That we have all become good citizens, backing up all our data. I presume the data recovery firms are all panicking now that all their potebtial customers have backups of everything, and thus no longer need their services.

Not bad to have a global backup ratio of >1:1

Personally I use RAIM (Redundant Array of Instant Messages) to back up all my important notes and communications. It only works as long as all my friends log everything too, of course.

What on earth is the DMCA supposed to achieve, in the context of Ad-providers?

Sounds pretty scary to me.

The researchers, and the article writers, completely fail to understand that 3-D Secure simply defines the interfaces between the three domains in the security model. The actual authentication model used is chosen and implemented by the card issuer. If the card issuer would decide it wants to use passphrase+OTP in a separate window (for URL validation), it could do so. In fact, outside of the US, many do. In Norway, for instance, online payments are usually verified through something akin to a "national electronic ID", which despite its flaws goes way above and beyond simple passwords.

The article is so full of factual mistakes and displays such a complete lack of knowledge and understanding it's not even funny.

They SO do .. but it might be for certain T-DSL products only; I have no idea. I've seen it in action at two different homes in southern Germany (Bavaria). My "samplings" are from the latter half of July 2009.

I don't have proof, and I cannot produce proof as I'm not in Germany at the moment.

I guess you'll just have to take my word for it, eh? Or offer alternative suggestions as to what I've seen.

The Deutsche Telekom / T-Online does exactly the same in Germany.

I couldn't disagree more.
Curiosity and Creativity are the two most outstanding qualities of human beings, and neither can flourish without the other.

Why should painters paint? Musicians compose and play? They shouldn't, following your logic. They do so because they can, and the rest of us are left to enjoy the fact that they do.

I think it is of *vital* importance that we explore and research for its own sake, and not only with specific purposes in mind. Fundamental research is the most important research we do, and for it to carry any meaning, it MUST be free of expectations and purpose. Whatever comes out of it can only be seen as a bonus, not taken for granted. Those bonuses will pay off, as they always have.

...as I still need that to keep myself warm.