What is Open Source?

Open Source software began soon after computers became main stream in offices and then homes. In a nut shell, Open Source refers to software developed under a set standard of rules that developers agree upon to make the software freely available, no penalties for copying or sharing the programs (in fact, it is encouraged to share the software), the source code (programming) must be made available to anyone, and the software...

My first year with Gmail

I closed Outlook and started using Gmail exclusively one year ago. At first, I thought it would be a good experiment to see what Gmail was really all about, but I was also fed up with Outlook and its limitations. It took me two or three weeks to wean myself of thinking of my email in the same way that I used to with Outlook. For the experiment to work, Gmail had to satisfactorily accomplish 3 key functions of email that I...

Participating and/or Moderating Email Discussion G...

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...

Google is on fire – New beta release of Pica...

How can you not get with Google? Here is a company that makes strategic acquisitions, encourages their employees to reach for the stars and challenge themselves and the status quo, and never rests on their considerable laurels. Today, they have done it again. This time with the release of the beta version Picasa 3. PIcasa 3 offers some great new features that help you share your photos easier, organize them easier, fix some...

Quick and easy photo slide show using Picasa ̵...

Last week, I demonstrated how to make a fantastic photo slide show using an online application. If you missed it, shame on you, but you can see it by clicking here. In this week’s tip, I’m going to show you a slightly hidden feature of Google’s Picasa that lets you also create a quick and dirty slide show of your digital photos. Follow these steps and then watch the video below to see the steps in action...

Create photo slide shows online in minutes! –...

Some may say I drank the Web 2.0 cool-aid, but I say bring me another glass! This week I bring you yet another astounding piece of online technology that gives you the power to create a professional photo slide show complete with music and transitions in minutes! I frequently get asked to make suggestions for creating a photo slide show, but I know that most programs require too much time and expertise to be useful. Enter...

Dell goes deeper into Linux

Dell announced that they will release a line of laptop computers this fall with an instant on technology called Latitude On. Early indications are that it will closely mimic the Splashtop technology I wrote about last year and during CES 2008. And like Splashtop, the Dell technology involves using a light version of Linux to produce an extremely fast boot up (30 seconds or less) time and can access the Internet through...

Great digital photography debate topics

Technology is no different than politics in that there are a variety of topics that people have opinions on. While you may not know much about these topics now, what you know about them can have a great impact on knowing who to listen to when it comes to learning more about digital photography and related topics. PC vs. Mac: The Mac people will tell you that Macs are better for graphics, easier to use more stable. PC...

Fun, private, and easy-to-use photo sharing web si...

Last week, a customer of mine sent me a site called Schwup from Muvee Technologies. Muvee designed Schwup from the ground up to be site where multiple people could contribute to the same web photo album. For example, if you just returned from a weekend trip to San Diego to see the U.S. Open and play golf, you and your buddies could return home and all upload photos to the same album so each could have access to them. There...

Defrag, scan disk, and deleting cookies don’...

In the computer world, there are hot rodders – people who will tweak their computers to get every last bit of horse power out of their systems. Just as with automobiles, techniques used by hot rodders were once necessary in the early days when horse power was hard to come by. Today, most computers come with all the horsepower most people need. Important tasks like defragmenting the hard drive, running scan disk and...

Why print pictures at home?

We talk about this topic many times here at HelpMeRick.com, but too few people are reaping the benefits (and cost savings) of printing their digital photos via a print shop instead of at home. Printing pictures at home costs a lot of money and takes up way too much time. And unless you spring for the more expensive printers, inks, and paper, the results of home printing are sub-par at best. I prefer to save my money and...

Successful eBay Buying – Video Tip

eBay has been around for more than 10 years. However, many computer users still find eBay either dangerous or hard to figure out. In this week’s tip, I set forth some simple steps to help make your eBay experience, a good experience. In the video, I demonstrate my four steps to finding a reputable eBay buyer: Never consider an auction that has exorbitant shipping costs Study the eBay sellers profile. Positive...

The $399 Power Computer

Last week, I was charged with finding a computer for a customer who only wanted it for Internet, email, and word processing. He didn’t want to add any games, extra programs, or anything else to it. My first thought, as I was listening to his needs, was Ubuntu. One other request was not to break the bank on cost. Lastly, he told me that he would be hooked up to a high speed cable Internet service. Upon talking a little...

Managing your digital photos

Organizing your digital photos is so important. Too often I see people who have major computer problems and think that everything is backed up only to find that their digital photos were so spread out on their computer that the only had a portion of them backed up. Many people simply copy their digital photos onto their computer wherever a given piece of software puts them and they have no idea where that is. These notes...

Think twice before your blame your computer’...

“What brand of computer do you recommend?” is one of the most common questions I get asked. My answer is usually, “It really doesn’t matter as long as it is a name brand and has the specs that you need.” I often hear comments like, “Our first computer was a Dell and we constantly had problems with viruses and spam,” or “I’m never going to get another HP, this one just...