« March 2005 | Main | May 2005 »
April 30, 2005
Today's Tech Tip: Exclusive e-mail addresses
People hate getting unwanted e-mail. When you sign up to various sites you are often asked for e-mail which leads to your in box being cluttered with unwanted items till you can't find the stuff you want.
Set up extra e-mail addresses and use them for specific items. One e-mail can be for family and friends. An extra exclusive e-mail address can be used only for business (banking, online orders etc) and one general one for other use.
Keeping the e-mail apart will make your life easier and decrease the chance that somebody will spam spots where important items sit.
If you don't want to wait till tomorrow for the next daily tip you can sign up for a free LightFrog Membership and get them all at once.
Posted by Peter at 07:04 PM | Comments (0)
April 29, 2005
I wish I thought of that
Lo-Jack for computers? Not a bad idea, wish I thought of it.
Hat tip Michelle Malkin
P.S. 20 years ago I had a chance to buy startup stock in Lo-Jack and didn't. It another reason why I'm still working.
Posted by Peter at 01:00 PM | Comments (0)
Today's Tech Tip: Cd Storage site
This might sound more like a booking tip than a tech tip but over and over when supporting users he ask about driver disks and people just can't find them.
When you get cd for the install or a pc or wireless or anything non-fun (such as a game) Don't store them with the music Cd's store them in a particular place (say a box put away in a drawer) so that when a driver install is needed your time will not be spent searching through music and game disks.
If you don't want to wait till tomorrow for the next daily tip you can sign up for a free LightFrog Membership and get them all at once.
Posted by Peter at 12:26 PM | Comments (0)
Snappy new Look
Our snappy new blog looks comes thanks to our developer Keith. Great job!
Now if we could only get him to post on the blog a little more....
Posted by Peter at 11:15 AM | Comments (0)
April 28, 2005
NY acts against phony spyware killers
On a regular basis I see customers with bogus anti-spyware software on their systems. It is a waste of time and money.
This story at Threadwatch about NY filing suit against one such company is good news. I wouldn't mind seeing them nailed big time.
Posted by Peter at 02:26 PM | Comments (0)
Some blog examples
LaShawn Barber has a list of fairly new bloggers of many different types listed here.
LightFrog blog doesn't make her list but since we are the group blog of a business I don't know if we really qualify.
I still don't know of any other business where employees, management and ownership all blog at the same site.
UPDATE 5/19/05 LaShawn added us to that blog list later that day and I totally forgot to mention it. My bad.
Posted by Peter at 02:07 PM | Comments (0)
Review: Sid Meier's Pirates
Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5
If you were into computer games in the 80's you know that Sid Meier game Pirates was the gold standard. It was the adventure/roleplaying/historical game of the decade and the biggest seller in my gaming store. About 10 years ago it was updated with better graphics and sold as Pirates Gold now it reaches another plateau in Firaxis new version of Sid Meier's Pirates a game that, if your system will allow it, bring you a lot of fun.
Plot: As in the previous versions you are a young pirate captain looking for his lost family and fortune in the New World circa 1600-1680. Unlike before new graphical intro explains how your family was lost and scattered and how you managed to escape as a child. It also creates a final foe for you to seek out for revenge. This adds real color to the game.
Mechanics: The mechanics are very similar to the older versions. You sail on the Spanish Main, you obtain a Letter or Marque from one or more nations and attack their foes, either on land or on the high seas. You might be given a mission such as escorting a governor or a quest to capture a wanted criminal. As your exploits make your name your notoriety increases in pirate lore. You can repair your ship in port or buy improvement to give it special skills. At the local tavern you can recruit seamen and pick up some info from those with loose lips. You might find yourself at the ball with the governor's daughter or fighting off a ruffian annoying a barmaid. If you manage to survive and avoid capture you can divide up the plunder with your men, but don't wait too long or the crew might get restless and you'll have a mutiny on your hands.
Gameplay: Your sailing is done via the keypad (it's a little harder on a laptop). You will also use it to maneuver in combat. Unlike the old game you might have upgrades to your ship allowing for chainshot (for hitting sails), grape (for killing crew). Other specialists are available who can improve various aspects of sailing. Land combat has been upgraded with a grid system and new unit types that really add to the gameplay. Native attacks and Jesuit missions are two new aspects of the game that add flavor to the system. The use of real life pirates and the ranking system recreates an age when the idea of seeking glory was no odder then seeking a pay raise would be today.
Graphics/sound: This is where the game shines. The rendering of the ships and the combat are very cool. It's a pleasure to the eye, particularly if you remember the more static old system. The storms and the shoals and landmarks make the game stand out as does the floating debris when a ship is damaged. The ducking and dodging of the swordplay and the different combinations of graphics in swordfighting give the game a less static touch, but the game is by its nature a repetitive one and this will make it lose its luster for some. The sound effects are pretty cool from the crash of the ships to the sigh (or harrumph) of the governor's daughter at the ball, to the wind and lightning of storms at sea. Since several phrases repeat often I would have made wave files in each language played (English, Dutch, Spanish and French). Some of these issues are addressed in a theme patch.
Technical: This is where this game loses it points. A large base of users (myself included) had issues, some minor (the Dutch and your character were metal shells) to major (regular crashes). A patch fixes the minor ones but the crashes are another matter. It appears the problem is with the drivers for Intel 82852/82855 GM/GME graphics controllers that come standard on Dells (My friend Dave had no issues with a different set on his Compaq) Since Direct-X 9 is needed and the other controllers only support up to 8 updates from the Intel site are required. For myself I needed to both update the drivers AND change the graphics setting of the game to a lower level.
Be aware that the updates might cause issues with other more vital programs. Some possible solutions are here or direct from Atari here
The problem is I do tech support for a living and it took me several days to track down and play with the fixes to get them to work. For the avg user this is a pain in the neck that they don't want to deal with.
Conclusion: If you can avoid the Intel graphics issues or the fixes above solve the problem for you quickly then you will have years of fun with this game, but before you buy it check your system to make sure these issues don't sink you before you leave port.
Posted by Peter at 11:21 AM | Comments (2)
Today's Tech Tip: Read That Fine Manual
You would think that after sharing an office with a technical writer in my Raytheon days that this is a lesson I would learn. A few days ago I was bemoaning how my new Pirates game wasn't saving as the old version used to. Since I was having other bug issues (see my review next post) I assumed it was related to that issue. Eric (of LightFrog Fame) checked the manual and on page 4 the answer was there.
I ignored one of the oldest sayings in the business and was red faced. If you check the manual it might not only save you a red face but the price of a help session.
If you don't want to wait till tomorrow for the next daily tip you can sign up for a free LightFrog Membership and get them all at once.
Posted by Peter at 11:05 AM | Comments (0)
April 27, 2005
Why our support is US based?
I guess this explains why we are US based and not Norway based.
Via Interested Participant from the Carnival of the Vanities
UPDATE:
I knew our US based support is an exception but I didn't know it was this much of an exception.
Posted by Peter at 02:02 PM | Comments (0)
Today's tech tip: A simple reboot
It is amazing over the years how many times I have seen a simple reboot solve a problem. When you reboot a system files are closed and cleared that can make a big difference when trying to run a program. The first thing you should do with almost any computer problem is to reboot the system (after saving work). That simple step may save you a ton of time and effort.
If you don't want to wait till tomorrow for the next daily tip you can sign up for a free LightFrog Membership and get them all at once.
Posted by Peter at 01:25 PM | Comments (0)
The Myth continues to fall
Both AP and Red Herring report Apple trying to intimidate a publisher by banning their books in Apple stores because of an unflattering biography of Steve Jobs coming out.
Are we sure that Microsoft is the evil empire?
Posted by Peter at 01:17 PM | Comments (0)
Is Revenge of the Sith worth 3 years?
The House of Representatives has passed The Family Entertainment and Copyright Act which calls for up to three years for piracy.
If you don't feel like reading the law Newsday has the story.
It certainly blows this away as a reason to avoid illegal downloads but it's your call if you think Revenge of the Sith is worth three years.
Posted by Peter at 12:29 PM | Comments (0)
April 26, 2005
Making the MOST out of your iPod
While these little utilties have not convinced me to leave behind my faithful 20GB Rio Karma, I must admit that most of them make the most popular MP3 player in the world even better.
To give even more power to your iPod, check out what CNET has to say about it.
As for the Rio Karma, I plan to give it a full review in the next week so that everyone can know how this now relative unknown from one of the most historic and experienced companies regarding MP3 players stacks up to the iPod.
Posted by at 12:01 PM | Comments (0)
Visions of the Future - Past, Present and Reality
Whenever I read books from the past regarding what the future would be like, it always seemed to be on getting to other parts of the world and travelling vast distances, whether across the ocean, in the air, or in the stars. Some have hinted that we would be at this point already.
Obviously, in some aspects, they've got it dead on, while in others, they missed the mark.
However, what went unseen was how quickly we would get information technology up and running, even now in the beginning stages of this brave new world. From religion to science, from history to fantasy, from life to death, and from the events of the world to visions as how it should be. It seems the axiom of getting to other places faster has been replaced by another axiom.
That axiom is bringing the world, the galaxy, and everything else known or otherwise, to us.
A tidal wave of information is out there for the picking, and the next great challenge will be how the average person can process all of this. This is the challenge of today and now.
Posted by at 11:25 AM | Comments (0)
I hope my friends have short memories
Hector Ruiz of Advanced Micro Devices says in this interview at CNET that $100 dollar laptops are only 3 years away.
That less than 1/10 of the price I paid for the machine I'm typing this on.
And to think 20 years ago I thought PC's (let alone laptops) would never catch on. When I'm wrong I'm wrong BIG
Via Michelle Malkin
UPDATE:
If the price of laptops drops by a factor of 10 does that mean that the IPOD SHUFFLE will cost $9.99 in 2008?
Posted by Peter at 09:41 AM | Comments (0)
Today's Tech Tip: Save to disk
When installing any item from the internet, always save the file to disk rather than running from the location. This will narrow the issue if an install goes bad and will also allow a quick reinstall if an internet connecting is not available for some reason.
If you don't want to wait till tomorrow for the next daily tip you can sign up for a free LightFrog Membership and get them all at once.
Posted by Peter at 08:48 AM | Comments (0)
Has the world changed or what?
How do you know that the entire world has finally entered the computer age? When you read this story about the Vatican posting the Pope's E-mail address to the world. (I wonder which e-mail program he uses)?
Can a Pope blog be far behind?
Posted by Peter at 08:34 AM | Comments (0)
April 25, 2005
Today's Tech Tip the 10 sec Soundcard test
Ever have an issue when your speakers won't play and you can't decide if it is your sound card, speakers or computer settings? A quick way to narrow it down is to pulg in an old fashoned radio earphone into the speaker slot.
If you get sound then you know the issue is your speakers, if not then you can double check the sound card or the computer settings.
If you don't want to wait till tomorrow for the next daily tip you can sign up for a free LightFrog Membership and get them all at once.
Posted by Peter at 10:51 AM | Comments (2)
Now the good news
This Washington Post story shows that not everybody searching the internet is wearing a black hat.
Posted by Peter at 10:47 AM | Comments (0)
April 24, 2005
You think YOU have security issues
I'm always telling people to be careful with their financial data, but its a sad day when the IRS reports 39
security vulnerabilities that still have to be addressed.
Well they are still doing better than Ralph Lauren or even Seisint Inc.
Update:
And if this isn't bad enough say hello to a new fit of DNS cache poisoning.
Posted by Peter at 08:15 PM | Comments (0)
Tabs for IE 7?
This report suggests the Microsoft will finally get around to adding tabs to Internet Explorer.
I guess better very late than never.
Posted by Peter at 07:56 PM | Comments (0)
April 23, 2005
Pay for play redux
The MPAA continues to crack down on downloads of illegal music. Apparently the police don't have the same priorities to the point where they are actually being "rewarded" for enforcing the law.
Forgetting the right and wrong of it I wouldn't think its worth the grief for a song or two.
Hat tip Instapundit via slashdot
Posted by Peter at 07:37 PM | Comments (0)
April 22, 2005
I love it when we look smart
Going by this article at Business week we are ahead of the curve.
I always knew we were.
Posted by Peter at 10:36 PM | Comments (0)
April 21, 2005
I guess that explains it
I sometimes wonder why I keep my old 95 system and the games such as Pirates Gold and why my son who is only 11 loves the old Mario brothers games on old systems. Or why I keep playing old DOS games when there is stuff so much more advanced out there.
Fortunately I don't have to explain it AspraGirl explains it better than me.
Of course that didn't stop me from ordering this on Sunday. I'll review it shortly after it comes in.
Posted by Peter at 08:15 PM | Comments (0)
April 20, 2005
Municipal Wi-fi
An interesting little debate between Glenn Reynolds and Glenn Fleishman concerning municipal wi-fi nets.
For myself as long as the government don't squeeze out private providers I think it is a good thing, after all city wi-fi networks could be monitored by the city as a condition of use.
Posted by Peter at 02:21 PM | Comments (0)
Shortcuts in a pinch
My left mouse button on the ME machine died today. I've changed the configuration of the mouse to "left handed" to allow me to work till I hit the store.
Back in the days when we didn't have mice we used the keyboards to do many mouse functions. These shortcuts still exist and are very useful in a pinch. A great list of them is here.
Posted by Peter at 09:53 AM | Comments (0)
April 19, 2005
Web Graphic Artists and Developers
This is definitely a story you should read regarding Adobe and Macromedia on CNET. Just mind-blowing I tell you. What's next, PDF's with Flash elements?
Posted by at 11:32 AM | Comments (0)
April 18, 2005
Do you really need a computer tech in your home?
It pains me to admit this... but recently a relative of mine paid $225 to have a local 'computer-guy' come to his home to work on his family PC. Truth be told, he was a bit embarrassed to admit this news to me (given that LightFrog could have helped him). However, he was proud of the fact that his home PC was "fast again."
My question: “What did you get for $225?”
Answer: “I had some spyware and viruses removed and I think he did something with the hard drive, too."
My question: “How long was he in your house?”
Answer: “A little over an hour.”
My question: “Did he do anything else?”
Answer: “Not sure.”
Did my cousin need to have a technician come to his house and stay for over an hour? Absolutely not. Did my cousin overpay? In my opinion, yes.
Did the technician have bad intentions? Let’s assume he didn’t. However, making house calls to address technology problems that can be solved remotely is… LOW TECH!
At LightFrog, we love technology. We play with it, break it, fix it, then break it and fix it once again. We figure that if we’re supposed to be the technology experts, then we should use all the technology that we can get our hands on (literally, as I’ve taken to carrying around a pocket PC, which my wife has used as leverage to promote me to super geek status).
This mindset translates into the technology we use to support our customers. We don’t make expensive house calls because we don’t need to and you really don’t need us in your home. We use technology such as screen sharing tools and databases full of information about common technology problems to make our jobs easier and our customer’s lives happier. If a technology can make our jobs easier and save our customers time and money, then we employ it without question.
I hope that the next time my cousin needs PC or technology help, he’ll call LightFrog first. With the money and time saved, he can spend his weekends outside this spring.
Posted by Michael at 10:48 PM | Comments (0)
Top 10 Reasons for Moving to Windows XP Professional
Many of our customers ask us what the benefits are for upgrading from Windows 98 to Windows XP.
A few benefits would be:
Helps Protect Your PC
Automatically keep your PC up-to-date with the latest security enhancements including the Windows Security Center, Windows Firewall, and more to help protect your computer from viruses and worms that can spread through the Internet.
Easy To Use
The clean, simple design of Windows XP Professional puts the features you use most often at your fingertips, helping you find them quickly.
Work With the Tools You Need to Get Things Done
Choose from the widest range of software, hardware, and services designed to work together seamlessly including support for many older applications designed for earlier versions of Windows.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
To read the entire list of Microsoft's Top 10 Reasons for the upgrade, please click on the link below.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/evaluation/whyupgrade/top10.mspx
Posted by Melissa at 03:04 PM | Comments (0)
April 17, 2005
Personal Review - Nikon Coolpix 4200
As Peter has brought up one review, so will I, on a camera I received for Christmas this year. The Nikon Coolpix 4200 is a very handy little camera, and I do mean little, as it is about 3"x2"x1.5". It has 12MB of onboard memory and has a slot for an SD expansion card. It has a 3x optical zoom and a 4x digital zoom for a total of 12x zoom. Rather modest, but good for most casual photographers.
The pictures from the vacation I had taken in March came out extremely well, though I would not try to take pictures of Dolphins again with it, or get timing out of it. Family portraits and still pictures were of exceptional quality. It is fairly simple to use, pretty much aim, hold the button to focus, then shoot.
The really big difference is the Lithium Ion battery pack that the camera comes with. It lasts for several hours worth of photography, and the movie mode that the camera comes with does not seem to drain the battery all too quickly either, to contrast with the review Peter made on the Olympus C-725.
My only gripes with this camera are similiar to many fully automatic cameras out there, and that there is no way to expand upon the camera, save for getting a larger SD card for increased memory, which is recommended anyway. You cannot add on an additional lens, nor can you install a flash on the camera. What you have is what you get, but it is a very good automatic package nonetheless. They have at least with the Coolpix 5400 added a hot shoe that you could load on a speedflash if you wish. For expandability with lenses in Nikon Digital Cameras, you will need to look at the D series, which are the Nikon's Digital SLR offerings.
Recommended purchases to go along with this camera are an SD card (recommended minimum of 128MB, 256MB+ strongly urged), and the Nikon Coolpix III kit, which includes another Lithium Ion battery pack (good for the Nikon 4200/5200), and a very nice case for your camera. If you plan to take more than 9-10 pictures at a time, or take quicktime movies on the camera, the SD card becomes pretty much a requirement.
The Coolpix 4200 is typical Nikon high quality and I think the casual photographer will be well pleased with it. The advanced enthusiast and the professional will likely be more suited with an SLR or Digital SLR camera with manual focus than a fully automated model like the 4200.
UPDATE: 4/19/2005
It appears I performed an involuntary drop test on a lightly carpeted floor from about four feet off the floor. A test of the camera, and the taking of the picture seems to prove that the camera is just fine.
Posted by at 05:11 PM | Comments (0)
Nice little Camera, nice litte trip
Just got back from Maine, as promised here is a quick review of that Olympus C-725 Ultra Zoom digital camera that we took on the trip.
Images:
The quality of the images was pretty good. Maybe I'm not as fussy as most but I thought the shots came out pretty good without needing a lot of 2nd attempts. Of course great scenery makes a great shot, we saw quite a bit of that.
Ease of use: The camera is light weight and was not a burden to take anywhere. The only complaint seemed to be the power utilization. It ate my AA batteries like my friend Frank at an all you can eat steakhouse. I suspect if we used the camera in movie mode that would have eaten them up even faster, perhaps either a larger supply or stronger professional strength batteries are in order but that can be an issue on a trip. The upload from the camera was quick and dirty and frankly not worth too many words.
Conclusion: The camera is as advertised; A solid digital tool for pictures that will be a welcome addition on a trip. Since I got it on the cheap I can't say I'd spend $200 on one new, but I can say it is a good addition to the house.
A few pictures follow:
We stayed at The Trells House which is a little Bed and Breakfast in Ogunquit Maine
The Room was a nice romantic choice for an anniversary get-away. Our host was a fine fellow with an excellent wit. The breakfast was impressive both in presentation and quality. With the exception of full wi-fi access it was a very traditional spot in what appeared a non-traditional town.
We could see the ocean from outside our door this was using the zoom of the camera.
The town sticks out like a thumb into the beach.
beach views were awesome
There is 1 1/4 mile walkway called the Marginal Way that offers fantastic views and several places to sit and rest and just enjoy the ocean.
In some places the road was under 10 yards from the ocean, quite a sight, but not where you would want to drive during a Nor'Easter.
Posted by Peter at 01:16 PM | Comments (0)
April 15, 2005
Working vacation? (not really)
Well I'm off to Maine for a couple of days with the wife for a slightly belated anniversary weekend.
It will be the first real chance to play with that aforementioned Olympus camera I just picked up.
When I get back I'll post a picture or two and give a proper review of the camera.
We'll be staying here, I'll give a little review of that too.
Posted by Peter at 11:09 AM | Comments (1)
April 14, 2005
A quick primer
Internet2 coming soon to a PC near you.
Posted by Peter at 03:06 PM | Comments (0)
April 13, 2005
Don't let your system get sicker
This Friday I felt an illness coming on. Because of some work commitments I foolishly neglected to go to the doctor or take rest. I was able to function at first but ended up dreadfully sick missing a day and spending all my free time flat on my back till today.
This is true with many people's PC issues, they see a small issue, decide to live with it, (maybe its a decrease in speed or a minor error message) and let it go until it reaches critical mass and then we are called and a lot of money is spent to fix it.
I can't tell you how many times people have said: "This has been going on for a month.", quite a few times I get: "This has been going on for a year" The time to get help on a problem isn't next month or next year its NOW! Here is why:
1. Its fresh in your mind:
The first thing any tech worth his salt will ask is about changes to your system. Users will remember changes a lot clearer after a few days vs after a few months.
2. Other changes haven't been added on.
If after a single program's been installed a system acts weird, one can usually point the finger to that program, if you however have installed 10 programs we don't know which program or COMBINATION of programs have led to the issue.
3. Shared DLL's
Its not uncommon for many different applications to use a dynamic link library (DLL) basically it is a compressed file containing a lot of subroutines used by applications. A minor corruption caught early might prevent data from another program also using that DLL from being corrupted as well.
4. Security
CBS news had two stories yesterday concerning identify theft and/or computer security. The prevalence of this stuff should make you VERY suspicious of any weird activity of your machine. Modern spyware is notorious for disabling updates while leaving other functions alone. Before you know it you're nailed.
5. Restorability (98/ME )
Most newer system have a system restore feature. Windows 98 used a dos command. (ME has a backdoor to the 98 system as a backup) It would save a good registry, and would fail to save bad ones. If you wait and the problem is major instead of losing a few days of installs you might lose months. If the problem is not minor enough to inhibit a restore point then that quick and dirty fix is only available for a few days.
You work hard for your money and don't want to spend it lightly but the Fram commercial was right. You can pay me now or pay me later.
Posted by Peter at 11:17 AM | Comments (0)
April 10, 2005
Read the fine print
Usually when we install software we tend to skip over the agreement without reading it. This is a mistake as you can be bitten by spyware or other surprises.
This is a good example of this warning is this story concerning AIM.
I'd think twice about sending anything business related through AIM under these terms.
Posted by Peter at 06:40 PM | Comments (1)
April 09, 2005
Smiles all around
Why do I get the feeling that this story I found at the Mudville Gazette will bring a smile to a lot of our customers?
Posted by Peter at 03:20 PM | Comments (0)
April 08, 2005
A child who knows the true sense of 'clean'
Here's a quick clip that depicts what can happen when you tell your child your laptop should always be clean of viruses. It's in a foreign language, but you get the gist.
Posted by Lorie at 11:14 PM | Comments (2)
Defrag Hints
Every now and then people have trouble running defrag, usually it is due to a little thing once in a while it is a big thing. Here are a few quick things to check to eliminate the little stuff.
1. Make sure nothing is running in the background.
(Defrag needs exclusive use of the system, background programs prevent this.)
2. Disable your screen saver.
(The screen saver counts as a background program.)
3. Try safe mode.
(Safe mode loads with limited items so less chance of items missing.)
4. Delete unneeded files.
(On newer system defrag needs at least 15% of the hard drive free to work make sure you have the space. On old system it would be fun to watch an almost full system try to defrag one cluster at a time, took forever. (:c) )
5. Run a scandisk.
(If the defrag won’t run then do a scandisk to make sure there are no system errors.)
6. Run a windows system update.
A file could be corrupt an update might correct it.
7. Call LightFrog.
(If all of this fails you will want our help at 866-585-FROG) and we’ll take it from there, of course if you need help with any of the steps above feel free to call as well.)
Posted by Peter at 02:58 PM | Comments (0)
The progress of technology
The speed of technology and the availability of information to the avg person is something to behold. There are many examples that come to mind, but the most amazing example is to compare this image from this post to this image I found on the net today.
This is technology that governments used to pay millions to get and it is at your fingers.
Hat tip Roger Simon
It isn't perfect Romano's is actually 3 doors down.
Posted by Peter at 08:35 AM | Comments (0)
April 07, 2005
Data Recovery software.
There are free tools out there for recovering accidentally deleted files in FAT32 file systems (for example, FatBack which is available on the Biatchux bootable security CD). Until now I did not know there were any free tools for doing the same in NTFS file systems. A number of other file recovery programs have offered free trials. Often with limitations on their use, but some have, in the past, come as time-limited trials or with the ability to recover full files, just not in bulk. Now, however, they all seem to only recover files 64 kb or less unless you purchase the full version.
There is one out there, which works for both FAT32 and NTFS, being provided as freeware. That is PC Inspector. It appears to not be as heavy duty as some of the other file recovery programs. The trial version of Active Undelete, a non-free file recovery program, was able to identify more lost files than PC Inspector could, although it's not clear whether or not it really could have fully recovered the extra files it could detect. Still, PC Inspector managed to find quite a large number of files to recover, especially when I went to the tools menu and had it do a search for lost files.
Always remember that whatever file recovery you need to do, it is a good idea to avoid using the computer as much as possible and to not create any files on the hard drive as new files may overwrite the old, deleted ones. Preferably you will even take the hard drive out of the computer and place it into another computer as a secondary drive to reduce the chance that activity will occur on the disk. Also remember to never restore files to the same hard drive they were deleted from if you can avoid it. A file could potentially overwrite itself in the process of restoration.
Posted by at 02:33 PM | Comments (2)
Greetings!
Hi all, Wayne here. Just dropped by to say hello. Pressed for time so this will be a quick post. I just currently finished up the material for our Data Backup program that is offered to our LightFrog Subscribers. Wouldn't it be great if you could backup your vital information or those precious photos with just a few mouse clicks. Well, now you can.To find out more about the Data Back program and the subscriptions, click here.
(Update 5/21/05) The above link has been updated to reflect prices as of 5/21/05
Posted by at 12:55 PM | Comments (0)
Is the customer always right?
My mother tells me the story of my father asking a pal of his working on a church annex why he didn't object to the design? It was bad and he knew it. Dad had objected and turned down the job when it wasn't changed. His pal said this is what he was hired to do and if it floods it's their problem not his. So the Annex was built and it still floods on a semi-regular basis.
This came to mind today when a customer asked for support on his IPOD Mini for a ME system. Well the solution involved software downloads and purchases. or purchasing a new system . He also asked about upgrading his system to XP but the laptop in question in my opinion wasn't up for it.
During the process he mentioned off hand that he previously had an Iriver which worked fine but returned it for the pod because of the near cult status of the device.
This is a great example of paying for a solution that wasn't needed. I gave him the steps to solve the problem but my advice for him was to return his IPOD and go back to the device that worked without jumping through hoops.
Your software and hardware are tools to manipulate data (financial, entertainment, or personal) It is that data manipulation and not the method that counts.
Posted by Peter at 12:38 PM | Comments (0)
April 06, 2005
$900 Camera? Let Glenn and Co do it
This Canon Digital Rebel may be under $900 but that's still $899 more then I have to play with. Lucky for you my review isn't necessary; not while Glenn Reynolds and Co are on the case.
My own Digital camera is an Olympus C-725 Untra Zoom that I bought never used from a friend for $100 a few weeks ago. No complaints so far.
Posted by Peter at 11:32 PM | Comments (0)
Parallel and USB
At Romano's Market yesterday I noticed Mike had finally replaced his old label machine. It had worked forever but he couldn't find rollers for the old model. Many computer users have older systems or printers that have always worked that they don't want to replace. When debugging the printers it is very common for confusion over what is a parallel cable and what is a USB cable (particularly among elderly customers) So for the benefit of anybody who needs to know:
This is a Parallel Cable 
This is a USB cable
Most new systems do not come with a parallel port anymore. So any new printer will likely be using USB. Check your manufacturer's web site for the particluar model you have to see what modes are supported. Or consider upgrading to a newer system like Mike did.
PS That sketch is of the actual Romano's Market that Mike and his family have run for 100 years. The variety store has been replaced by a mobile phone store but Mike and his sons still supply the best meats in Fitchburg. (Try the Marinated Sirloin Tips or the homemade Sausage & Kielbasa...MMMMMMM)
PPS It's true I was a Romano's blogger before I was a tech blogger
Posted by Peter at 11:51 AM | Comments (1)
April 05, 2005
Email Spoofing
This is a subject that is near and dear to my heart... well the utter elminination of it. The term of Email Spoofing is defined on the Internet Security Systems website as follows:
Spoofing is the creation of TCP/IP packets using somebody else's IP address. Routers use the "destination IP" address in order to forward packets through the Internet, but ignore the "source IP" address. That address is only used by the destination machine when it responds back to the source.
The usual result is that phony email addresses are used to send out SPAM. It's likely that the person who sent the spam isn't really the real original person, but someone forging the IP address and email address in their message to fool you into thinking that another person sent it.
It remains a huge problem to this day, and is a major method used by spammers to clog internet email with useless and usually fraudulent email advertisements. Also it costs companies lost money and time to remove such mail, in addition to forcing the purchase of security measures to minimize such problems.
An interesting PDF article regarding spoofing and a security protocol called SPF (Sender Policy Network) can be found here. NOTE: you will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed in order to read this article.
Hopefully this and other newer solutions will help combat Email Spoofing in the future.
Posted by at 10:33 AM | Comments (0)
April 04, 2005
Another myth bites the dust
Now that Apple has teamed up with major auto makers including Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, & BMW among others to directly integrate the IPOD to their car stereo systems can we all admit that Apple, like Microsoft (like LightFrog) is a business out to make a profit rather than pretend that Apple is St. George to Microsoft's Dragon?
More details here The apple official list is here
Posted by Peter at 11:02 PM | Comments (0)
What is a blog anyway?
As you might guess I make it a point to point all customers to the blog at the end of our calls (or chat or whatever). I am actually surprised at how many of our customers don't know what a blog is. So for those of you unsure. Here is the answer:
BLOG is short for Web-Log, basically it is an online journal. It can be on any subject and or run by any number of people.
A person who publishes on a blog is known as a Blogger.
The entire universe of blog posters is known as the Blogosphere
There are as many types of blogs as there are people. Our LightFrog blog is both a business blog (a blog run by a business to serve its customers) and a group blog (a blog where a group of people rather than a single).
You can set up your own free blog using a site called blogger
I will be updating this post on a regular basis to add more info.
UPDATE: 5/2/05
The Mudville Gazette posted this article on blogging that gives more detail than I do here about blogs and blogging in general.
The Mudville Gazette is a Milblog which is a blog by a member of the armed services. Several post directly from Iraq which for a history buff like me is incredible.
Via Instapundit
UPDATE 5/8/05
Virginia Postel links to her great article (membership required) about blogs and the reaction of the media to them at Forbes' website. Worth reading even though we don't make her blog list.
Hat tip Instapundit.
Posted by Peter at 03:05 PM | Comments (4)
That Horse isn't dead
So much has been posted on the web concerning identify theft that one more entry seems overkill, but as I went through one of my side e-mail accounts and looked at what was there I decided it wasn't beating a dead horse after all.
In addition to the usual Nigerian E-mails and the ebay account frauds there was one more that is old but worth talking about.
I received an e-mail purporting to be from the Bank of Oklahoma saying that somebody might have used my ATM account and I should click on a link to go to a site to verify.
Since I don't have an account at the Bank of Oklahoma (in fact I don't even use ATMs) it was pretty clear it was phony however an elderly person or somebody not paying attention could fall for this stuff pretty easy. The term is phishing the e-mail is the bait and your account information is the catch their after. This is an excellent site to gain more info on these scams.
But what if you DID have an account at the bank listed? What if you DID previously have an issue with your e-bay account. What if you Did request info about a on online service? Well here are a few easy tips to identify this stuff:
1. "Google" it
If the e-mail says it is from the Bank of Oklahoma then go to google or yahoo or whatever and search for the actual bank. A search for the bank of Oklahoma will show this
in Google and this in Yahoo. There will be a contact page available to confirm the issue.
2. Examine the link provided
When I right clicked on the links provided in the e-mail and choose PROPERTIES the path shows a site that started with "4skc" rather than Bank of Oklahoma. This particular e-mail was a little more clever as it had two links one that appeared more legit, however the check on properties showed the 4skc up front. Any link that isn't in the same format under properties should be suspect.
3. Graphics Lie
In less time that in takes to type this a person can lift legit graphics from a site and paste it into their e-mail. An impressive look means nothing remember the tale of the Golden Bird.
4. Guilty until proven otherwise
Any e-mail that requests either account or personal information should be suspect. A legit business will not uses this type of contact method.
5. Know your banker
In this age of online everything it is becoming rarer to actually know people at your bank, but take the time. If you are going to do online banking get the business e-mail of the loan officer you are dealing with and correspond directly. If you are in doubt create a new e-mail for replies rather than hitting the reply button.
P.T. Barnum said "This is a sucker born every minute." (actually he didn't) but its been proven true enough times. You don't want to prove it again.
Posted by Peter at 10:50 AM | Comments (0)
April 03, 2005
He who hesitates is toast
Just had a sad call from a Lady who had a digital camera card that will not read. Her camera will not read it, two camera places computer will not read it.
The card worked when she got back from the trip but she didn't download the data at once. It looks like it was corrupted when she attempted to take another picture on the full card.
The moral is clear. When you have vital data of any type BACK IT UP AT ONCE. If this data had been downloaded to the PC at once she would be showing off her pictures instead of looking for data recovery service.
(Shameless plug alert) Although it would not apply in this case the LightFrog Gold subscription comes with online backup that could save the day for you in a similar case.
Posted by Peter at 04:27 PM | Comments (0)
April 01, 2005
Another car for the information super highway
If you have screen shared with me during a tech support session odds are you now have Mozilla installed on your system as a backup browser. This is not because I dislike Microsoft or Internet Explorer (I don't) but it IS because a backup browser is an excellent idea for several reasons.
1. With a backup browser if you have an issue with connecting to the internet you can quickly determine if it is a browser specific issue.
If one browser works and the other doesn't odds are it is a corruption of the browser, if all fail odds are your system isn't connecting.
2. Many spyware/adware/virus' issues are browser specific (ok IE specific)
If a nasty bug puts IE out of commission you have another way to get to either an online scan or replacement DLL's (or even tech hints) If you only have one browser on your system it behooves you to install a backup. As more people use alternate browsers look for more attacks on them as well.
3. Its a quick way to keep items separate
I am a person who always keeps at least 6 (and up to 12) windows open at the same time. For example I use Mozilla for fun surfing, Firefox for tech links, IE for chats and Maxthon for calls. That means I can do a quick switch with a single click
An extra browser is an extra car in the garage to drive on the information super highway, without the insurance cost!
Posted by Peter at 07:31 PM | Comments (0)
Give me that ole time OS
An interesting article on CNET ASIA suggests that Microsoft's Longhorn OS might be a tough sell due to scaling back of new features and the fact that XP is a pretty solid OS. (Much the same problem with ME vs 98.)
This goes back to the most telling question about computers, what you need vs what you want. Us old foggies who started on mainframes and were willing to spend a ton of dough on PONG machines find we don't mind an extra click or two, because we remember when 9600 baud was fast. The younger set who never had to deal with the slower speeds are less likely to settle for less, but the question become will there be enough more to get them to spend the $300 (or whatever).
My own bottom line is "leave things alone when they are working." Unless my software requires otherwise I'll stick with this Longhorn
Posted by Peter at 11:40 AM | Comments (0)