HOMESCHOOLERS NOTE:  Pay special attention to GREEN titles
USEFUL  APPS

sysFriend v0.997 [647k] W9x/2k/XP FREE
 http://sysfriend.com/downloads/sysFriendSetup.zip
 http://sysfriend.com/
{Complete tasks automatically}automatically performs tasks
which you normally run through manually. So, you could open
multiple programs, change screen resolution, capture a screen, put
certain windows in specific locations, activate a screen saver,
set the mouse position, check your spelling, send an e-mail... the
list is endless.

CyClops v1.0 [264k] W9x/2k/XP FREE
 http://chesterway.co.uk/software/cyclps10.zip
 http://chesterway.co.uk/
{Save copied images} Right-click on any graphic you might stumble
across on the Web. Okay, now save that thing. Ah ha! You can only
save it as a GIF, BMP, PNG, or JPG, right? How convenient is that?
I'd say it's not very convenient at all. Here's what I'd do:
download this clipboard, copy an image like you normally do, then
save it to whatever format you darn well please. You can also
resize the image to your liking; make it larger or smaller (for a
thumbnail). Configure the default editor and a default file format
to make your life even easier.

Mouse Emulator v1.2 [15k] W9x/2k/XP FREE
 http://www.geocities.com/pronto4u/mousemu.zip
 http://www.geocities.com/pronto4u/mouseemulator.html
{Cursor moving sans mouse} if ypur mouse goes on the fritz,
you should have this program on hand.  it will provide you with some
key commands that'll move that cursor around your screen until you
can fix or replace your faulty tool.

WebcamFirst v1.1.0 [2.0M] W9x/XP FREE
 http://perso.wanadoo.fr/webcamfirst/download/webcamfirst.zip
 http://www.webcamfirst.com/
{Put a Webcam online}

StatBar v2.21 [235k] W9x/2k/XP FREE
 http://members.home.nl/mrb/StatBar.zip
 http://www.statbar.nl/
{See your system status} If you're wondering just how much RAM
you're using... as well as your uptime, CPU info, and all of that
other system level stuff, then download the StatBar. It'll stick a
status bar on your screen which will include all of that data (and
then some).

CureInfo v0.41 [263k] 2k/XP FREE
 http://www.hbg.lth.se/~pv98glu/CureInstaller.exe
 http://www.hbg.lth.se/~pv98glu/
display all of your system info in the Windows taskbar. the numbers
are updated on-the-fly, you're never be more than a
split-second away from seeing how your system's doing.

USEFUL SITES

Noodle Tools
 http://www.noodletools.com/
{Gather info online} Noodle Tools provide you with
interactive utilities and references to several (trustworthy) Web
sites.  for your school projects.

Alan's Math v2.0 [406k] W9x/2k/XP FREE
 http://www.simtel.net/pub/dl/56593.shtml
 http://www.patrickservices.com/software/amath.html
{Learn basic math} learn basic
arithmetic using this superbly scholastic app. Work on your
addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. All you have
to do is enter the answer and click the checkmark. The interface
is simple so that kids can get down to learning without wasting
any time. All answers and setting changes are logged."

SpywareInfo
 http://www.spywareinfo.com/
{Fight those spies} I know, I know, I've said this a billion
times, but if you're overly concerned about your privacy, then
don't get on the Internet. However, if you're already on the World
Wide Web, that doesn't mean you should sit back and just let
anyone sneak around on your computer. Spyware, adware, and all
those nastywares get into your PC to dig up (and share)
information that you probably don't want to have shared.
SpywareInfo doesn't just tell you about a couple of helpful apps -
 it provides links to related articles and information so that
your system can stay free and clean.

 Wallpapers HQ
 http://www.hebus.com/
{Wallpapers galore}

Utilities/Fixes

IF YOU ARE SHORT ON HARD DRIVE SPACE
 UPX v1.20 [118k] W9x/2k/XP FREE
 http://wildsau.idv.uni-linz.ac.at/mfx/download/upx/upx120w.zip
 http://upx.sourceforge.net/
{Pack your programs} UPX is an executable cruncher. Hey, the
Executable Crunchers just so happen to be my favorite football
team. Whatever. This powertoy can condense a plethora of app
types, including COM, EXE, and SYS files. So, let's say you have a
tool that's taking up too much space on your hard drive. Send it
through UPX and it'll take up less room. Whenever you need to run
that tool, it'll automatically decompress itself (and recompress
itself when you're finished with it). UPX will even shrink Linux
binaries, too! Its compression ratio is amazing.

Outlook Express Fix
Oh no! The links aren't working like they once did in Outlook
Express. You either can't click 'em or they're not going anywhere.
Or, perhaps every time you open a link in a new window through
your mail client, Internet Explorer spits back a blank page. Have
no fear - Geekdude is here! The solution is quite simple (and it
doesn't require a reinstallation); we just need to re-register the
URL monitor. Heck, if you're having any kind of hyperlink hassle,
give this a whirl. When software doesn't behave, sometimes you
have to spank it. Click on Start | Run and enter: "REGSVR32
URLMON.DLL" (sans quotes). You should then have a dialog tell you
that the procedure was completed. Next, fire up Microsoft's Web
Browser (IE) and Click Tools | Internet Options | Programs | then
click the "Reset Web Settings" button. Now, check to see if Web
links work like they should in your e-mail client. With any luck,
you'll have returned your system to normal.

Patches, We Got Patches...

 IF YOU ARE A GLUTON FOR PUNISHMENT AND USE IE
THIS IS  ***HIGHLY RECOMMENDED***
Cumulative Patch for IE [13 November 2001]
 http://microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS01-055.asp
"In addition to eliminating all previously discussed
vulnerabilities affecting IE 5.5 Service Pack 2 and IE 6, the
patch also eliminates three newly discovered ones: The first two
involve how IE handles cookies across domains. Although the
underlying flaws are completely unrelated, the scope is exactly
the same - in each case, a malicious user could potentially craft
a URL that would allow them to gain unauthorized access to a
user's cookies and potentially modify the values contained in
them. Because some web sites store sensitive information in a
user's cookies, this could allow personal information to be
compromised. Both vulnerabilities could be exploited either by
hosting specially crafted URL's on a web page or by sending them
to the victim in an HTML email."

LBE Toolbox for Outlook v1.0 [2.0M] W9x/2k/XP FREE
 http://www.lbehelpdesk.com/upgrade/lbeotool.zip
 http://www.lbehelpdesk.com/otmain.htm
{More functions for Outlook} Do you get a lot of attachments?
Wouldn't it be easier on you if there was some way to strip them
from the messages and save them someplace else? Well, if you
download this add-in for Outlook, you can do just that. It sends
multiple individual e-mails, removes duplicate messages, and finds
duplicate contacts. In other words, it gives you a few extra
options that you didn't have before.

Shortcuts

YTrayMagic Lite v1.0 [224] W9x FREE
 http://yoconsoft.hypermart.net/download/ytraylsetup.exe
 http://yoconsoft.hypermart.net/products.html
{Recover tray icons}when Explorer crashes,  all the icons in the
system tray are zapped. There's nothing for you to do except reboot.
 YTrayMagic Lite will put them right back  "DOES NOT
WORK WITH NT."  the author has other useful progs on his site.

JUST FOR GEEKS

What Is My IP Address?
 http://www.whatismyipaddress.com/
{Find your IP address quickly}

Gapsoft Network Freeware
 http://opus80.com/discnode/
"[InfoTop is] an application that will allow you to place text on
your Windows desktop which is refreshed on a customizable
schedule. [UpTime2000 is] a tiny app that displays the system's
uptime either in a small (transparent) window on your desktop or
in a tool tip whenever you hover over the UpTime 2000 icon in the
system tray. [Proxee is] a simple utility that allows you to
quickly enable / disable the Microsoft WinSock Proxy Client.
[NameTag] displays the machine's name either transparently on the
desktop and / or as a tooltip of a tray icon. [NameTray] displays
the machine's name as a tooltip of a tray icon."

WINIPCFG.EXE for Windows NT/2k/XP
 http://microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/reskit/tools/existing/wntipcfg-o.asp
"This GUI tool gives you information about your IP configuration.
The resulting screen identifies your IP address, subnet mask, and
default gateway for each of your network interfaces, including the
interface for your network adapter, your Dial-Up Networking
interface, and your PPTP interface. Each downloaded tool includes
the files required to run the tool, a documentation file, and a
readme file with general information about the downloaded tools
and Resource Kit tools." It works just like WINIPCFG did in
Windows 9x. In fact, I'd suggest renaming the binary (to its more
familiar name) and copying it to your Windows folder.

NetRadar v2.0.6 [54k] W9x/2k/XP FREE
 http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/netradar/NetRadar-2.0.6.zip
 http://netradar.sourceforge.net/
{Map your connection} NetRadar is an awesome new program that
provides you with a graphical map of your Internet connection.
What you end up with is a sort of digital snowflake (and no two
are quite the same). You can see where paths intersect and where
they don't... it's pretty cool if I do say so myself. While the
NetRadar is visually appealing, it can also be used for more
practical networking purposes. "Targeted at both network operators
and network-junkies, this software is meant to be easy to use
while still being a viable for network-scale diagnosis."

Flash Thief
 http://www.flashthief.com/
{Get Flash help}

Troubleshooting CD-RW Problems
 POSSIBLE
solution to the problems mentioned regarding Win2k not detecting
CD-RW drives. This is a known issue with the Intel 815 chipset.
With this chipset, certain types of Internal IDE devices have
hardware incompatibility issues and may never work properly. Most
notable are the Iomega ZIP series (especially the ol' 100 MB).
Intel acknowledges some of this, but sometimes you are just left
out in the cold with no one claiming responsibility. Some of these
issues (according to Intel: all of them) are resolved with the
Intel 845 chipset. I have limited experience with the 850 chipset.

Here is a quick trick I stumbled across using trial and error. It
started with problems involving Internal IDE CD-RW drives, Intel
815 chipset mobos, and Win2k. This does require some computer
savvy; the usual disclaimer is inserted here. [Your Mileage May
Vary]

Fire up you favorite Regeditor and navigate to the registry boot
section. Ya know, where Windows (whatever flavor) has the "Run"
and "RunServices" keys. The usual path is something like HKLM \
Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ etc. Find the
keys that load the CD burner application. Per usual, you may want
to export or take other restorative measures. You definitely want
to write down (copy & paste) the command, since you are going to
duplicate it verbatim. Remove this reference from the registry.
Recreate it as a shortcut in the Start Menu folder. This will
still load the burner software at machine start. However, it will
load it after the Win32 GUI has had a chance to work its magic.

The Win32 Oses (especially Win2k) like to control certain aspects
of the hardware driver load. Another problem is that the most
popular antivirus software packages get tangled up with the
"burner" drivers being loaded from the registry. They see it as a
possible virus trying to control your bus. Placing the
initialization [WHATEVER.REG] in the Startup folder will usually
alleviate these types of problems. Then Win2K should find all your
drives with no problems. This may not fix all of your problems,
but it is at least worth a shot. If not, just restore the Registry
and keep searching for a solution.

BHODemon v1.0 [90k] W9x/2k/XP FREE
 http://www.definitivesolutions.com/files/bhodmon1.zip
 http://www.definitivesolutions.com/bhodemon.htm
{Get rid of BHOs} A Browser Helper Object is something that is
integrated into your Web browser and "helps" you as you surf the
Web. It might be a utility or add-on that you once installed (but
seldom use). Sometimes, they get in the way of your regular
surfing routine. You shouldn't have to worry about those nasty
BHOs anymore (if you use this program). Enable or disable them
quickly and easily. "Although many people are extremely concerned
about them because of privacy issues, BHOs are not necessarily bad
things. Most of them are well-intentioned and beneficial."

 ForumSpace
 http://www.forumspace.com/
{Create a bulletin board} I just had low-carb waffles for
breakfast; I wish there was a place on the Internet where I could
talk about how much I loved 'em. Okay, that's a strange example,
but aren't Web forums fun? Sure, the free ones are nice if you
don't mind pop-up ads and other annoyances. Well, be annoyed no
longer, buddy. With ForumSpace, you can create your own free
discussion threads automatically (or join one that's already in
progress). Create and discuss, that's all there is to it. There
are a few restrictions, but nothing too serious. Beats the heck
out of staying silent. Sometimes.

      XP STUFF

I must tell you I strongly reccomend you avoid Win XP.
The only thing that is a worse choice is WinME.

XP LogonUI v1.02 [847k] XP FREE
 http://software.deviantart.com/details.php?id=240
 http://www.radfiles.com/xp_logonui/
 http://screenshot.lockergnome.com/xplogonui.png
{Change logon screens} Okay, here's a nice tool for all of you
Windows XP people. You know the blue screen you see when you boot
up? Hopefully, it's not that nasty blue screen of DEATH. The one
with your usernames, eh. Well, LogonUI allows you to swap those
screens quickly and easily. All you have to do is select a pre-
made file and the program will apply it on next boot. You can also
preview your screens before you decide to change them. "Features
from XP LogonUI will be built in to Style XP and StyleBuilder.
Check out TGT Soft for more information on these programs."

 Fast Boot / Fast Resume for Windows XP
 http://www.microsoft.com/hwdev/fastboot/
"Customer research has shown that one of the most frequently
requested features that users want from their PCs is fast system
startup, whether from cold boot or when resuming from standby or
hibernation. The Windows development team at Microsoft has taken
bold steps in making fast startup PCs a reality with Windows XP,
the next release of the Windows operating system. This page
provides tools and guidelines for system manufacturers who want to
improve boot and resume times for new PCs." I ran this thing and
it shaved a good 10 seconds off of my boot time!
 
 

Antivirus Alternatives Problems in XP
 http://www.f-prot.com/
 http://www.pc-cillin.com/
Rachel Gordon scribbled: McAfee is notorious for causing
instabilities and not working properly with various applications
(or on particular system configurations). I just had to talk my
brother through uninstalling it due to a similar experience to
yours. I would not recommend, however, running entirely without
antivirus software - whether you're smart about e-mail attachments
or not, with the proliferation of newer nasties (like Nimda) that
can infect you merely by visiting an infected Web page, you need
SOMETHING to back you up. I highly recommend going with a smaller
software vendor. I've had tremendous luck with F-Prot over the
years - it's cheaper than McAfee, especially if you're purchasing
multiple copies for an institution, it's easily configurable to
update definitions daily, and I've never had system problems or a
crash associated with it.

Glenn McNamee scribbled: Randy is not the only one who has had
problems with antivirus software. I tried to install Norton AV
2002 and ended up with a major disaster. It installed okay and
updated fine; when it started a scan of my system, I ended up with
XP's blue screen of death. I rebooted and when scandisk ran, it
showed all of my files as cross-linked with the application and
tried to resolve the issue (and then reboot). I ended up at the
DOS screen, trying to load the system option with a working
configuration prior to the crash; I was not able to do so - nor
was I able to run XP's repair install feature. I ended up with
Microsoft's tech support, who asked me if I had a Win98 boot disk
- which I had not gotten around to tossing out, thank goodness. I
was walked through about 15 DOS commands and was able to get XP
running, but I had to reinstall all of my programs, lost all my e-
mail, contact information, and Bookmarks. Norton, of course,
claimed that it was impossible that their program caused the
crash. I requested a refund and purchased PC-Cillin, which
installed and ran a scan without any problems.

Making Video Conferencing Work in XP
 http://messenger.yahoo.com/
In response to NetMeeting connections and Video Conferencing
through DSL / Cable routers, the problem is actually a fairly
convoluted one, but there are some workarounds. I work for a
company that makes firewalls and it is a pain in the ASCII to get
them working because the application (and other applications like
it) port hops to the higher TCP / UDP ports.

I can't confirm nor deny whether NetMeeting uses SIP (Session
Initiation Protocol), but I can confirm that NetMeeting "embeds"
the local IP of the workstation into the meeting request. What
this means is that when you are behind a DSL / Cable router, you
have one Legal IP bound to it and some private addresses behind it
(192.168.1.x is the default range for those types of devices).
NetMeeting will make its request for a conference to the server
and embed the local IP of the workstation in the request - NOT the
public IP of the router. You have to have a fairly intelligent
Proxy server that can intercept this request, and modify the
packets to include the Public IP of the router. Unfortunately,
none of the routers (of which I am aware) do this, since they are
all basic NAT / PAT devices which only modify the Layer 3 (IP)
header. Now that we know the problem, how do we get around it?
There are a couple of things you can do.

1) Switch to a client like Yahoo! Messenger. It includes video
conferencing and works fine through firewalls - even if both
parties have DSL / Cable routers. I use it all the time with
friends and family.

2) Set up a simple point-to-point VPN. Most of the popular DSL /
Cable routers include IPSec and PPTP pass-through to allow
encrypted / tunneled connections through the router. This would
allow you to make P2P connections through the router and not have
to open up a massive number of ports to attack. All of the ports
that NetMeeting would require would be tunnel through a single VPN
connection and, in the case of an IPSec VPN, encrypted and
authenticated for privacy, too. I believe that Windows XP includes
a PPTP and IPSec client that you could use to connect to another
XP or 2k Machine at the far end of the network.

Be aware that if you choose the VPN route, each end would need to
be different sets of network addresses (site A: 192.168.1.x / site
B: 192.168.2.x) to avoid routing conflicts. Personally, I think
the Yahoo! Solution is the quickest / easiest way to accomplish
this.
 

Starting *NEXT MONTH,* Microsoft
will begin pulling the plug on support for Win9X.
An expense for Microsoft. It can maximize its profits by shutting down
support for older products and pushing everyone towards buying newer.

So let me be as clear as possible:
Next month (December 2001) Microsoft will cease to provide support for MS
DOS, Windows 3.xx, and Windows NT 3.5x; and support will become limited
for Win95, Win95 OSR1 and Win95 OSR2.

Seven months from now, in June 2002, Microsoft will cease to provide
full support for Win98, Win98SE, and WinNT4.x.
That's right: Starting next month and ending next June, the overwhelming
majority of current Windows users will find themselves operating OS
versions that the vendor--- Microsoft--- either doesn't support, or only
partially supports! (There's also a limited "extended support"  for one
year after after the mainstream support shuts down;
this will be  "paid support" on a per-call basis.)

Please see the "UTILITIES/FIXES" section for how to deal
with this problem so Microsoft can't hold you (or your $$) hostage.

HOMESCHOOLERS NOTE:  Pay special attention to GREEN titles
USEFUL  APPS

 Time Calendar v1.0 [1.0M] W9x/2k/XP FREE
 http://www.timecalendar.com/TCLE1016.exe
 http://www.timecalendar.com/
You can enter all of your appointments, sits in your system tray.
it's quiet until your next appointment time comes around - then it
tells you to get going. NOTE: this is a limited edition freeware
version. If you hate Microsoft Outlook, here's an alternative.

P3dO Explorer v1.5 [1.6M] W9x/2k/XP FREE
 http://lcrepiliere.free.fr/downloads/P3dOExplorer15_.zip
 http://lcrepiliere.free.fr/softp3do.html
{Explore your images} We all know that the easiest way to view our
files is to use the Windows Explorer. Well, this image browser has
an interface just like Explorer's - which makes it real easy to
sift through all your photos and images. Quickly scan and manage
your graphics using the thumbnail view, batch rename, slide show
view, and print options. The Favorites and context-sensitive
SendTo menus could also come in handy. "Not juts a picture
browser, P3dO Explorer is a good file manager with several quick
navigation tips." For those of you not running on Windows XP yet,
this makes for a great interim solution.

 Handy Backup v2.1 [1.4M] W9x/2k/XP FREE
 http://backup.novosoft-us.com/hb21.exe
 http://backup.novosoft-us.com/
{Backup your files easily} I ask you: why spend any money at all
on a program to backup your system when you can download this for
free? Dude, it's so easy. Plus, it'll save your files to pretty
much anything: floppy disk, FTP server, network, you name it.
There's also file encryption and password protection, so no one
but you can mess with it. You can even schedule backups for a
specific time; the wizard will help guide you through the steps.
"Handy Backup is absolutely free up to the end of 2001." Wait a
second. Better get it now! NOTE: Requires a brief registration
before you can use the program.

WavPack v3.92 [131k] W9x/2k/XP FREE
 http://www.wavpack.com/wavpack.zip
 http://www.wavpack.com/
{Compress WAV files} This powerful (yet tiny) audio application
allows you to compress audio files into the WAV format. Why WAV?
Because unlike MP3, it's not a lossy format. That means your copy
will be very close to the original source - as far as sound
quality is concerned. It's actually very similar to what WinZip
does, except this was created with audio in mind. A Winamp plug-in
is also included with the binary. "Like other lossless compression
schemes the data reduction varies with the source, but it is
generally between 25% and 50% for typical popular music and
somewhat better than that for classical music and other sources
with greater dynamic range."

FTP Atomic File Finder v0.40 [232k] W9x/2k/XP FREE
 http://www.file-finder.com/files/ftp-affd040en.exe
 http://www.file-finder.com/
{Flip through FTP sites} Need to search for some files on the
Internet's various FTP servers? Yes, of course you do - and the
Atomic File Finder will help you do just that. Did I mention it's
also really easy to use? Just enter what it is you're looking for
and sit back. It displays server information, contains an auto-
sort mode, and also includes a "user preferences" option (which
power users will love). It's always the last place you look, isn't
it? "Filters the results by eliminating ratio servers and so on."
MORE DIRECTORY PRINTING.  Because Windows offers no easy way to print
a directory, we've mentioned several applications to do that for
you.  Karen Kenworthy's free Director Printer 2.10 is worth checking out at
http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptdirprn.html .

TRAYIT claims to be particularly useful for background tasks that are
running on your PC all day, such as your email program, Real Player,
etc.  It creates a small icon in the System Tray and saves taskbar space
for minimized windows.  Read about this free application at
http://www.xmlsp.com/trayit/trayit.htm .

DIR2TEXT is a free utility that reads a folder and prints it to a text
file.  Download it at http://mooresoft.bizland.com/download.htm

USEFUL SITES

TypingWeb
   http://www.typingweb.com/
{Keep typing faster} I'm a pretty fast typist. Considering how
long I've been pounding out these newsletters, that shouldn't come
as much of a surprise to anyone. I took typing class in high
school just like most of you; those were huge, clunky electric
typewriters. Now I type on a huge, clunky PC. If you want to
improve your finger speed, then sign up on this site and start
taking some typing lessons. Novices can start out slow, and the
more experienced can skip ahead to the harder lessons. "No
downloads. No installation. No CD ROMs. No hassle!"

 ***Infopackets***
 http://www.infopackets.com/
{Video tutorials} If you're trying to explain to someone how to
perform some random task on their personal computer, you need to
make sure they understand. Therefore, writing a letter or
conducting your tutorial over the phone probably won't cut it.
They need visuals. This place offers tutorials in convenient video
form, so one gets a much better idea as to what the heck is going
on. Let Infopackets be your guide through all sorts of Windows
applications, like Outlook Express, WinZip, and Windows Media
Player. That's just the tip of the iceberg, of course. There's
even a special section just for newbies!

CONCRETE MATERIALS CALCULATORS
 http://www.concrete.com/calculatorsmaterials.htm
Just how much of what do you buy to pour that
path you wanted, or fill that block wall? Go figure.

ITHAKI.  Under the premise that one cannot have too many search
engines, may we suggest still another at http://www.ithaki.net .  Ithaki,
similar to Ixquick mentioned in an earlier issue, is available in 14
languages.  There's another similarity.  They both maintain that they are
"the world's most powerful metasearch engine."

SoundEngine v2.71 [391k] W9x/2k/XP FREE
 http://soundengine.lunanet.gr.jp/download/ese271.zip
 http://soundengine.lunanet.gr.jp/english/
for audiophiles who want to manipulate those sounds, check out
the SoundEngine.  Open a WAV file and use it to add dynamics,
reverb, filter, change levels, and complete several other sound-
related tasks. Real-time previews, volume adjustment, and a cache
function are also included.

Command Prompt Bar v1.3.7 [1.3M] W9x/2k/XP FREE
 http://ruindivision.phidji.com/download/CommandPromptBar.exe
 http://ruindivision.phidji.com/
{Quicker command line} I bet you'd like to instantly launch
commands without having to leave whatever you're working on.
C'mon, you have to admit that it'd be a nice time saver. Well,
here's a special toolbar that'll help. The Command Prompt Bar
attaches itself to your taskbar, Internet Explorer, and the
Windows Explorer. Nice, eh? Now you can run any command you need
and you don't have to stop browsing, exploring, writing, or
whatever the heck you happen to be doing. It also adds the
Autocomplete function to your applications. "[It] becomes part of
your standard Windows Desktop."

HelioBar v1.2 [374k] W2k/XP FREE
 http://www.sycory.com/Download/Helio_12.zip
 http://www.sycory.com/HelioBar/HelioBar_Main_1.htm
{See the whole background} Nice wallpaper. [eyes scan down to
bottom of screen] Oh yuck! Okay, so your taskbar isn't that bad.
In fact, it's mighty useful. But from an aesthetic standpoint, it
kind of ruins what might be a nice looking background. You don't
want to get rid of that bar, so why not make it transparent and
let your desktop image shine through? The taskbar still functions
like it did before; you've kept your artistic expression intact.
"By means of HelioBar, You may assign any degree of transparency
for the system's taskbar."

Power-Grab-2002 v2.0 Beta [680k] W9x/2k/XP FREE
 http://www.cosmicwolf.com/POWER-GRAB-2002-v2_0-BETA-3.zip
 http://www.cosmicwolf.com/power_grab_2002.htm
{Grab files from Usenet} The newsgroups are a great place to go to
find all sorts of files. Heck, you can get just about anything
from those communities. The problem is that there are so darn many
of them. Well, this great grabber will extract binaries from them
instantly. So, stop searching and start finding. You can save
these files to any local directory and rename them before you do.
You can also scan for new headers only. "Allows up to 8 active
connections to your news server." Quit combining those UUencoded
messages by hand, dude.
 

 Joystick Cursor Tool v1.0 [2.8k] W98/2k FREE
 http://www.deinmeister.de/joycur.zip
 http://www.deinmeister.de/e_tstinprg.htm
"This tool maps the movement of the first joystick onto the cursor
keys (up, down, left, and right). Additionally, it also maps the
first joystick button to the return / ENTER key, the second
joystick button to the TAB key and the third button (if your
joystick has one) to the ESC key. Great for scrolling around in
the Web browser or similar tools, may also be handy for windows
games which do not support the joystick directly. The taskbar icon
shows the state of the tool. If the joystick symbol is crossed
red, the joystick is not installed or connected properly."

 CombiMovie v1.0 [400k] W9x/2k/XP FREE
 http://picmelite.freeyellow.com/InstCombiMovie.EXE
 http://picmelite.freeyellow.com/CombiMovie.htm
"CombiMovie is an application to combine two or more MPG / MPEG
files into one continuous file. It works very fast - as fast as
copying the files! How come? Because what it does is only reading
the source files, grab the meaningful bytes, and then write it
into the target files - thanks to the robust MPG file structure.
As you may have noticed, there are many people who put their home
movies on the Internet in sets of small MPGs (less than 3MB each)
to make it easier to download. CombiMovie makes it possible for
those who download them separately and put them back again later.
Since each piece of is runable, a loophole on the series will not
stop the combined file from running (although some scenes may be
missing)."

Attention! v1.0 [9k] W9x/2k/XP FREE
 http://www.albert.nu/programs/attention/attention.zip
 http://www.albert.nu/common.asp
"Attention is a small and easy to use program for sending
attention or 'at' commands to a modem connected to your computer.
This program has worked fine on my computer and has been tested
onseveral other computers without problems.
 

 My v-Card
 http://my-vcard.com/
{Contact me soon} How can you reach me? Let me count the ways. On
second thought, no. That would just take up too much precious
time. Most of you know that e-mail clients like Netscape and
Outlook Express (among others) allow you to send your contact
information along with your e-mails. That's fine and dandy, but
that information is typically sent as a vCard attachment, which
means some people may not be able to read it (and others might not
bother to open it). That's where this service comes into play. It
allows you to keep all of your contact data just a Web link away.
"No matter how many times you change e-mail addresses, phone
numbers or even postal addresses, now you can keep in touch with
all your friends by using My-vCard."
 
 

Utilities/Fixes

Microsofts plans have enormous implications for the entire computer
industry, and indeed for every user of Microsoft products.
For one thing, it means that users of these products need to get their
systems in good order and fully backed up SOON so that these systems can
become more or less self-contained as official Microsoft support dries up.

If you use Ghost or Drive Image or a similar tool and make a copy of
your system when it's as lean, clean, patched, and optimized as you can
get it, you'll always be able to get back to that perfect setup whenever
you need to in the future.

But if you don't want to make disk images, then it might be a good idea
to download all the various patches, service packs and updates that are
available for your OS, and keep these downloads handy so you can
reinstall them from your hard drive or a backup CD or tape, as needed,
in the future.

Microsoft's general download sites are at
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/search.asp and
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/downloads/itdownloads/default.asp .

There's also a good Win98-specific download site at
http://www.microsoft.com/windows98/downloads/corporate.asp .

BIGFIX   free application
http://www.bigfix.com/website/consumers/overview.html
offers a way to learn about the latest bugs, conflicts, and outdated
software on your computer, and to fix them with a single mouse click.
BigFix works by checking the Internet daily for newly discovered bug and
conflict reports, and then verifying whether your computer is affected. If
BigFix determines that you have a problem, it offers to fix it for you. The
company assures privacy, indicating that it doesn't share information
without your consent.

DR. WATSON.  Windows98 and ME users have a diagnostic tool at their
fingertips in Dr. Watson.  This utility takes a snapshot to aid in
identifying the cause of system problems.  You can locate it by clicking on
Start|Programs|Accessories|System Information|Tools.  Or, set the good
doctor up for a housecall by placing a shortcut in the StartUp group.  To
do this, right-click on the taskbar, click Properties and the Start Menu
Programs tab.  Click on Add and enter "c:\windows\drwatson.exe" (without
quotes) in the Create Shortcut dialog window command line.  Click Next and
select the StartUp folder from the list presented.  Another click on Next
and Finish will install Dr. Watson when you restart Windows.
 

Patches, We Got Patches...
(SEE  "THE BIG FIX" ABOVE)

Shortcuts

OFF LINE PAGES.  Microsoft Internet Explorer allows you to store your
favorites WEB SITES off line.  Nice 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.
 
 
 

USEFUL  APPS

Sky Chart v2.61 [3.2M] W9x/2k/XP FREE
 http://www.stargazing.net/astropc/prog/cdcbase.exe
 http://www.stargazing.net/astropc/
{Look at the stars} I'm thinking of going into outer space. I
can't afford a rocket, but I rigged up a nice contraption that
utilizes a see-saw and a large boulder. Before I launch myself,
though, I figured I should download this celestial app and map out
some of my own star charts. You can use it to "see" the sky from
any observation point; attributes like color, dimensions, and
representation of the planets can all be changed without hassle.
Catalogs are used for drawing different objects. "All these
features make this celestial atlas more complete than a
conventional planetarium."

TexNotes v1.0 [922k] W9x/2k/XP FREE
 http://dl.winsite.com/807/win95/business/texnotes.exe
 http://www.gemx.com/texnotes.php
{Save some notes} I spend a lot of time in front of the computer.
So, if I have to remember something, it doesn't make much sense
for me to go hunting for a scrap of paper when I can just type up
a note right here on Oogie Boogie's screen. TexNotes makes it a
cinch to do just that. It keeps all of those little notes and
reminders in one safe place until you remove them yourself.

Total Uninstall v2.0 [616k] W9x/2k/XP FREE
 http://angelfire.com/dc/gmartau/downloads/TotalUninstall.zip
 http://www.angelfire.com/dc/gmartau/projects/projects.html
{Get rid of it all}Very few applications will uninstall
completely, and more often than not, you're left with a few crumbs
in your system (not to mention your system's settings). Total
Uninstall does just what its name implies: it totally uninstalls.
Beyond that, it allows you to decide what changes are to be made.
(Always be carefull with prog's like this!! - m)

OEM Logo Manager v1.0 [1.5M] W9x/2k FREE
 http://www.tontin.co.uk/oemlogov1.zip
 http://www.tontin.co.uk/
{Change your system info} If you open your system properties
window, you should see a logo that represents whatever system you
happen to be using. Using this tool, you can replace that logo with
any other bitmap or select one from the many provided for you

NotifyCD v1.60 Beta 11 [162k] W9x/2k/XP FREE
 http://notifycd.com/ntfycd_160b11_bin.zip
 http://notifycd.com/
{Multiple function CD player} This has lots of stuff, but isn't
heavy. In other words, this compact disc player hides in your
System Tray - but when you click on it... LOOK OUT! Ahem. You can
select tracks with a single click, edit your local CD database,
submit the track info to the freedb (online) database, have the
artist and title inserted into the menu, and even set up hotkeys
to control your music. See, I told you this player had a lot of
options. I've been using it for years as a replacement for all the
other media players - and it has yet to disappoint me. It's so
unobtrusive!

Iron Key v1.3 [1.0M] W9x/2k/XP FREE
 http://inv.co.nz/download/ikey.exe
 http://www.filecryption.com/products/ikey/
{Encrypt quickly}It's actually a new
application that makes it easy to encrypt your files. Once your
file is encrypted, it's safe to send out over e-mail or via the
Internet. The recipient must enter a special password to open
whatever file you send them, but they won't need any extra
software to do it.  drag your files onto the Iron Key icon on your
desktop and they'll be encrypted. "[The program] can delete files
after encryption with the integrated file shredder."

Ede Kowalski [3.0M] W9x/2k/XP FREE
 http://www.ede-kowalski.de/html/EdeKowalski.exe
 http://www.ede-kowalski.de/
A fun game reminds you of Moorhuhn, same creator

USEFUL SITES

PRINTER REPAIR.  If you're having problems with your printer, you
might consider asking for help on the forum at
http://www.fixyourownprinter.com/cgi-bin/public/forum.pl?next=0 .

X-Rates
 http://www.x-rates.com/
exchange rates based on Federal Reserve rates

HOAX RESOURCE.  So you still get those messages urging you to pass
the contents along to everyone you know?  You hesitate, thinking it's
just another hoax, and that's good.  The extensive list of virus hoaxes at
http://datafellows.com/news/hoax.htm will probably confirm that you were
wise in resisting the urge to waste bandwidth.

Quek Chatting
http://chat.q42.net/  USE WITH I.E. 5.5 or up
What is Q42? It's all about making the Internet a more interactive
experience.Click on the Demos link for a better idea, you'll freak.

Charity Geek
 http://www.charitygeek.com/
helping people fix their PCs, giving
computer tutorials to schools and senior citizens, building Web
sites, offering their services to churches, and generally being
philanthropic geeks.

SPAMMOTEL. an interesting concept. http://www.spammotel.com  it
After a short download of a Web-based interface and setting up your FREE
account, you ask for a fake email address, and set a note to yourself
reminding to whom you gave the fake address.  If email is sent to that address,
SpamMotel forwards it to your regular email address along with your note to
help track down the sender (in the event they choose to forge their message
headers, a common practice of spammers). SpamMotel even tells you when
you created the fake (they call it "special") address, and how many emails
you've received from that sender, and the date he/she sent you the last
email.  There's a log page with details as well, and if you choose to kill
the "special" address to stop further email, SpamMotel let's you do that.

URL MONITORING.  If you have a Web site and want an email report if
it goes down, try the free service at http://www.internetseer.com/ .

Utilities/Fixes

How to Use the Program Compatibility Wizard
 http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q301/9/11.ASP
"This article describes how to use the Program Compatibility
Wizard. The Program Compatibility Wizard prompts you to test your
program in different modes (environments) and with various
settings. For example, if the program was originally designed to
run on Microsoft Windows 95, set the compatibility mode to Windows
95, and then try to run your program again. If this is successful,
the program will start in that mode each time. The wizard also
allows you to try different settings, such as switching the
display to 256 colors and the screen resolution to 640 by 480
pixels. Most programs run properly on Windows XP. The exceptions
are some older games and other programs that were written
specifically for an earlier version of Windows. If you are
experiencing problems with a program that worked correctly on an
earlier version of Windows, this wizard helps you select and test
compatibility settings that may fix those problems."

 Patches, We Got Patches...
Running Windows 98/SE/ME/XP?
     "Invalid Universal Plug and Play Request can Disrupt System
     Operation...On Windows 98, 98SE, and ME systems, receiving such
     a request could cause a variety of effects ranging from slow
     performance to system failure. On Windows XP... the flaw
     consists of a memory leak... to the point where performance
     slowed or stopped altogether."
Patch and info:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/security/bulletin/MS01-054.asp
And if you're running XP, be sure to click over to "Windows Update" for a
security patch that was released on Oct 25, the day the OS officially
became available.(!) It covers the above, plus one other XP-specific
issue:
     The "Windows XP Update Package, October 25, 2001" provides
     patches for the problems that are discussed in the following
     Microsoft Knowledge Base articles:
     http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q309/5/21.ASP
     Patch Available for HTTP Request Encoding Vulnerability
     Invalid Universal Plug and Play Request can Disrupt System
     Operation

ICF Can Prevent Browsing and File Sharing in  XP
 http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q298/8/04.ASP
"When you enable the Internet Connection Firewall (ICF) feature,
and then attempt to browse the Internet by means of My Network
Places, you are unsuccessful. Also, if you use the net view
\\computername command, you can receive the following error
message: "System error 6118 has occurred. The list of servers for
this workgroup is not currently available." This behavior can
occur because the ICF closes, by default, the ports for file
sharing. The Master Browser attempts to reconnect to the client
computer to send the Browse list, but the firewall prevents this
reconnection attempt. This behavior is by design. If a firewall is
set up to protect the ports of a computer that are connected to
the Internet, it is not recommended to open these ports as they
can be exposed to other computers. Specific computers cannot be
granted access to the open ports."

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.

Using Virus Protection Features in Outlook Express 6
 http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q291/3/87.ASP
"This article describes several new features included in Microsoft
Outlook Express 6 that are designed to protect you against viruses
that may be transmitted through e-mail messages. Virus Protection
features in Outlook Express 6 are found on Security tab of the
Tools, Options dialog box. Security zones enable you to choose
whether active content, such as ActiveX Controls and scripts, can
be run from inside HTML e-mail messages in Outlook Express. By
default, Outlook Express 6 uses the Restricted Zone instead of the
Internet Zone. Microsoft Outlook Express 5.0 and Microsoft Outlook
Express 5.5 used the Internet zone, which enable most active
content to run. CAUTION: Changing security zone settings can
expose your computer to potentially damaging code. Use caution
when you change these settings."

 How to Manually Remove W2k / WXP and Restore W95 / W98
 http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q250/4/56.ASP
"NOTE: The procedures that are described in this article are not a
method of recovering a Windows 95 or Windows 98 installation. This
procedure requires you to reinstall Windows 95 or Windows 98 and
all your programs. If you backed up all of your data before you
installed Windows 2000 or you do not have any data that needs to
be retained, you can reformat the hard disks in the computer and
reinstall Windows 95 or Windows 98. To reformat the hard disk, see
the 'Removing NTFS' section in this article. If the disk is using
the NTFS file system, your options for returning to Windows 95 or
Windows 98 are limited. Windows 95 and Windows 98 do not read or
recognize NTFS, and you cannot convert the disk to use the FAT or
FAT32 file system. The bootable disk you use and the drive on
which you want to install Windows 95/98 cannot use NTFS."

problems with accessing FTP sites through Internet Explorer.
. . "Shortly after installing IE6, I was having
trouble opening some FTP sites that my friends were not having
problems with. One of them was able to come up with a solution. In
Internet Explorer 6.0, I needed to place a checkmark in the box
next to "Use Passive FTP (for firewall and DSL modem
compatibility). This option can be found under Tools | Internet
Options | Advanced | Browsing. This was due to the fact that I was
using a router and Zone Alarm for my cable modem with Windows XP."
with Microsoft Word. How many documents
do you have open right now? 15? Wow, you must be a busy person.
Click File | Close. Yeah, it just closes the current document.
What if you want to close ALL of your open documents? Well, that's
when you have to use your SHIFT key. Go ahead, mash it before you
click the File menu again. Lookie, lookie! Two new options: Close
All and Save All. That oughta save you some time. You can do the
same thing in Excel, although it only shows the 'Close All'
shortcut. At least Windows XP will group similar windows together,
saving your Taskbar from being flooded with Word documents.

WANT TO PRINT ALOT OF EMAIL?  (OUTLOOK only)
using Outlook with a properly configured print rule turned on!
This way, the OUTLOOK could
turn into a virtual 'FAX receiving machine' whenever it needed to.
Using e-mail, nonetheless. They could set up a mail alias (or
separate e-mail account) just for food orders. Then, in Outlook,
click Tools | Rules Wizard | New | Check messages when they arrive
| With specific words in the recipient's address | Print it. How's
that for a workaround? Of course, you could also use this trick to
automatically print your favorite *cough* e-mail newsletters as
soon as they arrive. I'm sorry to report that Outlook Express does
not have such a print feature,

Shortcuts
 QUICK ADDRESS BAR.  In Microsoft Internet Explorer, 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.

ANNOTATE HELP.  There is a nice feature in most software Help menus
that will allow you to add your own notes for reference.  Right click on
the open topic and choose Annotate if that option is allowed.  A box will
open and you can type your notes there, then select Save.  Thereafter,
when you open the topic a paper clip will display in the upper left corner.
Clicking there will open your notes and you can delete these any time by
selecting the Delete option.

Is Windows XP's Messenger not for you? Theoretically, you can get
rid of it (as well as a few other things). Windows 2000 power
users should already be familiar with this tweak. Fire up the
Windows Explorer and navigate your way to the %SYSTEMROOT% \ INF
folder. What the heck is that thingy with the percentage signs?
It's a variable. For most people, %SYSTEMROOT% is C:\Windows. For
others, it may be E:\WinXP. Get it? Okay, on with the hack! In the
INF folder, open sysoc.inf (but not before making a BACKUP copy
first). Before your eyes glaze over, look for the line containing
"msmsgs" in it. Near the end of that particular line, you'll
notice that the word "hide" is not so hidden. Go ahead and delete
"hide" (so that the flanking commas are left sitting next to one
another). Save the file and close it. Now, open the Add and Remove
Programs applet in the Control Panel. Click the Add / Remove
Windows Components icon. You should see "Windows Messenger" in
that list. Remove the checkmark from its box, and you should be
set. NOTE: there are other hidden system components in that
sysoc.inf file, too. Remove "hide" and the subsequent programs at
your own risk.

Enable and Configure the Fax Service in XP
 http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q306/5/50.ASP
"This step-by-step article describes how to enable and configure
the Fax service in Microsoft Windows XP. The Fax service provides
complete faxing capability from within Windows XP including the
sending, receiving, tracking, and monitoring of faxes. Fax is not
installed by default during Windows Setup. You can start the Fax
Configuration Wizard from within the Fax Console window. In
Control Panel, click Add or Remove Programs under Pick a category
to open the Add or Remove Programs dialog box. Click Add/Remove
Windows Components to start the Windows Components Wizard starts.
In the Components list, click to select the Fax Services check
box, and then click Next. Setup installs the Fax services. If
prompted, insert the Microsoft Windows XP compact disc, and then
click OK."

EASY MAIL ADDRESS IN MS WORD.  Linda Johnson, a MS Word
whiz who writes for the Newbie Club and whose tips can be found at
http://newbieclub.com/officetips/?buntah , offers a neat way 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.

QUICK WORD OPEN.  Microsoft Word 97 and 2000 displays the most
recent documents you've worked on with a simple click on File.  You can
then select the desired file by clicking on it and opening it.  OK, you knew that.
Did you know that you can increase the number of displayed files, to a
maximum of 9, by clicking on Tools|Options and the General tab and changing
the number in the "Recently used file list."  An expanded list will not be
immediate but will grow as you use Word.  Having done all that, the neatest
trick is to press Alt + F, and then the file number and it will immediately
open.
 

EDUCATIONAL IN GREEN

Geography Network
 http://www.geographynetwork.com/
{Where on Earth am I?} The Geography network provides geographic
information via the Internet. What does that have to do with you
and me? Well, it just means that we can access their database and
find just about any map we'd like - any time we'd like. You could
even share 'em with your friends and family. They provide content
for places like National Geographic and The World Wildlife Fund,
too. "[The Geography Network] provides the infrastructure needed
to enable the sharing of geographic information between data
providers, service providers, and users around the world."

Powers Of Ten
 http://www.powersof10.com/
{The universe is big} Space. Time. The Universe. Why am I. Talking
Like. Captain Kirk? I don't know, but this is one awesome site,
let me tell ya. Please let me tell ya? Okay, well... it's based on
a film that was made in the late 70s. They explain it pretty well:
"Our purpose is to take a fresh look at the universe and our place
within it, to renew our awareness of the interconnectedness of all
things and to share the film's inspiration to see all things from
their next largest and next smallest perspective." In other words,
it's a site about perspective. How old is the universe? How can we
relate to that? Sites like this one can really blow your mind.

WinSCP v2.0 [558k] W9x/2k/XP        FREE
 http://winscp.vse.cz/download/WinSCP2.exe
 http://winscp.vse.cz/
{Make a safer copy} If you're working in a networked environment
and tend to shuffle files around from one remote computer to the
next, you may want to take a quick look at what this tool has to
offer. Ya see, it will make sure that the files are copied and
moved safely from one computer to another. WinSCP also lets you
manage your files and folders: rename them, change their
attributes, and create new directories. "One of two selectable
program interfaces (based on Norton Commander) allows the user to
manage files even on local computer."

ID3-TagIT v2.1.0 [4.0] W9x/2k/XP FREE
 http://www.id3-tagit.de/download/ID3-TagIT-Setup.exe
 http://www.id3-tagit.de/
{Edit those tags} ID3 tags are those little bits of information
that come attached to MP3s. Ya know, data like artist, song,
genre, year, etc. If you've got a ton of tunes on your system (and
I know a few of you do) 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. You can change one
song at a time, or edit multiple files all at once. You can also
play your MP3s with it.

GradientDesk vR1 [179k] W9x/2k/XP FREE
 ftp://195.60.111.53/amok-files/files/amex/am-gradesk-r1_sw.zip
 http://www.amok.am/
{Keep a colorful desktop} Here's the problem: your fancy wallpaper
is sucking up too much video memory, but you don't want some
boring solid color background. GradientDesk just may be the middle
ground you're looking for. Rather than one color, you'll have a
vertical or horizontal color gradient. Now you've got an
aesthetically pleasing desktop image and your system's resources
are happy, too. It comes with several presets; you can change your
background as often as you'd like. There's also a button for
turning it off completely. But, I suppose that defeats the purpose
now, doesn't it?

MySweetNix! v0.9.92 Beta [74k] W9x/2k/XP FREE
 http://www.aalaap.com/software/download/msnixinstaller.exe
 http://www.aalaap.com/software/whatsoftware.htm
{What's my name, again?} Some call me "The Gnome." Others call me
"The Lockergnome." Then there are those few people who insist on
calling me "Chris." I could go on with this list of nicknames, but
some of them aren't appropriate for younger geeks. You probably
have a few nicknames, yourself. This thing, which serves no
practical purpose, will change your MSN / Windows Messenger name
instantly (as often as you'd like). Therefore, one minute you're
plain ol' Bob and the next minute you're "Thor the Conqueror." You
can also add text effects to really make yourself stand out.

 Fireck32 v1.0 [1.4M] W9x/2k/XP FREE
 http://www.burgoyne.com/pages/sbfisher/Fireck32.zip
 http://www.scottfisher.freeservers.com/
"Thanks for visiting my web site. You'll find some information
about me, about Fireck32 a freeware software program I wrote as
well as some useful links. The Fireck32 utility was designed so
that you can control X10's Firecracker module under Windows from
either a DOS prompt or a shortcut. I wanted to be able to do some
basic scheduling of lights and appliances with the Firecracker but
did not want to pay the extra money for the elaborate software
that X10 sells since I really only need basic functionality. I
don't like elaborate software packages that include their own
scheduling utilities sucking up resources in the background since
Windows comes with its own scheduler, anyway. Thus Fireck32 was
born."

 Palette Man (Usefull 4 webdev)
 http://www.paletteman.com/
{Pick any color} Palette Man, Palette Man - doing the things a
palette can. Just as a painter needs a palette to see how colors
look together before he applies them to his canvas, a Web designer
needs something to test his colors as well. This "man" can help.
You'll quickly know how well that color scheme will work before
you spend all that time and energy on designing your site. "If
you've specified your own fonts to be displayed in your browser,
this page will look pretty funky. Turn off user-defined fonts for
a pretty presentation."

ShellON v1.0 [732k] W9x/2k/XP FREE
 http://www.dx13.co.uk/dx/files/shellonv2.exe
 http://www.dx13.co.uk/dx/shellon.htm
"Well, the main event. What doesn't ShellON do? Well it won't make
you a cup of coffee (sorry), but it will enable you to try out
loads of different Windows interfaces in the time you could
otherwise spent making some of the precious black stuff. Define as
many different shells as you want to choose between; have ShellON
load a default shell at start up or let you choose a shell when
you boot up; a completely safe way to change you shell; easy to
add and delete shells; timer to load a shell automatically when
you are away from your PC. Define a shell to load for everyone who
uses your PC; choose a default shell to load if ShellON doesn't
recognize a user name; define LoginScripts for each user - load
programs, copy files and more when you login. Change your
wallpaper on startup, in a random order or sequentially; import
and export your wallpaper lists; apply your wallpapers as and when
you want them. Easily change your boot screens; organize screens
into sets for quick access and changing; backs up your original
screens, in case you want them back."

Zuadobank  FREE PICS AND IMAGES
 http://zuadobank.com/
Remember when you used to make collages as
a kid? You wouldn't cut up your brand new copy of Sesame Street
Magazine, would you? No, you'd find old copies of Redbook and chop
those periodicals to pieces. Years later, you're now online - but
you can still find a ton of "useless" pictures right here on this
site. Use them as backgrounds, cut 'em up, turn 'em upside down.
Whatever. They're all here and they're all free. Go ahead, take a
few. "Like I said, the intention is having images good enough to
use on layouts - not your mother's layouts, but rather more
abstract layouts."
 

Getting your machine connected to a network (or the Internet) can
be a chore. Windows XP has improved the task tenfold, as roamers
will tell you. They have to connect to different networks
throughout the day. At work, it's one environment. At home, most
likely, is another. And on the road? Well, you can see how this
can quickly become a source of frustration. Windows XP will
reconfigure your network settings on-the-fly, but what if you
don't have (or want) Windows XP? Then set up a different profile
for each location. You've probably seen this feature before, but
never really thought of using it. Configure your machine for one
type of network, then save its profile by tapping WINKEY+Pause and
flipping to the Hardware or Hardware Profiles tab. Go ahead and
save the profile. Call it "Work Configuration" (or something along
those lines) if you're setting it up for when you're on the job.
Follow the same steps for other locations, and when you reboot,
you'll be faced with a range of profiles - each configured for
that particular network. Depending on where you're booting from,
select the appropriate profile.

 Microsoft Word,
I've seen far too many people close documents before they
open new ones. "Uh, you don't have to do that." You also don't
have to be a slave to Word's Recent Documents menu. If you want to
save more than four at a time, you can bump the maximum to nine -
 or turn off the feature entirely. Click Tools | Options |
General, then edit the "Recently used file list" field. And let's
say you have a document that you need to access to at any given
time. Use the Work menu. The what? First, you need to add it to
your toolbar. In the menu, click Tools | Customize | Command |
Built-in Menus. From the right-hand pane, drag & drop "Work"
somewhere onto your menu. Go ahead and Close the dialog to return
to Word's main window. Now, open one of your favorite documents,
click the newly-created Work menu, and select the "Add to Work
Menu" option. Essentially, this is a "Favorites" feature for Word
that very few people know about.
 

Remember when you thought you were secure when you used the
Windows Screen Saver password feature? Gone are those days, my
friend. A quick reboot is really all it takes to get around that
thing. Plus, anybody can delete PWL files from the DOS prompt. Is
Windows XP better? Undoubtedly. You lock the workstation by doing
a three-finger salute (CTRL+ALT+DEL) in Windows 2000 and NT. When
the same keyboard combo is used in XP, you'll get the powerful
Task Manager. Now, WINKEY+L will keep people from seeing what they
shouldn't be seeing. I hope you didn't forget your password,
though. Unlike older versions of Windows, you can't escape out of
this dialog without knowing the magic word. Of course, you could
also switch users at this point, provided you've set them up on
the same machine. If you can't stand XP's cutesy Welcome screen,
you can turn it off in the User Accounts Control Panel Applet.
Sure, just "Change the way users log on or off." Ah, this thing's
looking more and more like Windows 2000 every day.

Hotmail isn't very friendly with the links we send along with
Lockergnome issues. I discovered that the solution is simple. If
you're having 'this cannot be displayed' problems, all you have to
do is tap F5 to refresh the page. This, according to several
Gnomies, will allow you to view an 'external' link through Hotmail
without a hitch. Did you know that you could import your Outlook
address book into Hotmail, too? Sure! Fire up the MSN Explorer -
 which comes with Windows XP, by the way - and click the E-mail
button in the toolbar. Click the "More" button on the right side
of your screen and select the "E-mail Settings" option. Now, click
the "Import Address Book" link. If it's the first time you've ever
used the MSN Explorer, it may prompt you to import your data
automatically. Nice!

Passwords are a double-edged sword. Forget yours, and you could be
up a polluted tributary without proper means of propulsion. Think
about that one for a second. Then, make a backdoor for Windows XP.
The Password Reset Wizard can be found by clicking Start | Control
Panel | User Accounts. Select your account name, then under
Related Tasks, click the "Prevent a forgotten password" option.
The wizard will guide you through the rest of the way. That's his
job, after all. It's your job not to forget your password, but
since you're human, we all know it could happen one day. Make
another one for good measure and store the disks in a very safe
place (away from heat, moisture, magnetic fields, and your kid).
Hey, don't close the User Accounts applet quite yet! While you're
there, you can also change your picture. Ya know, something tells
me that a toy frog, rubber duckie, and soccer ball don't represent
your personality as much as something else does. Click "Change my
picture" then "Browse for more pictures." Windows will be smart
enough to resize whatever you pick. Awww, isn't that nice?

IPTCExt v1.0 [315k]   NT/2k/XP    FREE
 http://photothumb.com/iptcext/aiptcext.zip
 http://photothumb.com/iptcext/
{Instant image info} My pet turtle is getting big. I may have to
get him a shell extension. Speaking of shell extensions, why not
give this one a whirl (if you happen to be running NT, 2000, or
XP, that is). 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. "Although IPTCExt has been tested with
image files from many different sources, it is recommended that
you first back up your important files before adding IPTC
information."

 FireDaemon v0.09c [415k] NT/2k FREE
 http://www.firedaemon.com/downloads/fd009c-fdui10R3.exe
 http://www.firedaemon.com/
"FireDaemon is a utility that allows you to install and run
virtually any application as a Windows NT/2K service. FireDaemon
features easy configuration, a low memory / CPU overhead, sub-
process prioritization and CPU binding and scheduling plus
monitoring and logging to the NT/2K event log. FireDaemon runs on
both Microsoft Windows NT v4.0 SP4+ (Workstation / Server) or
Windows 2000 SP1+ (Professional / Server / Advanced Server). Look
out for v0.10b for NT/2K/XP in the near future. Despite FireDaemon
being a free utility, it is a copyrighted software product and
redistribution without our prior consent is prohibited."
 
 
 

EDUCATIONAL

Stanford Prison Experiment
 http://www.prisonexp.org/
In 1971, some students at Stanford
University conducted a now-infamous psychological experiment. They
hired college students and paid them fifteen bucks a day to act as
either prisoners or guards in a "prison" constructed inside the
basement of Stanford's Psychology Department. The experiment was
created to answer many different questions, but the main goal was
to see how prison life affected the people involved. This site's
slide show presentation covers all the bases of this contrived
situation where individuals actually became the roles they were
playing. It's kinda scary if you think about it.
THIS CAN BE USED AS A GREAT TEACHING TOOL - m

How the Net works
 http://www.scotfinnie.com/20quests/hownet.htm
For anyone who wonders about these things,
we've prepared 20 questions and 20 corresponding answers to help
you sort through the basics. Like many complex systems, the
Internet is easiest to explain through the use of metaphors

National Flag Foundation
 http://www.americanflags.org/

HistoryWired  (maybe IE only)
 http://historywired.si.edu/
 National Museum of American History

TOOLS
ClickOff v1.55 [307k] W9x/2k/XP *FREE*
 http://www.johanneshuebner.com/download/clickoff.exe
 http://www.johanneshuebner.com/en/clickoff.html
Closes those annoying "Are You Sure?" prompts.
 

 Startup Delayer v1.0.32 [740k] W9x/2k/XP *FREE*
 http://r2.com.au/downloads/files/startdelay.exe
 http://r2.com.au/downloads/index.html?cat=4
designate a specific starting time for each program

**Fotki** http://www.fotki.com/ *FREE*
free online photo albums with unlimited storage.

Corretif Explorer v1.00 [1.1M] W9x FREE
 http://sebmaurice.free.fr/Correctif_Explorer.exe
 http://www.atsofttop.com/softdesc.asp?LinkID=10391
When Explorer crashs your "startup" programs are no longer
accessiblefrom the su\ystem tray. To fix  restart Windows.
That's fine if nothing  from those inaccessible apps needs to be
saved. Using this program, you can simply click "Repair"
and have everything return to normal without having to reboot.

IconXTractor v2.106 [2.0M] W9x/2k/XP *FREE*
 http://people.freenet.de/zsoft/IconXTractor.exe
 http://www.zsoftware.de/iconxtractor_e.htm
{Use your icons} This tool extracts icons, which you probably
figured out just by looking at its name. Think of it as a crowbar
that'll pry those pictures out of files with EXE, DLL, CPL, ICL,
CUR, BMP, or SCR extensions. Now, you can use those icons for
other images, programs, or shortcuts (if you so desire). The
interface is self-explanatory; just click on a folder and the
icons will appear. You can then choose to save them as cursors /
icons or a BMP / JPG image. "Scanning through the entire hard disk
is also supported."

7-Zip v2.30 [698k] W9x/2k/XP *FREE*
 http://www.7-zip.org/dl/7z230b5.exe
 http://www.7-zip.com/
"7-Zip is a file archiver with highest compression ratio. The main
features of 7-Zip are the following: support for ZIP, CAB, RAR,
GZIP, BZIP2, TAR, and 7z; For ZIP and GZIP formats, 7-Zip provides
a compression ratio that is 2-10% better than the ratio provided
by any other ZIP-compatible compression tools, like PKZip or
WinZip; highest compression ratio in new 7z format; self-
extracting capability for 7z format; integration with Windows
Shell; plugin for FAR Manager; powerful command line version. 7-
Zip is a free software distributed under the GNU Lesser General
Public License. If you want to support development of 7-Zip,
please Register it by paying a small fee."

Windows Script 5.6 [715k] W9x/2k *FREE*
 http://msdn.microsoft.com/scripting/
"Windows Script is a comprehensive scripting infrastructure for
the Microsoft Windows platform. Windows Script provides script
engines, Visual Basic Scripting Edition and Microsoft JScript,
which can embedded into Windows Applications and an extensive
array of supporting technologies that make it easier for script
users to script Windows applications. Microsoft JScript 5.6,
VBScript 5.6 and Windows Script Host 5.6 is now available for
download. This release of Windows Script includes improvements to
the Windows Script Host object model, command line enhancements,
extended support for spawned processes and improved argument
handling."

A Responsible Software Company (Rave)
 http://www.jungle-monkey.com/
Usually someone uses the Soapbox to complain about something.
Today, I want to praise a software company for their outstanding
business practices and consumer support. Jungle Monkey is the firm
and Chris is the person who reacted quickly and effectively. Their
software doesn't cost much, only US$7.00 - but bigger and more
expensive software companies would do well to emulate their
practices.
I downloaded a demo copy of Thumb Print, a batch graphics resizing
program; after using it for a while, I decided to buy it. I
quickly decided this would be the resizing program for me because
of its performance.

New Order
 http://neworder.box.sk/
{Don't get hacked} Staying secure is important while you're
online. If you think your Web site is safe - you'd better think
again. Hackers aren't content to try the same tricks over and
over. They learn new techniques, and they evolve as the technology
evolves. This online forum is a place where experts in the field can
help you avoid getting hacked, while also keeping you informed
about security holes that might compromise your site. "Almost 80
per cent of .com websites could be compromised by hackers." The
best defense is a good offense.

ANTS v2.0 [1.2M] W9x/2k/XP *FREE*
 ftp://ftp.zdnet.com/pcpro/download/swlib/utl/utlscu/setup_ANTS.exe
 http://www.ants-online.de/{Scan for trojans} guards ports
 lets you monitor connection and application activity on
. : the binary is in German, functionality is straightforward.

 Open Office v638c [48.0M] W9x/2k/XP *FREE*
 http://anoncvs.openoffice.org/download/install638C_win32intel.zip
 http://www.openoffice.org/   it's compatible with Microsoft docs!
If they'll continue to develop and improve the interface,  this could
easily become the next valid "office" software competitor.

N-Gen Design Machine v0.98d [2.9M] W9x/2k/XP *FREE*
 http://www.n-generate.com/n_gen/downloadfiles/n_gen.zip
 http://www.n-generate.com/
{Generate killer designs}This  virtual machine was created by
graphic designers - with non-creative people in mind. They've
provided the layouts - you provide the text. If you want, you can
download other modules from their Web site.

 X-Fonter v3.00 [505k] W9x/2k/XP *FREE*
 http://users.pandora.be/eclypse/downloads/X-Fonter-setup.exe
 http://users.pandora.be/eclypse/
{Font managing tool} You got fonts, I got fonts, we all got fonts.
This manage will help you manager them. It's a font viewer, true -
 but it's also an organizer. Let's say you never use Calisto MT.
Why not uninstall it, then? It's just taking up precious memory.
You can even install new fonts via X-Fonter. All you have to do is
click. View the characters in each of your fonts without breaking
a sweat. Using a split window, you can also compare two fonts with
one another. "[This] also allows you to make nice 3D Graphics that
you can use for your Web pages, e-mails, and much more."

 PPP over Ethernet Protocol v0.96 [200k] W9x/2k/XP FREE
 http://user.cs.tu-berlin.de/~normanb/RASPPPOE_096.ZIP
 http://user.cs.tu-berlin.de/~normanb/
"This is a PPP over Ethernet (short: PPPoE) implementation for
Windows. PPPoE as a method for establishing PPP connections
through Ethernet adapters is described in RFC 2516 and is used by
many broadband service providers to allow authentication and
maintain the familiar 'dial-up experience' when connecting to the
Internet through a broadband modem. Note, however, that not all
broadband service provider

 Remove and Reinstall Dial-Up Networking and TCP/IP Files
 http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q181/5/99.ASP
article do NOT apply to Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Me)
These steps may be necessary under the following conditions:
unable to connect to a remote computer, remote network, or the
Internet using TCP/IP bound to a dial-up adapter;  you have verified
the accuracy of your TCP/IP settings; that your modem is workin right.
Also, if the Rna.inf file is not re- extracted correctly, the option to
reinstall DUN is not in Win Setup.So, you must re-extract the Rna.inf
file to the INF folder."

Mame.dk    http://www.mame.dk/
Remember those old coin-ops the arcade? To run these games
(contained in the ROM files), you'll need the MAME emulator. It
can be downloaded from this site, too. Most of you will need the
win32 binary.

Another way to get around those "no right click"
Web pages. "I was recently re-reading back issues and noticed a
GnomeTIP on ways to get around scripts (at the time, the
suggestion was to hit CTRL+N to open a new window, or to use File
| Properties). Well, as I recently discovered, there is an even
easier way. This was only tested in IE; it should work on any Web
page. First, left-click and hold. While doing so, right-click.
This seems to confuse the browser; yet, up pops your default
context menu! You can do anything you normally do - including view
the page's source or save an image."
 

TOOLS FOR SPECIFIC APPS
 Microsoft Word
Put the cursor inside a  paragraphs and  Press ALT + SHIFT
+ the left or right arrow key. Weird, huh? It seems to keep the
font face intact - while changing its size and toggling the bold
and italic attributes. Go ahead, keep tapping the combo. It seems
to cycle through various shapes and sizes, but I can't seem to
find a logic to their progression. I suppose you could use this
feature if you wanted a quick way to change the formatting of a
particular paragraph. Unfortunately, you can't use this specific
trick on a single word or sentence.

 Microsoft Word
Select that paragraph again by
triple-clicking it, then with your right mouse button, drag & drop
it elsewhere in the document. You'll see five options pop up: Copy
Here, Move Here, Link Here, Create Hyperlink Here, or Cancel. If
you had used the left mouse button, Word would have moved the
section without asking you what you wanted to do with it.

Calendar Math Excel Add-In v1.0 [151k] W9x/2k/XP FREE
 http://www.couprie.f2s.com/calmath/download/calmath.zip
 http://www.couprie.f2s.com/calmath/
the Gregorian calendar.the Persian calendar etc etc

Excel or PowerPoint Document Can Bypass Macro Security
 http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS01-050.asp
"Excel and PowerPoint have a macro security framework that
controls the execution of macros and prevents macros from running
automatically. Under this framework, any time a user opens a
document the document is scanned for the presence of macros. If a
document contains macros, the user is notified and asked if he
wants to run the macros or the macros are disabled entirely,
depending on the security setting. A flaw exists in the way macros
are detected that can allow a malicious user to bypass macro
checking. A malicious attacker could attempt to exploit this
vulnerability by crafting a specially formed Excel or PowerPoint
document with macro code that would run automatically when the
user opened it. The attacker could carry out this attack by
hosting the malicious file on a web site, a file share, or by
sending it through email."
 

Windows XP Home Edition Upgrade Center
 http://microsoft.com/WINDOWSXP/home/howtobuy/upgrading/
"Find out for yourself how Windows XP Home Edition gives you the
freedom to experience more than you ever thought possible with
your computer and the Internet. Simply follow the steps below to
make sure your machine will be ready to upgrade to Windows XP Home
Edition when it becomes available. The Upgrade Advisor is a tool
that checks your system hardware and software to see if it is
ready for upgrade to Windows XP. If you run Upgrade Advisor while
you are connected to the Internet, and if your system needs
updates that are available on the Windows Update Web site, Upgrade
Advisor will find and install the updates for you."

Outlook 2002 / 2000 Add-in: Personal Folders Backup
 http://office.microsoft.com/downloads/2002/pfbackup.aspx
"Backing up your Microsoft Outlook information is quicker and
easier with the Personal Folders Backup feature. Personal Folders
Backup creates backup copies of your .PST files at regular
intervals, making it easy to keep all of your Outlook folders
safely backed up. With Personal Folders Backup, you can choose
which of your .PST files you wish to back up, and how often you
wish to back them up. Each .PST file contains all of your Outlook
folders, including the Inbox, Calendar, and Contacts. You can have
a single .PST file (usually called 'Internet Folders' or 'Personal
Folders' in your Folder List), but you might also have an
additional .PST file that you use for archiving ('Archiving
Folders'). Personal Folders Backup lets you back up any or all of
these .PST files."

Windows 2000 or XP
Miraplacid Contact Driver v1.0 [436k] 2k/XP FREE
 http://www.miraplacid.com/downloads/mcd2k.zip
 http://www.miraplacid.com/freeware/mcdgi.shtml
{Fastidious e-mail finder} For those of you running Windows 2000
or XP, this driver will scan through any document, find e-mail
addresses, and automatically launch your e-mail client with the e-
mail(s) in the "To" field. Hunting for correct, complete contact
information is a thing of the past - let Miraplacid do it for you.
It also works as a standard printer driver. "This tool can help
you contact people and organizations if you have electronic
documents with contact information. Miraplacid Contact Driver
doesn't actually print documents to any physical device or media."
 
 

Parmen  3D chess v1.0 [590k] W9x FREE
 http://www.hemptrek.com/ParmenSetup.exe
 http://www.stengineer.com/software/software.cgi?detail=Parmen

Intel Application Accelerator
 http://support.intel.com/support/chipsets/iaa/
"The Intel Application Accelerator reduces the storage sub-system
bottleneck, enabling the processor and other system level hardware
to be to be more productive and efficient. It is not a requirement
for your operating system to work properly. It is important to
install the Intel(r) Chipset Software Installation Utility prior
to installing the Intel(r) Application Accelerator so that the
Intel chipset is properly recognized by the operating system. If
you do not install the Intel Chipset Software Installation
Utility, the Intel Application Accelerator may not work on your
system."

WINDOWS KEYBOARD ENHANCER.  free
at http://www.copernic.com/winkey/ to power up that little-used
Windows key.  With this shell extension you can create shortcuts and
instantly start favorite applications, folders, and Web pages.  This
application requires a Windows compliant keyboard, supports about 200
key combinations, and works with Windows 95/98/NT/2000/ME.

* Free * Microsoft Office Substitute (Software)
 http://www.software602.com/
This is definitely a program suite that you must check out. In a
nutshell, the 602Pro PC Suite 2000 can provide budget-conscious
people with a low-cost solution to document creation. How low? How
does zero sound? I'm amazed that this company gives it away. Why
spend $200 (or more) for Microsoft Office, when you can do the
same things with this thing. Granted, some add-on features - such
as the Print Pack and the Plus Pack - will cost something, but if
you don't need them (and you probably won't), then you don't have
to buy them. Even if you did, they cost far less than if you
bought the... alternative. The 602Pro Suite includes a Word
Processor, Spreadsheet, Photo Editor, and WordArt program, with
possibly more that I haven't gotten around to test. This fourteen-
megabyte package is well worth the time it takes to download. Did
I mention that it's compatible with Word and Excel documents? What
are you doing still reading this? Download it and judge for
yourself. Definitely a site that's ready to be Gnomed!

Clip Strip   - Avoid extraordinary formats, converting
them into plain text! [FREEWARE]
http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Reviews/r100.html

Handy Backup  - Make backups of your files
automatically! [FREEWARE]
http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Reviews/r103.html

My Mouse  - Click for fun! [FREEWARE]
http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Reviews/r109.html

Fresh Download - [FREEWARE]
Download: http://www.freshdevices.com/files/freshdow.exe [925 KB]
Info and screenshot: http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Reviews/r99.html
Homepage: http://www.freshdevices.com/

 AudioSwitcher v1.00 [166k] W9x/2k FREE
 http://www.treehousetechnologies.com/downloads/audioswitcher100.zip
 http://www.treehousetechnologies.com/products.php?detail=2
{Flip-flop sound inputs} Hey, another new audio tool. So, what
exactly does this "Audio Switcher" do? It switches... audio. More
precisely: it lets you switch the recording input device for your
soundcard at two different times during the day. Set the audio
sources and then tell it when you'd like them to switch. "Your
sound card must support 'mutable' inputs as opposed to
'selectable' inputs." You've got to hear it to believe it.
Assuming you're someone who uses the PC to record audio
frequently, this will prove itself to be an indispensable utility.

 Adding-Machine v1.2 [653k] W9x/2k FREE
 http://www.easysoftwareuk.com/Download/AddingMachineDL.htm
 http://www.easysoftwareuk.com/addit.htm
{Add up the columns}  Here's a vertical calculator
that was programmed especially to help you add numbers in a
column. Now, instead of entries disappearing when you click the
plus key, all of your numbers will stay put (so you can see what's
going on and make sure you didn't miss anything). You can also
print the output if you wish.

 FillCD v2.0 [1.0M] W9x/2k FREE
 http://www.fillcd.com/files/FillCD20b.exe
{Use the whole media} If you're copying files from your computer
to a CD-R, I suppose you could just keep adding 'em until the CD
can't take anymore. Or, you could put that ol' brain to rest and
try this program. It'll take a list of files and tell you which
ones will fit snuggly onto your CD. This will ensure that you take
full advantage of the CD's capacity. Your settings will be saved
for the next burning session, too. "Just specify the size to use
and how close to 100% you want to fill [the CD]." Have you had
your fill?

AmiNews v1.0 [357k] W9x/2k/XP FREE
 http://www.e-integro.com/aminews/Setup.exe
 http://www.e-integro.com/aminews/
{Get the news you want} There has always been a wealth of info
available online, but the Internet is literally flooded with news
sources. Luckily, someone has developed a nice tiny ticker that
can be configured to your liking. Ya know, so now all you'll see
is the news you want to read. Headlines scroll by slowly; all you
have to do is double-click one when you see a story that looks
interesting.

Flag3D Screen Saver v1.2 [263k] W9x/2k/XP FREE
 http://www.improbable.ukgateway.net/flag3d/flag3d12.zip
 http://www.improbable.ukgateway.net/flag3d/flag3d.htm
{Flag waving saver}

WorldFlash GOLD v1.0 [990k] W9x/2k/XP FREE
 http://www.worldflash.com/WorldFlash_Installer.exe
 http://www.worldflash.com/download.html
{Desktop news ticker}

 Jerboa v0.8.0 [774k] W9x FREE
 http://www.saunalahti.fi/~mips/jerboa/jerboa080.zip
 http://www.saunalahti.fi/~mips/jerboa/
{Let your mouse work for you}
you can open any prog by right-click and drawing a symbol
with your mouse. For example, you could have Notepad open whenever
you draw the letter "N" with your pointer. And if that's not nifty
enough, you can also send keyboard commands via this process.

Pinpost v0.9.1 [566k] W9x/2k/XP FREE
 http://www.pinpost.com/download/pinpost.install98.exe
 http://www.pinpost.com/
{Share and sell}This network has products and
services divided into 4,000 different categories. Find that
peripheral you've been searching for (or a roommate with whom you
can split the rent). The client also features instant messaging
and discussion groups. I'm sure you've been wanting to get rid of
that old laptop for quite some time;

MailWasher v1.17 [1.5M] W9x/2k FREE
 http://home.xtra.co.nz/hosts/nickbolton/download/mailwasher.exe
 http://www.mailwasher.net/
{Squeaky clean e-mail} you can bounce messages back to
junkmailers, making them believe your perfectly-valid e-mail
address isn't so valid. It's so easy to use that you
won't feel like you have to learn a whole new program."
 

Link Logger v1.3.0.284 [10M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.linklogger.com/Software/Others/LinkLogger.exe
 http://www.linklogger.com/Software/2000sp1/LinkLogger.exe
 http://www.linklogger.com/
"Link Logger is the premier Windows logging tool available for the
Linksys BEF family of Routers. Link Logger lets you know what is
happening at your router / firewall for both incoming and outgoing
traffic. You will see who is knocking and what they are knocking
with. Link Logger features alerts for suspicious traffic both
coming into your network and leaving. You can even custom
configure alarms to let you know the instant that traffic occurs
to/from some IP address, or via some port. Link Logger can even
email notification of alerts and alarms so you can monitor remote
systems. Now that Link Logger supports playing of user selectable
wav files you can hear when alerts occur or alarms. Link Logger
puts you in control, with all the information you need to watch
over your network."

 <> UXN Spam Combat
 http://combat.uxn.com/
{Fight spammers}

Pingplotter v1.10 [424k] W9x/2k/XP FREE
 http://www.nessoft.com/pingplotter/
 http://www.pingplotter.com/downloads/pngplt_1.exe
 http://screenshot.lockergnome.com/pingplotter.png
{Easy data tracing}combines ping and traceroute to provide IP
addresses, DNS names, and a graphical representation of the
digital trace.

AutoRefresh v1.01 [27k] W9x/2k/XP FREE
 http://dqdb.hypermart.net/download/autorefresh.cgi
 http://dqdb.hypermart.net/softwares/autorefresh/
 http://screenshot.lockergnome.com/autorefresh.png
some sites you visit may not refresh automatically -
 which means you're looking at old stuff while the new stuff waits
in oblivion for someone to hit that darn button. This helpful app
will refresh those pages instantly, so you'll always know you're
viewing its latest revision

 Idex v3.05 [17.0M] W9x/2k/XP FREE
 http://194.164.209.22/idexworld/download/install/Idexinstall.exe
 http://194.164.209.22/idexworld/home/home.jsp
{Mange your files}  With Idex, you can
easily create a searchable database for all of your "digital
assets." Customizable thumbnail images will help you visually
distinguish each component. A Web address can also be assigned to
each file. "Use it to archive everything from digital photographs
to text documents, music files, or movies."

NecroCosm Software VARIOUS
 http://www.necrocosm.com/
NecroFile takes the partitions you select from a list and it
overwrites the clusters with mock data. This will push all deleted
programs off of the hard disk and into oblivion where it belongs.
Password Protection System will protect sensitive program files by
placing a password directly onto the file. AIM Ad Remover is a
patch for AOL Instant Messenger (Version 4.1.x and later) that
will remove the ads permanently from the AIM.

CalcPartner
 http://www.calcpartner.com/
{Manage your money}a Web resource with tons of financial
calculators to help me (and you) figure out what kind of car you
can afford, interest rates, inflation, withdrawals, and much more.

goBCL
 http://www.gobcl.com/
{Easy conversions} log on to this Web site, ask them to
convert the file to HTML, and stick that puppy up on the Internet.
Oh, and they'll even convert files to PDF format, too. What do you
have to do? nothing. cost? nothing.

Anti-Outlookers find that it can be a chore to register the
desired email client to handle mailto: links within Internet
Explorer. Should you find yourself in that particular predicament,
a smidge of registry work can help you out. Start by navigating
to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ Software \ Clients \ Mail. Create a key
for the e-mail application you're using. Next, you'll need to
create three more subkeys cascaded underneath of each other as
follows: Mail_Application_Name \ shell; Mail_Application_Name \
shell \ open; Mail_Application_Name \ shell \ open \ command.
Under the 'command' subkey, create a new String (REG_SZ) value and
name it (Default) - with the parentheses. The Data portion of the
value should be set to the full path of the executable file for
your e-mail application. In Internet Explorer click Tools |
Internet Options | Programs tab and check the list of Email
applications for your newly added entry. Select it as the default
and give it a whirl! Note that some e-mail applications won't
interpret the data sent over from IE; be aware that the process
may behave rather strangely with your client.

Whenever I need to know something about Outlook Express, I turn to
Tom Koch ( TOMSTERDAM.COM). Someone was asking me
about what they could do to keep spam from entering their Inbox.
Sure enough, our favorite OE MVP has published a tip which
involves setting up a rule in Outlook Express. Click Tools |
Message Rules | Mail. In the Conditions field, place checkmarks
next to "Where the From line contains people" and "Where the To
line contains people" (both of them). In the Actions field, place
a checkmark in the "Delete it from server" option. Then, in the
Rule Description field, click on the "contains people" option. In
the resulting dialog, enter the "@" symbol (sans quotes), click
the Add button, then before clicking OK, click the Options button
and select the "Message does not contain the people below" option.
Do the same for the second "contains people" Rule Description
hyperlink. Now, click on the "and" and select the "Messages match
any one of the criteria" option. Finally, name the new rule
whatever you wish. WARNING: this tip may throw babies out with the
bathwater. Apply with caution. For bonus points, do you know what
the Outlook Express executable (MSIMN.EXE) stands for? Microsoft
Internet Mail and News.

Most of us have reinstalled Windows a few times. In doing such,
we've had to reinstall programs, too. The binaries are relatively
simple to set up, but what about any information you may have
customized or created in previous installations? Better make sure
you grab that stuff before it's too late. MSN stores all your
Messenger contacts online (and now allows you to back up / restore
them locally). What about ICQ? Open up its folder and look for the
files with your UIN. For me, that'd be 144832.* (with the asterisk
being the wildcard, translating as any extension). Put these in
the same location on any other computer (or Windows installation).
Of course, we know that Outlook stores its stuff in a PST file,
and Outlook Express uses the DBX format. So, what else should be
copied on a regular basis? Any accompanying INI / CFG file. For
the most part, these can be found in the program's folder, though
some are kept in your Windows folder. Each may contain important
software registration information or customizations. When in
doubt, don't throw it out.
 

Compact Now
t's a good idea to hit that once in a while because as
you work within Outlook or NS  the Folders  tend
to grow in size, but has a lot of wasted space mixed in (due to
deleted items being removed). It's always a good idea to make a
copy of the file,

MS WORD
Enabling automatic journal entries is a great way to keep track of
how your time is spent without having to track it by hand.
Consultants can easily keep track of time spent on proposals,
writers are able to log time spent cranking out chapters or while
editing. This is all able to be done automatically by the Journal.
As soon as you open a Word document, the clock starts. When you
close the document, the timer stops. When you check your journal,
there will sit a tidy notation of the time elapsed. Another leap
forward is the ability for Outlook to serve as a pseudo contact
management application, associating specific contacts you want to
track with the Journal, logging phone calls, meeting requests, e-
mails, tasks, and any documents you've worked on for the contact.
Opening up this world of automatic info assimilation is easy.
Click Tools | Options | Journal Options. Now, simply check the
boxes for each item, application and contact you want recorded.
>From that moment on, the Journal will be diligently jotting down
all applicable movements. Outlook doesn't even need to be running
when working on documents in other Office applications. It all
happens behind the scenes.

What happens when you click on a link? You're usually
transported to another Web page. However, I've noticed that some
e-mail newsletters have now started tracking those clicks - and
associating them directly with your e-mail address. This is fine
if you asked for the service, but not so good if they're invading
your personal bubble. Hover over a link and check the status bar
before clicking on it. Spammers may be using this tactic to see if
your address is valid. And clicking isn't the only way they could
find out; the same holds true for any images that may load in the
process. Of course, loading ANY image from the Web may very well
yield the same result. Blame the marketers, folks.

Tweak   Win  XP
 http://www.tweakxp.com/
{Change is good} I must tweak, for it is the call of the geek. Ya
know, we like to take things apart and see how they work -- and if
we can, we like to make them work more to our liking. This site is
dedicated to working with the forthcoming Windows XP; it offers
all kinds of improvements and customizations, including:
interface, system performance, and Internet tweaks. My favorite
part of this site is the forums; you can learn a lot from other
people. Most of the tips can be mastered by darn near everyone,
but it's always a good idea to backup your system before playing
with it.

Internet Shortcuts in Outlook Express Do Not Start Web Browser
 http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q177/0/54.asp
"When you double-click an Internet shortcut in an Outlook Express
e-mail message, your Web browser may not start or connect to the
Web page. This behavior can occur for one of the following
reasons: 1) a short file name (standard 8.3 naming) is used for
the program name associated with Internet shortcuts; and 2)
Internet Explorer is not currently your default Internet browser,
and the browser that was formerly the default is no longer
installed."

A Program Compatibility Check List for Windows XP
 http://support.microsoft.com/directory/article.asp?ID=KB;EN-US;Q286575

Windows XP Readiness Test
 http://www.pcpitstop.com/xpready/
"Want to see if your computer is ready to run Windows XP? Take a
minute to run our tests.

XPreme Magazine     Windows XPv1.0 [881k] W9x/2k/XP FREE
 http://www.xpreme.com/xpreme.exe
 http://www.xpreme.com/download.htm
{All about Windows XP}

 AI RoboForm for Internet Explorerv3.9.89 [652k] W9x/2k FREE
 http://www.roboform.com/dist/AiRoboForm.exe
 http://screenshot.lockergnome.com/roboform.png
{Insert data instantly} this attaches to Internet Explorer
 
 
 

Windows Installer v2.0 Update
 http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?releaseid=32392
"The Microsoft Windows Installer is an installation and
configuration service that ships as part of the Microsoft Windows
2000 and Windows Millennium Edition (Windows Me) operating
systems, and is provided in a service pack to Windows 95, Windows
98, and Microsoft Windows NT version 4.0. The Windows Installer
service defines and manages a standard format for application
setup and installation, and tracks components such as groups of
files, registry entries, and shortcuts. Windows Installer is a
system-resident installation service that provides consistent
deployment, enabling administrators and users to manage shared
resources, customize installation processes, make decisions on
application usage, and resolve configuration problems."

dream.in.code
 http://www.dreamincode.net/
{Resource for developers} Okay, the site we're featuring today is
for Web developers, programmers, and graphic designers.
"The site offers tutorials, forums, articles, and news
regarding these industries."

FONTS. If you have the space on your hard drive and want to install
more fonts, you may find a wealth of them on the Windows98 CD. Install
them through DOS. If you're not familiar with DOS, you get there from
Win98 by clicking on Start|Run and entering "command" (without quotes)
in the window. Or, another way is Start|Programs|ms:dos prompt. At the
prompt, enter "cd\" (without quotes) to get to the root. Then you're
ready to enter the following line exactly, again without the quotes, and
assuming your CD is inserted in Drive E:
"extract /A/L C:\Coolfont E:\Win98\Base4.Cab *.ttf" .

TEOMA. Another search engine on the scene returns three categories
of search: Web pages, Web pages by topic, and Best-Expert Link. Give it
a try at http://www.teoma.com .

SEQUOIA VIEW. Using a visualization technique it calls "cushion
treemaps" SequoiaView at http://www.win.tue.nl/sequoiaview/ examines
your hard drive with a single picture and tells what directory is
taking up most of the space. This free application helps locate those
files you haven't accessed in a year and enables you to quickly
pinpoint the space hogs.
 

XDuplicator Beta v3.0 [251k] W9x FREE
 http://users.forthnet.gr/ath/axatis/XDuplicator/XDuplicator.zip
 http://users.forthnet.gr/ath/axatis/XDuplicator/
 http://screenshot.lockergnome.com/xduplicator.png
{Compact CD-R manager} Wanna burn some BIN files? What about a
CUE? Yes, of course you do. Here's a good GUI for CD-R (Disk-At-
Once enabled) drives which will enable you to record those
aforementioned formats, as well as copy CDs. You can read and
write in RAW mode, and CD-text writing is supported. The interface
is no-frills and your results should speak for themselves. Besides
recording music, XDuplicator can also be used to backup your
files. "There is minimal documentation and things may not work as
expected."

 HDD Temperature RC3 Beta [550k] W9x/2k FREE
 http://www.siguardian.com/hddt_beta.exe
 http://www.siguardian.com/products/hddtemperature/
"HDD Temperature is a very small and very simple program. It runs
in background; the current temperature of your hard drive is
displayed in the System Tray. Right-click on the temperature icon
to show the menu, left-click to launch the program's settings. It
now supports integration with Motherboard Monitor (MBM). There is
one limitation in multilingual support - your system locale must
be identical to the chosen language. Requirement: an IDE hard
drive. Maxtor drives don't work with it (as far as we know)."

EnditAll v1.0.0.33 [423k] W9x/NT FREE
 http://home.ptd.net/~don5408/apps/enditall/enditall.exe
 http://home.ptd.net/~don5408/toolbox/enditall/
 http://screenshot.lockergnome.com/enditall.png
{Shut down everything}  need a way to stop everything
give EnditAll a spin.  you might say. "Some things
like 'Explorer' and 'Systray' need to stay open."
it won't mess with 'em. Use it right before you defrag
 install new software, or burn a CD.

Sleepsmart v4.0 [1.0M] W9x FREE
 http://www.digitalminer.f2s.com/download/slpsmart.exe
 http://www.digitalminer.f2s.com/
"Sleepsmart is a program which allows you to customize Suspend
features. It can change the power scheme when any program is
running; this is very useful for users with TV tuner cards, DVD-
ROM drives, and for those who frequently watch VCD's or Audio
visualizations. It can disable the screen saver and scheduled
tasks. You can specify programs to close before entering into
suspend mode - and the ones to run when resuming from suspend
mode. Even more advanced options are present, such as playing a
sound file before entering and after resuming from standby."

CMenuExtender v1.2.1.0 [206k] W9x/2k FREE
 http://www.geocities.com/revenger_inc/cmext121.zip
 http://www.geocities.com/revenger_inc/cmext.html
 http://screenshot.lockergnome.com/cmenuextender.png
{Menus within context}  you can extend the right-click
(context) menu to include any number of commands and submenus.
You can sit icons next to your new entries for visual cues.

 VisualICE Report Utility v4.2 [1.6M] W9x/2k FREE
 http://www.visualizesoftware.com/VisualICE%20Setup.exe
 http://www.visualizesoftware.com/
 http://screenshot.lockergnome.com/visualice.png
{Trace the intruders} When it comes to detecting and cutting off
port attacks, BlackICE Defender comes in handy. What if you need
more information about those failed connections? Stop asking
questions and get some real answers through this amazing little
incoming traffic analyzer. You'll get a detailed overview of all
logged intrusions (with filter and search options). You can also
set it up to notify the proper authorities automatically. "And it
doesn't require any technical knowledge to get the job done." For
those who rely on ZoneAlarm, VisualZone is also available.

Free Networking Tools
 http://www.mentortech.com/learn/tools/tools.shtml
"Mentor Technologies is committed to offering total solutions IT
training. Part of that commitment is ongoing help after training.
Below are five Mentor Technologies programs that will help make
your life easier. Download at no charge: The Mentor Technologies
Subnet Calculator (use this tool to learn how to perform
subnetting calculations); TCP Portscanner; TCP throughput testing
tool; Access List Editor (ALE); and TFTPD (chestftpd). TTCP can be
used to test network TCP and UDP throughput; a separate use of
this tool is to create network pipes for transferring user data.
ALE can be used to easily modify and apply IP Access Lists on
Cisco routers; it can retrieve and store lists right from your
desktop, without you telnetting into the router and modifying the
lists."

 Mirage Desktop Hider v1.5 [1.6M] W9x/2k FREE
 http://www.vividmachines.com/downloads/mirage/Mirage.zip
 http://www.vividmachines.com/
 http://screenshot.lockergnome.com/miragedesktophider.png
{Cover up your icons} With a quick click & drag of your
cursor, you'll have created an invisible layer (underneath which
sits certain desktop elements). You can still view the icons'
contents through conventional means. Before, it was either all or
nothing.

Startup Delayer v1.0.32 [739k] W9x/2k FREE
 http://www.r2.com.au/downloads/files/startdelay.exe
 http://www.r2.com.au/
 http://screenshot.lockergnome.com/startupdelayer.png
{No program gridlock} How many programs start when you launch
What if you could say: "one at a time, please!" Well, you can...
 make those suckers load one at a time.

OrangeCD Player v4.10 [923k] W9x/2k FREE
 http://www.firetongue.com/orgcdfree.exe
 http://www.firetongue.com/
 http://screenshot.lockergnome.com/orangecd.png
{Quiet little player} Want CD info?  This player will access net and
instantly download it for you. You can also program this to play tracks
in a specific order. Lots of features

Absolute HTML Compressor
 http://www.serpik.com/ahc/
"[This] is an award-winning tool that optimizes HTML files. The
program doesn't corrupt most HTML files, unlike other optimizers.
Compressed documents are displayed in browsers unchanged; scripts
and preformatted text are preserved; you can compress individual
files or entire folders; backup files may be created; the program
supports command line mode; you can merge lines; remove
unnecessary whitespace characters; remove unnecessary quotation
marks; replace some tags with the short ones (STRIKE with S,
STRONG with B, and EM with I); remove HTML comments; remove meta
tags; and remove other extraneous tags."

Quick Hide Windows v1.0 [478k] W9x/2k FREE
 http://www.cronosoft.com/download/qhw/qhw_v1.0.zip
 http://www.cronosoft.com/download/qhw/
 http://screenshot.lockergnome.com/quickhidewindows.png
{Hide (or lock) icons and windows}

ra2wav v1.0 [113k] W9x/2k FREE
 http://www.southcom.com.au/~gwalker/download/ra2wav.ZIP
 http://www.southcom.com.au/~gwalker/download/ra2wav.htm
 http://screenshot.lockergnome.com/ra2wav.png
{Audio format conversion} The RealPlayer is an audio manager that
everyone uses -- but nobody likes. This charming will turn 'em intoWAVs
instantly. It can't handle .RAM or .RM (streaming audio) files,
unfortunately. "Simple, huh? Just remember to convert to the same
format as the original."

 Windows Online Crash Analysis
 http://oca.microsoft.com/welcome.asp
"Microsoft actively analyzes all error reports and prioritizes
them based on the number of customers affected by the Stop error
covered in the error report. We will try to determine the cause of
the Stop error you submit, categorize it according to the type of
issue encountered, and send you the initial results by e-mail
within 24 hours. You can check the status of your error report at
any time. However, because error reports do not always contain
enough information to positively identify the source of the issue,
we might need to collect a number of similar error reports from
other customers before a pattern is discovered, or follow up with
you further to gather additional information."

  HTTrack Website Copier v3.05 [1.7M] W9x/2k FREE
 http://www.httrack.com/cserv.php3?File=httrack.exe
 http://www.httrack.com/
 http://screenshot.lockergnome.com/httrack.png
{Browse sites offline} With this program, you can save an entire site
view it no matter where you are. All the links, images, and files
are saved to a directory, allowing you to click through them as if
you were doing it online. You can even select specific items to
download, as opposed to downloading everything from the source. Of
course, HTTrack can be used for other reasons, too. "

Feedback Chat v2.0 [390k] W9x/2k FREE
 http://www.mailingbuilder.com/download/feedbackchat.exe
 http://www.feedbackchat.com/
 http://screenshot.lockergnome.com/feedbackchat.png
{Chat with your visitors}a bit of JavaScript on
your Web site that will allow visitors to submit their feedback to
you in real-time. With the simple push of a button, someone can
either e-mail you (offline) or chat with you (online). And yes,
it's relatively easy to ban users (in case you ever have to put
the smack down on a stupid person).

VCDGear v2.0 [69k] W9x/2k FREE
 http://www.vcdgear.com/files/vcdgear16d_win32.zip
 http://www.vcdgear.com/
 http://screenshot.lockergnome.com/vcdgear.png
{VCD to MPEG encoding} You've got a movie (or two) in VCD format.
Jow do you make it available to the public? I suppose you could
show it to us one at a time, but maybe uploading it to the
Internet is a more scalable solution. Yeah, I think so. This
converter will turn your VCD file into an MPEG. Ala peanut butter
sandwiches! VCDGear will also extract MPEG files from CD images.
The built-in progress log is great for troubleshooting errors...
assuming the app doesn't fix them for you first. There's a non-GUI
version available for the totally geeky, too. If only they could
figure out a way to turn geeks into nerds. Ah, a boy can dream,
can't he?

 GraphTablet v3.0 [269k] W9x FREE
 http://members.home.net/michaeleve/GTSetup.zip
 http://members.home.net/michaeleve/graph.htm
 http://screenshot.lockergnome.com/graphtablet.png
{Tiny little squares} What do I remember from grade school? Graph
paper, that's what. We used it all the time. Of course, I always
used it for drawing robots and racecars (even though it was
designed with educational purposes in mind). Oh, and let's not
forget needlepoint. Why am I going on about graph paper? Because
this application will generate rectangular, polar, or semilog
layouts instantly. You can even change its colors and divisions.
When you've configured the chart to your liking, print it. NOTE:
doodling during math class is a serious misdemeanor. You can go to
prison for that, ya know?
 

XClip v1.0 [6k] W9x/2k FREE
 http://www.proxima.de/xclip.zip
 http://www.proxima.de/dnload_e.htm
{Paste with your mouse} Copying and pasting... man, what a time
saver. Really. I mean it. Why bother retyping something when a
quick cut and paste is all you need? Well, maybe it's not as quick
as it should be, what with having to constantly switch between the
keyboard and the mouse. Make your copying and pasting even easier
with XClip. CTRL + your mouse button will copy and SHIFT + your
mouse button will paste. If you're the type of person who doesn't
rely entirely on keyboard shortcuts (or the mouse) for operations,
now you can have the best of both worlds. Mouse button not
included.

FREE SuSE Linux v7.2 Eval CD
 http://www.try.suse.com/
"Easier than ever! The good results achieved in numerous tests
have motivated us to get even better. Thanks to its ease of use,
SuSE Linux 7.2 allows you to start working at once, in a
comfortable and secure way. This is our goal, both for newcomers
and Linux professionals. Desktop users will enjoy the graphical
interface's new features. The KDE 2.1.2 Konqueror has matured into
an all-round file management browser and now also supports
Netscape Communicator plug-ins including Flash, RealAudio and
RealVideo. This is in addition to JavaScript, Java, HTML 4.0, CSS-
1 and CCS-2 (cascading style sheets) as well as SSL (secure socket
layer for secure communication)."

Online Gaming
 http://www.ogcan.com/
{Online gaming stuff} Who could have imagined that video games
would have evolved into what they are today? They've become
quicker, aesthetically pleasing, and more violent (though I think
Frogger getting smooshed by a truck is pretty sick, too). The
Internet came along, and gaming leapt to a whole new level. OGCAN
features news and comments on all of the latest online gaming
developments. And Not just reviews; reports on what's happening
within the business are posted regularly. "Raw, hard opinions;
based on fact." Put down that gamepad for a second and surf over
here. I discovered the site when its owner popped his head into
the Lockergnome chat room.

Comparison of Linux Distributions
 http://www.distrowatch.com/
{Linux info page} Alternative operating systems are pretty cool.
What? Listen, this is a Windows newsletter -- not necessarily an
anti-Linux one. My expertise may lie with Microsoft's OSes, but I
know a good platform when I see one. The problem? There are tons
of distributions out there, which causes difficulty in determining
which one to use on your PC. Dangit. While I untie my tongue due
to this aching alliteration, let me tell you that this site is the
place to get the skinny on all of the Linux flavors. You'll get
links to Web sites, pricing information, and anything else you
need to know. Tux makes a better mascot than that... four-part
flag thing.
 
 

Outlook Express.  multiple identities. You can create a new one
for every person who accesses your system. This way, everybody's
Inbox (and mail account) will remain separate. Click File |
Identities | Add New Identity to get the ball rolling. The thing
to remember when using this feature is to "Exit and Log Off
Identity" after every session. Otherwise, the Identity Manager
won't prompt you the next time you launch Outlook Express.
Unfortunately, this isn't done when you close the program by
clicking the "X" button in the upper right-hand corner of the
window. In the "Manage Identities" dialog, you'd be smart to set
the default user as the person who accesses his / her account most
often on that computer.

WINAMP TWEAKS  (save sys resources)
 Steven Neil Groginsky has submitted more tips to
 than any other person on the planet. he's playing with WinAmp. By
default, the media player loads every plugin in the Plugin folder
(even though all of them are not needed). Each (obviously)
consumes system resources. "I created a sub-folder named 'Not in
Use' and moved the plugins that I'm not currently using into it.
WARNING: you have to make sure you know which filenames go with
which plugins. Luckily, most of them install a text file with the
same name. WinAmp may still load slowly, but at least I know I've
done the most I can do -- and saved some memory and resources in
the process." Along those WinAmp tweaking lines, how many skins do
you have? Instead of keeping each in a separate sub-folder, ZIP
them up to save disk space. Don't worry; WinAmp will unzip them
automatically when you want to use them. But that's not all!
Change the extension from ZIP to WSZ and you'll be able to apply
the skin automatically by double-clicking it!

I E Security
Wanna make sure  children aren't downloading anything
you didn't want them to download? Double-click the Internet
Options icon in the Control Panel, flip to the Security tab, press
the Custom Level button, scroll down to the Downloads section, and
select the "Disable" radio option.
here's another annoyance you can turn off. Some Web
sites enjoy automatically refreshing the current page (so they'll
get another banner impression out of you). A little further down
the list, you'll find the "Allow META REFRESH" option. Disable
that puppy (if you wish). And if you still don't feel like you've
done enough, why not disable the dragging & dropping and copying &
pasting of data, too? Yep, the option is sitting right there.
 
 

 Windows XP Performance Enhancements
 http://windowsxp.devx.com/articles/perfen/default.asp
The operating system keeps a log of which files are needed at
application start up and which data files are typically used (for
example, a certain spreadsheet that is regularly used when Excel
is booted). When the app is started, Windows XP looks at this list
of files and seeks all of them at once. In so doing, it can
consolidate disk seeks optimally and reduce head movement. So
rather than thrashing the disk, application launch process now
minimizes disk seeks. To enhance this process further, Windows XP
will moves the files around on your disk during lulls in computing
activity. For example, it will reposition all files used in
starting up your favorite browser and place them in contiguous
blocks on the disk."

http://www.email-directory.com next time you're trying to hunt down an
address.

SAVETHIS.  A useful organization device is SaveThis at
http://www.savethis.com .  After a free registration, you can drag a
"SaveThis" link to your browser toolbar.  Then a click on that link will
save links from any computer or Web-enabled wireless device to your private
account.  You can share single links, an entire folder of links, or group
folders with others, import browser bookmarks/favorites, create group
folders, import email addresses and address books, and so on, without
cluttering your hard drive or email inbox.  Similarly, you can place an
"Email This" button to save and share pages from any Web site visited.

SELECTIVE PRINTING.  Sometimes we want to print a selected passage
from a Web page, and that's easy with MS Internet Explorer.  Just
highlight the desired text, use CTRL + P, and in the Print window, click
on Selection from the Print Range selection, then OK.  The same
capability doesn't exist with Netscape Communcicator where the Selection
option is greyed out in the Print window.

SURNAME DISTRIBUTION.  http://hamrick.com/names/

MAILSHELL.  Create an unlimited number of unique email addresses and
Mailshell at http://www.mailshell.com will forward your mail to you,
protecting your true identity from spammers.

ALL OF THE SHORTCUTS, or so it seems, for Windows 98 are at
http://www.microsoft.com/TechNet/win98/Reskit/Part7/wrkappg.asp . You
will no doubt want to print this,

11.  ZIP CODE DISTANCE.  The Web has lots of ZIP Code lookups, but the
one at http://www.link-usa.com/zipcode/ is neat in that it provides the
distance between two ZIP codes.  Also, it has the usual ZIP code lookup
and will display all ZIP codes within a specified radius of a ZIP code.

12.  MODIFIED FILES AID IN SEARCH.  Someone inquired on the NNT Bulletin
Board how she could find a backup file that may store certain data for a
program in her system.  An astute response was to simply add something to
the program, and then search for all files modified on that day, thus
narrowing the search.  To do this, select your hard drive from the
Explorer window and right click to Find.  Click the Date tab in the Find
window for Win 98 or the "Date modified" tab in Win 95.  Select "Find
all files" and keep "Modified" as the option, then click on "during the
previous" and leave "1 day" as the default.

CloneSpy v1.2 [274k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.clonespy.de/english/download/cspy12.zip
 http://www.clonespy.de/english/
 http://screenshot.lockergnome.com/clonespy.png
{Delete duplicate programs}This sucker will also uncover older versions
of a file (so you could have only the latest one at your disposal)

Serene Sound v0.9.13 [3.0M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://serenesound.com/serenesound/download2.asp
 http://serenesound.com/serenesound/
Listen to rain, wind, waterfalls, or white noise

 GoogImager v0.9 [281k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.nesoft.org/googimager/gi_setup.exe
{Find Internet images}
 

 GrabIt 1.3.6 ß [686k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.galaxyftp.com/GrabIt136b.exe
 http://www.shemes.com/grabit/
 http://screenshot.lockergnome.com/grabit.png
{Search Usenet for software} Ah, Usenet. Is there a better way to
find new MP3s, files, programs, images, and games
You can download stuff instantly, search through more than
one article at once, and even query multiple news servers.

 3D Canvas v4.1 [17.0M] W9x/2k FREE
 http://www.amabilisplus.com/downloads/3DCanvas.zip
 http://www.amabilis.com/
 http://screenshot.lockergnome.com/3dcanvas.png
{Render 3D images} It's time to unveil the artist within. How
about a free 3D drawing and animation tool? You can pick from a
list of ready-made images (sphere, cube, cone, etc), mix colors,
and load background images. Animating your new masterpiece is
easy, too; it can be recorded for future viewing. This electronic
painter may seem a bit overwhelming to newbies. In that case, I
suggest referencing the built-in tutorials, as they're extremely
tutorial. Er, helpful. NOTE: this program takes a while to load,
so be patient. "Since 3D Canvas imports many popular 3D file
formats, many of the public domain 3D models available on the
Internet can be incorporated in your scenes."

DeKnop v2.5 [441k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://home.hccnet.nl/s.j.francke/deknop/deknop.zip
 http://home.hccnet.nl/s.j.francke/deknop/deknop.htm
 http://screenshot.lockergnome.com/deknop.png
{Create Web graphics} Button, button, who's got the button? Well,
you do. At least, you WILL after creating a few for your Web site
(using DeKnop, of course). Make them any size you'd like, change
their dimensions, add color, and use your favorite font(s). The
coolest part is that all of these options are easily accessible.

CheatCodes
 http://www.cheatcodes.com/
 

 MESA E-mail Locator
 http://mesa.rrzn.uni-hannover.de/
{Find e-mail addresses} Searching for a long-lost love?

 I'm Right, You're Wrong
 http://www.imright.com/
{Faux lawsuits} "Sue" and let a panel of online jurors decide who's
right and who's wrong.

 <> Ask Oxford
 http://www.askoxford.com/
{Master this language} English is tricky.  sharpen your
grammar chops, and even play some cool word games.

Microsoft Outlook 2000 (SP1)a few tricks  You probably
already know that you can click on a field title to order that
folder's items (ascending or descending), but perhaps there are
864 emails from bgates @ microsoft.com  and you
want to order them by those which came with an attachment. Mash
the SHIFT key and click additional field titles to help you do
just that. So, you can sort stuff by date and then by subject, or
by size and then by date. Get the picture? In case you weren't
aware, clicking a field title a SECOND time orders the contents in
the reverse order.

The Windows Explorer has been around for some six years now, and
many users have no idea what it's capable of in terms of
customization and shortcuts. I've worn out a few keyboards in my
day because I love keyboard shortcuts. I don't reach for the mouse
unless I absolutely have to. When browsing files and folders, you
can create a new folder quickly using a few keystrokes. Hit ALT+F
to invoke the File menu, then ENTER twice to navigate through New
| Folder. Enter the name desired and hit ENTER again to save it.
I usually put them on the Start
menu under a special folder that I've created. Start by creating a
folder on your desktop; in it, place shortcuts to your most
frequently accessed folders. When you've got everything rounded
up, left-click and drag it to the Start button (then let go).
Think ahead a bit about this folder's name, because if it has a
unique initial character, you can use the keyboard to get there
quickly by pressing the Windows key (or CTRL + ESC) and tapping
the first character of that folder name to zip right to it;
likewise, you could just use your Down Arrow key. Of course, you
could have also put that folder of folder shortcuts onto your
Taskbar for quick click access, too.

Make a hard copy of a folder's contents
Maybe you want to keep a list of files handy for future reference?
Or, perhaps you care to keep a detailed list of what's stashed
away on that disk. No need for special tools, since a simple
batch file will do the trick. Create a new text file in your
favorite text editor and enter / paste the following: "@dir /a %1
> lpt1" (sans quotes). Save the file as DIRPRINT.BAT in your
SendTo folder. Now, when you right-click on a folder, you can send
it right to this batch file. On to the printer its list of
contents will march. You can also add the "/s" switch to the
command to include subfolders, but keep in mind that this may tax
your inkwell. You could end up burning through an entire ream of
paper (or three) if you're not careful!
 
 
 

Bad Blue v1.02 [171k] W98/ME/2k FREE
 http://www.badblue.com/bb98.exe
 http://www.badblue.com/
{Turn your PC into a server} What's bad? Not this. Blue can do
quite a bit for such a small download. Once you've wrapped your
grubby little mitts around it, you can turn your computer into a
Web server of sorts. Share any type of file, serve up various Web
apps... even rifle through other connected PCs.
 

Stick v1.0 [318k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.iwondercompany.com/stick/stick.zip
 http://www.iwondercompany.com/stick/
{Screen tabs for simplicity} Tabs are awesome. No, not the soft
drink. I'm talking about an easy and unobtrusive way of keeping
your programs and folders within reach -- yet out of your way.
Let's say you're working in Internet Explorer when you suddenly
need access to the My Documents folder. You could create a new tab
to be one click away from said folder (at any time). This works
for darn near everything on your system; you can even color code
your tabs for quicker identification. 9 out of 10 people prefer
the taste of these tabs over the leading brand.

Hindsite v5.0 [1.8M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.isysusa.com/download/hindsite/hindsite5.exe
 http://www.isysusa.com/products/hindsite.shtml
{Find that site again} Are you running Internet Explorer or
Netscape? If so, then I'm certain you've got plenty of Web sites
tucked away inside your Favorites folder (for your continued
viewing enjoyment). Ah yes, but what if you ever forget to
bookmark a site? Is it gone forever?

 TeeChart Office v0.95 [1.1M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.steema.com/products/TeeChartOffice/TeeChartOffice.zip
 http://www.steema.com/products/TeeChartOffice/
{Chart and plot}You got data? You need charts to help
others interpret that data.  This supports various types,
features such as zoom, scroll, panning, rotation, elevation and
perspective, among others. Of course, you can export your results
as a graphic.

Point-N-Click v1.00 [1.5M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.polital.com/pnc/PNCzip.exe
 http://www.polital.com/pnc/
{Click without clicking} I'm always thrilled to feature utilities
like this one -- something for those who may not be capable of
completing certain tasks. Most of us can
move our mouse around and click its buttons, but if you have
trouble pushing buttons, it's time to drive the point-n-click.
Now, instead of clicking on the mouse buttons, you can hover the
pointer over a graphical representation.

Quick File Rename PE v3.0 [243k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://members.tripod.com/minimice/qfr_per_inst.zip
 http://hosted.barrysworld.net/minimice/Body/Programs/qfr_info.html
{Rename files quickly} When you need to rename a series of
files, this is the app you need to be using. Browse through
folders, preview changes before they're actually made, rename
files according to their extensions, and update time stamps.

Font Compare v1.0 [1.6M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://members.tripod.com/lavplourde/fc/fczip/fntcmpr.zip
 http://members.tripod.com/lavplourde/fc/
{See fonts side-by-side} allow you to compare up to three fonts
 

 <> Internet Explorer Text Archiver v4.0 [7k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.pcnineoneone.com/tweaks/ietextarchiver.zip
 http://www.pcnineoneone.com/tweaks/scripts9.html
"IE Text Archiver enables you to highlight text on a web page
viewed with Internet Explorer 5 or higher and save the highlighted
text with a simple right-click to a text file in a specified
folder on your local hard drive. It saves you the steps of having
to manually copy the text, open a text editor, paste the
selection,

 <> Fatal Exception 0E Errors
 http://www.infinisource.com/techfiles/fatal-0e-errors.html
"The Fatal Exception errors related to 0E (that's zero E)
See MSKB article Q150314.
If you are running with an AMD chip, you should also note that
there have been quite a number of reports on faulty L1 cache (the
cache on the chip). Go in your computers BIOS and disable the
Level 1 cache. If this resolves your problems, consider buying a
new CPU."

 UpNet v1.0 [341k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://upnet.pdabusiness.com/upnet.zip
 http://upnet.pdabusiness.com/
"UpNet differs from other sites that offer a similar service (for
a charge usually) because it distributes the website checking
across a network of PCs.That client then checks your URL every
few minutes and notifies us if it goes off-line, we then email the
owner of the site and tell them.

 <> Specrem v4.00 [1.1M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.sunpoint.net/~akirjavainen/spcrm400.zip
 http://www.sunpoint.net/~akirjavainen/
"Specrem is a remote controlling tool. You can control any
computer which has the server program running with the client
program. There are many options available, like File Manager and
Windows manager example.
 

 Dotico
 http://www.dotico.com/
{Free desktop decor}
 

Bottomquark
 http://www.bottomquark.com/
{She blinded me with it} Science can be interesting and often
entertaining; you shouldn't need Bill Nye or Beakman to explain
it. If you're lucky, you might have had a high school science
teacher who made learning fun, rather than some old guy reading
molecular equations from a blackboard. The quark team collects
interesting stories and tidbits from the world of science, and
posts them for your scientific enjoyment (and you can post your
own stuff, too). Those with curious minds will enjoy this
resource, though I'd also recommend it for anyone who's interested
in seeing how much a part of our lives science has become.
 
 

 Epinions
 http://www.epinions.com/
{Don't buy that thing}this site
offers consumers a chance to post their cheers and jeers for
everything

Gnomie Eric Fickes writes: "As a web developer, I find myself
collecting miscellaneous tidbits of code here and there. A lot of
the nicer sites that contain complex JS/DHTML code try to keep
people from viewing the source by canceling the right-click menu
(aka: Context Menu), or by displaying their pages in a popup
window without toolbars, thus hiding the URL." I have also faced
this situation, and really wanted to see how someone coded
something -- or I wanted to find out what the actual URL was for a
page instead of having to drill down through a complicated system
of frames. As you're likely aware, if you hit CTRL + N, you'll get
a new browser window containing the contents of the active window.
The bonus is that you also get the address bar and the menus,
which now permits you to View | Source and take a gander at the
code (or clip the URL from the address bar). If you're still stuck
in a frames environment, click File | Properties to view the URL."
In some cases, you may be able to use your Context Menu key (which
may already be sitting next to your oft-used WinKey).

Is 1/4 a fraction or a date? It can be either, right? So, how is
Excel to know which one you mean when you simply type "1/4" into a
cell? It'll make a good faith effort at guessing, but if it can go
either way, then you'll be faced with a date interpretation rather
than a fraction... most likely because dates are used more often
in spreadsheets than are fractions. By adding a zero to the front
of the fraction, Excel will know for certain that "0 1/4" should
be a fraction instead of January 4th. Another annoying fraction
fact lies in how Excel formats a number when you change the format
of something like 4.235 to display as a fraction, "4 1/4" is
displayed. If you're going to use a precision of 3 decimal places,
you likely want better accuracy than that. Click Format | Cells |
Number tab and then choose Fraction from the list of number
formats. Up will pop a list of fraction display choices, allowing
you to change from the default of one fraction digit to two or
three, turning 4.235 into "4 4/17" or "4 47/200," respectively. If
your purpose is for inch-based measurements, then you might want
to specify that all fractions should be in eighths or sixteenths.
This tip isn't 1/2 bad.

Are you moving or copying that file? Are you certain? Better
check! Depending on the source and destination of your drag & drop
operation, it might be the reverse of what you thought you were
doing. Another one of those Windows Explorer quirks lives in how a
determination is made with copying versus moving a file. If you
drag & drop a file on the same drive, it will be moved. If you
drag and drop a file to another drive, it will be copied. Now
here's where it gets confusing. If you want to copy a file to a
different location on the same drive, mash the CTRL key while you
drag and drop the file. To move a file to another drive, you must
hold down the SHIFT key. Confused? Me too, but you can make it
easier on yourself by right-clicking and dragging the file or
folder... then, when you let go of the mouse button, a handy
context menu will pop up, asking whether you want to copy, move,
or create a shortcut to the object (or selected series). Simple
enough, eh? Don't go moving my heart. "I couldn't if I tried."

For those of you like Lockergnomie Patrick Gallagher, who is
familiar with how Windows handles networking functions, you know
that you can map a drive letter to a shared location on another
Windows PC or server on your local network. But, did you know that
you can do the same thing for computers connected to the Internet?
Of course, you can't browse resources like this over the Internet
with any sort of efficiency due to the lack of a NetBIOS
structure, but you can use the IP address of the remote system
when manually mapping a drive. Right-click Network Neighborhood
and choose Map Network Drive from the context menu. Select the
drive letter you want to use for the mapping, then enter the
network location in the following format: "\\[IP
Address]\[ShareName]" (sans quotes)

This capability depends on several factors, such as the Microsoft
client being enabled for the Internet connection on the remote
computer. There are also security implications. You must enter an
appropriate username and password for secured shares, and there
are more strict implications for Windows NT/2k servers, as you may
have to authenticate to a domain as well. If you can get over the
security hurdles, it serves as an excellent way to quickly attach
to remote machines. Definitely be careful with this one, and be
sure you understand the security of this because there do exist
tools that sniff out these shares, which leaves any data on them
wide open if you don't have things locked up tight. Note, too,
that this only works when you're connecting to another Windows
machine (though SAMBA may be used for *nix systems). It can be
done quickly and easily, but I need to once again remind you that
there are security risks involved.

Maintaining multiple passwords has to be the single largest pain-
in-the-fingers, even though it's the most important element of a
data transaction. Not all Web sites are secure in their structure,
which means that passwords are often sent as plain text -- leaving
them primed for capture and exploitation. How many accounts have
you created that use the same username? How about the same
password? If you're a frequent surfer, it doesn't take a lot of
imagination for someone to trap this information, then take it to
any number of similar sites on the Internet to see if an account
can be compromised. Knowing how easy this truly is, you should be
taking some precautions in order to protect yourself and your
passwords. The most obvious step is to not use the same password
more than once, though the list doesn't have to be very long to
forget one or two (or twelve) along the way. You might record your
passwords in a secure application, many of which are available for
free on the Internet (beware of spyware though). This ensures that
you only really need to remember one password, which gets you to
the rest of them. If you can find an application that supports
encryption, so much the better.

Also recommended is to use long passwords with mixed character
cases and special characters if the system allows, as this
decreases the likelihood of random guessing or brute-force
discovery of the password. For important sites, such as banks,
online brokerage accounts, or systems that you maintain, be sure
to change the passwords often. Oh, and don't scribble your
password on a sticky note and slap it on your monitor. Some people
do indeed still do this in a corporate setting. Unbelievable! My
suggestion? Start with a system and stick with it for a long
period of time. You'll find that smarter sites will have a "Forgot
Password?" feature ready and waiting for your click -- in case
your memory isn't as... isn't as... good as... that thing I was
gonna say. Darnit.
 

PixScan Lite v3.0 [7.7M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.pixscan2000.com/anonymous/PSLB180F.ZIP
 http://www.pixscan2000.com/
{Delete duplicate images}

G-Lock Temp Cleaner v1.1 [660k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.glocksoft.com/.down/gtc.zip
 http://www.glocksoft.com/temp_cleaner/
{Get rid of the junk} When you uninstall a program, files can get
left behind. You really don't need these files because they're
associated with a program that you don't even have anymore  It'll find
"junk" files and then let you do with them what you wish. Believe
me, ignoring those files results in loss of disk space and a
system that won't run up to snuff.

SecureComp v2.2 [2.0M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.taftechnology.com/SecureComp22.zip
 http://taftechnology.com/sc.html
{Lock down your PC} How secure are you with your computer's
security? Most tools will disable certain Windows components, but
this one takes on the WHOLE enchilada. Once you download
SecureComp, you'll be able to stop any program or window from
running.

 Working Time Tracker v1.5.1 [806k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.allnetic.com/AllNeticWorkingTimeTracker151.exe
 http://www.allnetic.com/working-time-tracker/index.html
{Time your tasks}

Windows PowerPro v3.1 [1.3M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://5star.freeserve.com/Utilities/files/ppro32.zip
 http://www.inforamp.net/~crs2086/
{Configure your system}It's a launch bar from which you can run
programs instantaneously. Send keystrokes, view virtual desktops,
shut down Windows, and do much more with a pro power tool.

SPAM Punisher SE v1.0 [350k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://biosolutions.hypermart.net/spamp10b.zip
 http://biosolutions.hypermart.net/
{Who's spamming you?} Hey, gang -- this is awesome! It's an anti-
spam tool which is rather nifty in and of itself,  With the
Punisher, you can uncover the spammer's ISP and automatically
generate complaints.

How to Find Technical Information About Office Products
 http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q141/7/78.ASP
"When you use Microsoft Office products, you may have questions
regarding how to perform a task or how to troubleshoot a problem.
This article discusses resources that you can use to find answers
to your questions.

Oversized PST and OST Crop Tool
 http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q296/0/88.ASP
"When you start Microsoft Outlook or try to open a personal
folders (.pst) file or an offline folders (.ost) file, you may
receive the following error message: 'Errors have been detected in
the file <file_path>. Quit all mail-enabled applications, and then
use the Inbox Repair Tool. (where <file_path> is the path to the
.pst file).' If you run the Inbox Repair Tool (Scanpst.exe), the
file does not resolve the problem. This problem occurs because the
.pst and the .ost files have a 2 gigabyte (GB) size limitation,
and the error message occurs when it is exceeded. The Inbox Repair
Tool cannot correct this problem."

Hard Drive Installation Guides
 http://www.apricorn.com/sup_hdinstall.html
Resources are listed here for the following companies: Apple, AST,
Canon, Compaq, Dell, Fujitsu, Gateway, Hewlett-Packard, Hitachi,
IBM, NEC, Panasonic, Texas Instruments, Toshiba, WinBook. Also to
be found: Creating & Using EZDRIVE, Installing a Windows 98
Startup Disk, and Formatting a New Hard Drive. "Apricorn Inc.,
headquartered in San Diego, Calif., is a privately-held company
that was started in 1983 by entrepreneur and inventor Paul Brown,
who envisioned better and easier ways for people to take advantage
of their computers with innovative adapters and accessories."

 FreeSSH
 http://www.freessh.org/
"SSH (secure shell) is a internet protocol that allows a user to
connect to a remote host via an encrypted link. FreeSSH tries to
keep track of programs that implement the SSH protocol. We will
list free (and for-pay) client and server software packages so
users can more easily choose a program that will fit their needs."
According to WHATIS.COM: "SSH commands are encrypted and secure in
several ways. Both ends of the client/server connection are
authenticated using a digital certificate, and passwords are
protected by being encrypted." Often, SSH is used in place of
TELNET.

 Memtest-86 v2.7 [47k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.teresaudio.com/memtest86/memt27.zip
 http://www.teresaudio.com/memtest86/
"Memtest86 is a thorough, stand alone memory test for x86
architecture computers. BIOS based memory tests are only a quick
check and often miss many of the failures that are detected by
Memtest86. Memtest86 is released under version 2 of the Gnu Public
License (GPL). There are no restrictions for use, private or
commercial, and it may be freely distributed. Since Memtest86 is a
standalone program it does not require any operating system
support for execution. It can be used with any PC regardless of
what operating system, if any, is installed. The test image can be
loaded from a floppy disk or may be loaded via LILO on Linux
systems."
 

Kewlbox
 http://www.kewlbox.com/
{Games are fun} It's sad when you get so busy that you actually
have to schedule your time wasting. Ah, to be a geek in the midst
of transition. I did find a fun way to kill the time I don't have,
and it all centers on this site; they've got plenty of digital
diversions for your downloading pleasure.

Sneakemail
 http://sneakemail.com/
{Thwart the spam menace} "Sneaky mail," get it? So what's so
sneaky about it? Well, it's a free service you can use to generate
disposable e-mail addresses. Your "sneakemail" address is actually
an alias of your TRUE e-mail address. This allows you to still
fill in the e-mail fields on Web forms while your real address
remains out of reach from those pesky spammers. Heh heh, that is
SNEAKY. Or am I stating the obvious? If it keeps junk mail out of
my Inbox, I'm all for it.

 Anti-Virus Resource Center
 http://www.sarc.com/
{Protect your PC} I've said in the past that if you're concerned
about your personal privacy, then you shouldn't be getting online.
That doesn't mean you MUST give up your privacy when you surf the
 

 Donate A Phone
 http://www.donateaphone.com/
{Dial a good cause} Luckily, Gretchen doesn't have to worry about
domestic violence. I think most people can deduce that just by
looking at me. Unfortunately, it IS a reality; it's amazing how a
small thing like a wireless phone can become a lifesaver in times
of crisis. Here you'll find information on how and where you can
donate your wireless phone to help those in need. Trust me, this
is a much better option than sending it to the landfill. Those
rats don't need your phone, anyway.
 

HTML e-mail is all about cool formatting and graphics, but you
could be missing a lot without the images. When you send an HTML
message to someone else, you can be sure that the images are
included by enabling the "Send Pictures..." option within Outlook
and Outlook Express. What happens? The file paths in the
underlying HTML code are changed to use the bundled image(s) that
are sent along with the e-mail. If you happen to send a web page,
the image links will no longer point to the Internet. This way,
the e-mail can be read offline in all its graphical glory, as it
was meant to be. Outlook and Outlook Express each have this
option, but they reside in different places and are named
differently. For Outlook Express, click Tools | Options | Send tab
| HTML Settings button, then enable "Send pictures with messages"
-- in Outlook, click Tools | Options | Mail Format. Next, be sure
that "Send in this message format" is set to HTML, press the
Settings button, then check the "Send pictures from the Internet"
box. Now, that's if you choose to use HTML as your default mail
format. If you're a text guy (like me), you can embed images on a
case-by-case basis. In each HTML message, under the Format menu,
select the "Send Pictures from the Internet" / "Send Pictures With
Message" option. Now HTML messages will leave your Outbox with
their images as attachments. This will make small e-mail messages
turn into gargantuan downloads, so be kind to dial-in users that
may be on the other end.

Hotmail was recently redesigned. The "fixed" font sizes ,
: "Pat Pluto figured out a workaround for the fixed-width
font 'problems' that some of you have been having.
Actually, I should say, those of you with
Microsoft e-mail clients (or Web browsers); Netscape users
shouldn't have the problem. This fix is universal -- applying to
every HTML newsletter and Web site you encounter. Open up Internet
Explorer, select Tools from the menu, then Internet Options, then
press the Accessibility button. At that point, you can choose to
ignore the font sizes specified on Web pages. This also applies to
your e-mail if you use a Microsoft e-mail client. This should keep
EVERYONE happy; you're in control again."

Outlook Express is a clearing-house for e-mail, newsgroups, and
contact information, but there's little in the way of protection.
By moving the "Store" folder to an alternate location, you can
provide some measure of safety in case of a hard disk failure --
 or simply to have it in a more convenient location. Click Tools |
Options, then flip to the Maintenance tab, followed by the "Store
Folder..." button. Enter or browse to the path you'd like to use
for the new location, and you're all set! Suggestions? Store the
data on a network server that is backed up frequently. For mobile
users: using the "Offline Files" functionality will ensure that
you can still get to your e-mail folders when you're away from the
office. Once you're reconnected, the synchronization process will
bring the network copies up to date. Slick, huh? The last thing
you want to do is lose that data. It's important to know that when
you back up, be sure you're backing up the CORRECT folders. I had
a Gnomie e-mail me the other day in a panic because he couldn't
find his PST file (for Outlook). He thought that copying the
"Microsoft Office" folder was all he needed to do. Oops. Keep tabs
on where stuff is kept -- and if you don't already know, try to
find out before the end of the day.

I thoroughly enjoy a clean desktop. No clutter, no dust bunnies in
the corners, and no annoying AOL icons glaring at me. In fact, I
like to rid myself of ALL icons I don't actually use on a regular
basis. Before leaving work the other day, I stopped to say good-
bye to Mark Miremont (the guy who books guests for our show). I
noticed his VERY clean desktop. He had done something to it that I
had never seen before! Try this on for size: drag your desktop
icons to the very top of the display so that each picture is above
the viewable area... leaving only the TEXT part visible. Grab the
icon by the text when you do this so you can completely hide the
image. For things like My Computer and folders, you may have to
give it a couple of tries because if you normally drag an icon to
an edge of the screen, you'll end up with a toolbar for that item.
I suppose that's a bonus if you like that look, so consider that
two tips for the price of one! Now I have only text blurbs along
the top edge of my display -- and no hint of wallpaper-concealing
icons.
 

MSN Messenger Plus Extension v1.02 [20k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.patchou.com/msgplus/msgplus.zip
 http://www.patchou.com/msgplus/
{Microsoft IM power tool} Think of every annoying feature of the
MSN instant messenger. Advertisements, lack of logging
functionality, no macros, large icons you can't turn off in every
IM window (accompanied by a useless 'privacy' reminder).
The Extension attaches itself to the MSN Messenger
and adds a few little extras that'll make your experience more
complete.

AmiWeb Secure Browser for Kids! v2.0 [3.0M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.midmultimedia.com/download/internet/Amiweb20en.exe
 http://www.midmultimedia.com/amiweb_ca/
 http://screenshot.lockergnome.com/amiweb.png
{Browser for babes}They've got a team of experts who study
these sites to make sure they're educational and (above all)
appropriate for young surfers. Of course, taking them outside once
in awhile isn't a bad idea, either. "The AmiWeb character guides
your kids around the browser with voice, sounds and music!"

iOpus Internet Macros v1.0.704 Beta [3.0M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.iopus.com/download/iim_setup.exe
 http://www.iopus.com/iim.htm
 http://screenshot.lockergnome.com/iopusinternetmacros.png
{Record your surfing}

 BidderBlock v1.0 [2.4M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.hammertap.com/downloads/BidderBlockSetup.exe
 http://www.hammertap.com/
{Stop auction hounds cold} If you use eBay semi-regularly to sell
your wares, you know that some bidders can be a real pain in the
neck. This bidder-bouncing binary enables you to select individuals
and block them from taking part in your auctions.

 Send To FTP v2.2 [359k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Garage/7334/sftp22st.zip
 http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Garage/7334/SndToFTP.html
{Upload stuff with ease} Here's a simple way to transfer your
files to a Web server from the comfort of the Windows Explorer.
All you have to do is right click on any file you want to send,
then select "Send to FTP" from the "Send To" menu. You'll have to
fill in a username, hostname, and password when you first fire up
this add-on, but after that, it's smooth sailing. No clients to
fuss with! It's capable of handling multiple host accounts; use
the edit box to put files into a sub-directory. If you're new to
the file transfer protocol, it doesn't get much easier than this.

 Computer May Not Hibernate with More Than 192 MB of Memory
 http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q296/7/73.asp
"When you are running several progs Windows Millennium Edition
(Me) on a computer that has 192 megabytes (MB) or more of
random access memory (RAM), you may not be able to hibernate the
computer. Instead, the screen may turn black for a few seconds,
and then the desktop reappears. This problem occurs because a
calculation that is made to determine the amount of memory to be
allocated for the hibernation file may return incorrect results in
a large-memory situation when the computer is under a heavy memory
load (over 192 MB of RAM installed with several programs running).
This may cause the hibernation attempt not to work. A supported
fix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to
correct the problem described in this article and should be
applied only to systems experiencing this specific problem." My
fix? GET RID OF WINDOWS ME!!!

Outlook 2002 Update AND Word 2002 Update
 http://office.microsoft.com/downloads/2002/OLK1001.aspx
 http://office.microsoft.com/downloads/2002/WRD1001.aspx
"The Microsoft Outlook 2002 Update: June 21, 2001 provides you
with the highest levels of performance and stability available for
Outlook 2002. This update increases performance when using Outlook
2002 with Instant Messaging integration or running on a Microsoft
Exchange Server. [The Word] update prevents Word from running
macros without warning because the user has opened a document that
has been maliciously modified. Once you have installed this
update, you will still be able to use templates, macros in
templates, or RTF documents with macros."

NSOutlook v1.6 [37k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.macgyver.org/software/outlook/nsoutlook.zip
 http://www.macgyver.org/software/nsoutlook.html
"The problem is that if you click on a mailto URL in Netscape, it
always runs Netscape Messenger -- its email client. I don't like
it, and probably never will. I like my Outlook. So, how does one
get the two working together? I spent the better part of my 1998 /
1999 New Year holiday trying to figure out how to get Netscape
Communicator to launch Outlook and this is the result. This isn't
really a browser plugin so much as a DLL replacement. Whenever you
click on a mailto URL that would normally spawn a new mail
message, it will instead spawn a new message using Outlook 98 /
2000. On the Communicator | Tools menu, an entry to spawn Outlook
98 / 2000 now appears, allowing you to launch Outlook 98 / 2000
from the Netscape toolbar."

 Program Manager v2.0 [678k] W9x FREE
 http://widgetech.com/mymain/Downloads/prgman2.zip
 http://widgetech.com/
"The Widget Program Manager will take a snapshot of your system at
the time it first starts. This snapshot will show all of the
processes, modules, and threads that are running on your PC. You
will be able to end a process, reboot your PC, and shut down your
PC. You will also be able to view the CPU usage, memory load, [et
al] on your PC in real time. The CPU graph is the percent of time
the CPU is not idle."

 Darn Passwords
 http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,7377,00.asp
Who knows how it happened, but most of us ended up with different
passwords for different Web sites.
Darn Passwords tries to remedy this memory-testing state of
affairs by "remembering" your passwords for you, and lets you
"drag" your passwords onto applications or Web sites that need
them. The program also remembers the URLs of password-protected
Web sites--so if you use the program as intended, logging on to
these sites is almost like running a script.

TextPad
 http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,2051,00.asp
You can edit multiple files simultaneously, as well as utilize
commands to transpose words, characters and lines. Other commands
let you indent blocks of text, split or join lines, and insert
whole files. Any change can be undone or redone, right back to the
first one made. Visible bookmarks can be put on lines, and edit
commands can be applied to lines with bookmarks. Frequently used
combinations of commands can be saved as keystroke macros, and the
spelling checker has dictionaries for 10 languages.

 <> Room Saver
 http://www.roomsaver.com/
{Cut your travel costs} Every once in a while, I stumble upon a
Web site and think:  You see, it offers money-saving coupons for
motels and hotels.Become a registered user to get free 'tripping' info and
updates.

 Sweet Fancy Moses
 http://www.sweetfancymoses.com/
{Words for readers} One word to describe this site: words. Yes,
the word is word. Talented people with bizarre imaginations submit
their fiction, poetry, short stories, and novel excerpts.

 Leoville
 http://www.leoville.com/
{Genius at play} Checit out to learn what runs through his mind; his
new discussion boards are quite useful, too.

 <> Flazoom
 http://www.flazoom.com/
{Mega Flash site}
what really makes this site and e-zine worthwhile is the in-depth
articles on different types of Flash, Live Motion, and upcoming
SVG content. Basically, it's a place for those who love to watch
and/or create digital animations.

Ever stepped out of the office for the week, leaving your e-mails
unanswered? Set up a quick autoresponder in Outlook Express to let
everyone know that you've gone walkabout. Start by clicking Tools
| Message Rules | Mail, then the "New" button to create a new
message rule. In the first field, select "For all messages" (which
is the last option). In the second field, choose "Reply with
message." This is, of course, assuming that you've already created
and saved a "reply" message of sorts; you can do that by simply a
new e-mail message and saving it to a local folder. Name the rule
and you should be good to go. Now, every message which enters your
Inbox will be responded to with your template. Keep OE running
while you're out and about and people will know you're not
ignoring them. Take note that newsletters (like Lockergnome) will
also be replied to. Depending on how these resources are
configured to respond, you could be unsubscribed, or in the case
of mailing lists, you could be banned from future participation
because it's not looked upon kindly by some. Tailor the rules to
your liking, of course. Outlook (proper) allows for exceptions, so
you can spare newsletters and mailing lists. Rules are very
powerful critters... so get to know them intimately.
 

So, you want to "dual boot,"?. Windows 2000 has a nifty boot
loader that can handle multiple installations of operating
systems. This is great if you care to run a copy of Windows 98 and
Windows 2000 on the same PC. The best way to accomplish this is to
start with a working installation of Windows 98, which will likely
be housed in the C:\Windows folder. When you pop in the Windows
2000 CD and begin the installation, you will be prompted to
upgrade your existing version of Windows or to install a fresh
copy of Windows. In this case, you want a fresh copy, leaving
Windows 98 intact. Since Windows 2000 installs itself to the
C:\WINNT directory by default, you shouldn't have a problem with
it stomping all over 98. When you're finished, a brand new boot
menu will appear with your choices in operating systems. Note that
using this setup allows you to install several copies of Windows
NT / 2000, but only one copy of Windows 9x. Also, keep in mind
that the various versions of Windows often use the same
directories for Windows components, so be prepared for some
version issues if you don't specify alternate directories for
applications you install or upgrade in various operating systems.
If you were considering 2000 as a replacement for 98, but weren't
sure if it'd work properly, you now know it's safe to have your
cake and eat it, too.

Application errors are nothing new in Windows; you can be certain
that you'll see them again sometime (hopefully, later than
sooner). When trouble does present itself, you can often cure the
ills by uninstalling and reinstalling the application. This should
re-copy the appropriate files and set the appropriate registry
values, oftentimes putting things back in order. The same tactic
can be used in reverse when you want to uninstall an application
and it's not cooperating. Reinstalling an application can often
line the ducks back up in correct order, after which you may
proceed through a clean removal. Be sure to install the same
version of the application (if at all possible) or you may be
facing a disaster. Particularly, if you install an older version
than what was kicking you in the head to begin with. This tip was
borrowed from the Windows 2000 Power Users Newsletter (found at
WIN2KPOWERUSERS.COM).

Microsoft Word
You (no doubt) know that the ENTER key creates a new paragraph in
word processors. Sometimes you just want to type on a new line
without starting a new paragraph, though. Simply hold down the
SHIFT key while pressing ENTER... Shazam! A line break. This is
important for formatting purposes (particularly in WYSIWYG Web
editors). Now that your paragraphs in Microsoft Word are squeaky
clean, your legal department has insisted that every instance of
"Super Widget" must be identified with a trademark. No sweat. You
can quickly locate every instance with the Find command. Click
Edit | Find to start with, then enter the words you're after. Only
one problem. You've also used 'super widget' to describe the item.
Click the "More" button in the Find dialog and what appears is a
bunch of options that can be used to qualify your search. By
checking "Match Case," you can easily pick out the items requiring
trademark identification (while leaving others alone). Taking
another step forward, "Find" can even help you sniff out text that
is formatted using a particular font, style, or highlight. Check
out the "Format" or "Special" drop-down fields. Notice the Replace
tab, too. Not only can you find specific text that matches the
traits you're after, but you can replace them with the appropriate
characters. Getting back to our example, you could search for
"Super Widgets" (matching the case) and replace it with Super
Widgets(tm), which adds the trademark symbol. Problem solved!
 

AM-DEADLINK.  A handy little application, just 391 kb and free for
the download, is AM-Deadlink at http://aignes.com/software/index.htm .
It quickly checks for dead links and duplicate entries in your browser
Bookmarks and Favorites and works with MS Internet Explorer, Opera,
and Netscape Communicator.

IE ADDRESS NAVIGATION.  Internet Explorer 5 allows easy
maneuvering of the URL of addresses displayed in the Address window.
With your cursor anywhere in the window, hold down the CTRL key and
use the left and right arrows to advance from each point in the
address.

AMERISTAT.  With apologies to the 19% NNT readers outside the
U.S., the remainder may find Ameristat at http://www.ameristat.org/ a
very useful reference site.  Get charts, graphs, and extensive d
emographic data in several categories, download files, and discover
how our population has evolved and what may be in store for us.

BANDWIDTH METER.  We've mentioned these before, but if you'd like
to try still another, 2Wire's Bandwidth Meter at
http://www.2wire.com/services/bandwidth.asp will determine your maximum
throughput to their Web site, proving once again that your speed is
likely slower than you think.
 

Monte-Cristo FastLearn v3.0 [476k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://montekristo.hypermart.net/soft/fl30.EXE
 http://montekristo.hypermart.net/about.html
{Memorize those facts} I was an okay student, but I tell ya, I'm
glad I don't have to memorize dates anymore. I just wish I had this
teaching tool when I was a young student. Ya see, you enter
information you need to memorize into a data file, and the
information is shown at different intervals. The more you look at
your screen, the more that squishy sponge inside your head soaks it
up.

 DLExpert v0.98 [748k] W9x FREE
 http://www.yanew.com/dlexpert098.exe
 http://www.yanew.com/english.htm
{Speed up downloads}  It speeds
up your downloads, that's what. It uses a multi-thread function to
download different parts of a file at the same time. You don't have
to know what that means, just that it'll make your downloadables
download much faster. You can divide files into parts, or by a
certain size. Files can be saved to different folders according to
their extensions, and you can also set auto-shutdown when they're
finished.

AudioCrusher v1.12 [269k] W9x FREE
 http://home.nexgo.de/hkuehnle/download/AudioCrusher112.exe
 http://www.sysdesk.f2s.com/projects/audiocrusher/
{Rip directly} Rumor around town says you're looking for a way to
put your music collection on your PC. This radical ripper is
absolutely free and will extract audio from your CDs with no loss
of quality whatsoever. It'll support pretty much any format,  This
proggie can also acquire CD infothrough the freedb database.

DNS2Go v2.0 [912k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.dns2go.com/Download/
 http://www.dns2go.com/
{Free dynamic DNS services} This handy item lets you control your
own Internet Server Applications right from your home computer. It
runs on Windows systems (natch), but there's also a version for you
Linux folks, and a Web-based client for Mac and UNIX users. The
whole she-bang works by giving a static DNS name to your computer
that will automatically update when your IP address changes. Now
you can host a Web site, online games, or set up your own e-mail
server and not have to worry about what your current IP address
happens to be.
 

 Mousemove v4.5 [755k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://cristofer8.int8.com/files/mousemove45.zip
 http://cristofer8.int8.com/mousem.htm
{Who's moving my mouse?} This computer is possessed! Or maybe it's
this new mouse movin' proggie I've uncovered. Ya see, you can set
your mouse to move to up to eight different locations, and even click
on a specific area. It's a good way to freak people out. On the more
practical end of things, it's also a good way to keep your screen
active, and a nice way to have programs running when you need them.
In other words, it's a time saver. Not that I had anything else to
do, anyway.
 

TreeComp v3.7 [1.3M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 ftp://ftp-rt.nki.nl/outbox/LennertPloeger/TreeComp/TreeComp.zip
 http://www.xs4all.nl/~lploeger/TreeComp3.htm
"TreeComp is an interactive utility to keep 2 directory trees and
the files within the directories in sync. The combined tree is
displayed using a treeview control with icons indicating the status
per directory. Programs to view the differences (i.e. Microsoft's
WinDiff) between files with the same name can be launched by
double-clicking, as well as editors for a file residing in one of
the 2 trees. After inspection files can be copied/deleted
interactively as desired."

vPing v1.00.02 [889k] W9x/NT FREE
 http://hyperion.spaceports.com/~pjwtwo/vping.zip
 http://hyperion.spaceports.com/~pjwtwo/
"vPing is a small utility which gives you instant, meaningful
information about your Internet connection. You can test quality,
check for errors, compare various ISPs, and more. Results can be
stored, printed, emailed right from the application.
provides visual interpretation of RTT latency (how much time does
it take to send ICMP echo packet and get it returned from the
target). It gives a wealth of diagnostic data useful for
troubleshooting and evaluation of the Internet connections.

CopyLock v1.01 [82k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.noeld.com/download/copylock.zip
 http://www.noeld.com/dlmisc.htm#CopyLock
"CopyLock is a small program that allows the replacement of one or
many files that are currently in use (e.g the system files like
comctl32.dll.) Add the files to update, click Copy, restart and
that's it! Disclaimer: you can crash your system or make it
unbootable if you are not careful, use at your own risk. The latest
build adds the possibility to delete locked files."

Feedreader v1.64beta [684k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.feedreader.com/download.php
 http://www.feedreader.com/
"Feedreader is a freeware Windows application that reads and
displays Internet newsfeeds aka RSS feeds based on XML. Feedreader
features: Displays RSS 0.9, 0.91, 0.92 1.00 (including Dublin core
and Slashback extensions) feeds; supports <enclosure> tags for
background multimedia files download; has 10.am, NewsIsFree,
Userland, Groksoup, Moreover channels builtin; possibility to add
your own custom channel; compact size: download only 650kB; imports
RSS headlines from leading syndicators; if news text is available,
it will be showed in minibrowser caches headlines for offline
viewing; nice and clean interface; allows search cached newsfeed's
headlines or topics for a phrase; possibility to send article to a
friend by email; multilanguage support. Feed alerts: Feedreader
sits on your taskbar and checks for new messages in background. If
any of feeds is updated, small message will appear on taskbar."

Pocket Linux v2.51 [1.4M] FREE
 http://pocket-linux.coven.vmh.net/download.html.en
 http://pocket-linux.coven.vmh.net/
"Pocket Linux is an almost minimal, one floppy linux system
designed to quickly convert PC workstation into secure linux-based
workstation using ssh to connect to remote host (other networking
clients are also supported). It supports bootp for determining host
IP and other network parameters (there's also manual configuration
possible, but bootp is recommended). In addition to workstations
equipped with a network card (ethernet or arcnet), you can also use
Pocket Linux on a PC equipped with a modem. Modem is automatically
detected and then PPP connection is made. The idea came up some
time in 1996 or so. The distribution then was not perfect, but
still it shown it was a great idea. It wasn't maintained for about
year or so, until I took it up again in the early January 1998.
After a complete rebuild Pocket Linux 2.00 was released. It soon
gained a huge number of happy users, whose ideas helped its
development."
 
 

MACRO \ series of commands that are to be
performed all at once, as opposed to manually grinding them out one
at a time. Macros also work well for  filling
out forms where the same information is needed over and over again.

MIME \ No, not those annoying street performers. This "MIME" stands
for "Multi-Purpose Internet Mail Extensions." Ya see, it's an
extension that allows you (and everyone else) to exchange pretty
much any type of data file across the Internet, like video, audio,
images, programs, all sorts of other stuff. When a file is
received, MIME types are used to determine the appropriate
application tasked with handling the file. Now if you'll excuse me,
I seem to be trapped inside this invisible box.

WDM \ "Wavelength Division Multiplexing."
 All this data is sent through an optical fiber, and data that travels at
different rates can be transmitted simultaneously because they
occupy different wavelengths so as not to interfere with one
another. This can also be refered to as "dense wavelength division
multiplexing," or DWDM. It could also stand for Windows Driver
Model

DMA \ "DMA" stands for "Direct Memory Access" and refers to the
capability of data to be transferred from a peripheral or attached
device directly to the system RAM. Yeah, so? Well, this way the
microprocessor is excused from its duties (at least in this
instance), which speeds up the overall operation, cause everything
is done instantaneously. Basically, specific amounts of memory are
set aside in your system for direct memory access.
There are a limited number of DMA channels available in a system,
and no two devices can occupy the same channel,

ASCII \ This term stands for "American Standard Code for
Information Interchange" and is a method of representing readable
characters with 7-binary digits. This allows for 128 possible
characters, which is farily limited by today's standards, but is
still the most commonly used format for plain text files. Since the
ASCII standard represents a limited amount of characters, extended
formats must be implemented to include non-English, graphical, and
mathematical characters. Just ASCII and you shall receive.
 
 

Backwash
 http://www.backwash.com/
{Have them surf for you} when you go to the video store,
which section do you head to first? Horror? Comedy? Wouldn't it be
cool if the Web was divided up in such a convenient way? You can go
to this site and select a personality channel that best signifies
your surfing habits. Then check back daily for new sites,

Photographica
 http://www.photographica.org/
This is a kind of photo blog, meaning you can post things and
include (you guessed it) photos. These aren't those lame birthday
party photos with your uncle's thumb in the middle, either. These
people really know how to take some amazing pictures.

 Tomalak's Realm
 http://www.tomalak.org/
{Web design news} Interested in the world of Web design? If you
are, you should pay a visit to Tomalak's Realm. He won't tell you
how to design a Web site, but he does link to a bunch of news
articles having to do with the ever-changing world of Web design.
He's even posted to some of the same articles we've featured on the
"Bits and Bytes" page. Heh, I guess great minds think alike. Check
out his store for some cool books on designing that perfect site.
Oh, and don't forget to sign up for his newsletter.

 DShield
 http://www.dshield.org/
{Who's cracking, here?} it's just a way to collect
cracker activity from all over the Internet. You can see read
and submit your own reports, and even see if your IP address is
being used to crack another person's system.
Don't confuse 'em with hackers. According to MVG Shelley Herbert:
A hacker solves problems and builds things; a hacker believes that
the world is full of interesting
A cracker is someone who breaks security on a system, usually to
gain root (Administrator in NT) access.  This is with or without
malicious intent.  This usage of "cracker" was started by hackers
in defense against the media's misuse of "hacker".  Most real
hackers consider them a lower form of life (with the possible
exception of a tiger team, people hired specifically to discover
holes in your security).
 
 

TeamStream v2.300 [716k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.teamstream.com/downloads/TDClient_W9x_V2.300.exe
 http://www.teamstream.com/
{Internet Drive Mapping} The Internet always works. Sometimes. At
least when your connection is down, you can count on your local
disk for basic file creating / saving / retrieving operations.
When your Net connection is alive and well, wouldn't it be nice to
have a drive letter automatically map to a remote server?
Either use your own FTP server(s) or Globedesk, IBackup,
MyDocsOnline, Sharemation, or XDrive.  "You can use Windows Explorer
to easily transfer files or even edit files directly on the server!"

 EVE v0.93 [50k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.myeve.org/eve.zip
 http://www.myeve.org/
{Make line drawings} Need a vector graphics editor? More
importantly, do you need a SMALL (simple) vector graphics editor
that won't eat up a ton of space on your hard drive? The UI is slightly
different than other graphic editors, so it may take some getting
used to. Once you become more familiar with it, you can quickly
create shapes and compose your line drawings. You will be hard pressed
to find even top-of-the-range drawing applications that can do
some of the things that EVE can do."

3d Traceroute v1.0.13:31 [620k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.hlembke.de/prod/3dtraceroute/d3tr.exe
 http://www.hlembke.de/prod/3dtraceroute/
"Replace all your ugly ping plotters and traceroute programs
[with] a full-blown, three-dimensional traceroute program. And the
best part of it: it is free. No money, no postcards, no beer. Just
free. Core features: 3d traceroute display; multiple graphics
modification options; statistic-window with min, max, average,
standard deviation; history-window with destination ping time;
record and playback: record any trace and playback step by step.
You might switch to the 'as List' view if you want to run it in
the background."

 No-IP Update client v1.3.1 [47k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://no-ip.com/client/gnoip_updater1_3.zip
 http://www.no-ip.com/downloads.php
"No-IP provides various DNS related services. What has made No-IP
famous is our free dynamic DNS service. In the past having a name
for your server or computer meant you needed a static IP address.
As most of you know, static IP's are hard to come by and can
increase your monthly ISP bill two fold. With our service you are
able to have a public name for your computer even if you have a
dynamic IP address. Using our DNS system and dynamic update client
you can keep your dynamic IP in sync with a free static hostname
provided by No-IP.com. As your IP changes when you get booted off
your dialup connection or your cable company changes your IP the
dynamic update client will see this change and update our
servers."

Detonator Destroyer v1.2 [170k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://guru3d.com/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?detonator-destroyer.zip
 http://www.guru3d.com/detonator-destroyer/
"You have this really cool nVidia based graphics card and try to
keep up-to date with the tremendous amount of driver leaks and
install them all the time ? Did you ever wonder if there are
remains of previous driver builds somewhere stacked in the
registry or windows system? Ever simply wanted to change video
drivers with your nVidia based card? Worried about bits being left
over and not doing a complete uninstall affecting performance? No
need to worry anymore just use this great tool and it will do it
for you. Detonator Destroyer is the only tool that completely
removes detonator drivers from your system. It removes all
versions of detonators from 6.XX up!"

Hardware Analysis
 http://www.hardwareanalysis.com/
No computer is complete without a few
peripherals -- a few pieces of hardware to enhance your computing
and surfing lifestyle. These guys feature reviews of all the
latest gadgets, as well as interviews and links to news stories
about what's happening in the world of hardware.

Heartwarmers
 http://www.heartwarmers.com/
{Chicken soup for the e-soul

 <> Refill FAQ
 http://www.refill-faq.de/
{Printer cartridge help} different cartridges
require different methods of refilling. This site should answer
any questions still lingering -- if you choose to refill your
cartridges (as opposed to just buying new ones when the old ones
run dry). They walk you through the basics of refilling while
addressing problems associated with this "money saving" technique.

 <> EventID.NET
 http://www.eventid.net/
{Windows error lookup} For those of us running an industrial
strength flavor of Windows, this Event ID database contains over
700 event IDs and over 100 event sources (provided by different
contributors). They welcome new contributors as well, so feel free
to submit something you've seen while inside your OS. You can
access this collection of information free of charge, as long as
you go through the authorized channels.

MSWord
In a previous tip, we used the Find command to locate text that
needed to be modified (in order to add a trademark symbol). Today,
we'll take it up a notch. Word automatically recognizes text you
type and can change it to symbols and special characters. For
instance, typing (tm) automagically inserts a trademark symbol; be
sure to surround the "tm" with parenthesis. The same is true with
(c) for copyright and (r) for registered trademark. The same can
be done for inserting arrows into documents. Entering: -->  <--
  ==>  <==  <=> will result in instant arrows. You can use them to
identify list items or simply to break up a document. This is all
done through the AutoCorrect feature. When you select Insert |
AutoText from the toolbar, the AutoCorrect dialog is launched.
Flip to the AutoCorrect tab. If you peruse the list under the
"Replace text as you type" checkbox, you'll see the dozens of
different words that are defaulted to be replaced, including
several emoticons for those of us who like to use them. You might
notice that the list is chock full of common typing and spelling
errors; they'll be instantly zapped when a mistake is made. Add
your favorite keyboard snafus to the list to save a bit of wear
and tear on the backspace key (arguably the most used key apart
from the spacebar).

Record Audio progs from net
Listening to a streaming live show over the Internet is great and
all, but if you don't have access to archives, then you could miss
something important -- like the latest in driveway repair
techniques. You can record these audio missives using any
application that permits you to tap into your System Mixer (or
Wave Out). MusicMatch Jukebox (a free MP3 player and more) is one
such application; with it, you can record any audio that comes
streaming through your sound card. This includes any system
sounds, such as error sounds, confirmation dialog dings, and even
the microphone (if you leave it turned on by mistake). The first
step involves the Volume / Recording Control, which is easily
accessed by double-clicking on the yellow speaker sitting in the
system tray. Once that's open, click Options | Properties, then
choose "Recording" from the "Adjust volume for" dialog and be sure
that the Mixer (if you have it) has a checkmark sitting beside it.
Click "OK" to continue and you'll then see the various volume
controls. Put a checkmark in the select box for the Mixer and
adjust the volume to an appropriate level for the recording. In
Jukebox, click Options | Recorder | Source | System Mixer. Next,
start the stream or any other sound you wish to capture before
hitting the record button. Also, be mindful of the file format
you're saving to in the Jukebox by clicking Options | Recorder |
Quality and selecting the appropriate type of file for the
situation. Experiment a little to be sure that you find the right
volume settings, and off you go! This may not work for everybody;
if your sound card doesn't support full duplex mode, you may have
to sit this one out. Know, too, that just about any audio software
can do the same thing. We just found Jukebox to be the easiest.

Microsoft Office 2000 / XP
Webmasters use this tip often because it makes documents much
easier to get to in a pinch. Microsoft Office 2000 / XP
applications have a slick option for opening files directly from
an FTP site. You can get to it by clicking File | Open, and then
the "Look in" dropdown box. Scroll down if necessary... until you
find the "FTP Locations" item. From there, you can open previous
servers or add new ones. All that's required is a site name or
TCP/IP address, a username, and the associated password. You can
also choose to use the anonymous login if allowed on the target
site. Other applications (such as UltraEdit) have similar features
to interact directly with FTP sites, but for applications that do
not, you can use the My Network Places functionality included with
Windows 2000 and ME. Double-Click the Add Network Place icon
within My Network Places, specify the location specifics, then the
username (or anonymous) and click Finish. Explorer will
immediately attempt to open the new location, prompting for a
password if necessary, which can then be saved. Now when you use
the "Look in" drop-down box in applications that don't natively
support the FTP features, you can get to the new FTP site via My
Network Places. Cool, huh? No more manual FTP transfers to get to
a single file when you need it.

 Printing from Internet Explorer 5.5 or Outlook Express 5.5
Has your printer ever stared back at you with a blank look on its
face when you printed from your browser? Me too. The reason is
rooted in how the Web page is interpreted by Internet Explorer 5.5
or Outlook Express 5.5 (as well as pretty much everything in
Windows ME). The solution is a simple one -- simply requiring that
you disable the encoding Auto-Select feature. Click View |
Encoding | Auto-Select. This should clear the checkmark next to it
and allow you to print cleanly. Oh, wait. Now I only get text at
the top of the page! This is an easy fix, too. If "Style Sheets"
was somehow disabled in the Registry, your browser will not
properly print the page. You'll need to tiptoe around in the
Registry to repair it. Click Start | Run and type: "RegEdit" (sans
quotes). Up will pop the Registry Editor, ready for perusal.
Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Internet \
Explorer \ Main. Look for a value called "Use StyleSheets". Odds
are, at this point, it's set to "No." Delete that value, exit the
editor, and try printing the page again.

Logging modem/dial-up problems
Dial-in ISP got you down? Literally? Maybe it's not their fault.
Yeah, right! They are notorious for changing things without
telling anyone beforehand -- particularly their paying customers.
Nevertheless, sometimes it is indeed on your end, and you're left
to troubleshoot the problem on your own (as ISPs often offer
little assistance in these situations). Well, Windows can create a
log file containing diagnostic information, which can then be used
to determine if there are initialization errors or other problems
with the communications hardware. The trick is finding the file!
Depending on which version of Windows you have, it will have a
differently formatted name: it might be 'ModemLog_LT Win
Modem.txt' in Windows 2000 or 'Lucent Win Modem.txt' in Windows
ME. Or, you could take the easy way and open the Modems Control
Panel applet and select the modem with which you want to work.
This will vary slightly, again, depending on which version of
Windows you're using, but you should be able to find a "View Log"
button associated with your modem's properties. There is also an
"Append to Log" checkbox that will continue to log information
without clearing the log at each initialization or system restart.
Be sure to disable this checkbox when you've determined the
problem, since the log file will continue to grow over time. At
least you won't be in the dark!

With the logging enabled, you will be able to see all of the AT
commands that are sent to your provider (and the responses that
are received). These commands may seem cryptic, but they each mean
something to the modem -- such as enabling specific communication
options, changing the speaker volume, or perhaps loading the
default settings from the modem's memory. Every modem is slightly
different in the command sets that they support, but the basics of
the AT command set are supported by nearly every modem available
today. For instance, sending AT (attention) to the modem should
result in "OK" being received in return; it ensures that the modem
is still alive. This is akin to a PING command in TCP/IP. Consult
the documentation for your specific modem to check for all of the
available AT commands that you can send to your modem. Some ISPs
will even recommend a general modem initialization strings to be
used with their system, so check with them before you dig too
deep. And ALWAYS backup!
 
 
 

1) If windows is not really broken but you want to alter it.
Or learn more about ways to modify it, go here;
 http://annoyances.org/win98/
 http://annoyances.org/win95/

2) In the event your problem isn't covered by any of the other resources
in this note, you can find answers to *almost anything* with the info in
http://content.techweb.com/winmag/library/1998/0701/fea0077.htm
That article contains secrets and tips for cutting through the clutter of
most web searches so you can quickly find exactly what you need, on your own!
Although it's general, in the long run

3) If your problem is with hardware, check this out
http://content.techweb.com/winmag/library/1998/1001/fea0045.htm
You should also try your hardware vendor's site almost
all hardware vendors have FAQs and free online, searchable
tech support areas.

4) You might also try the free PC Pitstop test and tune-up site.
It can help you troubleshoot and analyze your system for a wide
variety of common problems:   http://www.pcpitstop.com

6) If your problem is with software, the link at
http://content.techweb.com/winmag/library/1998/1001/fea0045.htm
also contains a wealth of software troubleshooting information,
and most software vendors also offer  free online tech support.

For Win98-specific software problems, check out
http://content.techweb.com/winmag/library/1998/1201/cov0066.htm
and http://content.techweb.com/winmag/windows/features/98runbetter/05.htm
for tons of info on solving problems with that OS. Another article at
http://content.techweb.com/winmag/library/1998/1001/fea0045g.htm
will show you how to use the free diagnostic tools which you
may already own and not realize it. (they're hidden on the Windows setup CDs!)

Finally, http://content.techweb.com/winmag/library/1998/1201/ana0010.htm
can show you what's up with "version conflicts" and related problems, including
suggested fixes and Microsoft's own recommendations.

7) BrowserTune can help with UI issues, browser issues, connectivity
and throughput issues, and lots more having to do with the Internet,
the Web, intranets, general connectivity, and all the related technologies.
http://browsertune.com/
Also, the top four reasons for browser instability are discussed here
http://content.techweb.com/winmag/library/1999/0701/ana0008.htm

8) If you have a BrowserTune problem, use the "Browser Failed" links
on the BrowserTune site ( http//www.browsertune.com ); they bring you to help
pages that will tell you what to do. BrowserTune itself has been used by
(literally) tens of millions of people; it's very thoroughly debugged. The
servers it's on have a better than 99% uptime. While it's possible that you
may discover a bug or suffer from a failure of one of the tests, chances are
if you have a problem, it's on your end---that's exactly what BrowserTune
is designed to uncover for you!

9) You may also wish to try these for specific problems:
Win98-Specific Bugs and Fixes
http://content.techweb.com/winmag/library/1998/1201/cov0066.htm

General Windows Support issues
http://support.microsoft.com/support/ and/or
http://support.microsoft.com/directory/

Win95
http://support.microsoft.com/support/windows/serviceware/win95/default.asp

Win98
http://support.microsoft.com/support/windows/serviceware/win98/default.asp

WinME http://support.microsoft.com/support/default.asp?PR=winme

WinNT http://support.microsoft.com/support/default.asp?PR=ntw&FR=0&SD=SO&

Win2K http://www.microsoft.com/technet/win2000/default.asp

Internet Explorer 5
http://support.microsoft.com/support/ie/serviceware/exp50/default.asp

For patches and upgrades:
If you can, try using "Windows Update" (on your start menu) .
If you can't get into Windows Update or if you want to download patches one
by one and store them locally, try
http://www.microsoft.com/windows98/downloads/corporate.asp

10) Finally, here's the "ultimate fix" for a huge pile of common problems
http://content.techweb.com/winmag/library/1998/1001/fea0045i.htm#won't_work

11) These are net publications with great resources, try the free searches here

       Search all back issues of the LangaList
http://www.langa.com/search.htm

       InformationWeek Columns
http://www.informationweek.com/langaletter/archives.htm

       All past WinMag Columns:
http://content.techweb.com/winmag/columns/explorer/backissu.htm
http://www.freetune.com/most_popular_pages.htm
 

A great place to search for more info is Google. It has emerged as
probably the best all-around search engine. For more info, see
 
 

Cable Web server
 http://www.dslwebserver.com/
{A server on your own PC} If you have DSL or cable, besides
beinglight years ahead of the 56k folks, you may also wish to erect
your own Web server.

Hide In Picture v2.0 [366k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.brasil.terravista.pt/Jenipabu/2571/hip20.zip
 http://www.brasil.terravista.pt/Jenipabu/2571/e_hip.htm
{Hide data in a picture} The secret word for today is
"steganography."
 

Badger v2.0 [1.5M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.pcmagic.net/robisonb/badger1.exe
 http://get.to/badger
 http://screenshot.lockergnome.com/badger.png
{Download multiple files}If you run this program, you can
download multiple files using whichever browser you choose, and it
won't compromise your privacy... *cough* Godzilla *cough*.
 

DLL Help Database
 http://support.microsoft.com/servicedesks/fileversion/dllinfo.asp?sd=TECH
"This database contains information about DLL files that ship with
selected Microsoft products. DLL Help exists to assist developers,
system administrators, and other IT professionals who face file
version conflicts with Microsoft software. Use DLL Help to
identify which software installed a specific version of a DLL.
NOTE: This tool does NOT provide direct links to download the
files listed in the database. DLL files are generally not
available for download from Microsoft. To find downloadable files,
try the Download area."

 <> AI-Software SmartColor v1.01 [374k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.ai-software.atfreeweb.com/products/dl/SmartColor_101_Setup.zip
 http://www.ai-software.atfreeweb.com/products/smartcolor.asp
"Award-winning AI-Software SmartColor is the ultimate color picker
for windows. It has a color grabber, supports six different modes,
is more powerful than Photoshop's color picker, has built-in
support for web-safe colors, all 140 named (X11) colors, supports
color saving, a minimize-to-tray function and much much more. Its
main features include: Photoshop-styleness: everybody who ever
used Photoshop, will not have to learn how to use SmartColor;
support for Web-safe colors: Web designers know how important that
feature is; support for user-defined colors: save as many of your
colors as you want."
 

 <> Adobe Premiere
 http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,5389,00.asp
Create professional-looking video projects -- or spare loved ones
the agony of watching the unedited version of your latest
vacation, with this video tool. Adobe Premiere, the industry
standard for editing video footage, lets you produce professional-
 looking video clips or extended presentations. The interface is
neatly designed to let you lay out your project in a storyboard --
 and you can organize the sequence of your edits by moving clips
to the program's time line. The program includes all types of
transition effects and filters (both video and audio), so your
final project can look like a polished business presentation or a
cheesy, tabloid TV program. Version 6.0 of Premiere includes a
sophisticated new Audio Mixer and a new Effect Controls palette.
The program exports your finished video to all types of streaming
video formats; you can also export to DVD, CD-ROM, and videotape.

 <> Blaze Media Pro
 http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,7777,00.asp
Multimedia mastery is yours with this all-in-one program that
supports a wide range of popular media formats. You can convert to
and from various audio and video formats, as well as perform video
construction and decompiling. You can edit and record audio (from
any analog connection, such as a cassette player, record player,
phone line, or TV), and you can create and edit audio and video
playlists. This release lets you evaluate the software free for 15
days. The trial version does not support .wav to CD audio
conversion, but other than that it is fully functional.

 <> ASFRecorder
 http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,7942,00.asp
So you really want to view that N'Sync Webcast, but you're
rehearsing with your own band at the time it's being streamed?
This utility allows you to grab that file to watch at a more
convenient time. First find the address of the streaming file that
you'd like to capture, and then download and store the Windows
Media file (.asx, .wmx., or .wmvt) onto your hard drive or
removable media. (Many music videos, movie trailers, live
broadcasts, and songs use the Windows Media format.) You can then
view files offline and copy them as often as you wish. Contents
are then in a format that you can distribute using programs such
as Napster, Gnutella, FTP, and IRC.

 <> MyVideoShare
 http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,8147,00.asp
Do you want to share your full-motion video creations or engage in
video chat with your friends from around the world? Download
VideoShare Producer, and then record and edit home videos with a
Webcam, a digital video camera, or a camcorder. Publish the videos
to your private "My VideoCenter" page on the VideoShare site. You
can then submit videos to the VideoShare Gallery or send them to
friends in video greeting cards and video mail. You can even put
your videos on your personal home page, use them to sell items on
online auction sites, and compress them into clips that stream
instantly without time-consuming downloads. After registering as a
VideoShare member, you get 10MB of free disk space (enough to
store between 5 and 50 minutes of video, depending on the quality
settings).

 <> VideoWave 4
 http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,7436,00.asp
If you're one of the growing number of digital video enthusiasts,
you'll find this software a good (and more reasonably priced)
alternative to Adobe Premiere. It lets you capture video from a
camcorder, television, VCR, DVD player, or Webcam. You can then
combine video clips, animation, graphics, photos, and sound. The
updated version includes fast- and slow-motion effects, a scene-
detection feature, and support for Windows Media, RealVideo, and
MP3 files. Note: For digital video capture, an IEEE 1394 card is
required. This link will take you to the download page, where
you'll be asked to fill out a form so that an unlock code can be
sent to you.

Get * 4 * DVDs for only * 49 CENTS * each (plus S&H)!
  http://by.advertising.com/1/c/22869/21991/65779/65779
  What are you waiting for? Start building your library today
  with your favorite films. With so many titles to choose from,
  you’re bound to find some essential titles you just can't live
  without! Click for more details:
 

MAIL MERGE \ Yeah, you've heard this word before, but do you know
what it is? It's something you should know about if you write a
lot of form letters, or tend to create documents that contain a
lot of the same information. In Microsoft Word (and any other
processor that supports mail merge) for example, you can create a
letter with general terms instead of specific ones (i.e., [NAME]
instead of "Chris Pirillo"). When you use mail merge, all of those
fields are replaced with the appropriate filler. Believe me, it's
a great time saver. You'll find it in the Tools menu in Microsoft
Word.

 <> News Blogger
 http://www.newsblogger.com/
{Blogging the news} We've been using Blogger to keep everyone up
to speed on all the latest IT news and reviews via our "Bits &
Bytes" page. I'm telling ya, it works like a charm. However, since
we feature news sources, I couldn't help but take a gander at this
option (which is also provided as a service from Blogger). If your
blog relies on news headlines, then try this out. You can search a
headline database courtesy of Moreover, and then post away just
like you would any other Web log. New to the whole blogging
experience? You're missing out. Give it a try.

 <> eDevCafe
 http://www.edevcafe.com/
{Learn Web stuff} So you want to design a Web page, learn Flash,
and run with the big boys, huh? Well, you can't. Okay, you can,
and this Web site is a great place to start. They offer tutorials
for beginners on creating HTML, JavaScript, Perl, and anything
else you'd like to learn. Besides being a great place for newbies,
it's also worth a visit for anyone who just wants to brush up on
their skills and terminology. The site also includes articles and
reviews. We all have to start somewhere.
 

 <> Site Critique
 http://www.sitecritique.net/
{Constructive site criticism} Is your site out of site? Er...
sight? You may want to submit it to these folks and have them take
a look at it. They'll provide you with a critical analysis of your
site so you'll know what works, what doesn't, what needs fixin',
and what needs to be thrown out completely. Your site will be
evaluated based on navigation, usability, graphics, content, load
time, and browser compatibility. They don't slam your site, they
offer friendly advice on how to make it better.
 

Passing a Word document around an office in paper form allows you
to easily see who made which changes to the text, but electronic
format is a different story - unless you're familiar with the
Track Changes feature. To see how this works, enable Track Changes
by clicking Tools - Track Changes - Highlight Changes - Track
changes while editing. In a blank document, the only difference
you'll notice right off is the TRK that lights up in the status
bar at the bottom of the window. When you begin to fill the screen
with text, however, you'll see that everything is colorized and
underlined. This notes a change made to the original document
since Track Changes was enabled. That said, be sure you have your
first draft completed before you enable the feature and pass it
along to the next stop. Once the modified version returns to your
desk, each person's changes will appear in a different color. If
you mouse-over the text, up will pop the author of the changes and
the date/time the modifications were made. Now, right click the
hacked text and you'll have the option to accept or reject the
changes. No more transcribing scribbled notes from a withered
paper copy that's been through 30 sets of hands.

Refining your search results to a set of results smaller than
326,784 hits is essential in finding what you're really going
after. With the help of a few tricks, you can alter how results
are filtered. For instance, specifying "url:lockergnome" (without
the quotes, of course) at AltaVista will result in all links with
lockergnome in the URL. Similarly, using "link:lockergnome.com"
shows you the sites that link to the domain of choice. If you care
to specify a particular top-level domain to refine your query,
then use "domain:uk lockergnome.com" which displays all of the .uk
sites that have links back to lockergnome.com. Try it on other
search engines and directories for different results, natch.

Help with numerous problems caused by Microsoft's operating
systems and applications comes in the form of Microsoft
Knowledgebase (MS KB) articles. Once you have an article number in
hand, you have to surf to the Knowledgebase search page, then
enter the article number. If you're using Internet Explorer 5.x,
shave a few steps off of the process by typing "MSKB Q286043" sans
quotes. You'll instantly be whisked away to the exact missive
you're after, and nary a click has been rendered to get there.

Sneakernet is still in common use around many offices, which is a
bit of a shame with all of the things technology can do these
days. Even if you aren't one to sneakerize your data between two
PCs sitting next to each other, there still comes the need for a
floppy diskette once in a while. Using Floppies will ultimately
lead to bad data once in a while, but with the help of the Verify
command, you can add one more step to the floppy write process to
help ensure the readability before the diskette leaves the source
machine. Simply launch a DOS box and type "verify" sans quotes to
see the current status of the verify flag, normally off. Type
"verify on" to force data to be read back from the diskette after
writing, ensuring the integrity of the information. Note that this
also affects hard disk writes, which can cause a bit of a
performance drag. Windows 9x will leave verify on even if you exit
the DOS window so be sure to type "verify off" when you're
finished, though a reboot will reset the status to off as well.
Windows NT/2K will both forget this setting once you close the DOS
window.

Sometimes when you try to logon to a site, or even register using
their neat little sign up form in order to obtain a user Id and
password, things just don't go right. Your browser may hang, or
you may receive cryptic errors back that don't really lead to a
proper solution. This can often be caused by a difference in the
HTTP protocol being used to communicate between your browser and
the web server. Having a proxy server in the mix somewhere along
the line spells trouble once in a while as well. Microsoft
Internet Explorer permits you to define settings that affect how
the browser uses the HTTP1.1 standard. Click Tools - Internet
Options - Advanced tab and locate the HTTP 1.1 settings area.
Altering how these are set can allow a problematic website to work
properly. If you're running without a proxy server, then be sure
that the "Use HTTP 1.1 through proxy connections" is not checked
for starters. Also try disabling HTTP 1.1 entirely by clearing the
"Use HTTP 1.1" checkbox. Conversely, if they are both disabled,
try enabling one or the other to see if it has an affect on the
issue. Confusing, to be sure, but there aren't any hard and fast
rules about this one.
 
 

SIGGY.  A free program at http://www.killersoftware.com,
Siggy sitsin your tray and adds a random signature to email using either
HTML orASCII format.  It works with most email software including
OutlookExpress, Eudora, and Netscape.  This 430kb download is for PC
only.

LayoutFix v1.3 [156k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
   http://www.softcomplete.com/download/bin/LayoutFix.zip
   http://www.softcomplete.com/
  {Flip typing flubs fast} what happens when you forget you were
typing in Dvorak?
 , your text can be reformatted as if you had been entering it
"correctly" all along.

Check Printer v4.6 [1.7M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.geocities.com/checkprinter2000/CheckPrinter46.zip
 http://checkprinter.batcave.net/
{Make wallet-sized checks}let your printer fill in
the amounts for ya. Not only the amounts, but the date,
signature,

 <> Pixia v1.9a [2.9M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.ab.wakwak.com/~knight/pix19ae.exe
 http://www.ab.wakwak.com/~knight/
 http://screenshot.lockergnome.com/pixia.png
{Digital painting and retouching} It's called Pixia,
and it... is awesome. It's an editor that was designed
specifically with full-color images in mind.. This
has been regarded as one of the best free image editors out
there.
There are a few subtle quirks, but after playing with it for a
few
minutes, you'll uncover features other apps don't have

Click-N-Type v1.03 [1.7M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.ac.net/~lakerat/cnt/CNTzip.exe
 http://www.ac.net/~lakerat/cnt/
 http://screenshot.lockergnome.com/type.png
{On-screen keyboard} I'm always thrilled when I come across a
program like this; it means someone is actually putting a little

heart into their programming. You see, this is for people who
can't use a keyboard (for whatever reason). Even if you can move

and click the mouse, this tool can help you enter data into
almost
any Windows application. URLs can be passed through using the
"buffer" field (rather than trying to click inside the address
bar).

ABC-EDUCA Startpage Creator v0.3 [1.5M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.abc-educa.nl/SPC-1003.exe
 http://www.abc-educa.nl/download-spc.html
 http://screenshot.lockergnome.com/startpagina.png
{Dynamic HTML from Favorites} Quit scrolling through all those
saved Web links; you've got better things to do with your time
(ya
know, besides reading Lockergnome). Place all of them into your
very own (very dynamic) start page. Like those pages
covered in "boxed" link sections

Seatools: The Ultimate Disc Diagnostic Software
 http://www.seagate.com/support/seatools/
SeaTools saves time, data and money by keeping disc drives
healthy in your system. Fact: more than 40 percent of returned
drives are found to be healthy. SeaTools Desktop Edition
features
include: data safe tests, log of results, error code
explanations,
a self-booting diskette, etc. SeaTools requires an Intel-
compatible system with at least 8MB of RAM, a floppy drive and
at
least one (1) Seagate Technology disc drive."

Working Efficiently with Windows ME
 http://www.microsoft.com/insider/mi/winmetips.htm
"Tips for Working Efficiently: Run programs from the Address
bar,
Get back to the desktop quickly, Browse the Web and your files
with one program, Close several programs at once, Set system
date
and time, Ways to delete a file or folder, Explore more with
Explorer bars, Undo actions in Windows, Turn on file name
extensions, Move or copy files to subfolders, Rearrange programs

on the Start menu, Set your windows so they all have the same
view, Show hidden program or system files, Use single-click
everywhere, Speed up your programs, Open a Web page from the
Start
menu, Surf your computer the same way you surf the Web,
Customize
the taskbar, etc."

System Restore Remover Pro v1.2 [404k] Windows ME
 http://definitionsoft.virtualave.net/SRPSetup.exe
 http://www.definition-software.com/
"System Restore Remover Pro allows you to easily and safely
remove
System Restore and various other Windows Millennium 'features.'
Also includes Windows Media Player version swapping for optimum
Windows performance. What's New v1.2 Final: various bugs fixed,
updated removal system, altered components." WARNING: use at
your
own risk. Of course, I'd say the same thing about Microsoft
Windows Millennium Edition. You probably wonder why I don't
bother
plugging it in these newsletters. Well, that's because I believe

it's a waste of money and resources. Why should I encourage you
to
own a slower computer?

Perfect Companion
 http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/1,fid,8092,00.asp

As conscientious as we try to be by using our control
panel's "add/remove" application to uninstall a program,
remnants of the unwanted file invariably remain behind.
Whether it's a stray DLL or an unchanged Registry entry,
it's unsettling to know the job isn't fully done,
particularly if you have a new PC you want to keep clean.
Perfect Companion can help you out, in this respect. It
removes all invalid file entries, Class and Interface keys,
and application keys noted in the Registry. Not only does it
do this for current programs you want to uninstall, but it
can do this retroactively, as well.  Concerned about an ugly
uninstall from a few months back? Perfect Companion will
delete all unused keys that were created by any program no
longer in your system. The program also keeps you aware of
everything it is doing, showing you what files have been
modified, replaced, added, and deleted.

A PRINT SOLUTION - MAYBE.  This is at least worth a try if you
are
having problems getting frames to print correctly in Netscape.
Change
the cache setting by going to
Edit|Preferences|Advanced|Cache|Document
in Cache is Compared To Document On Network, and change the
option to
Every Time.  That may clear up the frame printing problem, but
if not,
what have you got to lose?

**********************************************************************
 

DAWN.  This application, still in Beta, converts address book
programs in Netscape 3 and 4, Internet Explorer, Outlook
Express,Windows Address Book, MS Outlook 98/2000, Juno, WordPerfect,
Eudora 3and 4, Pegasus 3, and a host of other programs from one format
toanother.  It also sorts email addresses by nickname or address
and workson Win 95, 98, NT, and UNIX systems.  You can find it at
http://zakharin.freeyellow.com/Software/Dawn.html

Pardon v1.6 [4.0M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://hjem.sol.no/softbear/pardon.exe
 http://www.softbeartech.com/cgi-bin/page.cgi?go=pardon:index
{Translate words on-the-fly} Say you want to know the Spanish
wordfor "chocolate" (or any other word). You can wait for a
bilingualperson to wander by your window, or you can use Pardon to look
theword up instantly. There's also a vocabulary helper included.
It'll come in handy when those delegates from the United Nations
come to Gnomedex; it translates from German, Norwegian, French,
Swedish, and Danish. Mmmmm... Danish. Now, if only I had this
thing back in high school. I would have passed with colores de
vuelo.

IntelliTamper v2.03 [83k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://chez.com/cavemania/intellitamper/download/intellitamper_v2.03.zip
 http://www.chez.com/cavemania/intellitamper/
{Browse server hierarchies} Wouldn't it be nice to see what's on
aWeb site before you click through? You can use
this sneaky spider to find only the files you desire (at least,
ona particular Web server). Browse at your leisure without having
to worry about ads, useless links, and other nuisances. Flip
throughthe folders as if they were actually on your hard drive. Clear
away the excess and get down to what you really need. It'll also
find unlisted files and folders on a Web site.

 <> Windows 2000 UI Innovations
 http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/periodic/period00/w2kui.htm
"Windows 2000 includes some helpful new UI features you can
customize and implement in your own applications. In this
articleyou'll see how to provide infotips for files, after making the
appropriate registry entries. Then create a custom column
handlerextension, resulting in a new column for the Explorer's Details
view. In order to further extend the shell, additional UI
goodieswill also be examined and implemented including: search
handlers,cleanup handlers, folder customizations using property sheet
handlers and icon overlays, etc."

 <> Win2K Power Users Mailing List
 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Win2KPowerUsers
"A once-a-week newsletter devoted to hints, tips, tricks, news
andgoodies for Windows NT, Windows 2000 and (future) Windows XP
users. Moderated and edited by Serdar Yegulalp, former Senior
Technology Editor of WINMAG.COM, with over seven years of
Windowsexperience under his belt. Come on board for a once-a-week
helpingof Windows information!" And this is one newsletter I look
forwardto receiving every weekend. It's straightforward and easy for
anyone to read; if you plan on upgrading to Windows XP, walk
intobattle with Serdar.

 <> Microangelo
 http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/1,fid,3335,00.asp
 transform the icons on our desktops

 <> 3DFolders
 http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/1,fid,6165,00.asp

It doesn't take much of an eye for aesthetics to think that
the default folder icons in Windows are a bit -- plain, to
put it charitably. 3DFolders lets you add a bit of nuance to
your desktop with its collection of shaded folder icons.

Resume Maker
 http://resumemaker.com/
{Create the perfect resume} I know there are more than a few
college kids reading this newsletter, so let me offer a word of
advice: When it comes to your resume, always lie. No, wait...
that's not what I meant to say. What I should have said is: your
resume is very important. Not just what's on your resume, but
howyour resume appears on the page. Sign up for this service and
haveprofessional-quality resumes done in no time at all.

NETSCAPE COMPLETE INSTANT Message DELETE
Messenger has a similar feature only it's a Trash folder rather
than aRecycle Bin.  Similarly, holding down the Shift key as you
deletea message banishes it forever, rather than holding it for you in
theTrash folder.

 NETSCAPE'S BOOKMARKS UPDATE.  I was reminded not long ago
abouta nice feature with Netscape Communicator, something I had
almostforgotten.  There's an update feature you can readily use at
Bookmarks|Edit Bookmarks|View|Update Bookmarks.  Then click on All
Bookmarks;or highlight (select) the ones you want to check, and click on
SelectedBookmarks.  Click on Start Checking and Netscape will verify
each link.A question mark  will be displayed beside each one that cannot
besuccessfully retrieved.

11.  VISUAL SEARCH ENGINE.  That's how SearchShots describes
itself athttp://www.searchshots.com .  It provides preview screenshots of
everysite you search.

"Where can I find the latest Windows updates?"
WINDOWSUPDATE.COM.

SAVE  PDF's that are protected.
"You'rereading a PDF file and you want to save it on your hard drive
foroffline viewing, but the 'save' command is grayed out in the
filemenu. Here's a slick work around. Click File, Send, and e-mail
thepage to yourself. The e-mail will arrive in your Inbox with the
PDF file as an attachment -- which you can then save wherever
youwish." That's one trick you shouldn't soon forget. It may also
bepossible to take a step back and right-click on the link to the
PDF document. That "Save Target As..." option is a godsend for
people who love to download stuff; it's what I use for every ZIP
or EXE file on the Web. I know the option isn't available in
HTMLe-mail messages
 
 

MSN Messenger Plus Extension v1.02 [20k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.patchou.com/msgplus/msgplus.zip
 http://www.patchou.com/msgplus/
{Microsoft IM power tool} Think of every annoying feature of the
MSN instant messenger. Advertisements, lack of logging
functionality, no macros, large icons you can't turn off in every
IM window (accompanied by a useless 'privacy' reminder). It's
enough to make someone want to develop an add-on. It's your turn
to download it! The Extension attaches itself to the MSN Messenger
and adds a few little extras that'll make your experience more
complete. For one thing, there's a Quick Text option that allows
you to insert up to 5 specific phrases. Having separate
conversation logs for each user is priceless, too.

Global Audio Control v1.5.9 [919k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://download.cnet.com/downloads/0-1896425-100-6199297.html
 http://www.geocities.com/globalaudiocontrol/
{Keystroke your audio} Just push PLAY. Well, when it comes to PC
desktop audio players, you actually have to click play, don't ya?
Well, not anymore, sister... or brother. This sound time saver
makes it easy for you to create your own keyboard shortcuts for
the Master Volume controls in Windows (and for Winamp as well).
Now you can press "P" for "Play" or "Pause." Well, you'll figure
something out. Winamp can be launched automatically from this
tool, too. I'm such a sucker for shortcuts. Don't try to say that
out loud. "Be able to multitask without the annoyance of opening
multiple windows. This software is especially useful for those who
work in a full-screen environment."

AmiWeb Secure Browser for Kids! v2.0 [3.0M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.midmultimedia.com/download/internet/Amiweb20en.exe
 http://www.midmultimedia.com/amiweb_ca/
{Browser for babes}They've got a team of experts who study
these sites to make sure they're educational and (above all)
appropriate for young surfers. Of course, taking them outside once
in awhile isn't a bad idea, either. "The AmiWeb character guides
your kids around the browser with voice, sounds and music!"

iOpus Internet Macros v1.0.704 Beta [3.0M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.iopus.com/download/iim_setup.exe
 http://www.iopus.com/iim.htm
{Record your surfing}

Always On Top v1.5 [1.9M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://members.fortunecity.com/itechsoft/aot.exe
 http://members.fortunecity.com/itechsoft/
{Foreground desktop image} No desk or cubicle is complete without
a framed picture of your sweetheart, wife, girlfriend... or all
three. Nah, I'm joking. But c'mon, doesn't seeing your loved one's
smiling visage make your crummy job seem... a little less crummy?
Well, this picture perfect program will put a snapshot of your
significant other (or any other picture) on top of all other
windows. You can even set a WAV file to play when the image first
loads. It won't detect viruses or make your system run smoother,
but love makes you do strange things. Like take a motorcycle class
even though you can't stand two-wheeled vehicles. Not like that's
ever happened to me or anything.

 <> BidderBlock v1.0 [2.4M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.hammertap.com/downloads/BidderBlockSetup.exe
 http://www.hammertap.com/
{Stop auction hounds cold} If you use eBay semi-regularly to sell
your wares, you know that some bidders can be a real pain in the
neck. In fact, you'd prefer they just not bid on your stuff at
all. This bidder-bouncing binary enables you to select individuals
and block them from taking part in your auctions. Use your eBay
password to log in, then create your list. Even send e-mails to
the people on your list (as well as export the list to other
users). It's a great way to control who gets your stuff (and who
doesn't). You know what they say about that one bad apple. Check
out this guy's site for more great auction enhancing downloads!

 <> ConTEXT v0.96.1a [1.0M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.fixedsys.com/context/ConTEXTsetup.exe
 http://www.fixedsys.com/context/
{Alternative text editor} Software developers are awesome --
 especially those who create cool stuff for us to download. This
tool was designed with them in mind; ConTEXT features syntax
highlighting for pretty much any program language available (as
well as multi-language support). It handles code templates, has a
built-in macro recorder, and will run quietly in your System Tray.
Is it only for programmers? No. Take a look if you're an ASCII
junkie. "ConTEXT doesn't have internally native support for real
hard tabs, so tabs will be converted to spaces when opening file
and spaces will be converted back to tabs when saving file."
 

TightHyperLinks v1.0 [786k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.tightprices.com/downloads/TightHyperLinksMFC.zip
 http://www.tightprices.com/products/TightHyperLinks/
{Load multiple links} Let's face it, links are what the Internet
is made of. Some pages have tons and tons of links. It's a bit
bothersome, though, to click on all those interesting links...
only to have to return to the original 'links' page each time.
This utility functions as a "links drop area" for all the links
you want to see on a particular page. Once you've corralled your
linkage, you can open them up as separate windows and see
everything all at once -- no unnecessary back-clicking. I can use
it with Outlook to open links to programs and sites
Of course, you could also hold down the SHIFT key
before clicking on a link. That works almost as well (though you
can't launch new browsers simultaneously).

Send To FTP v2.2 [359k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Garage/7334/sftp22st.zip
 http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Garage/7334/SndToFTP.html
{Upload stuff with ease} Here's a simple way to transfer your
files to a Web server from the comfort of the Windows Explorer.
All you have to do is right click on any file you want to send,
then select "Send to FTP" from the "Send To" menu. You'll have to
fill in a username, hostname, and password when you first fire up
this add-on, but after that, it's smooth sailing. No clients to
fuss with! It's capable of handling multiple host accounts; use
the edit box to put files into a sub-directory. If you're new to
the file transfer protocol, it doesn't get much easier than this.
"Hold down [the] CTRL or SHIFT key to select more than one
file..."
 

Computer May Not Hibernate with More Than 192 MB of Memory
 http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q296/7/73.asp
"When you are running several programs on Windows Millennium
Edition (Me) on a computer that has 192 megabytes (MB) or more of
random access memory (RAM), you may not be able to hibernate the
computer. Instead, the screen may turn black for a few seconds,
and then the desktop reappears. This problem occurs because a
calculation that is made to determine the amount of memory to be
allocated for the hibernation file may return incorrect results in
a large-memory situation when the computer is under a heavy memory
load (over 192 MB of RAM installed with several programs running).
This may cause the hibernation attempt not to work. A supported
fix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to
correct the problem described in this article and should be
applied only to systems experiencing this specific problem." My
fix? GET RID OF WINDOWS ME!!!

Outlook 2002 Update AND Word 2002 Update
 http://office.microsoft.com/downloads/2002/OLK1001.aspx
 http://office.microsoft.com/downloads/2002/WRD1001.aspx
"The Microsoft Outlook 2002 Update: June 21, 2001 provides you
with the highest levels of performance and stability available for
Outlook 2002. This update increases performance when using Outlook
2002 with Instant Messaging integration or running on a Microsoft
Exchange Server. [The Word] update prevents Word from running
macros without warning because the user has opened a document that
has been maliciously modified. Once you have installed this
update, you will still be able to use templates, macros in
templates, or RTF documents with macros."

NSOutlook v1.6 [37k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.macgyver.org/software/outlook/nsoutlook.zip
 http://www.macgyver.org/software/nsoutlook.html
"The problem is that if you click on a mailto URL in Netscape, it
always runs Netscape Messenger -- its email client. I don't like
it, and probably never will. I like my Outlook. So, how does one
get the two working together? I spent the better part of my 1998 /
1999 New Year holiday trying to figure out how to get Netscape
Communicator to launch Outlook and this is the result. This isn't
really a browser plugin so much as a DLL replacement. Whenever you
click on a mailto URL that would normally spawn a new mail
message, it will instead spawn a new message using Outlook 98 /
2000. On the Communicator | Tools menu, an entry to spawn Outlook
98 / 2000 now appears, allowing you to launch Outlook 98 / 2000
from the Netscape toolbar."

 WinMeta v1.5 [184k] W9x/NT/2k US$20
 http://www.winmeta.com/download/iepassword/setup.zip
 http://www.iepassword.com/
"IE Password is a small tool to recover passwords in Internet
Explorer 5.x. You can use IE Password to reveal the masked
password on-the-fly. This is a handy add-on, to avoid the
inconvenience of spending time recovering the actual password
through other channels. Features: All passwords in web pages are
recovering instantly (Auto Complete Password can recover);
multilingual passwords are supported; compatible with Windows 98,
ME, 2000; and full install / uninstall support."

 Program Manager v2.0 [678k] W9x FREE
 http://widgetech.com/mymain/Downloads/prgman2.zip
 http://widgetech.com/
"The Widget Program Manager will take a snapshot of your system at
the time it first starts. This snapshot will show all of the
processes, modules, and threads that are running on your PC. You
will be able to end a process, reboot your PC, and shut down your
PC. You will also be able to view the CPU usage, memory load, [et
al] on your PC in real time. The CPU graph is the percent of time
the CPU is not idle."
 

Darn Passwords
 http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,7377,00.asp
Who knows how it happened, but most of us ended up with different
passwords for different Web sites. Our password for Amazon.com
differs from our password for our Web-based e-mail program, which
differs from the one we use for our online bank or brokerage firm.
Darn Passwords tries to remedy this memory-testing state of
affairs by "remembering" your passwords for you, and lets you
"drag" your passwords onto applications or Web sites that need
them. The program also remembers the URLs of password-protected
Web sites--so if you use the program as intended, logging on to
these sites is almost like running a script. If you're feeling
particularly unimaginative, the program can generate passwords for
you.

Space Hound 32
 http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,8340,00.asp
The overall mission of the program is to "sniff out" wasted space
on your hard disk that is duplicated, obsolete, or simply
forgotten.
It performs its job by building specialized file lists, which can
be examined by the user. The program also provides reporting and
exporting capabilities. Its File Finder is similar in appearance
to the Windows File Search result, and provides a full system
search and display using a broad range of selection criteria. Use
selection filters based on multiple file mask patterns (*.OCX and
*.DLL) and a variety of other attributes including dates or file
size.
Results can be exported to other tools such as Microsoft Access or
Microsoft Excel for additional analysis. You can also print
reports of complete or partial results, play sound and music
files, and view graphics and hex files from within this
application.

Castillo Text Editor
 http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,8323,00.asp
Ultimately, it's the content that counts, and all the formatting,
bolding, and underlining you do isn't going to improve a bad
presentation. Do you work with unformatted text and need more
features than are provided in Notepad?
This text editor program has built-in support for Pascal/Delphi,
C/C++, HTML, JavaScript, and more. You can also create your own
highlighting scheme, change the font, and encrypt or decrypt text.
The clipboard works similarly to Windows' clipboard, except that
Windows' clipboard can only handle 64KB of data, while the
clipboard for this program has a 100MB capacity.
You can also select different settings for each document, such as
word wrap, auto indent, and line or paragraph numbering.

NoteTab Light
 http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,7710,00.asp
Have you been waiting for something that fits between the slim and
simple Notepad, and the monstrous Microsoft Word? Conserve your
system's resources, and use this program for HTML editing or
anything that doesn't require the advanced formatting of larger
text-editing programs. You can open many documents at once, and
switch between them using tabs. Write with the font of your
choice, use system-wide search and replace tools, even utilize
text macros. This version has the same features as Notepad
Standard, such as a spelling checker, a thesaurus, and user-
created toolbars, but only for 30 days. After that, it's still
free, but loses some of its advanced features.

TextPad
 http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,2051,00.asp
You can edit multiple files simultaneously, as well as utilize
commands to transpose words, characters and lines. Other commands
let you indent blocks of text, split or join lines, and insert
whole files. Any change can be undone or redone, right back to the
first one made. Visible bookmarks can be put on lines, and edit
commands can be applied to lines with bookmarks. Frequently used
combinations of commands can be saved as keystroke macros, and the
spelling checker has dictionaries for 10 languages.
 

Room Saver
 http://www.roomsaver.com/
{Cut your travel costs} Every once in a while, I stumble upon a
Web site and think: "Why did I not know about this sooner?" Take
this one, for example. You see, it offers money-saving coupons for
motels and hotels. As opposed to coupons that won't save you
money...? Become a registered user to get free 'tripping' info and
updates. As a guy who doesn't like to travel (but is often forced
to do so), I'll definitely be visiting again before my next trek
across the US of A. As you can see, this is for those of us who
have to deal with America's highways. There are listings for
British Columbia, too; can't forget about them Canadians. NOTE:
Arby's Big Montana is available all along I-80.

Sweet Fancy Moses
 http://www.sweetfancymoses.com/
{Words for readers} One word to describe this site: words. Yes,
the word is word. Talented people with bizarre imaginations submit
their fiction, poetry, short stories, and novel excerpts. If you
are one of the chosen few, your words may also grace their pages.
What I like most about this site is that they accept ALL forms of
fiction. They're also the official press site for the Titanic Deck
Chair Rearrangement Corporation. Good writing doesn't always have
to take itself so seriously, ya know. The Web has changed what,
when, and how we read. I'm writing this review on my Pocket PC.
How are you reading it?

Leoville
 http://www.leoville.com/
{Genius at play} If you've been asleep for the past couple of
weeks, you may have missed the note that I'm a host on Tech TV
now. Seriously, though, I've been singing the praises of that
channel for some time... and one man really sticks out as being a
true Internet (and TV / radio / print) guru. Besides hosting The
Screen Savers and anchoring for TechLive, he runs this site. Check
it out to learn more of what runs through his unedited mind; his
new discussion boards are quite useful, too. The 'Town Square' is
where you can post your own thoughts and feelings. I don't think
Tom Brokaw has ever done anything like this. Leo: you're my
mentor.

Flazoom
 http://www.flazoom.com/
{Mega Flash site} So, what the heck is a "flazoomer," anyway?
According to this dude, they're (Macromedia) Flash fanatics...
people who scour the Web for the best Flash animation. Hey, I dig
a flashy break every now and then. Sure, that's cool and all, but
what really makes this site and e-zine worthwhile is the in-depth
articles on different types of Flash, Live Motion, and upcoming
SVG content. Basically, it's a place for those who love to watch
and/or create digital animations. It's illegal in Iowa to Flash
people without providing a 'skip it' link. I'm not sure about
California yet.
X-ecutor V1.13.012 [379k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.xpertdesign.de/english/download_xecutor.php4
 http://www.xpertdesign.de/english/
{Run programs automatically}We all have programs we run
when we boot up, you might as well have them waiting for ya!

 DocumentTracker v1.1.5 [2M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.doc-tracker.com/doc_track.exe
 http://www.doc-tracker.com/admin.php
{Keep tabs on your documents} Who's reading your documents,
 

 Utopia v.1 [316k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.rangeva.com/download/UtopiaInst.exe
 http://www.rangeva.com/utopia/
{Share files safely} Peer-to-peer file sharing is nice and all, but
no matter how secure your system is, you might still feel a bit
apprehensive about letting total strangers have access to your
folders. Enter this new utility. You can still share your files,
but other users have access to the URL of specific files, rather
than direct access. This is called URL Sharing. It's more secure,
and anyway, downloading from an Internet server is a lot faster.

Effective Desktop v1.0 [1.1M] W9x/2k FREE
 http://w1.182.telia.com/~u18202752/efdsk100.zip
 http://www.ministars.com/ed/
{Faster desktop} Load this program, run it, and you'll notice some
interesting changes in your desktop. First of all, there's
ExplorerX, which allows you to customize your Start button and tray
notification icons. Hide those icons in your system tray that you
don't use, and set your desktop icons to transparent mode. Using
TaskbarX, you can switch to a different desktop, or add a calendar
to the taskbar. WindowsX gives you up to nine different desktops,
with optional keyboard shortcuts for each one.

Satscape v1.83 [4.5M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://members.tripod.com/satscape/binary/satscape_v1.83_all.zip
 http://www.satscape.co.uk/
{View satellites} I've always been interested in space. Outer
space, the great beyond, and the space between my ears. If you're
into that sort of thing, give this super-tracking app a go. It'll
monitor up to five hundred satellites and let you know when they're
above your neck of the woods (or neck of the suburbs, or whatever).
You'll have access to various map views and ground tracks to let
you keep an eye on those floating hunks of metal. You can instantly
update Keplerian elements, too.

 Happy Note! Treble and Bass Clef v2.5 [2.3M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.happynote.com/hncleusa.exe
 http://www.happynote.com/music/game/treblebass/game_treblebass.html
{Learn to read music} I'm not the most musically inclined person on
the  staff, but as many of you know, that hasn't stopped
me from belting out a song or two. Anyway, it's never too late to
learn and that's what this tuneful utility is all about. Ya see,
it's not a boring lesson, it's an actually game, and it'll teach
you how to read notes. You can set the speed to match your
particular expertise, then start learning. Oh, and you get to fire
missiles at the notes... that was my favorite part.

eXtraMENU v1.0 [33k] W9x FREE
 http://www.s.co.cwc.net/eXtraMenuR.zip
 http://www.s.co.cwc.net/cProdEM.htm
{Create a pop-up start menu} This program is an improvement on the
Windows Start menu. Using it, you can create a pop-up context menu,
pop-up sub menus, and compound menu items. You can also set
separate programs to launch within these compound menu items. You
can use the system tray icon to activate or deactivate the
suspended mode, and add and remove entries. Newbies should take
note: This program requires some knowledge of command line
parameters.

 MyEBC v2.1 [932k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 ftp://ftp.myebc.com/pub/SetupMyEBC.exe http://www.MyEBC.com/
{Virtual business cards} It used to be you'd have your board
meetings, and afterwards everyone would exchange business cards.
Well, you can still exchange business cards, but it's time to
update them to the digital age. Using these crafty cards, you can
share, change, and exchange your contact and business information
over the Internet. There's even a list of ten different templates
to choose from, so you can create a card that fits your business
and personality. Let's face it, we don't all want boring black and
white business cards. Bleah.

 <> DUN Backup Tool v2.11 [69k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.windridge.junglelink.co.uk/dun_b.zip
 http://www.incomplete.co.uk/index.shtml?programs
"The tool backs up your DUN 'connectoids' (as accessed by opening
the dialup networking folder in 'My Computer'). It does this by
creating an Internet settings file that when opened recreates the
DUN connection detailed in the file. To perform this task, run the
ras_b_ui.exe file, select the connection you wish to create an
Internet settings file for and click save. You will then be
prompted for a file name (Note: although *.ins is the default,
under most configurations, *.dun files can be opened in Windows)."

 BootPart v2.20 [25k] NT/2k FREE
 http://members.aol.com/gvollant/bootpa22.zip
 http://www.winimage.com/bootpart.htm
"BOOTPART lets you add partitions in the Windows NT/2K/XP
Multiboot menu. Usually, you only have an MSDOS or Windows 95
entry and one (or several) entries on the Windows NT
multiboot. With BOOTPART, you can add any partition on the
menu. You can add OS/2 Multiboot, or Linux Partition (with
Lilo) in the menu. The only thing I highly suggest: your active
partition on your first hard disk must be a FAT16 primary
partition. This can be a small partition. It seems it's
actually impossible add an HPFS partition with OS/2 boot. If
you find a workaround, please let me know. BOOTPART creates a
512 byte file which contains an image of a boot sector that
loads the boot sector of the partition. After, this file is
declared in C:\BOOT.INI (a text file used by Windows NT boot
menu). The boot sector comes from FDFormat and WinImage."

Quick Macros v1.3.3 [196k] W9x/2k FREE
 http://pages.zdnet.com/gindix/quickm13.zip
 http://pages.zdnet.com/gindix/quick_macros.htm
"Quick Macros (QM) automates repetitive tasks in many different
ways. You can quickly create macros to press keyboard keys, move
and click the mouse, type text, run and manage files, change
various window parameters, close pop-up windows, and more. QM can
identify windows, menu items, buttons, etc. in different ways and
click them even in the background. It also supports variables and
conditional branching (if, goto, repeat, menu). Macros can be
launched in different ways: keys, mouse clicks and movements,
window creation and activation, integrated or free toolbars, pop-up
menu, shortcuts, and timer. Macros can be global or
program-specific."

 SOHOConnection v2 [12.3M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.servlet.com/download/setup.exe
 http://www.servlet.com/soho2/
"SOHOConnection brings enterprise class connectivity to home, small
and medium-sized business users. Internet e-mail and the web can be
on every desktop provides instantaneous worldwide communications
without additional hardware, without additional long distance
bills, and without expensive system administration. The
SOHOConnection software runs on whichever computer on your network
has a connection to the Internet. It operates in the background,
allowing this computer simultaneously to perform other tasks. Every
computer on the network can then have both e-mail and web access
via the SOHO gateway, which relays requested e-mail and web pages
back to the requestor, with little or no reduction in speed."

SpeedLoad v1.0 Beta 2a [112k] W9x/NT/2k
 http://www.geocities.com/shewitt_au/speedload_files/speedload_beta_2a.zip
 http://www.geocities.com/shewitt_au/speedload_files/speedload.html
"My experience with install programs has led me to the following
conclusion: 90% of them are rubbish! SpeedLoad monitors a program's
activities and then optimizes the application so it loads more
quickly. If install programs did their job properly SpeedLoad would
have nothing to do, but the sad fact is that most of them only do
the bare minimum that is required to get the program up and running
and little else. A good installer should do the following (as well
as other things required by the software that it is installing):
Ensure that all DLL's the program uses are in different and
non-overlapping addresses, and ensure that the EXE is bound to the
DLL's it uses."

AceReader
 http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,6421,00.asp
This self-improvement tool helps you become more proficient at
reading, both on and off your computer. It helps you break bad
habits, such as subvocalization (inaudibly pronouncing the words
with your lips while you read), and re-reading (letting your eyes
wander back to text that you previously read). The program paces
you to read at higher speeds, and it displays text by flashing
word sets, preventing you from re-reading.

Coeli -- Stella 2000
 http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,6422,00.asp
Observe the heavens with this realistic simulation of the night
sky, which features planets, comets, and over 15,500 stars. From
your virtual observatory, you can view the sky from 0 to 90
degrees of elevation and 0 to 360 degrees of the compass; you can
also advance or retard the sky by years, months, days, or minutes
of sidereal or solar time. Each star has tint and each planet has
hue, cast over with tropospheric blue. The cosmos is at your
fingertips.

Guitar ChordBuster
 http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,8161,00.asp
Having trouble remembering how to change chords from G to D? Don't
worry, it's happened to all the greats. And although this program
may not be able to turn you into another Jimi Hendrix, it does
include an encyclopedia that has over 300,000 chords in its
database. You can play any chord and pick sequences that you can
play on a real guitar. Advanced players can use the Chord Filter
to instantly explore all chords possible for the chosen strings
and frets. The program can also tell you the name of your own
custom chords.
If you don't play guitar, you can still point and click guitar
accompaniments into your composition, and get the right chords for
your song from the Scale Selector. You can also export your
sequences in MIDI format.

Visible Human Radiologic Atlas of Sectional Anatomy
http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,7959,00.asp
Interactively view fully registered Gross, CT, and MRI images of a
human cadaver. All of the anatomy has been identified and labeled
in full detail. You can view any part in each imaging modality
with a click of the mouse. The intuitive interface allows you to
quickly and easily navigate through the whole human body and peel
it away in 3D as well. You can also test your knowledge with the
program's review and test mode.

GREP \
Ya see, "grep" is a UNIX command that is also available for Windows
(and other operating systems as well) in the form of third-party
utilities. So what is it for? It lets you search multiple files for
a specific character string. You can also replace this string with
another, if you so desire. For example, if you wanted to search the
file *.htm for any line including "html," you would use a
command line interface to type "grep html .htm." You can
also add an asterisk before a word or part of a word in order to
find and replace any string containing that particular word.

BUFFER \a data area that is shared by hardware devices and
programs, all of which run at different speeds and have different
priorities. The buffer doesn't necessarily speed things up,
instead, it lets everything do its job without being held up by
other processes.

VCD Help
 http://www.vcdhelp.com/
{Make a VCD} Man, all these digital discs can tie a person's head
in knots. Well, not me, because I'm a geek and I live for this kind
of thing. C'mon, though, VCD, DVDRW, X(S)VCD... what's it all
about? Don't worry about it, these guys have a Web site to help you
out. The best part is that they actually define what each of these
circular beauties actually do. If you want to learn how to burn,
play, compose, convert, and otherwise get the most out of this new
technology, this is the place you want to be.

PROCESS VIEWER.  This free application for Windows 95/98 at
http://www.blehq.org views all active processes, not just those
typically viewed with Ctrl+Alt+Del.  Terminate any desired
applications, copy their paths to the clipboard, view and change
their priorities and properties, register/unregister as a service,
and create scripts.

Windows 98 includes a batch file on the CD that can help you put
Humpty Dumpty back together again. Insert your system CD and you
should find PCRESTOR.BAT sitting in the \ Tools \ Sysrec folder.
Once you've located it, launch it. This will kick off the Setup
process in a special mode that reinstalls Windows over the top of
your existing installation. After the process is completed, a
recovery wizard is executed to help you restore from a full system
backup -- assuming you've made one, of course. If you find that
you need this tool often, all three files in the Sysrec directory
should be copied to a Windows 98 startup disk. Ya know, to further
ensure that you have them during a compu-crisis. The Recover.txt
file contains instructions for using the tool, and the MSBatch.inf
file specifies which components should be initially installed
before the recovery process is initiated. You can modify the .INF
file accordingly (as long as you know what you're doing).

BLOCKING COOKIES. Your browser will
block all cookies if you wish, but that greatly impedes navigation
throughout much of the Web.  Here's another innovative way to deal
with them in Netscape Communicator.
Locate the cookies.txt file in your browser path, usually Program
Files/Netscape/users/(username).  Examine the file with any text
editor, delete the ones you don't want, and save the rest back to
the same folder.  Write-protect the file by right-clicking on it,
select Properties, check Read-Only and click OK.  From your browser
screen, click Edit|Preference, and under Advanced, make sure that
Accept All Cookies is selected. Those sites setting cookies, in
effect, believe the cookie is accepted, and Netscape does not issue
an error message when the file cannot be written to.

Vikrant's P.C. Help v1.001 [435k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://members.rediff.com/vikrant88/vpchelp1.001.zip
 http://members.rediff.com/vikrant88/vpchelp.htm
"Vikrant's P.C. Help is an HTML Help File (.CHM) in which
Information, Help, Tweaks, Settings, FAQ's, Tips, Tricks,
Undocumented Stuff, etc. related to PC Hardware & Software are
included. All the information in this help file is taken from
Internet. This help file is for knowledge purpose Only. The File
you will Download from the Link Below in Downloads section is in
Zip Format. Unzip it & RUN the Setup.exe File and follow the
instructions. After Installation is Completed, Goto Start Menu &
You Find New Vikrant's PC Help Folder."

Diggit
 http://www.diggit.com/
{Find images fast}

 Namerazor
 http://www.namerazor.com/
{Name your domain} Here's a cool way to name a domain

 HARDWARE COMPATIBILITY CHECK.  Before buying check
out whether the hardware is compatible with Win98/NT4/WinMe/2000.
Microsoft's site at http://www.microsoft.com/hcl will let you do just that.

SURF SECRET offers to restore privacy for Win95/98/NT/ME/2000.
It clears Netscape and IE cache, cookies, and toolbars, IE history,
and AOL cache and cookies.  It empties the Recycle Bin, temporary
folders, Start Menu and Documents, and the last Find/Run folder.
This application also clears tracks in instant messaging software
such as AOL, MSN, and ICQ.  It clears unsecure Java applets and
ActiveX components to prevent Java and ActiveX tracking.  You can
program it to run automatically or at designated intervals and to
retain "friendly" cookies such as those you need to keep your home
page or often-visited sites fully accessible. It can operate in
passworded stealth mode to remain undetected by others.  A 30-day
free trial is at http://www.surfsecret.com .

SURFSAVER.  They call it "The Filing Cabinet For Webpages" and
SurfSaver is free at http://www.surfsaver.com .  It's a browser add-on
for MSIE and with it you can store Web pages as permanent archives in
searchable folders.  The Pro (paid) version works with Netscape as
well as MSIE, removes ad banners, and adds more storage options,
network and import capabilities.  The SurfSaver folks claim a real
advantage, given the "here today, gone tomorrow" of the Internet. It's
also a blessing for those whose on-line time is limited - just snatch
Web pages for later viewing when the clock isn't ticking.

Cogitum Co-Citer v1.04 [455k] W9x/NT/2K FREE
 http://www.cogitum.com/cociter/cociter.exe
 http://cogitum.com/co-tracker-text/more.htm
{Save text from the Web} This utility gives you a simpler way of
saving text from the Internet, provided you're running IE 5.0 or
higher. Just highlight the text you want, right click, and select
"Grab Selected Text." That's all there is to it. Now that you've
corralled your text, Tex, you can add comments, save your files to
certain collections, sort your records, combine (or split) your
records, search collections, send your files in an e-mail, and
import and export your files. If only my real life could be this
organized.

 IconSaver v1.21 [47k] W9x/2k FREE
 http://www.core-project.com/nole/iconsaver/iconsaver.zip
 http://www.core-project.com/nole/iconsaver/
{Save icon arrangements} This program lets you save and restore
different icon positions on your desktop.

 <> Group Mail Free v3.2.046 [4.7M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.infacta.net/files/igmsetup.exe
 http://www.infacta.com/
{Send an e-mail to many people} You can
use mail merge, personalize the subject lines, and even send
attachments to each person on your list. There are even filters
included for every field so you can really target the audience

Cheat-O-Mania v5.0 [1.0M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://mel-d.virtualave.net/downloads/com.zip
 http://mel-d.virtualave.net/com.htm
{Cheats for games}over two thousand.

Qwik Reader v1.0 [720k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.qwikreader.com/download/QwikRd10.exe
 http://www.qwikreader.com/
{Read without moving your eyes}it will scroll it for you

WHY DOES IT HURT WHEN I DO THIS?  I'm not sure you can get the
answer at Doc Clay's Pain & Posture Clinic, but it's worth an office
visit at http://danke.com/Orthodoc/ .  The site is "for pain relief
and postural alignment in children, teens, and adults"; a title in
itself almost a cure for insomnia.  But there's some good information
on treating carpal tunnel syndrome, headaches, low back pain, and just
about anything that might be caused by sitting at the computer too
long, reading and writing about postural alignment and such.

http://www.zipscan.co.uk/zipscan.zip
 ZipScan is a program that performs a fast file search which includes
looking inside archive files, such as Zip files.  It is also useful when
looking for a particular DLL from a set of CAB installation files, and
for Java programmers who need to search through their JAR archives

PDF ALTERNATIVES.  When we see a PDF file, we think of Adobe
Acrobat, just as with zipped files we think of WinZip.  But there are
alternatives to both.  With PDF, the stuff of which eBooks are made,
if you're only needing a casual PDF writer and not interested in
purchasing the Adobe Acrobat, there are at least two PDF writers that
might suffice: Free PDF at http://www.webxd.com/zipguy/freepdf.htm
and GhostScript at
http://www.gospelcom.net/iv/glw/wi/resources/aquiring_pdf.htm#ghostscript .

2000
 Once in a while, using a "DOS" window is faster than moving around
in Explorer; if you plan on executing batch files, you'll want to
use a command prompt. This way, you'll be certain to see the
ultimate results without having the window automatically close
upon completion. With the advent of long file names, moving around
the file system "manually" can leave you with wads of ripped-out
hair in your hands. Windows 2000 introduced some changes to the
CMD.EXE binary; it's responsible for initiating a command prompt
interface within Windows. If you modify its shortcut and append
"/f:on" to the end of the command line, you'll have hotkeys
available when you launch it again. These will enable you to cycle
through the names of files or directories. Hit CTRL + F to whiz
through the list of files in alphabetical order. SHIFT + CTRL + F
will reverse the process. CTRL + D will act similarly for
Directory (Folder) names. You can narrow down the list by
prefacing the first character or two of the file or directory
name. For example, typing "CD Pr" then CTRL + D from the root
directory of the system drive should display the "Program Files"
directory assuming there are no other directory names that would
be listed ahead of it in alphabetical order. Another "prompt"
trick is to use a wildcard to complete the file or directory name.
Issuing "CD Pro*" at a prompt will likely drop you right into the
Program Files directory. You can even use this trick when passing
filenames to the classic edit utility. Using a file called
 

*.txt for an example, you would enter "edit lock*" and
instantly be editing that file. This doesn't usually work with
non-DOS-mode applications, however. As far as Windows 9x users are
concerned, there's always DOSKEY (or JP Software's 4DOS).

FINGER  is just a way to tell you the name
associated with an e-mail address and whether or not that person
is currently online. Other information may also be provided; it
all depends on what the author of the information has to say. If
you're at a college or university where everyone is on the same
network, it's a cool way to see if your friends are online or
perhaps they update the information to tell you where the big
party is tonight. It does require that the appropriate services be
running on a server, most often Unix/Linux systems, but there are
Finger servers for Windows available as well. Go ahead... "finger
chris@lock.com" from a DOS window.

BLOCKING COOKIES. Your browser will
block all cookies if you wish, but that greatly impedes navigation
throughout much of the Web.  Here's another innovative way to deal
with them in Netscape Communicator.

http://www.zipscan.co.uk/zipscan.zip
 ZipScan is a program that performs a fast file search which includes
looking inside archive files, such as Zip files.  It is also useful when
looking for a particular DLL from a set of CAB installation files, and
for Java programmers who need to search through their JAR archives

Locate the cookies.txt file in your browser path, usually Program
Files/Netscape/users/(username).  Examine the file with any text
editor, delete the ones you don't want, and save the rest back to
the same folder.  Write-protect the file by right-clicking on it,
select Properties, check Read-Only and click OK.  From your browser
screen, click Edit|Preference, and under Advanced, make sure that
Accept All Cookies is selected. Those sites setting cookies, in
effect, believe the cookie is accepted, and Netscape does not issue
an error message when the file cannot be written to.

HARDWARE COMPATIBILITY CHECK.  Before buying check
out whether the hardware is compatible with Win98/NT4/WinMe/2000.
Microsoft's site at http://www.microsoft.com/hcl will let you do just that.

SURF SECRET offers to restore privacy for Win95/98/NT/ME/2000.
It clears Netscape and IE cache, cookies, and toolbars, IE history,
and AOL cache and cookies.  It empties the Recycle Bin, temporary
folders, Start Menu and Documents, and the last Find/Run folder.
This application also clears tracks in instant messaging software
such as AOL, MSN, and ICQ.  It clears unsecure Java applets and
ActiveX components to prevent Java and ActiveX tracking.  You can
program it to run automatically or at designated intervals and to
retain "friendly" cookies such as those you need to keep your home
page or often-visited sites fully accessible. It can operate in
passworded stealth mode to remain undetected by others.  A 30-day
free trial is at http://www.surfsecret.com .

THE INCREDIBLE EMAILER.  This software is offered to "dress
up your email with pictures, drawings, and graphics."  While I'm a
diehard believer in keeping email readable at the lowest common
denominator, you and your correspondent can certainly engage in a
little consensual artistry if both are willing.  The Incredible
Emailer works with existing email applications, except AOL,
Hotmail, and Eudora.  You can do what this one does (add photos,
graphics, text, special effects, draw freehand, add captions and
objects, modify photos, etc.) with any good text and graphics
editor.  But this software provides an easy interface, a lot of
clip art, and a free try at http://www.toolfactory.com .
 

BATCH FILES TO RUN COMMANDS. Instead of using the Start and
Run line to enter a command to start programs, consider batch
files instead.  Create the batch file with NotePad, invoking a
.exe program that will run from that command line.  Save the
file with the extension .bat and place it in the c:\windows\
command folder.  Go to that file using Windows Explorer and right
click on it.  Click on Properties and the Program tab, check the
Close on Exit box, and click on OK.  To trigger your new .bat
file you can enter just its name (without the extension) in the
Start|Run box; or, for even greater convenience, make a shortcut
to the .bat file on your desktop.

 WEB UPDATE DISPLAY ENHANCED.  You may recall a recent NNT tip
for finding when a Website was last updated by entering in the
address/location bar "javascript:alert(document.lastModified)"
(without the quotes).  A reader suggested improving on that one by
creating a file as follows in NotePad:

[InternetShortcut]
URL=javascript:alert(document.lastModified)

then, save the file as "last_modified.url" (without quotes) in
c:\windows\favorites.  You can then access this little feature
through Favorites in your MS Internet Explorer.

THEY DON'T ALWAYS WORK DEPARTMENT. A good idea on the surface,
Audio Notes Recorder at http://www.xemico.com claims to solve all
your problems with taking voice notes, providing digital and analog
cassettes right on your desktop.  Sounds slick, except I never got
it to work, and, after several tries, their tech support folks
threw in the towel as well, saying I'd have to solve the problem
"locally."  Alas.

08.  PROCESS VIEWER.  This free application for Windows 95/98 at
http://www.blehq.org views all active processes, not just those
typically viewed with Ctrl+Alt+Del.  Terminate any desired
applications, copy their paths to the clipboard, view and change
their priorities and properties, register/unregister as a service,
and create scripts.
 

09.  SURFSAVER.  They call it "The Filing Cabinet For Webpages" and
SurfSaver is free at http://www.surfsaver.com .  It's a browser add-on
for MSIE and with it you can store Web pages as permanent archives in
searchable folders.  The Pro (paid) version works with Netscape as
well as MSIE, removes ad banners, and adds more storage options,
network and import capabilities.  The SurfSaver folks claim a real
advantage, given the "here today, gone tomorrow" of the Internet. It's
also a blessing for those whose on-line time is limited - just snatch
Web pages for later viewing when the clock isn't ticking.

10.  WHY DOES IT HURT WHEN I DO THIS?  I'm not sure you can get the
answer at Doc Clay's Pain & Posture Clinic, but it's worth an office
visit at http://danke.com/Orthodoc/ .  The site is "for pain relief
and postural alignment in children, teens, and adults"; a title in
itself almost a cure for insomnia.  But there's some good information
on treating carpal tunnel syndrome, headaches, low back pain, and just
about anything that might be caused by sitting at the computer too
long, reading and writing about postural alignment and such.

11.  FRISKIT.  The player at http://www.friskit.com/ works with Real
Player and searches the entire Web for music, streaming and playing
that music in samples or complete selections instantly and continuously.
You can search on a particular artist, musical genre, or pre-created
mix.  Choose the length of streams desired, send songs to friends,
save songs as bookmarks, and use Friskit as a jumping off place to the
other Websites hosting the music you stream through this technology.

12.  PDF ALTERNATIVES.  When we see a PDF file, we think of Adobe
Acrobat, just as with zipped files we think of WinZip.  But there are
alternatives to both.  With PDF, the stuff of which eBooks are made,
if you're only needing a casual PDF writer and not interested in
purchasing the Adobe Acrobat, there are at least two PDF writers that
might suffice: Free PDF at http://www.webxd.com/zipguy/freepdf.htm
and GhostScript at
http://www.gospelcom.net/iv/glw/wi/resources/aquiring_pdf.htm#ghostscript .
 
 

Cogitum Co-Citer v1.04 [455k] W9x/NT/2K FREE
 http://www.cogitum.com/cociter/cociter.exe
 http://cogitum.com/co-tracker-text/more.htm
{Save text from the Web} This utility gives you a simpler way of
saving text from the Internet, provided you're running IE 5.0 or
higher. Just highlight the text you want, right click, and select
"Grab Selected Text." That's all there is to it. Now that you've
corralled your text, Tex, you can add comments, save your files to
certain collections, sort your records, combine (or split) your
records, search collections, send your files in an e-mail, and
import and export your files. If only my real life could be this
organized.

 IconSaver v1.21 [47k] W9x/2k FREE
 http://www.core-project.com/nole/iconsaver/iconsaver.zip
 http://www.core-project.com/nole/iconsaver/
{Save icon arrangements} This program lets you save and restore
different icon positions on your desktop. That's not a bad idea if
you happen to be running multiple desktops, or if you just feel
like having different icon configurations. You can have different
configurations for each screen resolution that automatically
change when you switch to a different resolution. The whole works
can be run and modified from the taskbar.

Group Mail Free v3.2.046 [4.7M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.infacta.net/files/igmsetup.exe
 http://www.infacta.com/
{Send an e-mail to many people} I hear you need an e-mail client
that lets you send a message to a large number of people. Oh, I
heard correctly? This program will let you do just that. These
messages can be customized to fit your mass mailing needs. You can
use mail merge, personalize the subject lines, and even send
attachments to each person on your list. There are even filters
included for every field so you can really target the audience you
want. Just remember that folks don't go for the unsolicited stuff.

Cheat-O-Mania v5.0 [1.0M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://mel-d.virtualave.net/downloads/com.zip
 http://mel-d.virtualave.net/com.htm
{Cheats for games}over two thousand.

Qwik Reader v1.0 [720k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.qwikreader.com/download/QwikRd10.exe
 http://www.qwikreader.com/
{Read without moving your eyes}it will scroll it for you
 
 

 Vikrant's P.C. Help v1.001 [435k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://members.rediff.com/vikrant88/vpchelp1.001.zip
 http://members.rediff.com/vikrant88/vpchelp.htm
"Vikrant's P.C. Help is an HTML Help File (.CHM) in which
Information, Help, Tweaks, Settings, FAQ's, Tips, Tricks,
Undocumented Stuff, etc. related to PC Hardware & Software are
included. All the information in this help file is taken from
Internet. This help file is for knowledge purpose Only. The File
you will Download from the Link Below in Downloads section is in
Zip Format. Unzip it & RUN the Setup.exe File and follow the
instructions. After Installation is Completed, Goto Start Menu &
You Find New Vikrant's PC Help Folder."
 
 

FINGER  is just a way to tell you the name
associated with an e-mail address and whether or not that person
is currently online. Other information may also be provided; it
all depends on what the author of the information has to say. If
you're at a college or university where everyone is on the same
network, it's a cool way to see if your friends are online or
perhaps they update the information to tell you where the big
party is tonight. It does require that the appropriate services be
running on a server, most often Unix/Linux systems, but there are
 

TRACE ROUTE \ Some of you may recall that I defined the term
"ping" for ya awhile back. That's a way to check for a response
from a specific IP address. Great, but what happens if your "ping"
isn't returned? In that case, you can use something called
"traceroute" to help uncover why it's not answering. This is a
utility that, oddly enough, traces the route between your computer
and the computer or device you're trying to contact. Without
getting too technical, traceroute basically shows where problems
may have occurred as it displays the responses from each stopping
point (or hop) along the way. Just as you can "ping" an address by
typing "ping whatever.com" in MS-DOS, you can use trace route
by typing "tracert whatever.com" sans quotes. Of course,
"whatever" stands for whatever domain you're looking into. But you
knew that.

Diggit
 http://www.diggit.com/
{Find images fast}

 http://www.zipscan.co.uk/zipscan.zip
 ZipScan is a program that performs a fast file search which includes
looking inside archive files, such as Zip files.  It is also useful when
looking for a particular DLL from a set of CAB installation files, and
for Java programmers who need to search through their JAR archives.

 Namerazor
 http://www.namerazor.com/
{Name your domain} Here's a cool way to name a domain

Cogitum Co-Citer v1.04 [455k] W9x/NT/2K FREE
 http://www.cogitum.com/cociter/cociter.exe
 http://cogitum.com/co-tracker-text/more.htm
{Save text from the Web} This utility gives you a simpler way of
saving text from the Internet, provided you're running IE 5.0 or
higher. Just highlight the text you want, right click, and select
"Grab Selected Text." That's all there is to it. Now that you've
corralled your text, Tex, you can add comments, save your files to
certain collections, sort your records, combine (or split) your
records, search collections, send your files in an e-mail, and
import and export your files. If only my real life could be this
organized.

 IconSaver v1.21 [47k] W9x/2k FREE
 http://www.core-project.com/nole/iconsaver/iconsaver.zip
 http://www.core-project.com/nole/iconsaver/
{Save icon arrangements} This program lets you save and restore
different icon positions on your desktop. That's not a bad idea if
you happen to be running multiple desktops, or if you just feel
like having different icon configurations. You can have different
configurations for each screen resolution that automatically
change when you switch to a different resolution. The whole works
can be run and modified from the taskbar.

Group Mail Free v3.2.046 [4.7M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.infacta.net/files/igmsetup.exe
 http://www.infacta.com/
{Send an e-mail to many people} I hear you need an e-mail client
that lets you send a message to a large number of people. Oh, I
heard correctly? This program will let you do just that. These
messages can be customized to fit your mass mailing needs. You can
use mail merge, personalize the subject lines, and even send
attachments to each person on your list. There are even filters
included for every field so you can really target the audience you
want. Just remember that folks don't go for the unsolicited stuff.

Cheat-O-Mania v5.0 [1.0M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://mel-d.virtualave.net/downloads/com.zip
 http://mel-d.virtualave.net/com.htm
{Cheats for games}over two thousand.

Qwik Reader v1.0 [720k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.qwikreader.com/download/QwikRd10.exe
 http://www.qwikreader.com/
{Read without moving your eyes}it will scroll it for you
 
 

Vikrant's P.C. Help v1.001 [435k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://members.rediff.com/vikrant88/vpchelp1.001.zip
 http://members.rediff.com/vikrant88/vpchelp.htm
"Vikrant's P.C. Help is an HTML Help File (.CHM) in which
Information, Help, Tweaks, Settings, FAQ's, Tips, Tricks,
Undocumented Stuff, etc. related to PC Hardware & Software are
included. All the information in this help file is taken from
Internet. This help file is for knowledge purpose Only. The File
you will Download from the Link Below in Downloads section is in
Zip Format. Unzip it & RUN the Setup.exe File and follow the
instructions. After Installation is Completed, Goto Start Menu &
You Find New Vikrant's PC Help Folder."
 

TRACE ROUTE \ Some of you may recall that I defined the term
"ping" for ya awhile back. That's a way to check for a response
from a specific IP address. Great, but what happens if your "ping"
isn't returned? In that case, you can use something called
"traceroute" to help uncover why it's not answering. This is a
utility that, oddly enough, traces the route between your computer
and the computer or device you're trying to contact. Without
getting too technical, traceroute basically shows where problems
may have occurred as it displays the responses from each stopping
point (or hop) along the way. Just as you can "ping" an address by
typing "ping whatever.com" in MS-DOS, you can use trace route
by typing "tracert whatever.com" sans quotes. Of course,
"whatever" stands for whatever domain you're looking into. But you
knew that.

Diggit
 http://www.diggit.com/
{Find images fast}

 Namerazor
 http://www.namerazor.com/
{Name your domain} Here's a cool way to name a domain

File Informer v1.2 [305k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.arisesoft.com/download1/finf12.zip
 http://webtools.arisesoft.com/fileinfo/
{Show info in a pop-up window} With this program,
all you have to do is hover the mouse pointer over the file and
you'll get a quick glance of how long the song is, sound
parameters, the artist, and the title.

Popcorn v1.04 [88k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.ultrafunk.com/products/downloads/popcorn.zip
 http://www.ultrafunk.com/products/popcorn/
{E-mail on the move} If you're a POP3/SMTP e-mail client user like
myself, you know what a pain in the neck it can be when you have
to travel (and I seem to be doing that a lot lately). What you and
I both need is this crafty client. It's a light POP3/SMTP e-mail
client that'll hook you up to a POP3 server directly. Since it's
small, you can save it to a disk (it works on CD, too) and be
ready to go at a moments notice. It'll save all downloaded items
to a text file, and it even has a "roaming outbox" feature.

USA Photo Maps v1.1.2 [184k] W9x FREE
 http://jdmcox.com/USAP
{You are here} I hear you're looking for a map; perhaps you need a
map to find your map, eh? Well, how about U.S. Geological Survey
aerial photos from http://terraserver.microsoft.com/? Ya know,
your very own GPS-style map for any latitude and longitude you
want. Once you've pinpointed the corner of the world you want to
see, you can zoom, scroll and do all sorts of crazy stuff. You can
even mark "waypoints" (little green dots) to keep track of
specific locations within your location, and follow along with
your PC-connected GPS if you're on the move. It's almost as if
this was created by a former airline pilot. Oh wait, it was.

AlstonLabs
 http://www.alstonlabs.com/aslutils.htm
"If you use computers to make a living, and especially if you are
using them in a development or electronic support mode, the
standard programs provided by Windows aren't really 'industrial'
enough for most jobs. These programs are lean, mean, stable and
fast, yet provide more functionality than what you already have.
This collection is FREE for personal use and is a subset of a
more-encompassing collection. If you wish to use these in a
business environment, you will need to register this set; you will
then receive a license for the entire collection. These programs
are 'proper' freeware -- they do not nag you for money, proclaim
themselves on screen as unregistered, and so on."

Scramdisk v3.01R3c [187k] W9x FREE
 http://www.scramdisk.clara.net/scramdisk/SD301r3c.zip
 http://www.scramdisk.clara.net/
"Scramdisk is a program that allows the creation and use of
virtual encrypted drives. Basically, you create a container file
on an existing hard drive using a specific password. This
container can then be mounted by the Scramdisk software which
creates a new drive letter to represent the encrypted volume.

GLSetup v1.0.0.121 [205k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://webdeploy.glsetup.com/webdeploy.121/glsetup.exe
 http://www.glsetup.com/
"GLSetup detects your 3D graphics card and installs the matching
OpenGL drivers. Games supporting OpenGL will include GLSetup to
ensure your system has drivers available to accelerate OpenGL 3D
rendering. You can download the latest GLSetup here. GLSetup is
free for game developers to include on their game CDs, simplifying
driver distribution issues for OpenGL games. GLSetup is web-
enabled. You download a small executable to your system and run
it, and it will detect your 3D hardware and continue downloading
the correct drivers over the Internet. This alleviates the need
for you to download the entire GLSetup driver package just to get
a single driver. Web GLSetup requires you to be connected to the
Internet while it is running. Also, this BETA version of Web
GLSetup requires a direct Internet connection, like a dial-up
modem connection or through a firewall, and will not usually run
through a proxy server."

Shed v1.01 [11k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://keir.net/download/shed.zip
 http://keir.net/shed.html
"Shed is a very fast Windows shared resource scanner. Multiple
potential hosts are scanned in parallel and when a shared resource
is encountered, it is enumerated in a separate thread for maximum
efficiency. This program is designed to run on a PC running
Windows NT/2000. Although it will run on a Windows 9x machine, it
will be limited to detecting and connecting to shares on the local
network (i.e. the Network Neighborhood). Shed will not detect
shares on the Internet when run on a Windows 9x machine."

CAD \  "computer-aided design."
 

PCI \ This stands for "Peripheral Component Interconnect."
Basically, it allows for high-speed communications with as little
system overhead as possible.

 AV-Test
 http://www.av-test.org/
{Test your anti-virus software}

 <> Find Your Spot
 http://www.findyourspot.com/
{Find your dream place} This site has you to answer a few
questions about your ideal locale, and then it picks the best
location for you, based on the answers you coughed up.

Neowin
 http://www.neowin.net/
{Forums and freeware} Be prepared, I'm about to use the word
"latest" a lot: How about a site with all of the latest tech news,
the latest freeware and shareware, the latest software reviews and
news, and the latest posts by members who have posted lately?
*Pant pant* Mmkay, if you want to keep up with what's happening in
the world of Windows tweaks and improvements, then bookmark this
site
 
 

As I get to know Office XP, one thing is really pestering me --
the 'Ask a Question' box that camps in the upper right hand corner
of every Office XP application. I don't care to ask questions of
Office -- so it's time to wave good-bye. You're outta here! In the
menu bar, click Tools, select Customize, then flip to the Options
tab. Next, right-click the actual 'Ask a Question' box (in the
Microsoft Office XP application you're running); this will result
in a "Show Ask a Question Box" checkbox. Clear the checkbox, then
click Close in the Customize dialog box and away it goes...
permanently. Incidentally, you can right-click any blank space in
the toolbar area to zip right to the Customize dialog box. This
will save you a few clicks when you repeat this procedure in every
single Office application to rid yourself of the pest. If you have
solutions for other Office XP annoyances, I'm sure the rest of us
would love to hear about them! For the moment, it's only running
on Gretchen's machine. I'll be fine with Office 2000 for now.

Navigator has a
habit of preventing the display of a page if JUST ONE image is
broken, sometimes hanging up for up to 2 (or more) minutes. By
hitting Control + Alt + T,
 

Cable Web server
 http://www.dslwebserver.com/
{A server on your own PC} If you have DSL or cable, besides
beinglight years ahead of the 56k folks, you may also wish to erect
your own Web server.

Hide In Picture v2.0 [366k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.brasil.terravista.pt/Jenipabu/2571/hip20.zip
 http://www.brasil.terravista.pt/Jenipabu/2571/e_hip.htm
{Hide data in a picture} The secret word for today is
"steganography."
 

Badger v2.0 [1.5M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.pcmagic.net/robisonb/badger1.exe
 http://get.to/badger
 http://screenshot.lockergnome.com/badger.png
{Download multiple files}If you run this program, you can
download multiple files using whichever browser you choose, and it
won't compromise your privacy... *cough* Godzilla *cough*.
 

DLL Help Database
 http://support.microsoft.com/servicedesks/fileversion/dllinfo.asp?sd=TECH
"This database contains information about DLL files that ship with
selected Microsoft products. DLL Help exists to assist developers,
system administrators, and other IT professionals who face file
version conflicts with Microsoft software. Use DLL Help to
identify which software installed a specific version of a DLL.
NOTE: This tool does NOT provide direct links to download the
files listed in the database. DLL files are generally not
available for download from Microsoft. To find downloadable files,
try the Download area."

 <> AI-Software SmartColor v1.01 [374k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.ai-software.atfreeweb.com/products/dl/SmartColor_101_Setup.zip
 http://www.ai-software.atfreeweb.com/products/smartcolor.asp
"Award-winning AI-Software SmartColor is the ultimate color picker
for windows. It has a color grabber, supports six different modes,
is more powerful than Photoshop's color picker, has built-in
support for web-safe colors, all 140 named (X11) colors, supports
color saving, a minimize-to-tray function and much much more. Its
main features include: Photoshop-styleness: everybody who ever
used Photoshop, will not have to learn how to use SmartColor;
support for Web-safe colors: Web designers know how important that
feature is; support for user-defined colors: save as many of your
colors as you want."
 

 <> Adobe Premiere
 http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,5389,00.asp
Create professional-looking video projects -- or spare loved ones
the agony of watching the unedited version of your latest
vacation, with this video tool. Adobe Premiere, the industry
standard for editing video footage, lets you produce professional-
 looking video clips or extended presentations. The interface is
neatly designed to let you lay out your project in a storyboard --
 and you can organize the sequence of your edits by moving clips
to the program's time line. The program includes all types of
transition effects and filters (both video and audio), so your
final project can look like a polished business presentation or a
cheesy, tabloid TV program. Version 6.0 of Premiere includes a
sophisticated new Audio Mixer and a new Effect Controls palette.
The program exports your finished video to all types of streaming
video formats; you can also export to DVD, CD-ROM, and videotape.

 <> Blaze Media Pro
 http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,7777,00.asp
Multimedia mastery is yours with this all-in-one program that
supports a wide range of popular media formats. You can convert to
and from various audio and video formats, as well as perform video
construction and decompiling. You can edit and record audio (from
any analog connection, such as a cassette player, record player,
phone line, or TV), and you can create and edit audio and video
playlists. This release lets you evaluate the software free for 15
days. The trial version does not support .wav to CD audio
conversion, but other than that it is fully functional.

 <> ASFRecorder
 http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,7942,00.asp
So you really want to view that N'Sync Webcast, but you're
rehearsing with your own band at the time it's being streamed?
This utility allows you to grab that file to watch at a more
convenient time. First find the address of the streaming file that
you'd like to capture, and then download and store the Windows
Media file (.asx, .wmx., or .wmvt) onto your hard drive or
removable media. (Many music videos, movie trailers, live
broadcasts, and songs use the Windows Media format.) You can then
view files offline and copy them as often as you wish. Contents
are then in a format that you can distribute using programs such
as Napster, Gnutella, FTP, and IRC.

 <> MyVideoShare
 http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,8147,00.asp
Do you want to share your full-motion video creations or engage in
video chat with your friends from around the world? Download
VideoShare Producer, and then record and edit home videos with a
Webcam, a digital video camera, or a camcorder. Publish the videos
to your private "My VideoCenter" page on the VideoShare site. You
can then submit videos to the VideoShare Gallery or send them to
friends in video greeting cards and video mail. You can even put
your videos on your personal home page, use them to sell items on
online auction sites, and compress them into clips that stream
instantly without time-consuming downloads. After registering as a
VideoShare member, you get 10MB of free disk space (enough to
store between 5 and 50 minutes of video, depending on the quality
settings).

 <> VideoWave 4
 http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,7436,00.asp
If you're one of the growing number of digital video enthusiasts,
you'll find this software a good (and more reasonably priced)
alternative to Adobe Premiere. It lets you capture video from a
camcorder, television, VCR, DVD player, or Webcam. You can then
combine video clips, animation, graphics, photos, and sound. The
updated version includes fast- and slow-motion effects, a scene-
detection feature, and support for Windows Media, RealVideo, and
MP3 files. Note: For digital video capture, an IEEE 1394 card is
required. This link will take you to the download page, where
you'll be asked to fill out a form so that an unlock code can be
sent to you.

Get * 4 * DVDs for only * 49 CENTS * each (plus S&H)!
  http://by.advertising.com/1/c/22869/21991/65779/65779
  What are you waiting for? Start building your library today
  with your favorite films. With so many titles to choose from,
  you’re bound to find some essential titles you just can't live
  without! Click for more details:
 

MAIL MERGE \ Yeah, you've heard this word before, but do you know
what it is? It's something you should know about if you write a
lot of form letters, or tend to create documents that contain a
lot of the same information. In Microsoft Word (and any other
processor that supports mail merge) for example, you can create a
letter with general terms instead of specific ones (i.e., [NAME]
instead of "Chris Pirillo"). When you use mail merge, all of those
fields are replaced with the appropriate filler. Believe me, it's
a great time saver. You'll find it in the Tools menu in Microsoft
Word.

 <> News Blogger
 http://www.newsblogger.com/
{Blogging the news} We've been using Blogger to keep everyone up
to speed on all the latest IT news and reviews via our "Bits &
Bytes" page. I'm telling ya, it works like a charm. However, since
we feature news sources, I couldn't help but take a gander at this
option (which is also provided as a service from Blogger). If your
blog relies on news headlines, then try this out. You can search a
headline database courtesy of Moreover, and then post away just
like you would any other Web log. New to the whole blogging
experience? You're missing out. Give it a try.

 <> eDevCafe
 http://www.edevcafe.com/
{Learn Web stuff} So you want to design a Web page, learn Flash,
and run with the big boys, huh? Well, you can't. Okay, you can,
and this Web site is a great place to start. They offer tutorials
for beginners on creating HTML, JavaScript, Perl, and anything
else you'd like to learn. Besides being a great place for newbies,
it's also worth a visit for anyone who just wants to brush up on
their skills and terminology. The site also includes articles and
reviews. We all have to start somewhere.
 

 <> Site Critique
 http://www.sitecritique.net/
{Constructive site criticism} Is your site out of site? Er...
sight? You may want to submit it to these folks and have them take
a look at it. They'll provide you with a critical analysis of your
site so you'll know what works, what doesn't, what needs fixin',
and what needs to be thrown out completely. Your site will be
evaluated based on navigation, usability, graphics, content, load
time, and browser compatibility. They don't slam your site, they
offer friendly advice on how to make it better.
 

Passing a Word document around an office in paper form allows you
to easily see who made which changes to the text, but electronic
format is a different story - unless you're familiar with the
Track Changes feature. To see how this works, enable Track Changes
by clicking Tools - Track Changes - Highlight Changes - Track
changes while editing. In a blank document, the only difference
you'll notice right off is the TRK that lights up in the status
bar at the bottom of the window. When you begin to fill the screen
with text, however, you'll see that everything is colorized and
underlined. This notes a change made to the original document
since Track Changes was enabled. That said, be sure you have your
first draft completed before you enable the feature and pass it
along to the next stop. Once the modified version returns to your
desk, each person's changes will appear in a different color. If
you mouse-over the text, up will pop the author of the changes and
the date/time the modifications were made. Now, right click the
hacked text and you'll have the option to accept or reject the
changes. No more transcribing scribbled notes from a withered
paper copy that's been through 30 sets of hands.

Refining your search results to a set of results smaller than
326,784 hits is essential in finding what you're really going
after. With the help of a few tricks, you can alter how results
are filtered. For instance, specifying "url:lockergnome" (without
the quotes, of course) at AltaVista will result in all links with
lockergnome in the URL. Similarly, using "link:lockergnome.com"
shows you the sites that link to the domain of choice. If you care
to specify a particular top-level domain to refine your query,
then use "domain:uk lockergnome.com" which displays all of the .uk
sites that have links back to lockergnome.com. Try it on other
search engines and directories for different results, natch.

Help with numerous problems caused by Microsoft's operating
systems and applications comes in the form of Microsoft
Knowledgebase (MS KB) articles. Once you have an article number in
hand, you have to surf to the Knowledgebase search page, then
enter the article number. If you're using Internet Explorer 5.x,
shave a few steps off of the process by typing "MSKB Q286043" sans
quotes. You'll instantly be whisked away to the exact missive
you're after, and nary a click has been rendered to get there.

Sneakernet is still in common use around many offices, which is a
bit of a shame with all of the things technology can do these
days. Even if you aren't one to sneakerize your data between two
PCs sitting next to each other, there still comes the need for a
floppy diskette once in a while. Using Floppies will ultimately
lead to bad data once in a while, but with the help of the Verify
command, you can add one more step to the floppy write process to
help ensure the readability before the diskette leaves the source
machine. Simply launch a DOS box and type "verify" sans quotes to
see the current status of the verify flag, normally off. Type
"verify on" to force data to be read back from the diskette after
writing, ensuring the integrity of the information. Note that this
also affects hard disk writes, which can cause a bit of a
performance drag. Windows 9x will leave verify on even if you exit
the DOS window so be sure to type "verify off" when you're
finished, though a reboot will reset the status to off as well.
Windows NT/2K will both forget this setting once you close the DOS
window.

Sometimes when you try to logon to a site, or even register using
their neat little sign up form in order to obtain a user Id and
password, things just don't go right. Your browser may hang, or
you may receive cryptic errors back that don't really lead to a
proper solution. This can often be caused by a difference in the
HTTP protocol being used to communicate between your browser and
the web server. Having a proxy server in the mix somewhere along
the line spells trouble once in a while as well. Microsoft
Internet Explorer permits you to define settings that affect how
the browser uses the HTTP1.1 standard. Click Tools - Internet
Options - Advanced tab and locate the HTTP 1.1 settings area.
Altering how these are set can allow a problematic website to work
properly. If you're running without a proxy server, then be sure
that the "Use HTTP 1.1 through proxy connections" is not checked
for starters. Also try disabling HTTP 1.1 entirely by clearing the
"Use HTTP 1.1" checkbox. Conversely, if they are both disabled,
try enabling one or the other to see if it has an affect on the
issue. Confusing, to be sure, but there aren't any hard and fast
rules about this one.
 
 

SIGGY.  A free program at http://www.killersoftware.com,
Siggy sitsin your tray and adds a random signature to email using either
HTML orASCII format.  It works with most email software including
OutlookExpress, Eudora, and Netscape.  This 430kb download is for PC
only.

LayoutFix v1.3 [156k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
   http://www.softcomplete.com/download/bin/LayoutFix.zip
   http://www.softcomplete.com/
  {Flip typing flubs fast} what happens when you forget you were
typing in Dvorak?
 , your text can be reformatted as if you had been entering it
"correctly" all along.

Check Printer v4.6 [1.7M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.geocities.com/checkprinter2000/CheckPrinter46.zip
 http://checkprinter.batcave.net/
{Make wallet-sized checks}let your printer fill in
the amounts for ya. Not only the amounts, but the date,
signature,

 <> Pixia v1.9a [2.9M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.ab.wakwak.com/~knight/pix19ae.exe
 http://www.ab.wakwak.com/~knight/
 http://screenshot.lockergnome.com/pixia.png
{Digital painting and retouching} It's called Pixia,
and it... is awesome. It's an editor that was designed
specifically with full-color images in mind.. This
has been regarded as one of the best free image editors out
there.
There are a few subtle quirks, but after playing with it for a
few
minutes, you'll uncover features other apps don't have

Click-N-Type v1.03 [1.7M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.ac.net/~lakerat/cnt/CNTzip.exe
 http://www.ac.net/~lakerat/cnt/
 http://screenshot.lockergnome.com/type.png
{On-screen keyboard} I'm always thrilled when I come across a
program like this; it means someone is actually putting a little

heart into their programming. You see, this is for people who
can't use a keyboard (for whatever reason). Even if you can move

and click the mouse, this tool can help you enter data into
almost
any Windows application. URLs can be passed through using the
"buffer" field (rather than trying to click inside the address
bar).

ABC-EDUCA Startpage Creator v0.3 [1.5M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://www.abc-educa.nl/SPC-1003.exe
 http://www.abc-educa.nl/download-spc.html
 http://screenshot.lockergnome.com/startpagina.png
{Dynamic HTML from Favorites} Quit scrolling through all those
saved Web links; you've got better things to do with your time
(ya
know, besides reading Lockergnome). Place all of them into your
very own (very dynamic) start page. Like those pages
covered in "boxed" link sections

Seatools: The Ultimate Disc Diagnostic Software
 http://www.seagate.com/support/seatools/
SeaTools saves time, data and money by keeping disc drives
healthy in your system. Fact: more than 40 percent of returned
drives are found to be healthy. SeaTools Desktop Edition
features
include: data safe tests, log of results, error code
explanations,
a self-booting diskette, etc. SeaTools requires an Intel-
compatible system with at least 8MB of RAM, a floppy drive and
at
least one (1) Seagate Technology disc drive."

Working Efficiently with Windows ME
 http://www.microsoft.com/insider/mi/winmetips.htm
"Tips for Working Efficiently: Run programs from the Address
bar,
Get back to the desktop quickly, Browse the Web and your files
with one program, Close several programs at once, Set system
date
and time, Ways to delete a file or folder, Explore more with
Explorer bars, Undo actions in Windows, Turn on file name
extensions, Move or copy files to subfolders, Rearrange programs

on the Start menu, Set your windows so they all have the same
view, Show hidden program or system files, Use single-click
everywhere, Speed up your programs, Open a Web page from the
Start
menu, Surf your computer the same way you surf the Web,
Customize
the taskbar, etc."

System Restore Remover Pro v1.2 [404k] Windows ME
 http://definitionsoft.virtualave.net/SRPSetup.exe
 http://www.definition-software.com/
"System Restore Remover Pro allows you to easily and safely
remove
System Restore and various other Windows Millennium 'features.'
Also includes Windows Media Player version swapping for optimum
Windows performance. What's New v1.2 Final: various bugs fixed,
updated removal system, altered components." WARNING: use at
your
own risk. Of course, I'd say the same thing about Microsoft
Windows Millennium Edition. You probably wonder why I don't
bother
plugging it in these newsletters. Well, that's because I believe

it's a waste of money and resources. Why should I encourage you
to
own a slower computer?

Perfect Companion
 http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/1,fid,8092,00.asp

As conscientious as we try to be by using our control
panel's "add/remove" application to uninstall a program,
remnants of the unwanted file invariably remain behind.
Whether it's a stray DLL or an unchanged Registry entry,
it's unsettling to know the job isn't fully done,
particularly if you have a new PC you want to keep clean.
Perfect Companion can help you out, in this respect. It
removes all invalid file entries, Class and Interface keys,
and application keys noted in the Registry. Not only does it
do this for current programs you want to uninstall, but it
can do this retroactively, as well.  Concerned about an ugly
uninstall from a few months back? Perfect Companion will
delete all unused keys that were created by any program no
longer in your system. The program also keeps you aware of
everything it is doing, showing you what files have been
modified, replaced, added, and deleted.

A PRINT SOLUTION - MAYBE.  This is at least worth a try if you
are
having problems getting frames to print correctly in Netscape.
Change
the cache setting by going to
Edit|Preferences|Advanced|Cache|Document
in Cache is Compared To Document On Network, and change the
option to
Every Time.  That may clear up the frame printing problem, but
if not,
what have you got to lose?

**********************************************************************
 

DAWN.  This application, still in Beta, converts address book
programs in Netscape 3 and 4, Internet Explorer, Outlook
Express,Windows Address Book, MS Outlook 98/2000, Juno, WordPerfect,
Eudora 3and 4, Pegasus 3, and a host of other programs from one format
toanother.  It also sorts email addresses by nickname or address
and workson Win 95, 98, NT, and UNIX systems.  You can find it at
http://zakharin.freeyellow.com/Software/Dawn.html

Pardon v1.6 [4.0M] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://hjem.sol.no/softbear/pardon.exe
 http://www.softbeartech.com/cgi-bin/page.cgi?go=pardon:index
{Translate words on-the-fly} Say you want to know the Spanish
wordfor "chocolate" (or any other word). You can wait for a
bilingualperson to wander by your window, or you can use Pardon to look
theword up instantly. There's also a vocabulary helper included.
It'll come in handy when those delegates from the United Nations
come to Gnomedex; it translates from German, Norwegian, French,
Swedish, and Danish. Mmmmm... Danish. Now, if only I had this
thing back in high school. I would have passed with colores de
vuelo.

IntelliTamper v2.03 [83k] W9x/NT/2k FREE
 http://chez.com/cavemania/intellitamper/download/intellitamper_v2.03.zip
 http://www.chez.com/cavemania/intellitamper/
{Browse server hierarchies} Wouldn't it be nice to see what's on
aWeb site before you click through? You can use
this sneaky spider to find only the files you desire (at least,
ona particular Web server). Browse at your leisure without having
to worry about ads, useless links, and other nuisances. Flip
throughthe folders as if they were actually on your hard drive. Clear
away the excess and get down to what you really need. It'll also
find unlisted files and folders on a Web site.

 <> Windows 2000 UI Innovations
 http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/periodic/period00/w2kui.htm
"Windows 2000 includes some helpful new UI features you can
customize and implement in your own applications. In this
articleyou'll see how to provide infotips for files, after making the
appropriate registry entries. Then create a custom column
handlerextension, resulting in a new column for the Explorer's Details
view. In order to further extend the shell, additional UI
goodieswill also be examined and implemented including: search
handlers,cleanup handlers, folder customizations using property sheet
handlers and icon overlays, etc."

 <> Win2K Power Users Mailing List
 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Win2KPowerUsers
"A once-a-week newsletter devoted to hints, tips, tricks, news
andgoodies for Windows NT, Windows 2000 and (future) Windows XP
users. Moderated and edited by Serdar Yegulalp, former Senior
Technology Editor of WINMAG.COM, with over seven years of
Windowsexperience under his belt. Come on board for a once-a-week
helpingof Windows information!" And this is one newsletter I look
forwardto receiving every weekend. It's straightforward and easy for
anyone to read; if you plan on upgrading to Windows XP, walk
intobattle with Serdar.

 <> Microangelo
 http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/1,fid,3335,00.asp
 transform the icons on our desktops

 <> 3DFolders
 http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/1,fid,6165,00.asp

It doesn't take much of an eye for aesthetics to think that
the default folder icons in Windows are a bit -- plain, to
put it charitably. 3DFolders lets you add a bit of nuance to
your desktop with its collection of shaded folder icons.

Resume Maker
 http://resumemaker.com/
{Create the perfect resume} I know there are more than a few
college kids reading this newsletter, so let me offer a word of
advice: When it comes to your resume, always lie. No, wait...
that's not what I meant to say. What I should have said is: your
resume is very important. Not just what's on your resume, but
howyour resume appears on the page. Sign up for this service and
haveprofessional-quality resumes done in no time at all.

NETSCAPE COMPLETE INSTANT Message DELETE
Messenger has a similar feature only it's a Trash folder rather
than aRecycle Bin.  Similarly, holding down the Shift key as you
deletea message banishes it forever, rather than holding it for you in
theTrash folder.

 NETSCAPE'S BOOKMARKS UPDATE.  I was reminded not long ago
abouta nice feature with Netscape Communicator, something I had
almostforgotten.  There's an update feature you can readily use at
Bookmarks|Edit Bookmarks|View|Update Bookmarks.  Then click on All
Bookmarks;or highlight (select) the ones you want to check, and click on
SelectedBookmarks.  Click on Start Checking and Netscape will verify
each link.A question mark  will be displayed beside each one that cannot
besuccessfully retrieved.

11.  VISUAL SEARCH ENGINE.  That's how SearchShots describes
itself athttp://www.searchshots.com .  It provides preview screenshots of
everysite you search.

"Where can I find the latest Windows updates?"
WINDOWSUPDATE.COM.

SAVE  PDF's that are protected.
"You'rereading a PDF file and you want to save it on your hard drive
foroffline viewing, but the 'save' command is grayed out in the
filemenu. Here's a slick work around. Click File, Send, and e-mail
thepage to yourself. The e-mail will arrive in your Inbox with the
PDF file as an attachment -- which you can then save wherever
youwish." That's one trick you shouldn't soon forget. It may also
bepossible to take a step back and right-click on the link to the
PDF document. That "Save Target As..." option is a godsend for
people who love to download stuff; it's what I use for every ZIP
or EXE file on the Web. I know the option isn't available in
HTMLe-mail messages
 

Windows MEhas changed the face of several things, including the
operating system's help engine. No longer does Help result in the
familiar .CHM interface you've come to know and love. HELPCTR.EXE
is the party responsible for answering your questions these days,
but it's not immune from difficulties of its own -- sometimes
failing to respond entirely because of an application registration
problem. This can be fixed by clicking Start / Run and typing
"helpctr -regserver" without quotes. This will re-register the
application in the Registry and allow smooth operation once again.
Using the "helpctr -url <url>" option takes you directly to a
specific page if you know what you're looking for. For you system
administrators, you can pass an Intranet help page to your users
via this option, but the HelpCtr is only available in Windows ME,
thus its use is rather limited. A complete list of the options can
be had by running "helpctr -?" (sans quotes).Now,
since there's nothing terribly complicated about the Windows 98
help system, remember that F1 will always do the trick. Go ahead -
- try tapping the key right now and see what happens. Do it in
just about any program for immediate context-sensitive help.
 

 Once in a while, using a "DOS" window is faster than moving around
in Explorer; if you plan on executing batch files, you'll want to
use a command prompt. This way, you'll be certain to see the
ultimate results without having the window automatically close
upon completion. With the advent of long file names, moving around
the file system "manually" can leave you with wads of ripped-out
hair in your hands. Windows 2000 introduced some changes to the
CMD.EXE binary; it's responsible for initiating a command prompt
interface within Windows. If you modify its shortcut and append
"/f:on" to the end of the command line, you'll have hotkeys
available when you launch it again. These will enable you to cycle
through the names of files or directories. Hit CTRL + F to whiz
through the list of files in alphabetical order. SHIFT + CTRL + F
will reverse the process. CTRL + D will act similarly for
Directory (Folder) names. You can narrow down the list by
prefacing the first character or two of the file or directory
name. For example, typing "CD Pr" then CTRL + D from the root
directory of the system drive should display the "Program Files"
directory assuming there are no other directory names that would
be listed ahead of it in alphabetical order. Another "prompt"
trick is to use a wildcard to complete the file or directory name.
Issuing "CD Pro*" at a prompt will likely drop you right into the
Program Files directory. You can even use this trick when passing
filenames to the classic edit utility. Using a file called
lock.txt for an example, you would enter "edit lock*" and
instantly be editing that file. This doesn't usually work with
non-DOS-mode applications, however. As far as Windows 9x users are
concerned, there's always DOSKEY (or JP Software's 4DOS).

Doctor, Doctor, give me the news... raise your hand if you've seen
those application errors that spew forth some tripe about creating
a log file. Aha! Looks like everyone in the room. I must have a
thousand of those mysterious log files sitting on my hard drive
right now, but I have yet to use them for their intended purpose:
troubleshooting problems. Before you tune out (or change the
channel), I'd encourage you to find all the .LOG files on your
hard drive. If they haven't been updated in a while, perhaps it
MAY be safe to remove them -- or move them to another (safe)
folder. In the end, you could free up several megabytes of space.
Now, back to the tip. Dr. Watson is responsible for trapping
application errors and logging the appropriate information to a
file named USER.DMP. The doc stores these files in any number of
locations (depending on your version of Windows). Unless you're
particularly skilled with true propeller-head troubleshooting
procedures, this information will be pretty useless to you other
than to inform you that an application bombed, which you already
knew. That said, these files can be safely deleted. Again, use the
Windows Find / Search feature to locate the log lard.

For you NT/2k users, when a STOP error occurs, even LARGER dump
files can be created; they, too, are not worth much to anyone not
certified to wear a beanie. Windows NT does not have the ability
to customize the size of the log file, dumping everything in the
C:\ WINNT \ System32 \ Memory.dmp file by default. Windows 2000
also uses the same location and file name for large memory dumps,
but by default, workstations are configured to create mini dump
files that are located in the C:\ WINNT \ Minidump folder . Each
of these is only 64KB in size -- versus the larger versions which
can reach hundreds of megabytes apiece (depending on the amount of
RAM installed). Still looking for ways to regain space on your
hard drive? When was the last time you checked your TEMP
directory? Uh huh. I thought so.

When Windows goes bad, it really smells. Unlike the month-old
pizza at the bottom of your fridge, it can sometimes be salvaged.
Windows 98 includes a batch file on the CD that can help you put
Humpty Dumpty back together again. Insert your system CD and you
should find PCRESTOR.BAT sitting in the \ Tools \ Sysrec folder.
Once you've located it, launch it. This will kick off the Setup
process in a special mode that reinstalls Windows over the top of
your existing installation. After the process is completed, a
recovery wizard is executed to help you restore from a full system
backup -- assuming you've made one, of course. If you find that
you need this tool often, all three files in the Sysrec directory
should be copied to a Windows 98 startup disk. Ya know, to further
ensure that you have them during a compu-crisis. The Recover.txt
file contains instructions for using the tool, and the MSBatch.inf
file specifies which components should be initially installed
before the recovery process is initiated. You can modify the .INF
file accordingly (as long as you know what you're doing). Of
course, Millennium Edition has the built-in, ever-controversial,
resource-sucking recovery utility. I guess if you dork up things
often, it could be a time-saver.

Some people take typos entirely too seriously, so you're left with
having to catch them all (or suffer the wrath of your boss).
Microsoft Word can't catch everything that may be considered a
spelling problem. For instance, perhaps your taking sum surveys on
howl many customers enjoy products form you're Boston warehouse.
Every word is properly spelled, but contextually incorrect. Word
offers help with this situation in the form of an Exclude
dictionary. This allows you to tag specific words which cause you
particular difficulty. Create a new document in Word, or better
yet, use a standard text editor since the file must be plain text
when we're finished. Enter the list of words (each one on a
separate line) that you want the spell checker to flag every time
it runs across it. In Microsoft Windows 95 or 98, save your
exclude dictionary in either the C:\ Windows_folder \ Application
Data \ Microsoft \ Proof folder or the C:\ Windows_folder \
Profiles \ User_name \ Application Data \ Microsoft \ Proof
folder. In NT 4.0, save your exclude dictionary in the C:\
Windows_folder \ Profiles \ User_name folder. The name of the file
should coincide with the primary language dictionary in use, but
will have a file extension of .EXC. For US English, the filename
is Mssp3en.lex, so the filename should be Mssp3en.exc. Now
whenever you perform a spell check on a document, the words in
your exclude dictionary will float to the surface for a double-
check

PCs can live without CD-ROM drives, they can live without a
floppy, and they can even live without the latest (90GHz) CPU --
but they can't possibly hope to survive on shoddy power. Crack
open that case and find the square metal box with big warning
stickers on it -- that's the power supply. This is absolutely the
most important component in your system; it must perform reliably
and correctly for your computer to function properly over a period
of years. Early warning signs can accompany a failing unit, so
being cognizant of how your PC normally functions is key to
picking up fluctuations. Spontaneous reboots are one of the most
common red flags, assuming the lights aren't flickering around you
at the same time, of course... that could spell larger problems
(especially if you live in California). Excess heat from your
computer isn't healthy either; check those fans to ensure they're
still spinning. Nothing will cook a power supply faster than a
seized-up fan.

System lockups are on the list of suspicious activities, too,
though there are other reasons for lockups (to which any long-time
Windows user will attest). If no system changes have taken place
and things suddenly stop on a dime, raise an eyebrow toward
electricity flow issues. Hard drives draw power as they spin up
during a cold boot, so if you should hear odd noises emanating
from within the case, such as the hard drive not spinning up as it
normally would, the power supply could be at fault due to the
inability to provide adequate power levels. This can result in
other oddball behavior as various system components have to claw
for enough juice to keep themselves running. Multiple hardware
device failures are yet another way that power problems manifest
themselves; too much or inconsistent power is quite unhealthy,
often killing RAM, hard disks, CD-ROM drives or other pieces and
parts. Give her all she needs, captain!

Doctor, Doctor, give me the news... raise your hand if you've seen
those application errors that spew forth some tripe about creating
a log file. Aha! Looks like everyone in the room. I must have a
thousand of those mysterious log files sitting on my hard drive
right now, but I have yet to use them for their intended purpose:
troubleshooting problems. Before you tune out (or change the
channel), I'd encourage you to find all the .LOG files on your
hard drive. If they haven't been updated in a while, perhaps it
MAY be safe to remove them -- or move them to another (safe)
folder. In the end, you could free up several megabytes of space.
Now, back to the tip. Dr. Watson is responsible for trapping
application errors and logging the appropriate information to a
file named USER.DMP. The doc stores these files in any number of
locations (depending on your version of Windows). Unless you're
particularly skilled with true propeller-head troubleshooting
procedures, this information will be pretty useless to you other
than to inform you that an application bombed, which you already
knew. That said, these files can be safely deleted. Again, use the
Windows Find / Search feature to locate the log lard.

For you NT/2k users, when a STOP error occurs, even LARGER dump
files can be created; they, too, are not worth much to anyone not
certified to wear a beanie. Windows NT does not have the ability
to customize the size of the log file, dumping everything in the
C:\ WINNT \ System32 \ Memory.dmp file by default. Windows 2000
also uses the same location and file name for large memory dumps,
but by default, workstations are configured to create mini dump
files that are located in the C:\ WINNT \ Minidump folder . Each
of these is only 64KB in size -- versus the larger versions which
can reach hundreds of megabytes apiece (depending on the amount of
RAM installed). Still looking for ways to regain space on your
hard drive? When was the last time you checked your TEMP
directory? Uh huh. I thought so.

When Windows goes bad, it really smells. Unlike the month-old
pizza at the bottom of your fridge, it can sometimes be salvaged.
Windows 98 includes a batch file on the CD that can help you put
Humpty Dumpty back together again. Insert your system CD and you
should find PCRESTOR.BAT sitting in the \ Tools \ Sysrec folder.
Once you've located it, launch it. This will kick off the Setup
process in a special mode that reinstalls Windows over the top of
your existing installation. After the process is completed, a
recovery wizard is executed to help you restore from a full system
backup -- assuming you've made one, of course. If you find that
you need this tool often, all three files in the Sysrec directory
should be copied to a Windows 98 startup disk. Ya know, to further
ensure that you have them during a compu-crisis. The Recover.txt
file contains instructions for using the tool, and the MSBatch.inf
file specifies which components should be initially installed
before the recovery process is initiated. You can modify the .INF
file accordingly (as long as you know what you're doing). Of
course, Millennium Edition has the built-in, ever-controversial,
resource-sucking recovery utility. I guess if you dork up things
often, it could be a time-saver.
 

PCs can live without CD-ROM drives, they can live without a
floppy, and they can even live without the latest (90GHz) CPU --
but they can't possibly hope to survive on shoddy power. Crack
open that case and find the square metal box with big warning
stickers on it -- that's the power supply. This is absolutely the
most important component in your system; it must perform reliably
and correctly for your computer to function properly over a period
of years. Early warning signs can accompany a failing unit, so
being cognizant of how your PC normally functions is key to
picking up fluctuations. Spontaneous reboots are one of the most
common red flags, assuming the lights aren't flickering around you
at the same time, of course... that could spell larger problems
(especially if you live in California). Excess heat from your
computer isn't healthy either; check those fans to ensure they're
still spinning. Nothing will cook a power supply faster than a
seized-up fan.

System lockups are on the list of suspicious activities, too,
though there are other reasons for lockups (to which any long-time
Windows user will attest). If no system changes have taken place
and things suddenly stop on a dime, raise an eyebrow toward
electricity flow issues. Hard drives draw power as they spin up
during a cold boot, so if you should hear odd noises emanating
from within the case, such as the hard drive not spinning up as it
normally would, the power supply could be at fault due to the
inability to provide adequate power levels. This can result in
other oddball behavior as various system components have to claw
for enough juice to keep themselves running. Multiple hardware
device failures are yet another way that power problems manifest
themselves; too much or inconsistent power is quite unhealthy,
often killing RAM, hard disks, CD-ROM drives or other pieces and
parts. Give her all she needs, captain!
 
 
 
 
 

How to stretch Laptop battery life. Start by turning off
sound events temporarily. Next, eject any PC
Cards that aren't in active use.Reducing brightness of the display is
something many forget about, and you can further drop the
load on the video subsystem by lowering the display resolution a
notch or two. You've probably configured your power settings,
but if your hard drive is spinning up every few minutes to
auto-save documents, it's not doing you much good. Extending
application auto-save times or disabling them completely can
keep the hard drive spin-ups to a minimum, though you have to
weigh the risk of losing unsaved data in case of..well, a power
loss.

Everyone has their own favorite Instant Messaging provider; ICQ,
MSN, Yahoo, AIM, etc., and I'm tired of running 47 different
clients just to keep in touch with everyone, not to mention the
horrendous RAM hit that you take with so many individual apps doing
virtually the same thing. Invention being the mother of necessity
(err... something like that, anyway), several companies address
this wasteful behavior with applications that connect to several
services. a favorite is Trillian. Easy to configure,
works reliably and offers support for the big 4 providers. There
are configuration options out the wazoo, and the Interface allows
you to work with everything in one window, or you can detach the
various windows and have little pop-ups all over your desktop, if
you prefer it that way.
Ever stepped out of the office for the week, leaving your e-mails
unanswered? Set up a quick autoresponder in Outlook Express to let
everyone know that you've gone walkabout. Start by clicking Tools
| Message Rules | Mail, then the "New" button to create a new
message rule. In the first field, select "For all messages" (which
is the last option). In the second field, choose "Reply with
message." This is, of course, assuming that you've already created
and saved a "reply" message of sorts; you can do that by simply a
new e-mail message and saving it to a local folder. Name the rule
and you should be good to go. Now, every message which enters your
Inbox will be responded to with your template. Keep OE running
while you're out and about and people will know you're not
ignoring them. Take note that newsletters will
also be replied to. Depending on how these resources are
configured to respond, you could be unsubscribed, or in the case
of mailing lists, you could be banned from future participation
because it's not looked upon kindly by some. Tailor the rules to
your liking, of course. Outlook (proper) allows for exceptions, so
you can spare newsletters and mailing lists. Rules are very
powerful critters... so get to know them intimately.

 Jeff  is outraged at the premature rejection
of his ink cartridges. When your printer squawks about being out
of ink and refuses to print any further, it may not be entirely
accurate. You see, when some printers detect that the ink
cartridge is running dry, they head things off at the pass before
printing gets sketchy or sloppy. While the concern is appreciated,
leaving a spot of useful ink in the well adds up over time. And we
all know how outrageously expensive those things are. Sometimes
you can cheat the system by removing and shaking the cartridge
ever-so-lightly before putting it back. Many printers will
consider it a new cartridge, possibly resulting in dozens of
additional pages being printed. Not all printers have an automatic
ink level detection feature, so this will vary in practice among
printer models. While we're on the subject, it's always a good
idea to give your printer a spot of work to do once a week (or so)
because the ink tends to dry out and gum up the print heads during
long periods of inactivity. You don't have to print a book, of
course; a page or two from your favorite tech newsletter (with
some color) should do the trick.

So, you want to "dual boot," you say? The concept goes beyond
having a matching pair of foot garments, so pull yourself up by
the bootstraps and take notes. Windows 2000 has a nifty boot
loader that can handle multiple installations of operating
systems. This is great if you care to run a copy of Windows 98 and
Windows 2000 on the same PC. The best way to accomplish this is to
start with a working installation of Windows 98, which will likely
be housed in the C:\Windows folder. When you pop in the Windows
2000 CD and begin the installation, you will be prompted to
upgrade your existing version of Windows or to install a fresh
copy of Windows. In this case, you want a fresh copy, leaving
Windows 98 intact. Since Windows 2000 installs itself to the
C:\WINNT directory by default, you shouldn't have a problem with
it stomping all over 98. When you're finished, a brand new boot
menu will appear with your choices in operating systems. Note that
using this setup allows you to install several copies of Windows
NT / 2000, but only one copy of Windows 9x. Also, keep in mind
that the various versions of Windows often use the same
directories for Windows components, so be prepared for some
version issues if you don't specify alternate directories for
applications you install or upgrade in various operating systems.
If you were considering 2000 as a replacement for 98, but weren't
sure if it'd work properly, you now know it's safe to have your
cake and eat it, too.

Application errors are nothing new in Windows; you can be certain
that you'll see them again sometime (hopefully, later than
sooner). When trouble does present itself, you can often cure the
ills by uninstalling and reinstalling the application. This should
re-copy the appropriate files and set the appropriate registry
values, oftentimes putting things back in order. The same tactic
can be used in reverse when you want to uninstall an application
and it's not cooperating. Reinstalling an application can often
line the ducks back up in correct order, after which you may
proceed through a clean removal. Be sure to install the same
version of the application (if at all possible) or you may be
facing a disaster. Particularly, if you install an older version
than what was kicking you in the head to begin with. This tip was
borrowed from the Windows 2000 Power Users Newsletter (found at
WIN2KPOWERUSERS.COM).

You (no doubt) know that the ENTER key creates a new paragraph in
word processors. Sometimes you just want to type on a new line
without starting a new paragraph, though. Simply hold down the
SHIFT key while pressing ENTER... Shazam! A line break. This is
important for formatting purposes (particularly in WYSIWYG Web
editors). Now that your paragraphs in Microsoft Word are squeaky
clean, your legal department has insisted that every instance of
"Super Widget" must be identified with a trademark. No sweat. You
can quickly locate every instance with the Find command. Click
Edit | Find to start with, then enter the words you're after. Only
one problem. You've also used 'super widget' to describe the item.
Click the "More" button in the Find dialog and what appears is a
bunch of options that can be used to qualify your search. By
checking "Match Case," you can easily pick out the items requiring
trademark identification (while leaving others alone). Taking
another step forward, "Find" can even help you sniff out text that
is formatted using a particular font, style, or highlight. Check
out the "Format" or "Special" drop-down fields. Notice the Replace
tab, too. Not only can you find specific text that matches the
traits you're after, but you can replace them with the appropriate
characters. Getting back to our example, you could search for
"Super Widgets" (matching the case) and replace it with Super
Widgets(tm), which adds the trademark symbol. Problem solved!