srspg3_08

"Cascades"

KCNET NEWSLETTER
08/07/05
TECHNICAL PAGE

TECHNICALLY SPEAKING
VIRUS AND OTHER STINKY STUFF
INTERESTING SITES

TECHNICALLY SPEAKING:

ICE - Good Advice. This one came from quite a few folks. I checked it for validity.

In Case of Emergency, ICE      (Excerpt from Snopes, formerly Urban Legends.)
http://www.snopes.com/crime/prevent/icephone.asp
Claim:   Paramedic advocates cell phone users store emergency contact information in their address books, but such entries leave phones vulnerable to attack.
Status:   Multiple — see below:
    * Paramedic advocates cell phone users store emergency contact information in their address books:   True.
    * "ICE" entries in stored in cell phones allow viruses to access those units and drain them of their credits:   False.

This is the rest of the story and I would say good advice for cell phone users.
A campaign encouraging people to enter an emergency contact number in their mobile phone's memory under the heading ICE (In Case of Emergency), has rapidly spread throughout the world as a particular consequence of last week's terrorist attacks in London.
Originally established as a nationwide campaign in the UK, ICE allows paramedics or police to be able to contact a designated relative or next-of-kin in an emergency situation.

The idea is the brainchild of East Anglian Ambulance Service paramedic Bob Brotchie and was launched in May this year. Bob, 41, who has been a paramedic for 13 years, said: I was reflecting on some of the calls I've attended at the roadside where I had to look through the mobile phone contacts struggling for information on a shocked or injured person. Almost everyone carries a mobile phone now, and with ICE we'd know immediately who to contact and what number to ring. The person may even know of their medical history.

By adopting the ICE advice, your mobile will help the rescue services quickly contact a friend or relative - which could be vital in a life or death situation. It only takes a few seconds to do, and it could easily help save your life. Why not put ICE in your phone now? Simply select your person to contact in case of emergency, enter them under the word 'ICE' and the telephone number of the person you wish to be contacted.

Bogus Beta? This one from a recent Langalist
First, just to get us all on the same page:

Software is usually developed in stages: "Alpha" code is the early stuff-
-- rough-draft software that creates the framework for later features and functions. It's usually only seen by members of the development team.
It's usually very unstable and buggy, and can change enormously from one "build" to the next.

"Beta" software is pre released, unfinished test code that can give you an idea of what a final product might look like. It's used for testing the code on real-life systems to find what's broken or missing, so that fixes can be made prior to final release. Early beta versions are usually very buggy and unstable, and can change dramatically from build to build. Late betas are theoretically approaching releasable quality; successive builds of late betas are usually just bug fixes. Beta software may be released to the public for widespread testing, or kept private. Some betas are a formality or mild scam--- it's really release code, but the software company calls it "beta" to lower expectations and support obligations.
But a true beta *is* unfinished, buggy, and requires skill and care in handling; and should not be used on real-life PCs unless full, thorough backups are made on a regular and frequent basis.

"Gamma" or "Gold" software is effectively the finished, first-release, version 1.0 code, once it leaves beta test. It's also sometimes called "RTM," or "released to manufacturing" code. Depending on the complexity of the software, the thoroughness of the beta test, and the skill of the programming team, the gold/gamma/rtm code may or may not actually be stable and relatively bug-free.

This reader had a problem with a new beta:

Hello Fred: Enjoy your Plus e-mail every time it hits my mailbox. I have a question about an e-mail I received about a new Internet Explorer 7 Beta 1. Have you ever heard of this version? I found it, downloaded it, installed it and then all hell broke lose. My Microsoft Anti-Spyware found WebCoolSearch on it when it was being installed so I told it to delete the find. After installing and rebooting my computer my Internet Explorer would not work anymore. I received an error message that ieframe.dll was deleted along with the WebCoolSearch and it just wouldn't work anymore. I doubt if Microsoft would integrate sypware into their software. But then again who knows? So my question is, is this version of Internet Explorer real or somebody's idea of a joke? Sincerely, Tim Hatfield First, there *is* a new beta of IE7 in limited release:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/IE/ie7/default.mspx http://www.betanews.com/article/Internet_Explorer_7_Beta_Goes_Gold/1122495351 But my guess is that you didn't get your copy through one of the official channels; and that you got--- at best--- a hacked copy with spyware inserted. It's actually a fairly common ploy for malicious hackers---
"crackers"--- to use beta software to deliver hostile payloads to user PCs. These beta version are usually posted on third-party sites and "warez" boards, rather than being found on the actual vendor site. Every version and beta of Windows as far back as I can remember has appeared in hacked form on warez boards, for example, where malicious posters hoped to infect the PCs of the unwary.

If you're interested in tracking legit beta versions of software, http://www.betanews.com/ is a good site to bookmark. As far as I know, it's reliable, and doesn't point to bogus/hacked/warez versions of betas.

Betas can be hairy enough. When you opt to try a beta version, be sure you get your copy from an official source! <g>

Next Explorer to fail Acid test Published: August 1, 2005 By Paul Festa Staff Writer, CNET News.com
Microsoft's new Internet Explorer 7 browser won't pass a stringent standards test that rivals have embraced. In its browser blog, Microsoft acknowledged that IE 7 would not pass the Web Standards Project's Acid2 test, which examines a browser's support for W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) recommendations including CSS1 (Cascading Style Sheets), HTML4 and PNG (Portable Network Graphics).

"We will not pass this test when IE7 ships," Chris Wilson, lead program manager for the Web platform in IE, wrote in the IE blog. "We fully recognize that IE is behind the game today in CSS support. We've dug through the Acid2 test and analyzed IE's problems with the test in some great detail, and we've made sure the bugs and features are on our list--however, there are some fairly large and difficult features to implement, and they will not all sort to the top of the stack in IE7."

Standards advocates and Web developers have criticized Microsoft for letting Internet Explorer go without a significant upgrade for years. This spring it became clear that Microsoft would finally address longstanding standards-compliance issues in its planned version 7 upgrade.

Microsoft last week came out with a test, or "beta" version, of its Windows Vista operating system and IE 7.

Wilson said the broad range of Acid2's demands made it more of a "wish list" than a "compliance test."

"As a wish list, it is really important and useful to my team, but it isn't even intended, in my understanding, as our priority list for IE7," Wilson wrote.

The Web Standards Project responded positively to the announcement, hailing Microsoft's standards to-do list and its openness in acknowledging the test.

"While it doesn't hit everything we might like, and we won't see most of it until Beta 2, it's a pretty impressive list for a release that by all accounts is primarily about security and UI features," Web Standards Project member Chris Kaminski wrote. "Even more impressive than the contents of the list, though, is that it's even available outside the Redmond campus. Having been through this 'work with Microsoft' thing once before in the late '90s, I can assure you this sort of openness is a radical departure from the Microsoft of old and as good a reason as any for optimism that this is just the beginning, and we can expect even more and better in IE 7.5 and beyond."

The Web Standards Project launched seven years ago to goad Microsoft and Netscape into heeding W3C recommendations. These days, the group takes a less confrontational approach than it used to, working closely with software companies like Macromedia and Microsoft before products are released.

Microsoft's competitors sounded a less forgiving note in responding to the news.
"I think they should take the time required to do this right," said Hakon Lie, chief technology officer of Opera Software in Oslo, Norway, who threw down the Acid2 gauntlet to Microsoft in a News.com column this spring. "We're not going to see another IE for another several years, and this is their chance to show that they really care about standards, as they've been saying. They've used so many years to create IE 7, they can take the extra month required to make it pass."

Lie said Opera was "very close" to passing Acid2. Apple Computer has already said that its Safari browser passes the test in preliminary builds. The Mozilla Foundation said it was committed to "full support" of Acid2 in its Firefox browser but did not say when it expected to pass the test.

Free screen savers may contain spyware This one from a Kim Komando Tech Tip.
Question: I downloaded a beautiful screen saver with a waterfall and flowers around a lake. My friend told me that the screen saver contains spyware. Is this possible? And if it contains spyware, what are the risks of using it?

Yes, the screen saver you downloaded could contain spyware or even viruses. In fact, any executable file you download can contain malware.

The makers of free or inexpensive software need to make a living, too. So they often accept money from advertisers to include spyware with their programs. If the screen saver is legitimate, the spyware should be disclosed in the user terms. So read them before installing the screen saver.

If the product is not legitimate, the screen saver may simply be a Trojan horse. Many Trojans and viruses are distributed via spam as screen savers. Never open a spam attachment that includes a screen saver. It almost certainly includes a malicious program.

Spyware can collect a lot of information about you. Most spyware records your Internet surfing habits. This information is used to serve you targeted advertising.

Other types of malware are more pernicious. I call it snoopware, but some people group it with spyware. Snoopware can steal passwords, credit card numbers and other sensitive information. No reputable company will distribute programs that contain snoopware.

Regardless of what else it does, spyware can slow your computer to a crawl. So it is frustrating at best.

You should always read the user agreement before installing anything, but especially free programs. Frequently, the user agreement alerts you to the presence of spyware. By accepting the agreement, you are accepting whatever accompanies the screen saver.

Screen savers are plentiful on the Internet. A Google search for "free screen saver" returned more than two million links. I'm sure many of these screen savers are identical.

Why is this important? Some sites have been known to take others' screen savers. Often they will repackage them with spyware. So two screen savers that look identical could be very different, indeed.

If you have your heart set on a particular screen saver, you might find a similar one without spyware. However, you could compromise your security trying to find it. I don't recommend downloading free screen savers except from trusted sources.

Fortunately, you do have other options. First, you can create your own screen saver. Windows XP and ME allow you to use your own photos as a screen saver.

Right-click on the desktop and select Properties. On the Screen Saver tab, select My Pictures Slideshow. It will display the photos in My Pictures in succession. Click Settings to specify a different folder or to select other options. Click Apply and then OK. These instructions are for XP, but ME is similar.

IrfanView, a free photo-editing program, also creates screen savers. I like IrfanView because it allows you to save the screen saver. You then can share it with others. This is a great way to share your precious digital memories.

You can find a download link for IrfanView on my Web site.

In IrfanView, click File>>Slideshow. Use the navigation tools to find the photos you want to use. Then click Add. Click "Save as EXE/SCR file." Select "Create SCR file" and specify any options you want to apply. Then click Create. Your screen saver is ready to go!

Also, you'll find cool screen savers on fan sites. So check the sites for your favorite movies, television shows and music artists. And if you're a car buff, don't forget automobile manufacturers' sites. You'll be amazed at what you'll find.

Top 10 buzzwords By Kent German, Cnet Writer
Working in the online world during the late 1990s was like entering a new country. The customs were different (long hours but lots of zany perks), the clothes were different (casual Friday every day) and even the language was different. Dot-commers needed a whole new way to describe their fast-paced world, so they came up with a unique lexicon of trendy buzzwords to distinguish themselves from their old-economy friends. Most of the words would make a grammar purist scream in terror, but that didn't stop many people from using them in a meeting with a straight face.
1 Dot-bomb
Few other phrases epitomize the heady dot-com era like dot-bomb, simply because so many hyped Internet start-ups went that way. The recipe was simple: First, come up with any idea involving the Web (sell aluminum siding over the Internet!); then, raise millions from overeager venture capitalists, run spectacular marketing campaigns and hire hordes of enthusiastic twenty-somethings who are willing to work long hours in exchange for inflated stock options, free drinks, and an office foosball table. Mix it all together, for a couple years at most, and you're left with an essentially hollow concoction that dramatically implodes like a collapsed soufflé. Voilà, your dot-bomb is served.
2 New Economy
As the U.S. economy took off in the late 1990s, it was said we were witnessing the transition of a manufacturing-based economy to one centered on the exchange of ideas and information. Some believed the tech boom would create permanent steady growth, low unemployment, and immunity to boom-and-bust cycles--thus, a new economy. Yet something was lost in all this theory making, as some decidedly old-economy concepts were forgotten. A company still had to be competitive and earn money, it still had to attract--and retain--customers, and it still had to justify its stock price. In short, new was not improved.
3 Mindshare
Mindshare represented a company's ability to retain a piece of the public's consciousness. So in other words, if Pets.com had mindshare, a person shopping for dog food would think of the company before any other source. The only way to beat your competitors for mindshare was to blow more cash on outrageous advertising efforts than they did, which proved to be a losing proposition in the long run.
4 Paradigm Shift
Though it was coined as early as 1962 by a scientist, paradigm shift, an essential shift from one way of thinking to another, entered the business world during the tech boom because many retail-based dot-coms depended on customers to make one. It's not that a site such as Amazon.com was selling anything new; it's just that it did it in a different way. The paradigm shift required shoppers to go online rather than to a traditional store. While a lot of customers went along with the concept, many dot-coms never made the paradigm shift from focusing on spending money to actually making it.
5 Bandwidth
Easily one of the most annoying buzzwords, bandwidth is a great example of corrupting a perfectly acceptable word by giving it a new definition so that anyone using it sounds cooler than they really are. Traditionally, bandwidth referred to the amount of data that a transmission line could carry, but it also came to mean the amount of time, capability, and resources that a group or individual has available. "Hey, John, do you have the bandwidth to work on the site today?" may sound OK to some, but why they can't just stick with "Hey, John, can you get this done today?" is beyond us.
6 Eyeballs
Eyeballs refers to the amount of traffic to a Web site. Since any site depends on traffic, the more eyeballs it has the better. But like with bandwidth, it's not the concept that matters here, it's the word itself. Why not just say traffic when you mean traffic?
7 Offline
We admit that this one is still heard around the CNET offices. It describes not the world outside of the Internet, but rather a private setting outside of a meeting. Anything that doesn't need the full group's input can be discussed offline between the interested persons. In reality, both situations are offline, but who are we to get technical?
8 Brick-and-Mortar
As the dot-coms grew in number, they needed a way to refer to their counterparts that operated out of traditional stores. Thus, brick-and-mortar was coined to describe merchants who operated outside of the online world. Why a mouthful like brick-and-mortar was chosen is a little puzzling, as we're pretty sure we've seen some stores out there in buildings that are made of metal or wood.
9 Y2K
Along with Tom Cruise's couch jumping on Oprah, Y2K was one of the great scares of the last couple of decades. Also called the Y2K bug, it referred to the flaw in computer programs that would cause some programs to malfunction on January 1, 2000. As a result, companies and governments spent millions upgrading equipment, and speculation was rampant that chaos would ensue. When the dreaded day finally came around, some mishaps did occur, but civilization did not break down. In fact, the worst incident was probably the disastrous made-for-TV Y2K movie from 1999.
10 Sync-Up
We're not talking about PDAs and computers here, but the general concept is the same. Instead of two gadgets sharing information, sync-up referred to the sharing of information between two (or more) people, as in, "We should sync up to discuss the project." When used as a noun, it could also be construed to suggest a meeting.

See Worldstart's David and learn how to make an Avatar.!!

This one from Worldstart. It has a plus feature to it. We finally see what "David" looks like. David writes most of the help comments for Worldstart's Computer Tips Newsletter.

How do I make an avatar for a forum?
Avatars are small pictures that you can have displayed along with your user name at most online forums. There will usually be a link in the area where you modify your user profile. Be sure to check out the size limit for avatars at that forum--they range from 50 x 50 pixels (or 20kb) all the way up to 100 x 100 pixels. (KCnets Forum Avatars are )
Now, how do you go about making one? First you need to bring up your imaging software: Photoshop, PictureIt, PhotoImpact, PhotoPaint, etc. Then you need to resize the image to the appropriate dimensions. See today's tip for instructions on resizing
Another resizing option would be to download the free PIXresizer program we featured a while back and select the pixel dimensions you need... http://www.worldstart.com/tips/tips.php/1466
After you create the image, go back to the forum user profile editing section, go to the avatar manager and browse to the folder where your picture is then upload to the forum's server.

There may also be an option to use an avatar that is located on a web page. In that case you would enter the URL (web address) for that image into the area provided.
Now when you post on the forum your avatar will appear.

Elementary for some...brand new for others.

Making Pictures the Right Size Also from Dave @ Worldstart

What's the "right" size for a picture? Well, that depends on the photo. Most monitors display at 72 dpi (dots per inch). So, if you want the picture to be 5 inches wide (probably about the biggest you would want for an e-mail message), the picture would be 360 pixels wide (5 inches x 72 dpi = 360 pixels).

Pixel is short for "Picture Element" and is the smallest unit of visual information used to build an image. If you have ever zoomed in on an image, Pixels are those little squares that you see. The more pixels in an image, the better the resolution.

So, how do you make the picture the right size? Use your imaging software! Most scanners and digital cameras come with some sort of imaging software that will allow you to resize an image.

Open the picture in your imaging software and resize the image to your desired resolution. You can usually do this via an Image or Edit menu. Your menu style and commands may vary depending on your software.

Usually, you'll get a screen that lets you input the image size in pixels. If there's a checkbox that allows you to constrain proportions, make sure that's checked (this insures that when you change the height or width the picture remains proportional).

That should do it. Since you've changed the picture size, you may want to save it under a different name. Use the Save As command under the File menu of your imaging software.

This comes in handy when you want to place a picture on your desktop or if you send it by email. Now your friends won't wait forever to download a 10 meg picture file that is WAY too big when it could have been 10K and just the right size.

HOW TO CLEAN THE HOUSE This tip from Peg Masden. Thanks Peg, we'll all try it.
1. Open a new file in your PC.
2. Name it "Housework."
3. Send it to the RECYCLE BIN
4. Empty the RECYCLE BIN
5. Your PC will ask you, "Are you sure you want to delete Housework permanently?"
6. Answer calmly, "Yes," and press the mouse button firmly...
7. Feel better?
Works for me !!!

VIRUS AND OTHER STINKY STUFF:

More about rootkits...continued info featured in last weeks KCnet Newsletter and is a followup to a feature in
last week's Langalist. We also discussed Rootkits during the Advanced Users session this past Wednesday.

The Threat - Rootkits What is a rootkit?
The term rootkit is very old and is dated back to the days when UNIX ruled the world. Rootkits for the UNIX operating system were typically used to elevate the privileges of a user to the root level (=administrator). This explains the name of this category of tools.
Rootkits for Windows work in a different way and are typically used to hide malicious software from for example an antivirus scanner. Rootkits are typically not malicious by themselves but are used for malicious purposes by viruses, worms, backdoors and spyware. A virus combined with a rootkit produces what was known as full stealth viruses in the MS-DOS environment.
How dangerous is a rootkit?
The rootkit itself does typically not cause deliberate damage. Its purpose is to hide software. But rootkits are used to hide malicious code. A virus, worm, backdoor or spyware program could remain active and undetected in a system for a long time if it uses a rootkit.
The malware may remain undetected even if the computer is protected with state-of-the-art antivirus. And the antivirus can't remove something that it can't see. The threat from modern malware combined with rootkits is very similar to full stealth viruses that caused a lot of headache during the MS-DOS era. All this makes rootkits a significant threat.
How common is the problem?
There are currently several spyware programs and viruses that use rootkits to hide. There are also a couple of publicly reported intrusions where rootkits have been used (for example the theft of the Half-Life 2 source code).
Rootkits are already quite common in spyware programs but not as common in viruses. There is clear evidence that rootkits is a technique that works in practice. But the actual threat is still small compared to the potential of this technique.
What malware uses rootkit techniques?
First of all, "real" rootkits such as Hacker Defender and FU, of course. Then some spyware/adware programs such as EliteToolbar, ProAgent, and Probot SE. Some Trojans such as Berbew/Padodor and Feutel/Hupigon, and also some worms e.g. Myfip.h and the Maslan-family.
Shouldn't antivirus detect rootkits before they go into hiding?
Yes, and in some cases it will. However, rootkits are usually distributed in source code and that means a hacker can modify the rootkit until antivirus products no longer detect it. In fact, many rootkit and Trojan authors sell "undetection service" to their "customers". This means that for a certain amount of money they guarantee that the rootkit binary they sell is not at that point detected by any antivirus vendors. There are also some other features in modern antivirus products that may detect rootkits. For example F-Secure Internet Security 2005 has a feature we call "Manipulation Control". It is a behavioral blocking mechanism that prevents malicious processes from manipulating other processes. This will prevent the activation of some rootkits, but not all.
What's the forecast for rootkits?
Rootkits are already quite common in the spyware field and they are becoming more commonly used among virus authors as well. Virus writers of today are becoming more professional and have a business purpose for their activities. They certainly have the skills and motivation to implement the added complexity that rootkits introduce in a virus or worm.
Rootkits can make hidden backdoors or spam-relays in infected computers useful for a much longer time. There is reason to believe that the use of rootkits will increase in the future.
About F-Secure BlackLight

The Cure - F-Secure BlackLight (Beta Release)
What is F-Secure BlackLight?
F-Secure BlackLight Rootkit Elimination Technology detects objects that are hidden from users and security tools and offers the user an option to remove them. The main purpose is to fight rootkits and all kinds of malware that use rootkits. The F-Secure BlackLight Rootkit Elimination Technology works by examining the system at a deep level. This enables BlackLight to detect objects that are hidden from the user and security software.
What are the key benefits of F-Secure BlackLight Rootkit Elimination Technology?
* F-Secure BlackLight can detect and eliminate active rootkits from the computer. Traditional antivirus scanners can't detect active rootkits.
* On a normal system F-Secure BlackLight does not confront the user with a long list of suspected objects. This makes F-Secure BlackLight useful even for non-technical users.
* F-Secure BlackLight Rootkit Elimination Technology can be used in the background during normal system operation. Other available scanners require a reboot during scan or may produce false positives if the system is used during scanning. For whom is F-Secure BlackLight intended?
F-Secure BlackLight is intended for all computer users who want additional security by checking their system for rootkits. F-Secure BlackLight is suitable for use in both home and business environments.
How can I try F-Secure BlackLight Rootkit Elimination Technology?
NOTE: Stand-alone BlackLight beta's expiration has been extended until 1st of October. An integrated BlackLight engine will be included in F-Secure Internet Security 2006 suite. Coming soon.
Try F-Secure BlackLight Beta

Special notes: F-Secure BlackLight is a Beta Release (free until OCTOBER 1) See notes above about beta programs (Langalist)

The F-Secure BlackLight Beta only works on 32-bit Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows 2003 Server. The current F-Secure BlackLight beta does not work on Windows NT, 95, 98, ME, or 64-bit Windows.

THE TALLY:
Friday, July 30 -- Thursday, August 04
According to Sophos, a leader in Anti Virus Software development, 23 new/improved viruses, which required Anti Virus upgrades were released into cyberspace via email.
&
KCnet's anti virus program caught and "defanged" 3,423 email viruses in addition to
refusing 158,536 spam messages. There were 157,500 non spam and
non virus messages delivered to KCnet subscribers.
This was a very bad week for viruses and spam.

Have you updated your anti virus program lately?
If not, may I recommend that you do it now?

**********************************************************************************************************************

Free Virus Scans
Best done with The Internet Explorer Browser.
Computer Associates, a reputable and reliable anti virus developer introduced a new free program which allows anyone to do a virus scan without downloading any software or registering for an anti virus program. You must use Internet Explorer for access to Computer Associates and to perform the scan. This is a good one and very simple to operate The address is http://www3.ca.com/securityadvisor/virusinfo/scan.aspx

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. Go to http://housecall.antivirus.com/ then choose the link "Scan without registering". Follow the directions.

You should disable any anti virus program that you have running. If you do not have a virus program I recommend that you use one of the programs offered above first and then download and install one of the free programs listed below or install any anti virus program you have purchased.

********************************************************************************************************************* Free Anti Virus programs for 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.

TRY ETRUST BY COMPUTER ASSOCIATES (Ken Condo found this link-thanks Ken)
1 year free trial of eTrust or 2 years for $19.95.
http://home.ca.com/dr/v2/ec_main.entry25?page=PYPCTrialPage&client=ComputerAssociates&sid=35715&CID=185351

AVG Free
AVG Free Edition is the well-known anti-virus protection tool. AVG Free is available free-of-charge to home users for the life of the product! Rapid virus database updates are available for the lifetime of the product, thereby providing the high-level of detection capability that millions of users around the world trust to protect their computers. AVG Free is easy-to-use and will not slow your system down (low system resource requirements).
http://free.grisoft.com/freeweb.php/doc/2/lng/us/tpl/v5

Avast
Avast has been "anti virusing" for quite awhile. The following info comes from their download page: Avast! Home is now free of charge for HOME users for NON-COMMERCIAL use. You can find more info here.
http://www.avast.com/eng/down_home.html
Note: This product is free for home non-commercial use after registration!
HINTS: Click on the English Version Link and download the installation file. Then click on the installation file and follow the directions. You will need to return to the download page and click on the link to get the registration key. It will be sent to you in an email after you provide some registration information. This will give you 14 months of coverage including any updates which can be set to auto download. You can reregister for additional free coverage at the end of the 14 months.
You will want to browse around and choose from the many options available for operation. This process will take some time and digging.

Another good free program is:
http://www.free-av.com/
This one installs a bit easier than Avast.

********************************************************************************************************************** Computer Associates latest virus alerts for July 15 to July 21, 2005.

   1. JAVA_BYTEVER.A
   2. HTML_NETSKY.P
   3. SPYW_GATOR
   4. TSPY_SMALL.SN
   5. SPYW_DASHBAR.300

True Viruses and Warning Letters of Impending Doom.
Believe it or not, the amount of harm done by sending false computer virus alarms and letters of impending doom 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 or latest doom warning, 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 anti virus software provider probably knows about it too and already has an update for it.
Sophos supplies this current information about actual hoaxes. Look at them. Read about them. If you are sent one of them, delete it.

Here are a few sites of many that can help you determine if an email is a hoax or real.

http://www.quatloos.com/
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
http://www.sophos.com/virusinfo/hoaxes/
http://www.truthorfiction.com/

INTERESTING SITES:

Sugar coat your day. You'll feel better. Most of what you and I read is beyond our control.

Happy News Amanda sent this one.
I'll be honest I don't watch the news. It's too depressing. I only read the funnies in the paper because who wants to read more about how the world is falling apart, the stocks are falling, etc? You might, but I don't.
What do I read? Well I check out Happy News everyday to get my dose of what's going on in the world.
"What's Happy News?" you ask.
Happy News is: "Real News, Compelling Stories, Always Positive"
They believe virtue, goodwill and heroism are hot news so they bring up-to-the-minute news to lift spirits and inspire lives. Citizen Journalists report positive stories from around the world.
This site is easy to navigate too. Just use the side menu to check out International, National, Business/Money, Health, Science & Technology, Environment, Arts & Entertainment, Sports, Heroes, and Opinions & Editorials.
If you scroll down the main page you can get some headlines for those sections. And you'll see their quote of the day section – when I was there the quote was:
"Happiness is not in our circumstance but in ourselves. It is not something we see, like a rainbow, or feel, like the heat of a fire. Happiness is something we are." – John B. Sheerin
I think you will like this change of pace from all the horrible things happening in the world. We've forgotten as a community to report the good and uplifting moments in life.
http://www.happynews.com/

Gary N' Pati suggestions for this week:

Any number you want for that next speech or use this site to settle petty disagreements over anything American that has a number attached to it.
http://www.census.gov/main/www/subjects.html

Paranormal Phenomena (Way out - Mike)
Archive X is a collection of over 2000 stories devoted to Paranormal Phenomena. It is a portion of The Virtual Library. Information is gathered from various news groups as well as submissions from interested parties and case histories from officially documented hauntings and paranormal activities.
Archive X was created by Brandon Gillespie and maintained by him through 1994 and part of 1995.
Disclaimer: Because information may exist in this listing does not mean the maintainers personally endorse it nor believe it. The maintainers are simply creating an archive of other's experiences as they were recounted or recorded.
http://www.wirenot.net/X/

Maybe a good Genealogy site.
* 234,050 categorized & cross-referenced links
* More than 150 categories
* Another 6,100+ new, uncategorized links in the works

http://www.cyndislist.com/

Earth Cams
http://www.earthcam.com/metrocams/

Sree's Thoughts on Fun And Useful Sites:

Sree's Top Three Family Getaway Sites New York-WABC, July 29, 2005 — This week: Family Getaway Sites
Last year we did this topic and got lots of good feedback: What to do for ideas if you haven't planned a family getaway yet. Plenty of options are out there online.
EscapeMaker.com: See the summer escapes section, which has several last-minute ideas.
http://www.escapemaker.com/
VacationIdea.com: Hotel reviews and planning advice.
http://www.vacationidea.com/
Shore-Guide.com: Ideas for the Jersey Shore, including links to all the major destinations and attractions.
http://www.shore-guide.com/

The Victor Victrola Page Thanks to Dave Glossner for this site. (I like this one- Mike)
"This website is dedicated to Victrola Phonographs made by the Victor Talking Machine Company from 1906 through 1929. Victrolas are acoustic phonographs with the sound-reproducing horn "built-in" (internal) to the cabinet. While the earliest phonographs used large external horns to amplify the sound, it was the invention of the internal horn Victrola in 1906 that literally launched the phonograph into millions of homes. No longer was the phonograph a strange machine with a huge horn that stood out so awkwardly in a room; the new Victrola looked like a piece of furniture that fit perfectly in the parlor. "Victrola" is a brand name, and not a generic term for all old wind-up phonographs."
Scroll down to the bottom area of the page. This is where you'll find the navigation. You have a bevy of options available to you: History of the Victrola, Basics of the Acoustic Phonograph, Victrola Phonograph Design Details, How Can I Identify a Victrola?, Look Inside the Lid, Woods and Finishes, FAQS, Technical Articles on the Victrola Phonograph, and much, much more.
The "History of the Victrola" section is well laid out, comprehensive, and even has pictures. Learn about the victrola from 1901 to 1925. It's an interesting read!
Look Under the Lid - this section is about the Victrola Decals that you would find under the lid. There were five total, and there are pictures of them all here.
Woods and Finishes - I found this section interesting too. There was a lot of variety used in the types of woods that were used to make the cabinets, and there were even some expensive hand painted custom finishes too. Filled with pictures and tips this section was really neat!
Well I'll leave you to rummage through the rest of the site on your own now. It's well worth a look.
http://www.victor-victrola.com/

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