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Submission + - After 47 years, Computerworld ceases print publication (technologizer.com)

Submitted by harrymcc
harrymcc writes: In June 1967, a weekly newspaper called Computerworld launched. Almost exactly 47 years later, it's calling it quits in print form to focus on its website and other digital editions. The move isn't the least bit surprising, but it's also the end of an era--and I can' t think of any computing publication which had a longer run. Over at Technologizer, I shared some thoughts on what Computerworld meant to the world, to its publisher, IDG, and to me.

Submission + - Make A Date With Fraud

Submitted by Rambo Tribble
Rambo Tribble writes: Netcraft is reporting that criminals are mounting massive phishing attacks through online dating sites. The scams are numerous and target multiple sites. Actual methods range from blackmail to 419-style scams. Characteristically, fraudsters hijack an existing account on one of the services, then use that as a portal to deliver a PHP script to compromise the site. 'The latest attacks make use of a phishing kit which contains hundreds of PHP scripts, configured to send stolen credentials to more than 300 distinct email addresses.' The BBC offers additional insights .

Submission + - Two senators (one of whom is a Republican!) propose a 12-cent gas tax increase (greatergreaterwashington.org)

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: There are several proposals on the table to stave off the impending insolvency of the Highway Trust Fund (which pays for transit, biking, and walking projects too) in two months. Just now, two senators teamed up to announce one that might actually have a chance. Senators Bob Corker (R-TN) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) have proposed increasing the gas tax by 12 cents a gallon over two years. The federal gas tax currently stands at 18.4 cents a gallon, where it has been set since 1993, when gas cost $1.16 a gallon.

Submission + - U.S. wants to build 'Internet of Postal Things' (computerworld.com)

Submitted by dcblogs
dcblogs writes: The U.S. Postal Service plans to spend up to $100,000 to investigate how it can utilize low cost sensors and related wireless technologies to improve the efficiency of its operations. The postal service already scans letters and parcels up to 11 times during processing, representing 1.7 trillion scans a year. It uses supercomputers to process that data. In theory, the postal service believes that everything it uses — mailboxes, vehicles, machines, or a letter carrier — could be equipped with a sensor to create what it terms the Internet of Postal Things. The Internet has not been kind to the postal service. Electronic delivery has upended the postal services business model. In 2003, it processed 49 billion pieces of single-piece first-class mail, but by 2013, that figured dropped to 22.6 billion pieces.

Submission + - New Facebook app forces you to trade messages (cnn.com) 1

Submitted by mpicpp
mpicpp writes: As expected, Facebook has launched a Snapchat-like mobile app that lets users trade ephemeral photo- and video-based messages.
But that's not what's most interesting about it.

With the new app, called Slingshot, you can't view an incoming message until you respond with a photo or video of your own. That's right: There can be no passive users on Slingshot, which is basically forcing its community to trade photos and video clips, quid pro quo, like schoolkids exchanging stickers or lunchbox snacks.

"With Slingshot, we wanted to build something where everybody is a creator and nobody is just a spectator," its creators said Tuesday in a blog post announcing the app. "When everyone participates, there's less pressure, more creativity and even the little things in life can turn into awesome shared experiences."

Judging by initial reaction, however, at least some users may find this stricture a little annoying.
United Kingdom

Restored Bletchly Park Opens 51

Posted by Unknown Lamer from the things-to-see dept.
Graculus (3653645) writes with this excerpt from the BBC: Codebreakers credited with shortening World War Two worked in Bletchley Park, in structures built to last only a few years. Now, following a painstaking restoration, they have been brought back to life and Wednesday's official opening marks a remarkable turnaround from top secrecy to world wide attraction. With no photographs of the insides to work with, Bletchley Park looked to its most valuable resource — the veterans who worked there. A museum at the site has already been opened. The structures were once perilously close to being lost forever (until Google stepped in).

Submission + - NADA Is Terrified Of Tesla

Submitted by cartechboy
cartechboy writes: It's no secret that the National Automobile Dealers Association has been trying to block Tesla from selling cars directly from consumers, but to date, it has been defeated countless times in many states. Now NADA put out a release and promotional video touting the benefits of dealer franchises, something Tesla has shunned. NADA mentions price competition, consumer safety, local economic benefits, and added value. While NADA argues its points, there's no question that Tesla could easily turn around and argue right back with valid counter points. There may be some truth to NADA's claims, but there are some gaping holes in the arguments that can't be ignored, and I'm sure Tesla won't. Hey NADA, you scared?

Submission + - African firm is selling pepper-spray bullet firing drones (suasnews.com)

Submitted by garymortimer
garymortimer writes: South Africa-based Desert Wolf told the BBC it had secured the sale of 25 units to a mining company after showing off the tech at a trade show in London.

It is marketing the device as a “riot control copter” that can tackle crowds “without endangering the lives of security staff”.

But the International Trade Union Confederation is horrified by the idea.

Submission + - Freecode Freezeup (freecode.com)

Submitted by LeadSongDog
LeadSongDog writes: The venerable Freecode site has today gone static, blaming low traffic. No new content is being accepted, but they continue to serve existing content. They recommend projects consider moving to Sourceforge.

Submission + - Why China is worried about Japan's plutonium stocks (thebulletin.org)

Submitted by Lasrick
Lasrick writes: A fascinating account of why China is so worried about Japan's excessive plutonium stocks: combined with its highly sophisticated missile program, 'Chinese nuclear-weapons specialists emphasize that Japan has everything technically needed to make nuclear weapons.' It turns out that Japan has under-reported a sizable amount of plutonium, and there have been increasing signs that the country might be moving toward re-militarization. This is a particularly worrying read about nuclear tensions in Asia.

Submission + - AT&T confirms security breach: SS numbers, call records compromised (geekrepublic.org)

Submitted by criticalmass24
criticalmass24 writes: U.S. telecommunications company AT&T has confirmed security breach by its service provider, which compromised personal data of customers such as social security number, call records and more.

AT&T confirmed that the breach occurred between April 9 and April 21, but the company has disclosed the breach to California regulators recently. If such an incident affects at least 500 people, the law in California requires a company to reveal the total number of customers affected by the breach. However, AT&T has not disclosed the number of subscribers whose personal data was compromised as a result of the breach.

Submission + - Improvements The Linux Desktop Needs (datamation.com)

Submitted by jones_supa
jones_supa writes: In the last fifteen years, the Linux desktop has gone from a collection of marginally adequate solutions to an unparalleled source of innovation and choice. Many of its standard features are either unavailable in Windows, or else available only as a proprietary extension. As a result, using Linux is increasingly not only a matter of principle, but of preference as well. Yet, despite this progress, gaps remain. Some are missing features, others missing features, and still others pie-in-the sky extras that could be easily implemented to extend the desktop metaphor without straining users' tolerance of change. DataMation begins the discussion by throwing some suggestions on the table: easy e-mail encryption, thumbnails for virtual workspaces, more workable menus, professional and affordable video editor, a proper document processor, color-coded title bars and, icon fences. There's probably dozens of other unspoken ideas out there, so what improvements to the Linux desktop would you add to the list?

Comment Re:i would (Score 1) 197

by rjmx (#47256391) Attached to: Latin America Exhausts IPv4 Addresses

Well, actually, my system is a bit special. There's a Linux box acting as a firewall/router at the front-end, for a start, and that's why I had to spend extra time setting it up. As other people seem to be reporting here, normal setups seem to work without additional screwing around.

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