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smbwrs | 13 years ago | on: App.net funded with $500,000.

I was a huge doubter on day one - the initial video and manifesto seemed confusing and too abstract to fly - but seeing Dalton handle intensive negativity (even some from me, I'm a bit ashamed to admit) with such aplomb won me over. Seeing his frequent updates with progress, even before the $500k mark, was a great confidence booster.

Every cent well deserved. I was a supporter, and I look forward to helping build app.net in to something amazing.

smbwrs | 13 years ago | on: Steam Expands Beyond Games

I was complaining a couple weeks ago about how someone needed to open an alternative to the Mac App Store for legit apps that don't work with sandboxing, desire demos or paid upgrades, etc. Never thought of Steam as a possibility, even though I use it weekly for gaming. I have high hopes; if anyone can pull it off, it's Valve.

smbwrs | 14 years ago | on: The Bitcoin Crash

"...from a few hundred accounts to over 9000."

I see what you did there.

smbwrs | 15 years ago | on: Why was Boston's winter so horrible this year?

Bostonian here. The lady and I have been convinced that this winter was significantly worse than usual, and wondered why no one else seemed to think it was so weirdly awful. Glad we're not alone, and that we weren't wrong. Wow, did it suck. Excellent article and research by Mr. Dobres.

smbwrs | 15 years ago | on: How the American Male Spends Money

Golf, soda, cigarettes, newspapers, and beer. Seriously? I've never felt so disconnected from the typical "American Male", nor have I ever been so proud to feel that disconnected.

Maybe if "soda", "cigarettes", "beer", and "bars" were a bit farther down the list, "gyms" wouldn't need to be so high?

(Who still reads newspapers?)

smbwrs | 15 years ago | on: I think tumblr has a huge security hole

My point is more that there's at least one layer of protection between that page and the actual password, which I'd say is more important than displaying some code. It would take more than one mistake to really do damage, which is better than nothing.

smbwrs | 15 years ago | on: I think tumblr has a huge security hole

You lost me at "bordering on criminal negligence". They gave away a lot of details about how their internal systems are structured, but surprisingly little as far as actual usable data. Passwords can be changed, API keys can be disabled and regenerated, local IP addresses can be switched up. No user data was revealed. How is this even close to criminal, let alone catastrophic? This is pants-down embarrassing, at worst.

smbwrs | 15 years ago | on: I think tumblr has a huge security hole

If they're clever, that password isn't the actual password, it's a salted hash that the Database class breaks down to the real password before connecting. In theory, that hash alone shouldn't be enough for a breach, unless someone is able to figure out how it's encrypted and salted.

smbwrs | 15 years ago | on: Show HN: I taught myself PHP and built TweetPerView.com

Agreed. If I was forced, or even prompted, to tweet before watching a video, there's a very strong chance I'd just close the damn tab. Don't force me to promote your content before I have a good reason to.

Seamless tweeting mid-video seems pretty useful, though!

smbwrs | 15 years ago | on: RIP Microsoft Zune brand

I kept reading the name and it never got not-funny.

(Should I get the Home Edition, Premium Edition, Professional Edition, Gold Premium Edition Plus, or the Home Platinum Professional Office Extra Plus Edition?)

smbwrs | 15 years ago | on: How we fed ourselves for a year & sold a startup...with only 300 lines of code

Came to post this. Well, this, and, "It took you 300 lines to do THAT?" A dozen or so lines of Javascript + CSS would do the trick. I say this from experience, having built a system to auto-print thermal labels from a browser. It's reeaaallllyyy easy. Heck, most of the time was spent fighting with Windows' print settings. While I'm happy for your success, I'm kind of dumbstruck that anyone would pay for such a system.

[Edit] In the interest of not just poopooing on the badge thing, I want to mention view.io actually seems like a pretty interesting idea. One of those so-obvious-why-hasn't-anyone-done-it-yet types, could be big if it works well. Good luck!

smbwrs | 15 years ago | on: Full Instapaper API now available

Considering the fact that Marco is an advisor, and the upcoming Readability iOS app is "powered by Instapaper", I'd assume not much.

smbwrs | 15 years ago | on: "You've angered the hive"

What interests me most about Anonymous is the fact that it's actually two groups: the small group of technically-competent individuals, and the LOIC script-kiddie griefer minions who can be dispatched at will. The griefers get the media attention and do it "for the lulz", while the folks with actual skills penetrate systems and expose private information. If I had to guess, I'd say that HBGary got a little information on a bunch of the griefers, and near nothing on the people who can do real damage.

If I were a hacker, Anonymous - that is, the 4chan script-kiddie bunch - would make for incredible front line. They generate an unbelievable amount of noise, and a very particular kind of hacker-ish noise, which I'd imagine is fantastic for redirecting attention and covering tracks as necessary. The recent FBI raids, for example. http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110128/tc_afp/britainarrestwik...

smbwrs | 15 years ago | on: Real-Life Massive Multi-Player Spy Game

I had this idea - rather, an idea for something very similar to this - right after the first iPhone came out a few years ago. Never did anything with it. Should have. Let this be your daily reminder to execute on your good ideas!

Also, I'm totally in.

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