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
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
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:
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
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
- http://www.spymac.com/
This is,like Gmail a 1GB email service with a mac " influence".
It also includes free webspace\blog.
- 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.
- 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.
- http://www.ugotgames.com/
Flash, and Java games from various places. Great time waster.
- 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/
- 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
- 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.
- http://www.codeproject.com/
Help, Tutorials, Source Code for Various Microsoft Development tools\languages.
- 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.
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.
- If any of the links are too long to fit on one line, you may have to cut
and paste.
- To subscribe another address or unsubscribe, please visit http://PCIN.net/ and
follow the appropriate links.
- Recommend PCIN to others at http://PCIN.net/recommend.php and
be entered in a monthly draw.
- The only way to become a subscriber is by asking. You have either filled
out the subscription form or asked me directly.
- 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.
- Support PCIN by visiting http://PCIN.net/donate.php
Return to the top
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
PC Improvement News Home Page
PC Improvement News Archive
|