Sarasota PC Monitor

Review Chairmans Industry Comments (01/02)

Reviewing Software

by Herb Goldstein, Review Editor

E-mail comments, suggestions, etc. to Herb Goldstein at: revieweditor@spcug.org

WINDOWS XP.... Advice from others

Last month I gave you my opinion on switching to Windows XP. Here's what noted computer columnist Fred Langa has to say about the matter:

"My upgrade experiences with XP suggest something radically different from the claims being made about it. Yes, XP can be far more stable than Win9x/ME, but that stability can come at a high cost-not only for the overpriced OS itself, but also for the hardware and software you may have to update or replace, even if you have a fairly new system that exceeds Microsoft's own recommendations.

If you're running Win9x/ME and are reasonably happy with it, my advice is to sit tight: Resist the hype and ignore the rosy predictions: Don't bother upgrading to XP because the benefits it offers probably won't offset the hassle and/or costs of upgrading.

If you're running Win NT or 2K, you may have fewer upgrade issues because XP shares so much in common with NT and 2K. But that also implies that there may be even less reason to upgrade there- especially with relatively new installations of Win2K: You already have most of what XP offers, so why go through the hassle of upgrading?

But if you do decide to upgrade, know what you're getting into: It's extremely unlikely that you'll just be able to plop in the XP CD and have it install smoothly: You're almost surely going to have to update or upgrade at least some hardware and software, just as you would with any other OS upgrade. XP's "effortless upgrade" is a myth. No OS upgrade is effortless."

The advice I offered last month appears more and more valid with time. There is a definite compatibility issue with XP and of the software and hardware you may currently have on your computer that may far outweigh any benefits you might receive from upgrading. We offered you two very good means of looking into individual compatibility that you surely would want to employ if you are considering upgrading: Microsoft.com (search for Upgrade Advisor) and http://www.pcpitstop.com/xpready/

The second issue is WPA, Windows product activation. Microsoft's copy protection scheme that prevents you from using XP on more than one computer and creates a hassle to either register, re-register or re-install on your original computer or a replacement is nothing short of onerous. How many other software publishers force you into such a scheme in order to use their products? I know of none. Of course, none of them control the software application to make your computer run in the first place. When you have a monopoly it's much easier to call the shots. Microsoft is one of the all-time most financially successful companies in existence. How necessary was it to impose WPA on users?

Perhaps the most vexing question you should ask is, "If there was an effective operating system alternative to Windows, do you think WPA would have ever been introduced?"

It's Langa's feeling and one with which I agree that if your current OS does what you need, and if you're comfortable with it, then there's absolutely no reason to switch. A properly tuned and maintained installation of Win98SE is a fine, acceptably stable OS that's also compatible with an enormous range of hardware and software. It's not "broken" so there's no need to fix it.

The other side of the coin that looks to the future says that the clock is ticking on Win98 support. Sooner or later-sooner, if Microsoft has its way-there'll be no more patches and updates for Win98. The OS could become a maintenance problem, unable to keep up with new standards, threats, and developments; new apps and utilities may eventually refuse to install and run on the old OS. This may in itself be reason enough to consider moving to another OS, especially if you depend on your PC to maintain essential information. It's not that Win98 is broken; but the prospect of being left behind, unsupported, may be unacceptable. That may, however, be looking pretty far down the road. Also, the successor to XP is already on the drawing board and its beta is expected to be released some time late next year.

For many of you the question boils down to whether you want your headache now or later. As with so many things, it's a judgment call: Only you know what's best for you. Bill Gates doesn't know; the guy at the computer store doesn't know; I don't know-only *you* know.

CLEAN INSTALL FOR XP. Despite our reservations, if you are intent at installing the XP upgrade but want to completely clean up your hard drive first, it's OK provided you have a CD from a previous Windows installation in your CD-ROM drive. It will prove to XP that you have a valid copy of Windows on which to upgrade.

USEFUL INFO FOR XP USERS. For some excellent tips, tricks and tweaks for XP, go to http://www.tweakxp.com/default.asp.

WINDOWS LOGON PASSWORD. We've discussed eliminating it before, but we still get how-to questions. Save this for further reference. You can eliminate the box that asks for a user name and password every time you boot up by doing the following:

  1. Right-click Network Properties in Network Neighborhood, or click on the network icon in the control panel.
  2. In the primary network logon drop-down menu, select Windows Logon instead of Client for Microsoft Networks. That should do the trick, unless you currently are entering a user name and password to log on, in which case you need to clear the password before restarting the system. To do this, go to your control panel and click on Passwords. Click "Change Windows Password." Enter the Windows password you have been using. Reboot. The dialogue box asking for a user name and password should no longer appear.

DISK CLEANUP. Got a full or messy disk? Within My Computers, or Explorer, right-click a drive and select Properties. In the general tab you'll find a button called Disk Cleanup. This program can assist you in getting rid of files, programs, and Internet Temporary files that clutter your hard drive. By the way, right-clicking a drive in Windows Explorer is a quick way to get not only to Disk Cleanup, but to Defragmenter and Backup as well!

FREE DIAGNOSTIC UTILITIES. If your computer has been acting kind of funky of late and you can't figure out what's wrong, it's time for a diagnosis. Or perhaps you just want to assure yourself that everything is working as optimally as possible. In either case, it's time for a diagnosis. There are several excellent sites that will examine your machine online, provide a good diagnosis, and in most cases offer to fix what it finds to be wrong. Here's a summary of what's available. Hold on to it for future reference:

  1. PC Pitstop- pcpitstop.com. Here's the quintessential software for carefully examining all aspects of your computer and giving you a full report of what's right or wrong with both your software and hardware. It will even provide a comparison between yours and similar systems and let you know where you stand in the great scheme of things. In most instances it will offer to fix what's wrong with a single mouse click of permission from you.
  2. Shields Up- grc.com, Gibson Research will test you your computer for accessibility to hackers if you click on "Shields Up,." followed by "Probe My Ports." It will warn you of any leaks in your system and offer advice on repairing them. This site and its tests are widely accessed by computer users throughout the world.
  3. House Call from trend micro.com will completely and thoroughly scan your system for viruses. As you know, Trend is the publisher of PC-Cillin.
  4. DSL Reports. dslreports.com. Here's where you go to check your cable or DSL broadband Internet connections.
  5. 3DMARK 2001 gamershq.madonion.com. This utility will look at your system and suggest ways to improve the performance of your games software.

FREE FILE MANAGER. Ontrack's POWERDESK 4 is without a doubt the best file manager going! I use it constantly. It is essentially a vastly improved Windows Explorer. Get it at ontrack.com

TOP RATED 19" MONITOR AWARD goes to the $269 Samsung SyncMaster 700NF. It amazes me at how prices dive in computers and accessories. My 19" Mitsubishi monitor sold for $700 just 3 years ago.

TO ADDRESS ENVELOPES IN MS WORD...In the Tools menu, choose Options and the User Information tab. Enter your own mailing address in the Mailing Address box, then highlight the intended recipient's address in an open document. Go to Tools|Envelopes and Labels where both addresses will already be entered. Select your envelope size and click on Print, and you're done.

USEFUL INTERNET EXPLORER SHORTCUT...use Alt + D to highlight the address bar. This allows you to enter a URL without the mouse. And if you're still typing "http", "www", and ".com" as part of the address - don't. It's just not necessary.

FAST PATH TO ICONS. Call up all your desktop icons without leaving whatever applications you have currently open. Just click on Start|Run (or Windows key-r) and enter a period (.) without parenthesis, then touch Enter.

POWER TOYS FOR XP. If you were impulsive enough to switch to XP, you can get some very handy power toys from Microsoft by going to http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/downloads/powertoys.asp

MEMORY ERRORS. We have all likely received an error message at one time or another that our system is "out of memory" or has "low memory" or there is "not enough system resources." For a possible fix, though not assured, try the Windows 98 Memory Troubleshooter. Get there through Start and Help. In the Windows Help screen, click on the Index tab, and enter "memory" in the space "Type in the keyword to find." When the "Topics Found" window opens, double-click on "problems with, "troubleshooting" and follow the steps it provides in your attempt to track down the problem.

MAXIMIZING INTERNET EXPLORER. A minor nuisance with Microsoft Internet Explorer is its tendency to open at less than full-screen size. There are several fixes, but one of the easiest requires only creating a shortcut for IE, then right-clicking on the shortcut to properties, and changing the "Run" window to read "Maximized."

DIRECTX UPGRADE If you play a lot of games on your PC, chances are that your games use DirectX. If that's the case, you should always be using the latest version. Not doing so could cause your PC's performance to suffer. Look at www.microsoft.com/directx to make sure. One note: This is a big file!

SPEED UP YOUR PORTS. To speed up your ports, first go to the Control Panel and select the System icon. Then, select the Device Manager tab and choose Ports. Right-click the Modem's Port and make sure that the following settings exist (make a note of what they currently are, so if problems arise, you can easily put them back): Click Port Settings and make sure that the Bits Per Second is as high as possible. Then make sure Flow Control is set for Hardware. Click Advanced and make sure the FIFO buffer is checked. Also make sure the Receive and Transmit buffers are as high as possible. Note: Windows Me uses a dropdown list and other versions use a slider control

FREE CLEANUP. Disk Cleaner is an easy-to-use program to quickly clear Internet Explorer cache, cookies, temporary Internet files, recycle bin, history, typed URLs in shell or IE, and most recently used lists. Can be updated/enhanced with plug-ins. http://cgi.zdnet.com/slink?160261:27503412

SHORTCUT TO SYSTEM PROPERTIES. Avoid Start-Settings-Control Panel- System. Just right-click your My Computer icon and choose Properties. Voila...you're there!

CHANGE DATE OR TIME EASILY. Just right-click the time or clock in your system tray.

MAKE YOUR BUTTONS BIGGER If you're using Windows 98 on a laptop and find that the Minimize/Maximize, Restore, and Close buttons are too small to see and select comfortably, you can make these buttons larger. In the Start menu, go to Settings/Control Panel. Click the Display icon, and choose the Appearance tab. Click the Close button (it has an X on it) in any of the sample windows and adjust the Caption Buttons size property until the buttons are the size you want. Click OK to confirm your settings. INCREDIMAIL Is a free shareware program that will personalize your e-mail with an assortment of e-mail backgrounds, animations, sounds, 3D effects, and e-cards. This update includes a voice message recorder, a SmartFind feature for locating specific e-mails, expanded preview options, the ability to capture any GIF animation from your browser, and auto-completion features. Get it at http://cgi.zdnet.com/slink?161839:27503412

DELTA MAIL is a very small, fast, and secure shareware program for sending and receiving e-mail. It is not vulnerable to the vast majority of exploits and viruses because it doesn't use any Microsoft e-mail components.

Delta Mail does not require installation so it is very easy to use on computers that don't have your e-mail account set up. It comes with several different color schemes and includes support for multiple e-mail accounts, file attachments, and e-mail files. Get it at http://cgi.zdnet.com/slink?161844:27503412

CHOOSE YOUR DESKTOP BACKGROUND. Got a cool picture and you simply must have it as your background?

Well, say no more! Just save the file onto your hard drive in a location you can remember. Right-click on your Windows desktop and choose Properties. Select the Background Tab and click the Browse button. Find the file you saved and select it. Now your image is set as your background for all to see.

LOOKING FOR BACKUP SOFTWARE? Here are 3 backup shareware programs you can find at zdnet.com/downloads. We haven't tried any of them yet, so you are on your own. If you are unhappy with your present means of backing up, they are worth looking into:

  1. Backup Plus lets you choose individual files, entire folders, or a whole hard disk to save. The program allows you to schedule automatic backups, so you'll never forget to do it, and makes it easy to back up either to one or many disks or devices. (Shareware/Win95-98-NT)
  2. Zip Backup to CD uses the Zip format to archive your data, and will save your backups on many devices, including Jaz, Zip, and network drives-not just to CDs. It will also back up and restore your Windows system files. (Shareware/Win95-98-NT)

3. AISBackup makes it easy to save data to just about any medium you want, including network drives, CDs, DVDs, Zip and Jaz drives. (It won't, however, back up to tape drives.) The program automatically spans to a new disk if one is full, and will back up incrementally, so that each time you do a backup, it will save only new files or those that have been altered since the last backup. (Shareware/Win95-98-NT)

FRESH DIAGNOSE V1.10 [907k] W9x/2k/XP FREE It is good to do a bit of testing to see how your system runs compared to others. Fresh Diagnose will do just that. Think of it as a physical for your system. Use it to analyze your software, hardware, multimedia, resources, and network. http://www.freshdevices.com/download.html

IPTCExt v1.0 [315k] NT/2k/XP FREE Now you'll be able to see and manipulate IPTC info in JPEG images.

What the heck is IPTC, you ask? Well, it stands for "International Press Telecommunications Council" and it's a standard that allows you to write captions, keywords, and other information into your JPEGs. It's also completely lossless and works with Adobe Photoshop. http://photothumb.com/iptcext/

ID3-TagIT v2.1.0 [4.0] W9x/2k/XP FREE If you've got a ton of tunes on your system, then these tags are just the ticket for keeping all those song files in order. Sometimes, though, that information is either incorrect, needs to be changed, or hasn't been added at all. The solution: download this Explorer-like editor and get your tunes sorted out correctly. http://www.id3-tagit.de/

webROCKET 2001 is a powerful, easy-to-use program for Windows(r) 95, 98, Me, NT, and 2000 which accelerates your Internet connection (even DSL and Cable) speed by up to 200%. http://www.ascentive.com@www.pc world.com/go/3511330.html

WINKEY Do you use the Windows key on your keyboard? Chances are, you don't. On most PCs, the function of the Windows key is limited to opening the Start menu and some folders. But Copernic Technologies' free WinKey program will give you a reason to start using that overlooked key. Billed as a keyboard enhancer, the software lets you create simple Windows-key shortcuts that launch applications, folders, Web pages, and other items, making Windows efficient and easy to use. It's a snap to program, and it supports up to 200 key combinations. http://www.copernic.com/winkey/

TOP CHOICES. PC World lists what they consider the 5 must-have choices in shareware. I can't say we disagree. You can find all these and many others at PC World.com/downloads:

  1. Cookie Crusher 1.1MB: Sort the good cookies from the bad with this simple but effective $15 utility.
  2. PowerDesk 1.1MB: File management done right: It's free, convenient, and packed with features.
  3. Tweak UI 65KB: Fine-tune Windows' look and feel with this free tool made by Microsoft developers (but not fully supported by the company).
  4. WinZip 1MB: Create compressed file archives and decompress zipped files, using the no-cost WinZip utility's drag-and-drop interface.
  5. ZoneAlarm 2.8MB: Shield your PC from hacker attacks with this free security program.

COOKIES ARE BAD FOR YOUR SECURITY. Microsoft has recently warned that versions of Internet Explorer can expose consumers' personal data contained within cookies. The vulnerability exists within IE 5.5 and 6.0, but earlier browser editions "may or may not be affected," according to a security bulletin posted to Microsoft's Web site Thursday. The security flaw allows an outsider to break into cookies-tiny electronic files used by Web sites to file account information or personalize pages-through a specially crafted Web page or e-mail. A person could then steal or alter data from Web accounts, including credit card numbers, usernames and passwords.

Personally, I don't accept cookies. Cookie Crusher (thelimitsoftware.com) is always on duty on my computer. It intercepts and rejects cookies automatically.

KILL THOSE BUGS! BigFix is a free utility that fixes bugs and viruses before they create problems. BigFix is designed for early detection of configuration conflicts, bugs, or viruses in your computer. It then provides quick, automated solutions for dealing with problems before they bother you. Recent updates have included an improved diagnostic engine, a new help system and tutorial, and faster synchronization with sites. The latest version of the BigFix client includes unspecified improvements. http://www.bigfix.com/website/index.html

OFF LINE PAGES. Microsoft Internet Explorer allows you to store your favorites off line. This is a nice feature when you'd like to show someone some Web sites without being connected to the Internet. Too, accessing a saved page on one's hard drive is generally a lot faster than waiting for a site to load. To store these pages off line, simply click on Favorites and Add to Favorites as usual, and make sure to select "Make Available Off Line." Anytime thereafter while you're on line, you can update these pages by clicking on Tools and Synchronize.

GOT A ZIP OR JAZ DRIVE? IomegaWare Tools Get the free Windows 95/98/NT/2000 driver and software set for your Iomega Zip, ZipPlus, NoteBook Zip, and Jaz drives at http://cgi.zdnet.com/slink?163394:27503412

ANOTHER GOOD SEARCH ENGINE. Here's a really good one to add to my favorites, Copernic and Google. It's alltheweb.com. Try it, you'll like it! http://www.alltheweb.com/

DOWNLOAD ACCELERATOR is a download accelerator/manager (see screenshot) that can increase download speeds by up to 300 percent. You can find it at Cnet's download.com and it's free! It features multi-server connections to provide the best possible performance from your dial-up or broadband connection. Download Accelerator can also recover from lost connections, computer shutdowns, and other errors. This program even searches for mirror sites to maximize your download performance. It integrates fully into Internet Explorer, Netscape (including Netscape 6.x), and Opera, supports proxy servers, features automatic hang up after download completion, download scheduling, dial-up configuration, an AlwaysResume feature that will resume broken downloads from servers that do not support resume functions, and more.

The newest version includes a convenient toolbar that integrates with Internet Explorer and includes a file leecher, downloadable link highlighter, integrated search bar, and more. DAP 5.0 also features the ability to import and export downloads lists, operate triggered sounds, password management, and the option to save files to different folders based on their file extension.

DAP also offers international users a multilingual interface option with the choice of eight languages, including German, Dutch, French, Chinese Traditional, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, and Italian. Note: The Language Pack is a standalone file download. You must have Download Accelerator Plus installed prior to installation of the Language Pack.

TWEAK UI is possibly the most popular utility add-on to Windows 98.The Windows shell-development team did some extra programming and put together a set of tools, called Power Toys. If you're a power user, go ahead and try them out, but be forewarned that Power Toys aren't supported by Microsoft, because they are not part of Windows. This group of "toys" lets you adjust your Windows User Interface, including menu speed, window animation, and Microsoft Internet Explorer. Try it...you'll like it, and it's free.

http://www.zdnet.com/downloads/stories/info/0,10615,17590,00.html

OPTIMIZE YOUR REGISTRY. The Registry is one of those things Windows simply cannot do without. The Registry acts as a repository in the form of a massive database of information about your computer and everything on it. Occasionally, however, because of frequent inserts and deletes, the registry can become unwieldy, with large holes in it. Think of it as a slice of Swiss cheese.

You can manually optimize your registry in addition to the regular automatic optimization. To do so, just type:

SCANREG /OPT at the DOS prompt. This compacts the Registry down and fills in the holes.

Caveat: This procedure won't work from within Windows - only at the DOS prompt. Also, the procedure will not work at all with Windows 95.

BEWARE THE UPGRADE DOWNGRADE! Many software applications have recently been "upgraded" with new versions for compatibility with Windows XP. Unless you are actually moving to XP, we recommend you stay with your current version. While achieving XP compatibility, many of these newer versions are also equally less functional with Windows 95/98/Me. Our advice? As long as your current version is working OK, stick with it. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

123 FREE SOLITAIRE includes a dozen solitaire games, from old-time favorites to new ones you've probably never heard of. It features animated cards and sound effects. What more could you want? (Free /Win95-98-NT). Find it at zdnet.com/downloads

SHAREWARE FOR XP. Here are a few shareware apps that will help you customize Windows XP. You will find them at zdnet.com/downloads:

Tweak-XP lets you customize all kinds of hidden and hard-to-find XP options. You can alter your desktop settings, make the taskbar transparent, customize the Start menu, speed up your Web surfing, and more. (Shareware/Win95-98-NT)

WindowBlinds lets you change just about every aspect of XP's look and feel. You can alter all elements of the user interface-including title bars, push buttons, and radio buttons-and make it look identical to the Mac OS or like something totally unique. (Shareware/Win95-98-NT)

Nvidia Detonator XP Drivers are XP-specific drivers for Nvidia graphics cards. These drivers speed up graphics performance in games, or any other graphics-heavy program-and they're free. You'll notice a marked improvement for 3D graphics in particular. (Free/Win95-98-NT)

WEB SHORTCUTS Do you like to visit specific Web sites on a regular basis? To simplify your life, you can either create Favorites within Explorer, or you can actually create a shortcut on your desktop that, when clicked, takes you directly to the Web page you want to view. Here's how:

Open Explorer. Then open the Web page. Place the mouse in an area of the Web page with no links or banners.

Right-click that area and select Create Shortcut. Now, when you're connected to the Web, simply click the new desktop icon, and it will bring up Explorer and take you to your fave Web site!

MAKE STICKY NOTES! StickIt is a free shareware sticky note application for your Windows desktop. It allows you to create sticky notes and 'stick' them anywhere on your desktop to keep you reminded. You can customize your notes with a wide variety of background and text colors. The notes you create will stay on your desktop until you remove them... they'll stay even after restarting your PC! You can find it at zdnet/downloads.

SET BROWSER Is also a free shareware utility. You can find it at pc-tools.net. It easily lets you set the default Windows Web browser if you use more than one. You just specify the executable filename (for example, netscape.exe), and the program will automatically update the required Registry entries. You can then press the Test button to try out the new configuration. This small but simple program can be very effective in correcting default browser conflicts that often arise on Windows systems. This version improves the ability to detect current browser, fixes bugs and features other enhancements.

FREE VIRUS PROTECTION. If you are not running an antivirus program, this eliminates your last excuse. Go to zdnet.com/downloads and look at these 3 free shareware apps:

1, AVG Anti-Virus System is a comprehensive virus scanner that serves as a shield against viruses. It scans your system and e-mail for viruses and offers free monthly updates, so you're guarded against the newest threats. (Free/Win95-98-NT)

2. vCatch Virus Catcher scans all the files sent to you via e-mail, instant messaging, and other file-sharing applications for viruses. And it automatically updates its virus definitions every day, so you're always protected against the latest miscreants. (Free/Win95-98-NT)

3. ProPort monitors your local Internet ports for attacks or other unwanted incoming connections. If the program detects any illicit activity, you can tell it to close down the ports. It maintains a log of possible attacks, and keeps watch over an unlimited amount of ports-a real bargain. (Free/Win95-98-NT)

CHECK YOUR HARD DRIVE. For a quick check on the health of your hard drive, go to http://www.pcpitstop.com/pcpitstop/diskhealth.asp.

COMPUTER TECH FANS will keep up to date and enjoy the excellent info at http://www.extremetech.com/

SPAM EDUCATION. For a lengthy but authoritative education on all aspects of the scourge of the Internet, spam, get a wealth of information at http://ddi.digital.net/~gandalf/spamfaq.html. It won't make you spam-proof but will help you deal more effectively with the problem. :

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Copyright 2002. This article is from the January 2002 issue of the Sarasota PC Monitor, the official monthly publication of the Sarasota Personal Computer Users Group, Inc., P.O. Box 15889, Sarasota, FL 34277-1889. Permission to reprint is granted only to other non-profit computer user groups, provided proper credit is given to the author and our publication. We would appreciate receiving a copy of the publication the reprint appears in, please send to above address, Attn: Editor. For further information about our group, email: admin@spcug.org/ Web: http://www.spcug.org/

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