Follow Slashdot stories on Twitter

 


Forgot your password?
Close
typodupeerror
×
Mozilla

Submission + - Firefox SSL-certificate debate gets gnarly (networkworld.com) 1

Submitted by BobB-nw
BobB-nw writes: Debate is reaching a fever pitch over a new security feature in Firefox 3.0 that throws out a warning page to users when a Web site's SSL certificate is expired or has not been issued by a trusted third party. Critics say that Firefox 3.0 is putting undue fear and confusion into everyday Web surfers, makes it difficult to set exceptions for certain Web sites, and is forcing Web site operators to do business with specific vendors of SSL certificates or risk the appearance that their Web sites are broken.
Censorship

Submission + - China Blocks iTunes Over Tibet Album? (computerworld.com)

Submitted by
CWmike
CWmike writes: "iTunes customers who live in China have been blocked from accessing the online music store, say reports posted on Apple's Web site. Although some Chinese customers have speculated that authorities have barred the site because it recently started selling "Songs for Tibet," a compilation featuring musicians such as Sting and Alanis Morissette, an Apple spokesman in the U.S. declined to comment. A company spokeswoman in Beijing, however, told Reuters that the company was aware of the problem but did not provide any additional information. "ITunes is not being blocked in China from our end," one Apple tech support representative replied to a comment about blocked access, "but access to the iTunes Store IS restricted in some areas in China.""
Microsoft

Journal Journal: Microsoft Influence at Democrat and Republican Conventions

Journal by Nymz
Microsoft is making sizable technological contributions to the upcoming Democrat and Republican National Conventions. (August 25-28 and September 1-4 respectively) Both parties will take advantage of Microsoft software and services for online collaboration, document management, instant messaging, email, scheduling, and web conferencing, as well as Microsoft Surface Computing to deliver local information ab
Role Playing (Games)

Submission + - McCain Campaign Anti-D&D?

Submitted by mothrsuperior
mothrsuperior writes: Suffice to say that many were puzzled when McCain's campaign blogger let loose with the following sideswipe at table-top gamers:

"It may be typical of the pro-Obama Dungeons & Dragons crowd to disparage a fellow countryman's memory of war from the comfort of mom's basement, but most Americans have the humility and gratitude to respect and learn from the memories of men who suffered on behalf of others."

While managing to describe us to a 't', I resent somewhat the implication of political bent. While he did later apologise to "the hard working Americans who play Dungeons & Dragons" one must wonder what he was ever thinking.
Censorship

Submission + - Chinese Citizens Can't Actually Use Protest Zones (washingtonpost.com) 1

Submitted by
Dekortage
Dekortage writes: "Upon hearing that the Chinese government would allow limited protests in three parks, a pair of Chinese women applied for the permits to protest — four times. Each time they were denied, as were all 77 protest applications. On the fourth visit, the two elderly women were informed that they would have to serve a year of jail time for 'disturbing the public order'. An International Olympic Committee spokesperson noted the obvious: 'what had been announced publicly [by the Chinese government] doesn't appear in reality to be happening.'"
Mozilla

Submission + - Firefox security debate gets gnarly (networkworld.com)

Submitted by
Anonymous Coward
Anonymous Coward writes: "Debate is reaching a fever pitch over a new security feature in Firefox 3.0 that throws out a warning page to users when a Web site's SSL certificate is expired or has not been issued by a trusted third party. Critics say that Firefox 3.0 is putting undue fear and confusion into everyday Web surfers, makes it difficult to set exceptions for certain Web sites, and is forcing Web site operators to do business with specific vendors of SSL certificates or risk the appearance that their Web sites are broken. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/082108-firefox-ssl-certificate.html?hpg1=bn"
Portables

Submission + - How to Help Mobile Workers Leave the Laptop Behind (infoworld.com)

Submitted by
snydeq
snydeq writes: "InfoWorld's Randall Kennedy provides a primer on application virtualization for admins looking to cut down the device dependence of their mobile workforce. Although the idea of a mobile VM isn't new, application virtualization allows mobile workers to take their complete working environment with them, including all applications and data, on a USB stick — without having to resort to the often limiting confines of a VM. In the article, Kennedy shows how to build a fully functional, virtualized environment that runs from a USB key, requires no software installation of any kind on the hosting client PC, and leaves no trace once you've disconnected your media."
Security

Submission + - Q&A with FBI's Cyber Division Chief (washingtonpost.com)

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: The Washington Post had a sit-down recently with Jim Finch, head of the FBI's Cyber Division. Finch describes himself as a geek who won't be bullied out of online banking. The interview touches on the role of international treaties, cooperation from foreign governments, and whether U.S. financial institutions are doing enough to combat cyber crime. Finch gets a bit combative during the interview, chiding the reporter for perceived missteps by the media. From the piece: "I know the press often gets things out there that we want people to know. But there are times when the press will get things out there that really don't help our cause when it comes to making the world a safer place, making the Internet a safer place." Meanwhile, the Post's Security Fix blog this week is running a series called "Web Fraud 2.0," which details the latest services that make it easier for criminals to profit from their activities online.
Networking

Submission + - Comcast to FCC: OK we will screw them all (portfolio.com)

Submitted by A_linux_covert
A_linux_covert writes: Comcast in response to forthcoming FCC sanction has decided to slow down all users connection speeds. Still no disclosure of what the limits are and when you are going to be punted from the network. From the article:"Over the next 30 days, Comcast is required to:

- Disclose the details of its discriminatory network management practices to the Commission
- Submit a compliance plan describing how it intends to stop these discriminatory management practices by the end of the year
- Disclose to customers and the Commission the network management practices that will replace current practices

Although Comcast is expected to appeal the decision, the company is already threatening to implement an even more draconian form of network management. As a result of the F.C.C.'s ruling, Comcast will begin slowing the internet speeds of its heaviest users for 20- to 30-minutes at time of network congestion, Mitch Bowling, Comcast's senior vice president and general manager of online services"

So much for getting what you paid for from what is often the only game in town.
Nintendo

Submission + - Nintendo sued for patent infringement on Wii (cnn.com)

Submitted by SpuriousLogic
SpuriousLogic writes: Nintendo's hit Wii console with its wandlike remote controller has been targeted in patent infringement complaints by a U.S. technology company. Hillcrest is accusing Nintendo of infringement in four patents dealing with technology for a handheld three-dimensional pointing device and a display interface system for organizing graphic content on a TV, it said.
Earth

Submission + - 2008 is the coldest year of this century 1

Submitted by dtjohnson
dtjohnson writes: Data from the United Kingdom Metereological Office suggests that 2008 will be an unusually cold year due to the La Nina effect in the western Pacific ocean. Not to worry, though, as the La Nina effect has faded recently so its effect on next years temperatures will be reduced. However, another natural cycle, the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation, is predicted to hold global temperatures steady for the next decade before global warming takes our planet into new warmth. If these predictions are correct, there must be a lot of planetary heat being stored away somewhere...unless the heat output from the sun is decreasing rather than increasing or the heat being absorbed by the earth is decreasing due to changes in the earth's albedo.
Education

Submission + - 18 Year-Old Drinking Age + Internet = ?

Submitted by
theodp
theodp writes: "College presidents from about 100 universities across the country, including Duke, Johns Hopkins and Ohio State, want lawmakers to let 18 year-olds consume alcohol legally to cut down on campus-wide binge drinking. Still, it is likely to be difficult politically to change the drinking age, which has been 21 since the mid-'80s. Aside from an uptick in Virtual Beer Pong play, any thoughts on how the lower drinking age proposed by the Amethyst Initiative might affect technology and the Internet?"

Slashdot Top Deals

Business is a good game -- lots of competition and minimum of rules. You keep score with money. -- Nolan Bushnell, founder of Atari

Close