This is the most awesome, and yet most strange thing I think I have ever found. I tried to search on Google for MySQL on AppSpot, and the result I got was called “mysqlgame.” Of course out of curiosity I had to try it. Turns out it’s a MMO game where there is no UI, you have direct, live views of all of the queries on the database.

This is the text from the main page:

Are you tired of browser-based games that are thinly veiled interfaces for databases? Finally, there’s a game that just is a database!
THRILL as you insert your very own row in the “rows” table!
With careful selection of SQL queries, you will soon have three or even four-digit numbers in some of the fields in your row! Other queries may allow you to use those numbers to subtract from rows entered by other players — all while pushing the numbers in your own row even higher!
As you master the game, you may find that you have inserted not just one row into the game, but several! Log in on the right to get started.

Play mysqlgame

Due to a very small blog post on the Dice Blog Network, I have added to ability to do a barrel roll when you search for it on my web site.

Try It

Microsoft .NET Framework 4 introduces some nice new options, but if you want to more easily distribute your software, .NET 2.0 is the most widely used, as any computer running Windows XP Service Pack 3 or later will have it installed.  Changing an existing project or creating a new one uses the same method.

In the Solution Explorer, right click your project, and click Properties.  In the Compile tab, click Advanced Compile Options at the bottom.  In the window that opens, switch .NET Framework 4.0 to the desired framework version.

Existing projects may require some small code modifications in order to build correctly, but it is very beneficial to build your software on a more widely available framework.

I’ve seen this one a lot lately.  Basically, it shows a fake version of the Google and Yahoo! search engines in the attempt to track all of your personal information that you enter into those sites. Even if you don’t care about your information getting stolen, it prevents you from using Google Apps services such as Gmail, Google Voice, and in many situations, even the basic Google search engine will not work at all.

The biggest problem with repairing this virus is that it is technically not so much a virus as a setting. There is no malicious software causing it, no secret tracking cookie, no browser extension. It is simply caused by a Windows setting, not in the Internet Options, the Windows Registry, it is not found in the Control Panel, or even in the Network and Sharing Center or the Computer Management. Therefore no anti-virus software or registry cleaner will ever find it.

Diagnosing the Problem

Obviously you need to see if you actually have this problem before trying to remove it. The easiest way to see the problem is to look at the Google Home Page. Check the copyright date at the bottom of the page. If the year is incorrect, you probably have the virus. Another method of checking it is to go to Gmail. If the page returns a 404, 403, or 500 error, you’ve got the virus.

Repairing the Problem

Windows Vista/7

Open the Start Menu, click “All Programs”, click Accessories, then right-click Notepad, and click Run As Administrator.
Allow access if a confirmation message is shown.
In Notepad, click File, then Open…, then type %SystemRoot%\system32\drivers\etc\hosts and click Open.

Windows NT/2000/XP

Open the Start Menu, click “All Programs”, click Accessories, then right-click Notepad, and click Run As… and select Administrator or a user account with administrative privileges.
Allow access if a confirmation message is shown.
In Notepad, click File, then Open…, then type %SystemRoot%\system32\drivers\etc\hosts and click Open.

Mac OS X

Open /private/etc/ in Finder and open the hosts file in a text editor.

Remove any lines from the file containing google or yahoo and save the file. The virus should now be repaired!

Other UNIX/Linux

Using a text editor as root, open /etc/hosts.

Remove any lines from the file containing google or yahoo and save the file. The virus should now be repaired!

Android OS

Using a text editor as open /system/etc/hosts.

Remove any lines from the file containing google or yahoo and save the file. The virus should now be repaired!