Sunday, February 29, 2004
Free Wi-Fi Internet "hot spots" In emailing a friend recently (an RV'er like us), she's traveling across the country with one of those little USB-connected wi-fi adaptors and her laptop, and finding it easier to get highspeed Internet access via wireless than it is to find a dialup connection. She says that she can reach spots up to 3 miles distant. This is entirely amazing. But this website lists a variety of "free" internet access "hot spots" making it ever-more-apparent that for travelers, having a laptop and an inexpensive USB Wi-Fi device is a good way to go.
Enlightened restaurants across the nation are getting into the act. It's good business! See Schlotzky's
Enlightened restaurants across the nation are getting into the act. It's good business! See Schlotzky's
Saturday, February 28, 2004
EndItAll
No, this is not a threat of suicide! It is my pleasure to pass along to you (Leonard Broz pointed me to it) this very useful utility which can terminate all unnecessary hidden programs on your computer. This is almost mandatory before doing other tasks, such as scandisk or disk defragmenter, or in running some very finicky programs (one example might be Pinnacle Studio). The programs which have been terminated will start themselves up again when you reboot your computer, so nothing lost. It's a freebie. Read all about it at this site.
No, this is not a threat of suicide! It is my pleasure to pass along to you (Leonard Broz pointed me to it) this very useful utility which can terminate all unnecessary hidden programs on your computer. This is almost mandatory before doing other tasks, such as scandisk or disk defragmenter, or in running some very finicky programs (one example might be Pinnacle Studio). The programs which have been terminated will start themselves up again when you reboot your computer, so nothing lost. It's a freebie. Read all about it at this site.
Unlimited Internet access with many local access numbers, for as little as $6.95 month
Joi Internet
Having used this service personally for two years, I can attest that it works, and (for me) it has never been down. It has about 550 local acccess numbers, which fortuitously have included most spots where I've been. You can sign up online and be surfing in under 10 minutes. I do recommend that you not use their automatic installation program, but rather set up your own dialer and email accounts. I do understand that WalMart also offers a low-cost internet service provider.
Joi Internet
Having used this service personally for two years, I can attest that it works, and (for me) it has never been down. It has about 550 local acccess numbers, which fortuitously have included most spots where I've been. You can sign up online and be surfing in under 10 minutes. I do recommend that you not use their automatic installation program, but rather set up your own dialer and email accounts. I do understand that WalMart also offers a low-cost internet service provider.
Thursday, February 19, 2004
Note: some valuable links have been archived to the older files, so be sure to click on the archive link (e.g. to get to CLIPMATE link).
POCOMAIL is an extremely nice "emailer" program. This can co-exist with Window's own Outlook Express email program, or you can ask Pocomail to be the default. It's a breeze to set up, and very transparent in how it does every aspect of business, including setting up an address book, mailboxes, checking more than one email account, etc. Most of my friends, who've been brave enough to try Pocomail (it includes a 30 day free trial), have stuck with it
POCOMAIL is an extremely nice "emailer" program. This can co-exist with Window's own Outlook Express email program, or you can ask Pocomail to be the default. It's a breeze to set up, and very transparent in how it does every aspect of business, including setting up an address book, mailboxes, checking more than one email account, etc. Most of my friends, who've been brave enough to try Pocomail (it includes a 30 day free trial), have stuck with it
Sunday, February 15, 2004
Here's a task for you: take all new data files in a directory (not the old ones, just the changed or new ones) and write them off to a CD for archival purposes. Furthermore, put them into a DATED folder on that CD.
(The next time you back up that same hard drive folder it'll select only those not backed up last time and write them to a newly formed and newly dated directory on that very same CD.) Looking at the CD, it's easy to tell what has been backed up and when. No writing files over each other.
I tried to write a batch file to do all of this, but it turns out there is a really, really nice little program, "Lou Backup" which does all of this with a mouse click. (You reckon "Lou" wrote it? I LIKE Lou...) It's EASY to set up, and a whiz to install and run. Free, too.
Lou's Backup Program
(The next time you back up that same hard drive folder it'll select only those not backed up last time and write them to a newly formed and newly dated directory on that very same CD.) Looking at the CD, it's easy to tell what has been backed up and when. No writing files over each other.
I tried to write a batch file to do all of this, but it turns out there is a really, really nice little program, "Lou Backup" which does all of this with a mouse click. (You reckon "Lou" wrote it? I LIKE Lou...) It's EASY to set up, and a whiz to install and run. Free, too.
Lou's Backup Program
Wednesday, February 11, 2004
The "Ultimate" animated website.
For some years I've been following Balthasar's efforts. If you have a broad-band connection (or even if you don't and have a little time to spend), click on to this site and just see what bright people can do, if they put their minds to it... Pretty WOW! (Be sure to have your speakers turned on).
For some years I've been following Balthasar's efforts. If you have a broad-band connection (or even if you don't and have a little time to spend), click on to this site and just see what bright people can do, if they put their minds to it... Pretty WOW! (Be sure to have your speakers turned on).
Sunday, February 08, 2004
Like Solitaire? Then this is the "ultimate" Solitaire suite: 394 solitaire games of every sort and nearly every description. You can organize your favorite lists in any number of ways. This suite is not only recommended by me, but by 100% of the users. If you like it, after installing the trial, you can play solitaire until the cow's come home for only a $24 permanent registration fee.
click here to see and download: SolSuite
click here to see and download: SolSuite
Thursday, February 05, 2004
ORGANIZING your picture files on your hard drive is essential, and I have written my suggestions, born of years of trial and error.
People occasionally ask me what digital photo programs I use. Though I've covered most of them here before, I'll supply a list (with hotlinks) right here for those who want this list in a condensed format.
THUMBSPLUS essential software for keeping track of all your pictures, even those offline on CD's
IRFANVIEW quick file viewer; when you click on a .jpg file, you want to see it quickly, not load another graphic editing program, which is very slow and clunky. Windows own file viewers (for those of you who have XP, are simply not as good; this one is FREE, always.
PHOTOSHOP I use the full version of this expensive and industry-standard program, but the "LE" version sells far short of $100 and does almost all the same things; most importantly, it allows "cloning" which is the erasure of unwanted elements (e.g. powerlines), in a picture
POWERPOINT essential if you want to create self-running slide shows with background music and customized transitions between each slide. Hard to learn, though.
WINDOWS MEDIA PLUS One file on this inexpensive disk, "Plus! Photo Story" creates 'movies" from your pictures. The result is playable on most everybody's computers, and exportable to CD's you want to send out. Be prepared to spend some time creating these moving masterpieces, though. When you're done, the results far outstrip what Powerpoint can do, though.
THUMBSPLUS essential software for keeping track of all your pictures, even those offline on CD's
IRFANVIEW quick file viewer; when you click on a .jpg file, you want to see it quickly, not load another graphic editing program, which is very slow and clunky. Windows own file viewers (for those of you who have XP, are simply not as good; this one is FREE, always.
PHOTOSHOP I use the full version of this expensive and industry-standard program, but the "LE" version sells far short of $100 and does almost all the same things; most importantly, it allows "cloning" which is the erasure of unwanted elements (e.g. powerlines), in a picture
POWERPOINT essential if you want to create self-running slide shows with background music and customized transitions between each slide. Hard to learn, though.
WINDOWS MEDIA PLUS One file on this inexpensive disk, "Plus! Photo Story" creates 'movies" from your pictures. The result is playable on most everybody's computers, and exportable to CD's you want to send out. Be prepared to spend some time creating these moving masterpieces, though. When you're done, the results far outstrip what Powerpoint can do, though.
Refilling those expensive ink cartridges. Carrot Ink
Printer companies sell printers at a loss-leader price. Then they sink their teeth into you with vastly overpriced ink refills. I've experimented for years with refilling the ink cartridges on my HP printers, usually with bad results. They either don't print properly after you've reloaded them, or they drip and foul up the inside of your printer (far worse).
But the cost of a new cartridge continues to drive me back to trying to refill them. Carrot Ink won a PC-magazine award for doing it right. They supply a "kit" which is the inks and directions, of course, but also some handy plastic gloves (which I've never even actually needed), and the most important of all: a plastic cradle for holding the used cartridge as you refill it. After the inks have been squirted in, you use a small syringe to pull some (not a lot) of ink back OUT through the inkjets themselves. This is what the cradle allows. In my experience, this step is what has been left out of other refillers. The process apparently cleans out the print head in a good way. I've been able to reload my color ink cartridges 3-4 times each. (After that many tries, it finally just gives out....I'm not sure just quite why).
How do the colors compare with the original? Just fine.
How does the price compare? About $7 to refill a cartridge, which sells for about $27-35 at the local Walmart.
Now the black ink cartridge situation is a bit different (at least for me). The kit is sold and works pretty well, but I've found that the black cartridges do tend to drip a bit for probably 10 minutes after refilling. I'm careful to wicker off the excess ink, and NOT put it back into the printer until it's finished weaping. With this caution, I've had good luck. Cost is very low for black refills.
One further caution. Have a "new" cartridge available in each of color and black, all the time, just in case your refilling goes awry, or doesn't take. You don't want to be totally dependent upon this process. But don't use those new standby's unless you really must. Wait until one of the colors runs out on your refiller color cartridge, and then don't delay, refill it immediately. Don't do as many folks do, inserting a new cartridge in their printer and putting the old one away "for some other day" to refill. They tend to get dried out and the process probably won't work.
Printer companies sell printers at a loss-leader price. Then they sink their teeth into you with vastly overpriced ink refills. I've experimented for years with refilling the ink cartridges on my HP printers, usually with bad results. They either don't print properly after you've reloaded them, or they drip and foul up the inside of your printer (far worse).
But the cost of a new cartridge continues to drive me back to trying to refill them. Carrot Ink won a PC-magazine award for doing it right. They supply a "kit" which is the inks and directions, of course, but also some handy plastic gloves (which I've never even actually needed), and the most important of all: a plastic cradle for holding the used cartridge as you refill it. After the inks have been squirted in, you use a small syringe to pull some (not a lot) of ink back OUT through the inkjets themselves. This is what the cradle allows. In my experience, this step is what has been left out of other refillers. The process apparently cleans out the print head in a good way. I've been able to reload my color ink cartridges 3-4 times each. (After that many tries, it finally just gives out....I'm not sure just quite why).
How do the colors compare with the original? Just fine.
How does the price compare? About $7 to refill a cartridge, which sells for about $27-35 at the local Walmart.
Now the black ink cartridge situation is a bit different (at least for me). The kit is sold and works pretty well, but I've found that the black cartridges do tend to drip a bit for probably 10 minutes after refilling. I'm careful to wicker off the excess ink, and NOT put it back into the printer until it's finished weaping. With this caution, I've had good luck. Cost is very low for black refills.
One further caution. Have a "new" cartridge available in each of color and black, all the time, just in case your refilling goes awry, or doesn't take. You don't want to be totally dependent upon this process. But don't use those new standby's unless you really must. Wait until one of the colors runs out on your refiller color cartridge, and then don't delay, refill it immediately. Don't do as many folks do, inserting a new cartridge in their printer and putting the old one away "for some other day" to refill. They tend to get dried out and the process probably won't work.
