Microsoft's Malicious Software Removal Tool (or MSRT) is a small on-demand scanner that checks your computer for some specific infections. The little program is not at all a replacement for your regular anti-virus program but can detect and remove some very bothersome malware.
The latest version of the MSRT is downloaded every second Tuesday every month to your computer via the regular Microsoft Updates but then it kind of disappears from your view. So, the question is how do you run the MSRT the simplest way possible?
The solution is:
Hit 'Start'
Hit 'Run'
Enter the following bold text mrt /f (or just copy and paste)
Hit 'Enter' and the program will start.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Friday, October 02, 2009
Tip 8: How to know which font is used on a website
Ever wanted to find a font just like the one used by a certain website and couldn't discover which type they used? Well now you can, using the WhatTheFont font recognition system. Upload a screenshot of the font and instantly find the closest matches in their database. Goto WhatThe Font now.
Don't know how to get a decent screenshot? Get the last free version of the easy to use FSCapture here.
Don't know how to get a decent screenshot? Get the last free version of the easy to use FSCapture here.
Monday, September 07, 2009
New site
Most of you probably already know that I am an author who writes books about developmental disorders like PDD-NOS (a mild form of autism) and ADHD.
My collection of sites (www.pdd-nos.nl, www.pdd-nos.be and www.pdd-nos.com) has got a new addition: www.pdd-nos.is.
Thanks to our new sponsor: emco.
My collection of sites (www.pdd-nos.nl, www.pdd-nos.be and www.pdd-nos.com) has got a new addition: www.pdd-nos.is.
Thanks to our new sponsor: emco.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Tip 7: How to remove the ‘top-ads’ in your Gmail
Google and Gmail display several ads and adtypes when you use Gmail. One of them is an ad that occupies the top of your Inbox. See the image below to understand what I am talking about.
Gmail doesn’t call them ads but rather obliquely ‘Web Clips’. These ‘Web Clips’ can simply be turned off.
1. Open Gmail
2. Goto ‘Settings’ (top right on the Gmail-page)
3. Under ‘Settings’ choose ‘Web Clips’
4. Uncheck the option ‘Show my web clips above the Inbox’
Gmail doesn’t call them ads but rather obliquely ‘Web Clips’. These ‘Web Clips’ can simply be turned off.
1. Open Gmail
2. Goto ‘Settings’ (top right on the Gmail-page)
3. Under ‘Settings’ choose ‘Web Clips’
4. Uncheck the option ‘Show my web clips above the Inbox’
Saturday, August 08, 2009
Tip 6: How to get free Vista fonts
With the release of Vista, Microsoft has introduced a number of new fonts. Normally you would have to buy Vista to get these fonts but there is a simple and easy way around this problem.
You can download these fonts for free and legally because they are included in PowerPoint Viewer 2007 which is available here on Microsoft’s official website.
Simply download and install PowerPoint Viewer 2007 and the fonts will be available for your Office applications.
You can download these fonts for free and legally because they are included in PowerPoint Viewer 2007 which is available here on Microsoft’s official website.
Simply download and install PowerPoint Viewer 2007 and the fonts will be available for your Office applications.
Thursday, August 06, 2009
Tip 5: How to disable the Windows start-up/log-off sound
When you start your computer, Windows plays a tune at start-up. After a while that tune can become pretty irritating. How can we disable that sound (and the equally irritating sound at log-off)? The solution can be found in this post.
1. Hit 'Start' goto 'Settings' and choose ‘Control Panels’
2. Select ‘Sounds and Audio Devices’
3. Under ‘Program events’ scroll down until you find ‘Start Windows’ and 'Windows Logon’ (and while you’re at it you may also find ‘Windows logoff’)
4. Highlight the item you want to disable
5. Goto ‘Sounds’ (below the ‘Program events’ box)
6. Choose [None]
7. Click ‘Apply’
1. Hit 'Start' goto 'Settings' and choose ‘Control Panels’
2. Select ‘Sounds and Audio Devices’
3. Under ‘Program events’ scroll down until you find ‘Start Windows’ and 'Windows Logon’ (and while you’re at it you may also find ‘Windows logoff’)
4. Highlight the item you want to disable
5. Goto ‘Sounds’ (below the ‘Program events’ box)
6. Choose [None]
7. Click ‘Apply’
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Online Anti-Virus scanners
One of the basic rules of anti-virus programs is that you should not install more that one anti-virus program on your computer. But what if your computer starts to behave erratically? What if you start to suspect that a virus might have entered your system but your resident anti-virus-program strangely tells you that there’s nothing to worry about?
You might want to have a second opinion but at the same time you do not want to violate the aforementioned basic rule. A way forward is to scan your computer using an online scan.
So I decided to create a topic to list these tools.
[1] AhnLab > AhnLab MyV3 Online Virus Scan
[2] ArcaVir > ArcaVir Micro Scan
[3] a-squared > a-squared Web Malware Scanner
[4] Authentium > Authentium Command On Demand
[5] BitDefender > BitDefender Online Scanner
[6] CA > CA Threat Scanner
[7] Comodo > Comodo Free Online Scanner
[8] ESET > ESET Online Scanner
[9] ewido > 'ewido anti-spyware online scanner' is now redirected to AVG LinkScanner (which I consider hopelessly inadequate)
[10] F-Secure > F-Secure Online Scanner
[11] Iolo > Iolo Online Virus Scanner
[12] Kaspersky > Kaspersky Online Scanner
[13] McAfee > McAfee FreeScan
[14] Microsoft OneCare > OneCare Protection Scan
[15] Panda > Panda ActiveScan 2.0
[16] Panda > Panda NanoScan 2.0
[17] PC Pitstop > Malware Scan
[18] Rising > Rising Online Scan
[19] Symantec > Symantec Security Scan
[20] TrendMicro > TrendMicro HouseCall 6.6
[21] TrendMicro > TrendMicro HouseCall 7.0 beta
> If you know of other free online anti-virus scanners (or think one or more do not belong in this list), please let me know.
You might want to have a second opinion but at the same time you do not want to violate the aforementioned basic rule. A way forward is to scan your computer using an online scan.
So I decided to create a topic to list these tools.
[1] AhnLab > AhnLab MyV3 Online Virus Scan
[2] ArcaVir > ArcaVir Micro Scan
[3] a-squared > a-squared Web Malware Scanner
[4] Authentium > Authentium Command On Demand
[5] BitDefender > BitDefender Online Scanner
[6] CA > CA Threat Scanner
[7] Comodo > Comodo Free Online Scanner
[8] ESET > ESET Online Scanner
[9] ewido > 'ewido anti-spyware online scanner' is now redirected to AVG LinkScanner (which I consider hopelessly inadequate)
[10] F-Secure > F-Secure Online Scanner
[11] Iolo > Iolo Online Virus Scanner
[12] Kaspersky > Kaspersky Online Scanner
[13] McAfee > McAfee FreeScan
[14] Microsoft OneCare > OneCare Protection Scan
[15] Panda > Panda ActiveScan 2.0
[16] Panda > Panda NanoScan 2.0
[17] PC Pitstop > Malware Scan
[18] Rising > Rising Online Scan
[19] Symantec > Symantec Security Scan
[20] TrendMicro > TrendMicro HouseCall 6.6
[21] TrendMicro > TrendMicro HouseCall 7.0 beta
> If you know of other free online anti-virus scanners (or think one or more do not belong in this list), please let me know.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Tip 4: How to clear the Firefox address bar
As a rule Firefox remembers the last 12 sites you have visited. Some of us simply won’t like the idea that a computer or a program stores our browsing history.
You can, however, easily change that with a few simple steps.
[1] Goto the Firefox settings by typing "about:config" (without the quotes) in the address bar;
[2] Disregard the warning message that appears;
[3] Scroll down to "browser.urlbar.maxRichResults";
[4] Double click the entry, and change the default setting of 12 to 0;
[5] Close and relaunch Firefox.
You can, however, easily change that with a few simple steps.
[1] Goto the Firefox settings by typing "about:config" (without the quotes) in the address bar;
[2] Disregard the warning message that appears;
[3] Scroll down to "browser.urlbar.maxRichResults";
[4] Double click the entry, and change the default setting of 12 to 0;
[5] Close and relaunch Firefox.
Friday, October 03, 2008
Tip 3: How to disable Adobe Reader Auto-Update
Versions 8 and up of Adobe Reader have annoying pop-ups to show you that the auto-updater is doing what it is designed to do. One of the side-effects is that it temporarily can freeze-up your system.
You are able to disable this auto-update feature by following the next easy steps:
- Open Adobe Reader by double clicking its icon;
- Goto 'Help'
- Goto 'Check for Updates'
- Hit 'Preferences'
- Uncheck 'Automatically check for Adobe updates'
You are able to disable this auto-update feature by following the next easy steps:
- Open Adobe Reader by double clicking its icon;
- Goto 'Help'
- Goto 'Check for Updates'
- Hit 'Preferences'
- Uncheck 'Automatically check for Adobe updates'
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Monday, August 11, 2008
Rowling: Harry Potter Prequel
Joanne Rowling has written an 800-word prequel to the Harry Potter series.
The handwritten short story, featuring the fictional wizard's father James and his friend Sirius Black in their younger years, fills both sides of an A5-sized card.
Joanne Rowling comments on her writing on her website:
"Although I did feel a bit like a relapsing addict as I sat down to write - the words poured from my pen with frightening ease - I am NOT working on a prequel. Indeed, I've written that clearly at the bottom of the card itself. I just thought that this was the best way to make money for two extremely worthwhile charities."
The complete Prequel:
The speeding motorcycle took the sharp corner so fast in the darkness that both policemen in the pursuing car shouted, ”Whoa!” Sergeant Fisher slammed his large foot on the brake, thinking that the boy who was riding pillion was sure to be flung under his wheels; however, the motorbike made the turn without seating either of its riders, and with a wink of its red tail lights, vanished up the narrow side street.
“We’ve got ‘em now!” cried PC Anderson excitedly. “That’s a dead end!”
Leaning hard on the steering wheel and crashing his gears, Fisher scraped half the paint off the flank of the car as he forced it up the alleyway in pursuit.
There in the headlights sat their quarry, stationary at last after a quarter of an hour’s chase. The two riders were trapped between a towering brick wall and the police car, which was now crawling towards them like some growling luminous-eyes predator.
There was so little space between the car doors and the walls of the alley that Fisher and Anderson had difficulty extricating themselves from the vehicle. It injured their dignity to have to inch, crab-like, towards the miscreants. Fisher dragged his generous belly along the wall, tearing buttons off his shirt as he went, and finally snapping off the wing mirror with his backside.
“Get off the bike!” he bellowed at the smirking youths, who sat basking in the flashing blue light as though enjoying it.
They did as they were told, finally pulling free from the broken wing mirror, Fisher glared at them. They seemed to be in their late teens. The one who had been driving had long black hair, his insolent good looks reminded Fisher unpleasantly of his daughter’s guitar-playing, layabout boyfriend. The second boy also had black hair, though his was short and stuck up in all directions; he wore glasses and a broad grin. Both were dressed in t-shirts emblazoned with a large golden bird; the emblem, no doubt, of some deafening, tuneless rock band.
“No helmet!” Fisher yelled, pointing from one uncovered head to the other.
“Exceeding the speed limit by-by a considerable amount!” (In fact, the speed registered had been greater than Fisher was prepared to accept that any motorcycle could travel.) “Failure to stop for the police!”
“We’d have loved to stop for a chat,” said the boy in glasses,” only we were trying-”
“Don’t get smart-you two are in a heap of trouble!” snarled Anderson. “Names!”
“Names?” repeated the long-haired driver. ”Er-Well, let’s see. There’s Wilberforce… Bathsheba… Elvendork…”
“And what’s nice about that one is, you can use it for a boy OR a girl,” said the boy in glasses.
“Oh, our names, did you mean?” asked the first, as Anderson spluttered with rage.”
You should’ve said! This here is James Potter, and I’m Sirius Black!”
“Things’ll be seriously black for you in a minute, you cheek little-”
But neither James nor Sirius was paying attention. They were suddenly as alert as gundogs, staring past Fisher and Anderson, over the roof of the police car, at the dark mouth of the alley. Then, with identical, fluid movements, they reached into their back pockets.
For the space of a heartbeat both policemen imagined guns gleaming at them, but a second later they saw that the motorcyclists had drawn nothing more than-
“Drumsticks?” jeered Anderson. “Right pair of jokers, aren’t you? Right, we’re arresting you on a charge of–”
But Anderson never got to name the charge. James and Sirius had shouted something incomprehensible, and the beams from the headlights had moved.
The policemen wheeled around, then staggered backwards. Three men were flying-actually flying - up the alley on broomsticks - and at the same moment, the police car was rearing up on its back wheels.
Fisher’s knee bucked; as he sat down hard; Anderson tripped over Fisher’s legs and fell on top of him, as flump-bang-crunch- they heard the men on brooms slam into the suspended car and fall, apparently insensible, to the ground, while broken bits of broomstick clattered down around them.
The motorbike had roared into life again. His mouth hanging open, Fisher mustered the strength to look back at the two teenagers.
“Thanks very much!” called Sirius over the throb of the engine.” We owe you one!”
“Yeah, nice meeting you!” said James. “And don’t forget: Elvendork! It’s unisex!”
There was an earth-shaking crash, and Fisher and Anderson threw their arms around each other in fright; their car had just fallen back to the ground. Now it was the motorcycle’s turn to roar. Before the policemen’s disbelieving eyes, it took off into thin air: James and Sirius zoomed away into the night sky, their tail light twinkling behind them like a vanishing ruby.
From the prequel I am not working on-but that was fun! J.K. Rowling. 2008
The handwritten short story, featuring the fictional wizard's father James and his friend Sirius Black in their younger years, fills both sides of an A5-sized card.
Joanne Rowling comments on her writing on her website:
"Although I did feel a bit like a relapsing addict as I sat down to write - the words poured from my pen with frightening ease - I am NOT working on a prequel. Indeed, I've written that clearly at the bottom of the card itself. I just thought that this was the best way to make money for two extremely worthwhile charities."
The complete Prequel:
The speeding motorcycle took the sharp corner so fast in the darkness that both policemen in the pursuing car shouted, ”Whoa!” Sergeant Fisher slammed his large foot on the brake, thinking that the boy who was riding pillion was sure to be flung under his wheels; however, the motorbike made the turn without seating either of its riders, and with a wink of its red tail lights, vanished up the narrow side street.
“We’ve got ‘em now!” cried PC Anderson excitedly. “That’s a dead end!”
Leaning hard on the steering wheel and crashing his gears, Fisher scraped half the paint off the flank of the car as he forced it up the alleyway in pursuit.
There in the headlights sat their quarry, stationary at last after a quarter of an hour’s chase. The two riders were trapped between a towering brick wall and the police car, which was now crawling towards them like some growling luminous-eyes predator.
There was so little space between the car doors and the walls of the alley that Fisher and Anderson had difficulty extricating themselves from the vehicle. It injured their dignity to have to inch, crab-like, towards the miscreants. Fisher dragged his generous belly along the wall, tearing buttons off his shirt as he went, and finally snapping off the wing mirror with his backside.
“Get off the bike!” he bellowed at the smirking youths, who sat basking in the flashing blue light as though enjoying it.
They did as they were told, finally pulling free from the broken wing mirror, Fisher glared at them. They seemed to be in their late teens. The one who had been driving had long black hair, his insolent good looks reminded Fisher unpleasantly of his daughter’s guitar-playing, layabout boyfriend. The second boy also had black hair, though his was short and stuck up in all directions; he wore glasses and a broad grin. Both were dressed in t-shirts emblazoned with a large golden bird; the emblem, no doubt, of some deafening, tuneless rock band.
“No helmet!” Fisher yelled, pointing from one uncovered head to the other.
“Exceeding the speed limit by-by a considerable amount!” (In fact, the speed registered had been greater than Fisher was prepared to accept that any motorcycle could travel.) “Failure to stop for the police!”
“We’d have loved to stop for a chat,” said the boy in glasses,” only we were trying-”
“Don’t get smart-you two are in a heap of trouble!” snarled Anderson. “Names!”
“Names?” repeated the long-haired driver. ”Er-Well, let’s see. There’s Wilberforce… Bathsheba… Elvendork…”
“And what’s nice about that one is, you can use it for a boy OR a girl,” said the boy in glasses.
“Oh, our names, did you mean?” asked the first, as Anderson spluttered with rage.”
You should’ve said! This here is James Potter, and I’m Sirius Black!”
“Things’ll be seriously black for you in a minute, you cheek little-”
But neither James nor Sirius was paying attention. They were suddenly as alert as gundogs, staring past Fisher and Anderson, over the roof of the police car, at the dark mouth of the alley. Then, with identical, fluid movements, they reached into their back pockets.
For the space of a heartbeat both policemen imagined guns gleaming at them, but a second later they saw that the motorcyclists had drawn nothing more than-
“Drumsticks?” jeered Anderson. “Right pair of jokers, aren’t you? Right, we’re arresting you on a charge of–”
But Anderson never got to name the charge. James and Sirius had shouted something incomprehensible, and the beams from the headlights had moved.
The policemen wheeled around, then staggered backwards. Three men were flying-actually flying - up the alley on broomsticks - and at the same moment, the police car was rearing up on its back wheels.
Fisher’s knee bucked; as he sat down hard; Anderson tripped over Fisher’s legs and fell on top of him, as flump-bang-crunch- they heard the men on brooms slam into the suspended car and fall, apparently insensible, to the ground, while broken bits of broomstick clattered down around them.
The motorbike had roared into life again. His mouth hanging open, Fisher mustered the strength to look back at the two teenagers.
“Thanks very much!” called Sirius over the throb of the engine.” We owe you one!”
“Yeah, nice meeting you!” said James. “And don’t forget: Elvendork! It’s unisex!”
There was an earth-shaking crash, and Fisher and Anderson threw their arms around each other in fright; their car had just fallen back to the ground. Now it was the motorcycle’s turn to roar. Before the policemen’s disbelieving eyes, it took off into thin air: James and Sirius zoomed away into the night sky, their tail light twinkling behind them like a vanishing ruby.
From the prequel I am not working on-but that was fun! J.K. Rowling. 2008
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Are You A Compulsive Gambler?
Introduction
If you feel your gambling starts to control you and you lose more money than you can afford, your gambling habits may have gotten somewhat out of control. You may feel stupid but rest assure: you are not. Gambling is an addiction. Just like drugs, smoking and drinking alcohol.
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) has published a manual wherein all known psychological disorders are recorded. This Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – Fourth Edition – Text Revision is better known by its acronym DSM-IV-TR. This manual is used worldwide by therapists to diagnose psychological disorders.
The manual lists a number of criteria for every psychological disorder. These criteria must be met before a psychologist can successfully diagnose his or her patient with a disorder.
In the DSM-IV-TR compulsive gambling is known as pathological gambling.
The DSM-IV-TR diagnostic criteria for Pathological Gambling are:
A. Persistent and recurrent maladaptive gambling behavior as indicated by five (or more) of the following:
- is preoccupied with gambling (e.g., preoccupied with reliving past gambling experiences, handicapping or planning the next venture, or thinking of ways to get money with which to gamble);
- needs to gamble with increasing amounts of money in order to achieve the desired excitement;
- has repeated unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back, or stop gambling;
- is restless or irritable when attempting to cut down or stop gambling;
- gambles as a way of escaping from problems or of relieving a dysphoric mood (e.g., feelings of helplessness, guilt, anxiety, depression);
- after losing money gambling, often returns another day in order to get even ("chasing" one's losses);
- lies to family members, therapist, or others to conceal the extent of involvement with gambling;
- has committed illegal acts, such as forgery, fraud, theft, or embezzlement, in order to finance gambling;
- has jeopardized or lost a significant relationship, job, or educational or career opportunity because of gambling;
- relies on others to provide money to relieve a desperate financial situation caused by gambling
B. The gambling behaviour is not better accounted for by a Manic Episode.
Associated features may include:
Distortions in thinking (e.g., denial, superstitions, overconfidence, or a sense of power and control) may be present in individuals with Pathological Gambling. Many individuals with Pathological Gambling believe that money is both the cause of and the solution to all their problems. Individuals with Pathological Gambling are frequently highly competitive, energetic, restless, and easily bored. They may be overly concerned with the approval of others and may be generous to the point of extravagance. When not gambling, they may be workaholics or “binge” workers who wait until they are up against deadlines before really working hard. Most of the above associated features are also present in patients with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Please get help
If you feel you may fit within the description and criteria mentioned above, please don’t hesitate to ask for help. There always are people who love you or really care for your wellbeing who are willing to assist you in combating your addiction.
If you feel your gambling starts to control you and you lose more money than you can afford, your gambling habits may have gotten somewhat out of control. You may feel stupid but rest assure: you are not. Gambling is an addiction. Just like drugs, smoking and drinking alcohol.
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) has published a manual wherein all known psychological disorders are recorded. This Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – Fourth Edition – Text Revision is better known by its acronym DSM-IV-TR. This manual is used worldwide by therapists to diagnose psychological disorders.
The manual lists a number of criteria for every psychological disorder. These criteria must be met before a psychologist can successfully diagnose his or her patient with a disorder.
In the DSM-IV-TR compulsive gambling is known as pathological gambling.
The DSM-IV-TR diagnostic criteria for Pathological Gambling are:
A. Persistent and recurrent maladaptive gambling behavior as indicated by five (or more) of the following:
- is preoccupied with gambling (e.g., preoccupied with reliving past gambling experiences, handicapping or planning the next venture, or thinking of ways to get money with which to gamble);
- needs to gamble with increasing amounts of money in order to achieve the desired excitement;
- has repeated unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back, or stop gambling;
- is restless or irritable when attempting to cut down or stop gambling;
- gambles as a way of escaping from problems or of relieving a dysphoric mood (e.g., feelings of helplessness, guilt, anxiety, depression);
- after losing money gambling, often returns another day in order to get even ("chasing" one's losses);
- lies to family members, therapist, or others to conceal the extent of involvement with gambling;
- has committed illegal acts, such as forgery, fraud, theft, or embezzlement, in order to finance gambling;
- has jeopardized or lost a significant relationship, job, or educational or career opportunity because of gambling;
- relies on others to provide money to relieve a desperate financial situation caused by gambling
B. The gambling behaviour is not better accounted for by a Manic Episode.
Associated features may include:
Distortions in thinking (e.g., denial, superstitions, overconfidence, or a sense of power and control) may be present in individuals with Pathological Gambling. Many individuals with Pathological Gambling believe that money is both the cause of and the solution to all their problems. Individuals with Pathological Gambling are frequently highly competitive, energetic, restless, and easily bored. They may be overly concerned with the approval of others and may be generous to the point of extravagance. When not gambling, they may be workaholics or “binge” workers who wait until they are up against deadlines before really working hard. Most of the above associated features are also present in patients with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Please get help
If you feel you may fit within the description and criteria mentioned above, please don’t hesitate to ask for help. There always are people who love you or really care for your wellbeing who are willing to assist you in combating your addiction.
Friday, October 19, 2007
Why online casinos and online poker rooms can be hazardous (part 2)
The online poker room Absolute Poker is under serious investigation after being accused of cheating. It seems that during an online tournament players were amazed at the absolute luck of one of their competitors.
A certain player seemed to constantly know what the opponents’ hole cards were. Hole cards are cards which are dealt to the player face down so that no other player can see them. The suspicious players provided examples of these hands, which were so blatantly obvious that virtually all serious poker players were convinced that cheating must have occurred.
The amazement grew when the runner-up requested a hand history from Absolute Poker. A hand history is information about who had which the cards at a given table. What he ‘accidentally’ received, however, was an Excel file that included the complete hand history for every table and every card in the tournament. Plus the IP’s and e-mail-addresses of people observing the game.
You could argue that that Absolute Poker itself was now serious out of luck because the Excel file seemed to indicate that an observer of this game was non other than the part-owner of Absolute Poker. It also shows how the cheating would have transpired: an insider at Absolute Poker’s site (the co-owner) had real-time access to all of the hole cards and was relaying this information to an outside accomplice (the winner of the tournament) thus ensuring that the prize money wasn’t going to an outsider.
Absolute Poker is now under scrutiny and being audited by an Indian gaming commission in Canada. "We have appointed experts to conduct a thorough audit of all circumstances, provide findings and recommendations to the Commission," said David Montour, chairman of the Kahnawake Gaming Commission. As a license holder of the commission, the online poker site is obliged to adhere to the commission’s rules and rulings.
Excellent idea these independent experts. Which organisation have they asked to do this audit? The FBI? Nope. The Serious Fraud Office? Nope. No, the Kahnawake Gaming Commission has hired the auditing firm Gaming Associates to investigate Absolute Poker.
Maybe Gaming Associates is truly independent and have employed some very good auditors but this cheating, if true, could seriously damage the entire online gaming industry. The outcome of this in-depth investigation should be without any doubt whatsoever and the guilty should be harshly punished. So, why didn’t they use the services of a renowned auditing firm?
The Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake is an Indian reserve that offers licenses to Internet-based online poker rooms, online casinos, and online sportsbook sites and is a substantial player in that business. This business is all about trust and Absolute Poker has now been shown to be untrustworthy. Therefore it’s still all about money. Your money.
A certain player seemed to constantly know what the opponents’ hole cards were. Hole cards are cards which are dealt to the player face down so that no other player can see them. The suspicious players provided examples of these hands, which were so blatantly obvious that virtually all serious poker players were convinced that cheating must have occurred.
The amazement grew when the runner-up requested a hand history from Absolute Poker. A hand history is information about who had which the cards at a given table. What he ‘accidentally’ received, however, was an Excel file that included the complete hand history for every table and every card in the tournament. Plus the IP’s and e-mail-addresses of people observing the game.
You could argue that that Absolute Poker itself was now serious out of luck because the Excel file seemed to indicate that an observer of this game was non other than the part-owner of Absolute Poker. It also shows how the cheating would have transpired: an insider at Absolute Poker’s site (the co-owner) had real-time access to all of the hole cards and was relaying this information to an outside accomplice (the winner of the tournament) thus ensuring that the prize money wasn’t going to an outsider.
Absolute Poker is now under scrutiny and being audited by an Indian gaming commission in Canada. "We have appointed experts to conduct a thorough audit of all circumstances, provide findings and recommendations to the Commission," said David Montour, chairman of the Kahnawake Gaming Commission. As a license holder of the commission, the online poker site is obliged to adhere to the commission’s rules and rulings.
Excellent idea these independent experts. Which organisation have they asked to do this audit? The FBI? Nope. The Serious Fraud Office? Nope. No, the Kahnawake Gaming Commission has hired the auditing firm Gaming Associates to investigate Absolute Poker.
Maybe Gaming Associates is truly independent and have employed some very good auditors but this cheating, if true, could seriously damage the entire online gaming industry. The outcome of this in-depth investigation should be without any doubt whatsoever and the guilty should be harshly punished. So, why didn’t they use the services of a renowned auditing firm?
The Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake is an Indian reserve that offers licenses to Internet-based online poker rooms, online casinos, and online sportsbook sites and is a substantial player in that business. This business is all about trust and Absolute Poker has now been shown to be untrustworthy. Therefore it’s still all about money. Your money.
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Why online casinos and online poker rooms can be hazardous (part 1)
Gambling is about taking risks. You play a game and you play against the odds. You win some and you lose some. It’s all in the game, you claim. It doesn’t really matter because it’s in the human nature to take risks. Sometimes, if you lack certain stimuli in your daily life, life can get pretty boring. Some will turn to drinking, some will turn to drugs. Others will start to gamble. And why not? You just want to have a good time and forget those little petty worries that constantly seem to plague you in your everyday live.
Gambling is all about taking calculated risks and it is about trust. Because you have to trust your adversary enough to think that the odds of the game are evenly distributed. If you lose, it must just be the result of a temporary stroke of bad luck. Better luck next time.
But what if the company behind the games isn’t as trustworthy as it should be? Would you know and would you want to know? And even more important: how would you know?
Suppose you like to visit some online casino or online poker room. Is it reputable? Is it honest? Does the fact that it is based or registered in a far away Middle American country like Belize worry you at all? Maybe it should…
Because why in heavens name would you even consider setting up a company as a shell or letterbox company established in an offshore jurisdiction if you have nothing to hide or nothing to fear. Why in Belize or Cyprus or, say, Mongolia?
And, to be able to play, you always have to download a little program. Which is, of course, very understandable. How would they otherwise know who is playing and when. Or where to transfer your money (to you if you win or from you if you lose). But how do you know that you only have downloaded the required software? Are you really certain that your computer isn’t being infected with some sort of unwanted spyware cookie, spyware or adware? Or, worse, a Trojan…
You like to take risks but there is far more to loose than just some money. Your privacy is the very first item to fall victim to these rogue online casinos and online poker rooms. That’s not good at all but even more worrying is that you could, theoretically, have downloaded software that could compromise your financial security because some programs could easily gain access to your precious bank account and transfer al the money to the aforementioned country.
This is not about taking risks but more about falling victim to criminal acts. In short: it’s not a risk you should be willing to take.
Gambling is all about taking calculated risks and it is about trust. Because you have to trust your adversary enough to think that the odds of the game are evenly distributed. If you lose, it must just be the result of a temporary stroke of bad luck. Better luck next time.
But what if the company behind the games isn’t as trustworthy as it should be? Would you know and would you want to know? And even more important: how would you know?
Suppose you like to visit some online casino or online poker room. Is it reputable? Is it honest? Does the fact that it is based or registered in a far away Middle American country like Belize worry you at all? Maybe it should…
Because why in heavens name would you even consider setting up a company as a shell or letterbox company established in an offshore jurisdiction if you have nothing to hide or nothing to fear. Why in Belize or Cyprus or, say, Mongolia?
And, to be able to play, you always have to download a little program. Which is, of course, very understandable. How would they otherwise know who is playing and when. Or where to transfer your money (to you if you win or from you if you lose). But how do you know that you only have downloaded the required software? Are you really certain that your computer isn’t being infected with some sort of unwanted spyware cookie, spyware or adware? Or, worse, a Trojan…
You like to take risks but there is far more to loose than just some money. Your privacy is the very first item to fall victim to these rogue online casinos and online poker rooms. That’s not good at all but even more worrying is that you could, theoretically, have downloaded software that could compromise your financial security because some programs could easily gain access to your precious bank account and transfer al the money to the aforementioned country.
This is not about taking risks but more about falling victim to criminal acts. In short: it’s not a risk you should be willing to take.
Saturday, May 05, 2007
Why online pharmacies could be bad for your health (part 3)
Right. Here’s a question for you. Suppose you have some unnamed problems in bed and you have visited your doctor because of that. But then your doctor thinks your problem is not a medical problem but ‘merely’ a psychological problem. Yes, you do have Erectile Dysfunction (ED) but no he won’t prescribe you Viagra®. What do you do now?
You’ve just read my two previous columns and now you know that these infamous internet pharmacies can’t be trusted to supply you with the desired sildenafil (Viagra®). You now have a serious problem but you think you’ve got a solution. You decide to buy a ‘dietary supplement’ that has the same effects as the sildenafil (Viagra®) you want.
Dietary supplements aren’t as closely watched and regulated as regular drugs. They’re just vitamins, herbs, micro-nutrients, and more. But it is the ‘and more’ that is the real problem. Some of these ‘dietary supplements’ are in fact illegal drugs that contain potentially harmful undeclared ingredients.
The American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned consumers not to purchase or consume Zimaxx, Libidus, Neophase, Nasutra, Vigor-25, Actra-Rx, or 4EVERON. These products are promoted and sold on web sites as ‘dietary supplements’ for treating erectile dysfunction (ED) and enhancing sexual performance, but these products have not been approved by FDA (nor will they ever be), and there is no guarantee of their safety and effectiveness or of the purity of their ingredients.
FDA advises consumers who have used any of these products to discontinue use and to consult their doctor.
Chemical analysis by the FDA revealed that Zimaxx contains sildenafil, which is the active pharmaceutical ingredient in Viagra®. The other products contain chemical ingredients that are analogues of either sildenafil or a related pharmaceutical ingredient called vardenafil, which is the active ingredient in Levitra®, a prescription drug that, like Viagra®, is approved in the United States to treat ED. There is no mention of any of these ingredients in any of these illegal products’ labelling.
“These products threaten the public health because they contain undeclared chemicals that are similar or identical to the active ingredients used in several FDA-approved prescription drug products. This risk is even more serious because consumers may not know that these ingredients can interact with medications and dangerously lower their blood pressure,” said Dr. Steven Galson, Director of FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.
This deception poses also a threat to consumers because the undeclared ingredients may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs (such as nitroglycerin) and lower blood pressure to dangerous levels. Consumers with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or heart disease often take nitrates. ED is a common problem in men with these conditions, and they may seek products like the ones noted above because these products claim that they are ‘all natural’ or that they do not contain the active ingredients used in FDA-approved ED drugs.
Furthermore because the manufacturing source of the active ingredients in these ‘dietary supplements’ is unknown, there is no assurance that the ingredients are safe, effective or pure.
The lesson that can be learned from this is: never try to circumvent your doctor because he can always be trusted to try to keep you alive…
You’ve just read my two previous columns and now you know that these infamous internet pharmacies can’t be trusted to supply you with the desired sildenafil (Viagra®). You now have a serious problem but you think you’ve got a solution. You decide to buy a ‘dietary supplement’ that has the same effects as the sildenafil (Viagra®) you want.
Dietary supplements aren’t as closely watched and regulated as regular drugs. They’re just vitamins, herbs, micro-nutrients, and more. But it is the ‘and more’ that is the real problem. Some of these ‘dietary supplements’ are in fact illegal drugs that contain potentially harmful undeclared ingredients.
The American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned consumers not to purchase or consume Zimaxx, Libidus, Neophase, Nasutra, Vigor-25, Actra-Rx, or 4EVERON. These products are promoted and sold on web sites as ‘dietary supplements’ for treating erectile dysfunction (ED) and enhancing sexual performance, but these products have not been approved by FDA (nor will they ever be), and there is no guarantee of their safety and effectiveness or of the purity of their ingredients.
FDA advises consumers who have used any of these products to discontinue use and to consult their doctor.
Chemical analysis by the FDA revealed that Zimaxx contains sildenafil, which is the active pharmaceutical ingredient in Viagra®. The other products contain chemical ingredients that are analogues of either sildenafil or a related pharmaceutical ingredient called vardenafil, which is the active ingredient in Levitra®, a prescription drug that, like Viagra®, is approved in the United States to treat ED. There is no mention of any of these ingredients in any of these illegal products’ labelling.
“These products threaten the public health because they contain undeclared chemicals that are similar or identical to the active ingredients used in several FDA-approved prescription drug products. This risk is even more serious because consumers may not know that these ingredients can interact with medications and dangerously lower their blood pressure,” said Dr. Steven Galson, Director of FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.
This deception poses also a threat to consumers because the undeclared ingredients may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs (such as nitroglycerin) and lower blood pressure to dangerous levels. Consumers with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or heart disease often take nitrates. ED is a common problem in men with these conditions, and they may seek products like the ones noted above because these products claim that they are ‘all natural’ or that they do not contain the active ingredients used in FDA-approved ED drugs.
Furthermore because the manufacturing source of the active ingredients in these ‘dietary supplements’ is unknown, there is no assurance that the ingredients are safe, effective or pure.
The lesson that can be learned from this is: never try to circumvent your doctor because he can always be trusted to try to keep you alive…
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Why online pharmacies could be bad for your health (part 2)
The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) is a semi-official organisation that monitors if countries implement agreements made by the United Nations on drug control. They just published their annual report. In it are interesting numbers about abuse but it contains also startling evidence that the writers of this annual report haven’t got a clue what is happening in the real world.
Simply put: they still think that you can send your grandmother to her doctor, claiming she doesn’t sleep to well or that her leg hurts so much. The medication she is prescribed is then ‘diverted’ and can be used by you. Only in the last paragraph of the press release the INCB acknowledges that “the increasing use of internet as a global drug market has further contributed to the spread in the abuse of prescription drugs”.
But it still makes an interesting read. The abuse of prescription drugs has already surpassed abuse of illicit drugs, such as heroin and cocaine, in some parts of the world. For example, in the United States, the abuse of prescription drugs, including pain killers, stimulants, sedatives and tranquilizers, has gone beyond the abuse levels of practically all illicit drugs, with the exception of cannabis. The abuse rate is higher than that of drugs as extacy, cocaine, methamphetamine and heroine. The number of Americans who abuse controlled proscription drugs nearly doubled from 7.8 million to 15.1 million from 1992 to 2003. Abuse of Oxycodone (OxyContin®), a painkiller, increased by almost 40%, to an annual prevalence of 5.5% among students in their final year of secondary school from 2002 to 2005. Hydrocodone (Vicodin®) is also widely abused, with a prevalence of 7.4% among college students in 2005.
The demand for these drugs is so high, that it has given rise to a new problem – that of counterfeit products. Strong demand on the illicit markets of Scandinavia for flunitrazepam (Rohypnol®), a sedative, is increasingly met by illicitly manufactured counterfeit preparations. The demand of the illicit market in North America for OxyContin® has lead to distribution of counterfeit products containing illicitly manufactured fentanyl.
An equally serious consequence is that abuse of prescription drugs can have lethal effects. An increasing number of deaths related to abuse of narcotic drugs, including fentanyl and oxycodone have been recorded in North America and Europe.
Aggravating the risk is the tendency of drug abusers to create their own recipies – for instance they remove, with the help of instructions freely available on the internet, the active substances from high dosage formulations and separate drugs from inactive ingredients, making them even more potent.
It makes one wonder why some governments are waging a war on drugs when they stubbornly forget to look in the obvious direction. Want an answer? It’s all about politics and it’s all about money. It’s politics because politicians never were interested in drugs and drug abuse in the first place. They are in politics for the voters and personal power. If voters want a war on drugs, they will get one. But they direct the war in a direction that will not hurt the companies (read: sponsors) that create these equally potent drugs.
Because the Vicodin®, abused by Dr. House (‘he solves mysteries where the villain is a medical malady and the hero is a irreverent, controversial doctor who trusts no one, least of all his patients’), you order via an online pharmacy is exactly the same product from exactly the same company as the Vicodin you get from your doctor.
Or isn’t it?
Simply put: they still think that you can send your grandmother to her doctor, claiming she doesn’t sleep to well or that her leg hurts so much. The medication she is prescribed is then ‘diverted’ and can be used by you. Only in the last paragraph of the press release the INCB acknowledges that “the increasing use of internet as a global drug market has further contributed to the spread in the abuse of prescription drugs”.
But it still makes an interesting read. The abuse of prescription drugs has already surpassed abuse of illicit drugs, such as heroin and cocaine, in some parts of the world. For example, in the United States, the abuse of prescription drugs, including pain killers, stimulants, sedatives and tranquilizers, has gone beyond the abuse levels of practically all illicit drugs, with the exception of cannabis. The abuse rate is higher than that of drugs as extacy, cocaine, methamphetamine and heroine. The number of Americans who abuse controlled proscription drugs nearly doubled from 7.8 million to 15.1 million from 1992 to 2003. Abuse of Oxycodone (OxyContin®), a painkiller, increased by almost 40%, to an annual prevalence of 5.5% among students in their final year of secondary school from 2002 to 2005. Hydrocodone (Vicodin®) is also widely abused, with a prevalence of 7.4% among college students in 2005.
The demand for these drugs is so high, that it has given rise to a new problem – that of counterfeit products. Strong demand on the illicit markets of Scandinavia for flunitrazepam (Rohypnol®), a sedative, is increasingly met by illicitly manufactured counterfeit preparations. The demand of the illicit market in North America for OxyContin® has lead to distribution of counterfeit products containing illicitly manufactured fentanyl.
An equally serious consequence is that abuse of prescription drugs can have lethal effects. An increasing number of deaths related to abuse of narcotic drugs, including fentanyl and oxycodone have been recorded in North America and Europe.
Aggravating the risk is the tendency of drug abusers to create their own recipies – for instance they remove, with the help of instructions freely available on the internet, the active substances from high dosage formulations and separate drugs from inactive ingredients, making them even more potent.
It makes one wonder why some governments are waging a war on drugs when they stubbornly forget to look in the obvious direction. Want an answer? It’s all about politics and it’s all about money. It’s politics because politicians never were interested in drugs and drug abuse in the first place. They are in politics for the voters and personal power. If voters want a war on drugs, they will get one. But they direct the war in a direction that will not hurt the companies (read: sponsors) that create these equally potent drugs.
Because the Vicodin®, abused by Dr. House (‘he solves mysteries where the villain is a medical malady and the hero is a irreverent, controversial doctor who trusts no one, least of all his patients’), you order via an online pharmacy is exactly the same product from exactly the same company as the Vicodin you get from your doctor.
Or isn’t it?
Friday, April 13, 2007
Why online pharmacies could be bad for your health
These days we are constantly bombarded by countless spam messages and a great deal of these unwanted messages contain offers for all kinds of medication that can be bought on countless online pharmacies. Normally it’s just irritating but it gets ever more irritating because it has just been reported that almost 90% of all e-mail is completely useless spam. And more and more of it is trying to sell you medicines, like Viagra.
I always wonder what sort of people would order any kind of medication in such questionable stores.
Because you have to diagnose yourself as no doctor will ever knock on your door to check if you are really physically or psychologically ill, what illness you could possibly have, and which medication is best to treat your symptoms. No, in these online pharmacies you are your own doctor and you prescribe your own medicines.
The right medicine for the right illness makes you better. At least, that’s the current medical theory. The wrong medicine, in contrast, could make your existing and possibly illusionary illness worse or create a new one to accompany the one you already have. It could even kill you.
So, what sort of customers do these companies cater to? Out of pure greed they cater to desperate people.
People, for instance, who are feeling so depressed that they want to step out of this life and use online pharmacies to get their medication to accomplish that goal. They just order a huge amount of sedatives, no questions asked, swallow them all at once, and they just fade away from this life into the next. And, more often than not, leaving their grieving family and friend behind with lots of unanswered questions and doubts.
Another problem arises when you are already using some sort of medication that has been prescribed by your regular doctor, that you believe that they work insufficiently in your particular case, and you’ll decide to order some new ones on the internet.
Recently we had some tragic examples of this behaviour when model and actress Anna Nicole Smith (and shortly before that her own son) was reported to have died as a result of taking a mix of medications, that interacted with each other and so sedated her vital organs, like respiration, that her death was the unwanted outcome.
And these companies often sell their products to people who are addicted to drugs but who are living in countries where the police and the justice system are treating users harshly. People who are afraid of getting caught by the police sometimes turn, in some desperation, to these online pharmacies and order medications that have the same effect as the drugs they were addicted to. And they are always safe because the orders are delivered on their doorstep by their trusted mailman. Until death catches them here too.
In the end you are also at serious risk to be conned out of your money. Some of these online pharmacies will not hesitate to deliver worthless and useless pills. You think your sex life will improved markedly with a little blue Viagra pill but imagine the deception when it turns out that you have swallowed a simple placebo.
Most of these shady companies have their origins in far away countries like India or China. And who knows what they put into their pills.
Would you ever trust them?
I always wonder what sort of people would order any kind of medication in such questionable stores.
Because you have to diagnose yourself as no doctor will ever knock on your door to check if you are really physically or psychologically ill, what illness you could possibly have, and which medication is best to treat your symptoms. No, in these online pharmacies you are your own doctor and you prescribe your own medicines.
The right medicine for the right illness makes you better. At least, that’s the current medical theory. The wrong medicine, in contrast, could make your existing and possibly illusionary illness worse or create a new one to accompany the one you already have. It could even kill you.
So, what sort of customers do these companies cater to? Out of pure greed they cater to desperate people.
People, for instance, who are feeling so depressed that they want to step out of this life and use online pharmacies to get their medication to accomplish that goal. They just order a huge amount of sedatives, no questions asked, swallow them all at once, and they just fade away from this life into the next. And, more often than not, leaving their grieving family and friend behind with lots of unanswered questions and doubts.
Another problem arises when you are already using some sort of medication that has been prescribed by your regular doctor, that you believe that they work insufficiently in your particular case, and you’ll decide to order some new ones on the internet.
Recently we had some tragic examples of this behaviour when model and actress Anna Nicole Smith (and shortly before that her own son) was reported to have died as a result of taking a mix of medications, that interacted with each other and so sedated her vital organs, like respiration, that her death was the unwanted outcome.
And these companies often sell their products to people who are addicted to drugs but who are living in countries where the police and the justice system are treating users harshly. People who are afraid of getting caught by the police sometimes turn, in some desperation, to these online pharmacies and order medications that have the same effect as the drugs they were addicted to. And they are always safe because the orders are delivered on their doorstep by their trusted mailman. Until death catches them here too.
In the end you are also at serious risk to be conned out of your money. Some of these online pharmacies will not hesitate to deliver worthless and useless pills. You think your sex life will improved markedly with a little blue Viagra pill but imagine the deception when it turns out that you have swallowed a simple placebo.
Most of these shady companies have their origins in far away countries like India or China. And who knows what they put into their pills.
Would you ever trust them?
Friday, March 16, 2007
Pharmacy Express Spam
Do you ever or do you never accidentally open a mail from the infamous Pharmacy Express group? Well, from now on the answer should be a definite ‘Never’. It used to be just irritating spam but now it gets even worse…
FortiGuard reports that:
Malicious Code Appears on Blogger.com
Blogger.com (owned by Google) is one of the most visited blog sites. Due to its popularity, hackers have started to embed malicious scripts on some blogs. These scripts have shown up on hundreds of Blogger.com sites. In some cases, a variant of the Stration mass mailer is responsible for directing traffic to the Blogger.com sites.
Pharmacy Express
One script redirects the user to a “storefront” for Pharmacy Express. The Pharmacy Express site is a phishing site, which is designed to coax personal details and financial information from visitors.
Another script downloads a 1x1 pixel image to track the browser information, such as, IP address, browser type and version, etc. While the Pharmacy Express site is hosted in China, the 1x1 pixel image is hosted on a site registered in the United States.
The Pharmacy Express phishers have been very aggressive in distributing the Pharmacy Express URL via mass mailers (eg. the Stration worm). The spam message appears to link back to Blogspot.com. A blogger recognizing the domain may be more tempted to visit the link.
Read the complete article here.
FortiGuard reports that:
Malicious Code Appears on Blogger.com
Blogger.com (owned by Google) is one of the most visited blog sites. Due to its popularity, hackers have started to embed malicious scripts on some blogs. These scripts have shown up on hundreds of Blogger.com sites. In some cases, a variant of the Stration mass mailer is responsible for directing traffic to the Blogger.com sites.
Pharmacy Express
One script redirects the user to a “storefront” for Pharmacy Express. The Pharmacy Express site is a phishing site, which is designed to coax personal details and financial information from visitors.
Another script downloads a 1x1 pixel image to track the browser information, such as, IP address, browser type and version, etc. While the Pharmacy Express site is hosted in China, the 1x1 pixel image is hosted on a site registered in the United States.
The Pharmacy Express phishers have been very aggressive in distributing the Pharmacy Express URL via mass mailers (eg. the Stration worm). The spam message appears to link back to Blogspot.com. A blogger recognizing the domain may be more tempted to visit the link.
Read the complete article here.
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Tip 2: How to enhance text readablility on your laptop
You can seriously enhance the appearance of the text displayed on your laptop screen by turning on a feature called ClearType.
Cleartype is a new feature introduced in Windows XP that uses a technique known as “sub-pixel font rendering” to “round up” the text displayed.
While the “cleartyped” text may be a little too blurry on normal CRT monitors, it becomes more readable and pleasing to the eye on laptop monitors.
Cleartype is enabled by right-clicking on your desktop > select 'Properties' > select the 'Appearance' tab > click on 'Effects' > enable 'use the following method to smooth edges of screen fonts' > choose 'Cleartype'.
The difference between 'Standard' and 'Cleartype' is that the standard setting smooths only big-sized text, thus making it more suitable to CRT displays.
Cleartype is a new feature introduced in Windows XP that uses a technique known as “sub-pixel font rendering” to “round up” the text displayed.
While the “cleartyped” text may be a little too blurry on normal CRT monitors, it becomes more readable and pleasing to the eye on laptop monitors.
Cleartype is enabled by right-clicking on your desktop > select 'Properties' > select the 'Appearance' tab > click on 'Effects' > enable 'use the following method to smooth edges of screen fonts' > choose 'Cleartype'.
The difference between 'Standard' and 'Cleartype' is that the standard setting smooths only big-sized text, thus making it more suitable to CRT displays.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Windows Media Player phones home
Windows Media Player 10 and 11 have developed a nasty tendency to behave like spyware: they report back to their master and do so to a multitude of sites.
To counter these problems you could simply try to block these sites by putting them in your HOST-file. But alas, this method doesn’t work because Microsoft has decided to implement a strategy to bypass the HOST file in certain instances. And you can’t simply turn the update function in Windows Media Player (aka WMP) off because you only have the choice between updating every day or week or month.
The result is that you cannot prevent your WMP from contacting Microsoft’s sites. The only thing left to you if you really want to prevent your WMP to contact Microsoft is to install a firewall and block/disallow WMP phoning home.
On the other hand: do you really care? It only checks for updates and bypassing the HOST-file is done for security reasons in order to prevent malware from wrecking Windows Update.
In the end it depends on your mindset: do you think that Microsoft spies on you or do you think Microsoft helps you to keep your system safe.
To counter these problems you could simply try to block these sites by putting them in your HOST-file. But alas, this method doesn’t work because Microsoft has decided to implement a strategy to bypass the HOST file in certain instances. And you can’t simply turn the update function in Windows Media Player (aka WMP) off because you only have the choice between updating every day or week or month.
The result is that you cannot prevent your WMP from contacting Microsoft’s sites. The only thing left to you if you really want to prevent your WMP to contact Microsoft is to install a firewall and block/disallow WMP phoning home.
On the other hand: do you really care? It only checks for updates and bypassing the HOST-file is done for security reasons in order to prevent malware from wrecking Windows Update.
In the end it depends on your mindset: do you think that Microsoft spies on you or do you think Microsoft helps you to keep your system safe.
Monday, October 02, 2006
The trouble with anti-virus and anti-spyware programs
We, the professionals, know how not to get infected with the odd virus, worm, trojan or really bad spyware. It’s really easy: never open an e-mail from someone you don’t know, never download anything from an untrusted site, and always assume that nothing under the sun is free. You always pay with your privacy.
Our computer almost never gets infected and there are some of us who get by quite perfectly without any protection of an anti-virus or spyware program. We rely on common sense and that should be more than enough.
But not all computer users are intelligent users. They surf the deep dark regions of the internet in search of cracks, hacks, sex, and more the rest of us would only touch with a ten foot pole. No wonder they catch something. Go camping unprotected into the deep jungles of Africa and you’re certain to come home with a nasty infection.
The problem is that every time an anti-virus or anti-spyware program publishes a new updated version it tends to grow with all sorts of new features. You are able tweak your system, adjust all sorts of settings, mess with your registry, and more.
The paradox is therefore: the less you know, the more likely you are of getting infected and the more you should know about your computer to remedy the problem. Creators of anti-spyware and anti-virus programs do not seem aware of this problem because if they were they would make simple and easy to use programs.
A good anti-virus and anti-spyware program should do no more than: block, detect and remove. All the rest of the settings should be preset and a user shouldn’t be able to do more damage to his computer than the malware would do in the first place.
Our computer almost never gets infected and there are some of us who get by quite perfectly without any protection of an anti-virus or spyware program. We rely on common sense and that should be more than enough.
But not all computer users are intelligent users. They surf the deep dark regions of the internet in search of cracks, hacks, sex, and more the rest of us would only touch with a ten foot pole. No wonder they catch something. Go camping unprotected into the deep jungles of Africa and you’re certain to come home with a nasty infection.
The problem is that every time an anti-virus or anti-spyware program publishes a new updated version it tends to grow with all sorts of new features. You are able tweak your system, adjust all sorts of settings, mess with your registry, and more.
The paradox is therefore: the less you know, the more likely you are of getting infected and the more you should know about your computer to remedy the problem. Creators of anti-spyware and anti-virus programs do not seem aware of this problem because if they were they would make simple and easy to use programs.
A good anti-virus and anti-spyware program should do no more than: block, detect and remove. All the rest of the settings should be preset and a user shouldn’t be able to do more damage to his computer than the malware would do in the first place.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Tip1: How to set the Google Popup Blocker counter to zero
The Google Toolbar has a useful Popup Blocker but, unlike its counterpart in the MSN Toolbar, it hasn’t a nifty little feature to set the counter back to zero.
Okay, it doesn’t save the blocked popups on your system, so it’s not really necessary to clear the popup counter. But it counts and never stops. It is not strictly something that invades your privacy or clutters your system with a useless file but some computer users would surely like to see the counter set to zero from time to time.
All you have to remember is a couple of keys to do so manually: hold the Alt and Shift keys together and then click on the Popup Blocker button.
Okay, it doesn’t save the blocked popups on your system, so it’s not really necessary to clear the popup counter. But it counts and never stops. It is not strictly something that invades your privacy or clutters your system with a useless file but some computer users would surely like to see the counter set to zero from time to time.
All you have to remember is a couple of keys to do so manually: hold the Alt and Shift keys together and then click on the Popup Blocker button.
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