iLike™ is bypassing Mac OS X’s security by automatically installing iLike updates. First, iLike should include a preference (in iTunes or System Preferences) to check for updates automatically. Second, iLike should have a notification system that is an extension of the update checker. When iTunes and iLike are launched, a dialog box should alert the user that there is a newer version available for download, and it should ask the user to download the iLike installer. If the user chooses to download the iLike installer, an admin password should be required.

Currently, every OS X user is subjected to possible injection of virus, spyware, malware, etc. by iLike.

From your FAQ: “Spyware relates to software that becomes installed on computer without the informed consent or knowledge of the computer’s owner and covertly transmits or receives data to or from a remote host.” This is exactly what you are doing with the automatic updates of iLike. Even though user consents to original installation of software, they are not informed that iLike will install updates in admin mode… by itself… undetected.

Here is the code from console.app:
2008-01-04 00:20:01.182 iLikeAgent[392] iLikeAgent launched
2008-01-04 00:20:01.183 iLikeAgent[392] Agent checking for updates: http://www.ilike.com
2008-01-04 00:20:01.184 iLikeAgent[392] moving to trash: /Users/username/Library/Application Support/iLike/Downloads/Updates/100
2008-01-04 00:20:01.484 iLikeAgent[392] update result: ok
2008-01-04 00:20:01.484 iLikeAgent[392] version OK
2008-01-04 00:20:01.485 iLikeAgent[392] iLikeAgent terminated

iLike: please respond to this serious security issue.

Sincerely,
iLike Mac User Community

Here is my take on Stacy Collett’s Google’s Next Moves article (ComputerWorld), posted to digg.com by Burento. Stacy makes some good points, but I do not agree with all of them, and have a few ideas of my own.

1. Buy WordPress.
Give every WordPress and Google user the ability to use a custom GoogPress blog as their home page, and change the iGoogle buckets to Widgets/Extras for ALL themes to access. Users would be empowered to edit, create, and share GoogPress themes… ALL for free… well, almost. In return users would allow Google ads on a portion of their page (user decides how much ad space Google can control, and user can utilize remaining ad space for their own Google ads to make some cash).

2. Buy Skype.
Add Skype features to free Google Apps accounts. Plus extra features for Google Apps Premiere users, like SkypeMeet (up to 32 users at one time), SkypeBoard (sketch for all to see), SkypeLine (diagrams/org charts for all to see), SkypeScraper (scrape things off the web related to meeting in realtime) and SkypeCam (see users who have cams and allow viewing).

3. Buy Pixelmator.
Turn Pixelmator into a web app, and add limited version to free Google Apps accounts, and expanded version to Google Apps Premiere users. Then there would be a decent online image compositing tool.

4. Rest.
Take a break from the company acquisitions, retooling, recoding, etc. and focus on small, incremental improvements to usability of Google Apps suite. What the world needs now is usability and stability (not love sweet love) if web apps are to succeed and replace desktop apps.

There’s little doubt that Google Inc. is indeed king of online media. In August 2007 alone, Google captured 57% of worldwide market share among search engines, with more than 37 billion search inquiries. Not surprisingly, this dominance has led to endless rumors about where Google is headed next?

read more | digg story

The original inventors and designers of the exciting Disappearing Car Door technology are now in a position to equip your favorite automobile with our cool, sexy, safe and convenient automatic door or design an original vehicle body incorporating this unique technology.

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So far, this is the only one I’ve ever found that actually works. The link is to the style sheet only, that’s all you need. For a demo of it actually working, go to: http://www.grc.com/menu2/invitro.htm
Test it in your favorite (or least favorite) browser. KUDOS to Steve Gibson and the Security Now! podcast crew!

read more | digg story

Alameda County Superior Court Judge Richard Keller issued a preliminary injunction evicting one tree-sitter — David Galloway, who has been served by the university. The judge’s order opens the door for the university to serve others by name, forcing them down or sending them to jail. Tree sit supporters declined to say Monday if Galloway is in a tree.

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WALNUT CREEK — A man and a woman died in a shooting Tuesday afternoon at a small Walnut Creek apartment complex, police said. Police were not confirming the incident was a murder-suicide, nor were they releasing the victims’ identities late Tuesday, but they noted they are not looking for suspects.

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PITTSBURG – A 40-year-old Pittsburg man and his two children were the victims of an armed carjacking Friday night, which ended with a short pursuit and four juveniles arrested in Antioch, police said.

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PREVENTION IS MORE efficient and effective with many social problems than trying to cure them once they have taken root. That is the philosophy behind The East County Gang Summit’s efforts to keep gang violence from plaguing neighborhoods in area cities.

read more | digg story

Researchers have found new evidence that soft drinks sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) may contribute to the development of diabetes, particularly in children.

In a laboratory study of commonly consumed carbonated beverages, the scientists found that drinks containing the syrup had high levels of reactive compounds that have been shown by others to have the potential to trigger cell and tissue damage that could cause the disease, which is at epidemic levels.

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