Your unpopular (non-political, non-offensive) opinions!

[Akolyte]

I've got a few unpopular opinions, and don't expect anyone to take them too well - but considering this is a controversial thread...

 

1. I know this opinion isn't necessarily popular, but I think that Windows is poor OS choice.  It might be an ok operating system functionality/stability wise, but aside from the bloat it is horribly insecure and full of old vulnerabilities and bugs because Microsoft only cares to fix things if they impact their profitability or could cause reputational damage. 

 

2. I think Microsoft treats Azure the same way they treat Windows. I know other cloud providers are probably no better, but I look at articles about extremely old vulnerabilities in Azure that MS was notified about months in advance and a fix was never created until it became mainstream. 

 

3. Antivirus software actually makes your computer less secure, hear me out on this one - I think installing any software that has low-level system access creates extreme vulnerabilities in your system, since this is 3rd party software and might not be written as securely as the operating system it's installed on.  Secondly, (such as in the alleged case of Kasperksy) it can allow governments and corporate to spy on your system at it's deepest level (key loggers, installing certificates, etc).  

 

To add to my 3rd controversial opinion - I'm not saying security software is bad, I'm saying the way antivirus is done today (I believe) creates a security risk. 

[Bombastinator]

22 minutes ago, Akolyte said:

I've got a few unpopular opinions, and don't expect anyone to take them too well - but considering this is a controversial thread...

 

1. I know this opinion isn't necessarily popular, but I think that Windows is poor OS choice.  It might be an ok operating system functionality/stability wise, but aside from the bloat it is horribly insecure and full of old vulnerabilities and bugs because Microsoft only cares to fix things if they impact their profitability or could cause reputational damage. 

 

2. I think Microsoft treats Azure the same way they treat Windows. I know other cloud providers are probably no better, but I look at articles about extremely old vulnerabilities in Azure that MS was notified about months in advance and a fix was never created until it became mainstream. 

 

3. Antivirus software actually makes your computer less secure, hear me out on this one - I think installing any software that has low-level system access creates extreme vulnerabilities in your system, since this is 3rd party software and might not be written as securely as the operating system it's installed on.  Secondly, (such as in the alleged case of Kasperksy) it can allow governments and corporate to spy on your system at it's deepest level (key loggers, installing certificates, etc).  

 

To add to my 3rd controversial opinion - I'm not saying security software is bad, I'm saying the way antivirus is done today (I believe) creates a security risk. 

Interesting thoughts at any rate.  Windows had had security problems nearly ever since it’s inception. It’s why they actually bought an antimalware company called something7 I forget the full name, and turned it into windows defender. There seem to be two general ways security software attempts to protect computers.  One is the denial system, searching everything that comes in, and the other is system monitoring, searching for anomalous behavior or code in the system.  Usually a particular security software specializes in one or the other. Perhaps this is old. 

[Stahlmann]

4 minutes ago, Bombastinator said:

Interesting thoughts at any rate.  Windows had had security problems nearly ever since it’s inception. It’s why they actually bought an antimalware company called something7 I forget the full name, and turned it into windows defender. There seem to be two general ways security software attempts to protect computers.  One is the denial system, searching everything that comes in, and the other is system monitoring, searching for anomalous behavior or code in the system.  Usually a particular security software specializes in one or the other. Perhaps this is old. 

Most free solutions only monitor incoming stuff, while most paid solutions do both incoming and active scans. I used Kaspersky for the longest time but atm i just use the integrated Windows Defender and for me it works fine. Most dangers can be avoided by using your brain when using the internet.

[IPD]

Things that I worry about far more than Kaspersky running in the background of a machine I don't use for work:

 

-Gas station sushi

-CCP company smartphones

-Farts after a night of heavy drinking & mexican food

-Net buying power of my income this year--after inflation has taken over

[Akolyte]

13 hours ago, Bombastinator said:

Interesting thoughts at any rate.  Windows had had security problems nearly ever since it’s inception. It’s why they actually bought an antimalware company called something7 I forget the full name, and turned it into windows defender. There seem to be two general ways security software attempts to protect computers.  One is the denial system, searching everything that comes in, and the other is system monitoring, searching for anomalous behavior or code in the system.  Usually a particular security software specializes in one or the other. Perhaps this is old. 

Thanks for this response.  Windows Defender is about the only one I'd use since it's integrated into Windows - doesn't mean it doesn't have any spyware integrated, but since it's written by Microsoft - if you can trust Windows you can trust the built-in AV. 

 

You're right as well, for about the last decade-ish most antivirus software has done both.  In recent years though, both of these approaches are useless (in my opinion) - most malware is able to evade these methods depending on how thorough the author wants to be. 

 

This is just because malware has evolved, and so have operating systems.  These days an antivirus will still give you protection, but it's no minuscule it's probably not worth it for the added risks. 

 

13 hours ago, Stahlmann said:

Most free solutions only monitor incoming stuff, while most paid solutions do both incoming and active scans. I used Kaspersky for the longest time but atm i just use the integrated Windows Defender and for me it works fine. Most dangers can be avoided by using your brain when using the internet.

You're right on the free antivirus front.  Kaspersky is about the only AV I know cyber-criminals take seriously - that and maybe some of the enterprise ones, CrowdStrike, SentinelOne, etc.  I still wouldn't install Kaspersky, even if the spying allegations are only allegations. 

 

While I agree for the most part dangers can be avoided by using your brain, I think skills are more important.  The issue is that many users don't have the technology skills to even understand what a process is, let alone that one could be malicious.   

 

So, I agree - but I think companies need to make more digestible security training, and people need to be more willing to put in an hour or two to go through it. 

[Bombastinator]

1 hour ago, Akolyte said:

Thanks for this response.  Windows Defender is about the only one I'd use since it's integrated into Windows - doesn't mean it doesn't have any spyware integrated, but since it's written by Microsoft - if you can trust Windows you can trust the built-in AV. 

 

You're right as well, for about the last decade-ish most antivirus software has done both.  In recent years though, both of these approaches are useless (in my opinion) - most malware is able to evade these methods depending on how thorough the author wants to be. 

 

This is just because malware has evolved, and so have operating systems.  These days an antivirus will still give you protection, but it's no minuscule it's probably not worth it for the added risks. 

 

You're right on the free antivirus front.  Kaspersky is about the only AV I know cyber-criminals take seriously - that and maybe some of the enterprise ones, CrowdStrike, SentinelOne, etc.  I still wouldn't install Kaspersky, even if the spying allegations are only allegations. 

 

While I agree for the most part dangers can be avoided by using your brain, I think skills are more important.  The issue is that many users don't have the technology skills to even understand what a process is, let alone that one could be malicious.   

 

So, I agree - but I think companies need to make more digestible security training, and people need to be more willing to put in an hour or two to go through it. 

It was never great against zero day stuff.  They tended to rely on lookup tables for indications of problems and if there’s nothing in the lookup table because it’s zero day, the lookup table is useless.

[HeroRareheart]

Jojo's Bizarre Adventure is one of the worst TV shows I have ever watched. I think the writing is bad, most of the time the characters speak it's to spew exposition and tell the watcher exactly what's happening on screen. The rules of the world the characters operate in are really stupid and half of the things that a character can do is simply "because they can". Every single time someone tries to get me to watch more of it they say "it gets better, X thing was added in season Y" and it's always something stupid I really could care less about and is often some trope or concept I dislike. People treat me like I'm an idiot for not sticking this show on a pedestal and acting like it's the holy grail of all media.

[Bombastinator]

1 hour ago, HeroRareheart said:

Jojo's Bizarre Adventure is one of the worst TV shows I have ever watched. I think the writing is bad, most of the time the characters speak it's to spew exposition and tell the watcher exactly what's happening on screen. The rules of the world the characters operate in are really stupid and half of the things that a character can do is simply "because they can". Every single time someone tries to get me to watch more of it they say "it gets better, X thing was added in season Y" and it's always something stupid I really could care less about and is often some trope or concept I dislike. People treat me like I'm an idiot for not sticking this show on a pedestal and acting like it's the holy grail of all media.

I’ve seen worse.  You’ve got to watch some very early doctor who or very bad 70’s Saturday morning cartoons like butch Cassidy and the sunshine gang for true bottom shelf stuff.  That in no way detracts from how bad Jojo’s bizarre adventures is though.  Things that are better than jojo’s bizarre adventures include robot monster which is a famously bad movie.

[whm1974]

1 hour ago, Bombastinator said:

I’ve seen worse.  You’ve got to watch some very early doctor who or very bad 70’s Saturday morning cartoons like butch Cassidy and the sunshine gang for true bottom shelf stuff.  That in no way detracts from how bad Jojo’s bizarre adventures is though.  Things that are better than jojo’s bizarre adventures include robot monster which is a famously bad movie.

Never heard of JoJo's Bizarre Adventures... Seen Pop Pies the Movie however.

[Bombastinator]

Just now, whm1974 said:

Never heard of JoJo's Bizarre Adventures... Seen Pop Pies the Movie however.

It’s an anime on Netflix. It concentrates on some unusual aspects of storytelling and the cost is some of the other parts are sort of formulaic and afterthought.

[whm1974]

31 minutes ago, Bombastinator said:

It’s an anime on Netflix. It concentrates on some unusual aspects of storytelling and the cost is some of the other parts are sort of formulaic and afterthought.

I was thinking some old cartoon long off the Air. That said Popeye, Warner Bros toons, and some others were popular long after first shown. 

[Bombastinator]

25 minutes ago, whm1974 said:

I was thinking some old cartoon long off the Air. That said Popeye, Warner Bros toons, and some others were popular long after first shown. 

The thing is in some ways wildly original, but generally visually.  They gave up so much doing it though.  The result of the gestalt is far less than stellar. There is of course stuff where nothing is original and most of it is poorly done.

[whm1974]

11 hours ago, Bombastinator said:

The thing is in some ways wildly original, but generally visually.  They gave up so much doing it though.  The result of the gestalt is far less than stellar. There is of course stuff where nothing is original and most of it is poorly done.

That reminds me of those who actually believes he or she can sing well, but in reality screeches...

[Bombastinator]

4 minutes ago, whm1974 said:

That reminds me of those who actually believes he or she can sing well, but in reality screeches...

That’s a weird phenomena but it happens.  Your head has different conductivity systems when you speak.  Hearing your own voice recorded for the first time is a trip.  People like that often sound good to themselves but no one else.

[whm1974]

2 hours ago, Bombastinator said:

That’s a weird phenomena but it happens.  Your head has different conductivity systems when you speak.  Hearing your own voice recorded for the first time is a trip.  People like that often sound good to themselves but no one else.

This is a bit close to but not the same as either a pretty girl ended up wearing an ungodly amount of makeup only because she sees an ugly woman looking back at her in the mirror.

 

Or some skinny chick who believes she is fat.

 

The first depending on age I would tell her that she looks a woman working in the Red Light District... Or a Lot Lizard. The other I'll ask if she has worms or something...

[Bombastinator]

5 hours ago, whm1974 said:

This is a bit close to but not the same as either a pretty girl ended up wearing an ungodly amount of makeup only because she sees an ugly woman looking back at her in the mirror.

 

Or some skinny chick who believes she is fat.

 

The first depending on age I would tell her that she looks a woman working in the Red Light District... Or a Lot Lizard. The other I'll ask if she has worms or something...

There’s also the shower stall with running water effect.  There’s an ad floating around with Shaw in it that plays on that one.  Microphones can do weird things to peoples voices.  I vaguely recall a comedy bit about a phone sex service where the woman didn’t look anything like she sounded and a news article about a man who worked for one pretending to be a woman.  Apparently he was a top earner.

[AbstrctShdws]

Mine is browser related but ever since Microsoft Edge was re-done with Chromium, it's become my preferred browser on Windows. Its weirdly faster in most cases then Firefox/Chrome and all my extensions just work. Minus the massive amounts of RAM usage and I can usually have anywhere from 5-30 different tabs open without breaking a sweat. 

 

Cheers!

[whm1974]

9 hours ago, Bombastinator said:

There’s also the shower stall with running water effect.  There’s an ad floating around with Shaw in it that plays on that one.  Microphones can do weird things to peoples voices.  I vaguely recall a comedy bit about a phone sex service where the woman didn’t look anything like she sounded and a news article about a man who worked for one pretending to be a woman.  Apparently he was a top earner.

I might still have the saved Article of that Dude from way then on my Rig somewhere. Man I heard all kinds of joke about a young man calling a Phone Sex Service and end up talking to his mother or worse granny...

 

Or some guy waiting for a hooker to show up and turns out to his daughter....

[whm1974]

9 hours ago, Bombastinator said:

There’s also the shower stall with running water effect.  There’s an ad floating around with Shaw in it that plays on that one.  Microphones can do weird things to peoples voices.  I vaguely recall a comedy bit about a phone sex service where the woman didn’t look anything like she sounded and a news article about a man who worked for one pretending to be a woman.  Apparently he was a top earner.

I might still have the saved Article of that Dude from way then on my Rig somewhere. Man I heard all kinds of joke about a young man calling a Phone Sex Service and end up talking to his mother or worse granny...

 

Or some guy waiting for a hooker to show up and turns out to be his daughter....

[whm1974]

9 hours ago, Bombastinator said:

There’s also the shower stall with running water effect.  There’s an ad floating around with Shaw in it that plays on that one.  Microphones can do weird things to peoples voices.  I vaguely recall a comedy bit about a phone sex service where the woman didn’t look anything like she sounded and a news article about a man who worked for one pretending to be a woman.  Apparently he was a top earner.

Geez I read about that one. Or a Guy discovered his  mother or granny working for one... Gross.

 

I heard about a guy at a Motel waiting for a Hooker and she turns out to be his Daughter.

[Radium_Angel]

Posting this on a computer forum:

 

As of late, I've become bored with computers, there's nothing interesting in the modern stuff.

I"m considering going (way) back to a luggable from something like Osborne or Compaq, just to be excited about PCs again.

[Bombastinator]

16 minutes ago, Radium_Angel said:

Posting this on a computer forum:

 

As of late, I've become bored with computers, there's nothing interesting in the modern stuff.

I"m considering going (way) back to a luggable from something like Osborne or Compaq, just to be excited about PCs again.

there’s maybe the other direction.   VR or 3d or something

[Radium_Angel]

3 minutes ago, Bombastinator said:

there’s maybe the other direction.   VR or 3d or something

Can't do VR, and 3D..programming? DOesn't hold much interest for me

[Bombastinator]

7 minutes ago, Radium_Angel said:

Can't do VR, and 3D..programming? DOesn't hold much interest for me

Ah.  Programming.  I don’t even go near programming myself.  I’m on a much lower level.  Got a friend who does though, and used to be a Solaris dude.  A systemD hater if that makes any sense.  He runs small board stuff now. Pis and Beaglebones and stuff.  Has the advantage that the things are stupid cheap and the size of a pack of cigarettes.  It’s what he got into anyway.

Edited January 14, 2022 by Bombastinator

[Radium_Angel]

19 minutes ago, Bombastinator said:

systemD hater

Amen to that!