Software Reviews

Infopackets Reader Bill G. writes: " Dear Dennis, I just finished reading the latest issue of the Gazette, and have two questions to ask you concerning transferring video files to CD recordable. Similar to reader Samuel C., I own a video recorder ... and have transferred a number of VHS videos to the computer. The problem is, however, that a number of the files are too large to copy onto a single CD recordable disc. I read somewhere that I can compress my video files into another format, and therefore, make them fit onto a single CD. Can you explain how this works? And secondly, I have ... (view more)

Since writing this newsletter, I have come across a handful of noteworthy applications aimed at streamlining a Windows PC. Some of the programs I've reviewed are very particular in nature and focus primarily on one task, while others are ... multi-utility oriented. What is System LifeGuard v2.0? System LifeGuard v2.0 is a Swiss Army Knife of essential PC maintenance. Developed by NeoByte Solutions, System LifeGuard v2.0 includes a comprehensive collection of utilities designed to dramatically improve the performance of a Windows PC by safely removing junk files and folders and invalid System ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader 'WT Dusty2u' writes: " Dear Dennis, Kudos to you for providing a most useful resource, and especially for welcoming the expertise and suggestions of your readers. I really enjoy the freeware mentions in your newsletter and keep ... expecting to see you or your Readers mention the handy programs that are available at freshdevices.com. All are free for personal use and they are constantly updated. I am particularly fond of Fresh Diagnose and Fresh UI. You may want to check them out if you haven't already, and at least, pass on the word to your subscribers. " My response ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Brian W. writes: " Hi Dennis, I've got a question: at one time, I had a program that searched for duplicate files on my PC; unfortunately, I can't find this gem of a program on the web any longer, and was wondering if you might ... know the name or where to get it? PS: I must say, your infopackets newsletter is a *must read* every time it's received in my inbox! " My response: Aside from Ashampoo WinOptimizer (which searches for duplicate files / weeds out garbage files / makes Windows run faster), I don't remember mentioning any freeware programs that have this ... (view more)

Since writing this newsletter, I have received a number of questions with respect to burning CD recordable discs. One question came from Infopackets Reader Bob T., who recently asked how it was possible to transport movie files from his computer ... onto his DVD player. Bob writes: " Dennis, I have a number of .MPEG movie files that I've downloaded through Kazaa. Friends tell me it is possible to play these files using my DVD player, but I need special CD burning software to do it. Is this true? If so, what program do you recommend? " And Infopackets Reader Sheila S. asked how to ... (view more)

With so many different audio and video formats circulating the Internet, keeping track of which media player plays which format is almost a next-to-impossible task. For example: .MOV files are made with Apple QuickTime, and won't play in Windows ... Media Player; QuickTime player (which plays .MOV files) won't play DivX movies, and RealAudio and RealVideo files won't play in either QuickTime or Windows Media Player. To top it all off, none of the above mentioned formats will play on a portable .WMA (Windows Media Audio) device. Confused yet? Audio and video files generally contain content meant ... (view more)

Recall -- Last week, I wrote a review on WinGuides Registry Mechanic . Since then, a number of users have contacted me with Kudos and Questions in regard to the article. Infopackets Reader 'Marv MnM' writes: " Hi Dennis, I have been a subscriber to ... your newsletter for quite some time and have learned a lot from it. This time, I feel compelled to comment on your latest recommendation, Registry Mechanic . First, let me say that I'm not a techie nor a very advanced user, just a 73 year old who enjoys his computer and tries to keep it squeaky clean from viruses, spam, Spyware, and the like. ... (view more)

I like creating online photo albums. It provides an easy way to share photos with friends and family. Keeping track of who I should notify every time I have new pictures is a little more complicated, however. I personally don't like posting pictures ... to the Web and having them visible to anyone who happens to wander by my site: password protection keeps out unwanted visitors, but it isn't very convenient and you still have to email everyone who needs the password. And let's be honest -- creating a website with password protection isn't easy for the majority of Internet users. So, what other ... (view more)

Continuing on with our Feature Article on Registry Mechanic, here are some top Frequently Asked Questions about the Windows Registry, courtesy of WinGuides.com: Q: Do I really need to fix registry problems? A: In short, yes. If you don't fix ... registry problems when they arise or try and prevent them from even happening at all, then you may soon find yourself faced with sudden crashes, system stalls, or a severe degradation in operating speed. Working to fix registry issues and prevent system crashes should be a top priority whether you use your computer for business or pleasure, and you'll ... (view more)

Does your computer seem slower than the first day you brought it home and plugged it in? Does it report strange error messages when launching program -- or worse yet, does it periodically display the infamous Blue Screen of Death? Typically, these ... symptoms are a result of a poorly configured or un-optimized System Registry . How the Windows Registry impacts system performance and stability Over time, programs are installed and uninstalled to Windows, and the Registry becomes bloated with incorrect and outdated information.(1) Many of the attributes contained in the Registry database point to ... (view more)