FAQ 7 Part A: General Questions

This section deals with those times when your hard drive becomes busy and causes your computer to temporarily slow down or stop.

Hard drive fragmentation makes your computer work less efficiently because your computer has to spend more time using the hard drive than it normally has to.

Q: How do I know if my hard drive is fragmented?

Here are the signs:

Q: What can I do?

If this is the case, then defragmenting your hard drive might help.

• Win 95 comes with a defragmentor (just hit F1 and look under defragmentor).
• You can probably search for one if you don't already have one.
• I usually use full defragment because it helps in the long run, particularly for the virtual memory cache file (also known as swap file).
• You can take a shower while this happens (or a bath if it's slow).
• After it is done, your computer should not have to spend as much time loading from the hard drive.

Q: If it's not fragmentation, what other problem could be causing this?

If the delays are only happen occasionally, this could also be your browser purging its cache file, which is detailed in the next section.

Alternatively, you might be running another program that is using up a lot of your computer's memory resources

Q: How often should I defragment my hard drive?

You don't have to defragement your hard drive that often unless you are constantly downloading and deleteing files on your computer or doing something to the same effect.

Random Note: By the way, if the defragmentor pauses for a long time while optimizing a directory, this is a good indication that the directory has a large number of files. At one time I realized I had over a thousand 50-60 byte files (yes bytes, not even kilobytes) in a single directory. Hee hee. ;)

Q: How do I know if it's just my browser purging it's cache?

Here are the signs:

Sometimes your browser will notify you that it is purging the cache by a little message on the very bottom, though I'm not sure if all browser give this notice.

Q: Is this something I should be concerned about?

Q: How long does it take to purge the cache?

Q: W-w-where can I get more of her?

Q: I have seen 300 files. Have I seen them all, and will I just be seeing repeats from now on?

Q: How may I see more then?

Q: Why are you being so vague and cryptic? Can't you spell it out clearly for me?

Q: Alright then, what are newsgroups exactly?

Q: When using hotmail, my IP always shows in the header. Is there any possibility to cut that out? Does anonymizer work there too? I don't trust Hotmail after Microsoft bought it. :-)

If you are interested in hiding your IP, you have several options.

1. You can use a remailer. The disadvantage is that remailers are one-way and only allow you to send mail. If you use one you must therefore include a return address if you are interested in recieving responses. Also please try not to abuse remailers, because they are there for the benefit of the public like you.
2. You can use an anonymizer while using your mail service (in this example Hotmail).

Q: So where can I find a remailer?

One example of a remailer is:
http://www.gilc.org/speech/anonymous/remailer.html

Q: What is the password for the zips at Onecrippledman's site?

Q: Where is the new OCM site?

Q: What is the password for the zips at ~ss25km...?

Q: Let me tell you what I like, and you send it to me.

Q: But I NEEED it!

Q: How do I rename the extension of a file in Win 95?

The following will describe how you would for example rename "file.txt" to "file.bak"?

If you have trouble renaming an extension, you probably need to disable an option in windows explorer that prevents you from renaming file extensions. In Windows explorer, go to menu View -> Options and uncheck the box labeled "Hide MS DOS extenions...". This will allow you to change extensions of a file by simply renaming it.

As with many problems, one other solution is to use something not assimilated by Microsoft. ACDSee, Changename 5.0, etc... should all do it fine and override MicroBorg's training wheels.

You can find ACDSee and Changename listed at FAQ 6B:

Q: What do you do for a living?

I decorate my pyramid.

Q: Where are you from?

I'm from Egypt. Pay attention in History class.

Q: Sorry, in History class I was too busy staring at the cute girl sitting across the room.

Q: How can I generate a text version of my Netscape bookmarks?

First go to the "Edit Bookmarks" menu in Netscape. Then highlight all the links you want to copy (to highlight all of the files, use the SHIFT button). Next go to the edit menu and choose copy. Then go to notepad or some other word processor and paste it. It should paste out all the links as plain text urls.

This method might also put an annoying extra weird character at the end of each link, but you can delete each them if you don't like them.

Q: How do I transfer my Internet Explorer bookmarks to Netscape and vice versa?

Q: How do I know if a link is Spam?

There are several ways you can tell if something is spam, and the next three sections describe these ways.

Believe it or not, all of the above have happened at least once. These are only a few examples.

Usenet convention defines spam to be either:

Here are some more serious tips about recognizing worthless sites.

1. In general, avoid commercial ads for sites.
2. Also avoid clickable links in general on message boards.
3. Sites ending in .jp are unlikely to be spam, while sites ending in .com and .net that offer adult material usually are.
4. You can usually tell if .com and .net sites are good by the sincerity of the person recommending them.

Q: Mr. "N" ask me my real e-mail. it's ok?

You should draw your own conclusions, but as I see it, if your own common sense tells you not to trust someone, then why should a total stranger convince you otherwise?

Q: How do I get someone to stay in a chat room long enough to talk with me?

Back when one particular chat room was ressurected, there weren't many visitors. So, this is how you would start a chat:

• Get to the chat room and see if anyone has posted a message at around the same time as you. If you prefer, say "Hi" to the room.
• If no one is there or responds, I often send a message like, "I will check back in 5, 10, and 15 minutes". That works pretty well if you're on at the right time of day.
• Note: Sometimes people are already chatting. That's even better, because the chat's faster and if someone leaves, you can still chat with the other person.

Q: What does the version of a FAQ mean?

Q: I hate this Japanese #@!&. Give me something more like blah blah blah.

The following are my typical responses to such a person:

If you asked nicely and in the right fashion you would have a very good chance of getting what you want.

Not only can't beggars be choosy, but they certainly shouldn't be complaining about the handout when people are giving out what you want under your nose anyways.*

Also, if you feel that way, why do you complain at a Japanese board? Would it make sense for you to go to Japan and complain that English isn't the official language there? We should be thankful enough that there are even Japanese boards in English, shouldn't we? The Japanese don't seem to complain as much about all the western #@!& that's posted every day, so consider being more tolerant yourself.

Keep in mind that there is a legitimate market in Japan that dwarfs the markets of all other countries combined. Even many western series were scanned off of Japanese magazines including the Laika series, bc scans, and countless others. Aside from simple nudes and series from Japan, much of the Western material tends to be cheap, tasteless, and abusive. Just make a quick comparison between jbpel and abpep-t. You will almost never see hardcore in jbpel, and what softcore you see in abpep-t almost always comes directly from jbpel (people like to repost it there). It says something when the largest and most popular series are composed mostly of non-nudes with little or no sexual connotation at all.

Lastly and most importantly, if you can't be tolerant of other people's tastes, do not expect others to be tolerant towards your own.

* See next question to find out this person's response.

Q: "How would you know were your nose is if your heads up your ass?"

This was the actual unedited response from the person who asked the previous question. ;)

Which method works better, being rude or nice? You wouldn't be begging for anything if being rude actually worked.

Q: Why haven't you been saying much, Ramses?

I have a very big mouth, so I try to keep it shut when possible. If you ask a question and I don't answer it, it's probably because someone else answered the question or something to the same effect. The various boards are filled with several very knowledgeable and very helpful people. So, I don't want to be taking up space that someone else might be using instead.

Also, if I make a post to a board, you can assume that I've read all or most of the messages below mine (I normally skim previous messages before I post). So, if you wrote something, there's a good chance I read it. For that reason, feel free to address your messages to the board instead of to any particular person when you can.

I don't often post anything unless someone asks or there is a special occasion. As I said, the boards are crowded enough already. Besides, I don't have a magic wand; given time you can do everything I do and better. In any case, the only thing I enjoy doing is writing winking happy faces. ;)

Q: Are you being sarcastic?

Me be sarcastic? Why of course not! ;)

Q: That winking happy face, it's so annoying!

Yes. ;)

Q: What is a "wookie"?

Don't tell me they don't have Star Wars in your country. Remember Chewbaca?

All words are defined by their use and connotation. Given time you'll know.

Q: Help me?

With what?

Q: But can't you read my mind?

Yes, but let's pretend I can't. ;)

Q: Well then what should I do to get you to help me?

You need to provide useful information about your problem so that I can help you. Otherwise, I can only answer your question with a question. ;)

Q: Why?

Well otherwise someone might have to first ask you questions like, "Did you try this" or "What program did you use". If you don't give enough information, it's less likely someone will answer your question or ask you for more information. So, being specific will dramatically increase your chances of getting a specific answer.

Q: I worship you Ramses and no one else!

Look, I'm still not giving you that Adultcheck password.

Q: I hate you Ramses and no one else!

Now that's more like it. At least you'll stop bugging me about that easynews password. ;)

Q: Your FAQs aren't helping me.

Have you read them?

Just kidding! I know they're missing stuff and unclear at certain parts. That's why you need to tell me what the problem is so that I can add it to the FAQ and better future visitors.

Some things were left out of the FAQs on purpose. Keep in mind they're only meant to help people get a good start. Also, I find that everything left out of the FAQs can be found anyways. If you can't find such information, several parts of the FAQs indicate how.

Q: Write some security FAQs.