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Sunday, May 23, 2004

Random thought:

Aha! It's an icon maker

"From a dark past comes a clear future." In the tradition of MacArthur Park and the cake that was melting in the rain, this slogan may generate more questions than answers, but Aha-Soft has created an application that's exactly what you need if you need to create an icon.

Aha-Soft is located in Krasnoyarsk, Russia; as you might expect, this means that the application is available in several languages. At install time, the user selects which language Art Icons Pro will display: English, Catalan, Chinese, Czech, Dutch, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Serbian (either Cyrillic or Latin), Spanish, or Swedish.

The current version (4.0) was released in late January. The new version adds the ability to import large images and create icons from them. This is almost magic. I have used it with images as large as 3008 pixels wide and the resutling icon (32 pixels wide) is a surprisingly good approximation of the original at 1% of the original's size.

Version 4 also imports and exports PNG images with an alpha channel, which means that icons can be generated with transparency.

Depending on what you want an icon for (and which version of Windows it's for) you may need a graphic that's 16 pixels square, or 24, 32, 48, or 64 pixels square. Or you may want to create a custom-size icon. You may want the icon to be limited to 256 colors (or 16 colors or even 2 colors) or you may want a full-color (24-bit) icon or a full-color icon with transparency (32 bits). Good news: ArtIconsPro handles all of these options.

Why create icons?

You may think making icons is for people who create programs, and that's true. But you might enjoy creating icons, too, because then you can assign them to any program you want. You don't have to settle for the icons that come with the applications you use. Make your own!

My cats are icons

Depending on your browser, you may have noticed the "TC" icon that appears to the left of the Technology Corner URL on the address line. I used ArtIcons Pro to create it. And to see how well the application could convert large photographs to icon-size images, I started with 3 images of the cats. Each was more than 2MB in size.

The resulting icons are shown here (converted from ICO to JPG so that your browser will display them.) The "original image" has been reduced from its original size to an image 200 pixels wide so that you can see the amount of detail.

	Jeremiah Cheeseburger	Tangerine	Scampi
Original image
64x64 icon
32x32 icon
16x16 icon

Besides being able to manipulate full color images such as these, AirIcons also offers the ability to "paint" an icon and to add text in any typeface. (Hint: For smaller icons, plain sans-serif faces work best.) The program is available in two versions -- standard and pro.

Features of ArtIcons and ArtIcons Pro

• Create and edit icons in either standard or custom sizes, in color depths up to 16 million colors
• Create and edit icons for Windows XP in 32-bit color depth with 8-bit alpha channel
• Create and store images containing several layers
• Paint images with gradient and chess fill
• Modify images with drop shadow, opacity, smooth, negative, grayscale, colorize, rotate, roll and mirror effects
• Open and edit ICO, ICPR, BMP, JPEG and PNG images
• Export icon images to ICO, ICPR, BMP, JPEG and PNG files
• Create and manage icon libraries for better and more efficient icon storage
• Modify icons inside executables and other program files
• Extract icons from Windows executables, libraries and animated cursor files
• Extract icons from all files in selected folders and subfolders and save them as icon libraries
• Delete identical icons in libraries
• Sort images inside icons and icons inside libraries
• Customize Windows Desktop and folder icons
• Drag and drop files from file shells
• Drag and drop icons between different libraries
• Use English, Spanish, German and other interfaces

Additional features in ArtIcons Pro

• Import GIF, Adobe Photoshop PSD, WMF, XPM, XBM and WBMP images, CUR and ANI cursor files
• Export images to GIF, Adobe Photoshop PSD, RC, XPM, XBM, WBMP and CUR files
• Import and export icon color palettes
• Work with image lists in BMP and PNG formats
• Export library items into one single image
• Split icon libraries into individual icon files
• Split icons into sub-icons

Technology corner rating for ART ICONS
	NINE CATS: If you want to create icons, this is the application you need. When you create your own icons, you can then assign special icons to the applications on your computer.
How the Technology Corner rating system works.

For more information, see the AHA-Soft website.

Do you need an SMTP server?

Maybe you don't, but if you travel a lot you might, or maybe not. If you never travel, you may, or perhaps you don't. That's not much help, is it? Maybe it would be good to talk about what an SMTP server is, what it does, and why having one on your computer might make life easier. Or harder. There isn't an easy one-size-fits-all explanation.

What an SMTP server does

Network gurus please skip the next paragraph, which is not a complete and accurate summary of how an SMTP server works.

SMTP is an initialism for "simple mail transport protocol". When you want to send an e-mail message to your cousin in Canton, your e-mail program tells the SMTP server to send the message. The server then talks to another server and says something like "Helo! I have a message for my user's cousin in Canton!" (Yes, there's just one "l" in "Helo".) If a connection is made, then the SMTP server hands the message over to another server that drops the message into your Canton cousin's mailbox. Simple.

Why you don't need one, or maybe you do

Your ISP offers a perfectly good SMTP server and most people use it. But consider what happens if you have a notebook computer:

• When you take the computer to the office, your e-mail program has to be told to use elmo.bigoffice.com.
• At home, you have to change the server's address back to smtp.yourisp.com.
• When you travel to a hotel in Arlington, Texas, you have to change the SMTP server to smtp.mail.zz4.cheapaccess.com.
• And when you finally get to your company's branh office in Tree Limb, Texas, you have to change the SMTP server once again go smtp.bushwhack.org.

Wouldn't it be nice to go from home to office to hotel to remote office and never have to change the SMTP server's name? Granted, the changes take only a few seconds as long as you remember the exact name of the servers in question and as long as you don't commit a typo. When all you want to do is send some e-mail and then kick back with a beer, you don't need a long and involved diagnostic session.

In that case, you should consider adding an SMTP server to your computer. Plan to spend a little time working through what may seem like a Byzantine series of settings, though. You'll need an hour or so to get the server set up, test it, and make sure it's running properly, but once you get it working, you're done.

The cost? Nothing. Oh, you can find an SMTP server to pay for if you want to, but one that's available for free does everything you want it to.

PostCast SMTP Server

The PostCast SMTP server is one of several applications by Gate Comm Software of Yugoslavia. The other applications are mainly "bulk-mail" software. You're thinking "spam", right? Yes, bulk mailing applications can be misused by spammers just as airplanes can be misused by crazies. There are valid reasons why you might want a bulk mailing program - keeping in touch with clients is one valid reason.

Most of the applications provided by PostCast are shareware, but the SMTP server is freeware. Why free?

According to the author, Nenad Oric, "Much effort has been invested in its development, and although the program is free, I expect indirect benefits to come from the sale of [other software.]"

Oric is clearly not a fan of spam, but he makes programs that spammers use. Just as a gun might do good in the possession of a police officer and bad in the posession of a criminal, PostCast's software can be used for good or ill.

If you've concluded that an SMTP server might be a good addition to your computer, you can download a copy from http://www.postcast.com/.

But beware ...

Some ISPs will not accept mail from an SMTP server on a local machine. RoadRunner is one of those ISPs. When I tried to send a message to Joe at his RR address, the message was rejected:

PostCast Server 2.6.0
SMTP log started at 4/25/2004 11:01:19 AM
Thread 1: 11:01:20 AM [<-->] : Connecting to ohmx-2.columbus.rr.com
Thread 1: 11:01:20 AM [<-->] : Connected.
Thread 1: 11:01:20 AM [--->] : 220 ohmx03.mgw.rr.com ESMTP Welcome to Road Runner. NO UCE *** FOR AUTHORIZED USE ONLY! ***
Thread 1: 11:01:20 AM [<---] : HELO localhost.blinn.com
Thread 1: 11:01:20 AM [--->] : 250 ohmx03.mgw.rr.com Hello localhost.blinn.com [65.60.209.242], pleased to meet you
Thread 1: 11:01:20 AM [<---] : RSET
Thread 1: 11:01:20 AM [--->] : 250 2.0.0 Reset state
Thread 1: 11:01:20 AM [<---] : MAIL FROM:<obscured.for.security@blinn.com>
Thread 1: 11:01:20 AM [--->] : 550 5.7.1 Mail Refused - 65.60.209 - See http://security.rr.com/mail_blocks.htm#security - 20031223
Thread 1: 11:01:20 AM [<---] : QUIT
Thread 1: 11:01:20 AM [--->] : 221 2.0.0 ohmx03.mgw.rr.com closing connection
Thread 1: 11:01:20 AM [<-->] : Disconnected.
Thread 1: 11:01:20 AM [<-->] : Error: 550 5.7.1 Mail Refused - 65.60.209 - See http://security.rr.com/mail_blocks.htm#security - 20031223

Setting up your SMTP server

If, despite the potential problems, you decide that you want to set up an SMTP server on your local machine, you'll probably be able to set up the PostCast Server by reading through the directions that come with the program. Most of the settings are easy enough to figure out from just reading the dialog boxes or consulting with the Help file, but one setting wasn't obvious and it is set improperly by default: PostCast doesn't check for an MX (mail exchange) record. I turned this on, provided a domain name in the "helo" handshake, and set the server to accept mail only from my local machine. By giving the server a domain name and forcing it to check for an MX record, I have created a more secure system.

Even that wasn't enough for RoadRunner, though, so I now use my ISPs SMTP server even thought it's significantly slower than a local SMTP server.

If you set up your own, here are some settings to consider.

	Here you're looking at the transport setup for my preferred e-mail program (The Bat). Other applications will have similar panels where you set the SMTP and POP3 (or IMAP) servers. Note that I set the SMTP server to "localhost" and that I'm using a non-standard (and obscured) port for the service. The port number set here must match the port number on which the PostCast server "listens".
	PostCast System panel I've set the host name to "localhost" (note that this is the same name used in the e-mail program setting above.) The port number must be the same as that specified in the setup panel for the e-mail program. The DNS server address will be detected and should not be changed. Leave port 53 set as is. Make sure that the sending frequency is set to "immediately" and that the pause is "0" minutes.
	PostCast Connection panel You probably won't need to change anything here.
	PostCast Administration panel The default is 4 days or something similar to that. Change this to 4 retries or 3 retries. I like keeping a log file so that I can confirm what has happened. If you never look at the log file, just turn this off.
	PostCast Security Make sure that PostCast checks for an MX record and that you limit the server to the local machine (127.0.0.1).
	PostCast Dial-Up You shouldn't need to change this. Just be sure that, when you're traveling, you connect to your dial-up service before trying to send a message.
	PostCast Undelivered Messages Leave this panel alone.
	PostCast Advanced Settings By minimizing the program at startup, you won't have to minimize it manually. The X button normally closes an application, but you want the server to continue running, so change X to "minimize". You'll want PostCast to start when you start the computer and it's a good idea to keep the icon in the Tray. Make sure that you have PostCast detect the current IP address and reconfigure itself. You should have PostCast check for updates. Make sure you press the HELO Settings button!
	PostCast HELO server identity If you have your own domain, choose "Use this identification" and fill in something that ends with your domain name. Otherwise, use the Internet IP address. The default is the computer name, but this may cause some domains to reject messages from your computer.

Technology corner rating for POSTCAST SMTP SERVER
	SEVEN CATS: It's free. It works well, but delivery problems with some addresses (anything at rr.com, for example) make using the server difficult.
How the Technology Corner rating system works.

Nerdly News

Go phish!

How many messages do you receive every week from a "bank" or "business", claiming that you need to update your account? I usually receive several. Occasionally there's even that claims to be from a bank or business I deal with.

The trouble is that these messages invariably ask for information that the bank or business should already have -- my name, address, Social Security Number, and the like. They may want my account number or password, too. Usually they want any password I've set up and, if it's "from" a bank, they want the security number from the back of the card and the PIN.

Why would they ask for information they're supposed to have already? (This is clue one.)

Why would they ask for my password? Passwords are used only to gain access to the account and no legitimate business would ever ask for one in an e-mail. (This is clue two.)

Why would the bank ask for the security number from the back of my card? They assigned it and know what it is. (This is clue three.)

Why would they ask for the PIN when that number is supposed to be private? The PIN you (or the bank) has established should never be given to anyone. (This is clue four.)

If you need other clues, there are usually several, but some of these "phishing attacks" are much more sophisticated than they used to be. And they are increasing at an alarming rate. The e-mail filtering service SurfControl says phishing attacks are up nearly 500% just since January.

SurfControl says the number of unique scams is up 477%. In January, they saw 33 attacks. Now they report more than 150 per month. Another service, MessageLabs reported seeing 279 such messages system-wide in September 2003. In March of this year, the count had grown to more than 215,000.

My best advice: If you receive a message that purports to be from a business and it wants you to "confirm your information", do not follow any link on the message. Instead, use your browser and type the URL of the bank or business manually so that you wil be certain that you know you're on a legitimate site.

Never fill out a form that arrives by e-mail. And don't trust links from such messages. The target site may look exactly like the bank's site or the business's site and still be a forgery.

The Cisco theft

Network administrators worldwide are trying to determine what the implications of a huge theft of source code from Cisco (the router people) means. Some 800MB of source code has apparently been stolen from Cisco and the FBI is on the case, but Cisco isn't saying much. There's nothing about the theft on Cisco's home page. Even the news release archive has nothing.

Still, the FBI confirmed earlier this week that it's working with the company to investigat a possible theft of source code. For those who doubt the theft, the thieves posted a 2.5MB sample in an Internet Relay Chat session. So apparently the only people who are unaware of the theft are those who work in Cisco's media relations office. Actually, that's unfair. Cisco spokespeople have confirmed the report, but still there's been no information posted on the website.

What does the theft mean to the average Internet user? Initially, not much. In the long term, maybe not much, either, except as a signifiant embarrassment for Cisco.

Let us know what you think about this program! Write to:
Bill Blinn --
(wtvn@blinn.com still works)
Joe Bradley --

Joe
(Photo by Sally)

Bill
(Photo by Scampi)

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Annoying legal disclaimer
My attorney says I really need to say this: The Technology Corner website is for informational purposes only. Neither Joe nor I assume any responsibility for its accuracy, although we do our best. The information is subject to change without notice. Any actions you take based on information from the radio program or from this website are entirely at your own risk. Products and services are mentioned for informational purposes only and their various trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners. Technology Corner cannot provide technical support for products or services mentioned on the air or on the website.