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The
LangaList
Standard Edition
2003-06-12
A Free Email Newsletter from
Fred Langa
That Helps You Get More From Your Hardware,
Software, and Time Online
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and help keep the LangaList S.E. free!
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1) Microsoft Grants
2nd Stay Of Execution To Win98!
As recently as about two months ago, Microsoft pegged
June 30 2003 as the shutdown date for Win98 support. The basic plan was that, as
of that date, two weeks from now, Win98 would no longer be patched, updated, or
bug-fixed. (See
http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=8700301 )
But sometime in the last few weeks, Microsoft quietly
extended the date. This will affect tens of millions of users
worldwide!
Now, the "'nonsupport" date for Win98 has been rolled
back 6 months to Jan 16 2004, and the new "end of life" date has been pushed
back to Jan 16 2005.
This is the second time Microsoft has pushed these
dates back, which--- on the plus side--- suggests MS is being receptive to its
customers' needs: The company probably was getting tons of negative feedback on
ceasing support for so enormously popular an OS. On the other hand it also
suggests that MS may not be seeing the rate of XP upgrades it hoped for; and/or may
be fearing that users will defect to Linux instead of moving to XP. Keeping
Win98 alive at least keeps those users in the Microsoft fold for now.
In any case, this buys a little time for those still
using Win98. At some point, the OS will cease to be supported--- eventually, there
won't be any more patches, updates, and such--- so if you're still using Win98,
you still need to make concrete plans for the future. Sooner or later,
the lights will go out on this venerable OS. But at least there's a little more
breathing room, now!
The latest word from MS is in the section titled
"Product Life-Cycle Road Map" towards the bottom of the page at
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/lifecycleconsumer.mspx .
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2) Lots Of Free Zip
Tools
In "Zip-Files Finally Get Decent Encryption" (
http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2003/2003-05-29.htm#9 ) we talked about the
new version of WinZip (
http://www.winzip.com ) that finally comes with a good encryption tool so
you can compress your data *and* protect it from prying eyes at the same time.
Then, in "WinZip Alternatives" (
http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2003/2003-06-02.htm#9 ) we mentioned Power
Archiver ( http://www.powerarchiver.com/
) and FreeZip (
http://www.braxio.com/zip.htm ) ... and that opened the floodgates. A
sampling:
Fred, love your newsletter. In addition to the WinZip alternative you list in
your June 2 issue, I love and use IZArc. It is also more feature rich and totally
free... "a full featured archiving tool that you can use to open and create
compressed files in many different formats. It offers many advanced features,
including repairing of broken archives, searching within archives, password
protecting, emailing of archives and much more.... IZArc
supports most popular archive formats, including 7-ZIP, ACE, ARC, ARJ, BH, BZ2,
CAB, DEB, GZ, HA, JAR, LHA, LZH, PAK, PK3, RAR, RPM, TAR, TGZ, TZ, ZIP and ZOO. The
program is easy to use, even for beginners, yet powerful enough to provide
advanced users with all the tools you need. Download it at
http://www.webattack.com/get/izarc.shtml
or http://izsoft.cjb.net/ " I enjoy using the ARJ file format. When running Win-XP and WinZip, it gave me
errors. IZAarc avoids these and is totally free....enjoy... ---Jim Nagy
Dear Fred, I have found a lot of good info in your newsletters and I thought I would share this with your other readers.
Another good alternative to WinZip is a program called ZipGenius 1.4
( http://www.zipgenius.it/ ) which is also freeware. It has a lot of extra features for a freeware program and can handle nearly anything the average user would need.
Thanks for a great newsletter, Holly Smith
You should check out 7-Zip [ http://www.7-zip.org/ ], which is "Free software distributed under the GNU LGPL", supports ZIP, CAB, RAR, ARJ, GZIP, BZIP2, TAR, CPIO, RPM and DEB as well as Igor Pavlov's '7Z' compression algorithm (which is 2-10% more compact than PKZip and WinZip). 7-Zip has extensive command line abilities, not to mention loads of other features including localization for over 30 languages, "Strong AES-256 encryption", and support for files up to 16,000,000,000 GigaBytes. Did I mention that 7-Zip is free software?!? --Adam
There were lots more--- way too many to include--- but you can find
just about all of them here:
http://www.google.com/search?q=free+zip+compression
Thanks to all who wrote in!
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3) ...And Another Free Encryption
Tool...
"Easy Encryption" (
http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=10100525 )
lists a pile of excellent encryption tools, but I somehow missed this one:
Fred, I have been using a freeware item, Cryptext (
http://www.google.com/search?q=Cryptext )V 3.4 for a while. It uses an
adequately secure algorithm if one chooses a decent password. It will
gang-encrypt a whole directory (or any part of a directory tree), then you can
decrypt single files from within that directory, use them and then re-encrypt
them back into security - and it says it doesn't save anything in the swap file
either. Only trouble is that you are limited to one password for normal usage. I
suppose you could go thru the steps to change the password for different kinds
of files or files on separated subjects but that would be mildly awkward.
Since I have a military crypto background, I'm comfortable with the concepts.
Cryptext works for me. It embeds itself in the right-click menu and works so
fast you don't realize it has finished. Really good freeware. Best regards, John
Thanks, John!
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4) ...And
Alternative "To Tray" Utilities
Several readers suggested the same alternatives to "AllToTray" (see
http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2003/2003-06-05.htm#9 ). Two examples:
Fred: In your most recent issue of LangaList, you mentioned AllToTray as a
tool that can minimize any program to the tray area. I would recommend
PowerMenu to your readers instead:
http://www.veridicus.com/tummy/programming/powermenu/ I have been using it for nearly a year now, and it works great! Not only
does it allow you to minimize any application to the tray area, it also allows
you to set the program priority and window transparency from the system menu.
Plus you can set any window to be always on top. It is also one of the few
tray minimizers I have tried that works with PC Magazine's Tray Manager V2 (
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,9877,00.asp ) to restore tray icons
when Explorer crashes. And it is free! How do you beat that? :-) ---Victor
Chew
G'day Fred, I just read about the "AllToTray" item, and wanted to point out a similar tool that might be better. It is called "TraySaver" from
http://www.mlin.net . This small freeware allows you to hide system tray icons behind a single tray icon. In addition, TraySaver rescues tray icons lost after an Explorer crash, and enables any window to be minimized to the system tray. So not only can you send any window to the tray, you can control how big your tray gets.---Your newsletter is great. Regards, Jak
Grimm
Thanks Victor, Jak, and all who wrote in!
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5) Meet Ranganath!
We've added another child--- the ninth--- to the
group sponsored on an ongoing basis by LangaList Plus! subscribers:
Ranganath is a nine-year-old boy living in a small
village in southern India. The local aid project describes his life this way:
His father is
working as a farmer but his meager income of about US $132 per annum, does not
suffice to support the family or provide them with even their basic needs of food
and clothing. The mother is a resourceful housewife, but in spite of her best
efforts, she fails to make ends meet. Finally in sheer desperation, the
parents sought aid from this project in order to educate this child.
Ranganath is now in school. His favorite subject is Kannada, the regional
language. He enjoys playing group games. His health is normal. Ranganath has one
brother.
More info and a photo:
For Plus! Subscribers:
http://www.langalist.com/plus/extras/meet_ranganath.asp
Public site:
http://www.freetune.com/newsletters/2002/meet_ranganath.htm
Here's what this is all about: Those of us with computers and Internet
access are vastly better off than most of the world's population. Because of
this, I decided that a portion of the LangaList Plus! subscription fees would be
donated to registered/legitimate charities helping the underprivileged around
the world. The contribution does not increase the cost of a Plus! subscription
in any way; the donation is taken "off the top" of any profits. (This is
described in the pages at
http://www.langa.com/plus.htm )
Ranganath is the ninth child sponsored on an ongoing basis--- week in, week
out--- by the collective generosity of LangaList subscribers. LangaList Plus!
subscribers also have collectively contributed to emergency earthquake relief
efforts in India and to funds to help the victims of the Sept 11th
attacks in the US. (To see all the donations so far, click to
http://www.langa.com/plus2.htm#kids )
As the year goes on, and as more readers sign up for Plus! subscriptions, I hope
we'll be able to sponsor more children and assist other charities around the
world.
Graham Greene once said, "There is always a moment in childhood when the door
opens and lets the future in...." If you're already a LangaList Plus! subscriber,
thank you! You can feel good about giving back a little to those less fortunate,
and opening "a door to the future" for a child in otherwise-desperate
circumstances.
If you're not yet a Plus! subscriber check it out: With a Plus! subscription,
you can not only help yourself make the most of your hardware, software and time
online--- but you also can help those less fortunate (like Ranganath) make the
most of their very lives. Thanks for your help!
http://www.langa.com/plus.htm
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6) Intelligent
Auto-Fix
Coffee and LangaList twice a week first thing in the morning when the brain is awake...really great.
Here's an interesting piece of software that many of your readers might want to look at and use, it's free and easy to work with: Daisy 2- An intelligent auto-hotfix utility for Microsoft Windows 2000 and XP. Daisy is a program that reviews your system for service pack and OS levels, determining what hotfixes the OS and applications need, and downloading and installing them in a correct and consistent manner. It checks that the hotfixes installed on the system are installed correctly.
It was written by Marc DeBonis, Lead Systems Architect, Virginia Tech Microsoft Implementation Group.
Documentation and download available at
http://vtmig.w2k.vt.edu/ .
It would appear that this offers a better alternative to the Windows Update 'feature' that you have covered before. Would love to hear what you think.---Bryan
Thanks, Bryan. The direct link to the "Daisy" page is
one level down in the above site, at
http://vtntug.w2k.vt.edu/daisy.html
.
Windows Update itself can be problematic, as can the
updates it offers. Alternatives like this, plus third-party sites like
http://www.bigfix.com and even Microsoft's
own separate "Baseline Security Analyzer" (a new version released just last
week, and still free, is at http://snurl.com/ksb
or http://tinyurl.com/dxnv ) can
help ensure that your system really has all the patches, updates, and bugfixes
it needs!
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7) Don't Make Me
Beg! :-)
If you think the LangaList is a worthwhile read,
maybe a friend would find it useful too! Just use the following link to
recommend the LangaList---your friend may find a new source of useful
information and you just may win one of three FREE ONE YEAR SUBSCRIPTIONS to the
LangaList Plus! edition given each month. (If your name is drawn and you're
already a Plus! subscriber, your current subscription will be extended by a full
year.)
Check out the details at
http://www.langa.com/recommend.htm
. Thanks for recommending the LangaList--- and good luck!
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8) Causes, Cures For Exploding
CDs
Hi Fred, I have experienced the exploding CD syndrome
(see
http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2003/2003-06-09.htm#1 ) in the past due entirely to
trying to run a cracked cd in order to recover some info off it. I had to remove
my cdrom from the pc in order to clean it properly afterwards. Then this evening
as I went to load a cd I noticed a crack in it . The point of my message
is this, the damage in both cases was caused by the center posts in the cd case
being too rigid... they were in fact round solid posts not the slim flexible
fingers one usually finds. I had, I thought, thrown away all the offending
(double) cases after the first instance but I must have missed one! The cure is
self evident I suppose ..carefully check your cd cases. I suspect they are more
likely to be the root cause on most occasions than anything else. Rgds, Bill Erlam
Hi Fred, hope you're doing fine. Saw your item on exploding CDs and thought you would be interested in these items. One is funny in a nerd sorta way:
http://www.paintbug.com/cdexplode/
Below are links to programs that are supposed to reduce the speed of your CD drive to make it quieter, but they would also have the side-effect of reducing shrapnel
Nero DriveSpeed (free):
http://www.cdspeed2000.com/go.php3?link=nerodrivespeed.html
http://www.cdspeed2000.com/go.php3?link=download.html
CD Silence (shareware): http://www.cd-silence.com/
AOpen makes free software called SilentCD that supposedly does the same thing, but I couldn't find a download for it. I've tried DriveSpeed and it did reduce noise on a new 52x CD-RW drive (20 bucks after rebate at Best Buy last week!). An important note, though Not all CD and DVD drives support having their read speed reduced. My 2-year-old DVD does not.--- Dave Methvin, Chief Technology Officer,
http://www.PCPitstop.com
Thanks, guys!
Actually, several readers suggested that even
invisible damage to the central hole of a CD is the cause of most breakage---
repeated stress on the plastic weakens the hub area, making the CDs susceptible
to what we might politely call spontaneous centrifugal disassembly. <g> Handle with care!
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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:
View A Randomly-Chosen Reader Site From Among All Listed
http://www.langa.com/randomlink.htm
Manually Browse All Posted-to-Date
Sites Starting At
http://www.langa.com/readersites.htm
WALLPAPERS COPIOUS AMMOUNTICUS
http://members.shaw.ca/marcus555/index.html
Horus-Ra's 3rd Edition D&D
http://horus-ra.50megs.com/index.html
Terry Witt Blog
http://terrywitt.blogspot.com/
JacksJokes (adult material)
http://jacksjokes.freewebsitehosting.com/index.htm
Israel Faxx
http://www.israelfaxx.com/
Gates of Creation
http://home.attbi.com/~j-man/
MaLeibow
http://www.tcnj.edu/~leibowi2/
VANILLASOFTY2
http://www.home.thirdage.com/Family/vanillasofty2/index.html
Apps ftps and pc stuff
http://apps-ftps-and-pcstuff.dennisdj.com/
The Thoughts of Hondonius Aurelius
http://radio.weblogs.com/0115787/
Race Walking & Running (New Zealand)
http://www.profitness.net.nz/
WebSpinner
http://www.webspinnerstudios.com/
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10) Two Important
Announcements (PLEASE READ!)
A) Major Website Maintenance: It's time for a "Grand Mal" mid-year maintenance of our six (!) web sites: Langa.Com, LangaList.Com, FreeTune.Com (our alternate download site),
BrowserTune.Com and the two secure ecommerce servers we use for primary and
backup processing of Plus! subscriptions. None of this affects your subscription
at all--- the list-host software is not part of this cleanup, so you won't be
getting any administrative messages. In fact, I'm hoping the whole cleanup
effort will be essentially invisible to you.
The only reason I'm mentioning it at all is that the cleanup will involve
taking each of the six sites offline, briefly, so I can clean up various minor
errors and glitches that have accumulated. No one server will be offline very
long, and I'll try to schedule the outages for periods of low-use, so as not to
inconvenience you. But if, in the next week, you run into occasional "404" or
"server not found" errors from the above sites, don't worry--- it's just me,
sweeping out the dust bunnies and shaking the rugs. Just wait a few minutes, and
try again, and things should be back to what passes for normal around here. <g>
B) New BrowserTune: It's also time for me to hunker down and push to
complete the all-new BrowserTune, which has been in quiet beta for a while now (mostly with the
Plus! subscribers: see
http://www.langalist.com/Plus/newsletters/2003/2003-05-12plus.asp ). I
need a few uninterrupted days to wrap up the loose ends, and get closer to
finishing this huge project.
So, with all the above going on:
The next issue of the newsletter
will be on June 23th.
We now return to our regularly-scheduled content...
<g>
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11) Just For Grins
Here's the second half of
"job interview lowlights..." sent in by
reader "kdt15:"
10. "... pulled out a Polaroid camera and snapped a
flash picture of me. Said he collected photos of everyone who interviewed him."
11. "Said he wasn't interested because the position paid too much."
12. "While I was on a long-distance phone call, the applicant took out a copy
of Penthouse, and looked through the photos only, stopping longest at the
centerfold."
13. "During the interview, an alarm clock went off from the candidates brief
case. He took it out, shut it off, apologized and said he had to leave for
another interview."
14. "A telephone call came in for the job applicant. It was from his wife.
His side of the conversation went like this: "Which company? When do I start?
What's the salary?" I said, "I assume you're not interested in conducting the
interview any further." He promptly responded, "I am as long as you'll pay me
more." I didn't hire him, but later found out there was no other job offer. It
was a scam to get a higher offer."
15. "His attache [case] opened when he picked it up and the contents spilled,
revealing ladies undergarments and assorted makeup and perfume."
16. "Candidate said he really didn't want to get a job, but the unemployment
office needed proof that he was looking for one."
17. "... asked who the lovely babe was, pointing to the picture on my desk.
When I said it was my wife, he asked if she was home now and wanted my phone
number. I called security."
18. "Pointing to a black case he carried into my office, he said that if he
was not hired, the bomb would go off. Disbelieving, I began to state why he
would never be hired and that I was going to call the police. He then reached
down to the case, flipped a switch and ran. No one was injured, but I did need
to get a new desk."
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12) Plus! Edition Highlights:
- How Hot Is Too Hot?
(what's
the right temperature for your cpu?)
- Even
More Pro-Quality Installer Tools
(seven
separate tools give you enormous choices)
- Freeware System Status
Tool
(an old
favorite gets an update)
The Plus! edition is only pennies per
issue, and comes with a MONEY BACK
GUARANTEE from Fred. How can you lose? Check out the details:
http://www.langa.com/plus.htm
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See you next issue--- June 23rd!
Best,
Fred
( Editor@Langa.Com )
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.
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