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Issue 202 - August 28, 2002
ISSN 1488-3163; PC Improvements © 2002
==== 2188 Subscribers in 57 Countries ====
Welcome to the 202nd 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.php
CONTENTS
OPENING THOUGHTS
I added a several more registry tips to the collection that is available on
the web site. There are now 156 tips. Check out the link in the Tips and Other
Stuff section below. I've also added a new search feature to the web site. It
isn't very sophisticated, but it does the job.
Graham editor@pcin.net
and Chris chris@pcin.net
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The NEWS
WordPerfect wins an Office battle
"Hewlett-Packard is booting Microsoft Office software from its Pavilion
line of consumer PCs in favor of software from Corel, as more PC makers consider
cheaper Microsoft alternatives.
The deal, announced Monday, marks a significant win for the scrappy Canadian
software maker. HP is currently the largest manufacturer of PCs in the world
and commands more than half the U.S. retail market.
Under the deal, all Pavilion desktop PCs will ship with Corel's WordPerfect
Productivity Pack starting next month. The Productivity Pack is a 'productivity
suite,'similar to Microsoft's Office, that includes the WordPerfect word processing
application and the Quattro Pro spreadsheet program. Currently, Pavilion PCs
come with a choice of the full version of Office XP or Microsoft's stripped-down
consumer alternative, Works."
For more info:
http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1104-955383.html
DoubleClick to Pay Privacy Settlement
"To ward off an investigation into its privacy practices, online ad
provider DoubleClick Inc. agreed to adhere to stiff privacy restrictions -
and to pay a $450,000 settlement.
The 30-month investigation by attorneys general from 10 states including California
examined DoubleClick's practices of gathering Web users' personal information
and surfing habits.
The New York-based company, which sells its services to advertisers and major
Internet sites, deposited unique 'cookie' files on a user's computer that
tracked the machine's online travels, allowing the company to display Web
ads tailored to a person's shopping and surfing preferences."
For more info:
http://www.latimes.com/technology/la-fi-techbriefs27.2aug27.story
Will Canada force ISPs to spy?
"The Canadian government is considering a proposal that would force
Internet providers to rewire their networks for easy surveillance by police
and spy agencies.
A discussion draft released Sunday also contemplates creating a national database
of every Canadian with an Internet account, a plan that could sharply curtail
the right to be anonymous online.
The Canadian government, including the Department of Justice and Industry
Canada, wrote the 21-page blueprint as a near-final step in a process that
seeks to give law enforcement agents more authority to conduct electronic
surveillance. A proposed law based on the discussion draft is expected to
be introduced in Parliament late this year or in early 2003."
For more info:
http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1105-955595.html
POLL of the WEEK
Here are the responses from the last poll:
Do you have a digital camera?
Yes 57.89
% (55)
No and I don't plan on getting one 12.63 % (12)
No but I plan on getting one soon 17.89 % (17)
No. I can't afford one 11.58
% (11)
Total votes: 95
Visit http://pcin.net/polls/ to participate
in the new poll this week:
Do you prefer Brand Name or Generic computers?
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
I am getting output through my speakers but I cannot record anything through
my mic.
My sound card is on-board not a separately plugged in.
Is there any remedy or check that can ensure that my sound card is OK or not.
Response
Install the latest sound drivers from the manufacturer.
Make sure to install any customized Volume Control programs, and use them
to check the levels on the MIC. Make sure MUTE is not select for the MIC input.
To post a response, visit the General Hardware Help forum at http://www.pcin.net/help/forum/index.php?board=4
and click on the "Recording Problem" 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:
PCIN.net Search
http://PCIN.net/search.php
Some Useful Registry Tips
http://PCIN.net/help/articles/registry_tips.shtml
PCIN.net FreeHelp Forum Update
(I've updated the forum and there is a new calendar feature. If you go and
edit your profile to add your birthday, it will show up on a public calendar.
Kind of neat!)
http://PCIN.net/help/forum/
Outback Plus 3.0 Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/outbackplus3.php
Microsoft Office Keyboard Hardware Review
http://PCIN.net/help/hardware/msok.php
THE TIPS and OTHER STUFF
Clearing Formatting
This is such a simple tip, but might be something you've never thought of.
I have a hard time copying things from the web to Word or from Excel to Word.
Word always tries to save formatting and it almost always messes it up. If
you don't want any formatting brought over when you are pasting into a program,
first paste the text into Notepad. This will only copy the text. Then copy
the text from Notepad into the program and you'll have none of the strange
formatting.
Vet Info for Dogs and Cats
Although this site is rather plain, it still has a lot of good information
regarding cats and dogs.
"Please do not use our site to attempt to diagnose or treat your pet.
Your veterinarian is the best source of health advice for an individual pet.
Please do use our site to become better informed about the medical problems
your pet may have."
Check it out at http://www.vetinfo.com/
PCIN.net Online Tips
Don't forget that there are links to several "Tips of the Day"
on the PCIN.net site at http://pcin.net/help/tods/
The tips are updated as often as they are provided.
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.php
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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.php
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