2005 April

Catching up on some answers - a few days ago, I presented this puzzle:
A constant flow rate pump is hooked to a balloon. At t = 0, the diameter of the balloon is 1 foot. The pump will run for a random time inflating the balloon, but a switch will stop it if the diameter […]

The appeal of wireless networks comes down to two things,
according to Matthew Gast: “People move. Networks don’t.” In a world
that’s become increasingly mobile, traditional networks are proving
inadequate to meet the challenges imposed by their users. “If users must
be connected to a network by physical cables, their movement is
dramatically reduced,” observes Gast. “Wireless connectivity, however,
poses no […]

Oracle’s business is information - how to manage it, use it, share it, and protect it. For nearly three decades, Oracle, the world’s largest enterprise software company, has provided the software and services that let organizations get the most up-to-date and accurate information from their business systems.
The 2005 combination of Oracle and PeopleSoft marks a […]

How can I keep my e-mail safe from sniffing? I recently heard of a scenario where an individual was able to “sniff” or listen in to the wireless network traffic within range, and from that determine the account name, server, and passwords from everyone who happened to check e-mail while he was looking.
Scary, huh?
And […]

Nothing quite caps off a week like having your car puke out while driving down a busy road during rush hour. Yup, that is exactly what happened to me yesterday evening as I was heading home from running errands.

Welcome to Just Ask Matt! Today, Jim writes:
I tried to install my Palm Pilot before using the software. After reading the instructions, it looks like I needed to have used my install CD before hooking up the USB cord to the computer. Now nothing will sync and I can’t seem to get anything working. Can […]

Free advertising. Is there really a way to accomplish this for your PC repair business? To be completely honest, yes you can get this to happen for you once a few things are in place. Today I will show you how press releases and other forms of promotion can provide you with free or, at […]

Sveasoft has published the new Talisman/Basic release of its replacement firmware for the Linksys WRT54G and WRT54GS wireless routers. It’s available for v1.1 and newer revs of the router hardware (see the label on the bottom; if it’s v1.1 or newer, you’ll see the numbers there).

In my February 21, 2005 article “Kernel Rootkits - next bad thing?” I reported that undetectable rootkits may be the next spyware/malware paradigm and that Microsoft researchers had developed a tool, named “Strider Ghostbuster” that can detect them.
A day later, the good folks at Sysinternals released RootkitRevealer 1.4, which I now consider a vital weapon […]

Here is a puzzle related to one we had earlier involving a young man who must pick the daughter with the largest dowry. However, it seems to be simpler on the surface - and maybe it is.
Be warned and remember the quote: “This branch of mathematics (probability) is the only one, I believe, in which […]

First impressions are huge, especially when it comes to a job interview. Whether you’re applying for a help desk position, technical architect, or programmer, making a good first impression does not start with the handshake. It starts with the first look. This means the clothes you are wearing have a huge impact on the type […]

True to my expectations, Microsoft has confirmed shipment of this quarter’s Action Pack today. I figured it’d wait until x64 launched, and it did. So I’m anxiously waiting for the package to arrive with a squeaky clean copy of x64 inside.
Still no details about the when and how for the XP Pro-to-x64 program, but I […]

Enterprise Open Source Journal is the first magazine designed solely to focus on Open Source strategies in the enterprise.
Each issue of Enterprise Open Source Journal is edited to provide CIOs and IT executives with pertinent information about the emergence of Open Source strategies in the enterprise. Ongoing topics of interest include:

Dispelling Open Source Myths
Understanding […]

Aunty told you about Wi-Fi hotspot evil twins, and you didn’t quite believe her, did you?

The situation is this: you have a working Web site, and you’re about to move it, or make dramatic changes to it. So, you make a copy of the Web site, at a different IP address, possibly with a different temporary domain name. You make all your changes, and then want to test it out […]

So the new Microsoft is getting ready to get its new OS to us as fast as it can. Sounds great, but I have to wonder if this new version of Windows is going to be all that it is cracked up to be? Let’s look at what I have heard so far.

Welcome to Just Ask Matt! Today, John writes:
I come to you as a last resort - at your kind invitation!
I have a very curious XP (Home) problem which no one seems to be able to fix. The link to XP Help and Support is broken, and no solution so far given to me seems to […]

Behavioral interviewing is a technique used by many companies when searching for potential employees. This type of interview uses specific questions to discover how an interviewee has and would react in specific situations.
More traditional interviewing techniques usually focus directly on your resume. You are asked questions about your education, previous work experience, and so on. […]

This week’s TECHTip, brought to you by TECHtionary.com (now a free resource), is an introduction to the NENA (National Emergency Number Association) recommendations regarding IP and E911.
There are many open issues to be resolved such as:

Well, it’s about time. It has always surprised me that you could get the Lotus Domino server for Linux, but were not able to install a Lotus Notes client. At least, not without some finagling with WINE or an emulator. According to this SearchEnterpriseLinux.com interview with IBM’s Notes/Domino manager Art Fontaine, we may see a […]