There are plenty of web search engines, but to most of us Google is web search. The company has so successfully redefined the search market that its name has become synonymous with searching. Although most people use Google, few use it really effectively. Here’s a guide to making the most of Google. Quick searches Basic [...]
Troubleshooting communications problems can be a frustrating pastime. There are so many parts to any computer connection it’s often hard to isolate where the problem is located, let alone pin down exactly what’s wrong. The trouble could be with your hardware: modem, router, Ethernet or wireless card, the cables, or interference from other devices. It [...]
The Send To option has always been one of Windows’ handiest shortcuts. It lets you copy a file – or a folder full of files – to another folder without having to navigate your way to that destination folder. Send To also lets you quickly upload, email or open a document. To use Send To, [...]
I sometimes wonder whether Microsoft spends so much on its programming budget it has little left over to spend on designers. This thought often crosses my mind when working with Office sample files, templates and styles. Take, for example, the auto-formats supplied with pre-2007 versions of Excel. Who designed these things? Not only are they [...]
I unabashedly love my Kindle and I’m gaga over my iPhone. Yes, I know neither is perfect. Improvements should be made. It doesn’t matter. Give me these two devices, an Internet connection and a source of electricity and you can take away all my other computers, gadgets and gizmos. I shall be content.* So when [...]
Most of your interaction with your computer will be via the mouse, keyboard and screen. If you’re a poor typist, do yourself a very big favour and buy a typing tutor program for your computer. You can pick up a good one for under 20 bucks, either from a computer store or through online retailers [...]
It’s staggering how many shareware and commercial database applications have appalling data entry screens. Many developers seem to think that well-oiled inner workings are all that’s needed to sell an application, when any user knows that, when you get down to it, the interface is the app. When you’re designing a database application, you’re taking [...]
The Control Panel centralises access to Windows’ multitudinous settings. From the Control Panel you can adjust and tweak Windows’ appearance, performance, network connections, hardware settings and a whole lot more. While many of the settings in the Control Panel are also accessible in other ways – for instance, you can change the desktop appearance by right-clicking [...]
Windows 98, Windows Me and Windows XP come with a collection of house cleaning tools, including ScanDisk, Disk Defragmenter and Disk Cleanup, to help keep your disk in peak working order. Why should you bother with the housework? A couple of reasons. First, disks are hard working, mechanical devices and, like all mechanical devices, prone [...]
These days, almost every home is a candidate for a network. Most people have at least one older computer hanging around and families with children or two working adults are likely to have multiple desktop and notebook machines. While networking computers used to be something of a black art, Windows 7 makes it a mostly [...]
In the olden days – about 15 years ago when Windows 95 first arrived on the scene – creating a home network was a fearsome task reserved for the knowledgeable or the courageous. That’s no longer the case. Windows XP makes setting up a network easy. The toughest part of the deal is physically installing the [...]
Once you get past the initial unfamiliarity, you’ll find the new taskbar has a lot to offer. Microsoft has given the taskbar a complete makeover. If you’re an old hand with Windows, you’ll need to invest some time in getting acquainted with the new layout. At first, you may not like all you see, but [...]
Although the usual way to install Windows 7 is from a DVD, it’s possible to copy the contents of your installation DVD to a USB flash drive and install the operating system from there. This is particularly handy for optical-disc-less notebooks and for netbooks, which almost never include a DVD drive. An added attraction is [...]