Issue 164 - December 05, 2001

ISSN 1488-3163; PC Improvements © 2001
==== 2223 Subscribers in 59 Countries ====

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Welcome to the 164th 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!

Recommend PCIN at http://PCIN.net/recommend.shtml
Support PCIN at http://PCIN.net/donate.shtml

CONTENTS

OPENING THOUGHTS

Here we are almost a week into December and it was 19° C today (66° F). Crazy.

Well, I guess the big news this week was that the big IT was finally revealed. Since January there has been speculation on what it would be. As it turns out, it is a device similar to a scooter called the Segway Human Transporter (HT). I know that some people were disappointed, but I for one thing that it is amazing. Well, maybe not the actual device, but the technology is mind-boggling. This is computerized equilibrium. You stand on something that looks like a barbell (that is what the Time article describes it as), and you don't fall over. You lean forward, and you move forward. You lean back, and you slow down. I just think the technology that allows it to read a persons body movements like that could be used in so many areas.

What did you think of it? Email me at editor@pcin.net with your thoughts on the Segway HT. Was this a let-down for you? Do you care? Will it change the world? I'll put the comments in next week's PCIN.

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The NEWS

Reinventing the Wheel

"Here 'it' is: the inside story of the secret invention that so many are buzzing about. Could this thing really change the world?
For the past three months, [Dean] Kamen has allowed TIME behind the veil of secrecy as he and his team grappled with the questions that they will confront--about everything from safety and pricing to the challenges of launching a product with the country at war and the economy in recession. Some of their answers were smooth and assured; others less polished. But one thing was clear. As Kamen sees it, all these issues will quickly fade if the question most people ask about the Segway is 'How do I get one?'"

For more info:
http://www.time.com/time/business/printout/0,8816,186660,00.html

the IT question is an excellent resource
http://www.theitquestion.com/

Deka Research site (the inventors company)
http://www.dekaresearch.com/

Segway HT site (the product's site)
http://www.segway.com/

US court ruling nixes software EULA sales restrictions

"In an intriguing ruling picked up by LinuxJournal's Don Marti, a US district court has given encouragement to software users who want to extricate themselves from restrictive software licenses.
The judge, in the case Adobe vs Softman heard in the Central District of California, has ruled that consumers can resell bundled software, no matter what the EULA, or End User License Agreement, stipulates. Specifically, the ruling decrees that software purchases be treated as sales transactions, rather than explicit license agreements. In other words, consumers should have the same rights they'd enjoy under existing copyright legislation when buying a CD or a book. They can't make copies, but they can resell what they own."

For more info:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/23073.html

602Pro PC Suite Reaches One Million Registered Users

I received an email from Premysl Pech of Software602 (he is also a subscriber) the other day.
"Hi Graham
We got news...
Have a nice day.
Premysl Pech

Press release

602Pro PC SUITE hits one million registered users and counting.
Jacksonville, FL, November 27th, 2001 - Software602, Inc. announces 1,000,0000 (one million) registered users for its FREE Alternative to MS OFFICE. The latest version of 602Pro PC SUITE 2001 was released in September this year FREE for commercial and non-commercial use. Registered users are located in more then 226 countries worldwide with the mass majority in the United States."
The press release continued at http://www.software602.com/press/press47.html

Mac News

Flat-panel iMacs coming soon

"Apple Computer may finally be poised to unfurl a long-rumored flat-panel iMac, according to a report Tuesday from Morgan Stanley.
Morgan Stanley analysts Gillian Munson and Stirling Levy said in the report that Apple has placed component orders for producing 100,000 15-inch flat-panel iMacs per month, starting in January.
The all-in-one computer virtually revived Apple when it emerged in 1998, but sales have steadily declined in the past year and a half."

For more info:
http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,5100279,00.html

"Free" OS X riles Apple

"In October, Apple gave away thousands of free CDs that offered owners of Mac OS X a free upgrade to version 10.1--the first major update to the new OS and a key enabler for tasks such as playing DVD movies and burning files onto DVDs. However, what was designed to be a nice perk for early adopters of the new OS turned out to be a way for holdouts to get a free version of Mac OS X, which normally costs $129.
Last week, Mac site Macfixit.com posted details that could be used to provide a complete installation of Mac OS X, even for those who did not have a copy of an earlier version. Macfixit later took down the posting after receiving a cease-and-desist letter from Apple."

For more info:
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1006-200-8054588.html

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POLL of the WEEK

Here are the responses from the last poll:

How much of your Christmas shopping will you do online?

None: 32.86%
10%: 18.57%
20%: 14.29%
50%: 10.00%
30%: 7.14%
All of it!: 4.29%
80%: 4.29%
90%: 2.86%
60%: 2.86%
70%: 1.43%
40%: 1.43%

Total Votes: 70

Visit http://pcin.net/polls/ to participate in the new poll this week:

How tech toy would you like for Christmas?

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FREEHELP FORUM

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

How in the heck do i get rid of Bonzi buddy?

Answer

Go to this link to find out http://www.pchell.com/support/bonzibuddy.shtml

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.

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PCIN.net UPDATE

Entire 2000 archive updated to new site format
http://PCIN.net/archive/2000/index.shtml

Hebus.com Wallpaper of the Day
http://pcin.net/help/tods/wod.shtml

View Thumbnails in Windows Explorer
http://pcin.net/help/articles/viewthumbnails.shtml

Windows Registry Help
http://pcin.net/help/articles/registryhelp.shtml

Windows File Extensions
http://pcin.net/help/articles/fileext.shtml

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)

Internet Backbone Speeds
http://pcin.net/help/articles/internetspeeds.shtml

BIOS Help
http://pcin.net/help/articles/bioshelp.shtml

See the PCIN test system
http://pcin.net/help/pcin_system.shtml

PCIN FreeHelp Downloads
http://pcin.net/help/download/

PC Industry News
http://pcin.net/news.shtml

THE TIPS and OTHER STUFF

Cheap Trick of the Week

DOS to order

Do you find it too cumbersome to navigate in MS-DOS to the directory you want, especially with those weird truncated filenames?
The solution is to find the folder in Windows first. Use Explorer or My Computer to go to the folder and select it. Then, while it's selected, click on Start and Run, enter command and click OK.
The MS-DOS Prompt window will open exactly at the directory corresponding to the folder you chose.

Get your own copy of "The Little Black Book of Cheap Tricks: 2001" by visiting http://www.pcin.net/lbbct/

Power-On Password Software

Last week I mentioned that a subscriber was looking for good "power-on" password software. Subscriber Alex Gray responded:
"It just so happens that I was just researching this type of program for a friend of mine.
There is a simple but effective Shareware program that can lock your system at bootup or any other time at:
http://www.softheap.com/wlock.html
The programs is Windows LockUp ver 1.4 and costs $27.00 for the registered version."

The Expert Guide to Microsoft Windows XP

This free eBook is available from Microsoft and needs their Reader product to view it. You can download it at http://www.microsoft.com/reader/us/shop.asp or directly from http://www.microsoft.com/reader/includes/ExpertGuidetoMicrosoftWindowsXP.lit

The promo on the page said:
" Designed just for Windows enthusiasts, this handbook introduces Windows XP, the most important version of Windows to date. Read articles by expert columnists from the Expert Zone, and get more in-depth information from Microsoft Press. This eBook contains tips, tricks, and references to more information about Windows XP!"

Finding Users with Viruses/Trojan Horses

This was sent to me by Chris Empey. He recently received this from our local cable company. I thought it was good that the company identified a potential threat and contacted the user. They pinpointed his IP address as having sent the virus along, and sent along links on how to fix the problem. They haven't followed up on the email yet, but it is a good start.

"Hello!

We have received reports that your computer and/or IP Address may have inadvertently been involved in the distribution of a virus (Code Red) onto remote systems. This is contrary to COGECO's Acceptable Use Policy (http://www.cgocable.net/aup). COGECO reserves the right to investigate suspicious violations of this policy and take any necessary corrective action.

Please refer to http://www.cert.org/advisories/CA-2001-19.html for information on this virus and http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/security/bulletin/MS01-044.asp for a security patch.

If you were indeed the cause of the reported incidents, please refrain from causing/creating other similar incidents. Further similar infractions of COGECO's AUP will result in possible interruption/discontinuation of your Internet service.

If you do not believe you were the cause of this incident, please let us know. There are a variety of possible explanations as to why you may have appeared to be the source of this incident.

We recommend that you get an up-to-date anti-virus software and scan your PC immediately for viruses. Sometimes, remote parties who get access to your computer can use it to scan other PCs for vulnerabilities. If you do not believe you were the cause of this incident, please let us know. There are a variety of possible explanations as to why you may have appeared to be the source of this incident.

Please acknowledge this email by replying within 72 hours.

Sincerely yours,

COGECO's Residential Security department"

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DISCLAIMER and OTHER STUFF

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.

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Graham Wing can be reached at editor@pcin.net

Copyright 1998-2001, PC Improvements and Graham Wing. All rights reserved.

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