Tweakui setting question

[MEB]

Re: Tweakui setting question

"PCR" <pcrrcp@netzero.net> wrote in message
news:eXTfi7%23KJHA.5328@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
| ms wrote:
| | "PCR" <pcrrcp@netzero.net> wrote in news:OwKi$ZlKJHA.920
| | @TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl:
| |
| |> ms wrote:
| |>| I set Explorer view in Tweakui to show no arrow on desktop
| |>| shortcuts, long ago. Many cold boots since then.
| |>|
| |>| But any shortcut I create on Desktop shows that arrow.
| |>|
| |>| The only version data I can find on my Tweakui is:
| |>| tweakui.cpl 106,544 6/18/2000
| |>|
| |>| Advice?
| |>
| |> Keep your arrows! That old kludge to remove them was broken by a
| |> latter day Windows Update. You should keep your arrows anyhow to
| |> know for sure what you are dealing with-- a shortcut or not a
| |> shortcut!
| |>
| |>| MS
| |>
| | I never had a problem with "a shortcut or not a shortcut!"
| |
| | I only have 6 total icons on desktop, and only 5 I've created, but
| | those arrows on this particular W98 machine really bug me.
| |
| | If Tweakui with None selected in this machine does not do it, is there
| | any way in registry, etc to remove those arrows?
|
| I see MEB is willing to take that up. Fine... let it be on his head if
| disaster should strike!
|
| | ms
|
| --
| Thanks or Good Luck,
| There may be humor in this post, and,
| Naturally, you will not sue,
| Should things get worse after this,
| PCR

Well, I certainly don't want ms to enable viewing ALL extensions or
disabling certain needed aspects for Windows other functions or files. Its a
toss-up, either we supply something here or ms will likely look elsewhere as
was done before, and then there potentially WOULD be a mess to cleanup. I
didn't address other more potentially dangerous modifications, only those
which might be associated with the desktop shortcuts {for the most part},
shortcuts and pifs.

This isn't meant as derogatory towards ms or others... just trying to be as
safe as possible, yet deal with the issue in some fashion.

--
MEB
http://peoplescounsel.org
a Peoples' counsel
_ _
~~

 

[thanatoid]

Re: Tweakui setting question

"PCR" <pcrrcp@netzero.net> wrote in
news:em6CKO$KJHA.4772@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl:

<SNIP>

>| understand that /A/ program opens /A/ file and that it is
>| not a bad idea to keep those files in /A/ specific
>| /DIRECTORY/ (as you know, easily done right- clicking to
>| properties and "start in" - admittedly, even that is black
>| magic to 95% of "computer users") has only created more
>| annoyances, even if one gets paid to resolve them.
>
> Nevertheless, you must keep your arrows! It's better to
> know what your dealing with -- shortcut or not a shortcut
> -- than to worry about all of that!

No offense, please, but talking to a brick wall comes to mind...

<SNIP>

> In some cases, clicking a shortcut that has lost its target
> will cause it to go on a searching for it. Then, if found,
> you may decide whether it is an acceptable copy or whether
> to look in the Recycle Bin or to try a 3rd-party undelete.
> All of that is good! Who knows whether some of those tweaks
> that turn off shortcut arrows will interfere with that
> process!?

I don't think that would happen even though we ARE talking about
a MS OS.

>| I readily admit we have gone far beyond any hope of people
>| really understanding how to use computers, and all that MS
>| et al are doing is making them the REAL "idiot box #2".
>| That used to be just a joke, now it's a reality ("Media
>| Edition"!!! Yeay!!!)
>|
>| And I believe most people are quite happy with it.
>
> Convenience is a good thing. You can STILL seek to
> understand the inner workings if you want-- but just go
> with convenience if you don't!

"Give me convenience or give me death."
- Jello Biafra, Dead Kennedys

<SNIP>

> I've finally gone to multiple partitions. My only regret is
> that a full system backup is a tad more difficult to do.

Very happy to hear it.

Still, who needs a "full system" backup? One of the MANY reasons
for partitions is that you backup or image C and never have to
worry about "system" again.
All your other stuff is organized according to your preferences
and can be backed up once a day or once a year depending on how
important it is and how often the content is changed.

>| Still, posting in these groups /is/ a way of killing time.
>
> There's also a certain sense of accomplishment getting
> things solved here.

Had to look at the bright side, huh ;-#

<SNIP>

>| Don't even get me started on dragging and dropping, and
>| how /delightfully/ easy WE makes it, especially with an
>| 800 GB C: drive with 500 "folders".
>
> Well -- rather than memorize all those drag/drop rules
> every time one forgets them (if one ever knew them all in
> the first place) -- I've learned it's BEST ALWAYS to R-Drag
> everything instead of L-Drag. That way you get a choice
> when the button is released-- not the least of which is
> "cancel"!

No, you simply NEVER open WE and you use a /real/ file manager.
I have mentioned my favorite enough times but ANYTHING is better
than WE.

Cheers,
t.


--
Those who cast the votes decide nothing. Those who count the
votes decide everything.
- Josef Stalin

 

[Dan]

Re: Tweakui setting question

PCR, I just don't get it because new Microsoft operating systems seem to
continue to be loaded down with more and more stuff and Microsoft is not the
only guilty party. Apple has been doing this with I-tunes and adding in
Quicktime and Bonjour to the mix. It really is annoying and frustrating to
me because the software and operating systems become more toy-like and the
users seem to want more and more but not have the interest or the time to
understand the smallest aspects of the operating systems and the software. I
remember and appreciate having started gaming with cartridge games and King's
Quest 1 for the IBM PCjr and simple 4 color games. I also played lots of
text-based games like the Zork series and Wishbringer by Infocom. These text
based games gave me an appreciation of the text based interface and I still
prefer reading actual books and the actual newspaper. I am concerned and
worried about this and future generations because they are just having
everything in graphics and so many having everything done so simply so how
can they appreciate the goodness of life and the fresh air outdoors and just
enjoy being in Nature and being thankful for everything they have despite the
crap that life has thrown at them. You know it is just me venting because XP
Professional is now having serious issues. Fortunately, 98 Second Edition
does not seem to have the problems that XP Pro. has and I certainly think XP
Pro. has been overrated. Do not worry because 98 Second Edition remains my
favorite Microsoft Operating System despite having used MS-DOS, Windows 3.x,
Windows 2000, Windows ME, Windows XP Home and Pro., Windows Vista, etc. I am
slowly starting the transition to Ubuntu Linux where my future computing
needs will partially remain as well as using Windows as needed.

"PCR" wrote:

> thanatoid wrote:
> | "PCR" <pcrrcp@netzero.net> wrote in
> | news:uyZJ2KzKJHA.920@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl:
> |
> | <SNIP>
> |
> |>|> Keep your arrows! That old kludge to remove them was
> |>|> broken by a latter day Windows Update. You should keep
> |>|> your arrows anyhow to know for sure what you are dealing
> |>|> with-- a shortcut or not a shortcut!
> |>|>
> |>|>| MS
> |>|>
> |>|
> |>| Yeah, if you're a MORON! Install BOB while you're at it!
> |>|
> |>| (/NOT/ to be taken personally, please.)
> |>|
> |>| The "shortcuts to 'documents' " (fubar forbid we call them
> |>| FILES) on the desktop was one of MS's 10 stupidest ideas
> |>| ever, giving people another way out of /ever/
> |>| understanding the idea of directory and file structures or
> |>| disk organization in general.
> |>
> |> I always rename my desktop shortcuts.
> |
> | I only have desktop shortcuts to programs. I am a firm believer
> | in basics, and one of those is that you open a /program/, and
> | /THEN/ you open the file. All the crap MS has inflicted on us to
> | make it easier on people who cannot understand that /A/ program
> | opens /A/ file and that it is not a bad idea to keep those files
> | in /A/ specific /DIRECTORY/ (as you know, easily done right-
> | clicking to properties and "start in" - admittedly, even that is
> | black magic to 95% of "computer users") has only created more
> | annoyances, even if one gets paid to resolve them.
>
> Nevertheless, you must keep your arrows! It's better to know what your
> dealing with -- shortcut or not a shortcut -- than to worry about all of
> that!
>
> |> So, that doesn't
> |> bother me. As far as directory structure, you can't expect
> |> to see that on the desktop, anyhow. You see it in Explorer
> |> or your substitute for that!
> |
> | No, but concepts and logic are system-wide (I'm talking about
> | the "human brain") and "travel" for lack of a better word.
> | Someone who has never seen a two-pane file manager and calls
> | tech support when their "desktop shortcut" to a file doesn't
> | work has NO chance of ever understanding the structure of their
> | computer and many other things as well. (The fact most people
> | are incapable of thinking and don't WANT to understand anything
> | is another subject.)
>
> In some cases, clicking a shortcut that has lost its target will cause
> it to go on a searching for it. Then, if found, you may decide whether
> it is an acceptable copy or whether to look in the Recycle Bin or to try
> a 3rd-party undelete. All of that is good! Who knows whether some of
> those tweaks that turn off shortcut arrows will interfere with that
> process!?
>
> | I readily admit we have gone far beyond any hope of people
> | really understanding how to use computers, and all that MS et al
> | are doing is making them the REAL "idiot box #2". That used to
> | be just a joke, now it's a reality ("Media Edition"!!! Yeay!!!)
> |
> | And I believe most people are quite happy with it.
>
> Convenience is a good thing. You can STILL seek to understand the inner
> workings if you want-- but just go with convenience if you don't!
>
> | The fact I have been attacked many times just for suggesting
> | partitions are a good idea is proof enough that the situation is
> | totally hopeless. Apparently people ENJOY defragging overnight
> | only to find their 800 GB C: drive has frozen when they wake up.
>
> I've finally gone to multiple partitions. My only regret is that a full
> system backup is a tad more difficult to do.
>
> | Still, posting in these groups /is/ a way of killing time.
>
> There's also a certain sense of accomplishment getting things solved
> here.
>
> |> Keep your arrows, unless William Tell is your
> |> greatgrandfather! There are times to know what you are
> |> dealing with-- shortcut or not a shortcut! Dragging &
> |> dropping them can produce different results, & you don't
> |> want to accidentally delete an important app!
> |
> | As previously stated, if you're a moron and don't even know that
> | you can rename icons (fubar forbid CHANGE them), whether
> | shortcuts or programs or whatever.
> |
> | Don't even get me started on dragging and dropping, and how
> | /delightfully/ easy WE makes it, especially with an 800 GB C:
> | drive with 500 "folders".
>
> Well -- rather than memorize all those drag/drop rules every time one
> forgets them (if one ever knew them all in the first place) -- I've
> learned it's BEST ALWAYS to R-Drag everything instead of L-Drag. That
> way you get a choice when the button is released-- not the least of
> which is "cancel"!
>
> | "Where did that come from?"
> |
> | "Where did "My Documents" go! I am DEAD!"
> |
> | "What /is/ that? Can I delete it?" [Del]
> |
> | "What's a "recycle bin"?
>
> R-Drag with the mouse instead of L-Drag to cut those questions in half!
>
> | (...)
> |
> | "Honey (Mom, Dad, "teach")! Do you have the tech support phone
> | no?"
> |
> | [$$$$$$]
> |
> | I weep for the post-98SE generation. Actually even 98 is
> | unbearable, I use Lite to have the 95 shell. Making everything
> | look like the web was THE stupidest idea EVER. Needless to say,
> | (almost) everyone loved it.
> |
> | (blah blah blah blah blah...........)
> |
> | Sigh.
>
> Don't worry. Those who have permanently quit us for XP/Vista will be
> back when they have turned half purple of the irradiation!
>
> | --
> | Those who cast the votes decide nothing. Those who count the
> | votes decide everything.
> | - Josef Stalin
>
> --
> Thanks or Good Luck,
> There may be humor in this post, and,
> Naturally, you will not sue,
> Should things get worse after this,
> PCR
> pcrrcp@netzero.net
>
>
>

 

[ms]

Re: Tweakui setting question

"PCR" <pcrrcp@netzero.net> wrote in news:eXTfi7#KJHA.5328
@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl:

> ms wrote:
>| "PCR" <pcrrcp@netzero.net> wrote in news:OwKi$ZlKJHA.920
>| @TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl:
>|
>|> ms wrote:
>|>| I set Explorer view in Tweakui to show no arrow on desktop
>|>| shortcuts, long ago. Many cold boots since then.
>|>|
>|>| But any shortcut I create on Desktop shows that arrow.
>|>|
>|>| The only version data I can find on my Tweakui is:
>|>| tweakui.cpl 106,544 6/18/2000
>|>|
>|>| Advice?
>|>
>|> Keep your arrows! That old kludge to remove them was broken by a
>|> latter day Windows Update. You should keep your arrows anyhow to
>|> know for sure what you are dealing with-- a shortcut or not a
>|> shortcut!
>|>
>|>| MS
>|>
>| I never had a problem with "a shortcut or not a shortcut!"
>|
>| I only have 6 total icons on desktop, and only 5 I've created, but
>| those arrows on this particular W98 machine really bug me.
>|
>| If Tweakui with None selected in this machine does not do it, is there
>| any way in registry, etc to remove those arrows?
>
> I see MEB is willing to take that up. Fine... let it be on his head if
> disaster should strike!
>
>| ms
>
I should clarify that this is a used machine, no new MS patches for
probably 3 years, but as you suggested about a patch, maybe the previous
owner had back then loaded a patch, that now my using Tweakui, the arrow
can't be eliminated. Everybody's browsing habits are different, with
mine, I ran a W98SE machine, after a reformat and new OS install,
browsing with no patches for 8 months and no problems. At that time the
power supply died, so that was the end of it.

ms

 

[ms]

Re: Tweakui setting question

"MEB" <meb@not here@hotmail.com> wrote in news:uobcye#KJHA.4772
@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl:

> Uhm, perhaps I should also supply a safer way noted here:
> http://www.mdgx.com/newtip11.htm
> DITCH THOSE ARROWS!
>
> Note that the change is from IsShortcut to IsNotShortcut.
>
> A "HACK" uses a resource hacker tool to change shell32 Shortcut Icon to
> transparent or nothing. TweakUI doesn't work because the location and
> addressing changed with the security update.
>

Thanks, MEB, I will ponder both your posts, and post with results.

ms

 

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

Re: Tweakui setting question

In message <em6CKO$KJHA.4772@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl>, PCR
<pcrrcp@netzero.net> writes
[]
>Nevertheless, you must keep your arrows! It's better to know what your
>dealing with -- shortcut or not a shortcut -- than to worry about all of
>that!

I tend to agree, but there are some here you'll NEVER convince!
[]
>I've finally gone to multiple partitions. My only regret is that a full
>system backup is a tad more difficult to do.

(As someone else said, you don't need to backup other than C:, unless
what's on the others is important. Obviously, only applies if all your
app.s are on C.)
[]
>Well -- rather than memorize all those drag/drop rules every time one
>forgets them (if one ever knew them all in the first place) -- I've
>learned it's BEST ALWAYS to R-Drag everything instead of L-Drag. That
>way you get a choice when the button is released-- not the least of
>which is "cancel"!
>
Well, I thought I knew it fairly well, but am still learning: I'd not
come across right-drag before, thanks.

Now how do you do it with a touchpad?
[]
>| "Honey (Mom, Dad, "teach")! Do you have the tech support phone
>| no?"
>|
>| [$$$$$$]

(-:
>|
>| I weep for the post-98SE generation. Actually even 98 is
>| unbearable, I use Lite to have the 95 shell. Making everything

There are at least 3 of us lite-ers here ... (and one person on one of
the '98 'groups, who hates it ...)

>| look like the web was THE stupidest idea EVER. Needless to say,

Agreed (well, not sure about stupidest ever - defaulting to hidden
extensions, and various aspects of the interconnectedness of the OS [let
alone IE] could be worse, but it's pretty bad).

>| (almost) everyone loved it.

Agreed )-:
[]
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G.5AL(+++)IS-P--Ch+(p)Ar+T[?]H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
** http://www.soft255.demon.co.uk/G6JPG-PC/JPGminPC.htm for thoughts on PCs. **

When you are in it up to your ears, keep your mouth shut.

 

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

Re: Tweakui setting question

In message <liute4t1m9ic7fpm81h4bqi1bo26smt28n@4ax.com>, Franc Zabkar
<fzabkar@iinternode.on.net> writes
[]
>>Keep your arrows! That old kludge to remove them was broken by a latter
>>day Windows Update. You should keep your arrows anyhow to know for sure
>>what you are dealing with-- a shortcut or not a shortcut!
>>
>>| MS
>
>I have "unhidden" the PIF and LNK extensions by editing the registry.
>Now I see all my desktop shortcuts as .PIFs or .LNKs.
>
>- Franc Zabkar

You see them as .lnk files, we see them as with arrows - does it matter,
as long as we know they're shortcuts? (Though if you're the person who
only has 5 icons on his desktop, it isn't hard to remember anyway.)
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G.5AL(+++)IS-P--Ch+(p)Ar+T[?]H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
** http://www.soft255.demon.co.uk/G6JPG-PC/JPGminPC.htm for thoughts on PCs. **

When you are in it up to your ears, keep your mouth shut.

 

[MEB]

Re: Tweakui setting question

Okay, just remember to export those keys *first* so if you want you can
re-install them.

Its easy to forget what changes we make to our registries and systems, so I
have a directory of the exports JUST IN CASE, and Total Uninstall [with
exported txts], RegSeeker [and some others], backups of the entire default
{clean updated installation} registry and at various stages, and Windows
Install Cleanup and a few other tools to help.

Yeah, overly redundant, but I've found my memory just isn't as good and
readily available as 30 years ago....

--
MEB
http://peoplescounsel.org
a Peoples' counsel
_ _
~~
"ms" <ms@invalid.com> wrote in message
news:6lejvbFc1f8mU3@mid.individual.net...
| "MEB" <meb@not here@hotmail.com> wrote in news:uobcye#KJHA.4772
| @TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl:
|
| > Uhm, perhaps I should also supply a safer way noted here:
| > http://www.mdgx.com/newtip11.htm
| > DITCH THOSE ARROWS!
| >
| > Note that the change is from IsShortcut to IsNotShortcut.
| >
| > A "HACK" uses a resource hacker tool to change shell32 Shortcut Icon to
| > transparent or nothing. TweakUI doesn't work because the location and
| > addressing changed with the security update.
| >
|
| Thanks, MEB, I will ponder both your posts, and post with results.
|
| ms

 

[Franc Zabkar]

Re: Tweakui setting question

On Sun, 12 Oct 2008 18:00:11 +0100, "J. P. Gilliver (John)"
<G6JPG@soft255.demon.co.uk> put finger to keyboard and composed:

>In message <liute4t1m9ic7fpm81h4bqi1bo26smt28n@4ax.com>, Franc Zabkar
><fzabkar@iinternode.on.net> writes
>[]
>>>Keep your arrows! That old kludge to remove them was broken by a latter
>>>day Windows Update. You should keep your arrows anyhow to know for sure
>>>what you are dealing with-- a shortcut or not a shortcut!
>>>
>>>| MS
>>
>>I have "unhidden" the PIF and LNK extensions by editing the registry.
>>Now I see all my desktop shortcuts as .PIFs or .LNKs.
>>
>>- Franc Zabkar
>
>You see them as .lnk files, we see them as with arrows - does it matter,
>as long as we know they're shortcuts? (Though if you're the person who
>only has 5 icons on his desktop, it isn't hard to remember anyway.)

I see them as .lnk files everywhere else, not just the desktop.

The only things I put on my desktop are shortcuts and folders which
contain only shortcuts.

I suppose it doesn't matter whether the arrow is there or not, but
obviously some people prefer not to see them, otherwise TweakUI
wouldn't have given them that option.

- Franc Zabkar
--
Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.

 

[Franc Zabkar]

Re: Tweakui setting question

On Sat, 11 Oct 2008 18:56:16 -0400, "PCR" <pcrrcp@netzero.net> put
finger to keyboard and composed:

>Franc Zabkar wrote:

>| What if you received an email attachment named filename.txt.lnk? Could
>| that be exploited by malware? As far as you would know, you would be
>| clicking on a harmless text file.
>
>I didn't think of that. But I do have avast!'s E-Mail checker
>activated...

There are several other file types which remain hidden even though
"hide file types" is turned off:
http://seclists.org/bugtraq/2000/May/0184.html

- Franc Zabkar
--
Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.

 

[Dan]

Re: Tweakui setting question

Yet, if XP was on the Internet and un-patched it would be targeted quickly
and this just goes to show ms how 98 Second Edition is much safer internally
than XP ever was.

"ms" wrote:

> "PCR" <pcrrcp@netzero.net> wrote in news:eXTfi7#KJHA.5328
> @TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl:
>
> > ms wrote:
> >| "PCR" <pcrrcp@netzero.net> wrote in news:OwKi$ZlKJHA.920
> >| @TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl:
> >|
> >|> ms wrote:
> >|>| I set Explorer view in Tweakui to show no arrow on desktop
> >|>| shortcuts, long ago. Many cold boots since then.
> >|>|
> >|>| But any shortcut I create on Desktop shows that arrow.
> >|>|
> >|>| The only version data I can find on my Tweakui is:
> >|>| tweakui.cpl 106,544 6/18/2000
> >|>|
> >|>| Advice?
> >|>
> >|> Keep your arrows! That old kludge to remove them was broken by a
> >|> latter day Windows Update. You should keep your arrows anyhow to
> >|> know for sure what you are dealing with-- a shortcut or not a
> >|> shortcut!
> >|>
> >|>| MS
> >|>
> >| I never had a problem with "a shortcut or not a shortcut!"
> >|
> >| I only have 6 total icons on desktop, and only 5 I've created, but
> >| those arrows on this particular W98 machine really bug me.
> >|
> >| If Tweakui with None selected in this machine does not do it, is there
> >| any way in registry, etc to remove those arrows?
> >
> > I see MEB is willing to take that up. Fine... let it be on his head if
> > disaster should strike!
> >
> >| ms
> >
> I should clarify that this is a used machine, no new MS patches for
> probably 3 years, but as you suggested about a patch, maybe the previous
> owner had back then loaded a patch, that now my using Tweakui, the arrow
> can't be eliminated. Everybody's browsing habits are different, with
> mine, I ran a W98SE machine, after a reformat and new OS install,
> browsing with no patches for 8 months and no problems. At that time the
> power supply died, so that was the end of it.
>
> ms
>

 

[ms]

Re: Tweakui setting question

"MEB" <meb@not here@hotmail.com> wrote in news:uobcye#KJHA.4772
@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl:

> Uhm, perhaps I should also supply a safer way noted here:
> http://www.mdgx.com/newtip11.htm
> DITCH THOSE ARROWS!
>


From that link:
---
2. SAFER :
"To safely hack the Registry to permanently remove those funky little
shortcut arrows, without adversely affecting your program shortcuts in
any way, start Regedit and go to:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Lnkfile
and to: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Piffile

In each of these folders the right hand pane has the "IsShortcut" String
Value.
Right-click on it, select Rename, and change it to read "IsNotShortcut"
(no quotes).
Close Regedit and reboot.
The arrows are gone now, but Windows still sees all the affected icons as
shortcuts and treats them accordingly. "
---

That sounded useful, used RegEditPlus, then RegSeek, finally RegSeeker to
search for HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Lnkfile

That key does not exist in my registry- ????

Then I noted some MS patches had been installed, the help data refers to
Q313829, I can't relate the app note number to the number of any of the
patches, planned to uninstall the patch if necessary.

I searched for Q313829. I don't find a MS appnote with that number, lots
of hits in Google, but can only say that "some" patch back in 2002 did
affect shell.dll, supposed to cure a exploit. I never patched for that in
other W98 machines, never had a problem.

Advice?

ms

 

[PCR]

Re: Tweakui setting question

---- Original Message ----
From: "Franc Zabkar" <fzabkar@iinternode.on.net>
Newsgroups: microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion
Sent: Saturday, October 11, 2008 09:41 PM
Subject: Re: Tweakui setting question

| On Sat, 11 Oct 2008 18:56:16 -0400, "PCR" <pcrrcp@netzero.net> put
| finger to keyboard and composed:
|
|>Franc Zabkar wrote:
|
|>| What if you received an email attachment named filename.txt.lnk?
|>| Could that be exploited by malware? As far as you would know, you
|>| would be clicking on a harmless text file.
|>
|>I didn't think of that. But I do have avast!'s E-Mail checker
|>activated...
|>
|>X-Antivirus: avast! (VPS 081010-0, 10/10/2008), Inbound message
|>X-Antivirus-Status: Clean
|>
|>..., not to mention the WEB Shield. Also, wouldn't the .lnk still
|>highlight with a different color when pointed at-- even if does look
|>like a .txt?
|
| Probably, but then my brain would always need to be in gear to make
| sure I noticed it.

I think it probably would behave just like the .lnk it is at some point.
Attachments should always be downloaded & examined closely before
clicking. Now, I've attached a "Garbage.txt.lnk" to an E-Mail to myself
just to see how that really goes... it went really well! (And I haven't
done that Registry tweak.)

It shows up in the E-Mail in an "Attach" box with the name
"Garbage.txt.url (138 bytes)". And, if I try to open it, I get an "Open
Attachment Warning". It gives the choice to continue to open it or to
save it to disk.

Could be that IE6 SP1 has solved a problem that may have existed in
earlier versions when Rollyson made his discoveries. It doesn't seem the
tweak to see the file type of .url is necessary anymore!

....snip
|
| There are several other file types which remain hidden even though
| "hide file types" is turned off:
| http://seclists.org/bugtraq/2000/May/0184.html

I had a quick look. The 10 items Rollyson posted look like the same 10
I've got. I'll have to examine it more closely later. Did you undo all
10 "NeverShowExt" & with not a single regret or just the various
shortcuts? But it doesn't appear to be necessary anymore!

| - Franc Zabkar
| --
| Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.

Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
Should things get worse after this,
PCR
pcrrcp@netzero.net

 

[FromTheRafters]

Re: Tweakui setting question


"PCR" <pcrrcp@netzero.net> wrote in message
news:em6CKO$KJHA.4772@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
[snip]

> In some cases, clicking a shortcut that has lost its target will cause
> it to go on a searching for it. Then, if found, you may decide whether
> it is an acceptable copy or whether to look in the Recycle Bin or to try
> a 3rd-party undelete. All of that is good! Who knows whether some of
> those tweaks that turn off shortcut arrows will interfere with that
> process!?

I assume that was a rhetorical question, but I am curious about
it as a literal case. Surely, extracting the icon from the shell32.dll
icon library (if that is where it resides) - editing it and embedding
it back in would alleviate any complications that arise with any
functional dependency on the reg key value. However, that would
be an overly complicated method if a simple reg key deletion
achieves the same result for the user - without complications.

 

[PCR]

Re: Tweakui setting question

thanatoid wrote:
| "PCR" <pcrrcp@netzero.net> wrote in
| news:em6CKO$KJHA.4772@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl:
|
| <SNIP>
|
|>| understand that /A/ program opens /A/ file and that it is
|>| not a bad idea to keep those files in /A/ specific
|>| /DIRECTORY/ (as you know, easily done right- clicking to
|>| properties and "start in" - admittedly, even that is black
|>| magic to 95% of "computer users") has only created more
|>| annoyances, even if one gets paid to resolve them.
|>
|> Nevertheless, you must keep your arrows! It's better to
|> know what your dealing with -- shortcut or not a shortcut
|> -- than to worry about all of that!
|
| No offense, please, but talking to a brick wall comes to mind...

I meant "you're dealing", not "your"-- I'm surprised you missed that!
I'm not worried about directory structure or the properties of
shortcuts. All of that is the same regardless of whether you've kept
your arrows! Keep them-- & use R-Drag too!

| <SNIP>
|
|> In some cases, clicking a shortcut that has lost its target
|> will cause it to go on a searching for it. Then, if found,
|> you may decide whether it is an acceptable copy or whether
|> to look in the Recycle Bin or to try a 3rd-party undelete.
|> All of that is good! Who knows whether some of those tweaks
|> that turn off shortcut arrows will interfere with that
|> process!?
|
| I don't think that would happen even though we ARE talking about
| a MS OS.

I possibly depends on the particular tweak. But I see no reason to test
it!

|>| I readily admit we have gone far beyond any hope of people
|>| really understanding how to use computers, and all that MS
|>| et al are doing is making them the REAL "idiot box #2".
|>| That used to be just a joke, now it's a reality ("Media
|>| Edition"!!! Yeay!!!)
|>|
|>| And I believe most people are quite happy with it.
|>
|> Convenience is a good thing. You can STILL seek to
|> understand the inner workings if you want-- but just go
|> with convenience if you don't!
|
| "Give me convenience or give me death."
| - Jello Biafra, Dead Kennedys

LOL.

| <SNIP>
|
|> I've finally gone to multiple partitions. My only regret is
|> that a full system backup is a tad more difficult to do.
|
| Very happy to hear it.
|
| Still, who needs a "full system" backup? One of the MANY reasons
| for partitions is that you backup or image C and never have to
| worry about "system" again.
| All your other stuff is organized according to your preferences
| and can be backed up once a day or once a year depending on how
| important it is and how often the content is changed.

Well, now that MS no longer offers updates for Win98, that's mostly
true, yea. Certain 3rd-party apps are doing periodic updates on C:,
though, like NetZero & avast!. I YET want to research more fully JUST
where they put their updates so that I can just copy those over
periodically to my clone, instead of doing the full system thing. If the
Registry is involved, I'd have to copy that over too.

|>| Still, posting in these groups /is/ a way of killing time.
|>
|> There's also a certain sense of accomplishment getting
|> things solved here.
|
| Had to look at the bright side, huh ;-#

Might as well. Even this horrible economic crisis has the bright side
that I might finally get into the market at the bottom. I've always
hated missing my chance back in '87-- I waited too long & never got in!
The extra trouble this time is that some stocks are going to zero! I
don't remember that happening back then! SO... likely I'll delay too
long this time too-- damn!

| <SNIP>
|
|>| Don't even get me started on dragging and dropping, and
|>| how /delightfully/ easy WE makes it, especially with an
|>| 800 GB C: drive with 500 "folders".
|>
|> Well -- rather than memorize all those drag/drop rules
|> every time one forgets them (if one ever knew them all in
|> the first place) -- I've learned it's BEST ALWAYS to R-Drag
|> everything instead of L-Drag. That way you get a choice
|> when the button is released-- not the least of which is
|> "cancel"!
|
| No, you simply NEVER open WE and you use a /real/ file manager.
| I have mentioned my favorite enough times but ANYTHING is better
| than WE.

I like to stick with MS to be able to answer questions here. If I don't
use Explorer, how will I be able to do that?

| Cheers,

.

| t.
|
|
| --
| Those who cast the votes decide nothing. Those who count the
| votes decide everything.
| - Josef Stalin

--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
Should things get worse after this,
PCR
pcrrcp@netzero.net

 

[PCR]

Re: Tweakui setting question

Dan wrote:
| PCR, I just don't get it because new Microsoft operating systems seem
| to continue to be loaded down with more and more stuff and Microsoft
| is not the only guilty party. Apple has been doing this with I-tunes
| and adding in Quicktime and Bonjour to the mix. It really is
| annoying and frustrating to me because the software and operating
| systems become more toy-like and the users seem to want more and more
| but not have the interest or the time to understand the smallest
| aspects of the operating systems and the software. I remember and
| appreciate having started gaming with cartridge games and King's
| Quest 1 for the IBM PCjr and simple 4 color games. I also played
| lots of text-based games like the Zork series and Wishbringer by
| Infocom. These text based games gave me an appreciation of the text
| based interface and I still prefer reading actual books and the
| actual newspaper. I am concerned and worried about this and future
| generations because they are just having everything in graphics and
| so many having everything done so simply so how can they appreciate
| the goodness of life and the fresh air outdoors and just enjoy being
| in Nature and being thankful for everything they have despite the
| crap that life has thrown at them. You know it is just me venting
| because XP Professional is now having serious issues. Fortunately,
| 98 Second Edition does not seem to have the problems that XP Pro. has
| and I certainly think XP Pro. has been overrated. Do not worry
| because 98 Second Edition remains my favorite Microsoft Operating
| System despite having used MS-DOS, Windows 3.x, Windows 2000, Windows
| ME, Windows XP Home and Pro., Windows Vista, etc. I am slowly
| starting the transition to Ubuntu Linux where my future computing
| needs will partially remain as well as using Windows as needed.

Yes, I noticed you posted elsewhere that XP has gone horribly bad. I'm
not surprised. You should go tell Colorado (Bill of Co.)-- let it be an
object lesson to him! He continues to insist his has never seriously
crashed! I am pleased Win98SE is your favorite.

| "PCR" wrote:
|
|> thanatoid wrote:
|> | "PCR" <pcrrcp@netzero.net> wrote in
|> | news:uyZJ2KzKJHA.920@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl:
|> |
|> | <SNIP>
|> |
|> |>|> Keep your arrows! That old kludge to remove them was
|> |>|> broken by a latter day Windows Update. You should keep
|> |>|> your arrows anyhow to know for sure what you are dealing
|> |>|> with-- a shortcut or not a shortcut!
|> |>|>
|> |>|>| MS
|> |>|>
|> |>|
|> |>| Yeah, if you're a MORON! Install BOB while you're at it!
|> |>|
|> |>| (/NOT/ to be taken personally, please.)
|> |>|
|> |>| The "shortcuts to 'documents' " (fubar forbid we call them
|> |>| FILES) on the desktop was one of MS's 10 stupidest ideas
|> |>| ever, giving people another way out of /ever/
|> |>| understanding the idea of directory and file structures or
|> |>| disk organization in general.
|> |>
|> |> I always rename my desktop shortcuts.
|> |
|> | I only have desktop shortcuts to programs. I am a firm believer
|> | in basics, and one of those is that you open a /program/, and
|> | /THEN/ you open the file. All the crap MS has inflicted on us to
|> | make it easier on people who cannot understand that /A/ program
|> | opens /A/ file and that it is not a bad idea to keep those files
|> | in /A/ specific /DIRECTORY/ (as you know, easily done right-
|> | clicking to properties and "start in" - admittedly, even that is
|> | black magic to 95% of "computer users") has only created more
|> | annoyances, even if one gets paid to resolve them.
|>
|> Nevertheless, you must keep your arrows! It's better to know what
|> your dealing with -- shortcut or not a shortcut -- than to worry
|> about all of that!
|>
|> |> So, that doesn't
|> |> bother me. As far as directory structure, you can't expect
|> |> to see that on the desktop, anyhow. You see it in Explorer
|> |> or your substitute for that!
|> |
|> | No, but concepts and logic are system-wide (I'm talking about
|> | the "human brain") and "travel" for lack of a better word.
|> | Someone who has never seen a two-pane file manager and calls
|> | tech support when their "desktop shortcut" to a file doesn't
|> | work has NO chance of ever understanding the structure of their
|> | computer and many other things as well. (The fact most people
|> | are incapable of thinking and don't WANT to understand anything
|> | is another subject.)
|>
|> In some cases, clicking a shortcut that has lost its target will
|> cause it to go on a searching for it. Then, if found, you may decide
|> whether it is an acceptable copy or whether to look in the Recycle
|> Bin or to try a 3rd-party undelete. All of that is good! Who knows
|> whether some of those tweaks that turn off shortcut arrows will
|> interfere with that process!?
|>
|> | I readily admit we have gone far beyond any hope of people
|> | really understanding how to use computers, and all that MS et al
|> | are doing is making them the REAL "idiot box #2". That used to
|> | be just a joke, now it's a reality ("Media Edition"!!! Yeay!!!)
|> |
|> | And I believe most people are quite happy with it.
|>
|> Convenience is a good thing. You can STILL seek to understand the
|> inner workings if you want-- but just go with convenience if you
|> don't!
|>
|> | The fact I have been attacked many times just for suggesting
|> | partitions are a good idea is proof enough that the situation is
|> | totally hopeless. Apparently people ENJOY defragging overnight
|> | only to find their 800 GB C: drive has frozen when they wake up.
|>
|> I've finally gone to multiple partitions. My only regret is that a
|> full system backup is a tad more difficult to do.
|>
|> | Still, posting in these groups /is/ a way of killing time.
|>
|> There's also a certain sense of accomplishment getting things solved
|> here.
|>
|> |> Keep your arrows, unless William Tell is your
|> |> greatgrandfather! There are times to know what you are
|> |> dealing with-- shortcut or not a shortcut! Dragging &
|> |> dropping them can produce different results, & you don't
|> |> want to accidentally delete an important app!
|> |
|> | As previously stated, if you're a moron and don't even know that
|> | you can rename icons (fubar forbid CHANGE them), whether
|> | shortcuts or programs or whatever.
|> |
|> | Don't even get me started on dragging and dropping, and how
|> | /delightfully/ easy WE makes it, especially with an 800 GB C:
|> | drive with 500 "folders".
|>
|> Well -- rather than memorize all those drag/drop rules every time one
|> forgets them (if one ever knew them all in the first place) -- I've
|> learned it's BEST ALWAYS to R-Drag everything instead of L-Drag. That
|> way you get a choice when the button is released-- not the least of
|> which is "cancel"!
|>
|> | "Where did that come from?"
|> |
|> | "Where did "My Documents" go! I am DEAD!"
|> |
|> | "What /is/ that? Can I delete it?" [Del]
|> |
|> | "What's a "recycle bin"?
|>
|> R-Drag with the mouse instead of L-Drag to cut those questions in
|> half!
|>
|> | (...)
|> |
|> | "Honey (Mom, Dad, "teach")! Do you have the tech support phone
|> | no?"
|> |
|> | [$$$$$$]
|> |
|> | I weep for the post-98SE generation. Actually even 98 is
|> | unbearable, I use Lite to have the 95 shell. Making everything
|> | look like the web was THE stupidest idea EVER. Needless to say,
|> | (almost) everyone loved it.
|> |
|> | (blah blah blah blah blah...........)
|> |
|> | Sigh.
|>
|> Don't worry. Those who have permanently quit us for XP/Vista will be
|> back when they have turned half purple of the irradiation!
|>
|> | --
|> | Those who cast the votes decide nothing. Those who count the
|> | votes decide everything.
|> | - Josef Stalin
|>
|> --
|> Thanks or Good Luck,
|> There may be humor in this post, and,
|> Naturally, you will not sue,
|> Should things get worse after this,
|> PCR
|> pcrrcp@netzero.net

--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
Should things get worse after this,
PCR
pcrrcp@netzero.net

 

[PCR]

Re: Tweakui setting question

J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
| In message <em6CKO$KJHA.4772@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl>, PCR
| <pcrrcp@netzero.net> writes
| []
|>Nevertheless, you must keep your arrows! It's better to know what your
|>dealing with -- shortcut or not a shortcut -- than to worry about all
|>of that!
|
| I tend to agree, but there are some here you'll NEVER convince!
| []

More is the pity! Everyone must keep their shortcut arrows!

|>I've finally gone to multiple partitions. My only regret is that a
|>full system backup is a tad more difficult to do.
|
| (As someone else said, you don't need to backup other than C:, unless
| what's on the others is important. Obviously, only applies if all your
| app.s are on C.)
| []

Some 3rd-party apps, like my NetZero & avast!, will update themselves.
NetZero even does that stealthily! I must fully investigate where they
put their changes to copy them over separately, even if it also includes
the Registry (which probably it doesn't). I learned to that the hard way
when I was using McAfee. Once/twice, after reverting to a full system
backup-- I had to spend a couple of hours taking in McAfee def updates!

|>Well -- rather than memorize all those drag/drop rules every time one
|>forgets them (if one ever knew them all in the first place) -- I've
|>learned it's BEST ALWAYS to R-Drag everything instead of L-Drag. That
|>way you get a choice when the button is released-- not the least of
|>which is "cancel"!
|>
| Well, I thought I knew it fairly well, but am still learning: I'd not
| come across right-drag before, thanks.

Yep-- that's a good one! It was somewhere in "Windows 98 Secrets"
(Livingston/Straub).

| Now how do you do it with a touchpad?
| []

LOL-- I don't know!

|>| "Honey (Mom, Dad, "teach")! Do you have the tech support phone
|>| no?"
|>|
|>| [$$$$$$]
|
| (-:
|>|
|>| I weep for the post-98SE generation. Actually even 98 is
|>| unbearable, I use Lite to have the 95 shell. Making everything
|
| There are at least 3 of us lite-ers here ... (and one person on one of
| the '98 'groups, who hates it ...)

I think that's Terhune who absolutely hates it. (I would never think of
using it myself too though.)

|>| look like the web was THE stupidest idea EVER. Needless to say,
|
| Agreed (well, not sure about stupidest ever - defaulting to hidden
| extensions, and various aspects of the interconnectedness of the OS
| [let alone IE] could be worse, but it's pretty bad).

Interconnectedness-- yea, you could have unexpected & unfortunate
consequences reverting to IE lite! But I'm not here to take up that
argument-- wait for Terhune to arrive or Google his writings!

|>| (almost) everyone loved it.
|
| Agreed )-:
| []
| --
| J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985
| MB++G.5AL(+++)IS-P--Ch+(p)Ar+T[?]H+Sh0!:`)DNAf **
| http://www.soft255.demon.co.uk/G6JPG-PC/JPGminPC.htm for thoughts on
| PCs. **
|
| When you are in it up to your ears, keep your mouth shut.

--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
Should things get worse after this,
PCR
pcrrcp@netzero.net

 

[PCR]

Re: Tweakui setting question

FromTheRafters wrote:
| "PCR" <pcrrcp@netzero.net> wrote in message
| news:em6CKO$KJHA.4772@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
| [snip]
|
|> In some cases, clicking a shortcut that has lost its target will
|> cause it to go on a searching for it. Then, if found, you may decide
|> whether it is an acceptable copy or whether to look in the Recycle
|> Bin or to try a 3rd-party undelete. All of that is good! Who knows
|> whether some of those tweaks that turn off shortcut arrows will
|> interfere with that process!?
|
| I assume that was a rhetorical question, but I am curious about
| it as a literal case. Surely, extracting the icon from the shell32.dll
| icon library (if that is where it resides) - editing it and embedding
| it back in would alleviate any complications that arise with any
| functional dependency on the reg key value. However, that would
| be an overly complicated method if a simple reg key deletion
| achieves the same result for the user - without complications.

I understand there was more than one dastardly method to get rid of
arrows. But I don't know the details of them-- & I don't want to! I love
my arrows! I know for sure it isn't just one icon involved, though. I
can see more many different ones on my own desktop. It even could be the
arrow is drawn separately on top of a normal icon. (I don't know.)

--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
Should things get worse after this,
PCR
pcrrcp@netzero.net

 

[FromTheRafters]

Re: Tweakui setting question


"PCR" <pcrrcp@netzero.net> wrote in message
news:efylAVMLJHA.5704@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> FromTheRafters wrote:
> | "PCR" <pcrrcp@netzero.net> wrote in message
> | news:em6CKO$KJHA.4772@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> | [snip]
> |
> |> In some cases, clicking a shortcut that has lost its target will
> |> cause it to go on a searching for it. Then, if found, you may decide
> |> whether it is an acceptable copy or whether to look in the Recycle
> |> Bin or to try a 3rd-party undelete. All of that is good! Who knows
> |> whether some of those tweaks that turn off shortcut arrows will
> |> interfere with that process!?
> |
> | I assume that was a rhetorical question, but I am curious about
> | it as a literal case. Surely, extracting the icon from the shell32.dll
> | icon library (if that is where it resides) - editing it and embedding
> | it back in would alleviate any complications that arise with any
> | functional dependency on the reg key value. However, that would
> | be an overly complicated method if a simple reg key deletion
> | achieves the same result for the user - without complications.
>
> I understand there was more than one dastardly method to get rid of
> arrows. But I don't know the details of them-- & I don't want to! I love
> my arrows! I know for sure it isn't just one icon involved, though. I
> can see more many different ones on my own desktop. It even could be the
> arrow is drawn separately on top of a normal icon. (I don't know.)

It appears to be a transparent overlay on the original icon. To those
that wish it gone - it is a blemish on the original icon. )

Use the properties of the lnk file to browse for a new icon and
check out the icon - an invisible rectangle with the arrow in the
corner. I'm on XP right now and it resides in %systemroot%/
system32/shell32.dll.

 

[PCR]

Re: Tweakui setting question

Franc Zabkar wrote:
| On Sun, 12 Oct 2008 18:00:11 +0100, "J. P. Gilliver (John)"
| <G6JPG@soft255.demon.co.uk> put finger to keyboard and composed:
|
|>In message <liute4t1m9ic7fpm81h4bqi1bo26smt28n@4ax.com>, Franc Zabkar
|><fzabkar@iinternode.on.net> writes
|>[]
|>>>Keep your arrows! That old kludge to remove them was broken by a
|>>>latter day Windows Update. You should keep your arrows anyhow to
|>>>know for sure what you are dealing with-- a shortcut or not a
|>>>shortcut!
|>>>
|>>>| MS
|>>
|>>I have "unhidden" the PIF and LNK extensions by editing the registry.
|>>Now I see all my desktop shortcuts as .PIFs or .LNKs.
|>>
|>>- Franc Zabkar
|>
|>You see them as .lnk files, we see them as with arrows - does it
|>matter, as long as we know they're shortcuts? (Though if you're the
|>person who only has 5 icons on his desktop, it isn't hard to remember
|>anyway.)
|
| I see them as .lnk files everywhere else, not just the desktop.
|
| The only things I put on my desktop are shortcuts and folders which
| contain only shortcuts.

You could go one step further & move the folders themselves off the
Desktop. Then, put shortcuts to the folders onto the Desktop. After
that, you could have either shortcuts (as you do now) or actual apps in
the folders.

| I suppose it doesn't matter whether the arrow is there or not, but
| obviously some people prefer not to see them, otherwise TweakUI
| wouldn't have given them that option.
|
| - Franc Zabkar
| --
| Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.

--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
Should things get worse after this,
PCR
pcrrcp@netzero.net