Pluralistic: Amazon Alexa is a graduate of the Darth Vader MBA (26 Oct 2023)

Today’s links Amazon Alexa is a graduate of the Darth Vader MBA: I am altering the deal. Pray I don’t alter it any further. Hey look at this: Delights to delectate. This day in history: 2003, 2013, 2018, 2022 Colophon: Recent publications, upcoming/recent appearances, current writing projects, current reading Amazon Alexa is a graduate of the Darth Vader MBA (permalink) If you own an Alexa, you might enjoy its integration with IFTTT, an easy scripting environment that lets you create your own little voice-controlled apps, like “start my Roomba” or “close the garage door.” If so, tough shit, Amazon just nuked IFTTT for Alexa: https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/25/23931463/ifttt-amazon-alexa-applets-ending-support-integration-automation Amazon can do this because the Alexa’s operating system sits behind a cryptographic lock, and any tool that bypasses that lock is a felony under Section 1201 of the DMCA, punishable by a 5-year prison sentence and a $500,000 fine. That means that it’s literally…

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