You Are Here

12:33 AM

oh sure, it's a complicated mess of laws

btw I found an odd occurrence earlier this year, walking across the border from Spain (Schengen) into Gibraltar (non-Schengen) with a non-EU passport, nobody ever stamped me out of Schengen. In theory I could have gotten on a flight to the UK and left Schengen with a set of unmatched stamps

they had e-gates for people with chipped EU passports or id cards but I was just waived around them

Heidel Ber Gensis

@ZachLipton flight from the UK to Gibraltar pass through immigration or not?

Zach Lipton

apparently yes, it's not part of the CTA

Heidel Ber Gensis

@ZachLipton otherwise that would be a big mess..

Zach Lipton

in my case I just went from Spain to Gibraltar and back, so it didn't matter

Heidel Ber Gensis

get a visa to uk, then fly to Gibraltar, then go to schengen..

Zach Lipton

12:46 AM

yeah I think that's a case where it may matter what passport you have. I flashed a US passport at the Spanish guards and they didn't bother to look up, but I can imagine them becoming more interested in other nationalities

and it was New Year's Day, so they may not have been the most alert...

Heidel Ber Gensis

@ZachLipton but there is no fixed immigration points?

Zach Lipton

there's a point at the Spain/Gibraltar border yes

but nobody looked to see whether I had been admitted to Schengen

Heidel Ber Gensis

aha..

a loophole..

Zach Lipton

yeah I'm not sure what's typical, but it's odd to enter and exit schengen that way

saved me space in my passport anyway

but if I had gotten on a plane to the UK would they think I overstayed in schengen?

Heidel Ber Gensis

@ZachLipton a question about that is a good idea

i am sure @GayotFow has the answer

Zach Lipton

12:51 AM

heh yeah

Heidel Ber Gensis

or @Relaxed

Gayot Fow

1:10 AM

@HeidelBerGensis What's the question gentle squire?

Zach Lipton

I just posted it: travel.stackexchange.com/questions/72228/…

I suspect the answer may be "the situation with Gibraltar is all kinds of messed up, it's a hole in Schengen, it's in nobody's political interest to do anything about it"

Gayot Fow

They don't you're ok until it's a pattern, then you can't go to Gibraltar again

chx

Is it common for Schengen countries to do exit stamps?

Gayot Fow

1:29 AM

@chx They can make either one; an electronic records of entry is fine also.

There are one-off tricks that will work until they spot the pattern, and then the party's over.

There's also the cattle car into City.

I used to take it every week

To my view, they make poor topics in TSE

Zach Lipton

cattle car?

Gayot Fow

2:02 AM

@ZachLipton yes, it

phoog

@JonathanReez: "The policy is 'Don't help break any laws', but what is really a 'law'? I would argue that only laws recognized by the US count, since SE is an American company": That argument might hold water if the policy were related to some sort of requirement in US law, but it is not. US law rather includes very broad protections for freedom of speech. SE chooses of its own accord to limit the speech of its users; that limitation has nothing to do with US law.

As to Bill Clinton, the whole point of that comment on his part was to say "You asked a bad question that left me a huge opportunity to ask it truthfully but deceptively. Instead of taking advantage of that opportunity, I'm going to answer the question you should have asked instead of the one you actually asked."

Gayot Fow

3:04 AM

@ZachLipton sorry, cattle car = packed with FFM commuters to London.

I used to take it every monday and back to frankfurt on friday

phoog

3:19 AM

@chx "Is it common for Schengen countries to do exit stamps?" yes, it's supposed to be universal. It's the only reliable way they have to know whether a traveler has overstayed in the Schengen area, because there is no Schengen-wide database of entries and exits.

chx

I see.

Zach Lipton

it is crazy that there still is no central database to track that

Relaxed

6:37 AM

@chx Exit stamps are required (by the Borders Code) at Schengen external borders (for third-country nationals, except EU citizens' family).

Oh, I see @phoog already answered that one.

@ZachLipton They have been working on such a database for years I think

JoErNanO

7:11 AM

@Relaxed I really am. :)

JoErNanO

7:29 AM

@mts I use the Trenìt app.

Gayot Fow

Does anybody here use Netflix?

Heidel Ber Gensis

@GayotFow I do..

Gayot Fow

Do you make recordings of stuff from it?

Heidel Ber Gensis

@GayotFow no..

why would i? even if i needed to, i will head to uTorrent..

just download the thing from there..

Gayot Fow

do you just watch stuff?

Heidel Ber Gensis

7:43 AM

@GayotFow yes.. what else would i be doing with netflix?

for movies, i keep the movies i like.. download them from torrent..

just use tor..

tails OS..

they can't track u..

Gayot Fow

I have a possible commission to write an application that records netflix stuff

Heidel Ber Gensis

good..

JoErNanO

So many bounties going to waste :_(

@GayotFow That might be copyright infringement.

Heidel Ber Gensis

i am sure with every update they take measures to make sure such code won't work

JoErNanO

I shouldn't even be telling you this man you're a lawyer. :)

Gayot Fow

7:46 AM

@JoErNanO i already checked, personal time shifting is fine

Heidel Ber Gensis

@JoErNanO he is a cool lawyer.. not a boring neuro-something..

;)

JoErNanO

@GayotFow So not recording per se. More like caching. Or do you want to do something like the my-Sky recorder/decoder thing?

Gayot Fow

@JoErNanO not tht kind

JoErNanO

@HeidelBerGensis I'm going to get a tattoo saying: I'm just a boring neuro-something. Love it.

Gayot Fow

@JoErNanO the client wants to record stuff and then watch it on his mobile when he travels

Heidel Ber Gensis

7:49 AM

@JoErNanO i want to have a tattoo..

just to piss the religious people here..

a big one.. super big one..

JoErNanO

@HeidelBerGensis Saying something blasphemous. Or else you're just a sand-chicken. :P

Gayot Fow

@HeidelBerGensis you mean like the aussie girl?

JoErNanO

Naa all jokes aside I don't know if i'll ever get a tattoo.

Heidel Ber Gensis

@JoErNanO no, i respect religion man.. but not religious people who try to force their beliefs..

@JoErNanO man you make neuro electronic stuff..

u cant get a tattoo.. u r a geek.. and most likely if u get a tattoo, it will be geeky and only few people can get it..

Gayot Fow

I got one when I was 19

Heidel Ber Gensis

7:52 AM

@GayotFow thats why u r the cool person here..

Gayot Fow

at a parlor in the seedy part of DC

JoErNanO

@HeidelBerGensis Obviously.

Heidel Ber Gensis

@GayotFow anyway, regarding that. netflix is adding offline playing soon.. just to let u know.

i read that yesterday, can't remember where.. a google search will get it..

Gayot Fow

@HeidelBerGensis that's bad. how does it work

Zach Lipton

gizmodo.com/…

Heidel Ber Gensis

7:54 AM

@GayotFow no idea, but i guess they will add something like "save for offline"..

Zach Lipton

it's a rumor at this point, but making the rounds

Heidel Ber Gensis

@ZachLipton i guess it's a rumor started by netflix, to see the reactions..

Gayot Fow

End of the year gives me lots of time

Problem is that it's not my usual commission and I don't know how to do it

Heidel Ber Gensis

@GayotFow it won't be easy

netflix don't allow screenshots..

tried to grab a screenshot before, it showed a black screen.

Relaxed

@GayotFow Wouldn't that be against Netflix terms of services?

Heidel Ber Gensis

7:58 AM

try packet sniffing.. decode the stream.. or something

Gayot Fow

@Relaxed They are ok with personal time-shifting

Relaxed

Not saying it can't be done but I would not expect Netflix to make it easy for you or stand still if some clean solution was widely available

Gayot Fow

I can make a screen shot for sure

Heidel Ber Gensis

i am using the native windows 10 app.. that does not allow it..

never tried via the website..

Gayot Fow

@HeidelBerGensis Yeah, well I have my own screenshot app :)

Relaxed

8:00 AM

It's a common problem for videos, not necessarily a policy

Heidel Ber Gensis

@Relaxed many video streaming service, change the way they encode the video every few weeks to make it harder for people.. youtube is an exxample.. every while all the "downloader" apps will stop working until they're updated with the new way.

Relaxed

For donwloads yes, I was talking about screenshots

Gayot Fow

Heidel Ber Gensis

@Relaxed ooh..

Gayot Fow

You see? Screenshots are fine

Heidel Ber Gensis

8:05 AM

which app?

Zach Lipton

there's apparently a (not fully disclosed) bug in Chrome right now that makes capturing videos from netflix easier, but presumably it will be fixed sooner or later: wired.com/2016/06/bug-chrome-makes-easy-pirate-movies

Heidel Ber Gensis

tried again now.. just blank screen

Gayot Fow

Mine has to be a straight-up browser that does not exploit a bug

CMaster

Screengrabbing is always possible

but has its own problems

Gayot Fow

A very light-weight browser that can record netflix

CMaster

8:07 AM

like, if the user can see it

there's always a WAY of recording it

but it might be a horrible kludge, or suffer lots of quality loss

Oh, accepting nominations again for good, existing answers that deserve a bounty

Gayot Fow

@CMaster Plus it's got to be a slick application

Because I am going to charge a lot for it

CMaster

@GayotFow how general purpose does it have to be?

JonathanReez

First of all, SE's policy is "In case of doubt, help out", as I've pointed out in the link to their official reply

Second of all, the policy exists because they don't want to become the kind of place where people come to discuss things like "How do I run away from a hotel without paying" or "Where can I buy a fake driver's license". This gets on the news and - bam - StackExchange is now "a site for criminals"

CMaster

Like, does it just have to work for a single user?

Gayot Fow

Single user, very highly focused app that records netflix to a video file

CMaster

8:10 AM

What hardware are they using?

Gayot Fow

Like a desktop browser

JonathanReez

Helping breaking a law which the US itself considers illegal won't fall under something which can get SE into trouble

CMaster

Might be possible to do something like hook in to graphics card access to pull it out

Gayot Fow

I would like to put together an app like chrome and has some buttons and what-not

I have the browser components from previous jobs

But do not know how to capture a stream like that

Heidel Ber Gensis

really guys, u r real programmers..

so can't we use something like Pcap.Net, intercept the packets..decode it into a video file?

CMaster

8:14 AM

If you want to capture the stream, you're either going to have to write your own version of the Netflix webapp (and put up with it breaking when netflix change it)

or use some kind of packet-sniffing technique

(and again, probably have it break when Netflix tweak the protocol)

Still, both are possible

JonathanReez

@GayotFow If you're on Linux, it should be easy to create a shell script that launches Chrome, opens Netflix, waits for you to choose a show, then runs Netflix in a hidden full-screen window while recording the contents

CMaster

I think you might do better to try to intercept the rending

Gayot Fow

I write with SOLID

CMaster

*rendering

Heidel Ber Gensis

I write with LIQUID..

Gayot Fow

8:16 AM

so SOLID would say pick up what is on the browser surface and record that so it never breaks

Zach Lipton

packet sniffing on its own isn't enough, there's a DRM layer netflix uses

JonathanReez

Another alternative is to simply pirate from TBP. I find that most of the content is there already, often in better quality. Assuming you already have access to Netflix, many jurisdictions won't consider that illegal (IIRC)

CMaster

And yes, you have to reencode then, there's a performance and possibly a quality penalty

but it should keep working

Gayot Fow

what is TBP?

JonathanReez

ThePirateBay

CMaster

8:17 AM

@JonathanReez meanwhile, if Netflix uses some kind of DRM

Gayot Fow

OH heavens no!

CMaster

this application would be illegal under UK and US law at least

Gayot Fow

It's a standup client

JonathanReez

oh, it's for a client?

not for you personally

Gayot Fow

he could do that without me if he wanted

Yeah, it's a job

CMaster

8:18 AM

Defeating copyright protection is illegal (and CRIMINAL!) under DCMA (and equivilant laws in other juristictions)

Heidel Ber Gensis

@GayotFow there's one problem, that you and ur client have missed..

CMaster

Meanwhile, copyright infringement is just civil in most jurisdictions that make the distinction

Gayot Fow

Personal time shifting is OK, courts settled it

CMaster

crazy, but there you go

Zach Lipton

DMCA, but yes

Heidel Ber Gensis

8:19 AM

to record thigns this way, you will have to keep it playing the whole thing..

that's not really practical..

CMaster

@GayotFow yes, but breaking the copy protection isn't

Heidel Ber Gensis

not different than VHS days..

Zach Lipton

circumventing a DRM system to facilitate time shifting has its own legal problems

Gayot Fow

Everything has to be stand-up legal

The Supreme Court has said that [time-shifting] is fair use."

JonathanReez

May I ask what is the broader goal of the project? Surely the client does not merely want to watch some Netflix shows offline?

or would it be a commercial software for Netflix users?

CMaster

8:22 AM

@GayotFow that ruling sounds to me like it only covers the copyright infringement part of it

Gayot Fow

Yeah, he wants to watch stuff while he travels

OH! Yes, one client, one-off commission

If he wanted illegal, he wouldn't come to me. He can do that himself

CMaster

He probably just doesn't realise

I don't see any mention of timeshifting here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/… (note that is obviously isn't a complete summary of case law)

That said

I'm not sure that capturing the images being displayed on the screen would count as defeating DRM legally anyway

Nobody has a nomination for an answer that deserves a bounty?

Gayot Fow

Not me

JonathanReez

103

A: Should I submit bank statements when applying for a UK Visa? What do they say about me?

What Is the Purpose of Bank Statemens? At first principles bank statements show that the applicant has the financial capacity to visit the UK. However there is a lot more to it and it's not just about the current balance. Bank statements help the decision-maker understand the applicant's person...

how about this one?

another good one

9

A: When are stopovers permitted on Japan Railways (JR) trains?

In a nutshell Only base fare tickets allow stopovers (途中下車, tochū gesha); tickets for additional fees such as limited express fees and seat reservation fees do not. In addition, only base fare tickets for trips of over 100 kilometers allow stopovers. However, base fare tickets for travel within...

Gayot Fow

@JonathanReez No, that's me dummy

JonathanReez

8:33 AM

I was suggesting it to CMaster :)

Gayot Fow

oh sorry

JonathanReez

data.stackexchange.com/travel/query/505008/the-longest-answers

Use this script

to see the longest answers in this year

Gayot Fow

@JonathanReez Thank you @JonathanReez

I like these whizbangs

what is the median???

-1

Q: Should I submit my friend's (sponsor's) bank statements?

I recently applied for a short-term visit visa, as a non-working student, which was refused. My mother is the one paying for the trip and I had shown the necessary bank statements. I was planning on visiting my friend who is currently taking a master's course over there and I was planning on s...

JonathanReez

data.stackexchange.com/travel/query/505016/median-answer-length

Gayot Fow

I hope you guys took note: this guy is headed for disaster

JonathanReez

8:40 AM

1088 is the median

or average to be exact

Gayot Fow

@JonathanReez This is very helpful, you can gauge your stuff

Per above, the worst thing you can do is submit a fresh application immediately when there are structural problems in the refusal

@HeidelBerGensis, something I forgot, I'm going to see the scholar today before going to the hospital. I still don't get it about the Kabah :(

Gayot Fow

9:19 AM

2

Q: hiking trails near by Salzburg and Linz

I'm looking for a one day hiking trails in north-west Austria near by Salzburg and Linz. Can you recommend me some not easy trails, where I won't need special equipment?

hiking austria mountains salzburg

The Danube Valley

Wonderful region

Marc Dingena

12:23 PM

Hello

JoErNanO

Yo

CMaster

Why do we get lots of Indians wondering if unused visas are a problem?

Just seen that @mts dropped a 400 rep bounty!

mts

1:00 PM

@CMaster and I'm desperate for answers to award it to.

JonathanReez

0

Q: How to use OpenVPN GUI for connecting to VPNs with Google Authenticator?

My workplace has a VPN server which requires a Google Auth token to connect. Connecting via console works - I'm asked for the token and the connection goes through smoothly. However connecting via the GUI returns the following error without asking for the token: CHALLENGE: Enter Google Authentic...

windows vpn openvpn gui google-authenticator

in case anyone here is a specialist

JoErNanO

@JonathanReez Have you tried opening the gui via console and reading the error log in there?

Relaxed

@CMaster We got a few of those a while ago

JoErNanO

I'm assuming linux here obviously.

Relaxed

Not sure whether they were asked by Indian citizens

Ooh, you ask why do we get

I thought you asked why don't we get them

JonathanReez

1:10 PM

@JoErNanO The log is readable from the GUI, I've posted it in the question. The issue is that instead of asking for the token the GUI just reads an empty line, receives an error from the server (obviously), and shuts down the connection

JoErNanO

@JonathanReez You might have more details in from the console. Sometimes that's the case. Also there might be a verbose option which gives you more detailed output. Again: thinking linux here.

CMaster

Yeah

@Relaxed Yes, was just wondering where the idea that it would be a problem came from

JonathanReez

good thinking, but on the windows version opening the gui from console ends the console session, so no extra errors are visible

colleagues on Linux are facing no such issues, so it's most likely a bug

CMaster

try powershell rather than cmd?

not that I imagine much will be helpful

Berwyn

@JonathanReez Why would anyone use a GUI when there's a perfectly servicable command line method available?

JonathanReez

1:21 PM

@Berwyn Just a matter of habit. I have multiple VPNs at use and don't like managing them through a console

Berwyn

So do I.

JonathanReez

likewise I'm well versed in Linux-sphere but like Windows :)

JoErNanO

@JonathanReez Awesome. I can't help you more than this.

4

Q: Can I import a drone into Argentina?

I've got a DJI Phantom, and am planning to take it with me from UK to Buenos Aires, Argentina. I've heard customs officials can be a bit sticky with drones, Argentina being one country like that? I know in UK you 90% of the time get your bags and walk out, but in Argentina you get your bags and ...

air-travel customs-and-immigration legal argentina

Don't make me waste this. Just use google.

JonathanReez

@Berwyn which tool do you use ?

Berwyn

openvpn

I hate GUIs

JonathanReez

1:29 PM

as all security people :) I know many devs who code in vim or notepad++ as well

JoErNanO

That's how easy it is: http://travel.stackexchange.com/questions/38020/duty-on-electronics-when-arriving-to-argentina
Drone less than USD300? No duty.

Relaxed

1:46 PM

@CMaster It's one of those countries where getting a visa to go anywhere is just hard so I guess that it feels like a big thing and you want to be extra careful

CMaster

I kinda want one of the "auto-follow" drones

they're all really expensive at the moment though

and none seem to have any kind of collision avoidance

Berwyn

Follow DC Rainmaker's blog. He's covered 1 or 2 and would definitely be the person to find a good one

JonathanReez

@CMaster to film yourself walking around a city? :)

CMaster

More interested wrt outdoor sports

JonathanReez

I already foresee live tourist streams on Twitch with a voting system deciding where to go next

CMaster

1:49 PM

They also mostly seem set up to use a gopro for filming

which feels like the wrong choice of camera

Berwyn

dcrainmaker.com/2015/02/drone-sports-usage.html

Relaxed

For better of for worse, it feels like a logical choice, marketing-wise, no?

CMaster

@Berwyn Cheers, interesting article

there are several more players now, and I think Airdog at least have actually been shipping

Berwyn

He did a full review of the air dog

dcrainmaker.com/2016/04/…

CMaster

yeah, found it

Berwyn

2:03 PM

Think I'd prefer to wait for the next generation

mts

5:16 PM

Please see my comment and help me to re-open this question or find a better dupe for it. If there is no dupe for this Q we should make it a canonical and I will place a big bounty on it to end the bonanza.

2

Q: Change of main destination after Schengen visa is issued

I am an indian passport holder. I applied for and got Schengen Visa Type C, from Belgium Embassy with itinerary Italy - Spain - France - Belgium - Italy (maximum stay in France, port of entry and exit: Rome). Now I wish to change it to Italy - Spain - Italy - Malta - Italy (maximum stay in Spai...

visas schengen

Willeke

5:59 PM

@JoErNanO, I have taken up your challence.

Berwyn

@mts en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restrictions_on_geographic_data_in_China

Wonder if there's a question there

OSM is good in that the maps aren't obfuscated and you are on the map where you GPS says you are

mts

7:58 PM

@Berwyn I had heard of that (there's a Q on here) but don't have to say much about it, when I stayed in China the smartphone I used was pretty stupid and didn't rely on it much.

You might be able to make a great question out of it though, it would defs be interesting!

39

Q: Why does my phone's GPS not work in China?

I am trying to use Google Maps in China. I know that Google is blocked, which is why I downloaded the map of Beijing offline. However, when I open the app my phone attempts to find GPS satellites but finds none. I know location works because my location works fine when I am on WiFi. Is this a Chi...

cellphones china gps-navigation

see all the answers here, @jpatokal mentions it

Also found this one, likely deserves an answer mentioning the China issue at first sight travel.stackexchange.com/q/22197/32134

Berwyn

8:17 PM

There is a chinese google mapping endpoint

ditu.google.cn which has china-offset satellite images on it too

Berwyn

10:06 PM

Hmm. what's the correct way of using verb form when you have something requiring different verb form in parenthesis?

I (and my friend) am vegetarian

that doesn't sound right...

Though it's a bit contrived

Zach Lipton

10:22 PM

yeah I don't know but the way you have it now seems fine

Berwyn

Thanks for the edit

I guess it should work if you read it with and without the parenthesis

Zach Lipton

11:06 PM

oh dear

0

Q: Red light district in Russia

We are going to travel to Russia (St Petersburg and Moscow). Is there any red light district (or something like that) in these cities? Where are these places? Are they safe for tourists?