Amazon.com: website info: faughnan.com .... and google.com

Amazon.com: website info: faughnan.com/

Amazon's A9 toolbar has an "about button" (Alexa of course). I tried it on my personal page (faughnan.com) and it took me to an Amazon.com listing for my web site! So I have an ASIN ID, just like a book: B00006E3JP. One can now use Amazon to write reviews on web sites. Mine had not been reviewed, so I couldn't resist contributing the first entry:

Ok, so it's my web site. The astounding part was playing with the (Firefox!) A9 toolbar and following the link -- to discover that my personal hobby/obsession web site has an ASIN number (B00006E3JP). So am I an author now?

This is really a fascinating development.

The data displayed is interesting. The domain probably dates to 1995. A9 lists the site as 'clinical systems design' because that appeared in an early domain registration (it's almost impossible to change that early registration information).

Somehow they also list my home phone number, but with an old area code. The fax number doesn't work either. The email address is a joke address that once belonged to my dog (she got too much spam, so we jointly agreed to delete the address).

I shall have to create a blog posting with this review; I do enjoy the self-referential aspect of all this.

It does look like Amazon is going to leverage their review technologies to rate web pages and augment their search. Here's the page for Google! This page lists Larry Page's (Google founder, now worth billions) contact info

Larry Page
2400 E. Bayshore Parkway
Mountain View, CA 94043
US
+1 650 318 0200, Fax: +1 650 618 1499
info@google.com

There are only 135 reviews for Google, which suggests this is a rather new toy.

Amazon has a toolbar specificially for Firefox

A9.com > A9 Toolbar

Definitely worth a try for Firefox fans.

gPhotoShow - the sad (spyware) fate of a once fine product

gPhotoShow - Slide Show Maker and Photo Screen Saver Creator

I loved gPhotoShow. It worked well on all my machines and was a pleasure to use. It was free, but I'd have paid for it. I didn't want to "pro version" -- forget why.

Recently I ran into problems installing the free version on a machine. I downloaded a new free version to see if that would work better.

On install, it mentioned it was supported by NavCell (sp?) and installation required installing the NavCell toolbar.

This is the modus operandi of spyware -- the lowest form of software (basically a self-inflicted virus).

Of course I aborted the install immediately and deleted the new version.

This is a sad end to what was once a fine piece of software.

Mac security tips - Mac OS X Hints

macosxhints - Regarding the 'opener' malware script

Similar to the Macintouch recommendations. My main takeaway:

1. Don't run as admin.
2. Don't install s/w that requires one to run as admin (Photoshop Elements 3, for example).

Subdomain, parked domain and add-on domain

helpdesk.lunarpages.com's HelpDesk - Powered by DeskPRO.com v2.0.1

Network Solutions Advanced DNS Manager

Network Solutions Advanced DNS Manager

This took a Google search to find. Network Solutions web site is pretty bad.

The traditional approach to moving a domain to a new provider is:

1. Give new provider domain name
1. go to network solutions (for example)
2. change where DNS server address from old provider to new provider.

The alternative approach is documented on this page. In this case Network Solutions takes over the DNS functions and one tells Network Solutions which machine to point to.

It feels like it comes down to who one trusts more, and to whom should one give power over a domain.

US National Security Agency Systems and Network Attack Center (SNAC) has released its 100-page Security Configuration Guide for Mac OS X 10.3.x.

"Opener" Malware: "While we're talking about security, it might be worth noting that the US National Security Agency Systems and Network Attack Center (SNAC) has released its 100-page Security Configuration Guide for Mac OS X 10.3.x.

While some of the NSA's recommendations are understandably more restrictive than are required in most settings, overall, the guide represents an excellent collection of security practices, while applying tools and techniques specific to Mac OS X.

The guide is available here: applemac/osx_client_final_v.1.pdf"