Tuesday, November 23, 2004

AdAware may be best spyware blocker

Bryan Powell reports that a recent study concludes that AdAware is the best spyware blocker.

Tuesday, November 09, 2004

Eccentric Babelizer translations

We told you about a few odd Babelizer translations on today's show. Babelizer takes a phrase from one language and translates to another. But usually the results aren't exact. It's possible to set up a loop so that the translations go back and forth several times until mutual unintelligibility is reached. Here are some results, alternately amusing, poetic and baffling, of running common "Help Desk" phrases through the process.

Babelizer translations:

Welcome to the Help Desk:

Chinese: Welcome to inquire the station.
French: Welcome with the service PLEASE.
German: Welcomely for support the desk.
Greek: Reception in the office of help.
Japanese: The help section should be welcomed.
Korean: Inside help desk illusion.

You are on the air:

Korean: It is an air which outside spreads out at the outside.
Japanese: There is an air.
Greek: You are in air.
German: They speak in the broadcast.
French: You are on the line.
Dutch: You are on air.
Chinese: You broadcast.

May I help you?:

Chinese: Perhaps we help you?
Dutch: We can be aid you possible?
French: Can we help you?
German: Can we help you?
Greek: Can help?
Italian: We can help them?
Japanese: Perhaps us who that can help somewhere thing?

You really need help:

Korean: Help with the realness which spreads out in necessity (partial translation).
Japanese: Actually help is necessary.
Greek: Need really the help.
German: They really need support.
Dutch: You really need aid.
Chinese: You really need to help.

Got a problem with your computer?

Chinese: Obtains has a your computer question?
Dutch: Did a problem with your computer get?
German: Did a problem with your computer receive?
Greek: It took a problem with your computer?
Italian: It has obtained a problem with your calcolazione?
Korean: Work it of high formation force inside comfort comforts it inside depiction possessing, inside the doesn' which is easy and,; Does the t under seizing boil it does respect the doesn' which to it to it in inside problem Anuikacikoiss funeral service and above on it it internal on inside Anui your computer kacikoiss internal it gets in inside,; It strengthens the t?

Windows shut-down problem

From Bryan Powell, here is an article about Windows shut-down problems, and here is another.

Article on spyware

Many of our Help Desk calls these days are related to problems with viruses and spyware. Please refer to the WMUB Help Desk page for our FAQs on this and other topics. Also, thanks to Guy Moore, here is a recommended article on spyware.

Remember that Help Desk recommends Spybot Search and Destroy, version 1.3. Bryan Powell also says take a look at SpywareBlaster, and comments: "Prevents spyware from being installed, but MUST be manually updated on a regular basis to be effective. To get automatic updates, you need to donate."