MalekTips: 11-6-2003
 
Welcome to the newest version of the MalekTips newsletter, offering you help and tips to get the most out of your computer.
 
* Winamp 5 Beta 2 is out! The newest version of one of the most popular media players is available, and I'm going to tell you where to get it. Plus, read on for tips on getting the most out of this music player, including making its wild visualizations look even better on your screen.
 
* Thinking about upgrading your Windows machine to Windows XP for improved performance and stability? Make sure you read the tips available in this newsletter first. Back up all your files, ensure your software will run under Windows XP, and you may have to do a little bit of other maintenance first to make sure everything runs smoothly.
 
* Before you visit your family for the holidays and take your digital camera with you to record the occasion, be sure to first practice taking photos. Learn how to use your camera's special features, such as portrait mode. Also, make sure to backup your photographs when you get back.
 
* More tips are available for DOS batch file junkies using Windows 2000. Create a batch file to renew an Internet connection that suddenly stops working. Automatically have Windows complete your path and filenames to save keystrokes. Or, perhaps the most important tip of all (grin), learn how to simulate a dice roll right from the command prompt.
 
These new 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 check out the MalekTips forums at http://www.malektips.com/forums
 
Andrew Malek MalekTips.Com
 
* Tips! *  
 
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Digital Cameras - Dealing with Cloudy Days  
Don't let cloudy days keep you from taking great photographs  
with your digital camera! Take advantage of the weather.  
http://malektips.com/dig0033.html  
 
Digital Cameras - Immediately Backup Your Photos  
When you are done taking photographs with your digital  
camera, immediately save those photographs to external  
media!  
http://malektips.com/dig0034.html  
 
Digital Cameras - Take Photos at Different Times  
Take advantage of the lighting available outside at  
different times of the day for great photographs with your  
digital camera.  
http://malektips.com/dig0035.html  
 
Digital Cameras - Consider Black and White  
Consider using your digital camera's grayscale mode for  
sharp, artistic looking photographs.  
http://malektips.com/dig0036.html  
 
Digital Cameras - Those Batteries Won't Stay Charged Forever  
Digital camera batteries may lose their charge over time.  
Don't let under-charged batteries keep you from taking great  
photos!  
http://malektips.com/dig0037.html  
 
Digital Cameras - Practice Everything!  
Get accustomed to your digital camera's features and  
practice everything before you go on a trip.  
http://malektips.com/dig0038.html  
 
Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 - Stop Images From Resizing  
Stop Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 from automatically  
resizing web page images to fit in its window.  
http://malektips.com/ie60024.html  
 
Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 - Keyboard Shortcut to Your  
Home Page  
Access your home page quickly with this Microsoft Internet  
Explorer 6 shortcut.  
http://malektips.com/ie60025.html  
 
Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 - Stop Asking to Change  
Browsers  
Keep Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 from always asking to be  
the default browser.  
http://malektips.com/ie60026.html  
 
Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 - Can't Save Webpage Pictures  
as JPGs  
This tip will help solve the problem where Microsoft  
Internet Explorer 6 will not let you save webpage images as  
JPG files.  
http://malektips.com/ie60027.html  
 
Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 - Remove right-click menu  
items  
Remove right-click menu items from Microsoft Internet  
Explorer 6 that some third-party software programs add.  
http://malektips.com/ie60028.html  
 
Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 - Display Script Errors  
Diagnose web page scripting development errors with Internet  
Explorer 6.  
http://malektips.com/ie60029.html  
 
Winamp 5 Beta 2: Where to Download it  
Download the latest version of the Winamp multimedia player!  
http://malektips.com/wa50001.html  
 
Winamp 5 Beta 2: No AOL Desktop Icon on Install  
Stop Winamp 5 Beta 2 from automatically installing an AOL  
icon.  
http://malektips.com/wa50002.html  
 
Winamp 5 Beta 2: Quickly Clear your Playlist  
Quickly purge the contents of your Winamp 5 playlist.  
http://malektips.com/wa50003.html  
 
Winamp 5 Beta 2: Playlist Shuffle  
Play your multimedia files in random order with Winamp 5  
Beta 2.  
http://malektips.com/wa50004.html  
 
Winamp 5 Beta 2: Change Colors  
You don't need to use different skins to change the look of  
Winamp 5 Beta 2.  
http://malektips.com/wa50005.html  
 
Winamp 5 Beta 2: Add Detail to Visualization Full-Screen  
Change the display resolution of Winamp 5 Beta 2's  
visualizations.  
http://malektips.com/wa50006.html  
 
Windows 2000 and DOS - Execute One Command if Another Fails  
Create error-checking Windows 2000 batch files with this  
IF-THEN-like construct.  
http://malektips.com/2000wd0012.html  
 
Windows 2000 and DOS - Auto-Complete Paths and Filenames  
Let Windows 2000 automatically complete your keyed-in paths  
and filenames.  
http://malektips.com/2000wd0013.html  
 
Windows 2000 and DOS - Quickly Preview a Font  
This batch file can help you preview your Windows 2000 font  
collection.  
http://malektips.com/2000wd0014.html  
 
Windows 2000 and DOS - DOS Text Editors Are Still Here!  
Your favorite DOS editors are still around with Windows  
2000.  
http://malektips.com/2000wd0015.html  
 
Windows 2000 and DOS - Reset Your High-Speed Internet  
Connection  
These Windows 2000 DOS commands may help revive an Internet  
connection that has temporarily gone dead.  
http://malektips.com/2000wd0016.html  
 
Windows 2000 and DOS - Simulate a Dice Roll  
Simulate a dice roll with Windows 2000 and DOS. This article  
provides tips on the expanded 'set' command as well as how  
to use the %random% environment variable.  
http://malektips.com/2000wd0017.html  
 
Windows XP Upgrading - Backup Your Files First  
Upgrades sometimes can fail, leaving you temporarily with a  
nonworking computer and no access to files. Before upgrading  
to Windows XP, backup your important files first.  
http://malektips.com/xpug0001.html  
 
Windows XP Upgrading - May Have to Upgrade Software  
Some of your current software packages may not run under  
Windows XP.  
http://malektips.com/xpug0002.html  
 
Windows XP Upgrading - Check your Computer Manufacturer  
Website  
Why you should visit your computer manufacturer's website  
before upgrading to Windows XP.  
http://malektips.com/xpug0003.html  
 
Windows XP Upgrading - Download the Upgrade Advisor  
The Windows XP Upgrade Advisor can help make the upgrade to  
Windows XP as smooth as possible. Here's how to download it.  
http://malektips.com/xpug0004.html  
 
Windows XP Upgrading - Problems with Compaq Presario 5800,  
5900, 7900, 7AP1  
If you have a Compaq 5800, 5900, 7900, or 7AP1 series  
computer, here are some problems you may encounter when  
upgrading to Windows XP.  
http://malektips.com/xpug0005.html  
 
Windows XP Upgrading - Remove Some Software  
Clean up your machine before upgrading it to Windows XP.  
http://malektips.com/xpug0006.html  
 
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* Copyright Notice *
 
This newsletter is free to redistribute, in electronic or printed form, provided that no changes are made to this document and this notice is left intact. If you wish to redistribute just pieces of this newsletter, such as certain articles, contact Andrew Malek for information.
 
This issue of MalekTips is Copyright 2003 Andrew Malek of Envision Programming. All other copyrights are trademarks of their respective companies.

Note that due to tip recategorization, some of the URLs mentioned in the newsletter may have changed. If you have any problems finding a particular tip, use the MalekTips "Search" feature to conveniently find what you are looking for.

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