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Issue 161 - November 14, 2001
ISSN 1488-3163; PC Improvements © 2001
==== 2261 Subscribers in 61 Countries ====
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Welcome to the 161st 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
I'm finally getting caught up on some of the reviews I've
had to do. There are 3 in this issue (with links to full reviews
on the web site) and I have 2 more for next week. I've also
got some more titles on the way to review. Some of them should
be very good.
Tomorrow at 2:00 I start my first vacation in years. I've
had my share of time off, but it has been a long time since
I had actual vacation time. It works out that I will be off
for 12 days. I have no plans at all other than relaxing. Lisa
still has to work, so I should be able to get some more done
around the house, but I'm sure I'll have plenty of time to
rest as well.
Lastly, Lisa and Mom are almost ready for their craft show
on Saturday. Hopefully they will sell all of their dresses.
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The NEWS
French Nazi item ruling nixed by U.S. court
"In an important Internet policy case, a federal judge
ruled Wednesday that Yahoo does not have to comply with
a French order that it keep users in France from seeing
Nazi-related content on the Web site. U.S. District Judge
Jeremy Fogel ruled that the First Amendment protects content
generated in the United States by American companies from
being regulated by authorities in countries that have more
restrictive laws on freedom of expression."
For more info:
http://www.usatoday.com/life/cyber/tech/2001/11/08/yahoo-nazi-items.htm
Mouse inventor strives for more
"If you had invented something that was used every
day by millions of people and had changed the way we all
interacted with computers, you would feel pleased that you
had achieved something in your lifetime. Not so if you are
the man who created the computer mouse, Dr Douglas Engelbart."
For more info:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_1633000/1633972.stm
Where's Harry Potter? Probably not online
Pirated copies of the much-anticipated Harry Potter movie
have been reported online ahead of its U.S. release Friday,
but impatient viewers will likely find it faster to wait
in line at the theater rather than find an illicit version.
Searches on peer-to-peer exchanges such as LimeWire and
Morpheus this week returned long lists of files whose titles
incorporate "Harry Potter," the hero of the expected
movie blockbuster based on the best-selling novels by J.K.
Rowling. Few of those files, if any, represent the genuine
article, however.
A random sampling of peer-to-peer sites taken by CNET News.com
this week turned up many trailers for the movie as well
as a handful of mistitled movies, but no working full-length
versions of the film.
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-7876161.html
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POLL of the WEEK
Here are the responses from the last poll:
Now that Napster is virtually gone, do you still download
MP3s?
Yes, I use a different program: 38.46%
No, it doesn't interest me: 36.92%
No, it isn't worth the trouble: 15.38%
Yes, I just get them from my friends: 3.08%
Yes, I get them off web sites: 3.08%
Yes, I get them off usenet groups: 3.08%
Total Votes: 65
Visit http://pcin.net/polls/
to participate in the new poll this week:
Have you ever downloaded an entire feature-length movie
from the Internet?
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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
Where can I find an explanation of the contents in BOOTLOG.TXT.
I have two items that continually show a failed load and
would like to find out what it means.
Answer
http://www.windows-help.net/windows95/troub-23.shtml
Do you know the answer or have a suggestion? Visit http://www.pcin.net/cgi-bin/forum/index.cgi
and check out the Software 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:
Software602 602Pro PC Suite 2001 Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/602propcsuite2001.shtml
Software602 602Pro PC Suite Plus 2001
http://PCIN.net/help/software/602propcsuiteplus2001.shtml
PowerQuest Drive Image 4.0
http://PCIN.net/help/software/pqdriveimage4.shtml
Support PCIN
http://pcin.net/donate.shtml
Return to the top
THE TIPS and OTHER STUFF
Software602 602Pro PC Suite 2001 (reviewed by Graham
Wing)
"About a year ago I reviewed Software602's 602Pro
PC Suite. This was a $50 US Microsoft Office Standard alternative.
Although not as feature-rich as Microsoft Office, it certainly
was an adequate solution for a home user, and much cheaper.
Since then, the product is now offered for free, and a new
version has been released, Software602's 602Pro PC Suite
2001. I stand by my review of the older version. The basic
functionality of the program is still the same.
In my previous review, I stated 'If you are looking for
a reliable yet inexpensive Office Suite, then 602Pro PC
Suite is the one for you.' Well, now that the software is
free, it is an even better alternative. If you do not need
a database (like Access) or presentation program (like PowerPoint),
then 602Pro PC Suite will do just fine."
Read the full review at
http://PCIN.net/help/software/602propcsuite2001.shtml
Software602 602Pro PC Suite Plus 2001 (reviewed by
Graham Wing)
"The free Microsoft Office Standard alternative, Software602's
602Pro PC Suite 2001, is becoming ever more popular. It
is a reliable program that performs many of the same functions
that the MS suite can, and of course the price can't be
beat.
There are, however, many things that it can't do. Software602
has released a product called 602Pro PC Suite Plus 2001
for $29.95 that adds many useful features. The basic suite
is adequate, and the Plus suite adds much more for only
1/10 the cost of Microsoft Office."
Read the full review at
http://PCIN.net/help/software/602propcsuiteplus2001.shtml
PowerQuest Drive Image 4.0 (reviewed by Chris Empey)
"I was recently given the task of reviewing Drive
Image 4.0 by PowerQuest. Going through frequent rebuilds
on my systems this seemed like the ideal utility for me.
My intention was to create an image of the smaller (also
my boot) partition on the larger partition. I would then
make a change in Windows, exit back to Drive Image and restore
the original image."
Chris ran into a few problems along the way, but was finally
able to complete the review. Version 4 is out-of-date already,
but the review is still work reading. We're hoping to get
version 5 to review soon.
Read the full review at
http://PCIN.net/help/software/pqdriveimage4.shtml
CD-ROM Drive Tweak
Subscriber J. Crowe sent me this:
"I found the following CD-ROM drive tweak in the October
2001 issue of Maximum PC magazine.
Windows allows the user to select Quad Speed or higher speed
by selecting START/SETTINGS/CONTROL PANEL/SYSTEM/PERFORMANCE/FILE
SYSTEM/CD-ROM but doesn't allow for a higher setting for
faster modern CD-ROM drives. This tweak will optimize the
access pattern. The SUPPLEMENTAL CACHE SIZE should be set
to LARGE.
Open regedit and go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\
CONTROL\FILESYSTEM\CDFS\.
Depending on the version of WIN95/98/ME edit in DECIMAL
or HEXADECIMAL. You can increase the CACHESIZE from the
default of decimal 619 (hex 26B) to decimal 2476 (hex 9AC).
To increase the buffer size from the default QUAD-SPEED
change the PREFETCH line from its default of decimal 228
(hex E4) to decimal 1792 (hex 700). This will tell windows
to optimize for a 32x CD-Rom drive instead of a 4x CD-Rom
drive. (This tweak doesn't affect DVD-ROM drives, but will
assist CD-ROM reads in DVD-ROM drives).
This has worked for me. My cd-rom drive use to speed up
and then slow down continuously while accessing data on
a cd-rom but after applying this registry tweak my cd-rom
drive doesn't do that any more."
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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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may have to cut and paste.
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Graham Wing can be reached at editor@pcin.net
Copyright 1998-2001, PC Improvements and Graham Wing. All
rights reserved.
This publication may be reproduced in whole, or in part,
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