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<DIV></SPAN><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=newheadline>How to Recognize a Legend</SPAN>
<!--STOPINDEX--></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV><SPAN class=newkicker><FONT
face=Arial></FONT>
<DIV><BR></SPAN><SPAN class=textssecondarysummary><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2>Quickstudy by </FONT><A class=storylink
href="mailto:russkay@charter.net"><FONT face=Arial size=2>Russell
Kay</FONT></A><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2> <BR></FONT></SPAN><SPAN
class=newsummary><BR><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT
size=2><B>DEFINITION:</B> Tips on how to recognize an urban legend when it finds
its way into your e-mail box. <BR><IMG height=12
src="http://www.computerworld.com/computerworld/images/clear.gif" width=1
border=0><BR></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN><FONT face=Arial><FONT
color=#0000ff><FONT size=2><IMG height=6
src="http://www.computerworld.com/computerworld/images/clear.gif" width=6
border=0><BR><SPAN class=newbody>OCTOBER 14, 2002 <NOBR><A
href="http://www.computerworld.com/">(COMPUTERWORLD)</A> - </NOBR>So you get a
too-good-to-be-true story in your e-mail and pass it on to a friend, who shoots
back that it's an urban legend, not true, didn't happen, and how could you be so
stupid? Here's a checklist of suspicious points to consider before believing or
passing on a story. Any single one of these doesn<SPAN
class=157364601-04012006>'</SPAN>t mean much, but if several are present, check
it out.</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=newbody><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=newbody><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT size=2><FONT face=Arial>The
text wasn't actually written by the person who sent it to you.
</FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<UL>
<P><FONT color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></P></UL>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>The e-mail says to "forward this to
everyone you know." </FONT></DIV>
<P></P>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>It states, "This is not a hoax" or
"This is not an urban legend." </FONT></DIV>
<P></P>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT size=2>It makes frequent use of
UPPERCASE LETTERS and multiple exclamation
points!!!!!!!</FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<P></P>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>The message seems geared more to
persuade than to inform. </FONT></DIV>
<P></P>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>It purports to convey very important
information that you<SPAN class=157364601-04012006>'</SPAN>ve never heard before
or seen elsewhere. </FONT></DIV>
<P></P>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>There are logical inconsistencies,
violations of common sense and obviously false claims. </FONT></DIV>
<P></P>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>There are no references to outside
sources or links to Web sites with corroborating information. </FONT></DIV>
<P></P>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>It's a chain letter. </FONT></DIV>
<P></P>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>There are subtle or not-so-subtle
clues that the author is deliberately pulling your leg.</FONT></DIV>
<P><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>Finally, two important points: First,
check to see if the message has been debunked by one of the many Web sites that
cover Internet hoaxes<SPAN class=157364601-04012006>.</SPAN> Second, be
especially wary of health-related rumors, and never, ever act on one without
first verifying its accuracy with your doctor. </FONT></P></SPAN></SPAN>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B>
aprssig-bounces@lists.tapr.org [mailto:aprssig-bounces@lists.tapr.org]<B>On
Behalf Of </B>Stephen H. Smith<BR><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, January 03, 2006 3:24
PM<BR><B>To:</B> TAPR APRS Mailing List<BR><B>Subject:</B> [aprssig] WARNING
If you are using Streets&Trips 2006 or Autoroute 2006 READ
THIS<BR><BR></FONT></DIV><FONT face=Arial>Many APRS users use Microsoft
Streets & Trips (or it's Euro equivalent AutoRoute), either standalone,
with APRS applications like UIview, or as a source of static maps for other
APRS applications. Before installing or using the 2006 version of
these programs, note the following.............<BR><BR>====== SPYWARE
WARNING FOR STREETS 2006 !!! (=======<BR><BR>Also applies to AutoRoute
2006 (the Euro version of Streets)<BR><BR>Microsoft is using tactics
virtually identical to spyware pushers in Streets 2006. When
you first insert the CD to install the program, an undisclosed undocumented
program is stealth loaded onto your hard disk, even before the first screen of
the install dialog appears. <BR><BR>This program,
Microsoft Location Finder, utilizes Internet connections,
either hardwired or WiFi, to attempt to determine your current location and
reports it back to Microsoft. The application attempts to triangulate
your location by monitoring what WiFi hotspots your PC can currently
hear. If there is no WiFi present in the PC, it attempts a whois on the
IP address your wired connection is currently using. The secret placing of
this invasive privacy-invading application on millions of PCs is part of
Microsoft's future plan for "Location Based Services" which means popping up
banner ads when MS detects that you are within a block or so of a particular
business. The unwitting installation of this program places
a 64 MEGABYTE ( !! ) password-protected database of the known locations of
hundreds of thousands of public WiFi hotspots in airports, cafes, Starbucks,
etc on your hard disk. (You can see it in the directory \Program
Files\Microsoft Location Finder). Further,
you are recruited as an unwitting accomplice in updating this database.
Every time your GPS and WiFi equipped laptop passes within range of a new
hotspot, it's coordinates are reported back to MS via your current Internet
connection. <BR><BR>The first indication of the installation of this
piece of unwanted crapware is the appearance of an icon of a curved green
arrow pointing into a target in your Windows System Tray next to the
clock. The first time you run Streets, it produces a
message "We have detected a WiFi connection on this PC. Do you want us
to determine your current location on the map?". Whats wierd is
that this message appears even when there are NO network connections at all
active on the machine. <BR><BR>Even though the install is completely
undisclosed, an item IS placed in the Install/Remove programs applet in the
Windows control panel. The uninstall routine is a COMPLETE
SHAM! It removes the systray icon, an .EXE file, and a
couple of documents from the Location Finder directory but leaves 4 DLLs
(program modules) and the 64MB database. <BR><BR>Thinking perhaps it was
just a sloppy uninstaller, I erased the remaining files (especially the
space-wasting database) by hand. <BR>Starting Streets afterwards
generated several error messages that "program files were damaged or missing"
and requested that the install CD be placed in the drive so that this thing
could be re-installed!!! In other words, even after the supposed
uninstall, Streets is calling components of Location Finder. <BR><BR><BR>After
many hours of experimentation, I discovered there is a way to kill this
obnoxious crapware.
<BR><BR> WARNING! This
requires editing the Windows Registry
database.<BR> One errant keystroke
here can totally trash your Windows
system.<BR> Back up the registry
first! <BR><BR>1) Before initially installing Streets & Trips
2006 (or the Euro equivalent AutoRoute), make sure you have NO network
connections of any kind live. Unplug any ethernet cable and ensure that
your WiFi transceiver is turned off. <BR><BR>2) After the install,
immediately go to the Windows Control Panel "Add/Remove Programs" and
"uninstall" Microsoft Location Finder.<BR><BR>3) Locate the
directory "\Program Files\Microsoft Location Finder" and delete
it.<BR><BR>4) Click "Start, Run" and enter "regedit" (The Windows
Registry Editor). In Regedit, pull down "Edit, Find" and
search for "Microsoft Location Finder". Keep pressing F3 to find the
next occurrence of this phrase. Delete every item (registry "key") you find
with this string in it.<BR><BR>5) Exit the Registry editor and
reboot. Streets should now be able to startup without Location Finder
and without complaining. <BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>Stephen H.
Smith wa8lmf (at) aol.com <BR>EchoLink
Node: 14400 [Think bottom of
the 2M band]<BR>Home
Page: <A
class=moz-txt-link-freetext
href="http://wa8lmf.com">http://wa8lmf.com</A><BR><BR>"APRS 101"
Explanation of APRS Path Selection & Digipeating <BR> <A
class=moz-txt-link-freetext
href="http://webs.lanset.com/wa8lmf/DigiPaths">http://webs.lanset.com/wa8lmf/DigiPaths</A>
<BR><BR>Updated APRS Symbol Chart <BR> <A class=moz-txt-link-freetext
href="http://webs.lanset.com/wa8lmf/miscinfo/APRS_Symbol_Chart.pdf">http://webs.lanset.com/wa8lmf/miscinfo/APRS_Symbol_Chart.pdf</A>
<BR><BR><BR>New/Updated "Rev G" APRS <A
class=moz-txt-link-freetext
href="http://webs.lanset.com/wa8lmf/aprs">http://webs.lanset.com/wa8lmf/aprs</A><BR>Symbols
Set for UI-View, <BR>UIpoint and
APRSplus:<BR><BR><BR></BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></BODY></HTML>