I'd start, with "I think you need a new sheriff". User behavior in many of my examples is wrong, sharing passwords (would you give someone your social security card or drivers license), sticky notes on monitors (a physically secure note would be a better option) are poor ways to deal with the issues.

There are better ways for a user to deal with the strictures placed upon them than what is frequently seen in the wild. If you can remember a phone number, address, URL, what someone else wore, etc. you can remember a password. I believe on of the major issues is that users were one day given a computer and expected to know how to behave, without guidance or expectations.

Please don't take this to mean that frequent password changes, complexity requirements, etc. aren't bad policy, and seem to lack all consideration for the human part of the equation. The broader point is that fixing the user choose poor passwords problem won't fix anything, if we don't fix the underlying culture and behaviors.

Please tell me no one is surprised by the general conclusion (haven't we been here a time or ten before?) of these studies. Add to this the corporate or government attitude demonstrated so equivalently here, the lack of effective computer security training, including a complete failing of organizations to have or heaven forbid enforce policies about password practices and you've got a pretty pickle.

Sadly, it took the recent Adobe compromise, to get me to finally start using a password wallet and use different passwords for each Internet service I use. Have to admit I was stunned, by the number of accounts I had when I got through most of the sites I access.

After hearing a few disturbing stories from my wife, about how computer security and passwords are treated at her place of work, I stepped up my training for her and her co-workers that will listen. Based on what I've heard from her the choice of poor passwords is the least of our troubles.

• Passwords on sticky notes on monitors.
• Passwords shared with co-workers, that have not been granted access.
• System does not require default password to be changed.
• Default password is a known pattern.
• Techs routinely ask users for passwords
• Co-workers say, "Just give them your password".
• And so on . . .

Unless the underlying problem of poor culture surrounding computer security is changed and an understanding of the associated risks is cultivated, it won't matter one whip whether users can choose "Good Passwords TM".

Possibly related case:

During a review my boss remarked that my appearance was not entirely up to snuff (my words, not hers). I immediately asked for clarification and got a less than specific answer along the lines of you're usually very put together but, some days you're not, which didn't help much. Months later I was witness to a comment she made about another employees scruffiness. Note to self, she doesn't like 5 o'clock, or in my case 3rd day shadow.

More to the point, did you ask for clarification, examples, guidance? Going about this, in a "flailing in the dark" manner is unlikely to produce the desired results. Social skills covers a wide range of material.

Nope, not when they are raised with cell phones at the table.

At dinner table...
Dad: Put down your damn phone!
Daughter: Umm... (points to my phone).

As much as getting an active notice (e.g. via e-mail) would be great, Netgear did send a passive notice, it just wasn't looked at. Best practice would be to check for updates on a regular (i.e. monthly, or more often depending the inherent level of paranoia) basis. Granted if a ReadyNAS can send notices about scrubbing, or power failure, or disk failure, it should be able to send notices about updates (Never did get why it doesn't).

If something is on the network (computer, server, NAS, application, tablet, cell phone, etc.) some level of active effort should be made to ensure it's patched, updated, mitigated or replaced. If the network gets compromised sadly, Netgear won't feel the pinch.

Referring to ones self as something, sadly doesn't make it so.

Well, it depends. You say " computationally intensive data mining problem" but, what kind computations (arithmetic, mathematical, text-base, etc.).

In general for flat out speed, toss interpreted languages out (Perl, Python, Java, etc.) the door. You'll want something that compiles to machine code, esp. if you are running on older hardware. Crunching numbers, complex math, matrices then Fortran is the beast. If you're data is arranged in lists, consider lisp, then pick something else as it will likely give you a migraine. The format of your data and what you need to do with it will drive your language choice.

Is finding a partner an option? Seems you should be able to work with someone from CS who needs a coding project...

Hmmm, so if my records are made available to a third party, I lose my right to privacy . . .

Well, my medical insurance requires access to my records or at least to medical information in order to process claims for coverage, including condition, diagnosis, tests, medication, etc., etc. etc.

So by logical extension, the medical records of everyone are public?!?

#EpicFail

Hmmm, Mark up error, seems &lqao

Guy: Where did you hear that?
Girl: The Internet.
Guy: And you believed it?
Girl: Yeah. They can't put anything on the Internet that isn't true.
Guy: Where did you hear that?
Girl: The Internet.
Girl: Oh Look, here comes my date. I met him on the internet. He's a french model.
French Guy: Bonjour.

Me:

Problem #1: Placebo Corp has funds that you would like to nominally give away but, for some strange reason (e.g. FSO is addicted to counting the wrong kind of beans, CEO thinks donating is a bad word. etc, etc, etc.) you are not able to actually give money away.

Problem #2: Open Source projects accept actual donations. Sending you an invoice would very likely change their financial and/or legal status, especially, when said invoice is for services they didn't provide or for a product they don't sell.

While I can't comprehend why Placebo Corp wants to but can't give away money, I do have a vague grasp of why an Open Source project won't invoice you. The Project is unlikely to have anyone who can easily deal with invoicing etc. especially in the time frame you are taking about. The simplest solution would be to solve the problem on your end and figure out a way for you company to actually make a donation.

Corporate giving, it's been know to happen!

I'm surprised to hear new about 'suspects (my word)' so soon after the glitch occurred. It makes me wonder how a company, with the technical expertise to find the supposed root cause of the problem in a recent software update so quickly, failed to catch the error prior to the software being installed ?!?

It would be more correct that begging the question, can refer to a logical fallacy. The phrase may also mean "to cause a particular question to be asked", which in this case would be "why I would be looking for trademark infringement, where none could occur?"

In future, please consider entire context before, jumping to conclusions.

Let's take a shot in the dark and guess it's a lot stronger than "don't like".

Nope, it doesn't make one damn bit of sense. Although, I do think it would be a hoot to get a notice from one of them.