h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Subcom., Sir,

Here is my (non-technical) report on the Big Green Smilie:

Along with the link to the BGS space there was a bunch of code which I do not claim to understand but it seems that it switched your id to BGS. When you posted, it was a posting from BGS. MY SPACE was BGS.

To escape to your own ID all you had to do was log out and log in as yourself. No problem if you could remember your BBC log in name (which is not necessarily your h2g2 name) and your password, but if you couldn't ....
In my case the BGS had swallowed the log out button so I had to take the scenic route ...

The PTB Counter Espionage and Anti-Terrorist Branch defused the device before it went critical.

I gather that one of the subversives managed to bury the secret formula before being apprehended, so we have the technology. There is the possibilty that once a Zaphodista crackpot squad is assembled with a plan for a concerted attack on the Towers we should be able overwhelm the establishment. When everyone is posting as BGS it will be a simple matter to amend the BGS preferences to (say) "Zaphodistas achieve equality for all!" and the message and victory will be there for all the universe to see.

A wonderful prospect. It's only a matter of time.

Report ends.

Can I choose who is first up against the wall?

Wow! Stolen nuclear technology! On these public message boards, my official position on this matter is "plausible denial."

Kinda anti-social, isn't it? I wouldn't want to click on the wrong link and end up logged in under somebody else. Didn't somebody do something similar a few months ago with "Don't Push the Button?" That only posted an automatic message to a conversation thread, didn't log you in as somebody else.

It's a good thing I don't actively request you guys to do subversive things, or you might hurt somebody!

Hey, Subcom,

This new issue cloak of invisibility actually works.
I've just checked "Who's Online". There are 22 listed and I'm not amongst them.

Regards to the Quartermaster.

Rats!

I think the battery's given out.
There are now 26 online and I'm visible.
Back to the drawing board.

Cute trick, but what deviousness could you accomplish with it? Could you make posts with no name attributed to it? I imagine they'd still be able to see your IP addresses and everything, but who knows.

When questioned on the possible application of a new invention, Ben Franklin replied:
"What is the use of a new born child?"

I shall ponder that thought along with the cloaking device.

I hope we don't have to wait 10-20 years to find out how these tricks will become useful, as we would have to wait for a kid to become useful.

(Seriously, this stuff is cool. Would it be better to use this for our own subversive goals, or just something to post on n2g2 or someplace where all h2g2 researchers could read about how to do it and cause their own havoc?)

I'm a little disturbed (as you may have deduced) by the inclusion of the word "seriously".
In the UK, it is said that in some circumstances one can attract higher penalties for "conspiring" to commit something (without actually getting round to it) than one would suffer for actually committing the offence single handedly. (I cannot give an example. The lawyer who was propounding the information was very pompous and boring and my main concern was to escape.)
Whilst sawing through the branch on which I am currently sitting, I am counting the number of PCs I could get my hands on to set up new researcher IDs with different ISPs.

Greetings, frankincense, and patchoulli.

Long time no see. I just popped back for a few to see who was doing what now that DA is off to Milliways and my Prophecy of Doom for free speech in the UK is coming to fruition.

I hope the holidays are going well for you and yours.

Peace,


-- :X (the once and former THDoM)