Computer Shopper back issues from August 2003:
Bye-bye, boring box. (from the editor in chief).
Aug 01, 2003; ... When I bought my first computer back in the late '80s, there weren't many choices when it came to PC design. You either settled for an IBM clone, which came in a horizontal rectangular box, or you went alternative with an Apple Macintosh, which was housed in a vertical box. Either way, ...
Shipping fees shouldn't sink a deal. (Letters).(Letter to the Editor)
Aug 01, 2003; ... Rik Fairlie is dead on target with his opinion concerning PC shipping fees ("Shipping Costs Can Make or Break a Deal," July, p. 30). Recently, a friend's computer died, so I decided to send him a used computer (sans monitor) that I had outgrown. Armed only with ...
Produce and PCs: Aisle 3? (Letters).(Letter to the Editor)
Aug 01, 2003; ... I read with interest your Top 25 list in the June 2003 issue (p. 38). I recently purchased a 2.6GHz Medion Titanium 8000 system with a Pentium 4 processor, Windows XP, a 120GB hard drive, a DVD/CD-RW drive, four different digital memory direct-read ports, a GeForce4 graphics card, and ...
Sound antivirus advice. (Letters).(Letter to the Editor)
Aug 01, 2003; ... I was looking for a new antivirus program that would work with Windows NT (Norton and McAfee no longer support it), so I went to Computer Associates' site (www.my-etrust.com) to check out eTrust EZ Antivirus 6.1, which you reviewed in the July issue (p. 76). The company offered a free ...
Correction.(Correction Notice)
Aug 01, 2003 ... In our June accounting-software roundup, "Financial Assistants" (p. 124), the sidebar "Cash Register for the ...
Intel's laptop prototype goes with the 'Flo'. (Trends).
Aug 01, 2003; ... Later this year, intel (www.intel.com) will unveil a prototype of a double-jointed portable computer designed to get people thinking about what's next for notebooks. The prototype shows how a notebook can metamorphose from a tablet for capturing handwritten text into a mobile ...
Microsoft makes DVD conversion. (Trends).(Brief Article)
Aug 01, 2003; ... As DVD drives in desktops and laptops make the transition from high-cost luxury add-ons to mainstream staples, Microsoft (www. microsoft.com) has unveiled several technologies for putting the 4.7GB optical discs to good use. The software giant has established a new mark for DVD ...
Gateway expanding beyond PCs. (Trends).(Brief Article)
Aug 01, 2003; ... Gateway (www.gateway. com) is hoping to return to profitability by extending its product offerings to include peripherals, consumer electronics, and even furniture. The company intends to revamp its retail stores to accommodate the new mix, which will include such business and consumer ...
Bamboozled by the butterfly? (Trends).(Brief Article)
Aug 01, 2003; ... Signing up with a new ISP has gotten easier--too easy, if the allegations of two California shoppers are true. The Best Buy (www.bestbuy. com) customers are suing the retail chain and Microsoft (www.microsoft.com) for signing up them, and perhaps thousands of other customers, for MSN ...
New card to fill PCMCIA slots. (Trends).(Personal Computer Memory Card International Association)(Brief Article)
Aug 01, 2003; ... Desktop and notebook components are set to get a little more compatible, thanks to an upcoming technology being developed by the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA; www.pcmcia.org). The initiative, code-named Newcard, will yield an external expansion slot for ...
MP3 swappers shop for hip-hop. (Trends).
Aug 01, 2003 ... Internet users who downloaded music in a recent 30-day period are more likely to have purchased hip-hop, club, and alternative-rock music than other genres. Here's a list of most-popular purchases by type of music, ranked by index number (100 represents average usage pattern of Internet ...
Nokia's Pen is mightier than the cord. (Trends).(Nokia Digital Pen Su-1B)(Brief Article)
Aug 01, 2003; ... Nokia (www.nokia.com) is developing a digital pen that will enable you to write or draw a note, transfer it to a cell phone, and then distribute it via multimedia messaging. Using a specially printed notepad, Nokia's Digital Pen SU-1B will let you write in digital ink and ...
Microsoft: more media, less PC in future Media Center PCs. (Trends).(Brief Article)
Aug 01, 2003; ... "You could do better" is the message Microsoft (www.microsoft.com) is sending Media Center PC hardware vendors. If the message gets through, the next generation of Media Center systems should look much more at home in the living room. At the recent Microsoft-sponsored Windows ...
Cutting the tether on subscription music services. (Trends).
Aug 01, 2003; ... While Apple Computer (www.apple.com) grabs publicity for its new 99-cent-music-download store, Microsoft (www.microsoft.com) is quietly planning a counterattack by improving its own technology for supporting subscription music services. News that Apple has sold millions of ...
Is big brother at the front desk? (Trends).(Hilton Hotel's ONQ database)(Brief Article)
Aug 01, 2003; ... Good customer service, or shades of Orwell? Hilton Hotels' (www.hilton.com) new OnQ database system sounds like a bit of both. Announced in May, the system stores personal information provided by Hilton reward-program members and frequent guests. It's currently installed in 90 percent of ...
This DVD will self-destruct in 48 hours. (Trends).(Brief Article)
Aug 01, 2003 ... A subsidiary of electronics maker Sony (www.sony. com) is to sell downloadable movie files that self-destruct after a given time period. According to the Japanese newspaper Nikkei Business Daily, the company's So-net ISP will test the service in Japan. Meanwhile, Disney ...
Believe the hype about Tablet PCs, Smart Displays. (Trends).(according to In-Stat/MDR)(Brief Article)
Aug 01, 2003 ... Although Tablet PCs and Smart Displays have faced initial skepticism, In-Stat/MDR projects that these two device types will soon make an impact on portable computing. The research firm sees tablets, which are thinner than typical notebooks and rely on handwriting as a form of input, ...
Tour with a video star. (Gear).(Buyers Guide)
Aug 01, 2003; ... Archos AV320 Video Recorder A movable multimedia feast: Roam the earth and take your audio and video files along with the $569 AV320 Video Recorder from Archos. Whether you're traveling by train, by car, or crammed into economy class, the AV320 handily serves up ...
How to influence Congress without writing a check: legislators are staffing to pay attention to e-mail and online petitions. Here's what you need to know to make your message count. (opinions).
Aug 01, 2003; ... A FEW WEEKS AGO, A FRIEND forwarded an e-mail urging cyberactivists to join forces to defeat George Bush and his Republican buddies in the 2004 elections. The GOP tossed from office by a virtual grassroots movement? After some sensationally exaggerated eye rolling, I tapped out a response ...
Message to Steve jobs: where's my video iPod? Two slick new PC-based devices are poised to upstage Apple's wildly popular MP3 player in the "insanely great" department. (opinions).(Product/Service Evaluation)
Aug 01, 2003; ... HEY, STEVE! JUST WANTED TO let you know all the hoopla over the introduction of the slimmer Apple iPod and the iTunes Music Store was quite a coup--and good for business--but it didn't get much of a rise out of me. Don't get me wrong; the iPod is still sweet, but now that so many people ...
PDA pioneers reunite to reignite the category: Palm and Handspring have buried the hatchet in an attempt to lift each other out of the doldrums. (opinions).(Editorial)
Aug 01, 2003; ... PALM'S RECENT ACQUISITION of Handspring, bringing back together the creators of the PDA, is telling. Palm is acquiring a company whose sole remaining product is at least closer to being part of a burgeoning category, while demand for its type of products wanes. Handspring began when PDA ...
The top 25: computer shopper editors handpick this month's best desktops, notebooks, camcorders, handhelds, and games. (Top 25).(Directory)
Aug 01, 2003 ... <Pre> HOME DESKTOPS PRODUCT PRICE SPECS Dell Dimension 4550 *$1,3932.66GHz Pentium 4; 512MB DDR; www.dell.com 120GB hard drive; 15-inch LCD;nVidia GeForce4 MX Velocity Vector VX * $1,861 ...
Solid midrange system sacrifices upgradability: Dell Dimension 4600C.(Hardware Review)
Aug 01, 2003; ... IN THE $1,899 DIMENSION 4600C, Dell Computer combines a slim-profile case with Intel's new 865G chipset (code-named Springdale), shoehorning adequate processing power and multimedia abilities into limited real estate. Future expandability is severely limited, so this svelte system is best ...
Versatile corporate PC lacks IT accoutrements: Systemax Venture LP SU26R.(Hardware Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Aug 01, 2003; ... A BUSINESS PC WITH ENTERTAINMENT VALUE, SYSTEMAX'S Venture LP SU26R is small enough to fit tight office spaces. Its lack of IT-friendly features, however, makes it better suited to home and small-office environments than corporations. The $1,299 SU26R's case is just 4 inches ...
Poor service and support, but still a good deal: AIPCS A.I. 3800.(Hardware Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Aug 01, 2003; ... THE A.I. 3800 FROM AIPCS SYSTEM TECHNOLOGIES is proof that some of the best midrange system deals are coming from lesser-known vendors. Still, the $1,699 PC is missing the strong support and hearty software bundle you get from the PC giants. The system's windowed side panel is ...
Budget PC's big on extras, but easy on the wallet: iBuypower Value XP PC.(Hardware Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Aug 01, 2003; ... THE IBUYPOWER VALUE XP PC COSTS JUST $799, AND it's chock-full of goodies, inducing a 2.4GHz Pentium 4 paired with Intel's new 865G (Springdale) chipset, plus 512MB of DDR memory, a speedy CD-RW drive, and a great 19-inch CRT. Although it's not without its drawbacks (a skimpy 40GB hard ...
Performance system is priced to move: Starfish SS 3000 XP.(Hardware Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Aug 01, 2003; ... WITH AN AMD ATHLON XP 3000+ PROCESSOR and an ATI Radeon 9800 Pro graphics card, Starfish Technologies' SS 3000 XP delivers awesome graphics performance for just $2,052. Although it lagged behind the competition in application benchmarks, performance enthusiasts and garners will find a lot ...
High-style laptop delivers weak mobile performance: Toshiba Satellite 2455 series.(Hardware Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Aug 01, 2003; ... TOSHIBA AMERICA WAS ONE of the first notebook makers to include a DVD-RW drive in a notebook, and now, the company is bringing that feature to its more mainstream laptops. The new Satellite 2455 Series, starting at $1,699, is a good example of this trend. Toshiba sells two base ...
Bargain laptop exhibits muscle, endurance: Dell Inspiron 1100.(Hardware Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Aug 01, 2003; ... c|net Editors' Choice DELL COMPUTER'S MAINSTREAM Inspiron 1100 is the least-expensive notebook in the newly redesigned Inspiron family, but it's by no means the runt. This affordable system surprised us by notching decent scores in our testing. The $979 Inspiron we ...
Thin-and-light looker gets boost from Centrino: Sony VAIO PCG-Z1A.(Hardware Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Aug 01, 2003; ... THE $2,299 SONY VAIO PCG-Z1A IS ONE OF THE most stylish laptops to join the Centrino-notebook parade. It's also a portable that's plenty powerful and stuffed with the latest in mobile technology. Sony outfits this VAIO with a rich mix of high-tech components. Our test model came ...
Rugged notebook proves toughness will cost you: Itronix GoBook II.(Hardware Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Aug 01, 2003; ... THOUGH NOT MANY NOTEBOOK USERS NEED A rugged laptop like the $5,200 Itronix GoBook II, some of us do lead rough-and-tumble lifestyles that require this level of resilience. Under the hood of this tank you'll find a 1.7GHz Pentium 4-M CPU, 512MB of DDR SDRAM, and a modest 30GB ...
A powerful lightweight for demanding travelers: Fujitsu LifeBook P500.(Hardware Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Aug 01, 2003; ... FUJITSU'S NEW $1,999 LIFEBOOK P500 DELIVERS BIG-NOTEBOOK functionality in a sleek silver package that's incredibly compact. But don't be fooled by its demure size: This pint-size system is big on performance. An Ultra Low Voltage 900MHz Pentium M runs at the core of the fully ...
Small, affordable cell packs fancy features: Motorola C350.(Hardware Review)
Aug 01, 2003; ... ON THE EDGE BETWEEN SUPERCOMPACT and fully loaded sits Motorola's new C350 ($75 to $125, depending on carrier). This color upgrade to the company's monochrome C330-series phones impressively packs tons of features and functionality into a small package. At 2.8 ounces and ...
Palm takes on rivals with elemental power: Palm Tungsten C.(Hardware Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Aug 01, 2003; ... THE POCKET PC, ONCE THE UNQUESTIONED PERFORMANCE leader of the PDA pack, now has serious competition in the new $499 Palm Tungsten C. This latest Tungsten matches its Pocket PC protagonists virtually spec for spec. The Tungsten C has much the same shape as the Tungsten W, except ...
Ultimate audio device is better than ever: Apple iPod 30GB.(Hardware Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Aug 01, 2003; ... c|net Editors' Choice WITH ITS SMALLER PROFILE AND EASY operation, the newly redesigned $499 Apple iPod MP3 player is undeniably cool. We took a look at the premium 30GB model, which, while its battery life leaves something to be desired, is a triumph in mobile music ...
Bilingual Wi-Fi card transmits fast, roams far: Belkin 54G Wireless Notebook Network Card.(Product/Service Evaluation)
Aug 01, 2003; ... GIVE YOUR LAPTOP THE GIFT OF HIGH-SPEED Wi-Fi with the $79.99 Belkin 54g Wireless Notebook Network Card. This add-in PC Card, part of Belkin's 54g line of access points, DSL/cable routers, and wireless interface cards, is a solid performer with an unbeatable warranty. The 54g is ...
Wireless receiver is music to our ears: CD3O C300 Extended-Range Wireless Network MP3 Player.(Hardware Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Aug 01, 2003; ... THE CD3O 0300 EXTENDED-RANGE WIRELESS Network MP3 Player is the fast digital audio receiver (DAR) we've seen to use 802.11b wireless technology, versus radio frequency (RF), to connect your PC to a stereo. That and the $249 unit's awesome sound are enough to establish startup Cd3o as a ...
Speedy CD-RW drive still lags behind its rivals: Samsung SW-252.(Hardware Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Aug 01, 2003; ... SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS' LOW-COST SW-252 CD-RW drive excels at CD-R burning, and the company gets high marks for including the full retail version of Ahead Software's Nero Burning ROM 5.5. Compared with other 52x drives, however, the SW-252 delivers slightly disappointing performance when ...
High-res dye-sub prints photos on the fly: Hi-Touch Photo Printer 640PS.(Hardware Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Aug 01, 2003; ... IF YOUR DIGITAL PHOTOS HAVE TAKEN UP PERMANENT residence on your PC's hard drive, Hi-Touch Imaging's Photo Printer 640PS delivers a fool-proof, speedy way to coax them into professional-looking prints. Better yet, the $299 dye-sublimation device outputs 4x6-inch snapshots without any of ...
A new breed of mouse rolls below the keyboard: Contour RollerMouse Station.(from Contour Design)(Hardware Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Aug 01, 2003; ... WE SEE A LOT OF MICE HERE AT COMPUTER Shopper, but few as interesting as Contour Design's RollerMouse Station. This input device uses a built-in rollerbar that sits right below your keyboard and turns in place, obviating the reaching and gripping associated with traditional mice. The ...
Simple point-and-shooter for novices on a budget: Kodak EasyShare CX4230.(Hardware Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Aug 01, 2003; ... STICKING TO THE BARE ESSENTIALS, EASTMAN Kodak's 2-megapixel EasyShare CX4230 digicam is a decent choice for budget-minded buyers who want the advantages of digital photography without the complexities. Compared with some sleek point-and-shoot models, the $199 CX4230 looks ...
Petite multifunction isn't big on performance: HP PSC 1210 All-in-One.(Hardware Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Aug 01, 2003; ... HEWLETT-PACKARD'S $99.99 PSC 1210 ALL-IN-ONE is a well-priced multifunction unit with a small footprint for cramped quarters. It offers rudimentary color and monochrome printing, scanning, and copying, but some color-quality issues and paper-feed problems may send performance-minded buyers ...
Scanner puts high price on cutting paper clutter: Fujitsu Scansnap.(Hardware Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Aug 01, 2003; ... THE QUEST FOR A PAPERLESS OFFICE HAS THUS FAR been a pipe dream. Fujitsu's ScanSnap scanner brings the vision closer to reality, offering a simple solution for digitizing those heaps of paper and business cards. The ScanSnap isn't perfect, and at $495, it's also expensive, but it is useful ...
802.11g access point is already up to speed: Netgear WG602.(Hardware Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Aug 01, 2003; ... UNLIKE MANY OF ITS COMPETITORS, NETGEAR tweaked and polished its firmware before it released its first 802.11g draft-compliant product. And while a firmware upgrade is now available--a review unit employing the ratified 802.11g spec was not available at press time--the $117.49 WG602 54Mbps ...
DVD copier keeps focus solely on the movies: DVD X Copy.(from 321 Studios)(Software Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Aug 01, 2003; ... IF YOU'VE BEEN LQOKING FOR A WAY TO BACK UP YOUR commercial DVD movies to writable DVD discs without upping your geek factor, DVD X Copy may be for you--though it seems to skirt along the edge of copyright laws. DVD X Copy (now offered with the downloadable DVD X Copy Xpress for ...
Apple's music service lets you download different: Apple ITunes Music Store.(Product/Service Evaluation)
Aug 01, 2003; ... WITH THE ITUNES MUSIC STORE, APPLE COMPUTER. has struck the right chord for digital-audio downloading with a characteristically innovative approach. By offering flexible usage rights, high-quality tunes, and a simple pricing scheme, the company has bridged the gap between laissez-faire ...
One-stop burning option needs unified look: Pinnacle Instant CD/DVD.(Hardware Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Aug 01, 2003; ... THE $99.99 PINNACLE INSTANT CD/DVD IS A VERSATILE utility that can burn and copy a wide variety of disc types, and includes a full video-importing and -editing tool that's much more sophisticated than what competitors Nero Burning ROM and Roxio Easy CD & DVD Creator 6 offer. Overall, we ...
Security suite stars as the encrypt keeper: Steganos Security Suite 5.(Software Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Aug 01, 2003; ... STEGANOS SECURITY SUITE 5 IS A HEAVY-DUTY COLLECTION of privacy tools that erases browser cache files and history, shreds personal files, manages passwords, and encrypts hard drive folders and e-mail. You'll probably never need most of these tools at home, but in a business environment ...
Access to your e-mail from any location: Sort Once.(Software Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Aug 01, 2003; ... IF YOU'RE A MOBILE WORKER OR A SMALL-BUSINESS owner who can't afford an expensive e-mail server like Microsoft Exchange, ForwardCenter's Sort Once can offer the same always-in-sync benefits for just $5.95 (Standard account) or $7.95 (Enhanced account) per month. Sort Once ...
Photo organizer keeps files picture-perfect: Jasc Paint Shop Photo Album 4.(Software Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Aug 01, 2003; ... WITH THE $49 PAINT SHOP PHOTO ALBUM 4, WHICH replaces Jasc Software's After Shot Premium Edition, the company has created another innovative graphics program. Of all the photo organizers and managers we've tested to date, Photo Album 4 is the top dog. The app could stand some ...
A Linux OS that's a clear threat to Windows: Mandrake Linux Powerpack Edition 9.1.(Product/Service Evaluation)
Aug 01, 2003; ... WITH VERSION 9.1 OF ITS $69 LINUX DISTRIBUTION, MandrakeSoft has come as close as anyone to making Linux truly competitive with Windows. Mandrake Linux PowerPack Edition doesn't resoundingly trump Red Hat or SuSE, but if you're looking for easy reading and support for NT File System (NTFS) ...
Spam fighter's bugs hinder its effectiveness: Mailblocks.(Product/Service Evaluation)
Aug 01, 2003; ... SPAM STOPPERS DON'T GET MORE VIGILANT THAN Mailblocks, which trapped 100 percent of the spam in our tests--but also a ton of legitimate mail. Mailblocks' Web-based system works with up to three external e-mail accounts, or you can use it as a stand-alone e-mail service ($9.95 a year for ...
Half-life mod reborn as new WWII shooter: Day Of Defeat.(Product/Service Evaluation)
Aug 01, 2003; ... GAME MODIBICATIONS, OR "MODS," ARE OFTEN developed by amateur game-makers in their spare time and given away for free. That was originally the case with Day of Defeat, a popular Half-Life mod. Newly tweaked and polished with the help of Half-Life developer Valve for release as a ...
Strategies unite in new empire-building game: Rise Of Nations.(Product/Service Evaluation)
Aug 01, 2003; ... RISE OF NATIONS, THE $49.99 DEBUT TITLE FROM BIG Huge Games, the studio founded by renowned game designer Brian Reynolds, is a superb empire-building game that combines the best elements of real-rime strategy (RTS) with the conventions of Reynolds' previous turn-based blockbusters, ...
The shape of things to come: new form factors are bringing the PC out from under the desk and setting the stage for true convergence. (The New Look Of Desktop PCs).
Aug 01, 2003; ... WAY BACK IN THE EARLY '80S, BEFORE THE PC's design was set in beige stone, manufacturers had the opportunity to create anew an innovative form factor with each model. That never happened, however: By the early '90s, desktop computers had settled into the bland-box era. Like the ...
Systems straight-A: we've prepared a primer on buying a desktop or notebook PC for the high-school or college students in your family. The lesson: you can get a computer that will see them through graduation without spending their tuition fund. (System For Students).(Buyers Guide)
Aug 01, 2003; ... WHEN IT CAME TIME TO BUY A COMPUTER FOR HIS COLLEGE-BOUND son, Mark Faurie of Murrysville, Pa., acknowledges that his selection method was less than scientific: "I brought home a Dell catalog, tossed it on the table, and told him to pick out what he liked." Steven Faurie chose well, given ...
Burning bargains: with prices plummeting and speeds revving up, recordable-DVD drives are this year's hottest peripherals. We take five affordable 4x models for a spin. (Recordable-DVD Drives).(Buyers Guide)
Aug 01, 2003; ... When we last featured recordable-DVD drives ("Capacity to Burn," November 2002, p. 138), prices had just dropped below $400, DVD-writing speeds maxed out at 2.4x, and no victor had emerged in the format wars between the DVD-R/DVD-RW and DVD+R/DVD+RW technologies. In the ensuing ...
Net pesticides: whether you're tired of swatting pop-up ads or squashing spyware that's burrowed into your system, we have the exterminating solution to keep your Web surfing pest-free. (AD/Spyware-Blocking Software).
Aug 01, 2003; ... Chances are, even as you read this, online marketers are virtually buzzing around you, and your computer is being infested by spyware. But you can fight back and exterminate these nuisances. Pop-up and pop-under ads, which launch themselves from your Web browser like a swarm of ...
The hard edge: rediscovering ATI; Alice does smartphones; and happy 11 years doing it the "hard" way, Alice and Bill.
Aug 01, 2003; ... ELEVEN YEARS IS A HOWLING, nail-biting long time to live out on the bleeding edge of technology. Alice and Bill have been sliced and diced by so many half-baked ideas and products, innocents may wonder why, after more than a decade of writing it the hard way, they don't just shrug off the ...
From VHS to DVD: extend the versatility and durability of your home videos by transferring them to digital media. (Tune-Up).
Aug 01, 2003; ... Videotape is so last century. Why leave your cherished family videos tucked away in the back of some closet when you could easily transfer them to DVD, a format that's durable, convenient to store, and easy to navigate? Transferring your videos to DVD will also pay off when you want to ...
Searching on a string. (computer cures).(Brief Article)
Aug 01, 2003; ... I recently saw an ad for an app that searches the content of files and identifies those that contain the text of a specified search string. For instance, if I drafted a letter to a Mr. Smith and couldn't remember what I called the file, presumably I could use this software to find all the ...
Jump on the PCI bus. (computer cures).(Brief Article)
Aug 01, 2003; ... My motherboard doesn't have an AGP slot. Is there another way to add top-of-the-line graphics to my system? Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) technology increases graphics performance by allowing your PC to transfer data directly from the system memory to the graphics adapter. The ...
Saving for the future. (computer cures).
Aug 01, 2003; ... I have hundreds of old floppy disks that I would like to back up to CD-R. Some contain programs and operating systems such as DOS 6.22, Windows 3.11, and Works 3.0. What's the best way to record these so that the installation feature is preserved? Also, many of my old floppies have become ...
To switch or not to switch? (computer cures).
Aug 01, 2003; ... Is it better to leave my PC on all the time, or to switch it off when I'm not using it? I only turn mine off during thunderstorms. This is probably my most-often-asked question. I don't have a clear-cut answer, but here are the facts so you can make an educated decision. ...
Batch your backups. (computer cures).
Aug 01, 2003; ... I'm looking for an easier way to back up critical files on my networked PC. As it stands now, each week I drag all my files from Computer One to Computer Two. But this wastes an enormous amount of time, because only a small fraction of the files change each week. Do you know of a utility ...