Miscellaneous Tech News
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AT&T charged customers for a corporate tax that it doesn’t have to pay
Portland tax exempts utilities like AT&T—but carrier added it to customer bills.
AT&T charged customers in Portland, Oregon for a corporate tax that AT&T doesn't actually have to pay. AT&T has agreed to provide refunds to customers who were wrongly charged the tax over the past few months, but it's facing a lawsuit that seeks additional payments of at least $200 to each of those customers. AT&T's mistake relates to Portland's new Clean Energy Surcharge, a 1% tax on retail sales in the city. AT&T has been passing this tax along to its mobile customers, even though the city law exempts utilities such as AT&T from the tax. "The city only recently notified us that we are exempt from the tax," AT&T said a statement Friday, according to The Oregonian. "We will be issuing refunds to our customers." -
BBC News - Google Pixel 4: Indians disappointed as 'radar feature' prevents launch
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-50065273 -
In 2019, multiple open source companies changed course—is it the right move?
"We have to draw a line between open source and the right to make money with open source."
Free and open source software enables the world as we know it in 2019. From Web servers to kiosks to the big data algorithms mining your Facebook feed, nearly every computer system you interact with runs, at least in part, on free software. And in the larger tech industry, free software has given rise to a galaxy of startups and enabled the largest software acquisition in the history of the world. Free software is a gift, a gift that made the world as we know it possible. And from the start, it seemed like an astounding gift to give. So astounding in fact that it initially made businesses unaccustomed to this kind of generosity uncomfortable. These companies weren't unwilling to use free software, it was simply too radical and by extension too political. It had to be renamed: "open source." Once that happened, open source software took over the world. -
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2019/10/the-ubuntu-20-04-lts-codename-has-been-revealed
Two distros that I constantly anticipate its release is Ubuntu and Fedora. My runners up are elementary os, Deepin and Linux Mint.
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The latest Google shutdowns: Daydream VR, Google Clips
At the same time Google launches products, it also takes some away.
Google's big hardware event happened yesterday, which saw the announcement of the Pixel 4, Pixelbook Go, Nest Wi-Fi, Nest Home Mini, and new Pixel Buds. While the "Made by Google 2019" event was going on, Google was quietly shutting down enough products that it could have also held a mini "Killed by Google 2019" event that same day. Pour one out for the Google Daydream VR headset and the Google Clips camera. Google Daydream View launched in 2016 and was Google's swing at proper phone-based virtual reality. Like the Samsung and Oculus collaboration Gear VR, the Daydream View was a cheap, light, "dumb" headset that featured VR lenses and little else. You slotted a smartphone into the front, and the phone switched to a VR mode, rendering a stereoscopic image that was blasted into your eyeballs through the lenses. You already have an expensive smartphone, so why not dip your toe in the VR waters with a cheap $100 headset. -
Fedora 31 Release Held Up By Installer + DNF Bugs
https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Fedora-31-Release-Delayed*Fedora developers had been trying to ship Fedora 31 for their original release target of next Tuesday, 22 October, but that isn't going to happen due to remaining blocker bugs.
At today's meeting they decided F31 is a "No-Go" due to open issues.
Among the blocker bugs at this point are upgrade issues over libgit2.so.28()(64bit) not being found, a DNF exception around armv7hcnl, a dnf-yum upgrade issue from Fedora 30, dnfdragora having complaints about a locked process after updates, and a Fedora 31 KDE Live graphics issue when booting in BIOS mode, among other proposed blockers.*
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@wrx7m said in Miscellaneous Tech News:
Fedora 31 Release Held Up By Installer + DNF Bugs
https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Fedora-31-Release-Delayed*Fedora developers had been trying to ship Fedora 31 for their original release target of next Tuesday, 22 October, but that isn't going to happen due to remaining blocker bugs.
At today's meeting they decided F31 is a "No-Go" due to open issues.
Among the blocker bugs at this point are upgrade issues over libgit2.so.28()(64bit) not being found, a DNF exception around armv7hcnl, a dnf-yum upgrade issue from Fedora 30, dnfdragora having complaints about a locked process after updates, and a Fedora 31 KDE Live graphics issue when booting in BIOS mode, among other proposed blockers.*
:crying_face:
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@black3dynamite said in Miscellaneous Tech News:
@wrx7m said in Miscellaneous Tech News:
Fedora 31 Release Held Up By Installer + DNF Bugs
https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Fedora-31-Release-Delayed*Fedora developers had been trying to ship Fedora 31 for their original release target of next Tuesday, 22 October, but that isn't going to happen due to remaining blocker bugs.
At today's meeting they decided F31 is a "No-Go" due to open issues.
Among the blocker bugs at this point are upgrade issues over libgit2.so.28()(64bit) not being found, a DNF exception around armv7hcnl, a dnf-yum upgrade issue from Fedora 30, dnfdragora having complaints about a locked process after updates, and a Fedora 31 KDE Live graphics issue when booting in BIOS mode, among other proposed blockers.*
:crying_face:
But also a good thing showing that things are clearly tested before release.
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@JaredBusch said in Miscellaneous Tech News:
@black3dynamite said in Miscellaneous Tech News:
@wrx7m said in Miscellaneous Tech News:
Fedora 31 Release Held Up By Installer + DNF Bugs
https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Fedora-31-Release-Delayed*Fedora developers had been trying to ship Fedora 31 for their original release target of next Tuesday, 22 October, but that isn't going to happen due to remaining blocker bugs.
At today's meeting they decided F31 is a "No-Go" due to open issues.
Among the blocker bugs at this point are upgrade issues over libgit2.so.28()(64bit) not being found, a DNF exception around armv7hcnl, a dnf-yum upgrade issue from Fedora 30, dnfdragora having complaints about a locked process after updates, and a Fedora 31 KDE Live graphics issue when booting in BIOS mode, among other proposed blockers.*
:crying_face:
But also a good thing showing that things are clearly tested before release.
Exactly - would rather have a delay instead of a pull back of code, like Windows 10 1809...
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Unpatched Linux bug may open devices to serious attacks over Wi-Fi
Buffer overflow can be triggered in Realtek Wi-Fi chips, no user interaction needed.
A potentially serious vulnerability in Linux may make it possible for nearby devices to use Wi-Fi signals to crash or fully compromise vulnerable machines, a security researcher said. The flaw is located in the RTLWIFI driver, which is used to support Realtek Wi-Fi chips in Linux devices. The vulnerability triggers a buffer overflow in the Linux kernel when a machine with a Realtek Wi-Fi chip is within radio range of a malicious device. At a minimum, exploits would cause an operating-system crash and could possibly allow a hacker to gain complete control of the computer. The flaw dates back to version 3.10.1 of the Linux kernel released in 2013. -
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Alexa and Google Home abused to eavesdrop and phish passwords
Amazon- and Google-approved apps turned both voice-controlled devices into "smart spies."
*By now, the privacy threats posed by Amazon Alexa and Google Home are common knowledge. Workers for both companies routinely listen to audio of users—recordings of which can be kept forever—and the sounds the devices capture can be used in criminal trials. Now, there's a new concern: malicious apps developed by third parties and hosted by Amazon or Google. The threat isn't just theoretical. Whitehat hackers at Germany's Security Research Labs developed eight apps—four Alexa "skills" and four Google Home "actions"—that all passed Amazon or Google security-vetting processes. The skills or actions posed as simple apps for checking horoscopes, with the exception of one, which masqueraded as a random-number generator. * -
https://mover.io/blog/2019/10/21/mover-acquired-by-microsoft/
Since we launched Mover, we have dedicated ourselves to being one of the fastest and most recognized cloud storage migrators in the world. Today the next chapter in our journey begins, and I am very happy to announce that Microsoft has acquired Mover.
As the world moves to Microsoft 365, it needs an excellent self-serve solution for migrating content. Our technology makes us one of the fastest OneDrive and SharePoint document migrators in the world. My team has proven this time and time again by setting migration speed records for the industry, always meeting customer needs. Security, file fidelity, and transfer accuracy are core tenets of our company and we take pride in our reputation.
Moving forward, we’ll bring our deep expertise and migration technology to serve Microsoft customers. This acquisition will ensure that customers making the move to Microsoft 365 have a seamless and cost effective experience.
It has been a fantastic journey these last eight years. We have met thousands of wonderful customers and moved more data than I ever imagined. It has been an honor to be trusted by you and your fellow customers.
On behalf of everyone at Mover, thank you to all our family, friends, customers, partners, investors, and allies who helped us get to where we are today. We couldn’t have done it without you.
-Best, Eric Warnke
Also:
https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2019/10/21/microsoft-acquires-mover-to-simplify-and-speed-file-migration-to-microsoft-365/
Microsoft acquires Mover to simplify and speed file migration to Microsoft 365 -
Hackers steal secret crypto keys for NordVPN. Here’s what we know so far
Breach happened 19 months ago. Popular VPN service is only disclosing it now.
Hackers breached a server used by popular virtual network provider NordVPN and stole encryption keys that could be used to mount decryption attacks on segments of its customer base. A log of the commands used in the attack suggests that the hackers had root access, meaning they had almost unfettered control over the server and could read or modify just about any data stored on it. One of three private keys leaked was used to secure a digital certificate that provided HTTPS encryption for nordvpn.com. The key wasn't set to expire until October 2018, some seven months after the March 2018 breach. Attackers could have used the compromised certificate to impersonate the nordvpn.com website or mount man-in-the-middle attacks on people visiting the real one. Details of the breach have been circulating online since at least May 2018. -
Power to the users? Admins be warned: Microsoft set to introduce 'self-service purchase' in Office 365
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2019/10/22/microsoft_self_service_office_365/Microsoft will allow "self-service purchase and license management capabilities" for Office 365 users, initially for its Power Platform low-code services, PowerApps, PowerBI and Flow.
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"Users that have purchased any of the products directly will now have access to a scoped version of the Microsoft 365 admin center that is limited to their purchases. Self-service purchasers are responsible for managing their own billing information, subscriptions and license assignment,"
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@nadnerB said in Miscellaneous Tech News:
Power to the users? Admins be warned: Microsoft set to introduce 'self-service purchase' in Office 365
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2019/10/22/microsoft_self_service_office_365/Microsoft will allow "self-service purchase and license management capabilities" for Office 365 users, initially for its Power Platform low-code services, PowerApps, PowerBI and Flow.
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"Users that have purchased any of the products directly will now have access to a scoped version of the Microsoft 365 admin center that is limited to their purchases. Self-service purchasers are responsible for managing their own billing information, subscriptions and license assignment,"
I don't have an issue with this, as the person who paid for the service, should be able to see their information at any time they want.
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@nadnerB said in Miscellaneous Tech News:
Power to the users? Admins be warned: Microsoft set to introduce 'self-service purchase' in Office 365
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2019/10/22/microsoft_self_service_office_365/Microsoft, though, has picked up an obstacle to the "empowerment" for which the Power Platform is intended, which is that users have to work with their IT administrators to get licenses for the services they want to use.
This sounds like a failing within that business. I know many businesses sadly do suffer this this level of failing.
At least the article goes on to say a Director with a company CC is who would be buying these licenses, so likely someone on that Directors staff would be managing these licenses, not each person individually.
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@Dashrender said in Miscellaneous Tech News:
At least the article goes on to say a Director with a company CC is who would be buying these licenses, so likely someone on that Directors staff would be managing these licenses, not each person individually.
Basically MS is promoting "Shadow IT", which is in MS' benefit, but is not in a business' benefit. Shows how far MS has fallen from being a business focused company.
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@scottalanmiller said in Miscellaneous Tech News:
@Dashrender said in Miscellaneous Tech News:
At least the article goes on to say a Director with a company CC is who would be buying these licenses, so likely someone on that Directors staff would be managing these licenses, not each person individually.
Basically MS is promoting "Shadow IT", which is in MS' benefit, but is not in a business' benefit. Shows how far MS has fallen from being a business focused company.
Yep, this is what the thread on SW was basically saying as well. MS, like so many other companies - don't care about processes, only about profits.
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@Dashrender said in Miscellaneous Tech News:
@scottalanmiller said in Miscellaneous Tech News:
@Dashrender said in Miscellaneous Tech News:
At least the article goes on to say a Director with a company CC is who would be buying these licenses, so likely someone on that Directors staff would be managing these licenses, not each person individually.
Basically MS is promoting "Shadow IT", which is in MS' benefit, but is not in a business' benefit. Shows how far MS has fallen from being a business focused company.
Yep, this is what the thread on SW was basically saying as well. MS, like so many other companies - don't care about processes, only about profits.
Until someone does this, a lawyer cites MS' "admins can't stop us policy" and sues for MS being complacent, or worse, in data theft and they start looking for people to go to jail.
