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Comment: Re:Won't help (Score 1) 365

by Havenwar (#20260945) Attached to: Watermarking to Replace DRM?
Please prove you have removed all theft-countering devices on all things you have ever bought.
Is that a transmitter in your shirt? Is someone listening? Do you have your tinfoil hat on?

Okay, let us step by step this... watermarks to track the origin of a file. Ergo, if he has failed to remove the watermark, it will be his problem in the end, not yours. And it will also be his incentive to be sure - since watermarks much like steganography is not undetectable he will not have much difficulty being sure. But why he should prove it to you I can not begin to imagine.

Watermarks identifying the source of a file can never work because you can do comparative analysis between versions fro different sources, which will allow you to get the original file. If any watermarks remain that is the same in every copy of a file... then that watermark can do you no harm. It can't be used to track you or the distributor or the origin of a file. So again, why should he prove that he has removed 'every' watermark? Would it not be quite enough if he just, you know, removed the one that could implicate him?

Security

Mighty Key - how much key, and how much mighty?

Submitted by
LoveDemon
LoveDemon writes "A new and rather interesting portable bundle offers several security features in one go — Plug and Protect — making data encryption as simple as plug and click, providing anonymous browsing and automated backup, claiming to be your New Computer Key.
I find this to be more eloquent than my bungling self:
http://prweb.com/releases/2007/2/prweb506462.htm"
Music

Study shows file sharing has no effect on CD sales

Submitted by
jibjibjib
jibjibjib writes "Ars Technica reports that a study by Felix Oberholzer-Gee and Koleman Strumpf, recently published in the Journal of Political Economy, shows that file sharing is not responsible for declining CD sales figures.

The study, entitled "The Effect of File Sharing on Record Sales: An Empirical Analysis," claims that "a one-standard-deviation increase in file sharing reduces an album's weekly sales by a mere 368 copies, an effect that is too small to be statistically distinguishable from zero.""
Security

Blowing the Whistle on Security Management

Submitted by
postasaurus
postasaurus writes "What are the similarities between ITSec managers and a World Cup referee? There are more than you might imagine. While its unlikely that anyone will shout rude chants that question your parentage or eyesight, you can be sure that similar sentiments may sometimes be muttered under users breath. And while no-one will thank you when youve done a great job, everyone will be on your case if things take an unexpected turn for the worse.

Full article text at http://www.exaprotect.com/articles/BlowingTheWhist leOnSecurityManagement.jsp"
Microsoft

Microsoft serves up malware via Messenger Ads

Submitted by aussienemesis
aussienemesis writes "WARNING: Winfixer and Errorsafe were being distributed via MSN Messenger banner advertisements

Sandi Hardmeier, Microsoft MVP, reports that ErrorSafe and Winfixer were being pimped via the Flash banner ads that are part of the Windows Live Messenger contact pane.

http://msmvps.com/blogs/spywaresucks/archive/2007/ 02/18/591493.aspx"
Microsoft

Did Microsoft buy Kazakhstan?

Submitted by
An anonymous reader writes "Microsoft's open letter on Interoperability, Choice and Open XML is mocked by Opera's CTO in a CNET article titled Microsoft's amusing standards stance. Microsoft claims that governments wants a "choice" among standards.

Which countries? Is it Kazakhstan by any chance? Kazakhstan recently joined the relevant ISO group. In the past, consultants paid by Microsoft have joined standardization groups and become sympathetic voices. Are they buying countries this time?
Further, Microsoft's technical contributions to standards — and in particular Jean Paoli's (who co-authored the open letter) contributions to W3C — is questioned:

One of the authors of that submission was Jean Paoli. It is unlikely that he did much of the technical work on XSL, and he was probably listed for political reasons. Similarly, he was listed as an editor of the XML specification after Microsoft made some phone calls.
The author is not a fan of ODF, though, calling it a "memory dump with angle brackets around it". Instead, he suggests an advanced document format based on HTML and CSS that can be viewed in common browsers."
PlayStation (Games)

Surgical success linked to skill at video games

Submitted by mjh
mjh writes "According to The Guardian, "A study has found a direct link between skill at video gaming and skill at keyhole, or laparoscopic, surgery. Young surgeons who spent at least three hours a week playing video games in the past made 37% fewer errors, were 27% faster, and scored 42% better overall than surgeons who had never played a video game at all." The sample size they quote seems rather small, but it suggests that Steven Johnson might be right."
Internet Explorer

IE7 No longer a critical update?

Submitted by Gene K
Gene K writes "While running a handful of newly-installed machines by Windows Update today, I noticed that the Internet Explorer 7 'critical update' is no longer listed. Is this simply an oversight or has Microsoft finally buckled in the face of incompatibility?"
Television

Casting TV Show seeking Nerdy Men!!! 21-33 yrs

Submitted by
Angela Bosworth
Angela Bosworth writes "CALLING ALL QUIRKY, GEEKY, NERDY, LOVEABLE GUYS!!!! ATTENTION! HELPING QUIRKY GUYS TO FINALLY GET THE GIRL!!!!! NEW SHOW!!! Are you TOO intelligent??? Does it get in the way of your relationship with women? Do Women make you TONGUE TIED? ARE YOU MORE OF A GEEK THAN A STUD? Would you rather play videogames than hang out with a girl? Have you not been on a date in a long time? If you could know the secrets to THE APPROACH, THE CONVERSATION, MAKING THE FIRST MOVE, GETTING THAT PHONE NUMBER would you learn it????? Here's your opportunity!!! This is a Major Network Show where you will learn from THE GREATEST PICK UP ARTIST. You will be taught everything you need to know about women. If you're a loveable geek (21-31 yrs) we want you!!! Send an email to puacasting@gmail.com include a brief bio of who you are, why you would be an ideal candidate, your picture and your contact PHONE NUMBERS!!!!"

Blessed is the man who, having nothing to say, abstains from giving wordy evidence of the fact. -- George Eliot