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Rick

Interview with Forrest Lee of Ulead

Today, we are talking with Forrest Lee from Ulead . They recently released updates to their popular video and photo software packages, VideoStudio 10 and MovieFactory5.

FAX from your computer…

I wrote this Windows 98 fax tip many years ago, but I realized this week that some people still do need to use a fax. Here is some updated information for faxing with Windows XP:

Setup the FAX

If your computer has a modem, you should have the Microsoft Fax already setup. To see if it is ready to go, click Start –> Control Panel and double-click the Printers and Faxes option. If you see the Fax in the installed printers you are ready to go. If you don't see it next to your other printers, then Click the "Setup faxing" option from the task lists on the left and follow the instructions.

Sending a FAX

  1. Any image (including scanned images) or document you can view on the screen, can be faxed following this method:
  2. Open the document in it program (Word, Excel, etc)
  3. Click File –> Print from the menus
  4. Choose the Fax from the printer options
  5. Click Print
  6. The Fax wizard will start where you can type the name of your recepient and their phone number (if it is long distance, DO NOT enter the area code, instead type: 1-area code-phone number).

Receiving a FAX

  1. Call the party who needs to send you a fax and give them your phone number.
  2. Click Start –> All Programs –> Accessories –> Communications –> Fax, and then click Fax Console to open the Fax Console.
  3. On the toolbar, click the Receive Now button when you hear your phone ring.

 

So, what’s wrong with AOL?

Everybody is picking on AOL this week. MSNBC had a huge story on the poor quality of AOL's customer service and (as Rick pointed out) AOL made it to number one on PC World's "25 Worst Tech Products of All Time."

So, what's wrong with AOL? I will use an analogy to explain. Imagine a small pioneer road in the early 1800s. In the early days of roads the shortest distance between two points was any path that started and ended in convenient locales. How fast the road was to travel, the smoothness of the road, and the incline made little difference.

AOL is NUMBER ONE!!!

I finally got around to reading my newest PC World magazine today. Their cover story is the Top 100 Products of the year. As I read the story, I came across a side bar:  The 25 Worst Tech Products of ALL TIME.

Guess who was the #1 worst tech product of ALL time? If you guessed AOL, you were right. Needless to say a smile broke across my face when I saw that. Pick up a copy of PC World to read the article for yourself or read it online by clicking here.

We've been trying to tell you that we weren't the only ones who despise the over priced product that AOL puts out. 

Don’t be afraid to read directions

There is no shame in reading directions step-by-step until you master a computer skill. When I teach my clients how to perform a function or skill on the computer, I walk them through the steps as I write each one down complete with the locations of the buttons to push or fields to fill out. Many books and web sites (like ours) offer the same step-by-step instructions to help you master the computer.

The problem begins when a computer user feels embarassed or maybe is just a little too lazy to read the instructions. Instead, some users try to guess their way through the process and then curse the computer or say to themselves that they will never learn.

Please excuse our mess (website change)

Please excuse the mess. We are working on making some improvements to the website. We will be experimenting with a few new looks and features, but rest assured, we will in no way change the function of the website. Everything will continue to be located in the same places as before.

Our links and resources banner will be up soon.

Another hobby horse: Don’t let your kids fix your computer

Yesterday I wrote about how much I dislike poorly custom built computers. Today I saw a similar situation – computers custom built by kids.

By kids I don't mean children or young goats, I mean offspring.

While at home this family's two sons had built and maintainted the two family computers. Now those two sons have moved away from home and married.

I was called to fix things up and the call went something like this, "Hi, we need your help. My two sons usually fix the computers but now they both live out of town and they don't have the time when they come to visit to fix the computers."

Laser Printers

Many more of my clients are opting for laser printers as their primary printer. And why not! Laser printer costs have dropped dramatically over the past two years and consumables are as much as 60% less than ink jet printers. Their prints won’t smudge, their ink (toner) NEVER dries out, and they are generally much faster than ink jets.

Monochrome  laser printers can be found for less than $100 and perform admirably for email, word processing and Internet prints. For about $250 you can look at color laser printers. Color laser printers won’t give you the photo quality that ink jets provide, but they’re not bad for the occasional print and are awesome for greeting cards, flyers, and brochures. I still think that computer users are better off printing out pictures with services such as Shutterfly or Club Photo or using local services like drug stores and grocery stores. It’s cheaper, they look better and last longer than prints made at home.

Why I don’t like custom built computers

I have seen a lot of custom built computers lately. By custom built, I don’t mean Dells or HPs that are ordered custom configured. I am referring to computers that are built by friends, family members or computer shops using parts that are purchased separately then assembled like an Erector set.

Most computer geeks will likely prefer custom built comptuers because the parts are non-proprietary and they can be more easily worked on. These are valid arguements, but I will argue that most custom builts need worked on more often than off the shelf systems.

When you buy a custom built computer there are a few factors to consider.