Tech Talk Radio
May 2002
Sponsored by Stratford University
Saturdays at Noon EST on WMAL NewsTalk Radio
Turn the dial to AM630 or listen on the Internet at ListenLive
It's everything you always wanted to know about computers
and information technology, but were afraid to ask.

     David Burd and Dr. Richard Shurtz, President of Stratford University, host Tech Talk, a program about computers and information technology.
      Links to selected programs are below. All programs are archived in RealAudio format. Just click on the RealAudio link below the date to listen. Older shows are archives as transcript summaries. You can listen live over the Internet by clicking ListenLive during show time.

Show Selected Topics
May 25, 2002
<RealAudio | MP3>
<Weekly Newsletter>
top
  • Getting Rid of those wires
    • Setting up a wireless network at home
      • Share Internet Connection with Gateway
      • Get Wireless Access using Access Point
      • Install Print Server so all can print over the network
      • Add a Firewall to guard against intrusion
    • Using a combo device, like D-Link 713P
  • Cox Cable Update
    • Cox Digital High Speed Internet Connection
    • Between 500 and 1500kbp download speed
    • Service outage on Wednesday (due to cable upgrade schedule)
    • May experience periodic outages between now and June 30
  • The need for a firewall
    • Attack log on home network
      • Ports 139, 8080, 3128, 22, 27374, 3030 were probed
      • About 160 attempted entries since in the past 12 hours
    • Even more severe on the corporate firewall
    • XP Firewall, plus the D-Link Hardware Firewall at home
    • Check out your ports using Shield's Up on the Gibson Research Website
  • Wireless Security Tips 101
    • 64 bit and 128 bit WEP Encrpytion
    • MAC Address filtering
    • Do not announce network name, SSID
    • Do not use DHCP for IP Address assignment
    • Change default Internal Network IP addresses
    • Change default password to router
    • Place Wireless AP in the DMZ and use VPN to get behind the firewall
  • War Driving Equipment
    • The Software – NetStumbler
    • The Hardware – Laptop with compatible 802.11b card (Lucent chip set)
    • The Antenna – High gain antenna attached to Laptop (Grid or Yagi)
    • Use to check the vulnerability of your own network
    • Chipset Information
  • Hoaxes and Scams
  • Google Release New and Improved Toolbar
    • Java enabled device makes searching easier
    • Get page rankings
    • Volunteer to send into back to Google for ranking info
  • Good news for Internet radio
    • Librarian of Congress has rejected the proposed royalty rates for delivery of Internet music
    • Librarian James H. Billington, who oversees the Copyright Office, offered no explanation
    • Rejected proposal would require a royalty of between .07 and .14 per song per listeners.
  • Microsoft Announces XP Service Pack 1 in response to anti-trust case
    • Beta testing during June
    • Release to be in August
    • Patch features
    • Will separate web browser, e-mail, instant messenger, and media player from OS
    • Will disable bootleg copies of XP
    • Will include a dozen security patches
    • MS has announced with will release the middleware API’s to competitors
  • Baby Bells win FCC Victory
    • Appeals court overturned FCC ruling requiring Baby Bell to share lines with competitors
    • Winners include all four Baby Bells, including Verizon
    • Losers include Interexchange Carriers and Competitive Local Exchange Carriers (CLECs), particularly Covad
  • Mail Bag
    • Tech Talk should be longer
    • AOL Lawsuit Questions
    • DI-713P discussion
    • Selecting digital camera, scanner, etc.
    • Computer assistance after upgrading to XP
    • Getting DSL to function by eliminating filters and improving wiring
    • What are cookies and should I accept them?
  • Stratford News
    • Next Start is Tuesday, May 28
    • Following start, June 1
    • Call today for appointment (Ted)
May 18, 2002
<RealAudio | MP3>
<Weekly Newsletter>
top
May 11, 2002
<RealAudio | MP3>
<Weekly Newsletter>
top
  • Congressional Internet Caucus Update
    • Tuesday, May 7th
    • Wireless Internet Access with Marty Cooper
      • Marty Cooper is Chairman and CEO of ArrayComm and Father of the Cellular Phone
        • 2Mbps speeds to everyone’s cell phone is possible, if the spectrum is available.
        • Much of the spectrum has been reserved since the 1920’s. Unfortunately those who "own it" have no incentive to improve the spectral efficiency.
        • There is no lack of specturm, only a lack of spectral efficiency.
        • Spectral Auctioning system rewards deep pockets, not innovative technology that improves spectral efficiency.
        • FCC should delay further auctions until a coherent policy is established
      • Need to synchronize with European standards for 3G for worldwide economy of scale
    • New technology will make some existing companies obsolete, if they don’t adapt
    • Marty will be a Tech Talk guest on June 1st
  • Melissa Virus Update (continuation of last week's story)
    • What happened to the person whose AOL account was stolen?
    • Scott Steinmetz, 37, civil engineer
      • Contacted by FBI
      • Nearly lost his job
      • Bad press
    • Probably lost his password through social engineering
      • “Please submit your password to reconstruct our damaged database” is the biggest scam
  • How secure is your password?
    • A few useful techniques
      • Use first letters of phrase known to you
      • Then substitute number so letter (like 3 for E, 5 for h)
      • For instance
        • Ecuador is a great country in South America
        • "eiagcisa," which become "3iagisa"
    • Don't share your password with anyone.
  • Meet The Chipsons
    • ID Chips implanted in Florida family
    • The Jacobs from Boca Raton, Florida, are being called the Chipsons
    • Implant used Verichip technology
      • Device may include GPS, medical history, ID
      • Size of a grain of rice
      • Will require FDA approval if medial info is included on chip
    • Company sees a market to 2 to 3 million over the next few years
  • Security Flaw in FormMail
    • FormMail is the most popular Perl e-mail gateway
    • A patched version was released on April 21, 2002
      • This security hole in the program has been exploited by spammers
      • Update immediately!
    • I highlight this to show how spammers are able to continue to operate, despite legislation
  • Senate Hates Macs
    • Senate Office Sargeant At Arms (SAA), the office responsible for the IT infrastructure at Capitol Hill is strongly anti-Mac, according to Wired.com
    • Mac holdouts include
      • Ted Kennedy (D-Mass)
      • Tim Johnson (D-South Dakota)
      • Office of the Democratic Policy Committee
      • The most vocal Mac rebel is Ngozi Pole, in Kennedy’s Office. He rails against the “SAA Mac Bigots” in the Wired.com article
    • SAA wants to simplify support by going to an all-windows system
  • First Fallout of the HP-Compaq Merger
    • HP plans to discontinue HP Jornado and concentrate on the Compaq iPac
    • TI makes chips for the Jornado
    • Intel makes the chips for the iPac
    • TI and Intel are now fighting for the chip business
  • Stupid Lawsuit of the Week
    • British Telecom is suing Prodigy for Hyperlink Patent Violation
    • Issues warnings to 16 other ISPs
    • Dates back to 1970’s research
    • British Telecom was then called British Post Office
    • 1989 US Patent 4,873,662 for its invention of “information handling system and terminal apparatus therefore.”  Patent remains valid until 2006.
  • Xybernaut Wearable Computer Helps Disabled Kids
    • Helped 9-year old Jeremy, who suffers from autism, to communicate
      • His teacher, Lisa Zverloff, asked XyberNaut for a loaner
      • Asked for the 2 pound device with flat-panel display.
      • Revolutionized Jeremy’s life (He could communicate, order food, etc.)
      • Success repeated with Keven, a Cerebral Palsy student
    • Xybernaut is a local company that is struggling for survival
      • Lost 106M over past ten years
      • Stock dropped from $6 to 77 cents
      • Website: www.xybernaut.com
  • Northern Virginia “War Drivers” Caught in Baltimore
    • Don Bailey and Company were scoping out Wi-Fi networks in Balitmore
    • Mapping available APs
    • Interviewed by Baltimore Sun
    • Don was a Tech Talk guest about one month ago
  • Stratford News
    • Graduate School Open House
      • Tuesday, May 14th, 4 to 7PM.
      • e-Business and Telecommunication Systems
      • Wireless Security with Alan Habib and Dr. Fred Ricci
    • Undergraduate Programs
      • Combining Business Administration and IT
      • Hospitality
      • Web Design
      • Security
      • Network Management
    • Next Start: May 27th
May 4, 2002
<RealAudio | MP3>
<Weekly Newsletter>
top
  • National ID Tag Update
  • Best Buy Suspends Use of Wireless Cash Registers
    • Current equipment uses 802.11b wireless connections
    • Manufacturer is Symbol Technologies for IBM POS system
    • Clear text transmission with no security safeguards
    • Hackers grabbed credit card numbers from parking lot
    • Best Buy responded quickly and pulled the plug May 1
    • System used by Home Deport, WalMart, and BestBuy
      • Home Depot uses wireless for price scans only (no credit card numbers)
      • WalMart information not available
  • Melissa Creator Sentenced to 20 months in jail
    • David L. Smith, creator of Melissa, sentenced to Federal prison
    • Sentence less than 5 years maximum because he had helped authorities find other virus creators.
    • Melissa was the 1999 Word Macro Worm that nearly shut down business
      • Rumored to be named after an Altanta hooker
      • Created virus in Aberdeen apartment and used a stolen AOL screen name and password to send it.
  • Microsoft Anti-trust Developments
  • Look to the Future of the Internet
    • This generation Internet links people
    • Next generation Internet will link things to things
      • In Singapore, cars talk to the street for adjustable rush hour tolls
      • In Tulsa products tell the store when they are bought
      • Exxon Mobile Speed Pass is another example
      • EZ Pass Toll Booths are another
      • In the future, TV dinners will give microwave cooking instructions
      • Help to find lost eye glasses. Tags work like radar
    • Privacy is the issue
    • WalMart, Gillette, Proctor& Gamble hve joined the Smart Tag movement
    • Auto-ID Center at MIT is driving the technology
    • Radio Frequency Identification Tag (RFID) are projected to cost 5 cents
  • Flexible foldable LCD screen will revolutionize computers
    • Developed by Royal Philips Electronics
    • Paint on raw materials onto any type of surface: walls, plastic, clothing
    • Called photo-enforced stratification involves painting a liquid crystal and polymer mixture onto a surface, then exposing to UV radiation twice
    • Radiation forces the mixture to separate tin a honeycomb of tiny individual cell covered by flexible, see-through polymer.
    • Process uses a mixture of four components (a liquid crystal, two monomers which can be photo-polymerized at different wavelengths of light, and a photo-initiator)
    • Article appears in May 2nd  issue of Nature (requires free registration)
  • Upgrading to Windows XP Personal Experiences
    • Upgrade versus New Install
    • RAM requirements
    • Device Recognition
    • Hot Patches
    • Home Networking
    •  Don’t forget about licensing discounts
  • Microsoft Backs AMDs 64-bit chip
    • Multiprocessor version of Hammer, called Opteron
    • MS Windows already runs on the 32-bit version
    • Will modify Windows to run on the 64-bit version due for release in 2003
    • SuSe Linux Distribution already supports the new chip
  • Robot Update
  • Hemmingway Goes Digital
    • 23 Heminway novels wil be available on the Web
    • Simon and Schuster has exclusive rights to the books
    • Agreed to sell them electronically for $9.99 each
  • Email
    • Mag strips on back of drivers licenses
    • AOL User Response to Rant Last Week
    • You can turn off pop-up ads
    • We love our service
    • Leave us alone
  • Is the AOL model obsolete?
    • AOL needs to transition from ISP to content provider
    • Can this transition be made
    • Still living in the X.25 age of a private network with some Internet access
  • Stratford News
    • Next start for Graduate and Undergraduate program is May 27
Home Page
Top of Page