thesysadmin - Slashdot User

Comment Re:Security PR (Score 0) 258

by thesysadmin on Tuesday May 20, 2008 @09:21AM (#23474278) Attached to: New Malware Report Hits Vista's Security Image

Sometimes I hate egging on trolls, but I hate FUD even more...

Windows Update still uses ActiveX. If it is off by default, it means Vista machines won't be updated.

Nice try, but Vista has a separate update program. You no longer need to visit Windows Update using IE. From here on out I can see you don't use Vista and just perpetuate FUD for the fun of it.

Isn't that the one that Windows Update keep bugging us XP users to download again? Not an improvement over XP then.

When has Windows Update for Windows XP ever bugged anyone about this? Last time I checked it wasn't even available via Windows Update, you had to specifically download it from a different location. I have a whole network at a customer site that agrees with me (full automatic updates, every night at 3am - if it bugged to install, I'd know about it).

Protecting the internet against infected Vista machines... Looks like even Microsoft doesn't believe the claims about security.

Microsoft didn't have this feature. They get blasted because this is a necessary feature. They add the feature. They get blasted because a good operating system wouldn't need it. Make up your mind!

Which protects against nothing once the encryption key is entered to be able to boot the system. Malware won't care, thiefs won't care (they are after the hardware anyway). Terrorist and pedophiles will care, though.

I'll give you this, it really has nothing to do with Malware prevention. It is a good feature to have in terms of general PC security, but I think you lost sight of that in your FUD filled logic.

Oh, re-inventing user accounts... I'm sure Microsoft wish they came up with that idea back in NT 3.5.

Seriously, I think you might have some psychological issues. Microsoft took user opinions into consideration and instead of going "Good call, people could use this feature" you blast them for not thinking of it sooner? Blind hate is just a bad way to go through life.

Blech, I can feel the responses from other ACs forming...

Sincerely,

Richard

Black Holes Don't Trap Information Forever 384

Posted by Soulskill on Friday May 16, 2008 @12:11AM from the duh-it-wants-to-be-free dept.

sciencehabit writes "New calculations suggest that black holes are not a one-way street. Anything that falls into them may eventually come out. The findings lend important support to quantum gravity, but fly in the face of Einsteinian relativity. They also support Stephen Hawking's reluctant admission that information couldn't be destroyed by black holes. Penn State researcher Ahbay Ashtekar was quoted saying, 'Once we realized that the notion of space-time as a continuum is only an approximation of reality, it became clear to us that singularities are merely artifacts of our insistence that space-time should be described as a continuum.' Let the physics infighting begin."

Microsoft and OLPC Agree To Put XP On the XO Laptop 530

Posted by Soulskill on Thursday May 15, 2008 @08:13PM from the sliding-down-a-slippery-slope dept.

Apro+im points out a NYTimes report which states that Microsoft and the OLPC project have officially agreed to put Windows XP on the XO laptop. While Microsoft has been working toward this for some time, analysts began to think a deal was more likely after Walter Bender resigned from the project and was replaced by Charles Kane. Former OLPC security developer Ivan Krstic had a lot to say about Windows on the XO as well. From the Times: "Windows will add a bit to the price of the machines, about $3, the licensing fee Microsoft charges to some developing nations under a program called Unlimited Potential. For those nations that want dual-boot models, running both Windows and Linux, the extra hardware required will add another $7 or so to the cost of the machines, Mr. Negroponte said. The project's agreement with Microsoft involves no payment by the software giant, and Microsoft will not join One Laptop Per Child's board. 'We've stayed very pure,' Mr. Negroponte said.

Moving Toward a Single Linux UI? 441

Posted by timothy on Thursday May 15, 2008 @06:17PM from the everything-that-rises dept.

Anonymous writes "With the releases of Fedora 9, Hardy Heron and OpenSuSE 11 so close together, it's looking more than ever like an evolution to a common interface for major Linux distributions. Here's a compilation of screen shots and descriptions that make it appear to be the case. Would this be a good thing or a bad thing?" There are plenty of other options out there, of course, even considering only Linux distros that are based on Gnome and KDE, and plenty of wilder (or at least less common) desktops to choose from besides.

Securing Your Notebook Against US Customs 1021

Posted by timothy on Thursday May 15, 2008 @12:21PM from the best-interests-at-heart dept.

Nethemas the Great points out a piece from Bruce Schneier running in the UK's Guardian newspaper with some tips for international travelers on securing notebook computers for border crossings. A taste of the brief article: "Last month a US court ruled that border agents can search your laptop, or any other electronic device, when you're entering the country. They can take your computer and download its entire contents, or keep it for several days. ... Encrypting your entire hard drive, something you should certainly do for security in case your computer is lost or stolen, won't work here. The border agent is likely to start this whole process with a 'please type in your password.' Of course you can refuse, but the agent can search you further, detain you longer, refuse you entry into the country and otherwise ruin your day."

3 Rugged Notebooks Take a Beating 119

Posted by timothy on Thursday May 15, 2008 @11:03AM from the catharsis-defined dept.

bsk_cw writes "Brian Nadel got a chance to try to destroy three 'fully rugged' notebooks and get paid for it — Computerworld had him drop, spray, drown, bake, shake, and freeze notebooks from General Dynamics Itronix, Getac, and Panasonic. All three suffered some damage, but only the Getac M230 actually died as a result. Brian made videos of the tests (which were apparently done in his home, including his kitchen)."

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