.:: a few thoughts on the subject by rob wright ::.

Sweet iPod hack

Okay, so it takes a lot of tech to implement the iPod remote...but what a sweet hack.
How-To Turn your iPod in to a Universal Infrared Remote Control - features.engadget.com

Open Source IE

Recently, I was listening to an interview with Bruce Schneier regarding his new book Beyond Fear. Schneier has some good ideas about the state of security in our country. In particular, I like his ideas about protecting everyone's target, the U.S. Every terrorist wants to attack the U.S., and Schneier reports that terrorist are verying good at identifying wholes in the system. Rather than spending billions plugging each new hole (e.g. airport security), he advocates plugging the hole then concentrating on infrastructure improvements (e.g. better EMS, better communication, etc) so that when terrorist do attack, we are prepared to minimize the effects of that attack.

So, given that in the software world Microsoft is every hacker's target, and Internet Explorer is the target in the browser world, what should Microsoft do? We've all seen that Microsoft's current strategy is ineffective because it takes too long to patch a hole. In comparison, when Firefox is attacked, a patch appears within hours. So it's time for Microsoft to open source IE. That's the infrastructure change that will enable Microsoft, and the IE user community, to quickly and expertly respond to the inevitable attack.

(okay, so I'm sure I'm not the first to say this, but I want to be part of the chorus...isn't that one purpose of a blog)

iTunes Contest Counter

This is pretty cool, 100MilCounter. A menu-bar application that queries the iTunes site every 5 minutes and displays the latest iTunes download count. I've got it running on my Mac, but it does remind me of an eBay bid watcher...and Apple and iTunes are so bourgeoisie :-)

Trolling for IIS holes

Code 404 Not Found Requests

    Hits Sessions     Bytes sent | URL
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       2        0            464 | /scripts/..%5c../winnt/system32/cmd.exe
       1        0            265 | /msadc/..%5c../..%5c../..%5c/..^
^\../..^
^\../..^
^\../winnt/ 
                                       system32/cmd.exe
       1        0            218 | /c/winnt/system32/cmd.exe
       1        0            208 | /MSADC/root.exe
       1        0            218 | /d/winnt/system32/cmd.exe
       1        0            231 | /scripts/..^
       1        1            210 | /scripts/root.exe
       1        0            249 | /_mem_bin/..%5c../..%5c../..%5c../winnt/system32/cmd.exe
       1        0            249 | /_vti_bin/..%5c../..%5c../..%5c../winnt/system32/cmd.exe
       1        0            232 | /scripts/..%2f../winnt/system32/cmd.exe
       1        0            231 | /scripts/..^
^Ü../winnt/system32/cmd.exe
       1        0            231 | /scripts/..^
^\../winnt/system32/cmd.exe

Read the fine print...free entry to Apple iTunes promotion

I saw this tip on The Screen Savers. If you go to the Apple iTunes promotion page and read the fine print, you'll see:

3. How To Enter. You will automatically be entered into the Promotion by: 1) downloading a song from iTunes (any Free Download Single of the Week will be deemed an ineligible entry); or 2) a free alternative means of sending an email to Apple at itunes100@apple.com via the iTunes “Tell a Friend” feature (a song download or Tell a Friend email will be deemed an “Entry(ies”). The “Tell a Friend” feature can be easily accessed at iTunes by selecting a song, and clicking the “Tell a Friend” link that is displayed for that song. One Entry will be automatically submitted for each song downloaded or Tell a Friend email sent. The Promotion begins following the downloading of the 95,000,000th iTunes song, and ends with the downloading of the 100 millionth Entry (“End Date”). Only Entries submitted in this time period will be accepted.

Apple's ZeroConf/Rendezvous for Windows

I've only seen this annoucement reported in a couple of places (Jonas Luster, Sam Ruby). This is great news for someone like me who can't get away from Windows for work (the barriers being Lotus Notes, WSAD, and MS Word) and has a Mac at home. Rendezvous is one of those things that makes me hate that I have to work in a Windows PC. A Windows version may ease my pain but futher binds me to Apple.