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Microsoft releases Network Diagnostic Tool

Network Diagnostics for Windows XPMicrosoft has released a utility to assist users in determining the cause of networking problems. Called Network Diagnostics for Windows XP, the utility aims to make detecting networking problems easier for home users. Of course, in true Microsoft fashion, everything about installing and actually using it is confusing. You'll want to read the knowledge base article about it first, but even that is less than spectacular.

Here's what you need to know. When you download it (after jumping through the Windows Genuine "Advantage" hoops, grr) and go to run it, it will identify itself as a "hotfix". It's not a hotfix, it's a utility, but don't be alarmed if you see the word "hotfix".

Once you've got it installed, you'll probably wonder where the heck it is, as it doesn't show up in the Start menu or the Control Panel. At the bottom of the knowledge base article, it explains that the utility can be accessed via Internet Explorer's Tools menu, under "Diagnose Connection Problems..." (of course, why didn't I think of that!?), or run manually by clicking Start, Run, typing %windir%\network diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe, and then clicking OK.

Perfectly user friendly, no?


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Featured Time Waster

Civiballs is a beautiful, soothing physics puzzle Time Waster

CiviballsI have an absolute weakness for physics games, and while Civiballs isn't the strongest physics-based game, what it lacks in the physics department it makes up for a few times over in style and fun.

In Civiballs, you are presented with a few colored balls, and your goal is to get those balls into the same-colored urn on the level. The "civi" part of Civiballs is that there are 3 sets of levels to play, each representing a different civilization. While the civilization doesn't affect gameplay, the artwork for each level is beautifully themed to it's appropriate era.

To play the game, you are given only one tool - a sword with which to cut the chains that are holding the balls. The puzzle part of the game is in figuring out what order, and with what timing to cut each chain. Do it right, and all the right balls end up in the right urns, with no stray balls entering an urn (a no-no). Do it wrong, and you get to start over again.

Civiballs is not terribly deep on gameplay; the entire game can be completed in about 15 minutes. But if you enjoy this type of game, it will be a very enjoyable 15 minutes.

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