Paul McNamara
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Paul McNamara
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‘Found a nasty bug in my (Cisco) ASA this morning’
The above headline on a post to Reddit piqued my interest this afternoon because it was in that site’s section devoted to system administration and those people know a bug when they encounter one.The Redditor elaborates: “I found a bug in my ASA today. Eth 0/2 was totally unusable and seemed ‘blocked.’ These Cisco bugs are really getting out of hand. I'm just glad I didn't open this port up to the web.”Scare quotes around blocked? Gratuitous mention of the web. I smelled a ruse before even opening the first of three pictures.No. 1, labeled “checking layer 1:”To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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This year’s 25 geekiest 25th anniversaries
This is the eleventh year I’ve compiled this particular collection of trivia, which will come in handy someday if I’m ever on Jeopardy and the category is 1980s/1990s technology and related stuff. A big year for such stuff, 1992 saw the release of Linux under GNU, the sending of the first SMS message, IBM trotting out the ThinkPad and Simon, which was the first mobile phone to include PDA features (smartphone). The year also saw the launch of iconic videogame franchises Mario Kart and Mortal Kombat. And, perhaps worst of all, Microsoft unleashed upon the world the scourge that is PowerPoint. Here’s the full list:IBM debuts ThinkPad Raymangold Known for its minimalist design, the ThinkPad laptop was launched by IBM in 1992 and became a workplace staple for Big Blue before it sold the line to Lenovo in 2005. For years the ThinkPad was the only laptop allowed aboard the International Space Station and there are reportedly some still in use up there. I am typing on a practically new Earth-bound model right now.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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This year’s 25 geekiest 25th anniversaries
This is the eleventh year I’ve compiled this particular collection of trivia, which will come in handy someday if I’m ever on Jeopardy and the category is 1980s/1990s technology and related stuff. A big year for such stuff, 1992 saw the release of Linux under GNU, the sending of the first SMS message, IBM trotting out the ThinkPad and Simon, which was the first mobile phone to include PDA features (smartphone). The year also saw the launch of iconic videogame franchises Mario Kart and Mortal Kombat. And, perhaps worst of all, Microsoft unleashed upon the world the scourge that is PowerPoint. Here’s the full list:IBM debuts ThinkPad Raymangold Known for its minimalist design, the ThinkPad laptop was launched by IBM in 1992 and became a workplace staple for Big Blue before it sold the line to Lenovo in 2005. For years the ThinkPad was the only laptop allowed aboard the International Space Station and there are reportedly some still in use up there. I am typing on a practically new Earth-bound model right now.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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This year’s 25 geekiest 25th anniversaries
This is the eleventh year I’ve compiled this particular collection of trivia, which will come in handy someday if I’m ever on Jeopardy and the category is 1980s/1990s technology and related stuff. A big year for such stuff, 1992 saw the release of Linux under GNU, the sending of the first SMS message, IBM trotting out the ThinkPad and Simon, which was the first mobile phone to include PDA features (smartphone). The year also saw the launch of iconic videogame franchises Mario Kart and Mortal Kombat. And, perhaps worst of all, Microsoft unleashed upon the world the scourge that is PowerPoint. Here’s the full list:IBM debuts ThinkPad Raymangold Known for its minimalist design, the ThinkPad laptop was launched by IBM in 1992 and became a workplace staple for Big Blue before it sold the line to Lenovo in 2005. For years the ThinkPad was the only laptop allowed aboard the International Space Station and there are reportedly some still in use up there. I am typing on a practically new Earth-bound model right now.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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2017’s 25 geekiest 25th anniversaries
Early 90s notablesImage by Nintendo, Pan Books, Michael Hughes, Paramount PicturesA big year for technology – and technology-related events – 1992 saw the release of Linux under GNU, the sending of the first SMS message, IBM trotting out the ThinkPad and Simon, which was the first mobile phone to include PDA features (smartphone). The year also saw the launch of iconic videogame franchises Mario Kart and Mortal Kombat. And, perhaps worst of all, Microsoft unleashed upon the world the scourge that is PowerPoint. For previous versions of this series, please see: 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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2017’s 25 geekiest 25th anniversaries
Early 90s notablesImage by Nintendo, Pan Books, Michael Hughes, Paramount PicturesA big year for technology – and technology-related events – 1992 saw the release of Linux under GNU, the sending of the first SMS message, IBM trotting out the ThinkPad and Simon, which was the first mobile phone to include PDA features (smartphone). The year also saw the launch of iconic videogame franchises Mario Kart and Mortal Kombat. And, perhaps worst of all, Microsoft unleashed upon the world the scourge that is PowerPoint. For previous versions of this series, please see: 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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T-Mobile’s Legere ‘rescues’ volunteer fire department, sticks finger in Verizon’s eye
Ever a social-media showman and tormenter of his competitors, T-Mobile CEO John Legere last night took to Twitter to lambaste Verizon’s decision to ding a volunteer fire company for $73,000 and offered to pick up that tab himself if necessary. And we don’t even know if the ponies played a part. Legere made his pledge on Twitter in response to yesterday’s Buzzblog post about a tiff between Verizon and the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company, which serves an island town of 3,000 in Virginia and is renowned for being caretakers of a herd of 150 wild horses, the Chincoteague Ponies, that has been the subject of a popular children’s book and movie. Legere’s tweet:To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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T-Mobile’s Legere ‘rescues’ volunteer fire department, sticks finger in Verizon’s eye
Ever a social-media showman and tormenter of his competitors, T-Mobile CEO John Legere last night took to Twitter to lambaste Verizon’s decision to ding a volunteer fire company for $73,000 and offered to pick up that tab himself if necessary. And we don’t even know if the ponies played a part. Legere made his pledge on Twitter in response to yesterday’s Buzzblog post about a tiff between Verizon and the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company, which serves an island town of 3,000 in Virginia and is renowned for being caretakers of a herd of 150 wild horses, the Chincoteague Ponies, that has been the subject of a popular children’s book and movie. Legere’s tweet:To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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Verizon’s $73K bill to volunteer fire company has community burning mad
Residents of a small island community in Virginia are up in arms over Verizon insisting the town’s volunteer fire company pony up $73,000 to have telecommunications equipment moved off a parcel of land on which the department is building a new firehouse. At the center of the clash is the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company, which besides selflessly protecting the island’s 3,000 residents is also renowned for its stewardship over the Chincoteague Ponies, a herd of 150 wild horses that, well, has nothing to do with the Verizon dispute but is so interesting you should take a few minutes to check out this website.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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Verizon’s $73K bill to volunteer fire company has community burning mad
Residents of a small island community in Virginia are up in arms over Verizon insisting the town’s volunteer fire company pony up $73,000 to have telecommunications equipment moved off a parcel of land on which the department is building a new firehouse.At the center of the clash is the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company, which besides selflessly protecting the island’s 3,000 residents is also renowned for its stewardship over the Chincoteague Ponies, a herd of 150 wild horses that, well, has nothing to do with the Verizon dispute but is so interesting you should take a few minutes to check out this website.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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Help light an IPv6-enabled Christmas tree
Posted to Reddit’s section devoted to networking by user felixdgniezno, this IPv6-enabled Christmas tree is garnering rave reviews from the kinds of people who read Reddit’s section devoted to networking and are amused by the notion of an IPv6-enabled Christmas tree.From the instructions found on the hosting site, which is located in Belgium, not surprisingly (I’ll explain why below): Ping it to light it up! 2001:6a8:28c0:2017::AA:BB:CC for HTML Color #AABBCC 2001:6a8:28c0:2017::FF:00:00 for color RED 2001:6a8:28c0:2017::00:FF:00 for color GREEN 2001:6a8:28c0:2017::00:00:FF for color BLUE 2001:6a8:28c0:2017::FF:FF:FF for color WHITE ... and so on...To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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Help light an IPv6-enabled Christmas tree
Posted to Reddit’s section devoted to networking by user felixdgniezno, this IPv6-enabled Christmas tree is garnering rave reviews from the kinds of people who read Reddit’s section devoted to networking and are amused by the notion of an IPv6-enabled Christmas tree.From the instructions found on the hosting site, which is located in Belgium, not surprisingly (I’ll explain why below): Ping it to light it up! 2001:6a8:28c0:2017::AA:BB:CC for HTML Color #AABBCC 2001:6a8:28c0:2017::FF:00:00 for color RED 2001:6a8:28c0:2017::00:FF:00 for color GREEN 2001:6a8:28c0:2017::00:00:FF for color BLUE 2001:6a8:28c0:2017::FF:FF:FF for color WHITE ... and so on...To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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Latvian developers set record with Christmas tree-lighting Rube Goldberg machine
So you think untangling your Christmas tree lights is tedious?A group of programmers from an ecommerce development company called Scandiweb spent two months building and testing a 412-step Rube Goldberg machine – a World Guinness Record -- that when finished with its 15 minutes of wackiness electrified the capital city of Riga’s Christmas tree.Fear not, you don’t have to watch all 15 minutes, as this slick video boils it all down to about three: The most complicated way to light Christmas tree from Scandiweb on Vimeo.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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AT&T to cough up $88M for ‘cramming’ mobile customer bills
Some 2.7 million AT&T customers will share $88 million in compensation for having had unauthorized third-party charges added to their mobile bills, the Federal Trade Commission announced this morning.The latest shot in the federal government’s years-long battle against such abuses, these refunds will represent the most money ever recouped by victims of what is known as “mobile cramming,” according to the FTC.From an FTC press release: Through the FTC’s refund program, nearly 2.5 million current AT&T customers will receive a credit on their bill within the next 75 days, and more than 300,000 former customers will receive a check. The average refund amount is $31. ...To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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AT&T to cough up $88M for ‘cramming’ mobile customer bills
Some 2.7 million AT&T customers will share $88 million in compensation for having had unauthorized third-party charges added to their mobile bills, the Federal Trade Commission announced this morning. The latest shot in the federal government’s years-long battle against such abuses, these refunds will represent the most money ever recouped by victims of what is known as “mobile cramming,” according to the FTC. From an FTC press release: Through the FTC’s refund program, nearly 2.5 million current AT&T customers will receive a credit on their bill within the next 75 days, and more than 300,000 former customers will receive a check. The average refund amount is $31. ...To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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Spooked by Trump, Internet Archive looks to make a copy of itself … in Canada
The folks who run the indispensable Internet Archive Wayback Machine, among other services, have seen the future of a Trump Administration and it scares them enough to spur the creation of the Internet Archive of Canada … just in case.From the organization’s blog post today: The history of libraries is one of loss. The Library of Alexandria is best known for its disappearance.Libraries like ours are susceptible to different fault lines: Earthquakes, legal regimes, institutional failure.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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Advice for evading ATM skimmers
I cannot use an ATM these days without wondering if I am getting ripped off by a stealthy skimming device that has been placed inside the machine’s card slot. One reason for my concern is that for years now I have been reading with great interest a series of articles on the subject by security expert Brian Krebs, who posted another one just yesterday.This piece includes a couple of videos showing exactly how scammers insert and remove the skimmers from an ATM, as well as practical advice you can use to thwart those efforts:To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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Advice for evading ATM skimmers
I cannot use an ATM these days without wondering if I am getting ripped off by a stealthy skimming device that has been placed inside the machine’s card slot. One reason for my concern is that for years now I have been reading with great interest a series of articles on the subject by security expert Brian Krebs, who posted another one just yesterday.This piece includes a couple of videos showing exactly how scammers insert and remove the skimmers from an ATM, as well as practical advice you can use to thwart those efforts:To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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‘Wireless security at its finest’
The person who submitted the above photo to Reddit’s section devoted to IT rants presumably does not believe it depicts wireless security at its finest. In fact, the sarcasm oozes.However, not everyone in the forum held such a dim view.“There is nothing wrong with this,” writes another user. “It is public wi-fi. It has a slight security advantage over an open network in that it makes it more difficult to eavesdrop. The (would-be) attacker also has to capture the handshake when a client associates.”There were supportive variations on that theme.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
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‘Wireless security at its finest’
The person who submitted the above photo to Reddit’s section devoted to IT rants presumably does not believe it depicts wireless security at its finest. In fact, the sarcasm oozes.However, not everyone in the forum held such a dim view.“There is nothing wrong with this,” writes another user. “It is public wi-fi. It has a slight security advantage over an open network in that it makes it more difficult to eavesdrop. The (would-be) attacker also has to capture the handshake when a client associates.”There were supportive variations on that theme.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here