PACKET RAT: With Mac's new core, the world doesn't look the same
When the Rat heard the recent rumors that Apple Computer Inc. would be switching its systems to CPUs manufactured by Intel Corp., he was convinced that someone had been playing too much in their reality distortion field again.
PACKET RAT: Top post in cybersecurity has the look of a gilded cage
When the Rat recently read the Government Accountability Office's scathing review of the Homeland Security Department's cybersecurity efforts, the rodent of many words could utter only one: 'Ouch.'
PACKET RAT: Sith, that and other mischievous things while on line
'So, Sith Lord, are you sure you didn't have anything to do with this Cisco thing?'
PACKET RAT: Sun's swing toward open-source knocks the Rat for a loop
The house was full at the Reagan Federal Building auditorium for Sun Microsystems' quarterly 'Network Computing' road show'which is what happens every time someone mentions a free lunch in Washington.
Packet Rat: Rat rounds up a copy of Longhorn, but where's the beef?
'Promises, promises,' the Rat sighed as he watched his covert video stream from Microsoft's WinHEC hardware developers' conference last week.
PACKET RAT: Apple shows a lot of Gaul in renaming Rendezvous
The Rat doesn't usually get surprised by Apple Computer Inc.
PACKET RAT: Rodent vs. machine, and other realities of FOSE
It was FOSE time again, and the trade show that convened in the cavernous, relatively new Washington, D.C., Convention Center (which stands next to the ongoing demolition of the old Washington Convention Center) reminded the Rat that the more things change, the more they stay the same'though they do get stranger.
Packet Rat: Rat writes off podcasting as ready to push up daisies
'OK, Web logging is now officially pass',' the Rat announced recently to the members of his technology support star chamber.
PACKET RAT: Rat busts a move with Microsoft and AOL
Microsoft Corp.'s purchase of Groove Networks has spawned a pun fest at Hacienda del Rat'n.
PACKET RAT: Rat wonders if he's really who he says he is
You could never accuse the Rat of being out of touch with his identity.
Feds won't fume over Fiorina getting her pink slip
'The star-nosed mole sweeps its feelers back and forth 13 times a second while feeding,' recited the Rat's youngest son as he wrote his science report. 'When it finds food, it snatches it up in less than a fifth of a second.'
Packet Rat: The whiskered one tries a new open-source ingredient
Sometimes, when a company does what it has repeatedly said it will do, it still comes as a surprise.
Packet Rat: The Rat iFantasizes about the Mac mini
Normally the Rat isn't interested in what goes on at Macworld Expo, except perhaps to find out what users will be plugging into his network when his back is turned.
Packet Rat: Rat sees the future'with tongue firmly in cheek
Something about a fresh calendar turns everyone with a column inch, sound bite or weblog into a reject from the Psychic Friends Network. Regrettably, the Rat is no exception.
Packet Rat: Mini devices make the Rat a holiday humbug
When the holidays approach, most people grow anxious for the usual reasons: too much time with extended family, holiday shopping madness and people telling them to cheer up.
Packet Rat: Rat worries agency users could be phish food
The Rat hauled his three offspring to Baltimore's National Aquarium on Veterans Day'partially out of parental duty and partially because the bottom of the Atlantic coral reef exhibit is one of the deadest wireless dead spots in the greater Baltimore-Washington area.
Packet Rat: E-voting has the Rat on pins and needles
It seemed appropriate that this Election Day fell so close to Halloween.
Packet Rat: Rat sees spam bounty idea as a bust
The cyberrodent has been struggling to prop up the wall against spam that daily floods his agency's e-mail servers.
Packet Rat: The Rat has a close solar encounter
The cyberrodent hopped a transport to the Army's Dugway Proving Ground in Utah for a long-anticipated moment of geek tourism.
Packet Rat: The Rat finds gator legends are no croc
WiFi may have been the Democrats' unanimous choice last month in Boston, but the only IEEE 802.11b wireless networks anywhere near Madison Square Garden at the Republicans' big blowout were outside'run by the protesters.
Do Not Sell My Personal Information
When you visit our website, we store cookies on your browser to collect information. The information collected might relate to you, your preferences or your device, and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to and to provide a more personalized web experience. However, you can choose not to allow certain types of cookies, which may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings according to your preference. You cannot opt-out of our First Party Strictly Necessary Cookies as they are deployed in order to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting the cookie banner and remembering your settings, to log into your account, to redirect you when you log out, etc.). For more information about the First and Third Party Cookies used please follow this link.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies - Always Active
We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.
Sale of Personal Data, Targeting & Social Media Cookies
Under the California Consumer Privacy Act, you have the right to opt-out of the sale of your personal information to third parties. These cookies collect information for analytics and to personalize your experience with targeted ads. You may exercise your right to opt out of the sale of personal information by using this toggle switch. If you opt out we will not be able to offer you personalised ads and will not hand over your personal information to any third parties. Additionally, you may contact our legal department for further clarification about your rights as a California consumer by using this Exercise My Rights link
If you have enabled privacy controls on your browser (such as a plugin), we have to take that as a valid request to opt-out. Therefore we would not be able to track your activity through the web. This may affect our ability to personalize ads according to your preferences.
Targeting cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Social media cookies are set by a range of social media services that we have added to the site to enable you to share our content with your friends and networks. They are capable of tracking your browser across other sites and building up a profile of your interests. This may impact the content and messages you see on other websites you visit. If you do not allow these cookies you may not be able to use or see these sharing tools.
If you want to opt out of all of our lead reports and lists, please submit a privacy request at our Do Not Sell page.
Cookie List
A cookie is a small piece of data (text file) that a website – when visited by a user – asks your browser to store on your device in order to remember information about you, such as your language preference or login information. Those cookies are set by us and called first-party cookies. We also use third-party cookies – which are cookies from a domain different than the domain of the website you are visiting – for our advertising and marketing efforts. More specifically, we use cookies and other tracking technologies for the following purposes:
Strictly Necessary Cookies
We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.
Functional Cookies
We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.
Performance Cookies
We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.
Sale of Personal Data
We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.
Social Media Cookies
We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.
Targeting Cookies
We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.
Help us tailor content specifically for you: