Sarasota PC Monitor
Review Chairmans Industry Comments (4/05)
The Computer Buffet
by Herb Goldstein, Review Editor
E-mail comments, suggestions, etc. to Herb Goldstein at: revieweditor@spcug.org
ANSWERS.COM is a free, ad-supported, reference search service, created to provide you with instant answers on over a million topics. Just click on any word on your screen and answers.com will bring up a host of relevant information about that word. As opposed to standard search engines that serve up a list of links for you to follow, Answers.com displays quick, snapshot answers with concise, reliable information. Their editors take our content from over 100 authoritative encyclopedias, dictionaries, glossaries and atlases, carefully chosen for breadth and quality. For ultimate convenience, install 1-Click AnswersTM software, and click on any word in any document on your screen for "Answers at your Fingertips".
GO FULL SCREEN. When you need a really big window, don't just maximize it: go full screen! To view a window full screen, hold down the Ctrl key and double-click the window's title bar-or when the window is active, press the F11 key at the top of your keyboard-to get the biggest window possible.
XPLORER2 LITE is a free Windows Explorer replacement with many useful additions. Instant previews of several kinds of files-text, graphics, and audio/video content-help you keep tabs on the burgeoning data mass inside your PC. Features like mass renaming, side-by-side directory comparison, and split/merge ability let you handle greater amounts of data more efficiently. Keyboard shortcuts and autocompletion keep Xplorer2 Lite easy to use. www.pcworld.com/ downloads/file_description/0,fid,23778,tk,hsx,00.asp
PROCESS EXPLORER. Windows Task Manager tells you what applications and processes are running, but some process names aren't very clear. Process Explorer helps you get to the bottom of things by digging down to see which application started a process and which resources that app is currently using. This excavation can be a big help when you're trying to figure out which background processes you dare shut down, and it can help sniff out spyware, too. http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/procexp.shtml
OPEN 2 WINDOWS TOGETHER. You can display any two windows side by side on the desktop by first clicking a window's button on the Taskbar. Next, press and hold the Ctrl key and right-click the second window that you want to open, then click Tile Vertically. This works great when you want to view two Word or Internet Explorer windows at the same time.
STATBAR. Just like a car, Windows has many little maintenance items to mind-but Windows lacks a helpful dashboard. Statbar stuffs the skinny on several crucial functions into one svelte status bar. With Statbar, you can keep an eye on your hard disk space, your CPU usage, and the amount of data transferring to and from your PC.Statbar also offers controls such as program launch buttons, a master volume slider, and WinAmp audio controls http://www.statbar.nl/
WINGUARD PRO 2005 allows you to password protect your programs, windows and web pages in one easy to use program. It lets you lock features of your system so that nobody can use them while you are away. This free program lets you specify a password and then choose from a variety of options - what features to lock, for example, the find tool, backing up, desktop, etc. All the options are listed within one window and they are self-explaining, so there is no need to wade your way through dozens of sub-folders and weird registry key values.
What's more, there is also encryption for your personal files and folders. It offers an all-in-one security solution for your computer. With extra features to lock the desktop, boot keys, task keys, blocking software installations and internet access. www.winguardpro. com/products.html
PUZZLED BY LEGAL JARGON? Here's a great site that will allow you to look up about any legal terminology that exists. http://dictionary.law.com/
JDISKREPORT. Many of us have only a dim idea of which files and folders hog the most space on our PC's hard drives. JDiskReport determines which files and folders could stand a little slimming. This analytical program simplifies your drive's profile; its "perspectives" include pie charts, bar charts, and details tables. Details, such as absolute and relative sizes and size distribution, give you an idea of the tasks that weigh most heavily on your drive space. JDiskReport includes information distribution of modification dates and distribution of file types, helping you to weed out old versions and duplicates. It also collects lists of the 100 largest, oldest, and newest files. www.jgoodies.com/freeware/jdiskreport/
FIREFOX EXTENSIONS. Extensions are small add-ons that add new functionality to Firefox. They can add anything from a toolbar button to a completely new feature. They allow the browser to be customized to fit the personal needs of each user if they need additional features, while keeping Firefox small to download . You can find a passel of some very useful extensions at https://addons.update.mozilla.org/extensions/
WINPATROL 8. Don't you hate it when you press Ctrl-Alt-Delete and find a dozen mystery programs running you didn't even know were running? WinPatrol gives you greater control over what can run on your machine. You can set it to display additional information about-and approve of-startup programs. You'll also be alerted when something tries to load an IE plug-in or set a cookie. And to get rid of a particularly nasty piece of spyware, you can use the "Delete File on Reboot" feature, so Windows will get rid of it before any other program can protect it or re-launch it. Scotty the Windows Watchdog barks if he spots trouble. Good boy!
On a personal note. This is one of my favorite utilities and comes in more than handy continuously. The regular version is free. I use the "Plus" version which costs $19 and is worth every penny for the bells and whistles it provides. Don't fail to visit their website at winpatrol.com and familiarize yourself with this superb and enormously useful utility!
DOWNLOAD ACCELERATOR PLUS is fully integrated into your browser, providing the best possible performance from ANY Internet connection, broadband and narrowband (cable, DSL / ADSL, T1, dial-up etc.). DAP will allow you to benefit from a faster and more reliable download experience, optimize your download performance, and help you to recover interrupted downloads. DAP is available in two versions: a Free version (ads. supported) and a Premium version (with a richer set of features and no ads. www.speedbit.com/DAP7/Default.asp?
CROSSWORD PUZZLE FANS will find enough to keep way more than busy at www.crosswordpuzzle games.com/ They vary in difficulty-your choice. Have fun!
.DLL INFO. Ever wonder what a particular .dll does or how up-to-date it is. Get all the info you need on any.dll free at http://support.microsoft.com/default .aspx?scid=/servicedesks/fileversion/dllinfo.asp
MICROSOFT INTERNET EXPLORER 7 will be released sometime this summer in beta version. It will provide greatly enhanced security features and will mark the first time a version of Internet Explorer will be upgraded separately from Windows itself. The impetus behind it all appears to be a sizable user switch to Mozilla Firefox. Look for new antivirus, anti-spam, anti-spyware, and firewall solutions from Microsoft in the near future.
UCMORE XP works with any search engine in Internet Explorer to give you more substantial-and better organized-results. This toolbar auto-installs into IE. From its vantage point at the top of your browser, it lists several categories related to the subject of your search. You can click any of them for further lists of categorized links. If you want to know more about the site you're visiting, click UCmore XP's icon to see a description of the site's purpose. Get it free at http://www.ucmore.com/ LONGHORN BY JUNE. According to Microsoft, the beta version of the next new Windows operating system, code named Longhorn, is due to arrive in June. Longhorn will be the successor to Windows XP and is expected to contain significant new security features, We will have eyes and ears to the ground on this one.
GOOD FREEWARE SITE is located at http://www.nonags.com/ Lists by category and provides some excellent material. Thanks to member Charles Cerrito for the tip.
AUDACITY is a free open-source audio editor that lets you record, play, convert, and edit audio files. The program lets you convert files from one format to another, edit sounds easily, mix tracks, and apply effects to your recordings. It also features a built-in amplitude envelope editor, a customizable spectrogram mode and a frequency analysis window for audio analysis applications. Built-in effects include Bass Boost, Wahwah, and Noise Removal. The program supports VST plug-ins. http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
FORECASTFOX is a free extension that brings international weather from The Weather Chanelr to your Firefox web browser. You can use your US zip code or you can easily find your town or city by using the built in search tool. It is unobtrusive and lightweight, yet can be customized to display nearly as much data as the leading desktop weather programs! If you can't find what you are looking for, double-click the weather icons displayed to open the weather.comr forecast for that day. A slider, slimilar to when popup notification for when all downloads complete, pops up from the bottom right corner of your screen when the current conditions are updated. You can even set what appears in it or disable it!
FORECASTFOX lets you customize everything, from the number of days to be forecasted, to the content of the tooltips. You can decide whether to see the labels, and you can decide what toolbar to place Forecastfox in. The options window is intuitive and makes it fast and easy to change any of the settings you'd like. The profile system lets you easily change between multiple locations. Each profile saves all of its own settings, including the tooltips and labels, the number of days forecasted and the location of the forecast. There is even a setting that allows you to automatically rotate between the profiles at a given time interval. http://forecastfox .mozdev.org/
COOLMON. At any given time, your PC is as nearly as busy as Times Square, and it's only slightly less confusing. CoolMon helps you keep tabs on your PC's internal goings-on. This utility shows you up-to-the-moment information about how many processes are running, how much RAM is being used, and the exact time of day. In its standard configuration, it also tells you important (but easily forgotten) information like your IP address and the name your PC uses on the local network. Best of all, a little extra work and a little in the way of geek smarts will let you configure the window to show exactly what you need it to show-even the local weather. http://www.coolmon.org/
WHITE HOUSE TAPES. In the 33 years preceding 1973, six American presidents recorded nearly 5,000 hours of conversations. Audio clips from Presidents Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon are ready for you to play. These clips require a free Macromedia Flash plug-in, which is available on the site under Help. Finally, hear tapes related to the Watergate scandal. Or eavesdrop on conversations held inside Air Force One. But beware-you may hear some rather un-presidential language! http://www.whitehousetapes.org/
WINPATROL 8 is among the best of my favorite utilities. Scotty the Windows Watch Dog sniffs out malicious "mysteryware" and parasites that may assault your computer. WinPatrol puts you back in control of your computer so you'll know what programs are and should be running at all times.
Winpatrol will Increase your speed and system performance. Detect and neutralize spyware. Detect and neutralize adware. Detect and neutralize viral infections. Detect and neutralize unwanted IE add-ons. Detect and restore file type changes. Automatically filter unwanted cookies. Avoid start page hijacking. Detect HOSTS file changes. Kill multiple tasks that replicate each other in a single step! Stop programs that repeatedly add themselves to your startup list! Delete and remove the most stubborn infections.
It is free, with additional features available with registration fee] [BillP Studios] WinPatrol uses a heuristic approach to detecting attacks and violations of your computing environment. Traditional security programs scan your hard drive searching for previously identified threats. WinPatrol takes snapshot of your critical system resources and alerts you to any changes that may occur without your knowledge. You'll be removing dangerous new programs while others download new reference files.
PDFCREATOR is a free tool to create PDFs easily from nearly any application. With the PDFCreator printer driver, you turn any program into a PDF-machine. Use it like a printer in Word, StarCalc or any other Windows application. http://sourceforge.net/projects/pdfcreator/
DOWNLOAD ACCELERATOR PLUS is free and increases download speeds by up to 300 percent. It searches for mirror sites that most effectively serve your downloads through multiserver connections for optimal utilization of dial-up or broadband connections.
DAP automatically recovers from shutdowns, lost connections, and other errors. It is fully integrated into Internet Explorer, Netscape, and Opera, and offers a toolbar for Internet Explorer with a links catcher and a highlighter. It features auto-hang-up after downloading, proxy settings, scheduling, and a unique AlwaysResume service. http://www.speedbit.com/DAP7/Default.asp?
ESSENTIALPIM is a free visual appointment and information manager that allows you to organize your daily, weekly or monthly schedule. It includes an address book to manage your contacts, as well as tree-style notes manager with support for rich text notes. The address book supports pictures and lets you add/remove fields to customize it for your needs. The schedule provides a very convenient way to mark your appointments in different colors, and allows you to simply drag an appointment to reschedule it. EssentialPIM supports single and recurring events, priority settings, color coded categories, completion indicator and reminder alerts. In addition it can export to HTML, RTF and other formats, and supports password protection with strong encryption. A very nice and easy to use PIM. http://www.essentialpim.com/
WHO SENT YOU THAT EMAIL? Win32Whois is a small and fast domain lookup (Whois) tool, that lets you retrieve registration information for a given domain name or website address. It generates a detailed report with all the available technical and contact information, highlights URLs and email addresses as clickable hyperlinks, and allows you to save the information to a file. Win32Whois can automatically resolve the IP address and gather Abuse info for spam reporting. http://www.gena01.com/win32whois/ SIDESTEP. There are so many travel sites on the Web nowadays, you can easily spend the equivalent of half your vacation looking for bargains. This free toolbar does the work for you, scouring more than 90 supplier sites, including those of airlines, hotels, and car rental agencies. It also performs side-by-side comparisons when searching on Travelocity, Expedia, and Orbitz, displaying deals from a broad range of companies. http://flights.sidestep.com/air/
GOOGLE DESKTOP. Web search giant Google has unveiled the first nonbeta version of Google Desktop. It's Google's free Desktop Search tool, which lets Windows users search for files on the PC as well as search for information on the Internet. Google rolled out the first beta version of Google Desktop Search in October 2004. "Google Desktop Search brings the power of Google to your personal information on your own computer," Google Cofounder and Products President Larry Page said last fall. "As easily as searching Google, you can instantly search your files, local email, the Web pages you have seen, and more. It's free, installs quickly, and keeps completely up-to-date. Google Desktop Search represents a quantum leap in access to your own information."
Since the October 2004 beta release, Google has somewhat improved the Desktop Search tool. The product now natively supports non Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) browsers such as Mozilla Firefox, for example, and no longer indexes password-protected files, an action that got the company into trouble with privacy experts. The release version of Google Desktop Search also gives users the option of indexing secure Web pages. The tool can now search the contents of Adobe PDF, music, and video files, the company says.
Since Google shipped the beta tool, a host of competitive products has appeared. Companies such as Copernic, Microsoft/MSN, X1, and Yahoo! have shipped prerelease desktop search tools, and some, such as those from Copernic and Microsoft, offer advanced functionality not found in the Google product. Google Desktop Search, like most of its competition, is available for free download. http://list.windowsitpro.com/t?ctl=4516:2B998
DRIVER FILES. Every now and then for reasons mostly unknown, we lose drivers or they go defunct. When you need a replacement driver, there are two great places to look. Try www.driverfiles.net, or www.driverguide.com. Keep this info handy. Guaranteed, sooner or later you will need it!
WIN98, ME PATCHES CONTINUE. Contrary to the view that Microsoft has totally abandoned anything older than Windows XP, they've released new patches for the old operating systems. It's a welcome sign that they realize that whether or not the official support for Win 9x/ME has ended, the people still running them won't be part of the security problem simply because their OS hasn't been patched.
GOURMET FAST FOOD. Ever have one of those nights that you just don't want to cook and a delivered pizza doesn't cut it? If so, hit Jacques Pepin's site. He's redefined the term "fast food." His recipes use fresh or canned Ingredients, but never anything processed. Best of all, he shows you how to make great food fast! On his site, you can watch clips of his show and go behind the scenes. You can also tour his kitchen and read an interview with him. Of course, there are plenty of delicious recipes. And the Web site has a great design too! www.kqed.org/w/jpfastfood/home.html
MEDIAMAN. Here's a great tip about a free and useful app from noted computer columnist/guru Chris Pirillo of Lockergnome fame. According to Chris, "Over the years that you have been alive, you doubtlessly have accumulated a huge collection of movies, books, games, and CDs. Sometimes, remembering all of what you have can be a difficult challenge. Most people don't usually think about going all out and organizing their media catalog like a library, but if you have enough titles in your collection, this type of thing makes sense. I have found what I believe to be the ultimate free media cataloging software for Windows. It's called MediaMan, and it sure is useful.
You can add your entire collection to this software and manage everything from within one program. This isn't some sort of hokey program that only allows you to type in the title of the movie and a few other tidbits of information - it actually asks you for the ISBN, EAN, or UPC barcode and then goes to Amazon.com to retrieve all of the appropriate information about the title, including the cover art and user reviews. The information is then imported into the proper category of your library, and this feature works surprisingly well. If you get bored with entering the item numbers by and, use your Webcam to scan the barcodes and import the information in that way. MediaMan also lets you change the status of individuals titles, so if you lent one out to someone, you'll know why it's not in your physical library. This kind of thing is perfect for managing your ever-expanding collection. When you're finished with importing your current selection, export the database to a file that's ready for printing, or to an HTML file that is ready to be shared on the Web. I just wish I had enough media to make it worthwhile for me to use this program - it's that good."
PC SECURITY TEST is a free program for Windows that checks computer security against viruses, spyware and hackers. With a few mouse clicks, users can easily control the efficiency of their protection software (anti-virus programs, spyware scanners and firewalls). PC Security Test simulates virus, spyware and hacking attacks and monitors the responses of your protection software. Don't worry, no real viruses are involved ! After the tests are complete, PC Securtiy computes a security index and provides tips on improving PC security. www.pc-st.com/us/
FREE SECURITY ANALYZER. Microsoft has created a new tool, the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA), to analyze Windows systems for common security miscon figurations. Version 1.0 of MBSA includes a graphical and command line interface that can perform local or remote scans of Windows systems. MBSA runs on Windows 2000 and Windows XP systems and will scan for missing hotfixes and vulnerabilities in the following products: Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Internet Information Server (IIS) 4.0 and 5.0, SQL Server 7.0 and 2000, Internet Explorer (IE) 5.01 and later, and Office 2000 and XP. www.microsoft.com/technet/security/tools/mbsahome.mspx
PASSWORD STORAGE. Access Manager provides free, fast, easy and secure storage for all your passwords. You can organize passwords into types and categories for easy access and keep notes, web site links and e-mail addresses with each password. Email addresses or web site URLs can be automatically launched from within the program. The program is easy to use and uses a clean MS Outlook style interface and can be protected with a master password. Also included is an option to generate random passwords, search functions, printing of password lists and more. Very nice! Free for personal use. www.accessmanager.co.uk/
VISUALZONE is a free intrusion analyser and reporting utility for ZoneAlarm and ZoneAlarm Pro. It displays a clear overview of all intrusions and allows you to analyse the information many different ways. VisualZone can perform a backtrace to try to find even more information about the intruder. You can even automate the process so that a backtrace is performed automatically when new attacks are detected. The program can also prepare an E-mail with detailed information on all intrusions attempted by an attacker so you can report them to their ISP. You can also submit intrusion attempts to DShield.org for further analysis. www.visualizesoftware.com/
For all of us who feel only the deepest love and affection for the way computers have enhanced our lives, read on.
At a recent computer expo (COMDEX), Bill Gates reportedly compared the computer industry with the auto industry and stated, "If GM had kept up with technology like the computer industry has, we would all be driving $25.00 cars that got 1,000 miles to the gallon."
In response to Bill's comments, General Motors issued a press release stating: If GM had developed technology like Microsoft, we would all be driving cars with the following characteristics (and I just love this part):
- For no reason whatsoever, your car would crash twice a day.
- Every time they repainted the lines in the road, you would have to buy a new car.
- Occasionally your car would die on the freeway for no reason. You would have to pull to the side of the road, close all of the windows, shut off the car, restart it, and reopen the windows before you could continue. For some reason you would simply accept this.
4. Occasionally, executing a maneuver such as a left turn would cause your car to shut down and refuse to restart, in which case you would have to reinstall the engine.
5. Macintosh would make a car that was powered by the sun, was reliable, five times (!) as fast and twice as easy to drive - but would run on only five percent of the roads.
6. The oil, water temperature, and alternator warning lights would all be replaced by a single "This Car Has Performed An Illegal Operation" warning light.
7. The airbag system would ask "Are you sure?" before deploying.
8. Occasionally, for no reason whatsoever, your car would lock you out and refuse to let you in until you simultaneously lifted the door handle, turned the key and grabbed hold of the radio antenna
9. Every time a new car was introduced car buyers would have to learn how to drive all over again because none of the controls would operate in the same manner as the old car.
10. You'd press the "Start" button to turn the engine off. :
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Copyright 2005. This article is from the April 2005 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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