PCIN, The PC Improvement News logo

Issue 303 - August 04, 2004

ISSN 1488-3163; PC Improvements © 2004
==== 1966 Subscribers in 58 Countries ====

Welcome to the 303rd 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

Everyone is doing well here. Matthew was just at the doctor's office for his one month checkup, and Andrew was there for his two year checkup. They are both doing great. Be sure to check out the Wing Family web site for picture updates.

I will be away for a long weekend next weekend, so Chris will be sending out the newsletter next Wednesday. For this week's PCIN, he has finished a review of Photoshop Elements 2.0 plus Photoshop Album 2.0 by Adobe which you can read about in the Tips and Other Stuff section.

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

The NEWS

Search and destroy: "The future of search" and Microsoft

The footsteps heard by Google Inc. are coming from this pine-studded Seattle suburb where the dreams of Silicon Valley upstarts often have been dashed.
Once again, activity is stirring on the sprawling campus of Microsoft Corp. Once again the software company is playing catch-up in a technology field where its famously driven management team was slow to spot an opportunity -- and threat.
And once again technologists are betting the ultimate winner in the coming donnybrook over computer search won't be today's market leader, Google, or its Bay Area rival, Yahoo Inc., which now powers Microsoft's consumer search site. It will be the Puget Sound software goliath, which is known as a ferocious competitor.

For more info:
http://www.boston.com/business/technology/articles/2004/08/02/search_and_destroy/

Merriam-Webster adds 'MP3,' 'DSL' and other techie terms

"'Teensploitation's' time has come -- at least in the dictionary. 'Pleather,' 'body wrap,' 'MP3,' and 'information technology' are among the other words and phrases that have gotten the nod from the editors at Merriam-Webster in the annual update of their Collegiate Dictionary."

For more info:
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/184439_webster01ww.html

Hospitals move toward 'paperless' age

"With no patient chart in sight, Dr. Sheila Gamache strides into Thom Kolby's hospital room to check on him a day after the 54-year-old arrived ashen-faced and perilously close to death with a clogged artery starving his heart of oxygen.
Rather than flipping through a clipboard thick with pages of notations and test results, Gamache gets up to speed on Kolby's condition simply by logging onto a wireless notepad she carries on her daily rounds at the Indiana Heart Hospital.
Like a handful of others nationwide, the Indianapolis hospital has traded its once scattered medical charts, file folders, X-rays and other documents for a unified electronic records system accessible with a few keystrokes."

For more info:
http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/biztech/08/04/paperless.hospitals.ap/index.html

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POLL of the WEEK

Last Week's Poll

Do you every use the Hibernate or Standby features of your computer?

Yes, I use both 23 % (14)
Yes, I use Hibernate 15 % (9)
Yes, I use Standby 29 % (18)
No, I don't use either because I don't know how 6 % (4)
No, I don't use either, but I'd like to 13 % (8)
I don't know what the Hibernate and Standby features do 15 % (9)
Total votes: 62

This Week's Poll

When traveling, do you book hotels or airline tickets online?

Yes, both hotels and airlines
Only hotels
Only airlines
Neither, I'm afraid to buy something so important online
Neither, I prefer to speak to someone
I just don't want to
I didn't know you could do this

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:

Photoshop Elements 2.0 plus Photoshop Album 2.0 by Adobe Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/elementsplusalbum.php

Updated PCIN.net Site Search
http://PCIN.net/search.php

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

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THE TIPS and OTHER STUFF

Photoshop Elements 2.0 plus Photoshop Album 2.0 by Adobe Software Review

Today's digital camera's provide many benefits for their users: instant photographs, the ability to delete pictures, printing at home, and being able to shoot many photos without worry of the cost that would be associated with film and developing. One drawback though is finding an effective method of cataloging these images. Adobe has recently released Adobe Photoshop Elements 2.0 plus Photoshop Album 2.0. Photoshop Elements 2.0 can be used for creating slideshows, e-cards and greeting cards, as well as touching up and modifying your images. Guides help make difficult tasks a snap. Photoshop Album 2.0 is a great piece of software for cataloging your images. Tags can be applied to images to make them easy to find based on content.
Read the full review at http://www.pcin.net/help/software/elementsplusalbum.php

JT's Tips

  1. http://www.spymac.com/
    This is,like Gmail a 1GB email service with a mac " influence". It also includes free webspace\blog.
  2. http://www.autopatcher.com/
    This site features a program that bundles most of not all the hot fixes and updates to Microsoft's operating systems. There are various flavors of the software for XP, 2000 and 2003. This is
    especially useful for System administrators. Be warned though the file sizes are quite large.
  3. http://www.overclockers.com.au/
    Hardware review\news site. Features daily links to review on various sites and news from various sources. Using there search functions this site is great for people wanting to purchase hardware and would like to see how the product is rated\reviewed by others. They also have a forum that you can join.
  4. http://www.ugotgames.com/
    Flash, and Java games from various places. Great time waster.
  5. http://www.dot.tk/
    Get your own free Tokelau domain name. Have a look at my website\resume in the making if you like
    http://www.john-tounoussidis.tk/
  6. http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/
    For those who would like an IE alternative and really good one at that try Firefox. Features include Tabbed Browsing and pop-up stopper. I use it as my primary browser.

    For the .NET Developers reading PCIN News
  7. http://www.gotdotnet.com/team/ide/Default.aspx
    Various "PowerToys" to help in development tasks. http://www.gotdotnet.com/ as a whole is a worthwhile site.
  8. http://www.codeproject.com/
    Help, Tutorials, Source Code for Various Microsoft Development tools\languages.
  9. http://www.microsoft.com/australia/msdn/connection/default.aspx
    Designed by Developers, for Developers, MSDN Connection is Microsoft's new peer-based recognition program - created in conjunction with Australian International .NET Association (INETA) user groups." - By the way its FREE but for Australians Only I think Sorry.
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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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  3. Recommend PCIN to others at http://PCIN.net/recommend.php and be entered in a monthly draw.
  4. The only way to become a subscriber is by asking. You have either filled out the subscription form or asked me directly.
  5. If you have a web site or run your own newsletter, please email me at editor@pcin.net and I will add it to the subscriber web pages that I have on my site.
  6. Support PCIN by visiting http://PCIN.net/donate.php

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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.

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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