Home > Technobuddy > Archives > 2007 > May
May 2007
Steve Jobs & Bill Gates - it’s a love fest
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Love one, hate the other? Hate them both? Whatever. It’s a big deal when Apple’s Steve Jobs and Bill Gates get together to compare notes on the early days of Microsoft and Apple - and on the teamwork between the two companies to create Apple software.
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My predictions are on the table
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
When it comes to technology predictions seldom go wrong. Predict anything you want and - eventually - that prediction will come true.
The tech buzz today - even WSB-Radio was playing it big - is all about Microsoft’s new table top computer. It is designed to sit flat on a table surface and has no keyboard, no mouse. You use the touchscreen instead.
Even 10 and 15 years ago, touchscreen computing was touted as the next big thing. Maybe that prediction will finally come true.
The new Microsoft computer isn’t designed for home use - although if the market wants one it’ll get one. Instead it’ll be used in restaurants, bars, casinos, etc.
Here’s my prediction: These things will be popular in upscale homes, installed on the kitchen counter. I know, in my house, we mostly use a computer to find recipes. I won’t list the most popular sites, there are so many and they’re no trouble to find. I will add one that I find interesting here though.
On a separate topic, while I’m in the predicting mood, I predict that the next big thing in home computing with be a central home server. One big system will do all the heavy lifting and become the storage point for music, video and all your files. It’ll communicate with lesser computers around the house and with your DVR and digital sound system. Microsoft is already in the market with an entry. But we are way early in the process and I suspect that some unknown company will introduce a complete system of hardware, software and wireless communication technology and become the leader in the field.
If you have predictions for a new technology that will blossom within the next few years, let me know.
Robots for housekeeping and yardwork anyone?
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A new PC for $100?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
PC prices keep dipping - pretty soon you’ll spend more for a fill-up than you would for a new computer.
But a $100 PC?
Well, you guessed it, there’s a catch. Check out this video.
Even with the catch, PC Magazine thinks the concept has potential.
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Voices from technology’s past
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’ve been hearing voices for years. Strange music, too. While that bothers my wife, I can’t imagine a world without those voices.
Sometimes the voices are clear, but my favorite times are when they are faint whispers that fade in and out of the static from the old shortwave receiver in my home office.
Radio broadcasting is an analog technology in a digital world; yet each time I write about it, I hear from readers who find it either reawakens an old interest in shortwave listening, or creates a new one.
Stay tuned and I’ll tell you why.
Maybe it’s because we’re dealing with magic here. Being completely practical about shortwave radio is as silly as being practical about golf or fishing. But for those who want practical benefits, shortwave broadcasting has some.
It offers a broader perspective on the world than any TV program or newspaper. Shortwave lets you pull up a chair and listen for as long as you’d like to the news, the music and the popular programs of other lands. There’s something about hearing the voices that helps a person understand.
There’s also no better way to refresh language skills than listening to native speakers. But the people who eventually find themselves pulled into the static end up staying because of the magic. It’s very much like fishing; you never quite know what you’ll pull in.
So how do you sample this hobby?
The good news is, it’s a lot cheaper than computing. Sony and Grundig make excellent portable shortwave receivers for $200 or less. Even with the built-in antenna, you can cruise the world because commercial broadcasters pump out such strong signals.
Browse amateur radio catalogs online for a receiver in your price range. Ham Radio Outlet can be found here. You can take a look at the Amateur Electronic Supply catalog here - another good source. A low-cost portable from either one is a good way to start.
For computer lovers, several manufacturers make shortwave receivers designed to be connected to - and controlled by - a computer. These radios are very sophisticated and yet, because your computer does much of the work, don’t cost much more than a low-end portable.
My favorite of these computer/radio hybrids is from Ten-Tec. You can read about it here.
Reluctant to spend much money on what may be a passing interest?
Fortunately there are ways to ease into the hobby.
First, consider a book called Passport to World Band Radio 2007. Besides offering an easy-to-understand introduction, you’ll get honest reviews of every radio on the market. If you decide to buy a radio, the book has information about commercial shortwave broadcasters, including schedules and program guides.
You can find the book online. You may also find a review - originally published in this column - on that site. It’s a favorable review but, I promise, I have no financial interest in the book.
Several Web sites allow you to to tune a remote shortwave receiver as if you were sitting at the controls. You can listen with your computer’s speakers. Now that’s real magic.
Try these sites:
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Show your gadgets who’s in charge - unplug for the weekend
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Do you feel as if you control your gadgets? Or do they control you?
I was thinking about that this morning as I charged my cellphone, logged on to separate accounts for work and for personal e-mail and disabled the home alarm system.
I drove to work, shared the elevator with a fellow employee checking a Blackberry for e-mail and then settled in at my desk staring at two monitors, a Mac, a PC, a telephone I’ve never quite figured out and a Palm that has a better memory than I do.
I’m all for technology. I make a living writing about it and have been messing with it for fun since I was a kid. But it’ll be nice, over the holiday weekend, to unplug some of the electronics and turn my full attention to baseball and the barbecue grill.
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Can this new move actually slow down spam?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The more I’ve learned about spam over the years the more cynical I get about ever stopping it. Like income taxes, the poor and traffic jams it’ll always be with us.
But that doesn’t mean we should run up the white flag and surrender to the stuff.
There’s a new move that - if adopted, heck there are a lot of ifs in this one - may make a noticeable difference in the amount of spam you receive. So it’s worth reading about - and you can do that here.
I said there are a lot of ifs. Among them are the fact that, to work, this system would have to be almost universally adopted by Internet providers. Another problem is that it would do nothing to stop ‘legitimate’ spam … junk e-mail from real companies.
However, I still think it’s a move in the right direction. It would make a big dent in mail from outright crooks and would even allow Internet providers to identify folks who send out phiser e-mail (you know what that is by now … the scam that involves sending out what seems to be a note from a bank or other legitimate business … designed to steal your money or your identity).
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Weird uses for USB ports - one of them quite handy
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s before dawn and I’m sitting in a newsroom that smells like a forest fire. You already know the reason for that - the smoke from the south Georgia fires has drifted this way. It’s really a hellish scene downtown - it’s like being in a fairly heavy fog except it smells like a fireplace that needs cleaning.
What does all this have to do with computer. Well, truth? Not much.
But it does remind me of a weird little article in PC Magazine about strange uses for the USB port on your computer.
That’s because one of the uses is a mask that filters the air. You plug it into the USB port on your computer and that powers two small fans that are part of the mask. It’s probably not on my gift list - on the other hand I wouldn’t mind having one this morning.
If you want to read about some other strange gadgets that connect to the USB port, you’ll find the article here.
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Get your free virus here
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
“Is your PC virus-free? Get it infected here! drive-by-download.info.”
What a deal and it’s free too. The ad online promised to infect your computer with a virus.
It was an offer that people just couldn’t pass up. More than 400 computer users clicked to get the virus (since the Web site was a test by a researcher, no computers really were infected.)
Most computer security experts that I know think that the weak link in security is always going to be the user. I find it hard to disagree.
Another thing to note - the fellow paid Google to get better placement in search results for his ad. So - at the very least - it doesn’t seem like there was stringent checking by Google.
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Save a few bucks
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
My bank stays open seven days a week, charges no fees and has a nice picture of a cowboy on the side.
A good part of my savings is in nickles, dimes and quarters stored in a can that once held gourmet popcorn. The interest rate isn’t great but the savings do mount over time. With this experience in not-so-high finance I feel confident offering you a few tips today on saving money in computing.
Like the coins in my popcorn can, these are small savings that add up over time. And they are real - things you can do with your computing setup that will save you a few bucks starting right now.
Print your own money
Well, not quite, but one of the biggest expenses in computing is buying ink for your printer. The ink is literally more expensive than gold, ounce for ounce. If you do a lot of printing you’ll spend more for ink in a year than you did for your printer.
For people who print a lot, the solution is a laser printer. You can get a good one for $200 or less if you stick with a black and white laser. You can save your ink jet for the times you just must have color prints. In most cases the laser printer will pay for itself in a year. Producing a page of type with a laser is much cheaper than creating a page with an ink jet printer.
Another way to save on printing: Use the”print preview” command - it’s in the same menu as the print command. You’ll have fewer wasted pages from redos if you check out the preview that shows exactly what you’ll get before printing.
You can also set it to print in “fast draft” form, which uses less ink.
Used computers
Anyone who has ever tried to sell a computer - especially a desktop - knows that even a two-year old PC has little cash value. But it’s not worthless. If you need a second computer, or even an economical starter PC, any machine running Windows XP will do.
Check out specialty stores that deal in used computers and classified ads. I’ve seen really nice computers at yard sales for way under $100.
How about buying a like-new, completely updated computer for 30 percent to 50 percent less than the usual price?
Most manufacturers offer such deals with refurbished PCs. At Dell, for instance, just enter “refurbish” in the search box at the Dell Web page to see a full selection.
Some of these computers were never used and were returned with the box unopened. In other cases, they were returned because of a flaw. Don’t worry. Almost everyone in the business agrees refurbished machines are as good as new. Some argue - I’m among them - that they are better. These machines get hands-on testing after repair. Thats more attention than a new machine would get and it almost guarantees a defect-free PC.
Free software
Some of my favorite programs were free, yet I didn’t have to sneak them out of a store under my jacket.
I’ve long recommended Grisoft’s free anti-virus program, AVG, available for the download here. Belarc’s Advisor available here is one of the best programs around for providing an easy to ready inventory of the hardware inside your computer as well as the software. CCleaner which can be downloaded here is every bit as good as any for-pay program when it comes to cleaning out old cookies, registry entries and bits of software that was left by error when you deleted a program.
Then there are the huge libraries of free or cheap software including Tucows and Download.com. Especially when it comes to programs that you’ll probably use just a time or two, freeware and shareware provides an excellent alternative.
Computer gamers can save money too. Check out the sale bins at computer stores and mass marketers. I often see terrific games - stuff that was very popular a year or two back - for $5. These games represent a double bargain. Not only are they cheap, but they were designed for computers that were popular a year or two ago so they don’t require as much computing power.
Like my popcorn-can bank, these savings won’t fund a trip to France but they will grow if you adopt them as standard operating practice. And, unlike my bank, there’s no chance the leftover aroma of used popcorn will attract mice.
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Sex offenders want their PCs back
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sex offenders - locked up in Minnesota - took the state to court because the facility took away their personal computers. These folks had to settle for the indignity of using computers in a common area, rather than in their own rooms.
Turns out that the Court of Appeals ruled in the state’s favor. And that’s made the inmates mad.
Next thing you know, they’ll take away their cellphones and MP3 players.
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High tech myths
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
When you figure that computers are literally logical machines, it’s amazing how many crazy notions all of us (hey me too) have about them.
That’s why this story about high tech myths is interesting to me. Some of the stuff in it is pretty obvious I admit (for instance Bill Gates really isn’t giving millions away to people who answer some spam e-mail), but some of it isn’t.
It’s worth a look. Then let me know if you have time about any high tech superstitions that you have.
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Coming soon - home 3-D
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I remember, as a kid, being amazed that my grandfather despised color TV. He used the color adjustments to change his set back to black and white - claiming that color gave him a headache.
I feel the same way about 3-D movies - the notion of beer cans flying off the screen distracts me from the movie itself. Of course, with most 3-D movies that can be a good thing - the real star is the technology, not the script or acting in most cases.
But it’s inevitable that 3-D will come to the home screen - you’ll have the option of watching programming at home in 3D. In fact, the first set - Samsung’s 56-inch HL-T5689S, priced at $2,799 - is already available.
Don’t get too excited though. Right now it can only be used with 3-D video games. But it’s a pioneer product and, maybe as soon as the next year, there will be DVDs available in 3-D. I’ll pass. But you might be interested.
You can read more about it in this story - the part about the 3-D TV is near the bottom. The story is about new technologies so the whole thing is worth reading.
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A little - very little - high tech news
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There’s a fascination in the tech world with making things small. You can find full-blown computers that fit in a pocket; cell phones almost as tiny as a credit card, and digital cameras so small that they get lost in a shirt pocket.
With me that’s not such a wonderful thing - with cell phones I end up punching two buttons at the same time, or just losing it.
But if you’re a fan of these tiny gadgets, here’s a story from PC Magazine about some of the latest bite-sized marvels.
And there’s still more (as I used to say when I wrote ads). As an added Monday bonus, here’s a story about high tech devices that are washable (I mean washable on purpose, unlike the times I’ve left memory cards for my camera in blue jeans by mistake).
If you’ve a fanatic about germs, maybe you’ll want to check out the washable mouse or - it’s true - digital camera.
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From MySpace to a prison cell - Redux
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
You never know who you’ll meet on MySpace. Hey, maybe that’s a good thing.
Here’s a story about a crook who loved MySpace so much that - even when he was on the run from police - he had to check his MySpace account. That pattern ended up being enough of a clue for the police to find him.
Yesterday it was Paris Hilton, today - a guy who beat up an 88-year-old woman.
Nice place, that MySpace.
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Paris Hilton in PC World magazine (honest)
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
My gosh a mercy - Paris Hilton made PC World magazine. Will a centerfold follow?
I’ve been reading the magazine a long time and have enjoyed technical articles on video cards and have learned the most intricate details about new chips there.
So I didn’t expect to see this - a story about Paris Hilton.
The story talks about the use of her My Space account to create a petition asking for special treatment - keeping her out of jail on a drunk driving charge.
Who knows what I’ll find next, maybe a review of the chip war between Intel and AMD in People magazine.
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A beagle’s translation guide for PCs
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
When my beagle Lucy needs to go outside, she paces by the door and makes a whining sound, like an electric motor about to explode. If you have a dog, you know ignoring that whine can cause a mess.
It’s the same with computers. They try to tell you when something is wrong. Ignoring the message can also create a mess.
Today we’ll translate some of those computer clues of trouble into human talk. Knowing trouble is coming can save your data and save you money.
Hard disks
The classic symptom of a fatally ill drive is easy to spot. I think of it as a death rattle - a metallic clattering sound from the disk. Just make sure the sound is coming from the hard disk. The blade from a cooling fan hitting its enclosure makes a similar sound, so pay attention to the tiny light on your computer that flashes when the hard disk is being accessed. If the flashes and the sound seem coordinated, it’s a sign you need to back up your information and replace the disk.
Other warning signs include trying to open a file and getting a message that the data is corrupted; occasional failures when you try to start the computer; and even times when the computer fails to recognize your hard disk.
Most modern hard disks include a technology called S.M.A.R.T. (self-monitoring analysis and reporting technology). It’s a great tool, since the error messages are in something that approaches regular English. You might be told, with an on-screen message, that “smart hard drive detects imminent failure.” While that’s not the sort of message you’d like to see, it does give you advance notice so that you can back up the data on the drive.
That beeping sound
Each time your computer starts up, it tests various systems. If something is wrong, it will try to tell you about the problem using a series of beeps. Unfortunately, various motherboard makers use different codes for these beeps. So you’ll need some help. The best source is the computer manual or the maker’s Web site. Failing that, try this link. It offers decoding instructions for various PC makers and for Macintosh computers.
I can’t see the problem
The beginning of trouble with a monitor or video card often is announced by a flickering screen, strange color casts or a whining sound from the monitor. In most cases, it’s hard to know whether to blame the monitor or the video card. One exception is the whine I mentioned, that’s a fairly conclusive sign that the power supply in your monitor is going out.
But in other cases, borrow a monitor (if you are a multi-computer family you may an extra on hand) and substitute it from the suspect monitor. If the problem goes away, you know you need a new monitor. If it doesn’t, the problem is probably the video card.
Strange color casts and blots of color on the screen can also have a less serious cause. The screen - applies only to tube-type monitors - may simply need to be demagnetized. Almost all monitors have a setting called degauss. If you’re lucky, using that feature will eliminate the color problem.
Power supplies
The power supply in your computer will eventually die. If it goes completely out, the computer simply won’t turn on. (But be sure to avoid embarrassment by making sure the power cord is plugged in at both the wall and the back of the computer before replacing the power supply.)
You may get a warning if a power supply is failing: The signs include a computer that constantly reboots; or has a whine or buzz from the power supply; or there’s even a vibration severe enough to shake the desk.
The worst problems are intermittent ones
For instance, a tiny crack on the circuit board can cause occasionally restarts. Here’s why. Heat makes the board expand and that movement can create a temporary short circuit if the circuit board has a crack.
The same symptom can also come from a bad component like an ethernet card or a video card. The best way to track down an intermittent problem is to keep a log on when the error occurs. So if the video flickers before the computer restarts, that may point to a video card.
I was talking to my physician brother about all this and he said medicine works much the same way. You use clues - symptoms - to diagnose a disease. He added one more bit of advice from his profession: Don’t be overly aggressive fixing the problem. Or as Hippocrates put it, Primum non nocere (First do no harm).
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High tech gifts for Mother’s Day (no thank you ma’am)
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Mother’s Day is coming up and - I’m guessing - your mom is probably hoping for a soldering iron or maybe a nice oscilloscope.
Failing that maybe she’d like some flowers.
PC Magazine has some gift ideas for Mother’s Day. And they’ve divided moms up into categories like “The Creative Mom” and “The Jet-Setting Mom” to make things easier. You can read about the suggestions here.
Me? I ordered a nice orchid plant for my mom. I know, I know, she was (truly) messing with computers way back in the card punch days so she’s sure not anti-technology. But there’s something that seems a little off about a VOIP phone or a wireless adapter as a Mother’s Day gift.
But whatever you do, you’ll sure do a better job than me. I’ll give you two examples of gifts I’ve given (these were anniversary gifts - not Mother’s Day gifts) that did not go over big time. One was a shortwave radio and the other a vacumn cleaner. Both resulted in “I learned from that” moments for me.
Have you ever been tempted to give a gift to your mom, or spouse - something that you really wanted yourself?
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New Vista, old threats
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Designing software is a risky business - and the user shares that risk along with the designer.
So there’s no irony in the fact that one of the driving reasons for software that isn’t safe is the desire to keep the home user happy.
How would you feel if every new operating system - Windows or Mac - required brand new software? There would be technical advantages to doing that - creating operating systems that run older applications constrains what the designer can do. We’re talking compromise.
But there would be an uproar from users because of the expense of junking all the old programs. The other option - if operating systems were designed that way - would be for the manufacturers of the computer programs you use to create free updates that made the old programs compatible. So - either way - no-compromise operating systems would cause someone - manufacturer or user - to spend a lot of money.
That’s not going to happen.
But it also means that new operating systems run your old programs as well as old spyware programs, old viruses. So that’s the price you pay for operating systems that are backwards compatible.
Me? I don’t see how it could be any other way. I can’t afford to replace all my software each time I change operating systems. But - as this story notes - it means that new operating systems can still be vulnerable to old threats.
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Hate and love for Apple
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
When I started writing about computers - literally decades ago - it was not exactly an emotional topic. The few people who owned a home computer were more interested in exchanging technical tips and even (it was OK in those days) software.
Nowdays, people get all worked up over computers. And the top hot button topic seems to be the Apple vs. PC debate.
If you’re a partisan you may enjoy reading these whimsical stories concerning the best and worse things about Apple. If you’re not a partisan, you may find the whole thing amusing. Hey - either way - you can’t miss.
But there’s more to this story.
The controversy kicked up by assigning these stories resulted in the magazine’s editor quitting. You can read about that here.
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Customer service isn’t
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In the old days, customer service training was based on a naive notion. Businesses told new employees: “the customer is always right.” End of orientation.
Nowadays, there are vice presidents of customer service, and colleges teach MBA-level courses in the stuff. A hunk of advertising budgets goes toward ads touting great service.
But ask 10 friends about their experiences when calling technical support for help with a computer problem, and they’ll probably tell you things have gotten worse instead of better. My guess is they’ll say getting help is somewhere between unpleasant and impossible.
Today we’ll talk about what you can do to increase the odds of actually getting some help.
Check online resources
The fastest and best way to fix a problem is to do it yourself. Check the Web page of the manufacturer of your hardware or software. You’ll usually find a searchable database that offers fixes to known problems. When it comes to software problems, you may find downloadable patches.
E-mail vs. phone
If you have a choice between e-mail technical support and telephone support, select the telephone option. E-mail technical support is often used as an ingenious way of appearing to offer help without really giving it. That e-mail you get saying “this is an automated reply, one of our representatives will answer your question within 24 hours” is sometimes the last communication you receive.
Even when you are lucky with e-mail support, you aren’t very lucky. There will be a daily series of e-mails that can stretch the time between when you ask for help and get some sort of resolution to the breaking point. Put a human face on the problem by talking to someone if possible.
Be prepared
Whether your technical support comes by telephone or e-mail, expect a barrage of questions. Be ready to answer them patiently. It’s very difficult to fix a computer or solve a software problem remotely. So do your part to help - it’s in your best interest. Have model or serial numbers handy when you call. The person on the other end of the telephone line will want to know technical details, and not all of them will be at the tip of your tongue.
There’s a free program that will let you answer questions about a PC as adroitly as a certified wirehead. It provides all sort of esoteric information, as well as serial and version numbers of software installed on it. It’s called Belarc Advisor, and you can download it here.
Be comfortable and polite
A speakerphone or a hands-free headset will make it easier to use the keyboard or take notes.
Tech support sessions can be frustrating, but be polite. The ordinary rules of human nature apply. If you treat the tech support person poorly, they’re likely to return the favor.
What if there’s no help?
In some cases, you won’t get help at all, or the help won’t be, uh, very helpful. Don’t be afraid to ask for a different technical support person, or for that person’s supervisor. Just do it in a polite but firm way.
When all that fails, write a letter explaining the facts and asking for a resolution. Send the old-fashioned paper kind of letter, with copies to the head of customer service, technical support and marketing. You’ll often find the mailing address on the company’s Web site. If you don’t, try this Web address.
Hoovers is a commercial service that charges for information. But the free section will give you the mailing address and names of key executives.
I’d like to hear your customer service and technical support stories - good and bad. You can post your stories here. And feel free to share advice that will help others in dealing with technical support.
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Don’t believe it
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Warning. A dangerous new virus is circulating that not only causes your computer to explode but also ruins your lawn.
You’ve gotten them - e-mails too ridiculous to believe. But half your friends believed them and passed them on as gospel.
This article - from PC World - on the top Web hoaxes and pranks is good reading.
If you have a favorite hoax to pass along, feel feel.
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Safe computing is a hassle
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Keeping safe while using the Internet is an increasing burden for those who (1) know the dangers and (2) fear them. Taking all possible precautions means that what once was fun (remember the notion of surfing the Web, just hopping with no purpose from one link to the other?) is more like a business these days.
That was underlined for me when I read this story. This fellow uses two browsers - Firefox and Safari in his case. One is used for trusted sites, the other for general browsing. The notion is that the odds of running into hacked up code increase when you are doing general browsing. But if you stick to trusted sites, you are unlikely to run into a hacker program. So his “clean” browser stays clean and he doesn’t worry about the one he uses for other sites.
Wow. That’s a lot of trouble. But it seems that the more you know about the dangers, the more likely you are to go to so much trouble. I know my uncle - retired now, but he has is master’s in electrical engineering and designed operating systems - keeps his financial records and important stuff on a computer that isn’t connected to the Net. The computer he uses to connect to the Internet is kept free of sensitive information.
Some day some smart company will offer a clean and safe pipeline to the Net. That company will - for a premium price - take care of filtering out viruses and hack attacks before they have a chance to reach your machine. Most of that is technically possible and what isn’t could be done with some work.
Would you pay twice as much for Internet service if the provider took care of all your security worries? At first glance it sounds like a business that wouldn’t fly since most people want things done as cheaply as possible. But - on days when I’m tired of all the hassle - it seems like heaven to me.
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Macs and PCs - how secure are they?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I had an e-mail the other day from a reader who wondered if it was worthwhile to use a firewall on a Mac or install anti-virus protection.
I told him that Macs seemed less vulnerable than PCs, especially to viruses but that - for my money - it made good sense to add anti-virus protection and to use a firewall. As far as I know, Macs really are much less likely to be hit with a virus attack. For one thing, there are fewer viruses that are built to take on Macs. For another, the Mac OS really does seem more secure.
That’s why this article caught my eye. It’s From Computer World. It is an interview in question and answer format with the fellow who won $10,000 in a contest to hack into a Mac.
It was especially interesting to me - buried about halfway down the interview - that the guy expressed the opinion that Macs are actually less secure (we aren’t talking about viruses here, instead the relative ease of breaking through the operating system’s safeguards) than PCs running Vista. Me? I don’t know whether he’s right or not but it did strike me as interesting.
And - whether this guy is right or wrong - it just makes common sense to protect a computer, any computer, as best your can. The data stored on that computer can really harm you if someone else gets it. Even virus protection makes sense … after all, since so many Macs are unprotected, a successful virus attack could really create problems. Why take even a small chance.
I’m adding on a few links here.
This one is to the original story about the $10,000 break-into-a-Mac challenge.
This one is collection of Web links about Macs and viruses.
One final thought. Computers, both Macs and Windows machines, are more secure than they’ve ever been. The trouble is that hackers and virus writers are more sophisticated than they’ve ever been.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Categories: Viruses, spam, adware, etc.
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