FAQS! FACTS! FAX!  560 (10/04/07)

Q. The ID3 editor function built into the Audacity audio editing program seems to me to be a bit limited.  Can you suggest an application (preferably free), which is more comprehensive?
Andrew Miller, via email

A. For the record an ID3 tag is a small chunk of data contained within an MP3 file. It is used to store such things as the track title, the name of the artist, track number and so on. In fact there are two ID3 standards, the older and near universal ID3 V1, which virtually all MP3 players recognise. The other one is ID3 V2, which is an entirely new standard and is capable of storing a lot more information than ID3 V1. Audacity supports both types but as Andrew says, the built-in editor is quite basic and only reads/writes title, artist, album, track, year and genre data. For something a little more sophisticated try ID3-TagIt. It is free, compatible with ID3 V1 and 2 and covers a lot more ground, everything in fact from a tune’s beats per minute to track length and media type.

Q. I have a Fuji Finepix camera, which uses Smart Media cards. I was thinking about buying a picture viewer but none of the one’s I have seen have a slot for the above type of card. Can you help?

Peter Elane, via email

A. I’m not aware of any viewers that support Smart Media cards nor do I expect to see any, or indeed any new devices that support this format. Smart Media was one of the first types of memory card, launched by Toshiba back in 1995 and for a few years it was quite successful, however, it is now obsolete. The maximum capacity was just 128Mb and it was never able to compete with the smaller, cheaper, more flexible and robust SD/MMC card, which is now the dominant format. Internal and external Smart Media card readers for PCs are still available and will probably be around for a few years, but if you plan to hang on to your camera now might be a good time to buy a couple of spare cards, while you can still get them.

Q. My Windows ME PC has AVG Free Edition anti-virus software but it has failed to update for a long time. I keep getting 'server mismatch’ error message. It seems one of the necessary files is missing. 

R. Roy, via email

A. I note from the ‘signature’ AVG has appended to your email that you are using version 6.0. This was discontinued in late December 2004, which may have something to do with it… I suggest that you download and install the latest version forthwith as your PC has little or no protection and heaven knows what you have picked up in the last couple of years.

Q. I recently purchased a 1Gb flash drive (internet mail order) and find that I am unable to format the drive as Properties registers it as RAW file system. The initial postage exceeded the cost of the drive and it would be cheaper for me to bin it and chalk it up to experience. Windows XP seems unable to deal with it, so can you advise if there any other means to format it in FAT 32 or do I just follow my first instinct?

R.F.R, via email

A. When a drive’s Properties displays RAW format or system this usually means its filing structure or partition is corrupted. This can happen if a USB drive is removed from the PC whilst data is being written, or it could be a manufacturing fault. If was like that when you got it then get it replaced. Otherwise, if you damaged it then you may be able to download a repair or formatting utility from the manufacturer’s website. Norton Disk Doctor or one of the rival disc repair and maintenance applications might also be able to help, though be warned; they’ll cost you a lot more than a new 1Gb drive.

Q. Due to increasing concerns about security for banking, credit card transactions etc., I'm looking for a way to protect my PC and its wireless connection. I've recently tried an anonymous surfing service but this was unacceptably slow.  Do you have any alternative suggestions?

Mervyn Heward, via email

A. Yes, don’t panic! There are a lot of threats to online security but provided you take a few simple precautions your PC and the data it contains should be perfectly safe. Start with a good anti-virus program, one that is regularly updated and which scans incoming emails for infections, and there’s no need to spend a fortune and freebie programs like AVG and Avast! are both excellent.

You should install a decent firewall too. The one built into Windows only does half the job and doesn’t stop any nasties that may find their way onto your PC from hijacking your Internet connection. A firewall, like ZoneAlarm (also free) will protect you machine against Trojans and spyware and programs that try to make use of your Internet connection without permission. A malware scanner is essential as well, to protect you against infections lurking inside web pages and pop-up adverts. Windows Defender works well, as does a couple of old favourites like AdAware and Spybot and again they are all free. Since you have a wireless system, you should make sure that your WEP or WPA encryption system is enabled and set to the highest security level. Never open unexpected attachments and avoid visiting iffy websites. Once those measures are in place nothing can get into or out of your PC without your say-so but if you are still worried then visit www.grc.com and follow the links to Shields Up, which will carry out a safe, simulated hack attack on your computer, and flag up any vulnerabilities. 

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© R. Maybury 2007 0304