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Seven ways to keep your search history private
Here's how you can make sure that you keep your searches to yourself

March 08, 2007 (Computerworld) -- The greatest threat to your privacy may not come from cookies, spyware or Web sites tracking and analyzing your Web surfing habits.

Instead, it may come from search engines, which collect and store records of your searches. Search engines track your search terms, the sites you visit as a result of your searches, the times you conduct your searches and your IP address. This makes it possible to figure out who you are, what your likes and dislikes are, and what you do online.

Search records can be subpoenaed by the federal government and used in any way the government sees fit. And the records can also be inadvertently released to the public, for all the world to see. For example, in August 2006, AOL LLC accidentally published the search histories of 650,000 users, and that data soon spread throughout the Internet.

Does this mean that you give up your privacy every time you visit a search engine? Not if you're smart about it. Follow these seven tips, and you'll go a long way toward keeping your search history private, no matter which search engine you use.

Tip No. 1: Don't log into search engines or their tools

If you log into a search engine, you make it easy for that search engine to build a comprehensive profile about you, because they know your identity as you search. You may think that you never log into search engines, but there's a good chance that you do, possibly without thinking about it. Long gone are the days when a search engine was only a search engine. Today, they're entire ecosystems of sites and services. Google, for example, offers dozens of services, including Gmail, online office software, blogging services and more. For most of them, you need to log in if you want to use them.

For privacy's sake, never do searches when you're logged into any of a search engine's services, such as its mail service. So, for example, when you're logged into Gmail, don't search the Internet.

As a practical matter, this may be difficult to do, so another option is to use one browser such as Firefox for a service like Gmail, and another such as Internet Explorer for doing Google searches. That way, it will be much harder for the search engine to correlate your identity with your searches. For maximum safety, use an "anonymizing" service or software such as Tor for the browser that you use to search with. (For details about surfing anonymously, see the next article in this series.)

If you don't like the idea of using two browsers, set up different profiles in your browser -- one for using mail, another for services from a search engine and another for doing actual searches. Again, this will make it harder for the search engine to correlate your searches with your identity.

Firefox lets you create separate profiles, but Internet Explorer doesn't. In Firefox, use the Profile Manager to create separate profiles. To do it, open a command prompt and navigate to the directory in which Firefox is installed. (Depending on your version, it may be in C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox.) Type firefox.exe -ProfileManager and press Enter. The Profile Manager, as shown in the nearby figure, appears. Click Create Profile and follow the wizard to create your profile. Create as many profiles as you like, then use different profiles for searching and using mail and other search engine services. For more details about creating and using profiles, see the Firefox help page How to Manage Profiles.
Creating a profile with Firefox's Profile Manager
Creating a profile with Firefox's Profile Manager
(Click image to see larger view)

Tip No. 2: Keep yourself safe from Google

If you're like most people, you do all or most of your searching from one search engine -- Google. This means you're particularly vulnerable, because Google will have a record of all your searches. Even if you don't log into Google, it can track your searches because it uses cookies to track you from session to session.

You could, of course, delete all your cookies before you visit Google. But that's problematic, because cookies can be quite useful. They can, for example, log you into some sites automatically or save your preferences on how you use sites.

A simpler solution is to block only Google from placing cookies on your PC. How you do it varies from browser to browser. In Internet Explorer 7, for example, choose Tools-->Internet Options, click the Privacy tab, then click the Sites button. In the "Address of Web site" box, type in www.google.com, and click Block. From now on, when you visit Google, it won't be allowed to place a cookie on your hard disk, and it won't be able to track your searches.
Blocking Google from placing cookies on your hard disk


In Firefox 2, select Tools-->Options, select the Privacy tab, and click Exceptions. Then type www.google.com into the "Address of Web site" box and click Block. (If you use another search engine, by the way, you can use this same technique to keep its cookies off your hard disk as well.)

Note that because Google won't be placing cookies on your hard disk, you may not be able to use various Google services, such as Gmail.
If you're a Firefox user, you can also use the CustomizeFirefox extension that among other things, "anonymizes" you when you use Google so that your searches can't be tracked.

Google has numerous services you can sign up for, including RSS readers called Google Reader and Google Groups, which let you read newsgroups and other discussion groups. The more Google services like this that you sign up for, the more information Google knows about you. In addition to your searches, it will know what blogs and newsgroups you read, for example. This makes it that much easier for the search giant to create a profile about you. So either don't sign up for those services or else create separate Google accounts for each of them, so that the search engine can't correlate all your interests.

Also, think carefully before turning on Google's Search History feature. Search History lets you revisit all your searches and shows what you've searched for every day. When you use Search History, Google stores a record of all your searches on its servers. If you're worried that that search history may fall into the wrong hands, or be subpoenaed by the government, simply don't use the service.

Tip No. 3: Regularly change your IP address

Search engines can correlate all your searches by tracking the IP address you're using and then using that to link together all the searches you perform on their sites. There's a simple way to get around this; regularly change your IP address.

Broadband providers assign you a dynamic IP address for using the Internet. That dynamic IP address typically stays assigned to your PC for a very long time. To get a new IP address -- turn your cable modem or DSL modem off, leave it off for a few minutes and then turn it on again. Doing that clears your old IP address and gives you a new one.

If you're one of the few people who have a static IP address, for example, at work, you won't be able to use this technique. Instead, you'll have to turn to anonymous surfing with software like Tor, which we'll cover in the next article in this series.

Tip No. 4: Use ixquick

Here's the easiest way to make sure that information about your searches can't be used to build a personal profile about you: Use a search engine that doesn't retain a history of your searches. That's what ixquick promises. It says it deletes all information about your searches within 48 hours, so the information simply isn't around for anyone to use. If the government subpoenas the data, there's nothing for them to get.
ixquick claims that it deletes information about your searches, so that the information isn't available to anyone.
ixquick claims that it delete information about your searches, so that the information isn't available to anyone.
(Click image to see larger view)

Tip No. 5: Don't include personal information in your searches

We've all "Googled" ourselves at times, just to see what's out there on the Web about us. But every time you use personal information in a search, such as your name, address and so on, you make it easy for a search engine to know who you are and then correlate searches with your name. Worse, it can lead to identity theft if you search for information such as your Social Security number and someone gets hold of your search records. So try to avoid including personal information about yourself in your searches.

Tip No. 6: Do sensitive searches from a public hot spot

If you absolutely must do a search about personal information or do a search that is sensitive for some other reason, don't do it at home or at work. Instead, go to a public hot spot and do the search from there. Make sure to use a hot spot that doesn't require you to log in, or else your privacy can be compromised.

Tip No. 7: Avoid using your Internet service provider's search engine

Your service provider knows your IP address, which means that it can track all the Web sites you visit. That's bad enough for your privacy, but if you also use its search engine, it will be able to correlate your IP address to your searches and build an even more comprehensive profile about you. That profile may be available to anyone with a subpoena. So don't use a service provider's search engine, such as http://search.comcast.net/.

Preston Gralla is a contributing editor for Computerworld, and the author of more than 35 books, including Windows Vista in a Nutshell.


GO HERE FOR MORE INFO
http://www.computerworld.com/action...rticleId=9012082&taxonomyId=17&intsrc=kc_feat

 

Winfixer' mystery slowly unravels


California attorney claims he uncovered a fraud that thus far has escaped law enforcement

http://www.infoworld.com/article/07...oworld.com/article/07/03/08/HNwinfixer_1.html

A California attorney claims he has unraveled part of the mystery behind a questionable software program and is prepared to go to court.

Attorney Joseph M. Bochner filed a class-action civil suit last September in California Superior Court in Santa Clara County against two men the suit alleges are behind Winfixer, a purported security software. The lawsuit names Marc J. Cohen of Florida, and was amended last week to add James Reno of Ohio as an additional defendant, Bochner said. It seeks compensation and a halt to the distribution of Winfixer, among other remedies.

The suit was filed on behalf of Beatrice Ochoa, a mother of two who paid US$39.95 for Winfixer after it badgered her with repeated pop-up warnings that her computer had security threats. The program eventually rendered her computer's hard drive unusable, Bochner said. The suit counts another 100 anonymous victims.

"All of these people are being defrauded and they're just ordinary folks," Bochner said. "They buy a computer, they surf the Internet, they're not doing anything unreasonable and suddenly they're defrauded."

Indecision over whether Winfixer is a legitimate product may be the reason it still pervades the Internet. Winfixer has been a moving target for security experts, at times going by the names ErrorSafe, WinAntiSpyware, WinAntiVirus, SystemDoctor and DriveCleaner.

Security software from vendors such as Sophos PLC and Symantec Corp. will detect it, but give users the option of whether they want to remove it. Sophos calls it "adware" that hypes security threats and then implores users to buy the software.

Microsoft Corp., however, pulled no punches last month when Winfixer ads began show up on its instant-messaging program, calling it "malware," a shorter term for "malicious software." Experts have also seen it install itself on computers via security vulnerabilities in browsers or OSes.

However, the lawsuit could face hurdles in court. Web sites are frequently registered under false names or under stolen identifies and the real owners can be difficult to trace, said Sandi Hardmeier, a computer security authority who writes about Winfixer on her blog "Spyware Sucks."

Proving the link to the alleged perpetrators, their connections to Winfixer all the way through to the effects on Ochoa's computer will be very difficult, she said.

"Forensics is everything," she said.

Bochner acknowledges it's hard work to track down fraudsters who use the Internet's anonymity to commit crimes, but the criminals are real people who can be located. Bochner said he has compelling documentation to link the defendants named in the suit to Winfixer.

By researching IP (Internet Protocol) addresses that hosted the versions of Winfixer and their owners, Bochner alleges he has uncovered a fraud based in the U.S. that has escaped law enforcement scrutiny.

Reno ran a Web hosting company called ByteHosting Internet Service LLC with a postal address in Amelia, Ohio. Bochner said at one time, a support number for Winfixer support also rang through to ByteHosting, which led in part to Reno being added to the suit.

Reno, along with other co-defendants and ByteHosting, was sued by Symantec Corp. in 2004 for allegedly creating pop-up ads that told consumers their Symantec software was about to expire. The ads then directed users to fake software that looked similar to Symantec products. Court records show Reno and Symantec reached a confidential settlement in December 2004.

Cohen was named for his connections with vipfares.com, a now-defunct travel Web site, Bochner said. At one time, the Winfixer software would hijack the user's browser and suddenly show vipfares.com, he said.

Efforts to reach Cohen and Reno for comment were unsuccessful on Wednesday and Thursday. However, Cohen's attorney, Judy Silverstein, appeared on a San Francisco TV news program on Feb. 26 regarding Winfixer and her client.

Silverstein said, "His [Cohen's] position is he's done nothing wrong. He's done nothing improper or illegal, and he's had no ownership interested in those Web sites."

Bochner said he has turned over some of his research to law enforcement agencies such as the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation and Secret Service along with California authorities.

While researching IP addresses that linked to Winfixer, Bochner said he suddenly came upon a database detailing sales of Winfixer and the other versions of the programs.

The multi-gigabyte database -- apparently left unsecured and open to the Internet -- contained names, addresses, credit-card numbers, transaction amounts and the version of Winfixer that was sold, he said. For example, on Jan. 20, 2006, the data showed 2,351 sales to users worldwide, with an average transaction amount of $40, Bochner said.

The database covers transactions made from January 2005 through January 2006. One of the records shows a transaction made by someone who lives across the street from his law office, Bochner said. The data, while incomplete, allows a view of the fraud ring's broad reach and scope, he said.

"I think this is far larger than anyone has ever expected," Bochner said. "It's not inconceivable that these people have made $150 million or more over the last few years."

 

It's baaaaack: WGA reappears on XP by design, Microsoft says

Although users can tell Windows XP to ignore updates to Microsoft's antipiracy technology, Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) Notifications will be offered again the next time the component is upgraded, the company said today. WGA Notifications, which was updated last month, cannot be permanently removed from the Windows Update list as a potential download, said David Lazar, director of Microsoft's Genuine Windows program, in an e-mail interview. That's true, even if Automatic Updates (AU) is set to the most restrictive posture of checking for updates but letting the user choose whether to download and install them -- and the Hide update option is selected. "When there is a new release, such as there was Feb. 21, the update will be offered," said Lazar. "If you refuse the installation, and tell AU not to notify again, it will not be offered again until the next new release, generally 90-120 days. This is a standard approach with AU, not a new policy." Some users must have missed the memo; several have posted messages on official Microsoft newsgroups commenting on the reappearance of WGA Notifications.


It's baaaaack: WGA reappears on XP by design, Microsoft says
The antipiracy tool reappears whenever its component is upgraded

March 09, 2007 (Computerworld) -- Although users can tell Windows XP to ignore updates to Microsoft's antipiracy technology, Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) Notifications will be offered again the next time the component is upgraded, the company said today.

WGA Notifications, which was updated last month, cannot be permanently removed from the Windows Update list as a potential download, said David Lazar, director of Microsoft's Genuine Windows program, in an e-mail interview. That's true, even if Automatic Updates (AU) is set to the most restrictive posture of checking for updates but letting the user choose whether to download and install them -- and the Hide update option is selected.

"When there is a new release, such as there was Feb. 21, the update will be offered," said Lazar. "If you refuse the installation, and tell AU not to notify again, it will not be offered again until the next new release, generally 90-120 days. This is a standard approach with AU, not a new policy."

Some users must have missed the memo; several have posted messages on official Microsoft newsgroups commenting on the reappearance of WGA Notifications.

WGA Notifications flags counterfeit copies and displays on-screen messages to that effect at log-on and while the system is running. In Windows XP, it's a separate download -- another piece actually conducts the validation process -- but in Vista, it's baked into that operating system's Software Protection Platform and cannot be declined.

Notifications specifically, and the WGA process in general, has drawn fire from users and analysts for a variety of reasons, including a fear that the technology may incorrectly identify a legitimate copy of Windows as bogus. Sometimes, through no fault of the user, the wrong product activation key can be used to unlock a legitimate copy of Windows XP.

Complaints about WGA have prompted Microsoft to make several changes since last June. Then, the company reduced the frequency with which the program "phones home" to Microsoft servers as it checks for phony copies.

Previously, Microsoft said it plans to upgrade WGA Notifications every three to four months. The reappearance of the tool on the Windows Update list is part of that.

Once installed, WGA Notifications cannot be removed through Windows XP's Add or Remove Programs Control panel, although the utility shows up there. That, added Lazar, has been the case since last summer; before June, users were able to eliminate Notifications. "The uninstall instructions were provided for the prerelease (pre-June 2006) versions only," Lazar clarified. "The GA versions were not meant to be uninstallable."

Current information on WGA Notifications is available on Microsoft's support site.

http://computerworld.com/action/art...articleId=9012762&taxonomyId=17&intsrc=kc_top

 

ireland.. good linux articles which need a few points adding.

I looked at ntpd for auto setting time and date automatically, and found that on most distros it's disabled by default due to a few undefined security issues. As my hardware clock runs slow it would be nice to have it auto update every so often, but not a serious issue. Not one worth getting involved with the security side of any holes and bugs.

Now for the really serious matter..

I was for a long time a member of the Free Software Foundation. I ended my subscription last year after a few events which not only did I not agree with, but the fact that as a member I was not informed of the proposed changes to the GPL, let alone consulted on them. I had to find them out for myself, leading me to do some investigating into the deeper issues, and making a decision based on my findings, and my feelings about the direction the foundation was taking.
As they seemed to be moving in a direction which is incompatable with my view of free software, namely that if somebody writes something that works, as long as they provide the source they are quite allowed to charge for complied easy install binaries and they can charge whatever they want for it, the stance is not acceptable.
Obviously there are some things a developer will want to keep to themselves sometimes, and in which situation I can quite understand them not releasing everything..especially source code (so long as it is totally original work) Why should people be forced to release original source into a world where anybody (including commercial..read for sale$$$) can access it and use it for any purpose they see fit.
There is a basic right to keep what is yours, yet the changes in the GPL seek to strip this right by insisting that EVERY piece of software released MUST have full source available, nay.. included with it...

As a self styled "open source paramilitary" while I honestly believe that by working together we can make things better, I also believe there is a choice. A choice to use or not use, and a choice whether to contribute to the effort of developing better software or just to be an end user... But that choice should be YOURS, and not decided by the FSF or anybody else who claims to speak for you.
Personally I like open source software, but it isn't the be-all and end-all of it.. I have non-open software on my systems, it's useful and I'm not likely to want to modify it as it works. If I need to modify the way an application works and it is closed source I have a choice.. find an open-source alternative, or write my own.. where is the argument? If I write an alternative application again the choice of whether to release my source code and to charge $$ or not is mine..not the FSF..

Sorry.. I have pretty strong feelings on the subject of being dictated to by people who don't ask me what I think.. That's why I don't like M$.. and the same kinda goes for apple..and the cartel...

 

Meet PirateShare.net

p2pnet.net news:- It's simple. 50Mb upload limit. No waiting. No download limits.

That's what nsane promises for PirateShare.net, a proxy protected file hosting service.

On the forum, "Starting in Sweden all the uploaded files are transfered through a proxy and are placed on hidden FTP servers that are donated and operated by people who frankly don't give a shit about copyrights," he says.

"On top of that, we're hosted by PRQ Inet which many of you may know is the home of the ThePirateBay (a really popular torrent site). For the combined result of us not having to enforce a copyright policy and all you little pirates having a file host you can use to share your warez goodies with your friends."

What's it all about? - p2pnet asked nsane. Here's his response:

We opened the site because we we're tired of 1) all the file hosts acting like little bitches when the copyright goon squads started knockin and 2) all the download limits they implemented to literally force ads and premium memberships down their users throats. So a while back when I was working on a much simpler proxy system we use on our homepage and trying to download 'some huge imaging software' off a RapidShare link I got hit with a 'You've reached your download limit please wait an hour' message. I was like 'WTF, I actually have to wait a whole freakin hour to download the next archive?!'

That's when it hit me. I thought to myself 'I have friends with lots of HDD space online, a server at PRQ Inet (managed by TPB's Anakata himself) and a basic proxy system already setup. Why not make a file host that uses all 3 resources and lets everyone share files completely unrestricted?'

So I sat on it for a few weeks trying different layout ideas and whatnot. Then I came across a post in one of our internal forums about 'where was nsane productions going now?', or something. So I responded with a few of my ideas (including the one above) and within 20 minutes I had 5-6 responses going 'Hell yeah, a ProxyShare would be awesome!'

Now here we are, a mere month from idea to final product, and that's pretty much it.

I basically busted my ass for 3 weeks straight between this, college, work and taxes. Now it's Friday and I'm getting tired of my monitor's company, so I'm going to get ready and hit some parties tonight (or a bar atleast)!

Stay tuned.
http://p2pnet.net/story/11602

 

SIW (System Info) 1.67 (Build 625)
Author: Gabriel Topala
Date: 2007-03-10
Size: 1.5 Mb
License: Freeware
Requires: Win All

SIW is a system information tool, that gathers detailed information about your system properties and settings. It includes detailed specs for CPU, Network, TCP/IP, Memory, Hardware, Users, Network Shares, and more, as well as real-time monitors for CPU, Memory and network traffic. SIW also displays currently active network connections, installed codecs, connected MS SQL and Oracle database servers (if any) and more. A standalone tool that does not require installation.


DOWNLOAD HERE
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4387.html

 

FREE,Baku 2.1.2626.23713
Author: Pmcc
Date: 2007-03-11
Size: 563 Kb
License: Freeware
Requires: Win All

Baku allows you to search for system registry errors and unneeded files that can be safelly removed.

Features
Deletes empty folders, 'History' folder contents, 'Recent documents' folder contents, 'Temp' folder contents, temporary internet files, cookies.
Searches Windows log files, shortcuts to missing files and folders and user specified file types.
Registry scan removes unused and obsolete keys, including ActiveX/COM, Application Paths, Fonts, Help files, Icon files, Sound files, Uninstall Programs and Windows Installer.
The registry is automatically backed up before any changes are made.
Implements the Department of Defense clearing and sanitizing standard DOD 5220.22-M, to give you confidence that once deleted, your file data is gone forever.

Limitations: Requires Microsoft .Net framework 2.0 or better.

DOWNLOAD HERE
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download5449.html

 

The Right Operating System for You
Vista or XP? Windows, Mac, or Linux? How about all of the above? With improved virtualization technology, you might not have to settle for just one OS.
Scott Spanbauer, PC World
Tuesday, February 27, 2007 01:00 AM PST
Illustration: John Mattos

Once, you were either a Mac person or a Windows user. Or maybe you were a Unix geek. Whichever your poison, you likely had only one operating system in your life. Thanks to the ubiquity of the Intel processor and the hard work of untold legions of software developers, however, those days are over. Now, Apple's machines can run Windows XP. Windows Vista is available on brand-new computers, but you can also boot the same PC with an Ubuntu Linux disc that you downloaded and burned for free. And if you like Ubuntu, you can install it alongside Windows in a few clicks.

Drastic improvements in virtualization software, along with hardware advancements and standardization on x86 CPUs, allow any operating system to play host to virtual versions of other OSs.

Every machine still needs a primary operating system, but mixing and matching them is now much easier. My home office contains a mix of Macs running OS X and PCs running Windows XP, Windows Vista, Ubuntu, and OpenSuSE Linux. And my next system will likely be a Mac with three or more of those OSs installed--maybe even running--at the same time. If you can afford Apple's hardware, that's the choice I'd recommend. Why? Check out our operating systems comparison chart below (click the icon) for a breakdown of the major contenders' strengths and weaknesses, and read on for a look at the state of each OS.

Extolling Windows XP
Click to view full-size image.

Windows Vista's long gestation and protracted birth pangs are over at last, thank heavens. Vista's running nicely on my fairly modern desktop system, and I've enjoyed using its updated interface and utilities for everyday work and recreation. But before we get to the new kid, a few words about good old Windows XP.

Despite its reputation for swiss-cheese security, XP quickly became a very successful OS. Before XP (and its admirable predecessor, Windows 2000), Microsoft operating systems crashed, died, and blue-screened weekly or even daily. Though crashes still occur, they're far less frequent than in previous Windows versions, and some XP users (including me) have PCs that rarely see so much as a hiccup.

XP has been the biggest-selling operating system in the universe for almost half a decade now, so it's where most of the action is. Whatever you long to do with a PC--accounting, blogging, photography, engineering, aimless wandering on the Internet--the necessary hardware and software will work under Windows XP.

Of course, to keep that copy of XP running smoothly, you'll have to work to keep the wolves at bay. While Service Pack 2, Windows Security Center, and Internet Explorer 7 have closed a lot of holes, XP is sure to attract hackers and malware writers for years to come. Your firewall, antivirus software, and spyware protection remain as important as ever.

According to Forrester Research, 40 percent of business Windows customers will transition to Vista within the next year, and consumer adoption will expand gradually from 12 million users in the first year to 73 million after four years. Microsoft will continue to roll out Windows XP security fixes for at least five years after it releases Service Pack 3, currently slated for the first half of 2008. So relax. There's no rush.

Vista Sightings
Click to view full-size image.

Windows Vista does deliver improvements in security (though you'll still need a third-party firewall unless you're up for some complex configuration tasks), plus several improved utilities and new features. It's the look, though, that makes Vista a desirable upgrade for most people. Vista's Aero environment displays windows, icons, and other desktop elements with more colors, shading, and shadowing, as well as--for the first time--transparency. Buttons glow like red or blue LEDs when you hover over them. Translucent window frames, menus, and title bars remind you of other applications buried a layer or two deep, and the Flip 3D task switcher is clearly inspired by Apple's Exposé, which displays cleverly arranged thumbnails of all your running applications.

Cribbing more directly from Apple, the gadget-populated Windows Sidebar is a variation on OS X's Dashboard widgets. However, the redesigned Media Player, Control Panel, mail, and photo previewing interfaces are evidence that many of Vista's changes are only skin deep. Drilling down through a new menu structure often reveals the very same dialog boxes that were present in Windows XP.

Gamers should eventually see great dividends by switching to Vista. DirectX 10 promises to accelerate games eightfold, and it won't be available under Windows XP. And Vista's Windows Presentation Foundation makes it easier for software developers to produce graphics-hardware-accelerated applications.

Vista's many innovations come at a cost, however. Recent PC World Test Center trials demonstrated that although Vista performs just fine on the Microsoft-recommended hardware, Windows XP runs the same applications significantly faster (see "Lab Tests: Vista's Fast If You Have the Hardware"). So unless you can tolerate a downgrade in performance, you may want to upgrade your PC right along with your operating system. Nevertheless, on a reasonably equipped machine, Windows Vista provides fast search results for files, documents, e-mail messages, and Web sites.

Hello, PC? I'm Mac
Click to view full-size image.

Or maybe you're ready for an even bigger switch. The simple, clean lines of MacBooks and Mac Pro desktops hint that using a computer could be straightforward--easy, even. Mac OS X offers the same promise. Although Apple's operating system and Windows generally let you do all the same kinds of things, the Mac interface just seems to have fewer layers, levels, and cryptic settings.

It's nearly enough to make a 20-year Windows user jump ship. But that's not necessary, of course. Apple's Boot Camp allows Intel-based Macs to boot Windows and other x86 operating systems, such as Linux. Now, both übergeeks and regular folks who enjoy OS X's simplicity but still need to run applications in Windows XP, Vista, or Linux can run all of these operating systems on one computer.

Apple still won't allow OS X to run on non-Mac systems, making Apple hardware the only way to run all OSs on one machine. And with the addition of inexpensive or free virtualization software from Parallels and VMWare, Macs can run those operating systems simultaneously. Parallels' software even provides a unique, somewhat eerie feature, "Coherence," that runs virtualized Windows applications side by side with OS X programs. Parallels got a bit of a jump on VMWare, whose first OS X product, code-named Fusion, is due this summer. At press time, both companies were working to add 3D acceleration to their products, which could finally make serious gaming on a virtualized OS a reality.

But the big Mac OS news arrives this spring when Apple releases OS X 10.5, aka Leopard. The update promises a modest but desirable collection of new features, including Time Machine, a new automatic backup system that lets let you flip back and forth through previous versions of your files. Leopard also adds support for stationery and an integrated to-do list in Mail; an expansion of the Spotlight search tool to locate files on other Macs on your network; an Exposé-like virtual desktop feature called Spaces; and some as-yet-unannounced (killer, we hope) features.

Linux: Last but Not Least
Click to view full-size image.

Distributions like the increasingly popular Ubuntu are going a long way to change Linux's reputation for being difficult and complex to install and configure. Ubuntu's bootable DesktopCD lets you see how you'll like Linux (and a bit about how Linux will like your PC) without installing anything to the hard disk. A few more clicks will make room for Ubuntu and set it up on your hard drive, alongside Windows. (See "Windows and Ubuntu on One PC" for more.) Once the OS is in place, a couple of simple applications let you choose from and install hundreds of free programs, including productivity, multimedia, and development tools.

Another popular distribution, Novell's OpenSuSE, provides configuration utilities and libraries of applications that are nearly as easy to navigate as Ubuntu's. Both Linux distributions deliver frequent bug fixes and automatic updates.

And visually-minded Linux fans can choose from dozens of user interfaces, chief among them KDE and Gnome. Both interfaces are evolving steadily, borrowing good ideas from each other and from Apple and Microsoft as well.

With its minimal hardware requirements and solid security, Linux can serve as a bulletproof primary OS. And with painless dual-booting and virtualization options, including several free and open-source apps and the kernel-based Xen software, you can easily try out the latest in Linux without having to give up your current operating system.
Scott Spanbauer is a PC World contributing editor and writes the Internet Tips column.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,129284-page,1/article.html

 

EU Commissioner criticizes iPod-iTunes tie-in

By Eric Bangeman | Published: March 11, 2007 - 03:52PM CT

European pressure on Apple to open up its iPod-iTunes ecosystem is growing, as EU Commissioner for Consumer Protection Meglena Kuneva has spoken out against the tie-in between the iPod and Apple's iTunes Store. Speaking on the topic of DRM, Commissioner Kuneva says in comments reported in German-language magazine Focus that she believes consumers shouldn't be locked into the iPod by music they purchase from Apple's iTunes Store.

"Do you find it reasonable that a CD will play in all CD players, but an iTunes song will only play on an iPod?" asked Kuneva. "It doesn't to me. Something must change."


Kuneva also said that the industry needs competitive pricing and uniform sales contracts, in addition to a "cooling-off" period during which consumers could "return" downloaded music. She plays to discuss these initiatives in Brussels later this week.
Europe and the closed ecosystem

Apple has come under increasing of criticism in Europe over the past year or so over its music-hardware ecosystem. Pressure has been increasing from Norway and a few EU member countries for Apple to open up its DRM so that consumers would be able to play iTunes music on any device of their choosing.

Early in 2006, the Consumer Council of Norway filed a complaint with the country's Consumer Ombudsman, accusing Apple of violating Norway's Marketing Control Act. At issue was Apple's FairPlay DRM, which locks consumers into the iPod and iTunes, as well as the lack of a cooling-off period and the company's disavowal of any responsibility for damage that may be caused to users' computers by iTunes.


The Norwegian Ombudsman ordered Apple to change its terms and conditions for the Norwegian version of the iTunes Store, and other Scandinavian countries began investigations of their own. Apple has engaged in dialogue with the countries, but no changes have been made.

Just a couple of months ago, Germany and France joined the Scandinavian countries in asking Apple to open up FairPlay to allow other digital audio players to play iTunes tracks.
Harmonizing consumer protection laws

Lurking in the background is a wholesale EU effort to rewrite the Union's consumer-protection laws. The laws vary between member countries, and the EU would like to standardize them. One issue being discussed is whether the cooling-off period should apply to digital content, with the European Commission looking at the possibility of using the lack of interoperability between the iPod, Zune, and other digital audio players as a way to force online music sellers to accept "returns."

Kuneva appears intent on going a step further and forcing Apple to open up its ecosystem, a move that would make the consumer groups pressing for a change happy.

Apple Chairman and CEO Steve Jobs has said that his company would make everybody happy by selling DRM-free music if only the record labels would agree to it.

Color some Europeans unimpressed: a spokesperson for the Norwegian Consumer said that while Jobs' comments were welcome, they don't address the underlying problem of interoperability. It's going to take concerted government action or a truly unlikely change of heart on the part of the music industry to accomplish that.
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070311-eu-commissioner-criticizes-ipod-itunes-tie-in.html

 

Meet cGrid, the real-time P2P punisher

By Jacqui Cheng | Published: March 11, 2007 - 06:46PM CT

There's a tool in the war on piracy that's picking up steam, and its proponents are thrilled with what it can do. Dubbed "cGrid," the application is powerful and daunting to those caught in its snares, for it can boot users off the network in real-time if it suspects that they are engaging in P2P file sharing, or even if they are using so-called darknets. As you might expect, the entertainment industry loves it.

cGrid was a hot topic of conversation at last Thursday's House of Representatives Judiciary Committee hearing, where the problem of piracy on US college campuses was the focus. It's not hard to see why: colleges are being accused of being too lax on piracy and taking too much time to act on reports of file sharing. cGrid's developer Red Lambda hopes that the current imbroglio between the RIAA and America's colleges will turn into a business opportunity.

cGrid's developers describe it as "the industry's most advanced P2P and file-sharing mitigation technology." It uses undisclosed techniques to monitor and record traffic at the packet-level and also uses proprietary behavioral analysis to determine whether individual users are participating in illegal file sharing. It monitors local networks and keeps historical logs on users according to their MAC addresses. In this way, cGrid can also monitor private file sharing such as that done with invitation-only FTP servers and other normally closed "networks."

The software provides detailed usage reports to administrators which can then be used to discipline students who have had multiple infractions. However, one of the most distinct features of the software is its ability to instantly kick users off of the network for engaging in suspicious behavior.

Red Lambda says that cGrid monitors "a large variety of different P2P clients, in addition to other avenues of file-sharing including Windows file sharing, FTP, IM, and others," and that cGrid does not perform content inspection but instead focuses on the behavior of the protocols being monitored. But the company does not expand on how it differentiates between legitimate uses of those technologies and illegal ones, raising questions of its effectiveness in an academic setting where students may be using P2P and other services potentially flagged by the system for legitimate, academic reasons.

cGrid is lauded by the RIAA and MPAA because of its ability to automatically determine usage patterns and remove offenders' Internet access on the spot, without the lag of involving bureaucracy. The University of Florida, where the cGrid was first developed under the name "Icarus," itself reports that it has been monitoring its dorm networks since 2003 with some success.

While students have been finding ways around the service (as discussed, perhaps not too wisely, on Facebook), UF's interim CIO Marc Hoit told Gainesville.com that the university has seen a dramatic reduction in downloading. Instantly kicking students off the network for suspected infractions seems to work, too: "The first and second warnings are sufficient" in scaring students straight about piracy, Hoit said.

Red Lambda's CEO Greg Marchwinski testified at last Thursday's hearing, saying "I think the Congressmen in this committee are losing their patience." Red Lambda would undoubtedly love for Congress to mandate universities to install such a solution, with its $1 million price tag for installation and $250,000 yearly operation costs.

Will cGrid become a member of the campus cops? The executive vice president of the Association of American Universities, John Vaughn, testified that the cost of such a system is prohibitively expensive, and that universities and colleges were already making an effort to curb piracy in other ways. There are other concerns about cGrid as well, including infringing upon student privacy and stifling the creativity of students who might be working on cutting-edge projects.

But the low recidivism of students caught by cGrid may make all of that moot, at least for some college administrators who would rather get the piracy monkey off their back. According to the University of Florida, only 10% of students identified by the system as engaging in unauthorized activity were caught a second time, and only 10 percent of those students were caught a third time.
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070311-cgrid-the-real-p2p-punisher.html

 

Ireland, hardrive crashed a couple of weeks ago and trying to regain some lost material, you had posted a program I think it was called something like Fastone, I could be wrong but its the closest I can think of, its a capture and paste type program when ordinarraly you would'nt be able to.

 

Microsoft quietly patches Windows Live OneCare to fix Outlook problems


Microsoft is not going to patch the latest version of its Windows Live OneCare service on March 13 to remedy Outlook compatibility issues, as a number of news and blog sites are reporting.

The reason? Microsoft already issued the required OneCare patch with no fanfare on March 11.

As noted by various Microsoft watchers, the OneCare-Outlook problems are not new. A number of customers have been reporting "OneCare ate my e-mail" problems since late January.

On March 12, I asked a Microsoft Windows Live spokeswoman whether Microsoft was still intending, as at least one official had stated in a recent posting on a OneCare user group thread, that Microsoft planned to issue a fix for OneCare-Outlook compatibility problems on March 13.

Her response:

"On Sunday March 11, the Windows Live OneCare team released a new anti-malware engine that will fix the issue of OneCare erroneously quarantining certain Outlook .pst or Outlook Express .dbx files when infected files were detected within them. Windows Live OneCare customers whose PCs are connected to the Internet will automatically get this fix. We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused our customers.

"Again, OneCare will automatically update for this fix and customers will not need to take action to update themselves, but any customers who wish to manually confirm that they have received the most recent anti-malware engine can do so via the following steps:

1. Click “Change OneCare Settings” in the Main OneCare user interface

2. Click the “Logging” Tab

3. Click the “Create support log” button

4. Scroll down to the “Virus and Spyware Versions:” section and check your AM Engine version number. If the text says the numbers “2306” after the 1.1. number – such as AM Engine1.1. 2306 .0) – your engine has been updated already. If “2306” does not appear, your engine may still need updating. To update, ensure your computer is connected to the Internet, then click the “Check for updates” link in the main OneCare user interface and OneCare will download and install the fix.

"For customers whose Outlook .pst and Outlook Express .dbx files had been quarantined prior to this fix and engine update, we continue to recommend the following steps to recover their email:

1. Close Outlook or Outlook Express

2. Click Change OneCare Settings in the Main OneCare user interface

3. Click on the Viruses & Spyware Tab

4. And then click on the Quarantine button and then select the pst or dbx file and then click on Restore."

Anyone out there tried out the OneCare Outlook patch?
http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=316

 

FREE WIN CONTIG..........

WinContig is an easy-to-use stand-alone defragmentation tool that doesn't create any installation directories or Registry entries on your computer. Its purpose is to quick defrag files without the need to defrag the whole disk. Its defragmentation and analysis engine is based on the standard Microsoft defragmentation API. In addition, WinContig allows you to group files into profiles, and also it accepts a number of optional command-line switches that you can use to control how the program operates. WinContig is an application designed for Windows 2000/XP operating systems. NOTE: WinContig has been tested only on NTFS file system. .....(free).....GO THERE!

DOWNLOAD HERE

http://wincontig.mdtzone.it/index_EN.htm

 

All,



I am beginning to see more and more customers in my store complaining of the error message cited in the Subject line of this email. If you’re running Windows XP and have not received this error message then there’s nothing to worry about, at the moment. But for those of you who have, please follow the link below to a website set up by Microsoft to allow you to patch your computer to resolve this issue. Note: I know the website appears quite technical, but all you have to do is drill down about 2/3s of the way through the email and you’ll see the link Microsoft provided in order to patch this problem, under the heading “Resolution”. (Hotfix Information)


Please follow this link to get you started: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/925922/en-us



Don

How to configure system failure and recovery options in Windows
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307973/

 

Ultimate Boot CD 4.0
Author: UltimateBootCD.Com
Date: 2007-03-12
Size: 87.7 Mb
License: Freeware
Requires: Win All

You need the Ultimate Boot CD if you want to:

Run floppy-based diagnostic tools from CDROM drives. More and more PCs are shipped without floppy drives these days, and it is such a royal pain when you need to run diagnostic tools on them.

Free yourself from the slow loading speed of the floppy drive. Even if you do have a floppy drive, it is still much much faster to run your diagnostic tools from the CDROM drive, rather than wait for the tool to load from the floppy drive.

Consolidate as many diagnostic tools as possible into one bootable CD. Wouldn't you like to avoid digging into the dusty box to look for the right floppy disk, but simply run them all from a single CD? Then the Ultimate Boot CD is for you!

This will create an ISO image which you can use to create a bootable CD with your favorite CD burning software.


download here
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4981.html

 

FREE ON LINE SCAN,Panda has released NanoScan


Free online antivirus to combat viruses, spyware and other Internet threats. Panda ActiveScan.

* Scans, disinfects and eliminates over 185,000 viruses, worms and Trojans from all system devices, hard disks, compressed file and all your email.
* Detects spyware. 84 percent of malware installed on computers worldwide is spyware. Do you know if your PC is spyware free?
* Detects the following types of malware:
o Dialers, Hacking tools, Rootkits (New), Jokes, Security risks.

It´s quick, easy and fast.

Click on Scan your PC. A new browser window will open with Panda ActiveScan. If this is the first time you scanned your PC, you´ll have to download the ActiveX controls (8 MB). The time it takes to download these can vary between 15 minutes, for a 56 Kbps modem, and 30 seconds, with a 1.5 Mbps connection.

GO HERE
http://www.pandasoftware.com/products/ActiveScan.htm




Panda Looks to Speed Antivirus Scans
By Ed Oswald, BetaNews
March 16, 2007, 11:12 AM

Panda has released NanoScan, an online virus scanning service that is able to perform a full sweep of a computer in less than one minute. The speed is a vast improvement over current virus scanners, which take as much as an hour or more to complete.

The company isn't giving specifics on how the software works, only saying that it will require a small 400KB ActiveX download. No software is installed on the user's computer, and is hosted on Panda's servers. This would ensure that the signature files were continually up-to-date.

Hosting the signature file online solves a problem that the company said will eventually require a new way to combat virus and malware writers.

"Panda had foreseen that digital vandals and Internet criminals would eventually win the day simply by overwhelming systems with signature files too large to be of practical use, unless something radically new and different were done," the company said in a statement.

Around 600,000 threats will be detectable through the service, with more added daily through the company's 'Anti-Malware Collective Intelligence' platform. The system uses detection of new threats worldwide as a way to keep its anti-virus signature files continuously up-to-date.

This system works hand-in-hand with its TruPrevent technology, the company said, which detects malicious code without the need for it to be in the antivirus softwares signature file.

In beta, the scanner is available for use free of charge from nanoscan.com. It was not immediately clear if the company will charge for the final version.

As for the claims to scan a computer in less than a minute, they seemed to be true: a BetaNews test of the service resulted in a 45 second scan time.
http://www.betanews.com/article/Panda_Looks_to_Speed_Antivirus_Scans/1174057582

 

Debbie beats the RIAA. Again.

p2pnet.net news:- Oklahoma mother Debbie Foster has beaten the Big 4 music cartel's RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America).

For the second time.

The RIAA, "acted in bad faith in bringing the lawsuit against Debbie Foster," said her lawyer, Marilyn D. Barringer-Thomson, and the Warner Music, EMI, Vivendi Universal and Sony BMG enforcer abandoned the case.

Foster, however, didn't do the same and became the "prevailing party" under the Copyright Act, meaning she was entitled to her "reasonable" attorneys' fees. These were $55,000 (and counting), and the judge ruled she can also supplement her request.

Hand over the relevant documents, the RIAA was asked by Barringer-Thomson a year ago. But its out-source lawyer, Holmes Robert & Owens' Richard Gabriel (right), refused to do so. That's now over, however. He's been given an order by the judge:

Deliver the documents to Barringer-Thomson by March 26.

"The order requires the RIAA to produce the attorneys' time sheets, billing statements, billing records, and costs and expense records," says Recording Industry vs The People, going on:

"The Court reviewed authorities holding that an opponent's attorneys fees are a relevant factor in determining the reasonableness of attorneys fees, quoting a United States Supreme Court case which held that 'a party cannot litigate tenaciously and then be heard to complain about the time necessarily spent by his opponent in response'."

"Will this cause the RIAA to rethink its litigation strategy?" - wondered Ars Technica's Eric Bangeman.

"Probably. The industry cartel will have to tread carefully with any secondary infringement claims now that there is case law that owning an Internet account used for infringement does not automatically make the owner liable for said infringement. Attorney Ray Beckerman told Ars that he believes there are huge implications from this opinion. 'It sends a message to the RIAA... that there are consequences to this 'driftnet' litigation strategy,' Beckerman said."

"If the RIAA's going to go around bringing cases against people, it's going to have to pay the price when it loses," he told p2pnet.
Slashdot Slashdot it!

Also See:
acted in bad faith - RIAA times out in p2p case, February 27, 2007
Recording Industry vs The People - RIAA Ordered To Turn Over Its Attorneys Billing Records in Capitol v. Foster, 15, 2007
Ars Technica - Victim of RIAA "driftnet" awarded attorneys' fees, February 7, 2007
http://p2pnet.net/story/11672

 

LEGO Digital Designer for Windows 1.6.680
Author: LEGO Group
Date: 2007-03-16
Size: 16.9 Mb
License: Freeware
Requires: Win All

As far back as 1999, a group of visionary LEGO product developers and engineers started thinking about letting people design their own LEGO products. They imagined people of all ages, anywhere in the world, being able create any design they could dream up – using an intuitive, free tool for digital design.

The first milestone was achieved in July 2003, when version 1.0 of LEGO Digital Designer was released. In February 2004, an online 3D Gallery went live, allowing designers to share their ideas via the Internet. By 2005, thousands of LEGO Factory enthusiasts were designing, sharing and ordering their own custom models – and the one-millionth copy of LEGO Digital Designer was downloaded on 25 September that year.

Now at version 1.6, LEGO Digital Designer is quite simply the best virtual building system out there – with its “Click-Stick” method of 3D modeling winning praise from children, parents, teachers and design enthusiasts everywhere. And, as the virtual design platform behind a growing number of LEGO products, LEGO Digital Designer is here to stay. A host of improvements and new features are already in development, including an improved user interface, new connectivity, more life-like building, Technic compatibility and improved train building and animation. So stay tuned – with LEGO Digital Designer, the future is yours.

If you haven’t tried LEGO Digital Designer yourself, download a copy today!


DOWNLOAD HERE ITS FREE
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download5566.html

 

IPCheck Server Monitor 5.4.0.787
Author: Paessler AG
Date: 2007-03-16
Size: 26.3 Mb
License: Freeware
Requires: Win All

Network and Server Uptime/Downtime Monitor - monitors a network using various protocols (e.g. ping, http/https, smtp, ftp, pop3, dns,snmp ) and notifies the staff in various ways as soon as an outage occurs. By design IPCheck Server Monitor fills the gap between the small freeware tools that do not monitor thoroughly enough and the expensive management suites that are often very complicated to set up. ** Today almost any business relies more or less on its computer network. From a small company's local area network for 5 employees to the global network infrastructure of large companies operating world wide with hundreds of computers - if any part of the network is offline the company looses money. This is even more true for web based businesses: if the website is offline the company does not make any money. But the goal of network monitoring is not only to detect a system failure when it happens. To detect problems before they get serious makes it necessary to monitor many systems of your network on various levels. IPCheck Server Monitor monitors your network and will let you know when something serious is happening as quickly as possible.

Free for personal and non-commercial use and limited to three basic sensors as well as a minimum interval of 15 minutes. For pricing information please The Authors Site.

DOWNLOAD HERE
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download2911.html