Tech News Blog
6.10.05
Signals Crossed?
PC World is featuring a story regarding security on the Internet and the gist is many of the threats we hear about are highly over-rated. The two threats that receive the most undue attention are in fact the topics that receive little or no coverage here at Multiple Platforms: cell phone viruses and VoIP safety. I haven’t focused on cell phones so that is why the first topic hasn’t received mention and as for the second I felt that these problems were being over-rated by the very companies could profit from that practice, the IT security firms, so I have basely ignored them (although my recommendations for VoIP have been tempered, I must admit). That seems to be the message of this article that comes during the week when the IT Security Summit is being conducted in Washington, D.C.

Leo Live and Leo Later
You can improve your digital knowledge on the weekend when you listen to Leo Laporte, The Tech Guy on KFI between 11 am to 2 pm (PDST). If you are in the Los Angeles area tune into AM640 and listen live or visit Leo’s web site then click on the KFI logo to hear the Internet stream. On Sunday afternoons, Leo chats with his old friends from TechTV and records their discussions for release as a podcast later that evening or ASAP. Check out the web site for This Week In Electronics (TWITS) to learn more about podcast.

Open Source Updates
Secunia has been busy and the following systems have update bulletins: FreeBSD (1, 2), Ubuntu (1, 2), Gentoo, and Fedora (1, 2).

Tip of the Day from Multiple Platforms.com: OpenOffice
Once again, I was impressed with the OpenOffice, this time as part of the bundle of applications included in SuSE Linux 9.2/. Using Spotlight, the new search tool packaged with Tiger I located this previous information on the subject published here on April 7, 2005 (the following definition is from that date also).
(Previously published 4.7.05) I have reviewed the OpenOffice application that is available for the PC platform previously and I’ve found it to be effective as a replacement for Microsoft’s Office. This past weekend I got a chance to take the Mac version for a test drive and of the two available for this platform, I really like the smaller application NeoOfficeJ from OpenOffice.org/. The program does all the things we expect a word processor to do and in some cases more. The interface is intuitive and it converts Word and AppleWorks documents with little to no loss of formatting. This is an excellent freeware tool available for Multiple Platforms users and you should try it out. It does require the installation of X11 if you haven’t already installed it on your Mac and the program is included in the download package from OpenOffice.org/.

What is Shareware?
(Previously published 4.7.05) Shareware, freeware, and the other assorted –wares were the subject of a weeklong ‘What is’ series, however the tip of the day prompts a repeat of this definition, albeit from a different source, Answers.com: “Software that is available for free, usually over the Internet.” Free is good, we like it like that!

Tech News Blog
6.9.05
Microsoft Releases Update
Microsoft released several updates one of which will affect home users. According to PC World, Microsoft has finally unveiled Microsoft Update and this application will supplant the current Windows update system. The other updates are for Windows Servers and Microsoft’s business customers.

Internet Explorer Getting Tabbed
Faithful users of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer are finally being rewarded for their allegiance as the company announced the addition of tabs to the browsing experience for IE surfers. I haven’t had an opportunity to give it a trial run, but if you are still using IE as your default browser, visit CNET to learn more about how Microsoft finally picked up the tab.

Update for Tiger Explained
Apple released a new update for Tiger and Panther users (Security Update 2005-006) and you can consult a variety of sources for information on the patch including but not limited to the following web sites: Apple, MacNN, Secunia, CNET, and MacFixIt. Secunia rates the update as ‘highly critical’. I usually wait several days before installing these Apple updates and remember to disconnect any Firewire peripherals before updating to avoid any conflicts with those devices. I repair disk permissions (accessed through the utilities file located in your Applications folder) before and after updating, but during his show this past weekend, tech expert Leo Laporte suggested that this is no longer necessary. Personally, I think it takes so little time to repair permissions that it is worth the few extra minutes it takes to accomplish this task. I am not suggesting you discount Leo’s advice, it is just that I’ve never encountered a problem with updating my Apples and I believe in the philosophy of ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ when it comes to applying system patches to my Macs.

New Citizen
I have moved beyond Knoppix and SuSE Linux on Microsoft’s Virtual PC, finally. I added a new hard drive then reformatted and repartitioned both drives (after backing up my C drive, of course). I repositioned my IDE cables to use the DVD player as a boot drive then I reconfigured the BIOS and rebooted. After that it was almost as easy as installing any Windows or Apple platform thanks to the installation program provided with the system. Purist will undoubtedly feel that I have yet to earn my stripes, as there was no compiling required and the dual boot system seems to be working without a hitch, but it feels to me like I’ve become a new citizen of the open source community. The desktop, Internet browser, games, and applications that were loaded with this system are equal to or better than most similar programs in the commercial platforms. The package I used was provided as a courtesy trial and there are some limitations because of that caveat. By most any definition, this is a commercial product, as the provider hopes to package the system with support and charge for using the platform. Nevertheless, given the ease of installation, the nice package of applications, and the fact that it is less than one-third the cost of a comparable package from Microsoft, open source systems will definitely be a part of my Multiple Platforms world.

Open Source Updates
Secunia has released these updates for the open source community: Conectiva, Mandriva, SuSE (1, 2, 3), Red Hat (1, 2, 3), Gentoo, Ubuntu, and Linux.

Tip of the Day from Multiple Platforms.com:
The tip of the day from Multiple Platforms comes in the form of a link to Microsoft where you will find helpful tips on how to spot a bogus email; click here for more information.

What is a Worm?
A worm is different from a virus or a Trojan horse and for a definition of worm we look to Wikipedia: “A computer worm is a self-replicating computer program, similar to a computer virus. A virus attaches itself to, and becomes part of, another executable program; however, a worm is self-contained and does not need to be part of another program to propagate itself. They are often designed to exploit the file transmission capabilities found on many computers.
The name 'worm' was taken from The Shockwave Rider, a 1970s science fiction novel by John Brunner. Researchers writing an early paper on experiments in distributed computing noted the similarities between their software and the program described by Brunner and adopted the name.
The first implementation of a worm was by two researchers at Xerox PARC in 1978.
The first worm to attract wide attention, the Morris worm, was written by Robert Tappan Morris, Jr., who at the time was a graduate student at Cornell University. It was released on November 2, 1988, and quickly infected a great many computers on the Internet at the time. It propagated through a number of bugs in BSD Unix and its derivatives. Morris himself was convicted under the US Computer Crime and Abuse Act and received three years' probation, community service and a fine in excess of $10,000.
In addition to replication, a worm may be designed to do any number of things, such as delete files on a host system or send documents via email. More recent worms may be multi-headed and carry other executables as a payload. However, even in the absence of such a payload, a worm can wreak havoc just with the network traffic generated by its reproduction. Mydoom, for example, caused a noticeable worldwide Internet slowdown at the peak of its spread.
A common payload is for a worm to install a backdoor in the infected computer, as was done by Sobig and Mydoom. These zombie computers are used by spam senders for sending junk email or to cloak their website's address.”

The bottom line is the worm is self-replicating and can multiply rapidly because of this characteristic.

Tech News Blog
6.7.05
Apple and Intel: Will They Live Happily Ever After?
Steve Jobs confirmed the rumor that the future for Apple processors is with Intel on Monday (see Apple press release) and the reactions are mixed as expected with many pundits making dooms-day predictions for the maker of Macs. Making this switch is most certainly a huge risk, but so is getting out of bed in the morning; we are much safer under a warm blanket, but with a few notable exceptions, you can’t make a living from the comfort of your bed, getting up is a risk and a necessity. As a long-time Mac user but huge proponent for the use of Multiple Platforms, I personally think this move is a match made for a lifetime of happiness, not only for the corporations involved, but for future and past customers too. Allow me to explain why I believe this to be true.

Reasons Why Apple Changed
Previous delivery issues: Less than a year ago, we saw Apple delay the introduction of the new iMac and this delay was caused by tardy delivery of processors from IBM (see PC World July 2004). This delay cost Apple sales, frustrated consumers, and allowed journalist to claim that Apple wasn’t ready to be a primetime player.
Heat and Power: The current processors produced by IBM are creating so much heat and are so energy hungry that Apple cannot utilize them in a laptop. This is a limiting factor in any plan to capture a larger market share from Apple’s competitors. By making the switch to Intel, Macs will have a much more favorable power to performance unit ratio. According to TidBITs, an increase of more than four fold could be realized with a new processor based on comments made by Jobs during the keynote speech. The same report by the TidBITS staff also notes that Steve was somewhat short on details and specifics regarding processor power, etc.
Costs/IBM: Apparently Jobs had requested a price reduction on the costs of processors IBM was to provide, but the latter was unwilling to make any compromises regarding remuneration for their processors.
Rosetta/ Developer Tools: There is a software product already available that will allow this transition to occur more smoothly than many have predicted (see PCPRO.co.uk/: Apple’s Intel-based…) and Apple is promising developers support and in some cases a computer with an Intel processor (Apple press release). These efforts reflect the fact that Apple has --
Planned The Switch For Some Time: In his keynote speech Jobs noted that Apple’s operating system had been leading a double life and that Macs have been running on the ‘other’ processors for many months. Steve emphasized his point with a Mac using an Intel chip, utilizing Rosetta and running several third-party software products that had not been modified (see CNET: Jobs confirms Apple’s switch…). In addition, Apple has been riding high on the iPod wave and the company could possibly weather a period when sales of their computers decreased. Finally, if the economy suddenly slows due to an increase in the cost-of-living or we see a continued escalation of energy (gas) prices, electronic equipment will be one of the first products consumers stop purchasing and in that event all of the industry might suffer losses.

Reasons Why Doomsday Might Be Averted
So many editorials conclude that no one will purchase a Mac now that they know there is new technology forthcoming; and by extension, this will lead to the financial ruin of Apple. To those prognosticators, we offer the following reasons why Macs may continue to be purchased:
You replace your computer because you need to, not when you want to – Sure, we all like to think about the latest and greatest technology occupying the desktop space in front of our collective selves; but why do we normally purchase a new computer? Because the old one is no longer functioning, or is functioning so slowly it is no longer feasible to keep using the old box. Desktop computers last about three years before new technology begins to make them obsolete and laptops have an even shorter life span; these two factors are important components when attempting to forecast future sales. If you own a old (original) iMac, the recent upgrade to Tiger has left you behind; the hard drive is woefully small, and you might start experiencing issues with the monitor about now. Are you going to wait one or two years to purchase a new Mac, will you switch to a Dell because the PC is cheaper, or will you bite the bullet and grab a new iMac with the G5 processor that is fast, even if it does produce a little heat. My guess is most of us who own a Mac and need a replacement between now and the introduction of the new processors will not switch or do without. Moreover, let me assure you that even with the additional heat, the new iMac is much quieter than most PCs and just as fast. Furthermore, could Apple encourage prospective consumers to buy now rather than wait with –
Pricing Strategy: Apple’s introduction of the Mac Mini put pressure on the PC market and many of the low-end computer makers dropped their prices in response to the new Mac. If Apple lowered prices on the remaining inventory of computers, they might increase their own sales while simultaneously increasing pressure on their competitors producing PCs.
Long History of Supporting Legacy Systems: Apple has a history of supporting their operating systems as noted by the San Jose Mercury News and this switch is not likely to signal any change in that regard by the Mac maker. As I noted previously, until Tiger my old (original) iMac has been upgradeable and more productive with each new OS. I sincerely hope that Apple will not abandon the older Macs, but the change may signal the end for OS 9 users (see Silicon.com).
Digital Rights Management: Finally, there maybe much more to this than just increasing performance as pointed out in an article by Wired and cited yesterday in this column. Contained within the new Intel processor is a new DRM package that may allow Apple to grab the lead in offering online movies; can you say Apple iMovie Store?
Many other factors can make this a win-win situation for Apple. Most of the software developers have already promised to work with Apple including Adobe and Microsoft (see the Apple press release). Perhaps the ultimate benefit to this change could be a computer that can run both operating systems, a distinct possibility. From my chair and paraphrasing Z.Z. Top, the futures so bright I need to wear shades…


Open Source Updates
Secunia has these updates available for open source users: Gentoo (1, 2), Conectiva (1, 2), and Mandriva.

Tip of the Day from Multiple Platforms.com
Due to the length of today’s post, I am neglecting the tip of the day, sorry…

Tech News Blog
6.6.05
Apple Making a Switch?
After their marketing campaign to get Windows users to migrate to Macs, it looks like Apple may be making a switch of their own and depending upon whom you listen to or whose writing you are reading it could be a good or bad move. The story broke late Friday afternoon and I have been reluctant to publish anything regarding Apple that hasn’t been confirmed because of the company’s recent legal actions against small web sites like Multiple Platforms.com/, but this story did not come from a rumor site it came from CNET, a highly respected tech news source. Based on the report from CNET, Apple may be ditching their PowerPC chips and new Macs will have their processors made by Intel. Computer expert’s opinions on the benefits and drawbacks are purely speculative at this point, but Wired has a good scoop on how Apple might ease the transition with a software product that allows for Multiple Platforms to run on the same processor without a loss of performance. Now that would make this a truly brilliant move by Steve Jobs and it would be in the best interest of Apple. Here are some links to other stories on this issue: MacCentral, MacNN, PC World, and Leo Laporte. We’ll all know more after the Keynote speech by Jobs today…

Camino, Firefox, and Mozilla Flaws
Secunia announced flaws in the Mozilla, Firefox, and Camino browsers that can allow unwanted intrusions by crackers and the remedy is the same in both instances. According to Secunia, users of the aforementioned browsers: “Do (should) not browse untrusted web sites while browsing trusted sites”.

Windows Remote Desktop has Security Issues
The busy workers at Secunia and their volunteer security watchers have noted a flaw that exists in Remote Desktop. Secunia suggests: “Connect only to terminal services over trusted networks.”

Apple iPod Recycling
Apple announced a new program to allow iPod owners to recycle their old music players; here is part of the press release from Apple:
Free iPod Recycling Program
Beginning today, customers can bring iPods they no longer want to any of Apple's 100+ retail stores in the US for free environmentally friendly disposal. Those who drop off an iPod, iPod mini or iPod photo will receive a 10% discount on the purchase of a new iPod that day. [Jun 03, 2005] Apple Hot News

Open Source Updates
Secunia has bulletins for Debian and Sun Solaris.

Tip of the Day from Multiple Platforms.com: Open Source Distro
I know that this space is usually reserved for tips for you, but today I would like to turn the tables and ask for a tip for me, I hope you don’t mind. After dabbling in open source with Knoppix, I’m ready to venture beyond this system and I would like to know what your favorite distro is and why. If you have any experience with the open source world drop me an email at: contactus@multipleplatforms.com/. Thanks!

What is a Distro?
A distro according to Wikipedia is: “A Linux distribution or GNU/Linux distribution (or a distro) is a Unix-like operating system comprising software components such as the Linux kernel, the GNU toolchain, and assorted free and open source software. Some proprietary software is found in certain distributions and is not free software. A Linux Distribution — or distro, en parlante — is created by individuals, groups and organizations from around the world.
Companies such as Red Hat, SUSE and Mandriva, and community projects such as Debian and Gentoo Linux, assemble and test the software before releasing their distribution. There are currently over two hundred Linux distribution projects in active development, revising and improving their respective distribution.”