Jon 's Techdirt Comments

Latest Comments (34) comment rss

  • On the post: On The Media Takes On The Music Industry

    Jon ( profile ), 26 Oct, 2009 @ 11:04am

    Re: Not exactly . . .

    I have to ask, why Mike should call? Is that so you are not on record as having said something? Perhaps something more damning or contradictory than what you have already said? Or maybe you are unwilling stand up for your position in a public forum?

    If you believe your interview, positions, and statements to be intellectually honest, then why do you post your criticisms here?

  • On the post: Time For IT Guys To Unshackle Corporate Computers

    Jon ( profile ), 28 Aug, 2009 @ 06:24am

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

    "Dude, you have a really messed up view of what the role of IT is. There is more than enough to keep the IT crew busy without making daily spyware rounds."

    Exactly and don't forget to mention that most companies DO view IT as a cost center and not a revenue stream. Who here works in an IT environment that isn't overworked primarily due to lack of personnel?

    I suspect ol' Chris here is an end user who 'knows enough' to think he knows better and has never actually worked in an IT department. Perhaps just started working in IT and hasn't lost his Blue Skies vision of reality.

    Gems like.. Give the user local admin but run AV/AM/FW on their PCs to protect them is a very strong indicator that he has never actually had to support more than 10 users if any.

    The final point I would like to make is this. There are MANY if not most fortune 500 companies, not to mention DoD/gov/DoE though they do go too far, that utilize a managed desktop environment of some sort. Levels of restrictions and implementation obviously vary. These are companies that can afford to and do hire the best and the brightest. To say they are all wrong is a very bold statement. What do you know that they don't? It is possible that you are simply ahead of your times if you will, but I find it to be more likely that you simply have little experience.

  • On the post: If You're Going To Meter Or Cap Broadband, Shouldn't You Provide A Meter?

    Jon ( profile ), 24 Jul, 2009 @ 09:13am

    Re: They should invest in more streets, than in traffic cops

    I used to do BYOM with Comcast and it had a nice counter in it. Further, I have never seen an enterprise networking device that didn't include the ability to show usage statistics. It is an expected feature in that class of hardware. So there is ZERO reason from a technology standpoint that Comcast couldn't provide it. Even in the off chance in hell that their equipment doesn't have simple counters, they are certainly a large enough customer that they could request the functionality to be added in.

    The bottom line is, this is about money. Whether it be financing the application to provide the statistics or simply wanting to charge overage fees. There is no reason they can not. Simply, they will or have not.

  • On the post: Pandora: If We're Getting Taxed So Heavily By SoundExchange, Radio Should Be Too

    Jon ( profile ), 15 Jul, 2009 @ 11:06am

    Re: Smart approach, not dissappointing

    This is how I see it as well. Get the bigger pocket book to fight the fight.

  • On the post: Online Movie Distribution Should Be Widespread, Not Focused On Specific Sites

    Jon ( profile ), 10 Nov, 2008 @ 05:04pm

    Theater Access

    I am not sure if this is still the way it is, but about 9 years ago, the movie industry was setting up exclusive deals with theaters. What I observed was typically shows would only be available at Regal theaters or AMC theaters. Currently it does appear to have changed, but I am not in an area with AMC any longer.

  • On the post: Perhaps Turkey Should Just Ban The Entire Internet

    Jon ( profile ), 27 Oct, 2008 @ 03:51pm

    Re:

    You got there first.

    "Why doesn't the internet just ban Turkey?" Or something like that.

  • On the post: Where Did All My Comments Go?

    Jon ( profile ), 23 Oct, 2008 @ 12:43pm

    Re:

    One of my favorites is "chown -R root.root /" While not entirely destructive, will cause you endless grief as you sort out access problems.

  • On the post: Is Military Spending the Key to the Next Silicon Valley?

    Jon ( profile ), 29 Aug, 2008 @ 05:53am

    The next thing

    The next "big thing" is the convergence of the trio. Computing, Genetics, and Nano Tech. As they each mature, they will enable further advancement for the others becoming cyclical. Computing has made the other two possible and there are already implementations of living and nano size computers. It is just a matter of time before we have living, nano sized super-computers!

    So.. wherever the center of nano research and genetic research is, that will be the next "silicon" valley. Maybe it will be silica valley. (Sorry.. bad pun, I know.)

  • On the post: ABA Says RIAA File Sharing Watchers Shouldn't Need Private Investigators' Licenses

    Jon ( profile ), 28 Aug, 2008 @ 01:23pm

    Re: Wrong!

    While I do agree with Mike that this does in effect create artificial scarcity, I agree with you to a much greater degree. The PI license ensure that 1. the PI understands the laws and 2. commits the upholding those laws. Private Eye says it all. In some cases, it does make sense to force licensing.

    I would guess that in a lot of the cases where a profession requires you to be licensed, it did not start out as a means of reducing competition. Take a license to sell insurance. In the beginning, anyone could and then as insurance scams became widespread, the government took steps to protect the people. Over time, the lobbist expanded the requirements to force reduced competition.

  • On the post: No, Websites Shouldn't Roll Their Own Encryption

    Jon ( profile ), 26 Aug, 2008 @ 09:13am

    Re: this is only a concerno over WiFi

    And everyone always forgets about the insider... Who cares about encryption if you are on the inside of the encrypted network.

  • On the post: No, Websites Shouldn't Roll Their Own Encryption

    Jon ( profile ), 26 Aug, 2008 @ 09:12am

    Re: Peter Gutmann once said:

    Speaking of replacing.. err.. enhancing SSL/SSH, I just posted about Perspectives on my blog. There is also a link to the article on Ars where I came across it.

    http://www.nnbfn.net/2008/08/26/additional-protection-from-man-in-the-middle-attacks/

    http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080826-network-notary-system-thwarts-man-in-the-middle-attacks.html

  • On the post: Killing The iPhone Kill Switch

    Jon ( profile ), 19 Aug, 2008 @ 06:08am

    Missed the bigger issue

    At the end of the day, Apple is the least likely to use this. Apple is a big company that will have to face the consequences of their actions if they do use it. It is all of the crackers of the world that are going to put a dent in iPhone user's day.

  • On the post: Does Court Ruling Over Artistic License Conflict With Other Copyright Rulings?

    Jon ( profile ), 14 Aug, 2008 @ 07:31am

    Re: There is no conflict.

    Wow. That is by far the most informative description of Copyright vs. Contracts I have ever seen. Plain English definition, examples, and elaboration.

    Kudos to the Anonymous Cowherd.

  • On the post: Is The iPhone App Kill Switch Really Such A Surprise?

    Jon ( profile ), 13 Aug, 2008 @ 10:05am

    Re: Pull it... pull it... pull it

    Make two reasonable assumptions.
    1. at&t has not fully patched their network for the DNS exploit. Given their size and the bureaucracy that all the big telcos are afflicted with, this is highly probable.

    2. Apple has not patched or correctly patched the iPhone for the DNS exploit. Given how long Apple took and the fact they did not fix it correctly on their OS, chances are the phones are not patched. I could not find any indications on the interwebs that they have been.

    What is known at this time about the 'lever'. The iPhone calls home to a URL that is hosted by Apple. There is no encryption or authentication required to see the response the phone would receive.

    Apply DNS exploit to Apple's 'lever'. Specify in the black list the application that provides the phone functionality, the app(s) that allow network connectivity (Cellular and WiFi), the application that allows cellular access and if possible the apps that provide the docking function.

    You have effectively bricked the iPhone with the only, again based on what is known, solution is to take it back to Apple.

    I am by no means a clever hacker. This is all very simple and very visible information.