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    <title>cmdln.net_2008-09-14</title>
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    <outline text="Intro" Offset="00:17">
      <outline text="End of Free Planet X">
        <outline text="Understand his reasons"/>
        <outline text="Saddened as when Technorama stopped regular production"/>
        <outline text="Makes me reassess my own production"/>
        <outline text="Recent conversation with Dave Slusher"/>
        <outline text="On his own he decided to recommit"/>
        <outline text="I am pretty happy with the show, have some plans to improve it"/>
        <outline text="I still fear running out of content but hasn't happened yet"/>
        <outline text="Occasional breaks help"/>
        <outline text="Listener contribution helps the most, in all forms"/>
      </outline>
    </outline>
    <outline text="Security Alerts" Offset="05:20">
      <outline text="Malware has started generating fake infringement notices" Offset="05:39">
        <outline text="http://feeds.arstechnica.com/~r/arstechnica/BAaf/~3/387601760/20080909-spammers-target-p2p-users-with-fake-infringement-notices.html"/>
        <outline text="This was first spotted by Dan Morrill back in August"/>
        <outline text="Attackers are sending letters claiming to be from Media Defender"/>
        <outline text="When recipient clicks on link to view evidence, their system is infected"/>
        <outline text="Payload is a variation on the Mytob worm"/>
        <outline text="Email refers to common BitTorrent trackers"/>
        <outline text="Seems to work because Media Defender has such a poor reputation"/>
        <outline text="User may click even if they know they haven't infringed"/>
        <outline text="Just trying to confirm the bogus nature of the takedown"/>
        <outline text="That chance of falsehood hides the real lie, that the email is an attack"/>
        <outline text="Exercise your usual caution and use appropriate security software"/>
        <outline text="May be even wait for a second notice before believing its a real letter"/>
      </outline>
      <outline text="Incidental security, privacy risk of iPhone screen effects" Offset="07:56">
        <outline text="http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2008/09/hacker-says-sec.html"/>
        <outline text="Explained by Jonathan Zdziarski during a webcast on bypassing passcode"/>
        <outline text="The phone takes a screenshot every time you hit the home button"/>
        <outline text="Uses this for the zooming animation"/>
        <outline text="The screen shot is like any user generated one"/>
        <outline text="Only difference is the OS deletes it after use"/>
        <outline text="Forensic experts have been able to recover old, deleted files, though"/>
        <outline text="Presumably Apple did it this way for ease of development"/>
        <outline text="A fix could change it to use write to RAM instead"/>
        <outline text="Zdiarski demonstrated using custom firmware ti bypass phone's passcode"/>
        <outline text="Getting at all of the recoverable data on the phone would be the goal"/>
        <outline text="Presumes physical access, which is hard to defend against"/>
        <outline text="Even if Apple introduces some crypto, there are limitations"/>
        <outline text="The phone processors may not be up to costly encryption math"/>
        <outline text="Cold boot attacks show crypto is no silver bullet"/>
        <outline text="May just want to think twice about what you store in your phone"/>
      </outline>
    </outline>
    <outline text="News" Offset="10:46">
      <outline text="Real to launch DVD ripper/duplicator complete with DRM" Offset="11:00">
        <outline text="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/08/technology/08dvd.html?_r=1&amp;oref=slogin"/>
        <outline text="DVD copy software has been stalled by legal tactics"/>
        <outline text="Cracking DRM is illegal for most purposes under the DMCA"/>
        <outline text="The Grokster case has warned off any software makers"/>
        <outline text="If they are seen as endorsing their product for infringing purposes, can be sued"/>
        <outline text="Real is banking on current ruling in Kaleidascape case"/>
        <outline text="Kaleidascape was sued for but defend a DVD jukebox product"/>
        <outline text="Real clearly didn't pre-negotiate any deals"/>
        <outline text="This is how innovation into new markets has typically happened"/>
        <outline text="Ask forgiveness after the fact"/>
        <outline text="Sounds like a duplicator rather than a ripper"/>
        <outline text="Copies all the menus, extras and such"/>
        <outline text="Targeted at PCs, though, as it adds new DRM"/>
        <outline text="Can only play back on a single PC"/>
        <outline text="Can buy up to five licenses for additional PCs"/>
        <outline text="Seems to leave backing up for playing back on regular players out in the cold"/>
        <outline text="Studios are reviewing, have not offered comment, yet"/>
        <outline text="This is hardly the breakthrough consumers want"/>
        <outline text="Anyone looking to make a movie copy is going to want to make more liberal uses">
          <outline text="Format shifting for different, new devices"/>
          <outline text="Back ups for existing, legal devices like dedicate DVD players"/>
          <outline text="Completely new uses, like home media streaming"/>
        </outline>
        <outline text="Real's Glaser seems to be focusing on innovative uses later">
          <outline text="Streaming on home networks"/>
          <outline text="Playback on televisions"/>
        </outline>
        <outline text="May be wise, legally and financially"/>
        <outline text="Not very exciting for consumers"/>
        <outline text="Free legal DVD copying">
          <outline text="http://feeds.wired.com/~r/wired/topheadlines/~3/388181852/Copy_a_DVD"/>
          <outline text="A good anodyne to RealDVD"/>
          <outline text="Free alternatives for all uses of your own legally owned DVDs"/>
          <outline text="Little of what they recommend is technically legal"/>
          <outline text="If you do not upload the resulting files, though, you are unlikely to be sued"/>
          <outline text="Shows the market really wants these novel uses"/>
          <outline text="Open source and small players are able to keep filling these niches"/>
        </outline>
        <outline text="EFF on DVD copying">
          <outline text="http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/09/latest-dvd-copying-cepro"/>
          <outline text="A few more bits of info, links"/>
          <outline text="Most notably that Kaleidascape sought licenses form DVD-CCA"/>
          <outline text="The case against them was on the pedantic point of whether original disc is present at playback"/>
          <outline text="Implies that Real sought similar licensing from DVD-CCA, not clear if this is true"/>
          <outline text="The Kaleidascape case shows that the industry wants control regardless of current rules"/>
          <outline text="If someone tries to game the system without breaking the rules, they still get fussy"/>
        </outline>
      </outline>
      <outline text="DRM choice for new Spore game impact sales, perceptions" Offset="16:34">
        <outline text="http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080908-gamers-fight-back-against-lackluster-spore-gameplay-bad-drm.html"/>
        <outline text="Users have decried Spore's DRM before"/>
        <outline text="In response, EA and Maxis weakened it once"/>
        <outline text="Originally planned activation every ten days"/>
        <outline text="Now limit is on number of total activations"/>
        <outline text="Backlash even to weakened scheme has manifested as a mass of negative Amazon reviews"/>
        <outline text="Around two hundred complaining just about the DRM"/>
        <outline text="One reviewer likened to making the purchase a rental"/>
        <outline text="Using up the three activations makes further use up to EA"/>
        <outline text="This is consistent with arguments Blizzard has made"/>
        <outline text="Many publishers still want to retain control after sale"/>
        <outline text="In the case of some games, this is clearly meant to control after market value"/>
        <outline text="Preventing innovations like Glider that alter game economics"/>
        <outline text="Even for publishers, games where DRM is less about control doesn't stop piracy"/>
        <outline text="Other games have succeeded without DRM"/>
        <outline text="Games are little different than other digital goods, piracy is inevitable for popular titles"/>
        <outline text="This story is part of a rising trend"/>
        <outline text="Gamers do not want DRM"/>
        <outline text="Leading edge of a more popular trend">
          <outline text="Tend to be more technically savvy"/>
          <outline text="Have to be to install, configure games sometimes"/>
          <outline text="Especially when newer hardware is required"/>
          <outline text="Focus is still on content, experience, though"/>
        </outline>
        <outline text="Amazon deletes Spore reviews">
          <outline text="http://feeds.arstechnica.com/~r/arstechnica/BAaf/~3/390971996/20080912-amazon-gags-spore-critics-deletes-all-customer-reviews.html"/>
          <outline text="What initially may have been a reaction turns out to have been a glitch"/>
          <outline text="Amazon has been working to restore reviews"/>
          <outline text="Amazon claims to only remove reviews that don't meet its guidelines"/>
          <outline text="One reviewer did have hers blocked"/>
          <outline text="Amazon claimed it was because it didn't deal with the game experience"/>
          <outline text="Reviewer commented solely on Securom DRM"/>
          <outline text="I have seen other reviews that addressed product problems"/>
          <outline text="Informative when making a decision on whether it is worth the money"/>
          <outline text="Makes one wonder how much of a glitch the bulk removal was"/>
          <outline text="They are clearly exercising some discretion and aware of the DRM debate"/>
        </outline>
      </outline>
      <outline text="Bill potentially introducing open source criteria for DoD systems procurement" Offset="22:10">
        <outline text="http://www.gcn.com/blogs/tech/47100.html"/>
        <outline text="The title is a bit misleading"/>
        <outline text="Makes the piece sound as if it is about the legal status of open source"/>
        <outline text="Expected news of some legislative action around open source"/>
        <outline text="What is though is the first bill to explicitly mention open source software"/>
        <outline text="A defense bill that includes call for consideration of open source for manned and unmanned air craft"/>
        <outline text="It is not clear whether this language, in section 143 of the house version, will survive"/>
        <outline text="The reasoning is not surprising, explained in accompanying report">
          <outline text="Lower cost"/>
          <outline text="Improved security"/>
        </outline>
        <outline text="This despite historical reluctance on the department's part towards open source"/>
        <outline text="Report also recommends open source as a standard model for internal software development"/>
        <outline text="Commercial software industry, represented by BSA, not thrilled"/>
        <outline text="Some think the bill sets open source on an unlevel playing field"/>
        <outline text="I think the language is moderate"/>
        <outline text="Seems more like considering open-closed as a decision point"/>
        <outline text="Not necessarily giving it absolute preference"/>
        <outline text="I think this is very different than the legal bottles around open document formats"/>
        <outline text="May also be a good way to exert pressure on private vendors, internal development teams"/>
        <outline text="I'd much more like to see this as a decision point for public systems"/>
        <outline text="Adoption of open source could mesh well with pressure for open data"/>
        <outline text="Need to convince relevant agencies of similar advantages DoD sees"/>
        <outline text="Lower cost, higher reliability, cheaper development"/>
        <outline text="However, a single agency could start a bottom up change"/>
        <outline text="Concrete results may more easily sway others than rhetoric"/>
      </outline>
      <outline text="Samba's Allison discusses mentors" Offset="26:28">
        <outline text="http://www.tuxdeluxe.org/node/285"/>
        <outline text="This is an excellent story of a self taught programmer"/>
        <outline text="Identifies one of the challenges, how do you learn?"/>
        <outline text="Shares a great anecdote about a mentor"/>
        <outline text="Expresses the common fear that asking for help can reveal your own ignorance"/>
        <outline text="Bolsters the point that real hackers love to share"/>
        <outline text="This outweighs issues of rank, especially in the face of a simple, honest question"/>
        <outline text="I have seen counter examples but they are the exception that proves the rule"/>
        <outline text="Those who get hung up on knowing more and proving it are not true hackers"/>
        <outline text="Sure, there is a rush, satisfaction to sharing but also joy in helping someone else improve"/>
        <outline text="He spends the most time discussing mentors"/>
        <outline text="Has other recommendations, though">
          <outline text="Read books"/>
          <outline text="Read code"/>
          <outline text="Change jobs often"/>
        </outline>
        <outline text="Identifies some of the challenges in these"/>
        <outline text="I think he misses some opportunities"/>
        <outline text="With books and code, community can help with recommendations"/>
        <outline text="That community can be online, reviewers on book stores"/>
        <outline text="Reputations of project maintainers can suggest best code to read"/>
        <outline text="Changing jobs can also simply be changing projects"/>
        <outline text="Seek out ways to learn new things through experience"/>
        <outline text="Allison is clearly quite successful so these suggestions carry that weight"/>
        <outline text="My own experience largely agrees"/>
        <outline text="He has communicated them very personally, with good anecdotes"/>
        <outline text="Even if you &quot;know&quot; these lessons, the shared experience can help you appreciate them anew"/>
      </outline>
    </outline>
    <outline text="tail -f" Offset="30:13">
      <outline text="GAO criticized certification process for voting test labs" Offset="30:32">
        <outline text="http://www.acm.org/usacm/weblog/index.php?p=634"/>
        <outline text="This is a new report from the GAO"/>
        <outline text="Criticizes the program administered by the EAC and NIST"/>
        <outline text="The main issue apparently is incomplete documentation and procedures"/>
        <outline text="GAO apparently doesn't think testing can be repeated reliably"/>
        <outline text="Calls attention to the fact that not just the machines need to work well"/>
        <outline text="EAC has already taken some steps to addressing issues raised in the report"/>
      </outline>
      <outline text="Examining Chrome's source code" Offset="31:50">
        <outline text="http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/index.php/id;1913014503;fp;16;fpid;1"/>
        <outline text="Neil McAllister writing for Australian PC World"/>
        <outline text="Confirms that there is a huge challenge to bring Chrome to anything but Windows"/>
        <outline text="Is essentially a full on port of the Win32 code"/>
        <outline text="Source access is to the SVN repository, reinforces how young this project is"/>
        <outline text="Code base is massive, took author a couple of hours to checkout"/>
        <outline text="2.4GB altogether, includes rendering tests too"/>
        <outline text="Despite size of code base, author found it to be clean and readable"/>
        <outline text="Copious comments, often with humor"/>
        <outline text="Build system apparently breaks the browser into more fine grained modules"/>
        <outline text="Can compile in JavaScriptCore instead of V8 by changing some flags"/>
        <outline text="No evidence of ability to build extensions, yet"/>
        <outline text="Building requires a specific vintage of Visual Studio"/>
        <outline text="Despite that, the build is clean and runs simply"/>
        <outline text="Resulting application was clearly a bit different from Chrome"/>
        <outline text="Emphasized that Chromium is the base but Chrome is Google's build"/>
        <outline text="Curious to see how the code quality effects follow on projects"/>
        <outline text="I expect it could make them easier, hence more prolific"/>
        <outline text="May exert further pressure on Mozilla to improve their code quality"/>
      </outline>
    </outline>
    <outline text="Outro" Offset="34:54">
      <outline text="Contact me">
        <outline text="Email to feedback@thecommandline.net"/>
        <outline text="Web site at http://thecommandline.net/"/>
        <outline text="IM to command.line@skype"/>
        <outline text="Listener comment line is 240-949-2638"/>
        <outline text="del.icio.us tag is &quot;for:cmdln&quot;"/>
        <outline text="http://twitter.com/cmdln"/>
      </outline>
      <outline text="I'd like to thank libsyn.com for AAC hosting and Wouter de Bie for MP3 hosting"/>
      <outline text="These notes and the show audio and music are covered by a Creative Commons license">
        <outline text="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/us/"/>
        <outline text="Attribution, non-commercial, share alike"/>
      </outline>
    </outline>
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