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CNET Digital Dispatch: who needs Windows?
March 26, 1998
Vol. 4, No. 12
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Can you live without Windows? This week we looked at five non-
Windows operating systems, including Linux and BeOS. Take our
test to see if you're a potential Windows breaker. BUILDER.COM's
Dan Shafer already knows he is--he promised to live on Linux for
the next 30 days.
Want to zone off porn? Ban spam? Vote today in "Ten laws the Net
needs," and see what other CNET users are thinking. Also this
week from CNET Online's network of sites, a close look at DHTML;
reviews of handheld PCs; and sound cards for gamers. Just keep
pushing that Page Down key to see everything CNET has to offer
this week.
Christopher Barr
Editor in chief, CNET Online
mailto:chris_barr@cnet.com
Visit this URL for unsubscribe instructions:
cnet.com
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WEB.BUILDER SF: FOR WEB DEVELOPERS WHO KNOW (ALMOST) EVERYTHING!
Register now for Web.Builder SF, the technical conference from
CNET's BUILDER.COM, running April 14 to April 16 at the San
Francisco Hilton! For intermediate to advanced site designers,
developers, and managers, Web.Builder SF is the place to meet
other high-level Web professionals, upgrade essential skills, and
demo the coolest new products. Sign up by April 6 to SAVE $200:
builder.com
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This week on CNET:
1. Beyond Windows: five alternative operating systems
2. Ten laws the Net needs
3. COMPUTERS.COM: 12 handheld PCs reviewed
4. BUILDER.COM: DHTML and the great Linux experiment
5. GAMECENTER.COM: pump up the volume!
6. DOWNLOAD.COM: let the games begin
7. Reviews: Web surfing for DOS devotees
8. Win your dream machine
9. Invasion of the body snatchers
10. CNET TV: IE 4.0 tips; rewritable CD technology
11. "Your Turn": online tax filing
12. NEWS.COM: Microsoft directory assistance
13. Top ten proposed new domains
14. Job of the week: vice president, Technology Services
15. Subscribe and unsubscribe
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1. BEYOND WINDOWS: FIVE ALTERNATIVE OPERATING SYSTEMS
Windows is fine for most of us, but some PC users have special
needs or crave a slightly different flavor. With those folks in
mind, we've rounded up five popular alternative OSs and taken an
in-depth look at each. Are you best suited to Linux? OS/2 Warp 4?
The new BeOS? Take our OS personality test, and find out! Then
read on to see how these alternatives stack up:
cnet.com
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2. TEN LAWS THE NET NEEDS
There are more than 50 bills before Congress that propose some
kind of Internet regulation. Before the legislators ruin
everything, we've taken the lead and drafted ten of our own
Internet laws. We'd like to see laws that deal with the real
issues of today's Internet, like spam, privacy, and--yes--even
pornography. Best of all, you have a chance to vote on which laws
you'd like to see, and which you'd rather leave off the books.
The polls are open...
cnet.com
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3. COMPUTERS.COM: 12 HANDHELD PCS REVIEWED
Why lug around a 7-pound laptop just to check your schedule?
Handheld PCs offer a quick and easy way to check your calendar,
look up contacts, and even read email. COMPUTERS.COM reviews 12
handhelds, including palm-sized PCs to organize your world and
Windows CE machines with scaled-down versions of your favorite
Microsoft apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more). Which
handheld is best? And what does the palmtop future look like?
cnet.com
Escape from tech support hell! Read our Consumer Alert tips:
computers.com
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4. BUILDER.COM: DHTML AND THE GREAT LINUX EXPERIMENT
Dynamic HTML that runs on all browsers? Amazing! We asked the
experts--DHTML developers, tool vendors, Microsoft, and Netscape-
-and gathered the essential information you need to use DHTML on
your pages. We've got rules of thumb, compatibility tips, and
actual DHTML examples to crib from. Get with the DHTML program:
cnet.com
In addition, Charity Kahn shows you how to use DHTML to create
rollovers in this week's "SuperScripter":
cnet.com
To prove that there is an alternative to Windows, Dan Shafer
agrees to live in Linux for an entire month! Learn how he got
snookered into this potentially dangerous stunt, and follow along
with his exploits in the "Builder Buzz," BUILDER.COM's online
conversation area:
cnet.com
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5. GAMECENTER.COM: PUMP UP THE VOLUME!
Game music that sounds like it's being played on a kazoo isn't
likely to get your blood pumping, no matter how much action is
happening onscreen, says Gamecenter editor Michael Brown. And he
should know--he and John Dye have just turned up the volume on 11
of the newest sound cards. They'll tell you which ones are
Gameworthy and which ones belong in the scrap heap:
gamecenter.com
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6. DOWNLOAD.COM: LET THE GAMES BEGIN
DOWNLOAD.COM has a new toolkit that will turn your system into a
lean, mean gaming machine. "The Gamer's Toolkit" is bursting with
enough drivers, optimizers, and network tools to make smoke and
shell casings burst from your screen. Lock and load:
cnet.com
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7. REVIEWS: WEB SURFING FOR DOS DEVOTEES
Beneath the Netscape vs. Microsoft hype lies an unmentioned
truth: you don't need a supercomputer or Windows 95 to surf the
Web. To prove this point and to bring the Web to millions of
people using yesterday's hardware, Czech programmer Michael Polak
created Arachne. His DOS-based Internet tool suite is guaranteed
to make DOS devotees everywhere smile:
cnet.com
Also reviewed this week:
ModemShare 32: one modem does all the tricks
DropChute+: an excellent file transfer program
Wintility: needs a reality check
You can search for these and other reviews here:
cnet.com
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8. WIN YOUR DREAM MACHINE
Enter COMPUTERS.COM's Win Your Dream Machine Sweepstakes II, and
you could take home a new desktop or portable computer,
absolutely FREE! It's easy: find the system you want, and enter
the sweepstakes. That's it. Visit today:
computers.com
Psst--it's FREE!
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9. INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS
Richard Hart. Richard Hart. Richard Hart. Richard Hart. Oh no--
he's been cloned! Four times! Digital cloning isn't the same as
biological cloning, but it could have an almost equally amazing
impact in the future. Find out how Richard has been assimilated
into virtual space:
cnet.com
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10. CNET TV: IE 4.0 TIPS, REWRITABLE CD TECHNOLOGY
"The Web": get the most out of Internet Explorer 4.0 with our
tips and tricks feature! Plus, how to buy a car online, and the
latest on Net taxation.
"CNET Central": rewritable CD technology, urban legends, and
workplace ergonomics.
Here's where you can find more info:
cnet.tv.com
Here's where and when to tune in:
cnet.com
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11. "YOUR TURN": ONLINE TAX FILING
There's a new option for filing your taxes this year--you can
complete your return online:
news.com
How do you feel about online tax prep or submission? Would you
complete your tax return on the Web? Would you even submit a
return online? Or is the old midnight line down at the post
office still fine by you?
To contribute your thoughts, phone CNET at 415/395-7805, enter
extension 5400, and leave a message. We'll listen to the
responses and broadcast the best on CNET Radio:
radio.com
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12. NEWS.COM: MICROSOFT DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE
Find out how the software giant plans to use Active Directory,
its upcoming directory service, to perpetuate NT in the
enterprise market:
news.com
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13. TOP TEN PROPOSED NEW DOMAINS
Earlier this week, Gregory Nemitz and a handful of space
enthusiasts proposed creating special domains, including ".luna"
and ".moon," for Web sites based on the moon. He wasn't kidding:
news.com
And one of our "Ten laws the Net needs" involves a special ".xxx"
domain for pornographic sites. But why stop there? Here are some
new proposed domains, and what you can expect from the sites in
them:
10. ".trek"--contains audio files of William Shatner
9. ".bill"--Microsoft has bought this company
8. ".love"--for people who would rather cuddle
7. ".slow"--based in a distant country with no T3 lines
6. ".geek"--assumes you know what all the acronyms mean
5. ".404"--we stopped maintaining our servers in 1996
4. ".y2k"--contains theories about the end of the world
3. ".burn"--huge multimedia files will crash your computer
2. ".*"--contains allegations about President Clinton's sex life
1. ".duh"--explains, in detail, stuff you already know
For more info about the proposals to revamp domain names, click
over to NEWS.COM:
news.com
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14. JOB OF THE WEEK: VICE PRESIDENT, TECHNOLOGY SERVICES
Description: reports to the executive vice president of
technology. Responsible for the leadership, direction, and
management of the groups within Technology Services, which
contains more than 25 people. Will be responsible for ensuring
that Technology Services resources are deployed to balance the
needs of the business, as well as the Technology Department's
internal needs. In addition, will take the lead in setting the
vision and technical direction for the groups in this area and
determining what tools and systems the groups need to build.
Requirements:
--B.S. in computer science or related field
--Hands-on experience managing a Unix systems administration
group, or related operations group
--Background in software engineering, development, or quality
assurance
--Excellent communications skills (written and oral)
--Five or more years of experience in a high-tech corporate
environment
Send ASCII text resumes to: seanl@cnet.com
For more information about this position and other positions at
CNET, click below:
cnet.com
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15. SUBSCRIBE AND UNSUBSCRIBE
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