How to crop a photo in Microsoft Word – Vide...

A few years ago, I demonstrated how to wrap text around photos or clip art in Microsoft Word (also works for other word processors). In this week’s tip, I demonstrate how to crop a photo or image once it is in your word processor. I used Word 2007 in the demonstration, but you can use the same technique in other word processors as well. Take a look! ...

Your friends CAN & DO send you malware

Probably the biggest single misconception I hear from computer users almost daily goes like this: “I never open anything from someone I don’t know, so I’m safe.” I promptly offer a retort to this highly uninformed comment by saying that many security breeches occur because of an email or message (think Facebook, Twitter, etc) that appears to be from a friend or family member. The bad guys in the tech...

Learn how to use new maximize method in Windows 7 ...

Windows 7 has definitely cleaned up a lot of loose ends created in Windows Vista and added some new features as well. One of the new features is a little superfluous, yet remarkably kind of fun and easy to remember. It is a new way to maximize a window. In all previous versions of windows, the most popular way to maximize a window was to use the maximize button or double-click the title bar (did you know that one?) Both of...

How to use tearable tabs in your browser – V...

This is a quick tip on using an extra feature of tabbed browsing. What’s tabbed browsing? If you aren’t using tabbed browsing yet, you need to start…today! Click here to get started and learn how to put this powerful feature of all modern browsers to work for you. Today’s intermediate tabbed browsing tip only works in Firefox, Google Chrome, and Opera. Microsoft has not implemented it yet in Internet...

Windows 7 Email Options

Do you currently use Outlook Express for your email? If you plan to upgrade to Windows 7 or buy a Windows 7 computer, you will need to find a new way to send and receive email. The Outlook Express email application has been the main stay of every version of Windows since Windows 95. It changed slightly with Vista and was called Windows Mail. With the release of Windows 7, Microsoft no longer includes the popular email...

5 Simple Rules to avoid SCD (Slow Computer Disease...

I’ve written about this before, but it bares repeating on occasion for new visitors to the site and long time visitors who haven’t learned yet. The advice is simple: Do not download free screensavers, wallpaper, email programs (Incredimail, etc), or games from the Internet. Unless you are WELL versed in the origin of these items, they can easily destroy your computer’s ability to compute. “Slow...

How to download, install & configure AVG Free...

AVG released version 9 of their free antivirus/antispyware product a couple of weeks ago. You may have started to see notifications from them that you need to update before December 1. Typically, they provide a deadline, but previous versions work for a number of months after the deadline. After using the new version for awhile, it appears they did make it faster and improve the scanning speeds as well. If you currently use a...

7 Google services you have never tried

Google started as a college project 12 years ago, then as a startup search engine just 10 years ago. Today, Google owns more than 60% of all web search traffic and employs close to 22,000 employees worldwide. You probably interact with Google via their search engine primarily. However, you are missing out on some truly great services that Google also provides in addition to their fast and accurate search engine. In this...

Troubleshooting Your High Speed Internet Connectio...

This tip needs to come back to the front page again. I’ve helped many more people the last few weeks with this issue. Please print it and hang it by your computer…and send it your friends as well. I posted this tip many moons ago, but wanted to bring it back to the front page because we have so many new high speed Internet users. Click the Printer Friendly option at the bottom of this tip, print it out and post it...

I don’t miss spam

I just emptied 536 spam from my email spam folder. Today, I ran across some clients who had problems with email spam, and I recanted the following story. Once upon a time, my email inbox was filled to the brim with spam every single day. Then one cool autumn day in Las Vegas, Nevada at the now defunct Comdex show in 2000 or 2001, I met some nice folks from a startup company called Cloudmark. They were discussing and...

Changing email addresses – It’s not th...

AOL made millions of dollars for years because computer users are afraid to change their email addresses. All week long, I hear, “Oh, it’s too hard to change email addresses now.” Or, “It will take forever to change my email address with everyone.” Come on folks…we’re using computers! You don’t have to fill out a change of address form and march it down to the postal office. You...

Should I backup?

Should you carry health insurance? Should you carry car insurance? Should you save for retirement? Should you eat every day? Does a bear….  Well, hopefully you get the picture. The answer is a resounding YES!! You should backup, and depending on your computer needs and usage your backups should occur frequently (sometimes daily). Many computer users equate backing up their computers with their mother’s...

How to create a customized Google Map – Vide...

After I created an interactive, customized map showing all of the wifi hotspots in Grand Junction, CO, many folks asked my how I did it. Since it is such a visual process, I put together this short instructional video to show you how you can create your own customized Google Map.

Deleting Programs and Files

This tip conjures up some points from older tips, but needs to be reiterated. Follow these rules-of-thumb to keep your system clean and more importantly running smoothly. Use these rules when deleting individual files: Never delete files that you did not create. If you can’t trace the origin of the file, leave it alone. If the file sports one of the generic looking ‘windows’ icons (see picture), do not...

Share YOUR Favorite Keyboard Shortcuts

I’m always amazed at how surprised computer users become when they learn about a keyboard shortcut. A keyboard shortcut is a combination of keys that you press on your keyboard to perform a particular function. If you learn them and practice them, they can shave hours off of the tedious maneuvering of the mouse. These are my favorite and most used computer keyboard shortcuts: Alt + TAB Switch between Open...