Cloudeight Information Avenue

Dear Friends,

Welcome to Issue #424 of InfoAve Free Edition!

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Thank you for your help!

First we want to thank you all who've been helping us right along. We can't tell you how much we appreciate your help - both financially and morally. Your contributions helped us get through the toughest times we've ever faced.

Last week many of you showed us, once again, how kind your are. We received dozens of donations or all sizes; believe us, we appreciate them all - large or small. This week, we're asking those of you who are able to do so, to help us. We are doing a little better than this time last week, but we still have a way to go. If you can help, we hope that you will.

The fall and winter seasons are always our best seasons for traffic, sales and revenue. We're nearing the end of winter now and the economy hasn't really improved, despite what all the "indicators" say. We're only a few weeks away from the end of the busy season, and while things were busier over Christmas, we're still having a hard time making a go of it. Those are the facts. We don't know what else to do other than ask you, once again, for your help.

We'd like to ask you to take a minute and read the the following page, and if you can help us, we'd appreciate it.

Please visit this page to read the rest of this article.

Products we use and recommend:

Spyware Doctor - Our #1 choice for spyware protection. Things aren't getting any better out there on the web. Choosing the right antispyware is as important as choosing the right antivirus. Our choice is Spyware Doctor. When you buy Spyware Doctor using our coupon code, you save 20%! Get your coupon code and save 20% here.
Registry Mechanic - We trust it and we've used it for years. It helps keep all of our computers running at top performance. It's a registry cleaner - but it's a whole lot more too. You'll save 20% on Registry Mechanic with our special Cloudeight coupon code. Get your coupon code and more information about Registry Mechanic here.
Reimage - Before you call a computer repair tech or spend several hundred dollars - consider Reimage! In an era when big companies like Best Buy's Geek Squad spend millions and millions of dollars extolling the virtues(?) of its sundry services, many folks with broken computers will simply pick up the phone and call Geek Squad or another heavily-advertised computer repair service. It's not until the repair is finished that the computer owner realizes how Geek Squad can afford all those cute(?) Volkswagens and that multi-gazillion-dollar ad budget. The shock is the bill - if you have your computer repaired in your home it will cost $299.95 - if you lug it into a Best Buy near you, you'll pay $199.95. And what do you get for that much money? If your computer isn't running well and is in need of repair - READ THIS before you call Geek Squad or someone else!
Roboform - What can we say other than this is the first thing we install on all our new computers? We couldn't live without it and we wouldn't either. We bought multiple copies of this program - long before we ever started recommending it. It's the best password manager you can buy. And if you have 10 or less passwords to say, you can even use the free version. We don't offer a discount on this product - but if you decide to buy and you buy through our link, we'll make a commission and you won't pay a penny more than you would if you bought it directly from Roboform. So, if you try it and you like it, buy it from us and help us help you! Roboform is one of our favorite programs. Get more information here.
Oops! Backup - 10% off for all Cloudeight subscribers. Oops! Backup is more than a backup program - it's piece of mind! Read our review of this unique and excellent backup program. Get our 4.0 GB Security Flash Drive and get a coupon for 30% off Oops! Backup!

A comment from Allen
I wanted to write and thank you for all you do to help those of us who are not very good with computers. I can't afford a new computer right now as I'm out of work (like so many others these days). My Windows XP computer is almost 7 years old now and it was barely running. I follow your recommendations and your suggestions but age has taken its toll on my old friend. Last week I tried Reimage. I couldn't afford to pay $300 to have my computer repaired by a local repair shop and Reimage prices seemed reasonable - and within my means. To make a long story short, I couldn't be happier. My computer doesn't run like it's brand new - that would be a miracle - but it runs great now and it's a pleasure to use it. What a difference Reimage made. My computer runs well now and I'm a very happy subscriber and Reimage user! Thanks again! Allen from Canton, Ohio.

Terry cannot install a Windows Update
Love your work and effort. If it wasn't for you, I don't know what I would do. As a result of your fine work I have donated several times and purchased several items from you. Thanks so much for all your help. My question is: Windows automatic updates keep trying to update but fails to do so. Would it help if I reinstalled the original windows XP or is there another fix I can use. The following is what fails to be installed.
Security Update for Microsoft Office XP (KB977896).

Read our answer here.

Save 20% right now on Spyware Doctor!
Spyware Doctor is one of the most popular Spyware removal and real-time protection tools on the market It's our #1 rated anti-spyware program and we use it on all of our computers. We trust all our computers to Spyware Doctor for one good reason: It's the best commercial anti-spyware you can install on your computer. Get the latest, greatest Spyware Doctor and save 20%. You'll be helping us and you'll be helping yourself by ridding your computer of spyware, adware, malware, and other nasties. Get more information and your 20% off coupon code here.

Jim wants to know all about Windows System fonts
Which fonts match between Windows XP Professional and Windows 7 Home Premium? I notice that there are a lot of discrepancies between "standard" fonts in XP and 7, and I don't know if the font titles need to match EXACTLY in order for e-mails to appear the same to both sender and recipient! For example, if someone having Incredimail2 on a System7 machine sends me an e-mail composed with "Mistral Regular" font and I have "Mistral AV" font on my XP Pro machine, will my e-mail received in Incredimail2 look the same or will it default to something like "Arial" font? It would be helpful if you were to explain what it takes for fonts sent and received to match and to expand on your excellent essay on "Windows Standard Fonts" to include a new treatise on "Standard Fonts in XP, Vista, and System7" and answer the question as to whether, say, "Franklin Gothic Regular" matches "Franklin Gothic" on the other system. By the way, you've been of tremendous help to me over the years!

Read our answer here.

What our Premium readers received this week:

It pays to be a Premium subscriber! Our Premium edition contains more than twice as much content as our free edition and features the free edition does not include such as "Site of the Week" and "Back to Basics". For less than a quarter a week, you can get our Premium newsletter delivered to you each Friday. You'll be helping yourself and helping us too. We hope to welcome you to our growing list of Premium subscribers today.

You can learn more about our Premium edition and/or signup here!

InfoAve Premium E-Book Volume 6 - Includes hundreds of tips and tricks!
The Cloudeight InfoAve Premium Volume 6 E-Book contains all the content of all 52 issues of InfoAve Premium from our sixth year of publication - from October 2008 to October 2009! InfoAve Premium Volume 6 E-Book is available as a download, on CD-ROM, or on USB Flash Drive! Have it your way...get more information here - or get your copy of our biggest and best E-book ever -- here!.

Be careful that you're not swayed by big-time endorsements and reviews
All computer users

Recently I was flipping through one of the most popular computer magazines and I found an article about securing your laptop when using a public Wi-Fi hotspot - such as the ones found at restaurants, airports, parks and the like.

The article was singing the praises of a freeware program that promised to keep your information locked away even when using a public Wi-Fi hotspot. Naturally, we're always on the lookout for good and useful freeware programs to feature in our newsletter. So I downloaded the software to evaluate it for possible inclusion in our newsletters.

Read the rest of this tip here.

Save 20% Instantly on Registry Mechanic
Registry Mechanic is Cloudeight approved and endorsed - we use it on our personal and business computers. When you buy Registry Mechanic you'll be helping Cloudeight and yourself too!

Read our review of one of the best programs you can install on your computer - Registry Mechanic. You'll learn why your Windows registry is like the engine of your car and why you need to take care of it. Registry Mechanic automates the task of optimizing, cleaning, and removing errors from your Windows registry. This makes your computer run faster, last longer, and gets rid of a lot of the aggravations you experience - program crashes, error messages and slow startups and shutdowns. If you're tired of your computer running like a tortoise through quicksand - take a moment to learn why - and how Registry Mechanic can make your computer run better, run faster, and last longer - all automatically. All you have to do is click a button - really. Save 20% on Registry Mechanic, help yourself, and help us too! Get your 20%-off coupon code and order or try Registry Mechanic right now!

Links not opening? Maybe they are!
Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Internet Explorer 7 or Internet Explorer 8

A question one of our start page users asked, prompted this tip. If you use Internet Explorer 7 or 8, with tabbed browsing enabled, you might not be aware that by default, when a new tab is created, it does not open. If you click a link that opens in new window - as many do - you may think the link is not working. It probably is, an it probably spawned a new tab in Internet Explorer; the trouble is, Internet Explorer does not go to the newly created tab by default. This may cause many of you to think perfectly good links are broken.

Read the rest of this article here.

Besides the above tips and tricks, our Premium readers also learned...

You can learn more about our Premium edition and/or signup here!

OOPS! Backup
Oops!Backup is a backup program unlike any other we've ever seen. By now you know that we never recommend piecemeal backups - we urge all our readers to do comprehensive drive clone (or image) backups, because it's the only way to totally recover from a major computer disaster without losing any data. But you don't want to run an image backup restoration just to recover a few missing or inadvertently changed photos, documents, or other files. It's like using a fire hose to fill your dog's water dish. I'm so wonderful at examples :)

Oops!Backup is not a drive image backup program. It's not a piecemeal backup program. It's not a system restore program. It's ..it's...it's different. Oops!Backup monitors whatever folders and files you choose for any changes that are made. It allows you to go back in time to any version of a file you're working on whether it be a photo, document, or any other type of file.

What impressed us was the unique, sensible. totally easy-to-use interface. I mean, how hard is it figure out what "Go back in time and restore" means? It's so easy to use, even those who are software-challenged can figure it out -- without ever needing "Help". No help needed -- but there is help available should you ever need it. And if our experience with this company is any indication, their customer support will be superb.

Save 10% now on a program you'll really love and you really need!

Get our Security USB and get a special 30% off discount coupon code for Oops! Backup.

This week's Rant

Dreams Don't Die

Dreams do not die a natural death, they are crushed, trampled on, or die of loneliness.

We have all had grand dreams of a new career, a new love, a new house, a new car, our own business; dreams can be anything we want them to be. There is nothing quite like the moment when a dream is born. While it is true that few dreams ever become reality, living life without dreams is to live life without hope. Dreams fill the voids that reality cannot. Dreams inspire us to do better, to be better, and when we give up on our dreams we are giving up on ourselves. If you give up on your dreams you might as well hang a sign over your front door that bears Dante's famous words: "Abandon hope all ye who enter here."

Dreams can be born from a single thought or a dream can be the child of many thoughts. Dreams can be born in an instant, but dreams never die in an instant. You've had dreams. And you know there's nothing the world loves more than stomping on them.

Read the rest of "Dreams Don't Die" here.

Our Premium 3D animated screen saver 2.0 GB USB Flash Drive is still available!

We have just a few left! Donate $25 or more and you'll get 9 beautiful screen savers on a brand-name 2.0 GB USB flash drive. Take a look at our screen saver previews and donate $25 or more right now. Visit this page for more information.

Our Cloudeight 3D Animated Screen Savers work on Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7. USB flash drive is compatible with Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Mac.

Capture all your screen action and create your own videos with this handy freeware pick.

See what our freeware pick of the week is!

You can send us your comments or submit questions for possible inclusion in future issues of Information Avenue by clicking here. Keep in mind we can't answer each of you personally, but all questions submitted are read and considered for inclusion in this newsletter.

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Thanks again for subscribing to Information Avenue Free Edition.

Have a great weekend!

Best wishes,

Eightball & Thundercloud
Cloudeight Information Avenue Free Edition - Issue #424
March 13, 2010

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