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LangaList 2001-01-29 Please visit our sponsors and help keep the LangaList S.E. free!
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the above is an advertisement )-------------- 1) Coming: A Better Internet?Almost exactly four years ago, the US Government went high-profile with an ambitious plan for something called the "Next Generation Internet." And I do mean "high-profile:" Then-president Clinton made it part of his State of the Union address. The plan itself had started several years earlier, and had perked along largely out of the public eye. The ultimate goal of NGI was no less than to build a better Internet--- or rather, to foster the technologies and practices that would enable others to build an Internet without the bottlenecks and architectural limitations we know so well today. As originally defined, the NGI initiative had three major goals: 1. Connect at least 100 universities and national labs at speeds 100 times faster than the then-typical Internet, and a smaller number of institutions at speeds 1,000 times faster. 2. Promote experimentation with the next generation of collaborative networking technologies such as high quality video-conferencing and "streams" of audio and video. 3. Demonstrate new applications that meet important national goals and missions, scientific research, national security, distance education, environmental monitoring, and health care. Stated that way, NGI sounds nice but unspectacular. But compared to then-extant standards and practices, NGI's infrastructural and technological requirements were daunting. When you dig through the entire proposal, NGI was calling for all-optical networks, faster switches and routers, "reserved" and prioritized bandwidth for real-time applications, better software for measuring network performance and reducing bottlenecks, better means of achieving reliable and secure transmission of information... and more. When you spell it out, it's an impressive list for the time, and one that still is challenging today. This month's "Monitor" column at Byte.Com ( http://www.byte.com/column/BYT20010119S0009 ) looks at the current status of NGI; at its parallel spinoff, "Internet2;" and at what major players in the computer industry--- IBM, Microsoft, Sun, Apple--- are doing with both. And it provides a number of links you can follow to see for-real applications of NGI and Internet2 in use today. (For example: Some of NASA's online public infrastructure is based on NGI technologies!) As such, the column will give you a glimpse at what's going on--- largely behind the scenes--- to build the pieces of a high-speed, better-connected world. Check it out at http://www.byte.com/column/BYT20010119S0009 ! Click to
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the above is an advertisement )-------------- 2) Update: System Setup SecretsThe "P" in PC stands for "personal." But most new PCs ship in a generic state designed to suit the lowest common denominator among buyers. New PCs are almost never tuned optimally for performance, and in fact, often arrive with very safe, conservative settings that are designed more to minimize returns and tech support calls than to deliver all the performance of which the new machine is capable. And, in the marketing free-fire zone that is today's PC industry, odds are your new PC comes bearing non-optional, preinstalled software ranging from productivity suites to online service subscriptions to chat software, and more. Instead of having a lean, clean new machine, your just-bought PC probably arrives already burdened with all manner of software complexities, and set up the way the vendor and its partners wanted rather than the way you might prefer. So, with each new machine I've personally had over the years (something like 35 to date), I've carried out an evolving set of procedures on each. These procedures ensure that the system runs right from the start, stays right for as long as possible, and then can be *made right* with minimum fuss when things inevitably go awry. (I test a lot of hardware and software, often deliberately seeking "worst case" scenarios, and thus regularly drive my PCs to their figurative knees.) This original process was spelled out in step-by-step detail in the "System Setup Secrets" article at http://content.techweb.com/winmag//columns/explorer/1999/0831.htm . But recently, with the newest PC I bought, I realized that OS and hardware changes meant it was time for some major adjustments to that original System Setup process. The new "Explorer" article on the WinMag site documents these changes, and updates the original "System Setup Secrets" article. Some or all of these new tips -- learned the hard way from painful experience -- may help you get your new PC running right, or even to restore a not-so-new PC to optimal condition! The new article will be posted by midday (UT-5) Monday January 29th under the "Explorer" heading on http://content.techweb.com/winmag//columns/ . (If you arrive early, you'll see the previous column on DMA. In that case, just try again a little later.) If you want to try a direct link, once the column is posted, it should be at http://content.techweb.com/winmag//columns/explorer/2001/03.htm . (If you arrive early, the link won't work.) Please click on over, check out my recommendations, and the share yours! Click to
email this item to a friend 3) Shutdown Woes--- Solved!Win9x (and that includes WinME, which is really just a gussied-up version of Win98SE) all too often has problems shutting down cleanly. There are many reason why, including the fact that the hardware power-control standards have changed radically over the last few years: Hardware shutdown procedures that work fine with one set of power-control APIs may not work well with the other. Whatever the cause, the common result is a system that won't fully shut down; perhaps hanging at the "Preparing to shut down..." screen. Or, a PC may go into Suspend or Hibernate mode, and not want to come out. Although most PCs don't have these problems, a nontrivial minority of systems do, and it's very annoying. Reader Jim Wingo writes:
Thanks, Jim--- it is indeed a nice site. The site author has dug information from a variety of sources and placed them in a single, convenient, easy-to-follow layout. Well done! A few of the links on the site need updating, however. For example, the links to Microsoft's useful Win98 Power Management Troubleshooter (Pmtshoot.exe) are bad. The correct link is http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q185/9/49.ASP But small glitches like that aside, if you're having shutdown trouble, http://www.aumha.org/a/shutdown.htm is well worth a click. Click to
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the above is an advertisement )-------------- 4) AntiVirus FrustrationThe last issue of this newsletter discussed a new outbreak of a well-known virus. ( http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2001/2001-01-25.htm#3 ) Even though I disguised the virus' name in the text, it still was enough to set off email virus-scanners in droves. Hundreds--- maybe thousands--- of you didn't get your issues because your ISP or company (or even PC) has an AV scanner that was smart enough to fuzzy-match the virus' name against its database, but not smart enough to realize that the mere mention of a virus' name does not mean that an email carries the virus. Duh! Well, there's a new virus going around this week, and it affects Linux systems. This actually is something I've been predicting for a while: In the past, users of less-popular OSes have sometimes gloated over the number of virus/worm problems in Microsoft products, falsely attributing this solely to the lackluster security of the Windows 9x architecture. While there's some truth to allegations of architectural weaknesses in MS software, it's also true that most malicious hackers go after the biggest target, and that's the Microsoft installed base. More hackers/crackers mean more problems, simple as that. A couple years ago, I wrote that as OSes like Linux proliferated, they'd begin to gain the attention of sociopathic programmers; and we'd see the emergence of Linux-specific worms and such. At the time, I got angry email from some Linux fanatics that it could never happen. Well, the new Linux worm is the third or fourth such to have appeared, and the interval between Linux outbreaks is decreasing. All of which simply goes to show that no OS is immune to malicious programming. Windows, Apple, Linux, whatever--- all users of all operating systems should equip themselves with good anti-virus tools, and use those tools religiously. I'm not going to tell you the name
or details of this worm so that this newsletter won't trigger the
just-smart-enough-to-be-stupid email filter out there. But if you want more
information, check this: Click to
email this item to a friend 5) Last Days To Enter Drawing!On January 31, I'll choose another monthly winner of a no-strings $30 Gift Certificate for any item at Amazon.Com--- books, software, hardware, kitchenware, toys... To have a shot at winning, just use the following link to recommend the LangaList to a friend. Your friend just may find a new source of useful information; I just may gain a new subscriber; and you just may a $30 shopping spree! (Full details also available via this link): http://www.langa.com/recommend.htm#2 The more times you make a recommendation, the greater your chances are of winning! Or, if you'd like to try to win $10,000(!), try this link (full details also available here): http://www.langa.com/recommend.htm#1 Either way, thank you, and good luck! Click to
email this item to a friend 6) PowerPoint Patch PatchNo, that's not a typo: In a recent issue, I told you about a new patch for the "PowerPoint File Parsing Vulnerability," a potential security issue with PowerPoint 2000. (See http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2001/2001-01-25.htm#7 ) Well, the patch was "incomplete," and Microsoft has released a patched patch. (Sigh.) You can get the gory details---
and the revised patch, at: Click to
email this item to a friend 7) 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 ) Because of the length of this issue of the newsletter, I've added a bunch more sites directly to the Reader Site pages at http://www.langa.com/readersites.htm ; or better still, you can click this link ( http://www.langa.com/cgi-local/rand_link.pl ) once or many times, and each time you'll see a different, randomly-chosen Reader Site from among all those listed (over 1,000!). The normal in-issue reader listing will resume next issue. Click to
email this item to a friend --- ( Your Clicks On Ad Links Help Keep The LangaList Free! ) --- GREAT Exposure --- GREAT Prices! Have it your way, and have it seen See http://www.langa.com/ratecard.htm <a href="http://www.langa.com/ratecard.htm">AOL Users: Click here!</a> --------------( the above is an advertisement )-------------- 8) Polarized Reactions To YolineI didn't think it would be controversial. As stated in the previous issue ( http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2001/2001-01-25.htm#4 ):
I anticipated getting some mail from readers, but was astounded to receive this one (I'll withhold the reader's name):
First, it's not forced. The donations are fully described on the Plus! signup pages, long before you get to the point where you actually sign up. No one has to sign up for anything. Second, to avoid needless controversy, I deliberately chose a nonreligious/nonpolitical group whose only agenda is helping disadvantaged people break their cycle of poverty. Third, the donation does not raise the cost of a Plus! subscription all. Rather, as stated in the sign-up literature, the donation actually comes from the back end of the process and is deducted from any profit the Plus! edition makes. It's hard for me to see how anyone could object to this way of doing things. In any case, so far, enough people have signed on to the Plus! edition so that we collectively can help Yoline, and we're getting close to where we can sponsor another child. I've just about settled on a ratio of subscribers to donations that should allow the Plus! edition to fund itself on an ongoing basis and try to do some social good, besides. But there was more email, and most was along these lines:
Save The Children ( http://www.savechildren.net ) is one place to go. UNICEF ( http://www.unicef.org/ ) is another. And although some might find the religious nomenclature not OK, Christian Children's Fund ( http://www.christianchildrensfund.org/ ) actually provides aid without regard to the religion, race, or gender of those in need. It's also one of the most-efficient aid operations in that a higher-than-average percentage of donated funds actually ends up delivering services to the needy rather than being consumed by the organization itself. There are many other worthy organizations, too.... The Plus! edition's donation program is a good thing, but if your primary interest is helping needy kids, then by all means go directly to the charity of your choice and make a donation there. Trust me--- you'll feel good about it: My wife and I currently support three children (one each in South America, Central America, and Africa); and along with Plus! subscribers, are now also helping to support Yoline. Thanks to all who have helped so far--- and who will help in the future. Click to
email this item to a friend 9) Just For GrinsPatrick Rice, from the UK, sends along this shocking warning:
Click to
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the above is an advertisement )-------------- See you next issue!
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 For even more content, downloads and special services, check out the LangaList Plus! Edition: http://www.langa.com/plus.htm 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.htm 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 © 1997-2005Langa Consulting LLC. All rights reserved. LangaList: ISSN 1533-1156 |
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