Riding Shotgun with Rick / Videocasts — 4 comments
06
Dec 09

Rick Answers His Email – Videocast 069

Todd, Robert, Steve, Peggi, Shannon, Dennis, Terry, Russel, Theresa, San Miguel, Gary, Sandi, Harold, Joan, Pam, John, Belmira, Justin, Diane, Anne, Andrew (who paid $5 to be first this week), Regina, Dave, and Kathy asked questions about: obtaining old computers to experiment with, problems with a network controller, using Microsoft Security Essentials, working with video files from a Panasonic camcorder, creating mailing lists, running older programs in Windows 7, increasing volume from speakers, watching TV on a computer, upgrading to AVG 9 (few of these this week), linking to my web site, troubleshooting a high speed connection, setting up Windows 7 for an elderly neighbor, online backup question, basic requirements for Ubuntu, lost icons and taskbar, slow computer problem, instant shutdown icon in Vista, and a laptop keyboard problem started by a cat.

Here’s the video: Continue reading: Rick Answers His Email – Videocast 069

General Computer Tips / Internet Tips / Riding Shotgun with Rick — 5 comments
02
Dec 09

Your friends CAN & DO send you malware

Lovely Horse Poo

photo credit: Adam Tinworth

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 world know precisely how to manipulate the minds of unsuspecting computer users…it’s called social engineering.

And because they know that many computer users put a lot of credence into this false thought process, they work harder to make their messages appear to be from trusted people or companies.

Messages that appear to be from your friend can be used if their address was Continue reading: Your friends CAN & DO send you malware

Windows Tips — 2 comments
30
Nov 09

Learn how to use new maximize method in Windows 7 – Video Tip

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 these techniques still work in Windows 7, but now you can maximize a window by dragging it Continue reading: Learn how to use new maximize method in Windows 7 – Video Tip

Internet Tips — 3 comments
30
Nov 09

How to use tearable tabs in your browser – Video Tip

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 Continue reading: How to use tearable tabs in your browser – Video Tip

Riding Shotgun with Rick — No comments
29
Nov 09

Rick Answers his Email Videocast -068

Questions in this week’s edition came from Dennis, Phyllis, Gav, ZillaMay, Regina, Al, Gail, Jim, Viggo, Oliver, Mike, Peggi, George, Chris, and Robert.

They asked about why Yahoo’s web address changed, a strange Google Maps API issue, trouble burning CD/DVDs, starting a non-profit web page, speeding up a computer, creating an instant shutdown icon in XP, installing and using flash player, saving photos, monitoring a high speed Internet connection, small print in Windows 7, web streaming directory, small fonts in Yahoo email, loud startup sounds, how to delete a Gmail account, and sending photos via email.

Here’s the complete package…sound is still being tweaked on my new machine, but better than last week:

Continue reading: Rick Answers his Email Videocast -068

Riding Shotgun with Rick — No comments
29
Nov 09

What Rick said, read and thought about this week 2009-11-29

Email Tips / Riding Shotgun with Rick / Windows Tips — 67 comments
24
Nov 09

Windows 7 Email Options

oelogoDo 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 program. Instead, Microsoft hopes you will download and install Windows Live Essentials which includes Windows Live Mail.

Windows Live Mail is a hybrid program that works Continue reading: Windows 7 Email Options

Riding Shotgun with Rick — 14 comments
23
Nov 09

Cleaning things up around here

Cleaning up

photo credit: khowaga1

The past couple of weeks, I’ve spent many hours cleaning up some behind the scenes, under the hood type things here at HelpMeRick.com. I promise not to make any major changes to the web site again, but I continue to strive to find just the right place for everything on the site.

Making my tips and tricks and video tutorials easy to find, easy to read, and easy to share are my goals.

I will probably move the search box back to the very top of the page, and put the category listing Continue reading: Cleaning things up around here

Riding Shotgun with Rick — No comments
22
Nov 09

What Rick said, read and thought about this week 2009-11-22

Videocasts — No comments
21
Nov 09

Rick Answers his Email Videocast – 067

Please excuse my audio this week…new computer and didn’t test mic first. Back on track next week.

23 questions and answers this week. Questions came from Ken, Leo, Thomas, Sandra, Wally, Eve, Boyd, Chuck, Sandra, Sam, Timothy, Patrick, Phil, Patrick, Patrick (were these three different guys?), Alana, Jesse, Drew, Michael, George, Paul, and Rita. They asked questions about updating to AVG 9, CCleaner, Panda Cloud Antivirus, clarification on my easy mailing labels tip, email programs in Windows 7, upgrading to wireless N, cleaning up Java installations, finding wireless router access password, editing in Picasa 3.5, 64bit Windows follow up question, lost Outlook Express messages, uninstalling Firefox add-ons, importance of USB (joke question?), Ubuntu install questions, and spyware questions.

Here are the answers: Continue reading: Rick Answers his Email Videocast – 067