can't seem to justify a $500 TV purchase
You're bang on - We have two kids (3.5 and 1.25 years old) and a flat-CRT trinitron. Works well and the kids don't know the difference. More important things to spend $X00. Besides, in this age of 'disposable consumerism' why throw the old TV away? I'll replace it when it doesn't work anymore. (And yes, most of my friends with kids have CRTs too...)
It seems to me that if you can simply deny you have it, and get away with it, it must only be very gullible crims who ever get caught by LoJack.
"It depends." If you're the actual crim, stating that you don't have it (with evidence to the contrary) then that usually doesn't work... The police will knock on your door. However, if you bought it on Craigslist, i.e. you're not the actual thief, then, depending on the police in your jurisdiction, this may or may not work.
do you know anyone who has actually recovered a laptop successfully using LoJack?
Yes.
http://blog.absolute.com/20000-recoveries-and-counting/
They don't 'bend the law' - They just do all the legwork for the police. They basically say here's a stolen computer, here's all the forensic evidence proving who the thief is and here's what you need when you go in front of a judge. They do all the (legal) investigative work that holds up in court.
Ok, so the thief steals it, re-installs Windows but never directly connects it back to the internet. He then sells it on Craigslist, and when the person who bought it connects it to the internet, it leads back to a person who didn't steal it.
You still get your computer back.
Or if they really know what they are doing, modifies or flashes an already modified BIOS to the machine and takes out the LoJack completely.
This is extremely difficult to do, and is usually unsuccessful.
Or the most likely - victim tracks down the vicinity where it is reported the stolen laptop is. Gets the technically clueless police department involved who don't understand what you are trying to tell them, and are unwilling/unable to help. This has happened to several of my friends while tracking stolen cell phones.
This is why the LoJack for Laptops recovery team manages the recovery process, not the end user. This is what you're paying for when you buy the service - It's the team of professional ex-cops who work with law enforcement to get your stuff back.
It's trivial to reflash the BIOS to remove that you know.
No, it's not. The code is in the firmware flash that you're downloading from the OEM - So you're just reflashing the same data back into the firmware...
But can it install to odd linux format types?
No, it only persists to windows - But the general thief use case that we've experienced is the re-installation of Windows so it can be sold on Craigslist. Re-installing Linux devalues the resale value of the asset.
Unless you take the HD out and replace it with a clean one...
LoJack for Laptops has code in the firmware of most laptops that allows it to persist across a hard drive swap.
What happens when the perp wipes the hard drive? Barring some BIOS magic, your software just disappears
LoJack for Laptops has code in the firmware of all of the major laptop manufacturers. The code is dormant, but wakes up when you install the product. Once activated, the code checks for the presence of the LoJack agent on the hard drive and replaces it if it's removed or if it's been tampered with. It will survived an OS re-install, hard drive wipe - Even a hard drive swap.