Osama to blame for Microsoft bugs?

This is unreal:
http://www.technews.com/news/01/173039.html

Somehow I doubt there is any veracity to those claims. The newspapers should be more careful about posting [censored] like that.

As much as I dislike certain aspects of Microsoft's software, I don't think it's fair for a newspaper to try and destroy Microsoft's sales numbers by posting unfounded rumors like that.

The claims allegedly made by the suspect, even if he really said those things, are unlikely to be true. Microsoft's internal code review process would prevent such sabotage. Any security holes in their code would most likely be due to genuine bugs, not sabotage.

Besides, you don't even need to try to install security holes in Windows. It's got plenty already.

Perhaps Microsoft is leaking this news. You know, so they have somewhere to place the blame.

My personal favorite (semi-)related story.

Holy crap. I didn't know that Diskeeper is run by a Scientologist.

Darn, now I'm going to have to rethink whether or not we will be purchasing their software for our new server.

Then again, I've always tried to separate business from politics in my life, so maybe I should be judging the software on its own merits rather than on the fact that the CEO is a complete wacko. I mean, if I refused to run software written by wackos, I'd be left with only a couple of EXEs on my entire hard drive...

...and emplode wouldn't be one of them.

Ba-dum boom. Thank you, thank you, I'm here all week. Be sure to tip your servers.

tfabris: Be sure to tip your servers.

Dang, Tony, why bother with Diskeeper if you're going to go and do that??

Good luck separating politics from....everything else. I actually keep a laminated wallet card of all the folks I think are wacko or evil so that I can *try* not to give 'em money when I shop. Doesn't always work.

Amazing how intense the German government is on the whole CoS thing. Is that government overly intense or just unyieldingly clear-headed?

(CoS *is* on my little plastic card....)

Is that government overly intense or just unyieldingly clear-headed?

Probably both. The thought crossed my mind when I played the Return to Castle Wolfenstein demo last night, and noticed that its splash screen informed me that the game was not allowed in Germany. Not certain why, but if it's got anything to do with them not wanting to re-live a particularly unpleasant part of their history, I can understand.

Dang, Tony, why bother with Diskeeper if you're going to go and do that?

And just think. If I hadn't tried to be Politically Correct and said "waitresses" instead of "servers", you wouldn't have had the opportunity to make that awful little pun.

For what it's worth, the server is bolted to a rack which is bolted to the floor and the wall, so no tipping is possible without some effort.

tfabris: Not certain why, but if it's got anything to do with them not wanting to re-live a particularly unpleasant part of their history, I can understand.

I think there is still a "no exceptions" law in Germany that prohibits display of swastikas in any venue or media, so I expect that explains Wolfenstein. I think there has been continuing debate on relaxing this law (and maybe it has for all I know), as it can present an obstacle to presenting legitimate historical material or dramas, but there's a lot of vehemence on the downside of making exceptions. Yes, in that respect I can understand the intensity WRT CoS (if I spell their name out will they sue me?!?!)

I think there is still a "no exceptions" law in Germany that prohibits display of swastikas in any venue or media, so I expect that explains Wolfenstein

I believe thats it, as RtCW will be released in Germany, but instead of Nazis, it will be against "The cult of the wolf" or something like that.

I prefer the term ``waitstaff''. It's funnier anyway.

The "church" of $cientology is a business. It's a purely for-profit organization, with its own products and other intellectual property they sell or licence for gobs and gobs of money. It is not a religion and it's a shame that so many governments recognise it as one.

I would ask for a ban on $cientology or anything like that. You're free to believe whatever you want. But if you're running a business in a country I'm paying taxes in, you'd better be declaring your income instead of trying to skim and be afforded the exceptions legitimate Churches are offered.

Of course, as always, watch your back if ever speaking out. Though I suppose there are so many people doing it that they don't have the opportunity to chase everyone anymore. Just don't post any of the NOC (some of their copyrighted, and licenced, writings) here or we might see the forum shut down. :)

Anyone know if they showed movies like Saving Private Ryan, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade, etc. in Germany?

Bruno

Tony,

http://www.oosoft.de

Who cares about Diskeeper - OODefrag is ways better.

Hi.

The thought crossed my mind when I played the Return to Castle Wolfenstein demo last night, and noticed that its splash screen informed me that the game was not allowed in Germany.

Well, as far as I can remember, it was "on the index", which doesn't exactly mean that it is not allowed, it is only not allowed to sell those to people that are not of legal age (18 in Germany). The version sold in Germany was modified, though, it contained much less references to the 3rd Reich than the original version.

it's got anything to do with them not wanting to re-live a particularly unpleasant part of their history, I can understand.

Oh well, Literature that contains Nazi propaganda of any kind (like Hitler's "Mein Kampf") and any the regalia of the 3rd Reich (like uniforms, swastika etc.) are also illegal. I don't really think this makes much sense, not allowing them to be worn in public does make sense to me though.

cu,
sven

Hi.

Anyone know if they showed movies like Saving Private Ryan, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade, etc. in Germany?

They did (all of them). Swastikas are allowed in educational material as well as in art as long as those publications (on any kind of media) do not glorify the Nazis or their ideology. Movies are obviously considered either art or educational, so no (big) problem there.

cu,
sven

Edit:
PS: Oh my god, I am officially addicted to this BBS now, this is my 400th post.

Well, this is my 331st post. And I've only been posting since the second week of Novemeber. :) Hehe.

Oh, in my original post, I meant to say that "I wouldn't ban" instead of "I would"

Bruno
1 x Mk2a 60GB, 3 x Mk2a 10GB. :)

But if you're running a business in a country I'm paying taxes in, you'd better be declaring your income instead of trying to skim and be afforded the exceptions legitimate Churches are offered.

In the Co$'s defense (God help me), their tax status in the US is the same as that afforded to the Boy Scouts, so it's not totally a church-based status, although it's certainly related.

In reply to:

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I think there is still a "no exceptions" law in Germany that prohibits display of swastikas in any venue or media

---

during the drawing of the WK soccer 2002 the background was very questionable...see this vidcap.

....I should be judging the software on its own merits rather than on the fact that the CEO is a complete wacko....

By that logic, MacOS wouldn't have any users.

Nor Microsoft nor Oracle. But it isn't the wacko-ness that's the problem. It's the support, both moral and, very likely, financial, of an organization that we see as corrupt in a most foul manner. There's a point at which one's personal politics/ethics/mores play a large part in decision making. For many of us, Scientology and those who support it are well past the line that contains that point. Personally, despite the fact that I love movies, I avoid movies that star or are produced by Tom Cruise or John Travolta. I've gotten so that I feel guilty about watching The Simpsons, despite the fact that I love the show. (Fortunately, Dharma and Greg seems to be lousy.) But, again, that's my personal preference. Yours may vary. However, there are enough people out there that share my viewpoint on this that I feel it to be my responsibility to inform, and I'd appreciate the same consideration. You can easily ignore my advice. But I'd suggest that you do some research on Scientology and Scientologists first.