by Norm Salzberg |
Joy of Computing |
The following article was published in the Laguna Woods Globe on February 4, 2010
Laptop sales now exceed the number of desktop computers sold per year. Their popularity lies in three areas: one is portability; another is space saving and elimination of cables (there is no need for peripheral equipment such as a keyboard, mouse, speakers and monitor); and third, and most important reason, is built-in wireless Internet access using WiFi (a high-frequency radio link to an Internet source). A laptop owner can surf the Internet and send and receive e-mail from any place; at home using a local WiFi router, and at airports, hotels, coffee shops and other locations where a WiFi „Hotspot‰ is available.
The above features can also cause problems and annoyances. Many residents have difficulty using a laptop’s Touch Pad instead of a mouse. An inexpensive wireless mouse can be set up to eliminate the finicky touch pad. Laptop batteries have to be recharged after two or more hours of use. Of more concern is the lack of security when using unsecured public WiFi sites. Hackers can “sniff” information being transferred from a laptop with simple eavesdropping programs, when in range of the hotspot.
WiFi Routers are used to connect an Internet Provider’s broadband TV cable, or Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), modem to a user’s computer. The computer connection can be made by an Ethernet LAN cable (wired) or by reception from the router’s antenna (wireless). A router’s radio frequency link can transmit data at roughly 24 or 140 Megabits per second, depending on the Router’s rating. The lower data rate is for units built to the 802.11g communication standard and the higher data rate (preferred by interactive game players) is achieved with more expensive units rated 802.11n. In either case, the range of indoor wireless connectivity is about 100 feet and varies with height of the antenna, blocking walls, and radio interference from cordless phones and microwave ovens.
WiFi routers can be set to one of three levels of security: the lowest level is Unsecured; the next level, Wired Equivalency Privacy (WEP) is expected to be as safe as a wired LAN connection; and the highest level, WiFi Protected Access (WPA) uses heavy encryption. Both WEP and WPA require entry of a Service Set Identification (SSID) to denote the WiFi source when several signals are detected. Next, a Key code (similar to a password) is needed to prevent other WiFi receivers from connecting to secure transmissions. When this stuff works, it’s great, but a router can get out of synch with its modem - requiring a power cycling, and some mini and netbook computers have compatibility issues with security key codes.
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The following article was published in the Laguna Woods Globe on January 21, 2010
When moving files to a new Windows 7 computer, Yahoo!Mail, Hotmail and Gmail (Google Mail) users have an advantage over those using Outlook or Outlook Express. They have no need to transfer old mail and address books to the new computer. All mail folders and address or contact lists are stored on Yahoo’s, Microsoft’s and Google’s host servers. That’s why they can send and receive mail from any computer with Internet access, when away from home. Outlook Express address books have to be exported from an old PC and then Imported to the new computer's Windows Live Mail program.
In addition; folders, files and digital images can be stored on Yahoo, Microsoft and Google computers by inserting or attaching them to an email sent to your own mail account. This is an alternate method for saving important information rather than using a flash memory, CD or external hard drive. I recommend using both techniques. While traveling, files can be retrieved simply by visiting your mail account from a courtesy computer at a hotel or library or at a cybercafe.
Having a second email address is highly recommended. An email address is required in order to get a confirmation and tracking number when ordering merchandise, making reservations or buying travel or theater tickets over the Internet. Using a secondary address avoids having vendors, and their affiliates, clutter your personal mail account Inbox with follow up advertisements, special offers and the like. To get a free email account, just go to yahoo.com, hotmail.com, or google.com and select the mail link to sign up. No personal information is divulged during the registration procedure which requires the selection of a unique address Id, a password and a backup question to aid in retrieving a forgotten password. The final step, known a CAPTCHA test, requires repeating back a scrambled set of displayed characters.
CAPTCHA (for Completely Automated Public Turing Test To Tell Computers and Humans Apart) is a program that protects websites against robotic programs by generating tests that humans can pass but computer programs cannot. For example, humans can read distorted text, but current computer programs can't. This prevents hackers from using automated robotic programs (bots) to register thousands of email accounts for propagating spam. In 1950, Alan Turing proposed such tests in order to determine whether a human or a computer was responding to questions. Turing played a major role in developing the field of computer science and helped break the German Enigma code machine during World War II.
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The following article was published in the Laguna Woods Globe on January 7, 2010
My new Windows 7 computer is super fast; it starts in less than a minute and shuts down even faster. Files were transferred from an external memory so quickly, I didn't think anything happened. Windows 7’s universal Plug-and-Play capability (for adding peripheral devices to a PC) recognized my three-year-old HP Photosmart printer-scanner-copier and downloaded a Windows 7, 64 bit processor, compatible driver from HP. And displays are so neat, I connected a Samsung 20-inch LCD monitor with DVI-D digital input to the computer's digital graphics card to take advantage of its video quality.
Windows 7 has some of Microsoft’s usual new-version idiosyncrasies: for example, access to the Mouse Properties window is no longer recognizable in the Control Panel; it is easier to find by entering “mouse” in the Search Programs and Files Box located just above the Start Symbol after it is clicked; to Import an address book, an Exported address book file, in Windows address book (.wab) format, exported from an old computer’s Outlook Express or Vista’s Windows Mail program, has to be transferred to the My Documents folder for Windows Live Mail program’s Import option to recognize it.
Barnes & Noble bookstores carry 24 different Windows 7 publications. They have two editions of Windows 7 for Dummies books (one for Seniors and the other for plain dummies), large tomes of over 700 pages for geeks, manuals for programmers, and all levels and sizes of books for those in between. Prices go as high as $50 for the most comprehensive books. So far, I’ve been able to use my new Windows 7 Desktop without recourse to any of these books. Before buying a Windows 7 book, try visiting the PC Workshop for help. Currently, four computers are running Windows 7 and a few Windows 7 books are available for reference.
An increased number of virus infections were reported after the Christmas weekend. Whether visitors caused this may never be known. The infected computers had up-to-date anti-virus and other security programs. However, no program can detect every type and version of malicious software hackers plant on the Internet. These cyber criminals infect websites, or host look-a-like web pages, to trick users into visiting what they think is a legitimate site. Clicking on links to bad web sites bypasses a firewall's protection. Security program effectiveness is rated by computer magazines. Tests indicate that no program will find 100 percent of the bad stuff out there, and no two reviews come up with the same ratings. Prevx 3.0 ($29.95/year) is rated very high by PC Magazine.
Send your questions to nsalzberg@yahoo.com.
The following article was published in the Laguna Woods Globe on December 24, 2009
As in previous years, the New Year - 2010 - will bring more technical advancements and new and improved digital gadgets. They will either make life easier or more complicated, depending on your ability to learn and adapt. When I graduated as an Electrical Engineer in 1950, the transistor had just been patented; everything I learned about vacuum tubes went out the window. Computers were enormous main frames; they filled rooms. When the IBM personal computer and the Apple computer were introduced, our world changed again. My first home computer was a Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 100 portable computer (a predecessor to a Notebook style computer) purchased for about $500 in 1986. It had 24 KB of memory (that’s Kilobytes, not Megabytes or Gigabytes), an external hard drive, and a telephone modem capable of sending 300 bits per second. I wrote my own programs in Basic language.
In 1991 my first desktop computer cost $1700. It came with an Intel 386 processor, 4 MB of memory, a 125 MB Hard Drive and ran under Microsoft’s Disk Operating System (DOS). Since then, a series of used and new computers have become my servants: ranging from Windows 3, Window 95 and Windows XP systems; each time at a lower cost than the one before. My latest computer is about to be delivered. This Windows 7 machine will again have at least 8 times the horsepower of its predecessor. Installing programs and transferring my address book, favorites/bookmarks, and document and photo folders to it will keep me busy next week.
Microsoft does not include a mail program with Windows 7. No Outlook Express or Vista’s Windows Mail program is provided, as previous Microsoft operating systems did. Windows Live Mail has to be downloaded from the Microsoft web site. Presently, Microsoft is providing a free security program for Windows 7. Microsoft Security Essentials has real-time protection for your home PC. It guards against viruses, spyware, and other malicious software. Download it for free at www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/.
The makers of AVG, another anti-virus and anti-spyware program, are making it harder to find their free version of AVG 9.0. When visiting their web site, free.avg.com, be careful to select the free option for either a laptop or desktop computer. The next screen to open has the link for the free download located under the first paragraph on the page. All other options are for more powerful versions of AVG: costing either $34.99 or $54.99.
Wishing you Joy of Computing for 2010.
Send your questions to nsalzberg@yahoo.com.
The following article was published in the Laguna Woods Globe on December 10, 2009
Along with the operational improvements and powerful features of a new Windows 7 computer, be prepared for a few surprises. Windows 7 may not recognize programs that ran in an older PC; you will need to install versions designed for the new operating system. Trying to install a recently purchased program may not work unless it specifically indicates compatibility with Windows 7. Don’t rely on a sales person’s assurance; verify the operating requirements printed of the box. This happened when trying to install the software to run a new WebCam. It wouldn’t install. The WebCam’s box indicated compatibility only with XP and Vista operating systems.
In addition, programs have to be compatible with a 64-bit processor, which is becoming the standard in new PC’s. Installation of the voice recognition program Dragon Naturally Speaking - Version 10 - aborted due to a required application that was not designed to run on a 64-bit system. A Google search discovered that a newer Version (10.1) is required; not the version 10 of Dragon that the clerk sold. And an external, USB-connected, Floppy Drive is now needed to open files on old 3-inch floppy disks.
More surprises will occur when trying to open PowerPoint and Adobe e-mail attachments (.pps and .pdf) if the new computer did not come with Adobe Reader or Microsoft’s Office Suite. The solution is easy. Download the free Adobe Reader from www.adobe.com and the free PowerPoint Viewer from www.microsoft.com. Other free programs worth downloading are: Picasa, a photo album and editing program from www.picasa.google.com; anti-virus and anti-spyware program AVG from free.avg.com; the Firefox browser from firefox.com; and Open Office, a free suite of word processing, spreadsheet and Power Point programs (equivalent to Microsoft’s Office Suite) from www.openoffice.org.
The time has come to replace my almost seven-year-old Windows XP computer. It’s still working, but gets grumpy at times. Future columns will describe my adventures moving programs and tons of files to a Windows 7 PC. I will buy it from the same local computer store that built the present workhorse.
This is the 300th Joy of Computing column, a bi-weekly series that first appeared on Thursday, September 11, 1997, in the then Leisure World News. Since then, I have been meeting deadlines for submissions to this paper. Originally, the deadline was Monday noon, then it was moved up to Friday noon for the Globe, and now, columns are due on the previous Thursday at noon. It seems that the faster computers and the Internet work, the longer it takes to get anything printed.
Send your questions to nsalzberg@yahoo.com.
The following article was published in the Laguna Woods Globe on November 26, 2009
Windows 7 has made a successful debut. Whether by upgrading a PC running Vista, or by purchasing a new computer, users are happy with the speed, features, security and compatibility of Microsoft’s latest operating system. Computer consultant Russ Suter treated residents who attended the PC Club’s November general meeting to a demonstration of many of Windows 7 features. The enhanced display and task bar manipulations available when many programs, documents and web pages are open simultaneously are a great improvement over previous Windows operating systems. I can relate to that; when creating this column, I switch between several open web pages and documents to verify and merge the information I am writing about.
Russ mentioned the three editions of Windows 7: Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate. Home Premium’s retail price is $120 while the Professional version sells for $200 and the Ultimate edition goes for $220. The additional features of Professional and Ultimate are limited but may be warranted when a user has special needs. One useful feature of Windows 7 Professional edition is a "Windows XP Mode" that allows users to run older programs not upgraded to run under Windows 7. To run the Windows XP Mode, an additional 1 Gigabyte of RAM and a processor capable of hardware virtualization are required. If my Photoshop Elements 6 will not run under Windows 7, a newer version of Elements costs about the difference between the two editions.
Windows 7 Ultimate edition has two extra features to meet special needs. One is the protection of data against loss or theft with BitLocker, a data encryption program. BitLocker requires the installation of a Trusted Platform Module chip on the computer’s motherboard. The second feature is the capability to work in the language of your choice and to switch between any of 35 languages.
New personal computers are available with 32-bit and a 64-bit processors. The 64-bit units will allow you to use more than 2 Gigabytes of RAM for faster execution of programs. Windows 7 comes in both versions. Most programs will run under a 64-bit processor; however, anti-virus and hardware drivers must be designed specifically for 64-bit processors. The free version of AVG 9.0 runs on 64-bit processors.
For those having difficulty using a mouse, Windows 7 is designed to operate with Touch Screen monitors. Although pricey ($400 to $600, depending on size), you can eliminate fussing with a mouse by tapping and moving your finger on a Touch Screen. Try using a touch screen at the new Microsoft store in the Mission Viejo shopping mall.
Happy Thanksgiving
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The following article was published in the Laguna Woods Globe on October 29, 2009
While rummaging through my closet, an old notebook surfaced. There on page 1 were notes taken in 1994 during my indoctrination as a substitute Supervisor in the PC Club’s Computer Lab. That small room next to the Amateur Radio room in Clubhouse 1 is now a card room. The Lab had 6 computers running Windows 3. It only took one volunteer to staff each of the 10 shifts running weekdays at the same hours the PC Club’s Workshop operates today. Joe Schwarz, a Friday Supervisor, was President of the PC Club. None of that 1994 crew is active in the Workshop today, although about half still reside in the Village.
Not long after my training, one of the Supervisors was injured while riding his Moped and I took over for him. The Lab (now called the PC Workshop) moved to Clubhouse 3 and grew to over 20 computers with Internet access. A separate room became the Learning Center (and a neighboring room became the Mac Club’s facility). In 1997 Joe Schwarz talked me into writing articles for the Globe (formerly the Leisure World News). Membership was over 2000 residents in the year 2000. In 2002 space was available on the 3rd floor of the new Community Center; we moved there and expanded to 33 PC’s with high-speed cable Internet access. Some time in 2010, the PC Club will begin replacing some of its computers with Windows 7 units.
Now that computers can be purchased or upgraded to Windows 7, Microsoft’s improved version of their disliked Vista operating system, program designers are upgrading versions of their software to run under Windows 7. AVG Technologies (formerly Grisoft) has released Version 9.0 of their free AVG; a multi featured anti-virus, anti spyware program. Free AVG 9.0 is compatible with computers running Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7. Version 9.0 downloads and installs faster, and with less steps to get it going, than previous versions required. Go to free.avg.com to download the free version of AVG 9.0. Remember to click on the free version and avoid any business version options mixed in on AVG’s web pages.
I have learned a lot working in the PC Workshop (and Computer Lab) over the past 15 years. Trying to help residents with their computer problems and questions is a great way to expand your computer skills. Why not volunteer to become a Supervisor or Greeter in the Workshop or an assistant in the Learning Center. Contact Bob Sellards at bob511@comline.com for a Workshop position or Helen Coutant at
Send your questions to nsalzberg@yahoo.com.
The following article was published in the Laguna Woods Globe on October 15, 2009
The release date for Windows 7, Microsoft’s replacement of its much disliked Vista operating system, is rapidly approaching. Technical writers were favorably impressed with its faster speed and improved features when they tested advanced copies of Windows 7. PC’s purchased after October 22, 2009, will be available with Windows 7 already installed. Individuals who bought a computer with Vista Home Premium on or after June 26 are entitled to a free upgrade disk for Windows 7. The question for owners of computer systems running Windows XP or Vista, and not entitled to a free upgrade, is: should they spend $119 to upgrade to Windows 7?
Writing in the LA Times Financial Section on October 4, David Colker answered that question by describing the steps involved in updating to Windows 7. For users unhappy with the way Vista runs on their computers, the upgrade is fairly easy but time consuming; from one to two hours. They should scan their PC’s programs for possible compatibility issues before installing Windows 7. In most cases the issue is resolved by updating an earlier version of a program like iTunes. To download the Windows 7 upgrade advisor, go to www.microsoft.com and enter “Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor Beta” in the Search Bar. The first search result should be the link to download the scanner.
Upgrading to Windows 7 is more complicated for owners of computers running Windows XP. First, all important files (documents, images, slide shows, email, etc.) must be saved to an external memory device. After installation of Windows 7, these files have to be transferred back to the computer plus reinstallation of any programs that do not come with Windows 7. That includes printer drivers, word processors, photo editing software, anti-virus and security programs. It is highly recommended that important files always be saved to an external storage medium. More on that later.
Reasons to upgrade from eight year old Windows XP are that new programs may not be designed to run under XP and, eventually, Microsoft will stop maintaining and upgrading XP. If all you do is email, word processing and browsing the Internet, stay with your Windows XP computer until it breaks down or gets infected.
For those not wanting the hassle of saving important files to a flash memory, CD or external hard drive, there are web services that automatically save your stuff to a password protected and encrypted on-line storage unit. Carbonite.com will do this for an annual rate of $54.95. New files are automatically uploaded to Carbonite’s storage when created. Your files can be retrieved when restoration is needed.
Send your questions to nsalzberg@yahoo.com.
The following article was published in the Laguna Woods Globe on October 1, 2009
If you think Scareware is what to wear for Halloween, you had better read on. A recent spate of computer problems making the rounds involves fake pop-up notices. These official-looking windows claim your computer is infected with viruses and Trojan horses. Accompanying these notices is an offer for a program guaranteed to remove the purported infections. When an unsuspecting Internet user buys, downloads and installs the advertised removal program, his computer becomes worse or stops operating. “Malvertising” and “scareware” are new terms coined to describe these malicious programs. What’s worse is that many fake products, once installed, will prevent legitimate security programs and system utilities from running, and will block access to websites with information and tools that might help remove the bad product.
How this malware infects a computer varies from visiting infected websites to downloading a free program claiming to do something cute like add a screen saver or smiley faces. Contaminated web sites and downloads will plant malicious programs, ranging from Adware, Spyware, and Trojan Horses, in your computer. Firewalls will not stop this from happening because the user went to the website or invited the download. Before downloading anything, use a search engine (Google, Yahoo or Bing) to check the authenticity of the product or web site. Some examples of fraudulent products and rogue websites are Internet Antivirus Pro, Personal Antivirus, and witabett.com. Just enter a suspected rogue program or site in a search engine and see the many tales of woe from users who got snookered by these scams. The search results will also provide detailed instructions for removing the malicious program.
Tools and procedures to remove theses pesky infections are complicated. One professional claims an 80 percent success rate in cleaning scareware from a computer’s registry. When the tricks of the trade don’t work, the only recourse is to reformat the hard drive (wiping out all programs and files) and reinstalling the operating system, drivers, and programs; a very tedious and expensive job. The restored computer will run like new. Now a user can reinstall those important personal documents and photographs he had the foresight to save to an external memory device (DVD, CD or flash memory). The best protection against infection is to be very wary of what you see and do on the Internet, keep your security programs up to date, and back up important files. And you thought spam was a problem.
Send your questions to nsalzberg@yahoo.com.
The following article was published in the Laguna Woods Globe on August 20, 2009
Roughly half the residents of our Village use Broadband service to access the Internet. That’s over 5,500 subscribers to our high-speed Cable TV service and another 500, or so, who pay AT&T for Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) access via their telephone line. While most users enjoy fast downloads of e-mail (with all sorts of large file attachments), visit all kinds of web sites, see movie clips from You Tube, listen to music from iTunes, get free programs from Google, Adobe, Firefox, and AVG (to name a few reputable sources); there are a number of residents who are also making free phone calls and viewing movies streamed directly to their television sets. How do they do that?
For free local and long distance telephone calls, there are three popular methods: Skype, Magic Jack and Vonage. All three use Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) technology. Skype allows you to make calls from your computer by using a microphone and earphone or speakers. Download Skype for free at www.skype.com. Calls to other computer users are free if they also have installed Skype. To complete a call, the other party has to be online at the same time. Skype will also display video from web cameras attached to computers, so you can see family and friends while making the call. Skype charges for service to other countries.
Magic Jack is a small device that plugs into a USB port. It costs $40 for the gadget and one year of service. After that, the charge is $20 a year. All you do is connect a regular phone to the Magic Jack device. Order the service at magicjack.com. Of course, your computer must be on all the time, so be sure you have adequate security, including a router firewall. Vonage users buy a small adapter box (connected between a broadband modem and a computer) and pay for monthly service to call anywhere using regular house phones. Subscribe to Vonage service at vonage.com. With Vonage, your computer does not have to be on to make and receive calls.
Instead of getting DVD’s by mail from Netflix to watch movies on a DVD player, Netflix sells a device that will let you download movies and play them on a computer or TV for a small monthly charge. The Roku Netflix Ready Device costs $99 and connects to your Internet service. It is wireless-capable so it doesn’t have to be installed near your modem and router setup. To learn more visit netflix.com/netflixreadydevices. Once a movie is selected, you can start watching it in less than a minute with broadband streaming video. And no more DVD’s to mail back.
Send your questions to nsalzberg@yahoo.com.
The following article was published in the Laguna Woods Globe on August 6, 2009
This column is dedicated to Globe reporter Cheryl Walker who passed away last month at age 59. Cheryl was a dedicated journalist. She reminded me of Lois Lane, ace reporter of the Planet; unfortunately, there was no Clark Kent (Superman) to save her.
If you had to buy a PC in July, or will have to buy one before Microsoft releases its Windows 7 operating system, the computer manufacturer will provide a free upgrade to Windows 7. To qualify for a free upgrade, the PC must meet three conditions: one, it came with Windows Vista Home Premium (or better); two, it is one of the maker’s approved models; and three, it was purchased after June 26 and before January 31, 2010. Customers have to register at the PC makers web site to receive the upgrade. After Windows 7 becomes available, the PC maker will mail an upgrade disk for you to install. Microsoft expects to release Windows 7 on October 22.
The registration process in not user friendly, but actually works. I assisted a resident who had to replace a dead computer and found the process confusing. A link to a PC maker’s registration web page is found by visiting windows.com/upgradeoffer. Clicking on this link brought up the conditions to be met; date, model and Vista Home Premium. The next step required entry of the new computer s serial number and product number. The serial number was on the computer’s case, however, there was no product number there. We finally found that number on a sticker attached to the computer’s packing carton (never throw away boxes until you know everything works).
After entering the serial and product numbers, we were at the bottom of the page and couldn’t find the Continue Button. It was at the top of the page in a Shopping Cart insert. The insert summarized the inputs, yielded a confirmation Id number, and indicated that there was no cost involved. Finally, a page of instructions on how to send a copy of the purchase receipt and confirmation number to a third party service was revealed. They will send the Windows 7 upgrade disk when is becomes available.
Getting the free upgrade is a lot easier if you buy a computer from local vendor PC Trade on Bridger Street. He builds desktop computers with Windows XP and Vista. For units with Vista Home Premium, a certificate for the free Windows 7 upgrade is provided no web site hassles to put up with. I bought my PC there over six years ago, it’s still working.
The following article was published in the Laguna Woods Globe on July 23, 2009
Through the notoriety of this column, I get questions by e-mail, phone, in the PC Workshop, in the hot tub, on the golf course, and even in a men’s room. Answers to some recent queries may be of interest to you.
Q1 How do I change my Internet browser’s home (starting) page?
A1 When you open Internet Explorer or Firefox, the first web site page to be displayed is called the “Home Page.” To change it, visit a preferable web site such as a hometown newspaper, Google, organization, etc. Once the desired page is displayed, open the Tools Menu and select Internet Options from the drop-down menu. The General (or Main) Tab in the Options Window will show Home Page options. Click on “Use Current,” Apply and Ok. Next time you open the browser, the new home page should appear.
Q2 My new computer doesn’t have a floppy disk drive. How can I save files on old 3.5 inch floppies and move them to my new PC?
A2 Bring your disks and a USB Flash Memory to the PC Workshop. All computers there have floppy drives. Insert the USB Flash Memory and a floppy and open the “A” Drive. Highlight files to be saved and use the right button of the mouse. When the pop-up menu appears, select the “Send To” option and then select the Flash Memory (identified usually by letter E or F). Repeat the process for files on other floppies. Now you can move these files from the flash memory to your new computer using the above procedure.
Q3 How do I remove the Windows Mail Preview Pane?
A3 It is more secure not to have mail opened by the Preview Pane in Windows Mail and Outlook Express. In both programs, open the View Menu and select Layout to open the Layout Properties Window. Remove the Check mark from the Show Preview Pane option, Click the Apply Button and then the OK Button. The preview Pane should no longer be seen. To read mail, double click on a message in the Inbox.
Q4 No matter how many times I reset it, my computer clock is an hour off.
A4 Most likely, your computer thinks it’s in a time Zone other than Pacific time. When on the Internet, the clock synchronizes its time. The system clock displayed in the lower right corner of the Task Bar can be reset by double clicking on it. When the Date and Time Properties Window opens, select the Time Zone Tab and select (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time from the pull-down menu showing the current time zone.
Send your questions to nsalzberg@yahoo.com.
The following article was published in the Laguna Woods Globe on July 9, 2009
Windows 7, Microsoft’s replacement for their unpopular Vista operating system, will debut on October 22. In order to keep selling computers with Vista Home Premium installed until then, computer stores and manufacturers are advertising free upgrades to Windows 7 when the official release takes place in October. For a limited time, some stores will let you preorder a Windows 7 Home Premium disk for $49.99 (regular price will be $119.99) to upgrade a computer not ready to be retired. For more details on applicable computers, visit www.windows.com/upgradeoffer.
Windows 7 is promised to be less frustrating to use, require less computer resources (memory and processing power), and start and run faster. It will have more user-friendly features, such as a new taskbar that previews all open windows from a single application by hovering over the program’s icon. Another new feature provides updated lists of recently worked-on documents, images or often-visited websites without first having to open a word processor, photo editor or an Internet browser. Obviously Microsoft is confident that the first release version of Windows 7 will be fully tested and debugged. I’ll wait until 2010 before replacing my now six-year-old XP machine.
When concerned that your e-mail service is not working (no new messages or spam), an easy way to check it out is to send yourself a brief test message. Within minutes, the test mail should appear in your Inbox. You may have to click the Send/Receive or Check Mail button to trigger the new mail. If nothing happens check your Internet connection. For West Coast service, all four green lights on the modem should be on steady.
Having more than one Anti-spyware program is a good idea. No anti-spyware program will will detect every malicious program hackers may send your way. However, there are times when less is better. Installing more than one anti-virus program in a computer can slow it down drastically. Anti-virus programs snoop aroud computers and will look like a virus to another anti-virus program. Make sure the automatic updating process is active for each protective program.
If you use Skype to make free calls to family and friends and have a WebCam to let them see you as well, be careful. When Skype is installed, it is set in the System Configuation Utility Folder to start when the computer is turned on. Any one calling will see what your WebCam sees - whether you are sitting at the computer or not. If your computer is in your bedroom, don’t get dressed in front of the WebCam.
Send your questions to nsalzberg@yahoo.com.
The following article was published in the Laguna Woods Globe on June 11, 2009
Microsoft wants to avoid becoming the General Motors of the computer world. To overcome the poor showing of Microsoft’s unpopular Vista operating system and their little-used MSN search engine, Microsoft announced that Windows 7 will be available in October and that their new search engine “Bing” is now operational at bing.com. The public will be able to buy new computers with Windows 7 installed, or purchase a Windows 7 CD to update an existing PC, starting on October 22. Computers purchased with Vista some time before October 22 will get a free upgrade to Windows 7. Their intent is to get Windows 7 in the stores for the 2009 holiday season.
If you have been using msn.com for searches, the Bing search engine will now provide your results. Microsoft’s Bing search engine has features very similar to Google. Upon searching my name using the Bing Image option, I got the photo of me posted on our PC Club’s web site. Getting travel directions at bing.com works the same way as at Google maps; however, typical of large corporation culture, I could not find directions to Sydney, Australia from Los Angeles. When asked for the same routing, Google’s fun-loving designers provide kayaking directions for crossing the Pacific. Try it.
A different approach to search engines can be found at wolframalpha.com. This is a recently introduced computational knowledge engine. It uses equations and data found in scientific, medical, census and encyclopedic books and journals. A good example of what wolframalpha.com can do is to enter “zip code 92637” and see the statistics on our area. None of the other search engines yielded as much useful information. Entering equations in Roman Numerals at Wolfram Alpha yields more interesting results than at Google. Try asking for your life expectancy data at this site (if you dare).
Some members of the PC Club were not able to view club notices and bulletins sent in image (.jpg) format. The Outlook Express mail program has many options, including one that blocks images from being seen in your mail. This option can be found under the Tools Menu - Options. To allow images to be shown, select the Security Tab in the Options Window and remove the check mark for the Block Images option in the Download Images area.
For visually impaired users, keyboards with large font lettering can be purchased at hooleon.com. This site also sells keyboard stickers to paste over worn-out keys with obliterated lettering.
Norm Salzberg, ns@fea.net.
The following article was published in the Laguna Woods Globe on May 28, 2009
Worse than the cost of repair or replacement of a malfunctioning (or excruciatingly slow) computer is the loss of documents, images, e-mail, addresses and favorites saved on its hard drive, if the hapless computer owner never backed up these important files to an external memory device. The time and effort expended creating family histories, memoirs, photos, financial records and the like will have been wasted if the failed computer can not be repaired without reformatting its hard drive. If your computer is over five years old, you are vulnerable to this fate.
Techniques for backing up files vary from simple and inexpensive to sophisticated and expensive. A 2 Gigabyte USB flash memory costs about $14 and will hold thousands of documents and hundreds of photos (depending on image size and resolution). A 500 Gigabyte external hard drive, and a backup utility program needed for saving a complete image of what s on a hard drive (all programs, executive system and files) costs about $150. The procedure for saving files to a flash memory takes only a few mouse clicks while the routine for ghosting a complete image of a computer system is more involved.
To save files and folders; all you need do is right-button-click on the file or folder name and select the “Send To” option from the resulting pop-up menu. Then click on the external memory device (from the list of destinations) to send it a copy. To back up an entire computer requires a program like True Image Home 2009 from Acronis. This program can back up the operating system, applications, settings and all of your data. You can also back up selected files and folders, or even the entire disk drive or selected partitions. Should your computer’s disk drive become damaged or your system attacked by a virus or malware, you can restore the back-up data quickly and easily, eliminating hours of work rebuilding your disk’s data and applications from scratch.
Rather than buy a ready-made external hard drive, I had a local vendor (PC Trade) package a standard 500 Megabyte drive in an external aluminum enclosure made by Coolmax. It connects to a computer via a USB port. Cost was $100. You can download True Image Home 2009 at acronis.com for $49.99. Cloning a computer’s hard drive will take about 20 minutes with a USB 2.0 port. Older computers with USB 1.1 ports (like my six year old PC) will take at least 30 times longer to complete the transfer of all files and programs.
My advice to authors, photographers and anyone who stores personal information on a computer: back up your stuff now rather than be sorry later.
Norm Salzberg, ns@fea.net.
The following article was published in the Laguna Woods Globe on May 14, 2009
Think you’re safe from malicious programs that hackers and spammers want to install in your computer? Firewalls and anti-virus programs may not prevent infections when you invite the bad guys to download their stuff, or when you visit infected web sites that will download spyware and adware into your computer. Spammers are getting more sophisticated. Most people are wise to the usual scams and phishing attempts. No longer do the hoaxers try to con you into revealing bank and credit card account numbers with phony messages, purported to be sent by banks or dying Nigerian potentates. Their latest tricks are wilier; for example, they send email notices of local events or situations containing links to web sites where a video revealing details may be viewed. Don t click on it; the video download will put a spyware program in your computer to catch you typing passwords and account numbers.
While dealing with major on-line businesses is safe; small operations, such as a mom-and-pop Bed and Breakfast, may not have adequate security to protect your credit card data from being stolen from their computer when you make a reservation. Ask what programs they are using to prevent identity theft. Another ruse is to distribute flyers and notices claiming you can find money-saving deals, special benefits or information on urgent problems by visiting web sites with addresses similar to official government sites. These phony sites will install malicious programs in your computer upon opening.
So what’s a person to do? First, make sure your anti-virus and anti-spyware programs are up to date; second, copy questionable addresses and links into Google or Yahoo to learn of any posted warnings about their authenticity; and thirdly, just be skeptical of any deals. I use the free version of AVG 8.5 (a combined anti-virus and anti-spyware program), a router as a firewall, and have set my browsers to block pop-up notices. The free Site-Advisor from McAfee will indicate web sites know to have caused problems by a red bar rather than a green bar. It works with Internet Explorer.
This column is being typed with the Open Office 3.0 Writer program. If you didn’t attend the PC Club’s meeting last week, you missed out on an enjoyable presentation of this free program. Open Office does everything Microsoft’s Office suite does and is compatible with all the Office programs. It has some neat AutoCorrect features that you can turn off if not wanted. In addition, it will save documents in Adobe portable document format (pdf). Download a free copy of Open Office 3.0 at download.openoffice.org.
Norm Salzberg, ns@fea.net.
The following article was published in the Laguna Woods Globe on April 16, 2009
How much longer will newspapers and other media companies be able to afford free access to their web sites? As readers stop buying printed editions of newspapers and magazines, or cancel their subscriptions, and advertisers cut back on printed ads, publishers will look to the Internet for revenue. The New York Times, LA Times, Wall Street Journal, Time magazine and other news sources may charge a subscription fee to Internet readers to cover the costs of reporters, editors, technical staff and computer equipment if their advertising income does not cover expenses.
Other free Internet services are starting to charge users for the privilege of storing large amounts of data on their servers and mass memory devices. Kodak asks members of their Kodak Gallery to purchase photo products each year to be able to showcase their photos on the Kodak web site. For 240 Megabytes of storage, an annual purchase of $4.99 is required. For 2 Gigabyte of storage, you have to buy $19.99 worth of stuff each year. The Kodak site, www.kodakgallery.com, is easy to use. You can upload photos into albums and invite friends and family to view them individually, or as slide shows, and purchase prints of your photos in various sizes or other formats (mugs, calendars and posters).
So far, Google’s Gmail, Yahoo! Mail, and Hotmail provide many Gigabytes of storage for your mail folders at no charge. Mail can be saved forever on Google’s large computer server farms. Important photo and document files can be attached to mail and sent to your own mail account as a way of backing up personal information without buying external hard drives or saving to CD?s or flash memories. That way, the information can be recalled from any computer with Internet access. Of course, your mail files are password protected.
The anti-virus and anti-spyware program AVG 8.5 is still free. Residents who have not updated from AVG version 7.5 are being notified that Grisoft, the Czech Republic maker of AVG, will no longer support that old version. Links to updates may take users to local, third party sites that charge for AVG. To update to free AVG 8.5, go to free.avg.com and click on the download option for the free version. The AVG web pages show options for more powerful business versions of AVG, in addition to the free version. Personal computer users will find the free version of AVG adequate security for surfing the Internet and receiving email.
For the time being, there are still many web sites that are free to use. How long the free lunch will last depends on the economy.
Norm Salzberg, ns@fea.net.
The following article was published in the Laguna Woods Globe on April 2, 2009
I’m a lucky guy. My Yahoo! Mail tells me I won the British lottery, inherited a fortune from the J. Paul Getty estate, and was awarded a tidy sum without much of a reason. In all three messages, my name never appeared in the salutation or the body of the message. And in each case the sender needed my name and other personal particulars in order for me to collect all this loot. Sounded phishy to me. Scammers buy email address by the millions, use foreign Internet Service Providers, and manage to avoid bulk mail filters. All they need is for one or two gullible persons to fall for this stuff (by prepaying taxes and transfer fees or divulging their bank account numbers) to reap much more than the cost of mailing lists and Internet service.
Con artists are sending notices about how they will help you get money from the government’s stimulus package. They claim they just received big sums and will show you how to apply for federal dollars -- for a fee. If you fall for this one, I’ve got a bridge to sell you. How do these guys manage to send tons of spam each day? One method is to rent robotic networks of zombie computers for relaying their messages. Hackers invade unprotected computers and infect them with malicious programs that turn personal computers into zombies and then rent them to spammers. Another trick is to ask users for their Id’s and passwords and take over their mail accounts. I got a phony request claiming that West Coast Internet Service’s mail server was to be updated and to confirm that I got the notice by sending them my Id and password.
Microsoft released Internet Explorer 8.0 (IE 8.0) after months of beta testing. The new browser has enhanced security protection, including a warning if users are about to download something from a site known to be a source of malicious software. Users will be able to put keywords in the address bar to recall sites previously visited. Other new features include Web Slices (lets you monitor other sites), Accelerators (lets you call up options related to a word highlighted on a web page), and Search Suggestions (a current Google search feature). You can download IE 8.0 from microsoft.com. Early reviews report that Internet Explorer 8.0 is slower than IE 7.0 and some early adopters have reported operational problems. IE 8.0 will be part of Windows 7, when it is released to replace Vista. I'll wait.
Norm Salzberg, ns@fea.net.
The following article was published in the Laguna Woods Globe on March 19, 2009
Creating a group mailing list is one of the most popular lessons given in my Internet and E-Mail classes. A Group address eliminates the need to repeatedly add individual recipients (contacts) in the address line of a message intended for family members, friends or members of an organization. The Group can be created from existing addresses in an address book or by adding the addresses in the process of organizing the group. Most mail programs have a Group mailing capability. This column will cover three popular programs: Outlook Express, Gmail, and Yahoo! Mail. In Yahoo, a Group is referred to as a List.
For Outlook Express; open the Address Book by clicking on the Address Book Icon in the Toolbar, or select it from the Tools Menu, or use the Keyboard Shortcut Ctrl + Shift + B. Once the Address Book Window appears, click on the New Icon in the Tool Bar and select New Group from the drop down menu. When the Properties Window opens, enter the Name of the Group you want to create and then select existing addresses by clicking on the Select Address Button and selecting the desired names from the exposed list, each time clicking on the Select Button; or use the Add Contact Button to insert new addresses. The newly created Group address will appear in the Address Book in bold font.
Creating a Group for Gmail is a little trickier. At your Gmail account web page, click on the Contacts heading from the contents listed on the left side of the page. Then click on the two-headed Icon denoting New Group. Now a name can be entered for the Group and addresses selected by entering names in the “Add to this group” Bar. The procedure for Yahoo! Mail is similar to the one described for Gmail. Click on the Contacts heading and then click on the Add List Icon near the top of the Contacts page. Again, a name can be designated for the group and contacts added.
When composing a message for a group, Outlook Express will not show the individual address in the To: box until the message can be seen in the Outbox or Sent Items Folder. Likewise, Yahoo! Mail will only show the name of the List selected. However, Gmail will show the actual addresses of the Group in the To: or Bcc: box. Always use the Blind Carbon Copy (Bcc) box when sending a message to a group of individuals who do not know each other. This will protect the privacy of their e-mail addresses from strangers.
Norm Salzberg, ns@fea.net.
The following article was published in the Laguna Woods Globe on March 5, 2009
Seeing wildflowers popping up around the Village is a welcome sight after the recent rains. What’s not nice is seeing a fraudulent window popping up on a resident’s computer screen. A typical, official looking, pop-up window may claim that a computer is infected with either; spyware, Trojan horses or viruses, or that the Registry contains many errors. Invariably, this window has an animated graphic of a scan running to reveal how many problems exist and a link to a web site where you can purchase a program that will purge these purported troubles from the computer. Don’t fall for this scam; what you have is an Adware infection causing the pop-up window.
Phony pop-up windows with names such as MS Anti Spyware 2009, Advanced Registry Errors Optimizer 2008, XP Security Center, etc., mimic legitimate programs with similar names. However, the tools they sell will actually make your computer worse. These malicious programs get into computers when visiting infected websites or come along with a “free” download. Security programs and firewalls won’t help if you invite the bad guys in by clicking on links and free offers.
Getting rid of these pests can be difficult because they can evade existing anti-virus programs. If they can’t be removed using the Control Panel's Add or Remove Programs tool, try deleting them from the System Configuration Utility Startup List to stop them from running. A Google search of pop-up window names will reveal many web pages devoted to exposing these scams and procedures for removing the infections.
The free version of Grisoft’s anti-virus and anti-spyware program AVG 8.0 is still available at free.avg.com. Failure to enter the address correctly will take a user to possible stealth sites selling other products. The dot between free and avg is essential. When at the free.avg.com site, make sure to click on the download option for the free version and not a commercial or upgrade version.
Two readers responded to my last column regarding techniques to remove personal information from memory storage devices. One reader recommended Eraser, another free security program that overwrites a selected file with special patterns to obscure its contents. Eraser is available at www.heidi.ie/node/6 and works for all Windows operating systems. The second reader queried how to write over data on a CD-R. By definition, a CD-R cannot be written over. A CD-RW, however, is a re-writable medium, but they are more expensive and slower to format. The best way to remove sensitive information from a CD-R is to destroy it with a heavy-duty paper shredder or scratch its surface with a sharp knife.
Norm Salzberg, ns@fea.net.
The following article was published in the Laguna Woods Globe on February 19, 2009
A resident called to suggest I expand my last column’s item on disposing of old computers. While I covered transferring documents and picture files to a new computer, his concern was about leaving personal information on the hard drive. Whether scrapping an old computer or giving a still working one to a charity or friend, removing any personal information (social security number, bank and credit card account numbers, etc) is highly recommended. Studies have found personal information on about half the used hard drives sold in bulk on eBay.
Deleting a file does not erase it from a memory device; it merely breaks the link in the storage unit’s File Allocation Table pointing to where the data is stored. Computer scientists, police, and, unfortunately, criminals have programs that will find “deleted” data. So, how does one prevent identity theft of personal information left on a hard drive? If the old computer is dead, you might do what my caller did. He removed the drive from his computer and smashed it with a big hammer. There are alternate methods to remove or scramble information on hard drives, if the computer is still working.
Commercial programs write over the disk space of hard drives multiple times, using random patterns of ones and zeros, to make recovery of information impossible. File Shredder is a free program that will do a good job of wiping clean files and traces of files previously deleted. Download it from snapfiles.com/get/fileshredder2.html or find it using Google. My method for eliminating personal information is to open files and reenter random or garbage numbers in place of social security and other account numbers and then resave the files. You can also have the old hard drive installed in your new computer.
As tax season (April 15) approaches, scams may show up in your Inbox trying to trick you into revealing personal information or offering to sell books and seminars on how to avoid taxes. Don’t be fooled by bogus messages claiming to be from the IRS that you have an unexpected refund coming or that you still owe taxes. The scammer will ask for the routing number to your bank account and social security number, if you reply. The IRS never sends unsolicited email requesting personal information in order to send you money or to rectify a tax return error. Claims that federal income tax is illegal or unconstitutional, and you don’t have to pay it, are false; don’t buy anything these scammers are selling.
Norm Salzberg, ns@fea.net.
The following article was published in the Laguna Woods Globe on January 22, 2009
Microsoft planned to let the public test Windows 7, the next generation of the Vista operating system, on January 9. When the number of requests for downloads of this Beta Test version of Windows 7 exceeded Microsoft’s capacity, they had to stop and add more servers to handle the demand. Windows 7 will be a streamlined version of Windows Vista. It is promised to be less frustrating to use, require less computer resources (memory and processing power), and start and run faster.
Microsoft said Windows 7 would have more user-friendly features, such as a new taskbar that previews all open windows from a single application by hovering over the program’s icon. Another new feature provides updated lists of recently worked-on documents, images or often-visited websites without first having to open a word processor, photo editor or an Internet browser. Windows 7 will allow users to easily personalize their system. Optional Desktop Wallpaper themes that change background images every few minutes, similar to a slide show, can be selected. Windows 7 should run on most existing PCs, without having to upgrade them. It will also be compatible with more printers, cameras and other external devices.
A writer, who tested an earlier version of Windows 7, reported that it is a vast improvement over Vista, with less seldom-used bundled utilities. He claims that Microsoft also removed the email program (no Outlook Express or Windows Mail). You have to download one from their Windows Live website (free with a Microsoft or Hotmail account); or use gmail, Yahoo Mail or Hotmail.Windows 7 is scheduled for release during November 2009.This is a challenge for Microsoft.Windows Vista was released many months late with few of the promised features and missing printer drivers.
A resident called me for help when she was unable to move the mouse cursor across the computer screen. She had a wireless mouse and had already taken it to an electronics store in a local mall when the pointer symbol first froze. A store employee installed new batteries in the mouse and said, “That should do it.” However, it still didn’t work. I suggested she check that the batteries were in correctly. Guess What! They were in backwards.
When replacing an old computer, be sure to transfer important files to the new unit. Do not leave personal information on the old hard drive. And, if you donate the old system to a charity, or have it picked up as toxic waste, do not dispose of the Broadband cable or DSL modem, you need it to connect the new computer to the Internet.
Norm Salzberg, ns@fea.net.
The following article was published in the Laguna Woods Globe on January 8, 2009
Let’s start 2009 by reviewing a few tricks to make you a more productive computer user. My favorite aid is the mouse’s right button. (If your mouse is set for left handed operation, reverse these instructions.) While the left button is used to activate programs and operations, depressing the right button will bring up a menu listing all the actions possible, depending on where the mouse cursor is positioned. For example; when right-button clicking on a document or image file name, the pop-up menu will let you “Rename” the file, “Send” it to an external memory for storage, “Delete” it, or “Open” it, to name a few of the options.
Right-button clicking on a highlighted sentence or paragraph in a document will bring up a list of options including Cut, Copy and Font. Selecting the Font option opens the Font Window where the Font style, Size and Color of the highlighted section can be changed. If you are not sure of the spelling of a word, left button Double Click on it to highlight the word and then press the F7 key to activate the Spell Checker.
To find the properties of your computer, simultaneously press the Windows Logo key and the Pause key to open the System Properties window. The General Tab of this window will list which Operating System version (98, Millennium, XP, or Vista) and Service Pack (SP1, 2 or 3) is installed; the type of Intel or AMD Central Processor Unit (CPU) and its clock speed; and how much Random Access Memory (RAM) is installed. By the way, Microsoft has extended the licensing deadline for Windows XP through May 30, 2009. Buyers who don’t want the not-too-popular Vista operating system now have more time to get an XP computer.
When a program freezes (no mouse of keyboard actions possible), simultaneously depress the Control (Ctrl), Alternate (Alt) and Delete keys. This three-key action should open the Task Manager Window to indicate what applications are running and not running. Left-button Click on the program listed as Not Running and then Click on the End Task button at the bottom of the Task Manager Window. This should force the frozen program to close. It a computer’s operating system is frozen, (not even the Ctrl+Alt+Delete action works), turn the computer off by pressing its Power Button for five seconds rather than removing power cords or batteries. Wait 30 seconds before restarting the computer. If nothing is broken, the machine may restart normally.
More keyboard shortcuts and mouse tricks will be covered in future columns. There are a few openings for my Internet and E-mail classes. Enroll Friday, January 9, after 1:15 PM in the PC Workshop.
Norm Salzberg, ns@fea.net.