Issue 313 - October 13, 2004
ISSN 1488-3163; PC Improvements © 2004
==== 1986 Subscribers in 58 Countries ====
Welcome to the 313th 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 have the PCIN list setup so that all mail (including my own) gets held for
approval before it goes to the list. It still seems, however, that there was
a problem with Chris' account setup in the mailing list software as it was
letting anything from Chris' address through without approval. This happened
this week. Chris' reply to several subscribers was something like this:
"The problem seems to be my account within the list server software.
The list server normally requires an approval to all messages that are sent
to the PCIN subscribers, but for some reason does not require that approval
for my account. To rectify the problem, we have eliminated my account from
the server software.
Please rest assured that the message was not sent from myself, or from Graham.
If you look at the header of the message, you will see that it originated
from an IP address of 66.186.250.124. This address is from Advanced Tel,
Inc. in California (www.arin.net), across the continent from where I am located!"
No email addresses were revealed. It was strictly a situation of someone forging
a header and the list sending it through. We think we've fixed the problem
now and expect everything to continue on as normal.
I have completed a review for Microsoft® Windows® 2000 Administrator's
Pocket Consultant, Second Edition from Microsoft Press. This is an advanced
book that explains some of the ins and outs of Active Directory, and other
new features to Windows 2000 Server (and still applicable to Windows Server
2003). You can read a blurb from the review in the Tips and
Other Stuff and the full review on the web site.
Graham editor@pcin.net and
Chris chris@pcin.net
The NEWS
IE faces one-two punch
"The Web browser wars may have been reignited, according to browser
pioneer Marc Andreessen.
This time, it's not Andreessen's former company, Netscape Communications,
that's taking on Microsoft's Internet Explorer. It's the increasingly popular
smaller products such as Apple Computer's Safari and the open-source Firefox,
Andreessen said.
'It may turn out that there's a one-two punch with Firefox and Safari,' Andreessen
said Wednesday at the Web 2.0 conference here. 'Microsoft is certainly going
to respond competitively.'"
For more info:
http://techrepublic.com.com/5100-22_11-5400536.html
New reason to avoid 'unsubscribe' links
"We've always been told that trying to 'opt-out' from spam messages
is probably a bad idea. Spam filtering firm MessageLabs now says there's
a new reason not to click -- spammers are starting to sneak special code
into that opt-out link which turns the spam recipient into an unwitting accomplice.
The link is really a clever trick designed to turn the victim's computer
into a zombie that can be used to send out more spam.
'By using an unsubscribe link in an e-mail, not only are you saying this
is a live e-mail address, you are also have the risk of downloading a Trojan
that turns your computer into an open proxy for sending spam,' said Brian
Czarny, MessageLabs spokesman. The company has trapped several thousand messages
laced with the special code in recent weeks, Czarny said."
For more info:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6208701/
Supreme Court decision sought over file sharing
"In the latest volley of the file-sharing wars, the movie and music
industries have filed a petition asking the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn
a federal appeals court decision that favored Grokster and StreamCast Networks,
the makers of software that allow users to trade copyrighted files.
That decision, issued in August by the United States Court of Appeals for
the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco, upheld the notion that makers of a technology
with legal uses cannot be held liable simply because some, or most, of its
users deploy it to violate a copyright."
For more info:
http://www.iht.com/articles/543208.html
POLL of the WEEK
Last Week's Poll
Who does your computer hardware upgrades?
I do it myself |
|
81 % (92) |
I have a friend do it |
|
4 % (5) |
I take it to a shop |
|
4 % (4) |
I don't upgrade, I just buy a new computer |
|
6 % (7) |
I don't upgrade, I can't afford it |
|
5 % (6) |
Total votes: 114 |
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:
Microsoft® Windows® 2000 Administrator's Pocket Consultant, Second
Edition
http://PCIN.net/help/books/w2kapcse.php
Remote Task Manager by SmartLine Inc. Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/remotetaskmanager.php
Flash File Recover by PanteraSoft Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/flashfilerecovery.php
Email Saver Xe 2.0 by WinGuides Software Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/emailsaverxe2.php
Newsgator 2.0 by Newsgator Technologies Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/newsgator2.php
THE TIPS and OTHER
STUFF
Microsoft Calculator Plus
"Microsoft Calculator Plus is an updated calculator application for
Windows XP that you can download at Microsoft Web site. Microsoft Calculator
Plus has an improved interface over the standard Calculator that comes with
Windows XP. The new calculator also boasts some neat features, including
the ability to perform exchange-rate calculations and various types of conversions,
such as currency and weight."
Read more about it at http://www.windowsitpro.com/Articles/Index.cfm?ArticleID=44196 or
download it at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=32b0d059-b53a-4dc9-8265-da47f157c091
MSN Search Technology Preview
Microsoft is working on a new version of MSN Search. You can check it out
at http://techpreview.search.msn.com/ I
compared this to Google and
to the current MSN Search with
the search term PCIN, and they all show pretty much the same results, though
shuffled a bit.
Microsoft® Windows® 2000 Administrator's Pocket Consultant,
Second Edition Book Review
"For years, Novell was the leader in Directory Services (NDS). Microsoft's
domain model was difficult to manage. The arrival of Windows 2000 also brought
Microsoft's competitor with Active Directory. This was an entire new way
for network objects to be created and maintained. As the years have gone
by, other Microsoft server products have taken advanced of AD and allow for
much larger and more complex networks."
Read the full review at http://PCIN.net/help/books/w2kapcse.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.
- 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
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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.
Support PCIN by visiting http://PCIN.net/donate.php
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