Neat Net Tricks Issue #89
November 1, 2000 
http://www.NeatNetTricks.com
Reply-To: NNT@silver.lyris.net

IN THIS ISSUE:

01.  The deep Web
02.  Fresh pages
03.  Bootlog
04.  Readers write
05.  AOL mail access
06.  Beginners Central
07.  A timely tip
08.  Silence may be golden
09.  File extension search
10.  Shareware downloadsite
11.  HTML Validator
12.  Quickhead-E
13.  Undo
14.  Neat Net Nifty
15.  The Half-Million Contest

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

01.  THE DEEP WEB.  BrightPlanet, an Internet content company, says
there's a "deep" Web on the Internet.  It's said to consist of 100,000
searchable databases, 500 times larger than can be viewed with existing
search engines.  Traditional search engines relying on spiders or
crawlers only skim the surface and, according to BrightPlanet's study,
the "deep Web" can be accessed only by direct query made possible by
their LexiBot, available for a free trial at http://www.lexibot.com .

02.  FRESH PAGES.  So that you can access Web sites faster on later
visits, your browser may be set to cache permanent elements of the 
site. This could provide old information if the page has been updated, 
and if this is a problem for you, try this: in Netscape Communicator,
Edit|Preferences, click on the plus sign next to Advanced and select 
Cache. Click the option to compare the document in the cache to the 
document on the network every time.  In Microsoft Internet Explorer, 
select Tools|Internet Options.  Click Settings under Temporary Internet
Files and select the option to check newer versions of stored pages on
every visit.

03.  BOOTLOG.  If you're having problems getting Windows to boot, find
the cause of the problem this way:  during the boot process, press F8
(Win 95) or CTRL (Win 98) to get a menu of options and select the
Logged (\BOOTLOG.TXT) option.  Your system then records each step taken
in the boot process.  Use a text editor such as NotePad and examine the
file BOOTLOG.TXT in your root directory.  The steps with "fail" showing
will identify where the boot is having difficulties.

04.  READERS WRITE.  A reader was "bugged" at my comment that I like 
software that's user-friendly enough not to require reading the manual.
He agreed but advises that we should at least read documentation about
security before using the software.  What the developer thinks is 
enough security may not be enough, he notes, and we should use the
docs to change default passwords which are usually blank.  So noted! 

05.  AOL MAIL ACCESS.  Because AOL doesn't use POP3 Internet protocol
for mail, other mail software such as Outlook, Outlook Express, 
Netscape, and Eudora don't typically work in accessing or managing 
mail from an AOL connection.  There's at least one exception, and 
that's eNetBot at http://www.enetbot.com .  I haven't tried it because
I seldom use AOL, but I hear it gets good marks from those who do.

06.  BEGINNERS CENTRAL.  The comprehensive but easy-reading contents of
Beginners Central at http://northernwebs.com/bc/ should be beneficial
to all newcomers to the Internet.  You don't really have to learn 
things by trial and failure.

07.  A TIMELY TIP.  Make your own personal clock showing 16 customized
locations worldwide at http://www.timeanddate.com .  Display the World
Clock Meeting Planner to make sure you don't wake your friend with a
call during his or her snooze time.

08.  SILENCE MAY BE GOLDEN.  You may like the sound when you click on
a link with Internet Explorer 5.0.  Maybe not.  Disabling it is a 
simple procedure: go to Start|Settings|Control Panel|Sounds and scroll
to the Windows Explorer section.  Under Start Navigation look for the 
file name Start.WAV in the Name box and delete it for a little peace 
and quiet.

09.  FILE EXTENSIONS SEARCH.  The last time I looked the site at
http://kresch.com/exts/ext.htm allowed searching 1,525 file extensions,
and that's quite a collection.  But if the extension you're looking
for isn't there, the site also provides a bulletin board where you can
ask the meaning of the file that has you puzzled.

10.  SHAREWARE DOWNLOADSITE.  That's how DownLinX bills itself, and at
http://www.downlinx.com/ you'll find over 40,000 shareware and freeware
programs all nicely categorized under about a dozen topics. 

11.  HTML VALIDATOR.  When designing a Web site, you might be surprised
to discover a lot of subtle syntax errors in your HTML documents. With 
HTML Validator you'll see clear warnings you might want to change and 
errors you should change. Nesting errors, unmatched start and end tags,
misspelled or invalid tag names, attributes or attribute values, and
missing and mismatched quotation marks are all detected with this tool.
It points out cross-platform peculiarities and identifies specific HTML 
tagging necessary to properly view pages in both Netscape and Internet 
Explorer.  Documents can be checked on-line to spot links that are no 
longer valid. This program is a MUST for Web designers and it can be
downloaded at http://www.htmlvalidator.com/ . 

12.  QUICKHEAD-E.  This Windows 95/98/NT utility resides in the system 
tray and monitors your POP3 and Hotmail accounts.  You can mark unwanted
messages for deletion without opening and retrieve headers of each new 
message for off-line viewing.  This way, you can avoid having to 
download large attachments or spam.  Download free at 
http://www.danere.com/ .

13.  UNDO.  Using Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 4 or 5, CTRL+Z
will undo something mistyped, and a subsequent CTRL+Z will go back one
or more steps to correct other errors, much like those erasers they put
on pencils (those things we used before computers).

14.  NEAT NET NIFTY.  In its display "Tempus Fugit (Time Flies)", The
Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art explores the concept of time in works of art
dating from 900 BC to the present.  The visitor to this site at
http://www.nelson-atkins.org/tempusfugit is asked to decide whether time
is a scientific phenomenon that can be measured in universal equations
or rather a human experience dependent on our cultural background.

Neat Net Tricks often pauses to recognize a Web site and recommend your
visit.  Set aside some time to expore the site and enjoy it.  Sites
that are predominantly non-commercial in focus are identified as 
"nifty" when their all-around content, originality, interest, variety,
and graphical presentation have earned this award.  If you'd like to
nominate a nifty site, send the URL to mailto:jteems@neatnettricks.com 
with a brief note telling why you think the site deserves the award.

15.  THE HALF-MILLION CONTEST.  The Neat Net Tricks Web site will soon 
receive its half-millionth hit. In observance of this auspicious 
occasion, we'd like you to guess when that will be.  If you have the 
first correct response, more than $300 worth of great software will be
delivered to your door.  Two runners-up will receive a nice prize, too.  
Navigate on over to the Web site at http://www.NeatNetTricks.com and
click on The Contest for full details.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Like this newsletter?  Tell a friend and you could win $10,000!
<http://recommend-it.com/l.z.e?s=686907>

For information on .....

Subscribing, unsubscribing, or changing your address, send a blank
email to info-neatnettricks@silver.lyris.net

Advertising in Neat Net Tricks at very low rates, send a blank email
to advertise-neatnettricks@silver.lyris.net

Back copies of Neat Net Tricks, send a blank email to
archive-neatnettricks@silver.lyris.net

Technical questions or comments, visit the NNT Bulletin Board at
http://www.escribe.com/bb/nettricks/

NNT is hosted by Lyris.com, the best in email list management.

Copyright 2000 by Jack Teems.  All rights reserved.
 