2009 | Bach Seat

Tag Archive for 2009

RB | November 27, 2009

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New Network Monitoring Tool

There is now a reason for the three LEDs on your keyboard, you know number lock, caps lock, and scroll lock lights? Network Lights, an app by IT Samples resurrects these dinosaurs from a long-ago era and makes them blink in time with outgoing and incoming network packets on your PC’s network interface.

To recover some functionality of these throw-backs just download, extract, and run the executable. You will see a new system tray icon to customize program settings. It does not seem to work really well on notebooks but it does apparently work on Win7.

This utility is released as freeware and is provided by the publisher “AS IS” without any warranty. Only you will be liable for any special, incidental, consequential, or indirect damages due to loss of data or any other reason. If you encounter a problem while running this utility or you have any suggestions, comments, you can send a message to support (at) itsamples.com.

Ralph Bach has been in IT long enough to know better and has blogged from his Bach Seat about IT, careers, and anything else that catches his attention since 2005. You can follow him on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Email the Bach Seat here.

Category: Uncategorized | Tags: 2009, Cap lock, Fun, Keyboard, LED, Lights, Networking, Num lock, Packet, Scroll lock

RB | November 23, 2009

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Smoking Voids Apple Mac Warranty

Apple has declared that smoking is bad for your Mac. The Consumerist reports, several Mac owner’s service requests have been declined by Apple because of the user’s cigarette habit. According to the Consumerist reports, those filing complaints with the Consumerist say Apple claims that the PCs have been exposed to second-hand smoke and are potentially contaminated with known carcinogens.

The ChannelInsider points out that smoking is not listed as one of the things that could void a Mac standard or extended warranty. The Mac owners were told by their service agents that nicotine and carbon monoxide are known cancer-causing agents by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration, making it a federal case.

Voiding warranties isn’t uncommon for acts that are intentional or beyond reasonable accidents. But contamination with cigarette residue is a new justification. The question is whether other solution providers feel threatened by machines owned or used by smokers? Should this be enough to void a service warranty?

rb-

Just a smokescreen to weed out some contractual obligations?

Category: Uncategorized | Tags: 2009, AAPL, Apple, Business, Smoking, Warranty

RB | November 20, 2009

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16x Increase in Malware Threats

The last six months have seen a gradual decrease in the amount of SPAM and malware hitting my account. An average of 44.3 SPAM messages per day (SM/D) were blocked by the SPAM filter for my account in October.

This is a decline in SM/D from a high of 77.5 in May. This is also below the year-to-date SM/D of 54.7.

While the overall SM/D trend may be declining another trend is developing that is more dangerous. Since August 2009, the amount of SPAM containing malware has increased dramatically. For the first six months of 2009, there were only 24 SPAM messages that contained malware. This represents .11 malware-laden messages per day. Since August 1st there have been 188 SPAM messages containing malware to date. This equates to 1.8 SPAM messages with a malware payload per day. This represents a 16X increase in malware trying to attack my PC daily. The most common malware was the Bredo family of Trojans, followed by the Kryptik Trojans and then various Fake Alert Trojans.

2009 Malware Types

Category: Uncategorized | Tags: 2009, Malware, Security, SPAM, Trojan Horse, Worm

RB | November 14, 2009

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Tech Layoffs

Tech Layoffs It has been just over a year since Wall $treet and the Bankers lead the global economy to the edge of collapse. Thanks to Obama-money our money Wall $treet and the Bankers are making million-dollar bonus’ again while worker layoffs continue. All must be right in the economy, right?

According to my information, nearly 550,000 tech-related jobs have been eliminated since October 2008. January 2009 saw almost 164,000 jobs eliminated by the biggest names in tech. Ericsson. Google, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, NEC, and Sprint-Nextel all eliminated 5,000 or more jobs in January 2009. While this is old news, unless you are still trying to live through one of these “right-sizing” it is also important because we are coming back around to the lay-off season.

This year’s lay-off season is trending up after several months of decline. From a record high in January tech layoffs declined to a modest 4,336 layoffs in June 2009. Since reaching that bottom the tech layoff rate has increased to levels not seen since May 2009. August 2009 had almost 5,000 layoffs. The number of layoffs in September doubled to 10,246. The trend has been increasing since with 12,704 layoffs in October and in the first half of November, there have been already been 12,749 layoffs. Some of the same firms that had “resource reduction actions” in January had laid off more people in November, including Ericsson (700), Microsoft (800), and Sprint-Nextel (2,500).