New Attack Exploits Flaw in Apple Computers

I use a Mac at home and at work and I appreciate how much more secure they are than Windows computers. But they're not invulnerable. This article from the Washington Post talks about a new danger to Mac users.

This is another reminder to keep your computer updated on the latest security patches and antivirus definitions. And yes, there is a free antivirus program for the Mac called ClamXav.

To update your computer, go to the Apple menu in the upper left and select Software Update. I do this several times a week, in addition to a weekly automatic update. It doesn't take long and the payoff is worth it.

Navigating Firefox Tabs

Back in September I tried a Firefox beta and found that it no longer let me browse among open tabs using the CTL+TAB keys. This was one of Fulton's Favorite Firefox Features and I missed it. Well, it's back!! (I'm using version 1.5.0.4.) Today I created a folder of bookmarks for sites that I check often and made that my home page. Whenever I start Firefox, these sites open in separate tabs. Just for fun I tried the CTL+TAB combination and it worked. Life is good.

To make a bookmarks folder your home page, go to the Firefox menu and select Preferences. Click the General tab. Under Home Page, click the Use Bookmark button. Select the folder from the menu and click OK.

Downloadable Audiobooks

On Wednesday, June 21, Daveman will demonstrating the new Overdrive downloadable audiobooks system. The libraries in the county now offer free audiobooks and music that you can download to your home computer or mp3 player. This demonstration will show you how to search the digital catalog, download the books, then transfer them to a portable player. We'll meet at 7:00 in the Sargent Room. No registration necessary.

Erratic Mouse Behavior

For the past few days, I've been having trouble with the mouse on my new Mac G5. From time to time the cursor would start moving erratically around the screen on its own. There seemed to be no pattern to this behavior. I searched the Apple support site and Google newsgroups but couldn't find anyone else with this problem. One of our tech guys printed a posting from an OSX newsgroup that recommended checking the system preferences to see if one of the mouse buttons was set to Expose, the Mac feature that shrinks all open windows. Indeed, I had set the right mouse button to Expose so that I didn't have to reach aaaaaaall the way to the F9 key. This was handy and I was reluctant to change the setting. So I resigned myself to the wayward mouse. Then he found another posting. It said that Apple was experimenting with voice recognition software and had installed a small microphone next to the LED on the bottom of the mouse. The solution was to turn the mouse over and speak loudly into it, "Mouse, mouse.....reset Expose!!!" If it didn't work the first time, the process should be repeated. OK, this is not my first rodeo. I gave the tech guy a long look and he then suggested that there might be an extra USB cable installed on my computer. Well, what do you know!!!!! Since the connectors are on the back of the monitor, I couldn't see the extra cable, which was part of a chain that snaked to his computer. He, and others, would move his computer's mouse, triggering the strange behavior on my screen. This prank was installed last week while I was away for a couple of days.

This was very imaginative and the execution was flawless. Our computer support department practices the philosophy described in the book "Fish! A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results" by Stephen Lundin. He visited Seattle's Pike Place Fish Market and saw the employees tossing fish back and forth and generally having a great time. He figured that if a fish market can be a fun workplace, so can any other. To make our workplace fun and to help morale, we're reminded to find ways to play and to make each day a great day. So, in addition to the wind-up toys, rubber chickens, games, and outings at the local coffeehouse, we also play wacky pranks on each other. This one will be tough to beat.

Portable Convergence

A patron asked me if it was hard to keep up on the latest computer technology. I try to spend an hour each day on current awareness; professional journals, e-mail newsletters, blogs, podcasts, etc. But I also look at the Sunday paper's sales fliers from Target, Best Buy, and Circuit City. These help me stay current on the most popular gadgets, such as cell phones with cameras that play music files and car radios that play CDs, satellite radio and different types of downloadable audio files. What I get from this is that people want their toys to do lots of things. No matter what format it's in, they want their gadget to be able to deal with it. They also want to take it with them. It's portable convergence.

People are expecting the same from their libraries. Yes, they want the dead tree book but they also want it on a CD and as an mp3 file. And they want to be able to get it from home. The new downloadable audio books from Overdrive are part of this. We're giving them the library where they want it and how they want it. Commercial businesses will always be ahead of libraries in developing applications for these technologies. But by watching them we can get a good idea of the services we should be providing if we don't want them to get their stuff somewhere else.

Bogus Bounces

Lately I've been getting lots of e-mail messages like these:



These messages are spam, although it's hard to tell. They look just like the notifications I get when a message can't be delivered. If it's a real bounce I need to find out why it bounced and send it again. But there are several things I can do to keep myself safe while I check out this message. First, those attachment paper clip icons bother me because malware (viruses, trojans and other bad guys) often arrives as an e-mail attachment. I should use my antivirus program and scan the message first. (Actually, most antivirus programs can scan your incoming and outgoing messsages in the first place.) Second, my e-mail program will let me look at the message without opening the attachment. Here's an example:



The attachment itself is not visible. To see it, I need to click the "Undelivered Message" link. But this is not how bounced messages work. If a message bounces, it just comes back, sometimes with a message from the mail server. It doesn't come as an attachment. Finally, the message is referring to an e-mail address in the Netherlands - "fmd.hva.nl". I didn't send any messages to this address, so now I know it's bogus. I'll report this as spam to my ISP and get on with my life. Spammmers used this tactic years ago and it seems to be back in fashion.

But even if I did accidentally open one of these attachments, it would probably not do any damage. Most malware is written for Windows computers and I use a Mac.

One new library and two new coffeeshops

I was home in Pennsylvania last weekend visiting family and had the chance to tour the beautiful new Schlow Centre Region Library in State College. The old library had been expanded twice but about two years ago it was demolished and the new one built on the same site. It has much more space and lots of natural light, especially in the children's room and warm wood tones throughout.

I always rely on the Delocator to find independent coffeeshops when I travel. It really paid off this time, as I found two excellent cafes within half a block of the library; The Saints Cafe and Webster's Bookstore/Cafe. Although Panera Bread was across from the library, I always like to patronize the independents. Their atmospheres are unique and the lattes are delicious.

Firefox Security Update

The folks at Mozilla have issued updated versions of the Firefox browser and Thunderbird e-mail program. These will correct security vulnerabilities that could allow someone to take control your computer.

You can download the updates from the Mozilla web site or by going to each program's Help menu and selecting Check for Updates.