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Tired of Paying for Software

Many people have become tired of the high cost of computer software. Purchasing the new version of Microsoft Office every few years has become too difficult for some to keep up with.  There are many other options out there, but what about just paying some other company, and everyone else uses Microsoft Office. There are many free programs available, yes, free programs and all of these choices are compatible with Microsoft Office files.

The first and most well known downloaded office suite is OpenOffice. This may be the primary free office suite used today but many more are available. Sun Microsystems has developed StarOffice, and this is also available as a free download. Other office suites are IBM Lotus Symphony, and AbiWord. Any of these software programs can be downloaded today.

Another option is the development of online office systems. Some of these documents are Zoho, Thinkfree, or Google docs. All of these do not require you to download the software to use them. All you need is access to an internet connection and a web browser such as Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox. For instance anyone can access google docs. With a google account that includes an email account you can store documents online. This also offers you the ability to share documents by giving others access to the documents. No documents need to be stored on your computer so you don’t need to worry about loosing documents. The documents can be edited or just viewed by multiple parties.

What ever you choose it is worth it to check out these programs. It may be that in the future programs such as these will take the place of Microsoft Office.

Filed Under: General, Software Tagged With: ,

Online Payment Accounts for Beginners

Are you still scared to use your banking cards online? Do you want to shop online but still figure it isn’t worth the risk? You are not alone, but you may be mistaken in your worries. There is a risk of course anytime you use your credit card or debit card. On the street your wallet or purse could get stolen as well. There is also the possibility that your identity will be stolen from papers you throw out in the garbage. The point is, there are safeguards on the internet to protect you when you make purchases.

Something that is not new but is becoming more and more available as a method of payment online is an online account like PayPal. This is not an add for PayPal, but it is giving positive feedback for the service. With an account like paypal, paying for items without entering your credit card on various sites is now possible. If you want to raise money or open an online business you can use a PayPal account to let people pay you directly to your website.

A PayPal account is fairly easy to set up. You have to option of connecting your bank accounts to the online account. This depends on what you intend to use the account for and whether or not you want to retrieve cash from the account. An online account such as this could remain online, and be used only for online transactions. PayPal is an option for adding security to your online business activity. Whether you want to purchase a new birdhouse, or receive funds from clients, PayPal is an option.

Filed Under: Security, Software Tagged With: ,

Helping You With Your Desktop

Are you one of those people that is piled with icons on your desktop? How many of those icons do you use? How many of those icons seem to get in the way of you finding what you are really looking for? In order to spend less time searching for what you want and more time engaging in what you are looking for you must maintain an organized personal computer. For the most part here we are talking about Windows based users.So here are some tips to organize your desktop

The desktop is the screen that appears when you start up your computer. it may have a picture or design on it, but it almost always has a start menu in the lower left corner and a variety of icons on it. For an organized desktop there is probably ten to twenty icons on the desktop. All of these icons will lead to a program or folder that the user uses on a daily or weekly basis. If there are items that you use less than that on your desktop they don’t belong there.

Another way to determine if a icon belongs on the desktop or not is to keep only shortcuts on the desktop. If the file is the actual file and is not on the desktop in transition to its place in the directory, then it should be moved. It’s that simple. A clean desktop will allow you to find what program or file folder you are looking for quickly and with little to no frustration. Your time looking at your photos or whatever should be fun, not an exercise that ends with you not finding what you are looking for in the first place.

Filed Under: Common Solutions, Software Tagged With: , ,

Maintaining an Organized Directory

In order to maintain a productive work space it is important to maintain an organized directory on your computer. There are a number of ways that a computer slowly gets bogged down both in speed of the processor and in the speed at which you can find what you are looking for. It is up to the computer user to maintain a clean and organized workspace on their computer just as much as it is important to maintain a clean an organized office.

Follow a few simple guidelines and you will maintain a more useable personal computer:

  1. Maintain a clean and clear desktop. It is best to put things into your computer in an organized manner. Only keep those items you are currently working on on your desktop and even then it is best to already have them saved in a particular space. The desktop should be reserved for shortcut to those items you use everyday and will not stop using when you move on to some other work.
  2. If you no longer use a program delete it. A hard drive with tons of programs does not function at optimal speed. If you can try to maintain half of your hard drive empty. If you are using more space than this you may consider archiving some photos, videos or music on an external storage device.
  3. Run utilities regularly. Make sure to run disk defragmenter, scan disc and anti virus software regularly. All of these utilities will aid in making sure the drive is clean and free of malware or possible issues that will cause problems for the computers operation.

Follow these simple organizational guidelines and your computer should continue to run at an optimal performance and you will also be able to find the files you are looking for at any given time.

Filed Under: Security, Software Tagged With: , ,

Help, My computer is going slow

Are you having issues with slow computer speed? When you bought the new computer it seemed to run like a dream. You remember it’s the first day of the new computer and when you opened Microsoft Word, it seemed to take no more than a second before it popped open. Remember when you opened your web browser, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, or Google Chrome, and it seemed like you could click a link and you were instantly transported to whatever you wanted. Now today, you wait almost a minute for Microsoft Word to open, and your browser allows you time to make coffee between websites. What happened is the question in your head, but more importantly is there anything I can do to get back to when my computer worked how I wanted it to work?

Well, there are several possible reasons why your computer has slowed down and most of them can be dealt with. Here we will discuss how to minimize the number of programs that are running at any given time. First of all, you may be an active internet user and any program that comes along that is required to view some type of media, you download it. It is important to realize that as you download programs from the internet, many of them are set to open when your computer starts up. Anything from Quicktime to many other programs are set to be accessible immediately if you need them. These programs are using some of your processor and slowing down how fast other programs can open and function.

One easy way to see what is running is to check the Windows Task Manager. In order to open the task manager simultaneously push CTRL + Alt + Del. Next, click on the “Processes” tab. Now don’t go shutting down operations just because you don’t know what they are. Use this list to research what is running. If it is a program that you know is not necessary all the time, change the options of the program not to open on start up. This may help.

Filed Under: Anti-Virus, Software Tagged With: ,

Holding off the Hackers

Just as we would not walk through a mean city’s streets and flaunt our jewelry and the contents of our wallet “surfing the Internet these days requires us to move with a measure of restraint. Hackers are in our midst, and it’s those of us who leave our guard down that will feel their bite.

There are a few simple tricks we can do to create a series of obstacles for hackers “that will normally provide enough trouble for them to not bother trying any further.

1. Get Protected

Your first port of call is to install anti-virus software. These programs will detect and remove malicious forms such as viruses, Trojans and bugs through a variety of signature-based and Heuristic-based detection methods.

2. Don’t Underestimate the Power of Updates

Make sure you install updates to your operating system and web browser. New innovations are created all the time: make good use of this new knowledge at the mere click of the mouse.

2. Build a Wall

Installing a firewall is a must in today’s virus-saturated online world “these barriers protect your computer from unwanted conversations in networks. Windows XP now includes a firewall, but there are also a whole slew of companies who sell strong firewall software, such as Symantec and Zone Alarm.

4. Block out the Spies

It’s not only criminals out there waiting to hack into your computer, in today’s business world companies will go to great lengths to bolster their consumer profiles by installing programs that are able to go into computers and extract information. Put a stop to this invasive behavior by installing anti-spy and ad ware.

5. Remain Aware

Now that you’ve done these vital steps, don’t let your guard down completely. When online it’s best to remain aware of your surroundings: don’t open attachments that look suspicious, and keep high standards and make sure that everything you open is from a trusted source.

Filed Under: Common Problems, Security, Software Tagged With:

Safe Emailing Tips

Emails are one of the most common ways that viruses, bugs and Trojans get into our computers. So it’s important that just as we would not open our front door to any old stranger “we need to use the same mentality with our inbox.

By implementing a quick checklist every time you receive an email, you can seriously reduce the threat of bugs getting into your system.

1. Who?

First of all, double check who this email has come from. Don’t be fooled by the subject of the message “which might use the name of one of your friends, for example, “Luna Jones would like to share her photos with you!” Even though you know Luna Jones, take a look at the name of the email address, if it’s unfamiliar, don’t open it.

2. When?

Have you received an email from this address before? If yes and you completely trust the recipient, then go ahead and open it. But be very cautious with the first time you receive an email from a new address.

3. What?

Does this email make sense? Or is completely out of the blue? For example, say the email address seems to be from your brother ” does the title of the message strike you as very odd? If yes, exercise caution.

Once we implement these three easy steps into your emailing life, you’ll also want to think about how YOU send emails. Do you send emails with attachments to new people, who may have never heard of you before? Chances are, they will delete your message if they see an attachment.

If you’re emailing a new person, write to them first and ask them if you can send them an attachment. If they reply and agree, then when you send that attachment they will actual open it.

So now you have it: safe ways to email, and ensure your emails are being read!

Filed Under: Common Solutions, Software Tagged With:

Protect Your Wi-Fi Network

We all love the freedom a wireless network brings, but with the convenience of being able to log online in every room – comes the dangers of hackers.

If we live in a fairly densely populated area, it’s likely that other people are already seeing our network name. Put a few measures into place, and you will immediately reduce a lot of the risks that come from such a public presence.

Change Your Network Password

It sounds obvious, but many people forget to change the password that automatically comes with their wireless device. Hackers know the pre-configured passwords for the major brands, so make sure you create a rock-solid password from the get go.

Where Is Your Antenna?

Have a good think about where your antenna is placed. If it’s right next to a window, then be aware that the glass is not blocking the signal but letting it stream out. Move your antenna to a space in the middle of your house, and try to aim it so that the signal only covers the necessary area.

WEB

Make sure the wireless encryption protocol (WEB) on your device is switched on. It’s not a foolproof security measure, but it will certainly help in providing another barrier for curious snoopers.

SSID

Turning off the broadcasting function of the service set identifier (SSID) on your device is also recommended, although equally it is not an infallible method. Turning off the SSID will basically stop casual snoopers from seeing the presence of your wireless network – but for pro hackers, they will be still able to know about your presence.

Use Access Lists

Finally, you can set your wireless device to choose which machines are allowed to attach to an access point. This will prevent new machines from entering the equation.

These are simple measures to put into place, but they will do you the world of good when they stop a hacker from going any further.

Filed Under: Common Solutions, Software Tagged With:

How To Report Bad Behavior Online

It happens to us all. We’re sitting there innocently reading our Facebook messages, when up pops a naked person we do not know who is trying to “friend” us. Or maybe we’re on YouTube and something downright offensive comes on.

How do we deal with such intrusions online? Here is a list of some of the major sites, and how to quickly deal with unpleasant behavior.

YouTube

If you come across a video that you find particularly offensive or inappropriate, click on the “Flag” link below the video. This is a method to quickly alert the team behind YouTube. You can explain why you find it inappropriate by selecting one of the options, and then click on “Flag This Video”. After doing this, the team will review the video. There’s also a way of limiting the extend of videos you watch online, by enacting the “YouTube Safety Mode.”

Facebook

There are many ways we can be offended on Facebook, whether it’s an ominous friend invite or an insulting video. To report offensive content, you can use the “Report”  links that appear alongside context. Like YouTube, once you click this link, the team will review the content. Alerting the Facebook team of suspicious friend requests is always a good idea.

Blogger

Bloggers can seemingly publish whatever they want these days, but when it comes to most blogging platforms there are measures to report inappropriate content. With the popular platform Blogger, you can click the”Report Abuse” link at the top of the page. After a review, the Blogger team may even remove the blog entirely.

It’s important to remember that although sometimes you just feel like closing the page when you see something nasty online, it’s a good practice to report offensive content when you see it. The World Wide Web is a vast expanse, and it takes all of us to keep it a pleasant place to be.

Filed Under: Hardware, Software Tagged With:

Common PC Problems

Computers have become essential tools in our lives, but from time to time something goes wrong with them “which can be a fairly stressful experience. Instead of having a heart attack each time this happens, we can learn some of the most common causes for problems with our PCs – and their solutions.

Virus / Spyware / Adware

The most common causes of problems with computers are due to malicious programs, such as viruses, spyware or adware. These programs have the capacity to destroy at will, so make sure they don’t get into your system in the first place by installing anti-virus/spyware and adware.

Windows Crash

If our windows program is crashing for no apparent reason, it is probably due to viruses. Another common cause is that we have installed unlicensed software. Make sure that you are using programs that are legitimate.

Hardware Failure

Sometimes we have too many programs installed on our computers, or too many programs open at one time, which can cause our hardware to slow down. Try to reduce the number of programs you are working on, and the problem will usually disappear.

Unable to Open Programs

If we keep clicking on a program but nothing is happening, this is usually due to a virus harming the program” formatting is the best cure.

Screen Freeze

It’s just like in life when we’re too busy with something – you know those moments when your head suddenly goes blank and you have no idea what you’re doing? Sometimes our computer’s processor is too busy, and so it freezes. Just reboot the PC and it’ll come back to life.

No Sound in the Speakers

Beyond checking all the obvious things, like making sure the speakers are plugged in and switched on, you might want to check the sound card which may need to be reconfigured.

Filed Under: Common Problems, Software Tagged With:
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