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Windows 10—The Last Version

After Windows 10 there will be no Windows 11 or Windows 12. No new releases and no major upgrades. Your Windows 10 computer will always be up-to-date for the rest of its life.

Magazine Summary

List of ComputorEdge Sponsors

Digital Dave

by Digital Dave

Digital Dave answers your tech questions.

Device Manager Doesn't See DVD/CD; Windows 7 to Windows 10 Experience.

Windows 10, the Last Version of Windows

by Jack Dunning

Microsoft Is Throwing Out the Old Windows Business Model

Microsoft is offering Windows 10 as the last version of Windows. Once you have it on your computer, it will be updated for the life of the computer.

Counting Commas with AutoHotkey

by Jack Dunning

A Quick AutoHotkey Tip for Counting Occurrences of Characters in a Text String

Some AutoHotkey coding can get convoluted when all you really needed to know is which command or function to use.

Wally Wang's Apple Farm

by Wally Wang

The Real Innovation at Apple's Event

The Real Innovation at Apple's Event; How to Start an App Business; Learning Swift; Adware Invades the Macintosh; The Time Element; iOS 8.2.

Worldwide News & Product Reviews

by Charles Carr, News and Reviews Editor

The latest in tech news and hot product reviews.

Tablet Sales Hit the Skids; Child Predator Phishing Scam Alert; Ovum: Samsung's Entry Into the Mobile Payments Market Poses More Challenges to Google Than Apple; Moto X, 2nd Generation (AT&T).

The End is Near

by Jack Dunning

March 27, 2015 Will Be the Last Online Issue of ComputorEdge

It was with mixed feeling that the decision to stop publishing ComputorEdge was taken.

Editor's Letters: Tips and Thoughts from Readers

by ComputorEdge Staff

Computer and Internet tips, plus comments on the articles and columns.

"Net Neutrality," "Have You Seen This Site?" "POZ and Router Logon—NOT Solved"

Send mail to ceeditor@computoredge.com with questions about editorial content.

Send mail to webmaster@computoredge.com with questions or comments about this Web site.

Copyright © 1997-2015 The Byte Buyer, Inc.

ComputorEdge Magazine, P.O. Box 83086, San Diego, CA 92138. (858) 484-1998

Click to Visit ComputorEdge™ Online on the Web!

Digital Dave

“Digital Dave answers your tech questions.”
by Digital Dave

Device Manager Doesn't See DVD/CD; Windows 7 to Windows 10 Experience.

Device Manager Doesn't See DVD/CD

Dear Digital Dave,

I am running 2007 Vista Ultimate SP2 on a PowerSpec desktop. It has a 2004 HP DVD writer DVD400i which has an IDE interface.

A couple of weeks ago the DVD/CD stopped working. The tray would extend and close but it would not play media through Windows. The BIOS does see and recognize the drive because of a different problem I had to use the drive.

I think the problem is in the Windows Device Manager, there is no entry for the CD/DVD device anymore (it used to). I compared it to another Vista machine I have. I have tried online remedies, but none bring the entry back into Device Manager. I have tried to find a device driver online, but even HP has none that seem to work.

Does my problem need a reload of the Vista Ultimate program as I do not have the disks or should I get a USB replacement device? The machine has one IDE and some USB connections.

Andy Doll

Lakewood, CO

Dear Andy,

While I addressed a not dissimilar question a number of weeks ago, after all the discussion and reader response the best answer appeared to be: "Replace the drive." Not only did people with more experience with this type of problem state that it was likely a drive problem, but a couple of different people solved this issue with a new drive.

While you could try all of the things I recommended in the linked letter, I suspect that you will ultimately need a new drive. After all, it's a Vista machine which means the DVD/CD drive probably has a few years on it.

I doubt that you need to reload Vista. Get whichever drive type you like although, if you use the drive a lot, I would look at directly replacing your IDE DVD/CD drive—if not, a USB drive would be easier to move from computer to computer.

Another thought is maybe you should consider whether you actually need a DVD drive. I got a USB drive a couple years back that I've used once or twice and I don't put DVD drives in the PCs anymore. I rarely have a use for them. I guess you may want one for those odd occasions.

Digital Dave

Windows 7 to Windows 10

Dear Digital Dave,

I am a user of Windows 7 using an "older" HP laptop that can be upgraded to Windows 10. I've checked the requirements online and found that, outside of possible problems with the compatibility of my HP printer to Windows 10 it should be a "go." However, from what I see, my older computer would not be able to utilize some of the new features that a brand new computer would, i.e., touchscreen.

Can you please tell me some of the major features of Windows 10 my old computer would not be capable of using if I do upgrade to Windows 10? (Two reasons for my wanting to change to Windows 10—I want to keep up and not be left behind in technology and gee, the upgrade is free!). Thank you and I enjoy your magazine all these past years.

Jerry Hughes

San Diego, CA

Dear Jerry,

Other than the touchscreen capabilities, there isn't much that you will be missing in Windows 10 that you don't have in Windows 7. The biggest change is the addition of the Modern apps first included in Windows 8. You will have all of that except they will run in individual windows just like in Windows 7.

As for the touchscreen capabilities, they have been most useful in tablets. While there have been a number of touchscreen laptops on the market, they have not been a tremendous success. It seems that most people prefer to stick with their mouse and keyboard. A non-touch screen doesn't get as many smudges.

If you want touchscreen then you can always add a touch capable monitor. I'm sure that this would come in handy for a number of applications (finger painting). Windows 10 should recognize when there is a touch device attached and automatically turn on the capability. In fact this is supposed to be one of the better changes. If you're using a PC, the Windows Desktop will automatically come up. When using a touch device, the Modern interface will seamlessly appear—or so I've been told.

Microsoft's current goal is to make Windows 10 close to the same experience as Windows 7. If there are additional capabilities, they are likely to be device dependent. You should be able to get the new features by merely adding the appropriate device.

While Windows 10 is faster than Windows 7, you won't find much in the operating system that provides a new experience. Many features which were at one time included in the system (and made it bloated) are now available as separate apps.

Digital Dave

Windows 10, the Last Version of Windows

“Microsoft Is Throwing Out the Old Windows Business Model”
by Jack Dunning

Microsoft is offering Windows 10 as the last version of Windows. Once you have it on your computer, it will be updated for the life of the computer.

After last week's article on the coming release of Windows 10, I received the following:

I don't understand how this is a free upgrade. I get that it is free for the first year but then what? If I don't pay up does that mean I can't use my computer? Is it going to be a periodic service fee? Once it is on my computer what keeps Microsoft from extorting whatever price they want?

I suppose I could image my Windows 7 and put it back on in the event Microsoft charges more than I think Windows 10 is worth. I have to ask myself do I even want to hassle it, after all Windows 7 is bought and paid for and works just fine. Am I missing something?

Kurt Heffner, San Diego

Kurt was not alone in his thoughts. Rumors about how Microsoft is creating a bait-and-switch scenario flew across the Web. There had to be an angle which would line Microsoft's pockets while taking advantage of its users.

Microsoft has recognized this problem and is trying to get out ahead of it.

First, my response to Kurt:

I guess I didn't write very clearly. I meant to say that the upgrade to Windows 10 would be free for Windows 7 users as long as the upgrade is completed within one year after the release of Windows 10. There is no additional charge or any expiration.

As for your Windows 7 working fine, my guess is that there will be millions of Windows 7 users who won't upgrade. After all, "if it ain't broke, why fix it?"

The confusion about Windows 10 has been rampant. Kurt's concerns are justified. For Microsoft to give away a free upgrade to hundreds of millions of Windows 7 users is certainly out of character. Microsoft sees the confusion and is trying to cope with the rumors.

Windows 10: The Last Version of Window

Microsoft has discovered that releasing a new version of Windows every couple of years is a hit-and-miss proposition—with the emphasis on miss. Windows 10 will be versionless, thus the last version of Windows. Rather than releasing major upgrades, changes will be rolled out continuously in a manner similar to Window update.

From Microsoft: "We'll deliver new features when they're ready, not waiting for the next major release. We think of Windows as a Service—in fact, one could reasonably think of Windows in the next couple of years as one of the largest Internet services on the planet. And just like any Internet service, the idea of asking 'What version are you on?' will cease to make sense."

A statement like that creates new fears. Netflix is a service and I pay a monthly fee for it. Is that Microsoft's eventual plan?

From Microsoft's Terry Myerson: "This is more than a one-time upgrade: once a Windows device is upgraded to Windows 10, we will continue to keep it current for the supported lifetime of the device—at no cost. With Windows 10, the experience will evolve and get even better over time."

So how is Microsoft going to make money?

With most of the world using Windows, the only way Microsoft can make money on Windows now is when people buy new hardware. It's been proven, first with XP and now Windows 7, that the introduction of a new version does not cause a rush to upgrade. The business model of making money off people upgrading to the new version just doesn't work anymore. Even now most of what Microsoft earns on Windows comes from new computers. By offering the latest in Windows 10 software for the life of the piece of equipment, Microsoft eliminates the fear of obsolescence. While the hardware may become old, the software won't. When someone eventually buys a new computer, then Microsoft is rewarded.

This approach is almost brilliant. For example, I will never buy another iPad. Is it because there is anything wrong with the iPad? No. Is it because I never use it? No. It's because Apple came out with a new version of iOS which I can't load on my original iPad and left me in the dust. I can't use many new apps because I don't have the right operating system—and it happened after only a couple of years of ownership. If Windows 10 is any good as an operating system, then this won't happen with a Windows 10 device or computer. Your hardware may get old, but your software won't.

On the downside, it may mean that you won't be able to migrate your copy of Windows 10 to a new piece of hardware. I haven't seen any specifics on this, but it implies that Windows 10 is only good for the life of the hardware—not the life of the user.

What's the Big Deal about 3D?

One of the big announcements for Microsoft is its work on the

HoloLens—Microsoft's foray into the 3D headset battle. I've written enough on 3D with articles on Facebook spending two billion dollars on Oculus Rift, the Intel 3D camera, and various other 3D topics. HoloLens is another set of goggles you can wear to freak out the kids.

This time rather than being a totally immersive virtual reality experience, HoloLens augments reality with virtual images. For example, you will see the actual room, but digital images are added via the headset by projecting directly into your eyes, thus creating the 3D illusion. People who have experienced it are pretty impressed.

In some ways the HoloLens approach to 3D visualization may be more useful than the generally nauseating total immersion experience. Since the virtual image can be superimposed on reality it can be used as a guide to for doing repairs or possibly surgery. It is also another way to play games—which is probably the most important current application.

HoloLens is touted as a Windows 10 capability, but don't expect to buy a Windows 10 computer this year and start running your own holodeck. There is no doubt that special hardware will be required—not to mention software apps. You can count me as a skeptic, but I'm usually wrong when it comes to predicting the future of technology.

Jack is the publisher of ComputorEdge Magazine. He's been with the magazine since first issue on May 16, 1983. Back then, it was called The Byte Buyer. His Web site is www.computoredge.com. He can be reached at ceeditor@computoredge.com. Jack is now in the process of updating and compiling his hundreds of articles and columns into e-books. Currently available:

Recently released is Jack's FREE AutoHotkey book, AutoHotkey Tricks You Ought to Do with Window, available exclusively at ComputorEdge E-Books in the EPUB for e-readers and tablets, MOBI for Kindle, and PDF for printing formats.

ComputorEdge E-books is offering his AutoHotkey Applications, an idea-generating intermediate level e-book about using the AutoHotkey Graphical User Interface (GUI) command to write practical pop-up apps for your Windows computer. (It's not as hard as it sounds.)

Hidden Windows Tools for Protecting, Problem Solving and Troubleshooting Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP Computers.

Jack's A Beginner's Guide to AutoHotkey, Absolutely the Best Free Windows Utility Software Ever!: Create Power Tools for Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8 and Digging Deeper Into AutoHotkey.

Our second compilation of stupid ComputorEdge cartoons from 2011 and 2012 is now available at Amazon! That Does Not Compute, Too! ComputorEdge Cartoons, Volume II: "Do You Like Windows 8 or Would You Prefer an Apple?"

Special Free Offer at ComputorEdge E-Books! Jack's Favorite Free Windows Programs: What They Are, What They Do, and How to Get Started!.

Misunderstanding Windows 8: An Introduction, Orientation, and How-to for Windows 8 (Seventh Edition)!

Windows 7 Secrets Four-in-One E-Book Bundle,

Getting Started with Windows 7: An Introduction, Orientation, and How-to for Using Windows 7,

Sticking with Windows XP—or Not? Why You Should or Why You Should Not Upgrade to Windows 7,

and That Does Not Compute!, brilliantly drawn cartoons by Jim Whiting for really stupid gags by Jack about computers and the people who use them.

Counting Commas with AutoHotkey

“A Quick AutoHotkey Tip for Counting Occurrences of Characters in a Text String”
by Jack Dunning

Some AutoHotkey coding can get convoluted when all you really needed to know is which command or function to use.

I recently received the following AutoHotkey question:

Jack:

I have found your books very helpful. I have a problem, however, that I seem unable to solve.

I need to count the commas in a string. For example, if this is the string — "123, 45, 12, 5" — I need to get the number 3. (Actually, what I need is one more than the number of commas, i.e., 4.) Assuming I copy the relevant string to the clipboard, how do I proceed from there to get the number of commas plus 1?

Any tips or help would be welcome.

Thanks.

Best,

Harvey

In response:

Hi Harvey,

Probably the best way to do it is with the StringReplace command, but you need to escape the comma with a backtick ` since the comma is a special character. When adding UseErrorLevel the variable ErrorLevel will contain the number of occurrences. (Although the documentation doesn't say it, the command defaults to All when UseErrorLevel is included). Then add one:

Str = 123, 45, 12, 5

StringReplace Str,Str,`,,`,,UseErrorLevel

Count := ErrorLevel +1

Msgbox % "Then comma is found " . ErrorLevel . " times to give " . Count

You are replacing each comma with a comma, then adding 1 to the Count found in ErrorLevel.

This can also be done with RegExReplace() function, but I don't see any advantage in using a RegEx in this situation.

Thanks,

Jack

*                    *                    *

As I discussed in a previous column a couple of weeks ago, this is another situation where ErrorLevel can provide you valuable information. The only way you would discover this capability in StringReplace is to scour the documentation—or better yet do a Google search such as "count how many AutoHotkey" which will return links to examples (usually from the AutoHotkey forum). By including the word "AutoHotkey" in your searches many other results are filtered out.

I often use this search technique when I'm looking for a way to do something specific. AutoHotkey has been around long enough to have accumulated a huge FAQ repository via its forums and on other Web sites. A simple search is one of the best resources I know. Reading the documentation is great, but if you don't know which command to use for your problem it can be almost useless. By searching the Web, you will usually be pointed in the right direction.

Using RegExReplace()

The AutoHotkey function RegExReplace() can also be used to count the number of replacements. RegExReplace() includes a parameter for assigning a variable to count the number of times the expression is replaced (or encountered depending upon how you're using it). In the online documentation the parameter is called OutputVarCount:

RegExReplace(Haystack, NeedleRegEx [, Replacement = "", OutputVarCount = "", Limit = -1, StartingPosition = 1])

The script is almost identical to the one above except the RegExReplace() function is substituted for the StringReplace command:

Str = 123, 45, 12, 5

RegExReplace(Str, "," ,"", CountVar,-1, 1)

Count := CountVar +1

Msgbox % "The comma is found " . CountVar . " times to give " . Count

The variable CountVar has been assigned to keep track of the number of replacements. Since the function is not set equal (or saved) to a variable, there are no actual replacements made to a saved string. This snippet merely counts occurrences.

As I stated above, with this example it is probably quicker and easier to use the StringReplace command. However, if you want to count types of strings (say contractions with apostrophes or double word sequences), then the RegExReplace() function would be much more flexible.

Jack is the publisher of ComputorEdge Magazine. He's been with the magazine since first issue on May 16, 1983. Back then, it was called The Byte Buyer. His Web site is www.computoredge.com. He can be reached at ceeditor@computoredge.com. Jack is now in the process of updating and compiling his hundreds of articles and columns into e-books. Currently available:

Recently released is Jack's FREE AutoHotkey book, AutoHotkey Tricks You Ought to Do with Window, available exclusively at ComputorEdge E-Books in the EPUB for e-readers and tablets, MOBI for Kindle, and PDF for printing formats.

ComputorEdge E-books is offering his AutoHotkey Applications, an idea-generating intermediate level e-book about using the AutoHotkey Graphical User Interface (GUI) command to write practical pop-up apps for your Windows computer. (It's not as hard as it sounds.)

Hidden Windows Tools for Protecting, Problem Solving and Troubleshooting Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP Computers.

Jack's A Beginner's Guide to AutoHotkey, Absolutely the Best Free Windows Utility Software Ever!: Create Power Tools for Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8 and Digging Deeper Into AutoHotkey.

Our second compilation of stupid ComputorEdge cartoons from 2011 and 2012 is now available at Amazon! That Does Not Compute, Too! ComputorEdge Cartoons, Volume II: "Do You Like Windows 8 or Would You Prefer an Apple?"

Special Free Offer at ComputorEdge E-Books! Jack's Favorite Free Windows Programs: What They Are, What They Do, and How to Get Started!.

Misunderstanding Windows 8: An Introduction, Orientation, and How-to for Windows 8 (Seventh Edition)!

Windows 7 Secrets Four-in-One E-Book Bundle,

Getting Started with Windows 7: An Introduction, Orientation, and How-to for Using Windows 7,

Sticking with Windows XP—or Not? Why You Should or Why You Should Not Upgrade to Windows 7,

and That Does Not Compute!, brilliantly drawn cartoons by Jim Whiting for really stupid gags by Jack about computers and the people who use them.

Wally Wang's Apple Farm

“The Real Innovation at Apple's Event”
by Wally Wang

The Real Innovation at Apple's Event; How to Start an App Business; Learning Swift; Adware Invades the Macintosh; The Time Element; iOS 8.2.

On March 9, 2015, Apple teased everyone with the Apple Watch announcement, but the Apple Watch wasn't even the star of the show. Instead, Apple released a slew of innovative technologies that redefined the wearable computing market, laptop design, and the most important revelation, medical research.

Apple had earlier introduced HealthKit, a software framework for storing health data. Of course, storing health data for personal use may be nice, but the real key is Apple's new open source ResearchKit designed for retrieving health-related data for medical research.

Today's medical research is no different than the way it worked a century ago. Back then, you had to round up volunteers in your area and based on this tiny and completely unrepresentative sample, you had to conduct medical research and hope your results would work on the general public.

With ResearchKit, that antiquated manner of gathering medical data is over. Working with the University of Rochester, Xuanwu Hospital at Capital Medical University in Beijing, and Sage Bionetworks, researchers can now objectively measure the effects of Parkinson's Disease. One test for Parkinson's Disease in the past was to watch someone walk and subjectively judge how well (or poorly) their coordination appeared to be. Such subjective measuring for crucial medical research is now over because ResearchKit apps running on the iPhone or Apple Watch can now objectively measure data.

To test for Parkinson's Disease, an app can measure hand tremors using the iPhone touchscreen, vocal trembling using the microphone, and a person's balance through the iPhone's accelerometer and gyroscope. Best of all, medical researchers no longer have to post flyers around public buildings or ads in newspapers to attract patients to study. Instead, anyone who downloads the app can participate in the medical study, providing researchers with data from a wide variety of people all over the world.

Figure 1. The iPhone can objectively measure the effects of Parkinson's Disease on patients.

More importantly, Apple will never see your health data to protect your privacy. To encourage widespread adoption of ResearchKit, Apple has even made the entire software framework open source so you can expect ResearchKit to become a standard for capturing medical data from people using a variety of different devices.

With medical researchers able to obtain more data in one second than they could normally collect in three months, ResearchKit promises to speed up medical research and provide it with more accurate, real-time data as well. Instead of waiting for patients to come back to the hospital, doctors can now receive patient data (with the patient's permission, of course) every second of the day.

Through ResearchKit, medical researchers can now work faster and more efficiently. If tomorrow's cures for today's diseases can be found through ResearchKit, countless lives can be saved thanks to Apple. ResearchKit alone is probably the greatest innovation that will drastically improve our lives for the better.

After unveiling ResearchKit, every other innovation Apple revealed seems far more mundane, but still important because it shows how Apple continues to innovate while critics continue to overlook their innovations. One of their latest innovations is Force Touch.

The Apple Watch can detect the differences between slight and firm pressure. Now the latest MacBook laptop offers a Force Touch trackpad. By detecting subtle differences in pressure, the Macintosh can now allow people to control their programs in ways not possible with ordinary trackpads. The new Force Touch trackpads have just made traditional trackpads obsolete.

Figure 2. Force Touch can detect pressure differences.

While the latest MacBook Pro models also gained Force Touch trackpads, the MacBook Air models did not. As part of their unveiling of Force Touch, Apple also introduced a 12-inch MacBook laptop that's thinner than any previous MacBook laptop while also eliminating the need for a fan to cool the computer.

To maximize the space inside the latest MacBook laptop, Apple redesigned its batteries in layers so they could squeeze into every available space in the case. This gives the latest MacBook laptop between 9-10 hours of battery life.

Besides the addition of a Retina display, Apple also gave this new MacBook laptop specially designed keys to maximize typing comfort. With all of these improvements, Apple has made the new MacBook laptop the new standard for a light weight, portable laptop computer that will be available April 10.

Finally, Apple revealed the Apple Watch with prices ranging from $349 all the way up to $10,000. Apple didn't just cram a smartphone into the smaller form factor of a watch (think Samsung's Galaxy Gear). Instead, Apple created new ways to create aluminum, stainless steel, and gold casings.

Combine a wearable computer like the Apple Watch with ResearchKit and HealthKit, and you have a new way to track health data for fitness and medical purposes. Previous fitness bands and smartwatches offered similar features but none offers the same degree of integration and support from major medical research facilities around the world.

ResearchKit just redefined the medical research world and Apple Watch promises to help shape it in the future. The wearable computer revolution is here and its killer app is health. If you're interested in fitness or health in any way, you can be certain ResearchKit and the Apple Watch will play a role in your future.

How to Start an App Business

If you're interested in making and selling your own apps, you might be interested in the book The Business of iOS App Development . While the book focuses mostly on iOS, the principles are basically the same for all mobile app stores. In the early days of the App Store, you could write an iFart app and make thousands of dollars. Nowadays there are so many apps crowding the App Store that you can't rely on novelty alone to sell your apps.

The first strategy to avoid is the copycat strategy. When you see a successful app, trying to copy it is pointless unless your app can offer something different and better. Even then, you'll have a hard time competing on features alone. Your app needs a compelling advantage of some kind whether it's because it offers a Spanish version or because it offers a feature a rival doesn't have. Just trying to mimic an existing app is a pointless exercise that will likely earn you little for your efforts.

The second strategy is to come up with a marketing plan. The best app in the world will sell nothing if nobody knows it even exists. That means you have to build up a social media platform around your app and publicize its features that solves an interesting problem. The more people know about your app, the more likely they'll actually want to get it.

In the old days, selling an app was the only business model. Nowadays, app developers can offer multiple approaches. First, they can offer a paid and a free version where the paid version offers extra features. Second, they can offer a free version and sell in-app purchases that enhance the app. By having a free version separate from the paid version, or making your app free to begin with, you can greatly increase the number of people likely to download it. A certain percentage of people who download the app will then pay for it, while forcing people to buy an unknown app that they don't fully trust will be much harder.

Finally, you have to create a quality app in the first place that solves a pressing need. Many app developers try to target the whole world, but then they scatter their message so it reaches no one. Smart app developers target a niche market first and then expand to other markets.

For example, what type of app would likely appeal to real estate agents? An app specially marketed as a real estate agent tool or a general purpose app? By targeting a niche market, you'll likely make more sales than targeting the general public.

Ultimately, the quality of your app is much less important than your marketing efforts, but a quality app can support a great marketing program. Make sure the right potential customers know your app exists and you'll make far more sales than posting your app in the App Store and hoping for the best. Any time you rely on hope as a strategy, you can be certain you'll meet with failure and disappointment.

Learning Swift

In the old days of MS-DOS, many people used Turbo Pascal. When the world shifted to Windows and C, these Turbo Pascal programmers stuck on MS-DOS were left behind. Eventually Borland International released Turbo Pascal for Windows, but it was never as popular as Turbo Pascal for MS-DOS. When Microsoft released Visual Basic, they pretty much killed Turbo Pascal for good. Even Delphi, Turbo Pascal's version of Visual Basic, couldn't challenge Visual Basic despite offering a true compiler that didn't need a runtime file like Visual Basic did.

If you're a developer and don't want to repeat the Turbo Pascal/MS-DOS debacle, then it's time to learn about iOS programming using Swift. Swift is Apple's new programming language of the future that's just as powerful as Objective-C while being far easier to use and learn. As mobile and wearable computing takes off, knowledge of iOS programming and Swift will be just as important as Windows and C programming was back in the transition between MS-DOS and Windows.

To help you learn Swift programming, iTunes University offers two college courses. Stanford University offers an iOS 8 programming course with Swift. Before watching this free course, make sure you understand object-oriented programming and learn the basics of the Swift language first. Otherwise this course moves rapidly and complete novices will likely be overwhelmed quickly.

Fortunately, you can go at your own pace and watch the video tutorials over and over again until you fully understand the principles being taught. For a much gentler and less comprehensive Swift programming course, Plymouth University offers a course especially geared for people who may have no experience with iOS or even a Macintosh.

The Stanford University video lectures typically last over an hour while the Plymouth University video lectures range from a few minutes to 45 minutes with a typical video lecture lasting between 10-20 minutes. Because of these shorter lectures, it's easier to learn and watch the Plymouth University lectures over and over again. However, the Stanford University lectures cover more details.

Figure 3. iTunes University offers a free college education to anyone willing to set aside the time to learn.

If you're a beginner, start with the Plymouth University lectures and then graduate to the Stanford University lectures. If you're already familiar with Objective-C and Xcode, then you might find jumping into the Stanford University lectures will be more challenging.

Like all iTunes University courses, the Stanford University and Plymouth University video lectures are free so you can get a college education for nothing more than the cost of your time. By browsing through all of the iTunes University courses, you can get a free college education in other topics besides computer science. Now there's no reason to stay ignorant about any topic unless you simply refuse to spend any time learning anything new.

Adware Invades the Macintosh

Lenovo recently got caught pre-installing adware that compromised security. After initially claiming that the adware was for the benefit of consumers, Lenovo vowed to remove all pre-installed bloatware on their PCs. Now if only other PC manufacturers would do the same thing, that would go a long way towards a happy customer experience and more reliable computers.

Sadly, Oracle has decided that shoving adware on people is a great marketing trick to make money from free software like Java. As always, adware is never for the benefit of the consumer but for the monetary benefit of the company installing the adware.

While it's possible to install Java without installing adware, the installation process makes it easy for people to install the adware without knowing it. To protect your Macintosh against adware, download a copy of AdWare Medic, which is donation ware meaning if you like it, donate to help support it.

Figure 4. Adware Medic can scan your Macintosh for adware.

If Adware Medic spots adware, it can identify and offer to remove it. In case your Macintosh seems to be acting erratically, it could be because of adware slowing it down or interfering with your programs.

Figure 5. Adware Medic can identify and remove common adware from a Macintosh.

When companies focus only on their own bottom line, you can be certain the consumer will suffer as a result. For anyone who championed "standard" plug-ins as critically important like Flash and Java, it's time to realize the price we all pay for using "free" software created by corporations that only care about making money at the expense of the consumer. If you value security and performance, it's time to stop promoting "free" plug-ins like Flash, Acrobat, and Java that often come booby-trapped with adware to monetize the "free" offer.

The Time Element

Many people compare the capabilities of different computers based on their technical specifications. However, it's probably better to compare computers based on the average amount of time spent using them.

For a typical desktop or laptop computer, people can spend hours working on them. For tablets, mobility is far more important so people often spend much less time working on a tablet than working on a laptop. Where laptop usage can be measured in hours per session, tablet usage is more geared towards minutes per session.

Smartphone usage is similar to tablet usage where tasks typically get completed within minutes, not hours. Most people glance at the weather, maps, or stock reports on a smartphone and put it away a minute or so later. You may browse the Internet or read an e-book, but it's usually not for hours at a time.

Smartwatches are geared for even less time, measured in seconds such as making a payment with an Apple Watch, opening a locked hotel room door, or glancing at a text message. You probably wouldn't want to compose a letter on an Apple Watch but you could write a quick e-mail message on an iPhone or iPad. If you need to write a detailed legal document, you'll probably want the convenience of a larger screen and keyboard with a desktop or laptop computer.

By differentiating products by the typical amount of time needed to use them, you can see how each type of product can solve unique problems that will be clumsier with other types of products. Laptops may be convenient to carry, but you'll rarely carry a laptop with you at all times just to look at weather forecasts or driving conditions. For such short interactions, smartphones are better. For even shorter interactions, smartwatches are better still.

Restaurants can save time by handing patrons a menu on an iPad that transmits their order directly to the kitchen, faster and more accurately than having a person take someone's order and carry it back to the kitchen. Lugging around a bulky laptop (or netbook) wouldn't be as convenient.

So don't look at the technical capabilities of different products and automatically conclude they must be useless because they don't exactly duplicate the technical features of an existing product. Look at how each product's time element of interaction can be perfectly suited for solving certain tasks while also being horrible at solving other types of tasks. Opening a locked car with an Apple Watch is fast and simple, but opening that same car door with a laptop is clumsy. The technical capabilities matter less than the time element of the problem they're trying to solve.

The future of computers is mobile and wearable products. They'll only continue gaining in capabilities so if you want to stay part of the future, look for the unique ways that mobile and wearable computers can solve problems that desktops and laptops can never do. If you don't want to be part of the future, just continue to insist that a Windows PC represents the pinnacle of technological progress that can never be surpassed for the rest of eternity.

*                    *                    *

Apple just released iOS 8.2 that includes a new Apple Watch app that lets you pair an iPhone to your Apple Watch. Since the Apple Watch won't go on sale until April 24, the main reason to download iOS 8.2 is for bug fixes. Although you can download the iOS 8.2 update directly on your iPhone or iPad, it's faster if you download it through iTunes instead.

Just plug your iPhone or iPad into your computer through its USB cable and load iTunes. Click on the iPhone/iPad icon in the upper left corner of the iTunes window and click Summary. Now click the Check for Update button.

In the early days, before Wally became an Internationally renowned comedian, computer book writer, and generally cool guy, Wally Wang used to hang around The Byte Buyer dangling participles with Jack Dunning and go to the gym to pump iron with Dan Gookin.

Wally is responsible for the following books:

Microsoft Office 2013 For Dummies

Beginning Programming for Dummies

Beginning Programming All-in-One Reference for Dummies

Breaking Into Acting for Dummies with Larry Garrison

Strategic Entrepreneurism with Jon and Gerald Fisher

How to Live with a Cat (When You Really Don't Want To)

The Secrets of the Wall Street Stock Traders

Mac Programming For Absolute Beginners

Republican Fairy Tales (Children's Stories the 1% Tell About the Rest of Us)

The Zen of Effortless Selling with Moe Abdou

The 15-Minute Movie Method

Math for the Zombie Apocalypse

How to Write a Great Script with Final Draft 9

Making a Scene: The Science of Scene Structure.

In his spare time, Wally likes blogging about movies and writing screenplays at his site "The 15 Minute Movie Method," finding interesting news stories about cats at his site "Cat Daily News," giving advice to authors who want to self-publish e-books at his site "The Electronic Author," and providing the type of advice he wishes someone would have told him when he was much younger at his personal Web site. Wally can be reached at wally@computoredge.com or you can follow him on Twitter @wallacewang_com.

Worldwide News & Product Reviews

“The latest in tech news and hot product reviews.”
by Charles Carr, News and Reviews Editor

Tablet Sales Hit the Skids; Child Predator Phishing Scam Alert; Ovum: Samsung's Entry Into the Mobile Payments Market Poses More Challenges to Google Than Apple; Moto X, 2nd Generation (AT&T).

Tablet Sales Hit the Skids

Gartner recently released its quarterly devices forecast update in which the information technology research and advisory company predicts that worldwide tablet sales will continue to be slow in 2015:

After a troubled year in 2014, the global tablet market is not returning to the levels of growth seen in the last four years as demand for tablets will continue to be slow in 2015.

"The collapse of the tablet market in 2014 was alarming," said Ranjit Atwal, research director at Gartner. "In the last two years global sales of tablets were growing in double-digits.

"The steep drop can be explained by several factors. One is that the lifetime of tablets is being extended—they are shared out amongst family members and software upgrades, especially for iOS devices, keep the tablets current. Another factor includes the lack of innovation in hardware which refrains consumers from upgrading."

Gartner analysts say they expect the vendors in the devices space to announce new partnerships that lead to innovative apps that use personal data to tailor the user experience.

"Beyond an enriched computing experience for the user, this next phase of the personal cloud will also help make the vendor and customer's relationships more personal, with services and advertising automatically tailored to consumer demands," said Atwal.

"The smartphone market is becoming polarized between the high- and low-end market price points," said Annette Zimmermann, research director at Gartner.

"On one hand, the premium phone with an average selling price at $447 in 2014 saw growth dominated by iOS, and on the other end of the spectrum you have Android and other open OS phones' growth area in the basic phone segment, where the average phone costs $100. For the midrange smartphones, the market opportunity is becoming increasingly limited."

In the operating system (OS) market, Android surpassed a billion shipments of devices in 2014, and will continue to grow at a double-digit pace in 2015, with a 26 percent increase year over year.

"From 2015, we expect Windows to grow faster than iOS, as the PC market stabilizes and the challenge for the next iPhone to find significant growth becomes greater, narrowing the gap between the two operating systems," said Mr. Atwal.

Child Predator Phishing Scam Alert

"Every so often," says KnowBe4's Kathy Wattman, "there are scams that are so low and devious, they warrant attention. This is one of the worst we have seen for a while.

"A new phishing scam targeting parents with fake alerts about child predators has been found," warns KnowBe4 CEO Stu Sjouwerman. "The campaign starts with the receipt of an email with a subject line like: 'Alert: There is a child predator living near you!' This information is based on a "local area zip code."

Sjouwerman continues, "Just when you think phishing criminals cannot sink any further, you get confronted with a "new low." This phishing scam preys a on parent's fear.The scam e-mail looks like a warning for parents about a child predator that moved into their zipcode area, but you don't remember signing up for such a service. It's a really low phishing scam."

"When the e-mail is opened, it 'warns' the target victim that a predator has moved into the area and provides a link for more information. Clicking the link infects the computer with malware that will try to steal passwords, credit information, and other information that leads up to stealing one's identity.

"If someone clicks on the link, they are redirected through several sites to land on the "Kids Live Safe" Web site, which is a service that sells localized reports on sex offenders. But this phishing attack is not from that Web site, it just sends victims there to try to look credible and distract attention from the fact your computer is now infected with malware."

Sjouwerman adds, "Cyber criminals are getting more sophisticated by the month. It is really a must to step employees through effective security awareness training and send them simulated phishing attacks on a regular basis."

Get regular updates on these types of scams by visiting Sjouwerman's blog.

Ovum: Samsung's Entry Into the Mobile Payments Market Poses More Challenges to Google Than Apple

Gilles Ubaghs, Senior Analyst, Financial Services Technology at Ovum writes in this week:

"Since being established in 2012, LoopPay has risen quickly from a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign in 2013, through to an acquisition by technology giant Samsung in 2015. The high levels of attention being paid to LoopPay stem from its proprietary Magnetic Secure Transmission (MST) technology. As a result, a mobile proximity wallet rollout need not be dependent on wider contactless infrastructure development.

Despite this novel solution to a key stumbling block to widespread mobile proximity payments adoption, LoopPay faces significant hurdles. Perhaps most critically, due to its reliance on mag stripe technology, LoopPay remains highly US centric, and holds less potential benefits in markets such as Canada, the UK and Australia, where contactless infrastructure is significantly higher than the US and rising. In markets that use EMV and have a high contactless penetration rate the benefit of using LoopPay is less clear.

Although many perceive LoopPay as a direct competitor to Apple Pay, and undoubtedly Apple's payment service was a key driver in this move, Samsungs acquisition of LoopPay likely says more about its relationship with Google and the Google Wallet platform. Mobile payments are not yet a driver of handset sales and very few people will be basing their phone purchasing decisions on mobile payment functionality. As long as it remains a 'nice to have' not a 'must have' feature the Apple Pay and LoopPay ecosystems will largely be mutually exclusive. LoopPay does however represent a more direct threat to Google Wallet which already makes heavy use of the NFC capabilities of many Samsung devices. It remains unclear how Samsung will balance its introduction of LoopPay into its NFC enabled handsets running Android software.

At this stage following Samsung's acquisition of LoopPay it is clear that another potentially major player is now making a more forceful entry into the mobile proximity payment market. There remain many unanswered questions, not least of which includes potential revenue models, security and compatibility issues and roll out strategy to global markets outside the US, but with Samsung's considerable resources these developments will be difficult for competitors to ignore. This will likely only further increase the speed of development now occurring in the broader mobile payments space.

Moto X, 2nd Generation (AT&T)

Product category: Smartphone

Manufacturer: Motorola

Model: Moto X (white/bamboo model reviewed)

Web site: www.att.com

Price: $526 list, $99 with two-year contract

To my mind, the Moto X's 5.2" form factor is the perfect balance between smaller smartphones and the really large "phablets." It also has an extremely solid build with a curved metal case that really fits well in your hand.

The Moto X's 1080p HD edge-to-edge display looks fantastic. The 13MP rear-facing camera is a stunner with the ability to capture 4K images. Lots of great filters and sharing options.

The X's Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 quad-core processor is really fast. You can do lots of things for a very long time. All day with this phone is easy. One thing that really surprised me was how long the Moto X will sit patiently between charges. A week easily.

The Moto X also features Moto Voice Control that lets you do just about anything you can do with your fingers just by using your voice. You can customize the Moto X so that it works and sounds like you want it to. For example, create a custom voice prompt like, "Wassup, Moto?" then ask questions, control and enter info in apps, share pics with friends, and lots more. After a while, it really feels like that device you're holding is a sentient life.

Not sure how it does this (GPS, I'm thinking), but the Moto X can actually sense where you are and adapt its behavior to suit that location. For example, you can tell it to turn off the ringer in bed (good idea), enable hand-free calling when you're in the car (extremely good idea). Amazing.

The Moto X we reviewed was white with a gorgeous bamboo back, but you can choose from dozens of back finishes including other wood grains, metal, and leather. You can even have your name or a message etched in with a laser. There are so many options you can make this phone look no other phone on the planet.

All-in-all, the Moto X is an amazing smartphone. Just big enough that you can get some serious work done while small enough that you can tuck it away easily. Also, you can't beat the build quality, power, and display.

Review contributed by Bridgett Tielsen

Specifications (from AT&T)

——————————————————

Qualcomm Snapdragon® 801 processor at 2.5 GHz, quad core

Resolution (pixels)

1080x1920 HD

Colors

16 million

Android Operating System

v4.4

Internal memory storage

Up to 16 GB

RAM 2 GB

Battery capacity

2300 mAh

Talk time (hours)

Up to 17

Standby time (days)

Up to 10.4

Size (L x W x D in inches)

5.54x2.85x0.39

Weight (ounces)

5.07

Wireless Technology

4G LTE

Bands 2, 4, 5, 7, 17 and 29

4G

HSPA+ with enhanced backhaul

3G - UMTS

850/900/1900/2100MHz

GSM/GPRS/EDGE

850/900/1800/1900MHz

Wi-Fi connectivity

802.11 a/b/g/n/ac

5GHz Wi-Fi-capable

Near Field Communication (NFC)

Open, Secure, Softcard™ compatible.

Bluetooth® technology

v4.0

Mobile Hotspot

Up to 10 devices

Predictive text for fast typing

Backlit keys

Rear-facing camera

13MP with dual LED ring flash

4x digital zoom

Live video capture and playback at 1080p

Front-facing camera

2MP

Shooting Options

HDR, Touch to Focus, Quick launch, Panorama, Resolution Picker

Supported music formats

AAC; AAC+; AAC+ Enhanced; AMR NB; AMR WB;FLAC, PCM,G.711 8-bit PCM, QCELP, EVRC, OGG/Vorbis MP3

Web browser

Chrome

Preloaded apps from AT&T

AT&T Navigator®, AT&T Locker™, AT&T Live, myAT&T, AT&T Hot Spot, YPmobile®, AT&T Address Book, AT&T Mail, AT&T Mobile TV, Visual Voicemail

myAT&T

Provides fast, easy account access virtually anywhere, anytime

Productivity apps:

Calendar

Alarm clock

Call waiting

Caller ID

Address book

Conference calling

Call forwarding

Multitasking

Use voice and data simultaneously

Device Eco-rating

3 stars. Visit www.att.com/ecospace for additional information.

World phone

USB connectivity - transfer data through a USB cable (included)

Hands-free speakerphone

Voice dialing and voice commands

Hearing Aid (HAC) rating

M4,T3

TTY/TTD compatible

Enhanced Audio

AT&T Ready2Go

Offers easy online setup and personalization of your new smartphone. See Quickstart Guide included in box for details.

AT&T Device Help

Device Help provides easy access to step by step tutorials and videos about features, functions and AT&T services directly from the web browser on the device (data charges apply).

Multiple award-winning author Charles Carr has written more than two thousand newspaper articles, magazine stories, and columns for many publications including the San Diego Union Tribune, The Californian, The North County Times, Parent Magazine, ComputerScene, and ComputorEdge Magazine where he has been an editor for more than two decades. He is also a television producer/director with shows both currently airing and in production on Cox Cable and elsewhere.

In the 1990s, Charles wrote 3DHouse, a complete inside-and-out virtual reality tour of his family's log home in Southern California. One of the first virtual reality programs ever created, 3DHouse enjoyed tens of thousands of shareware downloads on all major portals. He also sold the rights to Radio Shack and Egghead Software. 3DHouse has since been featured in many books and articles about VR.

Carr has also been commissioned to write and/or directed many of his own stage plays. Several years ago, Carr and others looking for ways to help organizations struggling in difficult economic times, founded Art Animates Life (www.artanimateslife.org).

To date, Art Animates Life, a CA incorporated, federal non-profit, has raised tens-of-thousands of dollars for San Diego area disaster relief, an arts non-profit and municipal gallery, a community outreach center, and several struggling community theaters.

Several years ago Carr was commissioned to adapt and direct the beloved Dickens classic, A Christmas Carol. The play, titled "Mr. Scrooge & Mr. Dickens," has sold out So Cal theaters for the past several years. Six shows will take place Dec. 2013 to benefit the San Marcos Historical Society.

Another original play, "All the Time in the World," has been performed many times and garnered broad acclaim from audiences and critics alike. Carr is working on a brand new adaptation of the classic Hitchcock thriller, "The Lady Vanished," to be performed spring 2014.

Carr has won many writing accolades, including San Diego Press Club awards for Best Column Writing, Best Consumer Writing, and Best Arts and Entertainment. He has repeatedly taken top honors in San Diego Songwriter's Guild competitions for his original musical compositions.

Carr is also a noted producer, director, and videographer. Several of his documentaries can currently be seen on So Cal's Cox Cable. Since its inception he has produced the Fallbrook International Film Festival's red carpet event and panel discussions.

Charles receives dozens of requests each year to appear on Southern California television and radio stations to talk about important tech events. He also speaks from time-to-time to high schools and organizations about his eclectic life in the arts.

Learn more at www.charlescarr.com.

The End is Near

“March 27, 2015 Will Be the Last Online Issue of ComputorEdge”
by Jack Dunning

It was with mixed feeling that the decision to stop publishing ComputorEdge was taken.

It's with mixed feelings that I announce that March 27, 2015 will be the last issue of ComputorEdge. A combination of events makes it the right time to stop publishing. In that last issue I will give more details about how the decision came about and what's next. The ComputorEdge name is not going away, but it's necessary to take a different direction. It's no longer feasible to sustain the weekly cycle of writing and editing deadlines.

Since the closure of the paper version, I always knew that this day would come. I just didn't know when. The purpose of this message is to inform our most loyal of readers—of which there are thousands—of the coming end. I felt it would be discourteous of me to just say "Oh, by the way, we're done" on March 27. Let me assure everyone that this is not a bad thing nor does it have anything to do with health. It is more a matter of karma, a confluence of events, and what's right for me and my family. My only sadness is that some readers might miss their weekly dose of ComputorEdge. For those people it might be like it is for my hyper-observant three-year old granddaughter when she sees that something (anything) has been moved in her Nana's house. She disconcertedly throws up her hands and says, "What's happening?" More to follow…

Jack is the publisher of ComputorEdge Magazine. He's been with the magazine since first issue on May 16, 1983. Back then, it was called The Byte Buyer. His Web site is www.computoredge.com. He can be reached at ceeditor@computoredge.com. Jack is now in the process of updating and compiling his hundreds of articles and columns into e-books. Currently available:

Recently released is Jack's FREE AutoHotkey book, AutoHotkey Tricks You Ought to Do with Window, available exclusively at ComputorEdge E-Books in the EPUB for e-readers and tablets, MOBI for Kindle, and PDF for printing formats.

ComputorEdge E-books is offering his AutoHotkey Applications, an idea-generating intermediate level e-book about using the AutoHotkey Graphical User Interface (GUI) command to write practical pop-up apps for your Windows computer. (It's not as hard as it sounds.)

Hidden Windows Tools for Protecting, Problem Solving and Troubleshooting Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP Computers.

Jack's A Beginner's Guide to AutoHotkey, Absolutely the Best Free Windows Utility Software Ever!: Create Power Tools for Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8 and Digging Deeper Into AutoHotkey.

Our second compilation of stupid ComputorEdge cartoons from 2011 and 2012 is now available at Amazon! That Does Not Compute, Too! ComputorEdge Cartoons, Volume II: "Do You Like Windows 8 or Would You Prefer an Apple?"

Special Free Offer at ComputorEdge E-Books! Jack's Favorite Free Windows Programs: What They Are, What They Do, and How to Get Started!.

Misunderstanding Windows 8: An Introduction, Orientation, and How-to for Windows 8 (Seventh Edition)!

Windows 7 Secrets Four-in-One E-Book Bundle,

Getting Started with Windows 7: An Introduction, Orientation, and How-to for Using Windows 7,

Sticking with Windows XP—or Not? Why You Should or Why You Should Not Upgrade to Windows 7,

and That Does Not Compute!, brilliantly drawn cartoons by Jim Whiting for really stupid gags by Jack about computers and the people who use them.

Editor's Letters: Tips and Thoughts from Readers

“Computer and Internet tips, plus comments on the articles and columns.”
by ComputorEdge Staff

"Net Neutrality," "Have You Seen This Site?" "POZ and Router Logon—NOT Solved"

Net Neutrality

[Regarding Jack Dunning's February 27 article, "Net Neutrality, Who Cares?":]

The government suddenly makes a big stink about Net Neutrality, and tells us they know how to enforce it. This from an entity which has a long history of providing multiple levels of favored service (just pay for the level you want) in that most ancient communications carrier: the US Postal Service!

-Ed, Chula Vista, CA

Excellent article with sufficient detail to show the real life complex situation. Such a breath of clean air to read logical and reasoning discussion. It's too bad politicians and others who spout off about their positions on Net Neutrality aren't tested on their understanding and competence to say anything about it. But that would eliminate most politicians and those who extend the discussion to their other irrelevant "evil" institutions.

-Richard, Chula Vista

There's only one reason that the government has entered the Internet realm after so many years of a seemingly "hands-off" approach: Control. And any time the government wants to control something that was birthed on the premise of the free flow of information there won't be a happy ending, regardless of how long it's tied up in court.

-John Hanlon, Encinitas, Ca

Big Biz, Small Biz: "The fast lane/slow lane analogy would be valid if competing traffic is throttled, but the mere fact that some companies can pay more for a faster connection does not violate Net Neutrality—as long as everyone as the same opportunity to buy that bandwidth."

I don't see how everyone could possibly have the same opportunity to buy that bandwidth. It is clear to me that a company like Google is going to have more opportunity to buy bandwidth than say a company like Yahoo. For sure the "opportunity" is going to be a direct result of the Capital available to a company.

-Paul Anthony, San Carlos

Paul, what you say would be true if the potential capacity of the Internet were limited and everyone competed for a finite resource. But, that's not the case. There is no limit on how big the Internet can get. If a company with the resources wants more bandwidth, they can build another piece of the backbone. In fact there are numerous third-party businesses which do just that and sell additional bandwidth to all comers.

In the early days of The Byte Buyer (first paper version of ComputorEdge), one of the advertisers asked about the possibility of buying all the pages of advertising in the magazine. I responded that it would be impossible since no matter how many pages of ads were purchased, I could always add more. The same is true for the Internet, only more so. Realistically, there is a limit on how big a paper magazine can get (too heavy to carry). There is no such limit on the Internet.

There is no long-run Internet capacity problem—more can always be added. The Net Neutrality issue is associated primarily with the last mile of service through the telecoms and cable companies where competition is limited and they who want to take advantage of their connection with the end-user. If there are more last mile connection alternatives, then the issue goes away since both end-users and content providers can switch to more competitive options.

-Jack Dunning, ComputorEdge

This is a well written article that shows that net neutrality can be rationally discussed. What goes on with the backbone connections is, as you stated, where the real impacts can be felt. Peering arrangements and network engineering by both backbone providers and traffic originators/receivers are invisible to us end users. Yet we (consumer end users) are ones most impacted by what is done there. Our voice is reflected in our numbers. Because we have limited choices for connection we tend to express our frustration in ways other than with our feet.

-Bill Meyer, Milton, DE

I appreciate Jack Dunning's article "Net Neutrality. Who Cares?"

One observation I offer on this matter is that anytime government takes action that supposedly will help the public, in reality the public gets screwed and ends up paying more in dollars, losing more privacy, losing more security, losing more freedom, or other.

-Jay, San Diego, California

Excellent article about this subject. While I happen to think this was an important move by the FCC/government, even if only for the message it sends about service providers not acting as the troll's on the bridge (or I like your image of them standing outside your door, deciding how much each person should pay to enter your house).

However, your point about there being potentially unlimited bandwidth is more pertinent. Of all industries in the world, surely the IT and communications industries are the most likely to innovate their way around any roadblocks or obstacles? In fact the very concept of the Internet is designed to encourage this. If there is money to be made by investing in better, faster infrastructure—whether by cable companies or, quite likely, 5G wireless networks and other as-yet-unknown technological wizardry—then you can bet your bottom dollar or euro that it will be done, whether by big business or a new bright young challenger. We're not far from the day when worrying about bandwidth and available speed of Internet connection will be an interesting memory of the earliest days of this century.

-Simon B, Saint Charles, MO

Have You Seen This Site?

I found this link in an article from one of my online magazines. It seems like a great place to go anytime you need free software. https://ninite.com/

-Paul Anthony, San Carlos

Hi, Paul, the only complaints I've seen are similar to "It's clean, but if you let it auto install all your software everything gets installed with default settings. That means toolbars, browser add-ons and anything else that's checked by default on each piece of software. There are a few sites very similar to this one."

Apparently people like it after a clean install of Windows, but some of the extras can be annoying.

-Jack Dunning, ComputorEdge

Hmm, it claimed to not install the annoying toolbars and other sneaky add-ons.

Quote: "Ninite installs apps for you in the background. No clicking next. We say NO to toolbars or other junk."

-Paul Anthony, San Carlos

While Ninite does not add toolbars and add-ons, I think some of the default installations may.

-Jack

POZ and Router Logon—NOT Solved

[Regarding the February 20 Editors Letters: Tips and Thoughts from Readers column:]

Looks like he disabled a feature of IE, rather than fixing the problem. The point is that the rest of us don't have the problem even with the feature enabled, hence his problem remains unsolved.

-Ron Cerrato, San Diego

ComputorEdge always wants to hear from you, our readers. If you have specific comments about one of our articles, please click the "Tell us what you think about this article!" link at the top or bottom of the specific article/column at ComputorEdge.com. Your comments will be attached to the column and may appear at a later time in the "Editor's Letters" section.If you want to submit a short "ComputorQuick Review", or yell at us, please e-mail us at ceeditor@computoredge.com. If you would like to review our recent e-books, please visit ComputorEdge E-Books.

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