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read formatted HTML version of this newsletter is available on line at The LangaList 2000-11-20 A Free Email
Newsletter from Fred
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Several issues ago (see http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2000/2000-09-11.htm#7)
I asked you all a question. It went like this: I regularly get emails like
this, and I don't have a good answer. Do you? I had a few partial suggestions:
Internet Explorer can remember many site passwords for you, but it always
supplies cached passwords in masked form (such as "******"); if
something happens to the cache, you may have long forgotten what the password
really is. Netscape's just-released browser,
Netscape 6, has adopted IE's password saving feature but it also lets you manage
the passwords from an integrated password manager found in Tasks>Privacy and
Security>Password Manager. (Thanks to reader Alek Andreev for pointing this
out.) Then there are tools such as Gator,
which remember passwords for you. But these ad-supported apps worry me because
they "phone home," ostensibly to refresh their ad cache: The same
"phone home" behavior could theoretically be exploited to send back
your passwords. At one point, I created a simple
text file with all my logons and passwords, and then stored that inside a
password-protected ZIP file (created with WinZip): I only had to remember the
Zip file's password, and then would have access to all the rest. You can do
something similar with password-protected word processing documents and
spreadsheets, too. While this isn't "robust" security by any means, it
certainly will defeat casual snoops. But none of those answers fully
addresses Frank's question, so I tossed the question out to all of you--- and
got almost 500 responses! Hundreds of the responses mentioned
specific high-security tools that help generate, manage, and securely store
passwords. For example: As a fan of your
newsletter, here's a password keeper (Whisper32: http://www.ivory.org/whisper.html
) for you to check out. I think it's very useful and easy to use, best of all,
it's small (422kb). --- Tom McCubbin And some responses mentioned
simpler, lower-security techniques to make it easier for you to generate and
manage passwords on your own. For example: One method I use is using a
fixed size (Eg 8 characters) password which consists of two parts. one part
remain Constant for all websites and the other part changes with each website.
but the changing part is derived from the name of the website so it is easy to
remember. Let me explain in greater clarity. Say i have to make a password for
site 'hithere.com'. Other responses mention tools to
help you recover forgotten passwords, when all you can see of them is a row of
asterisks; tips to store logins and passwords right along with the site URL in
your Favorites/Bookmarks, and much, much more. Best of all, these are all tested,
proven tools and techniques used by your fellow readers. I've sorted all the
replies and made them the subject of the new Explorer column that goes live
around midday today (Nov 20, 2000; UT-4) on the WinMag.Com site. The column is
posted at http://content.techweb.com/winmag//columns/explorer/2000/24.htm
. In any case, whether you need high
security password management or are just looking for some simple tips to help
make your life online a little easier, you'll find something useful. Click on
over! Click to
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A statistician would barf--- it's a
self-selected and too-small sample to be truly reliable or projectable--- but
the reader emails about Netscape 6 are running about 10 to 1 in the negative.
Other sites with larger samples (CNET, for example) shows a narrower gap, but
with Netscape still on the losing end of the equation (about 6 to 4 negative, in
the CNET example). Many readers have had trouble with
various errors on installation or at run-time. The delightfully unhelpful
"-214 DOES_NOT_EXIST" and "-322 INIT_STUB_ERROR" are the two
most-commonly reported Netscape 6 error messages I'm hearing about. Others readers complained about the
size and bloat of the package, which they felt is at odds with the claim of N6
being compact. But part of that is due to the less-than-gentle ministrations of
AOL. The heart of the N6 browser is the
"Gecko" engine, which is actually fairly small. But the engine by
itself isn't a browser, and requires an additional layer of programming to make
it fully functional as a normal app. AOL then encrusts the basic browser with
additional layers of, er, stuff to brand the browser and tie it into AOL's
marketing machine and partner services. The final result is fairly porcine. You can reduce N6's bulk somewhat by
selecting the "Custom" install, which gives you some control over the
downloaded components. It also gives you the option of saving the files locally,
so you don't have to re-download the files. I've installed N6 three times here.
The first failed to download fully. The second downloaded and ran, although with
a start-up error message. The third download hung on "Configuring
Realplayer8. Please Wait." I'll keep trying until I get a fully-functional
download to test. Scot Finnie's current "Windows
Insider" has additional information on N6; his experience seems to be more
positive than mine was. (See http://content.techweb.com/winmag//columns/insider/2000/39.htm
) WinMag also has a full-blown test in the works. Stay tuned! Click to
email this item to a friend I've mentioned BigFix several times.
It's an interesting patch-and-tune-and-update service for Windows machines.
Unlike Microsoft's Update site, BigFix "knows" about some of your
non-Microsoft application software and can assist in keeping those apps up to
date, too. It also watches for common problems in system tuning and security,
and can provide automatic, one-click fixes for these problems. I wrote
about it in some detail here: http://content.techweb.com/winmag//columns/explorer/2000/23.htm In that mini-review, I said:
"If you already keep your machine in good shape by performing updates,
housekeeping, and maintenance tasks such as those we regularly discuss here,
you're probably not likely to get much out of BigFix. I sure haven't. But if you
prefer not to think about maintenance activities and would rather have an
automatic reminder of when it's time to download a patch or perform routine
maintenance, then BigFix might be useful to you." Soon after that appeared, I got an
email from Orion Hindawi, Product Manager at BigFix, Inc.: Hey Fred- I think you
have a pretty good feel for the BigFix process, and I concur with your
assessment that BigFix currently doesn't do much for a power user who keeps his
computer up to date and performs the recommended system checks on a regular
schedule. In our experience, however, many average users just don't have the
time or the expertise to deduce which updates and bug-fixes are relevant to
their machine, and are thus are a couple service packs out of date, have a few
security holes open, and don't have the latest versions of the applications they
use most often. For that type of user, the BigFix process provides a one-stop
place to check for these types of things without forcing them to look around and
attempt to evaluate what might be relevant to their computer. Although its sometimes hard
to get to power users before they've already heard of the alert, we're actively
trying to make BigFix an interesting service for all of our users. One way that
we are doing this is by signing up companies to provide their own support
through the BigFix channel. Yesterday marked the launch of the Autodesk Fixlet
site, through which Autodesk's support technicians can alert their users to
patches and bug-fixes for the entire Autodesk product line on a proactive basis
(to check out what they're doing, go to http//www.autodesk.com, and click on the
support link). With companies like Autodesk beginning to provide their own
support through the BigFix channel, even our power users can start to get
information through BigFix before they might through other channels. I was particularly
interested in your mention that BigFix had recommended a fix to you that you
didn't need. If you remember which fix it might have been, I would appreciate it
very much if you could tell us so that we can fix it immediately. We don't get
many such complaints, and we would like to eliminate the ones we do get so that
users are confident in the advice they receive from BigFix. In any case, thanks a bunch
for the review, as I think it was a pretty fair assessment of the BigFix
process. I hope that as more sites like Autodesk come on board, even the most
active power users will begin to receive support alerts before they had heard
about them from anywhere else.--- Best Regards, Orion Hindawi I wrote back to tell Orion the
details of the bad recommendation I'd gotten from BigFix; they tracked down the
problem in their site and had it fixed within a couple hours. In all, it was an instructive look
at the attitudes and operations behind BigFix. Even though it's a service that
presently doesn't offer much for me personally, I think it's clear it's a class
act that wants to be as good as it can be. In stark contrast, see the next item
for a behind-the scenes look at another company's attitudes and operations. Click to
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4) Gateway Blows ItOver the years, I've bought many many PCs. I've rotated through a number of vendors and chip types, and probably have bought more boxes from Dell, Gateway and Micron than from any other sources. I've gotten good PCs and service from all three companies. But now, I'm taking Gateway off my list. Last month, I ordered a new system from Gateway--- a top-of-the-line unit running an AMD 1.2GHz processor and equipped with all the bells and whistles. I knew that the 1.2GHz processors were in short supply, so I expected a delay, and indeed, at order-time, I was given a projected ship date that was further out than usual. The date came and went. I contacted Gateway. They cited the chip shortage, and gave me a new date. OK. That was not too unexpected. But then that date came and went without a peep from Gateway. When time continued to pass and nothing was happening with my order, I finally called Gateway to cancel. I bounced through their phone system and human operators until I got to a person who supposedly was high enough in the food chain to be able to cancel my order. She argued with me(!), and wanted to talk me out of canceling. I finally said something like "Look, I just want to cancel the order, OK?" She wished me luck (!!) and hung up on me. I've written to Gateway and asked for in-writing confirmation that my order was cancelled, but so far have heard nothing back. As of this morning, the Gateway automated order-tracking service shows my order is still in the system. No, I won't accept delivery of the system if it comes, and yes, I will tell my credit card company to withhold payment to Gateway. But you know, when supervisory-level account reps are hanging up on customers, you know something bad is going on inside a company. It will be a very, very long time before I consider any Gateway PC again, and I suggest you think long and hard about risking your money on a Gateway system, too. Click to
email this item to a friend 5) More Re: " When Simple AV Tools Aren't Enough"In http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2000/2000-11-09.htm#4 , a reader asked for help when--- after an anti-virus sweep--- he could no longer access his hard drive at all. As usual, LangaList readers had a ton a great suggestions. Many, many readers suggested that the problem might have been a simple mechanical one--- perhaps a cable working loose. Simple fixes are indeed often all it takes to restore a system to health (see http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2000/2000-10-26.htm#2 ). But in this case, the synchronicity between the virus infection and the loss of access to the hard disk suggest a cause-effect relationship to me. I'd be surprised if it was anything as simple as a loose cable, but there's certainly nothing to lose by checking. Reader Duane Hartge had another suggestion:
Good idea, Duane, thanks. Of course, there's a way to avoid all these problems, and I can sum it up in just three words: Backup. Backup. Backup. <g> Try a search at Langa.Com on "backup" if you need more info. Click to
email this item to a friend 6) Thanks!Thanks to thousands of you, the LangaList is one of the ten most-recommended "Computing & Internet" web sites, according to the folks at Recommend-It! (See http://www.recommend-it.com/RecCenter/10.html .) It's a great feeling to know that this newsletter (and Langa.Com) is useful enough for many, many of you to have suggested it to friends and colleagues. And, as a way of saying "Thanks!" there are two prizes you can win simply for making a recommendation. For example, if you use the Recommend-It service, you can win $10,000 (full details also available via this link): http://www.langa.com/recommend.htm#1 Or, win a copy of "Poor Richard's E-Mail Publishing: Creating Newsletters, Bulletins, Discussion Groups and Other Powerful Communications Tools." This book has been described as "An excellent, straightforward manual on email publishing, banner ads, driving traffic and especially ethics." (Full details also available via this link): http://www.langa.com/recommend.htm#2 Either way, thank you again, and good luck! Click to
email this item to a friend 7) More On Dangerous FilesReaders "KSW" wrote:
No, I don't believe it's overkill. In fact, I go one step further: I simply tell my AV app to scan *all files, regardless of type.* It makes the scan take longer, but misses nothing, and ensures that I don't have to keep updating my list of those "dangerous files." Click to
email this item to a friend 8) More Reader Sites!Do you have a home page or website?
(It doesn't matter what size.) Please click over to http://www.langa.com/code.htm
, and maybe you can join the hundreds and hundreds of LangaList readers who have
"Loaded the Code!" (If you've already "Loaded The Code" and
are wondering if your site will appear here or on the Langa.Com web site, please
see http://www.langa.com/link.txt
)
Click to
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Writing from Oman, reader Barrie J. Lloyd about "The US Crown Colony" as described in a recent Just For Grins ( http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2000/2000-11-16.htm#10 ):
Click to
email this item to a friend 10) Just For GrinsC hance Shirley sent this in, saying "Wayne Shirley, my dad, sent it to me after he finished installing a new water pump on his work truck."I mention this background for two reasons: First, Chance actually told me where the joke came from, which I appreciate (and if you send something in for "Just for Grins" please tell me where it's from). Second, although Wayne was engaged in a somewhat lower-tech repair than what we normally discuss in this newsletter, the amazing thing is that the exact same principles apply to computer repair! I've taken the liberty of adjusting Wayne's text to apply to computers. Here's to to determine exactly how long any computer hardware repair will take::
Click to
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--------------( the above is an advertisement )-------------- See you next issue, which (due to the impending US "Thanksgiving" Holiday) will be published on Nov 27, 2000.
Best, Please recommend the LangaList to a friend! (And maybe win $10,000!I) An easier-to read formatted HTML version is available in the "Current Issue" section of http://www.langa.com. (The HTML version of each issue normally is available by 9AM EST [UT-5] of the issue date.) All past LangaList issues are also available at the Langa.Com site. Why are you getting this newsletter? This is a 100% OPT-IN newsletter: There are only three ways to get on the list--- signup via direct email request from you, or signup via the WinMag newsletter page or signup via BrowserTune's email-notification service. If you're getting this newsletter; your name came to me through one of those signup channels. At signup, you also received a confirmation email from my list software---no one is signed up secretly or against their will. SUBSCRIBE (it's free!): Create and send a new email address it to subscribe-langalist@lyris.dundee.net UNSUBSCRIBE: From the same address you used to sign up with (it's shown on the first line in the body of each email issue you receive), create and send a new email address to unsubscribe-langalist@lyris.dundee.net . CHANGE ADDRESS? LIST TROUBLE? HAVE QUESTIONS? NEED HELP? See http://www.langa.com/help.txt About the advertisers: Langa Consulting LLC will never knowingly accept advertising for a fraudulent product, company or service. However, Langa Consulting LLC makes no implied or explicit warranty, recommendation or endorsement of or for the products, companies or services mentioned in the ads. Disclaimer: (Please see full disclaimer here: http://www.langa.com/legal.htm.) Abbreviated version: The tips and other information given in the newsletter are researched and are believed to be accurate, but we cannot and do not guarantee that all the information here will work on all systems, for all users, all the time. All information herein is offered as-is and without warranty of any kind. Neither Langa Consulting LLC, nor its employees nor contributors are responsible for any loss, injury, or damage, direct or consequential, resulting from application of any information presented here. This newsletter is a free service of Langa Consulting LLC and is Copyright © 2000 Langa Consulting LLC. All rights reserved. |