Come on folks...were 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:

1.  Although more powerful than ever before, computers have become more unreliable than ever.

In particular, Windows computers require more expertise to keep them safe, updated, and problem free than at any time in the short history of home computers. Macintosh and Linux operating systems certainly require less technical expertise from the security standpoint, but still rely on desktop applications to create, save and edit data. Web based (cloud) applications provide plenty of power and flexibility for the vast majority of computer users while also presenting a simpler interface.

2.  You already spend 90% of your time in the cloud already. 

Non-business computer users spend the majority of their computer time]]> http://helpmerick.com/5-reasons-why-you-should-be-moving-to-the-cloud.htm/feed 7 http://helpmerick.com/participating-andor-moderating-email-discussion-groups.htm http://helpmerick.com/participating-andor-moderating-email-discussion-groups.htm#comments Wed, 08 Oct 2008 08:54:32 +0000 Rick http://helpmerick.com/wordpr/?p=2255 Last month, John, a GJ User Group regular, suggested I lead a discussion about email discussion groups, sometimes known as mailing lists. I thought it was such a good idea, that I made it this month's User Group topic. Email discussion groups allow emailers with a particular passion for a hobby, political leaning, medical infliction, educational purpose or any other common thread to share ideas, debate, and dialogue via email. Many discussion groups have left email and exist entirely online as discussion forums which allow for even more instant feedback and easier ways to share links, photos, videos and more.

To find discussion groups you can join, try these four techniques:

1. The association or organization's web site that heads up the cause, hobby, etc. 
2. Search for your interest followed by email discussion group (ex:  African violets in dry climates email discussion group)
3. Go to and search Yahoo! Groups
4. Go to and search Topica
   

Unfortunately, discussion groups can be a hunting ground for email spammers to gather up email addresses. I recommend using a different email address than your every day address for these groups. When you sign up, you will generally have the option of receiving updates every time someone writes to the group, a daily digest of all posts for the day or a weekly digest of all the new posts for that week. For busy discussions, the daily digest is best. If you are fanatical about your group, go for the immediate notifications. You also have the option of changing how you receive messages at any time.

If you want to create your own email discussion group or list, use either the Yahoo! Groups or Topica services. Yahoo and Topica have matured over the years and merged with other smaller services morphing into easy to manage, powerful systems.

In my opinion the number of label making programs on the market should rival the number of digital photography or antivirus programs on the market.

For some mysterious reason, there are hardly any good label programs out there. They are either too simple and limited in features or they are too complex and require dozens of steps that are far from intuitive.

After month's of requests, I am finally doing an entire class on Picasa. On Tuesday, November 27 from 7-9pm in conjunction with our regular digital photography user group, I will be teaching about Picasa for the entire two hours.

The class will be held at the Grand Junction Realty Board offices at 2743 Crossroads Blvd. Cost is only $10 for one or two people.Come by yourself - the cost is $10, bring a friend, the cost is $10. $5 for each additional person over $10.

I will also be selling my new Picasa tutorial DVD-ROM that covers everything we will discuss in the class.

I really love English Bulldogs.

Recently I became aware of a common pet scam that is based on every other over seas Internet scam.

Someone from Cameroon posts a desired breed up for a ridiculously low price.

He/she asks for money plus shipping. You never get the dog.

Here is my recent correspondence with one such scammer.

I have resorted the posts from oldest to newest so you can enjoy the events as they occurred.

When I started the Castellini on Computers Radio Show in 1999, my intention was to provide a forum for beginners to learn about computers, technology and the Internet in a non-threatening yet entertaining forum. For better or worse, my desire to help people got in the way of my original goal of being as "non-geeky" as possible. We answered questions from all callers even if the question was applicable for only that one person. Despite our best efforts of trying to explain our answers and the caller's questions in layman's terms, we turned off many listeners. Our most common feedback about the show has always been, "I love your show, but I don't understand anything your talking about on the show."