Anonymouse - using the Internet anonymously

Seen in logs 31 Jan 2012 - Anonymous web browsing and email

Making a request for this website using Anonymouse:

The URL (modified to remove preamble): anonymouse.org/cgi-bin/anon-www.cgi/____://tempusfugit.ca - displays my home page:

This appears in the server log so:

As can be seen (or rather not) as the images on my site will not display as I have a server directive that displays another image that just says: "www.tempusfugit.ca". This is to prevent images being linked from other websites and if they do any vistor to that linking site will see my web URL.

The Anonymouse website claims that you are completely anonymous and those (like me) who are monitoring your access to their websites will not be able to tell anything about you is not totally true. It is true that you cannot be identified by your IP address but the website owner can see what pages you have accessed and what you are interested in. The fact that you are visiting their website using such a service is an indication that you are of the persuasion that a service such as Anonymouse.

It is more of an interest to me what pages you havve visited rather than where you are located.

Sending an anonymouse email

This appears something like this:

---

This was an experiment using the anonymouse.org services

From: Nomen Nescio 
Comments: This message did not originate from the Sender address above.
 It was remailed automatically by anonymizing remailer software.
 Please report problems or inappropriate use to the
 remailer administrator at abuse@dizum.com.
To: unspecified@tempusfugit.ca
Subject: An Anonymous test
Message-ID: <6d712bd827e8aa3b2ce7162665fbb82a@dizum.com>
Date: Mon, 28 May 2012 20:34:46 +0200 (CEST)

Just to see what is actually in the header of the email

Links: 

• Nomen Nescio on WikiP  
• Being Anonymous in the days of the Social Web 

Turbo Tax 2011 Canada - Bonus Software

Not only is Turbo Tax Standard overkill (w.r.t. Turbo Tax Basic - half the price) the bonus software is likely to be useless.

TurboTax 2010 shown - 2011 is similar

How come that Futureshop and BestBuy (Canada) do not appear to stock the Basic package?

Although I think that the product is òver-sold`  Ì do not consider it to be a `scam

Links:

• Home page of this blog
• My definition of a scam

SOPA - Stop On-line Piracy Act

sopa.htm

TurboTax Basic 2011 (Canada)

Turbo Tax Basic is NOT just for "simple taxes" - all the forms that are part of the T1 General return are included in the software.

The package says "(T4s & donations)" - this implies that you cannot enter such things as business income and deductions, Flow-Through (T5013A slips), RSP contributions and Foreign Tax deductions.

I have used the "basic" package for a number of years and I have filed what I would consider "complex" returns with all of the above entries.

The only thing that is missing from the "basic" package is the stupid "interview" data entry method and some of the support video instructions. So if you know what you are doing don't bother with the Standard and above versions. Even if you run a business you don't need the more expensive packages. The only thing you might need another package for is if you are incorporated and you need to file a T2. In this case the T1 TurboTax software would be no good - even if you do file a T2 you will also need to file a T1 on your personal taxes (from the income you are taking from your business)

• no tax form t5013a on turbo tax - 9 April 2012 - Yes there are - I have used QuickTax/TurboTax to file returns with "Flow-Through" investment deductions and other investments that trigger the issuance of a T5013  (not T5013A)  for a number of years.

xraider seocopysoftware.com

Xraider SEOcopysofware is an example of the nonsense that those that think that they have a way of fooling Google:

Xraider is NOT a way to "Ethically Steal Top Google Rankings". If you exchange links with this organization then Google will know and penalize your ranking. 

Links:

• "Reverse Google Pagerank Algorithm"  - What does this mean?
• Search Engine Optimization pages
• Xraider SEOCopy Software is marketed through spamming blogs
• Link Exchange Scams
• Three-way Links 
• Twinlinks 
• Social comment on The Technology Muse - comment on a wide range of topics related to Social Networking

The issue of IP rights - 2012

With the debate on SOPA and PIPA and the reactions from WikiP, Google and others - the issue of where we stand with respect to copyright enforcement is one that is going to be with us for a while.

It is very unlikely that you are going to find this page, but that does not mean that I do not feel compelled to write it.

I have studied the DMCA and the ACTA in the past and also the responses that countries such as Canada, the UK and Europe have made to these US initiatives. The role that the media industry plays in all this and their attempts to control what they see as "piracy"

Using the Playbook for Google Analytics

Not as good as a 10" tablet but at least it runs Flash It is strange that Google persist with Adobe - I guess that HTML5 is not up to the task yet?

Murdoch, SOPA and PIPA

Has no-one else seen the irony here?

The state of Google in 2012

cutts_2012.html

The 2 free games that came with the Playbook 2.0 O/S

Modern Combat 2.

The Google Panda update

An update to the Google Search Alogrithm - Spring 2012

• Google Penguin Update: Don’t Forget About Duplicate Content - A classic quality guideline Chris Crum, webpronews.com, 5 May 2012
• The Penguin Update

This has nothing to do with Panda A-V

Glimpse - News aggregator for the Playbook

• Tablet Discussion on The Technology Muse

Glimpse is similar to Zite for the iPad  

In someways I prefer Glimpse for its simplicity. There are fewer things displayed at once and therefore it is not as overwhelming.

I also have used the aggregator application that came with my Acer Aspire AO722-0465, (name goes here). Again, there is a lot more information displayed and I find that a lot of it is too old and I also find that I end up reading the same article over again not realizing that it is a week old.

Documents to go for the Playbook

• Tablet Discussion on The Technology Muse
• Office apps on the Playbook
• Playbook O/S 2.0

Playbook O/S 2.0

I was pleasantly  surprised with the things that RIM had added.

• Tablet Discussion on The Technology Muse
• Using a tablet for business
• Using a tablet for web development/analysis

My definition of a Scam

Please follow the links in the examples below.

• or are they just a Business Opportunity?

I have posted many times on my website about this.I am using the term "scam" in an emotive manner. I know that Internet users will search for whatever they are interested in and add the word "scam" to it so they can see what others are claiming.

In the past I have managed to upset a few of the people that I have accused of scamming. That was my intention.

It became clear that this was not understood when I tried to interpret and answer some of the comments on my blog and communications with me to this website.

 In a lot of cases the "scam" translates into a dubious marketing technique. Something that the Internet is rife with!

Some examples from my website:

• The Groupon Scam - some think this scheme is just fine - I don't
• The sidereel scam  - offering TV programs for download (for example) when they are not available
• Dropdowndeals - this was more of an observation the data was being collected from multiple sources unbeknownst to the visitor.
• eHow and other "Content Farms"
• TorrentPrivacy and BTGuard Scams - mainly the marketing of these services by 3rd parties rather that the services themselves (although some may think they are scams in their own right)
• I am not sure if calling a dubious business practice a scam is slander   - OneWorldSafeDisk
• Torrent Review dot com  and Patrick Peyre
• eHow and other Internet abuse websites using "Blackhat" SEO
• Number1OnGoogle - watch the BBC from outside the UK for the price of a pint.
• Is Echo Dream Venture a scam? 
• Surestreamer 
• The LimeWire Scam

Using the Playbook for Google Analytics

Web site administration

The playbook proved to be impracticable for the purposes of running Google Analytics.  This was mainly due to the deficiencies in the Browser navigation and the smallness of the screen. These two features made navigation around the Analytics screen pretty laborious.

It was very difficult to use the date selection device in Analytics as the date numbers were too small and when the screen was expanded the AJAX element would close before a date could be selected, the screen then needed to be zoomed out so that the date selection element could be opened again. Also the selection of the menu options, such as "Pages" from the "Content" section were also "hit and miss" (to be fair the same was found with the Asus Prime - the iPad was not usable due to the lack of Flash)

• All about tablets on The Technology Muse

Tablet Discussion

The iPad vs Android - and even the Blackberry Playbook

• My thoughts on the Windows 8 Metro Interface 
• ARM processors - WOA - Windows on ARM
• Using a tablet for business
• Using a tablet for website admin. 
• ARM Cortex A9 SOC vs. Atom (nVidia ION) Friday, January 29, 2010
• Have Microsoft missed the boat with tablets?
• The Blackberry Playbook
• Waiting for Jelly Bean - Android 5.0
• Using Splashtop Remote Desktop with a Tablet 
• Running Microsoft Office on a Tablet
• Android Inconsistencies
• Asus Transformer Prime Review 

I have owned the original iPad, a New iPad (iPad 3), a Blackberry Playbook and a selection of Asus Android Tablets, including the Transformer Prime TF 201

External Links:

• The tablet revolution is coming: Working anywhere without compromise - James Kendrick ZDNet May 17, 2012

Sir Timothy John "Tim" Berners-Lee

The inventor of the World Wide Web

It is amazing how little and how much has changed over the last 31 years. When Tim Berners-Lee was tinkering with the WWW at CERN in 1991 he configured what could have been the first webserver. 30 years later I have something not too different in the basement of my house.

DRM and circumvention

The circumvention of DRM systems. A wide range of issues from the backup of digital media to the access of material from outside specific geographic locations.

• The use DVD43 in a 64 bit environment. - Copying DVDs and Blu-Ray
• Vidalia Tor and Geo-location restrictions
• The main page for Vidalia Tor on The Technology Muse - GeoIP circumvention in general
• Will Vidalia Block Copyright enforcement companies?
• The Torrenting and P2P debate 
• Using Vidalia Tor to access BBC iPlayer from outside the UK

DRM - Digital Rights management (Restriction) is the general term given to the techniques used to restrict the copying and access to digital media in situations where the rights holder does not want you to.

Playbook native email

I guess this is Blackberry's first attempt at bringing native email to the PB, however, I thought seeing as they have much experience on the BB phone it would be a little better.

You do get the option to access ANY email account (presumably on a POP server). In my case I tried it on my GMail account as  that is my main email. This was probably not fair as the web-based email (including as it turns out, the GMail App) work reasonably well.

Actually, I setup my GMail account the wrong way on the Playbook. Maybe it was in my haste or the fact that I though I knew better, but I didn't bother checking out the "Advanced" settings. If I had done I would have seen that there was a specific setting for GMail accounts.

 

Determining who you are from your IP address

With the proposed changes to the IP addressing scheme used for Internet routing it will theoretically be possible to identify individual communications devices even if they are located behind a firewall or a NAT (Network Address Translator). This is accomplished using a process called "tunneling". The term "tunneling" is used here in a very generic manner as "Tunneling Protocols" can take on many forms and are beyond  the scope of this page.

The main discussion that you here when IPv6 is discussed is with regard to the fact that IPv4 addresses are going to run out and whether particular networking equipment and services are IPv6 ready. This is a minor issue in this debate.

The implications of this increased address-ability is that if you are participating  in an activity that you do not want traced an interested party may be able to pin-point your location. At the present time, under IPv4 addressing, your IP address will only revealed to the outside world as the one assigned to your modem or gateway by your ISP. Devices located behind a router or Network Address Translator cannot be identified unless there is some other interim process at play.

An Internet user can be connected to that server from anywhere in the world using numerous IP obscuring techniques. But, if IPv6 is used, the routing to your individual device can be determined irrespective if what proxy you are connecting through.

If you run the ipconfig command on a Windows 7 computer you get a listing of the Windows IP Configuration. At the present time it is not known whether the information so generated is visible, or is possible to be so, to the outside world. Or the Tunnel Adapter at the ISP. The listing that I get when connected at home reveals not only the local IP address assigned by my router by DHCP but also the Link-Local IPv6 address.

Operating Systems

• Windows
• Linux
• OSX

--------------------------------------------

Enabling Virtualization in Windows.

• The difference between Intel's vt-x and vt-d 
• Installing Windows on an Apple computer (as an alternative - not using Boot Camp)
• Installing Windows 7 on a Mac Book Air using Boot Camp
• The boot environment for the Mac - EFI or BIOS

Anti Virus

My findings with various A-V products.

• Microsoft Security Essentials - this is what I now use.
• Eset NOD32 - this is what I used before AVG Free
• Bitdefender - by all accounts a P.O.S. piece of software
• AVG and AVG Free - this is what I used when I finally gave up with Norton
• Norton (Symantec) - Was used as it was a free install with Tax software
• Norman
• Panda 
• Trend Micro - seems to be popular, but I have never used
• McAfee (formerly known as Network Associates) - I have tried this from time to time and I have not been impressed. Often comes pre-installed on new systems - is normally un-installed the first thing I do with a new computer
• -----------
• Systems page on The Technology Muse
• Anti-Virus Comparative report

In addition to my evaluations of these various products there are other pages on this blog that refer to other analysis of offerings from other companies.

In my opinion the importance of the value of A-V products is rather "over-blown". It would appear that there is much FUD spread by both the vendors of the software solutions and those that review them. I see this as a business to itself and is just a business opportunity.

I have used many A-V solutions over the years and I am currently using Microsoft's own solution. I am also of  the opinion that security should be part of an operating system and there should be no need for a 3rd party solution.

Linux on the Technology Muse

My experiences with different distributions of Linux.

• First Impression on Ocelot 
• Samba shares
• Ubuntu
• LAMP Server 
• PHP on Ubuntu

I have a lot more information on Linux that was on my website, www.tempusfugit.ca. I am in the process of migrating it to this blog.

Due to some actions taken by an insignificant 3rd party, who was of the opinion that my website only existed to "out" him and his company's antics, I had to shut the server down.

The configuration of of the webserver along with that of a LAMP and other Linux specifics were all on the website and they will eventually be here as well. The website may re-launch sometime in the future. In the meantime I am finding that I can do pretty much what I want to do with a Blogger blog. 

I still have some computers that are configured with Ubuntu Linux and I have the ability to host a webserver. If you require assistance with a venture such as this I am available for consultation.

Comet and Microsoft suit

I think this is hillarious.

Is UK retail giant Comet really a Windows pirate?

I don't really need to comment further. Does anyone who knows how to make copies of Windows and clean installs (activating multiple copies of Windows) really care? Backup DVDs for retailed computers are more than useless due to all the "crap-ware" that is installed along with the operating system.

Windows pages on the Technology Muse

The start page for various topics related to Microsoft Windows.

• Activation techniques
• Using the Windows Scheduler to monitor and disable WAT
• The Daz Loader and a comparison the RemoveWAT

There are many other operating systems and techniques discussed on this website.

Google Blogger

This is a start page for my notes on Google Blogger.

Google have made significant changes to the Blogger interface circa 2012. Initially I was a little disappointed in the format of the "blog format" in that posts had to be in a chronological manner. Not only is this no longer the case as you can have "stand-alone" pages, you can also add pages and date them in the past (along with other related topics) and they the don't appear to be the thing that is currently on your mind.

You can also make links between then chronological pages (like in the mini-menu at the top of this post) and therefore have a navigation similar to a regular website format. Having had to reconsider my website I started re-looking at the Blogger offering and so far I like what I see. I see that I could probably move away from Microsoft Windows and use Apple OSX or even Linux. Having also rebuilt one of my Linux boxes I have found that I can update this (and my new tempusfugit blog/website) from there.
I also played around a little with some tablets to see it that would be a suitable platform for website administration. While that has fallen a bit by the wayside, I did look at the Blogger app for Android. The lack of keyboard is the biggest stumbling block and the netbook or possibly a Mac Book Air may be in my future.

Links:

• Social Networking Notes
• Facebook
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• When someone complains about what you have blogged
• Santa Clara county - the home of Google at Mountainview.

MakerBot

No I am not going to CES and I don't respond well to Blog Spam.

Twitter

Twitter notes

• Social Networking
• Facebook
• LinkedIn

I don't really "get" Twitter. I see that it is very popular but I cannot really see a use for it. I guess if I particularly interested in a particular person that Tweets I might be more interested. Likewise, I were interesting people might want to follow me.

Using Twitter for business

Having a Twitter feed when you are a business can be a valuable tool. You can get feedback directly from your customers and provide them and their followers with instant feedback. You can even feed them targeted ads in the form of t.co (or other short URLs).

The trouble is, if you screw-up, the world will know about it in quick time.

A prime example of this is ZoneEdit.

Profile Views

This is really a note to self.

Visits to the "View my complete profile" page are registered in spite of the fact that I have told Blogger to ignore visits from myself. As such I cannot visit this page too many  times as it will slew the results.

I keep a record of the number of visits on my website's source memory key.

Facebook

My thoughts on Facebook

I don't really "get" Facebook! I do have a Facebook account but it is under a pseudonym. I use the account to be able to log-on and see what other Facebook users have posted. 

I think Facebook is an invasion of privacy that I am unwilling to compromise my anonymity.

Links to other posts on Social Networking:

• Social Networking in general
• Twitter
• Google Blogger
• LinkedIn

Links to Facebook in particular:

•  The Facebook IPO
• What is the true value of Facebook
• Facebook Anonymity
• Facebook Social Plugin
• The Facebook Open Graph Protocol
• Saving Face on Facebook NetworkClean
• The Facebook "like" button
• Social backlash (against things such as the "Social Plugin"
• The New Sharing
• Using Facebook and You Tube for marketing
• Is Facebook feedback defamation - or honest criticism of poor customer service? Eileen Brown ZDNet April 3, 2012
• Using Facebook to Bully
• Campaign to boycott the "Like" and "+" buttons
• Facebook IPO: Will it be a success? Tell us what you think! Canada.com May 18, 2012. 10:59 am - 71% think that Facebook will crash just like Myspace, Friendster and all the others.

Social Networking

These are my observations on Social Networking and Social Media in general.

Whereas I realize that Social Media is extremely popular at the moment (2012), I remain to understand the true value of the phenomenon to the public at large. My assessment is that although Social Networking has become very much part of popular culture I think that it, like most fads, will eventually pass into just another "in" thing.

With the Facebook IPO it would seem that the general public, or at least the ones with the investment dollar, are expressing the notion that they are not so sure.

Some of the pages that I have featured:

• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Facebook's Open Graph - why "sharing" may fail
• Twitter
• Google Blogger
• BlogSpam 
• Why Web 2.0 is broken
• My definition of a scam  
• The New Sharing 
• Facebook Social Plugin  - a means that your personal details could be hijacked. 
• A backlash to Social Media.
• Using Social Media for Business and Marketing
• The Facebook "Like" button - what happens when you press it.
• Google Plus - The Google equivalent of the "Like" button.

Systems

Pages relating to the construction and configuration of computer systems.

• Home Page - www.tempusfugit.ca
• IPv6 and its impact on anonymity
• Operating Systems - a comparison and my experiences with them
• Backup and restore - What I recommend and do
• Anti-virus - A synopsis of available software
• .......
• SEO - How I use these techniques
• Downloading from File Sharing sites and Anti-P2P 
• Copyright Protection discussed on The Technology Muse
• The setup and administration of a privately hosted website.
• Virtualization - configuring the settings in BIOS or UEFI - Configuration and hardware requirements 
• Scams and other dubious businesses
• Tablet Discussion 

---------------------------------

April 2012
The pages on this Blog are being re-posted as my website had been threatened by a person that thought that I was engaging in a vendetta against him and his company. This was not the case, however, the hosting of a website has been superseded by the migration of the information to the Blogger format.

Content so posted on the Google platform will be far more difficult to have removed by idle threats.

Popular pages found by external searches:

• Unlocking Insyde H2O - Hidden menus etc.
• Windows activation broken by Windows Updates
• Copy Protection errors - DRM and circumvention
• Firefox and TorButton - the Vidalia Onion Tor Project
• get_iplayer - the use and development
• Pages relating to remaining anonymous while downloading.

Home page for www.tempusfugit.ca

Menu

This is the new main menu for pages that were previously on www.tempusfugit.ca:

• Systems and programming pages
• My commentary on Social Media and Social Networking
• Comments on general technical issues
• Contact TempusFugit

You can also search for tempusfugit.ca and you will find the actual website.