|
Please note: Older issues may contain information that is now out of date. How To Subscribe
and Unsubscribe is at the end of this note. Mailing List Trouble? See http://www.langa.com/help.txt Please recommend the LangaList to a friend! (And maybe win $10,000 !) An easier-to
read formatted HTML version of this newsletter is available on line at The LangaList 2000-10-12 A Free Email
Newsletter from Fred
Langa --- ( Your Clicks On Ad Links Help Keep The LangaList Free! ) ---
--------------(
the above is an advertisement )--------------
We've talked a lot, recently, about
security-testing sites--- web sites that safely and constructively probe your
internet connection for free so you can identify and correct possible security
problems. The discussion began some time
ago--- for example, see the still-relevant links at: What are the best sites? DSL
Report's full scan (at http://www.secure-me.net/secureme_go
) is still probably the best overall, but it's slow and requires that you
register. (Although it's meant mainly for DSL and Cable Modem users, it will
test any kind of connection.) Steve Gibson's Shield's Up ( https://grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2
, or http://grc.com ) is by far the
friendliest of the security-scanning services, and also has excellent tutorials
and how-to information that can be used to correct any problems uncovered by the
scan. It's in two parts--- a "shields scan" and a "port
probe." You should run both. The newest security-scanning service
is a new fast-scan Java applet at the DSL Reports "Secure Me" site.
It's not as thorough as some others, but it's very fast, requires no
registration, and is very easy to use: http://www.secure-me.net/scan I visit all three sites about once a
month to ensure that my system is relatively safe from external hack attacks---
and stays that way! Click to
email this item to a friend I also routinely test my connection
speed on several sites to ensure that my ISP is up to snuff and that nothing
changed in my hardware or software settings to "put the brakes on" my
link to the Internet without my knowing about it. DSL Reports (yup, the same site
mentioned in the previous item) also has recently added a free and easy-to use
Java-based speed-measuring applet at http://www.dslreports.com/stest/0
. It's OK, and has the advantage of testing your upload speed as well as the
more-important download speed. However, because it's Java-based, its accuracy
depends on what flavor of Java you're running--- and as the site states, some
Netscape Java implementations will give bogus results. DSL Reports also offers a nice
automated way to see if your system is set up well for high-bandwidth operation:
http://www.dslreports.com/tweaks#howlarge The folks at PC Pitstop also have
been busy, and have added what they call "enhanced Internet tests."
Their full-test option ( http://www.pcpitstop.com/pcpitstop/default.asp
) will "examine and save your download and upload speeds, as well as ping
times--and let you know if your connection is up to par. If it isn't, your
Internet test results will offer an Auto-Fix that you can use to optimize your
settings and, hopefully, improve performance." You also can just run
the Internet tests, skipping the other parts of the Pitstop, via http://www.pcpitstop.com/internetcenter.asp
. This way gives you the basic results, but won't offer to auto-fix any problems
it discovers. Although it hasn't changed in a
while, the Microsoft site at http://computingcentral.msn.com/topics/bandwidth/speedtest50.asp
also offers a quick-and-dirty speed test. I'm biased--- because I wrote
it<g>--- but I still think the free BrowserTune 2000 speed tests are the
most thorough anywhere. It avoids the problems caused by using Java, and
automatically tells you, *regardless of the type of connection you have*
(dial-up modem, cable, satellite, DSL, etc.) what your true download throughput
speed is. BrowserTune actually takes nine
separate speed measurements: It twice measures the internet's
"latency" or lag between you and each of three different servers, and
then measures how long it takes you to download a block of compression-resistant
data from each of the servers. By dividing the exact number of transmitted data
bytes by the download time, and subtracting the network lag, BT2K can determine
what your actual average delivered throughout is, regardless of your connection
type, data-encoding scheme, or anything else. Plus BT2K not only does nine basic
tests on three servers; when you opt for the "Level Three" full tests,
you also have the option of testing your throughput with 1 MB or even 10MB test
files. These longer tests give you a better idea of your connection's
*sustained* throughput, which may be quite different from the instantaneous,
short-file throughput. I believe BrowserTune is actually
the most-accurate, web-based speed test there is. I know of no other site,
anywhere, that lets you test so many ways, on different servers, with different
files sizes, and with built-in latency corrections. And, BT2K is free. 8-) If you know of a better throughput
test, please let me know. But until we know of anything better, check out http://www.browsertune.com/bt2kfast/
for the most accurate throughput tests money *can't* buy! Click to
email this item to a friend --- ( Your
Clicks On Ad Links Help Keep The LangaList Free! ) ---
--------------(
the above is an advertisement )--------------
I haven't spent a lot of time
talking about Netscape lately for the simple reason that all current released
versions of Netscape browsers are quite obsolete and are about to be replaced.
That's not bashing; it's just a fact that Netscape itself admits. (If the background doesn't interest
you, please skip down three paragraphs after this one.) Netscape dug itself in a
deep hole a couple years ago, and tried to enlist the Open Source movement to
build a better browser. Netscape gave away its source code in the hopes that
talented volunteer programmers would be able to make it better, in much the same
way that volunteer coders built Linux. Netscape's volunteer coders spent
the better part of a year trying to get Netscape's code in shape before they
simply gave up. They *threw the old code away* (that's how bad it was!) and
started over from scratch. Two years have since passed, and the results--- which
will be called "Mozilla 5" by some and which Netscape will call
"Netscape 6"--- is in its final or near-final beta. When it's finally
released, it will be about three years later than originally promised. In the interim, Netscape was
acquired by AOL. Netscape/AOL has rolled out new versions of the old, bad code
in an effort to (1) build in hooks to all the AOL-mandated branding and doodads
and widgets; and (2) to correct serious security problems. I suspect they've
also rolled out some cosmetic changes just to try to make it look as though the
browser is still fresh and current. But make no mistake: Under the covers, it's
still the old, obsolete code that Netscape's Open Source programmers threw out
two years ago. The shipping Netscape browsers are now the *least*
standards-compliant of the major browsers, by far. Because all the shipping Netscape
browsers are so out of date in supporting current standards, I haven't invested
much time in figuring out its guts. That's one of the reasons why the Cleanup
batch files ( http://www.langa.com/cleanup_bat.htm
) focused on cleaning up Internet Explorer's "oinkage" --- needless
and fat files--- while not doing anything for Netscape's similar files. I'd
planned to take a fresh look at Netscape when Mozilla 5/Netscape 6 ships. But many readers still use Netscape
browsers, and several have not only explored Netscape's current guts, but have
very generously shared the results of their explorations with us. For example,
reader Daniel D. Gill was the first to suggest this: With Netscape Communicator,
if one uses Netscape Messenger......it keeps a mass copy of everything ever
placed in a Messenger folder, in one file. E.G. there is a 'trash' file, in
which, if opened, you can read every letter ever placed in the trash -
regardless of whether the trash folder in messenger is clean or dirty. [It's the
same for the Inbox and Sent folders.] These files can get BIG. I freed up over
200 megabytes when I figured this out. The path to the folder with
the files is [usually] C:/program files/netscape/users/[there may be additional
subfolders here]/mail. Note that all folders, 'trash' an an example, have 2
files, such as 'trash' and 'trash.snm.' The .snm files stay small regardless,
but the files without an extension are the one that can grow considerably. Thanks, Daniel! Just make sure
there's nothing in the folders that you want to save, because deleting them
*really* deletes them--- completely. Please also see the next item for
more Netscape oinkage-removal. Click to
email this item to a friend Donna B. Yeaw offers this Netscape
Cookie-trimming tip: The only reason I want
cookies saved is for logins. IE makes it easy to maintain since each site has
it's own cookie file (at least in 5.0 which I'm using). Netscape maintains it
all in a single file with a HUGE warning at the start to not modify the file.
Well, being the adventurous sort, I tried maintaining it. Sometimes it worked,
sometimes it didn't. But I found a great work-around that I use regularly. It
requires a little work to get started but next to nothing after that. 1) Rename your cookie file
(usually found under users/[profile name] in your Netscape directory) to
cookies.bak 2) Open Netscape 3) Go to the sites where
you want to preserve the login information. Yes, this does require you to login
to each one all over so be sure you know your login/password. 4) Once you have visited
all the sites, close your browser. 5) Find your *new* cookie
file that contains the login information you just created and copy it as
cookie_sav.txt 6) Now as often as you want
you can delete your bloated cookie file, copy cookie_sav.txt as cookie.txt and
you're all set! Thanks, Donna! Click to
email this item to a friend --- ( Your
Clicks On Ad Links Help Keep The LangaList Free! ) ---
--------------(
the above is an advertisement )--------------
I'm starting to get
email from readers who are modifying the Cleanup batch files ( http://www.langa.com/cleanup_bat.htm
) to do additional tasks---such as automatically cleaning Temporary Internet
Files from Internet Explorer that crop up in unusual locations on their systems;
or even clearing Netscape's equivalent area--- the Netscape Cache folder. Many of these readers
are using the cleanup files as a starting point, and then using the batch file
primer at http://content.techweb.com/winmag//columns/explorer/2000/21.htm
to see how to modify the files to do exactly what they want. And that's great!
That's what the cleanup files really were for--- they're examples of the power
of DOS for low-level system maintenance, letting you do things that either are
difficult or impossible from inside Windows. Feel free to modify them any way
you wish! If you haven't already,
check out http://content.techweb.com/winmag//columns/explorer/2000/21.htm
today, and start taking *real* control of your system! Click to
email this item to a friend Speaking of oinkage--- needlessly
huge files that consume far more space than they should--- reader Adam Kertesz
found some other fat files you may have lurking on your system: Fred, Thank you for your
very informative newsletter. I got my Dell Dimension
with Windows 98 SE preinstalled. Browsing around in my C drive, I have found a
folder c:\windows\cabs\ols. Easy guess--- [these OLS
files are] setup files for online services. Has 3 subfolders: aol, at&t, csi
[compuserve]. The aol folder has 4
exe's: Aol40au.exe (5,303,728 bytes), Aol40ca.exe (5,809,054 bytes),
Aol40uk.exe (6,461,360 bytes) and Aol40us.exe (5,333,811 bytes). I'm
not an AOL user at all! And if I would be, most probably I would need only one
of those. The csi folder has a 6 MB
Ukkit and a 5 MB Uskit. Altogether more than 33 MB
can be better utilized. Indeed, as all those services offer
free downloads and CDs, you don't really need to have *any* of them on your
system. Should you ever want to sign up for those--- or any other--- services
you can do so with a few mouse clicks. Thanks, Adam! 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. You just may win $10,000(!), your friend just may find a new source of
useful information; I just may gain a new subscriber (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 So many new readers have
"loaded the code" on their sites recently, I was falling way behind in
getting them posted. So, I added a ton of new sites to the pages at http://www.langa.com/readersites.htm
and to the "Reader Site Roulette" link (a different reader site with
every click!) at http://www.langa.com/cgi-local/rand_link.pl
. Check 'em out! 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
) Here's another eclectic sample of
reader sites from the remaining queue--- some professional, some very personal: Click to
email this item to a friend --- ( Your
Clicks On Ad Links Help Keep The LangaList Free! ) ---
--------------(
the above is an advertisement )--------------
Each issue, I hear from people on
AOL and HotMail who have trouble with hyperlinks in the newsletter: Fred: As a user of AOL I am
annoyed that Hyperlinks in received Email do not work. AOL advise me that they
have made this inoperative to prevent the possibility of downloading viruses. In
other words you have to paste the address to use. Do you know of any way I could
change this ? Nope, you can't change it. And AOL
isn't being completely up-front: Since AOL-sourced email *can* contain
hyperlinks, the "virus protection" story is bunk. In fact, there's
absolutely no technical reason why AOL can't allow hyperlinks in external
email--- or, for that matter, why they can't use the same public email standards
almost *everyone else* uses. But instead, AOL has stuck with an ancient and
proprietary email standard whose primary goal--- in my opinion--- is to
steer you to communicating only with AOL-sourced emailers. They want you as a
captive audience, hearing only from them, or sources they approve. By keeping their users apart from
the internet community at large, they--- *you*--- are easier to control. After
all, if you can easily link to outside information sources, you'll discover that
many other ISPs offer better service than AOL, and for less cost. <g> The HotMail issue is different, and
is caused by (1) HotMail's use of frames and (2) its inability to parse
plain-text very well. If you have trouble with using hyperlinks from HotMail,
please see http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2000/2000-06-05.htm#5 Click to
email this item to a friend Reader David Damiral found an
interesting Freudian slip in a recent Microsoft newsletter: Hi Fred, Was it Freud who suggested
that 'slips' can be very revealing? The heading below, 'software privacy',
confirms what many people already suspected about Bill's hidden agenda! --Software
privacy is bad for everyone Click to
email this item to a friend --- ( Your
Clicks On Ad Links Help Keep The LangaList Free! ) --- It Costs
Less Than You Think! see http://www.langa.com/ratecard.htm <a
href="http://www.langa.com/ratecard.htm">
AOL users click here ! </a> --------------(
the above is an advertisement )--------------
See you next issue! Best, Please recommend
the LangaList to a friend! (And maybe win $10,000!I) An easier-to read formatted
HTML version is available in the "Current Issue" section of http://www.langa.com.
(The HTML version of each issue normally is available by 9AM EST [UT-5] of the
issue date.) All past LangaList issues are also available at the Langa.Com site. Why are you getting this
newsletter? This is a 100% OPT-IN newsletter: There are only three ways to get
on the list--- signup via direct email request from you, or signup via the
WinMag newsletter page or signup via BrowserTune's email-notification service.
If you're getting this newsletter; your name came to me through one of those
signup channels. At signup, you also received a confirmation email from my list
software---no one is signed up secretly or against their will. SUBSCRIBE (it's free!):
Create and send a new email address it to subscribe-langalist@lyris.dundee.net UNSUBSCRIBE: From the same
address you used to sign up with (it's shown on the first line in the body of
each email issue you receive), create and send a new email address to unsubscribe-langalist@lyris.dundee.net
. CHANGE ADDRESS? LIST
TROUBLE? HAVE QUESTIONS? NEED HELP? See http://www.langa.com/help.txt About
the advertisers: Langa Consulting LLC will never knowingly accept
advertising for a fraudulent product, company or service. However, Langa Consulting LLC makes no implied or explicit warranty, recommendation or endorsement
of or for the products, companies or services mentioned in the ads. 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
of any information presented here. This newsletter is a free
service of Langa Consulting LLC and is Copyright © 2000 Langa Consulting LLC. All
rights reserved. |
|
|