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Sadly, dial-up Internet is still alive and well

The majority of people I have seen this week have been dial-up Internet users. In every case the appointment lasted longer and cost more money than if they would have been on broadband. In other words, the appointment could have taken only a few minutes. Instead the appointment took so long that it cost as much as three month’s worth of broadband service.

I carry most of the tools for fixing computers on my flash drive but two of the computers were Windows 98 and several of the computers needed updates or other downloads that can only be acquired online.

New computer does not equal faster Internet

I believe that I’ve written about this before, but since I ran into this phenomenom at least three times over the past week, it bares mentioning again. Many dial-up Internet users using Windows 98 or Me buy a new computer and after taking it home setting it up and jumping online with their dial-up systems find that the Internet and email are just as slow as their hold systems. I then get the question, "Why?"

Used computers & friends

I believe Adam or I have written on this topic before, but I worked with a situation yesterday that was disturbing enough that I needed to bring this topic up again. We continually talk about friends or family members who like working with computers and then like to help out your computer. IF the help revolves around something mundane like plugging the power into your power strip or maybe changing an ink cartridge, then by all means let them help you.

Congress to decide whether to tax wizards and warlocks

We live in a day of alternate dimensions and parallel worlds. While some people hold jobs, go to school and raise families in reality, they spend part of their days (some more than others) playing computer games called MMORPGs.

It stands for Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games. These are games where essentially every character in the game, and there can be thousands, is controlled by an actual person playing the game.

The longer you play theses games such as World Of Warcraft or Everquest, the more property and items you accumulate. Typically these games feature magic, weapons, and even land that you can accumulate. Once you have an item, you are free to sell it or give it to another player in the game. This has lead to a virtual economy.

Should you just get a new computer?

I have seen a lot of power supply failures lately. This seems to happen every summer but I don't keep detailed enough statistics to prove it. I am not sure why it happens either. It could be that people turn off their computers for summer vacation and it is the first time the computer has really been turned off in a long time. This might give things a chance to cool down and become brittle. Maybe it is just a coincidence.

In addition to the power supply failures, I have seen a variety of other problems lately that are typically rare such as hard drive failures, power button failures, and dead printers.

Easily replaced hardware items…

Sometimes I am accused of being too laid back about life and problems. I take that as a compliment and consider my low key approach to life to be an asset not a liability. When it comes to computers, many computer users should also take a low key approach to many hardware problems.

Keyboards and Mice

If you start having a problem with a mouse or keyboard, the first thing to try is shutting the computer off, unplug and re-plug cables, then try again. If they still give you problems, go out and buy a new one. Mice and keyboards can't and shouldn't be repaired…just replace them. Mice and keyboards both can be found for less than $20. If your mouse or keyboard is a cordless one, always check the batteries.

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.

The Incredible Wikipedia

Wikipedia

What is a Wikipedia ? In the words of the Wikipedia web site, ?imagine a world in which every person has free access to the sum of all human knowledge. That's what we're doing [at Wikipedia].? Sound amazing? It is incredible. Wikipedia, in everyday terms, is an online encyclopedia that is free to access, unlike paid services from Britannica.com and Encarta.com.

Wikipedia plays on a term from the Hawaiian language, wiki wiki, which means super fast or quick. The Internet adopted the term ?wiki? to mean a web site where anyone can edit or contribute to its content. So putting the terms together you get an online encyclopedia that is free to access and open for anyone and everyone to contribute to and

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

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.