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1951

General Software Discussion / Re: windows 7 beta available for free Jan 9 (!)

« Last post by Edvard on January 15, 2009, 12:55 PM »

OK, I stripped everything out that I could stand. The BIG ones were Language Packs, Aero, and Natural Language search. I left out everything hardware related that I definitely don't have a need for(wireless, firewire, fax, etc.) and left out Games and IIS.
STILL Ultimate came out to 1.7 Gigs and Home Premium came out to 1.4 Gigs. 

vLite lets me split the ISO so I could do it with 3 CD's, but...

I guess it's just time to upgrade to a DVD burner... 

1952

General Software Discussion / Re: windows 7 beta available for free Jan 9 (!)

« Last post by Edvard on January 15, 2009, 11:25 AM »

w00t!!
Worked fine.
Mounted the DVD iso with MagicISO.
vLite grinding away...

1953

Living Room / Re: The last Mac vs. PC video?

« Last post by Edvard on January 15, 2009, 11:15 AM »

Yes, there was a bit of corniness to it all, but well rendered corniness, to be sure.

1954

Living Room / Re: 7.7.7.0 Browser Hijack - WTF?

« Last post by Edvard on January 15, 2009, 10:46 AM »

If you do install Foxit 3, use the custom installation. In there, you can tell it whether to install the Firefox plugin.
If you use Firefox, it would probably be smart to say 'no' to that one...

1955

Living Room / Re: 7.7.7.0 Browser Hijack - WTF?

« Last post by Edvard on January 15, 2009, 10:42 AM »

@f0dder: I just downloaded Foxit version 3 and confirmed app's fix.
If version 2.2 isn't bugging you and for all you know it doesn't do the javascript, you may be safe with it.
Also installed SumatraPDF to test for js capability and it has no way to set preferences, so who knows?

1956

Living Room / Re: 7.7.7.0 Browser Hijack - WTF?

« Last post by Edvard on January 15, 2009, 10:32 AM »

Also, read the responses on the DSLReports link: http://www.dslreport...interesting~start=40

Some folks have tracked down individual sites that are either infected and spreading this, or are the culprits themselves.
Also finding out exactly how the infection happens. Interesting read.

1957

Living Room / Re: 7.7.7.0 Browser Hijack - WTF?

« Last post by Edvard on January 15, 2009, 10:25 AM »

I have also seen a handful of reports that it interferes with anti-virus and anti-malware programs via the TDSSserv trojan.
See here: http://forums.cnet.c...rums06;posts#2926532

@f0dder: That's beyond what I can tell you. I'd be all for writing the author(s) of Foxit and ask the question just for your own peace of mind.

1958

Living Room / Re: 7.7.7.0 Browser Hijack - WTF?

« Last post by Edvard on January 15, 2009, 10:18 AM »

Apparently, javascript delivered via PDF is the prime suspect in this case. So that means if your pdf reader supports embedded js, it is a vulnerability.
App's post reveals that Foxit does indeed support javascript, so make sure you've got that turned off.

lol from a poster on WoW forums:
"Send it securely to every anti-virus company. The one that sends you a fix the fastest is your new anti-virus."

1959

General Software Discussion / Re: windows 7 beta available for free Jan 9 (!)

« Last post by Edvard on January 14, 2009, 07:16 PM »

GAH!!
2.5 Gig Win7 download
1.4 Meg vLite download
1.34 Gig Microsoft WAIK download (required by vLite)

This had better turn out a less-than-700-Megabyte install iso or I'm gonna be upset... 

1960

Living Room / Re: 7.7.7.0 Browser Hijack - WTF?

« Last post by Edvard on January 14, 2009, 05:27 PM »

Here's a tool that may help:
http://www.techish.n...rector-malware-tool/

In the meanwhile, to prevent infections, there are a few things you can do.
Firefox: Use the NoScript extension.
Internet Explorer: Crank down your javascript permissions or disable it altogether in the "Internet Options" dialog
Adobe Reader: Turn off Adobe Javascript.
To do that, open Adobe Reader, and hit Edit > Preferences.
Then go to the Javascript entry and tick off the "Enable Acrobat Javascript"

Any other pointers?

1961

Living Room / 7.7.7.0 Browser Hijack Virus

« Last post by Edvard on January 14, 2009, 04:21 PM »

OK, apparently this started around the middle of last month, and it's still happening. It's happened twice to my co-worker and I wonder if there's a definite fix as the AV companies apparently haven't nailed it down yet.
Here's what's happening...

All Google and Yahoo searches through IE and Firefox are being redirected through the address 7.7.7.0
When using Firefox, you'll notice "7.7.7.0" instead of "connecting to Google" in the status bar.
The subsequent search terms show relevant results in the text and all, but the associated links are horribly wrong.
When this happens, you will also find a file named wdmaud.sys and/or sysaudio.sys in C:\windows\system32.
Also there will be an associated registry entry at HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current Version\drivers32
It will be a key named "aux" with a value of "wdmaud.sys"
The general consensus of opinions is that the attack vector is a tainted PDF that gets payloaded from a banner ad or hidden iframe, and it may also be a rootkit.

Have you come across this?
If so, did you get rid of it?
How?
Where did you find the most helpful advice?

Temporary fixes include turning off javascript, redirecting 7.7.7.0 to Google via a HOSTS file, all kinds of things.
The reality is that this is a new threat that needs to be dealt with quickly.

Read up:
http://www.google.co...h?q=7.7.7.0+redirect

Edit: Changed title of topic so folks know this about a virus, not just a personal annoyance.

1962

General Software Discussion / Re: windows 7 beta available for free Jan 9 (!)

« Last post by Edvard on January 14, 2009, 01:53 PM »

Has anybody tried to nlite this? I was dismayed to realize that after a 2.5 Gig download, I suddenly came to the brilliant conclusion that I would have to burn this on a DVD not a CD.

I guess what I'm asking is if the ISO is really that contrapulated or is there a bunch of cruft that can be stripped out to get it down to CD size?

1963

Living Room / Re: Switching to Linux for a week

« Last post by Edvard on January 14, 2009, 01:40 PM »

Yes, I read that part and I wish him all the best, really. But as Zaine found with Linux and f0dder found with Vista, total immersion is the best classroom.
I can understand having two computers if one is a Mac, but Linux on a third computer would be akin to having a third arm installed. Useful, but more likely to get in the way until you commit to learning to use it properly.

The parallel I described with the girlfriend analogy went about the same way as the article in one case at least.
The female in question was part of the circle of friends I was part of and so I saw her quite often. It was never awkward, and we still talked and did little things together, but it was never the same as that blissful time before, and there's always that question of 'what could have been' if only her attitude toward the relationship had been a little different.

Imagine a Ubuntu-installed portable hard drive at a friend's apartment after a little too much defragmenting...
"Dude, I tried to tell her, you know, open a few man pages, maybe just take a peek at the xorg.conf. Would she? Naw, she just goes crying to the forums taking stupid advice from strangers telling her she'd be better off with another distro. Would she apt-get? Maybe even a little modprobe now and then to set the drivers straight? No dude, she thinks I should read her mind and stuff like that guy from Redmond she'd been seeing since Junior High. One time she even said I was difficult. Imagine that. Me. Difficult. You know who's difficult? You got that right Bro, not numero uno. No way."

C'est la vie, non?

1964

Living Room / Re: Switching to Linux for a week

« Last post by Edvard on January 14, 2009, 12:40 PM »

Yes, it happened twice but somewhat different circumstances in each, for different amounts of time.
No, I never hooked up with any of her friends (in both cases).
Eventually, I moved to another city in another state and met my soulmate at art school.

I like to think it wasn't so much 'grad school' but kind of like those 'satellite classroom' programs from the Community College in the next county that you learn a lot at, but don't get any fancy paper to show for it, so you have to work your way up to the position you took the school for.

A happy ending nonetheless...

1965

Living Room / The last Mac vs. PC video?

« Last post by Edvard on January 14, 2009, 12:27 PM »

Fun video, VERY well done.

It’s amazing that a small production can do match moves (tracking camera motion from video, then inserting virtual objects) so well. At this rate, it feels like we might not even need actors in a decade or two.

http://www.youtube.c.../watch?v=uLbJ8YPHwXM

from http://www.mattcutts...nkdump-january-2009/

1966

Living Room / Re: Switching to Linux for a week

« Last post by Edvard on January 14, 2009, 11:46 AM »

I personally found this article funny but perhaps a tad disturbing. Maybe a little too tongue-in-cheek to be taken seriously I suppose, but the author's attitude reminds me (just a mite painfully) of the two times in my life where I found myself involved with a female who was smart, funny, attractive, and mad about me... for about three weeks.

We traded life secrets, took road trips together, ate at restaurants whose menus I couldn't pronounce, for a while it was like dangling your feet off the edge of the clouds across from the gates of heaven...
Then, like a portable USB drive, she unplugged me and bid me adieu with a kiss on the cheek and a flirty giggle saying "You were so much fun, I hope we get together again sometime..." and drove off in her Miata back to her ex while telling her friends what a nice boyfriend/husband I would make for them. 

Ah, Linux. I know you better. I've grown to love you like a good cup of coffee, an acquired taste where the bitterness only adds flavor to the warmth and aroma. I've gone out of my way to give you the latest updates and the newest software packages because I want you to know I care. I was there for you when they found your SSL vulnerability and faithfully patched it before you were compromised. I held your hand when I removed NetworkManager because (I know it hurt, Darling, but only a little...) it was leaking memory and I know your IP address isn't changing anytime soon.
Windows? She's just that busybody at the office who wears too much make-up and perfume. Says she'll run anything if I want her to, the hussy. Her contract says her heart belongs to Redmond but I see her everywhere... tramp. And she's such a hypochondriac, she'll drop everything for a date with that quack Dr. Norton. Says she's being checked for 'viruses'. Yeah, sure. Right in the middle of getting me that report I needed. Whatever.
When I come home Linux, it's you I run to. It's your kernel I yearn for. Let me see you in that new desktop I compiled for you. CAT for me your most hidden .conf files. SUDO tell me your.. I mean... umm... 
 *ahem*

Anyways. One week? Not long enough, I say. Show some commitment, man.

1967

Living Room / Re: Whole Earth online!

« Last post by Edvard on January 12, 2009, 05:34 PM »

and the invaluable tips (meat tenderizer can calm a bad trip...) Memories.

-Edvard (January 12, 2009, 02:56 PM)

Meat tenderizer?

-f0dder (January 12, 2009, 03:33 PM)

eh, f0dder I think this will have to be dealt via PM   LOL (sorry not a notion..)

-tomos (January 12, 2009, 03:42 PM)

Well, I was thinking of mallet-style meat tenderizers, which would be somewhat drastic imho - knocking people out?

-f0dder (January 12, 2009, 03:49 PM)

ROFPMSLMAO!!

Actually I haven't done anything requiring calming runaway hallucinations since I was 19, but that's a whole 'nother story...

What I remember reading in the catalog is that Accent brand meat tenderizer was good to give someone who was on a bad trip as it would calm them down a bit. It's not referenced at the Whole Earth website, so I can't cite it correctly, but it may have been part of the story that was scattered throughout the book, "Divine Right's Trip", so it may be more literary device than sound advice, so add a grain of salt to taste.
 

(if only someone could find a pdf scan of the LWEC, we could put this to rest...)

1968

General Software Discussion / Re: Note-handling applications redux ... (I lost one) ...

« Last post by Edvard on January 12, 2009, 03:06 PM »

Nice find Barney!
(using now...) 

1969

Living Room / Re: Whole Earth online!

« Last post by Edvard on January 12, 2009, 02:56 PM »

I remember reading the "Last Whole Earth Catalog" when I was a teenager.
It was absolutely huge (at least 1.5 inches thick and too big to squeeze in the shelf upright) and I loved reading the book reviews, the story that threaded through every 5 or 8 pages, and the invaluable tips (meat tenderizer can calm a bad trip...)

Aaaah... Memories.

1970

General Software Discussion / Re: windows 7 beta available for free Jan 9 (!)

« Last post by Edvard on January 09, 2009, 10:46 AM »

"Server is too busy"
 

1971

General Software Discussion / Re: windows 7 beta available for free Jan 9 (!)

« Last post by Edvard on January 09, 2009, 10:22 AM »

Ok, I give up. How am I supposed to download the thing?
I can't find a link anywhere.

1972

Developer's Corner / Re: Seeking Programming Language To Learn

« Last post by Edvard on January 07, 2009, 10:22 AM »

AutoHotKey does look interesting; a lot of the tools created with it look even more so. But the "almost" makes me suspect I'll want to do something it won't allow me to soon enough. I've had that problem with macros and batch files; I even had it back when I was using Norton Batch Runner. You can go pretty far, if you get creative, but there is a point you just can't get past. Or at least I've never been able to.

-raybeere (January 06, 2009, 09:02 PM)

I totally understand and concur; ANY interpreted or script language will have that wall to hurdle, but don't let that stop you. AHK can do amazing things far beyond what batch scripts can do without a whole lot of effort, so it's very much worth having in your "bag of tricks".
I've often wondered how much real code actually goes into all those one-line commands, so I bet a fun exercise would be to pick a language to learn and then learn how to implement some of AHK's tricks with it.

1973

Developer's Corner / Re: Seeking Programming Language To Learn

« Last post by Edvard on January 06, 2009, 05:07 PM »

If you're concerned about comprehending the language, I'd recommend either of these two:

-Autohotkey
If you hang around here for any length of time, you'll find out why. It has evolved from a macro/script utility to an almost full-blown interpreted language. Poke around the help file, download a few of Skrommel's toys to inspect and you'll soon have quite the folderful of nifty things, I guarantee.
-Ruby
While not as popular or as well-documented as Python, the two languages have similar modus operandi and is the most "english-like" you're going to get. Add on that it's useful for making nifty web stuff, cross-platform, fully object-oriented, dynamically typed and a bunch of other adjectives I don't fully comprehend.

Have fun!

EDIT: Dang! CW mentioned Ruby before me... Oh well, I have links! 

1974

General Software Discussion / Re: The Monkeys Have Hit The Button

« Last post by Edvard on January 06, 2009, 11:11 AM »

I've been waiting for this since the site was nothing but a picture of monkeys.
Glad to see it's actually going somewhere.
With all the dramatic build-up, I hope it doesn't dissapoint. Litestep and bb4win are hard acts to follow...

1975

General Software Discussion / Re: Monkey Dash: Play test my game!

« Last post by Edvard on January 05, 2009, 05:24 PM »

Now Mouser has piqued my interest in your little game and I wonder how you're doing with it?
Any publishers yet?
Still playtesting? (I'd love a link if so...)