New version of AVG anti-virus free edition
Using version 6 of AVG's free antivirus? As of December 31, 2004, it will no longer be updated. You will be required to upgrade to the latest version (7.0). The good news is that it's still free (for home and personal use), has some new features, and a easier to follow user interface.
AVG 7 Free  Discuss
 

November 16, 2004

Just when you think Google is king...
Microsoft comes along and puts out a product that may threaten the search giant. The new MSN search beta looks interesting. Basic testing turned up fairly impressive results.
MSN Search Beta  Discuss

November 15, 2004

Dangerous scrap files lurching on your computer?
Leftover files that could potentially contain malicous code and are impossible to see the extension of, even with the "show all files" setting enabled? Read more:
Full Article  Discuss

World of Warcraft Screenshots
Playing the beta now and taking screenshots for those of you that missed the window to get a free account. Awesome game.
Screenshots  Discuss

Windows XP contains pirated software?
Some audio files included with Windows XP's help system were allegedly made with pirated software. The files were made by a cracking group and are distributed with every copy of Windows XP.
Full Article  Discuss

November 4, 2004

Using System Restore from the Recovery Console
Got a Windows XP system that wont boot and need to get it running long enough to get the data off? Microsoft has a tutorial on getting System Restore started from the Recovery Console.
Full Article

November 3, 2004

AGP to be available on 915 chipsets
There will soon be a new motherboard from ECS that allows for existing AGP video cards to be interfaced with the new Intel 915 chipset. This is actually pretty big news as it allows for an easier (and cheaper) migration to the new platform. Now more manufacturers need to pick up the idea.
Full Article  Discuss
 

October 28, 2004

Windows XP logo no longer displays Home or Pro?
Noticed that the startup logo no longer differentiates between Windows XP Home and Pro? This is by design once you install Service Pack 2. Personally, I think it's just going to confuse people about what version they're running, as they wont see a reminder when they restart, but it's official.

October 5, 2004

Tom's Hardware VGA Charts IV
Tom's Hardware has released the latest installment of their VGA charts. This includes benchmarks of all the current video cards on the market and performance ratings on each, so you can quickly see a rough estimate of how much of an improvement to expect by upgrading cards.
Full Article  Discuss

Microsoft to release Antispy product
Bill Gates acknowledged that Microsoft will be developing a program to combat the increasing waves of spyware and malware. No word yet as to whether the program will be for-pay or when it will be released.
Full Article  Discuss

September 1, 2004

Microsoft knows of security flaw in XP SP2
Microsoft admits that the new Security Center console could be spoofed, but doesn't see it as a viable threat. What does this mean for end users with the amount of spoofed antivirus and other security tools that already appear in ads on the internet? Should the software giant takes steps to protect users from being susceptible to this new possible threat?
Full Article  Discuss

August 27, 2004

August 25, 2004

An official call to all game mod makers
Working on a new mod for some of the latest games? Just finished  a mod and new somewhere to host it? Closed Socket welcomes you to submit your mod and have the world see it.
Submit it  Discuss

August 23, 2004

New exclusive Doom 3 screenshots
Pahn sent in some new screenshots of the game. Check them out here:
Doom 3  Discuss

August 21, 2004

Free technical books
Here's a site that offers free books on various subjects, including game design, OpenGL, and programming.
Free Tech Books

Change your default router password
The number of people who have not bothered to change the password to access their routers is fairly staggering. With so many routers now offering built-in wireless support, the effect this could have on defeating the firewalls should be obvious. Change it now!
Discuss

August 19, 2004

Looking for Windows XP Service Pack 2?
If you want to install the new service pack without waiting for Microsoft to push it to you via automatic updates, you can download the full network installation from their website. It's a 266MB file, so this is not recommended for users on dial-up connections, and also not recommend for computers that haven't been backed up recently or are in high-production environments.
Windows XP Service Pack 2   Discuss

Automated Hijack This analyzer.
There's a new website that offers automated Hijack This log file analysis. If you are in a hurry and don't know how to decide what needs to be removed from the log, you can paste it into this web form. It's fairly accurate, from my initial tests, but you should always get a second opinion from a professional, like those in the CS Forums!
Hijack This Log Analyzer  Discuss

Service Pack 2 feature?
There's a new feature in Windows XP Service Pack 2 that could cause alot of problems. It's great by design, but what happens if I click the second option? Linux fans should have a hayday with this one.

  Discuss