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May 31, 2008
China does it again
Well here is some news that won't surprise anyone here if they were paying attention around here:
Computer hackers in China, including those working on behalf of the Chinese government and military, have penetrated deeply into the information systems of U.S. companies and government agencies, stolen proprietary information from American executives in advance of their business meetings in China, and, in a few cases, gained access to electric power plants in the United States, possibly triggering two recent and widespread blackouts in Florida and the Northeast, according to U.S. government officials and computer-security experts.
Its going to reach the point where this won't even qualify under the "news" category around here.
Update: See what I mean:
U.S. authorities are investigating whether Chinese officials secretly copied the contents of a government laptop computer during a visit to China by Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez and used the information to try to hack into Commerce computers, officials and industry experts told The Associated Press. ADVERTISEMENTSurreptitious copying is believed to have occurred when a laptop was left unattended during Gutierrez's trip to Beijing for trade talks in December, people familiar with the incident told the AP. These people spoke on condition of anonymity because the incident was under investigation.
Posted by Peter at 09:01 PM
May 30, 2008
Vista #2 Update (vs upgrade)
The second of our series of Vista basic functions posts:
Windows Update:
What is it: It's the command for running updates to your windows operating system.
What does it do: It checks to see if there are any critical updates to Microsoft Windows that needs to be installed, it will also check for non-critical updates that you may want to consider installing (or not).
Why might you use it: Like any operating system various bugs and holes will turn up over time that might be exploited, and or more efficent code might be written for particular sections. In addition if new software/hardware is released for the operating system occasionally a tweak or driver might be added to the existing list for use with Vista.
How do i use it: You can access the windows update from the search menu by typing windows update and selecting it when it comes to the menu box or you can access it via the control panel. Simply click on the INSTALL UPDATES button to automatically install any update labeled critical or click on VIEW AVAILABLE UPDATES to select specific updates to install. After the install the system may or may not require a reboot.
Watch our for the following: If your machine is a company machine there may be restrictions on update to make sure software remains compatible. On occasion an update will disrupt the computer. If this is so power down the machine and boot using the F8 key to restore to last known good configuration. Make sure you don't mistake the Windows UPGRADE command for the update. The upgrade installs a higher version of Windows (ultimate for example) for a price. This is likely an expense you will not need and may be a pain to remove.
Posted by Peter at 01:27 PM
May 29, 2008
Vista Review #1 Search
Today we are going to start a series on some Vista commands/features that you might run into what they are, what they do, why you might do them and how to use them. Lets start with a basic one today.
The Search Box:
What is it: It's the search function for Vista to locate files or commands on the system
What does it do: By typing into that box it references locations that match your search criteria
Why might you use it: It's a quick way to locate needed files and/or system commands without wandering through a bunch of extra windows. Very handy if you haven't figured out how to get to a particular command in vista or if you want something like the run line that isn't automatically displayed.
How do i use it: Simply click on the start button and type in your string into the box that shows. As you type matching references from commands, e-mails (my favorite) and files will start showing up, the more detailed the search typed the narrower the list of choices that will show up. once the list of choices appears above simply click on the one you want.
Posted by Peter at 12:59 PM
May 27, 2008
Well its here
Well that power supply I ordered on the 22nd showed up today. So shipping took 3 business days. It seems to be working without a problem.
Of course only time (and I) will tell.
UPDATE: That didn't take long. The vista machine acts wacky (left click button constantly engaged) when the power supply is plugged in. However my old xp inspiron 1150 seems to take it without a prob so I'm using it on the old system and using the power supply for the old one on this one. I guess you get what you pay for.
Posted by Peter at 01:13 PM
May 26, 2008
Memorial Day
Today is Memorial Day, a national holiday.
HiWired as always will be open 24-7 to service any and all computer needs of our customers.
We would like to join our countrymen in remembering those who have sacrificed their lives in defending our country, from Medal of Honor Winner Sgt. Paul Smith, to military blogger Major Andrew Olmsted from this war and and all the others whose names are too numerous to mention.
May we never forget their sacrifice and live our lives to be worthy of it.
Posted by Peter at 07:56 AM
May 25, 2008
Translation service available
When starting a different hours (I'm working mornings this week instead of nights) its always good to begin the day with a healthy laugh. Lucky for me the CEO of Google provided me with one:
Google billionaire co-founder Larry Page criticized a potential Microsoft takeover of Yahoo, saying it would concentrate too much power in the online communications market, stifling innovation and curbing competition.
In proper English this is translated as:
We don't like the idea of a company with Microsoft's resources being able to compete with us, it threatens our market share.
What is rather funny is the line that immediately follows:
But he discounted the idea that an advertising deal between Google Inc. and Yahoo Inc.—one the two companies are now exploring—would present any potential antitrust problems.
It instantly brought to mind this clip from the British TV comedy Black Adder (4th season) the relevant bit is from 2:26 to 2:38 in the clip. The rest is pretty funny but the use of language might not be proper for the younger ones.
Posted by Peter at 08:01 AM
May 22, 2008
OEM power supply the acid test
Well the power supply for my Dell E1505 has been iffy. If I leave it alone and not move it then it works fine, however if I move the laptop or unplug it or accidentally kick it suddenly no power.
Since I wanted it at once I checked local stores first, nobody had them in stock so I checked Dell. The supply was offered here for $70. Since I can get a Doctor Who Scarf for at or near that price I looked elsewhere.
As we've already established cheap is not a dirty word to me so my next stop was eBay. Well on Ebay there was quite a selection of supplies at about $25 (that includes shipping) I figured hey for 1/3 of the price lets see what happens.
I've ordered the product today from the ebay store Emmasilmon's Great Deals. The price certainly justifies the name, I'll let you know if the performance does as well.
Posted by Peter at 10:10 AM
May 20, 2008
There is speech and there is speech
You know there are some things that go without saying, well apparently not:
Sen. Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., called Monday for YouTube to take down al-Qaida videos that users had posted, but the site said most of the videos his office had flagged did not contain material that violated their guidelines and rejected his request that they act to remove all material from U.S. designated terror groups.
Their answer was cloaked in the most principled terms;
The blog posting said the site "encourages free speech and defends everyone's right to express unpopular points of view. We believe that YouTube is a richer and more relevant platform for users precisely because it hosts a diverse range of views, and rather than stifle debate we allow our users to view all acceptable content and make up their own minds."
Lieberman's aide counters thusly:
"It is not reasonable, let alone legal, for an al-Qaida spokesman to visit the United States and try to recruit and build support here," the aide told UPI. "Why is it reasonable for the same person to do that in this virtual community?"
Glenn Reynolds reminds us that Google's/You Tube's lofty principles haven't always trumped things in the past.
Posted by Peter at 10:35 PM
May 19, 2008
Some interesting news today
If you are a tech fan then Slashdot should be a place you regularly visit. If you don't here are a few stories that you might find interesting:
Now that what I call customer tracking:
Customers in shopping centres are having their every move tracked by a new type of surveillance that listens in on the whisperings of their mobile phones.The technology can tell when people enter a shopping centre, what stores they visit, how long they remain there, and what route they take as they walked around.
I guess there is an advantage to not owning a cell phone.
Your Windows Media Center knows how to take orders:
News that the world's largest software maker has voluntarily agreed to help broadcasters control the recording of their shows is bound to outrage enthusiasts of digital video recorders, as it represents the biggest threat to the practice known as time shifting since the FCC's attempt to require flag adherence."Microsoft has put the requirements of broadcasters above what consumers want," said Danny O'Brien, a staffer at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, an advocacy group for Internet users that is looking into Monday's block. "They've imposed restrictions way beyond what the law requires. Customers need to know who Microsoft is listening to and how that affects their equipment. Right now, the only way customers know what Microsoft has agreed to is when the technology they've bought suddenly stops working. Microsoft needs to come clean and tell its customers what deals it has made."
American Gladiators should be blocked on the grounds of good taste alone although my pal Paul who tried out for the show might disagree.
Want to get a refund for all the stuff you don't want pre-installed? Move to France:
A French user asked for a refund after buying an ASUS computer that came with Windows XP and other software pre-installed. ASUS tried to apply a procedure which cost more money to the consumer that they will give back... The court ruled in favor of the user, who received back 130 Euro (~200 $) for the software.
I shudder at the thought of the number of Vista refunds that would take place if this happened in America.
And finally what is the most popular pc game the answer will surprise you:
It's more surprising that these Windows solitaires, with their primitive delights, remain hugely popular despite now competing for our affections with e-mail, the Web, and thousands of online games. According to Microsoft developer-blogger Raymond Chen, the company's usability research crew discovered that the three most-played computer games (solitaire or something else, Microsoft or otherwise, preloaded or user-installed) are, in order … Spider Solitaire, Klondike Solitaire, and FreeCell.
My wife is living proof of this.
Posted by Peter at 04:04 PM
May 18, 2008
Hector Dissents
Concerning this post Hector e-mailed me with the following response:
"This point is valid but he forgets that XP was replacing Windows ME(ss)"actually windows XP was replacing Windows 2000 professional.. which was a very solid system
in fact a lot of people, like now with XP to Vista, held off upgrading to Windows XP from Windows 2000.. including myself
He has a point as in theory xp replaced 2000 for business but it was sold as a home system as well to replace ME. The general idea was to merge the business and home tracks into a single one. In that respect it was rather successful.
Windows 2000 was a very solid system and is still in use in some business places. I should have added that info. Point for Hector.
Posted by Peter at 03:22 PM
May 15, 2008
Does he have a point?
Rob Pegoraro at the Washington Post slams the "nostalgia" people have for XP over vista:
XP is not something that needs to be "saved," as if it were some architectural triumph in need of historic preservation. It's not an Old Post Office or a Union Station; it's more like that crummy midfield terminal at Dulles International Airport, a once-serviceable structure that outlived its utility years ago.
Well I'm typing this on one of those systems that's outlived its utility, when I work today it will be using one of those outlived systems. To say it has outlived its utility is a tad off.
His argument is that things are getting better.
In some aspects, the worst part of the transition to Vista is over. This software has seen numerous bug fixes, including a Service Pack in March that curbed its widely hated anti-piracy defenses. Most third-party developers who hadn't updated their software for Vista have fixed their products by now.
Its true the service pack is finally out and things are improving, although not the hardware needs that are still outrageous. He also reminds us of xp's issues when launched:
XP had enough problems at its October 2001 debut, starting with weak security and inadequate tools for organizing your information, and the Internet has only gotten busier and more brutish since then. Even with all of Microsoft's patches -- including XP's third major Service Pack update, issued last week -- and the prospect of continued security fixes through April 2014, keeping XP running safely and reliably requires a host of add-on security and Internet programs to paper over its faults.
This point is valid but he forgets that XP was replacing Windows ME(ss), the absolutely worst operating system that the public ever paid money for as opposed to an OS that business' around the world are using without issue. He concludes thusly:
If you're unhappy about Vista, don't get sucked in by the misguided nostalgia for XP. Root for the success of non-Windows computers. Or buy one yourself. Nothing attracts a company's attention like taking your business elsewhere.
If you a business user either corporate or a home business user you aren't in business to root for non-Windows computers, you are in the business of running your business and the expense of transitioning people to a new OS that requires more oomph and new software is an expense that is unwanted and frankly unnecessary at this point. Until transition is a net profit rather than a net loss its not going to happen.
To answer the question at the start of the post, he does have a point but not a strong enough one in my opinion. Of course if you judge by the comments section in response to the article his readers conclude that his point is at the top of his head. They are running as of this moment about 5-1 against him.
Posted by Peter at 08:57 AM
May 14, 2008
Is it censorship if people don't want it?
I tend to go on about internet speech a bit here. I've been pretty hard on China over the years but apparently the Chinese people by and large don't have a problem with it:.
A Pew Internet & American Life Project report indicates that of an overwhelming majority of Chinese people that believed the Internet should be 'managed or controlled,' 85% want the government to do this managing. This is resulting from surveys on Internet use over the last seven years in China.
The actual reports are here. It's rather amazing when you think about it.
Posted by Peter at 04:09 PM
May 12, 2008
Now that's good use of tech
After reading this story I've come to one ironclad conclusion. Never steal a pc with a built in web cam:
A Westchester woman whose Apple laptop was stolen was able to connect remotely to her computer , photograph two suspects, steer the cops to them and get her computer back.
I wonder if she is looking for a position?
Posted by Peter at 03:37 PM
May 11, 2008
Happy Mother's Day
Today is Mother's Day, and for those of you who have no idea what to get her, a working virus free computer is a great choice.
To all of our customer out there who are mothers have a wonderful Mothers day.
Posted by Peter at 10:10 PM
May 10, 2008
You get what youpay for and then some
When it is suggested that counterfeit products may not have the same quality and have other issues they weren't kidding.
Sources told ABC News the counterfeit hardware could represent a major breach to national security. An FBI PowerPoint presentation, which somehow ended up on a Web site, lays out the concerns and the breadth of what has been a far-reaching investigation.Friday afternoon a somewhat miffed FBI released a statement that read: "At the request of another federal government agency, on Jan. 11, 2008, the FBI's Cyber Division provided an unclassified PowerPoint presentation and briefing on efforts to counter the production and distribution of counterfeit network hardware," said FBI Cyber Division Assistant Director James Finch. "This unclassified briefing was never intended for broad distribution or posting to the Internet."
I wonder if there is any relation to what we wrote last week?
Posted by Peter at 08:53 PM
May 09, 2008
Here's one list that I'm glad we've never made
There are some lists you want to make and there are some you don't.
Posted by Peter at 09:39 PM
May 07, 2008
p2p too much
Geek Press asks the question just how much of the traffic on the web in P2p file sharing and downloading? The answer seems to depend on the the study and the location of the user:
Ellacoya, since acquired by Arbor Networks for its traffic-shaping technology, pegged http traffic at 46 percent of the net's volume, with P2P traffic close by at 37 percent.The company says the data was based on about 1 million North American broadband subscribers.
Or maybe much less:
The last time Sprint published an analysis of 30 large internet links (January 10, 2005), it found that file sharing accounted for less than 6 percent of the packets in the tube, with regular web traffic clocking in at more than 50 percent of the flow.
Or maybe much more:
According to their report, P2P traffic accounted for between 49% and 83 % of internet traffic in these regions. Using deep packet inspection techniques, the company says it could identify the types of files being traded, as well as unique hashes that pinpointed unique files.
What was that famous line about statistics?
Posted by Peter at 11:29 PM
May 06, 2008
Free is a relative term
I've been telling customers for years that you shouldn't be doing business over open hotspots/networks. If you won't take my word how about the FBI's?
...there are 68,000 Wi-Fi “hot spots” in the U.S. (see the graphic below for the top Wi-Fi countries), at airports, coffee shops, hotels, bookstores, schools, and other locations where hundreds or thousands of people pass through every day. While many of these hot spots have secure networks, some do not, according to Supervisory Special Agent Donna Peterson of our Cyber Division. And connecting to an unsecure network can leave you vulnerable to attacks from hackers.How do hackers grab your personal data out of thin air? Agent Peterson said one of the most common types of attack is this: a bogus but legitimate-looking Wi-Fi network with a strong signal is strategically set up in a known hot spot…and the hacker waits for nearby laptops to connect to it. At that point, your computer—and all your sensitive information, including user ID, passwords, credit card numbers, etc.—basically belongs to the hacker. The intruder can mine your computer for valuable data, direct you to phony webpages that look like ones you frequent, and record your every keystroke.
I think that given the risks I can wait to see how my ebay bid is going.
Posted by Peter at 11:15 PM
May 05, 2008
Back to the Future
In years past in the days before television Radio had a rich selection of drama, comedy and adventure that people enjoyed in the family room. The previous links go to a great site for free downloads of old shows.
The rise of the iPod and the Podcast gives a great potential for a revival of this genre of entertainment. In addition to the old shows that you can get new products such as those offered by Big Finish productions might gather quite an additional following.
They already produce a line of original dramas based on canceled shows with the actual casts of Doctor Who, Dark Shadows, and Stargate SG1 to name just a few.
I would be shocked if we don't see many more things of this nature and am a bit surprised that we haven't seen this on the US side. It gives a lot of flexibility since for example a podcast version of say the Dick Van Dyke show or Cheers would not be limited by the physical ago of the actors at all.
Sounds like a great retirement plan to me.
Posted by Peter at 04:24 PM
...speaking of China and the internet
Today's China PC news is not limited to worrying about net access during the Olympic games, as the Times of India via slashdot reports:
The core of the assault is that the Chinese are constantly scanning and mapping India’s official networks. This gives them a very good idea of not only the content but also of how to disable the networks or distract them during a conflict.This, officials say, is China’s way of gaining "an asymmetrical advantage" over a potential adversary.
The big attacks that were sourced to China over the last few months included an attack on NIC (National Infomatics Centre), which was aimed at the National Security Council, and on the MEA.
The paper noticed something that both India and China are overlooking:
But the real gap is that a retaliatory offensive system is yet to be created.And it’s not difficult, said sources. Chinese networks are very porous — and India is an acknowledged IT giant!
Could we be on the verge of the first big cyberwar? Only time will tell.
Posted by Peter at 12:55 PM | Comments (0)
US hotels meet William Bambridge
Before the time of the wars with the Barbary Pirates the very young United States entered a treaty with the Barbary Pirates which involved the payment of tribute for the right of not being attacked by their ships, it was the cost of doing business. In 1800 Captain William Bambridge of the USS George Washington took the annual tribute to the Dey of Algers. After delivering the tribute payment he was ordered by the Dey to transport his ambassador to Constantinople (modern day Istanbul) when Bambridge protested the Dey answered thusly:
You pay me tribute, by which you become my slaves, I have therefore a right to order you as I may think proper.
It came to mind when I saw this article today concerning China and US hotel chains:
The Chinese government is demanding that US-owned hotels there filter Internet service during the upcoming Olympic Games in Beijing, US Senator Sam Brownback has alleged.The Chinese government is requiring US-owned hotels to install Internet filters to "monitor and restrict information coming in and out of China," Brownback said Thursday. "This is an insult to the spirit of the games and an affront to American businesses," he said. "I call on China to immediately rescind this demand."
Since the bill we wrote about last week has yet to pass it seems likely that US Hotels, like Bambridge before them will end up doing what they are told. Of course I find it highly unlikely that in a few years the hotels will emulate his later record.
Posted by Peter at 11:56 AM
May 04, 2008
Fun stuff for the iPhone
Do you have an iPhone but are looking for the coolest stuff to use with it? Look no further Swtiched (a subsite of EnGadget) has a list of cool accessories for use with your phone.
There are some cool things there but since I haven't even reached the cell phone point the iPhone point is not on my radar right now but maybe it will be on yours.
Posted by Peter at 01:48 PM
May 02, 2008
There oughta be a law?
How do you stop companies from repressing internet speech in repressive countries? Well via slashdot we find out that some people think there oughta be a law:
Smith recently announced his plans to push the Global Online Freedom Act (HR 275) to the House floor for voting after having lobbied human rights organization Reporters Without Borders for support. Among other things, the Global Online Freedom Act will bar US companies from disclosing personally-identifiable information about a user, except for "legitimate foreign law enforcement purposes."
I strongly suspect this one won't make it through. It will be fought tooth and nail. Then again there are some forms of speech that aren't very popular but might be protected nonetheless:
In a 4-3 ruling in February, the state's high court upheld three convictions against Jeremy D. Jaynes for violating Virginia's 2003 Anti-Spam Act. He was sentenced to nine years in prison.The ruling was hailed by authorities as a victory for e-mail users and decried by others as a violation of constitutionally protected speech rights.
Yesterday, however, the justices agreed to hear arguments on whether Jaynes could challenge the anti-spam law as unconstitutional in general, even if it was constitutionally applied to him.
Hey nobody said all speech would be good speech.
Posted by Peter at 08:50 PM
May 01, 2008
Can you hear me now
One of the more common problems we run into here is people with sound issues. As music downloads, youtube and audio books and plays sound issues become more of a priority. Here are a few simple things to check on your system if your sound fails.
#1. Check if the mute is on.
It sounds very simple but remember that you can have mute on both the full sound card AND on an individual program, so make sure that the mute button (usually big red X) isn't staring you in the face.
#2. Try another source
If your iTunes music has not sound try to play a youtube clip, if your youtube won't play open windows media player, or just reboot the system to see if you get the startup sounds. If one source is working and another isn't then the sound is unlikely the issue.
#3. Double check the plug
If is a very easy thing to accidentally unplug a speaker and or plug it into the wrong output. Usually they are color coded but usually they are also at the back of the computer where the wires are all sitting. Make sure of this.
#4. Try another output
An old fashioned earphone will do but any headset can be used, simply start a song and plug in the headset/earphone, if you hear sound then odds are your card fritzed.
#5. Reboot
If you are on a low ram system and have been doing a lot then a sound issue can be as simple as running out of free ram memory. A reboot cures many ills.
Of course if these things fail HiWired will be there to try the next plan, just remember that we will likely try all these steps for you first if you don't.
Posted by Peter at 11:03 AM