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The
LangaList
2000-09-07
2000-Sep-07
A Free Email
Newsletter from Fred
Langa
That Helps You Get More From Your Hardware,
Software, and Time Online
1)
Cleaning Your Cookies, the Registry, And More
If you haven't grabbed the latest
copies of Cleanup.Bat yet (the most recent revision was posted on 2000-09-05),
you're missing something good: An incredible number of people already have
grabbed one or more copies, with most people gaining anywhere from tens of
thousands to *gigabytes* of disk space. I can't imagine how much disk space we
all freed up in the aggregate. 8-)
You can find the latest copies of
CleanUp.Bat at http://www.langa.com/cleanup_bat.htm
. (And please click an ad banner while you're there to help defray my costs for
the bandwidth---Thnx!)
The associated full article on disk
cleanup (at http://content.techweb.com/winmag//columns/explorer/2000/18.htm
) also has additional tips that can help you free up even more space.
But one thing that Cleanup.Bat
doesn't (yet) do is clean up Cookies, the History files, and the entire TIF
(Temporary Internet Files) area. That's
by design, as indicated by the embedded REMarks that say that the "next set
of lines deletes possibly-large files that sometimes get placed inappropriately
in the 'temporary internet files' directory."
Note the word
"inappropriately." As-is, Cleanup.Bat does NOT attempt to work on
files that are *supposed* to be in the TIF area; it tries to delete only
"orphan" files (if any) that aren't supposed to be there. Cleanup.Bat
does nothing to the files that *do* belong there, and that includes all files
that are properly part of the cache and are indexed in the Index.Dat file.
Alas, a number of readers didn't
read the Cleanup.Bat file or the accompanying text, and expected it would clean
out *all* files in the TIF. (It won't.) Worse, others tinkered with the batch
file without a clear knowledge of what they were doing, or ran the file in
nonstandard ways, and got themselves in varying degrees of trouble.
So, next week, my WinMag
"Explorer" column will talk about how to clean out the TIF area (and
Cookies) the right way. Done properly, it's not hard, and usually yields several
extra megs of free space. Better still, it prevents the most common problems
that can arise from mishandling the TIF or the Cookies area, such as having
bogus Index.dat files cluttering your directories, or having a bloated Index.dat
file that contains megabytes of bad pointers. We'll show you the *right* ways.
And I'll post new versions of
Cleanup.Bat that *do* clean out the TIF in its entirety, if that's what you want
it to do.
And we'll also have some information
on cleaning and compacting the Registry, courtesy of Registry wizard John Woram.
(See http://www.langa.com/books.htm#woram1
)
I'm writing the piece now; it'll go
live next Monday. Stay tuned--- I'll provide more info and a link to the column
in Monday's newsletter.
Meanwhile, be sure you get the
latest info from Part One of the cleanup series running now at http://content.techweb.com/winmag//columns/explorer/2000/18.htm
. And get the latest copies of Cleanup.Bat at http://www.langa.com/cleanup_bat.htm
.
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2)
Aren't You Glad You Didn't Buy A PIII?
(Or: Condolences If You Did!)
I won't spend a lot of time on this
item because word came out last week (during the LangaList holiday break), and
you may have already heard: Intel recalled its 1.13GHz Pentium III chips. It
appears that Intel may have rushed the chip out the door in order to claim the
title of "World's Fastest x86 Processor." But there were numerous
reports of problems with the chips, and Intel halted production.
There's lots of gory detail at http://www.tomshardware.com/cpu/00q3/0008281/index.html
and http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,2620792,00.html
But the upshot is that AMD now has
the fastest *working* x86 processor on the planet. <g>
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3)
Make It Stop! (Comet Cursor And Its Ilk, That Is.)
I wrote about an easy fix to prevent
apps like "Comet Cursor" from getting on your system in the July 31st
issue ( http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2000/2000-07-31.htm#8
). But reader Doug Horton got "infected" with Comet Cursor anyway;
despite his efforts, it downloaded and installed itself on his system without
his knowledge:
I thought I'd disabled
enough things in my security settings to be safe - certainly enough to make
surfing awkward. Could you possibly give more specific info on what settings to
disable to protect against this nefarious evil? Thanks - Doug
I will indeed, but first let me take
10 seconds to explain why this is so important: If Comet Cursor can
auto-install on your system, so can other, even less-friendly or openly hostile
apps. *NO APP* should be able to get on your system without your knowledge!
If you set your Internet security
right, then at the very least you'll get a prompt ASKING you if you want to
install a self-downloading app; and if you say no, it won't.
Internet security is a messy subject
because of the huge range of skill levels, the varying degrees of user alertness
and "savvy," and so on. The settings that are right for one person may
not be right for another.
But, as a starting point, here are
the settings I use in Internet Explorer 5.5 (which is my default browser). If
you set up your copy of IE this way, you'll be reasonably safe against things
like unwanted auto-installs, but you'll still be able to let things install that
you want on your system. (Note that these are not the highest possible safety
levels, but are appropriate for me and the way I work. Your mileage may vary.)
Let's get started: Click to
Tools/Internet Options/Security and then select "Custom Level." As
you step through these settings, use the "?" button in the upper right
corner of the dialog box to learn more about each setting: Click the
"?" and then click the item you're working on: A brief and helpful
explanation will appear in a small floating window.
Here are my settings; you can and
should modify my settings to suit your own unique circumstances:
- In the section headed
"ActiveX controls and plug-ins" I've set these items as follows:
Download signed ActiveX controls=Prompt
Download unsigned ActiveX controls=Prompt
Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe=Prompt
Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins=Enable
Script ActiveX controls marked safe for scripting=Prompt
- In the section headed
"Cookies" I've set these items as follows:
Allow cookies that are stored on your computer=Enable
Allow per-session cookies (not stored)=Enable
- In the section headed
"Downloads" I've set these items as follows:
File download=Enable
Font download=Enable
- In the section headed
"Microsoft VM" I've set these items as follows:
Java permissions=High safety
- In the section headed
"Miscellaneous" I've set these items as follows:
Access data sources across domains=Prompt
Don't prompt for client certificate selection when no certificates
or only one certificate
exists=Disable
Drag and drop or copy and paste files=Enable
Installation of desktop items=Prompt
Launching programs and files in an IFRAME=Prompt
Navigate sub-frames across different domains=Prompt
Software channel permissions=High safety
Submit nonencrypted form data=Enable
Userdata persistence=Enable
- In the section headed
"Scripting" I've set these items as follows:
Active scripting=Enable
Allow paste operations via script=Prompt
Scripting of Java applets=Prompt
- In the section headed
"User Authentication" I've set these items as follows:
Logon=Automatic logon only in Intranet zone
Then click "OK."
You should never be bothered by the
like of an auto-installing app like Comet Cursor again.
But if you've already been infected,
see the next item.
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4)
AdAware Beats "OptOut?"
Remember Steve Gibson's "Opt
Out?" ( http://grc.com/optout.htm
) Well, here's a freeware app that goes one better:
Dear M. Langa,
Let me congratulate you for
your nice work. You may be interested in this program, it is called ADAWARE
(3.61) at http://www.lavasoft.de
,as it removes spywares just as OPTOUT does, though it seems much more powerfull,
as it removes COMET CURSOR, and many more, too.... One more thing this program
is FREE.... Keep up the good work.---Michel Comblen
Thanks, Michel (and reader Steve
Phoa, who also suggested AdAware to me at almost the same time as Michel.)
AdAware looks like a fine addition to anyone's arsenal. I have it on my system
now!
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5)
"WindowsME"
Windows Milennium Edition is due at
retail stores next week; it's already showing up on some new PCs.
I'll provide more information
soon, but there's a ton of info already available on the new OS, including
this: http://content.techweb.com/winmag//columns/wmpreview/2000/25.htm
My short take on WinME: It's Windows
with training wheels. As such, it'll be great for utter newbies because they
won't be able to get themselves into much trouble. Alas, while training wheels
help beginners, they prevent experts from leaning into the turns, and I think
any moderately experienced Windows user will feel stymied and hemmed in by
WinME's deliberate limitations. (Yes, they can be gotten around, but it's a
pain.)
Because of that, I think Win98SE is
still the best general-purpose OS on the market, with Windows 2000 the best
business OS, and Linux the best deep-geek OS. I don't think WinME is a must-have
upgrade for most anyone reading this newsletter, because if you're reading this,
you're probably the kind of person who likes to lean into computing's figurative
twists and turns. I know I do! <g>.
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6)
New Version of BrowserTune 2000
Every day, BrowserTune 2000---
"BT2K"--- pumps out thousands and thousands of free tests to people
who want to:
- compare competing browsers (for
example, Microsoft's versus Netscape's versus Opera's...)
- diagnose what's wrong with a flaky,
unstable, or degraded browser, or any of its subsystems
- verify that their modem, cable, LAN
or other connection is delivering the speed they're paying for (by measuring
highly-accurate, real-world throughput); and helping you correct any speed
bottlenecks
- fix any of the hundreds of problems
that can crop up in today's browsers
- ensure that new security updates,
web plug-ins and add-on components haven't degraded your browser's performance
- validate new browser installations
to ensure that everything installed correctly
- discover everything a browser can
do--- not just the basics you may already be familiar with
- learn about today's best web
technologies
- and much, much more!
And from time to time, I find a way
to improve or tweak a test to give better or faster results. For example, I made
six small improvements to BT2K just last week!
BT2K is now in version 4.06. If you
haven't run that version or---gasp!--- if you've never run BT2K, click on over
to http://browsertune.com/bt2kfast/
and give it a try!
It's in three parts: Level One can
find and help you fix the very worst browser problems in less than 5 minutes.
Level Two--- the "Two Minute Torture Test"--- digs deeper, and puts
your browser through a series of fast, automated tests that yield about 50
important pieces of information about your browser, your system, and your
internet connection. Level Three lets you test anywhere from one to over 250
additional items about your browser.
You can run any or all the tests,
so, whether you want to take just a couple minutes to ensure your browser's
basics are fine, or want to dig through all your browser's subsystems and
internals, BT2K has the test for you. And it's all free!
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7)
Easy Fix For Scratched Screens
In some ways, getting the first
scratch on your laptop or handheld screen is worse than getting that first
scratch on your new car: You only see the car's scratch from certain positions
and angles, but there's no way to avoid seeing a scratch on a laptop or handheld
screen. It's there, in your face, all the time!
And the problem may not be just
cosmetic: A scratch, ding or abrasion in the wrong spot can make the text and
graphics harder to see. On a handheld, the same defects can interfere with
touchscreen input, too.
But there's an easy fix from a
surprising source. Check out http://www.portablelife.com/tips/story/0,1091,2465,00.html
for the full details!
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8)
A Fresh Start: September's Free Book Drawing Now Open!
I'll announce the winner of August's
drawing very soon, but meanwhile, it's a new month and right now your chances
are the best they'll ever be!
To have a shot at winning a copy of
"Poor Richard's E-Mail Publishing: Creating Newsletters, Bulletins,
Discussion Groups and Other Powerful Communications Tools" just use the
following link to recommend the LangaList to a friend. Your friend just may find
a new source of useful information; I just may gain a new subscriber; and you
just may win a book! (Full details also available via this link):
http://www.langa.com/recommend.htm#2
The more times you make a
recommendation, the greater your chances are of winning!
Or, if you'd like to try to win
$10,000(really!), try this link (full details also available here):
http://www.langa.com/recommend.htm#1
Either way, thank you, and good
luck!
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9)
More Reader Sites!
Do you have a home page or website?
(It doesn't matter what size.) Please click over to http://www.langa.com/code.htm,
and maybe you can join the hundreds and hundreds of LangaList readers who have
"Loaded the Code!" (If you've already "Loaded The Code" and
are wondering if your site will appear here or on the Langa.Com web site, please
see http://www.langa.com/link.txt
)
Speaking of which: Here's another
eclectic sample of reader sites--- some professional, some very personal:
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Rates!
Advertising
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costs less than you think: Check it out!
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10)
Just For Grins
More science (un)funnies---
supposedly real answers to various science questions, as submitted to science
and health teachers. I suspect some of these have been "improved" in
the retelling, but I also suspect that many are absolutely true.
- "When you breath, you
inspire. When you do not breath, you expire."
- "H2O is hot water,
and CO2 is cold water"
- "To collect fumes of
sulphur, hold a deacon over a flame in a test tube"
- "When you smell an
oderless gas, it is probably carbon monoxide"
- "Water is composed of
two gins, Oxygin and Hydrogin. Oxygin is pure gin. Hydrogin is gin and
water."
- "Three kinds of blood
vessels are arteries, vanes and caterpillars."
- "Blood flows down one
leg and up the other."
- "Respiration is
composed of two acts, first inspiration, and then expectoration."
- "The moon is a planet
just like the earth, only it is even deader."
- "Artifical
insemination is when the farmer does it to the cow instead of the bull."
- "Dew is formed on
leaves when the sun shines down on them and makes them perspire."
- "A super-saturated
solution is one that holds more than it can hold."
- "The pistol of a
flower is its only protections agenst insects."
- "The alimentary canal
is located in the northern part of Indiana."
- "The skeleton is what
is left after the insides have been taken out and the outsides have ben taken
off. The purpose of the skeleton is something to hitch meat to."
- "A permanent set of
teeth consists of eight canines, eight cuspids, two molars, and eight
cuspidors."
- "The tides are a
fight between the Earth and moon. All water tends towards the moon, because
there is no water in the moon, and nature abhors a vacuum. I forget where the
sun joins in this fight."
- "A fossil is an
extinct animal. The older it is, the more extinct it is."
- "Liter: A nest of
young puppies."
- "Magnet: Something
you find crawling all over a dead cat."
- "Momentum: What you
give a person when they are going away."
- "Planet: A body of
Earth surrounded by sky."
- "Vacumm: A large,
empty space where the pope lives."
- "Before giving a
blood transfusion, find out if the blood is affirmative or negative."
- "To remove dust from
the eye, pull the eye down over the nose."
- "For a nosebleed Put
the nose much lower then the body until the heart stops."
- "For asphyxiation
Apply artificial respiration until the patient is dead."
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all personally recommended by Fred Langa, and
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See you next issue!
Best,
Fred
(fred@langa.com)
Please recommend
the LangaList to a friend! (And maybe win $10,000!I)
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About
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Disclaimer:
(Please see full disclaimer here: http://www.langa.com/legal.htm.)
Abbreviated version: The tips and other information given in the newsletter are
researched and are believed to be accurate, but we cannot and do not guarantee
that all the information here will work on all systems, for all users, all the
time. All information herein is offered as-is and without warranty of any kind.
Neither Langa Consulting LLC, nor its employees nor contributors are responsible for
any loss, injury, or damage, direct or consequential, resulting from application
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