Technology Vault - NewsBytes
Saturday 29 June, 2002
BT employees test mesh radio Broadband by @ 6:42 pm
BT employees are testing out a mesh radio technology that will enable BT to offer people outside of the range of ADSL broadband the chance to experience super fast internet access, so we are told anyway.
The trials are being done in Pontypridd, South Wales. Around 100 users living in a small area share a network. Each user only requires a small ariel on the outside of their house as data is passed on to the next user and so on.
BT are working with Radiant Networks to provide this service and the trials are expected to go on until Christmas.
In the press release from Radiant, BT wholesale chief executive Paul Reynolds said: "We are relentlessly pursuing all technological and partnership opportunities to bring broadband to more homes and businesses. We want more people to grasp the advantages that fast, always-on internet access can bring. This trial, with Radiant Networks mesh radio solution, will give us an extended look at the technology in a real-life situation and let us explore its suitability for BT to deliver broadband services in areas beyond the reach of ADSL."
One thing in the press release that took my eye (and hadn't noticed until I got this far with the story) was this comment:
The trial covers an 80km² area around Pontypridd including Llantrisant, Beddau and Newtown Llantwit and surrounding villages. It will involve about 100 households mainly of employees of BT
Well I never, what a suprise! Did BT find that some of their employees were unable to get ADSL broadband? Well talk about pulling out all the stops (or should that be moving mountains in Wales)! It remains to be seen if this service is offered to 'everyday' folk like myself who live too far away from their enabled exchange. Time will tell!
Well, I just had to change the title when I read that bit. Newsbytes will be watching this one very closely.
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What a refreshing change! by bluetracker @ 12:59 am
Anyone who can remember hearing the words "Can I help you?" issuing from the lips of a shop owner who GENUINELY was interested in his customers' satisfaction, will relate to this.....
From the bowels of the corner shop or high street store, I will take you to the 'world of the Internet' where hardly a thought is given by some as to what the CUSTOMER really wants.
Where it is commonplace nowadays to find the consumer given little or no choice in what is or is not included in the software that they are prepared to pay out their hard earned cash for.
I have discovered what I consider to be a breath of fresh air permeating one small part of that virtual world.....
It's not often that a software company takes 'time-out' to ask it's CUSTOMERS what they feel should be done when warez copies of their products reduce revenue and deplete their update servers' bandwidth ultimately denying bona-fide users access to the facility.
MOOSOFT who make utilities such as The Cleaner the Trojan horse detection/removal application did just that.......
On Tuesday June 18th.. the following message appeared on Moosoft's users' forums from Daniel Otis-Vigil
of MooSoft Development LLC
"Doing some cursory traffic accounting I found several Chinese, Korean and Portuguese warez sites linking directly to our downloads and offering keys to The Cleaner. This was causing a heavy drain on bandwidth and server response time. I was able to cut them off but they are still sending people to the site."
"The biggest resource drain comes from warez users using the update service.(Moolive Update) When I post a an update some 25,000 connections come in immediately. This is more traffic than our paid customer base and trial users should produce so we suspect a lot of rogue users are abusing the service and degrading it for everyone."
Daniel then went on to ask....
"The question then becomes what can be done about it?"
He then gave a number of suggestions on how best Moosoft could tackle the problem, finishing with....
"I would like to know how you, the customers who are ultimately effected by any change like this, feel about it and if you have any ideas or suggestions. Thank you! - Daniel"
Needless to say Daniels' own suggestions were met with resounding approval from his company’s' clients who had paid good money for the licence to use his software, some of the more tech minded among them even supplied him with other ideas and suggestions on how to achieve the same goal.
The measures Moosoft have so far implemented seem to be working, with less "warez server clogging" and improved connections to the Moosoft updates site being recorded. The company has also set up online help pages for bona-fide users with problems using or activating the new updated software.
Well Done and Three Cheers for Moosoft.
Other software companies (you know who you are) please take note... add-ins to your software *may* be necessary, and Security 'tweaks' actually in yours and OUR best interests, but y'know it's a great feeling to us CUSTOMERS when we're ASKED or for that matter, given a choice!
Makes us feel as if we can trust that Company ...y'know what I mean?
Written for the Technologyvault.co.uk
By Kev Owen (aka bluetracker)
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Friday 28 June, 2002
Viruses don't take Holidays by bluetracker @ 10:41 pm
The humble 'cold' or SIRCAM NEVER TAKE A BREAK!
As the school summer holiday period draws ever closer, users tend to spend more of their free time e-mailing friends or surfing the Internet, the holiday period is particularly attractive to virus writers, who make the most of this situation to spread their creations The nice people at Panda Antivirus who circulate the newsletter Oxygen to subscribers, tender some practical tips on how to protect yourself against computer viruses in their latest offering. It's common sense to the 'seasoned user', good advice to newcomers to the Internet and worthy of a mention here.
(Quoting from the newsletter)
The security measures that users can take in order to protect their computers against malicious code include:
"Use a reliable antivirus."
"These programs are designed to detect and eliminate all malicious code, as they understand viruses and how they work and know how to eradicate them. For an antivirus to be capable of offering effective protection, it must include Updates, Permanent technical support, rapid response to new viruses (capable of eliminating them in as short a time as possible) and a virus alert service. Furthermore, it is not enough just to install an antivirus, it must also be kept updated."
"Check e-mails received before opening them."
"Although viruses use a variety of infection methods (Internet downloads, IRC, IRQ etc), e-mail is still the most common by far. For this reason, it is extremely important to take precautions on receiving messages, as any mail can contain viruses"
"Avoid downloading programs from unsafe Internet sites."
"Many Internet sites may allow programs and files to be downloaded, which could be infected with viruses. For this reason, downloads from sites that don't offer guarantees should be avoided. As a general rule, secure sites are those that provide clear information regarding their products and services or those backed by reputable organizations (publishers, official bodies etc.) Moreover, it is not being over cautious to scan anything downloaded from the Internet with an antivirus."
( Note from bluetracker....................
If you right click on your IE icon and select Properties>Security >Restricted Sites then click the 'Sites' button, you will find a list of sites that IE regards as UNSAFE this list is by no means comprehensive just because a site is not mentioned doesn't mean it's safe to surf in there!)
"Reject unsolicited files..."
"...in chats or newsgroups as these could contain viruses or other malicious code."
"Keep your operating system and other applications updated."
"In order to spread as rapidly as possible, latest generation viruses frequently exploit security vulnerabilities in the most frequently used software (e-mail, Internet browsers, operating systems, etc.). For this reason it is important keep well informed and install security 'patches' released by software companies
to correct these vulnerabilities."
(Many of us were introduced to the 'world of computers' via the Microsoft Windows family of operating systems. Every version from W95 onwards has had a Windows Update facility. How many of you ever use it? A 'bare bones or out-of-the-box ' operating system is a breeding ground savoured by computer viruses!)
The newsletter also informs us of Two clear examples of what sort of damage a computer virus can do.... Sircam and CodeRed,
First appeared in the summer of 2001 and were the most publicised virus epidemics. They also had the largest economic impact last year (they caused 2,970 and 1,304 million euros in losses respectively, to businesses worldwide).
The newsletter fails to mention however, the frustration, heartache and despair suffered by the home computer user that hadn't any anti-virus protection and so virtually inviting these NASTIES into their machines!
Is YOUR computer as safe as you can make it?
Home users surfing the net, in my opinion can NEVER be 100% safe from a virus attack, but you CAN make it a lot harder for these "wee beasties" to get a foothold among your valued computer based files, by following the tips above. Safe surfin' and enjoy the holidays!
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First Evaluation of Anti-Nicotine Vaccine by @ 11:13 am
Scientists at Xenova Group plc have successfully completed phase 1 trials of a new anti-Nicotine Vaccine. No matter how much you smoke, you won't get any pleasure.
The vaccine makes the body produce anti-bodies that attach to Nicotine molecules in your body. Normally, nicotine molecules are too small to set off a reaction with the bodies immune system but scientist have managed to add a protein which makes it larger and triggers off a natural response. The brain is kept from getting any signals and doesn't give off the pleasure response.
The trials, refered to as phase 1 trials have proved the vaccine to be safe.
The vaccine is intended for use with the most addicted smokers. No matter how much they smoke, they will not get any pleasure from the nicotine.
Nicotine is regarded on one of the most adictive of all legal and non-legal drugs. Young children will also be targeted with the new vaccine. Stats show that young people are begining to smoke alot more recently. Girls are the worst offenders.
In the phase 1 placebo-controlled study the new vaccine was given to 60 smokers and non-smokers. The study revealed that the vaccine "both safe and well tolerated" and "it is capable of generating antibodies which specifically bind to nicotine". In other words, it worked and was safe.
Xenova are also running trials of an anti-cocaine vaccine.
David Oxlade, Chief Executive of Xenova, commented: "We are encouraged by the good safety profile shown by both of these products during their respective trials. This is the first time that a vaccine to treat nicotine dependence has been tested in man and we are particularly encouraged that TA-NIC has been shown to produce a specific anti-nicotine immune response." (taken from press release)
It is not known at this stage weather just one jab will protect you for your life, but that is the hope. So you will not be able to change your mind about smoking if this is the case.
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Nvidia set to launch nForce2 by @ 9:56 am
According to a number of reports around the web, nVidia are set to launch the next generation of nForce on 15th July 2002, nForce2.
Extremetech seem to be responsible for starting off this rumour which is also being mirror reported by nvnews.
Extremetech have posted the following message:
"Come and experience the ultimate digital media platform with Nvidia. With its unmatched performance, screaming graphics, cinematic audio and ultimate connectivity — Nvidia is set to take you on a great adventure".
We are not going to jump too high at this stage as it is only a rumour and rumours have a habit of not bursting into fruition.
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Cumulative Patch for Windows Media Player by @ 4:24 am
Microsoft have added a Cumulative Patch for Windows Media Player to Windows Update. This update is for users of Microsoft® Windows Media™ Player 6.4, 7.1 or Windows Media Player for Windows XP.
This update is classed as Critical by Microsoft. Micrsoft tells us that this update cover 3 new vulnerabilities found in the player. These are:
An information disclosure vulnerability that could provide the means to enable an attacker to run code on the user's system and is rated as critical severity.
A privilege elevation vulnerability that could enable an attacker who can physically logon locally to a Windows 2000 machine and run a program to obtain the same rights as the operating system.
A script execution vulnerability related that could run a script of an attacker's choice as if the user had chosen to run it after playing a specially formed media file and then viewing a specially constructed web page. This particular vulnerability has specific timing requirements that makes attempts to exploit vulnerability difficult and is rated as low severity.
It also introduces a configuration change relating to file extensions associated with Windows Media Player. Finally, it introduces a new, optional, security configuration feature for users or organizations that want to take extra precautions beyond applying IE patch MS02-023 and want to disable scripting functionality in the Windows Media Player for versions 7.x or higher.
To get your update, go to the tools menu in internet explorer and click on Windows Update.
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Thursday 27 June, 2002
A new website service hits meltdown by @ 4:56 am
A new website that was set up to help credit card users see if their card number has been stolen has hit meltdown of the servers due to it's popularity. The database has almost 100,000 entries of stolen card numbers has had to be turned off.
The new site at www.cardcops.com is displaying a message which says:
We sincerely apologize for having to take the Data Base offline...we did not expect consumers to embrace this service in such vast numbers. (our server has melted!)
We are moving the Data Base to another server late today. Please check back then.
The site allows users to check their credit card numbers against the numbers in their database to see if they are stolen.
CardCops founder Dan Clements said the main purpose is to minimise the time between the theft of a card number and the discovery of fraudulent charges.
The internet is rife with hackers getting peoples card numbers. This new site doesn't ask for expiry date and uses a secure connection when people check their numbers.
The site also says on it's homepage:
These are cards gathered from public places on the Internet, where the credit card validity may have been checked. You can see if your card shows up in the data base. Check one at a time and "only" use the card number. This is a beta test and the access might be slow. Your card will not be captured or stored.
The site also allows users whos card numbers have been stolen to report them to the database via an email address. The site says it will protect the user but they do require proof of the vulnerability or hack.
The site also boasts a 'Fraud Museum' where amongst other things you can see the tools hackers, crackers and carders use to defraud Merchants.
The service is not free, it costs $29.95 plus $9.95 monthly thereafter. There gotta be are alot of stolen cards out there!
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Wednesday 26 June, 2002
X-Box 2 by @ 4:54 am
Newsbytes takes a look at the next generation X-Box from Microsoft. Romours abound, it seems that despite Microsoft's massive losses with the X-Box, they are still ploughing on with ideas for the next generation of game console. It seems that Microsoft are not content with just a games machine, they want to add Digital TV and digital recording to it now too.
Thinking about it logically, to have one little box that can offer Internet access, play games on and off-line which has the ability to show digital TV and record it as well, has a certain appeal. Oh, how I long to tidy up some of the spaghetti that hang out of the back of my TV set.
But poor old X-box hasn't made Microsoft a bean yet. Should Microsoft be looking at such abitious plans with a product that is draining them of funds? It seems that our 'Bill' is adament that he competes with the likes Sony's Playstation2 and Nintendo. It's a long term thing you see, He hopes that people will keep on buying games for it. Stats seem to show that most X-Box owners have only purchased 3 games for it so far. But by offering Online gaming and a pay to view TV service, he's obviously going to try to encourage owners to spend more in the future.
Well, looks like I can get rid of TiVo, I will be able to chuck out the playstation, the VHS is worthless now anyway... I won't have to buy a TV with so many input sockets now!
All this from one tiny box :-)
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Tuesday 25 June, 2002
"Palladium", Microsoft's new security strategy by bluetracker @ 11:51 pm
Sorry Guys...these are the only "Tiller Girls" on offer here!
In an interview with Newsweek that is mirrored by MSNBC.
Microsoft has revealed some details of "Palladium". (No not the.."Saturday Night at..." version but the one that the software giant has called it's new security technology which will support future versions of Windows and will require changes to the hardware architecture of the humble PC, as we know it.
With "Palladium" Microsoft aims to create a "secure space" in a PC, in which users can run and store data without the rest of the system being able to modify it or access it. Kind of an electronic Watch-dog. One that is "owned and trained" by Bill Gates!
Already at this early date, though speculative, nontheless valid questions are beginning to surface as to what the implications of this technology will be. The "benefits" to Microsoft and indeed that of other software manufacturers in their quest to stop software falling into the hands of "Pirates" and those benefits 'Uncle Bill'allows the "Home user" will, I hope, become self-evident as you read on, whichever category you might fall into.
Whilst the following may be disconcerting for 'Warez' sites and other software pirates, as the benefits to "Honest Joe" consumer may be that, the software they have had 'bundled' on their machines under OEM licence or that they buy or download thereafter, will by neccessity have to be the Real McCoy, as software security/activation codes could possibly be programmed into this so called "Secure area" during manufacture of the hardware, allowing only legitimate copies of software to be run on the machine. Much like the so called 'Protected' music CD's we hear about nowadays.
This seems, in part, to be borne out by the fact that "Palladium" we are informed, will consist of a set of new generation chips that will include cryptography functions (Do I detect a hint of XBox security measures here?). It also has been announced that new versions of Windows will integrate APIs so that developers can benefit from the hardware architecture of this "secure PC".
There is, apparently, also genuine concern that this innovation is just a 'ploy' to be used by Microsoft in future efforts to strangle the media market ensuring only theirs or "by their approval" software is used in computers of the future.
At the moment, we are told both Intel and AMD, are working with Microsoft on the specifications of the hardware."Palladium" is still in the early stages of development, so we will have to wait until the first versions are available to see if any of these theories or speculations actually bear fruit.
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Monday 24 June, 2002
Lavasoft Referencefile update by @ 10:07 pm
 Lavasoft, the makers of Ad-Aware have updated their reference file to version 032-23-06-2002.
Lavasoft tells us "With this reference file (032-23-06-2002), the detection+removal of SearchExplorerBar, Bulla.com BHO, TrustToolBar, HomePageWare and NowBox as well as several new versions of previous targets have been added to Ad-aware".
Use Refupdate 2.01 to update version 5.83 of Ad-Aware.
Want to learn more about spyware and/or Ad-Aware? Then visit the Lavasoft Homepage.
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Vulnerability in Half-Life's multiplayer server by bluetracker @ 6:19 pm
Information published today by Help Net Security -that can also be found HERE
Tells us of a denial of service vulnerability has been discovered that affects all versions of Half-Life (version 1.1.0.9 included) multiplayer server.
This flaw it seems, stems from the fact that a user can remotely flood the system by creating a large number of "Phantom new users" on the targeted server by entering false data in the connection dialogue. Servers of course can only handle a certain number of players at any one time, so when the limit is exceeded, no more players can connect to the competition.
Due to this bug, when denial of service occurs, users that want to join the game receive a "Server full" message. The server administrator will see that the maximum number of players has been reached, however, if he tries to check the players' names, he will find nobody.
So next time you try to log on and the server is full it's possible that this could be the reason why! Keep your eyes peeled for an update for the game soon now that this vunerability has been identified.
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WildCat VP by @ 1:03 pm
In a press release today, 3D Labs announces the Wildcat® VP family of workstation-class graphics accelerators.
3D Labs tell us that Wildcat VP uses 3Dlabs' ground-breaking Visual Processing Architecture to integrate over 200 32-bit processors into a single Visual Processing Unit (VPU) for a staggering 170 Gflops and over 1.2 TeraOps of programmable power. Wildcat VP's power and flexibility provide industrial-strength 2D and 3D performance, quality and functionality for OpenGL® and Direct3D® applications.
WildCat VP
What this all boils down to is a very nice card that is well able to compete with it's rivals like Nvidia.
The cards will come in 3 flovours. At the bottom of the pile comes the Wildcat VP760 with 64MB 256-bit DDR 165M vertices/sec and 23G AA samples/sec. The mid-range card the Wildcat VP870 128 MB 256-bit DDR 188M Vertices/Sec 35G AA Samples/Sec and last but not least on top of the pile come the Wildcat VP970 with 128 MB 256-bit DDR Dual Link 225M Vertices/Sec42G AA Samples/Sec.
Wildcat VP supports the emerging high-level shading languages, such as OpenGL 2.0. The drivers that come with the card already meet this standard. Wildcat VP will work with AGP 4X-based pc's running Windows® XP, Windows 2000, and Windows 98/Me.
As for price, well the Wildcat VP760 will cost somewhere around £385.00. The price for the Wildcat VP870 will be around the £480.00 mark and the price for the top of the range Wildcat VP970 will be about £660.00. All prices are approx and do not include VAT.
If you want to know a little more about these cards, Amazon International have benchmarked them.
To see some more images and to get further information about these cards, visit the 3D Labs homepage.
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Sunday 23 June, 2002
Via 4in1 drivers updated by @ 5:22 am
Via have an updated 4in1 driver for motherboards with their chipsets. Via have updated the chipset driver from v1.50 to v1.60(a) and AGP driver to v4.20(a).
You will have to visit the Viaarena website to download this new 4in1 driver.
The 4in1 drivers are the same for all VIA chipsets and all Microsoft operating systems (Win 95, 98, 98SE, 2000, ME & XP).
A word of advice, Only install these drivers if you know what you are doing. These drivers are known to have some installing problems under WindowsXP. If your systems running fine, then we recommend you leave it. However, if you do want to install them and you find you have problems, you can always turn to the forums for help.
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Saturday 22 June, 2002
MS release cumulative patch by bluetracker @ 1:03 am
Microsoft has released various cumulative patches for Excel and Word that correct all previously discovered vulnerabilities and four newly discovered security holes.
The four new vulnerabilities are:
- A failure in the Macro Security Module resulting from the way that Excel handles inline Macros associated to an object. In this way, a macro virus assigned to an object could by-pass Office security measures that prevent potentially dangerous code from being run.
- The second vulnerability, similar to the first, could also allow Macros to be run outside the restrictions imposed by the Office Macro Security Module.
In this case, the attack would be possible if the user opened an Excel book through a hyper-link associated to a drawing in another book. Macros in the new book are not detected by the security module meaning that viruses or commands could be run.
- The third vulnerability, which also affects Excel, is related to the way in which a workbook with an XSL Stylesheet that contains HTML scripting is opened. The Macro Security Module doesn't detect HTML scripts in XSL books, which could allow an attacker to run arbitrary code.
- The final vulnerability affects Word and could allow VBA code to be run when the Word Mail Merge function is used when a document is saved in HTML format. Mail Merge is a function that allows information from a database to be included in the document. This flaw had been previously corrected although the possibility for the document to be saved in HTML had not been considered so......dowload 'em all from HERE
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Friday 21 June, 2002
Boo Hoo Yahoo! by @ 9:22 pm
A story right up my street. Caretakers of the world unite! Cleaning staff at Yahoo are so unhappy with their pay that they have set up a website to inform the world about their plight.
They tell us:
The janitors who clean Yahoo!'s offices earn poverty wages, starting at less than $16,000 (£10.500) a year, and do not have access to affordable health insurance. Yahoo!'s subcontractor, Team Services, Inc., is one of the largest, non-union janitorial companies in Silicon Valley with approximately 500 workers.
Hundreds of sub-contracted janitors and
their community supporters used a giant
computer screen to "surf the internet economy"
for living wages and health insurance from
internet giants Yahoo!, Earthlink, and Alta Vista,
whose offices they clean.
As you may know from my own website The Caretaker's Website, Caretakers and Janitors in the UK have taken a ballot by Unison to start strike action if local authorities don't agree a 6% pay rise.
You can visit the website Yahoo Caretakers have set up at BooHoo.com
The site has a list of individual Janitors stories and keep visitors informed of the latest developments. You can 'Tell a Freind' and sign up for a newsletter.
They are only asking for something other cleaners working for other giant comanies in Silicon Valley get. The site says:
Thousands of Silicon Valley janitors have successfully struggled to raise their standard of living and improve their working conditions through the Justice for Janitors campaign. Most Silicon Valley's building owners and hi-tech firms, including industry giants IBM, Apple Computers, Hewlett-Packard and Cisco, contract with responsible contractors that provide living wages, affordable family health insurance, and respect on the job. Team Services janitors not only wish to provide the highest quality standards and services at work, but also hope to build and maintain a better life for their families and children. All janitors in Silicon Valley deserve justice and respect for their hard work!
Come on Yahoo, look after your staff! Justice for Janitors.
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Thursday 20 June, 2002
Update time is here again! by @ 10:27 pm
Those great people at Grisoft who make the free antivirus software called AVG have just released an update.
Virus Database 207
Release Date 20/06/2002
File size 800kb ish
No restart needed for win XP
Grisoft tells us:
We added detection of new variant of I-Worm/Yaha - I-Worm/Yaha.F.
Many thanks to Tony who sent this news to Newsbytes.
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Wednesday 19 June, 2002
The BBC has a new partner by @ 7:17 pm
The BBC has teamed up with Real Network to provide Broadband content.
Members of the Real Networks 'RealOne SuperPass' will be able to view 140 reports from BBC Worldwide’s Top Gear and 35 performances from music TV show Old Grey Whistle Test.
Although, not a stranger to streaming media, this is the first time that BBC Worldwide, the marketing wing of the BBC has teamed up with a partner like Real Networks. It's also the first time any full programs of Old Grey Whistle Test have been used for streaming.
Jonathan Crane, director of commercial broadband at BBC Worldwide, said: “The licensing of these BBC properties to RealOne SuperPass is a genuinely ground-breaking deal for BBC Worldwide. As the world goes broadband, viewers will insist on the high-quality, video-rich content that BBC Worldwide is poised to deliver.”
Many thanks to Tone who took the time to tell Newsbytes about this story.
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"Java's back" or is it? by bluetracker @ 6:39 pm
Java for XP in SP1
MS 'Not Friends' with Sun Microsystems
As The Caretaker has already announced; Microsoft (who forgot to add Java to XP on shipping) are to supply this feature in SP1 due for release in August 2002 - or at least something vaguely resembling the package.
The reasoning behind this, comes as no surprise in light of the fact that MS and Sun Microsystems fell out with each other last year and further courtroom battles loom large in their respective Corporate diaries.
It's my ball and YOU can't play
Microsoft have today announced that it will drop support for Sun Microsystems' flagship Java product by 2004. Microsoft cited Sun's opposition in the current antitrust case; which as I understand it is nearing a conclusion after four years of claims and counter claims being heard. Reports around the 'Net' tell us that Microsoft will be issuing a Java version of their own making.
Whether Sun will allow the use of the title "JAVA" is another matter, we may be looking at a MS version with a 'snappy' name like "MSJM" or some such. Whatever it is, debates will certainly surface as to which is best.
Now for something completely different (NOT)
The judge in the "anti-trust" case has ordered the 'warring factions' (Microsoft and nine US States) to iron out petty differences in their arguments - "Prioritise the various provisions in your own remedy proposals, indicating which provisions are integral to the proposal's effectiveness and which are less significant," U.S. District Judge Kollar-Kotelly told both sides in an order made on Tuesday.
The judge also intimated that in making the order this should not be taken as a pointer as to her final ruling in the case.
Something to sleep on for Microsoft
Microsoft were then given a further task that may prove slightly difficult for them; they were told to consider portions of the nine states' proposals that - "would prove least onerous to them(Microsoft), yet remain effective as a remedy."
No doubt the Microsoft Lawyers left the building after this 'legal brick-bat'dazed as to what they could possibly concede in the nine states' arguments, whilst still retaining some resemblance of credibility in their counter-arguments to date. Over to you Bill.
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Java's back by @ 12:01 pm
Just a quick Newsbyte as it's my lunchbreak. Microsoft didn't add Java to WindowsXP when it was first shipped but Microsoft has now confirm it will be added to 'Service Pack 1'.
Why Microsoft have decided to add Java to 'Service Pack 1', we do not know. But WindowsXP is getting more like Windows98/ME everyday. Last week it was the 'Optimal' refresh rates are being added like it was in Windows98/ME, this week it's Java. Who knows what we will hear about next week.
It maybe that Windows98 was so successful that when people upgraded to WindowsXP, they missed all the frills of 98/ME. And maybe the users have told Microsoft what they have missed. And just maybe, Microsoft are listening and giving people what they want!
Or maybe, poor old Bill has been through so many court cases, he's finally given in for a quiet life. Who knows?
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new virus finds by @ 3:59 am
Symantec the makers of Norton Antivirus software have added 3 new viruses to their virus database.
These are W32.Yaha.F@mm which Symantec tells us is a is a mass-mailing worm, BAT.Beckow.Worm which is a worm virus that propagates through IRC and last but not least W32.Yaha.E@mm which yet again is a mass-mailing worm.
Here is a snippet from the database about each virus.
W32.Yaha.F@mm is a mass-mailing worm that sends itself to all email addresses that exist in the Microsoft Windows Address Book, the MSN Messenger List, the Yahoo Pager list, the ICQ list, and files that have extensions that contain the letters ht. The worm randomly chooses the subject and body of the email message. The attachment will have a .bat, .pif or .scr file extension. Depending upon the name of the Recycled folder, the worm either copies itself to that folder or to the %Windows% folder.
BAT.Beckow.Worm is a worm that propagates through IRC. It also contains a routine to send email to all addresses in the Microsoft Outlook Address Book. This mailing functionality could not be reproduced.
W32.Yaha.E@mm is a mass-mailing worm that sends itself to all email addresses that exist in the Microsoft Windows Address Book, the MSN Messenger List, the Yahoo Pager list, the ICQ list, and files that have extensions that contain the letters ht. The worm randomly chooses the subject and body of the email message. Depending upon the name of the Recycled folder, the worm either copies itself to that folder or to the %Windows% folder.
For full details about these an all other detected viruses, visit the Symantec security response webpage.
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Tuesday 18 June, 2002
Matrox announces first graphics boards based on Parhelia™-512 GPU by @ 4:08 pm
Matrox has just announced it's new family of graphics boards based on the Parhelia™-512 GPU. This is what Matrox has to say about it in their long awaited press release.
Montreal, Canada, June 18th, 2002—Matrox Graphics Inc., the leading professional graphics company, announces the Matrox Parhelia™ family of graphics accelerators — the first graphics boards based on the revolutionary, new Matrox Parhelia-512 high fidelity GPU. Delivering the highest quality, excellent performance and unique features, the Matrox Parhelia line of graphics boards is the first to offer a multitude of new features, including a full 256-bit DDR memory interface, partial compatibility with Microsoft® DirectX® 9.0 and the most advanced multi-display computing capabilities.
"We are excited to see hardware implementation of an important part of Microsoft DirectX 9.0 technology in the Matrox Parhelia graphics adaptors," says Channing Verbeck, Director of Windows Graphics and Gaming Technologies at Microsoft Corp. "With its DirectX 9.0-compatible Quad Vertex Shader Array and Hardware Displacement Mapping support, Parhelia takes a significant step toward increasing the realism of 3-D graphics. And, with Parhelia's support for innovative multidisplay features such as TripleHead Desktop, its users will greatly benefit from the enhanced productivity made available by running Windows XP in a multimonitor environment."
Matrox Parhelia graphics adaptors represent the highest quality 2D and 3D multi-display computing solutions available on the market. Ideal for desktop publishing, web design, software development, digital photography, video editing and gaming, the Matrox Parhelia is targeted to the 2D workstation, professional and PC enthusiast markets.
"Matrox has a long history of leadership in professional graphics, display quality and multi-display computing," says Jon Peddie, president, Jon Peddie Research. "With Parhelia, Matrox brings substantial ingenuity and compelling features to the 2D workstation and high-end enthusiast markets."
Widest variety of display outputs
All Parhelia boards are full-height ATX form factor with two DVI-I connectors integrated on the bracket, and allow Matrox to offer the widest variety of display output options on the market:
Dual independent DVI-out at 1600 x 1200 resolution each (165MHz)
Dual independent RGB-out at 400MHz each (dual 2048 x 1536 @ 85Hz)
Triple independent RGB-out in extended desktop mode at 3840 x 1024 32bpp
Various mixes of DVI-, RGB- and TV-out
The full flexibility of display configurations are offered to end users by the standard bundling of three cables/adaptors:
One "Y-shaped" DVI-I to dual HD-15 cable
One DVI-I to HD-15 adaptor
One HD-15 to S-video and composite cable
Matrox Parhelia boards employ highly developed electronics and fifth-order filters, which-coupled with the Parhelia's dual 10-bit RAMDACs-ensure that signal quality is maintained at the highest frequency desktop settings, resulting in flicker-free, ultra-crisp displays, free of any pixel ghosting, sparkling or shadowing artifacts to deliver the highest-fidelity RGB, DVI and TV outputs.
The Matrox Parhelia boards deliver the fastest 2D performance, and are the first full-speed AGP 4X devices capable of accelerating 3D across three monitors. All boards offer an incredible range of cutting-edge 2D and 3D features, including 10-bit GigaColor Technology, four quad-textured pixels rendered per clock, 64 Super Sample Texture Filtering, 16x Fragment Antialiasing (FAA-16x), Glyph Antialiasing, a Quad DirectX 9 Vertex Shader Array, a 36-op pixel shader array, and many more.
Surround Gaming
For the ultimate gaming experience, Matrox Parhelia boards uniquely offer Surround Gaming for three- display game play, providing the most immersive 3D experience for many popular gaming titles including: Flight Simulator 2002, by Microsoft Corporation; Quake III Arena™, by Id Software™/ Activision®; Return to Castle Wolfenstein, by Gray matter and Id Software, Inc./Activision; Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast™, by Raven Software/LucasArts® Entertainment Company LLC; Unreal® Tournament 2003, by Digital Extremes and Epic Games, Inc./Atari®; Imperium Galactica 3: Genesis, by Philos Laboratories/CDV Software Entertainment AG, and many, many more.
Included software
All Matrox Parhelia graphics boards will ship standard with full-featured drivers for Microsoft Windows XP and Windows 2000 including support for Microsoft DirectX 8.1 and OpenGL® . Parhelia comes with Matrox's completely new PowerDesk-HF utility suite, providing easy-to-use controls for hardware configuration and multi-display desktop management.
Parhelia is bundled with a special version of the Waytech Coloreal® advanced color calibration system. The Matrox version of Coloreal takes full advantage of the Parhelia's dual, high precision 10-bit RAMDACs and allows users to precisely color match multiple monitors.
Also included is the Matrox GigaColor plug-in for Adobe® Photoshop®, allowing users to view extremely high color .TIF and .PNG files in 10-bit per color channel employing one billion simultaneously displayed colors. This applet is launched through Adobe's plug-in architecture and allows interactive viewing of images at the highest fidelity.
Matrox technology demos include the stunning Reef demo-which showcases Parhelia's 3D technology and includes more than 100 realistic underwater denizens rendered simultaneously-and demos of Matrox's Hardware Displacement Mapping, which provides a new method of representing and rendering complex 3D geometry using a simple and compact data representation for the most realistic 3D scenes.
Pricing and availability
At introduction, Matrox Parhelia graphics boards will be available with 128MB of DDR memory in both retail and bulk packaging. The retail packaged version of the Matrox Parhelia 128MB board will have an estimated street price of US $399 and both versions are expected to begin shipment by June 30th, 2002. Additionally, Matrox plans to bring a 64MB and a 256MB version of the Parhelia to market later this summer.
About Parhelia™-512
A source of unparalleled quality, excellent performance, and the widest range of innovative features, Parhelia™-512 is designed to bring outstanding graphics quality to professional users and PC enthusiasts alike. This AGP 4X, 80 million transistor, 0.15µ, 2D, 3D and DVD/video GPU supports a unified frame buffer of up to 256MB in size and features a true 256-bit DDR memory interface. Parhelia™-512 delivers advanced multi-display computing with support for TripleHead RGB output, DualHead digital output and TV output for the ultimate in high fidelity graphics. With an unprecedented number of groundbreaking technologies, Parhelia™-512 takes 2D quality and 3D realism to a whole new level.
I'd love to my my hands on one to look at! Any Matrox staff reading this? :-)
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Blunkett's turn around by @ 3:48 pm
David Blunkett has put the extension to the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act on indefinite hold. Newsbytes reported last week how the government was planning to extend it's powers to snoop into peoples private information and in particular our phone, Internet and email.
After seeing the 'common mans' response to this announcement made by Mr Blunkett and the response by civil liberties campaigners, It's no wonder that the government has done a 'U' turn with it's plans.
Another reason for the turn around is with the problems trying to implement such a scheme. Phone companies and ISP's would have to be served with a notice ordering them to provide this information. Another reason could be simply that Mr Blunkett wants the top job when Tony steps down.
The government has said that it will look again at these proposals "after reconsideration and public debate". In other words, It'll be pushed under the carpet and forgotten about.
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Monday 17 June, 2002
Lavasoft Referencefile update by @ 6:49 pm
Lavasoft, the makers of Ad-Aware spyware removal tool has an updated reference file dated 15-06-2002.
Lavasoft says: With this reffile (029-15-06-2002), the detection+removal of AdBreak, additional Dialers and the recent Lop.Com & WurldMedia updates have been added to Ad-aware.
So use your reference update tool to get the latest update for Ad-Aware now or visit the main Lavasoft Website for more details.
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Teleporting - Science fact not fiction! by @ 12:21 pm
Beam me up Scotty, Scientists have done it. In true Star Trek fashion they have managed to teleport an message from one place to another. They used what will become the new buzz word 'quantum entanglement' to transport a lazer beam message from point A to point B, a full 1 metre away.
OK, they have not managed to beam-up a human yet in Star Trek fashion but they say that the principles are the same. Take an object, tangle it up with 'quantum entanglement' and then reassemble it somewhere else. But it is quite reasonable to expect human transportation via teleporting in the future using the same method.
They have proved that they can do it with photons, now they only have to apply it to atoms. Once they can achieve that, we'll be up, up and away. But it's very unlikely in our life span.
What this discovery could be used for in the near future, is to adopt it in computers. The tranfer of data could be passed from one place to another on the motherboard avoiding any pipelines which cause friction which will make them millions of times faster than we use today.
It's computing, but not as we know it!
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Sunday 16 June, 2002
tooth receives digital signals by @ 8:06 pm
Now here is a story to get your teeth into, The Science Museum will be showing off a tooth that receives digital signals from mobile phones. It seems that boffins at Royal College of Art have come up with a tooth that receives digital signals from mobile phones to demonstrate how such a device could be inplanted into ones mouth when you next take a visit to the dentist.
The tiny chip inside the tooth picks up the digital sounds and relays them via vibrations to the inner ear. It even uses the bones in the persons jaw to set up resonance, converting digital signals to audio.
I know mobile phones have been getting smaller for a while now, but this is rediculous!
However, joke aside, I could think of a number of situations where it could be useful. Especially for the hard of hearing.
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Saturday 15 June, 2002
New update for Moosoft's "The Cleaner" available. by bluetracker @ 12:22 pm
You can get the latest update from Moosoft or by using the MooLive Update facility that is included in the program package.
Download details
Cleaner database #3308 size 393k
The Cleaner version 3.2 Build #3233 size 554k
You will probably notice that the download includes an update for the MooLive dowloader size 297k which will autodownload when you activate the application.
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Radio tracks Crickets by @ 5:07 am
Last week we told you about a computer controlled robot fly, this weeks it's Crickets with with radio rucksacks.
Scientists in the US are going to strap tagging devices onto Crickets that equal haft the weight of thier bodies. These tags, which are just simply strapped to the crickets back will transmit back detailed data regarding the topography, plant communities and weather patterns of the crickets enviroment.
It's being done to discover why it is that every few years or so they go on the march. 50,000 crickets sometimes just decide to go walkabout in the Utah desert. Problem is, they get a bit peckish on their march and eat crops costing the US up to $25 million a year.
Another problem with crickets in Utah is to traffic. The Mormon crickets will find dead animals on the road (they will eat anything). 50,000 crickets can cause quite a few driving hazards.
Utah has adopted the seagull as it's national bird. They seem to be one of the few spices that like to eat crickets. Can you see a possible flaw in this idea? Cricket with radio rucksack gets eaten by seagull, scientists spend weeks following the movements of seagull!
Oh well, last week computer controlled robot flies, this week crickets with rucksack tags, any guess what they will come up with next week?
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Friday 14 June, 2002
New virus crosses the line! by bluetracker @ 6:29 pm
It’s happened! A virus to infect pikkies is found!
A day later than advertised, (thanks Dad for pointing out that my internet connection is getting slower...(Hehe))
A newly discovered virus, which has been given the name Perrun, has not been reported as currently infecting computers "in the wild" but it worries many anti-virus experts. Because it is the first to "cross the line" in data files, like movies, music, and pictures, (earlier viruses deleted or modified data files) this one has been found to infect JPG picture files.
Known in anti-virus circles as a proof-of-concept virus, as yet, it does not cause damage. Although fears abound that virus writers may use it as a template to create more destructive versions or hybrids. One expert Vincent Gullotto, head anti-virus researcher at McAfee Security has been widely quoted as saying;
"Our concern is more for what might be coming….. Potentially, no file type could be safe."
The virus arrives via e-mail or a floppy disk as an executable file. If executed it will include a reference into your Registry to enable propagation.
The "Reg Key" is
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\jpegfile\shell\open\command
"(Default)" = (current directory)\EXTRK.EXE %1
It is common sense to always be wary when opening programs sent as e-mail attachments.
It appears the virus cannot replicate on uninfected machines unless the "extractor" component is present in the computers registry. In other words if you haven't received the e-mail attachment and let the 'thing' loose then you are pretty much safe. Simply opening an infected JPG file won't cause any problems although experts seem worried that an attacker could, in the future, include the entire virus code into the JPG, making the picture file a virus itself.
McAfee among other anti-virus applications have already released the 'cleaner' for this potential ‘bomb’ in their latest signature file updates. So it is a wise move to make sure your anti-virus program is bang up-to-date, and make sure all your precious pictures give nothing more than pleasure to those you share them with on the World Wide Web.
You can read what McAfee has to say about this virus HERE
HAPPY SNAPPING!
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Thursday 13 June, 2002
Frethem worm virus by @ 8:43 pm
Newsbytes has some more details about the Frethem worm virus from Trend Micro. They tells us:
Trend Micro Medium Risk Virus Alert - WORM_FRETHEM.E
This non-destructive, memory-resident variant of WORM_FRETHEM.A propagates via Microsoft Outlook, and arrives in an email message with the following:
Subject: Re: Your password!
Message Body: ATTENTION!
You can access very important information by this password DO NOT SAVE password to disk use your mind now press cancel.
Attachment: Decrypt-password.exe
This worm sends email to all addresses listed in the infected user's Windows Address Book and in .DBX files, where Microsoft Outlook Express archives email.
WORM_FRETHEM.E is detected by pattern file #298.
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AVG UPDATE by bluetracker @ 6:41 pm
Get the latest update HERE and keep your computer free from viruses!
Version Number 371
Language English
Necessary Files d6027inr.bin
(3.043.840 Bytes)
Release Date June 13, 2002
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Frethem by @ 1:21 pm
Newsbytes warns of a new virus doing the rounds called Frethem. The virus was discovered last week in Africa. It's full title is W32.Frethem.E@mm.
W32.Frethem.E@mm sends you an email with the subject: Re: Your password!
It has attachments Decrypt-password.exe and Password.txt. It can attack any Windows based computer. If you have Macintosh, Unix or Linux you should be OK.
Always keep your antivirus software up to date!
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WindowsXP critical update available by @ 10:53 am
Microsoft have released a crtical update for Windows XP.
Microsoft tells us:
This update resolves the "Unchecked Buffer in Remote Access Service Phonebook Could Lead to Code Execution" security vulnerability in Windows XP. This vulnerability is the result of an unchecked buffer in the Remote Access Service (RAS) Phonebook. Download now to eliminate this vulnerability by instituting proper input checking on the RAS phonebook entries.
Use Windows Update to get the fix as soon as you can!
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UK ISPs offer the cheapest broadband by @ 10:09 am
Oftel says that ISPs in the UK now offer some of the cheapest broadband services in Europe or are at least on par price wise with them.
In an extremely lengthy report which you can download from HERE, Oftel reveals that prices have dropped for broadband internet access by about 40% in the last year.
The number of customers who have switched to broadband have doubled in the last year and ISPs in the UK are connecting at an average of 20,000 per week.
The UK now has over 600,000 broadband connections.
The report from Oftel which can be viewed in IE or downloaded in pdf form compares the UK with France, Germany, Sweden and the US. The report shows that 46% of UK home have some kind of internet access. It shows that the numbers of small businesses have dropped from 61% last year to 59%.
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Wednesday 12 June, 2002
Powers to Snoop by @ 9:32 pm
Dozens of Government agencies and bodies will soon have new powers to snoop on your emails and telephone records. Hospitals, Environmental Agencies and Councils will be given the authority to track records of any company or individual.
Until now it's only been Intelligence Agencies, Tax Authorities and the Police that had these powers.
Many Civil Rights groups are up in arms about the decision, claiming that we're being turned into a "Big Brother" society. The changes will be up before MP's next week. Downing street says that it will help to fight crime.
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KaZaA -Lite getting heavier! Exclusive! by bluetracker @ 1:20 pm
Most of you will be aware of the outcry when the discovery of CYDOOR so-called "spyware" was being circulated in the P2P download application Kazza?
The internet breathed a sigh of relief when along came Kazza Lite
No Adware
No Spyware
No banners
No bitratelimit for mp3 files
No irritating websites loaded into KaZaA
No crappy BDE Viewer
No Bonzi Buddy
Set up multiple users with the included PseudoTrack tool
It seemed the perfect choice for those who wanted to surf without fear of being tracked on the net or being added to someones 'Spam list' without knowledge of the fact etc etc etc.
Strange though if you now search for a download of this application you will (more often than not) be greeted with "The program you've requested, "KaZaA Lite - KaZaA Media Desktop Lite", is not available for download at this time.You might try searching for this title at a later date, or use the search box to look for a similar program now".
BE ALERT!
Even stranger is the fact that recently, users of Kazzaa Lite have informed me that they have noticed a NEW VERSION being downloaded onto their systems whilst using the application. This version 1.7.1 is by all intents and purposes supposed to be an upgrade from version 1.6.1 which was the original Lite version.
Stranger still (and more worrying) is that when the 1.7.1 version is installed, upon using the AD-AWARE spyware/scumware removal tool, all the old favourites from CYDOOR are once again infesting your computers!
HKEY_LOCAL.MACHINE....software\cydoor (is the registry key)
WINDOWS\system32\cd_htm.dll and WINDOWS\system32\cd_clint.dll are the files to look for.
The "cd_clint.dll is aimed at replacing the Kazzaa lite\cd_clint.dll which is a begnign version of the real one and ignored by AD-AWARE.
You are advised to check your system now if you use Kazaa Lite as it would seem CYDOOR has found another backdoor into our computers!
Composed and written by K.Owen (aka bluetracker) for The TechnologyVault Newsbytes column all rights reserved.
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No. 1 Peripheral Interface Takes Center Stage At Dev Con by bluetracker @ 12:45 am
It isn’t often that I receive a Press release that is so well written it needs no editing. This one just in from INTEL is one of those rare objects. I though it would be a shame to trim it and for it to then lose it’s meaning, so I didn’t! (Well not much anyway!)
USB 2.0 DEVELOPERS CONFERENCE, SAN JOSE, Calif. U.S.A.
Milestones were achieved today with first public demonstrations of video capture products and the highest performance ever seen with the latest hardware and software based on the leading personal computer peripheral interconnect.
The biggest showcase for one of the hottest computer technologies is focused on Universal Serial Bus 2.0, known in the marketplace as "Hi-Speed USB 2.0."
Taking place at the Fairmont San Jose, this is the largest developer conference for the technology that computing industry and research analysts are herald it as the next ubiquitous way to connect devices to PCs. The three-day conference concludes Wednesday (today), and features news announcements, first-time demonstrations, technical sessions and a record-number 26 exhibitors showing off products now shipping with many more waiting their turn in the wings.
Drawing more than 300 attendees representing nearly 200 companies, the conference comes on the heels of launches of systems and motherboards with USB 2.0-integrated Intel chipsets, a milestone that industry experts believe has opened the floodgates for the technology in what the event-hosting USB Implementers Forum is calling "The Year of USB 2.0."
Among the attention-grabbing trends talked about at the show is in the area of video, according to Jason Ziller, USB-IF chairman and Intel manager of technology initiatives. In his keynote today, Ziller said that video "is the next big thing" in the advancement and adoption of USB 2.0.
USB 2.0 increases the speed of the peripheral to PC connection from 12 megabits per second (Mbps) on USB 1.1 to up to 480 Mbps on USB 2.0, or 40 times faster than with the older technology. The higher bandwidth is a major boost for such external peripherals as CD/DVD burners, scanners, hard drives and digital cameras, and opens the market for peripherals that require higher throughput. It also supports demanding PC user applications where multiple high-speed devices run simultaneously, including digital image creation and Web publishing. Another benefit is USB 2.0 is forward and backward compatible with USB 1.1.
"Universal Serial Bus has been the most successful interface in the history of PCs," said Brian O'Rourke, an In-Stat/MDR senior analyst who delivered a keynote address today. "USB 2.0 is poised to succeed the first generation USB standard. PCs will adopt the new standard quickly, with PC peripherals and consumer electronics following closely behind."
The developers’ conference peers into the next phase of USB 2.0's introduction, which began in April 2000 with the release of the final specification by a team made up of Compaq, Hewlett Packard, Intel Corporation, Agere Systems (formerly the microelectronics group of Lucent Technologies), Microsoft, NEC and Philips.
Following the mid-2001 introduction of PCI add-in cards and January's launch of a discrete host controller in the motherboards of high-end PCs, the next milestone was the integration of USB 2.0 in a core logic chipset with Microsoft driver support.
Intel on May 20 introduced the Intel® 845G, GL and E chipsets for Pentium 4® processor and Celeron® processor-based systems, with coincident system and motherboards launches from many leading vendors. Other chipset manufacturers have also announced chipsets with integrated USB 2.0, and are expected to be shipping soon.
With USB 2.0 systems now on the market from Gateway, Compaq, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, NEC, Micron PC and other leading manufacturers, the next phase toward ubiquity in the PC market is the continued proliferation of USB 2.0-equipped PC peripherals.
The dozens of motherboards and systems displayed or used in demonstrations during the conference are a sample of what are available today or will be in the coming months.
Through a trio of demonstrations presented during today's opening keynote, Ziller showed off USB 2.0's attributes to increase transfer speeds and heighten video experiences, and enable portable computing devices such as handhelds and mobile phones to connect to the PC and other USB peripherals using USB On-The-Go technology.
A performance demonstration showed the increase of transfer speeds of USB 2.0 using a mass storage device, and compared the newer technology to its evolutionary predecessor. Using standard drivers and Intel's 845G chipset with integrated USB 2.0, the data transfer speeds peaked in excess of 30 megabytes per second (MBs) of data, as compared to approximately 1 MBs of data with USB 1.1. This is the fastest public demonstration of Hi-Speed USB 2.0 to date.
A video demonstration showed that with USB 2.0, new user applications will be spawned through the use of high-resolution USB 2.0 PC cameras and video capture devices. With the higher data rate, video originating in both analog and digital formats was transferred to the PC in higher frame rates and quality, allowing for more creative, fun and innovative user experiences on the PC that weren't before possible with USB 1.1 peripherals.
A third demonstration showcased the USB On-The-Go supplement to the USB 2.0 specification. With On-The-Go – (the final spec was released in December) - peripherals connected to each other and acted as a device or limited host. As demoed on stage for the first time publicly, USB On-The Go enables such applications as MP3 music being downloaded from a PC for immediate playback through USB speakers or headphones.
Further information about the USB 2.0 and USB-IF is available by visiting www.usb.org.
Finally, for those who are still awake after digeting all of the above!
USB 2.0 DEVELOPERS CONFERENCE “NEWS NUGGETS”
The following announcements from the ‘Big Guys’ feature among those made during the USB 2.0 Developers Conference, June 10-12 in San Jose, Calif.
· Fujitsu Computer Products of America previewed its USB 2.0 compliant Magneto Optical (MO) removable storage products that are planned for a summer introduction. Throughout the USB 2.0 Developers Conference, Fujitsu is conducting live back up/archiving/streaming media demonstrations of this product.
· IOGEAR introduced SmartLink™ to cost-effectively share multiple devices through a USB port. The product adds ease and efficiency for Small Office/Home Office (SOHO) users to set up a network without need for a dedicated server.
· Catalyst Enterprises, manufacturer of analytical systems for USB and other serial and parallel bus technologies, announced its newest USB 2.0 Analyzer system. The SBAE-30 provides native support for USB On-The-Go, a device-mode exerciser and other enhanced features.
· Kawasaki LSI, USA, a USB controller company, enables an easy interface between high- speed 100 base-T Ethernet networking and the new USB 2.0 specification with its KL5KUSB220.
· VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator and developer of silicon chip technologies and PC platform solutions, announced that the new VT8235 South Bridge is in mass production, enabling mainboard makers, OEMs and system integrators to deliver ultra-fast peripheral connectivity as a standard feature in Intel® and AMD processor based systems.
· NitAl announced its USB2Snooper™ USB 2.0 Bus Analyzer, an innovative and cost-effective bus analyzer based on PCI Add On card technology.
· ARC International, a leader in user-customizable processors, software and embedded cores for communications and consumer products, introduced USB Now™, the world's first integrated and optimized USB for System-On-Chip (SoC) IP platforms.
· NVIDIA Corporation, the leader in graphics, audio, and networking semiconductor technologies, announced that its next-generation nForce Platform Processors would integrate support for USB 2.0. PCs and motherboards based on NVIDIA's next-generation nForce processors will be available later this year.
· Infinite Data Storage (IDS), a leader in optical data storage technology, announced that its portable, ultra-slim 12cm CD-RW recorder, the Calypso™, is to incorporate the Hi-Speed USB 2.0 interface.
· MCCI® announced it can now provide testing for Hi-Speed USB 2.0 hubs and hosts through its independent test laboratory.
Quite a day of innovative insights I’m sure you agree!
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Win2000/XP refresh rates will be fixed by @ 12:01 am
Those great fellows at NVNews while just surfing the net, came accross the great news that it looks like Microsoft have finally given in to public demand and have decided to fix the refresh rate hell thats Windows 2000/XP.
They found this post on www.3dgpu.com.
This is a disturbing thing to report on because it probably means the end of the world is neigh.
With regards to the title of this post, this whole mess *is *NOT* a bug*. It's a "feature", courtesy of Microsoft. Starting with Win2k/XP M$ decided to handle refresh rate assignment for all resolutions differently than they did for Windows 98/95. Please don't ask me why as I go into screaming fits trying to figure this one out.
Now for the good news...are you sitting down? This is going to be FIXED in Win2k Service Pack 3 and WinXP Service Pack 1! Yes you did read that correctly, it really is true. It's on the list of fixes for both SPs but I have no idea when they will be released for public consumption.
You don't know how happy that makes me folks. At last, no more eye strain, no more clonking monitors, no more playing with home made fixes.... Fixed for good!
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Tuesday 11 June, 2002
Detonator 4 v29.42 tested by @ 11:18 pm
We have tested out Nvidias new 29.42 drivers on Code Creatures and 3DMark 2001se and the verdict is?
Some details about the test first
I have just installed the new 29.42 drivers from Nvidia on WindowsXP. I have a Athlon 2000XP with MSI K7T266 Pro2 mainboard and my old faithful Creative Geforce3. I made sure any antivirus software, firewalls (Zonealarm) and any unnecessary programs were switched off before running the tests. My system has not been overclocked in any way. However, I had installed NVrefreshfix on both tests. (and yes, it does work with the new drivers this time round).
I ran both 3DMark 2001se and CodeCreatures benchmarking programs twice, and on both runs they came out with exactly the same scores. Both benchmarks were run at the default settings.
After reading many reports about new Nvidia Detonator drivers from around the web, I had a nagging feeling that any new updated drivers would be tuned towards the newer GeForce4. After running the tests, I think I may have been right.
The Results
Lets cut to the crust here, the newer drivers were slower on both counts. In fact on the Code Creatures benchmark, which really pushes my card to it's limits it was visable slower. It was very jurky indeed. Although the frame rates kept more constant throughout the test with the newer drivers. With 3DMark 2001se I was unable to visably notice any changes, the end score was just a bit less. 28 points less which might not sound alot to some, but when you try to tune your system to run at it's peak, every point matters to the overclocker.
So, the scores are as follows:
3DMark 2001se with 28.32 drivers 7102
3DMark 2001se with 29.42 drivers 7074
Code Creatures with 28.32 drivers Av frame rate 12.0 poly count 4.1
Code Creatures with 29.42 drivers Av frame rate 10.9 poly count 3.7
In fact, every score on the Code Creatures benchmark was lower with the newer drivers.
And here are the screenshots of my results.
3DMark 2001se results
Code Creatures benchmark results
My advice. If you have a Geforce3, stick with the older drivers. If you have a Geforce4 then maybe these drivers are for you.
I'm off to back-up to my previous set-up with the older drivers on it now! See ya!
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New Nvidia drivers available by @ 8:38 pm
Well, looks like the Inquirer was right after all, just a tad early with the news. Nvidia have released new Detonator 4 drivers version 29.42 for 95/98/ME/XP and Win2000.
At this stage we are unaware of any details from Nvidia about these new drivers. We will tell you all about them if/as and when Nvidia tell us.
You can download these official unified drivers FROM HERE
Many thanks to Craig who spotted these drivers before Newsbytes.
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New wireless possibilities by @ 1:09 pm
Stephen Timms, e-Commerce Minister has changed the rules that will allow wireless local area networks (WLANs) to be operated on a commercial basis. Here is the full press release.
Stephen Timms, e-Commerce Minister, today announced changes to regulations that will permit parts of the radio spectrum to be used for commercial telecommunication services without the need for a Wireless Telegraphy Act licence.
The changes announced today will affect the part of the radio spectrum that currently used by a number of short range devices, like wireless alarms and remote control toys. Today's changes will allow wireless local area networks (WLANs) to be operated on a commercial basis for public use instead of just privately. It will open up opportunities for telecommunications operators to develop new public services using the same technology.
Operators will now be able to address the demand for short-range broadband services, opening the way for fast internet access for laptop users in areas like airports and coffee shops.
Mr Timms said: "Spectrum is a valuable and finite resource. Opening up this spectrum will provide opportunities for telecoms operators to deliver new and innovative services for the public."
"This move will give businesses the opportunity to exploit new ideas and technology. It is vital that we give the resources to businesses to create and deliver such services to benefit the public, to make the best use of spectrum, and make sure they can continue to compete in a global market place".
The new regulations will affect the 2.4GHz part of the radio spectrum. It is proposed that the changes will come into effect on 31 July 2002. The decision follows a four-month consultation exercise and a positive response to Government proposals.
The 2.4GHz band will remain available to private users for a number of licence exempt applications including WLANs and any operators who choose to develop commercial services within this part of the spectrum will have to take into account possible interference and security issues.
---------------------------------------
AOL announces broadband service by @ 10:29 am
AOL have announced today that it is offering customers a fast broadband service. According to a report on Ananova, the service will cost £34.99 a month.
They have a special introductory offer for the modem which will only cost £25. But this is an introductory offer and the cost of the modem will go up to £85 after July 15 2002.
It looks like AOL are jumping on the broad-bandwagon with many other ISPs who started providing fast internet access when BT cut its wholesale charges.
I wonder if AOL will be offering a free 100 hour trial with broadband very soon?
----------------------------------------------------
Nvidia Detonator 5 by @ 10:09 am
Last week, Newsbytes told you that according to a news item on The Inquirer, Nvidia were going to release some new Detonator display drivers that day. Did the Inquirer get it wrong? June 6th came and went without any sign of new drivers from Nvidia. Well not exactly! It looks as though they got the story only half right. It looks as though Nvidia are soon to release an even newer Detonator 5 set of unified drivers.
NVNews.com today have released a snippet from another site, Warp2search which has some more information about 'new drivers' from Nvidia. The snippet says:
Then I decided to contact eVGA myself to find out. When they surprising despite how securely Nvidia like to keep they product development a secret, eVGA replied. In the email they confirmed that the Nvidia Detonator 5 is currently in development and that eVGA are currently doing quality control on the one they have. So this confirms that they Det 5 does exist, but for the version number, they are keeping tight lipped saying.
So it looks as though we will be getting a completely new Detonator 5 set of drivers to play with soon from Nvidia. Newsbytes will keep you posted and the minute we get any news of these new drivers - We'll let you know.
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Ad-Aware version 5.82 by bluetracker @ 12:53 am
A new version (5.82)of the spyware/scumware detection and removal tool is available. There are a few points you should be aware of before installing this or any other version of this utility.
If you have earlier versions of this utility installed, I recommend that you download the new ones, to your desktop, disconnect from the net, then via START>CONTROL PANEL>ADD-REMOVE PROGRAMS remove any older versions from your system completely before installing the newer ones.
I also recommend that you re-boot your computer AGAIN before the new versions are installed to ensure the changes are registered in your O/S memory. These measures will, I have found from experience, prevent any cross contamination of reference files or program versions that could occur by having differing versions of the utility installed at the same time.
The new version of the program can be dowloaded from HERE (Ad-aware 5.82 Final 872 kb)
The latest Reference file HERE (ref # 026-09.06.02. - 30.7 kb)
The REFUPDATE Utility to keep you bang up to date with new reference files HERE (REFUPDATE2.01 @411KB )
******************
Monday 10 June, 2002
Panda software takes initiative by bluetracker @ 9:06 pm
In a newsletter isssued today, those nice people at Panda Software have grasped the nettle.
In an attempt to minimise the spread of malicious code on the European continent they have offered Spanish websurfers the chance to protect their systems with a FREE download of one of their anti-virus packages PANDA Antivirus LITE
They will also be supporting this download with free updates.
Working with the Spanish Science and Technology Ministry and other leading companies from the sector they are contributing to the launch of the 2nd Internet Security Campaign organized by the Spanish Internaut Association.
The newsletter tells us that the widespread use of Internet and, above all, of e-mail has become a breeding ground for the more than 63,000 computer viruses that currently
exist, allowing them to spread to a large number of computers very quickly. Although malicious code uses all the means of propagation within their reach -downloads, Internet browsing, IRC, ICQ, etc.-, e-mail is the most common virus entry-point into computers. According to the 7th Annual Computer Virus Prevalence Survey from ICSA Labs, between 2000 and 2001 over 80% of computer viruses attacked via e-mail.
Spanish speaking users can download Panda Antivirus Lite from the official website of the 2nd Internet Security Campaign HERE
The download is only available until July 31st this year.
Security whist surfing the Net is, and rightly so, in the minds of every responsible person that uses the World Wide Web.
Grisoft.com have for many years provided a FREE version of their antivirus product(AVG) for download alongside their other products; with Panda now joining this rare breed perhaps this will be the catalyst for other manufacturers to ‘knuckle down’ by providing something on similar lines to other countries.
In the Far East, it has been reported that computers are becoming as common as grains of sand on a beach in millions of homes; with this boom, we are seeing more viruses spreading from that region to other parts of the globe. In my view this is where Antivirus Companies should be looking to offer their services for free.
Having said that, the “Panda initiative” will, I am sure be readily welcomed by those of the Spanish populace, who, up until now have not seen fit to install anti-virus software on their equipment.
*******************
Sony introduces two high-speed usb 2.0 cd-rw drives by bluetracker @ 6:58 pm
Hot from the Pressroom Sony Electronics today introduced two USB 2.0 CD-RW drives
The new offerings include a high-speed 40X/12X/48X external drive, as well as an ultra-slim, portable CD-RW and DVD-ROM combo drive with a maximum write speed of 24X and a Memory Stick® media slot. Whether you own a laptop or a Home PC or both, Sony have a model for each.
The CRX1950U 40X (pictured above) is they tell us, one of the fastest external drives on the market, enabling users to create a full CD-R disc in about three minutes.
Bundled with software for both PC and Mac® system users and Power-Burn™ conformed buffer under-run technology, the drive offers a quick and reliable solution for those looking to record digital audio, video and data onto CDs, and gets Sony in on the market as USB 2.0 technology becomes more popular.
The slim and lightweight design of Sony’s new portable combo CD-RW and DVD-ROM drive, the CRXP-90MU (above), is ideal for laptop/portable computer users.
Boasting a 24X maximum write speed, it comes with a full suite of software for creating custom CDs and Sony's Power-Burn™ technology to prevent buffer under-run and writing errors. In addition, the drive's Memory Stick® media slot allows users to seamlessly transfer digital content onto a CD-R/RW disc from a plethora of different electronics devices, including digital cameras, handheld devices and personal computers.
Key Specifications,
CRX1950U
USB 2.0 External Interface USB 1.1 compatible with sustained read speed of up to 6X and write speed up to 4X
40X P-CAV recording (CD-R), 12X recording (CD-RW), 48X (max.) reading
The Software bundle includes the following:
B's Recorder Gold, lets users create back-up copies of CDs as well as customized video, music and data CDs from various file formats
B's Clip, allows users to drag and drop files and folders to a CD-RW disc as easily as to a floppy disk or hard drive
Drive dimensions: 6.5 x 2.1 x 9.7 inches (W x H x L) Platform support: Windows® 98SE/2000/Millenium Edition and Windows XP operating system OR Mac OS® 9.0.4, 9.1, 9.2.1
Maximum data transfer rate: 480Mbit/s. Random access time: 100 ms (ave.) Buffer memory: 2MB
Recording methods: disc at once, track at once, session at once, fixed and variable packet writing. Compatible disc format: CD-DA, Video CD, Photo CD (multisession), CD TEXT, CD Extra and others
CRXP-90MU
USB 2.0 External Interface. USB 1.1 compatible with sustained read speed of up to 6X and write speed up to 4X
24X Z-CLV recording (CD-R), 10X recording (CD-RW), 24X (max.) reading (CD-ROM), 8X (max) reading (DVD-ROM)
Maximum data transfer rate: 480Mbit/s. Random access time: 160 ms (ave.) Buffer memory: 8MB
Drive dimensions: 5.1 x 0.7 x 5.3 inches (W x H x L)
Platform support: Windows® 98SE/2000/Millenium Edition and Windows XP operating system OR Mac OS® 9.0.4, 9.1, 9.2.1
Compatible disc format: CD-DA, Video CD, Photo CD (multisession), CD TEXT, CD Extra and others
Recording method: disc at once, track at once, session at once, fixed and variable packet writing
The software bundled with this model includes,
B's Recorder Gold, lets users create back-up copies of CDs as well as customized video, music and data CDs from various file formats
B's Clip, allows users to drag and drop files and folders to a CD-RW disc as easily as to a floppy disk or hard drive
Retrospect® Express, full-featured back-up software that provides users with instant back-up and disaster recovery capabilities
ArcSoft PhotoBase™, allows users to create image, video and audio albums for easy management; share files in the form of slide shows, Web presentations or video postcards; and to store multimedia files on CDs
ArcSoft PhotoStudio® 2000, lets users edit digital images with a wide selection of special effects and enhancements
ArcSoft VideoImpression™, offers a quick and easy way to create and edit videos and image files, as well as make desktop video productions for home, office or the Internet
MUSICMATCH® Jukebox, offers users a complete personal system to play, record, organize and discover new music through MUSICMATCH Radio
Availability, Pricing
The Sony USB 2.0 40X CD-RW drive (CRX190U) is available NOW and the USB 2.0 24X portable combo drive (CRXP-M90U) will be available in July with estimated U.S. retail prices of $179 and $299, respectively.
************************
Ad-Aware referencefile update by @ 4:47 am
Lavasoft the makers of Ad-aware spyware removal tool have released an updated referencefile dated 09-06-2002.
Lavasoft says that this update has the detection+removal of WinAd, NetSource101 and a couple new Browser Hijackers have been added to Ad-aware.
Please notice: Refupdate 2.01 only supports Ad-aware 5.8 or higher. If you have an older version of Ad-Aware you should replace it with the newer version to get full protection.
RefUpdate 2.01 can be executed with optional command line parameters.
The first parameter specifies which server you want to connect to.
lavasoft.de (server1) is always updated first, and most reliable.
The second parameter is a subset of parameters to specify the proxy settings.
Here's an example : /1:host:port:user:pass
Note: the first subparameter can be either 0 or 1.If you are not using Refupdate through a proxy server, use 0.Other whise 1.
The third parameter can be used to specify a different path for the referencefile
then the default path.Using this parameter will not change the default path permanently.
Lavasoft says: Ad-aware is a free multi spyware removal utility that scans your memory, registry and hard drives for known spyware and scumware components and lets you remove them safely. It is updated frequently.
--------------------------------------------------
Sunday 9 June, 2002
World's first vacuum tube motherboard by @ 5:57 pm
Newsbytes takes a look at the world's first vacuum tube motherboard released by Aopen this week.
This news coinciding with Intel's announcement of the Pentium® 4 845E chipset. How things turn around, the vacuum tube dates back to the birth of the light bulb by Thomas A. Edison back in 1879.
In taking this bold step towards audio perfection, AOpen's hybrid AX4B-533 Tube unquestionably is targeted to a very exclusive niche market - passionate audiophiles and extreme gamers who are interested in building their own ultimate entertaining PCs.
Why?
Well it seems that in the days when audio systems used valves and vacuum tubes in amplifiers and the like, they had a certain warmth, depth and tonal realism. Aopen wanted to make a product that had the same qualities. Al Peng, product manager at AOpen America Inc says "Laughter turned into raves a few months later when we did our first lab demo of our unique hybrid creation. The reproduced sound was absolutely amazing. It left everyone stunned. What we realized at that moment was how the limitations of typical audio output from a PC as we knew it, had come to an end - and what we were pioneering was a way to literally combine the best of two audio worlds - old and new."
We are told that the new vacuum tubes on Aopens new motherboard will provide music lovers of all kinds will "feel" their singer, band or orchestra seemingly come alive, while gamers will find that sound-effects become far more convincing and "to your face".
Tubes are not something that have been forgotten about in time. It's just they have not been put on a computer motherboard before. In fact, most electric guitar and bass amplifiers are tube-based. High-end professional audio equipment also relies on the tube as a preferred amplification device. Tubes are even found in digital-to-analog conversion equipment.
So if your the sort of person who likes perfection of sound, then it 'sounds' as though this motherboard is for you.
Now for some technical stuff. One of the main drawbacks with tubes is noise reduction. But Aopen claim to have overcome these problems. This is what they say:
One of the inherent difficulties of utilizing tubes for audio output amplification has always been the dreadful by-product of noise. AOpen solved this problem flawlessly with a method of noise reduction called the Frequency Isolation Wall (FIW). The FIW is strategically placed at all regions throughout the motherboard that separates each operating frequency regions such as CPU, memory, AGP and PCI where the operating frequency ranging from 133MHz, 66MHz and 33MHz. Cross talk among each regions had been reduced greatly for overall system stability as well as minimize inherit noise that may go to tube amplification circuitry.
To ensure accurate tonal quality for music playback and to fully enhance the gaming experience, AOpen engineers meticulously selected the finest components from the world's top-rated manufacturers in designing and building the AX4B-533 Tube. In addition, the AX4B-533 Tube is painstakingly and patiently assembled, piece-by-piece, then fully inspected and individually tested by AOpen technicians to ensure that each motherboard meets its desired peak performance levels without hesitation.
The AX4B-533 Tube Motherboard comes with latest Intel 845E chipset design and features DDR SDRAM memory channels delivering 2.1 GB/s of memory bandwidth to the processor - maximizing the full performance of the Intel Pentium® 4 processor with 533Mhz FSB offers best overall performance and longevity. It comes with a 4X AGP slots; with new ICH4, the AX4B-533 Tube supports 4 ports of USB 2.0 and Ultra ATA/100 interface. With Intel 845E chipset, AOpen's AX4B-533 Tube provides a revolutionary fusion of old and new technology, producing unsurpassed PC audio output that takes full advantage of the Intel Pentium® 4 processor's capabilities.
To see the new motherboard for yourself and to see all of Aopen new products, CLICK HERE
--------------------------------------------------
Dear Mr Owen by bluetracker @ 4:54 pm
As some of you may be aware, I have recently been subject to poor service and connection speeds with my ISP BTOpenworld. Not surprising to many I know but anyway…....
The information I have just received from someone called Chris at the ISP's help center, contains some useful tips on how to optimise your connection “the BT way” and though protracted I have reproduced the full text of the reply below (plus some of my own comments)for you to all to make use of.
My reply to Chris will shortly appear in the NEWSBYTES forum on this site. Is it just me, or am I starting to sound like a CARETAKER here??
“Below are some possible solutions to slow connection problems.”
”Please read the instructions carefully before trying any of the solutions listed. If you are in any doubt about the instructions, or require assistance, please contact the telephone helpdesk (the number is listed at the end of this email). Btopenworld cannot be held responsible for the misuse of this information.” (Nice touch there Chris!)
”Do not proceed with these instructions if you are connected to a network, or your computer is at any time part of a network (e.g. Laptops used at work and also used at home). If you are unsure about anything do not proceed and contact our technical helpdesk who will be able to advise you. Changing settings on a network computer can cause problems to an entire network and btopenworld will not accept liability for any damage caused” (Another neat one!)
”Online connection speeds for a standard 56k Modem, usually fall somewhere between 30-49Kbs. It is unlikely that you would be able to approach the rated modem connection speed, via a standard telephone line.” (Boy, you learn something every day!)
”Due to variance in the line quality, line saturation and exchange set-up, it is possible for line quality to fall below normal levels. (Which are WHAT Chris..I wonder?) This would result in a slow connection speed. A number of remedies are available for consideration.
”By contacting BT Residential Line Faults on 151 or (Business Line Faults on 154), you may ask for the line to be checked out for faults. You could also ask for the "gain" to be increased on your telephone line. ( Been there, done that)
You could install web accelerator software, which optimises your Internet connection cache and other system/Windows settings.” (Oh, I see…. but don’t you know that some of these have been known to further slow up your system by using more precious resources Chris?)
”Using a telephone extension cable can also affect your connection speed. If it's longer than five metres your connectivity will be reduced. Try to use the shortest length possible and try to avoid using double telephone sockets where you have one port for the telephone and one for the modem. All these factors can cause problems with the quality of the connection you receive.
Alternatively, you can upgrade your modem drivers/software to the latest specification, which would have a beneficial effect on modem/system performance.”
Having got through all the basic “should know” items; Chris informs us of some ‘stuff’ that is not generally divulged to those, (like myself) when they download the BTOpenworld dialler software.
Finally, specifying your DNS (Domain Name Server) addresses may serve to eliminate your problem. Although the physical connection speed is not affected, this will aid your computer to resolve web pages at a faster rate.
Here's how to specify your DNS on PCs running Windows 95/98:
Doubleclick on 'My Computer'
Doubleclick on 'Dial-up Networking'
Right click on your 'BTopenworld Dial-up' icon and left click 'Properties'
Click on 'Server Type'
Click on 'TCP/IP Settings'
Select 'Specify Name Server Addresses' and enter the following IP addresses:
Primary DNS 194.73.73.94
Secondary DNS 194.73.73.95
Click 'OK', then 'OK' and 'OK' again.
On Windows ME:
Click on 'Start'
Move up to 'Settings'
Click on 'Control Panel'
Double click on 'Network and Dial-up Connections'
Right click on your 'BTopenworld Dial-up' icon and left click 'Properties'
Click on 'Networking'
Click on 'TCP/IP Settings'
Select 'Specify Name Server Addresses' and enter the following IP addresses:
Primary DNS 194.73.73.94
Secondary DNS 194.73.73.95
Click 'OK', then 'OK' and 'OK' again.
On Windows 2000
Click on 'Start'
Click on 'Settings'
Click on 'Control Panel'
Double click on 'Network and dial-up connections'
Right click on your 'BTopenworld Dial-up' icon and left click 'Properties'
Click on 'Networking'
Click on 'Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)'
Click on 'Properties'
Select 'Use the following DNS server addresses' and enter the following IP addresses:
Preferred DNS server 194.73.73.94
Alternate DNS server 194.73.73.95
Click 'OK' then 'OK' again.
Windows XP (Home & Professional)
Click on Start
Move across to 'Connect to'
Click on 'Show all connections'
Right click on your 'BTopenworld Dial-up' icon and left click 'Properties'
Click on 'Networking'
Click on 'Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)'
Click on 'Properties'
Select 'Use the following DNS server addresses' and enter the following IP addresses:
Preferred DNS server 194.73.73.94
Alternate DNS server 194.73.73.95
Click 'OK' then 'OK' again.
Another thing to check is Your Modem Speed
· Double click "My Computer".
· Double click "Control Panel".
· Double click "Modems".
· Click on the "Properties" tab.
· Set the speed to the desired level (57600).
Hopefully these suggestions should improve your connection to the Internet.
Should you have any further questions please feel free to contact
Best regards
Chris
Technical Advisor
BTopenworld Narrowband Support
If you require any further assistance, please try our new online help located at the below URL:
http://www.btopenworld.com/helpnb/
**************
“Everything you wanted to know about AOL but were afraid to ask” by bluetracker @ 3:03 pm
Since having AOL (or as he likes to call it “ Always Off Line”) software pre-installed on a computer he bought back in the 1980’s, he became “disgruntled” at the way the ISP conducted their business and the way that he claims they ‘ran rough-shod’ over the rights of their paying members.
He has dedicated a website to bring together all the damning evidence.
Although sometimes hard to follow (he only updates the site sporadically with snippets spanning several weeks or even months) anyone wanting to dig up the dirt on the giant ISP can do so from this one site. Don’t expect any razzamatazz when you log on; no Flash animations or graphics just bare bones text is what you will find apart from the homepage itself, but an interesting and informative site nontheless if one is prepared for the sometimes-confusing layout of the stoies themselves.
Chronicleing almost each and every misdemeanour that the ISP has been responsible for over many years; “bully boy tactics” employed when subscribers wish to cancel, breach of trust lawsuits, unsolicied goods being billed to subscribers; it’s all there at…AOLWATCH
The site includes many quoted instances of all types of consumer products being sent to subscribers without the need for them to order the stuff first! Payments for unsolicited goods being taken from users’ bank accounts; the list goes on and on.
Americans as we know take their rights very seriously and are not afraid to stand up and be counted in the Courtroom, should they believe these rights are being abused. There are stories of “Joe Public” taking AOL to court and winning!
Along with the rest of the www the US public are also are inundated with “Free trial” CD’s from the AOLTime- Warner ISP.
One story tells of a person tired of these mailshots claiming compensation for “postal harrassment and mental anguish” for each subsequent CD that has dropped through the mailbox after he took out a “Mail refusal” request via the US mail service, a last resort after telephoning the ISP on several occasions requesting they send no further CD’s to him. So far he has received 18 such mailshots and is claiming $1500 for each one!
Not satisfied with this “blanket marketing ploy” AOL/Time-Warner are feverishly gobbling up cable TV Companies around the US in an effort (David believes) to further annoy U.S. citizens with the incessant advertising of their products and services.
"AOL hates to lose customers. Probably because they have to return all the spam I normally recieve..."
… says David, who continues in an article on his website….
“AOL has sent out so many free-trial disks, Forbes magazine was able to uncover an amazing statistic. Last June while AOL had 23.5 million customers in America, "an estimated 4.6 million, or 20%...weren't paying!"
Even subscribers calling to cancel their accounts are often enticed back with offers of free months of service, with the end result apparently being millions of AOL users who weren't paying for their service.”
After spending several hours pouring over the numerous corroborating links contained in every story on the site; Which in my case is no mean feat given my current conection problems with BT (bless ‘em) I must admit that the guy really has it bad for the AOL way of life and has taken some time to collate all this information.
So the next time you get annoyed when one of those “Free AOL Trial” CD’s drop through your mailbox; log onto Davids website and console yourself in the knowledge that it was only a CD and not something expensive that you may be required to pay for!
******************
Saturday 8 June, 2002
Newsbytes Exclusive: Internet via Power Sockets by @ 9:09 pm
Scottish Hydro Electric are to supply Broadband Internet Access Through Your Power Sockets.
Scottish Hydro Electric, part of the Scottish & Southern Energy Group, are to run trials supplying broadband Internet Access through electricity powerpoints. Initial trials will be in the Crieff area of Scotland but if they get enough enquiries from other areas they may expand the service. Their first aim is to supply areas where there is little likelihood of getting DSL or Cable but if demand is high enough then that may change.
The cost is £25.00 inc. VAT per month for home users and £40.00 per month plus VAT for business users. Installation is free and a broadband modem is supplied as part of the package. Hydro Electric claim that you will be able to connect up to 40 times faster than a 56k dial up. Users will be able to use their PC for the Internet any room in the house with a power point because the electricity supply is used for transferring data and not a telephone line. There is no need for any new cables, wires or telephone line.
There will be a "Broadband Workshop" at Crieff Learning Centre, Crieff Library, 6 Comrie Street, Crieff on Monday 10th June between 6pm and 9pm.
The project is being run in conjunction with Perth and Kinross Council and Scottish Enterprise and will start in mid-July.
For more information you can telephone 0845 305 3332 between 8 am and 6 pm from Tuesday 11th June or visit www.hydro.co.uk/broadband after Monday.
-------------------------------------------------
New Microsoft reccomended update available by @ 5:27 pm
A new Windows Update was made available this weekend to fix problems with the InterActual DVD playback program used on DVD titles.
The problems this update fixes
1. When you work with the commands on the Options menu, you may not be able to view the extra features (such as the photo gallery) on your DVD.
2. After you click a menu, the menu selection light may not be restored.
3. After you change the play rate, CPU utilization may increase.
4. Menu hotspots may become out of alignment.
Titles affected:
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Into the Arms of Strangers
The Wizard of Oz
Osmosis Joe
These are all Warner Brothers Home Video DVD's
Operating system affected
WindowsXP Home/Prof
If you have WindowsXP and a DVD player and have any of the above films then go to Windows Update to get the latest fix. Windows Update can be found under the 'TOOLS' menu in Internet Explorer.
Please note: Microsoft have also updated the Windows Update software. You will need to accept the new (version 4) updates before Windows Update will work.
-----------------------------------------------------
Symantec virus info by @ 4:41 pm
 3 new viruses have been added to the Symantec database. These are W32.Frethem.D@mm, VBS.Chick.F@m and Backdoor.Latinus. Protection for these will be covered in an update to Nortons antivirus software on Monday.
Symantec tells us:
Backdoor.Latinus
Backdoor.Latinus allows a hacker to remotely control an infected computer. There are numerous versions of this Trojan.
NOTE: Virus definitions dated prior to June 10, 2002, may detect this threat as Backdoor.Trojan.
Also Known As: Backdoor.Trojan
Type: Trojan Horse
Infection Length: variable
Systems Affected: Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Me
Systems Not Affected: Microsoft IIS, Macintosh, Unix, Linux.
VBS.Chick.F@m
VBS.Chick.F@m is a self-mailing worm that propagates as a .chm file (compressed html file) and through mIRC. The worm sends an email to only the first address in the user's address book. The email arrives with the following characteristics:
Subject: RE: Korea Japan Results
Attachment: koreajapan.chm
Also Known As: I-Worm.Brit-G, World Cup, VBS/Chick-F, VBS_CHICK.F
Type: Worm
Infection Length: 12,170 bytes
Systems Affected: Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Me
Systems Not Affected: Windows 3.x, Microsoft IIS, Macintosh, Unix, Linux
....and last but not least
W32.Frethem.D@mm
This worm is a variant of W32.Frethem.B@mm worm. It uses it's own SMTP engine to send itself out to email addresses it finds in the Microsoft Windows Address Book and from .dbx files. The email arrives with the following characteristics:
Subject: Re: Your password!
Attachments: decrypt-password.exe
Type: Worm
Infection Length: 35,840 bytes
Systems Affected: Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Me
Systems Not Affected: Windows 3.x, Microsoft IIS, Macintosh, Unix, Linux
As always, keep your antivirus software up to date whichever flavour you use.
------------------------------------------------
Microsoft fights back by @ 4:23 pm
The beta service pack 1 for WindowsXP is being tested. Testers have found that if you have a 'copied' version of WindowsXP the service pack and any future Windows Updates will not be installed.
It seems that unscrupulous folk who managed to get hold of false activation keys who, up until now have been able to keep their 'hookie' version of WindowsXP up-to-date via 'Windows Update' will not be able to update any more once service pack 1 has been installed.
The privacy statement has been changed and now says "To provide you with the appropriate list of updates, Windows Update must collect a certain amount of configuration information from your computer. Operating-system version number and Product Identification number... The Product Identification number is collected to confirm that you are running a validly licensed copy of Windows. A validly licensed copy of Windows ensures that you will receive on-going updates from Windows Update".
OK, so Microsoft should find it easy to have a list of 'false activation keys' and check users against this list. But knowing how unscrupulous and clever some folk are, I'm sure it won't take long for them to find away around it. Apparently though, it is not possible (at the moment) to use a 'keygen' to come up with the activation codes.
However, this may well be the start of a long fight by Microsoft to stop the theft of their operating systems.
---------------------------------------------------
Friday 7 June, 2002
Sophos issues a virus warning to computer users by @ 11:06 pm
Sophos, a world leader in corporate anti-virus protection, today advised computer users of the threat posed by a new virus which tries to exploit workers desperate to find out the latest scores from the World Cup in S Korea/Japan.
Sophos says:
The VBS/Chick-F virus spreads via email and internet relay chat posing as a web utility to see up-to-the-minute results from the football championship.
"Whoever wrote this virus is aiming to exploit football fans around the world, hungry for news about their team's progress," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for Sophos Anti-Virus. "System administrators should ensure that staff who forget to feign illness and actually turn up at work don't incur the penalties a virus infection can bring."
The new virus typically arrives in an email with the subject "RE: Korea Japan Results". If the recipient runs the attached file and follows its instructions to enable ActiveX the worm will attempt to spread via Internet Relay Chat and forward itself to everyone in the user's address book.
Sophos has received no reports of the virus in the wild to date, but notes that it comes just days after it warned companies of the dangers of lax security during the World Cup competition. Sophos advises users to keep their anti-virus protection up-to-date and to be suspicious of all unsolicited email attachments.
In 1998, in the run-up to the World cup compe |
