MalekTips: 10-15-2004
 
Welcome to the latest issue of the MalekTips newsletter, providing computer and technology help and tips. We appreciate your subscription!
 
* Scan business, sports, technology, current events, and more news articles from a huge variety of online sources with Google News. If desired, locate stories from a particular source, state, or country. Researching a topic? Google Alerts can notify you via e-mail whenever related news articles appear. This newsletter offers help for you to get the most out of these tools.
 
* This newsletter also contains various digital photography tips for beginners. Why does a hand sometimes appear on a viewfinder when taking photos in bad lighting conditions? Will automatic zoom work well in bad weather? How can one ensure when holding a small digital camera that their finger does not cover the lens, ruining a photo?
 
* Display visualization animations while playing sounds and music in Windows Media Player 10. Learn how to display visualizations, where to download more visualizations, how to display these animations in full screen, and more.
 
* Plus, this newsletter contains even more help, including Outlook 2003 tips such as how you can allow recipients to vote on topics - though try to keep politics out of the office :), Winamp 5 tips including how to control song playback via the Windows System Tray, and Windows 2000 tips such as how to use Tweak UI to remove phantom drives that may sometimes appear on your machine.
 
These tips and more, 30 in total, can be found below in the latest version of MalekTips. 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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Point them to the following web address to sign up and read past newsletters online: http://malektips.com/maillist
 
* Recent MalekTips Front Page Stories *
 
10-14-2004: Google Desktop Search
 
Google has just released a Desktop Search tool for Windows 2000 SP3. Windows XP, and above. According to the press release, this tool can help you search through your e-mail, files in formats such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and text, Internet Explorer website history, and IM chats in AOL Instant Messenger. The tool can also be used to search the web for content along with local files simultaneously.
 
Link (External Site): http://desktop.google.com/
 
Link (External Site): http://www.google.com/press/pressrel/desktopsearch
.html
 
10-13-2004: Adobe Acrobat/Reader Vulnerability
 
Security firm Secunia has noted a vulnerability with Adobe Acrobat 6 and Adobe Reader 6.01/6.02 for Windows. Rated "moderately critical", the vulnerability involves the possibility of malicious documents embedding Flash documents that could read local files. No patches are available. The only provided solution is to disable Javascript. To do so from Acrobat Reader:
 
1. Click 'Start', 'Programs' or 'All Programs', 'Adobe Acrobat Reader'.
 
2. Choose 'Edit' - 'Preferences'.
 
3. When the 'Preferences dialog appears, select 'Javascript'
 
4. Uncheck 'Enable Acrobat Javascript'.
 
5. Click 'OK' to close the dialog box.
 
Link (External Site): http://secunia.com/advisories/12809/
 
10-12-2004: Windows Updates
 
Microsoft has released a slew of Security Bulletins regarding vulnerabilities in Windows 2000, Windows XP (standard and 64-bit edition), Windows Server 2003 (standard and 64-bit edition), Windows NT 4.0, Windows NT 4.0 Terminal Server Edition, IIS 5.0, IIS 5.1, IIS 6.0, Windows 98, Windows 98 SE, and Windows ME. Vulnerabilities include those allowing remote code execution. Review the updates and download accordingly. If you are using Automatic Update you may receive these fixes without user-intervention, but you should check Windows Update just in case (from Internet Explorer select "Tools" - "Windows Update").
 
Link (External Site): http://www.microsoft.com/security/bulletins/200410
_windows.mspx
 
10-12-2004: JPEG Vulnerability in Visio and Powerpoint Viewers
 
Security firm Secunia released information today about vulnerabilities in PowerPoint Viewer 2003 and Visio Viewer 2002 and 2003. These relate to the JPEG buffer-overflow vulnerability recently reported in other Microsoft products. Patches are available.
 
Link (External Site): http://secunia.com/advisories/12671/
 
10-12-2004: Microsoft Excel Vulnerability
 
Microsoft has released Security Bulletin MS04-033. This covers a newly-reported security vulnerability in Microsoft Excel 2000, XP, 2001 for Mac, and v. X for Mac. "If a user is logged on with administrative privileges, an attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could take complete control of the affected system."
 
Link (External Site): http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin
/ms04-033.mspx
 
10-10-2004: Crystal Reports Vulnerability
 
Security firm Secunia reported on a Crystal Reports vulnerability regarding JPEG files. It is a JPEG processing buffer overflow vulnerability, related to previous found vulnerabilities in multiple Microsoft products. Patches are available on the aforementioned website.
 
Link (External Site): http://secunia.com/advisories/12772/
 
10-9-2004: Archived Newsletters Online
 
I've just uploaded 6 archived issues of the MalekTips Computer and Technology Help newsletter, covering tips on Digital Cameras, Google, Microsoft Word 2003, Wireless Internet, Internet Explorer 6, Spybot Search and Destroy, Spybot, and more, over 185 tips in all. If you're not a newsletter subscriber and want to see what's been recently added to the site, or if you are a subscriber but want to catch up on the latest tips, check them out. September 2, 2004 - September 9, 2004 - September 17, 2004 - September 24, 2004 - September 30, 2004 - October 8, 2004.
 
Link: http://malektips.com/maillist/
 
10-8-2004: Dell AC Adapter Recall
 
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a recall of AC adapters used on various Dell laptops. The affected AC adapters can overheat, causing a potential shock or fire hazard. Updated information can be viewed on the website, but the currently affected laptops include the following:
 
* Latitude: CP, CPi, CPiA, CPtC, CPiR, CPxH, CPtV, CS, CSx, CPxJ, CPtS, C500, C510, C600, C610, C800, C810, V700, C-Dock, C-Port.
 
* Inspiron: 2500, 2600, 3700, 3800, 4000, 4100, 4150, 5000, 5000e, 7500, 7550, 8000, 8100, Advanced Port Replicator, Docking Station.
 
* Precision: M40
 
The recalled adapters have the words "DELL" and "P/N 9364U", "P/N 7832D" or "P/N 4983D" printed on the back of the unit.
 
Dell contact information and remedy instructions are available on the website.
 
Link (External Site): http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml05/05004.
html
 
* 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 Photography - Why Does a Hand Appear on My Viewfinder or LCD Sometimes?
Why do bad lighting condition sometimes cause a hand to appear in your digital camera's viewfinder or LCD?
 
Digital Photography - Use Manual Zoom in Bad Weather
Consider switching to manual zoom when the weather turns bad for clearer photos.
 
Digital Photography - Be Careful Holding Small Digital Cameras
It's very easy for a finger or two to accidentally cover the lens of a small digital camera, ruining a photo.
 
Digital Photography - Don't Overlook Traditional Camera Magazines for Tips
Traditional film photography magazines may offer tips that work for digital camera users as well.
 
Digital Photography - Adjust Zoom While Taking a Photo For Effect
An interesting digital photography idea that can create unique pictures.
 
Google News - Read the Latest News From Around the World
Scan new headlines from around the world using Google.
 
Google News - Search for News From a Particular Source
Limit your news research to a particular magazine, television station, or newspaper.
 
Google News - Search for News From a Particular State or Country
Read a particular state or country's spin on the news.
 
Google News - Receive E-Mail Alerts of News Items
Receive e-mail notifications when news articles appear with the subject of your choice.
 
Google News - Ignore Words in News Query
Create more useful Google News search queries.
 
Outlook 2003 - Sending Email - Send E-Mail as Plain Text to Mailing Lists
Force Outlook 2003 to send e-mail as plain-text for those who don't prefer HTML or RTF e-mail.
 
Outlook 2003 - Sending Email - Allow People to Vote in E-mail
Send e-mail in Outlook 2003 allowing recipients to vote on the topic of your choice.
 
Outlook 2003 - Sending Email - UUencode Attachments
Encode attachments in Outlook 2003 so older computers can read the files.
 
Outlook 2003 - Sending Email - Request Receipts on Particular E-Mail Messages
Have Outlook 2003 attempt to require delivery or read receipts for e-mail.
 
Outlook 2003 - Sending Email - Do Not Keep a Copy of Sent E-Mail
Configure Outlook 2003 to not store copies of your sent e-mail.
 
Winamp 5 - Make Modern Skins Less Opaque
Configure Winamp 5 so you can see through the software to windows located underneath.
 
Winamp 5 - Remove Tooltips for Classic Skins
Prevent classic Winamp 5 skins from showing sometimes-annoying tooltips.
 
Winamp 5 - Change Skins Directory
Move Winamp 5 skins to a different drive or partition.
 
Winamp 5 - Control Multimedia Playback from the System Tray
Add icons to your Windows Taskbar to control Winamp 5's multimedia playback.
 
Winamp 5 - Enable / Disable Skinned Font for Title Display
Toggle the use of bitmapped fonts for song titles when using classic Winamp 5 skins.
 
Windows 2000 and Tweak UI - Clear List of Programs In Start Menu - Run
Clear your "Start Menu" - "Run" usage tracks in Windows 2000 with Tweak UI.
 
Windows 2000 and Tweak UI - Disable Windows Button Keyboard Shortcuts
Disable most functionality of your keyboard's Windows button with Tweak UI for Windows 2000.
 
Windows 2000 and Tweak UI - Remove Phantom Drives
Eliminate non-existing drive letters with Tweak UI for Windows 2000.
 
Windows 2000 and Tweak UI - Allow or Disallow Anyone to Shut Down Without Logging In
Toggle the ability for anyone to be able to shut down your Windows 2000 system with Tweak UI.
 
Windows 2000 and Tweak UI - Scroll Faster with the Mouse
With Tweak UI for Windows 2000, you can scroll through documents faster with your mouse.
 
Windows Media Player 10 Visualizations - Display Visualization Animations
Display animations whenever you play multimedia files with Windows Media Player 10.
 
Windows Media Player 10 Visualizations - Download New Visualizations
Download new animations that appear when playing multimedia files with Windows Media Player 10.
 
Windows Media Player 10 Visualizations - View in Full Screen
View Windows Media Player 10 animations in full-screen mode.
 
Windows Media Player 10 Visualizations - Full-Screen Visualization Problems with Multiple Monitors
A workaround in case your Windows Media Player 10 visualizations cause problems on multi-monitor systems.
 
Windows Media Player 10 Visualizations - No Visualizations When Playing Midi Files
This tip explains why Windows Media Player 10 cannot display visualizations when playing MIDI songs.
 

 
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MalekTips is published by Envision Programming:
 
Envision Programming attn: MalekTips PO Box 11592 Knoxville, TN 37939-1592
 
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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