Quentin M. suggested that with each item we include a four or five word description of what the software is all about, to save readers' time. We're not sure if Quentin is referring to the Software Review page or issues of Neat Net Tricks. Each item is described in NNT as briefly as possible, and when our Software Review Panel has had a hand in doing a detailed review, rather than go into detail, we keep the item short and refer the reader to the Software Review page (you can also get there through the NNT Web site.) To add even more to the description would defeat what we've strived for in 8 years -- to respect readers' time with quality, not quantity; and, keep it simple (and short)!


Our item on Favorites Home Page (Issue 177) prompted readers to panic when their Norton AntiVirus kicked in with a warning about a malicious script in the program. We contacted Robert Perry (who can be reached at robert@favoriteshomepage.com if you need more information) who replied in part: FHP is a script written in Microsoft JScript. By default, Norton AntiVirus will intercept and warn against any script that tries to perform certain file operations. Norton AV has no way of determining whether the script is actually "malicious". The program leaves the actual decision as to the integrity of the script for the user to decide. That is why the warning window contains a list box with several options for handling the script. One of the options is entitled 'Authorize this script'. If your reader selects this option, FHP will be allowed to run unimpeded. Your reader can also select 'Allow the entire script once' to allow the script to run once; however, selecting this option will require the user to approve the script again the next time FHP is run."


Carl L. took exception with the comment that the RSS feed on our page about NNT in RSS Format (you can get there from our Web site at www.NeatNetTricks.com) could not be accessed in a Web browser like most URLs. He says he does that just fine with FireFox with the Sage add-on. Well, Carl, I guess most of us still use Internet Explorer or Netscape as creatures of habit. The .rdf file you referred to uses XML (Extensible Markup Language) and is intended for an aggregate news reader as indicated in our comments. If you want to learn more of this tekkie stuff, there's tons of material on the Web. But I suspect Carl just wanted to make a statement when he said "FireFox is so good, Microsoft should withdraw IE and never again subject the world to the horrible, buggy, insecure, non-compliant POS. Why should Bill G. spend millions to update that garbage when they never get it right anyway?" Thanks for your comments, Carl, and I'm sure you feel better, having vented.


The item in NNT 177 about Eudora brought forth the loyal Eudora masses who defended the product. Bob K. said it had to be something wrong with our system because he had never had a problem with Eudora. Phil F. says he doesn't have the problem (occasional error message and shutdown) because he frequently moves mail to archive folders so his accumulated mail in each folder is held to a minimum. Marcy C. says yep, it's got to be my system's fault, maybe not enough memory and her Eudora works just fine. Andrew A., on the other hand, works for an ISP and has many clients with the same problem. He thinks it may be due to Norton encountering a virus in the email. Well, folks, just to set the record straight: I wasn't criticizing the product and I, too, have used Eudora since it was just a fledgling email program. It was the lack of support provided by Qualcomm that I was taking aim at. Any product will have inevitable flaws, but when a company fails to step up to the plate and help its paying customers, that's when they need to reassess their priorities. That's pretty much what we said, and we stand by that. And if it's our system causing the error, then Qualcomm needs to tell us that, and it starts with simply answering their email.


NickD. offered a tip for those who produce documents with printed computer output as a figure. He usually scans the output and then makes it a figure on a document. When his scanner recently died, he made WinFax the output "pseudo printer" and, using the WinFax Wizard, he chose to send the document to himself with no cover sheet, but put it in the Outbox without actually sending it. He then double clicked on it to bring it into the FAX viewer, selecting File|Export, and saved each page of the output as a separate .jpg or .bmp file. While the output is a relatively low fax resolution of 200 dpi, Nick says it worked as a middle-of-the-night fix.


We've featured several back-up programs in recent issues, and one reader noted that one such featured program didn't do everything to backup as expected. Backing up a few files will protect that data in the event it needs to be restored at a later date. But it will not backup your entire operating system and programs, and what you may want to consider is imaging, or ghosting, the entire hard drive. We have a report coming up soon in Neat Net Tricks Premium about the advantages of imaging your entire hard drive. Don't miss out (if not a subscriber to Premium, you can do this at the NNT Store, http://www.NeatNetTricks.com/store.


Roger B. thinks we may be giving bad advice in urging the use of surge protectors (item 07, NNT Issue 176). He says they are usually made with a metal-oxide varistor (MOV) placed across the power line. The MOV is a small disc whose internal insulation is designed to break down under higher voltage, simply creating a short circuit which often leads to an explosion which in turn ignites the plastic case and nearby combustibles such as shag rugs. He feels the computer and other appliances can withstand more severe or more prolonged surges than the cheap surge processor can handle and that we are better off with running the risk of a "few spikes off the power line." Roger recommends that, if we simply must buy a surge suppressor, we get one with a nonflammable metal case with UL 1449 approval....and stand back. Thanks Roger, we did recommend buying the best possible, but you said it much more eloquently and convincingly.


Oliver W. and others wrote to point out that item 07, NNT Issue 173, referred to what was once probably a very good site of spyware-infested software; however, it's now a very stale site, last modified more than three years ago. We should have checked the recency of the information and we'll try to do better next time.


Nano J. asked if there is any way to keep from getting spam. We replied that, if there were a way, we wouldn't be getting 500+ unsolicited messages daily in our mail box. We suggested the old usual ways, setting up filters, using spam blockers, using disposable email addresses, never replying to spam, and ad nauseum, as well as trying other solutions that can be found with a good search of the Internet. However, we believe many of these fixes are at best temporary and as long as spam remains profitable we'll have to learn to live with it and put extra wear on our delete key. Nano also felt that a good pop up blocker and antivirus software would be useful, but we pointed out that neither will reduce the spam volume. And we apologized for not having an answer but advised her she may just have to suffer along with the rest of us.


4An irate reader complained that a product we featured in the NNT Store did not make it clear that the price was in US Dollars (USD), even though the company's Web site where the trial version is downloaded clearly specified that. She was dismayed to find that her financial institution adjusted the credit card charge based on her country's rate of exchange, and she felt NNT should refund the difference in the stated price. We offered to refund the full amount and cancel the software registration, but a partial refund would come out of our pockets and we weren't particularly inclined to be that generous. Meanwhile - lessons learned - we've emphasized in our Store that prices are USD and may be adjusted for international customers based on their rate of exchange. We thought that it was pretty evident, since we are in the U.S., that we deal in US dollars and not coconut shells, but you never can be too sure!


Mark S. wrote about a product we've previously featured in NNT: I don't know if you use a registry cleaner utility, but Registry Mechanic just came out with a new version (3.0) and it is truly an update. I have been using their previous version for about two years and before installing the new version I ran the program. It found "No Problems." I then ran the newer version and it found: 2 problems in Shortcuts, 3 problems in Add&Remove, 9 problems in Shared DLLs, and 234 problems in the "Deep Registry" (this was something new to this version). I keep my registry clean (or so I thought) especially since I download and uninstall lots of software, so was pretty surprised by the results of this newer version of Registry Mechanic. I have used other registry cleaners, but I have found Registry Mechanic to be very safe. Anyway, if interested, the new version is indeed a big improvement and fixed a few very minor glitches that I have been experiencing for some time. Just thought I would pass along a positive report.

Thanks, Mark, and if you want to read more, go here.


Joanne commented about our recent tip on removing the "Go" button in Internet Explorer. We suggested that the "GO" button beside the Address field serves no useful purpose, since entering a URL followed by the Enter key accomplishes the same thing. You can reclaim space by going to Tools|Internet Options|Advanced tab|Settings menu and uncheck the "Show Go button in Address bar box." Back out with OK. Joanne feels an easier method is in right-clicking on the word "address" in the address line of the toolbar, then unchecking "address bar" in the ensuing menu. Well, Joanne, while that does remove the "GO" button, it also removes the entire address bar, which we think is a necessary feature in any browser.


Bob K. opined that there is an easier way to change the case in Microsoft Word, rather than going to Format|Change Case. His solution is to go to Tools|Customize|Commands, select Format in the left pane, scroll down in the right pane to "Change Case", then click and drag to anyplace on the Word toolbar. This creates a new button to click whenever you want to change the text case. Very neat, Bob! On the same subject, Joseph M. simply highlights desired text and presses the Shift + F3 combination to change the case.


A law firm wrote that they were getting numerous messages from Neat Net Tricks and they weren't even subscribers. They accused us of spamming. We emphasized that these messages were not originating from NNT but were forged (spoofed) to appear that way, much the same as spoofed messages that appear to be legitimate from PayPal, eBay, CitiBank, etc. The problem occurs when a virus/worm/trojan has infected someone's system rips information from their address book and stored email messages, then scatters these messages to addressees under the guise of legitimacy. We sympathized but said there was nothing we could do, and suggested they filter such messages out. Back came a reply that it was our problem and since the message was originally generated by our responder (maybe 8 years ago) we had to "fix it" or face a bigger problem of prosecution or investigation by Federal authorities. This is of course a ridiculous demand and shows how little many computer users know about this phenomenon we call spam.


In response to a recent NNT item about creating a shortcut to Device Manager, one reader replied that he opts for a simpler solution: I just hit the Windows key and the pause key to get to the device manager.


Stephen D. asked What is the truth about speed-up techniques for dial-up modems. I see ads for "DSL speed for dial-up prices." Can I get something for nothing? We told Stephen to save his money and read the fine print. Even the promos for this "faster dial-up" admits that it doesn't always work. Some speed gains may be realized by not accessing the full graphics or other compression techniques, but generally you're in for a disappointment. After all, your dial-up modem can only go so fast and you'll never attain cable or DSL speed without - getting cable or DSL.


Some folks have reported problems with the NNT Store when attempting to go to "Checkout". This is apparently caused by pop-up blockers, which should be disabled for the checkout window to "pop up". You can do this typically with most pop-up blockers by pressing Ctrl or Shift when clicking on the Checkout icon. Others have expressed concern that the store doesn't send a confirmation email. We're aware of some shortcomings and are looking for a good replacement software. We tried one that was humongously complicated and just didn't fit our needs and we'll keep checking out what's available. Meanwhile, if you have problems placing an order, let us know and we'll work with you on it.