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The LangaList
Standard Edition

2003-09-04

A Free Email Newsletter from Fred Langa
That Helps You Get More From Your Hardware, 
Software, and Time Online

Please visit our sponsors and help keep the LangaList S.E. free!

1) Three Technologies Worth Watching

Some technologies and topics are "once over lightly." But others deserve a second (or third or fourth or...) looks as new developments unfold, or as new experiences suggest that a rethinking of earlier judgments is in order.

That's the case with three noteworthy technologies and trends I've discussed in this space before--- at least "once over lightly." <g> Now, after new developments and after months of hands-on use, it's time for an update.

For example, in "Powerline Networking Comes Of Age" http://www.informationweek.com/story/IWK20030108S0003 , we discussed the emergence of devices that let you "...use your existing electrical wiring to create a local area network for your PCs, Macs, Linux boxes, or other network-enabled devices." The beauty of powerline networking is that any building that has normal electrical service already is wired for a local area network. Anyplace in the building that has an ordinary electrical outlet also automatically has LAN access. This means that users can roam with powerline networking almost as easily as with wireless LANs.

So why not just use a wireless LAN? In a word: security. Radio-based wireless LANs often can be hacked with ease. For example, hackers can eavesdrop on WLANs from literally *miles* away--- up to 10 miles or more!--- using nothing more than (believe it or not) the aluminized tubes used to hold Pringle's potato chips.  (See http://www.google.com/search?q=pringle+antenna ) And there are dozens of free "warez" programs around to help crack the 128-bit encryption most commonly used to try to secure wireless LANs. In contrast, Powerline networking offers much better security because no signal is broadcast out into the surrounding space; a hacker can't sit in a car miles away and use simple snack-food packaging to snoop on you!

I've been using powerline networking in my office for many months now, and I still like it a lot. But that daily hands-on use has caused me to modify one of my original recommendations. That, and updates on two other hot topics--- very low-cost small-brand or "white box" PCs, and GPS technology--- are the basis of a new InformationWeek.Com column, live now at http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=14100041 .

In addition to the full scoop on my new powerline networking recommendations, you'll read about a $400 PC I recently got that easily matches a box I paid almost $2000 for, just two years ago; and a new GPS adventure involving (for real!) a shipwreck and a desert island. (For a previous GPS adventure, see http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2002/2002-08-08.htm#1 and http://search.atomz.com/search/?sp-q=gps&sp-a=0008002a-sp00000000 )

So, if any of those topics interests you--- inexpensive PCs, powerline networking, or GPS--- click on over to http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=14100041  for the updated info. See you there!

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2) New Free Security Tool, Port Scans

Steve Gibson, who many of you know as the creator of the free and excellent "ShieldsUp" security testing service, wrote this week:

Hi Fred, I wanted to let you know, so that you could tell your readers if you think it's worthy, that I have just (early this morning) released my latest freeware: The DCOMbobulator.

http://grc.com/dcom/

The DCOMbobulator does two things:

* It allows any Windows user to easily test and verify that their Windows' DCOM system *has* been correctly patched to eliminate the serious remote exploit vulnerability which recently brought us all of the MSBlast Internet worm excitement. We have confirmed reports that Microsoft's patch sometimes does not "take", leaving Windows still vulnerable. The DCOMbobulator let's anyone check any local Windows system.

* Secondly, and really most importantly, since virtually NO ONE needs (or has ever needed) to have DCOM running, the DCOMbobulator allows any Windows user to safely and easily disable DCOM and unbind it from port 135. I do a comprehensive job of this on ALL versions of Windows, so that if the Windows Task Scheduler and the "Distributed Transaction Coordinator" (MSDTC) services -- which both also use port 135 -- are also disabled, Windows TCP port 135 will finally be closed. )

And by the way, have you SEEN what I've done with/to ShieldsUP!? It's really not a "junior" security testing facility anymore. <<grin>> All the best, Steve

Like Steve's other offerings, the DCOMbobulator is tiny, fast, free, and efficient: It downloads in a flash, and does just what Steve says (above). Plus, it explains what it's doing, and why; and offers an ultra-easy way to reverse the changes, if you should ever need or want to. Nice!

And indeed, ShieldsUp! has been expanded and improved considerably, and now also includes a "Port Authority" online database. It can tell you not only what various ports are legitimately used for, but also what known worms, trojans, and such may try to exploit them. You can browse the port database online, or access it directly from your system by creating a URL in the form http://grc.com/port_NUM.htm, where you replace "NUM" with the actual port number you're interested in. For example, if you want to learn about Port 80, you'd type http://grc.com/port_80.htm , and that URL leads you to the page that discusses port 80. It's simple, and it works for any of your PC's 65,535 ports.

ShieldsUp also provides a very convenient connection between its reports pages and the database, so you can immediately and easily learn about any ports that ShieldsUp flags as potential trouble spots.

Grc.Com just gets better and better. Thanks, Steve!

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3) "Make New Folder"

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4) Lost Menu Options

Hi Fred. Here's a mysterious problem: When I right click on the start button (Win98 SE), the Open and Find options are grayed out. Right click works fine in all other drop down menus. Any ideas? Regards, Mike Read

It's surprisingly common, Mike, and can affect any of a variety of menu options (not just Open and Find). Most of the problems involve one of the versions of the popular-TweakUI "PowerToy." Just take a look at these sample Knowledgebase items, for example and you'll see a common thread--- TweakUI interfering with one or more menu options--- running through many of the listed items: http://search.support.microsoft.com/search/default.aspx?Query=tweakUI .

But not all problems are covered in the above, because TweakUI is an officially unsupported add-on.

Other venues have more specific info. For example, see "GRAYED-OUT COMMANDS IN START CONTEXT MENU" at
http://mooselake-net.com/tips/win98_6.html, or see http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/win98/t995428581

Or: Simply uninstall TweakUI. When it works, TweakUI is handy and useful... but when it starts causing trouble, you'll see why Microsoft never released it as an officially supported utility. On some systems, it causes very weird things to happen!

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5) Three More Winners!

"SJTasha," "Paul" and "Brianm" each won a FREE full one-year subscription to the LangaList Plus! edition by using the "Recommend To A Friend" form at http://www.langa.com/recommend.htm .

You see, each month I choose three winners of a new FREE ONE YEAR SUBSCRIPTION to the LangaList Plus! edition. (Existing Plus! subscribers get their current subscription extended by a full year.) 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 win! (Full details also available via this link): http://www.langa.com/recommend.htm

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6)  "Ad-Aware Let Us Down Again"

Fred, You have taught me more then anyone else over the years and I sincerely thank you. I was disappointed last year when Lavasoft stopped supporting Updates to Ad-Aware and left the customers all hanging. Without current updates it was worthless and I deleted it. I now have Ad-Aware Plus, version 6.0, build 158, and wondered why for well over a month there were no "new" updates available? In that time my Spybot and Pest Patrol had many updates. I went to the Lavasoft web site tonight and found that even though, I have version 6.0, they have stopped Update access to any release less than build 181.... If I cannot even manually download and install the Updates to my older build of the current version, then this utility will go into my Dumpster and I will never use Lavasoft again. Lavasoft seriously needs to rethink what they are doing if they want people to use their product.--- Dean Ross

I agree, Dean. It's now been almost a year since Lavasoft started having major trouble, first with their site going dark for days and weeks; then, when the site came back, there was a period of many month with no updates, despite the proliferation of new hostile adware/spyware/malware; then they had a new round of site problems; and now there have been a number of glitches with the new version 6, too.

PestPatrol and Spybot also have had their share of growing pains--- no one is immune, especially in this, which may be the fastest-growing area in software: New hostile adware/spyware/malware crops up almost every day, requiring an extremely aggressive coding effort on the part of the vendors selling protective software.

But Lavasoft's ongoing and pernicious problems--- almost a year!--- make me unwilling to rely on Ad-Aware as much more than a backup or secondary tool. I have not purchased the Pro version of Ad-Aware, and don't plan to until and unless the dust settles and they have a *long* run without serious outages, hassles or glitches.

Meanwhile, I rely on Spybot (which I paid for via voluntary donation) and PestPatrol (which I simply bought). No tool is perfect, and all the tools in this category have some rough spots. But these two tools seem to nicely backstop each other. Combined with a good firewall and an up-to-date antivirus tool, they've kept my PC safe and pest-free, despite the worst the internet has had to offer. <g>

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7) Prescient Advice

You may know Ed Bott, a writer/columnist who's been an authoritative voice in the PC community for years. He's written a pile of books.

Last week, I got this email from Ed:

Subject: Stopping Viruses and Worms--- A Four-Step Survival Guide

Fred - Hope this note finds you well. Congratulations on the continued growth of the LangaList. I look forward to reading it each week.

Last year, Carl Siechert and I wrote "Microsoft Windows Security Inside Out" for Microsoft Press. It's an 800-page tome, filled with detailed information and aimed at sophisticated Windows users. It looks like we were about a year ahead of our time!

Since the recent Blaster and Sobig.F outbreaks, I've been besieged by worried readers wanting to know how they can protect themselves from viruses, worms, and hackers. To help them understand what they need to do to safeguard their computers, I adapted some of the material from the book into an easy-to-follow four-step program that should help any Windows user at any level.

I've posted the excerpt at my Web site, and I invite you to read it for yourself. If you think your readers will benefit from this information, you're welcome to use it....
http://www.edbott.com/protect_your_pc.htm
---Ed Bott

Thanks, Ed!

If you'd like to check out the full version of Ed's "Microsoft Windows Security Inside Out," your local bookstore (physical or online) almost surely carries it. Or, to get as much as a 30% discount, and simultaneously help to support Langa.Com, please see http://www.langa.com/books.htm for a direct link to Ed's books through Amazon.Com, one of our site's sponsors.

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 )

Speaking of which: Here's another eclectic sample of reader sites--- some professional, some very personal:

View A Randomly-Chosen Reader Site From Among All Listed
http://www.langa.com/randomlink.htm

Manually Browse All Posted-to-Date Sites Starting At
http://www.langa.com/readersites.htm

Freeware
http://home.hccnet.nl/hmdejong/

Presentations On A Business Card
http://www.jwrgraphicsdesigngroup.com/

E-musings
http://itjano.netfirms.com/techit.html

Some Things Southern
http://www.superinetmall.com/tb/

AMERICAN WWII NAVY CAMP, BRISBANE (AU)
http://members.optusnet.com.au/~davidmorgan2/

Face Times
http://pages.prodigy.net/franz1/

Vision, Images of the Landscape
http://www.visionlandscapes.com/Home.aspx

PC Web Design and Development
http://www.pcwebdesign.net/index.htm

ARTIST FRANK WHIPPLE
http://www.frankwhipplenunprints.com/index.html

Pino Daeni's art
http://www.pino-artist.com/

Kona Coffee
http://www.konarainforestcoffee.com/links.html

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10) Just For Grins

[More from a long list of amusing quips and quotes sent in by reader Ken Thompson. See http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2003/2003-08-28.htm#10 for the first batch.]

"He can compress the most words into the smallest idea of any man I know." - Abraham Lincoln

"I've had a perfectly wonderful evening. But, this wasn't it." - Groucho Marx

"He has the attention span of a lightning bolt." - Robert Redford

"They never open their mouths without subtracting from the sum of human knowledge." - Thomas Brackett Reed

"He inherited some good instincts from his Quaker forebears, but by diligent hard work, he overcame them."- James Reston (about Richard Nixon)

"In order to avoid being called a flirt, she always yielded easily." - Charles, Count Talleyrand

"He loves nature in spite of what it did to him." - Forrest Tucker

"Why do you sit there looking like an envelope without any address on it?" - Mark Twain

"I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying  I approved of it." - Mark Twain

"His mother should have thrown him away and kept the stork." - Mae West

"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go." - Oscar Wilde

"He has no enemies, but is intensely disliked by his friends." - Oscar Wilde

"He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts ... for support rather than illumination." - Andrew Lang (1844-1912)

"He has Van Gogh's ear for music." - Billy Wilder

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11) Plus! Edition Highlights:

• "Book" Of Freeware That Updates Itself
      (plus: a web search deeper than Google!)

• Cable Pro Offers Tips
      (cable modem advice from a professional installer)

• Linux Specialty Distribution
      (a compact Linux with speech-synthesis built in!)

For just $1 per month---- pennies per issue--- you get access to over 100,000 additional words in special features, extra content and private links, all on a private web site--- plus 30% more content in every issue! And there's a MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE from Fred. How can you go wrong?

Plus! Edition info: http://www.langa.com/plus.htm 

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See you next issue!

Best,

Fred
( Editor@Langa.Com )

Please recommend the LangaList to a friend! (And maybe win $10,000!I)

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