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The Castellini Approach to Internet Security – Updated 2020

The Castellini Approach to Internet Security

This past week I saw way too many people who aren’t taking advantage of the free information we give out on the show and the web site. Their computers were suffocating from a preventable disease…viruses and spyware. Yes, preventable, almost 100%. And fighting the war on our home computer security front does not have to be costly or time consuming.

We talk about this subject quite a bit on the program and the web site because of its rapid growth worldwide. In today’s tip, I am providing you with links to information that we have on this site that has been up for months to years that contain the essential information about protecting your computer.

How to fix a slow computer

Any article on fixing a slow computer would be incomplete if it didn’t talk about prevention. Learning about your computer is paramount to preventing problems. Following are articles I recommend that all computer users familiarize themselves with to prevent problems: Backing up your important information Recommended approach to security Using Microsoft Security software Learn how to search the web and… Read More »How to fix a slow computer

Easy File Management – Video Tip

You can easily delete and rename files from within almost any computer program. 

To delete a file or folder:

  1. Click  File from the menu of any program
  2. Click  Open
  3. In the window that pops up, click ONCE on any document you want to delete
  4. Push Delete on your keyboard.  Repeat as many times as you would like.

Learn Minesweeper & give Solitaire or FreeCell a Break – Video Tip

Solitaire seems to be a game that is synonymous with computers. Microsoft planted the game in Windows not only for entertainment, but also for new computer users to learn mouse skills (drag, double-click, etc). Some computer users have branched out to FreeCell and like it better than Solitaire.

However, have you tried playing Minesweeper?

Minesweeper appears difficult upon first look. And yes, it does require some brain power, but isn't that partially the purpose of our computers…to use our brains? If you do like a challenge and using logic and something different than clicking on cards or sitting in front of a TV, give Minesweeper a try.

The object of the game is to avoid the 'mines'. You do this by first making a random guess and clicking one time on the board. If you are lucky, you didn't hit a mine. Now you have to use the clues the game gives you to figure out where the other ones lie. The clues come in the form of a number (usually 1-5). The number indicates how many mines border that particular square. One hint to commit to memory is that one square (if it isn't along the edge), borders eight other squares. Keep that in mind and like FreeCell, every game is winnable. (see the video below for a video lesson on this fun game.)

Give it a try. My best time so far on the beginner level is 29 seconds and 326 seconds on intermediate level. Call us up and let us know what your best times are, leave a comment here, but most of all have fun!

Using the Windows Snipping Tool – Video Tip

One new feature that Windows Vista brought to the table is an easier way to take pictures of your screen…known as screen shots. In previous versions of Windows you had to learn how to use the Print Screen button (click here for my tip on that technique) or find a third party utility to do the same thing.Windows Vista introduced a new tool called the Snipping Tool that makes taking screen shots easier and more flexible than Print Screen. Vista users can find the Snipping Tool in the Accessories menu. The Snipping Tool will also be included in the upcoming Windows 7. To see how it works, watch my video below.

You can change your Internet Home Page – Video Tip

When you buy a new computer, the Internet browser comes pre-configured with a home page (first web site you see when you start your web browser). For PC’s, it is usually MSN. For Mac’s it is Apple.com. If you download Firefox (which everyone should be using), its default home page is a Firefox branded Google page. Sometimes your Internet provider’s web site takes over as your home page if you run one of their setup disks.

Through all of this, you had no say so as to what your home page is. Fortunately, it is a simple procedure to change the home page to anything you want. Here’s how to change it no matter what web browser you use (except Internet Explorer 7):

  1. Pull up the web site you want to see first when you start Internet sessions
  2. Click and drag the little icon next to the address of that site to the Home icon (looks like little house)
  3. Click Yes on the confirmation dialog box asking if you really want to change your home page

That’s it. Now if you are one of the many unfortunate souls who is using Windows Vista, watch how “elegant, quick and streamlined” Microsoft has made this process with Internet Explorer 7:

  1. Pull up the web site you want to see first
  2. Click the drop down arrow next to the Home icon…no not the one at the end of the toolbar, the one righ next to the Home icon
  3. Click Add or Change Home Page
  4. Read and decide whether you want to “use this page as your only home page” or “Add this web page to your home page tabs” (a question which will befuddle many computer users)
  5. Click the option of the answer you chose
  6. Click Yes 

See, that’s DOUBLE the intuitive steps that we have used for more than 10 years and all other browsers use! That’s Microsoft progress! That’s Vista! But Vista sure is purdy.

To see these steps in action, watch the video below:

How to rename files or folders in Windows – Video Tip

I answer this question a lot throughout my week both in person and in email, so I thought it was a great one to start with today. Remember that this tip applies to both files and folders. Enjoy and let me know what other quick tips you would like to see!

How to use CCleaner – Beginners Edition Video Tip

For many years, I have recommended using the CCleaner disk cleanup utility for Windows. It does a more thorough job and is faster than the Windows cleanup utility built-in to all versions of Windows. In this short video, I demonstrate how to get started with CCleaner. I may delve deeper into the product in a future video.