PCWize Vol 4, Issue 13 - Error! Error! Abort! March 26, 2000 ______________________________________________________________________ Oops, I put in the wrong URL to the PCWize forum last week, so that's probably an excellent reason as to why nobody submitted any ideas on future How-They-Work articles. I still want to see your inputs, so with the below (correct) URL I hope to see some good suggestions. ------ I think it's safe to say that everyone hates spam. Well, everyone except the people who send it that is. For those of you who have been with me since PCWize changed its name from VBOK, you'll remember a few times I mentioned that having your own domain name was a great way to reduce spam. The ability to create and destroy e-mail aliases has allowed me to keep my inbox pretty spam free. However, some addresses do get spammed, and I always wonder who was responsible for leaking it out. So, here's an idea that I hope you will like. I have quite a few throwaway aliases set up for use on web sites and such that require an e-mail address. I will be setting up a few more completely oddball ones that should defy attempts at guessing like which I will use once and only once throughout my Internet use. Each address that gets used will be logged by date and where it was used (web site name, usenet newsgroup etc.) If I receive SPAM on that alias, I'll let you know where it was used so you can avoid those places. ______________________________________________________________________ TOC 1. Voting Booth and Other PCWize Stuff 2. Software Review 3. Cool Sites 4. Tips, Tricks, Do's and Don't Do's 5. That's the news! 6. Security Issues, Hoaxes, Viruses and Other Urban Legends 7. PCWize Contests and winner announcement If the columns in the below articles appear misaligned, it's because you are using a non-fixed width font. If you would like to see them nice and straight, change your e-mail font to Courier New. ______________________________________________________________________ ** A word from our sponsors ** ------ Stay Connected! to AOL, CompuServe, NetO and more! This trusty utility prevents your ISP from disconnecting you. "It's a super product that most, not only AOL, surfers would love to have if they knew it existed" says one user. Free Download at http://www.inklineglobal.net ------ http://www.freecreditanalyzer.com - Get your credit situation analyzed online without affecting your credit report. ------ Want to see your advertisement here? For more information, go here: ______________________________________________________________________ 1. Voting Booth and Other PCWize Stuff ------ Click here to vote for PCWize as one of the best newsletters in the "E-zines Top Ten Poll"! It's just a click, no need to fill anything out. ------ Come visit the PCWize forum and live chat. You may discuss anything computer related and it's a good place to get help with any computer questions you may have. ______________________________________________________________________ 2. Software Review ------ Name: SETI Monitor v1.25 by Lior Fainshil Genre: Add-on Platform: PC Win 9x/00/NT Type/Cost: Freeware Size: 212KB Homepage: Download: I've mentioned the SETI@Home Distributed Processing Project a few times since I installed it last year. It's just one of the coolest things I've run across in a while. One thing I didn't like about the program was that there was no way to archive the results of the processed data blocks. I had been resorting to screenshots, but quit after my 50th block. If there was only a way to see all the data. Apparently Lior Fainshil felt the same and wrote SETI Monitor which collects all the final data and keeps it in a really nice chart. You can choose to see the data as an aggregate, or only for those memorable blocks. This is another piece of software that has earned a place on my tasktray. If you want to learn more about SETI@Home and/or join Team PCWize, go here: ______________________________________________________________________ 3. Cool Sites ------ About.com on the Twilight side About.com is a great repository of informative links, and this particular link takes you to all the odd and unexplained stuff. Here's some neat ones to check out: Coral Castle in Homestead Florida - I went here when I was stationed at Homestead AFB. It really was a baffling place as tons and tons of coral rock was so precisely balanced and positioned that children could move them. Gravity Hill and other uphill rollers - A friend of mine told me about a place just like this. I will definitely have to take a trip to one of these areas. ______________________________________________________________________ 4. Tips, Tricks, Do's and Don't Do's ------ I finally got around to fixing a very irritating problem with my computer. It's funny you know. I've known some people who are car mechanics, yet their own car runs horribly. I guess it's the same principal in effect here. At any rate, the problem was that when I selected the "Shutdown" option and clicked OK, I'd always get a reboot. Hello?!? I said shutdown, not reboot. Ok, fine have it your way. The power switch works, and there isn't anything you can do about that now is there! Well, the problem turned out to be the Fast Shutdown option which is supposed to enable Windows to exit quickly. That part it did fine, but for some oddball reason, it insisted on rebooting my machine when I asked for a shutdown. I searched around on the Internet to find where that option is set, and it's supposed to be in the MSConfig application on the General tab Advanced button, but it wasn't. After digging around in my registry, I found it here: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Shutdown I changed the "1" to a "0", and it fixed my problem. You should give this option a shot as it can really decrease the amount of time that Windows takes to shutdown. If it doesn't work for you, it's a simple matter of setting it back to zero. ______________________________________________________________________ 5. That's the news! ------ You know... if I was going to steal someone's credit card information, I don't think it would have been Bill Gates'. *Beware, the above URL may have wrapped and you will need to cut and paste everything between the <> into your browser. ------ Ok, you've bought that fancy new flatbed scanner and inkjet printer, and you're ready to start your own printing press for untold fortunes. Guess what? Your scanner might have hardware to detect that American currency is being scanned. ______________________________________________________________________ 6. Security Issues, Hoaxes, Viruses and Other Urban Legends ------ Please visit http://www.pcwize.com/tech/computer/secdef.shtml if you would like to know the definitions for hoaxes, viruses, worms and urban legends. ------ Spunkball! Yet another hoax as evidenced by the horrendous spelling, grammar, and the immortal words of "PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO EVERYONE..." I just wanted to warn all of my friends about something that has been occuring more and more lately, all through out the country. Groups of teenagers have been caught, in alarming numbers, playing a new and dangerous game called Spunkball. Spunkball consists of a group of teens in a car pulling up to a stop light, and looking around for a car stopped near by with an open window. When one is spotted, the teens shout, "Spunkball", and throw a gasoline soaked rag that has been wrapped in aluminum foil threw the open window. On the outside of the foil is attatched a small fire cracker, with the fuse lit. When the fire cracker explodes, it shreds the foil, and the rag is ignited, causing a large flame that may catch the interior of the car on fire. Spunkball playing has already claimed two lives, caused uncountable injuries due to burns, and caused thousands of dollars in damage to automobiles. The best defense, say authorities, is to keep all windows rolled up when stopped at traffic lights, as only cars with windows down are being targeted. If you are at a redlight and hear a shout "Spunkball", and notice something come flying in your window, the best thing to do is to have all passengers immediatly exit the vehichle. DO NOT try to retreive the object, as it will ignite once the fire cracker explodes. PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO EVERYONE YOU CARE ABOUT. For more information ______________________________________________________________________ 7. PCWize Contests and Winner Announcement ------ Each week PCWize holds a random drawing contest and gives away free stuff (usually software) to its subscribers. We will continue to do this as long as there are advertisers who are willing to provide the prizes. If you are such an individual/company, then please contact me at editor@pcwize.com so that we can work a deal. ------ This week's sponsor is inKline Global Inc., and they have developed some great applications to make your daily life much easier. Please visit their web site to get the lowdown on all the great products they have, and to help keep the PCWize newsletter FREE! ------ The winner of this weeks random drawing contest is: Ben Brodie ______________________________________________________________________ Well, that's it for this issue! Have a good week and I'll see you in seven days. Leif Gregory Copyright © 1997-00 by Leif Gregory. All rights reserved. You may share this copy of the PCWize newsletter with others as long as it is reprinted in it's entirety to include the copyright notice and subscription directions. If you've received this edition of the PCWize newsletter from a friend or colleague and wish to start receiving your own copy, then click the below link and send the generated e-mail message. I have made every attempt to ensure that all information contained in this newsletter is accurate to the best of my ability. Due to the myriad of possible configurations in the PC platform, information and software discussed here may not always work with your particular configuration. That being said, Leif Gregory and the PCWize newsletter can not be held liable for any damages you may incur either directly or indirectly from the use of anything contained in this newsletter. PCWize does not endorse any of the products or services provided by advertisers in this newsletter. As with anything in life, please check the credibility of the advertiser as well as to use common sense. If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. PCWize Editor PCWize Homepage Unsubscribe