Download boot disks for all your needs from these Web sites

Download boot disks for all your needs from these Web sites:
“You no longer have to create your own boot disks--others have done the work for you and uploaded their files to the Internet.

Why create a custom boot disk yourself when you can download one quickly and hassle free from a Web site? Many Web sites offer downloadable programs for creating custom boot disks, but of course, some are better than others in terms of their content and page layout. A quick look at some of the most popular of these sites will help you decide where you can find the best one-stop shop for your boot disk needs.”

Free Registration

http://techrepublic.com.com/5102-6270-5034303.html

How Does Google Figure out What Pages are More Relevant? Pagerank

How Does Google Figure out What Pages are More Relevant? Pagerank:

“A core question for anyone on the Web, and certainly a question you should be asking if you're trying to monetize your Web site, is how the heck does Google figure out what sites are more relevant to a given search than others?

Dave Taylor helps you understand Pagerank, a critical first step in increasing the visibility of your website in Google searches.”

http://www.informit.com/articles/article.asp?p=360068

Clean HTML from Word: Can It Be Done?

Clean HTML from Word: Can It Be Done?:
“Laurie Rowell's short answer to the question above: Yes, with a bit of effort. With a number of utilities available at relatively low cost, you can finagle Microsoft Word's output to something that resembles clean HTML. You might need to roll up your sleeves and dig around in the code or the formatting (depending on the application you choose), but you should end up with something you can put on the web without shame.”

Free membership available

http://www.informit.com/articles/article.asp?p=359433

Browsers as test platforms

Browsers as test platforms:
“Browsers from a developer's point of view. When developing for the web, it is inevitable that we need to debug and test our work. How easy or how hard is it to find the problems causing errors and how easy is it to replicate certain environment changes? Once we identified the steps we need to take to test properly, we will see if there is a chance to extend the browser to make these steps a lot easier.”

The development environment is an PC running Windows XP, in this case a IBM Thinkpad T40 with 1GB of Ram and a Centrino 1300MHz processor.

We will take a look at Microsoft Internet Explorer 6, Mozilla Firefox 1.0 preview release and Opera 7.50.

For testing, we will use a web site template with some HTML errors and a Javascript error.

What we want to test is:

• Why is the Javascript not working (i.e. why is the menu not collapsing)?
• Why is the site not being displayed correctly?
• Why does the form not get sent off?
• How does the design behave with different font sizes?
• How does the page work without CSS, or Javascript or images?

Debugging the HTML

We will check how comfortable the source view is in the browser, and if it provides us with extra tools to check the HTML structure.

Debugging the Javascript

We will test how easy it is to trace back Javascript errors. Does the browser tell us the error? How easy is it to see the error messages?

Debugging the CSS

When using CSS seriously, we need to avoid Quirksmode at all costs. Quirksmode is a feature that was added into modern browsers to ensure backward compatibility and forces it to render pages like its predecessor. This makes it nearly impossible to predict the outcome, and forces us to keep developing for the past rather than for the future. We can force browsers to render web sites properly - in standards mode - by giving them the correct DOCTYPE [1]. To see what went wrong with our CSS, we need to find out whether the browser renders in Quirksmode or not.

Testing the accessibility of our page

To test how accessible our page is, we can take a quick look to see how it renders without CSS, Javascript or any of them. Furthermore, we want to resize the font of the browser to check if that breaks our design.…

http://icant.co.uk/forreview/browsertests/

Windows Security Updates Summary for December 2004

Windows Security Updates Summary for December 2004:

“The Microsoft Windows security updates for December 2004 include several important updates and a critical cumulative update for Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 Service Pack 1 (SP1), a component of Windows. If you have any of the software listed on this page installed on your computer, you should visit the Windows Update Web site to install related updates.

Supported software affected

• Internet Explorer 6 SP1 on Windows 2000 SP3, Windows 2000 SP4, or Windows XP SP1
• Internet Explorer 6 SP1 on Windows NT Server 4.0 SP6a; Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Service Edition SP6; Windows 98; Windows 98 SE; or Windows Me
• Internet Explorer 6 for Windows XP 64-Bit Edition SP1

Note Updates for Windows Millennium Edition, Windows 98, and Windows 98 Second Edition are being made available under extended support for critical security issues.”

http://www.microsoft.com/security/bulletins/200412_windows.mspx

Net worm using Google to spread

Net worm using Google to spread:

“A Web worm that identifies potential victims by searching Google is spreading among online bulletin boards using a vulnerable version of the program phpBB, security professionals said on Tuesday.

The Santy worm uses a flaw in the widely used community forum software known as the PHP Bulletin Board (phpBB) to spread, according to updated analyses. The worm searches Google for sites using a vulnerable version of the software, antivirus firm Kaspersky said in a statement.

Almost 40,000 sites may have already been infected. Using Microsoft's Search engine to scan for the phrase "NeverEverNoSanity"--part of the defacement text that the Santy worm uses to replace files on infected Web sites--returns nearly 39,000 hits.

"Santy.a is spreading rapidly," antivirus firm Kaspersky stated in a new release published Tuesday. "However, this does not directly affect users. Although the worm infects Web sites, it does not infect computers used to view those sites."

The worm sends Google a specific search request, essentially asking for a list of vulnerable sites. Armed with the list, the worm then attempts to spread to those sites using a PHP request designed to exploit the phpBB bulletin board software.

The worm is the latest twist on using Google as an attack tool, a practice known as Google hacking. It may also be the first time a program used Google to identify victims for an attack.…”

http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-5499725.html

Producing a High-Definition Windows Media Video File

Producing a High-Definition Windows Media Video File:
“This document provides information about creating high-definition Microsoft Windows Media Video files. Topics covered include an overview of the content creation process, a list of acceptable video sources, information about the capturing and encoding processes, and system requirements for encoding and playing a high-definition Windows Media Video file.

By using Microsoft Windows Media Encoder 9 Series, you can create high-definition Windows Media Video files in the high-definition television (HDTV) standard formats, such as 1280 x 720 progressive (720p), 1920 x 1080 interlaced (1080i), or 1920 x 1080 progressive at 23.976 fps (1080Psf). The process of creating a high-definition Windows Media Video file consists of the following steps:

1. Capture the content from a high-definition source.
2. Edit the content (optional).
3. Convert the content to an .avi file.
4. Encode the content.

Note that you can use software, such as Sonic Foundry Vegas or Discreet CleanerXL, to combine the four steps into a single step. For more information about these programs, see the Sonic Foundry Web site http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=14986 or the Discreet Web site http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=15004.”

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/
howto/articles/ProducingHDVideo.aspx

Web Design: A Decade Under the Influence

Web Design: A Decade Under the Influence:

“Full streaming video feeds of some of most noteworthy sessions at this month's Web Design World 2004 have been published for your education and entertainment.

Keynotes from Jeffrey Zeldman and Kelly Goto are joined by sessions on rich media web apps (Tom Green), defensive web design (37signal's Jason Fried), as well as sessions on accessibility, XML and more.”

http://www.ftponline.com/reports/wdwboston/2004/

Crop Images Contextually

Crop Images Contextually:

“Cropping and resizing your images for the Web is a common technique for creating smaller thumbnail images that download quickly. However, we've seen many sites that either use HTML's width and height attributes to resize larger images, or minimally crop and resize their images to lose vital information (see Figure 1). A better way to create images optimized for the Web is to crop them contextually.”

What is cropping contextually? Many times digital images shot for Web use have a border of useless space around the object(s) of interest. Rather than crop to just the film or chip's border, crop contextually down to the minimum dimensions that still convey the meaning or context of your image…

http://www.websiteoptimization.com/speed/tweak/crop/

The Podcast.net Directory

The Podcast.net Directory:
“Podcast.net is a directory of RSS feeds that feature podcasts sorted by category. Like Yahoo, but for podcasts.”

http://www.podcaster.net/

Build Your Own Windows Media Center PC

Build Your Own Windows Media Center PC :
“In the past year, a number of interesting, pre-configured "media PCs" have arrived on the scene. The boutique PC makers, such as VoodooPC with its Voodoo Vibe and Alienware's DHS series, offer examples of the craft. But even mainstream PC manufacturers have jumped on the bandwagon—Sony with its VAIO RA-810G and HP with its Digital Entertainment Center.

All of them are certainly fine products in their own right, but it seemed to us that we could build something equivalent, or maybe even a little better. At the top of our list was the ability to seamlessly integrate this rig into our home-theater system. Secondarily, it had to look like it belonged in a rack with A/V components. Finally, the system had to support HDTV viewing and recording.… ”

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,1742236,00.asp

E-Card Holiday Virus Packs Ugly Punch

E-Card Holiday Virus Packs Ugly Punch:
“A new virus strain masquerading as electronic Christmas cards is accounting for one in every 10 e-mails hitting in-boxes, security experts warned Wednesday.

The W32/Zafi-D worm, which originated in Hungary, is using mass-mailing and P2P (peer-to-peer) techniques to squirm through in-boxes and slow network traffic to a crawl.

The worm, which poses as a Christmas greeting, has the ability to replicate in as many as 19 languages, which makes it a "very serious threat" to computer users worldwide, said Graham Cluley, a senior technology consultant at Sophos Inc.

Cluley told eWEEK.com the Zafi-D mutant accounts for 75 percent of all virus reports at coming into the company's monitoring stations in the past 24 hours.

A spokeswoman for e-mail security services firm MessageLabs said the company had intercepted more than 1 million copies of Zafi-D since it first started squirming Tuesday.…”

According to a Sophos advisory, the worm arrives with the subject line "Merry Christmas," "Buon Natale!" or "Joyeux Noel!," depending on the location of the recipient.

The body of the e-mail contains a "Happy Hollydays" greeting in green text with a yellow emoticon. The virus arrives as an attachment with the following extensions: ZIP, CMD, PIF, BAT or COM.

Once executed, Zafi-D copies itself to the Windows system folder with the filename "Norton Update.exe." It then creates a number of files in the Windows system folder with filenames consisting of eight random characters and a DLL extension.…

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1742085,00.asp

How to identity SIMMs

How to identity SIMMs:
“You’ve found some old SIMMs in a desk drawer or extracted them from an unwanted PC. Are they fit only for the bin, or are they suitable for use in a user’s PC? Guy Clapperton shows how to find out.”

http://www.techsupportalert.com/search/h0831.pdf

http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:wM4uSCKnGdsJ:www.techsupportalert.com/search/h0831.pdf identify 72 pin SIMM&hl=en

WindowsXP-Drivers.com

WindowsXP-Drivers.com:
“This site maintains listings of windows xp driver files available on the web, organized by company.”

Looking for hardware device drivers for XP can really be a problem if you have a computer that came with a different operating system and now you're upgrading to XP. Here's one of the largest sources of XP drivers.

http://www.windowsxp-drivers.com/

Browser injection flaws affect multiple browsers and platforms

Browser injection flaws affect multiple browsers and platforms:
“Two newly-revealed Web browser vulnerabilities, a window-injection flaw and a frame-injection flaw, could allow attackers to steal sensitive information. Unfortunately, IT pros will have a hard time mitigating the threats.

Secunia Research has announced a newly discovered a window-injection vulnerability that can let attackers inject information into an open browser window. The most important concern is that this vulnerability can be used to spoof secure sites.

This is especially dangerous because it doesn't just affect Microsoft's Internet Explorer (CAN-2004-1155), but also KDE Konqueror (CAN-2004-1158), Opera (CAN-2004-1157), Mozilla FireFox (CAN-2004-1156), and even Apple Safari (CAN-2004-1122). Those are the links to SecurityTracker.com reports.

Some initial reports caused confusion over which browsers are affected and whether there is more than one very similar threat, but there are definitely two different vulnerabilities that pose similar dangers.

Making things more difficult for IT professionals, there was also a similar-sounding frame-injection vulnerability reported in June 2004. As a result, some IT pros may think they have already addressed this new threat. Secunia Research reported that the frame-injection vulnerability also affects most brands and versions of Internet browsers. That earlier vulnerability also allows a remote attacker to cause the browser window to display arbitrary content and can therefore be used to spoof sites.

Secunia lists different Mitre vulnerability codes for the frame-injection threat in addition to those listed above and this was a different vulnerability. The following links relate to the earlier frame-injection vulnerability, which has similar dangers: Internet Explorer (CAN-2004-0719); Opera (CAN-2004-0717); Mozilla, FireFox, and Netscape (CAN-2004-0718); Safari (CAN-2004-0720); and KDE Konquerer (CAN-2004-0721).

Secunia has made available a demonstration site to help you determine if your browser version is vulnerable. Go here for the test and more details about the new threat.”

From TechRepublic — free membership
http://techrepublic.com.com/5100-6264_11-5487760.html?tag=fdnew

Most Browsers Buggy

Most Browsers Buggy:
“A European security vendor warned Wednesday that most browsers sport a bug that hackers can exploit to spoof a Web site and trick users into trusting bogus pop-up windows.

The vulnerability, which Danish security firm Secunia rated as "moderately critical" is similar to previous bugs in browsers that was disclosed in July and September of 2004. Attackers could use it to add content into a trusted Web site's window by, for instance, inserting a fake form in a pop-up window seemingly opened by that site.

Affected browsers, said Secunia, include the popular Internet Explorer and the up-and-coming Firefox, as well as third-tier alternatives like Mozilla, Opera, Apple's Safari, and the open-source Konqueror.

IE 5.01, 5.5, and 6.x are vulnerable, claimed Secunia, and the "vulnerability has been confirmed on a fully patched system with Microsoft Windows XP SP1/SP2."

Secunia has posted a test that users can run to determine if their browser's got the bug”

http://www.crn.com/sections/breakingnews/dailyarchives.jhtml?articleId=55300447

Laptop Use Can Damage Male Fertility

Laptop Use Can Damage Male Fertility

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1738419,00.asp?kc=ewnws121004dtx1k0000599

Microsoft Security Bulletin Advance Notification

Microsoft Security Bulletin Advance Notification:

“On December 14, 2004 the Microsoft Security Response Center is planning to release:

•	5 Microsoft Security Bulletins affecting Microsoft Windows
•	The greatest maximum severity rating for these security updates is Important
•	Some of these security updates may require a restart

No additional details about bulletin severities or vulnerabilities will be made available until December 14 , 2004.”

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/advance.mspx

Using the Windows Firewall INF File in Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2

Using the Windows Firewall INF File in Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2:
“Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) includes the Windows Firewall, a replacement for the Internet Connection Firewall component in previous versions of Windows XP. Windows Firewall is a stateful host firewall that discards unsolicited incoming traffic, providing a level of protection for computers against malicious users or programs. To provide better protection for computers connected to any kind of network (such as the Internet, a home network, or an organization network), Windows XP SP2 enables Windows Firewall on all network connections by default. Network administrators can use the Windows Firewall INF file (Netfw.inf) to modify default settings either before installation or after installation. This article describes the usage of the Windows Firewall INF file.”

System Requirements

• Supported Operating Systems: Windows XP

Microsoft Word

File Name:	WFINF_Guide.doc
Download Size:	109 KB
Date Published:	11/16/2004
Version:	1.4

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=cb307a1d-2f97-4e63-a581-bf25685b4c43&displaylang=en

The Hidden Risks of Demo Discs

The Hidden Risks of Demo Discs :
“In mid-November, members of Sony's PlayStation Underground received the Holiday Demo Disc and discovered that after executing one of the game demos on the disc, their PS2 memory cards were completely erased. While that doesn't mean much to nongamers, for anyone who has spent 40-plus hours building a character in a role-playing game or playing through a season of football—well, it's a huge boot in the trousers.

The sampler disc was sent via mail to members of the PlayStation Underground, an opt-in promotional group that Sony calls a ‘personal link to all the insider info from the PlayStation world.’”

There's more to the story than a handful of gamers losing their saved game files. The implications of such a glitch can be huge, especially as consumers start to set up networked computing systems in their homes, complete with routers, networks and servers. Minus cubicles and a water cooler, it's the equivalent of a small enterprise network.

Rick Fleming, chief technology officer at Digital Defense Inc., said that although most consumers don't realize it, game consoles are computers that run off their own proprietary operating systems. As a result, a bug in a demo CD, CD-ROM or DVD-ROM could affect the rest of a home network and spread to an enterprise network through a VPN connection or portable storage devices.

"PlayStation and Xbox are being networked with home computers … so I can easily see how something like that would spread across a network," Fleming said. "Every time you connect to something else, there's another opportunity for something to go wrong."

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1735609,00.asp?rsDis=The_Hidden_Risks_of_Demo_Discs-Page001-140370

Java stir puts Sun in a spot

Java stir puts Sun in a spot:

• Programming languages
• Protocols and platforms
• Mobile platforms
• Java
• Sun Microsystems Inc

“A flaw in Sun Microsystems' Java software has highlighted the difficulty the company faces as flocks of tech novices start to turn to it for support.

Sun disclosed a serious security flaw in its Java virtual machine (JVM) software last month. The rare problem, which affects Sun's plug-in for running Java on a variety of Web browsers and operating systems, could allow a virus to spread through PCs running both Microsoft Windows and Linux.

A flaw-free version of the JVM software is available on Sun's Web site, and the company is encouraging people to swap it out. But some users of the Firefox Web browser who attempted to download the new software received a version that contained the vulnerability, Sun representatives told CNET News.com.

On Tuesday, Sun was in the process of updating the download pages on Java.com and its download site to fix that problem, having previously said it would make the change on Dec. 13.

Sun said the mix-up in support arose because it had not had a chance to update the download features for Firefox. It also said that it first concentrated on developing a patch for the more pervasive browsers--Microsoft's Internet Explorer, Netscape and Mozilla.…”

http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9593_22-5482023.html

Colly's CSS rollover generator

Colly's CSS rollover generator:
“By removing the advanced fields, you can simply create a standard "sliding doors" rollover, or use the extra fields to create an advanced rollover with background and text elements. The CSS produced is lean and clean”

http://www.collylogic.com/index.php?/weblog/comments/
collys_advanced_css_rollover_generator/

The Ten Commandments of Keyword Selection

The Ten Commandments of Keyword Selection :
“Is your website getting a lot of traffic, but not a lot of sales? Maybe you need to take a look at the keywords you're using. Praveen Viswanath walks you through keyword selection process, and sums it up with ten keyword selection commandments to help keep you on track.

A term or a phrase used by a searcher to find information on a particular topic is called a "keyword." "Keyword selection" is the process of scrutinizing different prospective keywords to select the right ones for your campaign. It is the stepping stone to your success in the Web world. Find the right keyword, and you strike gold. Make a mistake, and you've just punched yourself in the face.

There are two categories of people interested in keyword selection: those trying to get more website traffic in general, and those trying to get more ‘qualified’ traffic. This article is for the latter type. What is the use, if you have some 10,000 hits a day but the business conversion is just 0.1%? Wouldn't it be better to have only 1000 visitors with a 30% conversion rate? After all, 300 is better than 10. From here on, whatever we do, our final aim shall be to get more "qualified" traffic.”

The Ten Commandments
http://www.seochat.com/c/a/Choosing-Keywords-Help/The-Ten-Commandments-of-Keyword-Selection/3/

http://www.seochat.com/c/a/Choosing-Keywords-Help/The-Ten-Commandments-of-Keyword-Selection/

Semantic (X)HTML Markup: Using Tables Appropriately

Semantic (X)HTML Markup: Using Tables Appropriately

This is the seventh article in the Semantic (X)HTML Markup series. Before we begin, you'll want to read the previous articles:

1. Semantic (X)HTML Markup: An Introduction
2. Semantic (X)HTML Markup: Headings and Paragraphs
3. Semantic (X)HTML Markup: Creating Emphasis
4. Semantic (X)HTML Markup: Blockquote, Q, and Cite
5. Semantic (X)HTML Markup: Structuring Lists
6. Semantic (X)HTML Markup: Styling Lists

In this article we'll learn how to use perhaps the most misused semantic element: the table element. Like all the other (X)HTML elements we've learned about, there's a right and wrong way to use tables. The W3C created the HTML table model to "arrange data — text, preformatted text, images, links, forms, form fields, other tables, etc. — into rows and columns of cells." They specifically state that tables are not to be used for layout:

Tables should not be used purely as a means to layout document content as this may present problems when rendering to non-visual media. Additionally, when used with graphics, these tables may force users to scroll horizontally to view a table designed on a system with a larger display. To minimize these problems, authors should use style sheets to control layout rather than tables.

The accessibility problems of layout tables are why avoiding tables for layout is checkpoint 5.3 of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). Using tables for layout can also rob you of one of the greatest benefits of CSS: its flexibility. Using CSS, the entire look of a site can be changed with a few edits to one style sheet. If complicated, nested tables were used instead, creating even minor layout changes can become a huge undertaking.

In recent years, many web developers have begun listening to the guideline to avoid layout tables and now use CSS to lay out their web pages. Instead of fitting sections of the page into rigid table grids, this new layout method involves placing content (marked up with semantic headings, paragraphs, and lists, of course) into div elements for each section of the page and then using CSS to position and style these divs.

Unfortunately, many forgot that tables still have a valid and valuable place in web design and tried to get rid of tables in their designs altogether. This is not the correct approach either. The table is still a valid (X)HTML element, and when you are trying to mark up tabular data, it is incorrect to use anything else!

Since the Semantic (X)HTML series is focused on how to use and mark up semantic elements, not about how to not use certain elements, this article will focus on the proper use of tables for data rather than on how to create layouts without tables.

http://www.communitymx.com/content/article.cfm?cid=0BEA6

How To Install and Configure Handwriting Recognition in Windows XP

How To Install and Configure Handwriting Recognition in Windows XP:
“This article explains, step-by-step, how to install and configure handwriting recognition in Windows XP. You can use handwriting recognition to enter text by writing instead of by typing. To use this feature, the Microsoft handwriting-recognition engine must be installed.

With the handwriting-recognition feature, you can use your handwriting instead of a keyboard to enter text. You can write by using a handwriting input device, such as a digital pen or stylus, or by moving your mouse pointer. The computer converts your handwritten words to typed characters, and then inserts the text exactly where you want it. ”

The handwriting-recognition engine is language-specific. The engine is currently available for the following languages: Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English, Japanese, and Korean. Engines for other languages will become available.

To use handwriting recognition, you need the following:

•

A writing tool. The minimum requirement for a writing tool is a mouse. To write with your mouse, press and hold down the primary mouse button, and then move the mouse pointer to form characters. The recommended tool is a handwriting input device, such as a pen stylus and tablet, connected to your computer through a serial port or USB port. Graphics tablets that are used with three-dimensional (3-D) drawing or computer-aided design (CAD) programs can also be used.

•

The Microsoft handwriting-recognition engine installed on a Windows XP-based computer.

http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb;en-us;306906

5 safety tips for using a public computer

5 safety tips for using a public computer:
“Public computers at libraries, Internet cafes, airports, and copy shops are convenient, cheaper than buying your own laptop, and sometimes even free to use. But are they safe? Depends on how you use them.

Here are 5 tips on using public computers without compromising your personal or financial information.”

http://www.microsoft.com/nz/athome/security/
onthego/publiccomputer.mspx

Troubleshooting - Microsoft ASP.NET 1.1

Troubleshooting - Microsoft ASP.NET 1.1


http://www.support.microsoft.com/ph/6351/en-us/?aid=3

Two Cities, Two Gatherings for Two Kinds of Content Creators

Two Cities, Two Gatherings for Two Kinds of Content Creators:
"A good mix of different types of bloggers ranging from hobby/personal to professional/commercial. Also a number of journalist bloggers. Enthusiasts who don't blog but wanted to know more about it or wanted to have an influence on the direction software, services and organization. Would-be bloggers. Vendors. All ages from hip to former hippie and beyond. Multiple countries. A larger tech crowd than the last two because of proximity to Silicon Valley. More women than the last two but still a male majority. Some people complained that there weren't enough conservative bloggers but since anyone can register as long as space is available it's not like they were being kept away. Still, BloggerCon could do a better job of reaching out to the wider blogging community. Those who want more diversity in any area should do their share. "

Sometimes brainstorms work. BloggerCon III was Nov. 6 in Palo Alto; the Online News Association was holding its fifth national conference in Los Angeles the following weekend. For someone flying in from St. Louis, that was as good as next door. Why not do both?

The result is the kind of compare-and-contrast assignment English composition teachers love: Attend two disparate conferences with overlapping interests a week and a few hundred miles apart. Meet very different people with widely varying goals. Learn.

Then explain what works and what doesn't, keeping in mind that you know the people who put on each conference and that you hope to be back next year.

Hot Topic

Podcasting (session audio)

Takeaway

Free MP3s of every session are being posted by ITConversations.com; a morning-after thread; posts from discussion leaders summing up their sessions; conversations in the blogosphere as people digest the experience.

http://209.200.80.136/ojr/stories/041119kramer/

Free MP3s from the Creative Commons

Free MP3s from the Creative Commons:
“…this column includes 16 free MP3s. But before we get to them, I'm hoping you'll read about what the availability of these tracks means to you, your music, and the Internet in general because this is all very important stuff.”

Last year, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that P2P file-sharing applications are legal because they can be used in substantial, noninfringing ways. The reasoning behind this goes all the way to Sony vs. Universal, back in 1984, when Universal sued Sony for selling the first Betamax machines. Universal said that because VCRs could be used to pirate movies, they should be strictly verboten. Sony replied that because VCRs have legit uses (storing video for later viewing, making a backup copy of a purchased movie), they're perfectly OK. The Supreme Court sided with Sony and consumers, and while Betamax later lost out to the VHS format, peoples' ability to copy media for personal use was preserved.

http://reviews-zdnet.com.com/AnchorDesk/4520-7298_16-5575644.html?tag=adss&tag=nl.e501-2

TechRepublic - Microsoft Word Help Center

TechRepublic - Microsoft Word Help Center :
"This collection of 'how tos' articles tricks and tips and downloads will help you take advantage of Microsoft Word"

Free Registration

http://techrepublic.com.com/1200-26-5227574.html?tag=nl.e103

MSN Search (beta)

It isn't google, but it's surprisingly good

http://beta.search.msn.com/
http://beta.search.msn.com/images/results.aspx?FORM=IRHP&q
http://beta.search.msn.com/news/results.aspx?FORM=NRIR&q

The trouble with using ems and percents for font sizing

The trouble with using ems and percents for font sizing:
"When good intentions fail

Relative font sizing is a great idea that fails to live up to its promises of user accessibility or design flexibility for the Web builder. In order to use relative font sizing successfully, you need to plan your page design and CSS styles very carefully to avoid the potential problems of nesting elements. You can do it, but it's not easy and it imposes significant restrictions on your design options. Otherwise, you need to rely on keywords or absolute measurements for font sizing. "

Free registration

http://builder.com.com/5100-6371_14-5210803.html?tag=nl.e601

US-CERT Vulnerability Note VU#842160 IE contains a buffer overflow vulnerability

US-CERT Vulnerability Note VU#842160:
"Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) contains a buffer overflow vulnerability that can be exploited to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user running IE. "

A heap buffer overflow vulnerability exists in the way IE handles the SRC and NAME attributes of FRAME and IFRAME elements. Publicly available exploit code uses JavaScript to prepare heap memory with blocks that consist of NOP slides and shell code. After mishandling overly long SRC and NAME attributes, IE dereferences a memory address that may fall within one of the prepared heap blocks, running through the NOP slide and executing the attacker's shell code. Without the ability to prepare the heap blocks, this attack become significantly more difficult.

Other programs (e.g., Outlook, Outlook Express, AOL, Lotus Notes) that use the WebBrowser ActiveX control could be affected by this vulnerability

Install Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2)

Microsoft Windows XP SP2 does not appear to be affected by this vulnerability.

Disable Active scripting

Disabling Active scripting makes it more difficult for an attacker to prepare the heap to easily execute arbitrary code. At a minimum, disable Active scripting in the Internet zone and the zone used by Outlook, Outlook Express, or any other software that uses the WebBrowser ActiveX control. Instructions for disabling Active scripting can be found in the Malicious Web Scripts FAQ.

Do not follow unsolicited links

http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/842160

Apple disables iTunes plug-in | Tech News on ZDNet

Apple disables iTunes plug-in Tech News on ZDNet:
"With the latest version of iTunes, Apple Computer has disabled an add-on program that let people transfer songs off of their iPod. "

Apple introduced iTunes 4.7 last week, announcing new features such as support for the iPod Photo and the ability to find and delete duplicate tracks in a music library. But this week, Apple confirmed that version 4.7 does break compatibility with iPodDownload. The iTunes plug-in is designed to enable iPod owners to copy songs from the music player to an iTunes library, a feature that Apple has not supported.…

Apple has in the past used new versions of iTunes to disable support for third-party software that adds unintended file-sharing abilities to the popular jukebox software. The company has also been pushing users to continue moving to more current versions of iTunes.

An Apple representative did not say why the company had disabled support for iPodDownload. The program's creator had already stopped distributing the software after Apple's lawyers contacted the company that housed its Web hosting.

"After Apple threatened my Web-hosting company, and my site was shut down for more than one hour, I had to withdraw the plug-in," Sylvain Demongeot said on the iPodDownload Web site. Demongeot did not return an e-mail. …

http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1040_22-5436447.html

IE exploit is top of the hacks | Tech News on ZDNet

IE exploit is top of the hacks Tech News on ZDNet:
"A Microsoft Internet Explorer exploit represented the highest number of hacking attacks in the second quarter, according to figures from ScanSafe. "

The London-based security company said that the No. 1 hack was Exploit.HTML.Mht, which attempts to download and install a malicious program on a computer by using a security breach in Microsoft's IE browser software. The exploit was used to target almost twice as many organizations as other exploits, ScanSafe said.

"One of the things we've been surprised at is the growth rate of threats," said Roy Tuvey, director of ScanSafe. "There's been a 15 percent rise every quarter, and the threat is really rising. The first thing exploited are browser vulnerabilities."

Twenty-one percent of virus attacks occurred on Wednesdays and 6 percent at the weekend, ScanSafe found. The managed Web security company said the reason was that most viruses were launched at weekends and spread during the week.…

http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-5436186.html

Flaws found in non-Microsoft Windows media players

Flaws found in non-Microsoft Windows media players:
“Microsoft Windows users need to watch out for several flaws in non-Microsoft media players, security experts said.

Apple Computer and RealNetworks have both issued fixes for their Windows software to patch serious security vulnerabilities. Apple released Quicktime 6.5.2 on Wednesday to plug two holes in its Windows media player. On Tuesday RealNetworks advised users of its RealPlayer 10, RealPlayer 10.5 and RealOne Player software to use the "Check for Updates" feature to download the latest patch.

One of the flaws in Apple's Quicktime player affects Mac OS X users as well, but the company patched the problems at the end of September.… ”

http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-5430912.html?tag=adnews

Reheated Bagle smokes out antivirus defenses

Reheated Bagle smokes out antivirus defenses:
“A new version of the fast-spreading Bagle mass-mailing worm was discovered Friday, with its threat level quickly rising to a moderate level, according to security experts.

Bagle.BB, also known as W32/Bagle.bb@MM, was raised to a medium risk assessment by security company McAfee. The virus had triggered more than 100 reports to McAfee's antivirus and vulnerability emergency response team by early morning in Europe. Antivirus software makers have also identified two other variants of the Bagle virus that are successfully spreading.

Other security experts noted that there are specific challenges with the latest variant of Bagle.

"This version tries to block the Netsky virus on users' machines, which seems like retaliation on Netsky," said Stefana Ribaudo, a security management product manager for Computer Associates International. The authors of the Bagle and Netsky variants have taken to taunting each other in the worms' software code.

Ribaudo added that the Bagle virus, which is also known as Bagel AX and W32.Beagle.AV, tries to disable antivirus software loaded on people's computers.

Increasingly, computer viruses are serving as a tool to surreptitiously use another person's computer to send out spam or collect personal financial information.

Security experts note that the profit that can be made from these activities is driving the rapid rise in virus and hacker attacks.”

The most recent version of the Bagle virus is another in a long list of variants of the virus, which began infecting computers in January.

BitDefender Labs noted that the new Bagel variant creates copies of itself in varying lengths, in a move to make it harder to filter out of e-mails using antivirus software.

Bagle.BB harvests addresses from local files and then uses those addresses in the "from" field to send itself, according to McAfee.

As a result, the recipient of Bagle.BB receives a bogus e-mail with a spoofed sender address, which, for example, may appear to come from a legitimate friend, business associate or family member.…

http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-5432334.html?tag=adnews

ICANN Board OKs New Internet Domain Names

ICANN Board OKs New Internet Domain Names :
“Two new Internet domain names—“.post” and “.travel”—could appear online as early as next year as the Internet's key oversight board announced preliminary approval on Wednesday.

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, in advancing the applications for postal services and the travel industry, said they were still considering eight other proposals including “.asia,” “.jobs,” and “.xxx.” Separately, “.eu” for the European Union also is in the works.”

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1684461,00.asp?kc=ewnws102804dtx1k0000599

Mastering Internet Video: A Guide to Streaming and On-Demand Video - WebReference.com-

Mastering Internet Video: A Guide to Streaming and On-Demand Video - WebReference.com-:
"This chapter, titled 'Video Security and Digital Rights Management', is excerpted from the new book, 'Mastering Internet Video: A Guide to Streaming and On-Demand Video,' authored by Damien Stolarz, ISBN 0-321-12246-1, copyright 2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. To learn more, visit http://www.awprofessional.com/title/0321122461.

How to Control Your Internet Video Distribution"

In This Chapter

• The Hope of Digital Rights Management
• A Tale of Two Consumers...or How to Feel Like You Are Protecting Content When You Are Not
• DRM Conceptual Ingredients
• Under the DRM Hood: Encryption Technology
• Encryption Concepts
• Tools in the Encryption Toolbox
• Truly Effective DRM

http://www.webreference.com/multimedia/video/index.html

Windows Security Updates for October 2004

Windows Security Updates for October 2004:
"The Microsoft Windows security updates for October 2004 address newly discovered issues in Windows, including Microsoft Internet Explorer, a component of Windows. If you have any of the software listed on this page installed on your computer, you should visit the Windows Update Web site to install related updates."

http://www.microsoft.com/security/bulletins/200410_windows.mspx

Build your own Database Driven Website using PHP & MySQL - Third Edition [Tutorials]

Build your own Database Driven Website using PHP & MySQL - Third Edition [Tutorials]:
"Kevin Yank began developing for the Web in 1995 and is a highly respected technical author. He wrote 'Build your own Database Driven Website using PHP and MySQL', a practical step-by-step guide published by SitePoint.com, and he's editor of the SitePoint Tech Times, a bi-weekly newsletter for technically-minded Web developers. Kev believes that any good Webmaster should have seen at least one episode of MacGyver. "

These articles are aimed at intermediate or advanced Web designers looking to make the leap into server-side programming. You'll be expected to be comfortable with simple HTML, as I'll make use of it without much in the way of explanation. No knowledge of JavaScript is assumed or required, but if you do know JavaScript, you'll find it will make learning PHP a breeze.

By the end of the series, you can expect to have a grasp of what's involved in setting up and building a database-driven Website. If you follow the examples, you'll also learn the basics of PHP (a server-side scripting language that gives you easy access to a database, and a lot more) and Structured Query Language (SQL — the standard language for interacting with relational databases) as supported by MySQL, one of the most popular free database engines available today. Most importantly, you'll come away with everything you need to get started on your very own database-driven site in no time!

What's in this Series?

This series comprises the following 4 chapters. Read them in order from beginning to end to gain a complete understanding of the subject, or skip around if you need a refresher on a particular topic.
Chapter 1: Installation

Chapter 2: Getting Started with MySQL

Chapter 3: Getting Started with PHP

Chapter 4: Publishing MySQL Data on the Web

http://www.sitepoint.com/article/php-mysql-tutorial

Working with HTML Using the FrontPage 2003 Object Model

Working with HTML Using the FrontPage 2003 Object Model:
"Summary: Learn how to use the Microsoft Office FrontPage 2003 Visual Basic for Applications object model to programmatically add or modify the HTML in a Web page. (11 printed pages)"

Introduction
Understanding the FrontPage Object Model
Troubleshooting
Conclusion

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/odc_fp2003_ta/
html/odc_fpWorkingWithHTMLProgrammatically.asp

Crypto-Gram Newsletter

Crypto-Gram Newsletter

In this issue:

• New Blog, and Changes to Crypto-Gram
• Keeping Network Outages Secret
• RFID Passports
• Disrupting Air Travel with Arabic Writing
• Crypto-Gram Reprints
• News
• Counterpane News
• The Legacy of DES
• The Doghouse: Lexar JumpDrives
• License Plate "Guns" and Privacy
• Aerial Surveillance to Detect Building Code Violations
• Terror Threat Alerts
• Academic Freedom and Security
• Comments from Readers

http://www.schneier.com/crypto-gram-0410.html

How To Do Radio

How To Do Radio

Radio Journalism 101

Want to work in Radio and need help getting started?

Want to suggest a story for NPR?

The Poynter Institute of Journalism site advertises itself as "Everything you need to be a better journalist". Highlights include an excellent and comprehensive High School Journalism Guide, and Nelson, an excellent search engine that searches by Newspapers, Print/TV, Beats or Journalism Organizations.

The Radiocollege.org site has excellent articles and suggestions on how to get your career off the ground, learn more about what you are doing or even find a school of Journalism to attend. Looking for scholarship money? There are quite a few organizations that offer such opportunities.

At AIRMedia.org you can join an organization made up of dedicated professionals who make a living (!!!) doing the kinds of stories public radio is known for.

Want to report for the BBC? They have a huge site dedicated to training and development.

The Minidisc Community Portal features links, forums, mailing lists, cool uses, etc.

Transom.org Tools editor Jeff Towne has gone through the transom discussion boards and created a list of FAQs.

NPR Technical Advisor Flawn Williams answers all your audio questions in our Ask The Engineer section. Caution: some of this may be redundant or you may find slightly differing opinions. You should read for similarities, not difference of opinion.

http://www.npr.org/about/nextgen/howto/index.html

Will Satellite, 'Podcasting' Bring a Renaissance to Radio Journalism?

Will Satellite, 'Podcasting' Bring a Renaissance to Radio Journalism?

Build your own radio station

While satellite radio will always have limited appeal due to the monthly charge, podcasting offers a free way for you to create your own radio station on the fly each day, listening when you want. Satellite radio services have been loathe to allow people to record their programs due to copyright concerns. XM Radio threatened legal action against the maker of TimeTrax software, which lets users record satellite shows on MP3s.

But Reuters reported that XM is planning its own TiVo-like devices soon that will allow users to pause and rewind live satellite broadcasts. Plus XM has a deal for streaming its programming onto the next generation of TiVo television recorders.

Still, podcasting goes much further, giving listeners full control over what they listen to, depending on the available RSS feeds. Basically, you need a portable MP3 player -- not necessarily an iPod -- Apple's free iTunes software, and the new iPodder software. The latter is an open source application, birthed by Adam Curry, the former MTV VJ, blogger and serial entrepreneur now based in Amsterdam.

Curry runs the iPodder site, which includes a nascent directory of podcasting feeds with everything from music to news to audiobooks. So far, the selection is weighted to technology radio shows, and it sometimes seems as if a small group of people are just listening to each other.

"So this morning, here in my hotel room, I listened to the latest edition of Adam Curry's Daily Source Code, Dave Winer's Morning Coffee Notes about the open-sourcing of Frontier, and a conversation between Adam and Dave about all the above, iPodder, Trade Secrets Radio and much more," wrote Doc Searls in his Weblog about his new fascination with podcasting.

But Curry is optimistic that podcasting will catch on with a much wider audience. He thinks MP3 player manufacturers will be able to build iPodder functionality right into their devices. "Mass appeal is likely, since the installed base of MP3 players is huge," he said. "Most of them have gigabytes of empty disk space and users are apparently really enjoying this new use for their players."

Beyond the smaller productions, there are now more polished podcasts from public radio station WGBH as well as KOMO 1000 AM news in Seattle. KOMO is the first commercial news station to take the leap into podcasting. The station's assistant director of news and programming, Stan Orchard, told me that his station has always been on the cutting edge with technology, launching a Web site in 1994 and an RSS feed last year. Podcasting was an easy addition.

"For the user it's easy-squeasy," Orchard said via e-mail. "They just install iPodder or some other such program and type in our podcast feed URL. That's it. As for setting it up at this end...all it takes is a RSS feed which we already had. We just had to tweak it a bit. Then we had to crank out some stories. Again, we were already doing that for the Web site so it wasn't much [work]."

One of the challenges for KOMO was getting the radio reporters to think a little differently, according to Orchard. Now they have to consider three formats while producing a story: the radio broadcast, the MP3 podcast and a written story for the Web site.

While podcasting is only in its embryonic stage, people are already looking beyond time-shifted radio on portable MP3 players. NPR's Mitchell, for one, thinks that ubiquitous wireless Net connections could bring on-demand radio to a variety of devices, cutting out the computer as content server.

"The next big thing is...I think eventually you'll be able to wirelessly download something, stick on some headphones, and sit with your iPod or phone and listen to a program," Mitchell said. "I think you'll eventually be able to do that. Handheld devices will keep shrinking. You can already download and listen to shows online."

Plus, Mitchell notes just how cheap radio production has become. Now a college student can spend about $1,000 on audio equipment, maybe $2,000 on an Apple laptop, and with the right training, start reporting stories and put them online. "I don't have to burn CDs unless someone wants to purchase it," Mitchell says. "It's extremely cost effective. All the barriers are coming down. It's becoming extremely decentralized."

For the independent radio producer, the biggest barrier might be getting heard above the noise of so many like-minded folks online. Adam Curry says that skill, experience and talent will still set people apart. "There will be a lot of crap, and just like Weblogs, we'll also have our superstars," he said. "And everyone can have their 15 minutes [of fame]."

http://ojr.org/ojr/glaser/1097614994.php

Test Web pages in multiple browser versions

Test Web pages in multiple browser versions

Until recently, having multiple versions of IE for Windows installed on a single computer has been problematic because of the tight integration of IE with the Windows operating system. Conventional wisdom was that you couldn't have more than one version of IE installed in a given copy of Windows.

As a result, many Web builders resorted to using several separate Windows computers for testing, each with a different version of IE installed. The only other option was to create multiple virtual machines on one hardware box using emulation software such as VMware.

And now a solution
In response to the Eolas lawsuit, Microsoft is circulating a developer's preview of a version of IE without the features that are covered by the Eolas patent. One of the most interesting things about the test version of IE is that it can coexist with a standard version of IE. (Read about the changes in IE as a result of the Eolas suit.)

Joe Maddalone, of Insert Title Web Designs, is credited with realizing which file (iexplore.exe.local) makes it possible to run more than one copy of IE and sharing that discovery with the rest of us. Another enterprising Web builder, Ryan Parman of Skyzyx.com, has packaged the iexplore.exe.local file with the core browser files for each of several versions of IE. These stand-alone versions of IE are available from his download page.

To install one of the stand-alone IE versions, you simply extract the files from the ZIP archive and place them in a separate directory on your Windows test system. (Almost any directory except the main IE directory will do.) To launch the stand-alone old browser, open the directory and double-click the iexplore.exe file.

http://builder.com.com/5100-6371_14-5157896.html?tag=nl.e601

Microsoft warns of 22 new security flaws | Tech News on ZDNet

Microsoft warns of 22 new security flaws | Tech News on ZDNet:
"Microsoft on Tuesday published 10 software security advisories, warning Windows users and corporate administrators of 22 new flaws that affect the company's products. "

The advisories, and patches published with the bulletins, range from an "important" flaw affecting only Microsoft Windows NT Server to a collection of eight security holes, including three rated "critical," that leave Internet Explorer open to attack. Microsoft's highest severity rating for software flaws is its "critical" ranking, while "important" is considered slightly less severe.

One flaw, in Microsoft Excel, even affects Apple Computer's Mac OS X.

The abundance of flaws could leave corporate PCs vulnerable to attack if administrators are not able to patch quickly. A similar situation occurred in April, when Microsoft published seven advisories detailing 20 flaws. While one security hole stood out among those 20--and led to the widespread Sasser worm--there are no standouts in the current gaggle of goofs.

"Our challenge is trying to guess what the criminals are going to attack," said Stephen Toulouse, security program manager for Microsoft's security response team. "The guidance we are giving in general is to treat the critical ones first."

A single computer would not be vulnerable to all the flaws, Toulouse added.

Oliver Friedrichs, senior director of Symantec's security response center, said three vulnerabilities could lead to a Sasser-like worm, but the danger is lessened by the fact that the vulnerable services are not started by default on most versions of Windows. These flaws are related to three network protocols that are not generally activated on Windows computers: Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), Network News Transfer Protocol (NNTP), and Network Dynamic Data Exchange (NetDDE).

"Blaster and Sasser targeted core system vulnerabilities, where if you didn't have the patch you were vulnerable," Friedrichs said. "The key thing here is that these are not (generally) enabled by default.The question is how large is the deployment of vulnerable systems."

http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-5406550.html

Trojan pretends to do good | Tech News on ZDNet

Trojan pretends to do good | Tech News on ZDNet:
"Security company Symantec is warning Internet users of a Trojan horse that removes adware but alters the settings in computers.

While Downloader.Lunii eliminates a variety of adware programs--often known as spyware--the Trojan also tries to maliciously change the security settings of Windows PCs and then downloads files from unknown Web sites, Symantec said.

'It's common that a Trojan will try to change as much security as possible,' said Nigel Beighton, Symantec's director of enterprise strategy. 'They often try to change Microsoft, Symantec and McAfee software.'

Symantec classified Lunii as a low-risk Trojan."

http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-5400982.html?tag=adnews

Microsoft to tune up Media Center PC

Microsoft to tune up Media Center PC:
"For the first time, Microsoft's Windows XP Media Center Edition is supporting multiple tuners, meaning that consumers will be able to watch one channel while recording another or record two stations at once, CNET News.com has learned. The feature is one of several improvements Microsoft has made with Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, an update that the company plans to announce next week. "

At the same time, Microsoft is also allowing computer makers to create Media Center PCs that lack the TV recording feature altogether, a move that will allow computer makers to offer PCs with the operating system for less than $800. It's all part of an effort by Microsoft to position Media Center as a more mainstream consumer OS.

Without an all-new version of Windows until Longhorn in 2006, Microsoft is hoping that an improved Media Center OS can help reignite interest in the 3-year-old Windows XP operating system. The launch of the updated Media Center, along with several new companion products, will form a key part of Microsoft's fall marketing blitz designed to sell consumers on the benefits of XP.

The entertainment-oriented Media Center OS is similar to other flavors of Microsoft's flagship Windows XP, but adds a second interface that can play movies, music, digital pictures or television and be controlled via remote control. In its first two incarnations, Media Center has attracted only a niche of the PC market, largely those interested in recording TV shows onto their hard drives.

Microsoft has thus far been largely mum about the new version of Media Center OS, though details have begun to trickle out. As previously reported, the new version has several new features designed to address current shortcomings, such as the ability to burn CDs and DVDs from within the remote-controlled interface.…

http://techrepublic.com.com/5100-22_11-5398938.html?tag=nl.e103

Microsoft Fixes Vexing XP SP2 Incompatibility

Microsoft Fixes Vexing XP SP2 Incompatibility
Numerous applications, including some of Microsoft's own, have encountered compatibility problems with Windows XP SP2 (Service Pack 2). But one application in particular wreaked an inordinate amount of havoc until Microsoft created a removal tool, and now a patch, for it.

That application—which many industry watchers consider to fall more into the adware/spware category—was Total Velocity Software's TV Media application. TV Media hides on users' PCs and displays commercials.

A number of users with TV Media lurking on their PCs who attempted to load SP2 were hit immediately with the dreaded blue screen of death.

Microsoft posted a Knowledge Base article on its Web site in September that outlined the TV Media-SP2 problems. Microsoft posted a downloadable TV Media removal tool around the same time.

The company posted a patch Tuesday that it characterized as a "critical update," which is designed to head off the TV Media problem at the pass.

The TV Media problems were not discovered during SP2 beta testing, said Matt Fingerhut, PSS senior director of consumer technical support. But once Microsoft began rolling out the final SP2 version, TV Media in particular—and spyware in general—started botching SP2 installations.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?
kbid=885523&product=windowsxpsp2

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?
amp;amp;amp;displaylang=en&familyid=
F94E8B27-B656-45CD-9668-73134A18231B&displaylang=en

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?
amp;displaylang=en.&familyid=
65875203-CF1B-4D32-8F32-E00D004659F6&displaylang=en

Microsoft began advising customers a few weeks ago to
scan for and remove all spyware from their PCs before attempting to install SP2.

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1667872,00.asp

37signals: An Introduction to Using Patterns in Web Design

37signals: An Introduction to Using Patterns in Web Design:
"The biggest challenge for web designers is the unthinkably huge number of possible ways to solve any given problem. We usually don't think of this because we have our habits and traditions to fall back on, but there are literally billions of possible pixel combinations for each page we make."

There is a better way to manage this vast complexity than by making big decisions up front and hoping for the best. To make better sites — sites that are functional, beautiful, and "usable" — we have to break our design problems up into small independent chunks based on the real issues within our requirements. Christopher Alexander, who came up with this stuff, calls these chunks patterns.

http://37signals.com/papers/introtopatterns/

A Search Engine For Java Code

A Search Engine For Java Code:
"Can't find that last bit of Java code to complete your project? IBM is developing a search engine it claims will let Java developers find even the briefest code examples in a fraction of the time it now takes. "

Code-named "Prospector , http://snobol.cs.berkeley.edu/prospector-bin/search.py," the engine seeks out code examples that use any or all of J2SE 1.4, Eclipse 3.0, and Eclipse GEF (Graphical Editing Framework) code. IBM is working with the U.C. Berkeley Computer Science Department to fund the venture with a fraction of its $1 billion annual developer budget.

The search engine is currently in beta testing with plans for completion by the end of the year.

http://www.internetnews.com/dev-news/article.php/3417991

Web Analytics: A User's Guide, Part 1

Web Analytics: A User's Guide, Part 1:
"Web analytics is an umbrella term that refers to the tracking of many different indicators: total site usage, which products are selling (and which aren't), trends in usage, type of visitors (age, income, location), where visitors come from, and other factors. Web analytics data guides site managers as they improve their site, and their bottom line.

Running a Web site without such data is like steering a ship without reliable indicators of wind level and sun position: there's no way to find your direction.

Inherent in Web analytics are two key concepts: First, that a site manager examines her data on a regular basis, perhaps weekly or even daily. Second, that a site manager changes her site based on that data, then continues to track that data over time to watch the effect of those decisions. If the new data indicates the change was profitable, stick with it; if not, try a different direction.

The central idea is to trust the data more than your preconceived notions of shopper opinion, or what other sites are doing, or the ego of the CEO. In short, the numbers don't lie. And only by truly following the numbers can a site's revenue be maximized. "

http://www.ecommerce-guide.com/solutions/customer_relations/article.php/3416791

The Search Engine Report - Number 95

The Search Engine Report - Number 95

In This Issue
+ Search Engine Watch News
+ Search Engine Strategies Set For Stockholm, Chicago
+ Search Engine Watch Articles
+ Best Of The Search Engine Watch Blog
+ About The Newsletter

http://searchenginewatch.com/sereport/article.php/3418331

Video-Editing Power For Non-Pros by PC Magazine

Video-Editing Power For Non-Pros by PC Magazine:
"While earlier consumer-level packages shunned advanced concepts such as multitrack editing and chroma key capabilities, software developers have recognized that many early adopters are ready for more powerful software—but aren't ready or willing to tackle the $500-and-up packages intended for videographers. The newest entries in this upper-entry-level segment are Adobe Premiere Elements and Pinnacle Studio Plus 9.

To compare these programs, PC Magazine created a 12-minute video project that included a variety of transitions and effects, including slow motion, chroma key, and picture-in-picture (PiP). Studio Plus won two of three trials, producing our DVD in 35 minutes 13 seconds, compared to 50:22 for Premiere Elements; and rendering to a Windows Media file in 31:36, compared to 38:12 for Premiere Elements. That better performance, combined with the program's polish and versatility, make Pinnacle Studio Plus 9 our PC Magazine's Choice among consumer video-editing products."

http://www.pcmag.com/print_article/0,1761,a=135822,00.asp

WinXPnews Open Control Panel Applets from the Run Box

WinXPnews Open Control Panel Applets from the Run Box :
"Open Control Panel Applets from the Run Box

Are you a keyboard whiz who prefers typing commands to navigating through a bunch of windows with the mouse? Here are the commands for opening some popular Control Panel applets (just type them in the Run box): "

http://www.winxpnews.com/control_panel_applets.cfm

New Phishing System Takes Advantage of JPEG Bug

New Phishing System Takes Advantage of JPEG Bug:
"Symantec Corp.'s Threat Analyst Team has discovered an exploit in the wild that utilizes the recently announced JPEG vulnerability in Microsoft Corp.'s GDI+ library to install a new and sophisticated phishing system.

eWEEK.com spoke with Oliver Friedrichs, senior manager of Symantec Security Response, who said the infected image is not able to attack a system from within Internet Explorer or Outlook, but only from within Windows Explorer, the file system browsing utility. Therefore, an attacker would likely need to entice a user to view the file from within the file system. Perhaps for this reason, Symantec says the spread of the attack is limited for now."

This was the most feared scenario for this vulnerability. Because of the nature of this particular attack, as a heap-based integer underflow vulnerability, implementations of the attack are likely to be specific to the application, perhaps even versions of the application, in which the image is viewed. Friedrichs says that it may not be possible to exploit the vulnerability from within Outlook or Outlook Express.

Once the user views the infected JPEG image, named ducky.jpg, the exploit code launches and downloads a file named ll.exe from the site maybeyes.biz. This file is saved as y.exe in the c:\ directory and executed. y.exe then downloads a second file from maybeyes.biz, upd.exe, and saves it as divxencoder.exe in the %SYSTEMROOT% directory (usually c:\windows) and executes it. This file then injects a DLL file embedded in it into Windows explorer.exe.

The DLL, now infecting Windows Explorer, contacts a different system on the same provider network as maybeyes.biz and downloads from it an XML-based template file. This file describes the phishing spam message to be sent from the infected system and the e-mail addresses to which it should be sent. Analysis on the DLL is not complete.…

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1664909,00.asp?kc=ewnws100404dtx1k0000599

Skype for Pocket PC
Skype for Pocket PC is free and simple software that enables you to make free calls anywhere in the world with your handheld. Created by the people who brought you KaZaA, Skype uses innovative P2P (peer-to-peer) technology to connect you with other users. It is quick and easy to install and offers several features, including SkypeOut calling from Skype to regular and mobile phones worldwide, free conference calling, and secure file transfer. Skype calls have better sound quality than your regular phone and are highly secure with end-to-end encryption.

Publisher:	Skype
Date added:	September 16, 2004
License:	Free
Minimum requirements:	400 MHz XScale processor,WiFi-enabled
Uninstaller included?:	No

http://downloads-zdnet.com.com/Remote-PC-Access/3000-7240-10319519.html?tag=list

Zombie armies behind cyberscrime sprees | Tech News on ZDNet

Zombie armies behind cyberscrime sprees Tech News on ZDNet:
"Security experts are beginning to see a pattern in cybercrimes.

According to communications firm Energis, online crime appears to be occurring in cyclical patterns related to the creation of botnets--zombie armies of PCs that have been taken control of without the owners' knowledge.
'When you see the creation of zombie networks, you can almost see the life cycle of a spam and virus attack,' said Malcom Seagrave, head of security strategy for Energis. 'It's the same with DDoS [denial-of-service] attacks and those who steal data.'
'It's almost predictable. We can't prove it, but we think they are related. They are well-organized and they are beating the security industry.'
Seagrave said combined threats, such as keystroke-logging Trojans embedded in spam, were causing serious damage to company networks.
'Some of their methods, we just can't work out,' he said. 'But the most important way to stop this is user education.' "

Botnets are readily available for hire on the Internet. According to anti-spam campaigner Steve Linford of Spamhaus, botnets are first set up for spammers to hire and then sold on--often for DDoS attacks--when they have been blocked by anti-spam firms.

Seagrave said he thought that online retailers needed to beef up their security in time for Christmas: "You'll almost certainly see a DDoS attack coming before Christmas. Retailers will have to be wary as you can expect a growth in attacks this year."

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