Quantum computers don't work against AES.

The 128-bit version remains secure. The 256 and 192-bit versions are believed secure but have shown cracks (they should really have had a couple more encryption rounds).

The 256/192-bit versions are just re-fiddlings of the 128-bit version, made to fulfill the NIST requirements for key sizes. This was largely a waste of time since 128-bits can't be brute-forced with any imaginable technology.

(My advice to any potential cryptograpy coders out there is to stick with the 128 bit version).

This is often quoted as an example of NSA's supposed superiority in cryptography but that happened back in the '70s when there were hardly any cryptographers or computers in the world.

The knowledge gap between the NSA and independent cryptographers has closed a lot since then.

There's a huge list of test vectors for AES published by NIST (among others): http://csrc.nist.gov/archive/aes/rijndael/wsdindex.html

The chances of being able to write some code which reproduces those values but ISN'T AES are less than the reciprocal of the number of atoms in the universe.

The solution to "cyberwarfare" is extremely simple: Don't connect your power stations and nuclear missile silos to the Internet.

What's a "Window" key? I don't think my Model M has one of those.

Maybe, maybe not ... but there's definitely a lot of privacy and distracting-advertising issues.

Who says it would be bad press? I'd be much more likely to choose theaters with zero tolerance polices. I think most people would actually switch off their phones if there was a big on-screen announcement that they absolutely WILL be booted out if it rings or they try to use it in any way during the movie.

If not ... watching somebody who's that self-entitled being told where to get off is probably better entertainment than what's on the screen. They can always pause the movie while they do it.

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/movie_theater_layout

Another idea is for each seat to have a row of red LEDs in front of it which gradually light up when people talk. If it reaches LED number three, out with them.

I've got lots of perfectly good hardware (scanners, printers...etc) that never received a Windows 7 driver. I have to keep at least one XP machine around just for that reason.

Um, the problem isn't learning it, the problem is liking it.

Try turning off the "Run RAM diagnostic on startup" option...

Nobody.

But ... Microsoft might pay them to put some "Windows 8 only" features in their games (prominently greyed out in Windows 7).

With Linux Steam on the horizon, it would be a risky move.

This is just a marketing announcement for the gullible. There'll be a percentage of people who'll go out and upgrade after this, and that's the point.

Have you read the OEM licensing agreement?

You can only 'downgrade' if you purchase Windows 8 Pro, which is, a) Not always an option on consumer machines, b) Much more expensive.

Ref: http://www.microsoft.com/OEM/en/licensing/sblicensing/Pages/downgrade_rights.aspx

Apple's special-cable and SD-card-adapter business is very lucrative...