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January 29, 2004 |
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The fast-spreading MyDoom virus casts a bit of gloom on CNET readers' buzz this week, but our security experts are on the case with advice on how to steer clear of this tricky worm. Plus, readers look for tech solutions to make taxes less taxing. |
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Virus
Last week, readers were concerned about Trojan horses, but this week brings a bigger threat: MyDoom, the fastest-spreading virus ever. Is it just me, or shouldn't people know by now not to open unknown e-mail attachments? Apparently not, because MyDoom's spread was completely reliant upon normal folks doing just that. But that's not to say that the authors weren't tricky about it; the e-mail disguised the attachment as a test message and usually came as a ZIP file. So what's the goal of this worm? It looks like the creators' intent is simply to punish SCO, a company that has incurred the wrath of the Linux community for its claims that important pieces of the open-source operating system are covered by its Unix copyrights. MyDoom, after installing itself on a PC, sets that PC up to launch a denial-of-service attack on SCO.com on February 1, 2004. But the plot thickens: SCO has put a bounty on the head of MyDoom's creator, and another variant of MyDoom has appeared that targets Microsoft. The first way you can protect yourself is simply by not opening unknown attachments. Second, make sure your antivirus program is up-to-date, or if you don't already have one, find our editors' top picks here. |
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Tax software
If you're a TurboTax user (as I am), last year was probably a bad year for you. TurboTax maker Intuit angered a lot of loyal customers by adding controversial product activation to last year's version of the popular tax-prep package. Users found that it made the software difficult to install and run, and it made changes to their hard drives that were difficult to undo. After all the hubbub (and, surely, many lost sales), Intuit promised not to include the pesky activation again and apologized to its users in an open letter that ran in several major publications. So it's no surprise that our old favorite is back in our good graces, scoring especially high with its easy installation and interface and its wealth of features that handle even complicated returns. With a rating of 8.3 and no sign of activation, I'd say I'm back on the TurboTax bandwagon. |
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MikeRoweSoft
This week, Mike Rowe basked in his 15 minutes of fame, and you readers ate it up with a spoon. What's the draw? It's the classic David vs. Goliath tale in which David is a teenager and Goliath is software giant Microsoft. It all started in August 2003, when Rowe registered MikeRoweSoft.com to front his part-time Web site design business. Three months later, Microsoft's lawyers e-mailed him, telling him he was in violation of Microsoft's copyright; they wanted him to transfer the domain name to Microsoft for the cost of his original registration fee. But Mike liked his clever domain and had a lot invested in his growing business, so he upped the payoff to $10,000 to "cover his costs." Then, he did the smartest thing he could have done: he contacted the press. Of course, Microsoft backed off a bit, saying it had gone a bit too far. In the end, Mike ended up with a nice bundle in exchange for his URL, which includes a Microsoft certification course, a subscription to the Microsoft Developer Network Web site, and an Xbox with games. He's also planning to return any money folks donated to his defense fund. Not a bad ending. |
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Ares and Morpheus
The RIAA may have just filed another round of lawsuits (its biggest ever), but studies show that those suits don't seem to be consistently slowing down--much less stopping--file sharing. Perhaps this lessening fear of the big, bad record industry is fueling reader interest in two file-sharing apps: Ares, a program that takes advantage of a growing network of users and also lets you create your own private file-sharing network; and Morpheus, an old-timer in the P2P world that just revamped its software so that it searches all of the major file-sharing networks, including Kazaa, iMesh, eDonkey, Overnet, Grokster, Gnutella, LimeWire, G2, and Morpheus. If you're considering these two hot P2P properties, you should know that Ares is spyware-free, while Morpheus continues to bundle in additional apps that could track your surfing habits or personal info, deliver ads, or even modify your system settings. |
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Headphones
MP3 players may be extremely hot, but the headphones that come packaged with those players are not nearly good enough for the discerning audiophiles that make up CNET's readership. So it's no wonder our latest crop of headphone reviews has been so popular. Our editors have checked out 'phones in all sizes and shapes, as well as varied audio quality and feature sets, and we have even more coming over the next couple of months. But currently, most of our top five best-rated headphones overall are of the noise-canceling variety, meaning they have built-in circuitry that actually issues a neutralizing noise to drown out exterior racket. Personally, I'm less concerned about the noise-canceling technology and more into the look, which for me means in-the-ear or earbud-style headphones. They're not too big or bulky for my bag, and they're great for working out (no overheating from headphones acting as earmuffs). But if that's not your bag, check out more of our latest headphone reviews here and check back for more coming soon. |
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