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The LangaList
Standard Edition

2001-09-17

A Free Email Newsletter from Fred Langa
That Helps You Get More From Your Hardware, 
Software, and Time Online

Please visit our sponsors and help keep the LangaList S.E. free!

1) The Best PC Help, Reference And Test Sites

I'm constantly amazed by the depth and breadth of the knowledge of LangaList readers--- and with your generous impulse to share that knowledge to assist others.

I can honestly say that a day never goes by that I don't receive many emails sent in by readers offering help or tips or suggestions or pointers to outstanding online resources. I collect all I can; then gather, collate and group them; and then send the information back out in various columns and newsletters. But there's only one of me, and many of you, and some excellent sites see daylight only slowly, or perhaps (alas) not at all.

I'd like to remedy that today by making this week's InformationWeek.Com column a truly interactive one. In it, I'll list some (actually, 85!) of the very best help, reference and test sites I know. In fact, many of these are the sites I have on my own "Favorites/Bookmarks" lists--- the ones I routinely turn to when I'm stumped by a tech question. My list encompasses these categories:

• General Reference: Dictionaries, Encyclopedia, Etc.
• General Problem Solving & Troubleshooting References
• Sci-Tech News Sources
• Reliable Security Info/Research
• Accurate and Timely Virus Info
• Info on Identifying Hoaxes, Myths, Chain letters, Et Al
• Conversions (e.g. English/Metric)
• Quick and Dirty Online Translation Tools
• HTML Validation & Related Tools
• Browser Problem/Connection Speed Analysis
• Online Security Tests
• General System Health Tests
• Search Fred's Published Tips, Tricks, etc.
• Searching Further Afield

Although I hope the list will be helpful to you in its own right, it's by no means a comprehensive roll call of all good sites in all categories. That's where you come in: My list is just a starting point. Please check it out, and add your own via InformationWeek's associated "Listening Post" discussion area. (The Listening Post software had trouble last week, but appears to be working OK now.)

By the time we're done, we should have an absolutely awesome aggregate list of proven, known-good sites and resources for tracking down and solving just about any kind of tech problem any of us might run into!

Please check out the new article at http://www.informationweek.com/story/IWK20010916S0021 and then add your site nominations at http://www.informationweek.com/forum/Fred Langa .

Let's pool our knowledge to produce a definitive list of outstanding online resources. See you there!

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2) Disaster Aid, Via Computer

In the last few days, I've heard from LangaList readers--- friends--- from all over the world who wrote to express their shock, outrage, and solidarity with me and with all Americans after last week's barbaric attacks.

Many have asked the same question raised by Klaus Muensberg, writing from Germany:

Subject What can we do to help American people?

Hi Fred, I'm sure that all of us will never forget what happened on Tuesday, September, 11th in New York City, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania. We were horrified watching the scene provided by a webcam located at the Brooklyn Bridge what happened to the World Trade Center. We gathered around the PC in the office; except of something like 'unbelievable' and such it was quiet. I'm feeling very sorry for the American people and other individuals being trapped there, in the planes and at the Pentagon. Whoever just does not feel this way - such as some mad folks in the Middle East - in some ways supports those terrorists; however, I think and truly hope that this is a tiny minority.

You might ask, why I'm contacting you in this matter. Well, the Langa List is computing-related; however, it is a large, international community of people with ideas and equipment to share their ideas, to address concerns and address them to appropriate people. Last but not least, I'd like to get an idea, how to help those folks that were hit so badly by the attack - probably not so much financially, but in some other ways and simply to let them know, that we do care about them.

For us all, whether US citizens or not, perhaps the best way to help is to make a donation to a reputable relief organization. The US's largest non-governmental relief organization is the American Red Cross. Their web site is at http://www.redcross.org/ , and it only takes a moment to make a donation via credit card. In fact, on behalf of Plus! subscribers (see http://www.langa.com/plus2.htm#kids ), I just made a direct contribution to the Red Cross National Disaster fund; I then made another donation on my own.

If the Red Cross site is busied out, Amazon.Com is donating its online payment services to the Red Cross; you can donate via Amazon, and Amazon will pass 100% of your donation to the Red Cross: http://www.amazon.com/ . You also can use PayPal ( http://www.paypal.com ), or call the Red Cross by phone at 1-800-HELP-NOW.)

There are other relief organizations, of course, and I mean no disrespect by singling out the Red Cross. But the Red Cross is nondenominational, is internationally known, and its web site makes computer-based giving a snap.

Thank you, Klaus, and all the others--- from the US, Canada, the UK, New Zealand, Russia, Yugoslavia and many other locations--- who wrote in. And thanks even more to all who contribute to the Red Cross or another relief organization of their choice.

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3) How *NOT* To Help, Via Computer

Sadly, there are scams and cons cropping up as unethical persons seek to take advantage of the outpouring of good will that followed the terrorist attack. For example:

September 12, 2001 -- Email protection and consumer advocacy groups warned today of online attempts to fraudulently profit from yesterday's attacks on the USA. These attempts are taking the form of unsolicited e-mail ("spam") and postings in community forums, soliciting "donations" in the name of victims of the attacks. A typical message claims to be part of an "Express Relief Fund" or "Victims Survivor Fund". One message claims that donations will go to the Red Cross, but the donation link leads to a Web site unconnected with that organization.

The Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial Email (CAUCE) and SpamCon Foundation offer these tips to help determine whether a request is valid

* If you don't know the organization or person who sent the request, it's probably fraudulent.

* Virtually no bona-fide relief agencies request funds by sending email to people who are not already involved in that agency.

Solicitations made in this way may also violate laws in the United States and Europe. (See http://law.spamcon.org .)

* If you click on a link to donate, examine the URL shown in your browser. If the domain name of the URL is hidden, unfamiliar, or doesn't match the link's text, the request is probably fraudulent.

* Verify the solicitor's identity through another medium (such as phone) before giving money. Spammers frequently forge the identity and style of well-known entities to gain credibility.

Thanks to our friends at CAUCE (Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial Email http://www.cauce.org ) for the above info.

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4) Boot Manager

Reader "Bijoubaby" asked:

Fred, I currently have a Dell Dimension [running] Windows 98.... Without removing my Windows 98, I would like to install another operating system (most likely Windows 2000).

1. Is there a site or documentation which can explain (hopefully, in understandable terms ) how to go about doing this without destroying what I have?

2. Have you investigated any boot managers which I could consider to help me choose which system to boot to? Any hints or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Win2k actually has its own boot manager; if you tell it (at install time) not to overwrite/upgrade your current Win98 setup, it will create a separate Win2K setup, leaving Win98 alone. Win2K also will install a boot manager that will let you choose, every time your PC restarts, whether you wish to boot to Win2K or Win98.

The above usually work best if you've previously used a partitioning tool to create an empty disk partition that you can devote to the new OS. This way, you can keep all your Win2K stuff in one partition, and all your Win98 stuff in another: It helps avoid conflicts and confusion.

Lots more info on boot managers:
http://www.google.com/search?q=boot+manager

Lots more info on partitioning software:
http://www.google.com/search?q=partition+software

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5) What the Heck Are "QMgr" and "LoadQM?"

I recently installed IE6 & MS messenger and i had a program called Microsoft qmgr trying to access the internet (zone alarm told me that!) i read some where when i tried to search what the hell is that , that it is a Microsoft program that lets other Microsoft network users know you are online, i know your against installing messenger programs that announces your presence on the net , but some time you need them. could you be kind enough to elaborate more on the subject , and thanks for a great work.--- Dr.Mohammed A. Alghamdi

There are a couple things going on that have very similar names. The file Loadqm.exe is a "quality monitor" that's part of MSN. It collects and transmits anonymous statistics back to Microsoft. You can read more about it--- and turn it off, to prevent anything from being sent back---  by opening MSN Explorer, clicking on "Help and Settings" at the top of the pager, then click on "Privacy" in the left nav bar, then click on "Service Quality Monitoring."

QMgr apparently is a "queue manager" identified as a "Background File Downloader" that "Downloads data for programs when the computer is idle."

There is no separate on/off switch for QMgr that I know of, but it can be blocked by ZoneAlarm (and by other firewalls that allow per-application settings). I've noticed no problems from blocking QMgr; if I ever do encounter a download problem, I can adjust ZoneAlarm on the fly to allow QMgr to connect temporarily, and then can re-disable it.

By manually disabling the Quality Manager and using ZoneAlarm to block the QMgr, you can regain control over some of the less obvious background activities that may be going on in your PC.

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6) $10,000 For Your Trouble?

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.recommend-it.com/l.z.e?s=143182

Or, win a no-strings $30 Gift Certificate for any item at Amazon.Com--- books, software, hardware, kitchenware, toys... (Full details available via this link):
http://www.langa.com/recommend.htm

Either way, thank you, and good luck!

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7) Short And Sweet: An Excellent Forum

Richard Bewley sends:

Hey, come check out this AWESOME computer forum!  http://www.intercom.net/betas  You'll Love It!

Thanks, Richard---  it appears to be a new site, but there's already a good amount of info and downloads there. Very promising!

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8) They Loaded The Code

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:

View A Randomly-Chosen Reader Site
http://www.langa.com/randomlink.htm

Manually Browse All Posted-to-Date Sites Starting At
http://www.langa.com/readersites.htm

Ohio Information
http://www.4ohioinfo.com/

Fire Cat Pottery
http://www.firecatpottery.com/index.html

Roger Davis Home Page
http://www.ram-jet.com/

Carter Zoo Systems
http://www.carterszoo.com/

edeljko Visnjic & family
http://homestead.juno.com/vnedeljko2/

DYSPRAXIA
http://www.geocities.com/vikkicoll/index.htm

"Wild Wild Web"
http://www.yokodana.com/web_security_tips.htm

Jnco's Lair
http://www.geocities.com/jnco904/

African Cichlids
http://home.earthlink.net/~davepjcx/index.html

Tiny's Web Pages
http://www.autobahn.mb.ca/~tiny/

Kirsten Emmott (writer, doctor)
http://www.kirstenemmott.com/

Patti's Themes
http://themes.myqth.com/Links.htm

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9) CueCat Heads For The Great Litter Box In The Sky

CueCat--- a free handheld bar code scanner--- got a ton of press when it came out. Something upwards of 4 million Cue Cats were distributed.

But they were a privacy nightmare and not all that convenient to use. We wrote about the device several times (
http://search.atomz.com/search/?sp-a=0008002a-sp00000000&sp-q=%22cuecat%22 ) and recommended that everyone stay far, far away from the little beasties.

Many did, and Cue Cat has finally run out of lives--- and money. See http://www.zdnet.com/eweek/stories/general/0,11011,2811841,00.html .

I, for one, won't miss it. 8-)

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10) Just For Grins

One of the weirder reactions to the terrorist attack in the US is the chain letter going around that makes Nostradamus--- a 16th century astrologer--- seem like a clear-eyed visionary.

Like all successful astrologers, Nostradamus spouted vaguely-worded predictions--- verbal Rorschach ink blots devoid of any real meaning on their own--- that the listeners could interpret as applicable to their own lives. The "meaning," if any, came from the listeners, not from anything that Nostradamus actually said.

But the chain letter going around now makes Nostradamus seem he really could see the future:

In the year of the new century and nine months,
From the sky will come a great King of Terror...
The sky will burn at forty-five degrees.
Fire approaches the great new city...

In the city of york there will be a great collapse,
2 twin brothers torn apart.by chaos
while the fortress fall the great leader will succumb
the third big war will begin when the big city is burning
- NOSTRADAMUS

But this "quote" is in fact a series of snippets removed from different parts of Nostradamus' writings, heavily edited, altered, and then stitched together to make it sound meaningful. Gosh, I could make a telephone book seem like an accurate predictor of the future, that way.

Reader Marc Powell was the first to write with additional detail:

The [Nostradamus] quote is, in fact, inaccurate, though it certainly has been circulating quite a bit. This quote was actually written by a college student as part of a thesis to demonstrate how a series of generalities, such as those offered, in many cases, by Nostradamus, can be used as "predictions of the future."

You can find out more about the quote below at http://www.snopes2.com/inboxer/hoaxes/predict.htm . (this page has been getting a lot of traffic, so it may be down occasionally, but it's there)

Thanks, Marc.

Astrological forecasts--- like fortune-cookie predictions--- can be fun if taken as the nothing more than the simple entertainments they really are. But anyone who takes them more seriously than that is falling into an old, old trap. If you get the above chain letter, just delete it: Purely and simply, Nostradamus was a just another nutjob.

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11) Deep Data Recovery (Even Multiple Reformats!);
A Heartfelt "Thanks!";
Exit Shortcut Corrupts ShellIconCache?

Today's LangaList Plus! Edition contains all ten items above, plus about 30% more content including: reader experiences with amazing data-recovery software that can even read "beneath" a reformat/reinstall of the operating system to recover data from the previous installation; a heartfelt "thanks;" and a reader's excellent detective work in resolving corruption of his ShellIconCache file, which had caused slooooow startups.

Plus! Edition info: http://www.langa.com/plus.htm 

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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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