The Webmaster will provide links to files or sites of potential interest to SPAUG members, which are suggested by other members. Just connect to the web and click on the hyperlinks. Some of the links will open a new page; when you're finished with the page, just close it and you'll be back on this page. If the link does not work when you click it, copy it into your browser URL address field and press enter.
Disclaimer: the links worked when listed, but as with any links to the Internet, are subject to "rot". The links are provided as is, no warranty express or implied. Your mileage may vary. Caveat Emptor.
If any of you members have suggestions, they would be more than welcome - . Share your favorite sites with other SPAUG members.
If you have dozens or hundreds of programs installed that you use with varying frequency, finding them with icons in QuickLaunch or the Desktop, or using the Start - All Programs method takes more time than using the simple but intelligent Launchy, a free windows utility from SourceForge.net.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
Every time the page at this link is displayed, the GRC server generates a unique set of custom, high quality, cryptographic-strength password strings which are safe for you to use.
Submitted by John Buck, found on Digg
Free textbooks and educational tools available online
Submitted by John Buck
There have been some happenings with the Sony BMG DRM issue. Apparently Sony is temporarily suspending creation of these questionable CDs.
Here's a link to some articles from google news relating to the issue
A list of affected CDs
Here's what Jim Dinkey adds, "the URL www.sysinternals.com/blog/2005/10/sony-rootkits-and-digital-rights.htmlwill lead you to the research path demonstrating how one goes about discovering whether you have a RootKit on your computer and how to get rid of it. The URL also explains why everyone is so upset about the Sony activities.
If RootKits become common, there will have to be a lot of changes in the Microsoft software to assure that the software cannot be compromised as the manual precess demonstrated here is not for everyone. Have fun educating yourself.
Submitted by Jim Dinkey and Stan Hutchings
You can now use the free California Library Catalog to search the collections of 1,221 libraries in California all at once. Use this to find books, DVDs, and other items that aren't in the Palo Alto library but may be at some other library in the Bay Area or California. You'll also soon be able to search this catalog from Google, Yahoo, and other search services and then even locate the nearest libraries that have the item you seek by including your zip code. These new services come from a joint project of the California State Library, Califa (a consortium of California libraries), and OCLC (the Online Computer Library Center). More information here.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings
Say you have 5 GB of digital photos, images, videos, etc. Or you just want to make a backup of important files. File sizes range from small –
50K – to 10MB, 100MB, and even up to 300MB or more. Your selected files will fill several CDs. What you need is a utility that examines all the files, and finds the best combination of files to make the most efficient fill of all the CDs. You do NOT want to have big files span across multiple CDs, or end up with 9 disks 80% full (or with just a few MB on the 9th disk) when you could have had them all on 8 disks. The solution? Burn to the Brim, a (believe it or not) freebie. You may have some trouble getting it to work with XP, but experiment a little and actually read the documentation.
Submitted by Stan Hutchings