I use VMWare workstation extensively in a professional capacity and prefer it over Oracle Virtualbox. Hyper-V is good only if you want to use a windows OS as a guest and have any hope of quick desktop interaction with no fuss.
This news article disgusts me on a level that makes me say I’m now going to be re-evaluating my primary VM solution for professional work. I don’t think I can approve this sort of disgusting executive behavior by voting with an upgrade that I need to do soon to workstation.
We’ve speculated on stuff like this happening for a long time. I didn’t consider that a video game console would be the first. I thought it would happen on Amazon.
I didn’t have much time to think about anything outside of work so I’m going to post some AI images I’ve generated along with their prompts. But first let me share a link:
I personally think of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) as a result of Google’s “algorythmization of search” where it became harder and harder to game relevancy because early tricks to get a business seen online didn’t work anymore. SEO is the primary tool in a war between a closed ad market and its customers. An entire industry sprung up to play a game of cat and mouse with Google. I thought that SEO would die when Google figured out how to cut it off at the neck, I didn’t think AI would save it, but it is. And we are all worse off. Money finds a way.
And now for some AI generated imagery.
I’ve been experimenting with various image models using Invoke AI and I occasionally get some pretty cool results. I claim no copyright to any of these so do with them whatever you like. Have fun with the prompts.
Microsoft’s stable channel release notes very briefly had a November 28th update saying they’re aware of the vulnerability but now that blurb was removed.
File Under Reasons Why Rebooting Fixes Things/And I Miss Windows 2000
This is more true with Windows I think. If you make a major config change and something doesn’t work, give it a reboot. At least you don’t have to restart after changing an IP address like the bad old days of Windows 2000, though I think Windows 2000 was a damn fine operating system.
Sometimes I look back to Windows 2000 and miss the simplicity of an operating system that was an operating system and not a consumer journey experience platform, thing, like what we have now.
Good old web page on NASA’s history firing off odd computers into the great unknown. My favorite is the Voyager computers because they’re still kicking to this day.
This is a picture of one of the Voyager’s computer modules. The entire thing was cutting edge for the time, and its architecture not entirely proven.
The second hardware modification to Voyager’s data computer led to a first in spaceflight computing: volatile memory. After the first round of prototype programs, an intermediate hardware design evolved using CMOS ICs51. This type of circuit is very low powered, fast, and can tolerate a wide range of voltages, making it excellent for space use. Early in the 1970s, CMOS was still relatively new, so it was with some risk that JPL chose the circuits. To go along with the new CMOS processor, the data computer group fought for CMOS memories as well. Trying to drive a slow plated-wire memory with fast CMOS circuits would have negated the attempt to speed up the computer. However, CMOS memories are volatile, in that if power is cut off, the data stored in them disappear. The designers of previous manned and unmanned spacecraft avoided volatile memories, fearing that power transients would destroy the memories at critical mission times. Voyager management had to be convinced that the risk was acceptable.
After only attending DEF CON online during the covid lockdown, DEF CON 31 was my first time being there in person. The thing I enjoyed most was walking around with some SAO boards I built myself. This adapter is already obsolete but I wonder if DEF CON might bring the modular approach back again next year? Here’s hoping.
I’m trying something new with my blog after changing its location and name, and taking into account commentary by close friends and family who think I should do something with my writing ability. So I will be doing a daily commentary where I just keep a new post open, adding to it as I go along. Here’s the inaugural post. Enjoy!
Microsoft paid billions for an idiot AI, a prime example.
I don’t think AI is a good descriptor for this. We probably need to start adding N to AI and just call it for what it is NAI (Narrow AI), pronounced “Nay” 🤣
This is my favorite image from the linked post above.
A man who lacks ethics trying to “help women out” is still a man who lacks ethics.
I don’t know, maybe this could be called the “tech bro” approach to what they think is “charity,” when in reality it is a fundamental problem with their worldview.
And then totally blamed everyone else, as tech bros are known to do. Because it OBVIOUSLY couldn’t be his own poor decisions right? All that hard work down the drain.
Just because law enforcement posted it doesn’t mean the threat is severe enough to warrant ImMeDiAtE AcTiOn to disable a feature. To quote the author:
You also need to confirm your desire to share your details via NameDrop with the other person.
Apple built guardrails/guideposts and several layers of protection into iOS. You have to be proactive to use NameDrop. Someone isn’t just going to walk by you with a suitcase full of hax0r kit and steal your dox unless you disable it. This doesn’t mean that there’s not some vulnerability lurking around in the feature, yet-to-be exploited, but mobile phone security researchers will be taking this apart and reporting anything they find on up to apple to be fixed.
The author concludes this brief FAQ/Article with a nod to the human factor, the wetware vulnerability that’s always requires vigilance on the part of the wetware operator to prevent exploitation. The layers of security and guardrails apple built for your protection are useless if you’re careless with your device…
And if you’ve been careless enough to have left your iPhone unattended and unlocked so a stranger can meddle with it, there’s all kinds of trouble they could cause. Stealing your contact information may be the very least of your worries.
Law enforcement could do so much better than to scaremonger, but it’s part of their “we’re keeping you safe folks!” messaging. I’m reminded of this classic image, re-posted here with absolutely no permission given…
