mac insand 's Techdirt Comments

Latest Comments (579)

• On the post: Trump Tags Brendan Carr To Dismantle What’s Left Of Broadband Consumer Protection At FCC

  

  mac insand ( profile ), 18 Nov, 2024 @ 12:34pm

  But This Can't Be!!!!

  You might recall that Trump’s team promised it would “blacklist” any participants in Project 2025, back when it was pretending to distance itself from the unpopular policy platform.

  So the honorable Donald Trump isn't honorable? /s

• On the post: New FTC Rules Make It Easier To Cancel Services, Punish Companies For Being Annoying Little Shits About It

  

  mac insand ( profile ), 17 Oct, 2024 @ 05:57am

  Will This Affect Shady Auto-Renewals as in ADT?

  ADT has a shady process (that is supposed to be illegal in my state), where the only time a subscriber is allowed to cancel a subscription is in the calendar month where they initiated the subscription. Will these new rules affect that subscription trap model?

• On the post: How ‘Analog Privilege’ Spares Elites From The Downsides Of Flawed AI Decision-Making Systems

  

  mac insand ( profile ), 10 Sep, 2024 @ 06:40am

  Precision versus Accuracy

  A pet peeve of mine, especially with the show "how it's made," is the confusion between accuracy and precision. The sentence in the article below really gets to the heart of precision.

  The fact that digital goods can be copied endlessly and perfectly, while analog ones can’t...

  Now that is precision. Each copy is an exact rendering of the other copies. In some cases, this does affect the accuracy, however. Every copy may be exact, but there will be some effect when an analog sample is digitized. Computing power is enabling resolution to improve continually to the point that preference for analog audio can be a matter of snobbery, especially if riding in a moving vehicle. Until recently, I had dismissed the analog preference for audio as all snobbery. I cannot dismiss the difference between my ICOM 7300 (a pretty good shortwave receiver) versus a 1950s R-390A. Especially with rough conditions or weak signals, the 390A hears messages that the ICOM completely misses. The 390A is more accurate.

• On the post: Appliance, Tractor, And Irrigation Companies Lobby Against Military ‘Right To Repair’ Reforms

  

  mac insand ( profile ), 04 Sep, 2024 @ 07:57am

  Military needs right to repair most of all!

  Companies fighting repairability should face liability if we lose people in a conflict because of lack of repairability. Information and/or a critical part that leaves personnel vulnerable in battle is a life hazard. My favorite multimeter is a Cold War era TS-505. It's not just rugged; just about anyone could repair it.

• On the post: Dear Taylor Swift: There Are Better Ways To Respond To Trump’s AI Images Of You Than A Lawsuit

  

  mac insand ( profile ), 21 Aug, 2024 @ 09:43am

  Oh, hell, yes!

  This is fantastic!

• On the post: Texas AG Latest To Sue GM For Covertly Selling Driver Data To Insurance Companies

  

  mac insand ( profile ), 15 Aug, 2024 @ 11:34am

  This will be my last 'new' car!

  What the car companies are doing is inexcusable. If I have to get another vehicle (and I might not live that long), it'll be something pre-digital. There's a consignment shop not far from here that features restored older vehicles. People that enjoy the restoration process often sell their projects at this shop to fund their next project.

• On the post: Texas AG Latest To Sue GM For Covertly Selling Driver Data To Insurance Companies

  

  mac insand ( profile ), 15 Aug, 2024 @ 08:46am

  SiriusXM Connection?

  Is the data pipeline related in any way to why the auto manufacturers are so oppressively aggressive when pushing SiriusXM? Is that the connection that feeds our data to the companies? I gave them a "hell no" when I got the vehicle 4 years ago, and I even had people from Sirius calling with an attitude that I was some sort of luddite for not wanting the subscription (I listen to my own things, thank you very much!). If there is a connection, then this truly is adding insult to injury. If that satellite connection that they are pushing us to pay for is where they get our data to sell, that's just wrong!

• On the post: Nike To Discontinue App For Expensive Shoes Already Bought, Breaking Some Features

  

  mac insand ( profile ), 12 Jul, 2024 @ 05:22am

  tech-y fru-fru

  The lesson learned is: don’t buy expensive new stuff bundled with tech-y features.

  The truth in this comment is intensely painful, especially to me as an American in a region without public transportation. Automobiles now are about how many digital "features" they can cram in than getting a driver from point A to point B. What will happen to our vehicles when the manufacturer decides that a model is too old to get software support? There is a consignment shop not far from here where car restorers sell their finished projects to fund the next restoration. If I live long enough to get another car, I think I'll go for a 1963 Falcon with three on the tree.

• On the post: Gavin Newsom Jumps On Moral Panic Bandwagon To Ban Phones In School Despite Evidence Suggesting It Doesn’t Work

  

  mac insand ( profile ), 24 Jun, 2024 @ 01:02pm

  Boomer and a luddite…

  Boomer and a luddite… Quite a combo there…

  While I sort of resemble that remark, access to the internet can be an incredible learning tool. It is to me, anyway, and I wish I could have had access to when I was in school. I am a boomer, and, if I have to get another vehicle, it'll be a '63 Falcon without all of the digital BS that gets in the way of driving for me. Oh, yeah, and you'll pry my vacuum tubes from my cold dead hands :D This attitude is what bothers me, and Masnick expressed it well:

  Something must be done! This is something. We will do it. Who cares about the tradeoffs, nuances, or the evidence? Throw all that out the window and DO SOMETHING.

  These "we have to do SOMETHING" people drive me crazy. If the choice is between doing nothing and doing something epically stupid, I favor doing nothing. Regards

• On the post: Former Politico Owner Launches New Journalism Finishing School To Try And Fix All The ‘Wokeness’

  

  mac insand ( profile ), 10 Jun, 2024 @ 07:31am

  fighting bias

  Please call BS if I'm wrong, but 'woke' looks to me like an effort to address our culturally-ingrained biases. The people upset with 'woke' look to me like they feel threatened that 'woke' might remove the biases that they enjoy.

• On the post: UK Indian Restaurant Seeking To Invalidate ‘Ruby Murray’ Trademark For Curry

  

  mac insand ( profile ), 31 May, 2024 @ 06:29am

  *applause*

  I really, really like the way you crafted this comment. Nice execution!

• On the post: Taxing The Internet To Bail Out Media Won’t Solve The Fundamental Problems Of The Media Business

  

  mac insand ( profile ), 23 May, 2024 @ 05:43pm

  24 Hour "News" has become a cancer

  When CNN first came on the scene, it was pretty good. Granted, they had the 25 or 30 minutes' worth of daily news on continuous loop, but it was fairly concentrated news. That made sense. Except for an emergency situation, a day does not have 24 hours worth of news. I'm old enough to remember news that was basically a PSA, and it was fairly short and to the point. Now, news is especially about selling commercial time, and those viewers have to be engaged to keep the commercial dollars flowing. Targeting a demographic is important, and the channels have to pretty much say what it takes to keep the target groups engaged. The news just keeps the viewers enraged or afraid to stay between commercials. Broadcasting 24 hours a day also can't be cheap. Local news is really bad, at least it is here. There will be 60-90 minutes, with most of that being features (aka fluff), some being commercials for the channel network's TV shows, commercials, and maybe 5-10 minutes of actual news. For God's sake! I've timed the weather portion, and it runs around 10 minutes to give 30 seconds worth of meaningful information. Notice how the lead-ins also often tease with how you need to watch the upcoming segment to see if your life might be in danger from the unwashed dishcloth. News really does need to get back to giving a service (information) rather than just providing vehicles for advertisers.

• On the post: Congress Wants A Magic Pony: Get Rid Of Section 230, Perfect Moderation, And Only Nice People Allowed Online

  

  mac insand ( profile ), 23 May, 2024 @ 09:43am

  wish list

  Before working on Section 230, Perfect Moderation, And Only Nice People Allowed Online, why not focus on goals that would matter more: 1) require that legislators have at least an IQ above room temperature 2) get us back to having a legitimate Supreme Court

• On the post: Judge Tells Corrections Officers To ‘Suck It Up’ If They Can’t Handle An Endless Stream Of Executions

  

  mac insand ( profile ), 10 Apr, 2024 @ 11:55am

  jailbreaks aren't so common now

  I could see the death penalty as being more to consider back when jails were less secure. If someone is really dangerous with a potential for escape, you could make an argument that society depends on ensuring that a truly violent, dangerous person cannot have a chance on getting back out there. Now, though, jails are far more secure. The cost of keeping a person away from society is lower than the cost of appeals, reviews, etc. to put someone to death.

• On the post: Restricting Flipper Is A Zero Accountability Approach To Security

  

  mac insand ( profile ), 05 Apr, 2024 @ 01:40pm

  THIS!!! JUST THIS!!! ABSOLUTE TRUTH!

  I have a Flipper Zero, and it has been a very handy tool. It's also motivated me to learn a little bit more about security; if it could crack its way into a car, is mine at risk from another owner? Nope. Some early keyfob cars are susceptible, but current electronic security is impressive (even if the keyfobs are grossly overpriced and take too much pocket space). Good security cards have similar protocols. Basically, if your devices, businesses, or vehicles are vulnerable to the Flipper, then you need to stop purchasing your security devices off of Wish.

• On the post: Auto, Tech Industries Falsely Claim ‘Right To Repair’ Reforms Are A Threat To National Security

  

  mac insand ( profile ), 21 Mar, 2024 @ 07:40am

  wish list: a set of specifications for cars similar to those for the AR-15

  Too many use the rifle for evil, but many (most?) enjoy the ability to build and customize. Imagine what would happen if we had a specification that would allow us to get a frame from GM, an engine from Ford, and a transmission from Toyota to have them fit and work together. I don't think I'm the only person that would be in a rush to clear space in the garage and start the process. Furthermore, if such a set of specifications allowed for building without the trash "options", I wouldn't care if the end product actually cost a bit more. I would love to have a car without the center digital console, heated seats, cameras, etc. Regards

• On the post: Once More With Feeling: Banning TikTok Doesn’t Do Much If We Don’t Regulate Data Brokers And Pass A Privacy Law

  

  mac insand ( profile ), 11 Mar, 2024 @ 08:29am

  Well color me offended!

  nitwits like Tommy Tuberville

  As someone that's been called a nitwit more than once, I'm disgusted at the insult of suggesting that my brainpower might be at a Tuberville low!

• On the post: FTC Rightly Warns That Tech Companies Can’t Hide Behind Questionable Claims Of ‘Security’ To Block Interoperability

  

  mac insand ( profile ), 01 Feb, 2024 @ 05:11am

  Browser-specific sites

  Ten years or so ago, some websites would still only properly render on Windows' Internet Explorer. One executive and I were talking about how their devices would only connect through the internet if running Explorer, and he was very dismissive of customers that wanted other browsers for security reasons.

• On the post: Well, That’s Everyone: Senator Wyden Letter Confirms The NSA Is Buying US Persons’ Data From Data Brokers

  

  mac insand ( profile ), 29 Jan, 2024 @ 11:26am

  bots to the rescue?

  Is this an issue that we could tackle with bots to create fake data about nonexistent actions from nonexistent people? Could bots help to restore privacy by diluting real data with noise?

• On the post: HP CEO Makes Up A Whole Lot Of Bullshit To Defend Crippling Printers That Use Cheaper Ink

  

  mac insand ( profile ), 29 Jan, 2024 @ 10:30am

  HP's debasement is as extreme as it is sad

  HP used to be a name to respect. In school, I lusted after the HP-41CV calculators that I couldn't afford. They were built like a tank! The gas chromatograph that my school bought in the 1980s is still running. For the past few decades, they've redirected to a focus on consumer-grade crap. The HP-49 that I got in the '90s was an insult to the quality of the decade before, and HP has continued to sink. HP has become this decade's version of Packard Bell. If you're too young to remember the Packard Bell crap PCs, be grateful.

Next >>