February 2004 - apple-list - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

INTEREST: Study shows Mac OS X Server among most secure in world
by Wayne Billing 25 Feb '04

25 Feb '04

..from Tony Wong in Architecture: A year or so ago a study showed that Windows was the most hacked OS with Linux a close 2nd and Netware/Mac way at the bottom. Here's a recent study that has some rather suprising, but expected results. It just goes to show how security is only as strong as the weakest link. http://maccentral.macworld.com/news/2004/02/20/osxserver/index.php?redirect… Tony Wong

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INTEREST: Consumer Reports rates Apple support highest, IST offers online training: Office, PhotoShop, SAS
by Wayne Billing 23 Feb '04

23 Feb '04

Growing pains hit Dell's customer service By John G. Spooner CNET News.com February 20, 2004, 4:00 AM PT Dell continues to win market share and turn out record quarterly profits, but two recent surveys show that the company has slipped, when it comes to a more subjective measurement: customer service. According to two new reports that rate the satisfaction of PC buyers, Dell's scores have declined in recent months. While statistically, the results are not catastrophic for a company that prides itself on offering superior service, it's a potentially troubling trend Dell executives acknowledge and have taken steps to address. The March issue of Consumer Reports, which came out last week, included a survey of 4,100 consumers, who gave Dell 62 points out of a possible 100 for its support on desktop PCs. Although it still managed to top competing brands Hewlett-Packard and Compaq, which scored 54 and 51, respectively, Dell's rating represented a decline from the magazine's last desktop support survey, published in June 2003, in which it received a 64. Apple Computer led the pack, with 74 in the recent survey, while Gateway scored 61. A score of 80 would mean that respondents were very satisfied, while 60 is described as fairly well satisfied. Differences of more than four points in the survey were meaningful, the report said. While the most recent changes appear incremental, Dell's overall tech support scores for desktop PCs have dropped substantially since 2001, said Jeff Fox, senior project editor at Consumer Reports. Dell scored a rating of 74 in December 2001 and a 65 in September 2002. Dell's score has "stayed down and hasn't gone back up," Fox said. "We can't say why...but they haven't solved whatever problem that brought it down, whether that's increased volume (or) outsourcing. It's probably a number of different factors." Consumer Reports' findings are echoed by data from research firm Technology Business Research (TBR). The Hampton, N.H., firm's fourth-quarter report on support satisfaction among corporate buyers, published this week, shows that Dell's satisfaction rating slipped to 80.98, down from 83.4 in the third quarter of 2003. ..complete article at: http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1103_2-5162141.html --------------------------- Good Morning, Please pass the following information to the people in your department that may benefit from the elearning presentations. Thanks! Information Services & Technology would like to announce a web-based learning alternative with over 50 new computer courses to help you increase your computing knowledge. Courses include: Getting Started with your PC, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Office XP Upgrade), Photoshop, and SAS You're invited to a MindLeaders presentation, see the benefits for yourself! Fort Garry, Wed, Feb 25, 12:05 - 1:00, 160 Dafoe Building or Wed, Mar 24, 12:05 - 1:00, 160 Dafoe Building Bannatyne, Thurs, Feb 26, 12:05 - 1:00, Theatre A BMSB or Thurs, Mar 25, 12:05 - 1:00, Theatre C BMSB For further information please contact: Maggie Ford, 474-8499, Maggie_Ford(a)umanitoba.ca Debbie Norman, 474-8125, Debbie_Norman(a)umanitoba.ca

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Join The Music Revolution. From the garage to the Grammys.
by Doug Hamilton 19 Feb '04

19 Feb '04

Hi Everyone: I just received this email message from Apple Canada regarding their up and coming music roadshow (see message below). Regards, Doug Begin forwarded message: > Subject: Join The Music Revolution. From the garage to the Grammys. > > http://www.apple.com/ca/musicrevolution/ > > JOIN THE MUSIC REVOLUTION > > From your garage to the Grammys. > > Apple revolutionized personal computers by creating technology that > everyone could use and understand. Today this commitment continues > with innovative, affordable new technology for the aspiring musician > in all of us. Now virtually anyone can compose, record and release > their greatest hits. However, the revolution doesn’t stop there. > > Professional Music Engineers can rely on Apple innovation to > supercharge and simplify sound design in ways never thought > possible.Combine that with the all-in-one ability to shoot, edit and > produce a music video DVD withiLife ’04...and perhaps a Grammy is > closer than you think. > > Plus some of the biggest names in the music production industry will > be there to give you the inside track on all the coolest new music > products including: Antares, eMedia, ILIO, M-Audio, PeachPit Press, > Spectrasonics, Waves and Yamaha. Come to this free, full day seminar > and learn how to get an “All Access Pass” to perform,record and create > digital music on a Mac. > > What You Will Learn > > - Record audio and MIDI with easy-to-use tools > - Use real-time effects and loops to enhance your opus > - Go pro with Logic professional audio software > - Output surround sound to DVD featured solutions > > The seminar will include a showcase of the very latest hardware and > software from Apple, > including: > > - GarageBand > - GarageBand Jam Pack > - Soundtrack > - Logic Express > - Logic Pro 6 > > http://www.apple.com/ca/musicrevolution/

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INTEREST: TO Centre goes wireless,
by Wayne Billing 11 Feb '04

11 Feb '04

Toronto Convention Centre goes wireless: ..from January 23, 2004 issue of Computer World In an effort to yield to the demands of conference planners and participants that are seldom without their laptops and PDAs, the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) unveiled its new wireless local area network recently to give its clients and staff increased functionality. The conference venue chose a routed Internet protocol architecture, which will allow the MTCC to provide continuous wireless services to over 1,000 mobile users simultaneously. All on a single antenna infrastructure, this wireless network will enable th MTCC to provide its clients with the Internet access and networking capabilities they need, as well as eventually giving its staff access to its corporoarate network and wireless portable phone system, the MTCC said.

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INTEREST: National Cyber Alert System Unveiled , special G5 offer, 50 "Nigerian" scammers arrested, FTC Launches "Operation Secure Your Server"
by Wayne Billing 05 Feb '04

05 Feb '04

--DHS National Cyber Alert System Unveiled (28/29 January 2004) The Department of Homeland Security's National Cyber Security Division has launched a National Cyber Alert System, a program that will send e-mail security alerts of worms and viruses to anyone who chooses to subscribe. The alerts will be digitally signed to distinguish them from phony alerts used by attackers to spread malware. You can subscribe to the "technical alerts" mailing list or the "less-technical-jargon/home-user alert" mailing list at: http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/signup.html For more details, please see: http://www.us-cert.gov/ -------------------------------------- Power Mac G5 (M9031LL/A ) specifications: Single 1.8 GHz G5 Processor; 512MB PC3200 DDR SDRAM (8,000 MB Maximum); 160GB Hard Disk Drive, SuperDrive; GeForce FX 5200 Ultra 8X-AGP Video Card; PCI-X Expansion Slots; Gigabit Ethernet. and 56K modem. Limited Offer Price: $2169.95/ea To put the pricing into perspective, currently a 1.6GHz Single Processor G5 Tower is $30.00 _more_ than the promotional priced system listed above. Also the motherboard in the Power Mac 1.8GHz G5 is superior in speed (133MHz faster), RAM expansion (8000MB, instead of 4000MB) and faster PCI architecture (PCI-X). Contact : Doug Hamilton Senior Apple Computer Consultant Computers-on-Campus; Univ. of Manitoba 474-6196 or 474-7000 http://www.umanitoba.ca/bookstore/ ----------------------------------------------- Police in the Netherlands have arrested 52 people suspected of using the so-called "Nigerian e-mail scam" to defraud Internet users by sending them spam e-mails asking for their help in transferring a large sum of money out of Nigeria or some other troubled country in exchange for a generous percentage-fee. A task force of 80 officers raided 23 apartments, seizing computers, fake passports and 50,000 euros ($62,000) in cash. Most of those arrested were believed to be Nigerian. [Wired.com, 2 Feb 2004, NewsScan Daily, 2 Feb 2004] http://www.wired.com/news/ebiz/0,1272,62124,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_5 ------------------------------------------ --FTC's Launches "Operation Secure Your Server" (29 January 2004) The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and other similar entities around the world are sending e-mail messages to owners of servers, asking them to check their servers' configurations for open relays or open proxies, which spammers can exploit to disguise their identities. The e-mail messages also contain a link to information about fixing these server vulnerabilities. http://www.computerworld.com/printthis/2004/0,4814,89548,00.html http://news.com.com/2102-7355_3-5150455.html?tag=st_util_print http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/internet/01/30/ftc.spam.ap/index.html

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plea for a mac or two (fwd)
by Dianne Cox 03 Feb '04

03 Feb '04

---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2004 10:00:27 -0600 (CST) From: Dianne Cox <cox(a)cc.UManitoba.CA> To: um-compureps(a)lists.UManitoba.CA Subject: plea for a mac or two hi folks I have a plea from a researcher with little funding for the loan or low rent of one or two macs for 6-8 months - they are low tech and have been using an lc520 and a mac2fx until lately when they are biting the dust. So they'd be happy with older machines. any offers? Dianne --- Dianne_Cox(a)umanitoba.ca /(204)474-9793 Fax:-7920 /Rm 623 Engineering-3 User Services /Academic Computing & Networking (IST) /U of Manitoba

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FYI: AirPort Extreme update, iBook logic board repair extension, OSX client and server security updates, free pdf book: Panther for Developers,
by Wayne Billing 02 Feb '04

02 Feb '04

AirPort Extreme Firmware 5.3 is a firmware update for the AirPort Extreme base station that includes support for the Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) specification. http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=120305 ------------------------- For iBooks with serial numbers in the range: UV220XXXXXX to UV318XXXXXX exhibiting the following symptoms: Scrambled or distorted video * Appearance of unexpected lines on the screen * Intermittent video image * Video freeze * Computer starts up to blank screen The iBook Logic Board Repair Extension Program covers repair or replacement of the logic board in specific iBook models manufactured between May 2002 and April 2003 that are experiencing specific component failures affecting built-in and attached external displays. http://www.apple.com/support/ibook/faq ----------------------- Security Update 2004-01-26 includes the following updated components: Apache 2, Classic, MailSafari, Windows File Sharing, AFP Server, ASN.1 Decoding for PKI, cd9660.util, Directory Services, fetchmail, fs_usage, rsync, and System Initialization. For 10.2.8 Server http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=120304 For 10.2.8 Client http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=120302 For 10.3.2 Client http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=120301 For 10.3.2 Server http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=120300 For 10.1.5 Client and Server http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=120303 ------------------------------ Sanitizing Mail on Panther Server With Mac OS X Server v10.3 Panther, Apple replaced Apple Mail Server with the Postfix and Cyrus software packages. Because of the versatility of the Postfix mail package, it's possible to use common UNIX and open source tools to perform various tasks with your mail. http://www.macdevcenter.com/pub/a/mac/2004/01/27/sanitize_mail.html ------------------------------- Mac OS X - Panther for Developers Project:Omega is pleased to announce that the book titled, "Mac OS X - Panther for Developers", is now available as a free 5.4MB PDF downloadable file. http://www.projectomega.org/article.php?lg=en&php=devpanther -------------------------------- Trolltech is running a Qt/Mac development contest that will award prizes to the developers who submit the best original and ported Qt application submitted on or before Friday, May 7. (Qt is a multiplatform, C++ application framework that lets developers write an application once, which will run natively on Mac OS X, as well as on Windows, LINUX/UNIX, and embedded Linux with a simple recompile.) The contest categories are Best Original Free Qt Application, Best Ported Free Qt Application, and Best Original Commercial Qt Application. Trolltech will award the winner and runner-up of each contest category with iPods. The overall contest winner will receive a Power Mac G5. Winners will be announced during WWDC 2004. http://www.trolltech.com/qtmaccontest -------------------------------

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