CompuNotes Notes from The Cutting Edge of Personal Computing ISSN: 1525-4534 September 25, 1999 Issue 156 +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= To subscribe, send an e-mail to listserv@peach.ease.lsoft.com SUBSCRIBE COMPUNOTES-L FirstName LastName To unsubscribe, send an e-mail to listserv@peach.ease.lsoft.com SIGNOFF COMPUNOTES-L For Contact and Other Information See Bottom of Publication! +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= CONTENTS My Notes: 1=> CompuNotes Notes, mailto:pgrote@i1.net 2=> This Issue's Winner! News: 3=> News of the Week, mailto:pgrote@i1.net Columns: 4=> Comdex Canada 1999, By Don Hughes, mailto:dhughes-reviewcdn@home.com Reviews: 5=> Product: Dreamweaver 2 / Fireworks 2 Studio, graphics Reviewed By: Doug Reed, mailto:dr2web@sprynet.com 6=> Product: Linux In A Nutshell, book Reviewed By: Don Hughes, mailto:dhughes-reviewcdn@home.com 7=> Product: MCSE: The Core Exams In a Nutshell, book Reviewed By: Donald Hughes, mailto:dhughes-reviewcdn@home.com 8=> Product: Sams Teach Your Self Paint Shop Pro 5 In 24 Hours, book Reviewed By: Don Hughes, mailto:dhughes.review.cdn@home.com 9=> Product: Expert Anti-Virus, utility Reviewed By: Bev Walton-Porter, mailto:scrybr8@enid.com 10=> Product: AAA Map 'n' Go 5.0, home Reviewed By: Craig Bull, mailto:cbull@siscom.net 11=> Product: Special Edition Using Caldera OpenLinux, book Reviewed By: Doug Reed, mailto:dr2web@sprynet.com 1=> CompuNotes Notes, CompuNotes - None this Week, mailto:pgrote@i1.net 2=> Winner! This week's winner: kboone@RADIX.NET. 3=> News, Articles and Game Bits, mailto:pgrote@i1.net or mailto:dr2web@sprynet.com Someone Sells eBay on eBay . . . http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1007-200-123220.html How Rambus Stopped an Industry in its Tracks . . . http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,2339624,00.html Network Computer? No, the MSN Web Companion ... Geesh . . . http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,2341255,00.html Offer Folks $400.00 Off a PC and They Will Flock to You . . . http://www.zdnet.com/intweek/stories/news/0,4164,2341148,00.html Dreamcast Sells 500,000 Units . . . http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/filters/bursts/0,3422,2341656,00.html Yahoo! Goes Chinese . . . http://www.wired.com/news/news/politics/story/21937.html FBI Uses All Methods to Get On-line Predators . . . http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-122241.html Free Domain Names? http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/99/09/cyber/articles/24domain.html The Tide May Be Turning in Web Broadcasts . . . http://www.sjmercury.com/svtech/news/breaking/ap/docs/886762l.htm 4=> Comdex Canada 1999 By Don Hughes, mailto:dhughes-reviewcdn@home.com July 14th to 16th, the city of Toronto Canada played host to 57000 plus (54000 expected) attendees to the fourth largest Comdex in North America. Once only available in Las Vegas, Comdex has grown into an international event with trade shows covering the globe--the biggest Comdex event is the fall show in Las Vegas. For several years, Comdex was held at the Toronto Convention Centre & Sky Dome located on Front Street in downtown Toronto. The Convention centre is next door to the Toronto Sky dome (home of the Toronto Blue Jays) and the world's tallest structure, the CN Tower (1815 feet 5 inches high). The first Comdex shows utilized the Convention Centre and Window's world covered the entire baseball playing field of the Sky Dome. In recent years, Toronto increased the size of the Convention Centre and added the massive south annex. The Toronto Convention Centre is mammoth is size containing: 460,000 square feet of exhibit space, which 250,00 square feet is column free, has 70 fully equipped meeting rooms ranging from 500 to 50,000 sq. ft., ballroom space of 78,000 sq. ft., 1,700 indoor parking spaces, and a 1,330 seat, multipurpose theater. The addition of the new south annex allows the Comdex event to be more centralized, and attendees can wander the event without having to go outside to another building. During the three-day event, many keynotes, seminars, are held in the theater, meeting rooms, and smaller 40 plus seat seminars offered on site at the various company booths. Comdex brings together manufactures, suppliers, resellers, company buyers, consultants, etc, all under one roof. Name the product, operating system, software, hardware and the company and you will most likely find them at a Comdex show. Best of all entry to the floor and some keynotes are free to anyone who works with computers and is over the age of eighteen. The first couple of years attending the Toronto Comdex, I noticed quite a few teenagers and school groups attending the show. Show vendors and attendees complained, Comdex administration listened, and they upped the age limit and availability. Companies and their representatives come from all over the world to display products at Comdex and make contact with prospective clients. For the attendees Comdex provides an opportunity to see the latest innovations, and talk one on one with company representatives--no phone mail system here. Although the noise levels sometimes have the tendency to drown, out what company representatives are saying about a product or service they provide. Toronto Comdex 99 was feast for information junkies like myself, and a sight to behold, with all the latest in digital cameras, laptops, printers, desktop PCs, and for a brief few hours in time I thought I was in computer heaven. Nevertheless, the old saying "boys and their toys" does not apply at Comdex. Every year more and more women are attending the event both as company representatives and as attendees. If you plan to attend a Comdex event, I suggest that you take at least two days or more and take in the entire show. However, dress comfortably leaving the three-piece suit at home, and wear a good pair of walking shoes. One needs comfortable shoes to keep your feet happy during standing and the amount of walking necessary to see an event the size of Comdex. An attendee needs to be wary of companies such as Creative Labs who give out free shopping bags. Comdex is one show were you can pick up large amounts of product literature and I can tell you first hand the shopping bag becomes very heavy to carry by the end of the day. Placed throughout Comdex are quick lunch counters, and seating areas were one can take a break from the hectic pace. Many exhibitors also have mini theaters and hold 15 to 30 minuet product seminars. Be sure to take in a few of these as sitting in a mini theater one can rest their feet, and engage the mind. A few of these theatrical events are a tad over done and I would like to see a bit more "meat and potatoes" of product presentations. I was most impressed by the in-depth product knowledge displayed by many of the company representatives at this year Toronto Comdex. Gone were the days of giving an attendee that old "steers song and dance"--a point at both ends with a lot of bull in between. Product knowledge was abundant at Comdex from the smallest to the largest vendor. The Creative labs booth was a prime example of the staff being friendly, knowledgeable, and in addition, they handed attendees free large shopping bags. Now armed with a large shopping bag I started collecting product information. After spending several hours in the north hall talking to exhibitors and collecting information, the bag I was carrying started to become heavy, as did the one my wife was carrying. Moreover, we had not visited the south hall, thus, we headed off to the car and deposited the collected information into the trunk. The long walk to the south hall was much easier when one is carrying empty shopping bags. Of course, both of us knew that the long walk back would be with more information we collected and heavier shopping bags. The ZD events media office was on the way to the south hall and I dropped in for a chat. The ZD staff was very friendly, helpful, and went out of their way to answer my questions. However, as we entered the south hall we ran into the longest line-up, I had ever seen at Comdex. During registration and as we received our badges in the north hall, the staff attached coupon for a free umbrella from Novell. In order to receive an Umbrella, you had to sit through a mini seminar in their theater, which was located in the south hall. Upon exiting the mini-seminar, they gave attendees a ticket, and everyone got into another long line up. Here one waited their turn to few questions on a computer terminal, then hand in the ticket to receive the free umbrella. Since the Comdex 99 show in Toronto, I have read reports that the exhibitors were disappointed by the low resellers attendance, and companies I have been in contact with stated that show sales are down this year. As a consultant and a reseller, I do not order products at Comdex as I find the noise level and crowds at bit disconcerting if one attempts to conduct business with company representatives. The reason we take the time to attend Comdex is that the show offers a vast resource of information on products and services, and chat with company representatives. Upon returning home we look through all the information gathered and decided the items, we wish to investigate more and then contact the company to for more details or a purchase. However, we always file all the information gathered into a filing cabinet, as we never know what a new client may require or need in software-hardware. In addition, when attending Comdex, most exhibitors electronically swipe your badge through a card reader, to add your name to their mailing list, and later send you more information or contact you by phone. You can check for Ziff-Davis Comdex shows in your area or country by visiting their web site: www.comdex.com. Personally, I think every Comdex show is a success and an excellent way for manufactures, distributors, resellers, to reach prospective buyers. For prospective buyers Comdex is a tremendous opportunity to see new products, software / hardware demonstrations, gather information, and talk directly to company representatives. The only thing missing at Comdex is a free shopping bag with wheels. 5=> Product: Dreamweaver 2 / Fireworks 2 Studio, graphics Reviewed By: Doug Reed, mailto:dr2web@sprynet.com Requirements: Pentium-120, Win 95/98/NT4+, 32 MB RAM, 20 MB Hard disk space, CD drive, Internet connection Reviewed on: Pentium-166, 48 MB RAM. MSRP: $399 When designing a web site, the software that you use can make all the difference in the world. This is especially true for large sites, or sites requiring constant updating and maintenance. Macromedia has combined their premiere web site design software, Dreamweaver 2, with their web graphics software program Fireworks 2 into a comprehensive web site tool. The combination of these two tools allows the webmaster to quickly and easily design graphics in Fireworks 2 and adds the graphics into a web site being designed in Dreamweaver 2. For those seeking to do professional web site development, this package is worthy of serious consideration. The software comes on two CDs with a manual for each package; installation of both is done easily and quickly. In addition to Dreamweaver 2 and Fireworks 2, the enclosed CDs include a copy of Homesite 4.0 (in case you want to do your HTML coding by hand instead of WYSIWYG). For this review I did not test the functions of Homesite 4.0, mostly because I didn't see the point - Dreamweaver 2 also allows you to directly edit HTML code rather than forcing you into a WYSIWYG only mode. The manual for Dreamweaver 2 is quite large and comprehensive, while the manual for Fireworks 2 is a bit on the skimpy side in comparison. Dreamweaver 2 Unlike Frontpage, Dreamweaver can work in an offline mode that does not require the installation of a web server on your computer. The tutorial in the manual is worth going through to give you a good idea of how to use the interface and where various commands lie. You are presented with a number of windows, one of which is the page you are currently working on and another is the directory containing the web site you are working on. A toolbar on the left provides access to most 'basic' web page elements for designing a page, while pull-down menus provide the remainder of the tools and utilities. Clicking on an element on the page brings up another small window just below the page window, listing attributes and properties of the element you selected. Here you can alter font properties, set hyperlinks, or (in the case of images) provide alternate text. Dreamweaver 2 has full support for Cascading Style Sheets, as well as for DHTML effects (like mouse rollovers). Finally, Dreamweaver uses a proprietary "Roundtrip HTML" to allow you to drag and drop elements to place them on the page where you want them. What this means is that you can create effects not easy to do with HTML (like a title overlaying an image) and Dreamweaver 2 will generate the necessary code (via positioning elements, ala CSS-P) to create the look you want. A very powerful web page designer is coupled with an equally powerful web site manager. Dreamweaver 2 has a wide variety of tools that can perform a number of management chores, including a site map, linkage analysis, multi-file find and replace, and the use of 'templates' for web pages that share common elements. Dreamweaver 2 is extraordinarily powerful and - even better - easy to use. I am still discovering new things that I can do with the program; for example reading the manual for this review uncovered the ability to validate your HTML code. Wow! Fireworks 2 Fireworks 2 is a graphics design and editing program geared towards designing for the web. As such, it is primarily geared towards three file formats - jpeg, gif, and png (especially png). It is not as powerful as Photoshop, but for most web designers it is more than powerful enough. The interface is fairly typical - graphics toolbar on the left, file/program toolbar on the bottom, and various panels on the right side of the screen. All of your basic graphics design tools are here, as are most of the effects that you can perform on your design. The program loads quickly and easily, and the menus & tools allow you to quickly generate graphics for web pages. These can then be imported into Dreamweaver 2 for use on your web site. The only fault I can find with the whole package comes with Fireworks 2. As is increasingly common these days with new graphics design packages, Fireworks 2 allows you to create web 'effects' (such as mouse rollovers) with a graphics file you are designing in Fireworks 2. Figuring out how to do it in Fireworks 2 is not easy; in fact, I'm still not sure that I entirely understand it. What I do understand, however, is that it is easy to do it in Dreamweaver 2. So I would recommend using Fireworks 2 to design your graphics and then Dreamweaver 2 to create your special effects. I don't want to fault the software too much here - I think part of the blame lies on the skimpy manual, which doesn't even begin to do the program justice. And a surprisingly skimpy manual at that, compared to the much bulkier manual for Dreamweaver 2! A trip to Amazon.com to find a good book on Fireworks 2 might be in order. Summary Macromedia's Dreamweaver 2 / Fireworks 2 Studio is a powerful software package for those who either are interested in professional web design or need a package that can easy management and development of a large web site. Dreamweaver 2 is very impressive and contains everything you can possibly imagine when it comes to designing web pages or maintaining a web site. For Dreamweaver 2 alone the price would be worth it. Fireworks 2 is a competent graphics design program, well geared towards designing web graphics. While it won't replace Photoshop on a graphics designer's computer, it is more than sufficient for the requirements of most webmasters. Don't believe me? Macromedia has full-featured demo versions that you can download and try out for thirty days. Thumbs up from me. Macromedia Dreamweaver 2 / Fireworks 2 Studio http://www.macromedia.com 6=> Product: Linux In A Nutshell, book Reviewed By: Don Hughes, mailto:dhughes-reviewcdn@home.com Price: US $24.95 / CAN $36.95 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Buy Linux in a Nutshell at Amazon.Com Now and Support CompuNotes! Amazon.Com - about $14.97 -- Click Here: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1565925858/compunotes ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Linux in a Nutshell, is a desktop reference guide covering the basic commands used by the Linux operating system. Linus Torvalds who designed the Linux kernel, and posted his creation free on the Internet. First, utilized by programmers and hackers all over the world, Linux is growing in popularity and major software companies are creating software to run on the Linux system. The fastest growing Linux segment is the server market, and many of the top computer manufactures are selling servers with the Linux system pre-installed. O'Reilly's Linux in a Nutshell (part of the "In A Nutshell" series of books) will not tell you how to install and set-up the operating system on your computer(s). Nevertheless, if you need installation and set-up instructions for Linux, O'Reilly & Associates has another how to book "Running Linux, by Matt Welsh and Lar Kaufman" that will aid and guide any new user. The best of both worlds would be to purchase both books, Running Linux and Linux in a Nutshell, as this will provide a user with the installation guide and command reference. Linux In A Nutshell contains seventeen chapters, six hundred and twelve pages including the index. The chapters cover topics: Introduction, Linux User Commands, The Unix Shells Overview, Bash the Bourne Again Shell, csh & tcsh, Pattern Matching. The Emacs Editor, The vi Editor, The ex Editor, The se Editor, The Gawk Scripting Language, Programming Overview and Commands, Perl 5 Quick Reference, System and Network Administration, System and Network Administration Commands, and Boot Methods. At the beginning of each chapter the commands are explained in detail and easy to understand, an example of RCS: ...The revision control system (RCS) is designed to keep track of multiple file revisions, thereby reducing the amount of storage space needed. With RCS you can automatically store and retrieve revisions, merge or compare revisions, keep a complete history (or Log), and identify revisions using symbolic keywords. The chapter continues with an explanation of the RCS commands such as ci, co, rcs, ident, rlog rscdiff, etc. In addition to the command word there are various switches that can be used in conjunction such as: relog RCS /*.v | more = display a files revisions history, or rlog -R -L -ldaniel RCS/* =display names of RCS file locked by user Daniel. This one handy reference book will not sit of the shelf collecting dust. The guide is well written and an invaluable resource for a new or experienced Linux user in understanding and implementing command functions. If you are using or planning to use the Linux operating system, then Linux in a Nutshell is one textbook you will want to keep next to your computer. Web Site http://www.oreilly.com ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Buy Linux in a Nutshell at Amazon.Com Now and Support CompuNotes! Amazon.Com - about $14.97 -- Click Here: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1565925858/compunotes ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 7=> Product: MCSE: The Core Exams In a Nutshell, book Reviewed By: Donald Hughes, mailto:dhughes-reviewcdn@home.com Price: US $24.95, CAN $28.95 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Buy MCSE: The Core Exams In a Nutshell at Amazon.Com Now and Support CompuNotes! Amazon.Com - about $19.96 -- Click Here: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1565923766/compunotes ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ MCSE, The CORE EXAMS, is a four-hundred page reference guide to writing the Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer core (required) exams for Windows NT 4.0. This guide has five basic parts and covers the following topics: 1: Networking Essentials, 2: Windows NT Workstation, 3: Windows NT Server, 4: NT Server in the Enterprise, and 5: Windows 95. Each section outlines the following: Exam Overview, Study Guide, Suggested Exercises, Practice Test, and a Highlighters Index. The "Exam Overview" is the introduction to the topic, lists of objectives you should be familiar with before taking the exam. The "study guide" is the largest of each section containing core information for the exam such as: Network basics and standards, terminology, network types etc. The "suggested exercises" are for the reader to practice using a small test network. The "Practice Test" is a sample of test questions used for the part of the MCSE exams-also has the answer to the test questions. The "Highlighters Index" contains facts one might need to review or may have highlighted using a marker, when reading the text. The practice questions test your retention of information and shed light on areas one needs to improve their knowledge, before writing the MCSE exam. Some test questions are very basic, but others are vague and have hidden interpretations. An example of a sample test question: "3.Your are installing a network to connect eight Windows NT Workstation computers in a single building and need to determine the network type to use. Required result: The network should be inexpensive. Optional Result: The network should allow for centralized administration. Optional Result: The network should allow for growth (10 new workstations to be added over the year) Solution: Install a peer-to-peer (workgroup network) a. The solution meets the required result and both of the optional results. b. The solution meets the required result and only one of the optional results. c. The solution meets the required result. d. The solution does not meet the required result. What is the correct answer? For that information I recommend that you purchase the book and read the answers to test question on page 75. Throughout the book the author placed boxes with the title "On the Exam," containing tips for items you should know, and that might appear in a Microsoft exam. However, MCSE THE CORE EXAMS, by Michael Moncur is not a "cheat sheet" for writing the exam, but simply a guide. Knowing your subject matter and being prepared is the best advantage one can have when taking any type of written or multiple choice exams. Using MCSE THE CORE EXAMS, by Michael Moncur, and published by O'Reilly & Associates will help a reader build their confidence to pass the MCSE exam successfully. If you are planning to write or simply just wondering what type of question might appear on an MCSE exam. Drop into your favorite book store and purchase a copy or order on-line at O'Reilly's web site. I think you will find the book very interesting, and the sample test questions challenging. Web Site: www.oreilly.com ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Buy MCSE: The Core Exams In a Nutshell at Amazon.Com Now and Support CompuNotes! Amazon.Com - about $19.96 -- Click Here: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1565923766/compunotes ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 8=> Product: Sams Teach Your Self Paint Shop Pro 5 In 24 Hours, book Reviewed By: Don Hughes, mailto:dhughes.review.cdn@home.com Price $19.999 USA / $28.95 CAN ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Buy Sams Teach Your Self Paint Shop Pro 5 In 24 Hours at Amazon.Com Now and Support CompuNotes! Amazon.Com - about $15.99 -- Click Here: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0672313626/compunotes/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Teach Yourself Paint Shop Pro 5, is a three hundred and sixty page hands on guide for Paint Shop Pro 5, by Jasc Software Inc. The book has five main sections that encompasses: Getting Started In Paint Shop Pro, Editing Your Images, Tools to Work Efficiently, Advanced Paint Shop Pro Tasks, Paint Shop Pro for the Web. Each section is then broken down into hours per topic example: under the section Getting Started with Paint Shop Pro: 1.Paint Shop Pro basics, 2. Tools, Preferences, and Menus, 3.Opening and Saving, Creating Your First Image. This book is an easy read, composed in plain English, intended as a guide for users who are not graphic gurus. The author T. Michael Clark states: "I've always been of the opinion that learning should be fun and that it should involve lots of hands on experience. With that in mind I, like to write my books and my on-line tutorials in a way that makes the lessons fun and inviting. I try not to assume anything on behalf of the reader." As the author stated Getting started in Paint Shop Pro is a hands on guide for learning and understanding Jasc Software unique graphics program. The story of Paint Shop Pros humble beginnings started in 1990, when Robert Voit, an airline pilot, used to pass time between flights writing game and database software for his fiends. The program was first offered as shareware on bulletin boards and later on the Internet. The program (30-day demos) can be downloaded from many shareware sites or at Jasc Software's main site www.jasc.com. First, I am neither a graphics guru nor an artist; however, one does not need to be graphically inclined in order to produce great results with Paint Shop Pro. I have been a fan of Jasc software's Paint Shop Pro and downloaded several versions of the program over the years. Last year when Paint Shop Pro 5 was available, I could not resist and downloaded the new version. I was so impressed with version 5; before the 30-day demo period ended, I purchased a copy. In the new Paint Shop Pro version, a user set-up a scan icon on the toolbar, then use Paint shop as your main scanning software. On my system, I removed the editing software that came supplied with the scanner from my hard drive as Paint Shop better suited my scanning and Photo editing needs. Paint shop Pro is a excellent graphics program, and until now users lacked an easy to understand and learn "how to" book for Paint Shop. Teach Yourself Paint Shop Pro 5, by T. Michael Clark, is a key to unlock the power of the program, for graphically disadvantaged people such as myself. Using this book, I soon found myself experimenting with Paint Shop as never before, and enjoying every minuet. If you want to have fun with graphics and have access to: The Internet, a scanner, or a digital camera, then I suggest you purchase Sams Teach Yourself Paint Shop Pro 5 and download or purchase a copy of Paint Shop Pro 5. Web Site: www.samspublishing.com ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Buy Sams Teach Your Self Paint Shop Pro 5 In 24 Hours at Amazon.Com Now and Support CompuNotes! Amazon.Com - about $15.99 -- Click Here: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0672313626/compunotes/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 9=> Product: Expert Anti-Virus, utility Reviewed By: Bev Walton-Porter, mailto:scrybr8@enid.com Requirements: 386 DX or higher CPU (486 recommended), Windows« 95 or 98; 8 MB of RAM; 2X CD-ROM drive; VGA graphics card, 640 x 480 / 16 colors necessary (256 colors recommended); Optional: Modem for Internet virus updates. MSRP: $12.99 Bugs, worms, viruses ... whatever names you give them, they're all nasty and pose a major inconvenience not only for home PC users, but for business computer systems, as well. With all the creepy, crawly, insidious computer viruses lurking around, if you haven't purchased AV software for your system yet, you're playing with fire, and you're sure to get burned in the long run. If you're looking for affordable, easy-to-install AV software that won't cost you an arm, leg or other useful appendage, try Expert Anti-Virus on for size. The fit is fast, affordable and powerful. Regardless of the source, Expert AV seeks out and destroys all harmful cyberspace invaders. Want a personal testimony? Expert AV immediately sought out and disengaged a nasty villain which was residing in the software I'd installed for my desktop scanner. What impressed me most was the fact that I'd recently installed another anti-virus program and no viruses were detected when I scanned with the competitor's software, although apparently there was a virus hidden there in the dark, interior crevices of my system. With Expert Anti-Virus software, there's simple, one-click virus scanning and you can take a look at test results of all scans, too. The main screen AVG program displays a status check of the Control Center, Resident Shield, E-mail Scanner and the Virus String Database. If you're looking for customization features, you'll get that with Expert AV, too. Set your own scan settings with the Complete/Removable Media test customization. You'll get protection from known as well as unknown viruses, and free updates are available off the 'Net. One feature of Expert Anti-Virus that I really enjoyed was the "Resident Shield" which gives background monitoring of your system for suspicious, virus-like activities. Monitoring is continuous, whether you're working on or off the computer. Should you find an infected file, Expert AV has a virus vault which lets you quarantine the potentially infected file so you can check out information about it. And if you're worried about new virus strings, Expert AV offers an unlimited amount of updates through the Internet. In an age where new viruses spring up faster than the time it takes for you to read this review, it's comforting to know you can get updates for free anytime and as many times as you need to! One feature you might have to work with a little bit is the E-mail Scanner feature. This program studies file attachments for viruses, but when I first launched it with Outlook Express, it didn't work properly. Depending on your e-mail software program, it may or may not work flawlessly on first launch. With the proliferation of attachment-based viruses spreading like wildfire, the E-mail Scanner feature is a necessity. Whether you're lining up your defenses against viruses contained in 'Net downloads, disks, e-mail, networks or shared files, Expert Anti-Virus has a quick, easy, one-click solution for you. And best of all, you get all this protection for little more than the price of lunch for two at the local diner. Now, can you no longer afford NOT to protect your PC? Expert Software 802 Douglas Road Suite 600 Coral Gables, FL 33134 Phn: 305-567-9996 http://www.expertsoftware.com 10=> Product: AAA Map 'n' Go 5.0, home Reviewed By: Craig Bull, mailto:cbull@siscom.net Requirements: Win95/98/NT4, 486DX/66 (Pentium 100 or higher for GPS Voice Navigation), 8 MB RAM (16 MB recommended), 256-color SVGA video, CDROM, 14 MB min. Hard drive space, supports several GPS devices and several PalmPilots Reviewed on: AMD K6/200, 64 MB RAM, Matrox Mystique video card MSRP: $34.95 AAA Map 'n' Go from DeLorme is a travel planning program that combines DeLorme's map detail with AAA's travel database. The result is a program that makes planning a vacation or trip fairly simple. While it's not perfect, it's a useful program that does a lot for a small price. I've seen it on-line for as little as $16.95, so be sure to shop around. The installation of the program was pretty straightforward. I used the basic install, which used about 45MB of space on my hard drive. With all the map and location detail available, the CD needs to be present as you use the program. My only complaint with the installation was a note in the package that indicated that installing in other than the default directory might cause some of the features to not work correctly. I seldom install software in the default directory, as I have a certain way of organizing things. It seems that this could have been addressed during programming. It's a minor complaint, though. When the program is launched, you are presented with a welcome screen which allows access to all the options available. It can be disabled it later, if you desire. Probably the best place to start is the tutorial. This is fairly straight forward and presents most of the major features of the program. While the program is pretty intuitive, it's worth going through the tutorial to become familiar with how the program operates. It's probably a good idea to next set up your user profile. Here you can determine what locations are displayed on map views. You can limit the displays by AAA "diamond" ratings, price, and category. For example, you could limit the display to hotels and motels with 3-diamond ratings under $100. This can be applied for restaurants and attractions as well. This is a great tool for limiting how many attractions are displayed on the map. Next, specify a route by selecting a starting point and destination. There are several different ways of doing this, each of which is explained in the tutorial. Once you've selected the points, a map is displayed on the screen. This can take a few seconds to draw, as there is a fair amount of detail. You can specify your route in one of three ways. The shortest is based strictly on mileage between the points. The quickest (default) is the one that takes the least amount of time, based on speed estimates you can adjust for different road types. The shortest route is not necessarily the quickest. Finally, you can select scenic. This will incorporate any AAA- designated scenic routes into your route. Otherwise, it uses the quickest route. You can also specify route preferences, such as avoiding interstates or state routes. You can also designate areas to avoid. For example, a route from Columbus, OH to Duluth, MN can be set to avoid Chicago by a distance you specify, i.e. 50 miles. This is done by drawing a circle around the area to be avoided and then designating it as such. You can also customize your route by including Stops and Vias. Stops are included in your printed Travel Plans, while Vias are not. Basically, Vias allow you to incorporate "detours" in your route. Stops factor in attractions that you plan to visit. The on-line features include options to show or hide events, construction, and weather. This information can be updated if you have an Internet connection. AAA is known for their hotel and restaurant ratings. This program does a terrific job of incorporating this information in your route planning. Once your route is specified, you can have the program list any points of interest along the route. You have complete control over what points are included, based in part on your user profile. Depending on the route length, this can be an overwhelming number of sites, including lodging, meals, attractions, etc. As you locate sites you may be interested in, you can bring up more detail on that site. For hotels, this includes a description, rate information, restrictions, and amenities. For attractions, such as amusement parks, state parks, museums, etc., information may including a brief multimedia presentation. You can then include this in your printed Travel Plans as an attachment. The print option allows you to print out a complete travel plan package, including maps with directions and a highlighted route, and any attachments. The attachments print as they would appear in a AAA Travel Guide. I did find the user-interface to be a little odd at times, but in general, it's well done. The program also locked up on me a couple times. This did not detract from my overall impression of the program, however. There are a number of things that I didn't cover in this review, but hopefully I've given you enough to get you interested. Overall, I think this is an excellent program and would recommend it highly. NOTE: I do not have any GPS devices or a PalmPilot, so I was unable to review those features. More details on the specific products supported can be found at the WWW site. DeLorme AAA Map 'n' Go Product Website: http://www.delorme.com/mapngo/ 11=> Product: Special Edition Using Caldera OpenLinux, book Reviewed By: Doug Reed, mailto:dr2web@sprynet.com Authors: Allan Smart, Erik Ratcliffe, Tim Bird, David Bandel Requirements: PC-compatible computer with 200+ MB free space, CDROM MSRP: $39.99 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Buy Special Edition Using Caldera OpenLinux at Amazon.Com Now and Support CompuNotes! Amazon.Com - about $31.99 -- Click Here: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0789720582/compunotes ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ For those who have heard about Linux, are thinking of using it, but don't know much about it, this is a good place to start. The book covers every topic conceivable about OpenLinux, especially topics that are of great importance to network administrators trying to incorporate OpenLinux on a server. The book's authors either work for Caldera or are associated with Caldera, so it follows that they know a great deal about the subject matter. Despite being comprehensive and including a wide variety of topics, the book does not sink under its own weight and well written; even Linux newbies should not get lost here. The enclosed CDROM includes the latest version of OpenLinux as well as most (if not all) of the commercial and freeware packages included when you buy OpenLinux by itself. This is a full version of OpenLinux, not the watered down version that Caldera has passed out to book publishers in the past (Red Hat led the way in this regard - how could Caldera afford not to play along?). Given that the price for this book is lower than the price of OpenLinux alone, this is pretty much a no-brainer: buy the book! Everything you need to know is here, including a description of how to install OpenLinux. The book is broken down into six parts and four additional appendices. In the first part, the authors introduce you to OpenLinux and describe how to install the operating system. The second part, "Using OpenLinux" explains the KDE desktop, how to customize the desktop to your needs, and how to install/uninstall the various packages that you can run on OpenLinux. This includes the basic applications and utilities that are included on the CDROM (although surprisingly, not the WordPerfect 8 included on the CDROM). The conclusion of the second part essentially ends the portion of the book for the "average" PC user. Part 3 covers System Administration using OpenLinux, including descriptions of the Linux file system, security, printing, package management, and other system essentials. Essential reading to get the most out of Linux, but beyond either the capabilities or understanding of the average user. Part 4 covers Networking, including administration, setting up a TCP/IP connection, connecting to an ISP, and setting up a server (e-mail, web, and ftp are all covered). Part 4 also covers firewalls, wrappers, and interacting with Netware or Windows networks. Part 5 covers how to set up and run OpenLinux as an X server. Finally, part 6 covers two topics that don't fit into parts 1 through 5 -encryption and multimedia. Summary Special Edition: Using Caldera OpenLinux is a comprehensive book about version 2.2 of OpenLinux, providing the reader with a valuable reference and tutorial in getting started using Linux. Linux is still primarily an operating system for use as a network server, and the majority of the book covers these topics. Businesses and network administrators looking to 'make the switch' can easily find what they need in this book; the average personal user will get more out of the first part of the book. For average users your mileage will vary - the first two parts of the book will be very useful, the remainder will be useful only if you intend to use your Linux system as part of a network (or a web server). The enclosed CDROM with the full version of OpenLinux makes it a real bargain - tutorial and operating system, all rolled into one package. Books like this will go a long ways towards building Linux's user base. Watch out, Microsoft! Special Edition:Using Caldera OpenLinux Que http://www.quecorp.com ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Buy Special Edition Using Caldera OpenLinux at Amazon.Com Now and Support CompuNotes! Amazon.Com - about $31.99 -- Click Here: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0789720582/compunotes ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= Managing Editor: Patrick Grote -- mailto:pgrote@i1.net Assistant Editor: Doug Reed-- mailto:dr2web@sprynet.com Assistant Editor: Robin Nobles, mailto:smslady@netdoor.com Archives: ftp://ftp.compunotes.com/pub/archive Website: e-mail: mailto:notes@compunotes.com Want to Write for Us?: mailto:writers@compunotes.com fax: (314) 909-1662 voice: (314) 909-1662 +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= CompuNotes is: Available weekly via e-mail and on-line. We cover the PC computing world with comprehensive reviews, news, hot web sites, great columns and interviews. We also give away one software package a week to a lucky winner for just reading our fine publication! Never dull, sometimes tardy, we are here to bring you the computing world the way it is! Please tell every on-line friend about us! CompuNotes B440 1114 West Essex Ave. St. Louis, MO 63122 notes@compunotes.com (C)1999 Patrick Grote ISSN: 1525-4534