|
Issue 253 - August 20, 2003
ISSN 1488-3163; PC Improvements © 2003
==== 2321 Subscribers in 62 Countries ====
Welcome to the 253rd 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
Lisa, Andrew and I had a fantastic time up in Buckhorn. We were only without
power for 8 hours. The weather was perfect and we wish we could have stayed
up there all week. I have 2 different galleries you can see. Visit http://www.wingfamily.ca/lisagraham/20030814-18/index.html for
pictures of people, and http://www.wingfamily.ca/lisagraham/20030814-18-scenic/index.html for
scenic pictures from around the lake.
Before going away, I last checked my email on Thursday at 3 PM and then checked
it again on Monday at 10 PM. I check email in 10 different accounts and there
were 764 messages waiting for me. 638 of them were junk mail! Recently I acquired
a copy of the program iHateMail by Sunbelt Software. Chris and I will both
be testing it.
Graham editor@pcin.net and
Chris chris@pcin.net
The NEWS
DVD-recorder bargains spark video piracy: Study
"Dropping prices for DVD recorders is spawning a boom in video piracy,
which the entertainment industry estimates costs almost $1-billion (U.S.)
in potential sales.
That figure appeared in a study released today in Santa Clara, Calif., by
Macrovision Corp., a maker of copy protection technologies for the video,
music and software industries. The level of displaced revenue amounts to
nearly 5 per cent of the $20.6-billion (U.S.) home video industry in the
United States, Macrovision said.
The study blames the losses on a lack of comprehensive application of copy
protection, such as Macrovision makes and is used in movies, music videos
and other video material released on DVD and videocassettes."
For more info:
http://www.globetechnology.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20030820.gtjackAug20/BNStory/Technology/
RIM's patent wars
"Research In Motion is in the courtroom fight of its life over intellectual
property. But the stakes are higher than the future of the Canadian wireless
industry.
When the letter arrived at the headquarters of Research In Motion in February
2000, it seemed a little strange, but not so strange anyone suspected it
might be worth US$57 million. It contained some printouts of RIM's Web pages
and of the BlackBerry "Getting Started" guide, and notes on the
desktop software that thousands of the wireless device's users have installed
on their PCs. Then there was a list of six commercial patents, owned by a
holding company out of Chicago, NTP Inc., and an offer to license the technology--something
the sender suggested would provide RIM with a 'distinct commercial advantage.'
Finally, the author added: 'As you are aware, the patent laws cover direct
infringement, contributory infringement, and inducement to infringe.'"
For more info:
http://www.canadianbusiness.com/columns/article.jsp?content=20030901_55392_55392
Recovery firms respond to blackout
"Thursday's power outage in the eastern United States led some companies
to invoke their disaster-recovery services.
But many businesses that have contracts with disaster-recovery providers
appeared not to lose their data or applications, thanks to onsite power generators.
SunGard, which has about 7,000 disaster-recovery clients in North America,
said about 30 customers activated their service Thursday. But most were interested
in getting access to a SunGard-provided office with electricity and PCs,
said Dan Hamill, SunGard's vice president of operations. 'The main services
they're invoking are work-group services,' he said."
For more info:
http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1105_2-5064213.html
Americans go for cheap speed
"Selling dial-up Internet access may seem like a dying business, as
waves of Web surfers defect from leading Internet service providers America
On-line, MSN and EarthLink.
But there's a vibrant dial-up market blossoming below the industry leaders
as computer users flock to no-frills access priced at less than $10 (U.S.)
per month.
The growth has inspired dozens of ISPs to elbow into the bargain market,
some charging monthly fees less than $5. But no company is benefiting more
from the trend than United On-line Inc.
United is attracting new customers almost as quickly as AOL is losing them."
For more info:
http://www.globetechnology.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20030818.gtspeed0818/BNStory/Technology/
POLL of the WEEK
Last Week's Poll
Are you a Web addict?
| Absolutely |
 |
33.67 % (33) |
| Possibly |
|
19.39 % (19) |
| I don't think so |
|
20.41 % (20) |
| No way |
|
25.51 % (25) |
| I don't know |
|
1.02 % (1) |
| Total votes: 98 |
This Week's Poll
You can also vote online at http://PCIN.net/polls/
PCIN.net FREEHELP
FORUM
Visit the PCIN.net FreeHelp Forum at http://PCIN.net/help/forum/ to
post your questions or answer others.
Question
This doesn't seem to be a serious problem though it won't go away and I
would like to know why it happens. After checking my mail in Outlook Express
and closing the program an icon appears on my desktop with no apparent purpose.
I usually delete it and there is no detrimental effect that I know of. I
don't know how to categorize the icon only that it is the type that if clicked
on brings up the 'open with' dialogue. It has the squiggle mark (don't know
what this is referred to as) found above the 'hash' and a 'dash' underneath
that. I am running Windows ME.
Response
No responses yet
To post a response, visit the General Software Help forum at http://PCIN.net/help/forum/index.php?board=3 and
click on the "Recurring Icon" topic.
Visit http://PCIN.net/help/forum/ to
post a question of your own.
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
THE TIPS and OTHER
STUFF
About Windows
Most programs allow you to click on the Help menu, and choose an option
called About. This usually brings up a small window telling you which version
of the software you are using, along with other information regarding that
software and your computer. Well, Windows has this as well. From Start -
Run, type WINVER and then press enter. This will bring up a window telling
you which version of WIndows you are using. The Windows 9x based operating
systems don't tell you much more than that. Windows NT based systems tell
you the build of the operating system, which service pack is installed, as
well as the amount of system memory there is.
Energy Star
With the power outage here, we are now always hearing about how important
it is to conserve energy. One way we can do this with our computer equipment
is to be sure that we have Energy Star compliant devices. "ENERGY STAR
is a government-backed program helping businesses and individuals protect
the environment through superior energy efficiency." You can learn more
about it at http://www.energystar.gov/
File-sharing subpoenas
"Concerned that information about your file-sharing username may have
been subpoenaed by the RIAA? Check here to see if your username or IP address
is on one of the subpoenas filed with the D.C. District Court. This information
is drawn from the court's publicly available PACER database and will be updated
when that system is updated."
Check it out at http://www.eff.org/IP/P2P/riaasubpoenas/
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:
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://PCIN.net/ and
follow the appropriate links.
- Recommend PCIN to others at http://PCIN.net/recommend.php and
be entered in a monthly draw.
- 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.
- 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://PCIN.net/donate.php
Return to the top
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.
Support PCIN by visiting http://PCIN.net/donate.php
PC Improvement News Home Page
PC Improvement News Archive
|
