The EULA you click may not be the one in effect

Top Story by Woody Leonhard

When you accept Microsoft's end-user license agreement as part of Windows' installation, that click is considered by many people to be as enforceable as a wet-ink signature — at least in the U.S. But I've found that the terms in the EULA you agree to during an installation may vary from the license that's posted at Microsoft's Web site.

Even well-guarded PCs may get infected

Known Issues by Dennis O'Reilly

There's a window of vulnerability between the appearance of new malware and the updating of anti-malware tools against the new threat; you may fall victim in that interim. That's what happened to one Windows Secrets Lounge member, whose well-protected system appears to have been subjected to a questionable download in his browser.

Make music on the cheap with soda bottles

Wacky Web Week by Stephanie Small

Remember when you were a kid and would make "music" by blowing across the top of your soda bottle? (Maybe you still do it.) Most of us would be satisfied with playing a one-note symphony.

MS Security Essentials: right-sized protection?

Langalist Plus by Fred Langa

Are you tired of bloated, multi-megabyte security suites that slow your system down and are packed with features you don't use or require? Maybe Microsoft's small, sharply focused security tool is all you really need — and you can get it without having to spend a nickel.

Two free photo editors anyone can use

Best Software by Ian "Gizmo" Richards

High-end digital image editors such as Adobe Photoshop and the free GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP) are overkill for someone who simply wants to enhance digital snapshots. Two less-complex photo editors, targeted at average snapshooters, are much easier to use and produce outstanding results — for free!

The long wait for 64-bit PC software continues

Top Story by By Michael Lasky

Even though 64-bit PCs have been available for seven years, the promise of 64-bit computing has been delayed by a dearth of 64-bit software. The situation is improving — slowly — but many major PC applications remain 32-bit affairs.

Pac-Man has now invaded your living space

Wacky Web Week by Stephanie Small

The best optical illusions are truly mind-boggling. Tricking your brain into seeing what isn't really there can be challenging — but once you get the hang of it, you have the sensation of a hallucination without having to ingest any controlled substances.

Many free alternatives to Microsoft Office

Langalist Plus by Fred Langa

There are a surprising number of excellent office software suites available, and some of the best don't cost a dime. MS Office remains the king of office suites, but if you can't or don't want to use it, numerous free and commercial substitutes stand ready to serve.

Security updates for Internet Explorer, Firefox

Patch Watch by Susan Bradley

Microsoft released an out-of-cycle patch to remedy the IE "Aurora" bug that recently enabled Chinese hackers to attack Google and many other companies. Separately, Mozilla released not one, but two, updates to Firefox — improving that browser's security and adding an array of new features.

Easy ways to resize digital photos for e-mail

Best Software by Ian "Gizmo" Richards

Modern digital cameras take great photos, but the multi-megabyte size of each digital image often makes the photos too large to send as e-mail attachments. Free software can work just as well as commercial tools for reducing the size of the photos and, with just a few mouse clicks, can prepare hundreds of images for easy e-mailing.

Patch arrives for IE hole targeted by Chinese

Top Story by Yardena Arar

As of this writing, Microsoft is scheduled to release on Jan. 21 an update that fixes the Internet Explorer vulnerability behind the recent, highly publicized cyberattacks on Google and other major corporations. The sophisticated "Aurora" exploit is delivered through common file attachments or links — typically in e-mail or other messages that appear to come from trusted sources — but proven security measures and a little common sense can negate all such threats.

This vending machine gives and gives and gives

Wacky Web Week by Stephanie Small

A refreshing beverage or snack straight from a vending machine is a simple treat that almost everyone enjoys. Whether at work or school, allowing yourself to indulge in a soda or a cookie brings pleasure to even the most ordinary day.

Extend the life of your laptop's battery

Langalist Plus by Fred Langa

With proper care and feeding, the expensive lithium-ion batteries in your notebook PCs and other portable gear can run well for many, many years. On the other hand, common battery-care mistakes will reduce your batteries' run times and lead to needless and costly early replacement.

Five productivity-enhancing Registry tweaks

Insider Tricks by Scott Dunn

You're just minutes away from faster Start menus and shutdowns, shorter application "hangs," fewer annoying disk-space popups, and easier encryption. A few simple Registry changes can quash annoyances, improve performance, and add new features to Windows.

Browser forensic tools find malware entry points

Perimeter Scan by Ryan Russell

Malware removal is only the first step in fighting an infection. Your job isn't finished until you've determined what the malware is, how it breached your defenses, and how to prevent similar infections in the future.

Why the need to reboot after updating Windows?

Top Story by Susan Bradley

Not so long ago, Microsoft promised that fewer Windows patches would require restarting the system to complete their installation. Microsoft clearly hasn't delivered on that promise, so PC users need to take steps to ensure that they don't lose data due to unexpected post-update reboots.

Ask vendors to honor your rebate up front

Known Issues by Dennis O'Reilly

Here's a secret that vendors don't want you to know about: rebate terms are sometimes negotiable. You may be able to avoid the hassle of submitting rebate documentation via mail by asking for the rebate amount to be deducted from the price at the time of purchase.

Super Mario gets the hand-drawn treatment

Wacky Web Week by Stephanie Small

You've probably seen plenty of flipbooks in your time — and maybe even created one or two. A flipbook that takes five seconds to "read" probably took the artist hours to draw. Nevertheless, the books are a cool way to watch do-it-yourself animation.

Upgrade from Windows 7 RC to the retail version

Langalist Plus by Fred Langa

Microsoft's Engineering Windows 7 blog documents a little-known Win7 upgrade path from the Release Candidate. If you're using the Windows 7 RC, you can upgrade directly to the final, retail release of Win7 Ultimate, though following this unsupported upgrade path isn't for everyone.

'Samy worm' author now targets your router

In The Wild by Robert Vamosi

Fresh from criminal probation for his Samy worm exploits, Samy Kamkar is back with new software that can maliciously target your home network's router. Kamkar's first worm brought MySpace to its knees in 2005. Now, his new proof-of-concept software puts vulnerable home routers in its crosshairs.

Update repairs font glitch in Word and Web sites

Patch Watch by Susan Bradley

January's lone critical MS patch fixes a problem with embedded fonts — caused by an update released last July. The new update is critical only for Windows 2000 but should still be applied on all Windows systems to prevent fonts from displaying incorrectly on the Web and in Office apps.

Post your tips in the Windows Secrets Lounge

Introduction by Brian Livingston

Beginning this week, all articles appearing in Windows Secrets have their own threads in the WS Lounge, where you can submit any additional information you have. You're not restricted to commenting on columns, though — we have a whole lotta other forums where you can post anything you discover about Microsoft Windows.

Make tech rebates work for you, not against you

Top Story by Scott Dunn

Rebate scams can make getting a promised discount on products much more difficult — and much less reliable — than it might seem at first glance. But if you do your homework and take a few precautions, you can minimize the risk and maximize the discounts.

Stuck between a rock and a … couch?

Wacky Web Week by Stephanie Small

Remember getting into sticky situations as a child? Back then, you thought you could do anything, until the inevitable happened and you were left in a pickle. No doubt your parents chuckled at your self-induced predicament as you begged them for help.

Windows, solid-state disks, and 'trim'

Langalist Plus by Fred Langa

It's a little-known fact that all solid-state disks — all of them — suffer inevitable performance declines over time. It's also little known that Windows 7 and Server 2008 are currently the world's only operating systems to fully implement the new trim command that helps forestall this speed decline.

Highly efficient mouse tricks and 'gestures'

Best Software by Ian "Gizmo" Richards

In my Dec. 3 Best Software column, I showed you how to work more effectively by using keyboard shortcuts. Now I'll tell you about some operations you can perform with your mouse that can help you work faster with less effort.

Install Windows 7 many times from one USB drive

Woody's Windows by Woody Leonhard

If you'll be setting up Windows 7 on more than a couple of computers — or if you need to add Win7 to a PC without a working DVD drive — save yourself time and bother by converting a USB drive into a Windows setup "disc." With a couple of free utilities, a 4GB or larger USB drive, any Windows 7 setup DVD, and a little time, you can build your own Win7 universal USB installer.

Microsoft licensing portal offline for weeks

Patch Watch by Susan Bradley

A troubled December upgrade of Microsoft's cloud-based licensing service is causing serious headaches for organizations that rely on the site to manage software licenses. After more than a month and counting, the Volume Licensing Service Center remains inaccessible to many Microsoft customers.