PCIN, The PC Improvement News logo

  Add to Favorites     Make Home Page

Issue 476 - November 28, 2007

ISSN 1488-3163; PC Improvements © 2007
==== 1411 Subscribers in 46 Countries ====

Welcome to the 476th issue of the PC Improvement News. PCIN consists mainly of news highlights 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.

Support PCIN at http://PCIN.net/donate.php

Contents

  • Opening Thoughts
  • News Highlights
  • PCIN.net Site Update
  • Tips and Other Stuff
  • PCIN.net Affiliated Sites
  • Disclaimer and Other Stuff

Opening Thoughts

All of you received an email this past week asking you to confirm your membership to a mailing list. The moderator was my Gmail address. I'm sorry about that. I am testing a new web host, and I was testing their mailing list software. I imported all of my addresses, and it sent a confirmation request out to everyone. Unfortunately it never said anything in the documentation that it would do this. I apologize for the inconvenience. You have not been subscribed to anything new, and no one else got your email address.

I also apologize for a mistake in last weeks newsletter. The tip on the JOCR software had the wrong link. You can find the proper link by reading the original blog entry.

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

News Highlights

Fake photos can alter real memories

In 2003, Los Angeles Times photographer Brian Walski caused an uproar when it was discovered that his picture of a British soldier yelling at fleeing residents in Iraq, published prominently by many U.S. newspapers, had been altered.
Walski had combined two snapshots taken moments apart of the British soldier urging residents to take cover as Iraqi forces opened fire. This digital alteration is one of several in recent years to cast doubt on the old saying that the camera doesn't lie.
Some researchers are worried that digitally altered photos could alter our perceptions and memories of public events.

Read the MSNBC article...
Leave a comment...

Greenpeace: Microsoft, Nintendo are too toxic

Greenpeace gave Microsoft and Nintendo abysmal rankings Tuesday on their efforts to phase out toxic chemicals from their game consoles.
Nintendo became the first company to score zero out of a possible 10 points in the Greenpeace ranking of 18 leading electronics companies. It provided no information to consumers on the substances it uses in manufacturing or on its plans to cut hazardous materials, the environmental organization said.

Read the USA Today article...
Leave a comment...

Is e-mail dead? Hardly

A flurry of blogs and news items on the Internet last week suggested that young Internet users are increasingly relying on instant messaging, texting, and social networking sites to communicate, often via mobile devices, and almost to the exclusion of e-mail.
One of those blogs, by Chad Lorenz at Slate, even asserted that "e-mail is looking obsolete," under the headline "The Death of E-Mail."
But the reality is much more complex. Some market reports and analysts predict that e-mail accounts will continue to grow as other messaging modes gain popularity and as use of the Internet expands globally.

Read the InfoWorld article...
Leave a comment...

Internet 'brownouts' feared by 2010 as user traffic soars

Rising demand for bandwidth-hogging Internet activities such as swapping music files and watching YouTube videos threatens to outstrip the Web's infrastructure within three years, creating the spectre of service "brownouts" and potentially thwarting the development of the next Google-sized application, an industry-funded study warns.
Despite all the talk about the Internet's infinite possibilities, a study by U.S. firm Nemertes Research found that projected increases in Internet traffic are poised to eclipse the capacity of the Web's broadband access infrastructure - essentially the points where users "plug in" to the Internet via cable, phone or fibre optic lines - as early as 2010.

Read the Toronto Star article...
Leave a comment...

Return to the top

PCIN.net Site Update

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

Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0 and Adobe Premier Elements 3.0 Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/photoshopEL5_Premiere3.php

ExpoDisc White Balance Filter Review
http://PCIN.net/help/hardware/expodisc.php

Paragon Software Group Partition Manager 8.0 Professional Software Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/ppm8.php

Update PCIN.net home page with "Top 10 Most Popular..." features
http://PCIN.net/

Microsoft Digital Image Suite Plus Review
http://PCIN.net/help/software/msdimagesuiteplus.php

Return to the top

Tips and Other Stuff

Internet Safety Podcast

internet_safety_podcast_logo.jpg

One of the biggest concerns for parents is what their children are doing on the Internet. Who is contacting them? Who are they chatting with? How do they interact with strangers? Kim Komando talks about this regularly.

I came across a site today where you can listen to podcast about Internet safety called Internet Safety Podcast. So far there are only 2, but based on the descriptions (I haven't listened to them myself), the hosts "begin by talking about safe web surfing and mechanisms for avoid both deliberate and inadvertent access to inappropriate material."

Leave a comment...

Free screencast software

Screencast software lets you record what you do on the computer visually so you can play it back later. It can be used for making tutorials and other instructional material, either for yourself, or someone else (your family, a class, etc).

TechSmith, the makers of SnagIt (the screen capture utility) have a special on their site for "PC Plus Magazine readers from the United Kingdom" where you can download the older version of Camtasia (their screencast software) and then get a free registration code. I'm not sure when the special ends, so definitely check it out soon! I heard about this on RedFlagDeals.com and they have the appropriate links to follow.

Leave a comment...

Free screen capture software

Yesterday I posted about the free version of Camtasia you could download and register from TechSmith. Well, today I found out that the same company is offering their SnagIt screen capture software for free as well. Just like Camtasia, they are offering their previous version. You can download the software from the TechSmith FTP site, and register it on the special UK.net Magazine promotion page. I'm not sure how long this will last for, so you should check it out soon.

I applaud TechSmith for doing this. I think more companies should be offering their older products for free. If a user ends up liking their products, they are far more likely to buy an upgrade to the newer version (to get the new features) than they are to look elsewhere.

Leave a comment...

Return to the top

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:

  • AccessNiagara.com - Links to 800+ sites in the Niagara Region, as well as 100+ pictures of Niagara Falls and area
  • AccessNiagara.com - Niagara Falls Blog - If you want to learn about what goes on in the tourist areas of Niagara Falls, this is the blog to read
  • CountryCraftDreams.com - Country Craft items by Lisa
  • ChrisEmpey.com - Professional Photography by Chris Empey
  • POTD.ChrisEmpey.Com - Chris' Photo of the Day
  • ForcedBeat.com - Chris' personal site with his photography, recipes and some personal ramblings.
  • HughesCornFlower.com - Uniquely Canadian antique glassware
  • PCImprovements.com - Web design and computer services
  • SmockedDreams.com - Beautiful smocked traditional children's clothes
  • WingFamily.ca - All things Wing Family

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.

  1. If any of the links are too long to fit on one line, you may have to cut and paste.
  2. To subscribe another address or unsubscribe, please visit http://PCIN.net/ and follow the appropriate links.
  3. The only way to become a subscriber is by asking. You have either filled out the subscription form or asked me directly.
  4. 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.
  5. Support PCIN by visiting http://PCIN.net/donate.php or by clicking on the PayPal link below:

Return to the top

Graham Wing can be reached at editor@pcin.net
Chris Empey can be reached at chris@pcin.net

Copyright 1998-2007, 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

PC Improvement News Home Page

PC Improvement News Archive


PCIN Logo
Subscribe to PCIN now!

Home | Overview | Subscribe | Unsubscribe | Latest Issue | Previous Issues
Free Help Headquarters | Free Help Downloads | PCIN Test Systems
Make Suggestions | Recommend PCIN | Support PCIN | Survey | PCIN.net Site Search
Poll of the Week | Privacy Policy | Links | About Me | Contact Me

Support PCIN
By Donating Today