3:00 PM CST     0 comments

Whoa: The John Hughes Files

I'm speechless. Thank you, Kim.

8:45 AM CST     0 comments

Surprise: Icons Cluttering up Windows Space

Microsoft "clarifies" its position regarding AOL on the desktop.

8:36 AM CST     0 comments

Sigh: New Web advertising tool gets results, draws criticism

This actually sounds worse than SmartTags, if that's even possible. I suppose the upside is that you can uninstall TOPtext... SmartTags are likely to be a permanent "feature".

9:20 AM CST     0 comments

Thhpt: Tracking Bloggers With Blogdex

Resistance is useless. You will be blogdexed.

9:17 AM CST     0 comments

Hmm: What To Do About Microsoft

Forbes has selected six gentlemen, who it considers to be experts, to offer their opinion on a proper punishment for Microsoft. Each opinion is short so it doesn't take long to page through them.

Personally, I don't think it's going to matter at all what the courts decide. Microsoft got where it is by acting in a certain manner and it has gone on far too long to think they can change even if they wanted to. Their behaviors are far too indoctrinated into the thousands of worker bees world-wide.

9:11 AM CST     0 comments

Ugh: Microsoft set to thwart AOL cable bid

Here's a sickening thought: perhaps only AOL can truly threaten Microsoft. Should we trust Steve Case more than Bill Gates?

11:26 AM CST     0 comments

Interesting: FARK.com

FARK is a new way to view news. Articles are listed using "topic tags" which can range from sad to silly to spiffy to name but a few. Topic tags help you make quick decisions about the content of the article. A red or pink tag, for example, indicates that the item is best viewed outside the workplace.

I'm not hooked yet, but I'll give it a few days to grow on me.

10:57 AM CST     0 comments

Oh, really: Ballmer 'shocked and dismayed' by XP barbs

Further proof that Ballmer has his head lodged deeper in his ass than even Gates himself. No easy feat.

10:39 AM CST     0 comments

Whoa: Code Red for security

CNet has really given some in-depth coverage to this Code Red thing. I'm impressed.

10:29 AM CST     0 comments

Hmm: IT worker faces jail for installing screensaver at work

While I can understand their concern, I think pressing felony charges for a first offence is a bit over the top. There is precious little detail to the story, but I'm betting this guy was getting away with a lot more than just installing screen savers. This issue was likely the only one they had sufficient proof to press charges on.

10:08 AM CST     0 comments

I found out something interesting yesterday afternoon. Windows gets a little confused when you transfer a lot of big files at once:

2:48 PM CST     0 comments

I had a file server go boom at work this morning. There likely won't be any new bloggage until Friday or so. Perhaps you can find something else to read?

10:49 AM CST     0 comments

Hmm: I, Cringely

Unsurprisingly, Bob agrees with Steve Gibson about WinXP's raw sockets capability. He also takes things one step further and suggests that we may be in for quite a ride over the next six months. I'm not quite sure what my opinion is on the raw sockets issue, but I certainly concur that internet security is going to get much, much worse before it gets any better.

8:49 AM CST     0 comments

About time: US Reps vote for Carnivore oversight

I swear, if the business world moved as slowly as our legislators we'd all still be riding horses to work along corduroy roads. Regardless, they seem to be genuinely concerned about Carnivore and its possible misuse. They, of course, decided to throw massive gobs of money at the problem instead of just shutting it down, but any victory, even a small one, is a good sign.

8:43 AM CST     0 comments

Uhm: SSH hits the fan for Unix admins

Not to downplay the seriousness of a SSH hole, but how secure is a system with a two (or fewer) character password anyway?

8:40 AM CST     0 comments

Thppt: Adobe Folds!

I suppose it's good Adobe has decided not to pursue this, but the larger issue of completely irrational DCMA criminal proceedings still looms large. In fact, according to this article the DOJ could decide to continue its case against Dmitry Sklyarov regardless of Adobe's decision.

2:53 PM CST     0 comments

Hell yeah: Bring Back the Classic Cut

Subway has decided that the old "v-cut" sandwich style was too convenient. They've switched to a much inferior "side cut" which generally ends up dumping the contents of the sandwich into your lap. This guy is sponsoring an online petition to bring back the v-cut.

[link courtesy of penny]

9:58 AM CST     0 comments

Heh: Bomb sent to woman, ex-husband arrested

You gotta love a mad bomber with a sense of humor.

9:11 AM CST     0 comments

Whoa: What Pops Up Must Come Down

I never considered how popups would affect text-to-speech programs. That would be *really* annoying.

9:05 AM CST     0 comments

Hmm: White House dodges Worm

This is all well and good, but speaking realistically here... would anyone really care if whitehouse.gov went missing? I know I've only visited once and was immediately underwhelmed by a homepage filled with animated gifs and unfortunate color selections. Perhaps someone should sponsor a design competition (too bad k10k is on hiatus) to design a White House site worth visiting.

8:53 AM CST     0 comments

Yep: New-look for Hotmail

I have to admit I don't mind the changes much. It bugs me that it opens to the homepage instead of the Inbox, but that's not a really big deal. Otherwise it seems like more of a face-lift than an upgrade.

9:00 AM CST     0 comments

Whatever: Letterman Show Axes DiFranco Performance

Uhm, hello? This is CBS we're talking about here.

8:47 AM CST     0 comments

What you say: Microsoft softens XP anti-piracy feature

I can hardly believe it. Perhaps the WPA scheme was merely a skillfully executed distraction technique. Sort of like "hey, look at this! We're being dumb again! Don't look too closely at that silly trial... this is what's really important."

I don't know. All I know is that something smells fishy.

8:34 AM CST     0 comments

Hmm: Napster fans can test new system soon

Follow my logic here... Napster is going to ditch MP3 and share only proprietary .NAP files, right? So how, pray tell, are users going to get their music into the .NAP format? My guess is that the Napster client itself will convert MP3 files into .NAP files.

The next step after conversion, or perhaps before, will be for the Napster client to determine if the song you are attempting to share is on its "approved" list. Depending on the sophistication of the "digital fingerprint" identification process, I can see quite a few copyrighted songs slipping through the cracks. Eventually someone will release a .NAP to MP3 converter and Napster will find itself right back in court.

I simply can't see any way that the RIAA and file sharing will ever co-exist peacefully. Am I missing something?

8:11 AM CST     0 comments

Yep: Phoenix answers all our phone-home BIOS questions

I think the solution to this problem is simple: don't buy Phoenix BIOS equipped machines. Phoenix has always been an also-ran anyway... it would be a mercy killing.

11:52 AM CST     0 comments

Update: Links

The links list is back and newly updated with my daily reads.

10:33 AM CST     0 comments

Uhm, ok: design for chunks

I simply lack the words.

9:46 AM CST     0 comments

Heh: FBI 'loses' hundreds of laptops and guns

And these are the guys we're supposed to trust enough to read our e-mail?

9:44 AM CST     0 comments

Thppt: Desktop Pentium III to die before year-end

Nothing like killing a successful product to drive sales of a stinker. This could be good news for folks who have been putting off an upgrade. PIII prices should drop through the floor just before Intel starts buying them back from resellers.

9:03 AM CST     0 comments

Heh: From Netscape to Nightclub

"As delayed and over-budget as this project was," Zawinski said, smiling, "it still shipped before Mozilla."

Ooh, burn.

8:36 AM CST     0 comments

Sigh: A Standard for e-Comments

Here we go again.

8:29 AM CST     0 comments

Update: Microsoft racing to patch Outlook flaw

Yesterday everyone thought this bug was limited to OfficeXP users. Not so, says Microsoft. Office2k and Office98 users are equally vulnerable.

You can read about the Outlook patch (but not actually, you know, download it) here or get a real e-mail reader here.

8:22 AM CST     0 comments

Hmm: WinXP product activation cracked

I find it hard to believe no one at Microsoft considered these relatively simple work-arounds. Apparently all their truly devious thinkers are in marketing instead of product development.

4:57 PM CST     0 comments

w00t: Grayscape archives

Not that anyone uses them other than me, but the archives are back. Apparently the best way to fix Blogger is to ignore it until it gets bored and wanders off to find someone else to annoy. I feel sorry for the poor sap it has settled on, but I'm happy my archives are back nonetheless.

8:38 AM CST     0 comments

Again: Microsoft warns of Outlook vulnerability

Maybe Microsoft should start selling a subcription service to mail everyone their weekly Outlook patch?

8:35 AM CST     0 comments

Hmm: Adobe a no-show at MacWorld

Uh-oh. Regardless of their public statements, Adobe's actions speak far louder than words.

11:48 AM CST     0 comments

Intriguing: And Your Little Dog, Too

Could Microsoft become a sovereign nation? Bob seems to think so and as silly as the idea sounds at first, it certainly has its merits. To put it another way, it wouldn't surprise me one bit if Microsoft decided to move off-shore. It stands to reason then that buying a country and setting up shop would likely be the quickest and least painful way to make that move.

10:53 AM CST     0 comments

Update: Rent-a-Car Speed Bills

Another chapter in the continuing saga of GPS-equipped rental cars. I think the rental agency should be forced to spell out exactly what data they are collecting and what will be done with it. The agency should then have the renter opt in or out of GPS tracking. If a renter declines the service, the GPS transmitter should be removed from the vehicle before it leaves the agency.

10:17 AM CST     0 comments

Whoa: A major leap in CD jewel case technology

This article should be titled "How to tell when it's a slow news day".

10:15 AM CST     0 comments

Hmm: MS surrenders! IE not integrated with WinXP after all

This amounts to little more than throwing the courts a bone. MS figures if they cave on this issue that the courts will assume they are a "kinder, gentler Microsoft" and drop the rest of the case. I certainly hope they aren't right.

11:08 AM CST     0 comments

Whatever: Cell phone bans driven by envy

What an asshole. If I wanted a frellin' cellphone I would buy one. I find them intrusive and extremely rude devices.

10:42 AM CST     0 comments

Hmm: Mother Jones Goes to Prison

This can't be good. Check out your state and see how your tax dollars are being applied to the prison system.

10:21 AM CST     0 comments

Why UDRP is flawed: Part I and Part II

This certainly is an appalling situation. ICANN was supposed to make things better. Instead they seem to be intent on wringing every last dollar out of the system. I'm not convinced WIPO is any better, but something needs to be done quick or the rights of domain-holders worldwide could suffer irreparable damage.

11:08 AM CST     0 comments

Finally: Messenger woes cast cloud over Hailstorm

ZDNet finally sees the forest for the trees.

10:57 AM CST     0 comments

w00t: Atari lives!

I know I've still got my 2600... do you?

10:53 AM CST     0 comments

Heh: What Does AOL Want?

"What AOL wants
what AOL needs
whatever makes Steve Case happy
sets you free..."

10:51 AM CST     0 comments

Good work: Microsoft to schools - Give us your lunch money!

What's really delicious about this whole situation is that Microsoft may end up cutting off their nose to spite their face. Schools may decide that Open Source programs are a better fit. I mean, if they can't meet payroll how the heck are they going to pay for Microsoft's new "subscription" licensing system?

10:45 AM CST     0 comments

Uhm, yeah: Microsoft to tap VeriSign for security

Well, that makes me feel better. Lord knows VeriSign and Microsoft have never screwed up on security before.

10:36 AM CST     0 comments

Hmm: WinXP Product Activation decoded and analysed

Whether Microsoft's Product Activation scheme is "intrusive" or not may still be up for debate. What's certain is that it starts us down a truly twisted path toward all sorts of nasty things. What's truly unfortunate is that it really doesn't matter how anyone feels about the situation... Microsoft is not going to back down on this point.

4:48 PM CST     0 comments

Well. Another day devoured by locusts. My propensity to conveniently forget that work is likely to pile up during my vacation has smacked me about the head and shoulders once again. Add that to the fact that, as usual, I managed to completely reverse my sleeping schedule in five short days and you have a very groggy and confused Dino which is expected to plot trilinear primes in mid-air whilest juggling wildebeests.

Also, our brand new offices have developed, in the words of our landlord, a "slight leak". Well, I'm sure NOAH would consider it slight, but to anyone else two inches of standing water indoors is a BIG leak. In happier news, I didn't lose any computers in the flood. Go me.

I need a phone call. I need a sunburst. I need a raincoat.

I really need a raincoat.

9:00 PM CST     0 comments

Oh. Hi.

I kinda forgot to tell you guys I'm taking a vacation through next Monday. There likely won't be much going on around these parts until then.

Perhaps some harble love will make up for my absence?

11:25 AM CST     0 comments

Boo-yah: dotcomments

I've implemented Dan's comment system. Feel free to comment away!

9:48 AM CST     0 comments

Heh: White House Plumbing

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water closet.

9:33 AM CST     0 comments

Uhm: Sex Shop Raided a Day After Opening

Perhaps Cambodian police should concentrate more on the hornet situation and less on saving women from "large rubber penises". Just a thought.

9:21 AM CST     0 comments

Oops: Freebie plants OS X in older Macs

Apple steps in it again. This time claiming that OSX will only run on the newest Macs when, in reality, they have merely limited the installation routines artificially. I've long been a Jobs supporter, but this sort of "by all means necessary" management flies in the face of what Apple, and even Jobs himself, used to stand for.

9:13 AM CST     0 comments

Silly: H-P ordered to pay music antipiracy fee

I can think of few measures which would make less of an impact on piracy than this ridiculous stunt. Individual burners aren't even used by the major counterfeiters anyway, they all use industrial-sized multi-burn monsters and create hundreds of discs per hour. Taxing the sale of individual burners only serves to drive up the price for consumers.

9:09 AM CST     0 comments

Cool: Car rental GPS speeding fines illegal

Maybe this will send a clear message to companies who are willing to impinge on a person's privacy just to make a quick buck. More likely, however, the companies will simply find a better way of hiding their actions.

9:03 AM CST     0 comments

Hmm: Microsoft Does Not Understand Security

Security guru Steve Gibson has a conference call with WinXP techies. Ugliness ensues.

8:56 AM CST     0 comments

w00t: The INTERCAL Programming Language Revised Reference Manual

Nothing like a satire language to cleanse the palate on a boring Tuesday morning. Check out the sample program. I'm not sure whether to be proud or concerned that I could understand what this program was doing.

10:52 AM CST     0 comments

Man, talk about a slow news day. I couldn't find anything worthy of comment. I was hoping PC Expo would garner a few lines here and there, but only Byte seems to care anymore.