Good story

Even if computers and the players mean nothing to you, it's a good story.

I'm currently working on a new version of the IBM vs PSI analysis, based upon IBM's Amended Complaint and PSI's response thereto. Because this set of documents essentially represents the endgame, I'm taking a little time.

But I was forced into spontaneous gigglery (think LOL, ROTF,LMAO) when I read IBM's petty grumble about "IBM Confidential" materials.

The fire is out and the ashes are cold - some of the stories can be told.

IBM has _NEVER_ been security-conscious. Even to today. Idiots, who've failed to take on board the most elementary principles. Every IBMer in such a situation should read R. V. Jones' discussion of "working fiction" during the U-boat war. And take note - it's a seminal text on how to drag something out of what looks like nothing.

In the very early 1990s - 1990 or 1991, I can't be bothered to check - IBM set up a meeting in Dublin for all of the competitive marketing people in Europe. Oh, dear Lord - run by the Danes. Next time pick people with smaller egos. Incredibly, IBM had published (and still publishes) the internal structure of this group via Blue Pages. Equally incredibly, they always used the same hotels in every European city. A few beers and a good meal for a few staff in each of their hotels earned a stream of: "Guess who's booked twenty rooms next Friday?"

And so it was in Dublin this time. People whom one would expect to be there 'disappeared' from their geographies. You got a customer to call: "Sorry - he's back on Friday". In some cases we had flight numbers.

So with moderate effort you could reproduce the list of attendees.

Now - there is a general principle within most European countries of "totters rights" What this means is that what you discard (in the trash) is no longer yours. For a variety of legal reasons (to do with liability about its treatment) ownership and legal title passes to the cleasing/refuse department. It's theirs to do what they want with it. And they have an obligation at law to get the best price for all the recyclable material they collect.

All meetings and conferences are the same. There's always someone who doesn't turn up. Business commitments change, grandmothers get ill.

So a very simple offer to the Dublin Cleansing Authority (actually privatized, but that's a detail) for GBP1 for every 1lb weight of materials marked "IBM Confidential" was not only 100% legal but also quite productive.

Two complete copies of the secret squirrel manual and the handouts. GBP10 plus the airfare and one night in the Connaught on the same square. And a receipt.

Followed by a discussion with corporate counsel. "How did you get this?" "Here's the receipt."

Every page had to be marked with its certified origin, etc.

For a lot of people I know - and certainly for myself - "IBM Confidential" at the bottom of a page effectively means "Please turn over". Those familiar with my dispute with IBM's aßhole lawyer will know I sent them 13 (thirteen) warnings about the z890 data before using it. And being shat on for my trouble.

I've now got more than one unsolicited copy of the z6 stuff [not yet publically announced] - what in hell am I (or we, including PSI) supposed to do about this?

http://www.isham-research.co.uk/