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Survey:
Craplets & Bloatware

What is causing your PC to feel bloated?
Enter to win $100 by joining in this month's survey!

What's New at PC Pitstop, March 2006

IN THIS ISSUE

• PC Pitstop's Full Tests Overhaul
• Microsoft Windows Vista and Security
• P2P File Sharing Software
• Thanks for the Survey Feedback
• Windows Tip: International Characters

PC Pitstop's Full Tests Overhaul

We've made several changes to our full test diagnostics. There's improved CPU and operating system detection plus several new tips that will help your PC's performance and reliability. Give it a whirl! Put your PC through our new and revamped tests.
http://pcpitstop.com/pcpitstop/default.asp

Microsoft Windows Vista and Security

More than half a decade will have passed between the launches of Windows XP and Windows Vista. Since XP was launched, an entire spyware industry has been grown to mammoth proportions. Rob wonders Windows Vista will introduce a new security model that will better protect Windows users--and whether users will actually use it.
http://pcpitstop.com/news/rob/rcheng0603.asp

P2P File Sharing Software

Although the recording industry won against Grokster and Kazaa, our exclusive research shows that file sharing is holding strong at 30% of PC's tested at PC Pitstop. Additionally, the US trails the pack; 48% of Canadian PCs and just over half of Latin American PCs have file sharing software installed. More astoundingly, 15% of work PCs are doing P2P in the workplace.
http://www.pcpitstop.com/research/p2ptrends.asp

Thanks for the Survey Feedback!

We want to thank you for participating in our survey, it was a great success.  We received a lot of great feed back and plan to use that feedback to help improve our site and newsletter.  The winner of the $50 gift certificate was Larry from New Caney, TX.

Windows Tip: International Characters

Have you ever wanted to squeeze special characters out of your keyboard to write mañana or résumé? In XP, go to Control Panel, Regional and Language Options, Languages tab, Details, Add. In the Keyboard Layout/IME selection, choose United States International. Click OK, and then Apply. There will now be a keyboard icon on the bottom right side of your tray. Click on it and choose United States International.

Now just type as normal, but Windows will recognize certain key sequences as special characters. For more special character tips, see this page at Microsoft Support:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=306560

About PC Pitstop

PC Pitstop, LLC (http://www.pcpitstop.com) was formed in February 2000, and offers users a unique way to make sure their PCs are running fast, stable and secure--all through a free, Web-based interface.

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