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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) Editorial:
4)Hardware
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1) Free software and services:
http://www.fnprg.com/index.html
http://pcusers.org/pcfree.html
SoftCat. Jack recommends this one. "It's a small MS-Access database which runs without having Access on your PC, but it's pretty nice and useful for
things like maintaining version numbers, reg/serial #'s, etc. The author
even maintains a dedicated EZ-Board help forum ! It comes with a sample
example to get you started. The site also has a few other database
programs for videos, music CD's and stamps."
http://www.hiddensoft.com/AutoIt/
http://pcusers.org/pcfree.html
"AutoIt is a simple tool that can simulate key presses, mouse movements and window commands (maximize, minimize, wait for, etc.) in order to automate any windows based task (or even windowed DOS tasks). When AutoIt is executed, it reads a specified script file. This script file allows AutoIt to perform a number of functions, these include:
- Executing programs (Windows applications, DOS commands, etc.) - Sending keystrokes and mouse clicks (all characters, keyboard layout independent). - Window functions (e.g. minimizing, hiding, restoring, waiting for, activating). - Simple text clipboard functions. - Simple registry functions. - Simple string and variable functions.
The scripts can be compiled into standalone executables." ----------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.zdnet.com/eweek/stories/general/0,11011,2700809,00.html
A review of the Microsoft IE 6.0 beta. According to Microsoft it is a
"Public Peview"
http://www.howstuffworks.com/scanner.htm
http://pcusers.org/pcreference.html#resources
How Scanners Work
http://www.howstuffworks.com/inkjet-printer.htm
http://pcusers.org/pcreference.html#resources
How inkjet Printers Work
http://www.zdnet.com/anchordesk/stories/story/0%2C10738%2C2697167%2C00.html
Say no to broadband? Never! Nine reasons you need it now
http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0%2C4586%2C2697298%2C00.html
Congressional audit takes IRS to task about the security of its e-filing
system .
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Microsoft's Cookie Manager
by Roger Imai
New privacy features in the upcoming IE 6, Microsoft is proposing a"friendlier" cookie management method. Sites that serve cookies can obtain a security rating cookie, based on their published security policies, The new IE 6 will then use the site's security rating to evaluate the level of risk, and decide how to handle the cookie offered by the site. What this means essentially, is that new method takes the decision of how to handle cookies away from the user, and puts it BACK in the cookie-server's hands.
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2001/Mar01/03-21PrivacyToolsIEPR.asp
Is this a good or bad thing? I think this issue is more complex than it appears at first glance.
Cookies offer overarching benefits. Even guru Fred Langa of LangaList.com
says he makes absolutely no attempt to manage his cookies at all. Other
people profess a great distrust of cookies and cookie-servers.
Neither do I do anything to restrict most of the cookies I'm served. If I
disable my cookies, I lose all customization features at web sites. I can't
set preferences on my EarthLink or Yahoo or MSN start pages, all of which
I've used to turn them into "Nashville" pages (where I live.) I would lose
all my customer IDs, delivery addresses (I maintain several, because I send
gifts too,) and payment method information on Drugstore.com, Amazon.com,
Barnesandnoble.com, Softwareoutlet.com, and eTracks.com, my favorite store
sites.
Amazon.com wouldn't be able to send me notices of new releases that fall in my interest range (computers, science, psychology, and horror -- which they currently do a terrific job with, btw.) I just purchased three books, and, after four years of being a customer, I am still surprised at how easy it is, and how much feedback I get to assure me that my order is being processed safely and correctly. Amazon even reminded me to apply a $5 Gift Certificate that I received earlier and forgot about!
How different my experience would have been without my Amazon cookies. I love my cookies. To retain these features, I choose to set cookie handling to prompt me, so I can individually reject cookies from sites I consider risky, intrusive, or just obnoxious.
Finally, cookies which perform user-tracking enable banner providers to charge their client advertisers, providing revenue for web sites. Users who turn off their cookies prevent those sites from receiving the income they need to survive. To me, turning your cookies off is like throwing money down the drain, just because it wasn't out of your own pocket.
The problem with cookie management, though, is that many users just don't make good decisions on their own -- and probably don't want to take the time for it. The commercial sites, which need the visitor customization features to operate effectively, are legitimately concerned that many users, out of fear, are disabling ALL cookie behavior and not experiencing the convenience they can provide. Microsoft's cookie management proposal is an attempt to help out commercial sites by improving the perception of safety for those who are ignorant about security issues. What we are seeing is the Internet accommodating to a lowest common denominator in user skill, by providing a method for automating security decisions for novices.
But this may not an ideal solution. You've all heard the saying, IF YOU DON'T DECIDE, SOMEONE WILL DECIDE FOR YOU. The problem is, the decisions made for you may not be the ones you would have made yourself. This applies to the virtual world as well as the physical world. If customers don't know how to behave safely in the virtual shopping place, the virtual storeowner try to take charge. This is what Microsoft is helping to enable, which is to help customers automatically identify "safe" vendors... without so much as having to think.
Plainly, this is consumer-driven business strategy. It's about getting them in the front door. If it's not easy, customers don't come, or they don't come back. Conversely, as with my purchase at Amazon, the easy, stress-free experience keeps bringing me back. So, businesses, in order to survive, are now required to divide their resources between servicing and PROTECTING their customers, as well as protecting THEMSELVES.
Who's responsible, ultimately? Doesn't this situation all seem a little strange? It's like holding shopkeepers responsible for drive-by shootings.
We can only hope that customers will eventually realize that THEY can protect THEMSELVES better than the storeowners can.
But to do that, THEY HAVE TO LEARN THE LINGO AND THE STREET RULES.
From a usage point-of-view, the Internet risks have grown correspondingly with the benefits. The Web is EASIER to use today more than ever -- and at the same time, it's thousands of times more DANGEROUS that it used to be before it got user-friendly. You can not only get your money stolen, but your entire financial identity (especially if you're rich and famous, according to the current news.)
You can now use the Internet with NO technical knowledge -- but at the same time you NEED TO KNOW MORE, more than ever before, in order to deal with the greater threat that accompanies easy access. Greater convenience, carries with it the responsibility for more learning. A tacit demand for ease of use increases opportunity for malicious acts and hostile intentions.
Measures such as Microsoft's "cookie initiative" can protect consumers only partially. The same is true of AOL's attempts to insulate their members with built-in, hands-off security features. The storeowner will never be able to protect his customers as well as they could protect themselves.
If customers expect that, they may as well take a walk in the mall blindfolded, with money hanging out of their pants pockets, and their credit cards and driver's license sticking out of their shirt pocket."
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http://www.systemlogic.net/reviews/hardware/networking/dlink/dwl920/
A review of the D-Link DWL-920 802.11b USB Wireless Networking Kit
http://www.business2.com/content/channels/technology/2001/02/21/26699
Internet Via Power Lines, Powerline Technologies ditches phone lines for broadband electrical network.
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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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