Beta Blues

Beta Blues. I want to draw attention to what I consider to be a disturbing Microsoft marketing trend, one that I would strongly encourage the company to withdraw from. More importantly, I'd like to discourage other vendors from venturing down the same treacherous path. … The problems would be less if the betas were better.… Continue reading Beta Blues

Inside

Inside the new Airbus 380, unveiled yesterday in France. [Scripting News]

Not One Damn Dime Day

Thursday is Not One Damn Dime Day in the USA. [Scripting News]

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Microsoft RC4 Flaw

Microsoft RC4 Flaw. One of the most important rules of stream ciphers is to never use the same keystream to encrypt two different documents. If someone does, you can break the encryption by XORing the two ciphertext streams together. The keystream drops out, and you end up with plaintext XORed with plaintext — and you… Continue reading Microsoft RC4 Flaw

Why Should Hollywood Have All the Anti-Consumer Fun?.

Why Should Hollywood Have All the Anti-Consumer Fun?.. Why Should Hollywood Have All the Anti-Consumer Fun?. No reason. As the Washington Post reports, you can use pocket-lining tricks like region-coding for selling other kinds of “content” — like printer ink: H-P has quietly begun implementing “region coding” for its highly lucrative print cartridges for some… Continue reading Why Should Hollywood Have All the Anti-Consumer Fun?.

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Mossberg on Fighting Spyware

Mossberg on Fighting Spyware.  Webroot Software has reprinted Walter Mossberg's short essay on fighting spyware. Mossberg provides a good summary of the problem and ways to fight it. One tip is of particular interest: The absolute best way to avoid spyware is to stop using Windows, and switch to an Apple Macintosh, which gets little… Continue reading Mossberg on Fighting Spyware

Worshipping librarians

Worshipping librarians. I found myself in Via Valverde on Friday with the head librarian of Goucher College, explaining the concept of folksonomies over a glass of wine. Lisa became friends with Nancy when they were on a curriculum committee together when Lisa was an undergrad, and Nancy pinged her when she was coming up here… Continue reading Worshipping librarians

Durability of Usability Guidelines

Useit.Com: Durability of Usability Guidelines. Usability guidelines endure because they depend on human behavior, which changes very slowly, if at all. What was difficult for users twenty years ago continues to be difficult today. People can only remember so many things, and we don't get any smarter. [Tomalak's Realm]

Howard Dean Paid Bloggers

Howard Dean Paid Bloggers.  More evidence we're living in a new media world with few rules. David Akin notes that The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that the Daily Kos and another blog received $3,000 a month for four months from the Howard Dean campaign. The story reports that the bloggers disclosed on their blogs… Continue reading Howard Dean Paid Bloggers

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