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Application Tips

Tips and tricks for everything from Adobe to Zoho!

Solution to Microsoft Outlook 2007 or 2010 not opening Word or Excel Attachments

This particular problem has come a few times lately, so I thought I better write out the solution for the website for both my memory and for others who might have the problem. Here’s what the problem looks like: Outlook 2007 or Outlook 2010 users try to open a Microsoft Word or Excel document and cannot do so. Usually this… Read More »Solution to Microsoft Outlook 2007 or 2010 not opening Word or Excel Attachments

Print only what you want – Multi-tip

If you use either of these programs, then you will find yourself using this tip often. How many times do you curse at your printer when you print a joke from email or some web page information and get two or more extra sheets of paper with useless information?

Follow this tip and experience printing bliss from email or Internet.

On the Web (using Microsoft Internet Explorer), if you first select the text (by clicking and dragging with your mouse) that you would like to print and then click on File and Print, you will have the option to print all pages, certain pages or only your selected text.

3 Reasons NOT to upgrade or buy to Microsoft Office & 5 Alternatives

Microsoft has primarily moved to a subscription model for its Office suite…costing you recurring fees. After 25+ years of using Microsoft Office and watching others use Microsoft Office, I can say without hesitation that it is a waste of hard earned money for most people. Don’t be pressured or swayed into purchasing it.  Here’s why: 3 Reasons NOT to upgrade… Read More »3 Reasons NOT to upgrade or buy to Microsoft Office & 5 Alternatives

How to start page numbers from a number other than 1 – Video Tip

My daughter needed to know how to start automatic page numbering in Microsoft Word 2007 with a number other than one for a school publication. She and her classmates couldn’t figure it out, so she asked me. I put together a quick video to demonstrate the technique for her, and decided to share it with you as well. Enjoy.

How to transfer your iTunes library & playlists to a new computer

If you use an iPod, iTouch, or iPhone and plan on getting a new computer, you will want to read this article! OR, if you use any of these devices and want to make sure your library stays safe, you will want to read this article!

Yesterday, I helped a customer setup a new Windows 7 computer and transfer email, favorites, and other data from his old Windows XP computer. Turns out that he also needed to move his iTunes library of more than 8,000 songs and almost 150 playlists!

There isn’t too much I panic about when I arrive at a customer’s home or office, but moving large, customized iTunes libraries is something that does get me a little nervous. In the past, I have had to open an iTunes XML file in a word processor and then use find and replace to enter the path to the storage location on the new computer. It was extremely difficult and tedious.

I am happy to report that I successfully transferred the entire 36 gigabyte library and playlists usingRead More »How to transfer your iTunes library & playlists to a new computer

Type first. Edit last.

The First Draft
photo credit: mpclemens

Most of us 40+ learned how to type letters and documents using a typewriter.

Word processing reigns as then new king of document creation, and most typewriters are relegated to attics, back rooms and antique shops.

However, the majority of computer users use their word processors (MS Word, Word Perfect, etc) like a typewriter.

The first rule to remember when using a word processor is to forget your typewriting rules.

When we sat down to our typewriters to create a document (whether a simple letter to Mom or a 100 page novelette), we had to have a clear picture in our head of what the document should look like. Otherwise, crumpled typing paper dominated our floors!

With word processing, the most efficient way to create a document is to Read More »Type first. Edit last.

Password Mania

We are bringing this tip out of the archives because remembering passwords and having strong passwords is more important than ever with increased identity theft and the increased amount of business we conduct over the web.

I have accumulated nearly ninety user names and passwords for various email services, web sites, banking sites, etc. Without my password tracking software, I wouldn’t be able to remember them all or, I would be using the same user name and password for every instance (an extremely dangerous practice). You can use software solutions to securely save passwords on your computer or Read More »Password Mania

Installing Microsoft Security Essentials – Video Tip

Today, I downloaded, updated, configured and installed Microsoft’s new, free security product: Microsoft Security Essentials. It provides a significant upgrade in protection and usability over their previous offerings. In fact, the setup and administration is extremely straight forward. From the reviews and tests that I’ve read, it appears to protect PCs (Windows XP, Vista, and Windows 7) quite well and… Read More »Installing Microsoft Security Essentials – Video Tip

Print Preview

Sometimes the most helpful computer utilities elude us and stay hidden for years. One such utility that I find very helpful (and have taken for granted) is the Print Preview function found in almost any program that allows printing.

Because Windows and Macintosh made the WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) environment available to the masses, what we see on our screens is pretty close to what we see on our print outs. However, if you need to tweak margins, find the extra line that is creating an extra page, or determine whether a document (like a spreadsheet) will look better in Landscape or Portrait mode, there is no substitute for theRead More »Print Preview

How to change time of AVG scan schedule

If you install AVG and use all the default settings, you will find that the AVG wants to scan your computer every day at either 8:00am or 12:00pm (noon). Because the complete system scan can take up to an hour or more to complete (depending on the number of files on your computer), it can be extremely inconvenient to have the scan slow your computer down when you are trying to work on it.

You can stop the scan if you need full power from your computer by RIGHT clicking the AVG scan icon by your clock, then click Stop All Scans or you can change the schedule to a more convenient time. Here’s how to change the schedule of the AVG daily scanRead More »How to change time of AVG scan schedule