Career Column

Career-Op: Summer Reading List
by Douglas E. Welch, ComputorEdge Magazine

For most people, summer reading lists include Judith Krantz novels or the latest spy thriller from Len Deighton. If I might be a little odd, let me suggest you look to some other areas for your summer reading list. If your business tends to slow down in the summer, this could be a great time to catch up on some interesting business reading. No matter whether you are a front-line support tech or a high-level executive in your company, I believe you will find the books below very interesting. While they may lack love, murder or intrigue, they can allow you to boost your high-tech career while sitting on the beach.

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High-tech Careers

Ten Tips to Help IT Pros Become More Marketable By Joe Liberatore

I came across this article in my travels today and think it has some useful information for anyone working in a high-tech career.

Via Xtreme News - News and sound bites for XtremeRecruiters

Windows/Security

Three more updates for Windows

Today Microsoft rolled out 3 new updates for Windows to solve a variety of security and data corruption issues. While I am always glad to see MS actively working on solving know issues, such as these, I do have to wonder if there is any beginning to the end for such glaring omissions in their security practices.

The three updates are shown below. In most cases, visiting the Windows Update web site should allow you to easily download and install them.

MS03-025 : Flaw in Windows Message Handling through Utility Manager Could Enable Privilege Elevation (822679)
MS03-024 : Buffer Overrun in Windows Could Lead to Data Corruption (817606)
MS03-023 : Buffer Overrun In HTML Converter Could Allow Code Execution (823559)

Windows 2000 users should also be aware of Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 (SP4).

According to Microsoft:

Service Pack 4 (SP4) provides the latest updates to the Windows 2000 family of operating systems in the following areas: security, operating system reliability, application compatibility, and setup. This service pack includes fully regression-tested versions of the patches for all security vulnerabilities affecting Windows 2000 found up to the closing date of Service Pack development. The following Microsoft Security Bulletins are included in Service Pack 4.

This update is also available via the Windows Update web site.

What I'm Reading...

The Sinister Pig

Another great mystery with Jim Chess and Joe Leaphorn of the Navajo Tribal Police.

Work Like Your Dog: Fifty Ways to Work Less, Play More and Earn More

Build Your Own Garage: Blueprints and Tools to Unleah Your Company's HIdden Creativity

Soloing : Realizing Your Life's Ambition

Visionary Business: An Entrepreneur's Guide to Success

Turning No into Yes: Six Steps to Solving Your Financial Problems

Computers/Wireless

McDonald's serves up wireless Web access

It looks like McD's is trying out wireless access points in a few of their stores, offering 2 hours of Internet access with the purchase of a meal.

My kid, Joe, loves to play in the play structures at McD's, so I am sometimes found there, hating the uncomfortable seating and wishing I could be doing something productive.

I would much rather be in a nice coffee shop somewhere, but these are the realities of fatherhood. A Wi-Fi connection would certainly help my productivity. I know there are others like me out there, because we often end up talking, since there is little else for us to do.

Of course, we don't eat any of the food there, except the yogurt parfaits, so I am not sure if I would qualify for the free service anyway. (SMILE)

Via CNET