Hamachi – Free Peer-to-Peer VPN Connections!

OK, I have long given you “Geek Software of the Week” recommendations… this may be Geek Software of the YEAR! VPN (or “Virtual Private Networks”) can be hard to configure, use and manage. Also some VPN configurations can be less secure than others. Now, we have a SIMPLE, FREE and VERY SECURE VPN for users to connect two (or more) computers (and therefore LANs) to one another even behind firewalls and NAT addressing schemes. It is multi-platform (Windows and Linux now, shortly for the Mac), and can be useful for “Road Warriors” in hotels that need to connect to a system behind a firewall safely. DEWD! This is SO cool!

Hamachi FREE VPN

Sign up for free now, and enjoy secure VPN computing! This totally rocks! Also, use Steve Gibson’s Super Secure Private Password creator to further secure this connection. That link is available here:

Gibson Research Private Password Generator

Dell Attempts Secret Open Source Trial?

Microsoft is evil. I have mentioned this fact before in this Blog. One of their evil ways is to strongarm vendors into an official “Microsoft only” software policy. “We only recommend Microsoft!”, a vendor must say in order to maintain good relations (not to mention special incentives and discounts) with the Evil Empire! So, is Dell Computer breaking with Microsoft, ever so slightly? There have been rumors in the past that Dell was going to offer desktop system with Linux pre-installed. (Horrors!) Could they now be testing pre-installing Firefox on their systems?

Dell Pre-installed Firefox on some U.K. Systems

We can only hope the rumor is true! After all, it would make sense from a customer service point of view. If Dell can install a secure Web Browser (Firefox) on their systems before they get into the hands of their customers, then they will have less issues later with Spyware and Ad-Ware infections to deal with. It is just economics, and good customer service. But will the Evil Empire retaliate? Stay tuned!

Should Anti-Spyware Companies Use Rootkits?

Spyware and Ad-Ware is evil. They are beginning, more and more, to use rootkit technology to help them hide their evil work as they infect computers. Should the ANTI-Spyware vendors “fight fire with fire?” That’s the question posed by this eWeek article:

Anti-Spyware Battles Rootkits with Rootkit Tactics

Aluria is one company trying to design programs to fight the evildoers. Rick Carlson, a vice president for sales and marketing at Aluria says, “We’re hooking into the OS and monitoring every read and write command given to the file system by the operating system.”

Aluria is responding to a new generation of spyware that uses kernel rootkit features to avoid detection. Must you become the enemy to defeat the enemy? A question that will be debated from here on out, I am sure!

Slowing Down, and Even Stopping LIGHT!

The speed of light is considered the one universal constant in the the universe. The speed of light in a vacuum is defined to be exactly 299,792,458 metres per second (or 1,079,252,848.8 km/h, which is approximately 186,282.397 miles per second, or 670,616,629.4 miles per hour). Whew! Exact, aren’t we? Anyway… what if you could slow it down? What if you could stop it? Well, a researcher (physicist Matt Sellars) has done it! Why? Imagine using pulses of light to transfer and store digital information as quantum bits, instead of bits of electric current as we do today. Dewd! We are talking mega-fast computers!

Slowing Down and Stopping Light!

“Quantum computers will one day exploit quantum mechanics to perform incredibly complex mathematical operations at high speed. And if the researchers can find a way to store the light pulses for a very long time, they will also have memory that operates on a quantum scale.” I can’t wait!

“Easter Egg” in OpenOffice 2.0

For the uninitiated, an “Easter Egg” is a hidden “treasure” in games that may be “mini-games,” or scrolling lists of game makers, and other odd things. You would not think that such a trivial, silly thing would be in an office suite, but you would be WRONG!

Mini-Game in OpenOffice 2.0

This is a “Space Invaders” type game, and is actually pretty cute! The “instructions” and other info appear to be in German… but it is playable… and just a mite weird that it is in OpenOffice! It just shows that the OpenOffice developers are whimsical!

Linus says, “Use KDE!”

Linux Torvalds, original developer and “creator” of Linux, cuts to the chase on the KDE vs. Gnome debate of which major windowing environment to use with Linux. His suggestion… us KDE.

Linus Says Use KDE

And, the Doctor agrees with Linus… ’nuff said! KDE it is! (Grin!)

Linus’ Quote:

“I personally just encourage people to switch to KDE. This ‘users are idiots, and are confused by functionality’ mentality of Gnome is a disease. If you think your users are idiots, only idiots will use it. I don’t use Gnome, because in striving to be simple, it has long since reached the point where it simply doesn’t do what I need it to do. Please, just tell people to use KDE.”

Geek Software of the Week – A Free Zip/UnZip Utility

I like WinZip. And, I own a licensed copy. However, you would be AMAZED (OK, maybe you wouldn’t) how many folks are using WinZip, which is shareware, beyond the “test period.” You see, WinZip allows you to download and install thier software and use it to see if you then want to buy it. But many people never get around to paying for it. Shocking, but true! So, what if you need a LEGAL and FREE Open Source Zip/unZip utility? Well, here it is:

7-Zip Utility

This week’s Geek Software os the Week will do this:

Packing / unpacking: 7z, ZIP, GZIP, BZIP2 and TAR
Unpacking only: RAR, CAB, ARJ, LZH, CHM, Z, CPIO, RPM and DEB

I like the fact that it handles the newer “RAR” format. Very cool. Download – Enjoy – Be legal!

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