Tech Tuesday: Internet Schtuff

Hello people. Welcome to this week's edition of Tech Tuesday, where the Ox likes to share his favourite techy things and sometimes even attempts to talk about tech issues (gasp!!!). In any case, here are some software picks for today (as usual, thanks to CNET, Lockergnome and Symantec):

SpamPal
Don't let the name fool you, cause it's got nothing to do with being friendly to spammers. What it DOES is provide a pretty good free spam filtering program, especially if you're using Outlook Express (or its many reincarnations). Try getting it here. There's also a very helpful how-to to guide you through the installation process. Hopefully, you won't be getting strange e-mails from desperate sons of bank owners/princes/tribal elders anymore.

GetFileSize v1.0
Some of you may get annoyed when you don't really know the size of the file you're trying to download from some sites (especially since not all of us are blessed with broadband). This is a nifty little IE plugin that can get the real size of any file you want to download, simply by right clicking on the link and selecting "Get File Size". So far it works with most links, so give it a go!

AxCrypt
Yeah, the Ox is a sucker for free encryption utilities. Maybe it's because his PC is full of...interesting things. Anyway, for those of you who have yet to get one, try this on for size. It's small, easy and also open source. MMmmm.

Okay, before I go, some tech news, courtesy of Cnet:
A minor victory won against the evil schemes of the RIAA. Apparently a Massachusets court has blocked subpoenas from the RIAA aimed at college file swappers saying that the universities involved are not required to immediately hand over the swappers' identities. Hopefully, this gives them sometimes to prepare for the onslaught that is sure to come, ever since the RIAA and MPAA decided to take this whole new take-no-prisoners attitude. We'll see what happens next, as they say it's only a minor setback.

Time to panic, now. The MBlast worm has started its spread, exploiting what some say is the most widespread flaw in the OS ever. Essentially this means we're all at risk, or at least those of us who are still happy with Mr Gates holey OS. This may be a serious blow to the company's recently released Trustworthy Computing Initiative, and analysts at Symantec predict the attacks will last till the end of the year, at least. Worried? You should. Go here for an update on the current spread, and then here for workarounds and patches. Get cracking, people!

That's all the time I have for today's Tech Tuesday. Tune in tomorrow for wonderful blogging goodness, only from the Weekly Wild World news.

Bye!