This newsletter has been produced to help you get the most out of the Internet,
and to keep you, as an Actrix customer, informed of developments and services within the company.
Past newsletters may be viewed at http://editor.actrix.co.nz/
Newsletters are now archived by article at http://editor.actrix.co.nz/byarticle/
Questions and comments about the newsletter can be e-mailed to editor@actrix.co.nz
Other inquiries should be e-mailed to support@actrix.co.nz

Using Browser Bookmarks with Internet Explorer

All the major browsers come with the ability for users to create and use bookmarks. Sometimes known as "Favorites," bookmarks are easy to use and greatly convenient. They allow you to go to your favourite page(s) by a simple mouseclick without having to type in the whole URL or Internet address. Bookmarks are all handled a little differently, however, depending on the browser in question. This month I thought I would run through some of the bookmark basics for Internet Explorer. Next month I could probably do a similar article for Netscape and/or Opera.

Creating and Displaying Bookmarks with Internet Explorer

Creating bookmarks is very easy, but the way you choose to do it will be influenced by how you would like to use your bookmarks in future. Personally, I like to have all my bookmarks nicely in a line just under the address bar (the slim white field into which you normally type an Internet address). All I have to do is click one, and Explorer will automatically find and load the relevant page. Explorer refers to Favorites displayed this way as "Links". The picture below shows three bookmark Links," (DOMAINZ, AltaVista and one to a Bob Dylan related page I visit reasonably often).

To add links to your browser like this, all you have to do is go to the page you want to bookmark. Once the page has loaded:

1. Click Favorites on your menu bar. Note, the menu bar is the one at the top between View and Tools. Don't click the Favorites button (pictured to the left next to the Search button). We'll talk about what that button does later on below. When you click Favorites on the menu bar, a box will drop down containing a couple of options.
2. Click Add to Favorites. This will bring up a box called Add Favorite. This box allows you to change or shorten the name of your bookmark. It is recommended to keep bookmark names short so that you can fit more on your screen.
3. To the bottom right of the Add Favorite box is a button called Create In. Click this to reveal a few yellow folders into which you could put your new bookmark.
4. Click to select the yellow Links folder and then click Okay. You have now created a new bookmark in Internet Explorer's Links folder.

There may be one last step you need to go through in order to get your links to display on your screen. If you have made a bookmark link and it doesn't appear nicely below your address bar, you may need to "pull your link bar down." To accomplish this, rest your mouse on the area just below your address bar until your mouse icon turns into a small black double arrow (see picture left). Hold your left mouse button down and drag down gently. Your Links bar should then appear. Alternatively, click View/Toolbars, and then put a tick next to Links. You can add as many links here as you like. If you end up with too many to fit nicely across your screen, Explorer will put a small double arrowhead to the far right of your Links bar. Click this to have surplus links appear.

The Second Method

As stated, the above is my preferred method for displaying bookmarks. There is another way. If you click the Favorites button on your tool bar, a "Favorites" column will appear to the left of your screen. This column will display all of the Favorites you've built up over the years (and quite a few that come with Explorer by default) in various folders if applicable. Simply click these to load the required page. I don't like this method because it squashes my display screen a little. This is never a good idea as web page creators design for a full screen view. Yes, I know I could simply close the Favorites column again (cross in top left corner) but I'd rather not have to bother.

Admittedly, if you don't like either of these methods, you could simply click Favorites on the menu bar and select them from the drop down box(es).

Managing bookmarks is reasonably easy too. Simply right-click on them to find ways of dealing with them. In the grey box that appears when you right-click a bookmark, you can choose to delete them or rename them. If you select Properties, you can find out where they are currently pointing and make changes if you wish.

I hope this has made some sense, and I really encourage you to try it. Once you start with bookmarks, you'll wonder how you ever coped without them. It sure beats squinting and typing into your address bar over and over again.

Hacking 101.6 - Intrusion Detection Systems

by Dean Moor

I am again grateful to Dean Moor for this next article in his series on hacking and security. To many it is a fascinating topic. It really would be a good idea for those interested but new to computers or the net to read over Dean's articles in previous newsletters. -Editor

Hi Folks, well, last month we started to discuss what you can to to keep the "Bad Guys" of the Internet out of your machine, this month we will continue with this theme.

Last time I explained a few basics about how firewalls work. I also mentioned that several ports must remain open for your traffic to get through. The fact is that, with a simple port scan, anyone can get a list of which ports are open on your machine, and then figure out how to exploit them. So, what can we do?

Lets go back to my analogy of a house for just a moment. Your house has doors and windows (ports) and all traffic enters and exits your home this way. The firewall is like dead bolts and bars, locking most doors and windows. And just like any house, the "Bad Guys" can still break in through the doors or windows that aren't protected. Now, just like any homeowner concerned with this, you would install a home security system. This is exactly what we will describe.

An Intrusion Detection System, or IDS, is exactly the same as your house alarm. Should any one break into your house, they will be detected by the motion sensors, and the alarm will sound. However with computers this is a much more complicated process. For starters, each packet must first be allowed by your firewall. Once through your firewall, it must be scrutinised by your Intrusion Detection System. Now, each packet can be broken down to smaller parts, and your IDS will examine each part with a set of rules. Lets first of all cover briefly what each part of the packet is and why they are there.

Everything above the Source Address describes what type of packet this is.
(e.g. TCP or UDP, Fragmented or not, etc..)

Source and Destination Addresses obviously contain the source and destination of the packet, and the same for the Source and Destination Ports.

And lastly we have the time the packet was created, sequence number (see the demonstration in last month's article) and a couple of extra pieces of information for your machine.

Now, your IDS system will examine the packet in a similar fashion.

Firstly, do the checksums add up, or does that packet contain the information the headers suggest, has it been corrupted along the way, and does its size match with what it should be?

Secondly, has the source address been blocked by you or your security server? Also, is the destination address you?

Are the ports used acceptable for the type of information sent or received? (e.g. if it is an E-mail packet, are your receiving it from port 110?)

Do the sequence numbers match up with other packets that you have already received?

Does the time stamp look right?

And lastly, what exactly is the data?

You see, most good IDSystems act in a similar way to a virus scanner. They will have a database of known attack signatures and if the incoming packet matches one of the signatures, the packet will be flagged as a known attack. Assuming that all checks pass, the packet will be allowed to pass through to your computer, and be put back together by the application, or program that is the intended recipient of the data.

However, should one or more of the checks fail (e.g. IP Address is blocked, packet has been altered after it was sent, etc...) the packet is flagged as a danger, and depending on the IDS you have installed, you will hear an alarm, see an icon flash, or receive a warning pop up on your screen. What most IDSystems do now, is use the information provided in the packet to begin tracing the origin of the attack. For example, one product that I use will get the attacker's IP address, and attempt to connect to the attacker's machine to gain further information. It will then log as much as possible for further follow up. As a final measure my IDS blacklists all packets from the attacker's IP Address for 48hrs (effectively locking the attacker out of my machines) or until I allow them to communicate with me again.

Once you have some details about the hacker (his or her ip address, time of attack etc), it is recommended that you send your log file to the ISP that the hacker is using, including as much information as possible so that they may deal with the intrusion. Almost all ISPs have an e-mail address for this sort of thing. It will be abuse@whateverisp.com. Responses will vary according to the policies of the ISP and whether or not, or how much they care. Most ISPs have a similar policy to Actrix where their customers will be warned for small breaches and their account closed if they persist. Serious breaches may result in instant closure and reporting to the police. Actrix also has an abuse officer (abuse@actrix.co.nz) who can help you decipher and deal with the information your IDS gives you. However, please understand that due to time restraints these complaints can not always be followed up immediately. Please also remember that if you are being hacked, it is primarily your own responsibility to deal with it. Actrix will help where they can, but they have no more power in dealing with another ISP than you do.

So, hopefully you see that a firewall is not a complete security package. Even though you may have one installed, there are still various ways of by-passing firewalls, and utilising holes, to gain access to your machine, and your IDS will catch most of what your firewall misses.

Next month I will cover the next line of defense in our battle against the Cyber Attacker, and follow up with a recap, and a bit more detail after that. Please understand that there is just so much to explain, and I may lose some of you from time to time, but if you bear with me, you will get the general idea, and hopefully avoid becoming a victim of the next Cyber Punk surfing past you on the Internet.

Until Next time,
Safe Browsing and Good Luck. Most of all Have Fun.

Dean Moor
StarTech.
www.startech.co.nz

Cyberspace News Snippets

Hackers to Release Anti-Censorship Tool: Cult of the Dead Cow plans to launch a peer-to-peer tool at this summer's Defcon to fight government censorship of the Web. A computer hacking group best known for creating tools for hijacking computer systems is turning its hand to civil disobedience and plans to release an application that could scupper government and corporate censorship around the world. Click the link below for more.

http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/2001/17/ns-22536.html

New Windows Version Xp Really Does Make Progress: The operating system for your computer is very much like a waiter. In a perfect world, you shouldn't notice it at all. It should seamlessly take care of what your computer needs without bothering you. For almost all PC users, Windows is the operating system. It's been like a waiter all right - a nightmare waiter, but with XP, some real progress has finally been made by Microsoft. Click the link below for more.

http://199.97.97.16/contWriter/cnd7/2001/05/01/cndin/4570-0061-pat_nytimes.html

Net Addicts Cost Millions: Compulsive web surfing by internet-addicted employees could be costing Australian businesses millions of dollars, an international expert said today. Dr James Fearing, visiting Australia from the United States to address a conference on problems in the workplace, said using the internet could be just as addictive as gambling. Click the link below for more.

http://australianit.news.com.au/common/storyPage/0,3811,1956153^442,00.html

Bill Gates is Still the Richest Man: Last month we included a short piece here about how Bill gates was no longer on top of the world's rich list. What follows is from an article in The Evening Post (2 May 2001). - "Bill Gates is still the richest man, according to FORBES magazine, which compiles the United States rich list. The Microsoft founder had been robbed of his crown in a recent Sunday Times rich list, by Wal-Mart chairman Robson Walton, the eldest son of the US chain's founder Sam Walton. The list in Britain's Sunday Times put the supermarket chain chairman's worth at $US65.2 billion compared with Bill Gates' $US54 billion. But FORBES, the magazine which prides itself on it's knowledge of the rich. claimed the shares which made Walton so rich were not just his own. "The 1.7 billion Wal-Mart shares owned collectively by founder Sam Walton's widow and their four children are in fact split evenly among the five of them," said FORBES.com analyst Penelope Patsuris. "With a total value of nearly $US87 billion that leaves them each only $US17 billion." FORBES' estimate of Gates' wealth was in line with the Sunday Times calculations - FORBES reckons he's worth $US59 billion, down from the $US63 billion in its 200 list."- Thank you to Esther Zorn who brought this article to my attention. - Ed.

Computer Users May Soon Get 3-D Screens: Computer users may soon be able to work on screens with displays that give the appearance of being three dimensional. The DVI actualdepth monitors, developed by a private New Zealand-based research company Deep Video Imaging, displays images on two physical planes to create a depth of field. Click the link below for more.

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010514/tc/singapore_monitor_dc_1.html

TV Watching Down as Net Use Rises: According to a new study from Scarborough Research, 23 percent of US Internet users watch less television since they began using the Net. Only 7 percent say they watch more TV than they used to. Twenty percent read magazines less often, while only 8 percent read them more often now. Fifteen percent read newspapers less often, with only 9 percent reading them more often. Click the link below for more.

http://www.nua.ie/surveys/?f=VS&art_id=905356757&rel=true

It Must be True!

Those of us who've been around online for a while would understand by now that a heap of hoaxes run rampant on the Internet. The following piece was dug up from somewhere on the net by a colleague of mine (source appreciated). It pokes fun at these hoaxes.

I was on my way to the post office to pick up my case of free M&M's sent to me because I forwarded their e-mail to five other people, (celebrating the fact that the year 2000 is "MM" in Roman numerals), when I ran into a friend whose neighbour, a young man, was home recovering from having been served a rat in his bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken - which is predictable, since as everyone knows, there's no actual chicken in Kentucky Fried Chicken, which is why the government made them change their name to KFC.

Anyway, one day this friend went to sleep and when he awoke he was in his bathtub and it was full of ice and he was sore all over and when he got out of the tub he realised that HIS KIDNEYS HAD BEEN STOLEN. He saw a note on his mirror that said "Call 911!" but he was afraid to use his phone because it was connected to his computer, and there was a virus on his computer that would destroy his hard drive and infect all the electronics in his house if he opened an e-mail entitled "Join the crew!"

He knew it wasn't a hoax because he himself was a computer programmer who was working on software to prevent a global disaster in which all the computers get together and distribute the $250.00 Neiman-Marcus cookie recipe under the leadership of Bill Gates. (It's true - I read it all last week in a mass e-mail from BILL GATES HIMSELF, who was also promising me a free Disney World vacation and $5,000 if I would forward the e-mail to everyone I know.)

The poor man then tried to call 911 from a pay phone to report his missing kidneys, but a voice on the line first asked him to press #90, which unwittingly gave the bandit full access to the phone line at the guy's expense. Then reaching into the coin return slot he got jabbed with an HIV infected needle around which was wrapped around a note that said, "Welcome to the world of AIDS."

Luckily he was only a few blocks from the hospital - the one where that little boy who is dying of cancer is, the one whose last wish is for everyone in the world to send him an e-mail and the American Cancer Society has agreed to pay him a nickel for every e-mail he receives. I sent him two e-mails and one of them was a bunch of x's and o's in the shape of an angel (if you get it and forward it to more than 10 people, you will have good luck but for 10 people you will only have OK luck and if you send it to fewer than 10 people you will have BAD LUCK FOR SEVEN YEARS).

So anyway, the poor guy tried to drive himself to the hospital, but on the way he noticed another car driving without its lights on. To be helpful, he flashed his lights at him and was promptly shot as part of a gang initiation.

Send THIS to all the friends who send you their junk mail and you will receive 4 green M&Ms, but if you don't the owner of Proctor and Gamble will report you to his Satanist friends and you will have more bad luck: you will get cancer from the Sodium Laureth Sulfate in your shampoo, your wife will develop breast cancer from using the antiperspirant which clogs the pores under her arms, and the U.S. government will put a tax on your e-mails forever. I know this is all true 'cause I read it on the Internet.

SULFNBK.EXE HOAX

by Jeremy Fairbrass

I'm writing this article to counter a particular virus HOAX that is circulating around the world this week. This hoax is the fastest spreading virus hoax I've ever seen, and already many people I know have fallen victim to its wrong and harmful instructions.

The wording of the hoax is included below, but basically the hoax tells the reader that a file on their hard drive, called SULFNBK.EXE, is actually a virus, and that they should delete this file before 1st June because the virus will activate itself on that date.

THIS IS NOT TRUE!!

There is indeed a file called SULFNBK.EXE on most computers - it's actually a legitimate Windows utility that is used to restore long filenames! (See http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q190/4/18.asp for proof). The file is installed on your computer when Windows 95/98 is installed. Like any other .EXE file, it can be infected by any virus that targets .EXE files, however the file itself is definitely not a virus, as this hoax claims it to be.

(Note, however, that according to Symantec's website, "the virus/worm W32.Magistr.24876@mm can arrive as an attachment named Sulfnbk.exe. The [legitimate] Sulfnbk.exe file used by Windows is located in the C:\Windows\Command folder. If the file is located in any other folder, or arrives as an attachment to a email message, then it is possible that the file is infected.")

If you read the hoax (below), you should spot several obvious signs that indicate it's a hoax. Firstly there is the encouragement to send the warning on to everyone in your address book. This way, the hoax is quickly propagated around the Internet, which results in panic or uncertainty amongst Internet users who don't know enough about hoaxes to realise that it is one. Secondly, the hoax tells us that McAfee and Norton can't detect the virus because it's still dormant. This isn't true - just because a virus is dormant and waiting for a particular date to release its payload, doesn't mean it can't be detected with antivirus software. This statement is simply another example of scare-mongering.

Hoaxes like these can actually do a lot of harm - they aren't harmless as some people might think. Forwarding them on causes panic and confusion, and can result in people following their instructions with negative results (as seen with this hoax), and can even result in a "boy who cries wolf" effect, whereby less-informed Internet users become de-sensitised by all the hoaxes and then ignore a REAL virus warning. Remember, most new Internet users have the mindset that "if I read it on the internet, it must be true". Sadly this is not the case. When receiving an email that claims to alert you to a new virus, look for tell-tale warning signs of a hoax, such as those mentioned in the previous paragraph. Also, look for URLs (links) to web pages at reputable antivirus sites, that back up the warning claim. A good virus warning should ALWAYS link to a website, eg. at Nortons or McAfee etc, to back up its claims. Lastly, if in doubt, check with a computer "geek" (such as myself) or your Internet Service Provider, or browse through a good antivirus website (eg. www.symantec.com/avcenter/) for information on the warning, to determine if it's real or a hoax. Most antivirus websites have info on hoaxes as well as legitimate viruses.

These links have more info and verify that the warning is only a hoax...
http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/sulfnbk.exe.warning.html
http://vil.mcafee.com/dispVirus.asp?virus_k=99084
http://antivirus.about.com/compute/antivirus/library/weekly/aa051601a.htm
http://antivirus.about.com/compute/antivirus/library/hoaxes/blensulf.htm

Also: http://vmyths.com/hoax.cfm?id=257&page=3 - a good explanation of how this hoax may have started, and why forwarding such emails is so harmful!

Please feel free to forward this information on to those that have sent you the hoax!

----- CONTENTS OF HOAX -----
It was brought to my attention yesterday that a virus is in circulation via email. I looked for it and to my surprise I found it on mine... Please follow the directions and remove it from yours TODAY!!!!!!!

No Virus software can detect it. It will become active on June 1, 2001. It might be too late by then. It wipes out all files and folders on the hard drive. This virus travels thru E-mail and migrates to the 'C:\windows\command' folder.

The bad part is: You need to contact everyone you have sent ANY E-mail to in the past few months. Many major companies have found this virus on their computers. Please help your friends !!!!!!!!

DO NOT RELY ON YOUR ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE. McAFEE and NORTON CANNOT DETECT IT BECAUSE IT DOES NOT BECOME A VIRUS UNTIL JUNE 1ST.

WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT OPEN THE FILE!!!

-------------------------------------

Dialup Networking Error #2 Error: 680
by John Kontopos

Error 680: There is no dial tone

This error informs that your modem believes it cannot detect a dial-tone on the phone line.

POSSIBLE CAUSES:

1. A telephone or other device is currently using the line.
2. The modem is not connected properly.
3. The line or modem cables are faulty.
4. The modem is faulty.
5. The dial tone is not recognised by the modem.

POSSIBLE RESOLUTIONS:

1. Make sure that you can get a dial tone on a telephone handset connected to the phone line.
2. Make sure that the cable is correctly plugged into the modem jack and the wall jack. The telephone line may be connected to the wrong outlet on your modem, Make sure that the cable is connected to the outlet called "Line."
3. Make sure no other device which may be sharing the telephone line, such as an answering machine, is "off the hook." Double check to make sure that all other devices are "on the hook."
4. Many voicemail systems, such as the Call minder service, uses “beeping” to indicate that you have voicemail waiting. These beeps can make the modem think there is no dial tone. Make sure you clear your voicemail before you dial a connection to the internet. Our help desk can help you set your modem to wait for a correct dialtone.
5. The telephone cables or extension cords may be damaged. Test these on a regular telephone.

 

Actrix/ORBS Update

You may remember that last month I wrote briefly about what we believe to be the wrongful inclusion of Actrix on the ORBS database. It has resulted in some customer's e-mails being bounced. While we are relieved that the impact has been very small on the whole, it has, nevertheless, been extremely frustrating for some customers. Below is a press release from Xtra that should serve to update those interested on progress so far.

From http://www.xtra.co.nz/technology/0,,824-492097,00.html

Relief In Sight For Frustrated Emailers
24/05/2001 05:06 PM - Alexis Randell, Xtra

Internet users who have had emails blocked because of unjustified blacklisting on the ORBS anti-spam website are set for a reprieve after a court order removing the ISPs Actrix and Xtra from ORBS, or open relay behaviour-modification system.

The order came after efforts by a number of major New Zealand Internet organisations to find a legal remedy to the problems faced by customers as a result of unwarranted listing on ORBS.

Wellington-based ISP Actrix and Xtra filed legal proceedings in the Palmerston North High Court on Monday, while advisory firm KPMG gave evidence that they had experienced similar problems with ORBS.

The companies involved say the action was taken to end the disruption that many New Zealand internet users had experienced as a result of their unjustified inclusion on the ORBS list, which is run by Palmerston North man Alan Brown.

ORBS lists Internet addresses Mr Brown claims can be used as conduits for spam or unsolicited email. Subscribers to the ORBS list can then use it to block emails coming from those addresses.

Some listings on ORBS are generated through the automatic testing and verification of Internet addresses. However, the ORBS list also contains manually entered listings of organisations that have business disputes (or whose customers have disputes) with Mr Brown.

In one case, the ORBS listing for Actrix showed the ISP had been blacklisted for being "the delivery point for Domainz.net", the New Zealand domain registry.

The companies told the Court that Internet users had seen their email rejected by some ISPs who were apparently using the ORBS list believing it only identified Internet addresses open to spam.

The organisations involved all have policies of not running Open Relay servers, and do not allow their networks to be used for spam.

 

Interesting Sites (Click the picture links to access the sites)

Please note: Actrix supplies links to these sites for your interest and possible use. We cannot endorse or take any responsibility for their contents.

Flying Pig www.flyingpig.co.nz Flying Pig claim to be New Zealand’s premier web shopping experience for books, home/office stationery, videos and software. Before long they intend to add music, electronics, appliances plus a range of other goods and services. Flying Pig is like New Zealand's version of Amazon or Barnes and Noble. They usually ship within 4-6 days and postage is much cheaper than for overseas sites, of course. 1.2 million titles available! Let's support New Zealand if we can.	Umbra.Com www.umbra.com/room/go.html You are probably tired of all the silly personality tests that go around. You know the ones: Name a person close to you and that's who you're going to marry... Not all that profound or psychological.  Well here's a high-tech one for you. It's a Flash site where you go through a process of choosing aspects of your ideal room (at the end you get to view it). There are at least 7 choices each time which means a pretty specific analysis of your character results.	Bite-Sized Science www.exploratorium.edu/snacks This site was created by the famous Exploratorium in San Fransisco and offers science fans of all ages a bite sized introduction to the wonderful world of science. From vortex's to slinkys, and parabolas to pin hole projections, this fascinating site gives an informative and easy to understand introduction to many areas of science. Plus it makes it a lot easier to help with the kid's homework!
The Story of the Gogs www.thegogs.com The Gogs is a bizarre cartoon story about a group of hills who uproot themselves from their surrounding landscape and head off on a series of bumbling, havoc-strewn, bewildering adventures. To find out more come and meet Wormwood, Ma Gog, Hercamlow and the rest of the Gogs on their latest crazy adventure.	Walking with Dinosaurs www.bbc.co.uk/dinosaurs/ This strikingly colourful and interesting site is built around the tv series that aired here recently called "Walking with Dinosaurs." The page provides an abundance of links to well-presented information on various eras, as well as fact files, expert opinions downloadable screen-savers and a whole lot more. This is a great site for kids, and is presented so well that it just may keep their attention for a while.	The Internet Movie Database www.imdb.com/ While the main purpose of this site is to sell you movies, it certainly does provide a remarkable database of information for movie buffs, and you don't have to buy anything to use it. Simply type any movie title into the search field and in most cases you'll be served up a wealth of information including reviews, plot summaries, actor profiles, allusions to other movies, director information, goofs and inconsistencies and so forth. Pay special attention to all the choices offered in the left-hand column.
Death Clock www.deathclock.com How long will you live? Based on your age, sex, and whether you are a pessimist, optimist, normal, or a sadist, this clock will tell you how long you have to live down to the very second (watch how fast they slip away if you're a sadist!). It's "a friendly reminder that life is slipping away." Don't take the site too seriously. It is interestingly presented and will probably keep your attention for a little while...	Learning Planet www.learningplanet.com This site provides a number of interactive games for kids that are designed to provide learning opportunities. There are word searches, memory or maths games and a heap of kid-eye-catching stuff. The site relies heavily on Flash, so you'll need to have this installed. Great sound effects too!	25,000 Biographies! www.biography.com Just enter the name of someone famous into the search field to receive their biography. I imagine this could be quite helpful for school projects, or just for general interest. The site also has links to other neat sub-pages of information about the Impressionists, for example, or to educational games. There's even a function for finding famous people who share your birthday (Hey there, Harry Houdini!).
Snow Forecasts www.snow-forecast.com/ resort_forecasts.html Here you can find a list of popular skiing resorts around the world, including many in New Zealand, By selecting one from the menu you are provided with a three day snow forecast for your chosen resort. You can even sign up to be e-mailed everytime it snows where you want to go!	World Wide Web Cams http://dove.net.au/ ~punky/World.html This site offers a map of the world with clickable links to Web cams located across the planet. Europe and North America have their own submaps since there are so many Web cams in those areas, while others may have just one cam for hundreds of miles - like the one in Nuuk, Greenland, which faithfully monitors a remote and quiet little village on the coast. The Davis Station Web cam, Antarctica, takes a picture every hour except for the times when snow covers the lens.	New Zealand Met Service www.metservice.co.nz/ home/index.asp Here you will find the forecasts and data produced and made freely available on behalf of the New Zealand Crown, as well as descriptions of the services supplied commercially.   You will also find vast quantities of interesting weather facts in the Learning Centre, and more about the company in the Corporate section - just click on the tabs!

 

Bringing It All Back Home

And so that's it for June 2001. Once again I hope you found something of interest this month.

Just a couple of announcements from me:

Firstly, as of recently, I have accepted a new job as a project manager for a company named Connections Inc Ltd. This has meant that I have had to resign my post as Customer Liaison Manager for Actrix. I'll still be meddling at Actrix for a while, and you can probably still get me there most of the time. My new e-mail address will be rob@connections.net.nz. However, I'll still be doing the Actrix newsletters, so editor@actrix.co.nz will still be fine.

Secondly, there were gazillions of replies to the recent Actrix announcement regarding network troubles. So many replies were positive and I am thankful for that. It has not been possible for me to answer them all, so if you wrote, and didn't ask for my feedback, then I didn't write back. This was just for the sake of my workload.

Take care through June,

Rob Zorn
Actrix Newsletter editor
editor@actrix.co.nz