Where do I begin?

[johndornheim]

I don't know if I even belong in this group. I downloaded the tracking
program, I installed it, my computer was stolen, and now I haven't a
clue as to what to do. My desktop is using Mac OS 10.3.9 so I can't
download the finding program but that doesn't matter, Adeona won't
even tell me my status.

Can someone help make some sense of this? I have had two laptops
stolen in the past two months.

John

[Dave Clark]

I think you're SOL.

From what I read on these lists, the University of Washington program
for retrieval just does not work. I ran it on Saturday and after a
lot of spinning and print out of time-contacts, got nothing. Since I
know that my machine has been connected to the Internet, Adeona should
have that in its database, but did not. A complete bust, but you got
what you paid for, right?

If you want a real program, try orbicule.com (I am only a consumer and
have no connection with the company). I've had it installed on two
stolen laptops, and on the second it came through. The MacBookPro was
stolen from my hotel in London last February, then Orbicule reported
weeks later it was connected to an ISP in Hanoi, Vietnam. A few days
ago, Orbicule sent me a picture of a "bad guy" looking at my machine.
Since I am in California, it is highly unlikely I'll get my machine
back, although maybe the London police have connections and can do
something. On the first, my guess is it was either wiped clean
immediately by an install disk, or thrown in the trash since it
already had a large dent on it.

There's a whole long list of things to consider about laptop
security. Laptops are one of the most frequently stolen items on the
planet. My first one was stolen last July from my motorcycle
saddlebag while I ate lunch in Santa Ana, California. The second time
as noted from our "locked" hotel room in London by someone who had
access via a lost/stolen key card. Only you can decide the level of
security you want -- including physical security, backup strategies,
and so on. There are people much more knowledgeable than me who have
written books on all of this.

Good luck.

Dave

Dave Clark
www.clarklawfirm.com
http://daveclarkimages.smugmug.com
http://twitter.com/dave30c