IN THIS ISSUE:01. Readers write
02. Extension search
03. Dumb messages revisited
04. XP Tweak
05. Hardware Diagnostic Tool
06. Training Windows
07. Hold that button
08. Hagai's freeware
09. Online helpAnd Coming Next Week!<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Make Internet Explorer Faster, More Capable, and Secure! 
NNT's reviewers called Secure IE great, easy-to-use,awesome,
impressive, a total "thumbs up"!  Read what they're raving 
about and get yours at http://www.secureie.com/p/nnt1/
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>01. READERS WRITE.  A Wisconsin subscriber wrote to express his displeasure 
with the links contained in Neat Net Tricks.  It seems he is bothered by 
the frequent pop-up ads and he felt that only those sites without the ads 
should be featured in NNT, particularly in the Premium issue. We replied 
that pop-ups can be annoying but, while not defending them, we must realize 
that they are a form of marketing in which the site owner hopes to recover 
his costs and possibly make a profit.  We suggested using a pop-up stopper 
(there are lots of them on the Web) and ALT F4 will quickly close active 
pop-up windows.  Finally, we pointed out that no publication can guarantee 
only sites without pop-up ads.  As we've often said in the past, the 
Internet isn't free and never was.  Someone has to pay the freight and if 
those ads are unprofitable, they will cease to exist.02. EXTENSION SEARCH.  Next time a file extension has you puzzled, try the 
database at http://extsearch.com/ information.03. DUMB MESSAGES REVISITED.  Not long ago we mentioned a few dumb messages 
we see from our computer and invited others to share their favorite 
"dumbness."  A reader frequently gets a banner ad that asks "Do you click 
on banner ads."  She asks, if you don't, how do you click "No" without 
clicking on the banner ad? Others galled at their computers crashing, then 
sitting through the Scandisk operation and being reminded "To avoid seeing 
this screen again, always shut down Windows properly" as if it was their 
fault. Another reader nominates the download site at 
http://www.microsoft.com/NTWorkstation/downloads/PowerToys/Networking/NTTweakUI.asp 
for having a really dumb comment.  After downloading a Windows update, it 
says:  "How to Get Started -- You don't need to do anything after 
downloading" and he asks, "what's the point of downloading?"  Still another 
reader nominates the instruction manual for the Windows Internet 
Information Server (ILS) accessible only when ILS is operating.  Thus, the 
entire section on troubleshooting a nonfunctional installation is 
inaccessible at precisely the moment one needs to consult it.  But judging 
by the sheer quantity of email, the top dumb instruction has to be the 
message that "Keyboard not detected, Press (whatever key) to 
Continue."  Keep them coming and we'll do it again in a future issue!04. XP TWEAK.  A recent article reminded readers of the neat things that 
can be done with TweakUI, but the XP operating system was not supported by 
the Tweak at that link.  Never fear, XP folks, you'll find a whole array of 
power tools included Tweak - all for XP - at 
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/downloads/powertoys.asp .. . . . .1, 400+ Neat Net Tricks tips updated 4 times yearly for the word processing 
format of your choice, also in ebook format, plus extra features, 
downloadable and just $20 a year, a bargain (and a nice stocking stuffer 
for Santa) at http://www.NeatNetTricks.com/store.. . . . .05. HARDWARE DIAGNOSTICS TOOL.  Windows98 users have a neat tool at their 
fingertips without downloading.  Click on Start and Run and enter "hwinfo 
/ui" without quotes.  The information displayed is color-coded.  Error 
messages are in red, warnings are in blue.  Green denotes registry entries, 
Configuration Manager information is in brown and file attributes are shown 
in magenta.06. TRAINING WINDOWS.  One pet peeve is Windows' determination to identify 
a shortcut icon as "Shortcut to (whatever)"  This is pure redundancy, since 
shortcuts are identified by an arrow.  And, with the added verbage of 
"Short cut to" you can't jump from one icon to another by pressing the 
first letter (since they would all start with an "s".  If you keep removing 
"Shortcut to," Windows will eventually understand your intent and future 
shortcuts won't include "Shortcut to".07. HOLD THAT BUTTON.  The site at http://www.holdthebutton.com/ invites 
you to hold the mouse key down.  Now, before you hastily jump to 
conclusions that there's nothing more to this site, when you release the 
button, you are told how you rank in stamina with other button 
holders.  And when I took my turn at the controls, I found that the longest 
record was a little over six hours, proving once again that some folks need 
to get a life.08. HAGAI'S FREEWARE.  A baker's dozen (13) freeware programs are at 
http://www.hagai.com/download.asp?ProgType=Freeware . They include a bug 
checker, screen saver loader, clock, shutdown utility, CD autorun, boot 
editor, menu, counter,icon viewer and editor, and more.09. ONLINE HELP.  Of limited scope, but considering that you can never get 
enough help with your computer, try http://www.computerhope.com/oh.htm .. . . . .Apologies to those readers who were inconvenienced with multiple issues of 
NNT Issue #137.  As luck would have it, Lyris (our mail server) had 
hardware failure causing some of the repeated distribution. We'd like to 
tell you that there will never be another problem in future mailings, and 
if you'll buy that, as the song goes, we have some oceanfront property in 
Arizona for sale.. . . . .IN NEXT WEEK'S NEAT NET TRICKS PREMIUM:  Google is generally accepted as 
the most popular search engine, but we show you another free download that 
enhances Google, along with a way to "Google" without a browser.  Learn a 
neat trick with text manipulation, a Winamp plugin that you need if you 
have a taste for MP3 music, and a slick trick with your cursor.  Our 
Software Pick-Of-The-Issue is a great image manipulator.  And our feature 
is an in-depth tutorial on how to handle Microsoft Words' sometimes weird 
formatting and styles.  All that awaits you if you're a Premium subscriber 
and it costs just $10 a year for 24 fact-packed issues.  Subscribe at the 
NNT Store, http://www.NeatNetTricks.com/store and get on the cutting edge.. . . . . .NNT makes no endorsement or warranty, expressed or implied, with regard to 
featured products or services. Results may vary based on operating systems 
and other variables beyond our control.For info on how to subscribe, unsubscribe, or change your address, send a 
blank email to info-neatnettricks@silver.lyris.net .Comments or questions about your computer and the Internet? Visit the NNT 
Bulletin Board at http://escribe.com/computing/neatnettricks/bb/ .NNT is hosted by Lyris.com, the best in email list management.Copyright 2002 by Jack Teems. All rights reserved. Neat Net Tricks is 
registered with the U.S. Library of Congress ISSN: 1533-4619. 
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