Computer Info – May 24, 2000

This Week’s Program

        Photo Deluxe and placing more than one photo on a page.
Use Your Windows Key
        If you are using one of the greeting card programs that use the full screen (where the taskbar is not visible), you can still use the WINDOWS key on the keyboard to access the START button or the taskbar.
Inkjet Cartridges
Mr. Inkman
        This web site was mentioned last week as a good source for obtaining inkjet cartridges at very reasonable prices. Check it out.               http://www.mrinkman.com
Music on the Internet
Net Radio
        This site uses Windows Media Player or Real Audio Player for continuous music while you are on the internet. 120 different categories of music.               http://www.netradio.com
Sheree’s Oldies
        Seventeen oldies plus links to others.       http://www.fortunecity.com/westwood/arch/129/oldies2.html
Virus in JPG Attachments ?
        As far as I can discover, a virus is NOT contained in a JPG attachment. So, at the moment, you have no worries about the JPG picture attachments that you receive – especially those that are displayed on the screen right away.
        If you are infected with the LoveLetter virus that everyone has heard so much about recently, you will find that all of your JPG pictures have been destroyed. The files will be replaced with the source code of the worm and the original contents destroyed. The worm will rename the file to something of this format ---
        (if the file was called AUTO.JPG ---- then the virus (or worm) will rename the file to AUTO.JPG.VBS)
        Therefore if you do receive a file that contains JPG --- but does not end in JPG – delete it immediately. The VBS extension that is placed at the end of the file name stands for Visual Basic – which would be an executable file. So, just be alert and pay attention to what the attachment is that you are trying to open.
USB II
        The first version of USB technology has not been fast enough to support the real-time information transfer generated by high-speed devices, such as video cameras and hard drives. An improved USB specification is on the horizon. The architecture approved last year and scheduled for release in the third quarter of 2000 is being billed as complication-free and lightning fast—30 to 40 times faster than the original USB. acceptance. USB 2.0 should be forward- and backward-compatible with USB 1.1 and support dual-speed scenarios where low-speed devices such as keyboards work in tandem with high-speed units such as hard drives and video cameras.
Download Speeds
Download a 1,000KB file
                    33.6 modem         250 seconds
                    56K modem         148 seconds
                    ISDN                     65 seconds
                    DSL                       23 seconds
                    cable                     8.3 seconds