Eutestaining books make coinputers f un rAt Sybex, they take computer books seriously. So seriously, in fact, that one sertes they publisb is irrever- ent. Fun to read, even. The new Mlurphy's Laws series is written for people who find [the books on DOS more daunting than DOS itself or are stili looking for a perfect- ly-clear WordPerfect manual. They're the people "for wbom tlie computer is flot an obsession but sim- ply a means to an end," Sybex pub- lisher Alan Qakes writes in bis intro- duction to the Sumnmer 1993 Sybex Catalog. The Murphy's Laws books cover DOS, Word for Windows and Excel, Word Perfect for DOS, and more are planned. Editing is tight, explanations concise. "If one word will do to explain a point, we don't use two," Oakes says. We understand that most people don't read computer books for pleasure." human, but it takes a computer to real- ly screw things Up." Or Catby's Postulate: -If you bit two keys on the keyboard, [the one you don 't want will appear on tlie screen." Chapter subheads include: "Annoying Error Messages and How to Defeat Them;" " My Mouse Went Berserk;" and "Loathsome Background Information You Can Skip." Or Ibis tidbit: "If you take a 10w- density disk and format il as a bigli- density disk ... sooner or later, you'l get one of those 'sector not found' error messages, wbicli translates loosely as, 'You're bosed, pal!"' Besides being wryly entertaining, eacb book in [lie series lias an espe- cially large index witli extensive cross -references. Anyone wbo bas ever been frustrated when trying to find wliy their computer is doing sometbing weird sliould appreciate [bat. Even so, tflese bookcs are entertain- ing. Consider [lie laws [bat introduce The Sybex Murpliy's Laws books eacb chapter of "Murpliy's Laws of are available at local bookstores, or DOS," written by Charlie Russel. caîl Sybex at 1-800-227-2346 for There's Denno's Law. "To err is information. MOY 194 YexToIlr40E M.U~W~i Prlvocy k port of todoy's cordless phonè e technology To be sure, everyone doesn't have [lie probleans or secrets of a prince or higli-level politician. Yet public scandais involving intercepted %vire- tess phone calls by two sucli individ- uals have made even average tele- phione users wonder just who miglit lie listenîng out there. Paranoia? Not necessarily. Until recently, ail cordless telepliones have been subject te interception. The voices and crackling one often hears when usmng sucli a phone gives you an idea of how -leaky" they are. lbke, for example, the embarrass- ment Biitain's Prince Chartes suffered, a couple of years back, wben eaves- droppers intercepted bis sexuaily explicit cellular phone conversation with a woman wlio was not bis wife. A few years before that, a private detective recorded a potitical conver- sation, again over cellular phones, featuring the lieutenant governor of Virginia. Wlien the recording was found at a U.S. Senator's office, the fallout prompted a bitter political showdown wit state and national repercussions. One cordless phione manufacturer, VTech Communications, lias, for the- last few years, been marketing a tele- phione that beats the spies. The phone operates in the highly efficient 900 MHz radio frequency, giving the sig- nai far greater clarity. For security, the phone incorpo- rates two features. Firsi, digital encrypting - or scrambling oftlie voîce - makes it virtuaily impossi- ble for a scanning receiver to eaves- drop on the conversation. Second, one of appmoximately 65,000 security codes is randomnly selected each time the handset is placed on the base unit, eliminating the possibiity of a different liandset accessing the Une. Signal clarity is maintained thanugli an automnatic chan- nel selection system. If the phone sens- es interference, it automnaticaily locales and then switcbes to a clear channel. Ask about VTecb phiones at your local electronic appliance store and there is no need to wander if anyone is listening in. KrÀ 'Mn SUNDA Y MAY8Oh 1928 ~%AND Jewelleryl54/OFF 103 (Pearson Lanes) FREE DELIVERY IN DURHAM EXOTIC 00/0 BATH OILS 2 OFF FLOWER ARRANGEMENTS 125.00 AND UP (REG. 40.00 AND Up> MAN INSTR SPCL 4070 OFF: 1e .ýfts She'1I Love ...... P"~ icesYou'I Love SPE CIA I MOMENTS 114 MARY ST. Whitby 666-8689