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Another post from Ubuntu

I have been so busy lately, that I haven't had much of a chance to play around with my Ubuntu Linux (alternative to Windows) machine. Last night, I updated to the latest version of Ubuntu Linux 7.04 for free. Compare that to the minimum of $179 you would pay for the basic version of Vista. I was motivated to do the update not only because I promised I would learn more about Linux, but also because Dell released a story yesterday announcing their plans to sell Linux laptops and desktops computer starting this summer. It seems that Microsoft keeps getting hit day-after-day. Where will they be in 5 years? They certainly don't have the stature today that they had 5 years ago.

New service coming to HelpMeRick.com

For literally years, I have been hunting for an easy to deploy, safe remote control system for computers. I wanted a tool that would allow me to easily access customer's computers so I could help them with their problems from wherever I might be. As you know from our video tips, a picture and voice is worth a thousand words. As hard as we work to properly illustrate and write our tips over the years, the video tips have exceeded our expectations and most importantly your expectations.

Now, I am aim to bring the next step in the evolution of my business and quest to help people with their computers. Yes, it will be a part of my business and thus a charge will be involved, but I will be able to log into a users computer (the user always initiates the sessions) and actually see and be able to explain what might be going wrong with their computer. Problems that I attempt to solve through email or over the phone often result in long, drawn out affairs that don't always result in resolution. However, if I can physically see what a computer user is looking at, the problem can often be solved in a matter of minutes.

Changing tab settings in Internet Explorer 7

To open links in new tabs and many tab tricks try the following.

1. Open Internet Explorer

2. Click on TOOLS button at the far left and choose Internet Options

3. Click on the General tab (it is probably already open)

4. Click on the Settings button under the Tabs heading

Here you can make all sorts of fun and exciting changes.

512mb is not enough

512mb of RAM is not enough for Windows Vista…any flavor. Vista has been out almost three months now, and I have setup almost a dozen Vista machines. Thankfully, they are rolling out slowly. All the machines I setup, until today, came with 1 GB (1024mb) or 2GB of RAM. And although not blazing, the computer's ran at an acceptable speed.

I just finished spending nearly 2.5 hours setting up a laptop with Vista Basic and only 512mb of RAM. It was painful. Normally, I can clean all unwanted and trial software (crapware) from a new computer, install and update AVG Antivirus, optimize the startup and Internet settings, shut off unnecessary special effects, setup email and test both email and the Internet all in under 1.5 hours. This little laptop required extraordinary wait times to get anything installed or uninstalled. Very frustrating.

Stick with HelpMeRick’s trusted security software

Some days I seem to face recurring themes. Today's was extortionware. Extortion is when someone forces you into paying money to solve a problem that the person or institution requiring payment caused. If that doesn't make a lot of sense, ask Rick to explain how his "If you want to keep your kneecaps – go get nachos for us," program works during the show on Saturday.

We have spelled out our proven method of home computer security countless times here on HelpMeRick, but just as a reminder here it is again in brief:

1. Don't use Internet Explorer to surf the web unless you have to

Rick’s 3 Rules of Email

  1. Never Forward Email
  2. Never Forward Email
  3. IF you must forward email, ALWAYS use Blind Carbon Copy (BCC) and ALWAYS clean up the header information from previous email.

Some computer users who encounter my rules of email sometimes pass off my thoughts as being too strict. Unfortunately, I know it isn't true. Today, for the upteenth time, I worked with a customer who has had her email address for less than a year and already is inundated with more than 75 spam per day. Luckily her Internet provider has a decent spam filter, but she still has to put up with a lot of unwanted spam. The only thing she uses the email address for is correspondence with some family, friends, and two religious oriented weekly email newsletters.

Banking online

My family has been Internet banking since early 2000. We moved to an Internet only bank (no physical banks anywhere that we can walk in to) because we were ready to start paying bills online and get our account information online. At the time, our large overhead bank, Wells Fargo, actually charged customers $9.95 per month to have the privilege of online banking. After some research, we settled on an Internet only bank with no physical banks, just a web site, great customer service, high interest rates, and free online banking. Their site has changed only slightly over the years and we have never regretted the decision.

Secret language of the shadow government

Today's post is for everyone who listens to the radio show via direct feed from Genesis Communications Network. I received this information from a trusted source who received it in a forwarded email chain letter.

It appears that the real government uses a special language to communicate on the Internet. You will find this secret language all over the web. Only now that we have Google and Internet searches can we discover how frequently these messages are sent.

Whenever the Luminati or the Masons have sent messages and those messages have been received a special confirmation is posted. You will even find this confirmation text in the body of some older printed material in the days before the Internet.

“NEW” Google Feature – Pass it on….

Reader, Chuck, wrote in and asked our opinion about this "new" feature from Google, which isn't new and isn't limited to Google. In fact, the feature has been around since the phone book was invented. Here's how the too frequently forwarded email starts:

"Google has implemented a new feature which enables you to