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The LangaList
Standard Edition

2005-06-23

A Free Email Newsletter from Fred Langa
That Helps You Get More From Your Hardware, 
Software, and Time Online

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1) Looks Strong, But Don't Be Fooled!

At a quick glance, ")qWw@o$d" looks like a pretty good password, but it's actually not. It's just the word "password" with the keys shifted up one row and to the left as it's typed; and alternating between Caps On and Caps Off for the characters. A computer can crack that password almost instantly, and yet many people use that simple trick (or others just as easy to defeat) in the false belief that they're safe.

A less obvious word might look harder--- for example, "%9&dYw%9H3" is simply the word "touchstone" disguised the same way. But again, a computer will rip through that password in an eye blink.

And even if your passwords once were safe, they may not be today: Passwords that were fine even just a few years ago may now be vulnerable to attack because of huge advances in hardware and software. For example, the password "ChEcK12" meets many of the criteria for safe passwords that were recommended only 2-3 years ago, and yet in one recent demonstration, a lowly 500MHz P3 PC running a widely-available cracking tool was able to guess that password in only 26 seconds; and today's top-of-the-line PCs could perform the same crack almost instantly.

But it's not hard to create and use passwords that really *are* strong and hard to crack, and yet also are easy to use and remember. I've pulled together a collection of FREE and low-cost tools and tips over at
http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=164303537 .

Click on over, and make sure *your* passwords are up to snuff!

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2) Wants To Mass-Email (Not Spam) A Group

Fred, I have a problem I bet a lot of people have.  I send emails to small groups of people (in my case 15-60 at a time) but don't want to send a list of all the email addresses to all recipients.  The problem with sending to a group listing them as BCC is that many email programs will then mark my emails as spam as they are addressed to "undisclosed recipient."
 
I'd like to use a program that addresses to the individual but suppresses the recipient list.  I had that feature when I sent mail directly from CompuServe Classic many years ago.  Right now I use Incredimail for email but tried Thunderbird hoping it would have such a feature (it doesn't seem to).
 
Can you recommend a program?  How about a mass email program? Free, of course, is best, but I'd pay a small fee for one if I get a free trial period at least.
 
Thanks! ---Elisa Davis
 
P.S. As a stopgap solution, I've tried using BCC and then Return receipt, and I've been amazed at how few return receipts I get. 

Yup--- vanilla email is hideously unreliable. (See http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=17300016 ). And Incredimail--- with its unbelievably bloated formatting--- has its own problems. (See items 6 and 7 in this issue http://langa.com/newsletters/2002/2002-10-10.htm )

As for mailing services: Many web hosts offer the "Mailman" list mailer as part of their base hosting deal--- often as little as $5-$10 a month. Mailman is free software ( http://www.gnu.org/software/mailman/ ) and pretty good for lists of a modest size. There are other, similar small-to-moderate list mailers available at other web hosts, too.

If you don't have or don't want a web presence, "Yahoo Groups" ( http://groups.yahoo.com/  ) is free and works OK for low-volume mailings (it's really a hobbyist and special-interest kind of service). But you have to register, and there are some, um, less-savory portions of the Groups that may be a problem for business mailings. MSN has a similar "groups" service, too, with very similar strengths and weaknesses.

The current best commercial service I know for plain-text mailings is http://listbox.com/ , run by the same folks who run pobox.com. They're aggressively anti-spam, and the service is reliable and downright cheap.

The best service I know for formatted mails and high-volume (e.g. large) mailing lists is http://www.dundee.net/isp/email.htm .

There are many others too ( http://www.google.com/search?q=free+mailing+list+software ) but the ones above are the ones I personally know of and use.

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3) Bblluurryy Tteexxtt

Fred, I'm using XP on a Dell laptop with 14" screen with 14/10 resolution.  Of course I didn't get to try out this resolution before buying laptop, but now I find the fonts on many pages are just too small to see (aging geek syndrome).  For browsing I've tried Firefox (changing default font sizes, many different combinations), IE (using custom CSS, ignore fonts) for changing browser response, only marginally satisfactory and varies from site to site.  Tried changing to large font in XP, but it's quite glommy (tech term?).  Tried changing resolution to 120 dpi (and other resolutions) in settings|advanced|dpi section, again, results are mixed.

Am I missing something here?  Is there a way of manipulating font sizes in screen presentation that won't defeat the value of a high rez screen in the first place? ---Rob Handley

Every flat panel screen has a design resolution--- an intended setting--- usually listed in the owner's manual. At that specific resolution, standard fonts "fit" the pixel size and spacing best. But at other resolutions, the font design may call for a stroke width the screen simply cannot display.

For example, a screen can draw the downstroke of the letter "I" one pixel wide, two pixels wide, three pixels wide (etc); and it'll look fine that way. But a pixel is a pixel: There's no smaller display unit available. That means a display can't really draw the downstroke of an "I" at (say) 1.25 pixels wide, or 2.33 pixels wide, even if the font's mathematic design calls for that. For all the non-whole-number, in-between pixel sizes, the video card, driver software and monitor literally have to fake it! The result can be blurry, funky-looking text... and eyestrain headaches, especially because flat panel pixels (more so than CRT pixels) can be quite obvious and distinct--- like standing too close to a pointillist painting.

Your best bet is to start with the hardware: Find the optimum resolution and/or default settings for your screen, and use that as a baseline. What you see at the default settings and resolution probably is the best your screen can do on its own. (We'll get to software assists in a moment.) Look closely at the on-screen text (especially "serif" fonts like Times Roman, with little finishing strokes at the ends of letters) to see how the screen is drawing the characters. This is your touchstone for "as good as the hardware can do on its own."

I think you'll find that your system's native and best resolution is not 1400/1000 (that's not even a standard resolution anyway, to my knowledge): My previous laptop had a 14" screen, and I usually ran it at 1024x768; it was fine at that resolution. My newer laptop has a 15.4" screen, and I run that at 1280x800. My laptop doesn't even offer 14/10 as an option; a 14/10 resolution would be hard to see even on many full-sized desktop monitors, never mind a relatively modest 14" laptop screen. I'm not sure what your setup is, but in any case, a lower resolution will probably give you a much better starting point for legible text.

Once you've found a resolution that's at least approximately OK for your eyes, add in the software tweaks that can improve display quality. Your laptop or monitor may have come with such software; or if you're using XP, try Microsoft's free "Cleartype." (See http://www.microsoft.com/typography/ClearTypeInfo.mspx ) Cleartype is basically just a better way of using software to "fake" the curves, slants, and inter-pixel sizes of on-screen text, especially on flat screens, and it can dramatically improve text legibility.

You can enable and disable Cleartype by right-clicking on the desktop, selecting Properties/Appearance/Effects/"Use the following method to smooth edges of screen fonts" and selecting Cleartype. The Cleartype settings themselves are also adjustable, so you can tweak until you find a combination of resolution and legibility that best suits your needs. Microsoft has a free Cleartype tweaking tool available at http://www.microsoft.com/typography/cleartype/tuner/Step1.aspx , and there's also a free third-party tool available at http://www.ioisland.com/cleartweak/ .

Flat screens have a lot going for them, and some are very, very good. But alas, I've never seen any flat panel that's as clear and easy on the eyes as a high-quality CRT. It may happen some day, but I don't think we're there yet. So, in the meantime, let your hardware work in its "natural" modes, and use software (like Cleartype) to assist in displaying a font's smooth lines, slopes and curves on what is essentially a fixed, rectilinear grid of pixels. "Faking it" is the name of the game! <g>

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4) ISP Security Tools (E.G. AOL's) OK?

Oh, jeez---- if anything, AOL members need more protection than others! Although some AOL users are quite sophisticated, AOL as a whole tends to attract (and is advertised to) relative novice users. These are people who are especially vulnerable to all kinds of hack attacks and scams--- not because they're bad people or anything like that--- but simply because they don't yet know any better.

AOL is well-intentioned in trying to offer some protection to these users, many of whom would never think to install or run security-enhancing tools on their own. But no external agent (like an ISP) can provide complete local protection for a PC; and no generalized security service can do as well as you can do in managing your PC security on your own.

In general, as soon as an AOL user reaches the point of asking "are these tools any good?" I feel they're ready to start taking control of their own online experience. I'll then (gently) recommend they get their own security tools, and maybe explore a standard ISP, which will get them to the internet for less money and without all the extra baggage and intermediation that AOL imposes on its users.

Some people really like AOL, and that's perfectly fine. I just like to make sure that people stay with AOL as a conscious choice, and not because they weren't aware of alternatives.

But in any case, yes, AOL users need full software protection, regardless of what AOL says or is doing. If your AOL friends can handle it, you'd be doing them a favor to set them up with a good collection of security tools, such as those you mention.

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5) Salvaging A Semi-Clean Setup From OEM Discs

Hi Fred - My new laptop came with a 'restore' DVD, so I thought I'd try to do a clean install (format HD, install OS, install desired applications), but the restore DVD will only allow the factory image to be put back on the HD. After reading your recent article about hidden partitions that have the restore software on them, I feel better in that I have all the HD I paid for. But no means are provided for a selective process of what apps can be reinstalled. I'll call the company and request a different DVD that might allow a custom installation, but if that doesn't happen, is my only choice to remove unwanted apps from the control panel? The 'README' file does mention allowing a custom installation if a parameter in the initialization file is a certain value, but that value is set to the 'non-custom' installation (factory image) on the DVD. There are gobs of free or one month trial offers that I'd like to be rid of. Thanks for your help. ---Scott

If the vendor can supply you with a plain-vanilla setup cd (like the retail version), or otherwise get you unaltered setup files, then you can use Windows' normal setup options and achieve the clean setup you want. But more likely, you're locked into whatever is already on the restore disk: The OEM Restore disk usually simply puts back the original factory setup, with all the excess baggage that usually entails, as determined by the vendor when he set up the original customized installation.

Depending on exactly how things are set up on your restore DVD and system, you may be able to override the original custom install settings, but it's a long shot. If you want to explore this, the sites here will tell you all you need to know about "unattended installation" settings:
http://www.google.com/search?q=unattended+xp+install

So, what do you do if it simply isn't possible to achieve a truly clean, 100% from-scratch installation? It takes a few steps, but you actually can get fairly close to clean: Just as you thought, the first step is to start with the factory image, and then use Control Panel's Add/Remove Software applet to strip out what you don't want. Some items may have their own uninstall function, which you can also use.

A factory setup may also contain software on the disk that has not yet set up or installed--- trial offers and such. These won't show up in "Add/Remove" because they haven't been installed yet, but this stuff can be deleted, en masse, simply by deleting the files or folders that contain the not-yet-installed programs. For example, a factory setup may contain hundreds of megs of installation files from various ISPs--- AOL and its brethren. If you don't want or need to use these ISPs, you can simply whack the appropriate folders (eg delete c:\trial offers\AOL or whatever it actually is on your system)

Once you've stripped out everything you can, run a thorough cleanup using both Window's built-in "CleanUp Manager" ( http://search.atomz.com/search/?sp-q=cleanmgr&sp-a=0008002a-sp00000000 )  and your own good sense, and/or with a third-party tool such as the free Cleanup tools here: http://langa.com/cleanup_bat.htm

Run a Registry Tool to catch and correct any errors or orphaned entries in the Registry, left over from the many file deletions and uninstalls you just performed. Don't be alarmed if there's a ton of 'em--- and there probably will be. Just let the Registry tool of your choice correct what it can. For suggestions on Registry cleaners, see http://search.atomz.com/search/?sp-q=clean+registry+&sp-a=0008002a-sp00000000 and http://www.google.com/search?q=clean+registry . Plus! subscribers can find additional options in #11 in http://www.langalist.com/plus/newsletters/2005/2005-04-18plus.asp

Next, tweak Windows' settings, paying special attention to space-hogs like the Recycle Bin, System Restore, and the browser cache. More info: http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=12803122

Run Defrag several times until the files are as compact and contiguous as possible. Set up the system to clean, defrag, and otherwise maintain itself, as much as possible. See http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=16100473

When the setup is as lean, clean and pristine as you can make it, burn an image of the setup, or at least make a full backup. Store this image or backup in a safe place, away from the PC: You'll only use this copy if you ever need to roll your system back to the like-new condition it's now in.

This approach can work, and can give you a pretty good setup. But it's usually still not as clean or lean as a truly from-scratch setup, so it's not the preferred approach unless there's no alternative. But if your system vendor has left you without an alternative, this delete-and-clean approach can still serve you pretty well.

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6) Last Week To "Recommend And Win!"

On June 30, I'll choose three more monthly winners of a FREE ONE YEAR SUBSCRIPTION to the LangaList Plus! edition. (If your name is drawn and you're already a Plus! subscriber, your current subscription will be extended by a full year.)

To have a shot at winning, just use the following link to recommend the LangaList to a friend. Your friend just may find a new source of useful information; I just may gain a new subscriber; and you just may win a FREE ONE YEAR SUBSCRIPTION! (Full details also available via this link): http://langa.com/recommend.htm

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7) CDs vs DVDs

Fred, I appreciated your article on backups [ http://langa.com/backups/backups.htm ]. I am wondering, however, why you continue to refer to CDs for backup. I regularly backup my data files to DVD-R disks with a 4.7 GB capacity vs. a CD with limited 700 MBs. Using WinXP Pro and Roxio7, I just drag and drop all of my many thousands of data files to one disk rather quickly and effortlessly.

I'd appreciate knowing your rationale for using CDs? Maybe your readers could benefit also. Thank you, Jim Sherbon

When the backup article was originally written, DVDs were still ridiculously expensive. That's changed, of course.

I now use both kinds of media. My daily backups currently run about 500MB, compressed, which fits nicely on a single CD with some room to spare. It'd be wasteful to use a whole DVD for that.

But my weekly full backups (actually, these are images of my C: partition) occupy about 6GB compressed, and fit comfortably on two DVDs.

To me, it's just a matter of using the medium that more or less fits the size of the data files you're trying to preserve. But, to tell you the truth, the medium matters much less than the act of making the backup: DVD, CD, floppy, punch card, clay tablet or pictures on the cave wall--- whatever works is fine, as long as you regularly make full backups <g>. *Which* backup is just a matter of convenience and budget. The key thing is to *make backups,* no matter how!

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8) They Loaded The Code

Do you have a home page or website? (It doesn't matter what size.) Please click over to http://langa.com/code.htm , and maybe you can join the hundreds and hundreds of LangaList readers who have "Loaded the Code!" (If you've already "Loaded The Code" and are wondering if your site will appear here or on the Langa.Com web site, please see
http://langa.com/link.txt )

Speaking of which: Here's another eclectic sample of reader sites--- some professional, some very personal:

View A Randomly-Chosen Reader Site From Among All Listed
http://langa.com/randomlink.htm

Manually Browse All Posted-to-Date Sites Starting At
http://langa.com/readersites.htm

The Other Casualty Of War
http://home.comcast.net/~paulbylin/index.html

stollerusa ezboard forums
http://p097.ezboard.com/bstollerusa

Camelot Online
http://www.camelotonline.net/

DigitalBreak Web Hosting
http://www.digitalbreak.com/index.php

Genealogy (AU)
http://www.geneservices.biz/

Oleh Sayang
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/olehsayang/index.htm

Sobby Bookkeeping & Web Design
http://www.knology.net/~sobbybookeeping/index.htm

Computer Services by Justin Bennett
http://www.csbjb.com/

PECOMail
http://www.pecomail.com/

Pocono Graphic Design
http://pocono-graphic-design.com/

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9) ScreenHunter

Writing in reference to "mwsnap" in "Simple, Easy, Freeware Screenshot Tool" ( http://langa.com/newsletters/2005/2005-03-21.htm#9 ) reader Jeff Partridge says:

Take a look at the free version of Screenhunter.  Head over to http://www.wisdom-soft.com/products/screenhunter.htm for a copy. Not only will it do all that mwsnap will do, but it will send it to a variety of destinations (things like to file, to print, or to the clipboard...). Later, Jeff

Thanks, Jeff. ScreenHunter comes in three flavors, starting with a free basic version, and extending to a $30 "Pro" version.

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10) Just For Grins

Fred, While perusing through other newsletters I get (yours is still the most cool and the only one I keep), I was directed to a site featuring some pretty nifty background wallpaper effects. The gist is that someone got the idea to take a picture of their desk without their computer monitor, then with some adjusting, set that image as their background image. Then, they took another picture of the desk, this time with the monitor showing the previous image. The result? A "transparent" monitor. All of the photos at this site (currently 34 in total) are quite cool, and many made me say "wow."

Here's the link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/w00kie/sets/180637/   Enjoy! Kehvan

Now that *is* cool! <g>

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11) Plus! Edition Highlights:

Today's LangaList Plus! Edition contains all ten items above, plus about 30% more content including:

• Floppies Won't Format/Read
     (here are several easy solutions)
• "Read-Only" File Problem
     (making CD files writable)
• PC Insomnia
     (fix a system that just won't sleep or hibernate properly)
• "House Call" Gets Rolling
     (have Fred come to your home to tune up your PC---FREE!)

Plus! Edition info: http://langa.com/plus.htm 

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(Give a gift subscription to the LangaList Plus edition!
Click <a href= " http://langa.com/plus_gift.htm ">here</a>)

The LangaList is published about 72 times a year, or about 6 times a month. See you next issue, 2005-06-27!

Best,

Fred
( Editor@Langa.Com )

Please recommend the LangaList to a friend! (And maybe win a prize!)

An easier-to read formatted HTML version is available in the "Current Issue" section of http://langa.com.  (The HTML version of each issue normally is available by 9AM EST [UT-5] of the issue date.) All past LangaList issues are also available at the Langa.Com site.

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