Date: April 2nd, 2008

Author: Greg Shultz

When you double-click the My Computer icon in Windows XP, you see a list of all the drives on your hard disk. However, when you launch Windows Explorer, it displays the contents of My Documents in the right panel. If you like the way that the My Computer view displays all the disk drives when you first launch it, but prefer the Windows Explorer view, here’s how you can get the best of both views.

Using the /Select switch with C:\ as the object causes Windows Explorer open a My Computer view of your system. Now, when you select your new shortcut, your window will look more like the My Computer view.

By Michael Levenson, Globe Staff  |  April 4, 2008

Boston University students have won what one lawyer hailed as a "David and Goliath" victory after challenging one of the recording industry's most aggressive tactics: lawsuits targeting people who illegally download music.

US District Judge Nancy Gertner ruled this week that the university cannot turn over the names of students to several major record companies that sued for the information until she can do a more in-depth review. The ruling, for the moment, quashes the companies' efforts to hold the students liable for copyright infringement, which could have resulted in thousands of dollars in fines. Lawyers who supported the students said the decision would make it harder for record companies to win some 20,000 similar cases they have brought nationwide.

"This is definitely a step in the right direction," said Raymond Sayeg, a Boston lawyer who represented one of the four BU students who challenged the record companies. "The court has recognized the right of privacy of the students."

Sayeg compared the victory to that of David over the giant Goliath in the Bible.

"You have on the one hand maybe 30 to 40 of the largest record companies in the country, and they're singling out students at institutions of higher education. So it's a real mismatch."

The decision adds a layer of protection for the thousands of people, many of them students, sued by the Recording Industry Association of America, according to Fred von Lohmann, staff attorney at the San Francisco-based Electronic Frontier Foundation, which filed a brief in support of the BU students.

"It does not mean the end of the issue," von Lohmann said. "It is not going to slow down the RIAA litigation machine, and they'll continue to sue hundreds a month all over the country. But the judge said they have more work to do if they want to prove these cases."

Undaunted, the record company organization said it would press ahead with the lawsuit.

"It's important to note that the decision is not final," said Jonathan Lamy, the organization's senior vice president of communications. "The court has put forth a specific process to address its concerns before the relevant information is transferred to us. We're confident that the court will ultimately allow us to obtain the [names], as have courts across the country in similar cases."

File-sharing exploded in popularity in the late 1990s with the advent of Napster, which allowed people to swap songs from one computer to another. A series of lawsuits by record companies killed the service in 2001 but spawned a host of imitators, such natural viagra alternative as Kazaa and Limewire. In 2003 the recording industry began to attack those services – by going after their users. The industry filed 35,000 lawsuits to stop illegal music downloading through the programs, which it blamed for billions of dollars in lost sales.

Only one of the cases has gone to trial, perhaps because defendants are cognizant that they could be ordered to pay up to $150,000 per illegally downloaded song. Most of the cases have ended in settlements of $3,000 to $4,000. Federal law forbids downloading copyrighted music without the permission of the copyright owner, although there are some limited exceptions for some educational and research uses.

"We try and settle these cases in an amount that communicates a real concern for breaking the law, and at the same time we try to be fair and reasonable," Lamy said.

Sayeg said he fields calls daily from parents whose college-age children have been sued by record companies.

"Typically what I get is a frantic call from a parent saying, 'Oh, my God, we can barely afford tuition, and now we're told we've got to pay three, four grand,' " Sayeg said.

But students are not concerned about lawsuits when they are in search of the latest song by Jay-Z.

"I think students, not just at BU, all over the place, download music through file-sharing websites," said Adil Alexander Yunis, 22, the president of the BU Student Union. Students know it is illegal, he said, but they're looking to get quick access to music.

"And that's a way to do it," Yunis said. "And the fact that they're not paying for it is why they're doing it."

The barrage of recording industry lawsuits has succeeded in scaring only a few students into downloading music legally or watching music videos on YouTube, Yunis said.

"I don't think it's put a large dent in illegal file sharing," he said, "but I think it's made students more wary."

In the case of the BU students, who are not named in the suit, the Recording Industry Association of America hired a company called MediaSentry, Inc., to scan for anyone downloading files through LimeWire and Ares. The company came up with a list of electronic addresses, which it said had been used to download tunes from Ludacris, Usher, Eminem, and other recording artists. The company linked the addresses to BU's server, and the record industry organization went to court to try to force BU to release the names of the people who used the addresses. BU responded by sending letters to students informing them of the request. The students then hired lawyers to quash the request, alleging it violated their right to privacy.

Both sides filed a raft of arguments, delving into the technical minutiae of online file sharing.

On Monday Gertner issued a 54-page ruling forbidding BU from turning over the names until it shows her its Internet service agreement with students so that she can review what privacy protections, if any, it affords. She also ordered the university to show her the names of any students who might have been using the electronic addresses, so that she can make sure only the ones who were potentially downloading music are implicated in the suit.

The students' lawyers had raised concerns that multiple students could have been using the same electronic address, if, for example, they shared the same Internet connection.

BU spokesman Colin Riley said the university was not formally named in the lawsuit and has not taken a position on the students' claims. He said BU will turn over any information the court requests.

Legal observers said Gertner's ruling, which was longer and more detailed than most on the subject, will help people fight recording industry lawsuits.

"She's acknowledging that there are important First Amendment issues at stake, and there are privacy interests at stake, and the recording industry is far from proving there is copyright infringement," said Wendy Seltzer, a fellow at the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard Law School.

Michael Levenson can be reached at mlevenson@globe.com

Date: June 27th, 2007

Author: Jody Gilbert

This information is also available as a PDF download.

By default, Office 2003 offers a built-in custom dictionary that lets you store terms and names that would otherwise get flagged as unrecognized during a spell check. Word and PowerPoint offer background spell-checking, so all you have to do is right-click on a flagged term (wavy red line) and choose Add To Dictionary from the shortcut menu. Excel and Outlook require you to run the spell checker yourself. When they encounter an unrecognized term, they’ll open the Spelling dialog box and give you the option to add the term to the custom dictionary. Either way, the term will land in Custom.dic, the default custom dictionary file, and all the applications will ignore the term when they come across it again.

Sometimes, though, you may accidentally add a misspelled term to the custom dictionary. For instance, you might unwittingly mistype a company name or some new bit of jargon and add it to the dictionary before you catch your mistake. A dictionary with misspellings in it is somewhat counterproductive, so it’s a good idea to go in and remove them when they creep in. Although Excel and PowerPoint 2003 let you add words to the shared dictionary, you have to use Word (or Outlook) to modify the dictionary file. Here are the steps for doing this in Word:

Figure A

1. In the Custom Dictionaries dialog box (Figure B), make sure CUSTOM.DIC (default) is selected in the Dictionary List and click Modify.

Figure B

1. When the CUSTOM.DIC dialog box opens (Figure C), locate the misspelled word in the Dictionary list box, select it, and click Delete.

Figure C

1. To replace the term with the correct version, just type it in the Word text box and click Add (Figure D). When you’re finished, exit all dialog boxes by clicking OK.

Figure D

Outlook 2003

If you want to modify the custom dictionary using Outlook, just choose Options from the main Tools menu and click the Spelling tab, as shown in Figure E. Under Edit Custom Dictionary, click Edit. Outlook will then open the custom dictionary as a text file (Figure F).

Figure E

Figure F

What about Office 2007?

The Office 2007 apps all support editing the custom dictionary. And Outlook 2007 (which now offers background spell-checking in messages) includes an option to access the custom dictionary file in a slightly more elegant way than via text file.

1. In all the apps, you just click the Office button and choose the Options command at the bottom of the menu.
2. Choose Proofing from the pane of categories on the left (Figure G).

Figure G

1. Click name brand viagra online Custom Dictionaries to open the dialog box shown in Figure H.

Figure H

1. Click Edit Word List to open the CUSTOM.DIC dialog box (Figure I).

Figure I

From there, it works the same as Office 2003 — except that there’s a Delete All option now. I guess that’s in case you go on a bender and manage to fill up the entire dictionary file with misspelled words.

Date: March 3rd, 2008

Author: Susan Harkins

Whether you take on freelance work or you support your organization’s IT needs by developing custom database solutions, you must build an efficient, easy-to-use database if you plan to stay employed. Like most things, there’s a right and a wrong way. You might not get credit for doing things right, but you’ll certainly hear about it if you do things wrong.

The road to the right database starts well before you start building tables. There are a number of things you can do before you build a database to make sure that the development process goes smoothly and that your custom database fits the organization’s purpose and goals. The following tips are aimed as Access users, but most of them apply to just about any custom database.

Note: This information is also available as a PDF download.

#1: Make nice

You’ll get nowhere without the support and guidance of two specific groups of people:

In a small company, one person might fill both positions, although they have different needs. However, that person’s experiences with the data are valid. It’s your job to find solutions that satisfy everyone, within reason.

#2: Bend but don’t break

Being just a developer won’t get the job done. Sometimes, you must be a diplomat. I recommend that you practice the art of persuasion: “Let me show you something…” will serve you better than “That can’t be done.” This may require you to think fast on your feet. Of course, “Let me work up an example” can always buy a little time.

#3: Actually review their specs

Sometimes, you get lucky and someone in-house supplies a list of specifications. If that happens, it’s information worth keeping, so don’t be too eager to trash the list. Working with those original specs will save you some time and might keep you from stepping on someone’s toes — never a good idea if you can help it.

#4: Compare the specs to the working environment

Most Access databases have just a few users, but Access can handle numerous users. You probably won’t build an interactive intranet database the same way you’d build the solution for a single user. Access seldom fails to meet the demands if you develop for multiple users from the beginning.

#5: How many keys are there to the front door?

Keeping hackers out of your intranet or Web-based database is much more complex than using Access’ workgroup security. In fact, if you need this article and you’ve taken on a Web-based database project, you might have bitten off more than you can chew — good luck! Access is certainly up to the challenge, but the truth is, most developers aren’t. That’s why IT professionals scoff at Access. The sad truth is, many developers don’t understand the Web. If you’re one of them, don’t take on a Web project hoping to learn on the job. You and your client will pay too high a price.

#6: Do the work

Sit down with the people who do the work and learn the process:

• Review all paper forms in the current process.
• How much data — both records and fields — will the database store?
• How much searching and sorting will the users require?
• Where does the data come from? Will the system need to accommodate foreign data?
• Will the system export data to foreign formats?
• Review the current reports and analysis. Talk with the people who use them, for insight.

In short, follow the data from beginning to end. There’s no substitute for knowing the data and the current motivations that push that data from collection to final form.

#7: Re-evaluate

Once you’re familiar with the specs and environment, you might have to shoot yourself in the foot. Access just might not be the best solution for your client. A more powerful system, such as SQL Server 2005 Express Edition, might be a better choice. Or Access might be just part of the solution. For instance, InfoPath’s XML-based forms or .NET forms might be more efficient than Access forms, especially if you’re publishing data to an intranet or to the Internet. Certainly, Excel’s analytical tools are superior to those Access provides. Don’t try to stuff the entire works into an Access-or-bust solution.

#8: Recommend the best route — not the easiest one

Don’t be afraid to suggest a major overhaul if you’re upgrading a legacy database. Neither the latest and greatest version of Access nor more expensive hardware will resolve performance issues that stem from bad design.

#9: Improve the process

Work with the end users to improve the manual process if there’s room for improvement, and there usually is. It’s a mistake to computerize the existing workflow until it’s the best it can be. Software alone won’t improve a bad routine — it’ll just change the problems.

#10: Define and redefine

Once you’ve gathered all your facts, compose a mission statement for the application. This might require one to several paragraphs. I’m not talking about a new set of specifications. Rather, give your client a realistic review of their needs versus reality. You’re simply restating the database’s purposes, but with the benefit of your insight into the workflow and organization’s needs.

#11: How’s that for quick response?

Once you believe you have a good feel for the client’s needs and the database’s purposes, create a series of mock-up forms to show the client. You’ll get a few oohs and ahhhs, but listen to the souls brave enough to say, “But wait…” Their insights may be valid and could save you some trouble down the road. On the other hand, this is where #2 can come in handy. Sometimes, people just can’t conceive of doing something any way but the way they know.

You can use graphics software to draw and print the forms or use Access — it’s a great rapid applications development (RAD) tool. And you can really impress your clients by actually using their data. Sometimes, a quick run at normalizing the data can help the mock-up process. It’s not strictly necessary, but it may show you some holes you might otherwise miss.

Susan Sales Harkins is an independent consultant and the author of several articles and books on database technologies. Her most recent book is Mastering Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express, with Mike Gunderloy, published by Sybex. Other collaborations with Gunderloy are Automating Microsoft Access 2003 with VBA, Upgrader’s Guide to Microsoft Office System 2003, ICDL Exam Cram 2, and Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Microsoft Access 2003, all published by Que. Currently, Susan volunteers as the Publications Director for Database Advisors. You can reach her at ssharkins@gmail.com.

Date: January 7th, 2008

Author: Susan Harkins

Microsoft Office users know that PowerPoint is a powerful presentation package, but some of them find it easier to write the content than to create and deliver the final show. The truth is that PowerPoint is just as easy to use as all the other Office applications, but a lot of users just aren’t quite up to speed with it. Here are a few quick tips that will help your users get familiar with some of PowerPoint’s most useful features.

Note: This information is also available as a PDF download.

#1: Annotate your presentation

With PowerPoint 2003, you can use the mouse pointer to write on a slide during a presentation. It’s similar to writing on a transparency. This capability works best with a pen input device or a Tablet PC, but the mouse will work — it just isn’t as steady.

There are three free-style drawing tools:

To use this feature, right-click the background of a slide and select Pointer Options. You can also choose a color. Then, simply select one of the ink options. Use the ballpoint and felt tip tools to write messages and draw objects. The highlighter’s color appears behind the text and doesn’t block the view of highlighted text or objects.

Just be careful: Ink markings aren’t permanent. When you close the presentation, be sure to click Yes when prompted if you want to save markings you made during the presentation.

#2: Get your timing down

PowerPoint has a stopwatch feature that lets you time yourself as you rehearse a presentation. When you run a rehearsed timing session, PowerPoint records how long you spend on each slide. You can use this information in one of two ways:

• Use the timed results to set a timed slide.
• Use the timed results to help keep you on track during the presentation.

To enable this feature, choose Rehearse Timings from the Slide Show menu. PowerPoint will start the slide show and display the Rehearsal dialog box in the top-left portion of the screen, as shown in Figure A. The timer displays the elapsed time for each slide and the overall presentation.

Figure A: The timer tracks each slide and the overall presentation.

If you’re creating a self-running presentation, be sure to save at least one run — your best run if possible. That way, your presentation can default to the rehearsed setting, just in case. If even one slide in your self-running presentation makes it through to your finished presentation without a timed setting, your show will come to a screeching halt — and so will the impression you hoped to make. With a saved rehearsed timing setting, that won’t happen.

When you’re finished rehearsing, PowerPoint returns you to Slide Sorter and displays each slide’s time below the slide.

#3: Don’t ladies viagra tie up your audience

The person viewing your self-running presentation might not need as much time with each slide as you anticipate. Be sure to include at least one action button with each slide so viewers can opt out of a slow slide or skip past a slide that doesn’t apply to them.

To add a navigation action button to every slide in the presentation, add the button to the slide master by choosing Master from the View menu. Then, click Slide Master. In PowerPoint 2007, you’ll find Slide Master in the Presentation Views group on the View tab.

When the slide master appears, do the following to add an action button:

1. Choose Action Buttons from the Slide Show menu. (In PowerPoint 2007, you’ll find Shapes in the Illustrations group on the Insert tab. Click the drop-down button. Action buttons are at the bottom of the list.)
2. Click the appropriate action button (AutoShapes) from the resulting submenu.
3. Click and drag inside the slide where you want to drop the button.
4. When you release the mouse, PowerPoint will display a dialog with several settings. Most of the time, the default settings will be adequate — especially for a self-running presentation.

The action button submenu can also float. After displaying it, simply grab the handle — the dots at the top — and drag it to another spot. You can then add action buttons to your slides without going through the menu selections. (PowerPoint 2007 doesn’t have this feature.)

You don’t have to put an action button on the slide master. You can add a navigation button to just a single slide if you want to limit viewers’ control of the presentation.

#4: Take a quick peek

While editing a slide, you can click the Slide Show From Current Slide button (at the bottom of the Slides pane). PowerPoint will start the slide show from the selected slide, instead of at the beginning. If you just want a quick look at the current slide, press Esc to return to edit mode. Otherwise, click through the remaining slides in the show. Skipping several slides in the show can be a great time-saver.

A full-size slide may be a bit more slide than you really want or need at the time. To see a smaller version, hold down the Ctrl key while clicking Slide Show From Current Slide. Instead of consuming the entire screen, PowerPoint will display a quarter-size version of the slide. Again, you can press Esc to return to edit mode or click in the small screen display to advance through the remaining slides.

#5: Change the body text default

You can use the slide master to set the font type, size, and other properties for each slide’s title and body text, but you can’t use it to change the default font for other objects, such as text boxes. Luckily, there’s another way. First, display a slide in edit mode and make sure no objects are selected. Then, choose Font from the Format menu. In the resulting Font dialog box, choose all the desired options and click OK. From that point on, non-title, not-body text will reflect the new style you just created. (This technique doesn’t work in PowerPoint 2007.)

#6: Nudge over…

Moving objects is as easy as dropping and dragging, right? That’s true until you’re working on a laptop that doesn’t support a mouse. When that’s the case, use the arrow keys to move an object. Select the object and then use the appropriate arrow key. Each key press will move the object approximately 1/12 of an inch. PowerPoint applies this predefined amount when the grid is enabled. To change or disable grid settings, click Draw on the Drawing toolbar and choose Grid And Guides. In the resulting dialog box, you can select or deselect the Snap Objects To Grid check box, adjust the grid spacing, and display the grid and/or drawing guides on your slides.

#7: Make a quick copy

Using the Edit menu, you can make copies of most objects, but there’s a quicker way. In almost any view, hold down the Ctrl key and drag the object just a bit. Doing so will automatically generate a copy of the selected object. Hold down Ctrl + Shift to create a copy that’s aligned with the original object.

#8: Squeeze it all in

Sometimes, you just can’t get everything you want to fit on one slide. If that text is in a placeholder, you don’t need to cut and paste part of the text into a new slide. In Outline mode, PowerPoint can push text along with just a few clicks. First, display the Outlining toolbar by choosing Toolbars from the View menu and then choosing Outlining. Next, click the Outline tab to display the presentation text in the Outline pane. Position the cursor at the end of the last line you want to keep on the current slide. Then, press Enter and click Promote (the arrow at the top that’s pointing left) on the Outlining toolbar. Doing so will insert a new slide for all the text you just split from the previous one. Enter a new title for the new slide, as shown in Figure B. Continue to adjust the text as necessary.

Figure B: Use Outline mode to control overflowing text.

This method still works in PowerPoint 2007, but you don’t need the Outlining toolbar. Just press Enter at the appropriate spot to insert a new slide.

#9: Suppress bullets

By default, PowerPoint enters a new bullet every time you press Enter, as long as you’re using the bulleted list format. Fortunately, you’re not stuck. Hold down the Shift key and press Enter to insert a soft return. This will drop the insertion point to the next line without adding a new bullet, as shown in Figure C.

Figure C: You won’t always want a bullet point for every new line.

#10: Create invisible links

Hyperlinks make it easy to jump from one place to another, but by default, linked text looks different from the rest of your message. If you find the difference distracting, most likely your audience will too. Eliminate that distraction as follows:

1. Enter the text you want to link.
2. Select the Rectangle button on the Drawing toolbar and create an AutoShape that covers just the text-don’t make it too large. (In PowerPoint 2007, choose a shape from the Illustrations group on the Insert tab.)
3. Select the AutoShape and click the Insert Hyperlink button on the Standard toolbar. (In PowerPoint 2007, you’ll find Hyperlink in the Links group on the Insert menu.) In both versions, you can right-click the shape and choose Hyperlink from the resulting submenu.
4. Enter the hyperlink in the Address field in the resulting Insert Hyperlink dialog box and then click OK.
5. Right-click the AutoShape and choose Format AutoShape. Set the fill color to No Fill and the line color to No Line and click OK.

The invisible AutoShape is really the link and not the text.

Susan Sales Harkins is an independent consultant and the author of several articles and books on database technologies. Her most recent book is Mastering Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express, with Mike Gunderloy, published by Sybex. Other collaborations with Gunderloy are Automating Microsoft Access 2003 with VBA, Upgrader’s Guide to Microsoft Office System 2003, ICDL Exam Cram 2, and Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Microsoft Access 2003, all published by Que. Currently, Susan volunteers as the Publications Director for Database Advisors. You can reach her at ssharkins@gmail.com.