Category: Politics

Because nothing else is dumber

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Apple Politics Software

SOX Tax for Upgrades?

A very interesting piece by iLounge is creating a little buzz today. Hopefully in the next few weeks it will become clear if this is really true, or just FUD. Given my development background, and business education (especially going to school post-Enron) this was particularly interesting.

Most software and hardware products these days are updated after release through software updates to enable features that either weren’t reliable enough to be turned on when released, or weren’t possible (waiting for standardization, licensing, testing, certification, etc.). It’s not at all uncommon.

It’s no secret Apple has been shipping computers for several months with 802.11g/n cards, but calling them 802.11g. Presumably all it takes is a firmware upgrade, and it’s ready to go. Now it appears that because of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) [PDF], they are required to charge a small fee to enable the feature because:

…supposedly prohibits Apple from giving away an unadvertised new feature for one of its products.

The logic in a way makes sense, but this raises a lot of business ethics. If an update enables added security (such as changing a default in a software firewall), does the software developer need to charge an upgrade fee according to US law? What about when Microsoft added support for WPA2? Presumably at least some of the buts utilized were in Windows prior to that update.

Here is an even more twisted example: Starting this spring with the new Energy Policy Act of 2005 in effect. Daylight Savings Time has changed. It starts earlier and ends later. For accounting and legal purposes you must correctly date your records, for example in Quicken/Quickbooks, or even timestamp on email could also be important. Does Microsoft need to charge for this upgrade to comply with SOX? Remember, this patch isn’t a bug “fix” since nothing was “broken” (the functionality was correct). This patch adds support for the new Daylight Savings Time. Hence it’s technically a [boring] feature to an existing product (Windows). Just like enabling 802.11n.

But what about Nintendo Wii or Playstation III which will presumably be getting firmware updates along the way to enable new features. I’m pretty sure Sony would be bound by the same laws. Not sure about Nintendo since it’s traded on the Nikkei Stock Exchange.

Disclaimer: I’m not a lawyer. I hope the Apple lawyers messed things up here and really misinterpreted the law. Since this is pretty messed up. I have a good feeling we’ll be learning more about this in the upcoming weeks.

Update [01/19/2007]: It’s Apple speaks: It’s $1.99.

Update [01/20/2007]: It’s not SOX, it’s GAAP causing the issue. CNet discusses.

Categories
Around The Web Politics Security

Hacking The TSA

Everyone’s favorite security guru has a great blog post on how to prevent loss of an expensive camera that must be checked luggage rather than carry on. To summarize, you can pack it with a starter pistol so that the TSA takes extra precautions to prevent it’s loss (they don’t want to loose a gun, but don’t mind losing your expensive possessions).

This is really quite brilliant. Here’s some info on requirements. According to this you could also just carry a replica, or even bullet, or a piece of a gun.

That’s got to be the most clever solution to the problem. Finally we can all carry our laptops and expensive equipment around without fear of loss. You know the TSA won’t loose a gun, since that would spark a major controversy.

I must admit this solution is beyond clever, it’s outright brilliant.

Categories
Funny Politics

Monkey’s On A Plane

Oh boy would “Monkey’s On A Plane” be a blockbuster. Just a blank tape with that title would make millions. Film a real movie, and it’s [pinky in mouth] billions.

Well, apparently enough monkeys travel on commercial airlines every year to warrant their own section in on the TSA website. I’d love to have a monkey sitting near me, rather than a small crying child. Why do I get stuck with kids near me, instead of a chimp?

Excerpt copied below to ensure this gem is never lost:

Monkey Helpers

  • When a monkey is being transported in a carrier, the monkey must be removed from the carrier by the handler prior to screening,
  • The monkey must be controlled by the handler throughout the screening process.
  • The monkey handler should carry the monkey through the WTMD while the monkey remains on a leash.
  • When the handler and monkey go through the WTMD and the WTMD alarms, both the handler and the monkey must undergo additional screening.
  • Since monkeys may likely draw attention, the handler will be escorted to the physical inspection area where a table is available for the monkey to sit on.  Only the handler will touch or interact with the monkey.
  • TSOs have been trained to not touch the monkey during the screening process.
  • TSOs will conduct a visual inspection on the monkey and will coach the handler on how to hold the monkey during the visual inspection.
  • The inspection process may require that the handler take off the monkey’s diaper as part of the visual inspection.

Source: TSA.gov

Hat Tip to JWZ.

Categories
Funny Politics

Sierra Mist Commercial Inspiration For TSA Security Measures

The Consumerist points out that Sierra Mist TV commercial which recently aired is taking on a new relevance. If Pepsi Co. doesn’t step up this ad campaign a bit, it will be necessary to petition them to see this ad a bit more. I just love the irony. It needs to be kept on TV at all costs.

Sierra Mist

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Around The Web Politics

Mister Rogers Senate Testimony

Fred Rogers

[Google Video | YouTube]

Here’s a great video clip of Fred Rogers aka Mister Rogers testifying before the United States Senate Subcommittee on Communications on May 1, 1969. President Nixon wanted to cut the funding for the new Corporation for Public Broadcasting in half to allocate more money for the Vietnam War. Fred Rogers went to Washington to change that. The senator seen throughout is Senator John O. Pastore. The end is really quite great, but don’t just skip through it, watch it.

This series of video’s on him seem to also be really good. I’ve only watched parts, and intend to see them all at some point. One thing I noticed is that his puppet voices were really somewhat pathetic they really don’t sound to different from his own voice, especially that of King Friday XIII, yet somehow they still rival Jim Henson. Some interesting little details in there too.

He’s also the latest inductee in my quotes database (off to the right hand side of this blogs homepage).

Categories
Around The Web Funny Politics

Frank Zappa’s Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing Testimony

This video is priceless. A must see. You can hear everyone laughing in the background. Not to mention he was being very rational about the whole thing and poking holes in the proposed law.

Frank Zappa

Categories
In The News Internet Politics

NSA… Can you hear me now?

Of course when the Federal Government uses the legal equivalent to the Atomic Bomb, you know (despite their insistence) that all of the alleged activity is true… otherwise they would defend it. They even went as far as stating:

The fact that the United States will assert the state secrets privilege should not be construed as a confirmation or denial of any of plaintiffs’ allegations, either about AT&T or the alleged surveillance activities.

Yea sure. You don’t invoke something like this when you have nothing to hide. It’s like how all those companies “settle” but don’t admit guilt or wrongdoing. You don’t pay for something you didn’t do.

By the way, if you traceroute to this website and see “att.com” anywhere in there, you can rest assured they know your reading this ;-).

Categories
In The News Politics

Spain looks into Monkey Rights

As a fan of our primate friends, I’m 100% behind this proposed bill:

The socialist PSOE party is apparently intent on introducing a bill aimed at giving apes the same rights as man, “and the immediate inclusion of these animals as people.” As a result, the bill adds that apes “should have the same moral and legal protection that humans currently enjoy.”

I do hope that it will be adjusted to cover all primates and not just Apes, so Chimps aren’t left out.

Go Spain! Now long will it take for America to wake up?

Categories
Internet Mozilla Politics

Save the Internet

Save The Internet

I’ve spent quite a bit of time encouraging browser choice and platform choice by strongly advocating and encouraging compatibility.

It’s sad but it’s now time to do advocate the right to choose what websites and/or services you want to use. If you enjoy using:

Search engine of your choice
VoIP provider of your choice
Music/Video provider of your choice
News provider of your choice

Boy that’s a lot of links, yet just a handful of the many available… you get the idea. You care.

I don’t even want to think of the impact on open source and innovation if every website has to pay for decent performance (imagine degraded downloads of linux iso’s simply because the distro isn’t paying your specific ISP).

I’m pretty sure I’m not alone in enjoying the freedom of choice the Internet provides.

Categories
Audio/Video Internet Politics

Flintstones meet the Winstons

Remember big tobacco NEVER marketed cigarettes to children.

Fred Flintstone smokes a Winston

Copyright Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc.

Not surprisingly R.J. Reynolds is the same company behind Joe Camel.