September 06, 2004
Beam Me Up Sunshine
Trend Micro's Internet Security 2005 Beta disappoints but Copernic's Desktop Search makes up for the gloom
This week I'd decided to spend the weekend testing out 2 new software: Trend Micro's Internet Security Suite 2005 Beta. And Copernic Desktop Search. But events proved otherwise. The Trend Micro Beta would seem to install itself properly. It would then seek to reboot the computer and then ... nothing! Either the PC would fail to restart; hanging in a form of limbo. Or would restart but refuse to run the security suite Beta.
Either way, the 2005 Beta failure ensured I had neither antivirus not a firewall when I cruised the Web! And unlike usual esoteric test beds, this time I used a standard Pentium III with 392 MB RAM on an Intel 440BX mother board running Windows 2000 SP4. As a matter of fact, until last week this very computer was my office workhorse. Now replaced by a shiny (and powerful) Pentium 4/ 3.0 GHz HT Extreme Edition (Prescott).
So I (sadly) rolled back to my older Internet Security Suite 2004 with its very clunky firewall. I've written to the Trend Micro Beta team. But have yet to receive a response from them. Let's see if we can jointly resolve whatever ails my installation.
In other security-related news, the Bagle virus is still spreading in ever new editions. Do make sure to keep your antivirus software updated regularly. Ditto for your firewall. And don't open any mail attachments; even those from friends without (preferably) scanning them first. Do make sure to read the message body for more detail on the attachment. If the sender can't be bothered with such details, then as the recipient you needn't bother about the attachment.
Copernic Desktop Search was a ray of sunshine in an otherwise gloomy weekend. Besides the security problems, the Indian monsoon's last gasp featured a whole day's worth of rain totalling 8 centimeters! And more rain forecast over the next 36 hours. As a matter of fact, as I pen this column, there's a fine drizzle washing down outside.
The free Desktop Search builds on Copernic's extensive experience developing Internet and network search utilities, as well as document summarizing tools. It allows users to search for keywords across local and mapped network folders as well as the Internet. It installs itself as a Windows Taskbar for easy access but running a search will open a larger window containing search results.
Although the software quietly indexes your system while offering up results in real-time. I found it better to leave the indexer running overnight on my 40 GB drive so it was ready-to-roll come morning. Media types indexed are separated into files (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, WordPerfect, PDFs, HTML pages, Text/RTF), email (Outlook/Outlook Express messages & attachments), multimedia (MP3, WMA, WAV, MPEG, QuickTime, JPEG, GIF, PNG, etc) and Contacts from Outlook Express/Outlook and the Windows Address Book (WAB). It even indexes MSIE history and Favorites.
The utility supports Boolean search (AND/+, OR, NOT/-) along with text in quotes or parentheses. And though it doesn't index the default Opera Bookmark store. By cleverly exporting the latter to an HTML file I could index Opera book marks as well. My Firefox book marks are stored in an HTML file and all I needed to do was add the store folder location to the indices update path.
The software correctly parsed MP3 file tagging and listed tracks by title, artist, album and genre. My home computer doesn't have stored video due to space constraints. But I'm going to subject this software to an even more detailed test at work where I have oodles of media files spanning all the indexable file types. However a feature sorely missed was a way to collapse folders and categories. Copernic Desktop Search is a great utility for most users. But if almost all your search needs are limited to Outlook mail stores, Lookout's Search add-in is still more usable since it doesn't open one more window to add to existing desktop clutter.
But if its access to data you want. And you don't mind giving up some of your Windows desktop. Do check out the free Desktop Sidebar. This displays email (Outlook, POP3, IMAP, Hotmail), appointments, tasks, and notes. As well as stock quotes, weather forecasts and updated news from blogs, news feeds and web pages. It also download images from the Web. And launch applications. And supports skins too. For more click here.
Then as I put the finishing touches to this week's edition, I learned that a very early build of Firefox 1.0 was available. However considering my previous experience with early nightlies that crashed my computer. I've decided to hold off until there's an official release. My caution was justified by the number of bugs detected in this 1.0 Beta.
You might be interested to learn that there is a possible alternative to boring Arial-centric text for web sites. Of course, you could use style sheets to use Verdana, Tahoma, Helvetica, et al. Of consider a Flash-based delivery format, sIFR, to set you free. Those interested may read Mike Davidson's Introducing sIFR: The Healthy Alternative to Browser Text here.
Did you know that people in Microsoft also use Maxthon? Read this Maxthon Forum post for more.
And if you possess a GMail account, you can configure a free PNG file for your web site. Or (HTML) mail signature. Use the free generator offered at http://www.obsidian-blade.co.uk/gsig/gmail.php//gmail.png. Replace with your GMail handle, copy-paste the link into your browser and click Go.
The key advantage of using an image for your mail ID on the Web is the unlikelihood of the said ID being detected by a spam bot and added to a junk mail database somewhere. However, if there's an anonymous human being trolling the web, you won't escape so easy.
Stay Safe. And more next week.
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