Issue 249 - July 23, 2003

ISSN 1488-3163; PC Improvements © 2003
==== 2294 Subscribers in 63 Countries ====

Welcome to the 249th 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

About a month ago I mentioned the new Google toolbar. The search features of it aren't much different than before, but it has added a few new features. I have been using the Popup Blocker, and it has blocked 790 popups to date!

Andrew turns 1 on Sunday and we are having a birthday party for him on Saturday with most of our family. I'll definitely have a lot of pictures and I'll link to them in next week's PCIN.

Graham editor@pcin.net and Chris chris@pcin.net

The NEWS

Kinko's Case Highlights Internet Risks

"For more than a year, unbeknownst to people who used Internet terminals at Kinko's stores in New York, Juju Jiang was recording what they typed, paying particular attention to their passwords.
Jiang had secretly installed, in at least 14 Kinko's stores, software that logs individual keystrokes. He captured more than 450 user names and passwords, using them to access and even open bank accounts online.
The case, which led to a guilty plea earlier this month after Jiang was caught, highlights the risks and dangers of using public Internet terminals at cybercafes, libraries, airports and other establishments."

For more info:
http://abcnews.go.com/wire/Business/ap20030722_1357.html

Game over for Microsoft PC gear

For years a top maker of PC video game gear, Microsoft is officially bailing out of the joystick, steering wheel and gamepad business.
The company cites faltering demand as the main reason it is discontinuing its game gear line for desktop computers.
'Due to long term category decreases, proliferation of manufacturers and highly competitive pricing, Microsoft has decided to exit the gaming input device marketplace for PCs with our SideWinder line effective immediately,' Kim McWhinnie, hardware marketing manager for Microsoft Canada, told globtetechnology.com Friday."

For more info:
http://www.globetechnology.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20030718.gtsidewinderjuly18/BNStory/AtPlay/

Research No Longer in Motion?

"If a certain attorney has his way, Research In Motion will stop selling its popular BlackBerry e-mail device as early as this week.
James Wallace, the attorney who successfully sued RIM in a high-profile patent dispute last year, said a federal judge could grant an injunction to stop the sale of the company's BlackBerry e-mail devices."

For more info:
http://www.wired.com/news/wireless/0,1382,59637,00.html

Cracking Windows passwords in seconds

"If your passwords consist of letters and numbers, beware.
Swiss researchers released a paper on Tuesday outlining a way to speed the cracking of alphanumeric Windows passwords, reducing the time to break such codes to an average of 13.6 seconds, from 1 minute 41 seconds.
The method involves using large lookup tables to match encoded passwords to the original text entered by a person, thus speeding the calculations required to break the codes. Called a time-memory trade-off, the situation means that an attacker with an abundance of computer memory can reduce the time it takes to break a secret code."

For more info:
http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1105_2-5053063.html

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POLL of the WEEK

Last Week's Poll

In the last month, what is the longest you've gone without checking email?

Over night 29.46 % (38)
1 - 2 days 31.78 % (41)
3 - 6 days 19.38 % (25)
1 week 3.10 % (4)
More than a week 16.28 % (21)
Total votes: 129

This Week's Poll

Do you use remote control software to control your pc while away from it?

Yes
No
What does that mean?

You can also vote online at http://PCIN.net/polls/

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PCIN.net FREEHELP FORUM

Visit the PCIN.net FreeHelp Forum at http://PCIN.net/help/forum/ to post your questions or answer others.

Question

I recently reinstalled Windows (ME) and now have to restart when the system has gone into standby mode after the specified time in 'display property settings'. I know I can set this standby time to 'never' but I would like to know if I can correct the problem without doing this and I'm inquisitive as to why it happens.

Response

The Standby mode in Windows ME rarely works.
Use Hibernation instead.

To post a response, visit the General Software Help forum at http://PCIN.net/help/forum/index.php?board=3 and click on the "No response after standby" topic.

Visit http://PCIN.net/help/forum/ to post a question of your own.

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PCIN.net UPDATE

Check out these new or updated pages on the PCIN.net site:

Logitech Cordless Elite Duo Hardware Review
http://PCIN.net/help/hardware/lced.php

XemiComputers Ltd. DeskLook 3.0 Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/desklook3.php

Symantec Norton Ghost 2003 Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/ghost2003.php

Amic Games Email Saver Xe Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/emailsaverxe.php

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THE TIPS and OTHER STUFF

Linux on CD

Many of you may have seen write-ups recently about a Linux distribution that runs from CD. There are a few different distributions available, but the big one right now is KNOPPIX. The web site describes it this way:
"KNOPPIX is a bootable CD with a collection of GNU/Linux software, automatic hardware detection, and support for many graphics cards, sound cards, SCSI and USB devices and other peripherals. KNOPPIX can be used as a Linux demo, educational CD, rescue system, or adapted and used as a platform for commercial software product demos. It is not necessary to install anything on a hard disk. Due to on-the-fly decompression, the CD can have up to 2 GB of executable software installed on it."
I tried this on my computer at home and it worked perfectly. It detected my sound card, my network card, and the rest of my main hardware. I was able to listen to music and was able to surf the Internet easily. If you are interested in trying Linux, but don't want to repartition your hard drive, check out KNOPPIX at http://www.knoppix.com/

Experts Exchange

There are a lot of forums out there, but if you have a problem that pertains more to software that would be used in a corporate environment, then you should check out Experts Exchange. The web site describes it this way:
"Providing IT information that drives the enterprise
Experts Exchange provides Senior IT managers and IT professionals with IT solutions to their toughest technology challenges."
I've found a lot of useful help there for Exchange, Access, and Networking. Check it out at http://www.experts-exchange.com/

Tweaking Windows XP

You can tweak a lot of the visual effects that Windows XP has by going to the Control Panel and viewing System Properties. Click on the Advanced tab and in the Performance section, choose Settings. You can tweak fades, shadows, slides, and many other effects. Each of these effects also affects system performance, so you can choose to let Windows XP choose the settings, or you can choose settings for best appearance, or settings for best performance.

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PCIN.net AFFILIATED SITES

Both of us have other sites other than PCIN.net. These are all sites that we are actively involved in (they aren't client sites). Don't forget to check them out from time to time for updates:

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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.

  1. If any of the links are too long to fit on one line, you may have to cut and paste.
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  3. To subscribe another address or unsubscribe, please visit http://PCIN.net/ and follow the appropriate links.
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  5. There are only 3 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, you have requested FreeHelp from me in the past, or you have registered with the FreeHelp Forum.
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Graham Wing can be reached at editor@pcin.net
Chris Empey can be reached at chris@pcin.net

Copyright 1998-2003, 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.

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