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story category MobiTV Backs Off HowardForums
After media highlights their shutdown threat
09:41AM Saturday Mar 08 2008 by Karl Bode
tags: legal · business · security · content
We mentioned yesterday morning how mobile phone video operator MobiTV was threatening to shut down HowardForums for simply hosting user discussion of a MobiTV security flaw. The company's video product lacked adequate security, and a simple URL delivered up the company's wares for free. After yesterday's media attention distributed the URL in question across the Internet, the co-founder of MobiTV has apparently changed his tune:
Howard, great catching up today. Again, we're big fans of the sight and our intention was never to bring your entire sight down or to "censor the Internet" like we're being accused. The irony is that is quite the opposite type of company we are and as one of the leaders in new media, we couldn't be more supportive of the rights of sights like yours. Please know that our first priority is always to fix any security issues with our system and we're doing that. Additionally, we also have a responsibility to our content and carrier partners to reduce the impact of any breaches to the system once they occur and that was really the basis for the correspondence you had with our legal team.

I look forward to continuing to find interesting and vibrant insights from HowardForums.

Best regards,
Paul Scanlan
Cofounder, President
Now MobiTV can get back to more pressing matters, such as spelling and the fact that nobody is buying mobile phone video services.

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Forums » MobiTV Backs Off HowardForums
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Post a:
NY Tel
Premium
join:2004-04-09
Smithtown, NY

Learn to spell

It is a web SITE not a web Sight, exept if you are having a vision test.

Rob
In Deo speramus
Premium
join:2001-08-25
Kendall, FL
·Comcast
·AT&T Southeast

Re: Learn to spell

said by NY Tel See Profile :

It is a web SITE not a web Sight, exept if you are having a vision test.
It's no wonder they had security flaws and acted childish.
james1

join:2001-02-26
antarctica
Everyone knows "Web Sights" were phased out when they got rid of the Big Truck protocol in favour of the Series of Tubes.

This guy must be old school if he still calls them that.

Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02

Re: Learn to spell

English could be his second language, but even then -- use a spell-checker when conducting professional correspondence with a website you just threatened to take off-line.
NY Tel
Premium
join:2004-04-09
Smithtown, NY
·VOIPo
·Verizon FIOS

Re: Learn to spell

said by Karl Bode See Profile :

English could be his second language, but even then -- use a spell-checker when conducting professional correspondence with a website you just threatened to take off-line.
True, but I am in Business Development and the best way to un-develop business is to make "mis-steaks" like that.

kneedeep

join:2000-10-01
Springfield, MA
clubs:

Re: Learn to spell

Perhaps it would serve your argument better if you didn't make spelling errors in your complaint.
NY Tel
Premium
join:2004-04-09
Smithtown, NY
·VOIPo
·Verizon FIOS

Re: Learn to spell

said by kneedeep See Profile :

Perhaps it would serve your argument better if you didn't make spelling errors in your complaint.
DIng Ding Ding - you get the prize - That was deliberate and no one until you picked it up.
jvanbrecht

join:2007-01-08
Bowie, MD

Re: Learn to spell

I picked up on it, I just did not care

RARPSL

join:1999-12-08
Suffern, NY

said by Karl Bode See Profile :

English could be his second language, but even then -- use a spell-checker when conducting professional correspondence with a website you just threatened to take off-line.
Using a Spell Checker would not have helped in this case (since "Sight" is a validly spelled word). You'd need to use a Grammar Checker. All Spell Checkers do is verify that the "word" represents the valid spelling of SOME word - Not that is is the CORRECT word for this context - That is the purpose of a Grammar Checker such as the "Spelling and Grammar" tool in MS Office Word. While suggesting that a Spell Checker should be used is a good first step, that does not mean that the failure to find any misspelled words is the end of the process. You still must review the text to spot the use of incorrect words and replace them with the correct word.

TK Junk Mail
Go ahead, make my day
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Margate City, NJ
clubs:
·Comcast

said by Karl Bode See Profile :

English could be his second language, but even then -- use a spell-checker when conducting professional correspondence with a website you just threatened to take off-line.
A spell checker would still have approved "sight". It is a correct spelling of a legitimate word. What he needs is a more advanced syntax and context checking tool.
--
My BLOG .. .. Internet News .. .. My Web Page
Mce Saint

join:2007-10-03
Saint Louis, MO

said by Karl Bode See Profile :

English could be his second language, but even then -- use a spell-checker when conducting professional correspondence with a website you just threatened to take off-line.
The problem,though, is that "sight" is spelled correctly - it's the useage that's the problem (like using "two" instead of "to" or "too"). The spell-check programs I'm familiar with won't catch a properly spelled, but misused word.

nanook
ex redbaron
Premium
join:2007-12-02
·Bell Sympatico
·TekSavvy Solutions..

said by NY Tel See Profile :

It is a web SITE not a web Sight, exept if you are having a vision test.
Unless you are viewing it through a series of tubes.

P.S. "exept"?
gbh2o

join:2000-12-18
Greenville, NC
·Voxee
·VBUZZER
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·callwithus
·STANAPHONE
·MyPhoneCompany
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·Packet8

Re: Learn to spell

said by nanook See Profile :

said by NY Tel See Profile :

It is a web SITE not a web Sight, exept if you are having a vision test.
Unless you are viewing it through a series of tubes.
Then it becomes a "sight picture"!
NY Tel
Premium
join:2004-04-09
Smithtown, NY
·VOIPo
·Verizon FIOS


edit:
March 8th, @02:51PM

Re: Learn to spell


To Serve and Correct
You people are just "trieing" two incite a discussion about "thier" web sight.

Ok I've awarded this dubious distinction to many here but I think this one is definitely appropriate:

rosco
Lumbergh
Premium
join:2003-11-10
Catskill, NY

said by NY Tel See Profile :

It is a web SITE not a web Sight, exept if you are having a vision test.
what's really funny is that according to mobitv's about page, Paul Scanlan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications from the University of Wisconsin.
james1

join:2001-02-26
antarctica

Re: Learn to spell

Everyone knows that if you've gone to university you aren't allowed to make speoilling mistacakes.

rosco
Lumbergh
Premium
join:2003-11-10
Catskill, NY

Re: Learn to spell

not just "gone to university"
but I expect a person with a bachelor's in COMMUNICATIONS to know the difference between sight and site.

TK Junk Mail
Go ahead, make my day
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Margate City, NJ
clubs:
·Comcast


edit:
March 8th, @09:56AM

MobiTV closed the security holes

And MobiTV did what they should have from the beginning. They closed their security holes. The sprintTVlive.mcd file is no longer accessible:
Forbidden

You don't have permission to access /sprintTVlive.mcd on this server.
And the actual streaming video links obtained from the above link will no longer play.

Now why didn't they just do that from the beginning?
The secret was out all the way back in May, 2007. They had plenty of time to secure it then.
»Howard Forums wasn't even 1st to publish this
--
My BLOG .. .. Internet News .. .. My Web Page
JJV
Premium
join:2001-04-25
Seattle, WA
clubs:

Re: MobiTV closed the security holes

It still works on my phone as of 715 am pst.

TK Junk Mail
Go ahead, make my day
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Margate City, NJ
clubs:
·Comcast

Re: MobiTV closed the security holes

said by JJV See Profile :

It still works on my phone as of 715 am pst.
Are you on Sprint?

It no longer works thru a Comcast broadband connection like it did yesterday.
--
My BLOG .. .. Internet News .. .. My Web Page
JJV
Premium
join:2001-04-25
Seattle, WA
clubs:

Re: MobiTV closed the security holes

Yes sprint sero.

TK Junk Mail
Go ahead, make my day
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Margate City, NJ
clubs:
·Comcast

Re: MobiTV closed the security holes

said by JJV See Profile :

Yes sprint sero.
I guess they just blocked some avenues of access, but haven't figured out how to block all unpaid access yet.
--
My BLOG .. .. Internet News .. .. My Web Page
wierdo

join:2001-02-16
Tulsa, OK
·Future Nine Corpor..
·Teliax VOIP
·Cox HSI

Re: MobiTV closed the security holes

said by TK Junk Mail See Profile :

said by JJV See Profile :

Yes sprint sero.
I guess they just blocked some avenues of access, but haven't figured out how to block all unpaid access yet.
Without actual authentication coming from the application running on the phone, all they can do is IP-based access control. That is, unless all accesses to the service are done through Sprint's proxy and Sprint's proxy does what AT&T's does and sends a header that uniquely identifies each subscriber.
--
It's wierdo, not weirdo. Yes, I know that's not the 'proper' spelling of the similar english language word.

Subaru
1-3-2-4
Premium
join:2001-05-31
Greenwich, CT
clubs:

wow

Talk about being caught with your pants down.. what a bing change of tone vs yesterday...

pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD

Gin Up Publicity

Perhaps this whole situation was MobiTV's attempt to get some free publicity off the back of HowardForums.
--
This isn't fair! I was only supposed to hate just ONE presidential candidate!
Smith6612
Premium
join:2008-02-01
united state

Wow...

And anyone who knows how to think would've fixed that security update without shutting down/threatening anyone. What do you think Microsoft and other software companies have to do when hackers find ways to crack their products?

mindfrost82

join:2003-04-19
Cortland, IL

Slingbox

Not many people pay for MobiTV because most people interested in mobile TV have a Slingbox which blows MobiTV out of the water...atleast on a Smartphone/PDA.
--
F R O S T Y

www.mindfrost82.com
dentman42

join:2001-10-02
Columbus, OH

cause and effect

When he realized the effect of his actions, he must've got his tubes in a knot.

furlonium
Computer Over? Virus equals Very Yes?

join:2002-05-08
Bethlehem, PA
·RCN CABLE

Are you fucking kidding me?

He misspelled a word. Sight, instead of site.

Maybe he didn't want to bring his entire "vision" of a great site down - his SIGHT of a great webpage!

Or not.

Harping on something like this is idiotic, even if the man himself is.

At least he didn't use "they're" instead of "their" or "there".
--
»www.myspace.com/intranet

I once had a dream that Sean Connery stayed at my apt., and he had his laptop with Win98 on it, and he knew how to connect to my wireless network. I don't do drugs

davoice

join:2000-08-12
Saxapahaw, NC
·RoadRunner Cable

Legal and PR need to take good sense lessons

When are the legal and PR folks for companies going to finally learn and admit the rules of the game have changed?

10 years ago you might have be able to get away with something heavy handed when you try to quash dissent or bad product information. Now the internet, social network websites, complaint websites and news aggregators have changed the playbook.

Every company who has tried this in the past couple years has found themselves on the wrong side of a big internet based backlash. Most new grass roots movements don't start at neighborhood meetings anymore. They start in forums, on Facebook pages and on websites like Broadband Reports.

Maybe we need to hack the college marketing class textbooks to include some user generated content about how not to piss off your customers and the rest of the world by trying to meddle with the free expression of the internet.

}Davoice

ftthz
If love can kill hate can also save

join:2005-10-17

giving more attention to bad situation

is never good it'll just spread more
howi

join:2005-07-27
Mississauga, ON

HoFo 1 , MobiTV 1

»Re: HoFo 1 , MobiTV 1

LOL!

What do we expect from the same fools who don't even protect their feeds with any security? I love spellchecker, especially run by the lazy fools! Perhaps, after they've learnt about security, they'll have the time to learn to write.

bubi73

join:2004-02-03
Mundelein, IL

Re: HoFo 1 , MobiTV 1

I'm thinking that the email might've been written by some admin or intern, happens quite often in big companies.

submitted by my secretary

MisterMarcus

join:2001-11-10
San Diego, CA
·RoadRunner Cable

Re: HoFo 1 , MobiTV 1

Exactly.

Problem is, if there's a chance for it to go public, you're SOL. No "checker" would have caught this. The best way to have caught something like this is the good old double check/spot check/sanity check before clicking that Send button.
Forums » MobiTV Backs Off HowardForums


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