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Introduction to the Registry

The Registry is a database of nearly all the settings for Windows and your installed applications. The following is a brief collection of information, tips, and troubleshooting techniques involving the Windows Registry. Check out the Glossary for definitions of any of the technical terms used below.

Shameless ad: Each of the Annoyances books has an entire chapter devoted to the registry, and are considered essential guides if you want to learn more.
How the Registry is stored

• In Windows 95, 98, and Me, the Registry is contained in two hidden files in your Windows directory, called USER.DAT and SYSTEM.DAT.
• In Windows 2000 and Windows XP, the Registry is stored in several Hives, located in the \windows\system32\config and \Documents and Settings\{username} folders.

Structure of the Registry
The Registry has a hierarchal structure, like the directories on your hard disk. Each branch (denoted by a folder icon in the Registry Editor, see below) is called a Key. Each key can contain other keys, as well as Values. Each value contains the actual information stored in the Registry. There are three types of values; String, Binary, and DWORD – the use of these depends upon the context.

There are six main branches (five in Windows 2000 and Windows XP), each containing a specific portion of the information stored in the Registry. They are as follows:

• HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT – this branch contains all of your file types as well as OLE information for all your OLE-aware applications.
• HKEY_CURRENT_USER – this branch points to the part of HKEY_USERS appropriate for the current user.
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE – this branch contains information about all of the hardware and software installed on your computer. Since you can specify multiple hardware configurations, the current hardware configuration is specified in HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG.
• HKEY_USERS – this branch contains certain preferences (such as colors and control panel settings) for each of the users of the computer. In Windows 95/98/Me, the default branch here contains the currently-logged in user. In Windows 2000/XP, the default branch here contains a template to be used for newly-added users.
• HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG – this branch points to the part of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE appropriate for the current hardware configuration.
• HKEY_DYN_DATA (Windows 95/98/Me only) – this branch points to the part of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, for use with Windows’ Plug-&-Play subsystem.

Using the Registry Editor
The Registry Editor (regedit.exe) is included with Windows to enable you to view and edit the contents of the Registry. When you open the Registry Editor, you’ll see a window divided into two panes. The left side shows a tree with folders (see Structure of the Registry above), and the right side shows the contents (values) of the currently selected folder (key).

To expand a certain branch, click on the little plus sign [+] to the left of any folder, or just double-click on the folder. To display the contents of a key (folder), just click the desired key, and look at the values listed on the right side. You can add a new key or value by selecting New from the Edit menu. You can rename any value and almost any key with the same method used to rename files; right-click on an object and click rename, or click on it twice (slowly), or just press F2 on the keyboard. Lastly, you can delete a key or value by clicking on it, and pressing Delete on the keyboard, or by right-clicking on it, and choosing Delete.

Importing, Exporting, and Applying Registry Patches
Although you can edit the Registry with the Registry Editor (see above), you can also make changes by using Registry patches. A Registry patch is a simple text file with the .REG extension that contains one or more keys or values. If you double-click on a .REG file, the patch is applied to the registry. This is a good way to share or back up small portions of the registry for use on your own computer, or someone else’s, because (among other reasons) it’s much simpler and less dangerous than manually editing the Registry.

You can create a Registry patch by opening the Registry Editor, selecting a branch, and choosing Export from the File menu. Then, specify a filename, and press OK. You can then view the Registry patch file by opening it in Notepad (right-click on it and select Edit). Again, just double-click on a Registry patch file (or use Import in the Registry Editor’s File menu) to apply it to the registry.

In the book In addition to covering the previous topics with substantially more depth, the Annoyances books also discuss the following:

• What to Do With a Corrupted Registry
• Compacting the Registry
• Searching the Registry effectively
• Accessing the Registry with the Windows Script Host (WSH)
• Using the Registry Checker

It should seem that it would be easy to connect a single computer to the Internet, and be able to use that connection simultaneously with all other computers in the same room (on a LAN). Unfortunately, it’s a bit more complicated than that. Naturally, you can have a separate Internet connection for each computer, but that’s not terribly practical. You can do it either with a software or a hardware solution:

Software to utilize existing hardware:

• If you have Windows 98 Second Edition, Windows Me, Windows 2000, or Windows XP, you can use the included Internet Connection Sharing feature.
• WinGate and WinProxy are third-party, shareware alternatives that enable you to configure your computer as a gateway or a proxy server, respectively. (Only recommended if you can’t get ICS to work, if your version of Windwos doesn’t support ICS, or if ICS doesn’t meet your needs). Advantages to using software to share Internet connections:
  • No additional cost, and no additional equipment or wiring to set up.
  • Assuming you have a working LAN, you can be up and running in under 20 minutes.
  • ICS works with any type of Internet connection.
• Drawbacks to using software to share Internet connections:
  • The performance may be slightly slower than a hardware solution (below), although for most intents and purposes, you’ll never notice a difference.
  • The computer hosting the connection must be on for the others to have access to the Internet.
  • The software can be difficult to set up.

Additional hardware:

• A special router is connected directly to the Internet connection adapter.
• Each computer is then connected to the router (which is also a hub), which provides Internet access to all connected computers simultaneously.
• Some routers double as Internet connection adapters, so yoy may need to get one that specifically supports DSL, cable, ISDN, etc. Newer alternatives work with your existing equipment, making them better long-term investments.
• These routers typically are very easy to set up, and support 4 to 10 computers. Since they connect via ethernet, each computer will need an ethernet card.
• Advantages to using hardware to share Internet connections:
  • The hardware provides access to any computer that needs it; no single “host” computer is required to be on at any given time.
  • The hardware usually works independently of the operating system, so you don’t need a version of Windows the specifically supports ICS.
• Drawbacks to using hardware to share Internet connections:
  • The hardware solution is much more expensive, and requires additional cabling and setup.
  • The hardware solution will only work with certain types of Internet connections.

Other alternatives:

• If you have DSL, contact your provider to find out about getting additional IP addresses. Five IP addresses, for example, would typically provide Internet access for four computers without any special software or expensive hardware. The downside is the additional monthly expense, although this can be as low as an extra few dollars per month.

Chosing the use headphones may be a relationship-saving. Using headphones you can listen music or whats movies late at night, without disturbing others by loud noices.

But there is a whole lot more – headphones open up new possibilities. Headsets can let you take your favorite music with you wherever you go.

The use of an appropriate headset  can even provide relief from distracting ambient noise while working or traveling.

Even if it’s just an issue of getting better sound from your home theater receiver, a high-end headphones-pair offers a cheaper alternative to upgrading a speaker system.

Whatever your requirement, it always remain a pre-requisite to choose good quality headsets.

Unfortunately, many treat such a purchase with  a little bit of disregard – possibly because these represent a relatively small expense in comparison to  the rest of their AV gear.

The truth is that if you still want to enjoy the best audio experience from your AV receiver or CD player – it is essential that you have an understanding of what to look for, headphone-specifications, features, design options most suitable for your needs, in particular, the environment in which you will be using your pair, etc.

Cheap headsets might be good enough for listening to your favorite CD while jogging, yet they are unlikely to deliver the same level of acoustic performance you enjoy with a good set of speakers.

Ok, one may argue that it is not right to compare different technologies, in that though these are somehow related, yet speakers and headsets are designed to cater for different needs.

On the other hand, one should be aware that with today’s technology, it is still possible to experience music and movie audio with extraordinary clarity and image detail when using a pair of good quality-headphones combined with Dolby-Headphone technology. Hence, making the right purchase would surely make a big difference in your headphone-listening experience.

These are 3 tips  to make and design flyer. Using them consistently will save you time in the long run and attract more customers.

1. Use digital photography and illustrations to grab attention and tell your story

Establish a visual focus of your flyer design with an attention-grabbing photo or illustration. Choose from stock photo libraries on the Internet or hire an illustrator to do a custom illustration. A few quick tips:
Place your strongest image in the top half of the page where it will get the best visibility.
Using one large picture makes a stronger impression than several smaller ones.
Group several small pictures so they collectively form a single element.
Juxtapose a small picture with a larger one for contrast.
The results? Photos and illustrations help you add the “eye” appeal that translates into “buy” appeal.

2. “Hook” customers with persuasive writing and a “call to action”

Make a habit of doing these two things: Use persuasive words that “hook” their interest, and include a well-defined call to action in every flyer. What can you do to make your flyers more effective? Apply these basics:
Create a catchy or provocative headline
Know who you are writing for and keep their preferences in mind as you write each word.
Put your message in terms of “you” rather than “I” or “we.” People don’t care about what “we” offer; they care about how your product or service can make their lives better.
Make it clear what your readers should do, think, or believe as a result of reading the information you present.
State your intention as a command—known as a “call to action.” It can be as simple as “Call Today” or “Order It Now.”

3. Limit yourself to 2 fonts with their families

To give your flyer a unified and professional look, I recommend that you limit the number of fonts you use. It is best to use one font (preferably a bold one) for your headlines and another font family for the body copy. (A family is all the related styles that come with the font, and usually include bold, italic, and bold italic.) You can use italics or bold variations within the family for pull quotes or call-outs, captions, and sidebars.