ISSN 1488-3163; PC Improvements © 2001
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Welcome to the 165th 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.
You can reach me at editor@pcin.net with any suggestions or comments. If you give me two or three issues, I know that you will come back for more!
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Last week I mentioned how hot it was. Well, it sure didn't last long, as the very next day the temperature only reached 6° C. The daily high has been hovering around that, but it sure does get cold at night. We just need to get a bit of moisture with those cold nights and we're bound to have some snow.
Not much has been happening around here. I busy reviewing a few products. Lisa is busy practicing the piano and smocking. The cats are busy sitting. But this is just the way we all like it! It should be a very relaxing Christmas.
How Goner suspects were tracked down
"Messages coded into the Goner worm and monitoring of the IRC channel used to control its activities led to the arrest of four suspected Israeli virus writers over the weekend.
One of the actions of Goner, which normally spreads as an infected attached-to-email message, is to install denial of service scripts for the mIRC Internet Relay Chat client. By monitoring the #pentagonex channel used to control the worm's activities, security experts working for DALnet IRC were able to track down its suspected creators."For more info:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/56/23292.html
http://www.interactiveweek.com/article/0,3658,s%253D604%2526a%253D19641,00.asp
Critics lining up to testify at Microsoft hearing
"Lawmakers next week will scrutinize the Bush administration's antitrust settlement with Microsoft and have invited some of Microsoft's fiercest critics to testify. Consumer Federation of America director Mark Cooper and Stanford University professor Lawrence Lessig told The Associated Press they plan to testify. Industry officials said Red Hat Software executive Matthew Szulik and venture capitalist and former Netscape head Jim Barksdale also have been invited."
For more info:
http://www.usatoday.com/life/cyber/tech/2001/12/07/microsoft-hearing.htm
Microsoft cuts checks for e-wallet users
"Microsoft has begun offering cash to people who use its online wallet and identity software, a little-noticed promotion that comes as a rival effort led by some of its bitterest enemies gains momentum.
The software giant, which recently said it had $36 billion in cash, will write checks to people who buy $100 or more in goods using Passport Express Purchase. The program will dole out $20 rebates for each $100 spent using the online service, with total rebates capped at $100."For more info:
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-8130582.html
Here are the responses from the last poll:
Which tech toy would you like for Christmas?
Digital Camera: 38.00%
Other: 16.00%
Laptop: 14.00%
Better Printer: 10.00%
Larger Monitor: 8.00%
PDA: 6.00%
Software: 4.00%
Scanner: 4.00%Total Votes: 50
There will be now new poll for the next few weeks.
Doug Frosch
Segway is certainly an interesting concept, but I wouldn't want to bet on it.
I place my money on a more serious transportation innovation-- The Moller Skycar
http://www.moller.com/skycar/
. Flight testing is now underway with it's new rotary engines (only 3 moving
parts, high power, extremely low emissions) and computerized flight instruments.
They intend to hold a press conference and flight demonstration in the near
future. Also they have applied for listing on the stock exchange-- could occur
by the end of the year.
Jim Bateman
Are you kidding? As if we're not already the most sedentary society ever. Now
we don't even have to WALK? If you need assistance getting around use a wheelchair.
The world is fast enough as it is. Take the 3 grand purchase price and get a
10 year health club membership or equip a room with all the best workout machines.
There's already a wonderful 2 wheeled device out there that can get you around
nicely. It's called a bicycle. Another case of "They got it right the 1st
time".
Charlie Wood
I think it has great possibilities........and I would love to have one of these
things.......(but, alas, I can't afford it). It is amazing technology.
David Brumley
You asked for our thoughts on this, so here are mine.
First a little background.
I have always been interested in personal mobility, and the many forms it takes.
I started with bicycles, then motor scooters, and go-carts, and now cars, and
motorcycles.
I like just about anything with wheels, with or without a motor.
I have never ridden a unicycle, but I am reminded of it by this new device.
I am intrigued by it, but I need more information, such as:
How does it handle real world situations, i.e. how does it react to road debris?
How maneuverable is it?
How long does it hold a charge?
What is its range?
How quickly can it be recharged?
How long does the battery pack last?
How much to replace the battery pack? Can the owner do it or must it be done
at a service center?
How does it perform when the road surface is wet? Or sandy?
When these questions are answered, there will be more to come of course, but
the picture will be clearer.
But for now, I am intrigued by this device.
I am also pleased to see that there are still new ways at looking at personal
mobility, and inventive minds providing alternatives.
Duncan Long
Hey, add two more wheels and a passenger compartment and you'd really have an
ideal vehicle :o) If it really runs on just 5 cents a day, I wish the guy had
designed a home generator instead. I could stand to see a bit lower electrical
bill each month and would definitely line up for THAT.
Visit the PCIN FreeHelp Forum to post your questions or answer others. Each week I highlight a question, and where to go to get the answer.
Question
Is there a way to remove (through regedit) my computer link that is intigrated in the windows xp recycle bin? I was able to hide My Network Places but have had no success in hiding the My Computer link within the recycle bin. Trying to make a more secure desktop for my kids.
Answer
No answer given yet.
Do you know the answer or have a suggestion? Visit http://www.pcin.net/cgi-bin/forum/index.cgi and check out the Software Forum. Post your answer or post a question of your own.
Check out these new or updated pages on the PCIN.net site:
WE Compute Magazine's Cheap Tricks of the Week
http://pcin.net/help/articles/cheaptricks.shtml
(The entire collection is in Microsoft Word format and is more than 30 pages long. You can download the file from here)See the PCIN test system
http://pcin.net/help/pcin_system.shtmlPCIN FreeHelp Downloads
http://pcin.net/help/download/Support PCIN
http://PCIN.net/donate.shtml
Cheap Trick of the Week
Secret desktop folder
Remember our tip for displaying a folder of all your desktop files and folders? Click on Start and Run, enter a period and click OK?
If you do this a lot, we can make it easier for you by setting up a button on the taskbar at the bottom of your screen that you can click when you want to see the desktop folder. Here's how to set this up:
1. Right-click Start and select Open from the context menu. This should open the Start Menu folder.
2. In the Start Menu folder, double-click Programs to open that folder, and then StartUp.
3. In the StartUp folder, right-click on a blank area and select New and Shortcut from the menus.
4. In the space for the Command Line, type c:\windows\explorer.exe c:\windows\desktop - there's a space only before the second c: and those are backward slashes. Click Next. (This command assumes Windows is stored in the directory named Windows. If not, substitute the name of your Windows folder for windows in both instances.)
5. Name the file something profound like Desktop and click Finish.
6. Back in the StartUp window, right-click the new Desktop icon and select Properties.
7. Under the Shortcut tab, in the Run field select Minimized and click Close.
The next time you start Windows, the Desktop icon will be on the taskbar. Click it at any time and you'll get immediate access to all your desktop items in a separate folder.Get your own copy of "The Little Black Book of Cheap Tricks: 2001" by visiting http://www.pcin.net/lbbct/
Add a New Worksheet in Excel
I just learned this today, and find it particularly helpful...
Up until now, when I wanted to add a new worksheet to a workbook in Excel, I would right-click on a worksheet tab, choose Insert, and then from the small window that appeared, choose Worksheet. This didn't take very long, but did seem rather cumbersome just to add a new worksheet.
Well, if you want to add a worksheet faster, just press SHIFT and F11 and a new worksheet will be inserted in front of the active worksheet.
More Desktop Wallpaper
One of the newer pages on my site is the Hebus.com Wallpaper of the Day that can be found at http://pcin.net/help/tods/wod.shtml. Subscriber Duncan Long emailed me with a link to some wallpaper that he has created himself. You can check it out at http://duncanlong.com/art/wallpaper/wallpaper.html
PCIN is brought to you by PC Improvements. The opinions expressed are those of the editor, Graham Wing. PC Improvements and Graham Wing accept no responsibility for the results obtained from trying the tips in this newsletter.
Graham Wing can be reached at editor@pcin.net
Copyright 1998-2001, PC Improvements and 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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