July Tech News

7-31-04
Weekend Upgrade
You are eligible for a personal upgrade of your tech knowledge and the only cost to you is your time. Listen to Leo Laporte, The Tech Guy on KFI, from 12-3pm PDT on Saturdays and Sundays and you will increase your tech know-how as Leo answers your questions about all things tech. You can listen live in Southern California at AM 640 or on the internet by visiting Leo’s show notes and clicking on the KFI logo. In the interest of disclosure, I am the recording secretary for Leo’s radio show and I help with the production of the show notes. I learn something every time I listen to Leo and you will too!

Keyboard Shortcuts for iPhoto
Apple’s iPhoto is even easier to use when you learn a few keyboard shortcuts to speed you through your photo experience. To show or hide the title of a picture you can use Shift-Command-T as opposed to accessing the command from View in your toolbar. To view all the keyboard shortcuts visit the Apple iLife site.

IE Update from Microsoft
As we reported yesterday, Microsoft has released a patch for Internet Explorer Service Pack 6 in response to the latest round of hack attacks on the IE browser. Windows users can access the update at the Microsoft Support web site.

Set Google Preferences
Google has a wide range of settings you can change by using the Preferences link adjacent to the search box. If you choose ‘SafeSearch Filtering’ you can provide a significant level of control over what material is viewed while searching. To learn about the various options you can visit Google’s help page.

McAfee FreeScan
PC World has a link for McAfee FreeScan that will determine if your system is infected with a virus. If a virus is detected, FreeScan displays information on the problem and provides links for removal tools. Visit the PC World web site for more information and the link to FreeScan.

Sneak Peak at MSN’s Search Engine
If you want to try MSN’s new search technology, we have the link for you thanks to the Industry Standard. The new search engine is ‘built from the ground up’ and you can take if for a spin at the Tech Preview site of MSN.

Potential Dark Tip
We don’t usually encourage ‘dark tips’, but we found this item and sent it to The Screen Savers’ Kevin Rose to use for his Dark Tip Feature: You can get a free copy of Microsoft’s Digital Image Suite if you sign-up for and attend this Microsoft Connections Event. At the conclusion of the program, you will receive a free copy of Microsoft's Digital Image Suite. Just like the TS 2 seminars and the MS Partner program, you need to be a legit business to get the goods. But they do not check out your ‘business’ that closely.


7-30-04 UPDATE
Microsoft Releases Patch for Internet Explorer
Microsoft has released a patch for Internet Explorer Service Pack 6 in response the latest round of hack attacks on the IE browser. Windows users can access the update at the Microsoft Support web site.7-30-04
Conceal Your E-mail Address From Spammers
Microsoft provides tips methods you can use to keep spammers away from your inbox. Learn how to munge your address so the spammers programs can’t find you, but real people can. The suggestions from Microsoft’s support site can be applied to Multiple Platforms.

VPN Security Fix
CNET reports that Check Point VPN has released an update for the buffer overrun issue disclosed recently. Systems in jeopardy are those with the Aggressive Mode IKE enabled and then only if they are using remote access. Learn more about the link for the patch at CNET.

What is a Buffer Overrun?
An excellent question and here is a good answer from Eddy’s home page:
“In general, a ‘buffer’ is a portion of memory reserved by the computer program in which to hold some data, usually temporarily. The problem comes when the data to be stored in that piece of memory is bigger than the piece of memory - in which case, if the program doesn't notice this, the data fills up the reserved piece of memory and over-writes whatever was written in the next portions of memory along. This is called a buffer over-run. It may damage other data being used by the program, which may lead to the program crashing; in the worst case, it over-writes the program itself, so that the surplus data gets executed in place of the programmer's instructions. This last case is the usual one for security exploits, as the attacker supplies some ‘data’ that are, in fact, instructions for the machine, in machine code”. Good Answer! Good Answer! Eddy’s site hasn’t been updated since last November, but contains some good information.

Secunia Confirms Spoofing Issue for Mozilla Browsers
Secunia issued a warning confirming that Mozilla and Firefox browsers can be spoofed by web site hackers. If this problem were to be exploited, you would basically experience a browser hijacking similar to those that have occurred to Internet Explorer users. As we advised earlier in the week, make sure you access sites for financial transactions directly from a bookmark or search engine and do not follow links from chat rooms! The Mozilla Foundation has already promised a fix although there wasn’t a patch available on Friday at 0800 PDT.

Updates for Gentoo and Mandrake
Secunia issued an update notice for Gentoo Linux 1.x and Mandrake Linux 9.x and they advise users to install these moderately critical updates ASAP.

Can You Hear Me Now?
It is working and we can hear just fine, thank you. Since we quit downloading freeware on our PCs, we have received two clean bills of health, a significant improvement over previous spyware scans. So in our humble opinion, at least part of our spyware problem was trying-out all the great looking applications available as freeware. Does that mean we will never use freeware, absolutely not! We just encourage you to either test it out on Virtual PC first, or wait for a trusted expert to do the same.

Get Security Notices from Microsoft
You can sign-up to be notified of security updates posted by Microsoft by visiting the MS support site. Microsoft will notify your e-mail account with a message that contains a digital signature to insure the bulletins authenticity. Make sure you download the PGP key at the bottom of the page.
 
Visit our other web site: California Fairs Festivals.com
7-29-04
Tool to Publish iTunes
A new application is available from Trance Software that allows iTunes users to export their play lists in several formats. The free software, iTunes Publisher 4.1, is receiving good user reviews and is featured at the Mac OS X web site.

Use iPod as Universal Remote
MacMinute has the link to an article that provides instruction on how to use your iPod as a universal infrared remote control. Several other sources reported on the same issue and most reviews seem to be on the positive side.

Patch Possible for Explorer?
BetaNews is reporting that Microsoft will release a patch for Internet Explorer prior to the normal monthly update. We checked at 0900 PDT and there was no update available, we will keep you posted; until then, keep IE security settings on ‘high’ when you are online.

One Man Wrecking Crew
CNET reports that the German man in custody for writing the Netsky and Sasser viruses could be responsible for 70% of the virus infections contracted so far this year. A security guru from Sophos used the term ‘staggering’ when describing the scope of hack attacks spawned by this one man wrecking crew. It certainly is incredible that a teenager could cause that much collective damage.

Open Source Update Season
Secunia announced that updates are available for Gentoo Linux 1.x, Fedora Core 1 and 2, and Mandrake Linux 9.x/Mandrake Corporate Server 2.x. Visit the Secunia site to learn more about the updates.

Camino Browser for Macs
Apple users have another option available from the Mozilla Foundation, Camino 0.8. This free application is billed as the ‘alternative to Mozilla and Firefox’ for Mac OS X users; Camino 0.8 adds new features for compatibility with Rendezvous, Address Book, and more. We are going to give it a try over the next few weeks and will update you on any bugs we find.

How To Articles for Windows 98
Windows 98 users can find helpful how-to tips at the Windows 98 support site. The site includes sections on using the internet, computer maintenance, and tips on how to have fun.

What Would You Like
If there is an issue you would like us to cover or explore please let us know; you can contact us by visiting our 'Submit Question' page.
Are you interested in directions for building a PC? We are currently building one for a customer, but there seems to be little interest in the subject based upon feedback. Please let us know how we can help you. 7-28-04
Phony .Mac E-mail Message Making the Rounds
A message claiming to be from ‘Mac.com’ is a hoax and you should not open any attachments from this letter. According to a report in MacFixIt, there are two messages: "Dear user of mac.com, We have received reports that your account was used to send a large amount of spam during the last week. Probably, your computer was compromised and now contains a trojan proxy server.
We recommend you to follow our instruction in order to keep your computer safe.
Sincerely yours, The mac.com team." And the second message states: "Your account has been used to send a huge amount of unsolicited commercial email during this week. Obviously, your computer had been infected and now contains a trojaned proxy server.
We recommend that you follow instructions in the attachment in order to keep your computer safe. Best wishes, The pobox.com support team."
Please do not open the attachments and notify your ISP if you receive these letters.

Mandrake Linux Update
Secunia announced updates are available for Mandrake Linux 9.0 (1,2) and Mandrake users should install these fixes ASAP.

AVG Free Update
AVG Free Anti-Virus has an update available for their free version. If you use AVG launch the program, select service and choose update. Then in the new dialogue box, choose update from the internet and you will receive prompts for the rest of the update installation. If you are not using AVG Free, whats-a-matter-u? Go to www.grisoft.com and download the AVG Free version. It is recommended by experts like Leo Laporte, The Tech Guy on KFI.

Great Plug-in for Apple’s Mail
Mac OS X Hints has information on a cool new plug-in for Apple’s Mail that displays the message sender, subject, and some of the letter in a ‘ghosted’ pop-up over the mail icon in your dock. This plug-n received a score of 8 out of 10 from the reviewer at Mac OS X Hints. You can read more about the tool and get the link for Mail.appetizer at Mac OS X Hints web site.

W32.MyDoom.M@mm Receives Category 4 – Severe Threat Level
Symantec issued a category 4 warning for the MyDoom virus and they have a removal tool available at their web site. McAfee also issued an alert and you can visit their website for a system scan to detect the virus and for removal tools.

Microsoft Offers 10 Tips for Better Surfing
Microsoft has ten tips to help Windows users make the most of the web browsing. Surf on over to the Microsoft Support site to learn how to set your browser to open to a page of your choice. Our browsers open to Google’s page, and then we can launch a search as soon as the page loads.

Mac and iPod Expert Chris Breen Tonight
Chris Breen the Mac and iPod expert will discuss the Apple 4G iPod on the Your Mac Life Show tonight. You can find links to the audio feed, chat room, the video stream, and information on the show at the Your Mac Life web site.
 
7-27-04
Free Tune Tuesday
The Apple iTunes Music Store gives away a free tune every Tuesday and the download today is ‘Everything is Everything’ by Phoenix from their debut album Alphabetical. Get your free tune by visiting the Apple iTunes Music Store web site.

Opera Spoofing Too
Opera users are being warned of the possibility of spoofing by Secunia, as were Mozilla and Firefox, Explorer, and seemingly every browser you can switch to. Learn more about the spoofing issue effecting Opera at the Secunia web site.

MyDoom Threat Decreases
The appearance yesterday of a new MyDoom variant hit quickly but apparently is not as dreadful as initially forecast. On Monday, the virus was detected in mass numbers and CNET reported on the story after this column was published. The report from CNET today is that the virus peaked after twelve hours and is not impacting the major search engines, as was the case on Monday.

Microsoft Releases Update for Office 2003
Microsoft has released Service Pack 1 for Office 2003 according to CNET. Users should see improved stability, new tools to increase productivity and changes to Word and Outlook. MS encourages users to download the update and predict few problems with integration.

Free Web E-Mail
PC World reports that BuyDomains.com is offering web-based email with 150 MB of storage space and not only is it free, it is pop-up free. The company will launch SeeqMail on Wednesday and the service includes scanning incoming and outgoing messages for viruses and spam filtering. Read more about this free service at PC World.

Designing Page Styles in OpenOffice
OpenOffice users can find a great how-to article on page style designs from LinuxJournal.com’s Bruce Byfield. Bruce details planning, formatting, and applying a page style and much more in this informative article for Ooo users.

Secunia Issues Alert For Mac OS X
Secunia issued an alert for Mac users regarding a problem with “Internet Connect.app” and a possible exploitation by local users. The solution is to remove “Internet Connect.app” from “systems with un-trusted users if it isn’t needed”. If you and your family are the only users of your Mac, you do not need to take any action at this time. Read more about this issue at the Secunia web site.

Gentoo Linux Alert
Secunia issued update alerts for Gentoo Linux 1.x, and users should visit Secunia to learn more about the updates (1,2).

Free Computer Help
If you need help with a computer problem please visit our submit a question page and let Multipleplatforms.com help you solve those annoying issues.Save 50% At Amazon on Router
This Belkin 4-Port Cable/DSL router is on sale today from Amzon.com for only $29.95! That is 50% off (the ad below does not reflect the discount) and no waiting around for a rebate. We paid $75 for our Belkin 4-Port router less than two years ago. Take advantage of this deal today by clicking on the icon below.

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7-26—04
Mail.app Fix
MacFixIt has a great tip on eliminating the annoying issue of forgotten passwords. The problem usually manifests itself with Apple’s Mail.app and even when you re-enter the password and check “Remember Password”, Mail does not open and it will not remember the password. The fix involves using Keychain repair. Read more about the problem and the solution in the article from MacFixIt.

McAfee’s Top Ten
McAfee has released their version of the top ten threats of the current year according to a report in PC World. The top threat was (is) Download.Ject, no surprise there. Find out which viruses also made the list by visiting PC Worlds’ web site.

Sophos Reports on bin Laden and Schwarzenegger Viruses
Sophos continues to warn computer users not to open the link that purports to contain pictures of the suicide of bin Laden and have issued an additional warning about another file that claims to have a note regarding Arnold Schwarzenegger’s suicide. You can visit our Sophos web page or the Sophos web site for more information.

Gentoo Linux 2004.2 Release
GentooLinux.org announced the release of Gentoo Linux 2004.2 for AMD64, HPPA, SPARC, and X86 architectures. The release includes better LiveCD properties, wireless capabilities, and SATA support. Read more and get the links for the download at GentooLinux.

Spoofing Problem For Mozilla and Firefox
Secunia issued a moderately critical advisory for Windows users with Mozilla 1.7.1, Firefox 0.9.2 browsers, and Linux users with Firefox 0.9.1. Hackers can spoof a web sites address, and make it appear you are at a legitimate web site. There is no update available at this time. Be careful of the method you use to navigate to trusted sites and use our URL verification tip repeated in last week’s column and also located in our how-to-tips page.
 

7-24-04
Do Not Open bin Laden Suicide File
Wired News is reporting that an email message containing a file that claims to have images of Osama bin Laden’ suicide actually contains a Trojan horse. The hacker can take over your PC if the file is opened. The virus does not affect Macs and Linux computers. This virus is a repeat version of a previous Trojan in a new shiny package. Do Not Open This File!

It’s Show Time
Leo Laporte, The Tech Guy on KFI answers your questions on anything with a chip from 12-3pm PDT and you can listen live in LA at AM 640 or on the internet by visiting Leo’s show notes and clicking on the KFI logo. G4/TechTV is finally getting more organized and you can now find all of Leo’s Screen Savers Tips at the G4 web site on one page.

New Search Concept: blinkx
The new player on the block is blinkx and the company promises to ‘change the way you find and access all kinds of information’. The tool uses ideas instead of keywords, and ‘understands your questions and presents you with links as you search’. It is currently available for Windows XP and 2000 only, but Mac OSX and a version for Mozilla are coming soon. According to CNET, the tool ‘scouts’ for information from any open document from the internet and the PC’s files.

Accidentally Deleted Mail
If you accidentally deleted an email on you Mac it is not gone forever, in fact it didn’t go far enough away. You can find a deleted message in your Trash Bin by using the following path: first if your mailbox is hidden, show the mailbox by pressing shift-command-m. Then click on the Trash bin and you will find all the deleted messages arranged just like you see them in your In Box. If you would like to permanently remove them from the Trash file, you can select Mailbox from the Mail toolbar and then choose Erase Deleted Messages. You will then have the option to erase all the messages or just messages by account.

Know About Knoppix
We talk about Knoppix on a regular basis and if you are interested in learning more about using Linux then start by visiting the Knoppix web site. The Knoppix collection is a bootable CD that is easy to use and provides support for most PC boxes. The best part is that no installation is required because Knoppix runs from the CD. Visit the Knoppix web site to learn more about this cool Linux distro.

Visit Our Sister Site
We aren’t just computer geeks and we try to break away from the LCD screen whenever possible. When we go play, fairs and festivals are part of the plan. We couldn’t find a source for all of our favorite fairs and festivals in one spot, so we created one; Californiafairsandfestivals.com is our answer to one stop shopping for fun fairs, great festivals, cool nature events, and more in the Golden State of California. We had no idea that this state has so many fantastic fairs and events until we took on the task, and we are still compiling data on festivals, but the fairs portion is up and available for you. Each fair listing includes the date, hours, addresses, URLs, descriptions of the events, and Mapquest directions. Eventually, we hope to include pictures and related links for each and every fair and festival. Please visit Californiafairsandfestivals.com and let us know what you think about it.

Build Your Own PC
If you have wanted to build your own PC, we are going to help you by providing a detailed step-by-step tutorial on how to build your own box. We have ordered the parts from Amazon in the event that you aren’t located next to a big box computer store. Our first lesson is: shipping takes longer than you expect. The hard drive finally found the way here, but the box looked like the big brown truck might have run it over on it in transit. Starting next week, lesson two: blueprinting the wiring harness.
 

  Free Computer HelpIf you need help with a computer problem please visit our submit a question page and let Multipleplatforms.com help you solve those annoying issues.
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7-23-04
Spinning Your Wheels in Safari
If you use Safari and have experienced a slowdown or worse the spinning wheel rolling to no-where land, MacFixIt has a solution to your problem. You can remove the slowdown by disabling the “Other Forms” box found in AutoFill. First, access Preferences by clicking on “Safari” in the tool bar when the browser is open. Select Preferences and then choose AutoFill and remove the check mark from the Other Forms box. The MacFixIt community confirms the fix. We can confirm it as well, but hope that Apple comes up with a better “fix”. The AutoFill feature saves time when you visit sites like Netflix and Amazon.

Open Source Updates Galore
Secunia issued a number of bulletins related to updates available for Gentoo Linux 1.x users. Visit the Secunia web site for the updates for the three bulletins or go directly to Gentoo Linux (1, 2, 3).
An Update for Debain GNU/Linux 3.0 “Woody” is available and the update should be applied ASAP (1, 2).
Mandrake Soft has released a samba update for Mandrake Multi Network Firewall 8.x and Mandrake Linux 9.x, visit Secunia for the links.
SuSE Linux users also need a samba update and should visit Secunia or SuSE Linux.

Phishers Move to New Pond
Having decided there are bigger fish in the other pond, Phishers have moved into the realm of Instant Messaging in their attempt to exploit unsuspecting victims. Phishing is the term given to the process hackers use to gain access to sensitive information like credit card numbers and other personal information. Security experts revealed Thursday they have discovered the latest hack attack strikes from pop-up advertising messages that appear during an IM session; if a viewer clicks on the ad, they go to a phisher’s web site according to a report in CRN.

Symantec Posts Hefty Profits
We do not carry financial news in this column; it is not the focus of this forum. But this headline is worth noting, CRN is reports that,” Symantec posted a 48 percent year-over-year increase in revenue growth for its fiscal first quarter ending July 2, 2004”. Could it be that news like the phishing item above is greeted by security companies like Christmas in July?

Create Wireless Network
Apple has instructions for creating a wireless distribution system that allows you to connect to multiple base stations from one internet connection. The directions include incorporation of the Apple Express that will allow you to connect your home entertainment center to your computer network. Then you can use AirTunes to stream your iTunes library without having to burn a CD. Visit the Apple web site for more information on wireless networking Apple style.

Updated How-to Tips and Links
We have updated the How-to Tips and Links at Multipleplatforms.com/; we also created a news archives section to help our web site open faster and make your visit more efficient. If you would like to contribute a news item or tip, make a suggestion or comment, please visit our Submit a Question page.

Virtual PC Mac Delayed Again
Microsoft has again postponed the release of Virtual PC for Mac according to CNET. Office 2004 Pro will also be delayed because Virtual PC for Mac is a component of Office Pro.

Great Buy on 15 GB iPod
The 15 GB iPod just became more affordable with the introduction of the fourth generation iPods as Apple tries to clear their inventory to make way for Gen IV. The hot buy today is the Apple’s 15 GB iPod for only $249.99, click on the icon below to learn more or purchase it now from Amazon.
 

7-22-04
Mac Mail Tip
If Apple’s Mail directed an email to your Junk file by accident, clicking on “Not Junk” only trains the filter to not make the mistake again. If you would like to move the email to your In box you can right click on the message and select “Move To” and then send the message to the appropriate In Box. If you still haven’t discovered the joys of a multiple button mouse for Macs, you can highlight the message and select Messages from the tool bar, then choose Move To and place the letter where you prefer.

Apple Advice for Battery Life
A MacSlash contributor spied a new page added to the Apple Support site regarding Lithium-ion batteries. Apple’s advice is directed toward Mac laptops and iPods, but these are standard recommendations for Lithium-ion batteries and can be applied over multiple platforms and devices charged by these batteries. Apple recommends if an iBook will not be in use for more than thirty days the battery should be removed and stored at 50% capacity.

Linux Expert Excerpts
ComputerWorld has an excerpt on the subject of Trojan horse avoidance from Linux pro Mark Sobell’s book, “A Practical Guide to Red Hat Linux: Fedora Core & Red Hat Enterprise Linux”. Mark explains how colon placement is critical to the safety of your system.

No Click Frauds Here
CNET reported on the subject of “click fraud”, the process of artificially boosting web sites traffic figures and incomes by fraudulently clicking on advertisements. These schemes often employed robots or in some cases, low-cost labor to continually click on ads like the Google ads that appear on this page. This practice increased profits for these unethical web sites and it has now earned them a trip to court to answer charges of fraud. No worries here though, mate. We have made many more clicks adding the Google ads to these web pages than readers have clicked on the ads themselves. If you are interested in the products Google is advertising, they are legitimate and you do not have to worry about getting hijacked. If we ever make any money from these advertisements, it will be used to subsidize the costs associated with this website.

Roundup of Live Linux
The Linux Gazette has a great review of the Live Linux CD family; operating systems that are small enough to fit on a single CD. These versions of Linux are the perfect entry point for anyone interested in expanding into multiple platforms. From Knoppix to Damn Small Linux, you will find a description of the offerings and a download URL. Slax got the nod as the authors favorite Little Linux systems.

Twenty Questions
Well not twenty questions, but ten questions are available from Microsoft to test your knowledge on Office Security features. Here is a tip: encrypting scrambles the contents of a file. Visit the Microsoft web site to test your smarts and maybe learn something about strong passwords.

Build Your Own PC
The parts have arrived, shipped from Amazon.com by the big brown truck and we are getting ready to build a PC. We have featured the components to be used in this computer build in the past ten days, with the exception of the hard drive. We are going to offer in-depth explanations complete with pictures and a pre-configured shopping cart to help you build your own PC. Building a PC is easy and can save you money. The tricky part is the operating system and for that you may want to click on the link from the story above. Another possibility for an OS is using Windows 98, a stable platform for the most part and you can often find install disks at garage sales and swap meets. The hot buy from Amazon is the hard drive we are using in this build, a hefty 120 GB monster.

Computer Support Free
We would love to help alleviate your computer annoyances and you can submit a question anonymously by visiting the “submit a question” page and sending us your telling us about your problem. If you would like a personal reply, you will need to include your email address. We will make every effort to answer all questions submitted. Thanks for helping us help you.

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7-21-04
Lance is in Yellow and You Can Be Too
Lance Armstrong is again wearing the Yellow Jersey, but he is always wearing his Livestrong Bracelet and so do we. The funds raised from the sales of Livestrong Bracelets helps researchers in the race to find a cure for cancer. Click on the Yellow Button above and show your support for this inspirational athlete and the good work of his foundation.

SARC Virus Removal Tools
If you are infected by a virus, SARC probably has a free removal tool for you. This site is an excellent source of virus information and removal tools. Leo Laporte, The Tech Guy on KFI recommends a visit to all his callers that have been victims of hack attacks.

Call For Help Needs You
Call For Help, the popular TechTV show that got lost in the shuffle when Comcast purchased The TTV network is back and flying their flag under G4/TechTV-Canada. According to The Laporte Report authored by show host and creator Leo Laporte, they are looking for people with computer questions and they plan on production beginning soon. If you would like to have a question answered on Call For Help, visit the new Call For Help website and follow the directions posted there. Unfortunately, the program is not scheduled to air in the USA at the current time. Hopefully, some smart TV Mogul will realize the error of Comcast’s decision and pickup the show for the US market.

Opera Update for Linux
Secunia announced that Gentoo released an update for Gentoo Linux 1.x computers that use the Opera browser.

Secunia Issues Highly Critical Advisory for Slackware Linux
Secunia issued a Highly Critical advisory for an issue effecting Slackware Linux 8.x, 9.0, & 9.1 and they advise users to apply the update package available from Slackware ASAP.

Find Latest Mac Downloads
If you are looking for the latest in Mac OSX downloads, you can visit the Apple OSX Download site for software releases available as freeware, demos, and shareware. Check URL Tool
Editors Note: This tip was previously published and is being repeated by request.
Here is a great tip from the Windows Client Update newsletter to confirm the url for the site you are viewing:
1. Open your browser and save a web site to favorites (we saved it to the tool bar)
2. Edit the name of the favorite to “check url”
3. Edit the url address and insert this JavaScript:

javascript:alert("Actual URL address: " + location.protocol +
"//" + location.hostname + "/"

Now go to Google.com, and click on the “click url” tab/site you created; you should see a window that displays the correct url. We found that it does not work with all browsers, but it works for Internet Explorer, the browser with the bulls-eye. Free Tech Support
If you need help with a computer problem please visit our submit a question page and let Multipleplatforms.com help you solve those annoying issues.  
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7-20-04
Symantec Issues Bagle Warning
Symantec issued an outbreak notice of W32.Beagle.AG@mm. The
W32.Beagle.AG@mm, is the newest member of the W32.Beagle family of worms. The worm is a mass-mailing worm that allows hackers to open a backdoor to your PC. Symantec has a free removal tool available at their support site. Sophos has added seven new virus alerts in the past two days and you can visit our Sophos Virus page to learn more.

Multiple Platform Password Vault
The MacMegasite reports that Lava Software now has PC-Mac Password Vault v3.2 available for multiple platform users. It functions with Windows, OSX, OS Classic, and Linux x86 computers. The software helps users store and safeguard sensitive information from Trojan horses and other hack attacks. The software is available free from Lava Software.

Apple Has iPod ID Guide
So many Apples have fallen from the tree it’s getting hard to recognize one iPod from the other. Apple’s Support site helps gadget heads deduce which iPod they’ve cast their gaze upon. You can find out if it is the 2001 pioneer or the latest and greatest iPod by visiting the Apple Support site.

Email Security for Macs
MacMerc has an excellent article on email security for Apple users. The author explains how to implement the suggestions for Mail.app and Mozilla’s Thunderbird applications.

Gentoo for et tu Macs
The Gentoo Linux Newsletter has news on the Gentoo MacOS project. They claim that “Gentoo MacOS is ready for consumption by Macintosh users who want, say, scientific DTP via TeX”, according to the article. On-going projects and a lack of Macs will prevent us from trying this, but if you try it, we would love to get your feedback and we will publish it with a by-line if you wish.

Microsoft: Bus Com 101
Microsoft’s web site offers seven suggestions on methods to share information among co-workers. Some of the tips are obvious, but if you have yet to implement network file sharing or Instant Messaging, then you should visit the site to learn more.

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7-19-04
New Generation of iPod Released
Apple announced the new generation of iPods and it includes the Apple Click Wheel first introduced on the iPod mini. The rumors we reported on are correct, the costs have dropped and the memory has increased. Read more about iPod, the next generation, at the Apple iPod/iTunes site.

Secunia Focus: Open Source
Secunia security releases overnight are for the open source crowd and include updates for last week’s bulletins. Updates for the following systems are available: Debain GNU/Linux , Conectiva Linux 8/Linux 9 , SuSE Linux 8.x, SuSE Linux 9.0, SuSE Linux 9.1, SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 8, UnitedLinux 1.x, SuSE Linux Office Server.Apple DVD Knowledge Base Update
Sometimes you just get lucky, and that’s what we have been. We started using DVD-R with our first DVD burner and have never experienced a problem. However, an update to the Apple Knowledge Base today indicates that iDVD requires you to use DVD-R, or risk making some nifty coasters. Read more about the issue at the Apple Knowledge Base site.

Security Expert Offers Advice
Security guru Steve Gibson of grc.com, was the guest on Leo Laporte’s radio show on Sunday. Steve coined the term “spyware” long ago and continues to help computer users fight off hack attacks. Steve recommends that you follow Microsoft’s advice and turn your Internet Explorer security settings to “high”. You still have to use IE for certain operations, for instance updates from Microsoft. To adjust your settings use the following path: Start/Control Panel/Internet Connections/Security. Then choose Internet (the globe icon), and then select custom level. At the bottom of the new dialogue box, choose “high” from the drop down menu and click “OK”. When you use IE, you will add a web site to your trusted sites when you need a feature to work. Yes, it is a hassle; our advice would be, only use IE when you must.

More Advice on Security
Steve also offered Leo’s listeners advice on his favorite protection methods and they include AdAware and Spybot S&D as we have recommended in the past. Spygate Personal Firewall got the nod from Steve over ZoneLab’s product due to the propensity of the latter to pester users with “upgrades”. We concur 100% on the issue of ZoneLab’s morph into a Norton-like business plan.
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7-18-04
Rumor No More
The cover of Newsweek will reveal the Apple King and the new apple of his eye, the redesigned iPod according to a story from MacNN (and just about every other news outlet). The new design utilizes a scroll wheel like the navigation tool for the iPod mini. The article has a catchy phrase, “iPod, therefore I am”. Rumors have the storage capacity increasing and the price decreasing, emphasis on the rumor.

Tips From Microsoft for Spyware Prevention
Microsoft has put together their five tips for denying spyware access to your PC. Find out what MS suggests to avoid subjecting you and your computer to spyware, one of the greatest annoyances in the Windows World today by visiting the Microsoft Support Site.

Linux World Will Spin in San Francisco
The Linux World Conference & Expo will take place in San Francisco from August 3 to August 5, 2004. This will be an open source user’s heaven and you can learn about the details of the event from the Linux World Expo web site.

Google Offers Freebie
Google is giving away free downloads of their recently acquired Picasa software that “allows you to manage your digital collection”, well almost. However, we beggars cannot be choosers. To get the free download, just use your normal method to access Google (we use Google for our home page) and look below the search field, then click on the link. We will stick with our Macs for digital photography.

Mac Says No When You Say Go
If you start up your Mac and get a blue or gray screen, a flashing question mark, a broken folder icon, kernel panic or just nothing at all, do not panic, at least not yet. Assuming you have or can get access to another computer, visit the Apple Support site to find the nine different fixes that might apply to your situation.

Leo’s Working OT
The Tech Guy on KFI, Leo Laporte, will be taking calls for an extra 90 minutes at the conclusion of the show today and that gives you a great opportunity to ask the Tech Expert your question about anything with a chip. Leo is “banking” calls for future broadcasts and your call will be recorded and used later. Leo uses language even non-geeks understand, and delivers his answer in a fun and informative fashion. Listen live on AM 640 in the Los Angeles area or on the internet via the KFI web site.


7-17-04
Digital Photos and XP
Microsoft has redesigned their website and many features are much easier to find including information on using XP with digital cameras. The web site has instructions and tutorials on a range of topics related to digital photography including, how to store and organize photos, how to edit and print your pictures, and how you can share your digital photos.

AirPort Express FAQ
The Mac Observer spotted an update for the Apple FAQ page for the just released AirPort Express. You can learn about issues others have experienced with the Express and maybe save yourself a call to Apple support.

Watch Your Traffic
About.com has a review of freeware available to analyze your network traffic. Why would you care? If you have a wireless router, it will allow you to discover if unauthorized traffic was occurring on your network. You could also determine if your computer is acting under the influence of a hack attack. Read more on the subject from About.com’s Tony Bradley.

Phishing Season
The phisher’s scams are increasingly more sophisticated and the attempts may continue to escalate despite recently enacted legislation in the United States to attach significant penalties to the hackers efforts. Leo Laporte, The Tech Guy on KFI will discuss the issue of malware, phishing, and more on his radio show on Saturdays and Sundays from 12-3 PDT. Listen to Leo on the internet or live in L.A. on 640 AM.

Clean Up Time
We get frequent questions about cleaning monitors and we use two products: Kensington Screen Cleaner and Klear Screen. Do not use window cleaner or any homebrews unless you are looking for a reason to replace that screen. Click on the icon below to learn about Kensington Screen Cleaner.

7-16-04
McAfee Advisory
McAfee has issued a Medium-On-Watch Risk for the Bagle worm they call W32/Bagle.af@MM. This is the same mass-mailing worm we reported on in the Wednesday column. To determine if you are a victim of a hack attack from this worm you can visit the McAfee support site for a free scan check. According to McAfee, “The worm spreads by emailing itself to contacts it steals and by using popular file-sharing applications such as KaZaa, Bearshare and Limewire. W32/Bagle.af@MM also attempts to shut down anti-virus and firewall software running on infected machines.”.

Secunia Has Advisories Too
Secunia security updates are posted for Gentoo Linux 1.x, Conectiva Linux 8 and 9, and for Mozilla/Firefox; the latter is regarding an issue with visits to secure sites. Windows and Linux people using Mozilla or Firefox should only engage in financial transactions with trusted sites. That is an over statement of the obvious, but it is the solution Secunia offers.

Review of Alternate Browsers
Michelle Delio of Wired News provides a review of the browser alternatives for computer users weary of the constant barrage of hack attacks aimed at Microsoft’s Internet Explorer. Michelle provides a quick review of the highlights and lowlights and provides the links to in her Wired News article.

Malware Lessons
Leo Laporte, The Tech Guy on KFI will discuss malware issues on his radio show this Saturday. Tune in from 12-3 PDT on the weekend at 640 AM in Southern California, or listen live on the Internet by visiting the KFI web site and click on the KFI logo.

Google Translation
Google is more than just a search engine and you can find many tools to make your computer more useful at their web site. Google has a translator that allows multiple platform users to convert text into five different languages. The translations are not perfect, but they work well enough to extract the meaning of a block of text.

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7-15-04
Apple Has iTunes Backup Suggestion
The Apple Knowledge Base has a plethora of tips on making your Mac life better and the tip today is for iTunes backup. Visit the Apple support site to learn how to use Smart Playlist to make frequent updates of your iTunes music library.

Recycle PC at Office Depot
Office Depot and HP are combining their recycling efforts and consumers and the environment will be benefactors. The companies will allow customers to drop of one piece of electronic components per day at participating Office Depot stores from July 18 until Labor Day. According to the report in PC Magazine, more than 850 Office Depots will be accepting cell phones, PCs, laser and ink jet printers, Scanners, all-in-one printers/fax machines, digital cameras, cell phones, TVs (27" or smaller), and more with a limit of one item per day per customer.

Mozilla 1.8 Released
The Mozilla.org Foundation is celebrating their first year anniversary by releasing the Alpha version of Mozilla 1.8 for multiple platforms. The new browser is available for Linux, Mac, and Windows users and you can download the application at Mozilla .org/.

Encrypt Email For Safety
We have heard the experts talk about it and now we can get an encryption tool for free form PGP. PC World has a review of the encryption products available including the freeware from PGP. Visit the PC World web site to find out which of the applications will work best for you.

Secunia Advisories for Gentoo, Linux, and Mandrake
Secunia Security issued advisories for Mandrake Linux 9.x, Gentoo Linux 1.x, Fedora Core 1 and 2, Mandrake Linux 9.x, Mandrake Corporate Server 2.x, Mandrake Multi Network Firewall 8.x.

Microsoft Software is a Killer
Microsoft released a new software application that will disinfect computers that have been hacked by Trojan horses according to a report by CRN. The tool is available from the MS developers’ web site and looks for the code from Download.Ject/. If you suspect you are a victim of this hack attack, visit the MS web site for this removal tool.

Airport Express Shipping
MacNN reports that Apple is shipping the Airport Express the new mobile base station. This item is small enough to take with you when you travel. You can learn more about the Airport Express or order one today by clicking on the icon below.
 

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7-14-04
Microsoft Updates, Download Now
Microsoft has released more security updates than we can list. If you use any PC that uses Microsoft products, visit the Microsoft Support site now to secure your system. The critical updates address most of the security bulletins SA 12058-SA 12061 released by Secunia Security and you need to protect yourself and the box you use by updating now. We are publishing this column eight hours earlier than usual to help you help yourself.

Now You’re Talking
If you like to chat and a Mac is your machine, then you should try the X-Chat Aqua software available for download from VersionTracker. We use this application on our Macs and PCs and this freeware works great for novice to advanced chatters.

Spam Mailer Spreading Havoc
Computerworld.com reports that a new Trojan horse named Backdoor-CGT is being distributed by spam in mass according to MessageLabs, a security firm. The company reports that updated Windows PCs are immune to this attack. Make sure you have visited the Microsoft Support site and change your computer’s setting to check for updates automatically. Until then, do not click on an email link if you are using Microsoft’s Outlook as you could be at risk. Hackers often launch attacks from a computer that have your name in their address book.

KDE 3.3 Beta 1 Release
KDE Digests announced the release of OnebaseGo-2.0 edition by the Onebase Linux Project. The new release includes the Klassroom suite and Koffice 1.3.2. If you are into beta testing, visit the KDE Digest web site.

Learn More Mac
Hang out with host Shawn King and friend J as they talk about the events at MacWorld Expo and everything in the Apple World. Visit the Your Mac Life web site for the links to the show and chat room.

Sick of Hearing Us Say It?
If you are tired of the constant urging of this column to abandon Internet Explorer as your default browser, allow us to present a new web site, Switch2Firefox.com that we found through Techstuff.ca/. The following is their top ten reasons for Windows users to switch to FireFox.
Switch2Firefox.com suggests these 10 reasons:
1. Tabbed Browsing
2. Popup Blocking
3. Find Stuff Easier
4. Simplified Privacy / Annoyance Eliminator
5. Better Bookmarks and History
6. Accessible, Intelligent, Responsive
7. Customizable and Extendable
8. Modern Download Manager
9. Built for standards
10. Simple interface
Stop your suffering and make the switch today; it really is painless.

Microsoft Clip Art Tutorial
If you would like to use some of the 140,000 pieces of clip art, photos, animations, and more you should view the tutorial for clip art use from Microsoft Office Online. The Quciktime Movie walks you through the steps of selecting, downloading, and saving clip art to use in your documents and even on a web site.

Upgrade Your Ram on iBook
Many Apple computers are now designed to be easily upgraded by the owner including ram, airport cards, battery, and keyboard. Apple provides the directions in both a PDF and QuickTime format at the Apple Support site.

Hot Buy From Amazon
Today we are featuring the ram that is being shipped for our PC build, the Kingston 512 MB 333 MHz DDR-PC2700. We feel that 512 MB is the minimum amount of memory for the demands of today, but you can find larger and smaller sticks at Amazon.com/. They also have ram available for Macs. Just click on the ram stick below, and then search for similar products.

 

Free Computer HelpIf you need help with a computer problem please visit our submit a question page and let Multipleplatforms.com help you solve those annoying issues.

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7-14-04
More Warnings About Internet Explorer
Our web site traffic statistics indicate many of you are still using Internet Explorer and if you are waiting for just one more flaw before you switch, the wait is over as Secunia Security issued another warning today. The advisory rating is extremely critical and affects PCs that are using the Internet Explorer browser. The solutions include disabling active scripting or even better switching to another browser.

Listen to Linux
The Linux Show keeps open source users happy and informed and you can listen live every Tuesday at 8 pm CDT. You can find the show and links to past shows at The Linux Show web site.

Gentoo Linux 1.x Update
Secunia announced that Gentoo Linux 1.x has released and update for rsync. Secunia rates this as a less critical threat that may allow for manipulation of data or a security bypass.

New Worm is a Snoozer
CNET reports that a new mass-mailing worm dubbed Atak responds to removal attempts by hibernating. The code actually analyzes other processes and if it detects removal activity from an anti-virus tool, it will shut itself down. The threat is not seen as critical, but the method is a major concern to security experts.

Don’t Forget Us
Sophos has released three new virus threats today also, just trying to keep up with the competition apparently. Visit our Sophos web page to learn more about these hack attacks.

Free Tunes on Tuesday
The Apple iTunes Music Store is giving away music free for multiple platform users every Tuesday. The free tune this week is Who Runs This by Angel Demar. Download your copy at the Apple iTunes Music Store.

Removing Ghosts from the Machine
If you have problems closing iDisk, you are not alone. To find out what to do visit the Apple Support site and read about removing your ghosts.

Netscape Shortcuts
We inadvertently left out the link for keyboard shortcuts for Netscape available for surfers at the Netscape web site.

PVD Reviewed
The hottest new toy for gadget gurus is the Portable Video Player and the most recent releases are reviewed by John Gartner of Wired News. Creative Labs is releasing the Zen Portable that you can pre-order now from Amazon.com/. Click on the Zen Player icon below to learn more about this Creative Labs product.



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