Thanks to the folks at WindowsXP News for bringing this bit of information to my attention. I wasn't really aware of this situation, so I thought you might find it useful also.
It seems that one of the latest phishing e-mail scams has to do with receiving a free copy of your credit report. These new scams are a result of Congressional legislation that entitles you to one free copy of your credit report once a year. The scam e-mails can be classified into two categories: The first type e-mail is from a credit monitoring service that offers to get you your "free" report, but usually involves some additional fees.
The second type, the really dangerous ones, are the phishing scams that are trying to get you to release your personal information so they can steal your identity.
If you really want a copy of your credit report for free, here is how to go about it. According to the Federal Trade Commission, the only place online that is authorized to issue your free credit report is annualcreditreport.com. It is a secure web site and you can easily request your report without fear and ignore the e-mails.
By the way, if you want to check to see if any e-mail you receive might be a scam, you can head over to scambusters.org. It is a good web site full of very interesting info about web and e-mail scams, although it does have a fair amount of ads. In fact, some of their ads are at the very top of their pages, and at first I thought the ads were part of the scam listings. I might think twice about advertising on their web site.
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Monday, January 30, 2006
Update on Mars Rover Project
Slightly more than two years ago, two explorer robots landed on opposite sides of the planet Mars. With a predicted life of three months, the two rovers set about exploring the red planet looking mostly at geological features to determine if there was once water there which might lead to evidence that life once existed on the now barren planet.
Unbelievably, after two years, the rovers, named "Opportunity" and "Spirit" are still functioning and sending back data to NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory! The rovers are equipped with scientific detection and measuring devices and two different cameras. The two landing sites turned out to be quite different, which was what NASA was hoping.
Very early in the mission, Opportunity found overwhelming evidence at a site named "Eagle Crater" that salt water had flowed over the area. Meanwhile, after three months of exploration in a rocky volcanic plain that might have had some water, Spirit headed for a small range of hills named the "Columbia Hills" (how ironic is that) that did show more evidence of once being underwater.
The lifespan of these two rovers is amazing, to say the least. And their geological findings are going to keep scientists busy for many years to come. With the power of the Internet, there is a lot of good information available to keep you current with the status of the mission.
I recently watched an interesting one hour show on the Science Channel that showed many of the pictures taken by the two rovers and how it found evidence of Mars' watery past. This week, a new IMAX film is being released called "Roving Mars," that puts many of the images together in a seamless moving picture playing on a screen five stories high. I believe there is an IMAX theater in both Spokane and Seattle and you can bet I will be visiting one of them soon.
If you would like to learn more about the Mars Rover mission, here are some excellent links for you:
The main website for the mission:
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/
An excellent 8 page overview of the mission:
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/newsroom/factsheets/pdfs/Mars03Rover041020.pdf
Cornell University Site for the mission w/ excellent mission updates:
http://athena.cornell.edu/
Space.com's special web pages on the Rover Project:
http://www.space.com/marsrover/
Information on the new IMAX movie:
http://news.com.com/Mars+rovers+star+in+new+IMAX+film/2100-11397_3-6032081.html?
There are several other sites available to you too numerous to list here. If you want more, just do a Google or Yahoo search on "Mars rover" and you will get plenty.
Unbelievably, after two years, the rovers, named "Opportunity" and "Spirit" are still functioning and sending back data to NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory! The rovers are equipped with scientific detection and measuring devices and two different cameras. The two landing sites turned out to be quite different, which was what NASA was hoping.
Very early in the mission, Opportunity found overwhelming evidence at a site named "Eagle Crater" that salt water had flowed over the area. Meanwhile, after three months of exploration in a rocky volcanic plain that might have had some water, Spirit headed for a small range of hills named the "Columbia Hills" (how ironic is that) that did show more evidence of once being underwater.
The lifespan of these two rovers is amazing, to say the least. And their geological findings are going to keep scientists busy for many years to come. With the power of the Internet, there is a lot of good information available to keep you current with the status of the mission.
I recently watched an interesting one hour show on the Science Channel that showed many of the pictures taken by the two rovers and how it found evidence of Mars' watery past. This week, a new IMAX film is being released called "Roving Mars," that puts many of the images together in a seamless moving picture playing on a screen five stories high. I believe there is an IMAX theater in both Spokane and Seattle and you can bet I will be visiting one of them soon.
If you would like to learn more about the Mars Rover mission, here are some excellent links for you:
The main website for the mission:
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/
An excellent 8 page overview of the mission:
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/newsroom/factsheets/pdfs/Mars03Rover041020.pdf
Cornell University Site for the mission w/ excellent mission updates:
http://athena.cornell.edu/
Space.com's special web pages on the Rover Project:
http://www.space.com/marsrover/
Information on the new IMAX movie:
http://news.com.com/Mars+rovers+star+in+new+IMAX+film/2100-11397_3-6032081.html?
There are several other sites available to you too numerous to list here. If you want more, just do a Google or Yahoo search on "Mars rover" and you will get plenty.
Sunday, January 29, 2006
New Mt. Rainier Photos
Hello again. I just wanted to let you know that I have put up 14 new photos on my website from my two day trip to Mt. Rainier National Park last September. These are among the first photos I took with my new digital SLR camera.
It was a real learning experience working with the new camera on an extended shoot and I really learned a lot, after several mistakes. I remember thinking how much digital does really differ from film, but I am really happy I made the switch.
Anyway, enjoy these 14 pictures if you have time. I think I did some nice work. The link is:
http://www.corkrum.com/jim/mt_rainier/index.htm
It was a real learning experience working with the new camera on an extended shoot and I really learned a lot, after several mistakes. I remember thinking how much digital does really differ from film, but I am really happy I made the switch.
Anyway, enjoy these 14 pictures if you have time. I think I did some nice work. The link is:
http://www.corkrum.com/jim/mt_rainier/index.htm
Google News (Not all Good)
Google has been in the news a lot these last couple of weeks, and not just for their incredible stock prices. As reported here recently, they have refused to cooperate with the federal government and their quest for more information on pornography...and they have set up a special search engine for China that blocks the listing of web sites that the Chinese government deems unacceptable (mainly anti-Chinese government sites).
What follows is a reprint of an article that appeared in the most recent edition of the CounterSpy Newsletter, distributed by Sunbelt Software. There is some good information here and in the supplied links. Also, be sure and look at the last link on the bottom of the page on how to search anonymously on both Google and Yahoo.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
If you haven't already been reading multiple articles about Google and the Feds or Google and China I am sure you will be. One of my biggest concerns with Google is its overall pervasiveness into our lives and the fact that they keep and maintain every scrap of what you search in their database. Now the Feds have subpoenaed them as well as Yahoo and MSN. Yahoo and MSN gave the government the info wanted but Google is fighting back. I have compiled several articles for you to read if interested in what is going on here and what is at stake.
Security Expert Bruce Schneier (Counterpane Internet Security Inc.) puts it very well when he stated the following: "Google is amassing an enormous amount of information about people, and it's not just public Web pages. There are enormous concerns that Google knows too much about you."
Google's Achilles' Heel:
LINK: www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2006/01/26/1316407.htm
Why Google Won't Give In:
LINK: www.forbes.com/technology/ebusiness/2006/01/24/internet-search-porn_cx_ckrr_0124google.html
Court Documents & Summary Of United States Versus Google Over Search Data:
LINK: blog.searchenginewatch.com/blog/060119-161802
Google Agrees to Censor Results in China:
LINK: news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060125/ap_on_hi_te/china_google
Google Praised, Chided for Sanitized Site:
LINK: news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060126/ap_on_hi_te/china_sanitized_web
Smith Criticizes Google for Caving to China's Demand for Internet Censorship:
LINK: www.house.gov/apps/list/press/nj04_smith/printernetchina.html
Scroogle
Scroogle basically anonymizes your search so you are not being tracked. It works on Google and Yahoo.
LINK: scroogle.org/
What follows is a reprint of an article that appeared in the most recent edition of the CounterSpy Newsletter, distributed by Sunbelt Software. There is some good information here and in the supplied links. Also, be sure and look at the last link on the bottom of the page on how to search anonymously on both Google and Yahoo.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
If you haven't already been reading multiple articles about Google and the Feds or Google and China I am sure you will be. One of my biggest concerns with Google is its overall pervasiveness into our lives and the fact that they keep and maintain every scrap of what you search in their database. Now the Feds have subpoenaed them as well as Yahoo and MSN. Yahoo and MSN gave the government the info wanted but Google is fighting back. I have compiled several articles for you to read if interested in what is going on here and what is at stake.
Security Expert Bruce Schneier (Counterpane Internet Security Inc.) puts it very well when he stated the following: "Google is amassing an enormous amount of information about people, and it's not just public Web pages. There are enormous concerns that Google knows too much about you."
Google's Achilles' Heel:
LINK: www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2006/01/26/1316407.htm
Why Google Won't Give In:
LINK: www.forbes.com/technology/ebusiness/2006/01/24/internet-search-porn_cx_ckrr_0124google.html
Court Documents & Summary Of United States Versus Google Over Search Data:
LINK: blog.searchenginewatch.com/blog/060119-161802
Google Agrees to Censor Results in China:
LINK: news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060125/ap_on_hi_te/china_google
Google Praised, Chided for Sanitized Site:
LINK: news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060126/ap_on_hi_te/china_sanitized_web
Smith Criticizes Google for Caving to China's Demand for Internet Censorship:
LINK: www.house.gov/apps/list/press/nj04_smith/printernetchina.html
Scroogle
Scroogle basically anonymizes your search so you are not being tracked. It works on Google and Yahoo.
LINK: scroogle.org/
Saturday, January 28, 2006
Photo History of Hard Drives
Just a quick entry today. I came across a fun series of web pages (10 in all) that document the history of computer hard drives with photos from 1956 to the present day. I thought you might enjoy it also, so here is the link to the site.
I really liked the opening picture of IBM's first hard drive in 1956. It consisted of 50 platters that were 24 inches across each and had a total storage capacity of 5 Megabytes. That is about 1/200th of the amount of storage of the small compactflash that fits inside my digital camera, or .00003 of the storage size of my current hard drive.
We have come a long, long way. Enjoy.
I really liked the opening picture of IBM's first hard drive in 1956. It consisted of 50 platters that were 24 inches across each and had a total storage capacity of 5 Megabytes. That is about 1/200th of the amount of storage of the small compactflash that fits inside my digital camera, or .00003 of the storage size of my current hard drive.
We have come a long, long way. Enjoy.
Friday, January 27, 2006
One Week Until Black Death Day
On February 3, one week from today, at least 700,000 computers around the world, will have much of their important data wiped out by a virus/worm called "Blackworm." The worm, delivered by e-mail, and uses the lure of sexually explicit Kama Sutra photographs to trick people into executing an attachment, is programmed to deliver its destructive payload on the third day of every month.
Once a machine gets infected, the Blackworm completely disables anti-virus and other security software before delivering a payload that destroys certain file types. Once the worm's UPDATE.EXE file is run, it destroys all Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, PDF, ZIP and PSD files on all available drives. Any post-infection clean-up is very difficult because of the way the worm disables all anti-virus programs. One cannot go to the recyle bin to get the missing data back.
At 5:00 p.m. on Jan 24, more than 700,000 computers had already been infected by the worm, according to a stats counter used by the worm author. Finnish anti-virus vendor F-Secure, said the worm accounts for more than 17 percent of all virus infections in the last 24 hours.
Adding to the confusion is the fact that anti-virus vendors are all using different names to identify the worm. In addition to Blackworm, the worm has been named Kama Sutra, Blackmal, MyWife and Nyxem.
Please doublecheck your anti-virus software to make sure it is working and that its definitions are up-to-date. And, of course, don't open any attachments you are not sure of.
Once a machine gets infected, the Blackworm completely disables anti-virus and other security software before delivering a payload that destroys certain file types. Once the worm's UPDATE.EXE file is run, it destroys all Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, PDF, ZIP and PSD files on all available drives. Any post-infection clean-up is very difficult because of the way the worm disables all anti-virus programs. One cannot go to the recyle bin to get the missing data back.
At 5:00 p.m. on Jan 24, more than 700,000 computers had already been infected by the worm, according to a stats counter used by the worm author. Finnish anti-virus vendor F-Secure, said the worm accounts for more than 17 percent of all virus infections in the last 24 hours.
Adding to the confusion is the fact that anti-virus vendors are all using different names to identify the worm. In addition to Blackworm, the worm has been named Kama Sutra, Blackmal, MyWife and Nyxem.
Please doublecheck your anti-virus software to make sure it is working and that its definitions are up-to-date. And, of course, don't open any attachments you are not sure of.
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Hooray For Our State
My home state is Washington, home of the Superbowl-bound Seahawks and the Microsoft juggernaut. And, according to the both the Washington State attorney general and Microsoft, if you paid $49.95 for Spyware Cleaner from a company called Secure Computer, you have been duped.
Both Microsoft and the State of Washington have filed lawsuits against Secure Computer and its principals, charging them with violating the Washington Computer Spyware Act and three other laws. The act, effective since mid-2005, provides for a fine of up to $100,000 per violation. It is the first lawsuit filed by the state's attorney general under the new law.
Secure Computer allegedly used deceptive links on search engine Google's Web site, as well as in pop-up advertising and in spam e-mail for Spyware Cleaner to imply that the software came from or was endorsed by Microsoft, according to the suit. Additionally, the company is accused of using a Windows feature to pop up warnings on users' PCs, telling them their system had been compromised.
The messages urged the users to run a spyware scan. "The program...falsely claims that a computer is infected with spyware," the Attorney General said. The PC users were subsequently advised to buy Spyware Cleaner for $49.95 to remove the malicious software, he said, but the product did not do what it promised. According to the suit, the program fails to clean a computer of spyware and actually changes a computer's settings that leave it susceptible to future attacks from other spyware and related programs.
An attorney for Secure Computer said his client was "shocked and surprised" by the allegations. I will bet they were!
By the way, if you have been a victim of spyware or deceptive adware, there is now a place where you can tell your story. A new coalition that is sponsored by Google, Lenovo, Sun Microsystems, and organizers the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard Law School, the Oxford Internet Institute in the UK with an assist from the Consumer Reports' WebWatch project, formed the Stop Badware Coalition to combat spyware and adware. They are calling it all, "badware."
According to them, "StopBadware.org is a "Neighborhood Watch" campaign aimed at fighting badware. We will seek to provide reliable, objective information about downloadable applications in order to help consumers make better choices about what they download onto their computers. We aim to become a central clearinghouse for research on badware and the bad actors who spread it, and become a focal point for developing collaborative, community-minded approaches to stopping badware."
The coalition wants your badware horror stories, and will publicize the offenders. Sounds like a good idea.
Both Microsoft and the State of Washington have filed lawsuits against Secure Computer and its principals, charging them with violating the Washington Computer Spyware Act and three other laws. The act, effective since mid-2005, provides for a fine of up to $100,000 per violation. It is the first lawsuit filed by the state's attorney general under the new law.
Secure Computer allegedly used deceptive links on search engine Google's Web site, as well as in pop-up advertising and in spam e-mail for Spyware Cleaner to imply that the software came from or was endorsed by Microsoft, according to the suit. Additionally, the company is accused of using a Windows feature to pop up warnings on users' PCs, telling them their system had been compromised.
The messages urged the users to run a spyware scan. "The program...falsely claims that a computer is infected with spyware," the Attorney General said. The PC users were subsequently advised to buy Spyware Cleaner for $49.95 to remove the malicious software, he said, but the product did not do what it promised. According to the suit, the program fails to clean a computer of spyware and actually changes a computer's settings that leave it susceptible to future attacks from other spyware and related programs.
An attorney for Secure Computer said his client was "shocked and surprised" by the allegations. I will bet they were!
By the way, if you have been a victim of spyware or deceptive adware, there is now a place where you can tell your story. A new coalition that is sponsored by Google, Lenovo, Sun Microsystems, and organizers the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard Law School, the Oxford Internet Institute in the UK with an assist from the Consumer Reports' WebWatch project, formed the Stop Badware Coalition to combat spyware and adware. They are calling it all, "badware."
According to them, "StopBadware.org is a "Neighborhood Watch" campaign aimed at fighting badware. We will seek to provide reliable, objective information about downloadable applications in order to help consumers make better choices about what they download onto their computers. We aim to become a central clearinghouse for research on badware and the bad actors who spread it, and become a focal point for developing collaborative, community-minded approaches to stopping badware."
The coalition wants your badware horror stories, and will publicize the offenders. Sounds like a good idea.
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Your Laptop Will Self Destruct in 5 Seconds
I have come across an interesting product that may have a future, although right now it is for businesses and organizations rather than individuals. Never-the-less, I am intrigued by it and thought I would pass it along.
A company called Iron Mountain has come out with a service that enables customers to control data elimination or lock down all files on stolen PC's and laptops via an online interface. Their new service is called DataDefense and features triggers that allow a user or organization to recognize if a laptop or PC has been stolen or is missing. It can be used to order the computer to shut down the operating system each time it tries to connect with the Internet.
It is available either as a subscription-based service hosted by Iron Mountain or as licensed software run from an organization's own data center. DataDefense is powered by agents that can detect when an unaccounted-for Iron Mountain-encrypted laptop or PC appears online.
At that point a user can decide to repeatedly power down the machine or delete and overwrite every file, document, PowerPoint presentation or folder it holds. A time-sensitive "Out Of Contact" rule can be set to instruct the device to lock itself out if it's out of contact with its designated enterprise server, whether it has been an hour, day, week or month. The service also features a "Password Hacking" rule to set the amount of times a password can be tried before the data is destroyed.
If customers wishes to re-create the data that has been eliminated or shut out if the laptop or PC is recovered, they can access Iron Mountain's Data Protection Server service, which constantly backs up all customer data over the Web to an Iron Mountain secure vault repository for retrieval.
The cost of Iron Mountain's DataDefense is charged per seat license or per agent on a PC or laptop. Pricing begins at about $12.00 per seat per month. As I said, it ain't for the common folk yet, but I am willing to bet that there will be one for us someday soon. What a world we live in!
A company called Iron Mountain has come out with a service that enables customers to control data elimination or lock down all files on stolen PC's and laptops via an online interface. Their new service is called DataDefense and features triggers that allow a user or organization to recognize if a laptop or PC has been stolen or is missing. It can be used to order the computer to shut down the operating system each time it tries to connect with the Internet.
It is available either as a subscription-based service hosted by Iron Mountain or as licensed software run from an organization's own data center. DataDefense is powered by agents that can detect when an unaccounted-for Iron Mountain-encrypted laptop or PC appears online.
At that point a user can decide to repeatedly power down the machine or delete and overwrite every file, document, PowerPoint presentation or folder it holds. A time-sensitive "Out Of Contact" rule can be set to instruct the device to lock itself out if it's out of contact with its designated enterprise server, whether it has been an hour, day, week or month. The service also features a "Password Hacking" rule to set the amount of times a password can be tried before the data is destroyed.
If customers wishes to re-create the data that has been eliminated or shut out if the laptop or PC is recovered, they can access Iron Mountain's Data Protection Server service, which constantly backs up all customer data over the Web to an Iron Mountain secure vault repository for retrieval.
The cost of Iron Mountain's DataDefense is charged per seat license or per agent on a PC or laptop. Pricing begins at about $12.00 per seat per month. As I said, it ain't for the common folk yet, but I am willing to bet that there will be one for us someday soon. What a world we live in!
Monday, January 23, 2006
Feds Subpoena Search Engines
A new controversy is raging over the Bush Administration's subpoena of search giants AOL, Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo for what they are terming a "random sampling" of the search engine data. This was done not for reasons of National Security, as has been done in the past, but rather in the interests of "children's rights" (translation...that they are looking for child pornographer).
According to the American Civil Liberties Union who is somehow familiar with what is going on, AOL, Microsoft and Yahoo complied, although Yahoo's compliance may have fallen somewhat short of what the Fed's requested. Google, however, has totally refused to comply at all. Today, Microsoft admitted that it had turned data over to the Department of Justice, but no personal information about its users.
As we are still in the middle of this story and much remains to be seen, this story may go on for a while. I just wanted to make you aware of it. If you are interested in reading more, David Berlind of ZDNET has written a blog that explains more about the situation, although you are warned in advance that Mr. Berlind is opposed to the DOJ's position.
According to the American Civil Liberties Union who is somehow familiar with what is going on, AOL, Microsoft and Yahoo complied, although Yahoo's compliance may have fallen somewhat short of what the Fed's requested. Google, however, has totally refused to comply at all. Today, Microsoft admitted that it had turned data over to the Department of Justice, but no personal information about its users.
As we are still in the middle of this story and much remains to be seen, this story may go on for a while. I just wanted to make you aware of it. If you are interested in reading more, David Berlind of ZDNET has written a blog that explains more about the situation, although you are warned in advance that Mr. Berlind is opposed to the DOJ's position.
Sunday, January 22, 2006
This and That
While I count the hours until the start of today's football championship games, I thought I might catch you up with a quick glance at some technology news that you may have missed.
Beyond Windows Vista
A couple of days ago, I told you about Microsoft's release plan for both the new Windows Vista and the next service pack release for Windows XP. But Microsoft's vision doesn't stop with Vista. It is already planning for the next Windows operating system after Vista, now code-named Windows Vienna.
No word on what will be in Vienna, other than it will contain some features that were not fully ready for Vista, most notably a new file storing mechanism known as WinFS. The Vista update promises to have better search, a new graphics engine and other improvements of existing features.
FYI, understanding the Microsoft code-naming procedures is curious. Vienna was originally code-named Blackcomb. Windows Vista was originally code-named Longhorn, while Windows XP was first called Whistler. Whistler and Blackcomb are Canadian ski resorts and Longhorn is a saloon that is halfway between the two ski resorts. My guess is that someone high up in Microsoft is really into skiing (Duh!).
WordPerfect's New Office Suite
Yes, WordPerfect is still around and is now owned by graphics company Corel. They have just released a new version of their office suite and it has received excellent reviews. If you would like to see what is in the new package, take a look at the review just done by PC Magazine.
If you are interested in using a non-Microsoft office suite, including the free StarOffice, you might want to read a very short blog by John Dickinson. He recommends you give them a try as you may be pleasantly surprised.
Quickies
The Cartwheel Galaxy - a newly discovered, very interesting galaxy. The photo combines three images from different space-based telescopes.
DeadBodyGuy.com - a web site created by a computer programmer who likes to photograph himself playing dead. Weird, to say the least.
Rubix Cube Competition - If you thought that the Rubix Cube belongs in the category of nostalgia, think again. It is alive and well.
My Owner is an Idiot - A collection of photos of dogs with overly affectionate owners. Cute! (Thanks, Paul)
Go Seahawks!! (Yes, even 49er fans can be gracious).
Beyond Windows Vista
A couple of days ago, I told you about Microsoft's release plan for both the new Windows Vista and the next service pack release for Windows XP. But Microsoft's vision doesn't stop with Vista. It is already planning for the next Windows operating system after Vista, now code-named Windows Vienna.
No word on what will be in Vienna, other than it will contain some features that were not fully ready for Vista, most notably a new file storing mechanism known as WinFS. The Vista update promises to have better search, a new graphics engine and other improvements of existing features.
FYI, understanding the Microsoft code-naming procedures is curious. Vienna was originally code-named Blackcomb. Windows Vista was originally code-named Longhorn, while Windows XP was first called Whistler. Whistler and Blackcomb are Canadian ski resorts and Longhorn is a saloon that is halfway between the two ski resorts. My guess is that someone high up in Microsoft is really into skiing (Duh!).
WordPerfect's New Office Suite
Yes, WordPerfect is still around and is now owned by graphics company Corel. They have just released a new version of their office suite and it has received excellent reviews. If you would like to see what is in the new package, take a look at the review just done by PC Magazine.
If you are interested in using a non-Microsoft office suite, including the free StarOffice, you might want to read a very short blog by John Dickinson. He recommends you give them a try as you may be pleasantly surprised.
Quickies
The Cartwheel Galaxy - a newly discovered, very interesting galaxy. The photo combines three images from different space-based telescopes.
DeadBodyGuy.com - a web site created by a computer programmer who likes to photograph himself playing dead. Weird, to say the least.
Rubix Cube Competition - If you thought that the Rubix Cube belongs in the category of nostalgia, think again. It is alive and well.
My Owner is an Idiot - A collection of photos of dogs with overly affectionate owners. Cute! (Thanks, Paul)
Go Seahawks!! (Yes, even 49er fans can be gracious).
Friday, January 20, 2006
Service Pack 3 Delayed Big Time
If you are wondering when Microsoft will release its next Service Pack for Windows XP, just relax because you have a long wait. Much to the surprise of almost everyone, the whizzes from Redmond announced that Service Pack 3 will not be available until the second half of next year. In other words, your wait time is at least 1 1/2 years. Service Pack 2 was released in August 2004 making it at least three years between fix releases. That's a long time, although Microsoft does release fixes and patches on a monthly basis.
A service patch is a large collection of fixes, patches and updates for a Microsoft operating system. Last year, Microsoft said that it would issue the next XP service pack before its next version of the Windows operating system, to be called "Windows Vista." Its looks like they have changed their minds as Windows Vista is now scheduled for release later this year.
To me, it looks like that Microsoft has already relegated Windows XP to second class status in favor of a new operating system that is not ready for market yet. A very unclassy move, but one designed to help stimulate upgrade demand for Vista. The company also announced that as of December 30, 2008, they will no longer support Windows XP.
Just for Fun:
In these long winter days of extended darkness, I got to wondering about how much difference there is in the number of daylight hours between summer and winter. After a quick Google search, I came across the answer on a web page that is part of the Old Farmer's Almanac web site. It gives you a daily look at sunrise/sunset times in most locations in the US plus the total time of daylight hours.
FYI...for Ephrata we have 8:28 hours of daylight on the shortest day of the year (Dec 22 this year) and 15:58 hours on the longest day of the year (June 21), a difference of almost 7 1/2 hours! In the nearly one month between December 22 and today, we have already increased our daylight time by over 1/2 hour. I dearly love trivia!
A service patch is a large collection of fixes, patches and updates for a Microsoft operating system. Last year, Microsoft said that it would issue the next XP service pack before its next version of the Windows operating system, to be called "Windows Vista." Its looks like they have changed their minds as Windows Vista is now scheduled for release later this year.
To me, it looks like that Microsoft has already relegated Windows XP to second class status in favor of a new operating system that is not ready for market yet. A very unclassy move, but one designed to help stimulate upgrade demand for Vista. The company also announced that as of December 30, 2008, they will no longer support Windows XP.
Just for Fun:
In these long winter days of extended darkness, I got to wondering about how much difference there is in the number of daylight hours between summer and winter. After a quick Google search, I came across the answer on a web page that is part of the Old Farmer's Almanac web site. It gives you a daily look at sunrise/sunset times in most locations in the US plus the total time of daylight hours.
FYI...for Ephrata we have 8:28 hours of daylight on the shortest day of the year (Dec 22 this year) and 15:58 hours on the longest day of the year (June 21), a difference of almost 7 1/2 hours! In the nearly one month between December 22 and today, we have already increased our daylight time by over 1/2 hour. I dearly love trivia!
Thursday, January 19, 2006
More News from the Film Camera Hospice
I should have waited a day before writing yesterday's blog as I could have added this breaking story. Today, Konica Minolta, the third largest manufacturer of cameras, announced it is leaving the camera and film business altogether. It will stop producing both digital and film cameras by March of this year and will stop making photographic film and color paper by March 2007, pulling out of a market in rapid decline due to the spread of digital cameras, which store images digitally.
But wait, there is more. Konica Minolta also said that it will sell a portion of its digital single lens reflex (SLR) camera assets to Sony for an undisclosed sum. Last July, Sony and Konica Minolta formed an agreement to jointly develop digital SLR cameras, which are generally more expensive and offer better performance than point-and-shoot compact models, and typically use interchangeable lenses. The company said it will continue to produce digital SLR camera bodies and lenses for Sony based on its Maxxum/Dynax mount system, meaning that current owners of those lenses will be able to use them on new digital SLR models to be developed by Sony.
Sony already makes several non-SLR digital cameras so there was no need for the company to buy the non-SLR portion of the Konica Minolta business. Currently Konica Minolta only makes one digital SLR camera, but it is a very good one. Sad to say the Konica Minolta brand will disappear, ending a legacy that started when Minolta started producing cameras in 1928.
Regarding the film side of their operation, the company was the world's third-largest maker of camera film after Eastman Kodak and Fuji Photo Film and had said in November that it would significantly downsize its loss-making camera and film operations, but not completely shut them down. Today, they reversed that decision. Immediately following this announcement, Fuji Photo issued a press release saying it will continue making traditional camera film.
Konica Minolta, created in August 2003 through the merger of Konica and Minolta, has a long history in the camera and film markets, producing Japan's first photographic paper in 1903 and the country's first color film in 1940.
What's next, I wonder?
But wait, there is more. Konica Minolta also said that it will sell a portion of its digital single lens reflex (SLR) camera assets to Sony for an undisclosed sum. Last July, Sony and Konica Minolta formed an agreement to jointly develop digital SLR cameras, which are generally more expensive and offer better performance than point-and-shoot compact models, and typically use interchangeable lenses. The company said it will continue to produce digital SLR camera bodies and lenses for Sony based on its Maxxum/Dynax mount system, meaning that current owners of those lenses will be able to use them on new digital SLR models to be developed by Sony.
Sony already makes several non-SLR digital cameras so there was no need for the company to buy the non-SLR portion of the Konica Minolta business. Currently Konica Minolta only makes one digital SLR camera, but it is a very good one. Sad to say the Konica Minolta brand will disappear, ending a legacy that started when Minolta started producing cameras in 1928.
Regarding the film side of their operation, the company was the world's third-largest maker of camera film after Eastman Kodak and Fuji Photo Film and had said in November that it would significantly downsize its loss-making camera and film operations, but not completely shut them down. Today, they reversed that decision. Immediately following this announcement, Fuji Photo issued a press release saying it will continue making traditional camera film.
Konica Minolta, created in August 2003 through the merger of Konica and Minolta, has a long history in the camera and film markets, producing Japan's first photographic paper in 1903 and the country's first color film in 1940.
What's next, I wonder?
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Film Cameras Head for the Hospice
It's no secret that film cameras are a dying breed. With the rapid rise of digital cameras, the death knoll has sounded for a product that's been with us since before the American Civil War. But time and technological innovations marches on.
It reminds me in some ways of the death of LP records. They were with us for years, even though their quality was questionable with all those ticks and pops. But, along came the CD and LP records passed into history rather rapidly. So it will be with film cameras.
I bring this up today because one of the long-time icons of photography, Nikon, announced that it would stop making most of its film cameras and lenses in order to focus on digital cameras. Nikon is the choice of many professional photographers (the other major player being Canon). For years, many photographic devotees dreamed of owning a Nikon film camera. Now, most of those folks dream of owning a Nikon or Canon SLR digital camera. Canon has already cut back on most of its film camera production as has Kodak.
Nikon said it would halt production of all but two of its seven film cameras and would also stop making most lenses for those cameras. The company will halt production of the film camera models "one by one," though it refused to specify when.
As a fairly recent convert to the world of digital photography, I can testify that it is definitely better. I can't image shooting a wedding anymore with a film camera. And, for me, being able to process each image shot in RAW mode before creating the actual photograph is a Godsend for those shots that aren't quite up to my expectations. And except for those art shows that still require slides of my work for jurying, I may never use my excellent SLR film camera again. But, because of my life-long interest and activity in photography and the many hours spent in a real dark room, the passing of film camera does bring with it a touch of nostalgia and sadness.
Sidebar Story
Since we are talking photography here, I thought I would pass along a story that first appeared recently in the New York Times and has been republished by CNET. It is the story of how camera buyers who use the Internet have become enraged by the questionable business practices of several on-line camera resellers. A majority of these firms are located in Brooklyn.
It focuses not only on the many consumer complaints against these firms, but also on the story of one customer who was so outraged by his experiences with one company that he wrote a irate blog, which was eventually picked up by hundreds, if not thousands of web users. They all set out to shut down the company in question and have apparently succeeded.
One of these outraged New York consumers, Don Wiss, used his web site to publish photographs of most every camera company in Brooklyn and New York, using the addresses listed on each web site. His photographs reveal a plethora of shuttered warehouses, mailbox stores and apartment buildings...and a few legitimate businesses. You can see them on his website by clicking here.
It reminds me in some ways of the death of LP records. They were with us for years, even though their quality was questionable with all those ticks and pops. But, along came the CD and LP records passed into history rather rapidly. So it will be with film cameras.
I bring this up today because one of the long-time icons of photography, Nikon, announced that it would stop making most of its film cameras and lenses in order to focus on digital cameras. Nikon is the choice of many professional photographers (the other major player being Canon). For years, many photographic devotees dreamed of owning a Nikon film camera. Now, most of those folks dream of owning a Nikon or Canon SLR digital camera. Canon has already cut back on most of its film camera production as has Kodak.
Nikon said it would halt production of all but two of its seven film cameras and would also stop making most lenses for those cameras. The company will halt production of the film camera models "one by one," though it refused to specify when.
A company spokesman said Nikon made the decision because sales of film cameras have plunged. In the most recent fiscal year ended March 2005, Nikon said that film camera bodies accounted for only 3 percent of the $1.5 billion in sales at the company's camera and imaging division. That is down from 16 percent the previous year. By contrast, sales of digital cameras have soared, the company said, jumping to 75 percent of total sales in the year ended March 2005, from 47 percent three years earlier.
As a fairly recent convert to the world of digital photography, I can testify that it is definitely better. I can't image shooting a wedding anymore with a film camera. And, for me, being able to process each image shot in RAW mode before creating the actual photograph is a Godsend for those shots that aren't quite up to my expectations. And except for those art shows that still require slides of my work for jurying, I may never use my excellent SLR film camera again. But, because of my life-long interest and activity in photography and the many hours spent in a real dark room, the passing of film camera does bring with it a touch of nostalgia and sadness.
Sidebar Story
Since we are talking photography here, I thought I would pass along a story that first appeared recently in the New York Times and has been republished by CNET. It is the story of how camera buyers who use the Internet have become enraged by the questionable business practices of several on-line camera resellers. A majority of these firms are located in Brooklyn.
It focuses not only on the many consumer complaints against these firms, but also on the story of one customer who was so outraged by his experiences with one company that he wrote a irate blog, which was eventually picked up by hundreds, if not thousands of web users. They all set out to shut down the company in question and have apparently succeeded.
One of these outraged New York consumers, Don Wiss, used his web site to publish photographs of most every camera company in Brooklyn and New York, using the addresses listed on each web site. His photographs reveal a plethora of shuttered warehouses, mailbox stores and apartment buildings...and a few legitimate businesses. You can see them on his website by clicking here.
Monday, January 16, 2006
A Free Diary (Journal) for You
I love to write and have been doing so since I was a little boy. I was on my high school paper and in college I graduated with a degree in journalism. As a political consultant, I wrote hundreds of speeches, TV and radio commercials, articles, and direct mail pieces. For the last several years, I’ve been writing a technology newsletter, which morphed in 2003 to this blog. I also write for myself, most of which not available for public consumption.
I do sometimes wish that over the years I had maintained a proper diary (these days, diaries are often referred to as journals). The truth is that writing by hand has always been difficult for me. I am left-handed and most binders and notebooks are made for right-handed people. Plus, my hand gets very sore after only a few minutes of writing.
Thus, the widespread availability of computers was a Godsend for me personally as I can type for hours without any difficulties, aw well as make instant corrections. But, having personal documents mixed in with other documents has been difficult for me personally, as I like the idea of keeping related documents all in one place….you know…like a diary or journal.
That’s why I was pleased to find a free diary program that can organize my personal writings in the form of a daily diary. The program is called “iDailyDiary” and is available as free download (no strings attached) from the Download.com website.
This well designed program is very easy to use and has several great features. It is organized by date so that each day you start a new entry. You can have one or several tabbed sheets for each day. It is simple to drop in your own pictures or graphics as well as pictures and graphics from the Internet. You can easily create links to interesting Web pages as well as other documents on your own computer. In addition, it is easy to link current entries to past diary entries for easier reference.
Date and time stamping is easily done so it is clearly identified when you wrote something. You can also changed fonts, sizes and colors, as well as add bold, italics and underline words.
One of the best features of iDailyDiary is the ability so search for specific references from past entries. When you search, the program pulls up complete paragraphs of your search parameters so you can see your search words used in context. It also lists the date of your entry, making it easier to find the entire entry.
So if you want to do your own blog but don’t want to it on the Internet for public consumption, consider downloading iDailyDiary. It is highly recommended.
Although the free version has plenty of good features, which will probably be enough for most folks, there is a professional version available for $30 that adds several nice features like spell check, sticky notes, tables, and templates.
I do sometimes wish that over the years I had maintained a proper diary (these days, diaries are often referred to as journals). The truth is that writing by hand has always been difficult for me. I am left-handed and most binders and notebooks are made for right-handed people. Plus, my hand gets very sore after only a few minutes of writing.
Thus, the widespread availability of computers was a Godsend for me personally as I can type for hours without any difficulties, aw well as make instant corrections. But, having personal documents mixed in with other documents has been difficult for me personally, as I like the idea of keeping related documents all in one place….you know…like a diary or journal.
That’s why I was pleased to find a free diary program that can organize my personal writings in the form of a daily diary. The program is called “iDailyDiary” and is available as free download (no strings attached) from the Download.com website.
This well designed program is very easy to use and has several great features. It is organized by date so that each day you start a new entry. You can have one or several tabbed sheets for each day. It is simple to drop in your own pictures or graphics as well as pictures and graphics from the Internet. You can easily create links to interesting Web pages as well as other documents on your own computer. In addition, it is easy to link current entries to past diary entries for easier reference.
Date and time stamping is easily done so it is clearly identified when you wrote something. You can also changed fonts, sizes and colors, as well as add bold, italics and underline words.
One of the best features of iDailyDiary is the ability so search for specific references from past entries. When you search, the program pulls up complete paragraphs of your search parameters so you can see your search words used in context. It also lists the date of your entry, making it easier to find the entire entry.
So if you want to do your own blog but don’t want to it on the Internet for public consumption, consider downloading iDailyDiary. It is highly recommended.
Although the free version has plenty of good features, which will probably be enough for most folks, there is a professional version available for $30 that adds several nice features like spell check, sticky notes, tables, and templates.
Saturday, January 14, 2006
New Version of Thunderbird Available
The Mozilla Foundation has released the next version of it's e-mail software, Thunderbird, Version 1.5. Thunderbird is the e-mail companion program to the Firefox web browser, although it is not necessary to have if you use Firefox.
I am a satisfied user of Thunderbird and am happy to see the upgrade. As you may remember from about one year ago, my new desktop computer had difficulties with both Outlook 2000 and Outlook Express. The difficulty arose when I updated my new computer with Service Pack 2 for Windows XP, before installing Outlook. Doing it this way apparently caused a problem with password retention and, as a result, neither of the two Microsoft e-mail programs would retain my e-mail password. I had to continually enter my password every time I checked my e-mail. Very annoying, to say the least.
I found the problem listed on Microsoft's web site, along with the possible solutions. None of them worked. So rather than spend hours and days continuing to work on the problem, I installed Thunderbird and have been a happy user ever since.
From what I have been able to ascertain, the majority of improvements in Thunderbird V1.5 are behind the scenes. The original versions apparently had several bugs, none of which I ever encountered. All these have been fixed.
There is one nice feature that has been added and that is the detection of possible phishing scams. The software will now detect and notify you of suspicious e-mails that may try to dupe you to give your private information to unsavory characters. I can't vouch that this works as I have not received one since upgrading to the new version.
It also has improved its built-in spam detection filters. The software learns what you consider to be junk mail and does a good job removing them from your in-box to a junk mail box. I have trained my junk filters over the last year and it seems to work quite well.
Another new improvement that mirrors the latest Firefox upgrade is that fixes and upgrades can now be downloaded automatically by the software so you don't have to keep checking the Mozilla web site. And like Firefox, there are several free ad-ons you can download (they are called extensions).
If you would like to learn more about Thunderbird and its extensions...or download the newest version (remember it is free) head over the the Mozilla website.
You can also read a pre-release review by eWeek magazine on their website, although please remember that e-Week reviews products more for enterprises, not for individuals. Still, they found it to be an excellent upgrade.
I am a satisfied user of Thunderbird and am happy to see the upgrade. As you may remember from about one year ago, my new desktop computer had difficulties with both Outlook 2000 and Outlook Express. The difficulty arose when I updated my new computer with Service Pack 2 for Windows XP, before installing Outlook. Doing it this way apparently caused a problem with password retention and, as a result, neither of the two Microsoft e-mail programs would retain my e-mail password. I had to continually enter my password every time I checked my e-mail. Very annoying, to say the least.
I found the problem listed on Microsoft's web site, along with the possible solutions. None of them worked. So rather than spend hours and days continuing to work on the problem, I installed Thunderbird and have been a happy user ever since.
From what I have been able to ascertain, the majority of improvements in Thunderbird V1.5 are behind the scenes. The original versions apparently had several bugs, none of which I ever encountered. All these have been fixed.
There is one nice feature that has been added and that is the detection of possible phishing scams. The software will now detect and notify you of suspicious e-mails that may try to dupe you to give your private information to unsavory characters. I can't vouch that this works as I have not received one since upgrading to the new version.
It also has improved its built-in spam detection filters. The software learns what you consider to be junk mail and does a good job removing them from your in-box to a junk mail box. I have trained my junk filters over the last year and it seems to work quite well.
Another new improvement that mirrors the latest Firefox upgrade is that fixes and upgrades can now be downloaded automatically by the software so you don't have to keep checking the Mozilla web site. And like Firefox, there are several free ad-ons you can download (they are called extensions).
If you would like to learn more about Thunderbird and its extensions...or download the newest version (remember it is free) head over the the Mozilla website.
You can also read a pre-release review by eWeek magazine on their website, although please remember that e-Week reviews products more for enterprises, not for individuals. Still, they found it to be an excellent upgrade.
Friday, January 13, 2006
Symantec Caught Using Rootkit Technology
As we learned from the recent Sony fiasco with their music CD's, rootkits are bad. So why is Symantec, manufacturers of Norton Anti-Virus, Norton Firewall, and Norton Systemworks, and self-pronounced guardians of all that is safe and clean, using rootkit technology?
I don't know and neither do most of the security experts in world. But Symantec has confessed to doing it with the Norton Systemworks software. Symantec said they did it as a way of deliberately hiding a directory from Windows APIs as a feature to stop customers from accidentally deleting files.
This is an embarrassing turn of events for Symantec, more so because the company, which bills itself as "a world leader in providing solutions to help individuals and enterprises assure the security, availability, and integrity of their information," didn't realize its misstep until Mark Russinovich, the researcher who discovered Sony's controversial DRM rootkit, alerted them to it.
"It's a bad, bad, bad idea to start hiding things in places where it presents a danger. I'm seeing it more and more with commercial vendors," Russinovich said in an interview. "When you use rootkit-type techniques, even if your intentions are good, the user no longer has full control of the machine. It's impossible to manage the security and health of that system if the owner is not in control."
I don't know and neither do most of the security experts in world. But Symantec has confessed to doing it with the Norton Systemworks software. Symantec said they did it as a way of deliberately hiding a directory from Windows APIs as a feature to stop customers from accidentally deleting files.
Symantec said the feature, called Norton Protected Recycle Bin, was built into Norton SystemWorks with a director called NProtect that is hidden from Windows APIs. Because it is cloaked, files in the NProtect directory might not be scanned during scheduled or manual virus scans. They also said that this could potentially provide a location for an attacker to hide a malicious file on a computer, although they believe that this is a very low risk.
In light of this controversy, Symantec has released an updated version for Norton Systemworks that unhides the NProtect directory. According to Symantec's website, this issue only affects Systemworks 2005 and 2006. Symantec is "strongly" recommending that SystemWorks users update the product immediately to ensure greater protection.This is an embarrassing turn of events for Symantec, more so because the company, which bills itself as "a world leader in providing solutions to help individuals and enterprises assure the security, availability, and integrity of their information," didn't realize its misstep until Mark Russinovich, the researcher who discovered Sony's controversial DRM rootkit, alerted them to it.
"It's a bad, bad, bad idea to start hiding things in places where it presents a danger. I'm seeing it more and more with commercial vendors," Russinovich said in an interview. "When you use rootkit-type techniques, even if your intentions are good, the user no longer has full control of the machine. It's impossible to manage the security and health of that system if the owner is not in control."
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Microsoft to Look for Potential Security Flaws
In a move that is best described as wayyyyyyyyyyy overdue, Microsoft says it plans to scour its code to look for flaws similar to the recent serious Windows bug (see last week's blog) and to update its development practices to prevent similar problems in future products. So why did this move take so long?
According to Microsoft, the flaw in the method that Windows Meta File (WMF) images are handled is different than any security vulnerability the software maker has dealt with in the past. Typical flaws are unforeseen gaps in programs that hackers can take advantage of and run code. By contrast, according to Microsoft, the WMF problem lies in a software feature being used in an unintended way.
In response to the new threat, the software company is pledging to take a look at its programs, old and new, to avoid similar side effects. For a company the size of Microsoft, this new initiative should have been done years ago.
To its credit, Microsoft has been working for four years to improve its security posture, beginning with its Trustworthy Computing Initiative, launched in 2002. But, one analyst said the WMF problem is not a good advertisement for Microsoft's security efforts as the legacy issue seemingly went undetected. Another analyst says, "This should have been caught and eliminated years ago. They overlooked image format files, and that is where this WMF issue came in."
Microsoft now faces a race with cybercriminals, who are likely on the prowl for the same bugs. And guess what? The bad guys are winning.
Just days after rushing out an emergency fix to counter a rash security attacks using the WMF flaw, security researchers claim there are at least two new flaws in the way the Windows graphics rendering engine handles WMF images. The issue can be used to run a denial-of-service attack, but there are fears that other kinds of attacks may be possible if the exploit is modified.
Microsoft says they have already identified the issues as part of its ongoing code maintenance and is evaluating them for inclusion in the next service pack for the affected products. The new flaws affect fully patched versions of Windows 2000, Windows XP (Service Pack 2 included) and Windows Server 2003.
Microsoft is such a huge company in terms of its size, its financial position, and its control of the huge computing market. They were warned many, many years ago that their coding methodology would lead to all kinds of problems in the future, but they chose to proceed irregardless. And it is all of us who suffer. I am frankly sick of it.
According to Microsoft, the flaw in the method that Windows Meta File (WMF) images are handled is different than any security vulnerability the software maker has dealt with in the past. Typical flaws are unforeseen gaps in programs that hackers can take advantage of and run code. By contrast, according to Microsoft, the WMF problem lies in a software feature being used in an unintended way.
In response to the new threat, the software company is pledging to take a look at its programs, old and new, to avoid similar side effects. For a company the size of Microsoft, this new initiative should have been done years ago.
To its credit, Microsoft has been working for four years to improve its security posture, beginning with its Trustworthy Computing Initiative, launched in 2002. But, one analyst said the WMF problem is not a good advertisement for Microsoft's security efforts as the legacy issue seemingly went undetected. Another analyst says, "This should have been caught and eliminated years ago. They overlooked image format files, and that is where this WMF issue came in."
Microsoft now faces a race with cybercriminals, who are likely on the prowl for the same bugs. And guess what? The bad guys are winning.
Just days after rushing out an emergency fix to counter a rash security attacks using the WMF flaw, security researchers claim there are at least two new flaws in the way the Windows graphics rendering engine handles WMF images. The issue can be used to run a denial-of-service attack, but there are fears that other kinds of attacks may be possible if the exploit is modified.
Microsoft says they have already identified the issues as part of its ongoing code maintenance and is evaluating them for inclusion in the next service pack for the affected products. The new flaws affect fully patched versions of Windows 2000, Windows XP (Service Pack 2 included) and Windows Server 2003.
Microsoft is such a huge company in terms of its size, its financial position, and its control of the huge computing market. They were warned many, many years ago that their coding methodology would lead to all kinds of problems in the future, but they chose to proceed irregardless. And it is all of us who suffer. I am frankly sick of it.
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Yahoo, Google, and a Freebie
It seems ironic that two of the biggest announcements at last week's Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas came not from traditional electronic companies, but from Yahoo and Google whose products take up absolutely no shelf space at electronic retailers.
Yahoo officially announced its new portable initiative called "Yahoo Go" that extends its already numerous services to televisions and cell phones. Yahoo Go Mobile, for example, brings Yahoo Mail, Yahoo Messenger, photo services, and Web and image search to cell phones. Yahoo Go TV brings video search and movie information to PC-connected TVs. Yahoo's goal is to make their services indispensable, omnipresent fixtures of our so called "digital lifestyle."
Yahoo does have some darn good services including Yahoo 360 (combines your photos and personal blogs) and Flickr (an advanced site for showing off your photos), not to mention their e-mail, instant messaging. You should check out Yahoo Go, if only to see if some of their existing services might be of value to you now.
Meanwhile, Google announced its soon-to-be-open video service, called Google Video Store. When fully operational, people will be able to buy a wide array of sports, entertainment and news programming from partners such as CBS and the NBA. In 2005, Google launched a video search service, and outsiders have long assumed the company and business partners would seek ways to make money from online video. In his Las Vegas speech, company's co-founder and president of products Larry Page said Google would sell some videos for as little as 99 cents.
Google also announced the release of Google Pack, a free downloadable package of Google-branded and third-party software, such as a Web browser and a media player, considered essential for most computer users. The availability of the included software could diminish Microsoft's control of the computer desktop, seen by many as a key tool for driving people to use online services.
The package includes Google Desktop, which searches computer desktop files; Google Earth, a 3D earth browser for looking at close-up satellite imagery of the earth; Picasa a very good photo editor and organizer; Google Screensaver for customizing your own screensaver; and Google Toolbar for Internet Explorer.
Third party software included in Google Pack includes the Firefox web browser complete with Google Toolbar, Norton Anti-Virus with a free six month subscription, Ad-Aware anti-spyware software, and Adobe Reader 7.
Optional software that can be downloaded as part of Google Pack include Google Talk, an instant message and voice chat program, RealPlayer digital media player from Real Networks, Gallery Player HD Images, and Trilian Instant Messenger. You can download some or all of these goodies for free by going to the new Google Pack Web Page. This is a great bargain in free software, now available in one place. Check it out.
Yahoo officially announced its new portable initiative called "Yahoo Go" that extends its already numerous services to televisions and cell phones. Yahoo Go Mobile, for example, brings Yahoo Mail, Yahoo Messenger, photo services, and Web and image search to cell phones. Yahoo Go TV brings video search and movie information to PC-connected TVs. Yahoo's goal is to make their services indispensable, omnipresent fixtures of our so called "digital lifestyle."
Yahoo does have some darn good services including Yahoo 360 (combines your photos and personal blogs) and Flickr (an advanced site for showing off your photos), not to mention their e-mail, instant messaging. You should check out Yahoo Go, if only to see if some of their existing services might be of value to you now.
Meanwhile, Google announced its soon-to-be-open video service, called Google Video Store. When fully operational, people will be able to buy a wide array of sports, entertainment and news programming from partners such as CBS and the NBA. In 2005, Google launched a video search service, and outsiders have long assumed the company and business partners would seek ways to make money from online video. In his Las Vegas speech, company's co-founder and president of products Larry Page said Google would sell some videos for as little as 99 cents.
Google also announced the release of Google Pack, a free downloadable package of Google-branded and third-party software, such as a Web browser and a media player, considered essential for most computer users. The availability of the included software could diminish Microsoft's control of the computer desktop, seen by many as a key tool for driving people to use online services.
The package includes Google Desktop, which searches computer desktop files; Google Earth, a 3D earth browser for looking at close-up satellite imagery of the earth; Picasa a very good photo editor and organizer; Google Screensaver for customizing your own screensaver; and Google Toolbar for Internet Explorer.
Third party software included in Google Pack includes the Firefox web browser complete with Google Toolbar, Norton Anti-Virus with a free six month subscription, Ad-Aware anti-spyware software, and Adobe Reader 7.
Optional software that can be downloaded as part of Google Pack include Google Talk, an instant message and voice chat program, RealPlayer digital media player from Real Networks, Gallery Player HD Images, and Trilian Instant Messenger. You can download some or all of these goodies for free by going to the new Google Pack Web Page. This is a great bargain in free software, now available in one place. Check it out.
Sunday, January 08, 2006
A Look at the Consumer Electronic Show
In the past, I have written lots about the new products that emerged from the Consumer Electronics Show, which just concluded its 2006 four day run in Las Vegas. With the emergence of blogs and Internet video, I don't have to write that much about it anymore as you can see it for yourself.
CNET, which has always done a very good job of covering this event in the past (as well as the old Comdex), has outdone itself this year in its coverage with lots of stories and plenty of videos about the show and new products.
I enjoyed the video walking tour of the various event sites and looking at many of the new product videos. They also gave out 14 Best-Of-Show awards for their favorite products, which is no small feat considering the thousands of new products that were introduced.
The first of the dual-processor laptops were introduced at the show, which are interesting, but a little out of my price range right now. New digital cameras were in short supply as most of those new products will be introduced next month at a different show that focuses on photographic products. Other categories covered include cell phones/PDA's, car technology, computers, networking, televisions, home audio, home video, MP3/Portable video, gaming, and more.
So, if you would like to spend a few minutes (or a few hours) looking at many of the new products coming our way, head over to the special section of the CNET web site that covers the show. If you are anything like me, you should really have a good time.
CNET, which has always done a very good job of covering this event in the past (as well as the old Comdex), has outdone itself this year in its coverage with lots of stories and plenty of videos about the show and new products.
I enjoyed the video walking tour of the various event sites and looking at many of the new product videos. They also gave out 14 Best-Of-Show awards for their favorite products, which is no small feat considering the thousands of new products that were introduced.
The first of the dual-processor laptops were introduced at the show, which are interesting, but a little out of my price range right now. New digital cameras were in short supply as most of those new products will be introduced next month at a different show that focuses on photographic products. Other categories covered include cell phones/PDA's, car technology, computers, networking, televisions, home audio, home video, MP3/Portable video, gaming, and more.
So, if you would like to spend a few minutes (or a few hours) looking at many of the new products coming our way, head over to the special section of the CNET web site that covers the show. If you are anything like me, you should really have a good time.
Saturday, January 07, 2006
Best of the Free Software
I love freebies!! Especially when the freebies are useful. Over the years, I have downloaded lots of free software, many of which are or were very useful. Right now, on my computer, there are several free software programs that I use continually.
For instance, my e-mail software is Thunderbird and my Web browser is Firefox, both made by Mozilla and both were free. I have another program that reads blank CD's and DVD's and tells me who manufactured them to make sure I don't get stuck with some low grade product. Another program I use is similar to Windows Explorer, but it lets me look at two directories at the same time. Still another program I use does mass updating of file names in one fell swoop (very handy for wedding photo files). All these and more were all free.
As I have mentioned before here, one of the top downloading sites on the net is download.com. They have put together a large list of their best software products that are free and have absolutely no strings attached. The list is in categories including: Audio/Video, Business, Design/Photo, Desktop Enhancements, Developer Tools, Games, Home/Education, Internet, Utilities, and MAC Software.
Head over to their website when you have a chance and check out the list. I would be surprised if you didn't find something that can be useful for you. The link is:
http://www.download.com/1200-20-5154518.html?
For instance, my e-mail software is Thunderbird and my Web browser is Firefox, both made by Mozilla and both were free. I have another program that reads blank CD's and DVD's and tells me who manufactured them to make sure I don't get stuck with some low grade product. Another program I use is similar to Windows Explorer, but it lets me look at two directories at the same time. Still another program I use does mass updating of file names in one fell swoop (very handy for wedding photo files). All these and more were all free.
As I have mentioned before here, one of the top downloading sites on the net is download.com. They have put together a large list of their best software products that are free and have absolutely no strings attached. The list is in categories including: Audio/Video, Business, Design/Photo, Desktop Enhancements, Developer Tools, Games, Home/Education, Internet, Utilities, and MAC Software.
Head over to their website when you have a chance and check out the list. I would be surprised if you didn't find something that can be useful for you. The link is:
http://www.download.com/1200-20-5154518.html?
Friday, January 06, 2006
Update on Windows Flaw
Two days ago, I told you about the very dangerous Windows Meta File flaw that was being exploited by some of the scum that stalk the Internet on search and destroy missions. After returning from my 2 day wedding shoot in Yakima late last night, I logged onto my desktop computer this morning to discover that Microsoft had automatically installed an urgent fix on my system.
It didn't say what it was, but I suspected that it might be the fix that Microsoft said it was working on to fix the meta file flaw. After doing some research, I found that Microsoft had indeed rushed the patch out for downloading, roughly 10 days ahead of schedule. Good job, Microsoft!
The patches are available for Windows 2000 SP4, Windows XP SP1 and SP2, and Windows Server 2003 SP1. There are no fixes for Windows 98 (any version) or Windows ME. According the Microsoft, the security vulnerability does not affect these operating systems. Originally, Microsoft said it did, but now they have backtracked on that statement.
If you have Windows XP, and you are not sure you have received it, you can go to your control panel and access the "Security Center." On the left side of the screen, you will see a menu selection called, "Check for the latest updates from Windows Update." This will take you to a special section of the Microsoft website. Follow the instructions on the screen to see if you already have this latest patch. Microsoft will scan your computer and tell you if you need to download it or if it has already been done. You can also check and see if you computer automatically downloads the latest updates. If it isn't set up that way, you should probably set it so you don't have to worry about getting these patches in the future.
If you have Windows 2000, you may have to manually check on the Microsoft website to see if you can download the patch. Whatever operating system your computer uses, if your computer has not installed this latest patch, do so immediately!! It is a very critical fix.
Again, cudos to Microsoft for fixing this problem so fast.
It didn't say what it was, but I suspected that it might be the fix that Microsoft said it was working on to fix the meta file flaw. After doing some research, I found that Microsoft had indeed rushed the patch out for downloading, roughly 10 days ahead of schedule. Good job, Microsoft!
The patches are available for Windows 2000 SP4, Windows XP SP1 and SP2, and Windows Server 2003 SP1. There are no fixes for Windows 98 (any version) or Windows ME. According the Microsoft, the security vulnerability does not affect these operating systems. Originally, Microsoft said it did, but now they have backtracked on that statement.
If you have Windows XP, and you are not sure you have received it, you can go to your control panel and access the "Security Center." On the left side of the screen, you will see a menu selection called, "Check for the latest updates from Windows Update." This will take you to a special section of the Microsoft website. Follow the instructions on the screen to see if you already have this latest patch. Microsoft will scan your computer and tell you if you need to download it or if it has already been done. You can also check and see if you computer automatically downloads the latest updates. If it isn't set up that way, you should probably set it so you don't have to worry about getting these patches in the future.
If you have Windows 2000, you may have to manually check on the Microsoft website to see if you can download the patch. Whatever operating system your computer uses, if your computer has not installed this latest patch, do so immediately!! It is a very critical fix.
Again, cudos to Microsoft for fixing this problem so fast.
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Windows Flaw Exposes Us All
A newly discovered flaw in Microsoft's Windows Meta File (WMF) has spawned dozens of attacks since its discovery last week. Microsoft has no patch for the problem as of this writing. The attacks so far have been varied and range from an MSN Messenger worm to spam e-mail that attempts to lure people to click on malicious Web sites.
The vulnerability can be easily exploited in Windows XP with Service Pack 1 and 2, as well as Windows Server 2003, according to security experts. Older versions of the operating system, including Windows 2000 and Windows ME, are also at risk, though in those cases the flaw is more difficult to exploit. Security experts say that 99% of the world’s computers are vulnerable to this attack.
The Windows Meta File flaw uses images to execute arbitrary code. It can be exploited just by the user viewing an infected image. Microsoft plans to release a fix for the WMF vulnerability as part of its monthly security update cycle on Jan. 10.
All Internet browser are vulnerable, including IE, Firefox, Opera, Maxthon and others. The reason is the browser is not rendering the infected image. It's rendered by Windows' own Picture and Fax Viewer (Shimgvw.dll), also known as the Shell Image View Control). New versions of Firefox do display an alert when a suspicious image is encountered on a Web page. But since viewing an image is usually harmless, most users will click OK, thereby exposing them to infection.
If your PC catches an infected metafile, the payload can run even if you don't consciously open or view the image. For instance, Google Desktop Search causes the payload to be executed when the metadata of the image is accessed. If the image is an icon, merely displaying a file directory in certain views of Windows Explorer can silently execute the Trojan.
As mentioned above, there are several ways in which this newly found vulnerability could find its way on to your computer. For instance, one exploits image files and tries to get users to click on them. A different one is an MSN Messenger worm that will send the worm to people on your buddy list.
Some of the e-mail spam attacks have been targeted to select groups, such as one that purports to come from the U.S. Department of State. The malicious e-mail tries to lure the user to open a map attachment and will then download a Trojan horse. The exploit will open a backdoor on the user's system and allow sensitive files to be viewed. The WMF flaw has already resulted in attacks such as the Exploit-WMF Trojan, which made the rounds last week.
The only advice I can give you at this time is to be very careful until Microsoft releases its fix, hopefully later this month. Until then, be diligent about which web sites you visit (stick to the ones you normally visit and know are safe), and don’t open strange e-mails with attachments. Also make sure your e-mail program doesn’t automatically display pictures. I use Thunderbird, which does not open any images in e-mail’s unless I give it permission. This is very helpful with all spam e-mail and can prevent infections.
Also, be sure and download the next Microsoft Windows fix as soon as it becomes available.
PS: There will not be any new blogs for a couple of days as I will be out of town photographing a wedding.
The vulnerability can be easily exploited in Windows XP with Service Pack 1 and 2, as well as Windows Server 2003, according to security experts. Older versions of the operating system, including Windows 2000 and Windows ME, are also at risk, though in those cases the flaw is more difficult to exploit. Security experts say that 99% of the world’s computers are vulnerable to this attack.
The Windows Meta File flaw uses images to execute arbitrary code. It can be exploited just by the user viewing an infected image. Microsoft plans to release a fix for the WMF vulnerability as part of its monthly security update cycle on Jan. 10.
All Internet browser are vulnerable, including IE, Firefox, Opera, Maxthon and others. The reason is the browser is not rendering the infected image. It's rendered by Windows' own Picture and Fax Viewer (Shimgvw.dll), also known as the Shell Image View Control). New versions of Firefox do display an alert when a suspicious image is encountered on a Web page. But since viewing an image is usually harmless, most users will click OK, thereby exposing them to infection.
If your PC catches an infected metafile, the payload can run even if you don't consciously open or view the image. For instance, Google Desktop Search causes the payload to be executed when the metadata of the image is accessed. If the image is an icon, merely displaying a file directory in certain views of Windows Explorer can silently execute the Trojan.
As mentioned above, there are several ways in which this newly found vulnerability could find its way on to your computer. For instance, one exploits image files and tries to get users to click on them. A different one is an MSN Messenger worm that will send the worm to people on your buddy list.
Some of the e-mail spam attacks have been targeted to select groups, such as one that purports to come from the U.S. Department of State. The malicious e-mail tries to lure the user to open a map attachment and will then download a Trojan horse. The exploit will open a backdoor on the user's system and allow sensitive files to be viewed. The WMF flaw has already resulted in attacks such as the Exploit-WMF Trojan, which made the rounds last week.
The only advice I can give you at this time is to be very careful until Microsoft releases its fix, hopefully later this month. Until then, be diligent about which web sites you visit (stick to the ones you normally visit and know are safe), and don’t open strange e-mails with attachments. Also make sure your e-mail program doesn’t automatically display pictures. I use Thunderbird, which does not open any images in e-mail’s unless I give it permission. This is very helpful with all spam e-mail and can prevent infections.
Also, be sure and download the next Microsoft Windows fix as soon as it becomes available.
PS: There will not be any new blogs for a couple of days as I will be out of town photographing a wedding.
Monday, January 02, 2006
Useless Facts to Start Your New Year
Here are some fascinating (but almost useless) facts that I thought you might find interesting.
Computing
Shopping and Misc.
Computing
- 25% of Internet users are hit with phishing e-mails. Most think they might be from legitimate companies, and 70% were fooled by the e-mails
- 56% of PC users run no antivirus software, or have it, but have not updated it within a week. 44% do not have a firewall properly configured, 38% lack spyware protection
- By 2010, 10% of US ad market will belong to Internet ads
- 35% of the world's software is pirated. That is only a 1% drop over 2004.
- 72% of US small businesses have a Web site
- European computing statistics - 48% of the traffic is Web and e-mail, 19% - Usenet, 14% - streaming multimedia, 13% - peer-to-peer, 4% - online gaming and 3% - VOIP
- 78% of podcast listeners are male
- The Bush administration estimates that 100 million e-mails addressed to President George W Bush will become part of the National Archives after he leaves office. In contrast, President Clinton left only 38 million e-mails to the National Archives
- Consumer electronics sales climbed 10% during the holiday shopping season in 2005 compared with 2004
- By 2008, 100 million Americans will telecommute to work
- More than 500 billion spam e-mails were blocked by AOL filters in 2005. The number of junk e-mails reported by AOL's 26 million members worldwide has declined about 75% since 2003
Shopping and Misc.
- 67% of all credit cardholders have a reward card in their wallets
- UBS Securities estimates that while the annual spending average for a regular Visa card are about $5,200 a year, it jumps to $26,100 for a reward card. 38% of reward cardholders said their cash-back card was their primary card, while only 14% cited their air-miles card
- During the 2005 holiday season, online merchants attracted 27% of all spending
- eBay says 52% of surveyed customers have "re-gifted" in the past, while 49% believe it's socially acceptable
- The average tire in 2005 costs $76
- CD and digital album sales in 2005 are down 8% compared with end of year 2004
- At the end of 2005 Netflix had 4.1 million subscribers (that includes the addition of Walmart.com video rental subscribers), while Blockbuster Online had 1 million
- 51% of US households have cable TV, 26% receive their television via satellite, 1% has both, and 22% have neither
- 88% of Americans have a VCR and a CD player; 82% own a DVD player; 75% - a cell phone and a PC; 39% - a gaming console; 30% - a portable gaming console like Sony PSP or Gameboy; 28% have an HDTV; 25% own a DVD recorder or DVR; 24% have an MP3 player; 14% are owners of a satellite radio
- An estimated 5% of US adults are not literate in English, which means 11 million people lack the skills to perform everyday tasks
Sunday, January 01, 2006
Happy New Year!!!
Susan and I wish you all a Happy New Year and welcome to 2006. Let's hope this is a great year for all of us. I look forward to providing you more useful news and information from the ever-changing world of technology.
Take care and enjoy all the football that the sports world will offer us over the next few days.
Take care and enjoy all the football that the sports world will offer us over the next few days.
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