Author Archive

R. Fink

The Packet Rat once managed networks but now spends his time ferreting out bad packets in cyberspace.
Digital Government

High hopes fall with Apple's dubious call

The new year arrived with the load of hype that comes with the territory in Washington ' it being the first city built on a foundation of hype, buzz and hot air.

  • By R. Fink
Digital Government

Rat warns warfighters about war-chalking

The Defense Department's impending sanctions on wireless devices didn't surprise the Rat, who's been bemoaning wireless network security - or the lack thereof - for some time now.

  • By R. Fink
Digital Government

The Rat finds millions of good reasons not to fix faulty date code

Packet Rat R. Fink The year 2000 crisis has finally gained our chief executive's attention, at least budgetwise. The Rat rejoices that his late-night rap sessions with Al and Tipper have paid off, but it is a little late. The fiscal 2000 budget proposal, even if approved on time, doesn't kick in until October. That leaves three months to apply the information technology funds to emergency triage.

  • By R. Fink
Digital Government

Sysadmins sing the IP blues down in the domain name dumps

The Rat was browsing the news while eating lunch. He choked on his ratatouille at learning of the network administration goof of all time. How could the domain administrators at Network Solutions Inc. have mistakenly purged the domain name for Microsoft Corp.'s and NBC's joint venture, MSNBC? To make really big networking mistakes, it certainly helps to have a big network. Network Solutions, the Herndon, Va., contractor chosen by the National Science Foundation in 1993

  • By R. Fink