Windows 8 - Deeper Impressions

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

Yahoo slams Microsoft Outlook in eccentric memo, even though most of them use it ( NeoWin 2013-11-24 )

NeoWin defense piece, for Microsoft naturally, all because Yahoo criticized their crappy Outlook email thing. Naturally it serves up red meat for the NeoDogs to chew on. I say blah blah blah as I prefer email clients over webpages, but here's the thing, the article looks like this ...

Making it obvious that the author needed to resort to a trick to compare Outlook and Yahoo favorably. First he shows Yahoo at 500 x 310 ( apect ratio is 1.61 to 1 ) ...

( Image Source: NeoWin )

... then he shows Outlook at a larger 640 x 360 ( aspect ratio is 1.78 to 1 ) ...

( Image Source: NeoWin )

... which unsurprisingly yields far more pixels of Outlook and a wider, much more favorable aspect ratio. How on Earth could Outlook not appear more useful in this instance! We know what the NeoKid was thinking obviously, but what on Earth did he do to accomplish this? Neither image seems resized since the fonts appear true enough, the only thing I can think of is that he used Outlook full screen but screencapped Yahoo in a resized browser window. That actual placeholder webpage title they use over there "Neowin - Where unprofessional journalism looks better" is very true indeed.

Also note that "Yahoo thinks this program is like a dinosaur" is the original caption from the author. To this I say: Why yes it is a dinosaur, lodged firmly in the Win3x era before VB came along to make controls and interfaces show some manner of difference and most importantly, depth ( actually that's insulting the Win16 era too much because programmers had the tools to make perfectly useful applications already, it was the early HTML era that this NuMicrosoft is partly mimicking ). That whole Outlook is a minefield of hidden controls, meaning you'll have to move the mouse over anything to see if it is clickable or not. The fact that you MetroTards accept this idiocracy willingly only reflects on your complete lack of critical reasoning when your beloved Microsoft is involved.

Anyway, if you make them the same size and put them side by side things appear much differently IMHO ...

These two windows are the same size, now which one looks like a dinosaur?

... and the real problem becomes obvious. Outlook is a clusterf*ck just the same as all of Microsoft's latest re-imaginings using that ridiculous bright white and gray theme, webpage-like HTML and CSS level rendering, retarded icons, disorganized layout and Julie's horrific ribbon thrown in for good measure. It would take a very few more white elements to make the Outlook window into a blinding flashlight app, and we really need more of those.

There is true insanity in the extreme crap visual appearance of much software these days, a fad led primarily by Microsoft and to some extent Apple, frittering away all the advancements of GPU acceleration and display output. Icons for example, are being reduced to 2-color flat copies of those retarded public road signs that were designed BEFORE there even were computers in the graphic design industry. It's madness brought to us by the overpaid under-achievers in Redmond.

One wonders what their vaunted telemetry shows for use of accessibility features, particularly those catering to handicapped persons. According to NuMicrosoft logic all physically handicapped people should be thrown under the bus because certainly any feature they removed on the basis of telemetry surely had more usage than the more specialized accessibility functions. Yep, it seems the only handicapped people that Microsoft interface designers care about at all are the mentally handicapped MetroTards.

EDIT: typos

Edited November 27, 2013 by CharlotteTheHarlot

[JorgeA]

Well, it looks like everybody wants in on the act. LoJack just announced they are going to be providing a service to automakers and insurance companies to track driving habits, where the vehicle has been and certain conditions of the automobile. Now, they say that the system will be be able to be turned off by the consumer, and that they are not going to be harvesting data about you and then selling it to third parties. We all know that we can TRUST THE BIG COMPANIES AND GOVERNMENTS to keep their word.

The full article is here: http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9244338/LoJack_system_will_allow_parents_auto_makers_and_insurance_companies_to_track_vehicles

It is getting to be a pretty scary place live these days.

bpalone

The infospy tentacles keep spreading and pervading ever more aspects of our lives.

One more thing to be aware of to decline. As they say, the price of liberty is eternal vigilance.

--JorgeA

[JorgeA]

The Insurance company Aviva Insurance Company (Formally Norwich Union) have been promoting a mobile phone app that monitors your driving style and then if you are "steady enough" you get a discount on your premium.

I imagine it uses the accelorometer (sp) in the phone then sends the data to Aviva

Yeah, that makes sense as to how it might work.

At least these companies are promoting this positively by offering a discount -- although I shudder to think (and to use another famous phrase) how many folks will sell their birthright for a mess of pottage, 20% on their car insurance.

Wonder how long before some genius lawmaker gets it in his head that this is something that ought to be forced on everybody, "for the sake of the children" or whatever the excuse du jour will be at the time.

--JorgeA

[JorgeA]

Ha! The Bureau is still doing black bag jobs, which is rather ironic as the Federal government ( especially the Justice Department ) is populated with people that spent their lives lecturing us about the sordid past. People cried like mad when the Bureau did it to politicians, elitists in the news media, and high profile citizens like MLK. Now that they appear solely focused on the citizen peasants, I mean terrorists, you can hear a pin drop. J. Edgar Hoover or G. Gordon Liddy please pick up the courtesy phone.

Man, this is so right on target I can't possibly agree more strongly!

--JorgeA

[JorgeA]

The December 2013 issue of Computer Power User carries an article on the Windows 8.1 "up"grade. The section describing the installation process (p.68) provides this little tidbit:

The Settings screen is next; your options are to Use Express Settings or Customize. Express Settings include such things as allowing Windows to automatically seek out and connect to devices and content on the network and install updates, as well as enabling Internet Explorer's Do Not Track feature, malware protection, and page predictions feature (this helps preload webpages and sends your browsing history to Microsoft. It allows Windows to "send information to Microsoft to help improve its software," enables Bing features in Windows Search, and grants Windows and apps permission to use your name, account picture, advertising ID, and location. If you're cool with all the above, then click Use Express Settings. If not, click Customize and make changes where desired.

[emphasis added!]

So Microsoft is now Scroogling its customers, banking on the fact that many if not most people will be too tired, too trusting, or too ignorant to worry about or even watch out for these traps as they rush to finish the already long and tedious Win8.1 installation process.

--JorgeA

[jaclaz]

Unrelated, but not much, the local geniuses that are carrying on the "digital revolution" for the Public sector in Italy, a company called SOGEI, that holds the datacenters for most Public Administartion services (including tax paying ) has had their server farms go down (badly and abruptly).

The company CEO was in the Parliament for several hours no more than two weeks ago explaining how good and cool they were, how brilliant was the idea of having all the data of all State Administrations managed by them in a server farm (of which supposedly a 1:1 mirror exists), how reliable was the system they had put up (they even had thought of electricity issues and they had diesel powered emergency electric generators. I mean, WOW! ).

Facts are that the "main" shut down abruptly two days ago and the almost total data blackout lasted a whole day (Italian):

http://www.corrierecomunicazioni.it/pa-digitale/24529_sogei-torna-a-funzionare-il-sistema-informativo-della-fiscalita.htm

Obviously the "mirror" completely failed to work.

And yes, Rick Harris should not have done that.

jaclaz

[JorgeA]

Here's a brief review of Windows 8.1 that covers some issues with the OS that I don't remember being mentioned in this thread:

--JorgeA

[JorgeA]

Unrelated, but not much, the local geniuses that are carrying on the "digital revolution" for the Public sector in Italy, a company called SOGEI, that holds the datacenters for most Public Administartion services (including tax paying ) has had their server farms go down (badly and abruptly).

The company CEO was in the Parliament for several hours no more than two weeks ago explaining how good and cool they were, how brilliant was the idea of having all the data of all State Administrations managed by them in a server farm (of which supposedly a 1:1 mirror exists), how reliable was the system they had put up (they even had thought of electricity issues and they had diesel powered emergency electric generators. I mean, WOW! ).

Facts are that the "main" shut down abruptly two days ago and the almost total data blackout lasted a whole day (Italian):

http://www.corrierecomunicazioni.it/pa-digitale/24529_sogei-torna-a-funzionare-il-sistema-informativo-della-fiscalita.htm

Obviously the "mirror" completely failed to work.

Remember the ideal of the "paperless office"?

Your example suggests that the move to put every possible bit of government data online suggests that anarchist hacktivists may not need to do anything, themselves, to accomplish their goals. They can just stand aside and let the unassisted suicide proceed on its own.

--JorgeA

[JorgeA]

Check out the last post in this thread:

Individual developers or even companies to whom I have complained about this, tend to respond to me along the lines of "only a lunatic or a criminal would refuse to use .NET".

The bit about "criminals" usually comes up in the context of someone opposing outsider intrusion on their private business, and being pointedly asked if they're up to no good. "I have nothing to hide," and all that cr*p.

So, does the .NET Framework present privacy issues? Anybody know?

--JorgeA

[Formfiller]

.NET is harmless. If MS hid some backdoors, it's surely not in an optional installer.

The only problem .NET has is that it prolongs Windows Update, because .NET updates take a while to install (precompilation of assemblies on every update).

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

Bloomberg: Alan Mulally still a favorite for Microsoft CEO position; Stephen Elop no longer frontrunner ( NeoWin 2013-11-28 )

I'll bet the Ford guy keeps saying "no" just to get better and better offers. When they finally sign him it will be for a record breaking package ( and will backfire because of the bad press Microsoft will receive ). Either that or this is all to wear down Wall Street and then suddenly keep Ballmer. Aw heck, just bring back Sinofsky, at least that will provide some entertainment value as they circle the drain.

Microsoft changes online Xbox One form letter after getting sexism complaints ( NeoWin 2013-11-27 )

The Wall Street Journal reports that the latest promotion for the Xbox One was directed at men who have a wife or steady girlfriend to convince them, again in a humorous way, to let their man buy the Xbox One this holiday season. However, the default choice for one of the lines in the customizable letter stated, "Youd rather knit than watch me slay zombies, but hear me out on this: Xbox One is actually for both of us."

[...]

Later in the day, Microsoft removed the "knit" choice in the menu options completely. A Microsoft spokesperson said, "The letter is fully customizable and we meant no offense, but understand how the defaults could be perceived. Were making changes to the letter defaults and apologize for the oversight."

So this grabs Microsoft's attention resulting in an instantaneous about-face, instead of the two full years of yelling about Metro and other disasters! They are a clown circus. And though it's beside the point, political correctness will become the death of free speech. Such cowards.

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

US Government to pay $50 million for using pirated software ( NeoWin 2013-11-28 )

Apptricity, maker of logistics software useful for tracking location of soldiers and shipments in critical missions, has sued the US Government for defaulting on software license fees and operating unlicensed copies of the software for nearly a decade.

According to the company, the Government had unlawfully installed the software on 93 servers and around 9000 devices in addition to 500 licenses that were paid for. The license fees for the software are $1.35 million per server and $5000 per device which translates into $224 million in lost revenue.

Oh the "Government" did that? You mean some individual civil servant. And now we taxpayers get fleeced some more by this Sopranos industry of copyright pirates posing as copyright police. A perfect reason why the blanket immunity for public officials ( USA ) should be done away with allowing each individual to be charged as a criminal and alleged damages can be extracted from them, rather than levied against the taxpayer pool. But that is in fact the purpose in the first place, to absolve the individual completely. It runs up the taxpayer fiscal liability and also contributes to the destruction of individuality in the long run. A more evil situation would be hard to devise.

Naturally this parasitic company called Apptricity would jump at the chance to raid taxpayers' wallets, since the few actual government employees that allegedly committed this offense have little to offer. If the government spooks and the IRS and other alphabet agencies want to harass someone, how about aiming your vast resources at them, Apptricity instead. Tap their phones, confiscate their computers, find out what they have hiding in their closets. Since they have just managed to charge me as a taxpayer for software I never installed or use, they are taking my money without any product or services in return. That makes them thieves. Go get 'em, I can support that!

Microsoft issues security alert for new Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 exploit ( NeoWin 2013-11-27 )

Microsoft says that Windows XP and Server 2003 users must open a malicious PDF file to be affected by this new exploit. While Microsoft is working on a full patch that will permanently close this hole, it does recommend that users delete their NDProxy.sys file and reroute to Null.sys. The company has determined that this will be an effective workaround until a patch is released.

Red meat for the mindless fandogs ( fanpuppies really ) to chew on. I don't have time to look at this properly today, but why does that ring a bell? Didn't we already see this a long time ago? Hopefully someone has better Total Recall than myself.

EDIT: clarity

Edited November 29, 2013 by CharlotteTheHarlot

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

Microsoft reportedly implementing stronger encryption to combat NSA spying ( TechSpot 2013-11-27 )

Report: Microsoft to encrypt more of its data to prevent NSA spying ( NeoWin 2013-11-28 )

No sense quoting it. There is no real information here, none about what Microsoft might do and of course nothing stating that there aren't back-doors making this face-saving window-dressing. It is obvious that the spy leaks have had some serious negative effect on all of these companies reputations and sales, the only question is whether they are in the process of applying band-aids, or tourniquets to stop the bleeding.

FCC Chairman Suggests Overhaul for Phone Internet System ( Tom's Hardware 2013-11-27 )

The FCC will be gearing up to upgrade the U.S.s telephone backbone soon. The current chairman of the organization announced that it will begin a new set of experiments in 2014 to prep phone lines with bigger networks that use IP instead of the current analog switchboard system.

In a blog post, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler wrote, "This is what I call the Fourth Network Revolution History has shown that new networks catalyze innovation, investment, ideas and ingenuity. Their spillover effects can transform society -- think of the creation of industrial organizations and the standardized time zones that followed in the wake of the railroad and telegraph."

Unless this bureaucrat's first words out of his mouth were 'To ensure citizen privacy' or 'a new infrastructure with no spying capability' ( or ... ) then he must think we are fools. No way that anything could be developed and rolled out presently and NOT be compromised to the core. In a perfect world the bureaucrat would now be soliciting design ideas from privacy advocates and commit to not moving forward without a foolproof plan for privacy. But that won't happen today, as the expectation thanks to lukewarm outrage from the sheeple is for the status quo - spooks tapping all communications at will.

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

Reported 50,000+ Networks Possibly Hacked By NSA ( Tom's Hardware 2013-11-27 )

The NSA has infected more than 50,000 computer networks worldwide with malicious software, according to new information leaked by whistleblower Edward Snowden, and published by Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad.

An NSA presentation from 2012 shows a world map with lots of interconnecting lines to more than 50,000 "computer network exploitation" (CNE) access points worldwide. These CNE's are referred to as implants and were installed by NSA hackers starting as early as 2008. The hackers, which are estimated to number over a thousand, are part of a special NSA department named TAO (Tailored Access Operations), according to the paper.

Sorry if already posted, just want to make sure all the Snowden releases get a mention.

Bitcoin exchange rate tops $1,000 for first time ever ( TechSpot 2013-11-27 )

UK man throws away hard drive containing over $7.5 million in Bitcoins ( NeoWin 2013-11-28 )

Interesting stories to be sure. I imagine if you had a time machine, the classic choice about going back and buying tons of stock in IBM, MSFT, AAPL or GOOG is now no choice at all, and instead it means grab a few thousand bitcoins when they were available for less than a buck each. I'm guessing that with this news the next virtual currency that comes along won't be dismissed so very easily!

EDIT: clarity

Edited November 29, 2013 by CharlotteTheHarlot

[JorgeA]

People say that if you play Microsoft CD's backwards, you hear satanic things, but that's nothing, because if you play them forwards, they install Windows.

Very funny!!

--JorgeA