KC News 2003

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ALT-ESC TO SELECT OPEN WINDOW
VIRTUAL CALLING CARD
SLAMMING AND CRAMMING
PEST PATROL
TIME TO UPGRADE?
EXCEL KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS
CMS
PAY PAL EMAIL SCAM
AD AWARE

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Keyboard Shortcut Du Jour
====================
ALT-ESC TO SELECT OPEN WINDOW
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We regularly remind readers of the quickest way to switch among open applications in Windows. This super-duper handy-dandy keyboard shortcut is ALT_TAB: Hold down Alt as you continuously press Tab to rotate through all open windows, and when the one you want appears highlighted, let go.

Prefer to stick with the Task bar you know and love (still without having to use the mouse)? Try ALT_ESC instead. Hold down the Alt key as you press Esc continuously. Each time you press Esc, another Task bar item appears highlighted and the corresponding window takes its place on top of the open window pile. When the window you had in mind appears, let go.

(Note: Even windows that don't appear on the Task bar, such as the Display Properties dialog box, are included in the rotation.)

===============
HOUSEHOLD ITEM
===============
VIRTUAL CALLING CARD
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Along with your home phone and your cell phone you can use a VIRTUAL CALLING CARD to get great LONG DISTANCE RATES.

We recommend the calling services from GLOBALCOM - especially the prepaid calling service.

* 3.5¢ per minute USA, Canada, UK, HK, Singapore, Sweden...
* 4¢ per minute Belgium, Germany, France, Spain...

You'll save lots of money with the right calling card service. Be careful, cards you buy in shops usually have hidden fees.

* No Monthly Fees!
* No Hidden Fees!
* Works worldwide (via web enabled CALLBACK)!
* No gimmicks

It only takes $10 to try it out. So sign up for Click4Prepaid from GLOBALCOM:
http://www.kahl.net/global/

===================
WORDS OF THE MONTH
===================
SLAMMING AND CRAMMING
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The deregulation of the telephone industry has lead to some unethical practices that go by these unusual names.

Slamming is a deceptive practice in which your long distance service is switched without your knowledge or permission.

There are a number of ways unethical sales people can cause your phone service to be switched without your knowledge. The FCC allows companies to use telemarketing techniques to solicit your business. Telemarketers can cause your phone service to be switched by getting you to say "yes" during a telemarketing call.

Also, you can inadvertently agree to switch your carrier by signing a card to enter a sweepstakes. In some circumstances, failure to return a postage-paid card within a certain number of days will trigger an unauthorized change. Sometimes a family member or office associate unknowingly authorizes the change.

Usually you find out your carrier has been switched when you look at the long distance portion of your phone bill and realize your normal carrier has been replaced by another. The new carrier may charge higher rates and you could be facing a higher bill.

If you have been slammed, a representative of your phone company can help you switch back to your preferred provider.

Cramming occurs when charges are added to your telephone bill for products or services you did not order or may not have received.

Your phone company will remove the disputed charge, but you should also call the service provider to insure charges do not recur on future bills.

Your best defense is to listen carefully to sales pitches and closely review monthly bills. Whenever filling out sweepstakes entries, read the fine print.

==================
SITE FOR SORE EYES
==================
PEST PATROL
~~~~~~~~~~~
PestPatrol recently launched a free, comprehensive online spyware detection service.

PestScan from PestPatrol is a web-based program. It runs right from the web, downloading just a few small components to your computer.

Try it for a quick and easy way to scan Windows PCs for spyware, keyloggers, and other computer pests in the places they are most likely to be hiding. The PestScan results link directly to PestPatrol's extensive pest information database, enabling users to find out exactly what the threat level is.

Note: if you'd rather install a program with similar features check out Ad Aware (see NetTips below).

* MONEY-SAVING RANKINGS
Best sites for comparison shopping and reviews.
* "SWEET SPOT" SHOPPING LISTS
DESKTOPs and LAPTOPs. Best price-to-quality!
* GREEN PC Section
Helps you save energy.
Hardware or software, deals on technology:
http://www.kahl.net/shopping

======
KC TIPS
======
TIME TO UPGRADE?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When your hottest first-person shooter more closely resembles a slow-motion replay than an action game, it's definitely time to consider a PC upgrade. But deciding what components to replace, the order in which to replace them, the right time to make a purchase, and whether it's worth it in the long run is easier said than done.

That's where this column comes in. Designed to assist gamers in making wise choices regarding PC upgrades and tweaks, Ripped PC will discuss the pros and cons of stepping up to newer or alternative versions of such hardware as video cards, audio cards, processors, motherboards, cooling systems, and modified cases. And it will examine the different upgrade paths available as they pertain to cost, performance, and long-term value.

In this initial installment, I'll address several related issues to help set the stage for the adventures in upgrading that lie ahead. In brief, we're talking about whether to upgrade either the components or your whole system, and how to decide which components to upgrade.

Deciding on an appropriate upgrade path is usually based on more than the replacement of a single component. Several factors need to be considered.

First, if you only need to replace one or two components to bring your system up to snuff, whether to upgrade or not is a no-brainer. For instance, if you simply need some additional memory and a new video card, I'd say go for it. However, if your CPU is outdated and your motherboard won't accept a current processor upgrade--or if you need more system memory, your video card's too slow to run current games, and a better quality sound card is on your shopping list--it's time to replace that aging, prehistoric hunk of silicon that once was a cutting-edge piece of gaming hardware.

How do you know if it's time to purchase a new PC? A good indicator is the age of your system. Three years old or more is indicative of several generations in technological advancement these days. Moreover, if the cost to upgrade approaches half the purchase price of a new machine, it's time to consider total replacement.

I also suggest looking at the recommended system requirements (not the minimum requirements) on the back of the box of several current games in your favorite genres. If the majority of your system's components meet or exceed the recommended requirements, or come relatively close, an upgrade is a viable option. However, should they fall significantly below, it's time to scrap your present rig and start from scratch. While you can get by with the minimum requirements, your gaming experience will be far less than enjoyable.

The operating system plays a significant part in the equation, as well. For example, Windows 98 and Windows Me run great with 256MB of RAM. That's the "sweet spot" for those operating systems. Windows XP, on the other hand, will only perform its best if outfitted with at least 512MB of RAM. All of its slick visual features take a hefty toll on video cards, too. No self-respecting gamer should even consider a video card with less than 128MB of RAM.

Then there's clock speed. Generally, the higher the better, but you may be able to get a cheaper processor and overclock it, or run it at a higher clock speed than the speed posted on the box. While it may be cheaper for the processor itself, you probably need to add cooling systems to a box containing an overclocked chip, lessening the savings. This illustrates the defining characteristic of any upgrade: price. Sure, you'd like to have the latest and greatest processor with a gigabyte of RAM, but you may need to get creative to make that work within your budget.

Let's take CD-RW drives as another illustration. The fastest units on the market today are rated at 52x24x52x (write, rewrite, and read, respectively). Following the high-end route, I'd recommend a quality drive by Lite-On, Plextor, Sony, or another recognized player costing in the neighborhood of $50 and up. Electing a value-based approach, I'd suggest watching local papers for specials at electronics stores. For instance, a Verbatim 48x12x48x CD-RW drive was recently offered for $9.99 after rebates. That's quite a price differential for a slight performance hit.

Another factor to consider is the technology curve. Normally, the ideal time to upgrade is shortly after a new generation of product debuts, especially when considering a new CPU or video card. Simply put, new technology drives prices down on existing hardware. Just don't buy goods too many generations removed, especially where games are concerned. If the bucks are tight, buy one generation behind the curve on a video card and two generations behind on a CPU. Other components such as audio cards, motherboards, hard drives, and optical drives are not as critical. As for memory, you can never have too much. Stuffing 512MB to 1GB under the hood will do wonders for all applications, games included.

Component balance should be taken into account, as well. A fast CPU and video card will be bottlenecked with insufficient RAM on tap. Similarly, loads of RAM and a fast CPU can't counteract a feeble video adapter. Nor can a powerful graphics card and an excess of memory compensate for an anemic CPU. A proper balance must be maintained among key parts.

Finally, if it's time to replace an aging PC, you must decide if you're a more adventurous sort, gifted with tools and capable of building your own game rig from scratch, or if you're more gifted at flashing your credit card. If the latter, your best bet is to choose a company known for its expertise in building custom game systems, such as Alienware, Falcon Northwest, Hypersonic, or even Dell. If you need to make some compromises, make them wisely. Extra memory can be added later, and you can always get by with on-board audio and your old speakers for a time if it means the difference between upgrading those components now or choosing a better CPU or video card.

Should you elect the route of purchasing individual components to build a machine or upgrade your present one, use buying services like Price Watch or Price Grabber to assist in the process. However, make sure to read what others have to say about vendors before making your purchase. Take the shipping charges into consideration, too. While buying components from a single source may cost more per item, you could save significantly on the total shipping bill.

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WinTips
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EXCEL KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
These Microsoft Excel 2000 Keyboard Shortcuts will help you work faster with Excel.

Activity Shortcut Keys
-------- ---------------
Select Current Column CTRL+[space bar]
Select Current Row SHIFT+[space bar]
Move to Beginning of Worksheet CTRL+[home[
Move to Last cell on Worksheet CTRL+[end]
Paste a Function into a Formula SHIFT+F3
Display Formula Palette after you Type a Function Name CTRL+A
Select All CTRL+A
Alternate Between Displaying Cell Values and Formulas CTRL+' (single left quotation mark)
Calculate All Sheets in All Open Workbooks F9
Calculate Active Worksheet SHIFT+F9
Create Chart using the Current Range F11 or ALT+F1
Enter Date CTRL+; (semicolon)
Enter Time CTRL+: (colon)
Fill Selected Cell with Current Entry CTRL+[enter]
Display the Go To Box F5
Display the Format Cells Box CTRL+1
Copy CTRL+C
Paste CTRL+V
Undo CTRL+Z
Save CTRL+S
Print CTRL+P
Open CTRL+O

=======================
AOTM (Acronym of the Month)
=======================
CMS
~~~~
Basically Content Management Systems or "CMS" allow website content to be updated easily by normal users.

CMS supports the creation and management of web site content and enables end users to add and/or manipulate content on their website - all this without the help of a web master!

Web site content is usually text and documents, but also images and sound or more. Your business might consider using CMS to:
* create web content from scratch;
* change, edit or update content;
* let several people edit content together;

Due to it's cost CMS has previously been used primarily by larger businesses. Advances and improvements in CMS options have opened it up to small business and nonprofits as well.

Interested? Contact Kahl Consultants for details on how CMS can help you take control of your own site.

================
!!Hoax & Virus Alert!!
================
PAY PAL EMAIL SCAM
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The following is an e-mail scam. Paypal.com never sends out such e-mails.

The e-mail asks you to enter your credit card info, along with your Paypal password. If you get this email or any other email like it DO NOT REPLY! Forward it to the abuse dept and delete the message.

This e-mail is the notification of recent innovations taken by PayPal to detect inactive customers and non-functioning mailboxes.

The inactive customers are subject to restriction and removal in the next 3 months.

Please confirm your email address and and Credit Card info number by logging in to your PayPal account using the form below:

Email Address:
Password:
Full Name #:
Credit Card #:
Exp.Date(mm/yyyy) #:
ATM PIN (For Bank Verification) #:

Thanks for using PayPal!
This PayPal notification was sent to your mailbox. Your PayPal account is set up to receive the PayPal Periodical newsletter and product updates when you create your account. To modify your notification preferences and unsubscribe, go to https://www.paypal.com/PREFS-NOTI and log in to your account. Changes to your preferences may take several days to be reflected in our mailings. Replies to this email will not be processed.

If you previously asked to be excluded from Providian product offerings and solicitations, they apologize for this e-mail. Every effort was made to ensure that you were excluded from this e-mail. If you do not wish to receive promotional e-mail from Providian, go to http://removeme.providian.com/.

Remember kids, play it safe on the net. Don't trust internet fairy tales. Scan for virii and verify your emails here:
http://www.kahl.net/hoax/

KC WEB HOSTING
-----------------------
Kahl Consultants offers WEB SERVICES and HOSTING for small business.

* World Class HOSTING with personal service
* Online MARKETING Plans
* Website TRAFFIC Analysis
* Personal Attention

=======
NetTips
=======
AD AWARE
~~~~~~~~~
We're sure you have antivirus software installed on your computers. But what do you do about SPYWARE and unwanted applications that invade your privacy?

With its ability to scan your RAM, Registry, hard drives, and external storage devices for known data mining, advertising, and tracking components, Ad-aware can easily rid your system of these tracking components, allowing you to maintain a higher degree of privacy while you surf the Web.

The free Ad-Aware program is less than 2 MB large and easy to use. Highly recommended!

Note: if you don't want to install Ad Aware check out PEST PATROL (see SITE FOR SORE EYES above).

Alex
Kahl Consultants
http://www.kahl.net
Technology. Use it appropriately. Put it in our hands.

THE PLUG
========
Is your small business or organization performing?
Want to enhance your net presence?
Our latest clients include:
EMC Caskets
http://www.emccaskets.com

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THE PUNCH LINE
==============
ASSICONS
~~~~~~~~~
We all know those cute little computer symbols called "emoticons,"
where:
:) means a smile and
:( is a frown.
Sometimes these are represented by :-) and :-( respectively.

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

KC News JULY-AUG 2003 Vol.5, No.7-8