Does your computer get stuck?

Actually, I should say, "does your web browser get stuck?" Occasionally, we may click on a link from a web page and the browser just sits there and the page never appears. Here’s the remedy… When you experience the above symptom while browsing about the Internet, simply click on the "stop" button at the top of your browser (traffic light in Netscape, circle with an ‘X’ in it for...

Cookies…are they dangerous, harmless or do t...

Cookies are small (very small…hundreds of cookies will take up less than a tenth of a megabyte on your hard drive) text files that are deposited on our computer systems by some web sites. For example, the polling service I use for our listener poll will deposit a cookie on your hard drive to prevent more than one vote per question, but that is all it does. In the majority of cases, cookies pose no threat to you, your...

Change the Font Size of Your Browser Text

Text on certain web pages can be either too small or too big. Using either Netscape Communicator or Internet Explorer, you have control over this potential problem using the font size command. These font adjustments don’t have to be absolute. Change them as the need arises since there is a large disparity in the way web sites are formatted. In Internet Explorer, change the font size by: 1. Click on View from the...

Alternative Browser

Would you like to have your web surfing speed increased? Would you like web sites to pop-up just a little faster? Changing the web browser you use (Internet Explorer, Netscape, AOL) will do just that. This tip does NOT require you to change Internet services. If you use AOL or any other service, that does not change. And whether you connect via a dialup modem (phone line), DSL, cable or other method, this tip applies across...

All Search Results are NOT Created Equally

When you click on a link provided by a search engine for a medication you are taking or maybe a popular TV show, there is a good chance that you may end up at a site packed with spyware and/or viruses ready to pounce on your computer. In this week’s tip, I don’t want to rant about viruses and spyware or even the nuances of searching. All of these topics are thoroughly covered here at the web site. Instead, I want...

Windows Update? Yes, you should…

When Windows XP was released nearly two years ago, it was hailed as a ‘self-healing’ operating system (via the Windows Update system). Two years later, it has, in my humble opinion, held its own as a stable, fast operating system. However, Microsoft remains a large target for the tech degenerates of the world to launch assaults upon. And when these ingrates go after Microsoft, they unfortunately take many of us...

Power Toys for Windows (Windows 98)

Many computer users enjoy tweaking and customizing their computers. However, at times, this can cause problems with the performance and even the operation of the computer.  Power Toys is an unofficial add-on (meaning Microsoft does not officially support it even though they include it on the Windows 98 CD)  to Windows. Power Toys allows you to adjust items like: Mouse General Explorer ...

Keep your system running clean

It’s easy to become a digital pack rat. However, using all this space on your computer can contribute to slower performance. Here are some tips of how to keep your system clutter free. * Use the Disk Cleanup utility (Windows 98 and Me users) to delete temporary windows and Internet files. * If you use a digital camera or scanner, archive your older images on a ZIP disk or CDR (also important for backups). *...

Does Your Wallpaper Fit?

One tip that has evaded us over the years is sharing the magic of making wallpaper fit your screen. Wallpaper personalizes your computer and makes your desktop yours. If you use Windows 98 and above, you can add any photo you want to your desktop as wallpaper. But often the picture doesn’t quite fit well on the screen leaving space around the picture. If you want to get rid of the space around your wallpaper, try this: ...

Beware of Fraudulent Email

This week I had the unfortunate job of helping a client of mine change email addresses and passwords. Not that the change itself was unfortunate, it was the reason for the change. Earlier in the week, she fell prey to an Internet scam known as ‘phishing’. Phishing starts in our email box. The email looks and almost sounds completely official and usually claims to represent a large company like AOL, Earthlink,...

Adding a Mail notification sound to your email

OK, I?m going to pick on AOL a little this week. Who believes that ?You?ve got mail!? is not only horrible grammar, but also pretty corny! If you are an AOL user and want to change that sound or are an independent Internet user who uses Netscape, or Outlook Express, Eudora, etc for their mail, this tip will help you add your own customized sound to your email. The first thing you need is a sound file. You can get this one...

When Should You Use the RIGHT Mouse Button?

Many people ask me when is the appropriate time to click the RIGHT mouse button. My short answer is to try it everywhere. The RIGHT mouse button (or secondary mouse button) provides quick access to many common functions via a pop up menu. And those functions change depending on what program you are using and where you are in that program. For example, in almost any application, if you click the RIGHT mouse button, you will...

Print your Digital Photos with a Developer

Digital camera owners typically take three to four times as many photos than their film counterparts. And why not…there are no developing or film costs. However, the printer industry would love for you to print out all those photos you are taking. With digital, the potential savings can be huge IF you approach the printing process as I outline below: Backup all your photos to a CD (preferably make at least two backups)...

Laptop vs. Desktop Computer II

Starting this week and for the next month, millions of students will be returning to school. Some of these students go to college, some to high school and some are adults going back to school part-time or nights. All these students can benefit from a computer. For the mobile lifestyle of students, I recommend getting a laptop. Laptops can not only be toted to class, the library or your home, more and more they can be...

Laptop vs. Desktop Computer

A question that has been popping up more and more lately from computer users looking to buy a new computer is: “Should I buy a laptop computer or desktop computer?” As with most computer shopping questions, the answer is ‘it depends’. In this article, I will point out the pros and cons of each and what type of user would benefit from a laptop. In terms of performance, both laptops and desktops handle...