Will the US Take Action against Google? Yes, Just Gentle Action It Seems
August 15, 2023
Note: This essay is the work of a real and still-alive dinobaby. No smart software involved, just a dumb humanoid.
After several years of preparation, the DOJ has finally gotten its case against Google before the US District Court for DC only to have the judge drastically narrow its scope.
A brave young person confronts a powerful creature named Googzilla. The beastie just lumbers forward. MidJourney does nice dinosaurs.
Ars Technica reports, “In Win for Google, Judge Dismisses Many Claims in DOJ Monopoly Case.” We learn:
“In his opinion unsealed Friday, Judge Amit Mehta dismissed one of the more significant claims raised in the case brought by the Justice Department and the attorneys general from 38 states that alleges that Google rigged search results to boost its own products over those of competitors like Amazon, OpenTable, Expedia, or eBay. Mehta said that these claims were ‘raised only by the Colorado plaintiffs’ and failed to show evidence of anticompetitive effects, relying only on the ‘opinion and speculation’ of antitrust legal expert Jonathan Baker, who proposed a theory of anticompetitive harm.”
Hmm, interesting take. Some might assert the anticompetitive harm is self-evident here. But wait, there’s more:
“On top of dropping claims about the anticompetitive design of Google search results, the court ‘also dismissed allegations about Google’s Android Compatibility Agreements, Anti-Fragmentation Agreements, Google Assistant, Internet of Things Devices, and Android Open Source Project,’ Google’s blog noted.”
So what is left? Just the allegedly anticompetitive agreements with Android and certain browsers to make Google their default search engine which, of course, helped secure a reported 94 percent of the mobile search market for the company. Despite Judge Mehta’s many dismissals, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser is just pleased Google was unable to stop the case altogether. Now all that remains to be seen is whether Google will receive a slap on the wrist or a pat on the back for its browser shenanigans.
Cynthia Murrell, August 15, 2023
Killing Horses? Okay. Killing Digital Information? The Best Idea Ever!
August 14, 2023
Note: This essay is the work of a real and still-alive dinobaby. No smart software involved, just a dumb humanoid.
Fans at the 2023 Kentucky Derby were able to watch horses killed. True, the sport of kings parks vehicles and has people stand around so the termination does not spoil a good day at the races. It seems logical to me that killing information is okay too. Personally I want horses to thrive without brutalization with mint juleps, and in my opinion, information deserves preservation. Without some type of intentional or unintentional information, what would those YouTuber videos about ancient technology have to display and describe?
“In the Age of Culling” — an article in the online publication tedium.co — I noted a number of ideas which resonated with me. The first is one of the subheads in the write up; to wit:
CNet pruning its content is a harbinger of something bigger.
The basic idea in the essay is that killing content is okay, just like killing horses.
The article states:
I am going to tell you right now that CNET is not the first website that has removed or pruned its archives, or decided to underplay them, or make them hard to access. Far from it.
The idea is that eliminating content creates an information loss. If one cannot find some item of content, that item of content does not exist for many people.
I urge you to read the entire article.
I want to shift the focus from the tedium.co essay slightly.
With digital information being “disappeared,” the cuts away research, some types of evidence, and collective memory. But what happens when a handful of large US companies effectively shape the information training smart software. Checking facts becomes more difficult because people “believe” a machine more than a human in many situations.
Two girls looking at a museum exhibit in 2028. The taller girl says, “I think this is what people used to call a library.” The shorter girl asks, “Who needs this stuff. I get what I need to know online. Besides this looks like a funeral to me.” The taller girl replies, “Yes, let’s go look at the plastic dinosaurs. When you put on the headset, the animals are real.” Thanks MidJourney for not including the word “library” or depicting the image I requested. You are so darned intelligent!
Consider the power information filtering and weaponizing conveys to those relying on digital information. The statement “harbinger of something bigger” is correct. But if one looks forward, the potential for selective information may be the flip side of forgetting.
Trying to figure out “truth” or “accuracy” is getting more difficult each day. How does one talk about a subject when those in conversation have learned about Julius Caesar from a TikTok video and perceive a problem with tools created to sell online advertising?
This dinobaby understands that cars are speeding down the information highway, and their riders are in a reality defined by online. I am reluctant to name the changes which suggest this somewhat negative view of learning. One believes what one experiences. If those experiences are designed to generate clicks, reduce operating costs, and shape behavior — what’s the information landscape look like?
No digital archives? No past. No awareness of information weaponization? No future. Were those horses really killed? Were those archives deleted? Were those Shakespeare plays removed from the curriculum? Were the tweets deleted?
Let’s ask smart software. No thanks, I will do dinobaby stuff despite the efforts to redefine the past and weaponize the future.
Stephen E Arnold, August 14, 2023
Microsoft and Russia: A Convenient Excuse?
August 14, 2023
Note: This essay is the work of a real and still-alive dinobaby. No smart software involved, just a dumb humanoid.
In the Solarwinds’ vortex, the explanation of 1,000 Russia hackers illuminated a security with the heat of a burning EV with lithium batteries. Now Russian hackers have again created a problem. Are these Russians cut from the same cloth as the folks who have turned a special operation into a noir Laurel & Hardy comedy routine?
users in Microsoft Teams chatrooms, pretending to be from technical support. In a blog post [August 2, 2023], Microsoft researchers called the campaign a “highly targeted social engineering attack” by a Russia-based hacking team dubbed Midnight Blizzard. The hacking group, which was previously tracked as Nobelium, has been attributed by the U.S. and UK governments as part of the Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation.
Isn’t this the Russia producing planners who stalled a column of tanks in its alleged lightning strike on the capital of Ukraine? I think this is the country now creating problems for Microsoft. Imagine that.
The write up continues:
For now, the fake domains and accounts have been neutralized, the researchers said. “Microsoft has mitigated the actor from using the domains and continues to investigate this activity and work to remediate the impact of the attack,” Microsoft said. The company also put forth a list of recommended precautions to reduce the risk of future attacks, including educating users about “social engineering” attacks.
Let me get this straight. Microsoft deployed software with issues. Those issues were fixed after the Russians attacked. The fix, if I understand the statement, is for customers/users to take “precautions” which include teaching obviously stupid customers/users how to be smart. I am probably off base, but it seems to me that Microsoft deployed something that was exploitable. Then after the problem became obvious, Microsoft engineered an alleged “repair.” Now Microsoft wants others to up their game.
Several observations:
- Why not cut and paste the statements from Microsoft’s response to the SolarWinds’ missteps. Why write the same old stuff and recycle the tiresome assertion about Russia? ChatGPT could probably help out Microsoft’s PR team.
- The bad actors target Microsoft because it is a big, overblown system/products with security that whips some people into a frenzy of excitement.
- Customers and users are not going to change their behaviors even with a new training program. The system must be engineered to work in the environment of the real-life users.
Net net: The security problem can be identified when Microsofties look in a mirror. Perhaps Microsoft should train its engineers to deliver security systems and products?
Stephen E Arnold, August 14, 2023
Blue Chip Consulting Firms: A Malfunctioning System?
August 14, 2023
Note: This essay is the work of a real and still-alive dinobaby. No smart software involved, just a dumb humanoid.
Blue chip consulting companies require engagements from organizations willing to pay for “expertise.” Generative software can provide an answer quickly. Instead of having many MBAs and people with “knowledge” of a technology provide senior partners with filtered information, software can do this work quickly and at lower cost.
A senior consultant looks at a malfunctioning machine. The information he used to recommend the system resulted in the problem which has turned into an unanticipated problem. Instead of a team of young MBAs with engineering degrees, he has access to smart software. Obviously someone will notice this problem. “Now what?” he asks himself.
“Consulting Firms Like Accenture Are Giving Recent Grads $25,000 Stipends to Push Back Their Start Dates” suggests that blue chip consulting firms are changing the approach to bringing new human resources on board. The write up reports:
Work has been slow at many top consulting firms over the past year. New hires straight out of business school are running errands and watching Netflix — to the tune of $175,000 a year — because there’s not enough work to go around. Others are being offered tens of thousands dollars to push their start dates back to next year.
Let’s assume that this report about “not enough work to go around” is accurate. What does this suggest to, a person who has worked at a blue chip consulting firm and provided services to blue chip consulting firms in my work career?
- The pipeline of work to be done is not filled or overflowing. Without engagements, billing is difficult. Without engagements, scope changes are impossible. Perhaps the costs of blue chip consultants is too high?
- Are clients turning to lower-cost options for traditional management consulting services? Outfits like Gerson Lehrman Group sells access to experts at a lower cost per contact than a blue chip firm? Has the gig economy crimped the sales pipeline?
- Is technology like ChatGPT-type services provide “good enough” information so companies can eliminate the cost and risk of hiring a blue chip consulting firm? (I think the outfits probably should be conservative in their use ChatGPT-type outputs, but today the “good enough” approach is the norm.)
Net net: Blue chip consulting firms are in the influence game. The delayed “start work” information indicates that changes are taking place in the market which supports these firms. The firms themselves are making changes. The signal summarized by the cited article may be a glitch. On the other hand, perhaps there is a malfunction in the machinery of what has been a smoothly-running machine for more than a century?
Stephen E Arnold, August 14, 2023
A Hacker Recommends Hacking Books
August 11, 2023
Note: This essay is the work of a real and still-alive dinobaby. No smart software involved, just a dumb humanoid.
Hacxx, a self-identified posting freak, has published a list of “20 Best Free Hacking Books 2023.” I checked the post on Sinister.ly and noted that the list of books did not include links to the “free” versions. I asked one of my research team to do a quick check to see if these books were free. Not surprisingly most were available for sale. O’Reilly titles were free if one signed up for that publisher’s services. A couple were posted on a PDF download site. We think the list is helpful. For those interested in the list and where the books Hacxx says are “the best”, we have arranged them in alphabetical order. Authors should be compensated for their work even if the subject is one that some might view as controversial. Right, Hacxx?
- Advanced Penetration Testing https://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Penetration-Testing-Hacking-Networks/dp/1119367689 [Less than $30US]
- Basics of Hacking and Penetration Testing https://www.amazon.com/Basics-Hacking-Penetration-Testing-Ethical/dp/0124116442?tag=50kft00-20
- Black Hat Python: Python Programming for Hackers and Pentesters https://www.amazon.com/Black-Hat-Python-Programming-Pentesters/dp/1593275900?tag=50kft00-20 [Less than $33US]
- Blue Team Handbook: Incident Response Edition https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Team-Handbook-condensed-Responder/dp/1500734756?tag=50kft00-20 [Less than $17]
- CISSP All-In-One Exam Guide https://www.amazon.com/CISSP-All-One-Guide-Ninth/dp/1260467376?tag=50kft00-20 [Less than $60US]
- Computer Hacking Beginners Guide https://www.amazon.com/Computer-Hacking-Beginners-Guide-Penetration-ebook/dp/B01N4FFHMW/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2TKYVD64M3NLS&keywords=.+Computer+Hacking+Beginners+Guide&qid=1691702342&sprefix=computer+hacking+beginners+guide%2Caps%2C91&sr=8-1 [$1US for Kindle edition]
- Ghost in the Wires https://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Wires-Adventures-Worlds-Wanted/dp/0316037729?tag=50kft00-20 [Less than $20US]
- Gray Hat Hacking: The Ethical Hacker’s Handbook, Sixth Edition https://www.amazon.com/Gray-Hat-Hacking-Ethical-Handbook/dp/1264268947?tag=50kft00-20 [Less than $46US]
- Hackers Playbook 2 https://www.amazon.com/Hacker-Playbook-Practical-Penetration-Testing/dp/1980901759/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3OWZ8UCLX5ANU&keywords=.+The+Hackers+Playbook+2&qid=1691701682&sprefix=the+hackers+playbook+2%2Caps%2C85&sr=8-2 [Less than $30]
- Hacking: Computer Hacking Beginners Guide https://pdfroom.com/books/hacking-computer-hacking-beginners-guide/p0q2J8GodxE [Free download]
- Hacking: The Art of Exploitation, 2nd Edition https://www.amazon.com/Hacking-Art-Exploitation-Jon-Erickson/dp/1593271441/ref=sr_1_1?crid=BY25O5JGDY95&keywords=Hacking%3A+The+Art+of+Exploitation%2C+2nd+Edition&qid=1691702542&sprefix=hacking+the+art+of+exploitation%2C+2nd+edition%2Caps%2C116&sr=8-1 [Less than $30US]
- Hash Crack: Password Cracking Manual https://www.amazon.com/Hash-Crack-Password-Cracking-Manual/dp/1793458618?tag=50kft00-20 [Less than $15]
- Kali Linux Revealed: Mastering the Penetration Testing Distribution https://www.amazon.com/Kali-Linux-Revealed-Penetration-Distribution/dp/0997615605?tag=50kft00-20 [Less than $40US]
- Mastering Metasploit https://github.com/PacktPublishing/Mastering-Metasploit-Third-Edition [No charge as of August 10, 2023]
- Nmap Network Scanning at https://nmap.org
- Practical Malware Analysis: The Hands-on Guide https://www.amazon.com/Practical-Malware-Analysis-Hands-Dissecting/dp/1593272901?tag=50kft00-20 [Less than $45US]
- RTFM: Red Team Field Manual https://www.amazon.com/RTFM-Red-Team-Field-Manual/dp/1075091837/ref=sr_1_2?crid=16SFXUJRL3LMR&keywords=RTFM%3A+Red+Team+Field+Manual&qid=1691701596&sprefix=rtfm+red+team+field+manual%2Caps%2C104&sr=8-2 [This version is about $12US]
- Social Engineering: The Science of Human Hacking https://www.amazon.com/Social-Engineering-Science-Human-Hacking-dp-111943338X/dp/111943338X/ref=dp_ob_title_bk [Less than $21US]
- Web Application Hacker’s Handbook https://edu.anarcho-copy.org/Against%20Security%20-%20Self%20Security/Dafydd%20Stuttard,%20Marcus%20Pinto%20-%20The%20web%20application%20hacker’s%20handbook_%20finding%20and%20exploiting%20security%20flaws-Wiley%20(2011).pdf [This is the second edition]
- Web Hacking 101 https://pdfroom.com/books/web-hacking-101/E1d4DO6ydOb [Allegedly free]
Stephen E Arnold, August 11, 2023
MBAs Want to Win By Delivering Value. It Is Like an Abstraction, Right?
August 11, 2023
Note: This essay is the work of a real and still-alive dinobaby. No smart software involved, just a dumb humanoid.
Is it completely necessary to bring technology into every aspect of one’s business? Maybe, maybe not. But apparently some believe such company-wide “digital transformation” is essential for every organization these days. And, of course, there are consulting firms eager to help. One such outfit, Third Stage Consulting Group, has posted some advice in, “How to Measure Digital Transformation Results and Value Creation.” Value for whom? Third Stage, perhaps? Certainly, if one takes writer Eric Kimberling on his invitation to contact him for a customized strategy session.
Kimberling asserts that, when embarking on a digital transformation, many companies fail to consider how they will keep the project on time, on budget, and in scope while minimizing operational disruption. Even he admits some jump onto the digital-transformation bandwagon without defining what they hope to gain:
“The most significant and crucial measure of success often goes overlooked by many organizations: the long-term business value derived from their digital transformation. Instead of focusing solely on basic reasons and justifications for undergoing the transformation, organizations should delve deeper into understanding and optimizing the long-term business value it can bring. For example, in the current phase of digital transformation, ERP [Enterprise Resource Planning] software vendors are pushing migrations to new Cloud Solutions. While this may be a viable long-term strategy, it should not be the sole justification for the transformation. Organizations need to define and quantify the expected business value and create a benefits realization plan to achieve it. … Considering the significant investments of time, money, and effort involved, organizations should strive to emerge from the transformation with substantial improvements and benefits.”
So companies should consider carefully what, if anything, they stand to gain by going through this process. Maybe some will find the answer is “nothing” or “not much,” saving themselves a lot of hassle and expense. But if one decides it is worth the trouble, rest assured many consultants are eager to guide you through. For a modest fee, of course.
Cynthia Murrell, August 11, 2023
Generative AI: Good or Bad the Content Floweth Forth
August 11, 2023
Hollywood writers are upset that major studios want to replace them with AI algorithms. While writing bots have not replaced human writers yet AI algorithms such as ChatGPT, Ryter, Writing.io, and more are everywhere. Threat Source Newsletter explains that, “Every Company Has Its Own Version of ChatGPT Now.”
A flood of content. Thinking drowned. Thanks Mid Journey. I wanted words but got letters. Great Job.
AI writing algorithms are also known as AI assistants. They are programmed to answer questions and perform text-based tasks. The text-based tasks include writing résumés, outlines, press releases, Web site content, and more. While the AI assistants still cannot pass the Turing test, it is not stopping big tech companies from developing their own bots. Meta released Llama 2 and IBM rebranded its powerful computer system from Watson to watsonx (it went from a big W to a lower case w and got an “x” too).
While Llama 2, the “new” Watson, and ChatGPT are helpful automation tools they are also dangerous tools for bad actors. Bad actors use these tools to draft spam campaigns, phishing emails, and scripts. Author Jonathan Munshaw tested AI assistants to see how they responded to illegal prompts.
Llama 2 refused to assist in generating an email for malware, while ChatGPT “gladly” helped draft an email. When Munshaw asked both to write a script to ask a grandparent for a gift card, each interpreted the task differently. Llama 2 advised Munshaw to be polite and aware of the elderly relative’s financial situation. ChatGPT wrote a TV script.
Munshaw wrote that:
“I commend Meta for seeming to have tighter restrictions on the types of asks users can make to its AI model. But, as always, these tools are far from perfect and I’m sure there are scripts that I just couldn’t think of that would make an AI-generated email or script more convincing.”
It will be awhile before writers are replaced by AI assistants. They are wonderful tools to improve writing but humans are still needed for now.
Whitney Grace, August 10, 2023
A Group without a Leader: Lost in the Digital Wilderness. No Signal, No Hope
August 10, 2023
Note: This essay is the work of a real and still-alive dinobaby. No smart software involved, just a dumb humanoid.
I read a story in a business magazine which may not make executives at a certain company happy. In fact, some of these executives may be thinking about some form of digital retribution. The story concerns Google Maps, a Google product/service which I find is pretty much unusable. Keep in mind that I am a dinobaby and dinobaby talons can’t hit the miniature graphics which cover Google maps like my ninth-grade acne. (Yeah, ugly.)
A high technology company’s project team. The group is lost. No one has any idea what to do or which direction to take. Their manager told them, “Rely on the digital maps your colleagues made.” How is that working out for you? Thanks, MidJourney. You have the desperation look nailed.
“Google Maps Has Become an Eyesore. 5 Examples of How the App Has Lost Its Way” contains a list of issues the author who probably has more online experience than I do identifies five issues with the much-loved service. The “love” refers to the revenue generated from Google Maps, not the “love” or lack of it from users like me.
These range from icon acne to weird behaviors with the street name “feature.” I am not going to romp through the issues the article flags. I want to focus on two which are deal breakers for me. In fact, the digital map thing recently forced me to purchase a trucker’s edition of a printed road map to the United States.
For me, Google has made it difficult for me (probably not you, dear GenX reader) to find the street view. I quite like finding a location and then being able to look at the physical surroundings. How do I address this need now? I use Bing Maps.
The second issue that drives me crazy is the omission of businesses (intentionally or unintentionally) because the business does not advertise. I have written about the Cuba Libre Restaurant issue, and it bedevils me even today. I was standing in front of the bustling Washington, DC, restaurant, but my digital map service did not show it. Objectivity, they name is not Googzilla, I say.
Let me shift gears and offer my hypothesis why Google Maps is almost unusable for me.
Imagine a team responsible for a mapping product. There are a couple of people who have some tenure with the team. A couple have escaped from a more dysfunctional team; for example, a failed smart software project. Plus, there are two new hires with zero clue how or why they are working on maps. These individuals are experts in data center engineering and never leave the servers and, therefore, don’t know anything about maps, just wiring diagrams.
Okay, now the group sits around and someone says, “What are we supposed to do?” The most senior person who is totally occupied about getting on a hot team focused on killing another vendor’s AI effort, says, “Let’s just come up with some ideas and implement a couple.” The group mumbles, plays with their mobile devices, chats with the data center wizard about slow response on the internal messaging system, and look out the windows. One hard charger says, “Let’s make a list of ideas on the whiteboard, rank them, and do the top two or three.” More mumbles. A list is generated. The six team breaks into two groups and the employees retreat to the snack area to talk about implementing the functions. The work is agreed upon and the coding is dumped on the two network professionals. These individuals write the code, make sure it doesn’t kill anything, and emails it to the others on the team. No one looks at it but everyone says, “Fine.” Done.
This work procedure evidences:
- Zero guidance from an involved, motivated “manager”
- The mental attitude of the engineers
- The indifference of the individuals to the idea of delivering useful, quality features.
Now the author of the article about Google Maps knows nothing about this modern management approach to adding features at an unnamed high technology company.
That’s why I don’t rely on digital maps. The printed map works just fine. Plus I have to stop and read the map. None of the figure out a map driving or walking, which can lead to a collision with a smart, self driving automobile or an engineer looking for work at another company.
Stephen E Arnold, August 10, 2023
The Zuckbook Becomes Cooperative?
August 10, 2023
The Internet empowers people to voice their opinions without fear of repercussions or so they think. While the Internet generally remains anonymous, social media companies must bow to the letter of the law or face fines or other reprisals. Ars Technnica shares how a European court forced Meta to share user information in a civil case: “Facebook To Unmask Anonymous Dutch User Accused Of Repeated Defamatory Posts.”
The Netherlands’ Court of the Hague determined that Meta Ireland must share the identity of a user who defamed the claimant, a male Facebook user. The anonymous user “defamed” the claimant by stating he secretly recorded women he dated. The anonymous user posted the negative statements in private Facebooks groups about dating experiences. The claimant could not access the groups but he did see screenshots. He claimed the posts have harmed his reputation.
After cooperating, executives at a big time technology firm celebrate with joy and enthusiasm. Thanks, MidJourney. You have happiness down pat.
The claimant asked Meta to remove the posts but the company refused based on the grounds of freedom of expression. Meta encouraged the claimant to contact the other user, instead the claimant decided to sue.
Initially, the claimant asked the court to order Meta to delete the posts, identify the anonymous user, and flag any posts in other private Facebook groups that could defame the claimant.
While arguing the case, Meta had defended the anonymous user’s right to freedom of expression, but the court decided that the claimant—whose name is redacted in court documents—deserved an opportunity to challenge the allegedly defamatory statements.
Partly for that reason, the court ordered Meta to provide “basic subscriber information” on the anonymous user, including their username, as well as any names, email addresses, or phone numbers associated with their Facebook account. The court did not order Meta to remove the posts or flag any others that may have been shared in private groups, though.”
The court decided that freedom of speech is not unlimited and the posts could be defamatory. The court also noted posts did not have to be deemed unlawful to de-anonymous a user.
This has the potential to be a landmark case in online user privacy and accountability on social media platforms. In the future, users might need to practice more restraint and think about consequences before posting online. They might want to read etiquette books from the pre-Internet days when constructive behavior was not an anomaly.
Whitney Grace, August 10, 2023
Useful Cloud Market Share Data: Accurate? Well, Close Enough for Horseshoes
August 9, 2023
Note: This essay is the work of a real and still-alive dinobaby. No smart software involved, just a dumb humanoid.
Anyone looking for a handy summary of data about big cloud players will find “AWS vs Google Cloud vs Microsoft Azure” worth reading. The article mentions the big folks and includes some data about smaller (although large) players; for example, Oracle. Trigger warning: The article users the term “hyperscalers” which I find a bit rizzy for my rhetorical spice cupboard.
Here are three representative items from the article. For more numbers, navigate to the original, please.
- Amazon’s worldwide [cloud] market share is 34 percent.
- The Google Cloud (bless those kind Googlers) is a bold 10 percent.
- Microsoft “cloud” [a fuzzy wuzzy nebulous and undefined word] surpassed $110 billion in annual revenue for 2022 and Azure accounted for $55 billion of the $110 billion.
Why is the cloud a big money maker? The article has an answer: Generative AI. Okay, that’s a good reason. I think there may be other factors as well.
If you collect these types of data, you will find the short write up a good reference point for a few months.
Stephen E Arnold, August 9, 2023
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