Bill Hopkins is the Webmaster of PhotoSourceFolio* (www.photosourcefolio.com) and a regular contributor to PhotoStockNotes. Send comments via Email to wh@photosourcefolio.com. Fax: 1 818 831-0916. Or US Mail: PhotoStockNotes. (*Display 6 of your images on our Web site!) For on-line marketing questions, contact him on the Cracker Barrel at www.photosource.com/board

One of the challenges of medicine is to look inside the patient’s body. Here’s a novel approach to the use of digital cameras currently undergoing clinical trials in the US: tiny cameras encased in small capsules swallowed by the patient. As they pass through the small intestine, they take images about twice a second, transmitting more than 50,000 pictures to a special belt worn by the patient. The images are later downloaded to a computer for study and evaluation. When the camera reaches its final destination, it’s passed unnoticed (at least, that’s what they say!). The idea is to detect problems that may require further study, typically involving more intrusive procedures. Wonder if you can order prints, or a CD?

Broadband Internet access (DSL, cable modem, satellite and even fiber in some locales) is growing rapidly, with a projected doubling of the number of users this year (from about 30 million to about 60 million). Although often touted as "feature rich," promising all kinds of fancy streaming audio and video, less than half of home computer users even use a media player at all. (In case you’re wondering, RealPlayer holds a small lead over Windows Media player.) More folks use media players at work than at home, probably due to the faster Internet connections typically found at work.

One caveat if you’re planning on upgrading or switching to broadband usage at home or for your stock photo business: Have a backup plan for when broadband goes down. Just like a failing toaster oven, it will drop you at the most inopportune time. Even if your backup is one of the (few remaining) free dial-up services like Juno, have a backup for when you positively, absolutely have to get on-line.

No, not the one from David Letterman; this one’s of a nefarious nature and comes from ZDNet (http://www.zdnet.com). So, without further ado, here are the Top Ten computer viruses of 2000:

IloveYou, Kak Worm, Hybris, Bymer, MTX, Navidad, Qaz, Stages, NewLove, and Killer Resume. Get your antivirus software installed, keep it updated, DO NOT pass around E-mail virus warnings without first checking it out at any of the several anti-virus sites (my favorite: http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/hoax.html). Most of these E-mail "virus warnings" are just HOAXES, and sending them unchecked to everyone in your address book only serves to lend credibility to the perpetrator and further propagate phoney virus warnings.