Windows-Help.NET Newsletter

01. Happy Holidays!

by Arie Slob

Hello Windows users,

This is the last issue of the Windows-Help.NET Newsletter for this year. Most of you will celebrate the comming holiday, so from myself and the entire InfiniSource team I want to wish you happy Holidays and all the best for 2004!

The Newsletter will return to your mailbox with the January 10 issue.

02. Microsoft's Holiday Advice

In preparation for the holiday season, Microsoft is offering some advice to tell (new users) on how to secure their new PC "right out of the box". Since user action is required, one could argue that Windows XP (which will be the Operating System pre-installed on most new PC's) does not protect users right out of the box.

According to Microsoft, users should first enable the Windows XP firewall using these steps:

From the Start menu, click Control Panel
Click the Network and Internet Connections icon
Click the Network Connections icon
Right-click on the connection you plan to use and select Properties
In the resulting menu, select the Advanced tab
Check the box that reads Protect my computer and network by limiting or preventing access to this computer from the Internet.

Next Microsoft advises new users that once they are connected to the Internet, they update their Anti-Virus software (assuming that AV software was included in their purchase!), and visit WindowsUpdate to make sure that all the latest patches are installed (as the images used by computer manufacturers to pre-install the OS are not up-to-date on most occasions).

Windows XP's firewall will be switched on by default when Microsoft releases the next update for Windows XP, Service Pack 2, currently in beta testing.

More information can be found on Microsoft's Protect your PC Web site.

03. Rose City Software Holiday Gift

As a gift to all of our Newsletter readers, we offer you a 20% discount coupon to use with any of our software titles! To take advantage of this discount, choose any of our software titles listed on RoseCitySoftware.com. Go to the page for the software of your choice and chick on the "Buy" link near the bottom. Initially the price shown will be the regular price. When you click on the "Checkout" button to enter your personal information, you will notice a field called "Coupon". After entering the discount coupon RCSCustomer, and clicking "Next", the discounted price will be shown on the page where you enter your credit card details.

Happy Holidays!

05. Recent Support BBS Postings

Poll: Why haven't you upgraded to Windows XP?

Blue Text Filenames? - Windows XP
Open source firm releases patch for IE spoofing flaw - Int. Explorer
Good free spy scan and removal? - Security/Virus/Spyware
Controlling cookies in IE - Internet Explorer
Win98 to be phased out. Collect the updates? - Windows 98

06. Web Site Updates

These pages were added/updated in the past 2 weeks. Information on previously updated/added pages is available on the What's New? page for 1 month.

Windows-Help.NET

Added: Microsoft Releases Outlook 2003 Junk E-mail Filter Update
Added: Microsoft Offers Apologies For Swastika Symbols In Office 2003 Font

Windows XP

Updated: Windows XP Internet Connection Sharing
Updated: Windows XP, Installing and Setup

07. Windows XP Winter Fun Packs

The Winter Fun Packs are collection of free and easy-to-use winter-themed downloads for users of Windows XP. Created as a special thank-you to Windows XP customers, the Fun Packs include enhancements and tools to help users of Windows XP have more fun this holiday season with their digital music, photos and home movies.

Read Full Article

08. Microsoft Releases Outlook 2003 Junk E-mail Filter Update

Microsoft released an update to Microsoft Office Outlook 2003. The update enhances the junk e-mail filter in Outlook 2003 to help provide a higher level of protection against junk e-mail.

The update, which is optional, can be downloaded from the Microsoft download [1 MB] Web site.

For more information on this update read Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 832333

09. Microsoft Offers Apologies For Swastika Symbols In Office 2003 Font

Last week, Microsoft Senior Vice President Steven Sinofsky published an Open Letter in which the company apologized for the fact that "due to an unintentional oversight" Microsoft failed to identify the presence of two swastikas in the Bookshelf Symbol 7 font.

Microsoft has released a utility for download that removes the font. You can download the English [131 KB] version directly, or go to the Microsoft download site to select your language.

For more information, read Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 833404.

10. Free holiday clip art

Find dozens of clips to decorate your documents and get in the spirit this holiday season.

Microsoft Office Online