May 5, 2009 at 11:05 am
I just got this message on Skype:
Online Check:
11:02 AM
WINDOWS REQUIRES IMMEDIATE ATTENTION
=============================
ATTENTION ! Security Center has detected
malware on your computer !
Affected Software:
Microsoft Windows Vista
Microsoft Windows XP
Microsoft Windows 2000
Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0
Microsoft Windows Win98
Microsoft Windows Server 2003
Impact of Vulnerability: Remote Code Execution / Virus Infection /
Unexpected shutdowns
Recommendation: Users running vulnerable version should install a repair
utility immediately
Your system IS affected, download the patch from the address below !
Failure to do so may result in severe computer malfunction.
http://[DO_NOT_CLICK_THIS_LINK]/www.regscan.cc/?q=scan
Can you say SCAM?!
August 26, 2008 at 9:42 pm
Flickr opened up their service to the programming world with a publicly accessible API. As usual, I’m way behind the times and I’ve just discovered this feature.
I started using Flickr a few months back for photo hosting and I’ve been addicted ever since. So much in fact, that I haven’t bothered updating my own pictures page. The solution of course was to create a section on my website that connects to Flickr using their API. The first iteration of this page is located at http://mswebby.com/flickr/sets.php.
Unfortunately, Flickr’s API doesn’t include any functions for getting Collections of photos, just Sets. So my site is completely disorganized at the moment.
August 20, 2008 at 7:35 am
eBay is on the down slope. It is clear through their recent policy changes that they are no longer concerned with maintaining a community-friendly product, but are instead aiming for short-term profits.
1. eBay has lowered the listing prices of fixed priced auctions.
Anybody who frequents eBay on a regular basis knows that only “eBay Spammers” list items at a fixed price. The reason is simple- people that make their living on eBay sales need to make a certain amount of money per listing. This retail approach is much less communal as it removes the auction “pull” from listings. The very heart of eBay is the auctions, and by removing this feature, eBay is no different than any other marketplace.
2. Sellers can no longer leave feedback.
eBay’s auction model is based on seller and buyer legitimacy. Ask any European and they’ll tell you how bad unregulated eBay is. The one power that users have in maintaining the legitimacy of the community is feedback, the tool for rating sellers and buyers based on their adherence to the common rules and guidelines of the web site.
eBay recently ruled against buyer feedback. eBay clearly wants to attract bidders at any cost, even at the legitimacy of their own community. By driving up the price of items, eBay will make more short-term profits.
3. No regulation of shipping prices.
The most frustrating problem for eBay buyers is the open-ended shipping policy. There is absolutely no regulation of shipping costs. Sellers can charge triple the cost of S&H, which further erodes the already weathered legitimacy of the community. This misleading practice suckers the “newbies” into buying items at a much higher price, which limits the site from growing to its full potential. This policy also enables the “eBay Spammers” who list items at 99 cents and charge twenty dollars for shipping.
eBay needs to take a stand now or they will soon find themselves in the tech landfill with Yahoo Auctions and the rest of the failures.