Issue 306 - August 25, 2004
ISSN 1488-3163; PC Improvements © 2004
==== 1974 Subscribers in 58 Countries ====
Welcome to the 306th 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
Last week one of the news pieces mentioned the free iPod site. Holly emailed
me to let me know the following:
I thought I would make you aware of what happened when I tried signing up
for the free IPod offer after reading about it in your newsletter. For starters,
after registering, when I tried to click on links to access the required
offer signup trials, none of the links will work. And within 2 minutes of
registering with FreeIPods.com the spam starting coming and hasn't stopped
since!!! And some of it, instead of appearing to be from legit businesses,
comes with the "from" line having names like Amanda or John which
is very hard to filter because of contacts having the same names. I know
it is my own fault for signing up for something so suspicious, but I thought
I would let you know so you can make readers aware of the spam attached to
this site if you sign on. As they say-"nothing's for free".
I promised last week that I would include some pictures of our time up at
a cottage that my parents rent each summer. Well, you can see almost 140 pictures
at http://wingfamily.ca/lisagraham/20040811-14/
Graham editor@pcin.net and
Chris chris@pcin.net
The NEWS
How eight pixels cost Microsoft millions
"The software giant has seen its products banned in some of the biggest
markets on earth--and it's all because of eight wrongly colored pixels, a
dodgy choice of music and a bad English-to-Spanish dictionary.
Speaking at the International Geographical Union congress in Glasgow on Wednesday,
Microsoft's top man in its geopolitical strategy team, Tom Edwards, revealed
how one of the biggest companies in the world managed to offend one of the
biggest countries in the world with a software slip-up.
When coloring in 800,000 pixels on a map of India, Microsoft colored eight
of them a different shade of green to represent the disputed Kashmiri territory.
The difference in greens meant Kashmir was shown as non-Indian, and the product
was promptly banned in India. Microsoft was left to recall all 200,000 copies
of the offending Windows 95 operating system software to try and heal the
diplomatic wounds. 'It cost millions,' Edwards said."
For more info:
http://news.com.com/2100-1014_3-5316664.html
Internet2: 2004 and beyond
"Internationally acclaimed violinist and conductor Pinchas Zukerman
doesn't let a little thing like a few thousand miles stand in the way of
reaching his students.
Using high-definition videoconferencing technology available through the
Internet2 network, he can give individual instruction to students half a
world away with CD-quality sound and DVD-like images.
Zukerman accesses the network as part of a program at the Manhattan School
of Music. The school, an affiliate member of Internet2 through a relationship
with Columbia University, has been using the network to do videoconferencing
since 1999."
For more info:
http://techrepublic.com.com/5100-22_11-5321800.html
Samoa plans internet for all
"Marina Popoey lives on the north coast of Upolu in Samoa and weaves
mats for a living.
She is waiting for an internet connection to come to her village so that
she can more easily contact her family in Australia and New Zealand.
They organise the sale of her handicrafts in overseas markets.
'At the moment a letter takes two weeks,' she says. 'With e-mail it's instant.'
Marina's wish might now be granted as Samoa has recently become one of the
first island nations in the Pacific to adopt a national strategy for information
and communications technology (ICT)."
For more info:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/technology/3590354.stm
POLL of the WEEK
Last Week's Poll
Do you use file sharing software?
Yes, all the time |
|
12 % (11) |
Yes, occasionally |
|
29 % (28) |
No, but I used to |
|
13 % (12) |
No, but I would like to |
|
1 % (1) |
No, I don't want to |
|
38 % (36) |
What is file sharing software? |
|
7 % (7) |
Total votes: 95 |
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:
Newsgator 2.0 by Newsgator Technologies Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/newsgator2.php
CDBF for Windows by WhiteTown Software Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/cdbf.php
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
THE TIPS and OTHER
STUFF
Windows XP SP2 CD
Microsoft Windows XP SP2 was finally released a couple of weeks ago, and
Microsoft has been staggering the release of it so as to not overwhelm their
servers. They have finally setup a page where you can order the CD for free
(the shipping is even free). Even if you have a high-speed Internet connection,
it would be a good idea to order the CD as this update is very large and
important.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/updates/sp2/cdorder/en_us/default.mspx
Updated Excel Utilities
I recently received an email from Prasanta Das Gupta who is the programmer
of some utilities I mentioned in a previous
PCIN:
"PCIN had put my website details in March04 or so. I would like to inform
that I have put my newer version of powerutils ie version 1.8 with 24 more utils
ie 78. This is an Addin for MS Excel. Can you please inform your respected users."
http://www.powerutilsnet.com/
Outlook Search Add-in
Microsoft recently purchased Lookout,
an Outlook plug-in that provides extensive search capabilities for not only
Outlook, but your local file system as well. Lookout can be download free
of charge from http://www.lookoutsoft.com
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.
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be entered in a monthly draw.
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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.
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