I also realize I forgot to mention that this obvious frustration with end users reminds me a lot of how I felt having to deal with voters. Another group of people who like to fuck everything up as much as possible and then blame you when things go wrong.
I need a good boffin.
- Flex
- Mechano-Man of the Future
- Posts: 35982
- Joined: 15 Jun 2008, 2:50pm
- Location: The Information Superhighway!
Re: I need a good boffin.
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a bowl of soup
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a rolling hoop
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a ton of lead
Wiggle - you can raise the dead
Pex Lives!
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a rolling hoop
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a ton of lead
Wiggle - you can raise the dead
Pex Lives!
Re: I need a good boffin.
- Dr. Medulla
- Atheistic Epileptic
- Posts: 116683
- Joined: 15 Jun 2008, 2:00pm
- Location: Straight Banana, Idaho
Re: I need a good boffin.
I'm not sure I'm following you here. Are you suggesting that this new security hoo-ha is actually about getting everyone using Outlook?revbob wrote: ↑02 Mar 2023, 3:57pmYou accessing your phone via a pin or whatever is also not the same as an app on your phone accessing the email server.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑02 Mar 2023, 3:14pmThe latter is something I do sympathize with them over. Academics are, fancy degrees and titles aside, some of the most clueless people alive. That they might be sloppy with security doesn’t surprise me.Flex wrote: ↑02 Mar 2023, 2:49pmI should add that I'm actually pretty sympathetic to IT departments too, whining above aside. Trying to implement standardized protocols across what are often a huge spectrum of devices - and dealing with as many different sorts of people - is pretty challenging. And when it comes to security, a combination of user ineptitude and always increasingly sophisticated methodsmof attack, don't make things easier.
"I used to bullseye womp rats in my T-16 back in Whittier, they're not much bigger than two meters.'" - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft
Re: I need a good boffin.
Maybe, chances are good that your mailserver is also a Microsoft product and outlook and exchange tend to play well together.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑02 Mar 2023, 7:14pmI'm not sure I'm following you here. Are you suggesting that this new security hoo-ha is actually about getting everyone using Outlook?revbob wrote: ↑02 Mar 2023, 3:57pmYou accessing your phone via a pin or whatever is also not the same as an app on your phone accessing the email server.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑02 Mar 2023, 3:14pmThe latter is something I do sympathize with them over. Academics are, fancy degrees and titles aside, some of the most clueless people alive. That they might be sloppy with security doesn’t surprise me.Flex wrote: ↑02 Mar 2023, 2:49pmI should add that I'm actually pretty sympathetic to IT departments too, whining above aside. Trying to implement standardized protocols across what are often a huge spectrum of devices - and dealing with as many different sorts of people - is pretty challenging. And when it comes to security, a combination of user ineptitude and always increasingly sophisticated methodsmof attack, don't make things easier.
Control and standardization are key factors in IT security. Each variable is a potential attack vector you need to account for, its a different vendor that needs to provide patches, a different vendor that you need to get support from. Even if it isnt a security issue sometimes just interoperability is important. You update something and something else breaks but maybe just for some users then you have to spend lots of time to get things working all because some people like to think themselves special and "need" their fill in the blank, or want some exception usually not because it makes them more productive just more comfortable in their specialness.
- Dr. Medulla
- Atheistic Epileptic
- Posts: 116683
- Joined: 15 Jun 2008, 2:00pm
- Location: Straight Banana, Idaho
Re: I need a good boffin.
If that's the case—and given that this whole hoo-ha revolves around MS products, I'd say it's more likely than not—I'd sure appreciate being told that straight-up. Give me the honest argument and let me respond in kind. As I said, if they want to issue me a work phone because of that, fine, I'll play their game. But otherwise, equally fine, I won't be available via my personal phone or tablet. But they don't get to force me to do shit on the stuff I paid for.revbob wrote: ↑02 Mar 2023, 8:23pmMaybe, chances are good that your mailserver is also a Microsoft product and outlook and exchange tend to play well together.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑02 Mar 2023, 7:14pmI'm not sure I'm following you here. Are you suggesting that this new security hoo-ha is actually about getting everyone using Outlook?revbob wrote: ↑02 Mar 2023, 3:57pmYou accessing your phone via a pin or whatever is also not the same as an app on your phone accessing the email server.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑02 Mar 2023, 3:14pmThe latter is something I do sympathize with them over. Academics are, fancy degrees and titles aside, some of the most clueless people alive. That they might be sloppy with security doesn’t surprise me.Flex wrote: ↑02 Mar 2023, 2:49pmI should add that I'm actually pretty sympathetic to IT departments too, whining above aside. Trying to implement standardized protocols across what are often a huge spectrum of devices - and dealing with as many different sorts of people - is pretty challenging. And when it comes to security, a combination of user ineptitude and always increasingly sophisticated methodsmof attack, don't make things easier.
Control and standardization are key factors in IT security. Each variable is a potential attack vector you need to account for, its a different vendor that needs to provide patches, a different vendor that you need to get support from. Even if it isnt a security issue sometimes just interoperability is important. You update something and something else breaks but maybe just for some users then you have to spend lots of time to get things working all because some people like to think themselves special and "need" their fill in the blank, or want some exception usually not because it makes them more productive just more comfortable in their specialness.
"I used to bullseye womp rats in my T-16 back in Whittier, they're not much bigger than two meters.'" - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft
- Flex
- Mechano-Man of the Future
- Posts: 35982
- Joined: 15 Jun 2008, 2:50pm
- Location: The Information Superhighway!
Re: I need a good boffin.
I'm waiting for the twist in this story that all of these rules are being implemented to target Doc, specifically.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑02 Mar 2023, 8:38pmIf that's the case—and given that this whole hoo-ha revolves around MS products, I'd say it's more likely than not—I'd sure appreciate being told that straight-up. Give me the honest argument and let me respond in kind. As I said, if they want to issue me a work phone because of that, fine, I'll play their game. But otherwise, equally fine, I won't be available via my personal phone or tablet. But they don't get to force me to do shit on the stuff I paid for.
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a bowl of soup
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a rolling hoop
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a ton of lead
Wiggle - you can raise the dead
Pex Lives!
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a rolling hoop
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a ton of lead
Wiggle - you can raise the dead
Pex Lives!
Re: I need a good boffin.
I agree. I was told I had to be in an "on call rotation". I wouldn't do it without being given a phone for those few weeks a year. I know some employers will provide a monthly stipend for a phone. I dont want that, if the phone breaks or has some issue the onus is on me to get it corrected plus yeah I want to use my personal phone for whatever I want and work isnt that. Give me a phone or dont expect me to be available off hours. If Im not on call that phone goes to silent mode and is left in my backpack or another room when Im not working.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑02 Mar 2023, 8:38pmIf that's the case—and given that this whole hoo-ha revolves around MS products, I'd say it's more likely than not—I'd sure appreciate being told that straight-up. Give me the honest argument and let me respond in kind. As I said, if they want to issue me a work phone because of that, fine, I'll play their game. But otherwise, equally fine, I won't be available via my personal phone or tablet. But they don't get to force me to do shit on the stuff I paid for.revbob wrote: ↑02 Mar 2023, 8:23pmMaybe, chances are good that your mailserver is also a Microsoft product and outlook and exchange tend to play well together.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑02 Mar 2023, 7:14pmI'm not sure I'm following you here. Are you suggesting that this new security hoo-ha is actually about getting everyone using Outlook?revbob wrote: ↑02 Mar 2023, 3:57pmYou accessing your phone via a pin or whatever is also not the same as an app on your phone accessing the email server.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑02 Mar 2023, 3:14pm
The latter is something I do sympathize with them over. Academics are, fancy degrees and titles aside, some of the most clueless people alive. That they might be sloppy with security doesn’t surprise me.
Control and standardization are key factors in IT security. Each variable is a potential attack vector you need to account for, its a different vendor that needs to provide patches, a different vendor that you need to get support from. Even if it isnt a security issue sometimes just interoperability is important. You update something and something else breaks but maybe just for some users then you have to spend lots of time to get things working all because some people like to think themselves special and "need" their fill in the blank, or want some exception usually not because it makes them more productive just more comfortable in their specialness.
Re: I need a good boffin.
Oh geez dont give him a bigger head than he already has (college professors in their ivory towers).Flex wrote: ↑02 Mar 2023, 8:54pmI'm waiting for the twist in this story that all of these rules are being implemented to target Doc, specifically.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑02 Mar 2023, 8:38pmIf that's the case—and given that this whole hoo-ha revolves around MS products, I'd say it's more likely than not—I'd sure appreciate being told that straight-up. Give me the honest argument and let me respond in kind. As I said, if they want to issue me a work phone because of that, fine, I'll play their game. But otherwise, equally fine, I won't be available via my personal phone or tablet. But they don't get to force me to do shit on the stuff I paid for.
- Flex
- Mechano-Man of the Future
- Posts: 35982
- Joined: 15 Jun 2008, 2:50pm
- Location: The Information Superhighway!
Re: I need a good boffin.
He was getting too close to the truth! He had to be stopped!revbob wrote: ↑02 Mar 2023, 8:56pmOh geez dont give him a bigger head than he already has (college professors in their ivory towers).Flex wrote: ↑02 Mar 2023, 8:54pmI'm waiting for the twist in this story that all of these rules are being implemented to target Doc, specifically.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑02 Mar 2023, 8:38pmIf that's the case—and given that this whole hoo-ha revolves around MS products, I'd say it's more likely than not—I'd sure appreciate being told that straight-up. Give me the honest argument and let me respond in kind. As I said, if they want to issue me a work phone because of that, fine, I'll play their game. But otherwise, equally fine, I won't be available via my personal phone or tablet. But they don't get to force me to do shit on the stuff I paid for.
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a bowl of soup
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a rolling hoop
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a ton of lead
Wiggle - you can raise the dead
Pex Lives!
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a rolling hoop
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a ton of lead
Wiggle - you can raise the dead
Pex Lives!
- Dr. Medulla
- Atheistic Epileptic
- Posts: 116683
- Joined: 15 Jun 2008, 2:00pm
- Location: Straight Banana, Idaho
Re: I need a good boffin.
I'm a sessional. My status is lower than undergrads (tuition $), but higher than grad students (cheap labour). Not that I really care. All I ask of life is to be left the fuck alone to do my work.revbob wrote: ↑02 Mar 2023, 8:56pmOh geez dont give him a bigger head than he already has (college professors in their ivory towers).Flex wrote: ↑02 Mar 2023, 8:54pmI'm waiting for the twist in this story that all of these rules are being implemented to target Doc, specifically.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑02 Mar 2023, 8:38pmIf that's the case—and given that this whole hoo-ha revolves around MS products, I'd say it's more likely than not—I'd sure appreciate being told that straight-up. Give me the honest argument and let me respond in kind. As I said, if they want to issue me a work phone because of that, fine, I'll play their game. But otherwise, equally fine, I won't be available via my personal phone or tablet. But they don't get to force me to do shit on the stuff I paid for.
"I used to bullseye womp rats in my T-16 back in Whittier, they're not much bigger than two meters.'" - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft
- weller259
- Pitch Clock Appreciator
- Posts: 1136
- Joined: 21 Oct 2008, 7:59pm
- Location: He's A Real Nowhere Man, Sitting In His Nowhere Land
Re: I need a good boffin.
I don't trust Microsoft as far as I can spit. They've been tracking people for decades through their software. They change settings you made that shut their crap off with every new forced update, they are so sneakily underhanded at promoting their own stuff within their own stuff, I just wish I was adept enough to say F you and run linux and to hell with them. Alas ....
I do not think there is any guaranteed way to keep any device "secure" that isn't hard-wired into a closed network, which means that it can still be hacked, just not by anyone outside of the closed private network. Anything can be hacked. It would seem to me that all you can do is put in as many layers of authentication as possible, making it more difficult and time-consuming to hack. But if someone really really wanted to hack, they could. I'm no tech expert by any means but it does seem pretty much a losing battle. I also would not keep sensitive data like say personal records data on the same domain as research data like books etc.. It seems to me the reason sensitive data can be hacked or stolen by outside actors in the first place is that it is kept on domains that anyone can access and therefore hack, no? But what do I know.
I would also say that if an employer didn't provide the hardware they wanted me to use set up the way they wanted it set up, i'd tell them to go f themselves. Then head to the unemployment offices.
I do not think there is any guaranteed way to keep any device "secure" that isn't hard-wired into a closed network, which means that it can still be hacked, just not by anyone outside of the closed private network. Anything can be hacked. It would seem to me that all you can do is put in as many layers of authentication as possible, making it more difficult and time-consuming to hack. But if someone really really wanted to hack, they could. I'm no tech expert by any means but it does seem pretty much a losing battle. I also would not keep sensitive data like say personal records data on the same domain as research data like books etc.. It seems to me the reason sensitive data can be hacked or stolen by outside actors in the first place is that it is kept on domains that anyone can access and therefore hack, no? But what do I know.
I would also say that if an employer didn't provide the hardware they wanted me to use set up the way they wanted it set up, i'd tell them to go f themselves. Then head to the unemployment offices.
From what I see there's still a little hope
That's if we don't hang from too much rope
That's if we don't hang from too much rope
Re: I need a good boffin.
Ive run Ubuntu in the past. Its GUI is pretty mature but I realize my perspective is different from the average user. There might be some other linux flavors that have surpassed it in terms of being user friendly and easy to adopt.weller259 wrote: ↑03 Mar 2023, 8:57pmI don't trust Microsoft as far as I can spit. They've been tracking people for decades through their software. They change settings you made that shut their crap off with every new forced update, they are so sneakily underhanded at promoting their own stuff within their own stuff, I just wish I was adept enough to say F you and run linux and to hell with them. Alas ....
...
- weller259
- Pitch Clock Appreciator
- Posts: 1136
- Joined: 21 Oct 2008, 7:59pm
- Location: He's A Real Nowhere Man, Sitting In His Nowhere Land
Re: I need a good boffin.
I've got an old old copy of Ubuntu but i've never been brave enough to actually try it. I've wanted to since Windows 98, lol. I worry about things like drivers and stuff, i'm not good at BIOS so messing around with that sort of freaks me out. But i'd still like to try it one day and see.revbob wrote: ↑03 Mar 2023, 9:11pmIve run Ubuntu in the past. Its GUI is pretty mature but I realize my perspective is different from the average user. There might be some other linux flavors that have surpassed it in terms of being user friendly and easy to adopt.weller259 wrote: ↑03 Mar 2023, 8:57pmI don't trust Microsoft as far as I can spit. They've been tracking people for decades through their software. They change settings you made that shut their crap off with every new forced update, they are so sneakily underhanded at promoting their own stuff within their own stuff, I just wish I was adept enough to say F you and run linux and to hell with them. Alas ....
...
From what I see there's still a little hope
That's if we don't hang from too much rope
That's if we don't hang from too much rope
Re: I need a good boffin.
The easiest way to dip your toes in the water is to run it off a USB stick/drive. You boot off it but can always revert back to Wnders whenever you want without making any changed to the computer.weller259 wrote: ↑03 Mar 2023, 9:15pmI've got an old old copy of Ubuntu but i've never been brave enough to actually try it. I've wanted to since Windows 98, lol. I worry about things like drivers and stuff, i'm not good at BIOS so messing around with that sort of freaks me out. But i'd still like to try it one day and see.revbob wrote: ↑03 Mar 2023, 9:11pmIve run Ubuntu in the past. Its GUI is pretty mature but I realize my perspective is different from the average user. There might be some other linux flavors that have surpassed it in terms of being user friendly and easy to adopt.weller259 wrote: ↑03 Mar 2023, 8:57pmI don't trust Microsoft as far as I can spit. They've been tracking people for decades through their software. They change settings you made that shut their crap off with every new forced update, they are so sneakily underhanded at promoting their own stuff within their own stuff, I just wish I was adept enough to say F you and run linux and to hell with them. Alas ....
...
- weller259
- Pitch Clock Appreciator
- Posts: 1136
- Joined: 21 Oct 2008, 7:59pm
- Location: He's A Real Nowhere Man, Sitting In His Nowhere Land
Re: I need a good boffin.
That sounds like a good idea, thank you rev!revbob wrote: ↑03 Mar 2023, 9:20pmThe easiest way to dip your toes in the water is to run it off a USB stick/drive. You boot off it but can always revert back to Wnders whenever you want without making any changed to the computer.weller259 wrote: ↑03 Mar 2023, 9:15pmI've got an old old copy of Ubuntu but i've never been brave enough to actually try it. I've wanted to since Windows 98, lol. I worry about things like drivers and stuff, i'm not good at BIOS so messing around with that sort of freaks me out. But i'd still like to try it one day and see.revbob wrote: ↑03 Mar 2023, 9:11pmIve run Ubuntu in the past. Its GUI is pretty mature but I realize my perspective is different from the average user. There might be some other linux flavors that have surpassed it in terms of being user friendly and easy to adopt.weller259 wrote: ↑03 Mar 2023, 8:57pmI don't trust Microsoft as far as I can spit. They've been tracking people for decades through their software. They change settings you made that shut their crap off with every new forced update, they are so sneakily underhanded at promoting their own stuff within their own stuff, I just wish I was adept enough to say F you and run linux and to hell with them. Alas ....
...
From what I see there's still a little hope
That's if we don't hang from too much rope
That's if we don't hang from too much rope