Beware of software writers bearing gifts!

I've just noticed Tim's post on AGPS software for GPS and it occurred to me that this could be too good to be true. The reference prohibiting use for terrorist purposes made interesting reading, as GPS was originally developed for dropping explosives and nuclear weapons on people's heads.

Although I've owned and used GPS systems from the time you practically needed to carry a generator to power them, I've never quite trusted them. After all, the Tracker system combines GPS with a radio transmitter to pinpoint the position of stolen cars, so it's just possible that all of these little boxes we carry are doing the same!!!

AGPS could be a way of making information on the whereabouts of GPS users more accurate, after all, why go to the bother of writing complicated software and then give it away. Next time you use your GPS to find a pub, the lads in Cheltenham could be tracking your every move!!!

Not that I'm paranoid, of course, but you will have noticed that I didn't mention the initials of the lads from Cheltenham, because their use in an email triggers a response from the system which monitors everyone's emails. Cheers, John

You mean to say that if I write GCHQ Trident Prime Minister CND Greenpeace Aldermaston SAS Al-Quaeda France someont will come around to see me?

Oh, who's that knocking at the door at this time of night ...

AGPS doesn't add anything to the accuracy of GPS. It's a bit of software that takes the data from the GPS by a cable and makes some pretty pictures out of it. It also contains no mechanism to transmit that data to anywhere - neither does the GPS in your pocket, on your dashboard etc.

Tracker doesn't transmit until told to, either by the control centre or by an external trigger (such as the car alarm).

If the boys at GCHQ want to find out where you are there are many far easier ways. Your mobile phone is, for example, constantly telling your network where it is (to a few hundred metres). Your credit card logs your location every time you spend money.

If you want to plan some nefarious activity, e-mail is not the way to do it. It is probably the least secure method of communication since smoke signals. Your ISP can read everything you send and receive, should they wish to, unless you PGP encrypt it. In which case they can still read it, but they'll need a bigger processor.

There are lots of conspiracy theories out there, but does anyone really believe that there is a room full of people somewhere monitoring which pub I drink in? It's a shame if there is, because if they asked I'd tell them.

Tim Hobbs

'58 Series 2 '77 101FC Ambulance '95 Discovery V8i

F*ck me! I used to think that if you weren't paranoid, you weren't paying enough attention - but this takes that theory to the limit!

Must go, some gentlemen in black suits are knocking on the door. I wonder why they're wearing sunglasses at this time of night...

Martyn

Sod it, I was hoping the people from GCHQ, Echelon, Box 500 and all the other knock on the door in the night squad members might be able to tell me where I am if I switched on my GPS, as I'm spending too much time on computers and I can't read the bloody thing!!! Cheers, John

Actually it's 2 rooms and shhhhhh..It's a good job!

:-)

Lee D

PS don't eat the peanuts they are out of date.

More likely to be that you could do with having your eyes tested, and lack of a good light source.