From an email advertisement…
Microsoft has issued Anti Spyware Beta. The question of whether or not you will pay or have to pay to keep it is still being decided in the corporate boardrooms. If Microsoft requires all users to pay Microsoft, then the other anti-virus manufacturers are OK. See their relative stock values. My position is that Microsoft should not be charging to fix its product that is defective in this area.
The same quandary is being associated with its anti-virus efforts. Means that lot of bucks would not flow to the anti-virus companies. It will be interesting to see how the marketplace deals with the Microsoft quandary.
I hate working on Dell computers. This past weekend was Dell (spelled Hell) weekend when the software of several was compromised by malware and worms.
Of course, the worms didn't exactly advertise what they were or that they were present, but a computer taking 10 minutes to boot is a general indication.
In two cases, it was advisable that the computers both be reloaded with the Dell factory software and that is where the problems started.
When the software is reloaded from scratch, all of the drivers are also wiped out. CDs with ALL of the drivers of all Dell computers are provided with the computer; an image of the entire drive is NOT provided. Acronis provides a current image.
What you ARE given is an Erector set requiring knowledge of how a computer is constructed - and the knowledge is far beyond the capabilities of the average buyer.
First you install a raw XP load. Because there are no drivers for the NIC or modem, you can't do any updating until the drivers are installed from the Dell-supplied CD.
Then you need to know to insert the driver CD and to identify, unzip, and install the drivers into specific locations.
This little scenario worked OK on the first computer, but the second failed to find its own modem. The setup didn't describe what was missing; the only description was something like IDE DEVICE NOT INSTALLED and nothing more.
With no clues what to do, the customer was out of luck.
Finally, during one last try a day later, with a working DSL connection a diagnostic caused an automatic load of the missing (modem) driver that was compatible with the later (updated) version of XP with SP2.
Rather than giving the customer an erector set, it would be much more expedient to merely give the customer an image of each series of computer; but to avoid the issuance of a new image with each model, Dell has merely packaged the elements and let the consumer put it all together ostensibly; with some guidance - which seems absent.
Further, one of the computers was destined to have a HDD added for backup purposes, but the existing HDD was mounted vertically with a cable that was just barely long enough and there was no way to mount a second HDD drive in the vicinity of the first HDD. This meant that a normally routine upgrade was an exercise in patience and metalwork. They're not built with upgrading or the consumer in mind.
There are other manufacturers that make the restore-to-factory of the software a trivial project and that provide adequate facilities for upgrades. Power Spec is a good example.
The past weekend was the time of the slow computer. Four computers came in during the week and all of them exhibited symptoms of extreme slowness and all had either spyware or Trojans.
While there are tools that will help, one of the key capabilities is sheer knowledge about what the malware looks like, but the spywares each display multiple characteristics.
In the March 2005 Smart Computing page 74 is an excellent review of how to set yourself up to be able to debug the broadband or modem interface to the Internet. The mapping details exactly a plan to decide if the problem is yours or the ISP's and even which part of the ISP. Can save a lot of time and anguish.
On page 80 is a review of some of the more common download options within Firefox 1.0.
Setting up your own Yahoo page is covered on page 82.
On page 78 is how to surf the net and avoid lots of junk being downloaded to your computer.
On page 90 is a review of all of the on-line articles that are available only to subscribers - the site is a really formidable source of information.
If you use the code 8592 on your subscription to Smart Computing, you won't gain any benefit, but SPAUG will receive a certificate suitable for raffling for each 6 subscriptions with the code submitted.
Why am I pushing Smart Computing this month? Because they are our speakers for April and it would be nice if you all were subscribers. There are definite advantages in being one.
Dick Delp showed how you could use a Linux application to burn a CD ROM. Dick had the Linux SuSE 9.1 distribution loaded on his computer, which has an Athlon 3 GHz CPU, 512 MB RAM, 120 GB HD, and CD/DVD R/W. Windows XP is also available. The DVD/CD burning application K3b was included in SuSE (along with the standard Office-type applications, such as word processing, spreadsheet, database, presentation, and the GIMP graphic editor). The K3b interface is very similar to Roxio's Easy CD Creator (here's a link to K3b–Easy CD Burning Program for Linux, which has a lot of information about the program). The burned CD or DVD is readable in Windows as well as Linux, so data can be transferred among operating systems. The process is very intuitive, and most times the default settings are fine. Dick has not tried making an audio CD, but one of the K3b options is “Audio CD Project”. Dick demonstrated viewing the disk in Windows Explorer; the burned files were right where they were burned. Dick will try to convert to the Linux email and browser programs.
A member who has used SuSE Pro ($70-80) Linux for 10 years said he and his wife successfully use the browser, email, and openoffice.org applications, which allow complete independence from Microsoft applications, except for TurboTax. But VMWare has a Windows emulator that allows running Windows applications in Linux.
Asaf Degani, a NASA human factors researcher gave a talk based on his book Taming HAL. You can buy a copy here at Amazon.com.
Too often, our interactions with technology are irritating or confusing. A VCR recording the wrong show can be trivial, but a mistake with a critical systemlike an autopilot or medical device–can mean life or death. Dr. Degani told us why interfaces between people and machines all too often do not work, showed us several examples of interfaces that are ambiguous and create confusion in the user, and explained what needs to be done to avoid potential tragedies. He also demonstrated an argument that could get you out of a running a red stoplight citation. Unfortunately, he could not help us deal with existing poor interfaces, like alarm clock setting, VCR settings, ceiling fans, and others, except to advise us to be very careful, and don't assume any product will do what you think it should do.
Asaf Degani is a research scientist at the Computational Sciences Division at NASA Ames Research Center. He has conducted experiments on human factors aspects of cockpit design, procedure usage and development, and automated decision aids. His current work is on application of formal methods for analysis and design of human-automation interaction. He holds a maritime master ticket, a private pilot license, and a Ph.D. in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Georgia Tech.
California vintners in the Napa Valley area, which primarily produces Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir and Pinot Grigio wines, have developed a new hybrid grape that acts as an anti-diuretic. It is expected to reduce the number of trips older people have to make to the bathroom during the night. The new wine will be marketed as Pinot More.
