Guest LilBambi Posted March 27, 2003 Share Posted March 27, 2003 With April Fool's Day coming up, I thought we could look at some fun sites:April Fool's Day The Museum of HoaxesOn this Day: April 1, 1864 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stryder Posted March 27, 2003 Share Posted March 27, 2003 Hate to be the pessimist, but also a time to watch yourself for online hoaxes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted March 27, 2003 Share Posted March 27, 2003 Hate to be the pessimist, but also a time to watch yourself for online hoaxes.Excellent point! <_> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeber Posted March 28, 2003 Share Posted March 28, 2003 FYI - Leo Laporte's 2003 Technology Almanac (he's from TechTV) has a lot of funky 4/1 tricks, gags and sites listed starting on the page of that date. Check it out, some are really cruel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted March 28, 2003 Share Posted March 28, 2003 FYI - Leo Laporte's 2003 Technology Almanac (he's from TechTV) has a lot of funky 4/1 tricks, gags and sites listed starting on the page of that date. Check it out, some are really cruel I have been wanting to get a copy of that book Jeber. Sounds like I will have to do it soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeber Posted March 28, 2003 Share Posted March 28, 2003 It's "chock full of fun" for sure. But you'll have to speed read to catch up, we're almost into chapter 4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonicDragon Posted March 28, 2003 Share Posted March 28, 2003 I have Leo's Almanac, and it's full of sort of... basic... information. Its worth it though. I'm not organised enough to do the page a day thing, so i just read it all at once, when i get a chance. Computer tricks are always fun to play on co-workers.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scot Posted March 28, 2003 Share Posted March 28, 2003 Actually, I've been debating doing something for April Fool's day in the newsletter. The next one is scheduled for Wednesday, but I could come out on Tuesday. But I haven't had time to really think about what I would do. I wouldn't want to do something funny at anyone's expense. Just something genuinely funny. Very tough to do something like that. If there are funny sites that don't help you do something to other people that anyone knows about, I might do something with that.-- Scot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted March 28, 2003 Share Posted March 28, 2003 Jeber and SonicDragon -I would probably read the whole thing in a day or two ... I love reading! :)Scot - I agree ...Genuinely funny is always better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeber Posted March 29, 2003 Share Posted March 29, 2003 Yupper, that's a hoot...the "newsletter on wrong day" gag. Never heard of that one. Seriously (?), if Iwere you, I'd post a one day new topic with some fantastic title like "Loose 50 lbs. in less than a week surfing the web" or "Free cash for emails". Add a question mark to increase the seduction. Have it link to a page of 1) the B.S.O.D. 2) a "start defrag" imitation 3) a loop to make the same page reload over and over. I dunno, just a thought. If you're going to do something, go for the gusto. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted March 29, 2003 Share Posted March 29, 2003 How about sending what would appear to be the SNL (same normal subject line) on Tuesday, and when we open it, it saysGotcha! Happy April Fool's Day!The actual newsletter will be coming out tomorrow as scheduled Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeber Posted March 31, 2003 Share Posted March 31, 2003 Only one more day (here in the states) to see what Scot comes up with! Hope it's a good one. Scot - the pressure's on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ThunderRiver Posted April 1, 2003 Share Posted April 1, 2003 heh you guys are quite creative Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benhenry Posted April 1, 2003 Share Posted April 1, 2003 Hi ...If there are any PC Mag forum members, or subscribers, here... or anyone who has used one of the famous old PC Mag free utilities... you might get a chuckle from a little April Fool prank I wrote at the following link (if I can post a link correctly) April Fool Post at PC MagP.S. It is a shame that the utilities will no longer be truly "free." I remember my first one: SuperPad (a NotePad replacement for Win 3.1!)...and there have been some great ones, too... InCtrl5 and CookieCop. Sigh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeber Posted April 1, 2003 Share Posted April 1, 2003 Wow, this sucks! I have quite a few PC Mag (to which I subscribe) programs on all my computers. I know I haven't visited the download area for a while, but I never was aware they started charging. Man, did I miss something major. Not that I really fault them for charging, but to make such a change and not making more noise about it...how could I have missed this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scot Posted April 1, 2003 Share Posted April 1, 2003 FWIW, all, I came down with a mild flu on Friday which has delayed the newsletter until Thursday, and with it, dashed all my mad plans of some sort of April Fool's issue. Drat it! (Actually, it's an writer's worst nightmare, trying to come up with something good for April Fool's day, so I'm secretly relieved in a writer's block sort of way.)Maybe next year, though?And, yeah, PC Mag charging. Times have changed.-- Scot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted April 1, 2003 Share Posted April 1, 2003 Hmmmm, I am a PCMag/ZiffDavis member, and it's only been a month or two since I downloaded a utility from PCMag and had no problem. When did they institute this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benhenry Posted April 1, 2003 Share Posted April 1, 2003 When did they institute this? (Bambi) ...but to make such a change and not making more noise about it... (Jeber)I don't have any complaint with the decision to start charging for utilities... I understand. Times are tough. Even for big corporations. But for users and members just like Bambi, Jeber, and me... the change in policy was sudden. Rudely abrupt, and handled very poorly, in my opinion.First, the Utilities Editor and her crew of programmers were promptly downsized. But they have bounced back very resourcefully, I think, to form a software development consortium here: Permutations Software They will be launching today in fact... no joke! I wholeheartedly hope they will be successful.Second, access to the download library now requires a fee. I will not complain about the decision to charge for future utilities. But to prevent access to the previously free utilities seems very petty to me. Not a nice way to reward long-time subscribers.The change in policy has generated much irritation and also some anger in the community. Some of the posts in the forum are unreasonably whiny, but most are well thought out and presented. The reactions can be reviewed in the following thread:Changes To the PC Mag UtilitiesAs for me... I don't like the "subscription" model for software. I want to be able to individually preview and purchase software based on its merit and value to me personally.Anyway, I hope some people over there will get some chuckles, or at least a pained grin from my attempt at an April Fool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted April 1, 2003 Share Posted April 1, 2003 benhenry --Well, I thank you for the heads up Were all the PCMag folks that are now at Permutations Software part of the downsizing of PCMag's Utility division, or are some of them still working with the PCMag Utility division as well as with Permutations? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ThunderRiver Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 Wow, this sucks! I have quite a few PC Mag (to which I subscribe) programs on all my computers. I know I haven't visited the download area for a while, but I never was aware they started charging. Man, did I miss something major. Not that I really fault them for charging, but to make such a change and not making more noise about it...how could I have missed this? oh my gosh.. I need to go check that out soon! It is outrageous if they really start charging free programs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeber Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 OK, ThunderRiver, that's the second time (that I've seen) you've posted that Dilbert cartoon, and I just have to know...because I'm an engineer (draftsman): who paid you to post these? They're patently false. It's a characterization invented by very senior members of a secret cabal of theorists who want to discredit anyone who works with real materials. You're a pawn of these evil tyrants. Free yourself. :huh:You know, I'll bet between us and our friends, we have nearly every program posted by PCMag before the change. Would P2P be a sign of protest, or an illegal sharing of "shareware"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benhenry Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 benhenry --Well, I thank you for the heads up Were all the PCMag folks that are now at Permutations Software part of the downsizing of PCMag's Utility division, or are some of them still working with the PCMag Utility division as well as with Permutations?I think that most of the team has left for Permutations. The website has a listing of the team members that was in flux for awhile but lately has remained steady. NJR remains at PC Mag, although he is now called "Project Leader"... it is unclear what project he is leading. It is also unclear what direction the new utilities will take, and what quality can be expected from a "sideline."Greg Wolking may be one programmer who can be in both places at one time... I'm not sure.Frankly, NJR (Neil J. Rubenking) "The King of Batch and Delphi" is PC Mag's greatest resource. I can't imagine they would ever be foolish enough to let him go.This is totally unrelated, but amusing:Free Windows to Linux Convertor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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