Technology & Computers

Conficker and Patches

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 04:42:29 PDT

Wow, it HAS been awhile...
First, for those concerned/confused about Conficker - simple test has been devised to show a potential infection with one or the other types of this virus. Put the following address in your browser(s) and read the chart to get some clues as to possible infection:
http://www.confickerworkinggroup.org/infec...cfeyechart.html
If you're blocked from getting to your choice of security software site, I may think about posting some links to various software on one of my sites just to fool Conficker so you can get some help.
Patch Tuesday (typically experienced Wednesday)
Microsoft is releasing 8 security patches this week - 5 CRITICAL, 2 Important and 1 Moderate. Patch up folks!!
Guess I need to get into this stuff and share a little more - a LOT is happening...
Oh yeah - I have a MacBook Pro to play with and have been working with Parallels and Fusion for running PC OS and apps... what fun!

Use Yahoo for search

Mon, 05 May 2008 02:29:22 PDT

What with Yahoo holding off Microsoft taking them over I have been choosing to use Yahoo for all my searching needs.
I don't want Microsoft taking over more of the world -- this is the least that I can do...
PS: I love Yahoo's 'Search Assist'! Try it -- it's free!

Got Windows XP Pro SP2 Install Disc?

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 04:50:09 PDT

I've got a license code for Windows XP Pro, but no working install DVD. Anyone in the Campbell area have a installer disc that I can borrow?
I own my copy of Windows XP by way of a VirtualPC license for my Mac, but the install DVD for that only works if you're installing it onto a G5 Mac. I've since upgraded to an Intel based Mac machine and want to get Windows installed on a separate partition. Unfortunately, my XP install DVD is now a $200 coaster.

Problem Sending Email Thru Yahoo DSL Servers?

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 03:51:04 PDT

If you're a Yahoo/AT&T DSL subscriber and you use a desktop mail client, you might be suffering from an issue I've been suffering from the past few days. I have several different email addresses that I switch between when handling correspondence for different things. Sometime in the past week, I stopped being able to send email under some of those identities.
It turns out that you now need to have your identities verified in your Yahoo Mail web mail account before you can send using that identity in your mail program. If you've suddenly started having problems sending email as some identities, but not others through Yahoo DSL, go check your validated mail accounts.
If you need help getting there. Here's what you need to do:goto http://mail.yahoo.comclick on 'Options' in the upper right cornerClick on 'Mail Addresses' in the center columnClick the 'Add' buttonFollow the directions to add a new address to your account profile. Once you've verified, you can again send using that identity from your mail program.

Yahoo's Search Assist

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 12:44:45 PST

I have been quite amazed with Yahoo's Search Assist the last few weeks.
I don't know how long Yahoo has had this -- but since I noticed it I have been testing it and have been amazed!
Most any search -- assuming the first word in the search query is rather unique -- will usually bring up an accurate suggestion after just three or four letters are entered!
Just now I wanted to confirm when Daylight Savings Time starts (March 9th) and after typing in D-A-Y-L it offered up 'Daylight Savings Time'
Pic attached.
Try it.

Zipidee -- a online marketplace for digital goods

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 11:44:55 PDT

I read about this today in the Mercury News and I thought it interesting.
If one wanted to sell a 'book' or anything kind of digital wares one would use this site.
Here is a blurb about it copied from mercurynews.com:
Zipidee The San Francisco company that lets you sell digital information through an online marketplace launched its public beta service Monday.
The service is targeting musicians, videographers, researchers or anyone else with digital information that people are willing to pay for. Sellers create accounts with Zipidee, and upload and display their digital goods on the Zipidee home site, or in a Zipidee widget on their own site. Buyers make direct online purchases through the Zipidee system. The company offers its own DRM service, which it sees as being most useful for providers of educational materials, and other niche information.

Bluetooth Headsets: Cool or Dorky?

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 05:32:24 PDT

Haha, I guess we're in a cell phone state of mind here. I saw a poll on C-Net that I just had to repost here. They're asking their visitors if they think Bluetooth Headsets are cool or not so cool.
Personally speaking, there is something really distressing about them to me. Yeah, I know they're super convenient and sometimes I wish I had one when I have to fumble around for my wired earpiece for my cell phone, but on a purely fashion level, I don't think I could do it! That says a lot because I'm pretty laid back about the fashion thing when there's a functional reason for it.

Social Wave Probs with Google Listings - Need an Expert

Mon, 06 Aug 2007 05:26:30 PDT

This year has been one big tech issue headache after another. First it was AOL's mail, then it was Yahoo's Mail. Now that AOL and Yahoo are being cool, it's Google's turn. Only this time it's not a mail issue. Socialwave.net seems to have almost disappeared from Google's search index. This one by far hurts the worst. It's completely killing our site traffic, which has dropped dramatically in the last two months.
I'm trying to get some answers from Google, but their non-existent support makes all the other support deptartments I've dealt with this year look like gold medal winners. You can't contact them. They contact you and they only seem to contact you when you're in gross violation of their policies. A couple of years ago, I did something I wasn't supposed to do and they came after me within a few days. This time around, I noticed that something didn't seem quite right with our index listings a couple of months ago. I first tried to contact them about a month ago and have since tried different routes to get in touch with someone and haven't heard a peep.
So, I'm hoping someone who has experience with an issue like this comes across this thread. If you've had experience dealing with a seemingly compliant site going from having 20,000 indexed pages in Google to

A Low Tech Way to Outsmart Phishing Attacks?

Wed, 13 Jun 2007 04:11:51 PDT

I've been trying to give pointers to some less technically sophisticated email users about how to figure out if a request for information is real or if it's a phishing attack designed to steal your identity when you comply with a request to update your information. It used to be very easy to spot a phishing attack, but now there are some that even make me pause for a minute before I start getting suspicious.
Something finally hit me. I don't know how solid of an approach this is, but it seems to make sense. Maybe someone who knows a lot about phishing can add a few cents. You can outsmart most phishing attacks, perhaps nearly all of them just by waiting a few days. I'm surprised I haven't heard this mentioned much.
It's simple. Just wait a few days before you respond. Phishers rarely use their own servers and the servers they use to steal information tend to get shut down within a few days if not sooner. They typically have a short window of opportunity to fool you, which is probably the reason why phishing scams often tell you that you must update your info ASAP. If something is really that urgent, you better be picking up the phone.
I see some possible holes to this low tech technique...more

Major YahooDSL Outage Yesterday

Tue, 12 Jun 2007 03:35:36 PDT

Well, it's good to see that the Internet still exists. Like a lot of people, I couldn't get on from my Yahoo DSL connection yesterday. I heard lots of varying rumors as to what the problem was and when it'd be fixed. I finally called their customer support myself around 11pm and some very helpful guy at a call center probably overseas read off the names of all cities that were affected in my area. It was basically a roll call of Silicon Valley.
It was a very strange feeling day, but also a much less stressful feeling day. To tell you the truth, it was kinda nice even though I had a hard time getting anything done.

SBC Global/Yahoo DSL Customers, How's Service Lately?

Sun, 04 Mar 2007 04:13:26 PST

Hey you SBC Global DSL subscribers out there. Has your DSL service been spotty lately? Several years ago, SBC Global DSL was always hit and miss. It seemed to behave more like cable modem broadband. It'd sputter and pause all the time. For most of the past two years, their service for me has been rock solid. I've had almost no downtime and the connection speed is always consistent. Over the past couple of months, I've noticed that my service has been spotty again. It's not as bad as it was a few years ago, but I'm noticing some slow loading web pages that shouldn't be slow loading.
Anyone else having issues with their SBC DSL lately?

Ham Radio License Class and Exam - San Jose

Wed, 28 Feb 2007 11:58:58 PST

For anyone interested in getting their basic, no-Morse Code amateur radio license - great for emergencies and technical hobby fun...
A 2-Saturday Codeless Technician Amateur Radio Course is being offered at the San Jose Police Communications Building on
24 and 31 March 2007 From 8:30 a.m. � 5:00 p.m.
The exam will be proctored by ARRL on 31 March at 5:00 pm. The class is open to anyone at $35.00 per person (which includes all course materials and text), and the exam fee is $14.00 per person.
San Jose Police Communications Bldg
855 North San Pedro Street
San Jose, CA
Amateur Radio Technician Class Course Content
The Amateur Radio class will review the question pool to be used in selecting questions for the proctored exam that will be administered at the end of the second day of class. The exam will consist of 35 questions as follows:
T1 FCC Rules 5
T2 Methods of Communication 2
T3...more

Broadband in Willow Glen ?

Fri, 23 Feb 2007 09:28:41 PST

I am moving to Willow Glen this week and was informed by AT&T that they do not offer DSL in my area. I am near Pine and Lincoln.
What is the best broadband service to use in this area?
thanks
eric

AT&T Hits Rewind on the Cingular Name

Fri, 12 Jan 2007 06:03:30 PST

As if the whole AT&T / Cingular takeover, re-takeover ordeal wasn't confusing enough, it appears that AT&T has decided that they're going to phase out the name Cingular in favor of good ol fashioned AT&T.
Link: AT&T ending Cingular name on wireless (CNN/Money)
I don't recall how this whole soap opera unfolded. Maybe someone can help fill in the blanks or correct me.Cingular Buys AT&T Wireless and to my dismay, I turn on my AT&T phone one day and it says "Cingular" on it and it promptly stops working rightThe AT&T Mothership eventually buys Bell South, which owns CingularNow AT&T decides that it costs too much to promote Cingular, so they're phasing out the Cingular nameTo make matters even more entertaining, they're making the switch gradual and for some months, they'll brand stuff with both the Cingular and AT&T logos.
Uh, all I can say is "WHATEVER".

Adobe Releases Photoshop CS3 Beta

Sat, 23 Dec 2006 03:38:58 PST

Adobe has just made a beta version of the next major release of Photoshop available to all owners of Adobe Photoshop CS2! If you're a Mac user on an Intel-mac, it might be a particularly enticing offer. Adobe Photoshop CS3 will be the first version of Photoshop to run natively on an Intel Mac, so it should be a lot faster than CS2 is on the Intel Macs.
Download the beta from Adobe:
http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/photoshopcs3/
BTW, any Photoshop wizards here?

Say No to Extended Warranties (Consumer Reports)

Mon, 18 Dec 2006 12:03:55 PST

If you're one of those who always feels tempted to buy the extended warranty, check out what Consumer Reports has to say about them. They cite two exceptions, but otherwise recommend that you steer clear of them. i think most of us know not to take the extended warranty, but it's still tempting sometimes when you're pushed.
Consumer Reports: Why you don't need an extended warranty (Nov 06)

Stealing Horses, a New Low in Online Scams

Sat, 09 Dec 2006 02:14:05 PST

This webpage that I ran across the other day is both really funny and sad at the same time. The last time we posted for a roommate on Craigslist, we got almost nothing but replies from scammers looking to pull a quick bank fraud trick on us. I thought that was about as low as it got, but it gets better.
Apparently, the same trick is being pulled on animal sales. I ran into this website called the "Cowboy Way Classifieds" that specializes in Cowboy stuff, especially horses. They have a page dedicated to exposing common scams that scammers use to defraud the rodeo boys out of horses and money.
CowboyWay Scam Alerts for Sellers and Buyers:
link:http://www.cowboyway.com/ads/index.php?a=28&b=142

Etiquette: When to Use Phone vs. Email?

Mon, 13 Nov 2006 11:13:43 PST

QUOTE (stone @ Nov 13 2006, 01:33 PM) Most email is not really mission critical -- often someone will ask me -- or I will ask them -- if they received the email that was sent/received, and if it was not received then the troubleshooting process begins. Usually the email address is wrong, though sometimes it may end up in the spam filter I suppose, but in any case, the email it just resent.
Which brings me to my next RANT! Maybe I am too old -- but I don't get it with some of the ways people use email.
I think email is great for notices and information -- e.g. 50% off today at XYZ Store, or the weekly flyer that Social Wave puts out -- but I think email is cumbersome for topics that require back and forth communication. A cell phone conversation can cover in minutes what in email could easily take six (or more) emails to cover the same ground. AND -- what with the time lag -- this email exchange could span several days!
I just don't get it...
-- Dana
Actually, I can understand why people would do that. For a lot of people, email has...more

Recent Surge in Spam Traffic - Oct 2006

Sun, 12 Nov 2006 04:37:23 PST

In the past month or so, I've been noticing that I've been getting a massive increase in spam. This is despite upgrading the spam protection that I have set-up. I thought it was just me, but it's been so bad for so long that I checked sources online to see if there's been a pandemic of spam. Yup. Sometime in early October, spam started skyrocketing. By some accounts spam nearly DOUBLED in October.
Image spam has been the most problematic because they sneak past the typical mechanisms used by spam filters to identify an email as "spam" or "ham."
The root cause for the latest spike in spam is not totally known, but it's believed that a few new worms and viruses are rapidly infecting PCs into "Zombie" machines that relay spam on command. Also, spam is becoming a more popular activity for organized crime and they're using more and more sophisticated techniques to elude filters.
Sunbelt Blog:In case you were wondering, there really has been a big increase in spam
John Levine Blog: Huge Increase in Spam in October
PC World Blog: Spam Is Up Up Up

Sometimes one needs a good 'Time-Sink'

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 04:02:28 PST

Sometimes things are slow and you need something to waste time -- sometimes things are busy, and you still seem to have the need to waste some time.
This web site fits the bill:
http://jacksonpollock.org/