Sarasota PC Monitor

Review Chairmans Industry Comments (08/02)

Reviewing Software

by Herb Goldstein, Review Editor

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

Avoid viruses. Don't open email attachments from anyone you don't know! Be selective and careful in opening email attachments from people you do know!

WINDOWS XP SERVICE PACK 1 will be here soon. According to Cnet's first look, it will incorporate updates that you may have already downloaded and a whole lot more. It's expected to top 100MB in size, a project for slower phone modem subscribers. It will be available both via download and CD. It fixes security patches, updates drivers, and reboots your computer, and incorporates some major changes to Microsoft's bundled software packages, inspired by its antitrust settlement with the Department of Justice.

Among what you can expect, Service Pack 1 finally lets you kill tiresome Windows Messenger nag screens that ask you to sign up for a .Net Passport. SP 1's biggest change is a dialog box in system preferences-a power-user feature that lets you hide Windows Messenger, Media Player, Internet Explorer, and others. Microsoft included this to comply with the U.S. Department of Justice's demands. Installing SP 1 creates a new option in the Control Panel's Add/Remove Programs called "Set program access and defaults." This tool lets you ditch Media Player in favor of, say, MusicMatch Jukebox or dump Internet Explorer in favor of Netscape Communicator. But best of all, you can configure those non-Microsoft programs to show up in Windows XP as if they were born to be there-with no sign of the Microsoft bundle. The result inspires mixed emotions. It's nice to have the option of incorporating non-Microsoft applets, but many users find the Microsoft products to be more than satisfactory just as they are.

From Cnet's behind the scene investigation, here's how it works: Three options in your Add/Remove Programs control panel-Microsoft Windows, Non-Microsoft, and Custom-set different defaults for browsers, communications, and media players. If you want to run all Microsoft, all the time, you'd choose the Microsoft Windows option, which sticks you with Windows Media Player, Internet Explorer, and Outlook Express. If you favor Winamp, Mozilla, Yahoo Messenger, and Eudora, you could select the DOJ-mandated Non-Microsoft setting lists, then pick from the non-Microsoft programs you've already installed on your machine. The custom settings let you mix and match Microsoft and non-Microsoft options. PC manufacturers can add yet a fourth option when they configure new machines using SP 1 after it's released later this year. The fourth option resets the system defaults to the PC maker's configuration.

More welcome are greater security options. Hopefully, SP 1 or a not too distant future update will incorporate support for newer hardware platforms such as USB 2.0, although the USB update is already available. The improved XP will also include support for forward-looking platforms such as Tablet PC and the Mira smart wireless monitor device.

A line-by-line code overhaul to remove any security flaws from the system is expected to be part of the nuances. It will be more effective than the piecemeal security patches that have been forthcoming in drips and drabs.

THE LATEST AND GREATEST REVIEWS on hardware, software and all things computer-related are yours at <http://reviews.cnet.com>. This site is very well worth your regular visits and is one of the most informative you will find on the net!

HOW TO DO IT! Problems and computers are siamese twins. I recently came upon a site that not only offers tons of good advice for solving computer problems, but is a veritable powerhouse of items of profound interest and advice to any computer owner. Go to http://www.techsupport alert.com/index.html for some amazing browsing!

THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE. It's often been said and although it's not always the case, never has it been more true than when applied to two absolute must-have free utilities that belong on your computer:

1. Zone Alarm 2.6. Zone Alarm is hands-down the best firewall available for home computers. If it's not on your computer, waste no time in going to zonelabs.com and download it immediately! It is an indispensable tool to prevent hackers from worming their way into your computer when you are online. Considering the many times we have encouraged you to get it, I can't understand why some of you haven't, especially since its FREE!

2. Ad-Aware 5.83. It seems that almost every site you visit on the Net these days wants to track you. Unbeknown to you, the worst of these plant spyware on your hard drive to keep tabs on you. To discover and remove these insidious intrusions, you need Ad-Aware, it's free to you for the asking at www.lavasoft.nu. If you don't already have it like most users, get it today!

FIGHT SPAM! Spam occupies a prominent place among life's major annoyances. For a collection of easy to use tools in tracking spam email, go to http://combat.uxn.com. It provides a leg up on identifying the true source so that you can register an ISP complaint, or just for your own satisfaction.

RETURN TO AN OLDER VERSION. Have you ever downloaded a new version of a software program and, after using it for a while, figured out you didn't like it and wanted to go back to the old version? Old versions of software can be extremely difficult to find. That's where OldVersion.com comes in.

The site has multiple versions of 24 software titles, including AOL Instant Messenger, GoZilla, and several file- sharing apps such as Morpheus and LimeWire. Old versions of software are especially great when a new version contains spyware. Older software is also helpful for people who have old computers that aren't powerful enough to run the latest version of a particular program.

FREE MEMORY BOOSTERS. According to noted ZDNet columnist Preston Gralla, the longer you use Windows, the slower it gets? One reason for that is ill-behaved programs that don't release RAM after you close them down. If you're looking to speed up your system any way you can, try a RAM-saver-software that frees up unused memory on your system. Here are three good ones at ZDNet Downloads. Best of all, you won't have to pay a penny for any of them-they're all free.

  1. FreeRAM XP Lite is a small program that frees up RAM when you need it. It's so small that it uses little RAM or other system resources itself. (Free/Windows)
  2. RAMBooster increases the amount of available RAM on your computer. You set a minimum RAM level, and when your system reaches that point, the program automatically frees up more memory. This download also lets you manually allocate more RAM to certain operations whenever you want. (Free/Windows)

3. MemBoost frees up system RAM for you. You select how much RAM you want to use, and the program automatically grabs the memory you need. (Free/Windows)

If you need a quick system boost-and don't have a lot of cash to spend-check out these three downloads. Your system will thank you, and so will your pocketbook.

INKSAVER. As the name implies, InkSaver is a program that saves ink by carefully controlling what inkjet cartridges dispense. It's no surprise that the cost of inkjet printers is nominal compared to their voracious appetite for expensive ink cartridges. If you use your inkjet printer with any regularity, you will likely make up the $35 cost of this software in relatively short order. The results, as you would expect, are not quite as saturated in color, but in many instances you might not notice or care.

The software is free to try, so what have you got to lose? Get it at www.strydent.com.

OFFICE XP's NEW COPY RULES. When Microsoft released Office XP, there was a general uproar about the licensing and activation scheme. In an attempt to discourage software pirates, Microsoft now allows users to install Office XP on two computers instead of just one. Microsoft assumes that this will cover anyone who has both a desktop and a laptop. Since you have only two computers, you don't have to worry. Once you've installed Office XP on the two machines, however, be careful. If one of your PCs dies or you need to replace, say, your hard drive, you must contact Microsoft to get another activation code.

SPEED UP YOUR INTERNET CONNECTION with these free tools from zdnet.com/downloads. They'll not only tell you your real connection speed, but will also help you goose your setup. And they're all free! Don't take your ISP's word for it. Use these downloads to find out your true connection speed, and then juice it up:

1. NetPerSec is a utility from PC Magazine that checks your connection speed in real time, and graphs the results.

You can configure the display however you'd like, and see the current connection speed or the recent average. (Free/Windows)

2. Windows Network Booster promises to speed up your Internet connection by optimizing a variety of hidden connection settings. It includes three programs: one for speeding up cable and DSL connections; one for a variety of connections, including satellite and PPPoE (Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet) connections; and one for those who connect via 56K modem. (Free/Windows)

3. EasyMTU optimizes your connection by changing a variety of connection and Windows Registry settings. It also includes a benchmarking program that lets you check your connection speed and fine-tune your connection settings. (Free/Windows)

MORE GOOD FREEWARE/SHAREWARE. Look for them at zdnet.com/downloads:

  1. ClipCache Plus powers up the clipboard by letting you store multiple clips of any type. You can organize them into groups, search through them, and keep a safe list of ones you want to keep and user forever. The program works with all versions of Windows, from 9x to XP. (Shareware/Windows)
  2. NoteTab Light is a freebie that replaces Notepad and lets you open large files and do basic HTML editing; it even includes a clipboard replacement of its own.
  3. MusicMatch Jukebox is a great program for ripping and burning CDs, playing digital music, and listening to your favorite music.

MEDIAFACE is a great little free app that will create labels for all sorts of media, from video sleeves to just about any kind of disk. It includes image manipulation tools; it'll also let you import images directly from a scanner and create bar codes. Mediaface II allows you to design labels for CDs, video sleeves and wraps, and Jaz, Zip, floppy, superdisk, and many other media types, and then print them directly from your inkjet or laser printer. You can use self-contained image enhancement features and TWAIN support, or utilize OLE for including desktop publishing software work on your labels.

Version 7.21 features include bar codes, direct scanning, database import, enhanced text, image manipulation, stencils, and layers. You can get it free at neato.com

MORE BROWSERS. There's no shortage of Internet browsers in addition to Microsoft's Internet Explorer out there. Netscape may be out with their new touted version 7 by the time you read this, and Opera 6.03 is excellent. If you would like to see some additional free browsers, you might want to look in to the following offerings available at zdnet.com/downloads:

1. Mozilla loads Web sites quickly, and offers goodies you won't find in Internet Explorer. It will kill pop-up windows, lets you open multiple browser windows, and can display multiple Web pages in a single tabbed window.

2. NetM@nager, based on the Internet Explorer browser engine, is optimized for broadband connections. It can automatically load up to 32 Web pages of your choice and will auto-refresh whatever sites you choose.

3. K-Meleon is based on an earlier version of Mozilla's Gecko rendering engine. It's fast, will disable pop-up and pop-under windows, and gives you a fair degree of control over cookies.

MULTIMEDIA ENTHUSIASTS should go to http://download.com.com/3140-2016-0-1-2.html for a listing and brief description of the latest and most popular multimedia shareware. Some are free, and most have liberal trial features.

WINDOWS XP MEDIA BONUS PACK gives you all kinds of goodies for customizing Windows Media Player and is stocked with utilities, PowerToys, visualizations, skins, sound effects, and much more for an enhanced experience. The bonus pack features tools like, Plus! MP3 Audio Converter LE offering the ability to double the amount of music you can store on your PC by converting your MP3 files to Windows Media Audio (WMA), Windows Movie Maker Creativity Kit, futuristic media skins and more. You can get it at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/default.asp.

POWERQUEST'S DRIVE IMAGE, as I indicated in my recent review, is far and away the quickest and most efficient way to backup one hard drive to another provided both drives are internal and reside in the same computer! It will not backup to an externally connected hard drive (e.g. a hard rive in a USB connected caddy).

LCD MONITOR RESOLUTION. The new LCD monitors look pretty jazzy and are certainly a lot more efficient on desk space, but like most nuances they come with their own drawbacks. Firstly, is the initial price which is considerably more expensive than your familiar CRT monitor. Then there is a mater of sharpness. If you are looking at them dead-on, that's fine. Change the viewing angle a little to the side and you will quickly become aware that the latitude of view angle is not what you are used to in your CRT monitor. You must also set your screen resolution for at least 1024x768 if you want to see graphics sharply. At that resolution your text fonts may appear too small for some of you, in which case you will have to change the size of your font setting in your display properties and perhaps in some of your individual applications as well. It's sort of a trade-off.

In the meantime, flat-panel monitors shipments have slowed, causing a rise in prices and a drop in sales. But with manufacturing plants coming online, prices should come down around the holiday season. Samsung was No. 2 in market share for LCD monitors, NEC-Mitsubishi was No. 3, Fujitsu was No. 4 and Sony was No. 5.

FAX FROM YOUR COMPUTER. zdnet.com/downloads offers a few shareware programs that will allow you to fax documents from your computer without your even needing a scanner. Here are some favorites:

  1. Just The Fax offers simple, basic faxing features. It also lets you create cover sheets, announce incoming faxes with a sound file, and use a phonebook of frequently faxed numbers.
  2. MightyFax lets you fax from within any Windows application and create cover sheets. It also has a good fax viewer for reading sent or received faxes.
  3. 32-Bit Fax adds a "faxbar" to your Windows programs that makes it convenient to fax documents. The program helps you create cover pages, and you can use it on a network, too. Just designate one PC as a fax server for others to use.

FINGERPRINT SECURITY. Micron is now offering a line of notebook computers with a device that powers it on after checking the valid owner's fingerprint in a small window on its keyboard. Notebook computers are historically the device most commonly stolen or mislaid. It won't prevent yours from getting lifted, only getting used.

USB 2.0 OR FIREWIRE? These are your choices for connecting some of your most recent peripherals. Your digital video camera may need a firewire connection, while the latest external drive will be looking for USB2. If you are short on expansion slots, Belkin has a card that combines both USB2 and firewire. It should run around $120.

WORSE THAN A COMPUTER CRASH is the one you may experience in your automobile. To discover how well your particular vehicle will fare, go to crashtest.com for the latest info and charts compiled by government tests. It very interesting and revealing. FREEWARE AND SHAREWARE APPS that may well be of interest to you are extensively listed by categories at http://www.webattack.com It's a very interesting site. Give it a shot! For another great listing of all things computer-related, go to http://whatis.techtarget.com/ It's worth the trip.

DEVICE DRIVER HANDY BACKUP. WinDriver Expert is FREEWARE, provides you the easy and fast detection and backup of the entire hardware device drivers currently on your system. Just one or two mouse button clicks, you will have all your hardware devices retracted and backed up to any folder you want. Also a INF device script installer is included. Download it at http://ln.skycn.net/down/DtempWinDrvExpert.zip IT WORKS JUST FINE ON BOTH XP and 98.

What it does is grab the as-installed INF files and associated device drivers from your current system, and backs them up to a designated location. Later, if- or when- you need to reinstall your OS, you won't have to dig out the original disks or CDs when Windows says "New Device Detected." Instead, just point Windows to the backup location, and all the necessary INF and drivers files will already be there, ready to go.

EUDORA USERS need to go to http://eudora.interweb.be. This site has a treasure of Eudora plugins and add- ins which will ease/enrich your email experience.

THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS....

PC-cillin 2002 Overview

It's no secret that Trend Micro's PC-cillin has been a long-time favorite of ours in efficiently preventing virus intrusions on your computer. For years we have found it more effective than others of the breed. Its publisher, Trend Micro, is a recognized leader in the field of commercial antivirus applications. Lately, however, some of our members have been concerned over the lack of response to questions sent to tech support.

The most recent update, PC-cillin 2002, is Trend's approach to both upgrade the product and make it more compatible with Windows XP. In overview, 2002 is an excellent product and we have found it unquestionably offers the very best antivirus protection available, stopping viruses and worms dead in their tracks. PC-cillin 2002 is offered both as a download from the Trend Micro Website and as an order you can place at that location for a boxed version containing the program CD. Some users are concerned over the downloaded product's new installation restriction to one computer. When you install PC-cillin 2002, you must submit your registration and receive in return a serial number key, which you must enter, before PC-cillin will work. If you own two computers (as many do), your installation is unfortunately restricted to only one of them. There are arguments pro and con on both the user's side and Trend's side. Similar restrictions apply to Windows XP and Microsoft Office products. It appears to be the forthcoming popular policy among software publishers.

If you are successfully using PC-cillin 2000, there is no compelling reason to update, but Windows XP users may want the added assurance. The virus pattern files and subsequent antivirus protection is identical for both 2000 and 2002. While PC-cillin 2002 includes a firewall feature, it is no more effective than Zone Alarm which is free to home users.

Although the downloaded product is a little less expensive than the boxed, we recommend the latter. If you are using a phone modem, the length may well discourage you. Also, as the length increases, so does the possibility of errors or interruptions that may corrupt what you download and result in a faulty installation.

No software of any complexity is without at least an occasional glitch or problem. PC-cillin is no exception. Unfortunately, the major complaint has been a lack of response from tech support within a reasonable period of time. The few other are relatively minor and have not in any instance interfered with the ability of the software to prevent and destroy viruses. Here's a rundown on the few glitches that we have either experienced or have been made aware of by users. Following their description, I will tell you what we have done about a solution:

  1. 2002 does not override a previous PC-cillin installation. Unless you uninstall PC-cillin 2000 carefully, it may keep popping up and interfere with 2002. And when I say "carefully," I mean going manually into the registry and deleting anything and everything that ends in "cillin" before you install 2002, a task that not all users are really up to doing! In all fairness, previous version deletion has not presented a universal problem. Few users seem to have run into the problem.
  2. A common complaint for PC-cillin in any recent version is its interference with your email program. To do a "POP 3" virus scan for incoming mail, PC-cillin unfortunately has found it necessary to change your POP 3 mail program's account name to "local host." In doing so, it often interferes with your receiving email. The solution to the problem is to uncheck "POP 3 Scan" from the list of tasks you assign to PC-cillin. Surprisingly, it is easily done and will not alter antivirus protection for your incoming email.

3. The loudest complaint we have both received and personally experienced is the erratic response to questions or problems emailed to tech support. In fact, in many cases, there has been no response at all. Even simple questions to customer service about the product itself often go unanswered.

Recently, both SPCUG member Dick Berman and myself contacted the office of the President of Trend Micro and the product manager for PC-cillin with regard to these problems. Surprisingly and impressively, we both received personal calls from the president's representatives and the supervisor of tech support. I spent a few hours with them on the phone discussing the problems. They are very genuinely concerned and sincerely want to take corrective actions. They were entirely receptive to the several suggestions I made and affirmed their desire to do whatever it takes to satisfy our members. I was quite pleased and arranged to be in touch with them on a regular basis to handle any unresolved problems and offer suggestions. These people genuinely appreciate our business and want to please us. You couldn't ask for more, and rarely get anywhere near as much.

So what's to do? I will continue to use and recommend PC-cillin as I have done for years now because it's flat-out the best antivirus program available. Viruses, worms, trojans and the like are very prevalent these days. I receive them in my email every time I fire up my computer. PC-cillin catches and eliminates them all reliably and capably. I will personally continue to use PC-cillin and recommend you do too. If you experience a problem you cannot solve, please be in touch with me and I will try to get a satisfactory resolution. :

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Copyright 2002. This article is from the August 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/

The Sarasota Personal Computer Users Group, Inc. has 1,300+ members and was established in 1982. We are members of the Assoc. of PC User Groups (APCUG), the Florida Assoc. of PC Users Groups, Inc., and we are members of the America Online Ambassador Program.

See http://www.spcug.org for all reviews from the Sarasota PC Monitor, go to the Newsletter Section.