Personal Tech

The Washington Post's Rob Pegoraro was online to answer your personal tech questions and discuss recent columns, with included topics ranging from Slingbox video to Mac OS X .

A transcript follows .

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Past editions of Rob's e-letter are online here .

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Rob Pegoraro: Good afternoon, and happy Opening Day to everybody (well, maybe not so happy for Nats fans--the Mets just went up 1-0 on Paul Lo Duca's 2-out single). Let's get rolling...

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Bethesda, MD: Your comments about the ease and safety of installing new OS X applications compared with Windows underlines the reality about Windows PCs-- installing new capabilities is just not all that important under Windows. Windows PCs are platforms for a handful of 'enterprise' applications-- Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Internet Explorer. All of these applications come with the box. Add a custom database application that will vary from one company to another, and that's all that the vast majority of Windows PCs will ever run.

washingtonpost.com: Mac OS X: Living Long and Prospering

Rob Pegoraro: Bethesda: Huh? Microsoft Office isn't preinstalled on more than a handful of home computers. And if you think that the Internet, photo-management and music-playback software built into Windows is acceptable, you have *way* lower standards than most folks I know. (The "everything you need is already installed" would be a little more credible if you were talking about a Linux system, but Windows? C'mon...)

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Arlington, VA: I have an apple and airport express (the small, square, plug-in transmitter). Can two apple computers share that express connection? Will I notice slow down if I do it that way?

Rob Pegoraro: Yes. (You can use more than two Macs, or Windows or Linux machines--WiFi doesn't have any fixed limit in that respect.) You probably won't notice any slowdown unless you try to download some enormous file on both machines at the same time.

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Frederick, MD: In the Slingbox article there was no mention of the competing Sony product which does the same thing, for the same price, but also location shifts to the Sony PSP, which is infinitely convenient.

washingtonpost.com: Slingbox Video Streaming Not Perfect, but Remarkable

Rob Pegoraro: I also didn't mention Orb Networks' software either. I only talked about the Slingbox in that review because it's the only solution that doesn't make you plug a computer into your TV--an activity that most people seem extraordinarily uninterested in doing so far.

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Jefferson City, MO: Hi Rob, I'm curious about the new article about movie studios allowing movie downloads. I understand that they don't want people to burn the movie to a DVD for piracy reasons, but I don't particularly want to watch a movie staring at my computer monitor. I'd rather watch it on my television. When will someone come up with a technology that will allow the buyer to burn the movie to a DVD that is playable in a DVD player and still satisfy the movie studios? Does this technology already exist? Is there an easy way to transmit the movie from my PC to my television? Thanks.

washingtonpost.com: Hollywood Studios to Sell Movies Online

Rob Pegoraro: Yes, this technology already exists; the movie studios are just too freaked-out over piracy concerns to allow a MovieLink or a CinemaNow to implement this feature.

(Nick Johnson just walked on eight pitches from Tom Glavine. We might be getting an early look at the Mets' bullpen...)

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Philadelphia, PA: A columnist in another paper gave a detailed response to a query on how to stip all vestages of AOL from your system, including registry mods. But he warned that you might need your new ISP's help getting your computer back online afterwards. Question: why do you need to get rid of AOL shards that thoroughly? Can't you just install the new ISP's stuff and go from there?

Rob Pegoraro: You don't need to go to that extreme. If you uninstall AOL in the usual way (Add or Remove Programs), you shouldn't have any problem using anybody else's Internet software from then on.

So why would you want to bother? Over time, any Windows system will slow down as the shards of old programs (good word, "shards") accumulate in the Registry. Deleting those leftover stubs and bits of code can speed up your system--but if you make a mistake, you can also cause serious damage.

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Beltsville, MD: Hello Rob:

I am looking to purchase a new system for home use and am leaning towards the i-Mac Core Duo system. My major issue with the system is it not having the Office software package as part of purchase, but charging an additional $499 for the software, which does not include Access (which I use fairly regularly when working from home). What are your views on this? What are your positives and negatives of the Core Duo?

Rob Pegoraro: The iMac Core Duo is a terrific computer. I really like it.

If you're not using Office for business, you can get the Student and Teacher Edition for $125 at Amazon, $150 in any store (no, they don't ask you for an educational ID at purchase).

Microsoft has never released a version of Access for Mac, and I doubt it ever will. I'm not the guy to ask about working on an Access file in other programs, such as FileMaker Pro.

(1-1 on a sac fly from Royce Clayton)

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Bremerton, Washington: I see that the NEW HD-DVD is about to become available and BLUE-RAY down the road.

Why haven't these guys learned anything over the years (ie. VHS vs. BETA-MAX).

Mick

washingtonpost.com: Toshiba Starts Selling High-Def DVD Player

Rob Pegoraro: I. Have. No. Idea.

There's just no explanation or excuse for the industry being this... galactically stupid in bringing two incompatible formats to market after so many years of seeing how that doesn't work.

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Bethesda, MD: I guess I was unclear. My point was that since the vast majority of Windows PCs are on 'enterprise' desktops, the home PC user gets a raw deal.

Rob Pegoraro: Could be, but since it's my job to write for those home users, I have to assess Windows as they experience it. (On the bright side of things, though, at least home users don't have the IT department locking them into using the likes of Lotus Notes.)

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Webster, NY: This week is Masters week in the golf world. Augusta National will offer live video streaming on its site of every golfer playing Amen Corner. Rob, what's your opinion on the future of TVoIP? (that's TV over IP) In Canada, Hockey Night In Canada fans can watch the camera angles they want. How soon do you think it will be before the NFL gets something like this out there in America to all the crazy football fans? If the NHL is still trying to win back fans from its strike during last season, they should offer live streaming off ALL playoff games. CBS seemed to do a good job again this year with the NCAA hoops streaming. What do you think of the prospects of all this as it relates to the tech world?

Rob Pegoraro: It's an obvious moneymaker, but a lot of people can be unusually dense about seizing opportunities on the Internet. My guess is that the NFL is still hung up on preserving local blackouts on the Web (even though MLB manages to do that well enough to keep everybody happy).

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KC, MO: This is more a security question and I'm on a Mac so maybe this is overkill but when I do online banking and soforth I keep my passwords in an Excel file (password protected) so I can just copy and pasted into the website so I don't have to worry about key loggers. Am I being overly paranoid?

Rob Pegoraro: No, you're not. But you're also making things harder than they need to be--Safari can save your Web passwords in the system keychain, an encrypted file OS X creates. You can also store a text note in your keychain and jot down any other passwords or PINs. I'll wager that the keychain encryption is a little bit stronger than Excel's, and the Keychain Access app takes less time to open than any Excel file too.

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Silver Spring, MD: Rob, I've been using an MS operating system since 1985, but now I've had a bellyfull and am thinking about moving to Lynux. Xandros looks like a promising candidate: it promises to run the one Windows based program I want & offers productivity software that will read MS Office documents. Comments? Suggestions?

Rob Pegoraro: You can run OpenOffice--the productivity software I believe you're talking about--on any Linux distribution (and on any Windows PC) for free. Xandros does bundle CrossOver Office, the Windows-compatibility tool you mentioned, but I'm pretty sure other distros include CrossOver as well.

The distro I'm most interested in these days, however, is Unbuntu.

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Tina in Falls Church, Va.: Do you have a gig with Wash Post radio? If so, is it on a regular schedule? I hope you get a call-in show. Thanks, Tina

Rob Pegoraro: So glad you asked! I'll be on the air at 3:50 today and at that time every Monday.

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DC: I am a recent grad and a recent switcher to Mac. I would like to buy MS Office but do not want to pay $400 for the full edition. Will I be able to buy and use the student and teacher edition even though I'm no longer a student?

Rob Pegoraro: Sure. In a practical sense, there is no restriction enforced on who can buy this edition. And in a more legalistic sense, the license for the Student and Teacher edition is written so loosely that just about anybody *not* using the software to run a business qualifies.

(Microsoft is making this a little clearer in Office 2007, where this edition will be renamed "Home and Student")

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Silver Spring, MD: I'm tired of not being able to watch foreign dvd's, and want to get a new dvd player that will let me watch movies from everywhere. Should I look for a "no-region" player or an "all-region" player? I understand they are not the same thing, but am not sure what the difference is.

Rob Pegoraro: I'd have to see an ad using these terms to speak more knowledgeably, but I *think* that they are supposed to indicate the same thing--that a DVD player can act as if it's in any given region as needed. (A truly no-region player wouldn't be able to play almost all of the commercial releases in existence, and I'm pretty sure there isn't a market for that.)

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Manassas, VA: Rob,

A basic DSL question: I've used Earthlink for dialup for a number of years, but their DSL prices are much higher than Verizon. Can you think of any reason not to go with the cheaper option? The difference is roughly $25 a month for the last six months of the annual contract.

Thanks for your wonderful chats.

Rob Pegoraro: The major problem with Verizon DSL has been the company's ability to connect customers who are trying to give them their money. I've also heard complaints from users about Verizon's tech support, but that's an easier thing to work around in practice.

(Blech: Run-scoring double from Xavier Nady. Mets 2, Nats 1.)

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Soon to be Arlington, Va.: Hi Rob! What's your take on bundling telecom services? Comcast wants to set me up with digital cable, high speed internet and VoIP telephone service for $129 a month. While this is cheaper than if I stuck with my Verizon telephone and DSL and then added cable, are the services worth it? How does the voice over internet protocol compare to a regular land line?

Also, I've been happy with my DSL service -- it's a decent speed and it has never gone out on me -- so I'm a little hesitant to switch to cable (although I know it's faster). But I hear that DSL is not the same in all locations (I'm coming from the Rockville area).

Rob Pegoraro: I'm a skeptic of bundled services in general--most of them only offer a real savings if you belly up to the buffet table and get a set of high-end services. Like, say, digital cable. You should see what you'd pay with a mix of landline phone, DSL and satellite TV. My bet is that you'll be able to undercut that Comcast price pretty handily.

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Charleston, SC: Hi Rob-

I need a calendar, address book, and email client, together or separately, for home and small office work that is not as huge and disorganized as Outlook. On my Mac, the Apple iCal, Address Book, and Mail are a perfect combination of ease of use and enough power for me, but they are not available for a PC. What is the best substitute(s) for these task on a PC (doesn't have to be one product)? How about some combination of Palm Desktop/Eudora/Outlook Express/Thunderbird?

Rob Pegoraro: Sorry, Charleston: You're hosed. There isn't any equivalent of the Apple setup for Windows. Outlook so thoroughly dominates the market for calendar/contacts/mail software on Windows that nobody seems to want to bother challenging it. The best you could do would probably be some combination of Thunderbird and third-party extensions (for instance, the extremely new Lightning plug-in for calendar management and the Palm sync extension).

(I'm assuming you don't want to keep two separate contacts lists on your computer, one in your e-mail program and one in your personal info manager; nobody should have to do that in this day and age.)

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Kensington, MD: Submitting early as I have a meeting.... what is the best way to clean, and also to fix scratches on CDs or DVDs? I've heard regular toothpaste works wonders, but wonder what you think of that! Love the chat - so informative and helpful...

Rob Pegoraro: Toothpaste? That's a new one. Uh, does anybody have any suggestions for Kensington?

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Thunder Bay, Canada: Do you recommend anti-virus software for Mac OS X, or is basic common sense combined with keeping up with Apple's updates adequate? Know of any good freeware programs out there (like Avast for Windows)?

Second, do you know of any freeware ad-blockers out there for OS X?

Thanks! I liked the column about Mac OS X, seeing as I just switched over and all.

Rob Pegoraro: If you don't have an Intel-based Mac, the free, open-source ClamXav should suffice to stop you from forwarding any PC viruses to Windows-using friends (for now, the only real threat).

Ad-blockers? Haven't looked into any. Safari's pop-up blocking has been extremely effective in my experience--even better than Firefox. (There are third-party programs that can also block the ads on Web pages, but I have no interest in using them--on-the-page ads don't bug me, and free-to-use Web sites need to make a living somehow.)

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Baltimore: Hi there- I've been really happy with OS X, for the most part, but I've started having some crashes. Usually happens when I leave the computer doing something overnight. The crash logs say I've had an unresolved kernal trap. Can you tell me what that is, and suggests strategies for freeing my kernal?

Thanks!

Rob Pegoraro: The kernel is the foundation layer of the operating system. Trust me, you want that sticking around :)

You should look at any third-party software you installed that a) actually required running an installer, and b) also required you to type in an admin password. That could include printer drivers; it could also include software that talks to an uninterruptible power supply. My guess is that one of those programs needs a bug-fix update of some sort.

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Rockville, MD: Hi Rob,

I am an avid reader of your columns and actually eagerly await your chats. I have a question though about Windows defender. You had mentioned that Defender is not as aggressive as Microsoft anti-spyware as far as seeking user input. What do you mean by that? Also, you mentioned that a few changes in the Tools menu could reverse that. I have looked at the tools menu and I am not sure what to change. I consider myself computer savvy and however, I am not getting your recommendations as to what options to change. Is it possible to provide detailed information? I would appreciate your advice. Thanks a lot.

Rob Pegoraro: Obviously, I was *way* too concise in mentioning what settings you need to change in Windows Defender. So here's what you need to do: Open Windows Defender, click the Tools icon, click General Settings, scroll down and check the two boxes underneath the "Choose when Windows Defender should notify you" heading.

(Mets still lead 2-1 in the bottom of the fifth. Tom Glavine is inexplicably batting 1.000, while Carlos Beltran has yet to collect a hit. Thus concludes today's lesson on the perils of small sample sizes.)

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Ocala, FL: I enjoyed your FF article regarding OSX...however I was just a bit surprised you got through it not even mentioning the OS's BSD Unix underpinnings (aka Darwin). After all, that's where most of OSX's strengths derive from.

Any Unix/Linux user enjoys the same benefits albeit w/o the delicious Aqua eye-candy.

Rob Pegoraro: Not quite--application bundles are unique to OS X among currently shipping operating systems. (I did have a shout-out to OS X's Unix heritage in an earlier draft of the column, but I had to cut that to make the whole thing fit.)

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Washington, D.C.: Mr. Pegoraro,

Is slingbox a standalone DVR, or can I attach it to my Tivo and use the slingbox to transmit my programs stored on my Tivo box? I've been enthralled with the idea of slingbox for a while now but find it difficult to stray away from the luster of Tivo!

Rob Pegoraro: The Slingbox isn't a DVR; it's a... well, it's so new it doesn't have its own inexplicable three-letter abbreviation yet. Think of it as a really, really, really long set of audio and video cables, except instead of going across your living room it goes across the Internet. So you can watch whatever might be coming out of your TV, DVR, VCR, DVD player or other video source.

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Eric E. from Germantown: What's your take on the new Intel Mac Computers being able to run Windows XP? Have you actually tried doing it, and is it worth it?

Rob Pegoraro: I have tried to set up a dual-boot system--many times--without success as yet. I think I've gotten the custom Windows XP CD to burn properly, and I'm sure I had the disk partition done right on the Mac mini. But each time I try to start the Windows install by booting off the modified XP CD, the system just sits there.

I have, however, been able to run XP anyway--but within OS X, using the free Q emulator. It's horribly slow and you can't even cut and paste between Windows and Mac OS X. But it's here and it works, which is more than I can say for any Intel-compatible version of Virtual PC.

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Frederick, MD: Hi Rob. Thanks for all your common sense advice. We've finally added a laptop and wireless router to our arsenal. Question about printing: What's your opinion of the wireless printers, as opposed to using a printer server connected to the router. If I buy a printer server, is it important that it match the router (Netgear)? And how is everything connected? Thanks again.

Rob Pegoraro: You shouldn't need to match brands when buying a printer server.

If I were buying a new printer, I'd probably lean towards one that had built-in WiFi. Printer servers require extra configuration, an extra power outlet and extra desk space; I'd rather have an all-in-one setup. (Or I'd just plug the printer into the WiFi access point, assuming it has a USB port that allows printer sharing.)

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Warrenton, VA: I hate buying anything too new for the bugs to be worked out. So I'm planning to buy a Mac (to replace my Windows 98 PC) but am stalling since they just went to the Intel chip. Any insight on how the transition is going and when would be a good time to buy?

Rob Pegoraro: The transition has been faster and smoother than I would have expected. The high-end professional applications (think Photoshop) are still PowerPC-only, so they run much slower on Intel-based Macs--but Apple's gotten all of its consumer applications revised for Intel now, and many other consumer apps have made this transition as well.

In practice, the only real hassle I've run into relates to streaming media on Web sites that require either the Real or Windows Media plug-ins, both of which aren't Intel-ready yet. In those cases, you usually wind up launching player applications instead of viewing or listening from within Safari.

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Boston, MA: My daughter will go off to college this coming fall...with a new Windows laptop. Given that I have no choice but to buy before Vista comes out, would you recommend getting her a cheap, low-end machine to bide time for a bit...or a high-end "Vista-capable" machine? My instinct is the former, since the cost of upgrading from XP to Vista may argue for simply buying a new machine with Vista built-in in a year or two...what do you think?

Thanks!

David

Rob Pegoraro: Buying a new PC only a year or two after you bought the last one is a pretty unwise proposition, financially speaking. I would try to make sure that the new machine had a decent enough graphics chipset to handle Vista's graphics (which would be a lot easier if Microsoft would ever publish the damn hardware requirements for Vista). Think something with 64 megabytes of its own memory... which, coincidentally enough, is also the minimum for any sort of real game playing.

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North Bethesda, MD: I've been reading more about WiFi security (article about issues at HotSpots) and it got me thinking.

My "security" is MAC address filtering and turning off network name broadcasting. I know that somebody could (if they wanted to) intercept and read the traffic going from router to laptop. However, if I'm browsing secure websites (i.e. bank account, brokerage, etc.), aren't the data encrypted and therefore if intercepted unreadable? Or is that a risk??

True, sending files to my printer or network storage device can be read but I'm not worried if somebody intercepts my laundry list.

Rob Pegoraro: Correct, the encryption your bank's site uses protects your data all the way down to your computer.

But: Why not set up encryption? That takes a lot less work than filtering by MAC address (the unique identifier attached to each piece of network hardware ever made).

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Washington, DC: I've been holding off on getting a flat panel TV until the Next Big Technology came along - something that really came close to a CRT quality. I thought SED would be the ticket, but now it's been delayed and I might just cave for one of the newer plasmas. I've heard that 42" HD plasma prices could drop below $2 grand this Christmas. Your thoughts? Any new technology/features coming on later this year?

Rob Pegoraro: 42" HD plasmas *already* cost less than $2,000; I've seen a few in that price bracket in the Sunday ad circulars and online.

I don't see any new must-have technologies coming out this year ("1080p" resolution isn't close to a must-have for anybody buying a screen smaller than 50 inches, and it's debatable even at larger screen sizes.) Instead, just expect to see continued price declines, probably more pronounced ones for LCD TVs.

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Rockville, MD: Re: region-free dvd players

Google is your friend here. Find some DVD players you're interested in, write down the model number, then see if anyone's discovered a region hack for it yet.

There are a few "brand name" players that show up on the hacked player lists.

Rob Pegoraro: Thanks, Rockville!

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Dayton, OH: Hi Rob. Thanks for your suggestion about getting a Mirra server for backup. After having my order shuffled around and lost by Best Buy, I went to Mirra's store and bought directly from them. Easiest hardware setup I've ever had, and the backups are truly transparent. Thanks again!

Rob Pegoraro: Thanks for the report, Dayton

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Non Mac Q: Rob,

Can you clue me in on memory speeds? If my computer specifies PC2700 DDR can I use 3200? How about PC2100? Can I move up and/or down in the DDR-2 memory?

Once upon a time, it was easy to buy memory.

Rob Pegoraro: I *think* you would be OK with faster memory than necessary, but why bother? You'd usually be spending more than necessary in that case.

Slower memory = bad idea.

Bottom line, your time is valuable too, so don't waste it by experimenting with non-spec memory to save a few bucks. Stick to the exact type of memory your PC's vendor recommends, or which you see suggested for it at any of the major memory resellers' own sites.

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Mt. Pleasant, Washington, DC: Hi, Rob,

I'm a long-time Mac users, but I've never made the change from Panther to Tiger. Am I missing anything? How succesful has Apple been with getting others to make the upgrade?

Thanks!

Rob Pegoraro: Pretty successful in general, from what I gather. I thought Tiger was a little shakey when it first arrived and wrote as much in my review. But it's turned out to be a solid release--and we're now seeing a variety of apps that actually *require* Tiger, becaues they use some features that debuted in that release. (See, for example, Mark/Space's Missing Sync for Palm OS)

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Soon to be Arlington, again: Thanks, although I did the math, and I'd actually break even if i did bundled or not. What I'm really curious about is if VoIP is worth switching to than a normal land line and if it's true that DSL service is different depending on where you live. thanks.

Rob Pegoraro: DSL should be DSL in different counties. You might see slower service if you moved to a location that was physically farther from the nearest phone central office, but that's highly unlikely in Arlington.

VoIP is worth switching to if you make a ton of long-distance calls, and especially if you need a second or third line. For purely local calling--say, if you already have free long distance on a cell phone--you might not save any money on VoIP. There's also the issue of 911 or emergency calling; landline service is pretty much guaranteed to work, while VoIP may or may not, depending on your provider and your broadband connection.

(Mets 3, Nats 1 on a David Wright home run. Meanwhile, we've left seven guys on base.)

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Paris, France: Hi. There have been several positive pieces about the Mac OSX operating system this week. I wonder if we could talk about the downside. Everyone mentions expense but as a Mac user there are definitely drawbacks using the net. Window Media Player has not been updated and is not supported by MicroSoft so many video on internet sites are just not available. I found I couldn't watch the NCAA basketball games because the browsers I use (Safari, Firefox) are not on the list of system requirements. The same scenario occurred for Yahoo's video reports on new cars at Yahoo.fr. Their technical service replied in response to my query that Windows OS was required. I have a program called Flip4Mac but it doesn't function successfully on either of these two video sites. Not does it work on the trial offer of XM radio via internet. Any other workaround solutions besides buying another computer?

Rob Pegoraro: Allo... I couldn't find those car videos on yahoo.fr, so I don't know what kind of system they're using. But I can tell you that XM's own system requirements say that they support Firefox for OS X.

The NCAA Webcast, however, is a real problem. Microsoft, for whatever reason, hasn't released a version of Windows Media Player for the Mac that supports the copy-control features some Web sites require, and the new Flip4Mac QuickTime plug-in doesn't offer that support either.

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Bowie: Rob, how long has it been since you've done a story on how vendors use rebates to create artificially low prices.

I was denied a rebate (fortunately small) because it wasn't postmarked within 10 days of purchase. I had ordered it by mail and it didn't even arrive (with the UPC sticker I had to send in) until more than 10 days after I bought it!!!!!!!

Rob Pegoraro: We've done this story a few times, actually. I think the situation is getting a little better; Amazon, for instance, now lets you file for some rebates online, doing away with the whole postmarking issue.

You might want to drop a note about this to my colleague Caroline Mayer, who writes about this exact sort of thing all the time: mayerc@washpost.com

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Reston, VA: I keep having Winfixer and Virtumondo problems on my laptop. I have Ad-Aware, Spybot and Windows Defender which I run religiously, plus AVG virus protection. Yet, it still comes back. What else can I do to get rid of the annoying pop-ups?????

Rob Pegoraro: You've already tried all of the programs I'd suggest. Try the free Spyware Doctor as well, then the free trial download of WebRoot SpySweeper and see if that finds anything the others haven't (you'll need to pay to have SpySweeper remove anything.)

But you might be better off backing up your data, then reformatting the hard drive and reinstalling Windows. That's guaranteed to remove the problem, and it might even waste less time than continued trial-and-error with spyware removers.

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greg (DC): I have to say, I disagree with your comment that you don't save much on VOIP if you don't make a lot of long distance calls.

Our phone bill before switching to vonage, with just voice mail and call waiting, was in the high $30s a month with verizon.

Our phone bill with vonage, with 500 minutes (we don't make over 8 hrs of calls a month) is only $17ish after taxes. I'd call $20 or so a month a pretty significant savings.

Rob Pegoraro: Thanks for the counterpoint. FWIW, I've never subscribed to Verizon's voicemail (much cheaper to get a phone that has an answering machine built in), and I stopped getting call waiting years ago--if somebody gets a busy signal when they try call us at home, they either know one of our cell numbers or are a telemarketer.

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From Daniel Greenberg: Fixing Scratches on CDs and DVDs: I've tested a few CD repair tools and I've tried the toothpaste trick, with only limited success.

As a result, I have adopted a more drastic strategy. As soon as a see a scratch on an audio CD or as soon as it skips, I rip it with Exact Audio Copy (EAC) and burn an exact digital duplicate. EAC is an excellent, free program which performs a huge amount of error-correction. Its only downside is a complex UI.

I have yet to find a similar program for DVDs, though DVD Shrink has ripped the few DVDs I've had with playback problems.

For data CDs and DVDs, backup early, backup often.

Rob Pegoraro: Good points from veteran contributor Daniel Greenberg. Thanks!

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Washington, DC: Hi Rob,

Your pro-Apple bias is apparent (and there's nothing wrong with that) but I was wondering if you see any reason for someone to purchase a windows-based computer any more?

My wife and I are in the market for a laptop for our second computer - my home office PC is WindowsXP-based. She would like a Dell XPS M140 but I'm trying to figure out if we should start weaning ourselves off Windows to Mac. Main uses would be e-mail, web access, music/video, ability to work when traveling, minor word processing and spreadsheets.

Rob Pegoraro: I don't have a "pro-Apple bias," or one for or against any other company. I do have biases, but they are in favor of specific qualities like ease of use, reliability, simplicity. Apple has done a better job than Microsoft on those fronts.

Now, as for the "why use Windows" question--you got one answer right at the start of this chat, when I mentioned that there was no Mac version of Access. If you need to use a Windows-only program, for now you don't have a real alternative to using a Windows machine. (When the Windows emulators for Intel Macs get faster, or the work needed to set up a dual-boot XP/OS X system gets a lot easier, that may change.)

There's a lot more on this topic in the column I wrote in November about home-computer shopping:

Ground Rules for Buying on the Cutting Edge: home computer

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Fairfax, VA: I agree that there are some limitations on the Mac given what's available on the internet, but I was able to watch NCAA games on the computer in both Safari and Camino, so I'm not sure that Paris's problem is a general one -- perhaps related to his/her setup.

Rob Pegoraro: Thanks, Fairfax. Did you need to adjust your browser's user agent to get the NCAA Webcast to work? (I haven't tried to watch them at home, which probably has something to do with the fact that I have an actual TV to watch the games on there.)

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Please answer!: When do we expect the new Mac laptops out? I need a new computer and want to wait for them. But how long???

Rob Pegoraro: 21 days, 4 hours, 3 minutes and 42 seconds.

Seriously, I have no clue here. I don't know why there isn't an Intel-based iBook or 12 or 17-inch PowerBook out yet or when one of those machines might appear.

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Toothpaste: Heloise had a tip about repairing scratched CDs with toothpaste about two weeks ago in the Post. Check the archives, maybe?

washingtonpost.com: Hints From Heloise

Rob Pegoraro: I CANNOT BELIEVE I just got scooped on a tech question by Heloise.

This is so humiliating.

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Fairfax, VA: I just added a photo editing program to my XP operating system PC. Is there a way to designate this new program as my default for photo related items including e-mail (Outlook Express)?

Rob Pegoraro: Open the Folder Options control panel (or select the Tools menu in the My Computer window and choose "Options...), click the File Types tab and change the default program for .jpg files to the new photo viewer.

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Fairfax: Lightning plugin? I'm googling up the "new" lightning plug in you spoke of, but I'm only seeing older copies. Do you have a link?

Rob Pegoraro: Here ya go: http://www.mozilla.org/projects/calendar/lightning.html

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Gaithersburg: Rob, do most people use DSL for three months at a time? That seems to be what the prices are quoted for.

How much do they jump after the promo period?

Rob Pegoraro: Depends on the provider. Verizon charges $15 and $30 a month after the initial discount, depending on the speed you buy. Most other companies are at $40 and up.

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Arlington, VA: region-free DVD. I have a player that I bought direct from Yamakawa that is region-free or all-region or whatever you want to call it. Only cost about $70 I think and it has progressive scan, digital audio ouputs, DTS/DolbyD. I think it even does Karaoke. You just have to enter a code using the remote and set the region to 0 in order to play any disc. Hopefully one day we won't have to bother with all of this and content providers will wise up. Yeah, right!

Rob Pegoraro: Thanks, Arlington

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Tampa, FL: I enjoyed your column on OS X and agree wholeheartedly with you. I use it and find it far superior to Windows. But there are a few things that bug me about OS X:

(1) The constant upgrades also cost a lot in the long run. With upgrades coming every other year at $130 a pop, this averages $65/year. So the real cost of OS X is a bit understated.

(2) MS has already dropped IE for Mac. What happens should they also drop Office for Mac? OpenOffice for Mac requires X11, and NeoOffice is nowhere near as polished as OpenOffice. If MS does drop Office for Mac, I think Apple should immediately throw resources into NeoOffice. Apple would need to have an office program that works on every other platform. Business is moving towards open source, especially in Europe and Asia, and OpenOffice is it for these areas. Apple could easily help make NeoOffice a polished and flexible suite of programs. Apple shouldn't try to reinvent the wheel if MS pulls the plug on Office for Mac. Apple Works will be just another restricted proprietary format that won't cut it outside the small Mac universe.

One last question: How long before someone figures out how to get OS X to run on Windows machines? If successful, wouldn't this worry Apple far more than Mac owners running Windows on their Macs?

Rob Pegoraro: 1) Yes, the cost issue can be a problem. I've noted this in all of my reviews of OS X.

2) At January's Macworld Expo, Microsoft said it would continue to develop Microsoft Office. That's a commitment of actual dollars and people, not just words. But I agree, Apple ought to be making some effort to get NeoOffice to be a better alternative to Office--or it should do more with its own iWork suite. Choice is good and all that...

3) People already have OS X running on Windows machines--they did before OS X for Intel even shipped. But it takes some tinkering to make that install work; I don't see that as any risk for Apple, and it arguably helps them out by exposing OS X to some hard-core Windows geeks who just might like what they see.

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Fairfax, VA: I bought my husband a 5th gen iPod (30GB) for Christmas to replace his 1st gen (which is now mine!). I use an old Griffin FM transmitter in the car to listen to the old iPod, but my husband still does not have a way to listen to his new iPod in the car. The Griffin I have is Ok but not fabulous. Can you recommend an FM transmitter for the 5th generation iPods? Thanks!

Rob Pegoraro: You've got a really wide selection now; Griffin, for example, sells an FM transmitter designed specifically for the dock connector on new iPods.

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Arlington,VA: video iPod Question: What is the best non-Quicktime-Pro way to convert video files to iPod-readable Mpeg 4?

Rob Pegoraro: If you've got a Mac, use the free HandBrake program (handbrake.m0k.org/); it will rip the DVD and convert the video to iPod format all at once. On a PC, use the DVD ripper of your choice, then the free Videora iPod Converter (http://www.videora.com/en-us/Converter/iPod/).

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Fairfax VA: For the person wondering about switching to Verizon for DSL: I had Verizon DSL for years, and I liked it very much. It was stable and I had good experiences the few times I needed tech support. I've recently moved and Verizon DSL isn't available in this apartment complex, or I'd have kept it.

Rob Pegoraro: Appreciate the report, Fairfax

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Alexandria, VA: What's the deal with HD???

I'm getting close to taking the plunge, but it seems the market is growing increasingly more confusing. Not to mention that the personnel that are in the stores to assist you in purchasing televisions and equipment don't have a clue what they're selling.

I know the difference between the different formats (720p, 1080i, 1080p, etc...), however, most ads and boxes do not uniformly display a televisions capabilities, and the floor salespeople don't know what the numbers mean, other than the higher the number the better and more expensive. A lot of manufacturers are displaying the contrast ratio (800:1, 1600:1) and resolution (1380x720, etc...). What do those numbers mean, and can a 1380x720 set play in the 1080i format?

Also, prices seem to have really taken a big drop over the past year. Do you think it's wise to take the plunge now before 1080p goes widespread, or wait until the end of the year? Which HD disc format do you think will win out, and is there that much of a difference, as I have not yet seen an HD-DVD player hooked up to a television properly.

Rob Pegoraro: HDTV is confusing, but it doesn't have to be. Unless you're shopping for an enormous screen or are looking only at CRT sets, you'll probably only see 720p-capable sets--and that's fine. I don't think you need anything more than that. 1080p looks no better than 720p on an under-50-inch screen when viewed from couch viewing distances, isn't available in any broadcast and won't be anytime soon.

You'd have to buy into either HD DVD or Blu-Ray to watch anything in 1080p, and that's not something I'd recommend anybody do just yet.

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Rob Pegoraro: Time's up! Thanks for all the great questions... I should be back here in two weeks. Go Nats!

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