Knowing Knoppix - Knoppix for The Complete Beginner

Knoppix (http://www.knoppix.net/) is an astoundingly clever product.

It runs Linux completely from CD. There is no need to install. It bypasses all the software already installed on your PC or laptop. It automatically detects the hardware in your computer, such as video card, sound card, networking, the lot (subject to suitable hardware). When you've finished using Knoppix, simply restart. Your computer will return to your regular system, and it will behave as if nothing has happened. Knoppix is Free Software and open source under the terms of the GNU General Public Licence (GPL).Knowing Knoppix is a beginner-friendly book designed to help with these situations:

<-> You can't start Windows! Disaster? Possibly not. It is often possible to rescue files using Knoppix from crashed Windows computers, even when Windows cannot be started. This guide takes you step by step through the process.

<-> You are curious about Linux, and you want to discover what all the fuss is about.

<-> You want a useful guide to help you get started with Knoppix.

Download the PDF e-book from (3.8Mb):

http://www.pjls16812.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/knowing-knoppix/index.html

Knoppix itself is a 700Mb download. If you don't have the bandwidth, patience or time to download it, go to http://www.thelinuxshop.co.uk where you can order a CD for this and other distributions for around £3.50 per CD with free shipping to the UK (they also accept payment via PayPal).

Great Free Tools & Utilities From KarenWare

This is a small selection of some of the coolest (IMHO) utilities written by Karen Kenworthy (aka KarenWare.com) and best of all they're ALL FREE!

See the rest of the collection on her website... My personal favourites are Directory Printer and E-Mailer II

Directory Printer

Print the names, and other information, of all folders and files on your computer. No more fumbling with My Computer or Windows Explorer, wishing you could print information about all your files. Karen's Directory Printer can print the name of every file on a drive, along with the file's size, date and time of last modification, and attributes (Read-Only, Hidden, System and Archive)! And now, the list of files can be sorted by name, size, date created, date last modified, or date of last access.

http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptdirprn.asp

LAN Monitor

Monitor your computer's connections to other computers (on your LAN, and on the Internet). See real-time traffic statistics.

http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptlanmon.asp

E-Mailer II

Send E-Mail from Windows' command line, desktop! This program allows you to define several "canned" e-mail messages. Later, you can send any of those messages by just double-clicking a shortcut icon, or entering a simple command at the DOS command line.

http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptmailer2.asp

Computer Profiler

View your computer's hidden secrets. Learn more than 200 interesting facts about your computer. Details about your CPU, memory, operating system, even your computer's power source, are all displayed. You can also copy the information to the Windows clipboard, and paste it into a document for permanent storage.

http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptprofiler.asp

Replicator

Automatically copy and backup files. Automatically backup files, directories, even entire drives! Karen's Replicator copies selected files from one drive/folder to another. Source and Destination folders can reside anywhere on your network. Files larger than 2 GB are supported.

http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptreplicator.asp

Socket Mobile Power Pack

"The Socket Mobile Power Pack is a small, light weight mobile charging source for users of portable electronic devices such as Pocket PCs, palmOne devices, PDAs, mobile phones, Smartphones, BlackBerry’s, digital cameras,MP3 players as well as Socket products (Cordless GPS receiver, Cordless 56K Modem, Cordless Serial Adapter and Cordless Hand Scanner). It’s a 5 volt battery pack that can charge/run most 5 volt electronic devices and products that draw power from a USB port."

http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=116815

.NETCPU

.NETCPU is a company that is offering a development environment based Microsoft's .NET Embedded Technology and a dedicated hardware CPU that can be used to power small devices.

http://www.dotnetcpu.com/

Additional Environment Variables for Terminal Services

ReconnAct! is a free utility that runs on a Terminal Server and creates two new environment variables for the Client IP and Client Name. These variables are automatically updated when a user connects from a different client and can be used to run a script on either connection or disconnection.

Now why didn't MS include this in TS in the first place...!

http://www.brianmadden.com/content/content.asp?id=298

New Products From Apple

iPod Shuffle (get a 512Mb iPod for £69 or 1Gb for £99):

http://www.apple.com/uk/ipodshuffle/

Mac Mini (get yorself a Mac for £339):

http://www.apple.com/uk/macmini/

Apple Store, Regent Street

OK, I'm not a Mac user but I just couldn't resist having a look-around their new European flagship store on Regent Street, London.

Boy was I impressed... this is how computer stores should be... If you are ever around the Regent Street area you should drop-in... especially if you're an iPod/Mac fan!

They also have regular customer events taking place. Details on these and for more information and pictures of the store opening late last year, go to:

http://www.apple.com/uk/retail/regentstreet/

Outlook 2003 Junk/SPAM Filter Update

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=9710921e-7529-4e25-a12a-2ebd96f4e914&DisplayLang=en

Now if only the Exchange 2003 IMF was also updated... :-(

Microsoft Malware Removal Tool Released

As I mentioned on Monday (10-Jan-2005) Microsoft have now released their Malware Remover Tool. The only 'downer' is that is will only run on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003 & Windows XP :-(

The online version can be accessed at:

http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx

The off-line download (256Kb) is at:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=AD724AE0-E72D-4F54-9AB3-75B8EB148356&displaylang=en

It's also available via Windows Update :-)

Anti-Phishing Toolbar

The Toolbar community is effectively a giant neighbourhood watch scheme, empowering the most alert and most expert members to defend everyone within the community against phishing frauds. Once the first recipients of a phishing mail have reported the target URL, it is blocked for community members as they subsequently access the URL. Widely disseminated attacks (people constructing phishing attacks send literally millions of electronic mails in the expectation that some will reach customers of the bank) simply mean that the phishing attack will be reported and blocked sooner.

The toolbar also:

Traps suspicious URLs containing characters which have no common purpose other than to deceive.

Enforces display of browser navigational controls (toolbar & address bar) in all windows, to defend against pop up windows which attempt to hide the navigational controls.

Clearly displays sites' hosting location, including country, helping you to evaluate fraudulent urls (e.g. the real citibank.com or barclays.co.uk sites are unlikely to be hosted in the former Soviet Union).

Download link: http://toolbar.netcraft.com/