Note: This column represents the opinions
of the writer and as such, is not represented as fact
At last,
the contents of Aardvark's "million-dollar ideas" notebook
are revealed for all to see!
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Time for more of the odd-ball, quirky and sometimes funny stuff that lurks
in the backwaters of the web.
Coincidence Design
Here's a worrying website. It goes way beyond computer dating and verges
on the frighteningly wierd!
Big Muscles Fast
Why work out when you can wow the chicks with these beauties!
Win toilet paper!
And who said there were no freebies left on the Net?
Need Cutting-Edge Copy?
As NZ's longest-running online commentator, I'm looking for
extra syndication opportunities for this daily publication -- or I'm happy
to write casual or regular material specifically to order for print or
Net-based publications. If you're
interested, drop me a line
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Bandaid Bill Is At It Again
Billy-boy says he's seen the light and will be changing Microsoft's focus
from "features" to security.
Yes, that's right -- it's only taken a decade for Bill to admit that
he was wrong and the rest of the online community was right when they
said that Microsoft's attitude to the design of online systems was
stupid.
Of course, as we know, Mr Gates has always been a bit slow on the
uptake. How much memory is enough? The Net won't amount to much because
MSN will rule the world? Customers want features ahead of security?
In true Gatesian style, Bill fired off
a memo
to over 47,000 staff informing
them that they were now involved in an initiative which is to be known
as "Trustworthy Computing." Oh please, which PR company stung them six
figures to come up with that name?
In this memo, Bill rallies his troops to battle by telling them that "if we
don't do this, people simply won't be willing -- or able -- to take advantage
of all the other great work we do."
"...all the other great work we do"?? I'm sorry -- I must have missed something
here.
Was he talking about harrassing charitable organisations so as to squeeze
extra Windows licensing fees out of them perhaps?
Or maybe it was making the average Windows user an easy target for any
wannable hacker who wants some cheap thrills on a Sunday afternoon?
However, we've got to give the man credit for fessing up to the fact that
his company's products, from a security perspective, are nothing but crap.
As he so rightly states -- "All those great features won't matter unless customers
trust our software. So now, when we face a choice between adding features and
resolving security issues, we need to choose security."
Errr.. excuse me Bill but hasn't anyone actually told you that good security
isn't something you can add on to an existing OS or application in lieu of
a new feature?
Good security is something that needs to be considered at every stage of
the design and implementation process -- it's not something you can go
back and tack on later like a bandaid just because the market and the
government is bitching at you.
But hey, we can't expect Microsoft to be concerned, or even aware of little
details like that can we? After all, "security" is clearly something of a
foreign concept to the Microsoft team.
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There are 2 new Vacancies (14 January 2002) In The Job Centre
There are 14 Domain Names for sale
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