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Issue 249 - July 23, 2003
ISSN 1488-3163; PC Improvements © 2003
==== 2294 Subscribers in 63 Countries ====
Welcome to the 249th 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
About a month ago I mentioned the new Google toolbar. The search features
of it aren't much different than before, but it has added a few new features.
I have been using the Popup Blocker, and it has blocked 790 popups to date!
Andrew turns 1 on Sunday and we are having a birthday party for him on Saturday
with most of our family. I'll definitely have a lot of pictures and I'll link
to them in next week's PCIN.
Graham editor@pcin.net and
Chris chris@pcin.net
The NEWS
Kinko's Case Highlights Internet Risks
"For more than a year, unbeknownst to people who used Internet terminals
at Kinko's stores in New York, Juju Jiang was recording what they typed,
paying particular attention to their passwords.
Jiang had secretly installed, in at least 14 Kinko's stores, software that
logs individual keystrokes. He captured more than 450 user names and passwords,
using them to access and even open bank accounts online.
The case, which led to a guilty plea earlier this month after Jiang was caught,
highlights the risks and dangers of using public Internet terminals at cybercafes,
libraries, airports and other establishments."
For more info:
http://abcnews.go.com/wire/Business/ap20030722_1357.html
Game over for Microsoft PC gear
For years a top maker of PC video game gear, Microsoft is officially bailing
out of the joystick, steering wheel and gamepad business.
The company cites faltering demand as the main reason it is discontinuing
its game gear line for desktop computers.
'Due to long term category decreases, proliferation of manufacturers and
highly competitive pricing, Microsoft has decided to exit the gaming input
device marketplace for PCs with our SideWinder line effective immediately,'
Kim McWhinnie, hardware marketing manager for Microsoft Canada, told globtetechnology.com
Friday."
For more info:
http://www.globetechnology.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20030718.gtsidewinderjuly18/BNStory/AtPlay/
Research No Longer in Motion?
"If a certain attorney has his way, Research In Motion will stop selling
its popular BlackBerry e-mail device as early as this week.
James Wallace, the attorney who successfully sued RIM in a high-profile patent
dispute last year, said a federal judge could grant an injunction to stop
the sale of the company's BlackBerry e-mail devices."
For more info:
http://www.wired.com/news/wireless/0,1382,59637,00.html
Cracking Windows passwords in seconds
"If your passwords consist of letters and numbers, beware.
Swiss researchers released a paper on Tuesday outlining a way to speed the
cracking of alphanumeric Windows passwords, reducing the time to break
such codes to an average of 13.6 seconds, from 1 minute 41 seconds.
The method involves using large lookup tables to match encoded passwords
to the original text entered by a person, thus speeding the calculations
required to break the codes. Called a time-memory trade-off, the situation
means that an attacker with an abundance of computer memory can reduce the
time it takes to break a secret code."
For more info:
http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1105_2-5053063.html
POLL of the WEEK
Last Week's Poll
In the last month, what is the longest you've gone without checking email?
| Over night |
 |
29.46 % (38) |
| 1 - 2 days |
|
31.78 % (41) |
| 3 - 6 days |
|
19.38 % (25) |
| 1 week |
|
3.10 % (4) |
| More than a week |
|
16.28 % (21) |
| Total votes: 129 |
This Week's Poll
You can also vote online at http://PCIN.net/polls/
PCIN.net FREEHELP
FORUM
Visit the PCIN.net FreeHelp Forum at http://PCIN.net/help/forum/ to
post your questions or answer others.
Question
I recently reinstalled Windows (ME) and now have to restart when the system
has gone into standby mode after the specified time in 'display property
settings'. I know I can set this standby time to 'never' but I would like
to know if I can correct the problem without doing this and I'm inquisitive
as to why it happens.
Response
The Standby mode in Windows ME rarely works.
Use Hibernation instead.
To post a response, visit the General Software Help forum at http://PCIN.net/help/forum/index.php?board=3 and
click on the "No response after standby" topic.
Visit http://PCIN.net/help/forum/ to
post a question of your own.
PCIN.net UPDATE
Check out these new or updated pages on the PCIN.net site:
Logitech Cordless Elite Duo Hardware Review
http://PCIN.net/help/hardware/lced.php
XemiComputers Ltd. DeskLook 3.0 Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/desklook3.php
Symantec Norton Ghost 2003 Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/ghost2003.php
Amic Games Email Saver Xe Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/emailsaverxe.php
THE TIPS and OTHER
STUFF
Linux on CD
Many of you may have seen write-ups recently about a Linux distribution
that runs from CD. There are a few different distributions available, but
the big one right now is KNOPPIX. The web site describes it this way:
"KNOPPIX is a bootable CD with a collection of GNU/Linux software, automatic
hardware detection, and support for many graphics cards, sound cards, SCSI and
USB devices and other peripherals. KNOPPIX can be used as a Linux demo, educational
CD, rescue system, or adapted and used as a platform for commercial software
product demos. It is not necessary to install anything on a hard disk. Due to
on-the-fly decompression, the CD can have up to 2 GB of executable software installed
on it."
I tried this on my computer at home and it worked perfectly. It detected
my sound card, my network card, and the rest of my main hardware. I was able
to listen to music and was able to surf the Internet easily. If you are interested
in trying Linux, but don't want to repartition your hard drive, check out
KNOPPIX at http://www.knoppix.com/
Experts Exchange
There are a lot of forums out there, but if you have a problem that pertains
more to software that would be used in a corporate environment, then you
should check out Experts Exchange. The web site describes it this way:
"Providing IT information that drives the enterprise
Experts Exchange provides Senior IT managers and IT professionals with IT
solutions to their toughest technology challenges."
I've found a lot of useful help there for Exchange, Access, and Networking.
Check it out at http://www.experts-exchange.com/
Tweaking Windows XP
You can tweak a lot of the visual effects that Windows XP has by going to
the Control Panel and viewing System Properties. Click on the Advanced tab
and in the Performance section, choose Settings. You can tweak fades, shadows,
slides, and many other effects. Each of these effects also affects system
performance, so you can choose to let Windows XP choose the settings, or
you can choose settings for best appearance, or settings for best performance.
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.
- You can only win one contest every 30 days.
- 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.
- There are only 3 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,
you have requested FreeHelp from me in the past, or you have registered with
the FreeHelp Forum.
- 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 1998-2003, 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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