|
Issue 162 - November 21, 2001
ISSN 1488-3163; PC Improvements © 2001
==== 2222 Subscribers in 60 Countries ====
Subscribe/Unsubscribe/View Archives at http://www.pcin.net/
Welcome to the 162nd 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
The craft show that Lisa and Mom were in on Saturday didn't
go so well. It was more of a bazaar (smaller, cheaper items).
Of well, they had fun preparing, and there are other shows
ahead. I did get the Smocked
Dreams web site finished in time for Saturday. If you
don't know what smocking is, you should really check
out the site and see the beautiful work. A good sample
is at http://www.smockeddreams.com/dresses/images/Plaid_Tidings_Smocking.jpg.
Lisa thinks it's amazing that I can do what I do with computers.
Well, I think it's amazing what she can do with those dresses.
As I said last week, I'm on vacation this week. Lisa still
has to work, so I'm getting quite a bit done around the house.
We're both anxious to get the bathroom done, so that should
be done soon.
Recently subscriber Forest Brumagen emailed me about how
he set up a Mac at home. Instead of installing Windows XP
on their Windows computer, they decided to move to a Mac.
He asked, "Do others think that, with the advent of OSX,
a UNIX based platform, we might move away from Wintel-based
systems? I submit this as a proposition to your readers."
So, do you think that the new Mac OS X is a viable alternative
to Windows? Has Windows XP made you think more about switching?
Send your comments to editor@pcin.net
Return to the top
The NEWS
FBI software cracks encryption wall
"The FBI is developing software capable of inserting
a computer virus onto a suspect's machine and obtaining
encryption keys, a source familiar with the project told
MSNBC.com. The software, known as "Magic Lantern,"
enables agents to read data that had been scrambled, a tactic
often employed by criminals to hide information and evade
law enforcement. The best snooping technology that the FBI
currently uses, the controversial software called Carnivore,
has been useless against suspects clever enough to encrypt
their files."
http://www.msnbc.com/news/660096.asp
Few Willing to Pay for Web Content
"The dot-com shakeout has resulted in some websites
charging fees to access content, but few Americans have
been willing to pay, according to a survey released Wednesday.
About 17 percent of Internet users, or about 19 million
people, have been asked to pay for access to website content
that used to be free, but half found free alternatives,
while 12 percent pay, and the rest just decide to stop getting
that content or service from an online source, according
to a study by the Pew Internet & Life Project.
The survey titled 'The Dot-com Meltdown and the Web,' was
a follow-up to one released by Pew in March, which found
that most Americans attributed the dot-com problems to either
'greed' or 'cluelessness.'"
For more info:
http://www.techtv.com/news/internet/story/0,24195,3360940,00.html
Users are the weakest link, security experts warn
"Companies that would have trouble compiling a list
of their networks' users and detailing the level of access
that those users have don't know who is on their network
and are sitting ducks for cybersabotage, a group of industry
experts said today.
Weak user passwords, inconsistent policy enforcement and
lackadaisical user access management have made corporate
network users the No. 1 cyberthreat to sensitive business
data, said experts during a live webcast today sponsored
by Irvine, Calif.-based Access360, a company that specializes
in resource-provisioning management.
'The user, while juggling even more IDs and passwords in
today's environment, continues to be the weakest link,'
said Mark Ford, an analyst at the Secure eBusiness Group
at Deloitte & Touche LLP in New York. 'We must gain
control of the weakest link before we end up in an identity
crisis.'"
For more info:
http://www.computerworld.com/storyba/0,4125,NAV47_STO65745,00.html
Return to the top
POLL of the WEEK
Here are the responses from the last poll:
Have you ever downloaded an entire feature-length movie
from the Internet?
No: 88.24%
Yes: 11.76%
Total Votes: 68
Visit http://pcin.net/polls/
to participate in the new poll this week:
How much of your Christmas shopping will you do online?
Return to the top
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
I recently built a new computer. I put in a Gigabyte motherboard
with an onboard sound card. I had a computer that I built
a few years ago that I played a few games on. The games
worked fine on that one. Now on this one, when I play the
same games I played before, the sound is delayed and scrambled.
When I go into directx diagnostics I get an error that says:
Error:Problem getting extra sound info, result code= 0x8878000a
{The request failed because DirectSound resources, such
ae the priority level, were already in use by another caller.}
I have all the updated drivers and the newest version of
directx. If anyone has any ideas please let me know. Thanks.
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 Software Forum. Post your answer or post
a question of your own.
Return to the top
PCIN.net UPDATE
Check out these new or updated pages on the PCIN.net site:
PowerQuest DriveCopy 4.0
http://PCIN.net/help/software/pqdrivecopy4.shtml
PowerQuest PartitionMagic 6.0
http://PCIN.net/help/software/pqpartitionmagic6.shtml
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
PowerQuest DriveCopy 4.0 Review
"PowerQuest's DriveCopy
4.0 is a tool very similar to PartitionMagic
and Drive
Image, but much simpler. It is mainly to be used when
a new hard drive is purchased, and all you want to do is
copy the entire contents of one drive to another.
The product appeared to work perfectly, according to its
purpose. But you must remember that it does no more.
If you want to resize partitions at all, then you would
need PartitionMagic. If you want to keep an image of the
hard drive that you can restore, then you would need Drive
Image."
Read the full review at
http://PCIN.net/help/software/pqdrivecopy4.shtml
PowerQuest PartitionMagic 6.0 Review
"PowerQuest
makes many software products, but their most popular with
home users is PartitionMagic. I've used the product since
version 3, and have always been impressed with it. I recently
obtain a copy of version
6.0 for review and was note disappointed with it.
Previous versions of PartitionMagic
have been excellent, and this version is no exception. If
you ever have the need to do anything with your partitions
for any purpose (testing operating systems, organizing your
hard drive, etc.), then PartitionMagic is well worth the
$69.95
suggested price (of course you can always find
it cheaper). There are cheaper products (some even free)
out there, but none of them match up!"
Read the full review at
http://PCIN.net/help/software/pqpartitionmagic6.shtml
Windows XP Startup Disks
"The Windows XP startup disk allows computers without
a bootable CD-ROM to perform a new installation of the operating
system. The Windows XP startup disk will automatically load
the correct drivers to gain access to the CD-ROM drive and
start a new installation of Setup. You cannot upgrade from
a Windows XP startup disk."
XP Home
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?releaseid=33290
XP Pro
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?releaseid=33291
Microsoft Office Converter Pack
"The Microsoft Office Converter Pack installs text
converters and graphic (image) filters not included with
Excel, Word, and PowerPoint®. Many of the converters
and filters included in the converter pack have been available
in the past, but this is the first time they have been packaged
together for convenient deployment."
http://office.microsoft.com/downloads/9798/Convpack.aspx
http://office.microsoft.com/Downloads/2000/convpack.aspx
Return to the top
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.
- If any of the links are too long to fit on one line, you
may have to cut and paste.
- You can only win one contest every 30 days.
- To subscribe another address or unsubscribe, please visit
http://www.pcin.net/ and follow the appropriate
links.
- Recommend PCIN to others at http://www.pcin.net/recommend.shtml
and be entered in a monthly draw.
- There are only 2 ways to get on the subscriber list. You
have either been subscribed by filling out a subscription
form on any of the pages on my site, or you have requested
FreeHelp from me in the past.
- If you have a web site or run your own newsletter, please
email me at editor@pcin.net and I will add it to the subscriber
web pages that I have on my site.
- Support PCIN by visiting http://www.pcin.net/donate.shtml
Return to the top
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,
as long as the author is notified and the newsletter is presented
as is.
Support PCIN by visiting http://www.pcin.net/donate.shtml
PC
Improvement News Home Page
PC
Improvement News Archive
|
