Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuart
Be interesting to see what people find. Despite the privacy concerns, If the app helps, I will happily install it.
However, the fact they tested on Jailbroken iphones makes me question the results they got. They are not testing like for like. The Jailbreak may well have altered some aspect of the way the OS handles bluetooth.
I have some knowledge of iPhone development (not extensive by any means, but I have written the odd app for my own use). As far as the testing goes, as far as I can see, they should not have needed to jailbreak the phones. Even assuming they couldn't have used android phones to actually monitor the Bluetooth communication, there are a number of devices on the market (for both legal and illegal purposes) that will monitor Bluetooth communication. They could have used one. Assuming the source code published is complete, they didn't even need to jailbreak the device to install the app. They could have compiled it from the source code using their own developer credentials, and installed it via the Apple Development systems and Apple's Testflight app (which enables developers to send a limited number of invites to enable users to install beta versions).
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This was exactly the point I was making. If you have even a basic understanding of Software Development, it is clear your validation of the functional use cases is done against a representative Production environment.
This is an interesting observation on the app from:
https://www.businessinsider.com/nhsx...20-4?r=US&IR=T
Quote:
Ross Anderson, a University of Cambridge professor who advised on the app's security and development, told BI that UK authorities want "fine-grained" contact tracing. The logic here is that it would enable the UK's epidemiologists to take more effective action in response to COVID-19.
Now it isn't clear that the app meets Apple and Google's standards, and whether it would work properly, particularly on the iPhone.
Anderson told Business Insider: "The NHSX people [have] this delightful choice between an app that won't work... or an app that will run on the platform but won't enable them to do the epidemiology they want."
Jon Crowcroft, Marconi professor of Communications Systems at the University of Cambridge, raised similar questions.
"Apple and Google's policies on all COVID-19 related apps was that if they came from a government health agency, subject to normal other checks, they'd be okayed," he told Business Insider, saying that it wasn't clear if the NHSX app might be blocked.
Ultimately, practicality may win out over politics. The obvious solution would be to rebuild the app on Apple and Google's APIs.
Another source said: "Everyone expects the [Department of Health] to rewrite their app to use the API, and claim victory."
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---------- Post added at 14:10 ---------- Previous post was at 14:04 ----------
Quote:
Originally Posted by jfman
The vast, vast majority of workers this morning were either key workers anyway or working from home and still doing so. The outcome of the change is negligible by comparison.
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I am not convinced. A friend whose son was working from home has now been told he has to return to work at the office and travel there on Public Transport. The employer, in this case, just wants to start to get back to their definition of normal. Given the new labour market with the severe increase in unemployment, the ability of the employee to push back against the Employer is much reduced.