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How many of us swear at our PC’s when they don’t work correctly, do we think they have a mind of there own and do we some times compare them to human beings?

Apparently some people do compare the humble pc to human beings, unfortunately, the PC is nothing like us its more like the Frankenstein Monster. The PC is in a dead like state until we energize the unit or apply power to it. This is similar to the lightening bolt that produced life into the monster.

When a computer is energized on the power button it goes through a thing called the power on self test or POST. Power is delivered to the processor or the brain of the computer and a chip called the BIOS starts to begin the autonomic processes of the computer. The bios chip is could be compared very roughly with the brain stem in Frankenstein’s monster as it controls breathing and regulars heart, blood flow and temperature.

The BIOS starts seeking out the items connected the CPU, it starts with memory and checks its integrity, it then seeks out other items on the mainboard. Pretty much like how the autonomic systems of the monsters body started after the lighten bolt was delivered, a heart beat first starts in the monster and it started breath. The next step in the PC POST is that the BIOS starts looking for peripherals connected to it, checks for hard drives, cd rom drives, sound and other input and output devices. This can be roughly compared to the monster starting to move or twitch its limbs as the brain of the monsters brain becomes aware that it has limbs the limbs can be seen as input and output devices.

Once the BIOS is satisfied it has found all peripheral devices and items it then locates the operating system and the computer starts loading its operating system. This allows the computer to use its peripherals and operate its higher functions. This again can be roughly to the monster starting its ascent to sentience as the higher brain functions come into action and the monster becomes conscious and then awakes.

# posted by Peter Saville - IT Consultant @ 2:06 AM 0 comments

The daily telegraph says that COMPUTER hackers have developed a way of recording mouse clicks, as well as keystrokes, using a new form of virus.

Hackers have created thousands of viruses that collect keyed-in login in­formation, such as bank account passwords, after infecting a computer.

The viruses, known as keylogging trojans, moni­tor internet usage, collect login information en­tered by users via key­strokes and send the in­formation back to the author of the trojan. The new trojan, a vari­ant of PWSteal. Bancos.Q, detects mouse movements and takes snapshots of certain banking web pages in a bid to collect passwords and other information. The virus is aimed at banks that use virtual keyboards.

Source text: Daily Telegraph

# posted by Peter Saville - IT Consultant @ 11:06 PM 0 comments

Microsoft has detailed its plans to offer a Web-based program that will let parents control and monitor their children's online activity.

It will be a free program called Windows Live Family Safety Settings. The program will include Web content filtering, activity reports and the ability for parents to specify the people with whom their children can communicate online.

The program ispart of the broader Windows Live rang of products and will be rolled out publicly in stages over the course of this year.

PCs on which the program is installed will require children to log in, even if they're not at home. The program will then apply the settings established by their parents. This is ok if the kids remember to log on or don’t access a publicly available computer possibly using a different browser than Microsofts Internet Explorer products.

# posted by Peter Saville - IT Consultant @ 10:45 PM 0 comments

Fox news says that Anti-virus vendor McAfee is scrambling to contain the damage from a faulty definition update that incorrectly flagged hundreds of legitimate software programs as W95/CTX, a low-risk Windows 95 virus that was first detected in 2004.

In the new file released by McCaffee thatwas shipped late on March 10 with definitions for a wide range of new malware threats had the unfortunate ability to cause damage when it quarantined or deleted several widely deployed applications, including Microsoft Excel, Macromedia Flash Player, Adobe Update Manager and the Google Toolbar Installer.

McAfee acknowledged they had made a serious mistake and when it was detected quickly shipped a new virus pattern file but for many users of the products the damage was already done.

The McAfee the faulty update caused problems for customers running its VirusScan Enterprise, Managed VirusScan, VirusScan Online, LinuxShield and VirusScan (consumer) products.

The incorrect detections did not occur with McAfee's OAS (On Access Scanner), nor with gateway or e-mail scanners.

# posted by Peter Saville - IT Consultant @ 10:44 PM 0 comments

Associated Press says that a company accused of using unauthorized personal data "mined" by other firms from about 6 million e-mail addresses nationwide has agreed to reform its practices under a $1.1 million settlement. The Datran Media Corp. of New York City which is a leading e-mail marketer, used e-mail addresses and other personal data it obtained from several companies.

Many of the operators request personal data that can be used in marketing and for companies to better tailor their products to consumers' needs and wants. Often, the operators of the sites promise not to sell the name or e-mail address that accompanies the data. However, this company after making the promises that it would not resell or collect data for another third party found itself in hot water when it did exactly that!

# posted by Peter Saville - IT Consultant @ 10:42 PM 0 comments

According to the Sunday Telegraph’s Sunday lift out magazine there is a a video game that's non-violent, inspirational and its educational! That's right, no demons to slay, no cars to steal, no guns to fire. This game has been created by the UN World Food Programme, Food Force (www.food-force.com) is a free download comprising six stages that require, for example, adept hand-eye coordination to drop a pallet of rice sacks from a helicopter... considering the wind factor, of course. The intention was to represent the day-to-day operations of the program, and is aimed at teaching kids that dropping food is actually a dangerous and difficult task. The child-friendly platform has proven popular. Food Force has had more than three million downloads since launching last year. The game is exactly what the world has been missing in quality computer entertainment.

# posted by Peter Saville - IT Consultant @ 10:36 PM 0 comments

Science fiction inspired most of Todays techno gadgets, long before the actual inventors created the devices often the device was discussed in great detail in the chronicles of a good book writer or on a television show.

The Automatic Door, Mobile Phone and Palm Top Personal Digital Assistants werew all things created in the mind on Gene Rodenberry. THE FLIP-PHONE: Gene Roddenberry et al.

The original, '60s Trek looks extremely dated today; although it's set hundreds of
years in the future, technology has caught up with it (and in some
cases surpassed it in ways that the creators could not have
anticipated). One thing that I find quite striking is the resemblance,
both in appearance and function, between the flip-open communicator
devices used by the crew of the Starship Enterprise and today's
wireless flip-phones.

When ”Star Trek: The Next Generation“ replaced the flip-style communicators with a ”com badge“ in the late 1980s, the future was again prefigured. Today, wireless LAN-based lapel communicators are commonly used in hospitals, offices and factory floors using voice over IP technologies.

Video over IP technologies has seen emergence of video phones and computers no can understand a degree of voice communication between the user and itself.

The Captains note pad in the original series also inspired a team of engineers at Apple to develop a device called an Apple Newton the worlds first palm top computer that recognized hand writing. The Newton is now dead in the water when many of its developers jumped ship to create its successor the Palm PC or PDA. This device has also evolved on to become integrated with a mobile phone communications device and is now called a smart phone.

If you know of any others I have not mentioned here please email me on questions@petersaville.net

# posted by Peter Saville - IT Consultant @ 10:34 PM 0 comments

AOL’s idea for the charging for bulk email sending is raising serious opposition according to the register dot com

More than 50 organisations are joining forces to protest against AOL's plan to start charging for email.

The worlds largest ISP is considering a plan to charge a fee to avoid the ISP's spam filters and guarantee that their marketing emails arrive straight in AOL subscribers' inboxes.

But 54 groups - ranging from Gun Owners of America to Oxfam America are asking AOL to rethink the decision. The Electronic Frontier Foundation is organising the protest through the website www.dearaol.com Almost 1,500 individuals have already signed up in support.

I say get over it, spammers annoy the crap out most email users and cost ISP’s money, I just wish the governments around the world would look into this idea as a base plan. It may well curb the spam industry.

# posted by Peter Saville - IT Consultant @ 12:56 AM 0 comments

According to vnunet.com computer manufacturer has Apple has released a security update that patches 20 holes in its OS X operating system and bundled applications. Apparently, Malware writers have released several high profile viruses in recent weeks, and security experts disclosed last week that they had found a critical security hole in the operating system.

The patch fixes the recently reported Leap-A and Safari security vulnerabilities and also contains a fix for a flaw in the browser Safari as well as changes to some OS X security settings to protect users against worms such as Leap-A that were detected last month.

Users can install the update through the auto update feature in the operating system or by downloading the patch from Apple's website here.

# posted by Peter Saville - IT Consultant @ 12:14 AM 0 comments

According to The Register Dot Com it appears that “something I bought at radio shack could still flummox this thing?” Toby Ziegler NBC’s The West Wing. It appears mobile phones could indead flummox the operating components of aircraft

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University found the effects of mobile transmissions of devices such as Global Positioning System receivers were worse than previously thought, after monitoring transmissions on a number of short-haul US flights. They tracked radio emissions via a broadband antenna attached to a compact portable spectrum analyzer held in a carry-on bag (which we trust didn't itself generate emissions).

The researchers found that on average one to four cell phone calls were made during commercial flights in the north-east US. Some of these calls are made during critical flight stages such as the climb after take-off, or on final approach, potentially placing an aircraft in danger.

The study focused mainly on in-flight mobile use but it also unearthed evidence that the use of devices such as laptops and DVD players, especially during critical flight stages, were also a potential hazard.

The study comes as the US Federal Communications Commission is considering lifting the ban on the use of mobile phones during flights.

# posted by Peter Saville - IT Consultant @ 12:06 AM 0 comments

A while ago on air I discussed the fact that Microsoft were not going to sit on their hands and let Apple eat into the hand help audio market for long. Microsoft have been working on a project to create a hand held portable device and it is said according to Reuters that the veil of mystery surrounding Microsoft's secretive Origami portable device lifted just a little on Thursday after the firm updated the project's cryptic Web site, hinting that all would be revealed on a possible launch date of March 9.

March 9 is also the launch in Hannover of CeBit, the world's largest annual trade show for the information and telecommunications technology industry and its is thought Microsoft may be choosing to lauch the product at the CeBit trade show.

Information from Microsoft on Origami is very sketchy to say the least. However, industry insiders predict it is the company's long-awaited offering hoping to take a bite out of rival Apple's all-conquering i-Pod. Whilst I-tunes is software freely available it only interacts with I-POD and a few licensed mobile phone mp3 players, at present the Windows Media Player platform integrates with many portable devices. However, you would have to wonder how long for if Microsoft want sales of the new hand held device to pick up media player might have to be locked down on new versions.

The only details released so far have been on the Microsoft registered website www.origamiproject.com, along with cryptic questions such as "who am I?," "do you know me?," "do you know what I can do?" and "wondering where to find me?" sending rumors flying round Internet Web sites and chatrooms.

The hand help device is expected to be the size of a paperback book, able to play music, games, connect to the internet and run software. The website is www.origamiproject.com

# posted by Peter Saville - IT Consultant @ 11:55 PM 0 comments

With months of maintaining that it had not yet finalized its Windows Vista line up behind it. Microsoft seems finally to have decided upon a half dozen core Vista versions, which is a relief for the many computer users awaiting the release of the new operating system.

According to a posting on its Web site, Microsoft is readying six core Vista packages, or SKUs, plus two additional releases customized for the European Union that won't bundle in Windows Media Player, as ordered by European antitrust regulators.

It is believed the line up will be Windows Starter 2007; Windows Vista Enterprise; Windows Vista Home Basic, Windows Vista Home Premium, Windows Vista ultimate, Windows Vista Business, Windows Vista Home Basic N and Windows Vista Business N. The "N" releases are those which do not include Media Player.

Microsoft officials said on February 20 that the posted list was incomplete and posted inadvertently.

It's not clear whether the Starter release mentioned on Microsoft's site is the same as the current Windows XP Starter Edition product, which is a cut-rate, less fully featured version of Windows tailored for developing countries. It basically Windows XP without the crap.

Windows Vista will provide a unique style and experience built on the already popular Windows XP operating system and the new “Live” components which interact seamlessly with the internet and network connected computers.

Source: PC Magazine via Yahoo News

# posted by Peter Saville - IT Consultant @ 11:28 PM 0 comments

America Online is vowing to carry out its plans to institute fees for mass senders of e-mail, despite protests from groups representing 15 million people that claim the move will stifle communications instead of merely halting spam.

There are several groups that claim that introducing the fee for the sending of bulk emails may stifle the communications of many businesses. However, AOL believes that introducing this system and fees will reduce the chances of spammers being located on their network.

It is not expected to be an impact on household users of the internet as the model will have an allowance of so many free outgoing emails. It is expected to can the spammers as it will uneconomical to use AOL for spamming.

# posted by Peter Saville - IT Consultant @ 3:03 AM 0 comments

Worldwide numbers of VOIP users increase!

2005 saw VOIP breakout into the market and provide quality Internet telephone services, with the number of U.S. subscribers more than tripling to 4.5 million and industry revenue surpassing $1 billion.

At the beginning of 2005 in the unit states there were 1.3 million subscribers of Voice over Internet Protocol services, according to a survey by analysis firm TeleGeography. In the last three months of the year alone, 900,000 people signed up for VoIP services. VoIP requires a broadband Internet connection or a cable subscription, and generally comes in competitive calling plans.

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a way to make and receive phone calls using your broadband connection. It involves the transmission of ordinary telephone calls over the Internet. In other words, VoIP can send voice over the Internet, rather than through the regular telephone network.

Using SIP technology (session initiation protocol) with an analogue telephone adapter or VOIP router, your calls are directed through the Internet rather than the plain old telephone system. The ATA can be attached to an analog, cordless or DECT telephone, allowing you to make and receive calls as you normally would.

I Australia we have also seen a massive increase of commercial operations utilizing VOIP services has seen the the two leading companies engin and My Netfone significantly eating into the traditional PSTN telephone call market.

# posted by Peter Saville - IT Consultant @ 2:50 AM 0 comments