News, info, and opinion by Mac users, for Mac users.

October 9, 2008

security

From Apple with love: The name’s Update. Security Update.

Posted Oct. 9, ’08, 2:24 PM PT by Dan Moren
Category | Security

007update.jpgYou ever feel, you know, not so secure? You could lock yourself in an underground bunker in an undisclosed location without any contact with the outside world, but let’s be honest: who wants to live in North Dakota?*

Instead, just make sure you get Apple’s regular Security Updates for a quantum of solace. Newest to the list is Security Update 2008-007, available in your choice of Leopard Client, Leopard Server, Intel Client, PPC Client, PPC Server, or Universal Server. This martini-swilling patch fixes issues in everything from Apache to Weblog, with fixes in the likes of Finder (where a malicious file on your desktop could apparently lead to a denial of service) and Quick Look (which isn’t too fond of threatening Excel files).

The size of the update varies depending on what flavor you need: the Leopard Client update’s a mere 31.4MB while the Universal Server update is a hefty 199MB. They’re available via Apple’s software download page or via Software Update. Just please, please, please refrain from shaking or stirring this update.

* My apologies to North Dakotan readers. Please substitute Canada in that joke.*
* My apologies to Canadian readers. Please substitute Alaska in that joke.*
* You know what, Alaskan readers? I’m standing by that one.


9 Comments

Inkling Author Profile Page said:

Quote: You know what, Alaskan readers? I’m standing by that one."

You've apparently not visited, much less lived in Alaska. I have. I lived there, helping run a shelter for the homeless one winter. It's by far our most interesting state.

Imagine a place where 1/6 of the adults have a pilot's license. That means knowing how to fly an actual plane, not piddling around with some computer simulation in your mommy's basement. In the summer, they install pontoon and fly off lakes. In the winter, they install skids and take off the ice and snow. Most depend on hunting and fishing to put food on the table. Imagine that!

If you live in California, you can't take a decent hike without running into crowds toting bottles with water imported from France and nibbling the latest almost inedible fad in organic food. The population density is 234 people/sq. mile, and vastly more in the Silicon Valley. In Alaska, it's 1.2 people per square mile. That's means there's lots of room for moose and other huntable creatures. Ever eaten moose you've shot and gutted yourself? Probably not. Lots of room for the fishes too. Good eating all around.

The Alaskan people are also the most interesting I've met, particularly the Eskimos. If I were to be placed on a deserted island and could only name one characteristic of the person I'd be there with, I'd take an Eskimo over anyone else. If were stranded there with some of my more politicized neighbors, I'd immediately swim for the mainland, no matter how far.

You know what has you so jealous of Alaska? I suspect it's the truth that lies behind the Alaskan saying that, "In Alaska the men are men and the women are glad of it." And I suspect you live where a DNA test is the only reliable way to tell males from females.

You brought up Alaska, I didn't. I'm merely setting the record straight.

--Mike Perry, Seattle


October 10, 2008 1:11 PM
Dan Moren Author Profile Page said:

Clearly I should have flipped Alaska and North Dakota in those jokes. I mean, seriously, not a single comment from somebody in North Dakota; clearly they've learned to roll with it.

For what it's worth, I really wanted to do my 4th grade state report on Alaska, but I ended up with Oklahoma. So it must just be that I'm still bitter over that. That damnable state envy's got me down.

October 10, 2008 2:19 PM
Wondercow Author Profile Page said:

I propose that we take up a collection to get Inkling a sense of humour.

October 10, 2008 8:25 PM
RS said:

Mike Perry: Relax man... it was joke. Im guessing you had a bad day at work!

Dan: Ever since the last Intel update, my network preferences have gone haywire. I have the 2.33GHz Intel MacBook Pro, running OSX Tiger(10.4.11), with all latest security updates installed, including this one. Also, discussed here: http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1715241&tstart=0
Now, my airport keeps disconnecting from the network at startup, keeps disconnecting every now and then, and does not connect automatically during startup. And every time I open Networks it says "Your network settings have been changed by another application". Dan, ur the only mac genius i know(I live in India), so please tell me if you know anything about this. Thanks.
PS-I love the way all of you here at MacUser write, its the humour interlaced with the content that keeps me coming back, so keep writing the way you do!

October 10, 2008 11:57 PM
Jonathon E. Hepburn, Ph.D. said:

I'll kick in 5 bucks. Really, lighten up, it was funny. I live in Montana and we do that to North Dakota all the time.

October 11, 2008 7:47 AM
xyz said:

I feel sorry for whoever had the time to write six pages in response to a snide political comment.

October 11, 2008 9:54 PM
Dan Moren Author Profile Page said:

@RS: Sorry, afraid I don't have a solution for you. Sounds like it might be time for the usual slew of troubleshooting solutions: clean out the caches, repair permissions, repair the disk, and, if all else fails, try reinstalling 10.4.11 (I often recommend updating with the combo installer instead of via Software Update). I still have problems with my Wi-Fi connection on my MacBook in 10.5.5 when running off battery power, frankly, so I'm not sure how much of an improvement it is. Good luck!

October 13, 2008 8:45 AM
alaskacaptain Author Profile Page said:

Dan - Love your humor. Sorry you won't be at the big event tomorrow.

I recently moved back to California after living in Alaska for 24 years and raising my family there. I am afraid that I really miss Alaska. So poke fun at Alaskans if you must, but make sure you visit there someday. (If you haven't already.)

I fell in love with Macs in Alaska so it can't be all that bad. Didn't Macworld do a Mac-centric cruise to Alaska? Maybe you were on that one.

I've been to North Dakota as well. Can't say I ever wanted to go back, but I'm sure many people love that state just as much as we love our Macs and I love Alaska.

I ran a fishing guide business in Sitka for 14 years and was the first lodge in Sitka to take advantage of the internet (1994) thanks to my Quadra 660 AV. Now my iPhone is more powerful.


October 13, 2008 4:00 PM
Dan Moren Author Profile Page said:

@alaskacaptain In all seriousness, Alaska is on my list of places I'd love to visit; it looks gorgeous, and I really did want to do my fourth grade state project on it. ;) Plus, I need to round out my state visits (I think I'm close to 40 at present, and sadly, yes, North Dakota is on the list of ones I still need to hit. Man, I'm a bad person!).

October 13, 2008 4:29 PM

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