System

Microsoft fights back, but does it have enough ammo?

For quite a while now, we've heard Microsoft claim that when it unleashes its barrage of advertising, Apple and the rest of the software industry will be put on notice.

"You thought the sleeping giant was still sleeping?" Microsoft's VP of Windows Vista consumer marketing said recently. "Well, we've woken up, and it's time to take our message forward."

And it looks like the company has done just that. In what will surely prove to be just the first salvo in an ongoing marketing struggle with Apple that could bulge to an astounding $300 million investment, Microsoft has unleashed an ad campaign saying we all need to learn the facts about Vista.

"When Windows Vista debuted in January 2007, we declared it the best operating system we had ever made. 'Windows Vista is beautiful,' The New York Times raved. It's humbling that millions of you agree," Microsoft's site says after clicking the ad.

"But we know a few of you were disappointed by your early encounter. Printers didn't work. Games felt sluggish. You told us--loudly at times--that the latest Windows wasn't always living up to your high expectations for a Microsoft product...Our goal is always to make each new version of Windows better than the last. With Windows Vista, we're convinced we succeeded."

With 180 million licenses in the wild already, it's hard to argue with Microsoft's logic. But the main question that Microsoft needs to answer remains: Why should I buy Vista if XP works so well?… Read more

Is Kaminsky's DNS flaw public?

Thirteen days after Dan Kaminsky asked his fellow security researchers not to speculate on the details of his DNS flaw, a fellow Black Hat researcher published his own speculation, and apparently got it right.

On July 8, IOActive researcher Kaminsky disclosed a flaw in the Domain Name System (DNS), but would not provide the details until all the affected vendors had released patches and all the systems worldwide could be patched. He figured it would take about 30 days for that to happen. The 30-day mark also just happened to coincide with his speaking engagement at Black Hat in Las … Read more

Unix, Linux, and Mac housing projects

This is one of the funniest, best posts I've read in a long time. Randy Jensen wrote it back in 2007, but it just popped up on Digg today. I had never read it. It's hilarious.

Jensen compares different operating systems to types of houses, and comes up with some gems like this:

Windows is the government housing. The houses are built quickly, cheaply and go up anywhere and everywhere. Unfortunately since they were all built so cheaply, you end up spending twice as much later to keep the place standing.

And this:

Linux is the carpenter/designer'… Read more

Security Bites 107: Dan Kaminsky talks about responsible vulnerability disclosure

In the middle of a flood of news surrounding a serious vulnerability within the fundamental structure of the Domain Name System (DNS) is the story of how researcher Dan Kaminsky chose to handle his discovery and, hopefully, it's mitigation. What Kaminsky did was coordinate several vendors in a multiparty, simultaneous release of a patch--a patch that he feels doesn't lend itself to easy reverse engineering.

For the moment, Kaminsky is not talking details. He's hoping that people will apply the various patches, update their DNS servers and clients, and do so before the bad guys can craft … Read more

Yahoo and TBS enter sports-centric alliance

Yahoo and Turner Broadcasting System announced on Thursday a multi-year content and advertising alliance.

Under the agreement, Yahoo Sports will gain access to content from the league sites of the National Basketball Association, the Professional Golfers' Association, and the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing that are managed by Turner Broadcasting. And, in turn, Turner Network will be able to exclusively sell all display, sponsorship, and video advertising in Yahoo Sports' NBA, Nascar, and golf pages on Yahoo Sports.

On Yahoo Sports, Turner will provide live and on-demand video, leaderboards, and editorial content for the NBA, Nascar, PGA Tour … Read more

Encrypt an operating system using TrueCrypt

TrueCrypt has been the standard for file and folder encryption since 2004, and it doesn't hurt that it's open-source freeware, either. The latest update includes the power to do more than protect the mere output of your work: you can now encrypt and hide an entire operating system using the program's wizard.

As the step-by-step guide points out when you start it, one of the reasons you might want to create a hidden OS is in case of extortion. A little paranoia doesn't hurt, either. So, when you create the hidden OS, it also creates signposts … Read more

Epson's 'complete' home theater in a box

Except for its lack of Blu-ray, the Epson Ensemble HD Home Cinema System may be the closest thing to a complete packaged solution that covers just about every nut and bolt for big-screen home entertainment. It comprises a full-HD or 720p projector, motorized 100-inch screen, 5.1-channel surround sound system, DVD media player, universal remote controller, and all relevant accessories such as cables and brackets.

The system is designed to simplify installation and minimize clutter, partly by integrating various components. A projection screen comes with a built-in SoundBar for the front audio channels, and there's a rounded projector ceiling … Read more

Massive, coordinated DNS patch released

A security researcher has responsibly disclosed a fundamental flaw within the Domain Name System (DNS), the addressing scheme behind the common names used on the Internet. Currently, it may be possible to guess these transaction ID values in advance and assert a malicious server as the authoritative DNS server for a popular bank or e-commerce site. The news was announced Tuesday.

Dan Kaminsky, director of penetration testing services for IO Active, found the DNS flaw earlier this year. Rather than sell the vulnerability, as some researchers have done, Kaminsky decided instead to gather the affected parties and discuss it with … Read more

Leapfrog's Nintendo DS competitor hits stores

A few months ago we got a preview of Leapfrog's new handheld learning/gaming systems, the Didj ($89.99) and Leapster 2 ($69.99)--and now they're officially available.

LeapFrog doesn't exactly bill the Didj as a Nintendo DS competitor, but the new device is geared toward 6- to 10-year-olds, an age bracket where the DS currently rules. Meanwhile, the Leapster 2 is targeted at even younger children.

The idea behind the Didj is to up the gaming and graphics ante while continuing to integrate the learning stuff that the company's known for. Those educational elements … Read more

How to train a horse without leaving the car

As Crave learned recently, there are some impressive technologies out there to train the novice equestrian. And now we've discovered that there are systems available for the beasts themselves--specifically, those trained to race.

Kurt Systems, which Gizmag describes as a "Turkish racehorse and camel training equipment specialist," has created a mobile racehorse trainer that basically looks like a car with a slot carved right down the middle for the animal and its jockey. This bizarre vehicle, modded from a Ford F150 truck and powered by a Volvo diesel engine, "provides a moving enclosure in which a … Read more