WyzGuys Tech Talk

Inmates Running the Asylum - Your Tax Dollars At Work

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 15:26:29 GMT

Sorry to put a financial/economic article in my blog but we need to know this.

The insane are running this country! We are now insuring deposits up to 250,000 but this expires on 12/31/09 the end of THIS YEAR! - Info comes straight out of the FDIC information sent to the bank's!

Basic Coverage for all depositors:
1.Until December 31, 2009: Under 12 C.F.R. 330.1(n)-Standard maximum deposit
Insurance amount, referred to as "the SMDIA" hereafter, means $250,000 adjusted pursuant
to subparagraph (F) of section 11(a)(1) of the FDI Act (12 U.S.C. 1821(a)(1)(F)).
Under the new law, as of January 1, 2010 the SMDIA returns to $100,000.
Up to $250,000 per depositor including principal and accrued interest. This increase is
effective immediately, but expires on December 31, 2009. The category “Certain
Retirement Accounts”remains at $250,000 after the expiration of the law on
December 31, 2009.
Important! Therefore, please remember the December 31, 2009 “expiration date”when
opening time deposits. Based on the current law, time deposits with a maturity date
after December 31, 2009 will revert back to the old rules of $100,000 per depositor after
December 31, 2009.

Why Are You Still Branding AOL, gmail, or Comcast On Your Business E-Mail?

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 16:25:00 GMT

This is a rant. This really bugs me! I can not for the life of me figure out why anyone sending business e-mail is doing it from an account on AOL, Hotmail, gmail, Comcast, ATT.net, or any other ISP. This goes double for those of you (and you ought to know who you are) that have a perfectly valid registered domain name that your web site is hanging out on.

Well, I do know the reason. It's something like "I've been using this e-mail account since the invention of fire" or "everyone already has this e-mail address" or some other version of "it's too hard to change or I don't know how to set one up."

If you have your own business domain name, let's say MyBusiness.com, you should be using an e-mail account like MyName@MyBusiness.com NOT MyBusiness472@AOL.com!!!

When you place your Yellow Page ad, are you kind enough to put an AOL logo in the corner, with something like "E-mail proudly provided by AOL?"

Those of you running truck fleets, do you get the painter to put a Comcast logo on your truck? NO?

Then please, please, please set up an e-mail address on your domain name and use it for your business correspondence. If you don't know how, get someone who does to help you do it.

Thank you!

Fun with .htaccess files

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 10:50:52 GMT

Chris Hanscom, aka Veign, a Microsoft MVP and frequent contributor to the Microsoft Expression Web Group, recently posted some links to further information about using the .htaccess file to customize some web site functions, like setting password protected areas or generating custom error (404) pages

If you are on a Linux server then you can use an htaccess file.

htaccess:
http://www.veign.com/blog/2007/01/on-linux-server-then-see-what-htacc...

htaccess Generator: http://cooletips.de/htaccess/
.HTACCESS files useful tips and tricks: http://www.garnetchaney.com/htaccess_tips_and_tricks.shtml
Using the .htaccess File: http://www.wise-women.org/tutorials/htaccess/

Even more fun with htaccess:
http://www.veign.com/blog/2007/02/even-more-fun-with-htaccess.html

htpasswd Creator:
http://www.veign.com/tools/htpasswd-creator/

Resource Center: http://www.veign.com/development-center.php
Veign's Blog: http://www.veign.com/blog
Web Development Help: http://www.veign.com/development-center-web.php

Quincy's Steak & Spirits

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 17:19:48 GMT

I don't usually do restaurant reviews in this space, but I had an exception experience last week.

Cheri and I were visiting Leadville Colorado last week and the conductor on the Leadville to Climax Railway recommended Quincy's. All they do is Filet Mignon. That's it - Filet Mignon (and vegetarian lasagna for the meat free) Monday through Thursday. Friday through Sunday it's Prime Rib - but that's it.

When you do one thing only, usually it is done very well, and Quincy's is no exception to the rule.

The astounding part is the prices! 6 oz filet for $7.95, 9 oz for $9.95, 12 oz for $11.95, and $15 oz for$13.95. This includes a salad, baked potato, and bread.

I ordered the 12 oz and Cheri ordered the 9 oz. They started us off with a salad and some bread, both of which were freshly made and excellent. Then the steaks came, and whoever is weighing them...well let's just say they were generously proportioned. My steak looked like the steak that Cypher was eating with Mr Smith in the movie "The Matrix," medium rare, red and succulent, with a full bodied flavor that only comes from proper aging. Even the potatoes were fabulous.

Our entire tab with tip came to around $30. If you are in the Denver area, it is probably worth the beautiful 2 hour drive through the mountains to get to Quincy's.

Apple - The Golden God Has Feet Of Clay

Sat, 13 Sep 2008 12:04:56 GMT

Microsoft bashing is a popular past time, which I admit to participating in myself. And yet, I am a Windows guy, I run Vista and like it, or at least don't hate it. My limited experiences with the Apple OS have not impressed me that much - not better, just different, and somewhat confusing, at least in the learning stages.

One of the issues that seems to pop up when I am supporting my Windows customers is the issue of software compatibility. "Everything was working fine until I installed...." or "I ran these updates and now my system hangs..." Just thought it was interesting that Apple released a couple of updates that messes up Windows. Here's a post from John Murrell at "Good Morning Silicon Valley."

Apple extends customer-irritation program to Windows users: After a recent stretch of annoying various segments of its core constituency with an assortment of technical troubles (see "Another brush fire? Tap the goodwill reservoir"), Apple has worked its way out to its market's edge with a glitch that hit some Windows Vista users who installed the iTunes 8 update released earlier this week. The unlucky ones found themselves staring at the Blue Screen of Death when they plugged in their iPhone or iPod.
Today, along with the release of the iPhone OS 2.1 update, which targets its own set of bugs, Apple also posted a fresh version of iTunes 8 that rolls back the version of the USB driver that apparently caused the Windows problems. Victims were advised to uninstall, download anew and reinstall. Apple also dispensed some tips for Windows XP and Vista users who are running into sync problems with the iPhone or iPod Touch.

I have noticed that my clients with iTunes installations seem to have more problems than those who do not use iTunes. Those of you using iTunes in a business computing environment may want to reconsider how important it is to your daily effectiveness, as it comes with a computer reliability and performance cost.

BotNets On The Rise

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 14:14:31 GMT

Here is a heart-warming tidbit from Mike Masnick at Good Morning Silicon Valley

Zombies rising: Be very afraid -- or at least be very vigilant. The Shadowserver Foundation, whose self-described mission is to "gather intelligence on the darker side of the Internet," says the number of zombies, or hijacked computers, rose threefold to more than 450,000 in the past three months. The zombies become part of botnets, or groups of computers that can be used to perform a certain task or achieve a certain goal, in many cases illegal ones. What can you do? Don't let the evildoers seize control of your computer -- the majority of them PCs running Windows -- by watching where you surf and what you invite/download to your computer. Seems basic, right, but it's always worth reminding people.

Many times a week I am asked by a client, student, or business associate about the nature of Internet threats, and I have maintained for at least the last two years, the real dangers come from organized criminal groups whose goal it is to part your from your cash. I recently attended a webinar sponsored by AVG, and their presenter showed a slide the corroborated my position.

Ages of Malicious Code

Age 1 - 1987 – 1995 – Dos viruses
Age 2 - 1995 – 2000 – Macro viruses
Age 3 - 1999 – 2002 – Mass mailing worms
Age 4 - 2001 – 2004 – Bots and worms
Age 5 - 2004 - ? - Web based attacks

Why?

Age 1 – fun
Age 2 – fun
Age 3 – fun and profit (spam and botnets)
Age 4 – fun and profit (spam, botnets, adware, spyware)
Age 5 – profit only (they want your money)

The thing to do is to keep your computer up-to-date with Microsoft Updates, and that you are running a paid-for version of a leading Internet Security Product. Make sure your subscription is up-to-date, and that you have the latest virus and spyware definitions. And make sure you are running full system scans. Then you should be secure, and NOT participating in he rise of the BotNets

CyberDefender - Two Thumbs Down!!

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 13:57:23 GMT

I received a worried call from a client last week. They were getting spyware pop-up and balloon warnings, and were concerned they had a virus of some kind, Based on the behavior they described, it sounded like a case of Antivirus 2009 or one of the similar crapware download Trojan programs.

When I started working on the computer, I saw that the alerts and pop-ups were from a "security" program called CyberDefender. I quickly Googled the name, and actually came across a bunch of favorable reviews from the likes of USA Today, PCWorld, and TuCows.

I also came across a couple of negative reviews.

http://dailycupoftech.com/2006/12/01/dcot-exclusive-cyberdefender-interview/ Daily Cup of Tech blog
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a quick post about a new security program called CyberDefenderFREE 2.0. Little did I know that there was going to be some controversy about this product (see the comments). It seems that there was some concern from the vigilant DCoT readers that this software may have been built by a company previously known for, of all things, spyware. Another reader pointed to a German website (English translation) that indicated that the software was slow and ineffective.

and

http://www.securitycadets.com/2007/05/cyberdefender-and-its-adverts/ Security Cadets Blog
Not long ago we reported that a program named CyberDefender came with adverts in it’s paid version. Steven Burns from Ur I.T. Mate Group was the first to report this.

Based on my own experience with the product, I uninstalled it. I personally give it two thumbs down on the basis of its behavior alone. The client had installed the "free" version, and the pop-ups were basically marketing nags for the paid "professional" version. What I didn't like is that they were not straight up ads, but social engineering ploys like "we've discovered infections that the paid one can remove" type. I don't trust companies who think the only way to market their product is through deception, trickery or fraud. Hey, if your freekin product is so great and wonderful, it should stand on its own merits.

I don't know why TuCows and PCWorld, whose opinions I would normally respect, went positive on these guys, I can only assume they did not actually install and use the products, actually test them, but were merely passing on the press release boilerplate of the developer. The link above at Daily Cup of Tech includes and interview style response from the software developers.

My advice - avoid this one!! Whether they are legitimate or shady, this product has too many fine proven competitors, like PCTools Spyware Doctor or AVG Internet Security, to waste your time finding out if they are good, bad, or just plain ugly.

Sick of Spam? Maybe its YOUR fault!

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 11:29:36 GMT

I use nine e-mail accounts, a little high for the average guy, but I have several special use accounts for web site responses, and other special purposes. And I get spam - tons of it, hundreds to sometimes more than a thousand a day. Most are caught in the spam filtering provided by my e-mail hosting company, probably 400 - 500 or more per day. Then my AVG Internet Security catches another 100 - 200 and puts them in my Junk Mail folder in Outlook. And lastly, Outlook captures another 50-100 and does likewise. And yet still about 10-20 unwanted spam messages sneak through the minefield and land in my Inbox. I've learned to accept this as a cost of doing business on the web.

Why is there so much spam? As I teach in my Computer Security class, there is spam because it works, and it works because there are people who - despite all the warnings - click on spam links and FREEKIN BUY THE PRODUCTS!!! How many of these dodo heads are there out there? Well this article from Mike Masnick of TechDirt Daily says ABOUT ONE THIRD OF YOU!!

30% Of Internet Users Admit To Buying From Spam (Email)
by Michael Masnick from the hence-your-email-inbox dept on Thursday, August 21st, 2008 @ 5:52AM
Over the years, we've seen plenty of studies or reports about the people who actually buy from spam. The percentages vary widely, with one report saying 4% of spam recipients buy from spam, another saying 11% and another saying 20%. Those were all a few years ago. A more recent study is now claiming that 30% of people will readily admit to buying from spam. Of course, the methodologies could be different, as some may count things such as marketing emails that you signed up for as spam, while others probably would not. Either way, it's clear that plenty of people are still buying, because otherwise spam would have died out a long time ago.
There is one other interesting point made in the study. It notes that the industry consensus is that less than one in a million emails leads to a sale (actually, the report says ten in ten million, but I don't see why that shouldn't be reduced), but that number is somewhat misleading, because so much spam is caught in filters. So, the percentage of spams that get through and lead to a sale is much, much higher.

So three in ten of us just bought PediPaws from a spam e-mail. Thanks guys and gals, for keeping this industry alive and kicking. And the rest of you that THOUGHT you were buying something, or playing a game, or watching a video, and really downloaded software that compromised your computer security installed a backdoor Trojan, and turned your computer into a spam server - double thank you.

So the entire junk e-mail industry relies on the complicity of the general computer public - first, the unsecured computer user who allows their computer to become part of the worldwide spam botnet, and then the eventual customers, who keep it hugely profitable.

The following e-mail exchange is illuminating.

From: BL
Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2008 4:02 PM
To: .L
Subject: What would you do if this came to you?
What would you do if the image below came into your email? Would you click on it because you can’t resist seeing the marvelous video?
B L

-----Original Message-----
From: DM
Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2008 4:04 PM
To: BL
Subject: RE: What would you do if this came to you?
Is this a rhetorical question or do you want responses from us? J
DM

From: TG
Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2008 4:04 PM
To: DM; BL
Subject: RE: What would you do if this came to you?
He wants us to all say no because he has taught us better then that. J

From: DM
Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2008 4:06 PM
To: TG; BL
Subject: RE: What would you do if this came to you?
I would delete the e-mail immediately and then hide underneath my computer desk until help arrived. J
DM

From: VH
Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2008 4:24 PM
To: DM
Cc: .Lakeland
Subject: RE: What would you do if this came to you?
I would totally press that button because I love a good movie. Then I would call Bob crying and deny that I did anything so stupid.
VH

So there yo have it in a nutshell. Even those of us who know better sometimes can resist the "web candy" and fall for the sucker pitch. Just be aware that mistakes like this can be expensive to repair. The spyware and malware infections are getting more difficult to remove, and in many cases require a hard drive reformat and complete reinstallation of the operating system, programs and data files.

Be careful out there!

Malware Writers Getting More Clever By The Minute

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 10:59:09 GMT

I have been dealing with several malware exploits recently that I must admit I developed a grudging respect for the level of programing sophistication that was used. I just got done dealing with a Facebook distributed malware install that finally required a full system restore. I just found this article today, which describes yet another new attack vector.

Latest Sneaky Web Attack: Hijacking Your Clipboard To Post Spammy Links ((Mis)Uses of Technology)
by Michael Masnick from the now-that's-creative dept on Monday, August 18th, 2008 @ 5:09PM
Spammers and scammers keep upping the game against security researchers, sometimes in creative ways. And, in fact, it would appear that the latest sneaky trick making the rounds is almost admirable in its sneakiness. For example, take a look at this latest hack, which hijacks your clipboard, and repeatedly places a link to a site for fake security software. The hijack takes place through flash advertisements (even those found on legit sites), which is all the more reason to use AdBlock or FlashBlock or NoScript or something to protect you. However, what it's banking on, is the fact that plenty of people quickly cut and paste links they want to send around or post in other blogs and forums. When done quickly, many people won't even notice that they're not pasting the link they thought they cut from elsewhere -- thus getting lots of folks to inadvertently spam links. This must be incredibly annoying for those who get hit with it, but that doesn't take away from the creativeness of the attack itself. Even security researchers, like Mikko Hypponen, are grudgingly tipping their hats on this hack: "It is a pretty clever technique. Our work would be so much easier if our enemy would be stupid."

Backup Your Files Already

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 21:56:54 GMT

You know you should do it. And yet you haven't. The goal is to have your original data, and a copy or better yet, two copies of your data stored in a location that is physically remote from your main location.

There are a lot of options, such as:

Floppy disk - don't even think of this one - too small and easily affected by magnetic fields
CD and DVD - turns out burned CDs and DVDs may have a shelf life of five years or less
Tape - expensive and not completely reliable. Tape drives are cranky, and tapes are expensive
Flash drive - this is a great option, flash memory is pretty resilient. Limited to the size of your flash drive, but you can get capacities up to 32 GB!!
Different partition on same hard drive - it saves your data from a Windows operating system crash, but not a total hard drive failure.
Second hard drive in same computer - now we are getting somewhere. This creates a completely duplicate set of data and in the event of hard drive failure it is easy to restore from the working drive. Drive Mirroring, or Raid Level 0 is a simple way to actually have a completely duplicate bootable system drive. Problem is if the computer is destroyed in a fire, flood, or storm, your duplicate data is lost too.
External Hard Drive - same problem as last option. I know people who use two external drives and swap them out and take the other one home. Problems is that it relies on human actions and memory. Hmmm....
On-line back up systems - this is the best option, and fairly easy to accomplish. It can be expensive, but doesn't have to be. Mozy (mozy.com) is a good service. I provide something similar for my clients on my own servers.

What sort of backup should you do? Here are the main types

Normal backs up all files and marks each as backed up.
Copy backs up files but does not mark them as backed up.
Incremental backs up files only if they were created or modified since the last back-up operation completed and marks them as backed up.
Differential backs up only those files created since the last backup completed, but unlike Incremental backups, a Differential backup doesn’t mark the files as backed up.
Daily backs up only files created or modified that day (without changing files’ archive bits).

If you are backing up your personal stuff, maybe once a week is enough. Perform a Normal back up, and save the last 3 or 4, which will get you back a month. You do not need to mess with Incremental or Differential backups.

For a business, daily backups are best. I usually try to avoid the whole Normal, Incremental, Differential rotation. Storage is cheap enough that a full normal backup every night is not too hard to manage. Back all the machines up to your server or network drive once a day, and back the whole collection up on line weekly. If you are paying by the GB for storage, and on a budget, you may want to overwrite the previous week's data.

What kind of backup software do you want to use? Windows backup is not terrible, and works most of the time. PC Magazine has a nifty and easy to use application called Instaback. And then there is Norton Ghost and a host of other programs. If you want to do the online backup using your own storage server, make sure the program supports backup via FTP or File Transfer Protocol.

And if you need a little help getting it set up, then go ahead and hire a computer tech to help you get it going. Many of the programs run automatically, so once you set it up, there is little left for you to do.

The Internet - The Levelest of Playing Fields

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 20:51:41 GMT

I have been quietly, and at times not quietly, in awe of the Internet for some time. I am a fan. An enthusiast. I may be and evangelist. Why? Well...

1 I can become an instant expert on any subject. My profession is computer support, which is really a pretty wide ranging area of knowledge, which changes by the second. So I can Google up an answer to almost any problem in the blink of an eye, and learn what I need to know to solve the issue before me. But, I can do that with almost anything. If I see an actor or actress in a movie, and I can't remember who they are, or I can remember the last movie they were in, or if they were in an old episode of Star Trek, or whatever, I go to IMDB and have the answer in a flash. Doctor tells me I have "fungal halitosis" or some other malady and need immediate surgery - when I can go online and find out everything I need to know about the condition and treatment options. Looking for a good price on a gadget, clothing, airline tickets, hotel, harmonicas ... whatever, I can find it on the Web and have it delivered to my door in 24 hours if I can.

2 Other people have created and shared all this wonderful content. The Internet is basically a gigantic collections of endless gifts freely given by and endless array of contributors. It used to be to get ahold of the specialized knowledge of experts was expensive, if not impossible. Now every expert is online. What are yo interested in? There is an active on-line community of like minded individuals waiting for you to join them.

3 Whatever dream you every held for yourself can be fulfilled. Want to be a writer? Anyone can be a web-published author - start a blog! Write a TV show? A woman in England wrote a web journal about her relationship with her boyfriend. Turns out she had a keen eye for human nature and the gift of wit, got a large on-line following, and was offered a TV show deal for her story. Want to make and sell homemade soap, antiques, custom made musical instruments, write and sell software - whatever. For small bands and performing groups the Net is a boon. Used to take a record deal for you to get a national fan base and big sales. Now you need a Facebook page. The cost of entry to your wildest dreams has just about dropped to zero, not quite, but really, really close. It does help if you have some talent - but there is an audience for you somewhere. The proof is the phenomenal success of YouTube. What's holding you back? Just go for it!!

Jeff Jarvis wrote the following piece, which was quote in Good Morning Silicon Valley today:
"The Internet doesn't make us more creative, I don't think. But it does enable what we create to be seen, heard, and used. It enables every creator to find a public, the public he or she merits. And that takes creation out of the proprietary hands of the supposed creative class.
"Internet curmudgeons argue that Google et al are bringing society to ruin precisely because they rob the creative class of its financial support and exclusivity: its pedestal. But internet triumphalists, like me, argue that the internet opens up creativity past one-size-fits-all mass measurements and priestly definitions and lets us not only find what we like but find people who like what we do. The internet kills the mass, once and for all. With it comes the death of mass economics and mass media, but I don't lament that, not for a moment.
"The curmudgeons also argue that this level playing field is flooded with crap: a loss of taste and discrimination. I'll argue just the opposite: Only the playing field is flat and to stand out one must now do so on merit -- as defined by the public rather than the priests -- which will be rewarded with links and attention. This is our link economy, our culture of links. It is a meritocracy, only now there are many definitions of merit and each must be earned."
-- Professor, journalist and blogger Jeff Jarvis

More on Restoring the Desktop

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 12:19:40 GMT

Found this on the web. Thanks to "mslacoupl" from Grand Juction CO, and the site Help.com.

RESOLUTION
Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.

To resolve this problem, follow these steps:1. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
2. Locate and then click the following registry subkey:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Syste m
3. In the right-pane, right-click the NoDispAppearancePage value if the value exists, and then click Delete.
4. Repeat step 3 for the following registry values if these values exist in the registry:
• NoDispCPL
• NoDispBackgroundPage
• NoDispScrSavPage
• NoDispSettingsPage

Note Locate any registry value that says “Wallpaper” if it exists. In the right pane, right-click the registry value, click Delete, and then click OK.
5. Locate and then click the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE_\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Sy stem
6. In the right-pane, right-click the NoDispAppearancePage value if the value exists, and then click Delete.
7. Repeat step 6 for the following registry values if these values exist in the registry:
• NoDispCPL
• NoDispBackgroundPage
• NoDispScrSavPage
• NoDispSettingsPage

Note Locate any registry value that says “Wallpaper” if it exists. In the right pane, right-click the registry value, click Delete, and then click OK.
8. For the changes to take effect, you may have to restart the computer after you delete these registry values.

More on Rogue AntiVirus and Rogue AntiSpyware Crapplications

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 12:13:23 GMT

Some call them spyware some call them badware, some call them rogue applications. How about "crapplications?" Of course the concept of "crapware" already exists, and relates to the unordered, unwanted, and basically lame "bonus programs" (AOL, anyone.....anyone???) that come pre-installed on new PCs and is best treated to a quick removal via Control Panel/Add Remove Programs.

Just out from PC Tools, the software company that produces Spyware Doctor, release the following information about top threats today. Spyware Doctor, by the way, successfully removed the AntiVirus 208 infection I was working on last night. There was on finally step. Using the Control Panel, I went into Display setting. On the Desktop tab, I clicked on the Customize Desktop button, and Desktop Items Window, I selected the Web tab, where I found something called "Privacy Protection" checked. Un-checking it returned the Desktop back to the Windows desktop display I had selected, instead of the plain white background that remained after Spyware Doctor had killed the rogue app.

Top Threats

Below are some of the latest threats identified by PC Tools

RogueAntiSpyware.PatrolPRO

Trojan-Downloader.Zlob.ABMQ

Virus.Neshta

Adware.VB.B

Trojan-PWS.OnlineGames.RSDS

Notice that Number 1 and 5 are downloadable applications - "AntiSpyware Patrol", and "Online Games." The Trojan Downloadoer ZLOB is usually packaged with all of this sort of program, and allows the bad guys to add more crap to your computer at any time. My advice - before installing ANYTHING to your computer, do a little Google research, just type the product name into the search box and read what people are saying. THis can keep you from paying top dollar for crappy legitimate software as well.

Watch Out for AntiVirus 2008

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 23:59:57 GMT

I've had 3 cases of AntiVirus 2008 show up with clients lately. AV2008 is the rogue "antivirus" infection that is making the rounds. I have seen it named Vista Antivirus 2008, XP AntiVirus 2008, and just plain AntiVirus 2008. It is not an anti-virus product, it is a backdoor Trojan horse combined with fake virus warning pop-ups, fakes Blue Screens of Death, and other nonsense, and is design to part you from your cash. DO NOT PAY FOR THIS PRODUCT. That only makes the situation worse.

The fact that there is a backdoor Trojan, which will allow remote access and control by unknown and unwanted parties, is the scariest part.

Apparently, one of the attack vectors is a downloaded audio codec, so if you are still swiping your music from file sharing sites, well, you get what you pay for. There is also a fake site offering this crap up for sale too. I got this e-mail from StopBadware.org, which is a legitimate and badware site.

"Stay Away from Fake StopBadware Site

While StopBadware's own site has a fresh new look, some impostors are trying to convince you that we've set up shop somewhere else entirely.

The folks at stopbadware2008(.com) are not affiliated with us in any way, and we advise staying away from their site. In fact, the software being peddled by the false stopbadware2008 site is actually itself harmful rogue anti-spyware. The rogue product, XP Antivirus 2008, was labeled badware in an alert earlier this spring.

Rogue products pose as legitimate anti-spyware software, often deceiving users with false reports of infections that need to be fixed. In some cases, these products just defraud users out of money, and in others they turn out to harm computers themselves. When choosing anti-virus and anti-spyware products, be careful not to get fooled by a rogue."

The Faces Behind Simpsons

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 16:43:15 GMT

Check this out.

http://www.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/722684/

Why I Hate Norton Symantec Security Products

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 23:59:14 GMT

I took a call from client number 5 who has had problems after installing Norton 360. Forget about it being a processor and memory hog. Forget about it bringing older computers to their knees. Forget about the five times I have personally tried to set up the backup feature and failed due to quirks with the Symantec web site. Forget about the pricing. This client cannot open PDF or other file attachments in e-mail. Their business - just home mortgages - no forms or documents there.

I CANNOT RECOMMEND THIS PRODUCT. I don't care if it's the famous brand everyone has heard of. Buy something else. I am currently recommending the AVG line of security products. There is even a free version for personal use on a home (non-business) machine.

If that doesn't bother you, then here is an excerpt of an article that describes a conflict between Symantec AV products and the recent Windows XP Service Pack 3 update. (link to full story)

Earlier this week, Microsoft posted a hotfix for a problem users first reported in mid-May. Users of Symantec's consumer security software said that after updating their PCs to XP SP3, a bug emptied Windows' Device Driver and deleted network connections.
Although Symantec initially blamed Microsoft for the snafu, it later accepted some responsibility. In late May, Symantec acknowledged that Microsoft's updating process and a security feature in its own Norton-branded software combined to swamp the Windows registry with hundreds, sometimes thousands, of bogus and corrupted keys. That security feature, dubbed "SymProtect" by Symantec, was designed to protect the company's security software from attack by guarding against unauthorized changes to the registry.

This is why I cannot recommend Symantec products, and why I do recommend Grisoft's AVG line of security products.

PS - I really can't stand McAfee either. Similar issues, plus a real kludge of a user interface, and no ability to custom configure. I DON"T CARE if Comcast gives it away for free, all I can say is its not worth the price.

Why Public Education Doesn't Work Anymore

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 17:35:01 GMT

NewsScan Daily - A Summary of Technology-Related News
Sponsored by RLG And Written by John Gehl & Suzanne Douglas
December 13, 2002

http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsletter&dateissued=20021213

EDUCATION STRATEGIES

Re: http://shorl.com/fovujomulasy and http://shorl.com/bydebristostumi
    Regarding Andy Horner's and Conn McQuinn's responses to Thomas Sowell's editorial on the state of education. First, to answer Mr. Horner: Raising teacher pay will not attract the individuals he is looking to attract. I don't know how it is in his part of the country, but in Minnesota the median teacher salary, urban district or rural, rich district or poor, is $42,000 per year, and that for nine months of work. Annualized, this would be $56,000. This is a good living, and corresponds nicely to the local median income for the average worker in the private sector, which is roughly the same ($42,000) for 12 months of work. In my view, teachers are paid well, all things considered. I agree that it would probably improve things to get people with a well-rounded background in the business marketplace to teach our children from their own "real world" experience; the problem is that the education industry, including the administrators, teachers, and unions, are interested to making the point of entry difficult for people who might look at teaching as a mid-career shift. It goes past the money. Try to get a teaching certificate based solely on your old BA and 25 years of professional experience, without taking coursework in pedagogy.
    Structurally, educators want to keep people out of the profession who do not share their world view and perspective. Remember that people who work in education in many cases have known no other life than the school room, first as a student and then as an instructor. They do not want people on board who might shake up the utopian liberal agenda of the education industry... To rebut Mr. Conn, many things in life work reasonably well in spite of poor management -- let's take a look at your average American corporation for an example. The difference is that a corporation runs on private funds generated through the sale of stock to investors and products to consumers.
    In a competitive environment unhappy investors can purchase shares in other companies, and unhappy consumers can buy products from competitors. Public schools on the other hand exist on public funds (tax dollars) and offer no viable alternative. The reason children learn is because that's what they do; in many ways they learn as much in spite of the system as because of it. I thought Thomas Sowell nailed it. The fact that public educators consistently obstruct efforts to create viable alternatives in private or alternative (competitive) educational options tells me they are more interested in maintaining their power and control than in effectively educating anyone. (Bob Weiss)

The Music Industry and File Sharing

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 17:32:50 GMT

I was invited to submit a guest column on this subject. While I do not agree that music file sharing is "ok," I do think it is just plain stupid for the music industry to launch a legal campaign against people who are, ironically enough, their biggest fans, AND the largest purchasers of music.

Originally published in NewsScan on June 27, 203, time has allowed us to see the realities - the death and resurrection of Napster, the birth of iTunes, and bands like RadioHead giving away their music (which they make almost nothing on, the record labels keeping most of the money), in order to drive concert ticket sales, which is hugely lucrative for the band.

Anyway - here is the article and the responses from NewsScan Daily:

NewsScan Daily - A Summary of Technology-Related News
Sponsored by RLG And Written by John Gehl & Suzanne Douglas
June 27, 2003

http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsletter&dateissued=20030627

THE RIAA AND MP3 MUSIC FILE SHARING: A GUEST COLUMN

[This is a guest column by NewsScan subscriber Bob Weiss of WyzGuys.com.]
    The first point to be made is that the music industry leaders are failing to adjust to major fundamental changes in the music distribution model. Years ago, Wal-Mart, Target, Office Max, Home Depot and the like changed the retail distribution model forever by providing more variety and convenience at lower prices. This drove countless small retailers out of business. File sharing has also provided more variety and choice at lower (albeit free) prices. But it doesn't have to be free, and Apple Computer and the supporting record companies "get it" with iTunes. I predict this service will achieve remarkable successes, if they don't screw it up by trying to improve it. If only it was available to Wintel owners. (sigh)
    The second point is that what the music consumer is telling the record companies is basically a big GET REAL! Music fans are tired of paying $20 for the 2 songs they want on a 12 song disc, average price $10 each. Again, iTunes, with their $1 per song pricing is getting closer to what the marketplace wants. I think this model will eventually support prices in the twenty five to fifty cent range. The major record labels are used to soaking the public with high priced CDs from derivative bands loaded with songs of no consequence, and the consumer is refusing to continue with this business model now that something better is available.
    The third issue is that the people they are pursuing for file sharing for the most part are the biggest purchasers of legal music CDs. It is always bad policy to punish your best customers with law suits.
    The fourth issue is getting short shrift in all this, and that is the precedent of Fair Use. If I buy the CD, I should be able to burn a copy to save as a back up, and rip it to MP3 so I can play it on my portable player, computer, cell phone or PDA. The music industry appears to be trying to abolish this principle as well.
    But I believe what really is keeping these music-industry guys awake at night is this: the consumer of their product has already abandoned their traditional business model in favor of something less expensive and more convenient. What happens to the record labels if the CREATORS of their product abandon them as well. It is a small thing to set up an e-commerce web site and sell your product directly, and thousands of small computer software producers are doing this already, and evidently with some reasonable success. The bands are beginning to get into direct distribution already on their own web sites, and it is only a matter of time before this will be the way of things. Then the record labels will really be in trouble, much more so than today. Basically they are the "middleman" of this industry, and we have all seen what happens to middleman businesses who stop adding value to BOTH the producers and the consumers they serve.
    If I were in a major band, I would be asking my business manager exactly how much I am getting per song for every song sold through the major label. I bet it is way under a buck, in fact I bet it is under a quarter. If you consider that my album had only two songs anyone really wanted on it, and you adjust your calculations, maybe it gets close to a buck for the good songs, and the other songs were "free." These guys are smart enough to figure out that they can make more money selling their songs directly to fans for a dollar or less. What the music industry needs to become, if it wants to survive, is the hosting platform and marketing arm for this type of distribution. The attempts of music-industry leaders to force people back to the old model will fail, even with the vast sums of cash they have to throw at it. it failed 30 years ago when people started making cassette tapes from the vinyl albums they already owned. (Does anyone remember?) They can no more stop the changing marketplace by force, fear, intimidation, and the courts anymore than the small retailers could stand against Wal-Mart and Target.
    They need to quit wasting their time and resources on lawyers, and start developing a vision of their business that can still include them. If they don't, others will, and they will be gone.

And Several Responses

http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsletter&dateissued=20030707

RIAA SUICIDE BOMBING
Re: http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsl...
Major league kudos to Bob Weiss for explaining the impending RIAA suicide bombing. He offered the clearest, most prescient argument of reality that I've read on the subject to date. RIAA is about to take themselves out of the picture and will only take a handful of their best customers with them!!?? Beautiful, just beautiful. (H.S. "Chip" Vanture, Jr.)

SONG OF MYSELF
Re: http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsl...
    What an excellent piece! I may be biased because I happen to agree with all the points made, but it was still a well-argued analysis. The only thing I'd add is that while established artists can follow the direct selling model and expect a certain degree of success, up-and-coming artists are unlikely to sell in the same quantities without a serious marketing push. So the dilemma is how can new artists make a name for themselves in more than just a local or regional way, so that the direct selling model provides sufficient income for them to be more than just part-time performers.
    And how can the record industry protect their investment in promoting new artists when they sell music online? Until a solution is found that meets the needs of the record industry, the artists, and the consumers, I don't think piracy will be drastically reduced, nor will direct selling work for anyone but the established artists. A variation to the pricing for the direct selling model that I'd like to see would work along the lines of all new music releases less than 12 months old would have a price premium, and anything older than 12 months would be charged at half the original price. Also I wouldn't mind protection to stop me distributing to others, but I would want to be able to put the track on any device I own, and burn to CD as many times as I like. If I bought the track, I should have the right to do whatever I like with it as long as it's for my own use. (Neil Bradbury)
FAT CAT MUSIC COMPANIES
Re: http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsl...
    One thing that was not mentioned in Mr. Weiss's article, but is worth mentioning, is the promises made by the record companies when they were trying to convince consumers to switch from vinyl (and cassette) to CD. I remember watching a lunch hour news show many years ago, when they were interviewing an official from a large record company. At the time there was a lot of controversy over the movement to CDs from cassettes and record players. This official told the interviewer that the cost to make cassettes (for example) was far more than to make a CD. He mentioned it cost about $1-$2 (Cdn) to manufacture a cassette, and $0.10 to manufacture a CD. Of course he touted the perennial corporate lie "we will pass these savings on to the consumer" (yeah right!). Before CDs came onto the scene a cassette tape typically cost from $7.99 to $12.99. CD's can now cost anywhere from $13 or $14 to the $30 range.
    I am completely in agreement with Mr. Weiss on the idea of 'fair use' and my annoyance with the fact that companies want to fundamentally "change the rules" or deviate from the precedent that I can make a copy for my own personal use (if I own an original recording). We as consumers should be screaming our heads off at these fat-cats in the record industry. To quote a famous musician "The times... they are a changin'..." Hopefully record executives will eventually "clue in". (Phil Lindsay)

Extending Telecom Taxes To the Internet

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:49:11 GMT

This letter and a response appeared February 19 2004 in NewsScan Daily. The subject under discussion was whether adding new taxes to Internet usage was fair and logical in light of the decreasing tax revenue stream coming from the traditional telephone sector. For the record, i am generally opposed to any new tax, and believe that we are already taxed too heavily, which results in a slowing down of the economy.

NewsScan Daily - A Summary of Technology-Related News
Sponsored by RLG And Written by John Gehl & Suzanne Douglas
February 19, 2004

http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsletter&dateissued=20040219

IT'S ALL DATA, IT'S ALL GOOD

Re: http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsl...
    Michael Bell's comment of the difference between voice and data in his Mailbag contribution ("If It Sings, It's Opera") fails to look at the bigger picture. What about "data" that has been created using a speech to text program such as Dragon's Naturally Speaking or IBM's Via Voice. Voice or data? What if I have my email client set up to "read" my email to me." Voice or data? What if I have a voicemail system that sends a WAV file attachment to my email inbox, and by clicking on the attachment, I can hear my voice message on the computer's speakers. The voice mail call came in on the telephone, but the message was delivered by email. Voice or data? What about the likelihood that before long we will not be using the GUI and a keyboard and mouse for data entry, but instead a VUI -- a Voice User Interface.
    At the beginning of the automobile age, there were inane attempts to try to squeeze the automobile in to existing horse travel paradigm. There used to be a law somewhere that an automobile needed to have a flagman walking on foot ahead of the vehicle to alert people on horseback or in wagons of the automobile's approach. Kind of defeats the purpose of having an automobile. We seem to be similarly plagued with wrongheaded ideas about how to regulate and tax data services.
    Once voice is converted into packets for transport via the Internet, they are no longer "voice" -- they are data packets, period, end of story. The telephone networks themselves have been converting analog telephone signals into data packets for communication between phone company central offices via ATM for over a decade. Now phone companies like Sprint and Qwest and several others have announced their intention to begin the conversion process to Voice over IP. This is simply because packet switching is a vastly less expensive way than circuit switching to move a voice conversation around. The only thing preventing it from happening right this minute is the vast multi-billion dollar investment the phone companies have in circuit switching technologies.
    Today, if the communication occurs on the circuit switched telephone network it is regulated and taxed as a telephone call. This includes DIAL UP MODEM access to the Internet. If the communication flows in across a packet switched network like the Internet, or a Frame Relay network, or oven a data private line network, it is not regulated and taxed as a telephone call. This means large companies using their own private data networks to move voice traffic around using technology like the Cisco or Avaya Voice over IP phone systems are also not regulated and taxed as a telephone call. Using this kind of system, I can place a call from my office in St Paul, Minnesota to Paris, France using my company's data connection to my Paris office, and have my phone call appear to be a local Paris phone call. This cuts out the local phone company at my end, and the long distance carrier, from the call. Is it voice or data?
    Going back to my automobile analogy, what we have now is like an automobile with a horse tied to the back. I use the automobile everywhere it is capable of taking me, and when it gets stuck, I ride the horse. Eventually, my automobile will improve, my horse will die, and I will not replace the horse.
    And besides that -- what in the world are we doing trying to create more regulations and taxes!!. The federal excise tax on telephone service was instituted at the turn of the 19th century to pay for the Spanish American War! Does anyone think we might have paid that off? The tax is still here. The only thing in this life approaching eternity is taxation. No Internet taxes please..
    I am sure there will be no way to prevent regulation and taxation in the long run, but let's get beyond the "is it voice or is it data" issue. If it's on a packet-switched network, its all data. (Bob Weiss, MCSE)

And a response

http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsletter&dateissued=20040225
TAX QUACK
Re: http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsl...
I thank Bob Weiss (Re: "It's All Data, It's All Good") for his technology lesson. Being an MCSE, being able to give such a detailed explanation will certainly warm Bill Gates' heart. However, Bob's arguments are just the poison to put in the pill. As he says, the big boys have the power to call Paris without paying for it (he'll say that they paid for it by building the VoIP network). So, when the Tax guys see that the "traditional" tax sources are drying up, yet the calls have increased, it won't be long before IF IT'S ALL DATA, IT'S ALL TAXABLE! (It's a duck, Bob. It's a duck!) (Michael H. Bell)

Stop Expecting the Government To Fix It

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:43:47 GMT

This article originally appeared in NewsScan Daily on May 24 2004. It is a response to another reader who thought the solution to computer security was to pass another law and have the government regulate it.

NewsScan Daily - A Summary of Technology-Related News
Sponsored by RLG And Written by John Gehl & Suzanne Douglas
May 21, 2004

http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsletter&dateissued=20040521

LEAVE THE LAWYERS OUT OF IT

Re: http://www.newsscan.com/cgi-bin/findit_view?table=newsl...
The author of this piece did not want to be identified, but we can assume this person is probably a lawyer. Dear sir or madam: Please take a look at the world and find one government program or regulation that doesn't completely stifle growth and innovation. Let's look in my industry, the telecom sector, where for 60 years government regulations sponsored a monopoly where innovation never occurred because it didn't have to in the absence of competition, and since 1996, the laughable concept of "open competition" in the local loop, where regulations change daily making it impossible to implement any type of long term business plan, and most of the "competition" died off in the 2001-2002 technology collapse.
Can we stop looking to Big Brother to fix all our little miseries, get a backbone, and take care of our own lives? There are security solutions available for anyone who wants to employ them. If you don't know how, learn -- read a book or find a friend or associate who knows how to help, or goodness me -- buy some competent help from an unemployed technology professional. Lawyers and the Government generally take a difficult situation and make it impossible. Lets leave them out of it. (Bob Weiss, MCSE)

Photo Album: Bits and Bytes

Fri, 25 May 2007 18:25:42 GMT

Bits and Bytes

Fake_MS_ltr_w_virus_attached

Blog list: Blog list

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 11:35:20 GMT

Microsoft.FrontPage.Public.Client
Microsoft sponsored FrontPage Users Newsgroup
BOFH
The Bastard Operator From Hell - good IT humor from our friends the Brits.
Shark Tank
Humourous IT stories from Computerworld.com. Sign up for the daily newsletter.
stopbadware
Discussing the StopBadware.org project.
InternetAdviceTipsNTricks
Ask & give advice, tips & tricks to using anything computer/internet related.
TechDirt
Techdirt provides news and analysis in a variety of sectors including technology, communications, media, biotechnology, financial services, retail, automotive and government.
Minnesota Expression Web Users Group
This group supports Expression Web and FrontPage designers and those learning to use Expression Web for web design, and augments the regular monthly Minnesota Expression Web Users Group meetings.

Custom List: Code of Conduct

Tue, 10 Apr 2007 16:39:51 GMT

Code of Conduct

Blogging Code of Conduct
We subscribe to the Blogging Code of Conduct proposed by Tim O'Reilly

Custom List: Internet Finds

Sun, 08 Apr 2007 12:19:30 GMT

Internet Finds

Tech Support in the Middle Ages
Tech support for the new Gutenberg invention, the book.

Custom List: Newsletters

Sat, 17 Mar 2007 15:29:56 GMT

Newsletters

Microsoft Newsletters
Check out these free newsletters from Microsoft. A great way to keep up on the Windows environment. I read: Exploring Windows, MS FrontPage Insider, MS Security Newsletter for Home Users, MS Download Notifications, Small Business Plus Newsletter

Custom List: WyzGuys Sites

Fri, 09 Mar 2007 21:11:16 GMT

WyzGuys Sites

WyzGuys Computer Support
My computer support web site
WyzGuys Computer Tutors
Gateway site to my computer training web sites
WyzHost Web Hosting
Low cost web site hosting and support
Bob's Way Hot
Web site dedicated to my kickin' salsa recipe.
WyzMail E-Mail Services
E-mail Hosting Services Website