The LangaList 22-Jun-99 A Free Email Newsletter from Fred Langa About BrowserTune, HotSpots, Columns, Tips & Tricks, and Other Activities In This Issue: Dodging the DIVX Bullet XML, XSL, Data Binding and More Is Microsoft Office 2000 a "Go" or a "Whoa?" Still More On the Worm.ExploreZip Virus FREE! Two Dozen Great TroubleShooters! Browser Barnacles Another Way To Clean Up Web Files Automatically Celebrate the Solstice! Just For Grins More! Dodging the DIVX Bullet DIVX is dead, thank goodness. But DVD lives on. I'm a big fan of DVD, which might seem strange given the limited selection of video and the virtually nonexistent selection of software available in DVD format. But the list of videos is growing steadily, and I'm hopeful we'll soon see DVD options for some of the larger software packages that now ship on multiple CDs. (Some apps come on so many CDs that installing the software feels like turning back the clock 10 years to the era of floppy-based installs....) DVD (which originally stood for "Digital VideoDisc," and later, "Digital Versatile Disc" but which today has become a noun rather than an acronym) is a marvelous technology that crams a huge amount of data onto a CD. Standard DVD video uses MPEG-2 compression and can put over two hours of high- resolution video on each side of the disk, accompanied by what the industry calls "5.1" channels of high fidelity Dolby sound: two front channels, two rear channels, a center channel, and a separate channel (the ".1" channel) for a subwoofer. With low media costs and extraordinarily high capacities, DVD is almost too good not to become the standard format for removable data. In fact, it would take a monumental blunder on the part of the industry to mess it up. Yes, stranger things have happened. Take DIVX, for example. "DIgital Video eXpress" was cooked up by Circuit City and its partners a couple of years ago; the idea was to horn-in on the videotape rental business, and for Circuit City to make itself the BlockBuster Video of the DVD world. (This is why Circuit City stocks more DIVX movies than anyone else). DIVX is a form of encoded DVD. DIVX players will play standard DVD disks, but not the other way around; you need special circuitry to decode DIVX content. DIVX disks sell for a fraction the cost of standard DVDs (and this is an indication of the huge profit margin still being built into today's DVD prices). But you can only play a DIVX disk for two days; then it expires. You then either throw out the disk, or buy another two-day license via modem if you want to keep the disk and play it again. In a way, DIVX was a kind of hybrid between ordinary video rentals and pay per view. DIVX had the potential to be attractive to software makers: Imagine software install disks that would auto-expire after a certain date, or that would allow a fixed number of installs. If DIVX had taken off, I expected a whole new era in copy-protection to start. But fortunately, consumers responded to DIVX with a huge yawn, and last week the key vendor of DIVX (confusingly, the company name also is "Digital Video Express") announced it was throwing in the towel "due to lack of interest from consumers and retailers." It's a messy death, alas: All DIVX discs will expire on June 30, 2001, even if users have upgraded the discs to "unlimited viewing." I guess unlimited in this case means "two years or less." (If you own a DIVX player or titles, my condolences. Check out http://www.divx.com/.) So DIVX is dead, and I say thank goodness. Artificial constraints on new technology rarely do anyone any good. Old- style copy protection was one such constraint: It went away when enough people got sick of it and flocked to products that weren't copy-protected. Digital Audio Tapes were all but killed by the music industry's bonehead, Luddite-like response to the idea that end-users might be able to make their own high-quality recordings. (The music industry spoiled the market for DAT, but can't stop the newest move into digital music: MP3.) And now DIVX is dead, removing a complication and distraction from what I hope will be the growing success of DVD in video, audio, and data. Seventeen GB on a disk? I want it now! What's your take? Would you like to see multi-CD software packages ship on a single DVD? If you're using DVD on your PC, is it just for video? If you don't have DVD, what's holding you back (price? lack of apps?) What do you think it will take for DVD to take off? Click on over for more info, and then join in the discussion at http://bbs.winmag.com/columns/archives/062099/monday/column.asp?frames=yes ----------------------- advertisement -------------------- TINA QUALLS & CO REALTY - Tina Qualls, CRS, GRI Real Estate in Tucson AZ Looking for something unique, hip or kewl? How about a Strawbale desert home in the shadow of a 9,000' mountain? Specializing in the offbeat, off grid and unexpected. Contact Tina at 520-544-4141 or TinaRealty@netzero.net ------------------------------------------------------------ XML, XSL, Data Binding and More If you use the web, you need to know about XML, XSL, and Data Binding. For example, XML (the eXtensible Markup Language) already is starting to replace HTML! Before long, HTML will seem as outmoded as text-only web pages seem to us today, and virtually all significant sites will be coded in XML! XML offers far greater power and capabilities than does HTML- --XML isn't just about layout, but about how data should be structured and represented. It's hard to overstate the long-term importance of XML: In time, virtually all web pages probably will be XML-based, and future Office-type suites will probably use XML as their native "save" format. XSL (the eXtensible Stylesheet Language) is a technology closely allied with XML: it controls how XML is displayed in browsers, and can control the conversion of XML to HTML or to other XML documents and formats. XML data can be formatted for display via CSS (cascading stylesheets) or XLS. Data Binding is a related but more general technique that embeds data within or binds data to the HTML on a web page; the resulting pages are sometimes called "fat pages." A browser that understands data binding lets you sort and filter the embedded information locally, without re- contacting the original database. You thus avoid multiple trips back to the server for additional information, and the sorts/searches (etc.) all happen much more quickly. I've spent a chunk of the last week perfecting the CSS, Data Binding, XML and XSL portions of BrowserTune 2000: Your browser's ability to correctly handle these technologies will soon become absolutely vital--- and BT2K will help you stay on track. It's shaping up beautifully, and the full beta will be released very soon. Stay tuned! Meanwhile, I've finished a new interim update to the BT2K demo at http://www.browsertune.com/bt2kdemo/ ; drop by and see how it's coming along! Is Microsoft Office 2000 a "Go" or a "Whoa?" Microsoft's Office 2000 ("O2K") is out to generally positive reviews: Various third-party head-to-head comparisons rate it higher than Corel WordPerfect Office 2000 and Lotus SmartSuite 9.1/FastSite 2.0 in almost all areas. It especially shines in its web- and collaboration-oriented features But it's offered in a dizzying and expensive range of bundles and options with prices ranging from about $190 for the smallest upgrade version to almost $1,000 for a full, non-upgrade version of the most complete (and complex) developer's edition. That's obstacle #1: I think these prices are way too high in the context of today's hardware costs. After all, you can get a complete bare-bones PC for $200 and a fairly decent machine for $1000. It's hard to see why a couple of CDs and some documentation should cost as much as an entire PC. O2K also is a disk hog, with normal installations occupying anywhere from 167MB to an incredible 656MB (for the developer's version). That's obstacle #2. (There's a wonderful irony that last week's LangaLetter at http://www.informationweek.com/langaletter/archives.htm was about NewDeal Office--- an operating environment and office suite that fits in 10MB of drive space, needs only 640K of RAM, and costs $35 a seat!) Then there's obstacle #3: the timing. We're now at the halfway mark for 1999 and about to start the downhill run to Dec 31st: Even if you have your Y2K testing well in hand, who will want to add a huge new project---and a huge new Y2K variable--- into their software mix at this late date? Obstacle #4 can be summed up in two words: Why bother? There's no huge, glaring problem or inadequacy with existing office suites. Where's the compelling reason to switch to O2K? All of which makes me wonder if Microsoft's way, way off base on this release. It's expensive. It's fat. It's late enough so that it's bumping into the Y2K danger zone. And it's new features are layered on top of an existing feature set that's so vast most users only scratch the surface; most find the current Office 97/Corel/Lotus features more than adequate for their needs. What's your take? Are you or your company ready to make the move to Office 2000, or will you be sticking with the tried, true and paid-for suites you now have? Have we reached an era of diminishing returns on office suites? Read more details and then join in the discussion starting midday Wednesday June 23 at http://www.informationweek.com/langaletter ! ---------------- advertisement ----------------- InternationalTimes.com The World's Free Daily Print Newspaper. Get an 8 Page Fax-Style Newspaper Free. http://www.internationaltimes.com It looks and feels like a newspaper! It *is* a newspaper! The International Times is available in two ways, download from the Internet or receive it through e-mail, both in Adobe Acrobat format, allowing reproduction on any computer and printer. email:publisher@InternationalTimes.com -------------------------------------------------------- Still More On the Worm.ExploreZip Virus In the last issue, I wrote about the email virus that goes around with the following note: Hi [name]! I have received your email and I shall send you a reply ASAP. Till then take a look at the attached zipped docs. Bye! The virus email contained an attachment that actually was a self-replicating and highly destructive program. Alas, a number of you probably never got the last issue of the LangaList: In a laudable effort to halt the spread of the virus, many ISPs installed filters that stopped any mail containing that destructive attachment---or rather, that's what they meant to do. What they actually did was block any mail that even mentioned the name of the destructive attachment. The last issue of the LangaList mentioned the name of the file, so you'd know what to look for. But that mere mention was enough to trigger the blocking filters on some ISPs. If, by chance, you missed the last issue, you can read it in its full, unexpurgated form at http://www.langa.com/newsletters/June-16-99.htm#worm And by the way, all past issues of the LangaList are available, in fully searchable form, via the pages at http://www.langa.com/whats_new.htm. If you ever need to look something up from a past issue, that's the place to go. Free! Two Dozen Great TroubleShooters I currently get over 600 emails a day. Just think: If I spent even just one minute reading and replying to each email, I'd spend 10 hours a day, nonstop, doing nothing but answering mail. I'm a freelance writer working alone (no staff or assistants), so personally answering thousands of emails each week would mean I'd have no time to work on paying projects--- I'd go broke! 8-) To help cope with the flood of email, I wrote a kind of master helpfile with the two dozen very best FREE resources I know of to help track down almost any kind of hardware or software problem. Then---doh!---it occurred to me that sharing that list only with the people who wrote to me would leave many of you out of the loop. That's not good! So here it is: the top 24 free resources that cover all the most common and difficult problems in twelve separate hardware and software areas---one of them is almost sure to work for you the next time you're stumped by a hardware or software glitch. (Read through the list all the way to the end to find the one that best fits the problem you're having.) 1) If your problem is with hardware, check this out http://www.winmag.com/library/1998/1001/fea0045.htm You should also try your hardware vendor's site almost all hardware vendors have FAQs and free online, searchable tech support areas. 2) You might also try WinMag's free "WinTune test and tune- up kit." It can help you troubleshoot and analyze your system for a wide variety of common problems http://wintune.winmag.com/ 3) If your problem is with WinTune itself (e.g. it won't run) check the help system at http://wintune.winmag.com/doc/trouble.asp or the FAQ at http://wintune.winmag.com/doc/default.asp 4) If your problem is with software, the link at http://www.winmag.com/library/1998/1001/fea0045.htm also contains a wealth of software troubleshooting information, and most software vendors also offer free online tech support. For Win98-specific software problems, check out http://www.winmag.com/library/1998/1201/Cov0066.htm for tons of info on solving problems with that OS. Another article at http://www.winmag.com/library/1998/1101/fea0068.htm will show you how to use the free Win98 Resource Kit---which you may already own and not realize it. (It's hidden on the Windows setup CDs!) Finally, http://www.winmag.com/library/1998/1201/ana0010.htm can show you what's up with "version conflicts" and related problems, including suggested fixes and Microsoft's own recommendations. 5) BrowserTune can help with UI issues, browser issues, connectivity and throughput issues, and lots more having to do with the Internet, the Web, intranets, general connectivity, and all the related technologies. http://browsertune.com/ 6) If you have a BrowserTune problem, use the "Browser Failed" links on the BrowserTune site ( http://www.browsertune.com ); they bring you to help pages that will tell you what to do. BrowserTune itself has been used by (literally) tens of millions of people; it's very thoroughly debugged. The servers it's on have a better than 99% uptime. While it's possible that you may discover a bug or suffer from a failure of one of the tests, chances are if you have a problem, it's on your end---that's exactly what BrowserTune is designed to uncover for you! 7) You may also wish to try these for specific problems: Win98-Specific Bugs and Fixes http://www.winmag.com/library/1998/1201/cov0066.htm Finding and Fixing Y2K Issues http://www.winmag.com/library/1999/0101/fea0061.htm How to Solve Intractable "Mystery" problems http://bbs.winmag.com/columns/archives/041899/friday/column.asp?frames=yes General Windows Support issues http://support.microsoft.com/support/ Win95 http://support.microsoft.com/support/windows/serviceware/win95/default.asp Win98 http://support.microsoft.com/support/windows/serviceware/win98/default.asp WinNT http://support.microsoft.com/support/default.asp?PR=ntw&FR=0&SD=SO& IE5 http://support.microsoft.com/support/ie/serviceware/exp50/default.asp If you're using Win98, you can use "Windows Update" (on your start menu) for patches and upgrades. If you want to download patches one by one and store them locally, try http://www.microsoft.com/windows98/downloads/corporate.asp 8) For "best of" product recommendations, check this out: http://winlist.winmag.com/ 9) Search the rest of http://www.winmag.com , too. There's a load of information available there, including searchable text from all back issues and all the annual "Tips" issues. 10) Search http://www.langa.com . All text from all past issues of the LangaList is fully indexed and available for free. 11) For answers to *almost anything else,* check out http://www.winmag.com/library/1998/0701/fea0077.htm That article contains secrets and tips for cutting through the clutter of most web searches so you can quickly find exactly what you need, on your own! 12) Finally, here's the "ultimate fix" for a huge pile of common problems http://www.winmag.com/library/1998/1001/fea0045i.htm#won't_work That's it! While I wish I could answer every email personally, it's simply not possible. But in the meantime, if you have a problem, try one of the above links and you'll probably be on your way to a fix! Browser Barnacles Long-time readers may recall an article on "Browser Barnacles" that ran in this newsletter several months ago: "Picture, in your mind's eye, a new ship: The hull is sleek, clean and smooth. It slips through the water with minimal resistance and makes the most of the available wind- or horsepower. Even if you're not a sailor, you can imagine what will happen if you leave the boat in the water too long: The once-smooth hull begins to support colonies of algae and even barnacles. Corrosion sets in, further weakening the hull. Eventually, the festoons of seaweed and the roughness of the encrusting barnacles slow the boat and affect its handling and stability. The only solution is to have the hull scraped clean to restore its original smoothness. "Amazingly, something similar is probably happening to your browser. It doesn't matter whether you use Microsoft's Internet Explorer or Netscape's Communicator/Navigator; it's almost surely starting to succumb to the software equivalent of seaweed and barnacles. "In fact, if the tens of thousands of test results from BT2K are any indication, "browser barnacles" may be the number-one cause of browser instability today." Well, the final version of that column, including a discussion of the specific top four reasons for browser instability, is out in the July issue of WINDOWS Magazine. It's also on their web site at http://www.winmag.com/library/1999/0701/ana0008.htm If you're having browser problems, check it out! Another Way To Clean Up Web Files Automatically We've already presented a bunch of methods in past issues--- ways to eliminate CABS, mysterious Java Applets, and all the other, um, crud that you pick up from the Web. But reader "JupitrJade" has one more worth mentioning: You open NotePad, and cut-and-paste in the following lines: DELTREE /Y C:\WINDOWS\TEMPOR~1\*.* DELTREE /Y C:\WINDOWS\HISTORY\*.* DELTREE /Y C:\WINDOWS\RECENT\*.* Save the file as "C:\WINDOWS\StartMenu\Programs\StartUp\cleanup.bat" and it will automatically run each time Windows starts, clearing out your temporary internet files, history and "recent" list. The only catch is that DELTREE.EXE must be on your system and in a place where DOS can find it. If the above file doesn't work, try looking for DELTREE in the Windows\Command directory; move a copy of DELTREE to the C:\ directory, and everything should work fine from there on out. Celebrate Summer! (Or Winter, for our readers on the upside-down portion of the planet! 8-) ) How about sending your friends some free solstice reading that will help them get the most of their hardware and software? Of course, I'm talking about sending them a free, no-obligation sample issue of the LangaList in your name. It takes only a minute, and it's spam-proof. Hey, if you like the LangaList, maybe your friends will too! Send them a free copy using the 60-second form over at http://www.langa.com/recommend.htm . Thanks! -------------- your ad here? ------------------- It's more affordable than you think! See http://www.langa.com/rate_card.html ------------------------------------------------ Just For Grins: Reader Paul Williams sends along these tech support stories, which are only funny if you're neither the caller nor the support technician. 8-) Tech Support: "OK Bob, let's press the control and escape keys at the same time. That brings up a task list in the middle of the screen. Now type the letter 'P' to bring up the Program Manager." Customer: "I don't have a 'P'." Tech Support: "On your keyboard, Bob." Customer: "What do you mean?" Tech Support: "'P' on your keyboard, Bob." Customer: "I'm not going to do that!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Overheard in a computer shop: Customer: "I'd like a mouse mat, please." Salesperson: "Certainly sir, we've got a large variety." Customer: "But will they be compatible with my computer?" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I once received a fax with a note on the bottom to fax the document back to the sender when I was finished with it, because he needed to keep it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Customer: "Can you copy the Internet for me on this diskette?" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I work for a local ISP. Frequently we receive phone calls that go something like this: "Hi. Is this the Internet?" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Some people pay for their online services with checks made payable to "The Internet." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Customer: "So that'll get me connected to the Internet, right?" Tech Support: "Yeah." Customer: "And that's the latest version of the Internet, right?" Tech Support: "Uhh...uh...uh...yeah." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tech Support: "All right...now double-click on the File Manager icon." Customer: "That's why I hate this Windows - - because of the icons --I'm a Protestant, and I don't believe in icons." Tech Support: "Well, that's just an industry term sir. I don't believe it was meant to --" Customer: "I don't care about any 'Industry Terms'. I don't believe in icons." Tech Support: "Well...why don't you click on the 'little picture' of a file cabinet...is 'little picture' OK?" Customer: [click] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Customer: "My computer crashed!" Tech Support: "It crashed?" Customer: "Yeah, it won't let me play my game." Tech Support: "All right, hit Control-Alt- Delete to reboot." Customer: "No, it didn't crash -- it crashed." Tech Support: "Huh?" Customer: "I crashed my game. That's what I said before. I crashed my spaceship and now it doesn't work." Tech Support: "Click on 'File,' then 'New Game.'" Customer: [pause] "Wow! How'd you learn how to do that?" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ See you next issue! Best, Fred ( fred@langa.com )