Same here, had 4 already.
Edit: IE & Edge having difficulties showing graphics/images yet Brave (when Net available) no problems.

Same here, had 4 already.
Edit: IE & Edge having difficulties showing graphics/images yet Brave (when Net available) no problems.

Just had another break, started at 21:18BST.

No issues here...
...yet.

Another fox in charge of the henhouse.

In a related development, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has announced that Baroness Dido Harding will head up the wider test, track and trace programme.
The appointment has surprised some given that when she was chief executive of TalkTalk, the internet provider suffered a major data breach and failed to properly notify affected customers.

Europe's supercomputers hijacked by attackers for crypto mining - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-52709660

---

Apr 3, 1999 - May 3, 2020

Europe's supercomputers hijacked by attackers for crypto mining - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-52709660

SSH isn't two factor.

Europe's supercomputers hijacked by attackers for crypto mining - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-52709660

SSH isn't two factor.

It can be...

More of a problem is when ssh-keys are used whereby no explicit login is then needed from a supposed 'trusted' device that has become exploited.

And there is always the problem that people are hopelessly lazy with their passwords...

We really do need to move to physical encryption key devices. However, ignorant management always see such devices as an unnecessary cost...


IT is what we allow it to be...
Martin

---

See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

So much for security.
9,000,000 customers hacked

Individuals do it & get charged under the Computer Misuse Act.
Companies do it & all that happen is we're sorry

Hopefully not. ICO: Action we've taken - it's often slow, it may be late, it may not be severe enough, and too many firms slip through the net - but punishment does happen.

Speaking as someone who had to actively register under the predecessor legislation when I became self-employed in 1990.

How to balance this one?...


Facebook shareholders try to block encryption plan
wrote:

... In 2019, tech companies reported close to 70 million [examples of] ... exploit[ation] to authorities. Nearly 85% of those reports came from Facebook. According to Mr Passoff, if the firm were to go through with its encryption plans, 70% of the cases it reports would become invisible to the firm.

For Facebook, this is a matter of balancing privacy and public security. Users have expressed anger in the past at Facebook's use and protection of their personal data...

IT is very much is what we allow it to be...
Martin

---

See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

Is this yet the Year of the Linux Desktop?


Lenovo certifies all desktop and mobile workstations for Linux...
wrote:

Could this make 2020 the mythical year of the penguin on the desktop?

... Lenovo is serious about this: the company says its workstations will “offer full end-to-end support – from security patches and updates to better secure and verify hardware drivers, firmware and bios optimizations.” Lenovo will also upstream device drivers into the Linux kernel.

The company’s rationale for the move is that Linux workstations are favourites of a sizable population of power users...

Enjoy freedom!


Stay safe!
Martin

---

See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

Is this yet the Year of the Linux Desktop?
Lenovo will also upstream device drivers into the Linux kernel.

Yep, with statement it may do just that, considering atm, it can't even detect 64 bit bog standard devices.

A choice of 2 threads for this one.
Hidden treasure trove in discarded computers

Interesting report

The manufacturer is now in a position where it can offer full end-to-end support for the platform straight out of the box,
covering everything from security patches and updates to firmware and bios optimizations.

However there is still a major fault line that needs looking at PDQ.

Will Lenovo support the installation of printers that are very difficult to get working? Example:
I have two Canons, a multifunction colour laser and an inkjet. Canon has Linux drivers for them. But they are nightmares to install.
First, a Linux novice like me has no idea what to do with the driver files. With Windows, you click on an .exe and it does the installation. No such luck in Linux.
I went through hell trying to troubleshoot....finding help on the Web, sorting thru incomprehensible and varying command-line fixes,
learning about missing "dependencies" that were needed, finding dependencies, using Synaptics Package Manager, on-and-on. I did enough things eventually,
maybe more than necessary, and got my printers working.
The process still fails on some Linux installs.
This alone was enough to make me give up on my intention to dump Windows and make Linux (Mint) my main OS.
I have also had numerous experiences trying to find online help for making other things "work" in Linux.
Maybe when Linux distros have 40 years under their belts (like Windows)
someone will figure out how to make installation of things as easy as in Windows (or Macs). Until that happens, Linux will be a niche OS only.

Interesting report

The manufacturer is now in a position where it can offer full end-to-end support for the platform straight out of the box,
covering everything from security patches and updates to firmware and bios optimizations.

However there is still a major fault line that needs looking at PDQ.

Will Lenovo support the installation of printers that are very difficult to get working? Example:
I have two Canons, a multifunction colour laser and an inkjet. Canon has Linux drivers for them. But they are nightmares to install.
First, a Linux novice like me has no idea what to do with the driver files. With Windows, you click on an .exe and it does the installation. No such luck in Linux.
[...]
... make installation of things as easy as in Windows (or Macs). Until that happens, Linux will be a niche OS only.

As (Windows) IT just so happens...

We have a very present frustrating time wasting "Big Ouch!" in the world of Windows printers at the moment:

Wailing Wednesday follows Patch Tuesday as versions of Windows 10 stop playing nicely with plugged-in printers
wrote:

Windows 10 users woke up to borked printers following the monthly Microsoft bugfix party, Patch Tuesday.

The issues appear connected to KB4557957 and KB4560960 for Windows 10 2004 and 1903/1909 respectively...

And the Microsoft "Knowledge Base" is long impressively expansive!


Back to the more general world of printers...

Unfortunately in the world of Windows printers, you have minimal printer hardware that is Marketed at a loss to then trap the victims into expensive consumables for the use of those printers. The printer control hardware is often so minimal that the Windows PC is needed to operate them. That sort of harks back to the bad old days (and cheap unreliability) of the old "winmodems" which used your CPU as a controller and "software modem"...

For 'linux friendly' printers and multifunction printer-scanners, you do need to check that either the device is directly advertised as supported in Linux, or that the device is "network connected" and follows one of the standards such as IPP, or PCL5 or PCL6 or even Postscript. There's also a few of the cheap devices that have been 'reverse engineered' depending on luck and interest. (In general, network attached printers are by far the easiest to use.)

In short, check the list for what CUPS supports. That system is from an Apple (Mac) initiative many years ago and has become a sort of defacto standard.

For myself, my laser printer and scanner are now very old and supposedly long out of date. Yet both continue to work fine and there is no danger of support 'running out'. The CUPS config files will continue to work regardless of how many times I update the underlying Linux system. I can continue to run them until they physically wear out.

Such is the beauty of open standards.


Edit: There's an excellent very brief guide and a list of sites listing known working printers on: Finding Linux Compatible Printers

Sometimes, it is far easier to abandon proprietary entrapment and buy yourself some lifetime saving freedom that works to open standards.


Good luck!

IT is what we make it...
Martin

---

See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

& Dependencies?
Yes, Windows had those issues in its earlier days. However they got around that by introducing DLL's. Even they had issues until all new software devices installed any "new" relevant DLL's needed for that software/device.

Finished a new build yesterday, tried installing Linux 64 - same issue as previously experienced. It is going to sit there until delivery is made of another copy of Windows 64 bit is received. TBH, I wanted Linux Mint 64 on it, but I'm blowed if I'm going to waste any more time on Linux64 when I know for certain that Windows 64 will install allowing me to update ANY device driver that requires updating.

When Linux 64 installs OOB without any hassle will be the day that MS suffers, until then, those that use Windows will just continue to see & hear the Linux diatribes.

In the Linux world, there is no need to 'specially' load up 'drivers'. Or in Windows-speak, install "DLLs".

The Linux kernel already includes all needed drivers or has automatic "load modules" already included.

Anything else that a manufacturer might require as an 'extra' to be installed suggests that they have not bothered with the normal 'plug-and-play' ways of Linux, or that they are deliberately not following normal computer standards, or that they have some really wierd Frenken-equipment that is always going to be 'difficult'.


For Linux, simply just go for something that is already supported on the (CUPS) list of supported devices. Simple.

Otherwise, if your device or device type is not listed, then indeed the path of least clicks is to stay locked in the world you have already 'bought' into.

Nothing new there...


Good luck!

IT is what we allow it to be...
Martin

---

See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)