[GRLUG] Cheap Laptop Needed

[Greg Folkert]

On Fri, 2007-03-30 at 14:25 -0400, Michael Mol wrote:
> On 3/30/07, Greg Folkert <greg at gregfolkert.net> wrote:
> > On Fri, 2007-03-30 at 13:54 -0400, phillip hebenstreit wrote:
> > > HI,
> > >
> > > There is a software product called LoJack that tracks down your stolen
> > > laptop and gives you info to give to the police.  I think they also
> > > help you get it back.  All the new Dells come with a homing program
> > > built into the bios that does the same thing.
> >
> > "Dude you are getting a jail sentence!"... No there is not a BIOS
> > related homing program. What kind of crack did you buy and where can I
> > get some?
> >
> > No, really, BIOS doesn't have this kind of support. If it did, imagine 3
> > years from now how much traffic Dell's servers would be doing on *JUST*
> > the machine sold in the previous 3 years. Imagine properly sold
> > machine... you buy the Dell from your company or relative, BAM the
> > police arrive and arrest you. Oops, you company/relative forgot to
> > transfer the "location" and authentication info to you.
> >
> > No, you are thinking about the early boot programs that do that, for
> > Windows only. MACs have that built-into the OS.
> >
> > Not even beginning to be in the BIOS. Maybe 20 years off.
> 
> I wouldn't be surprised if modern BIOS could do it.  Heck, many are
> already DHCP and PXE clients.  Why couldn't they send a simple ICMP
> packet?  It's not like there's not enough room for the code.  You can
> get a 2GB USB flash drive for $20 these days.

4MB is the largest BIOS available in current production. New Intel MACs
don't even have a BIOS.

Yes, I am aware, but BIOS companies and others related to this field are
not interested (nor are the hardware manufacturers) in this particular
thing. Yes, the possibility exists... but imagine the legal
ramifications, just the privacy problems alone, would have costs in the
ELEVENTY HUNDREDS of billions arena. Lets not even consider the punitive
damages of the "hacker" laws passed recently.

No, it is an arena nobody is going to go into, until privacy is a thing
of the past. This being a point when we have implants to help us do
things and communicate sort of like "Ghost in the Shell" works.
-- 
greg, greg at gregfolkert.net

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