Internet Tips found on the web: September 2006

Adding to the Sendto folder

One of the handiest keyboard conventions is the right click menu where you can send a file anywhere you want it, provided you've done a bit of advance preparation. Add to your SendTo menu by creating a shortcut to the file or folder that you'll want to add to your SendTo menu. Creating a shortcut is as easy as right-clicking on the item and choosing "Create Shortcut" from the menu.

Then, click on the Start button and choose "Run", type in the word "sendto" (without quotes) in that box, and press Enter. Finally, drag and drop that newly created shortcut into the SendTo folder. You have now created another SendTo option when you right click on a file.

Check Rumors & Hoaxes At Snopes.com

Before you forward the big news about AOL and Microsoft offering prizes for forwarding email to your 200 closest friends, please check with Snopes.com. It's the absolute best place to find out whether you're being hoaxed. (Check everything there. If you wake up in the morning and your wife says, "Good morning!" check with Snopes.com before you decide to believe her.)
Check Rumors & Hoaxes At Snopes.com

Digitally manage your money

I would like to get a program to help me manage my checkbook and finances. I do a lot of online banking. Which programs should I be looking for? I'm not sure where to start.

Many people prefer to keep a close watch on personal finances. For most, a print ledger is still a fairly common way of balancing a checking account. Software adds to this automatic statistics, charts and other computer strengths.

There are programs that can download your online banking records. This feature saves you the trouble of entering transactions manually. You may be able to do most of your banking through the software.

You should check with your bank to determine which programs will work with your accounts. Bank of America, for example, supports Intuit's Quicken and Microsoft's Money programs. Also find out whether your bank charges fees to release records to finance software.

The basic version of Quicken goes for $30. Money starts at $20. Both offer free trials. If you have a choice, try them to determine which is easier to use for you.

For those who want something more basic, consider programs like AceMoney, Money Manager Ex and PLCash. Each of these is free. They can help you track your money, but may require manual transaction entry.

You could also use a spreadsheet program like Excel. You can get the basics on Excel through my site. There are plenty of pre-made budgeting templates on Microsoft's site. For even more Excel utilities, check ASAP Utilities. If you don't have Excel, check out OpenOffice (including the Calc spreadsheet). OpenOffice can travel with you on a thumb drive.

I didn't intend to delete that file

First, check your Recycle Bin. In most cases, deleted files wind up here. I like to think of the Recycle Bin as a safety net!

If you see your file in the Recycle Bin, you can restore it easily. Simply right-click on the file and select Restore. The file will disappear from the Recycle Bin. It will reappear in the folder where you last saved it.

But really large files often bypass the Recycle Bin. So this may require a little extra assistance. Ditto if you've emptied the Recycle Bin.

You may be able to retrieve the file with recovery software. When you delete a file, you don't really wipe it off the hard drive. You remove the link to the file on the hard drive. The software may be able to restore the link so you can access the file.

There are a couple of caveats, though. First, if you overwrite the data with new data, you won't be able to restore it. This means you should stop using the computer until you've recovered your file.

PC Tools, one of my advertisers, makes File Recover http://www.pctools.com/ ($30). It can help you recover deleted files. I've also read good reviews for Restoration http://aumha.org/a/recover.php a free program.

Li-Ion Battery Advice

Avoid frequent full discharges. The reason this is an issue is because performing frequent full discharges puts additional strain on the battery. Several partial discharges with frequent recharges are better for Li-Ion batteries than one deep one. Recharging a partially charged Li-Ion battery doesn’t cause harm because there is no memory. (In this respect, Li-Ion differs from nickel-based batteries.) Short battery life in a notebook computer is mainly caused by heat rather than by charge/discharge patterns. Batteries with fuel gauges (notably notebook computers) should be calibrated. You should calibrate these batteries by applying a deliberate full discharge once every 30 charges. (Running the pack down in the equipment does this.) If ignored, the fuel gauge will become increasingly less accurate, and in some cases, it can cut off the device prematurely. Keep the Li-Ion battery cool. Avoid a hot car. For prolonged storage, keep the battery at a 40% charge level. Consider removal. Perhaps you should think about removing the battery from a notebook when you’re running the computer on fixed power. This isn’t because the battery will overcharge; it’s to save the battery from the extra heat. (Some notebook manufacturers are concerned about dust and moisture accumulating inside the battery casing, whereas others warn that in the event of a power outage, or if you disconnect the notebook forgetting that the battery isn’t there, you may lose data.)

Avoid purchasing spares. Don’t just buy Li-Ion batteries for later use. You must observe the manufacturing dates. Also, don’t buy old stock, even if it’s sold at clearance prices. If you have a spare. If you happen to have a spare Li-Ion battery, use one to the fullest and keep the other one cool by placing it in the refrigerator. (Just make sure you warm the battery to room temperature before use.) Do not freeze the battery. For best results, store the battery at a 40% state-of-charge.

MORE HELP FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED

Just because you have difficulty seeing doesn't mean you can't use a computer. Many Web sites are not designed with accessibility in mind.

Well, I have some tricks to help you out. In Firefox, you can make text bigger by pressing the Ctrl key and using your mouse's scroll wheel. This won't work in IE. But it controls the zoom in programs such as Word and Excel.

You can change your settings in both IE and Firefox. If you do this, it will override fonts and colors on Web pages. You can select a readable font and font size.

In IE, click Tools>>Internet Options. On the General tab, click Accessibility. Select "Ignore font styles specified on Web pages" and "Ignore font sizes specified on Web pages." Additionally, you can have IE ignore colors. When you're done, click OK. Now click Fonts. Select a font that is easy for you to read and click OK>>OK.

Next, you need to specify font size. To do this, click View>>Text Size. Select the size of font you would like.

In Firefox, click Tools>>Options and click Content. In the Fonts & Colors section, click Advanced. Deselect "Allow pages to choose their own fonts, instead of my selections above." Then, use the dropdown boxes to select the fonts and sizes you would like. You'll have to make selections in each of the categories. When you're done, click OK>>OK.

Avoid data loss by safely removing your thumb drive

If you want your thumb drive to play nice, you must be nice to it. This means you can't just pull it out of the USB port. That can cost you your data.

Before you unplug the drive, close all programs that are accessing it. Then, click the Safely Remove Hardware icon (it's the one with a green arrow) in the notification area, and click the thumb drive in the pop- up list. You'll receive a message saying you can unplug the drive.

Despite the error message, data loss from an improper removal isn't likely with a thumb drive. However, external hard drives are different. Windows enables write caching for them. With that, a drive stores information in memory and tells Windows it has it. Then, the data is written to the drive. It is not permanently stored until it's actually written. Unplug the drive before the data is written, and you lose it.