Security: PassPub (Strong Password Generator)

Do you ever have problems coming up with passwords for all your different online and computer accounts, or devices (such as your wireless broadband router WPA key)? PassPub will generate strong unique passwords (with letters and numbers) for these accounts.

All you do is just select the type of password (# of charactors, WEP, WPA, basic, Mnemonic, etc.) you need and wait a few seconds. If you need multiple passwords, just refresh the page.

72 Tips for Safer Computing

PC Magazine reports: "You might wonder if it's even possible to have a safe computing experience in this day and age, beyond unplugging your broadband connection and never installing any software. Of course it's possible, but it will take some work on your part. You need to install tools to protect yourself, learn good practices, and most important: Exercise common sense. Here's what you need to do, from the bare minimum on up. And for advice on buying security software, check out our Security Suites 2008 buying guide."

This article is a quick read with some helpful security tips for you to stay safe online. Some of them were worthless, while others were pretty good. If you know nothing about computer security this is a very quick introduction to what you need to know.

Software: Nine Ways to Wipe Out Spyware

PC Magazine reports: "The term spyware is actually a catch-all for a variety of nonvirus malicious software (malware, for short). Trojan horse programs masquerade as something useful—games, screen savers, utilities—but actually have their own sneaky agenda. One especially pernicious type of Trojan pretends to be an antispyware utility. These rogue antispyware programs tend to be alarmist, reporting tons of threats and offering to remove them—for a price. The term adware refers to programs that display ads on your computer (independent of the built-in banner ads on Web pages). Spyware literally spies on you, gathering personal information and sending it to the lair of its evil creator. Keyloggers specifically records all the keys you type, thereby capturing passwords and other sensitive info. Some of these may use rootkit technology to escape detection. A good antispyware program will handle all of these overlapping threat categories."

Are you looking for the latest information on the best anti-spyware software for your computer. Check out PC Magazine review of 9 different anti-spyware products.

Hardware: Interface Guide

I accidentally discovered that Western Digital has a great page that covers the different type of hard drive interfaces that are available.(such as: SATA, eSATA, EIDE, USB, FireWire 400 [IEEE 1394a, FireWire 800 [IEEE 1394b]). If you need some help identifying a particular connector for a hard drive or other type of peripheral check out this page.

Refurb Madness

PC Magazine reports: "If the phrase 'refurbished PC' makes you think of sketchy parts of town, and of hardware with a shady past dealt by a guy with a funny nickname and shifty eyes, you can dispense with that notion. Refurbished systems today can be almost as new as new, and they can easily save a small business thousands of dollars."

Are you looking for ways to find a great deal on your next computer? Then check out this article on how to buy a refurbished computer. You might be able to save a few hundred dollars depending on the model you're wanting to buy. Although, make sure you understand the ins-and-outs before making your first purchase.

Windows Vista: Opening Ports in Your Firewall

Sometimes you need to manually open ports in the Windows Firewall to allow remote programs on computers to talk to your computer over the your local network. For example, for Remote Desktop to work on the host computer, you have to open TCP port 3389 in the firewall.

Warning: You have to be very careful about which ports on your firewall you open. Depending on what they're used for they can make your computer vulnerable to different types of attacks.

• Open the Control Panel folder, and find the 'Windows Firewall' applet
  
• Click the 'Change Setting' link
  
• Click the Exceptions tab.
• Press the 'Add port...' button.
• In the Name field, type a friendly name for the port to help you remember why you opened it. For example, type "Remote Desktop: Port 3389".
• In the 'Port number' field, enter the port number you want to open. For example, type "3389"
  
• In the Protocol field, select either TCP or UDP, and press the OK button.

To open a port for a specific application, you need to research the port number (i.e.: 1..65535) and the protocol (TCP or UDP). In the example above, the RDP service needed port 3389 open using the TCP protocol.

Will Opera Mobile perform for free?

CNET News.com reports: "Opera should be bracing for impact. Quite possibly for the first time, Opera Software will receive real pressure in the mobile-browser space from Firefox Mobile and Skyfire."

I am eager to try out these new browsers.

Keyboard Shortcuts: Remote Desktop

Below are some keyboard shortcuts that you can use in the Remote Desktop client:

• Ctrl+Alt+End: Simulates the Ctrl+Alt+Del key
• Alt+Page Up: Switches between programs from left to right
• Alt+Page Down: Switches between programs from right to left
• Alt+Insert: Cycles through the programs in most recently used order
• Alt+Home: Displays the Start menu
• Ctrl+Alt+Break: Switches the client computer window to full screen and back again to its original size if pressed again.
  
• Alt+Del: Displays the Windows menu
• Ctrl+Alt+Minus sign (-): Places a snapshot of the client window in the remote computer's clipboard (provides the same functionality as pressing ALT+PRINT SCREEN on a local computer).
• Ctrl+Alt+Plus sign (+): Place a snapshot of the active window in the remote computer's clipboard (provides the same functionality as pressing PRINT SCREEN on a local computer).
• Ctrl+Alt+Left Arrow: Switches you to back to the host computer.
• Ctrl+Alt+Right Arrow: Switches you to back to the host computer.

Windows Vista: Remote Desktop

Both Windows Vista Ultimate or Business editions include a feature called Remote Desktop. This feature is also included in Windows XP Professional. The Remote Desktop service allows you to control a machine from another computer on the same network.

There are two main parts to remote desktop, there is the service which runs on the host computer that allows to you to remotely log in to it. Then there is the Remote Desktop client, which allows you to connect to the remote computer which is running that service.

The remote desktop service is disabled by default for security reasons, but its not very hard to turn it on. Follow the instructions below to find out how to enable it:

• In the Control Panel open the System applet (or right-click the Computer icon in the Start menu and select Properties)
• In the left pane, click the 'Remote Settings' link.
• Select the 'Allow connections from computers running any version of Remote Desktop (less secure)' radio button. This allows older versions of remote desktop to connect to this computer. Or, select the 'Allow connections only from computers running Remote Desktop with Network Level Authenticate (more secure)' radio button. If you're going to connect to this computer with Windows Vista or an updated version of the Remote Desktop client.
• Press the 'Select Users' button and add the user accounts that you want to allow to connect to the machine from a remote computer.

When enabling the Remote Desktop service, Vista will automatically open ports in your firewall to allow the Remote Desktop Protocol through it.

There are a few things that you need to know. The Remote Desktop service, doesn't work when the host computer's in sleep mode. Also, when you log into the host computer remotely, no one can use the local machine while your logged in. So this means that the host computer can't be shared.

Free Web Based Screen Cleaning Service

Bonus Tip: Here is a free web based screen cleaning service. ;-) Its cute, so enjoy...

Windows Vista: System Health Report

Windows Vista has some great diagnostic tools built-in to it. The System Health Report is one of the more useful ones. It gathers data from the Performance and Reliability Monitor, and displays in information packed report, and even highlights potential problems.

To run a System Health Report:

• Open Control Panel folder, and open 'Performance Information and Tools'.
• In the Tasks pane on the left, click the 'Advanced tools' link.
• Click the 'Generate a system health report' link.
• When the applications opens, you will have a UAC and user login prompt.

Each report can take 60 seconds or more to complete and display all the gathered information.

Windows Vista: Disabling Security Center Notification

Depending on your Windows Vista security software configuration, you might have the Security Center icon displayed in the notification area warning you it has found a problem with your software. If you do have a problem you should fix it, although if you really don't then you might want to disable this notification from being displayed.

To disable this feature, follow the instructions below:

• From the Start menu open the Control Panel folder
• Open the Security Center applet
• In the Tasks pane on the left, click the link that says 'Change the way the Security Center alerts me'
• In the dialog box, press the 'Don't notify me and don't display the icon (not recommended)' button.

Windows Vista: Mobility Center

If you use a Windows Vista based laptop computer, you might want to check out the Mobility Center. This control panel gives you easy access to information and configuration options about your laptop. For example, you can quickly enable or disable an external monitor, wireless adapter, check your battery level, and much more.

To access the Mobility Center open the control panels folder under the Start menu, then look for 'Windows Mobility Center', or my favorite trick is just to press the Windows key+X.

Windows Vista: Disabling the Delete Confirmation

Some people don't like the delete confirmation dialog that is displayed every time you delete a file on your computer. If you want to turn off this confirmation dialog, it takes a few seconds.

• Follow the instructions below:
• Press the Windows key + D (this will show your computer's desktop)
• Right-click the Recycle Bin, and select Properties.
• In the Properties dialog, uncheck 'Display delete confirmation dialog' checkbox.
• Press the OK button.

To re-enable this feature only requires rechecking the 'Display delete confirmation dialog' checkbox.

Security: Panda's TotalScan

As I stated in my previous post about NanoScan it can only report malware infections it finds in your computer's memory. So if your computer is infected with malware, then you have to use something more sophisticated. So if NanoScan finds a problem, it will automatically direct you to TotalScan (its free, but requires registration).

TotalScan can detect more malware then NanoScan, plus it can remove what it finds. TotalScan has two options, Quick scan which only takes a few minutes to run and Full scan which can take more then an hour depending on the amount of files on your system.

So for those times you need to run deeper scans of your system, I would suggest that you check out TotalScan. Like NanoScan it runs in either browser Firefox or Internet Explorer. It also does take a few minutes for the signatures to download (depending on the speed of your connection).

Security: Panda's NanoScan

Sometimes you need a second opinion when it comes to the subject malware (i.e.: virus, worms, spyware, etc.). Although, first and foremost you should be running a real-time malware scanner with up-to-date signatures. Then on those occasions where you think something maybe wrong, then you should use an alternate tool to make sure that your current tools are not missing something.

Until recently I have not found an online malware scanner that I like, until I came across Panda's NanoScan. This is a browser based utility, so it requires a plug-in for Firefox and an ActiveX control for Internet Explorer.

This scanner doesn't do a deep scan of your system, it only checks the active processes against a database of known malware. It also doesn't remove any malware, it just alerts to you to their presence.

Windows Vista: Taking Ownership of a Folder

In Windows Vista even with administrator rights, you're not automatically granted access to all folders. This is a security feature. In order to get access to that file or folder you need to take ownership of it.

• Open the Windows Explorer, and navigate to the file or folder that you want to take over the ownership on.
• Right-click it, and select Properties
• Click on the Security tab.
• Press the Advanced button.
• Click the Owner tab.
• Press the Edit button.
• Select the user account you want to grant ownership rights.
• Press the OK button.

A pop-up dialog will alert you that you've taken ownership of the object, press the OK button to continue. You should now be able to access the file or folder.

Networking: OpenDNS

If you have a laptop and use any of the thousands of WiFi hotspots that are available, you could be opening yourself up to a security risk that you might not be aware of. You have no guarantee that the WiFi hotspot network's DNS information has not been compromised.

For those who don't know what DNS is, its a service that translates domain names (i.e.: BLOGGER.COM) into the IP address (i.e.: 206.144.3.112) that is used for directing your browser to the right destination. This is only a real quick introduction to the technology if you want more information, check out this article from Wikipedia.

It's possible for someone to point a wireless router's DNS anywhere they want. For example, someone can changed the DNS servers to ones will take you rogue web sites that look like the legitimate one to steal your personal information. Note: This type of attack can be very difficult to detect.

By making a service such as OpenDNS (a free DNS service) your main DNS provider, you can help protect yourself while your roaming with your laptop. What you do, is leave your DHCP service running to get an IP address automatically assigned to you when you join a hotspot's network, but you can override the DNS information it wants to assign to you and use OpenDNS instead.

Here are the instructions you will need to setup your local computer, our home router. OpenDNS also offers many other features like parental controls, shortcuts and more.

Windows Vista: Lock Your Computer Quickly

Do you want lock your computer quickly, instead of pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL? There are two tricks you can use, the first and easiest is to press the Windows key + L. You can also create a shortcut on your desktop (or in the Quick Launch area):

• Right-click the desktop, select New, and then Shortcut.
• The Create Shortcut Wizard opens. In the text box, type the following: "rundll32.exe user32.dll, LockWorkStation" (note: the word 'LockWorkStation' is case sensitive), press the Next button.
• Enter a name for the shortcut, such as "Lock Workstation" or choose any other name you like, then press the Finish button.
• I would highly recommend that you drag the shortcut into the Quick Launch area if its enabled. (note: you may need to resize this area it if there are too many icons)

101 Free Games 2007 - The Best Free Games on the Web!

1UP.com reports: "It's not hard to find free games on the Internet -- but it's damn near impossible to sift through the terabytes of crap to find good ones. That's where the editors of Games for Windows: The Official Magazine come in: We've tracked down another 101 absolutely, positively, no-strings-attached free games that are actually worth playing, grouped them into handy categories, and put most of 'em up on FileFront.com. There's something here for everyone, from RPGs to real-time strategy to Asteroids Flash games, though we have to confess up front: There are actually more than 101 free games here. So no complaining that you're not getting your money's worth."

Enjoy...

Software: GetMiro.com (formerly Democracy Player)

Miro is the new name of a software product formerly known as the Democracy Player, which has been around for a little while. Miro allows you to download and manage video podcasts and other content from thousands of different channels on several different subjects (currently 3300+, and growing).

Here is a video that provides a brief introduction to the software:

Microsoft Updates Windows Home Server with Power Pack 1

PC Magazine reports: "Windows Home Server will get the first upgrade since it was released this past November, in the form of Power Pack 1, which Microsoft showed here at CES 2008. Enhancements include support for PCs running 64-bit Windows Vista x64, a new backup option, and new remote access options. Power consumption will also be improved by Power Pack 1, and support for Japanese and Chinese languages will be added."

If you're a Windows Home Server owner then you might want to download this software when it becomes available. Also for more information and screen shots about the product, you can also check out the Windows Home Server blog.

Windows Home Server Add-ins

If you own a Windows Home Server (WHS), then you might want to check out this site. It contains a list community add-ins for the server.

Some of the add-ins include:

• DHCP for Windows Home Server: Allows you to control DHCP leases from with the WHS console
• Home Base: Allows you to download files from your WHS with a Windows Mobile powered device.
• Recorded TV Manager: Automatically moves or copies shows from a Media Center to your WHS.
• Check out the site for more information.

Stay At Home Servers

Microsoft created a pretty funny site to raise awareness of the benefits of the Windows Home Server, or the “stay-at-home servers” as it is referred to. This is not a typical web site from Microsoft, but it is very well done.

The videos are very funny, and there is even a children’s book titled “Mommy, Why is There a Server in the House?” So, if you want to learn more about the Windows Home Server, check out the site.

Windows Vista: Changing the Product Key

The Windows Vista installation disk contains all the various editions of Vista that are available (i.e.: Home Basic and Premium, Business, Ultimate, etc.). The product key you entered during the installation process determines which product gets installed during the installation process.

If you decide later to upgrade your version of Vista (i.e. from Home Basic to Home Premium), you will need to change your product key. Or, if you're having a problem with the product key you enter and you have to change it. All you need to do is follow the instructions below:

• Open the Control Panel folder under the Start menu.
• Double-click the System applet.
• Click the 'Change Product Key' link in the 'Windows activation' section.
• Then follow the instructions in the Windows Activation dialog that is displayed.
  

Windows Vista: Live File System

If you use Windows Vista and have a CD-RW or DVD-RW burner, there is a cool new feature called 'Live File System'. The Live File System is a new optical disc format that allows you to use CD-RWs or DVD-RWs disks like any other type of digital recordable media.

Let me elaborate, generally once you record a file on optical media it will exist there until you reformat the disk (if you're using recordable optical media). The Live File System allows you to delete, write and change files without having to reformat the media every time. This is very similar to your hard drive, USB drive, or any other type of digital storage.

Note: To use this technology you need a CD-RW or DVD-RW recordable disks, and burner that supports reading and writing this media. This feature will not work on CD-R or DVD-R disks.

By default, Vista will want to format the you optical media using the Live File System. Although there is a down side to this format, it's only readable by Windows Vista and XP.

When you eject the disk when you're doing using it, it might take a short time for it to eject. This is because the OS has close the session on the disk it will be unreadable when you try to use it again.

Formating new media with the Live File System

• Put a blank disc in the optical drive.
• Wait for the AutoPlay dialog to display.
• Select 'Burn files to disc'.
• Change the disk name then press the Next button.

VoIP Services (Making Free or Cheap Calls)

Landline and pay telephones have been dying a slow death since the popularization of cell phones and VoIP (Voice of IP) services. You probably have heard the term VoIP, and may know what it means but for those who don't. All it is, is using your computer and your Internet connection to make a phone call either to another computer or to a landline telephone.

Most VoIP services require that you have a broadband connection, and a computer (with software) or special hardware. Some of the the hardware based solutions don't even require a computer, and one doesn't even require a broadband connection. Although the software based solutions generally require a headphone with a mike, and the hardware based solutions require a landline telephone.

Hopefully I have not confused you with the my brief tutorial above, but there are still a few caveats that I must point out. The software based VoIP solutions generally offer computer to computer chatting for free. Although, if you wan to call a landline, there is a charge. If you call a mobile phone in another country its generally pretty expensive. Also several of the VoIP providers do provide free calling in US and Canada, but there is generally some service charge associate with it.

The list below is not complete, but it could provide you with solution that will work for you. I definitely encourage you to look at all your options. Also, I am not endorsing any of the service providers listed below.

Hardware Based

• MagicJack - Charges $20 per year for unlimited calls from anywhere in the world to phones in the U.S. or Canada. To use this service, you need a $20 device that plugs into your computer's USB port, a regular telephone that you plug into the MagicJack and a broadband connection.
• Vonage - One of the grand daddies of the consumer based VoIP service providers. They tend to be more expensive then the other providers, but is still worthwhile checking out (note: Vonage has been going through some legal trouble lately)
  

Software Based

• Skype - Requires that you install software on your computer, and allows you to make calls from computer to computer for free, and from computer to a landline phone at a reduced rates.
• VoipCheap - VoIP service provider similar to Skype. Requires that you install software on your computer, and allows you to make calls from computer to computer for free, and from computer to a landline phone at a reduced rates.
• Vyke - VoIP service provider similar to Skype. Requires that you install software on your computer, and allows you to make calls from computer to computer for free, and from computer to a landline phone at a reduced rates.

Miscellaneous

• Jajah - Doesn't require any special hardware or software. All you have to do is go to a web site and enter a phone number for where you want to receive the call (such as your cell phone, or phone in your house), and the number you want to call.
• ChatterBug - Doesn't require a computer, or a broadband connection, but does require you to have phone service to your residence or business. Allows you to make calls to anywhere in the US or Canada for $9.95 per month.

Firefox 3 Beta Boosts Usability, Security

eWeek: "When you first install and launch the beta of Firefox 3, the initial impression (especially for those who remember some of the earlier promises of a revamped user interface and increased Web 2.0 integration) can be a little disappointing, since it doesn't look much different from the current version of Firefox."

More reviews of Firefox 3. Make sure to check out the slide show.

5 Things You'll Love About Firefox 3

Computerworld reports: "New versions of favorite applications are always a little tricky; you want to keep up with the times without fixing what ain't broke. With that in mind, I took a look at the newly released Firefox 3 Beta 2 to see what we can look forward to when the final version ships in 2008.

Although the basic look of the browser hasn't changed, there are actually quite a few new features coming. (For a complete list, you can check out Mozilla's release notes.)"

Personally I can't wait to play with the released version of this software, and see what the final product looks like. With Alpha and Beta versions of software, features can be changed, added or removed between releases, which can be annoying.

If you want to download the Beta version, it's available for you to download and play with it. Although you need to realize that itis a Beta, and its not meant to be stable as the released version, so use it at your own risk.

Roll your own Adobe CS3 for free (Part 2)

CNet Download.com reports: "Okay, so you can get the basic functionalities of Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat, and Dreamweaver without the gut-punch to your wallet. What's that you say? How about Flash?"

Here are links to the sites that support these products, so that you can download the latest version of the software:

• Synfig Studio (Flash animation)
  
• Audacity (sound editing)
  
• Scribus (desktop publishing)
  
• Jahshaka (video editing)
  

Roll your own Adobe CS3 for free (Part 1)

CNet's Download.com reports: "So, you need to finish up a design project that requires the image-editing capabilities of Photoshop along with the vectorized lines of Illustrator, and it needs to be animated in Flash with documentation in a PDF. However, you blew your budget on bling and a sweet alpaca-skin bongo set."

Here are links to the sites that support these products, so that you can download the latest version of the software:

• Paint.NET (graphics editor)
  
• The GIMP (graphics editor)
• Inkscape (vector graphics editor)
• Foxit PDF Reader (PDF reader)
  
• PrimoPDF (PDF creator)
  
• KompoZer (HTML editor)

Make sure to read the second part of this article.

Hardware: How to Upgrade a Graphics Card

PC Magazine reports: "Windows Vista is the most graphically intensive operating system ever, and DirectX 10, its multimedia and gaming component, has computer users all over the world considering upgrading their PCs. With its 3D-driven Aero graphical user interface (GUI), Vista requires more graphics-card muscle than XP does. And because DirectX 10 isn't backward-compatible, gamers who are captivated by its powerful specs are being forced to upgrade their hardware in order to enjoy it."

This article explains how to buy a graphic card for your Windows Vista computer to take full advantage of the Areo interface.

Windows Vista: Managing Services

Windows Vista comes with several services that can be installed on your system to add additional functionality. A number of these services are very specialize, and will only benefit people in certain types of computer environments (such as those in large organizations like a corporation or government office).

Some of these services are installed by default, while others are optional and need to be add into the system and enabled. Before you enable any service, you need to understand that you're committing resources from your computer (such as CPU time, RAM, and hard drive storage) in order for it to run.

If you enable too many of these services you can slow down your computer and get no tangable benefit. So you need to use discretion when deciding which services you want to enable.

The steps below describe how to add a new service to your system.

Note: The features and services that are available to be installed will vary based on the Windows Vista edition that you're running (i.e.: Home Basic, Home Premium, Ultimate, etc.).

• From the Start menu click the Control Panel folder , double-click 'Programs and Features'
  
• Click 'Turn Windows features on or off' link in the left hand pane.
• Select the check box beside the feature you want to enable.
• Press the OK button.

Once a service is installed it can be managed using the Services console (open the 'Control Panels' folder, then open the 'Administrative Tools' folder). From there it can started, stopped, paused, resumed, and disabled.

If you need to disable a specific service you can also use the Services console to perform this action.

Warning: Don't indiscriminately stop services unless you know what they do and what effect they will have on your system. By stopping some of services, you can disable Windows.

To disable a specific service follow the steps below.

• From the Start menu, open the 'Control Panels' folder, then open the 'Administrative Tools' and double-click Services console.
• Scroll through the list of services and locate the service you want to disable.
• Right-click the service and click Properties.
• From the General tab, use the arrow by the 'Startup Type' drop down box and select Disabled.
• Press the OK button.

Windows Vista Help: Burn a DVD-Video disc

Looking for help on how to burn a DVD using Windows Vista, check out this article from Microsoft. Here is excerpt: "You can create DVDs quickly and easily using Windows DVD Maker. You can add video, pictures, and audio, make slide shows for your DVD, or add your Windows Movie Maker projects. Once you add files, you can burn your DVD with one click, or, if you prefer, you can choose from several menu styles and slide show options to make your DVD special before you burn it, or customize your DVD menus and write the DVD menu text yourself."

Windows Vista: Prevent Automatic Rebooting From Windows Update

Its very annoying if you leave your computer on at night with unsaved work on it, and come to it in the morning and find that it was rebooted. When new patches are downloaded and installed on your computer by Windows Update (if you have it enabled) this feature will automatically reboot your system. So if you have any unsaved work, you will lose it.

If you want to know how to prevent Windows Update from performing this automatic reboot, follow the instructions below.

Note: This tip requires modifying the Windows Registry so proceed with ]caution, use it at your own risk.

• Open the Windows Registry Editor, from the Search field under the Start menu, type "REGEDIT" and press the Enter key.
• Navigate to the following key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU (note: you might need to manually create some of these keys.)
• Right-click an empty space in the right pane and select New > DWORD value.
• Name the new value NoAutoRebootWithLoggedOnUsers
• Set the value in the field to 1, press the OK button.
• Close the registry editor when you're done.

Software: Microsoft Security Tools

Here is a great page, a kind of one stop shop for all of Microsoft's free and fee-based security tools in one location. Some of these tools are more up-to-date then others, you will need to read the tool description page to fully understand what OS and applications are supported.

This page will probably be more interesting to those who are I.T. professionals. Although there are still some great tools for those who have home networks with Windows computers on them.

Some of the tools listed on this page are:

• Microsoft Update: provide by Windows and Office updates.
• Windows Server Update Services (WSUS): Simplifies keeping Windows-based systems current with the latest updates.
• Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA): Scans your systems for missing security updates and common security misconfigurations.
• See the page for a complete list.
  

Software: CloneDrive (Mounting a CD/ISO Image)

An .ISO file contains an exact digital image of a CD or DVD that you can send electronically to somebody else and then they re-created it on blank media. Several OSes (i.e.: Linux boot CDs) and applications are made available on the Internet using this file format.

If you don't want to burn these files to a disk, some applications such as CloneDrive allows you to mount the ISO file as a virtual CD. You won't be able to boot your system from a virtual CD, but you can access it and copy or execute files on the virtual media.

Windows Vista's security features: One year later

TechTarget reports: "When Vista was released to manufacturing, Microsoft co-president Jim Allchin told the press that the number one reason for upgrading to Vista is that it's far more secure than previous versions of Windows operating systems. In the year since Microsoft released Windows Vista to corporations, and just under a year since the OS was released to consumers, Vista's new security features have drawn both praise and criticism. In this article, I take an objective look at security features that seem to be drawing the most attention."

This a good article that talks about some of Windows Vista security features (User Account Control [UAC], Windows Security Center, and Windows Defender). I like this article because it seems balanced in the opinions that are expressed.

Software: InfraRecorder (Free)

InfraRecorder is a free open source CD/DVD burning software for Windows. It offers a wide range of powerful features; all through an easy to use application interface and Windows Explorer integration.

Some of the the software features:

• Create custom data, audio and mixed-mode projects and record them to physical discs as well as disc images.
• Supports recording to dual-layer DVDs.
• Blank (erase) rewritable discs using four different methods.
• Record disc images (ISO and BIN/CUE).
• Fixate discs (write lead-out information to prevent further data from being added to the disc).
• Scan the SCSI/IDE bus for devices and collect information about their capabilities. Create disc copies, on the fly and using a temporary disc image.
• Import session data from multi-session discs and add more sessions to them. * Display disc information.
• Save audio and data tracks to files (.wav, .wma, .ogg, .mp3 and .iso).

Cut-Rate Laptops

PC Magazine reports: "Chances are, you've seen one. You've picked up the Sunday paper, and somewhere between the front page and the funnies, there's a flyer advertising a $499 laptop. Nowadays, it's not usual to see ads touting laptops for as little as $399—or even less. But every time I see one, I can't help but wonder whether these cut-rate notebooks are actually worth buying. Do they include all the nifty hardware devices you expect from a modern machine? Are they fast enough to run some decent software? How long will they last on battery power?"

Are you looking for a cheap laptop? Then you might want to read this article before you buy so you know what you're going to get.

Software Flight Simulator X Trial Version

To be honest, I try never to post trial versions of software. I would prefer to point you to something that is free. Although, there are times that I will break my own unwritten rules.

I have used Microsoft Flight Simulator since v1.0 back in the day on an Apple II computer. So if you're a flight simulator fan, you can Download a free trial version of the software and take it for a test flight.

There is also a free hidden flight simulator in the latest version of Google Earth. Then there is other free open source educational programs, games and simulators available too.

Why your registry doesn’t need cleaning

TechRepublic.com: "A long time ago, in a land forgotten by time (before Microsoft Windows 95), Windows computers and their programs had .ini (configuration) files that stored information. These files determined how a program ran, its environment, and a host of other things. Then the Windows Registry came onto the scene, with each key in the registry being similar to a bracketed heading in the old .ini file and values similar to entries under the .ini headings. However, registry keys can have nested subkeys with string or binary data that .ini files don’t support. Does the registry periodically need cleaning? Let’s take a look."

This is a good article on why you should not worry about cleaning your registry with those tools that promise to optimize it. I have used a few of those 'registry cleaning tools', and they have done nothing to improve performance of my computer or save disk space.

These program have disabled my applications and computer. So I really don't recommend any application that promises to make my computer run faster by optimizing the registry.

Software: De-junking your New PC (tip 1)

If you buy a new computer from Dell, HP, eMachines, etc., its probably going to come full of useless trial programs that try to entice you to spend money to get the full version of it. These demo programs have become lovingly nicknamed 'crapware'. I hate the nickname of the software, but I think its appropriate.

I recently bought a new consumer PC, and I could not believe all useless software that came pre-installed. When you see all this stuff on your new system you have two choices, one leave it alone, or two remove the useless programs from your computer.

For me, the first thing I want to do is purge it from my system once and for all. To begin this 'decrapifying' process, follow the instructions below:

• Open the Control Panel from under the Start menu and select 'Programs and Features' (in Windows Vista) or 'Add/Remove Programs' (in Windows XP).
  
• Search through the names of the installed programs, and uninstall the ones you know for sure that your want to remove.
• Note: Use caution, and don't indiscriminately remove everything that you see. For example, there might be a DVD player, CD/DVD burning software that you may need to use later. Also if you don't know what it is, you might want to investigate it first before removing.
  
• After you finish the first round of uninstalling programs, go under the Start menu and see if there are any others that you want to remove.
• You should also open Internet Explorer, and see if they have any toolbars or add-ons that you want to remove as well. Some of these can only be removed from the uninstall control panel.

Some programs may not be listed in the uninstall control panel, and to remove them you might have go to that program's folder under the Start menu to see if there is an uninstall utility there.

Software: e-Sword (Free Bible Study Program)

Are you looking for a bible program for your computer? Check out e-Sword, it's a great way to study the Bible, you can download several different translations of the bible including several different languages.

The program is free (but donations are requested), and most of the bible translations are free. Although some translation and research text do cost money, generally because they're still copyrighted material.

Software: Mozilla Firefox 3 Beta 1 Released

Firefox 3 Beta 1 has been released as a developer preview. This is Mozilla's next generation Firefox browser and is being made available for testing purposes only.

Some of the new features are:

• Supports the new Gecko 1.9 Web rendering engine
• Several new/updated security features including: SSL, malware and phishing protection.
• Several new/updated usability features including: password and file management, and a few user interface enhancements.
• See the release notes for more information

What is the big deal about 802.11n?

TechRepublic.com reports: "802.11n is being touted as the networking standard that will unwire the network world. Most people are not convinced, yet curious to see how one defends such a claim. The 802.11n standard has two top-level mandates (unwiring the world not being one of them): Achieve higher data rates and retain backward compatibility with legacy 802.11a/b/g devices. The significance of requiring backward compatibility shouldn’t be taken lightly since it complicates the development process exponentially. Yet the 802.11n group has come up with a soon-to-be-ratified standard that meets both objectives."

This is probably the best article that I have read to date on the 802.11n standard. It appears to be most complex and featured pack of all the 802.11 specifications released so far.

DIY Project: Caffeine Boost Your WIFI

Caffeine Boost Your WIFI - The most amazing bloopers are here

This seems like a good idea, but I have to admit I have not tried it. It doesn't seem like it could hurt your equipment if you want to try it. Although, watch out for any sharp edges that you might create cutting the can.

Watch the video to learn more.

For more information, here is a article that I wrote a while back on Wi-Fi Antenna resources.

Software: Pidgin (Multiservice Chat Client)

Are you tired of all those proprietary chat instant message clients, like Yahoo, AOL, ICQ, etc. Check out a program called Pidgin (formerly known as GAIM), its a free open source multi-platform multiservice instant message chat client. It allows you to communicate across all the major chat networks to stay in contact with all your friends and family.

One of the cool feature of Pidgin is that you can add plug-ins to do what you want. And since its multi-platform it runs on Windows, Linux, Mac, etc.

Windows Vista: Improving Wireless Connectivity

Are you having problems connecting to a wireless network with your Windows Vista computer? This may be caused by the fact that your Wireless Access Point (WAP) doesn't supports Vista's wireless auto-tuning feature. To fix the problem you have two options:

• If you own the WAP, you can try to upgrade its firmware to the latest version. You can generally find these updates on the device manufacture support site.
• If upgrading the firmware on the WAP is not an option, then you can try to disable Vista's wireless auto-tuning feature. To turn off this feature follow the steps below:
• Open the 'Command Prompt' in the Accessories menu with administrative privileges (generally this can be accomplished by right-clicking the icon and selecting 'Run As Administrator'. This can also be done by typing "CMD" in the Search field under the Start menu and press Ctrl+Shift+Enter. Then select Continue in the User Account Control dialog box.)
• In the Command Prompt type: "netsh int tcp set global autotuninglevel=disable" then press the Enter key. You should see a response that says 'Ok.'

You will have to restart your computer to apply the change.

Note: To reverse this change, in the Command Prompt type: "netsh int tcp set global autotuninglevel=normal" then press the Enter key. You should see a response that says 'Ok.'

Microsoft's OneCare 2.0 Adds Security, Convenience

PC Magazine reports: "Microsoft on Thursday released version 2.0 of their Windows Live OneCare security and PC performance suite, enhancing a number of current features and adding a few brand-new twists. Current OneCare subscribers will receive the update effortlessly through the product's normal automatic updates feature, Microsoft said. Microsoft's OneCare is priced at $49.95/year for three licenses; a 90-day trial is available at the OneCare Web site."

Read the article for the complete review.

10 Things You Should Know About Quad-Core Processors

eWeek reports: "In November 2006, Intel introduced the first quad-core microprocessors for the volume x86 market. The quad-core chips were designed to offer better performance compared with the previous generation of single- and dual-core processors. A little less than a year later, Advanced Micro Devices brought its quad-core Opteron to the market, showing that all four cores could be placed on a single piece of silicon. While chipmakers figure out their next chip moves, here are 10 things you should know about quad-core processors."

You might have heard about Quad-Core Processors, but how much do you really know about them? There are some surprising facts about these processors in this slide show from eWeek.

Security: Microsoft Patch Tuesday (November)

The second Tuesday of the month has passed again, which means that Microsoft just published a new round of security fixes for Windows and it's applications. This date is meant to be a predictable date so that individuals or companies only have to patch their desktop computers and servers once a month.

This month there are two new patches altogether. One marked as critical (for the OS), one marked as important (for the OS).

If you have 'Automatic Updates' enabled your computer will download these updates for you in the background. Then when you shutdown your system these patches will be applied to your system. If you leave your computer on overnight they will automatically be installed and your system will be rebooted if necessary.

Warning: If you leave your computer on at night make sure you save all your work or you run the risk of losing it if your system has to be rebooted.

Enabling Automatic Updates
If you don't have 'Automatic Updates' enabled on your computer, I would suggest that you turn it on as soon as possible. If you don't want to enable this feature, you can always update your computer by visiting the Windows Update site and downloading and installing the patches manually.

To enable Automatic Updates (Windows XP):

• From the Start menu, select the Control Panel folder.
• Double-click the System applet in the control panel folder.
• Click the 'Automatic Updates' tab.
• Check the 'Automatic (recommended)' option. (optional: if you don't like this feature, you can set it to: 'download but not install the update', 'just notify you', or 'disable this feature altogether' [not recommended])
• Press the OK button when done.

To enable Automatic Updates (Windows Vista):

• From the Start menu, select 'All Programs' then 'Windows Update'
• In the left pane, click the 'Change settings' link.
• Check the 'Install updates automatically (recommended)' option. (optional: if you don't like this feature, you can set it to: 'Download updates but let me choose whether to install them', 'Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them', or 'Never check for updates' [not recommended])
• Press the OK button when done.

Note: For the latest Microsoft Security Bulletins, check out this site.

Software: Miro goes 1.0

Miro (formerly called 'Democracy Player') is a free application that turns your computer into an internet video player. The player is available for Windows, Mac, or Linux.

Miro lets you subscribe and download audio and video podcasts that are available on the net. It also supports full-screen mode, plays several popular video formats, and downloads files via BitTorrent.

The Windows system requirements for running the software are: Windows XP, 128MB of RAM.

If you want to learn more about Miro, watch the following screencast.

Article: Narrow Vista’s Search results with the grouping, filtering, and stacking features

Windows Vista contains three special features that can help you to quickly narrow down your Search results to find what your looking for. In this article from Windows Vista Report, the author Greg Shultz shows you how to use Vista's grouping, filtering, and stacking features when searching for files.

Software: Microsoft Unleashes Windows Live Software

PC Magazine reports: "Microsoft has unleashed a bundled download of its installed desktop Live software: Mail, Photo Gallery, Writer, and OneCare Family Safety. Also included is a slightly redesigned version 8.5 of Messenger, which intimately ties in with the rest of the suite; for example, starting up when you run Mail. ... The new software all requires at least Windows XP SP2, and you'll need a Windows Live ID—formerly called .NET Passport—if you want access to all their functionality."

Check out the latest free software from Microsoft for Windows (which includes: Mail, Messenger, Photo Gallery, Writer, Toolbar, and Family Safety from OneCare). To download the software, go to http://get.live.com/.

Windows Vista: Disaabling Sidebar

The Windows Vista Sidebar is set to startup automatically by default. Personally I think that most people like this feature, but I also know people who don't like it. So for those of you who want to disable it, follow the instructions below to turn it off.

• Right-click the Windows Sidebar icon in the Notification Area (in the lower right corner), then select Properties
• Uncheck the 'Start Sidebar when Windows starts' checkbox, press the OK button.
  

Windows Vista: New Daylight Saving Time Standard

As you probably know the move from Daylight Saving Time (DST) back to Standard Time generally happens on the last Sunday in October. Although, from now on it will be the first Sunday in November.

Your computer and older electronics that are designed to automatically handle DST using the older standard might have already set themselves back and an hour last Sunday morning. This means you will have to reset them twice.

This is all part of the Energy Conservation Act of 2005, which is designed to save energy (there is an estimated savings of about 1% because of the change). Its also worth noting that the 'spring forward' part of the DST also gets changed next year to March 9th.

To find out how your Microsoft operating system or applications might be effected by the new DST, go to the following web site. There is a web based questionnaire, that will direct you right updates for your software.

Windows Vista: Create a Custom Toolbar

Did you know that you can create a custom toolbar from a folder that contains files in Windows Vista? If you have a folder of related documents, application shortcuts, Internet links, etc. Then you can turn it into a toolbar very easily.

• Right-click an empty area on your computer's desktop, then select New>Folder.
• Name the folder whatever you want to call the toolbar (i.e. 'Audio Tools').
• Place application shortcuts, Internet links, etc. that you want in the toolbar in the new folder you just created.
• Drag the folder to one of the monitor's 'hard' edges (i.e. an edge where you can't move from one monitor to another if you have multiple monitors) where there isn't a toolbar already. This will create the new toolbar there with the contents of the folder.

Notes:

• You can right-click an empty area on the toolbar to configure it.
• if you have multiple monitors you can't place the toolbar on the 'soft' edge between the monitors.

Windows Vista: How to use CHKDSK Command

Anyone who has used Windows for a long time, should have heard of the CHKDSK utility. I think this utility dates back to the Windows 95 days (but I could be wrong).

If you have never heard of the CHKDSK let me give you a brief explanation of what it does. This is a command-line tool that checks the drives attached to your computer for problems and attempts to repair any issues that it finds. This program can repair disk problems ranging from bad sectors, to directory errors, and more.

Disk problems can be a source of difficulty and should be one of the areas that you can check when trying to troubleshoot issues with your computer. Although there are a few caveats to using this program :

• CHKDSK can require exclusive access to the drive, so you might get a notification that the disk scan will start the next time you reboot your computer.
• CHKDSK can take a long time to scan your drive. Generally the larger the drive, the longer the scanning and repairing will take.
  

As I said earlier CHKDSK is a command-line tool, and will require administrator access to run it. To scan your disk for errors and fix any found problems, follow the instructions below:

• From the Start menu, in the search field type "CMD" and then press the Ctrl+Shift+Enter. You will get a User Access Control dialog, then press OK button.
• Then type one of the following command: "CHKDSK C: /F /R" (note: you can replace C: with any drive letter that you want to check).
  

Windows Vista: File Path Shortcuts (DOS Prompt)

If you like using the command line, you may or may not know the following shortcuts that can help you to be more efficient.

Instead of manually typing a file or directory name you can use the Tab key to complete the name of a file or path. For example, if there are three files in a directory name FileA, FileB, and FileC. If you typed "Fi" and press the Tab key, the file name 'FileA' will automatically be completed. If you press the Tab key again, 'FileA' will become 'FileB', then 'FileC' if the key is pressed again.

This same trick can be applied to directory names. For example, if there are three sub-directories called 'DirectoryA', 'DirectoryB', and 'DirectoryC' in a directory. All you would have to do is type the first few characters of the sub-directory's name and then press the Tab key to complete it or cycle through the other names.

A similar trick is that you can use the '*' (astrick) to act like a wildcard in a directory or file's name. For example, If you typed "cd \pro*\mic*", you would be taken to 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft'.

Software: Stellarium (a Virtual Planetarium)

Want to turn your PC into a virtual Planetarium? Then try Stellarium, a free open source virtual planetarium for your computer. It shows a realistic sky in 3D.

This program can also go beyond the standard set of constellation, stars and planets, it can also give you a unique dome shaped look at the heavens above.

Windows Vista: Disabling the Recent Items Menu

Yesterday, I talked about how to clear the 'Recent Items' sub-menu under the Start menu. Today, I am going to show you how to shut off this feature altogether (or how to enable it if it was already turned off).

• Right-click the Start menu, select Properties.
  
• In the 'Start Menu' tab, uncheck 'Store and display a list of recently opened files' check box.
  
• To enable this feature check it, instead of unchecking it.
  
• Press the OK button when done.
  

Windows Vista: Clearing Recent Items Menu

Under the Start Menu there is a sub-menu called 'Recent Items' that contains a list of documents that you recently opened. This is a useful feature to quickly access documents that you may often use.

Although some people view this feature as a privacy risk, because they may not want others to know about documents that they may be working on. To clear the 'Recent Items' menu on your computer, follow the steps below:

• Open the Start menu, right-click 'Recent Items'.
• Then select 'Clear Recent Items List'.

Anything listed under the 'Recent Items' should now be removed.

Web Site: System Requirements Lab

Modern video games are system resource hogs (they can max out your CPU, RAM, hard drive, etc.) because they have to render realistic environments. It seems that the faster and more powerful newer computers become, the more resource hungry video games are.

Do you want to find out if your current computer is capable of running game before you buy it? System Requirements Lab has a browser based utility that can analyze your computer, and tell you how well that game might perform on your system.

To use the site:

• Go to: http://www.systemrequirementslab.com/
• Press the 'Can You Run It?' button.
• Select a product.
• Grant permission to download an ActiveX or Java browser component.

Windows Vista: Finding Your MAC Address

Every Ethernet network adapter has a unique MAC address associated with it. The MAC address is a long series of numbers (i.e.: XX-XX-XX-XX-XX-XX) that is used to identify your adapter on a network. The first half of the MAC address identifies the hardware vendor that created it the adapter, the second part is a unique address.

Sometimes you might need to know what the MAC address of your network adapter. To get this information follow the instructions below:

• From the Start menu, select Control Panels.
• Find the 'Network and Sharing Center', and open it.
• Click the 'Manage network connections' on the left.
• Find your 'Local Area Connection' (wired) or 'Wireless Network Connection'. Double-click it, and press the Details... button.
• In the dialog that opens, look for a field called 'Physical Address'. This is the MAC address (i.e.: XX-XX-XX-XX-XX-XX).

It is worth noting that there is a lot of great information in this dialog not just the MAC address (i.e.: IP address, DNS, subnet mask, etc.) .

Games: Orange Box

Very, very rarely do I see a video game that inspires me to want to play it, but I recently came across the Orange Box from Valve. If you enjoy video games you want to check out this box set. It contains five games in one package for $39.00 (if you buy it from Amazon plus you get free shipping), normally it retails for $49.00.

Here excerpt of the description from Amazon: "The Orange Box delivers five innovative games from Valve, creators of the Half-Life franchise, in one box. The Orange Box includes Half-Life 2: Episode Two, Portal, and Team Fortress 2 in addition to full versions of the award-winning Half-Life 2 and Half-Life 2: Episode One for an engrossing first-person action experience."

Software: JConvert (Unit Converter)

JConvert is a free open-source program written in Java that converts various units of measurements from one type to another. This program doesn't require that you install it to get it to work. All you have to do is download and execute it. To uninstall it, just delete the file.

Security: Microsoft Patch Tuesday (October)

The second Tuesday of the month has passed again, which means that Microsoft just published a new round of security fixes for Windows and it's applications. This date is meant to be a predictable date so that individuals or companies only have to patch their desktop computers and servers once a month.

This month there are six new patches altogether. Four are marked as critical (for the OS, Office, and Internet Explorer), two are marked as important (for the OS, and SharePoint).

If you have 'Automatic Updates' enabled your computer will download these updates for you in the background. Then when you shutdown your system these patches will be applied to your system. If you leave your computer on overnight they will automatically be installed and your system will be rebooted if necessary.

Warning: If you leave your computer on at night make sure you save all your work or you run the risk of losing it if your system has to be rebooted.

Enabling Automatic Updates
If you don't have 'Automatic Updates' enabled on your computer, I would suggest that you turn it on as soon as possible. If you don't want to enable this feature, you can always update your computer by visiting the Windows Update site and downloading and installing the patches manually.

To enable Automatic Updates (Windows XP):

• From the Start menu, select the Control Panel folder.
• Double-click the System applet in the control panel folder.
• Click the 'Automatic Updates' tab.
• Check the 'Automatic (recommended)' option. (optional: if you don't like this feature, you can set it to: 'download but not install the update', 'just notify you', or 'disable this feature altogether' [not recommended])
• Press the OK button when done.

To enable Automatic Updates (Windows Vista):

• From the Start menu, select 'All Programs' then 'Windows Update'
• In the left pane, click the 'Change settings' link.
• Check the 'Install updates automatically (recommended)' option. (optional: if you don't like this feature, you can set it to: 'Download updates but let me choose whether to install them', 'Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them', or 'Never check for updates' [not recommended])
• Press the OK button when done.

Note: For the latest Microsoft Security Bulletins, check out this site.

Windows Vista: Change Your Computers Name

When you setup your computer you need to give it a name (such as: deathstar, homecomputer, etc.). If at a later time you want to change the name of your computer, follow the instructions below:

• Log in to Vista with an account that has administrator privileges.
• From the Start menu and right-click Computer and select Properties.
• Under 'Computer Name, Domain, and Workgroup' section, click the 'Change settings' link.
• On the Computer Name tab, press the Change... button.
• Enter the new computer name in the field.
• If necessary, press the More... button and enter the domain name provided by your company or ISP.

Windows Vista: Disabling ClearType

ClearType is a Windows technology that is designed to improve the image quality of the fonts by smoothing them out, which improves readability on LCD monitors. Windows Vista has this feature enabled by default.

In Windows XP, ClearType was disabled by default, so if you wanted to use it you had to turn it on. Some people might not like how this technology make their fonts look on their screen, and may want to disable it. Follow the instructions below to find out how.

• Right-click an empty area on your desktop and select Personalize.
• Click 'Windows Color and Appearance'.
• Click the link "Open classic appearance properties for more color options'.
• Press the Effects... button.
• From the dropdown menu under 'Use the following method to smooth edges of screen fonts' select Standard.
• Press the two OK buttons, and close the Personalization window.

Windows Vista: Change Windows Sidebar Behavior

Want to change the behavior of the Windows Sidebar? You can do things like, preventing it from starting automatically when you log into Windows, or even turn it off entirely.

Follow the instructions below:

• Right-click an empty area Windows Sidebar and select Properties.
• To prevent the sidebar from starting automatically, uncheck the 'Start Sidebar when Windows starts' box.
• To force the sidebar to stay on top of other windows, check 'Sidebar is alway on top of other windows' checkbox.
  
• To control which side of the screen the sidebar is displayed, or which monitor it's displayed on, select the appropriate option.
  
• Press the OK button when done.
  

Windows Vista: Installing a New Font

Windows Vista comes with several different types fonts installed by default. Some of these fonts you may like, and others you may hate.

Sometimes when you install programs like Microsoft Office, they can install even more new fonts into your system.

If you can't find a font that you like, there are numerous sites on Web that provide several different types of fonts (from fancy to regular, to just plain weird). Some sites offer the fonts for free, while others charge for them.

To install a new font you need to add it into the operating system to use it. The instructions below tell you how to accomplish this:

• From the Start click Control Panel.
• Click Appearance and Personalization, and then click Fonts.
• From the File menu, click 'Install New Font...'.
• Note: If you don't see the File menu tap the ALT key once
  
• Select the drive that contains the fonts.
• Select the folder where the fonts are located.
• Click the font you want to add and press Install button.
• Press the Close button when done.
  

Window Vista: Microsoft Releases DreamScene (Ultimate Extra)

Note: This tip will only work on Windows Vista Ultimate edition.

Last Tuesday Microsoft officially released DreamScene, the first of two remaining Windows Ultimate extras. DreamScene allows you to display videos as an animated desktop background on your computer.

To install the Extras, open 'Windows Update' located under the 'Start menu' > 'All Programs'. You will see it listed under 'Widows Ultimate Extras' in the middle of the window.

For your convenience a few hundred 3D animated DreamScene desktops are available for download at dream.wincustomize.com. Also For more information on the Windows Ultimate Extras.

Software: Spybot-Search & Destroy v1.5

Spybot-Search & Destroy (SB-S&D) was once one of the best main free spyware tools available, but in recent years has fallen behind its commercial competition like WebRoot's Spy Sweeper, and others. For the last year or more SB-S&D v1.4 was the latest revision of the product.

Well, I am glad to announce they have finally released v1.5. Some of the new features of the software include:

• Improved detection mechanisms
• Improved operating system support (Windows 95 through Vista)
• Improved browser immunization support.
• And more, see the site for all the information.

Review: Security Suite Smackdown 2008

PC Magazine reports: "You can tell it's autumn. The leaves are turning colors, the sun is lower in the sky, there's a chill in the air…and the brand new security suites are out. Every year brings a flood of new versions looking to occupy those new Christmas PCs. And since they're all on a yearly subscription model, every year they have a chance to convince you to jump ship from your current suite and try theirs instead."

I consider myself a big promoter of computer security, and I have posted several articles on how to protect yourself and your data when you're online. System security suites from companies like: Symantec, Kaspersky, Panda, and others are some of the best available options for protecting your computer and its data.

Having a simple firewall and anti-virus software is not good enough these days. You need a good two-way firewall, with anti-virus/spyware protection.

These suites also now come with a lot of additional features like: SPAM and phishing filters, parental controls, system tune-up modules and more.

IBM Lotus Symphony Beta (Reviewed)

PC Magazine reports: "If you've been considering OpenOffice.org as a free alternative to Microsoft Office, consider IBM Lotus Symphony instead. Lotus Symphony, downloadable in a free beta version, consists of the OpenOffice.org engines for word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations, but comes dressed in a sleek, professional interface that looks far better than the ugly and amateurish one of the original OpenOffice. Compared with Microsoft's high-priced spread in Office 2007, IBM's freeware feels slightly bug-rich and feature-thin, but the price is right at zero dollars"

PC Magazine reviewed the latest edition of IBM's Lotus Symphony (Beta), and about the only positive thing they said about it was its free. Read the article for the whole review.

Windows Vista: More then 3GB of RAM

If you have 3GB of RAM or less installed on your computer and you're running the x86 (i.e. 32-bit) version of Windows Vista or XP, then you will be able to utilize all of your computer's memory. Although if your system has 4GB or more of RAM, then you might only be able to access the first 3.2-3.5 GB of your computer's memory.

This is primarily due to a limitation of the x86 32-bit architecture. 4GB of RAM is the maximum size of addressable memory that the x86 version of Windows XP or Vista can utilize. Only a little over 3GB is available for use by the operating system or applications. The remaining part of the 4GB of memory is used by your hardware (such as your graphics card) and software for doing memory-mapped I/O (MMIO) access.

In 32-bit operating systems such as the x86 version of Vista the MMIO space must reside within the first 4GB of memory address space. To overcome this limitation you need to have a x64 (64-bit) Intel or AMD CPU and motherboard. Then you need to install the x64 version of Vista (or XP).

If you want to learn more about this subject, read the following article called "Memory Limits for Windows Releases". It discusses the current memory limits for the different operating systems that Microsoft has created (such as: Windows XP, Vista, 2003 Server, 2008 Server, etc.).

Ezine 130 Windows Vista SP1 Beta Detailed account

Computer Performance reports: "If you fast-forward to 2015, and then look-back; I bet that Vista's SP1 will be hailed as a classic example of waiting until the first service pack before deploying an operating system. Thus if you have not deployed Vista, then wait until next spring and expect a smooth migration from XP."

This is probably the best article that I have read about Windows Vista SP1. The article includes information on some of the new features, bug fixes, and other enhancements that will be included in this service pack.

The True Cost of Printer Ink

PC Magazine reports: "The price tag on any given printer really tells only half the story. Many times the cheapest printer for sale isn't necessarily the cheapest printer to own. And what's the most affordable printer for you in particular? Depending on how many pages you print and how much it costs to print each page, a high-priced printer with expensive cartridges could be a lot cheaper to own in the long run than a less-expensive printer with low-cost cartridges. Coming up with that long-run cost for comparison isn't always easy, but that is exactly what we did recently in PC Magazine Labs with some of the leading printers on the market. And the results were surprising."

The one thing I hate about printers is the cost of the consumables (such as the ink). I remember a few years ago buying an inexpensive Ink Jet printer for around $70. Then once the ink cartridges ran out I found why the printer was so cheap. The new ink cartridges were $70.

This article provides good background on the true cost of printer consumables.

Internet: Google Presentations gets the green light

CNET News.com reports: "Google announced the launch on Monday night of its long-awaited, Web-based competitor to PowerPoint. Google Presentations, which is free, is part of the company's online office suite, Google Docs."

Presentations has some similar but limited functionality when compared to Microsoft's PowerPoint to create basic presentations. Although it lacks more sophisticated features that people have come to expect from a program like this.

If you need to create a simple presentation and want to post it on the web this might be a great way to go for you.

KDE 4: The Shiny New Linux (and Windows) Desktop

ExtremeTech reports: "Linux users are as evangelical about desktop environments, the all-encompassing graphical user interface software responsible for providing everything from taskbars to office suites, as they are about operating systems. It shouldn't come as any surprise, then, that the first major release in over five years of the most popular desktop environment available is causing quite a stir. Due to be released on December 11th, KDE 4.0 is bringing exhilarating graphical, usability, and functionality improvements to the Unix-like systems it is designed for—and Windows users will get a taste, too."

If you love the KDE desktop, but use Windows this is great news for you. Or, you could be someone who's wanted to try KDE for years but not willing to make the time investment to setup a Linux system. Personally I think this is great news for Linux and Windows users.

Software: Extras for Windows Media Player

Want to enhance the look, feel and functionality of Windows Media Player. Check out this site from Microsoft that allows you to download skins (customizes the look), visualizations (visual effects), and plug-ins (adds new features) for this program.

Why Pirate? Microsoft Offers $60 Office to Students

PC Magazine reports: "Microsoft on Wednesday unveiled a $60 Web-based version of its new Microsoft Office Ultimate suite of applications that will be exclusively available to college students. ... Students with a valid e-mail address from their university will be able to download Microsoft Office Ultimate 2007 for $60 via the Web. The offering includes Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook, Access, Publisher, OneNote, Groove and InfoPath."

This is an awesome deal if you're a student. Although this offer is not available forever it expires April 30, 2008.

Software: Google Earth (Hidden Flight Simulator)

Did you know that the latest version of Google Earth (free satellite mapping software) has a built-in flight simulator. Here is a short tutorial on how to use this new feature.

To use the new flight simulator, follow the instructions below:

• Download the latest version of Google Earth
• Launch the program and press CTRL+ALT+A
• In the option dialog box select your plane (F16 or SR22) and the airport.
• Use can use the arrow keys steer the aircraft, or use the mouse by clicking the screen.

Note: The controls are very sensitive.

Microsoft Streets & Trips 2008 ('Connected Services' Version)

Microsoft 'Streets & Trips 2008 with Connected Services' combines a GPS Locator and an MSN Direct Receiver. The MSN Direct Receiver provides updated traffic and gas updates without an Internet connection.

The software package also includes a one year subscription to MSN Direct which is required for the traffic updates and gas prices.

The retail price for the software/hardware is $180.

Windows Vista: Hardware Compatibility List

One of the biggest issues that a user can face when upgrading to Windows Vista is finding a driver for an existing piece of hardware (i.e.: printers, NICs, camera, etc.) that they own. When Vista was first released in January, hardware manufactures were slow to make driver updates available. Now that Vista has been around for a while, more and more drivers are becoming available.

To find out if your computer or peripherals is compatible with Windows Vista Microsoft has released the 'Hardware Compatibility List' (HCL). The HCL shows all the hardware that has been tested and reviewed by Microsoft for Windows Vista.

Buying Guide: Desktops and Laptops

PC Magazine reports: "Every year brings us something new and innovative in the desktop and laptop market, and this year is no different. New components, new technology, and even a new OS from Microsoft have hit the store shelves. But when it comes to choosing a system from such a dazzling array, many people find it daunting, if not overwhelming. That's where we come in. We have sifted through, tested, and reviewed the hottest systems out there. Whether you're a travel-weary road warrior, cramped-apartment dweller, ultimate bargain hunter, business pro, or something else entirely, we tell you what to look for in your ideal system and give you our best picks. So sit back, relax, and find your perfect fit."

Looking for some buying advice on buy a new desktop or laptop, then check out this PC Magazine article.

Networking: IP subnetting made easy

If you work on a medium to a large size network, then you need to understand IP subnetting? IP subnetting lets you breakup a large network into smaller sub-networks. Personally I find this subject one of the more difficult parts of networking to understand, mostly because you don't use this knowledge very often.

If you want to understand this topic here is an an excerpt from a TechRepublic article on the subject: "IP subnetting is a fundamental subject that's critical for any IP network engineer to understand, yet students have traditionally had a difficult time grasping it. Over the years, I've watched students needlessly struggle through school and in practice when dealing with subnetting because it was never explained to them in an easy-to-understand way. I've helped countless individuals learn what subnetting is all about using my own graphical approach and calculator shortcuts, and I've put all that experience into this article."

Software: CCleaner

CCleaner is a free system optimization and privacy tool. This utility can remove unneeded files from your system thus freeing up hard disk space. It also can remove the URL history, cookies, and other types of privacy data from the top three main Web browsers (IE, Firefox and Opera).

Software: Glary Utilities (Free)

Glary Utilities offers several easy-to-use system tools and utilities to help fix, maintain and protect your computer.  When you open the application you will be presented with five basic tabs, each tab represents a category of tools:

• Clean Up & Repair
• Optimize & Improve
• Privacy & Security
• Files & Folders
• System Tools

The program is free for personal use.

Software: Google Earth 4.2 (Now You Can Explore the Sky)

Want to explore the known universe from your computer. With Google Earth 4.2, you can explore the earth or skies and see planets, stars, nebulas and galaxies. The new 'Sky' feature in Google Earth 4.2 includes images taken by the Hubble space telescope. Watch the video to learn more.

Software: Indentifing Your CPU and RAM

CPU-Z is one of the best utilities for finding out what type of CPU and RAM you have installed on your computer. What is even better is this program is freeware, and can be run on your computer without having to install it. Below is a list of the information that this program displays:

CPU

• Name and number.
• Core stepping and process.
• Package.
• Core voltage.
• Internal and external clocks, clock multiplier.
• Supported instructions sets.
• Cache information.

Mainboard

• Vendor, model and revision.
• BIOS model and date.
• Chipset (northbridge and southbridge) and sensor.
• Graphic interface.

Memory

• Frequency and timings.
• Module(s) specification using SPD (Serial Presence Detect) : vendor, serial number, timings table.

System

• Windows and DirectX version.

The Essential Guide To PC Memory

PC Magazine reports: "How much memory does Vista really need? What about Windows XP? And what the heck does DDR mean? How much money will a memory upgrade cost, and where do you buy it? We'll answer these questions and more, briefing you on the essentials of PC memory technology and saving you a great deal of money and hassle. Whether you're building a new system from scratch or upgrading, you'll find PC Magazine Labs–tested advice you won't get anywhere else."

If you're the type of person who likes to understand everything, and you don't feel that you understand the different types of RAM that are available. Then I would recommend reading this article.

If you just want to buy RAM and install it in your computer and you don't care to have a technical understanding of it. Then go to a site like Kingston they make it pretty easy to buy it.

To learn how to install the RAM in your computer, watch the following video.

Internet: Testing Your Bandwidth Speed

Not too long ago, the speed of your Internet connection was determined by the speed of your modem and your ISP's modem, plus quality of the line you're using to connect. With today's new high-speed broadband connections (such as: DSL, Cable, Fiber, etc.), the speed of your bandwidth connection is only limited to your budget and the availability of the service.

Although, you may wonder how you can make sure your broadband connection is as fast as your ISP claims it is? There are bandwidth testing site that you can use to test how fast Internet connection really is. These sites work by downloading and uploading a single file to and from your computer and measuring how long it takes.

Below is a brief list of these sites that offer these services.

• Speedtest.net
  
• Speakeasy

Just remember there are a lot of real-world factors that determine how fast (or how slow) your connection is to the Internet. For example:

• The type of connection you're using.
  
• How far you are from your ISP
• How far you are from the web site or host you're trying to reach.
• How fast the remote host can process your request.
• And the list of other factor can go on and on.

Windows Vista: Performance Updates

Microsoft has released two updates for Windows Vista that address performance and reliability issues. These updates include several enhancements and other fixes, below is a brief list of some of the updates:

• System and memory performance enhancements
• Fixes for video drivers
  
• Fixes for wake-from-hibernation problems
• Improved compatibility with printers
• Better HD DVD/Blu-ray playback
• Improvements in file transfers.

For a complete list of all the fixes and how to download the patches, see the Microsoft knowledge base articles: 938194, and 938979.

Microsoft 'Money Plus' Adds Financial Services

PC Magazine reports: "Microsoft on Wednesday unveiled the latest version of its money management software, dubbed Money Plus. The software giant is touting the offering's new 'Insights' function, which provides personal updates about users' bills, spending patterns and cash flow."

If you're a fan of Microsoft Money, you might want to check out this article about Microsoft 'Money Plus'. There are now four versions of Money Plus:

• Deluxe
• Premium
• Home and Business
• Essentials

Read the article to find out more.

Firefox: NoScript plug-in

Is seems like no browser is safe from security exploits these days, not even Firefox. Although, there's an extension that allows you to make the Firefox browser more secure, it's called 'No Script'.

The No Script extension works by preemptively blocking JavaScript, Java and other potentially dangerous content from untrusted sites that could contain malicious scripts. The biggest problem using this extension is training it, but once you do it works really well.

Hardware: 2-Port USB 2.0 Multi-Function Print/Storage Server

I rarely report on any types hardware in this blog. Although this was the most innovative product that I have read about in a long time.

Its called a USB Print/Storage server. Basically it allows you to share your USB devices (such as multi-function printers, and hard drives) over your LAN with multiple computers.

Read the product page for more information.

Software: Skype Update Adds Viral Videos

PC Magazine review the new version of Skype 3.5: "Online VoIP application Skype crept a bit farther into the social networking space with the release of Skype 3.5 for Windows, which adds videos from popular social-networking sites to the Skype experience. ... Previous versions let users talk via video. Now, Skype users can download videos from Metacafe and DailyMotion and add them to a user's 'mood'. Video can now be integrated into text chats as well."

I will have to try the new version to see if I like this new feature.

Software: Buying Options

Are you looking for great prices on your favorite software? Did you know that some companies offer different types of special discounts on their products depending where and how you buy the products. For example, if you work for a school, you could qualify for a educational discount on some products. Also, some medium to large size companies and governments offices can offer employee special discounts on certain types of software.

There are two rules that you should follow when buying heavily discounted software. Rule one, generally the better the price the more restrictions that govern it, make sure that you understand what you're buying before you buy it, it may not be what you expect. Rule two, there are a lot of businesses selling counterfeit media over the Internet, so be careful where you buy your software.

Below is a list of common types of discounts that are offered by several different software companies. Although not all software companies offer them or they may not apply to all products.

• Street Price: This is the price most people pay for a product from a retailer. It's generally 10-40% below the suggested retail price, but this all depends on where you buy the software. If you don't know where to start, check out the following companies:
  
• Amazon
• Newegg.com
• Upgrade Price: This is a discount offered by a company if you're upgrading to the latest version of the product from a previous version. (Note: generally evidence of a previous installation is required. Meaning that upgrade process will check your computer or the application media in order take advantage of the discounted product) Also, sometimes a competitive upgrade is offered if you own a competing product.
• OEM Pricing: Depending on the product, you can buy OEMs (which stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer) versions of software from business that build computers. Generally this software is sold at a substantial discount, but also comes with special restrictions (such as: it doesn't qualify to be upgraded to the next version).
  
• Education/Academic Discounts: This is the price that students and educators will pay for a full or stripped down version of a product. Depending on the product, the qualifications can be pretty liberal (make sure to check with the retailer or manufacture for the qualifying details) or restrictive (such as: the application can't be used for commercial purposes or it doesn't qualify to be upgraded to the next version). For example, Adobe offers educational versions of their higher-end products that are greatly discounted.
  
• Employee/Employer Discounts: This benefit can vary from employer to employer depending on the relationships that they have with the software developer. For example, Microsoft offers their Home Use Program to customers that have their Volume Licensing Software Assurance. Contact your employer to see if you qualify for this type of discount, and find out the cost and restrictions.

Warning: When buying any software, especially from sites that you never dealt with before or from auction sites (such as eBay) you need to be very careful of counterfeit software.