Previous month: June 2004
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Engaging

I've been thinking about buying a N-Gage QD. It wouldn't be too expensive, because looks like my current phone is worth about 100 euros on the second-hand market. While N-Gage is far less convincing as a game device than, say, GameBoy Advance, it has other qualities. It's architecture is open and there's lots of free software available. That free software includes a C-64 emulator! Just imagine: a cell phone that is loaded with good old classic games.

It would be just the thing for me. I often find myself in situations where I need to spend 10 or 15 minutes of time, especially at the university. Playing Bubble Bobble or whatever would be nice. Carrying three different devices (cell phone, MP3 player, GameBoy) with me could get annoying, but I do always have my cell phone around. I think that's a major upside for N-Gage, that presence.

8.08.2004 klo 09:50 | Comments 2 comment(s) | TrackBack (0)

What to do to virus e-mail

I've been in the receiving end of rather heavy loads of virus e-mails. I've received dozens of messages each day from two or three senders. It's a huge annoyance, but fortunately something that can be dealt with. Here's how:


Check the full headers of the virus e-mail. Look for the Received:-lines. Follow the chain and find where the message came from. Here's an example:

Received: from mail.melankolia.net ([XX.XX.XXX.XXX]) by shadow.nebula.fi (8.11.6/8.11.6) with SMTP id i74Ba7D28962 for <tefomed@melankolia.net>; Wed, 4 Aug 2004 14:36:07 +0300

This was the only one in the message, so the message came straight from the virus-infested computer to me. shadow.nebula.fi is my Internet home. mail.melankolia.net is also my address, but that's fake. The correct source is the IP (which I've replaced with X's to protect the innocent). Feed the IP to RIPE Whois Database to get a domain name.

Then just send a copy of a virus mail (without any attachments, but with full headers) to abuse at whatever the domain is. That should do the trick, in most cases.


Here's another example:

Received: from mail.melankolia.net (dsl-olugw3p44.dial.XXXX.fi [XX.XXX.XXX.XX]) by shadow.nebula.fi (8.11.6/8.11.6) with SMTP id i744mCD24543

for <weni@melankolia.net>; Wed, 4 Aug 2004 07:48:13 +0300

This time the plain-text part tells us all we need to know. It's a dsl line for XXXX ISP. RIPE would confirm. Ripe will also tell that correct abuse e-mail is abuse@XXXX.fi.

These two were the worst offenders - I would get something like 40-50 emails a day from both on most days. I complained about both and that's it, no more virus mail anymore.

6.08.2004 klo 13:12 | Be the first to comment | TrackBack (0)

Interview

An interview of yours truly is posted on Spotlight on Games! web site. It's currently on the front page, but here's a direct link, too: Mikko Saari Plays Board Games in Tampere, Finland.


It's mostly about board gaming in Finland, but we touch other issues like sauna and Kalevala. It should be interesting reading for board gamers, at least it was very interesting to do.

2.08.2004 klo 15:16 | Be the first to comment | TrackBack (0)

Peace and quiet

Except in my life. Well, we're mostly excited about the wedding, which is coming closer all the time. Just three weeks and five days now! Fortunately everything's coming together very smoothly, we've had no bigger problems. One thing is sure, however - I'm most satisfied man when the festivities are done with and we're married and I don't have to worry about organizing the party. I don't envy wedding planners, that's a job I know I wouldn't enjoy.

2.08.2004 klo 10:23 | Be the first to comment | TrackBack (0)