Hacker News Reader

quackerhackeron Can Apple read your iMessages?

I hope for security sake, the users on here do not use 4 digit pins...or at least have the wipe feature enabled after x failed attempts.

quackerhackeron Ask HN: Someone has created a Twitter ripping off a name I trademarked

Agree in preventative brand confusion! Unfortunately, whenever I conceptualize a project, I always have to look at other sites to register the usernames, for exactly the OP's reason.

Twitter, YouTube, and domain name. I never do Facebook though (personal abstinence from it).

quackerhackeron Ask HN: Someone has created a Twitter ripping off a name I trademarked

INAL I would attempt to contact a lawyer to issue a C&D against the company. You may need to subpoena twitter for their records, or send a C&D to twitter it's self for the user infringing on your ip.

quackerhackeron Understanding the linux filesystem (/etc, /var, /bin, /opt etc.)

It's just a pet peeve.

Since alot of the clusters I work on are web servers or parallel computing servers (that still have access through to a network), I like to clear out any dirs and files that aren't needed, mount ro access to any dirs that shouldn't be written to, and do every other thing I do to lock down the server.

It's helped me before detect unauthorized files that contained malicious code.

quackerhackeron Understanding the linux filesystem (/etc, /var, /bin, /opt etc.)

Thank you freework, didn't know about that one (embarrassing as it is to admit).

Still sucks dealing with spaces when it comes to command processes like ffmpeg -i <no_tab>...but awesome for cd'ing or ls'ing!

quackerhackeron Square Market

I can not express the elation I have for Square finally allowing online transactions. Great complement to Coinbase on my next project!

I had one like a year ago and now they have a flat $275 per month fee that applies to swiped and online. Definitely awesome!

EDIT: grammar

quackerhackeron Understanding the linux filesystem (/etc, /var, /bin, /opt etc.)

Unless your ssh'd into a machine, it's annoying to type long dir's. What's worse is compensating for spaces in filenames.

quackerhackeron Understanding the linux filesystem (/etc, /var, /bin, /opt etc.)

/usr/games

One of my pet peeves when I work on clusters before I even mess with the fstab or ufw is always deleting this folder.

quackerhackeron The Scarcest Resource at Startups is Management Bandwidth

Your exactly right, with the fact that those features serve 1 purpose and 1 niche.

To clear a little confusion by what I mean on unrefined products, I can think of a prominent Swiss Army Knife...Google.

If I asked you to convey to me what is Google as if I didn't know, you'd probably say they're a search engine. While I don't mean to discredit all the products Google has, they themselves have been known to kill off their own products (Reader, Checkout, Buzz, Wave, ect) to refine a centralized purpose (ex. if you sign up for youtube, you now have a google plus).

This is the art of the niche, bringing multiple features to form one cohesive purpose.

quackerhackeron Can Apple read your iMessages?

I agree with you...but to clear any confusion. What I'm implying is the same hypocrisy that Snowden is trying to thwart. By the gov releasing a PR statement (the one that I noted) as such, it instills confidence in iMessage, while the OP, you, and I have noted that there still are vulnerabilities.

quackerhackeron The Scarcest Resource at Startups is Management Bandwidth

I can not tell you the countless hours (which turn into days), that I've spent trying to perfectly code or execute a design or method. I've learned that the best steps to completion that I use (this is in regard to software and website dev)...

1) think of the idea

2) code it (notate any epiphanies along the way)

3) optimize the code

4) package and ship

quackerhackeron Can Apple read your iMessages?

It's GREAT to know that your test shows the vulnerability in the iCloud backup of iMessages.

Not that I believe every article that I read (I always speculate sources and bias journalism), but here is an article "pre-PRISM," that states the FBI's stance with iMessage: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-57577887-38/apples-imessag...

quackerhackeron Why Snowden Asked Visitors in Hong Kong to Refrigerate Their Phones

I won't speculate on eavesdropping since I haven't tested this, but what I hear when I heard his method is more of the security risk that he could possibly be pinpointed. A red flag would go up for me, hearing multiple people (the lawyers) clustering to one location.

Smartphones are a beacon of constant info...GPS and signal pinging can get your coordinates (at least general area), and Wifi can triangulate the position [0]. Cameras and microphones are just icing and still require a device to be compromised, whereas signals, require carrier network access...which is what PRISM revealed [1].

[0] http://thenextweb.com/apple/2013/03/26/what-exactly-wifislam...

[1] http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-57589100-83/nsa-whistleblow...

quackerhackeron Snowden distributed encrypted copies of NSA docs around the world

This is one of the reasons I can see Google Glass becoming more prevalent...security of one's well being through live streaming...even though I'm concerned about privacy, sometimes security through obscurity is not viable.

quackerhackeron The Scarcest Resource at Startups is Management Bandwidth

I like to counsel that the best teams are often defined by what they choose not to do.

Too very true. I usually over complicate my projects as well...and what every colleague, firm, and even business class taught me...a refined niche is more valuable than a swiss army knife.

There's a reason the saying "there's an app for that," exists, because it solves a purpose and fills a clear and concise niche. If I can't pitch the core idea in one statement, I've failed before I've started.

quackerhackeron Snowden distributed encrypted copies of NSA docs around the world

I hope I didn't come off nationalistic...esp given my criminal record.

Why I linked those old articles, I imply that the US didn't want China to do what it was doing (which is what PRISM revealed) to have a backdoor into US infrastructure through Huewei routers, and that the administration wanted to possibly make it easier to monitor China's chatter by pushing for it to tear down the "Great Firewall."

quackerhackeron Snowden distributed encrypted copies of NSA docs around the world

Your title suggestion is too much of an assumption and accusation.

While the disclosure of Prism has confirmed what many tech minded people I know have always assumed, it does not stand to reason that other countries do not monitor chatter and would not act on intel that is valuable.

Basically, what I'm saying is to keep our minds open while reading these articles...an example of why would be if you remember Huawei Routers not being allowed in certain US infrastructure [0], or Clinton lobbying China to remove it's firewall [1].

Open minds can then start speculating past motivations in old articles.

[0] http://www.dailytech.com/Huaweis+CEO+and+Former+PLA+Officer+...

[1] http://www.salon.com/2010/01/22/hillary_clinton_internet_fre...

quackerhackeron Snowden distributed encrypted copies of NSA docs around the world

Just for the uninformed that may not know what your referencing.

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/06/21/email-sent-by-mic...

quackerhackeron Snowden distributed encrypted copies of NSA docs around the world

This is definitely the only reason I think he is still alive. The NSA has probably done forensic analysis on the workstation that he utilized to transfer the intel...and as Snowden has noted, he does not want to be careless with the information or it's distribution in contrast to Manning.

To make it simple, I think he released to the public the appetizer, and has withheld any main course or desert (sorry for the analogies...lunch time).

quackerhackeron IE11 to support WebGL

I really hope IE11 will integrate WebRTC.

I have to give credit to IE10 though...a cool feature that I have only seen in safari (through quicktime), is IE10 allows multi audio track support for html5 mp4...great for multi-language videos, and adapting a single video to play on multiple devices (like some that don't support 5.1 audio).

quackerhackeron McDonald's HTML5 promotion site

Slow initial load for me as well...there is alot of assets in the head that aren't loaded async.

This is kind of a pet peeve of mine for sites that are utilizing so much HTML5...why not use appcache manifests? I understand setting caches directly through the instance, but it might just be me, this is one of my favorite features in server load reduction!

quackerhackeron In defense of San Francisco's techies

There was also the Treasure Island project, but that fell through it looks like.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treasure_Island_development

quackerhackeron In defense of San Francisco's techies

That's crazy, although I was 11 when this was going on...so I'm guessing the eyes of a child may not be a great reference here.

What I do remember in 2000 when I was there....WebTV, WebVan, Yahoo Auctions, and having Lycos go fetch a search....that's when I was 12.

I do remember everyone had prejudice against the homeless, and I vaguely remember talk of trying to oust them.

quackerhackeron In defense of San Francisco's techies

This is absolutely appalling that this is going on...I've never even heard or would fathom this in SF.

I was raised in San Francisco, right there on Mc Coppin and Market...smack damn in downtown. I've always known SF to be the most accepting and tolerant place I've lived in.

How could this type of prejudice go on in a city that allows nudes in parades, diversity in sexuality, and a bunch of 12 yr olds to run around downtown on Razor scooters at 3 in the morning.

I'm just speechless to hear this about my hometown.

quackerhackeron Bitcoin Foundation Receives Cease And Desist Order From California

Exactly what I feel. California is known for incubating tech and embracing new methods.

This is about as disappointing as when I heard that Nevada was first to legalize automated vehicles before us and it took lobbying from Google to push the approval here.

quackerhackeron Bitcoin Foundation Receives Cease And Desist Order From California

I thought Coinbase was based out of SF and even backed by YC?

Not sure though, seeing on the privacy page an Oregon address.

https://coinbase.com/about

quackerhackeron Snowden touches down in Moscow ... tweeted by Wikileaks

Very true! Seeing as you are a hacker like I am, it's not 100% accurate to say we are where our ip addresses are.

quackerhackeron Snowden touches down in Moscow ... tweeted by Wikileaks

Every decision Snowden has made has been very well thought out....

1. He pushed US media (WaPo) to publish by going to UK media (TheGuardian).

2. He released with reservation and regard to security, not all docs were published.

3. He voluntarily disclosed his identity for protection...if the public knows him, it'll be awkward, if he just disappeared.

4. [my opinon] He went to Hong Kong (specifically HK, not China), because it is still somewhat it's own country, yet a formidable adversary to the US through China's protection. Also, it's unbeknownst to us, if he released more information while in HK.

5. Russia recently had captured a CIA agent (although I thought it more comical then serious), and no extradition to the US. Again, another formidable adversary to the US, and it may have been a red flag for an intel agent to go to Russia.

By formidable, I imply that the US will not send a seal team in to these territories that have the military capability to strike back (I won't say the name - but Pakistan is what I'm implying here).

quackerhackeron Official statement from WikiLeaks regarding Edward Snowden's exit from Hong Kong

In his situation, this is a well calculated decision to keep his location public. Security through obscurity won't benefit much here.

quackerhackeron Show HN: Blynde – A new way to listen music on Youtube (user:demo, pwd:123456)

Great Stack!

Your UI is nice, clean, and awesome! I like your account sign up pop up and proposed keyboard shortcuts.