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After Class
Thanks to everyone who took the class this semester!  I had fun and hope you did as well.  I have your graded material outside my office door and you can pick it up whenever you are around.  The Wade/Seagate lab hours for presession (May 17 to June 4) are Mon-Thurs Noon-10pm; Fridays Noon-4pm, and Sundays 2pm-6pm.  

Tuesday, May 4, 2004

Final Exam time!  Meet in BA 111 at our regular time, 4:45 - 6:00pm.  I will be there at 4:30 for those that want to start early.  You will have to leave by 6:00pm so as to allow the next class time to get in and get settled for their final.  Here is the final exam review information.  The final will be open notes, open book.

Final web page assignment specifications  I also included some tips on how to edit your page(s).

I had an older networking presentation on the supplements page, and I have corrected that one.

Check this out:
wu-ftpd - TLS settings: control allow, client_cert allow, data allow
FTP LOGIN FAILED (cannot set guest privileges) for grunwald.ds.uni.wroc.pl [156.17.160.1], ftp
This user tried to FTP to Grackle, from POLAND!  

Thursday, April 29, 2004
Last day of class!  Are you ready for a surprise?  And a quiz?

Tuesday, April 27, 2004

Thursday, April 22, 2004
Running short on time?

Tuesday, April 20, 2004
Could your LAN be taxed?  It could be if you are in Florida...

This is national TV turn-off week!  If you are anything like your population demographic, you are probably not watching TV and instead are working on your computer...

"More than 70% of people would reveal their computer password in exchange for a bar of chocolate, a survey has found."  Wow!  What would you tell me in exchange for a box of donuts or a dinner?  

One-third of all email is spam!  Others have said it is even higher, as much as 60-70%.

A new Internet speed record was set - 6.25 gigabits (!) per second.

The sex.com case has finally been settled.  This case set a legal precedent for domain name transfers, ownership, etc.  I don't think the rightful owner will get his $65 million judgment though.

Thursday, April 15, 2004

Police arrest men using camcorders in theaters - after being caught by the projectionist who was using night vision goggles!

Tuesday, April 13, 2004
Just a reminder that your assignment three is due on Thursday.  Also, another reminder that we only have six classes left in order to give your TechTips.  In order to get credit, you need to give me a printed memo of your tip.  If you don't give your second tech tip, you forfeit the 50 points.

The RIAA thinks that $0.99 a song is too cheap.  Since the public seems to prefer buying songs individually, instead of by the CD, they want to charge as much as $2.99 per song.  No way!

Intel has reverse-engineered the AMD64 microprocessor.  What makes this interesting is if you recall the story I told you about the "chinese wall" and how AMD reverse-engineered various Intel processors over the years.  I guess what is good for the goose is good for the gander!

The FCC is close to deciding if they will reorganize the 800mhz frequency band to accommodate Nextel and reduce interference.  This is a big problem in some areas -no including Omaha, yet - where Nextel equipment blocks out public safety signals.  

Why mobile phones are annoying. 

Chat, copy, paste, prison?

This should help you for the last machine in assignment three!

FOR CLASS TODAY

Tuesday, April 6, 2004
Computerized time cards are easy to alter - have you been a victim?

States are linking their databases to find tax cheats - a good example of datamining

REMINDER - class will not meet on Thursday, April 8th as the University is closed at 5:00pm for the Easter Holiday.

Thursday, April 1, 2004

Google to launch free email service with 1 gigabyte of storage and search technology.  Here is the Google press release.  Oh, and check the date on it.  Slashdot story here.  On a Google-related note, how many different ways can you misspell Britney Spears?

This is not an April Fools joke - I am canceling class today due to the AITP event that is occurring in Eppley. Meet on Tuesday, and be sure to have read the networking chapter. There will be an open quiz over any network material covered so far. See you then!

Tuesday, March 30, 2004
A detailed analysis of the Witty Worm

A keystroke logger faces federal wiretapping charges.  What is a keystroke logger?  Or available in software.  Another product.  Think you are being watched?

Senator Leahy calls for RFID monitoring hearings

Introduction to the Domain Naming System (DNS).  This is how addresses like 147.134.144.2 are translated to an FQDN like eden.creighton.edu.

Senator John McCain is talking about re-regulating the cable industry.  It was deregulated in 1996 and prices have risen 3x faster than the overall inflation rate.  One choice that McCain is suggesting is that we should be able to go a-la-carte and only pay for the channels we want.  I'd agree with that, why should I pay for those channels I tune out?

Any of you AOL members need a Porsche?

Some bozo is threatening legal action against companies who have subdomains, saying that they have to license this from them.  What a joke!  Here's the article.

Do you work in a restaurant?  If so, don't consent to a strip-search!

Thursday, March 25, 2004
New documents shed light on Microsoft's monopolistic tactics.  Check this article out.  I am sure you don't recall Go Computing, but read what MS did to undermine their work.  Sorry I don't have any URLs for Go, since they were out of business before the worldwide web took off.

IBM is partnering with SUSE Linux and is shipping SUSE with it's servers.  This is interesting, as they used to partner with RedHat.  RedHat changed their licensing terms and many people are dropping them (such as COBA).   Also, Novell has announced that they are dropping Netware as a standalone product and are integrating it into SUSE Linux.

College students are shunning MIS/Computer Science programs - some fear outsourcing to India, others the tight job market.  What are your feelings about an MIS major?  One interesting article says that the problem is not outsourcing, but rather the poor quality of students coming out of MIS/CIS programs.

A great use for a cellphone camera!

States may block cities from setting up their own phone companies, according to the US Supreme Court.

Tuesday, March 23, 2004
File sharing increases CD sales - or that is what one survey says.  What do you think?

Are you on this list of users who are pirating software?  Did you download this application and run it, and now your machine is broadcasting that you are a pirate?  See this Slashdot article for more information.

The latest on Intel microprocessors - where do you want to go today?

Man charged in threatening Google

Audio format shifting to be approved in New Zealand - this makes too much sense!  If you already own the song in one format, it is fair use for you to convert it to another media.  Why should you have to pay for a song in CD format, album format, and MP3 format?

Only one in seven IT professionals describe themselves as being happy in their work - compare that to one-in-three plumbers and one-in-four florists. 

Thursday, March 18, 2004
Hmmm.... wouldn't today be a good day for a quiz?

US home Internet access up by 75%  Do you fit the demographics?

Tuesday, March 16, 2004
Midterm exam info - Based on the questions and the point values, the test was curved 16 points.  I will have your exams and other assignments for you today.

Gateway completes their acquisition of eMachines.  Wonder what effect that will have on their company strategy and our relationship with them?

Online Bell System Memorial.  Do you remember the day that Bell died?  Where were you in May of 1986?

When I win the Powerball, after I buy Creighton a tow truck for Public Safety, I am going to buy this place and make it my TEOTWAWKI bunker.

Yet Another Reason to hate Hotmail

TV is changing the way they do business - moving shows around, supersizing, starting at odd minutes, etc.

City officials fall for an Internet prank and draft a law to curb the risks of dihydrogen monoxide - don't believe everything you read on the Internet!

Instead of a plumber or an electrician, how about becoming a digitician?

Tuesday, March 9 and Thursday, March 11, 2004
Spring Break - no classes!

Thursday, March 5, 2004
Midterm Exam!
Quiz #3 and Quiz #4 are posted

Tuesday, March 2, 2004
Today is the last day to do a TechTip before Midterm.  If you didn't do one before midterm, you are not allowed to do two in the second part of the semester.  Also, just a friendly reminder that I need a printed copy of your TechTip for my grading records.  

Assignment Two - HTML  You can start work on this at any time, as it is due at 4:30pm on Friday, March 5th.  At that time I will start to grade them.  If you have any problems with your website, be sure to see me before that time.  Afternoon on Friday I will not be available to help you out, so plan ahead.  Also, the Wade and Seagate labs will be closed after 5:00pm on Friday. 

Midterm exam review sheet  The midterm exam will be open-book and open notes, but not open-computer.  You will have the entire class period on Thursday, 3/5, to do the exam.  Since we are not done with our hardware discussion, some of that material will fall into the second part of the class and will show up in the final exam.

Luring kids to porn sites sends man to jail.  It is a violation of the law to use misleading domain names (common misspellings, such that kids would use) to send users to a porn site.  First time this law has been used.

Fired by an Instant Message?  What's worse - getting fired, or getting broken up with?

Daily Internet activities - here is a study that shows what the (on average) 69 million Americans do when they go online each day.  You can read more at this page.  What is #1?

Thursday, February 27, 2004
Qwest to begin offering naked DSL.  No, not that!  What Qwest is offering is a DSL-only line, so you don't need phone service.  They are charging $33 a month for that, as opposed to $26 a month for DSL and then add on the voice line charges.  It appears the phone companies are trying to woo away cable modem customers.

Microsoft says that exploits are not taken until patches are available.  Huh?

Tuesday, February 24, 2004
Morse code is adding the @ symbol.  This is the first change to the code since 1943, and acknowledges the power of email today.

Build your own Enigma machine!  Then travel back in time and get those Nazis!

Autopsy pictures of an ATM card skinner.  

Thursday, February 19, 2004
The RIAA is being countersued under gang laws.  It's about time someone stood up to these guys!

The history of punched cards

Tuesday, February 17, 2004
Cell phone jammers - should I get one and install it in COBA?  Heck, with our Alltel service it's just about jammed anyway.

El Gordo lottery scam - sounds too good to be true, so it is a hoax

When a phone call is not a phone call.  Look up VOIP.

Bid on Jenny's number!  (I sent this via email) Newsday article.  Or can you buy a phone number?  Oh, and here is one-hit wonder Tommy Tutone's site.  Oh, and look what else you can buy on eBay

Microsoft's monoculture - is this good for a network?

Just how hard is it to get off of AOL?

College students are "So not intimidated" about being sued for downloading songs.  So what is your take on it?  When was the last time you bought a CD?  Here's the last CD I bought and this one and this one.  I also had Foreigner Double Vision on 8-track (what a sweet setup) and cassette (traded up).  UPDATE: Sorry, eBay has pulled the auction until they find out for sure whether or not you can transfer a number.

Thursday, February 12, 2004
For class, read chapter five.

The Simpsons movie is finally in the works!  Right now we watch Jeopardy but in previous semesters another channel had the Simpsons.  Alex or Homer?

RFID at Prada - is this what is coming to Wal-Mart?

PS: The picture on the quiz was the Hostess Fruit Pie the Magician  (pic here)

Tuesday, February 10/Thursday, February 5, 2004
UPDATE
Due to adverse weather conditions, the University is canceling classes
at 5:00pm. Therefore, I am honoring the spirit of the cancellation by 
canceling class today, Thursday February 5.  The quiz will be on Tuesday. See you next week!

For class, read chapter four.

Ten technologies that refuse to die.  How many do you use everyday?

The trouble with RFID

Learn or log off!  What do you do with technically unsavvy folks who just won't learn?

HP helps clamp down on counterfeiting - an interesting article about what HP is doing to stop their scanners and printers from being used to counterfeit bank notes.

No harm in extended Internet use.  This counteracts other studies that say heavy Internet users are loners and social misfits.  So where do you fit in?

Interesting email to my Yahoo account.  This is the first one that I have gotten, although there are lots of variations of this going around.  Don't fall for it!  (and no, I didn't reply or click on it!)  Maybe I should use this random password generator.

Mydoom version C is spreading around the Internet now.  This one is a bit crafty, but only goes after machines that are already infected.  So the moral of the story is: don't open attachments that you are not sure of, and keep your antivirus software up to date!

The Hacker Hall of Fame.  How many can you recognize?

Tuesday, February 3, 2004
Assignment One is going to be handed out.  

Does Bill G sell pillows?

MyDoom begins it's attack on Sunday and SCO is down.  Wait and see what happens when version B begins it's attack on Microsoft on Monday...

There is going to be a landmark court decision on whether peer-to-peer networks are liable for the contents of what their users pass around.  Stay tuned as this could be as important a decision as the 1984 Sony Betamax case was for home taping.

Times Roman as the official US font?  As an official hater of Times Roman, I would have voted for Arial.

Date: Tue, 03 Feb 2004 08:01:38 -0600
From: Brian Horn <bhhorn@creighton.edu>
Subject: [nag] Virus report -- Postini

Postini records report that they stopped over 76,000 viruses from reaching Creighton accounts for the week ending 02/01/04. The bulk of the quarantined email is MyDoom and its variations.

FROM a recent TELECOM DIGEST
Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2004 01:34:43 -0500
From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com>
Subject: Cell Phone Explosion Burns Man's Buttocks
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- A Malaysian man was shaken and scalded Tuesday after his mobile phone exploded beside him while he was sleeping, the national news agency reported.  Mohamed Radzuan Yasin said he was recharging his cell phone and placed it on his bed near him before he took a nap. Three hours later, he was jarred awake by what he described as a small explosion.
http://www.boston.com/news/odd/articles/2004/01/27/cell_phone_explosion_burns_mans_buttocks/
Now what bothers me more: That the battery exploded in his cell phone, that the guy was sleeping next to his phone on the bed, or that URL?

Thursday, January 29, 2004
People who can't spell = people who cash in on eBay  Not many things bother me more than people who type "u" for you, or things like "r u 3l3te?".  A word to the wise!

Ever go warspying?  How about wardialing?  Or warchalking?

The inventor of the CTRL+ALT+DEL key sequence is rebooting his career

MyDoom.B is rapidly spreading.  Have you updated your antivirus software lately?  Noticed any slowdowns on your favorite SMTP servers?

Meet a spammer in person! 

Tuesday, January 27, 2004
Bill Gates to be knighted by the Queen of England.  Not bad for a monopolist, eh?

Mydoom is doing a DOS attack against SCO.  OK, explain that one!  What is Mydoom.  What is a DOS?  DOS defined.  Who is SCO?

Thursday, January 22, 2004
Join the class mailing list.  Join the class mailing list.  Join the class mailing list.  

Tuesday, January 20, 2004
Microsoft is extending the life of Windows 98 until June 30, 2006.  Story here Story here
Microsoft Windows product lifecycle page

It's the 20 anniversary of the Home Taping decision

It's the 20 year anniversary of the Apple Macintosh and here is a link to the (in)famous Superbowl ad

Where do old computers go?  Do you know that you just can't 

Notice that your scanner is a lot quieter these days?  It's only going to get a lot quieter until you buy one of these or these

69% of adults use the Internet, a number that keeps climbing each year

Anyone here interested in the friendly world of tax preparation?  Better have your stapler!

Consumers revolt and rush to block pop-up ads.  Anyone use software to block them?  I do!

Keep your anti-virus up to date!  The latest worm that infects Microsoft systems is on it's way.  Anyone care to guess why so many of these worms/trojans/viruses are written for Microsoft products?

Have you tried to use Adobe Photoshop on US currency lately?  Don't try this at home or at work, folks!

Thursday, January 15, 2004
Welcome to the first day of class!  Please check back here at least every day as I update this page with class items, interesting things, and whatever else or else or else  or else  or else comes to mind.  You can check out my interests at my main page at http://eden.creighton.edu.

You will need to join our class mailing list.  At the present time the mailing list is mis253d@creighton.edu.  You will need to be on this list for important class information.  To join, send a message to majordomo@creighton.edu, leave the subject line blank, and in the body of the message (on the very first line) put the phrase subscribe mis253d email@address - where email@address is your email address where you read your mail every day.  Then send the message.  Once I get the request, I will add you to the list.  You will need to do this before the next class.

Information about the new Vice-President of Information Services announced on May 29.

Is this true?

NEW STUDY REFUTES NET 'GEEK' STEREOTYPE
The typical Internet user has plenty of friends, an active social life and would rather read a good book or log on than watch TV, according to a report by UCLA's World Internet Project, which surveyed Net users and non-users in 14 countries to come up with its results. The image of Net users as socializers contradicts the stereotype of propeller-head "geeks" who spend their days (and nights) hunched over their keyboards, shunning human contact. The study did, however, reinforce some other demographic trends, including the fact that wealthier people tend to be more avid users, and that men outnumber women on the Net, although those figures vary by country, with Italy exhibiting the largest gender gap and Taiwan the smallest. Meanwhile, the digital divide -- the phrase widely used to describe the disparity in Internet usage between rich and poor -- appears to be narrowing around the world. Sweden, Korea and the U.S. had the largest number of low-income users. (Reuters/CNet News.com 14 Jan 2004) http://news.com.com/2100-1023_3-5140698.html?tag=nefd_top