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
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
You can also vote online at http://PCIN.net/polls/
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
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
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:
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.
This publication may be reproduced in whole, or in part, as long as the author
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