I received my first file yesterday in the DOCX format, Microsoft’s proprietary new document type released in Office 2007. Worse, this came from a PR agency, so I thought this really belonged in the People category of my Technology Stinks file. Why would a PR person send a file less than one percent of all computer users can read, unless they were stupid or careless? Then I recognized the name of the PR company: Waggener Edstrom Worldwide, Microsoft’s PR company. Nothing like a subtle push for everyone to upgrade, right? In other Microsoft news, CEO Steve Ballmer actually retreated slightly, admitting Vista won’t sell as many units as he forecast (Microsoft CEO dampens Vista sales forecast). Ballmer also blamed some of the slow uptake on piracy, an interesting comment since he’s been beating his chest about Vista’s rock-solid security (his words, not mine). Not surprisingly, he didn’t mention that sales are slow because people are disappointed that Vista includes nothing the average user can’t get using Windows 2000 and a handful of add-on utilities.
In a nice question and answer article entitled PayPal CISO outlines anti-fraud strategy, Michael Barrett explains how to deal with the millions of phishing e-mails every day about eBay and PayPal. Many small businesses use both, and they should know to only trust messages from either company received inside the administration programs reached after proper signon. If you don’t know, let me repeat: PayPal or eBay will never send you an e-mail asking you to click some link to upgrade your personal information. I feel for these companies and others having to defend themselves and their customers against phishing attacks every minute of every day.
