To add a picture using the HTML the code required is:

<IMG alt="Put a title or notehere"  src="URL">

The other day a friend mentioned Stop-Sign and asked my opinion. Now I am known for having tried a lot of software items, but this was a new name to me. So I figured I should look at it and see.

This is perhaps worth a link only to point out a bad type of marketing. Stop-Sign offers a "Free Online Virus Scan" and proceeds to download a small file which is actually just a download manager for the whole program. Unlike the more reputable companies* whose online scan is done via relatively small plug-ins which do run from the server and do not install a program and change your system.

That in itself would have been enough for me to back out this nasty program, but since a friend asked I proceeded. The ultimate download installed several MBs of program files and the ensuing scan took several hours to complete. Ominously flagging several 'Possible Spyware Applications' but being less than informative in the File column.

The items it found and marked with an ominous flashing exclamation point throughout the tedious scan were false. Even the final report admitted 0 Threats. But both AdAware and Spy Bot Search & Destroy identified it as a spyware threat and cited the exact registry entries and files with location that they found. In a side note, when AdAware merely sniffed at the suspicious files, a 'do_not_delete.dll' from Stop-Sign attempted to silently access the Internet. My firewall alerted me and the attempt was enough to convince me that this was not the sort of program I would ever use or recommend.

*House Call by Trend Micro Systems and Symantec's Security Check are examples of reputable online virus scanners that I have used and can recommend from personal experience. You can find others here -- by reputation Panda Active Scan is similar.

The interface is simple to use in customizing and applying themes, adding or removing modules, and rearranging the entire layout. In the main window each module has a gripper area and simple dragging it to the desired location brings up a Save warning bar. Saving the final arrangement is all you need do.

Groups users will know the Photo Upload but this is slightly different and I had to delete the activeX control files to get it to work initially. That has always been a somewhat weak link in Groups and appears to be an area they are working on (hopefully.) At this point, it did not interface with Groups Albums which may be why there is an extra 10MBs alloted.

When the Add photo button does work, the image did not appear in the edit window or preview, but it did resize the image to a thumbnail size which when clicked would open an full size view in anothe r window.

The Theme has been changes since I began making some screen shots which you can see in the ScreenShots Album. By default, it appears to play as a slide show, but you can halt it and move picture by picture. I had made thumbnails in hopes of trying to include them in this message and link to the larger image, but the Add Photo tool appears to be not functioning correctly (as I'd assume they intend it to work. You apparently cannot see what you add.)

Spaces is still in beta but it appears to be MSN's run at the blog phenomenon. I began another one in a different passport (but foolishly forgot to bookmark it so I have lost it.)

MSN Groups users will find many similiarities and note the places where things are not as fully fleshed out (which may be coming.) For now I've disabled Comments and opted for a rather pleasing, but simple green theme. The My Groups is a Custom List that I've added, whereas Updated Spaces lead to other of these beta blogs and is system generated. As I make changes and customizations I'll note them.