Advanced Twitter 101.1 (not an FM radio station.)

In follow-up to my previous basic Twitter instructional posting, I have added a few things for you, now that you’re ready… Grasshopper.

1. Sometimes you will notice that I put the @username in the middle of my Tweet instead of at the beginning, so it doesn’t show up in their replies. I’m not doing this to be mean or confusing. I do it that way so every one of my followers sees the Tweet. It is somewhat practical when replying to people who have less that 200 or so followers. I know they will see it, but so will many others, and “@username” may get some attention from it.

2. Don’t anger the power hungry moderators of Leo Laporte’s chat room by asking Leo if he is on @Very Green Team, or they will kick you out without warning and then deny they ever did it. This item has nothing to do with Twitter. I just added it to amuse myself.

3. Leo’s listener @TooHip did a great job following the instructions in my Basic Twitter Manual, as evidenced by the hysterical photo below.

That’s all for this moment.

-gj (acomputerpro)

Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) ???

Updated at 9:54 PM PDT | 3/19/08 - Additional Below 

Wow, there was a lot of excitement in the room, and of course the room is Twitter. Microsoft finally made SP1 for Vista (aka: Windows Vista Service Pack 1) available on 3/18/08 - although they dated the files 3/17/08 on the Microsoft Download site. Don’t ever question Microsoft logic. Perhaps they forgot to set their calendar ahead for Daylight Savings Time?

New Information as of 1:52 PM PDT: …with thanks to my super cool Twitter friend @NickStarr, I have added the important all inclusive download link: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/Browse.aspx?DisplayLang=en&nr=20&productId=38DF6AB1-13D4-409C-966D-CBE61F040027&sortCriteria=date

The above link gives a chronological listing of the Vista related Service Packs, release notes and additional downloads necessary to prepare your Vista OS for accepting future Windows Updates.

Most of you will want the 32-bit version. That’s the normal one for mom, dad and the kids. The 64-bit version of Windows Vista is for those who boldly go, where no man has gone before. (Cue StarTrek Theme Music.)

Some important notes: Vista SP1 will break stuff and fix stuff. Read all the notes first before running the service pack. My Twitter pal @mickduc adds “SP1 install fails if sfc /scannow fails. Make sure it is clean.” I say, take a nice warm bath and scrub your lower bits and upper bytes too.

My other Twitter buddy @Lolagrrl tweets, @acomputerpro I’m afraid! So much stuff is broken on my compuker already! Will SP1 actually help?! I scared! Hold me!!

Note: I will hold any of my female Twitterbuds at any time. That is written into my consulting agreement. Male Twitterpals, you’re on your own. Sure… call me a sexist, but I favor the ladies.

3/19/08 Late Night Update - Some of us (LIKE ME) can’t install SP1 into their Vista! Presenting Microsoft’s Top 8 Reason’s Service Pack 1 is not available for your Vista: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=948343

I love Reason #1: You can’t download and install Vista SP1 because you are already running Vista SP1. Hey Micro$oft… thanks for assuming we’re stupid.

So, in recapitulation… here is my instruction set:

1. Install Vista if it’s not already on your computer (and if you want it on your computer.) The service pack won’t work if you don’t have Vista installed, because it’s a Vista Service Pack… DUH!

2. Read all the readme.txt files and notes. Follow all the instructions. Run the built in Windows System File Checker [sfc /scannow] from a command line. Look it up if you don’t understand what that means. I’m not here to baby you. You’re running Vista you know!

3. I have no idea what to do at this point.

Happy updating…

 -gj (a computer pro)

P.S. Follow me on Twitter if you aren’t already. www.twitter.com/acomputerpro

Warning: MySpace Virus Attack

I love getting new MySpace friends (NOT!) Today I got an email notifying me of a new friend request from Kempfy. Now keep in mind… my normal friend requests come mostly from porn girls trying to entice me to visit their websites. From her photo, Kempfy didn’t appear to be one of “those girls.” That is why I thought it might be a legitimate friend request, from perhaps one of my many thousands of Twitterbuds. Fine then… one of my 1,400+ Twitterbuds.

 

Above is a thumbnail of Kempfy’s MySpace page. (It is safe to click on! You will see a larger image. It’s a .jpg picture… that’s all.) It appears that a Windows Automatic Updates dialog box pops up, telling me to download the latest Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool. Well, maybe not “the latest” (clue #1.) Then I thought, that’s a bit odd. Why would Windows Update pop up here? That’s not how it’s supposed to work (clue #2!)

So I got brave and did a test. After all, I do have Windows Vista UAC (user account control) turned on to help protect my computer from malicious software attacks. I tried clicking on the link.

 

The above is a thumbnail ‘picture of what happens,’ if you click on the link.  (You can click on the thumbnail to see a larger image. Don’t worry. It’s safe. It too is an inert .jpg picture image.) I’m assuming that anything downloaded from windowupdate.microsofzsupport5.cn is a virus!

As a matter of fact, Kempfy’s whole MySpace page is a download link to the virus file, no matter where you click.  Oh my!

Bottom line, trust no-one! (Except for A Computer Pro - That’s me)

-gj

P.S. If you’re not following me on Twitter, you should be! *wink*