IRA WILSKER PAGE

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January 09 & 16, 2010 

EXAMINER 010810 - CrimeReports.com – The National Crime Map.doc

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January 02, 2010

What You Need for that New Christmas Computer By Ira Wilsker 

WEBSITES:

http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials   FREE Security software

http://www.cloudantivirus.com    Panda Cloud Antivirus

http://free.avg.com    Free AVG

http://www.avast.com   Free Avast!

http://download.cnet.com/ZoneAlarm/3000-10435_4-10039884.html 

            Now that Christmas and Hanukkah are past, many of you have opened that new computer and delved deep into its features.  Preliminary estimates are that a huge number of new computers were purchased this holiday season, and a refresher is in order such that you have some idea of what you may need with that new computer in order to maximize your computing security and safety.

            Most new computers came with some edition of Windows 7 installed, which appears to be a vast improvement over the Vista which was installed on last year's holiday computers.  Despite its improvements, Windows 7 still has vulnerabilities that need to be addressed.  Contrary to some allegations floating in cyberspace, I am utterly convinced that some comprehensive security software is an absolute necessity.  Almost all new computers come with a limited trial version of security software, such as Symantec's Norton, or a McAfee security product.  While these trial versions are functional for their short life expectancies, the clear intent is to sell you a paid subscription, often at an un-discounted full retail price, once the limited version expires.  Be aware that it is not the unbiased recommendation of your computer manufacturer that you purchase that particular software, but a crass commercial activity, whereby the computer maker may have been paid to put that trial version on the computer, and may receive a hefty commission in the event that you pay for a subscription.  One major computer maker even offers not to install this commission bearing software on new computers for a $50 fee!  That should be an indication of its value to the computer maker.

            You need decent protective software, consisting, at a minimum, of antivirus, anti-spyware, and a firewall.  While you may be protected for a short time by the trial versions of the security software factory installed on your computer, you have time to shop around for deals on security software, or to try some of the free titles that are available.  Watch the Sunday sale books for the big box electronics stores and office supply companies, as many are offering deals, including high value rebates on major security titles.  As I type this, one big box store in particular has three major comprehensive security suites advertised for between free and $10 after rebates; each package is good for up to three licenses, meaning that you can legally install it on up to three computers.  Two of those three titles are the exact same products that are commonly installed as trial versions on new computers that offer an annual subscription for $40 to $70, but are available almost for free (after rebates) from the big box store.

            Maybe holiday bills are coming due, and you would like to save some money by using some of the free security software that is available.  There are some excellent freeware products available that will do as good a job protecting your new computer from cyber threats such as viruses, spyware, and malware as the expensive commercial software, and sometimes even better!  One such free product is Microsoft's new Security Essentials which is a no frills but competent security product that can protect that new computer from viruses, worms, Trojans, and most other malware attacks.  Fully compatible with Windows 7 (and Vista ), this product can be downloaded for free directly from Microsoft at www.microsoft.com/security_essentials.  Another excellent free product that can protect your new computer from malware threats is Panda's new Cloud Antivirus, available at www.cloudantivirus.com.  Other very reputable free products are AVG's AntiVirus Free Edition (free.avg.com) and Avast's Free Home Edition (www.avast.com).

            You need to have a firewall to protect your computer from intrusions by outsiders, such as hackers and crackers.  Users are often blissfully unaware that while online, inadequately protected computers are very commonly probed or attacked by miscreants looking for weak spots.  A good firewall makes this more difficult as it acts like a guarded and locked gate that greatly restricts unauthorized access from others in cyberspace.  The firewall built into Windows 7 is minimally adequate, and should be turned on unless supplanted by a third party firewall.  Many of the comprehensive security suites include a firewall, and there are several free firewalls available.  The most popular free firewall is ZoneAlarm Free Firewall, available for free download from CNet's Download.com download.cnet.com/ZoneAlarm/3000-10435_4-10039884.html.  With almost 50 million downloads from CNet alone, the ZoneAlarm Free Firewall is probably the world's most widely used free firewall, and it has well earned that distinction.

            One very strong warning is appropriate here; do not, under any circumstances, purchase security software that first appears as a popup window on your new computer and informs you that you are infected with a raft of viruses and Trojans, and that for a fee, you can download its product and forever rid yourself of the threats.  This is a scam known in the trade as scareware or scumware and is often worse than useless, as it often installs even more malware on your computer and protects you from nothing, and possibly even opens up your computer to a wider attack by key loggers, password stealing Trojans, and other terrible threats.

            Something that is often overlooked that is a threat to computers is the electricity that is essential to operate them.  In reality, we do not always receive clean electricity, but instead receive power that varies and has surges, spikes, and other forms of electrical noise.  Bad electricity, mostly in the form of power surges can kill a computer quicker than a bullet can.  Another imperative is a good quality surge suppressor which should infallibly be used between the computer's power plug and the wall socket.  A surge suppressor may look somewhat like a common power strip, but its internal electronics are dramatically different.  Look for a UL 1449 label indicating that the suppressor meets UL standards, and the higher the joule rating and faster the response time, the better.  I carry a small surge suppressor in my laptop case, and have a larger one (actually a UPS or Uninterruptible Power Supply) attached to my desktop computer.  Many surge suppressors also come with connections to protect phone (and fax) lines, network cables, and TV cables, all of which can carry electrical noise and power spikes to the equipment.  Bad electricity can instantly fry sensitive computer components, and a good suppressor offers some valuable protection.  Most of the time the user will never know that a suppressor just saved their precious electronic equipment from certain destruction, as it typically performs its tasks silently.  Suppressors do wear out and need to be replaced periodically, with failure often indicated by an LED showing that the suppressor is no longer protecting the equipment.

            There are other useful items for that new computer that will increase its functionality and longevity.  More memory will improve performance up to certain limits; 32 bit Windows 7 can use up to 4 gigs of memory, and the 64 bit Windows 7 can utilize much more than that.  Memory is readily available and can often be installed by the user, but may not be cheap.  I recently spent about $50 (after rebate; $75 before rebate) for 4 gigs of additional memory for my 64 bit Windows 7 machine, and there was an increase in performance.

            That new laptop really needs a good case to protect it from bumps and physical shocks.  Laptop and notebook computers are often fragile creatures, and need substantial protection from physical harm.  Get a good carrying case for your size laptop, and be sure that it has a lot of padding on all 6 sides and gives the computer adequate protection from all directions.  You may never know when that case protected you from a cracked screen or worse, which would have either been a very large repair bill, or an otherwise useless computer.  Play it safe, and get and use a good case for your laptop.

            My late grandmother Dora had an old-world expression that she said anytime anyone in my family made a major purchase or received a major gift, and I am wishing the same for you and your new computer, Use it in good health! 

December 26, 2009

FREE Online Classes and Lectures from Major Universities By Ira Wilsker

WEBSITE:
http://www.academicearth.org

    I have been teaching college classes at Lamar Institute of Technology (LIT) now for almost 33 years.  In my teaching tenure, there have been a lot of technological changes that have impacted education.  One such major change is the availability of online courses that can be taken for college credit or for personal enrichment.  Every semester for the past several years, I have taught at least one online course, and LIT, as well as colleges and universities all over the world are now offering online courses.  It is now very possible to earn legitimate, accredited undergraduate and graduate college degrees online.  There are also many additional courses available online from colleges and universities, as well as other non-traditional sources that offer non-credit training for personal enrichment.  One online resource that I recently started to integrate into my classes at LIT is Academic Earth (academicearth.org).
    Academic Earth offers free online courses and lectures from the professors of such well known universities as Berkeley, Columbia, Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Stanford, University of Michigan, and Yale.  These free courses are not offered for academic credit, but are the actual lectures presented by the faculty of those esteemed institutions, and are available in many subjects.  Some of the courses are a semester’s worth of lectures sequentially broken down into individual classes, while others are individual lectures on a wide assortment of academic topics.  About two dozen subjects are currently available, including Anthropology, AP Test Prep, Architecture, Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Economics, Engineering, Entrepreneurship, Environmental Studies, History, International Relations, Law, Literature, Mathematics, Media Studies, Medicine, Philosophy, Physics, Political Science, Pre-Med, Psychology, and Religious Studies.  In reviewing many of these subjects, I found the academic level of the content to be appropriate for most college students (after all, they are college lectures), but some content is more appropriate for graduate or professional school students.  A user of this service does not have to be a college student, and while online registration for the website is available, I was able to view the lectures and courses without registering.
    Many high school students are participating in AP or Advanced Placement classes, where successful completion and examination can earn the student college credits.  Academic Earth offers free online AP lectures and courses on several topics including Biology, Calculus (A and B), Chemistry, Computer Science A, Computer Science AB, Physics B, Physics C, and Psychology.  With the academic potential provided by these recorded lectures and classes, the AP student may have a better chance of earning those coveted AP credits.
    I have always enjoyed chemistry, and was enrolled in AP chemistry in high school.  As an undergraduate I took a lot of chemistry courses, and even worked for a while as a substitute chemistry teacher in a local high school.  I found the Academic Earth online chemistry lectures intriguing.  I started with General Chemistry (www.academicearth.org/courses/general-chemistry), as taught by Dr. Kristie Boering, of Berkeley. Her series of 42 lectures was a complete semester of lectures on the subject, with each lecture lasting about 45 minutes.  It was like I was a student back in college, but I was comfortably sitting at home on my computer.  This is an excellent way to learn a new subject, or as a refresher.
    One of the courses that I teach each semester at LIT is an economics class.  I teach both live classroom classes and web based classes in economics.  Now that Academic Earth is available, I am going to recommend that my economics students go to academicearth.org/subjects/economics and watch the lectures on relevant topics.  The economics course lectures are presented by faculty from Yale, UCLA, Princeton, Berkeley, and the University of Michigan.  Some lectures are free-standing individual lectures, while others are in a series of lectures from an entire semester.  By watching these lectures and having the ability to rewind in order to repeat an item that was not clear the first time, I feel that student mastery of the subject can be increased.
    The unheralded strength in the American economy is small businesses.  Entrepreneurs create about 70% of all new jobs in our society, and they need all of the help that they can get.  My program at LIT teaches courses in small business management every semester, and courses in entrepreneurship are among the most widely taught college classes nationwide, with almost every college teaching some such courses.  For those interested in entrepreneurship training either as a practical application to hone skills for an existing small business, or as an academic endeavor, Academic Earth can be a valuable adjunct.  By simply going to academicearth.org/subjects/entrepreneurship, the entrepreneur or student can access 129 courses on a variety of small business topics ranging from creativity and innovation, to finance, management, marketing, and product development.  With a resource such as this, the entrepreneur or small business student can freely access a wealth of relevant information.  In addition to a purely academic and entrepreneurial use, I could see this area of Academic Earth being utilized as a training resource by Small Business Development Centers (SBDC), business incubators, SCORE chapters, and anyone else interested in learning more about small businesses.
    With dozens of courses available in medicine (including pre-med), political science, history, literature, religion, and other subjects, there will likely be some courses of interest for almost everybody.
    I personally found Academic Earth to be a most valuable resource for academic pursuits, personal interest, and personal enrichment.  As more courses and lectures are added to Academic Earth, it will only become an even more valuable resource.

December 19, 2009

November 21, 2009

Black Friday Ads and Online Coupons and Deals for Local Businesses

by Ira Wilsker

WEBSITES:

http://dealnews.com/black-friday.html

http://dealnews.com

http://dealcoupon.com

http://www.kohls.com

http://dailydeals.target.com

http://www.dealsofamerica.com

http://www.restaurant.com

http://deals.yahoo.com

http://www.jcpenney.com   

            We are coming up to that time of the year when shopping for family and friends are a primary task for many of us.  Based on the perennial crowds at our local stores on the day after Thanksgiving, we are all too aware of what a major shopping day that has become, such that it has earned the name Black Friday.  Traditionally, my family has perused the sale books in the Thanksgiving Thursday newspaper while we plot a military style strategy of attack in order to capture as many deals as possible.  Now that several of the local stores will be opening on Thanksgiving Thursday with their bargains available the day before the traditional Black Friday event, the need for tactical planning has increased.  Getting the intelligence on Thursday may be too late to act, resulting in the potential loss of winning the bargain battle.  Now, for those of us who like to plan in advance, many of the Black Friday (and Thanksgiving Thursday) bargains that will be available in our local stores are now listed online.

            There are several websites that have become masters of compiling the Black Friday newspaper ads before they appear in the Thanksgiving newspaper.  At first, some local retailers objected to the posting of their sale items in advance, but now most at least passively approve, with only a few taking steps to halt the spread of their Black Friday sale books.  Of the major local retailers, WalMart stood out of the pack by being only one of the very few to object, even to the point of having its lawyers contact the Black Friday websites asking them to remove the purloined sale book from premature display, which the reputable websites complied with.  Most of the other retailers acquiesced, under the theory that having their ads potentially exposed to even more shoppers would help their sales in this most economically critical shopping season, rather than hurt them.  Some bloggers have even gone to the point that some retailers may have intentionally leaked their Black Friday sale books in order to stimulate interest in their offerings.  My personal favorite among the Black Friday websites is at dealnews.com/black-friday.html.

            Many of our local retailers and restaurants are suffering because of a general decline in sales, which may in turn lead to even more employee cutbacks or layoffs.  One may ask what the status of our local restaurants and retail stores has to do with a column on personal technology; the answer is simple.  Many of our local businesses have turned to the internet in order to generate additional sales and bring customers into the stores.  Some are accomplishing this task with their Black Friday ads online, while other local retailers post many of their best deals online, in an attempt to bring shoppers into the brick and mortar stores.

            I monitor several of the deal websites that list continuously updated daily deals from the major retail stores and restaurants.  These deals may either be deep discounts on selected items, closeouts and sales, promotions (including rebates), and high value coupons.  In many of the cases the deals are available in-store, or available for pickup in the local store.  Restaurants, both local and national chains and franchises, often publish a coupon that make the meal more affordable, and gets customers into the restaurant. Either way, the promotions bring customers into the stores that may lead to additional sales.

            After I got home on a recent Friday, I turned on my computer, checked my email, and checked the deal sites updates for any local deals.  One of the local big-box home improvement stores, Home Depot, had a very limited time online promotion for deeply discounted LED flashlights at 80% off its regular retail price.  The item was only available for pickup in the local store, which the Home Depot website said had a quantity in inventory.  I printed out the offer and on Saturday morning drove to the big-box store where I purchased a quantity of the deeply discounted flashlights; part of my Christmas shopping is now complete.  Inevitably, under the influence of supermarket psychology, I wandered through the store looking for other items that we did not know that I needed.  I would consider that in micro terms, the store may have considered its online promotion a success as it brought me into the store; while in the store, I browsed the aisles, and made a purchase.  That is now revenue that the store has generated that it would not have generated had they not posted that deal online.

            This trip to the home improvement store was not a unique episode for me, as last week one of the major retail chain stores, Kohl’s, posted on one of the deal websites a 15% coupon good for anything purchased in the store, the coupon being applicable to the entire purchase at checkout, and not one individual item.  Dutifully, I was motivated by the coupon that I printed, to drive to the store, and purchase a cart full of clothing, shoes, and gifts.  The 15% discount coupon, which was in addition to all other promotions and sale prices, made the merchandise a bargain, which stimulated sales.  Again, another local business may prosper, because it posted a coupon online which generated sales.

            Many of us enjoy going out to eat, and there are many sources of legitimate coupons online that can be used for free items, discounts on the check, and even as gift certificates.  I routinely print out the restaurant coupons if it appears that I may use them, and I also forward the links to friends and family who may use them.

            Being specific, there are many websites that list these deals and coupons, in some cases there are aggregators that compile and publish lists, to the businesses themselves that publish the deals.  One aggregator website that I check regularly is dealnews.com and its sister site dealcoupon.com.  Another website that I monitor is Deals of America (dealsofamerica.com). It is on dealnews.com that I found both the flashlight promotion at Home Depot and the coupon for Kohl’s.  As I type this, Dealnews also has deals on shoes, Craftsman Tools, dresses at Sears, and video games at ToysRUs.  Other deals available in local stores, which will likely have expired by the time you read this and have been replaced with other deals, are a deep discount on cell phones at Verizon, camcorders and iPhone gift cards at BestBuy.  Other local stores that have been listed in the past few days were Walmart, Kohl’s, CVS, Walgreens, Lowes, Office Depot, and others.  My experience at Lowes was typical, as an internet only price was listed on Dealnews for a folding aluminum ladder, which must be picked up in-store.  I checked the Lowes website, verified that that model was in stock, and placed the order online.  The next day I went to the store and noticed at the customer service counter a sign that said Internet Order Pickup.  I handed the clerk a printout of my order, and my ladder was brought to the front of the store for me.  Being nosey, I wandered back to the ladder display and found that my internet price was about 30% less than if I would have bought that exact ladder directly in the store.  Still, Lowes was successful in that it brought me into the store where the transaction was completed, and a sale was made for the store.  While not universal, almost all of the local stores listed offer free in store pickup, with no shipping charges.

            Another way of patronizing local stores by taking advantage of online promotions is the daily deal which several of them offer.  A daily deal is when one or a few deeply discounted items are offered for only one day (and while quantities last), and may often be picked up in the local store.  In my experience, most of the local stores will honor the prices of their own online specials if purchased in store and presented with a printout of the special price. Two of the local stores that I monitor for daily deals are Target and Kohl’s.  Target offers a daily email as well as a website with the deals (dailydeals.target.com), and Kohl’s often has a link on its main webpage for its Deal of the Day.  J. C. Penny’s also has daily deals online, which can bring shoppers into the store; this daily deal is linked on the right side of the J. C. Penny webpage, and explicitly states that the deal is available in-store.  These items are at typically least 50% off, and sometimes more.

            Restaurants also need our fiscal help, and they sometimes oblige by publishing coupons or offering deeply discounted gift certificates.  While websites such as Dealnews often publish links to restaurant coupons, there are also specialty websites that sell deeply discounted gift certificates.  While only a few local restaurants are currently listed, there are gift certificates available for thousands of restaurants around the country.  While I have used some of these gift certificates in locally owned restaurants, I also use them extensively when traveling.  As I type this, another consolidator deal site, Deals of America (dealsofamerica.com) is listing gift certificates from another website, restaurant.com.  Today’s deal is a $25 gift certificate for only $2 (normally $10), and a $10 gift certificate for only 80 cents (normally $4).  These gift certificates are very restaurant specific, and can be printed immediately after purchase.  I have used the $10 gift certificates several times at a particular local restaurant adjacent to the mall, which brought others and me into the restaurant, generating additional business.  Regrettably, that particular restaurant no longer participates in the gift certificate program.  The deal sites usually have restaurant.com gift certificates for at least 50% off (a $25 gift certificate, normally $10, for $5) and sometimes up to 80% off.  Restaurant.com also offers an email service by subscription where it announces current discounts on its gift certificates.  Restaurant.com is a BBB accredited business, and I have never had a problem with them or with their gift certificates.

            These are but a very few of the many competitor websites where local businesses promote their goods and services.  One that can be easily configured to display local coupons for both goods and services is Yahoo!’s deal site at deals.yahoo.com.  I have used coupons from this website for local purchases including tires, oil changes, groceries, restaurants, and other goods and services.

            I am proud to support local businesses, but not too proud to use their coupons and shop for bargains from them.  That is a win-win situation for both the customer and the business.  By monitoring some of the local deal websites, and subscribing to daily deals either by email or by RSS feed, one can support local businesses and save a lot of money at the same time.

                November 14, 2009

EXAMINER 111309 - Use Caution When Upgrading to Windows 7.doc

November 7, 2009

September 25, 2009 

September 18, 2009 

September 14, 2009 

http://support.wdc.com/product/downloaddetail.asp 

Acronis True Image WD Edition Software

Acronis True Image WD Edition Software helps you to completely clone your current system drive onto your new WD hard drive. Cloning makes an exact copy of your old system drive on your new WD hard drive, including the operating system, applications, data, preferences, and email settings. Everything will be present and operate exactly as it did on your old hard drive.

ATIWD is based on the award winning Acronis True image Home 2009 backup, restore and disaster recovery program.

Key Features of Acronis True Image WD Edition Software:

• Drive Cloning - Copies the source drive to a new WD drive, leaving all data on the source drive.
• Drive Migration - Erase the source drive after the new WD drive has been imaged.
• Drive Deployment - Enables users to prepare a WD drive so that selected folders or partitions can be excluded from the destination image.
• Drive Image Backup - The long-term usage of the Drive Kit software will be to provide full drive image backups of a source drive at any time. Backup drive images will be stored as a file, which can be copied to any direct attached drive, network attached storage drive or optical media (CD/DVD).
• Drive Image Recovery - The Recovery Manager enables users to restore a drive image from a direct or network attached drive. The Recovery Manager can also either erase just a portion of the drive to be used for the restored drive image, or all of the previous OS.
• Create a Bootable Standalone Recovery Manager - With the Drive Kit software, users can create a bootable ISO image file, which contains the WD Drive Kit Standalone Recovery Manager software.
• Recover a Drive Image from the Bootable Recovery Manager Software - The bootable Standalone Recovery Manager enables users to recover a drive image from either a CD/DVD drive, a direct attached drive, or a network attached drive.
• Download the Data Lifeguard Tools software (Acronis True Image WD Edition and user manual and the WD diagnostic tool) and follow the instructions provided to complete the installation.

Acronis True Image WD Edition Software

File Size: 121 MB (approx.)
Version: 11.0 (build 8,311)
Publish Date: August, 2009

Supported Operating Systems

• Windows XP
• Windows Vista

Instructions

1. Click on the Download Now button in the upper right corner.
2. On the Language page, choose the language version of software you want to download.
3. Download the Acronis True Image WD Edition Software to your computer.
4. Make sure you close all programs, and click on the EXE file. The install wizard will carry you through the installation process.
5. You will need to reboot your computer once the installation is completed.

September 11, 2009 

TweakNow PowerPack 2009  Comprehensive Free Utility for Windows

By Ira Wilsker

WEBSITE:

http://www.tweaknow.com

http://www.v3.co.uk/downloads

http://www.downloadjunkie.co.uk  

            Regular readers of this column are well aware that I am a utility junkie.  I like downloading PC utilities in the never-ending saga of trying to improve PC performance and reliability.  There are many very good performance utilities out there, both free and commercial, which will likely improve the functioning of the PC.  Sadly, there are also some utilities that are downright dangerous or are scams that try to separate the desperate computer user from his money.  Still, I have this insatiable desire to try these utilities and see what they can do.  For safety and security reasons, I always have a current backup of my critical files just in case something goes wrong, which has inevitably happened to me more times than I am comfortable to admit.

            I subscribe to several software email lists and RSS feeds where I get the latest software news and information on new releases and updates.  One British list that I subscribe to via RSS is Download Reviews (www.v3.co.uk/downloads), and its sister site Download Junkie (www.downloadjunkie.co.uk).  These websites are excellent sources of software news, including occasional announcements about some prominent commercial software publishers that sometimes release full versions of their commercial software at no charge, but which are only available free for a very limited time.

            I recently read a review of a free utility that piqued my curiosity, TweakNow PowerPack 2009 (www.tweaknow.com).  Being the skeptic that I am, I had this inner drive (addiction) to download it and try it.  The reviews about it were very positive, and I searched several of the independent computer magazines’ online editions, and found some complimentary reviews of TweakNow products.  Verifying that my backups and security software were in order, I installed TweakNow PowerPack 2009 on my Vista 64 machine, as it is more software finicky than my XP machine when it comes to software utilities.  I was pleasantly surprised to have TweakNow install smoothly and quickly on the 64-bit machine.  The version that I downloaded and installed was 1.6.0000 Beta 2 which appears to be stable and fully functional.  It is explicitly written for Windows XP, Vista (32 and 64), and Windows 7 (32 and 64).  The interface is clean and intuitive with an even dozen menu items listed on the left side under the heading “System Tools”.  Clicking on an item in the left menu opens the main window with a more detailed selection of functions.

            At the top of the list is “Disk Cleaner” which selectively searches all attached drives for obsolete and useless files, freeing up space on the hard drive.  It has never failed to amaze me how much clutter I often find when I work on others’ computers, and this utility is good at finding that clutter.  The “Disk Usage Analyzer” graphically displays the makeup of the directories on the hard drive along with information on the directories.  “Miscellaneous Tools” has six tools which can be used to control the processes running on the computer, optimize the memory (many pundits claim that this function is unnecessary), and control how CDs autorun.

            As we install and uninstall software and hardware, the Windows registry becomes bloated with outdated and obsolete entries, which at worst can lead to substantial degradation of performance, conflicts between components, and other maladies.  Some self-proclaimed computer experts tout that the registry should be cleaned periodically, or at least monthly, to remove the debris and outmoded entries that may be the source of many computing problems.  As a safety precaution, it is good practice to create a system restore point or otherwise backup the registry before doing anything to the registry, just in case something goes wrong.  The “Registry Cleaner” integrated with the TweakNow PowerPack is also available as a freestanding utility from the tweaknow.com website.  Scanning the registry for errors may take a few minutes, and this software uses a green shield icon with a white checkmark to indicate those registry items that are likely safe to delete.  As items are written to and deleted from the registry, gaps are created in the file structure which waste space, and may lead to slower booting and shutdown.  Included with TweakNow is a Registry Defragmenter which will remove the gaps from the “hives” or sections of the registry, making it smaller and more efficient.

            Many computers are slow booting and sluggishly running because too many items are loaded when the computer is turned on, and this consumes system resources.  While Windows has a “geekish” MSCONFIG utility that can be used to control what loads when the computer is booted, the Startup Manager in PowerPack makes the process easy by simply unchecking the box adjacent to an unwanted item.  If the user changes his mind later, or finds that an item unchecked is desired, simple re-checking the item will load that item at the next boot.

            Sometimes it is necessary to know explicitly what is in your computer in terms hardware and the operating system.  The “System Information” component displays the hardware components model numbers, firmware versions, driver builds, and other technical information that may be critical to have when repairing, updating, or upgrading the computer, as well as details about the build and version of Windows.

            Personal privacy is an issue that many of us are concerned with, and the PowerPack has a “Track Cleaner” which will delete temporary internet files, cookies, cache, and other internet tracks left on the computer.  PowerPack can clean tracks left on Internet Explorer up to version 8, and Firefox up to version 3.5, as well as those tracks left by Windows itself.  While somewhat redundant with Window’s own Add/Remove utility, PowerPack has a capable “Uninstall Program” function that can be used to uninstall any no longer wanted programs.

            One of my favorite features in TweakNow PowerPack 2009 is the “Windows Secret” utility which has eleven sections each containing tweaks that can be used to improve the performance of Windows, enhance the appearance of the desktop, secure the control panel, customize the start menu, and control the way that the Windows Explorer file manager appears and functions.  Well over 100 tweaks are available with this “Secret” utility.  For those who just want to improve performance with minimal effort, the “Quick TuneUp” offers a single click way to perform the basic tune-up functions, such as cleaning the registry and removing hard drive clutter.

            I will be the first to admit that I have made many mistakes when fooling around with computer settings.  What is nice about TweakNow is that it automatically makes a backup of whatever was changed, enabling the user to restore or un-do what was done.  This is accessed by clicking on “Restore Backup” which shows a directory of the changes implemented, and a single click will restore the selected changes.

            TweakNow PowerPack 2009 is a very capable free utility that can do much to enhance the performance of a PC.  TweakNow is about to release a low-cost “professional” version with even more features for XP, Vista and “7”, but with a bargain price of only $10.  The free version of PowerPack 2009 is quite capable; I eagerly look forward to see what TweakNow can add to a professional version.

August 28, 2009

Thousands of Free Books Available Online By Ira Wilsker
 
WEBSITES:
http://www.feedbooks.com
http://www.flatworldknowledge.com
http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page
http://www.booksshouldbefree.com
 
            I enjoy reading.  I find that reading is intellectually stimulating, broadens my horizons, and provides vicarious experiences.  My daughters grew up in a home full of books where they all became avid readers; this substantially contributed to their academic and professional achievements.
            My students at LIT should be reading more, but the cost of books is a deterrent, and a trip to the college or public library is often an inconvenience.  Many of today's students have grown up in the era of online information, email, Twitter, Facebook, Yahoo!, and Google and to them "online" is their primary information resource.  Now there are internet resources where anyone can read literature of any genre', including hundreds of current textbooks, for free.  Depending on the rules of the respective websites, these complete books can be read online in a browser window, or downloaded in a variety of formats, often including the popular and universal PDF format.
            The granddaddy of the free online library is the Project Gutenberg at www.gutenberg.org. According to its website, "Project Gutenberg is the first and largest single collection of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today." The mission statement of Project Gutenberg is simple but succinct, "To encourage the creation and distribution of eBooks." Project Gutenberg has the full-length unabridged copies of over 30,000 titles on its servers, and links to over 100,000 titles located on other services.  In addition to the printed word, Project Gutenberg also has hundreds of audio books available for download.  About 400 of the audio books have a very realistic computer generated voice that provides the audio, and another 600 are recorded human voices.  There are also about 150 recordings of mostly classical music, and a few dozen historically significant recordings from no less than the likes of Thomas Edison.  Project Gutenberg has books available in many languages with the largest number being in English, and even some written in Mayan or Yiddish.  I know people who download the audio books in MP3 format, burn them to CD, and play them in the car.  I know of one individual who has downloaded several of the Edgar Allen Poe audio books, and plays them from an MP3 player as spooky stories for the kids around the campfire.
            I teach economics every semester at LIT and try to instill in my students some of the history, culture, and philosophy that created our economic system.  While he is briefly recognized in our economics books, Adam Smith is believed by many to be the father of classical economic philosophy.  The full unabridged version of his most recognized tome "An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations", better known as the "Wealth of Nations" is on my recommended reading list.  In the past the students had to compete for the limited number of copies available in the library or purchase a copy, an often difficult task for a cash strapped college student.  Today's college student, or anyone for that matter, can simply go online and read it on his monitor, or download a copy for future reference.  This is but one example of how technology can be positively used to expand the minds of society, and provoke inspired thought and discussion.  The book "Wealth of Nations" is but one of many thousands available for free online at Project Gutenberg.
            While not as extensive as Project Gutenberg, one of my favorite free eBook websites is Feedbooks at www.feedbooks.com. Feedbooks are almost all in PDF format, and can be read unabridged online or downloaded for reading at the individual's convenience.  Feedbooks has books in four languages, English, French, German, and Spanish, and from hundreds of authors.  Feedbooks' selection is exemplary by having what may be the complete works of many authors, including Arthur Conan Doyle, 32 titles; Charles Dickens, 45 titles; Edgar Rice Burroughs, 68 books; Washington Irving; Henry David Thoreau; Jonathan Swift; and hundreds of other authors.  Feedbooks is totally searchable, but I enjoy browsing my favorite categories, such as Novels (1382 books), History (111 books), Politics (32 books), Humor (68 books), and Non-Fiction (83 books).  There is an extensive "Young Readers" selection composed of over 100 titles that would be good for parents to read to their children, or as a reading experience for the kids themselves.  Titles include such classics as Grimm's Fairy Tales, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Peter Pan, American Fairy Tales, Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen, Black Beauty, and over a hundred other age appropriate titles.
            Many of us are all too aware of the high cost of textbooks.  There is currently a move on to publish current textbooks online for free.  While this project is in its infancy, there are already many recently published e-textbooks available online at www.flatworldknowledge.com. It is worth noting that hundreds of college faculty have already adopted these free titles.  Students typically have the option of reading the chapters online for free, or printing individual chapters for a nominal fee (about $2 per chapter), printing the entire book, or purchasing a bound copy of the book.  Faculty may request a free bound copy as well as support materials such as test banks, PowerPoint slides, instructors' manuals, and other supplementary materials, just like the existing commercial textbooks.  Even for those who are not currently college students, these online free college textbooks can be a valuable resource for personal and professional enrichment.
            For those who especially appreciate audio books, www.booksshouldbefree.com offers a wide selection of free audio books for download.  Audio books are available in 20 categories and are available in MP3 format.  When downloaded in MP3 format, files can be played on any MP3 player, most car CD players, computers, compatible cell phones, and other audio devices.  Some are the files are "Zipped" or compressed with the common ZIP format in order to make the download a smaller file, but modern versions of Windows will open and uncompress the files, or third party utilities can "unzip" the files for play.
            With the hundreds of thousands of eBook titles available for free, both in print and as audio, there is no reason why we should not be reading (or listening) more than we currently read.  Whether for reference or personal enjoyment, eBooks are here to stay and the free ones can create a massive and competent virtual library for all.

August 22, 2009