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Issue 356 - August 10, 2005

ISSN 1488-3163; PC Improvements © 2005
==== 2058 Subscribers in 59 Countries ====

Welcome to the 356th 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

This weekend we're taking our annual trip up to Buckhorn. We used to live there years ago, but it was too far away from the city, so we moved. My parents rent a cottage every year for a week or two. I'm not able to take vacation in the summer, so the best I can do is get a long weekend. We'll be going to the Wildlife Art Festival while we are there.

It used to be that coming up with tips or good sites for the newsletter was hard, but these days getting good news stories is hard. It seems like all the stories are about someone getting sued, or one search company beating another search company in some comparison. Maybe it's just me, but the industry seems to be stale right now.

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

The NEWS

Internet takes soldier into delivery room

Sgt. William Hamrick II witnessed the birth of his daughter Monday. That may seem unremarkable -- except that Hamrick was 6,000 miles away in Iraq.
When doctors induced labor Monday morning at Camden-Clark Memorial Hospital in Parkersburg, Hamrick was virtually at his wife's side via live Internet video and satellite audio link.
The 25-year-old soldier could see and hear everything as it happened in the hospital room. The satellite audio link let him talk his wife through the contractions. And at 4:04 p.m. in West Virginia, just after midnight in Baghdad, he was able to watch as Elaina Jo Hamrick came into the world.

For more info:
http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/internet/08/09/soldier.wireless.birth.ap/index.html
Leave a comment:
http://www.pcin.net/update/index.php/2005/08/09/internet_takes_soldier_into_delivery_roo

Riding With the Urban Mappers

"I didn't think it could be done," says Tim Caro-Brice, a Stanford University graduate student and pioneering member of Amazon.com's A9.com project team. Barnaby Dorfman, A9.com's vice president, laughs and taps the accelerator. A nondescript sport utility vehicle eases down a Palo Alto street, and the rest may be search engine history.
Dorfman and Caro-Brice are part of the small team responsible for the block-view technology A9.com launched this spring, which allows users to virtually stroll city streets to get directions and identify local businesses. The vehicle they drive is a prototype for the mini fleet currently crisscrossing the United States in a photographing spree, racing to put a visual Yellow Pages online.

For more info:
http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,68405,00.html
Leave a comment:
http://www.pcin.net/update/index.php/2005/08/10/riding_with_the_urban_mappers

You Wanna Take This Online?

What does 13-year-old Taylor Hern love? Lots of things: the actor Ewan McGregor, the color pink, the band My Chemical Romance, her boyfriend Alex. You would know all that if you visited her Xanga, a blog--home-page hybrid that is the modern teen's public and interactive equivalent of a diary. You could even leave a comment on her Xanga or send her an "eProp" if, say, you love Ewan McGregor too.
On April 18, Taylor, who is about to enter eighth grade at Lost Mountain Middle School in Kennesaw, Ga., got an instant message (IM) from her friend Sydney Meyer that said, "OMG [Oh, my God] OMG OMG go to your xanga." Someone using the screen name lmmsgirlsgot2hell had left Taylor a comment that read, "Go to my Xanga, b***h." Taylor did--and found a List of Hos. Her name was on it. The list was hurtful, but Taylor says she wasn't as bothered as other girls. "A bunch of the cheerleading chicks spazzed," she says. "Me and all my friends thought it was stupid. Who would actually make time in their schedule to do something like that?"
Turns out, many of her peers would. Technology has transformed the lives of teens, including the ways they pick on one another.

For more info:
http://www.time.com/time/archive/preview/0,10987,1088698,00.html
Leave a comment:
http://www.pcin.net/update/index.php/2005/08/09/you_wanna_take_this_online

Linux on the desktop--almost there again?

Despite their best attempts, Linux software companies say they are still having a hard time luring average consumers away from the Windows environment--but that may not necessarily be a bad thing.
Windows still dominates the PC world. About 90 percent of all desktops, laptops and even PDAs are powered by Microsoft, according to reports by Gartner and IDC. Even with all the hoopla last year about Linux progress, the buzz over breaking the Windows stronghold has died down considerably.

For more info:
http://techrepublic.com.com/2100-10877_11-5825524.html
Leave a comment:
http://www.pcin.net/update/index.php/2005/08/10/linux_on_the_desktop_almost_there_again

Return to the top Recommend PCIN Poll of the Week

PCIN.net UPDATE

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

VMware Inc. VMware Workstation 4.5 Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/vmware45.php

PCIN.net Update Blog
http://PCIN.net/update/

Sunbelt Software iHateSpam 4.0 Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/ihatespam4.php

Micro Solutions RoadStor Hardware Review
http://PCIN.net/help/hardware/roadstor.php

Album Creator by FirmTools Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/albumcreator.php

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THE TIPS and OTHER STUFF

BartPE

The recent Langalist from Fred Langa mentioned a must have repair and recovery tool, BartPE.

BartPE is a tool that loads a live version of Windows XP or 2003 (an operating system that can be started during the boot process from a bootable CD that is run entirely from the CD). I tested the tool yesterday and it did work very well. It allowed me to grab files off a failing hard drive that I was having problems with before using the CD. There are many plugins available for BartPE as well to add more functionality to your XP/2003 recovery. The program was easy to use and created both the CD directory structure and an ISO. I also had the option to burn the CD directly from the program, but chose to do it on my own. Overall, I was very happy with this as a recovery tool. Check it out at http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

Leave a comment at http://www.pcin.net/update/index.php/2005/08/10/bartpe

Reader's Digest Canada

I don't subscribe to Reader's Digest. My grandmother does, and my chiropractor does. But I visit my grandmother or have a chiropractor appointment, I always pick them up and read the humour sections; Life's Like That, Humour in Uniform, Campus Comedy, etc. You can also read these online. If you visit the Reader's Digest Canada web site and then click on the Laugh With Us link, you can search through all the funny stories.

Leave a comment at http://www.pcin.net/update/index.php/2005/08/10/reader_s_digest_canada

Putfile.com

I had posted previously about a service that lets you upload a file to the web. You can then send a link to someone where they can download that file.
Well, another similar services is from Putfile.com:

Putfile is a FREE dedicated digital media hosting service. Here you can upload videos and images to the internet for free.
If you would like to quickly upload images or video files for use on forums, blogs, or websites please use our quick upload feature above.

Leave a comment at http://www.pcin.net/update/index.php/2005/08/09/putfile_com

Free Software: Temptation Blocker

Are addicted to a certain web site or to certain software? Then maybe you need help...

I’m in front of my computer constantly and a program I’ve been wanting for a long time is one that would allow me to block certain programs from myself for a set amount of time. A way for the smart part of me to head off the dumb, impulsive lizard part, and a way for me to get more stuff done at the computer...

So, have a major deadline looming or ripe opportunity closing and just don’t have time to waste playing Half Life 2 or checking Bloglines one last time? Well then, add Half Life 2 and Firefox to the list of programs you want to block in Temptation Blocker, set the timer for how long you want to block them and then hit the “Get Work Done!” button.

Now, everytime you try and access Half Life 2 or Firefox, you’ll get a dialog box telling you how much time you have left before you can access that program.

I haven't tried it, but it sounds interesting. Read more about it at http://www.webjillion.com/archives/2005/08/01/free-software-temptation-blocker

Leave a comment at http://www.pcin.net/update/index.php/2005/08/09/free_software_temptation_blocker

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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 1998-2005, Graham Wing. All rights reserved.

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