Thoughts and Theories From Roger Andre
for the curious, and people getting to grips with computing and computers.
Monday 26 January 2009, 9:18 PM
A Tailored Fix For The Downadup Worm
A useful tool for fixing downadup can be taken from here. This is an auto command line scan designed to hunt down and root out downadup. It should really be run in safe mode and comes in the form of a .zip file. Once the file has been downloaded, right click on it and click 'extract all'.
A wizard will open and ask you where to extract the files. Ideally you will have created a folder to extract the files into. Once done open the folder and run the program. This will then tell you of any detections specifically realating to the downadup worm.
Run the scan a few times to be sure, And then scan with your regular antivirus and if desired bring windows defender into the mix.
It's also worth manually running the malicious software removal tool from microsoft.com.
After applying any fixes I would strongly advise opening a command line and typing: sfc /scannow
This will reorder and replace any critical system files that the fix may have knocked out. Not doing this runs you the risk of rendering your machine unbootable, adding the time it takes to do a repair install into what's already been a painful mix.
Business users, from what I have seen, I really think it would be wise to train your regular non-IT staff to visit windows update once everyday. Automatic updates don't always behave....automatically.
A wizard will open and ask you where to extract the files. Ideally you will have created a folder to extract the files into. Once done open the folder and run the program. This will then tell you of any detections specifically realating to the downadup worm.
Run the scan a few times to be sure, And then scan with your regular antivirus and if desired bring windows defender into the mix.
It's also worth manually running the malicious software removal tool from microsoft.com.
After applying any fixes I would strongly advise opening a command line and typing: sfc /scannow
This will reorder and replace any critical system files that the fix may have knocked out. Not doing this runs you the risk of rendering your machine unbootable, adding the time it takes to do a repair install into what's already been a painful mix.
Business users, from what I have seen, I really think it would be wise to train your regular non-IT staff to visit windows update once everyday. Automatic updates don't always behave....automatically.
Tuesday 6 January 2009, 10:07 PM
Subspace Computing With Inbuilt Web
Just imagine it for a moment. The advent of quantum computing and what that really means. Two particles aware of and connected to each other with a kind of super string or maybe a bouncy multi dimensional celestial web. What we're really looking at is the ability to have a CPU that could have many different components in many different locations, each reflecting what the other does or acting as independent components.
They will be capable of faster than light communication and if much of quantum theory turns out to be correct you could just construct your platform here on earth and have mirror constructions using connected particles looking after themselves in remote spatial locations.
Quantum theory also implies that these machines may not work correctly without a conscious observer. If we ever design and make one of these computers maybe it would be best that they don't work on their own, at least not at first. We may come to a point when we reach a certain level of maturity in evolution. Right now we are still at the level of banging rocks together even if it is at light speed.
You then end up with a way of collecting data from far flung regions of the universe or more locally in our own galaxy or solar system. No probes no space craft, at least not if you want to quickly collect data from the chilly methane (and possibly water) seas of Europa. Very handy for learning about any physical or chemical challenges before trying to send a manned mission into unknown territory.
What we're talking about here is a kind of real sub space communication, a way of tapping the web that may just lay one or two levels removed from the frequency spectrum of our senses and indeed our extended senses (meaning instrumentation). Perhaps we’ll find a whole new everywhere kind of frequency bed. This bed would need very little energy to vibrate in sequences of ones and zeros assuming we’re still restricted to those.
How would the cross over point work? There would have to be some kind of intermediary between the large physical pre input process and the slightly removed quantum aspect of information organization and data processing/gathering function required on the micro levels where the very solid matter that we interact with becomes more wispy and then non tangible.
This is where we’d have special molecular bots (nano becomes a tiring word if over used) working as the interface between solid and wispy matter, able to pass through and feed back the relevant data. If any of the above is possible we would be faced with the prospect of as good as infinite computing power connected to a default universal networking system.
Of course, how would you pair up the particals required for the job?
Well as with so much of our technology already, it seems as though nature will have done all the hard work for us. All (big understatement) we will will have to do is find the relevent partical on this side of the universe and then learn to find out where its
counterpart lies.
A seemingly daunting task, but with a heafty dose of
super computing power to hand it might, just might be possible. I also hope that if we can reach that level of maturity we'll find a way to partical pair between star that end and powergrid this end. Devices could appear with their own ability to draw just the right amount of power for their needs, from stars unimaginable distances
away from us.
They will be capable of faster than light communication and if much of quantum theory turns out to be correct you could just construct your platform here on earth and have mirror constructions using connected particles looking after themselves in remote spatial locations.
Quantum theory also implies that these machines may not work correctly without a conscious observer. If we ever design and make one of these computers maybe it would be best that they don't work on their own, at least not at first. We may come to a point when we reach a certain level of maturity in evolution. Right now we are still at the level of banging rocks together even if it is at light speed.
You then end up with a way of collecting data from far flung regions of the universe or more locally in our own galaxy or solar system. No probes no space craft, at least not if you want to quickly collect data from the chilly methane (and possibly water) seas of Europa. Very handy for learning about any physical or chemical challenges before trying to send a manned mission into unknown territory.
What we're talking about here is a kind of real sub space communication, a way of tapping the web that may just lay one or two levels removed from the frequency spectrum of our senses and indeed our extended senses (meaning instrumentation). Perhaps we’ll find a whole new everywhere kind of frequency bed. This bed would need very little energy to vibrate in sequences of ones and zeros assuming we’re still restricted to those.
How would the cross over point work? There would have to be some kind of intermediary between the large physical pre input process and the slightly removed quantum aspect of information organization and data processing/gathering function required on the micro levels where the very solid matter that we interact with becomes more wispy and then non tangible.
This is where we’d have special molecular bots (nano becomes a tiring word if over used) working as the interface between solid and wispy matter, able to pass through and feed back the relevant data. If any of the above is possible we would be faced with the prospect of as good as infinite computing power connected to a default universal networking system.
Of course, how would you pair up the particals required for the job?
Well as with so much of our technology already, it seems as though nature will have done all the hard work for us. All (big understatement) we will will have to do is find the relevent partical on this side of the universe and then learn to find out where its
counterpart lies.
A seemingly daunting task, but with a heafty dose of
super computing power to hand it might, just might be possible. I also hope that if we can reach that level of maturity we'll find a way to partical pair between star that end and powergrid this end. Devices could appear with their own ability to draw just the right amount of power for their needs, from stars unimaginable distances
away from us.
Tuesday 30 December 2008, 10:07 PM
Linux Confiscation At School.
After listening to the "the tech guy" 519 on Leo Laportes' Twit.TV
I was struck by one of the news items at the begining of the show. It was about a boy at school in the US who was handing out a linux distribution to his class mates. Apparently the teacher freaked out when she realised what was going on and confiscated the said disks, only to then go on and sing the virtues of microsoft and windows at the class, and that the kids were not to use this "linux" as it wasn't part of the school cirriculum and therefore somehow not relevent.
Well, I say fair play to the kid for looking beyond what schools call "learning about computers". The thing pointed out in the show is that todays children are growing up with computers around them in a way my generation never did. They are just a part of the funiture, a part of everyday life to these kids. To some of my generation the advent of computing was and still is an enduring marvel, something to gawp at and sometimes drool over.
What concerns me here is that schools tend to be teaching kids that using computers is about learning to use microsoft products such as word, powerpoint etc, all very well, but how about introducing elements of computer science into the classroom and not just leaving it as an option for further education. Anyhow, the event is fully talked about in the the tech guy podcast.
I was struck by one of the news items at the begining of the show. It was about a boy at school in the US who was handing out a linux distribution to his class mates. Apparently the teacher freaked out when she realised what was going on and confiscated the said disks, only to then go on and sing the virtues of microsoft and windows at the class, and that the kids were not to use this "linux" as it wasn't part of the school cirriculum and therefore somehow not relevent.
Well, I say fair play to the kid for looking beyond what schools call "learning about computers". The thing pointed out in the show is that todays children are growing up with computers around them in a way my generation never did. They are just a part of the funiture, a part of everyday life to these kids. To some of my generation the advent of computing was and still is an enduring marvel, something to gawp at and sometimes drool over.
What concerns me here is that schools tend to be teaching kids that using computers is about learning to use microsoft products such as word, powerpoint etc, all very well, but how about introducing elements of computer science into the classroom and not just leaving it as an option for further education. Anyhow, the event is fully talked about in the the tech guy podcast.
Wednesday 17 December 2008, 1:01 AM
Off Line And Into The Wilds Of Cornwall
Just a quick note to say goodbye fellow bloggers and readers. My wife and I are off to Cornwall until the weekend, and we've decided not to bring any computers with us. At first I was planning to bring the net book and found myself fretting about wi-fi availability etc. Now we've made the decision to focus on the outdoors and ourselves, the stress has lifted.
I was hoping for some extreme weather like the sea freezing over but according to live it's 7 degrees here in Glastonbury and yahoo says it's 10! That's enough to be building up a sweat and as it's a clear moonlit night at five past midnight that means tommorow could almost be like a summers day!
It's been a while since myself and my wife have been away from a our computers so it's going to be interesting. We get to stay right by the tea I mean sea (someones asking for tea) and it's an exciting prospect. Now I ask myself do we drive up the atlantic highway (A39)
or just go flying of the end of the M5 ?
The tech part, yes....all we'll be taking is an older fuji finepix f30 you know, the one with only 6 mega pixels but with extraordinarily good image processing and full manual control. Not bad for a little silver box. Also bringing along a sony MZR mp3 walkman and an FM transmitter. Apart from music this will be stacked up with mysterious universe podcasts, slackerpedia astronomy, and bits and pieces from BBC and Leo Laportes TWiT.TV podcasts. On the video side just some bits and pieces from youtube (converted thanks to DVD videosofts great freeware conversion tools).
A practical joke that still works on a surprising amout of people is to make up a story about some radio station and transmit the audio your talking about to their FM radio from your MP3 player and then enjoy the puzzled looks!
Anyway, all this for just four days? anyone would think I was going away for weeks. That's what it feels like comming off line, I wonder what will have changed by the time I'm back on. In the real world of roads, streets and the people I see around everyday four days is of course nothing at all really....Hmmm strange. Anyone remember the beast of Bodmin moor?
See you all on/after the weekend!
P.S. So I choose hide DOB on facebook and facebook says happy b'day anyway! Glad I put in the wrong details!
I was hoping for some extreme weather like the sea freezing over but according to live it's 7 degrees here in Glastonbury and yahoo says it's 10! That's enough to be building up a sweat and as it's a clear moonlit night at five past midnight that means tommorow could almost be like a summers day!
It's been a while since myself and my wife have been away from a our computers so it's going to be interesting. We get to stay right by the tea I mean sea (someones asking for tea) and it's an exciting prospect. Now I ask myself do we drive up the atlantic highway (A39)
or just go flying of the end of the M5 ?
The tech part, yes....all we'll be taking is an older fuji finepix f30 you know, the one with only 6 mega pixels but with extraordinarily good image processing and full manual control. Not bad for a little silver box. Also bringing along a sony MZR mp3 walkman and an FM transmitter. Apart from music this will be stacked up with mysterious universe podcasts, slackerpedia astronomy, and bits and pieces from BBC and Leo Laportes TWiT.TV podcasts. On the video side just some bits and pieces from youtube (converted thanks to DVD videosofts great freeware conversion tools).
A practical joke that still works on a surprising amout of people is to make up a story about some radio station and transmit the audio your talking about to their FM radio from your MP3 player and then enjoy the puzzled looks!
Anyway, all this for just four days? anyone would think I was going away for weeks. That's what it feels like comming off line, I wonder what will have changed by the time I'm back on. In the real world of roads, streets and the people I see around everyday four days is of course nothing at all really....Hmmm strange. Anyone remember the beast of Bodmin moor?
See you all on/after the weekend!
P.S. So I choose hide DOB on facebook and facebook says happy b'day anyway! Glad I put in the wrong details!
Monday 15 December 2008, 10:15 PM
Youtube: A Valuable Source Of Free Learning.
Well what do you reckon folks? What do you need to know? Do you have the patience to let yourself know it? One area that I've found youtube coming up with flying stars is in the area of tech learning.
I've come across videos on there that will teach you about fixing that dead zen player you may have had lying around for some time, just a matter of shorting out a chip, to advanced tutorials showing you the finer points of illustrator or dreamweaver, something adobe will charge you big money for!
So, maybe it's time to re-evaluate how people are hired for positions in employment. How do you spot the geniuses that were just a bit too clever for school? Or the geniuses that just stared out of the window all day thinking up fantastic theorys about life, and indeed the geniuses who may have had too much going on at home to do well at school or further education?
We could be arriving at a point where companies may be willing to offer apptitude tests to people who say they can do jobs, because although they may not have the qualifications or the time and money to gain them later on in life, they could still offer sheer brilliance in the field of their passion.
There's communities of people on youtube dedicated to showing you how to do almost anything you could imagine from slinging mud pies to tutorials in maths and physics. How would you like your PC to run mac OSX? I kid you not it's all there, and if this is common knowledge to everyone but myself then I'm very glad to have found out. But I wouldn't have done so without my own curiosity and a platform such as youtube showing me how it can go way beyond entertainment and into the realms of higher learning.
I've come across videos on there that will teach you about fixing that dead zen player you may have had lying around for some time, just a matter of shorting out a chip, to advanced tutorials showing you the finer points of illustrator or dreamweaver, something adobe will charge you big money for!
So, maybe it's time to re-evaluate how people are hired for positions in employment. How do you spot the geniuses that were just a bit too clever for school? Or the geniuses that just stared out of the window all day thinking up fantastic theorys about life, and indeed the geniuses who may have had too much going on at home to do well at school or further education?
We could be arriving at a point where companies may be willing to offer apptitude tests to people who say they can do jobs, because although they may not have the qualifications or the time and money to gain them later on in life, they could still offer sheer brilliance in the field of their passion.
There's communities of people on youtube dedicated to showing you how to do almost anything you could imagine from slinging mud pies to tutorials in maths and physics. How would you like your PC to run mac OSX? I kid you not it's all there, and if this is common knowledge to everyone but myself then I'm very glad to have found out. But I wouldn't have done so without my own curiosity and a platform such as youtube showing me how it can go way beyond entertainment and into the realms of higher learning.
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