Cruising at speeds in excess of R17
Posts tagged Computing
SANS Instructor Jason Fossen and SEC 505
Mar 29th
Here is a short introduction to the SANS Security 505 course I took last month in Orlando, Florida:
Security 505: Securing Windows on YouTube
Jason Fossen was an excellent instructor. He knows his stuff. I also attended some of the SANS@Night talks, my favorite of which was Ed Skoudis’ “So, You Wanna Be a Cyber Warrior, Huh?” (You can follow Ed on Twitter @edskoudis)
It was a great course. I had a great time and I look forward to attending more SANS classes in the future. I should be posting some pics soon.
For more info on SANS, visit http://www.sans.org
Is Apple starting to lose its ‘cool’?
Mar 3rd
I just don’t know about this one. Well, actually I do know about it, and I think Apple has gone off the deep end.
If you are unaware of what’s going on, here’s a quick recap:
Apple has decided to attempt to enforce patents that have allegedly been infringed upon by competitor HTC. A little more in depth background available here:
Apple sues HTC over iPhone patents (cnet)
Unfortunately, what’s really going on here is that Apple is just trying to obliterate the competition by suing them out of the smartphone business. Apple has always been an innovative company. More accurately, Apple has been a company that knows how to perfect a maturing technology. They take a few disparate technologies (cell phone, MP3 player, GPS, e-mail, mobile web browser, etc.), throw them in one sleek box (iPhone), seal it tightly so that no one can jeopardize their OOBE, and charge a huge amount of money for the whole experience. But the upshot of all this is that Apple moves the consumer market forward, They make everyone else play catch-up.
And others are starting to catch up. Windows Mobile should have had this market wrapped up several years ago. They’ve been pushing smartphones for years but have always been just short of mass appeal. In fact, my last two phones were both Windows Mobile based phones, one of which was the HTC S620. Again, as a perfect example, the “HTC S620″ did a lot of things quite well, but “HTC S620″ just doesn’t sound nearly as sexy as the “iPhone.” No fun = no sales.
Anyway, one article (and there are several) that shares my opinion of the lawsuits is available here:
Why Apple’s Really Suing HTC (PC World)
One nice way to try and get a grasp of how Steve Jobs’ mind works is to listen to what he has said over the years. After listening to this quote from an old YouTube video, it sounds as if Steve has had expertise in this area before, but maybe on the other side of the fence:
Google ‘Chromium’ Video
Nov 20th
Looks like Microsoft may be facing some actual competition. If Google can make an OS based on Linux that Grandma can use, well, we might have a game changer.
If everything takes place in the browser… think of what’s possible… go ahead. I’ll wait.
But then, think of what’s not possible. I’ll wait for that too, If you like. I can see Chrome OS filling a little bit of a void, but it’s not going to get rid of your desktop PC anytime soon. With no local storage, and no local apps, specialty applications like video and audio editing won’t be going anywhere else, anytime soon.
What I do like about Chrome OS is that it could possibly give users the look and feel of a Linux-based system. And I think that’s good for everyone. Except Microsoft.
You know they had to cringe when they heard the line “Well, maybe we don’t need this anymore.”
Windows 7 is here.
Oct 22nd
I have been toying with it for a couple of months and have to say it is an improvement over Vista, but I also have to agree with most of the media in saying that I don’t think I would recommend that the average user run out and buy the upgrade version of Windows 7 to install on their existing home PC’s. I would wait and get it with a new PC. Most of the time an OS upgrade is more of a hassle than it is helpful. The only way I would recommend getting a Windows 7 upgrade now is if you were planning on reloading your computer completely in a fresh start kind of way.
Upgrades tend to take forever, and rarely do they improve the performance of the PC. So unless you plan on formatting the hard drive and starting over, I’d wait just a bit.
Looking forward to Zune HD… and more!
Aug 7th
This was a funny little video for a Friday:
I wish Microsoft would be a little less secretive about the upcoming Zune HD. I’d like to know if it’s going to have enough storage to effectively replace my Zune 80. I’d also like to know if I need to prepare to take out a second mortgage to be able to afford the device.
Sometimes this is true…
Jul 2nd
Okay, I know this is old… but I saw this video again a few weeks back with a room full of nerds. Classic SNL skit.
A couple of things to add:
1. I work with this guy. Honestly. It’s not me, at least I don’t think I act that way…
2. The best line of the whole skit happens at 02:50… good nerd humor!
A little taste of Central Florida
Jun 8th
I just got back Saturday from a week of classes in Orlando, Florida. I had a nice time down there, but with all the theme parks and all the family “stuff” there is to do, it was hard to be there without the rest of the family.
To start off with… It’s really funny looking at all the excited families queuing up at the Pittsburgh airport. The kids are hyped up! The parents are smiling! They can’t wait for the enormously “yuge” (thanks, Donald!) amount of entertainment that awaits them over the next several days! Yay! 
Then… contrast that with what you see getting off the plane right now: Those returning from their trip to Walt Disney World… Tired. Sunburned. Carrying large, over-stuffed bags of obligatory souvenirs… Ugh. “I can’t believe there were that many people there. I mean 60 minutes just to ride ‘it’s a small world?’ I mean come on! And the prices! Geesh!” I think these people are glad to be home. It’s either that, or Jim Gaffigan just entered my brain.
But that doesn’t stop people from going. Not Jim Gaffigan. I mean the experience. The experience doesn’t stop anyone from going. And of course after a few weeks of reflection they’ll realize what a wonderful time they all had. And they’ll just have to do it again next year. But that first moment when they step off the airplane coming home—that’s priceless!
But let’s rewind back to day one. You know, when you have all that energy? I was actually able to arrive in Central Florida early enough on Sunday to try to squeeze something in. I went to Universal Studios shortly after we (my coworker and I) got checked in to the hotel.
I was able to ride the long-awaited “Simpson’s Ride” (Krustyland) at USF. And, with my apologies to Universal for my opinion in a previous posting, the ride was actually very good. I still miss BTTF: The Ride, and was happy to see that the DeLorean and the Jules Verne Train featured in the movie still have a home at USF.
But I have to admit that The Simpsons Ride was entertaining, so much so that I rode it twice.
It wasn’t terribly packed that day. I don’t know if it was the threat of weather, or maybe Sunday is just the chosen travel day, but it was relatively calm that day. Maybe 10-15 minutes wait time for most rides, and 40 minutes for the Simpsons. That’s pretty light.
And that brings me to a couple of things about Central Florida in general. One: The weather is usually quite predictable, with one major downpour rain shower occurring almost every day. And, two, I don’t mind driving down there, even though I don’t know exactly where I’m going, because everybody else seems to not know exactly where they’re going either. And that makes my driving normal by comparison. See? It’s all relative…
Just a couple of other things to note about this trip… My colleague and I ate at the Hard Rock Cafe on Wednesday night. I didn’t realize this at the time, but that particular HRC is the biggest one in the world. Good food, loud music. Busy place.
And on Friday night I went for a stroll at Downtown Disney. And I ate a hot-fudge sundae from the second-most Magical Place on Earth, the Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop, while watching a couple of elderly ladies from Fort Myers, Florida get down to Beyoncè’s Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)—definitely one of the funniest things I’d seen in a while. You have to just get the visual on that.
And then, Saturday, it was time to come home. But to be honest, even as much as I enjoy Orlando, I was ready. Sitting at the airport, getting ready to board the plane for the trip home, I got to hear one of the funniest things I’ve heard in a while. I happened to sit next to the pilot and the rest of the crew in the waiting area. As they were discussing why the pilot of the plane currently at the gate had not pushed back yet, our pilot decided he needed some answers of his own. In ending his conversation with the rest of his crew he said, “Well, I’m going to go find out where our plane is.” Now, how can the pilot not know where his plane is? Did he forget where he parked it? Maybe the valet service delivered it to the wrong gate. I don’t know.
Now I don’t feel so bad about forgetting where I parked my car after leaving it for a week at Pittsburgh airport…
New WV area code and Windows dial-up
Mar 3rd
Now that West Virginia is getting the new 681 area code, some Internet dial-up users are finding themselves in a pickle… Not only is the new 10-digit dialing a requirement for us, it’s also a requirement for our computers.
As a friend pointed out to me last night, most people around here have set up their computers to dial only the last seven digits of their ISP’s dial-up number. (623-xxxx) Well, effective February 28, all 10 digits must be dialed, including the area code. For a quickie guide to setting this up, look below. (Of course, if you can’t get on the Internet, how are you reading this?)
For Windows XP and Windows Vista, the fix is basically the same. These screenshots are from Vista, but the steps for XP are just the same:
Go to the Windows Control Panel and double-click “Phone and Modem Options”
The “Phone and Modem Options” window appears. (Imagine that!)
If you already have a location titled “My Location” you’re on your way! Not all dial-up software is the same, and some do not use the Windows modem options to configure their dialing. Hopefully, yours will. If you have a “My Location” line like mine above, click on “Edit…” If not, click “New…” (Though I can’t guarantee you that this will work for you. If you don’t have a location to start with, your software probably doesn’t use Windows to configure the modem. Sorry!)
If this is a new location, you’ll have to give it a Location name. “My Location” is just fine. Or, you can make up your own. Once you’ve reached the above screen, click on the “Area Code Rules” tab.
You may have an existing rule for 304. If you do, select it and click “Edit…” If you do not have an existing rule for 304, click “New…” Either way, you will reach this screen:
If the Area Code field is empty, type 304 in there. Here is the key step: Click the box beside “Include the area code.” That should be all there is to resolving this problem! Click OK three times to get out of there!
And, hopefully, you will be back online.
The HP Mini 1000… as Circuit City closes
Jan 25th
We just settled on a netbook for Tina. The HP Mini 1000:
It may be may last purchase from Circuit City.
They had the 1000 for 10% off, so we bit. It’s been quite nice so far. The screen is a little small, but you have to expect that from such a small computer. But it’s just so portable…
It comes with Windows XP and it has a built-in webcam. It doesn’t have a DVD or CD drive, but I could share one from an existing computer if I had to. Or I could get an external drive. It has 2 USB ports, an SD card slot, and Bluetooth and 802.11b/g built in.
I like it. I think it’s a cool little computer. Not the most powerful one on the block, but it doesn’t have to be. It’s mainly used for checking e-mail, MySpace, Facebook, and occasionally playing music. And it does those jobs just fine.
Why It Happens
Jan 16th
Well, Circuit City looks like it’s going to be history soon. I can’t say I’m all that surprised, given that they filed for bankruptcy in November of last year. Being a frequent customer of Circuit City, I must say I am disappointed.
Granted, Circuit City has not always been considered the most customer-friendly store on the planet. I know a few people who boycotted CC on their own for their own personal reasons. But I, personally, had mostly positive dealings with them. I think that lack of customer service ultimately helped lead to their downfall. I think it was probably a combination of factors, certainly including the current economic downturn. I know I haven’t been spending nearly as much on techno gadgets and entertainment as I have in the past. And I think that’s true for most Americans.
Customer Service Trumps All
But I think the biggest lesson to learn from CC’s demise is: Customer Service Trumps All.
I said “mostly” above because I did have one bad experience there. It wasn’t directly with Circuit City, but it was with an Element brand television I bought there. Element brand stuff could only be bought from Circuit City. It was kind of an in-house brand. Basically, the TV died right after the warranty expired. And that was the last TV I bought there. So if they have enough people having bad experiences, eventually their customer base will be gone.
And, as it turns out, price isn’t always all that important. What good is it to pay half as much for a TV if you have to buy twice as many of them?
So as I say, I’m sorry to see Circuit City go. It was a nice place to grab a game or a computer accessory, or sometimes just to have a look at the latest technology. Unfortunately, it looks as if too many people were just browsing.
