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Feature
Article
Oil Robber
Barons
Douglas Chick
 At the gas pumps in this morning, I stared at the swiftly spinning dials, and the cycle of anger begins. Oil Robber Barons strike at the pumps again. I check out at the grocery store, Oil Robber Barons impact the food I eat. I come home and watch the nightly news, Oil Robber Barons, Oil Robber Barons, something about Hilary and Obama, Oil Robber Barons. It is true that we are a capitalistic society, and our country enjoys the luxury of a free market, but when our economy is driven by Oil Robber Barons, where is the line between a free market society and out of control greed?
OS Review: Ubuntu Linux 8.04 Hardy Heron
Will Nett
 Ok, so anyone who knows me knows that I already head a secret society in
Linux... well actually not, but I'm a big fan of it anyways, and use it in
my everyday computers. Having returned from a six week stay in Italy and
England, I with baited breath downloaded the latest release of Ubuntu
(Version 8.04) and after four failed attempts finally got an error free
copy. Apparently, I wasn't the only one hitting their servers for the
download a few thousand others were hitting the servers pretty hard. I
headed off in my venture for an install-fest...
 Linux adaptation problem:
Will Nett I've been reading of the many
lamentations of writers touting the lack of Linux adaptation on the desktop.
Most of it I view as whining, but
still I'll entertain your arguments...
 The
Unchallenged Politician
Douglas Chick
When unchallenged, character is the easiest of all attributes to fake. When
faced with peril, bravery, courage, and honesty can only be proven with
actions, not words. But how quickly character abandons a politician during an
election year. I am embarrassed that this is what our country has been reduced
to; politicians that will say and do anything for one more term, begging for
just one more chance. They over promise, and under deliver, or deliver nothing
at all. I read that members of the congress and senate only work 2 days a
week, and spend 3 day raising campaign money, not just during an election
year, every year. The fear of having to enter into the private sector
job market and compete with the rest of is justifiably frightening.
Middle
Class Political Party
Douglas Chick
The majority of this country is not the religious right, or the liberal left. We are the rational middle, but we are not given a rational middle candidate to vote for because the two parties are ran by extremist. There has to be a third party in this country for the middle-class tax payer?
Conspicuous
consumption is the force that drives the U.S. economy. If the consumers are not
consuming, then the economy is not moving. But it takes more then just spending
to spur growth. If consumer goods are not manufactured locally, the proceeds
from the sales are not retained locally. If the jobs that create these consumer
goods are sent to another country, then it is that country’s economy that
benefits from our conspicuous consumption. All we benefit from are a bunch of
consumer goods that ultimately end up populating our land fills.
 Terms
for your Re-election:
Dear Senator, Congressman,
Governor, Presidential Candidate and others that want to be elected or
re-elected. After reviewing your offer of $600 for my continued support I must
say that you waited too long and offer too little. Although $600 seems like a
lot if you’ve never had $600 before, and it might hold my interest through to
the primaries, I’m going to need a lot more to get me to the November elections.
How much more will be determined based from your 4 year review:
 Top 10 Count
Down
Saving Money in a Recession
Douglas Chick
Top 10 Count Down on how to save money during hard economic times.
 Top 10 Holiday Geek Gifts
Douglas Chick
It is not always easy to find a holiday gift for the technologically gifted
person in your life. Mostly I mean me. So this year, TheNetworkAdministrator.com
has put together the Top 10 Geek Gifts for the geek in your life.
 10 Great Snake-Oil Gadgets
Will Nett
So,
I'm surfing Digg and woe and behold a link for another top ten list called the
10 Great Snake-Oil Gsadgets (with pics), and after perusing the list... well, I
had to call BS flag. Who makes the top ten list? Which panel judges these lists?
Who submits these items for consideration?
 The Google Eye Cam (Googley Eyes)
Douglas Chick
Internet
voyeurs of the world, The Eyes of Google command you…and are upon you?
Google’s Street View is all the talk for government conspirators and the
generally paranoid. A google camera that is mounted on the roof of a car is
driving down a street near you, and capturing a bugs eye view for every web
browser in the world to display.
 Windows
Vista Upgrade-What to Watch Out For
By Dean Chafee
With
the with the final release of Windows Vista on January 30, 2007, you may be
wondering if your computer is "Vista Ready". This article is designed to point
out a few potential pitfalls.
 Top 10 tips for technology recruiters from a
geek's perspective!
Will Nett
Ok, so I've been interviewed this month several times for
various positions. This prompted me to come up with my top ten clues for
recruiters (internally & externally) to effectively hire geeks.
 Sucks
or Not Sucks, That is the Question?
Piracy or just a lack of acceptance:
William Nett
This week Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer lamented on
the lack of acceptance and sales of Microsoft's latest flagship, Windows Vista.
His current place of blame is Pirates!
Geek Stand-Off
by Douglas Chick
While surfing the Internet,
my friend Joe sent me a picture he stumbled upon of Leo Laporte, dressed in geek
garb, that read, “Here is a picture geekier than yours.”. And although it is
true that Leo is impressively geeky looking, I insisted that my geek picture is
geekier, while Leo’s is more nerdy than geeky.
A Day In the Life of a Network
Architect
By an Evil Network Architect
Here is a comprehensive description of the
average day of a networker…well, you know.
 The Secret Life of E-mail
Dean Chafee
Here
is a comprehensive list of the exhausting travels of an email message.
Disappointed in SuSE
William M. Nett
 Open SuSE 10.1 was a bust as is their commercial package, SuSE Linux Enterprise
Desktop, or SLED as its more commonly known. Granted the introduction of a
supported Citrix client in SLED is welcomed...
 How To
Fix Your Memory for Passwords
Dean Chafee
One
of the biggest problems that Network Administrators face, is dealing with user
passwords. Actually, getting users to use a complex password, rotate it on a
regular basis, and remember their passwords. The challenge is that in order to
conform to network security policies in most companies with any sizeable
network, password usage rules must be enforced on users. Rules like:
Repairing Your Computer with Magic?
Douglas Chick
In my career as a network administrator, I have
noticed some most peculiar behavior from people when I comes to fixing
their computer. Some will open and close the printer tray 3 times before
printing.
Windows Vista
Douglas Chick
 Windows Vista
is taking longer to come out than Lance Bass from Insync. And I think
the delay is a good thing...I mean for Windows Vista.
 Hiding Your Files Made Easy
Joseph Ritchey
What if you have important, or personal files that need to be
protected? Would you hide them , encrypt them, or just stash them under
your bed?
 Without
Internet Neutrality
Douglas Chick
Cable and Phone Companies are asking Congress for a
piece of the Internet Video / Phone action. And Congress has passed a bill
for just that.
 The Tin Men of Africa
Joseph Ritchey
The
Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (RoHS or the lead free directive).
In February of 2003 the European Union adopted this directive which is to take
effect on July 1, 2006.
 An
Interview with Linus Torvalds
by William Nett
So what's
going on with Linux and Linus these days? There are a lot of people who
are asking, with yet another delay of Microsoft's Vista. Linux could
emerge a victor in this voracious vindication for valor with the votive
that there is value in the virtues of running Linux.
 Adware
/ Spyware Extortion
by Douglas Chick
There are innumerable reports of Adware and Spyware removal programs suddenly
appearing on someone’s computer and asking for a fee to remove the viruses it
has suddenly discovered.
Click HERE to download Video
 Limewire Hackers
by Douglas Chick
Limewire may
be a convenient tool for
downloading shared music and files, but it can also reveal
your personal files. In the attached video, Network Administrator Joe Ritchey,
showed Fox
News reporter David Martin how Limewire users make themselves vulnerable to
hackers.
 Wireless Hacking
--War Driving
by
Douglas Chick
Wireless
hacking, or "Wardriving" is when someone from outside your home accesses your
wireless network. The dangers of having a non-secure wireless access-point are:
Spammers and send junk mail from your home, hackers and criminals can hack
remote locations that are tracked back to your home...
 Convergence
by William Nett
There’s been a lot of buzz going on lately about the bold step that Apple has
taken by utilizing X86 Architecture for its computer systems. There is even a
new plug-in that allows users to install Windows XP, Linux, and even flat out
Solaris Unix on their hardware!
 The Next Big Thing: Just-In-Time Data
Warehouses
By Greg Bromage
It’s
rare when the IT industry lags behind the other, more traditional business
models. But one such case has occurred, and it provides an opportunity for
business to save millions of dollars of needed expense.
 High Jacking Long Distance
By Dell Crill
Tele-Systems Engineer
CRC IT Consulting Services
Today
hacking into a main frame computer, stealing an identity or spamming email
accounts is an everyday practice for most computer savvy criminals. There is
another breed of hackers out there that do nothing but break into Telecom
systems and hijack Long Distance dial tones.
 Press Release: Hacking the IT Cube:
The Information Technology Survival Guide.
Hacking
The IT Cube is a book with a unique insight into the world of information
technologies. It mixes humor with everyday real world experience that all other
computer books desperately need.
 Certification Smart?
William Nett
This
article by William Nett, a network administrator in South Florida, compares the
network certification differences between network operating systems based from
his everyday experience.
Help Desk Management Software
Douglas Chick
 Frequently I receive e-mail from overwhelmed IT people that complain they spend
too much time putting out fires and have no time to perform their normal duties.
Some of these are a result of being understaffed, but in most cases it is
because the computer users are managing your time.
6 Sounds Made by a Crashing Hard drive
 Question?:
My hard drive is experiencing some strange noises, and I am unsure if the drive
is failing. How can I determine if the noises are due to a failing hard drive?
Click Here to listen to 6 sound waves made by six different crashed hard drives.
 HASH, is not just for smokin'
Internet Security
Joseph Ritchey
A
hash function H is a transformation that takes a variable-size input m and
returns a fixed-size string, which is called the hash value h (that is, h = H(m)).
 Port Knocking
Joseph Ritchey
Back in the 20's there were Speak Easy's setup all over the US. People would go
their to drink and dance, but mostly drink (due to prohibition). Lots of these
clubs would have a large burly looking guy guard the door.
 Router Security Tips
Douglas Chick
Reminded
by the latest Cisco security alert, many network managers do not realize that
their routers can be the jump point to attack. Router operating systems are just
as vulnerable to hacker mischief as network operating systems.
Security Boss
Douglas Chick
Network
security has become top priority for the tireless network administrator.
Blocking the path of a potential virus or hacker can be the difference between
working late for free, and going home. (Many computer people are paid by
salary.)
 Why do people make viruses?
Douglas Chick
It is interesting, with all the training and knowledge necessary in becoming an
IT professional, the number one question I receive is; "Why do people make
viruses?" This always makes me wonder if FBI profilers are ever asked; "Why does
my computer have so many pop-up ads?"
 Techno-Wizard or Geek
Douglas Chick
Computer people are unique in that they have their own peculiarities, unlike
others that work in technological fields, like engineers, or physics, they're
just crazy. Computer people have an odd passion for computer hardware and
software. Being passionate towards software is particularly peculiar because
there is nothing tangible about software. (That is above the quantum level.)
 Off Shore Outsourcing, Riding a Wave of Question
Dell Crill
Recently, I read an article about a company called SeaCode Inc. that put a bad
taste in my mouth. It made me realize that without much effort you can just
about sell any idea or gimmick these days. The firms vision is to provide off
shore outsourced software design and development services for US based fortune
1000 companies.
Guide to networking certifications
 Here
is a comprehensive list the most common network certifications for network
professionals; including Cisco, Nortel, CompTIA, Enterasys, and ISC2. I withheld
Microsoft's network certifications for another article.
 Top 10 Hacker Programs of 2005
Douglas Chick Computer
security "agents" must master the same tools used by the hackers they seek, and
many of these programs are available to download for free. The man-in-the middle
attack, (also known as the monkey-in-the middle) is a useful method of scanning
network data and extracting what is known as interesting data, (passwords,
e-mail, data files).
 Advanced Google Searching
(Google Hacking)
Douglas Chick
Google
is a powerful search engine that hackers often use it to find passwords, and
confidential or sensitive documents that companies do not realize are even
available to the public. Most computer people use Google, but do not know how to
use all of its search parameters. The term "google hacking" is a method used by
unscrupulous people to not only uncovers sensitive data, but also to expose web
server vulnerabilities. Here I list several Google search parameters and
examples.
 End-User Soup
Douglas Chick
In
the past, I've been pretty hard on end-users in some of my articles and I'm
not sure all of them deserve to be bunched in together. This is why in my
infinite wisdom I have taken it upon myself to create end-user categories.
Starting with some of the smarter ones and working our way down to...well,
lets just say those that are little computer challenged.
 Interview: Chris Pirillo
Tech TV, Lockergnome.com
Chris
Pirillo, a former TechTV personality and creator of LockerGnome.com took the
time from his busy schedule to answer a few questions for us.
 Computer Terms and Comprehension
Douglas Chick
The most difficult part of any computer support position is the misusage of
computer terms as used by the computer professional and computer user. Listed
here are computer terms and their corresponding meanings.
 Requiem for a Crashed Hard Drive
Douglas Chick
There
is no drug or single event in the world that can make a computer person focus
more clearly than when a server crashes. The mere act of a crashing hard drive,
database or server component can temporarily raise one’s IQ as much as 50
points.
 Top
10 things to know about network administration
Tom Lancaster
If
you're just getting started in the networking field, you've got a lot to learn,
and with the rate of changes in networking technology, you can expect to always
have a lot to learn, but here are ten essential topics that you should
concentrate on (and if you are not just getting started, here are some things to
review)
Cisco Router Tips
Top 10 'show' Commands
Tom Lancaster
One
of the most important abilities a network administrator can have is the
know-how to get information out of his network devices so he can find out
what's going on with the network. In most networks, the staple of
information gathering has been the "show" commands. Here are my top ten
commands to know and love:
 Top Network Administrator Tools
Here
are some of the top networking tools for sniffing out, scanning, and finding
hidden processes, as well as rootkits for 2005 as listed by
TheNetworkAdministrator.com.
 What To Do With Computer Part Magazines
Douglas Chick
Computer
part magazines are small sales magazines that advertise the latest computer
supplies. These magazines are only sent exclusively to everyone! If you've
ever even glanced in the general direction of a computer--five magazines are
immediately launched to your mailing address. This techno litter can
propagate faster than rabbits.
 Steel Bolt Hacking, Ranks #7 Top Ten Best Sellers List
--Douglas Chick
I
am proud to report that my book,
Steel Bolt Hacking, was rank #7 on Amazon.com Best Sellers List on
September 16th, 2004. It has since dropped out of the top ten but...
 Interview
Interview with Rob Malda
Creator of Slashdot
Most
computer people already know what Slashdot.org is, but many do not know the man
behind it. Rob Malda is the man that founded Slashdot.org and is still around
today to help maintain it. Slashdot was founded in 1997 and like the name
implies, Slashdot started as a Linux form and has evolved into one of the
largest tech news sites on the Internet. Rob took some time from his still busy
schedule to answer a few questions for TheNetworkAdministrator.com
Should I become an astronaut, a firefighter, or a system administrator?
Are you at a career
crossroads? Are you asking "Should I become an astronaut, a firefighter,
or a system administrator?" Here is a handy comparison chart that may help
you make your decision.
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