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AOL Spam Filter: Cure Worse Than Disease

In other words, AOL has again decided for you what they will allow you to see. And even if the email makes it into your basket, they have decided for you what links they will allow you to click. When George Orwell wrote 1984, he envisioned people being forced to have security cameras in their homes, monitoring their moves. He never expected that people would volunteer and even pay to have Big Brother in their lives.

C2it Bites the Dust

Protect Yourself Against Chargebacks

Patent Suit Threatens to Disrupt the Internet

In another burst of irony, Microsoft just got through a lengthy battle where they were accused of being monopolistic. This new decision says that Microsoft must remove from their browser the capability to talk to other companies' applications. In short, Microsoft's browser will only be allowed to support Microsoft applications. In a way, this can become a tremendous victory for Microsoft. Users will no longer be able to access PDF, Flash or Quicktime files. Instead companies will have to purchase Microsoft products to create similar files in Microsoft format. And if Microsoft is accused of being monopolistic, they will simply point to the decision and claim the court forced them to do this.

Follow Up to Eolas Story
Microsoft claims they have a simple way to get around Eolas' patented technology. They also claim that they have a patent for a browser plug-in that predates Eolas' patent by two years. The battle heats up.

Court Rules "Hands Off VOIP"

Sun Claims 100X Speed Breakthrough

In a test on an incomplete system, they were able to send data at a speed of 21.6 billion bits a second between chips in a scaled-down version of the new technology. By comparison, an Intel Pentium 4 processor, the fastest desktop chip, can transmit about 50 billion bits a second. But when the technology is used in complete products, the researchers say, they expect to reach speeds in excess of a trillion bits a second, which would be about 100 times the limits of today's technology.

AMD's 64-bit CPU Is and Isn't Important Now

If you are buying a new computer and if one of your requirements is a screaming game machine, then you should be looking at one of these new models. AMD and Microsoft claim that these will also run the 32-bit applications even faster (and independent tests verify this claim), unlike Intel's 64-bit which can only run 32-bit applications in an emulation mode, which is much slower. So by buying one of these newer CPUs, you are not only getting the fastest CPU available today, you are also investing in tomorrow's technology. But for most people, these new CPUs will not enhance their current experience by much and it will probably be quite a while before 64-bit versions of standard office programs will become available. So for those of you who have been using PCs for years, this breakthrough will not be like the change from previous platforms (XT to 286, 286 to 386, 386 to 486 or 486 to Pentium), where the older CPU quickly became obsolete. The good news is that tomorrow's technology is here, for those who want a head start. The better news is that you can still use today's technology for quite some time.

Voice Recognition and Home-bound Prisoners

A further application of this technology is to match smart cards to voiceprints. Smart cards are data cards that can be programmed with passwords, credit card numbers and other private information someone would want to have themselves but would not want others to access. Smart cards can be accessed by devices which attach to PCs but are protected against theft by either a fingerprint scanner or a voice print scanner. Tests have shown that voice print scanning is more accurate.

Ten Pet Peeves About Bosses

Revenge Against Telemarketers

"I feel just terrible, especially if they were eating or anything," he said. "They have phones like the rest of us have phones. Their attitude seems to be if you have a phone, people are allowed to call you."

The ATA is also whining that the new "do not call list" will put thousands of telemarketers out of a job.

"Of course, you could use pretty much the same reasoning to argue that laws against mugging cause unemployment among muggers," Barry wrote. "But that would be unfair. Muggers rarely intrude into your home."

In a follow-up article, Barry wrote that due to the volume of nuisance calls, the ATA changed their phone number. "I am, frankly, tempted to reveal to you here that the American Teleservices Association (www.ataconnect.org/) seems to have a phone line working (at least for now) at 317-816-9336. But would it be right to reveal this? I mean, yes, you could call the ATA again. But the ATA surely doesn't WANT you to call again. It's inconvenient! And to insist on calling somebody who doesnt want to be called, even if you have the legal right to call, well, that's just plain rude. So I am taking the high road."

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Some of you may recall that I advocated a similar idea against spammers. Go to the site they are recommending and place your order. Only use a false name and credit card number. Let them waste time wading through hundreds of fake orders looking for the real one. It's only fair.

Gator Ruling and Spyware

IEPlugin: Scumware of the Worst Kind

Identity Thief Using Trojan Program Nabbed

Ink Jet Scam

Now, according to Computer Shopper, the inkjet manufacturers have taken their scam one step further. They have programmed the chips to send the "cartridge empty" signal while plenty of ink still remains. When a 650,000-member Dutch consumer group launched a boycott of Epson printers over this, Epson claimed that this was done because a layer of ink is required at all times to keep the print heads moist. An experiment conducted at Computer Shopper reveals that an HP inkjet can print for weeks after the printer reports that it is low on ink.

Can anyone explain why Epson can release a dozen new printer models and each one needs a different cartridge? Since all they contain is ink, why can't several printers all share the same model cartridge? Is it because by releasing all these different models, it makes it more difficult for clone manufacturers to keep up and forces the buyers of these new models to pay Epson's exhorbitant prices?

Until the inkjet manufacturers come to their senses and realize that in order to keep customers loyal you have to produce a good product at a fair price, clone cartridges sales will continue to grow. While most people would be willing to pay 10 or 20% more for a "brand name" product (assuming that the brand name is better than the generic), how many are willing to pay as much as 500% more? All Epson can do is try to scare people by claiming that using a generic cartridge *may* void the warranty. As previous articles have pointed out, this is not only false, the practice is illegal. And when the price of the generic cartridge is $3 and they have a money-back guarantee, there isn't a risk.

Epson compatible cartridge list

Brain Parasite Controls Rats

Just For Fun

(Remake of the Beatles' "Yesterday")
Yesterday, I was working for some honest pay, then someone gave my job away
Oh I believe in yesterday
Suddenly, there is no work in my industry, all the jobs have been sent overseas
Oh, I believe in yesterday.
They say the economy’s getting strong in how long, they just don’t say
So I’m still unemployed, how I long for yesterday.
Yesterday, there was business in the USA, now those jobs have all gone to Bombay
Oh I believe in yesterday.
Suddenly, I have no insurance policy and I’m living off of charity
Oh I believe in yesterday.
They say the economy’s coming back, that our lack will go away
But all our money’s gone to Iraq
How I long for yesterday.
Yesterday, I was working for some honest pay, then someone gave my job away
Oh I believe in yesterday

Hardware, Software and Sites

Fantastic Greeting Card Site

There is a membership fee of $8 a year which allows you to send personal greeting cards to family members.

Thanks to Leonard, one of our readers, for sending this in.

Cute Helicopter Game

MIT Makes 500 Courses Available Online Free

"Microsoft Office" For Free

List of 2000 and XP Services

Click Your Computer On or Off Line

Good Tweaking Site

Speed Up Your PC & Prevent Crashes

Complete Digital Video Editing $25

When I came across a similar package to the Dazzle selling for only $25, I was sure that it would be nearly useless, but as long as the firewire card worked, it could always be used with the Ulead software. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Aist Movie DVSuite package included was very complete. It has so many feature, it may even outdo Ulead. However, all these features carry a price. The program is a bit slower to load. Those of you who use Adobe Photoshop know about the wait while all the add-ons and plug-ins load. DVSuite works similarly. Once loaded, there are more options and configurations to set. While this may appeal to professionals and dedicated hobbyists, I feel that the average person just wants to jump in and get started. Fortunately, the manual does provide the steps to accomplish just that.

It captured video to an AVI file perfectly and then converted the file to MPEG2 flawlessly. The quality of the video was excellent. I do believe it takes a little longer than VideoStudio but not by much. So now you can have a complete hardware/software video editing package for only $25. That's less than the cost of the VideoStudio software alone.

Video Editing Package

Be Notified When Websites Change

Google Offers Free Pop Up Blocker and More

Sisoft Released Major Free Upgrade to Sandra

Add/Remove Pro

Ultimate Drive Manager/Backup

Free Popup Killer

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