I just finished writing a feature article for WINDOWS Magazine that will appear in an upcoming issue. It’s about the #1 power user's tool for solving all kinds of problems with Windows. Chances are, you already have this tool, but don’t know it!

You see, every copy of Windows ships with a version of the Windows Resource Kit right on the CD ROM. The "ResKit" is awesome---for example, the Win98 version is the equivalent of a 1700 page book that can answer a huge range of Windows setup, deployment, troubleshooting, operational and tuning questions. Plus, the Win98 ResKit comes with over two dozen powerful software tools and utilities that can let you do things with Windows you may not have imagined possible. The free ResKit totals over 24MB of tools and information in all!

If you’re using Win98, the simplest way to use the free ResKit is to navigate to the \tools\reskit\setup directory on the Win98 CD, and run CDSETUP.EXE. Or if you just want to view the online book, click on \tools\reskit\help\rk98book.chm on the CD.

If you're running Win95, check out your CD ROM's /admin/ directory. Poke around in the subdirectories there, and you’ll find the online version of the Win95 Resource Kit book (\admin\reskit\helpfile\win95wrk.hlp), and a pile of Win95 tools.

The article coming up in WinMag will discuss each of the tools of both the free and the even larger and more complete extra-cost Win98 ResKit available from Microsoft Press for $70. The article contains a ton of detail, with numerous screen shots and descriptions of what every significant file is and what it does. Be sure to watch for it--- I don’t want to sound immodest, but I think the article turned out very well and will be well worth a read!

But meanwhile, I’d like to hear what you think of the free ResKit. Did you know about the ResKit already? What tools stand out as especially useful? What surprises (or disappointments!) did you encounter? Join in the discussion this week on the WinMag "Dialog Box" page, starting about noon on Monday (27-Jul-98, GMT-5). Just click over to the newly redesigned WinMag home page at http://content.techweb.com/winmag/ and join in!

It seems no one wants to take responsibility for anything any more. If you spill hot coffee on your lap and get scalded, it’s McDonald’s fault. If you buy a top-heavy SUV and take a corner too fast and tip over, it’s the manufacturer’s fault. If you’re crazy and shoot up city hall, it’s the fault of the Twinkies you ate for lunch. And so on. It’s gotten to the point where no one seems to say, "Hey, I screwed up. It’s my fault."

There’s something similar going on in the computer industry: A few years ago, when a high-tech company would run into trouble, people would point to an overt reason: buggy products, too-high-prices, unwanted product features, bad design, lack of marketing, and so on.

But today, when anyone gets into trouble, there’s only one primary reason given: It’s Microsoft’s fault.

One example from last week’s headlines: Lotus’s CEO Jeff Papows complained about Microsoft’s predatory business practices in a Senate hearing, saying that Microsoft had cost Lotus millions in lost business.

But you know, there’s another side to this. I used to be a devoted Lotus 1-2-3 user. I could whip out 1-2-3 macros with the best of them. I could make Lotus spreadsheets dance and sing. But I now use Excel.

The reason has nothing to do with Microsoft and everything to do with Lotus’ own actions. And Lotus isn't alone--- Netscape, Apple, IBM and others all have created messes for themselves that they now want desperately to blame on Microsoft.

Yes, some of Microsoft’s practices may be bogus and deserve censure. But surely other companies have to accept some responsibility for their own failures.

This week in my CMPnet column, I'll tell you the details of what turned me off to Lotus products, and some of the other missteps various vendors have made that they now just won't take the blame for.

What’s your take? Is Microsoft really the source of most major problems in the computer industry today, or has the Blame Game gone too far? What non-Microsoft products did you personally abandon solely due to problems with those products? And what problems should we legitimately attribute to Microsoft? Join in starting Wednesday (29-Jul-98) at http://www.langa.com/badlink.htm!

This last week, I updated BT98 so it now is rock-solid with the brand-new Communicator 4.5 beta from Netscape.

But some users have been confused by the "browser identification" page of BrowserTune98. They'll access the page, see information that's incorrect about their browser or operating system, and assume BrowserTune is broken.

Not so. BrowserTune merely tells you what your own browser is reporting about itself and the OS it's running on. If you see incorrect information on the BrowserTune page, the error lies within your own system!

As I reported a few weeks ago, one common problem with Win98 upgrades is that something doesn't get registered properly, and your browser---and therefore BrowserTune---will report you're running Win95.

If you go to the BrowserTune browser ID page and see incorrect information, you know something went wrong with your browser of OS upgrade. It's one of the fastest, best ways to get instant feedback on whether an update went OK or not. Check it out at http://www.browsertune.com//bt98/.

Microsoft has posted a free new version of the "Windows Media Player." It'll upgrade your current Media Player and ActiveMovie support, and will also now natively support WAV, AVI, QuickTime, and RealAudio 4.0 and RealVideo 4.0.

There were press reports of the new software breaking RealNetwork's beta G2 player, but the problem actually is inside the G2 player, not in Microsoft's Media Player.

You can grab a free copy of the new Media Player at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/mediaplayer/defaultie4.htm. And when you're done, check out the next item, below:

You can put the new Media Player through its paces at http://www.browsertune.com//bt98/mmedia.htm. That one section of BrowserTune runs in just a few minutes and yet will let you check out 15 different kinds of media samples!

But If you only have time for one test, try the brand-new QuickTime test--- click the second test button on this page: http://www.browsertune.com//bt98/quicktime.htm. Maybe I'm evil, but I love that clip! 8-)

There's also a wealth of free info available from Microsoft. Here's a sample of some specific Win98 problems, and the technical articles that Microsoft offers to help troubleshoot them. (Note that you have to register to access some of this info, but it's all free, takes just a minute, and requires only some very basic information from you.)

If you can remain calm, you probably don't have all the facts.

See you next week!

Best,

Fred

(fred@langa.com)

A formatted HTML version available in the "what's new" section of http://www.langa.com.