Windows 8 - Deeper Impressions

[JorgeA]

Great find, ricktendo!

This is friggin' unbelievable. "Smart TVs", eh? I want the DUMBEST television set that's out there.

I wonder what happens if the TV purchaser declines to accept the Terms & Conditions. Does the TV stop working? Like when you click "Off" on the data collection option in the setttings, does the TV work and simply proceed anyway to collect all the info under the terms that you just refused to agree to?

This is an argument for keeping your TV well away from the 'Net.

--JorgeA

UPDATE: In the comments, one writer reports that...

Upon setting up the TV, I did notice the user agreement that you pointed out and I initially refused to accept the terms. It became clear that not doing so rendered many features of the TV unavailable including many that were my reason for buying this product. Additionally, it was difficult to use the TV as it nagged me to accept the terms repeatedly - which I did after about a day.

What matters to me is that it receive signals from over-the-air or cable sources, I don't care whether YouTube or any other Internet-based service works.

Edited November 20, 2013 by JorgeA

[JorgeA]

And speaking of people collecting information about your preferences and personal life:

Data brokers' collection of internet activity data raises privacy issues

The company did not respond to a request for an interview, but Rochelle Sherman, writing on Acxiom's AboutTheData.com blog, contended that one major benefit is that online advertising is much less irritating — free of "full-page pop ups and big flashing ads." When "responsible, data-driven marketers" use big data effectively, "the experience doesn't feel creepy or intrusive — it fits into our lives," she wrote.

What planet is she on?? It's precisely when ads reflect my preferences that they start feeling creepy and intrusive. I don't mind getting ads on a website, what I do mind is getting ads on a website based on my searches and actions on other sites. I don't mind paying more for the things I buy, if it comes to that -- my privacy is worth something to me, and it's NONE OF YOUR D*MN BUSINESS.

That, not surprisingly, is not how most privacy advocates see it. They point out that Acxiom collects 1,500 data points on hundreds of millions of people – estimates range from 190 million to 700 million – and consumers have very little control over limiting that collection or its use.

They also note that Acxiom is only one of hundreds – perhaps thousands – of firms that collect data on people. Pam Dixon, executive director of the World Privacy Forum (WPF), compliments Acxiom for, "a positive first step in opening this portal."

[emphasis added]

One way to deal with this might be by using a well-stocked hosts file. If your computer is blocked from connecting to a data collector's server, no data can be collected, right?

--JorgeA

Edited November 20, 2013 by JorgeA

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

Ransomware email attachment demands Bitcoin payments ( NeoWin 2013-11-19 )

An update to the recent and truly dangerous ransomware which encrypts local files anywhere it finds them. This is a payload malware reportedly seen in attachments to email. One wonders if the criminals behind this virus who demand and receive payment have even read any news from the past 6 months concerning government surveillance? Do they really believe they will not be nailed quickly from the payment trail?

Hackers breach vBulletin support forum using zero-day vulnerability ( TechSpot 2013-11-18 )

Forum software vendor compromised, credentials stolen. I'll bet all the others are under attack too, particularly Wordpress. No-one is safe as the black hats look like they are taking cues from the government spooks who set the precedent that everything is fair game now. It's open season. We have our wild, wild west back again.

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

Yahoo to encrypt all products in light of NSA spying revelations ( TechSpot 2013-11-19 )

Story mentioned by Jorge earlier. I thought this comment ( speaking about the Yahoo CEO ) shows what the big companies are now facing thanks to exposure of their collaboration with the spooks ...

Why should anyone believe her?

I think she's lying. I think that yahoo, microsoft, google, apple, drop box, or any service provider that has more than a million users is in cahoots with the government. They're all just trying to save face now.

Chris Roberts: Star Citizen is a PC game, will never be "dumbed down for a lesser platform" ( PC Gamer 2013-11-18 )

Now the skies of Star Citizen are falling because someone spotted a PlayStation 4 dev kit in a picture posted by the developers. Taking to the community forums, creator Chris Roberts addressed rumors that Star Citizen would be dumbed down for console releaseand destroyed them.

Star Citizen IS a PC game, Roberts writes. It will NEVER be dumbed down for a lesser platform. We will NOT limit the input options or supported peripherals to the lowest common denominator. We will NOT pass on features and technology just because they will only run on some hardware configurations.

I just thought everybody would like to hear that thankfully there are still some adults with integrity around.

[jaclaz]

Great find, ricktendo!

This is friggin' unbelievable. "Smart TVs", eh? I want the DUMBEST television set that's out there.

I wonder what happens if the TV purchaser declines to accept the Terms & Conditions. Does the TV stop working? Like when you click "Off" on the data collection option in the setttings, does the TV work and simply proceed anyway to collect all the info under the terms that you just refused to agree to?

This is an argument for keeping your TV well away from the 'Net.

--JorgeA

Well, I saw it coming since a loong time, JFYI (quoting myself from 2009! ):

http://reboot.pro/topic/9915-the-good-thing-is-that-engineers-never-stop-to-surprise-me/

jaclaz

[Formfiller]

Chris Roberts: Star Citizen is a PC game, will never be "dumbed down for a lesser platform" ( PC Gamer 2013-11-18 )

Now the skies of Star Citizen are falling because someone spotted a PlayStation 4 dev kit in a picture posted by the developers. Taking to the community forums, creator Chris Roberts addressed rumors that Star Citizen would be dumbed down for console releaseand destroyed them.

Star Citizen IS a PC game, Roberts writes. It will NEVER be dumbed down for a lesser platform. We will NOT limit the input options or supported peripherals to the lowest common denominator. We will NOT pass on features and technology just because they will only run on some hardware configurations.

I just thought everybody would like to hear that thankfully there are still some adults with integrity around.

Speaking about dumbed down:

If Doom would have been made today:

Just hilarious.

[ricktendo]

Check out this Mug on the Microsoft Store

[JorgeA]

ROFL!!!

Can the graphics arts experts here substitute an NSA shield for the Chrome logo?

Don't want to get political, but I can't pass up this photo of a demonstration in Berlin:

[source}

--JorgeA

[JorgeA]

More NSA fallout, this time on the negative side of the ledger:

Is a Snowden effect stalking US telecom sales?

Cisco this week became the one of the first companies to say publicly that its sales were down as a direct result of the NSA disclosures. The issue is whether overseas clients are reluctant to buy Cisco's telecommunications equipment for fear that the organization would gain access to their systems.

--JorgeA

[Formfiller]

More Scroogle stuff:

http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/en_US/cat/Scroogled/categoryID.67575900

There is a huge shitstorm forming:

https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=cr&ei=uvqNUvi-H-yS0AWKyICwDA#q=%22keep+calm+while+we+steal+your+data%22

Pretty much every article and comment is pointing out at the mad hypocrisy.

Microsoft marketers are truly geniuses and experts in understanding human emotion: If they would fight in a war, their surrender-flags would be in red, with a fist printed on it, and their coats of arms would be giant smileys. I must admit, I envy them a bit. They must know some REALLY great stuff to be able to cook up something like that and think it's a great campaign.

[jaclaz]

To be picky (as I am ) they also actually failed to design a mug for the left-handed, and (being also cheap ) US$ 7.99 for a mug?

They will be geniuses if they manage to sell for 8 bucks something that costs to them less than 1 US$ apiece (example):

http://salinaglass.com/promotional-coffee-mugs-c-1

AND they also make through these items their denigratory campaign.

Now, if they would send me one of those mugs (free of shipping/handling charges), and together with it a US$ 80.00 check, then maybe we could talk of the matter.

jaclaz

[351837]

Can the graphics arts experts here substitute an NSA shield for the Chrome logo?

--JorgeA

You asked

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

After a 16-year Run, Winamp to Shut Down Next Month. ( Tom's Hardware 2013-11-20 )

Subtitle: Winamp is joining Alta Vista and Voodoo Extreme in the Internet graveyard. Sob. Well, not exactly. WinAmp is a fine example of how a product changes and alienates its user base, and naturally there are those that spend eternity trying to scapegoat other things instead of looking inward.

Winamp version 1 arrived on June 7, 1997 adding a spectrum analyzer and color changing volume slider. Winamp 2 then landed in September 1998, and by then, the app had become one of the most downloaded pieces of software for Windows to date. By June 1999, AOL purchased the developers, formally called Nullsoft, for $80 million in stock, and as of June 22, 2000, Winamp reportedly surpassed 25 million registrants.

The downhill slide seemingly began with Winamp3. The update was released on August 9, 2002, and was a complete rewrite of version 2. But users found that it consumed way too much of the system resources, and was reported to be somewhat unstable. Thus, many users simply reverted back to Winamp 2. To make matters worse, Winamp3 wasnt backwards compatible with Winamp 2 plugins and skins, thus giving users another reason to revert back to the older, more popular version.

This story has been repeated over and over with countless other software inexplicably changed by an arrogant retarded author, and it also happens with Microsoft with everything from the tiniest support apps and utilities, to bigtime Office suites, and of course Windows itself. In fact it is the dog wagging the tail because the average smalltime developer out there may see Microsoft "getting away" with these annoyances year after year and become convinced that they can be just as impervious to customer feedback, but then pay the price that Microsoft rarely does. In truth, Microsoft has only survived because their products have been positioned as "too big too fail" thanks to their carefully structured monopoly. But even that luck appears to have been pressed to far now. Perhaps Metallica could write them a theme song and call it Enter Android?

Did that PC game come out resolution locked? Don't worry this guy will fix it for you ( TechSpot 2013-11-20 )

This story kinda jumps off of that previous one about developer mis-steps by profiling a programmer who for fun ( and for free ) untangles the artificial limitations that game authors impose on their PC releases. Obviously the PC world is chock full of similar folk, it is practically the defining characteristic of the x86 universe with personalization and customization, and most importantly the endless corrections necessary to sloppy and arrogant development. Kudos to him and all others that spend their valuable time fixing annoyances.

Nokia to say farvel to their Espoo HQ building ( NeoWin 2013-11-21 )

Since then, the Internet has been awash chatter like Nokia's thinking about Android, and whats gonna happen to Nokia as a whole. Its the latter example that is now starting to come to fruition, as Nokias HQ is to become a Microsoft site for the 32,000 staff members transferring to the Redmond tech behemoth.

According to Finlands Taloussanmat, Nokia themselves wont be going very far, moving to a new building - owned by Nokia - in Karaportti. In a statement to TechCrunch, Nokia confirmed the move by writing:

The vast majority of people in the building are working on Devices & Services related activities, so the building will become a Microsoft site. This is still targeted to be finalised in Q1 2014. People who will work for Nokia post-transaction will relocate to a building nearby that Nokia already owns. This building is currently being renovated in Karaportti, this is a campus we have had for many years. Of course, all regulatory approval will have to be in place prior any personnel movement.

We will not go quietly into the night.

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

Gartner Sees an End to Big Declines in PC Shipments ( Maximum PC 2013-11-20 )

If the story is accurate ( and I'm not interested enough to read through Gartner ramblings anymore ) then the analysts have once again proven they know nothing by reversing all their earlier yammering hyperbolic babbling of the past couple of years. Big shock, NOT.

The PC, or home computer was never going to be replaced by mobile devices, except in those individual cases where a home computer was overkill in the first place. The only way that the MobileTards could cause the death of the PC would be by premeditated murder. And they are certainly trying to accomplish this ( Big Data including Microsoft and the sheeple like those that congregate at NeoWin and The Verge ) because the mobile hardware and associated software like Microsoft Tiles lends itself nicely to a curated walled-garden where every bit is for sale and your wallet is conveniently available to the curators. Gartner is not one person obviously, and it could be that this article just happens to be from a competent analyst as opposed to the normal type who remind me exactly of NY sportswriters. Whatever the case, even with short lifespan hardware with fast replacement rates it appears that desktop PC shipments still exceed mobile. That's pretty amazing and probably drives the MobileTards crazy.

Xbox One lacks proper storage management; Microsoft says it is 'automatic' ( NeoWin 2013-11-20 )

Now the first reviews of the Xbox One have come in and they have confirmed that the console will not allow owners to view just how much useable storage space is available on the hard drive.

[...]

Neowin contacted Microsoft to ask why the Xbox One lacks a traditional storage viewing or management features. We received a response from a Microsoft spokesperson:

"Xbox One was designed to make storage management automatic. For saved games, settings, and other information that Xbox One customers save to the cloud, space is virtually unlimited. On the internal hard drive in each Xbox One, games and apps can be uninstalled or reinstalled instantly with the click of the Xbox One menu button. Saved games and settings information is retrieved from the cloud for any game as its being reinstalled. By being smart about how storage is managed, Xbox One keeps everyone playing, watching, and sharing their entertainment content rather than worry about limitations. You can also see how much storage any app uses by pressing the menu button on that app."

There also no word yet on just how much of the 500GB hard drive is actually useable out of the box, with no game or app installs. We have emailed Microsoft for comment but have yet to receive a response.

You people don't need to know such things! How dare you question the great and powerful MicroTards who designed Xbox! One of the commenters is a real fanboy or astroturfer or employee. See his ramblings here for a wonderful explanation of how all ya'll have always been doing things wrong and how Microsoft knows better. Can you imagine saturating your ISP bandwidth for days to download 10's of gigabytes of game files? Now we know why they wanted always-on, so that the Xbox could continually download resources. Even with a FIOS pipe gigabytes are a PITA, and eventually you are going to be flagged as a problem and possibly be throttled or at least watched closely. In Microsoft's NuWorld, causing the customer to continually suck down gigabytes is business as usual since they are not part of that last network segment from the home to the ISP. It's very easy to spend other's people bandwidth, and money.

Microsoft's 'Scroogled' efforts against Google now include t-shirts ( NeoWin 2013-11-20 )

Now Microsoft is giving anyone the change to become a walking "Scroogled" ad with a new line up of t-shirts, hats, hoodies and mugs that the company is selling on its Microsoft Store website. One of the t-shirts, as seen above, has Google's Chrome logo with a variation of the "Keep Calm and Carry On" meme, now changed to "Keep Calm while we Steal Your Data." That specific t-shirt is priced at $12 and you can get the same image printed on a mug.

Another t-shirt has a Chrome logo on a spider with the phrase "Step into our Web". Yet another shirt design has the same logo as a head on a humanoid wearing a fedora and trench coat with the phrase "I'm watching you." We have emailed Google to see if they wish to comment on Microsoft's newest product launch.

( Image Source: NeoWin )

( story mentioned above by Rick and FF ) Clearly Microsoft is still employing that slimeball politician. Okay then ...

The possibilities are endless! Here, use this one to make your own.

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

It's been an epic few days on the Privacy front ...

LG Responds to Accusations That TVs Are Spying on Users ( Tom's Hardware 2013-11-20 )

So what does LG have to say for itself? Too bad, so sad, essentially. Unfortunately as you accepted the Terms and Conditions on your TV, your concerns would be best directed to the retailer. We understand you feel you should have been made aware of these T's and C's at the point of sale, and for obvious reasons LG are unable to pass comment on their actions.

The best thing for LG Smart TV owners to do is to block specific internet domains in the networks router. They are listed below:

ad.lgappstv.com

yumenetworks.com

smartclip.net

smartclip.com

smartshare.lgtvsdp.com

ibis.lgappstv.com

( controversy mentioned earlier by Rick and Jorge ) So WTF is this now? Blaming the retailer? That's the kind of arrogant response that leads to a class action lawsuit which I expect will be incoming.

Our 60 inch is also a smart TV and I have to admit I haven't bothered to check the network packet stream yet. BTW, for those buying one the delivery guy always wants to add it to the wireless network since these TVs have built-in Wi-Fi, but that makes very little sense since the TV is usually setup well within easy Ethernet cable distance to the router and that will give it maximum speed and not clog up the local air network, not to mention exposing the router security passphrase to a 3rd party ( both the installer guy and the TV manufacturer itself ). It is simple to to just yank out the Ethernet cable from the TV or router to disconnect it at will. This is much more sensible than using Wi-Fi.

Also, calling this thing "Smart" is one he!! of a joke anyway. That crappy, unchangeable web browser included in the "apps" is as dumb a thing as I have ever seen ( bookmarks are anchored to root websites, not specific webpages ). And as usual, they managed to find a way to make the thing much slower than necessary because loading Google or BING maps into the browser takes an eternity compared to a PC also on an Ethernet wire right into the same router. Near as I can tell, there is no addressable storage in the TV so anything personalized apparently gets stored in the cloud, and the apps are so dumb that even if there was local storage they wouldn't know how to use it.

So we're just throwing away privacy right and left at every opportunity now. This thing with LG ( and no doubt Samsung and others ) profiling their customers and stealing information is very similar to the situation with Xbox and Kinect because they have laid the groundwork here for a privacy-less advertising infrastructure and are just awaiting tacit approval from the sheeple and their sheepdog masters. I don't expect them to backtrack at all even after possibly losing one or more class action lawsuits. They will wait while the dripping of Chinese water torture causes the victim to throw up their arms and cry uncle, and then they will open the floodgates to advertising, make tons of money in the process and invade your living rooms and bedrooms without blinking an eye. Orwellian nightmares are just fine as long as the sheeple don't complain. "Dave, would you like to see some condom commercials or an educational PSA about STD's before you two go any further?"

Dating-Site Data Breach Dumps 42 Million Plain-Text Passwords ( Tom's Hardware 2013-11-20 )

Up to 42 million people worldwide have had their names, email addresses, passwords and dates of birth exposed to online criminals, the result of a data breach in January at Australian online-dating company Cupid Media.

There have been bigger data breaches, but perhaps none worse. Every one of the 42 million Cupid Media passwords was stored in unencrypted plain text.

42 million suckers exposed. 42 million! What really is noteworthy is that huge stories like this are barely noteworthy at all these days. Says nothing about credit cards ... yet. Oh well.

Gaming company hit with $1 million fine for turning customer PCs into Bitcoin miners ( TechSpot 2013-11-20 )

Earlier this spring, the company toyed with the idea of adding a Bitcoin mining option to the anti-cheat client but ultimately gave up on the idea. Well, all but one rogue employee.

According to ESEA, said employee went ahead and distributed the Bitcoin mining code to unsuspecting customers the very next day for his own personal gain. Its unclear exactly how many systems may have been mining Bitcoins but given the 14,000 subscriber base, it could be up to that many systems.

This went on for roughly two weeks before the company caught wind of it. In that time, the employee generated nearly 30 Bitcoins which would be worth more than $18,000 based on current exchange rates. Given the clientele (gamers), the employee was able to generate much more than he would have on a regular system as powerful gaming machines are excellent setups for mining.

Yet another example of how the "cloud" signals the complete end of privacy and the most exploitable gateway to all manner of crime. The most twisted thing about this story is that they have come down so hard on the company here, while apparently dealing with the perp employee in some minor fashion ( merely terminated ). To be clear, the company like all Cloud/ISP/email/Network providers had an infrastructure in place that could be abused for spying and theft if someone merely chose to do so. That puts them in the exact same spot as LG with their Smart TV cloud, and yes, Microsoft with their Xbox and Kinect and gaming cloud as well. The only logical solution would be to arrest the perp here ( the employee ) and charge him with tens of thousands of individual counts of hacking, home invasion, and theft ( of electric power and CPU/GPU cycles ). Clean him out for financial restitution and then sentence him to 20 years. This would stifle the intentions of all future home invaders at LG, Samsung, Microsoft and Google ( to name but a few ). If the individual has to worry about doing the time, he will not do the crime. Instead, what seems to have happened here is that the deep pocketed company was targeted by authorities and this means a slush fund of payola to the would-be crime-stoppers out there. Personal responsibility is what is needed, NOT a neat behind-the-scenes deal that ensures this will be repeated ad nauseum again and again.