Linux-Watch.com reports Mactel Linux up and running. Very cool. A dual-boot Linux Mac dual-proc laptop is about as cool as it gets.
Archive | 2006
One True Way?
Linux-Watch.com evangelizes Open Source — the one, true way to develop software “Today, the mainstream software business is the open-source business. “
Andy Bair demos WebJob at GNHLUG-nashua tonight
Who : Andy Bair
What : WebJob
Where: Martha’s Exchange
Day : Thur 16 Feb (*TONIGHT*)
Time : 6:00 PM for grub, 7:30 PM for presentation
WebJob is a client-server system, where a tiny client requests and
downloads a program from a server, executes that program on the client,
then uploads the results to the server.
WebJob provides a mechanism for running known good programs on
damaged orpotentially compromised systems. It is ideal for remote
diagnostics, incident response, and evidence collection.
WebJob also provides a centralized management framework. It thereby
supports and automates a large number of common host-based tasks such
as: periodic system checks, file updates, integrity monitoring,
patch/package management, and so on.
Andy plans to discuss the tool, its architecture, and one or more
demos.
Details at http://www.gnhlug.org
Andy adds:
WebJob is a client-server system, where a tiny
client requests and downloads a program from a
server, executes that program on the client,
then uploads the results to the server. WebJob
is useful because it provides a mechanism for
running known good programs on damaged or
potentially compromised systems. This makes it
ideal for remote diagnostics, incident response,
and evidence collection. WebJob also provides a
framework that is conducive to centralized
management. Therefore, it can support and help
automate a large number of common administrative
tasks and host-based monitoring scenarios such
as periodic system checks, file updates,
integrity monitoring, patch/package management,
and so on.
Here is the outline for the discussion:
- High-level View
- Details: Client–Server Interaction
- Advantages
- Disadvantages
- Execution Example
- WebJob in Action
- Demos
The WebJob paper (what-is-webjob-paper.pdf) and
presentation (what-is-webjob-presentation.pdf) are
located at the following URL.
http://webjob.sourceforge.net/WebJob/Papers.shtml
Let’s patch the patch that patches the flaw that…
Computerworld News is reporting that Microsoft patch fails to install for some users. “Microsoft found an installation problem with one of its security patches released yesterday that requires some users to take additional steps to install it.”
Lies, damned lies, statistics and vendor-sponsored research
Microsoft Watch from Mary Jo Foley points to an eWeek article claiming Linux Vendors Go on the ‘Get the Facts’ Offensive. “The Open Source Development Labs and Linux vendor Levanta published on Monday a 17-page study entitled “Get the Truth on Linux Management.”
Levanta, whose name and logo both make me think they sell into a different industry, sells high-end management software/hardware for Linux. They comissioned a study that finds — surprise! — that Linux is cheaper to operate than Windows. Especially for people who use Levanta tools. Oh, please.
Let’s agree that “Total Cost of Ownership” means what you want it to mean, based on the assumptions you’re going to stipulate, and get on with the business of solving people’s problems. An arbitrary “TCO” measurement is like MPG, one piece of data, but only a small piece.
Valentine’s Day Patch Massacre
Computerworld News notes Microsoft issues seven security patches. “The updates are considered less serious than January’s fixes, although two are rated critical.”
Read the gory details here. While only two are rated “Critical” several of the “Important” patches allow remote code execution. Patch away!
MS06-004 through -010 were released today. It’s the seventh week of 2006. When exactly is Trustworthy Computing supposed to kick in?
Dabo does Reporting
–Paul McNett, Earthling posts Dabo Report Designer Screencast. “I’ve just put together a 23-minute overview of the Dabo Report Designer [Updated Link] in a screencast. It should give a good feel of Dabo’s current capabilities and design goals. Enjoy!”
Awesome! Dabo is looking more powerful, capable and slicker each time I check in on Paul and Ed Leafe. If you’re looking for a cross-platform rich client app this is worth checking out.
Plays for Sure Fails for Sure
Ed Foster’s Gripelog posts Plays For Sure, Unless It Doesn’t. “A big headache for customers in the era of convergence is that it’s very hard…”
I’ve been looking at the iRiver products, and will still consider them, as I’m interested in unrestricted audiocasts, my own ripped music and OGG file capability. The Microsoft “Plays for Sure” appears to be yet another empty promise, and it’s no surprise. Digital Restriction Management restricts everyone from using their purchased music as they’d like, with the flimsy hope that it will deter piracy. Would you buy a book that could only be read under a “Reads for Sure” lightbulb?
What I meant to say was…
Slashdot post The Secret Cause of Flame Wars. Mz6 writes “According to recent research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, I’ve only a 50-50 chance of ascertaining the tone of any e-mail message. The study also shows that people think they’ve correctly interpreted the tone of e-mails they receive 90 percent of the time. “That’s how flame wars get started,” says psychologist Nicholas Epley of the University of Chicago, who conducted the research with Justin Kruger of New York University. “People in our study were convinced they’ve accurately understood the tone of an e-mail message when in fact their odds are no better than chance,” says Epley. The researchers took 30 pairs of undergraduate students and gave each one a list of 20 statements about topics like campus food or the weather. Assuming either a serious or sarcastic tone, one member of each pair e-mailed the statements to his or her partner. The partners then guessed the intended tone and indicated how confident they were in their answers. Those who sent the messages predicted that nearly 80 percent of the time their partners would correctly interpret the tone. In fact the recipients got it right just over 50 percent of the time.”
Microsoft removes Norton Anti-Virus!
Amazing Slashdot post: Microsoft Anti-Spyware Removes Norton Anti-Virus. An anonymous reader writes “According to a story over at Washingtonpost.com, the latest definitions file for Microsoft’s Anti-Spyware beta flags Symantec’s Norton Antivirus products as a password-stealing trojan and prompts users to delete portions of the program. Users who follow the instructions hose their installation of Norton, requiring delicate Windows registry edits and a complete removal/reinstall of Norton. Microsoft’s support forum is quickly filling up with complaints about this problem, many from businesses that have been pretty hard hit. This should be a cautionary tale about deploying beta products in production environments.”
Why anyone would install a program from Microsoft named MALICIOUS Software Removal Tool is a mystery to me.