Brewmonkey

1. Download package is still too large. Should only download and update components that need to be updated.
2. Still puts the install package on your desktop. In fact, firefox's download engine needs to be updated. It should never default to the desktop for downloads. The user should always be prompted for location unless they specify that all download packages should be placed on the desktop.
3. After the program is updated, the firsty time firefox is launched, it indicates that there is another update.
4. After closing all instances of firefox, the install routine detected a non-existant instance still running. The instance checking routine need to be delayed for another couple of seconds.
5. The setup routine wanted to change the homepage settings. At worst, this last option should remain unchecked.

They need to rethink this entire routine. Especially with the number of updates they have been pushing out lately.

When the user checks for a update, it should just display one window indicating that an update is available and all instances of firefox will be closed. When the user clicks ok, this should be the only user interactions required. A minimal number of updated components should be download (probably should only download component deltas). All instances of firefox closed automatically. Updates should be applied automatically. All previous user settings should be preserved. Finally all downloaded packages should be automatically deleted. User interaction should only be required if there are new settings or existing settings need to be changed for security concerns.

The security update routine sucks.
1. It places the damn install package on your desktop. Who the fuck wants that? Lame ass apple move.
2. It removed all of my disable plugins. permanently.
3. It still shows that damn update arrow for a while after it is actually updated.

1. Reading layout in Word.
2. Searching online help default every time the help function is used.

http://www.badname.net/
Flaws in the dns system.
There are ways around this. Google should know better.

latest spam technique is to use yahoo's poorly coded redirect.

example:
http://rd.yahoo.com/fuckyou/*http://www.brewmonkey.com

They are probably making money as a yahoo affiliate.

ifsbx

Spammers are starting to send attachments similar to the following, which I've modified slightly to proctect those who want to copy it to a html file and run it:
<script language="JavaScript">
queasy = new Array(248,
229,182,62,124,151,35,197,96,45,127,
170,12,223,11,205,200,112,247,23,1,
57,182,203,248,165,199,190,9,36,223,
193,25,175,48,54,246,251,235,220,212,
103,186,168,199,175,18,194,58,137,207,
97,241,194,107,205,160,136,34,207,172,
65,44,184,171,26,213,68,222,10,143,
252,117,75,149,216,37,204,169,233,209,
164,234,206,141,30,31,246,27,250,111,
3,15,219,124,132,101,166,195,126,164,
83,88,122,237,220,184,230,139,184,64,
48,133,209,18,187,36,107,166,176,161,
157,147,103,164,198,162,253,73,239,17,
188,182,125,205,243,2,239,204,212,38,
210,191,95,43,181,231,8,204,71,149,
27,204,177,85,67,218,210,103,212,180,
167,214,175,171,218,145,22,66,137,74,
160,124,11,85,159,104,147,99,163,157,
111,247,0,20,57,174,211,233,180,153,
190,88,18,250,254,103,198,98,111,241,
169,230,221,217,35,167,233,192,181,18,
215,110,210,221,52,183,142,16,252,141,
198,35,213,183,66,59,250,235,3,199,
74,222,10,129,226,51,122,207,158,59,
199,243,183,128,184,167,204,213,16,6,
153,22,172,111,6,14,216,41,130,62,
166,199,123,164,85,6,33,232,134,163,
231,197,249,70,25,243,229,97,177,109,
50,174,181,161,223,130,72,144,247,135,
137,50,234,24,195);
Freemason = new Array(196,
173,226,115,48,169,46,207,92,101,58,
235,72,225,6,199,244,29,146,99,96,
25,222,191,140,213,234,219,120,81,182,
183,36,141,66,83,144,137,142,175,188,
69,154,203,168,193,102,167,84,253,242,
67,192,249,62,159,236,181,74,187,216,
49,22,151,132,109,162,51,240,105,238,
143,28,37,250,171,8,161,198,135,180,
221);
abreactions = 296;
catapult = 82;
var Pittsburgh = "";
for(determinants = 0; determinants < abreactions; determinants++)
{
checkString = String.fromCharCode(queasy[determinants] ^ Freemason[determinants % catapult])
if(checkString == "<")
{
checkString = "&lt;"
}
else if (checkString == ">")
{
checkString = "&gt;"
}

Pittsburgh = Pittsburgh + checkString;
}
document.write(Pittsburgh);
</script>

The out ends up like this:
<HTML> <HEAD> <meta http-equiv="refresh" content="1;URL=http://www.casinos-money.com/
_553f504eca7c608c3c43ac8a3f66f869/2/"> </HEAD> <p align="center">
If your browser do not redirect please CLICK <a href="http://www.casinos-money.com/
_553f504eca7c608c3c43ac8a3f66f869/2/">
HERE</a></p> </HTML>

Month of December: 3097
11/16 - 12/31: 4572
Average: 99/day

week ending 12/06: 717
from 11/16 to 11/30: 1475
average: 101

Yesterday: 93
Week: 278
Month: 1030
Year: 1030

Yesterday: 85
WeeK: 185
Month: 937

Yesterday: 100
WeeK: 100
Month: 852

Yesterday: 97
Week: 752

Yesterday: 100
Week: 655

Yesterday: 121
Week: 555

Yesterday: 98
This week: 434

1. Use only channel 1, 6, or 11 - the only 3 non overlapping channels
2. Don't use super-g in turbo mode.
3. Throttle back your transmission rate. If you are only using it for your 1.5 Mbps cable internet connection, you don't need your router transmitting at 11 Mbps or 54Mbps.
4. Don't broadcast your SSID if you have encryption turned on. That is just teasing.

Yesterday: 105
Week: 336

Yesterday: 116
Total for week: 231

I received 115 pieces of spam yesterday.

I've been getting quite a few viruses in the mail the last couple of days.
Lately, it has been the sobig virus. They all came from 202.88.161.109.

According to APNIC Whois Database, they are coming from India.

To be more specific, the infected individual spreading this wrath is a subscriber of:
Hathway IP Over Cable Internet Access Service
Rahejas, VP Road, Santacruz Bombay 400054

Some of the filenames involved are:
your_document.pif
wicked_scr.scr

I wonder how an individual in india got a hold of my email address?

I have a Windows 2000 Professional computer, PRO-01, on my home network that took an incredible amount of time to log on. Upwards of 15 minutes.

At first, I didn't actually know that it would complete the logon process. I went to another computer to see if I could connect to its event viewer. Fortunately, I was successful at that.

I took a look at the system and security logs. Didn't see anything. Taking a look at the Application log, I found this unusual error:
------------------------------------------------------------
Event Type: Error
Event Source: Userenv
Event Category: None
Event ID: 1000
Date: 8/22/2003
Time: 11:46:42 PM
User: NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM
Computer: PRO-01
Description:
Windows cannot determine the user or computer name. Return value (1722).
------------------------------------------------------------

My first thought, "looks like a DNS problem." I successfully pinged PRO-01 and DOMAIN-01 using the domain name. Maybe not a DNS problem. Maybe a RPC problem or a problem with some of the recent patches that I applied to PRO-01.

I went to a EventID.net, a great resource to find out what the cryptic event ids actually mean.

One post suggested that I check out my dns server with nslookup using the following commands:
nslookup
set type=srv
set type=srv
_ldap._tcp.dc._msdcs.YOURDOMAIN.COM

I did that. The information returned was exactly what the post described. After taking a closer look, I realized that the address returned for the ldap server was not on the same subnet as PRO-01. In fact, the ldap server is multi-homed, and the DNS server should be returning 3 addresses. I shut down the DNS service and restarted it. Checking the ldap information, all the addresses were returned.

While this was taking place the PRO-01 finished its boot cycle. The system event log showed the following message indicating that it was actually a DNS problem:
------------------------------------------------------------
Event Type: Warning
Event Source: DnsApi
Event Category: None
Event ID: 11150
Date: 8/22/2003
Time: 11:58:14 PM
User: N/A
Computer: PRO-01
Description:
The system failed to register network adapter with settings:

Adapter Name : {A06DB560-3FD0-46F8-A7FB-3D54E55C6DFD}
Host Name : pro-01
Adapter-specific Domain Suffix : domain.home
DNS Server list :
192.168.1.2
Sent update to server : None
IP Address(es) :
192.168.1.11

The cause of this DNS registration failure was because the DNS update request timed out after being sent to the specified DNS Server. This is probably because the authoritative DNS server for the name being updated is not running.

You can manually retry registration of the network adapter and its settings by typing "ipconfig /registerdns" at the command prompt. If problems still persist, contact your network systems administrator to verify network conditions.
Data:
0000: b4 05 00 00 ´...
------------------------------------------------------------

A restart of PRO-01 was uneventful. If this is a common re-occurring event, I will have to delve further into it. Since it was a problem on the DNS server and not PRO-01, the issue is more worrysome. It may have been caused by the black out last night, or some of the recent patches applied to it recently.

My brother just turned me on to Virtual PC by Connectix

It is a fantastic piece of software. It allows you to use different software environments on top of your current desktop (as long as your hardware has enough resources). He is using it to test out Windows 2000 deployment.

I'm using it to test out different software environments. It allows you to run different flavors of windows, and UNIX style OS on top of your current environment. So far, it has been pretty fantastic, and has not crashed yet.

I just installed Movable Type, and I'm am currently in the process of evaluating it.

I am currently blogging with <B2> I initially installed on my local server (Windows 2000 Server).

The server had PHP and MySQL installed, but didn't have Perl. I didn't want to install Active State Perl. It would add another process on top of an already overloaded server. The server is also connected to the internet via a DSL connection with only a 128 Kb uplink. Since the DSL modem is connected to my provider (pacbell now SBC) via PPPoE and dynamic IP, I needed to use a DDNS service to re-associate my domain name with my IP address every time it changed. DNS is provided via ZoneEdit and DirectUpdate DDNS client. Slow and reasonably unreliable.

Since I use my website for professional purposes, I decided that I need a more reliable solution. After searching for a couple of days, I decided to use Dream Host. Free domain name registration $9.95/month. The move to the hosted site included other perks, like the ability to use Perl coded publishing solutions.

I'm currently in the process of evaluating MT. If it compares favorably to the current system, I will switch to it permanently. My first impressions are that it has a better interface and more powerful interface.