Archive for October, 2006
Microsoft places money above the security of its software users
Scot Finnie, who is a long-term writer about Windows, has posted a blog entry where he adds his voice to the chorus of criticism of Microsoft’s recent draconian anti-piracy measures such as WGA. Finnie is by no means one of the ABM (Anything But Microsoft) group but his remarks are pretty scathing. He starts his [...]
More on a desktop in your pocket
I have had a chance to play around a little with the MojoPac software mentioned previously. Here are some more details on how it works.
Installing the software on a USB flash drive does not actually clone your desktop or system from your computer. Somehow it makes use of the Windows XP OS on the [...]
The other Internet browsers
Most home Windows systems use either Internet Explorer or Firefox for browsing but there are alternatives. I have mentioned Opera before but there are a number of other browsers, each with a small coterie of dedicated enthusiasts. Did you know that Netscape is still around? Read about what some of the seldom-used options have to [...]
What others are saying about WGA
Here’s a blog with a collection of comments on WGA and its latest relative, SPP (Software Protection Program).
Microsoft as Orwellian Big Brother
It looks more and more like Microsoft thinks that installing Windows means that they own your computer. The oxymoronic “Windows Genuine Advantage” is bad enough in Windows XP but it’s getting worse in Vista. It’s one thing to try to reduce piracy of software; it’s another to take drastic steps against people who may very [...]
Carry your Windows desktop in your pocket
Off and on I have mentioned USB thumb (AKA flash or key) drives and noted their rapid evolution in capacity and utility. For some time now it has been possible to put certain applications, including the Firefox browser, on a thumb drive and operate them from any computer. Now comes a new company with software [...]
Making mousing easier for left-handers
Left-handers often find it convenient to switch the buttons on a mouse. The procedure isn’t that hard but if righties and lefties take turns using the same computer, switching the buttons back and forth becomes tedious. Steve Bass has an item about a free utility SwapMouseButtons that reduces the procedure to Ctrl+F12.
How small can they go?
When I started using computers, an entire suite of rooms and a large staff were needed just for one computer and its peripherals. Computers have been getting smaller and more poweful ever since and now we have this report in InternetWeek. The story describes a Linux package called “Gumstix”:
At 35 mm by 103 mm, about [...]
Rating banks for id theft protection
In their attempt to get customers to use online banking (it saves the bank money), banks have often skimped security for convenience. The avalanche of phishing scams that target bank customers has made security a hot issue. So far, too many banks have taken the position that ID theft is not their responsibility. However, [...]