kcnews12

======================
IS WINDOWS ME FOR ME?
======================
The new Windows operation system - MILLENNIUM EDITION or "ME" is here. Comes with a streamlined interface. Offers easier tech support and includes cool multimedia tools and the brand new Internet Explorer 5.5.

But it runs applications SLOWER than Windows 98. And new tools such as the Windows Media Player are already available for free download!

Bottom line: Millennium is a NOT necessary. If you have frequent technical difficulties or work with a lot of pictures or music on your home PC, try it (after you make backups of everything). If you're OK with Windows 98 or use your PC for business, stick with what you've got.

====================
Keyboard Shortcut Du Jour
====================
START ME UP
~~~~~~~~~~~
To open the START MENU:
TYPE: CTRL+ESC

This Key Combination is especially useful if you do NOT have a Windows key on their keyboard!

===================

WORD OF THE MONTH
===================
PENTIUM 4
~~~~~~~~~
For folks like you and me, Intel's new Pentium IV chip means lower prices on the Pentium III. But when should you buy a P4? Not now... maybe in a year, after enough software is be designed to take advantage of the new P4's enhanced multimedia instructions.

Yes, the steeply price P4 has cutting edge multimedia performance (described with acronyms like SSE2, SSE, and MMX). But this feature is quite useless until SSE2-optimized software is developed. The chip will also requires you to buy a new case, power supply & motherboard.

If the techie in you wants to drool over technical reviews of the new chip, read these:

Tom's Hardware - the big kahuna of PC hardware sites - is loaded with P4 factoids:
http://www.tomshardware.com/

==========
TECHNOTIP
==========
ICANN BOOGIE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The folks that decide what websites are allowed are known as ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers). They finally agreed to create some new TOP LEVEL DOMAINS.

In addition to existing .com, .org, .net, .gov, .mil, and .edu domains, ICANN has now blessed .biz, .pro, .aero, .info, .name, .museum, and .coop. Get 'em while they're hot!

Several domains which enjoyed support in the user community were NOT accepted. ICANN did not approve .web, .kids, and .xxx. Oh well...

==================

SITES FOR SORE EYES
==================
NAPSTER ALTERNATIVE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sonicnet.com = free (legal) music!

Napster scared the music industry. New models of music distribution provide legal alternatives to Napster. One - Sonicnet.com - comes MTVi, the Internet-savvy offspring of MTV.

Sonicnet fits the legal definition of a radio station. Listeners get no music "on demand". But they get an unprecedented amount of user input and power.

Users design their own custom stations, choosing minor classes of music (like Brit pop, indie rock, or chamber music) from lists grouped according to major genres (like pop, rock, or classical).

You can "tune" your station by commenting on specific artists that appear on your own personal airwaves. And bands that receive little or no commercial airplay crop up regularly on Sonicnet.

Very few audio ads (all spots run 30 seconds or less), and a clean and comfortable interface. In addition to allowing users to choose genres and groups they like, Sonicnet allows users to skip and pause their tracks!

For now Sonicnet.com is one legal option for free music on the Internet.
http://www.sonicnet.com

Shopping for tech toys?
-------------------------
If you want to get computer hardware or software, we help you get the best deals right here:
http://www.kahl.net/shopping

======

KC TIPS
======
TO: CC: OR BCC:
--------------------
OOPS! Maybe you noticed the mailing list on the last KC News was visible - hundreds of email addresses cluttered up that Newsletter! And for that we do apologize.

All we needed to do was BCC: That's short for 'BLIND CARBON COPY'. And along with CC: or Carbon Copy it one of the 3 popular options you have when addressing email messages. Lets take a closer look at them:

1) TO: is the most common addressing method; use it for the PRIMARY RECIPIENT(S) of your message.

2) CC: means CARBON COPY, and is just the thing for secondary recipients. So if you write to Uncle Bob and you want to send a copy to Aunt Sally use CC:

3) BCC: or BLIND CARBON COPY is for secondary recipients NOT IDENTIFIED to the other recipients, including those in the cc list. Use it when you are addressing a message to many people and you don't want to annoy them with a long list of names. Or if you email a complaint to Microsoft and you want to the Better Business Bureau to read it as well BUT you don't want Microsoft to know about it, then that's where you use a BCC:

In Netscape Messenger it's as easy as clicking the "To:" button in front of the address field and choosing a different recipient type.

=======

WinTips
=======
WINDOWS FILE TYPES
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Got a strange error on your PC? It could be that a system files is the problem.

Microsoft does odd things when it makes operating systems - like "hiding" files of certain types. Hiding? Yes, you are unable to see them, but they are still there and functioning. Most folks are unaware of this... until something goes wrong!

Important files that are hidden -- include those with the file extensions DLL, SYS, VXD, 386, PNF, and DRV. Most people don't need to know about these hidden files. Tinkering and deleting any of them is risky!

A good product for getting rid of extraneous files is Norton System Works "Clean Sweep". It will backup deleted files so that they can be restored if anything has been removed in error. There are many similar products.

Before you start messing around in your PC, try REISTALLING the software that you suspect is causing the glitches. But make a backup of all the files you created first!

Ok, we've warned you enough. If you really want to unhide these system files, follow these instructions:

1) Double-click on My Computer on your desktop
2) From the View pull-down menu select Options or Folder Options (depends on your version of Windows)
3) Click on the View tab
4) Select Show all files under Hidden Files and click OK.

HIDDEN FILES
Here are the hidden files you will now see as well as some related problems:

INF
-- information or setup file
Description: a text file that specifies the files that need to be present for a component to run.

PNF
-- Precompiled setup information
Description: temporary files that are created during the execution of an .INF file.

DRV
-- Device driver
Definition: drivers are what make your hardware work.
Problem: drivers generally don't cause problems unless you upgrade your operating system or hardware.
Solution: download a new driver from either the manufacturer, or try Driverzone (www.driverzone.com/). Manufacturers update drivers from time to time, and installing a new driver can improve the performance of a particular device.

DLL
-- Dynamic Link Library
Definition: Microsoft says it is "a file of code containing functions that can be called from other executable code (either an application or another DLL). Programmers use DLLs to provide code that they can reuse and to parcel out distinct jobs (such as the code for menubars in software). Unlike an executable (exe) file, a DLL cannot be directly run. DLLs must be called from other code that is already executing."
Problem: if the DLL file which a program needs to run is missing or corrupted, an error message will come up, advising of the missing file.
Solution: to make the program run, you will have to get another copy of the DLL file (try the DLL Archive (solo.abac.com/dllarchive/ ). Some DLLs have version numbers, some do not. Do not replace a newer one with an older one. (To check what version the file is, open Windows Explorer, locate the file and right click on it. Select Properties and click on the Version tab.) How do you know which folder to place this new file in? It could be anywhere. If you can, ask someone to do a find file search on their computer to find out what folder it is in.

VXD or 386
-- Virtual Device Driver
Definition: Windows 95 virtual device driver files have a filename extension of .VXD; Windows 3.1 drivers used an extension of .386. Microsoft says that the file name can be changed from .386 to .vxd by using a simple file rename command at the command prompt, and that your setup files should also reflect this new name. So, if it ain't broke, don't fix it: change at your peril.
Problem: if you have the error message "missing the file files32.vxd" or similar, it's not true. The files32.vxd file is a byproduct of running the PrettyPark.exe virus. If you got rid of the files32.vxd file before you fixed the damage to your system registry, you will be able to do very little with your PC.
Solution: to fix this problem you now need to do some serious fixing up; search online for instructions under "remove prettypark.html"
Problem: on starting Windows, an error message states that a .386 or .VXD file referenced in the SYSTEM.INI file cannot be found. This error message can occur if the file in question is damaged, and could thus be wrong, as the file may be referenced in the registry or be loaded by VMM32.VXD.
Solution: find and replace the file referenced in the error message. You can find it on your original Windows disks or CD

SYS
-- System Configuration File
Definition: a file necessary to a specific program. The config.sys file exist only because of legacy problems -- for example, old games that ran on Windows 3.1, but won't work with Win98, need to have lines in this file to operate.

BAT
-- MS-DOS Batch File
Definition: a list of commands which run instead of the user having to type them one at a time at the DOS prompt. The most common, autoexec.bat, is not really required anymore by Windows 98 or NT.

CAB
-- Cabinet File (Microsoft installation archive)
Description: zipped, compressed files where operating system stuff lives. If you need to add any components to your operating system, this is where they come from.

ZIP --
Zipped file (has nothing to do with a Zip Drive)
Description: these are often sent through e-mail and are usually several files compressed into one file. You will need an unzip program to open it. (WinZip is the most commonly used program; search for unzip on a download site. They are listed at: http://www.kahl.net/tools/download.htm

EXE --
Executable file
Definition: this file will run a program or application. Beware when opening .exe files unless you know what they are -- they can contain viruses.

COM
-- MS-Dos Command File
Definition: another executable file; functions in the same way as an exe file, and can also contain viruses.

=======================

AOTM (Acronym of the Month)
=======================
IP & DNS
--------------
IP ADDRESS
~~~~~~~~~~
Ever hear the term "IP Address"?

Every computer jacked into the net has a NUMERIC ADDRESS. It's is called an IP ADDRESS. It is used to identify the LOCATION of the computer. A techie would say IP numbers are 32 bit addresses that consist of four octets, and they are expressed as four numbers between 0 and 255, separated by periods, for example:
204.234.212.1.

This addressing system is too cumbersome to remember for mortals. That's why we prefer to have a domain name - like KAHL.NET - and forget about that IP address!

What is DNS?
~~~~~~~~~~
It is not a new form of DNA. It stands for "Domain Name System" or Domain Name Service". It's on a computer server that translates DOMAIN NAMES into IP ADDRESSES that computers understand.

When someone wants to access a website (like www.widgets4sale.com) the DNS takes the domain name and translate it into an IP address (like 104.214.213.52). That's what allows the computer to locate the web server out there in cyberspace.

================

!!Hoax & Virus Alert!!
================
DIRECT THREAT SPAM
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ever get an email that some "evil hackers" automagically has decided to threaten you with -- yes, you! They're gonna infect your computer with a virus, steal passwords, charge your credit card, release your SSN, and kick you off-line. Oh oh!

But wait! You can be saved if you forward this chain mail to ten friends in the next 10 minutes! Gulp! Your ten friends are gonna thank you for this one!

But wait! Your ten friends can be saved if they forward the very same chain letter to...

TIP: Put this rubbish to good use and send it to those 10 folks who you LEAST like!

Remember netizens, play it safe. Scan for VIRII and VERIFY MESSAGES!
Do it right here:
http://www.kahl.net/hoax

-----------------------
THE GIFT OF GAB
-----------------------
GO TO GLOBALCOM for your telecommunication needs. Say you're in the USA... you'll get 4.9 cents in-state and 6.9 cent per minute interstate calls FROM ANY PHONE with our VoiceNet offer!

We find the BEST DEALS for you. SAY BYE TO EXPENSIVE CALLS! Check out this great offer AND MANY MORE!
http://www.kahl.net/global

======

NetTips
======
TOP 10 WAYS... To Avoid Being Caught Wasting Time Online at Work
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. Use the Alt + Tab keys, commonly known as toggling. This allows you to switch from one opened application to another very quickly.
2. Use a glare screen: The screen prevents passersby (your boss) from viewing what's on your screen.
3. Position your desk/computer so that only you can see what's on the screen.
4. Anonymizer.com- A website that provides ways to surf without leaving a web trail.
5. Delete or Erase Internet history/cache files/cookies.
6. Minimize- Have applications minimized at the bottom of your screen to have ready to switch to in case someone comes by.
7.Use a Hotmail or alternate personal e-mail account.
8. Delete old emails.
9. Surf sites like "Ishouldbeworking.com" (which features a "Boss is coming" button that takes you directly to a financial news site.)
10. Make sure your screen saver is set on a low timer setting so that if you leave your desk and you're surfing, your screen saver will conceal your Internet use.
[Source: Vault.com]

And that's about it. Now turn off your computer and kiss someone under the mistletoe. Until next year...

THE PLUG
========
How has your small business or organization been performing lately? Do you have enough clients? Do you want enhance your presence on the net? Some of our latest clients include:

Technology. Use it appropriately. Put it in our hands. Kahl Consultants are always at your service at http://www.kahl.net

If you got this far you obviously enjoyed KC News. Pass it on!
Please forward it to a handful of your friends. Remember, the best things in life are free.

THE PUNCH LINE
==============
SHOW SOME EMOTICON
------------------------------
Emoticons or smileys are symbols help convey the tone, or emotion of an online message. Use sparingly!!

Kahl Consultants
P.O.Box 4284
San Rafael, CA 94903-4284
USA
Tel: +1-415-499 0838
Fax: +1-415-499 0833
www.kahl.net
Contact us

The award-winning Kahl Consultants. Helping small business in San Francisco Bay, Marin, Sonoma and globally.
Your comments?

Technology
Use it appropriately
Put it in our hands

KC News

11-12/2000 | MILLENIUM SPECIAL | Vol.2, No.11-12