Dennis Faas

Malware (a portmanteau of "malicious software") is any software program developed for the purpose of causing harm to a computer system, similar to a virus or Trojan horse. Malware can be classified based on how it is executed, how it spreads, and/or ... what it does. The classification is not perfect, however, in the sense that the groups often overlap and the difference is not always obvious, giving rise to frequent flame wars. Overuse of the term 'Virus' Because viruses were historically the first to appear, the term "virus" is often applied, especially in the popular media, to all sorts of ... (view more)

A kill switch (also called an e-stop) is a security measure used to shut off a device (usually in an emergency situation) in which it cannot be shut down in the usual manner. Unlike a normal shut down which shuts down all systems naturally in a ... progressive manner, a kill switch is designed to completely abort the operation at all costs. Often, kill switches are used to protect people from sustaining an injury or being killed, in which case damaging the machine may be considered to be acceptable. Physical World Applications Treadmills often use a safety key (essentially a kill switch) that the ... (view more)

Infopackets reader 'NCombs' writes: " Dear Dennis, I have Windows XP. Do I need to download Service Pack 3? " My response: Yes, you should download Windows XP Service Pack 3 and install it immediately as it contains cumulative / major updates to the ... operating system. Without updating your PC on a regular basis -- whether it's a service pack or a hot fix, your PC is vulnerable to exploits (hackers, worms, Trojans, botnet, spamming, etc). In fact, Service Pack 3 includes a patch for Conficker worm that we've been talking about. Microsoft Recommends Backing Up Service Packs are a major update to ... (view more)

A Service Pack (SP) is a collection of updates, fixes and/or enhancements to a software program delivered in the form of a single installable package. Many companies (such as Microsoft) typically release a service pack when the number of individual ... patches to a given program reaches a certain (arbitrary) limit. Installing a service pack is easier and less error-prone than installing a high number of patches individually, even more so when updating multiple computers over a network. Service packs are usually numbered, and thus shortly referred to as SP1, SP2, SP3 etc. They may also bring, ... (view more)

Description Ricochet around the Galaxy in this dynamically brilliant breakout action game! Trek across 216 awesome levels, with thousands more online, earning new ranks in the Galactic Tournament, by yourself or with a friend. Play the re-energized ... Ring Game, winning new balls and ships with unique specialties to give you the edge! Control your ball with the wildly innovative Recall feature...once you've tried it, you can't go back! Travel to the stars and beyond in your glorious quest to become the Ringmaster Grand Champion! Key Features Over 210 Action-Packed Levels, With 1000's More Online ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader R. Thomas writes: " Dear Dennis, I forgot my user password (with administrator access rights). I tried booting into safe mode, hoping that it would login me in as the 'Admin' user, but I forgot the admin user password, too! How ... can I get past this? " My response: There are a number of ways to get past this. In fact, you can use a hidden Administrator account in Windows XP to reset your main user password. In this article, I'll explain how you can login as the administrator in Windows XP using Safe Mode. If that doesn't work, I've linked to another article ... (view more)

Description Legend says that if one obtains all 10 Talismans, he will gain Wisdom and Power, and Fortune shall be bestowed upon him forever! Embark now on an amazing journey through beautiful locations of the Ancient East in your own quest for the ... 10 Talismans! Match three of the magical objects and sacred relics to clear the enchanted tiles and unlock the power of the Talismans. Create bonuses by matching 4 or more objects and watch them come to life! The path to discovery is waiting! Key Features A Magical Match-3! Relaxing Backgrounds And Settings Many Sacred Relics To Discover Collect ... (view more)

Cloud computing or cloud services is a style of computing in which dynamically scalable and often virtualized resources are provided as a service over the Internet. Examples of cloud computing include Google Apps which provide common business ... applications online that are accessed from a web browser, while the software and data are stored on the servers. The term cloud is used as a metaphor for the Internet, based on how the Internet is depicted in computer network diagrams, and is an abstraction for the complex infrastructure it conceals. Users need not have knowledge of, expertise in, or ... (view more)

Description Ricochet is an award winning breakout style game featuring state of the art graphics, sound, and lots of new twists on the old classic. It's a winning combination that your WHOLE family will enjoy. As one person wrote us: "My family is ... thrilled with Ricochet, we have all played it enthusiastically for months!" Key Features 170 Exciting Levels! 4 Unique Environments! 15 Awesome Power-Ups! 13 Specialty Bricks! Requirements OS: Windows 9x/Me, 2000/NT, XP, Vista Processor: Pentium II 266 Memory: 32 MB Microsoft DirectX (free): Version 2.0 [ Download ~ 7.23 MB | Buy Now @ $19.99 -- ... (view more)

Embark on a journey with a group of adventurous villagers in their quest to populate a new part of the mysterious island of Isola! Land on the hidden shores of the northern side of the island and explore what was once a secret city. Find new sources ... of food to nourish your villagers and help them rebuild the remains of this long lost city. Who lived here before? Where have they gone? What is the secret of Isola? Lead your tribe to the answers in Virtual Villagers: The Secret City! [ Free Trial Download ~ 44.31MB | Buy Now ~ $9.99 ] >> More Free Games Screenshots Click any thumbnail to ... (view more)