What You Need to Know about All Things PC
Volume 5 Number 15Click here to return to the back issues page.Click here to return to the main newsletter page.
The Naked PC - http://www.TheNakedPC.com What You Need to Know about All Things PC Publisher: Lee Hudspeth and T.J. Lee Editor in Chief: Dan Butler Contributing Editor: Al Gordon This issue is for Tuesday, July 23, 2002 - Vol. 5 No. 15 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Table of Contents ** 01. Letter from the Publisher ** 02. Microsoft IntelliPoint 4.0 and Wireless Pointing Devices: Part 2 (by Lee Hudspeth) ** 03. Jolly Good Fellowes (by Al Gordon) ** 04. Fan Noise Revisited ** 05. Featured Product - Brenthaven High Performance Computer Cases (reviewed by Al Gordon) ** 06. Featured Book - A Retrospective ** 07. Featured Web Site - Acronym Finder (reviewed by Lee Hudspeth) ** 08. Featured Drawing ** 09. Newsworthy - a potpourri of current events and interesting stuff ** 01. Letter from the Publisher July has been an exciting month around here. First we celebrated The Naked PC's fourth anniversary. We're also proud to report that The Naked PC newsletter has reached another momentous milestone: we now have OVER 100,000 SUBSCRIBERS! It is support and referrals from readers like you that has enabled us to get the word out to such a large group of folks around the world. Your support also keeps The Naked PC free. Help us expand to a circulation of 200,000 by passing a copy on to co-workers, friends, and family (no spam please). It's easy to refer people to The Naked PC... check out our "Tell a Friend About The Naked PC Newsletter" page: http://www.TheNakedPC.com/t/515/tr.cgi?publet1 Lee was recently working on a friend's broken-down PC and was happy to see that a NEAT box was conveniently available right next to the chassis. "NEAT box," you ask? Kudos to Jim for coining this term and sharing the idea several years ago in one of our books. It's an idea worth sharing again, "Largish plastic box -- This may be the single most important thing your new system needs. We favor the Rubbermaid brand of plastic containers, about 12 inches wide, 16 inches long, 8 inches deep. Into this box goes every disk, manual, CD-ROM, license, and any other leftover parts, screws, cables, twist ties--in short, the works! This box is used only for things related to the computer you are currently assembling. Call it your 'New computer Emergency catchAll Trunk,' or NEAT for short. If you set up another computer, get a separate NEAT box for that system. Label this box with the name of the computer or its brand and model number." In this issue... Lee broadens his examination of Microsoft IntelliPoint software and wireless pointing devices with additional tips, tricks, and resources. Al reviews a wide variety of portable device gadgets ranging from neoprene cases for PDAs (surf's up!) to protective screen covers. A reader, who happens to be a retired aerospace acoustic-vibration engineer, offers sage advice on reducing PC fan noise, along with some fascinating anecdotes. CONGRATULATIONS to TNPCer Dawn B. who won our previous drawing. This issue we are giving away another of our Photon Micro-Lights. It's fun and easy to enter, see the Featured Drawing article. +++------------------------- sponsor -------------------------+++ >> "How Many Ways Will You Use These Amazing Devices?" They're incredibly handy. When we first saw these amazing little devices we thought, "these will look cool hanging on my key ring." Then we started using them. WOW - every day we find more uses. How many will you find? http://www.TheNakedPC.com/t/a/tr.cgi?swisstech +++------------------------- sponsor -------------------------+++ ** 02. Microsoft IntelliPoint 4.0 and Wireless Pointing Devices: Part 2 (by Lee Hudspeth) I appreciate the numerous cards and letters that arrived based on my coverage in TNPC #5.14 of Microsoft IntelliPoint 4.0 and the Microsoft Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer. I'll cover various tips, tricks, and questions here. Installation and post-installation problems with various IntelliPoint devices -- I recommend that anyone with an installation problem, or a problem after installation, for any Microsoft device or product take advantage of Microsoft's product support infrastructure that for some products is *free* for the first 90 days (aside from long distance charges if you're calling from outside Seattle, WA). The 90-day ticker doesn't start until you make your first call to them about a specific product. Browse to the Web page shown below and select your product from the list, for example, "Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer", and from there you will be presented with a list of options depending on how you purchased the device and so forth. In the case of the Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer you'll call 425-635-7040 for free support. After the 90-day ticker has wound down, you can pursue a variety of other options, such as pay-per-incident or online support via email, as explained on the Web page. Try it and let me know what you think; my query via this channel was handled professionally and quickly in a single call. For free. http://www.TheNakedPC.com/t/515/tr.cgi?lee1 IntelliPoint 4.0 installation guidelines -- In the case of installing IntelliPoint 4.0 *and* a Microsoft Wireless IntelliMouse, if you don't already have a wireless receiver installed then INSTALL THE WIRELESS RECEIVER FIRST, BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING ELSE. Next install the IntelliPoint 4.0 software; don't remove an existing--or install a new--mouse yet. When your system has rebooted (if the IntelliPoint 4.0 install doesn't force a reboot in your case, manually reboot), verify that IntelliPoint is recognizing your existing mouse, I repeat: recognizing your *existing* mouse. If you are swapping one USB mouse for another USB mouse, do the switch "hot," meaning, you can conveniently leave the PC powered on. If either the mouse to be removed or the one to be installed is not a USB device then shut your PC down completely, unplug the old mouse, plug in the new one, and fire the PC back up. On reboot, run IntelliPoint and make sure it recognizes the new device; manually change to the new device if it hasn't done so automatically. Getting help on creating program-specific button settings -- Go into IntelliPoint 4.0's help file and see the help topic "Advanced Button Settings dialog box" which explains the steps. High-pitched squeaking -- Some folks report they hear a high- pitched squeak upon first using the Microsoft Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer mouse, or when first changing the batteries. Most indicated that the squeak declined over the course of a day or two, then went away altogether. I have read other comments that the squeak may vary with the brand of battery you use (the mouse requires two AA batteries). I have not experienced the squeak, but I have not yet had to replace the batteries that came in the package: Energizer No. E91. Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer's RF frequencies -- For Channel 1 (the default) it is 27.045 MHz, and for Channel 2 it's 27.145 MHz. IntelliPoint software may support non-Microsoft pointing devices -- Thanks to TNPCer Rob S. for this tip, "IntelliPoint will often work on non-Microsoft pointing devices as well. Right now I'm using a generic optical wheel mouse I got for $8 and it works great with the IntelliPoint software, including the features you mentioned in your article." I looked at the IntelliPoint system requirements page on Microsoft's Web site and don't see any text about compatibility, or not, with non-Microsoft pointing devices. As I read the IntelliPoint help file text, the implication is that the software is intended only for Microsoft pointing devices. I have a query in to Microsoft about this. Meantime, your mileage may vary. http://www.TheNakedPC.com/t/515/tr.cgi?lee2 Optical Mouse Replacement (June 21, 2002, letter from Microsoft) -- Thanks to Rhiannon D. for this heads-up. Note: I have confirmed with Microsoft that this "free replacement recall" applies *only* to three specific Microsoft mouse products, and does *not* apply to the Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer. According to the letter, paraphrased extensively due to space constraints, "Microsoft has received reports that a small percentage of IntelliMouse Explorer, IntelliMouse Optical and Wheel Mouse Optical mouse products have stopped working or have begun to work intermittently after a period of normal use. Symptoms... may include the cursor not moving, mouse buttons not responding or the red tail-light not illuminating... If you live in the United States, and your IntelliMouse Explorer, IntelliMouse Optical or Wheel Mouse Optical should stop working or begin to work intermittently after normal use, Microsoft will replace the mouse free of charge." http://www.TheNakedPC.com/t/515/tr.cgi?lee3 You can reach Lee Hudspeth at: mailto:LeeHudspeth@TheNakedPC.com +++------------------------- sponsor -------------------------+++ "Computer Tips Compendium" We've collected over 460 computer tips and have packaged them as an electronic book in PDF format. That means that the text of each and every tip is fully text searchable... you'll find the tip you need, when you need it. We've pulled together the BEST TIPS, tricks, and techniques that you're likely to ever find all onto a single CD. You also get free access to the restricted Tips Section of The Naked PC Web site! Tips on where to find the information you need on the Internet, shortcuts to settings, fixes and workarounds to problems, general computer tips, tips for specific software, over 460 tips to help people like you use your computer even more productively. http://www.TheNakedPC.com/t/a/tr.cgi?comptips +++------------------------- sponsor -------------------------+++ ** 03. Jolly Good Fellowes (by Al Gordon) Years ago, the then-head of the Remington Shaver company used to tout his product lineup with the signature closing phrase, "I liked it so much, I bought the company." That tagline keeps coming to mind when my search for gadgets and accessories comes across "Fellowes" branded products. Not only does the Itasca, IL-based company have a large product catalog going of its own, it also has a knack for snatching up cool stuff launched by smaller companies. Example: a company called Concept Kitchen developed WriteRights, a stick-on clear plastic screen cover for PDAs. The screen is the most fragile part of a PDA and WriteRight's plastic film guards against scratches and dirt. I have been using them for years. Fellowes bought Concept Kitchen, and now the protectors are sold under its label. http://www.TheNakedPC.com/t/515/tr.cgi?al1 For pictures and more links, please see my supplemental page: http://www.TheNakedPC.com/t/515/tr.cgi?al2 The same thing just happened to the Body Glove line of electronic accessories. http://www.TheNakedPC.com/t/515/tr.cgi?al3 http://www.TheNakedPC.com/t/515/tr.cgi?al4 Here's the modern business world at work: Fellowes didn't exactly buy Body Glove, a leading maker of surfing wetsuits, but rather the company that had licensed the Body Glove name for electronic products. Sort of an acquisition once removed. In any event, the linkage between surf dudes and consumer electronics is not quite as odd as it may seem. Wetsuits are made of stretchable, protective, grippy fabrics, with padding in appropriate places--which is pretty much the recipe for a good PDA or cell phone case. As with most accessories companies, Fellowes's product catalog-- even in a specific category--is too large for more than a representative sampling. I took a look at two PDA cases--the DataSuit Pro model with a snap for the Palm V/505 series, and a universal zipper-closure model. The former allows you to neatly slip your Palm in place, the latter uses Velcro to hold the PDA in place. The key product advantage is that the grippy neoprene material minimizes the potential for "oops, it slipped" moments that can be fatal to a handheld. I also looked at the Body Glove CellSuit Universal and CellSuit Sport Universal. Both are vertical holster-style cases (a horizontal design is coming later this year). The difference between the two is that the "Sport" has a top flap to hold the phone in place while you are doing sporty things. Both have swivel belt clips that can be snapped off the case. This is a convenience in two ways: First, the swivel keeps the phone from digging into your side when you sit or twist. And second, unlike a belt loop, a clip can be attached to the waistband of, say, elastic waist shorts or other casual attire. Fellowes/Fellowes managed the correct balance of getting the holster elastic just tight enough to keep your phone from falling out, but loose enough that you can remove it easily when making a call. The Fellowes line of cellular earphone also has expanded with the EarGlove Mini. This is one of those in-the-ear headphone with the microphone built into the earpiece. The difference between this and most that I have tested is that this one feels relatively comfortable when worn and the sound quality, both for the earphone and mike, is very good. Fellowes spokespeople hasten to add that acquisitions are not the only source of the company's vast product lineup. And, indeed, one current all-Fellowes that I like a lot is their PDA mobile auto/air charger. There is nothing earth shattering about the idea of a charger that plugs into a power outlet in the car or on an airplane. But Fellowes's unit does this for a street price of around $14. That's a nice buy. (c) 2002, Al Gordon You can reach Al Gordon at: mailto:al@TheNakedPC.com +++------------------------- sponsor -------------------------+++ >> "You Won't Believe Your Eyes!" It's amazing. You see one thing and it's really another. Find out how your mind and body work together. You'll watch this video tape and experience the results in your own living room. Find out more here: http://www.TheNakedPC.com/t/515/tr.cgi?ill +++------------------------- sponsor -------------------------+++ ** 04. Fan Noise Revisited (I received a fascinating email from one of our readers describing the many factors that affect fan noise. I enjoyed it thoroughly and, with the author's permission, share it here with you. The author, a retired aerospace acoustic-vibration engineer, requested to remain anonymous. -- Lee Hudspeth) Fan noise is customarily measured in free-air, pointing up, well away from ground reflections, and in a quiet environment (sound- insulated lab nowadays). Actually this manner of testing is the only practical way of standardizing the testing wherein a user can compare fan A to fan B without concerning himself about the enclosure effect. It also allows any user to go to a quiet area, place the fan on a pole, and make his own measurements. Putting the fan in a box can easily add 9 dB simply due to mathematical reinforcement of the waves from the box sides. For example, mathematically, a fan placed on the floor against a wall, causes a 3 dB increase in the noise level. A fan on the floor, in a corner against two 90-degree walls is a 6 dB increase. Using a metal box moreover adds ringing of the metal sides. This is life, no getting around it. A 3 dB increase in noise level is a doubling of the power of the noise, or an increase of 1.414 in the pressure levels at the ear. A 6 dB increase in noise level means the noise power level has increased by a factor of four and the pressure levels at the ear by a factor of two. By the way, engineers like the power concept, as nice fancy mathematics follows. But the ear reacts to pressure, so a 6 dB increase in fan noise level simply means twice as loud. Other than the box effect (9 dB), the fan noise (in free-air) is mostly related to fan speed. (Actually, both fan speed and airflow determines noise levels.) For simplicity, though, the slower the fan speed, the lower the noise. Most computer fans are very tiny and high speed--seems they all are around 3500 RPM more or less--but throw very little air, and thus are basically worthless no matter what the manufacturer says. These fans also seem to have very low life spans, and within a few years start screeching. In aerospace, that is, military aircraft, the cockpit air- conditioning (and heating) noise levels are a big problem. Small ducts and very high air-flows cause high noise levels. Pilots sometimes cannot be heard when talking into their microphones. Engineers go to great lengths to control cockpit noise levels, without using sound insulation. (Insulation is frequently avoided because of its fire hazard and resulting poisonous fumes.) To get fan noise down, one must do the following: (a) baffle the airflow; (b) use big, but low speed fans; (c) avoid fan to metal (or even wood) contact; or (d) concentrate on the annoying frequencies. Baffles: In office air conditioning ducts, fan noise can be totally awesome and unbearable. The ducts can act as horns and cause great amplification to the point one could not even stay in the rooms. The customary way to keep fan duct noise reduced is to make the air-flow turn 90-degree corners. Each 90-degree corner can theoretically reduce the fan-duct noise 3 dB. Sound insulation inside the ducts is great, but not too practical if heat and moisture are possible. (Insulation, when air- conditioning moisture is present, is also a concern relative to Legionnaires disease as it provides areas for fungus growth). For sound insulation, the rule of thumb is that its thickness must be at least one-third of the sound wave-length to be effective. (Where sound wave-length = 1100 feet-per-second divided by the sound frequency. Thus, 1000 Hertz means a 1.1 foot sound wave length.) For most applications, the straight-forward simple baffle approach is mostly preferred. http://www.TheNakedPC.com/t/515/tr.cgi?lee4 Use good low speed fans: In aerospace, the Rotron fans are preferred, particularly the Whisper fans. One can get big four- inch Whisper fans with 1800 RPM. One can get Whisper ball-bearing fans (nosier) or sleeve-bearing fans (quieter), either of which have "at-least" 55,000 hour life's. One can find used, thirty [year] old Whisper fans in the electronic stores for $5 to $15, though it is hard to determine RPMs, which shows how durable these fans are. I use a five-inch Comair-Rotron fan: The Comair-Rotron Major series, the Model MR2D3 1800 RPM 18-watt AC fan. About $70. It blows into the side of the full-tower case onto the motherboard, and is mounted about six inches away from the case's left side. (I keep the left case-side removed.) The Comair-Rotron fan throws more air than a dozen little junk fans. The Comair-Rotron Model MR2D3 1800 RPM fan is a very low noise fan. Relative to low noise level, it is only beat by the Comair- Rotron four-inch Whisper fans. (I have had a four-inch Whisper fan on my stereo system for 35 years, and it still works just fine, though the stereo components have undergone many upgrades.) No so-called computer fans are going to beat these Comair-Rotron fans (I don't own their stock). On hot 100-105-degree summer days, that one five-inch Comair- Rotron fan will drop the motherboard temperature by 15 degrees within a few minutes of being turned on. I leave the fan on almost all the time in the summer and on other hot seasonal spells, as it uses only 0.15 amps at 115 volts = 17.5 watts. Moreover, while I have replaced fans on my CPU and in my power supply (bearings went bad and they screeched), I have yet to replace the Comair-Rotron fan. I like the Comair-Rotron fan on the outside as it is easy to periodically clean of dust. Although the five-inch Comair-Rotron is an AC fan, it is well shielded electromagnetically. I have yet to have any computer problems from the Comair-Rotron fan's AC. (Hence, its desired use in aerospace over the last 50 years. Though aircraft generally use the DC fans). I can hear the Comer-Rotor fan, but it is not particularly annoying to me. If a sensitive user is bothered by the fan's noise, the user can simply place a square of three-inch-thick open-cell foam between the user and the fan to make the fan's noise go around a wall (somewhat large, hopefully), thus decreasing the fan's noise level 3 to 6 dB. Otherwise, use two such fans within a well-designed baffled duct to get low, low fan noise levels. For the power supply, if I were going to noise-proof it, I would box it outside the computer case. Then probably use a Comair- Rotron low RPM 10-inch fan to cool the power supply, while ducted and baffled to simultaneously keep fan noise reduced. Since power supplies generally fail due to heat, the ten-inch fan probably would make the power supply last forever. (Personally, I think if one can keep the transformer in a power supply under 90- degrees Fahrenheit, the darn thing will never fail. Old Macintosh stereo power amplifiers had huge transformers and huge heat-sinks and still work forty years later, though tubes have been replaced many times over). Rather than waste time doing this for each new computer, I would get a monster power supply (600 watt) and keep this power supply for all subsequent computer replacements. Connection of the power supply to the computer case should be by low-loss wires. Fans transmit noise to the enclosure via vibration. So, one must would avoid bolting the fan to the enclosure. Use springs to appropriately hang the fan. Or use offset rubber mounts (soft rubber). My stereo cabinet has a low-speed four-inch Whisper fan suspended by four very-soft-springs, and blowing out of the cabinet rear, with input air coming trough subtle holes in the cabinet's front panel. All fan noise can not easily be eliminated. But one can find the critical frequencies and try to kill the fundamentals. Many acoustic software programs exist. A simple microphone inserted into the sound card can be used. Then do a Fourier Analysis of a time capture of the sound. This will show the annoying fan noise. If you have comments about this article, send email here. mailto:LeeHudspeth@TheNakedPC.com ** 05. Featured Product - Brenthaven High Performance Computer Cases (reviewed by Al Gordon) Question: So if 100 bucks, give or take a 20, buys you a decent mass market computer case, what do you get for three or four times that price? Answer: a Brenthaven. http://www.TheNakedPC.com/t/515/tr.cgi?fprod The Seattle area Fairhaven Group, Inc. started out making wilderness hiking backpacks and evolved into a maker of premium computer cases. One of the things behind the price tag is that the cases are U.S. made, and therefore labor costs are at Seattle-area wage scales, not Third World rates. That counts as a major plus for me. Second, materials--from the nylon fabric to the zippers--are discernibly higher grade than in standard cases. And third, Brenthaven cases provide a separate, detachable cushioned sleeve for your notebook, so that it resides in effect in a case within a case for added protection. I tested the $299 "Oversize" shoulder bag, which is designed for large notebooks with 15-inch screens and multiple drive bays. It is the sibling to the $279 "Topload," which handles more normally sized laptops. I also tested the Mobile Topload ($399), which is the same design in a rolling model. The bags were roomy, with plenty of space for your papers and files as well as computer power supplies and accessories. There were lots of compartments and flaps for good organization. The Dell Dimension 8000 I used is a desktop replacement class machine and is too big to really show off any case to particular advantage. But testing with my wife's true portable showed the cases have nice capacity and fit that size machine. The units felt protective and handled normal wear and tear well. (Let's be candid here, I wasn't about to toss my notebook off a rooftop to do a crash test, so I am only prepared to speak to protection against everyday abuse.) These are cases for the serious road warrior--someone who is out traveling with a notebook every week and needs a product that will hold up over the long run. It won't wear out as fast as a mass market case and will offer better protection. In the long run, regular travelers will find that a Brenthaven will pay for itself. (c) 2002, Al Gordon You can reach Al Gordon at: mailto:al@TheNakedPC.com ** 06. Featured Book - A Retrospective Here's an overview of five of the most popular books we've featured in The Naked PC over the past several years, along with a synopsis of each initial review. "Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity" by David Allen (reviewed by Dan Butler) Finally I've found a system that's simple enough to implement and operate that I'll actually use it. After spending a few weeks with the system I can actually see the bottom of my in basket... The book gives a broad overview of the process then goes into a step-by-step explanation on how to integrate the ideas in the book right into your daily life. It's the simplicity of all of this that makes it work for me. http://www.TheNakedPC.com/t/515/tr.cgi?fbook1 "Upgrading and Repairing PCs" by Scott Mueller This is probably the most definitive work on PC repair that I've ever come across. It covers every aspect of PC hardware... This tome's intended audience is Information Technology and techie types who really need a full-blown hardware reference book. http://www.TheNakedPC.com/t/515/tr.cgi?fbook2 "The Unbelievable Bubble Book" by John Cassidy (reviewed by Dan Butler) Takes you on an entertaining journey through the science of creating bubbles... bubbles up to 8 feet long and several feet in diameter! We started in the back yard and made a five foot bubble. It's floating along contracting and expanding, reflecting the sun, higher and higher till it's over the house... Before we were done all of the kids and many of the parents in the neighborhood were in our yard. It was great fun... Get a copy [of the book] for yourself, read it, then play with the bubbles... Then get a copy to share with someone else. http://www.TheNakedPC.com/t/515/tr.cgi?fbook3 "The Whole Shebang: A State-Of-The Universe(s) Report" by Timothy Ferris (reviewed by Lee Hudspeth) This book grabbed me by the cerebrum and won't let go. I'm now starting my second reading... Fellow cosmologists (amateur and professional alike), you will be inspired, challenged, and entertained by this marvelous work. Ferris takes the reader on a journey through upheavals in various physics sub-domains, with an emphasis on cosmology and cosmogony... I think it's a tour well worth taking. http://www.TheNakedPC.com/t/515/tr.cgi?fbook4 "How to Read a Book" by Mortimer Adler and Charles Van Doren (reviewed by Dan Butler) [This] can prove to be one of the more useful books you've ever read. What you'll discover between the covers of this classic tome is how to extract and learn the information from any book you pick up... If you do any reading in the course of your day you owe it to yourself to get a copy of this great book. http://www.TheNakedPC.com/t/515/tr.cgi?fbook5 ** 07. Featured Web Site - Acronym Finder (reviewed by Lee Hudspeth) Thanks to TNPCer Rick B. who suggests Acronym Finder for, you know, finding acronyms. The site maintains its own statistics page, and as of the time of this writing it reports an impressive 239,348 entries in its database. Once you get a list of acronym definitions, you can view the list according to the following categories: Most Common; Information Technology; Military & Government; Science & Medicine; Organizations, Schools, etc.; Business & Finance; Slang & Chat; Alternative Searches. If you can fool the database there's a Submit feature, of course. Should you need to do a reverse lookup, that's available. For example, say you can't remember that clever acronym for something so funny you're rolling around on the floor, type in "floor" and select "reverse lookup (keywords)" in the Option drop-down list box. No, it's not ASFC (Automated Shop Floor Control) but it *is* ROFL (Rolling on the Floor Laughing), or if you want to be really meticulous there's a ROTFL variant that distinguishes the lowly article. Until next time, IWYGK. http://www.TheNakedPC.com/t/515/tr.cgi?fsite This site also maintains a convenient collection of links to some cool "alternative search" sites: http://www.TheNakedPC.com/t/515/tr.cgi?fsite2 ** 08. Featured Drawing If you haven't entered one of our The Naked PC survey drawings before, here's how it works. You go to a Web page on our site, answer one survey question, and type in your email address. To encourage folks to participate, we conduct a drawing from the email addresses of each survey's participants and we give away something really useful. Now, obviously we already have your email address or you wouldn't be reading this, but this drawing for prizes will only include those folks who answer this issue's question (entering a prior drawing doesn't count for this one). We'll only use the email addresses we collect for the purpose of notifying who won the prize, nothing else. Before our next issue is published, we'll pick one entered name at random. The winner gets one Photon Micro-Light II pocket flashlight--a $19.95 value absolutely free. And the winner picks the color of her or his choice. But you have to enter to win. http://www.TheNakedPC.com/t/515/tr.cgi?fdrawing ** 09. Newsworthy - a potpourri of current events and interesting stuff *-* Microsoft may drop out of the Mac market, as its officials cite lagging sales of Mac OS X. One telling stat: Microsoft's OS X-specific version of Office (known as "Office v. X") has sold only 300,000 copies to date versus Microsoft's target of 750,000. http://www.TheNakedPC.com/t/515/tr.cgi?news1 *-* In April of 2003 (that's only nine months from right now) Microsoft will no longer offer Windows 2000 to PC manufacturers. (Search for the blurb entitled "Win2K Hits Retirement ... Is It Too Soon?") http://www.TheNakedPC.com/t/515/tr.cgi?news2 Have you come across something newsworthy? 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