BRUCEB NEWS
Rules For Computer And Online Safety 2021
These are the rules for computer and online safety in 2021. Only your vigilance will protect you against bad guys. You will be safe if you are cautious. Stop and think before you click on links, before you call unfamiliar phone numbers, before you install programs,...
R.I.P. EASYTREE
EasyTree was a well-known site for downloading live recordings of popular bands. It was scrupulously careful never to list anything that had ever been commercially released in...
MICROSOFT ANTISPYWARE
Whenever you go online, you are at risk of having adware and spyware installed on your system. Well-funded companies are seeking to invade your computer without your knowledge or...
GOOGLE ADDS SATELLITE IMAGES TO MAPS
Google Maps has quietly been updated to include satellite images. It's pretty extraordinary - click on the word "satellite" to switch from traditional maps to satellite photos...
NEWSGROUP AND BITTORRENT GUIDES
Many of the best-known file-sharing programs are unappealing now. Kazaa installs so much adware/spyware that it can only be described as a threat. Some of the other peer-to-peer...
MGM v. GROKSTER
Oral arguments are set in the US Supreme Court on Tuesday in MGM v. Grokster, a case with potentially huge consequences. File sharing programs are used for downloading music and...
COMCAST SPEED INCREASE
Comcast has just about finished rolling out speed increases to its broadband customers nationwide. Most Comcast connections in the Bay Area got the increase in the last couple of...
DRM OUTRAGE
Here's an article asking a reasonable question - how long will it take for consumers to become angry at the limitations and cost of downloaded music encumbered by "digital rights...
FIREFOX AND SECURITY
Firefox is a perfectly nice piece of software, but it's getting more hype than it deserves. It's not the panacea that will keep you safe; it has its own security issues and it...
FILE SHARING HEADED FOR SUPREME COURT
The US Supreme Court will hear arguments on March 29 in MGM v. Grokster, potentially leading to a ruling that could stifle new Internet-based services that have nothing to do...
DESKTOP SEARCH
In the last few months several companies have introduced programs to index your files and your Outlook folders and let you find e-mail messages, contacts, or file attachments as...
OUTLOOK SPAM FILTER UPDATE
If you're using Outlook 2003, Microsoft released updated junk mail definitions a couple of days ago. Visit Microsoft Office Update to install the update. (If you haven't gone to...
TECH SUPPORT HELL
Getting tech support by phone for software and hardware problems has never been easy. It's getting worse than you realized. Here's an article by a smart guy, Charles Cooper,...
BROADBAND DISCOUNTS AND DEVELOPMENTS
There will come a time when high-speed Internet access will be ubiquitous and the growing pains will seem quaint. It can be hard to remember that while we're in the middle of...
STRANGE TALES FROM THE WORLD OF ADWARE/SPYWARE
It's easier when the world is black and white. In that world, all adware/spyware is easy to identify, it's always bad, and the people distributing it should be jailed. And in...
NAPSTER AND THE FUTURE OF ENTERTAINMENT
Napster has been reborn as a subscription service. Here's an article about the new Napster. It might not be quite the right service at the right time but you are seeing a glimpse...