The mind, once expanded to the dimensions of larger ideas, never returns to its original size. ~Oliver Wendell Holmes
Kerrville
Texas

830-895-5016

What's Up This Week? Sunday, December 18, 2005Archives
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What's In Here?

Lots of cool and informative stuff every week!
I'm dubbing this week's issue the Week Before Christmas Edition. Our Ctrl-Alt-Backspace section includes a special click-link images to transport you to Christmas during the Civil War. Enjoy!


Click any of these links to go directly to your favorite section
...


Missed an issue?
Check out past issues here...
Archives



Hear Ye! Hear Ye!
Sometimes we have special sales, important notices about virus outbreaks or other technical bulletins. Call 830-895-5016 if you're interested in any sale items we might list here. But please click here to read our disclaimer before visiting any third-party websites.



Did You Know Microsoft Has Updated Their Malicious Software Removal Tool?
http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx

Do You Need Help Setting Up A New PC For Christmas?
Avoid the rush! Call us now (895-5016) to secure your on-site PC Setup appointment. Christmas falls on Sunday this year and everyone will want their new PCs set up and connected to the internet on Monday morning or Monday afternoon.

New How-To Service!
We are launching a new how-to service for anyone who needs a step-by-step article written in plain, easy-to-understand English and complete with screenshots. This is a great way to have documentation readily available when you need to train new employees in your specific computer-related processes or just need some refresher material for yourself. Here are just a few titles of many articles we can write for you...

How To Set Up Outlook Express Rules and Filters
How To Edit Your Web-Based Documents and Photos
How To Backup Your Windows Registry
How To Setup and Manage Your Backup System
How To Turn Off the Recent Documents Menu in the Start Menu
How To Permanently Disable the Recent Documents Folder
...and many more - just ask and we'll let you know if we'll support it


We can save these How-To articles in a variety of formats such as Microsoft Word, Openoffice, and HTML for easy on-line viewing. If you already have a website account with us, we'll even create a password protected directory on your account where you can store your How-To documents. Pricing for each article will start at just $10, or more depending on the complexity and number of steps involved. Call me at 895-5016 if you have any questions or special requests.

Don't Neglect Your Old PC Just Cause Santa Brings A New One
You may still be able to get mileage out of your old PC. We can give it a PC Checkup and and clean it up so you can either donate it to a worthy cause or give it to a youngster in time for Christmas. Check the following link for more information about our PC Checkup Service...
http://www.bictx.com/checkups.shtml 

Latest Virus Threats
W32.Dasher.B

W32.Dasher.B is a worm that exploits the Microsoft Windows Distributed Transaction Coordinator Remote Exploit (as described in Microsoft Security Bulletin MS05-051) on TCP port 1025.
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.dasher.b.html

Sober Worm Alert!
Make sure your anti-virus software is completely up-to-date before January 5, 2006. Check out the full alert article here and mark your calendars to check your Windows computer's anti-virus status. You'll need to ensure that your virus definition files are up-to-date, not just your subscription status, otherwise your PC could fall victim to the Sober Worm.
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/computersecurity/2005-12-07-sober-worm_x.htm

Check For New Sale Items In Our Online Store...



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Fun Stuff
Each week we stumble across interesting, educational and fun sites on the internet. We hope you enjoy this section of our newsletter as much as we do! But please click here to read our disclaimer before visiting any third-party websites. 



Some Very Cute Christmas Animations...
http://www.gatrill.com/raaa/pages/animation6.html

Everything You Ever Wondered About The Arecibo Observatory...

http://www.naic.edu/index.htm

Remember Yahtzee?
Yahtzee is the computer version of the famous dice game.
Special about this version is that you get a preview of your score, and that it has a top 10 "best player" list. You can download and install or you can also play an online version.
http://www.rekenwonder.com/yahtzee.htm

Just In Case You Forgot How Christmas Works...
http://www.howstuffworks.com/christmas.htm

Wikipedia's Take on Christmas...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas

Now If You Were REALLY Good For Christmas...
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6514168251893889573&q=ariel+atom

This Guy Should Have Been Driving The Ariel Atom...
By the way, he survived.
http://www.compfused.com/directlink/575

Speed Kills!
http://www.yuretz.ru/Vstrecha_s_kuricej_na_skorosti_250_km_chas_p510.html

The Real Spiderman!
This guy was very recently arrested in Houston, Texas, before he could scale one of the downtown skyscrapers. He does it bare-handed and this is an impressive video worth watching...
http://www.flurl.com/uploaded/Buildig_Climber_15156.html

When You're Tired of All The Bad News, Go Here...
http://www.happynews.com/category/science-technology.htm

Fun Puzzle with Moving Picture Parts!
http://www.brl.ntt.co.jp/people/hara/fly.swf

Pensonal Computer!
That's right, pensonal. It's not a typographical error...
http://www.snopes.com/photos/advertisements/pcpen.asp



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Web Hosting Tips
Do you have a domain website hosting account with us?  If so, you'll want to check this section for handy tips to help make your website standout from the crowd.  Sometimes we'll give tips about working with your Plesk Control Panel. But please click here to read our disclaimer before visiting any third-party websites.


How To Sell Your Stuff On The Internet
Here's the most recent article I've put together that gives a broad overview of our six-step process from having your own website to adding stuff to your own internet shopping cart.
http://bictx.com/sellyourstuff.html
 


Linspire Linux Tips
Linspire Linux is a great operating system that is designed to be the easiest of all desktop linux distributions.  If you haven't tried it for yourself yet, ask for a free demo CD the next time we service your computer. But please click here to read our disclaimer before visiting any third-party websites.


How Can I Check My System Memory Usage?
Linspire Linux 5.0 provides a slick dynamic report of your PC's memory usage. You just have to know how to get to it. Here's how...

1. Click your Launch button.
2. Select and click "Settings - Control Center".
3. On the Settings tab, click the following sequence of items...

System Administration
Information
Memory
 
4. That will bring to you the following window where you can check your PC's memory usage...

(Click to
Enlarge Image)

(Click to Enlarge Image)

Linspire Linux Tip of The Week
Don't forget to check the archive link at that page for previous tips...
http://www.linspire.com/tooltips.php

Latest Linspire Letter....
http://www.linspire.com/linspire_letter.php 

Michael's Latest Minute...
http://www.michaelrobertson.com/




Microsoft Windows Tips
Microsoft Windows is still the operating system that most people are familiar with.  Many businesses have based their requirements around this commercial operating system and so it remains the cornerstone of our onsite support service. But please click here to read our disclaimer before visiting any third-party websites.


Speed Tip for Windows XP

There are tweaks you can do to speed up the performance of your Windows XP. Here's another one of them...
http://www.bictx.com/tip12-14-05.shtml


Free Notable Software Download...
http://www.irfanview.com/
 






(click the image)
Ctrl-Alt-Backspace

Christmas is forever, not for just one day,
for loving, sharing, giving, are not to put away
like bells and lights and tinsel, in some box upon a shelf.
The good you do for others is good you do yourself.

~Norman W. Brooks








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I hope you've enjoyed this edition of our weekly newsletter. I try to make each week's edition different and special by including meaningful computer tips and links to fun, educational, and scientific websites.

If you have any items of interest you might like to see addressed in the future, or you have any Fun Stuff links of your own that you might like to share, drop me an email and we'll see if we can include them for you.

Visit the following website if you want to subscribe or (gasp!) unsubscribe...

http://lists.bictx.com/mailman/listinfo/brightideas

Meanwhile, don't forget to keep your computer's anti-virus current and your critical and security patches up-to-date for the most reliable computing experiences on the internet.

Happy Computing!

Tomas
Bright Ideas Computing
Kerrville, Texas
http://www.bictx.com
830-895-5016



Disclaimer:
Please make sure that you possess the fundamental and required skill sets before you implement any advice or attempt to perform any troubleshooting steps we, or other websites, might recommend. You should also be advised that we have no control over how you perform any troubleshooting steps nor do we have any control over the content of other third-party websites you might visit that are listed in our weekly newsletter. We also do not know if you have patched your computer with the latest security updates nor do we know if your anti-virus definition files are fully up-to-date.

Therefore, in no event shall Bright Ideas Computing or any of its third-party product or service providers be liable to any person for any special, incidental, indirect, consequential, or punitive damages of any kind, including, without limitation, those resulting from loss of use, loss of data, or lost profits, in connection with any advice provided by Bright Ideas Computing, damages resulting from visiting third-party websites or damages resulting from implementing any advice from those third-party websites, whether or not you are advised of the possibility of such damages.
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To fathom hell or soar angelic, just take a pinch of psychedelic ~Humphy Osmond 1956
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