Geek Out Category
“Wah, GEEK OUT! Le geek, c’est chic!” This is the category that reveals my geekier side. You may not understand what I’m talking about, or you may think I’m revealing just how technologically un-savvy I really am, depending on who you are and what your own geeky proclivities may be.
Blogroll This
11
Nov
2002
In: Geek Out
Thanks to Blogrolling’s Blogroll This bookmarklet, my “Others” link list has grown to unprecidented lengths. I may have to do some trimming, but it’s hard to resist adding blogs to the list when it’s so easy!
This just in: Blogging!
7
Nov
2002
In: Geek Out
As much as I adore my former employer, they’re way behind the curve on this article: Where to get started in the world of blogs.
That said, I think that Jane will appreciate the writer’s description of the word “blog”: It’s a nickname that suggests the sound made by sudden, spurt-like draining of one’s consciousness in regular wet chunks, not onto paper but into the Internet’s soupy sea.
I don’t understand is why this article needed to be written, given that a much more comprehensive and accurate “Blogging 101″ article was printed in the Times last April. What did Melanie McFarland (who also writes The Times’ Pop Fizz column, squarely aimed at The Stranger’s demographic) have to add the subject?
Strange Google-ism
30
Oct
2002
In: Geek Out
How strange is it that, while search-explore.com was the top ranked result for Google Search: “uninstall search-explorer” last week, this week it doesn’t even show up. Makes me wonder if Search-Explorer complained to Google. Bizarre.
Search Explorer
11
Oct
2002
In: Geek Out
Poor T. has a very icky situation on her hands. Apparently, an uber-sketchy pay-for-placement search engine has purchased a domain name very similar to her’s: she’s search-explore.com, and they’re search-explorer.com. And no, I’m not linking them, because not only are they a pay-for-placement search engine, but they’re also a spyware company that installs their own sidebar and toolbar into Internet Explorer without users’ permission.
How do I know this? Because poor T. has been inundated with hate mail from people who’ve gotten stuck with Search Explorer software on their machines, who evidently can’t type or see the difference between search-explore and search-explorer. So they send hate mail to search-explore, bitching about search-explorer. I feel for their pain, but I’m also struck by their stupidity.
Boy, this new virus just has the cutest name! Read all about it on CNN, The Guardian, and Symantec. And be careful out there!
(PS: Mac users who wish to leave gloating comments should exercise a little tactful restraint. Thank you.)
Spyware II (aka “Messenger Spam”)
1
Oct
2002
In: Geek Out
Despite all my talk, and after three days of no creepy system message ads, one showed up again today. THIS MAKES ME ANGRY. This calls for the big guns.
Follow-Up: I tried to call the number listed on the spam, and (GET THIS!) I get a message saying “This number is not available.” Could this be any more frustrating? Can anyone else get through to 888-221-8978? If you can, tell me what you hear. I’d like to expose the company that uses such nasty advertising methods.
Second Follow-Up: I’ve now configured my copy of Norton Internet Security (which I bought last year, but stopped using on September 11th because it was severely fucking with IE’s ability to read images) to act as a supersonic personal firewall. After testing my IP address at Shields UP!, I got the most solid security ratings around. If Matt’s theory is correct (see comments), then this should do the trick.
Third Follow-Up: ah-HA!!! How did a net-savvy woman like myself just now learn about this? Oh, the shame. Thanks, Joost! I’d searched the internet for “System Message Spam,” but didn’t find anything. Little did I know that this sort of spam is just called messenger spam. Regardless, I’m still glad that I got NIS back up and running. Even if Joost hadn’t let me know about messenger spam, the firewall would have stopped it.
Blogroll This
11 Nov 2002 In: Geek OutThanks to Blogrolling’s Blogroll This bookmarklet, my “Others” link list has grown to unprecidented lengths. I may have to do some trimming, but it’s hard to resist adding blogs to the list when it’s so easy!
This just in: Blogging!
7 Nov 2002 In: Geek OutAs much as I adore my former employer, they’re way behind the curve on this article: Where to get started in the world of blogs.
That said, I think that Jane will appreciate the writer’s description of the word “blog”: It’s a nickname that suggests the sound made by sudden, spurt-like draining of one’s consciousness in regular wet chunks, not onto paper but into the Internet’s soupy sea.
I don’t understand is why this article needed to be written, given that a much more comprehensive and accurate “Blogging 101″ article was printed in the Times last April. What did Melanie McFarland (who also writes The Times’ Pop Fizz column, squarely aimed at The Stranger’s demographic) have to add the subject?
Strange Google-ism
30 Oct 2002 In: Geek OutHow strange is it that, while search-explore.com was the top ranked result for Google Search: “uninstall search-explorer” last week, this week it doesn’t even show up. Makes me wonder if Search-Explorer complained to Google. Bizarre.
Search Explorer
11 Oct 2002 In: Geek OutPoor T. has a very icky situation on her hands. Apparently, an uber-sketchy pay-for-placement search engine has purchased a domain name very similar to her’s: she’s search-explore.com, and they’re search-explorer.com. And no, I’m not linking them, because not only are they a pay-for-placement search engine, but they’re also a spyware company that installs their own sidebar and toolbar into Internet Explorer without users’ permission.
How do I know this? Because poor T. has been inundated with hate mail from people who’ve gotten stuck with Search Explorer software on their machines, who evidently can’t type or see the difference between search-explore and search-explorer. So they send hate mail to search-explore, bitching about search-explorer. I feel for their pain, but I’m also struck by their stupidity.
Boy, this new virus just has the cutest name! Read all about it on CNN, The Guardian, and Symantec. And be careful out there!
(PS: Mac users who wish to leave gloating comments should exercise a little tactful restraint. Thank you.)
Spyware II (aka “Messenger Spam”)
1 Oct 2002 In: Geek OutDespite all my talk, and after three days of no creepy system message ads, one showed up again today. THIS MAKES ME ANGRY. This calls for the big guns.
Follow-Up: I tried to call the number listed on the spam, and (GET THIS!) I get a message saying “This number is not available.” Could this be any more frustrating? Can anyone else get through to 888-221-8978? If you can, tell me what you hear. I’d like to expose the company that uses such nasty advertising methods.
Second Follow-Up: I’ve now configured my copy of Norton Internet Security (which I bought last year, but stopped using on September 11th because it was severely fucking with IE’s ability to read images) to act as a supersonic personal firewall. After testing my IP address at Shields UP!, I got the most solid security ratings around. If Matt’s theory is correct (see comments), then this should do the trick.
Third Follow-Up: ah-HA!!! How did a net-savvy woman like myself just now learn about this? Oh, the shame. Thanks, Joost! I’d searched the internet for “System Message Spam,” but didn’t find anything. Little did I know that this sort of spam is just called messenger spam. Regardless, I’m still glad that I got NIS back up and running. Even if Joost hadn’t let me know about messenger spam, the firewall would have stopped it.
Hey there. I'm Ariel Meadow Stallings, a native Seattleite who's written my way up and down the Left Coast. Electrolicious is where I post daily randomata, but I also write for a living. My first book, Offbeat Bride, was published last year.
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