Doctor Percy Julian. Chemist. Brilliant. Determined. Forgotten. Black.
Black History Month is an appropriate time for networks to feature shows about significant contributions of Blacks, whether American or not. But I wish these didn't seem timed for Black History Month. How about just working on a good project and releasing it when ready? Let's not limit recognition of the significant contributions of African Americans and other Blacks to February, shall we? A great show about a great person is a welcomed change from most TV drivel (that, sadly, I watch).
That said, I missed a really good PBS piece on Dr. Percy the first time around. The Nova show site for "Forgotten Genius" refers to him as one of the greatest scientists of the 20th century. The site has very good sidebar pieces plus the ability to watch online. I picked up on this while doing a late read of Angela Gunn's Tech_Space blog at USA Today. I did manage to locate a reshowing of this excellent piece late at night on February 7th. Fascinating, yet it will pluck your heartstrings with the agony he went through.
Do it. Do it now. You'll be glad you did.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Adobe Reader 8 - get it
Adobe has released Adobe Reader 8.0. Adobe considers it a critical update to version 7 for security reasons.
Get Adobe Reader 8.0.
Caution – Adobe will install Yahoo! Toolbar by default unless you specifically deselect (disable) that. I do choose not install Yahoo! Toolbar or Google Toolbar. I use IE7 and avoid the extra "overhead" that the toolbars introduce, to say nothing about possible glitches or conflicts.
After you install it, select "Edit", then "Preferences" from the menu bar and check every single option. Many options are now located in different places from the prior versions. For example, you can choose to set the default display of a "document" to single page, continuous. I prefer that to the unnatural page "jump" that happens by default when you reach the bottom of a PDF's page.
Also, a toolbar button for copying text in a PDF is not present by default. Check out each option. Experiment. You can always change it back.
Get Adobe Reader 8.0.
Caution – Adobe will install Yahoo! Toolbar by default unless you specifically deselect (disable) that. I do choose not install Yahoo! Toolbar or Google Toolbar. I use IE7 and avoid the extra "overhead" that the toolbars introduce, to say nothing about possible glitches or conflicts.
After you install it, select "Edit", then "Preferences" from the menu bar and check every single option. Many options are now located in different places from the prior versions. For example, you can choose to set the default display of a "document" to single page, continuous. I prefer that to the unnatural page "jump" that happens by default when you reach the bottom of a PDF's page.
Also, a toolbar button for copying text in a PDF is not present by default. Check out each option. Experiment. You can always change it back.
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Safer Internet Day
Today, February 6, is Safer Internet Day, observed by over 40 countries. This year's focus is on mobile phones and child safety. The European Union (EU) has a special ins@fe site, which features a special worldwide blogathon for Safer Internet Day.
Among U.S. sites, the U.S. Department of Justice sponsors iSafe, with an iLearn section that aims at several groups: teachers, over-50, parents, students, and even law enforcement and prosecutors. The site also contains tips for parents and tips for students. A series of "Dig Deeper" articles seems sure to grow over time. It already includes downloadable PDF format files ranging in topic from Copyright basics to the Perils of Blogging (I'd better read that one).
Other resources:
Among U.S. sites, the U.S. Department of Justice sponsors iSafe, with an iLearn section that aims at several groups: teachers, over-50, parents, students, and even law enforcement and prosecutors. The site also contains tips for parents and tips for students. A series of "Dig Deeper" articles seems sure to grow over time. It already includes downloadable PDF format files ranging in topic from Copyright basics to the Perils of Blogging (I'd better read that one).
Other resources:
- The FBI offers a "Parent's Guide to Internet Safety".
- At the NetSmartz Workshop, Dr. Sharon offers advice via several 2+ minutes online videos.
- Online security company McAfee offers an online guide for parents.
- Security company Symantec joins with iKeepSafe.org to present an online video, "10 Common questions about Internet safety."
- Microsoft has a whole "Protect your family" section.
- Google offers "OneKey," the kid-safe search engine use Google and filters.
- Keeping Children Safe Online (US-CERT)
- WiredSafety.org
- Keeping Internet Kids Safe (KIKS)
- Google Directory: Internet/Child Safety
- McGruff: Internet Safety tips and cons for kids
- Panel addresses net threats to kids
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Weather + Google mashup
Weathermole is a great sample of what developers can do when they combine Google maps with other data. Such a merging is called a "mashup".
In this case, the developer merged NOAA weather data to Google maps data. The resulting mashup lets you specify a ZIP code or a major city, then provides forecast text and images below the U.S. map.
In this case, the developer merged NOAA weather data to Google maps data. The resulting mashup lets you specify a ZIP code or a major city, then provides forecast text and images below the U.S. map.
Get wired
Wired magazine has some great articles. You can now find the Wired technology news feed in the right column of this blog.
But if you, like me, also have a string interest in science in general, check out "What we don't know" at Wired. The list has 40 questions, from the humorous to some truly "big" ones.
But if you, like me, also have a string interest in science in general, check out "What we don't know" at Wired. The list has 40 questions, from the humorous to some truly "big" ones.
Eudora email becomes Penelope
Qualcomm is going to cease development of its popular email client software, Eudora. Instead, it is giving its code to the Mozilla folks, who also produce Thunderbird.
At first I thought that Eudora would get merged into a slightly changed Thunderbird. But no. The aim by Mozilla, with the help of current Eudora staff, is for the new open-source email client program to maintain the "Eudora user experience". The name for this project is Penelope.
I have been using Eudora Pro, but decided to try out Thunderbird. Caution - the Thunderbird importers for Eudora's mailboxes, folders, messages, and address books are very "rough". I had to heavily edit the imported address book data, though the Eudora 7 messages and "Personalities" did import OK. Thunderbird is a different user experience, but mostly rewarding. I really appreciate the spell check as you type. But I was annoyed that there was no option to change the default message action upon delete -- it pops up the next unread message, which could be malicious. No thank you!
If you want to try Thunderbird, I recommend also installing the "Unselect message" add-on, which changes the default action to one that deletes an open message and then returns to the message list without opening the next unread one. That should have been the Thunderbird default anyway, just for security reasons.
At first I thought that Eudora would get merged into a slightly changed Thunderbird. But no. The aim by Mozilla, with the help of current Eudora staff, is for the new open-source email client program to maintain the "Eudora user experience". The name for this project is Penelope.
I have been using Eudora Pro, but decided to try out Thunderbird. Caution - the Thunderbird importers for Eudora's mailboxes, folders, messages, and address books are very "rough". I had to heavily edit the imported address book data, though the Eudora 7 messages and "Personalities" did import OK. Thunderbird is a different user experience, but mostly rewarding. I really appreciate the spell check as you type. But I was annoyed that there was no option to change the default message action upon delete -- it pops up the next unread message, which could be malicious. No thank you!
If you want to try Thunderbird, I recommend also installing the "Unselect message" add-on, which changes the default action to one that deletes an open message and then returns to the message list without opening the next unread one. That should have been the Thunderbird default anyway, just for security reasons.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Warning: Mailicious emails, web sites
A malicious bugger named Trojan.Peacomm is making the rounds. This nasty thing can hide its files and processes, making it quite hard to detect. It arrives:
A killer at 11, he's free at 21 and kill again!
Naked teens attack home director.
230 dead as storm batters Europe.
Radical Muslim drinking enemies's blood.
Chinese missile shot down Russian satellite
Saddam Hussein alive!
Venezuelan leader: "Let's the War beginning".
Fidel Castro dead.
Be paranoid -- people really are out to get you!
Get more information at Symantec Security Response ...
- As a file installed on your computer by other malware (malicious software) or
- As a file you unwittingly download when visiting malicious URLs.
A killer at 11, he's free at 21 and kill again!
Naked teens attack home director.
230 dead as storm batters Europe.
Radical Muslim drinking enemies's blood.
Chinese missile shot down Russian satellite
Saddam Hussein alive!
Venezuelan leader: "Let's the War beginning".
Fidel Castro dead.
Be paranoid -- people really are out to get you!
Get more information at Symantec Security Response ...
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Get Wired - Science, that is
You remember the film "Weird Science"? Well, PBS airs "Wired Science" tonight. It's from Wired magazine and one of three pilots for one possible series.
Watch, then you can even add your opinion as to whether PBS should make Wired Science a series.
Watch, then you can even add your opinion as to whether PBS should make Wired Science a series.
Saturday, January 06, 2007
Wireless drivers a major vulnerability
Wireless drivers are under attack by hackers. So far the wireless products affected include ones from Apple, Intel, Broadcom, Cisco, Linksys, Dell, Netgear, D-link.
Tens of millions of desktop and notebook computers plus other wireless devices are vulnerable. If you use a wireless device, check the manufacturer's web site to see if they offer a driver update.
Reference: Wireless security starts with drivers
Tens of millions of desktop and notebook computers plus other wireless devices are vulnerable. If you use a wireless device, check the manufacturer's web site to see if they offer a driver update.
Reference: Wireless security starts with drivers
Manage passwords securely
Over 50 percent of people use the same password for nearly every site they visit and that requires one, says PC World about a Jupiter Research study. That's just asking for trouble.
On the other hand, it's not reasonable to expect people to remember a bazillion usernames and passwords. So what do you do? Some people store the sites and passwords in a file on their PC. Not good. If their PC is hacked, the file is available for the hacker to read, use, and distribute or sell to other hackers. A much better method is to use a secure password manager.
Secure password managers also store the site and password information, but they encrypt it. One such free program is Comodo iVault, which uses 256-bit encryption. Of course, you use a password to open the program. So you need to make that password an exceptionally strong one.
To make a strong password, use at least 8 characters and a mix of UPPER CASE letters, lower case letters, numbers, and symbols. If you want to beef up the strength some more, make the length at least 15 characters long. The, make it even stronger by making sure that no part of it forms a word. The more random the password, the better, though that also makes it harder to remember.
When creating a password, avoid obvious keyboard sequences of adjoining or alternating keys. Also, don't include any information associated with you or your family as part of the password (names, pets' names, birth dates, license plate number, etc.).
To make sure you have the right idea, test a sample strong password with CertainKey Cryptosystems's online password strength analyzer (at the bottom of that web page). Since all the keystrokes you send are "in the clear", use this just for testing and demo purposes, not to check your real password. Note that the randomness of the password (what CertainKey calls entropy) helps too. The online tools estimates how many days it would take to crack the sample password you enter. Microsoft also offers an online password strength checker.
On the other hand, it's not reasonable to expect people to remember a bazillion usernames and passwords. So what do you do? Some people store the sites and passwords in a file on their PC. Not good. If their PC is hacked, the file is available for the hacker to read, use, and distribute or sell to other hackers. A much better method is to use a secure password manager.
Secure password managers also store the site and password information, but they encrypt it. One such free program is Comodo iVault, which uses 256-bit encryption. Of course, you use a password to open the program. So you need to make that password an exceptionally strong one.
To make a strong password, use at least 8 characters and a mix of UPPER CASE letters, lower case letters, numbers, and symbols. If you want to beef up the strength some more, make the length at least 15 characters long. The, make it even stronger by making sure that no part of it forms a word. The more random the password, the better, though that also makes it harder to remember.
When creating a password, avoid obvious keyboard sequences of adjoining or alternating keys. Also, don't include any information associated with you or your family as part of the password (names, pets' names, birth dates, license plate number, etc.).
To make sure you have the right idea, test a sample strong password with CertainKey Cryptosystems's online password strength analyzer (at the bottom of that web page). Since all the keystrokes you send are "in the clear", use this just for testing and demo purposes, not to check your real password. Note that the randomness of the password (what CertainKey calls entropy) helps too. The online tools estimates how many days it would take to crack the sample password you enter. Microsoft also offers an online password strength checker.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)