Australian PC World articles from January 2000

Australian PC World archives from January 2000

Tosh payout not for Oz.(Australian Toshiba customers will not benefit from Texas lawsuit)(Company Business and Marketing)
January 1, 2000... Australian Toshiba notebook customers will not benefit from the company's $US2 billion class-action settlement over allegedly defective floppy drives. The lawsuit, brought against Toshiba by two Texas men, alleges that the company knowingly...

news briefs.(Company Business and Marketing)
January 1, 2000... Communicator 5.0 sneak peek Netscape has yet to give a release date for Communicator 5.0, which company officials have said will be "groundbreaking". The company plans to regain its sliding share in the browser market by offering...

More free Net access.(GlobalFreeway aims to be Australia's leading ISP)(Company Business and Marketing)
January 1, 2000... A new Internet service provider aims to become Australia's market leader by offering a unique advertising model and free Internet access. Local startup GlobalFreeway (www.globalfreeway. com.au) claims it will offer half a million users free and...

Schools target of new ASP.(LearningStation.com application service provider targets Australian schools)(Company Business and Marketing)
January 1, 2000... Resource-strapped schools in the US are saving their pennies on upgrading computer hardware, instead becoming customers of application service providers (ASPs) -- and one is to launch in Australia in the new school year. US company The...

Govt flags online taxation.(Australia pushes companies to file taxes online)(Government Activity)
January 1, 2000... The Australian Taxation Office's new strategy to get businesses to file their tax returns online may be the precursor to establishing a method for taxing the Internet economy. However, the ATO has yet to establish a concrete formula on how to...

The sincerest form of flattery.(emulators run original arcade and game-machine games on PCs)(Industry Trend or Event)
January 1, 2000... The late 70s and early 80s saw an unprecedented boom in arcade games. It seemed that every takeaway shop, laundromat and local store had Space Invaders or Pacman occupying a corner and a queue of people waiting to play. Twenty years later,...

online news.(Industry Trend or Event)
January 1, 2000... E-commerce to lift Oz economy E-commerce will boost Australia's gross domestic product by almost three per cent by 2007, adding an extra year's income to the nation's balance sheet, a government study has found. The report,...

Project 2000 gets your team working together.(Microsoft Project 2000 project management software)(Software Review)(Evaluation)
January 1, 2000... PRODUCTIVITY SOFTWARE A project on paper is worth, well, not much more than the paper on which it's written; collaboration among a project's various team members is what makes things happen. Microsoft takes this into account with its...

Studio PCTV USB.(video capture board)(Hardware Review)(Evaluation)
January 1, 2000... PC TV TUNER Is your PC screaming for some entertainment? Pinnacle's Studio PCTV USB packs TV, radio and video capture capabilities into a cleverly designed unit that plugs in to PCs via a USB cable. The unit contains standard...

Dragon roars, IBM much improved.(Dragon Systems' NATURALLYSPEAKING PREFERRED 4.0 and IBM's VIAVOICE PRO MILLENNIUM)(Software Review)(Evaluation)
January 1, 2000... NATURALLYSPEAKING PREFERRED 4.0, VIAVOICE PRO MILLENNIUM Not very long ago, using a voice-recognition package meant spending half an hour or more training the software -- an endurance test for both your patience and your vocal chords. Even...

Easy snapping under $200.(IXLA's Photo Easy Deluxe digital camera/image processing software bundle)(Hardware Review)(Evaluation)
January 1, 2000... IXLA PHOTO EASY DELUXE As a company, IXLA appears to be a huge American conglomerate with offices around the world, a strong retail presence in the US and a growing online CV (it's responsible for photohighway.com). You might be surprised...

SmartCam Professional.(Swann Communications' digital video camera)(Hardware Review)(Evaluation)
January 1, 2000... DIGITAL VIDEO CAMERA You might know Melbourne-based company Swann Communications for its SwannSmart modems. Now the company has released a line of digital video cameras, and the SmartCam Professional sits at the top of the range. ...

Buddy B-210.(a device for attaching a second monitor, keyboard and mouse to a PC)(Hardware Review)(Evaluation)
January 1, 2000... THIN-CLIENT SOLUTION For those of you who are thinking about a second PC, yet hold a minimalist philosophy when it comes to capital expenditure for IT, then a solution is at hand. If you have an existing PC with a system configuration...

Paint Shop Pro 6.(JASC Software's paint software)(Software Review)(Evaluation)
January 1, 2000... PHOTO EDITOR Tweaking pictures is fun, but novice-oriented image editors can grow stale. For a more capable program, consider Jasc Software's Paint Shop Pro 6. At $199, it packs some of the same powerful tools found in Adobe Photoshop but...

HP SureStore DAT40.(DAT tape drive)(Hardware Review)(Evaluation)
January 1, 2000... TAPE DRIVE There are several reasons why many users don't back up their critical data, but operating hassle and a lack of time are among the most common. Cost is another -- even for small-office and home-office buyers who could go under if...

DU-A2 USB PCI.(D-Link Systems' PCI controller)(Hardware Review)(Evaluation)
January 1, 2000... PCI USB CARD Feel like a poor cousin at the mention of USB, based peripherals? If your PC is missing those heavenly universal serial bus ports, help could be at hand -- and not a moment too late. D-Link's $49 DU-A2 USB PCI controller...

HoTMetaL Pro 6.0.(web authoring software)(Software Review)(Evaluation)
January 1, 2000... WEB AUTHORING TOOL HoTMetaL as an HTML editor has been seemingly around forever and the latest version adds new functionality to what has always been a solid package. In the past, HTML editors were usually just variations on standard...

HotDog Junior.(Sausage Software's web authoring software)(Software Review)(Evaluation)
January 1, 2000... WEB AUTHORING TOOL Australia's own Sausage Software has long been known around the world for its well-regarded Web authoring tool HotDog. Now the company's Internet Tools division has expanded its line of programs to include HotDog...

May the GeForce be with you.(Leadtek's WinFast GeForce256 and Guillemot's 3D Prophet graphics cards using Nvidia's GeForce 256 chip)(Hardware Review)(Evaluation)
January 1, 2000... LEADTEK WINFAST GEFORCE256, GUILLEMOT 3D PROPHET If you read our review of Creative's 3D Blaster GeForce card last month, you would have learnt that Nvidia's new GeForce 256 chipset is the world's first Graphical Processing Unit, taking a...

RealPlayer 7.0.(Real Networks' desktop video software)(Software Review)(Evaluation)
January 1, 2000... STREAMING MEDIA Despite Internet bandwidth limitations and lag time, Real Networks continues to raise the bar for quality in streaming media players. The company's latest version, RealPlayer 7, not only boosts performance but also improves...

Diamond Rio 500.(Diamond Multimedia Systems' MP3 player)(Hardware Review)(Evaluation)
January 1, 2000... DIGITAL AUDIO PLAYER Since Apple's introduction of the funky iMac, it seems that computer hardware companies have taken on board the fact that aesthetics sell; that it is not all about performance, but also looks -- and the Diamond Rio 500...

How Microsoft became a monopoly.(Company Business and Marketing)(Column)
January 1, 2000... Previously, the Apple Mac could have been considered as superior to Intel-based personal computers. The personal computer is, however, catching up... just a decade and a half later, thanks to Microsoft's legendary innovation. Microsoft...

Who do you call to report a computer break-in?(the need for an Internet security service)(Internet/Web/Online Service Information)(Column)
January 1, 2000... Last night, I dreamed that I was sitting in a front-row centre seat at a Margaret Becker concert, when suddenly her music was disrupted by a popping noise. It was one of those sounds that invades your dreams from the real world. The noise...

The Land of Webortunity.(Euro RSCG Interactive Exec George Gallate on Internet advertising)(Internet/Web/Online Service Information)(Interview)
January 1, 2000... Every day on the New York Stock Exchange, someone clangs a brass bell to signal the end of the day's trading. These days that person almost always wears a ridiculously huge smile, as the exchange rings in yet another record high. Fuelling...

Face up to work.(the arrival of biometric security systems)(Technology Information)
January 1, 2000... As we enter the new millennium, it is clear that we need to find more foolproof ways to identify ourselves. The good old-fashioned signature that has survived centuries of abuse is quickly becoming a thing of the past. When was the last time...

Readers forum.(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2000... Net search pays off I must agree with Ziggy Malter (Readers' Forum December) regarding the cost associated with small businesses obtaining their own domain names and finding an ISP to host a Web site at a reasonable cost. Last month I...

internet scams.(how to avoid being a victim of Internet fraud)(Internet/Web/Online Service Information)
January 1, 2000... DON'T GET DONE ONLINE If you believe the hype, the Internet will revolutionise the way we consume, shop and conduct business in the future. While many people are happy to purchase goods and services online, the stories of shady characters,...

When disaster strikes.(four disaster-recovery utilities for PCs)(Software Review)(Evaluation)
January 1, 2000... How to survive the PC meltdown You've deleted data, frozen your files and hosed your hard drive. How can you recover? We show you the rescue remedies. Plus last-minute Y2K tips. People who use computers are not perfect. They...

Hollywood on the desktop.(desktop video hardware and software)(Buyers Guide)
January 1, 2000... Transform your video footage into a blockbuster on your own PC. Denis Gallagher reviews hardware and software solutions to fit your budget. Camcorder sales worldwide have exploded over the past few years, and strong sales in the local...

THE Fastest of the fast.(Dell Computer's Dimension XPS T700r 700MHz Pentium III Coppermine-based system)(Hardware Review)(Evaluation)
January 1, 2000... Processor speeds have finally broken the 700MHz mark, with both AMD and Intel going nose to nose in the last few months trying to outdo each other in the megahertz stakes. We compare two 700MHz chip and one with Intel's. We also stack up five...

HOME PCs.(evaluation)(Hardware Review)(Evaluation)
January 1, 2000... 1 Peripherals Plus Athlon 700 NEW Taking the No 1 position on the Home chart due to its blazing performance and fully featured configuration, the Peripherals Plus Athlon 700 represents power, versatility and value for either the enthusiast...

BUSINESS PCs.(Peripherals Plus Intel Celeron 400,)(Flexisoft Prestige 810,)(Gateway E-1400,)(Dell Dimension L-500c,)(Compaq Prosignia 330)(Evaluation)
January 1, 2000... 1 Compaq Prosignia 330 NEW Powered by an Intel Pentium III processor running at 550MHz, this desktop machine from Compaq's Prosignia range has all the grunt needed to tackle today's power-hungry business applications with ease. The machine...

POWER NOTEBOOKS.(evaluation of five notebook computers)(Hardware Review)(Evaluation)
January 1, 2000... 1 Gateway Solo 9300XL NEW Up in the stratospheric end of the notebook market live machines such as the Gateway Solo 9300XL. It boasts all the high-end specifications you can think of, including a 500MHz Intel Pentium III processor, 8MB 3D...

VALUE NOTEBOOKS.(Toshiba Satellite 2590XDVD,)(Toshiba Satellite 2610DVD,)(Twinhead PowerSlim 600,)(Twinhead PowerSlim 300)(Hardware Review)(Evaluation)
January 1, 2000... 1 Toshiba Satellite 2590XDVD The Toshiba Satellite 2590XDVD stands above many of today's notebooks. It is user-friendly, offers broad functionality, and includes a great active TFT display and long portable life thanks to the lithium ion...

INKJET PRINTERS.(evaluation of 12 color inkjets)(Hardware Review)(Evaluation)
January 1, 2000... Over the last few years, colour inkjets have grown from devices with moderate colour reproduction capability and functionality to being the de facto choice for colour in both the home and, increasingly, the office. Printer manufacturers...

INSTALL A NEW motherboard.(Buyers Guide)
January 1, 2000... Sure, you can upgrade various parts of your computer, but for the ultimate performance boost, a new motherboard -- which, in turn, usually requires a new processor and new memory modules -- is the answer. The 100 and 133MHz system buses on...

See many files at once with thumbnail view.(Microsoft Windows 95 and 98's View-Thumbnails feature)(Product Support)
January 1, 2000... Both Windows 98 and Windows 95 with the Desktop Update portion of Internet Explorer 4.x installed provide a handy way to take a quick peek at the contents of files in common Web formats (HTML, GIF, JPEG, and so on). Just make sure As Web Page...

Get on the Internet.(Technology Tutorial)(Tutorial)
January 1, 2000... This month we take our first look at how easy it is to install a piece of hardware under the new Windows NT, Windows 2000 (build 2128). As one of the main reasons for owning a PC these days is to get on the Internet, we will go through the...

Basic Linux network security -- Part 1.(Product Support)
January 1, 2000... Most, if not all, people with their own Linux machine will interface their computer to a network of some type, at one time or another. This network will, most often, be the Internet, and the access is generally quite regular. By its very...

How to network two Macs.(Product Support)
January 1, 2000... The iMac is a terrific machine,, and a logical way to go if you're upgrading an old Mac. The problem is that you've got heaps of files on that old Mac that you're not ready to lose forever. The iMac, of course, doesn't have a floppy disk or any...

WINDOWS 9X.(bypassing the password request on Windows 98)(Product Support)
January 1, 2000... You don't need no stinking passwords If you're the only person who uses your computer and feel that the prompt to enter a password every time you load Windows 98 is verging on the paranoid, you might prefer to bypass this step. Of course,...

WINDOWS NT.(Product Support)
January 1, 2000... Command line is alive and well and living in NT When you become familiar with a complex tool's advanced features, it's easy to forget about the basic ones. Windows NT is no exception. Though you can use and configure almost all of the OS by...

INTERNET.(e-mail)(Technology Tutorial)(Tutorial)
January 1, 2000... Guarantee that important mail arrives in your in-box Your professionalism may be called into question when a client sends you an e-mail message and it gets returned as undeliverable. Though the cause is quite often out of your control (your...

WORD PROCESSING.(Microsoft Word 7.0 and 2000, WordPerfect 8.0)(Product Support)
January 1, 2000... Correct errors in custom spelling dictionaries It happens all too often: During a spelling check, you accidentally click the Add command on a misspelled word. Your word processor dutifully adds the error to its custom dictionary. From then...

SPREADSHEETS.(Microsoft Excel)(Product Support)
January 1, 2000... Count them: four ways to protect your numbers Excel offers many ways to protect your data. But understanding the differences between the methods and the limitations of each of them can be daunting. Here's a quick review of four protection...

HARDWARE.(transferring big files)(Technology Tutorial)(Tutorial)
January 1, 2000... Transfer big files with little hassle Moving a document or spreadsheet between your PC and your laptop has always been easy -- just pop in a floppy disk and copy the file, right? But in these days of gargantuan hard disks and elephantine...

bugs & fixes.(News Briefs)
January 1, 2000... Security vulnerability found in Windows 95 & 98 A security weakness has been found in Windows 95 and 98 which allows malicious users to retrieve the previous user's network password details, if they have physical access to a networked...

web.(Directory)
January 1, 2000... WEB CAMS Australia's Telerobot on the Web http://telerobot.mech.uwa.edu.au I'm a little embarrassed to say just how exciting I found this site. It is truly addictive viewing, and I'm not kidding. But I should explain just what...

The Learning Highway.(Review)
January 1, 2000... The Learning Highway BY TREVOR OWEN AND RON OWSTON At first glance, this book looks like it should be incorporated into a school curriculum, and perhaps it should be, as it offers guided learning, not only in a classroom environment but...

Aussie Bites Pop.(Review)
January 1, 2000... Aussie Bites Pop! BY MARGARET CLARKE - ILLUSTRATED BY TERRY DENTON Ahh -- a book about being 10, hating your teacher and complaining about girl germs! This is a story about a young boy, Jack, who wishes to discover why a weasel would go...

The Whole Internet: The Next Generation.(Review)
January 1, 2000... The Whole Internet: The Next Generation BY KIERSTEN CONNER-SAX AND ED KROL With information technology evolving at such a frantic pace, it is a brave person who tries to provide a comprehensive documentation or guide to this market --...

gadgets.(Product Announcement)
January 1, 2000... Ericsson Chatboard The ringing, the talking, the bumping into people... mobile phones -- love them or hate them -- are here to stay. And while many phones have already embraced SMS text messaging and e-mail, the tapping on the mobile...

games.(Infogrames' Septerra Core)
January 1, 2000... Septerra Core By BARRY BRENESAL Some games are all flash. Play for an hour, and you're thrilled. Play for two, and you begin looking for that old copy of Betrayal at Krondor. Very occasionally, though, you'll encounter a game that...

bytesback.(1999 Eureka Exposition)(Industry Trend or Event)
January 1, 2000... Hot ideas that stick In mid-November, hundreds of inventors from all over the world descended upon Brussels for the 48th annual Eureka Exposition, a showcase of new inventions both practical and bizarre. Some of the creations are designed...