software

Infopackets Reader 'nisarg' writes: " Dear Dennis, I was trying to understand the exact difference between Registry Cleaner software and Spyware Cleaner (antiSpyware) software. Actually, I am confused between these two kinds of software. Could you ... please tell me the difference, and also does the 'Adaware SE - lavasoft' clean both the System Registry, or does it just clean Spyware; if it does not clean the Registry, then what software do you suggest to clean the registry? I do appreciate your time. Thank You. " My response: Before answering your question, first let me briefly explain what the ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Edith S. writes: " Dear Dennis, I just bought my new PC in December and am problems with all my software games. I start playing the games, and all of a sudden they go off the screen, and I'm brought back to the task bar. Then I ... have to re-click on the game task to bring it back into full screen again. This happens on and off, almost like clockwork (about every 2 minutes). Is there a setting maybe that is causing this, or is it something else? My games are all that is affected by this strange annoying behavior. Is there something I can adjust to stabilize the my game play so ... (view more)

This is the third and final part in a series on spyware prevention tips (access part 1 and part 2 here). So far I've shared two tips that deal with specific pieces of software; the first tip was the use of an excellent (and free) tool called ... SpywareBlaster . This tool lives, eats, and breathes to protect your computer from the installation of spyware. In the second tip, I overviewed security risks associated with Internet Explorer and recommended using Mozilla Firefox as an alternative browser. Today I'm going to share what is undoubtedly the single most important thing you can do to protect ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Leslie D. writes: “ Dear Infopackets Team, How do you choose the software your review? Do you find new products or do people bring them to your attention? I am curious because I see there are many programs reviewed through i ...nfopackets.com. ” Doug's answer: Great question! ;-) While I can't speak for everyone on the Team, most of us find things by looking over download sites, seeing what is available through search engines, and by listening to others who have found software gems in their computing travels. For example: Dennis finds software through Snapfiles , ...ref="/news/1042/how-does-infopackets-select-software-review" class="more-link">view more)

Continued from Part 1 . Surveying the hundreds of new products introduced at the Photo Marketing Associations (PMA) trade show (Feburary 27 ~ March 1, 2006) revealed that technology companies have finally ended their fight for "the largest mega ... pixel" camera. The truth is that an average shooter only needs a 6 mega pixel camera for 5x7 or 8x10 to develop quality prints. So what's next? There are too many choices when camera makers introduce 15 new models and the competition is increasing as Samsung introduces it's first SLR with interchangeable lenses at the PMA showing Orlando ... (view more)

In the business world there is a 'thing' known as the Total Cost of Operation (TCO). In short, TCO is the sum of the initial cost for software, cost of the system required to run it, user training, and in-house support services when things go wrong. ... It can be expensive for a business to bring in a new release of software. For example: to purchase, install, operate, and support one copy of Microsoft Windows is expensive. But now that Microsoft seems bent on selling "software as service," the annual licensing fees are a more serious consideration than the old one-time fees used to be. In fact, ... (view more)

Earlier, I reflected upon Microsoft's "software bloat" which has been driving the computer industry to develop improved hardware at a rapid pace (see: Part 1 | Part 2 ). And the trend has no end in sight. So what about the computer systems of ... yester-year? Will they continue to suffice when Microsoft Windows Vista is released the second-half of 2006? Perhaps; perhaps not. So the question becomes: is it worth upgrading the current system or buy new? Should you decide the latter, what will you do with the computer that's sitting on your desk? To help put things into perspective, ... (view more)

Continued from Part 1 . As I stated previously, one could argue (to a degree) that Microsoft has created a marketplace for new computer hardware. And it's not necessarily a bad thing. However, one must also consider the scope of Downward ... Compatibility as a result of upgrading. And it's not just isolated to just MS Windows: it encompasses nearly every operation related to upgrading a computer -- including Third Party software. Case in point: most software written for windows use Microsoft libraries to provide functionality that the software developer would otherwise have to build from scratch ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader James D. writes: " Dear Dennis, After reading your in-depth review on Acronis True Image [disaster recovery / disk imaging software], I immediately purchased a registered copy. Unfortunately, I've run into a problem being able to ... record my image backups directly to DVD. According to Acronis, I need to install packet-writing software in order for this to work. What is packet writing software and why isn't it included as part of the Acronis package? " My response: This is a frequently asked question. In short: Packet Writing software is a "plugin" (per se ... (view more)

FTP or File Transfer Protocol is a commonly used protocol for exchanging files over any network that supports the TCP/IP protocol (such as the Internet or an intranet). There are two computers involved in an FTP transfer. The first computer is an ... FTP server. This computer listens on the network for connection requests from other computers. Another computer (called the client) can make a connection to the FTP server by using FTP client software. Once connected, the client can do a number of file manipulation operations such as uploading files to the server, download files from the server, ... (view more)