Security researchers have discovered an attack aimed at would-be visitors to Google.com, one that attempts to download malicious programs onto the computers of people who simply mistype the search giant's Web address.
According to security specialist F-Secure, unsuspecting Web surfers may be bombarded with various types of Trojan horse threats, spyware and backdoors when they go to "Googkle.com." The scheme is meant to take advantage of sloppy or hurried typists, given that on most keyboards the letter "k" key sits next to the "l" needed to type "Google."
In its advisory, F-Secure strongly advises people not to go to Googkle.com. People who do so will see two pop-ups linked to Web sites that install the Trojan programs. One of the programs is a phishing-style Trojan that attempts to garner individuals' online banking information, while another drops phony antivirus alerts on the victim's desktop that attempt to lure people to other infected Web sites.
While relatively low-tech in terms of its social engineering, the URL mistype attack is an approach that has long been incorporated by many different kinds of Internet opportunists, from legitimate companies trying to steal traffic from their rivals or simply piggyback on the success of larger companies, to criminals looking to misrepresent themselves and trick consumers into handing over personal data.
In one of the most famous instances of URL deception, the site hosted at Whitehouse.com for several years was an advertisement for pornography, not a link to the office of the president, whose official site is Whitehouse.gov.
On another subject, tomorrow officially begins my six month art show tour season. Today is my travel day so I will be leaving in a few hours. I plan to continue both my blogs this year while traveling. The problem is, of course, getting an Internet connection. While I can write my blogs on my laptop, transmitting them while on the road can sometimes be tricky.
I usually try to stay at hotels that have wireless Internet connections, but am not always successful. For the next five weekends, I will be staying in my travel trailer in Leavenworth where I have no connectivity. So, while I will still be writing, you may not see them posted to the net or your e-mail box until I get back home. Thanks for your understanding.
Thursday, April 28, 2005
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
A Preview of Longhorn and Windows 64
In case you haven't heard the name before, "Longhorn" doesn't refer to a Texas steer, at least for this blog, but rather the next Windows operating system due out late next year. Longhorn will be the successor to Windows XP.
At the recent annual Microsoft WinHEC (Windows Hardware Engineering Conference), attendees were given a copy of the latest test version of the product. If you would like to read more about it what it looks like and what it will do, PC Magazine has put together a preview. To read it, go to:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1789345,00.asp
Meanwhile, Microsoft has just released a 64 bit version of Windows XP ( the current version that many of us have on our computers is 32 bit). But don't get too excited as there are very few (if any) programs in existence that can take advantage of it.
But, it is a momentous occasion, because the transition to 64 bits may be just as important as the move to Longhorn. The Windows XP 64 bit will run most current programs written for the 32 bit system, but you would see little improvement in performance. And, in order to run it, you would need a 64 bit processor from either Intel or AMD, which probably would mean a new computer.
To take advantage of 64 bits, the programs must be written for it. The biggest advantage for 64 bits is for programs that are processor intensive. Those would include games, CAD, and 3D video rendering, to name a few.
If you would like to read an in-depth review of the new Windows 64 bit operating system, PC magazine has written an excellent report. To read it, go to:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1788843,00.asp
At the recent annual Microsoft WinHEC (Windows Hardware Engineering Conference), attendees were given a copy of the latest test version of the product. If you would like to read more about it what it looks like and what it will do, PC Magazine has put together a preview. To read it, go to:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1789345,00.asp
Meanwhile, Microsoft has just released a 64 bit version of Windows XP ( the current version that many of us have on our computers is 32 bit). But don't get too excited as there are very few (if any) programs in existence that can take advantage of it.
But, it is a momentous occasion, because the transition to 64 bits may be just as important as the move to Longhorn. The Windows XP 64 bit will run most current programs written for the 32 bit system, but you would see little improvement in performance. And, in order to run it, you would need a 64 bit processor from either Intel or AMD, which probably would mean a new computer.
To take advantage of 64 bits, the programs must be written for it. The biggest advantage for 64 bits is for programs that are processor intensive. Those would include games, CAD, and 3D video rendering, to name a few.
If you would like to read an in-depth review of the new Windows 64 bit operating system, PC magazine has written an excellent report. To read it, go to:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1788843,00.asp
Tuesday, April 26, 2005
New Images from Hubble
Just a quick note to let you know that there are some new and stunning images taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. Most show pictures of galaxies that are far, far away and of new-born stars.
Believe it or not, yesterday was the 15th anniversary of the day Hubble was placed in orbit. In that time, it has taken over 700,000 photographs, many of which just knock my socks off!
Anyway, to see a few of the newer images, go to:
http://news.com.com/Images:+Far-flung+galaxies+and+newborn+stars/2009-7337_3-5683122.html?
Believe it or not, yesterday was the 15th anniversary of the day Hubble was placed in orbit. In that time, it has taken over 700,000 photographs, many of which just knock my socks off!
Anyway, to see a few of the newer images, go to:
http://news.com.com/Images:+Far-flung+galaxies+and+newborn+stars/2009-7337_3-5683122.html?
Windows 2000 Support About to End
If you use Windows 2000, better mark your calendars. On June 30, Microsoft will stop its mainstream support for this operating system.
Microsoft divides its support lifecycle into two phases: Mainstream and extended. Once a product enters the extended support period, Microsoft charges for support. Microsoft continues to provide security-specific hot fixes for products during extended support, but nonsecurity hot fixes may be obtained for extended-support products only by purchasing an "extended hot-fix agreement."
Windows 2000 is still the operating system of choice for a large number of businesses, especially those in the small and midsize business space, according to industry watchers. This cut-off date applies to both Windows 2000 client and server packages.
Late last year, Microsoft said it planned to provide a primarily security-focused "update rollup" for Windows 2000 in lieu of issuing a Service Pack 5 for the product. Microsoft officials said the rollup is on track for delivery in mid-2005, but declined to provide further information on the beta stage that the rollup is in. The rollup will require Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 as a prerequisite. It is still not known if that rollup release will be released before June 30.
Microsoft, for its part, is continuing to encourage Windows 2000 users to upgrade, by steering them towards Windows XP on the client and Windows Server 2003 on the server. The company is pushing its File Server Migration Toolkit and Application Compatibility Toolkit, as well as tools and services from third-party partners, as keys to helping customers transition to more current versions of Windows.
Microsoft divides its support lifecycle into two phases: Mainstream and extended. Once a product enters the extended support period, Microsoft charges for support. Microsoft continues to provide security-specific hot fixes for products during extended support, but nonsecurity hot fixes may be obtained for extended-support products only by purchasing an "extended hot-fix agreement."
Windows 2000 is still the operating system of choice for a large number of businesses, especially those in the small and midsize business space, according to industry watchers. This cut-off date applies to both Windows 2000 client and server packages.
Late last year, Microsoft said it planned to provide a primarily security-focused "update rollup" for Windows 2000 in lieu of issuing a Service Pack 5 for the product. Microsoft officials said the rollup is on track for delivery in mid-2005, but declined to provide further information on the beta stage that the rollup is in. The rollup will require Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 as a prerequisite. It is still not known if that rollup release will be released before June 30.
Microsoft, for its part, is continuing to encourage Windows 2000 users to upgrade, by steering them towards Windows XP on the client and Windows Server 2003 on the server. The company is pushing its File Server Migration Toolkit and Application Compatibility Toolkit, as well as tools and services from third-party partners, as keys to helping customers transition to more current versions of Windows.
Sunday, April 24, 2005
Learning More About DVR's.
Several people, whose opinions I respect, have moved to watching television programs using Digital Video Recorders (DVR). Sometimes this kind of system is incorrectly referred to as a TiVo System. I say sometimes because there is a TiVo System, made by Sony, which is a Digital Video Recorder. So while all Sony TiVo's are DVR's, not all DVR's are TiVo's.
Oh, just skip it! You get the idea. A DVR, no matter what's its name, allows you to "timeshift," or watch television programs when you want. It is in a sense, a special kind of computer, complete with a hard drive that can record up to 100 hours of programming. You just tell it to record the programs you want, which sounds like a VCR, but it is much easier.
For instance, you can tell it to record all of the West Wing shows and it will turn itself on and off whenever West Wing shows up on either NBC or the Bravo channel. Some of the new DVR's will actually record two shows at once, in case there is a conflict.
But, a good DVR does more than that. On playback you can skip right over the commercials. Or in watching a live program, you can actually pause it if the phone rings, then restart it exactly where you left off, even though the program is live.
Sony was the first out with this new concept in watching television, the Sony TiVo. It was an immediate success. Now, the TiVo is being pushed by several other brands of DVR's, some of them being given away free by cable and satellite TV companies.
For instance, you can order one free from Dish TV if you subscribe to their $31.95 programming package. (There is an installation charge, but it is credited back to you on the first invoice). As I said, several people I know have changed over to DVR's as their preferred way of watching TV. They can watch only the shows they want, when they want, thereby adding a little more efficiency to their lives.
Recently, one of the cent reviewers took an in-depth look at these new DVR's and compare them with the Sony TiVo. It is worth reading if you are thinking about getting one, as I am. I really like the concept a lot, especially as I am about to go out on the road for six months.
To read this informative review, go to:
http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-6449_7-6209060-1.html?
Oh, just skip it! You get the idea. A DVR, no matter what's its name, allows you to "timeshift," or watch television programs when you want. It is in a sense, a special kind of computer, complete with a hard drive that can record up to 100 hours of programming. You just tell it to record the programs you want, which sounds like a VCR, but it is much easier.
For instance, you can tell it to record all of the West Wing shows and it will turn itself on and off whenever West Wing shows up on either NBC or the Bravo channel. Some of the new DVR's will actually record two shows at once, in case there is a conflict.
But, a good DVR does more than that. On playback you can skip right over the commercials. Or in watching a live program, you can actually pause it if the phone rings, then restart it exactly where you left off, even though the program is live.
Sony was the first out with this new concept in watching television, the Sony TiVo. It was an immediate success. Now, the TiVo is being pushed by several other brands of DVR's, some of them being given away free by cable and satellite TV companies.
For instance, you can order one free from Dish TV if you subscribe to their $31.95 programming package. (There is an installation charge, but it is credited back to you on the first invoice). As I said, several people I know have changed over to DVR's as their preferred way of watching TV. They can watch only the shows they want, when they want, thereby adding a little more efficiency to their lives.
Recently, one of the cent reviewers took an in-depth look at these new DVR's and compare them with the Sony TiVo. It is worth reading if you are thinking about getting one, as I am. I really like the concept a lot, especially as I am about to go out on the road for six months.
To read this informative review, go to:
http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-6449_7-6209060-1.html?
Saturday, April 23, 2005
The Best Congress Money Can Buy
Very soon, copying a movie and making it available on the Internet for downloading could put you in jail for three years or cost you up to $250,000 in fines. Those same penalties may also apply to anyone having even one song available to share. What?
That's right. Our congress has approved a law that says a file swapper who distributes a single copy of a prerelease movie on the Internet would face a possible prison sentence of up to three years. But, the bill is written so broadly that, if signed into law, it could make a felon of anyone who has even one copy of a film, software program or music file in a shared folder. Fines of up to $250,000 could also be levied. Penalties could apply regardless of whether any downloading took place.
The bill could also be used to target casual peer-to-peer users, although the Justice Department to date has typically reserved criminal charges for the most egregious cases.
Using a floor procedure reserved for noncontroversial legislation, the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved the measure, called the Family Entertainment and Copyright Act. Because the bill already has cleared the Senate, it now goes to President Bush for his expected signature.
Enactment of these criminal penalties has been a top priority this year for the entertainment industry, which has grown increasingly concerned about the proliferation of copyrighted works on peer-to-peer networks, especially those movies and music that show up there before their commercial release.
"This bill plugs a hole in existing law by allowing for easier and more expeditious enforcement of prerelease piracy by both the government and property owners," said Mitch Bainwol, chairman of the Recording Industry Association of America. "We applaud Congress for taking this step."
Peer-to-peer network operators criticized Congress' vote on Tuesday.
"It appears the entertainment industry has once again gotten Congress to use taxpayer dollars to clean up their internal problems," said Michael Weiss, chief executive of StreamCast Networks. Weiss, whose company distributes the Morpheus client, says that many movies and music files that find their way to the Internet early are provided by insiders in the entertainment industry.
Do I have a gripe with this bill? No, not really, although I think the penalties described are way too strong. I do not promote or use file swapping over the Internet. But, I do think our jails are already overcrowded and the spaces there should be reserved for more more serious criminals. I can imagine this conversation taking place in the future in one of our prisons between two cell mates:
"Why are you in this place?"
"I killed my wife, but the DA cut a deal to make it manslaughter instead of murder, so I will probably be out of here in two years. What about you?"
"I got caught with a copy of the latest 'Star Wars' movie on my hard drive. I still be here when you are paroled."
A little far fetched, to be sure. No, my gripe is not with making copyright violations punishable by law...they already are. Its the fact that an organized commercial group like the entertainment industry can buy just about any legislation they want, simply by making large campaign contributions to congressmen and political parties. And they can put their agendas ahead of more important issues whenever they want.
Writer and humorist P.J. O'Rourke put it best in his book about Washington DC politics, "Parliament of Whores:"
"Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys."
Having spent sometime on the inside of power and money politics at the state and federal levels, I know that to be true.
That's right. Our congress has approved a law that says a file swapper who distributes a single copy of a prerelease movie on the Internet would face a possible prison sentence of up to three years. But, the bill is written so broadly that, if signed into law, it could make a felon of anyone who has even one copy of a film, software program or music file in a shared folder. Fines of up to $250,000 could also be levied. Penalties could apply regardless of whether any downloading took place.
The bill could also be used to target casual peer-to-peer users, although the Justice Department to date has typically reserved criminal charges for the most egregious cases.
Using a floor procedure reserved for noncontroversial legislation, the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved the measure, called the Family Entertainment and Copyright Act. Because the bill already has cleared the Senate, it now goes to President Bush for his expected signature.
Enactment of these criminal penalties has been a top priority this year for the entertainment industry, which has grown increasingly concerned about the proliferation of copyrighted works on peer-to-peer networks, especially those movies and music that show up there before their commercial release.
"This bill plugs a hole in existing law by allowing for easier and more expeditious enforcement of prerelease piracy by both the government and property owners," said Mitch Bainwol, chairman of the Recording Industry Association of America. "We applaud Congress for taking this step."
Peer-to-peer network operators criticized Congress' vote on Tuesday.
"It appears the entertainment industry has once again gotten Congress to use taxpayer dollars to clean up their internal problems," said Michael Weiss, chief executive of StreamCast Networks. Weiss, whose company distributes the Morpheus client, says that many movies and music files that find their way to the Internet early are provided by insiders in the entertainment industry.
Do I have a gripe with this bill? No, not really, although I think the penalties described are way too strong. I do not promote or use file swapping over the Internet. But, I do think our jails are already overcrowded and the spaces there should be reserved for more more serious criminals. I can imagine this conversation taking place in the future in one of our prisons between two cell mates:
"Why are you in this place?"
"I killed my wife, but the DA cut a deal to make it manslaughter instead of murder, so I will probably be out of here in two years. What about you?"
"I got caught with a copy of the latest 'Star Wars' movie on my hard drive. I still be here when you are paroled."
A little far fetched, to be sure. No, my gripe is not with making copyright violations punishable by law...they already are. Its the fact that an organized commercial group like the entertainment industry can buy just about any legislation they want, simply by making large campaign contributions to congressmen and political parties. And they can put their agendas ahead of more important issues whenever they want.
Writer and humorist P.J. O'Rourke put it best in his book about Washington DC politics, "Parliament of Whores:"
"Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys."
Having spent sometime on the inside of power and money politics at the state and federal levels, I know that to be true.
Friday, April 22, 2005
A Handy Tip for Windows XP Users
Here is something I came across and thought you might find interesting. It comes from my friends at WinXPnews.
This little technique is designed to give you a list of all the Microsoft programs that are installed on your computer. But, it also gives you a list of programs that start up automatically when you power up...and a list of your last computer crashes and what caused the problem.
This little technique is designed to give you a list of all the Microsoft programs that are installed on your computer. But, it also gives you a list of programs that start up automatically when you power up...and a list of your last computer crashes and what caused the problem.
- Click <Start> then <Help and Support>
- In the left column of the Help and Support window, under Pick a Help Topic, click Windows Basics.
- In the left pane, click to expand Core Windows Tasks, then Click Searching for information
- In the right pane, under Pick a Task, click Get information about your computer
- In the right pane, under What do you want to do?, click View a list of Microsoft software installed on this computer
If all this info is helpful to you, you can copy and paste it into another document.
Actually, you might want to spend some time exploring the entire Help and Support area. It is very useful and filled with good information.
Happy computing!!
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
Update on the "Other" Web Browsers
Recently, when I wrote blogs about Internet browsers, I talked mostly about the two main browsers that have captured most of the public's interest: Microsoft's Internet Explorer, and Mozilla Foundation's Firefox.
But, there are two other browsers out there that are quite good and should receive some digital ink every now and then...Opera and Maxthon. With the release of the new version of Opera, I have decided today is that day.
Touting fast performance and new security features, Opera Software this week launched Version 8 of its Web browser for Windows and Linux. The browser is available for free download from the Opera Web site in four languages: English, German, Dutch and Polish. Additional languages will follow. Opera also released a beta edition of Version 8 for the Macintosh computer.
Key new security features in Opera 8 include a security information field that displays the trustworthiness of banking and shopping Web sites.
This field, which is automatically started when the user visits a secure site, measures security levels in a range from one to three. It also displays the site's certificate owner of record, so users can judge whether they feel secure enough to execute purchases and credit card transactions on the site. The feature aims to lower the possibilities that users will sign into a "spoofed" site that dupes them into executing fraudulent transactions that result in the theft of cash or their identity.
Opera officials claim that the browser's tight coding and speedy rendering engine make it the fastest browser in the market for loading pages and displaying text. The browser also offers fast navigation features such as providing keyboard shortcuts and giving users the option of opening all of their favorite pages at once.
The browser includes a tabbed interface to give users rapid access to navigation features. It is also highly self-contained, with no need to download extensions to gain access to special features or enhancements, according to Opera officials.
The browser also has a new voice feature that lets users surf the Web using voice commands and have the computer read documents aloud for them. The voice feature is currently offered in English only and runs on Windows 2000 and XP.
Click here to read more about the new Opera.
Meanwhile, Maxthon continues to update their browser. So far in 2005, they have updated the browser six times, which tells you they are sincere in their continued support for their product. Some are security updates while others are fixes to previous versions including speed updates. You can see the update features on their website.
One great addition is they have made their sidebar extremely functional, adding RSS feeds that allows you to add your own favorite blogs and create your own catagories. I am really enjoying this feature. As blogs are becoming a huge factor on the Internet, this is an extremely valuable addition. This is not available in Firefox yet.
But their sidebar also offers other functions such as favorite, weather for your selected cities, browsing history, and a resourse menu with several valuable functions like maps, world time zones, on-line stocks, and many more to numerous to name here. It has been fun exploring all the features that Maxthon has.
Unlike Opera and Firefox, Maxthon uses the Internet Explorer engine, which makes it subject to some of the security flaws that keep popping up in IE. But since both Microsoft and Maxthon keep addressing security issues, I have not found this to be a problem.
What is my favorite browser? I just can't answer that because I haven't figured it out yet. I like all three alternate browsers for different reasons. In fact I like all three better than I like Internet Explorer. Each has features that I love. Right now, I lean slightly more towards Maxthon because of the new features they have added, like easy access to RSS feeds.
But, the problem is that no matter which of the three alternate browsers you chose, you still need to have Internet Explorer as there are a few web sites that don't work well with anything but IE. For instance, I must write this blog in IE because I have had problems with the spell checker in the other browsers. My stock trading company also has difficulty with alternate browsers, especially when I try to run real time stock trackers.
But, since IE comes built-in to Windows, I don't find all this too much of a problem. Do you have a favorite browser? If you do, please drop me a line and let me know.
But, there are two other browsers out there that are quite good and should receive some digital ink every now and then...Opera and Maxthon. With the release of the new version of Opera, I have decided today is that day.
Touting fast performance and new security features, Opera Software this week launched Version 8 of its Web browser for Windows and Linux. The browser is available for free download from the Opera Web site in four languages: English, German, Dutch and Polish. Additional languages will follow. Opera also released a beta edition of Version 8 for the Macintosh computer.
Key new security features in Opera 8 include a security information field that displays the trustworthiness of banking and shopping Web sites.
This field, which is automatically started when the user visits a secure site, measures security levels in a range from one to three. It also displays the site's certificate owner of record, so users can judge whether they feel secure enough to execute purchases and credit card transactions on the site. The feature aims to lower the possibilities that users will sign into a "spoofed" site that dupes them into executing fraudulent transactions that result in the theft of cash or their identity.
Opera officials claim that the browser's tight coding and speedy rendering engine make it the fastest browser in the market for loading pages and displaying text. The browser also offers fast navigation features such as providing keyboard shortcuts and giving users the option of opening all of their favorite pages at once.
The browser includes a tabbed interface to give users rapid access to navigation features. It is also highly self-contained, with no need to download extensions to gain access to special features or enhancements, according to Opera officials.
The browser also has a new voice feature that lets users surf the Web using voice commands and have the computer read documents aloud for them. The voice feature is currently offered in English only and runs on Windows 2000 and XP.
Click here to read more about the new Opera.
Meanwhile, Maxthon continues to update their browser. So far in 2005, they have updated the browser six times, which tells you they are sincere in their continued support for their product. Some are security updates while others are fixes to previous versions including speed updates. You can see the update features on their website.
One great addition is they have made their sidebar extremely functional, adding RSS feeds that allows you to add your own favorite blogs and create your own catagories. I am really enjoying this feature. As blogs are becoming a huge factor on the Internet, this is an extremely valuable addition. This is not available in Firefox yet.
But their sidebar also offers other functions such as favorite, weather for your selected cities, browsing history, and a resourse menu with several valuable functions like maps, world time zones, on-line stocks, and many more to numerous to name here. It has been fun exploring all the features that Maxthon has.
Unlike Opera and Firefox, Maxthon uses the Internet Explorer engine, which makes it subject to some of the security flaws that keep popping up in IE. But since both Microsoft and Maxthon keep addressing security issues, I have not found this to be a problem.
What is my favorite browser? I just can't answer that because I haven't figured it out yet. I like all three alternate browsers for different reasons. In fact I like all three better than I like Internet Explorer. Each has features that I love. Right now, I lean slightly more towards Maxthon because of the new features they have added, like easy access to RSS feeds.
But, the problem is that no matter which of the three alternate browsers you chose, you still need to have Internet Explorer as there are a few web sites that don't work well with anything but IE. For instance, I must write this blog in IE because I have had problems with the spell checker in the other browsers. My stock trading company also has difficulty with alternate browsers, especially when I try to run real time stock trackers.
But, since IE comes built-in to Windows, I don't find all this too much of a problem. Do you have a favorite browser? If you do, please drop me a line and let me know.
Virus Warning: The Sober Worm is Back
Just when you thought we had seen the last of the Sober Worm, it has made a comeback of epic proportions. Some evil virus writers have resurrected the Sober worm with a new variant that is spreading quickly over the Internet.
Security experts said yesterday that the worm, dubbed Sober.M, reports e-mail addresses of victims back to its anonymous author, a technique known as harvesting. Spammers typically buy these fresh addresses to add to their lists of e-mail recipients. Here is what the e-mail looks like:
Subject Line: I've got your e-mail on my account.
Message text:
Hello,First, Very Sorry for my bad English.Someone is sending your private e-mails on my address.It's probably an e-mail provider error!At time, I've got over 10 mails on my account, but the recipient are you. I have copied all the mail text in the windows text-editor for you & zipped then. Make sure, that this mails don't come in my mail-box again. bye
Attached file: your_text.zip
Anti-Virus company Sophos said that the new Sober variant was the fifth most reported virus over the last 24 hours, closely followed by versions of Zafi and Netsky. It's thought that all the major antivirus companies are now offering protection against the worm, so you may need to update your virus protection.
Security experts said yesterday that the worm, dubbed Sober.M, reports e-mail addresses of victims back to its anonymous author, a technique known as harvesting. Spammers typically buy these fresh addresses to add to their lists of e-mail recipients. Here is what the e-mail looks like:
Subject Line: I've got your e-mail on my account.
Message text:
Hello,First, Very Sorry for my bad English.Someone is sending your private e-mails on my address.It's probably an e-mail provider error!At time, I've got over 10 mails on my account, but the recipient are you. I have copied all the mail text in the windows text-editor for you & zipped then. Make sure, that this mails don't come in my mail-box again. bye
Attached file: your_text.zip
Anti-Virus company Sophos said that the new Sober variant was the fifth most reported virus over the last 24 hours, closely followed by versions of Zafi and Netsky. It's thought that all the major antivirus companies are now offering protection against the worm, so you may need to update your virus protection.
Tuesday, April 19, 2005
Search Engines for Your Computer
Back in the days of MS-DOS, long before Windows, there was an ingenious software called Magellan. In the days of DOS, you were restricted to eight letter file names (plus 3 additional letters on the right side of a dot). So, one had to be clever when saving files like letters or spreadsheets. A letter to your mother could be saved as "mom_let," but if you wrote her more than once, you could ad a date, like mom_let.215 or mom_215.let.
The point is you had to be clever, but remembering that file name a month later was difficult, especially if you have a bad memory like me. If you pulled up a list of file names, you really got confused as to what was what, as your clever coding confused its creator.
The advent of Magellan allowed you to attach a note to the file giving you a description of its contents. What a difference this program made, at least in my computing life! Finding files was made much easier.
Now, of course, you can have long file names, thanks to Windows. But, this innovation, along with others, has made us more productive, meaning we are doing more with our computers, thereby creating more files. Now, it is almost as difficult to find files as it was in the days of MS-DOS.
It stands to reason that since searching the vast territory of the Internet has become easy, thanks to search engines like Google, we should be able to apply those principles to finding data on our own computers. Until recently, few had addressed this problem.
Now, there are some good programs available to help you find your data. In recent posts here, I have talked about Google's Desktop Search and and Yahoo's Desktop Search. They are good programs, but, according to one reviewer, they are not the best.
According to CNet's Robert Vamosi, that honor belongs to a free program called "Copernic." This fine program allows you to search through all your files including e-mail's, contacts, graphics..,.plus all the usual files like word processing documents, spreadsheets, and just about all the other types of programs that creates your files.
It works like a search engine, where you put in the terms you are search for and Copernic finds that files that contains these terms. So, while finding letters to your Mom can be done without a search engine, finding the file where you described to her how you created a new recipe for chicken marinade is much easier with a program like Copernic.
I have only recently begun to use the program and found it very useful and easy. After you install the software, it wants to index all your files to make searches easier. It can take awhile (at least it did in my case), so I recommend you install the program before you go to bed and let it run during the night.
Vamosi also reviewed seven other files searchers in his excellent article, and I suggest you take a look at it. The good news is that seven of the eight programs reviewed, including Copernic, are absolutely free. You gotta love that!
The point is you had to be clever, but remembering that file name a month later was difficult, especially if you have a bad memory like me. If you pulled up a list of file names, you really got confused as to what was what, as your clever coding confused its creator.
The advent of Magellan allowed you to attach a note to the file giving you a description of its contents. What a difference this program made, at least in my computing life! Finding files was made much easier.
Now, of course, you can have long file names, thanks to Windows. But, this innovation, along with others, has made us more productive, meaning we are doing more with our computers, thereby creating more files. Now, it is almost as difficult to find files as it was in the days of MS-DOS.
It stands to reason that since searching the vast territory of the Internet has become easy, thanks to search engines like Google, we should be able to apply those principles to finding data on our own computers. Until recently, few had addressed this problem.
Now, there are some good programs available to help you find your data. In recent posts here, I have talked about Google's Desktop Search and and Yahoo's Desktop Search. They are good programs, but, according to one reviewer, they are not the best.
According to CNet's Robert Vamosi, that honor belongs to a free program called "Copernic." This fine program allows you to search through all your files including e-mail's, contacts, graphics..,.plus all the usual files like word processing documents, spreadsheets, and just about all the other types of programs that creates your files.
It works like a search engine, where you put in the terms you are search for and Copernic finds that files that contains these terms. So, while finding letters to your Mom can be done without a search engine, finding the file where you described to her how you created a new recipe for chicken marinade is much easier with a program like Copernic.
I have only recently begun to use the program and found it very useful and easy. After you install the software, it wants to index all your files to make searches easier. It can take awhile (at least it did in my case), so I recommend you install the program before you go to bed and let it run during the night.
Vamosi also reviewed seven other files searchers in his excellent article, and I suggest you take a look at it. The good news is that seven of the eight programs reviewed, including Copernic, are absolutely free. You gotta love that!
Monday, April 18, 2005
Amazon to Enter DVD Rental Market, But....
It has been rumored for quite some time that Amazon was getting close to entering the DVD rental market as a competitor to Netflix, Blockbuster, and Wal-Mart. In fact, the rumor that Amazon would enter the U.S. online DVD rental market sparked a price war late last year between Blockbuster and Netflix, which pioneered online DVD rental and now controls about 75 percent of the market.
Amazon is going to enter the market in the US, but with a twist. Amazon wants to partner with a provider rather than launch their own service. They have approached online DVD rental service companies, including Blockbuster and Netflix to explore this kind of partnership. This comes as a surprise as Amazon has its own DVD rental service in Britain which it started in December.
It is probably a smart move on their part as profits have have been dropping in the on-line video rental service. Industry subscription rates for customers have dropped by at least 20 percent and marketing costs soared in the past six months.
Netflix Chief Executive Reed Hastings said the company was prepared to run at break-even in the current fiscal year, and possibly beyond, in a bid to sign up 4 million U.S. subscribers by year's end, and to reach 20 million by 2010. It has more than 3 million now. Meanwhile, Blockbuster, which has about 750,000 subscribers, said it planned to spend $120 million marketing its fledgling online service in its current fiscal year.
Netflix and Blockbuster will probably work extra hard to land the Amazon contract. With 47 million paying customers and the Internet Movie Database in its hip pocket, Amazon will dramatically transform the online DVD rental market within months of entering it. It doesn't take much imagination to see an "Add to queue" button appearing beside Amazon's DVD listings and a "Buy it now" button beside those of its DVD-distribution partner once this deal is done.
If that "add to queue" button points to Blockbuster, Netflix might end up looking like the one-theater town that the new freeway bypassed.
Amazon is going to enter the market in the US, but with a twist. Amazon wants to partner with a provider rather than launch their own service. They have approached online DVD rental service companies, including Blockbuster and Netflix to explore this kind of partnership. This comes as a surprise as Amazon has its own DVD rental service in Britain which it started in December.
It is probably a smart move on their part as profits have have been dropping in the on-line video rental service. Industry subscription rates for customers have dropped by at least 20 percent and marketing costs soared in the past six months.
Netflix Chief Executive Reed Hastings said the company was prepared to run at break-even in the current fiscal year, and possibly beyond, in a bid to sign up 4 million U.S. subscribers by year's end, and to reach 20 million by 2010. It has more than 3 million now. Meanwhile, Blockbuster, which has about 750,000 subscribers, said it planned to spend $120 million marketing its fledgling online service in its current fiscal year.
Netflix and Blockbuster will probably work extra hard to land the Amazon contract. With 47 million paying customers and the Internet Movie Database in its hip pocket, Amazon will dramatically transform the online DVD rental market within months of entering it. It doesn't take much imagination to see an "Add to queue" button appearing beside Amazon's DVD listings and a "Buy it now" button beside those of its DVD-distribution partner once this deal is done.
If that "add to queue" button points to Blockbuster, Netflix might end up looking like the one-theater town that the new freeway bypassed.
Thursday, April 14, 2005
Microsoft's Shrinking Tablet PC
In the year 2000, Microsoft introduced its current version of the tablet PC. The idea of the tablet PC was that instead of typing, you handwrite whatever you are doing and the tablet will convert your notes and letters into regular fonts like you are looking at on your screen right now. Most tablet PC's are flatter than laptops, but about the same width and some a little taller.
The concept was not new when Microsoft introduced the new versions in 2000, running a special version of Windows. They had never really been a hit prior to that, and frankly, they are still not a big hit today. According to Microsoft, the millionth Tablet PC was sold in February of 2005. That is not a lot of sales when spread over a 4+ year timeframe.
So, in order to make them a "hotter" commodity, Microsoft is playing with shrinking the tablet PC in size. The new mini-Tablet, which measures about six inches by eight inches and features a digitizer, is just one of a number of new, smaller Tablet form factors expected to debut in the coming months.
Although Microsoft won't confirm or deny any details about it, there are some definite hints. During an interview in February with ABC News anchor Peter Jennings, Bill Gates outlined his vision for this new type of form factor. Gates told Jennings:
"I am meeting with our tablet people about the idea of carrying text books around. They'll have just a tablet device that they can call up the material on. That's been a dream for a long time, we're making progress there. So review of the software projects and encouraging them in terms of what they are doing well and telling them who else they need to work with."
The education market has been one which Microsoft has done relatively little to tap, but which some industry watchers say could be one of the most promising for Tablet PC devices.
The new hybrid gadget is not a Pocket PC, nor some other kind of PDA. It's not a modified Smartphone. And it's not a personal communicator. It's definitely a mini-Tablet of some sort, sources said.
Gates might show off the hybrid prototype during his keynote at WinHEC (the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference) on April 25, according to sources. I still don't think they will ever be more than a sideshow of the computing world, but what do I know?
The concept was not new when Microsoft introduced the new versions in 2000, running a special version of Windows. They had never really been a hit prior to that, and frankly, they are still not a big hit today. According to Microsoft, the millionth Tablet PC was sold in February of 2005. That is not a lot of sales when spread over a 4+ year timeframe.
So, in order to make them a "hotter" commodity, Microsoft is playing with shrinking the tablet PC in size. The new mini-Tablet, which measures about six inches by eight inches and features a digitizer, is just one of a number of new, smaller Tablet form factors expected to debut in the coming months.
Although Microsoft won't confirm or deny any details about it, there are some definite hints. During an interview in February with ABC News anchor Peter Jennings, Bill Gates outlined his vision for this new type of form factor. Gates told Jennings:
"I am meeting with our tablet people about the idea of carrying text books around. They'll have just a tablet device that they can call up the material on. That's been a dream for a long time, we're making progress there. So review of the software projects and encouraging them in terms of what they are doing well and telling them who else they need to work with."
The education market has been one which Microsoft has done relatively little to tap, but which some industry watchers say could be one of the most promising for Tablet PC devices.
The new hybrid gadget is not a Pocket PC, nor some other kind of PDA. It's not a modified Smartphone. And it's not a personal communicator. It's definitely a mini-Tablet of some sort, sources said.
Gates might show off the hybrid prototype during his keynote at WinHEC (the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference) on April 25, according to sources. I still don't think they will ever be more than a sideshow of the computing world, but what do I know?
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
Comparing Music Download Websites
Personally, I have all the music I could ever want. In fact, I have so much I am thinking of liquidating some in a yard sale!
So, the thought of downloading music for 99 cents or even 10 cents per song doesn't excite me very much. However, you might feel differently. With that in mind, I found an interesting article on the Extreme Tech web site that compares several of the top web musical download web sites.
The first thing you should know is that the heady days of free downloads and file swapping is pretty much over. Yes, there are still file swapping sites out there, but the music industry and their gaggle of lawyers have put the fear of God in all of us (for file swapping , anyway) with their myriad of lawsuits against websites and users. (I still find it ironic that the RIAA is suing the very people who are legitimately buying their music. But I guess if you can afford lawyers and you own several politicians, you can do whatever you want.)
So, if you want music and don't want to be a pirate or pay excessive amounts of money in a music store, you may want to consider joining one of these online music services. In the end, you are still going to pay a lot of money for music, but you will wind up with the music you really want instead of buying a CD with a lot of songs you don't want.
The one thing that fascinated me while reading the article is that almost all of them use some sort of proprietary software or hardware. For instance, the Wal-Mart service requires you to only use Microsoft's Media Player. Apple's i-Tunes service require you to own an Apple i-Pod player, which aren't cheap.
Although I am not about to sign up for any service, I found the article very interesting in comparing what the various sites have to offer. If you are interested in music downloads, you definitely need to read this article.
Go to:
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,1784304,00.asp
So, the thought of downloading music for 99 cents or even 10 cents per song doesn't excite me very much. However, you might feel differently. With that in mind, I found an interesting article on the Extreme Tech web site that compares several of the top web musical download web sites.
The first thing you should know is that the heady days of free downloads and file swapping is pretty much over. Yes, there are still file swapping sites out there, but the music industry and their gaggle of lawyers have put the fear of God in all of us (for file swapping , anyway) with their myriad of lawsuits against websites and users. (I still find it ironic that the RIAA is suing the very people who are legitimately buying their music. But I guess if you can afford lawyers and you own several politicians, you can do whatever you want.)
So, if you want music and don't want to be a pirate or pay excessive amounts of money in a music store, you may want to consider joining one of these online music services. In the end, you are still going to pay a lot of money for music, but you will wind up with the music you really want instead of buying a CD with a lot of songs you don't want.
The one thing that fascinated me while reading the article is that almost all of them use some sort of proprietary software or hardware. For instance, the Wal-Mart service requires you to only use Microsoft's Media Player. Apple's i-Tunes service require you to own an Apple i-Pod player, which aren't cheap.
Although I am not about to sign up for any service, I found the article very interesting in comparing what the various sites have to offer. If you are interested in music downloads, you definitely need to read this article.
Go to:
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,1784304,00.asp
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Update on Satellite Radio
I continue to follow with great interest, the comings and goings of the two satellite radio companies, XM Radio and Sirius. As I have written here before, I'm leaning toward becoming a subscriber, but have been too busy with other things to focus on it. But, I still like to keep current. I thought I would pass along some updates and links to a few articles that will also keep you up-to-date.
Satellite radio is starting to grow by leaps and bounds. XM Satellite Radio reports that in the first quarter of this year, they signed up over 540,000 new subscribers. This brings their subscriber base up to 3.8 million. According to Wall Street, XM needs to hit 4.5 million users before they start to turn a profit. Sirius subscribers number around 1.2 million.
Many of both company's new subscribers come as a direct result of the company's deals with new car manufacturers. According to car dealers, new car buyers are becoming enamored of having commercial free, satellite radio in their new cars.
Both Sirius and XM continue to wheel and deal with new business deals. Some time ago, Sirius signed a deal with DishTV to add many of their stations to the satellite TV company's offerings. Recently, XM completed a contract with AOL to create a online radio service that will go into operation this summer with the launch of the new AOL.com
Meanwhile, both companies continue to look for new opportunities to spread their wares via new and existing technologies. For instance, XM says they will soon be able to offer a "wearable device" as well as adding satellite radio to DVD players and clock radios.
The most informative article I've read recently was in the New York Times. Their in-depth article focuses on how satellite radio is forcing changes in AM and FM radio stations.
After the FCC changed their regulations to allow giant corporations to buy up radio stations, the airwaves began changing for the worst. The number of commercials per hour increased to ungodly proportions and the music playlists became so vanilla and so limited that a great deal of new music was not being heard. People began looking for alternatives and found it in commercial-free satellite radio with lots of musical choices.
Now, AM and FM stations are having to make some changes. Commercial times are starting to be cut and providers are starting to change their playlists. They are also looking at additional services to keep their audiences like offering musical downloads via the Internet.
The final chapter of this saga is many years away from being written. But, the intense rivalry, not only between XM and Sirius, but between satellite radio and AM/FM radio will only continue to heat up. This, of course, means new technologies and new innovations. It is fun to watch.
Satellite radio is starting to grow by leaps and bounds. XM Satellite Radio reports that in the first quarter of this year, they signed up over 540,000 new subscribers. This brings their subscriber base up to 3.8 million. According to Wall Street, XM needs to hit 4.5 million users before they start to turn a profit. Sirius subscribers number around 1.2 million.
Many of both company's new subscribers come as a direct result of the company's deals with new car manufacturers. According to car dealers, new car buyers are becoming enamored of having commercial free, satellite radio in their new cars.
Both Sirius and XM continue to wheel and deal with new business deals. Some time ago, Sirius signed a deal with DishTV to add many of their stations to the satellite TV company's offerings. Recently, XM completed a contract with AOL to create a online radio service that will go into operation this summer with the launch of the new AOL.com
Meanwhile, both companies continue to look for new opportunities to spread their wares via new and existing technologies. For instance, XM says they will soon be able to offer a "wearable device" as well as adding satellite radio to DVD players and clock radios.
The most informative article I've read recently was in the New York Times. Their in-depth article focuses on how satellite radio is forcing changes in AM and FM radio stations.
After the FCC changed their regulations to allow giant corporations to buy up radio stations, the airwaves began changing for the worst. The number of commercials per hour increased to ungodly proportions and the music playlists became so vanilla and so limited that a great deal of new music was not being heard. People began looking for alternatives and found it in commercial-free satellite radio with lots of musical choices.
Now, AM and FM stations are having to make some changes. Commercial times are starting to be cut and providers are starting to change their playlists. They are also looking at additional services to keep their audiences like offering musical downloads via the Internet.
The final chapter of this saga is many years away from being written. But, the intense rivalry, not only between XM and Sirius, but between satellite radio and AM/FM radio will only continue to heat up. This, of course, means new technologies and new innovations. It is fun to watch.
Saturday, April 09, 2005
A Different View of Netflix vs Blockbuster
Two days ago, I wrote a blog with reference to an in-depth review of the Panasonic Oxyride batteries written by the New York Times technology writer David Pogue. Today, I am going to recommend two more articles by David you might find interesting.
Not long after I wrote my recent blogs comparing the two big on-line DVD rental outlets, Netflix vs Blockbuster, David wrote an in-depth look at these two rental companies for the Times. He took a different approach than I did, but basically came to the same conclusions as me...that Netflix offered better selections, customer service, and delivery times.
I think you will find this article to be an excellent supplement to my review.
Then, just three days ago, he wrote a follow-up article featuring reactions from his readers and some interesting information that both he and I didn't know and should be read by everyone who is considering renting movies by mail.
The two biggest items mentioned by many users include the practice of "Throttling" experienced by many Netflix users...and the censorship practiced by Blockbuster.
Throttling is the term describing the practice of cutting costs by holding back DVD's for a day or so before shipping them back to customers. Netflix has admitted this practice as a way of keeping it fair for users who don't rent as many DVD's per month as high power users. But, if you are renting only three movies at a time (the $17.99 per month rate) you will probably never experience this.
However, the censorship practiced by Blockbuster (and WalMart) seems a bit more insideous to me. These two outlets refuse to stock and ship movies that are unrated or rated NC-17. They do, however, have re-edited versions of these films on DVD, but don't identify them as such on their website. Netflix does not practice this. I object strongly to this practice as I want the right to choose what I want to see, not be subject to the whims of large corporations.
There are more interesting tidbits submitted by David's readers, so be sure and read this follow-up article if this subject is of interest to you.
Not long after I wrote my recent blogs comparing the two big on-line DVD rental outlets, Netflix vs Blockbuster, David wrote an in-depth look at these two rental companies for the Times. He took a different approach than I did, but basically came to the same conclusions as me...that Netflix offered better selections, customer service, and delivery times.
I think you will find this article to be an excellent supplement to my review.
Then, just three days ago, he wrote a follow-up article featuring reactions from his readers and some interesting information that both he and I didn't know and should be read by everyone who is considering renting movies by mail.
The two biggest items mentioned by many users include the practice of "Throttling" experienced by many Netflix users...and the censorship practiced by Blockbuster.
Throttling is the term describing the practice of cutting costs by holding back DVD's for a day or so before shipping them back to customers. Netflix has admitted this practice as a way of keeping it fair for users who don't rent as many DVD's per month as high power users. But, if you are renting only three movies at a time (the $17.99 per month rate) you will probably never experience this.
However, the censorship practiced by Blockbuster (and WalMart) seems a bit more insideous to me. These two outlets refuse to stock and ship movies that are unrated or rated NC-17. They do, however, have re-edited versions of these films on DVD, but don't identify them as such on their website. Netflix does not practice this. I object strongly to this practice as I want the right to choose what I want to see, not be subject to the whims of large corporations.
There are more interesting tidbits submitted by David's readers, so be sure and read this follow-up article if this subject is of interest to you.
Friday, April 08, 2005
Get Ready for More Microsoft Fixes Next Week
After a month off for good behavior, Microsoft will issue eight security alerts next week with patches, some critical, for Windows, Office, MSN Messenger, and Exchange.
Five of the security bulletins apply to Windows and at least one of those is deemed critical, Microsoft said in a notice posted to its Web site. Office, MSN Messenger, and Exchange, will get one bulletin each, all deemed critical. In Microsoft's rating system for security issues, vulnerabilities that could allow a malicious Internet worm to spread without any action required on the part of the user are rated critical.
Microsoft gave no further information, other than that some of the patches for Windows will require restarting patched computers, as may the MSN Messenger patch. The fixes for Office and Exchange will not require users to restart the applications.
The software maker provides information in advance of its monthly patch release day, every second Tuesday of the month, so users can prepare. Last month Microsoft did not release any patches, after a dozen security bulletins in February.
In addition to the patches, Microsoft on Tuesday through Windows Update plans to release an updated version of the Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool and two "high priority" updates for Windows that are not related to security issues. The Malicious Software Removal Tool detects and removes malicious code placed on computers.
In a related story, there is a fraudulent e-mail campaign underway to lure people to a fake Microsoft web site supposedly to download Windows patches. But instead of getting any patches, duped users will get a Trojan horse called Troj/DSNX-05. That little devil will let the attackers remotely take control of the infected PC.
Some people (not my readers, of course) are likely to click on the phony Microsoft update notices, given that they are making the rounds at the same time as Microsoft is poised to issue its regular monthly security update. Just be aware that Microsoft does not issue product fix notices in this way.
Five of the security bulletins apply to Windows and at least one of those is deemed critical, Microsoft said in a notice posted to its Web site. Office, MSN Messenger, and Exchange, will get one bulletin each, all deemed critical. In Microsoft's rating system for security issues, vulnerabilities that could allow a malicious Internet worm to spread without any action required on the part of the user are rated critical.
Microsoft gave no further information, other than that some of the patches for Windows will require restarting patched computers, as may the MSN Messenger patch. The fixes for Office and Exchange will not require users to restart the applications.
The software maker provides information in advance of its monthly patch release day, every second Tuesday of the month, so users can prepare. Last month Microsoft did not release any patches, after a dozen security bulletins in February.
In addition to the patches, Microsoft on Tuesday through Windows Update plans to release an updated version of the Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool and two "high priority" updates for Windows that are not related to security issues. The Malicious Software Removal Tool detects and removes malicious code placed on computers.
In a related story, there is a fraudulent e-mail campaign underway to lure people to a fake Microsoft web site supposedly to download Windows patches. But instead of getting any patches, duped users will get a Trojan horse called Troj/DSNX-05. That little devil will let the attackers remotely take control of the infected PC.
Some people (not my readers, of course) are likely to click on the phony Microsoft update notices, given that they are making the rounds at the same time as Microsoft is poised to issue its regular monthly security update. Just be aware that Microsoft does not issue product fix notices in this way.
Thursday, April 07, 2005
Test Results for New Oxyride Batteries
Somewhere along the line, whether here or in my newsletter days, I wrote an article about the new Oxyride batteries currently available only in Japan. In June, these batteries will become available in the United States.
To refresh your memory, the Oxyride battery is made by Panasonic. It will be available initially in AA and AAA sizes. They cost the same as alkaline batteries but are supposed to last twice as long as the alkaline ultra batteries. And, according to Panasonic, they are supposed to deliver more power, making flashlights shine brighter, portable tooth brushes spin faster, camera flashes recycle quicker and even make portable music players sound better.
Can all these claims be true? New York Times technology write David Pogue set out to test these claims by spending several days testing different devices. His test results make very interesting reading.
To read his article, go to:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/07/technology/circuits/07pogue.html?
You might need to sign up to read the article, but it is painless and free. And for the number of worthwhile articles published in the Times, it is worth it.
To refresh your memory, the Oxyride battery is made by Panasonic. It will be available initially in AA and AAA sizes. They cost the same as alkaline batteries but are supposed to last twice as long as the alkaline ultra batteries. And, according to Panasonic, they are supposed to deliver more power, making flashlights shine brighter, portable tooth brushes spin faster, camera flashes recycle quicker and even make portable music players sound better.
Can all these claims be true? New York Times technology write David Pogue set out to test these claims by spending several days testing different devices. His test results make very interesting reading.
To read his article, go to:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/07/technology/circuits/07pogue.html?
You might need to sign up to read the article, but it is painless and free. And for the number of worthwhile articles published in the Times, it is worth it.
Firefox Extends Its Pop-up Blocking
The Mozilla Foundation has developed a beta patch for the Firefox browser that it claims improves the blocking of pop-up ads. The popular open-source browser already contains a pop-up blocker by default, but this does not handle pop-ups launched by plug-ins such as Flash and Java.
According to Mozilla, many web sites are using these plugins to create a new breed of pop-ups that bypass the pop-up blockers now in use in some browsers like Opera, Firefox, and Maxthon...and in add-on tools like the Google Tool Bar.
While Firefox can block pop-ups launched by plug-ins, but this feature is disabled in the default set-up as it would affect Web sites that rely on plug-in triggered pop-ups for legitimate functionality.
The beta patch resolves this issue by enabling users to whitelist sites where pop-ups are needed. The beta patch has been packaged as a Firefox extension, called PopupsDie, and can be downloaded for testing here.
According to Mozilla, many web sites are using these plugins to create a new breed of pop-ups that bypass the pop-up blockers now in use in some browsers like Opera, Firefox, and Maxthon...and in add-on tools like the Google Tool Bar.
While Firefox can block pop-ups launched by plug-ins, but this feature is disabled in the default set-up as it would affect Web sites that rely on plug-in triggered pop-ups for legitimate functionality.
The beta patch resolves this issue by enabling users to whitelist sites where pop-ups are needed. The beta patch has been packaged as a Firefox extension, called PopupsDie, and can be downloaded for testing here.
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
Google's New Satellite Service
Like many of you, I have been a user of Mapquest for several years. It is always nice when you go to someplace new to have a map in your hands for navigation. Occasionally, Mapquest gets it wrong, but overall, it is still a nice service.
Well, along comes our friends at Google to make maps and getting directions even better. Google has added satellite images to its map program. So, not only can you look at a map and get directions, but you can switch to satellite view and see actual satellite photos of the area in question. And, like other mapping programs, you can zoom in and out to get a better view.
I tried playing with this yesterday and found it a little difficult at first. But, then I got the hang of it and had a great time looking at places I know. Of course, my first attempt was to look at my own house. Finding it on the map was easy, but I was not able to zoom in close as they don't have the closeup images for Ephrata on line yet. I was able to see the city and surrounding areas from the satellite, but that was as close as I could get.
I then tried an address in San Francisco and was able to see the location I was looking for very clearly. What I also discovered was you can hold your mouse button down and drag the map to see other areas of the city.
I then tried my brother's home in Oakland and was able to see his house decently enough to identify. An arrow and red dot on the screen correctly pinpointed my brother's house. As he lives in an area that has thousands of homes all around him, this is important.
At any time, you can click back to "map" mode and see the clearly defined streets. What is also nice in map mode is the main streets and arteries are clearly defined in yellow.
This new map service was made possible six months ago when Google acquired satellite imaging company Keyhole. Aerial photos are just the latest tool Google has added to its search service as it battles it out with industry players such as Yahoo, Ask Jeeves and Microsoft.
You should give it a try. Go to:
http://maps.google.com/
Well, along comes our friends at Google to make maps and getting directions even better. Google has added satellite images to its map program. So, not only can you look at a map and get directions, but you can switch to satellite view and see actual satellite photos of the area in question. And, like other mapping programs, you can zoom in and out to get a better view.
I tried playing with this yesterday and found it a little difficult at first. But, then I got the hang of it and had a great time looking at places I know. Of course, my first attempt was to look at my own house. Finding it on the map was easy, but I was not able to zoom in close as they don't have the closeup images for Ephrata on line yet. I was able to see the city and surrounding areas from the satellite, but that was as close as I could get.
I then tried an address in San Francisco and was able to see the location I was looking for very clearly. What I also discovered was you can hold your mouse button down and drag the map to see other areas of the city.
I then tried my brother's home in Oakland and was able to see his house decently enough to identify. An arrow and red dot on the screen correctly pinpointed my brother's house. As he lives in an area that has thousands of homes all around him, this is important.
At any time, you can click back to "map" mode and see the clearly defined streets. What is also nice in map mode is the main streets and arteries are clearly defined in yellow.
This new map service was made possible six months ago when Google acquired satellite imaging company Keyhole. Aerial photos are just the latest tool Google has added to its search service as it battles it out with industry players such as Yahoo, Ask Jeeves and Microsoft.
You should give it a try. Go to:
http://maps.google.com/
Monday, April 04, 2005
Vatican Uses Hi Tech to Announce Pope's Death
The Vatican, one of the places you would least suspect of being "hi-tech," used some of the latest technology to get the word out the Pope John Paul II had passed away. The Vatican communications office used a special text messaging system called "SMS" and e-mail to announce the Pope's passing.
Less than 15 minutes after the pope was pronounced dead on Saturday, the Vatican sent journalists an SMS message alerting them to a pending statement. Television networks across the globe were already on standby a minute later when the e-mail communique was beamed to a large number of state-of-the-art handheld computers, purchased by journalists at the suggestion of the Vatican.
As a result, TV viewers around the globe learned of the pope's death even before the thousands of faithful gathered in prayer below the pope's window in St. Peter's Square.
All of this, as well as the Catholic Church's efforts to keep the media informed of the Pope's health in the last few years, is a huge change from the secrecy surrounding previous pontifs, even as recently as the 1960s. For example, the Vatican kept Pope John XXIII's inoperable stomach cancer secret until just a few days before he died in June 1963.
Much of this can be attributed to Pope John Paul II himself. In February, he wrote a letter that the Church should not be shy of using the media, including the Internet, to spread its message, saying the "mass media can and must promote justice and solidarity."
Galileo would be proud.
Less than 15 minutes after the pope was pronounced dead on Saturday, the Vatican sent journalists an SMS message alerting them to a pending statement. Television networks across the globe were already on standby a minute later when the e-mail communique was beamed to a large number of state-of-the-art handheld computers, purchased by journalists at the suggestion of the Vatican.
As a result, TV viewers around the globe learned of the pope's death even before the thousands of faithful gathered in prayer below the pope's window in St. Peter's Square.
All of this, as well as the Catholic Church's efforts to keep the media informed of the Pope's health in the last few years, is a huge change from the secrecy surrounding previous pontifs, even as recently as the 1960s. For example, the Vatican kept Pope John XXIII's inoperable stomach cancer secret until just a few days before he died in June 1963.
Much of this can be attributed to Pope John Paul II himself. In February, he wrote a letter that the Church should not be shy of using the media, including the Internet, to spread its message, saying the "mass media can and must promote justice and solidarity."
Galileo would be proud.
Saturday, April 02, 2005
The Museum of Online Museums
As a habitual lover of museums, especially ones that display art, I could not help but be intrigued by a web site called The Museum of Online Museums . It features a very long list of links to museums and galleries on the Internet. The site has so many links that it even has an annex.
Some links take you to the Web sites of real museums such as the Museum of Modern Art, the Smithsonian, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the Orsay of Paris, just to name a few. However, the majority of the links lead to more obscure online collections. Some may be really good, while others should probably be in a hall of shame.
But, it is all in good fun and should be recognized as such. But, bear in mind, they link to real web sites. Here are a few examples:
The Museum of Burnt Food
The Grocery List Collection
Museum of Food Anomalies
Candy Wrapper Galleries
The Drafting Pencil Museum
The Gallery of Deep Sea Diving Cards
The Collection of Candy Cigarette Packaging
The Gallery of Old Christmas Lights
International Central Services Toaster Museum
Sam's Collection of Folk Art Mailboxes
Museum of Coat Hangers
I hope you have as much fun browsing through these museums as I have. You should probably bookmark it as you will return quite often.
Some links take you to the Web sites of real museums such as the Museum of Modern Art, the Smithsonian, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the Orsay of Paris, just to name a few. However, the majority of the links lead to more obscure online collections. Some may be really good, while others should probably be in a hall of shame.
But, it is all in good fun and should be recognized as such. But, bear in mind, they link to real web sites. Here are a few examples:
The Museum of Burnt Food
The Grocery List Collection
Museum of Food Anomalies
Candy Wrapper Galleries
The Drafting Pencil Museum
The Gallery of Deep Sea Diving Cards
The Collection of Candy Cigarette Packaging
The Gallery of Old Christmas Lights
International Central Services Toaster Museum
Sam's Collection of Folk Art Mailboxes
Museum of Coat Hangers
I hope you have as much fun browsing through these museums as I have. You should probably bookmark it as you will return quite often.
High Tech in the Supreme Court
This was a busy week in Washington, DC, as usual, but especially in the US Supreme Court where justices heard two cases involving technology that will probably have important, long term ramifications.
First, Supreme Court listened to the case involving music and movie file swapping over the Internet. While the justices appeared to cast a critical eye on entertainment industry proposals for stopping all forms of file swapping, they also appeared to have little sympathy for ongoing piracy on peer-to-peer networks.
Attorneys for the major record labels and Hollywood movie studios argued in front of the court in one of the most closely watched copyright cases in decades, which many observers say could help set the ground rules in the entertainment and technology industries for years to come.
The justices were clear that they were concerned about the effect of their ruling on the ability of technology companies to create future products like Apple Computer's iPod. However, several appeared to seek a way of holding file-swapping companies responsible for the piracy on their networks without endangering other technology companies.
As influential as the case is likely to be, few believe the issue will end with the Supreme Court, whose decision is expected in June. Many observers expect the losing side to take its case to Congress after the court rules.
In another case, one that could help determine the viability of the independent Internet Service Provider business, the Supreme Court took a close look at whether cable companies could keep other service providers off their networks. The case, which pits the Federal Communications Commission and the cable industry against a small Internet service provider called Brand X, revolves around a highly technical legal definition of cable Internet.
The FCC has said that cable companies can be the only ones to offer high-speed Net services over their broadband lines, while Brand X and other ISPs say that cable networks should be like telephone lines, on which any ISP can offer services.
Several of the justices appeared to scratch their heads over why the two industries should be regulated any differently.
As I said earlier, these two cases will have long term ramifications when they are decided. When that happens, I will bring you the results.
First, Supreme Court listened to the case involving music and movie file swapping over the Internet. While the justices appeared to cast a critical eye on entertainment industry proposals for stopping all forms of file swapping, they also appeared to have little sympathy for ongoing piracy on peer-to-peer networks.
Attorneys for the major record labels and Hollywood movie studios argued in front of the court in one of the most closely watched copyright cases in decades, which many observers say could help set the ground rules in the entertainment and technology industries for years to come.
The justices were clear that they were concerned about the effect of their ruling on the ability of technology companies to create future products like Apple Computer's iPod. However, several appeared to seek a way of holding file-swapping companies responsible for the piracy on their networks without endangering other technology companies.
As influential as the case is likely to be, few believe the issue will end with the Supreme Court, whose decision is expected in June. Many observers expect the losing side to take its case to Congress after the court rules.
In another case, one that could help determine the viability of the independent Internet Service Provider business, the Supreme Court took a close look at whether cable companies could keep other service providers off their networks. The case, which pits the Federal Communications Commission and the cable industry against a small Internet service provider called Brand X, revolves around a highly technical legal definition of cable Internet.
The FCC has said that cable companies can be the only ones to offer high-speed Net services over their broadband lines, while Brand X and other ISPs say that cable networks should be like telephone lines, on which any ISP can offer services.
Several of the justices appeared to scratch their heads over why the two industries should be regulated any differently.
As I said earlier, these two cases will have long term ramifications when they are decided. When that happens, I will bring you the results.
Friday, April 01, 2005
Microsoft on the Attack Against Phishers
Microsoft has filed 117 lawsuits against people who it charges created phishing Web sites designed to look like pages hosted by Microsoft.
The suits, filed in Seattle in U.S. District Court, are being brought against operators of Web sites that feature trademarked logos or images used by Microsoft on its official Web pages and products. The "John Doe" suits do not identify the individuals involved.
All the sites named in the lawsuits, which were online sometime in the past six months, have already been taken down, according to Microsoft. One of the primary goals of the legal attack is tracking down the individuals responsible for creating the fraudulent sites.
So called phishing schemes typically involve the distribution of e-mail messages constructed to appear as if they come from trusted companies, such as banks, online retailers or even giant companies like Microsoft. These messages attempt to lure people to bogus Web sites, made to appear as the authentic web site, where the victims are asked to divulge sensitive personal information. The phishing sites targeting Microsoft frequently tried to trick people into sharing their billing information or online password data.
The company and law enforcement agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, expect to gather more detailed information on the individuals during the discovery period of the cases, which will begin over the next several weeks
The suits, filed in Seattle in U.S. District Court, are being brought against operators of Web sites that feature trademarked logos or images used by Microsoft on its official Web pages and products. The "John Doe" suits do not identify the individuals involved.
All the sites named in the lawsuits, which were online sometime in the past six months, have already been taken down, according to Microsoft. One of the primary goals of the legal attack is tracking down the individuals responsible for creating the fraudulent sites.
So called phishing schemes typically involve the distribution of e-mail messages constructed to appear as if they come from trusted companies, such as banks, online retailers or even giant companies like Microsoft. These messages attempt to lure people to bogus Web sites, made to appear as the authentic web site, where the victims are asked to divulge sensitive personal information. The phishing sites targeting Microsoft frequently tried to trick people into sharing their billing information or online password data.
The company and law enforcement agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, expect to gather more detailed information on the individuals during the discovery period of the cases, which will begin over the next several weeks
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