http://helpmerick.com Easy to understand computer help Tue, 15 May 2012 13:14:04 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Easy to understand computer help Rick Castellini clean Rick Castellini rick@yourpcpartner.com rick@yourpcpartner.com (Rick Castellini) Castellini on Computers Easy to understand computer help technology, tech, computers, Internet, Web, how-to, instruciton http://helpmerick.com/wp-content/uploads/powerpress/small_COC_logo.jpg http://helpmerick.com/category/computer_tips/application-tips http://helpmerick.com/how-to-scan-a-picture-with-hp-scan-and-windows-7.htm http://helpmerick.com/how-to-scan-a-picture-with-hp-scan-and-windows-7.htm#comments Thu, 26 Apr 2012 02:29:40 +0000 Rick http://helpmerick.com/?p=5451 HP continues to refine and change their scanning software…mostly for the better. However, many computer users detest change. These notes are ones I created for a long time Windows XP user who just moved to Windows 7 and needed some help with scanning. I have some previous HP Scanning notes you can read here, and [...]]]> http://helpmerick.com/how-to-scan-a-picture-with-hp-scan-and-windows-7.htm/feed 0 http://helpmerick.com/dont-buy-microsoft-office-when-you-buy-a-new-computer.htm http://helpmerick.com/dont-buy-microsoft-office-when-you-buy-a-new-computer.htm#comments Thu, 22 Mar 2012 03:25:35 +0000 Rick http://helpmerick.com/?p=5401 Despite what big box store sales people try to sell you, don’t buy a copy of Microsoft Office. On all new commercial computers today, manufacturers install a trial version of Microsoft Office AND a copy of Microsoft Office Starter Edition. Microsoft Office Starter Edition does NOT expire and is every bit as functional as its costly [...]]]> http://helpmerick.com/dont-buy-microsoft-office-when-you-buy-a-new-computer.htm/feed 2 http://helpmerick.com/how-to-download-and-install-cutepdf-free-video-tip.htm http://helpmerick.com/how-to-download-and-install-cutepdf-free-video-tip.htm#comments Thu, 15 Mar 2012 04:57:27 +0000 Rick http://helpmerick.com/?p=5384 CutePDF has been one of my favorite computer utilities for many years. This small (free) utility lets you create a PDF (portable document format) file from anything that you can print. I use it to save web pages, online shopping receipts, and many other items that I might be tempted to print to paper. Instead, [...]]]> http://helpmerick.com/how-to-download-and-install-cutepdf-free-video-tip.htm/feed 2 http://helpmerick.com/how-to-transfer-photos-to-a-windows-7-computer-and-email-them-notes.htm http://helpmerick.com/how-to-transfer-photos-to-a-windows-7-computer-and-email-them-notes.htm#comments Sat, 03 Mar 2012 03:11:04 +0000 Rick http://helpmerick.com/?p=5376 Pictured below are two sets of instructions I put together today for a new Windows 7 user who uses the MSN browser and email. He was frustrated at the learning curve and asked for help…here are the results. I hope these instructions help others as well because the steps can be generalized for AOL browser [...]]]> http://helpmerick.com/how-to-transfer-photos-to-a-windows-7-computer-and-email-them-notes.htm/feed 3 http://helpmerick.com/microsoft-excel-handouts-tutorials-and-help-sites.htm http://helpmerick.com/microsoft-excel-handouts-tutorials-and-help-sites.htm#comments Tue, 28 Feb 2012 13:53:03 +0000 Rick http://helpmerick.com/?p=5363 I talk about or teach Microsoft Excel on a regular basis and compiled this list of Microsoft Excel learning and support information for a recent class. If you know of any other great Microsoft Excel resources, please post them in the comments. Some great handouts Introduction to Microsoft Excel 2007 from California State University, Los [...]]]> http://helpmerick.com/microsoft-excel-handouts-tutorials-and-help-sites.htm/feed 3 http://helpmerick.com/how-to-type-on-a-pdf-or-scanned-form-video-tip.htm http://helpmerick.com/how-to-type-on-a-pdf-or-scanned-form-video-tip.htm#comments Thu, 23 Feb 2012 03:54:02 +0000 Rick http://helpmerick.com/?p=5357 One of the computer’s greatest weaknesses is filling in forms…until now! For a long time, I have recommended using FoxIt Reader as my PDF (Adobe portable document format) reader of choice. On and off, they have offered tools to help you fill in forms or annotate documents, but with their newest version, the form filler [...]]]> http://helpmerick.com/how-to-type-on-a-pdf-or-scanned-form-video-tip.htm/feed 7 http://helpmerick.com/how-to-print-labels-the-easy-way-video-tip.htm http://helpmerick.com/how-to-print-labels-the-easy-way-video-tip.htm#comments Wed, 14 Dec 2011 16:35:11 +0000 Rick http://helpmerick.com/wordpr/?p=2330 I know I'm late for this year's Christmas season, but you can learn and start using this tip TODAY to make next year's Christmas card mailings a breeze. Too many computer users have no idea what a database is, how to use it, and how to merge it with another program to create labels. Since printing mailing labels is only a once per year activity for many of you, learning how to do it again every single year requires too much time and frustration.]]> http://helpmerick.com/how-to-print-labels-the-easy-way-video-tip.htm/feed 13 http://helpmerick.com/how-to-password-protect-pdf-files-with-mac-os-x-notes.htm http://helpmerick.com/how-to-password-protect-pdf-files-with-mac-os-x-notes.htm#comments Wed, 14 Dec 2011 02:42:48 +0000 Rick http://helpmerick.com/?p=5298 A client today had a need to learn how to password protect PDF files on their iMac and MacBook Air. With OS X, the process is quite easy…here it is: Related posts: Creating documents in Apple Pages – Notes Email of the Week – 007 – Why choose a Mac? 2 laptop suggestions for college [...]]]> http://helpmerick.com/how-to-password-protect-pdf-files-with-mac-os-x-notes.htm/feed 2 http://helpmerick.com/changing-views-and-backing-up-family-tree-maker-2012-notes.htm http://helpmerick.com/changing-views-and-backing-up-family-tree-maker-2012-notes.htm#comments Thu, 17 Nov 2011 01:57:28 +0000 Rick http://helpmerick.com/?p=5260 Family Tree Maker 2012 makes a pretty big departure from earlier versions, so I made these notes for a client who was upgrading from a version that was at least 5-7 versions previous. The first part is how to change the view to a more workable tree view, and the second part of the notes [...]]]> http://helpmerick.com/changing-views-and-backing-up-family-tree-maker-2012-notes.htm/feed 0 http://helpmerick.com/converting-microsoft-works-to-microsoft-office-notes.htm http://helpmerick.com/converting-microsoft-works-to-microsoft-office-notes.htm#comments Fri, 11 Nov 2011 18:11:30 +0000 Rick http://helpmerick.com/?p=5248 I created these notes for a customer who just moved to Windows 7 from Windows XP. He had many documents and spreadsheets saved from an old Microsoft Works (4.0) that we needed to convert to Microsoft Office since buying newer versions of Microsoft Works is not easy. Click here to view, save, or print the [...]]]> http://helpmerick.com/converting-microsoft-works-to-microsoft-office-notes.htm/feed 0