For your educational pleasure, below is the URL for a ROBOT Cruncher called SPYBOT Search and Destroy.
Ad-Aware doesn't update their files enough and this one is quite good at updating the robot files. I recommend it as a natural adjunct to any anti-virus programs. The anti-virus gets rid of the viruses; the Spybot program gets rid of the bots.
Spybot S&D version 1.3. Turn on Tea Timer by first changing the Toolbar mode from Default to Advanced. Then in Tools - Resident (on the left), check Resident Tea Timer. This prevents changes to your system.
Submitted by Jim Dinkey
Manage cookies with CookieCop Plus, Version 2.2 First Published in PC Magazine, US Edition, January 29, 2002. Platforms: Windows 95/98/Me/NT4/2000/XP. Download It Here
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
Interested in Linux? Visit LinuxWorld. Take a look at Downloads: Linux development tools.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
Thinking about using another hard drive as backup? The article by Loyd Case of ExtremeTech will tell you how to build your own. It is broken up into three sections. In the first section, we review external drive options, and discuss why we opted for USB 2.0. In the second, we review our selected drive enclosure, the Belkin Hi-Speed USB 2.0 External Drive Enclosure Kit (FSU209), focusing on drive installation, system setup) and performance. Finally, we wrap up this story with some conclusions and final thoughts on external drives.
Snapfiles is a source of Freeware and Shareware programs. I use several programs I've found there. Here's a link to the Snapfiles page. You may find it contains a link to a program that does something you'd like to do. www.snapfiles.com
Submitted by John Buck
Your 2002 faves? Here are some more winners.
Submitted by David Coursey, Executive Editor, AnchorDesk
I'd like recommend Star Downloader for inclusion on our next CD and as a linked item on our website. The url is www.stardownloader.com .
It's a free download manager I found via WebAttack.com. It allowed me to successfully download a ~10MB file via modem on my first attempt, after I'd experienced perhaps 15 failed attempts using IE alone. Star Downloader's transfer rate seemed about the same as IE's, but I could see it automatically reconnecting and resuming at least once during the download process.
Here's the first paragraph of Star Downloader's website description -- "Star Downloader is a download accelerator that can increase download speeds by up to 400 percent. Unlike similar applications, it is completely free. It does not contain any banner ads or spy-ware."
Submitted by John Buck
Find out how to tweak WinXP to get the ultimate performance possible visit Windows XP SuperGuide. Note you have to register with ExtremeTech, but there's lots of valuable information available there. Another article Optimize Windows XP is also interesting.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
If you don't subscribe to PCmagazine you can still get the URLs for the top 100 web sites that they have selected for 2003 (March issue).
You can download a file that puts them in your IE Favorites, or you can download just the HTML version, as they say "for Netscape".
You have to be a "free member" of the Ziff-Davis web site, however. I didn't fill out my address, and unchecked all of the free newsletters.
If you don't want to join, but still want the list, contact me and I will send a ZIP file (97K) of the HTML file.
Submitted by Kendric C. Smith, Ph.D.
Here are some programs I've found useful in managing files on my PC. I found most of them via WebAttack or Google. And they're all free!
Submitted by John Buck
2xExplorer is what Windows Explorer should be. Easily configurable -- one or two panes, choice of whether to include folder tree. Can synchronize folders -- that is, select files in one folder that are not in the other (selection can be inverted). Doesn't use up resources like WE does. Can find folders created or modified within a specified number of hours, not just days.
Submitted by John Buck
Turbo Navigator (the Turbo Navigator site seems unavailable at the moment) is similar to 2xExplorer. Can include folder size in display and can sort folders by size. Doesn't quit nicely on my machine, so I have to use the "Close Program" window (Ctrl+Alt+Del) to close it. Since it's a generally highly rated program, I figure most people don't have this problem.
Submitted by John Buck
Wonder what's eating up your disc space? SpaceMonger provides a map of your disk usage, similar to SmartMoney's Map of the Market. The more space a file takes up on your disk the larger area it occupies on the map. You can zoom in for detail. Another similar program is Sequoiaview.
Submitted by John Buck
ExamDiff compares two text files and highlights differences.
Agent Ransack is a great text finder. Even finds text inside MS Publisher files (but doesn't find text in .pdf files). Can display found text and surrounding text.
Irfan View is a very popular graphics manager.
RamBooster cleans up RAM and the clipboard. Can sometimes keep you from having to reboot to have enough RAM for some operation.
Checking on Rambooster, I came across a couple of sites that provided a better insight into RAM operation than I'd previously had.
First was this one by George Dillon - www.georgedillon.com/web/freeware/rambooster.shtml. George also has a list of freeware down the left side of his page. George's text led me to this this techweb column by Fred Langa - www.techweb.com/winmag/columns/explorer/2000/12.htm.
Fred Langa's material seemed so well done that I Google™-searched for more. Take your pick at - .
is a bulk file renamer, allowing you to rename groups of files. Already on SPAUG Late 2002 CD.
AM Deadlink will check your browser favorites/bookmarks for duplicates, online availability.
How many emails have your gotten from government officials, who have millions of dollars in an account that they would like to share with you? Scam-o-rama collects them, and also some of the witty replies from recipients. Before you agree to help that Nigerian Oil Minister, read About Advance Fee (419) Fraud! Visit SCAM o RAMA and learn the scams. If you'd like to fight back, join The Chaos Project(from an article by Steve Bass - you can sign up to get your own copy at: www.pcworld.com/resource/newsletters).
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
Want to make everyday tasks easier, safer--even more entertaining? These no-hassle utilities do the job right. Go to the online presentation of PC World for their picks of the 20 best utilities -- plus 15 alternates worth considering -- to keep your stuff organized and your PC running smoothly.
Thanks to Robert Luhn and Kirk Steers (From the March 2003 issue of PC World magazine)
Here's how you can digitize your analog footage and transfer it to a computer for editing.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
David Coursey, Executive Editor, AnchorDesk reviews and compares beta versions of Microsoft Office 2003, OpenOffice.org 1.1, and Corel's WordPerfect Office 11. Briefly, "The main differences between the three: Word comes with a tightly integrated e-mail client, the others don't. And OpenOffice.org is free, while the other two cost a few hundred dollars each". In June 2002, a demo was given by Robert Mitchell. For another opinion, see the next item.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
Is Open Office a good alternative to the pricey Microsoft applications? Find out if it's for you. Among the features in Version 1.1 is support for saving documents in PDF, saving to and opening files from FTP servers, and options for exporting files in XML formats. Also, OpenOffice.org includes support for MySQL databases in its data source dialog.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
Stop Spam Dead In Its Tracks! Target junk e-mail and adult solicitations with these utilities. Some are free, some are shareware. Take a look and choose the one best for you.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
You've heard Jim Dinkey warn about them. Read the article at PC Magazine about spyware and bots that send your information back to their masters. Read the reviews, and then install a countermeasure. Some of the programs reviewed are on the club CD, others are shareware. Check the comparison table and decide which is best for you.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
Thanks to Susan Mueller, our SPAUG Publisher, for a tutorial on how to print Word labels from an Excel spreadsheet. This is designed to print sheets of labels, such as are used by SPAUG to mail the PrintScreen - it is not meant for making one or two labels at a time. It would be a good way to organize and maintain Christmas/Holiday lists.
Submitted by Susan Mueller
For those of you who have not yet discovered www.allexperts.com, you've got a gold mine awaiting you! The site -- the oldest of its kind on the net -- is comprised of experts from every field imaginable who volunteer their time to answer questions. You can ask questions about computers, gardening, travel, raising kids, health, religion .... geez, you name it.
To ask a question, you navigate through the menus until you come to the right category. You're then presented with a list of experts who have volunteered in that category. Read through their little blurbs and choose one to ask a question. You're supposed to get an answer within three days, but I find that I always get an answer either the same day, or at most the next.
I think this would be a great resource for those of you who need some occasional help from time to time. It's really a wonderful service. And if you have an Excel question, I'm one of about 36 experts in the Excel category!
Submitted by Jan Altman
40+ underpriced, overperforming ways to get more from hardware, software, and the Web--from a $47 CPU upgrade to free Windows tricks. Read the informative article by Robert Luhn from the May 2003 issue of PC World magazine.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
Create a calendar to use in the office or give out as a promotional piece. You can choose a ready-made design or create your own using the Microsoft Word template Office Calendar Wizard.
www.hp.com/sbso/productivity/office/calendar.html
Submitted by Kendric C. Smith, Ph.D.
(a little potty humor) Wireless Supersite Editor Ross Rubin treats MSN UK's announcement of a Wi-Fi-enabled toilet with all the seriousness it deserves by spotlighting some little-reported industry reaction. Read the article.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
Last year, ZoneLabs unveiled a whole new look and feel for the release of its popular ZoneAlarm Pro 3.0. Due out this June, ZoneAlarm Pro 4.0 promises changes that are much more subtle but no less powerful. (The Pro version of 4.0 will be available for $50, and ZoneLabs will release a free, stripped-down version of 4.0 available shortly thereafter.)
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
Want to learn more about Excel? No matter what your skill level, from the novice to the advanced user, you'll find courses designed to help you build and expand your Excel skills. Fast Track: Microsoft Excel 97/2000/XP contains 59 complete lessons that teach you how to modify workbooks, create and embed charts, filter data, use pivot tables, utilize macros, and more. The CD-ROM is $69.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
Mr. Kurt Schmucker of Connectix Corp. was our August 2002 speaker on the Virtual PC for Windows Version 5. A recent article says Microsoft Corp. is giving customers a preview of the pre-beta code for its Virtual Server, which it acquired when it bought the virtual machine assets of Connectix Corp. in February. Microsoft is hoping that Windows Virtual Server will drive demand for Windows Server 2003, particularly from customers still running NT 4 (which is obsolete and is being phased out), as it allows them to run both OSs side-by-side. I wonder if this means we won't be able to get Virtual PC in the future to run older versions of MS OSs?
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
How much do you want to spend on your dream camera? I suggest you check out the in depth reviews (and I mean
really, IN DEPTH) of all the latest cameras, accessories at the following websites:
www.steves-digicams.com, a great resource
www.dpreview.com, another great resource
www.imaging-resource.com, a good but not great resource
There's so much info there, you can spend hours going thru it!
Submitted by Jayaram Nulu
Did you know that a thief could steal your identity, fraudulently use your personal information to wreak havoc, cost you plenty in time and money sorting the mess out, and then only end up serving a one-year jail term for his or her actions? Perhaps that is the reason why identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes against consumers today. Read the whole article by Maggie Biggs of ComputerUser Magazine.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
I've been finding myself using online dictionaries more and more -- especially when I read a William F. Buckley e-article! Here are two that I find useful: Both are free and on the web. Try them out. pass 'em along to others if you like them.
Hyperdictionary Texted based; good brief definitions - just paste/type in your work and search.
Microsoft Encarta Web based; can have word pronounced for you, if you have sound installed.
[N.B.- Check out SPAUG's Libraries and Online References]
Submitted by Bruce Benz
How to build a solid, wickedly fast, living room PC that can record TV, play DVDs, be your digital media furnace, surf the web, and play PC games. Build It: Extreme Personal Video Recorder. For the daring hardware types who want the best. Total cost: $2,031.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
AxCrypt - AES-128 File Encryption, Compression and double-click Edit/View for secure document storage on Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2K/XP, locally or remote. AxCrypt is free and easy to use open source strong file encryption for Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2K/XP, integrated with Windows Explorer. Encrypt, compress, decrypt, wipe, view and edit with a few mouse clicks. Cryptographic primitives are AES-128 and SHA-1.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
Here's WebAttack's review of AIDA32. You can also download it from this page. AIDA32 seems to have top ranking among similar types of programs listed, including Karens Computer Profiler and Belarc Advisor (our previous recommended system information tool).
Submitted by Robert Mitchell
With the recent attention to the hazards of disposing old electronic equipment, responsible people are looking for safe yet inexpensive alternatives. Here are links to a couple organizations that buy/sell/refurbish equipment. They might be useful for folks that are donating and those that are bargain hunting as well
www.globalstewards.org/computers.htm
www.crc.org/donate/index.html
The Computer Recycling Center www.crc.org is based in Santa Clara. Here's what they'll take, and when. They'll manage pickups for commercial-size loads (Sorry, no home-pickup service for individual systems), get it back out to individuals or non-profits, and also work with non-profit vocational centers to help folks learning to work with computers.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
If you didn't follow the good advice of Jim Dinkey and have a disk failure without a backup, there is still hope. IntelliRecovery Data Recovery is located in San Francisco's Financial district at
1050 Sansome St. Suite 302
San Francisco, California 94111
Phone / Fax: Tel: 1-888-995-3282
They provide data recovery services for hard disk & hard drive recovery for any operating system.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
As part of a recent exploration and investigation, I AltaVista™-searched for info about the vcf extension and came across a site that seems fairly extensive and well-organized on file extensions, including potentially harmful ones; here's the url for one of its particularly useful pages. By the way, I have recently discovered that good old AltaVista has improved its user interface tremendously, becoming more Google™-like. Like www.alltheweb.com, another site I've recommended, AltaVista now searches for pictures, audios, videos, news, and more. I took advantage of its AltaVista Prisma offering to refine my initial search.
Submitted by John Buck
Did you know that you can store text as part of a JPG graphic format file? This handy utility, written by Bob Dolan and made available free to users, uses that feature in a very flexible way in order to help you document any JPG file. The description you provide will always stay with the file because it is a part of it! It is located here, part way down the page you'll see JPEG Comment Editor.
Clicking on the "Click here to try out the NEW Overware Site! " link at the top of the page opens a page --http://www.overware.com/new2/news.php -- that's less colorful. Overware Systems JPEG Comment Editor
Submitted by John Buck
The Computer History Museum is at 1401 N. Shoreline Blvd. at the corner of Shoreline and Avenidas in Mountain View. Avenidas is parallel and next to the 101 freeway. Get off 101 at Shoreline and head towards the bay. There is plenty of parking if you continue on Shoreline for 200 yards to Pear Ave. and then right again into the parking lot behind the building. Phone: 650 810 1010. More information at their home page www.computerhistory.org.
Submitted by Jim Dinkey
PC Magazine's review of utilities for just about every PC task imaginable is available now. This look at 189 utilities includes evaluations of backup and recovery programs, migration aids, disk tools, utility suites, file management packages, Internet assistants, networking sidekicks, system software etc. They've even included a special page that lets you see the list of all the reviewed utilities and their ratings, then instantly jump to where you can actually download the files.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
For Windows XP, go here: www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/downloads/powertoys.asp The Win98 version is available on the CD.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
Looking for a new book to tote to the beach? The British site Whichbook.net may be able to help. The site operates something like a matchmaking service, except instead of introducing you to potential dates, you'll be directed to compatible novels. Check out the list of contrasting descriptions on the left side of the screen. These are used to fine-tune your recommendations. Slide the pointer beneath a few of the settings to indicate the kind of book your ideal book. The books in the database are all fiction and poetry in paperback written in or translated into English and published (with very few exceptions) since 1995. Then check www.svls.lib.ca.us the local libraries' online index to see if it's available.
Submitted by John Buck
If you are looking for Correct Drivers to update your system the fastest and easiest way possible, your search is over. Driver Detective 4.0 is your answer.
First, Driver Detective v4.0 gathers, organizes and identifies your computer's PCI, AGP, and USB devices (video cards, network cards, sound cards, modems, etc).
Then it uses this collected information to search our large database for available driver updates for your computer. The Correct Driver is then displayed, which you may download with one-click of the mouse.
Searching the manufacturers' websites is over when you use Driver Detective 4.0.
Submitted by CD Team
Got a portable computer that scorches your legs, making you think "cooktop," not "laptop"? Then you might be interested in the $30 LapWorks Laptop Desk 2.0. Read the review by Ken Henningsen of ComputerUser.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
In July 2003 Michael Robertson and Lindows are announcing the introduction of a brand new kind of computer. Its the Lindows WebStation, and it's going to change the way people use computers by dramatically bringing down the price and complexity of computing. Now anyone can afford access. Best of all, Lindows WebStations are available now for only $169!
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
Here's a free and easy way to create a paper case or jewel case insert for your CDs. Enter in the details: artist, title and song titles. It creates a .pdf that you can print and ultimately fold into a CD case. There's an advanced case that allows you to include graphics and more tracks. Upload your mix CD labels and add it to the database. It's fun to compare your mix CDs with others.
Submitted by Ron Nicholas from KIM KOMANDO'S COOL SITE OF THE DAY Kim Komando Show Home Page
Now you can know what time it really is. There are so many programs available to synchronize your computer's clock to the atomic clock(s) at the United States' National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), that we have chosen not to support any specific one, but to provide this information which we hope can help you make the best choice for your situation. Some clocks don't work with some operating systems, so try until you find one that works and that you like.
Here's information from the NIST's website
Use this for a general search by Google
For more detailed program information, including ratings or
For more detailed program information, including ratings
Submitted by John Buck
PC Plus Magazine, part of the MaxPC site, has lots of news and help. Of real value is the PC Plus Archive - 320 downloads, 1000 reviews, 94 tutorials... a searchable archive of past PC Plus issues in Adobe's .pdf format. The files are exact representations of the printed pages with low-resolution images. When I had trouble with MS Outlook 2000, I got the answer at a Tutorial there. It's at www.pcplus.co.uk.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
Useful resources worth bookmarking By Sreenath Sreenivasan [from the MAY/JUNE 2003 ISSUE of Columbia Journalism Review] is a collection of useful or interesting websites (much like the SPAUG ShareWhere).
Not yet up on their website is the July/Aug 03 item about www.searchsystems.net, which they report as being "The best site for finding public records ... with more than 15,200 searchable public-record databases."
Submitted by John Buck
Here's a site at the University of Bristol with useful information about keyboards. A good reference even for experienced users.
www.bris.ac.uk/is/selfhelp/documentation/keyboard-r2/keyboard-r2.htm
UBIS - Useful keyboard combinations
This document describes some emergency key sequences that can be used to unlock the PC if for instance, the mouse should stop working. It also describes some of the key combinations that can be used as shortcuts, and shows how to input characters not available on the keyboard. The layout of these keys differs depending on which type of keyboard you are using.
Contents
Emergency key sequences
Key combinations for general use
Key combinations for use with Windows
Key combinations for use with applications
Inserting non-keyboard characters into Windows applications
Inserting symbols from any application
Codes for characters in normal text
Shortcuts for Word for Windows
Submitted by John Buck
Best wishes for a Happy July 4th and hope you were able to enjoy our Country's important day...this website will hopefully be reminiscent of the celebration of our past...hope you will enjoy them with me, in spirit, as it plays on your computer. (The faster you click your mouse in different places in the BLACK sky area, the more the foreworks will shown)
From sunny California, Submitted by Ron Nicholas
3D Papercraft (compliments of Canon) ... build all kinds of things out of paper from your printer. From the Taj Mahal to a matador to a pair of sumo wrestlers.
Bar code art is pretty neat. There are bar code portraits of various people from the king to the king of kings. There's a very cool bar code clock. And there's a set of bar codes for the drug industry. There's even a short intro to bar codes.
Submitted by John Buck
Need just the right image for that special project? Here's a link to more sites than I ever hoped would exist. directory.google.com/Top/Computers/Graphics/Clip_Art/Pictures
Submitted by John Buck
Interested in learning more about the distributed computing and networking, as was introduced by Alan Broad of Crossbow at our August General meeting? You can find articles about smart bricks and articles about Crossbow and Smart Dust online. Some business magazines tout this technology as "the next big thing" - and you heard about it here. By the way, a Google search on "Distributed Sensors" "Distributed Network" gave over 100 hits.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
Charles Bermant, special to PCWorld.com reports on the $70 Xitel INport, which provides high-quality digital sound transfers from turntables and cassette decks (and even older devices, such as eight-track, as long as you route it through the stereo receiver). Read the article www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,112082,tk,wb082503x,00.asp.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
Read the story here. The SB61G supports the Pentium 4 processor, and uses Intel's 865G dual-channel DDR chipset. The SN45G incorporates Nvidia's Nforce2 Ultra 400 chipset, and offers AMD fans a high performance PC in a tiny package. Do these new models continue the high quality reputation we've seen with past versions? Which is a better choice? How do they stack up against bigger, more full-function PCs? We set out, in this story, to answer those questions.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
If you've ever wondered how things are made - products like candy, cars, airplanes, or bottles - or if you've been interested in manufacturing processes, like forging, casting, or injection molding, then here's the place: manufacturing.stanford.edu.. Note: Optimized for DSL/Cable speeds or greater * Macromedia FlashPlayer plugin (6.029 or greater) required **
Submitted by John Buck
Purity in motion: Use Steve P. Miller's PureText to dispose of the formatting, HTML coding, and other baggage that tags along when you paste text from e-mail, Web sites, and readme files into other applications. Just copy material to the clipboard and click the PureText icon in your system tray to get spiffy text ready to paste. Or create a hot-key combination in Word (or some other program)--<Windows-V>, for example--to purify and paste the text in one step.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
If you use Microsoft Outlook or Exchange, be sure to bookmark the Outlook & Exchange Solutions Center. Information and updates to these programs, plus many extra help and tools.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
The full article, by Lance Ulanoff, is in the September 24, 2003 PC Magazine, or online at www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,1292168,00.asp. "...not all media is created alike. Sonic always suggested Verbatim, Sony, or Maxell. I ignored the advice. But clearly, creating optical media requires care. I've since purchased a spindle of Maxell discs from ESBuy.com (they still have some of the best media prices on the Web), and I have a stash of Verbatims. Sonic also recommended that I check out Ritek and the media finder at www.dvdrhelp.com/dvdmedia. " If you're looking for information on DVD recorders, the Plextor 708UF is recommended by ExtremeTech in a 6 Oct 03 article Five Multiformat DVD Recorders.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows is a Microsoft Knowledge Base article that includes 5 Windows System Key Combinations, 7 Windows Program Key Combinations, 15 General Keyboard-Only Commands, 8 General Folder/Shortcut Control, 13 Microsoft Natural Keyboard Keys, 5 Dialog Box Keyboard Commands, and many more. Find out all the things you can do without the mouse in Win95, Win98 and WinMe (may work in other MS OSs, too). Have a printout of this information ready for the next time your mouse freezes. Or, if you like keeping your hands on the keyboard as you type, study this article to find more ways to avoid touching the mouse.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
Published on The O'Reilly Network (www.oreillynet.com) an article by Preston Gralla (www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/network/excerpt/winxphacks_chap1/index1.html) includes:
The book (which they'd like you to buy) has many other hacks to improve the usability of WinXP.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
In an article by Scott Dunn, From the October 2003 issue of PC World magazine, "You've been neglecting your Windows housekeeping chores, haven't you? Your system folders are bloated with hundreds or even thousands of unnecessary files. This dead weight hinders performance by reducing the amount of drive space available for your virtual memory. In addition, you lose the ability to print if the drive doesn't have room for your printer's spool file, and you may have insufficient storage space to create a system restore point in Windows Me and XP (this feature needs oodles of free space to store its backups). Here are five things Windows users can do to eliminate clutter in their system folders and maximize the space available on their drives.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
Fred Langa, in an InformationWeek article, explains how to make a custom, bootable CD containing tools to fix just about any system trouble, and which is specific to and configured for your own system. This article is directed to a "power user", so if you're a hands-off user, skip this. But if you want to be able to recover from just about any crash, this is the article for you. He'll guide you to create a single custom CD--one you made yourself-- you can insert into your CD drive and boot from. That one CD contains not only the necessary files to get your PC started, but also contains everything you need to diagnose and repair almost any kind of system trouble. In fact, it's packed with an entire software toolkit--potentially as much as about 500 floppies' worth of software--all in one place, right at your fingertips. What's more, the CD isn't some kind of cookie-cutter, lowest-common-denominator tool, but one that suits your specific preferences and needs; one that's customized for your unique combination of hardware, software, and skill level. Also in the article are many invaluable sources of information.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
Within a couple of days in early September 2003, the questions "What is a blog?" and "Should we study blogs?" came to me from a SPAUG member and from WebSIG -- AND blogs were a subject of the Sept 03 Columbia Journalism Review (CJR). Links to the CJR articles are below.
cjr.org/issues/2003/5/blog-welch.asp,
http://cjr.org/issues/2003/5/blogsidebar-welch.asp,
http://cjr.org/issues/2003/5/blog-jensen.asp.
The main page for the CJR issue is here -- cjr.org/issues/2003/5/.
FYI, one blog I visit daily is Metafilter -- www.metafilter.com.
One of potential interest to SPAUG members, both as an example of what is a blog, and for current hi-tech news of the area, might be Dan Gillmore's (of the San Jose Mercury News) eJournal.
Submitted by jb (John Buck)
Here are some links to follow for the latest on several of the Mars missions currently underway.
Global Surveyor
Odyssey
Nozomi
Mars Express
Beagle 2
Spirit & Opportunity (Mars Exploration Rovers
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
EAC and LAME will do that job neatly. [That's Exact Audio Copy (available at WebAttack) (cardware, the author asks you to send him a postcard if you like and use the program.), which does the ripping, and then it calls on L.A.M.E. for the mp3 conversion. You can set all of the options that LAME recognizes from the EAC gui.] Both of those are freeware, and highly regarded. The LAME homepage: lame.sourceforge.net. Extreme Tech Forum discussion
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
PC World is proud to present Spam Watch, spamwatch.pcworld.com, a new section of PCWorld.com dedicated to the latest news, tips and tools in the war against online junk mail. PC World's Spam Watch also features "Spam Slayer", an exclusive weekly column, the Top 5 Anti-Spam Downloads with the most popular freeware and shareware to help stop spam, and the latest news on legislation opposing unwanted e-mail.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
An article (by Peter Galli of eWeek) reports that Microsoft Corp. launched its latest Office Online site, www.Office.Microsoft.com, which is a repository of free Office user resources on the Web. The site, which replaces the Tools on the Web site, paves the way for the new Office System 2003, which will be publicly available in October. Although they emphasize the new Office suite, there is still a lot for legacy versions.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
Getting a new computer for Christmas? Upgrading to WinXP? Read this BEFORE you connect to the Internet! “Your brand-new system with its brand-new antivirus software won't be able to prevent infection unless you go online for the latest updates. But if you do, a worm can infect your machine before you can download the updates.” Protect Your New PC by Cade Metz of PCMagazine. His solution? “Most new machines ship with Windows XP, which has a built-in firewall. All you have to do is turn on Win XP's Internet Connection Firewall before you go online.” Read the article to find out how. [N.B.—using ZoneAlarm and installing your Antivirus application first will also work. First thing to do is update the AV; then update the operating system. Reboot when prompted, and keep going back to Microsoft until it says no more critical updates.]
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
Consumer advocate Brian Livingston writes books, columns, and newsletters to make you an informed citizen of the information age. His web page brianlivingston.com is updated every Tuesday. The Window Manager column he wrote was re-named Brian's Buzz on Windows. The newsletter describes the latest bugs and features of Microsoft software and third-party applications that run on Windows. You can sign up for a free subscription here to receive the news via e-mail twice a month on alternating Thursdays.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
I don't know if you enjoy the Home Office column in PC World written by Steve Bass as much as I do, but if you want to find past articles, here's a link to the Steve Bass Article Archives www.pcworld.com/howto/locations/0,loc,54,00.asp.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
Here's what they say, “Welcome to 599CD.com. We make computer training courses that let you learn from the comfort of your home or office. We have courses available in Microsoft Windows, Word, Excel, Access, Web Design, and much more. Best of all, our courses are just $5.99 each.” and here's the link: www.599cd.com/info-page-show-all2.asp.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
Windows Messenger Service is a program that runs in the background, slowing your computer and posing a security risk. Shoot the Messenger (written by Steve Gibson of GRC and ZoneAlarm fame) shuts down this largely unnecessary program. Windows Messenger Service runs invisibly, possibly accepting data packets that you never see and compromising your system's security. If you need Windows Messenger Service, Shoot the Messenger will let you switch it back on. www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,23016,tk,wb101303x,00.asp
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
PC Magazine's Don Labriola writes about DVD burners and authoring software in The Burning Question. With Christmas coming, if you're thinking about upgrading to DVD burning, here's a good article to get you going. There's also a PC World review of LG Electronics' Super-Multi DVD Drive GSA-4040B, which supports all five rewritable and write-once DVD formats, at a very low price of $200.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
Kelly's Korner is a site with a massive collection of nifty tweaks that Kelly Theriot's written. While the site's design isn't elegant, if you stick it out you'll find ways to fix all kinds of problems and annoyances. For example, a method to "Disable Balloon Tips" (line 11, left column) and a way to "Show All Hidden Devices in the Device Manager" (line 116, right column). Check out all the tweaks at www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
Lost your OS boot disk? Need drivers or DLLs? The majority of tips, tweaks, files, bootdisks, instructions, utilities, links, patches, updates, and all other information contained on bootdisk.com are posted for experienced DOS and Windows users. There is a wealth of information here, for those that need it. www.bootdisk.com
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
How do I install Windows® 98/Me after I've installed XP? (without 3rd party software) The answer is here: www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_repair_9x.htm
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
Worried about unscrupulous people tracking your activities? To surf the Internet and email anonymously, ZoneLabs has a special offer, the Anonymizer Private Surfing for $19.99 (plus tax and shipping).
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
This 2003 edition of the legendary Comdex show was a smaller event, focused more purely on enterprise IT. Here are a few highlights in a ZDNet Tech Update article by Dan Farber.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
In the Intel Technology Journal Volume 06, Issue 01, Published February 14, 2002 is an article that describes the Hyper-Threading Technology architecture, and discusses the microarchitecture details of Intel's first implementation on the Intel® Xeon™ processor family.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
Review and link to Bob Cerelli's Windows Page Web site, Microsoft's own Windows XP tips and tricks page, and Kelly's XP Korner are here at ComputerUser.com.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
This page contains items that are either parodies of Dr. Seuss books, parodies of the Dr. Seuss style, or just plain have a lot to do with Dr. Seuss. www.seuss.org/seuss/seuss.parody.html
Found on Metafilter Found on Metafilter, Submitted by Shorty
I do lots of "Save As ..." and "Open" operations and have wished for a better file-selection window than MS Windows' standard one. Thanks to the "MultiEnhancer" program by ElmüSoft, I now have a file-selection window closer to what I've wanted. Instead of defaulting to a smallish window displaying a "small icons" view of my choices, I now have a "details" view, showing names, sizes, and "modified" dates, in a larger, expandable, window. MultiEnhancer also has other tweaks that I've not yet chosen to use.
I also use ElmüSoft's "PTBSync", a program that can synchronize the PC clock to a user-selectable online time standard (such as NIST). This program is somewhat larger than some clock-synchronization programs because it also provides a datebook/calendar/reminder/organizer function. My favorite PTBSync feature is the one that lets me customize my trayclock display.
Note that accessing the ElmüSoft site for downloading may create some pop-up windows; otherwise, ElmüSoft claims its programs are clean. The ElmüSoft url is (scroll down for selections) http://elmue.de.vu
Submitted by John Buck
www.snapfiles.com
Submitted by John Buck