Cryptic Clarity

read between the pines…

Comcast Launches Denial-of-Citizen Attack on Democracy

Remember those Net Neutrality videos you watched on CC a while ago? Turns out some corporation not only wants to control the Internet traffic, they want to block public forums as well. Last year Comcast, one of the biggest cable companies and Internet Service Providers in the United States, was caught injecting forged TCP/RST packets into users’ traffic to interfere with their BitTorrent uploads and downloads. FCC, or the Federal Communications Commission, therefore set up a public hearing to take place on February 25th at the Harvard Law School on a first-come, first-served basis. Based on discussions on this public forum as well as written comments from private citizens, the regulators may establish on what ISPs may and may not do.

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Popularity: 55%

February 29th, 2008 Posted by em8chel << geek pride, party like it's 1984 >> Discuss

Just Because: Why You Need to Ditch IE Now Part III

Popularity: 44%

January 25th, 2008 Posted by em8chel << a gentle introduction to Linux for non-geeks, candy mountain >> Discuss

Redneck Dialect instead of Lingua Franca: Why You Need to Ditch IE Now Part II

It’s the 4th Friday of the month and you know it’s time for your favorite A Gentle Introduction to Linux for Non-Geeks again! Do you know Internet Explorer is not only transmitting all sorts of nasty computer diseases to users and giving security experts headaches, it’s also a big nightmare for web designers?

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Popularity: 46%

December 28th, 2007 Posted by em8chel << a gentle introduction to Linux for non-geeks >> Discuss

Are You Exploring the Internet or Are Attackers Exploring Your Computer? Why You Need to Ditch IE Now Part I

It’s the 4th Friday of the month and you know it’s time for your favorite A Gentle Introduction to Linux for Non-Geeks again! As promised, we’re going to tell you why Internet Explorer (IE), the browser inflicted on every Windows system by Bill Gate, is bad news. You’ve heard security advisers all over the world asking people to dump IE and use alternative browsers, such as Firefox or Opera, but you’re still clicking that IE icon out of habit. You’re probably wondering: why is IE dangerous? Are there fundamental differences between different browsers besides cosmetic ones?Well keep reading. Internet Explorer might sound better than Firefox or Opera – it does invoke that bravado,daredevil in us doesn’t it, but by using IE you’re not just exploring the Internet, you’re probably letting attackers explore your computer too.

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Popularity: 40%

November 23rd, 2007 Posted by em8chel << a gentle introduction to Linux for non-geeks >> Discuss

What is Net Neutrality and Why Greedy Corporations Hate It

Here are some videos I found on YouTube that illustrate the importance of being neutral for the Internet. They may seem somewhat US-centric but it is and will be a global issue. Enjoy!

Save the Internet

Don’t Let ISPs Make Decisions for You

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Popularity: 43%

September 7th, 2007 Posted by em8chel << party like it's 1984 >> Discuss

Reporters Without Borders offers ways to circumvent Internet censorship

Thailand is banning YouTube for hosting videos ridiculing the monarchy, after giving a 10-year prison term only last week to a Swiss man for spraying graffiti on the poster of the king. Weeks after lifting a similar ban on YouTube, Turkey is now considering blocking all websites that are insulting to Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey, as well as websites with information on Kurdish rebels in the country.

So what do you do when your dictator governments are denying you access to information on the Internet? Reporters Without Borders offers some technical ways to get around censorship.

Popularity: 29%

April 7th, 2007 Posted by em8chel << party like it's 1984, unfinished business >> Discuss