Linux for Travelers Forums

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The Linux for Travelers forums are back online. You can now register for this site and ask questions about Linux in the forums.

There are also forums for topics like Windows security, and using Linux in Internet cafes...

The Risks of Using Public Computers

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Most public computers that I have scanned in my travels are infested with spyware, viruses and/or trojans (malware). It is hard enough to keep a Windows computer clean of viruses if you are the only one using the computer. It is extremely difficult to keep a computer clean if hundreds or even thousands of people are using it.

These are some common activities that people do that can get a Windows computer infected with malware:

  • Opening email attachments, even ones sent by friends
  • Browsing the Web with Internet Explorer (especially non-XP/SP2 version of Windows)
  • Using programs like Kazaa, Limewire, and Bearshare to share files online

Firefox 2.0 Released

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Firefox version 2 was recently released. I haven't had a chance to install it yet, but it is worth checking out.

Firefox is more secure than Internet Explorer, and has more features. Internet Explorer 7 has also been released, but based on the very bad security record of IE, it is not recommended.

Click here to get Firefox.

Ubuntu 6.10 Edgy Eft

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A new version of Ubuntu has been released, code named Edgy Eft.

You can download the new version of Ubuntu at Ubuntu.com.

The forums have been moved here

To post a forum topic, just click here. You need to register and login before you can post to the forums.

This is the section of the forums where you can introduce yourself, or talk about topics that aren't covered in the other sections.

Scambaiting and 419ers

You may have seen emails where someone from a foreign country promised to transfer millions of dollars into your bank account from the late General [so-and-so] if you will just give them your bank account number.

Surprisingly there are people that actually fall for this trick.

It is especially common in Nigeria so it is sometimes called the Nigerian 419 email scam. I belive that the "419" refers to the legal code that is being violated.

Some resources and reading to educate yourself about these kinds of email scams:

I recieved the following scambaiting email today and wanted to post it as an example:

ATTN:

My name is Barrister Anderson Mako I am a private attorney . and I have a client who is interested in investing some good money in your country.

My client is a very important and prominent person who has mandated me to contact you for a very important business transaction my client is by name Mrs. Maryam Abacha and she is the wife of a Late Military head of state in one of the richest african country.

Her husband Late General Sanni Abacha made a lot of money through Oil proceeds during his tenure in office. In fact it was discovered after his death that he was worth well over $4.5 billion in United State Dollars and some of this money was retrieve after he died while some was recovered from officials that served under him during his reign as president of Nigeria.

The truth of this case is that my client despite the problem she is going through now, she still has a lot of money in her possession, which she intends to invest outside her country.

What my client need from you now is reliable account
where she can transfer some money but mind you, all the
money in her possessions cannot leave at once because she need to build confidence and trust.

The XGL Linux Desktop

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XGL/Compiz has turned the graphical desktop of Linux into something that rivals even the latest version of Mac OS X. Check out this video of Linux running on a dual monitor system with XGL/Compiz.

I belive that SUSE 10.1 has XGL/Compiz included by default. You can download it for free here.


Phishing Test: Can You Spot the Fake Email?

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Mailfrontier.com has an interesting phishing test. They show you 10 emails and ask you to spot the fake ones.

Give the test a try and see if you can spot the fraudulent emails 100% of the time...

The web page also has some interesting facts about phishing:

  • 5.7 billion phishing emails are sent daily
  • A successful phishing attack causes a victim to lose an average of $1,200
  • and more

XGL / Compiz - the New Look of Linux

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Check out this video of the new XGL/Compiz desktop for Linux. It is arguably a more graphically advanced desktop than even Mac OS X.


Ubuntu Billboard Spotted

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An Ubuntu billboard has been spotted in California, USA.

My search of the Web brought me to another page about the Ubuntu billboard that also showed some Google trends comparing Ubuntu to other Linux distros. It shows the steady increase of popularity of Ubuntu.

I tried my own search of Google trends to compare the popularity of Ubuntu with portable apps. Many travelers have heard of portable apps, but not of Ubuntu. The Ubuntu live CD is a good choice for Linux live CD when traveling.