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Miscellaneous Questions

This is just a grab-bag of stuff that doesn't fit anywhere else.

Q: When I boot my computer, it comes up with these scare ads telling me I'm going to go to jail if I don't buy Evidence Eliminator. How do I get rid of these scare ads?
A: Either they have reset your home page (you can use preferences in your browser to get your home page back), or something you installed on your system installed some "spyware" that causes these ads. The following directions were posted on the USENET for getting rid of that spyware:
1. GOTO Start (menu) ,
2. Select RUN
3. In the box, enter " msconfig " without quotes.
4. when that runs goto STARTUP and untick the boxes on the items you don't want to start.
5. reboot and you should be OK.
*NEW* Also see the Virus page -- EE affiliates are spreading a browser hijack virus. Helpful people on the Internet have given additional instructions on how to remove that virus.
Q: How do I file a complaint about Robin Hood Software?
A: If you want to file a legal complaint, I have published complete contact information for the company and its officers. To file a deceptive advertising complaint with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, go to the FTC's online fraud complaint form. To complain to their ISP, UUNET-UK, about spam for this company and its products or about illegally deceptive advertising that violates the Acceptable Use Policy of UUNET (which prohibits using their service for illegal activities), send EMAIL to UUNET-UK's abuse address.
Q:Why pick on Robin Hood Software, when there's so many other disreputable people out there?
A: Unfortunately, Robin Hood Software decided to use my name as part of their campaign of scandal-mongering. As a Linux driver writer and a Linux software author with three commercial products and at least six Open Source products under my belt, I do not regularly run Windows, don't care about Windows software, and don't particularly care about Windows users, but I am not going to let someone use my good name to sell their bloated spamware. I'd be a happy man if these spammers would quit using me as part of their demented paranoid scandal-mongering campaign, because then this site would be one less project for me to maintain (go to badtux.org and you'll see I already have too much on my plate).
Q:What do you do for a living?
A: I'm a software engineer who specializes in Linux. I make my living writing software and/or managing as project team lead or co-lead. More details can be found on my bio page, and a list of my projects can be found in the left margin of my real home page.
Q:How did you build your career?
A:Luck, chance, being in the right place at the right time, and knowing a bandwagon to jump upon when I saw it coming down the pike. Oh foo, I'm being modest -- I knew Linux was going to take off the moment I saw Caldera's announcement of "Linux for Business" in late 1995. Caldera's "Linux for Business" turned out to be crap, but it was enough to convince my boss to let me port the first major VAR application (PAMS) to Linux -- and the rest is history (funny, how getting a reputation for bringing software projects home on time, under budget, helps you in this industry!). Today I have three commercial products and over a half-dozen free software products out on the market, a track record of success that a pair of spammers from Nottingham can't even begin to match.
Q:Does exposing Robin Hood Software help your career?
A:Pshaw. What does consumer advocacy about a piece of Windows software and the spammers who sell it have to do with engineering Linux software? What kind of moron fed you that kind of nonsense? Frankly my employers don't know -- and don't care about -- what I do in my free time. All they care about is that I bring in product on time, under budget, and make them lots of money (and as long as they keep me well-equipped with toys and a competitive salary, I'm fine with that).
Q:What's your address and phone number?
A:Please see my 'whois' record for that information.
Q:Where did the Evidence Eliminator people get that picture of you on their home page?
A:Linux Journal wanted a picture of me for their files in case I wrote further articles or reviews for them (I haven't so far -- they pay so lousy that I see no reason to do so), so my boss took a gag photo of me with his Star Wars prop. I guess Agent Binks was too much over-the-top for even the Robin Hood guys, because they thoughtfully cropped him out of the picture when they reposted it onto their own site (sheesh, what a bunch of posers, no sense of humor at all!). BTW, I have NOT signed a model release -- these guys are using my visage in their advertising materials to sell their software without my permission, and owe me royalties -- but what the hey, if they were law abiding citizens we wouldn't have this site, right?

Last modified: Tue Jul 22 08:12:05 MST 2003