Seems there was something of a server meltdown at the weekend that left genuine Windows Vista and XP users being tagged as pirates. According to BoingBoing; "Every single Windows XP and Vista installation -- except possibly those with volume license keys -- is being marked as counterfeit when it tries to check in. Installations which are flagged as counterfeit switch to a 'reduced functionality mode' which results in features like Aero and DirectX being disabled."

The problem lay with the Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) servers, and Microsoft Technical Support initially told users to leave trying to validate till today (Tuesday).

A later post from Phil Liu, Microsoft's WGA Program Manager, denied the reduction in functionality and promised, "I guarantee that I will personally resolve this issue before I go to sleep -- whether or not it is Tuesday I sleep."

The issue was resolved some time later, but as this isn't the first time this has happened it's left me wondering whether WGA is a single point of failure in the wired world. Forget financial institutions, government buildings and nuclear powerplants. If a terrorist group wants to bring the Western world to its knees, maybe they only need to take out Microsoft's server farm.

Posted by Geoff Palmer at 12:05 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 4 )

Having used Kubuntu for a year or so now, I've added hundreds of extra applications to the default installation -- everything from Kstars to Scribus. Now, wanting to replicate that setup on my not-always-connected laptop, I'm faced with either missing something "essential" or wading through menus and making notes. Or am I...?

Actually, I need just need the two commands;

dpkg --get-selections > swlist

and

dpkg --set-selections < swlist

The first, run on the machine to be replicated, saves a list of all installed software to the file "swlist". The second, run on the target machine, adds those selections into the 'software required' repository.

Now running;

apt-get dselect-upgrade

will add any software in "swlist" that isn't currently installed. Simple as that!


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Posted by Geoff Palmer at 12:03 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 5 )

Where were you in '82? Yup, the humble compact disc hit its 25th birthday this weekend.

A joint venture between Philips and Sony, the project began in 1979 at a time when there wasn't even a laser that would last for more than 100 hours. The original plan was for an 11cm disc that would carry an hour of music, but that was expanded to 74 minutes to allow a complete performance of Beethoven's 9th Symphony.

Now, more than 200 billion CDs later, the format seems to have peaked. UK sales dropped 10% in the first six months of this year while music download sales increased by 50%. Still, once you download tracks, where do you put them for long-term storage...?

More CD history here and here.

Posted by Geoff Palmer at 8:43 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 0 )

On your way home from work tonight, pick up a packet of corn starch for a little non-computer related fun this weekend...

They're known as Ooblecks, Dilatants, Shear Thickening or Non-Newtonian Fluids, and sound about as much fun as... well, a packet of corn starch. But look what you can do with them!

According to Wikipedia, "The application of force -- for example by stabbing the surface with a finger, or rapidly inverting the container holding it -- leads to the fluid behaving like a solid rather than a liquid. More gentle treatment, such as slowly inserting a spoon, will leave it in its liquid state. Trying to jerk the spoon back out again, however, will trigger the return of the temporary solid state. A person moving quickly and/or applying sufficient force with his feet can literally walk across such a liquid."

Yes, that last link is not a misprint. Check out that clip!

Now all I've got to figure out is how much I'll need to fill the bathtub...

Posted by Geoff Palmer at 2:51 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 0 )

Over the last few days I've been testing TelstraClear's upgraded cable speeds. That's my best score over there on the left, meaning they were right when they sent me mid-winter Christmas email in late July announcing they were giving users a special present; "From August, for no extra charge, your broadband download speed will be increased from 4Mbps to 10Mbps!"

Of course that is my best score. Over the course of the day on Friday my average download speed ranged between 3.6 to 7.8Mbps. At the moment -- 9:00am Monday morning -- it's averaging 5.6Mbps according to NZ DSL's SpeedTest.

So how are Telecom users faring a year after being "maxed out"? Post a comment and let us know your scores.

(Note: to attempt a little consistency, I ran three speed tests in a row then averaged the scores in the figures posted above.)

Posted by Geoff Palmer at 9:39 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 19 )

"You love your iPod. It’s a great product. You take it everywhere and you use it every day. But owning a device so desirable and fashionable as an iPod comes with one major drawback . . . the iPod has become a target for theft. So how can you take your iPod out of your home without fear?" Here's the answer...

Posted by Geoff Palmer at 8:37 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 1 )

* Updated! *

In July, the NZ Bankers' Association's new Code of Banking Practice came into effect. To paraphrase their new internet banking rules, if you any lose money as a result of using internet banking, tough luck!

How about this from page 36;

"You have breached our terms and conditions by doing the following... you have used a computer or device that does not have appropriate protective software and operating system installed and up to date."

There are no clues about precisely what this software might be. Is Windows 2000 okay? Windows 98? Linux? Could they claim that XP's been made redundant since the advent of Vista?
"You have failed to take reasonable steps to ensure that the protective systems such as virus scanning, firewall, antispyware, operating system and anti-spam software on your computer are up to date."

Again, no clues. And notice that "such as". If you get ripped off and you have everything up-to-date except the very latest anti-virus download, they can weasel out of recompensing you.

And in case you're wondering how they'll know what you're using;

"We reserve the right to request access to your computer or device in order to verify that you have taken all reasonable steps to protect your computer or device and safeguard your secure information in accordance with this Code. If you refuse our request for access then we may refuse your claim."

I don't use internet banking because I know how shitty most of their security systems are. One I looked at a few years ago only accepted six-character uppercase alphabetic passwords! No lowercase, numbers or symbols. It was a hacker's dream! Now, instead of beefing up their security to meet increasing threats, they've simply re-written their rules and passed the buck onto their users.

What a pack of bankers!

There's only one language these guys understand and that's business. If your bank doesn't have adequate internet banking safeguards, move to one that does.

Bruce Simpson on Aardvark has identified one crap bank; Westpac. So how do reader's rate the others? What security systems does your bank use? Drop me a comment and we'll start a list...



* Update 7 August 2007 *
Chris Keall covered the banks demanding a look inside you in a blog entry a little while back. That drew this delightful observation from reader Linsay;

What happens if I had used an internet cafe on the other side of the world... will they demand a look into that PC? Yes I know, I shouldn't use a PC I can't be sure is secure and yet the banks don't seem to mind:

Westpac: "From home, the office, or anywhere you have access to the Internet"

BNZ: "...using any Internet-enabled computer, anytime, anywhere in the world"

ASB: "...at a time and place that suits you. At home, at work, or anywhere in the world with access to the net via a computer"

'They' have my money, 'they' should have security to ensure 'they' don't loose it!

Nice one, Linsay! What do other readers reckon...?

Posted by Geoff Palmer at 9:35 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 9 )