My question exactly: The computers should be purpose-built, including the operating system.
They are, mission critical systems are typically on a Unix/Linux base or completely custom built.
The systems that use Windows are the ones related to office work, like updating the crew’s bank information and distributing pay.
What the article fails to mention is that this is on Commander Wiseman’s personal Surface Pro and not on any mission-related systems.
Most defense systems use some flavor of Unix/Linux.
Windows is used by the HR person on board to do office work like sending e-mails and updating spreadsheets.
using a Windows base with a “Custom Support Agreement” still gives a private US corporation the power to cripple their subs.
No, it doesn’t.
How is Microsoft going to affect the software installed on a nuclear submarine?
It only gives Microsoft the power to choose to not add new features, the software wouldn’t be on the sub if it required any kind of outside support… the entire point of a nuclear submarine is to perform a second strike after everyone (including Microsoft) is destroyed in a nuclear apocalypse.
Having software that’s dependent on anything that isn’t on the boat would completely defeat that purpose.
You wouldn’t and they didn’t.
The article has just failed to inform the readers (the few that got past the headline), that this was on his personal Surface Tablet and not on anything associated with the mission.
The article leaves out that this was on Commander Wiseman’s personal tablet, a Microsoft Surface Pro and not any device associated with the mission.
He sought tech support for internet connectivity issues on a PCD (personal computing device), which is a Microsoft Surface Pro.
The ‘Two Microsoft Outlooks’ was a description of the issue he was having. The headline is implying that there are two machines running Outlook that don’t work.
NASA detected that the PCD was actually on a network. It asked the commander for permission to connect to the tablet remotely so it could look into a problem with the Optimus software. “I also see that I have two Microsoft Outlooks and neither one of those are working,” Wiseman responded, per a clip shared by Niki Grayson on Bluesky. “If you wanna remote in and check Optimus and those two Outlooks, that would be awesome.”
The source of the quotes and a better article:
searxng
I have this on my projects lists, I’ve seen it recommended in a few places.
If I’m understanding the purpose (privacy filtering for searches), Kagi is a service fitting a similar role. Kind of like Headscale vs Tailscale. Is that right?
He’s going to be in for a big surprise when he’s on the far side of the moon and discovers that all of his ‘local’ files are on OneDrive.
Their ‘Research’ AI is pretty decent too. I can get to the same ends eventually, but I can’t read and digest 25 different pages and then launch another 10 follow-up searches in 15 seconds. It’s summarizing and not simply inferencing so the hallucination rate is acceptably low and it also cites the sources so you can click a footnote to fact-check any important details.
I self-host most things, but I can’t self host a search engine. I much prefer paying monthly than having to fight the eternal battle against tracking and ads.
I don’t think you need a subscription. I just tried from another browser where I’m not logged in and it works.
They have a small web ‘Lens’ in their search (you can limit search to specific categories), so you’d need to subscribe for that. Although, with an account, you get 100 searches/month for free.
They also have a Fediverse lens:
Verily ole chap. Mucho verily
Let it rest on the 7th day and then there will be light.
Oh yeah, 100% agree that this is why they do it.
On the complex plane.
Sure, it’s very easy to remove.
It’s also very easy to ignore and not use. A lot easier and less security comprimising than downloading and compiling a custom fork of systemd from an untrusted source.
These ‘forks’ are performative activism and not a serious attempt at maintaining a systemd fork. Once the outrage mob moves on to the next target the forks will disappear.
You reading is all the payment I need friend.
I’m a man of culture as well
I was not actually presenting a scenario where my grandmother would use a VPN.
I was pointing out that this community is full of people who are perfectly capable of learning to use a VPN. In response to this comment:
Unfortunately, not everyone is tech-literate enough nowadays to understand how a VPN works, nor do they want to
That’s a true statement about ‘everyone’ i.e. the entire population of the planet… but true about everyone here in this community.
They’re not, it was his personal tablet.