KCNET NEWSLETTER 05/11/03 TECHNICAL PAGE
VIRUS AND OTHER STINKY STUFF:
IF YOU SUSPECT THAT YOU HAVE A VIRUS OR IF YOU HAVE NOT SUCCESSFULLY SCANNED YOUR DRIVES FOR VIRUSES LATELY... THEN THE NEXT SUGGESTION IS FOR YOU. Free Virus scan. Trend Micro, more commonly referred to as Housecall, offers free virus scans and in most cases can fix damage down by a virus or worm that your computer may have contacted. The program works well. The first time one uses the free program it is necessary to download a small program. Trend Micro walks you through the process. Then the virus scans are quite simple for each return. You should disable any anti virus program that you have running. If you do not have a virus program I recommend that you use this program first and then download one of the free programs listed above of install any anti virus program you have purchased. Go to http://housecall.antivirus.com/ then choose the link "Scan without registering". Follow the directions.
Free Virus programs to download Quite a few KCnet members use these programs and like them. Be careful if you download a virus program and you already have one installed on your computer. You need to at least disable the program already installed. http://www.grisoft.com/html/us_index.cfm Another good free program to take a look at is: http://www.free-av.com/
Looking for Love - WORM_LOVELORN.A From Trend Micro WORM_LOVELORN.A is a memory-resident worm that typically arrives as an email attachment with an .EXE or .HTML extension. This worm runs on all Windows platforms. Upon execution, the worm drops the following malicious files in the Windows system directory: * EXPLORER.EXE * KERNEL32.EXE * NETDLL.DLL * SERCSCG.DLL * SETUP.HTM * BSBK.DLL EXPLORER.EXE is the dropped copy of the malware, and SETUP.HTM is its dropper. When this .HTML file is executed, it also drops another copy named TEMP.EXE in the Windows temporary folder. It also attempts to copy itself to floppy disks using the file name NQH_Kiss_you.exe. To propagate, this worm sends itself via email using its own SMTP engine, to all email recipients found in .DBX files. The email contains the following details: From: <any of the following> lovelorn@yahoo.com love_lorn@yahoo.com thuyquyen@yahoo.com Subject: <any of the following> Re:baby!your friend send this file to you ! Re:Get Password mail... Re:I Love You...OKE! Re:Kiss you.. Re:Baby! 2000USD,Win this game... The Sexy story and 4 sexy picture of BINLADEN ! Re:Binladen_Sexy.jpg Message Body: <any of the following> Enjoy! BINLADEN:SEXY.. run File Attach to extract:BinladenSexy.jpg... Attachment: <any of the following> %a.Kiss.ok.exe %a.htm where %a is any of the following * lovelorn * love_lorn * thuyguyen The worm adds an autorun registry entry that allows it to execute at every system startup. It also terminates programs with process names containing any of the following strings: * BKAV * NAVA
10 Most Prevalent Viruses Surveyed by Trend Micro US (week of: April 21 to April 28, 2003) 1. JS_EXCEPTION.GEN 2. JS_NOCLOSE.E 3. WORM_KLEZ.H 4. WORM_LOVGATE.F 5. VBS_REDLOF.A 6. WORM_KWBOT.C 7. TROJ_SMALL.M 8. JOKE_RUSS.A 9. WORM_BUGBEAR.A 10. TROJ_SMALL.J
Tried and Untrue Viruses Believe it or not, the amount of harm done by sending false computer virus alarms to your thousand closest friends can be just as damaging as the alleged virus (if it even exists!); if you remember the story of the boy who cried wolf, you understand why. If you think you've got the scoop on the latest new devastating virus, check it out at the Web sites below before taking it on yourself to alert the world. If the virus is as terrible as you think it is, odds are the virus fighters already know about it and -- good news here! -- your antivirus software provider probably knows about it too and already has an update for it. Here are a few sites of many that can help you determine if an email is a hoax or real. http://www.snopes.com/ http://www.urbanlegends.com/ulz/ http://www.snopes.com/ http://vil.nai.com/VIL/hoaxes.asp http://kumite.com/myths/ http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/hoax.html http://www.scambusters.org/VirusHoaxes.html
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING: Peek-A-Boo Windows Thanks to Worldstart. This is a good one. I've thought about this problem since 1982. I wonder if it would have worked with Windows 3.1? (MLF) Ever have a window that has wandered partially off-screen? Not a big problem, unless you can't get to the title bar to move it. For example, what do you do if you have a window that gets its title bar hidden above the TOP of the screen? (It happens, sometimes due to a system error, sometimes due a change in screen resolution.) The problem is, you can't grab the title bar with your mouse to move the window. Don't worry, there's an easy way to move the darn thing. Here's how: 1. Make sure the window has focus (i.e. it's the active window). 2. Next, click Alt+Space and then press the letter M. 3. Now, use your arrow keys to move the window back to where you want it.
Internet Error Codes Worldstart again. 400 - Bad Request - You probably typed in a URL wrong, the server has no clue what you're mean? Here's a quick rundown of the most common: looking for, or you aren't allowed to have access. Usually, it's a matter of the URL being typing in wrong. MIt happens to all of us. We're surfing along, and up comes an error. What do all those error codes aybe you mixed upper and lowercase letters or something. 401- Unauthorized Request - you tried to get to something on the web server you're not allowed to play with. In other words, you ain't on the party list. 403 - Forbidden - You can't access the page. You may not have access (it may require a password), or it may be blocked from your domain. 404- Not Found - The page you were trying to look at was not found on the server. This is probably the most common error you'll come across. What has probably happened is that the web page you were going to has been removed or re-named. 500 - Internal error - Usually caused by a CGI error. You fill out a form, but the script used to process it is not working properly. 503 - Service Unavailable - The server may be overloaded, down, or have other similar problems. Try later.
Longhorn, The next Windows Operating System By Michael Kanellos, Staff Writer, CNET News.com May 5, 2003 (edited, MLF) Microsoft will disclose more details about the next "big" version of Windows at its Windows Hardware Engineering Conference this week. . Microsoft's new Longhorn operating system, expected to debut in late 2004 or early 2005, will likely feature new file systems for pictures or games without having to detour to the control panel, according to recently disclosed information on test versions. The operating system also will come with new versions of Windows Messenger, Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player.
Why do I have to scroll from left to right on many of the web sites I visit? Even with my browser maximized on my 17" monitor, I'm still scrolling! Any Ideas? Worldstart's answer to the scroll question: This could be the result of a couple problems. The most likely problem is that your screen resolution is set too low. It's probably at 640x480 and most sites are designed with the assumption you're using a resolution of 800x600 (the most common). To check / change your monitor resolution, right-click your desktop and select Properties. Next, click the Settings tab. You'll see a little slider gizmo that goes left to right. Make sure it's set to 800x600 or higher (the higher you go, the smaller an item will appear on your screen, so don't go too far). Here's a sample shot (note that my resolution is set really high—this is because the LCD screen on my laptop looks best at that particular resolution. Most regular monitors wouldn't look that hot at 1400 x1050, so don't feel that you have to set yours to match mine). Click OK. You may need to re-start. The other possibility is that the site you're looking at is poorly designed.
Dell to tweak name to fit new identity By John G. Spooner Staff Writer, CNET News.com - May 5, 2003 It's just Dell. In a filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday, Dell Computer's board of directors revealed that it wants to change the company's name. The board feels changing the name from Dell Computer to Dell Inc. will better reflect the Round Rock, Texas-based company's recent transition from a focus on selling mainly desktop and notebook PCs to a strategy based on a broader product line that includes servers, storage, services and other products. Changing the name "represents Dell's evolution from strictly a computer hardware company to a diverse supplier of technology products and services," the board said in a preliminary proxy form. "In addition, recognition of the Dell brand has grown so that the company is commonly known simply as Dell. The change of the name to Dell Inc. more closely aligns our formal corporate name with our brand." It's not uncommon for companies to change names to reflect their changing place in the market. Gateway, for example, has gone through several different corporate identities, including a change that dropped its old Gateway 2000 moniker just before the beginning of the year 2000. Dell will ask its shareholders to approve the change during its annual shareholder meeting, scheduled for July 18 in Austin, Texas.
Wal-Mart Bans 3 Magazines This is an interesting stand in todays market place and coporate concern for market share. It probably has little impact with life or death for the mags or the music but at least it is a "Stand". Maybe they should be taken to task for censorship. (Mentioned as tongue in cheek, of course.) The largest retailer in the world, Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT), has told The New York Times that it will forgo sales of three men's magazines that favor running photos of partly dressed females on the covers. The retail chain's decision to stop selling issues of FHM, Maxim, and Stuff came on the heels of customer and associate complaints "on at least one of those magazines," a Wal-Mart spokesperson said, adding, "They weren't pleased with the offering." Wal-Mart is already one of the most conservative music retailers in the industry. It banned sales of CDs with explicit lyrics, or sells versions with the profanities removed and, in some cases, the CD cover artwork altered. Christian groups have played a role in persuading the company to ban aggressive music and racy magazines, which probably helps explain why the retail chain still sells adult-themed computer games. The morality watchdogs perhaps haven't seen the games in action. The Times reports that Wal-Mart accounts for 15% of all single magazines sales in the United States, but Dennis Publishing USA, owner of Maxim and Stuff, says that less than 3% of its single-magazine sales occur at Wal-Mart. Meanwhile, FHM is owned by Emap of Britain, where company officials disagreed with the ban, suggesting it was singularly subjective. Wal-Mart has occasionally refused to carry other magazines. It banned one Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue because management had a complaint with one photo in the issue. (Somebody sure looked through the magazine carefully to decide that.) The magazine ban, of course, won't put a dent in Wal-Mart's $245 billion in annual sales.
P2P shenanigans Wayne Cunningham, Senior Editor, CNET Download.com Last week, a federal judge threw out a lawsuit by the RIAA and MPAA against Grokster and Morpheus for copyright infringement. The judge concluded that though the technologies could be used for copyright infringement, they are legally neutral because they can also be used for legal file trading. So nobody is going to break down your door just for having a P2P client installed on your computer. However, according to news reports, the major labels might have other tricks up their sleeves, including Trojan horses that may shut down your computer, slow down your Internet connection, or cause other damage. File sharers, beware. On a positive note, Apple showed the potential for commercial success of digital music by selling more than 1 million tracks through its new iTunes Digital Music Store. And on the PC side, RealNetworks is trying to boost its stake in digital music subscription services by buying out Listen.com, creator of the Rhapsody music service. What features would you like to see in a digital music buying service for Windows users? Let me know at newsletters@download.com. You may say, Well, if that happens to me I will sue the RIAA and MPAA." But keep in mind if a bug, Trojan horse, messes your computer to be nonoperational, your legal procedure is a bit late. The damage is done and you will have lost a lot of information. BEEEEEEEEEEEE Careful.(MLF)
David Glossner sent this one to me and I am passing it on untried. If anyone gives it try please report the results. It looks promising. Dave wrote, "I sent this to a number of folks, but admit I haven' t tried it yet.... Anyway.". Do you ever get those annoying phone calls with no one on the other end? This is a telemarketing technique where a machine makes phone calls and records the time of day when a person answers the phone. This technique is used to determine the best time of day for a real salesperson to call back and get someone at home. What you can do after answering, if you notice there is no one there, immediately start hitting your # button on the phone, 6 or 7 times, as quickly as possible. This confuses the machine-dialed call and it kicks your number out of their system. Since doing this, our phone calls have decreased dramatically.
This on might help sort the DVD confusion. Thanks to The Langalist. DVD Alphabet Soup OK, there's DVD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW, and maybe a couple more I'm forgetting. Confused? You're not alone! But this reader has help to offer: Dear Fred, I enjoyed reading your newsletters. I and a few of my friends are very frustrated about types of DVD formats that can be used to play on set top DVD players. I had to think of good keywords to search the right information that I need to know by using Google.com search engine. The keywords I used were types of DVD format. Here is what I found that I think would be very useful to anyone wanting to know about DVD types, formats: http://www.dvdirect.com/TSS/charts/DVDFormats.htm Take care, Bob Purvis And Bob Langa penned, "The whole DVD world is in major flux, reminiscent of the early days of videotape when the VHS and Beta formats were duking it out--- only worse! Sites like the one above can help keep things straight until the dust settles. Thanks Bob!"
This one came from the Langalist also. This is nice--- a reply from a reader who saw the recent items on freeware, and who provided a link to his own excellent resource: Fred: Excellent article http://www.informationweek.com/936/langa.htm , and some great choices. I wrote a similar article aimed at mature students who may not have particularly advanced computer skills, wanting to set up software appropriate for their studies and general computer use for one of my web sites at http://www.rbcdl.org.uk/article/136.html --- David Chadderton, Manchester, England Thank you, David! Free software for all your needs. Check the middle column of the Introduction and you will have clickable links to the four pages of doenloads. Keep in mind that Chadderton is English and you will better understand the lingo. Pages are labeled as Introduction - Office applications - Essential utilities - Internet software - Rounding off... Chaddertons Introductory page starts as follows: What, free software? Surely it can't be very good or easy to use if it's free! You get what you pay for, so they say. Surprisingly, there is a lot of free software freely available that seriously rivals commercial alternatives. If you know what you are looking for you can install all of the major software applications you will need for little or no cost over the cost of buying the computer. Check the Chadderton pages at: http://www.rbcdl.org.uk/article/136.html
INTERESTING SITES : Complete Sun and Moon Data For ONE Day Thanks to Amanda at Worldstart. A site brought to you by the U.S. Naval Observatory that declares: "You can obtain the times of sunrise, sunset, moonrise, moonset, transits of the Sun and Moon, and the beginning and end of civil twilight, along with information on the Moon's phase..." Example of what you’ll get: The following information is provided for Toledo, Lucas County, Ohio (longitude W83.6,latitude N41.7): Monday 28 April 2003 Eastern Daylight Time SUN Begin civil twilight 6:06 a.m. Sunrise 6:35 a.m. Sun transit 1:32 p.m. Sunset 8:29 p.m. End civil twilight 8:59 p.m. MOON Moonset 4:51 p.m. on preceding day Moonrise 5:41 a.m. Moon transit 11:41 a.m. Moonset 5:52 p.m. Moonrise 6:01 a.m. on following day Phase of the Moon on 28 April: waning crescent with 7% of the Moon's visible disk illuminated. New Moon on 1 May 2003 at 8:15 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time. Why is this site cool? Because you can set it to your specific area, put in your state and your city and get very specific information. You can also go worldwide. It’s very nifty, so put in the date and get started. Check out that sun and moon info or check out the rest of the Observatory’s site. Enjoy. http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/RS_OneDay.html
Unnatural Wonders Thanks to Amanda again. Well you’ve probably all read or heard about natural wonders of the world. This is a site dedicated to the Unnatural Wonders around the world. It’s listed from A to Z, just click the link to be whisked to the wonder you have chosen. Prepare to be amused as you surf through these wonders, I particularly loved the Shoe Trees. You can find places and objects you’d expect like buildings and such but others will surprise you at some people’s creativity like the "Piece of the Berlin Wall" photo. Take a gander at these "marvels". http://www.thom.org/gallery/unnat/
These are neat!!! PULL A FAST ONE on your EYES! These are great optical illusions. Click on the squares and you will see a popup open. For me they opened and rested behind the mainpage . I minimized the main page and was able to view the illusions. I have seen many optical illusions in my short years but this site has a bunch I had never seen. Some are downright awesome. Come face to face with impossible physics. NO WAY! http://www.anomalies-unlimited.com/Illusions.html#
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HOW MANY CLOTHES PINS can be CLIPPED TO YOUR FACE? 133. Guinness World Records knows all this stuff. You will not believe the records that are registered. Like The worlds largest Chicken Dance, or the loudest cheer recorded at a sporting event. Have some fun with this one. Maybe you can dream up a record for yourself. You will hate yourself forever if you do not access this site. http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/content_pages/record_category_b.html Main page for Guinness Records: http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/