Dave Bytes

Dave "Bytes"

Please remember to use your thinker, before you tinker!

A Periodic Newsletter for the Members of the Sarasota PC User Group

January 25, 2004

Click here to subscribe to Dave "Bytes
(if you haven't already)

Here's A Windows XP Tip

How to Scroll the Start/All Programs Menu

If you've installed a lot of programs on your Windows XP PC you'll soon discover that you've run out of room to display all
the programs when you select Start/All Programs. The solution is to change to a scrolling display.

To do this right-click on a blank space in the Taskbar, then select Properties/Start Menu/Customize/Advanced. Browse the
"Start Menu Items" box for the item "Scroll Programs" and click to select.

From The "Bytes" Guestbook

Dave,
Loved your review on Streets 2004. I have been using Streets for several years and am currently using 2003.
My question is, has 2004 updated the Florida interstate exits to reflect the new numbering system?
If not, I will wait for 2005 or later to upgrade.
Thanks also for your great articles and tips.
Brian

Good news Brian,
Microsoft Street & Trips 2004 does reflect the new exit numbers on 75.

George's
BITS

Dave's
Bytes

Clicking on the WLSS Logo will take you to the

"Bits & Bytes"

site where you can listen to the most recent broadcast and our Commercial too !!!

Why not give the gift that keeps on giving all year round? I'm referring to a subscription to either Smart Computing or CPU Magazines. If you are a current subscriber and order a gift subscription, the folks at Smart Computing will add 2 additional issues to your current subscription at no charge. And remember that even gift subscriptions will be credited to the SPCUG account so that we can accumulate free subscriptions to give away to our membership.

To order call 1-800-733-3809 and be sure to give the following Code Numbers so that SPCUG gets proper credit.
Smart Computing (11607) CPU Magazine (272)

From the "Bytes" Mailbag

Dear Dave,
I have internet explorer and outlook express. I would like to have all incoming e-mail's to list in chronological order. How can that be done?
Thank you, Linda

Dear Linda,
In your Outlook Express window, you can list your e-mails in several ways. At the top of the list of messages is a row which describes the contents of each column. In my program it says:

From Subject Received Size

You can sort the messages according to any one of these fields by simply clicking on the name of the field. If I click on "From" the messages will be sorted alphabetically according to who the message is from. If you click on "Subject", they will be sorted by subject.

Click on the "Received" field and they will line up according to their age. Click on "Received" again and it will reverse the order.

Dear Dave,
I am running Windows 98, Outlook Express 5, and I would like to change the name that is displayed in the from part of emails I send. I don't want to include my full name, just the first. Could you please tell me how to do it?
Thank you, Ray

Dear Ray,
To change what is displayed in the "From" field of e-mails that you send, follow these easy steps:

1. Open Outlook Express

2. Click on "Tools" in the menu bar, the on "Accounts".

3. In the "Accounts" window, click on the tab that says "Mail"

4. Click on your mail account. If there is more than one listed, click on the one that has (default) next to it.

5. Once you have highlighted your mail account, click on the button to the right that says "Properties"

6. In the "Properties" window, make sure the first tab that says "General" is selected, and look under "User Information". Locate the line that says "Name" and change the name typed there to just your first name, or whatever you want it to say when you send your e-mails.

7. Click "OK" and then close the accounts window. Your new settings should now work the next time you send an e-mail.

Got a question?

Why not "Byte" me?

While Wandering The Web

The Radio Locator

From the local high school station down the street to talk radio in Australia, from adult contemporary formats to smooth jazz or techno -- you ought to be able to find an online radio station to suit your mood thanks to the Radio Locator.
Whether your taste in radio is quite narrow or particularly broad, you can quickly see why this site is so great. This database of radio stations is pretty straightforward -- enter a zip code or state, or just start using the variety of drop-down lists to browse.

The Radio Locator will give you links to the home pages for the stations that match your criteria. That means that quality can vary greatly from one station to another. So, if you don't have much luck attempting to connect to one station, try another!

Florida Association of Computer User Groups, Inc.

Spring 2004 Conference

Dear Fellow SPCUG Members,
FACUG was founded in 1993 to assist user groups in the performance of their managerial and educational activities, to promote communications among local user groups, and to facilitate relations between user groups and the computer industry. FACUG is the successor organization to the Florida Suncoast Conference of PC User Groups. Suncoast was one of the early regional groups having been started in 1989 in Sarasota by our own Gary Schweinshaupt. Currently there are 59 member User Groups that belong to FACUG. The Annual Spring Conference is being held on March 5-7 in Kissimmee. Over the years many SPCUG volunteers have devoted countless hours of their time in an effort to help make SPCUG a stronger organization and to their credit, have succeeded. Years ago Gary encouraged me to attend a conference and to get involved which I gladly did. Since then I have been a Director and now serve as Vice-President because I have seen, first hand, how FACUG helps to not only strengthen SPCUG, but the User Group Community as a whole. That being said, I would like to encourage all Officers and Volunteers to register for the Spring Conference. FACUG member attendees-$60 on site, $50 by mail before February 13, 2004, $35 if postmarked by February 1, 2004. This fee covers breakfast, lunch, dinner, and participation in the various roundtable panel discussions and door prizes, All volunteers who attend are entitled to a $35 per day reimbursement from SPCUG. If you have any questions, please contact me @ gerber@spcug.org

Hotel arrangements are in place
Make your reservation for hotel directly:
Super 8 Suites
1815 W.Vine St.,
Kissimmee, FL
1-800-325-4348
$29.95 + tax/night double person room.
A limited number of rooms are being held until 2/17/04 .
Request the group rate for the Florida Association of Computer User Groups, Inc.
( I strongly recommend booking your hotel reservation NOW! This is the height of the tourist season.)

Click HERE for the Registration Form.

Need the Free Acrobat Reader? Get it here !

All things considered, I'm sure that you will bring back to SPCUG information and ideas that will serve the Sarasota PC User Group well while having a good time in the process.
                                                         I hope to see you there,
                                                                       Dave Gerber
                                                                           FACUG VP

An important word about America Online
with thanks to SPCUG member Harry Hruniak

America Online was my first ISP back in 1991, when the only other choices were Prodigy and CompuServe. Back then, AOL was definitely the best choice, and is still a popular starting place for beginners.

In the few years since then, hundreds of new ISP's have come online, providing much better services than AOL. Internet professionals consider AOL to be a place for "newbies" but not an ISP to be used for serious internet users or business. The Information Systems Management Handbook says:

"...AOL makes it easy to get started on the Internet for beginners; however, AOL is not well-suited for business subscribers. Its proprietary software interface is not designed for business use, though if simple e-mail and web access is all you need, it may suffice. Its network speeds are rated the slowest of the major ISPs."

AOL is a popular tool for beginners, and their marketing policies certainly have made AOL the largest online service. Offering up to 500 "free" hours has convinced many people to sign up. However, as everyone knows, being the biggest doesn't mean it's the best. Having the largest market share only means that their marketing has been very successful. This is true in ANY area, but seems to be common in the computer industry - for example: Windows has by far the largest computer OS market share, but it is also FAR from the best. Microsoft just has great marketing (spelled M-O-N-O-P-O-L-Y).

Basically, the only people who believe AOL is really good are AOL's CEO, Steve Case, and those who don't know any different. People who know the real issues avoid AOL. Here are a few reasons why:

1. AOL's captures control of your computer once it is installed, guaranteeing that you will have great difficulty UNinstalling AOL. Furthermore, it is almost impossible to get UNsubscribed and have the credit card charges stopped.

2. Contrary to their advertising campaigns - AOL is NOT the internet. In fact, AOL intentionally keeps it's users off of the internet and "locked in" to the AOL interface as much as possible. AOL's protocols conflict with or ignore standard internet protocols that were established long before AOL existed.

3. AOL is apparently SO popular, that it sometimes takes many days for email to get through. Here's one user's account: "...a coworker sent me e-mail from her boyfriend's AOL account in Ohio. Her message took three days to reach me. A postcard she mailed to another coworker arrived a day earlier. She was already back from her trip and at work by the time I got the message."

4. AOL intentionally avoids providing "Help" information about using the actual internet. This is because AOL does not want you to "browse the web" or use the actual internet outside what is provided in the AOL interface. Consequently, most AOL users remain uneducated about using the real internet. AOL's attitude is, "keep them ignorant and they won't know what they are missing!"

5. AOL's subscribers spend 80% of their time looking at the company's own "content" -- a miscellany of entertainment, chat and travel services -- rather than using it as an inexpensive route to the Internet.

6. AOL subscribers don't realize how much control AOL has over their online experience. This control limits their exposure to the wealth of information available on the internet. If you think AOL's information is impressive, you should explore the internet - it's overwhelming!!! Basically, AOL is acting as "Big Brother" - only allowing it's users to see what AOL wants them to see. If the same level of censorship was used anywhere else, people would probably protest or boycott.

7. There are several lawsuits against AOL for:
censorship of free speech and content
continuing credit card charges after unsubscribing
over billing: adding 15 seconds to the connection time, then rounding up to the next minute

8. AOL's protocols are not Internet-standard? Here are a few examples:

1. People who manage email lists have to add special coding in their messages just so that AOL users can access a website - "Click here if you're on AOL" the tag usually says. Have you ever wondered why AOL addresses are the only group that need this "special" link?

2. Every email attachment becomes a separate download for AOL users, whereas the attachment comes in with the message for those who are using internet standard mail software. Often, AOL recipients can't open internet-standard pictures that arrive as attachments.

3. Because the AOL mail reader intentionally strips the coding from website addresses so that they cannot be double-clicked on, AOL users have to manually type the website address into their browser. They aren't told that they can simply Copy/Paste a website address into their browser and go to a website w/o having to type in the URL. Most AOL users don't even know what a URL is!!! (Uniform Resource Locator - a website address)

4. AOL screen names are unique to AOL and do not work on the internet until they are conformed to internet email standards.

5. AOL keywords are unique to AOL and do not work outside AOL. The internet does use keywords, but not AOL keywords. For example: In 1999, when Rosie O'Donnell told her audience to visit her website, she only gave the address as "AOL keyword Rosie" and did not give out the URL. Consequently, no one outside AOL could get to her website. She was obviously not informed by AOL about this fact.

6. AOL's non-standard email protocols prohibit the use of most third-party web-based email services, effectively blocking AOL's users from retrieving their email from anywhere in the world, except through another AOL user's computer!

7. AOL's non-standard protocols prohibit the use of wireless internet access points, such as Apple's Airport, 3Com, and other similar devices. The international wireless transmission standards are ignored by AOL. If you desire to use wireless internet access points at home or the office, you will need to use EarthLink or another standards-based ISP, instead of AOL.

8. Many websites that display just fine in Netscape or Explorer, do not display properly in AOL's browser.

9. AOL caches (or stores) many web pages in their servers so AOL access APPEARS faster. However, most useful websites these days have pages that change often, and AOL's cache servers don't usually send the latest updated page. Knowledgeable web server managers turn OFF caching to ensure dynamic pages are sent properly. AOL doesn't care whether you see the correct page or not when you are browsing "outside" AOL.

etc..........

The "Bytes" Beg, Bargain & Barter Basement

Got something "computer related" to sell? Looking for that rare peripheral? If it's computer related you can submit a short classified ad for exposure in Dave "Bytes". Be sure to include your name and e-mail address in the ad. You can also include a picture of the item. Now some would suggest that there be a charge for this feature but alas, since my bookkeeping skills leave much to be desired I've determined that this will be a free service to all SPCUG members in good standing. "Bytes" is currently sent to almost 1000 homes in the area. Ad requests will be included as soon as possible. I assume absolutely no responsibility as to the accuracy or completeness of supplied info. All transactions are between consulting adults which leaves me entirely off the hook. Please let me know by clicking HERE when your merchandise is sold so that I can remove it from the listing. I will try to run each ad for a month.

Click here to send your ad

E-tailers Ring Up A Big Year

The online retail sector experienced significant growth during 2003 due to record holiday sales, a strong travel market and increased consumer confidence, according to a new report.

Revenue for online retailers in 2003 reached $93 billion, a 27 percent increase over the same period last year, research firm ComScore Networks reported on Monday.

The growth in sales was spurred by a record fourth quarter holiday buying season, typically the largest sales period for both online and brick-and-mortar vendors. ComScore said that online retail spending during the 2003 holiday season totaled $12.5 billion, a 29.5 percent gain over the same period last year.

Dave's Cool Downloads

ClipMate 6.0

Give yourself an unlimited clipboard.

ClipMate is a nifty program that stores absolutely everything you copy, whether it's text, graphics, spreadsheet data or anything else. If it can be copied ClipMate will save it to its own clipboard. You can then simply access this clipboard at any time and browse, either by title or date, for the item you need. Each item can be previewed to ensure you have the right file.

Clipboard contents you wish to keep indefinitely can be added to a 'safe' folder, which prevents deletion without confirmation. Any item placed into ClipMate's trash can is available until deleted from there.

Copied text can be edited in numerous ways within ClipMate, including appending clips together, converting case, removing line breaks, performing a spellcheck, and even cleaning text by stripping characters.

It also has a screen capture tool for capturing any area or object on-screen. Captures are stored alongside the other ClipMate contents and can be exported as BMP or JPEG files for use in graphics applications.
TIME LIMITED DEMO
Purchase price: $24.95

Dave's Verdict
I've been using this for years. Once you start to use this program you won't know how you managed without it.

Download ClipMate Here
3.2 Mb

or purchase the full version at
www.thornsoft.com

Microsoft PowerToys for Windows XP
They're back...and bigger and better.

Microsoft PowerToys for Windows XP Comprises 10 separate Windows XP extras, each one intended to enhance the Windows XP experience in one form or another. The 10 Toys to choose from are:

Open Command Window Here:
Adds an 'Open Command Window Here' context menu on system folders - a quick way to open a command window (cmd.exe)
pointing at the selected folder.
Alt-Tab Replacement:
Adds a preview of pages when using Alt-Tab to switch applications.
Tweak UI:
Gives you access to system settings that are not exposed in Windows XP default
interface; includes mouse, Explorer, taskbar settings and more.
Power Calculator:
Calculator with graph, conversion and function capabilities.
Image Resizer:
Resize one or many image files with a right click.
CD Slide Show Generator:
View images on a CD as a slide show.
Virtual Desktop Manager:
Manage up to four desktops from the taskbar.
Taskbar Magnifier:
Use this PowerToy to magnify part of the screen from the taskbar.
HTML Slide Show Wizard:
Create HTML slide shows of digital pictures, for use on websites.
Webcam Timershot:
Take pictures at specified time intervals via a webcam.

Clicking the download button below will take you to the Microsoft PowerToys webpage where you can select the ones you want.

Note: Although created by Microsoft developers they are not supported by Microsoft, and no technical support is offered.

Verdict

A good range of extras for Windows XP users.

YOU CAN NOW EASILY LOCATE THE DOWNLOADS MENTIONED IN DAVE "BYTES" BY CLICKING ON THE BUTTONS ON

WWW.DAVEBYTES.COM

Check regularly since I'm always adding new content

Click HERE to submit your favorite Freeware or Shareware program

Want to Join SPCUG or Renew Your Membership?

Click the SPCUG Logo for an online
Membership Application that you can
type into and print

Here's The Latest Virus Information & Alert

New Internet virus spreading fast By Regan Morris, The Associated Press

NEW YORK — A new Internet virus was spreading fast throughout Asia, Australia and Europe but computer security experts were divided on the seriousness of the threat from the "Bagle" worm, and reckoned home users were most at risk. Experts expected some impact in the United States when people returned to work Tuesday after a holiday weekend.

The "Bagle" or "Beagle" worm arrives in an e-mail with the subject "hi" and the word "test" in the message body. If the accompanying attachment is executed, the worm is unleashed and tries to send itself to all e-mails listed in the user's address book.

Sometimes the attachment is designed to look like a Microsoft calculator, said David Perry, spokesman for antivirus software firm Trend Micro.

The virus only affects machines running Microsoft Windows operating systems.

"It's clumsy," Perry said from Lake Forest, Calif., adding that most people knew better than to click on an attached calculator: "I don't get e-mails with calculators in it, do you?"

The worm started spreading on Monday and most corporations have already protected themselves against it, Perry said.

Carey Nachenberg, chief architect of Symantec Research Labs in Cupertino, Calif., said home users, not corporations, were most at risk because companies had protected themselves quickly.

"We could see this fizzle out in several days," Nachenberg said. "Or we could also see a lot of people infected" if they don't update their antivirus software

Here's An Excel Tip

Changing Column Width

It is a rare worksheet in which each column of data is the same width as every other column.
Fortunately, Excel allows you to independently adjust column width for each column in your worksheet. The quickest way to do this is to use the mouse in the following manner:

1. Move the mouse so it is over the dividing line between two columns in the column headings area of the worksheet.
Choose the dividing line that is to the right of the column whose width you want to adjust. The mouse cursor changes to a double-headed arrow.
2. Click and hold the left mouse button.
3. Drag the mouse left or right until the column is the desired width. 4. Release the mouse button.

You can also automatically adjust the width of a column to match the width of the longest cell contents in the column by double-clicking on the dividing line between columns.

Pause For Thought

Blame (submitted by George Whitesell)
Author Unknown

Let's see if I understand how the world works lately...

If a man cuts his finger off while slicing salami at work, he blames the restaurant.

If you smoke three packs a day for 40 years and die of lung cancer, your family blames the tobacco company.

If your neighbor crashes into a tree while driving home drunk, he blames the bartender.

If your grandchildren are brats without manners, you blame television.

If your friend is shot by a deranged madman, you blame the gun manufacturer.

And if a crazed person breaks into the cockpit and tries to kill the pilot at 35,000 feet, and the passengers kill him instead, the mother of the crazed deceased blames the airline.

I must have lived too long to understand the world as it is anymore.

So, if I die while my old, wrinkled butt is parked in front of this computer, I want you to blame Bill Gates...okay?

size=2 width="100%" align=center>

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Get Involved

To inquire about volunteer opportunities

Click Here

Remember.. "The more you put in....

the more you'll take out"

Remember

Don't Let Your

Membership Lapse

contact: membership@spcug.org

Here's An Internet Tip

Phishing for Trouble

Add a new term to your list of online annoyances: phishing.
In this scam, criminals send out millions of fake e-mails to trick online consumers into disclosing personal and financial information. The bogus e-mails may appear to come from reputable sources such as big online retailers or banks. The phishers flood your inbox with requests for a wide range of personal information, ranging from bank account
information to credit-card numbers to personal identification numbers for automated teller machines.

How do they fool you? They direct recipients to phony Web sites that resemble legitimate corporate sites. Or, they claim that billing information needs to be updated or has been lost. In the most brazen versions, the criminals may actually suggest that you are a victim of fraud and that you need to share your information to avoid a fraudulent credit-card charge. Or, the e-mail may offer a bogus prize in return for your personal information.

Here are some steps that the Federal Trade Commission recommends to protect yourself from e-mail scams:

Don't click a link in an e-mail that warns your account will be shut down unless you reconfirm your billing information.

Contact the legitimate company using a phone number or Web site address you know to be genuine.

Avoid e-mailing personal and financial information.

Before submitting such data through a Web site, look for the "lock" icon that signals the information is secure.

Immediately review credit card and bank account statements for unauthorized charges.

Go to the FTC Web site for more information or to file a complaint.

Looking for a SIG or Forum?

The best place to go is the SPCUG Event Calendar.
Once there you can view everything planned for SPCUG members.
Want to register for a SIG? There is no better place to do that then at http://www.calsplus.com/spcug
This calendar is updated on a daily basis making it the most accurate way to see what's happening in the world of SPCUG.

Click here for the Dave "Bytes" Archives

P.S. Don't forget to say "Hi" at the meeting!!

Sarasota Personal Computer User Group, Inc

Phone: 877-SPCUG-HI

To Send A Message To Dave Click Below

Sign the "Bytes" Book

An important word about America Online with thanks to SPCUG member Harry Hruniak

An important word about America Online
with thanks to SPCUG member Harry Hruniak