HARDWARE - My Home Computer Systems

OK, time for more bragging about my computers.

DESKTOP:

(click for better view)

• Manufacturer: MICRO-STAR INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD


• Model: MS-7222


• North Bridge: VIA P4M800 Pro/P4M800 CE/VN800/CN700 Revision 00


• South Bridge: VIA VT8237 Revision 00
  


• CPU Name: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4CPU 3.00GHz Hyper-Threading


• CPU Socket: Socket 775 LGA


• Max CPU Speed: 1500 MHz


• Maximum Memory Capacity: 1024 MBytes


• Maximum Memory Module Size: 32 MBytes


• Memory Slots: 2 (= 2gb memory)


• Memory Type: DDR2


• Disk C: 55 GB Available, 80 GB Total, 55 GB Free (Internal IDE HD0)


• Disk D: 166 GB Available, 217 GB Total, 166 GB Free (Internal IDE HD0)


• Disk E: 2718 MB Available, 19077 MB Total, 2718 MB Free (Internal IDE HD1)


• Disk F: 4 GB Available, 18 GB Total, 4 GB Free (Internal IDE HD1)


• Disk H: 51 GB Available, 149 GB Total, 51 GB Free (External Firewire)


• Disk J: 321 GB Available, 485 GB Total, 321 GB Free (External Firewire partition)


• Disk K: 398 GB Available, 445 GB Total, 398 GB Free (External Firewire partition)


• Video Card: nVidia Corporation GeForce 7900 GS 512mb AGP


• HP DVD Writer 1035r (Internal IDE)


• Memorex Recorder 1394/USB20 Drive IEEE 1394 SBP2 Device (External Firewire)

LAPTOP:

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CPU: 2x Intel(R) Pentium(R) Dual CPU T3400 @ 2.16GHz

Memory: 2021MB (278MB used)

Operating System: Linux Mint 10 Julia

Kernel: Linux 2.6.35-32-generic (i686)

Compiled: #67-Ubuntu SMP Mon Mar 5 19:35:26 UTC 2012

C Library: GNU C Library version 2.12.1 (stable)

Default C Compiler: GNU C Compiler version 4.4.5 (Ubuntu/Linaro 4.4.4-14ubuntu5.1)

Display Resolution: 1280x800 pixels

OpenGL Renderer: Mesa DRI Mobile Intel® GM45 Express Chipset GEM 20100330

DEVELOPMENT: x86/MMX/SSE2

X11 Vendor: The X.Org Foundation

HARDWARE - Intel 13 Quad-Core!!!!

"13 Quad-Core Intel Ivy Bridge Chips Expected" by Ian Paul, PC World 4/23/2012

Intel's new Ivy Bridge chips are expected Monday, promising significant improvements in speed and power usage plus built-in USB 3.0 support all wrapped in a smaller package compared to Intel's current Sandy Bridge chips.

The first wave of Ivy Bridge chips will reportedly include 13 quad-core processors designed primarily for desktops. Dual-core processors meant for Ultrabooks, such as Intel's Cove Point concept device, and other hardware will roll out "later this spring," according to a BBC report.
Tri-gate Transistors

The BBC forecast is in line with Intel announcements such as one last Wednesday that the first round of Ivy Bridge chips aren't for Ultrabooks. The new chips are also the first to use Intel's new 22-nanometer manufacturing process as opposed to Sandy Bridge's bulkier 32nm design. To give you an idea of how small 22nm ,is Intel says you could fit 100 million 22-nanometer transistors on the head of a pin (about 0.05 inches in diameter).

Ivy Bridge transistors are also different from those on previous chips thanks to Intel's new tri-gate technology. Instead of cramming flat, two-dimensional transistors onto each processor, Ivy Bridge chips have 3D transistors that use a small fin rising up from the silicon surface. Intel previously said the new transistors will allow its chips to be up to 37 percent faster than previous processors. However, the BBC quotes Intel Vice President Kirk Saugen claiming the first round of Ivy Bridge chips will improve performance and power efficiency by 20 percent compared to Sandy Bridge.

Intel's hardware partners are reportedly working on more than 300 mobile products, according to Saugen, and more than 270 different desktop devices (including many all-in-ones) using Intel's Ivy Bridge microarchitecture. That may be good news for Mac ,fans who are hoping to see new Ivy Bridge chips in upcoming all-in-one iMacs since the new processors may not be coming to MacBooks right away. Servers packed with Ivy Bridge-based Xeon chips are also expected before the summer. Details about upcoming Windows desktops packed with Ivy Bridge processors could come Monday or later in the week.

Intel's Ivy Bridge launch in late April comes after reports that a manufacturing delay would set the launch back to as late as June.

Cute video

WINXP - Corrupted Icon-Cache UPDATED

At work there was a WinXP Pro SP3 system that had the wrong icon for C:

After much hair-pulling I found the cause was the user had placed Setup.exe AND an Autorun.inf file in the root. This caused the C: icon to change to the icon for Setup. Deleting both files from the root was the main fix, but had to also fix the Icon-Cache file.

Also, the Icon cache can be corrupted by other causes that the one above.

IMPORTANT: The Icon-Cache is NOT actually needed! My home and work WinXP desktops to not have one and they work just fine.

Here's how to get rid of the need for the Icon-Cache:

You disable the offline file replication in Windows XP

Open My Computer, select [Tools], [Folder Options], [Offline Files] tab, then UNCHECK the Enable Offline Files check box.

(click for better view)



Here's how to rebuild your Icon-Cache if you have wrong desktop/Favorites icons:

Rebuild the Icon-Cache file by deleting it

1. Delete the hidden file Iconcache.db

WinXP each user has their own file
C:\Documents and Settings\User-Name\Local Settings\Application Data\Iconcache.db

Win7 and Vista, see
%userprofile%\AppData\Local


2. IMPORTANT - Close down all explorer.exe processes using the Task Manager
(Or else it will create a faulty file during logoff/restart)


3. Use the Task Manager (CTRL+SHIFT+ESC) to launch the explorer.exe again
(Or press CTRL+ALT+DEL to perform a restart/logoff)


4. When the Windows Explorer (explorer.exe) starts again, it will recreate a correct Icon-Cache file

Also note that Icon Phile, mentioned in previous article, will work for changing individual Desktop Icons. It also includes a tool to rebuild the Icon-Cache.

COMPUTERS - Data Privacy and Cyber Security

"How Will FCC's Google Street View Fine Shape Data Privacy Rules?" (1 of 2) PBS Newshour 4/16/2012

Excerpt

RAY SUAREZ (Newshour): And to two stories about Internet privacy.

First: the latest on a government investigation of Google's collection of personal data that started with taking pictures and ended up gathering a lot more.

Google's Street View, launched in 2007, was part of the company's ambitious plan to photograph and map the entire world right down to street level. But it turned out that Street View vehicles were collecting more than just visual images. Their antennas also picked up personal information from local Wi-Fi networks, including Internet usage history and passwords.

In May 2010, Google publicly acknowledged it had done so, but insisted that any such data collection was accidental. The Federal Communications Commission began investigating. And, on Friday, it fined the company $25,000, the maximum penalty available, for obstructing the investigation.

In its report, the FCC said, "Although a world leader in digital search capability, Google took the position that searching its employees' e-mail would be a time-consuming and burdensome task." The FCC found Google did indeed collect personal data, but it cleared the company of charges that it had acted illegally.

The search engine giant challenged the finding that it failed to cooperate. Instead, it issued a statement that said, "We provided all the materials the regulators felt they needed." European regulators have also investigated the company for similar reasons. Last year, the French government fined Google about $140,000.

MAN: You're now exploring a neighborhood in our full-screen mode.

RAY SUAREZ: In the meantime, those who would rather not see their homes on Street View do have an alternative. The company provides users the option of graying out images to meet privacy concerns.

The FCC report generated plenty of questions over the past 48 hours about what Google did.

We ask some of those now with two people watching this case, Jeffrey Rosen, a professor of law at the George Washington University and legal affairs editor for The New Republic, and David Bennahum, the chief executive of Punch Media, a news and entertainment network for iPads.

"Preventing a 'Cyber-Pearl Harbor'" (2 of 2) PBS Newshour 4/16/2012

Excerpt

JEFFREY BROWN (Newshour): And now to our second look at privacy online and a story about protecting computers from cyber-attacks.

NewsHour correspondent Tom Bearden reports.

MAN: Utahans' Social Security numbers, names, addresses, birth dates.

TOM BEARDEN: Nine hundred thousand people had their names, addresses, and Social Security numbers stolen when the Utah Health Department's server was hacked. This kind of thing happens more often than most people realize: Web sites taken down, high-tech secrets stolen, intellectual property rights violated, and individuals swindled.

But Douglas Maughan says there's much more at stake than just crime. He heads the Department of Homeland Security's Cyber Security Division.

GAMES - Video Games As Art

"'The Art of Video Games' at the Smithsonian American Art Museum" PBS Newshour 4/4/2012

"The Art of Video Games" at the Smithsonian American Art Museum is one of the first exhibitions to explore the 40-year evolution of video games as an artistic medium. Featuring 80 games and 20 video games systems, starting with the Atari VCS in 1976 and ending with today's Sony PlayStation 3, the exhibit walks through the tremendous advances in design, technology and storytelling.

Last year, the museum invited the public to help select the video games to be included in the exhibition. From a list of 240 games chosen by guest curator Chris Melissinos, who worked with the museum, game developers, designers, industry pioneers and journalists, more than 3.7 million votes were cast (by 119,000 people in 175 countries) to choose the 80 games.

Art Beat talked to Melissinos about the exhibit, which runs through Sept. 30.

So why exactly are there are video games in an art museum?

Chris Melissinos: The answer in my opinion is very simple. Video games are an amalgam of what we consider to be traditional art. Within video games we see illustration, narrative, sculpture, painting, music, poetry, and all of these things conspire to create a form of art whose output is greater than the individuals parts. It is has never been a question that video games would be in art museum; it was at what point would we see them. And here we are today.

Who then are the artists? What kinds of skills or talents go into making this art form?

Chris Melissinos: When we look at video games, depending on the era, the term artist could be defined in different ways. In the earliest form of video games, the programmer was typically not only the programmer but the artist and the designer and the musician and the coder, and would even do the artwork on the boxes of these particular games. Today, video games, because of their complexity, because of their ability to tell very large, grand stories, we may see teams of artists and designers and developers of 200 or more working toward the goal of a single vision. So much like you would see a very large movie by Steven Spielberg -- it was not just Steven Spielberg who created the movie. There are other artists and people with vision who were in concert with Steven to bring those forward. It is not that different for the largest and most expansive video games that we see today.

So many of the people that are creating video games today are just like you and me. They are everyone. They are everywhere. I think the democratization of tools have allowed for the platforms for game development to exist at the hands of just about anyone. And while many game developers may not be a household name yet, there certainly some who are. So designers like Shigeru Miyamoto, anybody who grew up playing Mario in any of its forms could probably tell you who Shigeru Miyamoto is. So, again, while we do not have necessarily the artists as front and center of the experience that people have in their home, they are certainly present and there many more than people believe.

In an art museum you see different kinds of art. There is realism, expressionism, abstract art, surrealism and on so. Within the genre of video games, are there different kinds of art that you see?

Chris Melissinos: Within video games one may discover many different types of traditional art. From surrealism in games like "Myst," to woodcarving and painting such as in "Okami," to abstract art to photo realism. You can take a look at the earliest games, because the technology was so limited and the power of those platforms were so anemic, that the developer had to work in very abstract terms to convey the mystery of the story that they wanted to impart. Which meant that the player had to go ahead and bring their imagination to fill in the void, to fill in the gaps the technology did not provide for the narrative to occur. You can find just about every form of traditional art reflected in video games today.

What is the relationship between the artwork, or the video game, and the person who plays the game?

Chris Melissinos: Video games become art through distinct voices. The first voice of a video game is that of the author, the artist or the designer. They have a story that they want to tell the world. The second voice in games is that of the game itself. How it presents itself to the player, the mechanics of that game, the possibility of space that the game provides to the player. But it becomes art in the playing of the game and that's where the third voice, the voice of the player comes in. Because what video games allow to occur is a narrative arc that retains the authority of an author or a storyteller, but allows us as players to laterally explore the environment, to pull bits of the game out that are personal to us, that are important to us and thereby creating a unique form of art for each individual person who plays.

What makes one game more artistic than another? What are the qualities that stand out?

Chris Melissinos: In my opinion, the term art is a very subjective term. It means something very different to anyone that tries to apply it to works of beauty and in their life. My definition is quite serviceable for myself, which is quiet simply to say if you can discover an author's intent in the work that you are observing and find personal resonance with that message, then it transcends the medium to become art. So it's very difficult to say which games are art, which games are not art. It will be different for everyone that observes it. This exhibition does not attempt to draw a line in the sand and say video games are art. I leave that for you to decide whether or not you believe video games to be art in your life.

One of the main differences of having video games in an art museum is the interactive aspect. You can't touch a painting, but you can play a video game.

Chris Melissinos: One of the things that you can expect in visiting an exhibition like this is to be fully engaged in the experience. The art is in the playing. That is when video games transcend just the medium to become art. It was important to engage the visitors in this exhibition and allow them to go ahead and project themselves into the games that they've enjoyed playing. So we have games that allow you to sample an era, that did something different to propel video games forward, to propel design change, to make people think differently about video games within their era. We also provide materials that help to illuminate the artists' intent, to illuminate the story that may be behind the veneer that may not be so apparent when you first played it at home.

How did you pick the games and the game systems?

Chris Melissinos: What I wanted to do was illustrate the impact that video games have had as an art form in American culture over its 40 year existence. I couldn't create an entire historical compendium of every machine and every game that spans those 40 years, so what instead we picked 20 systems that really stood as anchors within their respective generations, ones that the public would most identify with. Through those 20 systems we demonstrated four games of particular genres that then showed the evolution of the form of art over time. Instead of just picking 80 games, which would have been my favorite 80 picks over 40 years, I decided to make sure that we had the voice of the public represented. This is not just about my love of gaming and the art form, but about the United States' and the world's love for the form as well.

COMPUTERS- Performance-Capture

"‘Heavy Rain’ video game creator David Cage innovates with high-tech ‘Kara’ performance" by Associated Press, Washington Post 3/8/2012

The future of performance-capture technology is right around the corner, and its name just might be “Kara.”

David Cage of video game developer Quantic Dream unveiled a new way to simultaneously capture and digitize an actor’s performance — including voice, face and body — during a presentation Wednesday at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. The innovation came in the form of a 7-minute non-interactive demonstration titled “Kara.”

In the footage, which Cage said could be entirely run on a PlayStation 3, actress Valorie Curry portrays an android named Kara who gains self-awareness as she’s being assembled by a squad of robotic arms. The virtual Kara emotively speaks in English, French and German, as well as sings in Japanese, as she converses with an operator who is heard but never seen.

“I think the most interesting future feature in the next-gen platforms should be meaningful content,” said Cage. “Yes, technology is great and is going to be better and better, and we’ll have more power until you won’t be able to tell the difference between reality and virtual, but what are you going to use this technology for and what do you have to say?”

Cage, who wrote and directed the 2010 thriller game “Heavy Rain,” noted that “Kara” is a demo, not Quantic Dream’s next project. He said the new technology from the French studio could be used for full performance capture, a technique where all aspects of a portrayal are recorded at once, rather than the common practice of separately capturing them.

Unlike the methods used to capture actors’ performances in “Avatar,” Cage said the performance capture technology developed by Quantic Dream used about 90 sensors placed on an actor’s face instead of a small camera mounted in front of the actor’s noggin. It’s also faster, less expensive and requires quiet because the audio and movement are captured together.

OUTSTANDING!

INTERNET - Google's New Privacy Policy

"Google's New Privacy Policy: Invasive, Innovative or Both?" PBS Newshour 3/1/2012

Excerpt

JEFFREY BROWN (Newshour): And we turn to a big change for one of the tech industry's giants in the debate over online privacy.

In recent weeks, Google has been alerting its more than one billion users around the world that, beginning today, the company is consolidating some 60 privacy policies of its different services into one and more closely coordinating those services into one large database.

Here's part of how the company explains it.

WOMAN: So, instead of over 60 policies for different Google products and features, we're introducing just one, with fewer words, simpler explanations and less legal goop to wade through. That means that when you use Google, from Gmail and search, to YouTube and calendar, you can count on one simplified policy that explains our privacy commitment to you.

JEFFREY BROWN: Google says the move will also allow it to better serve customers by pulling together personalized information across a variety of different sites.

COMMENT: As an IT Technician and internet user this is what I see.

First, the personal data IS collected by Google servers, so consolidating the data from all the servers makes no difference.

Second, I run Firefox browser with an Add-Blocker add-on, I can CHOOSE block any add, including Google adds. There are 3rd-party add-block utilities for your system and IE.

Then there are utilities like SUPERAntiSpyware that includes the option to remove Adware.Tracking Cookies.

You cannot protect people who leave the back door unlocked from getting robbed, the same applies to people who use the internet WITHOUT paying close attention to privacy issues involved.

UTILITY - MozBakcup

MozBackup (Mozilla Backup) is a utility to backup profile files for Firefox browser or Thunderbird eMail client.

(click for better view)


Tested at work to import Thunderbird from a WinXP desktop to Win7 desktop, which I had to use because Easy Transfer did NOT import the Thunderbird profile.

IMPORTANT: The reason Win7's Easy Transfer did NOT import the Thunderbird was because I did the transfer when logged on as Administrator. Turns out that Thunderbird restricts access to the user account, even by the Administrator.

This restriction ALSO applies to MozBackup, you must be logged on to the user account for it to work.

MozBackup exported/imported Thunderbird eMails, settings, Thunderbird saved passwords, etc., without a hitch.

Those doing a WinXP to Win7 migration should try MozBackup.

Note that restricted access to a folder like Thunderbird uses is similar to what the better Antivirus Utilities do to protect the utilities' home folder.

WIN8 - "Borrowing" From Linux?

"Eight features Windows 8 borrowed from Linux" by Sandro Villinger, IT World 2/9/2012

Linux got there first, but does Windows do it better?

"Good artists borrow, great artists steal!" -- Pablo Picasso said it. So did T.S. Eliot. And, more recently, Steve Jobs. Let's face it: If something makes sense and succeeds, it gets imitated.

Though Windows 8 and Linux distributions differ greatly from each other in design, ideology and -- last but not least -- their primary audience, they're all built on the same basic principles of OS design so there's bound to be some overlap. And while Microsoft has long been accused of stealing from the open source community, according to some Linux fans, it's getting to the point where Microsoft simply appropriates good Linux features.

I've been following the Windows 8 development very closely and noticed some hefty backlash on some of the features of Windows 8. This was especially true in some Linux/Windows forums and the Building 8 blog, where Sinofsky and friends write extensively about the new upcoming Windows iteration.

All this fingerpointing made me curious about where some of the best new-to-Windows features in Windows 8 really came from and how Microsoft put its own spin on them (or not).

1. File copy dialogue
   
   In an effort to create more transparency, Microsoft implemented an improved copy, move, rename and delete dialog that doesn't just show the progress of each operation, but also a throughput graph and the ability to actually pause individual copy operations.
   
   Oh, did that cause a firestorm in the open source community! Pretty much the same dialogue has been part of Linux's Dolphin and Nautilus file managers -- the file transfer dialogue also lets users pause operations and view multiple copy jobs in one window. We've even got the gimmicky bandwidth graph that appears once the user hits "More details".
   
   The Microsoft twist: When there's a problem with a file operation, Windows 8 doesn't just stop the entire process but keeps these problems in the error queue. However, it's quite obvious that Microsoft took a good, hard look at the open source world here.
   
   What neither Linux nor Windows 8 have is a queue feature. Of course, you could manually pause and resume individual copy operations, but that's not helping you on a massive copy job. Users of both Windows (see the comments on this post) and Linux have been waiting for this for quite a while.


2. ISO mounting
   
   In Windows 8, Microsoft finally introduces mount ISO files. Once mounted, a new drive letter appears in Windows Explorer that represents the virtual CD/DVD ROM. And while it's a nice addition that lets users finally get rid of annoying third-party tools such as Daemon Tools, Power ISO or Virtual CloneDrive, both Linux and Mac have had this ability for quite a while.
   
   The Microsoft twist: No Linux distro does ISO mounting as easily as Windows 8, as it requires some command line trickery (or, again, third-party tools). Thanks to all commenters for chipping in: Of course, easy ISO mounting is part of various Linux distributions – both via the GUI and command line.


3. Windows To Go
   
   Windows To Go allows (enterprise) users to create a bootable Windows 8 environment on a USB 2.0/3.0 flash drive. It even supports unplugging the drive, which causes the OS to freeze momentarily until you plug the Windows To Go stick back in. Awesome.
   
   The Microsoft twist: Obviously, such "live environments" have been around for quite a while in the Linux world, but their performance was never quite up to par with a natively running OS. Since Microsoft optimized their NTFS file system for such a scenario, Windows 8 runs fluently even on USB 2.0. Upon testing Windows To Go, I found that both boot and overall speed were far superior to any Linux live distribution I have ever tested.


4. The Metro UI
   
   The basic idea for the Metro UI appeared in Media Center and Zune hardware more than 5 years ago. When you use the Metro UI for the first time, you'll see that it's a very unique way of working with a device. But Microsoft didn't pioneer the idea.
   
   Various Linux distros, such as Ubuntu, and the GNOME desktop environment, have tried to overhaul the user interface to fit the "one UI to rule them all" approach before Microsoft did. There's no denying that updates to the UI of Linux, especially Ubuntu, were made specifically with tablets in mind. But even the most ardent Linux users admit that touch support could by no means be called anything other than half-baked.
   
   The Microsoft twist: Microsoft is taking a very risky step in making the new Metro UI the default view of the new OS, but it's also much more comfortable to use either with touch or a pen.


5. Social integration
   
   Linux distributions -- notably Ubuntu -- have, for a long time now, included social media integration by default. The "Me" menu, which first appeared in early alpha versions of Ubuntu 10.04, allows you to update your status to all your accounts and get important feeds directly to your desktop. And when Microsoft finally added its Tweet@Rama, Photo Picker and Socialite app to the developer preview, loyal Linux users again pointed out that this has been done before.
   
   The Microsoft twist: No twist here. Microsoft was simply late to catch on to the trend.


6. Native support for USB 3.0
   
   In their very first blog post, the Building 8 folks explained their new native USB 3.0 stack and, of course, that news was greeted with comments of the "Linux has been doing that for three years" variety.
   
   The Microsoft twist: Move along. Nothing to see here. USB 3.0 devices work pretty well with Windows 7 already since hardware manufacturers provide their own drivers. Microsoft just finally implemented an industry standard.


7. Cloud integration
   
   Both Windows 8 and Linux sport features that let you sync data with the cloud. In Ubuntu 11, the Ubuntu One service offers a free online backup service with 5 GB. If you want more storage space, there's always the option of purchasing an additional 20 GB for $2.99 a month.
   
   The Microsoft twist: Windows 8 is going to tightly integrate with SkyDrive's 25 GB online storage, which is not just for photos or music, but also allows for hosting your user account (personal settings, backgrounds, some data...) for you to log in from anywhere.
   
   Ubuntu, however, counters with their new Music Streaming service.


8. ReFS
   
   The newly introduced ReFS (Resilient File System, codenamed Protogon) is Microsoft's next-generation file system. It will first debut in Windows Server 8, but client adoption is well underway.
   
   The system itself is strikingly similar to ZFS (the Z File System) and the Linux-derived Btrfs (B-tree file system) as it also supports copy-on-write snapshots when coupled with Microsoft Storage Spaces. For further security, it also provides integrity checksums and B+ Trees. Also, the increased file/volume/directory sizes are also strikingly similar to Btrfs.
   
   The Microsoft twist: Let's just say that Microsoft didn't do anything from scratch. While I did not dive deep into the file system drivers, I suspect that Microsoft looked very hard at some of the principles that worked years ago in both ZFS and then Btrfs and got the "inspiration" to develop something very similar.

Stealing or innovating?

While I won't deny that Microsoft has "borrowed" many ideas from the open source world, overall they're trying to find their own game in Windows 8.

SECURITY - Another Fine Anti-Spyware Utility

(Click any screenshot for better view)


This is about SUPERAntiSpyware that is used by corporate IT for which I work part-time in their West Coast Operations office.

Note that is is NOT an antivirus utility. It is just what its name says, anti-spyware. You should use SUPERAntiSpyware in ADDITION to a good anti-virus utility.

I suggest that all you need is the freeware version, which is what my company uses, then run it occasionally.


Screenshot-1, results of the first Quick Scan of my home WinXP Desktop



CAUTION: Note the Disabled.SecurityCenterOption threat listed. This MAY NOT be a threat since many anti-virus utilities automatically disable this option. Especially those that have their own inbuilt-firewall and disables the Windows Firewall.

In addition, note the Adware.Tracking Cookie listed. You MAY want to consider ignoring this "family" (aka all Adware Tracking) if you shop online and want to use features provided by these cookies. Adware Cookies is listed as a threat for those who do not want their shopping preferences tracked, that consider that as a privacy issue.

When the final results are displayed (Screenshot-1) you can click on an entry to set it to [Trust/Allow Items]. This includes the "family" = the tree-title.

Example, in my case I set Disabled.SecurityCenterOption and Adware.Tracking Cookie as a Trusted items. (Especially since I use Blogger Adds on this blog)


Screenshot-2, example dialog where you can set which items to [Trust/Allow] (aka ignore)



When you right-click on SUPERAntiSpyware's Taskbar Tray icon you get the menu shown in Screenshot-3. Note that this is the only way to get to View Control Center (at least that I could find).

Screenshot-3, Taskbar Tray icon menu (right click)



Suggest you may want to give the free version a try.

INTERNET - Online Protests Win the Day!

I'm a bit late with this news....

"After an Online Firestorm, Congress Shelves Antipiracy Bills" by JONATHAN WEISMAN, New York Times 1/20/2012

Excerpt

Congressional leaders on Friday indefinitely shelved two antipiracy bills that had rallied the Internet and rocked Capitol Hill, dealing a major defeat to the traditional media industry while emboldening a new breed of online political activists.

Using a medium that helped organize protests against the legislation, Senator Harry Reid, the majority leader, announced via Twitter that the vote would be delayed. But he indicated that the issue, which had been scheduled for a vote Tuesday, had not died.

“There’s no reason that legitimate issues raised about PROTECT IP can’t be resolved,” he wrote, referring to the Senate bill by its shorthand name. “Counterfeiting & piracy cost 1000s of #jobs yearly. Americans rightfully expect to be fairly compensated 4 their work. I’m optimistic that we can reach compromise on PROTECT IP in coming week.”

In the House, Representative Lamar Smith, the Texas Republican who is chairman of the Judiciary Committee, called off plans to formally draft his version of the antipiracy bill next month.

After vowing two days ago to move forward, Mr. Smith said in a statement on Friday: “The committee remains committed to finding a solution to the problem of online piracy that protects American intellectual property and innovation.” But he added, “The House Judiciary Committee will postpone consideration of the legislation until there is wider agreement on a solution.”

Speaker John A. Boehner, talking with reporters Friday in Baltimore, where House Republicans held their annual retreat, called the bill “well meaning,” but said it needed “more consensus.”

Supporters of the shelved bills as well as opponents pushing an alternative backed by the Internet giants Google and Facebook said differences could be bridged. But privately, Congressional aides and lobbyists say the pressures of an election year make action this year unlikely. Lawmakers will not be eager to brave another firestorm incited by Google, Facebook, Twitter, Wikipedia and other popular Web sites.

Senator Ron Wyden, Democrat of Oregon and a key opponent of the bills, said lawmakers had collected more than 14 million names — more than 10 million of them voters — who contacted them to protest the once-obscure legislation.

ALSO

Debating SOPA. UP with Chris Hayes
MSNBC (18:44)

INTERNET - Online Piracy Fight, Push-Back

"Hackers Retaliate Against DOJ in Raging Online Piracy Fight" PBS Newshour 1/20/2012

Excerpt

MARGARET WARNER (Newshour): It's one of the largest criminal copyright cases ever brought. The target is a website based in Hong Kong that's been used to share large files, including movies, videos, television shows, e-books, games, and music.

It's called Megaupload, and the heavily visited site is said to have 150 million registered users and 50 million visits a day. Now it stands charged with storing and distributing pirated material, and thus robbing copyright holders of more than $500,000.

Yesterday, the Justice Department shut it down and released indictments against seven executives. Four were arrested at the New Zealand mansion of its founder, who goes by the name Kim Dotcom.

Within hours, the hacker collective called Anonymous retaliated, shutting down the websites of the Justice Department and major media groups, including Universal Music and the Motion Picture Association of America. The government's crackdown came one day after this week's online protests against anti-piracy bills in Congress.

Another excerpt

CECILIA KANG, The Washington Post: So there's a lot of -- there's a lot of suspicion around the timing of this. But these are two -- one should keep in mind that these are two discreet issues. There's the federal indictment of a criminal case, and then there are the two bills right now that are being proposed on the Hill that I should say actually have been on hold, today were put on hold because of all the controversy around them.

INTERNET - Domain Names Controversy

"Domain Names: Debating the Effects of a Dot-Anything World" PBS Newshour 1/12/2012

Excerpt

RAY SUAREZ (Newshour): Since the earliest days of the Internet, Americans have gone to Web addresses with familiar names to the right of the dot, as in dot-com or dot-org.

Starting today, the company that assigns what are called domain names is making a big change. It's rolling out a program meant to dramatically increase the number and kind of names. So, instead of a company like let's say Marriott being called Marriott.com, it might now choose to be called simply .Marriott.

But it is going to cost plenty, up to $185,000 just to apply for the new name. And the total economic stakes could add up to hundreds of millions of dollars. Some businesses and lawmakers are upset with what this could mean for commerce and the future of the Web.

We look at this now with Rod Beckstrom, the president and CEO of ICANN, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. And Dan Jaffe is with the Association of National Advertisers, which is part of a coalition opposed to the rollout of the program.

WINDOWS - Window Management Utility

This post is about WindowManager by DeskSoft

WindowManager helps you to improve your work flow by remembering and restoring the position and size of your programs and windows. Many programs don't remember their position and size between sessions and even Windows explorer does not always restore windows to their last position. This is where WindowManager steps in and makes sure your windows are placed exactly where you want them every time you open them. WindowManager even allows you to lock the position and size of any window, so that it will always open at the same spot no matter where you move it. The window handling is fully customizable and you can set up special rules for your favorite or most frequently used windows.

Key Features:

• Remembers and restores the position and size of your recently used windows


• Supports explorer windows, programs, dialogs, etc.


• Special rules for moving or sizing only, etc.


• Ignore list for preventing position or size change


• Fully customizable


• Now with full Windows 7 and 64 bit compatibility

Supported operating systems:

• Windows XP


• Windows XP x64


• Windows Vista


• Windows Vista x64


• Windows 7


• Windows 7 x64


• Windows Server 2003


• Windows Server 2003 x64


• Windows Server 2008


• Windows Server 2008 x64

NOTE: I have tried this utility and found that it interfered with ONE window on my WinXP system. It caused the window to open in the minimized mode EVERY TIME even though the shortcut was set for normal mode. I tested this by disabling the utility, then the window would open as expected. I have removed it from my system. This is by no means saying that other users MAY find the utility works for them, especially if you NEVER use the [Save] option.

SECURITY - Protecting Against Phishing

"How to Boost Your Phishing Scam Detection Skills" LifeHacker 1/5/2012

Phishing scams—the ones that try to get you to provide private information by masquerading as a legitimate company—can be easy to uncover with a skeptical eye, but some can easily get you when you let your guard down for just a second. Here's how you can boost your phishing detection skills and protect yourself during those times when you're not at full attention.

Want to test your phishing IQ and find out what kind of scams you're most likely to miss? Take this test.

What You Can Do

The way most phishing scams find victims is through email, but sometimes you'll come across a phishing site in the wild as well. Either way, here are the basic principles you want to follow to keep a cautious eye out for these malicious traps.

Check the URL

Phishing scams are designed to look like official emails and web sites from actual companies, but they aren't actually those things—they're just imitations. Because the emails and web sites are imitations they'll probably look a little different from what you'd expect in general, but more importantly those sites can't have the same URL as the web site they're pretending to because they are different sites. To check the URL, just hover of the link you're thinking of clicking. At the bottom of your window you should see the URL displayed. Once you do that, you have to figure out if it is a good URL or a bad URL.

Using PayPal as an example, you'll generally see http://www.paypal.com as part of the URL. Sometimes you'll see something like http://subdomain.paypal.com as well. Both of these URLs are okay, because they end in paypal.com. A phishing URL, however, might look something like this: http://paypal.someotherdomain.com. In this case, "paypal" is attached to another domain name (someotherdomain.com). URLs like this are the ones you want to avoid.

Always Go Direct

The best thing you can do to avoid phishing scams is always go directly to the web site you want to visit rather than clicking a link. This way you don't have to figure out if the URL is safe or not because you'll be using a URL in your bookmarks (or your brain) that you already know is safe. Doing this can also help protect you from phishing scams when you let your guard down because you'll be in the habit of visiting sites directly rather than clicking links.

I fell for a phishing scam once when I read the email right after I woke up in the morning. It was from my bank and they'd sent me a lot of verification notices lately since I'd been traveling and using my debit card all over the place. When I got another one, I didn't even think about it because I'd just woken up. I went to the site, filled in my info, and then immediately realized I'd just provided that information to a phishing scam site. I called the bank to let them know right away and got a new card, but had I changed my default behavior to calling the bank of visiting the bank's web site this probably wouldn't have happened. Of course, that's what I do now and it hasn't been a problem since.

What Your Browser Can Do For You

Detecting phishing scams on your own mainly require the mild paranoia and the behavioral adjustment described above, but there are a few other things you can do to make your everyday browsing safer.

Turn Off Form Autofill

One great feature of many web browsers is the autofill feature. It makes it really easy to fill out forms using information already stored in the browser. It also makes it easy for you to ignore the form you're filling out and just submit it, causing you to potentially miss a phishing scam when you're rushing through the process. While this precaution isn't necessary, and you might prefer the convenience of autofill to the safety benefits that deactivating it can provide, turning it off will provide a little added protection.

Utilize Your Browser's Built-In Tools

Most browsers come with some phishing protection built-in to help protect you, but it isn't always enable by default. Google Chrome keeps track of common phishing sites and can alert you when you visit one, but you may need to go through the short setup process to make it work. Firefox also offers phishing and malware protection in a similar way, and you can enable it in the Security section of Firefox's preferences.

Bump Up Your Phishing Protection with Web of Trust

Web of Trust is one of our favorite browser extensions because it automatically lets you know if a web site is trustworthy or not. While it can't possible verify every single site on the internet, it can make you aware of potentially harmful sites and phishing scams. All you have to do is install the extension for your browser and it will display a trust rating in your browser's toolbar. (You can read more about this here.) Web of Trust is available to download for Google Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera, Safari, and as a bookmarklet for other browsers.

WINDOWS - Win7 Menu Bars

This is about turning ON Menu Bars in Windows 7 (Win7).


Menu Bar in Explorer (My Computer):

1. Click the [Start] logo-button and type folder options in the search-box, click Folder Options link displayed


2. Click the [View] tab and check [X] Always show menus


(click for better view)

IE 8 or 9, and Media Player Menu Bars:

1. Open Internet Explorer or Media Player
   


2. Right-click on a EMPTY area on the Tab Bar, then [X] check the Menu Bar option

CYBERCRIME - Battle Over Online Piracy

"Film, Music Industries Battle Leading Internet Companies Over Online Piracy"
PBS Newshour 12/15/2011


Excerpts

JEFFREY BROWN (Newshour): Alright.

Markham Erickson, first, do you acknowledge piracy is a problem? I mean, all over the Internet, one can get copyright -- there are copyright violations.

MARKHAM ERICKSON, Open Internet Coalition: Well, sure. People are doing bad things on the Internet. And we agree that there are ways to try to deal with the very real problem of sites that are located outside of the jurisdiction of our court system and our legal system that are engaging in theft and illegal activity.

JEFFREY BROWN: What's the problem with the way they are proposing?

MARKHAM ERICKSON: The problem is, the proposals in Congress right now are not targeted to the problem of dealing with offshore illegal piracy.

We think there is a way to deal with that. And we've proposed a solution, which is to follow the money. The offshore sites are there to make money. They're there to profit from illegal activity. The companies I represent -- represent are some of the biggest ad networks and payment processors in the Internet ecosystem.

And they want to work with the rights-holders that, when an offshore site is engaged in illegal activity, they will shut off the economic lifeblood to those sites. And, if they do that, those sites will disappear.
----
JEFFREY BROWN: And what -- Mr. O'Leary, what about the proposed other -- the alternative route for dealing with this that he raised?

MICHAEL O'LEARY, Motion Picture Association of America: Well, I think that it's the -- to look at it from a positive perspective, it's encouraging to see a recognition that something has to be done about this problem.

I think that what we have concerns with the alternative proposal is that it sets up a separate court in the ITC. And that is not something which is necessarily used to deal with copyright. It's slow. It's bureaucratic. And, frankly, when someone is stealing from you, you don't have 12 to 18 months to work -- to let the bureaucratic court process work.

What we're proposing, what has bipartisan support, we have a broad support from not just the political spectrum, but across all types of American businesses is something which is a tool which will allow law enforcement to go after bad actors that are hiding overseas. We think it's more effective and more efficient.

COMMENT: As a techie in this area I support Mr. Erickson's view.

Note that Mr. O'Leary is NOT a computer network expert, he's only repeating what others have told him. His assertion that the proposed law is "more efficient" is wrong. Having the online payment processors shut-down payments to illegal sites is actually more efficient because it would NOT *require* courts at all. This could be done by the online payment processors themselves.

What the copy right industry SHOULD be doing is making a partnership with online payment processors to identify then block illegal sites. What I am proposing is that the film, music, and book industries with the online payment processors start their own origination to find, track, then block illegal sites.

The courts would only intervene IF a site disputes being blocked. Note that the online payment processors have total rights and control on just who they allow to use their services.

What is wrong with the proposed laws is that they will NOT work, because it can ONLY effect organizations within U.S. jurisdiction. They will have little effect on sites overseas that they are so concerned about.

SECURITY - Pentagon Seeks Hacker Help

"Pentagon asks hackers for help with cyber security" by Joseph Straw, Daily News 11/8/2011

The Pentagon agency that invented the Internet is asking the hacker community for help in eliminating Defense Department computer vulnerabilities.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, hosted a meeting this week for defense stakeholders and civilian computer experts, acknowledging that it has to start thinking differently about cyber security, Wired.com reported.

And the computer networks that run U.S. infrastructure are so vulnerable to cyber attack that the White House should think twice before even attacking emerging adversaries, a national security expert said.

Richard Clarke, who advised ex-Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, added that U.S. defense networks are "as porous as a colander."

Their Goliath scale leaves them especially vulnerable to tiny attacks, the Associated Press and Wired reported.

Clarke, who claims his early 2001 warnings to the Bush administration about the emerging threat of Al Qaeda went unheeded, issued the new warnings as tensions escalate between the U.S., Israel and their shared adversary Iran.

Last month Wired reported that a mundane virus called a key logger - one that surreptitiously records keyboard typing - was found on the computers used to remotely pilot Air Force drones targeting terrorists overseas.

In 2009 national security officials disclosed that Russian and Chinese agents had penetrated the U.S. electric grid and left behind software to help map the systems.

INTERNET - Open Letter on "IP Act" and "Online Piracy Act"

"An open letter to Senator Leahy regarding Internet censorship" on Newsgroups: alt.politics.usa.constitution

Dear Senator Leahy;

I am very concerned about the over-reaching authority which appears to be in the Protect IP Act and the Stop Online Piracy Act.

References:

Protect_IP_Act

Stop_Online_Piracy_Act

I am a software developer on the Internet. My main site is nodes.net which I have owned since 1998. I am working on a "quality discernment system" to advance the concept of an "intelligent web."

An integral part of the vision I hold is for individuals to "endorse" specific URL's on the web. These URL's could be something I call "metalinks" which are basically re-programmable re-directs to other web sites. These MetaLinks allow people to make a short, easy-to-
remember link for a web search or a web page.

For example, http://oil.nodes.net will redirect you to Energy Prices at Bloomburg. http://occupy.news.nodes.net will produce a search of news for "occupy" at Google news. There are many other search engines which are being included in this syntax at nodes.net

For example, http://vermont.wiki.nodes.net will take people to Wikipedia's entry for Vermont. I didn't program this metalink specifically. It is automatic. You can search for any word or phrase by substituting your word(s) for "vermont" in this URL.

In similar fashion http://05401.weather.nodes.net will take people to the weather for Burlington, VT and http://paris.time.nodes.net will take people to the current time in Paris. There are several dozen of these interfaces to other web sites and there will be hundreds, even thousands more in the near future.

I am concerned that the legislation currently being considered will limit the development of new technology to create an "intelligent web."

While the Metalinks currently in use have all been defined by someone I plan to allow intelligent software to create metalinks in the future.

It would be unwise to restrict the use of intelligent software to define links in my opinion. It's wrong to assume that all links are created by individuals operating independent of each other. Links could be a result of composite or collaborative intelligence.

In the future, metalinks will represent our "collective intelligence" or "community wisdom." That's what I'm working on now. I'm working to
create an "intelligent web." The concept I am working with is "augmented human intelligence" rather than "artificial intelligence."

I am asking you to put this legislation on the shelf for a minimum of 30 days, until 2012, so that there can be more input by the public and
a more careful analysis of what it means for all of us.

Consideration is a virtue. Please consider the effects this legislation would have on me and others who are working to advance the evolution of human intelligence on the Internet.

Sincerely,

Steve Moyer
Internet Developer
Founder, NODES Network
http://steve.nodes.net ( see what can be done with my technology )

P.S. You can see a link of all the Metalinks currently in existence, not including automatic search interfaces, at http://metalinks.nodes.net

CYBERCRIME - JoD Protections, Pro and Con

"How Effective Is Justice Department Crackdown on Counterfeit Goods Dealers?" PBS Newshour 11/29/2011

Excerpt

GWEN IFILL (Newshour): We look now at the government crackdown on the online sale of counterfeit goods. The Justice Department used Cyber Monday, the biggest online shopping day of the year, to shut down 150 websites that were allegedly peddling fake shoes, sporting goods and handbags. But was this the right approach?

Joining us to discuss that are Steve Tepp, chief intellectual property counsel at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and Larry Downes, author of "The Laws of Disruption," a book about law and innovation in the digital age.

More significant excerpts

STEVE TEPP, U.S. Chamber of Commerce: It's a massive problem that's growing every day, because many of these sites are located outside the United States, where there is no remedy.

For the sites located in the U.S., or at least where their domain name is registered in the U.S., dot-com, dot-net, then our enforcement agencies, like the Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Justice, who are both doing fantastic work on this, protecting the American people, can go to court and seize those domains with a court order.

That's what happened yesterday, and that's 150 domain names that will not be used to steal American jobs, to harm American consumers today.
----
LARRY DOWNES, "The Laws of Disruption": Well, first, it should be noted that, you know, what we're seizing here is not the website itself, just the domain name. It's a largely symbolic act.

What happens is, the site is still there. It can be accessed directly from the I.P. address. Or what often happens is the site comes back a little bit later under another domain name. So whether that is effective or not, it doesn't matter.

WINDOWS - CD/DVD Disappears From My Computer

This is a "this has never happened to me before" post.

I have an internal DVD-RAM drive (DVD Recorder, multi-foremat) and when I opened My Computer I noticed that it was missing. All my other drives (internal and external) did show.

I've had this DVD drive for years with no problems.

So, what to check:

• Rebooted and checked BIOS to see the DVD drive listed


• Used Device Manager, under DVD/CD-ROM drives to see list (see screenshot)

My HP DVD Writer was listed in both places.

Normally this drive was listed as G: but there was no such drive in My Computer.

Solution:

Open Disk Management (in Computer Management) and scroll-down to where your CDs are shown in the right (see screenshot). Each drive SHOULD have a Logical Drive Letter assigned.

I found that one CD/DVD drive had no Logical Drive Letter.

You right-click on the drive on the right panel, select Change Change Drive Letter and...., then (in this case) [Add] a drive letter. The dialog will show the next available letter.

In this case it showed G: which is what my HP DVD Writer should have been. Clicked [OK] and my DVD displayed AFTER I closed Computer Management.

(click for better view)


Note that this screenshot was taken AFTER I reassigned my HP DVD Writer as G:, and CD-ROM 0 is actually my external DVD-Recorder.

SECURITY - Worm, the First Digital World War

"Book Chronicles Fight to Save Web From Sophisticated Computer Worm" PBS Newshour 11/21/2011

Excerpt

MARGARET WARNER (Newshour): In November 2008, computer security experts began detecting a new, highly sophisticated computer worm. They called it Conficker. Ultimately, it invaded at least 12 million computers worldwide.

The story of the campaign to defeat it is chronicled in a new book, "Worm: The First Digital World War." The author is journalist Mark Bowden.

COMMENT: I'm a computer specialist and IT Technician by trade, so I am aware of BOTnets and other malware.

There are protections for users, one mentioned in video is to keep your Windows OS updated.

The specific tool is Microsoft's Malicious Software Removal Tool downloaded during updates (or via their PC Security site).

There is a simpler protection method. This malware cannot be use, or get on your system, IF you are NOT ONLINE. If you do not have a pressing reason to be online, don't; either disconnect your internet or log-off your system. Even better, turn off your PC when you are not actually using it.

Lastly, run a GOOD Antivirus Utility. All that I know of will protect you from KNOWN BOTnet malware.

UTILITIES - Move from WinXP to Win7

This post is for those who want to move your old WinXP system to a Win7 system.

CAUTION: I have not used this utility, so I cannot verify LapLink's claims.

PCmover Pro from LapLink

The Easiest Way to Move to Windows 7!

PCmover is the ONLY software that moves programs, files and settings from your old PC to your new PC – even restore from an image (or old hard drive) or perform an in-place upgrade.

The easy-to-use wizard will guide you in selecting which programs, files and settings you want on your PC. When complete, your new computer will have the personality and functionality of your old PC. And, PCmover is safe – it removes nothing from your old PC, won’t overwrite anything on your new PC, and includes an easy "Undo" feature.

Looking at the edition comparison table on their Overview page, the Professional edition is the only one worth the money. Also note the inclusion of their "High Speed Transfer Cable" if you order the boxed utility.

Also note the [Docs & Requirements] tab on the linked page. You can get the PDF docs to evaluate if this utility will do what you want.

FIREFOX - Possible Windows Error Dialog on Launch

This is about an occasional problem with the Firefox browser.

This problem happened to me after:

1. Upgrading from Firefox 6 to Firefox 7


2. Then after installing a new Add-on

I did some research on the Firefox Support Forum I found the solution.

The problem is getting a Windows error dialog when Firefox cold-launches using your [Favorites] menu. By "cold-lunch" I mean when Firefox is NOT already running.

(click for larger view)


I stress this is a Windows dialog that appears BEFORE Firefox opens.

This is the fix found on the support site and it does work:

Firefox Win Error Fix

Registry Editor (regedit)

CAUTION: Editing the registry incorrectly can damage your system. Do not attempt these steps if you are inexperienced or uncomfortable using the Registry Editor.

BEFORE making changes, from the tree hierarchy on left of REGEDIT, backup the "open" folder for EACH entry listed below by righ-clicking the folder and using [Export]. Save the result as the branch-name but change "\" to dashes.

NOTE: Make the changes in the order they appear on the tree. (order shown here)

Use the directory tree hierarchy to navigate to the following and DELETE the "ddeexec" registry key:

1. HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\FirefoxHTML\shell\open\ddeexec


2. HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\FirefoxURL\shell\open\ddeexec


3. HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\HTTP\shell\open\ddeexec


4. HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\HTTPS\shell\open\ddeexec

After making the changes and closing the Registry Editor, Log Off then Log On.

Now use your [Favorites] menu to launch a site. The Windows error dialog should not appear.

Note that others have had this problem, and why it happens is not known.

WINXP - Make Icons Display Quicker

In Windows XP every time you open My Computer to browse folders XP automatically searches for network files and printers. This causes a delay in displaying your icons. This also applies to your [Start] Favorites menu.

You probably see the "default" windows icon and as you scroll it changes to the correct icon. This is how to stop that...

1. Open My Computer


2. Click on the Tools menu and select Folder Options


3. Under Folder Options, select the View tab


4. Uncheck the very first box that reads "Automatically search for network folders and printers"


5. Click [Apply] or [OK]

You should see a dramatic increase in speed when Windows displays your icons.

NOTE: I've tested this on 2 WinXP desktops and it works.

WINXP - Changing Registry Entries

This article is about changing Registry entries, especially using filename.reg downloaded from WEB sites.

First, the WARNINGS:

1. If it ain't broke, don't fix it DEFIANTLY applies to the Registry


2. If you are NOT technically-incline, DO NOT DO THIS


3. Do NOT trust downloaded filename.reg files, open them in NOTEPAD FIRST and see what they change


4. Make a backup of the Registry Branch from the tree (left-pane) BEFORE executing the REG-file, using the [Export] option, and assign a unique filename (see example below)


5. Only AFTER you have a backup of the Registry Branch being changed, execute the filename.reg


6. Backing up the Registry Branch also applies to any manual changes you make

EXAMPLE file disablerefresh.reg:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]
"NoNetCrawling"=dword:00000001

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer]
"Max Cached Icons"="12000"

The Registry Branches that should be backed-up in from example file above, are (see example screenshot)

• HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\


• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer

(click for better view)

CYBERSECURITY - Internet WEB Threat

"Hacker Rattles Security Circles" by SOMINI SENGUPTA, New York Times 9/11/2011

Excerpt

He claims to be 21 years old, a student of software engineering in Tehran who reveres Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and despises dissidents in his country.

He sneaked into the computer systems of a security firm on the outskirts of Amsterdam. He created fake credentials that could allow someone to snoop on Internet connections that appeared to be secure. He then shared that bounty with people he declines to name.

The fruits of his labor are believed to have been used to tap into the online communications of as many as 300,000 unsuspecting Iranians this summer. What’s more, he punched a hole in an online security mechanism that is trusted by millions of Internet users all over the world.

Comodohacker, as he calls himself, insists he acted on his own and is unperturbed by the notion that his work may have been used to spy on antigovernment compatriots.

“I’m totally independent,” he said in an e-mail exchange with The New York Times. “I just share my findings with some people in Iran. They are free to do anything they want with my findings and things I share with them, but I’m not responsible.”

In the annals of Internet attacks, this is likely to go down as a moment of reckoning. For activists, it shows the downside of using online tools to organize: an opponent with enough determination and resources just might find a way to track their every move.

It also calls into question the reliability of a basic system of trust that global Internet brands like Google and Facebook, along with their users, rely upon. The system is intended to verify the authenticity of a particular Web site — to ensure, in effect, that Gmail is Gmail, and that the connection to the site is encrypted and difficult for an outsider to monitor.

Hundreds of companies and government authorities around the world, including in the United States and China, have the power to issue the digital certificates that the system relies upon to verify a site’s identity. The same hacker is believed to be responsible for attacks on three such companies.

In March, he claimed credit for a breach of Comodo, in Italy. In late August came the attack on the Dutch company DigiNotar. On Friday evening, a company called GlobalSign said it had detected an intrusion into its Web site, but not into more confidential systems.

Armed with certificates stolen from companies like these, someone with control over an Internet service provider, like the Iranian authorities, could trick Internet users into thinking they were safely connected to a familiar site, while eavesdropping on their online activity.

Fearing the prospect of other breaches similar to those carried out by this hacker, Mozilla, the maker of the Firefox Web browser, last week issued a warning to certificate authority companies to audit their security systems or risk being booted off Firefox.

“It is a real example of a weakness in security infrastructure that many people assumed was trustworthy,” said Richard Bejtlich, the chief security officer of Mandiant Security in Alexandria, Va. “It’s a reminder that it is only as trustworthy as the companies that make up the system. There are bound to be some that can’t protect their infrastructure, and you have results like this.”

SOFTWARE - Linux Ubuntu on IBM Mainframes?

"Mainframe Ubuntu Linux?" by Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols, ZDNet 9/7/2011

When you think of “Ubuntu Linux,” you probably think of the community Linux distribution and the Linux desktop. That’s great, but Canonical, Ubuntu’s parent company, also wants you to think of Ubuntu as a server and cloud operating system platform. To that end, Canonical has been working with IBM to get Ubuntu certified on IBM’s high-end System P Power hardware line and System z mainframes.

Yes, that’s right little Ubuntu Linux may soon be certified and running on top-of-the-line IBM enterprise hardware. Before this, Canonical worked successfully with IBM on bringing Ubuntu certifications for IBM’s x86-powered System x and BladeCenter lines.

Officially, all Canonical has to say is “Our company policy is that we don’t comment on any rumors that might be circulating. We’ll of course keep you well informed of any news that comes out of Canonical.” Away from public relations though I’m hearing that Canonical and IBM have working hard on expanding Ubuntu’s reach on IBM hardware.

If all goes well, Ubuntu will be officially supported on System p within the month and it will be certified on the Z mainframes by year’s end. This is happening because Canonical is working hard on increasing its business market share. While Ubuntu is arguably the single most popular Linux distribution with individuals, it’s always lagged behind most Red Hat and SUSE, formerly Novell, in business. Canonical wants to change that.

In order to do that, Canonical has been improving its partnerships with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs); major server companies such as Dell, and its enterprise customers. This next step into high-end business computing with IBM makes perfect sense in pursuing this strategy.

As for IBM? Linux has been very, very good for IBM over the last decade and they’re getting to like Ubuntu. Historically, IBM has allied with Red Hat and Novell/SUSE. But, as IBM’s VP of Open Systems Development, Dan Frye told me recently, IBM is operating system and Linux agnostic. IBM will support what its customers want, and so, it appears to me, that IBM’s customers must now be asking for Ubuntu. Sometime soon it looks like they’ll be getting it.

This could be a very big win for the Linux world.