[Elecraft] OT - Botnets - the growing threat

[AJSOENKE at aol.com]

One of the courses I teach is Computer Repair and Service. My students  
recycle about 200 donated computers (PCs) per semester. They are redistributed  to 
needy families locally.  We have just migrated to Windows XP on the  newer 
donations with fast processors and larger  (>  256MB)
 
But, for at least 4 years now we have been distributing computers with  
smaller RAM and CPUs that started at 166MHZ. I'm currently cleaning out the last  
of about 50 Gateways with P3450s and 128/256 RAM.
We have run Windows 2000 (Win2K) exclusively on these computers (100s of  
them) with no problems. Also, it may be of interest top know that the recipients  
have been getting a full suite of software installed, all of it except the 
O/S  is freeware like Open Office. The only computers that have been slightly  
problematic are some HP Pavillions that need to have a special prep performed 
on  the HD so they accept the O/S gracefully.
 
We do have one advantage on the O/S because of the use of these computers  
being charitable in nature we have a free license to install Win2K.  There  is a 
way around this  for the general public. If they acquire a PC that has  a 
Win2K sticker in tact, they can legally install the O/S if it was  originally 
purchased legally.
 
For most users, they will find Win2K runs as good as XP with virtually no  
problems - and miles ahead of Win9x.  If you install Win2K you should also  make 
sure to download and install SP4, to make it current.
 
Al WA6VNN
 
 
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
In a message dated 3/18/2008 10:44:48 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
Leigh at WA5ZNU.org writes:
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.

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