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Comment Re:Oh yes. (Score 2) 151

I also used to work in a bank, and there was this opt-in network (you actually had to ask for it, and it of course put you on a "watch" list for performance and such) on a regular home-grade connection, called "red cable". It got you access to a nearly unrestricted NAT connection (separation for each floor, wireless network segments, and meeting rooms), and incidentally allowed IT folks to download packages and other cumbersome images that the regular proxy would not download/filter.
Meeting rooms also were wired in this fashion, in their own isolated VLANs so as to not infect guests with crap our execs would download. ;)

On top of that we then could implement an HTTPS reverse proxy system (OpenBSD + nginx) to publish data used in meetings with outside people (vendors and such), with Kerberos password + client certificates for authentication, and very strict monitoring on said box to ensure no one accessed it out of planned timeframes.

Cons :
- The really cumbersome thing was, getting a restricted file (some legit packages like WireShark would get recognized as malware) on the main network, which also had its own restrictions of course, except for the IT admin floor.
- A little more maintenance trouble, and execs throwing a fit when this supposedly "non business critical" connection went down, and it turns out someone was using it for "very important downloads". I dropped enough hints here, three guesses as to what these were.

Pros :
- This allowed BYOD relatively seamlessly for the execs, so they didn't feel the need to ask for admin privileges on their main network workstations.
- And yes, some execs and IT goons would do insane torrenting and porn surfing on that network, and make a mess of it, but at least it was walled and easier to purge through fire when time called for it.

They want to be kings ? Let them be kings of a pile of dirt, play with mud like kids, and con them in believing dirt is the new gold.

Comment Re:How, how HOW (Score 1) 599

This is the reason why you sign a discharge/handover document upon leaving a company, even if you are fired "on the spot" :
- to prove that the employer DID notify you of what was subject to non-disclosure
- to prove that the employee DID return any assets (physical or otherwise) he was in charge of
- to prove that the employee DID proceed to skill transfer/handover of technical expertise, or important information (which means : you don't get sued for any software/hardware crash after you left, as long as it was in the handover/transfer scope; because the remaining staff is therefore supposed to be able to deal with it ; supposed being the keyword of course)

If you have such an agreement, which is dated written evidence, then an employer can't pull this on you. If he does and destroys the passwords, well, tough luck, it's all on his head.
If you don't have an agreement like that, then you need to level up in CYA skills, or if your employer refuses to give you one such agreement then you needed a new employer anyway.

Comment Re:envy (Score 4, Informative) 375

The first time I realized I had really started to integrate was when an old women casually asked me to open a bottle for her. It's hard to explain but somehow your mannerisms and the fact that you blend in without making a fuss send out a signal to people that they can relax.

Confirmed. I have been living eight years in Japan, and I know for a fact I started mimicking their body language in most situations and it just "works", period. It also helps that my attire when going to work is close enough to what registers in their book as "a working employee" so no one takes notice.

The culture is geared a lot towards "protecting the peace" (though for some people it CAN mean "keeping the status quo", for both good and bad meanings...) and keeping everyone at ease. If your behavior is geared towards that and you don't overstep your bounds (consciously or not, the "gaijin smash" effect), you'll have an easy time integrating.

So far the only institutions to have given me any form of flak have been banks : took 2 years to get a credit card there, it can be done by paying all your bills and rent on time, and building a good record over time, passing certifications (hell, even just getting your japanese driver's license will go a LONG way) and showing them you want to integrate and that you're here for a while, and not going to run away at the first problem, saddling them with unpaid credit card bills or such.

Digressing a bit, some workplaces are bent on rejecting change and reality even when by all accounts they should adapt or collapse, but then again I guess you see that everywhere. It's just that when observed by "foreigners" in a "Japanese traditional company" with a lot of skeletons and black history, it gets warped into a cultural/communication problem. (Incidentally, this should be your #1 indicator that someone is trying to bullshit/hide stuff from you/worse)

Networking

Apple, Others Hit With Lawsuit On Ethernet Patents 304

bth nods an AppleInsider story on a patent troll who has gotten hold of fundamental Ethernet patents and is wielding them broadly. Three guesses which US Appeals Court the lawsuit was filed in. "A Texas company has targeted a number of technology companies, including Apple, in a new lawsuit regarding a handful of computer networking patents issued in the 1990s. ... 3Com Corporation was granted four patents from 1994 to 1998 pertaining to network adapters. Two deal with the automatic initiation of data transmission, and one addresses 'host indication optimization.' ... The company's Web site states that U.S. Ethernet Innovations was founded 'to continue 3Com Corporation's successful licensing program related to a portfolio of foundational patents in Ethernet technology.' A press release from the company states that it is the 'owner of the fundamental Ethernet technology developed and sold by 3Com Corporation in the 1990s,' suggesting it purchased the patents. ... In addition to Apple, the lawsuit names Acer, ASUS, Dell, Fujitsu, Gateway, Hewlett Packard, Sony, and Toshiba as defendants."
Medicine

A New Robotic Hand That Can "Feel" 112

Dyne09 writes "The BBC is running a video report about a group of Swiss and Italian scientists who have created the 'Smart Hand,' a robotic hand with forty sensors that 'connect directly to the brain.' Though fuzzy on the details, the report says the hand provides sensor feedback to a willing test subject, a 22-year-old man who lost his hand to cancer three years ago. How long until we have access to Star Wars-esque robotic limbs?"
Government

Penny Arcade Honored By Washington State 31

Dutch Gun writes "Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik (Tycho and Gabe) of Penny Arcade have been honored by the Washington State legislature with a resolution. The bill praises their charity work (PDF) with Child's Play, for attracting tourist dollars by starting the Penny Arcade Expo, which has grown to become the largest video game exhibition in the country, providing student scholarships, and for their leadership role within the computer gaming community. Washington State is home to at least 45 game development companies, including such notable names as Nintendo of America, Microsoft, Bungie, Valve, ArenaNet, PopCap, Gas Powered Games, Monolith, Zipper Interactive, Snowblind Studios, and more. This is a marked departure from the typical news involving governments and gaming. One could see the courtship of the computer gaming industry by the State of Washington as a shrewd political move, given the current tough economic times and the seeming resistance of the entertainment industry to recessions. Or, perhaps a bit less cynically, this might just be a sign that gaming has reached a critical threshold of mainstream normalcy."

Comment CPU bug ? Really ? (Score 1) 2

What CPUs did you test ?

Here, I have the following processors :
- Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 3.06GHz stepping 09
- Dual Core AMD Opteron(tm) Processor 265 (tested under 32 & 64 bit binary modes)
- Intel(R) Xeon(TM) CPU 2.80GHz

And for the following set of values : { 0.58, 0.57, 0.59 }
Compilers tested : icc, gcc, MSVC

I get :

x=58.000000 y=57
x=57.000000 y=56
x=59.000000 y=59

Isn't that a plain rounding or double => long type degradation bug ? (i.e type-inherent limitations?)

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