ISSN 1488-3163; PC Improvements © 2004
==== 1974 Subscribers in 58 Countries ====
Welcome to the 306th 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
Last week one of the news pieces mentioned the free iPod site. Holly emailed me to let me know the following:
I thought I would make you aware of what happened when I tried signing up for the free IPod offer after reading about it in your newsletter. For starters, after registering, when I tried to click on links to access the required offer signup trials, none of the links will work. And within 2 minutes of registering with FreeIPods.com the spam starting coming and hasn't stopped since!!! And some of it, instead of appearing to be from legit businesses, comes with the "from" line having names like Amanda or John which is very hard to filter because of contacts having the same names. I know it is my own fault for signing up for something so suspicious, but I thought I would let you know so you can make readers aware of the spam attached to this site if you sign on. As they say-"nothing's for free".
I promised last week that I would include some pictures of our time up at a cottage that my parents rent each summer. Well, you can see almost 140 pictures at http://wingfamily.ca/lisagraham/20040811-14/
Graham editor@pcin.net and Chris chris@pcin.net
How eight pixels cost Microsoft millions
"The software giant has seen its products banned in some of the biggest markets on earth--and it's all because of eight wrongly colored pixels, a dodgy choice of music and a bad English-to-Spanish dictionary.
Speaking at the International Geographical Union congress in Glasgow on Wednesday, Microsoft's top man in its geopolitical strategy team, Tom Edwards, revealed how one of the biggest companies in the world managed to offend one of the biggest countries in the world with a software slip-up.
When coloring in 800,000 pixels on a map of India, Microsoft colored eight of them a different shade of green to represent the disputed Kashmiri territory. The difference in greens meant Kashmir was shown as non-Indian, and the product was promptly banned in India. Microsoft was left to recall all 200,000 copies of the offending Windows 95 operating system software to try and heal the diplomatic wounds. 'It cost millions,' Edwards said."For more info:
http://news.com.com/2100-1014_3-5316664.html
Internet2: 2004 and beyond
"Internationally acclaimed violinist and conductor Pinchas Zukerman doesn't let a little thing like a few thousand miles stand in the way of reaching his students.
Using high-definition videoconferencing technology available through the Internet2 network, he can give individual instruction to students half a world away with CD-quality sound and DVD-like images.
Zukerman accesses the network as part of a program at the Manhattan School of Music. The school, an affiliate member of Internet2 through a relationship with Columbia University, has been using the network to do videoconferencing since 1999."For more info:
http://techrepublic.com.com/5100-22_11-5321800.html
Samoa plans internet for all
"Marina Popoey lives on the north coast of Upolu in Samoa and weaves mats for a living.
She is waiting for an internet connection to come to her village so that she can more easily contact her family in Australia and New Zealand.
They organise the sale of her handicrafts in overseas markets.
'At the moment a letter takes two weeks,' she says. 'With e-mail it's instant.'
Marina's wish might now be granted as Samoa has recently become one of the first island nations in the Pacific to adopt a national strategy for information and communications technology (ICT)."For more info:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/technology/3590354.stm
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Do you use file sharing software?
Yes, all the time 12 % (11) Yes, occasionally 29 % (28) No, but I used to 13 % (12) No, but I would like to 1 % (1) No, I don't want to 38 % (36) What is file sharing software? 7 % (7) Total votes: 95
This Week's Poll
You can also vote online at http://PCIN.net/polls/
Return to the top | Recommend PCIN Poll of the Week |
Check out these new or updated pages on the PCIN.net site:
Newsgator 2.0 by Newsgator Technologies Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/newsgator2.phpCDBF for Windows by WhiteTown Software Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/cdbf.phpPhotoshop Elements 2.0 plus Photoshop Album 2.0 by Adobe Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/elementsplusalbum.phpUpdated PCIN.net Site Search
http://PCIN.net/search.phpUpdated Windows Registry Tips and Tweaks Article
http://PCIN.net/help/articles/registry_tips.php
Return to the top | Recommend PCIN.net Update |
Windows XP SP2 CD
Microsoft Windows XP SP2 was finally released a couple of weeks ago, and Microsoft has been staggering the release of it so as to not overwhelm their servers. They have finally setup a page where you can order the CD for free (the shipping is even free). Even if you have a high-speed Internet connection, it would be a good idea to order the CD as this update is very large and important.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/updates/sp2/cdorder/en_us/default.mspx
Updated Excel Utilities
I recently received an email from Prasanta Das Gupta who is the programmer of some utilities I mentioned in a previous PCIN:
"PCIN had put my website details in March04 or so. I would like to inform that I have put my newer version of powerutils ie version 1.8 with 24 more utils ie 78. This is an Addin for MS Excel. Can you please inform your respected users."
http://www.powerutilsnet.com/
Outlook Search Add-in
Microsoft recently purchased Lookout, an Outlook plug-in that provides extensive search capabilities for not only Outlook, but your local file system as well. Lookout can be download free of charge from http://www.lookoutsoft.com
Return to the top | Recommend PCIN Tips and Other Stuff |
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:
Return to the top | Recommend PCIN Tips 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.
Graham Wing can be reached at editor@pcin.net
Chris Empey can be reached at chris@pcin.net
Copyright 1998-2004, 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