|
Issue 164 - December 05, 2001
ISSN 1488-3163; PC Improvements © 2001
==== 2223 Subscribers in 59 Countries ====
Subscribe/Unsubscribe/View Archives at http://www.pcin.net/
Welcome to the 164th 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
Here we are almost a week into December and it was 19°
C today (66° F). Crazy.
Well, I guess the big news this week was that the big IT
was finally revealed. Since January there has been speculation
on what it would be. As it turns out, it is a device similar
to a scooter called the Segway Human Transporter (HT). I know
that some people were disappointed, but I for one thing that
it is amazing. Well, maybe not the actual device, but the
technology is mind-boggling. This is computerized equilibrium.
You stand on something that looks like a barbell (that is
what the Time article describes it as), and you don't fall
over. You lean forward, and you move forward. You lean back,
and you slow down. I just think the technology that allows
it to read a persons body movements like that could be used
in so many areas.
What did you think of it? Email me at editor@pcin.net
with your thoughts on the Segway HT. Was this a let-down for
you? Do you care? Will it change the world? I'll put the comments
in next week's PCIN.
Return to the top
The NEWS
Reinventing the Wheel
"Here 'it' is: the inside story of the secret invention
that so many are buzzing about. Could this thing really
change the world?
For the past three months, [Dean] Kamen has allowed TIME
behind the veil of secrecy as he and his team grappled with
the questions that they will confront--about everything
from safety and pricing to the challenges of launching a
product with the country at war and the economy in recession.
Some of their answers were smooth and assured; others less
polished. But one thing was clear. As Kamen sees it, all
these issues will quickly fade if the question most people
ask about the Segway is 'How do I get one?'"
For more info:
http://www.time.com/time/business/printout/0,8816,186660,00.html
the IT question is an excellent resource
http://www.theitquestion.com/
Deka Research site (the inventors company)
http://www.dekaresearch.com/
Segway HT site (the product's site)
http://www.segway.com/
US court ruling nixes software EULA sales restrictions
"In an intriguing ruling picked up by LinuxJournal's
Don Marti, a US district court has given encouragement to
software users who want to extricate themselves from restrictive
software licenses.
The judge, in the case Adobe vs Softman heard in the Central
District of California, has ruled that consumers can resell
bundled software, no matter what the EULA, or End User License
Agreement, stipulates. Specifically, the ruling decrees
that software purchases be treated as sales transactions,
rather than explicit license agreements. In other words,
consumers should have the same rights they'd enjoy under
existing copyright legislation when buying a CD or a book.
They can't make copies, but they can resell what they own."
For more info:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/23073.html
602Pro PC Suite Reaches One Million Registered Users
I received an email from Premysl Pech of Software602 (he
is also a subscriber) the other day.
"Hi Graham
We got news...
Have a nice day.
Premysl Pech
Press release
602Pro PC SUITE hits one million registered users and counting.
Jacksonville, FL, November 27th, 2001 - Software602, Inc.
announces 1,000,0000 (one million) registered users for
its FREE Alternative to MS OFFICE. The latest version of
602Pro PC SUITE 2001 was released in September this year
FREE for commercial and non-commercial use. Registered users
are located in more then 226 countries worldwide with the
mass majority in the United States."
The press release continued at http://www.software602.com/press/press47.html
Mac News
Flat-panel iMacs coming soon
"Apple Computer may finally be poised to unfurl a
long-rumored flat-panel iMac, according to a report Tuesday
from Morgan Stanley.
Morgan Stanley analysts Gillian Munson and Stirling Levy
said in the report that Apple has placed component orders
for producing 100,000 15-inch flat-panel iMacs per month,
starting in January.
The all-in-one computer virtually revived Apple when it
emerged in 1998, but sales have steadily declined in the
past year and a half."
For more info:
http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,5100279,00.html
"Free" OS X riles Apple
"In October, Apple gave away thousands of free CDs
that offered owners of Mac OS X a free upgrade to version
10.1--the first major update to the new OS and a key enabler
for tasks such as playing DVD movies and burning files onto
DVDs. However, what was designed to be a nice perk for early
adopters of the new OS turned out to be a way for holdouts
to get a free version of Mac OS X, which normally costs
$129.
Last week, Mac site Macfixit.com posted details that could
be used to provide a complete installation of Mac OS X,
even for those who did not have a copy of an earlier version.
Macfixit later took down the posting after receiving a cease-and-desist
letter from Apple."
For more info:
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1006-200-8054588.html
Return to the top
POLL of the WEEK
Here are the responses from the last poll:
How much of your Christmas shopping will you do online?
None: 32.86%
10%: 18.57%
20%: 14.29%
50%: 10.00%
30%: 7.14%
All of it!: 4.29%
80%: 4.29%
90%: 2.86%
60%: 2.86%
70%: 1.43%
40%: 1.43%
Total Votes: 70
Visit http://pcin.net/polls/
to participate in the new poll this week:
How tech toy would you like for Christmas?
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
How in the heck do i get rid of Bonzi buddy?
Answer
Go to this link to find out http://www.pchell.com/support/bonzibuddy.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.
Return to the top
PCIN.net UPDATE
Entire 2000 archive updated to new site format
http://PCIN.net/archive/2000/index.shtml
Hebus.com Wallpaper of the Day
http://pcin.net/help/tods/wod.shtml
View Thumbnails in Windows Explorer
http://pcin.net/help/articles/viewthumbnails.shtml
Windows Registry Help
http://pcin.net/help/articles/registryhelp.shtml
Windows File Extensions
http://pcin.net/help/articles/fileext.shtml
WE Compute Magazine's Cheap Tricks of the Week
http://pcin.net/help/articles/cheaptricks.shtml
(The entire collection is in Microsoft Word format and is
more than 30 pages long. You can download the file from here)
Internet Backbone Speeds
http://pcin.net/help/articles/internetspeeds.shtml
BIOS Help
http://pcin.net/help/articles/bioshelp.shtml
See the PCIN test system
http://pcin.net/help/pcin_system.shtml
PCIN FreeHelp Downloads
http://pcin.net/help/download/
PC Industry News
http://pcin.net/news.shtml
THE TIPS and OTHER STUFF
Cheap Trick of the Week
DOS to order
Do you find it too cumbersome to navigate in MS-DOS to
the directory you want, especially with those weird truncated
filenames?
The solution is to find the folder in Windows first. Use
Explorer or My Computer to go to the folder and select it.
Then, while it's selected, click on Start and Run, enter
command and click OK.
The MS-DOS Prompt window will open exactly at the directory
corresponding to the folder you chose.
Get your own copy of "The Little Black Book
of Cheap Tricks: 2001" by visiting http://www.pcin.net/lbbct/
Power-On Password Software
Last week I mentioned that a subscriber was looking for
good "power-on" password software. Subscriber
Alex Gray responded:
"It just so happens that I was just researching this
type of program for a friend of mine.
There is a simple but effective Shareware program that can
lock your system at bootup or any other time at:
http://www.softheap.com/wlock.html
The programs is Windows LockUp ver 1.4 and costs $27.00
for the registered version."
The Expert Guide to Microsoft Windows XP
This free eBook is available from Microsoft and needs their
Reader product to view it. You can download it at http://www.microsoft.com/reader/us/shop.asp
or directly from http://www.microsoft.com/reader/includes/ExpertGuidetoMicrosoftWindowsXP.lit
The promo on the page said:
" Designed just for Windows enthusiasts, this handbook
introduces Windows XP, the most important version of Windows
to date. Read articles by expert columnists from the Expert
Zone, and get more in-depth information from Microsoft Press.
This eBook contains tips, tricks, and references to more
information about Windows XP!"
Finding Users with Viruses/Trojan Horses
This was sent to me by Chris Empey. He recently received
this from our local cable company. I thought it was good
that the company identified a potential threat and contacted
the user. They pinpointed his IP address as having sent
the virus along, and sent along links on how to fix the
problem. They haven't followed up on the email yet, but
it is a good start.
"Hello!
We have received reports that your computer and/or IP Address
may have inadvertently been involved in the distribution
of a virus (Code Red) onto remote systems. This is contrary
to COGECO's Acceptable Use Policy (http://www.cgocable.net/aup).
COGECO reserves the right to investigate suspicious violations
of this policy and take any necessary corrective action.
Please refer to http://www.cert.org/advisories/CA-2001-19.html
for information on this virus and http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/security/bulletin/MS01-044.asp
for a security patch.
If you were indeed the cause of the reported incidents,
please refrain from causing/creating other similar incidents.
Further similar infractions of COGECO's AUP will result
in possible interruption/discontinuation of your Internet
service.
If you do not believe you were the cause of this incident,
please let us know. There are a variety of possible explanations
as to why you may have appeared to be the source of this
incident.
We recommend that you get an up-to-date anti-virus software
and scan your PC immediately for viruses. Sometimes, remote
parties who get access to your computer can use it to scan
other PCs for vulnerabilities. If you do not believe you
were the cause of this incident, please let us know. There
are a variety of possible explanations as to why you may
have appeared to be the source of this incident.
Please acknowledge this email by replying within 72 hours.
Sincerely yours,
COGECO's Residential Security department"
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
|
