IE 8 Beta Unveiled

(World Start)

Nope, that's not a typo. Even though it may be a little hard to believe, I made no mistake when I said Internet Explorer 8. On March 5, 2008 (just this past Wednesday), the Microsoft Corporation announced the arrival of Internet Explorer 8 Beta 1 and told the public it is now available for download. Isn't that amazing?! It hasn't even been two years since IE 7 was released and Microsoft has already come this far with a brand new version. Make sure you keep reading for the entire scoop. This one's a must see!

After the unveiling, Microsoft posted a link on their Web site that was titled "Beta 1 For Developers." Now, that basically means this beta version is mainly meant for developers and designers so that they can test out the layout, the new tools, the programming, etc. However, anyone can access the link, so if you want to download and install the IE 8 preview, you most certainly can. Microsoft also made it clear that the IE 8 beta is available in separate versions for different operating systems (Windows XP, Vista, Server 2003 and Server 2008).

So, what can you expect from Internet Explorer 8? Well, there are going to be several "never seen before" features. One is a complete IE 8 Readiness Toolkit, which includes new tools like WebSlices and Activities. There will also be a newly redesigned Favorites bar, automatic crash recovery and improved anti-phishing filters. A lot of the new features are similar to what you'd find in the Safari Web browser for Macs, which is also pretty cool. Microsoft is obviously still working on putting IE 8 together, but if you download the preview, you can at least see some samples of what they're doing. You can check it all out right here. Grab your copy today!

~ Erin

Free software: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2260070,00.asp

How to Speed Up Windows Boot Time; http://tinyurl.com/33vwyf

Save As vs. Save?

Any of our technical gurus agree with the following (from an XP forum posting) which claims there is some performance advantage to use the "Save As" command as this post indicates. Seems plausible, but just another myth?

"If you want to reduce fragmentation on the drive, increase performance, and utilize new areas of the drive stop using the Save command wherever you can. Save only writes the changes to a file and the file manager only looks for the next convenient place on the hard drive that will store the fragment. Over time a file can be in a hundred pieces and the disk head has to move all over the place to read file sequentially into memory.

Use the Save As command instead and use the same filename you have been using. The Save As command causes the file manager to save the entire contents of the file in a contiguous new filespace somewhere else on the hard drive. This makes it very easy on the hard drive to read the file into memory the next time because the heads only have to move to the starting point and just read. Not only that but it requires much less drive activity
to defrag (there still is a lot of save activity from system processes too) and defrag is easier on the drive mechanism and quicker to perform"

Allan Pogensky

Optimize Your Physical Environment
Keep Your PC Clean & Cool
by Seth Colaner

(with modifications)

A computer’s worst enemies include heat and dust.

• They can significantly decrease your computer’s performance, or worse, damage or ruin components. Since the beginning of computer time, heat has been an issue, but as computers get faster and more powerful, they generate heat at higher rates.
• All that heat has to go somewhere, and if your computer isn’t running at optimum cleanliness and ergonomic efficiency, it may not be adequately cooling itself, and you could be missing out on productivity, as well as shortening the life of the computer. Dust and dirt are ubiquitous.
• Houses and offices contain all sorts of particulate matter that can get inside your machine and cause problems if it’s not kept to a minimum and not cleaned out regularly.

Bring The Heat

• A computer itself generates quite bit of heat as it operates, especially when pushed to run audio and video applications, but heat comes from other sources, as well.
• Direct sunlight, for example, is an often-overlooked culprit of overheating.
• Poor ventilation is also a killer.
• Be sure to allow for proper ventilation near your computer.
• Don’t stack books and papers next to or on top of it, as this can block the vents that cool the inside of the computer.
• Be sure there is sufficient airflow around all sides of the computer, and don’t sit it on top of any heat-generating devices or appliances, such as a television or DVD player.
• Always maintain adequate airflow around your computer to reduce heat.

Dust and dirt are notorious harbingers of impending heat problems.

• “Dust” and “dirt” are broad terms that include everything you find in the air that isn’t oxygen, such as pet hair and dander, particulate matter from cigarette smoke, food particles, and dirt from shoes that has found its way into carpet or onto floors.
• All of this gunk can make its way inside your computer.

A field of static electricity is created whenever a computer is running, creating a sort of dust magnet.

• The dust clings to the monitor, coats the computer case, and gets sucked in to the computer by its intake fan.
• Once inside, most of it gets blown out by the outtake fan, but some of it manages to settle on components.
• Once there, it acts as an insulator, trapping heat and forcing the components to work extra hard. As the fans blow those dirty particles through the machine, the dust collects on the outtake fan, which can create airflow problems if the vents become occluded over time.

Clean It Up

• Step one for cleaning any computer is to turn it off and unplug it.
• Don’t attempt to clean inside a computer that has power running through it; it can be dangerous for you, but it is also quite hazardous for the machine.
• Once the power supply is severed, you can start getting your hands dirty.

You’ll need to open the computer case to get inside for a deep cleaning.

• Remove the side cover to expose the components; usually it will come right off by loosening a few screws.

• Touch a metal part of the case before you dig in to dispel any static electricity in your body that could otherwise zap your computer’s parts.

• You’ll notice that there are a lot of cables of various shapes and sizes snaking through the inside of the case.

• These can also cause heat problems if they get in the way of ventilation or trap dust. It is a good idea to tidy up the cables before cleaning anything.
• You can gather them up and fold them into a corner of the computer case, securing them with a few inexpensive nylon ties.
• If any of the wide, flat cables that connect certain components to the motherboard are mucking up the airflow, you can fold them up out of the way or tape them to the side of the case.
• Be sure not to pull on any of the wires, put any pressure on any wire connections, or knock anything loose.
• A few blasts of compressed air will go a long way toward keeping your computer dust-free.

Once the cables are organized, it’s time to get rid of the dust.

• A can of compressed air will usually do the trick.

• Compressed air must be used with caution because it will emit moisture, which can corrode components.
• Don’t just hold down the spray nozzle and let it fly—use short bursts of air to avoid letting out too much moisture.
• Tilt the can upright as much as possible and don’t point the spray nozzle directly at the target; keep it at least several inches away.
• Starting at the top of the case, shoot short bursts of air to blow out the dust inside.
• This will kick up a lot of junk into the air, so be sure to do it in a well-ventilated area such as a garage.
• If you want, you can have a vacuum cleaner ready to catch a lot of the dust you stir up. Don’t let the vacuum extension touch or come especially close to the actual computer—the static electricity the sweeper generates could cause damage.
• Fans and intakes will almost always need a good cleaning.
• Hold the fans in place when you blow compressed air onto them; if they spin too hard, they could cause damage or break.
• After blowing out the loose dust, use a cotton swab to wipe the excess grime from the fans and the vents.
• For anything that just needs wiped down—the outside of the case, the monitor, etc.—use a lint-free cloth to gently remove any dust or particles, always being careful not to damage any connections or the monitor’s sensitive LCD.
• Once the computer is dust-free, reattach the side of the case, plug in the computer, and power it up.

Maintain That Sparkle

• You will periodically have to clean your system no matter what measures you take to cut down on dirt and dust, but there are simple and effective ways to keep pollution to a minimum.
• For starters, avoid eating near your computer.
• Food particles will be transferred from your hands to whatever you touch—the mouse, keyboard, media, etc.
• Don’t smoke near your computer—smoke of any kind contains particulate matter. In general, keep your computer off the floor, where most of the dirt in a house resides.
• If you have pets, keep them away from the computer. For example, if you have a faithful companion that lies at your feet while you work, put the computer on top of the desk so he doesn’t touch it.

Be Cool

• Keep food—especially the kind with crumbs—away from your computer.
• Keeping your computer and its environment clean will definitely help keep your computer healthier, but there are a host of other methods for actually cooling the machine off.
• Keep the room the computer is in cool.
• Don’t leave your computer on all of the time if you can avoid it.
• Turning it off overnight when no one will be using it is a good idea.
• Inside the computer case, the fans will generally maintain a good airflow, provided they are kept clean and have enough ventilation.
• For some extra cooling assistance, simply place a desk fan near the computer and aim it at the intake vent.
• Processors and GPUs (graphics processing units) generally come with heatsinks, which are copper- or aluminum-based devices that help dissipate heat.
• If your computer is overheating, you may need to get an aftermarket heatsink.
• There are plenty of aftermarket heatsinks you can install that will do the job well. If you’re not sure if your computer is consistently too hot, you can purchase software that will monitor and report on computer temperature.
• If you want to get fancy, you can investigate using a watercooling system, but you should not need anything of the sort unless you overclock your CPU and push it hard all the time.

Keeping your computer clean is not difficult.

Provided you exercise a few simple precautions, conduct some regular light maintenance, and keep the computer in an optimal environment, its performance will improve, and it will last much longer. 

Laptop care: http://www.worldstart.com/tips/tips.php/2374