EssayBoard

Ubuntu has just released a new version known as Lucid Lynx (Ubuntu 10.04).  You can download it at ubuntu.com.  This newest release version promises beauty, because it has the art that can make the big boys such as Mac & Windows jealous.  Then again, there is something such as beauty in the eyes of a beholder, and so it may only look sexy to many and then some, and not for some…

Let skip the art and go straight for what Ubuntu can do better with version 10.04.  Ubuntu 10.04 is definitely fast on boot, and it seems to be faster than its older cousins.  Ubuntu does away with its older software center, and upgrade that with an enhance version of software center known as Ubuntu Software Centre 2.0 — this helps everyone to discover new, useful software that can be installed within seconds.  A built-in social network status update slash instant messenger slash micro blogging that works with multiple popular social networks?  This new feature known as “Me Menu,” promises just that!  To tell the truth, this is an early post on Ubuntu 10.04, and I haven’t experienced “Me Menu” myself, but that will change right after the post as I’ll play around with “Me Menu” diligently.  Of course there are more features that I should be writing about this new Ubuntu version, but you have to wait for me to play around with it even more…

Security is a big concern for computer users, and I’m worried about this always when a new version of any operating system comes out.  In my opinion, it’s very hard to have your cake and eat it too when it comes down to computer security, because a balance must be struck between usability and security.  Too much security may hamper the usability, but too much usability gives way to less security.  Fortunately, for being a Linux distribution, Ubuntu inherently inherits sound security measures, but I doubt out of the box Ubuntu 10.04 can be secured at an optimum level — then again, Linux has the reputation for being more secured than Windows even in its out of the box state.  I suggest you for being a geek to disable unnecessary services, although tempting to leave them alone, in striving for an optimum security level.  Don’t forget to install a firewall to prevent uninvited guests — one comes into mind which is Firestarter.  Some security measures, if not all, from this post of mine which I had posted long ago may be of help to you in securing Ubuntu 10.04.

In conclusion, Ubuntu 10.04 is looking great and sociable too!  Why not give it a try and let me know what you think.  Don’t wait on me since I won’t wait on you, I’ll be playing with Ubuntu 10.04 right after these letters end with this period.

Expect Microsoft goes after the social network crowd even more tenaciously just like it has had with the search crowd.  Although unable to stage a similar victory that it had with Netscape against Google’s search, Microsoft has made Bing a rather fierce contender, and not-unlike those past times, Microsoft once again is aiming its barrel at the social universe by investing more resources and codes to come up with the tighter and heavier-social-influenced instant messenger.  Cnet reports that Microsoft is just only announcing what the next version of its instant messenger may look like as the official release of the application won’t be out till late of this year.  The next Microsoft’s instant messenger promises a deeper connection with Facebook such as sending the instant messages to your Facebook’s friends.

The web has slowly matured, Microsoft knows this and has been trying to work the web to its advantage, but it has encountered many obstacles along the way.  Those obstacles are Google won’t allow Microsoft to look as cool in the search universe, Twitter has came out of nowhere has made Microsoft created a clone of Twitter in hope of targeting the Chinese — the clone was scrapped for stolen codes, Facebook dominates the social network universe with an iron grip challenges Microsoft to explore the uncharted territory, and who knows what will come next…  Software to be downloaded and to be installed onto desktop are somewhat old-school, applications that can be used directly from within various web browsers, many of these are deeply integrated with social networks, are the stuffs that Microsoft worries about.

In summary, it’s obvious ain’t it?  It’s clear that the next version of Microsoft’s instant messenger is reiterating its effort in modernizing its products to position strategically in hope that when the dust settles, Microsoft won’t be left standing on the sideline as a cheerleader.  Expect the beta version of the next Microsoft’s instant messenger be out for you to play with long before the release of the final release.  Source.

Hackers are targeting the giants in the social universe so they can acquire load of social credentials with goals such as selling credentials on the cheap and in volume to cash in big time.  The most recent, noticeable, outrageous, successful compromise is a hacker goes by the name of Kirllos has illegally accessed and acquired 1.5 million Facebook’s usernames and passwords, more or less.  Kirllos is selling these hacked accounts/credentials to buyers with a pricing scheme of an account with fewer friends/contacts to be selling for $25 and an account with more than 10 friends/contacts to be selling at $45.  Just the sheer amount of the hacked accounts that this hacker has compromised is scary, but to think that this hacker can generate millions of dollars out of these hacked credentials is a sign of unrelenting practice of the black art, an art that is too profitable for the bad guys to stay coward, a black market with ready buyers that is dealing with stolen credentials — duplicate attempts are sure to come.

Too many people have used real names and entered real information about them on their Facebook’s accounts, these people are facing a constant danger of being hacked.  By acquiring a hacked credential on Facebook, a hacker can go an extra mile by using a credential’s information to further hack a person’s digital life such as a bank account.  This incident among many shows how easy it’s for hackers to hack social networks’ accounts.  Let hope Facebook and other social networks are hard at work in fighting hackers’ ever changing black art so social network users don’t have to be greatly at risk of being hacked.  With strong basic security practices, social network users may successfully make it harder for hackers to have their ways.

What are the basic security measures that one needs to take to protect oneself from being the victim of a social network hack?  How about installing a valid, strong security suite from well known security vendors such as Norton?  Making sure the firewall is on and is well locked down to protect the network from unwanted intrusions.  Don’t go around and installing strange software with unknown publishers, because it’s one of the most obvious ways for inviting oneself to be hacked.  Downloading files and software from untrusted social friends can also greatly increase the risk of downloading computer viruses and worms.  Checking emails but do not click on strange email links to safeguard oneself from activating a hacker’s software that has embedded within the emails.  Avoid giving out important email accounts to strangers!  Using different emails for different purposes; a good example would be an important email account for banking, and a casual email account for signing up with unimportant web services.  Updating the operating system such as Windows 7 often to protect oneself from new security exploits.  Reading security news from websites such as Securityfocus to be informed about new security exploits and new security solutions.  Do not reveal oneself too much to strangers on the social networks.  The list goes on…

I’m sure you know more security measures for protecting oneself from being hacked when using a social network!  Care to share your security measures in a comment?  Source.