MalekTips: 8-12-2004
 
Welcome to the latest issue of the MalekTips newsletter, providing computer and technology help and tips. We appreciate your subscription!
 
Read just some of what you can find by visiting the following web addresses:
 
* Fix problems and make configuration changes you never thought possible in Windows XP with Tweak UI. Move your Internet Explorer Favorites folder to a different directory or hard drive for easier backup. Color the text in your DOS prompt to highlight certain commands. Speed up or slow down image slide shows.
 
* Have more fun with your digital camera when traveling. Sample local culture and take photos of the cuisine. Stop taking the same 'postcard photos' that everyone else shoots and look around for different angles. Find out the best times to travel to view a region's fall foliage. And, look at completely unexpected places to get ideas for your digital photos.
 
* Fix problems and remove bothersome features in Microsoft Word 2003. Remove the "Getting Started" pane. Prevent certain paragraphs from being broken up into separate pages. Speed up the display of complex documents by using a draft font. Stop jumping around complex documents by splitting the window and editing two sections simultaneously.
 
These tips and more, 25 in total, can be found below in the latest version of MalekTips - just access the links for the full tips. Enjoy! And remember - if you have a computer question, be sure to visit the MalekTips forums at http://www.malektips.com/forums
 
Andrew Malek MalekTips.Com
 
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* Recent MalekTips Front Page Stories *
 
8-11-2004: New Microsoft Digital Image Suite 10
 
Microsoft has announced v10 of its Digital Image Suite software. The included image editor, Microsoft Digital Image Pro 10, contains Auto Fixes to repair digital photos with improper brightness, contrast, and the like. It also supports panoramic stitching to create large montages from a batch of closely-taken digital photos. A Digital Image Library is included to help organize, share, and print photos.
 
Link (External Site): http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2004/aug0
4/08-10DIS10PR.asp
 
8-9-2004: New Beagle Variant
 
Symantec, among other antivirus companies, noted a new variant of the Beagle Worm, W32.Beagle.AO@mm. This worm tends to propogate via .ZIP e-mail attachments. It opens a backdoor on the infected system and attempts to download files from various websites. SARC is listing it as a level 3, and other vendors are giving it a medium risk. Be sure to update your antivirus definitions regularly.
 
Link (External Site): http://www.sarc.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.beagle.
ao@mm.html
 
8-9-2004: AOL Instant Messenger Vulnerability
 
IT Security company Secunia has released information on a AOL Instant Messenger Vulnerability. A boundary error can cause a buffer overflow, allowing remote execution of arbitrary code. "The vulnerability has been confirmed in version 5.5.3595. Other versions may also be affected." As of this writing, no fix has been released, but that may change.
 
Link (External Site): http://secunia.com/advisories/12198/?menu=info
 
8-9-2004: Windows XP Service Pack 2 Released to Some
 
According to major media news outlets, Windows XP Service Pack 2 has been released to manufacturers. It is also available to MSDN subscribers. If you have "Automatic Update" turned on, Microsoft plans to start releasing it soon. If you look hard on the Internet, mirrored versions are already available for download, but you may want to wait until the Service Pack gets sent over the official Windows Update.
 
8-6-2004: Windows XP Service Pack 2 Coming
 
According to industry reports, Windows XP Service Pack 2 is near completion and may be distributed within a few days. Microsoft is encouraging users to turn on Automatic Update. This will allow Windows XP to download Service Pack 2 in the background while you are using your computer.
 
Before you do this, if you are using your computer in an office environment, make sure it is ok to install the latest Service Pack as it may render some software or websites inoperable due to security and privacy enhancements. You may also want to read detailed information about the changes in Windows XP Service Pack 2.
 
Link (External Site): http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/d
efault.aspx
 
Link (External Site): http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/sp2/default.msp
x
 
* Tips! *
 
These tips are NOT available to the general public yet! You can find them here first in the MalekTips newsletter! Thanks for subscribing.
 
Digital Travel Photography - Record the Food
Take photos of food unique to areas you explore during your travels.
 
Digital Travel Photography - Consider Insurance on Flights
Protect your digital camera equipment from getting lost, stolen, or damaged on flights.
 
Digital Travel Photography - Best Dates for Fall Foliage Photos
Find out when to travel to photograph the peak times of fall foliage around the country.
 
Digital Travel Photography - Look for Different Angles
Take travel photos at unique angles to avoid the 'postcard photo' syndrome.
 
Digital Travel Photography - The Ground May be Worth Photographing
Look everywhere for photo opportunities when traveling, even on the ground.
 
Internet Explorer 6 and Pictures - Pictures Not Displaying
Are pictures not displaying in the Internet Explorer 6 browser window? Here is a possible fix.
 
Internet Explorer 6 and Pictures - Print a Picture
Create a printout of just a picture using Internet Explorer 6.
 
Internet Explorer 6 and Pictures - Obtaining Picture Information
Retrieve detailed picture information using Internet Explorer 6.
 
Internet Explorer 6 and Pictures - Show Image Descriptions (ALT Text)
Display alternative text in Internet Explorer 6 while waiting for an image to load.
 
Internet Explorer 6 and Pictures - Setting a Webpage Picture as the Background
Take a picture on a webpage and use it as your background image using Internet Explorer 6.
 
Microsoft Word 2003 - Remove 'Getting Started' Pane
Disable the "Getting Started" pane that appears when running Microsoft Word 2003.
 
Microsoft Word 2003 - Speed the Display of Complex Documents
Keep complex documents from slowing down Microsoft Word 2003.
 
Microsoft Word 2003 - Prevent Page Brakes Inside Paragraphs
Keep paragraphs in Microsoft Word 2003 documents from splitting to separate pages.
 
Microsoft Word 2003 - Obtain the Current Document's File Size
Find out how much room a Microsoft Word 2003 document takes on disk.
 
Microsoft Word 2003 - Work on Two Separate Document Sections
View or edit two different parts of a Microsoft Word 2003 document simultaneously.
 
Printer Misc - Use Quality Paper
Quality paper may keep your printer from jamming or getting damaged.
 
Printer Misc - Fix Printouts Containing Poor Print Quality
Three quick fixes for low quality printouts.
 
Printer Misc - Be Careful After Long Periods of Nonuse
After your printer sits idle for many days, print a few test pages before a larger document.
 
Printer Misc - Close the Paper Tray When Not In Use
Keep dust from entering your printer.
 
Printer Misc - Shut Down Properly
Why you should always shut down your printer with the power button or switch.
 
Windows XP and Tweak UI - Repair Unread Mail Count
Fix the unread mail count viewed on your Windows XP welcome screen with Tweak UI.
 
Windows XP and Tweak UI - Color Your DOS Prompt Text
Highlight text in a Windows XP DOS prompt with Tweak UI.
 
Windows XP and Tweak UI - Change the Favorites Folder Location
Use Tweak UI to change the directory of your Favorites folder in Windows XP.
 
Windows XP and Tweak UI - Remove the Places Bar in Dialog Boxes
Remove the Places Bar in Windows XP dialog boxes with Tweak UI.
 
Windows XP and Tweak UI - Change Slide Show Timing
Use Tweak UI to change how long pictures in a Windows XP slide show display onscreen.
 
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MalekTips is published by Envision Programming:
 
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This issue of MalekTips is Copyright 2004 Andrew Malek of Envision Programming. All other copyrights and trademarks are properties of their respective companies.

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