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read formatted HTML version of this newsletter is available on line at The LangaList 2000-09-18 A Free Email
Newsletter from Fred
Langa 1) "Variable" CloudinessOr rather, "cloudy about variables." <g> You see, I've gotten emails from a number of readers who were unfamiliar with the "environmental variables" mentioned in WipeTIF and CleanALL, the two new (free) batch files in the "Scrub Your Hard Disk Clean" series. ( http://www.langa.com/cleanup_bat.htm ; all the files were updated on Sept 13. ) DOS sets aside a small area of memory that is used as a kind of scratchpad to remember certain kinds of frequently-used information. This information is available to anything running within or on top of the DOS environment (including Windows). These pieces of information are called "environmental variables;" "environmental" because they're about and affect the operating system environment as whole; and "variable" because they can change from system to system, or reboot to reboot, or at will--- altered by a program or by the human user. The more advanced versions of the Cleanup batch files use three standard environmental variables: WinBootDir (which identifies the directory Windows lives in), Temp (the primary temporary file area) and Tmp, a sometimes-used, alternate temporary file area. In standard Windows setups, all these variables exist, and may be used by any program. In nonstandard or bad setups, however, the variables may NOT exist, or may point to an incorrect location--- and in those cases, any program that relies on environmental variables (including the cleanup batch files) won't work properly. That's one of the reasons why all the cleanup files stressed repeatedly that you should *read* the file contents to ensure that the files would be OK to run on your system: Alert human eyeballs can overcome problems caused by things like bad setups. Still, I know many people don't read instructions or follow directions, so I've added lines to the batch files that cause the file to abort if these variables don't exist (and thanks to reader David Berger for suggesting this). But if the variables do exist, there's still no way for Cleanup or *any* app to know if they're pointing to the correct location. That's a job for humans (and is why there' still no substitute for *reading the file* before running it). Fortunately, it's super-easy to see what *all* your current environmental variables are: Just open a DOS window (or restart to DOS) and type the word SET at the command prompt, and hit enter. SET is the DOS command used to establish or set variables: If you just enter SET by itself, DOS shows you all the variables that have already been SET. You'll probably see a bunch--- including WINBOOTDIR, TEMP and TMP. But if you don't see those essential variables, or if they point to the wrong places, you can SET or re-SET them easily, and the best place to do that is in the Autoexec.Bat file. That batch file runs every time your machine starts, so commands you enter there will always take effect right away on reboot, before Windows starts. Let's say you have no TEMP directory set, and you want to establish one at C:\Windows\Temp . All you'd do is edit your C:\Autoexec.bat (if you're in Windows, you can use Notepad; if you're in DOS, you can use the DOS editor, Edit). Anywhere in the Autoexec,Bat file, on a line by itself, you'd add the command: SET Temp=C:\Windows\Temp Then save the file, and reboot. That's all it takes. The SET line tells DOS that any application or part of the OS (including Windows) that looks for TEMP will be directed to "C:\Windows\Temp." So you see, it's easy to modify or create environmental variables, should you need to do so (such as to get Cleanup.Bat to work on a nonstandard setup). On the other hand, you shouldn't change system variables for no reason; they're important, and not something you want to idly play with. <g> But if you ever need to create or modify an environmental variable, now you know how! Click to
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A reader calling herself
"herself" sent this in: I downloaded your easy
batch file program and was surprised to reclaim 300M of space. I thought that
[because I was] regularly using McAfee Clinic (which I purchased) on a weekly
basis that I would not find much space to reclaim. Reclaiming 300M when I was
down to 500M remaining on my hard drive meant a great deal to me because I can't
add more memory to my lap top. Your program gave me more time till the
inevitable happens that I will need to upgrade. Thanks again! That's what I like to hear.
<g> You see, a little DOS knowledge---or
a free DOS batch file--- lets you do more than you can do even with some
commercial Windows apps. *That's* why it's worthwhile to get up to speed on
DOS--- and why we've been covering it here and in my WinMag columns. DOS is very, very powerful--- but
(alas) it's also much harder to use than Windows, and lacks Windows' safety
nets. You need to be careful and to do your homework before playing with DOS---
but the payoffs for doing so can be huge! Click to
email this item to a friend We talked about "The
Proxomitron" in the last issue ( http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2000/2000-09-14.htm#2
) and readers responded with suggestions for other "ad blocker/ad
buster" software. Several readers suggested
"AdSubtract" and Becki's letter explains why: Just fyi - I've been using
Intermute -now Ad/Subtract (at http://www.adsubtract.com
) for over a year to filter ads and it's been wonderful... try it; I think
you'll like it. I know ads pay for things but I can turn it off easily to be
able to fulfill needs like clicking on things on the Langa pages...Becki Mikko Pludra wrote: Hi Fred, I just read your
new LangaList, including the article about Proxomitron. I'd like to point out
two Internet Ad filters, WebWasher and Junkbuster. Both are written by Germans,
WebWasher having been developed by IT professionals from the company of Siemens.
I use it at home, it is freeware for home users and limited free trial version
for business users is available. Junkbuster is freeware, too, it was recommended
in the famous German IT newspaper c't. I haven't tried it out, but it looks a
little less professional than WebWasher. Here are the URL's http://www.webwasher.com
and http://www.junkbuster.com I enjoy your newsletter
very much, you have lots of fans in Germany! And reader Yaron writes: Hi Fred. First things
first Your newsletter is quite informative and refreshing, so thanks. Now for
some feedback: As far as local-HTTP-proxies go, the best I have ever seen (and
the only one I have been using for a LONG time) is Naviscope ( http://www.naviscope.com
). The benefits are numerous Web page prefetching and Ad blocking based on
keywords, an exact visual representation of what is currently being downloaded
from the web and the ability to stop single elements (like an image) from
downloading, visual trace and web-site hierarchy tools, quick buttons for
various internet-related tasks, web-based update and more. I tried Naviscope, but I found it
actually slowed things down on my cable-modem setup, and worse, it interfered
with publishing web pages with FrontPage2000. There may be ways around these
problems, but the benefits didn't seem worth the effort to me. But Naviscope is
very popular, so many people clearly see lots of value in it--- and in the other
ad-blockers mentioned earlier. Thanks to all who wrote in (many
more than just those above!). Click to
email this item to a friend This discussion of ad-busters
creates a quandary for me; about which I'd like to ask your input.
Actually, Becki's letter in the previous item touched on it. Most of you know that this
newsletter and the Langa.Com website aren't part of some giant corporation, but
are published by a single individual---me, Fred Langa. I pay the web hosting,
list-hosting and ISP bills with my personal Visa card, not from some bottomless
corporate coffers. <g> I accept ads for the newsletter and
web site to help defray these out-of-pocket costs, and, yes, to try get some
return on the time I spend working on the content. There's a very real downside
for people like me when readers use "ad busters" to mask or skip the
ads. If you don't see and click on the ad links, I don't get paid; if I don't
get paid, sooner or later I won't be able to afford to produce the newsletter
and website. I know many people really, really
dislike ads. But the only other good way I know to recover costs is with the
"Consumer Reports" model, where there are NO ADS AT ALL, and
everything is paid for in subscription fees. At present, I have no plans to
change anything from the way things work now. But I wonder: If the newsletter
and site had NO ADS, would you like it more? If I were to go this route, I'd stop
accepting ads, and instead charge some very small, token amount for access to
the newsletter and site--- say, about a dime an issue, or something like
US$10/yr (I publish between 96 and 102 issues a year). So let me ask you a hypothetical,
straw-poll question: If it were offered, would you prefer a 100% ad-free
LangaList and web site, if it cost about $10/yr? Or do you prefer the current
ad-supported model? Please tell me your preference by
email: If you'd prefer the NO-AD, by-subscription mode, please send any email
(it can be empty) to NOADS@Langa.Com. If you prefer the current,
ad-supported version, please send any email (it can be empty) to YESADS@Langa.Com. Nothing will be done with the emails
except to count how many reply to either mailbox--- it's just a straw-poll. I'll tell you the results in a
future issue. Meanwhile, when you see ads here and at Langa.Com, please remember
that your clicks on ad links really do matter. Thanks! Click to
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As if they don't already have enough
money.... sigh. Reader Mike Dees was first to point
this out to me: Fred: You might be
interested to know that Microsoft has changed its support policy effective
today. Now most customers will get free support for only two
"incidents." See http://support.microsoft.com/directory/directory/policyFAQs.asp?sd=gn I guess WinME must be
really good. Or, maybe they expect to pay for all their court costs with the
additional support revenue. Kind of interesting that their policy changes on the
same day WinME is released. Microsoft has been reducing its free
support for some time, but this is the most sweeping change yet. It's one thing
to alter support policies for new products and new releases, but to make the
policy changes include products previously purchased under other support
arrangements is really poor. Plus, the free support is
implemented in a very brain-dead way: A relatively simple application like
PhotoDraw gets two free support calls. A complex suite, like Office premium
gets--- wait for it--- two free calls. And Microsoft operating systems--- the
most complex software of all--- merits (drumroll, please) two free calls. There's one word to describe this
new policy: It starts with and "S" and ends with an "Ucks." Click to
email this item to a friend If you think the LangaList is a
worthwhile read, 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 $10,000 for your trouble (full
details also available via this link): http://www.langa.com/recommend.htm#1 Or, win a copy of "Poor
Richard's E-Mail Publishing: Creating Newsletters, Bulletins, Discussion Groups
and Other Powerful Communications Tools." This book has been described as
"An excellent, straightforward manual on email publishing, banner ads,
driving traffic and especially ethics." (Full details also available via
this link): http://www.langa.com/recommend.htm#2 Either way, thank you, and good
luck! Click to
email this item to a friend 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: Click to
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Clicks On Ad Links Help Keep The LangaList Free! ) --- Low Cost,
High-Impact Advertising! Have your
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Reader Mitchell asks: Hi Fred, Do you know how to
tweak the amount of files that are downloading at the same time from the sites?
There is limit of 2 or 4 files that can be downloading from the site same time.
Before I used to download 4 files, after I reformat the hard drive and install
everything back, I notice I only can download 2 files same times. Thanks. I believe Mitchell is referring to
the "maximum connections" value allowed in browsers. Web pages are often made up of many
elements; by default most browsers will open two or four connections to a web
server and download different parts of the web page in parallel. It's possible
to increase that number with a simple manual tweak, and the upside is that the
more page elements you download at the same time, in parallel, the faster web
page loads as a whole. We covered the tweak--- and its
possible downsides--- in a previous issue. Check it out: http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2000/2000-03-20.htm#5 Click to
email this item to a friend Reader Jim Seals sends along these,
er, thoughts. They sound like Steven Wright lines to me, but I don't have any
attribution to follow. If you take an Oriental
person and spin him around several times, does he become disoriented? If people from Poland are
called "Poles," why aren't people from Holland called "Holes? Why do we say something is
out of whack? What's in whack? Do infants enjoy infancy as
much as adults enjoy adultery? If a pig loses its voice,
is it disgruntled? Why do women wear evening
gowns to nightclubs? Shouldn't they be wearing night gowns? If love is blind, why is
lingerie so popular? When someone asks you,
"A penny for your thoughts," and you put your two cents in, what
happens to the other penny? Why is the man who invests
all your money called a broker? Why do croutons come in
airtight packages? It's just stale bread to begin with. When cheese gets it's
picture taken, what does it say? Why is a person who plays
the piano called a pianist but a person that drives a race car not called a
racist? Why are a wise man and a
wise guy opposites? Why do overlook and oversee
mean opposite things? If horrific means to make
horrible, does terrific mean to make terrible? Why isn't 11 pronounced
onety one? "I am" is
reportedly the shortest sentence in the English language. Could it be that
"I do" is the longest sentence? If lawyers are disbarred
and clergymen defrocked, doesn't it follow that electricians can be delighted,
musicians denoted, cowboys deranged, models
deposed, tree surgeons debarked, and dry cleaners depressed? Do Roman paramedics refer
to IV's as "4's"? Why is it that if someone
tells you that there are 1 billion stars in the universe you will believe them
but if they tell you a wall has wet paint you will have to touch it to be sure? If Fed Ex and UPS were to
merge, would they call it Fed UP? Do Lipton Tea employees
take coffee breaks? What hair color do they put
on the drivers licenses of bald men? I was thinking about how
people seem to read the Bible a whole lot more as they get older, then it dawned
on me, they're cramming for their final exam. I thought about how mothers
feed their babies with tiny little spoons and forks so I wondered, what do
Chinese mothers use? Toothpicks? Why do they put pictures of
criminals up in the Post Office? What are we supposed to do, write to them? Why
don't they just put their pictures on postage stamps so the mailmen could look
for them while they deliver the mail? How much deeper would
oceans be if sponges didn't live there? If it's true that we are
here to help others, then what exactly are the others here for? You never really learn to
swear until you learn to drive. No one ever says "It's
only a game," when their team is winning. Ever wonder what the speed
of lightning would be if it didn't zigzag? If a cow laughed, would
milk come out her nose? If olive oil comes from
olives, where does baby oil come from? Click to
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See you next issue! Best, Please recommend
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