tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51886737643672533842011-09-12T15:55:39.561-04:00or, natterings of a nerd...Datababehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01955369972388718840noreply@blogger.comBlogger271100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188673764367253384.post-12791994606706623562011-08-22T09:38:00.001-04:002011-08-22T09:39:57.949-04:00

Film at eleven! Well, okay, maybe not, but an amusing read is available now. Of course, Microsoft quickly published their side of the story, which is already collecting amusing comments from people who aren’t completely buying it. Trail of crumbs, anyone?

Datababehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01955369972388718840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188673764367253384.post-54807936326953331692011-08-11T17:28:00.008-04:002011-08-12T10:59:48.971-04:00

A lot of us have come to expect, if not completely accept, that Facebook will farm out their users data to advertisers faster than a crop-crazy Farmville aficionado, given half the chance and a way to slide it into some New and Improved User Preferences. LinkedIn, that quasi-professional counterpart in the major social media arena, has seemed less inclined to stoop to such unprofessional tactics

Datababehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01955369972388718840noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188673764367253384.post-77409963094188180832011-05-17T11:31:00.033-04:002011-08-13T10:54:52.146-04:00

I have a lot of friends stranded overseas, and a lot of relatives who left me bzillions of dollars after dying fortuitously in a vehicle crash, and more than a few people who trust me enough to invite me to help them transfer a huge trust fund for orphans to safe haven in a US Bank account, at least according to some of the unsolicited email I get. I generally ignore these, simply because there

Datababehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01955369972388718840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188673764367253384.post-23921417802816938222010-05-05T11:03:00.003-04:002010-05-05T13:21:13.695-04:00

I haven't yet read the draft of the new Privacy Bill, but my at-a-glance reaction is simple. It's about time. Whether not anything constructive will actually come of it is, naturally, a whole 'nother matter. Of course, the digital jackals are already howling at the prospect of losing easy prey. As usual, their howling isn't making any logical sense. Then again, I don't expect jackals,

Datababehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01955369972388718840noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188673764367253384.post-21370548095594500012010-03-04T13:30:00.014-05:002010-10-04T02:28:11.535-04:00

Just when I think People Who Should Know Better can't come out with another obtuse, groundless, head exploding statement that tops a previous pronouncement, someone out there proves me wrong.  While I can sort of see a (vague) argument for the demise (or at least transforming evolution) of the computer mouse (eventually), I definitely can't see the complete death of the desktop pc itself anytime

Datababehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01955369972388718840noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188673764367253384.post-45349020091288466842010-02-11T10:27:00.026-05:002010-02-15T10:01:08.603-05:00

It always amuses me when industry pundits predict the "inevitable extinction" of a certain type of tech (sometimes they even go for a vague timeframe with "imminent demise"), if only because so often the tech in question, be it hardware or software, then proceeds to demonstrate an amazing longevity. It's a shame for the dinosaurs some of these prognosticators weren't around to interpret their

Datababehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01955369972388718840noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188673764367253384.post-20965861513432927402010-01-28T12:38:00.014-05:002010-01-31T10:18:50.667-05:00

Rather than add to the previous post, I decided a true celebration of Data Privacy Day deserved a post all its own, and what better way to celebrate the date than with a list of Data Privacy To Dos! Don't think that sounds fun? Put it in perspective: would discovering someone's gone hogwild with your Amazon (or PayPal) account be fun? How about suddenly getting a flurry of unhappy replies

Datababehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01955369972388718840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188673764367253384.post-70602659077157301882010-01-28T00:08:00.004-05:002010-01-28T00:19:12.672-05:00

I'm serious, today really is Data Privacy Day! So chew on that, reflect on this, check out online privacy's very own new symbol, and if you've got a password of "123456" (or "abcdef") to anything go change it ASAP. In view of the importance of the date, I hope to add to this post later. For now I'm off to share the love on a few other sites where it's much needed, as well as ones where it's

Datababehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01955369972388718840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188673764367253384.post-27882237148310389452010-01-25T17:46:00.010-05:002010-01-26T08:27:37.515-05:00

...and possibly some not-so-private eyes. But it's all good, right, as long as they're on Our Side? Well, maybe. However, there's more to a little truth in the old saying that the road to hell is paved with good intentions (for varying values of "good"). Amid the usual rush to blame Microsoft, there's word that Google's own government backdoor may have been the route Chinese hackers took to

Datababehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01955369972388718840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188673764367253384.post-79357244733942828302010-01-17T16:53:00.006-05:002010-01-18T22:06:09.369-05:00

I can't help but love this story.  Shoot, I can't help but love this story title: Dumbfounded: Smart phones breach Facebook security This is beyond cool. Who cares if you can watch Sunday football through an AT&T coverage map, when what little network they've got will let you seamlessly login to someone else's Facebook account via your smartphone? "Fortunately, the vulnerability would be of

Datababehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01955369972388718840noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188673764367253384.post-12070840453800057492010-01-16T17:08:00.001-05:002010-01-16T21:15:15.594-05:00

Apparently, privacy is not only really, really dead, but anyone who cares about that fact, or thinks there's any point in guarding any last spark of life remaining, is out of step with the rest of humanity, and in fact, a complete Luddite. Move over, fellow Luddites, here I come. Count me as one of the I am not We Tribe. From where I sit tending my little fire, it appears the Privacy Is Dead

Datababehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01955369972388718840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188673764367253384.post-45404302654647323282010-01-15T13:45:00.007-05:002010-01-15T23:57:38.170-05:00

When disaster strikes, there's a bunch of people who mobilize with lightning speed, calculated precision, and numerous approaches of varying creativity. Unfortunately they're not with the Red Cross, the United Nations Foundation, or even PETA (a group definitely known for quick mobilization). They're the scamming sharks of cyberspace, and they're in a full fledged feeding frenzy.They spread

Datababehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01955369972388718840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188673764367253384.post-23636367010774521152010-01-05T16:02:00.016-05:002010-01-16T00:30:15.117-05:00

I'll start off here with a disclaimer: not every chain/mass email is a malware spreading missive of misinformation, or yet another piece of scammer spam. Some truly are amusing, inspirational, or even informative. I've received things that have made me laugh out loud, moved me to tears, or been worthy of sending on in turn to other potentially interested parties. But like just about everything

Datababehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01955369972388718840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188673764367253384.post-74592876046754288832009-12-29T11:56:00.024-05:002010-01-03T12:24:02.129-05:00

I finally logged into Facebook this morning to do a bit more than just make sure I remembered my password. Poking around the "My Account" section for the first time since the Great Privacy Update, I received the following popup when I hit the "Facebook Ads" tab:Advertisers using my photos? Misleading rumors? Get the whole story? I'll give 'em this: they know how to hook a person.The Facebook

Datababehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01955369972388718840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188673764367253384.post-86063617015296873342009-12-23T22:22:00.013-05:002009-12-30T07:59:53.495-05:00

Evidently there are people out there who really, truly don't care about their online privacy OR the new Facebook privacy controls. I admit I'm wondering if this guy, in addition to keeping his fugitive status updates current, is also updating his photo album...? And does he prefer Farmville or Mafia Wars? My play money is on the latter.Anyone else think the cops should check to see if he's

Datababehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01955369972388718840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188673764367253384.post-70139622859379971112009-12-18T14:26:00.009-05:002009-12-24T00:53:37.627-05:00

A friend of mine asked me recently if I planned to write any fiction. I gave her my standard response: "No, because I couldn't make this stuff up". Seriously, I can't, and I have a pretty active imagination. They say sometimes life just hands you material. I say life always hands you material; you just have to be able to gather it all up. Right now, my basket is overflowing.First there was

Datababehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01955369972388718840noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188673764367253384.post-8111865649611742072009-12-15T19:57:00.005-05:002009-12-15T20:32:14.070-05:00

For better or worse (I lean towards the former, frankly) there's been a huge flap over Google CEO Eric Schmidt's recent interview comment (er, gaffe): "If you have something that you don't want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn't be doing it in the first place," with reactions ranging from slightly paranoid to more calmly practical. Now, predictably, the Google PR Parade is attempting damage

Datababehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01955369972388718840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188673764367253384.post-78586338623980486832009-12-10T11:41:00.015-05:002009-12-10T15:59:13.153-05:00

Facebook today pushed out its new and improved privacy settings, under the guise of giving users "more control" over their information. The Electronic Frontier Foundation has a pretty good rundown of the "good, the bad, and the ugly" here. Another useful commentary can be found at ReadWriteWeb, and as it appears to be a running one it's probably worth watching. For the snarky side of the story

Datababehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01955369972388718840noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188673764367253384.post-75882172386280319502009-11-30T15:50:00.006-05:002009-12-06T00:38:05.755-05:00

Even after all my years in tech, there are still a few things that surprise me. One of them is how supposedly tech savvy people, and companies, will commit an utterly avoidable mistake, even after others before them have committed the same mistake, and often on a fairly spectacular scale. If you follow tech news at all, you should be aware by now of the brouhaha stirred up by the TechCrunch

Datababehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01955369972388718840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188673764367253384.post-21028978172702067142009-11-23T08:33:00.008-05:002009-11-23T15:39:13.105-05:00

Did you have fun this weekend? If so, did you post photos of this fun to your Facebook account? And if you did that, did you (hopefully) stop to consider whether those photos could get you into trouble with your significant other, your boss, or your mom? Maybe you think you don't have to worry about that, because your S.O., boss, or mom were with you (so you've got still more photos to ensure

Datababehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01955369972388718840noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188673764367253384.post-14001497369116893362009-11-18T12:45:00.007-05:002010-01-03T10:23:18.813-05:00

There's a few reasons why I have one credit card designated solely for online shopping, but up until now having to beware of being surreptitiously signed up for some fee-charging "loyalty program" wasn't one of them. This definitely makes my "WHOA!!" list.Read the above linked article thoroughly, and more than once if the first time doesn't make you mad enough. Then check the statements of any

Datababehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01955369972388718840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188673764367253384.post-34330358451602747262009-11-18T08:02:00.006-05:002009-11-18T22:58:32.371-05:00

Hopefully by now, everyone who's had an email account for any length of time has not only heard the term "phishing", but actually knows what it is. Almost certainly anyone who's had an email account for any length of time has gotten at least a few phishing emails (for varying values of "a few").CNET recently posted sort of "phishing primer" article that's worth the read. In a nutshell, phishing

Datababehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01955369972388718840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188673764367253384.post-50453077206336487722009-11-05T08:43:00.006-05:002009-11-05T09:05:22.615-05:00

Who says legacy hardware can't still be useful in production? And I've had people point and laugh because I run a MacIntoaster...Traffic Signal Computer On The Blink."This is a rather old computer. It's probably 25 to 30 years old. It's a 1980s-vintage Data General main frame computer. Parts are not really available."Well, okay perhaps in this instance it's not exactly useful - at least not at

Datababehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01955369972388718840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188673764367253384.post-18489713924466499212009-09-10T10:48:00.019-04:002009-11-20T02:37:03.134-05:00

Yes, after so long of scowling, scolding, and even snarling at friends, family, users, and random people I've stopped in the street (okay, I don't do that, at least not that I'm aware of), I have finally gone to the Darkside. Predictably, the response from those who know me has been comparable to catching Jane Fonda on a wild midnight binge at Krispy Kreme. I have also promptly been the

Datababehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01955369972388718840noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188673764367253384.post-30037482800425845482009-09-10T00:28:00.009-04:002009-11-20T02:35:48.481-05:00

Just a quick post here, and a link to a good (IMHO) article on Facebook:Facebook May Not Be For EveryoneI've gotten a few offers of pets, glitz, and farm animals myself, and I too will appreciate the thought while politely declining to accept.I don't have time for farming via Facebook anyway; when I do have the rare few minutes of free time to play, I'm working on my mage level in Runescape.  My

Datababehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01955369972388718840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188673764367253384.post-74346176318580415582009-06-30T10:00:00.002-04:002009-11-18T11:16:06.419-05:00

There's an old saying that "a shortcut is the longest distance between two points". When it comes to "tiny" URLs, this is literally true. If you like to share interesting links with friends and family, you may find URL shortening services quite useful. If you like to send links via Twitter, SMS, etc., they are invaluable, due to the character length restrictions on messages. Of course, it hasn't

Datababehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01955369972388718840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188673764367253384.post-47583790252597567242009-05-22T09:00:00.000-04:002009-11-18T10:53:50.937-05:00

"Clickjacking" isn't really news - it's been around in myriad forms for a while - but the proliferation of it is somewhat newsworthy, even if a mass takeover of home webcams is unlikely (if you're seriously worried about peeping hackers, at least be creative and put something more entertaining than a post-it over the lens). It's certainly a trap to be aware of and avoided whenever possible.

Datababehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01955369972388718840noreply@blogger.com0