NWA-PCUG Newsletter Article, March 2007
The Deals Column
by Bob (the Cheapskate)Click, The Dealsguy
Greater Orlando Computer Users Group
bobclick@mindspring.com
(click to email author)


An Attempt To Change Urologists
A neighbor told me about his urologist who, he said, used the latest laser equipment, and had been written up in the newspaper as using very advanced procedures. I decided the best might not be too good for me, so since I am having urinary problems, I would try him. I went for my appointment and in came a Nurse Practitioner to examine me. (You all know how I feel about that.) While she asked her questions and did the preliminary work, I told her how I felt about the use of NPs substituting for doctors and that I felt I should always be actually diagnosed by the doctor. In so many words, she assured me she was just as capable as any doctor, and that she often offered suggestions that helped the doctors there. Maybe! However, she assured me I would definitely see the doctor, which turned out to be about 15 seconds when he stuck his head in the door and greeted me.

Needless to say, I didn’t make another appointment no matter how good he was. My old urologist might not have the latest equipment, but he is the one who actually examines me. I feel he is capable so I’m going to stick with him. I have since seen him and he assured me he also has the same laser equipment. I am not comfortable being examined by a “substitute doctor” who has nowhere near the training an actual doctor goes through making important decisions concerning my health.

Interesting Items
Here are two items I found interesting in Information Week. Read about invisible RFID ink for cattle that also won’t contaminate anything: http://www.informationweek.com/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=UKBMPSHVFDNIKQSNDLRCKH0CJUNN2JVN?articleID=196802844&queryText=K.C.+Jones
Also a robot called “iRobot Create” that you can send to the kitchen if you are thirsty. I couldn’t find it on the magazine’s Web site so here is the product’s URL: http://www.iRobot.com/. They have other robots that you have probably heard about, such as the Rhumba robot vacuum cleaner.

Reminders
The reminder about a free version of Tax Act for doing your taxes is never very timely, but perhaps it’s because of how early I must write this column and the fact that I’m not even doing my taxes yet. http://www.taxact.com You can even file your tax return electronically now with the free version.

If you don't feel comfortable doing your federal income tax on your own computer, and you make $39,000 or less, you can call for an appointment with an IRS volunteer who will meet face-to-face with you to do it. Call 1-800-829-1040 to find the nearest IRS volunteer office.

Don’t forget the free income tax help from the great folks at AARP. Call the AARP chapter near you to see where they offer this help, and the times they are available.

Two items below are announcements that included a user group discount. I have edited them, but they are mostly in the vendor’s own words so check further on their Web sites for complete information. I have not tried any of the products myself although I was invited to do so. They both sound very useful.

Manage Your Clipboard History. One Version Is FREE And A Nice Discount On The Other.
LW-WORKS Software has released Version 4.0 of Clipboard Recorder, an application that helps users manage their Windows clipboard history and provides easy ways for users to access their saved clipboard data. Once its running, Clipboard Recorder adds an icon to your system tray and monitors your system clipboard. As you copy any data from other applications to the system clipboard, Clipboard Recorder will capture it and store it to the listening clipboard record list in a compressed format.

Clipboard Recorder provides four ways to select the records; Popup Window, Floating Window, Menu Window and Main Window. Most of the time, you don't need to leave your working application to access your clipboard history! The selected clipboard records can be pasted to your working application directly just as if you have pressed "Ctrl + V". Clipboard Recorder also features transferring clipboard data between computers. Therefore, users can do "Ctrl + C" on one computer and "Ctrl + V" on another.

Clipboard Recorder is available in two versions, Professional and Standard (Freeware). The professional version with complete online help costs $29.95 (user group members get a 30% discount using the coupon code "Special"). Clipboard Recorder 4.0 runs under Windows 98/ME, Windows 2000, or XP Home and Professional. Visit the LW-WORKS Software home page at http://www.lw-works.com to order Clipboard Recorder or to download a fully functional trial copy.

Here Is Help To Sort Your MP3 Files
This handy utility will sort a musical collection of any size, quickly reorganizing folders and renaming files on your hard drive. MP3 Sorter physically rearranges music on your hard drive while similar programs just create a list of files, but make no actual changes. After you use MP3 Sorter, all changes will be seen in Explorer as if you arranged files manually. Prior to actually rearranging files, MP3 Sorter allows users to see the structure of files and folders after renaming/rearranging takes place. MP3 Sorter renames files according to the artist's name and the title of the track and places them in folders like this; "Artists\Album + Year". The utility has an adjustable renaming system.

The utility has a preview window showing the newly arranged structure and comes with a Duplicate Checker that insures against accidental overwrites. You can see the transfer result to avoid any transfer mistake, and if you want to undo the transfer operation, it is possible to return the original file and folder structure with the help of the Roll Back Manager. Also, you can make MP3 Sorter delete source files, which will be done only if copying was successful. MP3 Sorter provides an advanced editor so you can change custom tokens whenever you like. After MP3 Sorter neatly reorganizes your MP3 collection, you will be able to find required music tracks on your hard drive with the speed of a radio DJ.

MP3 Sorter runs under all versions of Microsoft Windows and costs $24.95 (USD) for a single-user license, but users group members get a 10% discount by using this URL: https://secure.shareit.com/shareit/cart.html?PRODUCT%5B300080839%5D=1&COUPON1=MP3ST891. Licensed customers are entitled to the fully functional version of the product, free technical support and free upgrades. Further information on 'MP3 Sorter', as well as a free trial copy is available free of charge from http://www.prograce.com.

Product page link: http://prograce.com/index.php?page=mp3
Download link:
http://prograce.com/download/MP3SorterInstall.exe

The Bundle Is Back!
Colleen Toumayan from Diskeeper Corporation tells me the “Bundle” is back. It consists of one Diskeeper Home Edition, and one Undelete 5 Home Edition for just $49.95. Most of you already know the good qualities of Diskeeper products. Get it here: http://purchase.diskeeper.com/checkout/addtocart.aspx?Item=2140 I’m glad Colleen stayed (she had considered leaving Diskeeper) with the company because she keeps me apprised of special offers and is a great resource.

Free Software That is Interesting
I saw this in Mug Monitor, newsletter for Macon Users Group, http://www.maconusersgroup.org and wondered if it would interest any of my readers. It is called Google Sketchup 6. It is a FREE 3D modeling software that helps you in remodeling or landscaping. It has to do with Google Earth. I can’t fully explain it so check it out at http://sketchup.google.com/. It is a great deal because if you want their Pro version, it will cost you a cool $495. I don’t know what that one has that the free one does not, but you can read up on it.

That's it for this month. Meet me here again next month if your editor permits. I have some new product announcements on my Web site page. This column is written to make user group members aware of special offers or freebies I have found or arranged, and my comments should not be interpreted to encourage, or discourage, the purchase of any products, no matter how enthused I might sound. Bob (The Cheapskate) Click bobclick@mindspring.com. Visit my Web site at http://www.dealsguy.com

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