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Technobabble
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31st March -- Geekiness made simple. A geek health test that even a teletubby can understand.
Do you have works, or more particularly the so-called CONFICKER Worm, which is lurking all over the place and going to attack you and all your kin on the 1st April.
No, it's not an April Fool. Will it destroy life as you know it? No, probably not, UNLESS YOU're carrying the infection, then woe betide you!
http://www.confickerworkinggroup.org/infection_test/cfeyechart.html
If you fail the test, panic big time!!!! Ring a bell and don't come into physical or electrical contact with anyone or anything until you've disconnected yourself from the mains and bathed (twice) in hot bleach.
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2007-2008 -- The world spun on - with nothing of interest to report......
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January 6th 2006 -- Microsoft, in an unusually swift response to the panic caused by the so-called "WMF Exploit" vulnerability, last night published a fix via the Microsoft/Windows Update procedure. Those of you keen not to have your computer taken over by vicious, marauding hijackers should visit the Microsoft Update site ASAP, while those more laid back can wait for your computer to update itself - which I hope you have set it to do!
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November 17th -- Some free stuff from Microsoft to protect your computer:
- Antispyware, which is being renamed "Windows Defender" (which GolfBag has used since it first came out earlier this year, and is very pleased with it)
- OneCareLive, and
- SafetyLive
All are all betas of what will ultimately become part of "Vista," the next version of Windows, although they probably will also be available to other versions of Windows. The whole idea, of course, is to button up Windows with more-or-less automatic security tools.
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Sept 16th -- back again after a techno-free summer, with a few tips to make up for lost time
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If you've got a "real" computer rather than a laptop, like GolfBag, then get yourself a wireless keyboard / mouse combo. Freed from sitting as if at a desk, now you can lounge or lie around at your leisure. Since GolfBag is not allowed to sit upright at all, the wireless route is a real route to freedom!
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HTML / "Pretty" email can damage your health! True, malicious persons can work exactly the same nasty tricks as on websites, and in many cases, pretending to be from acquaintances, can run malicious programmes on your computer. Not only that but the HTML emails are HUGE compared to ordinary "text" emails, clogging up the Internet's arteries, and also taking up more space on your screen! (Which is why there is a Text version of SAC eNews, for those interested, and the banner picture comes from the web site - making the email smaller still.)
Today's tip is for Outlook Express users: first in Outils>Options>Lecture, click "Lire tous les messages en texte clair", and the essential part (the written bit) can be read. If you want to see the message in all it's . Anyway if on the rare occasions you need to see a pretty message in all its glory, all you have to do is click Afffichage>Message HTML (or Alt+Maj+H). If you don't want to do that, then at least make sure that you turn the "preview pane" (aperçu/volet de visualistation) OFF, until you've made sure you really know who the message is from.
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April 11th -- XP Woes? Try this site - www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp.htm - for size. And while you're at it, take a look at www.drkeyboard.net and have a serious think about subscribing.
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Here's a site in French that's worth a look www.secuser.com. Good place to double-check your AV's effectiveness or check out that hoax.
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December (8th) - A nice little earner.
Have you had an email recently starting "Cher client, votre carte a été débitée avec succès pour la commande suivante...", purporting to come from an outfit called Cybersearch-communications LLC? This fake bill has a reference, customer number, price (69 euros) and mail costs (23 euros) and at the bottom of the page the real sting "pour toute question concernant cette commande, veuillez appeler le numéro suivant" -- a number starting 00 88. Call it at your peril, because it'll cost you 4.31 euros a SECOND!
Bottom line - don't call, dump the mail, you haven't been billed.
For more info see this article in silicon.fr.
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September - the official date after which the Automatic setting of Windows Update will start downloading of SP2 for users of the French version of XP is Sept 21. For the eager, one can always do it by hand from Microsoft or for the laid back, just order the CD.
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September - calling all Satellite TV watchers. Reports say that DigiGuide is beyond excellent for getting your UK television listings. You tell it what channels you have, who your favourite actors are, what programs and genres you like and it will pop up reminders as appropriate. You can print listings or export them to e.g. Outlook or a PDA. You can also, with appropriate hardware and an extra bit of software, record TV onto your PC.
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September - according to my sources the French version of SP2 was going to be very late arriving (only the English and German versions being available to start with). However fiddling around the other day with Windows update to my surprise turned up an offer to download SP2 - and at a reasonable size - 50 or 80 MB - much better than the 250+ for the "Enterprise" version. And it's now installed OK. The informed opinion is that SP2 does on balance much more good than harm, so do set up to get it when it comes. If you've already got a firewall, turn off the Windows one, which is now on by default, having two can cause some problems. You can do this by clicking the "Gestion de Pare-feu" link at in the new Windows Security management screen which will display when you reboot the system after the update. If you don't have a firewall, turn the Windows one on right now! If you don't know how, just ask.
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August - The long awaited 2nd major update to Windows XP, SP2 is here for the pros and I'm not sure that that version works for French versions of XP). It's really big - 260MB. But all is not lost; MS encourages the private user to visit Protect Your PC for more information on receiving Windows XP SP2. It'll tell you how to get set up Windows Update to get it automatically, and also how to set up the Windows XP firewall if you don't have one already, which I hope you do. The Windows Update download is said to be 1/3 of the size of the 260MB, but that's still a lot if you're not on ADSL. If you're still on a 56Kb modem your best bet is to wait and get the update on a CD. Many people are experiencing difficulties with their applications after installing SP2. This is mainly because of the way that the new security features of SP2 are set, and in some cases there are conflicts with security precautions you may already have taken. E.g. the new XP firewall is on by default and may now conflict with, for instance, your Zone Alarm firewall. A full list of problem software can be found here on the Microsoft site and suggested work-arounds too. (By the way, the install process can use from .5 to 1.5 Gigabytes of hard disk. Be warned!)
And for those with Office XP, or any other version of Office, remember to drop by the Office Update site from time to time. Here's the Office XP3 download page for example.
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July - Yet more assorted rubble (patches) from Microsoft to fill in the massive security holes with which its software is riddled. If you're a Windows user and if for any reason your Windows Update hasn't already brought you up to date, pop over to the Microsoft July Security Bulletin page to see what you're missing.
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July - Web browser behaving strangely? Not your usual Home page? Well maybe you've been the victim of a "browser hijack" having inadvertently downloaded some "spyware". Here are five things to know when it comes to dealing with spyware.
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June 2004 - Zafi.B one of the first French language viruses masquerades as your pal Claudine!
If you get a message like this:
From: Claudine
Subject: E-carte!
With attachment: "link.zdnet.fr.ecarte.index.php34b31.pif"
Text
Claudine vous a envoye une E-carte partir du site zdnet.fr
Vous la trouverez, l'adresse suivante link:
http://zdnet.fr/showcard.index.php34bs42
www.zdnet.fr, plus de 3500 cartes virtuelles, vos pages web en 5 minutes, du dialogue en direct...
GolfBag suggests you bin it immediately. It's in fact one of the most vicious viruses around...
So Bye, bye, Claudine... -
"For info, just in case it's true." Chain letter blues?
Sound unlikely, well it probably is. Tired of getting emails like that from people too lazy (sorry, busy) to check? Well set a good example, check first, and if it's rubbish, bin it!
Check how? Well, first visit hoaxbuster (now in French too) and snopes (the urban legend folk). Or just type in hoax/canular and a keyword into Google.
Quicker than sending it on to your entire address book, and it'll save them time too.
(Signed any good Vignettes recently? Don't bother. hoaxbuster has it! So did GolfBag, way back in April. If, you like GolfBag'll even look it up for you! That's service.)
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June 2004 - Anyone running Windows XP should consider a rejuvenation cure by installing at least 512MB of memory - the effects are remarkable - almost as good as those little blue pills - but I digress.
Golf Bag ordered his 256MB from Crucial (or here to pay in in £) the other day at 4pm. UPS knocked on the door at 8:30 next morning - all the way from East Kilbride! Now that's service! -
June 2004 - The Bogus Outlook 'Upgrade' Pop-Up Scam
Desktop are being infested by a deceptive pop-up browser window that appears to be an Outlook 'upgrade'. It's made to look quite sincere with talk about 'upgrade' and 'Microsoft Certified' but it's just an add-on that you don't need.
It's certainly not an official upgrade or patch from Microsoft.
Ignore it.
(Or better still, get a pop-up stopper!)
Get more Office tips by signing up to Woody's' Office Watch.
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May 2004 - If you've got Windows XP or 2000, and haven't got a firewall or installed the latest Microsoft security patches then your ripe for a Sasser worm attack.
Do everyone a favour and visit MS's Sasser page now!
