|
Issue 183 - April 17, 2002
ISSN 1488-3163; PC Improvements © 2002
==== 2310 Subscribers in 55 Countries ====
Welcome to the 183rd 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.shtml
CONTENTS
OPENING
THOUGHTS
I went on and on last week about the beautiful weather we were
having. After that, we had a couple of rainy days, but then the
last couple of days it has been close to 30° C or 85°
F. I know it won't last, but it sure has been nice. Over the winter
I did all sorts of work inside the house, and I'm finally getting
a chance to work outside. I guess I have "cabin fever".
More updates and additions to the site this week. Still more
to come. I sure hope that Chris and I aren't doing all this for
nothing. Be sure to pass the newsletter on to your friends, co-workers,
family, whomever. Then get them to subscribe. The more people
that subscribe, then the better everything else is. There will
be more active forum participation, more interest in the polls,
more people to send in tips. You get the picture. You can always
recommend PCIN by visiting http://www.pcin.net/recommend.php
Graham editor@pcin.net
and Chris chris@pcin.net
Return to the top
The NEWS
Snapple Juices Up Web Presence
"Snapple Beverages Group, a subsidiary of Cadbury Schweppes
PLC, this week inaugurates a new Web site that is part of a
$40 million marketing push to make Snapple's line of non-carbonated
teas and fruit drinks appealing to its core users and younger
consumers.
Instead of a cookie-cutter site that could be mistaken for any
other beverage marketers, Snapple created an online town called
Snappleton on www.snapple.com"
For more info:
http://dmnews.com/cgi-bin/artprevbot.cgi?article_id=20030
Linux fans take on copy control
"Spooked by Hollywood-backed legislation that seeks to
regulate technology, Linux geeks plan to launch a political-action
committee that fights back.
Jeff Gerhardt, host of 'The Linux Show,' and Doc Searls, senior
editor of the Linux Journal, are forming a lobbying group called
GeekPAC that would try to convince lawmakers to consider developers
when they draft laws concerning technology.
The goal is to ensure that legislative attempts to protect the
interests of companies such as Walt Disney and the Baby Bells
don't stifle technological development."
For more info:
http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1106-882219.html
Court Strikes Down Virtual Child Pornography Law
"The Supreme Court today struck down the Child Pornography
Protection Act, which prescribes stiff jail terms for the distribution
or possession of computer-generated and other simulations of
scenes of children engaged in sex. The court said the 1996 law
was so broadly worded that it might punish many forms of legitimate
expression as well as actual child pornography."
For more info:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A59355-2002Apr16.html
PayPal Shares Surge Amid eBay Takeover Rumors
"Shares of online payment company PayPal surged in unusually
heavy trading as fresh rumors swirled that auction giant eBay
is considering a buyout of the newly public company.
According to broadcast reports, eBay and PayPal have been engaged
in active merger talks that have yet to yield conclusive results.
Neither company immediately returned calls seeking comment on
the reports, but analysts have long said such a match would
be a logical move."
For more info:
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/perl/story/17279.html
Return to the top
POLL of
the WEEK
Here are the responses from the last poll:
How do TV and the Internet come together for you?
I watch TV
on my computer 4.00
% (3)
I surf the Internet on my TV (WebTV, etc.) 2.67 %
(2)
I surf on my computer while I watch TV 41.33
% (31)
They don't come together at all 52.00
% (39)
Total votes: 75
Visit http://pcin.net/polls/
to participate in the new poll this week:
Do you have an MP3 player (other than your computer)?
Return to the top
FREEHELP
FORUM
Visit the new and improved PCIN FreeHelp Forum at http://www.pcin.net/cgi-bin/bb/YaBB.cgi
to post your questions or answer others.
Question
Is there a fire-proof way to set password protection in Win98
SE?
After setting up the password and booting up my home PC, I am
still able to click on "cancel" in the password window
to bypass the whole thing.
What good is this password protection if it doesn't work correctly?
Answer
Go here to download Winguides: Windows Registry Guide: http://www.winguides.com/registry/
Install Winguides and when installed open Winguides Windows
Registry Guide.
In Winguides: Windows Registry Guide select Security / System
and look for Force Users To Logon To Windows and click on it.
This will explain how to set it up. It requires setting up a
User Profile and editing the registry.
To post a different suggestion, visit http://www.pcin.net/cgi-bin/bb/YaBB.cgi?board=How-To
and click on the "Password protection in Win98 SE" subject.
Visit http://www.pcin.net/cgi-bin/bb/YaBB.cgi
to post a question of your own.
Return to the top
PCIN.net
UPDATE
Check out these new or updated pages on the PCIN.net site:
pdf995 Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/pdf995.php
CuteZIP Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/cutezip2.php
Updated Registry Tips (now 124)
http://PCIN.net/help/articles/registry_tips.shtml
Annotis Mail 1.1 Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/annotismail.shtml
Return to the top
THE TIPS
and OTHER STUFF
Where did that DLL come from?
Microsoft is finally getting around to things that others have
had available for years. If you needed to know what a specific
DLL was used for, you could find it on the web, but never at
Microsoft's own web site. Well, they have finally gotten around
to putting up a new area of their site that deals with DLLs.
Visit http://support.microsoft.com/servicedesks/fileversion/dllinfo.asp
and search for information on a DLL by filename. You can also
choose specific programs and see what DLLs that program uses.
I don't know how complete the list is, but this may be helpful
in troubleshooting program errors, maybe even in backing up
and restoring certain programs.
CuteZIP Software Review
"One of the essential tools that every computer user must
have is a file compression utility. These tools let you uncompress
or compress files as needed. Most people associate ZIP files
with file compression, as this is the most common type. There
are dozens more though. Some operating systems have support
built-in, but this is usually very basic, and so the need arises
for a third-party utility that will handle file compression/decompression
(or archive files). This is where CuteZIP comes in.
My first impression of the program was that it did not have
as many features as my current ZIP program, but the more I used
it, I found that CuteZip could do things that the other program
could not. One thing that CuteZIP really has going for it is
support for RAR files. This file compression type can compress
files better than ZIP, and so as files get larger, you may be
faced with more RAR files. Since CuteZIP has support for this
built-in, you won't need to purchase another program.
Overall, CuteZIP is worth the $19.95 cost (it is currently only
$9.95 when you purchase it with CuteFTP). It should meet the
needs of any standard user. Even if you have an archiving utility,
it would still be worth a look. You may find (as I did), that
your existing utility doesn't do everything you thought it could."
View the full review online at http://PCIN.net/help/software/cutezip2.php
Minigolf Online
I know there are all sorts of fancy games online, but check
out http://www.psychogoldfish.com/mini_putt/
or http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/~pyang/flash/miniputt.swf
for some good Flash miniputt games.
Return to the top
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.
- You can only win one contest every 30 days.
- To subscribe another address or unsubscribe, please visit
http://www.pcin.net/ and
follow the appropriate links.
- Recommend PCIN to others at http://www.pcin.net/recommend.php
and be entered in a monthly draw.
- There are only 2 ways to get on the subscriber list. You have
either been subscribed by filling out a subscription form on
any of the pages on my site, or you have requested FreeHelp
from me in the past.
- 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://www.pcin.net/donate.shtml
Return to the top
Graham Wing can be reached at editor@pcin.net
Chris Empey can be reached at chris@pcin.net
Copyright 1998-2002, 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://www.pcin.net/donate.shtml
PC Improvement
News Home Page
PC
Improvement News Archive
|
