05/16/2008

Insert vs. overwrite: What’s the difference?
When I use my word processing software, I can't insert a letter (character) into a word or a sentence without canceling the letter next to it.

05/09/2008

Beware of 'jury duty' scam
Identity thieves must be working overtime to come up with these diabolically ingenious plans to separate us from our personal information.

05/02/2008

Find best gas prices
There are several excellent sites where you can find the best gas prices in any area.

04/25/2008

Ixnay on cable sharing
Is there anything that prevents me from sharing my high-speed Comcast Internet connection with my neighbors by using a wireless router?

04/18/2008

Display multiple time zones
Displaying multiple time zones can come in handy if you communicate with people in other cities.

04/11/2008

Enlarge bars for easy scrolling
I read somewhere that I can enlarge my scroll bars, but I can’t remember how to do it.

04/04/2008

In case of emergency, think ICE
I received an email that says I should add an ICE (In Case of Emergency) number to my cell phone auto-dialer. Is there any truth to this or any reason not to do it?

03/28/2008

Banish Windows Messenger
How can I get rid of Windows Messenger so it doesn't announce to the world that I'm online?

03/21/2008

Spring clean your keyboard
Q. A couple of keys stick on my keyboard. I don't know what to do other than buy a new keyboard. Is there anything I can use to unstick the keys, and if so, how would I go about it?

03/14/2008

Create handy shortcut to explorer
Why is it so difficult to create a Desktop shortcut to Windows Explorer? I know how to launch it by clicking Start > All Programs > Accessories > Windows Explorer, and I’ve made lots of shortcuts before, but I can't find where the activation file is located. Can you help?

03/07/2008

Use photos as desktop wallpaper
Q. I saw a photo on the Web that I’d like to use as my Desktop wallpaper. Can you explain how I can do that?

02/29/2008

Are the 'Net and Web synonymous?
I’ve been using the Internet for about a year, but I’m still not clear about something: Are the Internet and the World Wide Web the same thing?

02/22/2008

Clear your browsing history
When I enter a Web site address into the address bar of Internet Explorer, the address pops up before I finish typing. Is there any way to prevent that? I’d also like to delete sites from the drop-down list that appears to the right of the address field, which also displays sites previously visited.

02/15/2008

Auto-generated messages, Part 2
In response to a question in last week’s column, I explained how to create a message, using Outlook Express, that will automatically be sent in response to email received while you’re out of the office or away on vacation

02/08/2008

Auto-generated messages, Part 1
When I'm out of the office, how can I create an email message that will go out in response to email that I receive? I'm using Outlook Express.

02/01/2008

Organize your data
One of the best things that you can do to increase your computer productivity is to create a logical filing system so you can find things quickly.

01/25/2008

Turn back time with system restore
If you’re using Windows ME, XP or Vista, the System Restore feature allows you to turn back the clock, if a computer problem arises, and return to a point when your computer was presumably working hunky-dorily. The point in time you can return to is called a Restore Point.

01/18/2008

"Farewell, Old Software"
I regularly hear from subscribers of my weekly computer-help newsletter who are required, for one reason or another, to accept a new version of older software, and who resist it every step of the way.

01/11/2008

Crumble your cookies
Cookies are tiny text files that are primarily used for personalization purposes or to remember account log-in information on a particular Web site.

01/04/2008

Delete sites from browser history
How can I remove individual entries from the Internet Explorer drop-down address list of Web sites previously visited?

12/28/2007

Print your own passport photos
Q. I have a digital photo that would make an ideal passport photo, so I would like to print a full page of small photos. Please tell me how I can do that, Mr. M.

12/21/2007

Web page not available? Don't panic!
What causes the “Page Not Available” message to appear when I try to visit certain Web sites? Can I do anything to avoid it?

12/14/2007

Facts about online faxing
Q. I know there’s a way to use the Internet for faxing, but I don’t know how. Can you help, Mr. M?

12/07/2007

Prevent blocked attachments
When emails arrive, any attachments are deleted with the following message: "Outlook Express removed access to the following unsafe attachments in your mail,” and then the name of the attachment appears. Why is that happening and can you tell me how to stop it?

11/30/2007

Convert vacation slides to CD
I’ve got several hundred old vacation slide photos. I don’t have a slide projector anymore, but was curious if I could transfer my slides to a CD? Thanks for being there, Mr. M.

11/23/2007

Stop a run-away printer
Sometimes I’ll accidentally hit the print button when I’m viewing a document or Web site. When I try to stop the printing, it won’t stop so I wind up wasting lots of paper and ink. Is there some way to stop my printer once it starts printing?

11/16/2007

Block mail from annoying sender
I want to build a Web site, so I spoke with one company, but they wanted $12,000 to build it. I don’t have that kind of money. What would you suggest, Mr. M? I just want a simple Web site and the ability to perhaps add to it in the future.

11/09/2007

Spyware alert or scam?
Q. Wouldn’t one way to stop spam be to reply to it and sound interested in whatever is being sold? If enough people did this, the creeps sending spam would be inundated with fake requests for information and would stop spamming. Wouldn’t that work, Mr. M?

11/02/2007

Print Outlook Express address book
I’m using Outlook Express and wondered if there is some way I can print my Address Book?

10/26/2007

Print multiple Word documents
How can I print several documents at one time using Microsoft Word? I’ve been printing one, then opening the next one, printing that, and so on. There must be a faster way to do this.

10/19/2007

Print a portion of a Web page
How can I print a portion of a Web page? I just want to print a couple of paragraphs, but I keep getting the whole thing.

10/12/2007

Change your browser's start page
I know you’ve addressed this before, but I can’t remember how to change the Web page that appears when I open my browser. Can you go over that again, please? I look forward to your newsletter every Friday.

10/05/2007

Beware of bogus update notifications
Cyber scoundrels are at it again, this time emailing phony Microsoft Windows update notifications.

10/01/2007

Photo magic with mosaics
Q.  A friend sent me a digital photo that looked like a mosaic, meaning it was made up of  lots of little pieces.  How is something like that done?

09/21/2007

Wherefore art thou, Scandisk?
I’m having a problem running Scandisk on my Windows XP computer because I can’t find the command to do it. I love your newsletter, Mr. M. Thanks for being there so I can ask stupid questions without feeling stupid.

09/14/2007

Vista versions explained
There are five primary versions of the Windows Vista operating system: The no-frills version is Vista Home Basic, which is similar to the Home Premium Edition, except Home Basic does not include Vista's fancier media features, such as DVD burning, HDTV, TV recording, and other similar features. I would steer clear of Home Basic.

09/07/2007

Create snazzy photo slide show
love my digital camera. On my last vacation, I took more than 800 photos that I’d now like to make into a screen-saver slideshow. Can you help? I’m using Windows XP.

08/31/2007

Check your connection speed
Q. How can I check my connection speed to the Internet?

08/24/2007

Single-use credit cards online
Q. I heard of something called single-use credit cards that are supposed to be safer when purchasing things on the Internet. Is this something I should be using and if so, how do I get one?

08/17/2007

Track changes to Word documents
I had to have Windows XP reinstalled on my computer, but now my Favorites are no longer on my Taskbar. Can you help me get them back?

08/10/2007

Getting to the root of routers
My son tells me that I need a LinkSys Firewall Router, but I have no idea why. Is that to control spam or will it do something else? If you could explain it, I sure would appreciate it. 

08/03/2007

Prevent unintended PC shut downs
My desktop computer is about four years old and up until now has been running great. Lately, it's developed an annoying habit of shutting itself off while I'm using it. If I immediately press the power button, it won't start up, but if I wait awhile, it works. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

07/27/2007

Eek! Disappearing icons!
I may be losing my mind, but it seems to me that some of the small icons near the clock occasionally disappear, for no reason at all. They’re there one day and sometimes even later in the day they seem to be gone. Do you have any idea what’s going on? Is my computer possessed?

07/20/2007

Computing 101: How to copy and paste
Two basic skills all computers users need include the ability to copy (or cut) and paste, so let’s run through the process from start to finish.

07/13/2007

Easy on the eyes
I recently bought a new computer that has a 22-inch screen, which I thought was going to be easier on my eyes. It’s not.

07/06/2007

Farewell, old friend
This has been a long time in coming, but we need to talk. There is no easy way to say this, but I think it would be best if we see other people.

06/29/2007

What’s all the fuss about RAM?
Q. I’m new to computers and don’t understand something called RAM. I know that I’m supposed to have it, but what is it?

06/22/2007

Delete 'recent documents' in Windows XP
Q. How do I delete the items shown in the Recent Documents area in Windows XP?

06/15/2007

How do I know if I have a virus?
Q. Sometimes I think my computer has a virus, but I'm never sure. What are some of the signs to watch out for that could mean that I've got a virus?

06/08/2007

OK to save passwords in browser?
Q. When I visit a Web site that requires a password, Internet Explorer asks if I want to remember my password. Is it a good or bad idea to say yes?

06/01/2007

More fun than a barrel of modems!
Mr. Modem talks about total RAM and hard-drive space, adding a USB device to a computer and tells us what "dual boot" means.

05/25/2007

Beware of mail bombs
Get tips on dealing with mail bombs and tips on whittling down google.com search results.