Date sent: Mon, 1 Jun 1998 21:18:4
Subject: [Lockergnome] Clicks, Codes, & Globes
To: Lockergnome Subscribers
From: Chris Pirillo
Send reply to: chris@lockergnome.com
[ Double-click this line for list subscription options ]
Lockergnome's Windows 9x/NT Distribution {118,392 Subscribers}
Published by Chris Pirillo (chris@lockergnome.com)
(c) 1996-98, Lockergnome LLC. ISSN: 1095-3965
Site: http://www.lockergnome.com/
Host: http://www.digitaldaze.com/
News: news://news.lockergnome.com/
Clicks, Codes, & Globes
31 May 1998 - Issue #67
HTML Version of this Newsletter:
http://www.lockergnome.com/issues/win95nt/may98-31.html
Tell your friends, family, and colleagues about us:
http://recommend-it.com/listrec.rec.fcgi?site=116892
<>--------------------------------------------------------------<>
////////////////// COMPUTER JOCK HEAVEN //////////////////
Cool peripherals, refurb'd systems, old parts, unique stuff.
Go ape crazy!!!! Rock-bottom prices from Internet liquidator
Computer Surplus Outlet http://www.computersurplusoutlet.com
* Inventory changes hourly. Bookmark now, check back daily *
///memory///headsets///modems///monitors///printers///HDs///
<>--------------------------------------------------------------<>
<>------<> O N T H E D E S K T O P <>------<>
Move over, Fabio, here I come! While I might not be muscular (or
blonde), I have a few more television appearances under my belt
now. Nothing HUGE, but it's better than nothing, I guess. If you
want to stay up to date with Lockergnome announcements and
informal "polls," be sure to keep visiting the newsgroups:
news://news.lockergnome.com/
Have you ever heard of the MP3 player called WinAmp? If not, read
my review for it in this issue. Anyway, you might be interested to
hear that the WinAmp server is located here in Des Moines, Iowa!
The Silicorn Valley grows stronger by the day. Lighthouse
Communications (www.lh.net) is also now sponsoring Lockergnome's
dial-up Internet connection at 56k!
Opinions are like homepages--everyone's got one. Well, ALMOST
everyone! Since we have a Lockergnome Subscriber Homepage
newsgroup, I figured I'd post a few of them in this newsletter
(randomly selected). Here's your chance to sneak a peek at other
Lockergnomers! Feel free to submit your own homepage in the
appropriate newsgroup (URL in the GnomeFavorites section).
Windows 98 is supposedly being released at some locations as early
as June 15th. In most cases, you won't be able to get your hands
on it until June 25th. But are you even going to bother to upgrade
from 95 to 98? Since I love the latest techie stuff, I will
definitely be upgrading. Lockergnome subscribers have already been
sharing their thoughts and feelings in the Lockergnome Windows 98
software newsgroup--feel free to join in.
My new Lockergnome Office:
http://www.lockergnome.com/mavica/office.jpg
Me preparing to write Lockergnome:
http://www.lockergnome.com/mavica/prepare.jpg
The latest television interview:
http://www.lockergnome.com/mavica/iview.jpg
<>------<> I N T H I S I S S U E <>------<>
GnomePrograms Folder:
(1) @Backup Secure Service
(2) Amiglobe 98
(3) Lockergnome PeopleLink v1.11
(4) Easy Checkbook v1.0
(5) DU Meter
(6) Lockergnome Newsgroup Readers
(7) File Investigator v1.21
(8) Directory Watcher v1.0
(9) Search & Replace 98
(10) Peep Show v1.0
GnomeSystem Folder:
(11) MMXTest
(12) The Euro Symbol in Windows
(13) Diamond MM Stealth II S220 v4.10.01.0106
(14) HP Colorado T4000 Firmware Upgrade
(15) ATI 3D Rage Pro v5.1.118
(16) 3DLabs Glint Driver Updates
(17) Logitech Mouse Drivers v8.0
GnomeFun Folder:
(18) Light Speed v3.01
(19) Ultimate Darts
(20) Meteor Invasion 2095
(21) PC Leagues v1.0
GnomeNews Folder:
(22) DVD systems expanding
(23) First V.90 Modems: Good News and Bad
(24) FTC closer to action against Intel
(25) The Great Pink-Out
(26) Web Meetings Slash Travel Costs
(27) Technology may spark education revolution
(28) Windows 98 upgrade adds polish
(29) Be Still My Aching Wrist
GnomeFavorites Folder:
(30) eZines Database
(31) Code Guru
(32) ZIP Code Lookup
(33) Random Lockergnome Subscriber Homepages
GnomeMedia Folder:
(34) WinAmp v1.91-SP1
(35) Johann's Plugin Manager v2.0
(36) The Midi City
GnomeTheme Folder:
(37) Frustration
(38) Pac Man
(39) Lightning
(40) Stained Glass
GnomeFont Folder:
(*) Four Funky Fonts
GnomeTips Folder:
(*) Right Click Tricks
<>------<> G N O M E P R O G R A M S
Sponsor: http://www.filez.com/ <>------<>
(1) @Backup Secure Service [2.4M] 95/98 DEMO
http://security.atbackup.com/?1779
So, you think your data is safe? Not hardly. When was the last
time you performed a backup? Never? Are you waiting for an easier
way to do it? Let me tell ya, it doesn't get much easier than with
@Backup. No tapes, no hardware, no fuss! Your important data will
be copied SECURELY and AUTOMATICALLY to two other locations via
your Internet connection. There's no worry of hardware failure on
your part--and it never overwrites old backups. @Backup even virus
scans your files for you. Time saver? Indeed. Life saver?
Potentially. Don't tempt fate--try @Backup and be safe.
(2) Amiglobe 98 [2.5M] 9x/NT FREE
ftp://ftp.simtel.net/pub/simtelnet/win95/info/amiglo98.zip
http://www.oocities.org/Athens/Acropolis/9604/
Around the world in 90 milliseconds! If you don't have money to
spend on fancy big-named Geographical products, Amiglobe is
definitely for you. Save money and time by using this database of
information (instead of those encyclopedias from 1974). So where
in the world is Iowa? Even I probably couldn't answer that
question. But you'd better know where France is, as this is
POSTCARDWARE (and well worth a thousand postcards).
(3) Lockergnome PeopleLink v1.11 [618k] 9x/NT FREE
http://www.peoplelink.com/v1/lockergnome/
ICQ? Millions of people use it every day. Would you rather keep
your identity secret and only seen by selected individuals?
Peoplelink is the answer. The interface is uncluttered, the usage
is straightforward, and the applications are virtually endless.
Plus, this version comes branded with a link to Lockergnome in the
main window--the first piece of "Lockergnome" software! If you're
tired of "anyone" knowing you're online, then try Peoplelink. It's
the online notification program I choose to use--for privacy
purposes.
(4) Easy Checkbook v1.0 [182k] 9x/NT FREE
Found by Joyce Bugg
http://www.add-ins.com/EASYCHBK.EXE
http://www.add-ins.com/easychbk.htm
Math and I don't get along. Consequently, I have to be twice as
careful when I handle money. I used to use a big-name program to
help me balance my checkbook, but it was cumbersome and took more
time than it was worth. This gem fell into my lap and I'm excited
to use my PC to help keep track of financial transactions again.
All you need is Microsoft Excel 5, 7, or 97 and you can use Easy
Checkbook. It's so easy!
(5) DU Meter v2.0 [305k] SW$10
http://www.hagel.threadnet.com/download/dumtr200.exe
http://www.hagel.threadnet.com/dumeter/
I just purchased a 56k v.90 modem (Hayes Accura). My average
connection speed is around 44k (much better than 28k). However, I
wasn't sure if I was getting a solid connection or not. There was
virtually no way of finding out--until I tried DU Meter (formerly
NetMeter). It showed me that my dial-up connection was very strong
and consistent (both graphically and numerically). The
unregistered version runs for only a half hour, but if you watch
your connection stats like a hawk, you need this meter.
(6) Lockergnome Newsgroup Readers
Free Agent v1.11 [1.0M] FREE
ftp://papa.indstate.edu/winsock-l/Windows95/News/fa32-111.exe
News Xpress v2.01 [264k] FREE
ftp://ftp.malch.com/nx201.zip
WinVN v.99-9 [359k] FREE
ftp://ftp.ksc.nasa.gov/pub/winvn/nt/wv32i999.zip
Trying to figure out how to get to the Lockergnome newsgroups? You
might need a news reader first. Here are three FREE ones which you
may use. Remember, full versions of Internet Explorer and Netscape
Communicator should already come with newsgroup readers. Once
you've downloaded and installed the software, be sure to enter in
(without the quotes) "news.lockergnome.com" as your news server.
If you have problems connecting to the Lockergnome newsgroups
after that, e-mail your ISP and ask them if you can even access
them in the first place. See ya there, gang!
(7) File Investigator v1.21 [222k] 95/98 FREE
http://members.home.net/robzirnstein/fi121.exe
http://members.home.net/robzirnstein/
Extensions are great ways of telling us (at a quick glance) what
kind of file a file happens to be. TXT usually means a file is a
plain text file, EXE usually means the file is an executable file
(a program). But sometimes extensions don't match up with the
file's contents. That's when you should call in the File
Investigator. It'll look past the extension and tell you exactly
what kind of file you have on your hands. A newer, more complete
shareware version is also available.
(8) Directory Watcher v1.0 [128k] 95/98 FREE
http://www.oocities.org/SiliconValley/Haven/7262/dirw10.zip
http://www.oocities.org/SiliconValley/Haven/7262/progrme2.html
It's true: a watched pot never boils. Conversely, an unwatched
directory can quickly engulf your free disk space. If you don't
keep tabs on your system's contents, I suggest getting ahold of
this little helper. It's super simple to use, but very powerful in
design. You select which directories you want it to watch, and it
watches them. When you want to see what's changed, just press a
button and PRESTO!
(9) Search & Replace 98 [257k] 9x/NT FREE
http://www.andromeda.co.za/srhtml-98i.exe
http://www.andromeda.co.za/srhtml98.html
Windows 98 comes with a much enhanced find applet (much better
than Windows 95's). But where's the "replace" functionality? This
could come in handy for HTML coders who need to replace certain
entries in dozens of web pages on their hard drive. Search &
Replace 98 has a great new interface and can be used by both
novices and professionals. Stop searching, I've found what you've
needed.
(10) Peep Show v1.0 [515k] 9x/NT FREE
http://www-personal.engin.umich.edu/~egery/progency/PEEPSH10.EXE
http://members.aol.com/progency/
Get your mind out of the gutter--it ain't that kind of peep show!
When you need access to your Desktop or an inactive window below
your active window, you either have to minimize, move, or close
the active window first. But why not shoot a hole in it instead?
Don't worry, it's paneless and easy. With Peep Show loaded,
you can also use your right mouse button to scroll up & down web
pages and have your cursor wrap around the screen. No quarters
necessary.
<>------<> G N O M E S Y S T E M
Sponsor: http://www.windrivers.com/ <>------<>
(11) MMXTest [43k] 9x/NT FREE
ftp://mirrors.aol.com/pub/simtelnet/win95/util/mmxtest.zip
http://www.calsci.com/
Not sure if you've got an MMX processor? Run this program and find
out. This detects what family of processor you have, shows the
presence of MMX (or lack thereof), and then performs a speed
comparison of MMX instructions vs. non-MMX instructions. Even if
you already know what's in your PC, this might be a good utility
to keep in your troubleshooting arsenal. You know, if your
computer illiterate friend doesn't know what's going on with
his/her computer--you might need to make a house call.
(12) The Euro Symbol in Windows
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/euro.asp
The Euro is here, but is it really? Do your installed fonts
include this new character? If you don't have NT5 or Windows 98,
the answer is probably no. BUT, you can grab updated core fonts
which DO include the new Euro symbol for FREE. The Euro will begin
replacing national currencies in most Western European countries
on January 1, 1999. If you plan on doing business internationally,
I'd strongly suggest getting these font updates.
(13) Diamond MM Stealth II S220 v4.10.01.0106 [2.1M] 95/98
ftp://ftp.diamondmm.com/pub/display/stealth/stealth2.s220/sii95106.exe
http://www.diamondmm.com/products/drivers/stealth2-s220.html
(14) HP Colorado T4000 Firmware Upgrade [406k]
ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/information_storage/surestore/travan/hpt4110.exe
(15) ATI 3D Rage Pro v5.1.118 [675k] NT4
http://driver.atitech.ca/drivers/N40118EN.EXE
http://support.atitech.ca/drivers/3drage_pro.html
(16) 3DLabs Glint Driver Updates for NT4
http://www.3dlabs.com/drivers/
(17) Logitech Mouse Drivers v8.0 [745k] 9x/NT
ftp://ftp.logitech.com/pub/TechSupport/MOUSE/M80SETUP.EXE
ftp://ftp.logitech.com/pub/TechSupport/MOUSE/
<>------<> G N O M E F U N & G A M E S
Sponsor: http://www.webferret.com/ <>------<>
(18) Light Speed v3.01 [782k] 95/98 FREE
http://home.pacbell.net/wolton/lspeed31.zip
http://home.pacbell.net/wolton/
Looking for some cheap entertainment? Why not go outside and look
at the stars? Of course, if it's hot & humid, your best bet would
be to run this screen saver instead. It's fast, furious, and
fun--what more could you ask for? Wormholes? Got 'em.
Configurability? Got that, too! I'm telling ya, this is the
starfield simulator to beat. If you're not impressed with it,
there's something wrong with you.
(19) Ultimate Darts [1.3M] 95/98 US$22
http://members.aol.com/siarcg/Darts/siarcg.exe
http://www.siarcg.com/ultimatedarts.html
Many people spend too much time in front of their computers. If
you're reading this sentence, you're probably one of them. Escape
to your local pub and play a few rounds of darts with your
comrades for once. Nothing beats an old fashioned get together
(with brewskies, if you're of legal age). But, if you'd rather
stay at home and play darts... this game will make you just as
happy. Stinky pub smell not included.
(20) Meteor Invasion 2095 [1.9M] 95/98 SW$1
http://www.jayewest.force9.co.uk/Meteor.zip
http://www.jayewest.force9.co.uk/
Ladies and Gentlemen, please remain calm. A comet is headed
directly for your PC. No need to purchase a movie ticket for this
summer blockbuster. Blast away at those darn meteors before they
crash into your ship. The graphics are noteworthy, and game play
was good enough to keep me from doing anything else for a couple
of hours. And just when you think you've mastered the game, you
can increase the difficulty level.
(21) PC Leagues v1.0 [4.4M] 9x/NT FREE
ftp://ftp.cyberleagues.com/pcadmin.exe
http://www.pcleagues.com/
Attention Sports Fans: here's an assistant coach that you can't
live without! With this software, you can better organize all the
teams in your league, build your season's schedule, and keep track
of players, coaches, referees, & sponsors. Plus, you can publish
stats and information directly to the Internet with a few clicks!
It's one, two, three strikes--you're out if you don't use PC
Leagues!
<>------<> G N O M E N E W S
Sponsor: http://www.internetwire.com/ <>------<>
(22) DVD systems expanding
http://www.news.com/News/Item/0,4,22572,00.html
(23) First V.90 Modems: Good News and Bad
http://www.pcworld.com/current_issue/article/0,1212,3901,00.html
(24) FTC closer to action against Intel
http://www.usatoday.com/life/cyber/zd/zd9.htm
(25) The Great Pink-Out
http://www.wired.com/news/news/politics/story/12628.html
(26) Web Meetings Slash Travel Costs
http://www.techweb.com/news/story/TWB19980530S0001
(27) Technology may spark education revolution
http://cnn.com/TECH/computing/9805/21/education.idg/
(28) Windows 98 upgrade adds polish
http://www.zdnet.com/pcweek/reviews/0518/22win98.html
(29) Be Still My Aching Wrist
http://www.theweb.com.ph/9803/reviews/hlth2.html
<>------<> G N O M E F A V O R I T E S
Sponsor: http://www.devshed.com/ <>------<>
(30) eZines Database
http://www.dominis.com/Zines/
Lockergnome assuredly isn't the only good Zine out
there--thousands of different e-pubs are waiting to be read by
you. Of course, one of the best places to look for them is in the
eZines Database (run by my good friend, Otis). Not only can you
search for new material to read here, but you can also subscribe
to ZINE-TALK (a digest for Zine admins). Get the latest scoop on
the Zine scene--and find out how to make your electronic
publication just as popular as the next one.
(31) Code Guru
http://www.codeguru.com/
Does coding have you down, Mrs. Brown? Share your MFC Programming
frustrations with others and get the latest C++ news at this
well-crafted site. Find fixes, jobs, and the latest tools to help
you complete your Visual C++ projects. Even if you're not having
problems, you should bookmark this site anyway for future support.
Of course, this is mainly for C++ programmers--but a worthy
resource.
(32) ZIP Code Lookup
http://www.usps.gov/ncsc/
I kept forgetting my new ZIP code. Thankfully, I stumbled upon
this excellent site. It even told me my ZIP+4 code (which is even
better than knowing just the 5-digit ZIP code). Beyond that, I
could find a certain city's ZIP code (or even a certain ZIP code's
city). If you want to get on your postal worker's good side, take
the time to memorize how the USPS prefers to see address
components abbreviated on snail mail.
(33) Random Lockergnome Subscriber Homepages
news://news.lockergnome.com/lockergnome.subscriber.homepages
The Internet Musicians' Alliance
http://www.cococo.net/~tubaman/
Gautam's Cool Wallpapers
http://surf.to/wallpapers/
Nancy Does Windows
http://www.lrbcg.com/tripper/web_woman/
The Homepage of Richard Sessums
http://home.tampabay.rr.com/sessums/index.htm
<>------<> G N O M E M E D I A
Sponsor: http://www.hardwarecentral.com/ <>------<>
(34) WinAmp v1.91-SP1 [590k] 9x/NT SW$10
ftp://ftp.winamp.com/pub/winamp/winamp191-sp1.exe
http://winamp.lh.net/main.html
CD-quality audio on the PC is usually reserved for (typically)
large WAV files. But with the MP3 file format, you can hear a
CD-quality audio in a fraction of the space. WinAmp will also now
play MOD, MIDI, and WAV files from the same killer interface
(which is also changeable thanks to "skins"). Imagine all the
independent bands being able to upload their latest tunes and you
being able to listen to them in their full digital glory! First,
download this latest version of WinAmp (the best MP3 player
around), then head over to www.mp3.com and check out the latest
MP3 tunes.
(35) Johann's Plugin Manager v2.0 [2.1M] 9x/NT US$35
http://johann.simplenet.com/software/files/plugmgr20en.zip
http://johann.simplenet.com/
Do the filters in your graphics editor seem mundane? Johann to the
rescue! With his Plug-in Manager you can get a live preview of all
your plug-ins (installed or not) and selectively render unwanted
plug-ins invisible. Don't have plug-ins? Download some through the
links at Johann's site. This manager works with any Adobe
PhotoShop-compatible plug-in (Paint Shop Pro v5.0 users can use
these plug-ins, too). Once you start using plug-ins, forever will
they dominate your destiny.
(36) The Midi City
http://www.themidicity.com/
Chicago may be the windy city, and Las Vegas may be the city that
never sleeps, but where's the Midi city? Anywhere you want it to
be! While the site might not have every MIDI file in existence,
one of the better features is the "MTV Top 20" listing. So, if you
want to keep your MIDI collection up to date, don't hesitate to
drive through the Midi city.
<>------<> G N O M E D E S K T O P T H E M E S
Sponsor: http://dale.bitshop.com/ <>------<>
(37) Frustration [1.8M]
http://badlands.simplenet.com/Kristy/frustrat.zip
http://members.aol.com/kristyd121/
(38) Pac Man [326k]
http://www.hypersven.com/svenspage/freewater/Pac_Man_v1.0.exe
http://www.hypersven.com/svenspage/
(39) Lightning [809k]
ftp://ftp.ntua.gr/pub/pc/win95.themes/lightng1.zip
http://web.wt.net/~bettervw/
(40) Stained Glass [526k]
http://www.ihsstudios.com/sglass.zip
http://www.ihsstudios.com/
<>------<> G N O M E F O N T S
Sponsor: http://www.fontface.com/ <>------<>
(41) Fingerprints Inside [125k] US$5
http://www.fontface.com/fonts/fingerpr.zip
http://www.fontface.com/fonts/fingerpr.gif
(42) Action Is [186k] FREE
http://www.fontdiner.com/action_is_pc.zip
http://www.fontdiner.com/
(43) Sand [48k] FREE
http://millan.pp.se/fonts/zip/sand.zip
http://millan.pp.se/
(44) Splats [96k] FREE
http://www.borg.com/~hube/fonts/splats.zip
http://www.borg.com/~hube/
<>------<> G N O M E T I P S & T R I C K S
Sponsor: http://www.danworld.com/ <>------<>
Unless you're using a Macintosh, you've probably got more than one
button on your mouse. We use the left mouse button on a regular
basis, but what about the right mouse button? Get in the habit of
using it just as much as the other--you could be saving time.
Right click on the Taskbar, you'll find all sorts of options
available. Select "Properties" to find ways to optimize your
Taskbar and Start Menu. NOTE: "Properties" is the magic word in
just about any Right Click menu. If you see it, select it to find
more information about a particular object (or group of objects).
While we're talking about the Taskbar, try right clicking on one
of the open programs within it. You'll then find a nifty little
menu which could help you close, maximize, & minimize that
particular program. If you have many programs open which you want
to close, this could be a quick way of doing it.
What about the Start button? Yep, you can right click on that,
too. "Explore" and "Find" are the two options you'll find most
helpful. If you want to edit what can be found in your Start Menu,
choose "Explore" and delete/rename folders at will. Or, if you're
looking for something you know is in your Start Menu (but you
can't find it), select the "Find" option.
In just about any 32-bit application where you can enter text, you
can also probably right click and bring up a very useful menu. In
most instances, you should be able to cut, copy, paste, and
delete! Try it in your e-mail program, in Notepad, and even in the
address line of your favorite web browser. And you thought you
knew everything? :)
On the Desktop, you can right click on 'My Computer' to get your
system's properties and empty the 'Recycle Bin' with the click of
a button. Talk about a time saver! While you're at it, I'd remove
any excess icons that might be cluttering up your Desktop. Do you
REALLY need all of them?
Let's travel into the Windows Explorer for a brief moment. Double
click on 'My Computer' and then right click on any one of the disk
drives--you'll discover relatively extensive info by selecting the
"Properties" option. Now open up a drive (like the C: drive) and
right click on any given file or folder. You'll see so many
options you probably never knew existed.
Fire up your favorite web browser... try right clicking on a web
page background, link, or graphic. Wow--more functionality! I've
seen many people right click in browsers to move back and forward
(instead of using the arrow icons).
Remember, you can right click just about anywhere (and in just
about any program). There are exceptions, of course, but it will
seldom hurt to try! Now you know (and knowing is half the battle).
<>--------------------------------------------------------------<>
Lockergnome LLC
5921 Vista Drive, Suite #234
West Des Moines, IA 50266 [USA]
1-515-224-0089
Lockergnome does not take responsibility for any problems which
may occur from anything downloaded from the Internet--download at
your own risk. We claim no responsibility for any harmful results
which might occur when one uses information which has been
provided for them via this e-zine (links and files). Quoted
material is direct from the author and/or listed website. All
registered trademarks and copyrights are recognized and are not
being misused in any way. Honest. And above all else, remember
that YMMV (your mileage may vary).
Microsoft, MS, and Windows 95/NT are trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation (which is a trademark in and of itself). Other
trademarks are property of their respective owners. Lockergnome is
not affiliated with the Microsoft Corporation. I can't believe
it's not butter.
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