Hewie's Views and Reviews
By Hewie Poplock

Welcome to this issue of Hewie's Views & Reviews. Be sure to visit Hewie's Favorites at http://www.hewie.net/ .

In this issue:

++++ Who owns the Internet? Or Who do you go to for answers?
++++ New additions to Hewie's Favorites

++++ Who owns the Internet? Or Who do you go to for answers?

Recently I was unable to connect to my Verio hosted website and e-mail accounts. I connect to the Internet through Time-Warner owned RoadRunner. The web site and e-mails were functioning. I called RoadRunner's tech support twice and to Verio's support. All have agreed that my connection was stopping somewhere between my home and the website. The first RoadRunner Tech had me run Tracert, a Windows utility. It timed-out after leaving the RoadRunner Servers, but before it reached my host's server. I called Verio, the hosting company. They said the site was functioning. I tried using mail2web to view my e-mail and that was working. Verio said that Tracert stopped at an AOL server between my access and my web site. The Verio tech told me that I should talk to RoadRunner. I called RoadRunner again. I pay BrightHouse networks to connect to RoadRunner, and both are controlled or owned by Time Warner, who also owns AOL.

Finally, RoadRunner agreed that my connection to my website stopped on an AOL server and the problem was on the AOL network. RoadRunner's answer was "You will need to contact them for further assistance on this issue" and gave me a log distance phone number and an e-mail to AOL.

It boiled down to the fact that both my ISP and hosting company denied that it was their problem. They also said that I had to contact AOL, to whom I had no relationship. I spent several hours on the phone and writing e-mails to tech support at RoadRunner. I gave up for a few hours and had other things to do. Later in the day I tried to get my e-mail and reach hewie.net and both were available. The initial problem was fixed.

Even though this problem got resolved, it shows that the Internet does have issues. When a server isn't working, we may not have recourse and a contact to report it. I argued with the RoadRunner Techs that AOL is owned by the same company that owned my ISP and connection; it was their responsibility to find and fix the problem. Their answer was that AOL was a different department and they had no way to contact them for me. It was not their responsibility. The last e-mail that I received said, "Thank you for choosing Road Runner and have a great day!"

++++ New additions to Hewie's Favorites

DynaComm i:scan
http://www.dciseries.com/products/iscan/webscan.asp
Online Scan for Malware from FutureSoft

Lavalys - Everest
http://www.lavalys.com/products.php?lang=en
System information and diagnostics capabilities, including memory benchmarks, hardware monitoring, and low-level hardware information

Network-wide control of portable storage devices
http://www.gfi.com/lanpsc/
Control entry and exit of data via USB sticks and other devices and prevent users from taking confidential data or introducing viruses and trojans on your network.

TechIndex
http://www.infoworld.com/techindex/
IT Product Guide is an online tool for enterprise-level technology buyers

IT Manager's Journal
http://www.itmanagersjournal.com/
Tracking the Evolution of IT & covers hardware, software and IT business innovations

Open Source Technology Group
http://www.ostg.com/
OSTG is a network of resources for IT managers and development professionals using Open Source and other leading-edge technologies

Eyetrack III
http://www.poynterextra.org/eyetrack2004/index.htm
Eyetrack is the most sophisticated and comprehensive study done on where people look when they come to your web site

16:9
http://www.16nine.com/
Source for HDTV Information and News

Herbal Safety
http://www.herbalsafety.utep.edu/
Offers sound advice about a broad range of herbs used for medicinal purposes

Earth from Above
http://www.yannarthusbertrand.com/yann2/affichage.php
Spectacular Aerial Photos of the most beautiful places on Earth

Lightness Demonstrations
http://web.mit.edu/persci/gaz/gaz-teaching/index.html
Series of interactive movies based on a paper by Edward H. Adelson of M.I.T. Each demonstrates a different optical phenomenon or illusion

Tutorial of Standard HTML Commands
http://www.auctionorbit.com/tutorials/HTML/index.htm
Comprehensive Page of Standard HTML Commands from Action Orbit

Gallup Organization
http://www.gallup.com/
Free daily Web newscast, an eight-minute video featuring pollster-in-chief Frank Newport as a stand-up news anchor

RedLightGreen
http://www.redlightgreen.com/
Find the best books for your term papers and other research projects

46 Best-ever Freeware Utilities
http://www.techsupportalert.com/best_free_utilities.htm
Tech Support Alert's list of the best freeware and shareware

Virus Threat Center
http://www.virusthreatcenter.com/
Breaking news and discussions on viruses and other security issues

Weather Underground
http://www.wunderground.com/
Real-time delivery of weather conditions, forecasts and warnings in more than 35 languages worldwide

Tips for Speeding Up and Optimizing Windows XP
http://www.optimizexp.net/index.php
Many ways to speed up Windows XP in e-book format. Download and read. It's worth the cost