Tech News Blog
3.04.05
Court To Blogs: No First Amendment Rights For You
A preliminary ruling issued by a Santa Clara County Superior Court judge regarding bloggers and First Amendment rights could have serious repercussions on the blogosphere; and this ruling follows an announcement of a crackdown on inappropriate links to campaign fund raising for US political parties covered earlier this week by CNET. The Santa Clara ruling is in favor of Apple and the judge has ordered the blogs in question to name the sources according to the report by CNET. I’m sure the publicity of this entire incident has been a boon to the number of visitors at PowerPage, Apple Insider, and Think Secret but you can bet none of the web masters is going to feel good about violating the trust of their sources. I am hoping this ruling is overturned….

Some Virex Problems
According to MacFixIt, there are some reports of conflicts between the latest update from Virex for Apple computers. The built-in fax feature is slowed down or freezes and can evolve into a more serious system wide problem. You should probably refrain from installing this update until the issue is resolved. This was our Apple Tip of the Day on Thursday, sorry about that; I normally wait several days before recommending updates and I will flog myself accordingly today.

The Tech Guy Dispenses Free Advice
On the weekend you can tune into Leo Laporte, The Tech Guy on KFI via the Internet stream or live on AM640 in the Los Angeles area from 11 am to 2 pm; Leo answers your questions on all things digital and he loves to help newbies make their electronic toys work better.

Open Source Updates
These open source systems are the subject of updates or security bulletins issued by Secunia: Red Hat (1, 2, 3), Gentoo (1, 2), SuSE, and Fedora.

Multiple Platforms Tip of the Day: Generate Secure Password
If you use Mozilla’s Firefox browser, you can add a plethora of useful extensions to make the application work more effectively for you. One of my favorite extensions is SecurePassword Generator by Jeremy Gillick. This handy tool generates random secure passwords that you can use to protect your computer from crackers. Multiple Platforms users can add extensions by opening the Firefox browser and clicking on Tools then Extensions; select ‘Get More Extensions’ and a window will launch with a variety of useful extensions to choose from and the system automatically recognizes which operating system powers your computer and directs you to the appropriately flavored download. Mac-heads can link directly to this extension by clicking here. The next challenge is to accurately store those password and Mac users have the advantage here with the built-in utility Keychain.

What is a Co-Sysop?
Wikipedia supplies this definition, “A Co-SysOp was a user who was granted certain admin privileges on a BBS. Generally, they would help validate users and monitor forums.

On the Wikipedia Foundation projects like the Wikipedia Encyclopedias, administrators are called sysops, while they do the duties of a co-sysops. This is discussed more on particular Wikipedia policy pages.”

Have A Great Weekend

Tech News Blog
3.3.05
Real Patch Available for RealPlayers
RealNetworks released an update for a real security flaw targeting their line of RealPlayers software. According to CNET the update released Tuesday includes patches for Mac RealPlayer 10 and on the Windows-side cover RealPlayer 10.5, RealPlayer 10, RealPlayer Enterprise and various releases of RealOne Player v2.

Google’s New Tools
Google has released several new toys and they are quite impressive. The Google Maps Beta release will soon be competing with Mapquest and Yahoo for King of the Direction Hill, but the application is still rough around the edges. In my informal tests from my residence to various points north, the directions use a road that is yet to be constructed. In all fairness, the road is planned and will be there soon, it just isn’t there right now. The map starts at the national level and you zoom in to the area you want to explore by double clicking. To get to Google Maps you click on the Local tab (with the NEW logo) found on Google’s home page. The local tool is also extremely useful and allows you to search for commercial destinations nearby the address you enter. Visit the Google home page to check out their latest offerings.

Where Do All the Old Computers Go?
If you have an old computer that is beyond the donation stage, MacWorld has an article on disposal of your old box. To find a recycling center near you, visit earth911.org/. MacWorld also recommends visiting the Rethink Initiative site to learn which companies are working to reduce this waste stream.

Podcast For Linux
Newsforge has an excellent resource article for podcast options for Linux users. The choices are numerous and include suggestions for creating your own podcasts using Linux.

Podcast Delayed
Instead of producing a podcast on Wednesday afternoon, I spent time on the phone with Apple trying to resolve the problems with my iBook. The problems didn’t exist when the laptop was shipped to them for repairs and that is somewhat distressing. I’m hoping to be able to record a podcast of Life In A Multiple Platforms Worlds by the weekend, and the topic: Customer Service or a lack thereof.

Which Open Source Distro is Best?
The answer to this question might be none of the above. If you are looking for a chuckle and a good reason to run screaming from a particular open source distro, surf over to Linux.com and read the article by Brian Jones.

Open Source Updates
Secunia released bulletins regarding updates and security for the following open source systems: Redhat, Gentoo, and Conectiva.

PC Tip of the Day: Update Norton and AVG
If your PC is protected by Norton, you need to update your software according to Major Geeks. AVG users also need to update their protection and you will be prompted automatically when you launch the program. Windows people using ZoneAlarm also have an update available. Remember, if you don’t update you might just as well surf unprotected.

Apple Tip of the Day: Update Virex
If you use Virex to check your Mac for trouble, it is time to update the DAT file according to MacUpdate. Just activate the program and it will automatically prompt you if the DAT file needs an update. Virex is free for .Mac users, or conversely it cost 99 dollars and all the others great features of the .Mac account are free! You can sign-up for a sixty-day free trial by clicking on the logo to the left.

What is Sysop?
According to Wikipedia, “A SysOp is short for "system operator", and is a commonly used term for the administrator of a bulletin board system (BBS) or special-interest area of an online service or, historically, the operators of any computer system, especially a mainframe computer.

Usage peaked in the early 1990s, as the term was actually mostly used strictly to refer to BBS operators; someone doing equivalent functions on the Internet is primarily referred to as an ‘admin’, short for ‘administrator’.”

Tech News Blog
3.2.05
New Bagle Is a Combo Special
The combo special served up by crackers this week has been dubbed Bagle.BB and according to PC World, infects your computer with “remote monitoring software”. This same attack has been named “Troj/BagleDl-L.” by Sophos adding to the confusion we all feel when dealing with these attacks. According to the article in PC World, the spam that contains the Trojan has the subject line “New Price List” and the virus is hidden in zip files named: “doc_01.exe,” or “prs_03.exe”. The virus also blocks contact with your antivirus software provider.

LCD Repair Offered for Apple Laptops
If your LCD screen is bad, you basically have a Mac mini on your hands; if you would like to return your laptop to a state that allows for uses that are more portable TechRestore has an offer for you. Prices for the repair start at $400 for iBooks and $500 for the G4 PowerBooks according to MacNN.

Pop-Unders are Real
Even after reporting on the issue last week, I was surprised today by my first pop-under ad. I am not exactly sure which web site was responsible except that it did not originate from any of the sources cited in today’s news.

Internet Explorer 5.5 Service Pack 2 Popular Download
The most popular download of the day at PC World is the Internet Explorer 5.5 Service Pack 2 and Internet Tools update from Microsoft. The update repairs memory leaks and patches minor problems from earlier updates.

Web Page for OS X 10.3.8 Update Issues
If you are continuing to have annoying problems post-installation of Apples update, 10.3.8/, MacFixIt has started a web page just for you. Some of the problems readers are reporting include disappearing hard drive space, wake from sleep issues, audio and printing problems.

Sir Bill Recognized for Good Work
Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II bestowed the title of honorary knight in recognition of his philanthropic works throughout the world. CNET has a picture of the newest knight receiving his commission from the Queen. Moreover, let me reiterate: there is no truth to the rumor that the Queen requested Sir Bill to remove the irksome virus allowed into her computer courtesy of Microsoft’s Internet Exploder.

Linux 2.6.11 Released
Linux Today reports that Linus Torvalds has released version 2.6.11 that includes some small fixes for a variety of code checkers. You can view a summary of the changes at Linux Today.

Open Source Updates
Secunia released these security bulletins for open source users: Gentoo (1, 2, 3, 4) and SuSE.

Multiple Platforms Tip of the Day: Speed Up Mozilla
First, remember to update to the latest version of Firefox or Mozilla and then check out the tip for today; this tip made the rounds as a tune-up for Firefox, but I discovered that it would work for the Mozilla browsers too. I tested it on Mozilla 1.6 through 1.8.x on my Macs and version 1.7.5 on my PCs. I initially spotted this tip at Mac OS X Hints and they provide the best directions and if you would like to increase the speed of your Mozilla or Firefox browser surf to Mac OS X Hints for the how-to.

What is an Operator?
Wikipedia has this definition for operator, “Programming languages have a set of operators that perform arithmetical operations, and others such as Boolean operations on truth values, and string operators manipulating strings of text. Computers are mathematical devices, but compilers and interpreters require a full syntactic theory of all operations in order to parse formulae involving any combinations correctly. In particular, they depend on operator precedence rules, on order of operations, that are tacitly assumed in mathematical writing.

Conventionally, the computing usage of "operator" also goes beyond the mathematical usage (for functions). The C programming language, for example also supports operators like &, ++ and sizeof. Operators like sizeof, which are alphanumeric rather than a mathematical symbol or a punctuation character; it is sometimes called a named operator.

In certain programming languages, such as PostScript, the use of the word "operator" has more specific meaning, in that an operator is an executable element in the stack. Because operators here are always written postfix, the need for parentheses is redundant as the way objects are taken from the stack ensures correct evaluation. This is an example of Reverse Polish notation.

In some programming languages an operator may work with more than one kind of data, (such as in Java where the + operator is used both for the addition of numbers and for the concatenation of strings). Such an operator is said to be overloaded. In languages that support operator overloading by the programmer, such as C++, one can define customized uses for operators; in Prolog, one can also define new operators.

Some languages also allow for the operands of an operator to be of different data types, in which case one of them is coerced to the data type of the other, to permit the operation to occur. For example, in Perl 12 + "3.14", causes the text "3.14159" to be coerced to a number and produces the result 15.14.”

Tech News Blog
3.1.05
More Bagle Worms
A new version of the Bagle worm has been detected and this Trojan horse attacks your security system and then attempts to contact web sites. BagleDi-L can turn off your antivirus and firewall applications according to a report by CNET. The web sites contacted by the Trojan do not contain any of the crackers codes yet, but once techniques have been demonstrated, other crackers copy and exploit the method.

Mac Users: Disconnect External Devices During Sleep Mode
MacFixIt is reporting that you should not connect or disconnect external devices (USB, FireWire, etc.) from you Mac while it is in the sleep mode. I discovered this long ago with my iBook and it seems that now others are experiencing the same issue, a hard crash is often the result of changing connection status of external devices in the sleep mode. For more suggestions on Wake from sleep issues, visit MacFixIt.

Mozilla, Firefox, and Thunderbird Flaws
Secunia is reporting several flaws affecting Mozilla, Firefox, and Thunderbird; most of the flaws are rated less critical and can be remedied by updating to the latest versions of these applications. Other issues such as cross-site scripting can be avoided by not dragging an image with javascript into the address bar (something most of you never do anyway). Look for a quick response from Mozilla regarding these security issues.

Open Source Updates
Secunia released the following updates for open source users: Fedora, KDE, SuSE (1, 2), OpenBSD, Gentoo (1, 2, 3) and Debian.

Apple Tip of the Day: Trash Locked Files
Have you tried to empty the trash on your Mac only see that the operation cannot be completed because a file is in use? If you are sure you really want to trash that file, you can drag it to your desktop and select the file by clicking on it; then tap on the command (Apple) and I key and the Info window will launch. In the General section, uncheck the ‘Locked’ option. Now drag the file back to the trash and get rid of the file without that annoying error message.

PC Tip of the Day: Tool to Root Out Malware
PC World has a report on a free tool Windows people can use to check their computers for Malware. The new application, RootkitRevealer identifies malware known as rootkits and according to the story, this type of attack is particularly hard to spot. The program comes with some caveats, and you should read the entire article on this subject at PC World before using this program.

What is PRAM (take two)?
Yesterday we supplied a definition of PRAM from Answers.com and today Wikipedia has this explanation of PRAM, “PRAM stands for Parallel Random Access Machine, which is an abstract machine for designing the algorithms applicable to parallel computers. It eliminates the focus on miscellaneous issues such as synchronization and communication, but lets designer think explicitly about the exploitation of concurrency.

The operation of a synchronous PRAM can result in simultaneous access by multiple processors to the same location in shared memory. There are several variants of our PRAM model, depending on whether such simultaneous access is permitted or prohibited. As accesses can be reads or writes, there are four possibilities:
1. Exclusive Read Exclusive Write
2. Concurrent Read Exclusive Write
3. Exclusive Read Concurrent Write
4. Concurrent Read Concurrent Write”
Editors note: Both yesterday and today’s definitions are correct.

Tech News Blog
2.28.04
Firefox Users Beware
Mozilla is urging Firefox users to upgrade to Firefox 1.0.1 or risk using a browser that has as many holes as another popular browser created by Microsoft. The story in PC World notes some of these holes allow a cracker to commandeer your PC so updating is critical. Visit Mozilla.org or use this link to download Firefox 1.0.1/.

Java Update Causes Freezing Issue for Macs
Some Apple users have reported problems with third-party applications after installing the Java update released by Apple last week. Issues include freezing and kernel panics; read more about this annoyance at MacFixIt.

Macintosh Pioneer Passes
Jef Raskin, one of the key figures in the developing user interfaces, and the lead designer for the original Macintosh, died Saturday of complications from pancreatic cancer. Raskin is credited with creating a user friendly interface that helped Macintosh gain a reputation for ease of operation according to MacCentral.

Open Source Updates
Secunia announced updates for Fedora and Gentoo.

Apple Tip of the Day: Reset PRAM
In the days of OS 9, resetting the PRAM was the answer to all that ailed Macs; and resetting the PRAM can still solve some Apple annoyances in world of OS X. To reset the PRAM, hold down the command (Apple) key, the option key, the P key, and R key when starting Mac and continue to hold these keys down until you hear the sound of the startup chime four times. To learn what the PRAM is, see below: “What is PRAM?”

PC Tip of the Day: iTunes for Windows
PC World calls Apple’s iTunes for Windows application, “… a joy to use even if you never buy a 99 cent song.” The iTunes for Windows is the most popular download at PC World today. It really is easy to use, has a built in file conversion tool, and it is free! Just click on the iTunes logo on the left side of this page to download iTunes for Windows or use the link to PC World above.

What is PRAM?
According to Answers.com, “A battery-backed part of the Macintosh's memory that holds Control Panel settings and the settings for the hidden desktop file. If the command and option keys are held down at startup, the desktop settings are cleared and a dialog to rebuild the desktop is initiated.” I also hold the P and R key down while resetting PRAM (see directions above: Apple Tip of the Day). Tomorrow, we’ll look at another definition of PRAM from Wikipedia.