Suramya's Blog : Welcome to my crazy life…

March 10, 2006

Google: A giant hard disk in the sky?

Filed under: Computer Related,My Thoughts,Tech Related — Suramya @ 12:52 PM

There have been rumors to the affect that Google might be releasing a new service that allows users to store unlimited amount of data on their servers and access it from anywhere… While this sounds really neat and useful there are a couple of issues with it that you might want to think about (If you are planning on using it. I am not)

1. First as soon as the data is off your computer and on google’s they have full access to it, they can scan it to generate targeted ads. (They already do that with your email). If a google employee wanted to they could read you private documents (You tax returns, your love letters, your whatever… ). Not saying that they will just they can.

2. Storing it on Google’s servers will make it easier for law agencies/lawyers to get search access to your data using a subpeona. Adam Fields has a good writeup on why storing your data on google is a bad idea.

So if you still want to store stuff on google feel free to, but I am not. I might store encrypted files for a short time if I needed to free up space for something, but for a more long term solution I will stick to my DVD burner. 🙂

Original Article: Google: A giant hard disk in the sky?

– Suramya

February 10, 2006

Liquid Camera Lens Ready For Phones

Filed under: News/Articles — Suramya @ 12:36 PM

This is pretty cool, now liquid lenses are now available for manufacturers to use in cameraphones. The new Arctic 320 is a zoom and auto-focus lens, but has no moving parts. Instead a small current warps liquid trapped inside two lenses to change the distance them and adjust focus or zoom.

Now we will probably get a camera phones with more powerful digital camera’s and better zoom features. Can’t wait till its out in the market.

Source: Liquid Camera Lens Ready For Phones

– Suramya

Police blotter: Patriot Act e-mail spying approved

Filed under: Computer Security,My Thoughts,News/Articles,Tech Related — Suramya @ 12:27 PM

Another not so useful move by the US govt in the ‘war’ against terrorism. My cooking can be described as a lethal weapon so I guess they need to check my email to make sure I am not a terrorist.

Abstract:

A federal judge recently approved a prosecutors’ Patriot Act request for e-mail surveillance without any evidence of wrongdoing by the target. The Patriot Act’s amendments authorize that type of easily obtainable surveillance of e-mail. All that’s required is that prosecutors claim the surveillance could conceivably be “relevant” to an investigation.

Complete Article: Patriot Act e-mail spying approved

– Suramya

February 7, 2006

Good Article on Profiling and Generalizations

Filed under: My Thoughts,News/Articles — Suramya @ 4:23 PM

A really good article that talks about profiling and generalizations. It takes a case about generalizations regarding Pit Bulls and compares them to terrorist/smugler profiling and how thats not such a good idea.

Profiling is never a good idea, if I know that there’s a profile for a particular kind of person then when I am trying to do something unnoticed as that person I would deviate as much as possible from that profile. I think thats a logical/intelligent response and while terrorists are acting on a false sense of right/wrong that doesn’t make them idiots and this is proved time and again when a bombing or terrorist act is carried out by someone completely unsuspected as they were completely outside the usual profile.

Another issue with generalization is that people tend to start focusing on them and ignore other vectors of threat. e.g. terrorists usually hijack planes right? So the reaction is that lots of money is spent on airport security etc. What is to stop them from taking a shopping mall/theator hostage? They can seal off the exit’s and threaten to blow it up. This is not a threat that is commonly recognized. There are hundred’s of other ways they can terrorize us.

So what do we do? Do we hide at home and refuse to comeout? Nope, we learn not to limit our responses to a list of threats, diversify and learn to counter/field unexpected threats.

Original Article: The New Yorker: Fact

Thanks to: Schneier on Security for the link.

– Suramya

February 4, 2006

Ultimate solution for Spam

Filed under: Funny News,My Thoughts — Suramya @ 12:39 PM

How to eliminate spam permanently:

Solution for Spam

– Suramya

January 31, 2006

Politically incorrect but Hillarious retelling of Mahabharat

Filed under: Funny News,Interesting Sites — Suramya @ 2:38 PM

Check out this extremely hillarious retelling of Mahabharta: Vyasa’s Dissertation

Yes, I know its a sacred text for Hindu’s.
No, I don’t think its wrong.
Yes, I think its really funny.
No, I won’t remove links to it.
Yes, I will mirror it if it goes down.

Thanks to Anomalizer for this link.

– Suramya

November 9, 2005

Proposed Legislation in NY Addresses Wireless Security concerns

Filed under: Computer Related — Suramya @ 1:06 PM

Interesting new policy is in works in the Westchester County (NY). It actually makes sense as long as they don’t extend it to include all WiFi access points instead of just ones run by comercial businesses. (Check out gWiFi.net for a list of free and open access points.).

Westchester County (NY) executive Andy Spano is sponsoring legislation that would require commercial businesses that offer wireless hot spots to have firewalls and other security measures in place if they also collect sensitive customer information. The legislation would require companies to separate the confidential data they hold from the networks
that offer wireless access. One analyst has observed that whether a network is wireless or wired, organizations should keep sensitive data secure. The proposed legislation is believed to be the first of its kind in the United States.

Original Source: Sans.org NewsBytes

Additional Info:
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0%2C1895%2C1882081%2C00.asp
http://software.silicon.com/security/0,39024655,39153963,00.htm
http://www.fcw.com/article91313-11-04-05-Web
http://www.westchestergov.com/whatsnew/pressfr.htm

October 27, 2005

An Introduction to Artificial Intelligence

Filed under: News/Articles,Tech Related — Suramya @ 10:03 PM

Really good article introducing Artificial Intelligence to the general public.

MacDevCenter.com: An Introduction to Artificial Intelligence

October 2, 2005

Why linux should be transparent

Filed under: Funny News,My Life — Suramya @ 8:47 PM


Why Linux should be transparent
Why Linux should be transparent:

Found this on the Linux Gazette, issue 119

– Suramya

September 30, 2005

Sangh’s Dandia song: no Muslims, please

Filed under: My Thoughts,News/Articles — Suramya @ 2:11 PM

What the hell is wrong with these people? Have they taken complete leave of their senses? These idiots have decided that muslims will not be allowed to attend Dandia because ‘hindu’ girls will run away with them… Believe me if a girl is desperate enough to run away with a guy she just met it won’t matter if he is hindu or muslim. They will run away regardless…

What next, are they going to start banning christians next from attending a celebration? Moron’s.

These festivals are meant to promote understanding , peace and encourage people to have fun but idiots like these have nothing better to do than cause problems and create trouble.

I have gone to churches and mosques, celebrated Thanksgiving, Easter, Id and whole lot of other festivals that are not ‘hindu’ festivals. During which I had fun and learnt a lot about other cultures & religions too.

Whatever… These people should be locked up as a public menance or shot for being too stupid to live… or made to spend 40 years learning about other cultures.

Source Story: Sangh’s Dandia song: no Muslims, please

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