New toolbars help Windows work better

Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Jan 5, 2004 by James Derk Scripps Howard News Service

Well, it appears we won't be seeing another major upgrade of Windows until about 2006. Depending on your point of view, that's either a great relief or a major disappointment.

In the meantime, however, there are many things you can do to improve your current Windows installation -- both to improve stability and to add functionality.

I think my current favorites are from Google, the search-engine people who consistently amaze me with bringing out very cool tools to improve my life, somehow without charging me anything, popping crap up in my face or filling their products with advertising.

Of course, in the wake of all of Google's success (and its upcoming IPO), there are rumors on the street that Microsoft Corp. is planning to buy Google, something that has terrified many. But let's move on to the tools:

-- The Google Toolbar fits at the top of your Internet Explorer browser and gives you a little box into which you can type any search term and complete your search without having to go to the Google home page first. I have come to rely on it so much that I add it subconsciously to any computer I borrow. It also offers a drop-down menu to other tools I use every day, including Google Groups (searches the discussion areas of the Internet), Google Images (looks for photos) and language tools, which translates text into other languages for you.

-- The elves at Google also have invented the Google Deskbar, which does the Toolbar one better by allowing searches without even needing a browser. The Deskbar adds a small search tool to the bottom of your screen, and results pop up in a small window. (You can expand it to a real browser window if you want.) It also allows access to the other Google tools, too.

Both these free tools require Internet Explorer version 5.5 or higher. You can see what version you have by opening the browser and hitting Help, then About.)

Now that we have covered the top of the screen and the bottom, how about the side? Well, a new tool has that one covered, too.

-- Desktop Sidebar is a free utility that is truly cool if you sit in front of a PC for a good part of your day. This little dude assembles the key information you need (e-mail, calendar, stock quotes, time of day, current weather and more). The key is Microsoft Outlook; if you use that for your mail client (as many people and corporations do) then the tool ought to be standard equipment. Indeed, early builds of the new version of Windows show such a sidebar as standard equipment. The tool is easy to install. Easiest place to get it is PC World; head there and type "Sidebar" into its search engine for a download link.

-- Ad-Aware ought to be rolled out to the masses, also. The free version works fine for me, although there is a paid version as well. This gem (www.lavasoft.de) removes spyware and hidden advertising programs from your PC. People ask me all the time how such programs get installed. Many are hidden in other downloads or installations, most commonly peer-to-peer music-sharing programs such as Kazaa or Morpheus.

-- Zone Alarm (www.zonelabs.com) is a free firewall program that blocks hackers and other intruders from attacking your PC. This is a product, like Ad-Aware or your anti-virus software, that you need to keep updated. Make sure you check at least monthly for updates for your firewall if you use a software product.

WEEKLY WEB WONDER: It has been a while since we have visited the joy of Meddybemps (www.meddybemps.com), a great site for kids.

James Derk is new media editor for The Evansville Courier & Press. His e-mail address is jderk@evansville.net.