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One quick note: Jr. Skulker Batteryman told us about this site that has a server that is compatible with the Shoutcast server we described in the 10/13/99 issue, but will run under several flavors of Unix as well as Windows: http://www.icecast.org

http://www.iping.com

We learned about this site through the Lockergnome newsletter.  iPing currently offers five free services:  Mr. Wakeup, Ms. Reminder, Mr. Notify, Ms. Followup, and Dr. Dose.  These are all variations on one theme:  you sign up for the service, then tell it to call you (and perhaps others) on the phone at scheduled times to remind you of something or deliver a message.  Each phone call will play you an ad as well as the message you wanted as their way of making money from the free service.

The Mr. Wakeup service is intended to call you in the morning to wake you up.  Ms. Reminder lets you build a calendar of events such as birthdays, anniversaries, and meetings, and will call you on the scheduled date and time to remind you.  Mr. Notify lets you build groups of people and will call all of the members of your group to deliver a message.  Ms.FollowUp will track packages you ship with DHL, FedEx, UPS, or the post office and call you when the package has been delivered.  Dr. Dose will call you to remind you to take your medicine.

http://www.microsoft.com/directaccess/training/sales/hotkit/win2000.asp

Microsoft will sell you a complete, fully functioning, copy of all three versions of Windows 2000: Professional, Server, and Advanced Server, for only $129.  This special is intended for dealers and developers, so jr. skulkers going to that site must think like one and answer the questions appropriately.

Note that Windows 2000 isn't out yet and the latest news indicates that it will probably be delayed until next January or February.  So here is how this special works:  buy it and Microsoft will send you the latest beta test versions called "Release Candidate 2" which are very close to the real things.  You can install these now to play with, or just set them aside.  When the real products ship next year, Microsoft will automatically send you copies of them.  These copies will be complete, but the license says that you must use them yourself, not sell them.  The kit also includes computer-based self-paced training with online mentoring and exams to monitor your progress.

If you think you might want to install Windows 2000 when it comes out, buy this kit now because you will never get a lower price.

http://shop.microsoft.com/product/hardware

Actually WebSkulker loves Microsoft software, but has always been a little suspicious about their hardware products.  For example the Microsoft Natural Keyboard with its separated, slanted, left and right sections, just doesn't work for the cat when she tries to do her own typing.  (Most of the time she dictates the newsletter and WebSkulker types, but she is trying to learn to do everything.)

Microsoft recently announced a new series of keyboards, mice, and game controllers including a keyboard that has a traditional design that works with cat paws,  but also has 10 extra "hot keys" that you can program any way you want.  For example one might launch a web browser, one would check email, etc.  They also have a new keyboard with the weird "natural" shape, but with 19 extra hot keys.

Two of the new mice have no ball or any other moving parts to get dirty and break.  They work by shining an LED on whatever surface the mouse is on and reading the reflection with a tiny camera.  In most cases, they can tell how the mouse is moving by watching the tiny patterns or imperfections in the surface go by the camera.  WebSkulker hasn't bought one of these yet, but has read several reviews.  The consensus seems to be that this optical tracking works pretty well, but might fail if you move the mouse very fast on surfaces that don't have a good texture for the camera to watch.  These mice are supposed to work very well on cloth so you can move the mouse around on your pants, or lie in bed with your notebook computer and plug in a mouse that you slide around on the bed sheet.

http://www.webshots.com/sp/soulmate

This online dating service really works and we suggest all jr. skulkers try it out of curiosity, even if you think you have already found your soul mate.  Suggested by Jr. Skulker JennyAnn, this site will ask you several ingenious questions that get to the bottom of the "chemistry" issue and will return one, single, entry from its vast database showing you a picture of your soulmate.  No long survey forms, no registration, it is completely anonymous so try it!

Submitted by Jr. Skulker Randy Solton:

Two tall trees, a beech and a birch, are growing in the woods. A small tree begins to grow between them.

The beech says to the birch: "Is that a son of a beech or a son of a birch?"

The birch says he cannot tell.

Just then a woodpecker lands in the sapling.

The birch says: "Woodpecker, you are a tree expert. Can you tell if that is a son of a beech or a son of a birch?"

The woodpecker takes a taste of the small tree. He replies: "It is neither a son of a beech nor a son of a birch. That, my friends, is the best piece of ash I have ever put my pecker in."

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