vaylian (u/vaylian) - Readit News

vaylian commented on Scientists No Longer Find X Professionally Useful, and Have Switched to Bluesky academic.oup.com/icb/adva... · Posted by u/sebg

m-schuetz · 2 days ago

I wish that was the case but at least in my domain, after many people initially switched to bluesky, most eventually went back since many high-profile people did not make the switch.

vaylian · 2 days ago

Do you have any hypotheses why these high-profile people didn't make the switch?

I guess that many high-profile people are too busy with their regular work to be mindful of politics/ethics and thus they can't be bothered to switch. But maybe there are other reasons as well?

vaylian commented on Burner Phone 101 rebeccawilliams.info/burn... · Posted by u/CharlesW

torcete · 3 days ago

I have the feeling that whenever you are on an airport (and maybe railway stations too) they cross your IMEI with the boarding pass info. I believe that in the UK police use some middle-man towers, which name I have forgotten, to collect as much data as possible.

vaylian · 3 days ago

You are probably thinking of a stingray https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stingray_phone_tracker

vaylian commented on Ask HN: Why does the US Visa application website do a port-scan of my network? · Posted by u/mbix77

ale42 · 4 days ago

As far as I understand it, it is supposed to be a scan done by the browser on the user's computer, not an external scan, which a browser extension wouldn't be able to detect.

vaylian · 4 days ago

I see. So the website would try to access private IP adresses (RFC 1918) by having elements like <iframe src="http://10.0.0.1"> in the web site and then the web site would check if the iframe was loaded successfully?

vaylian commented on Ask HN: Why does the US Visa application website do a port-scan of my network? · Posted by u/mbix77

vaylian · 4 days ago

> Blocks malicious websites from port-scanning your computer/network

How does that work? A browser extension can't influence how your router and other machines in your network react to incoming requests.

vaylian commented on Counter-Strike: A billion-dollar game built in a dorm room nytimes.com/2025/08/18/ar... · Posted by u/asnyder

1-6 · 5 days ago

In the late 1990s, living in South Korea during the fallout of the IMF financial crisis, my friends and I discovered PC bangs. These gaming havens offered titles like Rainbow Six, MechWarrior 2, and the legendary StarCraft. As a teenager, those moments were unforgettable—sitting in a buzzing PC bang, immersed in epic battles, sparked a lifelong passion for computer networks that I still pursue today.

In the 2000s, I helped establish CyberCafe, a PC bang in Oakland, California, where a diverse crowd came together to play StarCraft and Counter-Strike. It was a vibrant community hub, filled with shared excitement.

I wish PC bangs would make a comeback. Despite our powerful home setups and fast internet, gaming solo in your room can’t match the electric atmosphere of playing alongside others in a match, surrounded by camaraderie and competition.

vaylian · 5 days ago

What are "PC bangs"? Are they like internet cafes, but meant for gaming?

vaylian commented on Google is killing the open web wok.oblomov.eu/tecnologia... · Posted by u/rapnie

vaylian · 6 days ago

There are good and there are bad XML formats. RSS is a good format that is nice to read and somewhat nice to write, because there is not too much overhead. I've also seen plenty of over-engineered XML formats that give XML a bad reputation.

If XML wants to reestablish itself as a popular way to organize data, then we need more examples of well-designed XML formats.

vaylian commented on GDPR meant nothing: chat control ends privacy for the EU [video] youtube.com/watch?v=3NyUg... · Posted by u/givemeethekeys

tucnak · 7 days ago

They say it's the Swedes, but that's not accurate. Thorn is a NSA-run charity that has been lobbying for this since 2012.

vaylian · 7 days ago

Interesting. Do you have a source for the connection between the NSA and Thorn?

vaylian commented on A privacy VPN you can verify vp.net/l/en-US/blog/Don%2... · Posted by u/MagicalTux

exfil · 8 days ago

These VPN's for privacy are so bad. You give your credit card (verified identity), default gateway and payload to foreign soil and feel safe. On top of that your packets clear text metadata verifies you with cryptographic accuracy.

In today's internet you just cannot have exit IP which is not tied either into your identity, payment information or physical location. And don't even mention TOR, pls.

vaylian · 8 days ago

> And don't even mention TOR, pls.

What's your issue with tor?

vaylian commented on What does Palantir actually do? wired.com/story/palantir-... · Posted by u/mudil

vaylian · 9 days ago

> But a number of former Palantir employees tell WIRED they believe the public still largely misunderstands what the company actually does and how its software works.

Those employees are just in denial.

vaylian commented on Online Safety Act – shutdowns and site blocks blocked.org.uk/osa-blocks... · Posted by u/azalemeth

cm2187 · 11 days ago

That wouldn’t address their liability.

vaylian · 11 days ago

It would raise awareness in the general population and increase justified resistance against this stupid law.

u/vaylian

KarmaCake day2581August 18, 2018View Original