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Know your Internet options

Picking out an Internet provider in the good ol' days of the Internet was easy. All you had to do was pick a company that wasn't owned by AOL and you'd be OK.

Today the choice is much tougher because you must choose between dial-up and broadband. And if you choose broadband, you must choose which type of broadband is best for you.

Here is a handy guide to help you decide.

Dial-up – Dial-up Internet the slowest way to connect to the Internet, but it is usually the least expensive if you are comparing actual costs of service. However, there are other disadvantages besides lack of speed.

A short tip for LCD monitor users

If you use an LCD monitor and it seems a little fuzzy, there are two possible solutions.

Probably the biggest reason for fuzzy flat panel monitors is that the resolution is set too low. Most LCD monitors require at least 1024×768 and most are 1280×1024. If your monitor is set on 800×600, then the text is probably plenty large to read, but it will be fuzzy. The solution of increasing the resolution will make the image much sharper, but the text will be a lot smaller so there is a tradeoff.

Another cause of the problem may be that your monitor has never been setup correctly. I think every LCD monitor I have ever seen has an Auto button or Auto setting. Look for this word Auto. It might be in the monitor menu that you will find by pushing the indicated button on your monitor or it may be a button all by itself.

Logging into Windows

I had a frantic call today from a client who couldn't get into Windows because no matter what password he tried, it wouldn't let him continue. After doing some Lamaze breathing exercises with him over the phone, I calmly asked him to leave the password field blank and click OK. I could feel the sense of relief come over his face when his desktop started to appear. 

The moral of the story:  With Windows, often times there is no password necessary to enter even if there is a box seemingly asking for one. Just click OK and you will be on your way. If you want to avoid the log on screen altogether, search our site for instructions how to do that or call us on Saturdays.

Why you shouldn’t use the same username and password for everything

I have had several clients tell me that they use the same username and password for everything so they don't forget.

While this is a personal decision, I just thought I would provide one good reason why it's not a good idea to only use one username and password.

Let's say that somehow a bad guy gets a job working for your ISP (Internet Service Provider) or perhaps he gets a job working for your newsletter about singles who collect stamps.

Typically these kinds of sites can't see your password, but they can reset your password. If this particular shady individual resets your password then you won't be able to get into the stuff related to that site that you want.

Using “Run” to get places

If you have listened to the show much, you have probably heard us tell people to go into "msconfig." This tip works in Windows XP for sure, but some commands may not work in other versions of Windows.

msconfig is one run command that takes you into the Microsoft Configuration Utility, but there are other handy run commands, here are most of them.

To use any of these click on START -> RUN and type the word or phrase in the box provided.

Add Hardware Wizard
hdwwiz.cpl

Add/Remove Programs
appwiz.cpl

Automatic Updates
wuaucpl.cpl

Bluetooth Transfer Wizard
fsquirt

Windows 95 lives!

Before I moved here to Colorado in 1995, I visited a large circus tent in a Seattle suburb parking lot. The tent said, "Start" in large letters at the entrance. Once inside, I was greeted by extremely cheerful, almost giddy, representatives from Microsoft. I estimated about 30-35 computers were setup with twice that many Microsoft reps showing curious visitors to the tent what Windows 95 was and how it would change the world of computing. One enthusiastic rep gleefully showed me some shortcuts with the Windows key that did impress me and stuck with me from that day until I purchased my first Windows 95 machine nearly a year later.

RIGHT Click can save you time

I still get amazed at how many computer users don't understand the RIGHT click or are afraid to use it. The RIGHT click button has one primary function: instantly pop up a relevant menu of options. Don't read any more into its function than that. After you RIGHT click on a file, picture, the desktop, an email or Internet page, in a word processing document or anywhere, you switch directly back to the left mouse button.

When we instruct a caller on the show or if I'm teaching a customer how to RIGHT click, the very next question we always get is, "do I RIGHT click again?" Keep in mind that the RIGHT click has the one basic function of invoking a relevant menu for the task you are currently working with and you interact with that menu and all subsequent steps with your normal left click.

The firewall debate heats up

After my post yesterday, then my article in the newletter, a few people feel that I am way off base in recommending that most people don't need a firewall.

First, Windows XP has a firewall built-in, if you use DSL or you have your cable Internet running through a Router, then you have a hardware firewall. My comments are pertaining to the extra software firewalls like ZoneAlarm and Sygate.

My cool brother-in-law, Nishan, emailed me with a few comments about my articles. He designs and maintains a huge database for a medical billing company in Oregon. In other words, unlike me, he is a true geek. I merely pretend to understand when people talk about SQL, Linux, and Apache, Nishan understands this stuff.

Starting online accounts

Sometimes what I think might be an intuitive function turns out to be not as obvious to many computer users. One customer I worked with today hoped to create an online portfolio to track stocks. After arriving at the site, no matter what username and password combination she tried, it wouldn't work. When I asked if she had registered or signed up with the site, she responded "no". 

After looking around at many financial and other other sites, the username and password boxes are prominent and the sign up or register links aren't nearly as obvious. A user is easily lured into thinking that by simply thinking of a username or password and clicking sign in. However, you always need to sign up or register with the site first. Think of a unique username (some sites require you to use your email address as your username) and a password (try not to use the same password on all sites). Then click the register or sign up link and fill out the required form. Some sites require an additional verification step where the site will send you an email with a link that you click to verify your registration.