BRUCEB NEWS
Why Is It So Hard For Facebook To Remove False Covid Information?
What should the social media companies do with false information? Two years ago YouTube had a surge of videos encouraging teenagers to eat Tide Pods because they are secretly candy. Black salve, a caustic black paste that eats through flesh, was enthusiastically…
RECORDING INDUSTRY GREED
Here’s a glimpse of the future according to the recording industry. Like the announcement with RealNetworks a couple of days ago and MSN yesterday, MTV and VH1 are rolling…
MICROSOFT TO CHANGE PASSPORT PRIVACY POLICY
Microsoft is hustling to revise its privacy policy for Passport and Hotmail, after a torrent of criticism from privacy advocates. (See my item on March 30.) Microsoft says…
MUSICNET DETAILS
RealNetworks and three of the five biggest music companies announced a new Net music service yesterday. Notably absent was Universal – the biggest catalog, but also the…
MICROSOFT OUTLOOK UNABLE TO SPREAD FOOT-AND-MOUTH
Scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Symantec’s AntiVirus Research Center today confirmed that foot-and-mouth disease cannot be spread by Microsoft’s…
TIME IS NOT ON YOUR COMPUTER’S SIDE
Your computer will probably automatically adjust the time when Daylight Savings Time returns tomorrow morning. But that may be the only thing it gets right about the time….
MICROSOFT AND CONFIDENTIALITY
Microsoft has new initiatives on the way that are meant to move programs and data online, relieving companies and users from some of the burden of maintaining it all….
WORDPERFECT DEATH WATCH
Corel’s quarterly results showed a trivially small profit, but sales have completely collapsed for the WordPerfect suite. “Word processing and productivity sales…
NORTHPOINT DSL NETWORK DIES
Last night 100,000 DSL subscribers were shut off after negotiations broke down between bankrupt Northpoint Communications and a dozen ISPs. My line is down. Here’s some…
DIRECPC SATELLITE ACCESS
I just went and checked the status of satellite Internet connections, since my DSL line may go dead any day now. I’ve got lots of clients growing old waiting for DSL and…
SUPER MINI OPTICAL MOUSE
Notebook computer users that are frustrated with their touchpad or pointing stick might want to check out the Super Mini Optical Mouse. Two and a half inches long, an inch wide…
ADOBE PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS
Adobe Photoshop is legendary. Graphics professionals can do magic with it, and they turn up their nose at anything else. I’ve tried to learn it repeatedly, and I remain…
NORTHPOINT DSL SUBSCRIBERS BEING DUMPED
Personally, I blame Pacific Bell. A year ago business was thriving for Northpoint and Covad, who acted as wholesalers and contracted with ISPs to set up and maintain DSL…
WINDOWS 2000 & GAMES
Windows 2000 is so stable that it’s easy to forget to keep it up to date. If you’re running Windows 2000, visit Microsoft Windows Update and check for critical…
UNDERSTANDING AND GUARDING AGAINST INTERNET-BASED ATTACKS
Another Symantec bulletin uses plain English to describe how hackers look for a computer to attack over the Internet, what might make you a target, and steps you can take to…
TOP TEN WAYS TO PRESERVE YOUR DATA
Symantec circulated a very nice list of basic ways to protect your computer and preserve your data. This is highly recommended reading. Common sense, plain English descriptions…