A heat map showing regions where high volumes of spam come from

WO sites have recently been Slashdotted, both of which provide ‘spam maps’:

• Mailinator (jump directly to map) – an almost real-time spam map, which is refreshed every few minutes and builds upon the Google Maps API
• TrustedSource Portal – seems like a service surprisingly similar to service above, which was Slashdotted only two weeks beforehand

Was there truly really a point in recommending two tools which do practically (or roughly) the same thing? The two tools are quite similar, but one could argue that they complement one another.

OR anyone with interest in the subject of security and data recovery, I hereby link to finalised slides from my presentation yestersay.

• PC Security in a Connected Environment (XHTML)
• Basics of Data Recovery (XHTML)

Both parts were composed with the audience of Ophthalmic surgeons in mind. Expect them to cover the subjects at a relatively shallow level. I am pleased to say that my session is said to have been “well-structured and delivered”.

N previous write-ups, I was repeatedly referring to modern computers that cost no more than $300 in western countries. See, for example, Expensive Developers, Cheap Hardware or Dirt-Cheap Computers. I was also once referring to the death of commercial software due to Open Source software (OSS) and pre-loaded operating systems, wherein not much user intervation or skills are required. Plenty of software gets bundled, which makes the O/S base very self-contained. So how much cheaper can computers truly get? There was some chattering about $100 computers last year. It now turns out that Intel’s cost of chips (processors) is $40 per unit.

Published: September 13, 2005, 11:18 AM PDT

Though Pentium 4s can sell for up to $637, Intel’s average cost for making a chip comes to $40, according to a report from analysts In-Stat.

The report doesn’t consider expenses related to design or marketing…

Let us remember that inexpensive computers are a big step not only towards penetration into poor homes. This can make the difference between a business with 100 workstations or 2o0 workstations, where both options may equal in term of the total cost. IBM recently suggested that Linux TCO is 40% lower than that of Windows. As Linux continue to mature, this large gap in terms of cost should continue to increase.

One can easily identify case studies where a company greatly benefits from a saturation of low-cost machines. Google, which is a Linux ‘poster child’, can afford to distribute and operate very many servers which crawl the World Wide Web. Had it not been for OSS, where would they be? One might add the fact that OSS is significantly more effective in terms of performance once compared with alternatives. It is sometimes difficult to get those facts heard, however, as it take funds to launch a propaganda.

APSKAT from COLA (nntp://Comp.Os.Linux.Advocacy) composed a very hilarious essay, which I was granted permission to duplicate. If you use Linux/Mac and possess fundamental knowledge of Windows, you will probably find the following hilarious.

Dear Abby…

Help! My computer is sick!!!

It really is, it’s got to be something serious!

Before, when I ran Windows, my computer never overstressed itself. It knew the importance of frequent breaks and had no problem letting me know when it was tired or just didn’t feel like doing anything. It took naps when it wanted, rebooted often and never did more than its share. It was always crying out for attention when it wanted it, it made me feel like I was special and truly needed for its survival. I used to shower it with expensive anti-malware programs and security software, frequent scandisks and defrags, cleaned it up often to keep it running happily along. I made sure I kept it safe from all the bugs and nasties running rampant out in the cruel world. I took it to the shop ever so often so it could be groomed and tuned up. Everything was fine!

It all started when I installed this “Linux” on it. Now, my computer just works all the time, it never takes a break! It just keeps on going and going like it was a machine! It never asks for a reboot like it used to all the time, it never rests. I’m really concerned for it, it’s like a constant workaholic, always ready to do something else, no matter how massive the task is – stuff that it wouldn’t even think of doing before! It’s downright scary I tell you! I’m really afraid that it’s going to hurt itself, but it never seems to mind at all.

Before, it was constantly crying out for attention and care. Now, it never asks for anything, it’s like it’s some sort of automaton just waiting for the next task to complete. It doesn’t slow down, it doesn’t reboot, it doesn’t require the loving care and attention it used to demand all the time. It doesn’t even succumb the to malware and nasties that used to be its major phobia. It’s like it doesn’t even care about them anymore, and it refuses to even run the anti-virus I paid so much for. It takes care of itself as if it were self-sufficient and only needs me to give it stuff to do!

It doesn’t even want all of the expensive gift software I bought for it, it comes with all of its own programs and they are all workaholics too! They do all the stuff the expensive software I bought even better and faster, but it didn’t cost me anything. I didn’t even have to go out and download them, they came with this new Linux thing.

Please, I’m begging you..what’s wrong with my dear computer? What happened to the cuddly, bloated, expensive powderpuff it used to be, and who is this sleek powerful workhorse of a beast in front of me? Please help me, I’m so confused!

Signed

  CompuConcerned

Related item: Reasons to Use Linux

DE.ORG has announced the availability of a gallery containing previews of KDE 3.5 alpha. Only yesterday, OSDir.com published a comprehensive from-start-to-finish gallery of SuSE Linux version 10, beta 3. A wide variety of window managers is shown in action; even the installation process.

More of state-of-the-art KDE screenshots:

• KDE Plasma
• KDE-Tiger Intersection

Bill Gates posing for a teen magazine in 1985
with a Mac at the back, from which he nicked the GUI

S Microsoft allows the public to have a sneak peek at Office 12, it seems rather apparent that they copied Aqua and Brushed Metal from Mac OS X (c/f related themes of Firefox and Thunderbird). The operating system (platform) makes no exception per se either while the tagline “Code is Poetry”, which was adopted by WordPress, has recently been stolen by Microsoft as well. This shocking discovery was thoroughly discussed in the blog of Matt Mullenweg, lead developer of WordPress.

More on unoriginality in Microsoft:

• Imitation at Microsoft
• No Competition = No Innovation
• Longhorn Beta Screenshots
• Healthy Competition

A screenshot of Word in Office 12; annotation contained in the image

OVELL, makers of SuSE Linux, predict that Windows Vista will be the catalyst for many to migrate to Linux. This was argued explicitly last month in the light of outrageous hardware requirements, as well as the lack of features.

CEO of Novell, Jack Messman, was implicitly referring to issues such as the inability to uninstall all browsers from Windows, unlike, for instance, games and entertainment components. Internet Explorer, after all, is forged into the operating system.

Messman claimed that certain features of Office allowed employees to waste time at work by making it easy for them to browse non-work-related sites.

…

Do you really want to pay for all the excess functionality in Windows that distracts your employees and reduces their productivity?

A few details on the release date are sure to confuse prospective users that still remain in the dark.

According to a recent report from Windows IT Pro, Windows Vista is due to ship on Dec. 7, 2006. However Microsoft has refused to confirm or deny the reports and continues to claim simply that Windows Vista will ship in the second half of next year.

Related items from the farther past:

• XP + New Colours = Longhorn (Vista)
• Longhorn (Vista): A Trainwreck?