[UCS Trademark]

April 2006

[Photo of Cliff][Baton Bleu Image]

By Cliff Millward, Editor cliffm@xmission.com

It’s an Apple, Can’t You Intel?

Apple Computer has now produced for us new software that allows Intel-based Macs to run Microsoft Windows XP. Have Apples become oranges or have they thrown Apples through the Windows?

What interests me is will Apple Computers morph into just another maker of computers for Windows, or will Windows users increasingly become users of Apple products? Also, will other computer manufacturers offer this dual boot alternative?

Apple calls its software to allow a dual boot “Boot Camp.” Boot camp is a military training facility; does this mean that Apple is anticipating a war?

A final version of Boot Camp will be available as a feature in the upcoming Mac OS X version 10.5 “Leopard.”

I will try to keep my ear to the ground (to listen for the “Leopard) so that I get the proper “intel” to pass on to you. ;-)

Further Windows Breakage

Concerning malware, a Microsoft security official said recently that business’s should consider an automated process to wipe hard drives and reinstall Windows as a practical way to recover from infestation (so much for update fixes.)

Actually, nuking the hard drive is the ultimate fix; something like throwing out the baby with the bath water!

Obviously, the virus producers are winning this war. BUT, maybe the Apple Leopard will devour some, and maybe all, of the vicious malevolents.

Maybe Wearing a “Red Hat” is the Answer

Intel and Red Hat have teamed up to help customers plan for, accelerate and optimize Linux installations.

“The Red Hat-Intel Solution Acceleration Programme will give customers real-time access to the critical information, tools and support they need to build and optimize high-value Linux solutions on Intel-based platforms,” said Jon Bork, director of Intel’s Open Source Program Office. Tim Yeaton, executive vice president of enterprise solutions at Red Hat, added: “We are responding to what customers have told us they really need to support their advanced deployments of Linux and open source.”

As I understand it, they are trying to arrive at a common interface by combining the two most popular interfaces, Gnome and KDS. If they can do this with most of the sub-commands similar to Windows, they might have a winner.

In my opinion, one of the drawbacks of Linux is the inability to operate it like Windows. Most people know how to operate Windows, so commands must be very similar for any “new” system to become popular.

The next thing which must happen is the porting of popular Windows programs to Linux -- or programs constructed to be so similar to Windows programs that they will be easy to learn and use.

Some programs are now available for Windows and Apple on the same install disk. The same thing must happen to Linux.

However, with the new “Boot Camp” option by Apple, perhaps a more viable option is becoming available. All that needs to happen is for all “IBM” computers to use this new dual boot procedure. So far only Apple offers it. Perhaps a ”war” is shaping up between Apple OS X and Linux. Another point to remember OS X has a Unix background, so it is similar to Linux.

In the long run, however, companies and individual consumers want to use the most reliable, least expensive, and easiest to use items (and not necessarily in that order.)

Our own Novell has been making good progress in making Linux palatable. Perhaps they will be a possible contender.

2006 promises to be an interesting year for computers and computing. With the 64 pathway becoming more available and Microsoft’s Vista thrown into the mix, who knows what will happen?

May the better OS win (whichever one that may be!)

Finè

Index

ATI All-IN-WONDER X-1900
The Mother of The Mother of All Graphics Cards

Reviewed by Don Nendell

Manufacturer:
ATI Technologies Inc.
1 Commerce Valley Drive East
Markham , Ontario
Canada L3T 7X6
Phone: 905.882.2600
Web Site: http://www.ati.com
Note. In order to receive complimentary Telephone Technical Support, you must first register the product. When you are registered you will be given access to the toll-free Technical Support telephone numbers
30-day Free Telephone Technical Support
E-mail: http://ati.com/online/customercare
System Requirements:
PCI Express® based PC is required with one x16 lane graphics slot available on the motherboard
450-Watt power supply or greater, 30 Amps on 12 volt rail recommended (assumes fully loaded system)
Power supply must support 6 pin PCI Express® connector
3.0GHz or equivalent minimum CPU is recommended for software encoding requirements of Windows® Media Center
Computer:
Intel® Pentium® 4, Celeron™ D, AMD®/Athlon® or compatible with a PCI Express® X16 lane graphics slot
256MB of system memory
Installation software requires CD-ROM drive
DVD playback requires DVD drive
Installation of Adobe® Photoshop® Elements 4.0 & Adobe® Premiere® Elements 2.0 requires a DVD drive
Interactive Program guide requires Internet connection for listing updates Remote control receiver requires available USB port
1GHz minimum processor speed for MPEG-2 video
Sound card supported by Windows with available line input
Graphics Technology:
Radeon® X1900 Series Graphics processor unit (GPU)
Memory Configuration 256MB GDDR3
Operating Systems Support:
Windows® XP Media Center Edition 2005
Windows® XP Home Edition
Windows® XP Professional Edition
Multi-Monitor Display Support:
One display (VGA or DVI) simultaneously connected with a TV/HDTV or VCR One display (VGA or DVI) simultaneously connected with a VGA display (*) YPrPb output adapter
(*) Dual VGA requires an additional adaptor (not included)
Note. The DVI-I interface on the ALL-IN-WONDER X-1900 cards can be used to attach a DVI display or an Analog VGA monitor, using the supplied DVI-I to VGA adapter
Also Note. HYDRAVISION™ technology supports DVI or CRT monitor and Television
Display Modes:
Digital Displays (Connected by DVI): All resolutions up to 2560x1600
Analog Displays (Connected by VGA): All resolutions up to 2048x1536
TV-out
SDTV (Analog): 480i | 525i
HDTV (Analog or Digital): 480p | 720p |1080i | Any custom resolution
Note. Some custom resolutions require user configuration. Resolutions are limited by the performance of the attached monitor.
TV-Tuner Requirements:
TV signal from amplified antenna, satellite or cable
Correct Version for: NTSC (**)
MulTView™ requires additional ATI TV Wonder™ Family product, compatible motherboard and soundcard. For more information, please visit www.ati.com
(**) Features vary from country to country and depending on the television standard
Connectors:
DVI-I 15 pin VGA
Stereo audio, S-video, and Composite video inputs and outputs
External stereo connections to sound card’s line input and output
YPrPb Output adapter
Card Dimensions:
Length: 10 inches (This is a big one)
Height: Full Height
Width: Single Slot Cooling
Warranty:
1 Year Limited end user Warranty

The Wonder of It All: What’s All in the Box?

ALL-IN-WONDER X-1900 graphics board; DVI-I to VGA connector; YPrPb component adapter (only in North America); Remote Control unit and receiver (requires available USB port); ATI input and output connection blocks; Setup CD and manual; Power Cable; Warranty card; and, Free Bundled Software (Adobe® Photoshop® Elements 4.0 & Adobe® Premiere® Elements 2.0 & Gemstar GUIDE Plus+™ Interactive Program Guide (The perfect accouterment, well worth its value of more than $200.00))

Pricing: What would you expect to pay for the absolute “Top of the Line Capture/Graphic Card?” Confidentially, after you’ve read all those System Requirements above, if you still have to ask, then I’d say, you’re not quite ready, “yet,” for “The Mother of The Mother of All Graphics Cards!”

Street prices vary naturally, but I did a quick check (right up to publication time) on the ATI Shopping site (http://shop.ati.com/) and it was priced at $499.00 (plus S&H).

Note. And just to toss in a little something in the “extra help” catagory: 1) You can use their “Ask the Advisor” for added help; 2) You can download some “Sweet” Interactive and Realtime 3D Demos; and, 3) You might even consider trading up in the deal, and get USD $50.00 for your old graphics card through their ATI TRADE UP PROGRAM. Good stuff there!

Introduction

I had the distinct pleasure, and was indeed honored to review my 1st “Mother of All Graphics Cards,” the ATI ALL-IN-WONDER 9700 PRO (an AGP-slotted Capture/Graphic Card) back in the May 2003 issue of BCM (See the review in the BCM May 2003 Archives at <www.ucs.org>). For almost 3-years now I have literally lived, breathed - even snuck in a cat-nap or two - adored, completely enjoyed, pampered, et cetera, et cetera, that “unbelievably beautiful Capture/Graphic Card.” I almost had myself thinking back in the beginning that I was receiving some sort of “Heavenly experience in the process?” Or, some such craziness? It was entirely captivating, and it has a tendency to spoil a body, just a little! ;-}

You think that’s “craziness?” Beat this, if you can? I even have saved all the boxes, and their contents, from all three (3) of the ATI ALL-IN-WONDER products I’ve been blessed to own and review. My first: ATI RADEON ALL-IN-WONDER (32 MB) PCI Graphics Card; My second: ATI ALL-IN-WONDER 9700 PRO (128 MB) AGP Graphics Card; and, now my third: ATI ALL-IN-WONDER X-1900 (256 MB) PCI Express Graphics Card.

See for yourself. When you open the AIW X-1900 box it is simply mind-blowing to see all that “stuff’ jammed in there. The primary difference between all the AIW’s outwardly is of course, the card itself. But it’s what ATI’s ALL-IN-WONDER X-1900 is all about that makes the difference.

Well, you’ve guessed right? My new ATI AIW X-1900 literally “sky-rocketed” me past that wonderful 3-year AIW 9700 Pro experience I’ve been enjoying; just like I had been “merely sitting there all that time - up on jacks!” Actually, I was fairly well prepared for an amazingly beautiful graphics experience, because I had just finished the ATI X-1300 Pro Graphics Card Review only this past January (See the review in the BCM January 2006 Archives at <www.ucs.org>).

Let me share with you right up front, this “new” PCI Express stuff is “Blazing Hot!” How Hot? Let me put it this way; the ATI AIW X-1900 Pro is produced by a Canadian company and, I am EXCEPTIONALLY PROUD to say, “I am an “Honorary Member of the RCAF 434 (F) Fighter Squadron!” I mention this only because I wish I could express my feelings - Canadian-style - here in print for the ATI AIW X-1900 in the same “Glowing (Graphic) Terms” my Canadian Air Force Squadron-mates used to describe something that is, “Absolutely the Best There Is!” Some other time, perhaps? But, “It’s Hot!” ;-}

Time and Again: “Happiness will forever be a working

computer - v. 4+!”

For the May 2003 ATI ALL-IN-WONDER 9700 PRO review I was definitely in a quandary trying to figure out, “Where do I start [my praise for Caesar]? To borrow from the well-known poem, ‘. . . Let me count the ways!’ Take your pick from the Thesaurus: Grand (See Greatness, Ostentation, Repute); Sophistication (See Affectation, Skill, Knowledge); Superiority (See Inequality, Overrunning); etc., etc. [Can you kind of] Get the picture now?” Well, I’m equally, or more-so, as awe-struck and stumped today to come up with adequate superlatives to describe the Incredible, Stupendous, Awe-inspiring, Overpowering, and Incredulous, et cetera, et cetera, (maybe you can get the idea now - I pretty much like this thing?) ATI ALL-IN-WONDER X1900, as I was back then.

In hindsight – I was absolutely correct. The ATI ALL-IN-WONDER 9700 PRO (the “Mother of All Graphics Cards”) was a product which PC Gamer in February 2003 awarded “Editor’s Choice,” and MAXIMUM PC awarded it a 10 out of 10 rating in February 2003, calling it a, “Kick Ass Product.” Well, move over “Baby” and let the “Big Dog” through. Step back and watch the real fireworks as “The Mother of The Mother of All Graphics Cards” (MOM), does some real “Ass Kick’en!” Just lean back ya’ll, don your shades, and enjoy the show - the real “MOM ALL-IN-WONDER” has just arrived! “The Future of Video is Now!”

ALL-IN-WONDER X-1900

Features:

Or, Raising the bar for

transforming your PC into the ultimate home entertainment device

MOM is the premium product in the ALL-IN-WONDER family. It is specifically designed for consumers who are interested in an ultimate multimedia experience on their PC - people who enjoy the benefits of a high-end performance graphics card by playing video games, making and editing movies, watching TV, listening to music, and watching DVD movies, and all this from their desktop. These same customers already own, or are expected to soon be purchasing one or more of those amazing new digital devices, such as a Video iPOD, a digital camera, smart phone (with video and picture taking capability), a DV camcorder, a DVD/CD-ROM Read/Write Combo Drive, or maybe even a DVD device to go with their current CD-ROM drive. Everybody will soon be combining their PC and their multimedia graphics card to provide a comprehensive digital experience; such is the ALL-IN-WONDER X-1900, “The Mother of The Mother (MOM) of All Graphics Cards!”

Let ATI tell it like it really is: “The ALL-IN-WONDER X1900 features a brand-new graphics processor and proudly follows closely behind its Radeon counterpart. The X-1900 is a one-card solution of great performance for extreme gamers, entertainment enthusiasts, home users and moviemakers alike. ATI’s Avivo™ display platform gives incredibly rich video quality from capture through to playback, while PCI Express punches through the AGP bandwidth ceiling. The built-in TV tuner, PVR and programming guide provides now or later program enjoyment, while hardware H.264 decoding gives effortless playback of next-generation HD DVD.”

To fully “appreciate and see” the effectiveness of MOM, it is important to first stand back and “analyze” your own graphics needs - This will become quite obvious in a minute. Just think of it, not just as “the premier graphics card,” but also as a video capture card, all wrapped up together in one neat package. Now, you’ve got to admit, that’s certainly a wow! But, only the first of many!

There’s an absolutely fabulous “Interactive Flash Demo video” on the ATI web site where Dave Chalk speaks about ATI’s acclaimed ALL-IN-WONDER product. (See Dave Chalk’s Review of the All-in-Wonder™) This informative “Interactive Flash Demo Assets” video is “fairly hard to locate,” so use the URL here <http://www.ati.com/designpartners/media/edudemos/index.html> to check it out to help you learn more about MOM.

Now, let’s take a look under the hood of this little beauty!

Highlights:

CATALYST Control Center (CCC) - Delivers easy-to-use software for accessing all the multimedia and graphics features. It includes the Multimedia Center software (MMC) version 8.0, which guides the user through all the different media applications.

VPU Chip - Provides the consumer with a new level of realism for PC entertainment

Stereo TV Tuner with 125 channels - Cable, Dish, or some other type Network hookup is required to be able to watch up to 125 channels on your PC

Personal Video Recorder (PVR) - PVR functionality allows users to record programs on their hard drive, pause live TV and resume broadcasts on their schedule

VideoSoap™ - Next Generation filtering options for Personal Video Recordings (PVR) that improves captured image quality, particularly when capturing to low bitrates

Stereo FM - Listen to Stereo FM on your PC

Gemstar GUIDE Plus+™ Interactive Program Guide - Allows users to select, schedule, view, record and search favorite TV listings by category, actor/performer, or date - all the benefits of a PVR without the monthly fees

RF REMOTE WONDER ($49 plus S&H if bought separately) - Provides users full control of the multimedia software and works without requiring line-of-site, e.g., there’s no need to point the remote control at the receiver. Simply connect your PC to your TV and search TV channels, watch DVD’s, surf the web, or record TV shows - all from your couch, or your plush Desktop Executive Chair (optional) (*)

Capture and Edit - Easily capture and edit your home videos and burn them to DVD’s/Video CD

MulTView™ - The ability to add a second tuner for Picture-in-Picture (PIP), Picture-outside-Picture (POP), and many other features (**)

THEATER 200 Chip - Theatre 200 video decoder is a single chip analog video and stereo audio processor supported worldwide, which provides superior high quality video and audio quality to previous solutions in a single package

HDTV Component Video Adapter ($29 plus S&H if bought separately) - Watch DVDs, TV-ON-DEMAND™ on a HDTV ready television using this component output (Transfer high-definition (HD) component video output via an YPrPb adapter)

Free Software - Includes valuable free software: Adobe® Premiere® Elements 2.0 & Adobe® Photoshop® Elements 4.0 (over USD $200 value)

Easy Digital and Analog Video Editing - from numerous sources capture still images and video for use in your own creations. Then add effects, transitions, and sound to video footage and save your authored videos to VideoCD and DVD formats

TV-ON-DEMAND™ - The power to pause live TV, get instant replays, record live broadcasts for later viewing

THRUVIEW™ - Click through the transparent live TV window to access your desktop

(*) MCE Remote Control is compatible with Windows® XP Media Center Edition (optional and can be purchased separately)

(**) Additional ATI TV Wonder™ Family product required

The Ultimate Level in 3D Gaming

Advanced Performance Architecture powers MOM with a 32-bit, multi-threaded shader core delivering the power of multiple virtual processors. Integrated are Shader Model 3.0, DirectX 9 and other gaming sweets including industry-leading support for anti-aliasing plus HD Range. The end game delivers performance where it counts.

As “The acknowledged PC gamer” in the house, Donna loves this part “dearly,” but in a completely proactive move - just to keep her “Pretty” hands off of MY MOM - I gave her the standalone X-1300 Pro PCI Express Graphics card, MOM’s virtual equivalent - for her new HP Media Center PC (See February 2006 BCM Archives for the ATI X-1300 Pro review). Boy, is she tearing up her new Oblivion game - as we speak. Hey! I wonder what would my F-16 Falcon look like now on MOM? Umm! Got to dig that out now!

Total Home Video, from Studio to Screening

The ALL-IN-WONDER X1900 turns the PC into a video production center. Capture video from multiple sources,- like I can do with the Swann box - including S-Video or Composite Video. Note. FYI S-Video and Composite Video are not compatible, it’s an either / or situation (See the large graphic). Edit the video with best-of-breed Adobe Premier Elements editing software included in the package. Then cut a DVD complete with titling and get the full self-satisfaction, from input to output.

Avivo™

ALL-IN-WONDER includes the revolutionary Avivo™ technology, ATI’s new reference for video and display perfection. The Avivo™ platform delivers an incredibly rich display, while H.264 hardware decoding meets tomorrow’s DVD standards today.

The Office/Computer Room Setup

Get yourself some handy Cable Clamps, because you’ll be amazed at all those cables and gadgets you’ll end up with all over the place when you’re finally done hooking everything up. Instead of hooking MOM up in the living room, like I did when I was testing the 9700 AIW Pro, this time I hooked up everything in my computer office. Besides, the office has practically everything I need for complete utility, comfort, handiness and ease of use in getting the job done. My setup is a little more varied than the ATI graphic shows, if you can believe that?

My basic setup consists of the following items:

1. A Dish 501 Satellite Receiver (with PVR), that outputs directly to an “older” Radio Shack Archer Switching Box (a sort of “Mix ‘n Match switching box). The switching box allows me to be able to switch “manually” back and forth between the: a) 501 Dish Satellite Receiver Input or, b) Any other of 5 different desired type A/V Inputs (including an “Older-style Gaming” RCA input connector). At the switch box, I can then output “simultaneously” to 4 other different desired A/V type components such as: a) Donna’s (older Sears) Analog 21” TV; b) A “Cable In” connector in the back of MOM (See TV below); c) A real workhorse 4-Station remote-controlled Swann A/V Switching Box terminal, that has both S-Video and Composite IN/OUT Ports for “controlling” many other different Video Input/Output sources, all at a “one” location (See also TV below); and, d) My laptop, another PC, et etera;

2. A Linksys ProConnect KVM Switch to alternate back and forth between my two (2) peer-to-peer connected Desktop PC’s (one is my “new” HP Media Center PC with the “works”, and the other is my recovering addict “Boat Anchor,” - which I still do not trust, but it has the AIW 9700 Pro still in it);

3. A “brand new” Samsung 17” SyncMaster 730B LCD Monitor (bought solely because my “trusty” 3-year old+ 21” MAG Innovation LCD Monitor (even though it still works beautifully everywhere else) was not completely compatible with MOM, but more so, because it was also no longer specifically Windows Media Center PC “Driver update” supported by MAG - I later, very sadly found out the usual, hard, “Don” way;

4. And, of course, all this is connected to my fabulous new MOM card; then there’s,

5. The typical other “Good Office Stuff” properly augmenting the MOM setup, needless to say.

Even if, and I repeat if here, I were able to be succinct, this would be a huge review. Heavens, it already is! That’s primarily because MOM is loaded with seemingly endless possibilities. And, simply because I’m thinking of it now, if you haven’t seen this particular marvelous feature for yourself, you can’t begin to imagine how shockingly beautiful the HDTV picture is when the YPrPb component adapter (included in the package) is hooked up (versus the S-Video or Component Video connectors that are normally connected to a regular ‘ol TV, or even an HDTV, for that matter) between MOM and those gorgeous, “huge” HDTV’s. This, BTW I don’t have in the office, just yet? Simply not enough room. ;-}

But, back to business. I most certainly was quite prophetic in the AIW 9700 Pro review 3 years ago, when I wrote: “There is absolutely no way that I can cover all the tremendous attributes, benefits, features and capabilities of this magnificent [combination] graphics display and capture card in the short space allotted for this review; it’s just too BIG for one story [I had originally intended to make this MOM review a 2-Parter, it’s simply that big]. But, if you’ve gotten the basic idea that this is the greatest of them all to this point, then I’ve successfully pointed you in the right direction to research this more completely on your own. Truth be known, I don’t know of anything better out there. Be prepared for consummate [double-entendre here?] joy because, ‘You ain’t seen nothing yet folks!’[For absolutely, positively certain!]”

TV/(PVR)

Here it is! This one feature alone is my all-time absolute MOM favorite. I live with this one playing “my kind of commercial-free music” virtually every minute that I’m sitting here at my computer. The best part? I don’t have to go in and sit in the living room just to listen to my music - I can work and listen at the same time, or even play (if I ever wanted to?). That’s all because I have my “second in-home” Dish Network Satellite Receiver piped directly into MOM through a “regular” TV cable connected directly to the back of the card itself at the “Cable In” connector.

Psst! Come closer! As mentioned above, I’ve got an even better setup than that actually. I have a Swann “4-way input / 1-way output” remote switcher ($35 +/- at Best Buy) outputting directly into MOM through the (supplied) “purple connector” - which is also connected directly to the back of the card itself,” so I can see and/or record anything my little heart desires from any of four (4) different A/V sources (No! Not all at once!).

Note. This was how I was able to manipulate the Ovation PPT shows (See the BCM Archives Jan 2006 Ovation review) being ported over into the AIW 9700 Pro (And, now it’s into MOM). MOM can then show the Ovation PPT out to two (2) entirely different screens - even out to an actual TV (acting as a monitor), if I wanted to. Oh, there’s lot’s, lot’s more fun to be had with MOM, to be sure.

With even a minimal kind of setup, the ALL-IN-WONDER X1900, designed for Windows XP Home, Professional or Media Center Edition, gives any PC “entertainment intelligence” with Personal Video Recording (PVR) capabilities. Actually, you can do it all with the ATI multimedia Center LaunchPad “TV” setting: “Watch,” “Play,” “Pause,” “Record,” and even “Instantly ‘Go-back’ and see and/or hear something again - if you feel like it,” just exactly like any other PVR can do. This is one truly fabulous benefit of MOM. And just think, it’s already self-contained on your PC - where you can “do something with it immediately, if you want to” - rather than having to rely on a device up on top of a TV, somewhere out there in your house? Actually, MOM could be out there too, if you so desired - in place of a Tivo or Satellite/Cable TV PVR! Just think? You can save your favorite shows to your hard drive, burn to DVD, or even share “Stuff” with your portable media devices. It’s really a “Do Everything” companion. So there!

So, “What’s it really all about Alfie?”

Background. MOM is the culmination of a very, very long search, through a large number of products, that would provide me with the perfect A/V Graphic/Capture Card combination (that could work with my, then, ATI AIW 9700 Pro, now MOM) that could display and also capture some of those beautiful image(s) that could be made into a professional-looking presentation video using my all-time favorite Camtasia Studio (now in its version 3 iteration). In my monstrous, dogged, never-ending searching process - which BTW dates all the way back to 2001 and my MGI VideoWave5 review - I ran across Serious Magic’s Ovation (at the January 2006 CES), which takes ordinary M/S PPT’s and makes them jump, dazzle and sparkle. However, as I couldn’t save the Ovation PPTs in .avi format, I naturally had to capture it with the AIW (Note. The AIW, needless to say, is the “KEY” to the whole process.) Therefore, I still needed TechSmith’s Camtasia Studio to add some extremely valuable callouts, other beautification features, bells and whistles, et cetera, et cetera, that Ovation lacks. Of course, it goes without saying, every single one of the above mentioned products I have previously reviewed for you here in these pages of BCM (See BCM Archives for the: December 2001 B/W MGI VideoWave5 review; May 2003 ATI AIW 9700 Pro review; August 2003 Camtasia Studio review; and, Jan 2006 Ovation review at <www.ucs.org>).

Each product, in turn, was a vital improvement on the overall “final,” beautiful, process I was seeking, but each, in their own way, still lacked that something special; that Pizzazz that no one inexpensive commercially available product could actually produce “my ‘utopian’ desired” results for me. At least, something of that desired special output quality, one that could be purchased on the open market - from the perspective of a common every day user’s budget (e.g., my audience). Since I always appear (to some “significant others”) to move in “mysterious ways(?),” march to the beat of a different drummer, and/or am always leaning out over precarious precipices - called the “Bleeding-edge” of technology - one can easily see why I get myself into all those binds I keep writing about here in these reviews? You can see that, can’t you? ;-}

As if they were reading my mind, ATI’s MOM is so very, very close to the final answer to my “Long, Long” search. With their intuitive/well thought out/imaginative addition of Adobe Premiere Elements 2.0 and Adobe Photoshop Elements 4.0 to the “full” package, no one could ask for anything more. Viola!

Except me? As utterly fabulous as MOM is, I’m still left with that one (1) “Personal Preference Need,” repeat “PERSONAL,” small unsolved problem, however. Try as hard as I might, I still cannot easily “one-step capture” that “fantastic moving or still” image that’s showing inside ATI’s “TV/Player/Library display” on the monitor’s screen with anything I’ve tried; neither Full Shot 8, Print Screen, Alt-Print Screen, SnagIt 8 (for Stills), nor Camtasia Studio, etc., (for Video), no matter how hard I’ve tried? Each one leaves a “black area” where the image is supposed to be. This, I’m told is because the MOM image is a “layered image” and nothing to date can capture a Microsoft “Live Layer!” I’m forced to accept that premise for now, but I truly feel I will eventually find such a program that can capture the “WHOLE SCREEN” with “ANY” MOM presentation being but merely a “part” of that full-screen image - NOT SIMPLY, JUST THE ATI TV/PLAYER/LIBRARY IMAGE(S) THEMSELVES ALONE.

This should adequately explain why there is no “Full Screen” capture with something “showing inside” my favorite TV screen. Simply can’t be done - at this time. Said another way, I can capture the beautiful ATI AIW TV image, but not a Full Screen with that image embedded in it.

Truth be known, the self-contained MOM’s “TV” and “Still Image” capturing ability, in realty, does finally complete a very difficult and long journey for me, however, that’s because it contains both the “Perfect” Graphic Card and the “Ideal” Capture Card in a single magnificent PCI Express card. A card I lovingly call, the “ALL-IN-‘WINNING’-(ONE)DER” - to coin a very apropos phrase! Aptly named, the marvelous, ALL-IN-WONDER cards, truly do live up to their name - and then some!

You all know my mantra (MY BY-LINE?) has always been, “Happiness is a working computer.” But now, “Total Ecstasy is a working ATI ALL-IN-WONDER X1900 PCI Express (256 MB) Card inside my PC!” The only way to fly!

My sincere thanks to ATI Technologies, and most especially to those fan-tabulous (fantastic-fabulous contraction), patient Tech Support folks, where I’ve received such incredible, fabulous and invaluable support on all of my incredibly wonderful ATI Graphical products over these past four+ years - lately on my “Most Prized Possession of Them All - the ATI ALL-IN-WONDER(FUL) X1900.” I’ve mightily enjoyed playing “successfully” with my latest prize, I am absolutely, and positively certain all of you will too!

“MOM is most definitely the Keeper, of all Keepers - so far!” I say, “So far,” because I don’t know how ATI’s kept me literally in a constant “Ga! Ga!” state for over four (4) years now? But, I somehow suspect, and expect they will for many more years to come? “Ooou-Rah!” Go Canada! Ciao!

Index


ProShow Gold 2.6
Create Amazing DVD - PC - Web Slide Shows


Reviewed by David L. Hunter
Manufacturer:

Photodex Corporation
925 Westbrook Drive
Austin , TX 78746 USA
Phone: (512) 419-7000
Web Site: http://www.photodex.com
Customer Support:
Phone: (800) 37-PHOTO (800-377-4686)
FAX: (512) 452-6825
Contact: http://www.photodex.com/support/
Hours: 8:30 A.M to 5:00 P.M (CST) Monday - Friday
Pricing:
ProShow Gold 2.6 Download: $69.95 / Boxed & Download: $79.95 / Upgrade from: $44.95
ProShow $29.95
(Both versions are electronic delivery and available as a 15-Day free trial)
Minimum System Requirements:
Microsoft® Windows ® XP/2000/Me/98/95
Pentium® CPU, or better
128 MB memory
CD-R/RW for CD output
DVD-R/RW or DVD+R/RW for DVD output
800 x 600 hi-color or 24-bit, or better, display
50 MB hard drive space for installation

Introduction

Photodex has managed to make a great program even better with its latest release, ProShow Gold 2.6. ProShow Gold 2.0 was reviewed in the Blue Chips Magazine, May 2004, and version 2.5 was reviewed in April 2005 (See the reviews in the BCM Archives at <www.ucs.org >).

There are plenty of new features that will excite and inspire your creativity in version 2.6. Don is caught checking out some of the new ProShow materials. Let’s get right to it!

Features

1 New! Transparency support for PSD, PNG, TIFF and GIF. Incorporate the effects of transparency into your slides. ProShow Gold 2.6 supports transparency for PSD, PNG, TIFF and GIF files. ProShow Gold 2.6 will read the transparency information in a file and render the images so the transparent pixels can be seen through.

2 New! Enhanced adjustment options. You can now correct and enhance your images and backgrounds with two new handy tools: Sharpen and Contrast.

3 New! Control the outline color for images in slides. Choose from any color on the color wheel to change the outline color on an image.

4 New! You can now set custom captions, edit menu audio, and adjust images and backgrounds.

5 New! Save a customized menu. Once you have created a customized menu for your slide show, you can save and store the menu for use in a future project. Just load a saved menu for your show and you’re done!

6 New! Audio Trimmer. The audio trimmer makes it easy to trim your audio tracks down to just the part you want to include in your show. A window displays a waveform that allows you to set the starting point, ending point, and fades for the audio.

7 New! Video Trimmer. The video trimmer lets you trim a video clip to a desired length. The trimmer provides accuracy down to the frame and lets you preview exactly what your clip will look like.

8 New! Dual Layer Media Support ProShow Gold 2.6 allows you to create shows twice as long with its new dual layer media and drive support.

9 New! Caption Effects Preview. The caption effects preview lets you preview and select effects for your captions. This window displays a list of all available effects and previews each effect in the list.

10 New! Insert Macro Tool. The text macro tool lets you select special characters (such as the copyright symbol), add file information or EXIF data.

Here’s a re-cap of the full feature set in ProShow

11 Set and change slide times in the Slide Options window.

12 Specify default timings and transitions in the Preferences window.

13 Configure and launch external editors for photos, music and video.

14 Set slide duration to a video clips’ length with one click.

15 Access file properties and meta-data information from the Slide Options window.

16 Save and load custom window layouts for ProShow’s main window.

17 One-click option to copy start to end positioning for motion effects.

18 Easily Add Content and Customize Slides

19 Easily drag and drop content into a show

20 Use photos, video clips, and music

21 Visually trim and edit video clips

22 Support for over 100 file types

23 Set custom timing for each slide

24 Easily modify many slides at once

25 Transparency support for PSD, PNG, TIFF and GIF

26 Use linear slide list or 2D light box for sorting

27 One-click auto-correct for your photos

28 Ken Burns style motion effects with pan and zoom

29 Over 280 quality transitions

30 Control timing for each transition

31 Pan photos, including panoramic

32 Zoom photos to any size

33 Rotate photos to any angle

34 Options composition lines for perfect alignment

35 Precise control over motion

36 Set start time for motion on slides

37 Set acceleration styles for panning

38 Control volume of audio

39 Crop and fade in and out of audio

40 View sound wave form of audio

41 Add sounds to any individual slide

42 Import music from any audio CD

43 Automatically time your slides and music

44 Record voice-overs

45 Unlimited Undo and Redo

46 Preview real-time as you work, full screen

47 Automatic show backup and recovery keeps work safe

48 Collect show files to any folder, CD or DVD for archiving

49 Fully integrated tools minimize back and forth between programs

50 Dual layer drive and media support

51 Enhanced menuing for DVDs and PC playback

52 Highest speed, highest quality video creation

53 Include multiple shows on one disc or executable

54 Add your own custom introduction show

55 Set title and thumbnail for each show used in menus

56 Combine both TV and PC playback on one disc.

57 Fastest video rendering time in the industry

58 Fully integrated DVD authoring

59 Fully customizable menus

60 Output to CD in a variety of formats

61 Create both VCD still shows and VCD video shows

62 Burn multiple copies of DVDs and VCDs

63 Anti-flicker filtering reduces flickering of video output

64 Supports NTSC and PAL standards

65 Create online shows

66 Publish streaming shows to a website

67 Easily integrates into any website with little HTML

68 ProShow web format provides better quality than Flash

69 Share shows for free at Photodex.com

70 Create standard MPEG 1 and MPEG 2 video files

71 Control video format and rendering options

72 Use ProShow videos in other applications

73 Build fully self-contained slide show executables

74 PC executables include familiar DVD-style menus

75 No additional software required for playback

76 Create auto-play CDs

77 Play a show on any PC with no installation

78 Fully integrated creation and burning

That should give you enough tools to create some killer slideshows?

Getting Started and using

ProShow Gold

ProShow installs quickly, and easily, as a Demo Program. Upon purchase, A KEY will be furnished to you which unlocks the program, removing the 15-day trial period limitation.

ProShow starts with its main working user interface, overlaid with a Tip of the day. Once you have a handle on the tips, they can be turned off. The user interface is quite self-explanatory. With some exploration, your first slideshow comes together PDQ.

Menu Bar and Tool Icons are at the top of the screen. On the left side is a directory navigation window and a graphic image display window from which the user selects graphics contained in the selected directory. Clicking on any graphic displays it in the Preview window on the right.

At the bottom of the screen there are two “Drag and Drop” zones which the user populates in the process of building a slide show. These zones are labeled “Drop photo or video here - Slide”, and “Soundtrack - Drop background songs here.” In just a few clicks you can place images into slide positions, and drop on some background music, and hit the play icon. Instant slide show. Of course you would not want to stop there as the fine tuning of your presentation is what makes it a production to be proud of.

Notice the small box which appears between each slide image. This denotes the type of dissolve which will occur as the slide changes at this point. Each change-over can be a different treatment if you wish. There is an input box below the dissolve indicator button which sets the amount of time, in seconds, that is involved in the transition process. Selecting all or some of the slides in your show, then changing one of the time boxes, or the dissolve type, will set all of the selected slides. Fast and efficient.

A few minutes experimenting will get you in the slide-show producing business. It is easy and intuitive to work within the interface. After the first few slides have been added to your new slide show, additional sophistication is only a matter of exploring the menus. The Help file will get you squared away when your own wanderings fail you. After your first show is under your belt, the progress on additional shows is very rewarding, and their sophistication will be a result of your dedication to seeking out what tools are available in ProShow Gold - and your ability to use them effectively. All it takes is practice and creative programs like this make you look good.

Transitions

Clicking on the Dissolve button will pop up the Transitions screen. You can see that there are many dissolve types to choose from. As you click on one of the “type” possibilities, you can see the results demonstrated on the preview image in the lower left hand corner of the window. I liked the “Most Recently Used” line of choices on the bottom of the screen. When you have your dissolves selected that you want to use, it is easier to pick them from here, than from the body of choices, where you could easily forget where it was located due to the many variations.

Slide Options - Motion

and Effects

This function is a lot of fun. The Motion and Effects window is opened by double clicking on any slide you have in your slide show. This screen allows you to pan, zoom, and rotate a photo while it is displayed on the screen during playback of your slide show. This dynamic is not completely appreciated until you have worked with it a bit, and viewed the results. With music added to the background, some appropriate fades, and good original photographs that have been animated with the Motion and Effects capabilities of ProShow Gold, the results are greater than the sum of its parts. In getting to learn the program for this review, six different slideshows were created, using over 700 photographs, and music from a number of CD’s I had on hand. The music was converted into mp3 files, then drug and dropped into the slide show. ProShow has some slick features to match the music and slide show lengths.

When you have the music you need, and the pictures in the order you want, with the on-screen times set, and the fade properties selected, you can see how close the time lines for the visual and audio portions of your slide show match. The music or sound track timelines can both be worked with to make the time lines as close as possible.

You can edit each selection of audio to tighten up the beginning and ending gaps that may be present in the original file. Fade-in and fade-outs can be created and only use a portion of an audio file if you really need to clip the sound track down. The new Audio Trimmer is a great resource. I only used the fade-ins and fade outs, and clipped off any gaps at the beginning or end of each musical section, so that there were no dead air gaps between selections during the slideshow’s playback. It is disturbing to see your slides display and your neat fades moving along accompanied by silence as your music passes over any dead time between musical pieces. If you want to get real radical with your sound track, you can use just a section of the piece. You use “Start Here” and “End Here” flags that are superimposed on a graphical display of the sound selection.

The length of the slide timeline is affected by the time each slide is shown on screen. This can be done by hand, or you can let ProShow do it for you using the Video Trimmer and /or the Sync Show to Audio routine. The entire slideshow will be evaluated and the times of all of the slides will be adjusted to bring the two timelines into sync. It is very satisfying to see the last slide and hear the music end at the same time. You can see that once you have all of your elements together, getting the music right is the first operation to complete, then the image portion is adjusted to match the sound. It works very well, and the results are outstanding.

Three of the slideshows I put together to test out ProShow were given to other people for evaluation, and they were amazed by the quality of the presentations. Two of the three reviewers are buying ProShow Gold and are working on presentations of their own.

Input and Output and Formats

There are too many input image and sound file formats to name. (Over 100 file types). Some of them are, AVI, BMP, GIF, ICO, JPG, MAC, MOV, MP3, MPEG, MPG, PCC, PDD, PPM, PSD, PSP, RGB, SUN, TAR, TGA, TIF, WAV, WIN, WMA, and many, many more. That gives you a lot to work with.

When you have your show put together, you have some choices to make. ProShow will write to a wide range of Media. DVD video disc, VCD video disc, SVCD video disc, XVCD video disc, CVD video disc, MiniDVD video disc, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW, DVD-R, and DBD-RW.

File formats are versatile and varied. They include Windows executable applications, Windows Screen Savers, MPEG-1 and -2 video files, CD/DVD image files, Video CD cur/bin image files, and Streaming web shows. I was very impressed with the quality and clarity of the Windows executable files.

When creating your output files, there are options as to how far you want to take your presentation, quality wise. If you go all the way, which I did, giving the presentation the best of all options of image and sound quality, you get what you ask for. However, I found that running a Windows Executable file from a CD was risky. It can be done if you select a more conservative set of quality settings in your recording options, but if you go for the moon, you may find you have to copy the file off of the CD onto your Hard Drive, and run it from there. A number of folks that I gave presentation evaluation copies of my slideshows to, could not run them from the CD’s. The shows jumped around, were jerky and would lock-up and stop. It all depends on the quality of the CD player on your computer, and your systems hardware capabilities. My system would do pretty good on CD executables until I made a show with the largest display size for the images. Then things bogged down.

Note. If this is your problem, you can check to see which DVD and CD writers have been tested with the latest version of ProShow Gold 2.6 at <http://www.photodex.com/support/>.

However, running the presentation(s) from the Hard Drive was flawless.

I created a DVD VOB file. That creation process is very slow and appears to be recording in real time. I found the quality to not be as good as the Windows Executable files, which are created very fast. It all depends on the final use of the slideshow. Viewers don’t care how good the executable files are if they don’t have a computer to run them on. Most folks do have a DVD player. Of course, I’m an admitted newbie to PhotoShow and with some judicious use of set up options, the various output scenarios can be messaged to produce better output than I did. I see lots of slideshows in my future to gain further knowledge about the inner workings of ProShow. An exciting prospect.

Conclusion.

I found ProShow Gold to be a delight to work with. Its features are varied and work well. You can be proud of the results of your efforts. Download the program from <http://www.photodex.com> and check it out for yourself. Find out first hand how ProShow can make your images stand out and be shown in their best light. Viewers of your work will appreciate it, and they will have no idea how easy and fast it was for you to create. Who knows, you may have fun along the way, but don’t tell anybody.

Now, dust off those old picture directories, get out there and take lots of new pictures, and put together some eye candy of your own with ProShow Gold.

Index


Spy Sweeper 4.5
Get Serious! Stop Spyware Attacks NOW!


Reviewed by Don Nendell

Manufacturer:
Webroot Software, Inc.
P.O. Box 19816
2560 55th Street
Boulder , Colorado 80308-2816 USA
Outside the USA +1 (303) 442.3823
Web Site: <http://www.webroot.com>
E-mail Tech Support: <http://www.webroot.com/support>
Support & Sales
Ph: Toll Free (800) 772-9383
FAX: (303) 442.3846
“Free to Try” “$29.95 to Buy” (Includes one-year of updates and “Free” support)
(FYI Kim Komando will give you 2-years of protection for the price of one. Goto < http://www.webroot.com/land/komando.php?rc=1612>)
Minimum System Requirements:
Windows 98SE, 2K, ME or XP (Home or Pro)
300 MHz Processor
25 MB Hard Drive Space
Supports Internet Explorer
Webroot Resources
Advanced Technology Development Center
1200 Villa Street
Mountain View , CA 94041 USA

Webroot Products

The Webroot family of security software is internationally recognized for excellence, ease of use and value

Spyware Information Center

Get the latest information on subjects like: Spyware 101, Anti-spyware Software, Spyware infection, Spyware Defined, Spyware Removal, Spyware Protection, SPAM Connection, Pop-up Link, Reporting Malware Infections, and What is Adware? It’s all FREE, and now there’s no reason to remain out in the cold on this “Tragically Critical Subject!”

Research & development

Webroot is committed to being the leader in online threat research and mitigation through Phileas and the Threat Research Center

Introduction

Back in early 2005 I began my very enthusiastic research and review of Webroot’s Spy Sweeper 4.0 (See the July 2005 UBC Magazine Archives at <www.ucs.org>) with this quote of mine: “Some Opening ‘Eye-Opening’ Thoughts on the Subject [of Spyware]. Almost everyone has anti-virus and anti-spyware software installed on their PC, network and ISP, or they definitely should. Shame [double shame] on anyone, if they haven’t! Regardless, malicious software, viruses, spyware and hacker attempts continue to slip through all too easily. Why? Why indeed!

“This month through the auspices of Webroot, and their [brand new, free download, and a “MUST SEE”] STATE OF SPYWARE [2005: The Year in Review] report to the world, I will share with you their phenomenally accurate, and timely, answer to my above proposed question: ‘Why indeed!’ I strongly suggest you get, ‘and share with everyone,’ your own FREE copy of this fabulous, eye-opening … exposé immediately, if not sooner. You can get it by going to <http://www.webroot.com/resources/stateofspyware/excerpt.html>. It is chocked full of startling facts of the - all-to-soon to reach your computer - up and coming invasion and full-blown epidemic (my words) of insidious Spyware. A great many of those facts I share with you herein, and now.”

Let me see? Somewhere deep down inside the recesses (all those piles) of all my security R&D periodicals, magazines, white papers, news group alerts, et cetera, et cetera, I ran across a very apropos cliché: “If you build it, they will come. No, not baseball players - the malicious software writers.” These bad guys are doing this, not for fun any longer, but now it’s for the M - O - N - E - Y! Their malware writing efforts might have been scary before, but they’re absolutely downright terrifying now. As if on cue, the Panda Platinum 2005 Anti-virus “warning flag” just popped and informed me that there are 112,539 viruses recognized (and growing rapidly) out there in the “wild” right now. The same kinds of - and quantities of - scary facts exist on, and apply equally to Spyware, with in excess of 132,745 Spyware Fingerprints (and growing rapidly, as well), being the operative figure, I last saw. The two (2) concepts (virus and spyware) are somewhat similar in nature, but are in reality quite different in what they are trying to do to you and/or your PC; and each requires a different defense against its own particular type of attack. That’s where Webroot really comes into play.

History Update

My first encounter with the wonderful folks of Webroot was at the Networld + Interop 2005 ShowStoppers Media event, and boy, I’ve certainly been thankful ever since that chance encounter. I sincerely hope my subsequent efforts - through these reviews and personal contacts - to introduce you to them, has been equally as fruitful and personally as rewarding. Bottom line. A good education coupled with each individual’s defensive and/or proactive actions is the only viable solution to these insidious and dangerous PC infections. By now, you’re all pretty well aware that my own personal interest goes much further in depth - all the way to the root of the whole spyware mess, I truly believe - ID Theft. But, more on that later.

Today, I want to quickly alert you to the newest version of Spy Sweeper, Webroot’s brand-new version 4.5 - out and available on the counters of CompUSA, Best Buy, et cetera, as we speak. Matter of fact two (2) of the Weekend Newspaper Ads came out during the time I was writing this review - March 18 & 29, 2006 coincidently enough - and Lo! Spy Sweeper 4.5 can actually be obtained FREE! FREE! FREE! at CompUSA (Ad #333930). The ad read: “$29.99 - $10 Instant Savings - $20 Mail-in Rebate.” Do keep checking those great ads; the savings are there to be found. “Such a Country!”

A Few Facts About Spyware:

1) Spyware programs can be easily installed on your computer without your knowledge; 2) Spyware can result in identity theft, data corruption, personal profiling, and more; 3) Your computer can get spyware when you download files, view an unsolicited e-mail, visit Web pages that activate a ‘drive-by download,’ or via other means; 4) 90% of Internet-connected computers are infected with Spyware (The average continues to hover at 25 “Instances of Spyware per infected PC in the Consumer Market. See the graphic); and, 5) You can easily remove spyware from your computer with Spy Sweeper, Webroot’s award-winning spyware protection tool.

By now, we need a clear definition of what we mean by “spyware” because, the term spyware has been broken up into as many as four (4) broad categories: System Monitors, Trojan Horses, Adware and Cookies. Webroot obligingly defines spyware thusly:

“. . . The definition of spyware is all programs installing themselves onto a user’s computer by stealth, subterfuge, and/or social engineering [or phishing] and whose purpose is to redirect a user’s activities or record those activities in a way that reduces a user’s privacy, protection or peace of mind. Adware is often labeled as a subcategory of spyware, mainly due to the overt ways that adware vendors initially used to install their software on end user’s machines with little regard for the user.”

Note. Adware alone has been turned into a $2B+ industry, and it’s growing at an alarming pace!

Waging War Against Spyware with Phileas and the Threat Research Center

Developed to automate the search and discovery of new spyware, Phileas, named after the character Phileas Fogg from the Jules Verne classic, “Around the World in 80 Days,” consists of dozens of servers arrayed in a data center. Each server hosts (one or more) “bots” that scour the Web for Web sites that contain spyware. The bots search each site, revealing pages with characteristics of exploits or suspicious application code. Innovative, pattern-matching technologies allow Phileas to identify known and unknown exploits, plus any changes to existing spyware variants. New URL targets identified by Phileas are sent to Webroot for processing and evaluation. The Webroot Research Team then goes to work to create, and extensively test definitions to defeat these new variants, before releasing them to Spy Sweeper users like us.

Caveat. Does any of the above sound even vaguely familiar to any of you out there?

So, What Can Happen Without Spy Sweeper?

A whole host of things, not the least: Persistent and numerous pop-up ads; Unexplained changes to homepage settings; Sluggish PC performance; Frequent computer crashes; Exposure of private information, user names and/or passwords; Identity theft; et al. The most pernicious of them all simply has to be the keystroke loggers, which capture your passwords, and other personal data including credit card data, social security numbers, account numbers - harbingers harvested for the sole purpose of perpetuating Identity Theft - and more, as you type them, and then send them off to criminals elsewhere for their dastardly “personal” attacks.

Note. FYI as attacks become more aggressive with the passage of time, anti-spyware programs themselves, as well as, other detection programs are becoming common targets. And, coincidently enough(?), as if on cue - and as a very “timely” bit of advice - please be advised that, in a very recent Webroot news release (dated 3-15-06), “WEBROOT SOFTWARE ADVISES INTERNET USERS TO DEPLOY BEST OF BREED SPYWARE PROTECTION DURING TAX SEASON: [The] Dramatic Rise in Keylogging Software Places Internet Users at Increased Risk to Spyware Infection During 2005 Tax Season.”

So, just exactly what are you going to do to stop this onslaught of big-time trouble headed your way? My advice? Update to Spy Sweeper 4.5 immediately and get the peace of mind that you have the best anti-spyware available. And, here’s why?

Introducing Webroot

Spy Sweeper

Spy Sweeper is an award-winning software program that provides consumers with comprehensive protection from the most powerful and elusive forms of spyware on the Internet today. The latest release of Spy Sweeper offers a number of new features and enhancements that significantly improve protection and ease-of-use.

Recall back in Spy Sweeper 4.0, that’s where we gained: 1) An enhanced scan engine for sweeps that are up to 4-times faster; 2) Automated definition downloads for better protection; 3) Improved scheduling features for greater flexibility; and, 4) New Smart Shields for increased blocking protection.

New in Spy Sweeper 4.5

For starters, Webroot gives us the top five (5) reasons to update to the new Spy Sweeper version 4.5 right now as:

1. Comprehensive Removal Technology. Spy Sweeper has developed a new and enhanced (advanced) underlying detection and removal technology that finds and completely eradicates even the most sophisticated and difficult-to-remove spyware programs, for instance, 2nd-thought, Elite Keylogger, iSearchDesktop, Trojan-Backdoor-Haxdoor, Commonname, et al.;

2. Zero-Day, Real-Time Smart Shields. There are four (4) new Smart Shields - 16 all told - which prevent infections by stopping spyware before it has a chance to break into your PC. They are: a) ActiveX Shield which blocks potential spyware threats that use ActiveX components to disguise their installation, including unidentified zero-day threats; b) Spy Communication Shield which prevents further spyware infection by blocking incoming and outgoing communication to Web sites known to host potential spyware threats; c) BHO Shield which blocks the installation of Browser Helper Objects (BHOs). BHOs are small programs that run automatically every time you open your Internet browser, can track activity, and install a toolbar or add-on without your consent; and, d) IE Security Shield which prevents spyware from adding Web site entries to Internet Explorer security settings - which can lead to unwanted downloads and put your personal data at risk;

3. Protection from Rootkit Threats. Spy Sweeper has added a new “rootkit” defense technology. Some of the most malicious spyware threats today, such as keyloggers, use rootkit methods that bury and hide spyware files deep within the PC. Spy Sweeper can reveal these spyware programs and traces during a regular full system sweep;

4. Adaptive Definition Technology. Coupled with better spyware blocking power and the ability to automatically update your definitions - meaning you’re protected from the latest threats without ever having to think about it - Spy Sweeper has improved its research database to discover new variants of spyware when an exact definition is not yet available to protect against rapidly mutating spyware programs; and,

5. That Added Personal Touch. A new, even easier-to-use GUI interface that lets you easily configure Spy Sweeper settings, quickly view “Sweep” results, report Spyware infection, as well as, spy defense updates, subscription status, and lots more. Plus, Spy Sweeper has superior coverage for all users on a single PC, such as, if your children or spouse use different accounts on Windows XP.

How-Some-Ever

However, there’s no way I could just point you in the right direction for the best anti-spyware defensive products, like the great Spy Sweeper 4.5, and just leave it at that? Oh! No! You all know me by now? I’ve yet to get up on my soapbox, with my white hat waving wildly, and share with you a lot more information which is designed to protect all of you. It’s my moral duty, I feel. ;-}

And, it’s also partly because; I’m not fully convinced you’re taking my word for all this yet? Maybe quoting some testimonials and listing a few of the numerous Spy Sweeper awards here, plus sharing a “few cold hard spyware facts” with you, could help influence your decision, right about now?

1) “Spy Sweeper [4.5] is the best choice for protecting yourself and your PC from spyware.” - Kim Komando, Noted Radio host

2) Spy Sweeper has received its fifth PC Magazine Editors’ Choice award. PC Magazine’s Neil Rubenking, in a recent review, calls Spy Sweeper 4.5, “The most powerful antispyware tool we’ve seen yet . . . [and it’s] the best antispyware tool we’ve tested.”

(Note. I’ll not re-invent the wheel here. Let the real pros show you “How To Play With Spy Sweeper?” See first hand a great 19-slide presentation of an actual Spy Sweeper 4.5 installation by visiting pcmag.com at: <http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1879983,00.asp>

3) PC World (www.pcworld.com), SC magazine (www.scawards.com), PC Magazine (www.pcmagazine.com), Business Computing, IT Week Labs, plus many other prestigious institutions (Award Winning Software, Top Ten Reviews, Smart Mag, et cetera) have also given top marks to Webroot Software’s Spy Sweeper.

Why Not Investigate

Spy Sweeper Yourself!

After quickly and effortlessly loading my award-winning copy of Spy Sweeper 4.5, let’s live dangerously and see what’s out there in the cruel, cruel world of spyware! I’m still singing my same tune from the Spy Sweeper 4.0 review: “A Surf’en we will go! A Surf’en we will go! Hi Ho, a Dairio, a Surf’en we go!” While out on Webroot’s web site you will find “Spy Audit.” For a “Free” scan of your PC, simply click on the link: “Quickly scan your PC for spyware – Repeat, It’s free!”

Note. This is a good 1st step toward ultimate PC protection.

How Spy Audit on The Webroot Web Site Works

At no cost or obligation to you, Spy Audit will scan your system registry and hard drive space for thousands of known spyware programs. Spy Audit will show you what spyware is actually on your system. Rest easy, it will “not remove or modify any files,” and Spy Audit will take only seconds to run.

Note. Webroot Software respects your privacy - after all, that’s their business. They say, “Running Spy Audit will not add cookies or harm your computer in any way.”

By now, you should be ready to try Spy Sweeper 4.5? Go to their web site and download the latest version. Besides, it’s “Free to Try,” “Easy to buy!” What’s there to lose, except maybe everything, if you don’t? DO IT RIGHT NOW, WHILE YOU’RE STILL THINKING ABOUT IT! OK?

Eye-Opening Time - Back to the Future!

Very seriously, my friends, at this time, rather than repeating what has already been voluminously, and very seriously, written about, I’d like to very respectfully refer you once again to my very first Spy Sweeper 4.0 review (See the July 2005 UBC Magazine Archives at <www.ucs.org>). Therein I reported on my very first eye-popping glimpse (installment) of Webroot’s STATE OF SPYWARE: Q1 2005 Report (SOS). That specific review contains some very important extractions from a report, not repeated elsewhere, which is a concise, hard-hitting, eye-opening, in-depth review and analysis of the impact of spyware, adware and unwanted software on consumers and corporations.

FYI One such extracted fact went like this: “In the late winter and early spring of 2004 . . . spyware had officially arrived. . . . By year’s end, we knew that 90% of consumer computers had some form of spyware. . . . Rest assured that, if 2004 was the year we discovered spyware, then in 2005 we are going to find out how hard it is to beat. But we can also be sure that the more we all know[,] the better equipped we are to fight [what] we know we have ahead of us.”

Which quite naturally leads us to probably one of the most startling of facts extracted from the STATE OF SPYWARE 2005: The Year in Review report: “2005 was the worst year for spyware - and the best year for cyber criminals - ever.” Also, alarmingly, according to the report, “The spyware problem is growing into a global pandemic and infection rates for the most malicious types of spyware are continuing to increase; further illustrating the magnitude of potential risk posed by spyware for both enterprises and consumers.”

Pssst! Am I getting through to any of you yet?

So, What’s It All About Alfie?

To quickly recap Spy Sweeper 4.5. The basic benefits are: 1) Spy Sweeper safeguards your identity and restores system performance through fast, smart and powerful anti-spyware protection; 2) Comprehensive sweeps eliminate spyware in minutes; 3) Smart shields conveniently block spyware before it installs on your PC; 4) A one-of-a-kind research system uncovers spyware threats faster for better protection; 5) Unparalleled protection with the most frequently updated threat database; and, 6) “Free to Try,” with one-year of updates and “Free” technical support (if you buy it?), backed by a 30-day satisfaction guarantee, with no questions asked.

In Conclusion

Having personally been very graphically shown that, just as all Virus protection programs do not eliminate every known virus infection - some do get through the net - so it seems, the parallel runs equally true with Spyware programs. I vividly recall writing just last year: “Ever so confident that I was completely protected with my precious Panda Platinum 2005 Internet Security Suite, I got a very rude shock when I saw that some adware infection was still in there, even up until I upgraded Spy Sweeper to the new 4.0 [now 4.5] version. . . . I can truthfully share with you, ‘Am I ever glad I have both programs on . . . all my other (test) computers in my home too’!”

Update. Geez! Spy Sweeper 4.5 still found and eradicated seven (7) Items and eight (8) Traces (cookies) after I had left my computer completely “Off” for almost a week (“No Sweep” could be performed during that time), while I was attending the Novell World BrainShare 2006 Conference just this past week. ;-}

Caveat. I am duty bound, yet again, to say here that, for me, the verdict (and complete trust?) is still out on the Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool, but since it is still “Free(?)”, the more the merrier, I’m inclined to feel? Yes, Spy Sweeper 4.5 may cost a pittance, or it may still keep turning up being “Free,” but it is a known, proven, and trustworthy utility. Then again, “We’ll certainly see, won’t we?”

Once again, with my “white” hat in hand, I can only give many heartfelt thanks to Webroot for a true “spyware eye-opening education,” and for my “Superb PC spyware protection with Spy Sweeper 4.5.” I can only sincerely hope this review will be seen - and be taken seriously to heart - by many other such fortunate readers.

I strongly advise all of you to, “Get your copy of Spy Sweeper 4.5, RIGHT NOW! It’s literally your (and your PC’s) life preserver!”

Ciao!

Index


Compiled by Stuart Gygi

March 8, 2006

Convened at 7:06 pm by Rick Gregory.

Instructions were given for voting for 5 board members for the next two years, and ballots were handed out.

Open access

There was some discussion of Totally Awesome Computers closing. Some other dealers, including PC Laptops and Star West have said they will honor Totally Awesome’s lifetime warranty.

Someone asked about free anti-virus programs. The suggestions were AVG Free, AVAST! And ANTIVIR

Practice Safe Computing

The presentation was given by Frank Herriott. The title was “Practice Safe Computing, How to Prepare Your New Computer to Connect Safely to the Internet.” The goal of the presentation was to prepare people to safely connect a new computer to the Internet, while minimizing the problems of setting up a system. Although the emphasis was on a new computer, the method outlined could be used on a system being rebuilt or when a new operating system is being installed. The assumption is that you are starting with a system free of any malware, viruses, adware, spyware, etc.

An unprotected computer can be targeted within minutes of connecting to the Internet. According to a research report by Sophos, July, 2005, there is a 50% chance that an unprotected computer will be infected with malicious software within 12 minutes of connecting to the Internet. This time has been decreasing steadily. Frank personally experienced such an intrusion in October 2005 in less than 1 minute.

Frank outlined 10 steps that will make your experience much safer.

1. Make a starter CD-ROM or other removable media. A network install is more complicated. Include install versions of the following programs,

The latest version of your firewallThe latest versions of your antivirus and any other security software such as Adaware, Spybot Search and Destroy, Spyware Guard, Spyware Blaster, etc. You can run several to improve your protection.

Driver updates for video cards, NICs, audio, printers, scanners, etc. If updates are downloaded, do it through another known clean system. Also, make sure they work properly before copying to the CD. Postpone your first visit to the Internet until this is done.

2. Remove any promotional applications that came with your new system, such as AOL, Earthlink, an anti-virus program, trial versions of Money or Quickbooks. These apps typically want to register you on the Internet which you are not ready to do.

3. Install Antivirus software.

Load the latest version from your CD-ROM. Typically, it will contain the most recent signature files. Install any other anti-malware software you have put on the CD.

4. Install a software firewall. At a minimum, turn on the XP firewall. This only protects against inbound traffic.Better, run a fully featured software firewall such as Zone Alarm.

Better still, run a hardware and software firewall. There are external firewalls available, or your broadband router can usually serve as hardware firewall.

5. Install peripherals

Install printers with latest drivers

Install other peripherals

When you connect to Windows update, it can check for the latest versions of drivers.

6. Administrator account password. Secure the administrator account with a unique password. Should have a minimum 6-8 characters with a mix of

6 Upper case

7 Lower case

8 Numbers

9 Special characters:

10 `~!@#$%^&*()_+-=[}{]|:”;’<>,./

. Never use a blank password nor a word from the dictionary.

7. User account with password

Don’t routinely login using the Administrative Account.

Use a different password than the administrator.

Don’t use any word found in a dictionary.

Use a phrase that means something to you – e.g., mybossisajerk

11 Combine this with special characters recommended previously

12 e.g. my1Boss is$4Jerk. This is a very secure password.

If you need to use an administrative account to install some software, go to the administrative account assign administrative privileges to the user account, install software in the user account, and then remove administrative privileges.

8. Stop un-needed services for security and performance purposes

13. Use task manager and select the processes tab to see what is running. You probably won’t recognize most of them.

14. Use Google to find information on the process name to see if you need it. Look at several results from Google. Some may be misinformed. The Microsoft site can provide information on their processes.

15. Examples: Web servers, Messenger, debuggers.

16. Some are often targeted by the bad guys.

17. Prevent from starting up by changing its automatic start to a manual start.

18. Do a custom install of software and see if you can determine there is something you know you don’t want.

9. Establish a System Restore Point (XP only)

19 This can be found by go to Start > Help and Support > Undo Changes …

20 The wizard will guide you in setting up a restore point a restoring from one.

21 Establish a fallback point where you know the system was clean.

22 Don’t allow automatic restore points. XP defaults to establishing frequent restore points. Allowing this will fill up your restore point area and you will lose you fallback point after some time. 23

10. Install a router

It is a bad practice a directly connect to the internet. This exposes your primary IP address to the world.

A router can screen your traffic based on rules you establish.

Use should also use NAT (Network Address Translation). This uses a pool of private IP addresses between the router and your PC. These addresses are not allowed on the Internet and no one can access your PC using one of these addresses.

Always use the Ethernet connection to the router. The USB port bypasses the router function.

Filter traffic to either allow or exclude traffic by IP address, IP port, URL, MAC address, program type.

Next Steps of Action

. Connect to the Internet – your 12 minutes have begun!

First! Go directly to Windows Update and get all the latest updates from Microsoft.

Also update your router firmware.

Next – Update your anti-virus and anti-spyware programs over the Internet.

Update these files no less than weekly. Use the automatic update feature if provided.

Credit

TechRepulic article, “Ten things you should do to a new PC before connecting it to the Internet” by Mark W. Kaelin, Sep 29, 2005. Go to www.techrepublic.com. Registration is required.

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