Let’s all face it. We don’t have to agree with it or even like it, but the porn and gaming (poker) industry push the boundaries of the Internet and sometimes that translates to a better Internet experience for all of us.
We have posted a number of tips for getting rid of spyware, but most spyware is totally preventable. Most of it comes as gullible, over confident teenagers surf the web. Here’s a list of rules you can print out and post by the computer to keep the computer safe. These are not in order or importance.
1. Use Mozilla Firefox to surf the web
2. Do not click on anything that claims that you have won something
3. Do not click on anything that claims that you might win something
4. Do not click on anything that asks your to vote (except for the HelpMeRick.com poll)
5. Do not download free ringtones, screensavers, games or wallpaper – especially if you are required to install a program for them to work
Using Microsoft Word and a little customizing of the Word toolbar, this tip will get you printing envelopes easily.
If you write business letters with the recipient’s address in the body of the message, Word will pick up the address and insert it into your envelope when you use the envelope tool. Click on the Tools menu and then Envelopes and Labels. From there, you can print your envelope and set your default return address. Experiment with your printer a little to get the direction and feed of the envelope correct to make your printing easier.
Now to get the button on your toolbar for one-click access, follow these steps for Microsoft Word versions 2003 and prior (the video shows the methodology for Word 2007 and OpenOffice Writer as well):
1. Click on Tools from the menus
2. Click on Customize
3. Click on the Commands tab
4. Click on Tools in the Categories column
5. Scroll and find the Envelopes and Labels button in the Commands column
6. Click on it and drag it out to your toolbar…you can place it anywhere you want (I put mine next to the printer button)
7. Click on close
Now anytime you need to print an envelope your button is within reach.
The short video tutorial demonstrates these steps for you in pre-Word 2007 steps, Word 2007, and OpenOffice Writer.
Tip within a tip: Use these same steps to add any button you want to the toolbar.
There is no doubt in my mind that our site has the most relevant and easy to understand computer information for the average and beginner computer user. Unfortunately, the average computer user doesn’t know how to browse the web well and has trouble finding the information they need to know.
Search engines are confusing. Searching a web site is even more baffling. These computer users do well when they have a recipe of what to do in front of them or can watch someone else perform the steps.
Enter the above average computer user…YOU!
We desperately need your help in spreading the word about HelpMeRick.com Your neighbors look to you for help and computer advice. Your co-workers look to you when they need to find a lost file. And of course your family knows that you know the answer to their latest computer dilemma.
Unofficially, YOU provide tech support for a multitude of computer users. Those computer users you help need to be visiting HelpMeRick.com to help get answers to their questions and to improve their computer knowlege. You can help them get the computer education they need by using the thousands of answers we provide here at the site.
Send your tech support charges links via email to the exact answer to their question at HelpMeRick.com. No reason for you to have reinvent the wheel.
Get the picture? Help us, help you. Help us, help your friends.
Then tell your friends to visit HelpMeRick.com often so they don’t get in these messes to begin with or can learn new skills that make them more productive computer users.
And finally, let them know that they also should send their friends, family, and co-workers to HelpMeRick.com for education and computer help. Knowledge is power, and powerful computer knowledge can be found right here.
Have you ever followed a link from Google only to find that the page it leads you to is full of text that you must read through in order to find the terms you searched for?
In Firefox and most other browsers, you can press the F key on your keyboard while holding the CTRL key down and you will open a find tool.
The word default in tennis, is not the same as the word default in computers.
In the computer world, the word default means, what your computer will do when you don’t tell it to do something else.
Most families have two or more cars. Chances are that each member of the family has their favorite car to drive. If they have to go somewhere, there is a good chance that they will drive the same car every time. This, in the computer world, would be considered the default car for that person.
Definition
The word blog derived from web + log. Blogs became well known during the 2004 election process, but have been around since at least 1999. They started out as simple online diaries comprised of primarily text entries sorted by date…newest to oldest. Gradually, they morphed into full fledge web sites containing images and video along with the written information.
What is the purpose of a blog?
Thankfully, broadband (high speed) Internet is spreading further and further. I don’t walk into many homes anymore than don’t have high speed access, and I can’t remember the last time I helped a business customer who had dial-up access. With high speed Internet access, many computer users install a wireless router to the modem to allow multiple computer access to the Internet. Wireless routers are easier to setup than ever before and can be purchased for well under $50. However, with extra technology, comes extra problems.
With wireless, the extra problems can mean potentially slow, spotty, and unsecured Internet access. Follow these five steps to make your wireless Internet stronger, more secure and less problematic:
I helped a broadband user cancel (yet keep) his AOL account today. Over a year ago, AOL stopped charging users who wanted to use their service over broadband. However, they did not tell their members about this change and continued charging them.
My client was still paying $23.95 per month for AOL. The conversation went kind of like this:
ME: Are you still paying for AOL?
HIM: Yes.
ME: How much?
HIM: $24 per month.
ME: You know that AOL is free now for broadband users.
HIM: Really? How is the free service different?
ME: It’s not. It’s exactly the same service, they just don’t charge you for it.
HIM: Why are they still charging me $24 per month?
ME: Because you haven’t asked them not to.
I worked with three customers today who all used floppy disks as their main backup. All three users had Windows XP machines, but felt that floppy disks fit their needs the best. The picture I took here was from a consultant’s desk…there must be 20 floppies in that box. I explained to all these folks how simple, efficient and spacious a USB Flash drive could be for them. Whether they ‘bite’ or not only time will tell.
In my humble opinion, there is no good use for floppy disk any longer unless you happen to be using a DOS or Windows 95 machine. Flash drives are too inexpensive, reliable and easy to use not be using them. This weekend, I saw 2 GB (that’s nearly 2000 floppy disks worth of space) USB Flash Drives on sale for less than $20!
USB Flash Drives work best for backing up data that changes often. Data like Quicken, Quickbooks, email files, address books, bookmarks/favorites, word processing or spreadsheet documents all are perfect candidates. I don’t recommend using them to backup static data like pictuers and music. As cheap as USB Flash Drives are getting, they still aren’t anywhere near as cheap as DVD and CD media.