Watching VOB files from your Hard Drive

As an alternative to copying all of the files on a DVD to your HDD, you can just select the .vob files that contain the video content that you wish to copy.

To play them you will need a player that recognises the vob format (it is actually mpeg and you could rename the files and play them in Windows Media Player). Cyberlink PowerDVD is one such player that can be used to play the DVD content from your hard drive.

For details on how to do this please follow the links at the top of this post.

With this method you will not get the menus that control the DVD as it would in a DVD player, but, you can still copy all the "extras" that come on the DVD - it is just a question of identifying which files contain the content that you require. It is also a good way of not having to copy the advertising and "bloat" on some DVDs.

Links:

• DRM and Circumvention - how-to overcome copy protection
• Using DVD43 to defeat CSS encryption - so you can copy DVD files to your hard drive and encode them  to .avi and .mov format.

Netbook Setup?

Why would you pay $99 to have your $400 netbook configured at the store?

This is just another cash grab - preying on those that are unsure of what they need and feel that they need to be told!

Isn't the whole point of a netbook the fact that it is cheap and used for basic tasks such as accessing the Web? There shouldn't be any setup necessary (unless the manufacturers have really blown it!)

I also wonder if this service is available for Linux based netbooks?

SSL VPN vs. IPSec VPN

A SSL VPN does not require the installation of specialized client software on the end user's computer.

As opposed to a traditional Internet Protocol Security IPsec VPN

An SSL Tunnel VPN can also be used to increase the level of security in both the IPSec and the SSL VPN implementations.

However, the access of a remote service that is restricted in your geographic area will not be possible through this sort of VPN Login and access will be made via your regular IP address by accessing an https:// web address (URL)

The presence of mickey32.dll on your computer

Xupiter.Orbitexplorer - A Browser Hijacker

If you are (or have been in the past) infected with Xupiter.Orbitexplorer then you will have entries in your Windows Registry.

The presence of mickey32.dll on your computer DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN THAT YOU  ARE INFECTED WITH Xupiter.Orbitexplorer!

Please see my page: "removing mickey32.dll - the file (NOT THE INFECTION!)"

VNCViewer for Windows (Free Edition) and VNCViewer Free Edition for OSX

The normal way I use VNC is from a Windows 7 computer - this can be seen on the main page for the configuration of the website in my basement.

SAP

My experiences with SAP - ABAP4 and Enterprise Resource Planning in general.

Relative Risks of Torrenting

The question is: "Is there as much risk in getting a DMCA type of violation letter when you download old TV series to the same degree as you do when you download movies?" - "Surely they are both copyrighted material, but do the owners of the TV programs really care that viewers are sharing and catching up on old shows? However, allowing you to download old shows promotes the currently aired ones?"

The answer to the question about how much risk depends on where you live and what you are downloading. For example, downloading a current or recent Hollywood movie is far more likely to trigger a Copyright holding to start proceeding against you than say a re-run of "Big Love". It also depends on what measures you are taking to avoid detection.

Some searches:
risk of torrenting - Philadelphia - 9 Aug 2010
risks of torrenting - Janesville, Wisconsin- - 9 Aug 2010
what are the risks of torrenting - Harrisonburg, Virginia, 18 Aug 2010

How your IP address can appear in a peer list

Links:

• Torrenting page on The Technology Muse 
• Will Peerblock stop my ISP detecting what I am downloading?
• Anti P2P Organizarions - APOs, AP2P
• IPTorrents.com - is this a "safe" alternative?
• Throttling and your ISP

WikiPedia Credibility

Quoting WikiP as a source is not usually a good idea in an academic work. Whether or not the information on the Wiki page is correct is beside the issue. Due to the nature of the content of Wikipedia, being compiled and edited by the "experts" in the field, the facts presented are such that they are what the author wants you to believe is the truth.

In cases where an axe is wishing to be ground the presentation of information is likely to be highly biased. This is particularly true when there is something to be gained either politically, financially or both. The use of the information to "sell" is too irresistable for most!

This fact is borne out by the fact that my website is quoted as a source by a number of WikiP entries. Some of these references are to pages that were posted in the frustration with manufacturers in their inability to be forthright with their customers about the specifications of their products. Intel is one of the companies to which I refer, wrt Notebook Processors.