Why tabs don't make a good todo list
Information overload is the biggest problem on the internet. Quite apart from the distraction possibilities, there is always more available than there is time to write about.
One way I try and deal with this is to leave interesting sites open in a tab for later. I suppose I could try and justify that under the 'defer'.
The problem is that my browser starts using rather a lot of memory. As you can see here Opera is using over 125MB of RAM.
This isn't a criticism of Opera, it's the same with any browser but it's a good example of a good idea that isn't.
My alternative is to use del.iciou.us an online bookmarking service. I don't have a huge contact list but it is very useful for making a note of bookmarks at work to look at when I get back home. Then again it's been a very long time since I looked through the toread tag.
Posted by Tim Smith on May 8, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Just because you don't know it's there....
There has been a lot of lively discussion on the web in general (and our forums in particular) as to the value of security software. Some people have even suggested that there is no point in installing anti-virus. Before going any further, let me just say I think this is a very, very bad idea.
One discussion I was involved in revolved around the value of a software firewall. I've had several people tell me that the firewall on a router is all the protection they need. Other discussions have been running on LifeHacker and AskMetafilter.
Routers certainly offer valuable protection but only really against inbound threats. If a computer tries to connect to your home network that hasn't been invited it is simply ignored. That protects from threats outside the network.
The problem is that many attacks don't rely on slipping past a firewall. I've been speaking with several security experts recently and they all say that browsers pose a big threat due to malicious (or hacked) websites. Sometimes just accessing the site is enough to get infected. And from that point the malicious software is sending information out of the network. By default most routers will let them do so quite happily.
My router didn't help me when a computer I was using was hit by a virus but luckily I was running a software firewall (ZoneAlarm as it happens) that stopped it in its tracks.
Allysa Myers on the McAfee Avert Labs Blog also points out that it's very hard to tell if a computer has been infected any more. If you want to steal data from people the last thing you want them to know is that you're doing it.
I've seen demonstrations with Sophos of modern viruses and there really is no way of knowing that the computer has become infected.
True there is a performance penalty for running all of this but it is very minor, especially when you consider the alternatives. I also have problems believing people who say they can tell the difference, especially when they are usually the ones with more powerful computers. As suggested in a Windows Secrets article by Fred Langa, people rarely notice a less than 10% drop in performance.
Posted by Tim Smith on May 6, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
More useful features added to Zoho
The Zoho online office suite has just added some more features. It is now possible to include pivot tables in documents and use Visual Basic macros.
Other new features include named ranges (making formulas much easier to write) and new ways to share documents with other users.
I'm impressed by what Zoho manages to get into online applications. I know everyone talks about Google Docs, but Zoho is far and away the best. Like Google Docs, basic accounts are free so there is no excuse for not giving it a go.
Posted by Tim Smith on April 29, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
The time cost of Web 2.0
It's seems to be the elephant in the room. Web 2.0 takes up a lot of time, at work that means money, but it's just as costly at home. This graph and accompanying post give some idea of what can be achieved depending on your level of commitment.
Posted by Tim Smith on April 22, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Another reason to dislike malware writers
Fair enough there are precious few reasons to like them as it is, but as the McAfee Avert Labs points out, they may also be making a substantial contribution to global warming.
While I hope no one is printing spam out and wasting paper, the load placed on the internet in general sending and blocking spam uses a considerable amount of energy. In fact the writer even suggests that the amount of energy wasted by home computers infected by the most recent Storm outbreak would power his house for 8 years. And that's without considering the load on ISP servers and the like.
There's not much we can do about the writers themselves, but keeping a computer clean of viruses and the like is not just for personal benefit, but everyone's.
If you haven't already, take a look at:
Posted by Tim Smith on April 7, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Update for Opera Browser
If the browser hasn't already alerted you, it's time to update Opera to version 9.27.
It's a painless job and apart from a restart should leave you back where you started. There are some security updates and improvements on the Acid test.
Posted by Tim Smith on April 4, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Firefox and addons signing
Thanks to Asa Dotzler who has left a comment explaining the signing process for Firefox addons in more detail. Here it is in case you haven't seen it on the original post.
"The signing process doesn't have anything to do with ensuring addons haven't been changed. Signing is to let you know who is providing the add-on, but if you get the addon from Mozilla's add-on site, we verify all of that for you so all you have to do is trust Mozilla, not necessarily every add-on author."
I'm glad to clear that up.
Posted by Tim Smith on March 31, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Opera and browser addons
I was writing yesterday about addons for Internet Explorer 7/8 and Firefox but nothing about Opera, my prefered browser.
There are extra bits of code that can be downloaded for Opera called Widgets that perform many of the functions that addons do but with some differences.
Really they are more like desktop widgets than browser addons. Think of the Yahoo Widget Engine or the Windows Vista Sidebar. They are more informational than adding new features to the browser. My biggest annoyance is that they appear on the Taskbar and are grouped with the main Opera Window, which quickly becomes unwieldy.
I have asked Opera about this because I depend on some of the Firefox addons when designing web pages or writing blogs. The answer was that of security. Addons can have quite a lot of power when it comes to what they can do or acccess. Firefox has a signing process to ensure addons haven't been changed but I can't remember ever having seen a signed addon. I just click on install. After my virus attack the other week I suppose I should be more careful but how?
There is one Widget tool that is worth having a look at, Widgetize, the widget generator. This is a three step wizard for creating a widget link for a blog. You can take a look by clicking on the button below in Opera to see the Widget for this blog.
Posted by Tim Smith on March 26, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
More on Safari
If there's one thing that really annoys me about big software companies, it's assuming that a user will want to install extra software or change their homepage. There's a hint of this today in the Apple Software Update utility.
If you have iTunes installed and run the update utility it includes Safari, even if it has not previously been installed on the computer.
I accept this is a helpful tip and there might be advantages to (yet) another browser on my computer. But I don't think this is the best way to promote it as it is too easily confused as an update rather than new software.
The good news is that it does not take over as the default browser.
HT to Lifehacker and Gizmodo
Posted by Tim Smith on March 25, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Manage addons for Internet Explorer 8
It's odd that not more is made of addons for Internet Explorer, given that they are so popular in Firefox. One reason may be that not all of them are free but they are still very useful.
Getting addons onto a browser is one thing but managing or removing them is sometimes quite another. Firefox has a capable manager that can be used to disable addons and a way to access their options. Internet Explorer has as well although it looks more like the techie management tools rather than something welcoming to ordinary users.
The good news is that this has been addressed in Internet Explorer 8 and there is a good explanation of the changes on the IEBlog along with a peek of what the new management window will look like.
It's probably a very personal gripe but one thing I'm looking forward to is that the new window can be resized; it is very frustrating when text will not fit, and it's not unheard of for these fixed windows not to have a scroll bar either.
If you want a look at the sort of addons available, head over to the Windows Marketplace.
Posted by Tim Smith on March 25, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Virus update
Sadly my hopes for the Symantec Virus removal tool were overly optimistic. Just then the Microsoft updates window appeared with the March Malicious Software Removal Tool. What great timing I thought.
This also reported having removed a virus but the problems did not go away and Internet Explorer is riddled with popups and dodgy warning messages.
Enough is enough, so I've asked our Systems department to wipe the computer and start again. My files are safe in a roaming profile (a clever technology where the Documents and Settings folder is copied to a server so that it is available wherever I log in) so the only inconvenience installing extra software not included in the default setup.
I recognise that I've very lucky to be able to do this and it is unlikely to be an option for most home users. But spending some time preparing for a disaster like this is a good investment.
Software like DriveImageXML is a good start although restoring the image may require creating a Windows recovery disc, using something like Barts PE. These tools are all free but frankly I think this is a situation where it is worth spending a little money to save time. Something like Acronis True Image 11 Home is much simpler to use and worth the £40 price tag. Now all I need to do is find the time to make the backup.
Posted by Tim Smith on March 18, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Check if a web site is working
We are used to the web working without any problems but there are actually lots of different 'points of failure' any of which can block a web site.
The problem of course is knowing what's causing the problem. http://downforeveryoneorjustme.com is a very simple web site that checks if a web site is working or not from another computer. Enter the problematical web site in the box and click on the or just me? link. I like simplicity like this.
And if can't access this web site, it's a fairly good indicator that the problem rests with your computer...
Posted by Tim Smith on March 17, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
What do KB, kb and kB mean?
This is the source of much controversy both in the office and the letters page. What do these letters actually mean?
Well xkcd.com has the answer including the Bakers Kilobyte: 9 bits to the byte since you're such a good customer.
Posted by Tim Smith on March 13, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Are your passwords safe?
It must be my day for being shamefaced. Having fallen for a trojan, I then took a look at the Microsoft Password Checker. Only a couple of my passwords were considered strong or safe and quite a few came up as weak.
That was mainly due to length as they use a mix of cases, numbers and non alpha numerical characters.
Perhaps it's time for a complete security overhaul...
Posted by Tim Smith on March 12, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
It happens to us all
I managed to infect my computer with a piece of nastyware yesterday, Trojan.Vundo to be precise.
The link to the file came through on my instant messaging software from someone I trust. That's not a dig at them, it's possible that it was a spoof of some kind. Anyway it looked relavent so I clicked on it. And now I really wish I hadn't.
Thankfully the effects appear to have been contained but getting rid of the wretched thing is proving quite difficult. My first attempt to run the Symantec removal tool hung when it encountered the Symantec Virus checker.
It's running now so hopefully I can return to normal without having to restore the backup image. That would be even more hassle.
The moral of the story. Always check links first. Always. And ask people what they are first.
I stand humbled.
Posted by Tim Smith on March 12, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
New file formats supported by the Zoho online office suite
Online office suites are excellent for those of us who live a nomadic life between computers. They solve the problem of losing USB memory keys or trying to remember which version of a document is the most recent.
Google Docs is well known now but there are several others, some that offer more features.
Zoho is a good one and it now supports the latest Microsoft Office format, docx.
A basic Zoho account is free, though there are some benefits to paying.
Zoho is also built into the MyGoya online desktop, although some of the more advanced apps are missing.
Posted by Tim Smith on March 4, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Internet Explorer 8 will now follow web standards
It's probably not related to my rant of the other day, but there was an announcement on the IEBlog saying that IE8 will follow standards in the most standards compliant way it can. That's not quite saying that it will but it's a very welcome step in the right direction.
There's a proper press release as well.
Posted by Tim Smith on March 4, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Why local software is great
As more and more online services appear such as email, word processors, even complete desktops, you might be forgiven for thinking that the age of the 'thin client' (a pc with just enough power to display the hard work of a big central server) has arrived.
I'd like to stop this trend, or at least suggest that some work is left to the computer on which you happen to be working.
This has been brought on by having to spend the best part of a day running statistical reports with a web based system, and the amount of time it has taken.
Now some of this is inevitable but even under the strain of playing some MP3's I'm sure my computer could have finished most of the reports much faster once the raw data had been downloaded.
The other thing about the delay is that it is the most frustrating length. When I'm waiting for a video to render, there's time to get started on something else. Waiting for Word to launch or save a document is only a couple of seconds.
But web apps always seems to take around 30 seconds. Long enough to think about doing something else, but not to actually do anything. It doesn't sound like much but it quickly snowballs throughout the day
Dynamic websites are great but let's keep what is actually appropriate in mind. If nothing else but for the sake of my sanity.
Posted by Tim Smith on March 3, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Update for Mozilla Thunderbird released
An update has been released to fix a security flaw in Mozilla Thunderbird.
The problem could allow an attacker to run programs on a computer.
To be safe you should be running Thunderbird 2.0.0.12. It should check for updates automatically, otherwise click on the Help menu and then on Check for updates. A restart of Thunderbird (not the computer) is needed to complete the installation.
Mozilla SeaMonkey is also affected and should be upgraded.
Posted by Tim Smith on February 28, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Internet Explorer and web standards
I do a little bit of web design here and there and it has to be said that the biggest headaches come from Internet Explorer. And, as that's the browser used by well over 80% of potential visitors it's a big headache.
The problem I had last night was with a clever little bit of JavaScript called Nifty Corners Cube. It adds rounded corners to boxes on a web page with just one line of code. There are some people who don't have JavaScript enabled but the other ways are a lot more work.
The finished page looked fine in Opera (my default browser) and in Firefox but not in Internet Explorer. Even worse, Internet Explorer was showing some of the boxes with proper corners and others without. Frankly I find inconsistent problems even more annoying than if it didn't work at all*.
There's been quite a lot written about the extent to which Internet Explorer 8 will follow accepted standards for web design. The most recent decision is that it will have a full standards mode but that it won't be turned on by default.
I'm not entirely sure who is really going to use a non default mode other then web developers. I don't really think that adding a small sign to a web site recommending people change their browser mode is going to catch on.
The problem with having the standards mode on by default is apparently that it would break an awful lot of web sites around the world.
When I first started writing this post I was of the opinion that this would be a bad thing and the people calling for full standards should be more pragmatic.
After the stress of last night, I've changed my mind. Most of the web standards are there with good reason and lead to better looking pages that load faster and don't break in different browsers.
That
*If I'm honest there is some logic to the problem. IE applies the Nifty Corners Cube properly to divs with an id but not those with class. But I though that wouldn't really be interesting to most people
Posted by Tim Smith on February 28, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
New version of AVG Internet Security released
AVG (the company formerly known as Grisoft) has released a new version of their Internet Security software.
One new addition is the LinkScanner (the free version can be downloaded here). AVG bought Exploit Prevention Labs last year and have integrated their technology. Put simply it checks on behaviour rather than relying on lists of suspicious files. These days the more malicious hackers try to keep their attacks small enough to avoid notice, so definition lists are not as effective as they used to be.
You can keep up to date with the latest discoveries by Exploit Prevention Labs on their blog.
Hopefully some of the new features will trickle down to the free version soon.
Posted by Tim Smith on February 27, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
New version of AVG Internet Security released
AVG (the company formerly known as Grisoft) has released a new version of their Internet Security software.
One new addition is the LinkScanner (the free version can be downloaded here). AVG bought Exploit Prevention Labs last year and have integrated their technology. Put simply it checks on behaviour rather than relying on lists of suspicious files. These days the more malicious hackers try to keep their attacks small enough to avoid notice, so definition lists are not as effective as they used to be.
You can keep up to date with the latest discoveries by Exploit Prevention Labs on their blog.
Hopefully some of the new features will trickle down to the free version soon.
Posted by Tim Smith on February 27, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Windows Live SkyDrive launches
Another online storage service, this time from Microsoft. Windows Live SkyDrive now offers 5Gb of online storage without any cost.
One benefit is the ability to share files with other Live users.
While all of these services are very useful it becomes a hard choice as to which to pick (I can't really remember five or passwords more passwords for regular services). Part of me wants to use these services to share and so make sure that other people are using the same service.
Then again, as I don't actually know anyone who might want to share files with me like this, perhaps I should just make a decision. If I'm going to use online storage I might as well have some online tools as well. For that reason the myGOYA online desktop is quite tempting. It includes the Zoho software for editing office documents.
More updates can be found on the SkyDrive Team blog, ht to the Vista Team Blog
Posted by Tim Smith on February 26, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Can Thunderbird repeat the success of Firefox?
Mozilla has launched a new website to promote their email software called Thunderbird at Mozilla Messaging.
Thunderbird is to Outlook Express (or Windows Mail) what Firefox was to Internet Explorer 6. It has a built in spam filter, which is almost reason enough on it's own to upgrade along with the ability to read lots of different email accounts and RSS feeds.
Like most open source projects, it is possible to get involved yourself. It doesn't matter if you're not a programmer, they also need designers and people willing to just try the test versions and report problems.
You can download Thunderbird here.
Posted by Tim Smith on February 25, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
