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Sending email blindly (BCC) – Video Tip

Here is a tip to cut down on those hideous email headers and help take a huge bite out of email spam.

If you are planning on sending an email to more than a few people, use the BCC or “blind carbon copy” function. Instead of addressing them all in the “to” section of your email, use the BCC instead. This allows you to still send the email to all the people on your list, but the recipients will not see any of the people to whom the mail was addressed!

In the follow video, I demonstrate how to use the BCC in Outlook 2007, Windows Mail (Vista version of Outlook Express and same method as Outlook Express), Mozilla Thunderbird, Yahoo email, and Gmail.

Please, watch this video, learn the technique, use the technique, and forward this tip to all your friends using the BCC method!

Rick’s Answers his email Videocast – 029

This week’s email video brought to you by questions from Papa, Amy, Diana, Dan, Firat, Paul, John, Tina, Ernie, Sheila, Dave, Lisa, Bob, Shirley, and Iris. Their questions ranged from wanting to start a fan club to moving to Ubuntu and from nasty virus infections to how to install a DVD and much more!

What to do with an AVG found virus sreen

AVG Found Virus

If you use AVG Antivirus, you will be presented with the above screen at some time or another. Don’t immediately push the Move to Vault button or the Heal button. Instead, check the box labeled Remove as Power User, then click the Heal button. Checking that box first yanks the legs out from the virus and disposes of it immediately.

How to Add or Remove a program in Ubuntu – Video Tip

By now, you know that I have become smitten with Ubuntu (a Linux operating system). And in the right situation, I think it serves its users admirably. As packed as a new installation of Ubuntu is with productivity, graphics, Internet, and game software, you might want to add a new program. You cannot go to the store and purchased a new program and install it on an Ubuntu machine. Instead, you use the web and built-in tools found in Ubuntu to add or remove a program.

The first method I explain in the video is how to use the Synaptic Package Manager found by clicking System –> Administration –> Synaptic Package Manager from the menus.

The second method involves clicking the Applications menus then Add/Remove.

A high speed connection is really a must with Ubuntu to be able to try out some of the great software available and to get all of the available system updates as well.

Computer boot time survey

I’m experimenting with an online database collection service and thought it would be interesting to put forth a practical question; How fast does your computer boot up? To measure the boot-up time of your computer, time it from the moment you turn the computer on until the desktop and all background applications are fully loaded (i.e. no hourglass present and no hard drive activity present). Click the title of this article above or the read more below to get to the form.

Rick’s Answers his email Videocast – 028

Tons of Q&A this week covering a myriad of different topics…brought to you by: Don, Laura, Ron, Pete, Anthony, Donna, Jose, Marina, Ken, Corinne, Emily, Sharon, Elmer, Marilyn, Barbara, Joyce, Judith, Hank and Robert.

Convert and-or Create a PDF file online

PDF Online 

If you ever have the need to create a PDF file so you can share it easily with others, or have the need to convert a PDF file into a word processing file, then I recommend giving PDF Online a try. In just a few steps, you can upload a file you want to convert to a PDF or upload a PDF file you want converted to a Word file. Once the file is uploaded, it takes just a minute or two for the service to perform its magic and give you your finished product. Amazingly simple and amazingly accurate.

Use CCleaner Monthly

CCleaner screenIf you are a Microsoft Windows user, of any flavor, I recommend that you download and use the free CCleaner utility once per month. Our computers create thousands of small files that we never see in order to perform the computing tasks we ask of them. Visiting web sites also creates thousands of files including the oft misunderstood cookies. All these files are called temporary files and are completely expendable. Over the course of time, these small temporary files can build up to such a significant amount that they can drag down the performance of even the fastest system.

CCleaner offers a quick, easy and thorough tool to clean all these files in a single click. After downloading and installing the product (I un-click the option to add the Yahoo toolbar during the install), you will have a CCleaner icon on your desktop like the one pictured (large red C with a blue whisk broom). Double-click it, and click the Run Cleaner button. In just a few minutes, the cleaning will finish and present you with a report detailing what was deleted and how much space was recovered.

IF you don’t want your web history or cookies or recycle bin to be automatically cleaned (deleted), you can uncheck the appropriate box before clicking the Run Cleaner button.