Issue 156 - October 10, 2001

ISSN 1488-3163; PC Improvements © 2001
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Welcome to the 156th issue of the PC Improvement News. PCIN consists mainly of news and tips. There is something for everyone, and if this is your first issue, I'm sure there will be something for you.

You can reach me at editor@pcin.net with any suggestions or comments. If you give me two or three issues, I know that you will come back for more!

Recommend PCIN at http://PCIN.net/recommend.shtml
Support PCIN at http://PCIN.net/donate.shtml

CONTENTS

OPENING THOUGHTS

This past weekend was Canadian Thanksgiving (yes, we have it at a different time that the US). Most people have their big dinner either Sunday or Monday. We had our dinner Monday. Mom and Dad brought the turkey, and Lisa did everything else. There were 10 of us in total and we all had plenty to eat (and of course had a lot of leftovers). I guess I'll have to wait until Christmas for another big turkey dinner.

Because of the slowdown in the economy, it doesn't seem like there is anything exciting happening in the IT world. If you have any topics you'd like to discuss or find anything that you think is particularly interesting, email me at editor@pcin.net

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The NEWS

How much focus should be placed on using technology in toys?

From the October 05, 2001 issue of ComputerWorld Canada newspaper, pg. 28:

How much focus should be placed on using technology in toys?

15% More. Toys are important learning tools and technology has a place in that industry
15% There is enough focus on that market, it doesn't need anymore
8% Shouldn't we be spending our time and money on using technology for other things?
62% None, I grew up with Barbie and G.I. Joe and I never needed a Furby.


San Francisco bans Internet filters at public libraries

"Internet filters designed to keep pornography away from children were banned at city libraries despite a federal law mandating them. San Francisco's Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Monday to ban the filters from library computers, a move that could cost the city $20,000 in federal funds. The board left it up to the Library Commission to decide whether to install filtering software in children's areas."

For more info:
http://www.cnn.com/2001/TECH/internet/10/03/library.filters.ap/index.html


Florida Community Can't Shut Down 'Voyeur Dorm'

"For years cities and towns have been able to rely on zoning laws to keep adult entertainment businesses -- and their patrons -- far away from tony residential areas. But what happens when an R-rated business's clients never set foot on its premises and instead pay for and view sexual fare on home computers via the Internet?
That's the situation facing some frustrated municipal officials in Florida, who for three years have tried to relocate a company that operates an apparently irrepressible Web site called 'Voyeur Dorm' out of a house it owns in an upscale neighborhood in Tampa. The dwelling contains several college-age female residents and dozens of live Web cams that transmit unvarnished images 24 hours a day to tens of thousands of subscribers."

For more info:
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/10/05/technology/05CYBERLAW.html

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POLL of the WEEK

Here are the responses from the last poll:

Do you bank or manage any other financial assets online?

Yes: 73.26%
No: 26.74%

Total Votes: 86

Visit http://pcin.net/polls/ to participate in the new poll this week:

What category would your Internet usage match?

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FREEHELP FORUM

Visit the PCIN FreeHelp Forum to post your questions or answer others. Each week I highlight a question, and where to go to get the answer.

Question

Have 366MHZ, 32MB ram, E-machine running Windows 98. All of a sudden machine would not recognize modem. I formatted and restored HD with factory installation CD with original programs to make it just like new - still my AOL 6 installation could not detect modem. Replaced modem with a new one in a different slot. Machine still cannot detect new hardware (modem). What can I do next?

Answer

No answers posted yet

Do you know the answer or have a suggestion? Visit http://www.pcin.net/cgi-bin/forum/index.cgi and check out the Hardware Forum. Post your answer or post a question of your own.

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PCIN.net UPDATE

Check out these new or updated pages on the PCIN.net site:

Some Useful Registry Tips (Now 57 Tips!)
http://PCIN.net/help/articles/registry.shtml

PCIN Poll of the week
http://PCIN.net/polls/

Support PCIN
http://PCIN.net/donate.shtml

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THE TIPS and OTHER STUFF

Cheap Trick of the Week

**Eudora who?**

Do you know who the email program Eudora was named after?
You'd know if after you'd started using Eudora you'd continued letting those little tips appear every time you launched the program. The origins of the Eudora name is one of the tips. But there are many more practical items than this available.
You can find them all by looking in your Eudora folder (likely under Program Files and Qualcomm) for a file named eudora.tip. Open it with your word processor. Voilà. All the Eudora tips in one text file.

Get your own copy of "The Little Black Book of Cheap Tricks: 2001" by visiting http://www.pcin.net/lbbct/

Strange Advertising

The October 2001 issue of Sales & Marketing Management magazine had a funny section called "Advertising Where You'd Least Expect It." Two of the examples given were of "Dot Coms". I can't really explain the advertising, so I scanned the section, and you can see it at http://pcin.net/archive/2001/images/strange_advertising.jpg

Niagara Falls Wallpaper

A while ago I mentioned that I had set up a site where you could download desktop wallpaper of Niagara Falls. It has been available intermittently, but should be available permanently now. If you visit http://GAWing.com/ you will find 2 sets of Niagara Falls wallpaper (Autumn and Winter) and some other countryside pictures that have been made into wallpaper. I hope to get some more taken soon.

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DISCLAIMER and OTHER STUFF

PCIN is brought to you by PC Improvements. The opinions expressed are those of the editor, Graham Wing. PC Improvements and Graham Wing accept no responsibility for the results obtained from trying the tips in this newsletter.

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Graham Wing can be reached at editor@pcin.net

Copyright 1998-2001, PC Improvements and Graham Wing. All rights reserved.

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