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Businesses

MySpace Lays Off 47% of Employees 206

Posted by timothy from the well-of-their-own-employees dept.
tgtanman writes "CNN reports that MySpace has announced that it has laid off 500 employees, 47% of its total staff. From the article: 'MySpace's management kept most of the site's developers but gutted nearly every other job role, according to a staffer who survived the cuts ... "Today's tough but necessary changes were taken in order to provide the company with a clear path for sustained growth and profitability," CEO Mike Jones said in a written statement. "These changes were purely driven by issues related to our legacy business, and in no way reflect the performance of the new product."'"
Christmas Cheer

Thought-Provoking Gifts For Young Kids? 458

Posted by timothy from the grey-putty-and-wires dept.
An anonymous reader writes "Societal norms and my sibling's procreative endeavors have put me in the position of having to buy gifts twice a year for young children. What makes them happy are unremarkable bits of plastic. They already have innumerable unremarkable bits of plastic (from their parents and grandparents). My preference would be to get them gifts that challenge them to think creatively (or at least to think), which they'll be able to pick up and enjoy even after they outgrow their train/truck/homemaking fetishes. Beyond the Rubik's Cube, what thinky toys from your childhood are still in production? What new thinky toys have you discovered that work for the 5–10 age range?"

Comment Re:Vote or Die (Score 1) 836

by mail2345 (#34104172) Attached to: 'Cellphone Effect' Could Skew Polling Predictions

Continuing for parent:
If party X gets a low digit amount of votes(lets say 3%), then the next time there is a close election that could be decided by those votes, both the main parties might grab some of party X's stands to get a few more votes.
And the main parties hopefully don't grab some of the batshit insane stances.

Comment Splitting a botnet. (Score 1) 61

by mail2345 (#34034948) Attached to: Rise of the Small Botnet

Couldn't it be possible to have a botnet upgrade into different versions, allowing it to split?

Clarification:
Virus writer releases virus A and sets up control server A.
Botnet A gets large, and the writer is worried about authorities, so he sets up servers B and C, as well as writing two updates.
Botnet A gets update B or update C from control server A.
The update installs the new virus and removes the old one.
Botnet B gets large, virus writter sets up servers D and F.
Process continues.

If it's split before the AVs pay any considerable attention(or if you split enough to confuse them), a writer could write a fast spreading botnet, without having to worry about it getting too large.

I would imagine that setting up new servers and updates might be a hassle though.
The Courts

Xbox Live Class Action Being Investigated 453

Posted by kdawson from the modders-unite dept.
eldavojohn writes "Were you negatively affected by the recent ban on Xbox Live for modifying hardware you own? Did you modify yours for homebrew or altering things you paid for and not to engage in piracy? Abington IP would like to hear from you and may be able to help. From that page: 'If you are an Xbox Live subscriber, had your modified Xbox console banned from Xbox Live, were not refunded a prorated sum for the time left on your subscription, or have experienced other problems as a result of being banned, and would like to participate in a class action against Microsoft, please submit your information below.' Someone is finally standing up for the legitimate hobbyists. Should Microsoft worry?"
Security

Microsoft Denies It Built Backdoor Into Windows 7 450

Posted by timothy from the how-are-your-wife's-bruises? dept.
CWmike writes "Microsoft has denied that it has built a backdoor into Windows 7, a concern that surfaced yesterday after a senior National Security Agency (NSA) official testified before Congress that the agency had worked on the operating system. 'Microsoft has not and will not put "backdoors" into Windows,' a company spokeswoman said, reacting to a Computerworld story Wednesday. On Monday, Richard Schaeffer, the NSA's information assurance director, told the Senate's Subcommittee on Terrorism and Homeland Security that the agency had partnered with the developer during the creation of Windows 7 'to enhance Microsoft's operating system security guide.' Thursday's categorical denial by Microsoft was accompanied by further explanation of exactly how the NSA participated in the making of Windows 7. 'The work being discussed here is purely in conjunction with our Security Compliance Management Toolkit,' said the spokeswoman. The company rolled out the Windows 7 version of the toolkit late last month, shortly after it officially launched the operating system."

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