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Archive for the ‘Tech & Internet’ Category

Test Internet Explorer 7 without installing it

I’ve heard lots about Internet Explorer 7 but never really bothered to check it out. So what if Microsoft makes another browser right? Plus, installing the IE7 beta would override my old IE6, which I still needed for browser testing.

But recently I had to test a site I’ve been developing in IE7, just to make sure that the site design doesn’t get messed up when IE7 eventually gets released. Plus, yesterday’s In-Tech article got me a little more curious. Luckily I found a way to run both IE7 and IE6 at the same time.

This article on the Google OS blog shows you how to do that. It explains a hack of how to copy the necessary IE7 beta files to the hard drive and create some files to patch IE7 so that it can run together with IE6. The results works as advertised and I’m able to open both versions of the browser at the same time.

First looks

IE7 looks shinier than its predecessor. It’s also been updated a lot in the CSS department. It’s also got tabs, support for RSS, built-in search, improved security (Thank God) and improved printing (wow).

It’s got one nice feature that I like called Quicktabs. Quicktabs allows you to see a thumbnail of all the tabs you have open at a go. (Firefox users can use Foxpose to get the same functionality.) Here’s a screenshot:

Quicktabs in Internet Explorer 7

Unfortunately it looks like the RSS features don’t work in this hacked install. Either that or they still don’t work in the beta at all.

So boys and girls, have fun playing around with IE7! Web developers, go test your sites out in IE7 because it’s not going to support lots of the hacks we’re used to applying. What I’d like to see is an Internet Explorer Web Developer toolbar to help in making sure websites work with it. 

First look: Google Calendar

The rumoured Google Calendar went live today, and boy does it look slick. Simple to use yet powerful, this product looks like a winner from Google.

Google did a real good job with the interface by making it easy to switch views in your calendar and add events easily. Click and drag, drag and drop, or just click and type to add new events. It understands phrases and sentences like “Lunch with client tomorrow at 1pm” and automatically turns them into events on your calendar.

One feature I really like is the ability to have multiple calendars. This means I can set up a private calendar, one for work and one for the football matches I want to watch. The previously mentioned 30 Boxes online calendar manages this by assigning events with tags which is cool in concept, but not as easily implemented I think. Google Calendar’s multiple calendar feature reminds me of Apple’s iCal and feels almost like a desktop application.

You can also share your own calendars, or subscribe to your friends’ or public calendars. It’s really open and you can share and subscribe to calendars via iCal or XML formats. According to Product Manager Carl Sjogreen, Google Calendar will even be able to sync with Outlook and mobile devices in the coming months. This kind of openness is rather uncommon, and really deserves a hat’s off to Google.

And of course, there’s the Gmail integration. Gmail can supposed recognise events mentioned in your email and allow you to add it to Google Calendar with a click, but I haven’t seen it in my Gmail yet.

Overall, I feel that Google Calendar is a really great product. It feels like a finished, ready product although it’s in beta, unlike Google Base, Google Video and even Google Reader where it takes a while to figure out what it is or how it works. (I still can’t figure out Google Base.) I really agree with Charlene Li in her post about Google Calendar creating a platform for time-based applications.

Unfortunately… it’s really slow at the moment because of all the heavy traffic to the site. If you can’t get in, here’s some news and reviews from others for you to judge:

• Google unveils web-based calendar app | CNET News.com
• Charlene Li’s Blog: Google Calendar creates a platform for ‘time’ applications
• Matt Cutts – Review: Google Calendar
• TechCrunch » Google Calendar is live

Fix Firefox unresponsive script warnings

Ever since I upgraded to Firefox 1.5, I’ve been getting some unresponsive script warnings on sites that employ heavy Javascript like Gmail or Bloglines. Curious about it, I dug around and managed to find out how to fix the problem.

To fix it, you’ll need to access the hidden configuration page in Firefox. Just type about:config in the address bar and you’ll get a page full of hidden configurations which you can tweak till your heart’s delight.

In the ‘Filter’ box, type dom.max_script_run_time. This will narrow the options till only the dom.max_script_run_time option remains. Right-click it and choose Modify. A box pops up. Change the number to something bigger like 20. This is the maximum time a script can run before Firefox considers it ‘unresponsive’.

If you can’t find the string in the about:config page, create it by right-clicking anywhere and then choose New—> Integer and enter dom.max_script_run_time. When prompted for the value, use 20.

So far I’ve not had anymore unresponsive script warnings, so I guessed that fixed that problem! However some extensions may also cause similar problems. Hope this helps.

Credits

Learn more Firefox Secrets, or read this great article at Sitepoint.

Protect your computer from Windows WMF exploit

Right after yesterday’s article on removing malware from your computer, I heard about a Windows vulnerability that allows hackers to attack your computer just by tricking you into viewing a picture. Lots of the news on the web has been geek-speek, so let me attempt to translate.

The problem results from a flaw in the Windows metafile format (WMF), an image format common in all versions of Windows. Microsoft Word Clipart, Windows Explorer thumbnails, system images are made up of WMF files. The flaw can allow a WMF image to execute some code or a small programme on your computer when you view it. This can then prompt infected machines to download all sorts of junk that attempt to blast you with unwanted advertising or even trojans that turns PCs into zombie machines for hackers.

To date, hackers have tried to take advantage of it through email viruses, MSN Messenger worms, and spam that lures users to visit a malicious website. So remember the cardinal rule of staying safe on the net: don’t open files from email or instant messenger unless you have been expecting it. This flaw affects all versions of Windows from Windows 98, including the latest versions of Windows XP.

Protecting yourself

Fortunately Microsoft is working on a patch which they schedule to release next ‘Patch Tuesday’ (10 January). However if you’re worried that you’ll be infected between now and then here are some steps you can take.

Ilfak Guilfanov, a Russian security engineer, has come up with an unofficial patch which you can download from his website. He’s not affiliated with Microsoft, but security experts have checked out his patch and gave it the ok. Also, this patch won’t work on Windows 98 and earlier.

Otherwise if you’d rather wait for the official patch, be sure to update your antivirus and antispyware virus definitions in the meantime. Unfortunately newer trojans taking advantage of the flaw can dodge virus scanners, and you may already be receiving lots of emails prompting you to open a file with the exploit, so be sure to follow the cardinal rule above.

Until next Tuesday, that’s about it. What a way for Microsoft to start the new year eh?

If you want the technical details and news, check them out here:

• Microsoft Security Advisory


• Microsoft Windows Metafile handler SETABORTPROC GDI Escape vulnerability


• BBC News | Sites exploit Windows image flaw


• Security Now! podcast episode #20 show notes

Update 6 Jan

In the fastest turnaround ever for the company, Microsoft has released its patch for the flaw. Usually patches only come out months after a bug is detected. Anyway, if you have set your Windows PC to automatically check for updates, chances are that it would have downloaded the patch by the time you are reading this. Otherwise, open up Internet Explorer (you can’t use other browsers for this) and go to http://update.microsoft.com and grab Security Update for Windows XP (KB912919).

Unfortunately, from the accompanying bulletin it appears that Windows 98 and Windows ME users are not protected. Steve Gibson to the rescue! He’s promised that his company, GRC, will be coming up with a repair for users of the older operating systems. Check his site for updates.

A quick, non-geeky guide to removing malware and viruses

I spent the last few days trying to remove a bunch of malware (malicious software) and viruses from my dad’s laptop. After removing them, I explained it to him how to do it himself in the future in a non-geek manner.

Before we go any further I just want to make clear that this article is for the average computer user. I’m just going to mention some simple tools which you can download for free and stay clear of ‘geeky’ stuff like boot disks and registry editing. Onwards…

Removing malware 101

First, you’ll need the necessary tools.

Download an antivirus programme and make sure its up to date with the latest virus database. My favourite free antivirus programme is AVG Free Edition. Install it, create a backup disk and update virus definitions when prompted.

Then, download Spybot Search & Destroy, a spyware hunter-killer. The setup wizard starts after you install it and asks you to create a registry backup and update your spyware defintions.

Next, shutdown and restart your PC. During startup, tap the F8 key until the Windows Advanced Options Menu appears. Use the keyboard to select Safe Mode and press Enter. Booting in safe mode will prevent most malware from starting automatically with your PC.

Make sure to log in as Administrator to Windows. Once you have logged in, run the antivirus scan, followed by the spyware scan. By now you should have removed the malware on your computer. Reboot in normal mode and see if the problem is still there. If its gone, congrats and pat yourself on the back. If you’re still experiencing problems, you may want to check out these more technical how-tos on removing malware from Windows:

• Top 10 tips to keep that new computer spyware-free


• Removing Spyware, Viruses, and Other Malware from Windows


• How to remove a Trojan, Virus, Worms, or other Malware


• Removing Spyware

Prevention is better than cure.

It took me 2 days to remove all the malware because they were so deeply embedded in Windows. (Thanks Microsoft.) Getting your computer infected with malware can be extremely frustrating, not to mention embaressing. My dad didn’t dare use his laptop when there was someone else in the room because the website of a adult sex site kept popping up when there was a connection to the internet.

So, what can you do to prevent malware on your computer? Some guidelines:

1. Be suspicious. Don’t open files in your email, don’t click links to websites, and don’t receive files in instant messenger unless your friend told you that s/he would be sending something.


2. Don’t simply download ‘free stuff’. Many times the free stuff is just a lure for you to download and install a programme that is full of malware. Rule of thumb: if you can’t find it on Download.com then don’t download it.


3. Use protection. I’ve said it before and it needs to be said again. Internet Explorer is an outdated, unsafe piece of software. Attackers can automatically install spyware on your computer if you visit their site with Internet Explorer. Use Firefox instead.


4. Secure your computer. Make sure your antivirus and antispyware programmes are up to date. If you’re a Windows user, I recommend installing the Microsoft Antispyware programme. It’s quite effective yet friendly to non-geeks. You need to validate that your copy of Windows is genuine before you can download though.

Here’s to keeping your computer safe and malware-free for 2006. Happy new year.

Technorati Tags: malware, spyware, howto, windows, maintenance