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Issue 173 - February 06, 2002
ISSN 1488-3163; PC Improvements © 2002
==== 2312 Subscribers in 61 Countries ====
Welcome to the 173rd 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. If you give me two or three issues, I know that you
will come back for more!
You can reach me at editor@pcin.net
with any suggestions or comments.
Recommend PCIN at http://PCIN.net/recommend.shtml
Support PCIN at http://PCIN.net/donate.shtml
CONTENTS
OPENING
THOUGHTS
Good news... my extensive search to find someone to help
me with the PCIN newsletter and web site has come to a successful
end. Actually, I didn't look very hard. Many of you have seen
the name Chris Empey in the newsletter before. He has sent
the newsletter out on my behalf. We've been friends for several
years, went to school together, and work together. And now
after pestering him for a few weeks, he's agreed to help.
We've agreed to each try to have something new done for the
web site each week. There will be more new articles, more
reviews, and many improvements to the web site. Welcome aboard,
Chris. All of the main email for the site and newsletter should
still come to editor@pcin.net,
but if you'd like to contact Chris, you may do so at chris@pcin.net.
You can reach me (Graham) at the editor email address.
Last week I mentioned that I was having some problems with
the FreeHelp Forum. Well, mostly thanks to the efforts of
Chris, we have a new forum. The new and improved PCIN FreeHelp
Forum is available at http://www.pcin.net/cgi-bin/bb/YaBB.cgi.
It is cleaner looking, easier to use, and looks fabulous.
If you haven't checked it out, you're missing out. The old
forum will be up for another week or two. If you have posted
a question to the old board and haven't had anyone post an
answer, then try posting on the new board. Both Chris and
I will be active participants.
Lastly, this Saturday I will be sending out a special issue
of PCIN that contains the stories of your first computer.
I don't normally send out extra issues, but this one was very
interesting.
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The
NEWS
Microsoft takes a break to clean its code
"After nearly 25 years of writing software code, Microsoft
is taking a break to do a little housecleaning.
The company has ordered a temporary halt in the development
of new code and has instructed its developers to go back
and check for security holes in the piles of ones and zeros
already written. The clean-up targets the gamut of Microsoft
products from its desktop operating systems to its newly
released .Net tools, a Microsoft spokeswoman confirmed Monday.
Each division will stop writing new code for about one month."
For more info:
http://www.infoworld.com/articles/hn/xml/02/02/04/020204hnmscode.xml
http://www.wininformant.com/articles/index.cfm?articleid=23971
Priceline Names Itself Profitable
"Name-your-price e-commerce company Priceline.com
named itself a little pro forma fourth quarter profit (excluding
restructuring and other special charges), reporting net
income of $3.3 million, or 1 cent per share.
That compares to a fourth quarter 2000 pro forma net loss
of $25 million, or 15 cents per share."
For more info:
http://www.internetnews.com/ec-news/article/0,,4_967431,00.html
Microsoft partners with NBC shows
"In its ongoing effort to strike entertainment and
media partnerships, Microsoft's MSN portal will power the
Web sites for two popular TV shows produced by NBC, according
to sources familiar with the deal.
The deal, expected to be announced Monday, will allow MSN
to produce and promote Web sites for the popular 'The Tonight
Show With Jay Leno,'and the flashy entertainment news show
'Access Hollywood.' The Access Hollywood site, which has
already launched, will feature music videos, movie trailers
and entertainment news headlines. The Tonight Show site
will not launch until the spring, the sources said."
For more info:
http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1104-828488.html
Monks Modify for Mobile
From the February issue of mBusiness magazine, pg 48:
"Franciscan monks in Assisi, Italy - home of their
nature-loving patron, St. Francis - are adjusting their
clothing in recognition of modernity. The order is having
its robes redesigned with pockets to carry the monks' cellular
phones.
According to news site Ananova.com, an Italian designer
is producing the new robes, which cost about $150. The monks
have ordered 3,000 of the garments, although there's reportedly
been some criticism, saying that such accommodations for
mobile devices shows that the supposedly unworldly friars
are getting into bad habits."
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POLL
of the WEEK
Here are the responses from the last poll:
Do computers make life easier or more complicated?
Easier: 80.33%
More complicated: 18.03%
No Opinion: 1.64%
Total Votes: 61
Visit http://pcin.net/polls/
to participate in the new poll this week:
Do you like the look of the new iMac?
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FREEHELP
FORUM
Visit the new and improved PCIN FreeHelp Forum at http://www.pcin.net/cgi-bin/bb/YaBB.cgi
to post your questions or answer others. Once there are a
few more postings to the forums, I will include some of them
here.
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PCIN.net
UPDATE
Check out these new or updated pages on the PCIN.net site:
PCIN FreeHelp Forum
http://www.pcin.net/cgi-bin/bb/YaBB.cgi
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THE
TIPS and OTHER STUFF
Changing Directories Using the Command Prompt
When you try to change directories in Windows 98/ME, you
either have to type the entire path in quotes ("c:\program
files\microsoft office"), or use the abbreviated DOS
name (c:\progra~1\micros~1).
Windows NT/2000/XP don't have DOS, but they do have COMMAND.COM
and CMD.EXE which allow you to have an environment similar
to DOS. You can change directories, delete, move and copy
files, as well as run programs. When in these environments,
you can use an asterisk ( * ) to complete names. Rather
than typing c:\program files you could type c:\pro* to name
the directory. Using this in a CD (change directory) command,
you would change to the first folder that started with "pro"
in the c: drive. If you ever have to work in these environments,
this can be a real time-saver.
Check Your Bookmarks
Recently I was wondering if there were programs out there
that would check all of my favourites and eliminate the
dead links. I assumed there was, but hadn't spent any time
checking. Then a week or so ago, the LangaList newsletter
(a great newsletter!) mentioned a couple of possibilities.
I downloaded AM-DeadLink 1.31 by Martin Aignesberger and
it was a dream come true. I discovered that I had 671 shortcuts.
I eliminated duplicates and that brought me down to 659.
Then I let it check for dead links, and I was brought down
to 529. Still far too many, but by spending 5 minutes using
the program, I reduced my bookmarks by 142. Not bad! There
are other programs, but I felt this was worth mentioning.
You can download it from almost any shareware site (it is
freeware), or you can download it directly from http://aignes.net/products.htm
Incredibly Useful Sites?
I've received some unsolicited postal mail from PC Magazine
lately. They each contained a small card that lists "PC
Magazine's 20 Incredibly Useful Sites".
I don't think the sites are incredible, but it is a decent
list. I made a small web page with the links in case you
find them useful. Check them out at http://www.pcin.net/archive/2002/other/pcmag_sites.htm
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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.
- 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
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Graham Wing can be reached at editor@pcin.net
Copyright 1998-2002, 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
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