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Microsoft

Be courteous with your attachments

The ability to send attachments via email is great. You can attach an important work form to your employees or just a silly picture to a friend.

If you enjoy sending attachments, here are a few things to keep in mind.

1.      Not everyone has the same programs that you do. If you are sending a spreadsheet document from Microsoft Excel or Quattro Pro, save the file as a .csv (comma separated value) instead of the default format. If you are using Microsoft Word, Works or Word Perfect, save your file as a .rtf (rich text format) file. These formats can be read by any computer. Microsoft PowerPoint is also a common format for email attachments and very few home computers actually have the program on their computer.

Computers are not cars

I used to make a lot of Analogies relating computers to cars. I don’t do that much any more because I have realized that computers are not cars. Computers are not like anything we have ever used at any other time in the history of the world.

Your car is used to get you from point A to point B. It is not designed to do anything else. Sure it may have a few bells and whistles, but when you stop to think about it, it doesn’t matter how comfortable the seats are or whether it has a cooled glove box if the car won’t get you from point to point.

Export your PST folder

Lately I have seen several people who use Microsoft Outlook to manage their calendar, email, memos and to do lists.

Microsoft Oultook is similar to the Outlook Express program that comes with all Windows computers, but it adds more features. It is essentially a Franklin Planner for your computer.

One of the great things about Microsoft Outlook is that it is so easy to backup everything at once, you just have to go through a series of steps.

Following this process allows you to backup your email, contact list, calendar, memos, and to do list all as one file.

Here’s what to do:

Open Office – The FREE Office Alternative

Microsoft Office has dominated the office space (spreadsheet, word processor, presentation creation, etc). Over the recent few years, Open Office has made huge strides. Backed by Sun Microsystems and now Google as well among others, this suite of office products is poised to take off.

Open Office includes a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation manager, database program, and graphics program.
 
The download is huge and can take up to seven hours with dial-up Internet…so don’t attempt it unless you have a fast connection or a lot of time.

Removing Outlook Profiles

Remove an Outlook e-mail profile  

Open the Mail Setup dialog box.

In Microsoft Windows XP

 

In Control Panel, double-click User Accounts, and then click Mail.

Note:  If you are using Control Panel classic view, double-click Mail.

 

In Microsoft Windows 2000

In Control Panel, double-click Mail.

Simple Advice to Protect Your Computer and Your Sanity

This tip, if followed, could substantially limit the number of phone calls we get on the radio show and put a dent in my computer troubleshooting and training business. I can sum up the entire tip in one phrase you have heard me utter many times on the radio show:

"If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it."

 

I know ain’t isn’t a word, but if AOL can say "You’ve got mail", please allow me a little latitude.

Computers present the largest potential money and time pit ever created. Because the computer age is still very much in its infancy, the myriad of new upgrades and gadgets make it difficult too leave our machines alone. My advice to computer users every where is to take a step back and look at what you do with your computer, what you would like to do and how does it all fit.

How to Format Your Hard Drive and Reinstall Windows

WARNING:  I have done my best to outline the steps in this somewhat arduous task, but undertake this procedure at your own risk. Because of the vast differences in hardware and software, I cannot possibly cover every nuance. Please use this Tip as a guide and not the end all. AND BE SURE TO BACKUP ANYTHING YOU DON"T WANT TO LOSE PRIOR TO UNDERTAKING THE TASK!

Since many of the sites that I used to refer listeners to regarding this subject have either disappeared or no longer have the information, I am starting a multi-part tip outlining the steps to reformat your computer. In this week’s tip, I’ll explain the what, why’s, and when’s?

What does it mean ‘format my hard drive’? Formatting a hard drive erases all current information (for all practical purposes) and let’s your computer start with a clean slate. Formatting deletes all applications AND data from your computer. The process itself requires very little technical know how. What comes after the format involves the techy knowledge.

Why would I need to format my hard drive? If your computer uses Windows 95/98 or Me, I recommend formatting and reinstalling Windows at least every two years as a maintenance routine. Performing this routine purges your computer of any little errors and irritations that have cropped up and thus makes your computer feel and run like ‘new’ again. You also would need to format and reinstall if you have encountered innumerable error messages or encounter a runaway virus.

When should you perform this purging and restoration of your computer? I answered that question along with the ‘why’ above….at least every two years for any Windows version but Windows XP. Windows XP appeared almost two and a half years ago and has proved to be quite stable and resilient so I’m reserving judgment as to how often it should be done for XP.

If you use a name brand computer like HP, Compaq, E-Machines or even some Gateway systems, they come with a disk or disk set (on CD’s) called "Restore Disks". These disks make the process very easy. Put the disk in, shut your computer off, turn it back on and follow the on-screen instructions. REMEMBER, this will erase all data on your computer, so backup anything you don’t want to lose.

Daily Diary…or at least important notes

If you have the need to jot down a few notes and have them automatically dated for you, then using Notepad may be a simple answer for you.

Notepad is included in all versions of Microsoft Windows and contains a nifty little feature of being able to "time stamp" your entries. Here’s how it works.

  1. Click on Start –> Programs–>Accessories –> Notepad (or RIGHT click on your desktop and choose New Text document)
  2. Push F5 on your keyboard
  3. The current time and date are displayed, now simply press Enter and type in your note.

Save this file some where easy to find (or better yet, on the desktop). Each time you need to create a new entry, just open the file and push F5 on your keyboard before entering in the new text.