10:21 AM CST     0 comments

Cool: mozilla.org

I never thought I'd get a chance to say this, but Mozilla 0.9.3 is actually amazingly stable. I have a few beefs with it, like the fact that I can't find a way to make a sans-serif font the default for instance, but they seem to have cured its crashitis.

8:49 AM CST     0 comments

Heh: MS server patches come at a price

Anobody else hear an echo in here? <snicker>

8:46 AM CST     0 comments

Uhm, no: AMD tries name ploy

Cyrix tried this tactic several years ago. They developed a system called Performance Rating (PR) which made Cyrix chips look much more attractive to buyers who were concerned only with the clock speed of their new toy. The big question is, of course, will it work for AMD?

Did anyone you know buy a Cyrix lately? There's your answer.

8:39 AM CST     0 comments

Update: Micro Sculpture No Bull

I'm sure you already heard about this, but Wired has "obtained the best pictures on the Net of the tiny work of art".

8:34 AM CST     0 comments

Hmm: Where Are My XP Files?

One measure of an operating system's success is how easily users can locate the data and programs they need to complete a specific task. If articles like this are popping up already, it seems as though XP may be behind the curve before it's left the gate.

8:23 AM CST     0 comments

Yep: 'Microsoft' sending out dangerous new Internet worm
I wondered how long it would take someone to attempt this. What's sad is that they didn't take the time to format the e-mail to match Microsoft's internal standards nor did they bother with correct grammar. If they really wanted this to work they should have tried a bit harder.

Regardless, I'm sure more than enough people will install the worm "just in case".

10:41 AM CST     0 comments

Heh: Hacking Big Mouth Billy Bass in Linux

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

10:38 AM CST     0 comments

Whoa: Mister Rogers Hangs Up His Cardigan

I just realized that Mister Rogers has been on longer than I've been alive. I wonder if any other shows have run as long? My guess is that only soaps or game shows have even come anywhere close.

10:17 AM CST     0 comments

Huh: ReplayTV back in DVR business

Is it just me or would it take, like, a month to send a full-length movie over a modem? The boxes do have an ethernet port for those lucky enough to have DSL or cable modem, but it would still take a fair amount of time. Also, can you imagine the congestion on the backbone if a bunch of people in a specific area started throwing movies files back and forth? A scary thought.

9:55 AM CST     0 comments

Interesting: How do you fix a leaky Net?

I've read several articles about the Brian West case. In the end I think it's going to come down to whether you believe his account or the newpaper's account of what exactly West's intent was. I'm a big believer in the "no guilt without intent" theory.

9:34 AM CST     0 comments

Good point: MS Hailstorm is no threat says Torvalds

Linus considers things from a new perspective. I guess that's why he's Linus.

9:27 AM CST     0 comments

Hmm: MS releases IIS 'lockdown' utility

Don't get me wrong, this seems like a really good idea. My only concern is in situations where a jr sysadmin (rather than the site programmer) has control of a server and locks down ASP, only to discover that their entire site is unusable. The tool does have an undo feature though, so I guess it's no big deal.

This is the last of many such utilities that Microsoft has offered in recent weeks. Perhaps they really are going to take security seriously instead of just paying lip service? One can only hope.

8:47 AM CST     0 comments

Heh: Catnip Effective Bug Repellent

Yeah, but can you *smoke* it? Ya, ya, ya, ya.

8:33 AM CST     0 comments

Oops: Intel switches home-networking allegiance

See you later HomeRF... oh, and don't forget to shut off the lights at Proxim as you leave.

8:30 AM CST     0 comments

Ballsy: Rob Glaser Is Racing Upstream

"The way you beat Bobby Fisher is you don't play chess," Glaser says.

Damn straight.

8:22 AM CST     0 comments

Hmm: Governments push open-source software

I doubt seriously that this sort of thing can really have much impact on Microsoft from a financial stand-point. It does, however, attack Microsoft's mind share which can be just as dangerous I suppose. I will be interesting to see how this develops. The US could end up being the only country on Earth under Microsoft's control.

8:11 AM CST     0 comments

Ick: Unique ID is built into WinXP final build

I suppose we should have seen this coming.

8:34 AM CST     0 comments

Well, it's one of two things... either we're in the middle of a news drought or it's getting harder to catch my interest. I swept all the standard news outlets yesterday and today and didn't find a single thing worth talking about. I suppose things will pick up as the Christmas season gets into full swing.

9:54 AM CST     0 comments

Hmm: GameSpy's Top 50 Games of All Time

While I appreciate the difficulty of the task, I have to disagree with any such list which omits Elite. Well, that and they listed M.U.L.E. at number 25 and put both Quake 1 & 2 in the list. At least Zelda and Mario got their props.

10:16 AM CST     0 comments

Monkeyboy: He's Dancing On Our Bandwidth Graves

Just in case you weren't able to see Steve Ballmer's monkey dance, here is a whole page full of mirrors. As a bonus for those in the UK, there are some pretty cool t-shirts at the bottom of the page. I'd love to have that Meme shirt.

10:06 AM CST     0 comments

Update: Siegelman eases stance on boys wearing earrings

It's always refreshing to see just exactly who controls our society.

[thanks to The Obscure Store for the link]

9:55 AM CST     0 comments

Eat tool and die: New MS Tool - Good and Bad

"This tool seems real friendly and easy to work with on the surface, but it soon drags you down into Microsoft hell, just like all Microsoft programs do."

That just about says it all.

9:46 AM CST     0 comments

Ugh: MP3.com source of Napster copyright theft, suit claims

If courts decide MP3.com is liable in this case, then I'd say all bets are off for anyone ever making a business out of any type of digital music. Not to imply that digital music will go away, because there's no going back now. I'm just saying that it doesn't appear likely that any sort of third-party service can ever succeed if MP3.com can be blamed for Napster use.

9:35 AM CST     0 comments

Survey: Oi! Get out of my Data Centre

A large percentage of enterprise CIO's feel NT isn't ready for prime time. That's no real surprise. What is slightly surprising is that 14% of them don't like NT because of pricing issues.

When a company which doesn't bat an eye at dropping $300k on hardware thinks your software is too steep, you may need to reconsider your licensing fees. I'm just saying...

4:16 PM CST     0 comments

Ick: Microsoft lobbying campaign backfires

This seems really shady even for Microsoft.

[thanks to Jeff for the link]

9:24 AM CST     0 comments

No biggie: US GameCube launch delayed

Although I would have preferred that Nintendo launch the GameCube on time, no one really expected them to do so. Two weeks is nothing compared to the delay prior to releasing the N64. Add to that the fact that the best games aren't going to be available until next spring and the delay doesn't look that bad.

9:17 AM CST     0 comments

Hehe: Windows RG

Even though this is a parody, it's sad how many of these things have happened to me in the past.

[link courtesy of The Reg]

8:53 AM CST     0 comments

Dumbass: Siegelman says boys should not wear earrings

"Parents ought to be there talking to their kids and saying, `You know what kind of fool you look like with an earring? If God had wanted you to wear earrings, He'd have made you a girl.'"

How can anyone argue against such indisputable logic?

[link courtesy of The Obscure Store]

8:38 AM CST     0 comments

Cool: Life After Napster

This article features a head-to-head comparison of several Napster replacements as well as a techish look into how p2p nets actually function. Good stuff.

8:36 AM CST     0 comments

Yep: The trouble with Hotmail

I would expect articles like this one to pop up more frequently as we get closer the .NET kickoff. I doubt such articles will matter, but it's nice to see that some of the media isn't afraid of Microsoft.

9:09 AM CST     0 comments

Big deal: Illicit Tree Trimmers Strike Near Billboards

If the power company can butcher trees with impunity, why not billboard companies?

8:56 AM CST     0 comments

Thppt: Reaching for the unrippable CD

"That sales of blank CDs now exceed prerecorded CDs suggests that there is a problem that needs to be addressed," says Sami Valkonen of BMG Entertainment

This is preposterous. Using this logic you might just as easily argue that the publishing industry needs to start looking at "uncopyable" book technology since sales of blank paper used in copy machines exceeds preprinted books.

I have a stack of CD-R's in my office right now, yet I have never made a single copy of an audio disc. People do use CD-R's for other purposes, Mr. Valkonen. This witch hunt is going to end up restricting fair-use to the point that CD pirates will become the main source of CD's in the future. I somehow doubt that's what the RIAA is shooting for.

8:32 AM CST     0 comments

Whatever: Apple resolves QuickTime, Explorer conflict

Uhm, not exactly. Apple has actually just retooled QuickTime to play nice as an ActiveX control. The EMBED tag is still DOA.

The biggest problem I see with the OBJECT tag is that it requires that ActiveX be available at the client. There have been several ActiveX-based exploits which have prompted Microsoft to advise users to disable ActiveX in IE. The Netscape plug-in architecture was inherently more secure, but since it was a threat to Microsoft's domination of the web, it had to be killed.

8:21 AM CST     0 comments

Hmm: HP to sell secure version of Linux

I'm torn on this one. On the one hand, my inner geek is a little bit appalled by a company charging $3000+ for what is, for the most part, free software. Then again, this is the first real commitment by a big player to the Linux fray.

Other companies have offer lip service to Linux and offered off-the-shelf boxes with Linux included, but no one has really committed themselves to being a first-tier Linux provider to the enterprise. If HP is able to pull off a guru-less Linux-based enterprise solution, they may just usher in an age of acceptance for Linux at all levels.

Of course, given the indiscriminate course HP has taken in the marketplace over the past five years or so, this whole initiative could sink like a bag of rocks. I mean, would you trust a company who seem to be incapable of writing decent Win2k drivers with the security of your enterprise?

9:38 AM CST     0 comments

Balls: McAfee's Monopoly on Antivirus Software Could Prove Deadly

The US Patent Office should be dissolved if this is the best they can do. Researching patent applications apparently takes far too much of their valuable time. Even if, in most cases, any mildly experienced computer specialist could offer multiple cases of "prior art".

The whole thing is a complete and utter crock.

9:29 AM CST     0 comments

Hmm: Film giants team for video-on-demand

Nothing like a solution in search of a problem, I always say.

9:28 AM CST     0 comments

Damn: The Industry Standard to stop publishing

Now where am I going to get my Carl fix? *sigh*

9:26 AM CST     0 comments

Ugh: Software replaces banner ads on popular sites

I'm getting sick of all these articles about web advertising. Here's the bottom line... if you base your measure of success on immediate reaction (i.e. click throughs) web advertising doesn't work. Then again neither does any other form of advertising. No one has ever been sitting at home reading a magazine or watching tv and suddenly leapt from their seat to go buy something depicted in an ad.

Advertising is not an immediate reaction game, it's a game of inches. You slowly raise the public's awareness of your brand over months or even years until your brand achieves "top of mind". Once your company name is the among the first three that come to mind when a consumer thinks about a given product then your advertising has acheived it's goal.

Once companies realize that web advertising is just one small piece of the puzzle, then maybe we will see equal spending on web ads as on print or broadcast ads.

11:23 AM CST     0 comments

Uh-huh: How Microsoft Is Using Its Own Legal Defeat to Hurt Java

Bob explains just exactly why QuickTime no longer works in IE as reported below.

9:28 AM CST     0 comments

Uhm, yeah: Replica Bison Testicles the Focus of Crime Spree

Sometimes it's worth it just for the headline.

9:22 AM CST     0 comments

Oops: QuickTime unplugged by IE patch

I'm sure AVI and WMF files still play flawlessly. Funny how that works.

9:18 AM CST     0 comments

Heh: License PC Users? It's a Thought

Now there's a novel concept. In fact, I'll bet Microsoft would be willing to foot some of the bill to train these users. They would, of course, train only on PC's and only on Microsoft software, but, hey, that's what "everybody" uses anyway, right? No harm, no foul.

9:05 AM CST     0 comments

Wow: MS patch-scanner for Win-NT, 2K, IIS, SQL

This sounds almost too good to be true. The Reg say it preforms "as advertised", but my fear is that the tool might do *more* than advertised. Perhaps sending details about your systems to a third-party.

Microsoft seems to have given their blessing, so maybe I'm just being paranoid.

8:45 AM CST     0 comments

Yep: IS über-patch claims to wipe out all old Web server flaws

What a coincidence... I literally finished installing this patch a few minutes ago. Don't believe the hype though, it will reboot your server regardless of what the FAQ says.

10:51 AM CST     0 comments

My assistant is on vacation, so I haven't had much spare time to blog lately. I should be back on track by Thursday or so.

9:31 AM CST     0 comments

Boo-yah: Summer X Games 2001

Coverage starts tomorrow from Philly, PeeAy.

9:13 AM CST     0 comments

Sigh: TRS-80 - Thanks for the geek memories

It was a VIC20 in my case, but the other details are dead on.

8:56 AM CST     0 comments

Surprise: No laughing matter

Online comics are ticking off the ink and paper guys.

8:47 AM CST     0 comments

Heh: MS internal network whacked by Code Red

I suppose that's one downside to eating your own dog food.

10:48 AM CST     0 comments

Whoa: Home Network Security

CERT has outdone themselves with this one. I'm going to be mailing this bookmark to everyone in my family who has a cable modem or DSL. It is tailored for use by home users there is good information there for anyone involved in managing internet connections.

10:08 AM CST     0 comments

Puzzling: Gadget with more byte than bark

Ok, I know you've already heard about this gizmo. What puzzles me is why the BBC chose to use a photo of Bill Clinton and Buddy for their article.

9:52 AM CST     0 comments

Ahem: Yahoo pitches promotion to IM users

No offense to any Yahoo Messenger users out there, but if there's anybody who didn't see this one coming a mile off then they were just kidding themselves.

9:52 AM CST     0 comments

Uh-huh: Judges Say Don't Monitor Our PCs

I see how it works. It was fine when it was just the public at large being monitored, but now that it is the judges themselves, well... heaven forbid! If they end up passing some sort of a law that specifically bans monitoring of federal judges and doesn't address the larger issue, then I'd say things are going to get pretty ugly.

9:36 AM CST     0 comments

Heh: The Code Red hype Hall of Shame

The real story behind the Code Red worm and the resulting firestorm of press coverage. Man, I love The Reg.

9:31 AM CST     0 comments

Hmm: How XP WPA will squeeze more money out of businesses

Now this argument makes sense. This is the first article I've read where the facts were presented well and debated logically. Generally the goal of such articles seems to be to stir up controversy.

12:15 PM CST     0 comments

Hell Yeah: the crystal method

I am *so* far out of the loop. I've been waiting a couple years for a new crystal method cd and when it finally does come out I completely miss the announcement. Ah well, I know where I'm going immediately after work today.

[side note: if you leave the "index.html" off of that url their server loads "default.html" which is simply a nice empty blue page. Web ineptitude at its finest.]

9:28 AM CST     0 comments

When Handspring said they wanted to be the biggest PDA manufacturer in the world, I had no idea this is what they meant:

I wonder if the security guard comes in the box, or if that's an after-market add-on?

9:02 AM CST     0 comments

Yep: Ice cream man charged with selling pot

On the upside, all his flavors are guaranteed to satisfy.

[thanks to The Obscure Store for the link]

8:43 AM CST     0 comments

Sigh: Net users irate over .info cybersquatters

Ok, here's the deal... as long as it is more profitable for registrars to make shady deals they are going to continue to do so. The only way to make the domain process fair and equitable is to make it expensive for the registrars to operate in any other fashion. When you really get down to it we're talking about an absolutely insane amount of money here... there's no reason that things have to be so complicated.

8:38 AM CST     0 comments

Thppt: MS Passport security considered harmful

They needed a panel of experts to determine this? As maggie would say, pshaw.

8:34 AM CST     0 comments

Hmm: Register downed by Router Failure

Don't believe the hype... it's all Dan's fault.

8:32 AM CST     0 comments

Heh: Acrobat virus delivers Bum's Rush

Find the peach. That's simply too funny.

8:31 AM CST     0 comments

Interesting: The Double Life of Robert X. Cringely

Nothing like a little history to cleanse the palate.

[thanks to michael for the link]

9:09 AM CST     0 comments

Thppt: Home computing is where the heart is

Gord Lord. Dvorak apparently thinks he's writing for the Sunday Times Lifestyle section. A brain is a terrible thing to waste.

9:06 AM CST     0 comments

Hmm: Is interactive TV watching you?

Have you opted out of TiVo's data collection scheme? Dial 1-877-FOR-TiVo if you haven't.

8:59 AM CST     0 comments

Uhm: XP gets backing from Microsoft partners

Like they had a choice.

8:54 AM CST     0 comments

Stupid: CD anti-piracy system can nuke hi-fi kit

I've said it before and I'll say it again, individuals copying CD's are *not* the problem. In fact, it remains possible, though increasingly unlikely, that personal duplication rights will be restored to the consumer. The way I read this piece from The Reg, copying of any kind is verboten and could ruin your stereo to boot.

8:50 AM CST     0 comments

Not good: Son of Code Red is born

The problem with this whole situation is that, by definition, the people who are causing the most problems by not patching their servers aren't even aware they have IIS running. From what I gather the default W2k install includes IIS, so anyone running cable or DSL with a fixed IP is vulnerable.

8:52 AM CST     0 comments

Yep: Credit Warning E-Mail Is Bogus

It's amazing what a little social engineering can do these days.

8:44 AM CST     0 comments

Whoa: Memory madness to drive up 256Mb DRAM sales

When I started in the computer biz most motherboards used banks of individual 16k chips. The motherboard would support 640K and to go above that you had to buy an expansion board which could hold an addition 1-4 megs. Buying this board equipped with 1 meg would set you back around $1500.

The times they are a-changin.

8:33 AM CST     0 comments

Heh: Anti-rip CD system bypassed

This is certainly no surprise. In fact, the surprise lies in the fact it took this long.

8:30 AM CST     0 comments

Uh Huh: Microsoft drops eleventh hour app blockin into WinXP

I'm sure it's purely accidental that AOL is on the banned list for use on XP. I wonder if anyone has tried to install the RealPlayer?