Category: Computers, Science & Technology

I have been telling you for a LONG time not to use Internet Explorer. And not just because Microsoft is evil. (Even though they are!) But rather, because Internet Explorer is NOT safe to use! Now, there is an even BIGGER reason to drop IE!

IE is UNSAFE!

The Delf-DH Trojan downloader uses an Internet Explorer vulnerability to infect unprotected Windows users who stray onto maliciously constructed websites. Delf-DH downloads other malware onto infected machines changing settings in order to monitor user activity and redirect surfers onto porn sites. So, use Firefox instead… NOW!

FREE Firefox SAFE Web Browser!

The Internet is one of the last fully “free” places to express oneself. Any dummy can post a website and/or Blog and speak on anything they want to their heart’s content. (Like me, for instance!) But, what if companies (like ISPs) started charging other companies to allow one company’s content to load faster than another’s? This would lead to control of Internet content in the end, and reduce Internet freedom! A Bellsouth “big wig” is proposing just that!

I have never liked Bellsouth because they have always overcharged for everything I have ever had to do with them, and it is one reason that I have personally opted not to use them at home, using VoIP instead via Road Runner.

Bellsouth Exec Wants to Charge Premiums on Internet

Hopefully, public outcry will be heard… or this could jeopardize the Internet freedoms we all take for granted now!

Gmail is a good, free e-mail service. Another of Google’s stable of “gee-whiz” products. Now, they are adding free anti-virus filtering of the e-mail that comes and goes from the Gmail accounts! Good for them!

Gmail Adds Anti-Virus!

All e-mail should be filtered for virii! And, it is great to see that Google is doing their part in the war against these buggers!

OK, I am weirded out. The movie a few year’s ago… “Face Off” envisioned this as a SciFi notion, and yet, here it is now for real.

Woman Gets Face Transplant

The write-up says that she will not look like the donor, or herself, but will have a “hybrid face.” Right. Not for me, thanks!

If you are responsible for a local computer network (even at home,) here’s a handy “net ticket” you can give to someone that disobeys the rules! I especially like the checkbox for “reckless cluelessness!”

Net Ticket

Just the facts, ma’am!

Today is a real milestone. The big “5-0.” Yike! Half a century. Just thinking about it is weird. But, in many ways, I feel no different than I did at 18, or 20, or 30… etc. So, I guess 50 is OK. Beats the alternative!

It is official! Firefox 1.5 is out… go download it and use it, immediately! The Firefox Browser just keeps getting better and better! They also have a new web site:

Mozilla.com

Firefox rocks! Tabbed browsing, safety on the net and very fast!

I’ll admit, I’ve been on an “Anti-Microsoft” binge of late… sigh! However, I bring out good things when they do them as well. Given that the success of Windows, and it’s lack of security overall has made Spyware so big a problem… it is only fair that they (M$) would release a new, improved version of their Anti-Spyware beta release. Here’s some info on that release:

Microsoft “Defender”

Be sure to read the comments about it as well. Interesting! This release also removes the very EVIL Sony DRM Rootkit. Nice touch!

Why do I say, “typically?” Well, when it works, it is pretty nice… nice interface, pretty images… but as with everything else M$, it isn’t rock-solid dependable! You’ve heard of the “Blue Screen of Death” (BSOD) on Windows systems… here are screen shots of the equivalent on the new, much hyped, Xbox 360:

Xbox 360 crash screens

After all the lead-up to the Xbox 360 release, one would think that they would have tried to make it less prone to crashing! Oh, yes! It is not a bug, it is a feature!

As the author says, “Another day, another lame attempt by Microsoft to show that Windows is better than Linux.” Of course we know, it is not! However, that doesn’t stop M$ from pulling out the stops to lie about it!

Opinion: New Linux study suggests fundamental Microsoft credibility problems

Read this article carefully. Bottom line: If M$ is willing to skew the data this much, what does it say about their belief in their own product?!? There is a reason that Netcraft says (as of today) that Linux has 70.98% of the Web server market. That is out of 74,572,794 sites that reported. Dewd! The numbers tell the story. Webmasters know who to trust. After all, you want your Web server up at ALL times!

By the way, I am (of course) running CentOS Linux on all my web servers at Dr. Bill Bailey.NET. Word.