Personal Computer World articles from November 2008

Personal Computer World archives from November 2008

Database or spreadsheet?
November 27, 2008... Byline: Mark Whitehorn Database or spreadsheet? Find out the best way to organise your information The question, 'Should I be using spreadsheet or database software?' comes up intermittently. Both tools are useful and adaptable,...

What is Flash video?(Brief article)
November 27, 2008... Byline: Ken McMahon What is Flash video? Flash video is a container file format that can be played using the Adobe Flash Player and web browser plug-in. Some other players can also play back .flv files, including MPlayer, RealPlayer...

Video in a Flash.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Ken McMahon Video in a Flash We look at the creative side of Flash video for the web In 2003, I wrote of the options available, and the pitfalls to be avoided, in producing streaming video for the web. The crux of the...

Therei?1/2s life in the old dog yet.(Brief article)
November 27, 2008... Byline: Gordon Laing There's life in the old dog yet The disadvantage of recycling parts from an existing system for a new build is that the old machine obviously stops working. But that's not to say it should be consigned to the...

Rebuild, recycle and re-use.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Gordon Laing Rebuild, recycle and re-use Careful upgrading can help you save money as well as improve performance If you're a serious hardware enthusiast, you'll know that incremental upgrades can only go so far to satisfy...

Email server for free.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Alan Stevens Email server for free Take control of your email with a free mail server for your home network In last month's Networks Hands On I mentioned that a new, free, version of the popular MDaemon email server had...

Remote console access.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Alan Stevens Remote console access I want to share a problem I encountered when using Remote Desktop to manage MDaemon Free on my Windows Home Server. Simply put, like a lot of server software, the MDaemon service and...

Quality street.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Gordon Laing Quality street Find out how to get the best quality from streaming audio PC-based audio has improved dramatically over the years, but if you're a dedicated audiophile it can still disappoint. While I still...

Tagging other formats.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Niall Magennis Tagging other formats As well as being supported by MP3 files, ID3v2 tags can also be used with the MP3Pro and MP4 formats, although their use with the latter isn't widely supported. Apple's AIFF also uses ID3...

Tagging your music.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Niall Magennis Tagging your music Adding the right tags is the key to managing your digital music collection The shift towards digital music has brought us many benefits. Compressed music files mean we can fit hundreds of...

Make your first macro.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Stephen Wells Make your first macro Automating tasks in Excel is easier than you might think When readers ask me how to do something in Excel they frequently precede the request with the phrase, "How do I create a macro...

Backup and restore.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Barry Shilliday Backup and restore Find out how to back up and restore your disk partitions in Linux Last month we saw how it's possible to make a complete copy of a partition using the standard Unix dd tool, and how this...

Position your pictures.
November 27, 2008... Position your pictures Digital Imaging QI recall reading in PCW that it is possible to add GPS information to digital photos from a sat nav. I have a Tomtom One Explore in-car sat nav which I bought from Halfords. Is it possible...

Reclaim your space.(Brief article)
November 27, 2008... Reclaim your space Linux QI have a large data partition which is nearly full. The system tells me that I have no space, but looking at the 'df' command I can see there are still several gigabytes. Is this a bug, or can I get this...

Question time.
November 27, 2008... Databases QI've heard that in Access 2007 you can see a form and a datasheet view on the screen at once without having to build this view manually. This is a feature I've been waiting for and if it has been implemented, it's enough to make...

Recession i?1/2 a boon for open source.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Tim Anderson Recession A- a boon for open source Should you choose a commercial or an open-source platform for your next programming project? Speaking at the Future of Web Applications (FOWA) conference in London, at the end of...

Hack attack.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Tim Anderson Hack attack Prevent a common web hack by using MySQL Improved SQL injection is a common reason why websites get hacked. It is a simple hack, but thousands of applications are vulnerable, especially older...

At your command.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Tim Nott At your command The Windows command line is still as useful as ever Last month we mentioned that the command prompt interface was alive and well in Vista. If you think this is just for the nostalgic, think again....

The saga continues.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Tim Nott The saga continues We wrap up a look at long documents with an index Over the past three issues, we've been looking at the tools available in Word for creating long documents. We're going to wind up this month...

Wei?1/2ve got it covered.(Brief article)
November 27, 2008... Byline: Nigel Whitfield We've got it covered Hands On is the part of the magazine where we go under the covers and help you make the most of your computer, and this month's no exception. We have a look at some useful command line...

Troubleshoot i?1/2 i?1/2i?1/2i?1/2codecs.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Tom Royal Troubleshoot codecs They may be small and forgotten pieces of software, but as Tom Royal explains, audio and video codecs can cause you major grief when they don't work properly Once upon a time,...

Patently confusing.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Tom Royal Patently confusing When it comes to video and audio codecs, there's one legal grey area to be aware of. Many of the most popular video formats of the moment, including DivX and XviD, are variations of the MPEG-4...

Codecs be gone.(Brief article)
November 27, 2008... Byline: Tom Royal Codecs be gone If you've tried and tried but just can't get the right codecs to play a media file, there is one simple alternative: try a player that includes all the codecs it needs. One excellent example is VLC...

Canon DR-3010C.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Alan Stevens Canon DR-3010C Scanning on a large scale A- fast and with minimum fuss Size-wise there's not much to the latest member of the Canon Image Formula family of workgroup scanners, but don't let that fool you....

HP CM2320fxi.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Alan Stevens HP CM2320fxi This MFP is a real small business workhorse It may not be the cheapest multifunction printer on the market, but that doesn't matter. The HP CM2320fxi is a quality product and a lot more than just...

Yoggie Gatekeeper Card Pro.(Product/service evaluation)
November 27, 2008... Byline: Alan Stevens Yoggie Gatekeeper Card Pro Security solution for notebooks aims to do away with software The idea behind Yoggie's Gatekeeper Card Pro is to provide notebook users with protection against common security threats...

1&1 Mail Xchange.(Product/service evaluation)
November 27, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith 1&1 Mail Xchange An online replacement for Exchange There can be no denying the advantages of shared email and files for organisations large and small, but a full-blown Microsoft Exchange server is hardly...

Kodak Zi6.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Cliff Joseph Kodak Zi6 Pocket-size camcorder that shoots 720p high-definition video The pocket-size Flip camcorder was one of the top-selling gadgets this summer and has inspired a slew of imitators, including Kodak's Zi6....

Apple Macbook.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Cliff Joseph Apple Macbook Think of it as the Macbook Semi-Proa[bar] The new Macbook does not A- as you might expect A- replace the old one. There's an updated version of the original Macbook with the white case still on...

Nero 9.(Product/service evaluation)
November 27, 2008... Byline: Tom Royal Nero 9 Some handy new tools, but not a vital upgrade There was a time when merely burning a DVD required extra software, and Nero's Burning Rom was one of the best tools available for that job. These days, with...

Portrait Professional 8.(Product/service evaluation)
November 27, 2008... Byline: Paul Monckton Portrait Professional 8 Turn snaps into magazine-quality portraits in just a few mouse clicks If you were to use a tool like Adobe Photoshop, retouching a portrait could involve painstakingly removing...

Diskeeper Undelete 2009 Pro.(Product/service evaluation)
November 27, 2008... Byline: Paul Lester Diskeeper Undelete 2009 Pro Recover important files and Office documents with ease If you're concerned about losing vital files and documents from your PC, it would be wise to invest in a file recovery...

Verbatim Mediastation Pro.(Product/service evaluation)
November 27, 2008... Byline: Paul Lester Verbatim Mediastation Pro A network streaming and storage solution for your digital media If you're in the market for a digital media streamer that can store content locally, then Verbatim's Mediastation Pro may...

Teamviewer 3.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Alan Stevens Teamviewer 3 Take control of remote systems with this easy-to-use utility Ever wished you could fix customer problems remotely, give a presentation over the internet or retrieve important files when out of the...

Grand Designs 3D.(Product/service evaluation)
November 27, 2008... Byline: Dinah Greek Grand Designs 3D Plan home changes without moving a muscle Home improvement software is not always the most intuitive type of program, and it's certainly not for the faint-hearted. But Grand Designs 3D has...

Citrix Xenserver 5.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Alan Stevens Citrix Xenserver 5 The latest Xenserver is ready to take on hypervisor rivals A lot has happened since the release of Xenserver, the first commercial implementation of the open source Xen hypervisor (PCW May...

AVG Internet Security 8.(Product/service evaluation)
November 27, 2008... Byline: Paul Lester AVG Internet Security 8 Price [pounds sterling]39.99 Contact AVG 0844 894 1000 www.avg.com/uk.homepage AVG was made popular through its success as one of the most effective free virus scanners around, but...

Bitdefender Total Security 2009.(Product/service evaluation)
November 27, 2008... Byline: Paul Lester Bitdefender Total Security 2009 Price [pounds sterling]44.95 Contact Bitdefender 08451 305 096 www.bitdefender.co.uk Bitdefender has been in and around the top few security suites for the past few years, but...

The changing face of viruses.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Paul Lester The changing face of viruses The increasing importance of technology in our day-to-day lives means that it's more essential than ever to take system security seriously and make sure you're adequately protected and...

Certification bodies offer seal of security approval.(Brief article)
November 27, 2008... Byline: Paul Lester Certification bodies offer seal of security approval The ever changing face of viruses and new malware threats makes it impractical to thoroughly test the efficiency of security suites and their ability to guard...

Bullguard Internet Security 8.5.(Product/service evaluation)
November 27, 2008... Byline: Paul Lester Bullguard Internet Security 8.5 Price [pounds sterling]44.99 Contact Bullguard www.bullguard.com Bullguard is the only suite here that hasn't 'officially' been released in a new version for 2009. The software...

GT_Security_EdsChoice.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Paul Lester We were surprised at how well most products fared in the comprehensive protection stakes for 2009, which just goes to show how seriously these established names are taking home security. Even though some suites clearly...

F-Secure Internet Security 2009.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Paul Lester F-Secure Internet Security 2009 Price [pounds sterling]39.95 Contact F-Secure www.f-secure.co.uk F-Secure's Internet Security 2009 is a straightforward security solution in that it doesn't offer any additional...

Maximum security.(Brief article)
November 27, 2008... Byline: Paul Lester Maximum security Paul Lester puts a dozen security suites through their paces Capable security software is a must for every home user, and that need is reflected in the wide range of solutions available to help...

Kaspersky Internet Security 2009.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Paul Lester Kaspersky Internet Security 2009 Price [pounds sterling]39.99 Contact Kaspersky 0871 789 1632 www.kaspersky.com Kaspersky's Internet Suite 2009 adds some interesting new features to an already comprehensive...

McAfee Total Protection 2009.(Product/service evaluation)
November 27, 2008... Byline: Paul Lester McAfee Total Protection 2009 Price [pounds sterling]59.99 Contact McAfee 01753 217 500 www.mcafee.com/uk McAfee has been one of the leading names in home security almost since viruses first appeared, but...

Norton 360 v2.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Paul Lester Norton 360 v2 Price [pounds sterling]59.99 Contact Symantec 0800 331 6025 www.symantec.co.uk Norton 360 was one of the first security suites to incorporate additional features to help you back up and optimise...

Panda Global Protection 2009.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Paul Lester Panda Global Protection 2009 Price [pounds sterling]48.99 Contact Panda 0870 243 0690 www.pandasecurity.com/uk We've been quite impressed by Panda's software in the past and chose its Global Protection 2009...

PC Tools Internet Security 2009.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Paul Lester PC Tools Internet Security 2009 Price [pounds sterling]49.95 Contact PC Tools www.pctools.com PC Tools' Internet Security 2009 is the full-blown version of its successful anti-virus and anti-spyware suite. It...

Trend Micro Internet Security Pro 2009.(Product/service evaluation)
November 27, 2008... Byline: Paul Lester Trend Micro Internet Security Pro 2009 Price [pounds sterling]54.95 Contact Trend Micro 01628 400 500 http://uk.trendmicro.com/uk/home Trend Micro's Internet Security Pro 2009 is a rebranded PC-Cillin and...

Microsoft Windows Live Onecare.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Paul Lester Microsoft Windows Live Onecare Price [pounds sterling]37.99 Contact Microsoft 0871 789 1632 www.onecarelive.com Windows Live Onecare hasn't fared so well against more established anti-virus/malware vendors in...

Zone Alarm Internet Security Suite 2009.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Paul Lester Zone Alarm Internet Security Suite 2009 Price [pounds sterling]39.95 Contact Zone Alarm www.zonealarm.com Zone Alarm likes to remind people that it pioneered the first personal computer firewall, but it has had...

VehoFilmScanner.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Paul Lester Veho USB Film Scanner Create digital copies of your favourite photos from film Most modern photo printers come with attachments to process negatives and slides, but if you don't own one of these you could use a...

Beef up your Wifi security.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Alan Stevens Beef up your Wifi security Security remains one of the biggest Wifi worries, but home routers often come with low-security settings as the default to ensure maximum compatibility and a trouble-free 'out of the box'...

Do you need a dynamic domain name service?
November 27, 2008... Byline: Alan Stevens Do you need a dynamic domain name service? If you want to connect to your home network remotely, you need to use its public IP address or, better still, a domain name that can be resolved to that address using DNS,...

Whati?1/2s a firewall?
November 27, 2008... Byline: Alan Stevens What's a firewall? A firewall is software that sits between your local network and the internet inspecting the data traffic passing between the two to protect local users from hackers, trojans and other common...

Which addresses?(Brief article)
November 27, 2008... Byline: Alan Stevens Which addresses? On a private home or small-business network you can use any IP addresses you like, but the DHCP server inside most routers will be preconfigured to use officially reserved ranges. These can vary...

Free routers, what are they good for?
November 27, 2008... Byline: Alan Stevens Free routers, what are they good for? You've received a router as part of your broadband deal, but could you do better? For most people the answer is 'no' as the router they've been sent is guaranteed to work and...

When routers go bad.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Alan Stevens When routers go bad Routers can and do go wrong. Fortunately, their settings are held in non-volatile memory, so switching them off and back on again usually fixes most common faults. If this doesn't work, it...

Why not ad hoc?(ad hoc networks)(Brief article)
November 27, 2008... Byline: Alan Stevens Why not ad hoc? You can build a Wifi network without a wireless router or access point. Called ad hoc networking, client Wifi adapters can be set up to talk directly to each other on a peer-to-peer basis. ...

Hidden assets.(routers (network hardware))(Brief article)
November 27, 2008... Byline: Alan Stevens Hidden assets Switches are cheap but you don't necessarily have to buy one to build a cabled network. Take a look at the router provided as part of your broadband package, as often you'll find it's a combined...

Cable matters.(network cables)(Brief article)
November 27, 2008... Byline: Alan Stevens Cable matters Be careful when buying network cables as there are two types. Most are wired straight through and it's these that are used to connect PCs, servers, printers and other devices to switches. Such cables...

Navigating the network maze.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Alan Stevens Navigating the network maze It's all too easy to be left dazed and confused by the networking maze, admits Alan Stevens, but this special guide will help you gain your bearings A- and the upper hand Once...

Planon Printstik PS950.(Product/service evaluation)
November 27, 2008... Byline: Andrea-Marie Vassou Planon Printstik PS950 Print on the move from your mobile phone or PDA As the devices we use to read emails and web pages become smaller and more portable, so more of us feel the need to have a portable...

The write stuff.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Tim Nott The write stuff Self-publishing has not had a very auspicious history, but modern technology makes it a popular option for aspiring authors, as Tim Nott explains When William P Young wrote his guy-meets-God novel...

Getting expert help.(Brief article)
November 27, 2008... Byline: Tim Nott Getting expert help If you're serious about marketing your book, or perhaps are just a perfectionist, then you probably already realise your limitations. You may be a superb writer, but even the best authors can...

Reader, I fleeced him...(Brief article)
November 27, 2008... Byline: Tim Nott Reader, I fleeced him... Self-publishing is a field rife with delusion and its close companion, extortion. So-called vanity publishing has long been inhabited by some of the more undesirable elements in publishing,...

The legal side of self-publishing.(Brief article)
November 27, 2008... Byline: Tim Nott The legal side of self-publishing A copy of every book published in the UK must be submitted to the British Library, free of charge and within a month of publication. In addition, five other legal deposit libraries are...

Network cameras.(Brief article)
November 27, 2008... Byline: Will Stapley Network cameras If you want to keep an eye on your home, which IP camera will be the safest bet? Will Stapley investigates Unlike standard webcams, IP cameras (also known as network cameras) operate...

What to look for in a night-vision camera.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Will Stapley What to look for in a night-vision camera Four of the eight cameras on test A- Solwise, Swann, Trendnet and Y-Cam A- offer infra-red night-vision. These cameras house Cmos sensors (or, in the case of the Solwise, a...

GT_Cams_EdsChoice.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Will Stapley Of all the cameras on test, the Panasonic BL-C131 stood out and offers the best balance of performance and price. It might not have infra-red night-vision, but it gives good-quality and accurate video, and comes with a...

D-Link DCS-2120.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Will Stapley D-Link DCS-2120 Price [pounds sterling]149 Contact D-Link 020 8955 9000 www.dlink.co.uk Tall and slim, the DCS-2120 is a plain-looking IP camera with a light on the front indicating network status. None of...

Intellinet Wireless Day/Night IP Camera.(Product/service evaluation)
November 27, 2008... Byline: Will Stapley Intellinet Wireless Day/Night IP Camera Price [pounds sterling]199 Contact Fairline 01622 716 688 www.fairline.co.uk Looking much like a traditional CCTV security camera, the Intellinet Wireless Day/Night IP...

Linksys WVC200.(Product/service evaluation)
November 27, 2008... Byline: Will Stapley Linksys WVC200 Price [pounds sterling]249 Contact Linksys 0800 068 0327 www.linksys.com The WVC200 is a bulky IP camera with a large, bulbous lens shield protruding from the front. Linksys supplies a...

Panasonic BL-C131.(Product/service evaluation)
November 27, 2008... Byline: Will Stapley Panasonic BL-C131 Price [pounds sterling]229 Contact Panasonic 0844 844 3856 www.panasonic.co.uk A squat, compact unit, the BL-C131 is a pan and tilt camera that lets you scope out a wider area than the fixed...

Solwise SEC-C1002W-IR.(Product/service evaluation)
November 27, 2008... Byline: Will Stapley Solwise SEC-C1002W-IR Price [pounds sterling]113 Contact Solwise 0845 458 4558 www.solwise.co.uk Housed in a robust, waterproof case, the SEC-C1002W-IR is primarily designed for outdoor use. A shielded...

Swann IP-3G Connectcam 1000.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Will Stapley Swann IP-3G Connectcam 1000 Price [pounds sterling]199 Contact Swann 020 3027 0979 www.swannsecurity.com Well-built and with a sturdy metal stand, the IP-3G Connectcam 1000 is another camera with infra-red...

Trendnet TV-IP422W.(Product/service evaluation)
November 27, 2008... Byline: Will Stapley Trendnet TV-IP422W Price [pounds sterling]214 Contact Trendnet 0800 6076 7667 www.trendnet.com The TV-IP422W from Trendnet isn't the only camera on test with pan and tilt capabilities, but with a horizontal...

Y-Cam Knight.(Product/service evaluation)
November 27, 2008... Byline: Will Stapley Y-Cam Knight Price [pounds sterling]149 Contact Y-Cam 0845 5000 247 www.y-cam.com A small, compact camera festooned with no fewer than 30 infra-red LEDs, the Y-Cam Knight certainly looks the business. The...

Good worms?
November 27, 2008... Byline: Jon Thompson Good worms? If it's so easy to create and release worms, does anyone make use of the techniques for benevolent purposes? Milan Vojnovic and his colleagues at Microsoft Research in Cambridge are investigating...

On the trail.(Brief article)
November 27, 2008... Byline: Jon Thompson On the trail One way for writers to monitor how far their worms have spread is to program them to leave an instant message on an IRC or ICQ channel with each new infection, or to contact a temporary email account....

The Morris worm.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Jon Thompson The Morris worm When 23-year-old Cornell University doctoral student Robert Morris released his computer worm in November 1988, it changed the online security landscape for ever. Released apparently as private...

Diary of a computer worm.
November 27, 2008... Byline: Jon Thompson Diary of a computer worm Jon Thompson goes behind the headlines to expose the lifecycle of a computer worm Computer worm writers are often seen as a breed apart: A1/4ber-hacker loners with a hatred of society...

Brother HL-2035.(Product/service evaluation)
November 27, 2008... Byline: Paul Monckton Brother HL-2035 An excellent, no-nonsense entry-level mono laser printer Brother's HL-2035 is very easy to set up. It's small and light, so you won't need any help unpacking it and, if you follow the animated...