Three New Sketches

I thought I would take a day off from technology (well partly anyway) and share with you three new artworks I recently completed.

I have had a life-long love of sketches and have built up a small collection of them over the years. It is only natural, then, that I should do a few sketches of my own now and then. Sketches come in various forms...pen and ink, pencil, colored pencils, chalk, and pastel chalk, just to name a few. My sketches, done digitally from my original photographs, combine some of these media (digitized) together to form a new style of sketch.

The three images presented here can be classified as sketches because of their appearance. The first one is of a small office located in Cannon Beach Oregon. The colors of all the pictures elements make this a rich image, and the US flag brings all the elements together. Here is the link:

http://www.corkrum.com/jim/office_cannon_beach.htm

The second image is of an outdoor stairway going up a hill to a small hotel overlooking the beach. Like the first image, it is located in Cannon Beach. The light and shadows give this image a sense of line and depth. Your eye naturally follows the stairway up towards the sky. The image is located at:

http://www.corkrum.com/jim/stairway.htm

The final picture is of St. Marks Church in Venice. It is one of the most famous churches in the western world and contains some of the worlds most magnificent treasures. But, the outside is less than colorful, especially on a rainy day when I took the original photograph. So, I left it mostly in black and white, with only a hint of color to give it a sense of greater depth. I like this image a lot. To see it, go to:

http://www.corkrum.com/jim/san_marco_sketch.htm

I hope you enjoy these sketches. I will have more for you in the near future.

VoIP Phone Companies in a State of Confusion

The world of VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) telephony is in a bit of a muddle right now, thanks to a federal government mandate regarding E911 service. You see, a little over 4 months ago, the FCC told VoIP providers that they had 120 days to connect all their users to E911 emergency services or face a shutdown of their telephone services. And those 120 days are now up!

A little background before we go any further. For those who don’t know, VoIP telephone services use the Internet to connect phone-to-phone rather than regular phone wires, thereby passing up regular phone companies like Qwest and Verizon. It requires that the user have a high speed Internet connection (like fiber, cable modem, or DSL). It works just like a regular phone as each VoIP user has a regular phone number and uses the regular telephones in your home. No special equipment is required, except for a small router that is added to your Internet wires inside the house.

As I have written before here, we have VoIP services in our home using a company called Packet8. We no longer use a regular phone company. We pay a flat fee of $20 per month for unlimited phone calls throughout the US and Canada, so it is obviously much cheaper than regular phone service. And it works just fine. We chose Packet8 over the better-known VoIP phone company Vonage as Packet8 could provide a local phone number for our area, something Vonage still can’t do.

The big fuss over E911 comes from the fact that most VoIP companies didn’t offer it at first, so users didn’t have a way of calling 9-1-1 in case of emergency. Packet8 quietly began offering genuine E911 service for $2.00 a month extra as an option. But the real problem came when Vonage began advertising that they had E911 service. In fact, they didn’t have true emergency service. If a Vonage customer called 9-1-1, the phone call was directed to the business office of the local emergency services instead of the emergency desk, which could be a major problem if someone called with an emergency after business hours.

This happened in Texas several months ago when a young girl called 9-1-1 to report that her parents had been shot by an intruder. The home was equipped with Vonage service and the call came in the evening when the 9-1-1-business office was closed. Both parents died. The story garnered national media attention and eventually the federal government became involved. Hence, the recent FCC mandates.

The problem is, of course, implementing such a major technological change in such a short time. None of the VoIP phone companies have completely finished the project. Vonage and Packet8 are well along the way (we have been notified that we are now connected), but not yet complete. Vonage says they won’t have complete E911 service to all their customers until mid-2006. Packet8 says that all their users should be connected soon, but they have set up interim measures to insure that all users will have some sort of 911 by using a national call desk. How will the FCC react?

At this point no one really knows. Officials at the FCC say they're still reviewing documents that were filed by VoIP providers before the deadline. That means it's impossible to say for certain how many VoIP companies are in compliance with the mandate. Some experts believe that the FCC will not strictly enforce the mandate, so long as VoIP companies are making progress.

The FCC did modify their original mandate to say the if a company does not comply, they don’t have to shut down their services, but they cannot offer any services to new customers.

Both Vonage and Packet8 say they plan to continue marketing to prospective customers and signing them up for their service, but in doing so the companies risk racking up heavy fines.

"I don't know what the next step is," said Bryan Martin, president and CEO of Packet8. "This is the final filing since the FCC issued its mandate 120 days ago. We had a collective sigh of relief the other day after we filed, but now we don't know what comes next or how the FCC will react to our filing."

Other companies have done next-to-nothing about compliance. There have been complaints that some tradition local phone companies are dragging their feet to help VoIP companies connect to E911, as their help is necessary. Some companies also complain that their industry is being singled out by this mandate by pointing out that cell phone companies have not been forced to connect and that only half of all cell phone users nationwide have E911 connections.

It will be interesting to see what happens over the next few weeks.

Security Flaws In Internet Explorer Raising Alarms

This week, there has been a deluge of security warnings concerning the use of Microsoft's built-in web browser, Internet Explorer (IE). Not that this is anything new. Every week, there is at least one new vulnerability discovered. It has become so commonplace that I don't even write about them anymore. Its just a daily fact-of-life. But, enough new issues were raised this week that I thought I had better revisit the subject again.

One of the new flaws discovered involves the use of the Google Tool Bar with Internet Explorer. It seems there is a vulnerability that would allow a hacker to get inside someone's computer at will and steal all their information. According to security researchers, the fault is not with the Google software, but with IE. To exploit the flaw, an attacker has to lure a victim to a malicious Web page that contains the hidden attack code.

Other similar vulnerabilities were also discovered in the last few days that are in a Javascript component of IE used for loading Web pages onto a computer. Again, if a user visits an infected web site, the code is loaded into a users computer and they are wide open for some very malicious attacks.

Microsoft has not released a patch for the hole exploited by the code. People can attempt to work around the problem by either shutting off Javascript or using another type of browser, security companies advise. Sources say the MSRC (Microsoft Security Response Center) is aggressively aiming to release an emergency IE fix ahead of the scheduled December 13 Patch release.

The situation has become bad enough that one credit union has issued a security alert to its customers on their login page. L&N Federal Credit Union has placed the following on their home page:

"A new flaw was discovered in Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser, and this flaw can have serious ramifications for all Internet users who use this browser. The flaw allows the owner of a website to create a page that will download and run programs on the user's computer. The user does not have to do anything but visit the website and unknowingly view the malicious page.

This means the owner of the website could install malicious software that would take control of the user's computer and steal personal information that could lead to identity theft. Microsoft does not have a fix or patch to correct this flaw.

We recommend that all concerned individuals ensure that they have up-to-date anti-virus and anti-spyware installed on their computers for personal protection. Currently, the only work-around is to temporarily discontinue the use of Microsoft Internet Explorer and use another browser, such as Firefox (www.mozilla.com) until Microsoft can issue a patch." (Emphasis mine)

According to Sunbelt Software (makers of Counterspy), Microsoft admitted on their own web site that they have known about some of these issues since March, but have yet to fix them. According to Microsoft, "There are many factors that impact the length of time between the discovery of a vulnerability and the release of a security update, and every vulnerability presents its own unique challenges."

Maybe it is time we all strongly consider moving to a non-Microsoft browser such as Opera or Firefox for our own protection. They apparently are not vulnerable to any of the issues listed here.

I have been using the new Firefox for the last few days and am getting used to it. It is a much better product than Version 1. But I also continue to use Opera and like it also. In case you are wondering about my favorite browser, Maxthon, that I have mentioned here in the past, its biggest problem is that is uses the IE engine for its operation, thus making it vulnerable to some of the issues listed here.

Head-to-Head Comparison - Dual Core Processors

As was mentioned some time ago in one of these blogs, processor manufacturers Intel and AMD have pretty much reached the limits of speed and performance in current processor design. For most of us, the speed of the current processors are just fine...at least for now. Of course that will change over time as has already happened so many times.

As new high speed processors are built, folks like Microsoft create software to take advantage of the new chips, so that eventually the new fast chips don't seem so fast after a while. That's the way it has been and the way it will always be.

But, how will processor manufacturers keep pushing the edge of faster and better performance? The answer is by creating chips that are actually two processors built inside one body, otherwise known as dual-core processors. By dividing the workload using two processors instead of one, it actually appears as if you are running faster, especially if you are doing a lot of multi-tasking.

Dual processors are not new. For a few years now, they have been building computers that use two separate processors. For the most part, these dual chips have been used in large network servers. But these required special motherboards that supported two processors actually affixed to the motherboard plus other chips that divided the workload between the two chips.

Several months ago, both AMD and Intel announced that they were making a single chip that was actually two processors in one and also included the hardware to divide the workload. Those chips are now out in the marketplace and for sale as part of computers systems. As you may have guessed, these new computers are fairly expensive, but history also shows that they will eventually drop drastically in price. In the not-to-distant future, dual processor will become the norm rather than the exception.

That means most of us will eventually buy one of these processors as part of a new computer system. Because of all the reasons mentioned so far, CNET decided to run a head-to-head contest between the two manufacturers to see whose chip(s) might be best.

Instead of just running tests to see who was the fastest, they ran a series of everyday simulations using six different criteria that an actual computer user might use, plus a seventh category that compares price to performance. Here are the seven criteria used in the test:

1. Day-to-day computing
2. Gaming
3. Multitasking
4. Photo Editing
5. MP3 Encoding
6. Video Encoding
7. Price vs Performance

You can read examine the results of each of the tests and the conclusions by going to the CNET web site. If you don't want to read it, here is the bottom line:

The AMD dual processors blew the doors off of the Intel processors! AMD won in all seven categories. In fact, it really wasn't close. And, for the most part, the AMD chips are cheaper.

I personally have always preferred AMD over Intel. In fact, the computer that I am using to write this blog is running on an AMD chip. Looks like my beliefs have been validated again. Such a relief.

Anyway, keep these new test results in mind when you are looking for your next computer.

New Firefox V1.5 Now Available

If you are a Firefox user, or you have been thinking of trying it, be aware Mozilla has released a new version (Version 1.5) of its popular web browser and it is available for free on its website. Understand that this is an all-new version of the software. In fact, it is the first version to be released since Version 1.0 came out a year ago. All the other releases this year were just updates to the first version.

In the year since its initial release, Firefox has become the number two browser behind Microsoft’s Internet Explorer. Firefox currently has about 45 million users worldwide (roughly 9% of the market).

The new Version 1.5 offers performance gains, usability enhancements and support for new Web graphics standards through a beefier version of the Gecko layout engine. On the security front, the update offers a new "safe mode" for enhanced protection against potential threats and daily, automated checks for security updates. These security updates are now automatically uploaded in the background instead of having to be manually updated by the user.

It also has improved its extensions so that add-ons to the program (and there are lots of them) can be downloaded easier and faster than Version 1. Of course, it still has the tabbed browsing feature, and now you can reorder your tabs by “drag and drop.”

If you would like to see PC Magazine’s review of the updated browser, click here. You should find it very informative.

I just downloaded it today and have been playing with it. It is a good browser, although I will have to get used to the way it handles RSS feeds as compared to Maxthon. I have found the documentation to be less-than-helpful. For instance, there is absolutely no reference to “RSS.” I eventually found out they refer to it as “Live Bookmarks.” But I will play some more and see if I will like it better over time. I suspect that there are some useful extensions that can be downloaded to make it better.

To read more about it and to download it, go to:
http://www.mozilla.com/

An Idea Whose Time Has Come

You may have missed this story (I know I almost did), but it is definitely one that is worth knowing about. Last week, online privacy advocate TRUSTe announced the beginning of the Trusted Download Program. TRUSTe is leading the efforts to get the program adopted, but it is also being backed by a number of large tech companies, including CNET, Yahoo, America-on-Line, Verizon, Computer Associates and others.

The program's goal is to certify computer downloads to insure they conform to a strict set of guidelines and practices. While any kind of program can earn certification, the main focus of the Trusted Download Program is to reign in adware vendors by providing them with incentives to make their programs behave in a responsible and noninvasive manner.

Here are some of its most important points. First, any company wishing to obtain certification must allow users to opt out all third-party bundles upon installation. Second, every time a user sees an advertisement, he or she must also see a notice clearly stating what company is delivering the ad, along with instructions for uninstalling the ad-serving product.

It's also worth noting that adware vendors will be responsible for policing all their affiliates and that screening will be conducted on an ongoing basis. The former policy should help cut down on the amount of shady, non-disclosed installations, while the latter will ensure that a company can't just temporarily clean up its act to earn certification. (For more information, visit the official Trusted Download Program's Web site or read Peter Butler's latest Spyware Hunt blog entry.) As you might expect, the Trusted Download Program has its share of critics, most of whom believe that separating the "good" adware vendors from the bad ones will in effect increase the distribution of the bad type of software.

It will be interesting to see how many adware vendors will actually take every step necessary to achieve certification. And even if they do, is it too late in the game to salvage their unsavory reputations after years of doing things the wrong way? (For instance, 180solutions, which has already announced it will apply for certification next year will likely have a very tough time convincing folks that it's now on the up and up.)

As the title of this blog suggests, this is an idea whose time has come, and, in fact, may be long overdue. Unsuspecting users need to be protected from companies who want to put adware and spyware on their computers without their permission.

Vote for the Best Search Engine

There always seems to be an on-going argument about which is the best search engine on the Web. Over the years, I have settled on Google as my search engine of choice, so that would be my vote. But I must admit I don't use other search engines that often. Now, there is a project underway where everyone can vote to for the search engine they determine is best.

But rather than just vote on your favorite, this one is a "blind taste test" that provides an objective rating system. When you click on their web site, you search on any subject you wish (hopefully something that you know about). You then are shown the top three results from three search engines, identified only as Brand X, Y, and Z. You then click a button to register your vote. After you vote, you are told the results.

You may be quite surprised with your selection. With more than 12,000 testers so far, the figures are Google 42%, Yahoo 32%, and MSN Search 26%. The project just started on Nov. 21 and the results are fairly close, with the lead changing hands several times in the early days. They need more testers and only your first vote counts, so make it good.

I have done it twice...the first time my blind vote was Google. The second time I did it, my choice turned out to be Yahoo. I will say that in both votes, it was very close as to which one I eventually picked. All three engines gave good results. But, you only get the top three results of your search, which I think is far too few to determine the best results.

But it was still fun to do. Give it a try. Click here to play.

Energy Hogs in your Home

Happy Thanksgiving from beautiful downtown Ephrata! Susan and I hope your Thanksgiving is a special one.

Because of the holiday, I will keep this entry short, but sweet. I came across an interesting article on CNET about how much electricity our electronic gadgets really use. As we enter the season when home electric bills start going up (especially here in Ephrata as we use electric heaters), I thought this article was very timely.

For instance, did you know that our TV's account for 4% of our nation's residential electrical usage? And that the new plasma TV's are huge power hogs! And did you know that most electric adapters that recharge our cell phones and laptops are incredibly inefficient, wasting as much or more electricity than they actually use?

Those are just a few of the interesting tidbits I found in this article. To read it, head over to the CNET web site.

Worm Uses Fake FBI E-mail to Spread

Computer Security Company Trend Micro has raised the threat level of a virus/worm known as WORM_SOBER.AG as it is spreading rapidly throughout North America and parts of Europe. Like the phishing scam I wrote about last week, it uses fear to get users to open the infected attachments.

WORM_SOBER.AG spammed e-mails are written in both German and English languages. It checks the user's system for the version of the Microsoft OS that's running ... if it detects GMX as the domain, it installs one of the German versions; otherwise, it installs one of the English versions.

The worm propagates via email messages that are spammed to recipients. However, once a system is infected, it spreads by itself. The worm has no automated capabilities and must therefore be inadvertently executed by the user to install. To entice the user to do this, the author utilizes classic social engineering techniques, such as promising pictures of celebrities, or alerting the user to illicit behavior.

At least two of the English versions of WORM_SOBER.AG spoof the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) or Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), alerting the user that the agency has found evidence of the user visiting "more than 30 illegal Websites", and asks them to complete the attached "questionnaire". Launching the attachment activates the worm. Similarly, one of the German versions spoofs Bundeskriminalamt, and threatens legal action against the users' illicit downloads of films, software, and MP3s. The email promises more details of the case in the attached file.

Another version promises a free download of "video clips, pictures and more" of Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie, stars of "The Simple Life" reality television series in the U.S. Attachments are disguised as zipped files.

WORM_SOBER.AG can download and run executable files from certain Web sites that it points to. However, this worm does not seem to have any backdoor capabilities.

The FBI has also issued warnings not to believe any e-mail that says it is from the FBI.

XBox 360 Debuts Tomorrow

If you are into games, tomorrow is a really big day for you...that is if you have around $300. Microsoft is releasing its newest game machine, the Xbox 360.

Thousands of video game enthusiasts around the country will be breathlessly waiting for stores to open so they he can get their hands on an Xbox 360. The Microsoft game console will finally, after months of hype, go on sale just after midnight Tuesday.

Many retailers say they are expecting walk-up interest to exceed the number of Xboxes for sale on Tuesday. But not all retailers say they expect a problem. Microsoft says they have plenty of boxes in reserve to cover all the demand over the next few weeks. However, some stores will inevitably run out on Tuesday and eager buyers may have to wait a few extra days to get their hands on one.

Lat Friday, retailer Circuit City began taking orders on its web site and and by the afternoon, their Web site was hobbled by a deluge of traffic. A representative for the online counterpart to electronics retailer Circuit City said the company's site saw a "tremendous" traffic spike at 2 p.m. ET, when the company began taking Internet orders for the eagerly awaited Xbox.

Microsoft expects to sell up to 3 million of its new Xbox 360 game consoles in the first three months that the device is on the market

Initially, Microsoft says there are 18 games designed for the Xbox 360, ready to go for tomorrow. Among them are many of the latest iterations in proven franchises, including Electronic Arts' Madden NFL '06, NBA LIVE '06 and Need for Speed Most Wanted, as well as Activision's Call of Duty 2 and Tony Hawk's American Wasteland.

If you would like to read a review of the new gaming box, CNET has posted one in its web site, so you should read it before you spend your hard earned cash. Have fun, gamers!!

Photography Odds and Ends

I thought I would post a short list of some good reading material to help with your photographic endeavors, especially with the holiday season now upon us. Most of this material is relevant whether you use a digital camera or a film camera. I hope it helps.

Photographing Thanksgiving
This very nice article was posted on the cameraworld.com website. Although they are primarily an online camera store, they do have some interesting articles from time-to-time to help improve your photography. This article is titled, How to Capture Thanksgiving With Your Camera, is short and gives you some good suggestions to make better pictures at your family get-together.

Free Photo Classes
CNET has put together a series of free photography and video classes to help you improve your photographic skills. Their first classes are all centered around the holidays and will teach you not only the basics about taking pictures, but how to enhance them with post processing software and share them with friends and family around the world. Enrolling is easy and free.

Tips from the Top Floor
I know I have mentioned this podcast before, but I think it is worth mentioning again if you are interested in photography. Late last night I drove home from Seattle and my only companion was pre-recorded episodes of Tips from the Top Floor on my MP3 player. It kept me awake and interested all the way (after the Seattle radio stations petered out in the mountains).

Chris Marquardt lives in Southern Germany and records these podcasts three times a week. They are ususally 10-15 minutes in length and most contain some excellent information on digital photography basics. He also has some very interesting interviews from time-to-time with professional photographers. Definitely worth listening to, especially on long, lonely drives. His web site augments the podcasts.

Apogee Photo - a Free Photography Magazine
For a few years now, I have subscribed to a free on-line photography magazine called Apogee Photo. When I say subscribed, I mean that I signed up to have all new editions e-mailed to me. All of their past issues are on their website. Its a good one.

Vivid Light Photography
Here's another free on-line magazine called Vivid Light Photography. I've only just discovered it recently, but it is a good one that apparently has been around a few years. Like Apogee Photo, they will e-mail each edition as it is completed.

Photo.net - The Best Photography Website on the Net
It has been a few years since I mentioned this website, so it's time to do it again. Photo.net has been around for years and it is an in-depth photographic website covering just about every aspect of photography. If nothing else, you should get on to see some of the top-rated photographs submitted by amateur photographers around the world.

BetterPhoto.com
Another fine website that features lots of interesting articles on all aspects of photography, including both film and digital shooting.

That's all for today. I hope you find something that helps you.

Google's eBay Killer

After months of rumors, speculation, and guesswork, search giant Google has unveiled Google Base, its much-rumored listings service that many people believe is meant to compete against auction and listings sites like eBay or Craigslist.

Google Base is based on submissions from Google users, which Google then organizes and opens up for searching, for free. In a Weblog posting Wednesday, Google said it expects content from individuals and small Web site owners plus larger organizations uploading lots of listings.

With each incremental tip of its hand, it's becoming increasingly clear that Google is creating a service meant to mirror that of any retail Web site, where it could generate revenues by placing advertisements at various stages of the process. Analysts repeatedly say Google's user base, which is in the hundreds of millions of users, would be an instant challenge to eBay, the auction pioneer, or more community-focused sites like Craigslist that pioneered the user-generated listings service that Google Base, in a way, is a mirror copy.

Screen shots of "Google Base," now available on the Google Base website explain that the service-to-be is a database consisting of "your content" that's free to contribute. Items in the database include a party invite or a "listing of your used car for sale." There is also a tie-in mentioned to Google's comparison shopping site Froogle, and Google Local, the combination Google mapping and localized search results.

There is still much that is unclear about it, but if it's listings are free (compared to eBay which is not free), then they have the possibility of being a major success. If much of what I have written seems a little vague, it is because it is so new and I am just learning about it myself. If you would like to know more I suggest you head over to base.google.com and see for yourself. I may do something with Google Base myself and I will let you know what happens.

New Phishing Ploy

After my first cup of coffee this morning, I checked my overnight e-mail's, as I usually do. One of them caught my eye immediately.

It was an e-mail, purportedly from Amazon.com, saying they were suspicious of a purchase I supposedly had just made and wanted to check if I had really ordered it. According to the e-mail, it was a $3,900 purchase for aPanasonic HDTV, apparently done through TigerDirect. They wanted me to verify if I had really ordered this product.

Of course, I did not order a TV and this immediately raised a warning flag that someone had obtained my credit card information and was using it for a purchase. In the past, I have ordered from both TigerDirect and Amazon, so it appeared legitimate, at least at first. But, of course my next thought was that this may be a scam to get my personal data.

So I started closely examining the e-mail. It looked legitimate, with all the proper colors and logos that Amazon uses. But, the language of the e-mail made me very suspicious. It appeared to be written in English that was less than perfect, almost obtuse. So I decided to immediately check the link they wanted me to log into to verify my purchase. That is always the dead giveaway for a phony phishing e-mail.

The link look legitimate and was spelled out exactly on the screen, using something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/security/fraudcheck/ect........

But, I learned a long time ago to point at the link with my mouse (not clicking it, of course), then look down at the lower left corner of my e-mail program to see the actual link address. In this case, the real link was not Amazon.com, but some other unsecured website, probably in some foreign country. Now, I knew...this was a phishing scam.

In the past, I have received several phishing scam e-mail's. Most appear to be from banks (including two that I do bank with), asking me to verify my account information. They were obviously frauds. But it appears that phishers have learned to use one of the most motivating factors to up their connect rate...fear.

Who among us is not afraid to have their credit card data stolen? I think most of the phising scams we will receive in the future will use fear as their hook. Just remember, before you panic, use the above trick I mentioned to see if the e-mail is legitimate. If the link doesn't match, you know you have a phishing scam e-mail.

Interestingly, I went to the Amazon.com web site to report this scam. I tried to e-mail them a copy of the e-mail, following their on-screen instructions, but neither time would the e-mail go through, so I just gave up. I suspect they have so much e-mail about phishing scams that they are not accepting any more. Whatever...I tried to be helpful.

More Odds and Ends

In my searches for interesting bits to write about in this blog, I always seem to come across some interesting items that deserve mentioning, but are too short for me to write about...or someone else has already written a great article about it and there is no need for me to reinvent the wheel. Hence, these "Odds and Ends" columns that I occasionally write. Here are today's offerings:

More on Free Software

In the last edition, I wrote about some of the places on the Web where you can get free software. In September, PC Magazine wrote an in-depth review of some of the best free software available to you. It is written by categories and is definitely worth a look.

Congress About to Pass a Very Weak ID Theft Bill

As they usually do, our Congress has taken a good idea to protect consumers and let it be weakened by special interests. It has happened again, this time in their attempt to combat identity theft in the United States. Congress is preparing to pass a sweeping, but very weak ID theft law that's a boon for identity thieves, beloved by big business, and an additional burden for you and me. At the same time, a bipartisan bill in the Senate that is modeled on California's tough and successful legislation, seems all but stalled. You need to read Jason Vamosi's hard hitting article on how Congress is about to screw us again.

Microsoft Will Issue Fix for Sony Rootkit

Microsoft will shortly update its security tools to detect and remove part of the copy protection tools installed on PCs when some music CDs are played. The software maker has determined that the "rootkit" piece of the XCP software on some Sony BMG Music Entertainment CDs can pose a security risk to Windows PCs.

To protect Windows users, Microsoft plans to update Windows AntiSpyware and the Malicious Software Removal Tool as well as the online scanner on Windows Live Safety Center to detect and remove the Sony BMG software. Microsoft provides weekly updates for Windows AntiSpyware (soon to be renamed Windows Defender). The Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool is updated monthly and is part of Microsoft's monthly patch releases.

New CNET Service for Your Products

Did you loose a manual for a tech product that you own and need to find it? Or do you want to create a wish list for products you wish to own in the future and learn more about them? CNET has started a new feature called "My Products, " where you can enter a list of products that you now own...or a list of products you may want to buy. The most intriguing part of this concept is that they have manuals on-line for the products you now own, just in case you might have lost them and need to access it.

Weird eBay Auction Items

Hard to believe, but there is a website dedicated to searching out and posting the strangest items up for sale on eBay. And it is updated every day. Go to http://www.bizarrebids.com/

Cheatsheet for Word

If you use Microsoft's Word for your word processing, you might find this little cheatsheet handy. It is available from OfficeLetter.com and is available as (what else), a word document that you can print out. Go to: http://www.officeletter.com/samples/v04/n52wordshortcuts.doc

Odds and Ends

I thought I would put a few items of interest today in one blog. I hope you find something of use.

Worst Products:

CNET recently put together a list of some of the worst computer products of all time. I had a few of my own to add to the list, but I have long ago put them out of my mind and cannot remember their names (getting older, you know). Anyway, click here to see their list.

Web Sites for Free Software:

Here is a list of some of the best web sites where you can get some great free software and good shareware. But, you know me, I love the free stuff.

• NoNags - This web site features nothing but free software. Shareware is not allowed here. The term "NoNags" comes from the fact that they accept no software that nags you to buy their product every time you start it.
• SoftPedia.com - Another great web site with free and shareware software, with news, recommendations and more. Its a fun site to explore and look for products that might be of use to you.
• DownloadSquad.com - Similar to Softpedia but with a whole different looks. Lots of recommendations and blogs about software. Free and shareware software.
• Download.com - The most popular software download location on the net. Recently redesigned to give it a great look. Probably more shareware than freeware, but still a good site to explore.

Want to Simplify Your Life?

That is something that Susan and I are trying to do as we get older. We found a great website that helps with our efforts. It is called Flylady.net. Sign up for the Flylady's free email newsletter so you can take the clutter-free challenge, start a control journal, and take part in the 27-fling boogie (throw out all those things you don't need).

An Outlook Replacement

As you may remember from a past blog, I cannot make Outlook 2000 work properly with my desktop computer. And while I have found that Mozilla's Thunderbird is more than an adequate replacement for e-mail, I still miss some some of the other organizational features that Outlook offered such as to-do lists, calendaring, and notes.

I have now found a replacement program that is even better than Outlook and offers most of the same features, only better executed. It is called EssentialPim and it comes in both a free version and a Pro version that sells for $29.95. This program is so much better than Outlook, in my opinion, and in just a few days of use has become almost invaluable. I like it so much I am going to buy the Pro version and also install it on my laptop as it allows multiple users to access the data. Check out their website for more information.

Update on Sony's RootKit Software

The furor and problems caused by Sony’s hidden rootkit installations on unsuspecting user’s computers (see my blog on 11/4/05) continues to grow. As you may recall, the Sony software is installed automatically (without asking or telling) when a user puts one of their recently recorded music CD’s in his or her computer to play. It hides itself on hard drives using a powerful programming tool called a "rootkit." Sony did it to prevent music from being copied. But the tool leaves a “back door” open behind it, allowing other software, including viruses, to be deeply hidden behind the rootkit cloak.

Now, the first wave of malicious software written to piggyback on Sony BMG Music Entertainment CD copy protection tools has been spotted online, according to computer security companies. The first version of a Trojan horse spotted yesterday, aims to give an attacker complete remote control over an infected computer, but didn’t work well. But over the course of the day, several others emerged that apparently fixed the early flaws.

As one security analyst put it, "This is no longer about digital rights management or content protection, this is about people having their PCs taken over."

Sony's use of the rootkit software has sparked a firestorm of criticism online and off over the company's techniques, highlighting concerns that remain over record labels' increasingly ambitious attempts to control the ways consumers can use purchased music.

Last week, a legal firm in Los Angeles filed a class action suit against Sony BMG in Los Angeles federal court, asserting that the company had violated state and federal statues on unauthorized computer tampering. The company's actions also constituted fraud, trespass and false advertising, the suit contends. Similar suits are also being contemplated both nationally and internationally.

Meanwhile, several antivirus companies are releasing tools to identify, and in some cases remove, copy protection software contained on recent Sony BMG Music Entertainment CDs. Symantec said its antivirus software update will identify the Sony software, but would not remove it. Instead, it will point to Sony's own Web site, where users can get instructions for uninstalling the software or download a patch that will expose the hidden components.

However, Computer Associates, which has a security division, said it had found further security risks in the Sony software and was releasing a tool to uninstall it directly.

In other related news, The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), a cyber-rights group, said it has identified 19 Sony CDs containing a rootkit application that disguises the company's invasive copy-restriction technology. They also said there may be more.

If you would like to learn more about how rootkits works, here is some selected reading:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rootkit
http://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid14_gci547279,00.html
http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2144149/rootkits-turn-professional

Update:

Minutes before I sent this blog to be published, Sony BMG Music Entertainment announced that it will suspend production of CDs with copy-protection technology that has been exploited by virus writers to try to hide their malicious code on PCs as outlined above. The company also said it is not halting production of discs that contain other additional copy-protection technologies.

Backup Strategies - Part Two

In my last blog, I talked about backups and how I do mine. This time, I am going to give you some additional ideas, backup strategies from other sources, and software suggestions to help you along.

One of my readers wrote me and said he has a huge hard drive and wanted to know if he could back up his data to an unused portion of his drive. The answer is, of course, no. The reason is that if your hard drive stops working (and they all will, sooner or later), he would loose both his original data and his backup. You must use a separate storage entity, such as a separate hard drive, a CD-RW, a DVD-RW, a ZIP drive, or a tape backup. Which one you use depends on how much data you have to backup.

As I suggested in the last blog, you need to move your all your data to a separate area...like a separate hard drive, or, if you have only one drive, a separate folder such as c:\data and the appropriate folder listings below that. Or under the My Documents section in Windows. Having all your data in one location makes backups so much easier.

Obviously, with all my data, I prefer to back up using a separate hard drive. I have seen external 250 Gb hard drives with a USB2 connection for as low as $125 (Make sure it is USB2 (or Firewire) as USB 1.1 is way too slow). Many of these backup drives include all the backup software you need. You also might want to look for the so-called “One Touch” external backup hard drives as they are made specifically for this purpose.

If you have all the hardware you need, but are looking for some good backup software, I can help you. One of the better software packages you can get is Cobian Backup. And, it is free. It is as complete a backup software program as those you pay a lot of money for. It is heartily recommended by me and the folks at the “Call for Help” TV program. The author of the program is apparently quite wealthy and does it for fun.

As I mentioned yesterday, another free program that I use to sync up the data for my two computers is Syncback from 2BrightSparks. You can use this program for either synchronization or backups. Please be aware that there is a paid version and a freeware version. I, of course, use the freeware version and it works just great for me.

Here is a short list of additional readings to help you formulate your own backup strategy:

• Personal Backup Strategies on the ExtremeTech web site


• Personal Backup Strategies on the Free-Backup.info web site


• Backup Strategies for the Road on the PC-World web site


• Windows Backup Strategies on the Geek-Girls web site


• PC Backup is a Must


• How to back up and recover Outlook Express data


• Easy Backup Strategies for your Data


• Essential Computer Backup Strategies

These articles should get you started in the right direction. I hope you will consider a personal backup strategy soon if you don’t have one already.

Backup Strategies - Part One

Backing up your personal and business data is something everyone should think about. If you don't believe me, sit back and think about what would happen right now if your computer's hard drive stopped working right now. How much data that is really important to you would be gone forever if it wasn't backed up and how would it affect your life?

In my case, it would be a disaster of epic proportions. All of my art and photographs that I created over the years would be gone forever. I couldn't make any prints of my best selling works. Lots of work that I do for clients would be gone and how do I explain that? Moreover, all my financial data would be gone forever, not to mention important spread sheets and letters. Just the thought of this makes me shiver.

So, with that in mind, I thought I would share with you some possible backup strategies and suggest some additional reading material and some quality backup software.

In today's blog, I will tell you about my personal strategies that are working pretty well.

Inside my computer are two hard drives (one for programs, the other for data), one CD player, and one CD/DVD burner. Outside the computer are a 200 GB Western Digital external hard drive connected by USB2; and an additional CD/DVD burner, also connected by USB2.

All the software that run my programs are on drive C:. I do not backup this drive as I have all the original program CD's. If this hard drive crashed, I would just install a new hard drive and reinstall all the software from scratch. Having done this a couple of times, I know there is a better way.

If you have a little extra cash lying about, you could get an external hard drive of the same size, attach it via USB2 to your computer, and make an exact replica of your C: drive using a program like Norton's Ghost. When done, you turn off the external drive, disconnect it from the system, and store it away in case of emergency. You should update this drive every so often since you will probably add some additional software from time-to-time.

The second drive inside my computer is used almost exclusively for storing data that I create, such as accounting and other business data, photographs, final artworks, art works in progress, my web site data, and much more. I make sure that all my programs point to this data drive when creating files.

Every morning, around 2:00 AM, all the data on this drive is automatically transferred over to the external Western Digital hard drive. I use a program called, "Retrospect" that came with the external hard drive when I bought it. I simply programmed the software to do a backup of the data hard drive every night. In actuality, Retrospect doesn't copy the same files over and over. Rather, it checks for new files and only copies them over to the external drive. Much faster that way.

While I use Retropect for this one function, I don't recommend going out and buying a copy of it as it is expensive and really meant for tape backups. I have tried it for other backups and found it wanting, at least for the way I do my backups.

As for my original photos and art works, I use some additional back up routines. As I create new works, I back them up on CD's, usually make two separate copies of the CD's. One stays here at the house, while the other copy is stored offsite in case of fire or burglary. I use only the highest quality CD's as some cheap CD's will break down in a few years and lose all the data that was on them. For these backups I use CD-R's.

For my RAW-based original photos, I back them up on DVD's, again using only the highest quality DVD-R, such as TDK DVD-R or Tayo Yuden DVD-R. Again, 2 copies are made. So, for my artwork and photos, I may have as many as four copies of the same picture, just to be on the safe side.

Before I purchased my external hard drives and got into digital photography, I used to make all my backups on CD-RW disks. I would buy a box of 5 CD-RW's then use them in rotation for my data backups. The CD-RW are erasable and rewritable, so something like this might work for you. Most CD burning software like Nero can help you do these backups.

I do most of my work on my home computer, but as I am on the road continuously for six months out of the year, I take my laptop along and use it quite heavily in the field. At a show, I usually record my sales in a database and do other types of data that I want to save. I also want to have much of this data put on my home machine so I can work on it there.

For that, I use a backup/synchronization software program called Syncback. As I have all my computers networked, I can do this quite easily and painlessly. Before I leave the house, I "sync up" the data between my main computer and my laptop so that both have the exact same, up-to-date data. When I get back, I do this again so that both machines again are in sync. It works very well for me.

In the next installment, I will talk about some of the software available to help you backup your data and suggest some additional reading materials on the web that will help you formulate your own backup strategy.

Digital Camera Storage Choices

As I mentioned in an earlier blog, I have moved to digital photography after many, many years of using film. It is a big change in so many ways and I am still learning the fine points.

One of the most important things about digital photography is the image types that are available to you. Using a film camera, I had to first choose between black and white film, color negative film, or color slide film. When I chose one of the three, I had to choose among many choices for each type of film; i.e. Kodak Ektachrome, Fuji Sensia, Fuji Provia, etc. (these being a few of the choices in color slide film). Each had their specific qualities and idiosyncrasies.

In digital photography, you don’t choose film type. Rather, you choose the image type you wish to use to store your images (there are other choices you must make like ISO speed, but we will talk about that in the future). In digital photography, your basic three choices of image types are: JPEG (JPG), TIFF (TIF), and RAW.

In lesser expensive digital cameras, you don’t have a choice: there is only JPG. As you move up in price and quality, one or both of the other two types will also become available in the camera. Each has their advantages and disadvantages. Here is a quick, down-and-dirty look at each type.

JPEG – The biggest advantage of JPEG is that it is a very small file sizes, therefore you can store more images inside the camera. And most cameras give you a choice as to what size of an image you wish to shoot (i.e. 640x480, 1024x768, 2560x1920, etc.).

JPEG is also the default type used on the Internet, making it much easier to share photos among friends and family.

The disadvantages of JPEG are many. Primarily, in order to make the file size so small, much of the information contained in an image is discarded and the remaining data is compressed. While it may not be obvious in most pictures that pixel data is missing, you will become aware of it if you do post-processing of a JPEG image in software such as Photoshop, Elements, Paint Shop Pro, PhotoImpact, or any other image processing software.

You see, if you make any kind of changes to an image and save it, the software will try to recompress the JPEG image again, throwing out more image information. So the more times you save it, the more of the image is lost each time. So, if you must work on your images to make them better, do all the work before saving it so that you do only one additional save.

TIFF – This is probably the best way to save an image. Unlike JPEG, you can save a TIFF many times and never loose a pixel. I do almost all my post-processing work in TIFF. When I scan my slides into the computer, I always saved them as a TIFF. It is arguably the best way to save images when doing post-processing.

The disadvantage of TIFF is that it is probably the largest size of all image types. For instance, using my 8-megapixel camera as an example, setting it for the largest, highest quality, lowest compression JPEG image file, the file size would be 6.1 Mb. Using TIFF, the same size image would be 23.3 Mb, almost four times larger. If you decrease the size of your JPG image, the size difference will become even greater. This file size affects how many images you can store in your camera’s memory card before it becomes full.

So, while TIFF may be the best quality image-of-choice, you shouldn’t use it unless you have a huge capacity memory card in your camera, or you use it only on selected pictures at the time you take them.

RAW – This is the most interesting of the three file types. A RAW image isn’t so much an image type as it is a way to store original, unprocessed data. Even more interesting (and maybe confusing) is that RAW differs between each camera manufacturer. An Olympus RAW file is totally different than a Nikon RAW file or a Canon RAW file, unlike JPEG or TIFF, which is the same for all cameras.

The best way to understand RAW is to compare it to a piece of film that hasn’t been developed yet. The first thing I must do when processing the RAW image in Photoshop is “develop” the image. If I like the original exposure, I may develop it exactly as-is. If it is slightly underexposed or overexposed, I can play with it until I achieve the right exposure. Then I can adjust the white balance, sharpness, saturation, contrast, brightness, shadow detail, and more. In other words, I can make the “perfect picture” long after I have taken it with the camera.

After adjusting all these details, I then develop and save the image as a TIFF or any file type I choose in my computer and continue with post-processing. For a professional or serious amateur photographer, using RAW only makes good sense. And RAW is definitely my image type of choice, since I post-process all of my photos, usually in Photoshop.

The disadvantage of RAW is that it requires more work on your part and the file size is still fairly large. But it is a lot smaller than TIFF. Using the same example I gave above, a TIFF in my camera is 23.3 Mb., while the same size RAW image in only 13.3 Mb. As I use mostly a 1Gb memory card, I can store 72 RAW images in my camera before having to change cards. That is a lot, compares to the number of images I could get on a roll of film.

One other choice that I have with my camera is that I can also set it to take a RAW image and a JPEG image at the same time. I also have the choice of which size JPEG I want to shoot with the RAW image. If I am shooting a wedding for instance, I will set the camera take both a RAW image and a 640x480 JPEG image at the same time. I will use the smaller JPEG images for proofs for the customer, then process the RAW image for high quality larger prints for the images they eventually choose.

I hope this not-so-short explanation of image types has been of help, whether you have a digital camera already or are contemplating buying one in the future. If you have questions, just drop me an e-mail and I will do my best to answer you.

Sony Caught Installing Hidden Software on Computers

Did you know that if you have played a new Sony music CD in your computer within the last year, your computer is probably infected with a malicious software program that allows Sony to change the way you use your computer? All to true, as we have been finding out this week.

Sony, in its attempt to enforce it digital rights management system (DRM), has put a software program on its music CD's that installs itself into your computer, whether you want it or not and without asking your permission. It is written in the form of a rootkit, a malicious code that is nearly impossible to detect and can sometimes give its creator a "backdoor" into your computer whenever he wants. (I will be writing more about rootkits and their threat in an upcoming blog.)
Sony's digital rights management technology, now shipping on CD's by Sony Corp. and BMG Music, employs stealthy, rootkit-style techniques to hide from users, according to security experts. The new technology, which Sony has dubbed "sterile burning," manipulates the Windows core processing center, or "kernel," to make the DRM almost totally undetectable on Windows systems. It can also prevent you from burning music on your CD's or computer's hard drive.

These kind of files are almost impossible to remove without fouling Windows systems and could be used by malicious hackers to hide their own programs. The security expert who discovered the hidden Sony software found that if he removed it, it wrecked his Windows software and prevented him from accessing his CD player completely.

Sony BMG has acknowledged that the rootkit-style features are part of DRM technology that began shippCD's with CDs in 2005. The company claims that it is issuing a fix, so the software can be neutralized. However, early reports from users who have run the software say it does not remove the rootkit software; it only changes it so it is not hidden.

Despite Sony's assertions to the contrary (Sony says, "This component is not malicious and does not compromise security"), analysis from two Windows expert authorities show clearly that any other attacker could take advantage of the rootkit functionality to hide their own files and registry entries, and that techniques used by the software run the risk of making the system unusable.

Rather than go on and on about this, I strongly recommend you read this excellent editorial by Molly Wood of CNET. She explains how it happened, what it can do to your computer, how it changes the way you can use your computer, and how outraged we should all feel.

Links to Information on Bird Flu

As we hear more and more about the fears of a major outbreak of Bird Flu, (also known as Avian Influenza) in this country, I thought I should give you Web links to various sites to help you understand the situation.

President Bush really helped raise the level of awareness this week with his appeal to Congress for over $7 billion dollars for more research on this and other highly dangerous viruses. His concern has been raised by expert’s fears that an epidemic (or global pandemic, as some are calling it) of bird flu could easily result in the deaths of millions of people.

If you would like a simple overview of what the bird flu story is all about, I suggest you read this very interesting and easily understood article published by CNET news.

Here are some other in-depth web sites where you can learn more:

• Center for Disease Control and Prevention


• World Health Organization


• National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases


• Federal Government’s New Web Site

More on the WebWatch Survey

Yesterday, I shared with you some of the findings of a recently completed survey by Consumer Reports WebWatch that indicated many Internet users are spending less time on the net because of all the security threats. Today, I want to tell you about some of the other interesting results in this 1,500-person survey.

Among the other findings of the study was indication that Americans are increasingly turning to the Web to get their news, with the percentage of adults reporting that they get the bulk their coverage from the Internet doubling to 11 percent, compared to only 5 percent in 2002. Some 69 percent of those surveyed said that sites that maintain a clear distinction between advertising and news content are more reliable, with 31 percent agreeing that it is very important for news sites to reveal the financial relationships they maintain with other businesses.

While Weblogs, or blogs, have caused a major upheaval in the news business as companies look at ways to keep up with citizen reporters, those surveyed by WebWatch were clearly less enthralled with the movement, with 57 percent distrusting blog-generated news, 21 percent saying that blogs are usually incorrect, and only 12 percent expressing a belief that the online journals are accurate most of the time. Roughly 27 percent of those interviewed said they had visited a blog in the past several months.

(Personally, I distrust most citizen-based news blogs as they can basically say anything they want and pass it off as fact. Most blogs should be clearly identified as opinions based on facts such as this blog.)

While 48 percent of respondents said that knowing exactly who owns a Web site is an important factor in their usage, and 76 percent said it was vital to be able to identify where the information on a site is coming from.

Regarding pictures or images, many Americans are also increasingly skeptical regarding images they find on the Web, with 47 percent reporting that they have viewed what they believed to be manipulated pictures online. Despite that trend, 67 percent said they trust online news sites to use genuine photographs.

In relation to children's Web usage, opinions remain largely negative, with 86 percent of those surveyed identifying adults' continued pursuit of kids in chat rooms as a serious problem on the Internet today, with 61 percent labeling violent online games as a major issue. Some 82 percent believe it is too easy for minors to view sexually explicit content.

Among the few bright spots revealed by the research was growing trust in auction and financial services sites, despite the growth of online phishing schemes, which have largely spoofed such pages in the name of committing identity theft.

WebWatch also reported that 61 percent of its respondents feel auction sites are safe, with 68 percent confident in their use of online banking sites, and 55 percent comfortable enough to use online bill payment systems.

What do you think of this survey? I found it very interesting, to say the least.

Are Security Threats Driving People Away from the Net?

An interesting new research report issued by Consumer Reports WebWatch finds that many American Internet users are cutting back on the hours they spend online, shunning e-commerce and refusing to give out personal information as a result of the rising tide of Web-based crimes related to identity theft.

According to the WebWatch report, 80 percent of all American Web surfers are at least somewhat concerned about the threat of identity theft posed by engaging in online activities. As a result of those concerns, at least 30 percent of the 1,500 people interviewed for the survey said they have reduced the amount of time they access the Internet.

In addition to going online less frequently, 53 percent of the respondents said that fears of ID theft have stopped them from giving out personal information to Web sites and online marketers, while 25 percent said they no longer purchase items from e-commerce sites. Around 54 percent of the respondents who still buy items online say they now read Web sites' privacy policies before doing business with a company, and 29 percent said they have merely cut down on the their Web shopping.

New York-based WebWatch, a grant-funded project of the nonprofit Consumers Union, said that consumers have dramatically shifted their views of online activity over the last several years, becoming far more conservative about what constitutes safe online behavior. Compared to the group's 2002 study on the same topic, researchers said that people are placing far more importance on issues of security and privacy when choosing which sites they visit or do business with.

New York-based WebWatch, a grant-funded project of the nonprofit Consumers Union, said that consumers have dramatically shifted their views of online activity over the last few years, becoming far more conservative about what constitutes safe online behavior. Compared to the group's 2002 study on the same topic, researchers said that people are placing far more importance on issues of security and privacy when choosing which sites they visit or do business with.

How do the WebWatch findings compare with your views and use of the Internet?

In the next edition, more interesting findings on other aspects of the Internet from the Webwatch report.

Who is Behind Spyware and Adware?

As long-time readers know, I‘ve written several articles in the past about spyware and adware, those nasty little devils we pick up on the Internet that infect your computer just as badly as viruses. They can and do, in some cases, wreak havoc on your computer and slow your computing down to a crawl. Unfortunately, being infected with these products is the price we pay for using the Internet.

Currently, it is mostly legal to infect your computer with this kind of hidden software. But who is behind these nefarious software products? It may (or may not) surprise you to learn that behind the scenes of the hackers and whackers of virus and spyware software are not just criminal-types, but some of the largest corporations in America. PC World Magazine recently published an in-depth investigative report on the subject entitled, The Hidden Money Trail, and it is a MUST read.

To read it, go to:
http://www.counterspynews.com/U57AXQ/051014-Money_Trail

New Passports to Contain ID Chip

Starting exactly one year from now, the U.S. government will require nearly all of the passports it issues to have a computer chip containing the passport holder's personal information. The U.S. Department of State will actually begin issuing passports early in 2006 with 64K byte RFID (radio frequency identification) chips containing the name, nationality, gender, date of birth, place of birth, and digitized photograph of the passport holder.

The chip would match the data on the paper portion of the passport and improve passport security by making it more difficult for criminals to tamper with passports, according to the Bush Administration. The government began looking at ways to make passports harder to forge in response to the terrorist attacks on the U.S. on Sept. 11, 2001.

Shortly after the State Department proposed RFID chips for passports in February of this year, privacy groups such as American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) began expressing some concerns. According to the EFF, some RFID chips can be remotely scanned, allowing for criminals to covertly scan groups of passport holders at airports. They claim that the RFID passport could act as "terrorist beacons" because they could indiscriminately expose U.S. residents' personal information to strangers. They also argued that the agency lacked congressional authority to require RFID chips in passports.

In the passport rules released this week, the State Department said it was taking several security precautions. The RFID chips will use encrypted digital signatures to prevent tampering, and they will employ so-called passive RFID chips that does not broadcast personal information unless within inches of an RFID reader machine. The e-passports will protect against data leaks by putting an "anti-skimming" material to block radio waves on the passport's back and spine.

Although putting personal information on a chip does raise some concerns, at least with me, it is probably better than having a bar code tattooed on my head. Whatever the case, it looks like the new passports will become a reality and will probably be the first of many such changes in our lives.    

Update on Satellite Radio

Both satellite radio providers, XM Radio and Sirius, have been busy since the last time we talked about them, adding both users and new content. Unfortunately, all of this activity has not made them profitable yet. In fact, both are losing more money than ever before.

XM Radio just passed the 5 million subscriber mark and increased its income well beyond Wall Street expectations. Unfortunately, their expenses were more than double last year's expenses, due mostly to huge increases in programming and content costs. The bottom line was that their losses are more now more than ever before, even with more customers.

Meanwhile, over at Sirius, it's pretty much the same story...but they have only about half of the number of subscribers of XM.

Both companies are in a programming war, each trying to outdo the other with their programming content. Sirius last year signed a big contract with the National Football League and the National Basketball Association to broadcast games and daily talk shows about the leagues. Not to be outdone, XM signed the same kind of contract with Major League Baseball and the National Hockey League. While the hockey contract may have been cheap, the other contracts were not.

Both companies have also hired big-named personalities, including radio shock-jock Howard Stern, Martha Stewart, Ron and Fez, and Opie and Anthony (whoever they might be). I did notice that XM dropped MTV Radio and VH-1 Radio, which probably saved them a few coins.

Both services now charge $12.95 per month for service. XM Radio offers around 150 channels, while Sirius offers around 120 channels, but those numbers can be deceptive as not all programming is on all the time and some channels are for weather and traffic in far-off major cities. Each charges $6.95 per month for each additional receiver. As broadcast radio content continues to deteriorate (especially here in our little county), you may wish to consider adding satellite radio to your entertainment repetoire.

Now, here is some good news for folks who have satellite television, either DishTV or DirectTV. For quite some time now, DishTV has been including 65 channels of Sirius Radio as part of their basic programming package. When I first read that, I wondered if DirectTV would put the same kind of deal together with XM.

Well it took some time, but beginning on November 15, DirectTV will begin offering 50-67 channels of XM Radio, depending on which programming package you have. So, if you have either of the satellite TV services in your home, you may not need to spend the $12.95 per month for satellite radio. But be aware that both TV services only offer music channels and not the sports or talk radio channels available in the full blown satellite radio services.

When you add it all up, there is a tremendous amount and variety of entertainment available to you. But, of course, you could just sit down in silence and read a good book. Enjoy your options!!

Finding Your Favorite Podcast Subjects

On my last trip to California, I brought along plenty of books-on-tape to help relieve the boredom of driving all those miles. After all, its a 16 hour trip, and, its one I have done many times before. I found over the years that listening to a really good story, like a spy novel or murder mystery, really helps the time and miles go quicker.

On the way down, I spent two days in Mt. Ranier National Park and three days along the Oregon Coast, specifically to work with my new digital SLR camera. And I got to thinking that it would really be great if I could listen to tapes or radio shows that discussed digital photography or other related subjects while driving in the car, but figured I probably would not find anything like that.

Then, I remembered podcasts. As I mentioned some months ago, podcasting is very popular these days and there is even a radio station in San Francisco that plays only podcasts. I wondered if there might be podcasts available on the subject of digital photography.

Now, if you don't remember what a podcast is, it is nothing more than an audio version of blogging. A blog, such as the one you are reading now, is one person's thoughts on a particular subject. In my case, the subject is "technology for the rest of us." But many, many people from around the world are doing podcasts about their favorite subjects. Network radio and television programs like Rush Limbaugh, ESPN, ABC News, and many, many others have also jumped big time into podcasting .

However, many podcasts are recorded by amatuers who use their computers to make the recordings, then post them on the web for listening and downloading. Some of the podcast recording software is quite good, so most podcasts that I've listened to sound fairly professional, at least as far as the recording goes. Content quality can vary widely, depending on the subject, as I can testify to, having listened to that aforementioned SF radio station. Quite frankly, some folks shouldn't be allowed near a microphone. But that's another story.

Podcast are done in an MP3 format, and are easy to download and play in portable MP3 players like Apple's iPod. I don't have an iPod, but I do have an MP3 player that plays CD's that I record with MP3 programs. As MP3's are quite compressed, I can record 4-5 hours worth of listening on one CD.

After I returned home, I began research podcasts about digital photography. Lo and behold, I discovered that Yahoo had put together a special podcast search engine. All I did was enter the search term of "digital photography," and I had my list of podcasts.

The first one I found is called, oddly enough, "Tips from the Top Floor," and is recorded in Germany by a professional photographer who apparantly lives on the top floor of his apartment house. I have now listened to several of them and found them entertaining and informative. Even if you are are novice in photography or just use a point-and-shoot camera, you will enjoy these podcasts. I also found other good podcasts that I listen to, but I will save those for another day.

There are two ways to record podcasts to your computer. One is to go to the podcast's website and download them just like you would download any other software product. The other way is to get a special software product, like Apple's iTunes and subscribe to the podcast. Many podcasters now put links on their website so you can subscribe automatically, via iTunes, to the podcast. It links their podcast directly to iTunes so that the software will automatically download a new podcast whenever they become available.

I did try another software product for the fun of it, but found that it could not compare to the ease of iTunes. This program is free from Apple and comes in both Windows and Apple versions. You can download it from the Apple Web Site and start using it immediately. By the way, if you ever buy an Apple iPod, you will need iTunes to connect to it.

So, if you are interested, go try the world of podcasts. Search out your favorite subject on Yahoo's Podcast Search Engine, then listen to a few a them. If you like them, download iTunes and subscribe to them. I've sure found many of them better than most of the content I hear on the radio.

Microsoft and the Phishing Filter

For some time, Microsoft has been promising that their new version of Internet Explorer Version 7, will contain a Phishing Filter that will help you identify fake web sites so you don't give personal data to a web site that isn't what you think it is. If you are not familiar with the term "Phishing" is a practice where crooks try and trick you into giving up personal information so they can steal your identity and/or your money.

One way they do it is to put up fake web sites that purports to be a real website. For awhile, I used to get fake e-mail's supposedly from my bank directing me to a web site in order to give them my personal information. Fortunately, the e-mail was so badly done that I knew it was a fraud instantly...and my bank sent out warnings saying they would never ask me to input this kind of information.

Anyhow, phishing scams have become much more clever and a fair amount of people have suffered identity theft. In order to help out, Microsoft has decided to make their phishing filter available to the public for free even though IE7 is not yet available. This temporary filter, so to speak, will work in IE6, but there is a catch.

The filter only comes packaged in as an add-on to the MSN Toolbar Kit. This toolbar is similar to other toolbars put out by Google and Yahoo. It defaults to an MSN search engine, but you can change the default search engine (for instance if you prefer Google). It also adds tabbed pages, similar to those found in Maxthon and Opera, and performs desktop searches. The phishing filter now is part of the package and is designed to prevent you from entering personal information into a fraudulent website.

To learn more about the tool, head to the Microsoft MSN Toolbar Kit web page. To learn about the Phishing Filter, you need to access a separate Microsoft web page and, if you desire, download it only after you have installed the MSN Toolbar Kit.

More on Microsoft

Our favorite software company may be headed for more trouble with government anti-trust folks around the world. The company announced that it will include its anti-spyware software as part of the its new Windows Vista operating system when it is released. This is exactly what got them in trouble a few years ago when they started including a web browser and other utilities for free as part of their operating system. This effectively put many companies out of business and Microsoft was punished for this, although not a severely as they should have been.

Currently, Microsoft's Anti-Spyware is available for free as a beta test software. By including it for free as part of the operating system, they are trying once again to put their competition out of business and inviting all kinds of litigation.

As you may recall, I was initially impressed with Microsoft's Anti-Spyware, but later became disenchanted when I discovered that my current spyware, Sunbelt's Counterspy, found 63 spyware products on my computer that Microsoft missed. Microsoft's product also became suspect as it stopped identifying one particular company's spyware products as being dangerous at the same time that Microsoft started negotiations with that same company to buy them out.

As big as this company is, they sure seem to make some very controversial business decisions designed to invite trouble.

Revisiting an Old Friend

As many of my long-time readers know, I used to heartily recommend the use of Opera as an alternative web browser. It has always been a good browser, with lots of good features, very fast, and very easy to use. It also had the smallest footprint in your computer, much less than Internet Explorer (IE).

But Opera always seemed less than perfect as there were several web pages that it could not render properly and I had to revert to good old Microsoft's IE. As time went on, I found myself using Opera less and less. When Firefox came on the scene I tried it several times and, around the same time, I also found Maxthon, which I finally adopted as my new browser-of-choice.

As I tried out all these new browsers, Opera got left behind. In fact, when I purchased a new computer several months ago, I never reloaded it, although it remained on my laptop.

After I while, I removed Firefox as I didn't like it as much as Maxthon. And, while I love Maxthon, it greatest strength is also its greatest weakness: it uses the Internet Explorer engine, so while it will work as well as IE (and has many more useful features than IE) it is also subject to some of the same ongoing security vulnerabilities we keeps plaguing Microsoft products. Although Microsoft is very good about fixing them with their monthly patches, I have it in the back of my mind that one day some nasty little virus, spyware, or ID theft software will someday slip through.

All that being said, I read sometime this past summer, that Opera had come out with a new Version 8 that was better than ever before. I decided to give it a try again. And, after a few months of use, I must tell you that I like it better than their previous versions. Most web pages render just fine...and it has as many useful features as Maxthon, but does not use the IE engine.

When Version 8 was released, it still had the annoying advertising in the upper right hand corner. You still had to pay $39.95 to buy the advertising-free version. I learned how to really minimize the ads in the free version, so it never really bothered me. But a few weeks, ago, the company released version 8.5, which removes all advertising from the browser page in the free version. Plus they added a few more features.

All-in-all, it is an excellent program that is worth using. It is very fast and, as I said earlier, renders most pages just fine. It does seem to have some difficulty with a couple of the sites I use a great deal. For instance, it doesn't render all my editing buttons on my web blog page, so I am writing this blog using Maxthon. And on the Netflix pages, IE and Maxthon pop up a short blurb about a movie when you point at its title, while Opera can't do that yet.

But that being said, it works just fine for everything else and I do use it for most of my browsing. If you want to download it and give it a try, just go to the Opera web site. But the bottom line truth is...no matter what browser you use, you will sometimes need to access certain web pages with Internet Explorer. I am afraid there is just no getting around that right now. I hope someone will fix that someday.

OpenOffice Making Big Waves

OpenOffice.org, a free open source office suite that is now five years old, has just released it's long-awaited Version 2.0. The program was originally called StarOffice and was owned by Sun Microsystems. In the year 2000, Sun gave it to the Open Source community to continue development.

While Sun remains the project's chief sponsor and contributor, the project now boasts contributions from Novell, Red Hat, Debian, Intel, and many other large and small companies, plus the very important and numberless contributions from independent developers and government agencies. All these have made OpenOffice.org not just a free alternative productivity suite but one of the best and most advanced productivity suites available today. And, once again, it is free to download and use.

Version 2.0 is a major overhaul to an open-source software suite that is now a more serious rival to Microsoft Office. OpenOffice.org includes a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation creator and, new to version 2.0, a database. Project organizers had hoped to release the upgrade last week, on the fifth anniversary of the creation of the open-source project, but a last-minute bug derailed the plan.

Over the years, nearly 50 million copies of OpenOffice have been downloaded, but only recently has the software become a more serious threat to long-dominant Microsoft Office. Version 2.0 brings some significant new features, and Google has pledged to help distribute OpenOffice through a high-profile pact with Sun. But perhaps more significant, OpenOffice.org uses the standardized OpenDocument format that stands in stark contrast to Microsoft's proprietary formats.

One of the big reasons that Microsoft may be worried is that there is a strong movement afoot to adopt the OpenDocument format. The state of Massachusetts has required support of OpenDocument, and the vice president of IBM's standards and open source, has urged computer users to pressure software companies, governments and corporations to support OpenDocument.

Massachusetts' adoption of OpenDocument shuts Microsoft out of the state's procurement process because the software giant, which dominates the office application market, has said it does not intend to support the OpenDocument format. Governments and large corporations have complained for years about the high costs of continued Microsoft licensing and with the raves being heaped on OpenOffice V.2.0, Microsoft may be looking at some large losses in revenue as these organizations start to adopt OpenOffice.

What do I think about the new version? Well, I have only just downloaded it a couple of days ago, but so far I like it. I can open and save documents in the Microsoft Office format, so all the files I have created over the years are still very useful. The program's interface is similar to Microsoft's, so it is easy to learn and use.

It doesn't have an Outlook-type program, although I use Thunderbird as my e-mail software on my main home computer (I still use Outlook on my laptop), so that isn't a problem for me, but could well be for others. I will keep testing OpenOffice and write another blog about it in the near future.

If you would like to know more about the features of version 2, click on this link to the openoffice.org web site. You can also read a quick review done by PC Magazine of the beta version, written in September, prior to the release of the final version.

I am Back Home Again

Surprise, surprise...I'm back!! I know it has been a long time since you heard from me, but the life of an artist kept me pretty busy. But, now all the shows are over until May of 2006, my art is in storage for the winter, and I am free once again to write a tech blog and try to keep you update with the going's-on in the world of high tech.

Just to catch you up, it was a good year overall for me with sales of my artwork already exceeding last year's total with 2+ months to go in 2005. The year started out very slow in May in June, but took off in July and never really slowed down. I had my best show ever in late July in Richland, WA where I doubled last year's sales. Even Leavenworth was good to me in the late summer and fall.

This summer, I moved into the fascinating world of digital photography which I will detail in greater depth in future blogs. I really love shooting digital with my new Olympus E-300 Single Lens Reflex Camera. While traveling recently to California for two shows, I managed to spend two days learning my new camera in Mt. Rainier Natl. Park and three days photographing the Oregon Coast. I really got some great shots and am looking forward to finishing them up in post-processing and showing some of them off.

The family is all fine. Susan is still clear of any cancer problems (5 years now) and is still working at Family Services of Grant County. Aimee has graduated from Seattle Pacific University with a teaching credential in Music Education and is doing her student teaching in Seattle right now. She will shortly be moving to Ephrata to finish out her student teaching at Ephrata High School. Kristen is working full time in Seattle, and Eric is going to college on his GI Bill and working nights in Bellingham.

I am glad to be back home as the Art Show life can be pretty taxing. I was gone from home at least four days a week and when I did get home, I spent three days reprinting and replenishing stock to get ready for the next show. I did shows in four states this year, which was a killer, both in driving time and gas prices. Some of my time was also spent doing printing on my extra-large Epson 2700 printer for other artists. It became a nice little side business for me as I can print up to 24" wide prints on canvas and paper.

I had hoped to keep the blog up-to-date, but there was just no chance. Will try and do better from now on, although my plate still seems to be full right now. I will do my best.

In my next blog, I will tell you about a free office software that is taking the world by storm and forcing Microsoft to reconsider their office software. See you shortly.