Article Abstract:
Four college students in Long Island, NY, have been charged with stealing credit card numbers using a specialized computer program. The students include three brothers, Ulrich Palha, 20; Ramon Palha, 23; and Solano Palha, 25, who attend Queens College and Queens Community College, and Clarence Kiu, 19, a student at New York State University at Stony Brook. The Palha brothers reportedly met Kiu over the Internet and used computer networks to obtain credit card numbers. The four then allegedly bought rare coins, computer equipment and other items that they later resold by posting fliers at their college campuses. Law officials in Nassau County on Long Island are being deliberately vague about the details of case, but report that the four students are charged with racking up a total of $100,000 in debt using the phony credit card numbers.
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Article Abstract:
A range of options are because available for computer owners to protect their products from theft. Secure-It, a pioneer in computer locks, is among the companies that provide products for companies that prefer to bolt laptops, desktop computers and even CD-ROM drives. Computrace, meanwhile, offers a product that directs a modem to dial in occasionally to a central computer and disclose its location. The more popular low-tech products provide an effective deterrent against criminals, companies said. Inside jobs account for many computer thefts, according to experts. A Computer Security Institute poll showed that 65% of its 458 corporations, government agencies and universities reported laptop theft since 1997. Only viruses (84%) and unauthorized employee use of computers and software (78%) ranked higher in the survey.
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Article Abstract:
Older computer equipment is gaining popularity among serious designers and artists in addition to those seeking nostalgia. Musicians can rely on throwbacks such as reel-to-reel tape and old sound effects pedals to create sounds particular to a certain time period. Greater flexibility in previous generations of machines and software can help filmmakers present homemade filmstrips that parody government, educational and corporate presentations. Rising demand for sounds of the 1970s and 1980s has led manufacturers to sell digital synthesizers that mimic Roland and Moog synthesizer models. 'Virtual analog' synthesizers digitally recreates the sounds of defunct machines that are a few generations older.
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