Welcome to the September 2003 issue of the CyberArtisans monthly newsletter!

Our goal is to present information that will be useful to you as a web site owner. If these newsletters are not useful to you, please forward this to a friend who will find it useful. To unsubscribe, follow the directions at the bottom of this email.

This Month's Topics
Useful Places Online
Spam Filter Redux

Useful Place Online

The web is a virtual cornucopia of information. Finding the useful stuff amongst the garbage is a big challenge. We've collected a few sources over the years and thought it would be helpful to share some of it. There's not nearly enough room to share everything, so we may repeat this section from time to time.

1. The LangaList. First choice for technical newsletters. When Windows Magazine folded, Fred Langa, who was then its Editorial Director, decided to start his own on-line technical newsletter. It is now one of the most highly-respected newsletters in the business, focusing on Windows issues. It can be pretty technical but also covers subjects that interested non-techies can understand and appreciate. http://www.langa.com.

2. WinXPNews. An odd newsletter that combines information for the novice and the expert about Windows XP. Frequently has early warnings about viruses and system vulnerabilities. Also includes a section of links to some very strange websites. http://www.winxpnews.com.

3. Tourbus. A twice-weekly newsletter published by two guys who have never met except by email and phone. One lives in the north and the other in the south. Each issue of their newsletter features some subject, along with links to various websites that cover that subject exhaustively. Recent subjects have included quick-money scams, car buying and selling, the Supreme Court, and Google tips. While written with tongue partially in cheek, it still comes up with some remarkably interesting websites. http://www.tourbus.com.

4. PCPitstop. A great site to test your PC. The site will test all aspects of your PC from memory to spyware. Plan to spend some time there to get a complete test, and remember that standardized tests like this often create more questions than answers. But if you have a concern about your PC, give it a try. Broadband connection highly recommended. http://www.pcpitstop.com.

5. Barbecue'n on the Internet. If you love to cook outside, these guys will lead you through the intricacies of barbecuing, broiling, and smoking (yes, there is a difference) and tell you what works and what doesn't. Lots of good information and good recipes. They will also sell you all manner of neat cooking gadgetry that you'd love to have but probably don't need, so beware. http://www.barbecuen.com.

6. This is True. Randy Cassingham is a writer who decided to make a living writing on the Internet. This is just one of several weekly newsletters he publishes. All are free but include text advertising -- no intrusive pictures or flashing nonsense -- and all are available in a paid version with additional content and without the advertising. He picks up strange but true news items, summarizes them in a single paragraph, and adds a one-sentence comment at the end of each. Great for light reading at the end of a hard day. http://www.thisistrue.com.

7. Techbargains.com. Looking for a good deal in a computer, cellphone, or stereo? This is a compendium of the latest bargains, coupon sales, and discounts available online. Each entry includes a link to the location and a detailed description of how to qualify for the discount. If you are ready to buy right now, check here first. They offer a newsletter too, but it's just a list of the latest deals. http://www.techbargains.com.

8. TigerDirect. Here's the place to go for some of the lowest online prices on computer components. They have a fairly complete online catalog, so if you want to know a realistic price for something computer-related, try this site first. They too offer a newsletter. http://www.tigerdirect.com.

9. Snopes.com. Want to know if it's true that Coca-Cola acts as a spermicide (yes), and if so, which version is best (Classic)? Here's the place to find out that and a lot more useless information. But the next time somebody spins you some fantastic tale, you can authoritatively tell them it's nonsense. Also a good place to find out if that email you just received is telling you about a real virus or a hoax. http://www.snopes.com.

Spam Filter Redux

Last month we mentioned Spamihilator, a Spam filter for your PC. After that issue came out, a friend emailed us to say he has had good luck with another Spam filter called Popfile (http://popfile.sourceforge.net/old_index.html). We tried it and found it worked well also. Personally, we preferred the user interface of Spamihilator, but others might prefer Popfile.

However, we want to emphasize that a Spam filter is not a free ride. You can't simply install it and forget it because no filter is perfect. The problem isn't that the filter lets through a few Spams; after all, who's going to complain about a couple of Spams when 90% or more get blocked? More serious is that occasionally the filter blocks an email you want. And the only way to find it is to go through all the blocked emails to be sure. Fortunately, most email is pretty easy to spot, and when it's all in the Recycle bin together you can usually run your eye down the list pretty quickly and find the erroneously blocked emails. But you do have to do it every day.

Our recommendation is to leave well enough alone unless Spam is really clogging up your inbox. For a reference point, we have been averaging about 242 Spam emails/day on one of our systems (that's a total over 3 email addresses) and 125/day on another system with one email address. If you are in this category, you might give serious consideration to a Spam filter. If not, just delete the stuff from your Inbox forget it.

Thanks for joining us this month. See you next month.

Jonathan Spencer
CyberArtisans Web Developers

http://www.cyberartisans.com/
617-965-4110