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This page was created for our customers to make them aware of articles and comments made in publications that we feel are important to know. Items used here express the views and opinions of F1 Computer Services, hence the name "Soapbox".

March 16, 2002

Chips off the Old Block

Are you shying away from that less expensive new computer because it lacks the "Intel Inside" sticker? If so, you're not alone. A large segment of the computer-buying public believes the only way to get a truly Intel-compatible processor is to buy one from Intel.

That's not the case, though. Modern non-Intel x86-based CPU's are really just as Intel-compatible as Intel's chips.

Perhaps the best example consists of reviews that include results of benchmark tests run on AMD and Transmeta based systems. Look closely: You never see "unable to complete the test" in those tables. For the purposes of compatibility, ignore how high the scores are; just recognize that if chips were incompatible, they wouldn't get benchmark test scores at all.

In fact, counting the patches listed in Microsoft's own Knowledge Base, you find far more for solving problems occuring with Intel-based CPU's than with competitors' products. And let's not forget the well publicized Pentium math bug of a few years back. A chip isn't necessarily perfect just because it comes from Intel.

(Source: PC Magazine February 26, 2002 pages 58-60)

March 6, 2002

Video Editing: Readers Know

You can always count on PC Magazine readers to be up on state-of-the-art products or primed to learn about them. My column "No Danger to Spielberg," January 15, 2002, covered my travails (and ultimate success) with video editing. It also provoked a ton of reader mail.

Video professionals were quick to assure me that the pros are moving away from the Mac platform, finding more power and flexibility in PC's. Dennis Welch, a video producer from Los Angeles, described his system built around Windows 2000 and a Matrox RT2000 card. He says he'd edited segments lasting from 3 minutes to over an hour:

While I was building this system, I started a videoediting class at a city college using a new Mac G4 with Adobe Premiere 5.1 worked the same projects on both platforms. Now understand, I bought my first Apple in 1981, an Apple II Plus. I also used the Mac when it first came out. For years I had nothing good to say about IBM, but now things have changed, and a lot of the pros here in L.A. are going to the IBM-compatible systems for good reason: The CPUs and other hardware for IBM are outperforming Apple hardware. And for myself I like building my own computer.
Bill Machrone, VP of Technology

(Source: PC Magazine February 26, 2002 page 49)

January 15, 2002

Holes Galore in Microsoft Programs

WOULD YOU LIKE the folks at Microsoft to see your company's confidential budget documents? If you use Windows XP or Office XP, they might. Here's how: If any Office XP application or any program running on Windows XP crashes, a dialog box pops up asking permission to send a bug report to Microsoft. If you approve and click Send Error Report, the transmission may tack on parts of the file or Web site you were viewing. Microsoft does tell you what kind of data it might gather--but you must click another link on the dialog box to find out more. To prevent your private files from visiting Redmond, you can do one of two things: Click Don't Send each time the dialog box appears, or disable the entire thing by editing the Windows Registry. In your browser go to find.pcworld.com/16642 to obtain Microsoft's instructions.

Two other, unrelated Microsoft security problems have surfaced. One of them affects Excel and PowerPoint; the other crops up in Internet Explorer. So far, nobody has reported a hack attack, but you should download the patches to be on the safe side. The more important hole appeared recently in Excel 2000/2002 and PowerPoint2000/2002. Discovered by Peter Ferrie of Symantec Security Response, the bug exploits Excel's and PowerPoint's ability to run macros. By crafting a file with specially malformed macros, a hacker could do anything on your computer that you could do. All the villain would need you to do is open that file. The misbegotten file could come as an attachment in an e-mail, or it could lurk behind a link on a Web site. Go to find.pcworld.com/16360 for links to separate patches for Excel and PowerPoint.

A new IE hole could enable someone to trick the browser into loosening its security settings, which would leave you open to possible attacks. By exploiting a quirk of IE 5.01 and 5.5, a hacker could create a URL or a link that confuses the browser into behaving as though it weren't on the Internet but on an intranet instead. IE has a separate collection of security settings for intranets, and many corporations and individuals adopt relatively lax security settings for intranet surfing. Your browser may be in a mode for surfing safely around your home network when really you're out cruising the Web with your guard down--it's sort of like sleepwalking while crossing a busy street. Theoretically, if your shields are down, someone could take full control of your PC uninvited. Visit find.pcworld.com/16380 to obtain Microsoft's fix.

(Source: PCWorld January, 2002 Stuart Johnston, Contributing Editor)

October 25, 2001

Windows XP . . . Should You Upgrade?

The reason experienced computer users will want XP is stability. According to Microsoft, the OS is 10 to 30 times more stable than Windows 98 or Me. This has been borne out by my personal experience.
If you're buying a new system, you will want XP because the user interface is less intimidating. The OS is also more task oriented--especially in supporting digital music and digital photography.
I don't like the new pricing any more than most of you do--or what one MS exec described as a "very vocal minority." While I am not wild about paying $270 to upgrade three home machines, I don't think Microsoft will relent, especially since upgrade sales are not the big moneymaker they once were.
Prediction: Some hacker will conjure up an "easy" way for people to circumvent XP's pesky copy-protection issues and let you install XP wherever you want. I have heard of these hacks already. Sure, making copies of Windows 98 was illegal, but there really wasn't any way to stop you. And if you copied the software onto a second home machine, say, it really did not seem wrong. But with XP it is wrong, and you cannot plead ignorance. If that catches on, what happens next? Will Microsoft assert the jackboot?
XP makes networking much easier, especially for home use and for wireless connectivity. This gives you new things to do with your PC by making it easier for you to communicate. For instance, XP gives you a reason to buy a Webcam: video instant messages. Wireless networking still needs some evolving to be absolutely mainstream, but now there's a second OS (Apple had the first) really optimized for wireless local area networking.
I don't think zillions of people are going to rush to the store to buy a new PC just because XP is here. But if you have been thinking about upgrading, low hardware prices and a sleek new OS ought to be reason enough, right? And you'll be helping our battered economy. Check out the new hardware based on the AMD processors.
As much as I believe any big company or government, I believe Microsoft wants to protect your privacy. I am not afraid of what MS will do with personal data--read its privacy policies. But I am concerned about its ability to protect my data from bad guys. XP is the beginning of the .Net era of Internet and Web-based applications talking to one another and sharing data. Security issues are as big a limiting factor here as anything else.
Microsoft deserves praise for improving the level of technical support and adding user-to-user remote support to XP. This is a step down the road to computers that know how to fix themselves.
If you are a corporate customer, Microsoft is pushing very hard to get you into a licensing program for both Windows XP and Office XP. Maybe you don't like being pushed--especially as hard as Microsoft did--but get over it: That's how you'll be buying software from here on out.
Should you upgrade? First run the Windows Upgrade Advisor. If you can upgrade--and most people can, especially with an inexpensive memory bump to 256 MB--I recommend it. Wait if you are using Windows 2000. Though XP is faster, you already have enhanced stability. But if you are running the brain-damaged Windows Me or you're just tired of crashy Windows, spend the money.

(Source: ZDNet.com October 25, 2001 David Coursey, Executive Editor, AnchorDesk)

October 15, 2001

Microsoft promises that all of its products will feature activation codes by February 2002. Oh joy.
(Source: PC Magazine September 4, 2001 page 67)

October 12, 2001

E-Mail Addiction
Although only about one in four business related e-mails requires immediate attention, workers average 49 minutes per day managing their in-boxes.

34% of workers check e-mail continually during the day.
42% of workers check business e-mail while on vacation.
23% of workers check business e-mail on weekends.
27% of business e-mails require immediate attention..

(Source: PC Magazine September 4, 2001 page 29)

June 18, 2001

Smart Poll
WILL YOU UPGRADE TO OFFICE XP?

13% - Yes, it will save me time.
46% - No, old Office suites are fine.
21% - No, the price tag is too high.
17% - No, the Activation Wizard is too frustrating.
3% - No, it crashes too much.

(Source: Sm@rt Partner June 11, 2001 page 12)

June 4, 2001

Is This A Good Thing Or Just Another Invasion Of Privacy??
Next time you see a product in an ad that catches your eye as you walk by the bus stop, you might be able to point your PDA at it to download more information.
Streetbeam, a media and wireless technology company based in New York City, is tackling mobile commerce with technology that lets advertisers target consumers with customized messages aimed at users of WAP-enabled cell phones. Palm PDAs, and other Palm OS-based devices.
The technology takes traditional outdoor advertisements to the next level, serving up coupon promotions, program listings, schedules, interactive games, and other content that can be transmitted from an ad to a hand-held device via infrared transceivers.
Information such as product specifications can be beamed to all compatible devices as they pass within range of an outdoor ad, or even from one user to another. "What we've done is linked M-commerce with outdoor media," says Jann Renner, president of Streetbeam. "M-commerce is still defining itself, but it is a good way for advertisers to hedge bets by including electronic devices in their marketing plans."
Currently the service is being tested in New York City in outdoor ads for clothing retailer Banana Republic. After the test in New York is completed, Streetbeam plans to extend the service to a number of other cities.
(Source: PC Magazine April 24, 2001 page 63)

May 9, 2001

Okay, it's been over six months since Windows Me was introduced. After our initial review in September many things changed. We performed a clean install on our test computer in December after different problems started popping up.
Performance was significantly better than the upgrade over Win 98 although it still didn't crash any less frequently. System Restore, the biggest addition to the upgrade, randomly loses restore points completely. This of course happens just when you need to perform one. It has bailed us out a couple of times so if it is working, it is useful.
Some software that we used did not warrant an upgrade by their manufacturer. We were told by Ulead (video software) to re-install Win 98! Or of course. . . buy their upgrade. We chose to move on to another program.
We installed DirectX8 in December. A system restore was required when the computer began crashing too frequently. Automatic Updates had to be disabled when every time it would try to update it would crash. Great feature. . .
Media Player 7 is a slow pig of a program any way you look at it. Maybe when it can load faster than 5 seconds on a 1.0 Ghz machine . . . Media Player 6.4 is very quick but doesn't look as flashy, but who cares!
So we've climbed the ladder and continue to only get a view of "Windows". Windows 3.0, 3.1, WFW, Win 95, Win 95b, Win 95 w/IE 4, Win 98, Win 98 SE, Win Me. How many have you gone through? It's beginning to all look the same . . .

August 31, 2000

"Did your PC ever start playing It's a Small World, After All? for you out of the blue? Sounds like a nightmarish joke virus from Disney--but it's not. It's not even a bug; it's a feature. We're not goofin' around. That song is an error message from Award/Unicore's detection circuit and system BIOSes.
When you hear it, or Beethoven's Fur Elise, your computer's trying to tell you that the CPU fan has failed, or is about to fail.
OK, so maybe there's no direct connection between the music and that kind of computer error. Well, actually, there's no connection whatsoever. But when you hear either of those tunes, it's time to replace your CPU fan before the CPU overheats. If you don't you'll soon hear the expensive chimes of a cash register as you buy a new computer.
Who thinks of these things, anyway?"
(Source: Sm@rt Partner August 21, 2000, page 20)

August 2, 1999

Microsoft and Compaq computer on Friday confirmed the existence of several significant software security flaws that could enable intruders to gain access to the computers of millions of customers and to damage their data via e-mail or through commands sent by a malicious Web site.
The vulnerabilities, which affect computers running Microsoft's Windows operating system and Internet Explorer browser (F1 note: IE: Windows98 and Windows95 with Internet Explorer), in combination with other programs, are invisible to anti-virus programs, illustrating the risks inherent in the growing complexity of today's personal computer software.
Consumers who are at the greatest risk are those running programs shipped as part of Microsoft's Office 97 suite of productivity programs -- Word 97 or Excel 97 . . .
A Microsoft official said the company was at work creating a fix for the newly discovered security holes.
The new flaws also raise questions about Microsoft's decision to integrate its Explorer Web browser directly into the Windows operating system. That decision is a key issue in the company's antitrust battle with the U.S. Justice Department.
Microsoft has passionately defended the browser integration. But a number of computer security experts who are familiar with the newly discovered flaws said that by tightly integrating Web browsing software with its personal computer operating system, Microsoft has greatly complicated the challenge of ensuring that Windows is secure.
"A single operating system and single provider of tools dominates the market," said Doug Tygar, a professor of computer science at the University of California, Berkeley, who specializes in security. "Because Microsoft is linking all these aspects of computing, all the walls that usually prevent such attacks aren't there."
(Source: Orange County Register Business Section, July 31, 1999 page 3)

July 29, 1999

Technology is really getting scary, I think Big Brother has arrived. You have to check this out! Microsoft has released a beta version of a new system they are developing. It is a virtual digital camera that actually uses a grid of pixels on YOUR MONITOR to capture a digital image of you. No external device is used! http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/acres/3072/camera1.html

July 12, 1999

Here is one from Microsoft's programmers. Open Word 97 and type the sentence "I'd like to see Bill Gates dead" (without the quote marks). Highlight the sentence, then click on Tools, Language and then Thesaurus. The replacement sentence that Microsoft offers up may surprise you! If you don't use Word (and this gag isn't reason enough either), e-mail us and we'll tell you what it says.

July 5, 1999

Corel's WordPerfect Suite 2000 is the power users choice. Run it through it's paces and find out what you have been settling for! PC Computing says "But once you've tried WordPerfect Office 2000, you'll feel sorry for coworkers who are still using Microsoft Office." (July, 1999, page 124)
Tired of the whole virus thing? Switching to another word processor and spreadsheet will eliminate almost all of your worries. Most of todays viruses are Word or Excel macro based.
Why let someone else make your decision as to what software to use? If you share documents back and forth with an office, that's one reason to keep your suite (but WordPerfect Suite 9 reads and writes to MS Office format). But if almost all of the work you do is only used on your own computer, next time you upgrade try another suite instead of MS Office. MS Office only took over the market by being installed on almost all new computers. Consumer choice is not how this product rose to fame.

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