Tips from the Web: June, 2006

Bob Elves Internet SIG

Alternatives to Add or Remove Programs

Sometimes Windows' Add or Remove Programs utility may not exactly work for you. Entries in the program list can be left behind even after they've been uninstalled. Or the listings may not give enough information to identify programs you've forgotten.

Did you know that there are alternatives to Add or Remove Programs? Some add information and extra features or perform more thorough uninstalls. They can make the task of cleaning up your computer a little easier.

Here are a couple of uninstall programs that you can look into for free:

1. Easy Uninstaller http://tinyurl.com/a7e9j

Easy Uninstaller can do the same job as Windows' Add or Remove Programs. It also adds a few extra features. It includes checkboxes beside each program in the list. You can select all of the programs you'd like to uninstall at the same time. It also includes a backup feature so that you can undo hasty uninstalls. Finally, it offers a one-click way to get rid of listings that try to stick around after the related program has been uninstalled.

2. MyUninstaller http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/myuninst.html

MyUninstaller adds more information to its list than does Windows' built-in utility. For most programs, MyUninstaller lists the release version, location on the hard drive, associated entries in the Windows registry, date of installation and more. Like Easy Uninstaller, you can select multiple programs and uninstall them together. MyUninstaller can also get rid of phantom listings.

Backing up your favorites (or bookmarks!) is a snap

In Internet Explorer, click File>>Import and Export. Click Next in the Wizard window. Select Export Favorites and click Next. Select the Favorites folder and click Next.

Specify the name and location for your file and click Next. Finally, click Finish. A file containing all your Favorite links will be created. You can share it with others or store it – just in case.

Restoring your Favorites is just as easy. Click File>>Import and Export. Click Next in the Wizard window. Select Import Favorites and click Next. Select the "Import from a File or Address." Use the Browse button to locate the backup file. Click Next.

Select Favorites and click next. Click Finish to finalize the restore. You're given notification when it is complete.

Firefox also allows you to back up Bookmarks. But the process is quite different. First, click Bookmarks>>Manage Bookmarks. In the window that opens, select File>>Export. Type a name for the file and click Save. You can share this file with others or store it for safekeeping.

To restore your bookmarks, click Bookmarks>>Manage Bookmarks. In the window that opens, select File>>Import. Select From File and click Next. Navigate to your backup file and highlight it. Click Open. Voila!

Buying a computer without losing your mind

Q. I want to buy a new system. I know you recommend 64-bit, but there's the rub. AMD's Athlon is 64-bit. However, how do I recognize a 64-bit Intel Pentium? What about dual core 32-bit chips? Are they 64-bit? Can I just buy an Athlon? What about shared video memory. Does that work OK? Can I use RAID for backups? Or, is an external hard drive better? Should I buy pre-installed office programs, or look for cheaper solutions? And, lastly, I use a wheelchair. So I can't lug a computer in for service. Should I get an onsite repair contract?

A. Well, life is never simple, is it? Buying a computer has always been a hassle, even if you're acquainted with technology. Sometimes sales people help. Other times, they just mislead you. So, I'm really sympathetic. Let's take these issues one at a time.

1. All things being equal, you probably would go for a 64-bit microprocessor. But all things aren't equal, of course. So I can see why you're confused. The microprocessor world is in a real state of flux.

Intel has fallen behind Advanced Micro Devices technologically. It has just begun to offer 64-bit chips for consumer machines. AMD has had such chips since September 2003. It also is bringing out dual-core chips. But they haven't mixed the two, yet.

AMD is adding dual cores to its 64-bit chips. Dual core chips have two computing engines. If you want the most advanced technology, AMD has it.

However, you don't really need either 64-bit or dual core. Consumer programs today are all 32-bit. So any Intel Pentium or AMD Athlon microprocessor should be OK. I wouldn't obsess over the chip. Balance the chips' power ratings with what you can afford.

2. Shared video memory is generally adequate. The absolute best solution would be a video card with at least 128 megabytes of memory. However, assuming the shared system can access 128MB of system memory, it will be OK.

You will be getting Windows XP today. I recommend 512MB of random access memory. If the video system will be sharing that, you might want to move up to 1 gigabyte of memory. If you plan to install Vista when it is released next year, be sure that you can upgrade to 2GB of memory.

3. I do not recommend using RAID (redundant array of independent disks) for backups. True, RAID can be set so that the second hard drive mirrors the first. That sounds like an easy backup solution.

However, if you accidentally delete a file, or make a change that you wish to reverse, the mistake is made simultaneously on both hard drives. So the second hard drive really does not serve as a backup.

If, on the other hand, you have made a true backup the previous night, it will still be there. It may not be up to date, but you can at least build on it.

Certainly, an external hard drive would work for backups. I use a second internal hard drive for backups at home. If the house burns down, or my computer is stolen, my backup will be gone. Otherwise, I always have a recent copy of everything. I back up every night automatically, using the Windows Backup utility.

4. As for office software, it's up to you. I use Microsoft Office. There are cheaper alternatives, and some freeware programs.

Microsoft Office is the business standard. If you're exchanging or sharing files in a business environment, the other parties probably will be looking for Microsoft files. So, there is more to consider than cost.

5. Finally, you asked about service agreements. Most computer failures are going to show up early, while the machine is still under the manufacturer's warranty. However, the manufacturer may want you to return the machine for a replacement.

So, you might well be better off with an in-home service agreement. That is an economic decision that you must make.

The big makers all offer such agreements. Local stores might also. I'd ask around and pick the best deal.

Email Auto Response

Perhaps you would like your email program to automatically reply during your vacation or other extended absence. With Outlook Express, it's a simple task: go to Create Mail, type the message, File|Save As, then set up the rules under Tools|Message Rules and choose Mail, then click on the option "For all messages" under Conditions and "Reply with message" under Action. In the third box, click on the underlined "message". In the next menu, browse to your saved message, select the file and click on Open. Make sure "Auto Reply" is designated in the fourth box of the New Mail Rule, click OK and Apply Now. Designate your Inbox as the location for your selected rule, click Apply Now|Close|OK.

You can set a rule in Yahoo! Mail by choosing Options|Vacation Response from the main page setting the dates of your absence, composing your message, then clicking on "Turn Auto-Response On". Similar provisions exist for AOL by choosing the Settings tab in the mailbox window, clicking on the Away Message link, and choosing a few simple options from there. Other email programs may - or may not - offer provisions for an automail message.

Handy links to free Google downloads

It seems like not a day goes by that we don't hear about something new from Google.com. Let's see. There's Google Earth to get satellite maps and views of just about anywhere in the globe. Desktop allows you to find anything in your PC quickly. And Google offers even more add-ons.

I use the Google Photo Screensaver. It's slick. And I also use the Google Toolbar. And let's not forget Picasa, the company's photo organizer and editor.

Here are links to download Google's freebies:

Google Pack - This one download has it all. It includes Google Earth - 3D Earth browser, Google Desktop - Desktop companion, Picasa - Photo organizer, Google Toolbar - Search toolbar, and Google Pack Screensaver - Photo screensaver.

Make your PC more useful. Get the free Google Pack.

Google Picasa - This is a free photo organizer and editor. It scours your hard drive for all images. It's fast and great.

Organize your pictures. Get Google's photo software.

Google Toolbar for FireFox - It makes it easier to search for items on the Web, block pop-ups, find phrases on a page and much more.

Get Firefox with Google Toolbar

Intelligent Drag

One of the great features of Windows is that you can drag and drop just about anything to any location. It is one of the easiest ways to put a file in a folder.

However, most people drag the "old-fashioned" way - by clicking and holding the left mouse button on the file, and moving it to the new location. Why is this not the best way? Because you can't always know exactly what that move will do. Sometimes it might copy the file, sometimes it might move it, or it might even just place a shortcut. You need to control exactly what will happen - that's why you should do the Intelligent Drag (an original Computer Tutor term :)

Instead of dragging with the left mouse button, drag with the right mouse button. Then, when you get the file to where you want it and let go of the button, you will see a new menu pop up. You have a choice:

1. You can copy - so the file will remain in the old location, and also be in the new location.

2. You can move - the file will no longer be in the old location, only in the new location.

3. You can create a shortcut - the file will remain in the old location, and the new location will only have an icon (shortcut) that points to the file.

4. You can cancel the whole operation and start over.

Now that's control!

Referred pain

Your health is so important and yet easy to overlook when working. Especially with computers. I personally changed to a different computer mouse years ago because of the way traditional mouses caused me to hold my hand. It wasn't painful for me physically but it was affecting my hobby - sleight-of- hand. So I changed and never looked back.

This week both my wife and a couple of my children were having some pain. It was referred pain, meaning the pain originated somewhere other than where you feel it. How do you know if it is referred pain? Simply push on the pain and see if you can touch it. If you can't it is referred pain.

In all three cases here the pain was referred. My wife had pain on her upper arm, my son near his hip, and daughter on the front her leg. So we pulled out our copy of "The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook" by Clair Davies. All three were helped by the information in this book.I found this interesting book while researching Fibromyalgia and TMJ a few years ago. Nobody in my family has Fibromyalgia but a friend of mine does and I wanted to know more about it. I have TMJ that acts up on occasion. Somebody suggested this book and I picked up a copy. It took a bit to understand the concept and how to apply it but the result has been worth it.

The author began researching trigger points to help with a frozen shoulder. The technique involves applying short, repeated massage strokes to trigger points, tiny contraction knots in muscle tissue where restricted circulation and lack of oxygen cause referred pain. My family has found this book useful and I have shared it with everyone I meet who is having pain. Read the description at Amazon and see if it might be helpful to you to:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1572243759/tnpcnewsletter

Six freebies to run off a USB thumb drive

Did you know that a thumb drive can do much more than simply store documents? There are now a good number of essential programs that are designed to work from a thumb drive. They allow you to work on nearly any computer in a familiar environment using your own settings.

Portable programs don't require the installation process of traditional programs. Everything you need stays and works on your thumb drive. When you pick up and go, all of your work goes with you.

You can use portable programs to ensure that you don't leave traces of your work or Web surfing on a borrowed computer. The following are six useful portable programs:

1. A Web browser Portable Firefox is a great way to surf the Internet from a borrowed or public computer more privately. You don't have to worry about leaving behind your browsing history. Another benefit is that you get to take your bookmarks (Favorites) wherever you go. Portable Firefox takes up 16.9 MB on a thumb drive.

2. An e-mail program Portable Thunderbird is the full-feature e-mail program that you can take wherever you go. That means your address book and saved messages travel with you as well. It can be set up for multiple e-mail accounts and offers the mobile convenience of Webmail. You'll need 8.9 MB of space to put Portable Thunderbird on your thumb drive.

3. Programs like Microsoft Office Portable OpenOffice.org lets you open and work on your documents from nearly any computer. It features a word processor, a spreadsheet, a slide presentation program, a diagramming program and a database management program. Each is compatible with documents from Microsoft Office programs, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Visio and Access. So you don't have to take your laptop everywhere you go. If you want this portable powerhouse, you'll need 167 MB to spare on your thumb drive.

4. Adobe Acrobat-like PDF viewer Foxit Reader is a small, capable PDF viewer. It offers basics like printing and keyword search. Pound for pound, Foxit Reader might even make a decent substitute for the much larger Adobe Reader on a home desktop. Foxit only takes up 2.76 MB.

5. Encryption Anytime you take work on the road, you should secure the information from thieves. A great way to do this is through encryption. Even if you lose your thumb drive, your documents will be unreadable. TrueCrypt can encrypt everything on your thumb drive. TrueCrypt is not automatically portable, but it is easily made so. Read the steps on using Traveller Mode. The portable version will take up only 599 KB on a thumb drive.

6. Antivirus software Portable ClamWin is an antivirus program that you can use anywhere. It can scan a hard drive, a folder or an individual file. The only catch is that it does not download updates automatically. Check for updates whenever you use an Internet-connected computer. Portable ClamWin takes up 15.1 MB on a thumb drive.

Troubleshoot

To solve problems or attempt to ascertain what may be wrong with a device or program. Most users manuals have a troubleshooting section that lists common problems and their solutions.