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The Back Burner: Things we didn’t post this week

Posted: 07 Nov 2009 05:00 AM PST

nosoliters[1]

A big thank you to everybody for filling our tips-at-crunchgear-dot-com inbox with wonderful, unique, and newsworthy items. Here are a few that we missed.

bb1

Dear Andrey,

Can I call you Andrey? That would be lovely, Andrey. Sometimes in this crazy world we call blogging, we forget to step back and take the time to enjoy some good old fashioned Church music from Russian singing groups.

We would actually love it if you could show up around holiday time. The only challenge will be that all of us who work here at CrunchGear live in different parts of the country, but if you could sing inside the chatroom that we use to communicate with each other on a daily basis, we would all be able to enjoy your Church music.

You would have to actually type the words out since it’s a text-based chatroom, but that’s never stopped anyone from a live singing performance before.

bb2

Hi Jennifer,

Um… thanks? We might enjoy some of those, yes. As far as uploading is concerned, do you want us to upload photos of our own recent trips or should we just upload photos of gadgets?

You guys sure look happy in that picture there. I think that little kid and I have the same green shirt! Jinx for shirts!

bb3

We meet again, Bossman.

You think I don’t know what you’re trying to pull here? You know damn well that I’ve got the (Dock Box) market cornered in these parts. Now you're trying to shop the competition, eh? See how many (Dock Box) I have in stock and how much I'm selling them for, right? Then price your own (Dock Box) inventory accordingly, is that how it works Bossman?

You make me sick.

Click here to read previous Back Burner posts…

Daily Crunch: Bread Line Edition

Posted: 07 Nov 2009 12:00 AM PST

Zune Pass troubles? Users report Zune purchases are busted

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 08:39 PM PST

zune_error_01
Zune down! The Zune support forums are awash with users claiming various issues with Zune subscription media. Songs are not showing up, or if they do, they aren’t playing. Sounds like an authentication issue to me, and those happen every once in a while — but for weeks on end?

Any of you fine folks out there having trouble? I’ll see if I can scare up any info from the Zune team and post an update later. [Thanks, Aditya]

The iPhone coming to The Shack

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 07:15 PM PST

There were rumors out there that the iPhone would be coming to authorized resellers soon, and we're finally starting to see it showing up. Surprisingly, The Shack will be the first one out the gate.


Siren.gif: Microsoft COFEE law enforcement tool leaks all over the Internet~!

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 07:14 PM PST

microsoftcofee

It was one of the most sought after applications on the Internet until it was leaked earlier today. And now that it’s out there—and it is all over the place, easily findable by anyone able to use a search engine—we can all move on with our lives. Yes, Microsoft COFEE, the law enforcement tool that mystified so many of us (including Gizmodo~! and Ars Technica~!), is now available to download. If only there were a "bay" of some sort where, I don’t know, pirates hang out…

I’m not mentioning any names, nor will there be any screenshots, but the resourceful among you will be able to find the application. Not that it’ll do you any good, since this is how Microsoft describes COFEE, which stands for Computer Online Forensic Evidence Extractor:

With COFEE, law enforcement agencies without on-the-scene computer forensics capabilities can now more easily, reliably, and cost-effectively collect volatile live evidence. An officer with even minimal computer experience can be tutored—in less than 10 minutes—to use a pre-configured COFEE device. This enables the officer to take advantage of the same common digital forensics tools used by experts to gather important volatile evidence, while doing little more than simply inserting a USB device into the computer.

To reiterate: you have absolutely no use for the program. It’s not something like Photoshop or Final Cut Pro, an expensive application that you download for the hell of it on the off-chance you need to put Dave Meltzer’s face on Brett Hart’s body as part of a message board thread. No, COFEE is 100 percent useless to you.

Given that, what makes COFEE so mysterious, so special? The sole reason is because it’s never been available before (unless, of course, you’re a law enforcement official). People get a thrill by having something they’re not meant to have, and that effect is magnified online where you have chat rooms and message boards filled with people who get all excited over the idea of having some super-secret piece of software that was never meant to reside on their hard drive.

So that’s that then; Microsoft COFEE is out there. It’s not too big, either, at around 15MB. I’ve kept this post as cryptic as possible primarily to work y’all, and to put over COFEE as the most amazing thing to have never been leaked onto the Internet… until now~!

Flickr

A 31-page 7D review for your consideration

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 05:49 PM PST

7d
The always thorough DPReview has finally published its epic review of the Canon 7D. Their conclusion? Brilliant. While in the end your purchase probably will rely more on your investment into the Canon, Nikon, Pentax, or whatever ecosystem, the 7D performs incredibly well and should be considered among the very best available. Not much else to say except I wish I had two grand burning a hole in my pocket so I could pick one up.

Bad news, good news: Eee Keyboard delayed, but it’s getting the old touchscreen back

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 04:48 PM PST

noe4u
I amaze myself sometimes. You see, I have so much power as a writer on this invincible and influential blog that sometimes I can change an entire industry with but a word. Case in point: apparently my recent post on Eee’s decision to change the touchscreen to resistive on their Eee Keyboard was so crushing that they’ve altered their entire business plan and delayed the device to accommodate it. O Mighty Blogger! Thou humblest the world!

Actually, I’m guessing they did some focus groups and found that the trade-off of “lower price and crappier touchscreen” with “people actually wanting the device” was unacceptable. At any rate, the device (which had an original internal release window of August-ish) may not make it in time for the holidays. It’s not rare that we see a device at CES that doesn’t make it during the next year, but I really had hopes for this thing.

Come on, everyone, of course Nintendo is working on the Wii HD

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 02:49 PM PST

reggieNintendo’s generally vocal president, Reggie Fils-Aime, made headlines today when again he denied that Nintendo was working on the Wii HD. He said, “I don’t know how forcefully we can say there is no Wii HD.” That’s pretty clear, but it’s also mostly a lie. What do you expect the man to say two months before Christmas? “Psst, don’t buy the $200 Wii for your kid this year. We’ve got something real special coming in a few months. You’re going to want that instead.”

Does anyone seriously think that Nintendo is not building a high-def capable system? You can’t even buy a SD TV larger than 20 inches anymore. Reggie probably told the truth when he said “there is no Wii HD” as it’s probably not named Wii HD, but there has to be some sort of high-def gaming system in the works. If there isn’t, Nintendo is in trouble.

Nintendo made the right decision to make the original Wii not powerful enough to run HD graphics and therefore less expensive. It became an instant success because of not only the novel motion controller and easy-to-like bundled game, but also the relatively low starting price of $250 when compared to the Xbox 360 and PS3. If Nintendo had built a more powerful system, one of those points would have given way and events might have been a tad different.

Plus, back when the Wii came out, HDTVs were still a luxury. They were only available in larger sizes and a higher prices. Now tube TVs are all but gone and increasingly small LCDs are reaching 720p resolutions. By next year, 1080p will probably be the standard resolution for 32-inch or larger screens and every TV will be at least 720p; Nintendo will need to put out a system accordingly.

Of course this next-generation system will employ a motion control scheme. It’s not like Nintendo is going to take a step backwards. This system might not be called the Wii HD, but it’ll follow the Wii philosophy and be high-definition.

Even if Nintendo outs a system next year that’s as powerful and cheap as a nettop today, it will be able to handle at least 720p graphics with a good graphics driver. Nintendo has proved that gameplay and accessibility are more important in the marketplace than graphics, but as time passes and more households upgrade to high definition, it’s becoming the standard, and Nintendo will have to work within those parameters.

Reggie would never tell us a lie. He’s not like that. However, you can bet that Nintendo is working on a low-cost, but also high-def capable, Wii successor as we speak.

Netflix Instant Streaming for PS3 works, is shown on YouTube

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 02:17 PM PST


Well, Netflix streaming on the PS3 works. Of course, you need to use the special disc (can’t just download the software eh? how quaint). But it appears to be working correctly. Check out the video above, which demonstrates that it’s working, and working smoothly.

I’m actually glad that the PS3 has Netflix streaming now. It’s a nice addition to a really great Blu-ray player. If I owned a PS3, I’d totally get the disc and stream my heart out…

You know, like I have been doing since 2008 on my 360.

Strikeforce will be the ‘premier’ MMA league in EA Sports MMA

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 02:00 PM PST

eamma

Strikeforce (UFC’s closest competitor here in the U.S.) promotes one of the bigger fights of the year tomorrow in Fedor vs. Brett Rogers. It takes place in Chicago, which explains why EA Sports just held a press conference there to reveal more details of its upcoming MMA game, entitled EA Sports MMA. EA Sports says that Strikeforce will be the "premier" mixed martial arts league in the game, and that well-known referee "Big" John McCarthy will be in the game.

The game, which is due out for the Xbox 360 and PS3 next year, will, as such, feature Brett Rogers and other Strikeforce fighters.

In-game commentary will be provided by Frank Shamrock and Mauro Ranallo. I haven’t played an EA Sports game in three years, so I have no idea who good the commentary is these days.

Other fighters confirmed to be in the game include current UFC star Randy Couture, Gegard Mousasi, Renato Sobral, and Cung Le. (Check Wikipediafor the full list of confirmed and rumored fighters. Hopefully Alistair Overeem makes the cut. You’d think he would, being that he’s the Strikeforce heavyweight champion, even if he hasn’t defended the belt in two years.)

Presumably EA Sports MMA will now be colloquially referred to as "the Strikeforce game." Hopefully EA can work in plenty of Dream fighters, as well as the Dream arenas.

Oh, the first trailer of the game will debut during tomorrow night’s Strikeforce show that airs on CBS at 9pm. And if you’re interested in a little backstory, check out Showtime’s 30-minute documentary on both Fedor and Rogers. Fun stuff.

You are not worthy of the 18-button OpenOfficeMouse (and it has an analog stick)

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 01:30 PM PST

OOmouse-proto3
You may recall our incredulity when SteelSeries announced their 15-button MMO Mouse. Not one to be passed by, Razer shortly thereafter came out with the 17-button Naga, which we’ll be reviewing soon. But unknown to them, a small team was working in obscurity to create an 18-button mouse… with an analog stick for your thumb, to boot.

The OpenOfficeMouse, or OOMouse, isn’t exactly the most attractive piece of hardware, but its creator claims that “16 buttons divided into two 8-button halves were the maximum number of buttons that could be efficiently used by feel alone.” I guess if you take the thumb out of the equation with the analog stick, which Razer nor SteelSeries had the wherewithal to do, that’s probably true. They’ve set up profiles to make the OOMouse work with WoW, 3D Studio Max, Firefox, and many others — including, of course, the whole OpenOffice suite.

Personally I’m not a mega-mouse kind of person; ergonomics are far more important for me considering the amount of mousing i have to do, which is why I’m considering the Microsoft Natural as an alternative to the G500 and Mamba, which I switch between to keep things interesting. And while this OOMouse may look ridiculous, I’m sure there are some people who will find it a joy.

Chinese Michael Jackson phone is no Thriller

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 01:19 PM PST

♪It's close to midnight and something cheesy's lurking in the dark Under the moonlight, you see a phone that almost makes you barf♪ Man. Just last weekend, I was looking at my boring ol' phone and thinking to myself: if only this were covered in faux-gold and diamonds and molded to look vaguely like Michael Jackson's torso!


Exclusive video of the Litl Webbook

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 01:00 PM PST

When news of the Litl Webbook broke out on Wednesday, I was pleased to learn that the company is located here in Boston, since there aren’t nearly as many people in this area making actual hardware devices, as opposed to software and web companies.

I got a chance to sit down with CEO John Chuang for a thorough overview of the Webbook, so check out the above video for some information about the design philosophy and user interface behind the $699 transforming internet computer.

As for the machine itself, it's a 12-inch laptop-style device with a screen that folds over into an "easel mode" for viewing full screen web channels. The screen has a 178-degree viewing angle and there's a built-in HDMI output for quick connection to TVs.

The computer stores very little actual data on its 2GB flash drive, instead connecting to existing services and web sites. As such, user settings are constantly synched between multiple Litl machines and there's no need to worry about losing data, viruses, or any of that stuff. Updates are pushed out silently to machines during the night and you can even pre-customize the "web cards" that will appear on your desktop before ordering. Litl owners in different households can send photos and videos directly to each others' machines as well.

Most existing web sites can be turned into web cards to be viewed in easel mode and to appear with the other cards on the home screen, although the company has also tapped into various services' APIs already to create custom interfaces (Weather Channel, Photos, etc.). Easel mode can be controlled with a scroll wheel that's built into the side of the computer or with an optional $19 remote control.

Litl is priced at $699 and includes "a free two-year unconditional 'satisfaction guaranteed or your money refunded' warranty." See the initial coverage and press release here.

Litl [litl.com]

How big is the Nintendo DSi XL? So big it won’t fit on its own box!

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 12:42 PM PST

dsi-xl
It’s huge! Hide your babies and cats. The Nintendo DSi XL is gonna eat ‘em! [via Go Nintendo and Nintendo Wii Fanboy]

Japan wins again with automatic bike parking and retrieval system

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 12:30 PM PST

bikey
Fifty years ago, guessing what the future would look like was particularly in vogue, and all those fantastic retro-futuristic drawings were born. I remember seeing somewhere the concept for an automatic car parking machine with robots taking your car and stuffing it somewhere in a big warehouse. “That’s ridiculous,” I thought, “When we have the technology to do something like that, we won’t still be driving cars!” Well, I was wrong. Of course it’s not for cars, and of course it’s in Japan, but this automatic bike storage system (video in link) is definitely a little piece of the future.

cycle_005

These Cycle Trees, designed by JFE Engineering, have actually been in use for about two years in various places around Japan, and are recently starting to become a bit more common. A little tag stuck to your bike identifies it to the computer, which then files it away in a sort of big bike rolodex. Swipe a card, and you have your bike back in about 30 seconds, if that video is any indication. Man, I’d love to have one of these for my neighborhood. In fact, Seattle city planners are trying to figure out how to get more bike parking around the upcoming light rail stop on Capitol Hill. If they had one of these things, that’s it — problem solved (plus it’s awesome).

Of course, it’s isn’t free. But ¥1800 (about $20) a month isn’t too much to ask. It’s about on the edge of affordability, though, considering there are plenty of street signs and rails to lock your bike to around here. Still, it’s totally awesome.

[via Reddit]

Does anyone in tech pay attention to unemployment numbers? Hard to buy that new gizmo when you don’t have a job, right?

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 12:00 PM PST

un

Writing about tech is so peculiar. On one hand we’re expected to be enthusiastic about the things we cover; no one wants to see us being negative and dismissive about every little thing. That’s no fun. On the other hand, you don’t want a bunch of ninnies bleating on about how great this year’s piece of plastic is compared to last year’s. How is that useful to anyone? A bit of skepticism is necessary so we don’t come across as cheerleaders for this or that company, or for this or that device. You can’t be objective if you worship the ground that the two Steves—Jobs and Ballmer—walk on.

I bring this up not as a condemnation, but rather a recognition: much of this is quite silly. The Motorola Droid comes out today, and my first reaction was, "Eh, so what?" That’s not a popular opinion, of course, and a quick trip to Techmeme will confirm that for you. (Techmeme is a king-making Web site that’s really, really influential for some reason. You can’t fight city hall.) I just can’t get excited over the launch of a device that should have come out years ago. I can recognize its importance to Verizon Wireless (the Droid being the first non-BlackBerry smartphone worth its salt that’s available on VZW), and its place within the wireless industry, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to sit here and be all, "Woo, a phone is available! Hooray for the corporations behind it~!"

Look at the unemployment numbers that the Department of Labor released today. A full 10.2 percent of Americans are out of work right now. That’s a big deal, and will most certainly affect consumer electronics’ companies bottom line this holiday season. How many of these people (or people in similar, dire economic circumstances) are looking forward to a new smartphone? Or a new HDTV? Or a $150 video game?

I’m actually surprised that I haven’t seen more made of these unemployment numbers. The holiday shopping season starts pretty soon (if it hasn’t already!), and I really do wonder how many of the companies we write about will fare. Not to pick on the Droid again (it’s just in the news today, so it’s in my head), but how many people are prepared to buy the phone for themselves or a family member, and then commit to paying a minimum of $70 per month just to use the thing? How many copies of DJ Hero will be under so many Christmas trees when mommy and daddy are having a tough enough time paying the bills as it is? I’m not saying these things won’t sell at all, but I haven’t noticed too many stories in the tech press that so much as hinted at the tough times these companies might have. Not everyone can swing $200 + $70 per month (for one line!) on a basic communication device. I mean, does a $200 smartphone sound any better than a freebie phone you can grab with a $40 per month contract? As impressive as Android 2.0 is, I don’t know if I’d say it’s any more important than putting food on the table for your kids.

(Incidentally, a comment over at TechCrunch made a similar point, that, you know, providing for one’s family is more important than having the latest version of Android in your pocket.)

I write about this stuff with a few things in mind, one of which is that this is all largely for funsies. It’s fun to see that latest super-thin netbook, or to see what new developments that are in the e-book front. It’s fun to tease the Apple TV for being a useless hunk of junk, and it’s fun to predict to what degree that Apple tablet will destroy its competition. But don’t think I assume that all of you have tons of disposable income to throw around to buy the latest widget, one that’ll be obsolete within six months.

I completely lost track of this some time ago, yes. I just sometimes feel that the whole tech world gets caught up in the hype of THIS THING or THAT THING without considering what’s happening in the real world. A tech bubble, if you will. Just know that I recognize it (as do the rest of the CG guys), and try not to get caught up in it. That’s all.

Image swiped from Drudge. Can’t beat bold, red font.

Ford does the unthinkable, announces the $650 car

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 10:25 AM PST

Holy cats, Ford is going downmarket. Way down. Way, way down. Daniel Grossman, VP of Ford Motor Company, just announced to ONN the $650 car, which will be the least expensive, and cheapest, car available in any market. That’s right. A car I can afford to buy on my salary. My wife will be so excited. Watch the video announcement after the jump.

Review: HP MediaSmart Server EX495

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 09:35 AM PST

hp-ex495-1
Short Version: HP sure knows how to make a Windows Home Server. The company has been at it for years now and the latest model does just about everything better than the previous models. That’s how it’s suppose to be.

Pros:
  • Powerful hardware
  • Easy to use custom WHS user interface
  • Nearly complete OS X support

Cons

  • Overpriced for storage size
  • HP software bordering on bloatware status

Features

  • Intel Pentium Dual Core 2.5 GHz 64-bit CPU
  • 1.5 TB of included hard drive space
  • OS X Time Machine support
  • HP Media Collector
  • MSRP of $699

Review:

If you’ve been following along with previous versions of the HP MediaSmart Server, you know what the device does. It runs Microsoft’s Windows Home Server, but HP equipped it with a slightly different user interface to make it accessible to the non-tech crowd. Nearly anyone looking for a backup and central storage solution should be able to use this guy.

hp-ex495-5Instead of the stark WHS setup screen, new users can use HP’s software pack that guides them through setting up remote backups, assigning permissions to users, and finding media spread out over a network. It still has the same media collecting, iPhone-streaming and transcoding software in previous models, but the Media Collector works a lot better on Macs now.

What is new is the dramatically more powerful machine and better OS X support.The latest builds also ditches low voltage, and low power, CPUs in favor of a 2.5 GHz Dual Core Pentium. Boy does it help, too. I’ve been using WHS for a while now and it’s just not a backup device for me.

My torrent client lives on the box and unRARing huge files takes time on an Atom or Celeron processor, but the Pentium speeds things up a lot. The 2GB of memory also helps dramatically when running, let’s say, a torrent client, a couple of DLNA servers, and iTunes for the Home Sharing function. The hardware updates made this server a respectable little box.

hp-ex495-6HP started with the OS X support last January, but it wasn’t the greatest. The backup didn’t allow for a full restore and users still had to search out third-party solutions to access the device remotely via OS X.

But no more. Now OS X can be fully backed up and restored just like a PC by using a separate restore disc. It works just like it’s supposed to and is a valid alternative to Apple’s own backup device, the Time Capsule.

Plus, the server now ships with a OS X WHS management tool. It’s essentially a repacked remote desktop client, but it gets the job done. Because of these updates, an HP MediaSmart server can live comfortably on an all-Mac network.

hp-ex495-3All this extra software HP has thrown in is bordering on intrusive though. Window Home Server is an amazing system all by itself and anyone that’s been around computers for a while should be able to use it without any extra help. The HP stuff is cool, but to be honest, I never used it past simple testing.

I would love to see an installation or setting to turn off the HP software, but that won’t happen. HP needs to justify why its servers cost a bunch more than other option, which is really my only beef with the EX495. It’s too expensive for the amount of storage you get.

hp-ex495-4Outside of the extra HP software that a lot of people might not use and the more powerful hardware, you can get countless other WHS for far less. It seems obvious to me that the most important buying point of a file server is the storage capacity. You can expand the storage capacity to nearly anything you want with the HP MediaSmart line, but for $699 I expect to start with more than 1.5TB. The Acer easyStore costs $389 at Newegg and comes with a 1TB drive installed. For $750 you can build a 5TB system around the Acer using 2TB hard drives, which is a lot better deal if can live without the extra HP software (you probably can).

The HP MediaSmart EX495 is a quality rig. I don’t have anything against the system besides the aforementioned pricing. If you don’t mind paying a premium for software, buy it without hesitation.

Product Page: HP MediaSmart EX495

Giveaway: Want this server? Well, not this used one, but rather a brand new one? Yeah, I have one to give away. Click over to this post for all the details.

Contest: HP MediaSmart Server EX495

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 09:34 AM PST

hp-ex495-7

This is nice. HP is letting me give away a brand new EX495 MediaSmart Sever to go along with my review. To win the 1.5TB Windows Home Server server, you’re going to have to play a little game. Don’t worry, it’s easy. No scavenger hunt this time.

All you need to do is guess the total storage capacity of the CrunchGear staff. There’s seven of us, and we’re counting hard drives and flash drives. This includes game console and DVR hard drives, but not blank media like CD-Rs and DVD-Rs.

Don’t read to much into this. We’re estimating too, but I can tell you the answer is north of 10TB. Simply place your best guess in the comments below. Any questions can be directed to contest AT crunchgear DOT com.

Rules:

  • One entry per person
  • First closest answer win (if two or more people guess the correct number, the first person who guessed correctly wins)
  • Entry deadline is November 12, 2009 at 11:59 P.M. PST
  • No begging, just guess

Update: 75.164.73.17, you’re out. You guys think we don’t check?

What’s YOUR favorite protocol?

Posted: 06 Nov 2009 08:27 AM PST

c3po
Yesterday’s trip down memory lane with the Gopher protocol got me thinking about all the other protocols I used to use, and those that I continue to use on a regular basis. There’s little doubt that hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) is one of the most widely used protocols on the Internet today. But there are a host of other protocols used every day! Let’s look at a few of my current favorites, and some that have gone the way of the Dodo bird.

Before I get started, I think we should break out protocols that one uses intentionally, and those ancillary protocols that get used in the normal execution of your other protocols. For example, every time I visit a web page I intentionally use the HTTP protocol. But unless I’m manually keying in IP addresses, there’s an awful lot of DNS traffic taking place, too. I don’t intentionally use the DNS protocol: it happens behind the scenes as I’m using my web browser. So with that out of the way, here are the protocols I intentionally choose to use on a regular basis:

HTTP
No surprise here. I write for CrunchGear, so I use HTTP (TCP port 80) to access the WordPress back-end to compose stories. I visit product web pages. I watch videos at YouTube and Hulu. I compose email at GMail. HTTP is the king of protocols.

SSH
As a systems administrator, I use the Secure Shell protocol (TCP port 22) daily to access the variety of Linux systems I maintain. Whether for my day job, or my personal web server, I’d be dead in the water without SSH. I also use SSH as a SOCKS proxy so that I can access a variety of resources using my home IP address. This is particularly useful when I’m using an untrusted wireless network: the link from my laptop to my proxy server is encrypted, shielding my traffic from anyone snooping that wireless network.

IRC
I use Internet Relay Chat to communicate and collaborate on a number of projects. It’s also a terrific way to get ad hoc support on open source programs that I use. I’m usually idling in one or two channels. I prefer IRC over IM, usually, but can’t really give a good explanation as to why.

X
As a Linux user, I use the X Window protocol all the time. Sometimes it’s to display applications running on my local machine; and sometimes it’s to display applications running from one of the server I maintain.

Some of the lesser used, but still important, protocols I use include

  • DNS: as mentioned above, the Domain Name System is a supporting protocol that makes our use of the Internet vastly easier. It’s really the backbone of the modern Internet, if you think about it. It uses TCP and UDP ports 53.
  • SMTP: like DNS, Simple Mail Transport Protocol is one of those things that keeps the Internet alive without being in-your-face all the time. Every time you send an email — whether you use Thunderbird, or Outlook, or GMail, or Hotmail — the messages travel back and forth using SMTP. It uses TCP port 25.
  • ICMP: the Internet Control Message Protocol is one of those protocols people use without even thinking about it. Every time you ping a host to see if your Internet connection is working, you’re using ICMP.
  • BitTorrent: I don’t use it too much, but I know a lot of people who do. BitTorrent easily accounts for a large percentage of daily Internet traffic today.
  • FTP: the File Transfer Protocol is still heavily used today. Downloading drivers and patches is the dominant use, but it’s still a handy tool for getting any kind of file transferred.
  • Telnet is something I still use when I must, though I try hard to avoid it since it has basically no security at all. I use telnet to manage some Ethernet switches at my day job.
  • NNTP, the Network News Transfer Protocol, is used for accessing Usenet. I’ve never dipped my toes into the dark waters of Usenet, though John and Nicholas have. I envy their bravery.

But these are all modern — or at least currently utilized — protocols. What about the stuff from yesteryear? As I mentioned in my Gopher post yesterday, I started using the Internet by way of a SLIP, and later PPP, connection. Prior to accessing the Internet, I was using Bulletin Board Systems, which had their own suite of protocols:

  • ZMODEM was the very first piece of software I ever bought. I paid for a license for the shareware file transfer protocol so that I could download files from the various BBSes faster.
  • Before ZMODEM, I was using XMODEM to download files. Surprisingly, I still occasionally use XMODEM to transfer switch firmware to an Ethernet switch I manage!
  • A dabbled with BiModem for a bit, in order to streamline the simultaneous sending and receiving of files.
  • FidoNet is one of those supporting protocols from which I benefited, but never really used directly. It allowed the BBSes I used to communicate with other BBSes, thereby increasing the number of people with whom I could connect. I spent most of my time on systems running WWIV, which had it’s own protocol for inter-board communication called WWIVnet.

So how about you? What protocols do you use regularly? Which protocols from days of yore do you miss?
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