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The
LangaList
Standard Edition
2004-04-19
A Free Email Newsletter from
Fred Langa
That Helps You Get More From Your Hardware,
Software, and Time Online
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1) Linux's Achilles' Heel
In the movies, they call it a "backstory," the plot behind
the plot; the history and circumstances that led up to the current plot.
Linux was the backstory for my recent coverage of virtual PC technology
http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=18600449 .
Although that article stands by itself, the story behind the story reveals both
how far Linux has come--- and how far it has to go.
I'll name names later (if you've been following along, you may know who it
is anyway), but the problem I'm discussing isn't specific to one distribution---
it's far more widespread than that. So, for now, let's just say I was trying
distribution "XYZ," a polished commercial Linux that seeks to go toe to toe with
Microsoft Windows. This distro "XYZ" even costs roughly as much as a Windows XP
upgrade, which suggests to me that it should be judged by the same standards,
and not be granted the leniency that Linux sometimes merits when it's
distributed for free or at very low cost. Full commercial price means full
commercial expectations.
Despite my very positive first impressions, I couldn't get XYZ to work with my
sound card at all, even though I was testing XYZ on a brand new PC from a major
vendor. The system was based on an utterly mainstream Intel motherboard with an
on-board Intel sound system. This is not some weird, off-brand system using
unknown components: It's about as mainstream as it gets.
When XYZ's built-in setup routines failed to get the sound working, I
reinstalled the whole OS, from scratch--- four times. I poked. I prodded. I
tweaked. I FAQed. I How-To-ed. I searched Usenet. I worked through their tech
support. Nothing solved the problem.
I broadened my search, and eventually tried eight other
Linux distributions; all of which suffered the exact same problem. So, I wondered:
Maybe it was my hardware that was to blame.
But then I tried the exact same setup with different
versions of Windows, going back roughly a decade. Guess what? Windows 95--- yes,
95!--- easily handled the sound system setup that brand-new versions of Linux
could not.
There's lots more to the story, and it's important to know
the context (see below for link to full story). But Linux still has major flaws, and general hardware compatibility is
among the worst. Even a 10-year-old copy of Windows can still do some things better
than a completely current commercial version of Linux. That's kind of silly,
especially when more and more Linux vendors are charging Microsoft-level prices
for their distributions. You may end up paying Microsoft-type prices, but may not get the
level of compatibility that MS offered a decade ago.
Click on over to
http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=18901660 for the full scoop, including the
results of a survey of 1,000 real-world IT managers who tallied the total costs
of converting to Linux. These are neither Linux fanatics nor Windows bigots, but
1,000 people just trying to get their jobs done--- and their results are
veeeeery interesting.
See you at
http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=18901660
.
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2) AOL Madness (Warn Your
Friends)
AOL is at it again. This time, it's reading *inside* its
members' emails, and preemptively blocking any messages that contain links to
sites that AOL doesn't want you to see.
Note: I'm *not* talking about simple mail blocks,
where a mail is discarded if it originates from a "forbidden" address. No: AOL
is parsing the content of its members' emails and blocking them even if they
merely *mention* a site that AOL disapproves of.
This happened to my last newsletter issue, when I
mentioned a perfectly valid and inoffensive link:
http://www.codeproject.com/ . It turns
out that last summer, in July, AOL put that site on its naughty list for some
unexplained reason, and ever since has blocked all emails that even contain a link to that
address.
When my list-host (
http://dundee.net ) noticed huge numbers of AOL emails bouncing back, they
preemptively sought to find out why, and the folks at AOL then
removed the block--- on that one address.
AOL's mail system is just this side of insane. Not only
does it read inside member emails for links that AOL doesn't like, but--- as
we've reported before--- if AOL members get a little lazy and block a newsletter
like this one, instead of unsubscribing, AOL keeps track of the blocks. Last
time I looked, if as few as 10 readers took the lazy way out of stopping a
mailing, AOL would assume that the mail in question was spam. In my case, if
just 10 AOL users out of 160,000 readers--- that's 0.00006 of my readers--- took the lazy
way off the list, all AOL subscribers would have their legitimate issues blocked for some time thereafter.
AOL's user-level mail filters are nearly useless because
the master filters discard emails before they ever make it to the users'
mailboxes and the local filters there. That means AOL members can
white-list senders to their heart's content but it will have no effect at all on the
pre-filtering that's done by AOL before their mail ever gets delivered. AOL's user-level mail controls are
a little like those fake thermostats you
sometimes see in office buildings that are meant to give occupants the illusion
of local control, when in reality, a central system is making all the real
decisions.
Noted tech writer Brian Livingston also has been
struggling with this, as he reported in
http://briansbuzz.com/w/040408/ .
Just look at the jaw-dropping failure rates he found:
I've written many times that Internet service providers (ISPs) are mishandling
the growing menace of spam by imposing crude "junk-mail filters" that delete
legitimate messages without notifying the intended recipients of that fact.
...AOL "bounced" about 88% of the newsletters that
had been sent to subscribers who use aol.com e-mail addresses. The problem was
also severe at subsidiaries owned by AOL, including cs.com (which bounced 88%)
and netscape.net (96%).
...[AOL's]
filter simply deletes huge quantities of mail without ever delivering it...
(click link above for full article)
If you have friends on AOL, you may wish to tell them
about this
(
http://www.langa.com/sendit.htm ) so they'll know why their email is so
unreliable. Of course, there's no guarantee they'll see your email, just as
there's no guarantee that legitimate subscribers to this newsletter on AOL will
get this issue....
But there's a glimmer of hope: For the first time ever, AOL's membership has started to
shrink significantly. Users are finally realizing they can get better service at
lower costs from other ISPs. Perhaps if enough members vote with their dollars,
AOL will wake up and meaningfully change its Big Brother-ish ways.
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3) Many, Many DOS
Resources
Re DOS files (see
http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2004/2004-04-12.htm#1 ) .
There has been a thread running in
news:alt.comp.freeware on
DOS and the
following links from a number of acf posters might be of interest to
LangaList readers.
FreeDOS
http://www.freedos.org/
PC DOS 2000) from IBM (USD 67)
http://www-306.ibm.com/software/os/dos/
or http://www.ibm.com/software/os/dos/index.html
Caldera Open DOS
http://esca.atomki.hu/paradise/dos/opendos-en.html
ftp://esca.atomki.hu/pub/pc/dos/opendos/
OpenDOS 7.01
ftp://ftp.fsn.hu/pub/OpenDOS/OpenDOS.701
Patches (LongFileNames etc) for OpenDos 7.01 by
http://www.drdosprojects.de/
: read page and files for info/how-to apply patches, known bugs etc.
See also announcements by Udo Kuhnt, author of latter, in:
http://langa.com/u/4a.htm and
http://langa.com/u/4b.htm
Unofficial DR-DOS Resources:
http://www.drdos.net/
Club Dr-DOS: http://www.drdos.org/
(which currently points to:
http://langa.com/u/4c.htm
)
For questions about (any) DOS try
news:comp.os.msdos.misc
Hope these might be of interest.
All the best,
Gordon Darling
Thanks, Gordon! The series of articles here (
http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=13000138 )
also list a ton of DOS resources. Seek and ye shall find! <g>
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4) Free "PowerToy" For
Auto-Logins
Hi Fred! About Bypassing XP's Logon Screen. (
http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2004/2004-04-12.htm#9 ),
I use Power Toys for Windows XP to activate autologin.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/downloads/powertoys.asp It's safer than editing the registry, and
it's easy to turn autologin on and off. Sincerely,
Jan Christoffersen
Mosjoen, Norway
Thanks, Jan. We've discussed the free PowerToys collection
several times (
http://search.atomz.com/search/?sp-q=powertoys&sp-a=0008002a-sp00000000 )
and I have many of them installed on my systems here. The main caveat is that
the PowerToys are unsupported--- if you get into trouble with them, you're on
your own. But if you're careful, they're very useful.
And note that auto-login reduces your system security
because anyone can access the box. It's safer to keep the passwords in place. To
help with that, see next item.
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5) Safe Storage For
Passwords
Hi Fred,
I have been religiously reading your news letters for several years now,
both as a free subscriber and later a Plus subscriber. Thanks for the
great info in each copy you send.
I have a question about password security. As you know, most people (at
least the ones I know) have several locations at work and at home that
require you to logon. I happen to have 142 places that require my login
ID/password. These range from the company ERP database, to my online
banking account, to the Pizza Hut online order. Most of my coworkers
try to use the same password for everything. This way they can remember
it. That is a security disaster. They use things like birthdays or
their pets names as passwords which is also a security risk. I have
been using a Login ID and Password storage/retrieval software for about
3-4 years. It was previously called Passwords Plus and is now called
Passwords Max. It is great and stores your password database in
encrypted format. It has lots of neat features and works just fine as
long as you can work at one PC and do not need portability.
My job has
recently changed and I now travel. Last week I had to print out a hard
copy of my passwords to carry in my briefcase while working at a company
site in Mexico. I am guilty of poor security practices too and realize
this is also extremely poor security because all my passwords were in
plain text. Had I lost that 8 page booklet of passwords, anyone could
have gotten into my checking or retirement accounts and cleaned me out.
I do not yet have a laptop PC so I used a visitor PC while in Mexico.
One other thing, the company has turned their head and not yet given me
any problems for installing Passwords Max on my work PC, however the
hard line company policy is that we are not allowed to install
unauthorized software on any company asset. Can you or any of the other
readers tell me if there is a password storage/retrieval tool that I can
install on something like a USB pen drive? I would like to find one
that encrypts my password database so no one could access it if I
accidentally left it plugged in the USB port. I am looking for
something that does not require software to be installed on the Windows
2000 or Windows XP operating system so I can stay in good graces with
the company. Any ideas?
Thanks
Sam
All the auto-fill-in password tools I know of (I
personally prefer RoboForm
http://langa.com/u/4d.htm ) require at
least some minimal level of installation so the software can watch for places that
require a login or password. I supposed you could put the setup files and data
files for the form-filler of your choice on a pen drive, install it at
the start of the business day, and uninstall it at the end of the day. This
would violate the "no installed software" policy, but at least would make no
permanent changes to the company's PC, and thus might be granted an exemption.
And we've actually covered using a pen drive for encrypted
storage of Roboform data:
http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2003/2003-12-11.htm#3 . But this still
requires that at least a little software be installed.
A simpler, no-software solution might be to
store your passwords in an encrypted text file on a USB pen drive; or even on a plain
old floppy disk. You can use
256-bit AES encryption with WinZip, for example, and there are plenty of 100%
free encryption tools out there (
http://www.google.com/search?q=free+encryption ) Cryptomathic's free
"File2File" provides nearly effortless 128-bit AES encryption, for example:
http://www.cryptomathic.com/file2file/ . An encrypted file would not
automatically fill in login/password boxes for you, but would at least serve the
same purpose as your paper printout did, but with much less risk and with no
software installation required. A floppy version (as opposed to a USB drive version) also
has the benefit of being nearly universally supported, as almost all systems
have at least a floppy drive.
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6) Don't Make Me Beg! :-)
If you think the LangaList is a worthwhile read, maybe a
friend would find it useful too! Just use the following link to recommend the
LangaList---your friend may find a new source of useful information and you just
may win one of three FREE ONE YEAR SUBSCRIPTIONS to the LangaList Plus! edition
given each month. (If your name is drawn and you're already a Plus! subscriber,
your current subscription will be extended by a full year.)
Check out the details at
http://www.langa.com/recommend.htm . Thanks for recommending the
LangaList--- and good luck!
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7) Memory Aid for Hijack
Recovery
Hi Fred,
Following your article on "Weird URLs," (
http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2004/2004-04-08.htm#5 ) I thought you may wish to check out:
http://www.geekgirls.com/net_hijacked.htm
: Rose Vines provides a very helpful
aide memoire, which you can keep in the favourites folder for quick reference
for when those nasties may hi-jack your browser. If anybody finds Rose's advice
helpful they may contribute voluntarily via a link to amazon.com. I've also discovered a very useful little program, which I am using at the
moment called Process Guard. It's great. Check it out at:
http://www.diamondcs.com.au/ Keep up the good work.
Regards,
Brian Abbott
Thanks, Brian!
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8) They Just Keep Coming
And Coming...
Well over 3,000 of your fellow readers have
"loaded the code." Have you? Check out
http://www.langa.com/code.htm for the details.
Here's another eclectic sample of reader sites--- some
professional, some very personal:
View A Randomly-Chosen Reader Site
http://www.langa.com/randomlink.htm
Manually Browse All Posted-to-Date
Sites Starting At
http://www.langa.com/readersites.htm
4Peeps
http://4peeps.com/index.php
GIF Animations
http://www.simpleandclear.com/zpicstuff/zpic7.html
Media/Educational Services in Asia
http://www.media-edservices.com/
Gary & Barbara Warner
http://www.relivonline.com/bwarner
McCord Web Design
http://www.mccordweb.com/
Hoax Slayer
http://www.hoax-slayer.com/
The Stengl-Lawrence Network
http://www.st-law.net/
SwordaGraphics
http://sworda.netfirms.com/index.htm
AltCtl
http://altctl.150m.com/
Puerto Rico Weather
http://el-tiempo-pr.com/
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"Dear Fred, first let me
say that originally a friend
introduced me to the Langa List. At that time I was a
Standard Edition subscriber, I thought I was being thrifty
by not spending any money. Eventually my friend went to the
Plus and he kept telling me about all the great stuff he was
finding there. So I went for it. If I had known how much
extra information, downloads and other tidbits I was missing
out on I would have subscribed to the Plus a long, long time
ago! The money was well worth it. Keep up the good work!" --
-Mike Styczinski
Just $1 per month!
The LangaList Plus! Edition is ad-free, spam-proof,
and contains even more content--- tips, tricks, advice, downloads....---
than the Standard Edition you're now reading.
Get all the details:
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9) FileZilla, BitTorrent,
etc., For Large Downloads
Fred,
I have been trying to download Knoppix.iso (and other .iso's) for a while.
It is about 700 Mb long, but constantly times out after several hours and
about 150 Mb transfered, but none of the file is saved. I don't know where
to override the timeout settings, or whether it is my ISP timing out, the
sending site (I've tried several), Internet Explorer 6.0, or some setting in
my Win98SE. I am using high speed cable, but transfer rate appears somewhat
low -- about 6 Kbps. The timeout message box would appear to be from Win98
or IE I think. It certainly terminates the transfer when clicked.
Any help would be appreciated.
Bob Shaw.
You might try a true FTP client instead of using a browser for the
download. Browser-based HTTP file transfers add a ton of overhead, and result in
lower download speeds. Browser-based FTP is better, but still not as clean as
what a true FTP client can do. For example, see the free, open-source
"Filezilla" FTP client at
http://filezilla.sourceforge.net/ .
For Linux ISO downloads, which are almost always huge
700MB files, more and more distributors are using a specialty file-sharing tool
called BitTorrent (
http://bitconjurer.org/BitTorrent/ ). Users who install BitTorrent become
part of a peer-to-peer file-sharing network. When you begin a BitTorrent download, you
connect to several or many other machines that have the file you want. Each of
those remote machines contributes a piece of the target file, which the BitTorrent software assembles in correct order on your system. This way, no one
machine gets maxed out, and the bandwidth needs are spread over many machines.
Ideally, you're supposed to stay online and share *your*
downloaded file with others, too: In that case, you become a server, sending out
parts of your downloads to others seeking the same file.
It's an interesting idea, albeit with some obvious
potential security and bandwidth pitfalls. The BitTorrent software also can be fussy to get set up, and
may end up fighting with your firewalls and security tools. But it's an alternative to standard
file downloads, if you can't get them to work.
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10) Just For Grins
Hi, Fred--
A suggestion for "Just for Grins," which requires a bit of exposition:
When I'm bored or in need of a chuckle to lift my spirits, I frequently visit
the Web site of the journal "Annals of Improbable Research" (
http://www.improbable.com ).
The journal sponsors the annual Ig Nobel Prizes (
http://www.improbable.com/ig/what-are.html );
the award ceremonies are frequently covered in the mainstream media. The
material has somewhat of a scientific bent, but it also ranges far and wide and
should be accessible to intelligent laypersons as well.
This year, AIR started a blog (
http://improbable.typepad.com )
with a new improbable entry every day.
AIRhead humor may be an acquired taste for some. It's understated and utterly
deadpan, sometimes obscure, with occasional overtones of the juvenile and just
plain silly, but it also often involves quite sophisticated and witty satire;
and it delights in highlighting the serendipitously ridiculous aspects of real
life.
I guffawed at a recent item from the blog, "Samuel 'Marshmallow' Pepys" (
http://www.improb.com/news/2003/apr/pepys.html );
and I was reduced to gasping whimpers by "Questions from a Chinese Translator" (
http://www.improbable.com/airchives/paperair/volume8/v8i4/chinese.html ),
although one should perhaps have a little exposure to the kind of material the
translator was working with (an anthology of AIR articles) for the full impact.
A representative example of the type of research published in AIR is "The
Groundhog Oscillation: Evidence of Global Change" (
http://www.improb.com/airchives/paperair/volume7/v7i1/groundhog-7-1.html ).
Best,
Judy Stein
Thanks, Judy!
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11) Plus! Edition Highlights:
- Icon Problems In XP,
Win98
(several fixes for corrupted/black icons)
- What's Beyond "Ultimate?"
(even better than what was once the "ultimate boot cd")
- Cheap, Blank DVD +/-Rs
(4.7 GB for as little as $0.76!)
The Plus! edition is only pennies per issue, and comes
with a MONEY BACK
GUARANTEE from Fred. How can you lose? Check out the details:
Plus! Edition info:
http://www.langa.com/plus.htm
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the LangaList Plus edition!
Click <a href= "
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See you next issue, 2004-04-22!
Best,
Fred
( Editor@Langa.Com )
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