Magazine highlights: Maximum PC July 2009

I subscribe to a number of PC & Linux magazines and each month I usually pick up a few more magazines from Borders or Barnes & Noble, that I don't subscribe to. As I read thru them, I always fold over the corner on a page that has something of interest to me, and put an asterisk next to it if there's a lot on the page. Once I finish going thru the magazine, I go back and collect all of the notes I've taken, and take notes, bookmark, or whatever. It's all really good stuff and I've been wanting a better way to hold onto this stuff, and then it came to me. I'm always looking for stuff to blog about, why not combine the two and blog about the magazines I read. People are always reviewing books, why not magazines. I'm not sure if it's ever been done before, but it could be a good service for people. They won't have to buy the magazine, nor read them. And I too can benefit, since my notes will be collected here, in easy to read blog form.

I'll try this for a bit, and see how it goes.

So, first up is Maximum PC, July 2009. I got it just a few days ago, and zipped thru it in about 3 days or so. After I finished, I sat down with the magazine at the computer and typed up these notes. Then I cut and pasted those notes here, and went thru them cleaning them up a bit.

So here we go.

In Windows XP, it seems to me that the 'Add/Remove Programs' (what a misnomer) has been a piece of $*#&! for years. Even the 'Uninstall' programs that come with most quality software is hit or miss; sometimes they uninstall and clean up quite nicely, and other times they royally muck things up. For a while now I've been hearing great things about a free alternative, 'Revo Uninstaller' (http://www.revouninstaller.com) and I've been wanting to try it out. Apparently it works magic with those hard to remove apps. The next time I need to remove something in Windows XP, I'm using Revo Uninstaller (and I'll do a write up about my experiences when I do).


Secunia's Personal Software Inspector (http://secunia.com) takes an inventory of your non-MS apps, and keeps you informed of what needs patching and how to go about getting those all important patches.


Phoenix Technologies' DriverAgent (http://driveragent.com) is a web-based app that scans your current hardware, and lets you know, which devices have updated firmware that you may want to get your hands on. If you're willing to fork over some $$, they'll be more than happy to serve those updates to you, but I'd just take a few screenshots, or print out the page, and then I'd go a-hunting for the needed firmware.


Now here are 3 Malware apps that might come in handy, SuperAntiSpyware (http://www.superantispyware.com) install then run it and remove what it tells you to, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (http://www.malwarebytes.org) same goes for this one, and Panda Activescan 2.0 (http://www.pandasecurity.com/activescan/index) which is a web-based scanner and won't fix anything for you just informs.


Here's an application I've used before, and it's one to keep in your tech toolbox. PC Decrapifier (http://www.pcdecrapifier.com). When you get a Windows PC there's often a lot of programs/trialware installed that you don't want and will never use and for a whole host of reasons its prudent to zap these buggers ASAP. That's where PC Decrapifier really shines. Believe me, I've used it, I love it, I highly recommend it, and I'm sure you'll love it too.



Tons of apps and services start up when you turn on your Windows pc, and R2 Studios' Startup Delayer (http://www.r2.com.au) enables you to be in charge of what runs, and in what order, and if there's any delays required (or desired). I know how frustrating it can be sometimes when you turn on your computer to check on something quickly, but you end up waiting forever for the startup services/apps to relinquish cpu cycles and RAM so that you can get on with whatever it is that you're trying to accomplish. This program is designed to help soften the emotional blow of this kind of situation.


Every Windows pc needs a good defrag once in a while (monthly perhaps) and the free app that MS supplies just isn't up to snuff. Diskeeper 2009 (http://www.diskeeper.com) steps in to do what the MS app can't/won't.


You may want to consider switching from the DNS service your ISP provides to OpenDNS (http://www.opendns.com/).


And if you want a better way to tweak those hidden settings in Firefox, check out Firetune (http://www.totalidea.com/download.php).


Well, overall it was a great Maximun PC magazine for the month of July 2009.