I don’t want to hear anyone complain about bloated software from Microsoft again until they admit Adobe’s got a problem too. Why in the love of binary code does a simple PDF reader have to be a 20MB+ download!
Update: It took over 20 minutes for the Adobe Reader to install, then they wanted me to go to another website and download and install more add-ons. You’ve got to be kidding me. Luckily, it only took a few seconds to download and install the FoxIt Reader at less than 2MB.
Today, Opera Software released another Windows beta of its small, lightweight and fast Opera web browser. (I keep the Opera browser on hand, just in case I can’t use Firefox. I’ve installed Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 7.0, but I’m too spoiled by Firefox to bother using IE 7.0.)
FastStone Image Viewer includes a convertor, editor and browser and its polished appearance and nimble, rich features belie its freeware label. Its power and convenience earn it a place in my toolbox. [FastStone Software]
Adobe releases version 8.0.0 of free Adobe Reader for Windows XP and Vista [Adobe Systems] (I confess: I use FoxIt PDF Reader 2.0 instead of Adobe’s reader.)
Some MySpace users have been hit by a worm which exploits the javascript support in their browser’s embedded Quicktime player [Websense via Beta News] Steve reports on Hard OCP: MySpace plans to find and boot out s*x offenders who have set up user profiles on its social networking site.
Robin Good compares social networking sites and says they help netizens sort out the web, with the power of ‘crowds,’ (as long as they are not ‘digg rigged.’) While crowds are helpful in their collective wisdom, so are experts, who know one subject thoroughly and have found the most knowledge sources on the web.
Today, health expert Dr. Manny Alvarez, Fox News correspondent, recommended 10 health blogs worth reading, including Dr. Hsein’s A Hearty Life and Genetics and Health [Dr. Hsein Hsein’s blog: Cotton-Pickin’ Days] (Dr. Hsein, channel editor for b5media, has given me great advice on blogging.)
If you’re like me, you dislike the free software preloaded on new Windows computers. Here are a few tools to help you set up that new Windows computer so you can actually use it safely:
Tweakhound created a thorough guide to securing Windows XP. Double check these security tweaks with Gina Trapani’s guide to fixing mom and dad’s computer.
After you reformat your hard drive and reinstall Windows or after you remove all of the bloatware, you’ll want some decent software to use. The Simple Dollar offers a tried and true roundup of useful windows software: 30 Essential Pieces of Free Software [A Tech Life Blogged] Add some spicy fonts to that new computer too: Try Search Free Fonts
Not satisfied? (and who is?) Check out Beta News for updated software and Shell Extension City for more tweaking tools than you can shake a stick at. Of course, you also scan all downloads for spyware and viruses before unpacking them.
Microsoft provides software to make an install setup disk (floppy) for XP Pro or XP Home [Fix My XP]
Figure out what’s running on your computer
take ” .. an inside look into your Windows 2000/XP/2003 system. Explore processes, services, modules, IP-connections, drivers and much more through a simple to use application. Find out important information such as what modules are involved in a specific process.” [via del.icio.us link] (SiteAdvisor’s rating.)
Maybe you’d rather build your own PC Good advice on price comparison for parts. [Tek News]
Finally, if you’re buying a computer for the geek(s) in your family, please buy an Apple! (but not a cheap one! 2K and up). [Win XP Central: Digital Dave’s rules for buying geek gifts] Your family geek will gladly Launch Windows Apps From the OSX Dock.
Are you planning on buying a new computer for Christmas? Have a tip to help others customize a computer quickly? Please share here.
Expect more financial losses and web insecurity in 2007. As shoppers become more comfortable with the online convenience of web commerce, the illusion of web security is shattered by new revelations:
Israeli experts say ATM system is unsafe Flawed encryption system may make an estimated $600 billion in yearly transactions vulnerable to theft. Related: you don’t really want to protect that ATM PIN, do you? [News.com Blog Security]
Don’t expect Microsoft’s new operating system, Windows Vista, to come to the rescue just yet. Security geezers say Vista prone to malware and worms [The Inquirer via Daily Rotation and Hackinthebox.org]
Thanks to widespread use of rootkits on compromised computers, phishing (internet scaming and fraud) hit new highs in 2006: “Fully 70 per cent of the brands that were spoofed in phishing attacks are based in the U.S. And nine of the top 10 phishing targets were financial institutions.” [ Vununet: Phishers don’t like Mondays via Hackinthebox.org]
Who is to blame for most information security breeches? “32% of Information Security attacks originated from internal employees while 28% came from ex-employees and partners… and 50% of breaches result from employees misusing access privileges, whether maliciously or unwittingly… “ [Help Net Security]
In my opinion, there will never exist idiot-proof solutions which prevent users from compromising security. To think such solutions exist is to succumb to a false sense of security. Human ingenuity and curiosity will always get the best of us. “Where ever you go, there you are.” We can’t escape from ourselves, no matter how hard we try.
Do you think web security is going down the drain? What solutions do you think will work?
You know who you are. You’re the type that watches American Idol or Rock Star and thinks to yourself, “I could do that!”.
SingShot gives you your chance to see how you rate with the public. You can submit recordings of your singing skills and the SingShot community will rate your performance and give you feedback. Can you handle it?
SingShot is the premier online singing community where you can show off your singing skills, listen to other singers, and communicate with your fans and other members for free!
Whether you love karaoke, sing in the shower or are a serious singer, now you can get your voice heard and listen to other talented and fun-hearted singers from around the world!
Give it a try and be sure to let us know when you do. I’d love to hear what some of our readers sound like with their singing skills.
I just installed BMPx and I am thoroughly impressed. It has last.fm support, podcast support, shoutcast & icecast, and of course it plays your music. This has won me over from my previous favourite music player, Muine, with it’s support for all things streaming. As with all the good programs development is still ongoing with new features being added all the time, so keep your eyes peeled!
Download instructions available here.
BMPx Screenshot
A friend of mine proudly waltzed up to me to brag about her new iPod. Yeah, obviously an imitation from China but if you think about the package for a minute, it may actually be a good buy. For $20.00 you get the following:
# The “iPod unit which is slightly bigger than the new iPod shuffle
# 128MB of memory
# USB connectivity
# Voice recording function (since there’s no expandable memory I assume this records directly to MP3 format)
So 128MB of memory can’t really hack it. I just found these “genuine imitations” really funny.
