VERY,VERY HOT READS, I Would Read The News In This Thread This Thead Is To post Any Thing Ye Want About The News,,NEWS WAS MOVED,READ MY FIRST POS...

Date Published: 1/6/2006

Update for Windows XP (KB900485)
Install this update to resolve an issue in which you receive a “stop 0x7e in aec.sys” error message on a computer that is running Windows XP Service Pack 2. The error may occur during startup, or after the system has started. AEC.SYS is the acoustic echo canceling driver. After you install this update, you may have to restart your computer.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...bf-b240-4a34-ae0e-798cded8cbaf&DisplayLang=en

 

Sony chief says the Sony/BMG XCP press beating was 'unfair'
Posted by Dan Bell on 07 January 2006 - 19:05 - Source: PC World

Man, you gotta hand it to Sony for saying what is on their mind, at least the people they pay to speak for them. At the CES, Sony Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Howard Stringer made some comments eluding that they need to "tread very carefully" when addressing the needs of consumers rights and also the artists rights.

Then, he makes it very clear that Sony BMG is a separate entity and due to that divisions reckless conduct with the XCP and SunnComm MediaMax fiasco, everyone was blaming Sony Electronics! Go figure.
We have to walk the line at Sony between the needs and technology of the customer and the rights of the artist, which we feel fairly strongly about," he said referring to Sony's dual role as both a major consumer electronics and a major music and movie publisher.

Stringer also said he was worried about the negative impact the controversy could have had on Sony as a whole because of Sony BMG's actions. Sony BMG is a joint venture with Bertelsmann.

"Every headline was about Sony, as if Sony Electronics was behind all of this and we took quite a beating but it was a Sony BMG copyright protection tradition and this was a bad situation. We obviously retreated from that position."

"Sony as a company took a bit of a beating for it, which was somewhat unfair," he said.

Maybe people are confused because both "companies" are using the name Sony and since Sony isn't stopping Sony from using their name in that weird deal with BMG, that we just figure it's the same company? This kind of reminds me of when I book a plane ticket with American Airlines or any of the major carriers. If it isn't a direct connection, they dump you off at their hub from the 747 you flew in on and direct you to the gate for the puddle jumper from American Eagle. Then, when the puddle jumpers flight is canceled due to whatever reason and you are stuck in the terminal until further notice, they are real quick to tell you that American Eagle is a separate entity from American Airlines and you have no right to complain to American Airlines. Give me a break.

I'll tell you what's unfair. It's the way honest citizens are being jerked around by giant corporations that place profits ahead of peoples rights and getting away with it by using this type of quasi legal mumbo jumbo. In my eyes Sony Electronics is just as guilty of Sony BMG actions against the public. After all, a parent is held responsible for their childrens actions when they download an MP3 and you sure as heck don't see anyone bat an eye when the RIAA sues the pants off the parents. You can't have it both ways Sony, but nice try.
http://www.cdfreaks.com/news/12919

 

5.8.1.1, 2006 01 07 ANYDVD

- New: Improved the function to remove unreferenced VOBUs.
This fixes problems (Error message "invalid navigation
structure") with DVDShrink and Nero Recode with some titles.
- Fix: Alpha DVD copyprotection detection. Some titles (e.g.,
"The Fifth Element - Remastered Deluxe Edition" R2, German)
were incorrectly identified as protected with the "Settec
AlphaDVD" copy protection.
- Updated languages

http://www.slysoft.com/en/download.html

 

Sceptical about Patti Santangelo?

p2p news / p2pnet: I've been quite saddened by some of the responses I've come across towards the Fight Goliath campaign set up to help Patricia Santangelo battle the RIAA in court.

As most people reading this are aware, this New York mom is just one of the people being targeted by the RIAA under their bizarre theory that if enough ordinary people are litigated into the ground then everyone will go back to buying CDs like the good little consumers they used be.

Doing the rounds on my favourite forums, I've come across a lot of scepticism about Patti. Here are three examples:

"Last time donated any money to a cause like this it was scam. So no $$$ from me."

"methinks its a con"

"anybody remember lokitorrents?" and "Yup. First thing I thought when I saw this thread..."

I thought I might take some time to shoot down some of the unfounded doubts people may be having.

A) Patricia Santangelo wasn't running a torrent site. She's said to have been sharing music through Kazaa. No huge advertising revenue. No huge user-base. No huge facilitation of copyright infringement. Just one tiny node on a network of millions.

B) Patricia Santangelo isn't a p2p developer. She didn't come up with some great way to share billions of files with millions of other users, nor is she bundling spyware/adware with her non-existent application.

C) Patricia Santangelo can't afford a lawyer. She used to have one, but an affidavit to Judge Colleen McMahon her now ex-lawyer, Ray Beckerman, says "(a) defendant does not appear to have the financial resources that would be required for the pretrial discovery, and summary judgment and/or trial work, that lay ahead, and (b) it is clear to the undersigned that the plaintiff's case is frivolous, so that it would be unwarranted for defendant to go to extraordinary means to finance her defense of this case."

D) Patricia Santangelo still has legal expenses. Retaining a lawyer is not the extent of the total legal fees that can be racked up fighting a civil lawsuit. Need to file a document with the court? Pay up. Need to subpoena a RIAA "piracy investigator"? Pay up. Need a one-off conversation with an expert in a particular legal or technical field? Pay up. It's not a "Lawyer costs $100/hour x 35 hours = $3,500 in legal fees" kind of situation.

E) Patricia Santangelo isn't some anonymous name on your screen, begging for money. All her details are publically available through the court documents on her case. We have photos of her with the court documents. We have videos of her on NBC, CBS, Fox, CNN and MSNBC.

F) Patricia Santangelo has opted for a trial by jury. As in turn-up-at-the-court-and-watch-the-whole-thing-with-your-own-eyes kind of trial by jury.

Now that we can see Patti isn't asking for us to "please send bank details an i will deposit 1 million dollars 2 yor acont" what are some best or worst case scenarios?

Worst case - Patricia Santagelo runs off with all the money. The RIAA spends hundreds of thousands of dollars tracking her down so they can drag her back to court and bankrupt her.

You lose your $5 donation. The RIAA lose hundreds of thousands of dollars. Patti loses everything.

Another worst case scenario - Patricia Santagelo caves in to the RIAA and hands over all the money. You lose your $5 donation. The RIAA lose hundreds of thousands of dollars net because they've already forked out that much on legals, so they don't make a profit on the deal. Patti is spared the fate of all the others who've been sued, thanks to the kindness of people who, every day, still do exactly what she's in trouble for.

Best case scenario?

Patricia Santagelo wins. She doesn't have to pay the RIAA anything. Instead, she gets her court costs back and you get a warm, fuzzy feeling knowing your $5 donation helped stick a nail in the RIAA's coffin. Patti gets the benefit of not being bankrupted and can to go back to being a mother and a provider instead of an RIAA PR piece.

The RIAA? It gets a lot of very bad press on top of the very bad press it's already getting, and it loses a chunk of money and the ability to victimize people like you.

Unfortunately, this thing is bigger than you. Or me. Or Patricia Santagelo.

I don't have a crystal ball that will tell me if its "worth" donating to this cause. What I am doing, though, is imagining myself standing in the Valley of Elah holding a betting slip with "David - 100 Shakels To Win" written on it.

We all knew it was going to happen sooner or later. Maybe not one in the first thousand, maybe not one in the first ten thousand, but we all knew that eventually, some ordinary person was going to fight back against the huge corporate bullies.

But in fact, Patti isn't just some ordinary woman.

She's extraordinary.

Alex H, p2pnet - Sydney, Australia
[Alex is an operations manager for an ATM (automatic teller machine) supplier and he specialises in infrastructure development and maintenance, and logistics. He’s also an[other] active member of the Shareaza community who's just started his own blog called Tech Loves Art where you'll find past p2pnet posts, together with other goodies to come ; ]

=================

NOTE: - As we post this, 244 people have donated $3,659.46 from 13 sites. Go here to see the sites and the exact amounts.

Meanwhile, use the button below to contribute whatever you can afford and if you're a webmaster, go here to get the code that'll allow you to put a Fight Goliath button on your site.

http://p2pnet.net/story/7537
Logged

 

Verizon's 'dirty little secret'

p2p news / p2pnet: While everyone's been covering Verizon's new VCast music service, PCS Intel says it's been investigating, "some of the things Verizon may be brushing under the rug".

Like?

Like, "The VCast Music Store is an extension of Microsoft's PlayForSure system. VCast Music phones connect to Windows Media Player 10, and transfer DRM music as well as a customer's existing music library. Purchased music is $1/song (when purchased on the PC and sent to the phone), or, can be purchased on the handset and later transferred back to the PC for $2/song.

"However, the 'dirty little secret' is that MP3 support is gone from these devices, VCast Music phones will not play MP3 files, regardless if in memory or on a memory card."

PCS Intel says it figures Bill and the Boyz agreed, :"to engineer VCast Music phones as WMA-only devices, in order to lock out iTunes and other competition from most interaction with the device that does not involve burning, ripping, and integrating into Windows Media Player.

"This type of monopolist tatic is something that iTunes has avoided, but Windows Media Player embraces."

But, the story goes on, "It appears Verizon knows internally that this is a liability. In a leaked internal memo from Verizon's corporate intranet, Verizon states that customers that want MP3 support should be issued a refurbished VX-8100 with V04 firmware. However, the average consumer is to not be informed that there is a difference between what VX-8100s support formats, and customers are encouraged without prior warning that MP3 support will be lost with the V06 update. Presumably a Mac or Linux customer could be downgraded to V04 firmware."

In an update post, "Many are sending in a Verizon claim that MP3s are supported," says PCS Intel, adding:

"However, you need to read the statement carefully. The statement says that MP3s are supported provided you use Windows Media Player 10. What is actually happening is WMP10 is converting the MP3s to WMA, much like WMA files are converted to MP3 when sent to the iPod via iTunes. However, unlike the iPod and iTunes, there is no such solution for VCast Music phones on Mac or Linux.

"In addition, viewers are also sending in Verizon press releases which promote the Samsung SCH-A950 and LG VX-8100 as having built-in MP3 player support via the memory card. Removing this feature via software update can easily be considered false advertising."

(Thanks, Masha)

 

USING SYSTEM RESTORE.......... Straightforward, step by step help guide explaining how to use it with a minimal amount of disk space, what it does and how it works. System Restore can return your system to an earlier state if problems are caused by a program you installed, malicious web sites, recovery of deleted files even after you've emptied the Recycle Bin, a corrupted Registry as well as many other common problems. By using it regularly you'll always be able to fix a problem in minutes. The article is available for viewing online and as a downloadable Help file (.chm) for installation on your PC.....(free).....GO THERE!


Using System Restore

When a Windows XP user asks how to fix a problem they've recently started having with their PC my first response is to use System Restore to roll it back to a point just before the problem started. I've found the majority either don't know how to use it, don't know what it does, turned it off because it uses too much disk space and virtually all say that Microsoft's Help file is not very helpful to which I'd agree. However it is one of the best utilities Microsoft has ever written and works extremely well.

Using System Restore is a straightforward, step by step help guide explaining how to use it with a minimal amount of disk space, what it does and how it works. System Restore can return your system to an earlier state if problems are caused by a program you installed, malicious web sites, recovery of deleted files even after you've emptied the Recycle Bin, a corrupted Registry as well as many other common problems. By using it regularly you'll always be able to fix a problem in minutes. The article is available for viewing online and as a downloadable Help file (.chm) for installation on your PC.

go there its free
http://camtech2000.net/Pages/System_Restore.htm

 

THIS SITE HAS A LOT OF STUFF,I WOULD CHECK IT OUT IF I WAS YE

UNSTOPPABLE COPIER..........Recovers files from disks with physical damage. Allows you to copy files from disks with problems such as bad sectors, scratches or that just give errors when reading data. The program will attempt to recover every readable piece of a file and put the pieces together. Using this method most types of files can be made useable even if some parts were not recoverable in the end.....(free).....GO THERE!
http://www.roadkil.net/


Recovers files from disks with physical damage. Allows you to copy files from disks with problems such as bad sectors, scratches or that just give errors when reading data. The program will attempt to recover every readable piece of a file and put the pieces together. Using this method most types of files can be made useable even if some parts were not recoverable in the end. Version 2.0 is a major update with new features including drag and drop aswell as being able to support file sizes up to 18,446,744,073,709,551,615 bytes! A linux (KDE) version will be available shortly.

 

How to remove SpywareStrike
spywarestrike removal SpywareStrike is a anti spyware program that is known to issue fake warnings on your computer in order to manipulate you into buying its full commercial version. If you are infected with this program you may receive warnings in your task bar that appear to be from Microsoft Security Center stating that you are infected with spyware and to run its special anti spyware tool.

This tool turns out to be the commercial version of SpywareStrike. These warnings are fake and are a goad to have you buy the commercial version of this software. The taskbar alerts that you may be seeing are currently being caused by the C:\Windows\System32\netwrap.dll file.


Note: The removal program is updated whenever a new file is found that is associated with this infection. When new updates are released, I will mention the update date in the topic description. You should remove the current SmitRem folder that you created, and redownload the SmitRem as per the instructions given in this topic.

What this program does:

SpywareStrike is a anti-spyware program that is known to issue fake warnings on your computer in order to manipulate you into buying its full commercial version. If you are infected with this program you may receive warnings in your task bar that appear to be from Microsoft Security Center stating that you are infected with spyware and to run its special anti-spyware tool. This tool turns out to be the commercial version of SpywareStrike. These warnings are fake and are a goad to have you buy the commercial version of this software. The taskbar alerts that you may be seeing are currently being caused by the C:\Windows\System32\ netwrap.dll file. This file may change in the future.




http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=40303

 

Sony Seeks a Balance for CD Copy Controls
http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,124271,00.asp
Company looks to meet the needs of consumers and the rights of artists, exec says.

Martyn Williams, IDG News Service
Saturday, January 07, 2006

LAS VEGAS -- The recent controversy over a copy-protection system employed on music CDs from Sony BMG Music Entertainment proved to Sony Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Howard Stringer the need to carefully balance the needs of customers and the rights of artists, he said this week.


Advertisement




"Clearly the perception out there is that we shouldn't be doing too much of that copy protection stuff," said Stringer, who was speaking at a news conference at the International Consumer Electronics Show here.

He was referring to a controversy that erupted late last year after a Windows operating system expert discovered Sony BMG's XCP copy protection system installed itself on user's computers using "rootkit" cloaking techniques, making it difficult to detect and remove.

After that a second copy protection system employed by Sony, called MediaMax, came under the spotlight. Sony BMG stopped shipping XCP-encoded discs after hackers released malicious software that took advantage of the system.

Walking the Line

"In the video business moving on this is going to be something of a tug of war for the reasons that protecting the artist's right is not something that should be automatically dismissed by the push-and-pull generation. And we're just going to have to tread very carefully," he said.

"We have to walk the line at Sony between the needs and technology of the customer and the rights of the artist, which we feel fairly strongly about," he said referring to Sony's dual role as both a major consumer electronics and a major music and movie publisher.

Stringer also said he was worried about the negative impact the controversy could have had on Sony as a whole because of Sony BMG's actions. Sony BMG is a joint venture with Bertelsmann.

"Every headline was about Sony, as if Sony Electronics was behind all of this and we took quite a beating but it was a Sony BMG copyright protection tradition and this was a bad situation. We obviously retreated from that position."

"Sony as a company took a bit of a beating for it, which was somewhat unfair," he said.

For more CES coverage, head to PC World's CES Info Center.

 

its a double post but..its some cool info

History of DVD copy protections (not CSS):
The first AnyDVD version supporting Sony Arccos was version 4.0.4.1 from September 2004. If I remember correctly, the first Sony Arccos titles were released in Summer 2004. About the same time some titles with the "Puppetlock" protection were first released.
Sony's marketing blurb: http://www.sonydadc.com/products.copy.arccos.go
Most newer titles from Sony Pictures (and the companies they own, like Columbia TriStar, MGM) are Sony Arccos protected, but Arccos has recently been seen on non-Sony Pictures DVDs as well.
Support for "Settec Alpha DVD" (a protection created by a LG spinoff in Korea) was added to AnyDVD in January 2005. Settec Alpha DVD marketing blurb: http://www.settec.co.kr/eng/pro_alphadvd.htm
Madagascar (US) is not Sony Arccos protected. It is protected by Macrovision RipGuard. The first RipGuad protected title was discoverd around November 2005 ("Vet Hard", R2, Netherlands). As Universal and Macrovision work closely together (see press release: http://www.macrovision.com/company/...18 PST 2005 ), most new Universal US DVDs are now RipGuard protected. Macrovision marketing blurb: http://www.macrovision.com/products...ard/index.shtml
A new copy protection "ProtectDVD" is announced here:
http://www.protectdisc.com/With_FL/html/products.html
AnyDVD does not support this protection yet, as we were not able to purchase a disc with this protection. Some people believe, that the rental version of "The Keeper" R2 (Italian) has this protection. We don't know if this rumour is true or false. We were not able to purchase this disc, so we cannot verify it.
__________________
James

SlySoft products

 

RIAA schoolgirl victim hearing

p2p news / p2pnet: The Big Four Organized Music cartel's RIAA and one of its legal team may have erred seriously in its ongoing efforts to use the American legal system to victimize Britanny Chan, a 14-year-old Michigan schoolgirl.

The RIAA is short for the Recording Industry Association of America, although only one of its owners, Warner Music, is actually American. The other three are Sony BMG, Japan and Germany, Vivendi Universal, France, and EMI, Britain.

The RIAA is still trying to convince the world that it's owners, the multi-billion-dollar Big Four labels, are being "devastated" by people who use the p2p networks to share music with each other online, that its artists are being neglected and that numerous support workers are experiencing extreme financial hardship as a direct result.

It claims file sharers are causing huge losses in sales, the convoluted reasoning apparently being: someone on the receiving end in a file sharing action would have paid $1 or more to buy the song from an online corporate music site supported and supplied by the cartel, or from an offline retail outfit, had she or he not downloaded it from a site not supplied by the Big Four.

It's a patently ridiculous assertion and neither the labels nor any of their **AA units has ever been able to explain how it works in practice, let alone prove, it. However, the mainstream media consistently report it as factual.

Meanwhile, the RIAA failed to get at Britanny through her mother, so now they're trying to open a new window of opportunity.

She's a minor which means they can't haul her before a judge by herself and they're trying to have a guardian ad litem, someone named to look out for the best interests of a child in legal proceedings, appointed.

The RIAA initiated a January 5 hearing centering on this demand and, says Recording Industry vs The People, the hearing dealt with such questions as:

* If a guardian ad litem were to be appointed, who'd pay his or her fees?
* Who'll pay the fees of the guardian's attorney?; and
* Was it a violation of the court rules for the RIAA lawyer to use the minor's name in the caption?

Explains Ray Beckeman, the lawyer working with Patti Santangelo, usually the guardian ad litem is someone known to, and trusted by, the judge.

If a copyright infringement case such as this, "were fully litigated, in the manner in which the RIAA litigates cases, I'd expect the guardian ad litem's fees to be in the tens of thousands of dollars, and the fees of his or her counsel, and expert witnesses, to possibly reach or even exceed $100,000," he says.

"Since the likely recovery in the case is zero, it being unlikely that the teenaged defendant has any nonexempt assets with which to satisfy a judgment, it's not clear why the RIAA is proceeding to ask for appointment of a guardian ad litem."

Normally, "fees are paid from a fund if the case involves a fund of money, or by the party requesting the guardian's appointment in a case such as this one, where there is no fund, I'd expect the fees of the guardian ad litem and the guardian's attorneys to have to be paid by the RIAA," says Beckerman.

The last item - Was it a violation of the court rules for the RIAA lawyer to use the minor's name in the caption? - is the possible killer.

Working for the RIAA was Matthew Krichbaum, the lawyer who, it's alleged, tried to get a 15 year old witness to "say something that wasn't true" in Motown v Nelson.

Britanny is a minor and when someone sues a minor, the case is supposed to be against "anonymous".

However, she's clearly been named.

Meanwhile, the case under submission and a written decision will be issued "in due course".

Stay tuned.
http://p2pnet.net/story/7546

 

AUTO PATCHER.......... How often do you install Windows? Crashes, viruses, or even fixing other peoples' computers... Most people install their operating system regularly, whether they want to or not. After a while, you will get sick of going to Windows Update and continuously downloading patch after patch, update after update. Well, we have just the thing. AutoPatcher is a comprehensive collection of patches, addons and registry tweaks that give you peace of mind in the knowledge that your Windows system is up to date, even before you connect it to the Internet. It's designed to quickly patch a system with the most current updates and tweaks available, and requires no user interaction once you have selected what to install.....(free).....GO THERE!

http://www.autopatcher.com/


QUOTE
Windows 2K SP4 - Updated Components
Internet Explorer 6 SP1
DirectX 9.0c
.NET Framework 2.0
.NET Framework 1.1 (+SP1)
- KB886903: Security Update for .NET Framework 1.1 SP1
Windows Installer 3.1 v2
MDAC 2.8 SP1
Windows Script 5.6 (v5.6.0.8825)
Windows Media Player v9
Windows Journal Viewer 1.5 (only in Full)
Windows Messenger 5.1.0701 (only in Full)
MSN Messenger 7.0.0816 (only in Full)

Windows 2K SP4 - Critical Updates
KB891861: SP4 Rollup 1 v2
KB823353: Cumulative Security Update for Outlook Express 6 Service Pack 1
KB828026: Update for Windows Media Player URL script command behavior
KB833989: Security Update for Internet Explorer 6 SP1
KB842773: Update for BITS 2.0 and WinHTTP 5.1 for Windows 2000
KB870669: Disable ADODB.Stream object from Internet Explorer
KB883935: Security Update for Windows 2000
KB887797: Cumulative Update for Outlook Express 6 Service Pack 1
KB890046: Security Update for Windows 2000
KB890830: Malicious Software Removal Tool v1.11
KB893756: Security Update for Windows 2000
KB896358: Security Update for Windows 2000
KB896422: Security Update for Windows 2000
KB896423: Security Update for Windows 2000
KB896424: Security Update for Windows 2000
KB897715: Security Update for Outlook Express 6 Service Pack 1
KB899587: Security Update for Windows 2000
KB899589: Security Update for Windows 2000
KB899591: Security Update for Windows 2000
KB900725: Security Update for Windows 2000
KB901017: Security Update for Windows 2000
KB901214: Security Update for Windows 2000
KB902400: Security Update for Windows 2000
KB904706: Security Update for DirectX 9 on Windows 2000
KB905414: Security Update for Windows 2000
KB905495: Security Update for Internet Explorer 6 SP1 for Windows 2000 SP4
KB905749: Security Update for Windows 2000
KB905915: Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer
KB908523: Security Update for Windows 2000

Windows 2K SP4 - Recommended updates
Root Certificates Update
KB818043: L2TP/IPsec NAT-T update for Windows XP and Windows 2000
KB820888: Fix for Crash When Mounting NTFS Volumes
KB822831: Windows 2000 Patch - Driver Installation Program Does Not Install Device Drivers
KB891122: Update for DRM-enabled Media Players
KB892313: Updates for Windows Media Player 9 & 10
KB894395: Update for Windows 2000
KB895181: Fix for MPEG4 videos in Windows Media Player 9 or 10
KB898458: Security Update for the Step-by-Step Interactive Training Application
http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=409574

Windows XP SP2 - Critical Updates
KB873339: Security Update for Windows XP
KB885250: Security Update for Windows XP
KB885835: Security Update for Windows XP
KB885836: Security Update for Windows XP
KB886185: Critical Update for Windows XP
KB887742: Critical Update for Windows XP
KB888113: Security Update for Windows XP
KB888302: Security Update for Windows XP
KB890046: Security Update for Windows XP
KB890830: Malicious Software Removal Tool v1.11
KB890859: Security Update for Windows XP
KB891781: Security Update for Windows XP
KB893066: Security Update for Windows XP
KB893756: Security Update for Windows XP
KB894391: Security Update for Windows XP
KB896358: Security Update for Windows XP
KB896422: Security Update for Windows XP
KB896423: Security Update for Windows XP
KB896424: Security Update for Windows XP
KB896428: Security Update for Windows XP
KB899587: Security Update for Windows XP
KB899589: Security Update for Windows XP
KB899591: Security Update for Windows XP
KB900725: Security Update for Windows XP
KB901017: Security Update for Windows XP
KB901214: Security Update for Windows XP
KB902400: Security Update for Windows XP
KB904706: Security Update for Windows XP
KB905414: Security Update for Windows XP
KB905749: Security Update for Windows XP
KB905915: Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer

Windows XP SP2 - Recommended updates
KB831240: Update for HighMAT support in the Windows XP CD Writing Wizard
KB884020: Update for Windows XP
KB885222: Update for Windows XP
KB886677: Update for Windows XP
KB886716: Update for Windows XP
KB887742: Update for Windows XP
KB887797: Cumulative Update for Outlook Express for Windows XP
KB888240: Update for Internet Explorer 6
KB888656: Update to enable DirectX Video Acceleration of Windows Media Video content in WMP 10
KB889527: Update for Windows XP v3
KB891122: Update for DRM-enabled Media Players
KB892313: Updates for Windows Media Player 9 and 10
KB893357: Update for Windows XP
KB894395: Update for Windows XP
KB895181: Fix for MPEG4 videos in Windows Media Player 10
KB896344: Update for Windows XP
KB896427: Update for Windows XP
KB896626: Update for Windows XP
KB898461: Update for Windows XP
KB898900: Update for Windows XP
KB900930: Update for Windows XP
KB903234: Update for Windows XP
KB908521: Update for Windows XP
KB910437: Update for Windows XP
http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=409564

 

Since this thread is for any subject matter, I'm writing to shout to the world that I'm PISSED OFF! You see, I'm at work and, of all the effrontery, they had the nerve to give me some work to do. How will I ever become a senior member...let alone an addict, if I have to work while I'm at work? I have the sort of job where there is either little to do or so much to do that you haven't time to breathe: the former is more than fair but the latter is nothing but worker exploitation! I love sitting here reading threads all day, responding and adding my two cents where appropriate but now, and for the next two or three weeks, my time here will be limited. Woe is me! I'm a social worker, you see, and every degenerate in the city has made New Years resolutions to change their lives and they come to speak with moi: so now I must spend my time telling people it's hard to find a job with green hair and with your lip chained to your left nipple. I have a guy that looks like frankenstein in drag who wants govt funds to go to school because he can't find a job, I have to tell a recently released mutiple murderer that nursing isn't the ideal profession and, no doubt, my next client will probably be a child molester wanting to open his own daycare center. Lord, I'm getting so jaded and cynical! Well boys and girls, back to the ball and chain....Gerry

NEWS FLASH! THe FBI has just raided the upstairs offices; seems some public servants have been selling firearms licenses to criminals. Ah, what a job I have!

 

@gerry1

Me too, you have my sincere regrets, it is a truly underpaid, overworked and stressy job.

 

Hi Arniebear! Thanks for the message...nice to know I'm not alone! If nothing else, we do get some good laughs sometimes ... professional humor, I guess. We deal everyday with things most of the American public only see in a diluted manner on TV. What you said was right but it certainly could be a lot worse...my buddy straps on a Kevlar vest and snatches babies out of crack houses; my job may get seriously "kinky" at times but seldom dangerous which is a damned good thing as I doubt that our ninety year old myopic security guards would make much of a difference! What area of the profession are you in? Take care!...Gerry

 

I just had to post it ^_^ this has got to be the funniest, most rediculous thread ive ever read. i hope u all enjoy this

http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/148004

 

Starrift...you're absolutely right, it is really hysterical. I wish I was part of it when it happened!

 

Court Gives First Nod to Sony BMG Settlement

Company seeks to end lawsuit over two widely-criticized copy protection programs.

Jeremy Kirk, IDG News Service
Monday, January 09, 2006

The Electronic Frontier Foundation is praising a U.S. District Court judge's preliminary approval of a settlement with Sony BMG Music Entertainment over two widely-criticized copy protection programs found on an estimated 15 million music CDs.


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The settlement means that consumers can finally get music that will play on their computers without invading their privacy or eroding their security, EFF says in a statement. EFF, a U.S.-based organization, studies technology-related legal issues.

The terms of the settlement vary according to which kind of copy protection software the CD contains, according to details released by EFF on its Web site. Sony used two versions of copy protection: Extended Copy Protection (XCP), produced by First 4 Internet in Banbury, England, and two versions of MediaMax from SunnComm International of Phoenix, Arizona.

Although designed to prevent unauthorized copies of songs, security researchers found the programs were either difficult to remove, caused security holes in users' computers or violated accepted user control rights over their own computer. As a result, several class-action lawsuits were filed against Sony in November and were consolidated into a single case in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Sony does not agree with all of the claims of the lawsuit, EFF says.

Consumers Reimbursed

For people who bought CDs with XCP, they can exchange the disks for new ones without the programs. Customers are also entitled to download a clean version of that same album in MP3 format, and receive a $7.50 payment plus one free album download. Users can opt out of the cash payment and get three free album downloads, according to details released by EFF.

Those possessing disks with MediaMax 3.0 are eligible to receive a free MP3 download of the same album. The settlement also allows for customers who have CDs with the 5.0 version of that program to receive a free MP3 download of the same album plus an additional free album download.

The terms of the settlement require that users run an uninstaller that removes the copy protection software.

The settlement also mandates Sony to stop manufacturing CDs with any of the three programs and issues updates to fix security problems. Sony began including XCP software on some CDs in January 2005. The company had shipped CDs with the MediaMax software since August 2003, court documents showed.

Security researchers found the XCP software was hard to detect, embedding itself within Microsoft's Windows OS using rootkit technology. Soon after, viruses that could exploit the rootkit were released, putting further pressure on Sony from customers over details of XCP and how it operated. Subsequently, security vendors classified XCP as spyware and updated their products to disable it.
http://pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,124283,00.asp

 

Early release for Microsoft's WMF patch, Microsoft jumps the gun, does a quick-fix on WMF



Exploits of a flaw found in Microsoft's Windows Meta File (WMF) handling have prompted the software giant to release a fix five days early, but a new flaw has come to threaten Microsoft users.

Microsoft had previously announced that it would release the patch for its Windows XP operating system on January 10th. However, the seriousness of the vulnerability, which can allow a hostile website to execute code on a Windows system, forced the firm's hand.

But as Windows users thought they were out of the woods, eWeek reported that a researcher, going by the name of "cocoruder", had discovered two completely new exploits in the WMF and had released code which took advantage of the problem.

However, Microsoft dismissed the seriousness of the exploits, claiming that an attack could only cause a denial of service (DoS) which would temporarily halt a users' windows system.

In the delay between the exploits being found and Microsoft releasing an official fix, other programmers had stepped up to fill the gap.

Two third-parties had released code to solve the problem, although Microsoft insisted that users should wait for the official version.

 

Burned CDs Last 5 years Max -- Use Tape?
Posted by CmdrTaco on Tuesday January 10, @11:16AM
from the been-there-before dept.
Data Storage
Lam1969 writes "Computerworld has interviewed Kurt Gerecke, an IBM storage expert and physicist who claims burned CDs only have a two to five-year lifespan, depending on the quality of the CD. From the article: "The problem is material degradation. Optical discs commonly used for burning, such as CD-R and CD-RW, have a recording surface consisting of a layer of dye that can be modified by heat to store data. The degradation process can result in the data 'shifting' on the surface and thus becoming unreadable to the laser beam." Gerecke recommends magnetic tapes to store pictures, videos and songs."

Storage expert warns of short life span for burned CDs
And don't count on hard disk drives for long-term storage, either

News Story by John Blau

JANUARY 10, 2006 (COMPUTERWORLD) - Although opinions vary on how to preserve data on digital storage media, such as optical CDs and DVDs, Kurt Gerecke, a physicist and storage expert at IBM Deutschland GmbH, takes this view: If you want to avoid having to burn new CDs every few years, use magnetic tapes to store all your pictures, videos and songs for a lifetime.

"Unlike pressed original CDs, burned CDs have a relatively short life span of between two to five years, depending on the quality of the CD," Gerecke said in an interview this week. "There are a few things you can do to extend the life of a burned CD, like keeping the disc in a cool, dark space, but not a whole lot more."

The problem is material degradation. Optical discs commonly used for burning, such as CD-R and CD-RW, have a recording surface consisting of a layer of dye that can be modified by heat to store data. The degradation process can result in the data "shifting" on the surface and thus becoming unreadable to the laser beam.

"Many of the cheap burnable CDs available at discount stores have a life span of around two years," Gerecke said. "Some of the better-quality discs offer a longer life span, of a maximum of five years."

Distinguishing high-quality burnable CDs from low-quality discs is difficult, he said, because few vendors use life span as a selling point.

Hard-drive disks also have their limitations, according to Gerecke. The problem with hard drives, he said, is not so much the disk itself as it is the disk bearing, which has a positioning function similar to a ball bearing. "If the hard drive uses an inexpensive disk bearing, that bearing will wear out faster than a more expensive one," he said. His recommendation: a hard-drive disk with 7,200 revolutions per minute.

To overcome the preservation limitations of burnable CDs, Gerecke suggests using magnetic tapes, which, he claims, can have a life span of 30 to 100 years, depending on their quality. "Even if magnetic tapes are also subject to degradation, they're still the superior storage media," he said.

But he's quick to point out that no storage medium lasts forever and, consequently, consumers and business alike need to have a plan for migrating to new storage technologies.

"Companies, in particular, need to be constantly looking at new storage technologies and have an archiving strategy that allows them to automatically migrate to new technologies," he said. "Otherwise, they're going to wind up in a dead end. And for those sitting on terabytes of crucial data, that could be a colossal problem."
http://computerworld.com/hardwaretopics/storage/story/0,10801,107607,00.html