[Elecraft] OT - Botnets - the growing threat

[Leigh L Klotz, Jr.]

A good thing to do with older computers running Win98 is to try one of the
small versions of Linux designed for ham radio use on older computers. 
Dave W1HKJ has bundled digimode and logging programs onto a CD-bootable
version of Linux that runs great on small machines.  I just tried it
recently on a 366Mhz Thinkpad.

You can boot from CD, and to do an upgrade, boot from a new CD.  It can
store your settings on the existing Windows disk, so you will have your
log files and data stored.

Or if you decide instead to replace Windows 98, you can install it
directly and update it with new releases of the software with a few mouse
clicks.

Give EMCPup a try at http://w1hkj.com/emcpup.html or at least look at the
screenshot.

It includes:
- fldigi, the premier Linux digimode program (same DSP modems as in Ham
Radio Deluxe's DM780) now with K2 and K3 support
- fl logbook
- flarq (an ARQ-based soundmode program)
- plus the usual email, browser, etc.

Leigh/WA5ZNU

P.S. I've contributed a few features to fldigi itself, but tried using
EMCPup until recently.



K4DGW wrote:
> Hams often are using older computers, running operating systems like
> Windows 98, that are no longer supported, and are no longer being
> patched, but still connected to the internet (often directly without a
> firewall / router).  In other cases, updates are considered a hassle,
> and are not performed.  These reasons, along with some bad decision's
> on Microsoft's part, plus human and criminal ingenuity, has led us to
> where we are today.