NWA-PCUG Newsletter Article, August 2005
The Deals Column
by Bob (the Cheapskate)Click, The Dealsguy
Greater Orlando Computer Users Group
bobclick@mindspring.com
(click to email author)


It has come to my attention that a nasty popup has been emanating from my Web site intermittently. I would never put a popup/under there myself, yet there it is. I finally became suspicious after getting it twice when accessing my Web site just to check my browser connection, and that was the only place I had been. A friend checked it closer and finally discovered it in the html code he found, but didn't think it was in my Web site files. There is a script containing a URL [http://www.registrarads.com] and a reference to NamesDirect.com. I sincerely apologize for this, although it was without my knowledge or permission.

Since I use the free space on Earthlink and some additional donated space from a friend for my Web site, I have been using a URL redirect through NamesDirect.com for some time. Originally the redirect was through Yournamefree.com who I never had a problem with, but I discovered Yournamefree.com is now part of MyDomain.com, which is also affiliated with NamesDirect.com. Network Solutions is the registrar and I see no need to change that because I can reach them anytime day or night with a free call and they are not the offenders. In the past I became very dissatisfied with MyDomain.com for my other domain names, and after much difficulty making the transfer, thought I was rid of them. A call to NamesDirect.com acknowledged the problem and that I would have to make them the registrar, or take their Web hosting to avoid the problem. I told them I don't reward bad business practices by giving them more business. They didn't care that I was going to write about this in my column, so profit from my bad experience with NamesDirect.com and MyDomain.com.

The popup offers to reset your computer clock, but clicking on it gets programs downloaded to your computer (don't know what). I hope no readers were stung by that obnoxious popup. Most user group members are too smart to fall for that one, but it is deceptive. The whois showed that my technical contact for the dealsguy.com had been changed to NamesDirect.com and I have changed it back to myself twice, but could not make the change stick until I changed the password. A while back it had been changed to some guy in Australia and I changed it back to me when a friend called that problem to my attention. What a mess, but I hope I found a way to resolve it.

Reminder
The deal for the biometric fingerprint device to operate your locks that I featured last month is still good for August. Think about just laying your finger on a pad that will quickly unlock doors or open your garage door. Ain't technology great! For information see [http://www.ekeyusa.com] and to order, e-mail [Hassan.Hares@ekeyUSA.com] or call (941) 782-1227. To get the 30% discount, use the password "dealsguy05."

The other announcement deals I featured last month are also still good for August. I had a great product ready for this month, but they could not put a deal together in time, so look for home building and remodeling software next month. I may also finally have a deal on the Dazzle 990, a great product. I'm having fun looking at the products. In their place, I'll include more announcements with a discount or free for user group members.

Free Database
At this writing, InterSystems was still offering Cache, a post-relational database that uniquely combines advanced objects and high performance SQL, as a free download. They say that with Cache, no mapping is required between object and relational views of data, thus contributing savings in both development and processing time. Cache also incorporates a powerful Web application development environment that dramatically reduces the time to build and modify applications. To get your free download, the URL is [http://www.intersystems.com/free] and I hope it's still free. My description is from their ad and it appears that you do have to register for the download. Edited) (Received back in November) (read the privacy statement "carefully" before using the software)

The ToolbarBrowser is a new project supported by Trellian and is now available for download: [http://www.toolbarbrowser.com] The ToolbarBrowser is a Toolbar management tool and a complete Toolbar authoring system.

    - Imagine if you could take just the features you want from the many toolbars you may have installed, and combine them into a single super toolbar.
    - Imagine if you could manage dozens of separate toolbars in a single tab control.
    - Imagine if you could write your own toolbars as easily as you write HTML pages, and share these with your friends, clients and web site visitors.
    - Imagine if you could add new toolbars at a click of a button without having to install new software, and uninstall them just as easily.
    - Imagine if you could write your own toolbars in XML, HTML, Java, JavaScript or even Flash.

How About a Free Toolbar! (Edited) (Received back in November) (read the privacy statement "carefully" before using the software)

The ToolbarBrowser is a new project supported by Trellian and is now available for download: [http://www.toolbarbrowser.com] The ToolbarBrowser is a Toolbar management tool and a complete Toolbar authoring system.

    - Imagine if you could take just the features you want from the many toolbars you may have installed, and combine them into a single super toolbar.
    - Imagine if you could manage dozens of separate toolbars in a single tab control.
    - Imagine if you could write your own toolbars as easily as you write HTML pages, and share these with your friends, clients and web site visitors.
    - Imagine if you could add new toolbars at a click of a button without having to install new software, and uninstall them just as easily.
    - Imagine if you could write your own toolbars in XML, HTML, Java, JavaScript or even Flash.

We very much look forward to receiving your feedback, suggestions and comments and invite you to participate in the ToolbarBrowser developer forum: [http://www.toolbarbrowser.com/forum]

Adding Toolbars --- Once you have installed the ToolbarBrowser, visit our Toolbar Library to add new toolbars at a click of a button. [http://www.toolbarbrowser.com/toolbar.htm]

Standard Features --- In addition to being fully programmable and customizable, there are many standard toolbar features that include: Popup Blocking, Keyword Highlighting, Form AutoFill and more...

Advanced Authoring --- If you are a webmaster, one of the most powerful features is the ability to generate individual toolbars, customized to each visitor's needs or preferences. For example, if you have a financial web site, you could display real time stock quotes that are individually tailored to each user. There is virtually no limit to what you will be able to do. Cost? The ToolbarBrowser is freeware.

Pocket PC Safety! Edited Announcement.

Company: INFOTECS

ViPNet Safe Disk for Pocket PC: A bulletproof data security system for desktop computers is now available for your PDA. INFOTECS announces version 1.0 of ViPNet Safe Disk for Pocket PC. This application is designed for PDA owners who can now protect their personal information from prying eyes by encrypting and password-protecting their sensitive files. ViPNet Safe Disk for Pocket PC provides your PDA with a totally protected environment where data is stored encrypted and protected by a password even when your device is switched off, or in the "stand-by" mode. It allows you to create the so-called "containers". These are secure folders for confidential files, which are created in the memory on a PDA and mounted by ViPNet Safe Disk software. You can easily open and edit any file from a secure folder in a word processor or database program, the file being automatically decrypted when opened and encrypted when saved. The program supports two 256-encryption algorithms.

AES and GOST.
In case of emergency you can use the "panic" mode to demount all mounted "containers" and hide the main window of the program from view with one tap. Added to this is the ability to connect your PDA to a PC and exchange data, provided that ViPNet Safe Disk is installed on the desktop computer.

Pricing and Availability
ViPNet Safe Disk for Pocket PC runs under Windows Mobile 2003 and costs $26.40 (USD) for a single-user license. A 20% discount is available to the buyers of ViPNet Safe Disk for Pocket PC and ViPNet Safe Disk for Windows. Registered customers are entitled to free updates and lifetime technical support. A 20-day fully functional demo version of the program is available as a free download at the company's Website [http://www.infotecs.biz].

Product page link: [http://www.infotecs.biz/Soft/safe_diskppc.htm]
Direct download link: [http://www.infotecs.biz/demo/download_safedisk_ppc.htm]
E-mail: [novikov@infotecs.biz]

Announcement Received (Edited)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

IconoMaker: A Neat Little Gift From Icon Empire

May 31, 2005: Icon Empire introduces IconoMaker.

Icon Empire, a producer of award-winning graphics editing software, offers a nifty little freeware package for editing icons with a variety of custom attributes and creative styles. IconoMaker creates and edits icons of any size, colored by virtual pen, brush, airbrush, ellipse, straight line or curve tools, compatible with Windows(tm) XP 32-bit color depth with 8-bit alpha channel. Users can roll, shift and rotate images, sort images within icons, and copy and paste images to other applications. This program supports ICO and ICPR formats, and now supports PNG images. Happily for Linux users, IconoMaker now imports and exports XPM and XBM images. For a total rundown of IconoMaker's features, visit [http://www.free-icon-editor.com/].

Icon Empire is giving it away. A Microsoft Windows(tm) 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP/2003 operating system is required.

CONTACT INFORMATION: Victor Ivlichev - E-mail: [feedback@iconempire.com]
Direct evaluation download URL: [http://www.iconempire.com/downloads/iconomaker.exe]
Screenshot URL: [http://www.iconempire.com/free-icon-editor/scrf.png]

That's it for this month. Meet me here again next month if your editor permits. 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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