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How to send zipped files to Gmail accounts

Google filters viruses sent or received through Gmail by using a heavy handed approach to filtering. Rather than scanning each email for viruses, they simply prevent people from sending or receiving files with .exe extensions, even if they are in a zipped folder.

Getting around this is very simple, but you must let the recipient know what's going on.

Anytime you want to send a .zip file rename the extension. I like to just take the "p" off of the end. For example, I will name the file – file.zi. In the body of  the message I tell the recipient to add the "p" back on before trying to open the file. 

Always a love-hate relationship

Lately, I have been working with many Windows 98 and Me computers (and a few Windows 95). For basic functions, limited Internet browsing, solitaire, email, and word processing, these computers work fine especially with a high speed Internet connection. However, it is imperative that Windows 98 and Me users NOT install any software that was developed after 2003. Your hardware and software configuration may appear to meet the minimum requirements of the software, but let me assure you that the product will not work optimally and your system will slow down considerably.

This especially applies to security software. For Windows 98 and Me users: ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY NEVER INSTALL NEW VERSIONS OF NORTON OR MCAFEE SECURITY PRODUCTS.

New radio show format

Two weeks ago, with little fan fare, I announced a dramatic change in format for our weekly radio show. Although I never discussed it with my co-host, friend and producer, Adam, he whole heartedly bought in on the concept and we are proceeding.

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." 

Back in the saddle again…

Can you tell that I'm either a Van Halen fan or from a small town or both?

We had a great spring break vacation with our friends, but I'm back to reality again and the rigors of day-to-day work. Thankfully, my job satisfaction rating is off the charts. I love what I do and thank my lucky stars that I found a career that I enjoy doing each and every day.

I will take the credit for getting Adam started on smart phones (sorry Rachel) and like Adam I attempted to use my Treo while on vacation. Unfortunately, my carrier (Sprint) did not serve the part of the planet where we vacationed. Keeping up with email, getting directions, obtaining phone numbers for local restaurants, and using the phone were all rendered useless on my Treo without my cell signal. At first, I was very disappointed, but as the week wore on I found that being "unplugged" was a good thing. It forced me to leave the wonderful world I use so much in my Treo and turn instead to land line phones, phone books, and talking to the local citizens for suggestions, directions and ideas. Ahhh, I felt like I was in a 1950's black and white classic movie at times the nostalgia of yesteryear was so thick.

Back to work

I just got back in town a few hours ago. I have been returning calls and sifting through emails. One of the drawbacks to technology is that it makes it easier for work to stack up while you are gone.

I must, again, say how grateful I am for Cloudmark Desktop, an email spam filter that actually works. I had over 300 emails while I was gone, but only about 20 were actually worth reading. Cloudmark sifted all of the spam and none of the good stuff.

I can't figure out why more Internet service providers don't use Cloudmark to filter spam (Do you hear me ACS, Bresnan, AOL and every other ISP that uses a crappy filter that prevents the good stuff from getting through on a regular basis? I didn't think so.).

Technology doesn’t work unless you use it

My family and I are taking a short spring break trip this year and have already run into a travel snafu. After booking our flights at the US Airways web site in January, we did not check again on our itenerary since we already had receipts, seat assignments and all travel information until a few hours before we left for the airport. Upon looking at the US Airways site, it appeared that our connecting flight in Phoenix had been moved up by three hours! No one had contacted us by telephone or email to give us this important morsel of information, but I also take the blame for not checking on the flights at least the day before. We jumped in the mini-van and hustled to the airport only to have our information confirmed and told that we would indeed not be able to get to our destination until the following day.

A Faster computer does not equal faster Internet

Just as Rick mentioned that people often expect the computer to run faster once they have faster Internet, the opposite is also expected.

Often people on dial-up or slower DSL ask me once they have a new computer whether their email will go faster or their websites will load quickly. Typically the difference between a new computer and a Windows 98 machine with sufficient RAM will be barely noticeable.

It may take longer for programs like Outlook Express or Internet Explorer longer to start up on an older machine, once the program has loaded the actual reaction time for the Internet is pretty much unchanged.

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

Alphabetize your Favorites (or Bookmarks)

Sort menus alphabeticallyThis question came up a couple of times on the show on Saturday and numerous times recently via email; How do I alphabetize my favorites or bookmarks?

Internet Explorer

  1. Click Favorites from the menus
  2. RIGHT Click on any item in the favorites list
  3. Click Sort by Name from the menu

Mozilla Firefox

  1. Click Bookmarks from the menus
  2. RIGHT Click on any item in the bookmarks list
  3. Click Sort by Name from the menu

That's it! You can do that as often as you need to keep your lists in order. Incidentally, you can apply this same technique to your programs menu…

Would you rather have your TV or your computer?

Lately I have had a lot of clients call me in a panic because they are having a computer emergency. These calls are getting more frequent every year.

Is there a such thing as a computer emergency? Yes. In fact, I would be willing to wager that most people I work for, if given the choice, would choose to live 24 hours without running water or a fridge than they would without their computer.

Having a good computer guy is as important to most people as having a good mechanic or doctor. Computers are more complex than any other device in most people's homes (there are still a few people with old fashioned pinball machines).