Free software from Microsoft are stopped!!

Paul
freevista.jpg

Remember yesterday when I told you that you could get a boatload of free software from Microsoft, including Vista and Office, for allowing them to track your computer usage for a few months? Well, apparently a lot of you jumped on it, as Microsoft shut down the offer yesterday afternoon. Too slow? Sorry pal, I’d be happy to spy on your computer usage, but I’m not promising any free software for the honor. [ComputerWorld]

[Via Gizmodo]

Goodness, I didn’t think people would jump on the Vista bandwagon. If anything they just want to sell it for some money!!

Possilbe DNS Redirect

Paul

According to a recent report by PCWorld, research teams working out of Google and the Georgia Institute of Technology have discovered a series of open-recursive DNS servers that were classified as behaving “suspiciously.” Open-recursive DNS servers are DNS servers that will answer any lookup request, no matter where it originates. So long as the DNS servers return accurate information—and the vast, vast, majority do—everything is kosher. When open DNS servers don’t return valid information, however, they open the door to an entire world of problems.

This method of poisoning would also allow for cross-site scripting exploits. If a user’s computer is set to allow all JavaScript and cookies from, say, MySpace, the fake MySpace web site would be able to run code as if it was the real web site. This opens the door to all sorts of further exploits and general bad things, all of which might go undetected by the user for quite some time. This type of attack could also be used to build an effective botnet—and more botnets are something we really don’t need.

[Via Arstechnica]

I am really concerned with this little development. Go read the full article and let me know what you think.

Anxiety Task Manager Integrates with iCal and Mail

Paul

anxiety-grab.png Mac OS X Leopard only: Despite its unfortunate name, task manager Anxiety is a slick, good-looking, lightweight way to keep track of your to-do lists. Since Leopard now includes a “calendar store,” or central repository of tasks from both iCal and Mail.app, Anxiety taps into those lists and displays the items on your desktop. Add, change or check off a to-do in Anxiety, iCal or Mail? And the info updates across all three applications. Neat. Anxiety is a free download (donations encouraged) for Mac OS X Leopard only.

Anxiety [via Hawk Wings]

[Via Lifehacker]

Here is another mac program for you mac people. I thought this looked interesting to you guys. Enjoy!!

Take Control of an Unresponsive PC with AntiFreeze

Paul

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Windows only: Take control of your unresponsive computer next time it freezes up with freeware system tray app AntiFreeze. After you’ve installed it, just wait for the next time your computer hangs and hit Alt-Ctrl-Win-Home to activate AntiFreeze, suspend your running programs, and free up your memory and CPU cycles. You can then use AntiFreeze’s interface to selectively resume processes or end the process that you suspect is to blame. You probably won’t use it a lot, but it does seem like a good alternative to the reset button as a last resort. I’ve installed and tested AntiFreeze, but I’ll admit that I wasn’t able to put it to a full test because I haven’t hit any significant hangs, so your mileage may vary. If you get a really good test case, let’s hear how it worked for you in the comments. AntiFreeze is freeware, Windows only.

AntiFreeze [via FreewareGenius]

[Via Lifehacker]

I’ll have to try this out myself, with vista sometimes programs like to freeze and all!!

Halo 3: 5 Million Served

Paul

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So Mass Effect sold a million. For a broken RPG, those are good numbers! Actually, for any game, those are good numbers. They’re nothing on Halo 3’s though. That thing just will not stop selling. Microsoft have announced that the game has sold more than five million copies since launch, which for a console that can’t have more than 15 million units in the wild is as good an attach rate as anyone at MS HQ could be hoping/praying madly for.
[Gamedaily]

[Via Kotaku]

Wow So many people like Halo 3, I’ll have to try it out sooner or later!! I do love Halo 2 and Halo!! So Halo 3 has to be good!!