Sean McMahan

I’m sure you’ve seen them: emails touting e-cards from a friend, an admirer, your mom. No names, of course. These messages contain a link, supposedly a link to view the e-card. If you click the link, however, your computer may now be infected with malware, or malicious software.

This particular attack has been dubbed the Storm Worm by security officials. And the link launches an executable file that turns Windows computers into members of a botnet. A botnet is a network of computers that can be controlled remotely without the knowledge of the computer owner. The person or persons administering the botnet can use this collection of computers to collect sensitive information, launch denial-of-service attacks, or launch mass spam mailings.

With Valentine’s Day here, security experts are warning that this type of attack is poised to return. The FBI even issue a press release warning of the potential threat. From the release:

The Storm Worm virus has capitalized on various holidays in the last year by sending millions of e-mails advertising an e-card link within the text of the spam e-mail. Valentine’s Day has been identified as the next target.

Be wary of any e-mail received from an unknown sender. Do not open any unsolicited e-mail and do not click on any links provided.

While pertaining to this particular threat, the FBI’s warning applies to any suspicious emails you may receive. This could also include the ubiquitous requests for information from “banks”, notices that your PayPal account will be suspended unless you update your profile information, etc. Consider this: Because of the preponderance of junk mail and malicious behavior on the internet, email is actually losing its credibility as a communications medium. So aside from ignoring and deleting suspicious emails, if you’re not sure if the information in an email is legitimate, call or write the party in question, or go to the party’s website yourself, but not by clicking on the email link.

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So here’s a thought: People vote with their pocketbook for a variety of reasons. For example, Buy Green to be environmentally friendly. Buy Blue to support progressive causes. How about Buy Penguin? If, like I do, you believe in the merits of open source, would you patronize a business if you knew that it supported open source? I thought about this recently when I was getting my oil change at Lube Pros. In the past, the point-of-sale terminals were ugly, DOS-based terminals that looked like they were cutting edge–in 1988. Now, on the screen was a desktop background of the African plains that I recognized from Ubuntu. I thought that was kinda cool, and I said as much to the attendant, who seemed pleased with the new system. Would this fact lead me to go to Lube Pros over, say, Jiffy Lube? Would I be more likely to go to Burlington Coat Factory knowing that they use Linux-based cash registers? Would I be more likely to buy Ernie Ball guitar strings because, after a run-in with the Business Software Alliance, the company ditched proprietary software and is running a Linux-based, Microsoft-free shop? I think I would.

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A few weeks ago I decided to take advantage of the after-Christmas sales to get myself a new laptop. I was seeing deals in the $500 range, which was my spending goal. For just a little more I got an HP/Compaq laptop with a dual-core AMD Turion 64 processor, 160 GB SATA hard drive, 2 GB RAM, and a dual-layer DVD burner. The salesperson said this is the new baseline for Windows Vista laptops, and the specs were more than adequate for what I would use the laptop for. Windows Vista? Yes, I didn’t really have a choice, and I thought What the heck, I’ll see it up close. Maybe it’s not as bad as the media and the blogosphere have made it out to be.

In all honesty, Vista is nice to look at. Type looks gorgeous with ClearType, even compared to OS X. Performance was decent enough, but I was concerned by the resources used, both in hard disk space and page-file usage. I spent a good hour or so uninstalling applications and trialware I would never use, then I had to spend two hours creating my own recovery DVDs (3) in case I would need to revert my system to its factory default. That really irked me, but I figured that’s the price I pay to get a decent, affordable laptop.

After less than a day I started thinking about installing Linux. Being a new laptop, chances were good that the hardware would run Linux better than the laptop it was replacing, which was functional but did not suspend properly. If I was going to wipe the hard drive anyway, I might as well try using the 64-bit version of Linux, seeing as I had a 64-bit processor. I downloaded a 64-bit version of Ubuntu and got started. The install went well, except I could not configure the wireless hardware. My workaround was to use an ethernet connection, hoping that I would be able to download a suitable driver. The ethernet connection did allow me to download the latest Ubuntu updates, and even to set up the proprietary Nvidia drivers for my display. Regrettably, though, I could not find a suitable driver for my wireless device. Oh well, close but no cigar. Next, I thought I’d see how Windows XP would perform, thinking that perhaps I would be content to run Ubuntu as a virtual machine on a nimble and stable XP install. I soon found that XP was even worse than Linux when it came to driver support. I guess that’s one way to push Vista to the masses–support and supply only Vista drivers and make users scour the internet for XP drivers if they wish to downgrade. My scouring did not produce all the XP-compatible drivers I needed, so I decided to search again for Linux drivers to make wireless work. I managed to find a patch that was supposed to work with my wireless chip (Atheros AR5007), but it was available in 32-bit only. Once again I wiped the hard drive and installed the 32-bit version of Ubuntu 7.10, using an ethernet cable to download updates and the driver patch. After a reboot my wireless network popped up, and I connected successfully. The whole install–system and applications–came in at just over 3 GB of disk space, compared to nearly 50 GB for Vista and the trial software. RAM usage was coming in at around 200 MB, about a third of what Vista was taking. And best of all, suspend works! I quickly installed all the software I’m used to (Gnucash, VLC, Scribus, Filezilla, etc.), and created a Windows XP virtual machine for those few things I need Windows for (like taxes). Two weeks later, I couldn’t be happier with my new Linux laptop. I was quite pleased to be able to remove my Windows Vista sticker and replace it with a Powered by Ubuntu decal.

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I recently decided to tackle an entertaining technical challenge: build a digital video recorder. We already have a VCR for taping shows, but sometimes there are situations where the family wants to watch something on TV and record something else at the same time. Initially I considered “traditional” solutions: upgrading our digital cable box to a DVR, signing up for satellite TV with a DVR and, of course, getting a Tivo. I was dissuaded, however, by channel choices (satellite), underpowered hardware (cable dvr) and costly monthly fees (cable, Tivo). I had done some reading about MythTV, an open-source media platform, and I thought it would be worth trying. Here are some MythTV features:

• Play and pause live TV
• View TV listings and schedule recordings via a web browser
• Import and manage your music library
• Import and manage your photos
• Archive recordings to DVD
• Play games
• View news and weather
• Listen to Internet radio streams

I had a Linux desktop with a large hard drive and a nearby cable connection, so I added a tuner card and jumped in. MythTV can be installed as a program or as part of a specialized Linux distribution. Some examples include Knoppmyth, based on Knoppix; Mythdora, based on Fedora; and Mythbuntu, based on Ubuntu. Mythbuntu was the obvious choice for me since I was already a Ubuntu user, and one install option installs Mythbuntu over an existing Ubuntu install. At first, I thought the TV wasn’t working, since I was greeted with a screen of electronic snow. Fortunately, it was just a configuration problem–I had selected US-cable for my input when I should have used US-cable-hrc. In addition to the tuner card, I upgraded my video card to enhance the playback and add video-out capability, and I purchased a subscription to Schedules Direct for TV listings, which costs $20 a year. All told, I was able to set up a DVR for less than the annual subscription to Tivo. And since it’s open source, I’m not locked in to a particular vendor or subject to because it’s open source I was able to implement the solution for less money and with no long-term commitment.

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Bored, curious or a glutton for punishment, I decided to try installing Linux on a clamshell iBook. Most recently, my 7-year-old son used the laptop to surf the web for information on zoos and animals, and to check out Disney Channel online. The system had been running OS X 10.3, Panther, which was slow but functional. Wireless works, but power is a bit flaky and the internal CD-ROM drive is broken. The broken CD-ROM drive posed the biggest challenge. Like the first generation iMac, the first generation iBook lacked a firewire port, so booting off a usb device would be difficult, if not impossible. My only other option would be a network boot and install. With a little Googling I was able to find the instructions I needed to install and configure a DHCP/bootp server, as well as a TFTP server, which would pass the needed boot files to the iBook. The DHCP server worked without a hitch, but the TFTP server would not transfer the needed boot files. I then tried installing a TFTP server on another computer, this time a Windows XP machine (the only one left at home). I downloaded the freeware TFTPD32 program, loaded the Ubuntu boot files, and crossed my fingers. This time I was greeted with the welcome sight of the boot screen, and confirmation that the TFTP server was sending the needed files. Unfortunately I hit one more snag: I had read on the Ubuntu forums that TFTP has problems transferring files larger than 6 MB, and the Ubuntu network boot image was a bit over 6.5 MB. Undaunted, I applied one of the key rules I’ve learned about Linux: If at first you don’t succeed, try another distro. My distribution of (second) choice was Debian GNU/Linux, one of the original distros and the Linux from which Ubuntu is derived. All of the net boot files were less than 5 MB, so I downloaded the files to the TFTP directory. On the iBook, I pressed the power button, booted into open firmware (command-option-o-f), and issued the following command:

boot enet: 192.168.0.10,yaboot

Once again I received the boot screen, and the TFTP server served up the boot files, and better still, the machine proceeded to the installation screen. From here, the install proceeded without incident, though it did take a bit longer since all the files were coming from a server at UC-Berkeley. Finally, after a few more mouse clicks, I was able to reboot into my new Debian PPC install, which I dubbed the Debianclam. Performance-wise, Debian seems more responsive than Panther, certainly sufficient for basic tasks. Curiously, the power indicator was showing nearly four hours of battery life left. I’ll be curious to see whether that is indeed true, since the battery did not seem to last more than a few minutes running on Panther. I don’t know how much I’ll use the iBook, but I did accomplish what I wanted to do: Take a technical problem, throw Linux at it, and see if I could get it to work.

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Last week I upgraded my cell phone to a Samsung Blackjack. I wasn’t interested in a Blackberry or an iPhone, and the Palm Treo seemed too bulky. The Blackjack is slim and lightweight, has a nice screen, and the 3G data speeds are quite nice. I was initially concerned that, because the Blackjack runs Windows Mobile, I would have difficulty working with the device using Linux. Fortunately, I’ve found a way to keep my calendar and contacts in sync between my Linux laptop and my Blackjack. (For the record I did try using the supplied ActiveSync software on an XP box, but after one successful sync from Outlook to my Blackjack I was unable to connect again.

The process centers around setting up a server-based account for storing calendar and contact information, then installing and configuring the plugins for the computer and phone. The server component is hosted at myFUNAMBOL. Signing up for an account is free. Part of the account setup involves specifying the type of phone you have. The site then sends a message to your phone with the plugin software. Once the plugin is installed, you enter your username and password, then select your syncing options. On the Linux side, I use Evolution for my email, calender and contacts. The command-line utility SyncEvolution handles the communication with the website. There is a some tweaking of config files, mostly to point SyncEvolution to the right server and supplying the username and password, but once that’s done syncing is handled with one command, in my case: syncevolution myfunambol.

Once connected, I had to go through the syncing process a couple of times to clean up the information so it was correct in all the right places, but so far, so good. In researching this solution I also came across a second site, Scheduleworld that has a similar function. Its selling point is a wider variety of syncing options, including Google. The bottom line: Windows Mobile may steer you toward a Microsoft solution, and an iPhone may steer you toward an Apple solution, but other options are out there if you’re willing to do a little legwork.

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“… You do not like them. So you say. Try them! Try them! And you may, I say. …”

–Dr. Seuss, Green Eggs and Ham

People have a variety of options when it comes to getting computer software. There’s the traditional shrinkwrapped box at the local MicroCenter or Best Buy. There’s shareware, which may be downloaded and used a limited number of times or with key features disabled before purchasing. There’s even the company IT guy, who may sneak you a copy of Microsoft Office for your home PC or Mac. (So you can work at home, which ends up benefitting the company, right?) There’s yet another way, and that’s open source software. Literally, open source software means the source code for a particular program is freely available to users, and users are free to modify the code if they like. The open source community is a small yet fervent segment of the computing universe, and one that is gaining attention and converts. Often, open source supporters are viewed as Linux-using Davids going up against Microsoft’s Goliath. But these days, the best open source sofware is often available across all the major platforms such as Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.

Why use open source software? Cost is a big factor, since it’s hard to beat free. Freedom is another factor. Open source software doesn’t ask you to register, to activate, or fill out a survey. It won’t nag you to upgrade to the premier version to get that one feature lacking in the standard version. And face it –if, say, you’re composing a letter, chances are you’re using the same basic set of features present in the software 10 years ago. How many times have you heard that most people use only about 10 percent of a program’s features? You still have to pay 100 percent of the software’s cost, even if you’re in the 10 percent club.

Granted, open source software is not the best solution for every situation. A graphic designer, for example, will not readily trade Adobe applications for open source counterparts. And the typical Fortune 500 company won’t dump Microsoft Office for OpenOffice–that just wouldn’t convey the right impression. But for the rest of us–home users, small companies on a tight budget, schools–open source may be a sensible choice.

So where do you get this software? On my technology resources page I have a list of open source software that I’ve used and would recommend. The Open Source Windows site has a similar list. Though its focus is Windows software, most of the items listed have Mac and Linux versions. The Open Source Alternative site has an extensive list of commercial software and selected open source counterparts. See some programs you like? Try them, try them, I say.

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Amazon.com today unveiled its new e-book reader, the Kindle. There are other devices for reading e-books, including one from Sony, but the Kindle has a twist: built-in wireless capability allowing users to purchase and download books and other content on demand. This aspect of the Kindle has spawned comparisons to the iPod, which was teamed with the iTunes store at its inception. Unlike the iPod touch, however, which uses wi-fi to access the iTunes store, the Kindle uses 3G technology like a mobile phone. According to Amazon, selections purchased on the Kindle can be downloaded in seconds, without the need to connect to a hotspot. Also like iTunes, the costs for digital content delivery are less compared to physical media. A book that costs $25 in hardcover will be cost $9.99 through the Amazon Kindle store. Newspapers and magazines may also be purchased and downloaded, and free content such as blogs and Wikipedia are available as well. (I’m sure the paid content will have DRM restrictions similar to those faced by iPod/iTunes users.)

Sounds pretty cool, but here’s the catch: The Kindle itself costs $399. Ouch! I’m assuming that some of the cost helps to subsidize development costs and Whispernet, the name given to the Wireless network used for content delivery.

As with the debut of the iPod, there were other mp3 players at the time, but the iPod represented a new way of thinking about mp3 hardware and content delivery. (Admittedly at the time the iPod debuted I was skeptical whether such a device would catch on.) Perhaps the Kindle will do the same thing for electronic publishing. It’s inevitable that the printed word will evolve into electronic delivery, and certainly this does not signal the end of the book-printing industry. (Here again I ponder this since I’m employed by a printer.) But it will be interesting to see if the Kindle catches on with early adopters, and I’ll be curious to see what version 2.0 will bring in terms of new features and cost savings.

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Slashdot has a link to a Computerworld UK report in which 90 percent of IT professionals survey reported having concerns about Windows Vista. Survey respondents cited stability and cost issues, and more than half of the respondents to the study said they had no plans to deploy Vista at their organizations. In fact, nearly half of the respondents are considering alternatives like OS X and Linux, instead of migrating to Vista. From the Computerworld Article:

“Clearly many companies are serious about this alternative, with 9% of those saying they have considered non-Windows operating systems already in the process of switching and a further 25% expecting to switch within the next year,” the report “Windows Vista Adoption and Alternatives” reads.

The Computerworld story references another survey that indicated that more than a third of respondents had no plans to deploy Vista, and nearly a third said they would not start rolling out Vista for another year. Many companies, according to the article, are happy with XP so they see no reason to switch.

These stories affirm that I have heard in my own organization: that Vista is a non-issue. And it’s pretty sad when geeks, who like to be on technology’s leading edge, don’t want to recommend a new operating system. I’ll be interested to see how many organizations follow through on plans to move away from Windows.

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I found this at Treehugger’s 2007 Gift Guide: A solar-powered flashlight. Called the BoGo, the flashlight charges during the day, and provides 4-5 hours of light at night. Why BoGo? Because for $25, when you purchase one flashlight, a second BoGo is given a charity for distribution to a needy individual. I keep several flashlights at home, and at least one or two seem to have dead batteries or a blown bulb when I need them. (I did receive a windup flashlight/radio for Christmas last year, which I should be using more often.) So if this is the BoGo, then maybe we should call the XO laptop’s Give One Get One program a GoGo.

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