Tech News Blog
5.06.05
Upcoming Microsoft Patch Small But Important
According to eWeek Technology, the update for Microsoft to be released next Tuesday will include only one small, but important update; I haven’t had the chance to look at the email from Microsoft regarding the update yet but the eWeek tech team has this to say:
Microsoft Patch Day: 1 Bulletin Expected
"The solitary bulletin will provide a fix for a Windows flaw and carries a maximum severity rating of "important." eWEEK Technology News

New Tweaks For Tiger
Tiger tweaks are tantalizing and I have installed two of the following free treats featured as gems from MacWorld (Safari Buttons 0.4 and Amnesty 0.5b); check out the details of these free and beta apps (respectively) by clicking on the following:
Mac Gems: Tiger's First Tweaks
"Take a look at some of the first interface tweaks for Tiger… "
MacCentral

False Positive for Apple User Protected by Norton
MacFixIt is reporting some Mac-heads that have their computer protected by Norton Antivirus have been receiving a ‘false positive’ alert regarding the ‘hacktool.underhand’, check out the article if you are a Norton customer:
"hacktool.underhand" Trojan apparently a false positive from Norton Anti-Virus
Several MacFixIt readers have reported receiving an alert from Norton Anti-Virus of a trojan called…" MacFixIt

Open Source on a Mac
Yes, you can get there from here and if you are interested in running Ubuntu on your Apple computer, then check out the Free Loader Friday Special from MacMerc:
PPC Linux
"I know this is the year of the Tiger, but OS X isn't the only OS for Mac Pros. Linux for the PowerPC has made great strides this year too. And single-boot machines are so 90's.
Join me for a look at what might be the most Mac-friendly Linux distribution out there, and its not Yellow Dog. Have a look in"… MacMerc

Open Source Update
Secunia released the following bulletins for open source systems: FreeBSD (1, 2, 3), Mandriva, Fedora, and Gentoo.

Tip of the day from Multiple Platforms: KFI Offers Free Tech Support
If you have a question on any thing digital, you can get free tech support from KFI on the weekends from 11 am to 2 pm. Leo Laporte is the Tech Guy on KFI and this geek can help you solve any digital annoyance you are experiencing. Listen to Leo via the Internet or live in the Los Angeles area on AM640.

We Can Help Too
If you are to shy to call Leo, then not ask me. If you have an annoyance with your computer, let me help solve the problem. Remember to include as much information as possible regarding the situation, including what operating system you are using and when you last updated, anything you might have installed prior to the start of the problem, if you are logged on as the administrator when the issue occurs and any other information think might be even remotely related. It really helps to include your email address in the event that I need more background information to solve your problem, but you can submit your question anonymously to: contactus@multipleplatforms.com/.

What is Grisoft?
Wikipedia describes Grisoft as: “Grisoft is a software house that specializes in anti-virus software. In particular, it produces the AVG Anti-Virus product. Grisoft originated in Czechoslovakia in 1991.”

Widget Wackiness, Just Because It’s the Weekend
What wisdom, wit, and words will we wean from the widget today? Just for weekend fun, here are a few items from the widgets wandering in my window…
Lucky Lotto Numbers
I’ll share these lucky lotto numbers with you, chosen at random with the lotto widget: 18, 25, 33, 34, 37, and 38. If you win, send us an email from Bermuda.
Today in history:
- First postage stamp in England, 1840
- Artic Explorer Robert Perry was born on this day in 1856 (I loved reading about the Artic explorations of this naturalist growing up)
- Father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud was born on this day in 1856
- The Hindenburg tragedy occurred on this day in 1937
The USD vs. Euro today is: 1 : .773
Translation according to the Widget with the same name: English to German – ‘will you drink lemonade with me?’, and the translation is: ‘trinken Sie Limonade mit mir?’ That is wasn’t exactly as I remembered the phrase from my junior high German class, but close enough for government work.
Weather for my Multiple Platforms World – Northern California: Partly cloudy, high 73 degrees Fahrenheit with the same expected Saturday; chance of rain on Sunday.
Word: Widget (n) in computing is a component of a user interface that operates in a particular way.
If you want to add to your Widget World Visit Apple’s Dashboard web page.

Tech News Blog
5.05.05
Multiple Platforms Subject of PC World Article
I wish the article was about this web site, Multiple Platforms.com/, but the topic is the inspiration behind this site and possibly the author will inspire more PC users to crossover to the world of Multiple Platforms. Check out the entire article here:
Up Front: Multiple Platforms, Infinite Possibilities
How to thrive in two (or more) computing worlds. Plus: two new PCW offerings.
When Tracey Capen, our executive editor for reviews, went hunting for a new computer for his home network, he knew what he wanted: an affordable, secure, compact machine with enough hardware muscle and software savvy for demanding jobs like video editing. He found all of the above in a Mac Mini. PC WORLD

Phishing Attacks Employ Keyloggers
According to a report carried by CNET, phishers are using keylogger programs to steal sensitive data from your PC on a more frequent basis. The report was released by the Anti-Phishing Working Group associated with Websense, as security software company; so take the warning with a grain of salt, but keep an open mind regarding the possibility that these types of attacks exist and crackers will try anything to get your money. Read more on this issue from CNET:
Phishing attacks take a new twist
Schemes involving malicious code that intercepts passwords and usernames are on the rise, Websense Security Labs reports. CNET News.com

Shuffle Solidifies Apple’s Music Stranglehold
Apple continues to ride the wave of popularity created first by the iPod and now continued by the iPod Shuffle and CNET reports that a whopping 58% of the flash player market is going to Apple:
Shuffle grabs 58% of flash player market
Blog: Judging by the proliferation of iPod Shuffles you see bopping around these days, it's no surprise: Apple Computer's flash-based... CNET News.com

MacWorld Reviews Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT
Although I don’t cover digital cameras much here at Multiple Platforms.com/, I love the fact that digital photography has re-sparked my interest in a past hobby and we have a great time taking pictures with are Nikon CoolPix 4300. That doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t like to upgrade and the following review from MacWorld started the drool response in me:
Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT (4.5 mice)
The camera’s feature set; combined with the vast assortment of available Canon mount lenses ; make the Rebel XT the best choice so far in the sub-$1,000 digital-SLR market.
Macworld Reviews

Laptop With Linux From Acer
There is such a beast, and open source users have another option for Linux on a laptop according to Linux Today:
The Inquirer: Acer Starts Selling Linux Laptops
"Taiwanese notebook giant Acer has started selling laptops loaded with the Linux operating system through its distributor and reseller channel...Linux Today

Open Source Update
Secunia released the following bulletins for open source systems: Ubuntu, Red Hat (1, 2).

Tip of the day from Multiple Platforms: USB Flash Drive Helps Swap File
A USB Flash Drive (AKA thumb drive, pen drive, key drive, micro hard drive, pocket drive, USB key) can help you store files safely, carry important files with you where ever you go, and it can help you transfer files between your Multiple Platforms systems. Because the flash drive memory uses the FAT file system, it is compatible with most computers and additional drivers are not required. You can also use an iPod Shuffle as a flash drive, but with the cost of thumb drives so low, why fill your Shuffle with data when instead it can contain the latest free tune from the iTunes Music Store (click on the logo to the left to download your free tune).

What is McAfee?
According to Wikipedia, “McAfee, Inc. is an antivirus and computer security company headquartered in Santa Clara, California. It markets McAfee VirusScan and related security products and services, including the IntruShield, Entercept, and Foundstone brands.
The company was founded in 1987 as McAfee Associates, named for its founder John McAfee. Network Associates was formed in 1997 as a merger of McAfee Associates and Network General. In the year 2004, a major restructuring occurred. In the spring, the company sold the Magic Solutions business to Remedy, a subsidiary of BMC Software. In the summer of 2004, the company sold the Sniffer Technologies business to Network General. Also, the company changed its name to McAfee to reflect its focus on security-related technologies.

Tech News Blog
5.04.05
Apple Updates ‘Old’ Operating Systems
According to Secunia, and CNET, Apple has released an important security update for their pre-Tiger operating systems, including the popular Panther version (OS X 10.3.x). Read more about the technical aspects of the update from Secunia or surf to CNET for the non-geek version of the story. Remember to correct disk permissions and disconnect any Firewire devices prior to installing an update on your Mac. I have also included the link to Apple’s OS X Documents regarding the update:
About Security Update 2005-005
Release date: Tue, 3 May 2005 15:07:50 -0500
Apple Computer Top Mac OS X Documents

Mac OS X Security Update Fixes Multiple Vulnerabilities
Apple has issued a security update for Mac OS X, which fixes various vulnerabilities. Secunia - Latest Secunia Security Advisories

Apple patches a batch of Mac OS X flaws
Computer maker issues 20 patches aimed at pre-Tiger versions of its operating system. CNET News.com

Integer Overflow: Multiple Platforms Visitor Has This Problem
A visitor to Multiple Platforms.com contacted me with a question regarding integer overflow: “Why do I get an INTEGER OVERFLOW error message on my Windows XP whenever I try to open my favorite game? I've played every day without problems until now.”

According to k4thryn from Tech FAQ, “An integer overflow, or integer wrapping, is a potential problem in a program based upon the fact that the value that can be held in a numeric datatype is limited by the data type's size in bytes.
Why should you care? If you try to put a value into a data type that is too small to hold it, the high-order bits are dropped, and only the low-order bits are stored. Another way of saying that is that modulo-arithmetic is performed on the value before storing it to make sure it fits within the datatype.”

What can cause these types of problems? According to Symantec, “Microsoft Windows is reported prone to a remote integer overflow vulnerability. This issue is due to a failure of the application to properly ensure that user-supplied input does not result in the overflowing of integer values. This may result in data being copied past the end of a memory buffer.
It is reported that this issue exists in the 'LoadImage' function of the USER32 library. An attacker can exploit this condition by sending a malformed file to a user. If the user opens this file, the integer overflow condition may be triggered. A successful attack would occur in the context of the vulnerable user and may lead to the attacker gaining unauthorized access to an affected computer.

This vulnerability may be present in applications that import the vulnerable function. At the time of writing, it is not known if third-party applications are affected by this vulnerability.”

What can you do to prevent these problems? It could be caused by a number of things including a recent update from Microsoft according to some people plagued with similar problems. Without knowing more about the specifics of this readers problems and based on a trouble free history of using the program before, and given that Windows XP can be vulnerable to these attacks, I would use the various tools available to protect and check the health of their PC. AVG Antivirus, Spyware S&D, Ad-aware, and Microsoft’s new Windows AntiSpyware programs are free and can find most security problems infecting a computer. If you haven’t updated to SP 2, make sure you first disinfect your PC before installing the update, and backup your computer. Then update to SP 2 (read more about the safest method for performing this procedure from Leo Laporte, The Tech Guy on KFI). There are other things you can try including searching for an update for your third-party software, or roll back your XP system to a date before this problem started to occur, but again without specific information regarding this annoyance it is difficult to extend more detailed advice. Try a Google search with the name of your game and Windows XP to determine if others are having the same difficulty. If you have experienced this problem and have a suggestion to remedy the issue, please share it with us at: contactus@multipleplatforms.com/.

Open Source Update
Secunia released the following bulletins for open source systems: Debian and Ubuntu (1, 2, 3)

Tip of the day from Multiple Platforms: Get Help With Annoyances
Happy Birthday to Multiple Platforms.com! It was one year ago that I started Multiple Platforms.com and the web site, the designing of the same, and the daily grind of compiling the tech news has been a learning experience and a labor of love. I hope you have enjoyed visiting the web site, and no this isn’t a good-bye; but what I would like to start returning to is answering more of your questions. I had originally envisioned this web site as a help site and not a tech news site, but as there wasn’t enough questions to respond to initially and there was a plethora of tech news to report about. So to celebrate the one-year milestone I am inviting readers to help me help you by submitting a question regarding a computer annoyance. I will work hard to find a remedy for your problem but remember to include any information pertinent to the problem; for example: what operating system you are using, when you last updated, security measures you have in-place, and if you want a personal reply make sure you include your email address. Send your questions to: contactus@multipleplatforms.com/.

From the Archives:
A Year Ago Today This Was a Story for Multiple Platforms
5-04-04: Sasser is Serious
The Sasser. worm family is spreading faster than originally suspected and MS is taking the attack seriously. If you have downloaded the latest security update from MS, you can check if you are infected. If you are not sure if you have the latest update, check for the latest Windows Update here. You can also download a Sasser worm removal tool from MS. If you have family or friends that do not update their systems, download the removal tool and burn it to a disk. Then if they get the Sasser worms, you will become SuperGeek when you save their computer from the evil hackers! It would also be great to include in that burn a free antivirus from AVG and when you get their system virus-free go to ZoneAlarm for a firewall, then go to Spybot S&D and Ad-aware (it really is beneficial to have to spyware programs working together) and gently remind them of the geek motto: BUB (Backup-Update-Backup). If you stay updated, have a router, then you can help take the joy out of at least this part of hacking. Macs are not targets of Sasser according to the BBC.

What is Symantec?
This definition for Symantec comes from Wikipedia, “Symantec Corporation founded in 1982, is an information security company headquartered in Cupertino, California that specializes in computer security and antivirus software.
Symantec has been primarily known for its Norton brand of antivirus and utility software, named for software engineer Peter Norton.
Some software products released by the Symantec Corporation are Norton AntiVirus, Norton Commander, Norton Internet Security, Norton Personal Firewall, Norton SystemWorks (which now contains the venerable Norton Utilities), Norton AntiSpam, Norton GoBack, and Norton Ghost.
Due to the recent acquisition of PowerQuest, Symantec now produces the newest versions of PartitionMagic, called Norton PartitionMagic. This is true as well of the Netware partition manager, PowerQuest ServerMagic, now called Symantec ServerMagic. Drive Image has become Norton Ghost, replacing the original program.
The Symantec Security Response organization (formerly Symantec Antivirus Research Center) is one of the foremost antivirus and computer security research groups in the industry.”

Tech News Blog
5.03.05
Sober Worm Returns
CNET is reporting that the Sober worm is responsible for another wave of spam crashing into our inboxes. The latest variant has been named Sober.P and it first co-opts your address book and steals your acquaintances email addresses, then bombards your soon-to-be ex-friends with spam.
Sober worm variant makes the rounds
Sober.P harvests e-mail addresses from a victim and then sends a barrage of spam to those recipients. CNET News.com

Sleepy Macs
Macs not responding after entering the sleep mode is a problem that seems to appear with every update or upgrade from Apple and some of those migrating to Tiger have experienced this annoyance. If you have a Mac that is reluctant to wake-up, visit MacFixIt by clicking on the following link:
Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger) #8: Wake-from-sleep issues, solutions; More on Spotlight limitations; Mail.app 2.0 solutions; more
Wake-from-sleep issues continued We continue to receive reports from readers whose Mac OS X 10.4-upgraded systems will not wake properly from sleep, either refusing to wake completely or …MacFixIt

Revenge of The Screen Savers
Leo Laporte and the gang from the old Screen Savers show have recorded another installment of their joint podcast: ROTSS (Revenge of The Screen Savers), and you can access the MP3 file using this link:
The Last ROTSS...
...And the first TWIT. This WEEK in TECH is up for May 1, 2005. This edition is an hour long, because we had so much good stuff.
In this episode: We come up with a new name and new URL. Patrick reviews WinHEC. John C. Dvorak visits from beyond the grave. We answer listener questions about Tiger. And Kevin picks our site of the week: http://boxedthoughts.com. Join Leo Laporte, Patrick Norton, Kevin Rose, Robert Heron, and John C. Dvorak for a look at This WEEK in TECH. [The Laporte Report]

Open Source Update
Secunia released the following bulletins for open source systems: Fedora (1, 2, 3), Ubuntu, and Slackware.

Tip of the day from Multiple Platforms: Alternatives to Internet Explorer
Leo Laporte, The Tech Guy on KFI has compiled a list of browsers that you can use as an alternative to Internet Explorer. Options are available for all flavors of Multiple Platforms users, but don’t drag IE to the trash, as there will always be some web sites that will require Internet Exploder for some operations. Check out all the alternatives by visiting Leo’s web site.

What is Sophos?
Wikipedia has this for Sophos, “Sophos is a company that specialises in protecting businesses with anti-virus software and products against spam.
Founded in 1985, Sophos is a privately-owned company, with its global headquarters based in Abingdon Science Park in Abingdon, Oxfordshire in the UK. The company has subsidiaries in the United States, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Singapore.
Sophos provides solutions to deal with viruses and spam in the form of Sophos Anti-Virus, PureMessage and MailMonitor.
Over 900 people work for Sophos worldwide. Over 35 million users from organizations of all sizes benefit from its software and first-class 24/7 technical support.”

Tech News Blog
5.02.05
Crackers Are Diversifying Targets
Microsoft just seems like the only target of crackers, based partly on their success at making PC owners miserable, but according to Reuters new targets for crackers included anti-virus software and iTunes, the media player from Apple. The study was conducted by the SANS Institute, a non-profit IT security and research organization. Part of the reason for the focus on the anti-virus software is in response to Windows users becoming more pro-active in their security efforts according to Reuters; for more see the following article:
Hackers aren't just picking on Microsoft: study
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Online criminals turned their attention to antivirus software and media players like Apple Computer Inc.'s
iTunes in the first three months of 2005 as they sought new ways to take control of users' computers, according to a survey released on Monday.
Reuters: Technology

Tiger News
I had to chase Tiger to the Fed Ex office on Saturday morning after missing the courier Friday afternoon. In addition, that wasn’t the only change in plans as I opened the package and realized that the installation disk for Tiger is a DVD and my iBook doesn’t have a combo-drive. The installation was a breeze on my iMac and I chose the Archive and Install option that preserved my settings and preferences. The operating system itself hasn’t been nearly as exciting as I anticipated; perhaps with all of the pre-release publicity the arrival and installation is anti-climatic. I haven’t been impressed with any of the items I was looking forward to although time may change my mind. The RSS capabilities of Safari are okay, but it won’t replace NetNewsWire for me and I haven’t been successful using Automator for anything useful. I had been hoping to use Automator to create a ‘one-click’ startup for the various applications I use to publish this web site and after several tries, ended up creating an Apple Script to perform this task. Positives include an improved security package and Spotlight. Others’ opinions and trouble shooting articles being carried on this subject include the following:
Tiger install tip for slower Macs
Tiger install tip for slower Macs (and post-install tip for all)
AccelerateYourMac News Headlines

Troubleshooting Mac OS X installation from CD or DVD
Release date: Sun, 1 May 2005 16:55:23 -0500
Apple Computer Top Mac OS X Documents

Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger) #7: Freezes during shutdown or startup; Wake-from-sleep issues; Spotlight issues; Safari 2.0 problems;
Freezes during shutdown or startup One of the most commonly reported significant issues with Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger) is a freeze at startup or during shutdown. In most cases, only selecting
MacFixIt

Apple offers treats for Tiger users
Now that Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger has been released into the wild, many users are looking for things to do with their new operating system...
MacMinute

Even PC World weighs in on the issue:
First Look: Tiger Lives Up to the Hype
Excellent new search tool and numerous additions make Apple's update largely a no-brainer.
PCWorld.com - Latest News Stories

Open Source Update
Secunia released the following bulletins for open source systems: Debian (1,), Red Hat (1), Mandriva (1, 2, 3), SuSE, and Gentoo (1, 2, 3).

Tip of the day from Multiple Platforms: Increase Your Internet Security
If you connect to the Internet using a broadband or DSL connection, you can increase your security dramatically by adding a router between your computer and the Internet. The router hides your computer from crackers and using network address translation (NAT), it acts as a firewall and will only accept IP packets from an address that your computer has made a request from; Leo Laporte, The Tech Guy On KFI recommend you use a router instead of a firewall.

What is Secunia?
According to Wikipedia, “Secunia is a computer security service provider best known for tracking vulnerabilities in more than 4500 pieces of software and operating systems.
Numbers of "unpatched" vulnerabilities in popular applications are frequently quoted in software comparisons. Secunia also tracks currently active computer viruses.”