Microsoft last week lost a potential European customer for its cloud-based Microsoft Office 365 product over concerns about the Patriot Act allowing U.S. government access to to private data. UK defense contractor BAE Systems said they’d changed plans on advice of their lawyers. Smart lawyers.
If we have to rely on lawyers for data security advice, we’re in real trouble.
Frankly I think the US Government and the Patriot Act would be the least of their problems. If a defense contractor put their data on a public cloud service it would be an open invitation to Iran, North Korea, China, and others to try to steal it.
It boggles my mind that BAE even thought about putting […]
Just a short thought. 
Verizon Wireless announced Friday that it was paying $3.6 billion to three cable TV companies — Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and Bright House Networks — in exchange for wireless licenses the companies bought in an FCC auction in 2005. 
Note — Reader consensus below seems to be that I’m the one drinking the Flav-r-ade in this post, so proceed at your own risk. That’s not how I see it, of course. CNN asked me about this issue yesterday and I think it is pretty clear, but that may be in part a reflection of my background, who knows? Just as readers expect me to take responsibility for my words, I expect Apple to take responsibility for the performance of its products. The issue isn’t so much abortion clinics as what other big gaps exist in this service? When you call your doctor the recording says “If this is an emergency hang up and call […]
Sitting here in Santa Rosa drinking too much coffee while the turkey cooks I’ve been reading the Black Friday sale fliers and you know what’s missing? Desktop computers. Radio Shack doesn’t even have a desktop on sale tomorrow and even Walmart has only one. This season marks the triumph of notebook and tablet computers I’d say, though not at chez Cringely. At our house we’ve just gone thin client, instead.