Announcements

Your Text - Made Cooler

Wow, the response to the My Type Artist program was amazing! We had the word out and found a supplier with additional stock. Good thing too, the 200 pieces we started with were gone by 10:30AM yesterday!

Again, this software allows you to take a word or sentence and turn it into a cool graphical font. The ideas are endless...

Once you create your "text art" you can save it in a variety of formats and use it in just about any graphics program ever created. It includes 1,000 different type styles that can be arranged in 90,000 combinations. Plus it's so easy to use you'll master the basics in only 5 minutes!

Again, this is only $9.97 and US shipping is free. Give it a try, you'll be glad you did:

http://www.worldstart.com/store/my-typeartist.htm

PS - We have our Buy 3 Titles and Get 15% Off deal going this week (till 08-18-2003). So be sure to check out the rest of the store after you add this title to your cart - especially the Bargain Bin - everything on that page is less than $8.00!

Computers 101

Q:
I was installing a program and it told me disable my anti-virus software. How do I do that?

A:
On the right side of your taskbar is your system tray. In it you can see the programs that are currently running.

Move your cursor over an icon and you should get a little text line telling you what the program is.

Right mouse click your anti-virus icon and you will be given the option to disable.

A red X should appear over the icon in the system tray.

When you are done installing the software, just right click your anti-virus icon again and choose "enable".

BONUS TIP: You can also use this procedure to disable or shut down any programs running in your system tray, which especially comes in handy when you need extra memory to burn CD-Rs.

~ David

Have a question for the newsletter? Submit it at the link below:
http://www.worldstart.com/submitquestion.htm

Tip of the Day

Upgrading to XP? Proceed Carefully

So, you finally decided to give in and upgrade to Windows XP. There are some issues you should know before making the switch.

Before you do anything, it might be a good idea to visit the Microsoft Windows XP website. You can compare XP to Win 98, and get answers to compatibility issues. There is even an Upgrade Advisor page that will check your system to see if it's ready to upgrade.

Like The Force, XP has a Dark Side.

# 1 - Multiple Copies - You need to buy a copy for each computer you own. You can't simply buy one and put it on all your machines (and your friend's machines, etc). If you only have one computer, no big deal. If you have several, the price adds up quick.

If you think you can get around this, you really can't. MS uses an "activation" system that only lets you install the software on one computer. That said, activation really isn't all that bad. It only takes a few seconds, you can still swap out cards, add memory, and such without needing to re-activate Windows. In fact, Microsoft claims that if you swap out too much (over 60% of your computer if I recall), you can still get re-activated without a hassle. So, I wouldn't sweat it too much.

# 2 - Driver Issues - OK, this one can be troublesome. Most of the problems people e-mailed to me involved driver issues - their old hardware doesn't work with XP.

Before you upgrade, it's a good idea to check and see how compatible your old hardware is with XP. MS has a "compatibility checker" that lets you check your system to see if there are any potential problems. Here's the link:

Bad thing with the upgrade advisor is its size - the thing is about 50 meg. If you're using a dial up connection, it'll take forever to download. XP setup includes it and will check your computer before the upgrade takes place. I don't know what happens if you find you don't want to upgrade. I guess you call Microsoft and try to get a refund from them???

Oh, you may want to check with your printer, scanner, and digital camera manufactures too. I'm not sure if this gets covered with the Upgrade Advisor. I do know that those areas seem to be the most problematic.

# 3 - Software Issues - Not all software will run on XP. I've had readers tell me that it seems the majority of their old software doesn't work with XP, but I can get just about anything to run on it. I'd say 90% of the software I test on XP runs just fine. As for the other 10%, who needs it anyway? Just kidding. Some software, such as a firewall and antivirus, should be uninstalled before the upgrade, then reinstalled in Windows XP to run properly.

Anyhow, those are the major points. If you're thinking of upgrading, it's a good idea to check around and make sure you're going to be able to use your favorite hardware and software. Your best bet for this is the manufacturer of the hardware / software in question. Be sure to carefully follow directions when you do the upgrade—it is not as simple as popping in a disk and clicking Run, you need to do some ground work first.

Even after all of the above negatives, I still think that XP is a good way to go. One of my biggest gripes is working on a project only to have the computer lock up and lose everything. XP hardly ever locks up, freezes or misbehaves for me (and the vast majority of folks who have written me about it).

Windows XP Website
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/

Compare XP to 98
http://www.microsoft.com/WindowsXP/pro/evaluation/whyupgrade/sidebyside/

XP Compatibility Issues
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/compatibility/

Upgrade Advisor
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/howtobuy/upgrading/advisor.asp

Upgrade Center
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/howtobuy/upgrading/

~Steve

Have an original tip for the newsletter? Submit it below:
http://www.worldstart.com/writers-guidelines/index.htm

Amanda's Cool Site of the Day

Sign Language

"It was the best of Signs, it was the worst of Signs." With a slogan like this, who can resist this site? I know I couldn't. They also advertise the site as "A collection of photos containing humorous, bizarre, and or confusing signs from around the world."

Let me tell you what to expect. With 32 galleries you won't be bored, but you’ll definitely be amused—both by the signs and the commentary. My favaorite is a picture in gallery 32. It's a tire posted on a stake in the ground that say’s "Beware Lambs." That's too funny, I mean watch out for those evil lambs.

http://www.signslanguage.com/

Do you have a cool, non-commercial site that you want to share?
Send it to Amanda at amanda@worldstart.com