Linked List: January 30, 2017

Monday, 30 January 2017

Google’s Sergey Brin and Sundar Pichai Speak at Trump Immigration Ban Rally ★

Matt Weinberger, writing for Business Insider:

Google CEO Sundar Pichai and cofounder Sergey Brin addressed crowds of employees rallying against President Trump’s immigration ban on Monday, as about 2,000 Google staffers in offices worldwide took to the streets with signs.

At least one hundred people outside Google’s downtown San Francisco offices took to the streets on Monday afternoon, carrying signs and chanting. “You build a wall, we’ll tear it down,” was one such chant.

Brin emigrated from the former Soviet Union as a child; his family sought to escape antisemitism. Pichai was born in India.

Donald Trump’s top advisor, Steve Bannon — who is credited with drafting the immigration ban — thinks it’s a problem that too many Silicon Valley CEOs “are from South Asia or from Asia”.

California and North Carolina Ban MacBook Pros With Touch Bar From Bar Exam ★

Juli Clover, reporting for MacRumors:

In California, the Committee of Bar Examiners has decided that the MacBook Pro with Touch Bar can’t be used at all on the February 2017 examination and sent out notices to test takers this morning.

The Committee of Bar Examiners has been advised that the MacBook Pro laptop with Touch Bar contains certain embedded features that makes it problematic for use during the upcoming February 2017 administration of the CBX. As a result, applicants will NOT be allowed to use the MacBook Pro laptop with Touch Bar during the February 2017 CBX.

My first thought when I read this was that I couldn’t see how the Touch Bar would make cheating any easier than software on your regular display. I’m not sure if the same software is used in all states, but here’s a description of the software used in Pennsylvania:

Bar exam applicants have the option to provide answers to the written (i.e., Performance Test and essay) portions of the PA bar examination using their own personal computer. This method of test taking is known as Computer Based Testing or CBT. The essay/PT questions are provided in booklet format (they do not appear on screen), while the responses may be entered via the applicant’s computer. Applicants must download and register a program known as SofTest, developed by ExamSoft Worldwide, Inc. (ExamSoft), in order to participate in CBT. The software prevents a test taker from accessing any program other than SofTest while it is running.

So I think what they need is for ExamSoft to update their Mac software to turn off typing suggestions in the touch bar while in use.

Theater Mode for Apple Watch in WatchOS 3.2 Beta 1 ★

It’s a little thing, but I do feel self-conscious when my Apple Watch lights up with a notification when I’m in a movie theater.