Comment Interesting times (Score 1) 38
So they sell their hard drive business to seagate and buy out Sony tv.
Curious.
http://hardware.slashdot.org/story/11/04/19/139259/samsung-hd-unit-bought-by-seagate
Comment Re:They've obviously obfusticated the data, obviou (Score 1) 182
Retrieving the data on the tapes would require knowledge of and access to specific hardware and software and knowledge of the system and data structure
-Who wants to bet that all you need to pull the data out is something like: dd if=/dev/tape | strings, perhaps with conv=ascii given to dd... and maybe gunzip or bunzip2. Sigh. Specific hardware: tape drive and a scsi card. Software: any recent unix would do. Knowledge of data structure: they obviously Huffman-coded all their SQL dumps, right? Haha.
I'd take that bet.
Its not Unix, its OpenVMS.
The software is written in MUMPS.
When code looks like this http://www.hardhats.org/history/chcs4.htm you certainly do need to have specific knowledge of the system and datastructure.
Again, assuming this is the old system that has been in place for 30+ years because with the new system all data is sent to DISA Alabama.
Comment Re:Why no encryption? This is why... (Score 1) 182
Rather this:
http://labs.hoffmanlabs.com/node/85
Comment Re:Why no encryption? This is why... (Score 1) 182
Comment Why no encryption? This is why... (Score 1) 182
Speaking as a former sysadmin at an Army hospital...
The tapes in question were probably these: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Linear_Tape
Running backups on a cluster of these babies: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DEC_AlphaServer#AlphaServer_SC
This is essentially a 30 year old platform. Back then, nobody ever imagined identity theft would be such a problem or guessed there would be legislation for HIPPA/PII like we have today.
Comment Re:Great, now if only they could fix *real* proble (Score 1) 157
... or let me use my Apps for Domains account
Submission + - Limewire being sued for 75 Trillion. (law.com)
DarthVain writes: "Apparently 13 record companies are trying to sue Limewire for 75 Trillion. The NYC judge thinks it is "absurd". Its almost like these media companies are their worst enemy trying to make themselves look ridiculous."
Submission + - Finger length key to aptitude?
IRGlover writes: A report from the BBC (Fingers 'a clue to exam success') outlines findings that the proportions of index fingers relative to ring fingers has a bearing on the subject aptitudes of children. With a sample size of only 75 and worrying overtones of Phrenology this may be another example of Crap Science being reported by the BBC.
From the article:
"The study of 75 seven-year-old children found those with shorter ring fingers than their index fingers did better in tests at literacy than maths.
...
The research team compared the ratio between the two fingers with the seven-year-olds' school test results, and said they found a 'valid relationship' between them.
Dr Brosnan said: 'We're not suggesting that finger length measurements could replace SAT tests.
'Finger ratio provides us with an interesting insight into our innate abilities in key cognitive areas.' "
From the article:
"The study of 75 seven-year-old children found those with shorter ring fingers than their index fingers did better in tests at literacy than maths.
The research team compared the ratio between the two fingers with the seven-year-olds' school test results, and said they found a 'valid relationship' between them.
Dr Brosnan said: 'We're not suggesting that finger length measurements could replace SAT tests.
'Finger ratio provides us with an interesting insight into our innate abilities in key cognitive areas.' "
Submission + - Intel strips the lead from its chips
Kurtz'sKompund writes: "Intel will stop using lead in its new microprocessors, eliminating one of the most toxic components used in semiconductors.
http://www.computerworlduk.com/technology/hardware /processors/news/index.cfm?RSS"
Submission + - Domain Keys gets Nod from Internet Standards Body
* * Beatles-Beatles writes: "http://news.com.com/Promising+antispam+technique+g ets+nod/2100-1029_3-6185904.html
A key Internet standards body gave preliminary approval on Tuesday to a powerful technology designed to detect and block fake e-email messages called Domain keys. Yahoo, Cisco Systems, Sendmail and PGP Corporation are behind the push for DomainKeys, which the companies said in a joint statement will provide "businesses with heightened brand protection by providing message authentication, verification and traceability to help determine whether a message is legitimate."
A key Internet standards body gave preliminary approval on Tuesday to a powerful technology designed to detect and block fake e-email messages called Domain keys. Yahoo, Cisco Systems, Sendmail and PGP Corporation are behind the push for DomainKeys, which the companies said in a joint statement will provide "businesses with heightened brand protection by providing message authentication, verification and traceability to help determine whether a message is legitimate."
Submission + - TomTom One Review - Linux-using $300 navigator
Bruce Perens writes: "TomTom One is a $300 Linux-running car navigation system, about as good as units costing twice as much. It can even speak in the voice of John Cleese. I put one in my car recently, here's what I've experienced."
Submission + - SNORT prepares for IPO
An anonymous reader writes: Open ource innovator and SNORT creator, Sourcefire, Inc., a leader in network intrusion prevention, announced today the pricing of its initial public offering of 5,770,000 shares of its common stock at $15.00 per share. More inromation on the SNORT IPO can be found over at Linuxlookup.com
Submission + - A decade-long mystery has been solved
justelite writes: "A decade-long mystery has been solved using data from ESA's X-ray observatory XMM-Newton. The brightest member of the so-called 'magnificent seven' has been found to pulsate with a period of seven seconds.
The discovery casts some doubt on the recent interpretation that this object is a highly exotic celestial object known as a quark star."
Submission + - Attorneys Fees To Be Awarded Against RIAA
NewYorkCountryLawyer writes: "In an Oklahoma case, Capitol Records v. Debbie Foster, the Court has granted the defendant's motion for attorneys fees to be imposed against the RIAA, holding that Ms. Foster is to receive her "reasonable attorney's fees". Judge Lee R. West, in his 9-page decision(pdf), did not specify the amount to be awarded, held that the RIAA can have "discovery" on the reasonableness issue, and also ruled that Ms. Foster can also later supplement her application for additional fees. Her initial application was for approximately $55,000 in legal fees and disbursements. This is the case in which the ACLU, Public Citizen, EFF, the American Association of Law Libraries, and the ACLU Oklahoma Foundation, all filed an amicus brief on Ms. Foster's behalf, arguing to the judge that a substantial attorneys fee award was needed to discourage the RIAA's "driftnet" litigation strategy."
