What are those random letters and words that show up in the subject or at the bottom of many spam emails?
I get those emails too: a graphic will appear selling some product and at the top or bottom it looks like a three year-old was attacking the keyboard. Or you’ll see some random words like “goldfish tinman wart
Comments | Filed under: E-Mail Help |
Q:
What are plug-ins?
A:
A plug-in is a small application that works with your browser to display certain types of web media. For example, some web sites use Shockwave to allow you to play interactive games. However, in order to play these games, you need to have a Shockwave plug-in. Oh, if you want to check out some of these games and more, head to:
Comments | Filed under: Computer Terms, Using The Internet |
Save Power
Want to leave your computer on but don’t want to use all that extra electricity? Windows provides an easy way to reduce the power your system consumes when you are not using it. This is especially handy for laptop users.
I think the easiest way to get to these options is to right click an empty space on the desktop and select Properties in the menu that appears… Continue reading
Comments | Filed under: Uncategorized |
Q:
Should I leave my computer on all the time, or turn it off?
A:
This debate comes up often. Sparks continue to fly on both sides of the issue (especially if you don’t have a surge protector!)
I guess I’ll give you the thoughts from both camps and let you decide.
Leave it on:
The… Continue reading
Comments | Filed under: Uncategorized |
Here’s a quickie way to view the properties of a file or program.
If you need to get the properties for something (like an icon, for instance), just hold down your ALT key and double-click it .
Instant properties!
Try it with “My Computer” or one of your regular desktop icons.
And… Continue reading
Comments | Filed under: Shortcuts & Keyboard Tricks |
Q:
Will smoking around my computer mess it up?
A:
In the early days, computer geeks kept their systems in dust free, temperature controlled rooms and required everyone to wear static free booties before entering their “labs”. What a far cry from today where people eat and drink over their keyboards or use the cup mounted on their monitor for an ash tray.
Despite all our… Continue reading
Comments | Filed under: Uncategorized |
New Wave
OK, you’ve downloaded some wave files and you would like to use them in your sound scheme. How do you do it? Well, it’s easy!
1. First, click your Start button, Settings , Control panel (XP users, hit the Start button, Control Panel ). You should see an icon for either Sounds or Sounds & Audio Devices . Double-click it.
2. A screen will be displayed that allows… Continue reading
Comments | Filed under: Multimedia |
Do you have awesome wallpaper that’s obscured by all those nasty little icons cluttering your desktop ? Well, here’s how to make them all disappear, at least temporarily…
Win XP Instructions:
A pretty easy process here.
Just right-click your Desktop , Arrange Icons By , then click the ” Show Desktop Icons ” item.
Why the PhD’s at Microsoft decided it was a good idea to stick the “Show… Continue reading
Comments | Filed under: Desktop Enhancement |
I always have too many programs open at the same time and I can’t remember which icon belongs to which program on my toolbar. Is there an easy way to tell which button is which?
By hovering over an item, a balloon should come up telling you what the program is.
One easy
Comments | Filed under: Desktop Enhancement, Shortcuts & Keyboard Tricks |
Check for Corrupt System Files
Did you ever have the suspicion that one of your Windows system files was corrupt? Normally, this problem causes lots of frustration while you try to hunt down the impaired file or do a complete re-install of Windows. Well, hold your Install Disks! There’s another way.
Prior to Windows ME the operating system might overwrite shared system files (for example .dll and .exe files) when… Continue reading
Comments | Filed under: System Tune-Up Help |
Q:
I have been receiving these annoying pop-ups that say that Windows XP has a security leak in it’s messenger that allows my IP address to be leaked and allows these annoying pop-ups to occur even without my browser open. They try to get me to buy their software to stop the pop-ups. Do I need to install their software or is there something I can do?
A:
Comments | Filed under: System Tune-Up Help, Using The Internet |
Save Embedded Email Pictures
I’m sure you all know how to save pictures from web pages. You just right click the image and choose “Save Picture As…” If you’re using a web-based email client (AOL, Yahoo, MSN/Hotmail) the this is all you do.
Did you know that you can do the same with pictures in your Outlook Express and Netscape Mail?
Just right click and choose “Save Picture As…” (Outlook… Continue reading
Comments | Filed under: E-Mail Help |
Sometimes Windows will get itself all tied into a bunch and there is no choice but to cut the power to your computer and restart. Well, maybe not. Here are some other things to try… Continue reading
Comments | Filed under: Shortcuts & Keyboard Tricks, System Tune-Up Help |
Deleting Setup Files
You’ve downloaded some software and ran its setup program. Now you want to delete the setup program, but should you?
Usually. If it was a .ZIP file, you’re normally safe. If it was an .EXE file, make sure it’s only a setup program and not the actual program itself (in most cases, it’s only a setup program).
Here’s why:
The way most setup programs work is they… Continue reading
Comments | Filed under: System Tune-Up Help, Using The Internet |
Ever try to save a file only to be told that the file name is “invalid” due to a character issue? It’s not you, nor a jab at your personality, I promise!
So, to avoid future problems, I give you a list of characters to avoid:
* Asterisk
< >[ ] Brackets
= Equal sign
+ Plus sign
” Quotes
\ / Slashes
, . : ; Comma, Period… Continue reading
Comments | Filed under: File & Disk Management |
Q:
Sometimes I go to web pages that have information I need, but the animations and stupid music are so annoying. I shut my speakers off and try to ignore the animations, but I was wondering if there was a better way to deal with pages like this. Any thoughts?
A:
I think I was on that page yesterday 
If the music doesn’t knock you off your… Continue reading
Comments | Filed under: Using The Internet |
Have you ever made a mistake while filling out a form on a web page or in a software program? If you’re like me, you occasionally find that you’ve put information in the wrong box.
Most people would just sigh, delete out the error, then re-type it in the appropriate box.
And we wonder why carpal tunnel syndrome cases are on the rise.… Continue reading
Comments | Filed under: Shortcuts & Keyboard Tricks, Using The Internet |
I love using keyboard shortcuts. They’re quick and make me look like I’m a pro… or something. However, I realize that many of you like to keep one hand on the mouse, so those three key combos are out. How about a way to type one key at a time rather than all at once?
This feature is called “Sticky Keys” and gives you a delay between key strokes when… Continue reading
Comments | Filed under: Shortcuts & Keyboard Tricks |
Clean Your Desk(top)
Have too many icons on your desktop? You probably only have a few that you really use on a regular basis, so why not keep the other ones handy, but hidden?
Well, it can be done by putting a little folder on your desktop and dragging any infrequently used shortcut icons to it. Here’s how:
1. Right-click the desktop and select, New, Folder .… Continue reading
Comments | Filed under: Desktop Enhancement, File & Disk Management |
Launching Multiple Programs
Have you ever needed to launch multiple programs? Normally, you hit the Start button, Programs , then select the program you want to run. Once that one starts, you go back through and repeat the process for the next program. Well, here’s a better way.
Next time you need to launch more than one program from your Programs menu, hold down your SHIFT key while you click… Continue reading
Comments | Filed under: Shortcuts & Keyboard Tricks, Uncategorized |
Drivers are basically instructions that tell your computer how to use its hardware. Each hardware device in your computer has a driver. Continue reading
Comments | Filed under: Computer Terms |
Adjust Mouse Click Speed
Do you have a tough time double clicking fast enough to open files and programs? Or maybe the opposite problem.
Guess what? Your double-click speed can be adjusted!
Just click the Start button, Settings, Control Panel , then open the Mouse icon. ( XP users, hit the Start button, Control Panel , then open the Mouse icon).
From the little screen that pops up, you should… Continue reading
Comments | Filed under: Uncategorized |
OK, do you visit web pages with dynamic, frequently updated content? You know, stuff like news, stocks, and weather type sites.
Anyhow, have you ever noticed that sometimes you just can’t get the stupid page to refresh? Sure, you hit the refresh button but it’s the same page (and you just know it’s been updated). Explorer is stubbornly refusing to re-load the thing properly.… Continue reading
Comments | Filed under: Using The Internet |
Q:
Why do I often get the message “Site cannot be found” when I go to some web pages?
A:
“404- Not Found – The page you were trying to look at was not found on the server.”
1. This is probably the most common error you’ll come across while online. There are several reasons for this:
The web page you were going to has been removed or… Continue reading
Comments | Filed under: Using The Internet |
If you are using a mail client like Outlook Express then you know that Message Rules are probably the most versatile and helpful feature. We’ve told you how to use them for blocking unwanted email, whitelisting, automatic forwarding, and sorting into folders. This new trick is great for helping you easily identify the good stuff when wading through a mountain of email.
How would you like to just look at… Continue reading
Comments | Filed under: E-Mail Help |
Have you ever been working in MS PowerPoint and wish you could select more than one of the slides at a time? Maybe you have several slides for which you’re going to set the slide transition the same? Wouldn’t it be nice to set these things all at once instead of over and over again, one slide at a time?
Of course it would, who wouldn’t want to save the… Continue reading
Comments | Filed under: MS PowerPoint |
Paste Options?
You just completed a copy / paste in MS Word XP and you happen to notice this little button appear at the end of you pasted text.
What’s that you ask? Hmmm…
Good question.
And here’s a good answer.
The little button offers you the Paste Options.
(Now I know a few of you just had the Paste Special thing pop into your mind, but just keep… Continue reading
