Riding Shotgun with Rick

Troubleshooting Your High Speed Internet Connection

photo credit: geo462rge

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 next to your computer…you will be glad you did.

Routers take high speed Internet signals and then distribute the signal (route) to multiple computers. Sometimes, however, the signal gets lost and an Internet connection cannot be made. This can be due to multiple reasons, but most can be rectified the same way. Before you reach for the phone or grumble under your breath, follow this simple and highly effective procedure to get your system(s) up and running again.

Shut off Continue reading →

I don’t miss spam

Margaret Shaffhauser with bull terrier dog at the Canine Association Show, 3 Nov 1934 / by Ted Hood

photo credit: State Library of New South Wales collection

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 promoting a new way to combat spam that used human eyes and minds to identify spam instead of computer algorithms.

Intrigued, I immediately downloaded and started using it upon my return from Vegas. Cloudmark was nothing short of Continue reading →

Email Tips / Riding Shotgun with Rick — 1 Comment
3
Nov 09

Changing email addresses – It’s not that difficult

photo credit: TheeErin

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 don’t have to send out a post card to every person you know. You don’t have to fill out a change of address for all your bills and utilities.

Changing email addresses is actually pretty painless and can be cathartic as well. In fact, think of it as going into the digital identity protection program. Here’s how to make it a smooth transition Continue reading →

Videocasts — No Comments
1
Nov 09

Rick Answers his Email Videocast -064

This week questions arrived from Dan, Sue, Thomas, Stan, Eric, Terri, Jackelyn, Peggy, Cody, and Barb. In order they asked about an anti-brainscan hat (honestly), .data file extensions in Gmail, upgrading to Windows 7, optimizing computer startup, Internet monitoring software, identity theft phone number, free antivirus software, 32 vs. 64 bit Windows 7, missing desktop icons and unsending email.

Here are the answers: Continue reading →

Riding Shotgun with Rick — No Comments
1
Nov 09

What Rick said, read and thought about this week 2009-11-01

Reading How To Claim Your Facebook Fan Page Custom Continue reading →

General Computer Tips / Riding Shotgun with Rick — 2 Comments
1
Nov 09

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 Windows
Windows key + E	Open Internet Explorer
Windows key + M	Minimize all windows and show the desktop
Ctrl + C	Copy
Ctrl + V or Shift + Insert	Paste
Arrow keys	To scroll pages and place my cursor
TAB	Move between form fields (boxes)
F2	Rename a file or folder
Ctrl + F	Usually on the web to search for a word on a page
Windows key + R	Open the Run Command

Here are a couple more tips that Continue reading →

Riding Shotgun with Rick — 11 Comments
27
Oct 09

Fun night at Windows 7 Launch Party

Adam is on the left, I'm not paying attention to photographer @kettlewell

My radio show co-host, Adam Cochran, sponsored a Windows 7 launch party tonight, and I helped out. We both setup our laptops and projectors and showed off some of the Windows 7 features and answered general questions about upgrading, buying new computers, what software was included, and more. We talked about the new taskbar, increased search abilities, demonstrated the Home Groups feature by sharing some folders back and forth, talked about the less intrusive User Account Control (UAC), demonstrated the snap to edge for positioning windows, the shake technique and how the system installs faster with greater driver support.

Many computer users continue to believe that Microsoft Office (more specifically Word) is included in Windows. Word has never been Continue reading →

Riding Shotgun with Rick / Videocasts — No Comments
25
Oct 09

Rick Answers his Email Videocast – 063

Wow, tons of great questions this week from Donna, Deborah, Craig, Jay, Chris, Larry, Gloria, Jack, Ralph, James, Robert, Darren, Leo (who just said hi), Marge, Janette, Joyce, Leo Jason, Emir, Bob, Glenna, Enoch, and Alice.

In order, they asked questions about installing Flash in Firefox, a stolen email address, moving to a Mac, viewing large pictures sent as email attachments, removing spyware (2 in a row), HP scanning software, fake update emails, improving boot up speed, a laptop screen problem, transferring favorites to Firefox from IE, opinion about ThreatFire, how to send smaller pictures via email, adding a photo to a blog, using Picasa to create special effects, Windows 7 launch party question, where to find computer components locally, missing desktop icons, backup recommendations, removing the Quick Launch toolbar, how to copy & paste, and what’s up with McAfee Security Scan. The answers to all these questions and more are located in these two videos: Continue reading →

Riding Shotgun with Rick — No Comments
25
Oct 09

What Rick said, read and thought about this week 2009-10-25

RT @howtogeek: crappy 6′ HDMI to DVI cable at best buy: $49.99 … on Amazon: $1.45 <– & crappy tech help at Continue reading →

General Computer Tips / Riding Shotgun with Rick — 3 Comments
20
Oct 09

Why use free security software?

photo credit: kalandrakas

A customer asked me a question that I get asked quite often on the radio show and when I’m making my daily house or office visits. “Why do you use free products versus the larger commercial pay products for keeping a computer secure?”

My answer can be summed up in word: effectiveness.

Time and time again, the products I recommend prove themselves in the field as being thorough, effective, and unobtrusive programs. Unobtrusive is a big one for me these days as the leaders in security software (Norton, McAfee, etc) bloat their software beyond recognition and slow down even the fastest, newest machines. Norton claims that their newest versions are Continue reading →