Recent Posts

5601

Living Room / Re: *Email privacy and security survey*

« Last post by wraith808 on August 16, 2013, 10:10 PM »

My situation is slightly different, in that I need Grandma Dum-Dum to be able to send the info to me, not the other way around. And if after receiving the info, I go and change her passwords on her (because she sent them insecurely), and she can't log into her cpanel or ftp, she is going to panic and think I have hijacked her website instead of securing it for her. I'd like to be able to have her give the info to me securely, use it to complete the job she hired me for, then suggest she change the passwords when the job is done. If at that point she doesn't take my advice, at least with it being me that has the password info, with my knowing I won't do anything harmful with it (if I can't trust myself, then who can I trust?), I won't have to worry as much.

-app103 (August 16, 2013, 07:58 PM)

Why can't they create a new user for you?  That's what I do in those cases.  And if she knows how to use cpanel, then that's not that big of a deal to do.  Same for wordpress.

5602

Living Room / Re: Google: Gmail users shouldn't expect email privacy

« Last post by wraith808 on August 16, 2013, 06:58 PM »

I think that asks a bigger question: Why shouldn't we expect it? Seriously.

-40hz (August 16, 2013, 05:07 PM)

So, you are saying that in my example of a hand to hand delivered postcard or post-it note, that you would expect privacy and security? You would not expect anyone along the chain to read it, and funny looks from a prudish neighbor that was part of the delivery chain would come as a complete surprise and shock to you, and you would expect the $10,000 in cash to remain perfectly safe, and feel no need to change the pin on your credit cards?

-app103 (August 16, 2013, 06:14 PM)

I don't think the point is what you would expect, in terms of reality today.  It's what you should be able to expect.  And I don't think that, all things being equal, you should have to lock the virtual door in order to get privacy.  Privacy shouldn't have to be based on security.  Because if it is, then we have no privacy.  There are always people that with the appropriate amount of effort and desire, that can crack any security.

5603

Living Room / Re: *Email privacy and security survey*

« Last post by wraith808 on August 16, 2013, 03:58 PM »

I'm in favor of the single use ephemeral "reset" password scheme.

-Stoic Joker (August 16, 2013, 03:52 PM)

What is this?

5604

Living Room / Re: Google: Gmail users shouldn't expect email privacy

« Last post by wraith808 on August 16, 2013, 03:56 PM »

The interesting point here is that Americans have always assumed - and the laws previously defaulted - to a presumption of privacy in lieu of notice or explicit laws stating otherwise. That's one of the things that was supposed to be so different about this country.

Our current government is now working overtime to stand that concept on its head and disabuse us of the notion we, as US citizens, are morally and legally entitled to personal privacy.

-40hz (August 16, 2013, 03:37 PM)

And *this* is my point.  By conflating the two, we're reducing our rights.  If we don't secure it, then it's OK to look.. and that's not the America that I grew up in.

5605

Living Room / Re: Google: Gmail users shouldn't expect email privacy

« Last post by wraith808 on August 16, 2013, 03:17 PM »

Perhaps the analogy breaks down.  But I think that the points that I'm making are pretty relevant and obvious... or do you disagree with that?

5606

Living Room / Re: Google: Gmail users shouldn't expect email privacy

« Last post by wraith808 on August 16, 2013, 01:21 PM »

That would be a bit more applicable if security is what we were talking about.  Security =/= Privacy, though they have many of the same concerns.

-wraith808 (August 16, 2013, 09:44 AM)

Would you expect any sort of security or privacy with a hand written letter, placed in an unsealed envelope, handed off to a chain of strangers to be finally delivered to its intended recipient (and I am not talking about any government run postal service here)? Any one of the strangers anywhere between you and the recipient could easily snoop on its contents and do whatever they wanted with any info gained from that snooping.

Email is like sending a postcard. There isn't even an envelope.

The only way an email can remain private and secure between point of origin and final destination is if it is encrypted with PGP or something similar.

-app103 (August 16, 2013, 10:15 AM)

Why yes, I would.  And that's the purpose that violating that is a felony. 

My point is, yes... security can make privacy a non-issue.  But privacy is separate.

I put a lock on my door to secure the house.  But even if my door is not locked, someone breaking in is still in violation of the law.  Even if the door is wide open and you walk into my house without invitation, you can be considered in violation of the law.

That's why I say that they are different.  We shouldn't *have* to secure our communications for people to know that if you aren't on end A or end B, it is not for you to look at.

Now, I know reality is different.  But that still doesn't mean we should conflate the two.

5607

Living Room / Re: Google: Gmail users shouldn't expect email privacy

« Last post by wraith808 on August 16, 2013, 09:44 AM »

That would be a bit more applicable if security is what we were talking about.  Security =/= Privacy, though they have many of the same concerns.

5608

Living Room / Re: Why I Idolize Larry Ellison...

« Last post by wraith808 on August 15, 2013, 12:13 PM »

Would someone please check Renegade's back yard for a large seed pod ... I think he's been replaced.

-Stoic Joker (August 15, 2013, 11:31 AM)

Don't worry, my child. One day you too will find faith, and perhaps even become exulted in His Holiness Larry Ellison's clergy, like myself, as an Elliphant. The inner mysteries of the goodness of mass surveillance will be revealed to you, oh unbeliever, and to all!

-Renegade (August 15, 2013, 11:57 AM)

I don't know... I was thinking to check for something a little more psychotropic.

5609

Living Room / Re: Manning Verdict in: guilty on all counts but one

« Last post by wraith808 on August 15, 2013, 11:28 AM »

That's why I said falls on his sword.  Do you *really* think that *all* of those Romans weren't urged to kill themselves?  What about coming into your office and finding a gun on the table.  

I did like the one dig he got in, however:

"Those factors are clear to me now, through both self-refection[sic]  during my confinement in various forms, and through the merits and sentencing testimony that I have seen here.

Another one that shows his level of depression, however:

In one line certain to upset those who believe Manning made a positive difference by leaking the documents, he said he now looks back at his decisions and wonders "how on earth could I, a junior analyst, possibly believe I could change the world for the better".

5610

Living Room / Re: Manning Verdict in: guilty on all counts but one

« Last post by wraith808 on August 15, 2013, 09:36 AM »

Manning falls on his sword.

5611

General Software Discussion / Re: A new Dropbox Competitor

« Last post by wraith808 on August 15, 2013, 08:33 AM »

I use it for redundancy.

5612

Living Room / Re: Google: Gmail users shouldn't expect email privacy

« Last post by wraith808 on August 14, 2013, 08:09 PM »

As I posted the original, I have to post the correction link also:

Yes, Gmail users have an expectation of privacy

So, though I know that the day that Google is proven to be evil will come... but that day is not today.

5613

General Software Discussion / Re: A new Dropbox Competitor

« Last post by wraith808 on August 14, 2013, 07:03 PM »

Most of these newcomers have a really great service but they are late to the game. I stick with Dropbox simply because a lot of my apps have Dropbox support. A few have support for Skydrive and a few more support Gdrive or Box but all of them support Dropbox. This holds true for Android apps as well as IOS apps.

-edbro (August 14, 2013, 06:34 PM)

As long as they support webdav, you can use them with more apps than it would seem likely.  And I'd rather not depend on any service in particular over a protocol.

5614

General Software Discussion / Re: A new Dropbox Competitor

« Last post by wraith808 on August 14, 2013, 05:20 PM »

Ah... I didn't see that announcement 

5615

General Software Discussion / A new Dropbox Competitor

« Last post by wraith808 on August 14, 2013, 04:05 PM »

Barracuda Networks is getting in on the bandwagon with Copy.  It seems very similar to Cubby (from Logmein) as you can link accounts to make use of a pool of data with multiple users- useful for corporate use.  I'm trying it out, but not majorly as I've settled on a combination of using S3 direct with Syncovery, and Cubby.

But space is space (this one offers 15GB free to start, +5GB if you're referred and install and per referral), so I did create an account.  If you want to sign up with my referral link, you can use this link.  Or go directly to the site and sign up yourself.

5616

Living Room / Google: Gmail users shouldn't expect email privacy

« Last post by wraith808 on August 14, 2013, 12:40 PM »

Presented without comment



Google: Gmail users shouldn't expect email privacy (Via the Guardian)

Gmail users have no "reasonable expectation" that their emails are confidential, Google has said in a court filing.

Consumer Watchdog, the advocacy group that uncovered the filing, called the revelation a "stunning admission." It comes as Google and its peers are under pressure to explain their role in the National Security Agency's (NSA) mass surveillance of US citizens and foreign nationals.

"Google has finally admitted they don't respect privacy," said John Simpson, Consumer Watchdog's privacy project director. "People should take them at their word; if you care about your email correspondents' privacy, don't use Gmail."

Google set out its case last month in an attempt to dismiss a class action lawsuit that accuses the tech giant of breaking wire tap laws when it scans emails in order to target ads to Gmail users.

That suit, filed in May, claims Google "unlawfully opens up, reads, and acquires the content of people's private email messages." It quotes Eric Schmidt, Google's executive chairman: "Google policy is to get right up to the creepy line and not cross it."

"Unbeknown to millions of people, on a daily basis and for years, Google has systematically and intentionally crossed the 'creepy line' to read private email messages containing information you don't want anyone to know, and to acquire, collect, or mine valuable information from that mail," the suit claims.

In its motion to dismiss the case, Google said the plaintiffs were making "an attempt to criminalize ordinary business practices" that have been part of Gmail's service since its introduction. Google said "all users of email must necessarily expect that their emails will be subject to automated processing."

More at link.

Court filing


Ok, I lied... one comment.

5617

Living Room / Re: Movies or films you've seen lately

« Last post by wraith808 on August 14, 2013, 10:03 AM »

Oh dear, the MAFIAA are going to hate him.

-4wd (August 14, 2013, 07:50 AM)

Tell the truth, and get pilloried.  Sounds about right.  (NOT)

5618

Living Room / Re: Licensing Developers?

« Last post by wraith808 on August 13, 2013, 11:51 PM »

I think I see what you're saying now. It's certainly the same in the sense the rich and powerful have rigged the system in their favor across the board. Licensing in the taxi market isn't fundamentally different from predatory pricing by powerful retailers or IP laws in the software industry. However you dress it up it's about stifling competition.

-Vurbal (August 13, 2013, 10:45 PM)

Exactly.  If you can keep them from getting in the business, then you never have to compete.  There was an episode of white collar recently where people were counterfeiting taxi licenses in New York, and I was thinking that was stupid.  Then they said how much they were and I thought, you can't be serious.  But then, I found out they were.

That's just ridiculous!

5619

Living Room / Re: Licensing Developers?

« Last post by wraith808 on August 13, 2013, 09:53 PM »

Hah!  Score one for me!  I was able to get Ren's tongue out of his cheek!

5620

Living Room / Re: Licensing Developers?

« Last post by wraith808 on August 13, 2013, 09:34 PM »

That's just the price of running a business. You have concerns people in other industries don't but so do the people in those other industries.

-Vurbal (August 13, 2013, 08:55 PM)

The problem becomes when the barrier to entry is too high to be anything but a large corporation.  And most of these things are in place not because of the price of doing business, but the price of defending yourself against lawyers and the practice of defining playing fields.

In other words, we don't want you playing in our court, so we're going to make you have to pay an entry fee we know that you can't afford.

5621

Living Room / Re: Icelandic Company Selling Bitcoin ATM

« Last post by wraith808 on August 13, 2013, 04:29 PM »

The questionnaire doesn't seem to over the top... except one question about consenting to a background check. 

But I get it after doing a bit of research:

An ATM regulation from 2006 stems from the Patriot Act concerning background checks and money wire transfers. If someone has a felony on their record, they cannot operate an ATM in the USA because an ATM conducts wire transfers from a bank account. People with a felony record cannot legally operate or even legally fill an ATM with money.

A background check must now be run by the processing networks before an ATM is allowed on the network to make sure the law is followed. If someone thinks they may not pass a background check because of a felony record, maybe a spouse or business partner can. As stated above, anyone with a felony cannot own a machine or load money into the machine, this includes an individual performing administrative duties inside the machine. An ATM falls under the wire transfer regulations for banking which are part of the Patriot Act.

So I guess this would be considered an ATM machine, and we fall under the glorious Patriot Act.

5622

Living Room / Re: Licensing Developers?

« Last post by wraith808 on August 13, 2013, 03:36 PM »

^ Inconceivable!

5623

Living Room / Re: Please help superboyac build a server (2013 edition).

« Last post by wraith808 on August 13, 2013, 03:35 PM »

Call me crazy, but just for backup, I'm considering getting a standard plug-and-play NAS box.  Maybe from Qnap...a 4 or 5 bay one.  If it becomes redundant later after i have my custom boxes working, i can put them in a relative's home for off-sute backup purposes, etc.

-superboyac (August 13, 2013, 12:20 PM)

Nope... I call you coming to your senses   And I'd recommend taking a look at a Synology Diskstation- I'm very satisfied with mine, and in the end, it made me realize I didn't really need a server anymore.

5624

Living Room / Re: Programming/Coder humor

« Last post by wraith808 on August 13, 2013, 09:19 AM »

And more taglines:
Stay agile, my friends.

He sends Tweets without checking character count.
He thinks the sandbox environment is for toddlers.
His resume has never been proofread.
He believes merge conflicts are for highways.
He is... the most interesting coder in the world.

5625

Living Room / Re: Programming/Coder humor

« Last post by wraith808 on August 13, 2013, 09:18 AM »