Random thoughts: computers, Internet, security and privacy

[Sophia]

I create this thread to continue discussion with @jim hardy and @WWGD started elsewhere https://www.physicsforums.com/threa...ources-of-politics.827409/page-4#post-5422569
Any topic concerning computers and internet can be discussed here

win7, firefox
tried turning off adblock.
tried in a private window
noticed my ghostery anti- tracker is blocking google analytics and google ajax search on the cuil page -
What ever are they doing over there? If the price of using Cuil's service is letting Google track me, i'll do without it.

I don't know, but can Cuil stop google analytics from being there? They go to many pages which don't have anything to do with google.
I wonder if you still get the loading page and whether you can search other topics on cuil.

 

[jim hardy]

I wonder if you still get the loading page and whether you can search other topics on cuil.

I typed physicsforums into cuil and got the same result. Same when i typed in CUIL ... My machine and Cuil - ?
"What we have here is a failure to communicate."

If Google wants to waste time exploring my dull life - let them have fun ! I'm a real bore. Places like BoneyardBoats.com interest me...
Someplace i downloaded NSA's sensitive words list and i occasionally search on some of them for fun... (guess i was imprinted by "Cool Hand Luke" ,too.)
Maybe that's why google sends me to so many fringey sites.

Son loaded Ghostery and Adblock on my machine. What a difference that made ! Some sites won't let you in but you can whitelist who you want, like PF.

old jim

 

[Sophia]

I typed physicsforums into cuil and got the same result. Same when i typed in CUIL ... My machine and Cuil - ?
"What we have here is a failure to communicate."

If Google wants to waste time exploring my dull life - let them have fun ! I'm a real bore. Places like BoneyardBoats.com interest me...
Someplace i downloaded NSA's sensitive words list and i occasionally search on some of them for fun... (guess i was imprinted by "Cool Hand Luke" ,too.)
Maybe that's why google sends me to so many fringey sites.

Son loaded Ghostery and Adblock on my machine. What a difference that made ! Some sites won't let you in but you can whitelist who you want, like PF.

old jim

The fact that it won't let you search anything is so weird. especially when two other people from the US got the answers. maybe you have been labelled as a potential terrorist because of your fun hobby (sensitive words) and now you can only use the sites that can track you :) Just wait, one day you can expect a visit from some nice gentlemen in black. Just kidding.
I really don't know what can be the cause. perhaps someone can explain that.
I used to use ghostery, NoScript, TrackmeNot and bunch of others but I found it too restrictive. However it's great to use them. The amount of tracking is incredible. Seeing ghostery list of trackers can be an eye-opener! It's just that I was too lazy to constantly allow new pages and sometimes I like to have my searches personalised and forms filled out for me. Now I am happy with the combination of Linux for security and AdBlock plus. It is the right balance between security and usability for me.

 

[jim hardy]

Just wait, one day you can expect a visit from some nice gentlemen in black. Just kidding.

They'll have to pry my D₂O and Palladium from my cold dead fingers !

Now I am happy with the combination of Linux for security and AdBlock plus. It is the right balance between security and usability for me.

Oh , Linux ! You are my hero !
I want to get Linux but i soooo fear the frustration , failure and rage. I've been known to smash computers.
How did you do it? Ubuntu ?

 

[Sophia]

Oh , Linux ! You are my hero !
I want to get Linux but i soooo fear the frustration , failure and rage. I've been known to smash computers.
How did you do it? Ubuntu ?

At first it can be a bit difficult because it works on different principle than Windows. But today many distros work almost straight of the box such as Linux Mint which I highly recommend https://linuxmint.com/ I used to have ubuntu but personally don't like their Unity plus they have gone a bit commercial recently.
Anyway, I am absolutely poor at everything concerning computers and I had no previous experience of anything more advanced than internet browsing and Office work before I tried Linux. And you see, I did it! For any problem you can find a solution online and there is a great support forum https://forums.linuxmint.com/ full of kind people who will give you step-by step solution for any problem you run into. I was able to solve all problems by copy-pasting from the internet.
And what's great is that you can run both windows and linux (dual boot) on the same machine so that you don't have to delete all your files and jump into unknown straight away. And you can even play with live linux without installing anything!
I don't want to sound like a Linux preacher here. Obviously, there are pros and cons to each OS. It's important to say that many games and some professional programs run only on Windows.

 

[Psinter]

win7, firefox

tried turning off adblock.
tried in a private window
noticed my ghostery anti- tracker is blocking google analytics and google ajax search on the cuil page -
What ever are they doing over there? If the price of using Cuil's service is letting Google track me, i'll do without it.

meh - computers are just that way.

back to topic, sorry for digression(s)

The Google AJAX Search needs not to be blocked for that page to work.

When Google begins to give me biased results, I change temporarily to get what I'm really looking for. If it is about search engines you can try reading these: (They will return results not based on your searching patterns or anything that has to do with you.)

• https://startpage.com/eng/protect-privacy.html
• https://duckduckgo.com/privacy

I still use Google, but when I notice the results are biased, I use something else. To me it's not mainly because of privacy, it's because I don't want biased results. (Although that last sentence doesn't mean I don't care about my privacy, I do care about it.)

They'll have to pry my D2O and Palladium from my cold dead fingers !

I have no idea what are those.

Oh , Linux ! You are my hero !
I want to get Linux but i soooo fear the frustration , failure and rage. I've been known to smash computers.
How did you do it? Ubuntu ?

The problem I find with most popular linux distribution like Ubuntu, Kubuntu is that they always introduce the last cutting edge technology that is always full of bugs and non-working (too many broken things). I was incredibly happy with my Kubuntu 14.04, but suddenly I could not download packages anymore because it said the sources could not be found so I upgraded. Fatal Error. The new KDE is so full of bugs and I couldn't even launch a terminal.

Cutting edge distros always have something that breaks and makes your life impossible.

First I abandoned Ubuntu because of Unity full of bugs and moved to Kubuntu (I still tried Ubuntu later when Unity was more stable, but I still didn't like it). Then I recently abandoned Kubuntu because the new KDE is so full of bugs (I may try it again when it is more stable). Now I'm looking for something else that is stable.

 

[jim hardy]

I have no idea what are those.

Ingredients for cold fusion - remember Pons&Fleischman ?

Thanks for the links and observations on Linux.
I see hackers are starting to work on it, too, Linuxmint reports incidents around Feb 20th.

The Google AJAX Search needs not to be blocked for that page to work.

well ! Turning off Ghostery made the CUIL site work.

 

[Psinter]

Ingredients for cold fusion - remember Pons&Fleischman ?

Still no idea. I don't know what cold fusion is nor Pons&Fleischman.

Thanks for the links and observations on Linux.
I see hackers are starting to work on it, too, Linuxmint reports incidents around Feb 20th.

I always check for checksums to make sure I have the correct image. But if the website is breached they can put a fake checksum or one corresponding to the infected image like in the incident you mention.

I think Ubuntu has a better way than simple checksums placed in a website which involve the use of GnuPG.

 

[Sophia]

Thanks for the links and observations on Linux.
I see hackers are starting to work on it, too, Linuxmint reports incidents around Feb 20th.
.

yes, what a shame! I've discovered that just today. Fortunately it had no effect on machines already running Mint. This shows that nothing is 100% safe.

 

[jim hardy]

Still no idea. I don't know what cold fusion is nor Pons&Fleischman.

Sorry -

In the 1980's two scientists Poms and Fleischmann claimed they caused fusion at room temperature by saturating palladium metal with heavy-hydrogen , Deuterium...
They set up an electrolysis cell using heavy water and a palladium electrode. They claimed it went pyrotechnic.
They were pretty thoroughly discredited - but the appeal of bathtub fusion created a stir in the hobbyist community.
A friend said to me "I'll get some palladium if you'll get some heavy water" so we did.
That's about as far as we got. My little jug of heavy water(D₂O) is now just another interesting curio.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Fleischmann

1984 seems like only yesterday. Guess I'm getting old - but it's still fun.

No hijack intended.

Back to topic

I know what a checksum is from my days with punched paper tape medium and Teletypes.
but have no idea where to find one

one bit per hole, one byte per row

and my IT vocabulary is meager. Acronyms like GnuPG just bewilder me.
I need a plug&play approach.

 

[Psinter]

Sorry -

In the 1980's two scientists Poms and Fleischmann claimed they caused fusion at room temperature by saturating palladium metal with heavy-hydrogen , Deuterium...
They set up an electrolysis cell using heavy water and a palladium electrode. They claimed it went pyrotechnic.
They were pretty thoroughly discredited - but the appeal of bathtub fusion created a stir in the hobbyist community.
A friend said to me "I'll get some palladium if you'll get some heavy water" so we did.
That's about as far as we got. My little jug of heavy water(D₂O) is now just another interesting curio.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Fleischmann

1984 seems like only yesterday. Guess I'm getting old - but it's still fun.

No hijack intended.

Back to topic

I know what a checksum is from my days with punched paper tape medium and Teletypes.
but have no idea where to find one

one bit per hole, one byte per row

and my IT vocabulary is meager. Acronyms like GnuPG just bewilder me.
I need a plug&play approach.

Oh I see.

I just googled what is Teletype and read about them. They look like a printer .

I think checksum in your case, according to what I read of Teletype, was for error detection. In my case I used the word as a mean of integrity check. But according to this:

By[/PLAIN] themselves checksums are often used to verify data integrity, but should not be relied upon to also verify data authenticity.

I can see it matters not much whether I check the integrity of a file if in the end I cannot verify its authenticity and something like in the incident of Mint happens. The GnuPG method the Ubuntu Community uses adds a few extra steps that can help convince someone of a file's authenticity. But I suppose in the end it boils down on whether you trust the source or not because even those signatures need to be downloaded from somewhere.

 

[Sophia]

What's the point of having to agree with cookies on almost every site? You can't disable them anyway unless you use an addon.
The disclaimer is just big enough to annoy you, especially on phone.
Stupid Brussels.

 

[Psinter]

There is a law in UK and EU that says that they have to inform the user in a clear comprehensive way about the use of cookies. However, the law also says the user has to be given the option to refuse the use of cookies in his/her equipment. Which most websites don't do. They just put an interactive banner that follows you everywhere on the webpage, is annoying, and there is not a 'I do not accept', 'Disagree', or 'No' button in the banner. Because it is annoying the users simply click 'Ok' or 'I accept' just to get rid of the obtrusive banner.

Source

If you read the source at the Confidentiality of Communications section, you will find what I'm talking about.

If they do not provide a do not accept button for the user, and the law says that they first have to get consent, I suppose that if you do not accept they cannot put anything on your machine without of course breaking the law. But yeah, the thing is annoying and follows you everywhere so must users just click accept.

 

[Sophia]

There is a law in UK and EU that says that they have to inform the user in a clear comprehensive way about the use of cookies. However, the law also says the user has to be given the option to refuse the use of cookies in his/her equipment. Which most websites don't do. They just put an interactive banner that follows you everywhere on the webpage, is annoying, and there is not a 'I do not accept', 'Disagree', or 'No' button in the banner. Because it is annoying the users simply click 'Ok' or 'I accept' just to get rid of the obtrusive banner.

Source

If you read the source at the Confidentiality of Communications section, you will find what I'm talking about.

If they do not provide a do not accept button for the user, and the law says that they first have to get consent, I suppose that if you do not accept they cannot put anything on your machine without of course breaking the law. But yeah, the thing is annoying and follows you everywhere so must users just click accept.

Sometimes they say something like if you continue browsing on this site you agree with the cookies. So they technically don't even need you to click on OK as your consent is automatical.

 

[Jonathan Scott]

Sometimes they say something like if you continue browsing on this site you agree with the cookies. So they technically don't even need you to click on OK as your consent is automatical.

The complication is that if you don't accept cookies, and it's not a site where you log in, then the site has no way to remember that you don't want cookies unless it uses a cookie!

 

[Sophia]

The complication is that if you don't accept cookies, and it's not a site where you log in, then the site has no way to remember that you don't want cookies unless it uses a cookie!

Lol that's funny :-)

 

[jim hardy]

I've given up. I usually accept cookies.
Windows itself i consider a virus. It keeps installing updates until it won't run anymore.
Information Technology is the "Tower of Babel " myth coming true. Look at the plethora of software out there and tell me our tongues aren't confused...

 

[ProfuselyQuarky]

Hmm . . . there isn't a thing I do that does not require cookies. Not a thing

Sometimes they say something like if you continue browsing on this site you agree with the cookies. So they technically don't even need you to click on OK as your consent is automatical.

The reason for this is that they want to see what type of people are using their sites. How do you think @Greg Bernhardt know that 65% of users here use Chrome?

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

The reason for this is that they want to see what type of people are using their sites. How do you think @Greg Bernhardt know that 65% of users here use Chrome?

You don't need cookies for that information :)

 

[ProfuselyQuarky]

Then why does my old blog require cookies for all the analytic stuff?

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Then why does my old blog require cookies for all the analytic stuff?

Maybe some tracking capabilities, but all the geo/hardware/software/ip stuff is sent via the browser headers during a server request.

 

[ProfuselyQuarky]

So why is cookies required for this site?

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

So why is cookies required for this site?

https://www.physicsforums.com/help/cookies

 

[ProfuselyQuarky]

Everything I hate about computers has a logical explanation

 

[jim hardy]

Everything I hate about computers has a logical explanation

That's why on most forums i go by handle "Analog"

 

[Sophia]

That's why on most forums i go by handle "Analog"

What does it mean?

 

[jim hardy]

What does it mean?

In electronics it's the counterpoint to digital circuitry.

Think math - continuous versus discrete...

http://www.statistics.com/news/67/1...-vs-Discrete-Distributions/?showtemplate=true
Statistical Word of the Week
Aug 27, 2013
Week #35 - Continuous vs. Discrete Distributions
A discrete distribution is one in which the data can only take on certain values, for example integers. A continuous distribution is one in which data can take on any value within a specified range (which may be infinite).

Logical (digital) circuits have only discrete states 0, 1 , true-false, on-off.
They are described by, and perform, Boolean algebra with operators AND OR INVERT TIME DELAY and MEMORY

Analog circuits operate continuously over a range of values , and are described by and perform plain old algebra with operators SUM MULTIPLY INTEGRATE DIFFERENTIATE ...

When an analog circuit performs "COMPARE" it has turned an analog signal into a logical one.

I go by "analog" because i really dislike working on digital computers - they're just too frustrating. But i did it for some years. Little things like a ten nanosecond delay in a signal that happens once an hour is exreeeeeemely difficult to track down and fix...

Our reactor's control and protection system was a giant analog computer solving differential equations in real time. A normal human could wrap his brain around it.

Was above any help ?

 

[Sophia]

Was above any help ?

It was, thanks. I think I get it now :-)

 

[Psinter]

Sometimes they say something like if you continue browsing on this site you agree with the cookies. So they technically don't even need you to click on OK as your consent is automatical.

I suppose that's a loophole in the law.

Information Technology is the "Tower of Babel " myth coming true. Look at the plethora of software out there and tell me our tongues aren't confused...

Sometimes when I give directions through the phone to my mom I feel like we are talking different languages. Like here:

Mom: That didn't do anything!
Me: Of course it didn't! You know what?! Aaaaaaaagh!
Mom: There's no need to get angry.

 

[Sophia]

Where will development of home computers /electronic lead?
What I mean is that after watching several reviews of computers, some tablets and recently kindle readers it seems like the difference between older and newer generations is not so big for mainstream consumers who only want to browse the Internet, use office and watch videos.
The resolution of screens had reached the point where human eye can't see the difference in higher resolution. Browsing the Internet has become reasonably fast.
What will persuade/ force this type of customer to buy new models each couple of years when they can do all they want on older machines?
What features will attract them in the future? Or will they be forced to buy new machines as only limited storage will be offered and short - lived non removable battery will eventually make the device unusable?
This is only anecdotal, but it seems that domestic appliances such as fridges or washing machines are built to last for a limited amount of time. Definitely shorter time than used to be in the past.
Will this be the scenario for electronics as well? Or will the developers invent new features to make non-gamer, non-teenager (who suffer from peer pressure) users want to buy new stuff?

 

[jim hardy]

Honest Sophia

i think the "Law of Diminishing Returns" is as natural as F=MA and that's the theme of Tower of Babel myth in our Bible.

The platform has reached something pretty robust and usable, as did the automobile around 1960 . I expect future changes to center on frills and software. Like pocket calculators - there's one for every level of sophistication. We'll see "Internet Cruisers" from Ford Pinto to Bentley Flying Spur.

I wonder more about the societal effects. We are soooo influenced by our early experience.
The Sesame Street generation is coming into middle years now and moving into positions of influence.
They seem by and large less encumbered by prejudices and more moderate in their politics than my generation.
Behind them is the Nintendo Generation ,
and behind them the Cellphone Babies...

Internet is history's second Gutenberg Moment.
Are we riding it in the direction of McArthur Foundation's

more just, verdant, and peaceful world ?

Or toward "idiocracy" ?

Here's a blogger who speculates on such ideas
http://www.futuretimeline.net/blog.htm
check his 'timeline' and his 'computers and internet' buttons.

old jim

 

[Psinter]

I think Apple knows how to sell anything. Good or not good. For a little humorous answer, I do believe someone posted this one here before, but I don't remember who:

 

[Pepper Mint]

I feel really bad when hearing people moaning or crying (even when they do so in happiness). Just annoying and horrible!

 

[Sophia]

Honest Sophia

i think the "Law of Diminishing Returns" is as natural as F=MA and that's the theme of Tower of Babel myth in our Bible.

The platform has reached something pretty robust and usable, as did the automobile around 1960 . I expect future changes to center on frills and software. Like pocket calculators - there's one for every level of sophistication. We'll see "Internet Cruisers" from Ford Pinto to Bentley Flying Spur.

I wonder more about the societal effects. We are soooo influenced by our early experience.
The Sesame Street generation is coming into middle years now and moving into positions of influence.
They seem by and large less encumbered by prejudices and more moderate in their politics than my generation.
Behind them is the Nintendo Generation ,
and behind them the Cellphone Babies...

Internet is history's second Gutenberg Moment.
Are we riding it in the direction of McArthur Foundation's Or toward "idiocracy" ?

Here's a blogger who speculates on such ideas
http://www.futuretimeline.net/blog.htm
check his 'timeline' and his 'computers and internet' buttons.

old jim

That's an interesting site. Though I would be careful with predictions for far future because the world is changing so rapidly.
I totally agree that today's kids will think differently than we do (even my Nintendo generation is accused of being different than previous). What I've noticed is that somehow there are vast differences between the children. There are those who are far worse than my generation used to be and there are (few) of those who are much more educated and responsible. It's like the technology and abundance of everything makes some personal characteristics more prominent at young age. At the age of 13, you can both watch porn (let's be honest, they do) and spend all day on facebook and cyber bully your classmates, or you can read about world affairs and science.
These kids take everything material for granted. On the other hand, I've seen many children who greatly suffer because of divorce or because one or both of their parents work abroad, leaving kids to grandparents, aunts, uncles if they are lucky, or to the neighbours to look after them (It broke my heart when a 2nd grade girl cried when her mother went to Austria to work there for a month or so. I didn't know how to comfort her) When I was at that age, we had 3 or 4 kids in the class whose parents were divorced compared to 40% divorce rate today. So, many kids are basically emotionally abandoned for one reason or another and are left to take care of themselves. It's become an epidemic here. I once taught in a class where only 3 kids out of 18 lived in a normal home with both parents present and functional.
I have no idea what kind of personalities will these people become and when we take into consideration "clash of cultures" that is currently happening... I'm just watching and observing not daring to predict anything.

 

[jim hardy]

That's an interesting site. Though I would be careful with predictions for far future because the world is changing so rapidly.

Agreed it's all speculation. I just like to see what creative people are up to. I guess that's why i like PF, hoping some of the smart will rub off on me. I'm a bit slow...

I share your sadness over the decline of the family.
My parents' generation made great progress in mechanizing our everyday life. My Mom remembered her family's first Model T Ford. I remember when only rich people had air-conditioning, indeed i was about five when my Grandparents got electricity.

Zbigniew Brzezinski's phrase "Permissive Cornucopia" in a search engine returns thoughtful essays on the subject of your last paragraph.

If my generation has any accomplishment to brag on i would say it was the explosion of psychology into the mainstream. Self help and 12 step programs abound and if you think there's not a need look at that section in any bookstore.
There's no longer a stigma attached to seeing a "shrink" and US employers over a certain size are required to have one available - see "Employee Assistance program". We're realizing mental health needs nurturing too.
A pair of US comedians Homer and Jethro(sometimes called"Thinking man's hillbilly singers" ), presciently quipped around 1960 "Soon they'll have psychaiatrists in every Sears and Roebuck store."


Eric Hoffer is being translated into Arabic. Saudi Arabia's king was on Charlie Rose a couple years back advocating his International University . Little things like that give me hope for civilization.

Hope this didn't sound "down" . At my age it's easy to find fault but it's healthier to "Accentuate the Positive" .


On that note,

[End Hijack] icon

old jim