Career-Op: For Better or Worse
by Douglas E. Welch, ComputorEdge Magazine

As I write, California has recently recalled one governor and elected a new one. Regardless of your politics, these events are sure to bring some large changes to the state. These events are a good reminder to be prepared for whatever business eventuality you might face in the coming months. Whether the news is good or bad, the economy up or down, you need to have a plan that allows you, your company, and your high-tech career to thrive.

Apple Safari Security Update

This security update is now available via Mac OS X's Software Update feature. Please update your software as soon as possible to protect your machine.

Security Update 2003-12-05 updates Safari to prevent unauthorized access to a user's cookies.

Event reminders via SMS and Email for Mac

iMOnTime - Reminder tool with complex repeating options, email alerts.

This software has garnered many 5-star reviews over at VersionTracker.com.

AOL Instant Messenger Virus

It looks like an existing virus has been altered to effect users of AOL Instant Messenger. WebSpiffy has information on the virus, including links to removal instructions and more.

Apple Holiday Gift Guides

Got a Mac Lover in your family?

Here are a series of Apple Gift Guides to help you in your shopping.

Mac OS X: Configure Directory Access to Protect Your Mac From a Malicious DHCP Server

This tech note details how to configure your Mac OS X system so that a malicious user cannot access this security exploit. Most people are unaffected by this issue, but if you regularly use your Mac to access public Wi-Fi wireless connections, there is a slight chance you could run into it.

The included steps are clear and simple to execute using built-in Mac OS X applications.

Plug-and-play server and backup

This sounds like an interesting way to share data and insure that your files are getting backed up on a regular basis. Of course, this isn't an off-site solution, so if your office burns down you will lose your data and your backup. I wonder if you could automate copying of the files to a remote server from this one, thereby providing an automated off-site backup.

From Gizmodo.com...

The Mirra arrives
The Mirra Personal Server is finally out. Basically, a hard drive that connects to your home network, the Mirra can be set to automatically backup and synchronize files from all the computers in the house so that if there's a crash, you'll always have your data. [Gizmodo]

Wired News' Gift Guide

Here is another in my on-going collection of holiday gift guides for the technology minded.

Your Geek Gift Guide for 2003
Wired magazine presents 77 of the coolest stereos, 3-D screens, toys, cameras, DVRs, games and gadgets of the year. [Wired News]

Free Computer Training as close as your TV

Every time I flip around my cable channels, I notice these great computer classes on using some of the most popular computer softeware. You might find that resources for learning about your computer might be as close as your television remote. I have been meaning to share this information for a long time, but tonight I was finally able to find the schedule information.

Here in LA, Channel 36 on most cable systems is the LA Channel. They host a wide variety of programming, including the Learn Key training series. You can find which classes are upcoming by viewing the schedule available online. I have seen classes on Microsoft Word, WordPerfect, Powerpoint and Microsoft Excel. I am sure there are even more that I have missed.

Calculate new California DMV Fees after rollback

It just happens that our car registration bill arrived before the recent rollback in vehicle registration fees. If your renewal bill is due on or before January 30, 2004, your renewal bill is not correct.

The California DMV has a page where you can calculate the corrected amount. Simply enter information from your current bill and it will provide the corrected amount.