SickFRS’s Techdirt Profile

On the post: Law Enforcement Forced To Hand Over $41K It Seized From Businessman At Airport, Plus Another $10K In Legal Fees

SickFRS ( profile ), 21 Apr, 2016 @ 05:39am

This always bugs me.

On the post: US Attorney Suggests Solution To Open Source Encryption: Ban Importation Of Open Source Encryption

SickFRS ( profile ), 14 Apr, 2016 @ 11:36am

Hmm.

What if the source was, say, encrypted, how would they know it's open source or a jpg of cats napping? daf

On the post: Wireless Industry Survey: Everybody Really Loves Zero Rating

SickFRS ( profile ), 14 Apr, 2016 @ 08:10am

zero

How does restricting content create more choice? If there was a strong youtube competitor that wasn't zero rated while youtube was...how does this open it as a choice for me?

On the post: Why Doesn't The Anti-Encryption Bill List Any Penalties?

SickFRS ( profile ), 12 Apr, 2016 @ 10:03am

backdoor passwords...

Let's kickstart an encryption that complies... the backdoor password for the gov will be "f*ck the gov" or "i am an asshat" and only usable on December 25th, 3199... ensuring that it will be totally useless by that time... but hey, it's a backdoor and it will provide legible data...

On the post: Obama Administration's Expansion Of Domestic Spying Powers Dwarfs The 'Good Old Days' Of Bush And John Yoo

SickFRS ( profile ), 12 Apr, 2016 @ 09:55am

Exhibit A

..this is the purest example of the give an inch take a mile theory the gov't follows daily. When someone says, "yeah, we should break all privacy laws because, you know, it's ONE terrorists cell phone.." they really get this behavior from the gov't.

On the post: You Don't Actually Own What You Buy Volume 2,203: Google Bricking Revolv Smart Home Hardware

SickFRS ( profile ), 05 Apr, 2016 @ 10:54am

Re: Re: Re:

Not true. Functionality has nothing to do with it. It's usability. The usability of this device ceases. Even bricked devices by the definition you infer have SOME functionality, even if it means it's just a screen that pops up the logo.

On the post: Head Of British Rights Group: Piracy Is Google's Fault Even If It's Not Actually Google's Fault

SickFRS ( profile ), 05 Apr, 2016 @ 11:58am

Haha.

They are just jealous that the pirates are better than they are at SEO.

On the post: The Cable Industry Wants Netflix Investigated… For Throttling Itself

SickFRS ( profile ), 29 Mar, 2016 @ 11:55am

Re: Re: That isn't why this is happening

Go ahead and cancel. One less stream I have to compete with to get my 1080p

On the post: Author Sues Half The Internet For Defamation, Copyright Infringement, Cyberbullying, Use Of Section 230

SickFRS ( profile ), 18 Mar, 2016 @ 10:23am

That Guy...

Amazon says it's published by "That Guy" and "Why should you buy this book?" in the description says "Well it is an instant collector’s item..." and apparently owning this book gives you cred for being a "true believer" in what is billed as FICTION.

What?

On the post: AT&T Uses Binding Arbitration Mouse Print To Kill Throttling Class Action

SickFRS ( profile ), 18 Mar, 2016 @ 06:47am

It's all or nothing.

The reality is that the mouse print catches our mouse balls in the mouse trap. There are no alternatives that the mouse print isn't ridiculously and overwhelmingly in favor of the provider on every aspect. Contracts, if we can call them that, offer ZERO consumer protection, are non-negotiable and bind us to things whether or not we agree. The only solution is to just not sign the contract and go without. Sure, there ARE alternatives but you are still agreeing to terms and they have you by the mouse balls too.

On the post: Apple's VP Of Software Engineering: No, We Have Never Given A Backdoor To Any Government

SickFRS ( profile ), 16 Mar, 2016 @ 10:04am

This is nothing new...

The government has been giving it to us in through the backdoor for years. I guess they just want a new boyfriend.

On the post: Warrant For FBI's Hacking Technique Makes No Mention Of Hacking Or Malware

SickFRS ( profile ), 10 Mar, 2016 @ 11:01am

...too wide.

Having never used whatever this is (I guess it's called Tor), or knowing exactly how it creates anonymity for anyone, it would seem to me that by reading the document that one could not have deciphered exactly what they might be visiting by visiting the url listed as the site..

While I'm sure there were plenty that intended to visit that url it seems as equally logical that there were others who had no intention to view that content and ended up there simply because they clicked a link that they could not have previously known what it might contain... of which most probably closed it immediately.

I wonder how many knocks came at the doors of those people and got swept up in something that otherwise would have gone unnoticed... but the gov doesn't accept "accident" or "unintentional" as a reason anymore.. Guilty until proven innocent.

On the post: What Should We Do About Linking To Sites That Block People Using Ad Blockers?

SickFRS ( profile ), 10 Mar, 2016 @ 10:40am

What?!?!

So, if I block ads I hate free speech and the solution is block ALL speech?

On the post: Courts, DOJ: Using Tor Doesn't Give You A Greater Expectation Of Privacy

SickFRS ( profile ), 29 Feb, 2016 @ 11:45am

Aw crap.

I let visitors use my bathroom when they are in my home. I disclosed the insides of my bathroom to visitors.. I better go check for cameras since now I have no expectation of privacy there.

On the post: We Read Apple's 65 Page Filing Calling Bullshit On The Justice Department, So You Don't Have To

SickFRS ( profile ), 26 Feb, 2016 @ 08:26am

Re:

I don't buy the arguments that Apple isn't decrypting anything. The man who drives the getaway car is still guilty of robbing the bank.

On the post: Apple Responds To Order To Help Decrypt Phone, As More Details Come To Light

SickFRS ( profile ), 17 Feb, 2016 @ 10:29am

The scariest part is...

The scariest part is not even this order but when reading the various outlets on this news you find there are literally masses of people that are completely acceptable to what the FBI wants... some going so far as to bash others for being against it and claiming they support terrorism. Sorry, I'm not willing to give up my rights to our own government because they promise it helps protect us when in fact they are slowly dousing the rag with ether with hopes to surprise us and slip it over our face and drag us off to conformity.

On the post: Congressmen Upton, Walden Latest To Insist Nobody Needs Faster Broadband

SickFRS ( profile ), 10 Feb, 2016 @ 09:37am

In most help programs...

...they will tell you that denial is the first symptom.

Welcome to denial.

Now I'm gonna vent.

In my town the 25Mbit (2Mbit up) provider actually sends about 1.5 Mbit during peak hours. They only recently removed a monthly cap of 30GB but they tout it as a "No Bandwidth Limit". They don't even know the terminology of the business they are in... yet their parent company is always touting how they need to be your IT support professionals for businesses. Why not entirely incorrect, bandwidth is not usually rated on a monthly term...which is what they really meand since it clearly denotes a 25Mbps speed... morons.

The cost of their 25Mbit? It's $44.95... $5 cheaper than the other provider in town.. The other provider in town charges $49.99 for 155Mbit service (10Mbit up)... I pull, during peak hours, about 200Mbit (20Mbit up) with ease. No cap limits. Well above the speed I am promised obviously.

Why does one service totally suck and is overly expensive in comparison? Because they mostly do not overlap. I've had both services twice in different locations and in one house they actually overlapped. Only then was the junk-internet provider "able to offer" a discount on service when I called to make inquiries. That meant choosing between 25Mbit @ $30 per month of 80Mbit (at the time) for $44.. I clearly made the right choice to pay $44.

Of course the junk service offers higher speeds... Yes, you can get 50Mbit.. but only as a business class service with a $300 activation feed, variable installation fee (because why? who knows) and $150 per month.

On the post: Publicity Rights For A Photobombing Horse? Owner Demands Cut Of Photo Prize

SickFRS ( profile ), 03 Feb, 2016 @ 11:26am

Maybe the could have won...

If the contest was open to a horses ass.

On the post: New Report Debunks FBI's 'Going Dark' FUD

SickFRS ( profile ), 01 Feb, 2016 @ 08:04am

Yup. you lost me at the title of the document in the PDF...

All I can think of now is:

"First, it is slightly cheaper; and secondly it has the words Don't Panic inscribed in large friendly letters
on its cover."

On the post: Theater Sues State Police For Using State Liquor Laws To Walk All Over The First Amendment

SickFRS ( profile ), 26 Jan, 2016 @ 08:50am

yeah, ok.

My guess is they only want to bust them because the theater didn't sell donuts.

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