Dux Computer Newsletter
http://duxcw.com/newsltr/index.html
April 16, 2001; Vol. 1, No. 1
Premier Issue

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IN THIS NEWSLETTER
Introduction
Recent News and Commentary
Tech Tip
Around the Internet
Recent Articles
The Ferrari vs. the Moped

Introduction.   This is the first issue of the Dux Computer Newsletter.   It is written for information technology and business professionals, computer resellers and technicians, computer hobbyists, and anyone else who has an interest in computers and networking.  The scope includes just about anything in the computer field.  Our current focus is on small office/home office networking, Internet connection sharing, motherboards, processors, build your own computer projects, and Windows.  The newsletter also includes know-how in the form of useful tips and links to more extensive material on the Internet.  And you can never tell what else ol' Larry might throw into this Newsletter.   I hope you will find it interesting.

Recent News and Commentary.  Tomorrow at 4:30 PM, AMD's dog and pony show, Team AMD Tech Tour, will be featuring the latest in technology at the Crown Plaza, Woburn, MA. AMD Vendor partners, including nVidia, MSI, ViewSonic, and Western Digital, will also be represented.  More information and the tour schedule for other cities are available on AMD's web site.

Look for a new version of the Internet Explorer (version 6.0) this week on Microsoft's web site. The beta version is available now.  New goodies will include Contacts Bar, which allows access the Outlook contacts list, and a Media Bar with a new media player and access to movies, music, and Internet radio stations.  IE 6 will be part of the next Windows release, Windows XP, which is expected this summer.

CPU price war!  Following Intel's processor price cuts yesterday, AMD will cut prices today.  Intel is expected to again make significant (whopping) price cuts April 29th.  The 1.7 Ghz Pentium 4, will drop from US$700 on its April 23rd release date to $350 six days later.  Others and I expect AMD to follow suite again the first part of May and Intel at the end of May.  "Intel inside" has become irrelevant.

Meanwhile, Dell, HP, Gateway, and others continue duking it out to see who will survive in the PC business (these three will).  Computers priced under $1,000 are getting faster and including more features.  And, if that weren't enough, a price war between LCD flat-panel display manufacturers is heating-up.  In my estimation, all of these trends, plus a terrible slump in the Semiconductor industry, and the emergence of the next generation of desktop and notebook computers with DDR memory and CPUs foretell:  more affordable and energy-efficient computers, with faster memory and flat-screen displays, which will be perceived as something more significant than the ongoing CPU speed contest, which, in turn, will spur demand and result in increased computer and component sales, and the end of the tech sector slump and our mini recession.  The wait is almost over.

More news.

Tech Tip.   The Windows Resource Kit On Line.  Yes, right on that Windows CD is one of the most useful resources for understanding the intricacies of Windows and solving problems.  Simply insert your Windows CD, wait for it to autostart (or access it directly with the Windows Explorer), and expand the directory tree to D:\tools\reskit\help and double-click rk98book.chm (Windows 98 and 98 SE).  Look in d:\admin\reskit\helpfile on the Windows 95 CD.  I copied it to my hard disk drive for faster performance and easier access.  Windows Me doesn't have it, sigh!

Around the Internet.  In his analysis, Bert McComas at InQuest Market Research says this year looks bleak for Intel in Can the Pentium 4 Recover?   A very good site for clipart.  Samsung SM-308: Three Drives for the Price of One.  This drive has the ability to read from and write to CD-R and CD-RW media as well as read DVD-ROM disks.  The coolest screensaver I've ever seen.   SDRAM vs. RDRAM, Facts and Fantasy.  Undocumented Windows 9X Setup Switches.

Recent Articles. Many AMD Socket A Athlon and Duron processors are damaged during installation.  The purpose of How to Install an AMD Athlon or Duron Socket A Processor is to help you avoid that misfortune.  How to Build a Computer with a Socket A Athlon or Duron Processor presents the steps used to build a Socket A computer as a detailed check list with notes and pictures.

The Ferrari vs. the Moped.

A hip young man goes out and buys the best car available: a brand new Ferrari GTO. It is also the most expensive car in the world, with a price tag of $500,000.

One day he takes it out for a spin and stops for a red light. An old man on a moped (looking about 75 years old) pulls up next to him. The old man looks over at the sleek, shiny car and asks, "What kind of car ya' got there, sonny?"

The young man replies, "A Ferrari GTO. It cost half a million dollars!"

"That's a lot of money, "says the old man. "Why does it cost so much?"

"Because this car can do up to 320 miles an hour!!" states the young dude proudly.

The moped driver asks, "Mind if I take a look inside?"

"No problem," replies the owner.

So the old man pokes his head in the window and looks around. Then sitting back on his moped, the old man says,  "That's a pretty nice car, all right. but I'll stick with my moped!"

Just then the light changes so the guy decides to show the old man just what his car can do. He floors it, and within 30 seconds the speedometer reads 160 mph.  Suddenly, he notices a dot in his rear view mirror. It seems to be getting closer! He slows down to see what it could be and suddenly, whhhoooossshhh!  Something whips by him, going much faster.

"What on earth could be going faster than my Ferrari?" the young man asks himself. He floors the accelerator and takes the Ferrari up to 250 mph. Then, up ahead of him, he sees that it's the old man on the moped.

Amazed that the moped could pass his Ferrari, he gives it some more gas and passes the moped at 275 mph. Whoooooosh!  He's feeling pretty good until he looks in his mirror and sees the old man gaining on him again.

Astounded by the speed of this old guy he floors the gas pedal and takes the Ferrari all the way up to 320 mph. Not ten seconds later he sees the moped bearing down on him again. The Ferrari is flat out and there's nothing he can do.

Suddenly the moped plows into the back of his Ferrari, demolishing the rear end.  The young man jumps out, and unbelievably; the old man is still alive.  He runs up to the mangled old man and says, "Oh my God! Is there anything I can do for you?"

The old man whispers with his dying breath, "Unhook...my suspenders from your side-view mirror."

Larry

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As far as I know, The Ferrari vs. the Moped is not copyrighted.

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