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Just a few "Golden Nuggets" of info that I've mined from the internet
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1) Free software and services
2) Articles
3) Special Editorial
4) Hardware
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1) Free software and services:
http://www.pgp.com/products/freeware/default.asp
http://pcusers.org/pcfree.html
PGPfreeware 6.5 encryptation software provides limited, but important,
capabilities including secure e-mail, file encryption and peer-to-peer VPN.
For a CNET review of this product go to
http://home.cnet.com/software/0-3752-8-4792641-1.html
http://www.rsalsbury.co.uk/roughdraft/
http://pcusers.org/pcfree.html
RoughDraft is a freeware word processor. It has features specifically
designed for writers of novels, short stories, articles, poetry, plays and
screenplays. It's designed to be as practical as possible, offering all the
features you need, but without being complicated or awkward to use.
http://www.dsoft.com.tr/stripmail/index.html
http://pcusers.org/pcfree.html
Stripmail. Free utility for cleaning characters like '>' from the beginning
of lines of e-mail messages. It also reformats text separated by blank lines
into paragraphs. It is simple to use. Just copy/paste original text into
stripmail, clean it and copy/paste back to your message
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http://arstechnica.com/wankerdesk/01q1/wpa-1.html
http://pcusers.org/pcreference.html#articles
Windows Product Activation (WPA): This excellent in-depth article explains how WPA will affect the way you register your personal copy of the forthcoming Windows XP operating system.
http://www.geek.com/htbc/glanlap.htm
http://pcusers.org/pcreference.html#resources
How to buy a laptop. Thinking of buying a laptop? Make sure you know what you're getting. This page gives the recommendations on over 20 different features for consideration when buying a PC laptop
http://www.help.com/cat/3/310/656/beginnercenter.html
http://pcusers.org/pcreference.html#resources
The Internet Explorer 5 beginners center. This site has article topics on
IE5 including setting up & configuring, learning the basics, using advanced
features and troubleshooting.
http://home.cnet.com/internet/0-3761-8-4771996-1.html
10 ways to protect yourself from online hazards
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XP, An Old Geek's Perspective!
By Jack Walleigh
This is my take on Microsoft's current OS strategy; it's mostly speculation of course, but it's from the perspective of someone who has been a long time PC user, the Chairman of a PC Users Group, and a close observer, (you could even say "student") of the business practices of those "Wild and Crazy Guys" out in Redmond.
It's been my theory for years that Microsoft has always wanted all PC users to migrate to Windows NT in some form; right from the day Win 95 was released. This despite all the hype from Big Bill about a "Chicken in every pot, a PC on every desk". There's no doubt in my mind that Microsoft has always been keenly aware of the potential problems of having every Joe Blow own a PC. If they did underestimate the ramifications of the Home PC revolution at first, it sure didn't take them long to realize that "Sometimes you've got to watch what you ask for, because you might get it". This fact probably hit home to them around the time of the 50,000th tech support call they received shortly after the initial release of Win '95. I guess you have to give them SOME credit for trying to support the "consumer" versions of Windows, even if it was a half-hearted effort most of the time. However, like the airline industry dealing with the complaints of the "once a year vacation flyer", the Redmond gang knew that their bread was being buttered by the BUSINESS clientele, NOT the "one at a time" home PC user.
But, think about this, back in '95 & '96 they suddenly realized that if they could rapidly get the vast untapped multitudes of potential Home PC users "hooked" on the joy (or necessity) of PC ownership, then they could have an even larger, life long, revenue stream from this gullible herd of sheep. As it turned out they didn't have to lift a finger to do that, the Internet did it for them. The only big mistake they made was in the initial marketing strategy and it's time line. They just couldn't resist the temptation of "bleeding the dummies" for a few years longer than planned, even at the cost of the incessant tech support they had to endure. That made the time frame of their initial strategy to quickly bring us into the fold of their real OS, Windows NT, go out of whack. But don't forget, Larry Ellison isn't the only student of the Japanese and their marketing methods, old Billy G can think long term too. So the Redmond gang rode out the wave of home PC buying with a few "extra" consumer Windows versions thrown in until the wave started to peter out. After also seeing the PC game sector get eaten up by Sony and Nintendo, Microsoft makes one more half-ass stab at squeezing a little more life out of Win 9x with Windows ME, but that didn't fill the coffers like the previous 9x versions did. Plus, Ms. Rootin', Tootin' Reno and her gang of opposing desperadoes slowed the Microsoft train down a little about this time too. We won't even mention what happened to the stock price as well. "Is this the end ?", says Bill. "Should we start leasing space on the campus to Home Depot ?" Then those famous wheels start turning, the light bulb lights up, the trap door in the front of his forehead opens, and out pops the X-BOX idea !!
"Here is a way", says Big Bill, "to give our lowest denominator, most problematic customers, the "PC" they really want.......A GAME PC with MSN access, of course !" "We can make it impenetrable and only upgradable in an "approved-by-us" manner". "Then", say Bill, "we can get the rest of the slightly smarter, less problematic users (the only kind Microsoft really wanted in the first place) AND the "Bread and Butter" business users to migrate to a "new and improved" (like Tide!) operating system !! Both of these sought after user segments with the same OS !! "What a GREAT idea I had !", says Bill. ("And what lower tech support costs", says Little Stevie Balmer as he rubs his hand together in glee!) So, like the Rock Star formerly know as Prince, (also from the state of Washington), the front door to the magic kingdom in Redmond opens wide and out pops the Windows OS formerly known as Whistler...........Windows XP !!
I think the boys in Redmond are just getting warmed up with the hype for this Cash Cow, PC industry saving, OS. We are going to be barraged with an ad campaign for this version of Windows that is going to make the Windows 95 roll out look like a fart in a whirlwind. This will be proclaimed to be the "Windows for us all"..... "Resistance will be Futile". Who else, but those White Knights from the Castle-at-Redmond can swoop in and save the faltering PC industry ? Everybody wins, the business segment who sat on their wallets instead of buying Windows 2000 will finally let loose, the smarter Home PC segment will finally have something worth upgrading to, and even the refrigerator (Opps, I mean PC) salesmen at Circuit City and H.H. Gregg will have something new to sell - the X-BOX. Bill's ego cannot let this opportunity get away. It will be the Cherry on the Top of his evil career.
If only I could get the movie rights to this !!! I can see it
now.....
"Ready on the Set !", the director says, "Ready Bill? OK, Scene
One, Take 492, Lights, Camera, Action............."
Jack
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http://computers.cnet.com/hardware/0-1026-8-4809933-1.html
http://pcusers.org/pcreference.html#resources
Batteries not excluded. The pitfalls of when and how to recharge your laptop batteries in order to extend their life.
http://www.neoseeker.com/Articles/Hardware/Reviews/iogearkvm2p/
IOGEAR MiniView PC 2-port KVM Switch Review. A KVM switch allows you to share a single keyboard, monitor, and mouse console between two computer systems at the same time.
http://www.thetechzone.com/reviews/multimedia/plextor/plexwriter16x/index.shtml
A review of the Plexwriter 16/10/40A CD burner.
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This newsletter is sponsored by the 37211 PC Users Group. All comments,
suggestions or submissions should be sent to david.donoho@pcusers.org.
Guidelines for submission of articles are at http://pcusers.org/articlesubmit.html .
The Dave's Diggins newsletter subscription list is not publicly accessible nor is it provided or sold to anyone for any other purpose.
Disclaimer: The tips and other information provided in the Dave's Diggins' newsletter are believed to be accurate, but we cannot and do not guarantee that all the information listed within or linked from, this publication will work on all systems, for all users, at all times. All information herein is offered as-is and without warranty of any kind. Neither the 37211 PC Users Group, nor its officers and contributors are responsible for any loss, injury, or damage, direct or consequential, resulting from application of any information presented here.
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