MikesWhatsNews, 27, 02, 2004 in today's issue #721 HackFix Updates 2 Leap Year 3 GetDiz 4 National Underwater and Marine Agency 5 XPlite 6 The Online Safety Guide 7 How to upgrade your system to Windows XP 8 CCC Cool Beans System Info 9 Easy Reading 10 Passwords 11 Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 Preview 12 Windows XP Extras Game Content ____________________________________________________________ NOTE: Any time you see the " ++ ", it means there is more of the article, or story, on the linked site. Mike ____________________________________________________________ There is a complete archive of past MikesWhatsNews newsletters available to members on the Yahoo page, it is searchable by word or issue #. Here is the address direct to the messages; http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MikesWhatsNews/messages and; //www.freelists.org/archives/mikeswhatsnews/ ____________________________________________________________ Please rate this Ezine at the Cumuli Ezine Finder http://www.cumuli.com/ezines/ra20853.rate <a href="http://www.cumuli.com/ezines/ra20853.rate";> AOL Users</a> ___________________________________________________________ HackFix updates, thanks to Christy; staff@xxxxxxxxxxx Http://www.hackfix.org This weeks Virus Pattern Updates (02/26/2004) All Software listed Alphabetically by Company name as some companies manufacture more then one product. Aladdin Knowledge Systems Esafe Desktop/Gateway/Enterprise Last Updated Feb 26/2004 To update your software Visit: http://www.esafe.com/esafe/downloads/virusig.asp Or >From the Esafe folder in your Start Menu select Download Updates ~~~~~ AlWil Software Avast Antivirus Last Updated Feb 25/2004 To update your software: Visit: http://www.avast.com/i_kat_69.html Or Right click on the AVAST icon in the system tray, Select iAVS Update, AVAST will check for updates and download the appropriate files as needed. ~~~~~ Authentium Software Systems Command antivirus Last Updated Feb 26/2004 To update your software Visit http://www.authentium.com/support/downloads/index.cfm ~~~~~ Center for Antivirus Technologies (CAT) Quickheal Last Updated Feb 12/2004 To update your software Visit: http://www.quickheal.com/winupg.htm Or Open Quickheal select Utility from the top toolbar and liveupdate. Follow the onscreen prompts. Alternately you can select Liveupdate directly from the QuickHeal program menu on the startmenu. ~~~~~ Frisk Software Systems Fprot Last Updated Feb 26/2004 To update your software Visit: http://www.f-prot.com/download/home_user/ ~~~~~ Computer Associates E-Trust Last updated feb 26/2004 To update your software http://support.cai.com/Download/virussig.html Or >From the Respective folder in your Start Menu select Autodownload For Vet Anti virus http://www.vet.com.au/html/software/update.html Be sure to have your Customer ID and your registered email address handy for verification. **Note** We knew this time would come eventually, that Computer Associates would not continue to support/update the older program https://www2.my-etrust.com/services/ipe_support?? ~~~~~~ GeCad Software Rav (Reliable AntiVirus) Last Updated: Feb 26/2004 To update your software: Visit: http://www.ravantivirus.com/pages/dldupdate.php?type=Daily Or Open Rav and select Rav Update from the toolbar ~~~~~ Grisoft Inc. AVG Last updated Feb 24/2004 To update your software Visit: http://www.grisoft.com/us/us_index.php Or Open AVG and click Virus Database to check for updates Or Open AVG control centre and click Update Manager/update now **Note: To help speed up AVG updates you can set your program to use an alternate download site. Open AVG control centre->update manager->download from server. The drop downbox should have listed www.grisoft.com (default) and www.grisoft.cz. (be sure to select "apply" when done to save the changes) The default site is most often used so can at times become temporarily unavailable. By using the secondary site (www.grisoft.cz) helps to ease the server and makes your update go quicker as most don't use it! ~~~~~ H+Bedv AntiVir Last updated Feb 26/2004 To update your software Visit: http://www.free-av.com/antivirus/allinonen.html Or Open AntiVir, from the top toolbar select Tools-> start internet update and follow the on screen prompts. Vexira Last updated Feb 26/2004 To update your software Visit: http://www.centralcommand.com/updates.html Or Open Vexira, from the top toolbar select Tools-> start internet update and follow the on screen prompts. Vexira Antivirus is marketed by Central Command however it is the same program as Antivir with only a different name. ~~~~~ Kaspersky Kaspersky Anti-Virus (formerly AVP) Last updated Feb 20/2004 To update your software Visit: http://www.kasperskylabs.com/updates.asp Or Open AVP from the top toolbar click Tools-> Update virus definition Or >From the Kaspersky folder in your Start Menu select AVP updater *Note* Avp now has available a cumulative update and a daily update with the daily being any important items they feel shouldn't wait till the next cumulative update. Our dates here are based on the most recent Major update. **Note: Improved update accessiblity. To ease the update web traffic Kaspersky labs has additional servers for autoupdating. The program defaults to use one server but can be altered to check a variety of servers. Select Kaspersky updater, select update via the internet to open the drop down box(es) select "location" Check the box labeled "Use alternate locations from the list" select next and next to update. This option should stay selected after the first time. This helps Kaspersky lighten the load for updates and helps you obtain updates easier. ~~~~~ Network Associates Mcafee Last updated Feb 25/2004 To update your software For Mcafee Visit http://www.networkassociates.com/us/downloads/updates/superdat.asp (for Virus and Engine updates) Drsolomn (Product no longer available for new users however updates still available for current users): Go to the following Internet site: http://download.mcafee.com/updates/4x.asp IMPORTANT: When you get to this site you may notice that it refers to VirusScan. This update is not only for VirusScan. It also works with Dr.Solomon's. Or Open your respective software virus scan scheduler, double click Auto update, click Run Now to do a manual live update, or click Schedule to set up a timed live update. ~~~~~ Norman Data Defence Norman Virus Control Last updated Feb 25/2004 To update your software Visit: http://www.norman.com/downloads.shtml#definition_files_updates Be sure to have your Valid Username and password handy for verification. Or >From the Norman folder in your Start Menu select Internet Update **Note Norman Virus Control web updates are only for version prior to 5.0. Norman 5.0 can only be updated via the update in the program itself. Thunderbyte Anti Virus Current Version: This product is no longer being supported. http://www.norman.com/tbav.shtml ~~~~~ Softwin BitDefender (Previously known as AVX - AntiVirus eXpert as of Nov 06/01) Last Updated Feb 20/2004 To update your software Visit: http://www.bitdefender.com/bd/site/downloads.php?menu_id=19&s_id=3 Or Open BitDefender select Protection Options->live upgrade Or >From the BitDefender folder in your Start Menu select Bitdefender Live Press Release on the software change http://www.bitdefender.com/press/ref1.php ~~~~~ Sophos Sophos Anti Virus Last IDE available Feb 26/2004 To obtain the latest IDE files Visit: http://www.sophos.com/downloads/ide/ **Note: Sophos does not update as other products do. They update the Engine/software once a month (or so) to include all the previous IDE files. New IDE files are available with new virus threats and must be downloaded individually until the next software update is available. Our update dates reflect the most recent available IDE file. ~~~~~ Symantec Nortons AntiVirus Last updated Feb 26/2004 To update your software Visit: http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/defs.download.html select your language -> product from the list Or Open Nortons software and click the "live update" button Or >From the Nortons folder in your Start Menu select LiveUpdate - Norton Antivirus ~~~~~ Trend Micro PcCillin Last updated Feb 26/2004 To update your software Visit: http://www.antivirus.com/download/pattern.asp Be sure to have your Registration number handy for verification Or Open PcCillin click Update then click Update Now (or Update later to Schedule a timed update) ~~~~~~~~~ If there is an Anti Virus program that is Not listed here that you would like to see added to the weekly updates list Please feel free to let us know. Remember Your anti virus software is only as good as the user... If you don't keep it updated it won't provide you with maximum protection. This weekly Update will be sent every Thursday on or after 6pm (eastern) to keep you up to date on virus pattern updates available. Virus patterns are checked for most recent update date as of 6pm Thursdays. ~~~~ ~ Hackfix Project Staff staff@xxxxxxxxxxx Http://www.hackfix.org ____________________________________________________________ 2 Leap Year http://scienceworld.wolfram.com/astronomy/LeapYear.html it only happens every 4 years and this year is one. A leap year is a year in which an extra day in added to the calendar in order to synchronize it with the seasons. Since the tropical year is 365.242190 days long, a leap year must be added roughly once every four years (four times the fractional day gives ). In a leap year, the extra day (known as a leap day) is added at the end of February, giving it 29 instead of the usual 28 days. ++ ____________________________________________________________ 3 GetDiz http://www.outertech.com/index.php?_charisma_page=product&id=4 Win9x/WinME/Win2k/WinXP Many downloadable ZIP archives have DIZ and NFO files included within them. Sure, they're simple text files that can be viewed with Notepad, but GetDiz is a freeware text-viewer especially designed for those files. ASCII art is displayed correctly and the user interface is small, handy and specific. Version 3 includes several new features like Print support, URL launch, Find/Replace, Trim copy and Keyword highlights. ++ ____________________________________________________________ 4 If you enjoy Clive Cussler's books this site will give you some insight to his real life. http://www.numa.net/ About NUMA Home -> About NUMA The National Underwater and Marine Agency (NUMA) is a 501C3 non-profit, volunteer foundation dedicated to preserving our maritime heritage through the discovery, archaeological survey and conservation of shipwreck artifacts. Our purpose is also to reinforce public appreciation of our marine past, present and future by initiating and supporting projects designed to uncover and explore historically significant shipwrecks before they are lost and gone forever. Our goals include the protection of these historic sites through public information programs and to make available archaeological reports and data on technical expertise while perpetuating the names and legends of the sea-loving men and women who came before us. NUMA does not actively seek private funding. Most of the financial support for the projects comes from the royalties from Clive Cussler's books. ++ ____________________________________________________________ 5 XPlite http://www.litepc.com/xplite.html With XPlite and 2000lite we give YOU the power to set up YOUR machine the way YOU want! The power to remove unwanted features, the power to remove upgrades that go bad, the power to strip potential security and privacy threats out by the roots. Microsoft locked Windows away from you... ...We have the keys:XPlite and 2000lite Professional REPAIR! More than a powerful configuration utility - XPlite and 2000lite give you amazing control to repair Windows as well. If a particular technology gives you trouble you can completely remove it, and then reinstall it as cleanly as the day Windows was first installed on your computer. ++ ____________________________________________________________ 6 The Online Safety Guide http://www.getnetwise.org/safetyguide/ The Guide teaches you about the risks kids face online, based on age levels or types of activities. The Guide also includes safety tips for kids, teens, and families. In fact, the Online Safety Guide is so good you may discover that you don't need to purchase and install an Internet filter after all. ____________________________________________________________ 7 Tune-up: How to upgrade your system to Windows XP By Mitt Jones http://reviews-zdnet.com.com/4520-3000_16-5117047-1.html With Win98 approaching the end of its life, many users are now faced with upgrading to XP. ZDNet is offering a free 11-step guide to upgrading, written at a level comprehensible to the average user. Giving that old workhorse PC a new operating system won't infuse it with the dust-raising speed of a new PC, but by upgrading to Windows XP, you can reap big benefits in reliability. XP also provides easier networking, better security, and better multimedia support. Here we'll show you the best way to refresh an older PC with XP. Upgrading an operating system isn't brain surgery, but it often requires plenty of time and patience. Expect to spend several hours on the project, including a couple of hours for preparation and a few for reinstalling applications after the upgrade. The payoff should be a stable, multimedia-savvy PC that's ready for another couple of years of serious work and fun. You can upgrade to XP without reformatting your hard drive, but starting fresh should bring a boost in speed, and it also represents your best chance of having a stable system. Here we step through the process of preparing your system for Windows XP, performing a fresh install, restoring your data files and settings, and--finally--reinstalling applications. ++ From; CNET ____________________________________________________________ 8 'Christy's Computer Corner' thanks to Christy; http://www.1stpick.org Cool Beans System Info Freeware http://www.coolbeans.ws/sysinfo.shtml Cool Beans System Info is a small but powerful program that monitors your computer's CPU, physical memory, and swap memory usage. Version 2 was rewritten from scratch, and adds network monitoring, a task manager, dual-processor support, and enhanced visual effects. ~~~~~~~~ 9 Easy Reading Have you ever been to a web page that had dark text on a dark background? It happens. Sometimes a background doesn't load right and sometimes it just bad design, plain and simple. Either way, it's hard to read. Well, next time that happens to you, hit CTRL-A. All the text on the website will be selected (highlighted). The selection color is normally blue with white text. Much easier to read than, say, a dark red on a black background. Was this forwarded to you ? Get your own subscription here: <1stpickPCtips-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?Subject=subscribe> ____________________________________________________________ 10 Mike's Friday tip ~ Passwords One of the tricks I use creating a password it to try and combine letters and numbers. I used the make and year of my first car for a long time. for instance 1957 Ford Another trick is to alternate the letters 1F9o5r7d Now if this was my Yahoo id I may add Yh to it Y1F9o5r7dh If I wanted to be devious I may reverse the name of the car 1d9r5o7F Or it could be the first letters of the words to your favorite song/group/movie ect. 1Fotcn One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest You can even use the Bible, phone book, or other reference book that you may keep near the computer. Use your age/or other memorial date as the key then using that key go the the page. say I'm 50 I'd go to page 50 Use the last/first letter or number from the last 8 or more words on that page. The secret is to have something that you can remember as the key, phrase to help you remember. ____________________________________________________________ 11 Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 Preview http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/prodtech nol/winxppro/maintain/winxpsp2.asp In Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2, Microsoft is introducing a set of security technologies that will help to improve the ability of Windows XP-based computers to withstand malicious attacks from viruses and worms. The technologies include: Network protection Memory protection Safer e-mail handling More secure browsing Improved computer maintenance Together, these security technologies will help to make it more difficult to attack Windows XP, even if the latest updates are not applied. These security technologies together are particularly useful in mitigation against worms and viruses. ____________________________________________________________ 12 Windows XP Extras http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/games/downloads/xpextras.asp The Windows XP Extras program is a monthly series of unique game content available for download?including add-ons for the hottest games on the Windows platform. We are currently working with developers and publishers to create exciting new content that will provide even more entertainment for gamers. Each month a new featured download will be available exclusively for Windows XP users. Windows XP Extras for Kids! http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/games/downloads/xpextrasforkids.asp We've partnered with leading publishers to provide Windows XP Extras just for the kids! ++ ____________________________________________________________ If you wish to unsubscribe from our list send an email to mikeswhatsnews-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?Subject=unsubscribe Antivirus software is a good choice to scan your system for possible viruses, however no virus scanner is 100% effective as manufactures cannot keep up with the rapid change of viruses that happens daily. Be sure to update yours regularly. http://www.hackfix.org/software/antivirus.html ______________________________________________________________________ Please feel free, to offer constructive criticism, as that will help me keep it interesting. I also welcome any submissions about new products, web pages, or articles of interest. All submissions posted in MWN will be given proper credit. "MikesWhatsNews" believes in giving credit where credit is due but at times deadlines and information that is very important to readers we accidentally misspost an item. If you believe something to be miscredited, or you know the author of one of the articles which we have posted as 'unknown', please do let us know so we can correct the information where applicable. Many times in a article you may see a click here for more information, or to go to a link, these often will not work, as the original information, was taken from a page with HTML links. This is when you will want to go to the webpage indicated in the article, ++ ,for 'the rest of the story' ***MfM*** indicates that I am adding my own information to a particular article. `~*~*~*~*~*~` Mike ~It's a good day if I learned something new. You can read a sample of my newsletter on my web page http://www.mwn.ca My virus pages ~ http://virusinfo.hackfix.org mytech@xxxxxxxxxxx ~*~*~*~*~ Was this forwarded to you? Want to subscribe? 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