Any game house or animation company for games like Quake or UnrealTournament2003 will probably not have applied this patch. Reason: It made it so they could not open any of the files made in gmax
computer reboots every 5 minutes....
can't open any files made in gmax....
computer reboots every 5 minutes....
can't open any files made in gmax....
call me crazy, but I uninstall gmax and patch the computer. that, or get the early fix and keep gmax running while not worrying about the evil worm.
So my question is, why are machines still being shipped with vulnerable versions of Windows XP?
because it would cost them (PC manufacturers) lots of money to stop shipment on all those systems and reimage them all over again. they would be glad to toss a CD in the box if they kept track of which hard drives were in which systems, but they don't. honestly, just make your own damn cd. it will work until the next service pack is released, and then you'll have a brand new office frisbie to play with. you can't lose!
when hell freezes over; when I can sue a car manufacturer for being late to work because I didn't buy gas; no; probably, but I've never wasted my time reading the EULA.
smart people don't blindly listen to the advice given on "tweak windows" websites and generic MSCE study texts. they understand that users without local administrative access usually cause more pain than gain. anybody who has attempted to lock down their users as you suggest for more than 6 months knows this.
I think that's what tomster was trying to point out. This guy claims he wants to use the right tool for the job at hand, which happens to be linux for this job. You take that information, and try to proselytize your company to linux as a solution in and of itself.
I would say you need to take into account whether an intel server is sufficient for the job first, then if it is, find out what the best application is for the tasks at hand. From there, figure out the OS you want to use and then finally the hardware that fits the task while stably talking to the OS. It seems linux's biggest pitfall is still the "best application for the task at hand" stage. Obviously if they are going to create the app from scratch, Linux is an easy solution for the OS.
yeah, because apache on linux is the only viable option for arguably the simplest server in existence... a web server.
They're using linux just to have something that their hardware management tools can run on for their appliances, ala IBM.
Quantum is still going to use tons of MS applications and server products if that's what their IT managers are most comfortable with. They're just exploiting linux because licensing is free, kernel is configurable, and performance is tweakable.
it makes tons of sense if you already are a directv subscriber and get directvDSL marketing crap thrown at you every week. I got it cuz the bill would just be added to my directv bill, and it was $10/month cheaper than getting the service direct from the local baby bell. It was a good month while it lasted.
With all due respect for the profession that has created more jokes than catholic priests, I don't really give two craps about the letter of the law. Anybody who screws so many people out of their time deserves every single bit of pain they can get from direct marketing, coerced or not. If you ever consider taking a case defending the letter of the law with one of these slimeballs because "its your job", be prepared to have an equal amount of direct marketing in your inbox, on your voicemail, and in your physically addressed mailbox and/or PO Box. Sue me all you want, but you'd have to sue billions of people before convincing us that you're right and we're wrong. The legal system is all screwed up anyway.
After all, that's where all your jobs are going... might as well have a few laughs before you find yourself back in college either getting a masters in CS or another BS in Mgmt or Finance.
I can't believe how many of you goofs actually think India is some 3rd world country. Just because they have a very large proportion of farmers and field labor who live off their own sweat and blood doesn't mean there aren't a ton of wealthy people, especially in the cities.
In addition, did any of you einsteins think that perhaps they'll be selling this device in Europe (where it was unveiled), Asia, or god-forbid, N. America? Yeah, I'm sure all the poor people in the good ole U S of A will have to take out a 3rd mortgage to get their hands on one of these badboys... what with spending their life savings building beowulf clusters and all...
Employers don't really understand what they want. That's why they put such specific requirements. If employers had somebody who ONLY knew C++, Java, Oracle, HP-UX, Solaris, etc. then they would quickly learn how insufficient those skills are in most environments. Luckily, very close to 100% of the people who have those skills also have the other skills that employers do not list.
Finally, an employer might not THINK they need somebody who knows how to balance an accounting book, or explain chaotic theory, or give a speech to a group of 20, but if you could do those things and decided you wanted to be paid more for your time, you would have a much better chance of landing a raise over somebody who only knew the technical skills. Before you are hired, no employer says "Wow, this guy/girl is great! A real diamond in the rough!" After you are hired, you gain a much better chance of having this said about you if you are well-educated.
Since the majority of those courses sound like they are related to current events, I should throw out this idea: Audit the courses you want at a good evening/night school. Yes, you will have to sit beside bored housewives and college drop-outs, and the teacher probably won't have a Ph.D. (in fact, you'll be lucky if he has a M.S.)
But the ideas will remain, and you'll have other people around to discuss the course's content, and you'll probably be deified by the other people in the class. History and Botany might be hard to find, but the generic law/politics course shouldn't be a problem, and comparitive religion and economics are both probably tied for 2nd.
Of course, you could always go back to school for a semester and get the majority of those courses done in 4 1/2 months. =)
This is what the B.A. and B.S. degrees are supposed to describe. Bachelor of Arts generally means more well-rounded, while Bachelor of Science generally means more specific. In addition, I believe they require approximately the same number of total hours, and both are usually offered in the same school of study, ie. Comp Sci, Acct, Business, Theology, Philosophy, Psych, the 4 sciences, History, Pre-law/med/dental, etc etc etc...
It sounds like you should try an Associates Degree from a college/uni, and then get some vocational school or certification training. That will get you educated in only what you need to know.
Yah, but this is not because of the level of the school itself. Instead, it is a measure of the insignificance of "Accreditation". State schools are required to be accredited, which means they are limited to teach in many conventional ways that any teacher would agree is NOT the "best way".
Ivy League schools get by on reputation alone, and since their reputation is so incredibly good, they don't have any need to get accredited by the state. This opens up all sorts of methods of teaching and learning that are simply not an option at other schools. Ivy Leagues get to think "outside the box", while state schools are limited to thinking "inside the box".
But its silly to think that the people who attend Ivy League schools, and the professors who teach at Ivy League schools are smarter than those who are in state schools or other accredited private schools. There are smart people in places other than New England, you know.
Your incorrect assumption is that it is a university's primary task to take a "non-worthy" person as a freshman, put them through 4 years of learning about many things, and have them exit as "worthy" for the job market.
What about those who have already learned to love education before they get to college? What about those who do not attend college for financial reasons? What about those who went to college for a few years, figured out that it wasn't all it was cracked up to be, and left without a degree?
On the opposite side, a college degree has much in common with the much bally-hooed "paper certs". Many 4 year degrees are simply the beginning of a journey, but many of the people who get their degree are so proud of their accomplishment that they fail to realize this is not the end of their learning experience. I have attended many college ceremonies where their validictorian or president will start off a speach by saying, "Well, we finally made it guys!"
Although I do not doubt their ability to regurgitate the knowledge that they learned over the past 4-5-6-7-8 years, they over-estimate the value of their degree in the same way that many over-estimate the value of their IT cert. In fact, I applaud the graduates who are "in absentia", because they understand how unimportant their accomplishment is. Yes, its a wonderful accomplishment, but the ceremony itself is dumbed down to just a bunch of friends and relatives who want to let them know how smart they are.
So what should a university aim to produce? Simple. They should strive to have every person who graduates with a college degree DESIRE to learn even more. A university who has graduates which claim, "I'm so glad I'm done. I don't want to read another book in my entire life!", should never have passed.
This is what a university should aim to produce... the thirst for knowledge.
I've found the BrainBench open-book exams much more difficult than the CompTIA or MCP exams that I've taken. While the MCP and CompTIA exams have their place, there are always a few "statistics" or "memorization" questions on the exams. Remember a number, remember what the number is related to, answer the question because you crammed for a week.
BrainBench obviously can not use these types of questions, because anybody with a broadband connection and a general knowledge of where the best information is found can use the time limit to answer those questions. The same can be said for people who have reference books with well-labeled indexes for fast searching by hand.
They get around this problem by having the vast majority of their questions surround concepts and situations. There are VERY few questions which can quickly be referenced, and those that can be referenced will usually lead to an entire section/page, which must be quickly gleaned over for the correct answer, and probably contains at least one of the other answers available. This forces you to end up guessing anyway if you don't know the answer, even though you could find the correct answer given another 5 minutes of time to read.
For those who want to measure their value, or HR departments who wish to quickly determine a subject's "BS" vs. "Truth" factor, a good pop-quiz from BrainBench is a quick, cheap and efficient solution.
Servers are generally not continually fiddled with. When somebody makes a configuration change, they usually have a very good clue as to what they're doing. Once installed and running smoothly, servers require very little baby-sitting, as the techs who work the night shift at any NOC will gladly admit.
That "crappy desktop stuff" is far more important than you assume, because you'll always have users who think they know what they're doing and can convince somebody over you that they shouldn't be included in your workstation policies because they need to do something for some lame part of their job that they really don't need to do, but they end up pulling it off with HR because most everybody wants them to just shut up and go away. Boom, you've got AIM or BearShare or MusicMatchJukebox on a desktop, just opening holes in your network as your user happily plays on the company's toy.
This is only one example. There are thousands of other examples. Understanding the desktop is a tremendous value for any corp. Being the manager and the tech is a goal to shoot for, because you will be paid better, and have the knowledge of both worlds to make a very smooth running network.
"18" answers a lot. I am not trying to be derogatory by this statement, but you have not yet reached the point where you are humbled by your true stupidity. Only by accepting that you do not know even the smallest decimal of a percentage point of the knowledge pool in the IT industry, will you ever be taken seriously.
Now my system is okay, but what about the other people who are 'clueless' and are running Win2k/NT? You'd think MS would put SOMETHING on Windows Update explaining the situation, maybe a link to this little command line utility to tell if your system is up-to-date.
Win2k and NT4 are not designed as self-administering desktop operating systems. They simply require more knowledge to keep running smoothly, and provide a more stable environment IF you have the knowledge to run the system.
The home equivalent of NT4 is 95/98. The home equivalent of 2000 is 98SE/ME. I'm sure many people will put XP Pro on their home systems for the additional "features", without failing to realize that those extras require more knowledge than XP Home. When it comes down to it, you're responsible for your choice of OS, monopoly or not. If you choose an OS which MS has designated as a corporate solution, and don't have the knowledge to keep it running smoothly, and won't pay anybody to do it for you, what do you expect?
As an example, Nimda and Code Red didn't hit enterprises very hard at all. Mostly, they hit home users with DSL/Cable who installed IIS "to connect to the internet". I'm sorry for the "clueless" crack, but I didn't mean you were clueless about your specialty... I meant you were clueless about mine. I hope you can realize that there are probably many things that you don't have any knowledge about, as I know there are many things that I would be deemed "clueless". Don't take it to mean you're dumb. Take it to mean you're clueless about Win2k. I would hope most people could care less about being clueless about Win2k.
Re:eh... actually I'm glad about these viruses
on
Nimda To Strike Again
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Wow. You just expressed the feelings of millions of citizens in respect to the U.S. Govt. Now here's the real kicker... have they fixed the root problem yet? Answer: no.
A man walked through Hartsfield-Intl. Airport (Atlanta, GA) security with a gun in his pocket... AFTER Sept. 11! All the additional security is just smoke and mirrors which won't do any good if a terrorist tries to use a plane as a flying bomb in the future (but they won't because there's tons of easier stuff to do, and they can't risk passengers rising against them). So anyway, a guy gets through with a gun... does anybody sue the FAA? Hell no, they cart the guy off to jail, where he faces blah-blah fines and a year in a federal pen. Did I mention the gun was just an accident and the guy had turned himself in? They don't care, off you go to jail.
Security only goes so far. At some point, people have to start taking responsibility for their own actions. As is the case for all other "real world" security, you use it as a tool to keep the bad people away, but if they get in, the cops prosecute them ANYWAY!
I'm not so sure how "wrong" it is for a company like MS when you can choose another product. Learn how to use their product or choose another one. They aren't as big as the U.S. Govt, and you have a choice. That should count for something.
So fire your lazy-ass admin/tech and hire me. I need a job, and hearing about crap like this happening when I can't even find a job for 40k/yr is depressing. Note to HR: Windows Admins don't cost 75k/yr anymore.
Ehh. You can't judge a book by its cover. "Windows Update" will not supply hot-fixes for security updates. These are combined with all the other new features, bug fixes, and security fixes in a SERVICE PACK. You can definitely get all your service packs from Windows Update, but you'll have to wait for them to actually come out. This is obviously unacceptable, which is why MS started releasing separate hot-fixes for any security flaws that simply had to be implemented immediately, and couldn't wait on any service packs.
You might also want to read the directions for the tool you are using before jumping to conclusions about what the "WARNING" means. Read the security bulletin, and try to figure out why they made it stand out from all the other patches.
So, in summary... MS used to release Service Packs for fixes/updates/additions/bloat/etc. Although this is adequate for non-life-threatening issues, it has quickly become inadequate for security. MS releases a free tool to be used AS A SUPPLEMENT to Windows Update, which will allow you to apply each new security hot-fix as they release them, instead of being forced to wait on the next Service Pack.
"CRITICAL UPDATES" are where Service Packs are placed. Those 8 hot-fixes are part of SP3, but you can download them now since they relate to security making your system vulnerable to certain viruses and trojans.
With the increasing awareness of security, I'm surprised that you assumed anything, when you could have taken 10-15 minutes on MS's site to find out how clueless you were.
Actually, the utility has been around for a long time. Of course, nobody used it because there weren't many viruses being spread, any any "MUST GET NOW" hot-fixes were directly linked from their respective security bulletins.
Only when this technique became unbearable, did MS confront Shavlik about ripping one of their current apps into a simple CLI XML downloader. Shavlik did the grunt work, MS bought the rights to the code and distributed it to everybody. I'm guessing it will be included by default in.NET server. This helps both companies, since MS does all the marketing for Shavlik, and Shavlik does all the security coding for MS. Either way, the product is better, so what's your complaint?
They did the same deal for the web-based Personal Security Advisor tool.
1. Make a fun virus/worm, which switches Windows(tm) wallpaper to a porno picture. A veritable laff-riot would ensue, what with techies scrambling around trying to get the crotch shot removed from the CEO's desktop.
No, actually the CEO would remove it himself, since the control-freak thinks he needs full local administrative permissions on his laptop/desktop. Unfortunately, he probably wouldn't even the mention the incident to his techies out of shame, and the fact that he can't admit that somebody else might possibly know more about a specific topic than he does. (Substitute feminine references if the CEO is a woman, I don't feel like going to the effort, though.)
2. If you can delete only one file on a Windows(tm) 9x machine, do c:\windows\system\vmm32.vxd
The user will get a message something like "missing vmm32.vxd, must re-install windows". It's not just a file you can re-extract. It's built during setup with hardware specific info, like a kernel. You can't just copy someone else's either. Try it, it's fun!
Speaking of morons who think they know more than they really do, consider checking the Devil's KB to make sure that they don't already know how to fix your "l33t h4ck".
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Any game house or animation company for games like Quake or UnrealTournament2003 will probably not have applied this patch. Reason: It made it so they could not open any of the files made in gmax
computer reboots every 5 minutes....
can't open any files made in gmax....
computer reboots every 5 minutes....
can't open any files made in gmax....
call me crazy, but I uninstall gmax and patch the computer. that, or get the early fix and keep gmax running while not worrying about the evil worm.
So my question is, why are machines still being shipped with vulnerable versions of Windows XP?
because it would cost them (PC manufacturers) lots of money to stop shipment on all those systems and reimage them all over again. they would be glad to toss a CD in the box if they kept track of which hard drives were in which systems, but they don't. honestly, just make your own damn cd. it will work until the next service pack is released, and then you'll have a brand new office frisbie to play with. you can't lose!
when hell freezes over; when I can sue a car manufacturer for being late to work because I didn't buy gas; no; probably, but I've never wasted my time reading the EULA.
...respectively.
cute text message... outdated, since the vulnerability is fixed, but still cute.
why don't you tell your father-in-law that windoze suxorz and that if he's too much of a noob to use linux, you won't help him anymore?
as for costs, call it a tax on the stupid, the inept, and/or the unprepared.
You can't expect everybody's grandmother to behave as a professional
...unless you are trying to get them to switch to linux on the desktop.
smart people don't blindly listen to the advice given on "tweak windows" websites and generic MSCE study texts. they understand that users without local administrative access usually cause more pain than gain. anybody who has attempted to lock down their users as you suggest for more than 6 months knows this.
I think that's what tomster was trying to point out. This guy claims he wants to use the right tool for the job at hand, which happens to be linux for this job. You take that information, and try to proselytize your company to linux as a solution in and of itself.
I would say you need to take into account whether an intel server is sufficient for the job first, then if it is, find out what the best application is for the tasks at hand. From there, figure out the OS you want to use and then finally the hardware that fits the task while stably talking to the OS. It seems linux's biggest pitfall is still the "best application for the task at hand" stage. Obviously if they are going to create the app from scratch, Linux is an easy solution for the OS.
yeah, because apache on linux is the only viable option for arguably the simplest server in existence... a web server.
They're using linux just to have something that their hardware management tools can run on for their appliances, ala IBM.
Quantum is still going to use tons of MS applications and server products if that's what their IT managers are most comfortable with. They're just exploiting linux because licensing is free, kernel is configurable, and performance is tweakable.
it makes tons of sense if you already are a directv subscriber and get directvDSL marketing crap thrown at you every week. I got it cuz the bill would just be added to my directv bill, and it was $10/month cheaper than getting the service direct from the local baby bell. It was a good month while it lasted.
With all due respect for the profession that has created more jokes than catholic priests, I don't really give two craps about the letter of the law. Anybody who screws so many people out of their time deserves every single bit of pain they can get from direct marketing, coerced or not. If you ever consider taking a case defending the letter of the law with one of these slimeballs because "its your job", be prepared to have an equal amount of direct marketing in your inbox, on your voicemail, and in your physically addressed mailbox and/or PO Box. Sue me all you want, but you'd have to sue billions of people before convincing us that you're right and we're wrong. The legal system is all screwed up anyway.
After all, that's where all your jobs are going... might as well have a few laughs before you find yourself back in college either getting a masters in CS or another BS in Mgmt or Finance.
0 the%20company%20you%20keep.pdf
http://www.bigates.com/html/Pdf's/Benefits%20of%2
I can't believe how many of you goofs actually think India is some 3rd world country. Just because they have a very large proportion of farmers and field labor who live off their own sweat and blood doesn't mean there aren't a ton of wealthy people, especially in the cities.
In addition, did any of you einsteins think that perhaps they'll be selling this device in Europe (where it was unveiled), Asia, or god-forbid, N. America? Yeah, I'm sure all the poor people in the good ole U S of A will have to take out a 3rd mortgage to get their hands on one of these badboys... what with spending their life savings building beowulf clusters and all...
Employers don't really understand what they want. That's why they put such specific requirements. If employers had somebody who ONLY knew C++, Java, Oracle, HP-UX, Solaris, etc. then they would quickly learn how insufficient those skills are in most environments. Luckily, very close to 100% of the people who have those skills also have the other skills that employers do not list.
Finally, an employer might not THINK they need somebody who knows how to balance an accounting book, or explain chaotic theory, or give a speech to a group of 20, but if you could do those things and decided you wanted to be paid more for your time, you would have a much better chance of landing a raise over somebody who only knew the technical skills. Before you are hired, no employer says "Wow, this guy/girl is great! A real diamond in the rough!" After you are hired, you gain a much better chance of having this said about you if you are well-educated.
Since the majority of those courses sound like they are related to current events, I should throw out this idea: Audit the courses you want at a good evening/night school. Yes, you will have to sit beside bored housewives and college drop-outs, and the teacher probably won't have a Ph.D. (in fact, you'll be lucky if he has a M.S.)
But the ideas will remain, and you'll have other people around to discuss the course's content, and you'll probably be deified by the other people in the class. History and Botany might be hard to find, but the generic law/politics course shouldn't be a problem, and comparitive religion and economics are both probably tied for 2nd.
Of course, you could always go back to school for a semester and get the majority of those courses done in 4 1/2 months. =)
This is what the B.A. and B.S. degrees are supposed to describe. Bachelor of Arts generally means more well-rounded, while Bachelor of Science generally means more specific. In addition, I believe they require approximately the same number of total hours, and both are usually offered in the same school of study, ie. Comp Sci, Acct, Business, Theology, Philosophy, Psych, the 4 sciences, History, Pre-law/med/dental, etc etc etc...
It sounds like you should try an Associates Degree from a college/uni, and then get some vocational school or certification training. That will get you educated in only what you need to know.
Yah, but this is not because of the level of the school itself. Instead, it is a measure of the insignificance of "Accreditation". State schools are required to be accredited, which means they are limited to teach in many conventional ways that any teacher would agree is NOT the "best way".
Ivy League schools get by on reputation alone, and since their reputation is so incredibly good, they don't have any need to get accredited by the state. This opens up all sorts of methods of teaching and learning that are simply not an option at other schools. Ivy Leagues get to think "outside the box", while state schools are limited to thinking "inside the box".
But its silly to think that the people who attend Ivy League schools, and the professors who teach at Ivy League schools are smarter than those who are in state schools or other accredited private schools. There are smart people in places other than New England, you know.
Your incorrect assumption is that it is a university's primary task to take a "non-worthy" person as a freshman, put them through 4 years of learning about many things, and have them exit as "worthy" for the job market.
What about those who have already learned to love education before they get to college? What about those who do not attend college for financial reasons? What about those who went to college for a few years, figured out that it wasn't all it was cracked up to be, and left without a degree?
On the opposite side, a college degree has much in common with the much bally-hooed "paper certs". Many 4 year degrees are simply the beginning of a journey, but many of the people who get their degree are so proud of their accomplishment that they fail to realize this is not the end of their learning experience. I have attended many college ceremonies where their validictorian or president will start off a speach by saying, "Well, we finally made it guys!"
Although I do not doubt their ability to regurgitate the knowledge that they learned over the past 4-5-6-7-8 years, they over-estimate the value of their degree in the same way that many over-estimate the value of their IT cert. In fact, I applaud the graduates who are "in absentia", because they understand how unimportant their accomplishment is. Yes, its a wonderful accomplishment, but the ceremony itself is dumbed down to just a bunch of friends and relatives who want to let them know how smart they are.
So what should a university aim to produce? Simple. They should strive to have every person who graduates with a college degree DESIRE to learn even more. A university who has graduates which claim, "I'm so glad I'm done. I don't want to read another book in my entire life!", should never have passed.
This is what a university should aim to produce... the thirst for knowledge.
I've found the BrainBench open-book exams much more difficult than the CompTIA or MCP exams that I've taken. While the MCP and CompTIA exams have their place, there are always a few "statistics" or "memorization" questions on the exams. Remember a number, remember what the number is related to, answer the question because you crammed for a week.
BrainBench obviously can not use these types of questions, because anybody with a broadband connection and a general knowledge of where the best information is found can use the time limit to answer those questions. The same can be said for people who have reference books with well-labeled indexes for fast searching by hand.
They get around this problem by having the vast majority of their questions surround concepts and situations. There are VERY few questions which can quickly be referenced, and those that can be referenced will usually lead to an entire section/page, which must be quickly gleaned over for the correct answer, and probably contains at least one of the other answers available. This forces you to end up guessing anyway if you don't know the answer, even though you could find the correct answer given another 5 minutes of time to read.
For those who want to measure their value, or HR departments who wish to quickly determine a subject's "BS" vs. "Truth" factor, a good pop-quiz from BrainBench is a quick, cheap and efficient solution.
Servers are generally not continually fiddled with. When somebody makes a configuration change, they usually have a very good clue as to what they're doing. Once installed and running smoothly, servers require very little baby-sitting, as the techs who work the night shift at any NOC will gladly admit.
That "crappy desktop stuff" is far more important than you assume, because you'll always have users who think they know what they're doing and can convince somebody over you that they shouldn't be included in your workstation policies because they need to do something for some lame part of their job that they really don't need to do, but they end up pulling it off with HR because most everybody wants them to just shut up and go away. Boom, you've got AIM or BearShare or MusicMatchJukebox on a desktop, just opening holes in your network as your user happily plays on the company's toy.
This is only one example. There are thousands of other examples. Understanding the desktop is a tremendous value for any corp. Being the manager and the tech is a goal to shoot for, because you will be paid better, and have the knowledge of both worlds to make a very smooth running network.
"18" answers a lot. I am not trying to be derogatory by this statement, but you have not yet reached the point where you are humbled by your true stupidity. Only by accepting that you do not know even the smallest decimal of a percentage point of the knowledge pool in the IT industry, will you ever be taken seriously.
Now my system is okay, but what about the other people who are 'clueless' and are running Win2k/NT? You'd think MS would put SOMETHING on Windows Update explaining the situation, maybe a link to this little command line utility to tell if your system is up-to-date.
Win2k and NT4 are not designed as self-administering desktop operating systems. They simply require more knowledge to keep running smoothly, and provide a more stable environment IF you have the knowledge to run the system.
The home equivalent of NT4 is 95/98. The home equivalent of 2000 is 98SE/ME. I'm sure many people will put XP Pro on their home systems for the additional "features", without failing to realize that those extras require more knowledge than XP Home. When it comes down to it, you're responsible for your choice of OS, monopoly or not. If you choose an OS which MS has designated as a corporate solution, and don't have the knowledge to keep it running smoothly, and won't pay anybody to do it for you, what do you expect?
As an example, Nimda and Code Red didn't hit enterprises very hard at all. Mostly, they hit home users with DSL/Cable who installed IIS "to connect to the internet". I'm sorry for the "clueless" crack, but I didn't mean you were clueless about your specialty... I meant you were clueless about mine. I hope you can realize that there are probably many things that you don't have any knowledge about, as I know there are many things that I would be deemed "clueless". Don't take it to mean you're dumb. Take it to mean you're clueless about Win2k. I would hope most people could care less about being clueless about Win2k.
Wow. You just expressed the feelings of millions of citizens in respect to the U.S. Govt. Now here's the real kicker... have they fixed the root problem yet? Answer: no.
A man walked through Hartsfield-Intl. Airport (Atlanta, GA) security with a gun in his pocket... AFTER Sept. 11! All the additional security is just smoke and mirrors which won't do any good if a terrorist tries to use a plane as a flying bomb in the future (but they won't because there's tons of easier stuff to do, and they can't risk passengers rising against them). So anyway, a guy gets through with a gun... does anybody sue the FAA? Hell no, they cart the guy off to jail, where he faces blah-blah fines and a year in a federal pen. Did I mention the gun was just an accident and the guy had turned himself in? They don't care, off you go to jail.
Security only goes so far. At some point, people have to start taking responsibility for their own actions. As is the case for all other "real world" security, you use it as a tool to keep the bad people away, but if they get in, the cops prosecute them ANYWAY!
I'm not so sure how "wrong" it is for a company like MS when you can choose another product. Learn how to use their product or choose another one. They aren't as big as the U.S. Govt, and you have a choice. That should count for something.
So fire your lazy-ass admin/tech and hire me. I need a job, and hearing about crap like this happening when I can't even find a job for 40k/yr is depressing. Note to HR: Windows Admins don't cost 75k/yr anymore.
Ehh. You can't judge a book by its cover. "Windows Update" will not supply hot-fixes for security updates. These are combined with all the other new features, bug fixes, and security fixes in a SERVICE PACK. You can definitely get all your service packs from Windows Update, but you'll have to wait for them to actually come out. This is obviously unacceptable, which is why MS started releasing separate hot-fixes for any security flaws that simply had to be implemented immediately, and couldn't wait on any service packs.
You might also want to read the directions for the tool you are using before jumping to conclusions about what the "WARNING" means. Read the security bulletin, and try to figure out why they made it stand out from all the other patches.
So, in summary... MS used to release Service Packs for fixes/updates/additions/bloat/etc. Although this is adequate for non-life-threatening issues, it has quickly become inadequate for security. MS releases a free tool to be used AS A SUPPLEMENT to Windows Update, which will allow you to apply each new security hot-fix as they release them, instead of being forced to wait on the next Service Pack.
"CRITICAL UPDATES" are where Service Packs are placed. Those 8 hot-fixes are part of SP3, but you can download them now since they relate to security making your system vulnerable to certain viruses and trojans.
With the increasing awareness of security, I'm surprised that you assumed anything, when you could have taken 10-15 minutes on MS's site to find out how clueless you were.
Actually, the utility has been around for a long time. Of course, nobody used it because there weren't many viruses being spread, any any "MUST GET NOW" hot-fixes were directly linked from their respective security bulletins.
.NET server. This helps both companies, since MS does all the marketing for Shavlik, and Shavlik does all the security coding for MS. Either way, the product is better, so what's your complaint?
Only when this technique became unbearable, did MS confront Shavlik about ripping one of their current apps into a simple CLI XML downloader. Shavlik did the grunt work, MS bought the rights to the code and distributed it to everybody. I'm guessing it will be included by default in
They did the same deal for the web-based Personal Security Advisor tool.
1. Make a fun virus/worm, which switches Windows(tm) wallpaper to a porno picture. A veritable laff-riot would ensue, what with techies scrambling around trying to get the crotch shot removed from the CEO's desktop.
No, actually the CEO would remove it himself, since the control-freak thinks he needs full local administrative permissions on his laptop/desktop. Unfortunately, he probably wouldn't even the mention the incident to his techies out of shame, and the fact that he can't admit that somebody else might possibly know more about a specific topic than he does. (Substitute feminine references if the CEO is a woman, I don't feel like going to the effort, though.)
2. If you can delete only one file on a Windows(tm) 9x machine, do c:\windows\system\vmm32.vxd
The user will get a message something like "missing vmm32.vxd, must re-install windows". It's not just a file you can re-extract. It's built during setup with hardware specific info, like a kernel. You can't just copy someone else's either. Try it, it's fun!
Speaking of morons who think they know more than they really do, consider checking the Devil's KB to make sure that they don't already know how to fix your "l33t h4ck".
"I hereby dub thee, Sir Scriptus Kiddious!"