Saturday, April 22, 2006
Tech News
Yahoo turns in another Chinese dissident.
According to Apple, 50% of people buying Macs at the Apple Store are new users. That’s very good news for Apple, a challenge for Microsoft which won’t ship the next version of Windows until 2007.
11a-Noon
QDiana in Burbank - should I buy the cheap monitor cable?
Probably - but make sure you can return it if it looks bad. More expensive cables have better shielding and are less prone to crosstalk, ghosting, jitter, and those kinds of things.
She also wanted to know how long SD cards would last. Typically flash memory can be read and written 300–600 times. After that it will get unreliable.
QLewis in Laguna Nigel - what’s a dynamic disk
Most of the time you work with basic disks, those are the ones we know and love with primary partitions, extended partitions, logical partitions and so on. Dynamic disks are new to Windows 2000 and XP and are formatted differently. Microsoft describes the difference here. Converting a dynamic disc to basic will delete all the data from it! But there is a troubleshooting guide you can follow to try to save the data. Backup first, of course, using a disk imaging program that’s independent of the OS like Norton Ghost, then import the contents of the disc.
QJune in Sonoma - Upgrade from Mac cube
She’s worried because Photoshop is still running in emulation on the Intel Macs. If you’re a pro Photoshop user with massive files and doing major effects you might prefer a G5 Tower, but even in emulation Photoshop running on an Intel iMac is plenty fast enough for normal users, and certainly much faster than it is on your Cube!
Noon-1p
QRobert in Los Angeles - how do I distribute my movie on the Internet
He’s a filmmaker who is ready to do his own TV series and distribute it online. The key is getting the bandwidth and guerilla marketing. Set up a web site. Get bandwidth from www.libsyn.com. Visit Kevin Spacey’s
Trigger Street. Check Google Video. You might make a trailer and post it on www.YouTube.com or www.MySpace.com. I firmly believe that if you make something worth watching you’ll be able to find an audience, but it’s going to take creativity.
QMark in Los Angeles - best desktop calendar
If you’ve got Outlook use it.
QBeverley in Palos Verdes - best video editing software
Adobe Premiere Elements is my fave for Windows.
1–2p
QTom - filenames have turned blue
That’s Windows telling you that they’re compressed. Uncheck the Compress box and they’ll turn back to black.
QKris in Lakewood - editing music for a photo slideshow
Her husband made a slideshow in Microsoft’s Photo Story 3 but she wants to add some music from MP3s. How can she edit it? I recommend a free program called Audacity - make sure to also download the LAME DLL so you can read MP3 files.
QDavid in Phelan - hourglass of doom
He installed Microsoft’s Security Update KB908531 and it crashes Word. Uninstalling it fixes the “hourglass of doom” problem. But look for a fixed patch because you do want the security fix!
QBill in Canoga Park - Cloning my boot disk
Use the free Carbon Copy Cloner.
QJeff in Carpenteria - Switcher
What should I buy. Start with the Apple Store - if Apple sells it it should work well with the Mac. Of course the Intel-based towers aren’t out yet, but I expect them by the end of the summer.
QSheryl in Laguna Hills - I never sent that returned email
Don’t worry - it happens to all of us. It’s just that a spammer has been using your email address as the return address. So you’re seeing bounced spam - but they never use the same address for very long, so it should stop eventually.
Chat Logs and Show Audio
Listener Comments
22 April 2006
In Tech News
April 30, 2006
Attn: Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition and Windows Millennium Edition Support ends on July 11, 2006
Calendar Of Updates Forums Calendar at http://www.dozleng.com/updates/calendar.html&code=showevent&eventid=23641
For those poeple are still useing Windows 98, 98se and windows me after July 11, 2006.
No more security updates and support for these products.
Unless you do not care about updating windows no worries but I have to say your computer will not be the same after.
Thank’s,
Brandon “Mozilla_Fox”
I’m almost surprised Win98 support lasted this long. (Not that I’m complaining; my parents’ computer ran Win98 until winter of 2004.)
Can I get a recommendation on a wireless router. Currently have a D-link…but having problems securing my network.
Thanks much!
Sometimes your ISP can provide you with a combination router/modem, which obviously eliminates the problem of getting the router and your modem (I assume high speed?) to communicate. The downside is if you SSID is only 2 letters/numbers different from the 20 other people in your subdivision with the same ISP. =-P (Spent a week not even knowing which AP was ours and just putzing around until I figured it out.)
Researcher Finds a Mitt Full of Mac Bugs!!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/pcworld/20060421/tc_pcworld/125510
Robert McMillan, IDG News ServiceFri Apr 21, 7:00 PM ET
A Mission Viejo, California, security researcher today posted code that exploits a number of newly discovered and unpatched bugs in the Mac OS X platform.
The software, posted by independent researcher Tom Ferris, could be used to crash applications or even run unauthorized code on the Mac by taking advantage of bugs in the Safari browser and Mac OS X operating system. Ferris’s “proof of concept” code exploits a total of seven bugs.
Apple Computer has already been made aware of the bugs and plans to fix them in “the next security release,” Ferris said in a posting to his Security-protocols.com blog.
“There [seem] to be some problems with the claimed solid-as-a-rock Unix OS,” he wrote on his blog. “Getting Safari to crash in many different spots is trivial, as where Firefox is very tough.”
Background
Long considered to be more secure than Microsoft’s Windows operating system, Mac OS X has increasingly been the focus of security researchers like Ferris. In February a number of malicious programs, including one called OSX/Leap, were released targeting the Macintosh.
The SANS Institute’s Internet Storm Center rated Ferris’s bugs as “highly critical,” and warned that there are no patches or workarounds available for the majority of these vulnerabilities.
Ferris made headlines earlier this year when he discovered a bug in the Internet Explorer 7 Beta 2 preview browser within minutes of the product being released.
Apple representatives were not immediately available to comment for this story.
(Apple Representatives seen selling Apple Stock as fast as possible … Screaming “They’re found us out! They’re found us out! They know it’s a piece of crap!!!?”)
Think OS X is still so perfect? Not.
11:09 by anonymous.
Todays Program brought to you and Paid For By Apple Computer and iPod Company … the checks in the Mail, Leo. Windows Bashing Begins Now!!
Rather than post a huge article, it would be more polite to just link to it.
And if you can’t post a constructive comment, don’t. (And yeah, I use Windows XP and could care less how Mr. LaPorte goes on about Macs. That’s what he uses/likes and he’s entitled to that opinion. I’ve known Linux users who are EXTREAMLY derogatory {sp?} to non-Linux users. Mr. LaPorte is tame in comparison.)
Bootcamp wouldn’t have affected last quarter since it just came out. The assumption that since the new macs are X86, thus you must be able to run Windows, could have brought some of those switchers, but I think it my be more about the growing disgust over Windows “problems”, the halo effect and actually seeing macs in action in the Apple stores. I do think that bootcamp will be a great opportunity for the current quarter.
11:30 by Ted?.
People WON’T read it if it’s just a link. And I use a PC and am tired of the Mac “holier than thou” attitude! Is this an Apple InfoMercial??
I am a “switcher”. I got a MacBook Pro as soon as it was available. I have installed Boot Camp and use it (but not as often as I thought I would). Nice laptop. Today, I just bought a iMac G5 at Costco: $1497 and includes Apple Care. They are obviously dumping them. It is so beautiful. I have PC’s at work and a couple of other PC’s here at home. I’m leaving Windows and happy to do it. I am also a computer consultant for “little old ladies” and I have also bought one of these Costco iMacs for an elderly friend. She is replacing an old ME laptop. It will be great not having to deal with spyware, etc.
Go, Leo. You have chosen the right team.
I probably don’t need to say this but “Ted,” “anonymous,” and “The Jig Is Up” are all the same person. And I would appreciate it 67.127.98.205 if you’d avoid copyright violations and post links instead of copying from articles. Thanks!
Routers like Linksys, Sagem or Speedtouch i have personal experience with, Linksys’s are very customizable and so is Sagem’s, Speedtouch 585 is the recent one and has a very user friendly UI + very customizable.
Hey Leo, ladies, and gents:
I made some TWiT.tv Network wallpapers…. Check it out
http://tinyurl.com/zpx3k
I have one for all his shows…including The Tech Guy on KFI.
-Mark
P.S. I have higher res versions, if someone wants to host it.
11:42 by anonymous.
Laporte Bashers-
If you don’t like what you hear, please GO AWAY! We are all tied of your comments. I don’t like Apple, but enjoy Leo.
I’ve had no problems with safari crashing and yes I do think OSX is safe and 100 times better than windows on any level. At least Apple fixes its problems where Microsoft just denies everything until businesses lose money when they get slammed by Microsofts defects in security. OSX to date has had no major outbreak of systems that have been compromised. Many say they’ve hacked and OSX box yet when it comes to proving it they can’t.
11:48 by anonymous.
In Windows 2000 the only way to convert a disk from dynamic to basic is reformating. Dynamic just add extra info Win2k and XP uses.
How To Convert to Basic and Dynamic Disks in Windows XP Professional
Article ID : 309044
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;309044&sd=tech
This article describes how to convert a basic disk to a dynamic disk, and how to change a dynamic disk back to a basic disk by using the Disk Management snap-in in Windows XP Professional.
Windows XP Professional supports two types of disk storage: basic and dynamic. Basic disk storage uses partition-oriented disks. A basic disk contains basic volumes (primary partitions, extended partitions, and logical drives).
Dynamic disk storage uses volume-oriented disks, and includes features that basic disks do not, such as the ability to create volumes that span multiple disks (spanned and striped volumes).
How To Use Disk Management to Configure Dynamic Disks in Windows XP -
Article ID : 308424
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308424&sd=tech
This step-by-step article describes how to use the Disk Management snap-in to configure dynamic disks
To Susan B:
I originally bought a Linksys router because I had a Linksys LAN card installed by Charter when I first got hi-speed. I’ve changed the security settings several times with no trouble. The Linksys
tech support is excellent if you can understand the ESL personnel in India.
I wish I knew how to post a comment without it covering the whole width of the screen. Before I post a commment it is within the boundaries of the comment window but when I post it it appears like the above.
Leo answers: It’s the leading spaces. That tells the wiki not to format the text at all. Don’t use leading spaces!
AFAIK dynamic disks are used for RAID.
11:57 by anonymous.
please tell me how to configure hp printers for linux 10.1
thanks
tom childers
Dynamic Disk is Microsoft’s proprietary RAID0 (data stripping across multiple drives to enhance access speeds)
if i remember my classes correctly. The reason for dymanamic disks were so you could use the slack from severall disks to create real useable space.
12:03 by anonymous.
Microsoft’s Dynamic disk allows you to do a few things. Span disk by allowing two partitions to look as one. You can do mirrored sets, also RAID 5. The dynamic disks has information telling Windows how the disk is used so Windows will know if the disk is part of a mirror, RAID 5 or has a span partition.
I’m using photoshop elements 4 with intel imac and there’s no snail following me. there’s also a $20 rebate on pse4.
12:08 by anonymous.
You create partitions on a basic disk but you create volumes on a dynamic disk. Dynamic disks are always a single volume. Dynamic disks can contain simple, spanned, and striped volumes. Dynamics storage allows you to size and resize a dynamic disk without restarting as you must do with a basic disk.
So maybe this is a basic question, but how come convertng a basic disk to a dynamic one doesn’t erase all the data but going in reverse does?
(We were probably supposed to learn this in one one of my CIS classes, but we never get jack done in there… =- )
Regarding SD cards, its not a read-write limitation, its an erase/write lifetime limitation. Reading flash memory doesn’t effect the lifetime of FLASH memory. Its only a limitation of erasing and writing to the SD card.
thanks all for your help with my dynamic disk situation, i had just installed the disk as a single partition, and i dont ever recall making it a dynamic drive and it wasnt from another computer, this happened after i added my SATA drive
12:12 by anonymous.
Windows 2000 can not “resize” dynamic partitions, but it will allow you to make a span. So basically you can make a partition grow, but you can’t merge the two into one, or expand the first partition larger.
12:15 by anonymous.
I think by default W2k and maybe XP wants to create a dynamic disk by default unless you tell it otherwise. It all depends on how you add the disk to Windows and create the partitions.
Leo,
megafrenzy is correct on read’s not affecting the lifetime of both NOR and NAND FLASH memory. I am also wondering about your references of a lifetime of only 300 to 600 writes (over the same cell block) before these cells no longer work. I work in the semiconductor industry and I have not heard of modern FLASH cells having a lifetime that is this short. In fact, the minimum write/erase cycles that I am aware of are is at least 10,000 cycles and I believe that one semiconductor manufacturer specifies 100,000 cycles for their NAND FLASH. Can you please recheck this fact with your sources? If they insist on this lower number, can they please explain the specific wearout mechinism.
A side note: if the write/erase cycles caused flash memory to wear out in less than 600 cycles, then Apple (and other mp3 FLASH memory player manufacturers) are soon going to huge class action lawsuits as mp3 players stop working because of their flash memory stops working due to frequent updates. This will be even worse for those that listen to frequent podcasts (where shows are constantly changed).
I love your shows (including podcasts), I just want to make sure your facts are correct.
13:13 by anonymous.
Blue filenames are compressed files.
13:15 by anonymous.
Windows drive cleanup will compress highly compressable files to save space on the file. Blue is compressed, green is encrypted. You can do by folder or file compression.
13:15 by anonymous.
blue filenames are compressed files
blue is a compressed file
13:17 by anonymous.
Disk cleanup is accessable by right clicking the drive in explorer and selecting drive cleanup. Windows will compress files not accessed for 60 days.
its blue because its hidden/compressed by the system, if you have hidden/compressed files they change color. Hidden is blue, but im not 100% on compressed. Here’s a sample of the windows system folder with hidden view available. 
Sounds like he ran Disk Cleanup
13:20 by anonymous.
Winodws doesn’t expect uninstall files to be run, so it compresses the $NtUninstall filders which have patches or service packs by default to save space.
If I remember correctly, you might have to convert some mp3 files to wav format before it will use them properly in PhotoStory. I’m not entirely sure, but that’s what I had to do to use them. - BTW PhotoStory is an underrated product. Their self-generated music engine is actually pretty good.
An advantage to buying at Apple’s online store (vs. retail) is that you can select various upgrades that are not available at the retail stores.
Yes, UCSD has good prices, but note:
“All academically priced products are for sale to current students, staff and faculty of UCSD only. “
Windows = The Republicans
Apple = The Democrats
There seems to be a massive shift from one party or platform to the other.
Interesting
13:57 by anonymous.
please
Yeah, but that’s not really true. Believe me, I get computers from themand I don’t go there. They don’t ask me a thing.
13:59 by anonymous.
The only parallel if Win=R and Apple=D, that is because apple people don’t like choice and just like the cookie cutter model. Windows people like things done their way.
Thanks for the show *clap*
Leo ---- Thanks With a BIG Kansas HUG we love your Show AND i am a Windows GEEK ,,,, You have made my life much more Pleasant with all the tips over the Years. I still MISS The Screen Savers Because i would not be doing what i am doing today If i had Not Watched The Shows ,, I owe You a Big Thanks and i would donate to your cause if I wasn’t A farmer that is Going Bankrupt ,, Because of the Low Grain Prices and the HIGH COST of FUEL and Repairs ,, And WE HAVE To Pay High For Priced Grocerys to just Like every one else Plus Monthly expenses ,,, So i hope a BIG THANK YOU Will Be some Kind OF Payment
I missed the begining of the show, and thought I heard Leo talking about an alternative to Boot Camp for running XP apps on Macs. Details please.
Good grief, get over it! It’s a freaking piece of HARDWARE.
If you don’t like Leo pimping Apple, go over to KNX on the weekends and listen to the other guy pimp WinTel.
17:58 by anonymous.
to Susan,
the security features that your router has are only accesable through your web browser. When opening your browser( which should be firefox) just type in the adress of the router, usually 192.168.0.xxx. From there you can configure your router to encrypt your wireless connection. But you should not need to buy a new router unless you have a hardware issue, such as short range of wireless connection. Every router you buy will have the same complexity factor in making it secure.
The guy on KNX does not pimp WinTel. His main goal is to get you to purchase a new system. Then as a favor to you, he will get your phone number so he can direct to his sponsors. Of course, he gets a little commission along the way.
Silly Windows users. Let them be straight. We know our way is the right way.
18:49 by anonymous.
the guy who posted win=rep, apple=dem is retarded. As for those of you who hate Leo, get off his sight. You’re not forced to listen to him, so move on. I’m a windows user but I respect apple users.. geez, people with no life have to make a big deal about how Leo is a trained Apple monkey.. Buzz off..
In addition to Carbon Copy Cloner, another great Mac cloning tool is SuperDuper (http://www.shirt-pocket.com/SuperDuper/SuperDuperDescription.html).
I find it to be FAR superior to CCC plus it’s a current project that’s been updated to Universal binary. CCC hasn’t been updated in a while.
While CCC is freeware, SuperDuper has a feature limited free version. The more powerful version with scheduling, Smart Updates and scripting costs $27.95. Definitel worth the price.
I don’t know if this is the same problem, but when I have re-installed Windows XP Pro, I have had some problems with my disk drives that were “prepared” by my Maxtor software and the interface card that came with it.
I had a 200 GB ATA 133 Maxtor. My board supported ATA100. So, I ran the drive through the 133 card and it ran just fine. When I formatted my C drive (the 200 was my third physical drive) and re-installed Windows XP Pro, there was a little glitch. If I did not act in 15 seconds, and I didn’t notice it in time, Windows would see the drive as a “damaged” drive and would run scandisk and “fix” my files. So, I got a bunch of file names with many different file problems. Some had names and no bodies. Some had folders with no files. And some had files *.chk that were bunches of files mixed together.
Is this what “dynamic disk” does?
23 April 2006
13:52 by Don?.
How do I get my Visioneer scaner/ paperport to operate with XP? I get an error message saying that my unit has known problems with Xp Setting the system to operated as earlier software. The scaner and software operated OK with earlier systems thru ME. The current vendor of Paperport software does not have a patch as far as I can detemine. Any Help?
29 April 2006
Leo - Thanks for your endorsement of iBoss. As an IT Professional, this device has made me a hero to my customers. Since the airing of Dateline’s Child Peditor series, parents are becoming extremely cautious of the internet. This is simply because their kids are more proficient than they are on the computer. iBoss is a wonderful hardware component that parents understand. Most of the other software products kids break through (including my kid!).
Spam. Leo is a special case when it comes to spam as are all known, high use email addresses. A better solution than any filter for the average home-user is a long email name with a number or two in it, almost like a password to prevent any random hit, and then only share that address with the people who do not spam. No free sign-ups, no e-greetings type emailings, no leaks! Keep a seperate spam address if its a must. I’ve had the same email address for over 3 years, zero (.0000000000%) spam. In fact, an account like that will get a little lonely if one doesn’t have enough prose-minded friends :)
