Austin invades Silicon Valley, a postmortem - John Shinal's Tech Investor By John Shinal SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Before this week, I knew there was fierce competition among Silicon Valley technology start-ups for talent, despite California’s stubbornly high unemployment rate of 12%. I reported on tech jobs for a year and the evidence, both anecdotal and statistical, is plentiful. Jennifer Grasz of CareerBuilder.com told MarketWatch Radio last week that the website’s August listings were up 20% from a year earlier, thanks to the tech, health-care and accounting fields, which she described as “bright spots” in an otherwise gloomy employment picture. In other words, even though the state’s unemployment rate was second-worst among the 50 states last month, job openings are there for software developers, systems engineers, product managers, mobile-app developers and database administrators. Start-ups scheme to poach talent But I also know the talent war is real. Human beings still needed “What kind of engineers are you talking about?” This was not.
TDL-4: The 'indestructible' botnet? | The Digital Home Security researchers at Kaspersky Lab have detailed a new botnet--a collection of infected computers controlled by cybercriminals--called TDL-4, that might just be "indestructible." TDL-4 gets its name by being the fourth generation of the botnet. In 2008, the original TDL appeared. "The malware writers extended the program functionality, changed the algorithm used to encrypt the communication protocol between bots and the botnet command and control servers, and attempted to ensure they had access to infected computers even in cases where the botnet control centers are shut down," Kaspersky wrote on its SecureList blog earlier this week. Central to TDL-4's updates is an improved algorithm that encrypts communications between infected computers and the botnet's command. To help safeguard itself from removal, TDL-4 infects a computer's master boot record, thus allowing it to run before the operating system starts up, and keep it away from the prying eyes of anti-malware programs.
Hyve Solutions The Five Best Desktop Linux Distributions While I wasn't there from the very start of Linux. I was an early adopter. Even before Linux, though, I was a Unix desktop user ranging from the early character interfaces such as the Bourne shell to graphic Unix desktops such as SCO's Open Desktop—better known back in the day as Open Deathtrap—and Solaris's Looking Glass. In the last twenty years I've used almost every significant Linux desktop out there, and was the editor-in-chief for many years of Desktop Linux. In short, I know what I'm talking about. Before giving you my list of favorites though, if you don't know my work, you should know where I'm coming from. That said, I do think open-source is ethically better than other methods of creating software, or anything else. That's why, for example, I use Adobe Flash Player for Flash video rather than Gnash. So, from the bottom to the top, here's my current list of favorite Linux desktop distributions: 5) SystemRescueCD. OK, so this one isn't a Linux desktop per se. 4) OpenSUSE 11.4
How to Pick the Right Motherboard for Your Custom-Built PC Motherboards are the most complex component in your computer. Fitted with hundreds of components and dozens of options it can be difficult to choose. Let’s look at the most important factors to help you decide before building your next computer. Motherboards are the central nervous system of your computer. Motherboard Sizes Motherboards come in different shapes and sizes, but luckily there are some standards set in place so that a lot of motherboards and cases can work together. For the most part these sizes apply to all desktop computers but some computers you buy from manufacturers don’t follow all the rules. The most common motherboard size is Intel’s Advanced Technology Extended (ATX) and its derivatives. Motherboard sizes not only indicate the size of the board and placement of mounting screws, but it also dictates the general layout of the major components on the board. For ATX motherboards the general layout of the board is shown in the picture below. Processor Sockets Chipsets
Keep your data safe while on the road A new way for Office docs to be gone in Flash Security in businesses large and small is increasingly threatened by flaws in everyday applications such as Adobe Flash Player, Adobe Reader, and Acrobat that are embedded in Microsoft Office products. Adobe and Microsoft need to move more swiftly to protect users, especially when so few tools presently exist to help users help themselves. Read More Workplace hazards in the Internet Age Accidents, bad ideas, and abuse are possible in any congregation of human beings, and the workplace suffers its share. For businesses large and small, the best tools for keeping inappropriate behavior to a minimum are company guidelines and policies — and the law of the land. Read More Blocked files — Windows security excess It’s one of those “What the heck!” This little annoyance started in XP, became common in Vista, and is still hanging around in Windows 7; but a fix is easy and the same for all three OSes. Read More Portable black hole gives employee access to all
Beginner Solution to the Rubik's Cube Introduction There are many different methods for solving the Rubik's cube. They can be divided into two broad categories: layer methods and corners first methods (and there are sub-categories within these broad categories). Many years ago when I wrote this webpage there were many great websites that explained advanced and expert methods for solving the cube (check out my Rubiks links page), however, there were very few that explained beginner methods. This beginner method requires memorising only a few algorithms, and when done efficiently can achieve solves of 60 seconds or faster. Aside from minimal memorisation, another benefit of this method is that it is very scalable. Structure of the cube We all know that 3x3x3=27, however, rather than thinking about the cube as 27 little "cubies", think about it as 6 fixed centres (that can rotate on their own axis) with 8 corners and 12 edges which rotate around it. Terminology A letter by itself means turn that face 90 degrees clockwise (eg.
Angry Birds: Video Cheats for Every Level You’re tearing it up in Angry Birds, finding elegant smashed-avian-solutions for every level, and then you hit a wall. No matter what you do you can’t figure the level out. Take a peek at these video walkthroughs to blast through to the next level. If you’re a purist, you’ll just have to keep plugging along until you solve that level. Episode 1 – Poached Eggs: Learning the Ropes It all seems innocent enough–blue skies, some easy challenges to ramp you up to the later obstacles you’ll face, pigs that are apparently just waiting for avian-death to visit them. Theme 1: Official Angry Birds 3 Star Walkthrough Theme 1 Levels 1-5 Official Angry Birds 3 Star Walkthrough Theme 1 Levels 6-10 Official Angry Birds 3 Star Walkthrough Theme 1 Levels 11-15 Theme 2: Official Angry Birds 3 Star Walkthrough Theme 2 Levels 1-5 Official Angry Birds 3 Star Walkthrough Theme 2 Levels 6-10 Official Angry Birds 3 Star Walkthrough Theme 2 Levels 11-15 Official Angry Birds 3 Star Walkthrough Theme 2 Levels 16-21 Theme 3:
TechBite: 7 Handy Firefox Add-ons & Tweaks | PC Pitstop May 03, 2010 by Steve Bassin TechBite By Steve Bass Make Firefox Even Better I know many of you still stubbornly use Internet Explorer (hello, Carl). Let’s start with a something you might not know about: Firefox’s hidden visual tab switching tweak. Firefox has a hidden feature: Visual tab switching Turning on the feature takes two steps: 1. 2. Five Handy Firefox Add-ons Here five add-ons I’ve recently used; they’re easy to install and don’t take much time to figure out how to use. Tired of squinting at sites with tiny fonts or weird background colors? Rearrange Firefox’s windows with Fox Splitter. Not all of Firefox’s icons are easy to recognize; Menu Icons Plus gives me a nicer array of choices. Start typing and Firefox starts a search. Click Ctrl-F to expand Firefox’s Find feature. Now use Find All: It does tons more than Firefox’s default Find feature. Now for a couple add-ons only for those of you with a technical itch that needs to be scratched.
Windows 7 For Dummies Cheat Sheet Cheat Sheet Windows 7, Microsoft’s latest version of the Windows operating system, has all the familiar boxes, windows, and mouse pointers as its predecessors. But Windows 7 also has some new features to explore. This cheat sheet of timesaving tips and advice makes using this new version easy. Get to know required hardware, how to protect your work effectively, and some cool keyboard shortcuts to get that job done faster — and with fewer hassles. Note: Because of legal issues in Europe, Microsoft considered releasing a special "E" version of Windows 7 in Europe that wouldn’t include Internet Explorer. Microsoft hadn't released the final version of Windows Live Movie Maker in time for the first printing of this book. Helpful Hints for Working in Windows 7 Many people are dragged into using Windows 7 without a choice because their new computers probably came with Windows 7 installed. Don’t know what a certain button does in a program? Organize Your Open Windows in Windows 7
How To Colorize Black and White Vintage Photographs in Photoshop Ever wanted to add color to your old, vintage, or historical photographs? Load up some old pictures and see how color can be added quickly to any black and white photograph in this simple Photoshop how to. While many purists simply don’t like the look of colorized black and white photographs, the ability to add color to black and white images is as indispensible as it is simple. Read on to see just how easy it can be. Starting with Grayscale Images Simply because an image is in black and white doesn’t mean that it is a Grayscale image. Navigate to Image > Mode > RGB color to set your image to RGB. Using Blending Modes to Add Color One of the simplest ways to add color to a black and white image is using Blending Modes. Press to create a New Layer.With that New Layer selected, press to group your new layer.Select your new layer group as shown above, and set your Blending Mode to “Color.” You’ll find Blending Modes in the pulldown tab directly under the top of the “Layers” panel. Press
Web Pages That Suck - learn good web design by looking at bad web design - Home Page Malware: Stuxnet: Dissecting the Worm Security researchers are scratching their heads trying to determine the origin of the Stuxnet worm, a piece of malware that targets large industrial control systems. Judging by the way it's constructed, the information it targets and some of the organizations that have been hit, the worm may have been created by a national government. Others, however, have their doubts. Webinar: The New PCI 3.0 Standard Learn the steps to take to get your company ready for PCI DSS 3.0 changes coming January 2015. The Stuxnet worm, which targets industrial control systems, or "SCADA" systems, is one of the most sophisticated bits of digital malware security researchers have come across in a long time. "Given the sophistication and organization behind it, we highly suspect it has nation-state involvement rather than being a tool for competitive intelligence," Roel Schouwenberg, a senior antivirus researcher with Kaspersky Lab, told TechNewsWorld. Stuxnet's Tricky Makeup A Diet of Worms?
Monitors the internal temperatures of your computer. Supports most graphic cards. by markbillson Jul 4