Turns out Apples are good for you, and especially Macs (not to be confused with a Big Mac). I understand the sentiment, but I’m not sure I follow why an Anti-Virus company would make such a specific advertisement “if not Microsoft, then Apple”. The BBC reports:
Security threats to PCs with Microsoft Windows have increased so much that computer users should consider using a Mac, says a leading security firm.
Does this say more about the OS that Sophos prefers, or that they really do not see any alternative to Microsoft for home users? When we say “non-Windows” do we automatically mean Mac OS, even when OS X is really *nix?
I was just reading a report about robberies at fast food restaurants, which indicates a vast majority are inside jobs (current or former disgruntled employees), when I happened to also notice a report about the attempted breach of a soft-drink giant’s security:
US prosecutors have charged three people with stealing secrets from soft drinks company Coca-Cola and trying to sell them to its main rival PepsiCo.
According to the claims, administration worker Joya Williams went through files and stuffed a new Coca-Cola product and documents into her personal bag.
Doesn’t sound like a high-tech job. Maybe the files have never been put on computer, for fear of being stolen or destroyed?
PepsiCo said it co-operated with the FBI and Coca-Cola after being contacted by someone looking to sell information.
Coca-Cola said the secret formula of its main drink – sold in the distinctive red and white cans – had not been compromised.
Mr Isdell said that Coca-Cola would be reviewing its security procedures.
Dave DeCecco, a PepsiCo spokesman, said that the company was happy to have helped out its rival.
“Competition can sometimes be fierce, but also must be fair and legal,” he said.
Someone just pointed out to me that there is a rumor spreading that VW will not ship their 2007 TDIs to the US. I don’t have an official source yet, but it seems probable that the 2006 units will be shipped to the end of this year and the 2008 models might ship in late 2007. Skipping a year could be a bad sign (apparently VW has some management and financial issues) or a result of the gap between technology release schedules and regulations, or both. The automobile industry needs regulation to spur innovation at this point, though, so I would rather see some minor delays than seriously flawed and vulnerable (low mpg, high CO2 emission) technology continue to be released to the public. The sense I get is that the VW TDI crowd would be ready to jump to the Honda or Audi diesels at a moments notice. They are loyal to the function of their cars as much as the fashion, and it’s pretty clear who is winning the technology race right now…add to that the fact that hybrids still don’t make real economic sense and you get a new market emerging for someone to jump into with cheap (to manufacture and own) yet highly-efficient/clean vehicles. Ghosin probably knows this better than anyone, but I don’t see him making any diesel noises yet.
Edited to add (21 Nov 2006): It turns out the decision is related to a leap in technology to new TDI-CRD. The 2008 VW models are already being reported at car shows.
Line across a great expanse
runs reddish barbed wire;
It never came to much,
perimeter of ranch ire.
Twisted and tied
to strangle post rock;
Does it bring freedom
or just startle livestock?
