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Q Roger from Whittier - Making the “Show Desktop” shortcut show up

• Problem is that the shortcut disappears on its own
• Microsoft has a knowledge-base article on how to recreate the Show Desktop icon

• Check out this Web 2.0 name generator

Q Dan from San Bernadino - Vista Home Basic loaded on business machine/Vista driver for multifunction HP printer

• Vista Home Basic was the “introductory” OS
• Just upgrade machine to Vista Business
• HP is still working on many multifunction drivers for Vista

Q Mary Ann - 3rd party grammar checker

• Several available
  • Grammar Expert Plus
  • StyleWriter
  • Maxit

Q Rick Alber - WuFoo

• Helps create almost any type of form on the fly
  • That exists as a web page
• People can add information and WuFoo will add it to its servers
• Can subscribe to form data via RSS, get emails
• Also can get statistics
• Customize the page to your heart’s desire
• Can export the data to Excel or .csv file
• Allow you to download code to embed in your own website
• Stikkit is a similar, but very useful tool

Q Mark from West Virginia - Setting up a message board to keep family in touch

• Wants to keep message board absolutely private
• Sponsor in LA, thefamilypost.com, has included message board
• If you don’t mind ads, Yahoo 360 will allow you to create private websites that people can be a part of
• Can also use Yahoo Groups that will allow you to create a mailing list that is archived online
  • Free
  • Can keep private
  • Can keep invite-only

Q Dave from West Lake Village - Internet Explorer crashing after installing Firefox

• Firefox extension available to use IE rendering engine on certain sites
  • IETab
• May be time to upgrade to Internet Explorer 7
• If it’s Internet Explorer itself having the problem, then IETab may not work
  • Possible to download IE standalone installer

• Can also do “Help & Repair” from the help menu in Word
  • Also in add/remove programs

Q Bruce from San Diego - Resetting Microsoft Word settings

• You have to do it page by page
• Possible to delete preferences
  • Delete a specific registry key
  • Also need to change the global template file
• Then Word should fix itself

Q Gary from New York - Powerpoint not playing video

• Powerpoint rarely plays nice with Quicktime video
• Within avi file, there is a codec for the video
• Indezine has an article describing various video formats and how it works with Powerpoint

Guests

Q Ron Rossberg - Mio DigiWalker H610 GPS/USB beverage cooler

• 2/3 the size of a Palm device
• Can hang around your neck
• 320×240 resolution
• Has SD slot to play mp3s
• Entire USA maps preloaded
• Price is $339 on Amazon
• Watch a review going through features on YouTube
• Battery lasts 4–6 hours

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B000EDJJMI.01.PT01._SCLZZZZZZZ_V44012263_AA280_.jpg%%

• Beverage cooler brings things down to about 45 degrees Fahrenheit
• Probably will kill laptop battery

Q Peter from Van Nuys - Cannot boot from slipstreamed Windows XP disc

• Using Nero and told it to make a bootable disc
• Try using another program

Leo discovered a cool Mac application: Sticky Windows that will minimize windows into tabs instead of into the dock.

Q Rob from Houston - Editing podcasts on the Mac

• Has a podcast covering AirShows: AirShowCast
• GarageBand isn’t great at audio editing
• For $40, try out AmadeusPro
• Audacity is a free, open-source alternative

WinDVD has released a mandatory patch for high definition DVDs. Update or never watch movies again. The idea behind this is that the hackers who cracked AACS protection used the software.

Q Jan from Beverly Hills - Difference in HDMI cables/”G-Drive”

• Get the cheapest HDMI cables as possible
• A digital signal is always a digital signal
  • Either makes it or it doesn’t
• More protection in analog meant the signal would be clearer.
  • Not so with digital signal
• G-Drives are very pretty
• Everybody is using the same drive mechanisms
• No need to spend the extra money

EEye, a security company, had notified Microsoft of the problem over 3 months ago, and they had an interim patch available. Follow Leo’s Six Rules for Safe Computing.

Q Scott from Alta Loma - Web Browsers

• Wants to know difference between Firefox and Internet Explorer
• Has numerous security programs
• Your behavior is the most important thing you can change
• Firefox is safer because it’s “dumber”
  • Internet Explorer has ActiveX controls (mini-applications) that have the capabilities of a true application
  • Internet Explorer 7 at least warns you before running ActiveX controls
• Internet Explorer 7 is fine compared to Firefox
• In Vista, turn on the “protected mode” in IE7
• When you load a webpage, you load several elements
• Once security is compromised, you can never be sure that you are safe.
• Eliminate ZoneAlarm if you have a router
• Windows Defender is a great antispyware program.

Q Paul Thurott - Another Vista tip

• Slideshow feature built into Windows shell
• Go to a folder with pictures in it
  • Slideshow button available in toolbar
• Slideshow has a toolbar at the bottom to control show
• Several cool themes available
  • Aero-only feature

Q Richard from Fullerton - Error in a program that makes no sense

• Regarding “Network Time Protocol”
• There is a server running somewhere that you connect to in order to sync times
• Uses weird “strata” system
  • Computers that are connected to atomic clock
• TClockEx lets you modify the clock options

Paul Graham has determined Microsoft to be dead.

Microsoft released an “out-of-cycle” patch for a “zero-day” expoit. Microsoft usually ships patches on the second Tuesday of every month. The fact that they sent out a patch out of cycle means that the exploit was very critical. So run your Windows Update!

EEye, a security company, had notified Microsoft of the problem over 3 months ago, and they had an interim patch available. Follow Leo’s Five Rules for Safe Computing.

A zero-day exploit is when an undisclosed or unpatched vulnerability is taken advantage of.

John Naughton of The Observer has an explanation as to why Apple wants to charge a premium for “freedom”, or DRM-free, music.

Sunday 8 April 2007

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