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10 Skills EVERY computer user should have (or learn)

I originally posted this list in January 2007. However, through my keen observation skills, I discovered that all computer users have not yet read and digested this information. For this reason, I’m posting it again because I won’t stop working to educate computer users until every computer user knows these 10 skills.

Computers have become almost a main stream household appliance. Whether you have been using a computer for fifteen years or one, these skills should be second nature:

  1. Cut, Copy, Paste
  2. Print just what you want (word processing, email, web)
  3. Backup your address book
  4. Select (highlight) text or files
  5. Properly uninstall unwanted programs
  6. Burn a CD
  7. Download files from the Internet
  8. Use MSCONFIG ; Another MSCONFIG tip
  9. Search the Internet
  10. Attach Files to an email

#11: Learn how to best utilize HelpMeRick.com

 

If you already know how to do these skills, please pass this article along to someone who doesn’t…help me help other computer users.

New Email Attachment Handling in Gmail – Video Tip

Recently, Google made some changes to attachment viewing and handling in Gmail. Instead of just downloading or viewing an attachment, Gmail users can: Preview attachment Print attachment Save attachment to Google Drive Open attachment in alternate program Download attachment In the short video below, I outline these changes and how to get them to work for you. Also, I demonstrate… Read More »New Email Attachment Handling in Gmail – Video Tip

How to attach photos to Bresnan web based email – Notes

Here are the notes that I created for a client who uses Bresnan’s web based email system and wanted to attach photos. Although the notes are for photos specifically, one can use the methodology to just as easily attach documents as well.

Scanning and Attaching Documents to Yahoo Email – Notes

These notes were generated for a customer using an older HP All-in-one printer. He needed to learn how to scan documents, save them, then attach them to his Yahoo email. For folks learning how to scan or attach items to Yahoo email, these notes will help.

Save pictures from email – Video Tip

It’s been almost one year since I first posted this tip. We have many new visitors this year, and not enough of you are heading my advice yet on this subject, so I’m posting it again. Please believe me when I tell you that this tip alone can save you countless dollars, time, and tears!

Through my travels, I have noticed that many computer users save emails with pictures because they are unsure of how to save those pictures. Saving lots of pictures in your email program can drastically slow down the performance of the email program over time. Email programs typically can handle thousands of messages, but if something happens to the email database, and you haven't backed up those databases, the pictures will be gone for good. Your best insurance for saving pictures is to save them to a folder on your computer (like My Pictures or a subfolder of My Pictures) then back them up on a regular basis.

To save pictures from your email to a folder on your hard drive, do the following:

Outlook Express

1. Click the paper clip icon in the preview pane*
2. Click Save Attachments
3. In the "Save To" box at the bottom of the dialog box that pops up, click Browse and choose where YOU want to save the pictures and click OK
4. Click Save

* If you read your Outlook Express email in its own window, then RIGHT Click on the

How much would you pay for a “simple” computer?

This will be our poll question in the newsletter tomorrow, but I wanted to give you time to consider the question.

Like Rick, I am constantly on a mission to make computers easier to use. I don't believe it is necessary to upgrade computers every few years if the system you are using now is working well.

I hate (strong word, but accurate) the direction Microsoft has taken with Windows. Most people never use all of the bells and whistles in Windows.

So, here is my question. If there were a computer that would do email, Internet, basic digital photography, document creation and standard games like solitaire, how much would you pay for it.

I’ve heard you say that before

Imagine for a moment (you won't have to stretch very far) that your son or daughter comes home past curfew and you say something like, "I told you to be home by midnight." In reply your kid says, "I know I heard you say that."

Imagine for a moment that you are an engineer who builds bridges. One day a bridge that you design collapses. You confront the builders only to find that they used half of the bolts that you indicated in the design. "I heard you say that we should use that many bolts," comes the reply from the builder.

In each case, the next sentence that follows is an excuse from the offenders as to why they thought this should be an exception.

Faster Internet does not equal faster computer

A common misconception I run across often is that getting a faster Internet
connection will make the computer faster. The Internet is just one of many
functions a computer performs. Whether you connect via a phone line, DSL,
or cable has absolutely NO bearing on how quickly the computer boots up or
opens a particular program.

A faster Internet connection will allow you to receive large email
attachments faster, surf the web faster, and download updates faster, but
it does nothing else for speeding up other computer functions. If your
computer feels slow, that can be due to one or more factors including; not

Can’t read forwarded message attachments in Outlook

One of our callers today, Jeff, couldn't get forwarded emails to open if they were attachments. We believe this method may work to rectify the situation:

Use the following steps to use the Clear Cache button in Outlook:
1. On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Other tab.
2. Click Advanced Options.
3. In the Advanced Options box, click Custom Forms.
4. In the Custom Forms box, click Manage Forms.
5. In the Forms Manager box, click Clear Cache.