The Power of the Internet

The Internet is a truly amazing beast. Its power to help is so vast it is hard to put into words. But its risk of misuse is also equally far reaching.

Take, for instance, a story I have been following involving a very popular on-line game that I play. Battlefield 1942 (BF42) is a First Person Shooter (FPS) set in the WWII era that enjoys great popularity. BF42 has several modifications (called "mods") available which change the time era of the game. There is a mod available called Desert Combat (DC) which changes the game to take place in the Desert Storm conflict. This mod to the original BF42 game is available on the Internet completely free of charge and is enjoyed by thousands of gamers. These kinds of mods are generally supported and encouraged by the makers of the original games, as the players are required to purchase the original game before they can get the mod to work. In some cases, the mods become so popular that the retail company will sign the mod makers to a contract to start selling the mod as a stand alone retail game. None of this would be possible without the power of the Internet.

The Internet provides the mod makers the ability to advertise and deliver their games very cheaply. Then if the game catches on, the Internet enables the retail company to gage the popularity of the mod and decide if it is worthy of going retail. Very cool, very amazing.

But there is a down side. I have been following a forum thread where many server operators have been experiencing crashes to their servers. As it turns out, someone (or several) was attacking the servers with Denial of Service (DoS) attacks using a known security vulnerability in the game's server code. On the surface, this may seem to be no big deal. DoS attacks happen everyday on the Internet and administrators just need to work some magic to shut the problem down. But in this case, the Internet was used to not only communicate the existence of the security problem but a program was made available to allow anyone to exploit the vulnerability. I am sure many bored kids (and adults for that matter) downloaded the program and ran it just to "see what will happen".

The whole thing started with this bug report on a security forum. The author likes to examine game code to find vulnerabilities, and then if he finds them he reports them to the game maker. Apparently, he was being ignored, or the game maker didn't give him enough respect, or the game maker refused to pay him for his finding of the problem (hard to tell the real motivation), but the end result was the bug and the program which proved that the bug existed was released on the Internet. To the author's credit, he also released a way for server operators to fix the issue. What I have a problem with is the way in which one person is able to sit as judge and jury as to when a problem they find ought to be fixed and how they were able to dictate what they felt was appropriate action.

This type of on-line arm twisting isn't really new. You may argue that this is exactly how Microsoft has been forced to fix security flaws in their software. Microsoft now releases bug fixes on a regular basis and our computers are all the safer for it. Should one person be able to wield this kind of power? It is blackmail isn't it? "If you don't fix this problem, I will release the code that will crash your product". Probably 99% of the Internet population would not have the technical expertise to exploit these bugs even if they were so inclined. But once a program is made available, anyone has the ability to cause problems.

What do you think? Was this guy justified in making his findings public? Was he justified in making the exploit program available?

Winning isn't everything...

My kids' basketball season came to an end today. My son's team (I am the coach) lost in the semi-final game by 3 points. It was a really terrific game. Both teams tried their hearts out and at the end we just missed a couple of shots more than the other team. The game really could have gone either way. I knew it would be a close game since the last time we played the same team, we won by 2 points at the buzzer. Early in the season we lost to them 19-9, so I was really happy with how the team had got so much better over the course of the season.

My daughter's team won their division championship. Although they had only won four games all season, they were able to beat two teams they hadn't beaten before to win their championship. The girls were naturally thrilled and it is a real treat to see how all the girls had got better over the season. Improving the skills of the players should be the main focus of a kids league. I am glad that both my children's teams had the right focus.

However, the great play and attitude on the floor didn't completely spill over to the crowd. I saw one lady come into the gym all bent out of shape that the games weren't exactly on time. She was one of the coaches and I couldn't help wondering if she let something as insignificant as this throw her, she must be a real treat when her players make mistakes. I also heard another guy getting upset that he was asked to occupy the correct bench according to the basket his team had elected to shoot at. Again, another guy without a clue. Fortunately, I am able to just shake my head at these kinds of people. They are likely to go to an early grave due to the stress they put on themselves over small stuff.

Remember there are 2 rules to living well. 1) Don't sweat the small stuff. 2)It's all small stuff.

Raptor Update

Alvin Williams is going under the knife. He will be out indefinitely. Considering the troubles the Raptors have had at point, this is a big blow to the team. Williams is a real player. In a league full of prima donnas, Williams is the kind of guy who leaves it all on the floor. It is this style of play that has landed him in the situation he is in. As Jack Armstrong has stated, there are highway miles and city miles...Alvin Williams has nothing but city miles on his body.

Steve Nash

Steve Nash is a free agent this summer. Rumours are floating that if he is unable to come to terms in Dallas he wants to come to Toronto. Wow. Captain Canada in a Raptors uniform! That would be an amazing coup for Toronto. Strictly from a P.R. and merchandising perspective, having Nash in Toronto would be huge. Add to that, Nash would be the second or third best point guard in the entire eastern conference and you have a major win for the Raptors all around. But would Mark Cuban really allow Nash to go? If he did, it would make sense to allow him to go east but realistically he must realize that Nash is what solidifies his team. Without Nash, Dallas turns into a very average team. If Cuban lets Nash go without another quality point guard in camp, then Cuban ranks, in my books, as the dumbest millionaire since Ted Turner tried to beat Vince McMahon in the wrestling biz.

Raptors=sad

The current Toronto Raptors basketball team is in a very sad state of affairs. Vince Carter, Jalen Rose and Alvin Williams are all out with injury. Add to that list Lonny Baxter and it all adds up to a team that has very little going for it. But they still could have won last night against the Washington Wizards.

New comers Roger Mason Jr. and Jannero Pargo have made contributions. But regulars Morris Peterson and Milt Palacio are still struggling. Peterson was 4-14 from the floor which isn't good. But all four were 3-pt field goals and nine of the 14 were 3-pt attempts. He made some big baskets but at the same time made some poor choices. Palacio doesn't look bad on paper either. As the point guard you want him to run the team and have a high assist to turnover ratio. Well he had 5 assists and only one turnover. That's respectable. But his shot is so flat. He attempted two free throws in the first half and I can honestly say those two shots had to rank among the worst I have ever seen. They were every bit as ugly as anything Shaquille O'Neal has ever thrown up. I have had trouble in the past understanding what the coaching staff sees in Palacio, but the more I watch him I can see that he is an excellent ball handler and he can penetrate the lane fairly well. These are two things that are very desirable in your point guard. But he is only an average passer and his shot really needs work. On the defensive end, he does very well. That is probably why the coaches stick with him.

Unfortunately for the Raptors they are quickly sliding in the standings. A seven game losing streak tends to do that. They still have to beat the teams they are supposed to beat, like the Washingtons and the Chicagos despite being without three of your starting five. The defense is doing a very respectable job on most nights. Better offensive execution will be the key.

Next up is Boston. Another team on a seven game losing streak. The Celtics are far better than they have been playing lately. With Pierce and Atkins they can score. But they don't play great defense. Raptors are going to have to step up their offense and take advantage of this weakness in the Celtics.

Gaming Goodness

I have been playing Grand Theft Auto - Vice City(GTA:VC) and Syberia lately.

GTA:VC has been in the news on several occasions. It is the poster-child (according to many anti-violence groups) for what is wrong with video games. You play the part of an ex-con who is sent to fictional Vice City to pick up your mob boss' money. The deal goes bad and you have to find out who is responsible. To advance in the game you will be hired by the local crime world to complete missions for them. When you finish the tasks you earn cash and favours from the different criminal elements. As you earn cash you will be able to start taking over the city's underworld.

The game is rated "M" for mature and shouldn't be played by young gamers. It is violent, deals with mature themes and has a lot of "street" language throughout. Much of the game you spend rushing around the city and its surrounding areas in various cars that you just take. The radio is always on and the makers have included some very familiar tracks. From Blondie to REO Speedwagon, from Michael Jackson to Van Halen, the music was one of the coolest parts of the game. This is a great game for adult gamers.

Syberia is an adventure game that was voted Game of the Year in 2002. Even though it is a couple of years old now, it is a beautiful looking game with a marvelous sound track. You play the part of New York lawyer Kate Walker. Your task is to get a contract signed that would complete the sale of an old robotics factory in eastern Europe to a big American multi-national company. Unfortunately, the owner has died the day you arrived and you must now find the heir. You are taken on a fantastic journey through stunning architectural wonders. The game was developed in Montreal under the guidance of Benoit Sokal. If you liked Myst, this game should be right up your alley.

School's out

I dropped in on my mother today. I hadn't been over to her place since early January. I was shocked to see the school across from her house had been reduced to rubble. The same school that myself and all my siblings attended Kindergarten to grade 3. I knew it was slated to be demolished but the stark reality was still a little unsettling. In addition they had just started demolishing the Grade 4-8 school right next to it. That is an entire city block being leveled where I remember playing all sorts of games and growing up. I don't know what is planned for that city block. I hope it includes something for the kids in the neighbourhood.

Valentine's Day

So the "Hallmark Holiday" is upon us. The holiday that bridges the gap in the coffers of the greeting card companies that is felt between Christmas and Easter. But in today's politically correct society, I boycott this holiday on principle. That's right. From here on I proclaim February 14th to be....February 14th!

Let's face it. This "Valentine's Day" dates back to 270 AD and marks the day some guy was martyred. He had his head cut off and was beaten to death (not necessarily in that order). Do we really want to remember this? This beheaded and beaten guy was caught marrying Roman soldiers to their girls, which had been outlawed. Apparently, the emperor figured he would have a bigger army if young men had no women to live for. I guess that's why this whole Sweetheart/Love angle was put on it.

I worry about the use of the word "holiday". If it really is a holiday (as in holy day) then why isn't it a day off? Something fishy there. And if it is a "holiday" why isn't there a special church service?

Women love this holiday. Its another day they can suck their men into getting them a gift and to force them to say that four-letter word they seem to enjoy hearing. No not the dirty words...the "L" word. Sounds like zero in tennis. But what do men get in return? Chances are they don't even get the lovely lady to hum a song far less hum anything else.

What about all the poor saps out there that aren't in love? Not even in lust or like with anyone. Where is their holiday? What about widows and widowers? Has anyone asked them what they are going to do? Where is their holiday?

Are these people less of a part of society because of this? Shouldn't society be inclusive instead of exclusive? This holiday separates us into neat little groups, doesn't it? Hey, maybe I have stumbled onto some elitist plot to segregate the masses.

Perhaps the worse case are the poor fools that buy into the whole sweetheart/love thing, but don't stand a chance with the object of their passion. They go out, buy all kinds of merchandise as a demonstration of their desire for someone and POW!...they find out the person they want most to be with views them as a pathetic geek who should feel blessed that they are allowed to breathe the same air as everyone else. Now the poor sap has to deal with the snickers and finger-pointers of the world. Next thing you know we have another disgruntled postal worker on our hands.

So, join me friends. Do not refer to February 14th as Valentine's Day any longer. Resist! Resistance is not futile! There are no Borg here. If you really need a name for February 14th, call it "Middle of February Day". Think about that!

I'll be back as soon as I pick up some candy, flowers, and a nice Hallmark Card for my Sweetie.

Kevin Smith

I've been watching An Evening with Kevin Smith. If you have never heard of Kevin Smith, he is a director and writer. Some of his work is listed here. If you get a chance, check out some of his movies. The language is rude and crude so be warned if you are easily offended.
Kevin Smith is a great storyteller and An Evening with Kevin Smith is hilarious.

Lennox Lewis Retires

World Heavyweight Boxing Champion, Lennox Lewis, announced his retirement today. With a record of 41-2-1, he is the first heavyweight to retire as champ since Rocky Marciano in 1956 to get out while on top.

Most people could probably care less. After all, boxing doesn't exactly enjoy any great reverence from the masses in today's world of political correctness. But there is something about the "sweet science" that is alluring none the less. Perhaps it is the pure man versus man aspect that no other sport can really lay claim to that people, especially men, find appealing.

Lennox Lewis was never really embraced by the mainstream boxing world. First, he was not American and therefore, the media magnified any fault they could find. He never had a great flamboyant style. He tried to put on some bravado in some of his interviews but I always had trouble believing he really believed in himself. His comments almost sounded scripted or like he was just trying to say what he thought everyone wanted to hear. Lewis, however, beat just about every major heavyweight in boxing over the last decade. It isn't his fault that the division wasn't in a "glory era".

Canadians ought to be proud of him. He earned an Olympic silver and gold medal for Canada. Many felt betrayed when he went to Britain when he turned pro but it was the best thing for his career. Examining the career of George Chuvalo shows the limitations that remaining in Canada can have on a boxing career. In Chuvalo's prime, he only got one title shot. He was deserving of more and he was never given a sniff for the commonwealth title. Lewis avoided that fate. Britain allowed him to fight for the European title and by winning that was able to put the weight of Europe behind him.

In a sport of brutality, Lewis was regarded by many insiders as a gentleman. His quiet, calmness was often interpreted as aloofness. But that calmness was probably what made him so special and different. Some of the stories I have read claim that some of Lewis' biggest victories were won before the fight as his opponents just didn't handle the big stage as well as Lewis was able to. I'm not sure I buy that. Lewis has to be regarded as one of the smartest boxers of all time. He never lost a rematch as a pro. That tells me he learned from his mistakes and didn't repeat them.

The nay-sayers claim he is ducking his next opponent. But that's just a foolish argument. When you are champion, there is always a next opponent. As I have already stated, Lewis is smart. Going out on top is something boxers are all too often not able to do. They tend to want to come back or have just one too many fights. By going out on top, Lewis puts the exclamation point on a solid boxing career.

Reading Between the Lines

Ken Wolff writes a weekly column called "For the Kids" at the CBC website. If you have kids in sports, especially if they are in hockey, you NEED to read his columns. They each tell a story of the typical characters and events that grass roots sports supporters see every weekend. Sometimes the message can be subtle and you really have to examine the content to pick out the little gem hidden between the lines. Other times, the message will slap you across the face as if to try to wake the reader from some deep hibernation.

There are stories of Hockey Moms, Hockey Dads, and Hockey Granddads. You can read about tournaments, fundraising and try-outs. Even if you find you don't necessarily agree with the message, or you have no connection to hockey, you will at least take a moment to reflect. And that is a good thing.