Toronto Electricians and Electrical Contractors

In its most basic form, machine control is the implementation of positioning sensors and a visual display to assist the operator with a reference between the location of the bucket/blade and the target grade. The target grade may be as complicated as a 3D design model, or as basic as a vertical offset from a defined level.  Based on the configuration, machine control systems can offer the operator with a simple visual guide to bucket or blade position, or they can efficiently move the blade to grade by directly “talking” to the machine’s hydraulics. There are systems readily available on nearly all types of machines: graders, dozers, excavators, soil & asphalt compactors, scrapers, trimmers, milling machines, and pavers. While embracing the escalating expansion of both the applications and the industry, it is recommended to keep the following points in mind.   Greater precision at the same time lowering expenses   The requirement for precise, repeatable motion control component

Stupid Patent of the Month: A Patent on Following Privacy Laws What if we allowed some people to patent the law and then demand money from the rest of us just for following it? As anyone with a basic understanding of democratic principles can see, that is a terrible idea. In a democracy, elected representatives write laws that apply to everyone, ideally, based on the public interest. We shouldn’t let private parties “own” legal principles or use technical jargon to re-cast those principles as “inventions.”  But that’s exactly what the U.S. Patent Office has allowed two inventors, Nicholas Hall and Steven Eakin, to do. Last September, the government proclaimed that Hall and Eakin are the inventors of “Methods and Systems for User Opt-In to Data Privacy Agreements,” U.S. Patent No. 10,075,451 .  The owner of this patent, a company called “Veripath,” is already filing lawsuits against companies that make privacy compliance software. With Congress and many states actively engaged in

Stupid Patent of the Month: A Patent on Following Privacy Laws What if we allowed some people to patent the law and then demand money from the rest of us just for following it? As anyone with a basic understanding of democratic principles can see, that is a terrible idea. In a democracy, elected representatives write laws that apply to everyone, ideally, based on the public interest. We shouldn’t let private parties “own” legal principles or use technical jargon to re-cast those principles as “inventions.”  But that’s exactly what the U.S. Patent Office has allowed two inventors, Nicholas Hall and Steven Eakin, to do. Last September, the government proclaimed that Hall and Eakin are the inventors of “Methods and Systems for User Opt-In to Data Privacy Agreements,” U.S. Patent No. 10,075,451 .  The owner of this patent, a company called “Veripath,” is already filing lawsuits against companies that make privacy compliance software. With Congress and many states actively engaged in

EFF to the inter-American System: If You Want to Tackle “Fake News,” Consider Free Expression First Recent elections across the Americas ­from the United States to Brazil have stirred fears about the impact of “fake news”. Earlier this month, EFF made a submission to the Organization of American States (OAS), the pan-American institution currently investigating the extent and impact of false information across the region.  While acknowledging the perceived risks, our testimony warned of the dangers of over-reacting to a perceived online threat, at the cost of free expression standards in the region. Over-reaction isn’t just a future hypothetical. During 2018, 17 governments approved or proposed laws restricting online media with the justification of combating online manipulation. Citizens were prosecuted and faced criminal charges in at least ten countries for spreading “fake news.” Disinformation flows are not a new issue , neither is the use of “fake news” as a label to attack

EFF to the inter-American System: If You Want to Tackle “Fake News,” Consider Free Expression First Recent elections across the Americas ­from the United States to Brazil have stirred fears about the impact of “fake news”. Earlier this month, EFF made a submission to the Organization of American States (OAS), the pan-American institution currently investigating the extent and impact of false information across the region.  While acknowledging the perceived risks, our testimony warned of the dangers of over-reacting to a perceived online threat, at the cost of free expression standards in the region. Over-reaction isn’t just a future hypothetical. During 2018, 17 governments approved or proposed laws restricting online media with the justification of combating online manipulation. Citizens were prosecuted and faced criminal charges in at least ten countries for spreading “fake news.” Disinformation flows are not a new issue , neither is the use of "fake news" as a label

With FOSTA Already Leading to Censorship, We Are Seeking Reinstatement Of Our Lawsuit Challenging the Law’s Constitutionality With Help From Rights Groups Internet websites and forums are continuing to censor speech with adult content on their platforms to avoid running afoul of the new anti-sex trafficking law FOSTA. The measure’s vague, ambiguous language and stiff criminal and civil penalties are driving constitutionally protected content off the Internet. The consequences of this censorship are devastating for marginalized communities, especially organizations that provide support and services to victims of trafficking and child abuse, sex workers, and groups and individuals promoting sexual freedom. The fear that comments, posts, or ads that are sexual in nature will be ensnared by FOSTA, many have gone offline and back to the streets, where they’ve been sexually abused and physically harmed. A federal judge dismissed EFF’s lawsuit last summer without reaching the merits of

With FOSTA Already Leading to Censorship, We Are Seeking Reinstatement Of Our Lawsuit Challenging the Law’s Constitutionality With Help From Rights Groups Internet websites and forums are continuing to censor speech with adult content on their platforms to avoid running afoul of the new anti-sex trafficking law FOSTA. The measure’s vague, ambiguous language and stiff criminal and civil penalties are driving constitutionally protected content off the Internet. The consequences of this censorship are devastating for marginalized communities, especially organizations that provide support and services to victims of trafficking and child abuse, sex workers, and groups and individuals promoting sexual freedom. The fear that comments, posts, or ads that are sexual in nature will be ensnared by FOSTA, many have gone offline and back to the streets, where they’ve been sexually abused and physically harmed. A federal judge dismissed EFF’s lawsuit last summer without reaching the merits o

Moving toward a more digital, connected manufacturing enterprise has tremendous benefits, but getting to that point does not seem easy. Most companies are operating with at least some obsolete or older systems designed without connectivity, security, or data analytics in mind. With technology advancing at a rapid pace in this digital economy, manufacturers need help to create and then execute on a plan to get them to the next level. But where do they start? Many manufacturers today have a growing list of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) initiatives, but couple that with uncertainty about the growing list of new technologies, and they can suffer from paralysis by analysis. What they need is a solid modernization implementation plan to ensure they can thrive in the digital age. This is where service providers can help. Take this case in point. One plant manager at a batch manufacturer had an old control system and was looking to the future when he asked “Why are we doing this? Jus

EFF Implores Nine Companies to Fix It Already! Changes from Facebook, Google, and Others Could Make Everyone’s Lives Safer and Easier San Francisco – Technology is supposed to make our lives better, yet many big companies have products with big security and privacy holes that disrespect user control and put us all at risk. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is launching a new project called “ Fix It Already! ” demanding repair for nine issues from tech giants like Facebook and Google. “We chose these nine problems because they are well-known problems and weaknesses in these services that, if fixed, could make a huge difference in many people’s lives,” said EFF Associate Director of Research Gennie Gebhart. “It’s 2019, and it’s time for big tech companies to bring their products in line with what consumers expect and deserve.” “Fix It Already!” takes Facebook to task for re-using customers’ phone numbers to deliver targeted advertising, even if the customer only provid

EFF Implores Nine Companies to Fix It Already! Changes from Facebook, Google, and Others Could Make Everyone’s Lives Safer and Easier San Francisco - Technology is supposed to make our lives better, yet many big companies have products with big security and privacy holes that disrespect user control and put us all at risk. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is launching a new project called “ Fix It Already! ” demanding repair for nine issues from tech giants like Facebook and Google. “We chose these nine problems because they are well-known problems and weaknesses in these services that, if fixed, could make a huge difference in many people’s lives,” said EFF Associate Director of Research Gennie Gebhart. “It’s 2019, and it’s time for big tech companies to bring their products in line with what consumers expect and deserve.” “Fix It Already!” takes Facebook to task for re-using customers’ phone numbers to deliver targeted advertising, even if the customer only provid

Fix It Already: Nine Steps That Companies Should Take To Protect You Today we are announcing Fix It Already , a new way to show companies we’re serious about the big security and privacy issues they need to fix. We are demanding fixes for different issues from nine tech companies and platforms, targeting social media companies, operating systems, and enterprise platforms on issues ranging from encryption design to retention policies. Some of these issues stem from business decisions. Some are security holes. Some are design choices. The common thread? All of these well-known privacy and security issues have attainable fixes and an outsize impact on people’s lives. We want to see companies bring their products in line with what consumers expect and deserve. And we need to hear from you to do it. How have these problems affected you, or people you know? What risks do you face as a result? What workarounds have you used to try to make these products and platforms work for your sec

Fix It Already: Nine Steps That Companies Should Take To Protect You Today we are announcing Fix It Already , a new way to show companies we're serious about the big security and privacy issues they need to fix. We are demanding fixes for different issues from nine tech companies and platforms, targeting social media companies, operating systems, and enterprise platforms on issues ranging from encryption design to retention policies. Some of these issues stem from business decisions. Some are security holes. Some are design choices. The common thread? All of these well-known privacy and security issues have attainable fixes and an outsize impact on people's lives. We want to see companies bring their products in line with what consumers expect and deserve. And we need to hear from you to do it. How have these problems affected you, or people you know? What risks do you face as a result? What workarounds have you used to try to make these products and platforms work for

Antitrust Enforcement Needs to Evolve for the 21st Century Yesterday, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced the creation of a new task force to monitor competition in technology markets. Given the inadequacies of federal antitrust enforcement over the past generation, we welcome the new task force and reiterate our suggestions for how regulators can better protect technology markets and consumers. Citing the 2002 creation of a task force that reinvigorated antitrust scrutiny of mergers, and ongoing hearings on Competition and Consumer Protection, FTC Chairman Joe Simons said , “[I]t makes sense for us to closely examine technology markets to ensure consumers benefit from free and fair competition.” Bureau Director Bruce Hoffman noted that “[t]echnology markets, which are rapidly evolving and touch so many other sectors of the economy, raise distinct challenges for antitrust enforcement.”  We could not agree more.  Unfortunately, antitrust enforcement in the U.S. has becom

Antitrust Enforcement Needs to Evolve for the 21st Century Yesterday, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced the creation of a new task force to monitor competition in technology markets. Given the inadequacies of federal antitrust enforcement over the past generation, we welcome the new task force and reiterate our suggestions for how regulators can better protect technology markets and consumers. Citing the 2002 creation of a task force that reinvigorated antitrust scrutiny of mergers, and ongoing hearings on Competition and Consumer Protection, FTC Chairman Joe Simons said , “[I]t makes sense for us to closely examine technology markets to ensure consumers benefit from free and fair competition.” Bureau Director Bruce Hoffman noted that “[t]echnology markets, which are rapidly evolving and touch so many other sectors of the economy, raise distinct challenges for antitrust enforcement.”  We could not agree more.  Unfortunately, antitrust enforcement in the U.S. has becom

It’s Time for California to Guarantee “Privacy for All” Privacy is a right. It is past time for California to ensure that the companies using secretive practices to make money off of our personal information treat it that way. EFF has for years urged technology companies and legislators to do a better job at protecting the privacy of every person. We hoped the companies would realize the value meaningful privacy protections. Incidents such as the Cambridge Analytica scandal and countless others proved otherwise. Californians last year took an important step in the right direction, by enacting the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). But much work remains to be done . “Privacy for All,” a bill introduced today by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, builds on the CCPA’s foundation. It promises to give everyone the rights, knowledge, and power to reclaim their own privacy. Rights for All Californians have an inalienable, constitutional right to privacy. But the scale and s