Taking revenge on Spammers

This article explains how you can track down a cybercriminal and report him to the appropiate authorities and host server.

Logo is 40 years old

"What is Logo?

"Logo is the name for a philosophy of education and a continually evolving family of programming languages that aid in its realization."
- Harold Abelson
Apple Logo, 1982

This statement sums up two fundamental aspects of Logo and puts them in the proper order. The Logo programming environments that have been developed over the past 28 years are rooted in constructivist educational philosophy, and are designed to support constructive learning.

Constructivism views knowledge as being created by learners in their own minds through interaction with other people and the world around them. This theory is most closely associated with Jean Piaget, the Swiss psychologist, who spent decades studying and documenting the learning processes of young children."




http://el.media.mit.edu/Logo-foundation/logo/index.html

Take Action and block the russian maffia

If your ISP doesn't already block them, you can add these criminals to your firewall rules.

I.P. address block for Russian Business Network:
81.95.144.0/20 #SBL43489
(81.95.144.0 - 81.95.159.255)

And the address blocks for its equally corrupt cousins at Intercage, Inhoster, and Nevacon:

85.255.112.0/20 #SBL36702
(85.255.112.0 - 85.255.127.255)

69.50.160.0/19
(69.50.160.0 - 69.50.191.255)

194.146.204.0/22 #SBL51152
(194.146.204.0 - 194.146.207.255)

Most popular operating systems on Amazon

Most popular operating systems on Amazon



---------------------------------

(1) Most popular operating systems on Amazon
.
Great work! You have found a good indicator that shows the demand of the people.

Revelation: Ubuntu is now #5 in operating systems! This means Ubuntu is #1 in operating systems for the industry-standard IBM PC on Amazon.

#1 & #2: Mac OS X Leopard. Isn't the Mac supposed to be an "insignificant" computer?

#3 & #4 Windows XP Full Versions. Windows XP is more popular than Windows Vista WHEN CUSTOMERS HAVE A CHOICE X-( Note: Since these are full versions, it is likely that these are being bought by Macintosh users to run on Parallels on the new X86 Macs.

#5: Ubuntu. Because I attribute the XP full version sales to Mac users, Ubuntu is the #1 operating system for industry-standard commodity IBM PCs on Amazon! :0 I like the vision of this keeping Steve Ballmer awake at night. :^0 Maybe he will be less excitable during daytime hours (2).



---------------------------------

(1) Most popular operating systems on Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/software/229653/ref=pd_ts_sw_nav/103-5765134-8896641

(2) I...LOVE...THIS...COMPANY!!! (Warning: Has sound!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMU0tzLwhbE

PC Tools Spyware Doctor crashes computer

After installing PC tools Spyware Doctor, my HP amd 64 began to freeze the mouse and The screen blue of death began to appear.

"Spyware Doctor is a top-rated malware & spyware removal utility that detects, removes and protects your PC from thousands of potential spyware, adware, trojans, keyloggers, spybots and tracking threats."

I found a temporary Solution:

1- Disable OnGuard protection. Now, I only use it to download updates and scan my machine.

Petpeave: The program disables itself completely and when you re-start it to scan the machine, it loads the onguard protection again. I wish there was a feature to disable just the onguard protection and not the whole program. It seems to suck all the system memory and resources.

Positive Outlook: the program excels on removing spyware and trojans. So I highly recommended! if you are having serious problems with spyware, hang in there!

Microsoft regarding the stealth update

More information from Microsoft on stealth update by ZDNet's Adrian Kingsley-Hughes -- Just to keep you all in the loop, I've just received the following information from Microsoft regarding the stealth update.

Libra free software library

http://www.getlibra.com/files/slideshow/screen1s.jpg


Libra is a beautiful library software to manage your Books, Music, Movies and Games. You can track items you have lent out, or tag them with meaningful terms to organize them effectively. Libra can import your items from other applications, or scan them from either your webcam or any barcode scanner (including CueCat). Once you have built your collection, you can print out beautiful catalog pages of all your items.

http://www.getlibra.com/

Invalid PostTemplate solution to blogger's error

"Invalid Post template bX-t0ou3g
Your post template contains invalid html. This typically means
tags. You can get rid of this error by either removing the
post template altogether or by editing it on Settings->Formatting-
>Post Template. Describe what you were doing when you got this error.
Provide the following error code and additional information.
bX-t0ou3g
Additional information "

SOLUTION:

1- Sig in into your blogger account
2- Select Settings
3- Select Formatting
4- Go inside POST TEMPLATE and highlight all test, then COPY and PASTE the information into NOTEPAD and then save file as Bloggercode.txt or whatever.
5- Go back to DASHBOARD and click on New Post, there you have it! no more errors

How to Disable AOL Debug errors

How To Disable AOL Debug Error Popups

–Open Internet Explorer 6 or Internet Explorer 7
–Press ALT+T
–Click Internet Options
–Click Advanced TAB
–Checkmark Disable Script Debugging (Internet Explorer)
–Checkmark Disable Script Debugging (Other)
–Click OK
–Close Internet Explorer
–Restart Aim 6.0 or Aim 6.1

Can't add new post to Blogger part 2

TEMPORARY SOLUTION STEP BY STEP on Mac OS X:

1- Download blogger.wdgt.zip and install it on Mac OSX, which I found
on http://knownissues.blogspot.com/

Scroll down and look for the topic here:

Update, 6/6: Version 1.0.1 of the widget has been released and works with the new Blogger. Download it. — latest update on Wednesday, June 06, 2007
DOWNLOAD:
http://dl.google.com/macwidgets/Blogger.wdgt.zip

Labels: api, fixed, macintosh, posting


3-Login to your account via Firefox or Safari web browser
2-To access your new installed widget, just click on middle apple button mouse, this will bring the widget on windows view or simply press F12 to bring in the dashboard into view.
3-Login as you normally would through the widget, begin to type your message, then when you are ready you can either publish post or save as draft.
4- from here you can view it in your web browser.

HINT: TO CLOSE AND OPEN WIDGET:

To Close it:
Hold down the option key and keeping moving the mouse pointer around near the upper-left corner of a widget until the circle-X close button appears in that corner just outside the widget's window. It'll be easier finding that "hot zone" to activate the close button after you discover it the first time.
To Open it:
1-Press F12 or click center mouse button, then look at right bottom corner for plus sign, click on it and select appropiate menus options.

Can't add new posting on blogger-part 1

The posting menu of Blogger.com is giving me an error even in Safari or Firefox. This is just started a few days ago and cleaning the cache won't solve the problem or even making sure that java permissions are in place. It is definitely a big bug!
I don't seem to have the same problem on Windows Xp Professional running in my HP athlon. Only on Imac Intel.
======================================
I'm getting the following error every time I try to add a new post in Blogger:

"We're sorry, but we were unable to complete your request.

When reporting this error to Blogger Support or on the Blogger Help Group, please:

* Describe what you were doing when you got this error.
* Provide the following error code and additional information.

bX-mzm63b

Additional information
blogID:XXXXXXX
host: www.blogger.com
uri: /post-create.g

This information will help us to track down your specific problem and fix it! We apologize for the inconvenience."

http://help.blogger.com/bin/static.py?page=start.cs

REASON I"M DOING PART 1 is because is text is too long Widget Menu dissapear of the screen view :(

Special article on anti-spyware programs

This is a great link to learn more about authentic versus bogus antispyware programs.

http://spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm#special

Feeling Nostalgia for Old DOS ?

Free Dos offers the great opportunity to enjoy again the good old DOS games.

"FreeDOS is a free DOS-compatible operating system for IBM-PC compatible systems. FreeDOS is made of up many different, separate programs that act as "packages" to the overall FreeDOS Project.

These days, there are three main uses of FreeDOS:

1. To run classic DOS games (like Doom, MAME, etc.)
2. To run business software that only supports DOS
3. To support an embedded DOS system, such as a computerized cash register or till"

The Package comes bundled with the following:

1. base - Essential DOS utilities which reproduce the functionality of MS-DOS
2. compress - Free file compression and decompression utilities (7zip, arj, bzip2, cabextract, gzip, tar, zoo ...)
3. driver - Free drivers for network cards and usb
4. edit - A collection of editors (emacs, vim, pg, setedit, ospedit)
5. games - A good choice of free DOS games - Doom, Solitare, BumpNJump, nethack, tetris...
6. gui - Gem Desktop (Very nice)
7. lang - Free compilers and assemblers (Pascal,C,Basic,assembler,Fortran, debuggers,make tool...)
8. media - Free multimedia applications (cdrtools, ogg vorbis, mpxplay,lame ...)
9. net - Networking programs (wget, VNC, SSH client, lynx, arachne, mail client, wattcp - a free TCP/IP stack for DOS).
10. util - Free file, directory and other utilities (fprot anti virus, locate, head, du, cal, dos32ax, tail, tee, 4dos, uptime ...)

For more information regarding installation in Linux Systems read:

http://linuxhelp.blogspot.com/2006/09/concise-guide-to-installing-and-using.html

For those fond of retro-games check this out:

http://www.dosgamesarchive.com/

AT&T Reduces Broadband Price for Some Customers

AT&T Reduces Broadband Price for Some Customers

ASSOCIATED PRESS
June 19, 2007; Page B5

NEW YORK -- AT&T Inc. has started offering a broadband Internet service for $10 a month, cheaper than any of its advertised plans.

The DSL, or digital subscriber line, plan introduced Saturday is part of the concessions made by AT&T to the Federal Communications Commission to get its $86 billion acquisition of BellSouth Corp. approved last December.

The $10 offer is available to customers in the 22-state AT&T service region, which includes former BellSouth areas, who have never had AT&T or BellSouth broadband, spokesman Michael Coe said. Local-phone service and a one-year contract are required; the modem is free of charge.

The plan wasn't mentioned in a Friday news release about AT&T's DSL plans and is slightly hidden on the AT&T Web site. A page describing DSL options doesn't mention it, but clicking a link for "Term contract plans" reveals it. It is also presented to customers who go into the application process, Mr. Coe said.

The service provides download speeds of up to 768 kilobits per second and upload speeds of up to 128 kbps, matching the speeds of the cheapest advertised AT&T plan, which costs $19.95 per month in the nine-state former BellSouth area and $14.99 in the 13 states covered by AT&T before the acquisition.

BellSouth generally had higher prices for DSL before it was acquired, and the price difference persists, though AT&T did cut the price of the cheapest advertised plan in the Southeast region by $5 from $24.95 on Saturday.

The agreement with the FCC required the company to offer the plan for at least two and a half years. Mr. Coe said he couldn't comment on future advertising plans for the offer.

The introduction of the plan was earlier reported by The Tennessean in Nashville.

The Entry-Level Dilemma

I highly recommend this book:

"The Entry-Level Dilemma by Mattew Moran

One of the most frustrating elements of breaking into a career in technology is that initial job. This chapter identifies the quandary facing the entry-level professional.

This chapter analyzes the "need experience to get experience" dilemma that those who are new to the field often encounter. More importantly, however, this chapter discusses methods you can use to break past this barrier.

For many technology graduates, the past few years have been frustrating ones, because they have tried desperately to enter a seemingly shrinking job market. They had bought into the "get a certification—get a job" promise fostered by the marketing of many training programs. These graduates had been excited that their school had placement services to assist them in entering the growing and lucrative field of information technology (IT).

Unfortunately, although some technology graduates might have found their dream job as promised, many discovered a different reality.

Having followed the promised path, these eager students have discovered that many colleges have also struggled with placement. Although the schools have programs to help with résumé, and they work diligently to link graduates with employers, the fact remains that a tighter job market and a more skeptical employer pool have made job placement a nearly impossible task.

Adding to a tighter market is the fact that more experienced technology professionals have been forced to take a cut in pay and position. This has increased the competition for entry-level positions. Sometimes new graduates are competing with senior-level technologists for the same job.

Part of the fault of unsuccessful job placement lies squarely on the shoulders of the job seeker. Unrealistic expectations have many believing that a certification or degree qualifies them for positions that require hands-on knowledge.

I know of individuals who received their MCSE certification after attending several months of class. They passed the test, did some lab work, and got into the job market. Many of them expected to be hired as network engineers with salaries of $60,000 to $80,000. Their logic was that they were, as the certification implied, "certified engineers." As they perused want ads, lesser jobs, such as those of help desk or IT clerical support, were undesirable to them.

This attitude contributed to the current wave of "certification cynicism" that many employers have adopted. Employers hired the "certified engineers" only to discover that many could not complete the most basic and mundane tasks effectively.

A correction has taken place in the corporate world. Companies are no longer willing to provide pay and opportunity to an unproven commodity—the entry-level technology professional. Many new technologists are unwilling to give up the idealistic dream of instantaneous job satisfaction and a high salary. Unfortunately, this is also leading some to listen to the doomsayers moaning about the lack of opportunity in IT. Talent that would do well in the IT industry is leaving to find opportunity elsewhere.

If you are in that group—ready to leave your hopes of IT success and find greener pastures—wait!

I understand that you are frustrated and disenchanted, but I ask that you seriously consider the corrective behavior described in the section that follows. In it, I believe you will find a rekindled hope that comes with understanding the reality of the situation.
Correcting Perception

The first battle in overcoming frustration in not finding the "job you deserve" is to correct the perception of the new technologist. As discussed earlier, IT will remain a great career choice. However, it is no different from many other good careers. You must make a degree of sacrifice to reach the heights of professional success.

A perspective that places emphasis on long-term career goals and month-to-month personal growth is critical. You must understand where you want to be in the coming months and years. You must also set about creating the short-term plans to achieve that longer-term success.

I'm not necessarily advocating a start-at-the-bottom mentality. I don't perceive that each person's path, even with similar goals, will be the same. I advocate more of a start-where-you-can mentality.

If a company is willing to hire you as a full-fledged network engineer based entirely on your schooling, more power to you. However, beware of overselling yourself without first developing the aptitude that is required. Taking a job where the expectations greatly exceed your production capacity can be just as professionally damaging as it is to take a job that never makes use of, or stretches, the talents you have. In fact, I would say the former is more damaging.

It is more difficult—both mentally and from a perception standpoint—to move down the corporate ladder. It does not look good on a r?um , and more importantly, it can damage your confidence.

IT is an industry that provides ample opportunity to learn new and challenging skills. However, substantial failure early in a career can create a professional timidity that stops you from taking the necessary chances to take on the challenges that come your way.

The perception that you need when breaking into IT is one that seeks opportunity over position. If you have been trained as a network engineer but you find an opportunity to take a position in a clerical capacity, consider what opportunities that job might offer.

Some of the factors to consider in whether to take this slight shift in employment are as follows:

*

Does the company have an effective training program?
*

Is it possible to find mentors in the field you want to enter?
*

Is the company growing?
*

Does the opportunity exist to greatly expand your professional network of contacts?

Remember: You can safely make this consideration because the job itself is not your career. You have the freedom and ability to move within the company or to a new company when needed.

The most important factor is that you are moving toward a career goal. You might not get the title or job you want right out of school. If you can master those skills at your current position, while simultaneously building your network of contacts that lead to your dream position, you should be satisfied. You must build your career piece by piece. It won't happen all at once."

Microsoft didn’t invent the personal computer

"Microsoft didn’t invent the personal computer and they didn’t invent the first PC operating system. They didn’t even invent the first MS-DOS (they bought and re-branded 86-DOS from Seattle Computer Products.) Nor were they the first to use a “window-like” GUI (Xerox PARC was). What Microsoft did (and still does to this day) is innovate — take what they’ve got, and improve upon it in unique ways! This is the key to their success"

see completed article here:

http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=5427&tag=nl.e539

Web Browser won't load images- (Explorer or firefox)

On a yahoo newsgroup web site I tried to view some pictures or images and Firefox Web Browser version 2.0 or Microsoft Windows Internet Explorer 7.0 failed to download the jpeg images. As soon as I disabled Zone Alarm Pro firewall the problem was solved.

The firewall was blocking access to those images and I did not know why.

To solve the problem I just opened Zone Alarm Pro console and clicked on PRIVACY then on site LISTING menu I selected MSN.com and allowed PRIVATE HEADER. When I reloaded the page on both web browsers then the images were visible.

Windows Vista DVD: Who Are Those People In That Picture?

Windows Vista DVD: Who Are Those People In That Picture?

Windows Vista Virtual Easter Egg:

Kwisatz has discovered a picture of three guys on the Windows Vista DVD cover. Who are they? What's the purpose? Does Bill Gates know about it?

I guess it's just a prank, but by whom?

He has taken the photos with a Nikon 5700 (click on images to enlarge):
He also says there are three more holographic pictures on the cover, but he hasn't been able to figure out what's depicted in them.

Do you have a Vista DVD and a microscope?

Head over to the Kwisatz site (spanish language) for more photos.

Update: Paul McNamara over at NetworkWorld sent a mail to the Microsoft PR agency to ask about their identity. The PR agency: "No comment".

Update: I see some people are suggesting the hologram could be an anti-piracy measure. But, then again, the pictures are on the cover, not on the DVD itself.

.

Labels: entertainment, informatics, picture, technology

In Linux is difficult and almost an undaunting task the configuration of a wireless network. But the good news is that a direct connection to a DSL AT & T modem works like a champ using a distro such as Ubuntu or Red Hat. Other than that: Linux is faster than Windows and more flexible and intuitive. If you are too attached still to windows and wants something that looks similar to Linux try Lindows now called Linspire, but bear in mind that this bistro is not free.

The Linux support forums are outstanding and best of all free of charge And by the way you don't spend too much time in linux seeking for viruses and spyware.


[b]Multitasking makes it possible for a single user to run multiple applications at the same time.[/b]

Linux reminds me a lot of the old 0S/2 and Amiga Preemptive multitasking/time-sharing capabilities. With Windows in the other hand for example and with the slow loading of an application such as MS word it seems like it takes "forever" to show up. In Unix/ Linux this is the opposite, with hardly any waiting period.

To explain it better: Linux/Unix operating system is designed as preemptive multitasking giving better results as far as system responsiveness and scalability. Although in many of the official "status quo" definitions Windows falls into this also preemptive multitasking category and MS techies would affirm cathegorally that I'm wrong by me saying otherwise or that Windows' approach is based more on the concept of cooperative multitasking (a process which explicitly yield to other processes) instead. But based in the actual Windows XP poor performance and -in this context- I still think Windows behaves more like a cooperative multitasking system and it is not in essence a true multitasking operating system, because Windows is really multi-threading and not multitasking. And my conclusion is based on what I have seen and not by what Microsoft claims to be. I do not think Windows is truly multi-tasking, but appears to be imitating multitasking based on its kernel, just like appears to imitate Apple superior operating system since MS released Windows 95 is been trying constantly to be number one. MS is disappointing users and this has been proven recently with the hurdles and flaws exhibited by its latest incarnation of Windows Vista.

Please, don't believe what I say and just give Apple a chance and for now you could even try Linux for free. As a matter of fact Mac OS architecture is derived from Unix. :)

If you don't have enough money for a Laptop give consideration to a Desktop. I think Mac-Mini is a good option for beginners. http://www.apple.com/macmini/

Dr-DOS

This story appeared on Network World at
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2002/1216drdos.html

Start-up revives once-vaunted DR-DOS

By Deni Connor, Network World, 12/16/02

LINDON, UTAH - A start-up is looking to dust off and buff up DR-DOS, a largely dormant operating system that still attracts a hardcore following but is best-known for a colorful past that some see checkered with missed opportunity.

DeviceLogics, a company co-founded last month by Bryan Sparks, former CEO and founder of Linux vendors' Lineo (now Embedix) and Caldera Systems (now SCO Group), has bought DR-DOS, which once competed against Microsoft's MS-DOS.

DeviceLogics purchased DR-DOS from Lineo, where it underwent minor functional development during the past few years. The start-up will develop a compact operating system - for kiosks, automated teller machines, point-of-sale devices, handheld computers and desktop PCs running legacy DOS applications. Observers say the operating system, which is expected to ship in the first quarter of next year, could be more efficient and less expensive than Windows XP Embedded, Windows CE or Linux.
Interest level high

"There are still a lot of people running DR-DOS on single PCs," says Troy Tribe, vice president of sales and marketing at DeviceLogics. "We are going to revise DR-DOS for the desktop, as well as provide a kiosk, embedded, point-of-sale and a handheld version. People are now having to do that work on their own."

Digital Research developed DR-DOS, a 32-bit operating system, in 1987 as a fully compatible alternative to MS-DOS for 80286- and 80386-based PCs. It succeeded creator Gary Kildall's Control Program for Microcomputers (CP/M). The most popular legend told is that Kildall, the CEO of Intergalactic Digital Research (later shortened to Digital Research), was piloting his plane the day IBM approached the company about licensing CP/M for its first microcomputer - instead, IBM signed Microsoft's MS-DOS.

In 1991, Novell acquired Digital Research, DR-DOS and CP/M, with plans to compete against MS-DOS in the DOS market. When Novell CEO Ray Noorda failed to capitalize on the plan to take over the DOS market, Novell sold DR-DOS to Caldera in 1996. Caldera, which Sparks founded with Noorda's assistance, then sued Microsoft for lost sales and unfair competition and settled out of court for an unspecified amount.
Simple development

Analysts say embedded DOS is important in that the development environment is simplified because the code is compact and the devices that use it often do not require a keyboard, mouse or more-complicated Windows-like display.

"It would probably be much smaller [than XP Embedded], take less machine resources, and because it is inherently simpler, some tasks would run faster," says Dan Kuznetsky, research director at IDC. "DOS runs very well in a small system by today's standards."
Challenges ahead

However, Kuznetsky says getting an embedded operating system such as DR-DOS accepted would not be without challenges.

"It would not necessarily have the same security or development tools that are up to today's standards; that would be a challenge," he says.

DeviceLogics says it will introduce a software developer kit in the first half of next year.

Users within IT organizations have mixed opinions about using DOS.

"We do have DOS applications running on legacy dedicated hardware that's sitting on real-time control systems, which simulate the hardware they are controlling," says Peter DaSilva, consulting engineer at ABB, a power and automation technology company in Houston. "We don't have any anticipation of upgrading them - ever."

Others say having a command-line operating system available such as DOS is still the most direct way to troubleshoot a system.

"DOS is still the best way to run recovery programs, low-level disk utilities, removal of computer viruses, the flashing of the system BIOS and diagnostics," says Jeff Johnson, an IT consultant in Boca Raton, Fla.

Johnson says that if DeviceLogics added features to DR-DOS that eliminated the need for commonly used utilities such as 4DOS and the Quarterdeck Expanded Memory Manager, while maintaining a small conventional memory footprint and compatibility, it would increase the chances of use by end users, PC hobbyists and developers.

DR-DOS will compete against a variety of other DOS implementations, including DataLight's ROM-DOS, Paragon Software's PTS DOS 2000 Pro and IBM's PC DOS for Embedded Devices. In addition, an open source version of FreeDOS is available.

Click to see:
PROFILE: DEVICELOGICS
Location: Salt Lake City
Founded: November 2002
Product name: DR-DOS
Product type: Embedded operating system
Ship date: First quarter 2003
Founders: Bryan Sparks, CEO; Troy Tribe, vice president of sales and marketing; Bryce Burns, vice president of operations.
Funding: Self-funded
Fast fact: Sparks’ Caldera started the first of two antitrust trials against Microsoft.


All contents copyright 1995-2007 Network World, Inc. http://www.networkworld.com


There is an open source of Dr DOS

at http://www.drdosprojects.de/index.cgi/news.htm