Author: Robert

Robert Belknap has been writing online sporadically since 2001. See the colophon for more details.

An eclectic mix

I’m at my mothers house today trying to repair her computer…

Since it’s just me and the dog, I brought a few CDs to listen too on the nice stereo system. supplemented a few of my discs with a couple of theirs. Currently in the rotation:

Moulin Rouge Soundrack
Gravity Kills
Crystal Method
Elvis
Dire Straights
Depeche Mode
Brass Works
Weird Al

It’s quite strange going from “Congress of Vienna” to “All About the Pentiums” to “My Teddybear” to “Come What May” to “Money for Nuthin”…

W32.Klez.H@mm

A couple of days ago, I got a piece of email from my mother. Well, more acurately – from her machine. It seems that she has been infected with the Klez H worm. What’s worse – the infection was successful in completely hosing her antivirus software.

I’ve been over at her house 3 times this week trying to clean this damn virus off her machine. Wednesday night was spent trying to get her antivirus software back up and running. I was partially successful, in that I was able to get it to run jjust long enough to identify the worm before it crapped out again. I had her try to run the McAffee repair tools Thursday night and report back on how it went. No luck. I personally think the McAffee virus software is more hassle than it’s worth. I’ve always had better luck with Norton. So, last night I brought over my Norton CD and booted from it to run another scan. As I suspected, since Klez was written after the Norton 2002 disk was created – it didn’t find anything. but it was worth a try.

I went home and used my machine to make a set of rescue disks which includes the latest virus definitions, (which I really should have done before coming over last night,) and I’m now scanning her machine again. Looks like the scanner found Klez H this time. If the scanner can clean the virus, I also have the FixKlez (and FxBgBear – yo never know) apps from Symantec on another floppy.

I WILL eradicate this damn worm today.

Meanwhile, I’m typing this blog entry on my Stepfather’s Titanium iBook, and fending off the dog, who is bored and wants to wrestle.

Professor posts digital device hit list

Could singing fish novelties be hooked by a proposed law requiring anti-copying technology in digital devices?

Princeton professor Ed Felten thinks so.

The computer scientist has launched a site, called Fritz’s Hit List, that points out devices that could be forced to carry anti-copying technology if Sen. Fritz Hollings’, D-S.C., Consumer Broadband and Digital Television Promotion Act (CBDTPA) passes. The bill, which is designed to thwart piracy, would restrict digital products that don’t carry government-approved security technology.

Read the rest here

So what do you do when…

your current web-host doesn’t return your calls or email?

I’ve been trying all wekend to notifiy my current host for hooloovoo.net that I’m switching providers. I need to cancel my account, and have them remove entries for hooloovoo.net from thier DNS servers.

I’ve sent email, I’ve called and left messages. I’ve even filled out their stupid feedback from (which I suspect just sends an email.) I’m not sure what else to do.

This is beginning to piss me off.

———-
forgot to hit preview…

Edited on Sep 30th 2002, 19:15 by Hooloovoo

Edited on Sep 30th 2002, 22:47 by Hooloovoo

A bit of color-theory, and an optical illusion:

http://www-bcs.mit.edu/people/adelson/checkershadow_illusion.html

I got that link via email this morning, along witht he following message:

[Quote]
It really messes with your head, but Square A and Square B are on the exact same shade of gray. You can take it in to Photoshop like I did if you don’t believe it.
[Quote]

So I did, and they are. I love stuff like this. There’s also a link to a page explaining what your eye is doing to create the effect.

Update: There’s also some other neat links on this page (including that checkered shadow illusion)

Edited on Sep 30th 2002, 17:10 by Hooloovoo

The joy’s of spam assassin

So I’ve got email coming into my new DreamHost accounts. Ithink some is still being routed to my old host, but I’m going to be working that out in the morning (10 or so hours from now).

I’ve already begon recieving spam – and I’m very glad that I installed spam assassin as Gossip suggested. If for no other reason than this:

[Quote]
SPAM: Hit! (0.8 points) BODY: Uses words and phrases which indicate porn (11)
SPAM: Hit! (2.1 points) BODY: Talks about opting in
SPAM: Hit! (1.8 points) BODY: Gives an excuse for why message was sent
SPAM: Hit! (1.5 points) BODY: Asks you to click below
SPAM: Hit! (1.3 points) BODY: I wonder how many emails they sent in error…
[Quote]

Looks like it’s working. 🙂