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Archived News - April
2001
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Now that's what I call tweakin'. Little
White Dog shows you how to get up close and personal with the Windows
2000 boot logo. Other places might show you how to change the login screen,
but this article deals with that little white screen that comes up before
that. This is the first "How To" article I've seen that shows
you how to do this, so if you're into tweakin', definitely go check
this out!
Greg Hess of 3DLuvr has a great
little faq about computer hardware as it pertains to 3D stuff. If
you use max, lightwave or just want some basic questions answered, go
take a pull.
You have got to see these pictures. Thomas
Suurland's gallery. The 3D images he creates are unbelievable!
btw - I heard that space station had a computer crash that disabled communication
or something. Would it be a suprise to learn that "NASA
is using Windows for most space station functions" (as reported
here)?
Read all about this one on CNN,
Space.com,
BBC.
Thank you Slashdot.
It's a one-hand keyboard.
I apologize for not updating the site as much lately. I've had my hands
full with making a web site for my new idea: A one-hand keyboard layout,
and besides, there hasn't been much news...
I don't have any grand ambitions: it's not going to replace the 127-year-old
QWERTY design, but it might give people an alternative.
The layout is freely available to use to anyone who wants to make a keyboard
based on it.
If you're into alternatives old QWERTY keyboard, please pay my new site
a visit:
www.letakeyboard.com
Btw - This isn't just some pie-in-the-sky idea: I have a working prototype
right here. I'll post images soon.
It looks as if Redmond is up to its
usual bag-o-tricks:
According to a
superb story in today's Wall Street Journal, MS "plans to severely
limit the quality of music that can be recorded as an MP3 file using
software built into the next version of its [PC] operating system, Windows
XP. But music recorded in the Redmond software company's own format,
called Windows Media Audio, will sound clearer and require far less
storage space on a computer."
This shouldn't suprise you. Notice how you can't simply copy an audio
file from an audio cd to your hard drive by "drag & drop"
or any other means?
If you're "ripping" mp3 or wavs from cd's, you should be using
CD-COPY, Audiograbber
or some other third party software. On a personal note, CD-COPY kicks
much ass.
 Related
links:
The WSJ story
I have no idea what "canoe" is...
CD-COPY
and
Audiograbber
Third-party programs to rip audio cd's. You may trust Bill with all of
your personal data, but leave the audio to others...
These things are pretty cool. They're called visualization (or "viz")
programs and you plug them into your mp3 player (e.g. winamp)
and the little lines dance to the music.
These two particular programs, G-Force
and Whitecap were written by a recent Cornell CS grad, Mark
O'Meara.
Related
links:
WIRED
story
Read all about "vis" programs and Mark's call to duty.
There's a newsgroup: rec.humor.funny
On which, a few years ago, someone posted a
completely tasteless parody of Mastercard's
"priceless" television advertisements.
Now, the moderator of the newsgroup, Brad Templeton is being sued by Mastercard.
His response is simply... here.
I couldn't think of a funny way to end that sentence...
This
is freakin' hilarious:
"The idea is, if you are a normal home user,
to be able to turn on your PC, not do anything else, and you will be
safe and secure," said Steve Lipner, manager of Microsoft's security
response center.
Yeah, that already exists it's called LINUX.
Seriously though, I've said it a million times, if Microsoft
cared about sercurity for its users, they'd get rid of Visual Basic Script
(aka VBScript and vbs) and ActiveX. But pushing crap-ware
that people don't want and installing icons and dialogs in every nook-n-cranny
of users' computers is far more important than security, right? So what
if a few users' security is compromised...
This movie isn't new, it was released in 1998. But I hadn't seen it
until last night. It's one funny movie. If you haven't seen it and if
you like funny movies (huh?) I recommend it.
Here's a little snip:
Dr. Peter Flynn: "What happened to your eye?"
Max Fischer: "I got punched in the face. What's your excuse?"
Jnternet
Explorer 6 hasn't been released yet, but that's no reason why you
shouldn't be tweaking it. Or at least reading about how to tweak it so
when you get it... Actually, there are rumors going around that it won't
be released as a stand-alone product at all. Why would it be, it's part
of the OS. Oh wait, Netscape's gone, so it can be a separate product now...
I have even heard rumors that Internet Explorer will be no more and you
probably can't guess what will take its place? If you guessed Outlook,
you'd be right. But you didn't hear it from me  .
and secrets...
Anyway, 3DSpotlight starts the article off about saying that ie6, "Offering
a wide range of enhancements, bug fixes & changes in many areas."
Ok, whatever dude... In reality, it doesn't.
Related
links:
Microsoft's
Internet Explorer 6 Public Preview site
If you don't know what a public preview is, it used to be called "alpha
release." Since Microsoft shipping products are basically beta
releases... 
Seriously though, it's a way for users to play with upcoming software
and for software companies to get feedback without deploying (releasing)
a product that hasn't yet been fully tested. How's that?
CNet new
story (2/27/01)
on Internet explorer 6
A CNet commentary
(1/30/01)
on ie 6
btw - I just stumbled across this
site. It looks like it might be a good source for files. The latest
utilities and what-not.
fileclicks
And another thing:
If you're a rebellious teen, this might appeal to you:
Keep Out
screensaver
"KEEP OUT is an awesome 3D screensaver, that shows a skull with crossed
bones rotating on your screen. It also uses amazing dynamic light effects"
Yeah, it might go with the skull and crossbones Keep Out sign on your
door that wards off your parents and nosy little sister...
One more thing:
 Office
Depot has my all-time favorite trackball, the Logitech
Marble Mouse on clearance for $19.95. Mice suck, period. This trackball
is sweet, it uses optical tracking, there are no moving parts, you rarely
have to clean it, and it's good for both righties and lefties! You
never know when you'll need a left-handed mouse .
I think the ones on clearance might be the older, white models. The new
ones seem to be in this annoying grey/silver. Does anyone else find silver
mice totally annoying? I don't have a silver keyboard, or a silver printer...
I think I actually saw a silver printer... ugh...
Jt's always good to keep articles like this handy. Many of you are new
to being nerdy, I mean "computing" and sometimes your computer
just gets full of stuff you don't use any more and it's just time for
a good cleaning. I suggest "wiping" the hard-drive, but some
people are weenies so here's your link weenie.
And keep in mind, this is still SE, so don't be suprised if their advice
to clean windows or anything for that matter is, "buy a Pentium 4!"
Do any of you remember those Jon Lovitz SNL skits from the early 90's
where he would say, "Get to know me!"... anyway...
It looks as though Microsoft wants
to get to know its users. From the article:
"Initially, HailStorm will consist of a
universal password and a service that would deliver short text messages
to computers, pagers, phones and other devices. It would also automatically
coordinate appointment calendars and store personal files online. Eventually,
the service will be able to watch and listen to computer users in their
homes and offices, so it knows when they are busy and when to interrupt
them with important messages and calls."
The article does a good job of touching on the potential good and bad
points of Microsoft's proposed plan for world domina... I mean... a...
positive... uh... user... experience?
This is from the Seattle Times, and just keep in mind that the local media
is rarely critical of Microsoft.
p.s. I'm working on a ...er ...let's call it a "project" (it's
rather Dean Kamen-esque, if I do say so myself). If there's anyone out
there who has experience writing or modifying kernel-mode(?) device drivers
for Windows (not DOS, I've done that), and has a spare second, I wouldn't
mind if you dropped me a line. I'd
like to pick your brain... There is no money, but I could give you "props"
and I'm not talking airplane parts here...
I updated the links pages with links to some
great sites. Make sure you get around to checking them out.
Ok, this made me laugh so hard I almost soiled myself:
"Frankly, I think it's a piece of crap,"
Torvalds writes of Mach, the microkernel on which Apple's new operating
system is based. "It contains all the design mistakes you can make,
and manages to even make up a few of its own."
HA! Linus Torvalds
is the creator of LINUX, the popular
open-source operating system (OS). OS X (OS ten) is Apple's
latest (and much delayed) version of its Macintosh operating system. This
is especially damaging since many have been comparing OS X to LINUX and
UNIX and touting OS X as a potential wonder-OS that is supposed to free
everyone from Windows' grasp. I think not.
Related
links:
Apple's OS X site
Find out what you're (not) missing .
Ars
Technica (who?) has a little write-up on OS X
Although I don't believe that they refer to it as "crap".
CNet article
on OS X release (03/29/01)
More info on OS X if you're so inclined.
ZDNet UK article
(thnx slashdot for the link)
concerning Linus' comments
Wow. Microsoft actually suprised
me with this
news: Outlook 2002 will not open certain types of attached files:
"The files, deemed by Microsoft as most
likely to be used by hackers to transfer viruses, include some of the
most common types, such as program execution files, batch files, Windows
help files, and Java and Visual Basic scripting files. Also blocked
are photo CD images, screensavers and HTML application files, according
to a list supplied by Microsoft."
It seems that Microsoft might be willing to do what I thought they would
never do, which is shut the door on VB Script (VisualBasic Script) attachments.
VBScript is by far the easiest and most common way viruses ("worms"
really) have been spread on Windows machines during the past few years.
We see have to see what Outlook 2002 can do about bad-stuff embedded
in email itself and not part of a separate file attachment.
So when's it due? "Outlook 2002, a new e-mail application included
with Microsoft's forthcoming Office XP business software suite due later
this spring."
Related
links:
Microsoft OfficeXP site
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buzz
source: lotsa places
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Today's buzz is "folding" - which is what people are calling
the distributed computing effort to help in cancer research. From this
AP story, "By combining the idle processing power of thousands,
even millions of personal computers on the Internet, they can form a virtual
machine more powerful than even the world's fastest supercomputers."
There's a little confusion here.
There are at least two projects here. One is run by Stanford, it is called
"Genome @Home."
The other is the "Intel - United Devices
cancer research project" - some people have raised objections
to the Intel-backed program stating that it is not clear what the companies
backing the program would do with the results (e.g. patent the results
and license them for a profit, rewarding you with nothing).
The Stanford project
has a FAQ page to answer all your burning questions.
The Intel - United
Devices project also has a faq which seems to state the the results
will be freely available and "are the intellectual property of the
University of Oxford and the National Foundation for Cancer Research,
who will make the scientific findings of this project available to the
greater scientific community."
Anyway, if you hear (nerdly) people talking about "folding"
and they're not married (huh?), this is probably what they're talking
about.
I just feel bad for the poeple who run SETI-at-home
(the distribued computing program for SETI) because last month so many
people were all, "Come join our SETI program, SETI is cool."
And now those same people have abandoned SETI for folding.
Related
links:
CNN
story
DailySouthtown
I found this article very helpful - it was the only place I could find
the Stanford link.
Stanford Genome @Home site
Intel's
distributed cancer research site
National Foundation for Cancer
Research (NFCR)
Parabon corporation - Compute
against cancer page
Slashdot
thread on the subject
WIRED
story on "folding"
Genome
effort hits home
another WIRED story on "folding"
This
is what goes on in my neck of the woods. Some jackass put up a website
with private information (addresses, phone numbers, etc) of federal agents
(FBI agents or whatever). The guy then says stuff like, Oh it would be
a shame if someone were to break into their houses and kill them, not
that I condone that sort-of thing. Doesn't this clown understand that
stealing and sharing private information should be left to greedy corporations.
Individuals simply shouldn't engage in that sort-of information collecting
and sharing, it's illegal.
It seems Microsoft has responded
to the criticism regarding its Passport privacy policy. From the
WIRED story:
"The simple explanation for all this confusion
is that the Passport terms of use are simply out of date," said Microsoft
spokesman Tom Pilla. "We're in the process of updating them to reflect
the Passport's privacy policy. We should have something up in the next
day or two."
Privacy advocates may raise a stink about this, and I can see where they're
coming from, but what do you expect from a free service? Microsoft doesn't
charge for its Passport, Hotmain and related services.
Related
links:
My previous post (03/30) about the privacy policy.
The privacy
policy
in question can be found here.
From slashdot, "If you tried the patch and
got the message, "This update does not need to be installed on this system,"
you may need to upgrade your IE and re-patch"
I don't know what's going on with this: If you run Microsoft products,
you're probably better off just going out behind your house and putting
a gun to your head, or something...
Get the Wired story here
and here.
Get the Reg's
take (funny, they were bought out by microsoft two days ago, yet now
it seems as if everything is back to normal...).
Related
links:
 Microsoft
security bulletin MS01-020 (more like MS01-a million)
Straight dope from the horse's mouth. Download the patch that's all messed
up...
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