IN THIS ISSUE:
01. Readers write
02. Extension search
03. Dumb messages revisited
04. XP Tweak
05. Hardware Diagnostic Tool
06. Training Windows
07. Hold that button
08. Hagai's freeware
09. Online help
And Coming Next Week!
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Make Internet Explorer Faster, More Capable, and Secure!
NNT's reviewers called Secure IE great, easy-to-use,awesome,
impressive, a total "thumbs up"!  Read what they're raving
about and get yours at http://www.secureie.com/p/nnt1/
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01. READERS WRITE.  A Wisconsin subscriber wrote to express his displeasure
with the links contained in Neat Net Tricks.  It seems he is bothered by
the frequent pop-up ads and he felt that only those sites without the ads
should be featured in NNT, particularly in the Premium issue. We replied
that pop-ups can be annoying but, while not defending them, we must realize
that they are a form of marketing in which the site owner hopes to recover
his costs and possibly make a profit.  We suggested using a pop-up stopper
(there are lots of them on the Web) and ALT F4 will quickly close active
pop-up windows.  Finally, we pointed out that no publication can guarantee
only sites without pop-up ads.  As we've often said in the past, the
Internet isn't free and never was.  Someone has to pay the freight and if
those ads are unprofitable, they will cease to exist.
02. EXTENSION SEARCH.  Next time a file extension has you puzzled, try the
database at http://extsearch.com/ information.
03. DUMB MESSAGES REVISITED.  Not long ago we mentioned a few dumb messages
we see from our computer and invited others to share their favorite
"dumbness."  A reader frequently gets a banner ad that asks "Do you click
on banner ads."  She asks, if you don't, how do you click "No" without
clicking on the banner ad? Others galled at their computers crashing, then
sitting through the Scandisk operation and being reminded "To avoid seeing
this screen again, always shut down Windows properly" as if it was their
fault. Another reader nominates the download site at
http://www.microsoft.com/NTWorkstation/downloads/PowerToys/Networking/NTTweakUI.asp
for having a really dumb comment.  After downloading a Windows update, it
says:  "How to Get Started -- You don't need to do anything after
downloading" and he asks, "what's the point of downloading?"  Still another
reader nominates the instruction manual for the Windows Internet
Information Server (ILS) accessible only when ILS is operating.  Thus, the
entire section on troubleshooting a nonfunctional installation is
inaccessible at precisely the moment one needs to consult it.  But judging
by the sheer quantity of email, the top dumb instruction has to be the
message that "Keyboard not detected, Press (whatever key) to
Continue."  Keep them coming and we'll do it again in a future issue!
04. XP TWEAK.  A recent article reminded readers of the neat things that
can be done with TweakUI, but the XP operating system was not supported by
the Tweak at that link.  Never fear, XP folks, you'll find a whole array of
power tools included Tweak - all for XP - at
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/downloads/powertoys.asp .
. . . . .
1, 400+ Neat Net Tricks tips updated 4 times yearly for the word processing
format of your choice, also in ebook format, plus extra features,
downloadable and just $20 a year, a bargain (and a nice stocking stuffer
for Santa) at http://www.NeatNetTricks.com/store.
. . . . .
05. HARDWARE DIAGNOSTICS TOOL.  Windows98 users have a neat tool at their
fingertips without downloading.  Click on Start and Run and enter "hwinfo
/ui" without quotes.  The information displayed is color-coded.  Error
messages are in red, warnings are in blue.  Green denotes registry entries,
Configuration Manager information is in brown and file attributes are shown
in magenta.
06. TRAINING WINDOWS.  One pet peeve is Windows' determination to identify
a shortcut icon as "Shortcut to (whatever)"  This is pure redundancy, since
shortcuts are identified by an arrow.  And, with the added verbage of
"Short cut to" you can't jump from one icon to another by pressing the
first letter (since they would all start with an "s".  If you keep removing
"Shortcut to," Windows will eventually understand your intent and future
shortcuts won't include "Shortcut to".
07. HOLD THAT BUTTON.  The site at http://www.holdthebutton.com/ invites
you to hold the mouse key down.  Now, before you hastily jump to
conclusions that there's nothing more to this site, when you release the
button, you are told how you rank in stamina with other button
holders.  And when I took my turn at the controls, I found that the longest
record was a little over six hours, proving once again that some folks need
to get a life.
08. HAGAI'S FREEWARE.  A baker's dozen (13) freeware programs are at
http://www.hagai.com/download.asp?ProgType=Freeware . They include a bug
checker, screen saver loader, clock, shutdown utility, CD autorun, boot
editor, menu, counter,icon viewer and editor, and more.
09. ONLINE HELP.  Of limited scope, but considering that you can never get
enough help with your computer, try http://www.computerhope.com/oh.htm .
. . . . .
Apologies to those readers who were inconvenienced with multiple issues of
NNT Issue #137.  As luck would have it, Lyris (our mail server) had
hardware failure causing some of the repeated distribution. We'd like to
tell you that there will never be another problem in future mailings, and
if you'll buy that, as the song goes, we have some oceanfront property in
Arizona for sale.
. . . . .
IN NEXT WEEK'S NEAT NET TRICKS PREMIUM:  Google is generally accepted as
the most popular search engine, but we show you another free download that
enhances Google, along with a way to "Google" without a browser.  Learn a
neat trick with text manipulation, a Winamp plugin that you need if you
have a taste for MP3 music, and a slick trick with your cursor.  Our
Software Pick-Of-The-Issue is a great image manipulator.  And our feature
is an in-depth tutorial on how to handle Microsoft Words' sometimes weird
formatting and styles.  All that awaits you if you're a Premium subscriber
and it costs just $10 a year for 24 fact-packed issues.  Subscribe at the
NNT Store, http://www.NeatNetTricks.com/store and get on the cutting edge.
. . . . . .
NNT makes no endorsement or warranty, expressed or implied, with regard to
featured products or services. Results may vary based on operating systems
and other variables beyond our control.
For info on how to subscribe, unsubscribe, or change your address, send a
blank email to info-neatnettricks@silver.lyris.net .
Comments or questions about your computer and the Internet? Visit the NNT
Bulletin Board at http://escribe.com/computing/neatnettricks/bb/ .
NNT is hosted by Lyris.com, the best in email list management.
Copyright 2002 by Jack Teems. All rights reserved. Neat Net Tricks is
registered with the U.S. Library of Congress ISSN: 1533-4619.
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