Interesting, if true then even my take on it has been overblown. I guess I should have known if this guy claims not having an end user friendly application name, a custom icon, a clear privacy policy, and a widget is tantamount to undermining the functionality of operating systems and therefore is a rootkit.
On his site, while trying to define CarrierIQ as a rootkit, he pulls an excerpt from the definition on Wikipedia that states a rookit "subverts standard operating system functionality." This is absolutely true, but he then goes on to say:
Carrier IQ also subverts standard operating system functionality. For any application, I believe standard operating functionality includes having a descriptively named application; a launcher icon, settings menu, widget, or other method to allow the end user to access the application; and a privacy policy clearly available on the device the application is installed on.
Huh? This guy clearly does not understand what the word "subvert" means. It's tantamount to undermining the functionality of the operating system if you don't have a descriptively named application, a custom icon, a settings menu, widget, and a visible privacy policy? That has got to be the worst grasping of straws I've seen anyone attempt while trying to make a point.
I completely agree with his overall message -- this CarrierIQ thing is ridiculous and I hope they are eventually held accountable for their gross violation of privacy, but seriously now. It's not a rootkit for not having a settings menu, widget, custom launcher icon, or end user friendly application name. It's a rootkit because it can't be shut off and for all intents and purposes tries hard to stay hidden while completely violating the security of anyone using the phone.
Just on point about Trine 2, I doubt it will make it into a bundle. It may technically still be an Indie company but Frozenbyte struck a deal with real game publisher Atlus regarding Trine 2. I wager that may limit their ability to jump into bed with the Bundle again for that particular game.
If Merck Germany had it first, and it was misappropriated to Merck US by Facebook as an "administrative error", why would they threaten to take it away from both? Facebook seems to have dropped the ball here, no one else. It should go back to Merck Germany.
Rather than abolishing email altogether I think they should adopt a "stop sending useless crap" policy. If only 10% of 200 emails/day is considered useful, then why is it being sent to them them?
Filter out the crap and email will be more streamlined.
You know talking over Skype isn't going to be much more productive than the time it takes to read emails. You'll have your own set of extra challenges such as note taking, idle chitchat, longer conversations, and what have you. Certainly Skype and IM's have a place. It's good for getting a quick answer or conversation that needs immediate attention. Otherwise email seems far more useful.
Are you sure you're on the right website? What exactly do you consider worthy "news for nerds" in games.slashdot.org if not this?
People are really starting to stretch the whole "slashdot worthy" cliche these days. Before you know it, articles about Apple won't fit into the Apple category anymore!
Pardon my ignorance here, but why are they intentionally genetically modifying viruses to be so lethal? It is my (possibly misguided) understanding they're introducing things that wouldn't necessarily happen on their own as they're directing the virus to mutate in various ways. So the "research should be known so we can combat it if it happens naturally" seems a bit wonky as having the virus mutate naturally in this specific way seems unlikely.
I'm not completely opposed to releasing the research, but I must ask why they were intentionally doing this at all?
That's an amazingly slippery slope you have there. You actually think it makes more sense to keep something legal and let companies lie about what they're selling you than to just ban the sale of it?
What happens when your substitute kills someone allergic to it? Who takes the blame?
I've been laughing about organic foods since the craze really started gaining ground, but that right there takes the cake... Solar Dried Organic Sea Salt, naturally dried... Wow. $30 for 16 whole ounces even. That's a great deal!
Yeah, totally man! Because the next guy who goes into office is all about respecting the rights of foreign websites allegedly hawking counterfeit goods!
Ubisoft games have been almost universally crap lately anyway. Gone are the days of things like the Prince of Persia: Sands of Time games or even the original Assasin's Creed. Instead they just rehash the same thing that did moderately well umpteen times (later PoP games, Assasin's Creed, etc). Don't get me started on EA/Activision with Call of Duty and Battlefield but that's another topic altogether.
I used to be a pretty big fan of Ubisoft. They've lost my favor with their aggressive DRM and lack of originality.
Not that they care about my opinion, but my opinion is starting to become the norm. Ubisoft should stay on consoles. It's where they belong now. I'm not losing any sleep over it.
If they're willing to work hard to provide me solid entertainment, I don't care that they're in it for the money. They're doing it right compared to a good number of studios piling out shit and hoping for a quick buck.
You're absolutely correct, which is why Bethesda is one of the few game companies that openly embraces modding to the extent that they do. Bethesda understands that modding is only a good thing that extends sales far beyond what's considered normal.
Sure, if it were something less toxic and misused then yes, the DEA wouldn't care. However if he has large quantities of a material used to (I guess) assist in the production of Meth, then it becomes a bigger issue.
His product isn't being squashed because some meth labs want to use the materials from his products. His product is being squashed because he initially didn't take the permit seriously and it burned him. Now he's actually working to get the permit, so this whole thing is moot anyway.
Indeed, no we don't have anything like that. The closest thing I've seen have tiny 320x240 screens and some of them are touch capable, which are merely for options.
WebOS would probably be a good fit for something like that but a bit unnecessarily advanced. I guess if they already have the tech though why not use it.
Can someone care to enlighten me as to how not implementing these API into Windows back in the day could cause a $1 billion loss for WordPerfect? Or did "Name Space Extensions" mean something else back then? I just don't see how this relates to word processors, and the article even seems to confirm that suspicion with Bill Gates saying the feature didn't have word processors in mind.
I didn't ignore anything. When he was originally told he needs to pay the regulatory fee and provide evidence of adequate security to get the permit, he decided to be a smartass. Once he realized they weren't in any mood for his shit, then he appealed saying that he would actually work on it.
It's pointless to play guessing games regarding what he actually makes and how much he would need to spend to be kosher, but I doubt very much that he would need to spend a year's worth of net income to be considered "secure" enough to obtain the iodine he needs. The DEA just wants to make sure someone can't just walk into his dwelling and walk out with a huge cache of iodine. As it stands right now he can jump through the hoops and keep his business alive, or let the business completely fall apart and have nothing. If he wants to fight the good fight at the expense of his family then by all means, but I doubt he will.
This guy makes $100,000 a year on this stuff. They told him he needed to pay a $1100 regulatory fee and needed to secure his stash. He completely ignores the fee and sends the DEA a picture of his old dog claiming it's his security. I'm really at a loss. Did he secretly not actually want to keep his business?
I do not think the over regulation of these kinds of materials is necessary in society, but it is what it is right now. If he wanted to keep his business, he should have at least tried to look like he wanted to comply instead of brushing everything off and hoping for the best.
That's just the nature of big projects like this (and I love reading them!). Most of them are insignificant which some higher up signed off on being not an issue. For that one it looks bad but it's just for debugging which isn't a priority for a shipping game.
I love the few projects where developers are swearing at each other. Haven't seen any yet in D3 but I'm still looking. I think the HL2 source code had some developers angry at each other in the comments.
You don't really think Blizzard/Valve has no deadlines, do you? While they're notorious for being slow, that doesn't mean the pace they're taking isn't part of their release schedule.
As for HL2 EP3, that's turning into Duke Nukem Forever. They're likely not even working on it at all.
T-Mobile (at least in my area) is one of the best carriers I've used. They couldn't get much better, so I have no idea what you're talking about. Never get dropped calls, internet speed is good, and their customer service is warm and helpful. A few years ago I was laid off from my job and hit a rough patch. My cell bill lapsed and I called T-Mobile. They worked with me and actually cut a huge chunk off my bill, just because I'd been a long time customer.
I know their reception can be a bit flaky across the US, but I just happen to be in a well covered area.
Slashdot Mirror
Interesting, if true then even my take on it has been overblown. I guess I should have known if this guy claims not having an end user friendly application name, a custom icon, a clear privacy policy, and a widget is tantamount to undermining the functionality of operating systems and therefore is a rootkit.
On his site, while trying to define CarrierIQ as a rootkit, he pulls an excerpt from the definition on Wikipedia that states a rookit "subverts standard operating system functionality." This is absolutely true, but he then goes on to say:
Carrier IQ also subverts standard operating system functionality. For any application, I believe standard operating functionality includes having a descriptively named application; a launcher icon, settings menu, widget, or other method to allow the end user to access the application; and a privacy policy clearly available on the device the application is installed on.
Huh? This guy clearly does not understand what the word "subvert" means. It's tantamount to undermining the functionality of the operating system if you don't have a descriptively named application, a custom icon, a settings menu, widget, and a visible privacy policy? That has got to be the worst grasping of straws I've seen anyone attempt while trying to make a point.
I completely agree with his overall message -- this CarrierIQ thing is ridiculous and I hope they are eventually held accountable for their gross violation of privacy, but seriously now. It's not a rootkit for not having a settings menu, widget, custom launcher icon, or end user friendly application name. It's a rootkit because it can't be shut off and for all intents and purposes tries hard to stay hidden while completely violating the security of anyone using the phone.
Just on point about Trine 2, I doubt it will make it into a bundle. It may technically still be an Indie company but Frozenbyte struck a deal with real game publisher Atlus regarding Trine 2. I wager that may limit their ability to jump into bed with the Bundle again for that particular game.
Thank you. The comments section on Slashdot is really broken for me right now so I didn't read most of them.
If Merck Germany had it first, and it was misappropriated to Merck US by Facebook as an "administrative error", why would they threaten to take it away from both? Facebook seems to have dropped the ball here, no one else. It should go back to Merck Germany.
Rather than abolishing email altogether I think they should adopt a "stop sending useless crap" policy. If only 10% of 200 emails/day is considered useful, then why is it being sent to them them?
Filter out the crap and email will be more streamlined.
You know talking over Skype isn't going to be much more productive than the time it takes to read emails. You'll have your own set of extra challenges such as note taking, idle chitchat, longer conversations, and what have you. Certainly Skype and IM's have a place. It's good for getting a quick answer or conversation that needs immediate attention. Otherwise email seems far more useful.
Tinfoil hat engaged.
Are you sure you're on the right website? What exactly do you consider worthy "news for nerds" in games.slashdot.org if not this?
People are really starting to stretch the whole "slashdot worthy" cliche these days. Before you know it, articles about Apple won't fit into the Apple category anymore!
Pardon my ignorance here, but why are they intentionally genetically modifying viruses to be so lethal? It is my (possibly misguided) understanding they're introducing things that wouldn't necessarily happen on their own as they're directing the virus to mutate in various ways. So the "research should be known so we can combat it if it happens naturally" seems a bit wonky as having the virus mutate naturally in this specific way seems unlikely.
I'm not completely opposed to releasing the research, but I must ask why they were intentionally doing this at all?
I would've thought you'd be concerned if such a mod existed for the sake of your own posts.
That's an amazingly slippery slope you have there. You actually think it makes more sense to keep something legal and let companies lie about what they're selling you than to just ban the sale of it?
What happens when your substitute kills someone allergic to it? Who takes the blame?
I've been laughing about organic foods since the craze really started gaining ground, but that right there takes the cake... Solar Dried Organic Sea Salt, naturally dried... Wow. $30 for 16 whole ounces even. That's a great deal!
Prepare to be modded into oblivion, friend.
Yeah, totally man! Because the next guy who goes into office is all about respecting the rights of foreign websites allegedly hawking counterfeit goods!
Ubisoft games have been almost universally crap lately anyway. Gone are the days of things like the Prince of Persia: Sands of Time games or even the original Assasin's Creed. Instead they just rehash the same thing that did moderately well umpteen times (later PoP games, Assasin's Creed, etc). Don't get me started on EA/Activision with Call of Duty and Battlefield but that's another topic altogether.
I used to be a pretty big fan of Ubisoft. They've lost my favor with their aggressive DRM and lack of originality.
Not that they care about my opinion, but my opinion is starting to become the norm. Ubisoft should stay on consoles. It's where they belong now. I'm not losing any sleep over it.
If they're willing to work hard to provide me solid entertainment, I don't care that they're in it for the money. They're doing it right compared to a good number of studios piling out shit and hoping for a quick buck.
You're absolutely correct, which is why Bethesda is one of the few game companies that openly embraces modding to the extent that they do. Bethesda understands that modding is only a good thing that extends sales far beyond what's considered normal.
Sure, if it were something less toxic and misused then yes, the DEA wouldn't care. However if he has large quantities of a material used to (I guess) assist in the production of Meth, then it becomes a bigger issue.
His product isn't being squashed because some meth labs want to use the materials from his products. His product is being squashed because he initially didn't take the permit seriously and it burned him. Now he's actually working to get the permit, so this whole thing is moot anyway.
Indeed, no we don't have anything like that. The closest thing I've seen have tiny 320x240 screens and some of them are touch capable, which are merely for options.
WebOS would probably be a good fit for something like that but a bit unnecessarily advanced. I guess if they already have the tech though why not use it.
Can someone care to enlighten me as to how not implementing these API into Windows back in the day could cause a $1 billion loss for WordPerfect? Or did "Name Space Extensions" mean something else back then? I just don't see how this relates to word processors, and the article even seems to confirm that suspicion with Bill Gates saying the feature didn't have word processors in mind.
I didn't ignore anything. When he was originally told he needs to pay the regulatory fee and provide evidence of adequate security to get the permit, he decided to be a smartass. Once he realized they weren't in any mood for his shit, then he appealed saying that he would actually work on it.
It's pointless to play guessing games regarding what he actually makes and how much he would need to spend to be kosher, but I doubt very much that he would need to spend a year's worth of net income to be considered "secure" enough to obtain the iodine he needs. The DEA just wants to make sure someone can't just walk into his dwelling and walk out with a huge cache of iodine. As it stands right now he can jump through the hoops and keep his business alive, or let the business completely fall apart and have nothing. If he wants to fight the good fight at the expense of his family then by all means, but I doubt he will.
This guy makes $100,000 a year on this stuff. They told him he needed to pay a $1100 regulatory fee and needed to secure his stash. He completely ignores the fee and sends the DEA a picture of his old dog claiming it's his security. I'm really at a loss. Did he secretly not actually want to keep his business?
I do not think the over regulation of these kinds of materials is necessary in society, but it is what it is right now. If he wanted to keep his business, he should have at least tried to look like he wanted to comply instead of brushing everything off and hoping for the best.
That's just the nature of big projects like this (and I love reading them!). Most of them are insignificant which some higher up signed off on being not an issue. For that one it looks bad but it's just for debugging which isn't a priority for a shipping game.
I love the few projects where developers are swearing at each other. Haven't seen any yet in D3 but I'm still looking. I think the HL2 source code had some developers angry at each other in the comments.
You don't really think Blizzard/Valve has no deadlines, do you? While they're notorious for being slow, that doesn't mean the pace they're taking isn't part of their release schedule.
As for HL2 EP3, that's turning into Duke Nukem Forever. They're likely not even working on it at all.
Why?
T-Mobile (at least in my area) is one of the best carriers I've used. They couldn't get much better, so I have no idea what you're talking about. Never get dropped calls, internet speed is good, and their customer service is warm and helpful. A few years ago I was laid off from my job and hit a rough patch. My cell bill lapsed and I called T-Mobile. They worked with me and actually cut a huge chunk off my bill, just because I'd been a long time customer.
I know their reception can be a bit flaky across the US, but I just happen to be in a well covered area.