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Issue 188 - May 22, 2002
ISSN 1488-3163; PC Improvements © 2002
==== 2330 Subscribers in 57 Countries ====
Welcome to the 188th 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.php
Support PCIN at http://PCIN.net/donate.shtml
CONTENTS
OPENING THOUGHTS
Many of you have noticed that I updated the PCIN.net FreeHelp Forums a couple
of weeks ago. It is the same basic script, but instead of using Perl/CGI, it
uses PHP and a mySQL database. This means it is a lot faster. It also has some
extra features from an administration point of view which helps me identify
problems earlier. If you haven't visited the forums for a while, check it out
at http://PCIN.net/help/forum One other
note... in both version of the forum, you have the option to stay logged in
all the time. But when you revisit the forum, it appears that you have to login
again. I don't know why this is. If you click on the login link, the forum immediately
recognizes whether or not you should be logged in or not. I guess it refreshes
the login cookie when you click on that link.
Graham editor@pcin.net
and Chris chris@pcin.net
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The NEWS
Cracking CDs with magic markers
"Technology buffs have cracked music publishing giant Sony Music's elaborate
disc copy-protection technology with a decidedly low-tech method: scribbling
around the rim of a disk with a felt-tip marker.
Internet newsgroups have been circulating news of the discovery for the past
week, and in typical newsgroup style, users have pilloried Sony for using
"high-tech" copy protection that can be defeated by paying a visit
to a stationery store.
'I wonder what type of copy protection will come next?' one posting on alt.music.prince
read. 'Maybe they'll ban markers.'"
For more info:
http://news.com.com/2100-1023-918273.html
http://www.usatoday.com/life/cyber/tech/2002/05/20/copyproof-cd.htm
Google, Dilbert Team Up for a Logo Redesign
Those looking for a little humor in the normally starchy world of information
technology (IT) need look no further than Google Inc. as Dilbert, an internationally-known
cartoon office worker, appears this week on the home page of the search engine
as part of a redesign quest.
Beginning Monday, Mountain View, Calif.'s Google features cast members Dilbert,
The Boss and Alice of the Dilbert cartoon. The Boss asks this question of
knowledge searchers: 'We need a new logo by Friday. Any suggestions?'
Of all cartoon characters, why Dilbert?"
For more info:
http://www.internetnews.com/ent-news/article/0,,7_1141261,00.html
World Cup Sets Stage for Mobile Phone Showdown
"The soccer teams of World Cup co-hosts South Korea and Japan may never
meet on the playing field, but the one-month tournament will be a golden opportunity
to showcase their prowess in advanced mobile technology.
The race to create a mobile World Cup has hotted up between mobile operators
in South Korea and Japan, with both countries offering an array of services
to allow visitors keep in touch with home."
For more info:
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/technology/tech-telecoms-korea-worldcupfeaturepictur.html
Poll: Nearly 60 Pct of Web Surfers Plan to Quit AOL
"Nearly 60 percent of Web surfers polled by ChangeWave, an investment
and research firm whose clients include hedge funds, said Tuesday they planned
to leave America Online for another Internet service.
'The findings of this survey point to a serious and ongoing hemorrhaging of
AOL's Internet subscriber base. Among members using AOL as their Internet
Service Provider, two out of five rate it unsatisfactory -- by far the highest
negative rating of any major ISP specified in the survey,' the report said."
For more info:
http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=internetnews&StoryID=990073
POLL of the WEEK
Here are the responses from the last poll:
Are you more or less interested in computers than you were a year ago?"
More 56.58 % (43)
Less 13.16 % (10)
About the same 30.26 % (23)
Total votes: 76
Visit http://pcin.net/polls/ to participate
in the new poll this week:
How satisfied are you with your Internet Service Provider (ISP)?
FREEHELP FORUM
Visit the new and improved PCIN FreeHelp Forum at http://www.pcin.net/help/forum/index.php
to post your questions or answer others.
Question
When I click on file>save as, to save a webpage in my documents and then
try to open the webpage from my documents, all I get is a file with a bunch
of jpegs, how can I save something like one of these forum topics?
Answer
Some web browsers don't handle dynamic pages very well (pages that aren't
generated until you request them). These forums are setup so that they load
the page based on your login and what you want to see.
I would suggest clicking on the Print button when you are viewing topics.
This will generate a plain page with all of the responses to a topic. You
should be able to save that.
To post a different suggestion, visit the How-To... forum at http://www.pcin.net/help/forum/index.php?board=6 and click on the "save webpage to my documents" subject.
Visit http://www.pcin.net/help/forum/index.php
to post a question of your own.
PCIN.net UPDATE
Check out these new or updated pages on the PCIN.net site:
Updated PCIN.net FreeHelp Forum
http://PCIN.net/help/forum/
Updated Registry Tips (now 131)
http://PCIN.net/help/articles/registry_tips.shtml
New and Improved PCIN.net Links section
http://PCIN.net/links/
pdf995 Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/pdf995.php
THE TIPS and OTHER STUFF
Recipes
Chris Empey is the PCIN Assistant Editor. He also likes to cook. He subscribes
to a daily recipe email list, and has put many of the recipes online. You
can check them out at http://forcedbeat.com/recipes/
Even More Google.com Features
In Issue 180 of PCIN (you can view the issue at http://pcin.net/archive/2002/20020327.shtml)
I mentioned many of the special features that Google has. Well, they've added
to it. They now have a "beta" area of their site where you can try
out technologies that they are developing. Visit http://labs.google.com/
to try out the following:
Google Glossary
Find definitions for words, phrases and acronyms
Google Sets
Automatically create sets of items from a few examples
Voice Search
Search on Google by voice with a simple telephone call
Keyboard Shortcuts
Navigate search results without using your mouse
Get Windows XP Help
Visit http://www.wxperience.com/index.php
to find out about updated drivers and software for Windows XP. There are also
news headlines, as well as other useful articles.
DISCLAIMER and OTHER
STUFF
PCIN is brought to you by Graham Wing. The opinions expressed are those of
the Editor, Graham Wing and the Assistant Editor, Chris Empey. Graham Wing and
Chris Empey 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.php
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
Chris Empey can be reached at chris@pcin.net
Copyright 1998-2002, 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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