Published on
20090505 in
Stuff and Tech.
Tags: e-mail, glug, internet, internet connectivity solutions, linux, linux users group, local network, luser, mail, mail list, man in the middle attack, network, software, Tech, website, windows.
If you are an IT professional providing customers with Internet connectivity solutions you know that the internet is a scary place. Back in the dark ages (before 1993) when things started out everyone using the internet trusted each other. Unfortunately things changed drastically and trust is a thing of the past on the internet.
When you set up an internet connection for a customer you do everything you can to protect them, you set up a restrictive firewall, you have a proxy that enforces policy for web surfing as far as possible. You also use all possible means to block spam and viruses in e-mail before they reach the lusers that still believe Bill Gates will give them free Nokia cellphones.
After you did all the technical stuff, you tell everyone (you know it falls on deaf ears, but you have to try) that they must not visit those porn sites, that they must copy links in e-mail and paste them into their browser rather than simply clicking on them etc. So what happens when one of the lusers that actually listened goes to a legitimate website and still have his windows computer exploited? Or if they are lucky the lusers get a warning from their anti-virus software and the site gets blocked.
Continue reading ‘The internet is a scary place!’
Published on
20090404 in
Stuff and Tech.
Tags: bittorrent, blog, business model, commercialise, computer, creative commons licenses, decent money, downloaders, e-mail, free art, internet, jamendo, mail, musicians, network, ogg vorbis, pirate bay, share, Tech, three strikes laws, unauthorised copies, war.
The big media companies and their cronies are getting more and more desperate to try save their totally outdated business model. Modern computers make it ridiculously easy and cheap to copy and distribute any media. The media companies are however trying very hard to overcharge people for what they can do very easily themselves. Most people know that it is illegal to make unauthorised copies of copyrighted materials, but if the holders of the copyright charge way too much and chances are that you will not get caught people will simply copy the material illegally.
Continue reading ‘Will they ever learn?’
Published on
20090311 in
Bad Tech and Stuff.
Tags: ccc, cell phone providers, chaos computer club, clueless, computer, computers, curse, equipment, hack, hack a day, nokia, nokia smartphone, software, Tech, vulnerabilities, vulnerability.
While browsing through hack a day yesterday I found this Nokia smartphone vulnerability.
If you go to the link you will notice that it was the Chaos Computer Club that published the vulnerability. I have written about them before and think they do great work to raise awareness about the risks in computers and other electronics. Some may think that they are irresponsible, but are the large companies that release equipment with these kinds of vulnerabilities not way more irresponsible?
Continue reading ‘Curse Of Silence’
Published on
20080826 in
Stuff.
Tags: advertisement, africa, computer, computers, dar es salaam, east africa, internet, kampala, linux, monitor, nairobi, radio, rooftops, south africa, systems, Tech, technology.
About 6 years ago I started installing advertisement monitoring systems in Africa for a small media company. A media company of course has good relationships with their customers i.e. television and radio stations.
Kampala
The first installations I did was in East Africa, Dar es Salaam, Nairobi and Kampala. My first trip was kind of hectic, the logistics was screwed up totally and we had a lot to learn.
Our first mistake was thinking that renting a car and self driving is a good idea. The roads in these cities are atrocious, and the drivers worse. And the irony is that for the same money you can get a full time driver with a car of the same quality. Anyway on this first trip I was driving around in Dar es Salaam and Nairobi dodging potholes and Kamikazes in cars.
Continue reading ‘Africa from the rooftops – East Africa Trip 1′
Published on
20080812 in
Stuff and Tech.
Tags: Boekehuis, bookshops, e-mail, international booksellers, internet, johannesburg, Literature, mail, mail list, niche, old technology, Saterdagstemme, small buisiness, south africa, Tech, technology, website, work, world.
About two weeks ago I googled for info on “Saturday Voices” (Saterdagstemme) at “Die Boekehuis” in Johannesburg. “Saturday Voices” is a regular event at “Die Boekehuis” where well known (and not so well known) authors, poets, critics or academics launch and discuss their work.
Continue reading ‘Do you need the web to sell 4000 year old technology?’
Published on
20080729 in
Stuff and Tech.
Tags: blog, cuil, google, internet, internet index, search, search engine, tabs, Tech, techie, world.
I guess everyone that has an interest in matters internet related already know that there is a new kid on the block in the search engine market. Go have a look at http://www.cuil.com if you haven’t done it yet. more....
Published on
20080722 in
Stuff.
Tags: advertisement, africa, antenna, countries, experiences, internet, ivory coast, Mac, malawi, monitor, radio, rooftops, sub saharan africa, systems, Tech, television broadcasts, visa, war, Watch, work.
If you have a look at the page “Where I’ve been” you will see that I have traveled in most of Sub Saharan Africa. I travel in Africa for work, which is installing advertisement monitoring systems for one of my customers. more....
Published on
20080409 in
Bad Tech and Stuff.
Tags: brute force, clueless, Countermeasures, countries, FUSSP, ICT, idiot, Mac, machine guns, mail, mail list, mail server, microsoft, network, open relays, open source, police, postfix, software, spam problem, Spammers, suck, Tech, ultimate solution, user, war, weapons, windows, work, zombies.
Anyone that runs a mail server very quickly learns how to fight spam if he wants to do his job properly. It is also one of the favourite pastimes of the clueless to think up stupid ways to fight spam. Today I saw a brilliant answer to one of these ideas on the postfix mail list. more....
Do you work with computers? Do you think artificial intelligence is a good idea because there is no real intelligence left in this world? Is the BOFH your role model? Have you ever thought that tactical nukes are way to good for your (l)users? more....
