Archive for August, 2006
The Greatest Software Ever Written
The 25th anniversary of the IBM PC is bringing on a lot of reminiscing and list-making. Desktop Pipeline gives their version of the greatest software of all time. It includes things most of us have never seen. If you have any interest in the history of computing, give the article a read.
Dell recalls 4 million batteries
There’s been quite a bit of news lately about laptop batteries catching fire and Dell has now issued a recall for a large number of batteries. CNET says
Dell and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission plan to recall 4.1 million notebook batteries on Tuesday, a company representative confirmed Monday.
The recall affects certain Inspiron, Latitude [...]
Why Internet security continues to fail
There is no doubt in my mind that the present way of dealing with Internet security problems isn’t working. I have written previously about some possible changes in the way that we protect our systems. CNET has an article by a security expert who says that what we need is an entirely new attitude. He [...]
Clean up msconfig
The System Configuration Utility or “msconfig” is very useful for managing various system functions, including controlling startup programs and services. (Details are given here.) After you prevent a program from starting up automatically, it still remains in the program list in msconfig. This is so that you can change your mind and put the [...]
Weekend reading
Here are a few randomly selected items that caught my eye this week.
The end of applications?
“With software not showing much in the way of functional improvements and hardware gains slowing, it is not surprising that some people are willing to declare the end of applications. It also explains why the guidance to architects is to [...]
25 years for the PC
On August 12, 1981, IBM announced a microcomputer called the IBM Personal Computer. It wasn’t the first microcomputer (the Apple II came out in 1977 and there were others even earlier) but nonetheless it began a transformation of the computing world. PC World marks the anniversary with this article. A companion piece gives their choices [...]
Google objects to being a generic word
It seems that Google doesn’t feel all that honored by becoming a dictionary entry. I would have thought that a company would consider this some sort of corporate coup. But companies are often a little paranoid about trademarks. Google had its lawyers contact the Washington Post complaining about a Post story. The Seattle Times reports
Google, [...]
How to download really critical Windows XP patch
In a previous entry I wrote that a particular security flaw in Windows XP was even attracting government attention. If you do not like using Windows update and have not yet applied the bunch of monthly patches that were distributed on Tuesday, you can download this particular fix at this Microsoft site. The notorious WGA [...]
Windows Genuine Arrogance
Ed Bott continues his investigation of the Microsoft scheme WGA with Busted! What happens when WGA attacks. It’s not an encouraging story.
When Microsoft’s Windows Genuine Advantage software kicks in and identifies your copy of Windows as “non-genuine,” what happens next? On the surface, at least, Microsoft is all tea and sympathy: “You may be a [...]
Online communities
Social networks and other kinds of online “communities” are all the rage. John Dvorak at PC Magazine dissects The Mystery of the Online Community. In his usual acerbic style, he gives them a slam.
Though there are a lot of social networks, newsgroups, forums, and club-like Web sites on the Internet and Web, these [...]
Government warns about Windows security
Every month there are more new security holes found in Windows so I am not sure why one in particular has attracted the attention of the Department of Homeland Security. For whatever reason, the feds sent out a news release today recommending that people apply Microsoft’s MS06-040 patch as quickly as possible. Just why this [...]
