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Comment Re:That's just tech (Score 1) 149

Being in tech after 35 means knowing that the latest silver bullet is just warmed over slop from 10 years ago and will work no better now than it did the last time it was abandoned but will probably cost twice as much. It also means remembering and being able to adapt a technique from 10 or 15 years ago that worked really well and didn't cost much.

Many younger programmers find embedded work on micro-controllers to be hard because there's no room for "application frameworks" or kitchen sink libraries. It's actually reminiscent of programming in C for small 8-bit home computers like the C64. But only older programmers ever had that experience.

Comment AI is getting help from me to poison Reddit (Score 2) 66

Since Reddit announced it was going to sell "its" data (i.e. the data it was given for free by all the redditors), I've been busy deleting most of my posting history, and pumping old posts I left there full of technical idiocies and fake facts,

Why you ask?

Because 1/ it hurts Reddit and 2/ it trains AI on bad data.

I have no intention of helping business models based on mooching off people's contributions.

Comment Re:toyota is a dying dinosaur (Score 1) 157

The thing is, plug-in hybrids are still viable now as a bridge to ubiquitous fast charging. What would be best is a plug-in with and extended battery. For many people there exists a reasonable battery capacity that would allow them to operate as an electric car for 90% of their travel. For some, that is within the typical battery capacity of a hybrid. For others, adding just a bit more would cover it.

They would do well making that plan-A.

Comment Re:Lead By Example (Score 1) 146

What key? Sibling languages, alternative alphabets, and unconventional word choices don't have a key. If they want to learn shorthand, they can take a course at the community college like everybody else.

I never said anything about hiding my phone. I DO routinely encrypt data going in and out of my phone and some of the data is encrypted at rest. Nothing nefarious there, it just means that I use WhatsApp, Signal, and a web browser. Also SSH.

I guess if they want to go on a fishing expedition, they're SOL. If they have an actual good reason to suspect me personally of a crime, I guess they'll have a look at the phone. It would be nice if we could rely on law enforcement to not go on fishing expeditions and on judges to not approve of them (given that they are against the law), but here we are.

Comment Re:Lead By Example (Score 1) 146

Like I said, they have a right to search. They do not have a right to find or to be able to make anything of what they might find.

If you ban E2EE, you render many law abiding citizens vulnerable to all manner of fraud and other financial crimes.

Amusingly, there was a period of time when the Italian Mafia had access to law enforcement communications in Sicily using a back door designed for "lawful intercept". That is, the police and prosecutors hoist by their own petard.

Comment Re:Just more medical industry corruption (Score 1) 33

Personally, I don't do much processed food or fast food. But I also don't have kids and I work from home, so it's no bug deal to cook proper food.

I do find it odd how many adults out there never even learned basic cooking from their parents, or food network. I won't say the whole society is going down but there are subcultures that seem destined to die off.

But there is a reason I included time budget. While cooking proper food need not take a very long time, it generally takes more than nuking something.

Comment Re:Windows is malware (Score 1) 124

"All hell" - sure, yer fuxxed. But just fine for a temporary supply chain failure. Which I'm afraid may happen more often until we change the tax laws back to not charge for stuff sitting in a warehouse unsold. Which is why everyone switched to JIT delivery. Tax a product when it's sold, not while waiting for it to be sold.

Comment Re:Lead By Example (Score 1) 146

If they can access it. I am permitted to write my diary in code. I can send a letter the same way. Why should email be made less convenient?

Siblings are allowed to continue using their invented words into adulthood if they like. We are allowed to have private conversations in an un-bugged room. Phone call: "Meet me at the other place. Bring that thing we talked about.".

Police have never had the RIGHT to access all of our communication. They may be granted permission to TRY if a judge signs off on that but that's all they have ever had.

On a side note, one reason so many people are interested in E2EE is because there have been WAY too many incidents where police skipped the warrant or found a judge with an itchy rubber stamp who just took their word for things and then went on a fishing expedition. They only have themselves to blame for entire populations distrusting them. Meanwhile, tech companies grew tired of the constant stream of "requests" for private information that amounted to a fishing expedition that they decided their best bet is to make sure they cannot provide anything.

Comment Re:Screw the American auto industry (Score 1) 304

You say that as if American auto makers haven't gotten multiple bailouts and other special gifts over the years. You say that as if the U.S. isn't full of malls inhabited by tumble weeds and rats (literally) and doesn't have enough chronically empty residential property to house every homeless person here.

The U.S. is being strangled by the financial and real estate sectors.

Comment Re:Screw the American auto industry (Score 1) 304

The American companies manufacture in China for cheap but sell expensive in the U.S. The huge margin goes to executive management and Wall Street. They COULD profitably manufacture in the U.S. without raising prices, but Wall Street wants it's windfall and CEO needs a new yacht, so that's out.

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