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Posts Tagged: browser

5 Simple Rules to avoid SCD (Slow Computer Disease)

photo credit: jennconspiracy

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 computer” is the most common computer ailment Windows users search for on the web. Sadly, slow computer disease (SCD*), does not have to be the pandemic it is because it is 100% preventable.

Here are my 5 simple rules to prevent SCD for Windows users: Continue reading →

Internet Tips / Riding Shotgun with Rick — 11 Comments
4
Nov 09

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 →

Internet Tips — 6 Comments
22
Oct 09

Protect Your Identity

photo credit: CarbonNYC

Identity theft is becoming an enormous problem in the United States and worldwide. Identity theft involves the misuse of your personal information to fraudulently purchase goods, services or open accounts to purchase good and services.

According to a FTC report, identity theft cost victims, businesses and financial institutions $500 billion in 2003. The average victim spent more than 75 hours cleaning up their name and accounts at an average loss of more than $11,000.

Contrary to popular opinion, most identity theft results from stolen mail, stolen wallets or purses, trash rummaging or the victim falling prey to a scam, not online shopping. In fact online shopping with reputable dealers is safer, in many respects, than shopping in your own city. Of course, most retailers operate safe businesses and have reputable employees, but the ever increasing reality is that we must be careful with our personal information.

Follow these guidelines to help Continue reading →

Internet Tips / Riding Shotgun with Rick — 9 Comments
7
Aug 09

Use the address bar

It always amazes me (even after more than ten years) how unintuitive computers can be for many users. One call I fielded today was from a computer user who has been using computers for many years, but had a befuddling question. She was trying to browse to her bank’s web site, but couldn’t get there. After talking with her for a few moments, it became apparent that she was Continue reading →

Riding Shotgun with Rick — No Comments
31
Jul 09

Firefox reaches 1 billion downloads

1billionfirefox After the great Internet Explorer (IE) vs. Netscape browser wars of the 90s, it didn’t appear that Internet Explorer would ever be challenged again…thus Microsoft’s complacency with updating IE. Then just 4+ years ago, Mozilla Firefox burst onto the scene with a small, fast, and safe browser that caught fire quickly. As spyware and other malware all but crippled IE users, Firefox became stronger and stronger and with the release of Firefox 2.0 in 2006, Firefox was here to stay.

This week, Firefox officially hit more than 1 billion download since its firs release. A huge accomplishment demonstrated by its nearly 25% market share (IE owned nearly 92% of the browser market just five years ago). Site statistics for HelpMeRick.com show that more than 61% of my visitors use Firefox! I knew Continue reading →

Riding Shotgun with Rick / Tech News — 1 Comment
28
Jul 09

Intel Helped Google with Chrome OS

This article seems to confirm a suspicion I had and wrote about upon Google’s initial announcement of the Chrome Operating System. Intel has been working with the Linux community for months developing a compelling operating system called Moblin. The Moblin project already uses the Chromium browser (Linux equivalent of Google Chrome) and seems like a natural starting spot for Google’s project.

I still think that Moblin or something very similar will become Google Chrome OS.

You can read CIO Today’s entire article here:

Operating Systems – Intel Confirms It Helped Develop Google’s Chrome OS.

Computer User Group / Internet Tips — 7 Comments
7
Jul 09

The Castellini Approach to Internet Security

photo credit: The Joy Of The Mundane

This past week I saw way too many people who are not taking advantage of the free information we give out on the show and the web site. Their computers were suffocating from a preventable disease…viruses and spyware. Yes, preventable, almost 100%. And fighting the war on our home computer security front does not have to be costly or time consuming.

We talk about this subject quite a bit on the program and the web site because of its rapid growth worldwide. In today’s tip, I am providing you with links to information that we have on this site that have been up for months to years that contain the essential information about protecting your computer.

Continue reading →

Riding Shotgun with Rick — 9 Comments
6
Jul 09

Mozilla Firefox 3.5 released – Get it!

Mozilla released version 3.5 of their browser, Firefox, less than two weeks ago. I jumped on the update the day it came out and have had zero problems. You already know that I recommend everyone use an alternative to Internet Explorer for daily browsing. If you aren’t using an alternative browser yet, then now is the time to jump in and start using something other than Internet Explorer.

Mozilla Firefox 3.5 shored up a lot of speed and memory problems that seemed to hamper some with their 3.0 release. I noticed an immeadiate improvement with Continue reading →

Email of the week — No Comments
4
Jun 09