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Saturday, June 4, 2005

Show #149

Today’s news items

CNET says Apple will announce tomorrow that it’s abandoning PowerPC chips and turning to Intel for all future Macintosh computers.

Leo - you’ve been talking about how the possible transision to x86 from PPC would be extremely difficult. However a couple of years ago I heard about a company called Transitive (http://www.transitive.com/) that developed a product called QuickTransport which would supposedly enable stuff compiled on x86 to run on PPC. They claim it would not emulate but rather recompile binaries in realtime thus producing high performance. Also at the time they said they had several big players that they would not disclose. Could Apple be a “player?”

11a-Noon

Dennis in Santa Monica - HP Lawsuit and storing passwords

There’s a class action suit against HP for not including a full Windows disc with some of their computers, and for sticking a hidden partition on the hard drive.

How do you ensure you’re using good passwords online?
Roboform
Password Keeper
http://labs.zarate.org/passwd/

A listener writes: Leo asked about password generators and storage- My absolute favorite is RoboForm for Windows. It works with FireFox, Mozilla, IE, and Netscape. Keeps track of all your passwords, credit cards, bank accounts, etc. and can be encrypted to keep them safe. Includes a password generator to generate random text strings and pastes them to the clipboard for easy insertion in both the web page and RoboForm itself. Free version is full function except that it keeps a limited number of passwords (30, I think). Full version is only $35 with free upgrades.

BenListening adds : RockXP has a groovy password generator.

MattInNC adds: Another password keeper is PWSafe from sourceforge.net. Open source and free.

Michael P adds: - Nah, they are all rubbish, this is what you need. http://keepass.sourceforge.net/ It’s FREE, and has a beautiful, easy to use GUI. Much better looking than PWSafe.

It combines password generation,(as complex as you want it) storage and security. It will keep all your passwords in a secure database file. We use it at my work and it has been tremendous.

tim_mn adds: - I have just recently started using http://passwordmanager.sourceforge.net/ in Linux and it seems to be working well.

pixel: Password Corral is really awesome. Version 4.0.1 just came out (after a very very long wait) and it’s really nice. Password generation, backup, everything. Cygnus Productions produces this software.

Ross adds: Personally I use PasswordSafe. Its also open source, with a project at sourceforge. The underlying crypto was designed and originally implemented by Bruce Schnier who has a good track record of understanding the subtle issues. But regardless of which tool you pick, the important thing is to use it religeously. Let it generate a unique password for each and every thing that needs one, and never, never, never share passwords. The folk at www.diceware.com have a good nearly truely random mechanism for creating pass phrases for locking your safe, by the way.

Marla - Digital SLR

Canon Digital Rebel XT
Nikon D70
www.digitalcamerainfo.com

JazzDJ testifies -
Olympus E-1 was the first and still the best “high-end” Digital SLR and it’s used by more D-SLR users than any other camera. The reason is pretty simple, Olympus invented this market and the E-1 has the most comprehensive line of consumer and professional accessories for this digital camera line. The FujiFilm S-2 Pro is another excelent D-SLR, about $2k with zoom lens.

I’ve tested the Canon Digital Rebel XT for a few weeks - it’s a cheezy plastic camera with lots of image artifacts. Most quality Digital SLRs run in a $1500 to $3000 price range; the Canon Digital Rebel costs $799 (street) … i.e., you get what you pay for.

Kim - DVD camcorder

I don’t recommend them - you have to close the DVD before watching it on your DVD player which means you can’t record to it any more. The cameras are clunkier and more expensive and they have to record video as MPEG-2 to make it DVD compatible - that’s a lower quality video format. It makes sense if you don’t have a computer or never want to edit video, but otherwise I’d get a DV Camcorder that records to tape.
Read the reviews at wwww.camcorderinfo.com

A listener writes: Regarding the use of a DVD Camera, I’d suggest the Mini-DV Camcorder that has the DV interface (firewire). Then get a DVD Recorder for your home and simply plug the camera into the DVD Recorder on your entertainment center to make you movies. You can always transfer from camera to pc, format, render and burn but the option to go directly to a dvd recorder is simpler. Circuit City has the CyberHome DVD burner on sale for $120 with a $20 rebate and it has the DV input. Something to think about. Ken - Western Maryland

Noon-1p

Bob - Tungsten E2 Find more… doesn’t work

Sounds like a bug, even if they told you it’s a “feature.” You might want to try a third-party search program like Memory Scanner.

John - How do you add folders to the right side of the Start Menu and challenge response spam fighters

This forum has an interesting discussion, but it sounds like you can’t do it.

A listener writes: You can create the folder on the right side of the start menu with ‘x-setup pro’.

Vanquish and other challenge-response spam fighters work but at a cost. First, you’re announcing to every spammer in the world that you exist. If you ever decide not to use Vanquish you’ll be flooded by spam. Second, you’ll miss a good deal of mail you might want. Newsletters and mailing lists seldom respond to the challenge, nor do I and I counsel not users not to since clicking a link in an email is very dangerous. You’re better off using anti-spam filtering. It’s very effective these days. I use www.mailroute.net.

Deuce writes: Try this link too, it takes some registry changes so if you are not comforatble with the registry then try the programs Leo suggested

David - Easy to use Linux

ER Solutions
www.ersolutions.net
ERLinux
Lindows

WALMART offers 2 lines of Linux Desktops starting at $200.00 without monitor!!

Jack - Fire fighter who can’t run Windows update

I think he’s been bit by the Glieder trifecta. The three pronged attack prevents you from running Windows update, updating your anti-virus, or even visiting AV sites. You need to make a boot CD with an updated AV program, boot to the CD, then clean the infection.

Michael P - I have seen systems that will not update if their system time is off. Check your system clock and make sure it matches your time zone

Dennis F - I ran into a similar problem with NAV 2004. Live update would not work.
I found the answer in the Symantec Knowledge Base. Basiclly I had to do a complete uninstall of NAV *AND* a complete uninstall of Live Update. Then re-install from the CD. Fixed the problem for me on 2 different computers.
Hope it helps.

Andy V.

I had the same problem when I had a software firewall like Sygate. If thats the case, then clear the check mark that says: “Browse in Stealth Mode” but this is for Sygate. Zone Alarm had no problems. Maybe its your software firewall. Or, it could be that your running Windows as a Restricted User account. If thats the case, do a “RunAs” by selecting the Window Update and pressing the SHIFT key and selecting RunAs. Try it out. If not, then you have the virus.

1–2p

Rob from Monorovia - rebuilding XP

He wants input on a partitioning scheme. I usually put Windows and applications on one partition, data on another. If you do video editing it’s a good idea to give video files their own drive. Temp and Swap files also should be on their own paritions. You’ll have the best results by putting the Swap or Pagefile on a separate drive.

I recommend Partition Magic for partitioning your drives.

Mike_B in New Jersey - where should I register my domain?

If you’re setting up your first site I’d find a web host and let them get your domain name for you. It’s usually free and they know all the technical details. Since I have many sites I usually do it myself at www.godaddy.com. I buy the name for $8.95 and then point it to my hosts Domain Name Servers. Then I contact the host and tell them I am setting up a new site. They’ll do what it takes to get your new domain name to point to your actual numeric hosting address.

Roger in Fullerton - wants to buy a new computer

Is Mac a good choice for photography and video? It’s certainly what most pros use. And because you don’t have the same security issues you do on Windows, I think it’s the best choice for home users.

David Lawrence, host of Online Tonight and the Net Music Countdown

Look how an Apple rumor site has dropped the stock by nearly 5% - no wonder Apple is skittish about the rumor sites.

Sylvia in Redlands - camcorder recommendations

She wants something in the middle price range that can take stills as well as video. I like the $600 Panasonic GS-150, a 3-CCD camcorder that shoots 2.3 megapixel stills, but do read the reviews at www.camcorderinfo.com.

I would heavily suggest not buying a camcorder for a Europe trip. A digital camera would be much more convenient, and provide better memories. Videos tend to be boring.

Jack in Huntington Beach - realtor needs a laptop for around $1500

I’d take a long hard look at the IBM T40 series. These are great Windows laptops that will do all the stuff you want. IBM has just announced a Tablet PC version of the T40, too.

What do you think about RadioShark radio?

rallenr: Sorry I bought it. AM reception sucks, and when it does work, the files are huge. SDP is better…and free.

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