When installing a new program, update or driver it is a good idea to temporarily disable your anti-virus program (after downloading your file from the internet if applicable.)  Anti-virus programs may interpret some of the install files as suspicious activity and refuse to allow them to load or finish loading.  This will prevent the program from installing or worse,  may allow a portion of it to install so there will be enough installed for the computer to see it but not enough for it to run and too much for a re-install and not enough to uninstall and reinstall.  It gets very confusing very quickly.  So, rule of thumb, right click on the icon for your anti-virus program in the system tool tray (that group of icons in the bottom right hand corner of your screen) and select disable.  You will receive warning messages about not being protected – so don’t download any emails during this timeframe or go surfing – go ahead and accept the warnings and continue with your install.  If you are running Vista you’ll be asked if you want to continue the current action – say yes.

Install the program as normal following all onscreen prompts.  When you are done, restart the computer if you are asked to do so then right click on the same icon and select enable.   Each anti-virus program has its own terminology so go for the command that fits disable and enable.

If you are running an anti-virus that doesn’t show in the system tool tray, then double click on the icon on your desktop or find the program in your program list.  In XP, click on start, in Vista click on the start logo, then click on All Programs and look for it in the list.   Once the anti-virus program loads you need to look through the various options for something that matches “real time protection”, “live watch”, “live protection” or words to that effect.  There will be an option to disable and some programs even have a time limit to select from.

The key is to make sure the program you are installing is completely installed before re-enabling your anti-virus.

In you’ve already tried installing a program and are running into problems and suspect your anti-virus program blocked part of the install all is not lost.  Disable the anti-virus and try to uninstall the program either through the programs uninstall function or through Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel.  If that fails then try to reinstall the program over the existing failed install.  Once you have the program installed then re-enable your anti-virus program.

I often hear people say “Oh, I don’t bother with those updates, I don’t need them.”  or  “Updates, what updates?”  Anyone who uses their computer to access the internet needs to do their Updates.  As this column deals with PC’s and the bulk of the users use some form of Windows we’ll deal with Windows Updates.

Windows Updates includes a number of different items, from security patches, to fixing glitches or common complaints with the program.  We all know about the growing pains associated with a new Operating System, well Updates is part of the solution.

A recent example for doing updates is the Worm that was released in October 2008.   The Worm hasn’t been activated yet and even though Microsoft put out the patch for it months ago, it is estimated that as of Jan 2009 some 9 million computers are still infected. (Conficker virus/worm).

If you are running Windows XP, Service Pack 3 was released late 2008 but some machines still aren’t up to date.  Failing to do the Updates, means you could run into programs that won’t work on your computer because they are designed for a particular update and if you don’t have that update then problems ensue.

Having said that, there are rare occasions when Updates fail and have to be rolled back. (The Update a few years back that caused Office to stop working if you had any HP equipment other than a printer – now that was annoying.)  However, the frequency of bad updates is far outweighed by the positive effects.

So, rule of thumb, if your Operating System tells you it needs to do updates, let it.  Look for the yellow shield with a red exclamation mark in the System Tool Tray (those really small icons on the bottom right hand side of your desktop).  Most Updates require a restart and while you can usually get away with delaying the restart for a little while, don’t delay too long or your computer will throw a hissy fit.  And the screen that says “Do not turn off your computer….” don’t get impatient, just let the Update finish and you’ll be back running faster than if you try to circumvent things.

Chatter

Blogs are interesting creations.  They are online diaries and you can write about anything you like from the mundane to educational to controversial.  Some people reveal their inner most thoughts and others like to rage at the world while others have you rolling on the floor laughing (ROFL).  Maintaining a blog can be very cathartic, entertaining even annoying.  After all, it sits there like a demanding child or puppy insistent upon being fed on a schedule.  After all, if you don’t keep the material new and interesting who will read it? Refresh it too often and people are overwhelmed.

When trying to decide on a schedule first you need decide how to host your blog and decide what your topic is going to be.  (Such as this one, a blog about blogging).  Are you going to keep all your blogs on the same concept (ie about computers, parenting, politics, general rants) or bounce all over the place as your mood takes you.  Having a constant concept makes it likely that readers will return often to see the latest update; however, bouncing all over the place ensures a frequent influx of new readers and also offers an outlet for new ideas popping around in your head.

Deciding who is going to host your blog is very important and a lot of sites offer "ad-click" revenue for postings through Google-Ads .  This can generate significant income for you if you have enough readers to your blog.  Or, like this blog, you can direct traffic to your own website to sell your product or service.  Do you follow any blogs, where are they, do you like the site?  If you do and don’t have a website of your own, then that might be a good place to start your own blogging adventure.  It gives you a chance to become familiar with the idea, see if your blogs are read and then once you have an audience and some experience you can consider hosting your own blog.

Chatter

Time to answers some mail.  Keep those questions and suggestions coming.

I have Windows XP why can’t I find Word?
Another confusing term for people is the difference between their operating system (O/S) and Microsoft Office. The O/S is what runs your computer and allows you to load programs and run those programs. There are various O/S, not all are related to Microsoft, but Microsoft is the company most people recognize. Windows ‘95 and Windows ‘98 are no longer supported and shouldn’t be used on a computer connected to the internet. Windows 2000 was meant for commercial interests, Windows ME, CE and NT were short-lived but are still in use by people who swear by them. (Rearrange ME, CE, and NT and what do you get?*)

The most popular O/S today is Windows XP Home & Windows XP Pro. Most people are using Home. Pro was designed for advanced users or commercial use where networking is required.

Windows VISTA is finally here and boy does it have problems.  This O/S was supposed to change the face of computers – or so Microsoft claimed.  Maybe they meant to change the face of computers by driving everyone to Mac?  VISTA is more power hungry than XP and a good many systems in use today will not support VISTA.  If you installed VISTA and your printer just isn’t working the same or your scanner only has some of its functions the problem is VISTA and no, drivers will not be created to solve the problems.  You can either revert back to XP or buy all new equipment.

Vista does have some fun features (the gadjet), tighter security and works amazingly well on newer systems.

Once you have a computer running an O/S you still need programs to do anything with it. So, just because you have Windows X (the X refers to any operating system version) you don’t necessarily have Word, Excel, etc. The O/S generally comes with WordPad, Notepad, and Outlook Express. Those are free versions of the real thing and don’t do nearly 1/4 of the things the full-blown programs can do.

Real or Recovery?
So you’ve decided you have no choice but to format your computer.  Only, when you go looking for the O/S disc you discover it’s a recovery disc.  That’s one of the ways computer resalers are saving money and driving the price of the computer down, they do not include discs for your O/S or for the Microsoft Office Suite programs.  A system restore disc is supposed to put your computer back to factory specs but they don’t always work.  Then you find yourself spending the money you "saved" buying the O/S.  This can become an even bigger problem when you discover that the O/S you have is no longer available to purchase ie Windows XP Home.

When buying a computer that comes with an O/S make sure you are getting the O/S disk and not a recovery disk. If your system crashes and you need to repair or reload the operating system, you can’t do that if you have a recovery disk. All you can do is recover your system back to what it looked like the day you booted it for the first time. A lot of people aren’t aware that those fantastic computers complete with Windows XP Home for $500 don’t actually come with the disk. They come with a special license that gives them a copy of XP, but not the actual disk.

Chatter

Computers brought about their own language and every year they contribute significantly to the 10,000 plus words that are officially added to the English language.

Understanding some of the terminology can greatly increase your chances of getting what you want when looking to upgrade or buy a computer.

Anything ending in byte or bite refers to size, ie a 400 Gigabyte (GB) hard drive refers to the amount of storage space on your computer, or a 4 megabyte (MB) file refers to the size of a particular document or picture etc. Files can also be kilobyte (kb) size.

There are 1024 kilobytes to 1 megabyte, 1024 megabytes to 1 gigabyte and 1024 gigabytes to 1 terabyte. There are more, but you won’t find those on a home computer – yet.

So, when trying to decide how many files you can send in an email or put on a disk, all it takes is a little math and some conversion to determine the answer. Email servers used to have a 3MB email size, but some places can accept larger emails, ie printing companies, etc have special arrangements to accept large files. If you need to send a really large file there are other options available, ie instant messaging programs like MSN often have file sharing features or ftp programs like FlashFXP.

Ram, also known as memory, is described using megabyte and gigabyte, again because it refers to size. Most computers today have a minimum of 256 megabytes of ram to as much as 4 gigabytes. Ram is not storage space, even though it’s called memory. It does not store files rather provides a means for the various programs to run efficiently. Think of it like a car, power is the gas and ram is oil and your hard drive is the gas tank. The more oil you put in the smoother the operation of the car, the more ram you have the smoother the operation of the computer. Of course, like a car can’t take unlimited amounts of oil (some engines want a max of 4 litres some 5 etc) some computers can only accept 1GB of ram, some more, some less.

Anything ending in hertz refers to speed. When computers first hit the market, 64 megahertz was fast! Now, computers are approaching 4 gigahertz. The same holds true for hertz as byte, 1024 megahertz (MHz) is one gigahertz (GHz) etc.

Chatter

Typing classes used to be de rigueur in high school and if you didn’t score 95 plus sly tittering was endured. In recent times with more and more people doing their own typing and Secretaries becoming non-existent the need for perfect typing has diminished. So, when you find yourself seeking and pecking away one letter at a time blame the changing times not your fingers.

However, if you wish to become more proficient on the keyboard there are a number of sites available to help, as well as typing programs. One site I’ve found is free to use and fairly user-friendly. http://www.sense-lang.org/index.html You can practice first with nonsensical streams of letters – this is invaluable in learning where the keys are – honest, they don’t get up and run around when you aren’t looking. After learning where all the keys are you move on to text. You can even paste in your own text.

Forget about posture and get comfortable. You’re trying to learn to type, not win a marathon for the placement of your feet. One "old school" rule that still applies though, don’t look at the keyboard, instead look at your text or the computer screen.

Also, if you experience difficulties typing, take a good look at your keyboard. Just like mice are different so are keyboards. Some have soft, quiet keys, hard keys, noisy keys, 10-key pad, lights, and buttons to rival the bridge of the Enterprise. Go to your favourite electronics store and play with their keyboards – they won’t mind as long as you don’t test the keyboard’s coffee saturation point.

Find the keyboard that fits your hands, does everything you want and feels "right" when you press the keys down. You don’t need to spend a fortune to get a good keyboard.

Keyboards do not last forever. If your keyboard is more than 4 years old it is probably reaching the end of its life. Another reason for not spending a fortune. Wireless keyboards have a short lifespan but are well worth the little bit of extra money if you like the flexibility of being able to kick back and type on your lap when, say, msn-ing. Basically, if your keyboard just isn’t responding like it used to then it’s time for a replacement.

One last thing to check for that perfect fit; look for the little tabs underneath. They’re usually flush with the bottom of the keyboard and either come out, up or down. Some stand up straight and some angle. Either way, they angle the keyboard a slight degree to make typing a little bit easier.

Of course, when typing for long periods, watch out for the ever dreaded carpal tunnel syndrome. Comfort is key, if your wrists start to hurt or you lose contact with your fingers then you need to adjust something; your chair, your desk, your keyboard.

Logitech has an excellent warranty on their products and they stand behind their product. After sale customer service is a breeze.

Chatter

The original CRT monitors required screen savers to keep from burning the image onto the screen. But, did you know that LCD monitors also require screen savers to keep from doing the same thing? Fortunately, if you do burn an image onto your LCD monitor you can recover the lost area by running a screen saver continuously for several hours or days (basically the same amount of time that it took to burn the image.

It doesn’t take much to keep your screen clear; set your screen saver to come on every 90 minutes. That way it’s unlikely to come on during the day if you’re at your computer working – it’s rather annoying to be staring at the screen "thinking" and have the screen saver kick in mid-thought. Setting it for every 90 minutes though ensures that it comes on at night when you retire for the evening.

Which brings us to another thought. The great debate "to shut off or not to shut off" has avid defenders on both sides and logical arguments for both sides. On one hand you have environmental issues regarding wasted electricity, on the other you have the question about whether it is better to have your computer running at a consistent temperature and avoid the "harsh" start up. Plus, what’s the point in having high speed internet if you have to wait 5 minutes for the computer to boot up? Basically, it comes down to personal preference; is your computer loud, does it keep you awake then turn it off. Do you think you’re personally killing the planet by leaving your computer on then turn it off. If, however, you choose to leave it running and you have an LCD monitor, be sure to run a screen saver. Right click (your other right) anywhere on your desktop but not on an icon and select "properties", select "screen saver". Browse through the various options to find the one you like and select "apply" and "ok". If you decide to download a 3rd party screen saver take care that you don’t download spyware or a virus with it.

It bears repeating – the most important rule to a computer problem is "the shut-down/restart". As simple as it seems, sometimes simple is best. Remember, we’re dealing with temper-mental PC’s here, they want what they want and they will continue to act up until they get it. Think of it like a "time-out" for your computer.

If your programs are slow, not responding, colours don’t look right, or you keep getting error messages then it is time to shut down and restart. You may not think your problem is connected, ie you’re working in Word and it keeps freezing, yet shutting down Word and restarting just that program doesn’t help; it’s because it’s your Operating System that is having the temper tantrum.

Save and Save Often is an oft forgotten mantra. You don’t need to leave the keyboard to save. In most programs "alt" "f" "s" in that order will save your work. Hit the alt key, that puts you into the top menu, f launches the file menu and s selects save. If it’s the first time you’re saving then the computer will prompt you for a file name.

Sometimes you may not be sure where you’re headed, you may be spending a great deal of time on formatting and word selection and you don’t know if you want to save over the original. That’s a good time to start thinking about editions. File Name version A, or File Name version TIME and Date. This will allow you to keep your work while preserving previous versions. Just remember which version you are working in or you will end up with fresh work in various versions. To use the keyboard for a new save "alt" "f" "a" works in most programs.

Mice

Is your mouse too big? Too small? Place your hand on your mouse and look where the fingers rest. You should be able to click the buttons without moving your hand back and forth or performing finger contortions. If your mouse is the wrong size you will have difficulty clicking. With the large selection of wireless mice it is possible to get the perfect size no matter the size of your hand. If you have a small hand look for a laptop mouse, if you have a large hand look for a full size mouse.

Mice come with a variety of features and you may find that some of them don’t work. If you use your Operating System’s preloaded driver then you may not have all the features. Insert the disk that came with your mouse and follow the on-screen prompts to install the mouse’s drivers to enjoy all the features of your mouse. ie, the scroll wheel not only scrolls up and down, it will also scroll side to side – this is especially useful with those emails that extend beyond the computer screen.

Ok, time to answer some mail.

Is Windows 98 still good?

Short answer – no. It is no longer supported by Microsoft and is open to security issues and compatibility issues. The good news is, because very few people are still using 98 most computer hackers aren’t bothering writing code for it, however, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t upgrade.

Should I stick with XP, I’ve heard Vista has problems?

Well, like anything generated by Microsoft, Vista does have…….issues, for some people. It seems to depend on what you are demanding from your computer on whether you have issues with Vista. The most common problem is hardware issues. Most people are finding their old hardware is not compatible with Vista. Sometimes you can make it work and sometimes it will work but with limited features. In short, unless there is something you really want from Vista, stick with XP for now.

What’s wrong with using a free Antivirus program like AVG.

Nothing, if it works. I’ve had to take AVG off of computers because it just wasn’t doing its job. On the other hand, some of my clients love it and have used it for years. If it’s working use it, if it isn’t, then you have to replace it with something that works. The good news, Trendmicro is now available in stores. More user friendly than Norton and not as widely attacked, it is an excellent antivirus program.

Important: Do not load more than one antivirus program on your computer, it will have a meltdown. You can run more than one antispyware program as long as only one is live, but antivirus programs use the same files to operate and they really do not like sharing. So, if you are switching from your current one to another brand make sure you completely uninstall the first one. Don’t know how to do that – what a coincidence, I can do that for you.

I turned on my pop-up blocker and now I can’t access some websites that I really need to get on.

Pop-up blockers have their uses, but they don’t know the difference between an advertising pop-up and a logon pop-up. Also, if you have too many pop-up blockers, ie Internet Explorer has a built in pop-up blocker, Vista has pop-up blockers, plus there are third party blockers, if you try to run them all then you will have issues surfing the net. If you are running Internet Explorer and have a lot of pop-ups try using Firefox – a much better browser, however, none of Microsoft’s websites will work in Firefox. Download Firefox: http://www.mozilla.com , also, don’t try to uninstall Internet Explorer -it’s an integral part of Windows and won’t allow itself to be uninstalled. Don’t you just love Microsoft’s marketing tools?

That’s all for today, keep those comments and questions coming.

Chatter

Remembering all these shortcuts may seem like a daunting task, but as you start to use them you will start to remember them. Also, once you read them you’ll remember that you can do it, and just need to pop back here to reread the steps.

• Increasing/Decreasing size of text
  If you hold down the Ctrl key on your key board and then turn the small wheel in the middle of your mouse away from you or towards you, the print (font) size will change – larger or smaller – depending on which way you turn the wheel. Let go of the control key when desired size is reached and the wheel will return to its scrolling function. This works in most programs, ie email, Word, Excel, Internet Browsers etc.

• Using the Ctrl and Shift keys to move/delete/copy items – ie files, emails
  When sorting emails, transferring files etc you can select multiple files by using the shift or control keys. Say you have a list of 10 emails and you want to move emails 1-7. Click on the first email, hold down the shift key and click on the 7^th email. Let go of the shift key. Your emails are now highlighted, click in the highlighted area and hold down the mouse button. Move your mouse over to where you wish to move the emails and let go of the mouse button. If you only want emails 1, 3 & 7, hold down the Ctrl key and click on each of the emails you want, let go of the Ctrl key. Click and hold down the mouse button on one of the highlighted emails. (If you click anywhere else you will have to reselect the emails.) Holding down the mouse button, move the emails to where you want to file them. Use a combination of the two keys when doing mass moving/filing. The Ctrl key can also be used to deselect an email. In the same example of 7 emails, you want them all except email 3. Use the shift key to select all seven emails, then use the Ctrl key to deselect email 3.

• Reveal Codes
  Can’t figure out why your tabs aren’t working in Microsoft Word? Turn on "reveal codes". Look for the ¶ (paragraph sign) in your tool bar, click on it and you will be able to see all your paragraphs, tabs and spaces. When you’re done, just click on it and all the extra details go away. The "revealed codes" will not print if you have them displayed.

To be continued……..

Chatter