Information Technology Blog

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By Mark Ward
Technology correspondent, BBC News

Bletchley Park is best known for the work done on cracking the German codes and helping to bring World War II to a close far sooner than might have happened without those code breakers.

But many believe Bletchley should be celebrated not just for what it ended but also for what it started - namely the computer age.

The pioneering machines at Bletchley were created to help codebreakers cope with the enormous volume of enciphered material the Allies managed to intercept.

The machine that arguably had the greatest influence in those early days of computing was Colossus - a re-built version of which now resides in the National Museum of Computing which is also on the Bletchley site.

Men and machine

The Enigma machines were used by the field units of the German Army, Navy and Airforce. But the communications between Hitler and his generals were protected by different machines: The Lorenz SZ40 and SZ42.

The German High Command used the Lorenz machine because it was so much faster than the Enigma, making it much easier to send large amounts of text.

“For about 500 words Enigma was reasonable but for a whole report it was hopeless,” said Jack Copeland, professor of philosophy at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, director of the Turing Archive and a man with a passionate interest in the Bletchley Park computers.

CLICK HERE FOR FULL STORY

Microsoft has given yet another reprieve to its seasoned Windows XP operating system.

The cut off date for PC makers to obtain licenses for the software was 31 January 2009.

But now Microsoft has put in place a scheme that will allow the hardware firms to get hold of XP licences until 30 May 2009.

Previously Microsoft extended XP’s life until 2010 - provided it was installed on netbooks and low-cost laptops.

Windows XP was originally due to disappear off shop shelves on 30 January 2008. It was to be removed so as to make way for Windows Vista which went on sale to consumers early in 2007.

Despite Microsoft’s claims that Vista has sold well, consumers have reacted badly to its release.

Microsoft granted the reprieve largely because of customer’s preference for XP.

Many PC makers also got around the restrictions by exploiting a clause in Microsoft’s licensing terms that allowed them to offer a “downgrade” licence. Issued with a new PC running Vista it allowed customers to replace it with XP.

The latest reprieve affects PC makers and resellers who were working to a 31 January 2009 deadline to order licences for XP.

Many feared they would have to stockpile licences before the cut-off and hope they could sell them in the coming months.

Now, Microsoft has changed the terms allowing the resellers to order before 31 January but take delivery at any time up to 30 May.

The change in policy is another indication of the general resistance to Windows Vista.

Early versions of Windows 7, the replacement for Vista, are due to appear in late 2009.

Full Story

Windows 7 (formerly codenamed Blackcomb and Vienna) is the next release of Microsoft Windows, an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, Tablet PCs, and media center PCs.^[1]

Microsoft stated in 2007 that it is planning Windows 7 development for a three-year time frame starting after the release of its predecessor, Windows Vista, but that the final release date will be determined by product quality.^[2]

Unlike its predecessor, Windows 7 is intended to be an incremental upgrade with the goal of being fully compatible with existing device drivers, applications, and hardware.^[3] Presentations given by the company in 2008 have focused on multi-touch support, a redesigned Windows Shell with a new taskbar, a home networking system called HomeGroup,^[4] and performance improvements. Some applications that have been included with prior releases of Microsoft Windows, most notably Windows Mail, Windows Movie Maker, and Windows Photo Gallery, are no longer included with the operating system; they are instead offered separately as part of the Windows Live Essentials suite.^[5]

Source: WikiPedia

Lists like this are awfully subjective, but always fun to work on. As Christmas approaches, it’s time to reminisce about the products that really floated my boat in 2008… and a few of the ones that made me run away screaming.Without further ado, here are my — completely personal — picks for some of the best products to come from the world of technology from 2008.

The Best

Gateway MC7803u laptop - It has modest specs and average-to-good performance, but $1,000 flat gets you a gorgeous, 16-inch screen and a distinctive, classy chassis, complete with leather trim. It’s altogether an excellent value and has all the features that virtually every user needs in a portable.

Rock Band 2 - Arguably the best game of the year — I find it humbling that I listen to more music while playing Rock Band than I do on my iPod. The ongoing addition of new — and good — music to the game makes it an ongoing favorite at Null HQ.

Lenovo IdeaPad S10 - If you must buy a netbook, try Lenovo’s outstanding mini, which is exceptionally powerful for its feature set and size and priced to move.

Intel Core i7 CPU - This new CPU is the fastest and most capable microchip on the block, hands down, and it won’t melt your computer along the way. Can’t wait for the mobile version to arrive in 2009.

Hulu - This web TV service really came into its own in 2008 after a slow and rocky start. YouTube gets all the press (and about 100 times the traffic), but Hulu has the full-length, high-quality commercial shows and snippets that people actually want to watch. And the player is snappier in response than anything else on the market.

Fabrik [re]drive - Environmentalism in the tech world doesn’t have to mean just a good take-back program. The [re]drive is made of bamboo and recyclable aluminum, making it not just more eco-conscious than any other hard drive on the market, but better looking too.

Sony Xperia X1 - If it weren’t for the $800 price tag, you’d see X1 handsets in the hands of all the digerati instead of the iPhone. (Yeah, I like the iPhone 3G, too, but the atrocious battery life is cause enough to keep it off this year’s “best” list.)

Herman-Miller Embody - Can a man fall in love with a chair? Yes, yes he can

The Worst

Blu-ray - I’m happy to see that Blu-ray players have come down in price… but the media has not, and there’s no way I’m paying $25 to watch Step Brothers. Plus the technology is still, bafflingly, dog-slow to respond. There’s a very loud and vocal minority that insists that Blu-ray will be a huge success. The market would seem to indicate otherwise. (And no, I am not a disgruntled HD DVD player owner; never owned one.)

Mint.com - Lots of writers hail Mint.com’s finance tracking system as the best thing since Coca-Cola Classic, but after weeks with the service I’ve never gotten it to work right. It still can’t grab all my account information from one of the biggest banks in the world… and every month I am (wrongly) chastised for spending over $5,000 on groceries, the category into which all my spending is invariably dumped.

DRM in All Its Forms - Why does DRM still exist? It’s so aggravating and generates so many lawsuits that promising products like RealDVD get sued off the planet within days of launching. Three months after launch, RealDVD is still “temporarily” off the market as the company deals with a Hollywood lawsuit.

By Alexander Villafania
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 22:23:00 12/28/2008

Filed Under: Golf, People, Crime
MANLA, Philippines–Just a day after a golf club mauling incident was reported, dozens of blogs are denouncing alleged perpetrators who happen to be high-ranking government officials.

Masui, Lanao del Sur Mayor Nasser Pangandaman, Jr. and several of his golf companions and bodyguards figured in an altercation last December 26 with Delfin de la Paz and his 14-year old son Bino at the Valley Golf and Country Club in Antipolo City.

It was later found out that Department of Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman Sr. was also present at the golf club but was said to have not been part of the alleged mauling.

The incident was later blogged by Bambee de la Paz and was reported by several news organizations. Bloggers also picked up the story and have since been calling for an investigation over the incident while a few others called for both Pangandaman’s resignations.

Bambee de la Paz’s blog was reposted on the FilipinoVoices.com and received dozens of comments. Comic book artist Gerry Alanguilan also posted his opinion on the matter, while Juned Sonido also had his take on the issue.

Blogger Tonyo Cruz listed several messages from other bloggers in Global Voices. Filipina Mom Blogger listed down other blogs that are showing outrage for the alleged mauling.

Manuel Quezon III wrote a scathing commentary where he relates the incident to the warlord culture in the provinces.

source: inqurer.net

By Tarra Quismundo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 03:50:00 12/27/2008

MANILA, Philippines—You can “poke” Joma, send him a message or gift him with a red flag and virtual copy of “The Communist Manifesto.”

Jose Maria Sison, founding chair of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), apparently digs the hugely popular social networking site Facebook that Barack Obama himself used in his successful campaign for the US presidency.

Here, Sison, on self-exile in the Dutch city of Utrecht, keeps in touch with more than 1,200 friends from around the world, among them fellow revolutionaries, militants, journalists and, yes, even sexy star Asia Agcaoili.

And while he became tech-savvy only recently, the 69-year-old leader of the party tagged by the United States as a terrorist organization adapts to cyber-cool and simply uses his nickname for his online persona.

Sison’s latest status update, a Facebook feature where users talk about their current state of mind, recent activity or any message, reads in apparent reference to yesterday’s 40th CPP anniversary: “Joma Sison is conveying the season’s greetings to everyone and celebrating a historic event.”

On the other hand, the CPP’s birthday statement was true to its cause, unveiling a five-year plan to step up the insurgency and establish a Marxist state. This includes battling officials “perpetrating treason, plunder and human rights violations.”

His Facebook page is Sison’s alternate outlet to his presence on video-sharing website YouTube and his official website, a rather formal .org bearing his full name where his writings and information on his legal cases are posted.

“It is meant to reach a wider audience and to show people another side of Joma, that he’s not a foreign terrorist but someone funny. It gives you an idea what kind of person he is,” said Renato Reyes Jr. of the leftist group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan.

“You can interact with him and when he can respond, he will discuss with you issues like the global economic crisis,” Reyes said.

“Seven years ago, Joma would not go near a computer. He was initially intimidated by the technology of the Internet. But he got into the World Wide Web in 2001. It was a complete transformation; he’s now Internet-savvy and uses different platforms,” Reyes said.

source: inquirer.net

greetings from tech.ranaw.com

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/21 Oct) – For two days beginning this weekend, cyber nuts and bloggers in the internet from all over Mindanao will see each other eyeball to eyeball -  eb that is for the uninitiated.

It will be the 2^nd Mindanao Bloggers Summit with a theme that is as pressing and as current as today’s headlines.

Bloggers who are adept at posting opinions, views, images and a cornucopia of trivia and other irrelevant information in the internet are becoming an emerging force in today’s rapidly changing information and communication technology (ICT).

They may not share the same audiences as their more established cousins in the mainstream print and broadcast media, but their voices are literally and figuratively dominating the ICT highway.

In these days of paperless news, they could explode into a major force before anyone else could realize.

Calling on others to hear them, bloggers in the island are trying to foster a Mindanao consciousness.

Judging from the diversity of characters and backgrounds of bloggers who have committed to attend – some 150 of them and still counting - the summit wants to neutralize the negative news and stories that are coming out of Mindanao.

Among those invited to speak in the gathering is Inquirer’s and ANC’s Manolo Quezon who will offer an outsider’s view of the politics and history of and commentaries about Mindanao.

Also scheduled to give their addresses are General Santos City Mayor Pedro Acharon Jr. and Sarangani Governor Miguel Rene Dominguez.

Bloggers who have accounts in Wordpress, Friendster, Multiply, Facebook and other blog accounts are welcome to join the summit.

The summit will be held on October 25 and 26 at the Family Country Hotel and Convention Center.

Last year’s summit host was Davao City.

For more details of the event, inquiries may be made through www.gensantos.com or www.mindanaobloggers.com. (Edwin G. Espejo/MindaNews contributor)

source: mindanews.com

From the start menu, click run and enter

GPEDIT.MSC

Select ‘Administrative templates / System’

double click on ‘Disable autoplay’ in the right pane

Set to Enable the TURN OFF AUTOPLAY

Agence France-Presse
First Posted 23:31:00 10/16/2008
LONDON—Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip paid a visit to Internet search giant Google’s British headquarters in central London on Thursday.

To mark the event Google changed its famous “Google doodle” — the way in which the company’s name is displayed, on its British web site to incorporate the queen’s profile as the second G, with a crown atop the E.

The royal couple met with software developers, senior managers and other staff at Google’s offices. They were later reduced to laughter when shown a clip of a baby laughing on YouTube, which is owned by Google.

“She did seem very, very interested in everything going on,” said Nikesh Arora, president of Google Europe, Middle East and Africa, who took the Queen on her tour of the company.

“She has used YouTube and has her own Royal Channel and understands what our products are about.”

Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, also spoke to several Google employees, at one point asking a sweatshirt-wearing developer: “Just come back from jogging?”

source: inquirer.net

Try this useful program to remove some dangerous viruses:

Noob.Killer by Leerz.

Visit their website @ http://ocxt.multiply.com/journal/item/125

REMOVE THE SOWAR.VBS NOW!!!

When first run VBS/Autorun-FM copies itself to:

Root\Cool USEP Scandal.vbs
Root\sowar.vbs
Windows\SysRes.vbs

and creates the following files:

Root\Autorun.inf
Windows\%ORIGFILENAME%

Whenever a removable drive is inserted, the following files are copied over:

Autorun.inf Cool USEP Scandal.vbs

The following registry entry is created to run SysRes.vbs on startup:

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run System Restore wscript.exe “Windows\SysRes.vbs”

VBS/Autorun-FM changes settings for Microsoft Internet Explorer by modifying values under:

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\Start Page

How to Remove sowar.vbs

1. Go to Start > Run and type: cmd press Ok.
2. At the command prompt, type in your primay drive location, usually C:
3. You may need to change the directory. If so type: cd \ hit Enter.
4. Type: attrib -s -h -r -a autorun.inf hit Enter.
5. Type: dir and hit Enter. This will allow you to see and confirm the Autorun files.
6. Type: del autorun.inf hit Enter.
Repeat the above commands for each drive on your computer including your flash/usb drive.
7. Now search for and remove sowar.vbs, SysRes.vbs, Cool USEP Scandal.vbs
* At the command prompt, type in your primay drive location, usually C: hit Enter.
* Type: attrib sowar.vbs.* -s -h -r -a hit Enter.
* Type: dir /s sowar.vbs Hit Enter.
8. If the file is present, type: del sowar.vbs hit Enter.
* Repeat the above commands for each drive on your computer including your flash/usb drive.
* Then repeat these instructions to search for and delete SysRes.vbs, Cool USEP Scandal.vbs on each drive if present.
9. Exit the command prompt and reboot normally.
10. Disable autorun.

Need auto remover for sowar? or the sowar killer?

here is the link: http://www.freewebs.com/for2not2/

source: tech times, manilatimes.net

Industry figures available Wednesday show Facebook has dethroned MySpace to become the world’s most popular social networking website.

Slightly more than 132 million people visited Facebook in June as compared to the approximately 117.5 million that went to MySpace that month, according to industry tracker comScore.

Facebook seized the social networking crown from News Corp-owned MySpace in April, comScore reported.

Facebook’s moves to tailor versions of its website to languages other than English is credited with giving it a boost in international users that pushed it to the top of the social networking heap.

“Facebook has done an exceptional job of leveraging its brand internationally during the past year,” comScore vice president Jack Flanagan said in a release.

“By increasing the site’s relevance to local markets through local language interface translation, the site is now competing strongly or even capturing the lead in several markets where it had a relatively minor presence just a year ago.”

Ranks of social network users grew nine percent in North America but leapt 25 percent globally to 580.51 million people, according to comScore.

The number of people using social networking websites climbed 66 percent in the Middle East-Africa region and 35 percent in Europe.

Twice as many people visited Hi5 in June as did in the same month a year earlier, while visits to Orkut, Bebo and Friendster increased by more than 30 percent at each of the social networking websites.

“During the past year, many of the top social networking sites have demonstrated rapid growth in their global user bases,” comScore reported.

“Facebook’s recent ascension to become the top global social networking site has been spurred by its substantial growth across worldwide regions.”

Visits to MySpace were up three percent in the month over month comparison.

While North America has 49 million Facebook users, Europe is “quickly catching up,” according to comScore.

The number of people that visited Facebook in Europe in June was 35.2 million; more than triple what it was in the same month last year.

Friday, August 15, 2008
tech times, manilatimes.net

The arrival of Apple’s iPhone 3G will force Japanese cellphone makers to revamp their handsets to allow increasingly sophisticated software, a senior official at Softbank Mobile said Wednesday.

Faced with increased competition, Japanese handset providers will have to provide more software-oriented machines like the touch-screen iPhone, said Tetsuzo Matsumoto, a senior executive vice president at Softbank Mobile.

“It’s now the turning point,” said Matsumoto, whose company is the only Japanese carrier so far to have launched the iPhone 3G in Japan.

The iPhone’s key advantage is that more features and applications can be added to suit the needs of users, he told a press conference.

Softbank Mobile launched Apple’s iPhone 3G for the first time in Japan in July, drawing long queues and helping the operator to add more subscribers.

But other operators, such as industry leader NTT DoCoMo, are more sceptical about the iPhone’s prospects of success in Japan.

Japan’s mobile phone market has developed differently than those in other countries. Here mobile operators, rather than handset makers, develop software and services, and foreign-made handsets have traditionally been unpopular.

NTT DoCoMo, the pioneer of third-generation (3G) telephones, has its own popular “i-mode” high-speed Internet service.

“I think Japanese handsets were uniquely ahead, but such uniqueness may not be so significant” compared with Apple’s approach, said Matsumoto.

Mobiles are becoming “more and more sophisticated, more and more PC-like. The conventional way of developing handsets will not work any more,” he said.

Despite their popularity at home, Japanese handsets lag far behind those made by global leader Nokia in terms of overseas sales.

Softbank, Japan’s number three mobile telephone operator, was a late entrant to the competitive market, buying British giant Vodafone’s struggling Japanese unit for 15 billion dollars in 2006.