PCIN, The PC Improvement News logo

Issue 291 - May 12, 2004

ISSN 1488-3163; PC Improvements © 2004
==== 1932 Subscribers in 58 Countries ====

Welcome to the 291st 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

CONTENTS

Opening Thoughts

I called Microsoft Product Support for the first time on Monday, and it was much easier than I expected. We had installed one of the critical updates on our Exchange 5.5 (email) server, and when the server rebooted, we lost internet connectivity. I called support, and within a couple of minutes was speaking with someone in India. His English was excellent, and he was very helpful. I was on the phone with him for about 2 hours as he asked questions and I ran some tests. The end result was that we had a network setting that wasn't optimum, and the patch brought this out. We changed the setting to the optimal setting and everything was fine.

Both Chris and I now have GMail (Google Mail) accounts. Chris got his when he logged into his Blogger account. Then later when he was logged into GMail, he was allowed to invite two people to join so he invited my sister Andrea and me. Not much to report on right now. It works. We'll share anything of interest as we come across it.

Graham editor@pcin.net and Chris chris@pcin.net

The NEWS

The Google Supercomputer

"How many computers does Google have? The answer may interest you if you're considering a bid in the upcoming Dutch auction for shares in the firm's recently announced IPO. One way to view to the processing power of the search giant is to count the powerful servers that store, scan and analyze all the information it scrapes from the World Wide Web. Since Google's own estimate is not really helpful (for years now it's been saying the number is "more than 10,000"), obsessed observers have filled the backs of many envelopes to make their own estimates. A consensus now believes that Google has about 100,000 servers, an awesome number. Meanwhile, other Google watchers take a different approach to the question and have confidently produced a more precise answer: one."

For more info:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4933550/

Talking Windows?

"Whispering shop windows will soon be exported to Germany by a small British company that says they will turn heads and draw customers into shops.
'Whispering Windows' are made by Hull-based company FeONIC and have already been used by British retail chains to attract custom, finance director Jeremy Lee told Reuters Wednesday."

For more info:
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?storyID=5120577

Pac-Man Game to Jump from Computer to City Streets

"'Life imitates art far more than art imitates life,' Oscar Wilde once wrote. Little did he know that life would eventually also imitate video games.
New York University students plan to stage a real, live Pac-Man game on Saturday in the streets of Greenwich Village, as part of a project exploring how computer games work when transplanted into real-world settings.
In the hugely popular 1980s game that became a cultural icon, Pac-Man, a yellow circle with a wedge removed for his mouth, gobbled up dots while evading ghostly rivals Inky, Blinky, Pinky and Clyde who also try to gobble him.
This weekend a man in a yellow costume will weave through the streets collecting dots while being pursued by people dressed in ghost outfits whose aim is to stop him before he gathers all the dots."

For more info:
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=technologyNews&storyID=5065545

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POLL of the WEEK

Last Week's Poll

Did you get the Sasser worm?

Yes, I got it 3.77 % (4)
I didn't get it, but I know someone who did 20.75 % (22)
No one I know got it 69.81 % (74)
What is the Sasser worm? 5.66 % (6)
Total votes: 106

This Week's Poll

How often do you call for product support (either hardware or software)?

Daily
Weekly
Monthly
Every couple months
A few times a year
Almost Never
Never

You can also vote online at http://PCIN.net/polls/

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PCIN.net UPDATE

Check out these new or updated pages on the PCIN.net site:

Updated Windows Registry Tips and Tweaks Article
http://PCIN.net/help/articles/registry_tips.php

MySlideShow 2.3 by Anix Software Software Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/myslideshow.php

Anyplace Control by Anyplace Control Software Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/anyplacecontrol.php

Inboxer 1.1 by Audiotrieve, LLC Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/inboxer.php

Microsoft Outlook Add-Ins by MAPILab Ltd. Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/mapilab.php

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THE TIPS and OTHER STUFF

Free Antivirus Software continued...

This is the last time I'm going to bring this up, I promise...
The last couple of weeks I've been sharing links to free AntiVirus software. One I neglected to mention was Avast antivirus. John, Judy, and Irving all mentioned this and spoke highly of it.
I'm sure there are others that haven't been mentioned in the last few weeks. If you know of others, be sure to share it with your friends. If you are still looking, you can search for yourself for either free online antivirus scan or free antivirus software

The Elder Geek on Windows XP

"Useful information about Windows XP including tweaks, guides, installation tips, registry edits, pagefile sizing, updates, and an XP Forum."
Check it out at http://www.theeldergeek.com/

Windows XP Tip of the Day

TipWorld has a dozen different Tips of the Day. The Windows XP Tip of the Day can be found at http://www.tipworld.com/windowsxp.php

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PCIN.net AFFILIATED SITES

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:

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DISCLAIMER 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.

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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.

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