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INTEREST: Where does Security begin...
by Wayne Billing 29 Apr '04

29 Apr '04

..from the Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A32480-2004Apr21?language=printer Who Should Keep Out The Hackers? By Jonathan Krim Thursday, April 22, 2004; Page E01 The calm of a few months without a major attack of a computer worm, virus or other form of cyber-harassment was rattled hard this week. So dangerous are the latest vulnerabilities that the Department of Homeland Security took the rare step of briefing the media yesterday, warning that quick action by users and network operators was crucial to avoiding serious Internet disruption. This time the problem is with routers, the appliances that push traffic around the Internet. Routers made by Cisco Systems Inc., which has a major share of the market, have two separate security holes that could allow easy access for hackers to do their worst. It's another reminder that security threats are not likely to go away anytime soon and of the fragility of a world whose technology is so intertwined that a breach in one place can be exploited to bring down thousands or millions of systems around the world. All of which makes recent recommendations in a report by an industry task force unusual and worthy of close attention. In effect, the group is saying: Tech providers, heal thyselves and make safer products. That's a significant change for a technology industry that has spent considerable public-relations resources talking mostly about the need for better educating users and going after the bad guys. But the report, issued Monday, pulls few punches. "The lack of 'out-of-the-box' security in many products is staggering," the authors state. By not having software that is set to be secure from the start, "vendors are placing the entire burden of securing products on their users." [...] For many security experts and an increasingly concerned Congress, the question is, "What happens now"? The celebrated public-private partnership was created expressly with the hope of avoiding the need for regulation. As a result, none of the task forces recommended government intervention. But there is no single entity responsible for driving adoption of the numerous ideas. The Department of Homeland Security officials say they are not responsible for riding herd on industry. The technology trade associations leading the corporate side want the agency to use its bully pulpit to improve education but have been careful not to urge federal action directed at their own industries. In the meantime, worms and viruses are becoming so commonplace that they are losing their luster as news stories. But they continue to cost companies and ordinary consumers millions of dollars a year. ------------------------------------------------- This mail sent through IMP: http://horde.org/imp/

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INTEREST: continuing SCO vs LINUX saga...
by Wayne Billing 28 Apr '04

28 Apr '04

..from: http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1107-5198152.html Who shot SCO? By Rupert Goodwins ZDNet (UK) April 23, 2004, 5:55 AM PT COMMENTARY--There's been nothing like it since Dallas hit our screens quarter of a century ago. Colorful characters, plot twists and suspense? Check. Good versus evil, powerful men versus noble innocents, billions of dollars in the balance? Yep. We even have judges, guns and mysterious briefcases: as pure drama, l'affaire SCO cannot be faulted. Yet there may be a bigger surprise at the end than anyone guessed. Whoever's writing the script threw in a doozie last week: Daddy wants his money back--or does he? Baystar, the group of capitalists that on Microsoft's tip-off gave SCO $20 million to establish control over Linux, publicly said that it wanted out (see below for more details). And then it shut up. That statement alone was a crippling blow to SCO, whose share price promptly shed nearly half its value. If one of the two major backers for the expedition thinks the game is up, why would judges, juries, investors and customers think any different? SCO's reaction was typically loud, self-pitying and blisteringly ironic--Baystar hasn't told us what the problem is exactly, it said. And if we don't know the details, how can we respond? For a company that has consistently fought to avoid revealing any substantive details of its own legal claims, this is rich stuff indeed. [...] ----------------------------------- ..from: http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1104-5197398.html?tag=nl BayStar: SCO needs new management By Stephen Shankland CNET News.com April 21, 2004, 9:00 PM PT Add your opinion Forward in Format for Sign up for After nearly a week of silence, BayStar Capital said Wednesday its move to retrieve a $20 million investment in SCO Group is part of an effort to induce major changes at the Linux litigator--including new senior management and a withdrawal from the Unix product business. BayStar, whose funding in October was paired with another $30 million from the Royal Bank of Canada, said it hasn't been happy with SCO's response to requests it has made in recent months. BayStar has invested in about 400 companies over the years, but only with SCO has it resorted to a request to have its shares redeemed. SCO contends that the increasingly popular Linux operating system infringes its Unix intellectual property, an argument that is central to its lawsuits against IBM and AutoZone and that is supported by BayStar. But to make SCO's case stick, the company needs to change its management, focus on its legal case and communicate in a more "sensible, businesslike fashion," BayStar spokesman Bob McGrath said. "We think they need to strengthen the senior team to get people with experience and background in the legal issues," McGrath said. If SCO addresses BayStar's concerns, McGrath added, the investor is open to reversing its redemption request. [...] ------------------------------------------------- This mail sent through IMP: http://horde.org/imp/

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MO Drive Help!
by Doug Hamilton 28 Apr '04

28 Apr '04

Does anyone have a 5.25" Magneto Optical (MO) drive that still works? I have a colleague that needs to get some data off an MO old disk. Thanks, Doug ------------- Doug Hamilton, BA, MA, APP Senior Apple Computer Consultant Computers-on-Campus; Univ. of Manitoba 204-474-6196 204-474-7556 http://www.umanitoba.ca/bookstore/

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INTEREST: Intrusion Prevention Solutions
by Wayne Billing 22 Apr '04

22 Apr '04

This may get rather technically detailed and don't be suprised if there are some "product placements" done during the presentation but, FYI, ZiffDavis Publishing is doing a free (ya gotta register with an email address ::-(, online, presentation (probably WinTel based, but who knows): Intrusion Prevention Solutions: The Next Wave in Security Apr 28, 2004 @ 2 p.m. Eastern/11 a.m. Pacific Duration: 60 minutes http://eletters.webseminarslive.com/zd1/cts?d=70-141-1-1-43597-2470-1 Bugs. Worms. Viruses. Holes. Hardly a day seems to go by without some kind of new security bulletin and patch, and IT managers are becoming hard-pressed to deal with the onslaught. Join this eSeminar for an in depth discussion with eWEEK Labs editors and technology experts to learn about IPSes (intrusion prevention systems), which are often built from the same technology base as IDSes (intrusion detection systems) but differ radically from their forebears. Sponsored by McAfee Security ------------------------------------------------- This mail sent through IMP: http://horde.org/imp/

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Final Cut Pro HD 4.5
by Doug Hamilton 21 Apr '04

21 Apr '04

Hello: For those of you using Final Cut Pro 4.0, for the moment you can download "Final Cut Pro HD 4.5" for free from Apple: http://www.apple.com/ca/finalcutpro/download/ Act quickly ... before they get the bright idea to charge for it. Cheers, Doug ------------- Doug Hamilton, BA, MA, APP Senior Apple Computer Consultant Computers-on-Campus; Univ. of Manitoba 204-474-6196 204-474-7556 http://www.umanitoba.ca/bookstore/

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Accessing your cc account from the desktop
by Doug Hamilton 02 Apr '04

02 Apr '04

Hi Everyone: Did you know that you can access your 'cc' account from the Macintosh OS X Desktop? Why would you want to? ACN provides you with 100MB of regularly backed-up storage on their servers. While many of you probably only use 'cc' for your email, you can also use it for storing and/or moving your files between networked computers. Some of the users on this list may have discovered the "Connect to Server" option in the "Go" menu in the Finder (Command Key - K). You may have even tried typing in the following: afp://cc.umanitoba.ca/ .. only to get a connection error. Well there is a little know fact that only one of the many servers which respond to the request: afp://cc.umanitoba.ca/ .. actually has the necessary software to allow you to gain access to your 'cc' account from the 'Desktop' of your Mac. The trick is to ask for the specific server which as the necessary software. Try this string of text in the 'Connect to Server' window: afp://rigel.cc.umanitoba.ca 'rigel' has the necessary software to allow an 'afp' (Apple File-sharing Protocol) connection. In the authentication windows which opens, type in your 'cc' account name and password (the same as your email account), and your 'cc' account will show up as a drive on your Desktop (In the authentication window you might want to click on the "Options" button and example some of the features available to you). Now you can drag-and-drop files to and from your 'cc' account as if it were a hard drive connect directly to your computer. You can move files between any computer which has a high-speed Internet connection, or which is directly connected to the UofM's computer network. This includes MS-Windows computers. However, I don't do windows (small joke), so you might want to speak with your local computer support person about windows file sharing and 'cc' accounts. Wayne, perhaps you could describe how an MS-Windows user would connect to their 'cc' account for the purposes of file transferring? It should be noted, that while you can connect using this method via a dial-up connection. I would only recommend people with high-speed, or the slower "light-speed" connections use this service. I hope that you will all find this a useful service, provided by the people in ACN. Regards, Doug ------------- Doug Hamilton, BA, MA, APP Senior Apple Computer Consultant Computers-on-Campus; Univ. of Manitoba 204-474-6196 204-474-7556 http://www.umanitoba.ca/bookstore/

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INTEREST: IBM seeks knockout blow in SCO case, Apple Design Awards/Developer Conference
by Wayne Billing 31 Mar '04

31 Mar '04

..complete article at: http://www.itworldcanada.com/Pages/Docbase/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=idgml-ca3ebf… 499e-454c-bf81-5137fd289ae7&News=Daily%20ITwire By: Robert McMillan IDG News Service (31 Mar 2004) A recent court filing from IBM Corp. appears to indicate a growing confidence on the part of the Armonk, N.Y., computing giant that it will prevail in its legal dispute with The SCO Group Inc., according to lawyers following the case. In an amended counterclaim to SCO's lawsuit that was filed Friday, IBM asked the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah to enter a declaratory judgement in its favour. IBM asked the court to rule that it has not infringed on SCO's copyright and has not breached its contractual obligations to SCO. The filing further asks the court to rule that SCO, which was at one time a Linux vendor, cannot impose restrictions on the software that it previously distributed under Linux's open-source software license. [...] ==================================================== The Apple Worldwide Developers Conference 2004 is going to be filled with technology advances and expert information on the latest Mac OS X solutions. ------------------------------------- SESSION INFORMATION NOW AVAILABLE ------------------------------------- Nearly 200 in-depth technical sessions are planned across seven tracks: Application Technologies, Development Tools, Graphics and Media, Enterprise IT, Hardware Technologies, OS Foundations, and QuickTime and Digital Media. More than 100 sessions are now featured online, with more to be added over the next few weeks. To view session descriptions, visit <http://developer.apple.com/wwdc/>. ------------------------------------- THE NINTH ANNUAL APPLE DESIGN AWARDS ------------------------------------- Apple is also accepting submissions for the Ninth Annual Apple Design Awards, recognizing technical excellence and outstanding achievement in Application Software, QuickTime Content, and new for 2004 -- Performance Demos. The Design Awards are a unique opportunity to get your hard work recognized by Apple, your peers, the press, and Mac fans everywhere. In addition to public recognition, winners in all categories (except Student) of the 2004 Apple Design Awards will get to choose between two computer prizes: the stunning 17-inch PowerBook G4 or the groundbreaking 64-bit Power Mac G5. Each winner also receives an Apple 23" Cinema HD Display. For submission guidelines and information, visit <http://developer.apple.com/wwdc/ada.html>. It would be typical in a case like this for IBM to undergo an internal investigation to determine whether or not any of SCO's claims were true, Norman said. Such an investigation would involve interviewing and reviewing e-mail and code contributions from IBM's Linux programmers. [...] "SCO's threats and its claims against IBM and other Linux users are meritless, and are simply part and parcel of SCO's illicit scheme to get Linux users to pay SCO for unneeded licenses to Linux," IBM said in its filing. ------------------------------------------------- This mail sent through IMP: http://horde.org/imp/

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INTEREST: Microsoft update: EU monopoly ruling, $40 XP & Office in Thailand
by Wayne Billing 30 Mar '04

30 Mar '04

EU slaps record fine on Microsoft ..complete article at: http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1104-5178281.html By Michael Parsons and Jo Best CNET News.com March 24, 2004, 4:02 PM PT BRUSSELS--The European Union on Wednesday issued its ruling in the long-running case against Microsoft, fining the American software giant $613 million, the heaviest punishment in any European competition case to date. European Competition Commissioner Mario Monti ruled that Microsoft had failed to provide to rivals information that they needed to compete fairly in the market for server software and that the company has been offering Windows on the condition that it come bundled with Windows Media Player, stifling competition. Microsoft now has 120 days to provide the information that rival server makers need to compete fairly, and it must continue to update this information in the future, Monti said. It also has 90 days to provide a version of Windows without Media Player, although it can also continue to provide a version that includes the media software. In the EU's judgment, Microsoft must refrain from using any commercial, technological or contractual terms that would have the effect of "rendering the unbundled version of Windows less attractive or performing. In particular, it must not give PC manufacturers a discount conditional on their buying Windows together with the Windows Media player." [...] Microsoft reiterated its plan to appeal the decision. "We will go forward and seek legal review of this decision in the European Court of First Instance," Brad Smith, Microsoft general counsel, said in a conference call, referring to the European Union's second highest court. [...] ============================= Cropped Windows already exists ..complete article at: http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1104_2-5177455.html By David Becker CNET News.com March 24, 2004, 10:00 AM PT One Windows, indivisible, with browser and Media Player for all. But Microsoft may have damaged its own arguments to the European Union to accept its standard platform pledge in the wake of recent programs to offer stripped-down versions of its software in some Asian countries. Faced with a program by the government of Thailand to provide citizens with low- cost PCs running open-source source software, Microsoft responded with a special $40 package with scaled-back versions of Windows XP and Office. A similar deal was recently extended to Malaysia. [...] Microsoft executives have said the deals reflect new flexibility in product packaging overseas. "What we used Thailand as a pilot to look at is: 'Can we separate product sets to meet the needs of citizens in a developing environment?'" said Maggie Wilderotter, a senior vice president of business strategy for Microsoft. "How can we put good-better-best product sets into the market based on local needs?" Microsoft executives have said the "entry level" version of Windows XP is intended for developing nations but haven't indicated in what other countries the program might be expanded. The Redmond, Wash.-based company has given no indication of similar deals on server software or other enterprise products. Analysts, however, have said the deals set potentially damaging precedents for Microsoft, amid growing pressure from governments worldwide. Research firm Gartner, for one, predicts that the program will lead to the rapid erosion of Microsoft's one-size-fits-all pricing model. "Once they find a country that speaks English that wants this kind of deal, it's going to be a lot tougher for them" to stick to current pricing models, said Mike Silver, a Gartner analyst. [...] ========================= Microsoft cuts prices for Malaysia ..complete article at: http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1104-5168029.html?tag=nl By Winston Chai CNETAsia March 2, 2004, 5:37 AM PT Mirroring a similar deal in Thailand, Microsoft has announced a scaled-down software package as part of a Malaysian government drive to increase computer ownership. The Redmond, Wash.-based software giant has unveiled a customized, Malay- language version of its Windows XP Home Edition that will be bundled with all new computers under the Malaysian government's new PC Gemilang project. [...] Pikom's budget PC features an 1.7 GHz Intel Celeron processor, 128MB of RAM, a 40GB hard drive, a 15-inch CRT monitor and peripherals such as a mouse, keyboard and speakers. Prices for the desktop depend on the choice of operating system and accompanying software. The Windows version, coupled with Microsoft Work Suite 2004--a scaled-down set of productivity tools for tasks such as word processing and spreadsheets--will retail for $643 (1,147 Malaysia ringgits), while those running a Linux OS and Open Office will cost $586. "In this program, we are able to bring the price to a point to fit the local market because it is a localized version," Butt said. "For the international English version, it's a set global pricing and it's very difficult to have one country with a different pricing from another." He did not reveal the exact cost of the Malaysia-only software package. However, an English version of Windows XP Home Edition and Office XP retails for about $199 and $399, respectively. This means the base price of the modified Windows OS and Work Suite bundle would have to be significantly lower than its English-language counterparts to meet Pikom's $643 price tag for the PC. [...] ------------------------------------------------- This mail sent through IMP: http://horde.org/imp/

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Fwd: Accessing your cc account from the desktop
by Doug Hamilton 29 Mar '04

29 Mar '04

> From: "Myrna @ACN Support Desk" <donaldm(a)cc.UManitoba.CA> > Date: March 29, 2004 2:30:54 PM GMT-06:00 > To: Doug Hamilton <hamilto(a)cc.UManitoba.CA> > Subject: Re: Accessing your cc account from the desktop > > > > Doug Hamilton wrote: > >> Hi Everyone, >> Apparently I was incorrect in stated that the amount of disk space on >> 'cc' is 100MB. Myrna Donald (ACN Help Desk) was nice enough to inform >> me that the current amount of drive space allocated to each user is >> 50MB. Staff members may make requests for additional drive space by >> contacting ACN. I would recommend speaking with the ACN Help Desk >> (474-8600) for such inquires. >> Myrna, can undergraduate or graduate students make similar requests >> for more drive space? > > Yes, indeed. It is usually granted for those who are compiling huge > programs or analyzing huge datasets (e.g. Mech Engineers doing > fluid analysis, Comp Sci programmers, architecture portfolios.) > >> >> >> Regards, >> Doug >> ------------- >> Doug Hamilton, BA, MA, APP >> Senior Apple Computer Consultant >> Computers-on-Campus; Univ. of Manitoba >> 204-474-6196 >> 204-474-7556 >> http://www.umanitoba.ca/bookstore/ >

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RE: Accessing your cc account from the desktop
by Doug Hamilton 29 Mar '04

29 Mar '04

Hi Everyone, Apparently I was incorrect in stated that the amount of disk space on 'cc' is 100MB. Myrna Donald (ACN Help Desk) was nice enough to inform me that the current amount of drive space allocated to each user is 50MB. Staff members may make requests for additional drive space by contacting ACN. I would recommend speaking with the ACN Help Desk (474-8600) for such inquires. Myrna, can undergraduate or graduate students make similar requests for more drive space? Regards, Doug ------------- Doug Hamilton, BA, MA, APP Senior Apple Computer Consultant Computers-on-Campus; Univ. of Manitoba 204-474-6196 204-474-7556 http://www.umanitoba.ca/bookstore/

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